Academic researchers in the infant and early childhood mental health field seek to understand the factors in early childhood that promote lifelong learning, health, and well-being. The inclusion of diverse and underrepresented populations, however, remains a challenge in rigorous research design. This article explores the challenges in addressing…

Rating scales are a standard measurement tool in psychological research. However, research has suggested that the cognitive burden involved in maintaining the criteria used to parcel subjective evidence into ratings introduces "decision noise" and affects estimates of performance in the underlying task. There has been debate over whether…

In experimental studies, researchers are often interested in secondary research questions that explore important aspects of main findings, such as whether or not program effects vary according to the level of fidelity in which the program has been implemented; or according to the dosage received by individuals participated in the program. In this…

In this issue's "Ethical Challenges" column, commentators share their views of how evaluators might respond to specific problematic situations, linking their analyses to the principles and standards they believe are most relevant to the case. Not surprisingly, the perspectives that commentators offer are not always in agreement. When…

IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM, THE PROBLEM OF EDUCATION AND CULTURAL DEPRIVATION REDUCES TO ONE OF HOW CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN DISADVANTAGED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF MORE FORTUNATE CHILDREN. MANY APPROACHES ARE POSSIBLE. AMONG THE VARIABLES WHICH MUST BE STUDIED IN DEPTH ARE--THE STUDENT, HOME ENVIRONMENT, PEER…

Our system of research self-regulation, designed to provide internal checks and balances for those who participate in research involving human subjects, is under considerable stress. Much of this crisis has been caused by what we call mission creep, in which the workload of IRBs has expanded beyond their ability to handle effectively. Mission…

CONFLICTING VIEWS CONCERNING READING RATE ARE PRESENTED. THE CLAIMS MADE BY PROPONENTS OF DIFFERENT METHODS OR PROGRAMS AND THE USE OF MECHANICAL DEVICES TO INCREASE READING RATE ARE MAJOR ISSUES. CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT MOST EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ARE MERELY DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES, AND THAT OTHERS LACK PILOT STUDIES AND ADEQUATE CONTROL GROUPS. RELATED…

THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO EXPLORE NEEDS AND TRENDS IN RESEARCH, TO LOCATE EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH SHOWING DIRECTION FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION, AND TO EXCHANGE IDEAS. THERE WERE THREE GENERALLY ACCEPTED ASSUMPTIONS THAT GENERATED MANY IDEAS FOR RESEARCH IN THE AREA OF THE EDUCATION OF GIFTED CHILDREN AS WELL AS THE CHILDREN AT ALL LEVELS OF ABILITY.…

TO INCREASE THE COMPETENCE OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FIELD, FOUR UNIVERSITY SEMINARS WERE CONDUCTED ON (1) VOCATIONAL RESEARCH DESIGN, (2) RESOURCES IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES RELATING TO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, (3) PARADIGMS FOR EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND (4) ADMINISTRATION OF DEVELOPMENT, PILOT,…

A study examining the evaluation components of merit pay programs in Illinois suggests that such components significantly influence a program's success or failure. Merit pay programs should incorporate evaluation systems tht emphasize their formal purpose, target variables related to effective teaching, and utilize sound data collection…

An attempt to replicate a study of the accuracy of test results of medical laboratories was unsuccessful. Limitations of the obtained data prevented the research from having satisfactory internal validity, so no formal report was published. External validity of the study was also limited because the systematic random sample of 78 licensed…

Problems of definition in estimation in evaluation research were studied through a survey of homeless persons in Cook County (Illinois) based on 481 interviews. Differences arising from the following four population definitions are presented: (1) traditional homeless; (2) marginally housed; (3) social isolates; and (4) total of these categories.…

This paper examines the challenges and problems involved in studying the Illinois school finance system, based on the experience of the Center for the Study of Educational Finance in studying the 1973 Illinois school finance reform. The first major section of the paper outlines the major variables in the 1973 Illinois reform and discusses problems…

One of a series of annual studies undertaken by the Library Research Center for and on behalf of the Illinois State Library, this report provides a detailed, question-by-question examination of the 143 responses (84% of the 170 Illinois academic libraries polled) to the 1981/82 Higher Education General Information Survey/Library General…

Budgetmaking and bargaining are central resource allocation processes in schools; this study examines how they affect one another. Ethnoscientific techniques were applied in nine Illinois school systems. The results were analyzed to show the flow of the decision process and construction of detailed plans of action. The structure and power…