In this study, the authors examined the relationship of 1,128 sixth and seventh grade students' grades in four subject areas (i.e., math, reading, science, and social studies) and their scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills (TAKS) Reading, Math, and Writing measures for the 2006-2007 school year as a function of their weight…

A Monte Carlo Study was conducted to evaluate six models commonly used to evaluate change. The results revealed specific problems with each. Analysis of covariance and analysis of variance of residualized gain scores appeared to substantially and consistently overestimate the change effects. Multiple factor analysis of variance models utilizing…

The statistical methods presented in this workbook focus on the display of central tendency, statistical tests, and correlation. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 consist of worksheets, each of which provides step-by-step instructions for calculating and interpreting a particular statistical method. The introduction to each worksheet explains how and when to…

Two theorems concerning F in analysis of covariance with two groups (experimental and control) and one covariable (pretest score) are presented. The first shows explicitly that F is a direct function of the ratio of the variance about the regression line for the total sample to the variance about the within-group regression line. The second…

A program obtained random samples from known populations, some of which violated the homogeneity assumption. Student t tests and Mann-Whitney U Tests were performed on the sample value. Where the t test led to incorrect decisions, the use of Mann-Whitney U test in its place led to poorer results. (JAZ)

Statistical measures of practical significance report the extent to which variation in the dependent variable can be explained by the independent variable. Reports of special education research sometimes discuss practicality using the estimate of statistical significance. Practical significance, however, may vary greatly among samples even though…

It is shown that using formulae for the estimation of sampling errors based on simple random sampling, when a design actually involves cluster sampling, can lead to serious underestimation of error. Jackknife and balanced repeated replication are recommended as techniques for dealing with this problem. (Author/CTM)

Within the context of a counterbalanced design, 102 students from either a high school or a large Southeastern university were administered two versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A): a computer-administered version (CA) and a paper-and-pencil version (PAP). Time between testing sessions was approximately…

The primary purpose of this correlational study was to explain the relationship between discipline specific critical thinking skills and leadership training and experiences of selected FFA youth leaders. Researcher-developed measures of critical thinking skills and leadership were used to discover low, but positive relationships between critical…

Dissertations are the cumulative, tangible "best evidence" of interests of doctoral faculty and students in serious and incisive scholarship. Thus, dissertations are thoroughly studied by the program review teams periodically hired by boards of higher education in most states. The present paper explores seven errors in quantitative…

The pretest-posttest design referred to as Design 2 by Campbell and Stanley (1963) is commonly used in educational research and evaluation. The tenability of the assumption of a zero population difference commonly used with this design is questioned. A nonzero population estimate based on the mean difference observed in test-retest reliability…

This report was designed to present an example of a research study involving the use of coefficients of orthogonal comparisons in analysis of variance tests of significance. A sample research report and analysis was included so as to lead the reader through the design steps. The sample study was designed to determine the extent of attitudinal…

Several tenets of mastery learning were examined in this study in the context of college level instruction. When students learn for mastery: (1) retention test scores should exhibit small variability and should be unrelated to aptitude; (2) test items which are classified into high and low cognitive behavior subscales should be unrelated to…

The sequences of learning sets (intersequence) and instructional events (intrasequence) were empirically validated for a hierarchy of concept and rule using skills. Experiments with high school students showed no differences between empirical and reordered inter- or intrasequence on time to mastery; nor was there a difference in the number of…

A sensitive measurement model is developed that provides transactional scale values for individual members of a group, as well as an evaluation of pairwise interactions and balances that are emergent properties of the group itself. (Author/DG)