Discusses a reliability theoretic construct focusing on information produced to satisfy specified purposes or achieve preconceived objectives. When measures of system reliability and sensitivity analyses are performed, the result is a closer congruence between the objectives of the data producer and user requirements. (Author/MBR)

Views intercoder reliability as a sampling problem for content analyses. Develops a formula for generating sample sizes needed to have valid reliability estimates. Suggests steps for reporting reliability. (TB)

Describes a study in which several different sets of hypertext links are inserted by different people in full-text documents. The degree of similarity between the sets is measured using coefficients and topological indices. As in comparable studies of inter-indexer consistency, the sets of links used by different people showed little similarity.…

Outlines the purposes of statistical analysis and types of research questions that can be answered. Defines data types as a guide for choosing statistical tools. Describes a hypothetical research study on teaching computer software to illustrate the use of analytical tools. (SK)

Purpose: To provide educationalists with an understanding of the key quality issues relating to multiple-choice tests, and a set of guidelines for the quality assurance of such tests. Design/methodology/approach: The discussion of quality issues is structured to reflect the order in which those issues naturally arise. It covers the design of…

In this study, the authors examined the stability of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989) code types in a sample of 94 injured workers with a mean test-retest interval of 21.3 months (SD = 14.1). Congruence rates for undefined code types were 34% for…

The development and application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the field of Foreign Language Teaching (FLT) have had a considerable impact on the teaching methodologies in China. With an increasing emphasis on strengthening students' learning initiative and adopting a "student-centred" teaching concept in FLT,…

In this series of studies, we investigated the technical adequacy of three curriculum-based measures used as benchmarks and for monitoring progress in three critical reading- related skills: fluency, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. In particular, we examined the following easyCBM measurement across grades 3-7 at fall, winter, and spring…

These researchers analyzed the perceptions of parents of students determined to be at-risk about their involvement with their children. Parents (n = 229), predominantly Hispanic, were surveyed from elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools in a district in South Texas near the Texas-Mexico border. Quantitative data obtained from the…

Unionization efforts on community college campuses have increased fivefold over the past decade, this research addressed issues relating to increased levels of faculty unionization on community college campuses in Ohio. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine and describe what, if any, relationships exist among faculty union…

Community coalitions (CCs) have labored with some difficulty to demonstrate empirical evidence of effectiveness in preventing a wide range of adolescent problem behaviors. Training and technical assistance (TA) have been identified as important elements in promoting improved functioning of CCs. A reliable, valid, and inexpensive method to assess…

This paper traces developments in educational psychology and measurement that led to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) and the application of educational measurement terms such as validity and reliability to testing. Use of a table of specifications for planning…

Purpose/Objectives: The National School Lunch Program is well situated to address the vulnerability of lower income children at increased risk for both under and overnutrition. Evidence suggests, however, that a significant amount of food served in the program goes uneaten. One way to monitor this problem is through children's self-reported plate…

Recently, there has been an increasing level of interest in reporting subscores. This paper examines the issue of reporting subscores at an aggregate level, especially at the level of institutions that the examinees belong to. A series of statistical analyses is suggested to determine when subscores at the institutional level have any added value…

Two methods for estimating measures of pass-fail reliability are derived, by which both theta and kappa may be estimated from a single test administration. The methods require only a single test administration and are computationally simple. Both are based on the Spearman-Brown formula for estimating stepped-up reliability. The non-distributional…