This study used Tobit analysis to estimate retention probabilities and credit hours at two universities. Tobit was judged as appropriate for this problem because it recognizes the lower bound of zero on credit hours and incorporates this bound into parameter estimates and forecasts. Models are estimated for credit hours in a single year and…

It is well-known that for normally distributed errors parametric tests are optimal statistically, but perhaps less well-known is that when normality does not hold, nonparametric tests frequently possess greater statistical power than parametric tests, while controlling Type I error rate. However, the use of nonparametric procedures has been…

Three studies sought to determine whether incubation effects could be reliably generated in a problem-solving task. Experimental variables manipulated were the duration of the interval between two problem-solving opportunities and the activity performed by the problem solvers during the interval. A multisolution anagram task was used which…

In the predictive learning and causal reasoning literature it has been suggested that the processing of events is under the control of a competitive mechanism. However, little is known about whether the competitive mechanism operates at the encoding or near the response stages. The present work suggests that measures based on the recall of…

This survey research study uses job choice theory to assess recent educational leadership doctoral graduates' perceptions of the desirability of the educational administration professorate. Results reveal attractive and unattractive aspects of professorial work as well as those job attributes that are most strongly related to candidates'…

This study was designed to examine performance as a function of grade and course satisfaction in online undergraduate level courses, specifically students' self-efficacy for online technologies and self-regulated learning strategies. This research included a sample (N = 815) of community college students enrolled in liberal arts online courses…

NCRE members were surveyed regarding the relative importance of eight broad research areas as well as 67 research topics. Results indicate that Rehabilitation Interventions and Rehabilitation Outcomes are research categories that should receive the most attention. Self-report evaluations regarding level of proficiency to conduct qualitative and…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine significant differences, if any, in student achievement in the area of math and science of students taught by traditionally certified teachers and alternatively certified teachers. This study examined alternatively certified teachers, as identified from through the Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative…

The logit methodology provides a unique way of examining input-output relationships for social systems where the principal output of the analysis is a probability of some action or state. (Author)

Direct and indirect effects in decomposed zero-order correlations among variables in causal models are considered. Under certain circumstances, the components of the decompositions could be interpreted as direct, indirect, and spurious causal effects, plus a component called joint associations. The sum of the direct and indirect effects is the…

Identification and explication of construct relationships, under conditions of extraneous variable control in multiple regression and its multivariate analog, canonical analysis, were studied. Several data models were generated as a function of the interaction of partial correlation and orthogonal linear transformations on nursing examination…

Exploratory research with large numbers of variables and even larger numbers of relationships is likely to result in frequent Type II errors; that is falsely accepting an incorrect null hypotheses. There are three ways of reducing Type II errors: (1) choosing a lower significance level, which then increases the probability of Type I error; (2)…

To estimate the influence of positive reinforcement on classroom learning, the authors analyzed statistical data from 39 studies spanning the years 1958-1978 and containing a combined sample of 4,842 students in 202 classes. Twenty-nine characteristics of each study's sample, methodology, and reliability were coded to measure their effects on…

Three procedures used to control Type I error rate in stepwise regression analysis are forward selection, backward elimination, and true stepwise. In the forward selection method, a model of the dependent variable is formed by choosing the single best predictor; then the second predictor which makes the strongest contribution to the prediction of…