This study is comprised of five major sections, each of which focuses on a central linguistic issue germane to the understanding of the general phonetic characteristics of languages. The sections include: (1) a comparative study of terminal consonant releases; (2) the influence of consonants upon contiguous vowels --phase 1: vowel duration; (3)…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether option weighting improved the internal consistency and intercorrelation of the subtests. The differential option-weighting scheme employed in this study is based on one devised by Guttman. The tests were first scored with Guttman-type weights and then with conventional correction-for-guessing…

This study tests three aspects of the problem of validity of contrastive analysis as a means for predicting errors or problems for second language learners: the constancy of foreign-language errors, the objectivity of the methods and procedures of contrastive analysis, and the capacity of contrastive analysis to make accurate predictions. Japanese…

This paper outlines the development of techniques for computer-based personality assessment from sentence completions. The One-Word Sentence Completion (OWSC) instrument was designed to elicit data suitable for machine processing, while retaining most of the advantages of a free-response format. Two operative scoring systems are described. The…

Comparisons of students' educational performances are usually based on test and examination results. However, for such comparisons to be valid, it is suggested that evaluations must be made on some common basis since many educational and employment decisions are based on these evaluations. Standardized tests, often used when comparisons are to be…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of school socioeconomic and racial-ethnic context for Mexican American student achievement and dropout behavior. Data reported in this paper were obtained from the first part of a larger 3-year panel study evaluating the effects of court-ordered busing on majority and minority…

Variables expected to be associated with academic achievement were examined in a sample (generally exceeding 2500) from eight secondary schools in Baymon Norte, Puerto Rico. Concern was whether variables associated with academic achievement differed by sex or by socioeconomic status (SES). Multivariate analyses of variance with three factors of…

Content and task dimensions of social studies items were studied using factor analytic techniques. These items were developed to measure concept attainment using a completely crossed design with 30 concepts and 12 tasks. Conventional factor analyses were performed, separately for boys and girls, for concept scores and for task scores. Three-mode…

The frequent occurrence of childbirth during periods of marital disruption is discussed. Life table procedures based on 1970 information show, from a sample of 1,054 women, that slightly more than 25% of separated, divorced, or widowed women had given birth within 48 months of marital disruption. The variables affecting these statistics are…

The Performance Indicators in Education program is intended to provide measures of the impact school districts have on the achievement of their pupils. After an extensive period of development by the Bureau of School Programs Evaluation of the New York State Education Department, reports were prepared for 628 school districts in New York State.…

The dominant driving force of past movements in West German output and prices is investigated and a review of government policy undertaken to stabilize these movements is presented. Three alternative impulse hypotheses are tested: the monetary, the fiscal, and the foreign impulse hypothesis. The major results of the tests are that: (1) monetary…

Twenty handicapped, preschool children were administered Goal Attainment Follow-ups. This technique for recording and scaling observation data was developed and documented by the Program Evaluation Research Center in Minneapolis. Appropriate scale headings and outcome levels were defined for each child, based on specific problem areas documented…

The study of teacher effectiveness is confronted by a number of problems that are generally associated with the conduct of behavioral research. It is possible in some instances to resolve or circumvent some of the current methodological stumbling blocks that tend to reduce the credibility of research findings. This paper discusses three…

The Tattletooth program is a new dental health curriculum in which the students learn in the classroom to care for their teeth through brushing, flossing, and proper diet; and they receive needed support and encouragement to form good dental habits from their parents, dentists, and from community groups. Classroom materials for the Tattletooth…

This paper examines whether a geographic skills mismatch exists between the location of less-educated minorities, in particular African Americans, and high-skill job concentrations, and if so, whether it contributes to the relatively poor employment outcomes of this group. It explores these questions by examining data on the recent geographic…