These papers presented at a World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) Consultation explore current approaches to environmental health data in Europe. Topics discussed include unified environmental health databases, the use of national hospital registers, health statistics in small areas, expert systems, chemical databases,…

Discussion of the use of surveys as a research tool focuses on the value of library surveys. Two types of surveys are described, the descriptive survey and survey research; and improving the quality of survey research is discussed, including planning, sample size, data collection techniques, and methods of statistical analysis. (18 references)…

In this second article of a series, the first three stages of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) process are described and several facilitation techniques that can be used in each stage are discussed. The three stages discussed (Mess-Finding, Data-Finding, and Problem-Finding) each involve a creative thought and a critical thought phase. (JDD)

Instead of focusing on narrowly defined, technical teaching models, reflective teaching embodies a broad, indepth understanding of what is happening in the classroom. This article describes a staff development model providing teachers with a research overview, training in data collection techniques, and lessons in nonjudgmental self-observation…

Contends that by compiling a sports record book for a high school, the newspaper staff can more efficiently write, and include more interesting data in, sports articles. Discusses experiences the author had when compiling the sports record book for his high school. (MS)

Discusses the validity of studies of Spanish pronunciation in terms of research methods employed. Topics include data collection in the laboratory vs. in a natural setting; recorded vs. non-recorded data; quality of the recording; aural analysis vs. spectrographic analysis; and transcriber reliability. Suggestions for improving data collection are…

The collection of student data, both academic and behavioral, can enhance self-assessment and self-efficacy of special education teachers. The theory of self-efficacy is explained and techniques for collecting student performance data are suggested. (DB)

Findings from a survey of 1,830 New York state high school seniors include: smokeless tobacco use (STU) is predominately a rural male behavior; STU declines over timee; cigarette smoking begins before STU; peer influence and taste are cited most often as leading to STU. (IAH)

Arguing that "needs assessment" is too vaguely defined, this paper considers the term's location within the planning field, compares two variants of the discrepancy model (classical versus social welfare approaches), and reflects on the assumptions and implications imbedded in needs assessment technocracy. Includes 16 notes and 26 references. (MLH)

A conceptual model of quality of life, developed at the Centre for Health Promotion at the University of Toronto (Canada), and associated instrumentation for collecting data from persons with developmental disabilities are presented. Results from a preliminary study with 41 participants support the reliability and validity of the model's…

Northern Andean Spanish (NAS) possesses a complex system of structures used in impositive speech. NAS speakers choose from several grammatical possibilities when asking their interlocutor to act. This article summarizes the grammatical possibilities and explains how the different forms are used to indicate different levels of politeness. (15…

Presents the "Before Technology and After Technology" lab where students first complete a simple lab and graph the data by hand and then repeat the lab using graphing calculators. Enables students to see how technology can make data collecting, graphing, and analyzing more fun. (JRH)

Presents data collection activities for the home, school, and community that encourage students to summarize, interpret, and draw inferences. Four types of activities are discussed: observations, surveys, experiments, and sampling. (Author/MKR)

The Children's Health Awareness Project is presented as a case study in using focus groups for gathering sensitive information from children. General focus group techniques and advantages and limitations of the method are described. Recommendations are offered for use of the technique with children when sensitive topics are addressed. (SLD)

Responding to critique of "The Economic Consequences of State Lotteries" (Praeger, 1991), coauthor praises reviewers' analysis and deplores their harsh criticism. Income coefficient used is justifiable, since, in Florida, number of children attending state-funded schools is positively associated with income. Would have received even…