Review of research methodologies used in studies of online public access catalog (OPAC) users finds that a variety of research methodologies--e.g., surveys, transaction log analysis, interviews--have been used with varying degrees of expertise. It is concluded that poor research methodology resulting from limited training and resources limits the…

Discusses two approaches to data analysis in pretest-posttest research designs in which researcher has not formed groups based on pretest or used pretest information in assigning participants to groups, thus ruling out two-way analysis of variance. Describes use of repeated-measures analysis of variance and two-group analysis of covariance in…

Presents general principles for cleaning data sets. Suggests techniques: check for column shifts, data completeness, marginal frequencies, and selected cross-tabulations; examines a sample of cases. Gives strategies for preventing data processing errors. (SK)

Applied structural equation modeling to evaluation of cross-lagged panel models. Self-reports of physical and mental health at three time points spanning four-year interval were analyzed to illustrate cross-lagged analysis methodology. Data were analyzed from 856 patients with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or depression. Cross-lagged…

Discusses problems in analyzing change in nonexperimental data. Tests three ordinary least-squares regression models to illustrate similarities/differences. Notes that model based on raw difference change scores applies best to studying change processes; model based on outcome scores applies best to assessing consequences of change; and model…

Notes that intergenerational theories of family functioning sparked interest in empirical investigations that test intergenerational relationships. Presents test of difference scores enabling researchers to compare related and unrelated dyads, thus creating comparison group when using only two generations. Contrasts procedure with correlational…

Using a microcomputer system that allows students to develop and use their own instruments for evaluating teacher performance, students take the task seriously and use more questions than on standardized instruments. A method of data aggregation results in more accurate and specific suggestions for improving teacher effectiveness. (SK)

The study, with 79 rehabilitation therapists evaluating 21 single-subject graphs, found that the low interrater agreement often associated with visual analysis of single-subject data may be improved by simple supplements (such as trend lines) to visually inspected charts. (Author/DB)

Reviews concepts of aptitude and aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) and summarizes lessons learned in ATI research on educational treatments to help ATI research on psychotherapeutic treatments. Research design and data analysis recommendations address aptitude distributions, multivariate aptitude complexes, detective work with scatterplots,…

Reviews research on data mining (DM) and knowledge discovery (KD). Discusses popular conceptions of information growth, the knowledge acquisition process, major elements of the DM process, and evaluation methods. Research on DM and KD is divided into two categories: analysis of numerical databases and analysis of non-numerical or textual…

Explains the statistical technique of survival analysis which is suggested as appropriate for evaluation of longitudinal speech and language data. In survival analysis, probabilities are calculated not just for groups but also for individuals in a group, a major advantage for clinical studies. Both nonparametric and semiparametric survival…

Presents different real-world mathematics activities on data display and data analysis with pie charts from different time periods. (ASK)

Describes a procedure for teaching experimental design to students in the social sciences. Argues that by replicating Solomon Asch's and H. Kelley's classic studies on impression formation, students learn how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and evaluate the significance of research. Provides instructions for implementing the strategy. (DSK)

Describes content-validity theory and illustrates new and traditional approaches for conducting content-validity studies. Newer approaches are based on multidimensional scaling analysis of item-similarity ratings, while traditional approaches are based on ratings of item-objective congruence and relevance. (Author/SLD)

Highlights effective graphical methods for screening and cleaning data, exploring and identifying models, and displaying data in counseling-psychology publications. Argues that graphs are not ancillary to scientific publications but are essential and, in some cases, sufficient expositions of results. (Author/GCP)