A study was conducted to determine if the centralization of braille operations for the national free library program would be feasible, economical, and desirable. This report presents the findings of the study in three sections. Section 1 provides background information, a summary of the first phase of operations, and the study objective for phase…

This report presents the recommendations of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) concerning issues in data collection on school exit status. Of major concern were: (1) the high proportion of students exiting with status unknown, (2) the extreme state-to-state variability in reports of basis of exit, and (3) the incomparability of the…

Use of complementarity as a deliberate and necessary program evaluation strategy is discussed. Quantitative and qualitative approaches are viewed as complementary and can be integrated into a single study. The synergy that results from using complementary methods in a single study seems to enhance understanding and interpretation. A review of the…

Two primary data sources were used to create a database of 68 research libraries for this study: (1) Alexander Astin's report for the National Academy of Sciences on the reputational ranks of the top 20 graduate programs at U.S. universities (1985); and (2) a list of 70 "Research Universities I" identified by the Carnegie Foundation for…

Too few researchers understand what statistical significance testing does and does not do, and consequently their results are misinterpreted. This Digest explains the concept of statistical significance testing and discusses the meaning of probabilities, the concept of statistical significance, arguments against significance testing,…

The inherent methodological problem in conducting research at multiple sites is how to best derive an overall estimate of program impact across multiple sites, best being the estimate that minimizes the mean square error, that is, the square of the difference between the observed and true values. An empirical example illustrates the use of the…

The Iowa State Plan for Vocational Education received conditional approval pending a new needs assessment that would be deemed responsive to Section 116 of the Perkins Act, which mandates needs assessment of vocational-technical (VT) programs. The U.S. Department of Education prepared instruments assessing the degree to which Iowa's VT programs…

This paper examines the applicability of net tuition revenue models for a highly selective, elite priced, private research university in the southern U.S. Pricing and aid strategies for this university seem to be driven by intuitive assumptions about the economy, market forces, needs-blind admissions, student satisfaction, net price…

This article describes a qualitative research approach (in-depth phenomenological interviewing) and illustrates, through the example of an actual study, its potential for helping institutions of higher education understand their students. It argues that progress in understanding college student outcomes, such as persistence, has been retarded by…

In the context of the discipline of quality control, this paper identifies many of the tools which may reinvigorate the statistical and graphical toolkits in higher education. Certain statistical and graphical issues are discussed by means of examples and hypothetical situations, and techniques are introduced that have application for the pursuit…

This report presents the findings of the application of the Differential Coursework Patterns (DCP) cluster analytic model to the tests and transcripts of a combined sample of 1987-88 and 1988-89 graduating seniors at Evergreen State College (Washington). The project found that enrollment in different patterns of programs was consistently…

This paper describes four research examples of the use of prediction analysis in research. The aim of prediction analysis is to compare a rule as specified by a theory with a reference rule. The first example of prediction analysis in this paper concerns a study of 120 first, second, and third graders' performance on length and weight problems.…

Hints on conducting surveys appropriate for university use are outlined, and sample checklists and forms are provided. The following research elements concerning generic surveys are covered: sequences of events for surveys conducted by mail (15 weeks) and telephone (11 weeks); algorithms for estimating materials costs and quantities; a catalog of…

This report includes a collection of workshop materials which address ways microcomputers can be used in evaluation and assessment and what basic information should be covered in introducing newcomers to the use of microcomputers. It is designed for use by experienced trainers with microcomputer experience but with few workshop support materials.…

Sixty students in 10 classrooms in 5 high schools were extensively observed over a 10-week period during the fall semester of 1982. Based on pre- and posttests to measure achievement gain on algebraic objectives and change in attitude, the study investigated the relationships between student achievement and variables of student behavior,…