This report details the data requirements and procedures used to develop new school bus routes for Six Mile Elementary School in South Carolina. The project examined the current routes of the school and applied computer based techniques to develop new routes given the existing bus stops. Bus routes were developed so that distance and travel time…

Designing a test using three-parameter item response theory (IRT) is discussed. A brief review of IRT is followed by a discussion of two types of test design: (1) selecting items using confidence envelopes (confidence envelope method); and (2) using item characteristic curves and their confidence intervals (test envelope method). The confidence…

This paper examines the effect of using unidimensional item response theory (IRT) item parameter estimates of multidimensional items to create weakly parallel test forms using target information curves. To date, all computer-based algorithms that have been devised to create parallel test forms assume that the items are unidimensional. This paper…

To evaluate test speededness and to derive implications for test program activity, this study reviewed the literature on speed and power, identifying four major approaches to the assessment of speed: the Gulliksen approach, the Cronbach and Warrington approach, the Stafford approach, and the approach of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) as…

A study was conducted to evaluate six goodness-of-fit procedures using data simulation techniques. The procedures evaluated included the weighted average absolute deviation (WAAD), the mean absolute deviation (MAD), Bock's chi-square (BCHI), Yen's chi-square (YCHI), Wright and Mead's chi-square (WCHI), and the likelihood ratio chi-square (LCHI)…

Based on sample data representing five years of monthly circulation totals from 50 academic libraries in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio, a study was conducted to determine the most efficient smoothing forecasting methods for academic libraries. Smoothing forecasting methods were chosen because they have been characterized…

The overidentification of structural equation models with latent variables is discussed. The use of two- and three-indicator models is not recommended since such models do not allow a testing of the crucial assumption of unidimensionality among indicators in most cases. Models with four or more indicators may be more sensitive to departures from…

The computational methodology illustrated in this chapter provides higher educational planners at the federal, state, and institutional level with several alternative procedures for calculating productivity measures. Illustrations show that better institutional productivity measures can be constructed from existing data with a multidimensional…

Describes two types of computer-based experiments: simulation (which assumes no student knowledge of the workings of the computer program) is recommended for experiments aimed at inductive reasoning; and modeling (which assumes student understanding of the computer program) is recommended for deductive processes. (MLH)

Presents a derivation of the centripetal acceleration formula which does not involve calculus or vectors but uses only simple geometry. (MLH)

The authors recommend introducing complex numbers by first studying the integers modulo seven. (SD)

This article extends number bases to negative integers, then to positive rationals and finally to negative rationals. Methods and rules for operations in positive and negative rational bases greater than one or less than negative one are summarized in tables. Sample problems are explained and illustrated. (KM)

The problem of how much of a branch library's budget should be spent on acquisition of new material as opposed to holding capital in reserve to photoduplicate material at the main library upon demand is presented. (Author)

Observing the relationship of general relativity and the geometry of space-time, the author questions whether the rest of physics has geometrical explanations. As a partial answer he discusses current research on subatomic particles employing geometric transformations, and cites the existence of geometrical definitions of physical quantities such…

In administrative inquiry, the scientific tradition is utilized less frequently than the humanistic tradition. Such imbalance in perspectives may be a cause of the acknowledged poverty of the knowledge base. Departments of educational administration should encourage the existence of proponents of both perspectives within their ranks. (Author/WM)