The focus of this study is on the estimation procedures implemented in BILOG, a computer program. One purpose is to compare the item parameter estimates produced by various procedures available in BILOG. Four different models are used: the one, two, and three parameter model and a three parameter model with common guessing parameters. The results…

This publication reports findings, primarily in tabular form, of the 1981 Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) survey of salaries and personnel issues. The study was conducted with the voluntary member agencies of the CWLA. Survey forms were sent to 210 voluntary accredited and provisional members of the CWLA and to 17 agencies that are members…

The Massachusetts "Day Care Consumer Profile" describes the consumers of publicly subsidized day care in the Department of Social Services' Day Care Program. The Department of Social Services which is the Title XX Agency in Massachusetts, serves over 13,000 children across the state in contracted day care programs. The…

Describes the development and testing of the Bath County Computer Attitudes Scale (BCCAS), which is designed to measure elementary and secondary school students' attitudes toward computers. Preliminary and revised versions are reviewed, and a analysis of data supports the validity of the BCCAS as a measure of computer attitudes. (Author/LRW)

Explains the use of contingency tables as a tool in assessing variables to determine whether a relationship exists. Develops an example hypothesis step-by-step, noting the scientific processes and attitudes being addressed. Cautions that a large difference, which suggests a relationship, is not explanation since correlation does not guarantee…

In this study, an e-learning platform was formed to enable school teachers and administrators to attend graduate programs in the field of educational administration, supervision, planning and economics. In this framework, for the non-thesis educational administration, supervision, planning and economics graduate programs to be conducted in the…

The usefulness of Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores in combination with grades in high school courses and the number and quality of these courses in predicting college grades in various fields was studied for 981 college freshmen. The SAT and collateral variables were able to predict grades in different areas and could be useful in guidance.…

Presents results of a study on communication channels used by academic librarians in different job categories and organizational levels. A literature review of information processing and internal and interdepartmental library communication is included. Face-to-face and telephone communication dominated as choice of medium. Public service and…

Provides a short BASIC program, RANVAR, which generates random variates for various theoretical probability distributions. The seven variates include: uniform, exponential, normal, binomial, Poisson, Pascal, and triangular. (MVL)

The use of base rate information by professionals (n=161) and undergraduates (n=97) in deciding probability of sexual abuse was studied. While professionals better prioritized the evidence of abuse in hypothetical cases based on sexual behaviors, both groups misestimated the probability of abuse for a child from a population with a known base rate…

Monte Carlo techniques are used to examine the power of the "B" statistic of R. L. Brennan (1972) to detect negatively discriminating items drawn from a variety of nonnormal population distributions. A simplified procedure is offered for conducting an item-discrimination analysis on typical classroom objective tests. (SLD)

Reports on a study that analyzed and compared a restricted set of full-text articles from a sub-specialty of biochemistry in terms of co-occurrences and co-absences of words. The consequences for the lexicographical approach to generating artificial intelligence from scientific texts are discussed. (JAK)

Beliefs of 153 academically talented students in grades 3 through 11 about the stability of intelligence paralleled a normal distribution. About half had easily modified views, and 9% were at risk of underachievement based on self-perceptions of low ability and the belief that intelligence is stable. (SLD)

The relationship between the library and its patrons is damaged and the library's reputation suffers when returned items are not checked in. An informal survey reveals librarians' concern for this problem and their efforts to combat it, although few libraries collect objective measurements of errors or the effects of improvement efforts. Brigham…

Comparable statistics on education, training and skills are not only used by research and analysis to provide explanation and evidence of the functioning of European labour markets and of education and training systems, but also to construct indicators comparing EU Member States, comparing the EU with competitors and assessing the achievement of…