The Dublin Core (DC) Element Set and the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) Protocol have provided a solid foundation for the Open Language Archives Community (OLAC) framework. More precision is needed in community-specific aspects of resource description than is offered by DC, and many of the potential participants in OLAC do not have the technical…

Uses three specific studies to analyze methods of data collection from children, including participant observation, focus groups, interviews, and structured activities. Points out the effective and ineffective aspects of each method, and deals with methodological issues such as parental consent, access to children, privacy, and confidentiality.…

Assesses the effectiveness of the Team Management Index and raises questions about measurement techniques. Argues that data collection can never provide complete proof of a link between interventions and organizational change. Suggests that evaluators study a team's change process. (SK)

The major focus of this monograph is on statistical tools that aim to facilitate the description and explanation of social phenomena. The basics of data gathering are presented, and a number of major topics in data analysis are reviewed. A major contribution is the treatment of methodological issues. (SLD)

Undergraduate students compared Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) estimates of storm total precipitation to measurements from a network of 20 rain gauges. Student researchers gained valuable experience in field data collection, global positioning systems (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), Internet data access and downloading,…

Using movie scenes about being trapped in quicksand as a starting point, this inquiry-oriented lesson engages students in a novel study of density. Students collect and graph data collected on a variety of objects placed in a mixture of sand and water. From their findings, students consider misconceptions about quicksand and its real dangers. (DLH)

Proposes guidelines for managing and writing self-study documents prepared by school district business officials seeking accreditation by the International Association for Management Education. Includes description of the writing team and an organized data-collection method. (PKP)

Superintendent of Antigo Unified School District, Antigo, Wisconsin, explains the use of school-level and community-level data to build support for bond and budget referenda. Describes the benefits of data-driven decision-making. (PKP)

An outcomes-based assessment instrument was devised to screen patients for learning problems that would impede patient education in cardiac rehabilitation. Criteria for seven barriers were established: hearing, language, cultural, religious, vision, cognitive, emotional). Points of data collection and a rationale for collection were identified.…

According to some participating school administrators, the process of conforming to the standardized dropout reporting system required by a national pilot project to track dropouts has been time-consuming and expensive. California experienced difficulty with adding junior high statistics. Florida exerted negligible effort, using an already…

Describes how salary data are collected for "The Municipal Year Book," and presents 10 tables compiled from the 1988 yearbook which provide salary data on library directors in cities of various size populations (from more than 1,000,000 to less than 2,500). Data are broken down by geographic region, city type, and form of government. (MES)

The superiority of multiwave designs over two-wave designs in the measurement of individual growth and change is explored by examining the increase in reliability afforded by collecting additional waves of data. Results are discussed in terms of the impact on longitudinal studies of individual change. (SLD)

This article describes a system based on the Epson HX-20 used for real time (rather than time-sample) recording of behavior observation data, which allows the researcher additional options in analysis. Examples of the programs developed, types of research questions asked, and data analyses conducted are provided. (Author/PB)

Describes the Community Concerns Report method for identifying local strengths, problems, and ideas for improving conditions. Presents an alternative to needs assessment and community survey techniques. (JOW)

Describes data analysis activities for grades three to four and five to six based on popular television commercials. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)