The papers included in this collection represent as closely as possible the content and organization of the oral presentations delivered at a March 1980 conference on the use of readability formulas. The papers discuss the following topics: (1) an introduction to the conference, with general remarks on the uses and criticism of readability…

The Dartmouth College Library has produced this slide/tape individualized instruction module to assist students in researching historical problems. The 79-slide lesson begins with methods of organizing a search and continues through collecting information and analyzing the utility of research strategy. Information sources cited include numerous…

A study was undertaken to examine the effect of parent tutoring on the reading scores of their children and on their own reading scores. The experimental group was composed of ten children who had just completed first grade and their parents. The control group was composed of ten nontutored children and their parents. All of the children were…

Five research studies dealing with spelling achievement in New Zealand schools have been conducted; these include dictated-word spelling tests, written language studies, and achievement data collections of 20,000 students. Several conclusions emerge from an examination of this research: spelling achievement studies should be based on samples of…

This paper discusses the process of culture acquisition and recommends a new methodology for investigating this process. An examination of the relationship between culture acquisition and cognitive development is followed by a discussion of the way previous research has dealt with this relationship. It is argued that recent developments in…

This report discusses considerations involved in placing the evaluation process for criminal justice agencies within an organizational and practical context. The discussion proceeds from the following perspectives: (1) program evaluation is a policy/management tool; (2) various levels of policy and management personnel have numerous and varied…

Problems of inquiry in intercultural communication are examined in this paper, and an inquiry process is presented that can be applied to the study of communication between people from different cultures. The first section of the paper outlines major, well-documented procedural problems in intercultural communication and considers additional…

To assess whether gains in vocabulary and comprehension would result from the use of the cloze procedure as a teaching technique, 222 students in 12 fourth-grade classrooms were randomly assigned to one of four groups: a control group and groups that were taught with cloze deletion patterns involving deletion of every tenth word, deletion of…

Experimental investigations of children's prose comprehension with special emphasis on the development of skills necessary for reading comprehension are examined in this paper. The research is discussed under four major headings which correspond to specific comprehension skills: identifying main ideas, understanding logical structure, making…

Recent research indicates that introductory psychology college students continue to be the primary source of subjects for psychological research. This extensive use of involuntary subjects in a required service subject pool raises numerous important questions for science and for educational and professional ethics. A general overview of research…

With the theory that social and personal values influence the conduct of evaluation studies in education, the author discusses the impact of two major sources of such values--contextual factors, including political, social and organizational influences; and the terminology, models, and personal values of evaluators. Alternative purposes for an…

Policy analysis, or policy study, is defined as the study of the nature, causes, and effects of alternative public policies; sometimes policy analysis refers to specific methods used. Two new developments associated with policy analysis are discussed. One is the concern for deducing the effects of alternative policies before they are adopted, as…

This document is designed to provide an understanding of the major longitudinal issues and problems, a rationale for longitudinal studies, and the advantages and disadvantages of using longitudinal studies for evaluation and accountability purposes when applied to vocational education. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 presents a…

Findings that job applicants who are married and childless are evaluated more favorably than applicants who are single and have a child have serious implications for the growing number of single female heads of households. This study examines how evaluations of competence are affected by marital and parental status when males and females apply for…

A review of research on television's major compositional factors was undertaken to determine the status of such research and to note the major variables involved in the structure of television pictures. It was found that such research could be grouped in four categories--lighting and color, staging, editing, and sound--and that these areas covered…