By using the Rasch model, much detailed diagnostic information is available to developers of survey and assessment instruments and to the researchers who use them. We outline an approach to the analysis of data obtained from the administration of survey instruments that can enable researchers to recognise and diagnose difficulties with those…

The analysis of a Murder case study can be used in general chemistry or nonscience major chemistry courses to teach data handling and analysis in a non-laboratory context. This case study will help students to respond more enthusiastically and with more interest to a set of material placed before them related to a real case rather than…

In this article, we deal with students' algebraic generalizations set in the context of elementary geometric-numeric patterns. Drawing from Vygotsky's psychology, Leont'ev's Activity Theory, and Husserl's phenomenology, we focus on the various semiotic resources mobilized by students in their passage from the particular to the general. Two small…

Properties of the Spearman correction for attenuation were investigated using Monte Carlo methods, under conditions where correlations between error scores exist as a population parameter and also where correlated errors arise by chance in random sampling. Equations allowing for all possible dependence among true and error scores on two tests at…

R. Kliegl, A. Nuthmann, and R. Engbert reported an impressive set of data analyses dealing with the influence of the prior, present, and next word on the duration of the current eye fixation during reading. They argued that outcomes of their regression analyses indicate that lexical processing is distributed across a number of words during…

Experimental research involves comparing two or more conditions. One of those conditions in single subject research is often the baseline. Adequate description of the baseline conditions is necessary for evaluating the effects of independent variables, drawing generalizations from studies, and providing information for subsequent replication…

Background: Large-scale coach education programs have been developed in many countries around the world to help prepare coaches for their important role. Coaches have said that they also learn to coach from experience, starting from when they were young athletes until their current coaching positions. Finally, in the last decade, Internet…

A simple experiment, the determination of the density of a liquid by several methods, is presented. Since the concept of density is a familiar one, the experiment is suitable for the introductory laboratory period of a first- or second-year course in physical or analytical chemistry. The main objective of the experiment is to familiarize students…

Social scientists remain unsure as to whether divorce acts to alleviate domestic violence or whether ex-spouses become the targets of the displaced violence. Using data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and the Census, this study investigates the relationship between the divorce rate and the domestic crime rate. The study…

A few years ago, the University of Pennsylvania's Division of Human Resources began a data-based approach to the development of strategic plans and the measurement of programmatic effectiveness. One of its more successful endeavors in this area has been the creation of an HR scorecard that compares and contrasts individual school or administrative…

The general steps in conducting an evaluation using an online survey are the same as in using other methods: planning, data collection, data analysis, reporting, and application. Even though the process of evaluation using Internet-based surveys begins in a familiar manner, the unique requirements of the online methodology become apparent almost…

This study analyzes the short-term consequences of visitors' use of different types of exhibits (i.e., "exemplars of phenomena" and "analogy based") together with the factors affecting visitors' understanding of and their evaluation of the use of such exhibits. One hundred and twenty five visitors (either alone or in groups) were observed …

This article describes results related to leadership that emerged from a series of studies commissioned by the Networked Learning Group of the National College of School Leadership to draw on the experiences of the Networked Learning Communities (NLC) Programme, with a view to informing the work of other groups and agencies in England and beyond…

Hierarchical classes models are quasi-order retaining Boolean decomposition models for N-way N-mode binary data. To fit these models to data, rationally started alternating least squares (or, equivalently, alternating least absolute deviations) algorithms have been proposed. Extensive simulation studies showed that these algorithms succeed quite…

The theory of signal detection is convenient for measuring mnemonic ability in recognition memory paradigms. In these paradigms, randomly selected participants are asked to study randomly selected items. In practice, researchers aggregate data across items or participants or both. The signal detection model is nonlinear; consequently, analysis…