A workshop designed to assist local staff developers with the evaluation of their staff development programs is described. The intent of the workshop is to provide specific technical assistance for implementing a planned and consistent evaluation process. The workshop's goal is to allow a nonspecialist in evaluation to gather data necessary for…

Presents a taxonomy of influences on decision making in mass media. Illustrates the use of the taxonomy and research strategy in a quantitative analysis of influences on the decision autonomy of reporters. Results indicate that reporters' experience plays the most important role in explaining their story selection/content autonomy. (PD)

Advanced special education students rated 23 of the domains of the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS). Results indicated that the most important considerations for determining method of measurement for ABS were: time necessary to obtain behavioral sample and severity of behavior. Suggests the domains of ABS be rearranged and redefined. (RC)

Data on levels of computer-related expenditures for two-year colleges are presented. The data show institutions whether their computer-related expenditures, as a percentage of total operating expenditures and in dollars per credit headcount student, are high, medium, or low relative to expenditures of other similarly sized institutions. (MLW)

A computerized system is discussed that was developed and implemented through the University of Nevada's Office of Student Affairs to provide nonconfidential admissions information (demographic, economic, and scholastic data) to appropriate decision-making bodies in the community. These bodies included health planning agencies and the state…

Social area analysis (SAA) is defined, and its conceptual roots and principal applications identified. The utility of SAA is assessed by reviewing use of demographic data among several disciplines. Authors review seminal and recent contributions to the field. Ecological fallacies and other problematic facets of SAA are considered. (Author/DWH)

Describes a student field project which measured and interpreted ground-level aspects of the urban heat island in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. Discusses procedural steps and decisions, field procedures, data compiling, findings, evaluation, and dissemination of results. (Author/CK)

Explains and demonstrates time-series statistical analyses with a case example. Argues graphs and nonparometrical statistical analyses are not valid methods for evaluating behavior change due to counseling. Suggests the use of time-series statistical analyses enables counselors to employ a reliable method of measuring change in counseling…

A study of staffing averages at institutions categorized by numbers of financial aid applicants provides a gauge by which institutions may evaluate staffing levels. The data are intended to be useful to financial aid administrators in evaluating the adequacy of the numbers and types of their staff. (MLW)

Diplomacy and political sophistication are as important as sound data and thorough review in the faculty layoff process. Distinguishing characteristics of institutions and departments affected by retrenchment and reasons for retrenchment are discussed, along with institutional research policies needed regarding release of data. (Author/LB)

Software design is still a craft; techniques are based on the way things have been done, not on basic theorems or design principles. Suggests that academic software design needs to be more like a science or technology and that a taxonomy of design solutions or classification method is required. Describes two case studies. (MLW)

Describes how data from an employee attitude survey were used by the city of Phoenix, Arizona, as part of its city organizational development effort, to generate over 400 organizational changes and to increase personnel development of over 200 management employees. Includes a summary of survey results identifying training needs. (MF)

Highlights of a survey of community health nursing agencies and faculty suggest the need for better planning and collaboration between service and education in preparing students for this field. Survey data tables are included. (CT)

A meta-analytic methodology is applied to integrate findings from 22 comparisons of the effectiveness of student- rating feedback at the college level. Feedback had a modest but significant effect on improving instruction. The effects of student-rating feedback were accentuated when augmentation or consultation accompanied the ratings. (Author/MLW)

A study testing four hypotheses that investigated various relationships existing between satisfaction obtained from interpersonal relationships, disposition toward superordinate/subordinate interpersonal participation and opinion about literature defined participative processes of management by objectives (MBO) is discussed. Subjects were 85 deans…