Use of a broadened measure of wealth (including salary income, interest income, dividend income, and capital gains) and of the effective tax rate causes relatively more aid to flow to the low income school districts who, in fact, are now making the largest effort. (Author/IRT)

Computes various thermodynamics and statistical quantities of all electrically charged particles in a small plasma to analyze: (1) How many particles are required for computer stimulation of a macroscopic plasma? (2) To find out if this method is accurate and fast enough to become a good tool of statistical plasma mechanics. (GA)

It is proposed that a base year be used in reporting annual changes in salary and compensation by institutional type and professorial rank. An appropriate base year for assessing current American faculty compensation is the 1972-1973 period because this is the peak year in long-term real compensation. Data for that period and 1976-1977 are given.…

Median student-to-faculty ratios are reported from the distribution of school values for five student measures (undergraduate medical, non-doctoral, undergraduate/graduate medical, non-doctoral/graduate medical, and total) and three faculty measures (full-time, salaried, and total). Wide variations are shown. (LBH)

Provides a commentary on enrollment of children in elementary school for use by the general public and by the makers of public policies affecting education. Considers adjustements which school systems will have to make in response to enrollment fluctuations. For journal availability, see SO 506 144. (Author/DB)

A linear causal model is postulated and path analysis procedures used to examine the direct, indirect, and total influence of 39 variables (grouped into eight general measures) on the salaries of 24,461 faculty members in every discipline and type of postsecondary institution. Wide variation is shown. (Author/LBH)

Describes a study which measured college students' consistency in evaluating teacher performance after one semester and at the end of the academic year. Findings indicate that first impressions have a minor effect on final ratings, but that intensive student-instructor interaction in class increases the sensitivity of a student's evaluation and…

Data show that the genuine progress in securing educational equality in elementary, secondary, and higher education has not been paralleled in adult education. There is a downward trend in adult black enrollment percentages but an upward trend in population percentages. (LBH)

A study examined how lecturers received the results of statistical analyses of student evaluations and found that most had not correctly interpreted the analysis, half wanted to improve performance, and 20 percent requested specific guidance. It was concluded that the detailed analysis results should be accompanied by individual discussions. (MSE)

Questionnaires were sent to 116 newly appointed reference librarians at academic institutions regarding the extent, content, and evaluation of their introductory training for their new positions. The majority of respondents indicated lack of overall planning and content depth in their training. (Author/EM)

Tested the hypothesis that the vocabulary of a discipline emphasizing concrete phenomena will have fewer synonyms per concept than vocabulary of a discipline emphasizing abstract phenomena. Although concreteness and abstractness of a discipline were found to be contributing factors in terminological consistency, at least one other factor exerts…

Responses to a sample test were simulated for examinees under free-response and multiple-choice formats. Test score sets were correlated with randomly generated sets of unit-normal measures. The extent of superiority of free response tests was sufficiently small so that other considerations might justifiably dictate format choice. (Author/DWH)

Research findings suggest that centralization varies with certain institutional characteristics and that the nature of the graduate faculty, availability of funding, and staffing patterns are correlated with the degree of centralization. The historical development of graduate education is described. (Author/MLW)

Presents results of an investigation of a formula for rank correlation. The exploration turned up an unexpected connection and showed the formula to be far from arbitrary. (PK)

The article reviews findings regarding the use of severe discrepancy formulas in the identification of learning disabilities by the Work Group on Measurement Issues in the Assessment of Learning Disabilities. Associated problems such as overreliance on test scores and the exclusion of the teacher in educational decision making are discussed.…