Discusses the following aspects of educational evaluation: (1) structural changes; (2) conceptual changes; (3) mixed methods and unraveling consensus; (4) utilization of findings; (5) the role of values; and (6) the role of politics. Discusses how evaluation moved from monolithic to pluralistic, reflecting the change from consensus to pluralism in…

Discusses the features of feminist research in psychology. Evaluates proposals for distinctively feminist research methods. Refutes suggestions that experimentation and quantitative research are inherently less feminist than other approaches. Rejects criteria based on sex of participant or researcher. Concludes that any research method can be…

Criticizes the Slomczynski and Krauze mobility decomposition theory and its application to the Featherman-Jones-Hauser (FJH) hypothesis. Offers a multiplicative model that addresses the substantive problems of the original research. (FMW)

Describes the activities of the federal government, state governments, and library associations in generating statistics on U.S. libraries, and discusses the problems that arise from a lack of coordination. Issues discussed include standardized definitions, scope and coverage, data collection and aggregation, data analysis and interpretation,…

Examines the attribution of achievement to ability and effort in low- and high-motivation groups. Randomly selected subjects are assigned to one of four feedback conditions that combine levels of consensus with success and failure. Suggests that attributional differences between motivational groups can be systematically enhanced or attenuated by…

Summarizes a study using the Children's Scale of Social Attitudes to compare the factor structure of conservatism in seventh-grade Israeli children of Western ethnic origin with Israeli children from Eastern cultural backgrounds. Results indicated a marked similarity in factor structures reconfirming the universal nature of general conservatism…

Points out inadequacies in the numeric data set that accompanied the Supplementary Empirical Teaching Units in Political Science (SETUPS) monograph on the U.S. Supreme Court. Suggests that the data not be used for research purposes but notes they may be utilized as a teaching tool in discussing quantitative methods of analysis relative to Supreme…

Pharmacy college admissions test scores and prepharmacy grade point average were examined as predictors of academic success in pharmacy school, with separate analyses conducted for White, Black, and Asian subgroups. Predictors differed markedly for the subgroups. Eight noncognitive variables were also examined for predictive power when combined…

A generalized Rasch model is presented for measuring attitudes; it is based on the concepts of Thurstone's method of successive intervals. Benefits of the model are illustrated with a study of students' (N=4,035 fifth through ninth graders) interest in physics. (SLD)

Uses data from the 1989 Venezuelan Household Survey to assess macropriorities among educational investment in that country. An earnings analysis by educational level reveals persisting, if declining, advantages for the more educated. The cost-benefit analysis indicates that primary education yields the highest returns, whereas higher education…

Analyzes the wage effects of different types of education in The Netherlands, using a generalized version of the dummy endogenous variable model and distinguishing among seven types of education: general, agricultural, technical, medical, teacher, economic/administrative, and other education. Findings show that technical education yields lower…

A study of 233 nontraditional-age and 92 traditional-age university students investigated the utility of Vincent Tinto's model of student attrition for age-related sensitivity. Student variables considered include demographic, individual, educational, academic integration, social integration, and commitment factors. Results suggest the model fits…

The specification and estimation of school effects, the variability of effects across schools, and the proportion of variation in student outcomes attributable to differences in school context and practice are considered. A statistical model is presented that defines school effects for parents choosing a school and for agencies evaluating school…

Critiques an article by Virginia LoCastro that contrasted quantitative data (using the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, or SILL) and qualitative data (using group interviews) and finds the conclusions drawn from the comparison unjustified on various grounds. A reply by LoCastro is included. (Contains a combined total of 20 references.)…

A survey of 120 law schools investigated grading practices for different course types, use of different kinds of grading curves to standardize assessment at several instructional levels, and recent experience with institutional changes in grading systems. (MSE)