In educational assessment, what students say, do, and sometimes make is observed, and assessors attempt to infer what students know, can do, or have accomplished more generally. Some links in the chain of inference depend on statistical models and probability-based reasoning, and it is with these links that terms such as validity, reliability, and…

Basic questions about the evaluation of professional development efforts are explored, including the nature and purposes of evaluation, the critical levels of professional development evaluation, and the difference between evidence and proof in evaluation. Evaluation, which is defined as the systematic investigation of merit or worth, can be…

The purpose of this study was to systematically examine three follow-up data collection procedures-telephone, mail, and personal visits-to contribute additional information relative to follow-up feasibility and effectiveness. The investigation also examined the effect of a comprehensive follow-up approach in providing a representiative sample of a…

A multiple discriminant analysis was used to classify students in education, law, medicine, engineering, and business on the basis of preadolescent development data. Increased attention to preadolescent development as predictive of career preference is indicated. (Author)

This paper reports the first phase of a two phase project for obtaining data relating to current physics enrollments. The second phase, reported in another publication, involved identifying distinguishing characteristics of high schools with high and low enrollments in physics. (CP)

Investigates and suggests caution in use of retrospective reports as a source of information in the area of personality development. (NH)

A discussion of the problems in collecting statistical data for public libraries which were revealed in the "Survey of Public Libraries Serving Areas with at least 25,000 Inhabitants - Fiscal year 1968, conducted by the U.S. Office of Education. (JB)

Advantages of systematic recordkeeping for special and regular education teachers are discussed and guidelines are offered for using the information collected. A sample data sheet illustrates one collection technique. Recordkeeping is seen as a way of understanding antecedents, behavior, and consequences of a child's response. (CL)

Examines a technique for data collection in adult education research that lends itself to conditions in which organizations are viewed as community. Outlines procedures for participant-observation research. (Availability: Dept. of Adult Education, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506) (SK)

Attempted to determine whether daydreaming is reactive to self-monitoring. One group of infrequent daydreamers tallied their daydreams, the second tallied and logged the content of their daydreams. There was a significant difference between the control group and the treatment groups, but neither method of self-monitoring proved superior. (Author)