The development of the Evaluation Instrument for Experimental Research (EIFER), an inventory for appraising research quality, is described. The EIFER was specifically designed to aid students in introductory courses in educational and psychological research methods to evaluate published research reports. A survey conducted among specialists in educational research resulted in a list of 73 characteristics considered essential in experimental and quasi-experimental research. These characteristics were organized into 6 categories: the research problem, review of related literature, research design, data collection and analysis, conclusions and generalizations, and style and organization. The following psychometric properties of the inventory were determined: consistency, item-section correlation, analysis of variance, interrater and intrarater reliability, and stability of the measurement of traits across raters and occasions. Reliability coefficients were determined to be satisfactory. A copy of the instrument is included. (Author/GDC)