ERIC Number: ED454409
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2001-Mar-8
Pages: 27
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
American Vocational Education Research Association Members' Perceptions of Statistical Significance Tests and Other Statistical Controversies.
Gordon, Howard R. D.
A random sample of 113 members of the American Vocational Education Research Association (AVERA) was surveyed to obtain baseline information regarding AVERA members' perceptions of statistical significance tests. The Psychometrics Group Instrument was used to collect data from participants. Of those surveyed, 67% were male, 93% had earned a doctoral degree, 67% had more than 15 years of experience in educational research, and 82.5% were employed at the university level. The respondents generally disagreed with the proposition that statistical significance tests should be banned. Stepwise methods were more likely to be perceived as acceptable for identifying the best variable set and importance, which suggested that some AVERA researchers are not aware that stepwise methods do not identify the best predictor set of a given size. Overall views regarding score reliability appeared to be "neutral." The respondents' general views regarding statistical testing were consistent with previous research. The responses suggested that the controversy over statistical testing has raised some consciousness among AVERA researchers' perceptions on the general views of statistical testing. It was recommended that future AVERA researchers be encouraged to always interpret effect sizes and conduct empirical investigations of the replicability of results. (Contains 63 references and 9 tables.) (MN)
Descriptors: Educational Research, Postsecondary Education, Predictor Variables, Research Methodology, Researchers, Scores, Secondary Education, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Significance, Statistical Studies, Statistical Surveys, Test Interpretation, Test Validity, Testing Problems, Vocational Education
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Researchers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A