A project was developed to link together the computer and an operations research technique (goal programming) and to bring them to bear on problems in improving vocational education planning. The process involves using the computer to solve a mathematical model designed to determine trade-off values among alternative goals and plans. Simulating…

Three procedures used to control Type I error rate in stepwise regression analysis are forward selection, backward elimination, and true stepwise. In the forward selection method, a model of the dependent variable is formed by choosing the single best predictor; then the second predictor which makes the strongest contribution to the prediction of…

The purpose of this study was to review existing human operator modeling techniques and evaluate their potential utility for performance measurement applications (e.g., to support the type of flight simulation research that entails accounting for the perception and utilization of various cues). The major human operator characteristics that ought…

The major advantage of sequential classification, a technique for automatically classifying documents into previously selected categories, is that the entire document need not be processed before it is classified. This method assumes the availability of a priori categories, a selection of keywords representative of these categories, and the a…

The inputs to mathematical models of library operations require periodic updating. The data collection effort necessary for such updating can be quite expensive; however, if the data collected can serve multiple purposes, the costs can perhaps be justified. A management information system (MIS) offers a vehicle for multiple uses of data, and thus…

A method is proposed for providing an absolute, in contrast to comparative, evaluation of how well two tests are equated by transforming their raw scores into a particular common scale. The method is direct, not requiring creation of a standard for comparison; expresses its results in scaled rather than raw scores, and allows examination of the…

Subkoviak suggested a technique for estimating both group reliability and the reliability associated with assigning a given individual to a mastery or non-mastery category based on a single test administration. Two assumptions underlie this model. First, it is assumed that had successive test administrations occurred, scores for each individual…

This paper provides a broad perspective on theories of emotional development and evaluates the implications of different theories for the practicing teacher. Not only psychoanalytic theories but also many theories of emotion contribute to the understanding of children. For example, behaviorist, experimental, ethological, humanist, developmental,…

In a situation where the population distribution of latent trait scores can be estimated, the ordinary maximum likelihood estimator of latent trait scores may be improved upon by taking the estimated population distribution into account. In this paper empirical Bayes estimators are compared with the liklihood estimator for three samples of 300…

The difficulties in comparing profile variability (a measure of test scatter) are briefly discussed and the limitations of current techniques pointed out. Test scatter is defined as individual variation in test scores between or within various psychological and educational tests. Currently, no statistical technique for the comparison of profile…

Many combinations of a method and an approach for estimating the operating characteristics of the graded item responses, without assuming any mathematical forms, have been produced. In these methods, a set of items whose characteristics are known, or Old Test, is used, which has a large, constant amount of test information throughout the interval…

Research related to the multiple choice test item is reported, as it is conducted by educational technologists in Japan. Sato's number of hypothetical equivalent alternatives is introduced. The based idea behind this index is that the expected uncertainty of the m events, or alternatives, be large and the number of hypothetical, equivalent…

A comparison was made between four different scoring procedures for the 45-item Reading Comprehension subtest, Level I, of the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills, Form S, for a sample of 1,000 third grade students. These students were selected to have been among those who omitted from 3 to 22 of the 45 items. Another representative sample of 1,300…

This report evaluates alternative approaches to and measures of equity in state school finance plans. It also evaluates the Federal Expenditure Disparity Measure (FEDM). Following an introduction, Part II describes alternative conceptions of equity in education and identifies three components of these conceptions: groups treated, alternative…

The effects of using different data analysis methods on estimates of treatment effects of educational programs were investigated. Various regression models, such as those recommended for Title I program evaluations, were studied. The first effect studied was the amount of bias that might be expected to occur in the various settings. Results…