Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to study retention and first-semester grade point average at Boise State University (Idaho), a metropolitan university with many commuter students. The quantitative portion of the study was based on questionnaires completed by 235 freshmen; the qualitative part was based on interviews with a…

This report compares findings from faculty surveys conducted as part of the 1987-88 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty, which is limited to faculty and staff with instructional responsibilities, and the 1992-93 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty, which includes instructional as well as noninstructional faculty. In particular, the report…

This study compared the effectiveness of Georgia community leadership programs based on leadership skill development to that of programs based on issue discussion and networking. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI-Self) was adapted for community leaders and mailed to a stratified sample of 376 alumni of community leadership programs based on…

A meta-analysis of research on college students in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) was undertaken to clarify the effects of small-group learning at the undergraduate level. The focus was three broad categories of outcomes among SMET undergraduates: achievement, persistence, and attitudes. Research concerns included:…

Chapter 1 of this report and user's manual describes design and implementation of the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). Chapter 2 reviews stages of sampling for national and state survey components; presents weighted and unweighted response rates for the household component; and describes non-incentive and prison sample designs. Chapter…

Forty to sixty percent of students who begin doctorates in selective colleges and universities do not persist to graduation. Although numerous research studies have focused on doctoral attrition and persistence, there have been no systematic studies because, among other reasons, there are no nationwide databases on attrition as there are for…

This study examines the relative utility and predictive validity of the SAT I and SAT II for various subgroups in both California and the nation. The effect of eliminating the SAT I on the test impact and on the over- and under-prediction of various gender and racial/ethnic subgroups is examined. Two statistical adjustments and tables are appended.

The instructional schedule does affect student grades on the four AP Examinations in this study after they have been adjusted for group differences in student ability. The results from this study generally suggest that students, on average, obtain higher AP grades when instruction is given over an entire year rather than in a semesterized block…

Compares the educational systems, particularly nonformal education, of India and China, and the impact on education of sociopolitical factors, history, government, ideology, languages, and cultures. Includes differences and similarities in educational facilities, personnel, methods, some national statistics, and charts of the education systems in…

Discusses the origin of theories in geography and particularly the development of location theories. Considers the influence of economic theory on agricultural land use, industrial location, and geographic location theories. Explores a set of interrelated activities that show how the marketing process illustrates process theory. (MJP)

Provides a concise overview of the role of the federal government in educational statistics and research. Although the scale and methodologies of these projects have increased in size and complexity, federal educational statistical research has never become a significant force in educational reform. (MJP)

Analyzes information from a computerized database of Ph.D. candidates in history between 1921-90. Examines the numbers of doctoral degrees produced at each college within the university, as well as students' gender, nationality, and age. Questions previously held assumptions concerning rates of completion and submission. Includes statistical…

Using data from the High School and Beyond Survey, the author examines the effects of secondary educational academic tracking on educational stratification relative to racial, sexual, and socioeconomic inequality. Finds that current tracking practices produce less inequality among Blacks and females. Also finds that noncollege programs are not…

Despite their claim to the contrary, Walsh and Carballo in their report, "Transitional Bilingual Education in Massachusetts: A Preliminary Study of Its Effectiveness" (1986), did not demonstrate the superiority of bilingual education because their study was marred by a number of problems, here identified. (BJV)

Reports on a study that explored the information locating and use activities, motivation, and learning patterns of children and adults using either a print or multimedia resource to complete an independent research task. Comparisons are presented between activities of print users and multimedia users, motivation in children and adults, and the…