Illustrates, with three case histories, that outside peer review of public policy analysis is critically needed, is feasible, and can have an important impact. These case histories are: (1) safety of today's commercial nuclear power plants; (2) necessity of plutonium breeder reactors; and (3) consequences of "limited" nuclear war.…

A propositional analysis of the female performance literature concludes that methodological problems may be contributing to invalid conclusions concerning female performance, and efforts to improve performance. It is concluded that organizational initiates designed to aid women have not been significant. (Author)

Analyzes problems in the use of cohort data as illustrated by cohort data on drinking alcoholic beverages taken from American national surveys conducted during the late 1950s, late 1960s, and late 1970s. Researchers are cautioned that all available "side information" should be considered before statistical cohort models are tested. (Author/RC)

Describes operant conditioning as an effective means of modifying behavior of children in typical classes. Emphasizes effective operant procedures as having a contingency between child's response and teacher's reward. Reviews relevant literature. Suggests only tentative evidence from the present review supports the contingency of response and…

Argues that research for teacher use would be more effective if it were: (1) of the form referred to as naturalistic case studies and (2) oriented toward discovering cognitive and social interaction mechanisms underlying the learning processes in classrooms. (Author/SK)

Revises the concept of verifiability of life events by requiring that they be verified. Presents three design issues which interact with verifiability and event qualification, which may result in threats to their validity. Suggests all three types of objectivity-subjectivity should be considered in designing life event studies. (Author/JAC)

Computer generated data are used to show that Slinde and Linn's criticism of the usefulness of the Rasch model for equating (EJ 189 585) may have been the result of an artifact produced by the manner in which the samples were chosen in their study. (CTM)

Presents an overview of common mistakes in 1975-76 career education program evaluation: reporting weaknesses, particularly problems of omission; content of questionnaires and interviews; student sampling errors; and problems in research design and in the programs themselves. Notes evaluation needs and suggests improved evaluation questions. (MF)

States that the shift in community college fiscal support and policy making from the local to the state level has resulted in an increased need for statewide data collection. Explores the problems with state-level community college research, provides examples of successful programs, and explains key features of successful statewide research. (DD)

Considers problems and advantages of minority field researchers in the context of recent critiques. Argues that minority researchers have certain empirical and methodological advantages, but also face unique problems in simultaneously addressing ethical, methodological, and political concerns. Utilizes illustrations from field research experience…

Accounting for verbal reports requires explication of the mechanisms by which the reports are generated and influenced by experimental factors. We discuss different cognitive processes underlying verbalization and present a model of how subjects, when asked to think aloud, verbalize information from their short-term memory. (Author/GDC)

Reviews the issue of outcome criteria in the light of the relevance-rigor dimension. Counseling psychologists must find a more liberalized approach to research methodology upon which to construct human understanding. Inappropriate methods of data anlaysis are often used in multivariate research. A model for such experiments is suggested. (JAC)

A review of current research efforts reveals that there is little dependable evidence that teachers, under similar conditions, exhibit what has been defined as differential performances. (JMF)

Criticizes Strasser and Deniston's post-planned evaluation (TM 504 253) because of their: (1) emphasis on evaluation research; (2) imposition of experimental rigor; (3) inapplicability to human service projects; (4) inattention to congruity between the program and its environment; (5) distinct characteristics of program evaluation; and (6)…

Procedures used to verify and validate the translation of tests, questionnaires, and other paper-and-pencil measurement devices for cross-cultural use are discussed. Recommendations are suggested for improving translation efforts. (MH)