TWO CHIEF AIMS OF THIS CHAPTER ARE TO TAKE A BROAD NEW LOOK AT THE MAJOR PROBLEM AREAS OF CONCERN TO MANPOWER POLICY AND TO POINT THE WAY TOWARD MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND SENSITIVE MEASURES OF PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS IN THESE AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THE REDUCTION OF JOBLESSNESS AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT, SOME OF THE IMPROTANT AREAS OF MANPOWER CONCERN WHICH…

Reactions to the papers read at the Pittsburgh conference on the theory and practice of beginning reading (April 1976) are provided in this document, with particular attention to the way that the content of those papers relates to compensatory education issues. The problem areas under which the discussion is organized are as follows: the search…

The concept of community satisfaction is often discussed in sociological research on subjective social indicators. The hypothesis of this paper is that clearer understanding of the concept of community satisfaction is necessary if research measuring the concept is to be valid. The paper concentrates on three areas of concern. Section I reviews…

Dealing specifically with the social science research role in rehabilitation facilities, this monograph addresses the development of research as it occurs within service organizations. It examines the research role from the perspective of both the person in the role and the host organization. The second chapter describes the development and…

This paper examines how potential conflicts produced by ethical issues such as confidence and confidentiality can affect the research methodology of educational research and evaluation projects. Despite the differences in site selection, clientele, and relationship to treatment, both evaluators and researchers must make adjustments in method to…

The problem of variability of data, even in presumable homogeneous subgroupings of handicapped children, which contaminates the results of many special education curriculum evaluation studies is examined with a study of 103 second-grade learning disabled students. The distortion of statistics calculated on samples of extreme variability; coupled…

Social science researchers and policy makers are not oriented toward supporting one another or sharing information that might be useful in solving social problems. Only recently have public funding agencies supported social science communication research; previously such funding came through private agencies. It seems likely that funds will…

There are three ways by which the social science research community can influence government decision makers. First, researchers need to understand the scope and limitations of governmental agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission. Second, objective research rather than biased "advocacy research" should be conducted.…

The study by a team from the Council on Economic Priorities found: (1) that employment discrimination against minorities and women is endemic to commercial banking; (2) that a majority of the commercial banks studied are unwilling to permit public scrutiny of their employment and minority lending practices; and (3) that both the secrecy and the…

In his book, "I.Q. in the Meritocracy," Richard J. Herrnstein (1973) calls on a classic article by Barbara S. Burks (1928) to support his position that a large part of the variation in intelligence can be accounted for by variation in heredity, as distinguished from variation in environment, and from covariation of heredity and…

Methodological difficulties inherent in the design of studies of college impact are reviewed and an attempt is made to provide an improved research design. The discussion of research problems focuses on those of inferring causation. A characteristic three-component model of student development, comprised of student output, student input, and…

This report, addressed to graduate students who intend to enter into field research in inner-city settings, details some of the personnel and community relations problems and logistical and financial challenges encountered by a research team, which undertook an evaluation of early education programs, basic research on child development, and social…

The participants in this conference (A.V. Cicourel, I. Deutscher, S. Ervin-Tripp, J. Gumperz, D. Hymes, E. Sibley, H. Phillips, and R.B. Anderson) discussed the processes involved in eliciting verbal information, especially in cross-cultural studies. The four principal topics of their discussions were: (1) the ethnography of asking questions, (2)…

More carefully controlled research distinguishing more facets which may influence cognitive and social performance in young children is considered necessary before Head Start or any preschool program can be adequately assessed. Shortcomings in evaluation methodology discussed are as follows: evaluation research has not addressed itself to program…

Designed to serve training oriented professionals, therapy oriented practitioners, and practicing managers, this book presents insights into the change process, along with problems contained in efforts to evaluate this process in management training and in therapy. First, the four essential strategic problems of evaluation are set forth: setting…