The question of generalizability or the usefulness of qualitative research results beyond the confines of the primary site, sample, and study has been hotly debated by qualitative researchers for decades. When examining this question of generalization the first surprising finding is there appears to be no general consensus about the definition,…

In its analysis of the potential and realities of narrative inquiry, "Writing for Change" is both theoretical and highly practical, offering a way to conceptualize this kind of research and providing concrete suggestions as to how it might be conducted. With its emphasis on arts-based activist education, the book also contributes to current…

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of technology commercialization on researcher practice and productivity at U.S. universities. Using data drawn from licensing contract documents and databases of university-industry linkages and faculty research output, the study findings suggest that the common practice of licensing…

The issue of research dissemination via websites is part of the larger research utilization question, and the authors begin with a review of literature on the theory and best practices in dissemination. The second part of the study involves an exploratory examination of the websites and dissemination practices of 30 research centers focusing on…

The role of the researcher is reviewed, along with definitions of the higher education research constituency, the structure of higher education research, and the emphasis on research strategy. Researchers are encouraged to develop concept and theory first, and to deal with real issues involving practitioners and constituents. (Author/LB)

The paper deals with the contribution of empirical psychology to the problems of instruction and proposes a conceptual framework to promote helpful interactions between experimenters and teachers of children with learning difficulties. Both groups share a common concern, the definition of tasks by testing instructions in action. (Author/DB)

A typology of research activities (generation of basic, applied, and clinical research; dissemination of findings; and use of findings) considered appropriate to nurses with different levels of educational preparation (ADN, BSN, MSN, DNSc/EdD, and PhD) is presented to assist potential researchers and nurse educators in undertaking realistic and…

Higher education research, still in its adolescence, suffers from (1) seldom addressing major issues, and (2) research methods that are too narrow. The scientific method is not appropriate for studying individuals or social institutions; higher education researchers need to develop a multi-faceted research strategy sensitive to its many ties with…

The author takes the position that federal support for basic research should be increased. The suggestion is made that the National Institute of Education sponsor a mapping of fields of inquiry in education and endeavor to bring patterns of support in line with ongoing inquiry in education. Increased support for new research and new researchers in…

One promising avenue for increasing the utilization of institutional research data is the informal action research model. While formal action research stresses the involvement of researchers throughout the decision-making process, the informal model stresses participation in the later stages of decision making. Informal action research requires…

Theorists, researchers, and practitioners should be problem solvers, and need to integrate research findings within practical models. Given a defined instructional problem, the recommendation of an appropriate solution should be based on the realization that only prescriptive design theory emphasizes methods and presentation specifications, and…

This paper presents two examples of how methodological research in testing and evaluation simultaneously served the needs of both researchers and practitioners. The first example focuses on Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE) research in writing assessment. This research investigated issues in domain definition, cognitive processing…

National Institute of Education (NIE) staff members have developed a convening process characterized by collaborative meetings with experts to focus on specific problems of an educational organization. The process is intended to help combine research knowledge with practical experience in order to make informed decisions quickly. This document is…

Reports on a study to identify which music education research sources are most eminent. Examines 4,596 citations in the 55 chapters in the "Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning" to determine whether scholarly research reports, journals, authored monographs, or dissertations were cited mostly frequently. (CFR)

New perspectives on social science research suggest five propositions: studies in higher education must not be value-singular; higher education researchers must not ignore "harbingers of the paradigm revolution"; they must take into account new interpretations of knowledge acquisition; they must not depend on prescriptive models; and they must…