Multidimensionality and hierarchical data structure are common in assessment data. These design features, if not accounted for, can threaten the validity of the results and inferences generated from factor analysis, a method frequently employed to assess test dimensionality. In this article, we describe and demonstrate the application of the…

Longitudinal measurement enables the examination of behavioral or psychological change. One approach to examining longitudinal measurements is the use of latent growth curve modeling (LGCM). This approach affords the assessment of inter- and intraindividual change. Yet, this approach likely is underused in exercise science. The purpose of the…

Estimating the effects of randomized experiments and, by extension, their mediating mechanisms, is often complicated by treatment noncompliance. Two estimation methods for causal mediation in the presence of noncompliance have recently been proposed, the instrumental variable method (IV-mediate) and maximum likelihood method (ML-mediate). However,…

Physics education research (PER) has used quantitative modeling techniques to explore learning, affect, and other aspects of physics education. However, these studies have rarely examined the predictive output of the models, instead focusing on the inferences or causal relationships observed in various data sets. This research introduces a modern…

Background: Cost-related nonadherence (CRN) to recommended self-management behaviors among adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes is prevalent. Few behavioral interventions to mitigate CRN have been tested and evaluated. Aims: We developed a financial burden resource tool and examined its acceptability and the preliminary effects on…

Central Michigan University (CMU) provides a unique opportunity to study the impact of the move from face-to-face to online classes on student use of virtual reference services. As enrollments in face-to-face, off-campus classes declined between 2010 and 2016, the number of reference questions asked of the distance librarians declined at a…

With the increasing demand for evidence-based research on teacher effectiveness and improving student achievement, more impact studies are being conducted to examine the effectiveness of professional development (PD) interventions. Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) are often carried out to assess PD interventions that aim to improve both teacher…

Student perceptions are a pivotal point of measurement for understanding why classroom learning environments are effective. Yet there is some evidence that student perceptions cannot be reliably aggregated at the classroom level and, instead, could represent idiosyncratic experiences of students. The present study examines whether heterogeneity in…

To effectively access and use the resources of the academic library and to become information-literate, students must understand the language of information literacy. This study analyzes undergraduate students' understanding of fourteen commonly used information-literacy terms. It was found that some of the terms least understood by students are…

Previous research has found the field of higher education, particularly in the United States, is dominated by functionalist approaches, a preponderance of survey data, and the ubiquitous use of advanced quantitative methods to investigate educational phenomena. This descriptive study aims to illuminate why the field is constructed in this way.…

This study examined eight variables of the Teaching Age-Appropriate Personal Skills (TAPS) checklist (Pogrund et al., 1995). The goal was to identify potential orientation and mobility (O&M) factors to represent constructs underlying the data that could be used in the future to better research the college readiness of youths who are visually…

Autism spectrum disorder is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. As such, there is an unprecedented need for research examining factors contributing to the health disparities in this population. This research suggests a relationship between the levels of physical activity and health outcomes. In fact, excessive…

The purpose of this article is to compare accuracy of activity type prediction models for accelerometers worn on the hip, wrists, and thigh. Forty-four adults performed sedentary, ambulatory, lifestyle, and exercise activities (14 total, 10 categories) for 3-10 minutes each in a 90-minute semi-structured laboratory protocol. Artificial neural…

Recently, studies have adopted fixed effects modeling to identify the returns to college. This method has the advantage over ordinary least squares estimates in that unobservable, individual-level characteristics that may bias the estimated returns are differenced out. But the method requires extensive longitudinal data and involves complex…

Purpose: This research contributes to the literature on workplace energy conservation by examining the predictors of individual employee behaviors and policy support in a university. The purpose of this research is to better understand what factors influence energy conservation behaviors in this setting to inform programs and interventions.…