Musso et al. (2013) predict students' academic achievement with high accuracy one year in advance from cognitive and demographic variables, using artificial neural networks (ANNs). They conclude that ANNs have high potential for theoretical and practical improvements in learning sciences. ANNs are powerful statistical modelling tools but they can…

The target article seems to provide yet another illustration of the classic "It don't make no nevermind" principle in statistical analysis. In particular, relatively simple measures appear to do approximately as well as more complex measures do, even including indicators that represent nonlinear transformations of the simpler measures. The authors…

Ruscio et al. (Ruscio, Seaman, D'Oriano, Stremlo, & Mahalchik, this issue) have provided an impressively comprehensive conceptual and empirical psychometric analysis of 22 modern-day citation measures. Their analyses show that although numerous measures have been developed to ameliorate perceived limitations of Hirsch's (2005) "h" index (which is…

In their meta-analysis of clinical versus statistical prediction models, Aegisdottir et al. (this issue) extended previous findings of statistical-method superiority across such variables as clinicians' experience and familiarity with data. In this reaction, the authors are particularly interested in violence prediction, which yields the greatest…

This paper encourages the use of multiple logistic analysis in early intervention research, to assess the degree of association of multiple factors (such as subject or situational characteristics) with a dichotomous outcome (such as benefitting or not benefitting from an intervention) and to estimate the probability of each outcome. (JDD)

In this rejoinder, the authors respond to the insightful commentary of Strohmer and Arm, Chwalisz, and Hilton, Harris, and Rice about the meta-analysis on statistical versus clinical prediction techniques for mental health judgments. The authors address issues including the availability of statistical prediction techniques for real-life psychology…

The paper identifies major types of social indicators and explains how they can be used in social forecasting. Social indicators are defined as statistical measures relating to major areas of social concern and/or individual well being. Examples of social indicators are projections, forecasts, outlook statements, time-series statistics, and…

The advantages and disadvantages of new software for market segmentation analysis are discussed, and the application of this new, chi-square based procedure (CHAID), is illustrated. A comparison is presented of an earlier, binary segmentation technique (THAID) and a multiple discriminant analysis. It is suggested that CHAID is superior to earlier…

This reexamination of earlier forecasts and statistics related to research library growth--Purdue studies first published in 1965, data and forecasts from Fremont Rider's 1944 book--shows mixed results for evidence of continuing rapid growth of collections and acquisition expenditures and marked decline in acquisition rates. (16 references) (EJS)

An updated model of the effect of birth rate on demand for higher education predicts that if current patterns hold, the total demand for higher education by U.S. residents ages 18-24 will increase by 30% over the next decade. The projection assumes a continuation of past funding availability and continued influence of cohort size and international…

Proceedings of the 1979 conference of the Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) are presented. The conference theme was the future of institutional research. Contents include reports of preconference workshops, speeches, panel reports, abstracts of papers, and reports pertaining to the affairs of the SAIR. Documents and authors…