This article offers a defence of critical realism in the face of objections Nash (2005) makes to it in a recent edition of this journal. It is argued that critical and scientific realisms are closely related and that both are opposed to statistical positivism. However, the suggestion is made that scientific realism retains (from statistical…

Most traditional models, frameworks, and findings that apply to the majority of students and faculty do not adequately apply to important subpopulations. The recommendations here will help researchers become more sensitive to the nuances among various educational subgroups, and to pay more attention to outliers.

Discusses the log-multiplicative association model and demonstrates how it can be used in four research situations involving ordinal variables. (Author/AM)

Notes that conventional practice in social work research is to recommend level of reliability close to 0.80 as minimum standard. Contends that needed reliability varies by situation: that in situations in which important decisions about individuals are being made, 0.90 provides better standard; whereas in descriptive survey research with large…

Defines statistical quality control (SQC) as a method used to analyze people, materials, machines, or processes by statistical methods. Explains why a technology educator would include SQC in some courses and describes elements of an SQC system. (JOW)

Presents fourth editorial in series, this one describing research design and explaining its relationship to statistical design. Research design, validity, and research approaches are examined, quantitative research designs and hypothesis testing are described, and control and statistical designs are discussed. Concludes with section on the art of…

Paul Stapleton's (2006) critique of quantitative research brings to the surface some common interpretive problems arising when experimental and quasi-experimental research designs are compared. While Stapleton may be correct in pointing out the superiority of experimental research designs because they best eliminate the influence of extraneous…

Steven Ross's (2005) recent paper empirically measuring the efficacy of formative assessment compared to the summative variety found that the former produced positive effects on some aspects of language learning. In this critique, it is contended that Ross's study is flawed because his two groups of learners, one receiving summative assessment and…

The purpose of this article is to comment on the prior article entitled "Examining Instruction, Achievement and Equity with NAEP mathematics data," by Sarah Theule Lubienski. That article claims that a prior article by the author suffered from three weaknesses: (1) An attempt to justify No Child Left Behind (NCLB); (2) drawing causal…

The topics of adopting ideas from related fields, initiating a "scientific revolution," using new statistical methodologies, and employing research consultation are discussed regarding rehabilitation research. (Author)

This special issue contains seventeen articles on using microcomputers to perform statistical analysis. Programs reviewed are: BMDPC (1985 release), P-STAT-8 (version 1.18), SPSS/PC (version 1.1) and SYSTAT (version 2.0). Included are comparative reviews, author rebuttals, and an article which provides insight into teaching an introductory survey…

Replied to Hays and Stacy's critique of an article by Holmes, Dungan and McLaughlin in which the validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory alcoholism scales was questioned. Presents support for the original conclusions and comments on Hays and Stacy's reanalysis. (JAC)

This buyer's guide to seven major types of statistics software packages for microcomputers reviews Edu-Ware Statistics 3.0; Financial Planning; Speed Stat; Statistics with DAISY; Human Systems Dynamics package of Stats Plus, ANOVA II, and REGRESS II; Maxistat; and Moore-Barnes' MBC Test Construction and MBC Correlation. (MBR)

Although improving economic conditions have reduced the number of poor in the last few years, those who fell below the poverty level in any given year in the 1980s have not come closer to their poverty threshold. (Author)

Reports on the re-examination of recent underestimates of the number of adoptions of foster care children. Notes that underestimates resulted from under-reporting by states, use of inappropriate data as estimate bases, and real increases in the number of adoptions. (DLH)