Problems when developing and operating a successful student assessment program are described. Potential problems and solutions in three major areas are examined: the purposes and definitions of assessment, program implementation, and assessment designs and methods. (Author/MLW)

Describes public and private online networks and the characteristics of electronic mail. Reviews the literature on survey research conducted via electronic mail, and examines the issues of design, implementation, and response. A table displays advantages and disadvantages of electronic mail surveys. (AEF)

Argues that there are no apparent methodological implications of feminist scholarship. Discusses feminist epistemological critiques of social science. Asserts that a feminist perspective can be incorporated into any research methodological tradition. (CFR)

An experimenting society is one that vigorously tries out proposed solutions to recurrent problems and then tries other alternatives if evaluation shows that previous efforts are ineffective or harmful. Methods that social scientists could use if the experimenting society becomes a reality are explored. (SLD)

Provides definitions of various types of studies used to measure the impact of interventions with children having speech, language, and hearing disorders. Describes studies initiated by the American Speech Language Hearing Association to evaluate various interventions. (DB)

Argues that political scientists need to pay more attention to research in subfields of the discipline outside of their own. Suggests research that does not limit itself in terms of possible generalizations. Provides examples of good uses of cross-field research. Reviews obstacles to change and ways to overcome them. (DSK)

Because surveys now can be implemented with relative ease and little cost, many researchers are overlooking the basic principles of survey research. This chapter discusses sources of error that researchers should consider when conducting a survey, and gives readers basic suggestions for reducing error. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

In this paper we discuss the complexities of interview transcription. While often seen as a behind-the-scenes task, we suggest that transcription is a powerful act of representation. Transcription is practiced in multiple ways, often using naturalism, in which every utterance is captured in as much detail as possible, and/or denaturalism, in which…

The purpose of the research reviews is to summarize and critique recent single subject designs that could help school psychologists and special education leaders make better decisions. 28 advanced graduate students evaluated the single subject research studies in accordance with the following criteria: Was the study applied, behavioral, reliable,…

A longitudinal study was planned to track a class in a prekindergarten program to determine program effectiveness. There are many problems in conducting a longitudinal study, most of which revolve around the long-term commitment required. A carefully designed information system is important. For the study in question, computer software and…

In response to 1986 state legislation calling for improvements in college effectiveness and accountability, the California Community Colleges began various efforts to promote the evaluation of matriculation. One effort, the Matriculation Local Research Options Project, was formed in 1989 to develop models for local evaluation of matriculation and…

Hypermedia computing now makes it possible to integrate media into interactive programs with the potential to expand the use of visualization in science, art, and other professional disciplines. After an overview of some visualization issues in hypermedia, a research project called "HyperGlyphs" at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in…

After briefly tracing the development of modern bibliographic instruction since the 1870s, this report concentrates on the characteristics of bibliographic instruction in the past decade. It points out that the 1980s, dubbed the "second generation" of library instruction, saw an increased emphasis on preparing students to deal critically…

The aims of the International Education Association's Preprimary Project are to examine developmentally relevant characteristics of the socialization environments of 4-year-olds in participating countries, and to ascertain the relationships between those characteristics and selected developmental outcomes. Phase I of the project consists primarily…

Needs assessment is an activity undertaken for planning purposes. It is important to define the limits of the study and design it on a scale appropriate to the entire planning process. This paper suggests that a needs assessment be structured into two phases. In the pre-assessment phase, a conceptual framework and well-defined exploratory…