Considers the relationship of communication research to bibliometrics and scholarly communication. Discusses whether bibliometrics is a communication research method; the future of bibliometrics in communication research; bibliometrics in the context of indicator research; articles in this themed issue, seen from a communication research…

Discusses some widely available spatially referenced datasets, including raster and vector datasets. Strategies for improving accessibility include: acquisition of data in a software-dependent format; reorganization of data into logical geographic units; acquisition of intelligent retrieval software; improving computer hardware; and intelligent…

One response to the large and rapidly growing number of legal cases with which nonlawyer researchers must deal is computerized legal data retrieval technology. LEXIS, an example of such technology, improves upon traditional research tools in two ways: it increases the speed with which researchers may discover relevant documents and, through its…

Evaluates a system of toy classification developed to improve the assessment of gender differences in cognitive and social development. One hundred adults rated 50 children's toys on 122 "functional" dimensions. Results showed that these toys could be reliably described according to multidimensional similarities, and confirmed that toys considered…

As a statistical model for evaluating research results from intact groups such as classrooms, analysis of covariance has serious limitations in its most commonly-touted form. But it does have potential for investigating phenomena which can, when understood, provide more prescriptive formulations for interventions in the learning process.…

Surveys some of the traditional and nontraditional electronic sources of information that can be of use in research and teaching. The discussion includes information about: 1) cost; 2) ease of use; 3) the earliest bibliographic entries; and 4) the frequency of updates. (Author/LMO)

Reviews GIS (geographic information systems) English-language resources, including principal periodicals and conference proceedings. Details considerations for training library users and staff in the use of GIS. Emphasizes the importance of thorough staffing and training, and suggests directions libraries may take in this area. (Contains 63…

Describes developments in multilevel modeling of educational and other social data. Suggests that such a technique be used for school effectiveness studies, political opinion surveys, and area-based studies. Recommends that the inherent hierarchical structure of social science data be reflected in statistical models. Argues that multilevel…

For the past ten years law students, academics and legal practitioners have relied on AustLII and various internet search engines to conduct legal research. The purpose of this article is to examine what these can offer and to note the importance of other websites when conducting legal research. This article is based on an address given to the…

This publication complements the "Education for All" program and is intended to provide a comprehensive and operational indicator for monitoring education. As a synthetic tool, the Educational Progress Indicator (EPI) facilitates the analytical assessment and projection work of educational planners, managers, actors, and policymakers. The EPI…

Although Q methodology has been especially well used by researchers in a variety of social and behavioral sciences, student affairs researchers have not been inclined to deploy this methodology. This article examines Q methodology and uses a case study to explore the potential for student affairs assessment and research. Overall, the authors…

Although drawing has been used as research tool for well over a century in the fields of psychology and anthropology, drawing remains overlooked and underutilized in educational research. This article examines the promise of visual methods, and of drawing in particular, in accessing middle schoolers' perceptions as a means of informing the middle…

This paper reports on an exploratory, longitudinal study that analyzes and interprets the evolution of teachers' beliefs regarding learning, teaching, and technology, and their instructional practices, in the context of integrating technology-based information-rich tasks in six 4th-6th grade classrooms. The study used multiple research tools,…

The collection of observational data in natural settings and in real time requires equipment that is light and easily used, and programs that permit rapid and flexible encoding of data. This paper describes a set of four programs for collecting and analyzing continuous time sample, focal-individual data as described by J. Altmann (1974), using a…

This paper defines the student case study approach to evaluation, discusses its strengths and weaknesses as a component in a program evaluation design, and lists the specific steps needed to accomplish it. Its use in the evaluation of Experience-Based Career Education is described. (SJL)