Selectivity bias arises in program evaluation when the treatment or control status of the subjects is related to unmeasured characteristics that themselves are related to the program outcome under study. This situation has the potential to lead to an incorrect estimation of the treatment effect when assignment to treatment and control groups is…

Describes a "learning by doing" approach to sociological research designed to gather a comprehensive understanding of the Racine, Wisconsin youth gang situation, led to a nontraditional approach to research in typical research methods course. Includes information about student and faculty involvement, the process of research training,…

Colleges are using "prospect research" to gather information about and cultivate prospective wealthy donors, but the methods and their success are raising ethical questions about the donors' rights to privacy and the confidentiality of information about them. (MSE)

Research on refugees in the United States accentuates the normal problems of anthropological field work, such as blurred roles and role conflict, the degree of familiarity of the research environment, and cultural shifts made in changing environments. (MSE)

Outlines the recent transition, within educational research, from conflict to cooperation between quantitative and qualitative approaches. Asserts that compatibility is based on a confusion between method as technique and method as logic of justification. Argues that the claim of compatibility cannot be sustained and blocks an interesting and…

Presents an analytical model for differentiating true clients from applicants in clinical social work practice. Society and the professions, and individuals and primary groups are discussed as structural determinants of clienthood. Social work practice is described as consisting of two major divisions: socialization and treatment. (NRB)

Discusses current practices for statistical assessments of employment discrimination and suggests nonstatistical techniques that can be used to aid in interpreting results of statistical analyses. The techniques incorporate principles of Boolean algebra and allow holistic comparison of categories of similarly situated individuals. (CMG)

Describes the use of repeated-measures designs in the study of whole families, specifically differences in perception between family members. Addresses the specific advantages and disadvantages of these designs; analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance applications; and practical issues of assumptions, multiple comparison,…

The regulations prescribed by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare regarding human subjects research are examined including their effects on research procedures. (MM)

Reviews application of causal modeling in family research. Discusses uses of and critics' views of causal modeling to explain reasons for controversial position of causal modeling in social sciences. Reviews requirements for effectively implementing causal modeling strategy, commenting on some attempts of family researchers to use it. Includes…

Develops basic concepts of generalizability theory using hypothetical study of reliability of scores of vocational interest inventory. Asserts that generalizability theory makes it possible to consider all possible sources of unreliability simultaneously and to design optimal decision-making study. (NB)

States that professional journalism education in America's colleges and universities was well established by the 1940s. Describes the developmental history of journalism education programs, including the origins of several professional organizations dedicated to journalism education. Details first research methods and teaching standards. Concludes…

Notes that intergenerational theories of family functioning sparked interest in empirical investigations that test intergenerational relationships. Presents test of difference scores enabling researchers to compare related and unrelated dyads, thus creating comparison group when using only two generations. Contrasts procedure with correlational…

Provides an overview of cluster analysis as an analytic and research approach with college students. Notes, although use of cluster analysis is an exploratory technique with all problems associated with techniques relying on researcher and practitioner judgment calls, the approach can result in increased knowledge of clients and more efficient,…

Reports on measures of marital success based both on rates of divorce and separation and on the quality of intact marriages constructed from U.S. national survey data gathered over the 15-year period from 1973 to 1988. Concludes that the probability of ever-married persons attaining and maintaining marital success dropped in the past few years.…