As part of a larger study on school choice, researchers at the National Center on School Choice examined variation in leadership practices across school types, relying on a convenience matched sample of schools that included charter, magnet, private, and traditional public schools. A total of 284 schools agreed to participate in the study--116…

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

Although the value of teacher research to both the teachers and to the education community has been extensively reported in recent literature, it is only practiced by small pockets of teachers across the country. Viewing the problem through a social organizational lens suggests that the lack of widespread involvement in teacher research may be due…

This paper presents the results of a study that investigated challenges institutional researchers encounter in their careers, resources for coping with these challenges, and the impact of the challenges on engagement in policy. Data were from a mailed survey sent to 304 institutional researchers in the northeastern United States to which 221…

APL (A Programing Language), a computer language used thus far largely for mathematical and scientific applications, can be used to tabulate a survey. Since this computer application can be appreciated by social scientists as well as mathematicians, it serves as an invaluable pedagogical tool for presenting APL to nonscientific users. An…

To assess the current state of practices and expectations regarding information seeking and collaboration in the newly merged research labs of Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computer, a survey research project was conducted over the Summer of 2002. This paper presents partial findings from this larger study, focusing on the information seeking…

The use of general systems theory in the field of instructional systems design (ISD) is explored in this paper. Drawing on work by Young, the writings of 12 representative ISD writers and researchers were surveyed to determine the use of 60 general systems theory concepts by the individual authors. The average number of concepts used by these…

Because research in speech communication is predominantly the study of human behavior, a major goal of researchers in the field is to provide sound communication propositions about people in general or specific groups of people. A review of recent speech communication research reported in journals reveals that researchers in the social and…

Discusses the relationship between the normative structure of science and the use of electronic networks by researchers. Literature on social and technical norms in science is reviewed, and empirical data gathered in an earlier study of researchers and managers through focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, and surveys are reanalyzed. (65…

Despite widespread indifference or resistence to the idea, communication scientists need to discuss the ethical implications of their research. Fortunate in being able to conduct research, scientists are responsible to and for the larger population in whose names they do their work. They need to realize that such traditional research areas and…

The interviewer's role in gaining access to an elite respondent through a gatekeeper was studied, with a focus on interviewer characteristics that lead to success in achieving interviews. Data from a national survey of 2,451 physicians indicate the importance of interviewer experience in bypassing gatekeepers. (SLD)

A survey of institutional researchers at 243 New England colleges and universities examined respondents' (N=127) views on the current and projected roles of institutional research. Results document limited resources particularly in small institutions. Also, a majority of institutional researchers reported that they were engaged extensively in…

The student affairs researcher often assists student affairs directors and professionals to accomplish their program assessment goals. This study identifies the information, consultation, and training needs in research and assessment of student affairs professionals at a research institution. The paper also summarizes the problems and…

Teacher researchers may be the essential link between the philosophy and training of higher education and the grass roots implementation at the public school level. The Teacher-Researcher (T-R) Institute has the potential of providing a catalyst for role change and a channel for research in action. This paper describes the merits and defaults of…

A 56-item rating scale of research and evaluation competencies for vocational educators was developed. Four skill categories were included: (1) reviewing and analyzing completed research; (2) conducting research; (3) conducting evaluation; and (4) managing research and evaluation activities. Respondents were asked to rate each of the items,…