Overall findings of this meta-analysis reveal small effects of adjunct pictures on reading comprehension. No advantage was found when traditional v nontraditional text settings were compared. Line drawings seem to facilitate comprehension and color pictures seem to have a greater effect than black and white pictures. (Author)

A survey of 2,500 applicants accepted at Boston College in 1977 is used to develop two statistical models of student decision making for college choice. One model focuses on the decision-making process and the other on institutional image, and the two are compared. The results of the two models guide institutional policy in different directions.…

This study attempts to examine further the possible differences between Black-White relations in the United States and native-White relations in Canada as they relate to racial preferences and identification in school children. The role of self-concept is also examined. (Author/EB)

This study of modeling behavior in Aboriginal and White Australian boys examines the ways that racial characteristics may intervene in cross-cultural research as factors contributing to performance on experimental and standardized psychological tests. (Author/EB)

The study presents new estimates of two measures of unionism in the United States, the percentage of private sector workers covered by union agreements, and the percentage who are union members. These figures are compared with each other and with previous estimates, showing a decline in private sector unionism. (MF)

To investigate whether recruitment practices of companies with affirmative action programs discriminated against Blacks or resulted in reverse discrimination, qualifications and race of fictitious job applicants were manipulated on resumes sent to a sample of employers. Responses strongly indicate discrimination, with Black applicants favored…

A study to find valid indicators of the long-run effects of Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973 (CETA) manpower programs that would meet prime sponsors' needs for short-term feedback indicated that the proxies being used were not strongly correlated with success in CETA programs. (MF)

Results from this study indicate that a cutoff consisting of the mean plus a half standard deviation is more desirable than the original mean plus one standard deviation strategy for categorizing respondents into a "pure" identity status. Status-specific comparisons indicated groups were not significantly different on measures of…

Equal percentile (EP) and partial credit (PC) equatings for raw scores from performance-based assessments with free-response items are compared through the use of data from the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program. Results suggest that EP and PC methods do not give equivalent results when distributions are markedly skewed. (SLD)

A Monte Carlo investigation of simplex fitting as a method of determining the dimensionality of binary data matrices was conducted. Examination of the fit of correlation matrices with a known factor structure to correlation matrices that represent the perfect simplex shows that simplex fitting is a feasible approach under some circumstances. (SLD)

Describes primary and supplemental textbooks on nonparametric statistics. Lists conceptual and applied articles using these techniques. Recommends using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS-X) computer statistical analysis program. (CFR)

Multiple matrix sampling is a data collection technique that ensures accuracy and efficiency in group performance. It has been widely used in large-scale curriculum evaluation since the 1980s. However, the design does not always fully embrace the dynamics of local evaluation demands. The purpose of this study is to introduce a modified matrix…

The study describes levels of thinking in regard to the design of statistical studies. Clinical interviews were conducted with 15 students who were enrolled in high school or were recent high school graduates, and who represented a range of mathematical backgrounds. During the clinical interview sessions students were asked how they would go about…

In this paper a quadratic curve equating method for different test forms under a random-group data-collection design is proposed. Procedures for implementing this method and related issues are described and discussed. The quadratic-curve method was evaluated with real test data (from two 30-item subtests for a professional licensure examination…

In this paper the bootstrap technique was applied to the evaluation of potential predictive bias for different ethnic groups using the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and high school ranks to predict college grade point averages (GPAs). Data of three ethnic groups were used; the total number of subjects was close to 5,000. Both conventional…