This book in intended to train students in reading a research report critically. It uses actual research articles as examples including both good and flawed studies in each category and provides interpretation and evaluation of the appropriateness of the statistical analyses in each study. Individual chapters usually include two sample studies and evaluation comments. Evaluative questions are grouped into four categories: (1) the rationale and purpose of the study; (2) design of the study; (3) statistical analyses of the data; and (4) the conclusions. Article evaluations are organized by the sections of the original article. Methodologies are considered in order of increasing complexity. An introductory chapter reviews potential trouble spots that can invalidate a conclusion about the effectiveness of an independent variable. The next two chapters discuss evaluation of two qualitative research methods: the case study and the narrative analysis. The following nine chapters examine quantitative methods and cover: surveys, correlation studies, regression analysis studies, factor-analytic studies, discriminant analysis studies, two-condition experimental studies, single classification studies, factorial studies, and quasi-experimental studies. (Individual chapters contain suggested readings). (BF)