Effects of administrative scheduling and directions upon student ratings of instruction

Using temporal proximity of instructor/course evaluations to critical in-course events, together with psychological set provided via directions, the present investigation sought to assess (1) the appropriateness of within-course time-series analyses for instructor ratings, and (2) the potency of inducing rater perceptions of the rating process as an interactive variable in course evaluations. A 2 × 2 (temporal proximity by psychological set) factorial design used students enrolled in two sections of an undergraduate course in educational psychology as subjects. Using both midterm and final examination time periods as data collection points, the results of this investigation suggested that preexamination instructor/course evaluations tend to be more favorable than postexamination evaluations, and that a specific positive psychological set prior to evaluations tends to produce more favorable evaluations than very general, brief instructions.     

HEALTHLAWYER: an informal comparison with medical and legal databases.

This article compares HEALTHLAWYER with other legal and medical databases in an informal study. Local network building is an important element of this work. The memo format is used to illustrate the working style of the study group. Using a sample question, each author includes HEALTHLAWYER in a multi-database search strategy. Memos are exchanged regarding search formulations and search outcomes. HEALTHLAWYER, it is concluded, is a helpful database when initiating research on a medical/legal question.     

Comparability of Scores From Performance Assessments

Why is comparability of forms important for performance assessments? Can traditional methods of form equating be used? What problems are likely to arise in equating? Can standards generalize across forms?