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Monograph and paper notices
so 250 pp.; $31.00 cloth; $18.00 paper. Social Research and Educational Studies Series, Volume 6.) This collection of specially commissioned articles explores the practical and personal influences on the process of doing sociology of education. All the authors have been involved in conducting well-known major research projects and discuss here the problems and pitfalls, conflicts and compromises that went into doing their particular research.
Wilson. Bruce and Corcoran. Thomas. The Search for Successful Secondary Schools. Taylor and Francis Inc., 242 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1906. 1987, 250 pp.; $31.00 cloth; $16.00 paper.) While the research community has provided educators with many lists of characteristics of effective schools, there is little in the literature that helps school practitioners understand how those characteristics are established or maintained. This book offers a wide range of examples from schools that are success stories and provides a conceptual understanding of why these themes are important.
MONOGRAPH AND PAPER NOTICES The following publications are available from Sage Publications, Inc., 2111 West Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Applied Social Research Methods Series. Series editor: Leonard Hickman, VanderbiltUniversity; Series associate editor: Deborah Rog, COSMOS Corp., Washington, DC. Telephone Survey Methods: Sampling, Selection and Supervision. Paul J. Lavrakas, Northwestern University. Telephone Survey Methods covers basic details about a highly routinized process for collecting data via telephone surveys. According to the author, focusing on both the basic and specific when planning and implementing a telephone survey is necessary if quality data are to result. Assuming that most readers want to plan and implement local area telephone surveys (not regional or national ones), the book primarily discusses techniques for generating and processing telephone survey
51
sampling pools on the local level. In addition, Lavrakas focuses on conducting telephone surveys via the traditional paper-and-pencil techniques, since computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is a new and developing application that should be used only by those experienced in this type of information process. (Volume 7, 1987, 144 pp, [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Diagnosing Organizations: Methods, Models, and Processes. Michael I. Harrison, Bar-Ban University, Israel. Organizations, whether in the public or private sectors, have long sought ways to improve their overall effectiveness. This volume is a practical guide to the methods, models, and processes of organizational diagnosis. Through the use of behavioral science knowledge, organizations can assess their own current states and meet specific challenges and problems, such as rapid employee turnover, or enhance productivity or the quality of working life. Diagnosing Organizations introduces diagnostic methods, techniques, and research-based models that can help frame issues for study. It explains how to work with members of a client organization to plan and administer a diagnostic study and how to provide feedback on the results. Case examples illustrate applications to work groups and departments, to divisions, and to entire organizations. Ethical and professional dilemmas that arise during diagnosis are also discussed. (Volume 8, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.)
Group Techniques for Idea Building. Carl M. Moore, Kent State University. Moore provides practical, step-by-step explanations of selected group decision-making techniques. The author shows how to generate, develop, and select among ideas. When used with groups, idea-building strategies can help people to better manage complexity and to participate in decision making more effectively. (Volume 9, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Need Analysis: Tools for the Human Services and Education. Jack McKillip, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The purposes of this book are to present the primary social science research techniques used in need identification (e.g., client surveys, key informant interviews) and to provide a framework for integrating this information in anced assessment. Emphasis is placed on convergent analysis and social marketing models of assessment. Examples from human service and
52
education need analysis are used throughout the book. (Volume 10, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper). The following three publications are available from Sage Publications, Inc., 2Ill West Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Remarriage. Marilyn Ihinger-Tallrnan, Washington State University and Kay Pasley, University of Kentucky. In a quarter of all modern American marriages, at least one partner has been married before. This textbook on the process and problems of remarriage provides a brief synthesis of current knowledge about "the incomplete institution." The issues surrounding remarriage are major ones. In a society with a 50% divorce rate, the rate of redivorce is even higher. The authors examine the many issues that create this statistic: handling stepchildren, relationships between stepsiblings, and the complex and often stressful network of inherited relationships with ex-spouses, other relatives, and friends. The authors also identify various types of remarriages, and offer practical advice on enhancing stepfamily development. (Family Studies Text Series: Volume 7, April 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Purchase of Service Contracting in Human Services. Peter M. Kettner and Lawrence L. Martin, Arizona State University. Purchase of service contracting (POSC) has changed the way human services are structured and delivered in this country. Yet very few human service professionals have had any formal education or training in the philosophy, concepts, issues, and technology of POSC. This volume provides a conceptual framework for understanding the various aspects of services contracting. (Sage Human Services Guides: Volume 44, March 1987, 160pp. [tent.]; $9.95 paper.) Implementing Change in Service Programs. Morris Schaefer, University of North Carolina. Focusing on what must be done between the making of strategic decisions and putting new or changed service systems into operation, this guide presents a common-sense sequence of steps, each with examples. Implementing Change in Service Programs provides guidance on a critical phase of management in human service organizations-responding to change imperatives effectively and efficiently. (Sage Human Services Guides: Volume 49, July 1987, 170 pp. [tent.]; $9.95 paper.)
53
International Journal of Educational Research. "Educational Evaluation: The State of the Field." Richard M. Wolf. Contains articles by a number of writers in various countries describing the current state of the field of educational evaluation. Attention is given to a number of aspects of evaluation ranging from conceptualization to reporting and decision making. (Volume 11,987, No. I, 143 pp.) Hsu, Tse-Chi and Sadock, Shula F. Computer-Assisted Test Construction: A State of the Art. ERICjTME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 88, $7.50), November 1985.
This report reviews the literature on the utilization of computer technology to construct test itemsand/ or to formulate tests according to sound measurement principles. It focuses on studies dealing with item construction, item banking, test design, and test administration. Theoretical concepts, mainframe and microcomputer applications, evaluation and research issues, and future prospects for computer assisted test construction are discussed.
Stemmer, Paul M. and Berger, Carl F. Microcomputer Programs for Educational Statistics: A Review of Popular Programs, ERIC/TME, Education Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 89, $7.50), 1985. This publication acquaints the user with microcomputer statistical packages and offers a method for evaluation based on a set of criteria that can be adapted to the needs of the user. Several popular packages, typical of those available, are reviewed in detail. Examples of the basic command structure of statistics packages are offered. A compendium of microcomputer statistical resources lists, rather than evaluates, important features of approximately 100 programs. Assessing Higher Order Thinking Skills. ERIC/TME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME, Report 90, $9.00), 1985. Based on papers presented at the 1985 Michigan School Testing Conference, this report addresses the major issues facing those who would embark on the teaching and testing of higher-order thinking skills. The experiences of Michigan and Connecticut in the development and implementation of higher-order assessment programs are described,
S4
as well as the recent developments, problems, and prospects in the assessment of higher-order skills.
Brandenburg, Dale and Smith, Martin E. Evaluation of Corporate Training Programs. ERICfTME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 91, $9.00), May 1986. This monograph meets the needs of business managers and academicians by describing the applications of evaluation methods to decision making within corporate training or human resources development (HRD) organizations; models proposed for training evaluation; prevailing practice in terms of design features, data collection techniques, and commonly encountered problems; and conceptual and strategic issues that challenge the evaluator.
Lehmann, Irvin J. and Phillips, Susan E. Teacher Competency Examination Programs: A National Survey. ERICfTME, Education Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME, Report 92, $8.00), 1986. Teacher competency testing is not new, but in the past decade the number of states requiring new teachers to be tested has grown rapidly. States differ in their definition of competency, in the methods they use to assess competence, and in the treatment of teachers who do not meet competency requirements. This monograph describes a national survey examining the variety of state teacher competency examination programs. An appendix provides a summary of state programs, including laws mandating the programs, the areas tested, the tests used, and the name and address of the state contact person.
SOFTWARE NOTICES Barbara A. Yonai Syracuse University
The following "Software Notices" describes software programs that are available to enhance word processing programs. While there are many word processing programs that incorporate such features as dictionaries,
Wilson. Bruce and Corcoran. Thomas. The Search for Successful Secondary Schools. Taylor and Francis Inc., 242 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1906. 1987, 250 pp.; $31.00 cloth; $16.00 paper.) While the research community has provided educators with many lists of characteristics of effective schools, there is little in the literature that helps school practitioners understand how those characteristics are established or maintained. This book offers a wide range of examples from schools that are success stories and provides a conceptual understanding of why these themes are important.
MONOGRAPH AND PAPER NOTICES The following publications are available from Sage Publications, Inc., 2111 West Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Applied Social Research Methods Series. Series editor: Leonard Hickman, VanderbiltUniversity; Series associate editor: Deborah Rog, COSMOS Corp., Washington, DC. Telephone Survey Methods: Sampling, Selection and Supervision. Paul J. Lavrakas, Northwestern University. Telephone Survey Methods covers basic details about a highly routinized process for collecting data via telephone surveys. According to the author, focusing on both the basic and specific when planning and implementing a telephone survey is necessary if quality data are to result. Assuming that most readers want to plan and implement local area telephone surveys (not regional or national ones), the book primarily discusses techniques for generating and processing telephone survey
51
sampling pools on the local level. In addition, Lavrakas focuses on conducting telephone surveys via the traditional paper-and-pencil techniques, since computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is a new and developing application that should be used only by those experienced in this type of information process. (Volume 7, 1987, 144 pp, [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Diagnosing Organizations: Methods, Models, and Processes. Michael I. Harrison, Bar-Ban University, Israel. Organizations, whether in the public or private sectors, have long sought ways to improve their overall effectiveness. This volume is a practical guide to the methods, models, and processes of organizational diagnosis. Through the use of behavioral science knowledge, organizations can assess their own current states and meet specific challenges and problems, such as rapid employee turnover, or enhance productivity or the quality of working life. Diagnosing Organizations introduces diagnostic methods, techniques, and research-based models that can help frame issues for study. It explains how to work with members of a client organization to plan and administer a diagnostic study and how to provide feedback on the results. Case examples illustrate applications to work groups and departments, to divisions, and to entire organizations. Ethical and professional dilemmas that arise during diagnosis are also discussed. (Volume 8, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.)
Group Techniques for Idea Building. Carl M. Moore, Kent State University. Moore provides practical, step-by-step explanations of selected group decision-making techniques. The author shows how to generate, develop, and select among ideas. When used with groups, idea-building strategies can help people to better manage complexity and to participate in decision making more effectively. (Volume 9, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Need Analysis: Tools for the Human Services and Education. Jack McKillip, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The purposes of this book are to present the primary social science research techniques used in need identification (e.g., client surveys, key informant interviews) and to provide a framework for integrating this information in anced assessment. Emphasis is placed on convergent analysis and social marketing models of assessment. Examples from human service and
52
education need analysis are used throughout the book. (Volume 10, 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper). The following three publications are available from Sage Publications, Inc., 2Ill West Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Remarriage. Marilyn Ihinger-Tallrnan, Washington State University and Kay Pasley, University of Kentucky. In a quarter of all modern American marriages, at least one partner has been married before. This textbook on the process and problems of remarriage provides a brief synthesis of current knowledge about "the incomplete institution." The issues surrounding remarriage are major ones. In a society with a 50% divorce rate, the rate of redivorce is even higher. The authors examine the many issues that create this statistic: handling stepchildren, relationships between stepsiblings, and the complex and often stressful network of inherited relationships with ex-spouses, other relatives, and friends. The authors also identify various types of remarriages, and offer practical advice on enhancing stepfamily development. (Family Studies Text Series: Volume 7, April 1987, 160 pp. [tent.]; $17.95 cloth; $8.95 paper.) Purchase of Service Contracting in Human Services. Peter M. Kettner and Lawrence L. Martin, Arizona State University. Purchase of service contracting (POSC) has changed the way human services are structured and delivered in this country. Yet very few human service professionals have had any formal education or training in the philosophy, concepts, issues, and technology of POSC. This volume provides a conceptual framework for understanding the various aspects of services contracting. (Sage Human Services Guides: Volume 44, March 1987, 160pp. [tent.]; $9.95 paper.) Implementing Change in Service Programs. Morris Schaefer, University of North Carolina. Focusing on what must be done between the making of strategic decisions and putting new or changed service systems into operation, this guide presents a common-sense sequence of steps, each with examples. Implementing Change in Service Programs provides guidance on a critical phase of management in human service organizations-responding to change imperatives effectively and efficiently. (Sage Human Services Guides: Volume 49, July 1987, 170 pp. [tent.]; $9.95 paper.)
53
International Journal of Educational Research. "Educational Evaluation: The State of the Field." Richard M. Wolf. Contains articles by a number of writers in various countries describing the current state of the field of educational evaluation. Attention is given to a number of aspects of evaluation ranging from conceptualization to reporting and decision making. (Volume 11,987, No. I, 143 pp.) Hsu, Tse-Chi and Sadock, Shula F. Computer-Assisted Test Construction: A State of the Art. ERICjTME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 88, $7.50), November 1985.
This report reviews the literature on the utilization of computer technology to construct test itemsand/ or to formulate tests according to sound measurement principles. It focuses on studies dealing with item construction, item banking, test design, and test administration. Theoretical concepts, mainframe and microcomputer applications, evaluation and research issues, and future prospects for computer assisted test construction are discussed.
Stemmer, Paul M. and Berger, Carl F. Microcomputer Programs for Educational Statistics: A Review of Popular Programs, ERIC/TME, Education Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 89, $7.50), 1985. This publication acquaints the user with microcomputer statistical packages and offers a method for evaluation based on a set of criteria that can be adapted to the needs of the user. Several popular packages, typical of those available, are reviewed in detail. Examples of the basic command structure of statistics packages are offered. A compendium of microcomputer statistical resources lists, rather than evaluates, important features of approximately 100 programs. Assessing Higher Order Thinking Skills. ERIC/TME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME, Report 90, $9.00), 1985. Based on papers presented at the 1985 Michigan School Testing Conference, this report addresses the major issues facing those who would embark on the teaching and testing of higher-order thinking skills. The experiences of Michigan and Connecticut in the development and implementation of higher-order assessment programs are described,
S4
as well as the recent developments, problems, and prospects in the assessment of higher-order skills.
Brandenburg, Dale and Smith, Martin E. Evaluation of Corporate Training Programs. ERICfTME, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME Report 91, $9.00), May 1986. This monograph meets the needs of business managers and academicians by describing the applications of evaluation methods to decision making within corporate training or human resources development (HRD) organizations; models proposed for training evaluation; prevailing practice in terms of design features, data collection techniques, and commonly encountered problems; and conceptual and strategic issues that challenge the evaluator.
Lehmann, Irvin J. and Phillips, Susan E. Teacher Competency Examination Programs: A National Survey. ERICfTME, Education Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541 (TME, Report 92, $8.00), 1986. Teacher competency testing is not new, but in the past decade the number of states requiring new teachers to be tested has grown rapidly. States differ in their definition of competency, in the methods they use to assess competence, and in the treatment of teachers who do not meet competency requirements. This monograph describes a national survey examining the variety of state teacher competency examination programs. An appendix provides a summary of state programs, including laws mandating the programs, the areas tested, the tests used, and the name and address of the state contact person.
SOFTWARE NOTICES Barbara A. Yonai Syracuse University
The following "Software Notices" describes software programs that are available to enhance word processing programs. While there are many word processing programs that incorporate such features as dictionaries,