College students in 2 studies (n=95 and 114) completed an epistemological questionnaire with a specific domain in mind (social sciences or mathematics), read a passage, answered a passage test, and completed another epistemological questionnaire. Results supported the idea that individuals' epistemological beliefs tended to be domain independent.…

Two experiments involving 269 college students investigated whether monitoring is better characterized as a domain-specific or a domain-general activity. Findings lend qualified support to the domain-general hypothesis, which states that monitoring within a specific domain is governed by general metacognitive processes in addition to…

Two experiments involving 163 children were conducted to investigate the circumstances under which an abstract statement promotes analogical problem solving in children. External instantiation (providing concrete examples with the statement) and internal instantiation (encouraging learners to generate concrete examples) were equally effective in…

Two experiments involving 153 college students indicated that, given enough time, students studying graphic organizers learned more hierarchical and coordinate relations. As a result, they were more successful in applying the knowledge and in writing integrated essays than were students studying outlines or text alone. (SLD)

Three experiments involving 176 college students assessed the long-term effectiveness of the keyword mnemonic relative to a non-mnemonic (semantic context) learning strategy. The keyword mnemonic produced superior immediate performance, but after two days higher levels of delayed recall were associated with semantic context learning. (SLD)

Results of studies of 238 Australian children of differing socioeconomic status in preschool and at the end of first grade are consistent with the view that socioeconomic status differences in word-level reading achievement are mediated partly through preexisting differences in phonological sensitivity. (SLD)

A follow-up study of 62 children in grades 1 and 2 instructed in phonemic awareness in preschool showed that, compared with 53 controls, trained children were superior in nonword reading 2 and 3 years later and in reading comprehension at 3 years. A supplemental study supported these results. (SLD)

Adult volunteers (n=1,215) in Singapore and San Francisco (California) rated the degree of obviousness of 12 findings of process-product research on teaching. Respondents could not always distinguish true findings from opposites. Differences in gender, knowledge about teaching, and cultural background had inconsistent effects on judgments of…

The impact of the Employment Action Pilot Project on employable immigrants on welfare in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), was studied with 24 immigrant clients, 15 single-parent female immigrants, and over 300 comparisons. Significant differences were not found between program and comparison groups. Impacts other than cost-effectiveness are discussed.…

The distinction between two models of reliability is clarified. Reliability may be conceived of and estimated from a true score model or from the perspective of sampling precision. Basic models are developed and illustrated for each approach using data from the author's work on measuring organizational climate. (SLD)

This paper describes the evaluation approach, techniques, and instruments adopted during the first 2 years of a 3-year multicultural/antiracist educational leadership program in 4 Canadian provinces involving approximately 200 secondary students. The formative evaluation of these two years was aimed at program achievement. (SLD)

The instrumental utilization of evaluation findings to assist in the development of program policy is discussed, drawing examples from an innovative human service program/policy that involves multiple funding ministries and participating agencies. Evaluation practices that enhance utilization, including pre- and postevaluation activities, are…

An innovative approach to delivering health care is being developed in several Ontario (Canada) communities. This report describes the initial framework for quality and evaluation for a comprehensive health organization (CHO). As CHOs become operational, there is great opportunity to develop a comprehensive approach to quality and evaluation. (SLD)

This brief discussion considers some of the techniques, especially graphic techniques, that are part of the "tool kit" for sensitivity analysis, using sensitivity analysis in a hospital's cost-benefit decision as an example. Sensitivity analysis is helpful in exploring the deterministic agency in decision making. (SLD)

Program logic models provide a method of presenting program objectives schematically. This article presents a model that explicitly recognizes the ultimate societal-level benefits and accommodates identification of outputs, performance indicators, and targets. The model is illustrated with a hypothetical agricultural technology transfer program.…