Kristina Carter

Qualitative data, captured through free-form comment boxes, interviews, focus groups, and activity observation is heavily employed in testing and evaluation (T&E). The qualitative research approach can offer many benefits, but knowledge of how to implement methods, collect data, and analyze data according to rigorous qualitative research standards is not broadly understood within the T&E community. This tutorial offers insight into the foundational concepts of method and practice that embody defensible approaches to qualitative research....

We present a simulation study that examines the impact of small sample sizes in both observation and nesting levels of the model on the fixed effect bias, type I error, and the power of a simple mixed model analysis. Despite the need for adjustments to control for type I error inflation, our findings indicate that smaller samples than previously recognized can be used for mixed models under certain conditions prevalent in applied research....