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This paper involves two objectives. Firstly, a descriptive analysis of the institutions represented at the 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973 an nual meetings of the North Central Sociological Association is presen ted. Although the sociology convention has occasionally been the object of study (e.g., Higbie and Hammond, 1966; Mintz, 1967; Hammond and Hibgie, 1968; Lin, Garvey, and Nelson, 1970, Leonard and Schmitt, 1973), it has not been examined extensively. In view of the increasing in terest in the sociology of sociology, the intrinsic concern of sociologists with formal organizations, and the role of regional, and especially, national psychology conventions in the early dissemination of research findings (Garvey and Griffith, 1971:355-58), this neglect is un warranted. Secondly, an analysis of the substantive concerns, as reflected in session, panel, topic etc. titles, is contained herein. It seems reasonable to conclude that some of the dominant and pressing considerations of the discipline are mirrored in these entries.

INTRODUCTORY statistics courses are taken each year by hundreds of thou sands of students across the country. These students come from many fields: the life sciences, humanities, education, agriculture, business, but above all from the social sciences. They rarely take sta tistics voluntarily. They sign up for the course because of departmental or grad uation requirements. The great majority has minimal preparation in mathematics, rarely more than they bring along from high school. They carry over into statis tics their prejudices of mathematics and quite often, justifiably so. Teachers of sta tistics courses should then ask themselves how they can make the introductory sta tistics course statistically meaningful and not simply an exercise in mathematics or, what may even be worse, a meaningless compendium of statistical techniques. A recent report, Introductory Statistics Without Calculus, by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathe matics (CUPM) addresses itself to this question. (Free copies of the report may be obtained by writing to CUPM, P.O. Box 1024, Berkeley, Calif. 94701.) The report strongly recommends courses whose main objectives are understanding of basic statistical concepts, rather than technical facility or the extensive study of the prob abilistic background of statistics. The report concerns itself in consider able detail with what it calls the conven tional approach, the approach taken by the large majority of present-day intro ductory statistics texts. Three other approaches, referred to as the decision theoretic, nonparametric, and problem oriented approaches, are discussed much more briefly. In this paper, we shall com pare the conventional and nonparametric approaches. The author has been using the nonpa rametric approach for quite a number of years and feels that it offers important advantages. These advantages stem from the fact that problems such as estimating the center of a population, comparing the observations in two samples, or measuring the strength of relationship in pairs of ob servations, which in the conventional ap proach are solved by methods appropriate for normally distributed populations, in the nonparametric approach are solved with the help of nonparametric procedures, that is with the help of procedures that are not tied to parametric population models like the normal model. Nonpara metric techniques not only require less preparatory work than normal-theory techniques, but are also conceptually much simpler than the latter as the paper will try to show. In connection with the first point, let us refer to descriptive statistics and the

As part of a larger study of articulatory deviant children, 5 personality instruments were administered to 671 children in Grades 1 through 5 in 7 public schools. Complete descriptive statistics on grade by sex samples, analyses of variance for grade by sex by school effects, test-retest coefficients, and intercorrelations are presented. Comparison of the descriptive data and published norms suggests that investigators should give serious consideration to possible influences of stimulus modes, response modes, and examiner behaviors on children's self-report scores for these constructs. Inter- and intra-scale characteristics look promising for multivariate analyses of the role of these constructs as trait, moderator, or suppressor variables in predicting articulation improvement with or without speech therapy.

After providing some background for the need to consider estimates other than those resulting from normal theory, there is a brief review of some nonadaptive robust estimators. We introduce adaptive estimators using those of Tukey and McLaughlin, Jaeckel, Johns, Birnbaum and Mike, Takeuchi, Hajek, van Eeden, and Beran. Adaptive estimators based on preliminary testing and Stein-like procedures are then considered, and recommendations are made on how to select the amount of trimming. Various proposals for estimating regression coefficients are also considered. Adaptive distrubution-free tests look very promising for improving the power of nonparametric tests, and some of these techniques can be used effectively in data analysis. Asymmetric trimmed means, adapted to the particular sample, can easily be used with data and provide good descriptive statistics having an approximate error structure. Finally, it is conjectured that estimators based on “cliff-hangers” might be extremely effective if there ...

This paper reports the results of an experimental study of the relationship between the effectiveness of aggregate production planning decisions and the form of the information system used to support the decision making. The experiment, involving twenty two graduate business administration students devoting an entire week end to the decision making activity in a simulated, computer based environment, generated results showing significantly different performance according to the form in which information was presented. Decision makers given data summarized through the use of simple descriptive statistics (1) made higher quality decisions than those receiving the same data in standard formats, (2) had less confidence in the quality of their decisions, and (3) took longer to make their decisions.

An adequate strategy in generational analysis must concern itself with at least three general matters: obtaining adequate descriptive data, explaining such data, and relating explanation to a general theory of generational differences and social change. At the descriptive level, generational differences at a given point in time may be associated with age, cohort, and/or interactional effects. The explanation of age, cohort, and interactional effects necessitates introducing additional variables and considerations into the basic descriptive model. Finally, in order for research on generational differences and social change to be most useful, empirical studies should be couched within a theoretical perspective.

Several hundred college and university computer installations now offer various types of statistical packages for general use. Among those most widely available are OSIRIS, SPSS, BMD, DATA-TEXT, and TSAR. In order to provide users with a basis for selection and use, tests were made for each of these systems, and the results are summarized as to cost and performance.

Auditory abilities, measured by wordpair discrimination and single word imitation, of economically disadvantaged native-Spanish-speaking preschool children were investigated in two languages, Spanish and English. In order to provide age-related comparative information, a group of nondisadvantaged, native-English speakers were evaluated on the same tasks. In spite of the dual problems of economic disadvantage and second language learning, these children were not significantly different from their advantaged English-speaking peers in total performance on the four tasks. In addition, the Spanish speakers made less errors in their native language than did the English speakers. Thus, previously hypothesized negative effects of poverty or of linguistic interference do not appear to be depressing auditory performance. A descriptive analysis of errors indicates directions for educational programs in the area of auditory training for preschool bilingual programs.

Anonymous questionnaire data were obtained from 312 policemen (ca. 80% sample) in a midwest city. The primary emphasis was on obtaining descriptive data from standardized and/or frequently used measures which had not heretofore been administered to policemen. In general, these police appeared to be not dissimilar from other “typical” industrial samples as regards their patterns of job satisfaction, need gratification and orientation, job involvement, dogmatism, anti-Negro bias, and supervisory orientation. They were, however, more dissatisfied with their jobs than were comparable groups. The most significant correlates (determinants?) of job attitudes were the policemen's age, rank, and job assignment. The data were also factor analyzed, the results of which are not reported here.

New Testament scholarship faces a crisis in the categories with which it perceives its material. A new set of concepts for descriptive analysis which are more appropriate to the dynamic nature of the texts must be developed.

In principle, research is considered as an important thing in the realm of academics, especially for students and lecturers. However, in the reality, it is still easily found that many academia encounter difficulties in conducting research, especially in the field of Islamic education in which its paradigm is different compared to others. The purpose of this present study is to investigate the Islamic paradigm in research methodology and its implication for Islamic Education studies. This study employed a qualitative approach and literature review method. The collected data were analyzed thoroughly using a descriptive analysis method and in the same time, the writer also elaborated as well as provided understanding and explanation proportionally. Based on the results of the discussion, it is obvious that the Islamic paradigm appeared to be different from the paradigm developed by the western world in research methodology. The Islamic paradigm considers that science is not value-free. In addition, the Islamic paradigm has a special characteristic which is different from other paradigms. As a result, a researcher puts Islam as a fundamental paradigm in conducting research on Islamic Education and it in fact has implications for the research processes from the beginning to the end of the research, in relation to research intentions, finding problems, formulating the background of the research problems, formulating research problems, research objectives, research benefits, research theories, and research methodology. In particular, research methodology in this case covers bayani, burhani, tajribi, and 'irfani method. Similarly, all the processes covering data processing, data analysis, conclusions, research publication, research facilities, and all necessary things related to the research should always be associated with the commands and prohibitions as well as permission of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.

Summary A decade of social statistics. The development of descriptive statistics in the post-liberation period can be characterized by the concepts integration and differentiation: side by side with an increasing knowledge of totality there is a constantly growing attention for detail. More so than formerly the central aim of international statistics is the obtaining of a statistical total picture in which on the one hand various statistics and on the other hand various countries can be shown. Moreover, differentiation can be distinguished: on the one hand as to fields of research, on the other hand as to geographical territories. Also from a national point of view there are intensive, integrating tendencies. There is e.g. the system of national accounts in which statistics perform an Emportant executive task. Improvement of information and statistical co-ordination have been taken in hand; consistency is a requirement of the first order and regionalisation is often necessary. With respect to productivity — of major importance for the prosperity of our country — statistics were faced by a great task; much statistical work was done, productivity centres were established and research was organized. Furthermore random sampling technique and public opinion polls, which are indispensable to efficiently collecting statistical data, show an amazing development. More and more research and planning are making use of statistics.

formants were selected for a particular phase of the research (that of identifying the poorest and wealthiest communities of the county) with the hope that from detailed presentation of a specific case, some general principles of use can be drawn. In this article we shall define what we mean by the technique, and then analyze its use in gathering data. This will be followed by a section on the kinds of data we hoped to discover through the use of the technique. Our research design will then be outlined and the reasons for deviating from the original design will be explored. Finally, the manner in which the operation was carried out will be described. The procedures for the analysis of the data as well as the results are not pertinent to this paper and are therefore omitted from it, but they can be found elsewhere (Tremblay 1955). THE KEY INFORMANT TECHNIQUE 1. Definition of terms. As used here, the term "key informant" has a more delimited definition than is usual. In traditional anthropological field research, key informants are used primarily as a source of information on a variety of topics, such as kinship and family organization, economic system, political structure, and religious beliefs and practices. In brief, they are interviewed intensively over an extensive period of time for the purpose of providing a relatively complete ethnographical description of the social and cultural patterns of their group. In that particular fashion, a few informants are interviewed3 with the aim of securing the total patterning of a culture. The technique is preeminently suited to the gathering of the kinds of qualitative and descriptive data that are difficult or time-consuming to unearth through structured datagathering techniques such as questionnaire surveys.

In this discussion it is stressed that the need for the “Classification and Grouping of Occupations” in the field of descriptive statistics and the analysis of occupational composition is the inevitable result of progressive economic and occupational differentiation in highly developed and developing societies. Special attention is paid to the occupational classification system applied by the South African Department of Statistics. It is pointed out that both in the 1960 and 1970 Population Censuses the INTERNATIONAL STAN. DARD CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONS (I.S.C.O.) was resorted to as basis of its occupational classification system. Although it is not satisfactory in every respect, the I.S.C.O., especially the revised edition (1968), proves invaluable, also in the sociological sphere, and tangible proof that international co-operation could produce work of high standing. Die doel met hierdie bydrae is om aan te toon dat die indeling en groepering van beroepe met die oog op beskrywing en analise...

By and large the Congress of the United States has been studied on its own terms, as a somewhat unique political institution. Studies of Congress are usually considered to be important simply because they shed light on an important institution in the American political system. It is true, of course, that Congress is an important policy-making body and does deserve study for that reason. But there is no reason why substantive importance cannot be combined with “importance” in another sense. It is also important, for example, to develop theory within any discipline which will help explain the phenomena under study. Trivial substantive problems can be made interesting because of the theory which they suggest. And because a problem may already be substantively important does not mean that it cannot be made even more significant by theoretical development.As a result of this substantive focus, research on Congress has produced a very rich body of descriptive data on various components of the institution, including its members and leadership, group structure, committees, party systems, organization, and rules and procedures. Studies have also provided generalizations concerning such things as the decentralized decision-making of Congress and the effects of the seniority rule on the distribution of power within the House and Senate. These descriptive data and generalizations may serve as the content to be explained within the context of a theory. As yet there has been very little effort at theory construction concerning Congress. The data are there—their organization and explication remain.

In order to explore the potential contribution that one form of critical path analysis, namely Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), could make to a systematic ordering of interrelated units of study in science and mathematics, data were obtained from 312 experienced high school teachers of science and/or mathematics with respect to suggested time estimates together with a sequential ordering of topics to be studied by individual students majoring in these specialized areas of study. With data collected, a modified form of the IBM PERT Program # 10.3.006, run on the IBM 1620-40K computer, produced output within a matter of a few minutes. This information facilitated the drawing of the network model-a sketch which enables all parties concerned to see the critical path(s) which indicates points in scheduling time requiring special attention. Based upon an analysis of the statistical and descriptive data gathered in the study, the results showed that knowledge of PERT concepts and principle...

The small scale cattle fattening enterprise is represents an important component of the agribusiness sector of the economy with great economic, income, poverty reduction and social implications. A large number of farmers involved in cattle fattening just before 3 or 4 months of Eid-ul-Azha (Muslim festival), when they sell the animals with profitable prices. Cattle fattening for beef production have become an important business of the small farmers in Bangladesh. This study examined the profitability as well as operational economics efficiency of cattle fattening enterprise of Rajbari District. Data used to achieve this objective was obtained from 120 nomadic farmers, which were randomly selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were generated using a survey schedule as well as direct observation (cost-route method). Descriptive statistics, economics analysis as well as operational efficiency index were used to analyze the data. Results showed that small scale cattle fattening enterprise were profitable and flexible. A net enterprise income of BDT 5559 per cattle was realized by an average enterprise in study area. It was also shown that operational efficiency was not generally high among the entrepreneur. Based on these results, the study advised less efficient entrepreneurs to adopt the practices of the efficient ones in order to make the enterprise more profitable. The study shows that small scale cattle fattening enterprise is profitable due to agribusiness context. Farmers used three years old cattle for beef fattening. Cattle fattening period is 4.5 months in rural study areas of Rajbari district in Bangladesh. Keywords: Economic efficiency; Cattle farming; Profitability DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v9i1.8756 JBAU 2011; 9(1): 141-146

It has been common to approach the study of differences in Negro-white fertility from an assimilationalist perspective. A recent paper criticized this approach, suggesting as an alternative a social psychological argument which approaches the differential in terms of the insecurities associated with minority-group status. This explanation suggest that (1) minority-group status exercises an independent effect on fertility, and (2) minority-group status and certain structural factors interact to effect fertility. This paper attempts to test these two aspects of the " minority-group status hypothesis." The use of simple descriptive statistics early in the analysis tends to support the minority-group status hypothesis; however, the use of more rigorous inductive statistical techniques suggests that the hypothesis does not stand when applied to Negro-white fertility differences. It is suggested that the hypothesis be reformulated to take account of the extent of structural assimilation.

I have attempted to confine this article to an analytic description of the operations of the commission's personnel security program. This program has been analyzed critically and in detail by a number of individuals. I have not attempted to take issue with criticism, for this is not the purpose of a descriptive analysis. I have mentioned those limitations inherent in our program which do not entirely coincide with the traditional methods of due process. These limitations are significant, but, if they are properly exercised in the context of the commission's program, I feel that they are justified.

This analysis combines the study of a preschool predictive instrument with the assessment of the effects of preschool training program on the later academic achievement of children with language and learning disabilities. A preliminary follow-up study of children who were initially evaluated and trained in a joint project of the Houston Speech and Hearing Center and the Pasadena, Texas, Independent School District from 1963--1966 revealed marked differences in later academic achievement. From a sample of subjects with language and learning disabilities, 70 percent of those who completed the preacademic training program were found to be achieving at grade level in 1969. Of those subjects who entered but did not complete the program, only 25 percent were achieving at grade level, just 18 percent of a control group with language and learning disabilities who did not receive preacademic training were achieving at grade level. The results of the pilot study support the use of the Language and Learning Assessment for Training battery as an initial identifying instrument during preschool years, and the use of specific preschool training methods for children with language and learning disabilities.

The study assessed the technologies available for empowering women in cassava production in Abia State. The objectives were to determine the availability and utilization of technologies for empowering women in cassava production. Questionnaire was the instrument for data collection which was developed on a 4-point measuring scale and was validated by peer review of researchers in agricultural extension. Reliability was established by the Cronbach’s alpha which gave co-efficient of r ∝ = 0.74 indicating a high reliability. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 240 and the extension filed officers were used as research assistants to facilitate the administration and retrieval of the questionnaire. Data analysis was achieved with the use of descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean which referenced x = 2.50 as the benchmark and inferential statistics as t-test at 0.050 level of significance. The findings revealed that majority (x = 2.56) agreed that technologies were available for empowering women in cassava production while (x = 2.03) indicated that the extent women were empowered utilizing technologies for cassava production was low. The t- test of no mean significant difference was not rejected because t = 0.01 at P ≥ 0.05 which indicated no mean difference between availability and utilization of technologies for empowering women cassava producers. On the basis of the findings the study recommended that more extension field personnel should be employed and retrained on how to train women on how to use the technologies.Keywords: women, empowerment, cassava, production

Background: Birth is a major challenge for the newborn to negotiate successfully from intrauterine to extra uterine life. The first few hours since birth is the most crucial period in the life of an infant for further growth and development, which is largely determined by the quality of care that the newborn receives. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the quality of care provided by nursing personnel to newborn in the labour room. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in BP Koirala Institute of Health Science. Cross sectional, non participatory observational research design was adopted for the study. Care provided by nursing personnel to 814 normal newborns was observed. Samples were chosen by non probability purposive sampling technique. Data was collected through observational method by trained nursing personnel, using 46 items pre-tested, validated and self developed observational checklist. Care provided to newborns was observed from birth to two hours and categorised as good, average and poor based on scores obtained. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS-10. Descriptive statistics- [Mean, percentage, frequencies and standard deviation] was used to describe the quality of care provided to the newborn babies. Results: Overall quality of care was good in 42.36%, average in 57.64% and none of them received poor care. Overall mean score for quality of care was 34.75/46 (75.54 %). Regarding subscales quality of care was good in majority of newborns in areas such as Preparation to receive the baby (76.1%), Initiation of breathing (100%), Maintaining thermoregulation (77.3%), Physical assessment (90.9%), and other aspects of care (95.2%). However the quality of care was poor in majority of newborns in establishment of breast feeding (58.23%) and average in prevention of infection (76.9%). Conclusion: Study findings highlight the need for focus in establishment of breast feeding and prevention of infection. Key words: Quality of care; newborns; nursing personnel; breast feeding; prevention of infection and assessment of newborn. DOI: 10.3126/kumj.v7i3.2729 Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2009) Vol.7, No.3 Issue 27, 231-237

Analogs of Pearson's coefficient of racial likeness and of Mahalanobis' distance measure have been proposed as descriptive statistics for comparing two individuals. This paper shows that two different definitions of “uncorrelated” variables—one associated with an inverse transformation and the other with a principal-axis transformation—give rise to these two descriptive statistics. The effects of putting the data into certain forms, such as equalizing the variances of the variables or equalizing the means of the persons, prior to using either of the two transformations, are discussed.

Examination of “The Structure of English” (Fries, 1952) has led to the following conclusions. The attempt by Fries to handle parts of speech as structural meaning units into which word classes enter, shows an attempt to deal with too many features of English at one time. Although it may be seen that he was aiming to present the diversity of free form patternings in which words with certain bound form ranges can occur, the result has provided suggestions for future research, rather than a clear statement of the formal characteristics of English words. The definitive criteria for the parts of speech are not precise, and there is also a tendency to proceed from meaning assumptions to form, instead of from form to meaning by way of strict descriptive analysis. Some ideas about the nature of syntactic classes (and constants) are introduced and related to Fries's views.

Employee motivation is considered as a force that drives the employees toward attaining specific goals and objectives of an organization. Nowadays motivation has become one of the most indispensable factors in management toward the achievement of organizational goals. There nothing more central to management than the question of human motivation. The main objectives of the study are to find out that what kind of motivation factors influence Nigerian employee and also to find out to which extent motivation affect the employee performance. 200 data are collected from teachers from some selected public schools and private in Talata Mafara and by using self-administered questionnaire. A Structured interview was also carried out with the management of the schools. Descriptive analysis is applied is applied to find the effect of employee motivation on employee performance involving five variables. Employee promotion, employee motivation, employees performance, employee perceived training effectiveness, and intrinsic reward. The result of this work shows that there is positive and significant relationship exist between employee motivation and employee performance. It also show that promotion and intrinsic reward has positive impact on employee performance.

S OCIOLINGUISTICS has been described as the study of verbal behavior in terms of the social characteristics of speakers, their cultural background, and the ecological properties of the environment in which they interact (Hymes 1962; Ervin-Tripp 1964). In this paper we will explore some of the formal aspects of this relationship. We will examine the language usage of specific groups and attempt to relate it to linguistically distinct dialects and styles on the one hand and variables employed in the study of social interaction on the other. The raw material for our study is the distribution of linguistic forms in everyday speech. As is usual in descriptive analysis, these forms are first described in terms of their own internal patterning at the various strata (phonemic, morphemic, etc.) of linguistic structure (Lamb 1964; Gleason 1964). Ultimately, however, the results of this analysis will have to be related to social categories. This condition imposes some important restrictions on the way in which data are gathered. Since social interaction always takes place within particular groups, linguistic source data will have to be made commensurable with such groups. We therefore choose as our universe of analysis a speech community: any human aggregate characterized by regular and frequent interaction over a significant span of time and set off from other such aggregates by differences in the frequency of interaction. Within this socially defined universe forms are selected for study primarily in terms of who uses them and when, regardless of purely grammatical similarities and differences. If two grammatically distinct alternatives are employed within the same population, both will have to be included. On the other hand, in those cases where socially significant differences in behavior are signaled by grammatically minor lexical or phonemic correlates, the latter cannot be omitted from consideration.

This research aims to describe and analyze various aspects of children's education and find the concept of children's education in the perspective of psychology and Islamic education. This type of library research research, data collection techniques using documentation, after the data collected and then analyzed with descriptive analysis and content analysis. The results show the first: the conception of children's education in a psychological perspective has four main dimensions namely, physical, psychological, spiritual, and social-cultural. Parenting education of children must be in accordance with the psychological condition of children with authoritative style. Second: educating with the perspective of Islamic education, will make children more healthy souls namely those who have excellent physical requirements, higher intellectual mental intelligence (IQ), mental health conditions / personality that develops and is stable in their emotional emotional mentality (EQ) is high (mental-social) and have the strength of faith and Islam. Third: The important role of psychology in Islamic education is to bridge the process of delivering knowledge so that it pays more attention to the psychology of each individual or student, because this will determine the parents or educators in transferring knowledge given to children.

The method of survey followed in this study is that of the bibliographical approach, i.e. a descriptive analysis of publications in terms of a number of categories. Presented is an analysis of the titles in J.C. Hoorweg and H.C. Marais, Psychology in Africa. A bibliography (Leiden, 1966). In this bibliography, publications were included irrespective of quality, but confidential reports or papers pertaining to white subjects only were omitted. The 1312 entries were categorized in terms of: year of publication; field of psychology; geographical location; language of publication; publication medium. Extracted from these data were cross-tables: year of publication/field of psychology; year of publication/geographical location; language of publication/year of publication/field of psychology. Ref., notes, tables

Efforts towards increase in fish production through artisanal fishery can be achieved by making needed inputs available. Fishing requirements of artisanal fishers in coastal communities of Ondo State, Nigeria were studied. Data were obtained from two hundred and sixteen artisans using multistage random sampling technique. Structured interview scheduled was used to obtain information from the respondents. Data were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistic such as frequency counts and percentage. Chi-square was used to test relationships between the variables. The results showed that 73.6% had fifteen years and above fishing experience and 58.8% had between twenty to thirty thousand monthly incomes. Majority (71.8%) used cast net while 80.10% required canoe and 30% 40 HP outboard engines for fishing. The chi-square analysis showed significant relationship between fishing input requirements of artisans and fishing experience for canoe (χ² = 0.00, p < 0.05), outboard engine (χ² = 0.00, p< 0.05) and netting material (χ² = 0.00). All the fishing input were significantly related to artisans monthly income (P

This study assessed awareness and use of information and communication technologies among extension agents in Maigana Zone of Kaduna State A.D.P. All extension personnel in the zone (70) were interviewed through the use of structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to achieve the objectives of the study. It was found that 60.15% of the respondents were aware of at least one ICT in the study area. The multiple regression analysis of the relationship between the extension workers’ socioeconomic characteristics and ICT usage showed that level of training and membership of professional association showed a positive significant relationship at p

Daily engineering records from two road construction projects near Jefferson City, Mo., for the years 1965-68 were combined with soil moisture and precipitation measurements from nearby meteorological stations to develop a model capable of producing an experimental series describing conditions suitable for road building activities. This model was then applied to a long-term series of daily precipitation records for Jefferson City (1918-65) to calculate road construction conditions over this period. Monthly and seasonal statistics describing the feasibility of various levels of road building activity are presented for the 48-yr period. These statistics include second-order Markov chain probability estimates of working and nonworking days. Aside from the inferences which can be directly drawn from the seasonal and monthly descriptive data, the statistics may have value in developing further simulation models for estimating the effects of various management strategies. Effects of weather conditions on particular components of the economy have been considered by a number of investigators. Studies assessing the association between weather and agricultural production (Maunder 1968), housing starts (Musgrave 1968), retail trade (Linden 1961), electrical power production (Johnson et al. 1969), natural gas consumption (McQuigg and Thompson 1966) , and agricultural land prices (Johnson and Haigh 1970) are among those of more recent vintage. The weather sensitivity of the construction industry in the United States has also been considered (Russo 1966, Theil 1966, US. Department of Commerce 1966), but little attention has been devoted to the road building sector. Expenditures for road construction are, however, an important part of the total expenditure on construction and of the budgets of Federal, State, and local governments from which they are financed. In this study, effects of climatic variables on the highway construction industry are estimated through their influence on working conditions during the main construction months. Data from two construction projects are combined with a soil moisture index to obtain conditions under which construction activities can proceed. This relationship is used to generate an experimental series of working conditions based on available weather data. The resulting series of simulated working conditions are then assessed regarding their potential as aids to planning and scheduling highway construction projects.