Accreditation

Research Results, Inc. works with your faculty, students, and administration on all stages of accreditation to ensure that requirements are met and efforts are focused on areas that strengthen program offerings and student learning. Areas of focus include:

• planning
• self-study
• data collection and analysis
• interfacing with accrediting agencies
• documentation
• presentations
• site visits

Program Review

Research Results, Inc. supports institutions as they conduct ongoing Program Review and self-studies. Program Reviews supports the ongoing assessment of educational programs to ensure that self-study and improvement continues outside the formal accreditation process by collecting and analyzing direct and indirect evidence. Program Review includes:

• developing a 3 to 5 year Program Review plan
• conducting inquiry-based self-studies
• analyzing trends across departments and student groups
• analyzing direct and indirect evidence
• assessing student learning outcomes
• planning and budgeting in support of educational objectives
• conducting internal & external Program Reviews
• writing improvement plan agreements

Grant Evaluation

Research Results, Inc. provides evaluation analysis of grant projects that require a formative and summative evaluation of

• implementation
• progress
• outcomes
• overall impact/benefit of the funded grant

Research Results, Inc. utilizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) guidelines for program evaluation.

Statistical Analysis

Research Results, Inc. provides quantitative and qualitative research analysis to inform educational self-studies focusing on educational effectiveness, student learning, curriculum, co-curricular activities, and assessment practices.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research experience includes:

• cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis
• descriptive statistics
• analysis of variance
• discriminant analysis
• factor analysis
• multiple regression
• statistical computing
• database management
• design of multivariate statistical methodologies for national, single, and multi-institutional databases
• survey design

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research experience includes:

• designing interview protocols
• conducting individual interviews and focus groups
• field note preparation, coding, and analysis
• documentation and reporting of results

Educational Self-Studies

Research Results, Inc. works with academic institutions to study

• educational effectiveness
• student learning
  • impact of academic experiences on learning and development
• curriculum
  • general education requirements
  • syllabi
  • course evaluations
• co-curricular activities
  • student support services
  • student relations
  • academic policies and procedures
• assessment practices
  • assessment rubrics
  • admissions statistics
  • writing assessments
  • student portfolios
  • publication rates
  • time to degree
  • alumni placement
  • alumni career paths
  • focus group responses
  • faculty, student, and alumni satisfaction surveys

Ultimately, self-study, assessment, and direct and indirect evidence sheds light into the ways in which aspects of the educational experience influence learning outcomes.

Experience

Dr. Sharon Joyce has extensive experience leading organizations through all stages of the accreditation process with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). She has designed survey instruments to solicit quantitative and qualitative feedback for establishing future policies for program improvement.

Dr. Joyce has conducted research studies on student satisfaction and persistence using national database sources representing multiple universities and colleges and singular institutional studies.

Dr. Joyce has been involved in soliciting feedback from students and faculty on their level of satisfaction with educational programs. Sharon has reviewed and analyzed program curriculum design, student services, and academic policies and procedures. She has prepared and presented written reports and oral presentations for Academic Committees, Deans, faculty, students, external accreditators and Boards of Directors.

Clients

Research Results, Inc. works with public universities such as University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and private research institutions such as The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), City of Hope, and Sanford-Burnham.