Abstract
It seems that every new editor of the Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics (JEBS) finds inspiration in the editorial policy statement of Melvin Novick when he initiated the journal (then called the Journal of Educational Statistics) in 1976. It is no wonder. Those two pages succinctly state the goals and purpose of the journal that have remained steady for the last 39 years. We found our inspiration in the advice the editor gives to prospective authors: The goal of authors seeking to publish in JES should be to communicate why, when, and how a statistical method should be used. Typically papers will present new methods of analysis or new applications of better-known methods. (Novick, 1976, p. 280)
Because of our unique position focusing on statistical applications in educational and behavioral research, JEBS articles should address the why, when, and how questions by motivating the statistical contributions in the context of critical problems in contemporary educational and behavioral science research. We do not think there is a shortage of such problems. Given the need for evidence-based decision making, the ever-increasing availability of data, the ability to collect more data more frequently, and the ever-expanding access to computational power, new design, measurement, and analysis problems arise routinely. Old problems also take on new forms and can be revisited. We encourage statistical workers in educational and behavioral sciences to consider JEBS as their forum for defining and sharing their state of the art. We look for authors who strive to tackle those difficult statistical problems and communicate the solutions that can reach the broadest audience possible. Even for highly technical topics, we call upon JEBS contributors to write in such a style that graduate students and statistically sophisticated substantive researchers can follow and benefit. An example is Rubin’s (1981) article on analysis of parallel randomized experiments.
Like our predecessors, we hope to expand the role of behavioral statistics in the journal and strongly encourage authors working on new methods motivated by behavioral problems or critical reviews of current practice, tutorial presentations of less well-known methods, and novel applications of existing methods in behavioral research to submit their work to JEBS. Of course, articles on educational statistics that can inform research, practice, and policy discussions remain badly needed and we aim to retain and advance JEBS’s role as the premier journal for such statistical articles.
We will also reinstate book reviews. Book reviews were an integral part of JEBS for many years, but recently they have been absent. Because of the diverse readership of JEBS, we believe book reviews in the journal have a great potential to introduce reader to books that they would not otherwise hear of and provide a reviewer’s perspective that will be familiar. M. J. Jeon will be the Book Review Editor and inquiries about book reviews can be sent to her. We also plan to initiate software reviews. Software is the key to adoption of new methods and best practices in analysis but with many avenues for software releases analysts may be unaware of available tools or unsure about which ones are most user-friendly and provide the best range of options and output. Software reviews can help in the dissemination of new techniques, and again given the diverse readership of JEBS it provides a unique forum to share information of statistical computing’s latest tools. Tracy Sweet will oversee these reviews as the first JEBS Software Review Editor. Again, inquiries about software reviews can be addressed to her.
We will continue to work to meet the standards of quick turnarounds that the previous editors established. We are keeping the large and diverse editorial board and we are counting on you. We need you to continue to submit your favorite papers to us, to read and debate about others’ papers, and in doing so, help the educational and behavioral statistical research community disseminate its latest findings through your own research, collaboration, consulting, and teaching. Last but not the least, we appreciate your invaluable contributions by providing thoughtful reviews within the tight timelines that keep the peer-review system healthy.