Posted by
voice_of_reason on Monday, March 12, 2007 4:21:25 PM
I have just finished reading "The Bell Curve" by Herrnstein & Murray (1994) and - although it is a tough read for the mathematically challenged - I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to weigh in on subjects related to education in America.
Here is the Wiki
link for those who may not have enough time to read the book - I must confess that it took me over a month, given my schedule! The Wiki link also presents some of the criticism that was levelled against this book (e.g. that it promotes scientific racism).
My personal opinion is that the material & data is presented clearly. Conclusions that are drawn seem to be objective, and the authors repeatedly caution against using the material outside the intended scope.
Obviously, dealing with multi-variable issues in a statistical manner is difficult. The authors carefully 'control' for relevant parameters and dissect the available data (sources of which are also explained). The effects of divorce, illegitimacy, parental socio-economic status, parental education, race, welfare, crime and other issues are carefully accounted for in this book - and the results are occasionally predictable but sometimes surprising.
Reputable sources of data are examined, for example the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY), a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics tracking thousands of Americans starting in the 1980s. All participants in the NLSY took the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT), a measure of cognitive ability comparable to an IQ test.
The statistical techniques employed are well explained - even to the mathematical novice - and correlations are carefully stated.