Term Definition General Terms assessment the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.
confidentiality spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy
developmental norm as standards by which the progress of a child's
development can be measured.
ethics moral principles that govern a person's or group's
behavior.
evaluate form an idea of the amount, number, or value of; assess.
flow chart a diagram of the sequence of movements or actions of
people or things involved in a complex system or activity. frequency the rate at which something occurs or is repeated over a particular period of time or in a given sample.
the action or process of observing something or
someone carefully or in order to gain information. Observations formal observation refers to the precise, highly controlled methods that take place in a laboratory setting.
informal observation is a more casual observation of the surrounding
environment.
naturalistic observation research method commonly used by psychologists
and other social scientists.
participant observer a technique of field research, used in
anthropology and sociology, by which an investigator (participant observer) studies the life of a group by sharing in its activities.
objective a thing aimed at or sought; a goal.
subjective based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
Observation Record Forms based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or
opinions.
anecdotal record is an observational method used frequently in
classroom or learning settings in which the observer summarizes a single developmental incident after the event has occurred.
checklist a list of items required, things to be done, or points to be
considered, used as a reminder.
is a measure of the number of times that an event
occurs. frequency count
rating scale is an aid to disciplined dialogue.
running record is a tool that helps teachers to identify patterns in