  We calculate the ground-state expectation value of scalar observables in the
matrix formulation of the random phase approximation (RPA). Our expression,
derived using the quasiboson approximation, is a straightforward generalization
of the RPA correlation energy. We test the reliability of our expression by
comparing against full diagonalization in 0 h-bar omega shell-model spaces. In
general the RPA values are an improvement over mean-field (Hartree-Fock)
results, but are not always consistent with shell-model results. We also
consider exact symmetries broken in the mean-field state and whether or not
they are restored in RPA.
