Creativity, which has now entered the discourse in higher education alongside other agenda items such as enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation, is an elusive and complex notion. It may evade the sort of definition, categorisation and compartmentalisation required to integrate it fully into the curriculum frameworks and assessment regimes…

A study investigated humanities grants activity in the discipline of speech communication. Specifically examined were (1) whether state councils differed substantially in types of programs offered, guidelines, or procedures; (2) the percentages of programs, project directors, and sponsors within the field of communication (such as rhetoric, public…

Concern for the state of the humanities is a choice, not a necessity, for research administrators, but by fostering the humanities in any way, research administrators can nurture a vital tradition and a resource that contributes to the institution's basic purposes. (Author/MSE)

While the mentoring process appears to occur regularly and usually quite effectively in the sciences, it seems not to occur as readily in non-science areas such as the humanities and the social sciences. This study is a follow up to earlier studies that examined interview responses of students who participated in summer research programs. The…

Information about the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent grant-making federal agency to support research, education, and public programs in the humanities, is provided in this booklet. The first part covers the programs that NEH does and does not support, eligibility for assistance, and how applications are evaluated. NEH…

The role of Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina, described as the nation's largest and perhaps most prestigious research facility, is discussed. Activities in economic, scientific, sociological, and intellectual research are reviewed, along with the scholarly ambiance of the area and the impact of the new National Humanities Center to…

A humanist describes his reaction to instruction in research methodology, and specifically statistical measurement, from initial discomfort, through confusion, to reassessment and reinforcement of his own assumptions and instructional intentions. The experience in specifying outcomes helped enhance his intuition about teaching. (MSE)

Two papers are presented--a summary and a lengthier description of an interdisciplinary college-level liberal arts course. Both papers are intended for use by humanities and social science teachers as they develop and implement interdisciplinary and competency-based curricula. Five areas of academic competency serve as course objectives. These are…

Using SAT scores as a means of controlling for student input, three different statistical methods were used to estimate the relative productivity of various curriculum groups. Subjects were 873 University of Delaware seniors for whom both SAT scores and UP (Undergraduate Program) Area Test scores were available. The Area Test scores administered…

Proceedings of a conference on independent research institutions and scholarly life in the 1980s, which was sponsored by the Institute for Research in History, are presented. Summaries of workshops and the general session transcript are presented along with an introductory essay. A working papers essay is also included to delineate the major areas…

To study student motivation and performance on a research project in a college-level humanities class, students were given a choice of three assignments. They could choose a traditional research paper on art, a creative narrative modeled after the popular novel "Girl with a Pearl Earring," (Tracy Chevalier), or a WebQuest on the…

National research policies are today driven by the concept of the "knowledge society", in which development is deemed to follow the application of new ideas. Australia, like other countries, has encouraged partnerships between the universities and industry. This essay examines how Australian scholars in the humanities have responded to…

The hypothesis tested was that authoritarian personalities prefer the natural sciences (specifically biology and chemistry) and nonauthoritarian personalities choose the social sciences and humanities (specifically, psychology and philosophy). (Author)

A survey of published research projects in 16 arts and humanities disciplines in the United Kingdom found a more substantial body of research than was revealed earlier either by survey or through a tally of arts and humanities degrees. The new survey method and possible reasons for the discrepancy are examined. (MSE)

College faculty applying for the National Endowment for the Humanities' Summer Stipend Program for independent study and research are usually nominated by their institutions. Nomination procedures used by institutions that consistently nominate successful applicants are described, and the research administrator's role in the process is discussed.…