Discusses information retrieval techniques involving both Boolean retrieval schemes and a weighting mechanism to produce ranked search output and points out theoretical ambiguities and inconsistencies demonstrated by recent research. An alternative search approach is outlined and analyzed and a more rigorous methodology is suggested. Eleven…

Compared the life satisfaction of elderly Whites and Blacks. Showed that most factors influencing life satisfaction of elderly people have similar effects among Blacks and Whites. Although greater numbers of physical impairments lead to lower life satisfaction for both races, the negative effect is considerably stronger among Blacks. (Author/JAC)

It is argued that: (1) the language of teaching-effectiveness and teacher-competency research is promoting subtly a technical and political ideology; and (2) the efforts of this research activity serve to perpetuate a set of myths about the teaching experience. An alternative focus on the "unique person who teaches" is suggested for…

Significant correlations between measures of cognitive structure and performance were found using a procedure distinguishing between episodic and semantic memory as an heuristic with achievement test items. The design increased the likelihood of indications of semantic memory. Higher-order and lower-order cognitive processes are discussed.…

Reviews and critiques the literature on minority elderly. Shows how research on minorities has led to an analytical muddle with the issue of ethnicity. Examines the relevance of ethnicity to social and cultural gerontology. Demonstrates how ethnicity can often facilitate adjustment to the psychical and physical constraints of aging. (Author)

Examines the design, problems, and applications of a research model in which teachers and researchers combine their efforts toward educational improvement. (RL)

A recent article by William R. Dunlap on admissions criteria is presented to illustrate applied statistical misuse. It is the basis for discussion of severe methodological problems including range truncation, dummy coding, identifying race and sex bias, measuring professional potential, and generalization of findings. The author's response is…

Examined the literature dealing with the relation of occupation to suicide for three occupational categories: health care providers, managerial and professional persons, and military and paramilitary personnel. Presents evidence relating to group differences in suicidal behavior. Considers theories explaining variations in incidence of suicide.…

Examined the relationship between anxiety and self-actualization in a sample of college students. Items (N=33) from the Personal Orientation Inventory were found to measure anxiety and scored negatively for self-actualization. Removal of anxiety items and rescoring yielded self-actualization measures related postively to anxiety test scores.…

A study of 22 learning disabled (LD) and normal children (mean age nine years) was undertaken to illustrate the research problems involved in using analysis of covariance to control for differences between LD and normal children on measures of intelligence. (SW)

Assessed the maturity of delinquents' perceptions of self and of a best friend. Results indicated delinquents did not show evidence of being developmentally delayed in peer and self-cognition. (Author/DB)

Concluded that studies of coaching for the Scholastic Aptitude Test were methodologically flawed but that some definite regularities could be identified. These regularities indicated size of score effects was related to amount of student contact time in coaching programs. (Author/DB)

The symbiotic use of microcomputers and large-scale computers in educational research to greatly improve the ease and efficiency of analyzing research data is discussed. Two case studies of recent research are used to illustrate some of the procedures that are now possible. (MP)

Reviews research using Leader Match. Indicates that evidence for the model is unconvincing because of lacking criteria on leader effectiveness. A second article identified and examined problems with using the Least Preferred Co-Worker score (LPC) in Leader Match. Normative procedures created bias toward categorization as a high LPC individual. (RC)

Summarizes theoretical perspectives and research findings concerning the effects of anxiety upon personal development, mentioning the link between fear and anxiety. The differences between state and trait anxiety, and the limits of measurement with these two types of anxiety are noted. (Author/DB)