A study involving 547 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) examined the validity of Gerben DeJong's categories of Living Arrangement and Productivity Status to assess overall independent living. Results confirmed the face validity of these categories. A sample of 28 rehabilitation professionals and individuals with SCI validated ranking…

Reviews research on apologies, considering research goals and results in assessing the "maturity" of apology research. Argues that such research needs to progress beyond a descriptive goal to an explanatory goal in terms of the underlying cultural assumptions that inform the perception of contextual factors that in turn inform apology…

Critiques past approaches to identifying phrasal verbs and proposes an alternative approach. Instead of requiring verb + particle combinations to demonstrate specific features to be identified as phrasal verbs, the new approach calls for researchers and teachers to consider all verb + particle combinations to be potential phrasal verbs until they…

Reports the use of the Extended Logistic Model (ELM) of Rasch (D. Andrich, 1988) to validate the reduction of continuous motor-skill data to categorize performance. Data from 332 Australian preprimary and primary school students show that application of the ELM can provide a check on the quality of the rating mechanism. (SLD)

Investigates structures of commercial Web sites, and analyzes patterns that emerge, which may be of future use as guidelines to businesses intending to establish a Web presence. Discusses classifying Web sites, explains the theory of flow, and describes an experiment with college students who evaluated Web sites and measured flow. (Author/LRW)

Maintains that Madole and Oakes' hypotheses are incorrect. Shows that conceptual development frequently goes from the abstract to the concrete and that extensive literature shows that there is more than one kind of categorization. Discusses ways in which perceptual and conceptual categorization differ. (Author/KB)

A new system for classifying occupations was introduced in 1998, reflecting changes to the world of work in recent decades, especially the shift towards more service-oriented and high-technology jobs. (Author)

Presents three classification activities in which students work in cooperative small groups using physical materials to foster flexible thinking in doing mathematics. Concludes that attribute blocks are useful physical manipulatives for promoting classification activities and problem-solving skills. (ASK)

Analyzes and documents classification issues as part of the assessment of data quality in the Common Core of Data (CCD). Focuses on the Public Elementary/Secondary Education Agency Universe Survey. Indicates shortcomings in the definitions used for the CCD. (SLD)

The literature provides evidence of links between measures of personality and vocational interests as theorized by Holland. Personality and interest assessments offer critical information for predicting career success. Personality assessment reflects the individual viewed by an observer and interest measurement reflects the individual's…

The gap between male and female suicide rates in India is relatively small; however, society's views on motive are found to be quite different. Data from several sources are incorporated in this field study report. "Sati" is discussed; a gender typology of reasons for suicide is developed. (EMK)

Chronicles the variety of means with which the novelist Michael Crichton has attempted to give his works the appearance of nonfiction. Specific and successful techniques utilized in "Eaters of the Dead" are noted, and the resulting erroneous classifications by the Library of Congress and subsequent catalogers are discussed. (Author)

A study investigated the impact of the American Association on Mental Retardation's 1992 manual that provided an alternative approach to mental retardation definition and classification. Forty-four states indicated they based their guidelines on the 1983 manual, four states reported using the 1992 manual, and three used neither model. (Contains…

After a half century of measuring educational attainment by year completed, the U.S. Census Bureau has revised the measure to focus more on degree recipiency and provide greater detail on diversity of college degrees. Statistical comparisons suggest that the improved taxonomy is marginal at best, although it shifts detail to higher levels of…

Three databases were analyzed to investigate the range and frequency of terms in the field of mental retardation/developmental disabilities. The most prevalent term over the last 15 years was "mentally retarded." The terms "cognitive impairment" and "developmental disabilities" have been used more frequently in the last five years. (Author/CR)