Describes how one teacher observed her students and tried to draw educational conclusions about their behavior. Gives particular attention to the reading habits of students and the ways one teacher tried to foster reading among students. Advocates teacher research as a way of raising awareness among teachers. (HB)

Discusses the relationship of ideology, social theory, critical analysis, hegemony, and objectivity in the work of educational historians. Comments that the training of educational historians often neglects intensive ideological analysis of historical research. Argues that study of historiographical methodology and consciousness of its dimensions…

A close friend and colleague of Burrhus Frederic Skinner comments on obituaries of Skinner published in major newspapers and expresses his gratefulness for Skinner's contributions to the field of behavioral psychology, including his writing of "The Behavior of Organisms" and development of teaching machines and programed instruction.…

The daughter of Burrhus Frederic Skinner writes of her father's activities during the last few days of his life--his speech upon receipt of an award from the American Psychological Association, his work on research papers and books, interviews, and his final admission to the hospital where he died. (JDD)

The article examines the ethics and case law associated with the "works for hire" principle concerning institutional or researcher ownership of research data. Institutions are encouraged to clearly state their policies regarding ownership of data. Guidelines for such a policy are presented. (Author/DB)

Beginning educational researchers are advised to do the following: (1) choose a research focus with reference to events in the real world of education; (2) augment research with products and services to bring about improvements in educational practice; and (3) find an honest critic to review research work. (SLD)

A study surveying researchers about the attributes, function, and form of research study problem statements shows disagreement regarding purpose, content, and form. It is suggested that problem statements are essential for well-focused, manageable studies and must present a study's significance and contribution to knowledge. (21 references) (EA)

Examines Zora Neale Hurston's work, particularly her collection of folklore and ethnography of the American South, "Mules and Men." Looks at the author's role, the ways the ethnographer inscribes herself into the text, and speculates about Hurston's understanding of the limits of the impersonal researcher. (JB)

Examples of qualitative investigations of traditionally hard-to-measure college and university characteristics using multiple investigators are rare, despite their potential for in-depth understanding and broad comparisons of institutional contexts. A team approach to qualitative multisite research was found useful and effective in a 9-researcher…

Describes a process of collaboration between an elementary school teacher and a researcher during a case study of teacher planning. Explores the separate and mutual courses of meaning construction in both planning and collaboration. Demonstrates how educational research definitions and, hence, research options can be broadened and diversified in…

The drawn ideas of inventors Edison and Bell are analyzed in a systematic way to help understand the inventive process and how inventors think. By storing sketches on a computer the researchers have been able to recreate the probable lines of reasoning used by the inventors. (KR)

The disparity between methodology and empirical research literature is examined to suggest a cause for the casual acceptance of null hypotheses simply because obtained differences are not statistically significant. Analysis of training for psychological researchers suggests that programs have not emphasized the comprehensive evaluation of all…

Discussion of researchers in the multidisciplinary field of communications focuses on a study using the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) that investigated cocitation frequencies of selected communication researchers and often-cited researchers in related fields. A factor analysis of correlations based on cocitation frequencies is among the…

Shows how communication instructors and departments might benefit by using teaching portfolios as a means of promoting the scholarship of teaching. Draws on Ernest L. Boyer's research in defining teaching as scholarship. Outlines how such portfolios would be constructed and used by faculty. (HB)

Considers the role of teacher-researchers, who try to analyze their own teaching and their students' learning for the purpose of benefiting both. Narrates the development of a teacher-researcher's projects and the program of reading informing the projects. Presents a picture of the teacher-researcher movement at a crucial moment in its emergence.…