The study compared information on autism accrued from the most recent research to the knowledge and beliefs of 80 experts and 950 caregivers. Results indicated that three areas emerge for further inservice training of caregivers: incidence and sex ratio, etiology, and attitudes toward public education of autistic children. (Author)

The social scientist has certain responsibilities in reporting the results and implications of research. S/he must consider: 1) the importance of the audience and the decisions they might make; 2) the complexity of the social findings; 3) the likelihood of practical impact of research findings; and 4) the possibility of harm to a distinct group in…

In its role as a broker between the scientific community and the Congress, the Office of Technology Assessment evaluates the soundness of scientific conclusions for policy makers and ensures that research findings are included in formative policy analysis. (Author)

Cites seven documents from the ERIC junior colleges collection dealing with institutional research (IR) in the community college in terms of its changing nature; methods, trends and prospects; Institutional Research (IR) functions; its role in policymaking and planning; research needs and priorities; and faculty and administrator attitudes towards…

Recommendations for the broad-based dissemination of research findings to the scientific community and to the field-based practitioner are given. The use of ERIC, professional journals, newsletters, conferences, and seminars are a few of the ways discussed to achieve this dissemination. (RAO)

A synthesis is presented of the work of Lindblom and Cohen, MacDonald and Walker, and the current authors. The synthesis considers issues in the usefulness of social science theory and research, and how observer roles in qualitative field studies yield multiple kinds of usable knowledge to a variety of audiences. (Author/BW)

Explores the roles that interpretation plays in qualitative research and theory building and considers three types of interpretation: patterning, social meanings, and external considerations. Also explores criteria for judging interpretations, and the issues of objectivity/subjectivity and universality/generalizability of interpretive science.…

Reviews some of the recent research on the human brain and discusses the implications of this research for educators. (IRT)

Reports on an international research census of design schools to determine the character of graphic design research and to learn about specific projects; notes that the census generated the contents for this journal issue. Discusses the status of graphic design research and the need for development of a structure for understanding graphic design.…

Suggested are basic ways in which a system of educational research and development may meet the demand for successful R&D, from the formulation of research questions to the utilization of results. Stressed are local ownership of school-based R&D, the development of applied research efforts, and the utilization of outcomes. (RAO)

Reports the findings of a 1978 NLM (National Library of Medicine) study that examined grant-related communication activity as an initial task in exploring information exchange in health sciences librarianship. Background, methodology, and results are described, and data tables are provided. (Author/JD)

One means of ensuring the desired impact of educational research is continuity. This factor has several dimensions: continuity of effort, goals, funding, results, evaluation, and impact specifications. (SK)

Discusses the use of social science knowledge about environmental stressors in the making of public policy. (EF)

Reviews the kinds of discourse analyses that are currently being undertaken, summarizes research findings, and makes suggestions based on these findings for structuring texts to be used for instructional or informational purposes. (Author/MER)

Community development practitioners depend on research results as a theoretical foundation and for support in practice. To meet research needs, there must be clarification of the research concept by practitioners and social scientists. Research needs may be met in various ways including increasing communication/understanding between researchers…