Presents the results of investigating mature readers' focal points when viewing letters, words, and phrases. Several hypotheses from the experiments imply subconscious preprocessing for the mature reader. (JM)

Study of reading ease and human interest of books used in introductory courses in several areas showed that textbooks used in introductory reading courses are easier to read than textbooks used in other areas but they are not very interesting. (JM)

Examines Ronald Carver's statement of theory (see article in same issue) from a metatheoretical perspective. (JM)

Discusses four experiments that examine the influence of script contexts on the visual recognition of words. Findings indicate that script contexts exert an influence over the processes involved in visual word recognition and that this influence is sustained longer than would be predicted from simple word priming. (SED)

Concludes that poor readers are equally able to generate phonological information from nonwords as their reading age controls, and that there is no evidence to suggest that the poor readers suffer from a phonological dysfunction. (RS)

Reports on a study that examined children's understanding of written direct and indirect speech by testing reading comprehension of two passages using cloze tests and referent location tests. Found that children have difficulty in interpreting written direct speech, especially when it contains a variety of pronouns. (ARH)

Investigates which institutions produce graduates who publish reading research. Compares results to previous rankings of institutions based on the productivity of reading faculty. (MS)

Argues that researchers and practitioners largely view reading in terms of a "storage and conduit metaphor." Examines the metaphor and explains why it is necessary for the profession to move beyond it. (FL)

Presents teaching ideas using the classified advertising sections of newspapers, noting that the ability to decipher classifieds ads is an important life skill. (SKC)

Reviews research suggesting that visual dyslexia may be treated by wearing tinted glasses. Discusses studies seeking to determine whether dyslexia is due to a visual deficit or a linguistic deficit, and maintains that more research needs to be done in this area. (MM)

Notes that while researchers talk about many things--what to teach, how to teach, and when to teach reading--they don't talk about why to teach it. (FL)

Discusses the conventions that define the range of legitimate routine in the reading profession. (FL)

Reports findings of three experiments indicating that story plot unit structure is a good predictor of subjects' thematic judgments about the story, and that subjects are sensitive to a more abstract level of conceptualization than the thematic patterns tested, based on evaluations of the protagonist's plans in the story. (HTH)

Cautions that a lack of rigor in research methodology and a lack of restraint in interpretation may ruin the potential benefits of educational ethnography. (HOD)

Presents a summary of research on the effect of tabular and graphic presentation on reader reaction, reader retention, and reading time that found that comprehension, reaction, and reading time are enhanced by graphic aids. (JOW)