Provides a chronological perspective of human performance technology (HPT) definitions and an evaluation of them in terms of independent and dependent variables. Discusses human competence and performance technology and compares the definitions with the goals that have been articulated for HPT. (Author/LRW)

Examines the relationship between paradigmatic and syntagmatic word knowledge. Familiar concrete nouns were administered in Spanish and English to bilingual students. Students were tested on the ability to provide superordinates, adequate definitions, and object descriptions. Producing superordinates in Spanish was a reliable predictor of the same…

Analyzes the compatibility of science with rhetorical inquiry. Provides definitions of rhetorical and scientific inquiry and delineates their plurality of current transformations. Discusses when these transformations are incompatible and when they are compatible. (KEH)

Details a history of the term "pragmatics" and how it influences lexicography. Three pragmatic aspects of dictionaries are discussed, including: 1) the cultural setting; 2) equivalence in bilingual dictionaries; 3) the lexicographic definition. Lexicographic definitions illustrate how a dictionary is largely based on pragmatics. (Author/LMO)

Discusses various views of domain-specificity. Argues that it is time to move beyond an acknowledgment that constraints on the way knowledge is represented influence the way in which new learning proceeds. Directions for future research are pointed out. (RH)

The history of epidemiological studies of mental retardation in childhood was reviewed to determine the amount of agreement on prevalence rates; the review showed a decreasing trend over the past 30 years. Reasons are provided to explain these falling rates as well as the lower prevalence rates in adults than in children. (Author/PB)

States that the term "mentoring" has been misused and that the definition has arisen from popular consensus rather than from formal definitions and empirical verification. Proposes a formal definition of mentoring. Also examines methodological approaches to mentoring research and suggests how to investigate this domain creatively. (Author/CH)

Discusses the meaning of deaf culture with reference to the views of other specialists in the field. The author observes that he is not floating a rival analysis of the constituents of Deaf culture; attempting to relabel phenomena; searching for the definition; claiming that the idea of deaf cultures is either qualitatively or quantitatively…

Provides an overview of the use of models in instructional design. Highlights include a definition of the term model; types of models, including conceptual, procedural, mathematical, and prescriptive; procedures for model development; classification of models in the literature; and alternative techniques for model validation. (Contains 38…

This paper argues against definitions of stuttering which imply that all within-word disfluencies are stuttering and no between-word disfluencies are stuttering. The paper calls for a definition of stuttering that is not contradicted by available empirical information or clinical experience and is logically consistent. (JDD)

Discusses whether "kategorija ostojanija" (category of state) should be considered as a part of speech in Russian, proposes a definition of the term "part of speech," and suggests that short adjectives and impersonal nonverbal predicatives be viewed as a single part of speech with personal and impersonal subtypes like Russian verbs. (21…

Three of the most important questions asked of leadership are: what is it? why is it important? and what are its conditions? This article examines all three questions from each of four sociological paradigms: the structural-functionalist, political-conflict, constructivist, and critical-humanist perspectives. (64 references) (MLH)

Argues for expanded definitions of "creative writing" and the "creative writer." Shows how recent theories of creativity with an emphasis on problem finding can enhance composition pedagogy. (SR)

Defines virtual reality as a particular type of experience (in terms of "presence" and "telepresence") rather than as a collection of hardware. Maintains that media technologies can be classified and studied in terms of vividness and interactivity, two attributes on which virtual reality ranks very high. (SR)

Asserts that changing writing "laboratories" into writing "centers" suggests in the word "centeredness" some of the best things a writing center can be in its sense of purpose and community; and, in the word "centrism," a few of the problems that writing centers may be heading for in its suggestions of monopoly and self-importance. (PRA)