Discusses formulation of value function based on research from modelling, value assessment, human information seeking behavior, and human decision making. The proposed function is incorporated into computer-based fiction retrieval system and evaluated based on ability of individual's value function to discriminate among novels selected, rejected,…

This study examined computer anxiety, computer confidence, and computer liking among high school and college students, and explored effects of computer experience, age, and sex on their attitudes. Computer experience was significantly related to positive attitudes; no clear age trend was demonstrated; and sex was not significantly related to…

Directors of academic, public, and special libraries were asked to relate curricula of master's degree programs in library and information science to their own perceived needs and preferences in hiring of junior professionals. Options for alternatives to education outside one-year degree setting were examined and ranked. Seventeen references are…

This study evaluated the construct validity of the Learning Styles Inventory. Learning styles of participants in a continuing professional education program were associated with both the evaluative statements learners make about the design of the program and their attitudes toward lecture and small group sections of the program. (CT)

A solution to the problem of specification error due to excluded variables in statistical models of treatment effects in nonrandomized (nonequivalent) control group designs is presented. It involves longitudinal observation with at least two pretests. A maximum likelihood estimation program such as LISREL may provide reasonable estimates of…

Describes three experiments measuring changes in children's social speech which used the presence or absence of partitions allowing partial visual contact to alter verbal communication contingencies between players. Altered levels of speech and specificity confirm importance of physical environmental factors in regulation of children's play. (MBR)

Describes a study comparing the way cognitive manipulations affected the emotional responses of preschool and elementary school children to a frightening film, i.e., telling children the presentation is not real, and role-taking. Emotional responses of 9- to 11-year-olds were modified by instructional sets while 3- to 5-year-olds' responses were…

Describes a study devised to determine what changes occur in young adults' attitudes toward computers as a result of a computer training program and whether attitudes of boys and girls differ significantly before or after a computer training program. Data indicate girls on average have decidedly less positive attitudes than boys. (MBR)

Describes a study which used a graduate-level business game to examine consequences of objectively determined fit between managers' specialized competence and their functional roles in terms of individual and group performance. The game simulates a work environment of top-level management in industrial firms with responsibility for making…

Suggests approaches to improving application of knowledge derived from basic research in relevant disciplines based on investigation of methods used at Bell Telephone Laboratories. Discussion includes factors contributing to application of basic knowledge, how they contribute, favorable conditions for, steps to strengthen, and obstacles to…

Describes research strategy and methods of comparative evaluation conducted by the National Library of Medicine to assess user acceptance and technical performance of two prototype patron accessible online catalog systems within same operational environment. User acceptance studies included sample search experiment, comparison search experiment,…

Briefly surveys the background of interpersonal communication to consider the nature of the communication dyad represented by information seeker and librarian and explores the phenomenon of users' needs and their expression, specific question clarification principles, and research methodologies that have been used to study this area. Fifty-six…

Results of this study confirm discrimination of the intensive time-series design and indicate that it can be used to distinguish differences in learning (comprehension and knowledge) between eighth-grade earth science students (N=95) having formal cognitive tendencies and those having concrete cognitive tendencies. (JN)

Provides a picture of current practice relative to diagnostic practicum requirements, instruments used for diagnosis, remedial activities, and evaluation procedures. Includes a copy of the survey instrument. (FL)

Study of the social psychology of juries used innovative methodology high in experimental and mundane realism to make participants (48 Anglo and 48 Chicano college students) believe they were on juries (6-person, both sexes, multi-ethnic) whose decisions would affect defendants. Results highlighted importance of ethnic factors in jury research.…