Concludes that the press may not be successful in telling people what to think, but it is successful in telling its readers what to think about. (RB)

Problems in textbook content and teaching methods that need to be dealt with include excessive emphasis on conflict as a societal change agent, the supremacy of individual rights, "humanizing" historical figures, the inadequacies of American society, and gimmickry in social studies methodology. (JR)

A study of microcomputer courseware reviews was carried out in order to discover which criteria they discuss, whether reviewers agree in their assessments, how evaluative the reviews are, and whether the reviewing policy of the journal influences the review. The content analysis instrument was a composite of criteria developed by organizations…

In a two-credit course at Texas A&M University, "Library Science: The Library and Learning," students learn practical applications in library research. One project requires students to analyze and critique a designated index, then, along with four other students, compare the indexes. The indexes cover a variety of subjects, both…

This study assessed the readability of popular print material (newspapers, magazines, and books) published in 1920. Selected passages from these books and articles were analyzed using the Flesch Reading Ease test and other, more theoretically interesting and relevant, readability formulas. Results indicated that "highbrow" publications…

Content weakness in textbooks is a major obstacle to effective social studies teaching. Chapters 1-3 of this book provide the Education for Democracy Project's Statement of Principles, a consideration of history's role as the core of social studies education, and the role of textbooks in teaching world history. Chapters 4-14 examine five selected…

A study examined state-mandated literature assessment procedures and undertook a content analysis of tests produced by proprietary testing companies and textbook producers in order to ascertain how literature achievement is assessed in the United States. Results indicated that 61% of the school systems assess literature as part of an assessment of…

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which English-related instruction occurs as part of instruction in five state-approved business courses at the secondary level in Louisiana. Specifically, the study identified instructional objectives in the business courses that are similar to competencies taught in English courses and determined…

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which science-related instruction occurs as part of instruction in the advanced program of vocational agriculture in Louisiana. Specifically, the study identified instructional objectives in the program that are similar to competencies taught in the state-approved science courses and determined the…

This study uses content analysis of "Network East," an ethnic television program aired on British television, to identify the major concerns of the South Asian community in Britain. Most South Asians, comprised of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Sri Lankans, live in the urban centers of London, Birmingham, Leicester, and Bradford.…

A study investigated the trend of current U.S. television commercial informativeness by comparing the results with Alan Resnik and Bruce Stern's previous benchmark study conducted in 1977. A systematic random sampling procedure was used to select viewing dates and times of commercials from the three national networks. Ultimately, a total of 550…

This booklet is about document analysis and its utility as a method in education evaluation, and is intended for evaluators in local school districts, regional education agencies, and state departments of education. Document analysis is described as a technique that relies heavily upon a variety of written materials for data, insights, and…

Prior to the 1986 advertising ban, a study measured the effects of smokeless tobacco advertising on young people. A questionnaire was administered in the spring of 1985 to 133 sixth, eighth, and tenth grade students in rural Georgia. The probability of exposure to smokeless tobacco ads was measured by: (1) the number of hours per week the student…

Developing a theme drawn from speculative writing of the nineteenth century--that technology, like biological species, undergoes a process of evolution--this paper explores the thesis that if technology divides from its human creators and perfects itself until it gains the capacity for self replication, it cannot return to its creator. Using…

This paper argues that if thinking skills are to be integrated into the curriculum two needs must be addressed: (1) the manner of teaching content must be revised so that thinking skills are used and reinforced during the learning process, and (2) courses whose primary focus is the improvement of thinking skills must be offered. A comparison is…