An alternative to the traditional high-school book report is suggested. During the process of reading selected novels, students summarize each chapter's plot, make comments, and ask questions. Upon completion of the novels, students discuss a literary device used by the author and create a cover for their report booklets. (JDD)

Presents the results of a detailed study of errors in a musical database. Provides an equation for estimating the effect of an overall error-rate on arbitrary analytic measures derived from the database. Examines four methods of error detection: manual proof-reading, double-entry method, programed syntactic checking, and programed heuristics. (GEA)

A genre-based analysis of 20 sociology research articles was used to present a provisional, pedagogically usable description of the communicative categories or "moves" found in the Results sections. The categories (described in terms of function, lexis, and grammatical form) extend and refine previous models and provide evidence of…

Three dozen observations and recommendations concerning the activities of research consultants in the behavioral sciences are listed and discussed. These guidelines, some stated as aphorisms, are discussed in the categories of planning; implementation; analysis; interpretation; and reporting. (Author/SLD)

Responds to a 1993 article in this journal. Places that article's general conclusion (that profitable corporations have more readable narrative texts than unprofitable ones) within the broader context of the readability research and corporate reporting literature. (SR)

Problems and illustrations are presented from a meta-analysis of crime reduction programs. Eight criteria are specified for including studies in a meta-analysis, and some problematic studies are discussed using the criteria. Rules for handling problem studies in order to retain consistency throughout the analysis are discussed. (SLD)

Examines all the refereed papers accepted to journalism and mass communication conventions from 1987 to 1993. Finds that women are out-producing men on a per capita basis, with women (who constitute 28% of the organization's membership) producing nearly half of the refereed convention research. (SR)

Special educators reading research articles are urged to pay attention to how subject populations of children with disabilities are selected and described. Researchers are urged to disregard educational "categories" of children and to select subjects who demonstrate the variable under study. (DB)

Many college-level management and organizational behavior courses create and use small, ongoing student groups. Group work offers team members an opportunity to learn about small-group dynamics and development. Frequently, instructors' efforts to help students learn from their own experience is thwarted by students' reluctance to face up to group…

Procedures for implementing random assignment with trickle processing and ways they can be corrupted are described. A computerized method for implementing random assignment with trickle processing is presented as a desirable alternative in many situations and a way of protecting against threats to assignment validity. (SLD)

This paper discusses the legal and ethical duty of professionals working with children to recognize possible child abuse and report it to the appropriate authorities. Concerns about false or unnecessary reports are addressed, factors associated with the decision to report are examined, and indicators of possible abuse are reviewed. (JDD)

The use of three aspects of recommended practice (language use, replicability analyses, and reporting effect sizes) was studied in quantitative reports in "The Journal of Experimental Education" (JXE) for the academic years 1994-95 and 1995-96. Examples of both errors and desirable practices in the use and reporting of statistical…

This study describes how much and in what ways authors of research studies fail to include adequate information about data collection. Results based on analysis of 220 articles from 22 journals show that the quality of measurement reporting continues to be a problem. (SLD)

Explores feminist criticism of the "Publications Manual" of the American Psychological Association and the ways in which feminist researchers have negotiated changes in the language of this style guide. (SLD)

Provides a guide to writing research reports in geography and the environmental sciences. Outlines some of the reasons for writing research reports and then goes on to discuss general layout and content. Concludes with some comments on matters of presentation and written expression. (DSK)