Reviews and discusses the new 28-page booklet defining "Guidelines and Standards for Measuring and Evaluating PR Effectiveness." States that it is the result of a nine-month project carried out by an eight-member task force. (PA)

Examines development considerations and tips for controlling costs when a university decides to develop an online distance learning service. Use of the interactive Web Site for Determining Costs tool for unveiling hidden costs is highlighted. (GR)

College students (n=158) used the Food Guide Pyramid to select serving sizes on a questionnaire (73% had been instructed in its use). Overall mean scores (31% correct) indicated they generally did not know recommended serving sizes. Those who had read about or received instruction in the pyramid had higher mean scores. (SK)

Describes a skills-oriented training program for a step-by-step patient-centered interviewing method. This method fosters positive attitudes towards patient-centered interviewing and uses a learner-controlled approach that pays special attention to the teacher-resident relationship and to the resident's self-awareness. This training can be adapted…

Content of ads on Saturday children's television programs in 1993 (n=378) and 1999 (n=385) was compared with dietary recommendations and advertising guidelines. Cereals and foods high in sugar or fat dominated ads. Results were compared with earlier studies, finding that over 30 years, ads adhered to advertising guidelines but did not reflect…

Examines projects that demonstrate three different commitments administrators make to their athletic facilities: convenience; excellence; and comfort. Projects discussed involve a fitness center, a football stadium, and a multi-sport indoor practice facility. (GR)

A survey of 34 nurses found that 81% always complied with guidelines for caring for patients with human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B; only 31% complied when patients were low risk. Reasons for noncompliance were "no anticipated blood contact" (53%) or "too busy" (25%). (SK)

Discusses the selection of floor-care equipment so that the equipment's features and performance attributes can match their intended purposes. Offers tips such as buying only composite-material buckets and wringers, choosing cleaning machines with good maintenance track records, and buying automatic scrubbers that can operate in both large and…

Describes one custodian's cost-effective approach for resolving black scuff marks on flooring and staving off their return. An eight-step cleaning program is detailed. Cautions that the largest obstacle to proper handling of floor problems lies in the lack of a proper maintenance schedule. (GR)

Analyzes three high school sizes: 400-student "Private" school (small), 1,600-student school (medium), and 3,000-plus-student school (extra large). Uses four factors in comparative analysis: Equity, anonymity, program quality, and cost efficiency. (PKP)

Reports on the importance of a positive school culture and steps principals can take to transform a negative culture to a positive one. (PKP)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be an effective treatment for adolescents with severe mood disorders and other Axis I psychiatric disorders when more conservative treatments have been unsuccessful. ECT may be considered when there is a lack of response to two or more trials of pharmacotherapy or when the severity of symptoms precludes waiting…

During the past decade, prevalence of food allergies among children increased. Caring for children with life-threatening food allergies has become a major challenge for school personnel Prior to 2002, Massachusetts did not provide clear guidelines to assist schools in providing a safe environment for these children and preparing for an emergency…

Lighting a fluorescent bulb by touching it to the nose of a student who has one hand on an electrostatic generator is an illuminating demonstration of the properties of voltage. It demonstrates that the several hundred thousand volts of electricity passing through the student's body are not dangerous. However, students and teachers need to…

A formative assessment can provide a snapshot of what a student knows and is able to do. It can include written tests, performance tasks, formal or informal questioning, or teacher observations embedded in a unit of study. The information gathered from formative assessments is then interpreted and used to further student learning. Such assessment…