Introduces this special issue on the construction of a federal policy-impact code for classifying the nation's rural school districts. Despite the diversity in rural areas, rural education issues are somehow unique. The goal is to adequately reflect the impact of government education policies upon rural schooling. (KS)

Argues that a new typology, based on the five modes of composition commonly used in rhetorical studies (description, narration, argumentation, exposition, and criticism), provides a more definitive classification scheme for contemporary journalism than the old news/feature/editorial trichotomy. (SR)

Offers a model of the elements and disciplines that contribute to the field of technical communication, and develops from the model a framework for a taxonomy that recognizes differing names for parallel processes. (SR)

Discusses the basic taxonomy of linguists, that is the differences between formalist and functionalist approaches, as suggested in a previous article, focusing on the implications of such a taxonomy. (JL)

It is proposed that there is a modular but interconnected system underlying the perceived hierarchical organization of objects. The discussion centers on neural and cognitive mechanisms of organizing objects within objects in at least four separate subsystems. (SLD)

The relations between the meanings of verbs and the syntactic structures in which they appear were investigated in 5 experiments involving approximately 156 college students (most attended the University of Pennsylvania). Findings support the view that the syntax of verbs is a regular, although complex, projection from their semantics. (SLD)

Describes instructional design theory at the micro level and offers practical examples that may be applied to bibliographic instruction. The Performance-Content Matrix, a classification scheme for categorizing learning objectives according to their specified level of performance and type of content, is explained; and Merrill's Component Display…

In Guttman-type quantification of contingency tables and multiple-choice data (incidence data), the trivial solution because of marginal constraints is typically removed before quantification. Relevant formulas are presented for cases affected by the trivial solution and those that are not. (SLD)

Describes factors that may bias psychoeducational decision making and discusses three heuristic principles that affect decision making. Discusses means by which school psychologists can be made aware of these heuristic principles and encouraged to consider them when making psychoeducational decisions. Also discusses methods by which bias in…

A model of government-nongovernmental organization relations defines eight types based on such dimensions as government resistance to/acceptance of pluralism, balance of power, and degree of formality. The types are characterized as follows: repression, rivalry, competition, contracting, third party, cooperation, complementarity, and…

Normalizes titles of 634 "Human Communication Research" articles using linguistic reduction, elimination of common words, and terms with indiscriminate meaning, and tokenization of phrases and compound concepts. Finds that concepts were grouped into five large clusters: media, family, conflict, and learning; culture, social organization, and self;…

Demonstrates that two Tungusic languages, Evenki and Oroqen, that have long been treated as a single language for classification purposes, are better treated as distinct linguistic varieties. Fundamental questions are raised about the current classification of Tungusic languages and a renewed examination is suggested of the role of dialect…

Sensitivity theory divides the causes of challenging behavior into three categories, aberrant contingencies, aberrant environments, and aberrant motivation. This paper replies to criticism that sensitivity theory is circular and unsupported by empirical evidence by reporting on studies that support the theory and rejecting the idea that…

Introduces a schema for classifying research in mathematics education that deepens and extends the Romberg/Bourne Model. Employs dual hierarchical systems, one related to the research task and the other to research technique. (Author/CCM)

The terms roles, functions, and skills are based on different views of expertise. Functional analysis is normative and behaviorist. Skill analysis concentrates on interpersonal skills and the person in the role. Role analysis is the study of more than the job; it encompasses the human interactions involved in its performance. (SK)