Examines the 21 most commonly used novels in English classrooms in Quebec, Canada. Finds that 86 percent of the novels were written by men, 82 percent of the main characters were men, and that female characters were more submissive than men. Notes that a qualitative analysis demonstrates the same gender bias as the quantitative results. (RS)

Effects of the following three variables on rating scale response were studied: (1) polarization of opinion regarding scale content; (2) intensity of item wording; and (3) psychological width of the scale. Results with 167 college students suggest best ways to balance polarization and item wording regardless of scale width. (SLD)

Analyzes 106 randomly selected school restructuring proposals from 1,600 submitted to the RJR Nabisco Foundation's Next Century Schools Program. The majority of these proposals emphasized student/parent support and curriculum improvement. Most avoided breadth versus depth and substantive discussion/inquiry issues and left governance structures…

Survey responses from 166 (35%) administrative support personnel and interviews with 55 revealed that technology enriched and upgraded their jobs; it enabled them to use thinking skills; and their success derived from overcoming computer anxiety and using initiative, flexibility, and confidence in their ability to learn. (JOW)

Qualitative content analysis of 112 articles in adult education journals identified 5 dominant perspectives of women as adult learners; deficient; coping with new social roles; marginalized; and collaborative learners. Women as feminist is an emerging sixth perspective. (SK)

Analyzes judicial rhetoric in U.S. Supreme Court civil liberties cases. Finds three related inventional strands: a rhetoric of efficiency, an evolving reasonableness standard, and appeals to tradition and majoritarian morality. Shows how these rhetorical turns have redefined the Court's role and transformed the Court from the guardian of…

Examines a sample of widely used elementary literature series to determine the extent to which they include the need achievement motive across gender and ethnic groups. Finds that the literature series differed in the presence of the need achievement motive. Finds that, when there are nontraditional male and female roles portrayed, need…

Notes that, although Native Americans show high rates of alcoholism, violence, suicide, and early death, these problems are seldom covered well in textbooks. Conducted content analysis of 26 textbooks on alcoholism and substance misuse. Found that only four provided detailed discussion of Native American drinking. Suggests need for greater…

Explored use of multiple orientations in moral reasoning among nine female and seven male community college presidents. Three orientations to moral reasoning were revealed. Self-orientation appeared to join with one or both of the justice and care models. Both men and women used all three orientations; however, how the orientations were used…

Finds that key issues recurring in articles regarding public relations firm-client relations were concerns over knowing each other's businesses, contributing to a consistent communication flow, finances, and "chemistry." Finds that conflict issues for public relations firms parallel those for advertising firms as reported in the advertising agency…

Examined literature by and about women in four core journals in higher education ("Journal of College Student Development,""Journal of Higher Education,""Review of Higher Education,""Research in Higher Education") from 1987 to 1991. "Journal of College Student Development" had largest number of articles about women or gender issues and largest…

Analyzes the ethical perspectives of four technical communication textbooks. Argues that the textbooks engage in moralism and in ethics-related activities that deduce moral judgments. Suggests that at least two of the textbooks introduce ideas that are either inconsistent with traditional ethical theories or are subject to previous objections. (RS)

Contributes to scholarship on communication in groups, and to scholarship on decision-making processes, by discussing five communicative challenges juries face in the course of their deliberations. Reports results of a content analysis reflecting the rules invoked for each of these situations by 97 citizens summoned for jury duty. (SR)

Contributes to scholarship on interactivity and online journalism by performing content analysis of 44 English-language Web newspapers from 14 Asian countries, offering and testing an enlarged theoretical framework for doing so. Finds that the online newspapers provided users with a relatively complex choice of news content, but most did not rate…

Questions the notion that William Blake's epic poem "The Four Zoas" is simply a manuscript--it is a part of Blake's working through the problems of publication during the reign of a conservative, nationalistic government at war with France. Suggests that Blake's construction of the text makes the act of reading "both traitorous and…