Notes that "suicide" has not always been preferred term in English-speaking societies for self-inflicted death. Recounts evidence suggesting that "suicide" was devised by Sir Thomas Browne and first published in book "Religio Medici" in 1643. Traces how "suicide" had become established as noun and verb by…

Discusses the definitional move of linking environmental concerns to security concerns. Reviews and critiques the arguments for and against this definitional change based on the degree to which they functionally view definitional argument as a strategy rather than as a truth claim. (SC)

Uses Lytle and Wolfe's metaphors for literacy (literacy as skills, tasks, practices, or critical reflection) to identity the consequences attached to literacy in each category, focusing on adults in the developing world. Concludes that consequences depend on who is evaluating them and for what purposes. (SK)

In a November 1998 "Forbes Magazine" article, Peter Brimelow claims that seven states, including Indiana, employ a greater percentage of "nonteaching bureaucracy" than classroom teachers. Using National Center for Education Statistics school staffing definitions, this article paints a different picture and decries the folly of…

Technical terminology such as shaft and axle has a range of meanings in instructional support materials. Studies of children show that they use their own terms to describe unfamiliar components. Although appropriate vocabulary is desirable in technology education, teachers should find ways to incorporate children's own vocabulary to help them…

Examines attempts to teach primates how to communicate using sign language. Much of the debate over whether it is possible to teach primates to communicate centers on the definition of language. (Author/VWL)

Reacts to Jennings and Skovholt's (1999) study on master therapists. Discusses the lack of clear definition of master therapist, lack of meaningful comparison groups needed to infer the distinctive characteristics of master therapists, the incomplete communication of data-analytic procedures, and the formulation of results as a uniform…

Lists the classifications of 3,856 institutions of higher education under the Carnegie Foundation's new classification system. Includes text of the category definitions and lists institutions alphabetically by state, with new and, when different, old classifications. (DB)

Developed a construct of sexual issues/sexual harassment in the workplace based on survey responses of 101 participants in a training program on sexual harassment before the training and 111 participants after the training. Results show a progression of attitudes toward behaviors from safe to most dangerous. (SLD)

Incident reports filed by school nurses may be one of the best sources for analyzing and preventing school injuries. By using an appropriately formatted injury report form and simple data-management computer program, information can be stored, retrieved, and analyzed. A systematic analysis may yield patterns or trends leading to changes in policy…

Comments on measurement aspects are presented in discussions of (1) methodology and morality (W. P. Fisher); (2) Rasch measurement (E. Choi); (3) novel wisdom of the Rasch approach (W. P. Fisher); (4) development of construct definition and calibration (A. J. Stenner and I. Horabin); and (5) origin of dimensions (B. D. Wright). (SLD)

This paper reviews the research on the relationship between the fragile x syndrome (FXS) and autism. Findings indicate that FXS is not a cause of autism, although the number of individuals with FXS and autism is higher than chance. FXS is seen to be a well-defined neurogenetic disease in contrast with autism, a relatively poorly defined behavioral…

This introduction to a special issue on postmodernism and behavior disorders discusses problems with the definition of postmodernism, including the trend for people to label whatever they wish as postmodern, the inability to separate postmodern from the modern, and the subjectivity of defining which ideas are about "reality" or "truth." (CR)

This article examines recent discussion about changing the term "mental retardation" within the broader framework of three distinct processes: naming (terminology), defining, and classifying. The current status of each process is described, especially as represented in the 1992 American Association on Mental Retardation manual. Guiding…

Discusses some concepts of contemporary feminism as exemplified in Christina Hoff Sommers's controversial book "Who Stole Feminism: How Women Have Betrayed Women." Also discusses (and takes issue with) Robert Pula's definition of feminism in "A General Semantics Glossary." Encourages readers to follow the debates of feminist…