Knowing what you need in a textbook is the first step in adopting one. This article gives tips on how to review the current research in a subject area before assessing needs. A list of four references is provided. (DCS)

Describes the extensive media coverage of an article which reported a major sex difference in the math aptitude of gifted seventh graders. Reports that exposure to the study changed parents' attitudes to their children's math ability: mothers of daughters and fathers of sons, for instance, became more gender stereotyped in their beliefs. (KH)

Describes method of selecting document groups for automation developed by Advanced Document Management Systems staff at Westinghouse Water Reactor Divisions. Criteria for inclusion of document in database, survey questionnaire, a weighting formula to assign priorities (critical, frequency of retrieval, quality assurance, interdivisional use), and…

Discussed are communication considerations for instructors of undergraduate engineering courses designed to teach students to prepare written technical reports. Illustrated are the differences between "real life" technical writing and classroom writing. (SL)

A new report sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement reviews and interprets research on school-based civic education in the United States. Fifty-six leading experts provided the content of the report, reviewed and modified the draft version, and endorsed it. This…

This document is about a learning community created by two Mesa Community College faculty members. Their initial goal for creating the center was to improve student learning, deepen the relationship between faculty and students, etc. The program has a service-learning requirement that was implemented with the goal of preparing students to become…

This study examined the influence of research journals beyond their function as a data collection instrument. The researcher used a research journal to record field notes and write reflections and to develop a better understanding of the research role. The study that is the focus of the discussion was an examination of the development of…

A researcher examined the numbers of relative clauses and the percentages of subordinate clauses that relative clauses comprise in two sets of research reports (one set from the period 1893-1901 and the other from 1980) about spectroscopy from the "Physical Review." He analyzed some striking differences between the sets in patterns of…

Noting that having research evidence to recommend or refute specific policy choices is especially relevant in this era of increased demand for accountability in human services and government, this fact sheet details 10 criteria with which to evaluate the worth of research reports. The 10 criteria or considerations are: (1) consider the source; (2)…

In its 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act, Congress directed the Commissioner of Education Statistics to conduct a study of higher education costs paid by institutions and prices paid by students and their families for a postsecondary education. (For the full law, see: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/HEA/sec101C.html). Section 131 of the…

A bibliography intended to provide resources to those involved in planning on the small college campus is provided. Sources and types of information available include case studies, theoretical models, application and evaluation strategies, research reports, technical guides, and philosophical speculations. (MLW)

Summarizes legal and institutional definitions and policies regarding sexual harassment in academic settings; reviews current research on the problem; and suggests that, while legal, institutional, and operational definitions and conclusions concerning sexual harassment in academic institutions vary, evidence indicates that the problem exists in…

Addresses the public service needs of microformatted pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, report collections, and government publications, and discusses the various bibliographic tools necessary for librarians and users to access the research materials. Fifteen references are listed. (Author/CHC)

A survey of 332 dissertations and journal articles examined what types of administrators are studied, how they are studied, what characteristics are focused on, and how often the studies are cited. The findings indicate researchers focus too much on administrator traits and attitudes and not enough on administrator impact. (RW)

Provides a summary of a series of research and development projects which investigated the reasons for failure in educational technology-based systems of instruction. Develops a new approach to the design of such systems and their subsequent implementation and control. A 17-item bibliography is included. (Author/CHC)