Compares publication patterns in four academic disciplines--chemistry, economics, philosophy, and sociology--to identify structural factors that influence publication patterns. Three general categories of publication outcomes were examined: academic affiliations, peripheral status, and the bureaucratization of science. Findings showed that the…

Use of instructor-mediated student journals in college courses helps students overcome fear of writing, enhances critical thinking, and raises the level of student discourse within the discipline. The approach differs from conventional journals in that the teacher provides active guidance, in class, concerning writing process and technique. (MSE)

Reports on a survey of international periodicals' cost history, country of origin information, and currency exchange rate to assist in identifying trends in the cost of periodicals and to project costs for the coming year. Tables present cost data by subject, continent/country or origin, and type of library. (SLW)

Content analysis of task force reports on improving the undergraduate major in 10 liberal arts disciplines revealed that each discipline's epistemological character strongly influenced methodology, pedagogy, and curricular innovation, consistent with previous theory and research on disciplines. The role of these factors and pragmatic…

Reviews research and presents the results of a case study on the effects of subject knowledge and its place within the British National Curriculum for early childhood students. The importance of foundation subjects as a vehicle for the acquisition and development of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is a major finding of the research. (MDM)

A synthesis of ideas on talent development is presented, based on 10 interviews previously conducted with masters in arts and sciences. The six themes include: age at which the individual identifies with a discipline, early schooling experiences, skills and characteristics associated with great expertise, mentors, skills and characteristics…

Critical incident methodology was used to study the attributional beliefs of 211 junior high school students in 4 subject areas. Results highlight the context-specific nature of causal beliefs and their linkages to reported classroom achievement. External attributions were more likely to generalize across subject areas. (SLD)

Examined the cultural dynamics of native speakers of English lecturing to ethnic Chinese English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at the City University of Hong Kong. A four-dimensional framework for analyzing the effects of culture on ESL lectures is outlined that focuses on ethnic culture, local culture, academic culture, and disciplinary…

This study investigated the relationship between hemispherecity and college major in 275 undergraduate students. Results suggested that humanities majors prefer a diffuse divergent thinking style. Natural science and social science majors prefer an integrated or left model of intellectual functioning, though social science majors also preferred a…

Presents a discussion with James J. Davis, interim chairman of Howard University's Department of Romance Languages. Offers Davis' view that African-American students often are ambivalent about foreign language study and frequently prefer African to European languages. Describes how Davis became involved in the field. (SG)

Describes a bibliometric study of the "Nigerian Journal of Microbiology" that was conducted to aid librarians in scientific journal selection decisions. Data are presented on authorship; forms of literature; ages of the literature; ranking of titles included in citations; geographic location of authors; and academic disciplines of…

Uses interpretations of educational historians to explain the uniformity that resulted from the New Social Studies (NSS) movement. Describes the origins of the NSS in two streams: the academic disciplines and citizenship education. Suggests that the uniformity and diversity of the profession is based on a central tendency that emphasizes…

Examines questions of constructing a unified theory in Black Studies, and proposes a model that has explained creole language phenomena as a possible basis for such a unified theory. Explores the role of African languages in the formation of creole patterns. (SLD)

A study using national data investigated extension of the social control theory of deviance to deviance from the four Mertonian norms of science among faculty in seven disciplines. Results suggest social control in the academic profession lies primarily in the community of the academic disciplines rather than with personal controls. (Author/MSE)

This paper uses front-end analysis and feasibility analysis to determine whether all masters and doctoral students in applied behavior analysis should be trained to be research scientists or whether different training should be provided for those wishing to be practitioners. The paper concludes that most students should acquire practice skills…