Notes utility of research linking teacher behavior to student outcomes and cautions that the research assumes that practitioners avoid certain common mistakes. Offers guidelines for appropriately interpreting and using teacher effects research and thus avoiding its misuse. (SKC)

The authors argue that continuing medical education (CME) research fails to prove its effectiveness in patient outcomes, that there is no theory from which to generate measurable hypotheses and that questionable methodology, dubious applicability, and misleading conclusions pervade CME research. (SK)

A practicing white investigator reports on his experiences in conducting research in black communities; the adequacy of traditional academic training for the conduct of research in black communities is questioned. (Author/JM)

In exercising reasonable caution to preserve the integrity of counseling, counselors inhibit the use of research methods most likely to lead to improvements in counseling. The purposes of this paper are (a) to explore one possible solution to this problem, and (b) to describe a laboratory based counseling research program. (Author)

Examines the differences between researchers and practitioners in the field of educational television, assesses the value of current research to television producers, and concludes that cooperation between researcher and practitioner is necessary for effective communication with the audience. (JJD)

The use of hypothesis testing is widespread in occupational education research. In this, the first of two parts dealing with hypothesis testing, the authors show that considering Type II error can strengthen research results. (Author)

In this paper, three kinds of research methodology (historical, case study and experimental/quantitative) are compared with regard to the degree to which each is able to affect policymaking. (Author/EB)

Describes three major categories of polarities in research attitudes and practices: (1) attitudes about research and who should conduct it, (2) impressions of what research is, and (3) conceptions about research methods and findings. Calls for moderating the polarizations for a more balanced view and more productive business communication…

Demonstrates that the whole of an anthropological study (from deciding who, what, and where to study to publicizing results) can be termed an "ethnographic process". Within this process, four major components can be identified: research conditions, research design, research implementation, and product creation. Discusses each part of…

Reviews four hypotheses that describe the disconnection between educational research and practice. These hypotheses claim that research needs to be more authoritative, relevant, and accessible; and that the educational system is often unable to adequately reply to research findings. The historical thought behind each hypothesis and the place for…

Current policies concerning popular dissemination of research results are critiqued, and the formal induction of the press into the scientific process is discussed. Repercussions of a "New England Journal of Medicine" article on the effects of oat bran and low-fiber wheat on health are used to illustrate the issues. (TJH)

It is argued that employment data provide a useful and flexible metric to assess social impact. Problems and advantages with the traditional use of population statistics and the use of employment data are discussed, and an example of the use of each is given. (SLD)

Finding helpful education research often seems an onerous task. However, the federal government and many research organizations are taking steps to give policymakers and practitioners access to useful, readable research. Sidebars list addresses for the research sources cited. (MLF)

Fred N. Kerlinger has been hailed as having contributed to the transformation of the way that behavioral scientists and educators read research reports, design and execute research, and draw conclusions about research. In 1960 he introduced the notion that educational research is fraught with mythology. Three of the research myths that he…