School districts seeking an architect should know what they want, open up the selection process, decide on the importance of prior school-design experience, require a screening procedure with a standardized questionnaire, meet the project manager, make site visits, and probe deeply before signing contracts. (MLH)

Examines advanced students' course taking procedures and their senior year mathematics participation. Concludes that students who took early algebra demonstrated a substantially higher participation rate in advanced mathematics in the later grades of high school than students who did not. (Contains 25 references.) (ASK)

Describes the evolution of job searching on the Internet from the early job boards to offerings on eBay. Suggests that both job-seekers and employers are becoming dissatisfied with job boards because of the difficulty of sifting through the large number of candidates and jobs to find the right match. (JOW)

Argues that good young adult books about war can help teenagers appreciate the blessings of peace and the horrors of war, and perhaps may inspire them to do what they can to preserve peace. Describes briefly 71 young adult war books worth reading. (SR)

Explores why the most therapeutic books for children are the ones they choose themselves, based on the experiences of a psychoanalyst. Presents several examples of children who chose unexpected books that helped them deal with their problems and explains that books need to fit the child's emotional needs. (LRW)

Discusses panels for standard setting and presents 10 guidelines for the selection of panel members for such studies. Panel members should themselves hold the license for which they are producing a cutting score, and they must be familiar with the requirements of the profession and the characteristics of the candidates. (SLD)

Responses from 51 of 240 regional sales managers identified skills and characteristics important for sales personnel. However, few used formal tests or instruments to assess those skills in potential employees. (SK)

Discusses how to evaluate collective biographies of women, offering specific evaluation and selection criteria that examine the author, the collection itself, bias and stereotypes, the relationship of the collective biography's text to other books, and the intended audience. Discusses 29 books that offer collective biographies of women. (SR)

Examines perceived appropriateness and effectiveness of six communication channels (face-to-face, telephone, voice mail, electronic mail, letter, and fax) used in relation to undergraduate students' interpersonal communication motives (inclusion, affection, control, relaxation, escape, and pleasure) in other-directed and self-directed…

Presents annotations of 30 works of adolescent literature published in 1996 and chosen by teenagers. Includes bibliographic data and grade level suggestions. (RS)

A survey of 264 business schools found the top criteria for recruiting entry-level accounting faculty were teaching skills and experience. Doctoral programs emphasize research potential. Interpersonal and communication skills were extremely important. (SK)

Discusses nine books (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry) for children that center on bats. Focuses on one book ("Silverwing") as an example of the animal fantasy genre, which can tell the adventures of a particular animal, impart environmental knowledge and concerns, and include intriguing, solid facts about the animal in question. Offers…

Presents brief annotations of 39 illustrated children's books (published in 1997 and 1998) in which a triumph was achieved, a treasure was found, a discovery was made, a challenge was overcome, an inspiration was felt, or a surprise was experienced. (SR)

Discusses the impact of electronic resources on collection development; selection of CD-ROMs, (platform, speed, video and sound, networking capability, installation and maintenance); selection of laser disks; and Internet evaluation (accuracy of content, authority, objectivity, currency, technical characteristics). Lists Web sites for evaluating…

Offers brief descriptions, written by middle schoolers, of 12 books for adolescents, novels in which children and young people endure hardship and struggle, and triumph over the odds. (SR)