As the literature of women's studies has grown, so has the number of journals that might be characterized as women's studies journals. Today between 100 and 200 English language women's studies journals are available. Access to many of them is limited because they are not indexed at all or inadequately indexed. Thus researchers and other readers…

Guidelines present ways to create written material for small group, democratic, and highly participatory discussions of social and political issues. Twelve suggestions for creating effective study circle materials precedes consideration of study circle goals. The overarching goal of any study circle is to provide opportunities for people to learn…

Eight college listening texts were selected and evaluated by the following criteria: organization, supporting material, and readability. Text organization was assessed by preface material, table of contents, index, and references. Text supporting material was evaluated by the use of hard data, soft data, visual aids, and bibliographies. Text…

This paper outlines the steps involved in developing a dissertation topic and selecting a Dissertation Committee. It suggests that students assess their personal interest in the topic and their technical competence to complete the research required. A checklist of topic feasibility and appropriateness, developed by J. Mauch and J. Birch, is…

Hiring qualified reading professionals is a complex process involving a variety of considerations. The "Standards of Reading Professionals (revised in 1994 by the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the International Reading Association) provides a framework for the knowledge base reading educators should possess. However, other…

Intended to help educators select textbooks that represent the highest standards of quality instruction, these guidelines describe major aspects of textbooks--of language arts instruction--considered essential. Following an introduction, the eight guidelines (whose features should be central to a program's design and should pervade the entire…

Although whole language teachers say they no longer consider readability evaluation (in the sense of measuring word and sentence length) in the selection of literature for their classrooms, they do have criteria for matching the readers or prospective readers in their classroom to literary materials. Teachers in whole language classrooms see the…

Because information technology is now part of our everyday life, the issue is not whether modern media should be used in education, but rather how they should be used to the best advantage. Media education aims at development of a critical but fundamentally positive relation with media and should start from childrens' everyday life and point at a…

To help coordinate the effort of filling school staff positions, this brief article pinpoints the responsibilities of the school, board, superintendent, school attorney, and personnel director, and identifies the steps in the hiring process. The school board's role, which goes far beyond being a rubber stamp, is described as including both its…

The decision of whether to use essay tests or multiple choice tests depends on several qualifiers related to the different characteristics of the tests and the needs of the situation. The most important qualifier involves matching the type of test to the instructional objectives being tested, with multiple choice tests being used to measure a…

Designed to assess the cognitive requirement expected or implied in beginning reading materials and in their instructional suggestions and to determine whether these materials are appropriate to the cognitive development of the children who will use them, this instrument is for use by evaluators with the first reader in a basal series. It directs…

This paper examines the use of the microcomputer as a mediating device, and explores its influence on curriculum. The relationship of a media device to subject matter and the nature of a subject are examined, and possible uses of the computer in science and social studies are analyzed to illustrate this principle. Three main points are emphasized…

A survey was conducted of more than 300 instructional developers, asking which books they would recommend for a variety of different uses. To assist them, a listing of 139 instructional development books taken from a recent journal article was included with the survey. Participants, who represented a diverse but highly-experienced group, were…

Recounts an instance in which Virginia politicians took over the writing and adoption of state history books. (IRT)

In honor of the Bicentennial, current instructional materials concerned with American lifestyles--past and present--American music, art, education, customs and traditions, and language are reviewed. The reviews are presented in a narrative format and value judgments are made where appropriate. Address and price information are found in a list at…