Questions traditional approach to validating employment interview. Notes that individuals are likely to differ in ability to accurately predict employee behavior and that interviewers often differ in their constant tendency to make favorable or unfavorable ratings. Researchers, by failing to consider these tendencies, may inappropriately collapse…

Examines the benefits of descriptive and predictive models of reading. Argues that the choice of reading model influences the outcome of reading research. (MM)

Conducted three studies to examine what segment of counseling interview best represents entire interview and whether different starting points yield different results. Results suggest that, whereas starting points make little difference, generalizing from any size segment to whole session should not be done when examining interviews individually.…

To examine Fodor's (1992) argument that standard false belief tasks used in developmental research seriously underestimate young children's understanding of false belief, three- and four-year-old children were given three tasks of action prediction and explanation, belief preduction, and knowledge prediction and explanation. The overall pattern of…

Triangulation in educational research may be of two types: (1) between methods, in which mutual validation is sought; and (2) within a method, addressing one issue through input from various perspectives. Neither version appears to do all that is claimed for it. (SK)

Notes that polytomous item response theory (IRT) models are appropriate for Likert scale and other polytomous item types. Presents polytomous IRT models, including graded response, nominal response, partial credit, and rating scale models. (Author/NB)

This commentary on the research reported in this monograph stresses the importance of the analogy between the processes involved in pretense comprehension and the processes required to comprehend written or spoken text. The commentary also raises the concern that children could perform correctly on pretense problems using processes of text…

Evaluated the susceptibility of radioimmunoassays (RIA) for saliva cortisol to interference effects caused by oral stimulants (drink mix crystals) used to facilitate saliva collection in studies with children. Found that oral stimulants artificially inflated estimated cortisol concentrations, with the magnitude of the interference-effect…

Reports on the re-examination of recent underestimates of the number of adoptions of foster care children. Notes that underestimates resulted from under-reporting by states, use of inappropriate data as estimate bases, and real increases in the number of adoptions. (DLH)

This rejoinder to comments on a previous article about research on the person-environment fit (PEF) model addresses issues in the relationship of congruence to vocational outcomes, the circumplex model, tests of Holland's hexagonal model, and advances in PEF theory and research. (Contains 61 references.) (SK)

Without acknowledging the privileged position from which physicians conduct research, their inquiry into nursing practice can lead only to a "physician" interpretation of nursing that is likely to be inaccurate and inadequate. (Author/SK)

Evidence that genetic factors play a significant role in susceptibility for autism is reviewed, especially: (1) chromosomal abnormalities associated with autism; (2) single gene disorders associated with autism; and (3) twin and family studies of autism. However, recent genetic studies have failed to locate any genes having a major effect on…

Finding a periodic solution to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation is in general a difficult task. Only in a very few cases can direct methods be applied to an equation to find initial values leading to a solution of the corresponding initial value problem that is periodic. Oscillatory periodic solutions have such practical importance that…

This highly readable text demystifies the qualitative research process--and helps readers conceptualize their own studies--by organizing the different research paradigms and traditions into coherent clusters. Real-world examples and firsthand perspectives illustrate the research process; instructive exercises and activities build on each other so…

The dominant literature on research synthesis methods has positivist and neo-positivist origins. In recent years, the landscape of research synthesis methods has changed rapidly to become inclusive. This article highlights methodologically inclusive advancements in research synthesis methods. Attention is drawn to insights from interpretive,…