Explores the nature of human inquiry groups and how such groups decide on a research agenda. Outlines the stages involved in the process and considers the value of human inquiry as a qualitative methodology for counseling research. Compares the roles of the human inquiry researcher and the counselor. (RJM)

Dichotomizes literature on nonoffending mothers of sexually abused children into opinion-based and research-based studies. Argues that most information on nonoffending mothers is opinion based, not research based, and the literature disregards the sources of data. It appears that opinions have been accorded the same validity as research findings.…

A review found many of the studies that have assessed the efficacy of psychotropic medications with individuals with mental retardation (MR) are methodologically flawed. It details suggestions to improve the quality of medication studies and avoid methodological problems that prevent the scientific advancement of psychopharmacological research…

This article critically analyzes research investigating the use of antecedent events in the functional assessment process, with an emphasis on interventions conducted in natural settings. An analysis of 17 articles found that research on antecedent-based interventions lacks a consistent conceptual framework. Suggestions for future research are…

Moving race from the margins of research paradigms entails a deconstruction of "Whiteness" as the norm against which all "others" are measured. Researchers must stop hiding behind scientific neutrality and being indifferent to how findings are used. To engage in emancipatory research, we must engage in the process of…

This article reviews elements of a well-designed treatment study and evaluates the state of knowledge about comprehensive treatment programs for children with autism. Several suggestions are made for improving future studies, including more rigorous designs, searching for active ingredients of treatment programs, and measuring change. (Contains…

Developed and tested the psychometric properties of the 38-item Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers. Found that the scale was reliable for young children, first-order and higher order confirmatory factor analysis models fit the data, and factor correlations were mostly moderate. Achievement test scores correlated moderately with…

The advantages and justifications for using small animals in human-oriented research are reviewed. Some of the pitfalls of extrapolating animal-derived data to humans are discussed. Several specific problems with animal experimentation are highlighted. (CW)

Posits the disciplinary context is the locus of legitimate and illegitimate activity in science and scholarship. Compares structural features of sciences and social sciences that influence malpractice rates, type, and detection. These features include research activity, replication and replicability, coauthorship, plagiarism, locus of creativity…

The paper analyzes 27 studies to identify guidelines for conducting follow-up or follow-along studies of special education students in transition from school into adult communities. Methodological principles should cover subject sampling, breadth of domains examined, variable specification, instrument development, and other areas. A specific model…

Criticizes broad definition of "rural" in empirical analysis and inadequate theorizing the differentiation among rural areas. Suggests deeper evaluation of how dissimilar social contexts result in similar outcomes. Examines how different environments can share structural conditions of capital accumulation, state, and society. Argues against…

Finds dissatisfaction among professionals in social psychology with the style, focus, and caliber of research. Suggests that understanding knowledge production among academics should include influences on research, such as political ideologies of professors, student selection and socialization, and system survival demands. Provides a four-page…

Examines the possibility that specification errors contributed to the Schuman et al. (1985) findings of a weak relationship between study time and college grades. Analyzes main and interactive effects, measures of quantity and quality of study, and various context-specific models of college grades. Results challenge previous findings. (Author/SV)

Peer review practices of scholarly journals were examined through a survey of 215 members of a professional society in the field of mass communication. Both researchers and referees had mixed feelings about peer review and specific journals and dissatisfaction with the direction and content of research published. (SLD)

Introduces the topic of feminist psychology. Reviews relevant literature regarding bias against women in past research, and discusses each article in the issue. Identifies the common issue of all articles as epistemology: what we can know, how we know, and how the knowledge we have relates to who we are. (JS)