A theoretical foundation is provided for a method of identifying those books in a library's stack that determine any given percentage of the current circulation. Basic components and requirements of the technique are described, and the theory is applied in an example that manipulates data from a university library. (Author/MBR)

User charges can effectively raise additional money and may be a substitute for tuition increases. With a price determined, a service can be expanded or contracted to its proper size, allowing dollars to be spent elsewhere. (Author)

Conflict management theory is illustrated in a series of hypothetical scenarios, typical of library situations. Each scenario is discussed in terms of a specific management theory and the theories are transposed into useful management tools by plotting each situation along relevant axes. (Author/AEF)

Suggests why conceptual design is so often neglected by development teams. Presents a five-step process for developing a sound conceptual model for a software application. Describes how technical communicators can reinforce and support conceptual design in their projects. (SR)

Explores the role of computer anxiety, communication apprehension and writing apprehension in predicting future use of new communication technologies. Supports hypotheses about the relevance of computer anxiety and communication apprehension in predicting future technology use, but not those with regard to writing apprehension. Notes that past…

States that, concerning declarative information in software manuals, most research methods are aimed at measuring specific information effects, hardly ever yielding data about what users elect/use if they have a choice. Describes a new approach which experiments with operationalization of the information types and three different user types. Show…

Asserts that technical communication programs are particularly well positioned to adopt usability testing and research in their curricula because of inherent connections between usability and technical communication, such as their mutual emphases on audience analysis, technology, and information design. Describes approaches to implementation of…

Discusses the effectiveness of using focus groups with children to explore their information-seeking behavior and describes a study that organized focus groups with children to determine their opinions on currently available Web-based portals designed for children, and how they might be improved. (Author/LRW)

Surveyed ethnic minority college students (N=245) to determine relationships between cultural commitment and counseling utilization, reasons for not seeking counseling, and suggestions for improving counseling services. Found past utilization of counseling or psychological services not related to cultural commitment. (Author/ABL)

The author reports on a survey of 32 consumer educators and an American Council on Consumer Interests conference session assessing attitudes toward and uses of the comprehensive "Classification of Concepts in Consumer Education." Current and potential uses are described and ways to expand the user base are explored. (CH)

Describes a menu-driven software system for searching CD-ROM databases that also unobtrusively gathers data on CD-ROM usage. The discussion covers the steps involved in creating a log file using DOS, tips for capturing user status, strategies for salvaging incomplete data, and types of CD-ROM usage analysis supported by these data. (three…

Compared nursing home use of 3,316 residents of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) with that of general elderly population. CCRC residents had greater lifetime risk of nursing home entry and repeat entries, while their length of stay per admission was shorter. Findings illustrate nursing home use in insured and managed long-term care…

Examines the effectiveness of an installation guide for an online help computer software product. Finds that customers thought the guide was clear and easy to understand and reduced the need to call the help desk. Notes that customers who said that they were calling less had in fact reduced their help calls by 80%. (RS)

Discusses categories of document testing, importance of reader-based testing, measures in usability testing, and issues in implementing document testing. (SR)

Examined usage patterns (i.e., caller and telephone call characteristics) from 1985 through 1989 at a university-based, peer-operated hotline. Collected data on calls to the hotline for the years under examination. Data analysis revealed the importance of examining both sex differences and differences between repeat and nonrepeat callers.…