A middle school teacher reflects on her year-long experience of applying the Foxfire approach to a language arts class, on student successes and disappointments, and on the difficulties of carrying out meaningful research on this process. Student comments are included. (SV)

A method is presented for determining the optimal number of conditions to use in measurement designs when resource constraints are imposed. The method is illustrated using a multivariate two-facet design, and extensions to other designs are discussed. (SLD)

In a study of the relationship between moral reasoning and teenage drug use, problems arose in an attempt to reduce qualitative data to a quantitative format: (1) making analytic sense of singular and universal responses; (2) the mistaken logical inference that each pattern of judgment should have behavioral indicators; and (3) construction and…

Discusses conceptual and methodological issues in quantitative research studies in social work where subjects come from a variety of cultural backgrounds but where ethnicity is not the main variable under study. Addresses the following aspects of multicultural research: problem definition, methodology, data collection procedure, data analysis, and…

Metaanalysis of 27 studies found overall correlation between interest congruence and job/academic satisfaction was not significant. Methodologically weakest studies yielded strongest correlations. No significant effects appeared for type of congruence measure, gender, Holland type, or academic versus job setting. (SK)

Searches of ERIC, Medline, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature found 22 studies on allied health continuing education (eliminating nursing and medicine). Allied health appeared to be a catchall term. Most studies assessed knowledge acquired but not satisfaction, performance, or patient effects; 17 evaluated only 1 outcome.…

Meta-analysis of five studies advocating nutrition education for pregnant women led to recommendations for research: (1) define nutrition education to aid replication; (2) describe the intervention thoroughly; (3) use experimental designs; (4) collect follow-up data; and (5) describe baseline demographic, behavioral, and health characteristics of…

Education scholars and historians base research emphasis and publishing decisions not on a universally recognized objective standard, but partly on their gender, their personal interests, and the context of their lives. Fairer conduct could be ensured by carefully selecting leaders, analyzing journal contents, and mentoring scholars. (18…

British government-funded research into voluntary sector initiatives revealed a mismatch between statutory and voluntary sector ethos, objectives, and perceptions of practice. The danger in interpreting negative evaluations highlights the importance of the participation of the "researched" in the process. (SK)

Uses a study of a network newcomer to highlight some of the decisions that networked communication researchers face in developing a sound study. (RS)

Discusses epistemological and methodological issues regarding aptitude-treatment interactions (ATI) in psychotherapy. Noting that track record of interactional research is not very encouraging, argues that ATI research should focus on heuristic goal of illuminating mechanisms and processes that make therapies differentially effective. Suggests…

Sees need for research examining differences among psychotherapy treatments to use model to narrow search for variables mediating between treatment type and outcome. Asserts that tests of treatment selection models that cut across narrow theoretical differences among psychotherapies and that operationalize definitions of patient types hold promise…

Defining hunger on the basis of poverty or other nonphysiological criteria is misleading. With nutritional data used by human-service agencies, suggests programs with such conception of hunger hurt the efforts at nutritional change. Uses central Mississippi as an example to propose objective nutritional definition and assessment. (TES)

Discusses the issue of the cultural authority of mainstream Protestantism in twentieth century in the United States. Posits the author's understanding of the historical issues involved in studying mainstream protestantism. (DB)

The disparity between methodology and empirical research literature is examined to suggest a cause for the casual acceptance of null hypotheses simply because obtained differences are not statistically significant. Analysis of training for psychological researchers suggests that programs have not emphasized the comprehensive evaluation of all…