Challenges the pessimistic conclusions of recent studies of longevity and health among the elderly which claim positive trends in prolongation of life have not been matched by extension of healthy life. Examines conceptual issues related to measurement and dynamics of mortality-disability. Uses data from the 1986 Longitudinal Study of Aging to…

An evaluation of one therapeutic service offered to sexually abused children in the United Kingdom exposed the methodological issue of false negatives among the comparison group, suggesting that researchers cannot assume that nonreferred comparison subjects have not actually experienced sexual abuse. (DB)

Two ways of studying lives in context through time are analysis of longitudinal data and secondary data analysis of long-term studies intended to answer questions not originally posed. The opportunities for, and limitations of, these types of analysis; their relevance to policy; and their applicability to interdisciplinary research are considered.…

R. T. Ogawa and B. Malen's article does not meet its own recommended standards for rigorous testing and presentation of its own conclusions. Use of the exploratory case study to analyze multivocal literatures is not supported, and the claim of grounded theory to analyze multivocal literatures may be stronger. (SLD)

Questioned Straus and Gelles' (1986) conclusion that child and wife abuse were substantially lower in 1985 than in 1975. Refined cohort analysis to apply to data, demonstrating that changes in age structures of adult and child population explained most of reported reduction. Much remaining change may have resulted when respondents' reactions to…

Critiquing Jean Hill's article in the same "Journal of Curriculum and Supervision" issue from an interpretivist viewpoint, this article uses generic hermeneutics to illuminate instructional supervision as a practice, theory, and field of study. Generic hermeneutics recognizes both dichotomies and complementarities. Hill's article…

This paper reviews the clinical and empirical literature regarding mother-son sexual abuse and critiques the methodologies that may be responsible for the underreporting of such cases. The review reveals discrepancies regarding estimates of incidence and prevalence of mother-son sexual abuse based on traditional methodologies such as surveys,…

Reliability and validity of self-report data provided by 178 mentally ill homeless persons were generally favorable. Self-reports of service use also generally agreed with treatment staff estimates, providing further validity evidence. Researchers and administrators can be relatively confident in using such data. (SLD)

Teachers can help students "find" problems by brainstorming potential research ideas connected to interests they already have. Students of all ages can do descriptive, historical, experimental, correlational, and developmental research. Case, field, causal, and comparative research might be more successful with older students. Conducting real…

Argues that communication scholars must better match content with readership/viewership because audience members can read or view widely different aspects of a particular medium on any given day. Argues that the field will not progress far unless communication scholars develop better measures and locate better fits between media content and…

Scientific fraud is often a result of misguided attempts to attain professional success. To prevent fraud in nursing research, researchers should be socialized in an atmosphere of professional integrity, have established researchers as role models, and be rewarded for quality rather than quantity. (SK)

Reviews the scholarly literature in cross-cultural business communication and discusses its shortcomings. Demonstrates the limitations of the Western, linear paradigms and expounds upon some inadequately researched and unresolved important questions. Develops 10 testable hypotheses for the 1990s. Advocates developing new paradigms and concept…

This article describes the multielement design, often recommended in single-subject research, and discusses its advantages and disadvantages for research in early intervention with handicapped children. The article concludes that the multielement design has many advantages, though multiple treatment interference is an issue of concern. (JDD)

When students are taught with approaches matching their preferences as identified in Rita Dunn's "Learning Style Inventory," they demonstrate statistically higher achievement and attitude test scores than when taught with approaches mismatching their preferences. Learning styles must be identified with a reliable instrument, because…

Comments on some recent debates in audience studies. Argues that much active audience theory is in fact premised on a heavily negotiated reading (if not a misreading) of some of the earlier work that is often invoked as its theoretical basis. (SR)