bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training Engineers to Write: Old Assumptions and New Directions
Authors: Schillaci William C.
Published: May 2005

Consulting engineering firms that produce reports for clients benefit from having engineers who can write clear, well-organized, grammatically correct descriptions of the work they perform. Despite the obvious value gained through engineers who can write well, universities and the firms themselves do not as a rule train engineers in business technical writing. A typical program a firm can institute to promote writing skills would include developing a house style guide as well as concise examples of writing engineers should emulate and screening and practice exercises. The ability to first organize material in an outline is critical to efficient composition. Engineers with limited English skills can be instructed in building clear, logical lists that can be efficiently converted into narrative form by an editor.
Planning the Technical Article
Authors: Gould Jay R.
Published: May 2005

This article constitutes a chapter in a projected book on publishing in technical journals and magazines. The book has been written primarily for professional men and women who have something to contribute beyond their day-to-day requirements.

This particular chapter discusses the organization of the technical article as distinct from the technical paper. Wherever possible, examples have been drawn from current publications.
Cancer Patient Perception of the Living Will: Report of a Pilot Survey
Authors: Stephens Ronald L. , Babb Ann K. , Castleman Tracey A.
Published: May 2005

A pilot survey of sixty-four patients with late stage malignancy, all of whom had signed a living will, was conducted. The purpose of the living will was to have resuscitative measures withheld when cardiorespiratory arrest occurred. Of those patients 70.3 percent surveyed, were grateful for the opportunity to sign a living will and thereby maintain autonomy over their terminal care; 20.3 percent were apparently either indifferent or unwilling to discuss their having signed a living will; and 9.4 percent appeared disturbed by their recent signing of this document. The implications of these data are discussed.
Executive Information Systems: Development and Communication Issues
Authors: Mehta Kamlesh , Laribee Janet F.
Published: May 2005

This article discusses two communication issues associated with the development of an Executive Information System. The first issue examines the natural communication between systems designers and the executive end-user. The second issue addresses the human-computer interaction between the computer and the executive. Top executives constitute a unique group of end-users, and systems designers should exercise a wide range of skills in the process of identifying needs and presenting information to them.
Meadowcroft Rockshelter — Retrospect 1977: Part 2
Authors: Adovasio J. M. , Gunn J. D. , Donahue J. , Stuckenrath R. , Guilday J. , Lord K. , Volman K.
Published: May 2005

Meadowcroft Rockshelter is a deeply stratified multicomponent site in Washington County, southwestern Pennsylvania. The eleven well defined stratigraphic units identified at the site span at least 16,000, and perhaps 19,000 years of intermittent occupation by groups representing all of the major cultural stages/periods now recognized in northeastern North America. Throughout the extant sequence, the site served as a locus for hunting, collecting and food processing activities which involved the seasonal exploitation of the immediately adjacent Cross Creek valley and contiguous uplands. Presently, Meadowcroft Rockshelter represents the earliest well dated evidence of man in the New World as well as the longest occupational sequence in the Western Hemisphere.
The Role of Psychosocial and Financial Factors in Medication Noncompliance in Epilepsy
Authors: Dodrill Carl B. , Batzel Lawrence W. , Wilensky Alan J. , Yerby Marks
Published: May 2005

Noncompliance in the taking of medication for a chronic disorder was related to emotional adjustment, psychosocial adjustment, ability to assume responsibility in life generally, and financial factors. Of 282 adults with epilepsy, eighty were identified by physicians' ratings as definitely compliant and forty-two as noncompliant. Results showed: 1) there were no differences between compliers and noncompliers in emotional adjustment; 2) noncompliance is not related to the cost of medications or to whether or not they are free; 3) noncompliance is more likely when patients report general financial distress, regardless of actual financial status; 4) persons with regular responsibilities in life also tend to take their medication regularly; and, 5) when reported financial distress and ability to assume responsibilities are considered simultaneously, the likelihood of noncompliance is four times as great in some patient groups as in others.
Distraction and Redefinition in the Reduction of Low and High Intensity Experimentally-Induced Pain
Authors: Dubreuil Debora L. , Endler Norman S. , Spanos Nicholas P.
Published: May 2005

Subjects underwent either low intensity or high intensity acute focal pressure pain of relatively short duration on a baseline and posttest trial. On the posttest subjects in each intensity condition either engaged in distraction (shadowing letters), attended to sensations (redefinition) or were given no treatment (controls). Distraction was more effective than redefinition at reducing rated pain and at enhancing pain tolerance for subjects in the high intensity condition. Subjects who scored as repressors gave lower pain ratings than sensitizers. Moreover, in the high intensity condition repressors given distraction reported significant increases in pain tolerance while sensitizers given distraction showed no changes in tolerance.
Toward Sociocultural Sensitivity in Rhetorical Studies of Analogy: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations
Authors: Little Joseph
Published: May 2005

In their macroscopic approach to analogy, rhetorical studies project the latent assumption that sound analogical reasoning is a universal property of human consciousness rather than a socioculturally inherited practice that varies over time and place. After drawing briefly from landmark work in the social sciences to show notable cases of cultural variation in analogical reasoning, I present Lev Vygotsky's concept of internalization and Dedre Gentner's structure mapping theory of analogy as fruitful theoretical and methodological avenues through which to detect sociocultural variation in analogical reasoning practices in science.
The “Corporatization” of U.S. Hospitals: What Can We Learn from the Nineteenth Century Industrial Experience?
Authors: White William D.
Published: May 2005

While broad parallels have been noted between the current “corporatization” of health care and developments in U.S. manufacturing in the late 19th century, there has been little in-depth analysis of these parallels. This article explores trends in the industrial organization of the hospital industry from the perspective of the manufacturing experience. Efforts to use corporate managerial techniques to rationalize hospitals have played an important role in the development of the modern structure of the hospital industry since the 1920s. But the emergence of multihospital systems is a new phenomenon. Some significant similarities exist between current conditions in the hospital industry and conditions in manufacturing at the time of the great industrial merger boom at the turn of the century. The subsequent experience of multiplant manufacturing firms created during the great industrial merger boom varied considerably. The characteristics of successful industrial consolidations arc not present in the hospital industry; but motives for consolidation exist that were not present in manufacturing, while changes in the organization of production loom in the future.
The Role of Community Health Workers in the Management of Essential Drugs
Authors: Brieger William R. , Oshiname Frederick O. , Oke Ganiyu A.
Published: May 2005

The ability to provide essential drugs not only fulfills part of the primary health care (PHC) duties of the community health worker (CHW), but also helps legitimize the role of the CHW in the community. Essential drugs are often routed through relatively inefficient government structures before reaching the CHW, thus creating problems of regular supplies and timely distribution. Few examples are said to exist where CHWs take charge of essential drug programs to the fullest: planning, purchasing, and maintaining their own stocks. An association of CHWs in Were Nigeria has been doing just that since 1986–87. Self-assessment of this scheme was stimulated by several factors including rising wholesale prices and subsequent community member reluctance to pay for medicines. In addition, the local government had begun its own CHW training in line with national PHC guidelines and priorities. It became possible to examine the two systems side by side. The main variable used to determine system functioning was whether CHWs had replenished their village drug box stocks in the previous year. Among five factors tested, group (Were CHW association member or local government trainee) sex, age, residence (town or hamlet), and perceived willingness to pay by villagers, only group was shown to be significantly associated with stock replenishment purchases. Most (63%) of the independent Idere group had replenished their stocks compared to 35 percent of local government CHWs. Cultural factors such as elders' predisposition to provide free service to those in need were also identified. The Idere association used this information to suggest ways of improving supervision, support, and purchasing so as to strengthen their service to the community.
The Institutional Definition of Poetry: Some Heretical Thoughts
Authors: Fishelov David
Published: May 2005

A few contemporary theories of poetry (e.g., Culler, 1975; Fish, 1980) claim that texts do not have any poetic qualities prior to, and independently of, the institutional context in which they are presented. When a text, any text, is printed in verse form, in a book whose subtitle is “Poems,” then we start looking for poetic qualities. And what we look for, we are bound to find. In order to challenge this approach, and to argue for a more objective, text-oriented approach to the categorization of texts (Hanaor, 1996; Miall & Kuiken, 1996), I have conducted a test. My test was based on two types of questionnaires, the one in prose form, the other in verse, in which students were asked to identify those texts that were “originally” poems or prose. The results obtained corroborate the assumption that readers have quite definite intuitions about the poetic qualities of texts prior to and independently of the way they are institutionally presented.
Correlates of Sensing the Presence of a Deceased Spouse
Authors: Simon-Buller Sherry , Christopherson Victor A. , Jones Randall A.
Published: May 2005

Although sensing the presence of a deceased spouse has been a reported phenomenon accompanying bereavement, the question remains as to what factors discriminate those widows who experience the phenomenon from those who do not. The purpose of this study was to explore the social, psychological, and behavioral characteristics correlated with the sensing phenomenon, and to provide a means for predicting the likelihood of such an occurrence. The sample consisted of 294 Arizona widows. Participants responded to a questionnaire concerning health, financial matters, social support networks, depression, drinking behavior, psychosocial problems, and social activities. Respondents were grouped according to whether or not they reported having had a sensing experience. A discriminant analysis was utilized to differentiate between the groups. Findings indicated that fourteen variables formed a function capable of 67.31 percent accurate prediction. An additional analysis, utilizing the five most powerful variables, resulted in a function capable of 66.49 percent accurate prediction.
Documenting the Asbestos Story in Sarnia
Authors: Brophy Jim , Parent Mark
Published: May 2005

An occupational health and safety clinic in Windsor, Ontario, expressed its concerns about the health of former workers at a foundry and insulation plant in Sarnia to the Canadian Auto Workers union early in 1998. The workers suffered cancer, respiratory and hearing problems, and heart disease. An investigation of their workplace exposures ensued. Researchers obtained government documents that showed the history of ineffectual regulation at Sarnia and some of the highest levels of asbestos—hundreds of times over the legal limits—ever recorded in Canadian workplaces.
The Relationship between Imagery and Creativity
Authors: Shaw Geraldine A. , Belmore Susan M.
Published: May 2005

Sixty-seven university students completed three tests representing three dimensions of creativity in addition to tests of imagery and verbal abilities. Regression analysis showed that imaging ability as measured by the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire accounted for significant amounts of variance in all three creativity tests. It was concluded that individual differences in imaging ability may play a role in creative performance. Problems with current measures of both imagery and creativity are discussed.
A Description of the Developmental Procedures for New York State's Computerized Bank of Reading Objectives
Authors: O'Reilly Robert P.
Published: May 2005

This article presents the rationale, structure, content, and procedure for the computerized bank of reading objectives being developed for New York State schools. The project was initiated to improve upon previous banking efforts, and to provide a technical resource which would contribute toward primarily localized planning, design, and evaluation of reading programs.

A definition of the organizing concepts for the project, including a new generalized format for writing objectives (the generic objective); a procedure for organizing the generic form of objectives into a summative form called the criterion objective; and a structure for scaling or leveling the content in reading and associating it with objectives is contained within this article. It further describes a computerized processing technique called SCAN (System for Coding and Analysis), invented to eliminate redundancy in a developing bank of objectives.

A computer program developed for the project supports a set of generalized edit and change functions among the objectives in the bank; it also enables the operation of SCAN, and provides for the accession and structuring of local banks of reading objectives for such users as teachers and reading specialists. The implications of the banking development are discussed in terms of the support lent to basic and applied research topics in reading. One focus of the discussion, for example, is the support generated by the bank contents and structure for the generation of reading test items via the use of algorithms.
The Effect of Computerized Tests on the Performance and Attitudes of College Students
Authors: Ward Thomas J. , Hooper Simon R. , Hannafin Kathleen M.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a computerized test which incorporates traditional test taking interfaces has any effect on examinees' performance, anxiety level, or attitudes toward the computer. Examinees were randomly assigned to take a class exam either on computer or in the traditional paper-and-pencil manner. Following testing, examinees were administered a questionnaire designed to measure examinees' anxiety level and attitudes. Results indicated no differences in test performance but a significant difference in anxiety level with those tested by computer having a higher anxiety level. The results also indicated a negative attitude toward computer testing. Seventy-five percent of the computer tested group either strongly agreed or agreed that computer testing was more difficult than traditional methods. It is suggested that the increased anxiety and negative attitudes toward the computer may be explained by the novelty of the experience and the anxiety level and negative attitude may dissipate with continued exposure.
Barriers to Adopting Emerging Technologies in Education
Authors: Rogers Patricia L.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this article is to examine barriers to technology adoption based on the literature and on data from two studies (the first with K-12 teachers and the second with higher education faculty in a state system). A product of this examination is a visual representation, a model of the interactions and the interdependence of elements that contribute to the construction of barriers to technology adoption. It is intended that the model will clarify internal and external obstacles, and serve as an aid to pre-service and in-service teacher education curriculum designers and developers as they plan for the successful infusion of newer technologies in the curriculum.
Settings for Terminal Care
Authors: Corless Inge B.
Published: May 2005

The leading questions about delivery of terminal care have shifted somewhat over recent years. Not long ago the major questions were a) Is there a need for palliative care services? b) Does hospice care make a difference to the well-being of the patient and family?, and c) Is hospice care less costly than conventional care? Although continued investigation is needed into these questions, another set of issues has started to take precedence: the ability of various hospice programs to survive financially, the contributions of various models of hospice care, the impact of Medicare legislation on the hospice movement, the demonstration of an unique hospice intervention, the integration of spiritual care into hospice programs, and the role of hospice in the care of individuals with AIDS. These topics are examined, with reference to existing studies where available, and suggestions for future research are given.
Differences in the Thinking-Writing Process
Authors: Smith Gertrude Taylor
Published: May 2005

This article presents differences between the thinking-writing experiences of outstanding mathematicians, scientists, and engineers (image thinkers) and those trained in the humanities (verbalizers). It advocates use of the behavioral approach and drill to teach mathematics-, science-, and engineering-oriented students to write. A few examples of recommended drills are included.
Toward Comprehensive School Drug Policy in Ontario
Authors: Gliksman Louis , Allison Kenneth , Adlaf Edward , Newton-Taylor Brenda
Published: May 2005

The study reported here examines the development and implementation of School Drug Policy in Ontario Boards of Education, the components of these policies, and the composition of policy development committees. Data from 125 Boards of Education were obtained from responses to a questionnaire administered in the Fall of 1991. Findings from the study indicate that school drug policies are increasingly comprehensive—including not only disciplinary measures, but also a preventive curriculum and early intervention component. The composition of policy development working groups normally consisted of such groups as board personnel, teachers, and practitioners from other fields. Students were not often included in the process of policy development. Thus, the development and implementation of school drug policy in Ontario indicates a “top down” rather than “bottom up” approach.
Terminal Cancer and Suicide: The Health Care Professional's Dilemma
Authors: Hansen Leslie C. , Aleer Charles A. MC
Published: May 2005

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that health care professionals would differ in their evaluations of a patient contemplating suicide, in their acceptance of suicide for the patient, and in their projected behavioral response to the patient, as a function of their belief that the patient has cancer, a terminal illness, or terminal cancer, and as a function of the degree of their death anxiety. Health care professionals ( N = 138) across a variety of disciplines completed Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, read one of four randomly distributed written introductions, then viewed taped segments of counseling sessions with a woman who was contemplating suicide. Results demonstrated that health care professionals' evaluations, acceptance, and behavior in the case of a patient contemplating suicide are affected by their belief that the patient has cancer and/or is dying, and by the degree of death anxiety experienced by the practitioner. The importance of awareness regarding personal feelings about suicide among terminal cancer patients is discussed.
Reproductive Efficiency as a Social Indicator
Authors: Muller Charlotte , Jaffe Frederick S. , Kovar Mary Grace
Published: May 2005

An index of reproductive efficiency (RE) is proposed as a social indicator that will meet the need to consider various forms of pregnancy wastage, to compare their relative costs, and to guide reproductive health policy accordingly. This article discusses conceptual and measurement aspects of RE. Conversion of wanted to unwanted pregnancies and the reverse, interpretation of abortion in relation to other pregnancy outcomes, defining the end point for the reproductive process and criteria for the events to be included as significant outcomes are conceptual issues. Measurement problems include: whether aggregation is justified, prospective and retrospective tracking of outcomes, record limitations, duplication of adversities in a single pregnancy, and selection of optimal rates for comparison.

A measurement of RE for the entire United States based on the National Natality Survey of 1964–1966 is presented, showing 74.5 percent of pregnancies resulting in healthy liveborn infants. For those years, data on abortions could not be included. Within the group of reported pregnancy losses, the importance of congenital abnormalities and low-birth-weight babies is enhanced by application of economic weights based on associated medical care costs. Changing opportunities for birth timing, prenatal and infant care, and control of family size are social means of reducing adverse outcomes associated with teenage pregnancy and high-parity births, often found together with poverty. Successive increments in RE may be progressively more expensive to achieve, and cost effectiveness comparisons will be necessary.
Child Mental Health in Latin America: Present and Future Epidemiologic Research
Authors: Duarte Cristiane , Hoven Christina , Berganza Carlos , Bordin Isabel , Bird Hector , Miranda Claudio T.
Published: May 2005

Objective:

This report reviews population studies of child and adolescent mental health carried out in Latin America over the past 15 years. Also considered is the issue of how to meet the needs of children and adolescents who may present mental health problems in Latin America, given that most of them live in poverty in economies that are underdeveloped, providing limited resources.

Method:

Ten studies from six different countries were identified that employed some form of randomized sampling method and used standardized instruments for assessment. The authors present a summary of the main characteristics of these studies, highlighting methodological features that may account for differences in the rates obtained.

Results:

Overall, a similar pattern of prevalence and risk factors for mental health problems in children and adolescents in Latin American countries emerged. Moreover, rates of disorders in these children are similar to the 15 to 20% found in other countries. These findings are similar to those observed when adult mental health problems are considered. Prevention and treatment strategies are discussed and the peculiarities of the delivery of mental health services for children and adolescents are explored.

Conclusions:

Future research needs to focus on understanding of resilience and formal and informal mental health delivery systems of care available in different Latin American countries. Such research has high potential for ameliorating the prevention and treatment of child and adolescent mental health problems in this region of the world.
The Potential of Older Adults for Response to Computer-Assisted Instruction
Authors: Flynn Marilyn L.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the general patterns of computer use and response to computer-assisted instruction by 701 older adults aged forty-five to seventy, in three major metropolitan areas. Findings support the expectation that older people can be enthusiastic computer users irrespective of education or other socio-economic variables. The results raise interesting questions about the negative bias which may be introduced by classroom instructors as mediators of instructional technology.
Advance Directives and the Self-Determination Act: A Patient's Perspective
Authors: Pugh Donna , West Daniel J.
Published: May 2005

Advance Directives were created by Congress in an attempt to better serve the needs of patients in long term care and acute care settings. The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 was an excellent concept to further patient rights, but the Act did not present necessary guidelines to insure uniform implementation. Healthcare providers were given flexibility in designing and implementing policies and procedures to operationalize the Act. However, key Professionals are not actively participating in the implementation. Examined are patients' perspectives and ideas on how professionals should be actively involved in meeting the consumers needs, wants, and desires. A model on how to effectively implement the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 is discussed.
Principles of Irrational Drug Therapy
Authors: Vance Michael A. , Millington William R.
Published: May 2005

Drugs are extensively used in medicine when they are unlikely to produce a benefit to the patient. In most instances this does no apparent harm to the patient but sometimes (for example, the extensive use of thorotrast) the results are tragic. Even when the patient is not injured, overuse of medicines is an undesirable and money-wasting behavioral pattern. Several factors relating to the social process of drug use which encourage overprescribing are discussed and the Principles of Irrational Drug Therapy are derived. These principles are presented as negative role models for the use of medicines in developing countries.
Reduction of Physiological, Behavioral, and Self-Report Responses in Type a Behavior: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Razin Andrew M. , Swencionis Charles , Zohman Lenore R.
Published: May 2005

Recent reports indicate that Type A Behavior may be reducible by behavioral and other psychotherapeutic methods. To date, however, there has been virtually no demonstration of reduction of the actual, observed behavior. Furthermore, the physiologic hyperresponsiveness that seems to characterize many Type A individuals when under stress, has received relatively little therapeutic attention. This preliminary, uncontrolled report describes a cognitive-behavioral group intervention program, before and after which patients underwent assessment on physiologic, behavioral, and self-report assessments. These included heart rate and blood pressure responsiveness under stressful conditions, trained observer ratings of Type A Behavior, and a variety of subjective measures of Type A Behavior and psychological distress and symptoms. Results showed limited improvement on most behavioral and self-report indices. Relatively greater reduction of Type A Behavior was associated with higher pre-treatment levels of Type A Behavior, with the absence of coronary artery disease and with male gender.
Population Planning Policy in the Philippines
Authors: Flavier Juan M.
Published: May 2005

This paper describes the setting in which the present population planning policy of the Philippines has emerged. To elucidate the development of the policy, significant activities and events which have contributed to the program are considered. Special emphasis is given to the implications of the present martial law in the country. Following this historical account, the significant dimensions of the current population policy are outlined. Finally, future policy requirements are considered as they relate to the implementation of the spirit and intent of the initial policy and its modifications in the light of new needs. Present trends indicate that population planning will continue to receive a high priority and that implementation will be carried out in a variety of new forms, many of which will include the use of incentives.
Technical Shibboleths
Authors: Harris John S.
Published: May 2005

One function of language is to communicate substantive information, but that is not its only function—sometimes not even its primary function. The criminal and drug class adopt an argot unintelligible to law abiding citizens, and that cipher function is one of the purposes of that language. Teenagers of any era adopt a vocabulary that shows that they are hip or hep or with it or cool. Such languages are often rich in metaphor and at their root poetic. It is fascinating to investigate these elusive and protean sub-languages, because they demonstrate with modern instances how language has evolved and how it continues to evolve. Our present focus, with technical sub-languages reveals sociological functions of language that transcend mere transfer of substantive information. Technical language would seem to be at the opposite pole from criminals' argot or teenagers' cool slang. We might expect it to exhibit that so-called purer function of transferring information, little affected by sociological factors. Nonetheless, we find one sociological feature, the shibboleth, acting widely throughout technical fields. This is our current topic.
Psychiatry in Everyday Medical Practice
Authors: Greco Ray S.
Published: May 2005

The general practitioner's awareness of the psychotherapeutic aspects of every doctor-patient transaction would allow him more effectively to apply the principles of preventive psychiatry to his everyday medical practice. The experience of one physician's practice is drawn upon to demonstrate how some of Balint's techniques apply to cases in general practice. The categorization of presenting complaints into “no illness situation,” “unorganized illness,” or “organized illness” helps the physician to make distinctions between “traditional diagnosis” and “overall diagnosis.” This method is illustrated with several case examples showing how the physician helped the patient to move from a narrow physical focus to an exploration of broader emotional problems.
An Investigation into Students' Preexisting Computer Skills and Attitudes toward Internet-Delivered Instruction
Authors: Koroghlanian Carol M. , Brinkerhoff Jonathan
Published: May 2005

In general, research in Internet-delivered instruction has reflected practice rather than driven it. Few research-based guidelines exist to help faculty identify factors that may increase student learning and motivation when using this delivery system. The purposes of this study were to assess the current state of students' computer skills, examine students' attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction, and identify those components of an Internet course deemed important based on students' demographics, computer experience, computer skills, and prior Internet-delivered course experience. Results indicated that overall student computer skills were relatively shallow. Additionally, students were generally neutral toward Internet-based instruction, with those having prior Internet instruction experience far less optimistic concerning the degree to which technology may interfere with learning. However, those with prior experience were more likely to recommend taking an Internet-delivered course. Implications for Internet course design and implementation as well as future research are presented.
Emotional Rehabilitation of the Physical Rehabilitation Patient
Authors: Krueger David W.
Published: May 2005

Emphasis on the process and content of the emotional aspects of rehabilitation are presented as a process interwoven with a patient's physical rehabilitation. The impact of trauma and subsequent rehabilitation involves for patients the resolution of these stages: shock, denial, depressive reaction, reaction against independence, and adaptation. Factors which facilitate and impede the negotiation of these steps on both the part of the patient and attending staff are examined from the prospective of the psychiatrist as a member of the medical rehabilitation team.
Motivations, Epistemological Considerations, Concepts of Literature, and Aims of Research in the Empirical Study of Literature in the United States and Germany
Authors: Ibsch Elrud
Published: May 2005

Assuming that at present the hermeneutic and the empirical paradigm in literary studies are dominant and competing perspectives of research, two questions arise: 1) are the empirical programs of the American and the European (especially German) tradition compatible? To answer this question it appears necessary to look carefully at the motivation, the epistemological foundation, the concept of literature and the aims of research in both traditions. One of the results of the inquiry is that the demarcation line which separates hermeneutic and empirical research is less pronounced in the American tradition. 2) The question is discussed whether “Radical Constructivism” as discussed by S. J. Schmidt and E. von Glasersfeld is a unifying epistemological concept that can take away not only the differences between the empirical programs of Schmidt and Bleich but also the schism between hermeneutics and empiricism.
Cultural Landscapes and Cultural Brokers of Sexual and Reproductive Health in U.S. Latino and Latin American Populations
Authors: Torres M. Idalí , Cernada George P.
Published: May 2005

A literature review synthesizing 19 recent journal articles related to sexual and reproductive health education in U.S. Latino and Latin American populations. Emphasis is on the role of culture and qualitative research methodologies and listening to the voice of communities. Part 1 deals with the cultural landscape: social influence on behavior by male partners, family, and community. Part 2 describes the roles played by lay health providers and promoters (parteras, promotoras, poetas) as cultural brokers influencing sexual and reproductive health behavior.
Training for Instructional Uses of Multimedia at San Juan College: Toward the Campus of the Future
Authors: Griffiths John , Degner Ann
Published: May 2005

A multimedia training program for community college faculty includes research results in its training. Recent research in computer assisted multimedia instruction is examined and summarized. Changes in the technology of instruction are described and illustrated. A description of the pedagogical relevance of research to teacher training is offered. The facilities, activities, and outcomes of an instructional multimedia training project for faculty at San Juan College are described. The current principles of instructional systems design, identified by a survey of current research in cai, reflect a pedagogical shift from behaviorism through cognitivism to constructivism. Current research in cai reports that multimedia improves the effectiveness of cai, but provides little consistent empirical evidence explaining why. Questions about learner feedback and control have led to useful results in control/display ergonomics. Continued development of effective, artificially-intelligent tutoring systems has benefited from wider progress in expert systems. Research findings demonstrate that the immanent complexity of hypermedia requires methodical management, that cognitive factors limit the optimum number and effective types of hypermedia link displays, and that close monitoring of learner-system interaction reveals important cognitive differences in individual learners. That same close monitoring of interaction also enables complex instructional systems to respond differentially, thus effectively, across broad differences among individual learners. Different schools of pedagogical thought offer different theoretical explanations for cai's efficacy, but in practice cai's increasing capacity to address individual differences in learning processes is re-emphasizing the importance of teachers' ability to do the same.
A Winning Combination in Computer Education: Learning and Serving
Authors: Rose Warren , Fowler George C.
Published: May 2005

This article features an imaginative use of graduate students in developing a computer-based information system to assist an administrative unit of a university. The project involves the development of a dual, automated, fiscal reporting system to handle the budgetary problems associated with funded research contracts by the College of Medicine. The roles and contributions of graduate students, faculty members, and users are assessed as they relate to improving the learning and serving functions of a university. The case example also identifies the problems to be overcome as well as the benefits to be gained from incorporating this technique in computer science instruction and programs at the graduate level.
Differences in Experience among Mindfulness Meditators
Authors: Forte Michael , Brown Daniel , Dysart Michael
Published: May 2005

A survey of 110 subjects was conducted to investigate the differences in the phenomenological quality of mindfulness mediators who attended retreats of either two days (twenty-seven subjects), two weeks (twenty-five subjects), or three months (fifty-eight subjects). A questionnaire, the Profile of Trance, Imaging, and Meditation Experience (TIME), was used for the survey. Discriminant analyses were used to construct models of the dimensions of experience along which the three groups differed. A number of phenomenological dimensions, in the major areas of attention, thinking, memory, imagery, body sensations, emotions, time sense, reality sense, sense of self, perception, and interpersonal interaction, were found which could accurately distinguish among the three groups of retreatants. No attributions as to the causes or sources of these phenomenological differences are made, as the survey was not large enough to provide comparison groups, subject matching or other statistical controls necessary for causal analyses.
The Assessment of Technical Writing: A Case Study
Authors: Elliot Norbert , Kilduff Margaret , Lynch Robert
Published: May 2005

This article describes the design and evaluation of a formal writing assessment program within a technical writing course. Our purpose in this base-line study was to evaluate student writing at the conclusion of the course. In implementing this evaluation, we addressed fundamental issues of sound assessment: reliability and validity. Our program may encourage others seeking to assess educational outcomes in technical writing courses.
Austerity and Aging in the United States: 1980 and beyond
Authors: Estes Carroll L.
Published: May 2005

This paper presents a critical examination of the past and future direction of social policies for the aged in the United States. The definitions of the social problem of old age and of the appropriate policy solutions for this problem have reflected the ups and downs of the U.S. economy and the shifting bases of political power during the past thirty years. In the 1980s, three dominant definitions of reality are shaping public policy for the elderly: (a) the perception of fiscal crisis and the necessity for reduced federal expenditures; (b) the perception that national policies should give way to decentralization and block grants; and (c) the perception of old age as an individual problem. It is argued that old age policy in the United States reflects a two-class system of welfare in which benefits are distributed on the basis of legitimacy rather than on the basis of need.
The Taxonomy of Visual Aesthetic Preferences: An Empirical Study
Authors: Eysenck H. J. , Hawker G. W.
Published: May 2005

Earlier work has suggested the existence of two major dimensions of aesthetic preference judgments: 1) A general factor of “good taste,” and 2) a bipolar factor based on a preference for simplicity as opposed to complexity. Two tests measuring these two factors were administered to an artistic and a control group, and a zero correlation was predicted for both. In addition, the effects of artistic training were studied for the artistic group. Finally, ratings for aesthetic sensitivity and executive skill for members of the artistic group were correlated with the two tests. The tests, as predicted, were not correlated. Artistic training had a small but significant effect. The tests were not correlated with the ratings of aesthetic sensitivity and executive ability in drawing skill.
Commercial Drug Compendium Information: A First World/Third World Comparison
Authors: Pleil Andreas M. , Pathak Dev S.
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine what differences exist in the content of commercial drug compendium monographs available in First World and Third World countries. A content model representing First World information was developed from monographs contained in the Physicians' Desk Reference, ABPI Data Sheet Compendium, and the Rote Liste. The content of the three First World compendia was found to be variable, with the Physicians' Desk Reference consistently more comprehensive than either the ABPI or Rote Liste. This result suggests that there is a lack of agreement among industrialized countries regarding what amount of information is necessary or appropriate for inclusion in a commercial drug compendium. A sample of 58 monographs was selected from four Third World compendia and evaluated in terms of comprehensiveness and accuracy. These monographs represented five commonly prescribed drugs from the World Health Organization's Essential Drugs List. The monographs were found to be less comprehensive than any of the three monographs contained in the First World compendia. Approximately 5 percent of the information contained in the sampled monographs was determined to be inaccurate. The sampled monographs for drugs supplied by multinational pharmaceutical firms were found to contain the same amount of information as those for drugs supplied by domestic firms.
A Bereavement Support Program for Survivors of Cancer Deaths: A Description and Evaluation
Authors: Souter Susan J. , Moore Timothy E.
Published: May 2005

The Riverdale Hospital, Toronto, has developed a comprehensive and well-documented bereavement support program for survivors of cancer deaths. This study describes the program and its execution and presents a detailed program evaluation. Bereaved survivors who had participated in the program for one year were asked by way of a mailed questionnaire to evaluate various aspects of the program and the facilitation of their grief by the volunteers. The results showed the bereavement support program was beneficial to the survivors and very much appreciated. The findings are discussed and recommendations made for expansion and improvement of the program.
Evaluating Liaison Program Effectiveness: The Use of Unobtrusive Measurement
Authors: Houpt Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2005

The author suggests that the goal of liaison psychiatry as well as its organizational and clinical properties require the use of measures which are non-reactive and developmental in nature. In this paper four categories are theorized as representing the implicit working assumptions of nonpsychiatric housestaff in clinical formulation. By analyzing the overt and latent assumptions of the questions presented to a liaison psychiatrist in patient care conferences, the author illustrates how the assumptions can change through six levels of development. Changes within the assumptions are then used as criteria for program effectiveness since the working assumptions represent preconditions to holistic care. Potential uses of this global scheme for evaluating liaison programs are suggested.
Using a Foreign Film to Improve Second Language Proficiency: Video vs. Interactive Multimedia
Authors: Cardillo Darlene S.
Published: May 2005

As increasing numbers of foreign language teachers are integrating foreign films into their curricula, more attention must be focused on ways and means to optimize students' comprehension of the film segments and to enhance second language learning. This article describes a study that was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of video and interactive multimedia technologies in increasing language proficiency. Descriptions of a multimedia computer program and a research experiment are followed by a discussion of the results and conclusions obtained from this study.
Economic Boundaries of Health Policy: Factors Influencing 1993–1994 Reform Proposals
Authors: Nayeri Kamran
Published: May 2005

This article offers a theoretical framework for understanding the crisis of the U.S. health care system and the mainstream debate on restructuring health care financing and delivery subsystems. The author argues that the crisis of the health care system is a cause and a consequence of the long cycle of structural changes in the U.S. economy since World War II. The article distinguishes between the level and the rate of growth of health care expenditures. It is possible to moderate the level of health care expenditure by adopting measures in the direction indicated by the historical experience of other advanced capitalist economies. However, in the long term the rate of growth of health care costs will exceed the rate of growth of gross domestic product, thus any attempt to limit it will result in deterioration in the quantity and quality of health care services. The 1993–1994 mainstream debate is revisited to show how these proposals were a part of the overall effort to resolve the long-term problems of the U.S. economy. The defeat of the Clinton plan was due to its concerns with efficiency of the health care system in the face of the demand by a majority of the U.S. capitalist class to cut costs.
Bibliographies on Health Promotion Programs for Business and Industry
Authors: Martin Francine , Dandoy Suzanne , Kirkman-Liff Bradford , Chaconas Stacy
Published: May 2005

Health promotion programs have been developing at a rapid pace throughout the United States. Business and industry have been major targets for and supporters of these new ventures. This intense interest in health promotion programs has produced a need for a systematic review of past experience. The Center for Health Services Administration at Arizona State University prepared two comprehensive bibliographies of references on occupational health promotion programs. The annotated bibliography includes ninety references that were deemed most relevant to the subject at the time the searches were made in Spring of 1982. The second bibliography, which is not annotated, is supplemental and provides eighty-eight additional related references.
Technocratic Discourse: A Primer
Authors: McKenna Bernard J. , Graham Philip
Published: May 2005

This article describes the linguistic and semantic features of technocratic discourse using a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework. The article goes further to assert that the function of technocratic discourse in public policy is to advocate and promulgate a highly contentious political and economic agenda under the guise of scientific objectivity and political impartiality. We provide strong evidence to support the linguistic description, and the claims of political advocacy, by analyzing a 900-word document about globalization produced by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).