Research/Reference Works

Margaret Labash Young, Harold Chester Young, and Anthony T. Truzas, et al. Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1977---published in two volumes with an updating service at prices noted below)

Anthony Kruzas and Linda Verekamp Sullivan, eds. Encyclopedia of Information Systems and Services (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1978---$95.00)

Paul Wasserman, et al, eds. Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1976---$48.00)

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978---$39.50)Albert Walker's “Public Relations Bibliography: Sixth Edition, 1976-77,” Public Relations Review 4:4 (Winter 1978)

Ron Nordland, Names and Numbers: A Journalist's Guide to the Most Needed Information Sources and Contacts (640 pp.)

Jerry M. Rosenberg, Dictionary of Business and Management (564 pp.)

Scientific American Cumulative Index, May 1948 -June 1978 (Scientific American, P.O. Box 5947, New York, N.Y. 10017---$38.50 prepublication, and $45.00 afterwords)     

Entering the Field of Physical Education: The Journey of Fifteen First-Year Teachers

Purpose: Given the significant challenges facing today’s physical educators, the purpose of this study was to examine the expectations of induction teachers and identify the factors in both their personal and organizational environments enhanced or constrained their assimilation into the field during their 1st year. Method: Using occupational socialization theory as a guide, data from demographic surveys and a series of formal interviews with participants at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year were inductively analyzed for theme development. Results: Results revealed positive acculturation experiences and unity regarding the purpose of physical education as preparing students to be fit for a lifetime. Barriers were noted to be family and personal crises, role conflict, isolation, marginalization, issues with classroom management and discipline, and difficulties in developing positive relationships with stakeholders. Enhancers were identified as positive interactions and rapport with students, colleagues, and administrators and favorable individual dispositions. Conclusion: Implications indicate a need for purposeful physical education teacher education training to proactively address these barriers during professional preparation as well as the creation of additional support systems for beginning teachers.     

Proportional reasoning and the linguistic abilities required for hypothetico-deductive reasoning

The hypothesis is advanced that a necessary, though not sufficient, condition for the acquisition of proportional reasoning during adolescence is the prior internalization of key linguistic elements of argumentation, essentially those used in hypothetico-deductive reasoning. This hypothesized internalization, which does not occur in all individuals, results in some who have acquired the ability to reflect upon the correctness of self-generated answers in a hypothetico-deductive manner, and others who have not. As an initial test of the hypothesis, 46 subjects (Ss) (mean age = 21.03 years) were classified into additive, transitional, or proportional reasoning categories based upon responses to a proportions task. Group differences were found in which proportional Ss performed better than transitional Ss who in turn performed better than additive Ss on a number of items testing Ss' abilities to identify, generate, and use the linguistic elements of argumentation. Further it was found that some Ss who were successful on the linguistic items failed the proportions task, but no Ss who were successful on the proportions task failed the linguistic items. This result supports the hypothesis that the internalization of linguistic elements of argumentation is a prerequisite for proportional reasoning and by inference other advanced reasoning schemata as well. Implications for science instruction are drawn.