Four Cognitive Principles of Learning-Strategy Instruction

Four cognitive principles of learning-strategy instruction are proposed. These principles call for strategy researchers to: (a) develop learning strategies that are appropriate to one's desired cognitive outcomes, (b) conduct routine component analyses of both learning strategies and learner processes, (c) take into account the match between the particular learning strategy and the learner's specific knowledge and skills, and (d) perform controlled empirical validations of learning-strategy effectiveness. A preliminary model that distinguishes among the processes of understanding, remembering, and applying is presented to amplify the first cognitive principle.     

Archiving of Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs) on State Government Web Sites

Rising cost and declining revenues have hampered the financial affairs of state governments, forcing many to curtail services, reduce employee benefits, and trim the workforce, calling into question the fiscal sustainability of many state governments. As a result, stakeholders are demanding greater accountability and increased transparency into state government finances. An important link or communication tool between state governments and stakeholders is the comprehensive annual financial report. The comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), produced by state governments, provides some insight into how taxpayer dollars are spent and the benefits derived therefrom. This article analyzes the extent to which the states electronically archive the CAFR on their websites and the accessibility of the reports to users searching state government websites.     

Bypassing E-Reserves with Durable Links to Subscribed Content

Increasingly, libraries of all types and sizes are adding electronic book (ebook) titles to their collections. A survey was used to explore the implications of ebook licensing and interlibrary loan use. Among academic libraries in the United States, a widespread preference for handling print books was found along with a need for more information about ebook interlibrary loan rights at one's own institution and a means to identify format type available from potential lending libraries.     

The keyword method compared to alternative vocabulary-learning strategies

Imagery and sentence versions of the keyword method of vocabulary learning were contrasted with three nonkeyword verbal-contextual alternatives. Subjects' definition learning in the imagery keyword condition was substantially higher than when subjects were presented the vocabulary in sentence contexts, when they generated sentence contexts for the words, when they made decisions about whether the words were used correctly in sentences, or when they were left to their own devices to learn the words. The learning benefits associated with the sentence keyword version were not as dramatic as in the imagery keyword condition. They were more evident when recall of any part of the definition was considered correct than when recall of the entire definition was necessary. These results indicate that the keyword method is a potent alternative to vocabulary-learning techniques that are regarded as effective by curriculum experts in reading.