Effects of knowledge and display design on comprehension of complex graphics

In two experiments, participants made inferences from weather maps, before and after they received instruction about relevant meteorological principles. Different versions of the maps showed either task-relevant information alone, or both task-relevant and task-irrelevant information. Participants improved on the inference task after instruction, indicating that they could apply newly acquired declarative knowledge to make inferences from graphics. In Experiment 1, participants spent more time viewing task-relevant information and less time viewing task-irrelevant information after instruction, and in Experiment 2, the presence of task-irrelevant information impaired performance. These results show that domain knowledge can affect information selection and encoding from complex graphics as well as processes of interpreting and making inferences from the encoded information. They also provide validation of one principle for the design of effective graphical displays, namely that graphics should not display more information than is required for the task at hand.     

Book review

Philosophy of Educational Research Richard Pring (2000), London and New York: Continuum.     

信息化变革中企业竞争力的发展与控制研究

剖析并建构了企业信息化的基本体系及企业竞争力的核心概念。从人与物、人与人关系的研究视角出发,分析了信息化对于企业竞争力作用的基本方式与效应。探讨了信息化进程中,企业竞争力从现状态向目标状态转化的控制问题     

The textbook problem: Investigating one possible solution

This article explores the inherent problems for academic libraries in providing access to textbooks to students, the growing demand for such access by students, and presents the findings of a reserve pilot project conducted at a major Midwest university. Findings indicate the pros and cons of the pilot attempted as well as demonstrating the need for continued research and collaborative work with appropriate organizations on the campus and beyond.     

Perceptions of nurses and mothers in four studies of the peripartum period

How individuals perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others are an important part of the relationships between childbirth educators, nurses, other health-care providers, and the families they serve. In this paper, four studies are reviewed. One study focused on labor nurses' perception of their roles. Three other studies, each using a different research strategy, examined mothers' perceptions of their experiences during the peripartum period.     

Library service delivery via hand-held computers--the right information at the point of care

Today's health and medical librarians are well aware of the move towards evidence-based clinical practice which has emerged during the past decade. Hand-in-hand with this trend is the need for health practitioners to have access to the best possible evidence to help them in their clinical decision making. Libraries have a key role in the provision of information to their clients, and this means keeping abreast, not only of the various information sources available, but also the means by which those sources may be used. This paper will examine the effects that the hand-held computer is having on the work practices of our clients-library users. It is hoped that the paper will give an insight into the various types of library material which are suitable for use with hand-held devices, and an understanding of their advantages and limitations.     

Individual pathways in the development of forceful throwing

Halverson, Roberton, and Langendorfer (1982) reported the development of children ages 6-13 years filmed longitudinally performing the forceful overarm throw. These authors described the children's progress through developmental sequences for trunk, humerus, and forearm actions; however, they did not study developmental relationships ("profiles") across these components. This paper reports how the profiles changed in the same children across trials within filming sessions and over time. The data revealed both common and individual developmental pathways. The frequencies of some pathways were not chance occurrences (p < or = .01), suggesting that within-person constraints eliminated certain movement relationships while encouraging others. The authors hypothesize that the kinematics of trunk rotation may serve as a control parameter for pattern change.     

我国图书馆事业之“西学东渐”

介绍19世纪末20世纪初中国近代图书馆诞生期间的第一次“西学潮”及20世纪80年代初开始的中国图书馆事业改革发展期间的第二次“西学潮”,并对这两次“西学潮”进行反思,提出当前我国图书馆界在学习西方时应注意的问题。     

体育新闻报道发展的科学审视

体育新闻报道是媒体与体育互动的形式,也是人们最感兴趣的内容之一。文章通过分析体育新闻报道发展的特征、社会成因以及发展趋势,以期为体育新闻报道科学发展提升理性认识。