Using propositions from clinical interviews as variables to compare student knowledge

During the past several years interest in using clinical interviews to assess students conceptual knowledge has increased. However, using clinical interviews when research questions require quantitative comparisons has been difficult. The central difficulty is to construct variables that can be used to quantify and statistically compare the results of interviews while maintaining exactly what student conceptions are associated with each variable. The purpose of this article is to present a technique for constructing variables that overcomes this difficulty. The technique involves the representation of each proposition a student uses in terms of a standard set of underlying predicates, concepts, and relationships among concepts. Each proposition represented in these standard terms can be used as a variable to quantitatively compare the knowledge of students as expressed in clinical interviews.     

Post-1992 Europe: History and implications

The twentieth century has witnessed a series of initiatives designed to unify Europe, which culminated in the founding of the European Community. In 1985 the European Commission (the executive arm of the decision-making Council) issued a White Paper that became the basis of the Single Europe Act, which took effect in 1987. The implementation of this act, to be completed by the end of 1992, will required the resolution of numerous problems but creates enormous opportunities for economic growth.     

RHETORICAL RETICENCE, IF YOU'RE FOR IT I'M AGAINST IT, OR AT LEAST I'LL KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT: OPINION EXPRESSION AND FORMATION IN THE CONTEXT OF POLARIZED GROUPS

The polarization process in the formation and expression ofpublic opinion needs further exploration, especially in threeareas: (1) the reluctance to publicly voice one's own moderateor qualified opinion if that act would benefit a group at oneof the ends of an opinion continuum; (2) the imputation of aclustered set of opinions on a number of issues to those whohold opinions on one specific issue; (3) the formation of one'sopinion on an issue, based on the group identity of those whoare at the extreme of that issue. In (1), opinion formationaround an issue occurs not just on the individually assessedmerits of the issue but also on who are identified as supportersof one side or the other. Thus, those who see ambiguities arereluctant to express reservations about an extreme positionfor fear of giving aid and comfort to those at the other extreme.The perception of the public's opinion becomes distorted andthe issue will become further polarized. In (2), issue clustering,or 'bundling', occurs whenever those who are identified withone opinion are assumed to hold a set of other opinions which,taken together, make them pejoratively different kinds of peoplefrom those who so identify them. In (3), individuals form orexpress opinions about complex subjects based on the positionof groups they identify with rather than by an attempt to becomefamiliar with the issue.