The relationship between the strategies of inquiry in science and Student Cognitive and Affective Behavioral Change

Researchable questions may have a theoretical base. Empirical evidence feeds back to re-structure the theory. The case in point is children's problem solving behavior.     

Multiple Measures and High-Stakes Decisions: A Framework for Combining Measures

The article presents a framework for combining multiple measures to reach high-stakes decisions. Criteria are identified for the employment of conjunctive, compensatory, and complementary approaches to combining measures. The framework is illustrated through the documentation of the School District of Philadelphia's initiative to employ multiple measures, including standardized test scores, to determine promotion decisions. The author demonstrates that the use of multiple measures itself does not necessarily improve the reliability and validity of the decisions. It is the logic by which the measures are combined that determines the accuracy and appropriateness of the decisions reached.     

Expertise in Counseling Psychology: A Concept in Search of Support

Despite the documented efficacy of counseling, evidence supporting a claim of expertise among counseling practitioners is found to be lacking. A review of selected literature finds that counselors frequently hold inacurate or biased cognitive schemata concerning clients and engage in faulty reasoning regarding clients' concerns—producing clinical judgments that appear no better than those of less experienced individuals (novices). The concept of expertise in counseling may be justified if clinical judgment is viewed as an ill-structured problem and the criterion for judging expertise is changed from enhanced clinical accuracy to one of enhanced clinical certainty.     

Trait procrastination,self-efficacy and achievement goals: the mediation role of boredom coping strategies

Limited research has examined the mediational role of coping strategy in students’ motivation and procrastination. In this study, we examined the relationships among self-efficacy, achievement goals, boredom coping strategies and procrastination with 506 Chinese college students. Data were collected via questionnaires. Structural equation modelling results showed that both self-efficacy and approach goals significantly predicted approach-oriented coping strategies, and avoidance goals significantly predicted avoidance-oriented coping strategies. Among the different types of boredom coping strategies, only behavioural avoidance coping strategy significantly predicted procrastination. Hence, the mediating link was only found between avoidance goals, behavioural avoidance coping strategy and procrastination. Implications of the mediating role of behavioural avoidance coping strategy in the goal-procrastination relationship were further discussed.     

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)     

Examining Measure Correlations With Incomplete Data Sets

A 2-stage procedure for estimation and testing of observed measure correlations in the presence of missing data is discussed. The approach uses maximum likelihood for estimation and the false discovery rate concept for correlation testing. The method can be used in initial exploration-oriented empirical studies with missing data, where it is of interest to estimate manifest variable interrelationship indexes and test hypotheses about their population values. The procedure is applicable also with violations of the underlying missing at random assumption, via inclusion of auxiliary variables. The outlined approach is illustrated with data from an aging research study.