Discusses measurement techniques for determining good reference service and describes results from a study of 12 public libraries in California that investigated reference service. Topics include inconsistent reference studies that showed reference service giving good results half of the time; and measuring unrelated outcomes of accuracy, utility,…

This study assessed professional satisfaction among 558 California general dentists using the Dentist Satisfaction Survey. Among findings were that dentists were most dissatisfied with the threat of malpractice, level of income, demands of managing the practice, and amount of personal time. Findings have implications for counseling predoctoral…

Discusses the results of a survey of 1,268 adoptive parents in California. Found that postplacement contact with biological parents was common in this sample and that adoptive parents, with some exceptions, seemed cautiously comfortable with such contact. (Author/MDM)

Examined the extent to which experienced high school teachers were satisfied with their work, noting principal motivators to remaining in the classroom. Survey and interview data indicated that teachers had a high level of satisfaction, despite difficult working conditions. After working with students, other important motivators included passion…

People frequently mispredict the long-term emotional impact of circumstances. The authors examine 2 causes of such mispredictions--a focusing illusion and underappreciation of adaptation. In Experiment 1, the authors found, in 852 adults, that quality of life estimates (for living with disability) were not increased by reducing focusing illusions.…

Medical schools have reduced the time allotted to anatomy instruction. Consequently, schools engage students in more independent settings using information and communication technologies (ICT). There has been limited research in the use of video aids, a type of ICT, to enhance anatomy examination performance. The objective of this study is to…

THE INCREASED PRESSURE FOR GREATER EXPERTISE OF EXTENSION AGENTS, COMBINED WITH LIMITATIONS FOR SPECIALIZATION IMPOSED BY COUNTY LINES, HAS RESULTED IN VARIOUS APPROACHES TO AREA WORK. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO TEST THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING EFFICIENCY, PROVIDING BETTER SERVICE, DEVELOPING A HIGHER DEGREE OF COMPETENCY AMONG STAFF…

Forty-six physicians practicing in nonurban areas of California were interviewed and a majority reported rarely or never feeling professionaly isolated. Measures describing the current community and professional activities were not found to predict feeling of professional isolation, but mean rating by admissions interviewers were. (Author/LBH)

During the Spring 2004 semester, the Office of Institutional Research of Los Rios Community College District (Sacramento, CA) collaborated with the College Research Offices to conduct the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, the third administration of this student satisfaction survey since 1998. This analytical report summarizes the…

The current study assessed the subjective well-being of a broad spectrum of homeless people. One-hundred-and-eighty-six homeless people from the streets of Calcutta (India), California, and a tent camp in Portland (Oregon) were interviewed, and responded to measures of subjective well-being. They answered questions about life satisfaction,…

A use study examining COM use at the Los Angeles County Public Library System is summarized. Findings indicate the COM catalog is more acceptable to patrons than its book or card alternative. Equipment needed for use posed no obstacles, and there are no significant reactionary differences between different user groups. (Author/MBR)

Reviews theory and research findings concerning service organizations, develops a model of the library reference process, and summarizes the results of a partial test of the model in five academic libraries in northern California. The roles of clients and service providers are explored, and variables that influence service outcomes are discussed.…

Two studies (1) describe caregivers' perceptions of themselves and their profession and (2) collect information on compensation received for child care work. Surveys of child caregivers were conducted in 1975 in Illinois and in 1982 in California. (RH)

This study examined how time spent caring for a teenage sister's child and experiences in providing care related to youths' young adult outcomes. Latino and African American youths (N = 108) were studied during middle and late adolescence. Results indicated that youths who provided many hours of child care were more stressed and had lower school…

A career planning project was conducted by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to meet the career guidance needs of organizations and employees. The program emphasized self-assessment as a basic step in career planning and utilized a variety of resources. Workshops were conducted on personal assessment and on defining motivational job skills. (EC)