Hypertext can be characterized as an electronic system that works by association rather than indexing, and furnishes information in a dynamic, nonsequential manner that does not limit the content by structure or organization. A more technical definition specifies that hypertext is a technique for organizing information in a complex manner that…

Noting the potential effect of print media on society, a study addressed the question of how "Time,""Newsweek," and "U.S. News and World Report" (USNWR) have presented the creation-evolution issue (particularly as taught in public schools) to its readers. Thirty-nine articles published form 1980 to 1992 were analyzed:…

This paper reviews the group-related literature of intergroup relations and combines it with the existing theory of communications. Noting that communication scholars have recently entered this realm of intergoup relations and searched for the role of mass media in the process of ethnic newcomers' socialization, the paper conceptualizes…

This paper provides an overview of the development of sponsors for primary and general election debates at the presidential level and considers the various sponsorship alternatives for future debates. From a historical perspective, the paper discusses the major role that the broadcasting industry played in the early presidential debates and…

This examination of the topic of research in educational technology addresses four major areas: (1) why research is conducted in this area and the characteristics of that research; (2) the types of research questions that should or should not be addressed; (3) the most appropriate methodologies for finding answers to research questions; and (4)…

Noting the lack of a dispute mechanism for determining whether an advertising practice is truly deceptive without generating the costs and negative publicity produced by traditional Federal Trade Commission (FTC) procedures, this paper proposes a model based upon early termination of the issues through jointly commissioned behavioral research. The…

Based on a preliminary examination of over 1,200 article titles and abstracts and a subsequent review of selected articles, this booklet presents in highly abbreviated tabular format the most important research in the field of instructional microcomputing, including both computer assisted and computer managed instruction in elementary, secondary,…

This paper presents a typology of terrorism which is grounded in how media differentially cover each type. The typology challenges some of the basic assumptions, such as that the media "allow" themselves to be exploited by terrorists and "encourage" terrorism, and the conventional wisdom about the net effects of the media's…

As new technologies find new markets, the telecommunications field must deal with definitional problems and with challenges to existing regulation. This paper looks at the fields of cable television and telecomputing, and approaches to their regulation, in order to shed light on the question of telephone companies' (telcos) potential involvement…

Noting that covering the United States Department of Education can pose special problems for journalists, this report provides information about the operations of the department and notes the strengths and weaknesses of information produced by and about it. The first three sections of the report discuss the current political atmosphere at the…

In order to compare the instructional effectiveness of realistic and non-realistic color cueing on visualized instruction, an instructional unit on the human heart, using slides and an audiotape, was presented to 244 college students. Four treatment groups received the same oral presentation, with the addition of different types of visual…

The effectiveness of the Dwyer heart materials in facilitating learning and retention of information related to the heart under normal research conditions was investigated. Previous studies have focused on the manipulation of stimulus dimensions and not the effectiveness of the materials themselves. Data from three previous studies were compared…

This review of the literature on rate-controlled or compressed speech begins by tracing the historical development of compressed speech with emphasis on earlier approaches to the problem, e.g., changing speaking rate, simplifying text, changing tape speed, or using a sampling technique. An overview of research from 1917 to 1974 highlights the…

The concept of knowledge gap (the discrepancy in the amount of information acquired by different groups of people reached by mass communication) can be critically examined to consider its theoretical and practical implications in the context of using communication to bring about changes in society. Some causes of knowledge gap include differences…

This two-volume report of a planning study conducted for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting presents an assessment of the opportunities and risks associated with public broadcasting's involvement in teletext and videotext. Volume 1 contains a strategic assessment that offers analysis, recommendations, and conclusions regarding the market for…