The literature on bibliometric indices for assessing scholarly impact, in particular the "h" index (Hirsch, 2005) and its many variants, is extensive, but nevertheless Ruscio and colleagues (this issue) succeed in making a valuable contribution. They have made the effort of collecting publication and citation data for no less than 1,750…

This article presents an interview with Allan Wigfield, professor and chair of the Department of Human Development and distinguished scholar-teacher at the University of Maryland. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on children's motivation and other topics. He is a fellow of Division 15 (Educational…

Elizabeth Dutro and Kathleen Collins have written a fascinating and broad-ranging review that captures the richness of perspectives and findings in elementary literacy research, based on an examination of roughly 7,700 titles published in NCTE journals. This daunting figure provides an indication of the productivity and extensive contributions of…

Ruscio and colleagues (Ruscio, Seaman, D'Oriano, Stremlo, & Mahalchik, this issue) have done a great service by systematically comparing indices of scholarly impact. Three aspects of their work are particularly valuable: (1) Their assessment of the proliferating collection of metrics, whose development has become something of a cottage industry,…

In their article Ruscio et al. (Ruscio, Seaman, D'Oriano, Stremlo, & Mahalchik, this issue) present a comparative study of some of the different variants of the "h" index. The study evaluates a total of 22 metrics, including the "h" index and "h"-type indices, as well as other conventional measures. The novelty of their work is to a large extent…

Ruscio et al. (Ruscio, Seaman, D'Oriano, Stremlo, & Mahalchik, this issue) write of a thing with which scientists and scholars are all too familiar, the assessment of published research and of its authors. The author was startled to discover how little the agenda of the paper seems to engage with factors one relies on for salary and promotion…

Why do people enter academic life? What are their expectations? How can they maximize their experience and achievements, both short- and long-term? How much should they move towards commercialization? What can they do to improve their career? How much autonomy can they reasonably expect? What are the key issues for academics and aspiring academics…

University management is needed that is sensitive to the need for diversity; encourages autonomy among researchers; can communicate across the developing gap between management and researchers; and encourages both central, established research projects and more peripheral, exploratory ones. (Author/MSE)

Describes the purposes and roles of institutional researchers: (1) describe the institution, (2) analyze alternatives, (3) present the best case, and (4) supply impartial evidence, noting three dualities internal vs external demands; academic vs administrative culture; and institutional vs professional role that are particularly relevant. Also…

Proceedings of a workshop on career advancement for women faculty members and administrators within the University System of Georgia are presented. The workshop was a vehicle for faculty development and an experience in networking. Topics include professional writing in science, the humanities, and education; strategies for academic promotion, and…

The predominant system of defining and rewarding scholarship today is mismatched with higher education's mission. Success is based on publication in adjudicated journals rather than on generation of knowledge. Three metaphors (scholarship as currency, published article as icon, and professor as entrepreneur) help examine the crisis in higher…

Volume Three of the Biomedical and Behavioral Research Scientists study contains five commissioned papers. The first paper, "Evaluating the National Research Service Award Program (NRSA): A Review and Recommendations for the Future," (Georgina M. Pion) reviews previous evaluation activities of the NRSA program and proposes an agenda describing the…

Significant improvements in the quality of teaching and research can be achieved by college deans and presidents who have the courage to hire only the best available and terminate the unproductive and to devise the least disruptive means of doing so. Available from Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154. (Author/MSE)

There are many excellent scientists in the natural and human sciences in Canada's small universities. If the institutions implement internal procedures to encourage and foster a research climate and if research councils consider alternative strategies for research funding, research productivity could expand greatly in quality and scope. (MSE)

A summary of articles on the relationship between faculty research and college teaching finds that faculty scholarship does not adversely affect teaching norms, teacher effectiveness, student cognitive development, or currency of course content. However, research activity affects two teaching dimensions detrimentally: rigor of course examinations…