This first issue of INVESTIGATIONS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION (ISE) is designed to provide a new perspective for viewing research articles and is intended to aid in the improvement of writing research reports. The analyses are intended to provide useful comments and suggestions and to serve as a device which might be used for training in the writing of research articles. Articles included in ISE are selected primarily from such sources as professional journals and reports of government-funded projects. All critical abstracts published in ISE are prepared by science educators. Abstracts included in this issue relate to topic areas such as effectiveness of various teaching strategies, learning theory and processes, socio-economic influences on scientific concept development in children, and verbal interaction in science classes. The format includes bibliographical data, purpose, rationale, research design and procedure, findings and interpretations as well as detailed notes offered by the abstractor. (Author/EB)