Examines the interpersonal relationship between Robert Michel, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and William F. Gavin, his speechwriter, and how that relationship structures and defines the speechwriting process. (RS)

A stratified random sample of 1,500 state legislators from 12 states was surveyed regarding their perceptions and knowledge of issues in reading instruction. The states were selected to provide a balanced mix of state sizes, state budget sizes, and geographic regions. Within states, legislators were selected to balance districts. Both mail surveys…

To explore the relationships between the news media and public officials, a study focused on the perceptions of the capital press corps coverage held by members of a state legislature. Data were collected in Wisconsin, where the state legislature consists of a 33-member senate and 99-member assembly. Questionnaires containing semantic differential…

A study investigated whether the frequency of a legislator's direct contact with constituents was related negatively to the legislator's evaluation of mass media as sources of information on constituent concerns. The study also explored whether the legislators' evaluations of mass media as sources of information on constituent concerns were more…

Representing the earliest findings in an ongoing national survey examining how black elected officials view the community press, 113 black state senators and legislators (33% response rate) from 50 states were surveyed using five-point Likert-type items with responses ranging from "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly Disagree." Mean…

Examines the usefulness of constructs tapping "external" and "internal" influences on statehouse reporters in Michigan and Indiana. (FL)

Concludes that most Japanese Diet members meet reporters to transmit and to receive information but also to maintain good relations with the press. (FL)

Reading became a hotbed of policy activity during the 1990s with both state and federal policymakers launching major initiatives to raise reading achievement. When President George W. Bush introduced his Reading First initiative in early 2001, we saw a unique opportunity to investigate the policy processes, antecedents, and unplanned events…

Background: Research on adolescent mental health suggests that prevalence rates for depressed mood are not uniformly distributed across all populations. This study examined demographic difference in depressed mood among a nationally representative sample of high school adolescents. Methods: The 2003 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey was utilized…

A study examined how statehouse reporters covering the 1982 session of the Indiana General Assembly used information sources. Specifically, it focused on reporter reliance on key senate leaders, on the visibility of those senators in published stories, and on the institutional images transmitted in stories in which those and other senators were…

A study was conducted to determine the images of the media held by members of a state legislature. Specifically, it examined the legislators' perceptions of differences in print and broadcast news media performance, and differences in coverage of the legislature in the home district and on a statewide level. Questionnaires containing demographic…

Comments from several U.S. Senators and Representatives who participated in the project summarize their personal evaluations of the usefulness of satellite videoconferencing with two-way interactive television in providing a new mechanism for informed dialogue between congressmen and constituents. The new technology is described in answers to the…

The decline in voting participation in American presidential elections since 1960 is also characteristic of both congressional off-year and gubernatorial elections. But the rate of decline varies greatly among the various states. Demographic variables explain only a few of these differences. Some possible explanations are presented. (Author/RM)

Examination of Indiana state legislators' dependence on various mass media and interpersonal sources for information about their constituents reveals a relatively stable use of mass communication sources and a surprising role for radio. Tenure apparently is unrelated to information search for situations examined in this study. (Author/MBR)

The relation that should exist between central and local authorities has long been a favorite theme for persons interested in various theories of government. Many arguments have been produced, some based upon fact and others upon opinion, as to the relative merits of centralized and localized plans of government. In the field of education, as in…