Discusses the importance of studying the far-from-equilibrium phenomena in college chemistry. Presents a system using the gas pendulum which displays all of the essential characteristics of dissipative systems. Promotes the use of the gas pendulum as a teaching example of a nonlinear far-from-equilibrium process. (TW)

Describes a theoretical model of the research and development process which allows students to develop research strategies based on their understanding of the generation of technical and scientific literature. Claims the model provides a conceptual framework of the structure of the literature students will be using in their professions. (MM)

Describes the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a statistical agency which provides credible, timely, and useful energy information for decision makers in all sectors of society. The 10 articles included in the volume cover survey design, data collection, data integration, data analysis, modeling and forecasting, confidentiality, and…

Organized from the viewpoint of information retrieval theory, this review addresses issues of chemical information representation, comparison and matching, and retrieval strategies. Additional topics include similarity and clustering, visualization, and molecular diversity. Trends in research and application are identified, and gaps in the…

This review of 20 studies examines 3 predictions concerning the effects of conceptual models on students' understanding of scientific prose: (1) that models improve recall of conceptual information; (2) that they decrease verbatim retention; and (3) that they increase creative solutions on transfer problems. (SLD)

Reports on a study that analyzed and compared a restricted set of full-text articles from a sub-specialty of biochemistry in terms of co-occurrences and co-absences of words. The consequences for the lexicographical approach to generating artificial intelligence from scientific texts are discussed. (JAK)

Describes the nature of elementary particles, quarks, leptons, and bosons. Indicates the possibility of a fourth family of quarks. Predicts the nature of the lepton relatives. (YP)

Examines the role of scientific and technical information in national development in Nigeria and establishes a framework that could enhance the use of this information for development purposes. Factors such as national information policies, government support of research projects, and the role of international organizations in technology transfer…

Outlines a model to promote more effective interaction between reference librarians and science graduate students conducting literature searches in preparation for dissertations. The model uses a sequential set of search strategies: searching subject indexes, identifying reviews, searching for "ancestors," searching for…

Two experiments assessed the effects of activation of prior knowledge through small-group discussion. College students (n=39) and Dutch secondary school students (n=88) were asked to elaborate on possible explanations of a natural phenomenon. Data suggested that such activation of prior knowledge can be a successful instructional strategy. (SLD)

Discusses U.S. technology policy and the transfer of scientific and technical information (STI). Results of a study of knowledge diffusion in the aerospace industry are reported, including data on aerospace information intermediaries, use of computer and information technologies, and the use of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)…

The 52 papers presented reflect the diverse interests of the members of the National Association for Science, Technology and Society (NASTS). The first two papers deal with theoretical issues related to technological literacy (TL). Two papers discuss technology education at the elementary school level. Twelve papers cover various aspects of…

Surveys current research on learning and memory and associated brain functions. Suggests several models of olfactory recognition and memory. Explains several computer models being evaluated and lists possible flaws. Differentiates between noise and chaos in brain functions. Describes a challenge to the theory of chaos called adaptive resonance…

Describes a project sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Defense that investigated the relationship between the use of U.S. government technical reports by aerospace engineers and scientists and seven independent sociometric variables. The conceptual framework is explained, and relevant…

By carefully considering the special characteristics of two small African scientific and technical (S&T) information systems for research and development (R&D), this report defines a simple and straightforward model which can be easily implemented in similar situations with a minimum of external support. The model is designed to build up a…