Contextual importance has been largely ignored by traditional research approaches in social/behavioral sciences and in their application to the education field. Developmental and social psychologists have increasingly noted this approach's inadequacies. Drawing examples from phenomenology, sociolinguistics, and ethomethodology, the author proposes…

Asserts that in a society that is not totalitarian, class disparities are enabled institutionally by science. A capital driven nation that associates intelligence with class and race can determine overall quality of life. Thus, perception of intelligence is an extremely powerful tool for reinforcing class. Suggests that in order to be better…

Examines problems confronting a research program set up to determine which alternative medical therapies really work. Project scientists must apply scientific methodology to what seems inexplicable and implausible. (LZ)

In artificial life research, scientists use the principles of evolution to develop complex behaviors from simple elements. By creating lifelike processes, they are trying to understand real organisms and explore possibilities for life in other circumstances. Techniques used are diverse, including biological testing, robotics, and computer…

Examines evolutionary trends, specifically trends in size, complexity, and fitness. Notes that documentation of these trends consists of either long lists of cases, or descriptions of a small number of salient cases. Proposes the use of random samples to avoid this "saliency bias." (SR)

Investigates significance tests as a tool for helping to identify real effects in the face of random variation. Speculates that equivalence tests improve the logic of significance testing when demonstrating similarity is important. Reverse tests can help show that failure to reject a null hypothesis does not support that hypothesis. (Contains 30…

Highlights the significance of what happens when scientists cite and paraphrase the conclusions of past research. Discusses the implications of changing the hedges that describe the uncertainty of the conclusions, which in turn can change the uncertainty of past results. (Contains 42 references.) (DDR)

There is a tendency to use case-study research methodology for research issues aiming at simply describing a complex situation, and to draw conclusions with insufficient rigour. Sound case-study research, however, follows discriminate rules which can be described in all the dimensions of a full case-study research process. This paper examines…

Most biology teachers implement animal dissection (real or virtual) and often lead discussions on research involving animal subjects. Such activities provide excellent opportunities to explore ideas about ethical conduct in the care and use of animals. The challenge for teachers is to present information about animal care and use that enables…

The hypothesis is the device scientists use to translate questions, theories, or proposed explanations into a form amenable to empirical research. This edition of W. W. Charter's treatise on clear, conceptual definitions and precise operational hypotheses, which was originally developed to assist students in educational policy and management…

This paper serves two purposes: (1) it outlines some of the conflicting characterizations of the differences among scientific and artistic approaches to qualitative research; and (2) it provides some illustrations from conceptual and empirical research to demonstrate that these are indeed differences that matter. The following four ways in which…

It is easy to observe that meta-analysis is quickly establishing itself as useful tool of the social sciences. Perusal of representative journals confirms that meta-analysis has been applied in various ways to diverse literatures. It is imperative, therefore, that reviewers, publishers, consumers, and critics of these reviews be best informed…

The purpose of this paper is to make some comments designed to stimulate some unconventional thought in connection with the problem of developing sociological theory. The author questions the extent to which social science research follows scientific procedures based on a "hypothetico-deductive" format and the extent to which its propositional…

The solution to the lack of productivity of educational research is the recognition that applied research can be scientific and the reexamination of the implications of the scientific orientation for research strategies. (Author/EB)

The House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee's regulatory legislation on recombinant DNA technology is discussed along with university reactions to it. Violations of federal guidelines and legal efforts are described. (LBH)