This document contains 14 research paper presentations and 5 "mini-tips" from the 1998 American Vocational Education Research Association (AVERA) annual meeting. The first section includes three papers on international and distance education: "Determining Success of Vocational Students Enrolled in Distance Education Courses" (Michael K. Swan, Diane H. Jackman); "The Use of Applied Communications in Developing Critical Thinking Skills of Tech Prep Students" (Don R. Gelven, Bob R. Stewart); and "Using Delphi Technique to Create a Definition of Internationalization" (Barbara G. Ludwig). Three papers on school-to-work transition issues are included in the second section: "School-to-Work Curricula in the Middle Schools: Benefits, Issues, and Concerns" (Curtis Finch, Marianne Mooney);"Comparing Three Automotive Partnership Programs at the Community College Level with the School-to-Work Model" (Michael L Klyde, Leonard Albright); and "Stages of Concern of Administrators and Teachers in the Implementation of the School to Work Transition Initiative in North Carolina" (Barbara M. Kirby, Wilbur Smith). Two papers on university instruction in agriculture make up the third section: "Attitudes of College of Agriculture Freshmen Toward Agriculture" (Lisa Breja, James E. Dyer, Randall J. Andreasen); and "Safety Issues in Agriculture Education Laboratories" (James E. Dyer and Randall Andreasen). The fourth section contains papers on recent doctoral research in vocational education: "Factors Influencing Females Choosing Nontraditional Vocational-Technical Occupations" (Susan Deege); "Work Values and Leadership Styles of Manufacturing Employees in the U.S. and Germany: A Cross Cultural Comparison" (K. Peter Kuchinke); "Technical and Occupational Education Instructors' Perceived Uses of Student Assessment Information in Making Educational Decisions" (Greg Belcher); and "The Education of Retail Managers through Management Training Programs in Apparel Retail Organizations" (Irene M. Foster, William L. Theummel). In the fifth section, two papers explore assessment in vocational education: "Assessment of Work-Based Learning Programs in Georgia" (Clifton Smith); and "Assessment in the Vocational Education Classroom: Using Information for Instructional Decisions" (Howard R. D. Gordon, Richard J. Yocke). Following the papers are "mini-tips" on issues in vocational educational research: "Using Qualitative Research to Frame the Examination of an Alternative Vocational Teacher Education Program" (Gloria Heberly); "Characteristics of a Conceptual Framework Addressing the Environment of Instructional Space" (Lennie Scott-Webber); "Strengths and Weaknesses of E-mail as a Survey Research Method" (Allen D. Truell); "A Redesigned Program for the Preparation of Teachers" (Bob R. Stewart, Martin Bergee); and "Exploratory Style of Vocational Educators" (Helen C. Hall, Bettye P. Smith). Individual papers contain references. (KC)