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The purpose of this investigation was to determine the positions of editors of journals who were sent a questionnaire designed to investigate (1) policies concerning acceptance rates, major reasons for rejection, lag times to publication and (2) the implications of trends for efforts to disseminate scholarly work. Questionnaires were sent to 106 editors of journals, identified by Otto (1974), who typically publish articles pertaining to reading. Sixty-seven variables were statistically analyzed to determine current publishing policies, as well as anticipated trends. The data indicate a substantial increase in the number of manuscripts being submitted, resulting in drastic decreases in acceptance rates and extended lag time to publication. Failure to add to the current body of knowledge and poorly written articles were the most frequent reasons for rejection. Conclusions, expected trends, and suggestions for authors and editors are also discussed. Tables giving the policies of 55 educational journals are included. (Author/MAI)

The relationship of teacher self-concept, knowledge of skills for teaching reading, and teaching effectiveness as judged by reading supervisors was examined in a study of 101 primary school teachers. The teachers were administered self-concept and knowledge of reading tests, and the effectiveness of each teacher was evaluated by a reading supervisor and the school principal. In addition, the teachers rated their own effectiveness. Their years of teaching experience and background were also examined. The results indicated that teacher self-concept and years of teaching experience were the best predictors of teacher knowledge of reading, while the knowledge factor was a highly significant predictor of teacher effectiveness. Other findings suggested that the most effective teachers as judged by reading supervisors had the least knowledge of skills for teaching reading and the poorest self-concept and that, conversely, those teachers judged least effective had the greatest knowledge of skills for teaching reading and the highest self-concept. (FL)

This is an account of some of the issues raised during 5 years of design, development and operation of the English Language Testing Service (ELTS). The measures in question are made up of five sub-tests: two general tests of reading and listening comprehension, and three modular tests of language study skills in reading, writing, and speaking. The modular tests are in six versions according to the special purpose for which English will be studied. The stages of the work discussed are design, development, operation, and validation. Work in the design stage isolated two major issues: the specification of test content and the different types of test-users. Work in development included overall shape of the test, test realization and pre-testing. The particular issue isolated for discussion in the operation of ELTS is the control of 80 test centers. With regard to on-going evaluation, analyses of test items for each quarter's tests, analyses of sub-test specifications, and validation of profiles (predictive validity) are being carried on. (AMH)

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Library and information services increasingly face the challenge of justifying the value they are adding to their organisation. SPICe, the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, was created at the end of the 20th century to meet the needs of the new Scottish Parliament. With the opportunity to start afresh, this paper analyses the most important elements on which new services were based. These include the need to align your service with the objectives of your organisation, the need to build and maintain your credibility, and the need to meet your customers face to face. The biggest challenge facing research and information staff in the 21st century is identified as the need to embrace change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering and Applied Sciences

Information about the presentation by Janet Seaton, head of research and information services of the Scottish Parliament, discussed during the 68th International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Council and General Conference held on August 18 to 24, 2002 in Glasgow, Scotland is presented. Seaton talked about the vital role played by the Scottish Parliament's research and information service to lawmakers and other administrative agencies.

Communications policymaking increasingly relies upon large-scale databases manufactured and marketed by commercial organizations. These data providers supplement the limited data gathering capacity of government bodies and thereby bring a greater quantity of relevant data to bear on policy issues than would otherwise be possible. These data are utilized extensively by stakeholders with an interest in policy outcomes to conduct and submit studies that policymakers rely upon in their deliberations. One byproduct of this situation is that, to the increasing extent that the data relied upon in policymaking, policy analysis, and policy advocacy are provided by commercial organizations, substantial inequalities in access to these data arise. Specifically, certain actors in the policymaking process, such as academic researchers and public interest organizations, lack the resources of communications firms and industry associations to access the data that are vital to conducting thorough, reliable, and persuasive policy research. Policymakers themselves often find their research objectives inhibited by the enormous expense associated with relevant large-scale commercial datasets, and thus find themselves increasingly reliant upon the analyses conducted by those stakeholder groups with the resources necessary to gain access to such data. As a result of these information asymmetries, policy decision-making is likely to suffer, as the research inputs inevitably fail to reflect the full range of considerations across the full range of interested stakeholders. This paper illustrates these issues via a case study of the FCC's 2003 media ownership proceeding and offers suggestions for how existing disparities in access to policy-relevant data might be addressed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]