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With the increase in digitized content available, new presidential research avails itself to more quantitative analysis. More digitized resources from government agencies and private and university repositories allow presidential scholars access to a broader universe of content. Data for analysis include digitized documents, oral histories, and data sets. Presidential scholars and researchers have the option to collaborate with programmers, computer scientists, and graduate students to become acquainted with current repositories and experiment with new technologies such as text mining and the R programming language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's mental health and development issues are considered a significant concern today. A century and more ago children's mental health and developmental disorders were likely understood differently. This paper examines the portrayal of children's mental health and developmental disorders in all 41 accessible articles on the topic indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature from 1890 to 1920. It focuses on these three decades as a time of fundamental economic, political and social transition before the first text in Child Psychiatry was published and the first professorship in the field established. It was also before the beginning of the influential child guidance movement. In particular, the research asks (i) what were the ‘disorders’ discussed and of what were they said to consist?, (ii) what was said to cause them? and (iii) what was thought best to be done about them? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the concept of global anthropology and the place of an East Asian anthropology and anthropologists within this framework. Topics discussed include the experience of the author as an anthropologist in Hong Kong, the impact of economic development and technological innovation on the study of anthropology, and the reasons East Asia is not yet ready to assume leadership role in anthropology. The factors that would help create a common East Asian anthropology are mentioned.

The article discusses the growing interest on the experiences of Black men in society and education. Topics discussed include the growing number of academic publications, conference presentations and peer-reviewed works focusing on Black boys and men, the increasing number of books on Black males in postsecondary education and the complexity of the nature of social science research and the modified literature metasynthesis approach to research on Black men in college.

This collection of observations, insights, and strategies summarizes the findings from the Education Advisory Board's 2011 research initiative, 'Redefining the Academic Library: Managing the Migration to Digital Information Services', which was conducted on behalf of its membership of over 200 provosts and vice-presidents for academic affairs at institutions across North America. The full report is freely accessible at http://www.educationadvisoryboard.com/pdf/23634-EAB-Redefining-the-Academic-Library.pdf [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Feedback is important in clinical education. However, the medical education literature provides no consensual definition of feedback. The aim of this study is to propose a consensual, research-based, operational definition of feedback in clinical education. An operational definition is needed for educational practice and teacher training, and for research into the effectiveness of different types of feedback. Methods A literature search about definitions of feedback was performed in general sources, meta-analyses and literature reviews in the social sciences and other fields. Feedback definitions given from 1995 to 2006 in the medical education literature are also reviewed. Results Three underlying concepts were found, defining feedback as ‘information’; as ‘reaction’, including information, and as a ‘cycle’, including both information and reaction. In most medical education and social science literature, feedback is usually conceptualised as information only. Comparison of feedback definitions in medical education reveals at least 9 different features. The following operational definition is proposed. Feedback is: ‘Specific information about the comparison between a trainee’s observed performance and a standard, given with the intent to improve the trainee’s performance.’ Conclusions Different conceptual representations and the use of different key features might be a cause for inconsistent definitions of feedback. The characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of this research-based operational definition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the changes made to a distance learning course at the Open University in England. The course consists of specific learning outcomes related to information literacy. Under the course, students are required to demonstrate their use of the process of information retrieval and complete an information literacy diagnostic test online at the start of the knowledge management unit. Moreover, the students are given study weeks to practice information literacy skills. The majority of teaching the course is done through a printed learning guide.

Elizabeth Elstob was a scholar of Anglo-Saxon, who published two important books and was admired by the leaders of the new movement for Anglo-Saxon studies in the early eighteenth century. She was able to be part of this community because her brother William encouraged and enabled it. His death in 1715 was a catastrophe, marking the end of her productive life as an intellectual and plunging her into poverty. She disappeared for almost twenty years, but was discovered and rescued by the first generation of bluestockings. A project she had begun – a history of intellectual women – was taken up and completed by George Ballard. His Memoirs of British Ladies(1752) included Elstob's memories about Mary Astell, and is, among other things, the single most important source of information about this pioneer feminist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naive (end-user) searchers were assigned to two different experimental conditions and given conceptual instruction in online searching. The subjects, fourteen graduate students in mass communication, were searching on topics framed in a mass-communication context. Seven subjects were assigned to conduct a search in printed indexes followed by a search in DIALOG electronic files. The other seven subjects were assigned to conduct a search in DIALOG electronic files followed by a search in printed indexes. The precision of the electronic searches was measured, and the total relevant items found in the combined search was computed. The first hypothesis, that the manual/electronic searches would be more precise than the electronic/ manual searches, was not supported by standard measures of statistical significance, but the direction of effect was supportive. The second hypothesis, that an electronic/manual search will locate, overall, more relevant items than a manual/electronic search, was also not statistically supported, but did show supportive direction of effect. Small sample size may be the cause of the statistically insignificant findings. The study suggests that for naive searchers, an electronic search followed by a manual search may be the best approach for covering a large and complex topic with an expanding literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part III. Evaluates the ways in which nursing bodies can build up libraries and library resources for the profession. Statistical guides for the profession; Plea for inclusion of basic training in the use of library tools and in professional writing in nursing education.

The process and compexity of scientific communication is presented in graphic form. A plan is presented for the development of a library network involving the National Agricultural Library and a selected group of libraries of land-grant colleges. The proposal is to cover the entire literature in the field of biology and agriculture by the method of each library assuming responsibility for a collection in depth in a given special subject area, and then, through an AIBS central clearing house, furnishing information and actual articles to all participating libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on library services for people with special needs in Northern Ireland. In 1979, the library committee of the Southeastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) commissioned a review of library services to people with varying degrees of disability. Major recommendations were, namely, materials and services must be as relevant to the needs of disabled people as materials and services provided for those without disability in so far as possible; the needs of disabled people for library and information services must be established by direct contact with the people themselves or their representatives; new technology must be applied where it can bring improvement etc. The SEELB service by its very nature has always been client-orientated and client-led, with a continuous programme of visits to residential homes and centers, to ensure good communication with activity nurses, therapists and residents. The SEELB library service has a long-standing policy commitment to lifelong learning and education. Such services provide typical benefits to elderly people like keeping them active both mentally and physically for longer, developing new practical skills and the confidence to use them, being more actively involved in the local community, being more creative etc.

Reports several news pertaining to school and educational matters. Appeal of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for the Ernest Gellner Memorial Fund; International Journal of Cultural studies launched in 1998; Exhibition on the evolution of life at Liverpool museum; Application for research grants in the study of Christian Movements.