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This article explores how some aspects of social construction theories are relevant to how humans study other animals and our relations with them. (LZ)

This commentary on a critique of holism within the learning disabilities field (EC 606 137) discusses differences between the natural and behavioral sciences, raises questions regarding the usefulness of the distinction between open and closed systems, challenges the notion that causation can be demonstrated without allowing for prediction, and examines the relationship between science and philosophy. (JDD)

This article provides a critique of holism within the learning disabilities field, based on its incipient subjectivism. It examines the issue of objective, scientific study in relation to the works of Richard Iano, Mary Poplin, and Lous Heshusius and recommends consideration of the perspective of critical realism, based on the writing of Roy Bhaskar. (Author/JDD)

A study of 393 Oklahoma National Merit Scholar semifinalists and 222 nonsemifinalists found the college choice criteria of the 2 groups differed somewhat and that academic excellence was more important to the former than the latter group. However, it was not shown that semifinalists used more objective criteria than nonsemifinalists. (Author/MSE)

Offers comments on earlier articles that discussed constructivism and instructional development. Social negotiation of meaning and objectivity is addressed, a multiple-perspective continuum for reconceptualizing objectivism and constructivism is explained, and the implications of constructivism for assessment are discussed. (38 references) (LRW)

Discusses anthropology's role in policy-relevant educational research, drawing on experiences in evaluating Chicago (Illinois) city schools' restructuring. Questions raised by case studies in school restructuring include qualitative researchers' role in studying educational policy, issues of objectivity in policy research, and networking opportunities for qualitative researchers and policy activists. (SLD)

The Rasch model's contributions to sample-free item calibration and item-free person measurement, and the model's robustness with respect to violations of its assumptions with real data were examined, using 3,390 Turkish high school graduates in 1986. Rasch model assumptions were only partially met by the real datasets used. (SLD)

Discusses six common characteristics and three controversial issues of feminist theory. Traces their impact on the redefinition of technical communication in terms of the myth of scientific objectivity, the new interest in ethnographic studies of workplace communication, and the recent focus on collaborative writing. (SR)

Maintains that criteria development--the process of creating standards against which to measure options--is not an objective process, but a subjective one in which criteria need to be revised in light of available options. Revises E. Banset and G. Parsons' problem-solving heuristic to more accurately reflect this subjectivity. (SR)

Addresses some theoretical, logistical, and methodological problems involved in researching the numbers of females in educational administration. The primary problem is absence of reliable national database and systematic data-gathering processes on national and state levels. Without such data, the research is incomplete, less reliable, and difficult to use for comparative purposes. Standard categories and role definitions are also lacking. (MLH)

Calls into question whether the role of literacy and the function of schooling is to accommodate economic, social, and political structures. Examines multiple viewpoints of literacy and the difficulty of constructing a concept of literacy appropriate for diverse persons and changing circumstances. (SK)

Discusses the importance of community in critical thinking, presenting objectivist and nonobjectivist views of the conduct and teaching of critical thinking. An essential insight for education resulting from the nonobjectivist conception is the development of a commitment to the ethical values of community, democracy, freedom, and equality. (SM)

Discusses the relationship of ideology, social theory, critical analysis, hegemony, and objectivity in the work of educational historians. Comments that the training of educational historians often neglects intensive ideological analysis of historical research. Argues that study of historiographical methodology and consciousness of its dimensions may accelerate the evolution of the discipline. (DK)

Challenges whether news media cover the Black community objectively and analyzes the following "myths": (1) news is objective; (2) hiring Black reporters at White-owned organizations shows commitment to racial fairness; (3) news teaches children important lessons; (4) children can distinguish media images from reality; and (5) young children are oblivious to race. (JB)

Reviews and analyzes the politicization of investigations of child abuse, emphasizing the issues of veracity and substantiation of child abuse reports. Scrutinizes recent major litigation illustrating the loss of professional objectivity. Political and ideological agendas are undermining the credibility of the mental health and social work professions. (SLD)

Describes an examination of underlying themes presented in introductory sociology textbooks published between 1975 and 1989. Concludes that the books (1) portray society as overstructured and impersonal; (2) overinterpret society in ideologically liberal ways; and (3) overrepresent sociological knowledge as the "highest knowledge" about society. Argues for teaching that counterbalances the three views. (SG)

Argues music educators must holistically address the subjective side of music listening as well as objective properties. States individual perceptions are neglected and students must experience the balance between subjective and objective realities to fully educate the senses. Advocates critical thinking and moving beyond a technical vocabulary to an experiential one. (NL)

Begins constructing a conceptual framework for moral education programs by providing an account of the objectivity of moral judgment. Argues that moral education must help students choose values to inform moral judgments; recognize and contend with moral conflict; and develop critical reflection skills for examining the assumptions that inform moral decisions. (CH)

Drawn from the postmodern view of nature, this essay discusses the distinction between two kinds of knowing (grounded and technical) and explores the implications of this distinction for selecting and teaching science curricula. The concept of presence needs to be incorporated into a curriculum overly concerned with the observing mind and external facts. Includes three references. (MLH)

Illustrates the importance of "passionate detachment" (passionate about being detached from one's position on a topic) when addressing advocacy in the classroom by describing "Introduction to Social Policy," a course on poverty. Explains that the course aims at developing an understanding of poverty, not just a list of proposed solutions. (CMK)

A recent book ("That Noble Dream: The 'Objectivity Question' and the American Historical Profession") suggests that historians should not claim far-ranging objectivity, challenging the widely held belief that different accounts of the past can be integrated into a coherent picture and that history is less subjective than other disciplines. (MSE)

Reviews four major criticisms of media coverage of social science--oversimplification, premature closure, lack of concern with the methodological and theoretical competence of the social science reported, and biased selection--and concludes they are largely justified. Argues that such shortcomings are explicable, given the structure and operating procedures of news work. (RDN)

Argues that judgments about scientific or technical facts are no more objective than any other judgments. Characterizes the objectivity of such judgments, exploring the consequences of that characterization for writing instruction, and concludes that objectivity is not particularly important in technical writing but is symptomatic of a deplorable attitude toward language. (HTH)

Examines philosophical and epistemological views which indicate that scientific objectivity is simply a shared subjectivity (focusing on categories of the real, imaginary, and symbolic). Also discusses KREATEK, an interdisciplinary database for creative sciences located at the University of Oslo. (JN)

Reviews research on two measures of transference: Q-sort questionnaire measures and psychotherapy process measures. Q-sort, although reliable, lacks validity information. Psychotherapy process measures have reliability and validity. Considerable comparability was found between process measures and operationalized propositions from Freud's observations about transference. (Author/BL)

This article focuses on steps in conducting empirical-analytic research and the problems of controlling for or estimating three sources of error: the amount of measurement error, research design error, and the amount of statistical or sampling error. (Author/CT)

Peculiar problems and opportunities that arise in teaching about the Vietnam War to a generation that has little historical memory of the events and virtually no emotional investment in the issues are discussed. (RM)

Contends that American journalists operate by behaviorist standards of "objectivity." Compares the transcript of a murder trial with newspaper coverage of that trial and finds that the latter reveals a prosecution bias in focus, choice of ideographs, journalistic qualifiers, and audience participation. (PD)

The authors focus on the organizational context of training evaluation and discuss the following main themes: What organizational factors need to be considered? What sort of objectivity can evaluation studies aspire to? What can training gain from approaches to evaluation originating outside the training literature? (CT)