The Impact of Question and Respondent Characteristics on Comprehension and Mapping Difficulties

Behavior coding is one technique researchers use to detect problemsin survey questions, but it has been primarily explored as apractical tool rather than a source of insight into the theoreticalunderstanding of the cognitive processes by which respondentsanswer survey questions. The latter is the focus of the currentinvestigation. Using data from a large study in which face-to-faceinterviews were taped and extensive behavior coding was done,we tested whether sets of respondent behavior codes could beused to distinguish respondent difficulties with comprehensionof the question from difficulties associated with mapping ajudgment onto the response format provided, and whether characteristicsof the survey questions and respondents could be used to predictwhen and for whom such difficulties would occur. Sets of behaviorcodes were identified that reflected comprehension and mappingdifficulties, and these two types of difficulties were associatedwith different question and respondent characteristics. Thisevidence suggests that behavior coding shows promise as a toolfor researchers studying the cognitive processes involved inanswering survey questions.     

Goal Ambiguity and Organizational Performance in U.S. Federal Agencies

In spite of numerous observations that government organizationshave high levels of organizational goal ambiguity that exertmajor influences on their other characteristics, few researchershave measured goal ambiguity and tested these frequent assertions.In previous research, we developed measures of four dimensionsof goal ambiguity: mission comprehension ambiguity, directivegoal ambiguity, evaluative goal ambiguity, and priority goalambiguity. Confirming hypotheses developed from the literatureon public organizations, the latter three variables showed relationsto such organizational characteristics as organizational age,financial publicness (proportion of funding from governmentallocations), and regulatory status. This article reports asecond analytical step of examining the relations between thegoal ambiguity dimensions and indicators of organizational performancebased on responses to the 2000 National Partnership for ReinventingGovernment Survey of federal employees. The performance variablesincluded managerial effectiveness, customer service orientation,productivity, and work quality. Regression analyses with numerouscontrol variables found that directive, evaluative, and prioritygoal ambiguity related negatively to managerial effectiveness.All four performance indicators showed significant negativerelationships with evaluative goal ambiguity and directive goalambiguity. The results provide further evidence of the viabilityof the new measures of goal ambiguity, support theory-basedbut previously untested hypotheses, and further indicate thefeasibility and value of analyzing goal ambiguity of governmentorganizations.     

树立全面质量观，加强全面管理，保障高教质量

随着我国高等教育由精英教育向大众教育转变，出现了多种教育质量观。根据当前高等教育质量观的多元化发展趋势，强调要树立全面的质量观，并用全面的质量观来引导教学管理．针对影响质量的各个环节加强监控，保证高等教育的教学质量提高。     

牛心朴子草抗植物病毒组分的生物活性研究

牛心朴子草地上部分醇浸粗提物（H）对烟草花叶病毒（TMV）有高抑制活性。该草抗植物病毒有效组分是菲并吲哚是西定生物总碱（G），半中枯斑法测定（G）制剂对TMV，马铃薯Y病毒（PVY），和芜菁花叶病毒（TUMV）呈现高活性；用酶联免疫法（Elisa)测定(G）制剂对TUMV的最佳浓度防效，与枯斑法测定结果基本要符。（G）中含量最丰的（1）7－脱甲氧基娃儿藤碱（antofine)是该草活性最高的主组分，它在10^-6g/ml浓度的TMV抑制率达60％。     

论创新教育与大学生课外科技活动

介绍了大学开展创新教育的意义及对大学生的影响 ,论述了创新教育与大学生课外科技活动的关系 ,即创新教育是大学生课外科技活动出成果的前提 ,大学生课外科技活动是创新教育的新平台和主要形式 ,它既是创新教育的实践环节 ,检验着创新教育的成果 ,又丰富着创新教育的内涵 ,同时是提高大学生创新精神和能力的主要途径。提出了高校要多方面创造条件 ,深化大学生课外科技活动。     

试论高校创新人才培养

知识经济时代的制胜法宝是人才 ,具有创新意识和创造能力的人才 ,而培养创新人才的关键是在于教育。从理论和实践上对高校创新人才培养模式的构建进行了一些探讨 ,强调了教育改革在构建创新人才培养模式中的主导作用和提高教师素质的重要性     

论室外雕塑艺术

室外雕塑已开始成为城市园林绿化、市政建设、旅游休闲的新亮点,室外雕塑与社会时代、与环境、与人的关系越来越紧密。室外雕塑以其特有的艺术语言,通过视觉形象移情于现众,极大地满足了观众的审美要求。     

"别说"李、杜优劣

在雅、俗两种文化中 ,李白和杜甫的影响显然不同。居室文化 ,大致属于雅的范畴 ,其中杜甫的影响较大 ;酒文化 ,俗的成份较多 ,其中李白的影响较大。相形之下 ,李白比杜甫更加贴近人民大众。     

宣传部门干部职业道德素质的培养机制

宣传部门干部职业道德素质的培养机制包括社会培养机制和自我提升机制。社会培养机制是提高干部职业道德素质的外在机制 ,自我提升机制则是提高干部职业道德素质的内在机制。外在机制是干部职业道德培养的具有决定意义的环境条件 ,干部的自我学习、自我改造、自我完善是宣传干部提升自身道德素质不可或缺的主观条件。     

两次南方谈话:马克思主义党建理论的两座丰碑

1992年春,邓小平同志发表南方谈话,标志着邓小平党建理论的成熟。2000年春,江泽民同志发表南方谈话,提出了“三个代表”的重要思想。两次南方谈话,两大理论创新,在马克思主义执政党建设理论的发展史上矗立起了两座不朽的丰碑。