10-second review: Suggests that readers select articles that only reinforce their political attitudes.
Title: “Looking the Other Way: Selective Exposure to Attitude-Consistent and Counter-Attitudinal Political Information.” S Knobloch-Westerwick and J Meng. Communication Research, 36 (3), 426-448, 2009.
Comment: Says something about critical thinking. People will either not read or ignore what they do not agree with. RayS.
10-second review: Suggests that people with deep problems avoid reading about these issues, while people with less difficult problems seek out information to address these issues.
Title: “Coping or Escaping?: Effects of Life Dissatisfaction on Selective Exposure.”
Comment: Might be of interest to people who believe in bibliotherapy, the technique that recommends books to deal with particular life problems. RayS.
10-second review: What are some predictors of student aggression?
Title: “Personality, Parents and Media Influences on Aggressive Personality and Violent Crime in Young Adults.” CJ Ferguson, et al. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. 17 (4), 395-414, 2008.
Summary: Finds that personality and family physical abuse are significant predictors of aggression, while media exposure is not.
Comment: Hard to argue with this conclusion, except for one point. I find it difficult to believe that the frequency of violence in the media and on video games does not increase the tendency to aggression.
I realize that a single incident is not conclusive evidence of the effect of violence in the media, but one young man, attempting to rob a florist in our neighborhood, stabbed the owner of the shop repeatedly while yelling in exasperation, “Why don’t you die? Why don’t you die?” I speculate that all of the killings in the media and on video games are quick, not dwelling on the suffering of the victim, and when this young man was involved in the real thing, he expected the same quick death in real life as on video. (By the way, the owner of the florist shop survived and the young, violent thief did considerable time in state prison.) The frequency of violence on video must make violence seem part of normal behavior to some young minds. RayS.
10-second review: What are the effects of people reading on-line newspapers?
Title: Surveying the Digital Future. Center for the Digital Future.
Summary: Participants read on-line newspapers 53 minutes a week. 22% stopped their subscriptions to print/news magazines. 61% indicate that they would miss their print version if it were not available.
Comment: The advantages that I have found in reading the on-line version of the Philadelphia Inquirer are no rain-soaked newspapers. The newspaper is not scattered all over the driveway. The newspaper is not dropped in the middle of the road to be run over by passing cars. And the newspaper delivery is not periodically missed, causing me to call the newspaper to request one. Another advantage of the on-line version is that it provides the complete story without interrupting my reading to turn to page A4 from page A1. However, a device for translating print text to online is used in printing on the screen and sometimes does not recognize certain words and garbles them.
I tend to favor reading the print version of the paper, probably from habit. I have a feeling that some people will prefer reading online and some people will prefer the print version. There is probably a need for both. But can both survive in the present economy? RayS.
10-second review: Suggests the need for more multi-modal materials in textbooks for ELL students.
Title: “English as a Second Language Learners’ Exploration of Multi-Modal Texts in a Junior High School.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 52 (7), 585-595, 2009.
Comment: “Multi-modal” means text, pictures, sound and film. Certainly more pictures will help to generate more discussion, especially pictures or diagrams of complex topics. More pictures to accompany any topic, whether in a textbook or not, makes sense in increasing the opportunity for discussion with English language learners. RayS.
10-second review: Patents, trademarks and copyright.
Title: “How to Protect Your Brilliant Idea.” Colleen Debaise. Wall street Journal (December 1, 2009), Internet.
Summary:
Patents. Most expensive and most valuable. Innovative products or business methods. Monopoly for twenty years. Need patent attorney. $2,000 to $10,000.
Trademarks. Word, symbol, logo or image, scent, sound or color. Filing fee is $375 by paper; $275 to $325 electronically.
Copyright. Original works like poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architectural designs. $45 fee by paper or $35 through the U.S. Copyright’s Online System.
Adapted from an upcoming book, The Wall Street Journal Complete Small Business Guidebook (Three Rivers Press, Dec. 29, 2009).
Comment: You’ll need much more information about these three protection programs. Check the Internet. RayS.
