To: Members of SSSR

From: Linnea Ehri, President

Date: November 1, 1997

re: News Update

Annual Meeting Program. We are all looking forward to a terrific meeting in San Diego. The dates are April 17-19, 1998. Don Shankweiler and Al Liberman will deliver keynote addresses as recipients of the Outstanding Scientific Contribution Award. Ralph Reynolds and Charles Perfetti who are co-chairing the Program Committee received about 116 paper proposals. This contrasts with last year's total of 68 papers. Thus, the program in 1998 will be very full. To fit all the papers into 2 1/2 days, more will be scheduled as interactive paper sessions (i.e., posters). Proposals submitted by active members are presently being reviewed. William Russell, Executive Officer of AERA, is arranging our hotel and rooms. More details will follow in January.

Election Results. The secretary, Nancy Jackson, has tallied the votes for Vice President and for a new Board Member to replace Keith Stanovich. Richard Olson will be our new Vice President. The choice for board member was difficult. Anne Cunningham emerged with the most votes. Congratulations to Dick and Anne! Extreme appreciation is expressed to the other candidates for their willingness to serve.

Dues. A 1998 dues statement is enclosed. Be sure to pay up your dues by the end of this year. The dues have not increased at this time, contrary to previous announcements.

Scientific Studies of Reading. As you all know, our journal is topping the charts in article quality! Be sure to submit your finest papers to Joanna Williams, our diligent editor, who is running a superb operation. You have probably just received the final issue (#4) of Volume 1. The first two issues of Volume 2 are in press. Both Volumes 2 and 3 will include guest edited issues, one edited by Rolf Zwaan and Art Graesser, the other by John Guthrie and Allan Wigfield. If there are topics you would like to see addressed in future guest-edited issues of the Journal, be sure to convey your suggestions to Joanna. Her email address is: jpw15@columbia.edu. Any other suggestions are also welcome.

Tucked in the center of Issue #4 which just arrived in the mail is a corrected label which you should attach to the cover of Issue 3. Inadvertently, Louisa Moats's name was omitted in the announcement of the guest editors. Both Barbara Foorman and Louisa brought together a highly informative set of papers and deserve heaps of praise and acknowledgment.

Criteria Defining Scientific Research. Attached to this memo is the draft of a statement prepared by the Principles Committee headed by Cathy Roller. The task given to the committee by the Board of Directors was to develop a definition and criteria clarifying what scientific research is and how to distinguish it from pseudo-scientific research. Please review the statement and return any comments or suggestions for changes to Cathy. The aim here is to develop a succinct statement that will represent the views of the organization on this issue and can be distributed upon request.

Let's Help Our Graduate Students. Don't forget that graduate students are vital to SSSR. They have presented important papers at our annual meetings. They are our future. One thing we can do to help students is to make sure that junior level faculty positions are posted on the SSSR listserve. If your department has an opening, please take steps to get information posted.

(OVER)

Suggestions from graduate students are welcome. You can email them to me at: LEhri@email.gc.cuny.edu.

Posting Information on the SSSR Listserve. to be added later

Expression of Deep Gratitude. At the end of the year, the present officers will retire or rotate upwards. Past President Ron Carver will move off the board. I will become Past President. Ralph Reynolds will become President, Charles Perfetti President Elect, and Richard Olson Vice President. We will remain in these positions for two-year terms. Keith Stanovich will retire from his position as board member to be replaced by Anne Cunningham. Board members who will continue are Robert Calfee and Rebecca Treiman.

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all the officers and board members who have contributed so much to the organization. I am especially indebted to those who have served for two years as my appointed officers. They were extremely faithful, responsive, and conscientious in carrying out their duties: Secretary Nancy Jackson, Treasurer Joe Torgesen, Historian Barbara Foorman, Conference Coordinator Dolores Perin, International Coordinator Pieter Reitsma, and Publications Chair Mark Sadoski. Also I could not have managed without the able assistance of Darlene Beeman, our Association Manager, who handled so many matters with great efficiency. These people made my life as president easy and pleasurable.

Also I would like to convey my thanks to the chair of the Principles Committee who will be stepping down, Cathy Roller. She has launched a draft of our first set of principles. Congratulations!

To subscribe to the SSSR listserve, send an email request to Ralph Reynolds: Reynolds@gse.utah.edu. Once you are a member of the listserve you can post messages on the listserve by sending your message to: SSSR@gse.utah.edu.

Note: Some text problems, continued right off of ".utah.edu."

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