The goal of this study was to develop a self-report inventory that measures individual differences in the perceived value of mathematical literacy for general education students.The Mathematics Value Inventory (MVI) is grounded in the Eccles et al. model of achievement-related choices and surveys students’ beliefs in four areas: interest, general utility, need for high achievement, and personal cost. This study describes the development and initial score validation of the MVI. As hypothesized, it was found that (a) MVI scores for students who were not majoring in math did not differ by gender, (b) students who had higher MVI scores had completed more college course work in math than did students with lower scores, and (c) MVI scores were not related to scores on a measure of social desirability.

With the availability of new functional and structural neuroimaging techniques, researchers have begun to localize brain areas that may be dysfunctional in offenders who are aggressive and violent. Our review of 17 neuroimaging studies reveals that the areas associated with aggressive and/or violent behavioral histories, particularly impulsive acts, are located in the prefrontal cortex and the medial temporal regions. These findings are explained in the context of negative emotion regulation, and suggestions are provided concerning how such findings may affect future theoretical frameworks in criminology, crime prevention efforts, and the functioning of the criminal justice system.

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association [APA], 2010) provides a widely utilized template for preparing research reports in the behavioral sciences. Because learning APA style is integral to disciplinary socialization, our department recently implemented a 1-hr course in scientific writing. Using a pre-and posttest factorial design, we compare changes in APA knowledge over an academic semester and quality of final papers in 2 groups of students: those enrolled in scientific writing (n = 20) and others who were expected to master APA basics on their own (n = 18). Results suggest that intensive instruction in APA style is beneficial for student learning outcomes.

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