Clarifying the generic limits of Talbotiella and Hymenostegia (Detarieae, Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae)

The formal description of four species of Cameroonian forest legume trees new to science has been hampered by uncertainty as to whether their correct generic placement is within Hymenostegia Harms or Talbotiella Baker f. As there has been doubt as to whether these two genera differ from one another, an investigation was undertaken so that the new species could be correctly assigned to genus. Using morphological, molecular and pollen data, our study supports the recognition of Hymenostegia and Talbotiella as distinct genera, consequently the new species are correctly placed in Talbotiella. In addition, our data reveal the extensive heterogeneous nature of Hymenostegia as currently circumscribed and the need to transfer H. breteleri to Talbotiella

Mentoring New Faculty on the Road to Tenure

One of the first mentoring steps is to help new faculty members determine how many articles can be published from their dissertations. We contend that any dissertation of seminal importance can produce multiple journal articles. For example, the literature review may be suitable for publication if it is a critique of the literature with major issues raised on the specific topic of interest. If the new faculty member did not conduct a critique of the literature, then that may be a suggestion; and as that is done, references can be updated as well. The dissertation may have resulted in a specific intervention that is worthy of a manuscript. In that manuscript, recommend to the mentee that the researched intervention should be described in detail and could be submitted to a journal related to the intervention. For example, it could have been a mathematics intervention that worked well in a secondary school program. Such a description may be helpful to secondary school administrators and could be shared via a journal supported by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals. Such suggestions from the mentor constitute the beginning of a publication plan for tenure for the new faculty member

Brief Report: Additive and Subtractive Counterfactual Reasoning of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

The development of additive (‘If only I had done…’) and subtractive (‘If only I had not done….’) counterfactual reasoning was examined in children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD) (n = 72) and typically developing controls (n = 71), aged 6–12 years. Children were presented four stories where they could generate counterfactuals based on a given consequent (e.g., ‘you left muddy footprints in the kitchen. How could that have been prevented?’). Children with HFASD increasingly used subtractive counterfactuals as they got older, but controls showed an increase in additive counterfactuals, which may be linked to their growing adaptive and flexible skills. Children with HFASD likely develop different strategies for their counterfactual reasoning. The role of IQ and ideational fluency will be discussed

Differences in Reading by the Economic Status of Texas Grade 4 Boys and Girls in Special Education: A Multiyear Statewide Investigation

In this investigation, the degree to which the economic status (i.e., Not Economically Disadvantaged, Economically Disadvantaged) of Texas Grade 4 boys and girls in special education was related to their reading performance was addressed.  Archival data from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System were analyzed for 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years on the Texas state-mandated reading assessment for Grade 4 students.  Inferential statistical analyses, conducted separately for boys and girls in special education, revealed that boys and girls in poverty had statistically significantly lower reading test scores than boys and girls who were not in poverty.  Results in all four school years were consistent with the existing research literature in that poverty negatively affects reading performance. Implications for policy and practice were provided, as well as recommendations for future research

Understanding of emotions based on counterfactual reasoning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The understanding of emotions based on counterfactual reasoning was studied in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (n = 71) and in typically developing children (n = 71), aged 6-12 years. Children were presented with eight stories about two protagonists who experienced the same positive or negative outcome, either due to their own action or by default. Relative to the comparison group, children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder were poor at explaining emotions based on downward counterfactual reasoning (i.e. contentment and relief). There were no group differences in upward counterfactual reasoning (i.e. disappointment and regret). In the comparison group, second-order false-belief reasoning was related to children's understanding of second-order counterfactual emotions (i.e. regret and relief), while children in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group relied more on their general intellectual skills. Results are discussed in terms of the different functions of counterfactual reasoning about emotion and the cognitive style of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. © The Author(s) 2012

Differences in Ethnic/Racial Diversity of Texas Community College First-Time in College Full-Time Students Over Time: A Multiyear, Statewide Analysis

In this multiyear, statewide empirical investigation, the degree to which ethnic/racial diversity of first-time in college full-time Texas community college students changed from the 1999-2000 through the 2014-2015 academic years was determined.  Over this time period, the percentage of Hispanic first-time in college full-time Texas community college students showed a statistically significant increase, whereas the percentage of White first-time in college full-time students statistically significantly decreased.  No changes were noted with respect to either Black or Asian first-time in college full-time college students during this time period.  Although some improvement was noted in the ethnic-racial diversity of Texas first-time in college full-time students, more work remains.  Implications for policy and recommendations for research were provided

Differences in the Reading Performance of Texas Grade 4 Students as a Function of Their Economic Status: A Multiyear, Statewide Analysis

In this study, the degree to which differences were present in the reading performance of Grade 4 Texas students as a function of their economic status (i.e., Not Poor, Moderately Poor, and Very Poor) was analyzed.  Data obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System for all Grade 4 students in Texas who took the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness Reading exam, were analyzed for the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 school years. In all three years examined, statistically significant differences were established in not only overall reading performance, but also in all three Reading Reporting categories. A clear stair-step effect was present. The higher the degree of poverty, the lower student STAAR Reading test scores were. Finally, the higher the degree of poverty, the lower the percentages of students who met the passing standard on the STAAR Reading exam. Future research and implications for policy and practice are suggested