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It has been suggested that representing an action through observation and imagery share neural processes with action execution. In support of this view, motor-priming research has shown that observing an action can influence action initiation. However, there is little motor-priming research showing that imagining an action can modulate action initiation. The current study examined whether action imagery could prime subsequent execution of a reach and grasp action. Across two motion analysis tracking experiments, 40 participants grasped an object following congruent or incongruent action imagery. In Experiment 1, movement initiation was faster following congruent compared to incongruent imagery, demonstrating that imagery can prime the initiation of grasping. In Experiment 2, incongruent imagery resulted in slower movement initiation compared to a no-imagery control. These data show that imagining a different action to that which is performed can interfere with action production. We propose that the most likely neural correlates of this interference effect are brain regions that code imagined and executed actions. Further, we outline a plausible mechanistic account of how priming in these brain regions through imagery could play a role in action cognition. (Contains 3 figures.)

This article reports the substance of an interview with Grady R. Hazel, Executive Director of the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Hazel has been director of the Society of Louisiana CPAs since 1995. The 6,500-member organization is headquartered in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans. A native of Baton Rouge, Hazel has been involved in major change initiatives undertaken by the accounting profession and speaks frequently to a variety of professional and academic audiences about trends in accounting, most recently on challenges to the profession in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In this interview, Hazel talked about how Sarbanes-Oxley Act has affected corporate financial reporting, particularly the auditing process. Hazel also talked about the increased litigation in corporate auditing, and predicted the most significant challenges for corporate financial reporting. This interview confirmed what has been widely known in the accounting profession: The current demands of auditing and corporate financial reporting necessitate that accounting students learn to communicate ethically and efficiently.

Offers a critique of existing methods of assessing the human interest of basic writing textbooks, contending that most are abstract and subjective and that the more objective Flesch formula inflates texts' human-interest level. Advocates modifying existing formulas and guidelines. Suggests criteria (e.g., appropriateness of readability level) for assessing interest. (DMM)

Summarizes the life and work of Jay R. Gould, a pioneer in the field of technical writing and communication. (MM)

Provides a comprehensive listing of all the known and available publications of Jay R. Gould, a pioneer in the field of technical writing and communication. Includes listings of Gould's books, plays, short stories, articles, essays, and papers, as well as unpublished items and items written about Gould. (MM)

Presents the composition program policy statement of the Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne. Discusses the following topics: (1) the goal of freshman writing courses; (2) rhetorical awareness and context; (3) the writing process; (4) areas often overemphasized; (5) writing assignments; and (6) evaluating student writing. (JG)

When readability formulas are used to review workbooks and textbooks their value is limited because application techniques have failed to take into consideration the exercises and examples in these books. The O'Hear and Ramsey (OR) Corrective technique has been developed to alleviate this problem. It allows readability data to be used accurately in making two kinds of comparisons. First, the reading levels of text, exercises, and examples within a book can be compared, thus revealing possible inconsistencies. Second, the data can be used (1) to produce whole-book reading levels (which have been adjusted on the basis of the three categories) and therefore (2) to compare one book with another. No matter which readability formula is used, the first three steps in applying the OR Corrective technique are the same: select chapters; estimate amount of text, exercise, and example in those chapters; and calculate estimated percentage of text, example, and exercise in the whole book. The fourth step, determining the readability level of each content category, differs with the formula selected. The fifth step, recombining the levels of the categories to obtain corrected whole-book readability, is again universal. To see whether the OR Corrective technique improved the accuracy of readability estimates, it was used with the Flesch, SMOG, and Fry formulas in determining the readability of three textbooks. Results determined that this technique is a way to gain accurate readability data. (HOD)