Abstracts and abstractors' critiques of nine published research reports related to problem solving, elementary school science, science process skills, and curriculum and instruction are presented. Aspects addressed in the studies include: (1) problem-solving skills of high school chemistry students; (2) spatial puzzles and the assessment of children's problem-solving performance; (3) high school students' ability to solve molarity problems and their analog counterparts; (4) the development of a children's science measure; (5) teacher and supervisory perceptions of elementary science supervision; (6) student task involvement and achievement in process-oriented science activities; (7) attainment of skills in using science processes: instrumentation, methodology, and analysis; (8) secondary school students' beliefs about the physics laboratory; and (9) a national survey of curriculum needs as perceived by professional environmental educators. Included for each study are the purpose, rationale, research design and procedure, findings, and interpretations. (TW)