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The purpose of this paper is to examine the pre‐ and post‐split behavior for trades and quotes of iShare exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) that split in June 2005. The objective is to determine whether post‐split changes in the bid‐ask spread, trade turnover, average dollar‐size trade, frequency of small trades, trade price location, and order imbalance support either or both of the two widely examined hypotheses for the motivation for share splits.

The impact of the iShares split around the split date was studied, using the measures above to examine the support, if any, for each of two hypotheses, broker promotion and/or the trading inconvenience, with regard to the sample and time period under study.

Bid‐ask spread, average dollar order size, and frequency of small trades were found to fail to reject the broker‐promotion hypothesis, while the increase in post‐split turnover fails to reject the trading‐inconvenience hypothesis. Changes in the trade‐price‐location parameter and in order imbalance fail to support either hypothesis.

Because of the importance of basket securities in the determination of the prices for listed securities, issuers of these securities, investors and regulators should be interested whether the price behavior of splitting iShares is similar to that experienced in other securities.

Numerous studies in the literature have investigated the effects of stock splits on individual securities, but it is believed, none has yet appeared studying the recent splits in iShares.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

The extensive distribution of fake news on the internet (FNI) has significantly affected many lives. Although numerous studies have recently been conducted on this topic, few have helped us to systematically understand the antecedents and consequences of FNI. This study contributes to the understanding of FNI and guides future research.

Drawing on the input–process–output framework, this study reviews 202 relevant articles to examine the extent to which the antecedents and consequences of FNI have been investigated. It proposes a conceptual framework and poses future research questions.

First, it examines the “what”, “why”, “who”, “when”, “where” and “how” of creating FNI. Second, it analyses the spread features of FNI and the factors that affect the spread of FNI. Third, it investigates the consequences of FNI in the political, social, scientific, health, business, media and journalism fields.

The extant reviews on FNI mainly focus on the interventions or detection of FNI, and a few analyse the antecedents and consequences of FNI in specific fields. This study helps readers to synthetically understand the antecedents and consequences of FNI in all fields. This study is among the first to summarise the conceptual framework for FNI research, including the basic relevant theoretical foundations, research methodologies and public datasets.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

Religious doctrines generally encourage people to behave ethically. However, in daily life, individuals notice inconsistencies between religious beliefs and behavior, leading them to ask, in the context of commerce, why religious consumers would behave unethically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of consumers' intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on their ethical behavior. Specifically, the moderating effect of ethical ideology on the relationship between Indonesian consumers' religiosity and their ethics was examined by means of a survey.

The data derived from the questionnaire were complemented by convenience samples of Indonesians living in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) in central Java. The researchers distributed 600 questionnaires in two major shopping malls and several housing areas in the region, of which 467 were completed and returned, for an overall response rate of 77.8%.

The results indicated that the participants' intrinsic religiosity negatively impacted their ethical beliefs and was mediated by their idealistic ethical ideology. The present study also found that idealism had negative effects on three of the four dimensions of the consumer ethics scale (CES) (actively benefiting, passively benefiting and questionable behavior), while relativism had positive effects on two of the dimensions (passively benefiting and questionable behavior.

One limitation of the present study was that the analysis did not distinguish among the religions practiced by the respondents to the questionnaire.

This is one of the first few studies investigating the mediating role of ethical ideology in a religious society. This study contributes to the literature on these issues in theoretical and managerial terms by extending the Hunt-Vitell theory (1986) to the context of consumer ethics.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the literature on the effects of stock splits from mutual funds splits and the QQQ split to 20 exchange traded funds (ETFs) that span a wide variety of indexes. The split sample is compared to a non‐split control sample with similar characteristics between 2000 and 2006. The objectives of this study are to investigate whether the results are different between the split sample and the control sample; and whether these results are similar to other investment vehicles in the existing literature.

The paper examines stock excess returns, total capital, several measures of liquidity, and the premium or discount relative to net present value around the split. It also tests for increases in smaller trades after the split.

The results support the hypothesis that two key management objectives of splitting an ETF stock are to increase demand from retail investors and to increase the total capital under management. Support is also found for the existence of momentum in stock price indexes.

The effects of splits are examined in a larger group of ETFs that includes less‐heavily traded stocks than the QQQ. These smaller ETFs potentially have more to gain in terms of increased investor interest than the QQQ.

Positive excess returns were found in the split ETFs before and after the split. This is consistent with the tendency for stocks to be split following a large price run‐up, and with momentum theory. Also, significant increases were found in total capital under management and shares outstanding after the splits for the splitting stocks. This is consistent with the hypothesis that a key goal of managers is to increase their compensation via higher total capital under management. Finally, significant increases were found in the number of small trades and dollar values of trades as a percentage of all trades (and of total dollar volumes) in the split sample. These results support the hypothesis that a primary objective (and result) of ETF stock splits is to make the shares more attractive to individual investors – despite possible deterioration of liquidity as evidenced by wider bid/ask spreads.

Ethical, legal and medical progress has been made in end‐of‐life care, addressing crucial issues in the application of principles to clinical cases. However, despite the progress, there are still unresolved issues concerning the scope and effectiveness of personal decision making and the proper use of last resort measures in terminal care. An analysis of the progress discloses both the advances and the problems still confronting patients and their families. From this perspective, one gains a better understanding of the reality of terminal care and areas that call for reform.

A historical analysis reveals the interrelation between moral and legal reasoning and their differences. It also discloses developments in the moral and legal realms that recognize rights of the patient with regard to treatment decisions. A critique of ethical and legal reasoning and medical practice pin‐points the salient problems.

There are still problems in the application of legal and ethical principles to specific cases. These problems are complicated by poor physician‐patient communication, the ineffective use of advance directives and the impact of the market economy on comprehensive palliative care. These call for reform to protect personal rights and dignity at the end of life.

A historical approach, too often lacking, promotes insight into the complexities of end‐of‐life care. An analysis flowing from such a perspective pin‐points not only the advances in ethical, legal and medical practice but also the flaws and inconsistencies that call for a more realistic approach in reasoning and practice.

What proof have the public, independent of the assertions of the makers, that all the firms whose products are sold indifferently by the shopkeepers use only the best materials; or, indeed, that a large number of the articles sold are not mixtures more or less objectionable or fraudulent ? This, in effect, is the question put by a writer in a West of England newspaper, and it might be used as a text upon which to write a lengthy homily on the adulteration question and on the astonishing gullibility of the public. As a matter of fact the only evidence of the character and quality of food and other products, in regard to which there is no independent guarantee, is that which is afforded by the standing of the makers, and to some extent of the firms which offer them for sale. And this evidence cannot, under any circumstances, be looked upon as constituting proof. The startling allegations so commonly put forward by advertisers with respect to their wares, while they may be ineffective in so far as thinking people are concerned, must nevertheless be found pecuniarily advantageous since the expense involved in placing them under the eyes of the public would otherwise hardly be incurred. Many of these advertised allegations are, of course, entirely unjustifiable, or are incapable of proof. It may be hoped that the lavish manner in which they are set out, and their very extravagance, may, in time, result in producing a general effect not contemplated by the advertisers. In the meantime it cannot be too often pointed out that proof, such as that which is required for the satisfaction of the retailer and for the protection of the public, can only be obtained by the exercise of an independent control, and, in certain cases, by the maintenance of efficient independent inspection in addition, so that a guarantee of a character entirely different to that which may be offered, even by a firm of the highest eminence, may be supplied.

The purpose of this paper is to look at the positive future gains of reaching women with perinatal mental illness at the first midwifery booking-in appointment, a unique opportunity that could be more widely used as a point of detection, awareness and prevention of illness in the perinatal period.

A more robust section of this appointment that includes focussed detection and awareness of prior and current mental health concerns as well as the stigma attached to these conditions will allow midwives to signpost women to get much needed treatment prior to delivery. Suitable treatment options also need to be available and in place at this point.

The existing booking-in process, for highlighting and diagnosing mental health conditions, has limited suitability. Detection in the postnatal period has inherent difficulties due to time pressures on women, the costs to the mother, baby, family and the economic costs to society, which are considerable. The postnatal period may be too late for treatment, with the harm already done to the woman, their baby and their family.

Research is needed to assess the efficacy of such a strategy, including the costs to train the midwives to deliver this additional service, and the consideration of suitable treatment options at the antenatal stage. This may help to reduce the high levels of attrition within treatment programmes currently running.

This paper fulfils a need to diagnose and prevent perinatal mental illness at an earlier point in pregnancy.

The following classified, annotated list of titles is intended to provide reference librarians with a current checklist of new reference books, and is designed to supplement the RSR review column, “Recent Reference Books,” by Frances Neel Cheney. “Reference Books in Print” includes all additional books received prior to the inclusion deadline established for this issue. Appearance in this column does not preclude a later review in RSR. Publishers are urged to send a copy of all new reference books directly to RSR as soon as published, for immediate listing in “Reference Books in Print.” Reference books with imprints older than two years will not be included (with the exception of current reprints or older books newly acquired for distribution by another publisher). The column shall also occasionally include library science or other library related publications of other than a reference character.