two activities served to integrate the website and led the participant toward the authorship

of a complete, cohesive narrative.

 Volunteer participants were recruited at two universities in different areas of the

United States to participate in this research initiative. Participants were randomly

assigned by the online system into one of four groups, two experimental groups and two

control groups. In order to assess the utility of the intervention, the Career Decision

Scale (CDS) was administered in a pretest/posttest design to assess change in career

certainty and career indecision (Osipow, 1987 & 1999; Peng, 2001; Riddle & Hiebert,

1995; Savickas, 2000a).

 History of Career Development

 Frank Parsons, the father of career development theory, articulated the first

integrative model of vocational guidance culminating in the Trait and Factor theory

(Collin & Young, 2000; Hansen, 2000; Peavy, 1996; Savickas, 1993; 2000b; Zunker,

2002). Parsons' theory and practice developed along with the demand for vocational

services. As the American economy was mostly agrarian before that time, career

development services and career counseling were largely unnecessary (Collin & Young,

2000; Peavy, 1996; Savickas, 1993; 2000b; Zunker, 2002). Most people lived and

worked within large, multigenerational families on farms and ranches. The often-

discussed split between a person's work life and personal life had no meaning. Although

some did enter professions such as medicine, law, clergy, or teaching, most people

generally viewed these pursuits as "callings" rather than career decisions (Savickas,

1993; 2000b; Zunker, 2002). Whether young adults became a more integral part of the

family farm or apprenticed in a trade, the turning to outside advisors for guidance was

rare (Collin & Young, 2000; Peavy, 1996; Savickas, 1993; 2000b; Zunker, 2002).