HADRONIC FORM-FACTORS AND PERTURBATIVE QCD

The electromagnetic form factors of hadrons at large momentum transfer have been the subject of intense theoretical and experimental scrutin y over the past two decades, yet there is still not a universally acce pted framework for their description. This review is a synopsis of the ir current status. The basic theoretical approaches to form factors at large momentum transfer are developed, emphasizing the valence quark and Feynman (soft) pictures. The discussion includes the relation of t hese descriptions to the parton model, as well as the roles of factori zation, evolution, Sudakov resummation and QCD sum rules. This is foll owed by a discussion of the experimental status of pion and nucleon el astic form factors and resonance production amplitudes in the light of recent data; the successes and shortcomings of various theoretical pr oposals are highlighted.