bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Board Games and Board Game Design as Learning Tools for Complex Scientific Concepts
Authors: Chiarello Fabio , Castellano Maria Gabriella
Published: April 2016

In this paper the authors report different experiences in the use of board games as learning tools for complex and abstract scientific concepts such as Quantum Mechanics, Relativity or nano-biotechnologies. In particular we describe “Quantum Race”, designed for the introduction of Quantum Mechanical principles, “Lab on a chip”, concerning the immune system and the nano-biotechnologies, “Time Race”, created to explain Relativistic concepts such as time dilation. The main idea is to choose a core of few basic concepts to be explained, and to design the game mechanisms and rules completely around them. Each game has been played by about 1000 participants, mainly students, with excellent results concerning growth of interest and comprehension on the considered themes. In a second phase (still in progress) the authors are considering the possibility to use the direct engagement of learners in the creation of games of this kind as a learning tool for scientific subjects, in particular for light and photonics. They present in detail these activities with obtained and expected results and issues.
A Participatory Design and Formal Study Investigation into Mobile Text Entry for Older Adults
Authors: Nicol Emma , Komninos Andreas , Dunlop Mark D
Published: April 2016

Text entry remains key to many tasks on touchscreen smartphones and is an important factor in the usability of such devices. The known problems of text entry can be particularly acute for older adults due to physical and cognitive issues associated with ageing. In a study of mobile text entry the authors employed a variety of participatory design and formal comparative study techniques in order to explore the requirements of this group of users and to discover the key differences in texting activity between them and younger users of mobile devices. They report on the findings of a lab study of texting behaviour of older adults. The authors' findings indicate differences in attitudes to texting styles and tasks between older and younger adults. They also identify some differences in typing behaviour and reflect on methods.
Attitudes towards Attention and Aging
Authors: Jenkins Amy , Eslambolchilar Parisa , Lindsay Stephen , Hare Monika , Thornton Ian M , Tales Andrea
Published: April 2016

Errors in interaction with digital devices are typically blamed on human factors such as poor attention. However, the influence of attention upon the quality of human-device interaction is commonly overlooked in product design. Developers rely on feedback through user centred design, but do developers, typically younger adults, understand what an older user means, or experiences, in terms of “attention” and appreciate that fundamental conceptual and experiential differences may exist? The authors examine differences between older and younger adults' concepts of attention in relation to mobile-device use to inform future development. Two participant groups consisted of 11 younger adults (18-30 years) and 12 older adults (65+ years). Qualitative analyses revealed three themes ‘personal understanding of attention', ‘attention is dependent on...', and ‘impact of ageing'.
Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities of Smart Mobile Devices among the Oldest Old
Authors: Piper Anne Marie , Garcia Raymundo Cornejo , Brewer Robin N.
Published: April 2016

While smart mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, and e-readers, are becoming more common among older populations, little is known about the user experience of this technology for older adults in naturalistic settings or how this demographic sustains use of these devices over time. To understand this, the research team conducted 18 months of contextual inquiry within two computer rooms at one senior residential facility and semi-structured interviews with 28 older adults (age 80+) within the same community. The analysis examines older adults' experiences around adoption and usage of smart mobile devices, the challenges presented by these devices as a platform for communication, and the nuances of maintaining these devices over time in the context of late-life disability. The paper concludes with a discussion of design considerations for future work aimed at improving the user experience of smart mobile devices for older adults.
Culturally Afforded Tensions in the Second Life Metaverse
Authors: Hadjistassou Stella K.
Published: April 2016

This study investigated the culturally contingent tensions afforded by the implementation of Second Life in transatlantic communications among 13 college-level students at a Southwestern academic institution in the United States and their instructor and an assistant professor and his graduate student at a Greek-speaking academic institution. The transatlantic transactions unfolded in IBM's virtual Green Data Center, where students and instructors engaged in critical discussions on their local community, IBM, the European Union, and the United States' sustainability practices. By analyzing students and instructors' virtual exchanges, chat medium, and reflective comments, three categories of culturally enacted tensions were identified. These contradictions pertained to (a) emerging intercultural communication, (b) assigned collaborative activities, and (c) the use of the Second Life Viewer as a communication tool. The study demonstrated that contradictions can be contingent on institutional, broader cultural and historical constructs, Internet-mediated tools, and the different linguistic and cultural values and expectations related to relationship building and interactional dynamics. The study highlighted the importance of acknowledging such structural tensions as affordances for teaching and learning. Further, the study emphasized the need to take into account the institutional, pedagogical, instructional, and broader cultural realisms that impose constraints on teaching practices and participation in social virtualities.
2.5D / 3D IC Landscape: Market and Technology Trends
Authors: Ivankovic Andrej , Buisson Thibault , Pizzagalli Amandine , Towne Dave , Beica Rozalia
Published: April 2016

The semiconductor industry is facing a new era in which device scaling and cost reduction will not continue on the path they followed for the past few decades, with Moore's law in its foundation. Advanced nodes do not bring the desired cost benefit anymore and R&D investments in new lithography solutions and devices below 10nm nodes are rising substantially. In order to answer market demands, the industry seeks further performance and functionality boosts in integration. While scaling options remain uncertain and continue to be investigated, the spotlight is turning to advanced packages. Emerging packages such as fan-out wafer level packages and 2.5D / 3D IC solutions together with upgraded flip chip BGAs aim to revive the cost/performance curve and extend both scaling and functionality roadmaps.

Future packages need to tackle the explosion in information exchange translating to high number of I/Os and be able to support heterogeneous integration. This puts particular pressure on die to board interconnects. Technologies to fill the void created in diverging PCB versus IC feature sizes are constantly under development. Three-dimensional (3D) technology using the well-known Through Silicon Via (TSV) interconnect, considered today the most advanced technology, is one emerging option that aims to enable heterogeneous integration. Such a technology is not limited to CMOS scaling in itself, it is rather based on bringing more functionality by stacking different type of devices (Logic, Memory, Analog, MEMS, Passive components…) while reducing the package form factor. This functional diversification is also known as More-than-Moore.

This work focuses on the analysis of recent developments and future trends of the 2.5D / 3D IC landscape. What's new since last year? TSV technology has already been utilized for several years within the MEMS and CMOS image sensor (CIS) market, but the news is that it finally seems to be happening within the logic and memory domain. Latest products such as AMD Radeon R9 Fury with its 2.5D configuration including HBM stacks and Samsung 3D TSV stacked DRAM, among others, aim for high volume. Fueled by consumer applications such as smartphones and tablets, the MEMS and CIS markets are expected to exhibit continuous growth over the next several years, while in the high-end market, driven by the need for further performance increase, volatile memory and especially DRAM are finally opening the doors of 2.5D / 3D IC commercial adoption.

This analysis will cover 2.5D interposer & 3DIC platforms as well as MEMS and CIS TSV packaging. Market forecasts in terms of wafer starts, market revenue, application segments and end-products will be presented. Furthermore, supply chain activities and major player interactions will be analyzed and 3D integration technology roadmaps will be reviewed. In conclusion, this study will aim at providing comprehensive insight into 2.5D / 3D IC market and technology trends.
Advancements in Glass for Packaging Applications
Authors: Adriance Kevin , Smith Gene , Shorey Aric , Lu Rachel , Smith Gene
Published: April 2016

Glass provides many opportunities for advanced packaging. The most obvious advantage is given by the material properties. As an insulator, glass has low electrical loss, particularly at high frequencies. The relatively high stiffness and ability to adjust coefficient of thermal expansion gives advantages to manage warp in glass core substrates and bonded stacks for both through glass vias (TGV) and carrier applications. Glass also gives advantages for developing cost effective solutions. Glass forming processes allow the potential to both form in panel format as well as to at thicknesses as low as 100 um, giving opportunities to optimize or eliminate current manufacturing methods.

As the industry adopts glass solutions, significant advancements have been made in downstream processes such as glass handling and via/surface metallization. Of particular interest is the ability to leverage tool sets and processes for panel fabrication to enable cost structures desired by the industry. By utilizing the stiffness and adjustable CTE of glass substrates, as well as continuously reducing via size that can be made in a panel format, opportunities to manufacture glass TGV substrates in a panel format increase. We will provide an update on advancements in these areas as well as handling techniques to achieve desired process flows. We will also provide the latest demonstrations of electrical, thermal and mechanical reliability.
Embedded Die Packages and Modules for Power Electronics Applications
Authors: Boettcher Lars , Karaszkiewicz S. , Manessis D. , Ostmann A.
Published: April 2016

Packages and modules with embedded semiconductor dies are of interest for various application fields and power classes. First packages in the lower power range are available in volume production since almost six years. Recent developments focus on medium and higher power applications raging over 500W into the kW range.

Different approaches are available to realize such packages and modules. This paper will give an overview and detailed description of the latest approaches for such embedded die structures.

In common of all of these approaches, is the use of laminate based die embedding, which uses standard PCB manufacturing technologies. Main differences are the used base substrate, which can still be a ceramic (DBC), Cu leadframe or high current substrate. Examples for the different methods will be given.

As the main part, this paper will describe concepts, which enable significant smaller form-factor of power electronics modules, thereby allowing for lower price, high reliability, capability of direct mounting on e.g. a motor so as to form one unit with the motor housing, wide switching frequency range (for large application field) and high power efficiency.

The innovative character of this packaging concept is the idea to embed the power drive components (IGBTs, MOSFETs, diode) as thinned chips into epoxy-resin layer built-up and to realize large-area interconnections on both sides by direct copper plating the dies to form a conductor structure with lowest possible electrical impedance and to achieve an optimum heat removal. In this way a thin core is formed on a large panel format which is called Embedded Power Core. The paper will specifically highlight the first results on manufacturing an embedded power discrete package as an example of an embedded power core containing a thin rectifier diode. For module realization, the power cores are interconnected to insulated metal substrates (IMS) by the use of Ag sintering interconnection technologies for the final manufacturing of Power modules.

The paper will elaborate on the sintering process for Power Core/IMS interconnections, the microscopically features of the sintered interfaces, and the lateral filling of the sintering gap with epoxy prepregs.

Firstly, 500W power modules were manufactured using this approach. Reliability testing results, solder reflow testing, temperature cycling test and active power cycling, will be discussed in detail.
Resistance to imidacloprid in different field populations of Aphis gossypii Glover (Hem.: Aphididae) in South of Iran
Authors: Seyedebrahimi S.S. , Talebi Jahromi K. , Imani S. , Hosseini Naveh V. , Hesami S.
Published: April 2016

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a key cucurbits pest in Iran and is managed with repeated insecticide applications. Reports of insecticide control failures have recently increased, particularly with imidacloprid. To quantify resistance to imidacloprid in cotton aphid, seven populations were collected from 7 different places in South of Iran (Shiraz, Jahrom, Saadatshahr, Marvdasht, Kavar, Sadra1 and Sadra2, all in Fars province). To estimate the response of 5 days old A. gossypii populations to imidacloprid, leaf dip bioassays were performed in the laboratory. Lethal concentrations at 50% (LC50) values were estimated by probit analysis and used to calculate the resistance ratios (RR). The bioassay results showed significant discrepancy in susceptibility to imidacloprid among the populations. The lowest and highest LD50 were estimated for Shiraz population with 37.09 and Sadra1 with 636.80 µg mL–1 respectively. The highest levels of resistance to imidacloprid were detected for Sadra1 (RR=17.17 fold). In the other populations some levels of resistance were detected. In Jahrom, Kavar, Marvdasht and SaadatShahr populations the RRs were from 3.85 to 7.11. As emphasized by the slope of responses and after a comparison of RRs with other studies it is supposed that resistant populations appear in first stages of development and have the ability to become more resistant with age.
Medicinal plants used to control internal and external parasites in goats
Authors: Sanhokwe Marcia , Mupangwa Johnfisher , Masika Patrick J. , Maphosa Viola , Muchenje Voster
Published: April 2016

The use of medicinal plants plays a major role in the primary health care of animals in South Africa. A survey was conducted to document medicinal plants used to control parasites in goats in Kwezi and Ntambethemba villages in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Information from 50 farmers and 3 herbalists was obtained through the use of a structured questionnaire, and a snowball sampling technique was used to identify key informants. The obtained data were analysed using PROC FREQ of SAS (2003), and fidelity level values were determined to estimate the healing potential of the mentioned plants. The survey revealed nine plant species belonging to eight families that were used to control parasites in goats. Asphodelaceae (22.22%) was the most frequently used plant family. Leaves were the most used plant parts, constituting 60.38%. They were prepared either as infusions or decoctions of single plants or in mixtures. Aloe ferox, Acokanthera oppositifolia and Elephantorrhiza elephantina were the plants having the highest fidelity level for their use to control parasites, each scoring 100%, followed by Albuca setosa (83.33%). The study revealed low knowledge about ethnoveterinary medicine in the study area. It also revealed that information on ethno-veterinary medicine in this area is mostly confined to older people and there is danger that this knowledge can be lost before being passed on to other generations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to document information on these plant species so that the future generation can benefit. Further investigation should be carried out to validate the efficacy and safety of the above-mentioned plants so as to provide cheap alternative ways of controlling parasites.Keywords: ailments; ethno-veterinary practices; small ruminant; traditional medicine
A community-based case–control study of prevalence and pattern of cognitive impairments in patients with epilepsy residing in South-Eastern Nigeria
Authors: Arinzechi Eugene O. , Ogunrin Olubunmi A. , Nwosu Cosmas M. , Nwani Paul O. , Enwereji Kelechi O. , Asomugha Lasbrey A. , Dimkpa Uche
Published: April 2016

Background: Epilepsy is the commonest neurological disorder encountered in Sub-Saharan Africa. The quality of life of patients with epilepsy (PWEs) is adversely affected by cognitive impairments. Aim: This study investigated the prevalence and pattern of cognitive impairments in PWE in Ukpo community located in a South-Eastern state in Nigeria using Community Screening Interview for Dementia (CSID) and a computer-assisted cognitive test battery (FePsy). Methods and Patients: Fifty-one PWEs were studied and compared with 51 age-, sex-and level of education-matched healthy controls. Diagnosis of epilepsy was confirmed clinically with eye-witness corroboration. Sociodemographic data and information on epilepsy variables were obtained with the aid of a questionnaire. Cognitive domains assessed include language, memory, orientation, attention, psychomotor speed and constructional praxis. Results: The prevalence rate of cognitive impairment using total CSID score was 19.6%. Analysis of CSID scores revealed significant impairment in language (17.6%), memory (29.4%), orientation (15.7%), attention (7.8%) and constructional praxis (15.7%) compared to healthy controls. A similar pattern was observed with FePsy but with better sensitivity indices for detecting cognitive impairment. Conclusion: This study indicated significant prevalence rate of cognitive impairment among treatment-naïve PWE with profound affectation of memory, mental speed and language. In addition, the FePsy was found to be more sensitive and specific in assessment of cognitive function in PWE.
Knowledge, attitude, and practice of people toward epilepsy in a South Indian village
Authors: Krishnaiah Balaji , Alwar Seenivasan P. , Ranganathan Lakshmi N.
Published: April 2016

Introduction: People living with epilepsy continue to suffer from enacted or perceived stigma that is based on myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings that have persisted for many years. In the last decade, there has been an increase in individual literacy rate and increased access to technology in rural population. However, it is unclear if this has any effect on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) attitude toward epilepsy. Objective: Our primary aim is to evaluate KAP toward epilepsy. In addition, we also estimated the prevalence of stroke and epilepsy in rural South India. Materials and Methods: Using a 14-item questionnaire, we assessed KAP toward epilepsy and identified determinants of inappropriate attitudes toward people with epilepsy and 10-item questionnaires to assess the prevalence of epilepsy and stroke among 500 randomly selected populations in a Pattaravakkam village (Tamil Nadu, India). Results: About 87.7% of the people had heard or read about epilepsy. Negative attitudes appeared to be reinforced by beliefs that epilepsy is hereditary (23.1%), kind of insanity (22.6%), or as contagious (12.0%). The knowledge about the clinical characteristics and first aid to a person during a seizure was 25.8%. About 36.5% of people think that society discriminates people with epilepsy. Moreover, our prevalence study showed that 8.7% people are suffering from epilepsy and 3.7% had stroke previously and at the day of survey, the stroke prevalence is 3.3%. Conclusion: Even with increased literacy, technology, and communication devices, the KAP of people toward epilepsy is relatively low. General public education campaigns and specific school education campaigns children should be encouraged to increase the KAP toward epilepsy. The prevalence and pattern of epilepsy and stroke is on the higher side in the village of Pattaravakkam. Future research regarding the value of targeted education in improving KAP will be worthwhile.
Differentialgeometrie im Großen
Authors: Besson Gérard , Hamenstädt Ursula , Kapovich Michael
Published: April 2016

The topics discussed at the meeting were Kaehler geometry, geometric evolution equations, manifolds of nonnegative curvature, metric geometry and geometric representations of groups. The choice of topics reflects current trends in the development of differential geometry.
The Basel Statements: Updated and Relevant to All
Authors: Moles Rebekah J , Vermeulen Lee , Penm Jonathan , Ivey Marianne
Published: April 2016

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Tarification à l’activité et financement des médicaments onéreux en France : que peut-on en apprendre? Comparaison de deux démarches d’encadrement de ces médicaments
Authors: Bussières Jean-François , Corny Jennifer , Bourdon Olivier
Published: April 2016

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Stability of Extemporaneously Compounded Trimethoprim in Glass and Plastic Bottles and Plastic Syringes
Authors: Ensom Mary H H , Décarie Diane
Published: April 2016

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Faire partie de la SCPH – un investissement dans votre avenir et celui de la pharmacie hospitalière!
Authors: Pearson Glen J.
Published: April 2016

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Methodological Reflections on Closing Qualitative Interviews with Women Drug Users
Authors: Thompkins Charlotte N. E. , Sheard Laura , Neale Joanne
Published: April 2016

This article reflects on closing in-depth interviews with women drug users and is based on a grounded theory study conducted with 45 female injectors in two areas of the United Kingdom (UK). In order to bring the interviews to a natural close and to focus the discussion on more positive topics than had been discussed in the main sections of the interview, participants were asked about their plans and hopes for the future. Four methodological issues emerged. These related to the final questions regarding future plans as more than a technique to end interviews; the participants' optimism; unanticipated ethical issues, and time constraints. We discuss our findings by drawing parallels between Parson's work on the doctor/patient relationship and the interviewer/interviewee interaction. The implications for future research with drug users, and potentially other vulnerable and chaotic groups, are also considered.
Researching Cultural Capital: Complexities in Mixing Methods
Authors: Silva Elizabeth D. , Wright David
Published: April 2016

This paper reflects on the relationships between methods and meaning-making in social research. It focuses on two core issues: (1) the problems with the generation of data inherent in quantitative and qualitative methods themselves, accentuated and revealed by processes of mixing them, and (2) the implications of the asymmetrical relationship between research categories used and the lived experience of the investigation. These foci inform an exploration of the processes of the construction of the research object, as implied in the work of Pierre Bourdieu, and of more recent concerns about how research makes sense of the complexity of social worlds within social sciences. The paper engages with empirical and theoretical aspects of researching cultural capital in contemporary Britain, as part of the Cultural Capital and Social Exclusion project, a large scale, mixed-method empirical inquiry into the nature of cultural capital in the UK.
Combining Approaches to Qualitative Data Analysis: Synthesising the Mechanical (CAQDAS) with the Thematic (A Voice-Centred Relational Approach)
Authors: Frost Julia
Published: April 2016

In this article I discuss the challenges of managing and analysing qualitative data produced from in-depth interviews. I detail how two methods of data analysis have been combined to explore older women's (over 35yrs) accounts of early pregnancy loss – which formed the data for the author's PhD research. A computer assisted qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) package, in this case NUDIST4, was a useful tool for managing the breadth of data, and permitted the initial coding in line with the objectives of a larger qualitative study. However, pertinent themes were obscured by the sheer volume of data that had been collected. In contrast, the voice relational method was of value in exploring the depth of the data, and the ways in which these women contextualised their experiences in relation to other aspects of their lived biography. Researchers new to qualitative data analysis are often concerned that CAQDAS techniques will in some way dictate how the data will be analysed. In this article I suggest that this anxiety is unfounded – as the analysis technique depends upon the researcher(s) and the theoretical perspective(s) that inform(s) the research process. I propose that CAQDAS packages are effective tools for data management, but a more theoretically informed means, such as the voice relational method, can augment the process of analysis. I suggest that it is essential that, whichever means we employ, as researchers we are explicit about how we actually do data analysis.
Les méthodes d'enquêtes auprès des populations difficiles à joindre: Introduction au numéro spécial
Authors: Marpsat Maryse , Razafindratsima Nicolas
Published: April 2016

Les enquêtes auprès des populations difficiles à joindre (rares, dépourvues de base de sondage) font, depuis quelques années, l“objet de réflexions. Différentes méthodes d”investigations permettant d“obtenir un échantillon extrapolable de ces populations ont été proposes: l”échantillonnage de lieux-moments (TSS ou TLS en anglais), l“échantillonnage dirigé par les répondants (RDS en anglais), ou la méthode de « capture-recapture ». Après avoir défini ce qu”est une population difficile à joindre, cette introduction dresse un panorama de ces méthodes d'enquêtes, puis présente les différentes contributions réunies dans ce numéro spécial.
Construction and Field Application of an Indirect Sampling Method (Time-Location Sampling): An Example of Surveys Carried Out on Homeless Persons and Drug Users in France
Authors: Quaglia Martine , Vivier Géraldine
Published: April 2016

Since the mid-1990s, Time-Location Sampling methods have been widely used in France in quantitative research about the homeless (Marpsat and Firdion, 2000; Brousse, 2002) and drug users (Emmanuelli et al. 2003; Jauffret-Roustide et al. 2006). Adapted from methods of indirect sampling initially developed in the United States (Burt and Cohen, 1989; Dennis and Iachan, 1993), they enable the design of representative samples of hard-to-reach populations for whom there are no sample frames, by basing it on support facilities for the populations of interest: day centres, soup kitchens, accommodation services, health care, mobile teams etc. However, in transition from the theoretical protocol to its implementation, various difficulties emerge. In particular, the necessary involvement of these support services; the constraints associated with the administering of questionnaires in sometimes very particular conditions (at night, in public places or while following mobile teams) and the singular organisation of each of the services that has to be involved means that challenges occur as regards coverage of the field being investigated and the representativeness of the sample. These challenges mean that the method has to be appropriately and pragmatically adapted to the various configurations that are met with. In this perspective, we will show how the integration of qualitative methods, such as the observation of the services and the realisation of in-depth interviews with the persons in charge of them, have contributed, along the various data collections and with the accumulation of experiences, to improve the methodology of and the scope covered by quantitative surveys.
Stepping out of the Ivory Tower: A Sociological Engagement in ‘The Cult Wars’
Authors: Barker Eileen
Published: April 2016

The paper describes how the author's research into a new religious movement in the 1970s led to her finding herself a player in the ‘cult wars’, with a variety of different groups competing to have their constructions of images of the movements accepted by policy makers and the general public. The main players were the movements themselves, their opponents in the form of various ‘cult-watching groups’, and the media. Critical of the selective nature of the images, and concerned about the impact that these were having on ‘the cult scene’, the author founded Inform, an independent NGO that draws upon the methodology of the social sciences to provide information about minority religions that is as reliable and objective as possible. The paper describes some of the battles that ensued, focussing on methodological issues that have confronted her as she has pursued her research outside the Ivory Tower.
Telling Multi-Dimensional Family Histories: Making the Past Meaningful
Authors: Kramer Anne-Marie
Published: April 2016

Family history is both extremely popular and pervasive in British culture. Part of its attraction is its capacity to reclaim attention for the formerly ‘unseen’, to make space for the ‘intangible’, the dead, the deliberately forgotten, the misplaced and the over-looked. In so doing, family history centres the imagination, memory, feelings and the role of story-telling. Drawing on original data from my recent research project, The Cultural Status of Genealogical Research, in this article I will explore how I have used integrated mixed qualitative methods to try and capture some of this complexity and depth in personal, family, and social lives, or what we might also call the multi-dimensionality of personal lives (Mason, 2006). I explain how and why I designed my research from the outset to use integrated methods, and what consequences this has had for the project. Discussing my methodological strategies, I suggest that social researchers need to do more to develop methodologies which adequately capture embeddedness in time and in history, and that that we might learn methodological strategies from genealogists, given their expertise in the intangible and barely visible yet compelling aspects of social life.
Introduction to the Special Issue: The Processes of Methodological Innovation Narrative Accounts and Reflections
Authors: Xenitidou Maria , Gilbert Nigel
Published: April 2016

In recent years there has been an upsurge of interest in methodological innovation and innovative methodologies in the social sciences. Driven by a wider, global impetus for innovation, discussions have centred on the use, application, diffusion and success of new methods. In the social sciences in particular, this upsurge of interest has been attributed to a need to respond to the complexities of the social world that has encouraged methodological, disciplinary and institutional interaction and cross-fertilisation. However, these discussions usually overlook the processes involved in methodological innovation and ignore their role in shaping innovative methodologies. This special issue aims to trigger discussion on the processes of methodological innovation in the social science community and beyond.
An Invitation to Performative Research
Authors: Douglas Kitrina , Carless David
Published: April 2016

Across the social sciences there has been a growing interest in arts-based and performative methodologies. Over the past decade we have created a number of research based performances utilising songs, poems and stories. Alongside these, we have also begun to explore the potential of this work through conducting further research which analyses responses from different audiences (lay and academic) to each performance. In this article we reflect some of the core reasons that underscore performative methodologies. The case we progress is that performative methodologies provide (a) a different way of ‘coming to know,’ (b) inclusive form of representation, (c) an experience, (d) a blurring the self-other divide, and (e) an alternative vision.

We hope the discussion fosters a continued interest in and a greater understanding of what performative approaches might contribute as well as providing an invitation to others explore the potential of performative methodologies within their own research practice.
In the Studio: Researcher Subjectivity, the Infant Observation Method, and Researching Creative Practices
Authors: Carabine Jean
Published: April 2016

The material for this article is taken from a psychoanalytically informed psychosocial pilot – Creative Practices and Processes that explores ‘what makes creativity possible?’ The aim of the pilot was to develop a methodology and methods that permitted an in-depth understanding of the social, psychological and material factors that facilitate creativity. The study is informed by a broadly post-Kleinian British Object Relations approach which privileges personal experience, unconscious dynamics, and the relationship between inner and outer worlds. The focus here is with the adaptation and innovative use of psychoanalytic infant observation as a psychosocial research method of ‘being with’ an artist in such a way as to gain a deep understanding of the unconscious dynamics, physical and material, spatial and temporal, and embodied experiences of creative processes and practice.

The article considers the potential of psychoanalytic infant observation as a research method for informing us about creative practices and processes. The rich detail of the data is also explored for what it tells us about the research process and relationships. A key principle of infant observation is the importance of a ‘form of knowing imbued with emotional depth’ (Hollway 2012: 25) and the use of the observer's subjectivity. The article illustrates how when the researcher's subjectivity is utilised as a research tool and the researcher is open to the affective experiencing of the research process, looking and observing are not simple or straightforward research activities. Rather, we can see that they are activities that generate emotional responses, conflict, uncertainty, unease and not knowing. Using the first artist observation as an example, the research dynamics the observation are seen as involving a series of negotiations, enactments and explorations around boundaries, looking and being seen, what to observe, roles, the nature of the research and, anxiety.
Models of Contemporary Social Class: The Great British Class Survey
Authors: Payne Geoff
Published: April 2016

Although conceptually distinctive, a comparison of the Great British Class Survey (‘GBCS’) and NS-SeC (taken to be illustrative of previous class schema) shows they produce basically similar pictures of class in contemporary Britain. Among the advantaged, GBCS usefully separates off a very rich class, and technical professionals, from the established middle class (although with some problems of cut-off points of financial advantage, and the concept of ‘elite’). However, the intermediate classes remain an area of less clarity in both schemes. Among the less advantaged, substantial age differences prompt reflection about economic history, and the extent to which cultural capital captured as differences in consumption behaviour is actually bounded by fashion and material circumstances. Although NS-SeC is preferred for its practical utility, the measurement of occupational groups remains problematic, indicating the continued need to improve the tools of class analysis.
Rewarding but Let's Talk about the Challenges: Using Arts Based Methods in Research with Young Mothers
Authors: Brady Geraldine , Brown Geraldine
Published: April 2016

In this paper we highlight the way in which research around teenage pregnancy has been commissioned in relation to a specific agenda. The pervasive political discourse authoritatively places teenage parents' experiences outside of the norm, constructing teenage pregnancy as negative for young women, their children and wider society. Over several years we have worked with young mothers to produce visual resources including storyboards, story booklets and film which serve to challenge this dominant discourse. These resources have been used in training and cascaded to health and social care professionals to provide a more holistic picture of the lives of young parents which, in turn, has influenced changes in professional practice. We have found visual images to be a powerful way of encouraging practitioners, young people and wider society to question and reflect on stereotypes which permeate contemporary discourse relating to teenage parents. However, whilst using the arts has led to some very positive experiences for participants who have been able to utilise a range of art based mediums to express and share their lived reality with others, some methods – visual methods in particular – raise a number of ethical, moral and methodological issues. We suggest that whilst there is no doubt that arts based approaches to research and evaluation can be rewarding for both participants and researchers, our work with young mothers highlights tensions and challenges in utilising this approach.
Adopting a Reflexive Approach to Researching Sensitive Subjects: Parental Experiences of Stillbirth and Neonatal Death
Authors: Jones Kerry
Published: April 2016

In this article I am going to discuss the challenge in researching sensitive subjects and some of the ways this can be overcome by adopting a reflexive approach to conducting qualitative research. These particular challenges are detailed in relation to data collected from in-depth interviews from men and women bereaved by the death of their child following stillbirth and neonatal death. I discuss how a reflexive approach when combined with a voice centred relational method to analyse data, can be used to manage both the breadth and depth of the data as well as unearthing some of the ways in which men and women contextualised their experiences in relation to aspects of their lived biography. I propose that these combined approaches permit an explicit account of how the analysis was conducted and critically, how the researcher impacts upon the research process and product.
Practical Ethics in Social Research with Children and Families in Young Lives: A Longitudinal Study of Childhood Poverty in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India), Peru and Vietnam
Authors: Morrow Virginia
Published: April 2016

A great deal of attention is now paid to the ethics of social research. Research governance has expanded, and a burgeoning literature describes the processes, practices and questions that arise in social research with children, families and communities. This paper outlines the approach taken to research ethics within Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India), Peru and Vietnam, co-ordinated by a research team based in the UK. Drawing on fieldwork reports, qualitative data and other material, I offer some ‘real life’ examples of ethics questions encountered in research, providing insights into the experiences of fieldworkers. The paper emphasises the importance of understanding local contexts in undertaking research with children and families in environments that change rapidly, economically, environmentally and politically. Overall, my aim is to contribute to current debates about research practices, the ethics of longitudinal research with children, and research with children and parents in developing countries.
Making Ethical Decisions in an Online Context: Reflections on Using Blogs to Explore Narratives of Experience
Authors: Snee Helene
Published: April 2016

Internet research methods can present some challenging ethical dilemmas. Although they are subject to the same guiding principles as ‘offline’ research, it can be difficult to apply these online given the blurring of boundaries presented by digitally-mediated environments. This paper considers a study that utilised personal blogs as primary data to outline two common ethical tensions in internet research: whether online communications can be considered public or private, and whether the people who produce them can be considered subjects or authors. The study examined the narratives of young people who took gap years overseas as represented in their travel blogs. While the blogs were technically public, they contained personal information, and individual perceptions or expectations of privacy can be different. The paper also explores how to establish if human subjects are involved in internet research, including the difficulties of protecting identity and the case for recognising authorship when appropriate. In line with contemporary scholarship on internet research ethics, this paper highlights the need for a contextual approach that recognises the specificities of the communications studied, the methods employed to generate and analyse data, and how the research is disseminated. The decisions made in the gap year study are critically evaluated, and alternative options presented, including a focus on ensuring that data are not linked to individuals without consent. The article aims to contribute to dialogue and debate in online research ethics through offering some reflections on the course of action taken.
Haunted by Images? Ethical Moments and Anxieties in Visual Research
Authors: Clark Andrew
Published: April 2016

This paper focuses on some of the ethical challenges of working with visual material. I present a reflective discussion of ethical moments in two research projects that made use of visual materials and techniques to demonstrate how research ethics invariably play out differently depending on context and situation. In doing so, a situated ethic offers a useful position from which to address the seeming dissonance between universalist and particularist ethics. However, I argue that situated ethics are not a panacea to the ethical issues raised by visual research but rather enable resolution situated within the contexts they arise. By reflecting on the anxieties and emotions evoked in doing visual research we can begin to see how power, trust and emotion underpin the ethical decisions we are required to make.
The Blind Men and the Elephant: A Metaphor to Illuminate the Role of Researchers and Reviewers in Social Science
Authors: Daigneault Pierre-Marc
Published: April 2016

There has recently been a tremendous growth in systematic literature review methods in social science, which may create confusion as to the role of researchers and reviewers. I argue that the tale of the Blind men and the elephants is a metaphor that illuminates the elusive nature of reality and the work of both primary researchers and various types of reviewers. The value of the metaphor is illustrated with a case drawn from the field of policy and program evaluation. Despite its limitations, this metaphor may lead social scientists to reflect upon the rigor of their literature review practices.
De los collages y maquetas de vidrio de Oteiza al hormigón de Sáenz de Oíza
Authors: López-Bahut Emma
Published: April 2016

The Jorge Oteiza Foundation Museum in Alzuza (Navarra, Spain) was designed by the architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oíza, with the sculptor Jorge Oteiza intervening in the architectural decisions at particular moments. The building marked the conclusion of a series of collaborations between them, beginning in the early 1950s, marked by an intense convergence between art and architecture. The building contains and interacts with the artistic works in a powerful way, but at the same time with great care and awareness, demonstrating the extent to which Sáenz de Oíza understood the sculptural work of Oteiza. This article explores the connection between the museum (2003) and the artistic experiments of the sculptor in pieces called “Light Wall” (1956), made using glass models and collages whose main references are the Suprematist paintings of Malevich. Sáenz de Oíza made use of Oteiza’s artistic concept, which took shape in the fabric of the architecture. Le Corbusier’s chapel in Ronchamp serves as a bridge between their ideas, a reference found in Oteiza’s sculptural experiments and in his text Experimental Proposal (1957) and in the architecture proposed by Sáenz de Oíza for the museum.
Monthly trends of methane emissions in Los Angeles from 2011 to 2015 inferred by CLARS-FTS observations
Authors: Wong Kam W. , Pongetti Thomas J. , Oda Tom , Rao Preeti , Gurney Kevin. R. , Newman Sally , Duren Riley M. , Miller Charles E. , Yung Yuk L. , Sander Stanley P.
Published: April 2016

Abstract. This paper presents an analysis of methane emissions from the Los Angeles basin at monthly timescales across a four-year time period – from September 2011 to August 2015. Using observations acquired by a ground-based near-infrared remote sensing instrument on Mount Wilson, California combined with atmospheric CH4-CO2 tracer-tracer correlations, we observed −18 % to +22 % monthly variability in CH4:CO2 from the annual mean in the Los Angeles basin. Top-down estimates of methane emissions for the basin also exhibit significant monthly variability (−19 % to +31 % from annual mean and a maximum month-to-month change of 47 %). During this period, methane emissions consistently peaked in the late summer/early fall and winter. The estimated annual methane emissions did not show a statistically significant trend over the 2011 to 2015 time period.
The impact of structural error on parameter constraint in a climate model
Authors: McNeall Doug , Williams Jonny , Booth Ben , Betts Richard , Challenor Peter , Wiltshire Andy , Sexton David
Published: April 2016

Abstract. We use observations of forest fraction to constrain carbon cycle and land surface input parameters of the reduced resolution global climate model, FAMOUS. Using a history matching approach along with a computationally cheap statistical proxy (emulator) of the climate model, we compare an ensemble of simulations of forest fraction with observations, and rule out parameter settings where the forests are poorly simulated. Regions of parameter space where FAMOUS best simulates the Amazon forest fraction are incompatible with the regions where FAMOUS best simulates other forests, indicating a structural error in the model. Using observations of the Amazon forest to constrain input parameters leads to very different conclusions about the acceptable values of input parameters than using the other forests. We characterise the structural model discrepancy, and explore the consequences of ignoring it in a history matching exercise. We use sensitivity analysis to find the parameters which have most impact on simulator error. We use the emulator to simulate the forest fraction at the best set of parameters implied by matching the model to the Amazon, and to other major forests in turn. We can find parameters that lead to a realistic forest fraction in the Amazon, but using the Amazon alone to tune the simulator would result in a significant overestimate of forest fraction in the other forests. Conversely, using the other forests to calibrate the model leads to a larger underestimate of the Amazon forest fraction. Finally, we perform a history matching exercise using credible estimates for simulator discrepancy and observational uncertainty terms. We are unable to constrain the parameters individually, but just under half of joint parameter space is ruled out as being incompatible with forest observations. We discuss the possible sources of the discrepancy in the simulated Amazon, including missing processes in the land surface component, and a bias in the climatology of the Amazon.