bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ein Plädoyer für ein Ende der Ausgrenzung der digitalen Welt
Authors: Maier Ronald
Published: November 2010

“Virtuell” steht seit geraumer Zeit für Phänomene menschlichen Handelns, die durch vernetzte Computer erst entstanden. Dieser neue Begriff mit langer Tradition in Latein und Französisch lenkte die Aufmerksamkeit von Entscheidungsträgern in Unternehmen, Organisationen und der Gesellschaft erfolgreich auf dieses neue Gestaltungsfeld. Virtuell aber von real abzugrenzen, hat den Kern des Neuen und seiner Konsequenzen völlig verfehlt. “Digital Natives” finden einerseits vollkommen natürlich, dass die virtuelle ein untrennbarer Teil der realen Welt ist, eingewebt oder, um einen Web 2.0 Begriff zu gebrauchen, vermascht mit beinahe allen Aktivitäten mitten im Leben. Skeptischere Individuen ignoriereren andererseits das Virtuelle und konzentrieren sich auf ihre Realität. Nur allmählich realisieren sie, dass Aktivitäten aus dem Virtuellen ganz real in unserer Welt wirken. Dieser Essay fordert auf die Konnotation von virtuell mit unreal als gefährlich zu erkennen. Der Autor steht ein für einen Wandel in der Art und Weise wie wir (die) virtuelle Welt(en) betrachten. Hören wir auf virtuell als Gegenteil von real zu behandeln, das Virtuelle zu diskriminieren, auszugrenzen oder zu ignorieren. Lassen Sie uns stattdessen Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien in modernen Gesellschaften mit geringem Anteil digitaler Anaphabeten als selbstverständlichen Teil unserer persönlichen, sozialen und organisatorischen Lebenswelten akzeptieren und gemeinsam die Folgen des Faktischen gestalten.
Nachrichten aus der Forschung
Authors: Melber Takuma , von Salisch Marcus , Pöhlmann Markus , Scharfschütze Daniel , Labourdette Patrick Marc
Published: November 2010

Takuma Melber: Tagungsbericht. Kolloquium zur Militärgeschichte für Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler, veranstaltet vom Wissenschaftlichen Beirat zur Verleihung des Werner-Hahlweg-Preises, dem Deutschen Komitee für die Geschichte des Zweiten Weltkrieges, dem Arbeitskreis Militärgeschichte und dem Arbeitskreis Militär und Gesellschaft in der Frühen Neuzeit, 17. bis 19. Mai 2010, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Marcus von Salisch: Johann Gottlieb Tielke (1731-1787) und der »Unterricht für die Feldingenieurs«. Anmerkungen zur Edition der Handschrift von 1769

Markus Pöhlmann: Anonyme und pseudonyme Militärliteratur im deutschsprachigen Raum 1848-2000. Zum mediengeschichtlichen Phänomen und zur Forschungsproblematik

Daniel Scharfschütze und Patrick Marc Labourdette: Les militaires et l′information, en Allemagne et en France, au XXe siècle. Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt (MGFA); Centre d´étude d´histoire de la défense (CEHD); Deutsches Historisches Institut Paris (DHIP), 24.11.2009, Paris
Fast Estimation of the Vascular Cooling in RFA Based on Numerical Simulation
Authors: Kröger T. , Pätz T. , Altrogge I. , Schenk A. , Lehmann K.S. , Frericks B.B. , Ritz J.-P. , Peitgen H.-O. , Preusser T.
Published: November 2010

We present a novel technique to predict the outcome of an RF ablation, including the vascular cooling effect. The main idea is to separate the problem into a patient independent part, which has to be performed only once for every applicator model and generator setting, and a patient dependent part, which can be performed very fast. The patient independent part fills a look-up table of the cooling effects of blood vessels, depending on the vessel radius and the distance of the RF applicator from the vessel, using a numerical simulation of the ablation process. The patient dependent part, on the other hand, only consists of a number of table look-up processes. The paper presents this main idea, along with the required steps for its implementation. First results of the computation and the related ex-vivo evaluation are presented and discussed. The paper concludes with future extensions and improvements of the approach.
Theory and Developments in an Unobtrusive Cardiovascular System Representation: Ballistocardiography
Authors: Pinheiro Eduardo , Postolache Octavian , Girão Pedro
Published: November 2010

Due to recent technological improvements, namely in the field of piezoelectric sensors, ballistocardiography – an almost forgotten physiological measurement – is now being object of a renewed scientific interest.

Transcending the initial purposes of its development, ballistocardiography has revealed itself to be a useful informative signal about the cardiovascular system status, since it is a non-intrusive technique which is able to assess the body’s vibrations due to its cardiac, and respiratory physiological signatures.

Apart from representing the outcome of the electrical stimulus to the myocardium – which may be obtained by electrocardiography – the ballistocardiograph has additional advantages, as it can be embedded in objects of common use, such as a bed or a chair. Moreover, it enables measurements without the presence of medical staff, factor which avoids the stress caused by medical examinations and reduces the patient’s involuntary psychophysiological responses.

Given these attributes, and the crescent number of systems developed in recent years, it is therefore pertinent to revise all the information available on the ballistocardiogram’s physiological interpretation, its typical waveform information, its features and distortions, as well as the state of the art in device implementations.
Entropy and Complexity Analyses in Alzheimer’s Disease: An MEG Study
Authors: Gómez Carlos , Hornero Roberto
Published: November 2010

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most frequent disorders among elderly population and it is considered the main cause of dementia in western countries. This irreversible brain disorder is characterized by neural loss and the appearance of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. The aim of the present study was the analysis of the magnetoencephalogram (MEG) background activity from AD patients and elderly control subjects. MEG recordings from 36 AD patients and 26 controls were analyzed by means of six entropy and complexity measures: Shannon spectral entropy (SSE), approximate entropy (ApEn), sample entropy (SampEn), Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD), Maragos and Sun’s fractal dimension (MSFD), and Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC).SSEis an irregularity estimator in terms of the flatness of the spectrum, whereasApEnandSampEnare embbeding entropies that quantify the signal regularity. The complexity measuresHFDandMSFDwere applied to MEG signals to estimate their fractal dimension. Finally,LZCmeasures the number of different substrings and the rate of their recurrence along the original time series. Our results show that MEG recordings are less complex and more regular in AD patients than in control subjects. Significant differences between both groups were found in several brain regions using all these methods, with the exception ofMSFD(p-value < 0.05, Welch’st-test with Bonferroni’s correction). Using receiver operating characteristic curves with a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure, the highest accuracy was achieved withSSE: 77.42%. We conclude that entropy and complexity analyses from MEG background activity could be useful to help in AD diagnosis.
Evidence-Based Dentistry in a Developing Economy – the Nigerian Example
Authors: Oladimeji Adeniyi Akadiri , Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo
Published: November 2010

Background

Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is becoming popular all over the world with the increasing global involvement of dental practitioners in the debates on the relevance or otherwise of EBD. However, very little has been known on the evolutionary trend of EBD in the developing countries of the world.

Aims and Objectives

This pilot study was designed to assess the state of EBD in the accredited dental schools in Nigeria as an example of a developing economy.

Methodology

An electronic search was conducted for articles on the subject of EBD emanating into the world dental literature from Nigeria as a measure of activities in the field of EBD in the country. Further investigation was done by way of interviews of faculty members and resident doctors in the four fully accredited dental schools in Nigeria. The subject of the interview was premised around the evaluation of activities in the field of EBD.

Results

Only 6 relevant articles were found in the search. The interviews however revealed an increasing awareness but low level of knowledge of the principles of EBD in the dental schools. Major obstacles were infrastructural limitations and lack of personal motivations. The enthusiasm of the younger faculties and resident doctors was notable.

Conclusion

It was obvious that EBD is yet to assume the desired momentum in the 21stcentury in Nigeria. It is however gladdening that there is a promising future for EBD with the rising enthusiasm noted among the younger generation of clinicians.
Using and Interpreting Adjusted NNT Measures in Biomedical Research
Authors: Bender Ralf
Published: November 2010

The number needed to treat (NNT) is a popular effect measure to present study results in biomedical research. NNTs were originally proposed to describe the absolute effect of a new treatment compared with a standard treatment or placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with binary outcome. The concept of the NNT measure has been applied to a number of other research areas involving the development of related measures and more sophisticated techniques to calculate and interpret NNT measures in biomedical research. In epidemiology and public health research an adequate adjustment for covariates is usually required leading to the application of adjusted NNT measures. An overview of the recent developments regarding adjustment of NNT measures is given. The use and interpretation of adjusted NNT measures is illustrated by means of examples from dentistry research.
“Evidence-Based Dentistry in Oral Surgery: Could We Do Better?”
Authors: Nocini Pier Francesco , Verlato Giuseppe , Frustaci Andrea , de Gemmis Antonio , Rigoni Giovanni , De Santis Daniele
Published: November 2010

Evidence-based Dentistry (EBD), like Evidence-based Medicine (EBM), was born in order to seek the “best available research evidence” in the field of dentistry both in research and clinical routine.

But evidence is not clearly measurable in all fields of healthcare: in particular, while drug effect is rather independent from clinician’s characteristics, the effectiveness of surgical procedures is strictly related to surgeon’s expertise, which is difficult to quantify. The research problems of dentistry have a lot in common with other surgical fields, where at the moment the best therapeutic recommendations and guidelines originates from an integration of evidence-based medicine and data from consensus conferences.

To cope with these problems, new instruments have been developed, aimed at standardizing clinical procedures (CAD-CAM technology) and at integrating EBM achievements with the opinions of expert clinicians (GRADE System).

One thing we have to remember however: it is necessary to use the instruments developed by evidence-based medicine but is impossible to produce sound knowledge without considering clinical expertise and quality of surgical procedures simultaneously. Only in this way we will obtain an evidence-based dentistry both in dental research and clinical practice, which is up to third millennium standards.
Complex and Unstable Simple Elbow Dislocations: A Review and Quantitative Analysis of Individual Patient Data
Authors: de Haan Jeroen , Schep Niels , Tuinebreijer Wim , den Hartog Dennis
Published: November 2010

Objective:

The primary objective of this review of the literature with quantitative analysis of individual patient data was to identify the results of available treatments for complex elbow dislocations and unstable simple elbow dislocations. The secondary objective was to compare the results of patients with complex elbow dislocations and unstable elbow joints after repositioning of simple elbow dislocations, which were treated with an external fixator versus without an external fixator.

Search Strategy:

Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

Selection Criteria:

Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included individual patient data of patients with complex elbow dislocations and unstable simple elbow dislocations.

Data Analysis:

The different outcome measures (MEPI, Broberg and Morrey, ASES, DASH, ROM, arthritis grading) are presented with mean and confidence intervals.

Main Results:

The outcome measures show an acceptable range of motion with good functional scores of the different questionnaires and a low mean arthritis score. Thus, treatment of complex elbow dislocations with ORIF led to a moderate to good result. Treatment of unstable simple elbow dislocations with repair of the collateral ligaments with or without the combination of an external fixator is also a good option.

The physician-rated (MEPI, Broberg and Morrey), patient-rated (DASH) and physician- and patient-rated (ASES) questionnaires showed good intercorrelations.

Arthritis classification by x-ray is only fairly correlated with range of motion.

Elbow dislocations are mainly on the non-dominant side.
Measurements of the Exerted Pressure by Pelvic Circumferential Compression Devices
Authors: Knops Simon P. , van Riel Marcel P.J.M. , Goossens Richard H.M. , van Lieshout Esther M.M. , Patka Peter , Schipper Inger B.
Published: November 2010

Background:

Data on the efficacy and safety of non-invasive Pelvic Circumferential Compression Devices (PCCDs) is limited. Tissue damage may occur if a continuous pressure on the skin exceeding 9.3 kPa is sustained for more than two or three hours. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the pressure build-up at the interface, by measuring the PCCD-induced pressure when applying pulling forces to three different PCCDs (Pelvic Binder®, SAM-Sling® and T-POD®) in a simplified model.

Methods:

The resulting exerted pressures were measured at four ‘anatomical’ locations (right, left, posterior and anterior) in a model using a pressure measurement system consisting of pressure cuffs.

Results:

The exerted pressure varied substantially between the locations as well as between the PCCDs. Maximum pressures ranged from 18.9-23.3 kPa and from 19.2-27.5 kPa at the right location and left location, respectively. Pressures at the posterior location stayed below 18 kPa. At the anterior location pressures varied markedly between the different PCCDs.

Conclusion:

The circmferential compression by the different PCCDs showed high pressures measured at the four locations using a simplified model. Difference in design and functional characteristics of the PCCDs resulted in different pressure build-up at the four locations. When following the manufacturer’s instructions, the exerted pressure of all three PCCDs tested exceeded the tissue damaging level (9.3 kPa). In case of prolonged use in a clinical situation this might put patients at risk for developing tissue damage.
Anaerobic Processes
Authors: Evans Eric A. , Evans Kristin M. , Ulrich Ania , Ellsworth Scott , Khan Waqar
Published: November 2010

The anaerobic processes literature review offers a comprehensive review of the literature published in 2009 on topics relating to water pollution control in systems operating without oxygen and exploiting part of or all of the biochemistry presented in the classic anaerobic system model. Anaerobic systems, like the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and the anaerobic filter (AF), are the traditional emphasis of anaerobic processes literature review. This review is divided into the following sections: modeling advances, hydrogen production, treatability studies, toxicity studies, anammox, integrated approaches, microbiology, and process technology.
Food‐Processing Wastes
Authors: Frenkel Val S. , Cummings Gregg , Scannell Dennis E. , Tang Walter Z. , Maillacheruvu Krishnanand Y. , Treanor Patrick
Published: November 2010

Literature published in 2009 and early 2010 related to food processing wastes treatment for industrial applications is reviewed. This review is a subsection of the Treatment Systems section of the annual Water Environment Federation literature review and covers the following food processing industries and applications: meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, seafood, dairy and beverage, anaerobic treatment of food wastes, and physicochemical methods.
Petrochemicals
Authors: Al‐Jabri Mohsin , Baawain Mahad
Published: November 2010

This is a review on literature published in 2009 that covered issues related to the occurrence of petrochemicals in the environment, as well as methods and techniques used for the detection and chemical analysis of petroleum mixtures, together with the toxicity and impacts of various forms of petroleum spills. This review also included literature investigating petrochemicals in water and wastewater and their treatment options including biodegradation, advanced oxidation and modeling.
Groundwater Quality
Authors: Hua Bin , Yang John , Deng Baolin
Published: November 2010

Papers reviewed herein present a general overview of groundwater quality around the world in 2009. These include groundwater quality survey and assessment in urban and rural areas, and the impacts of land uses on groundwater quality, with a focus on groundwater contamination, pollution prevention, and remediation.
Effects of Pollution on Freshwater Organisms
Authors: Harmon S. Michele , Wiley Faith E.
Published: November 2010

This review includes works published in the general scientific literature during 2009 on the effects of anthropogenic pollutants on freshwater organisms. It begins with two broad sections: research reviews and broad field studies and surveys. This is followed by reviews of research categorized in sections to reflect the pollutant class. These sections include wastewater, stormwater and non‐point source pollution, nutrients, metals, persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ionic liquids, and nanomaterials. The final section includes works describing innovations in the field of freshwater pollution research.
Mallard Response to Experimental Walk‐In and Shooting Disturbance
Authors: Dooley Joshua L. , Sanders Todd A. , Doherty Paul F.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Spatial and temporal closures of anthropogenic activities are a common management strategy to increase waterfowl usage of an area. However, empirical evidence, specifically how individual waterfowl respond to disturbance, is lacking to support their efficacy. We exposed radiomarked mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) to walk‐in, shooting, or no disturbance along the South Platte River corridor in Colorado, USA, from September to February during 2006–2007 and 2007–2008. Mallards exposed to shooting disturbance had greater mean flight distance after disturbance (FDAD) during September‐November (4.58 km, 95% CI = 3.55–5.62) than December‐February (3.04 km, 95% CI = 2.51–3.58) and were 35% and 17% greater than mean FDAD of mallards exposed to walk‐in disturbance, respectively. Walk‐in and shooting disturbance had a similar effect on return rates, and disturbed mallards had higher (0.09–0.41) movement probabilities away from and lower (0.15–0.20) probabilities of returning to treatment locations than controls. Probability of presence of disturbed mallards was 37% lower than controls during the daytime but was equal at night. Mallards exposed to walk‐in (0.38 [95% CI = 0.30–0.46]) and shooting (0.23 [95% CI = 0.17–0.30] disturbance had low return rates the first afternoon after a disturbance compared to controls (0.71 [95% CI = 0.65–0.77]). A high proportion of mallards exposed to walk‐in (0.75 [95% CI = 0.67–0.83]) and shooting (0.70 [95% CI = 0.64–0.76]) disturbance returned to treatment locations in ≤1 day. Managers may be able to more effectively manage disturbance regimes by 1) accounting for surrounding lands within <10 km, especially lands within <5 km, 2) being conscientious when establishing regulations that will affect levels of disturbance 1–2 days after a previous disturbance, and 3) considering shooting and walking disturbance equally for refuge design.
Sage‐Grouse Habitat Selection During Winter in Alberta
Authors: Carpenter Jennifer , Aldridge Cameron , Boyce Mark S.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTGreater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are dependent on sagebrush (Artemisiaspp.) for food and shelter during winter, yet few studies have assessed winter habitat selection, particularly at scales applicable to conservation planning. Small changes to availability of winter habitats have caused drastic reductions in some sage‐grouse populations. We modeled winter habitat selection by sage‐grouse in Alberta, Canada, by using a resource selection function. Our purpose was to 1) generate a robust winter habitat‐selection model for Alberta sage‐grouse; 2) spatially depict habitat suitability in a Geographic Information System to identify areas with a high probability of selection and thus, conservation importance; and 3) assess the relative influence of human development, including oil and gas wells, in landscape models of winter habitat selection. Terrain and vegetation characteristics, sagebrush cover, anthropogenic landscape features, and energy development were important in top Akaike's Information Criterion‐selected models. During winter, sage‐grouse selected dense sagebrush cover and homogenous less rugged areas, and avoided energy development and 2‐track truck trails. Sage‐grouse avoidance of energy development highlights the need for comprehensive management strategies that maintain suitable habitats across all seasons.
State‐and‐Transition Models for Assessing Grasshopper Sparrow Habitat Use
Authors: Holmes Aaron L. , Miller Richard F.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT The combination of ecological site descriptions and state‐and‐transition models (STMs) describes potential vegetation, plant composition, and plant community dynamics and thus can be used to classify and understand dynamics of wildlife habitats across landscapes or home ranges. Numerous studies have evaluated effects of plant community dynamics on diversity and abundance of wildlife populations, but we could find no studies that examined changes in wildlife populations with respect to STMs. We compared abundance of grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) across 5 community phases representing 2 different ecological states in the Columbia Basin, Oregon, USA, to evaluate utility of STMs for understanding and predicting potential changes in habitat use by wildlife species. We measured grasshopper sparrow abundance in 165 100‐m fixed‐radius point counts distributed across 17 study plots within 5 plant community phases: native perennial grassland, sagebrush‐steppe, depleted sagebrush‐steppe, sagebrush‐steppe with an annual grass understory, and annual grassland. We used a general estimating equation with a Poisson distribution to model relative abundance and estimate differences in this abundance index between linked pairs of community phases. Grasshopper sparrows showed clear differences in abundance among community phases and were most numerous in perennial grasslands and least abundant in depleted sagebrush and sagebrush annual grass community phases. As a management tool, STM provides information that predicts the direct and indirect cumulative impacts of various management actions on vegetation composition and structure (and thus habitat). Ecological site descriptions and STMs enable land managers and scientists to assess potential and current wildlife habitat suitability and to predict potential response of wildlife populations to vegetation dynamics based on the ecological potential of the site.
Postpartum Group Cohesion of Sympatric Deer in Texas
Authors: Haskell Shawn P. , Ballard Warren B. , Wallace Mark C. , Humphrey Mary H. , Butler David A.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Postpartum behavior of maternal deer may be specific to species of deer and predators. We captured sympatric white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus eremicus) fawns from radiocollared adult females in 2004–2006 on rangelands of west central Texas, USA, where predators larger than bobcats (Lynx rufus) were absent. Our objective was to determine whether differences in postpartum antipredator behavior existed between deer species, and if so, examine efficacy of those strategies. We collected postpartum group cohesion data in 2004 and 2005 by using radiotelemetry and examined dead fawns for cause of mortality. During fawns' hider phase, <3 weeks postpartum, mule deer females kept fawns closer to themselves (95% CI = 39−66 m) and twins closer to each other (95% CI = 25–49 m) than did white‐tailed deer females (95% CIs = 152–234 m and 163–255 m, respectively). After 30 days postpartum, familial group cohesion was similarly tight for both species. During hider phases from 2004 to 2006, predated carcasses of white‐tailed deer fawns (11 of 11) were dismembered or consumed more than mule deer fawns (7 of 13, P = 0.016), which was one line of evidence for maternal defense by mule deer adults. During hider phases in 2004 and 2005, predation rate of mule deer fawns was lower than that for white‐tailed deer fawns. In 2006, predation rate increased for mule deer but was similar for white‐tailed deer fawns compared with previous years. The tight cohesion strategy of mule deer exhibited in 2004 and 2005 seemed successful at thwarting small predators. Without large predators, the loose cohesion strategy of white‐tailed deer females was maladaptive. When meso‐predators are abundant due to extermination of larger predators, predation on fawns could increase if a deer species has relatively fixed postpartum maternal antipredator behavior.
Effectiveness of Wildlife Underpasses and Fencing to Reduce Wildlife‐Vehicle Collisions
Authors: Mccollister Matthew F. , Van Manen Frank T.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Transportation planners are increasingly incorporating roadway design features to mitigate impacts of highways on wildlife and to increase driver safety. We used camera and track surveys to evaluate wildlife use before and after construction of 3 wildlife underpasses and associated fencing on a new section of United States Highway 64 in Washington County, North Carolina, USA. We recorded 242 occasions of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use of underpass areas before highway construction began. Following completion of the highway, we collected 2,433 photographs of 9 species with deer representing 93% of all crossings. Adjusting for differences in number of monitoring days, white‐tailed deer use of underpass areas averaged 6.7 times greater after the new highway and underpasses were completed. We recorded 3,614 wildlife crossings of ≥20 species based on track counts, representing most medium and large mammals known to occur in the area and several reptiles and birds. After completion of the highway, we documented wildlife mortality due to vehicle collisions during a 13‐month period and recorded 128 incidences representing ≥24 species. Within fenced highway segments, mortalities were lowest near underpasses and increased with distance from the underpasses. However, we also documented more mortalities in fenced areas compared with unfenced areas. With greater distance from an underpass, animals with smaller home ranges seemed less likely to reach the underpass and instead attempted to climb over or crawl under fencing. Based on collision reports from adjacent highway sections, the new section of United States Highway 64 experienced approximately 58% fewer wildlife mortalities (primarily white‐tailed deer), suggesting underpasses and fencing reduced the number of deer‐vehicle collisions. Continuous fencing between underpasses may further reduce the number of vehicle collisions for deer but additional design features (e.g., buried fencing) should be considered for other wildlife species.
Peer Interaction and the Learning of Critical Thinking Skills
Authors: Anderson Tony , Soden Rebecca
Published: November 2010

The ability to conduct reasoned argument (to support opinions with non-spurious evidence, to anticipate what evidence would support alternative opinions, to weigh the quality of competing items of evidence, and so on) is a key component of critical thinking. Kuhn (1991) suggested that practice might help improve thinking skills, and in particular that peer-based practice would be effective in improving such skills. Three studies that attempted to use peer interaction to help enhance students' argumentative reasoning skills are briefly reviewed. Some evidence is provided that supports Kuhn's advocacy of peer-based practice; however, some of the studies have supplemented the peer-based element of the situation with a more traditional, instruction-based teaching component. Nevertheless, it is concluded that peer interaction is a potentially useful method for helping inculcate thinking skills.
Systematic Reviews: The Experiences of a PhD Student
Authors: Perry Amanda , Hammond Nick
Published: November 2010

Systematic review methodology was developed primarily to evaluate the effectiveness of drug trials in health care. Over the last decade this methodology has been expanded and developed in a number of different discipline areas including the social sciences (for example The Campbell Collaboration) and education (for example Evidence Informed Policy and Practice Centre). The following report describes the experiences of the first author who has conducted a systematic review as part of her PhD thesis. The report contains information on the differences between traditional and systematic reviews of the literature, on the identification of systematic reviews, on the processes involved in conducting a review and an overview of current resources. We argue that, even when it is impractical to adopt the full systematic reviews approach, elements of the method may well be incorporated into literature review guidelines for Psychology undergraduates and postgraduates.
Helping Psychology Students Write Better Essays
Authors: Norton Lin , Clifford Rebecca , Hopkins Laurence , Toner Istra , Norton Bill (J.C.W.)
Published: November 2010

The paper reports on an intervention to help psychology students write better essays by using an Essay Feedback Checklist (EFC). A sample of first year and third year psychology students were asked to rate their own essays in terms of how confident they felt they had been in meeting the departmental assessment criteria. Tutors used the same rating scale when marking the essays and used any mismatches between their rating and that of the student to target their feedback. The aims of the study were to look at the effects of using the EFC in i) writing an essay and ii) clarifying written tutor feedback. Findings showed some mismatches between students and their tutors particularly in the third year. Students were mainly positive about the EFC, although some comments indicated that more help was needed. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of an action research framework and student self-assessment.
Essays are Not the Only Way: A Case Report on the Benefits of Authentic Assessment
Authors: Macandrew Siobhan B. G. , Edwards Katherine
Published: November 2010

Authentic assessments resemble the tasks that graduates will be required to perform in the workplace. This report compares grades obtained for essays with those for two authentic assessments, namely, the presentation of a poster and the publication of an information pack. Implementation of authentic assessments requires carefully devised assessment criteria, cooperative staff, and students who have been coached on the requirements of style and content. The authentic assessments reported here are valid, reliable, fulfilling and capable of motivating students to achieve. The results are set in the context of marking workload, didactic benefits and student and lecturer job satisfaction. The data illustrate some of the difficulties encountered in ‘action research’ in the classroom.
Enquiry-Based Learning Can Maximise a Student's Potential
Authors: Palmer Sue
Published: November 2010

This study evaluates an innovative method of delivery and assessment in psychology, using enquiry-based learning as a method of delivery, and student-led seminars that are peer-assessed as part of the assessment. Students' grades in a first semester developmental psychology module were found to be significantly higher than a conventionally delivered and assessed module in the second semester. The results of this evaluation are discussed in terms of student benefit and feedback.
Exploring the Conceptual Space of LEGO: Teaching and Learning the Psychology of Creativity
Authors: Pike Christopher
Published: November 2010

This paper reports on the use of the construction toy LEGO as an effective learning resource for undergraduate classes in the psychology of creativity. Students first attended a short series of lectures on aspects of creativity, including learner characteristics such as motivation and metacognition, and theoretical approaches to problem-finding and problem-solving including the Geneplore model and the metaphor of learning as navigation in a multidimensional conceptual space. This was followed by three sessions in which students explored the conceptual space of LEGO under each of three conditions: freeplay in session 1, constraints on process in session 2 (rules for assembly), and constraints on product in session 3 (set goals). Throughout this time, students were required to keep a ‘metacognitive diary’ of their experiences, and to reflect on their own learning processes within and across sessions. Evaluation was carried out by means of a post-activity questionnaire. The paper reports on the kinds of structures produced under each set of constraints, patterns of student learning experiences, motivational changes, and student evaluations of the activity as a whole. It is suggested that, used in this way, LEGO provides a simple, highly enjoyable, yet effective medium for teaching, learning and research in the psychology of creativity.
An Exercise to Critically Examine Information on the World Wide Web
Authors: Dietz-Uhler Beth
Published: November 2010

To increase psychology students' understanding of and commitment to critically evaluating information found on the World Wide Web (WWW), students were asked to complete an online tutorial. The tutorial was designed to provide information about how to critically examine web-based material. It also included several active-learning activities which required students to apply the evaluation criteria to sites on the WWW. Students in two different psychology courses reported significantly more perceived confidence, skill and knowledge about critically evaluating web-based information after completing the tutorial, attesting to the effectiveness of the exercise.
Helping Students in Introductory Psychology Process Terrorist Attacks
Authors: Gurstelle Emile B. , Heinzen Thomas E. , Makarec Katherine , De Oliveira Jaime L. , Holle Christian , Campbell Erin M.
Published: November 2010

Terrorist attacks, such as the one that occurred on September 11, 2001 in the US, create an opportunity for psychology faculty to explore with students both the psychological aftermaths of a disaster and the psychological factors associated with terrorism. This article briefly reviews the literature on previous campus response to war and tragedy and then presents ways to integrate illustrations from the psychology of terrorism and victim response with the standard introductory psychology curriculum, as well as some advanced courses, as a method of helping students (and educators) to progressively process a terrorist attack. In practice, we took topics found in introductory psychology textbooks and developed ways to embed discussion, teach psychological principles, understand terrorism and promote healing while moving forward with and maintaining the integrity of the curriculum.
Involving Students in Assessment
Authors: Falchikov Nancy
Published: November 2010

The importance of assessment and the centrality of students within the process are emphasised. The changing role of the student is discussed and a number of suggestions made on how to involve learners productively by means of self, peer or collaborative assessment. Studies of self assessment are reviewed and the role of psychology explored. Similarly, peer assessment studies are reviewed and key variables identified. It is noted that the benefits of involving students go beyond their ability to produce marks which resemble those awarded by teachers. Stages in the process of implementing and evaluating a self or peer assessment study are elaborated. Frequently encountered problems in practice are identified and some ways of dealing with these suggested. Some wider issues are discussed: quality, education versus. training, and working in groups. The need for further research is emphasised.
Student Assessment from a Psychological Perspective
Authors: Elander James
Published: November 2010

Psychological theory and research have contributed significantly to learning and teaching but have been less frequently applied to student assessment. This article reviews some of the ways in which psychology can be applied to the behaviours involved in assessment, from the formulation of assessment criteria to the reduction of biases and errors in marking. It is argued that one of the most important ways that psychology can contribute to assessment is by providing theory and methods to make implicit influences more explicit. The point is illustrated with examples of how personal construct theory has been used to develop grade descriptors and how judgement analysis has been used to investigate markers' decisions about students' work.
Changing Student Evaluations by Means of the Numeric Values of Rating Scales
Authors: Armitage Christopher , Deeprose Catherine
Published: November 2010

Student evaluation of modules is central to quality management and enhancement within higher education. However, the manner in which questionnaires are designed may inadvertently bias responses. Fifty-seven level 1 undergraduate students (45 women, 12 men) were randomised to evaluate an introductory psychology module on either bipolar (−2 to +2, n = 29) or unipolar (1 to 5, n = 28) scales. Consistent with previous research, ratings on bipolar scales generally elicited more positive evaluations than ratings on unipolar scales. The effects of the numeric values of rating scales were most pronounced when more abstract questions (e.g. ‘overall, how enjoyable was the module?’) than when more concrete questions (e.g. ‘how much did you contribute?’) were asked. Implications of the research for theory and practice in higher education are discussed.
The Care and Feeding of Monolingual and Bilingual University Students in South Florida: Implications for Assessment and Training
Authors: Ransdell Sarah
Published: November 2010

This paper focuses on predicting academic success among monolingual and bilingual psychology students graduating from an American university in South Florida. Monolingual students were found to be reliably better in receptive vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing fluency than their bilingual peers. Monolingual and bilingual students were equivalent, however, in grammar awareness, phonological awareness, expressive vocabulary, vocabulary density and writing quality. The best predictors of reading comprehension skill among monolingual students were grammar awareness, and both receptive and expressive vocabulary. No measures were reliable predictors of bilingual skill. This paper includes a discussion of the work-related behaviours likely to be influenced by these cognitive skills and promotes the use of multiple indicators of success needed to predict academic and career-related outcomes. Finally, implications for the training and preparation of bilingual, non-native speakers of English, as well as monolingual speakers, are outlined.
Attachment Parenting: A Media Activity for Developmental Psychology Research Methods
Authors: Sy Susan , Brown Edna , Amsterlaw Jennifer , Myers Jennifer
Published: November 2010

The purpose of the activity described here is help students apply course concepts to a ‘real-world’ issue, understand how to develop a specific research study from a general topic, and become more critical consumers of information. The activity required students to critically analyse claims about a new method of parenting presented in a TV news magazine show. Quantitative and qualitative data gathered from students indicate that they found the exercises interesting and useful in helping them both understand and apply concepts they learned in their developmental psychology research methods course.
Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Psychology Research Methods Teaching: The Example of a Classroom Debate
Authors: Wiggins Sally , Forrest Sarah
Published: November 2010

Research methods teaching in psychology is predominantly divided into quantitative and qualitative modules, often with an emphasis on the former. In this article we argue that by explicitly addressing the integration of methodological approaches we may help to improve students' understanding of psychological research methods overall. The example of a final year module is provided, outlining the use of a student-led classroom debate on the compatibility of qualitative and quantitative methodologies in psychology. This type of learning activity was introduced to encourage a deeper understanding of the module content and to move toward student-centred learning. It is concluded that the relative success of the debate depended largely on the size of the class and the willingness of the students to partake in a non-assessed, planned activity. Suggestions are provided for how the debate could have been better managed, alongside alternative ways in which the whole module may be redesigned.
The Use of Principles for Organising the Introductory Psychology Course
Authors: Nelson Daniel , Nelson Kari
Published: November 2010

Common difficulties in teaching introductory courses such as general psychology are breadth of content and differing student and teacher expectations. The use of psychological concepts or principles as organising factors is recommended to address these problems. Psychological principles for each content area were identified and presented to two groups of general psychology students. Course content was organised around these principles, along with class exercises and tests that fostered their application. When compared with two other groups organised by the text's field survey approach, the principles-organised groups self-reported greater abilities to apply content to everyday situations, relationships and future occupations. Students strongly recommended the use of principles in future courses as one way of addressing common difficulties in the general psychology course. The percentage of answers correct on tests of content did not differ significantly between groups, indicating a similar grasp of material from both the principles-organised sections and field survey-organised sections.
Teaching of Research Methods in Undergraduate Psychology Courses: A Survey of Provision in HE Institutions and Colleges in the UK
Authors: Lewis Vicky , Oates John , Martin Sue , Duffy Hester
Published: November 2010

It is widely acknowledged that systematic observation is an important research method, and hence should be a core element in psychology curricula. UK higher education institutions (HEIs) were surveyed about their psychological research methods teaching, and in particular observational research methods. The survey indicated considerable variation across responding HEIs in equipment availability, class size, and preparation and contact time, though there was a degree of consensus in the use of SPSS, identified learning outcomes and assessment strategies. Considerable interest was expressed for the provision of self-contained, relatively short, sets of materials teaching key features of observational research methods, with a preference for the inclusion of developmental psychology video materials. The parallels with the concept of ‘learning object’ are discussed.
‘Watching People do Stuff’: An Analysis of Newly Recruited Students' Accounts of Doing a Psychology Degree
Authors: Wallwork Jodi , Mahoney Bere , Mason Sarah
Published: November 2010

Learning and teaching researchers have consistently identified a mismatch between student and tutor expectations and goals. With student diversity increasing along with widening access, student perceptions, misconceptions and attitudes may be just as important to learning and teaching psychology as individual ability and knowledge. We set out in this paper to explore the accounts given by newly recruited psychology students of their beliefs and understandings about the subject of psychology and how psychology students learn. Our findings suggest that, although some of these students' understandings are consistent with the psychology undergraduate programme, there are also beliefs that present challenges and opportunities to tutors and programme designers. At the very least, we suggest, that engagement in an exercise similar to that undertaken in this study may be valuable in enhancing understanding and reshaping the beliefs and expectations of both students and tutors.
The Academic Conference Evolves: The fMRI Experience
Authors: Senior Carl , Reddy Peter
Published: November 2010

The fMRI Experience began as a postgraduate organised conference, to enable novice access to expertise in a developing and technically complex area, and for mutual support. This paper investigates the seventh annual iteration of this emergent conference and evaluates its educational value. Key features are free attendance supported by sponsorship, a clear focus on student needs and a strong social programme and participation ethos to facilitate interaction. Predominantly qualitative data suggests that the event is of value to postgraduate participants and is also successful in attracting the participation of internationally leading researchers. The implications and value of the event for postgraduate education and for developing new fields of enquiry are discussed.
Student Response to a Pub Quiz Style First Year Psychology Assessment
Authors: Reddy Peter , Parson Vanessa
Published: November 2010

The deterioration in staff-student ratios in UK higher education has had a disproportionate impact on assessment and feedback, meaning that contemporary students may have fewer assessments and much less feedback than a generation ago (Gibbs, 2006). Early use of a quiz assessment may offer a blend of social benefits (social comparison, shared problem solving leading to engagement, belonging and continuation), academic benefits (early formative assessment, immediate feedback) and administrative benefits (on-the-spot verbal marking and feedback to 230 students simultaneously). This study sought student views on the acceptability and contribution to learning of the quiz. Social benefits were apparent but difficulties in creating questions to elicit deeper reasoning and problem solving are discussed and the quiz had limited pedagogic value in the eyes of participants. The use of assertion-reason questions are considered as a way of taking the table quiz to a higher level and extending its pedagogic value.