Sample records for facto research design

  1. Designing research: ex post facto designs.

    PubMed

    Giuffre, M

    1997-06-01

    The research design is the overall plan or structure of the study. The goal of a good research design is to insure internal validity and answer the question being asked. The only clear rule in selecting a design is that the question dictates the design. Over the next few issues this column will cover types of research designs and their inherent strengths and weaknesses. This article discusses ex post facto research.

  2. What about ex post facto

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McKee, H.C.

    This note presents a legal question in an attempt to find an answer. The author hopes that some legal scholar can explain the principle of ex post facto in the US Constitution as it applies to some of the environmental laws. One of the major advantages of the Association is that it provides a forum for communication among members with different backgrounds and experience. An ex post facto law is one that is applied retroactively. Under such a law, a person could be punished for some act that violated a law passed after the act was committed, even though themore » act was legal when committed. The US Constitution prohibits such laws, as will be discussed later. States are also prohibited from enacting ex post facto laws.« less

  3. 47 CFR 1.9030 - Long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Long-term de facto transfer leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9030 Long-term de facto transfer leasing...) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangement in which the...

  4. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short-term de facto transfer leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de facto transfer leasing...) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangement in which the...

  5. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum..., the following standard is applied for purposes of determining whether a licensee retains de facto...

  6. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum..., the following standard is applied for purposes of determining whether a licensee retains de facto...

  7. 78 FR 40430 - De Facto

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-05

    ... the government in making decisions regarding the selection of management; and (4) whether the... government; (2) export sales negotiations and prices; (3) composition of company management, the process... de facto Test With Requests for Additional Documentary Support and Additional Questions Regarding the...

  8. Untangling outcomes of de jure and de facto community-based management of natural resources.

    PubMed

    Agarwala, Meghna; Ginsberg, Joshua R

    2017-12-01

    We systematically reviewed the literature on the tragedy of the commons and common-property resources. We segregated studies by legal management regimes (de jure regimes) and management that develops in practice (de facto regimes) to understand how the structure of regime formation affects the outcome of community management on sustainability of resource use. De facto regimes, developed within the community, are more likely to have positive impacts on the resource. However, de facto regimes are fragile and not resilient in the face of increased population pressure and unregulated markets, and de facto management regimes are less successful where physical exclusion of external agents from resources is more difficult. Yet, formalization or imposition of de jure management regimes can have complicated impacts on sustainability. The imposition of de jure regimes usually has a negative outcome when existing de facto regimes operate at larger scales than the imposed de jure regime. In contrast, de jure regimes have largely positive impacts when the de facto regimes operate at scales smaller than the overlying de jure regimes. Formalization may also be counterproductive because of elite capture and the resulting de facto privatization (that allows elites to effectively exclude others) or de facto open access (where the disenfranchised may resort to theft and elites cannot effectively exclude them). This underscores that although the global movement to formalize community-management regimes may address some forms of inequity and may produce better outcomes, it does not ensure resource sustainability and may lead to greater marginalization of users. Comparison of governance systems that differentiate between initiatives that legitimize existing de facto regimes and systems that create new de facto regimes, investigations of new top-down de jure regimes, and studies that further examine different approaches to changing de jure regimes to de facto regimes are avenues for

  9. Spatial and temporal variation in de facto wastewater reuse in drinking water systems across the U.S.A.

    PubMed

    Rice, Jacelyn; Westerhoff, Paul

    2015-01-20

    De facto potable reuse occurs when treated wastewater is discharged into surface waters upstream of potable drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intakes. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges may pose water quality risks at the downstream DWTP, but additional flow aids in providing a reliable water supply source. In this work de facto reuse is analyzed for 2056 surface water intakes serving 1210 DWTPs across the U.S.A. that serve greater than 10,000 people, covering approximately 82% of the nation’s population. An ArcGIS model is developed to assess spatial relationships between DWTPs and WWTPs, with a python script designed to perform a network analysis by hydrologic region. A high frequency of de facto reuse occurrence was observed; 50% of the DWTP intakes are potentially impacted by upstream WWTP discharges. However, the magnitude of de facto reuse was seen to be relatively low, where 50% of the impacted intakes contained less than 1% treated municipal wastewater under average streamflow conditions. De facto reuse increased greatly under low streamflow conditions (modeled by Q95), with 32 of the 80 sites yielding at least 50% treated wastewater, this portion of the analysis is limited to sites where stream gauge data was readily available.

  10. Ex Post Facto Monte Carlo Variance Reduction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Booth, Thomas E.

    The variance in Monte Carlo particle transport calculations is often dominated by a few particles whose importance increases manyfold on a single transport step. This paper describes a novel variance reduction method that uses a large importance change as a trigger to resample the offending transport step. That is, the method is employed only after (ex post facto) a random walk attempts a transport step that would otherwise introduce a large variance in the calculation.Improvements in two Monte Carlo transport calculations are demonstrated empirically using an ex post facto method. First, the method is shown to reduce the variance inmore » a penetration problem with a cross-section window. Second, the method empirically appears to modify a point detector estimator from an infinite variance estimator to a finite variance estimator.« less

  11. Assessment of De Facto Wastewater Reuse across the US: trends between 1980 and 2008.

    PubMed

    Rice, Jacelyn; Wutich, Amber; Westerhoff, Paul

    2013-10-01

    De facto wastewater reuse is the incidental presence of treated wastewater in a water supply source. In 1980 the EPA identified drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) impacted by upstream wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges and found the top 25 most impacted DWTPs contained between 2% and 16% wastewater discharges from upstream locations (i.e., de facto reuse) under average streamflow conditions. This study is the first to provide an update to the 1980 EPA analysis. An ArcGIS model of DWTPs and WWTPs across the U.S. was created to quantify de facto reuse for the top 25 cities in the 1980 EPA study. From 1980 to 2008, de facto reuse increased for 17 of the 25 DWTPs, as municipal flows upstream of the sites increased by 68%. Under low streamflow conditions, de facto reuse in DWTP supplies ranged from 7% to 100%, illustrating the importance of wastewater in sustainable water supplies. Case studies were performed on four cities to analyze the reasons for changes in de facto reuse over time. Three of the four sites have greater than 20% treated wastewater effluent within their drinking water source for streamflow less than the 25th percentile historic flow.

  12. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  13. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  14. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  15. An Ex-Post Facto Examination of Relationships among the Developmental Designs Professional Development Model/Classroom Management Approach, School Leadership, Climate, Student Achievement, Attendance, and Behavior in High Poverty, Middle Grades Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, David L.; Schmitt, Vicki L.

    2011-01-01

    This study reports finding from an ex post facto causal-comparison study utilizing data from a multifaceted program evaluation of a professional development approach to classroom management known as Development Designs 1 and Developmental Designs 2 (DD1 & D2). Data from this program evaluation indicate that teachers implement a number of classroom…

  16. Modeled De Facto Reuse and Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Drinking Water Source Waters

    EPA Science Inventory

    De facto reuse is the percentage of drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intake potentially composed of effluent discharged from upstream wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results from grab samples and a De Facto Reuse in our Nation's Consumable Supply (DRINCS) geospatial wat...

  17. Analysis of international content of ranked nursing journals in 2005 using ex post facto design.

    PubMed

    Dougherty, Molly C; Lin, Shu-Yuan; McKenna, Hugh P; Seers, Kate; Keeney, Sinead

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine articles in ISI-ranked nursing journals and to analyse the articles and journals, using definitions of international and article content. Growing emphasis on global health includes attention on international nursing literature. Contributions from Latin America and Africa have been reported. Attention to ranked nursing journals to support scholarship in global health is needed. Using an ex post facto design, characteristics of 2827 articles, authors and journals of 32 ranked nursing journals for the year 2005 were analysed between June 2006 and June 2007. Using definitions of international and of article content, research questions were analysed statistically. (a) 928 (32·8%) articles were international; (b) 2016 (71·3%) articles were empirical or scholarly; (c) 826 (89·3%) articles reflecting international content were scholarly or empirical; (d) among international articles more were empirical (66·3 % vs. 32·8 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 283·6, P < 0·001); (e) among non-international articles more were scholarly (29·2 % vs. 22·7 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 15·85, P < 0·001; 22·7 %); (f) 1004 (78·0 %) articles were international, based on author characteristics; (f) 20 (62·5 %) journals were led by an international editorial team; and (g) international journals had more international articles (3·6 % vs. 29·2 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 175·75, P < 0·001) and higher impact factors than non-international journals (t = -14·43, P < 0·001). Articles with empirical content appear more frequently in international journals. Results indicate the need to examine the international relevance of the nursing literature. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. The use of de jure to maintain a de facto status quo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallard Martínez, Alejandro José; Antrop-González, René

    2013-12-01

    The vignette we use as the introduction works to define and distinguish the concepts of de jure and de facto pedagogical actions, especially as related to Latin@ education and its relationship with STEM fields. The authors assert that de jure educational policies, which are often legal guidelines that mandate minimum levels of compliance, unfortunately become translated to mean the normative way to implement educational practice. Hence, going above and beyond the call of duty to educate Latin@ children and youth through culturally meaningful STEM practices while respecting, affirming, and utilizing decolonizing ways of viewing science and math is not viewed as standard. Thus, it is imperative that STEM educators who work with Latin@ learners demand that de jure education guidelines translated as de facto pedagogical actions are not enough. On the contrary, de jure and de facto ways of teaching and learning should always consist of a counterhegemonic normative.

  19. A Grassroots Solution to "De Facto" School Segregation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broderick, Mary

    1997-01-01

    Connecticut is struggling to address the "de facto" desegregation that finds 80% of the state's minority schoolchildren enrolled in only 18 of its 166 school districts. In 1996, the state's supreme court ruled that Connecticut's two-tiered system was violating these students' rights. Southeastern Connecticut's improvement plan reflects…

  20. Practice-Based Research: Ex Post Facto Evaluation of Evidence-Based Police Practices Implemented in Residential Burglary Micro-Time Hot Spots.

    PubMed

    Santos, Roberto G; Santos, Rachel Boba

    2015-10-01

    Police agencies around the country are implementing various strategies to reduce crime in their communities that need to be evaluated. These strategies are often based on systematic crime analysis and are focused on crime occurring in hot spots, which are areas of disproportionate amounts of crime. This article takes a practice-based research approach to evaluate whether evidence-based police strategies implemented by one police agency as its normal everyday crime reduction practice are effective in reducing residential burglary incidents in micro-time hot spots. A quasi-experimental ex post facto design is employed using 5 years of data from one police agency that has institutionalized the identification and response to micro-time hot spots into its day-to-day practices. Propensity score matching is used to match 54 pairs of micro-time hot spots using logistic regression to compute the propensity scores and greedy 1 to 1 matching with a caliper width of 0.5 of the standard deviation of the logit to match the cases. Independent t-tests show that tactical police response to micro-time hot spots can lead to significant reductions in residential burglary incidents without the spatial displacement of crime. Tactical police responses that seek to achieve short-term reductions in crime appear to be well suited for micro-time hot spots since they are, by nature, short term. Importantly, the conclusions are based on the evaluation of an agency's systematic implementation of the evidence-based practices as its normal practices and not for the sake of research. © The Author(s) 2015.

  1. Implications of Transitioning from De Facto to Engineered Water Reuse for Power Plant Cooling.

    PubMed

    Barker, Zachary A; Stillwell, Ashlynn S

    2016-05-17

    Thermoelectric power plants demand large quantities of cooling water, and can use alternative sources like treated wastewater (reclaimed water); however, such alternatives generate many uncertainties. De facto water reuse, or the incidental presence of wastewater effluent in a water source, is common at power plants, representing baseline conditions. In many cases, power plants would retrofit open-loop systems to cooling towers to use reclaimed water. To evaluate the feasibility of reclaimed water use, we compared hydrologic and economic conditions at power plants under three scenarios: quantified de facto reuse, de facto reuse with cooling tower retrofits, and modeled engineered reuse conditions. We created a genetic algorithm to estimate costs and model optimal conditions. To assess power plant performance, we evaluated reliability metrics for thermal variances and generation capacity loss as a function of water temperature. Applying our analysis to the greater Chicago area, we observed high de facto reuse for some power plants and substantial costs for retrofitting to use reclaimed water. Conversely, the gains in reliability and performance through engineered reuse with cooling towers outweighed the energy investment in reclaimed water pumping. Our analysis yields quantitative results of reclaimed water feasibility and can inform sustainable management of water and energy.

  2. Modeled de facto reuse and contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water source waters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nguyen, Thuy; Westerhoff, Paul; Furlong, Edward T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Batt, Angela L.; Mash, Heath E.; Schenck, Kathleen M.; Boone, J. Scott; Rice, Jacelyn; Glassmeyer, Susan T.

    2018-01-01

    De facto reuse is the percentage of drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intake potentially composed of effluent discharged from upstream wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results from grab samples and a De Facto Reuse in our Nation's Consumable Supply (DRINCS) geospatial watershed model were used to quantify contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) concentrations at DWTP intakes to qualitatively compare exposure risks obtained by the two approaches. Between nine and 71 CECs were detected in grab samples. The number of upstream WWTP discharges ranged from 0 to >1,000; comparative de facto reuse results from DRINCS ranged from <0.1 to 13% during average flow and >80% during lower streamflows. Correlation between chemicals detected and DRINCS modeling results were observed, particularly DWTPs withdrawing from midsize water bodies. This comparison advances the utility of DRINCS to identify locations of DWTPs for future CEC sampling and treatment technology testing.

  3. "De facto" Privatisation of Education and the Poor: Implications of a Study from Sub-Saharan Africa and India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tooley, James; Dixon, Pauline

    2006-01-01

    Three types of privatisation are identified--involving demand-side financing, reforms to the educational supply-side and "de facto" privatisation, where responsibilities are transferred to the private sector, through the rapid growth of private schools, rather than through reform or legislation. Although "de facto"…

  4. An Ex Post Facto Study Exploring the Impact of Parental Level of Education and Parental Support on First-Year College Adjustment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huntley, Kristy M.

    2011-01-01

    This study explored the impact that parental levels of education and parental support have on college adjustment for first-year students. An ex post facto design was used to examine parental level of education and parental support as variables. Parental level of education is a categorical variable based on report from the student. Parental support…

  5. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  6. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  7. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  8. Studies on the Multi-functional Nature of Courses in Economics and the Role of Domain Specific Expertise. Ex Post Facto Research 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dochy, F. J. R. C.; Bouwens, M. R. J.

    This paper reports an investigation that was done ex post facto, examining the hypothesis that within economics courses defined economics students achieved better results than did law students in the same courses. This should not be the case if the courses are truly multifunctional. Information on an economics and money course and a course on the…

  9. Drivers of Microbial Risk for Direct Potable Reuse and de Facto Reuse Treatment Schemes: The Impacts of Source Water Quality and Blending.

    PubMed

    Chaudhry, Rabia M; Hamilton, Kerry A; Haas, Charles N; Nelson, Kara L

    2017-06-13

    Although reclaimed water for potable applications has many potential benefits, it poses concerns for chemical and microbial risks to consumers. We present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) Monte Carlo framework to compare a de facto water reuse scenario (treated wastewater-impacted surface water) with four hypothetical Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) scenarios for Norovirus, Cryptosporidium , and Salmonella . Consumer microbial risks of surface source water quality (impacted by 0-100% treated wastewater effluent) were assessed. Additionally, we assessed risks for different blending ratios (0-100% surface water blended into advanced-treated DPR water) when source surface water consisted of 50% wastewater effluent. De facto reuse risks exceeded the yearly 10 -4 infections risk benchmark while all modeled DPR risks were significantly lower. Contamination with 1% or more wastewater effluent in the source water, and blending 1% or more wastewater-impacted surface water into the advanced-treated DPR water drove the risk closer to the 10 -4 benchmark. We demonstrate that de facto reuse by itself, or as an input into DPR, drives microbial risks more so than the advanced-treated DPR water. When applied using location-specific inputs, this framework can contribute to project design and public awareness campaigns to build legitimacy for DPR.

  10. Drivers of Microbial Risk for Direct Potable Reuse and de Facto Reuse Treatment Schemes: The Impacts of Source Water Quality and Blending

    PubMed Central

    Chaudhry, Rabia M.; Hamilton, Kerry A.; Haas, Charles N.; Nelson, Kara L.

    2017-01-01

    Although reclaimed water for potable applications has many potential benefits, it poses concerns for chemical and microbial risks to consumers. We present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) Monte Carlo framework to compare a de facto water reuse scenario (treated wastewater-impacted surface water) with four hypothetical Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) scenarios for Norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Salmonella. Consumer microbial risks of surface source water quality (impacted by 0–100% treated wastewater effluent) were assessed. Additionally, we assessed risks for different blending ratios (0–100% surface water blended into advanced-treated DPR water) when source surface water consisted of 50% wastewater effluent. De facto reuse risks exceeded the yearly 10−4 infections risk benchmark while all modeled DPR risks were significantly lower. Contamination with 1% or more wastewater effluent in the source water, and blending 1% or more wastewater-impacted surface water into the advanced-treated DPR water drove the risk closer to the 10−4 benchmark. We demonstrate that de facto reuse by itself, or as an input into DPR, drives microbial risks more so than the advanced-treated DPR water. When applied using location-specific inputs, this framework can contribute to project design and public awareness campaigns to build legitimacy for DPR. PMID:28608808

  11. Subject descriptions, control groups, and research designs in published studies of language-impaired children.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, J F; Meline, T J

    1990-12-01

    We reviewed the 1983-1988 issues of six journals that frequently publish papers including specifically language-impaired (LI) subjects. A total of 92 research reports provided data for our review. The research reports included experimental studies, ex post facto studies, and intervention studies. These studies represent a broad spectrum of the theoretical and empirical foundations of knowledge regarding LI children. The analysis of the published research centered on subject descriptions and the use of control groups. A descriptive analysis of the data showed few consistent trends among the studies with respect to subject selection, subject description, and the number and types of control groups. We discuss the importance of more complete subject descriptions in studies of LI children as well as the importance of the choice of matching criteria for control groups in between-subjects designs.

  12. An ex post facto evaluation framework for place-based police interventions.

    PubMed

    Braga, Anthony A; Hureau, David M; Papachristos, Andrew V

    2011-12-01

    A small but growing body of research evidence suggests that place-based police interventions generate significant crime control gains. While place-based policing strategies have been adopted by a majority of U.S. police departments, very few agencies make a priori commitments to rigorous evaluations. Recent methodological developments were applied to conduct a rigorous ex post facto evaluation of the Boston Police Department's Safe Street Team (SST) hot spots policing program. A nonrandomized quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the violent crime control benefits of the SST program at treated street segments and intersections relative to untreated street segments and intersections. Propensity score matching techniques were used to identify comparison places in Boston. Growth curve regression models were used to analyze violent crime trends at treatment places relative to control places. UNITS OF ANALYSIS: Using computerized mapping and database software, a micro-level place database of violent index crimes at all street segments and intersections in Boston was created. Yearly counts of violent index crimes between 2000 and 2009 at the treatment and comparison street segments and intersections served as the key outcome measure. The SST program was associated with a statistically significant reduction in violent index crimes at the treatment places relative to the comparison places without displacing crime into proximate areas. To overcome the challenges of evaluation in real-world settings, evaluators need to continuously develop innovative approaches that take advantage of new theoretical and methodological approaches.

  13. The Use of De Jure to Maintain a De Facto Status Quo

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallard Martínez, Alejandro José; Antrop-González, René

    2013-01-01

    The vignette we use as the introduction works to define and distinguish the concepts of de jure and de facto pedagogical actions, especially as related to Latin@ education and its relationship with STEM fields. The authors assert that de jure educational policies, which are often legal guidelines that mandate minimum levels of compliance,…

  14. Managing Research Output for Knowledge Creation in South-South Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akuegwu, B. A.; Edet, A. O.; Uchendu, C. C.

    2012-01-01

    This ex-post facto designed study investigated the extent of Deans and Heads of Departments' effectiveness in managing research output for knowledge creation in South-South Nigerian universities. One research question and one hypothesis were drawn along the four dimensions of knowledge creation namely: socialization, combination, externalization…

  15. Relationship between Students' Scores on Research Methods and Statistics, and Undergraduate Project Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ossai, Peter Agbadobi Uloku

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between students' scores on Research Methods and statistics, and undergraduate project at the final year. The purpose was to find out whether students matched knowledge of research with project-writing skill. The study adopted an expost facto correlational design. Scores on Research Methods and Statistics for…

  16. De Facto Versus de Jure Political Institutions in the Long-Run: A Multivariate Analysis, 1820-2000.

    PubMed

    Foldvari, Peter

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we use the components of the PolityIV project's polity2 and Vanhanen's Index of Democracy indicators to analyse the relationship between de jure and de facto political institutions from 1820 until 2000 with a canonical correlation method corrected for the sample selection bias. We find considerable fluctuation in the relationship between the two measures. After a moderate positive correlation found during the first half of the nineteenth century, the two measures become statistically unrelated until the 1940s. The relationship becomes strong and positive only in the second half of the twentieth century. The relationship between de jure and de facto political institutions hence can be described as a U-curve, reminiscent to an inverse Kuznets-curve.

  17. Initial Performance of the Aspect System on the Chandra Observatory: Post-Facto Aspect Reconstruction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aldcroft, T.; Karovska, M.; Cresitello-Dittmar, M.; Cameron, R.

    2000-01-01

    The aspect system of the Chandra Observatory plays a key role in realizing the full potential of Chandra's x-ray optics and detectors. To achieve the highest spatial and spectral resolution (for grating observations), an accurate post-facto time history of the spacecraft attitude and internal alignment is needed. The CXC has developed a suite of tools which process sensor data from the aspect camera assembly and gyroscopes, and produce the spacecraft aspect solution. In this poster, the design of the aspect pipeline software is briefly described, followed by details of aspect system performance during the first eight months of flight. The two key metrics of aspect performance are: image reconstruction accuracy, which measures the x-ray image blurring introduced by aspect; and celestial location, which is the accuracy of detected source positions in absolute sky coordinates.

  18. Exploring Cultural Predictors of Military Intervention Success

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-04-01

    research employed a sequential, mixed method analysis consisting of a quantitative ex post facto analysis of United Nation’s (UN) interventions... research . Results In spite of the many assumptions and limitation forced upon the research by its ex post facto design, it nonetheless provided some... post facto exploration of predictors of military intervention success. As such, the research examined pre- and post -intervention

  19. Effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications: an ex-post facto study.

    PubMed

    Taheri, Leila; Boroujeni, Ali Zargham; Kargar Jahromi, Marzieh; Charkhandaz, Maryam; Hojat, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    Emergency treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is very important. Streptokinase in Iran is often as the only clot-busting medication is used. The purpose of using streptokinase medication is to revive the ischemic heart tissue, although has dangerous complications too. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications, has been designed and conducted. This is an Ex-post facto study. The study population included patients who suffer from acute myocardial infarction. The sample size was 300 patients, and 2 groups were matched, in variables of age, sex, underlying disease, frequencies and area of MI. Data collection did by researcher making questionnaire, that accept face and content validity by 10 expert researcher, the reliability was conducted with Spearman's test (r=0.85) by Test-retest method. Data analysis did by SPSS software: V 12. Mean of EF in SK group was (46.15±8.11) and in control group was (43.11±12.57). Significant relationship was seen between SK, arrhythmia occurring and improve EF reperfusion by chi-square test (p=0.028), (p=0.020).The most arrhythmia in SK group was Ventricular Tachycardia (20.7%). Significant statistical relation between SK and mortality were found by Chi-square test (p=0.001). But a meaningful statistical relation was not found between SK and pulmonary edema incidence (p=0.071). Nurses of CCU should be aware about SK complications such as hypotension, bleeding and arrhythmias. Proposed compare SK and tissue plasminogen drug in reperfusion and complications effect.

  20. Design, Research, and Design Research: Synergies and Contradictions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Wayne A.

    2013-01-01

    Notions of design, research, and design research in the field of educational technology are quite different from conceptualizations held by other design fields. Examining the ways that research is conducted and used in educational technology in comparison to other design fields can provide novel insights into how research and design practice can…

  1. Academic Staff Research Productivity: A Study of Universities in South-South Zone of Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usang, Bassey; Basil, Akuegwu; Lucy, Udida; Udey, Franca U.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined academic staff research productivity in Universities in South-South zone of Nigeria. Ex post facto design was adopted for this study. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The sample size comprised of 480 academic staff drawn from a population of 3120. Data collection was carried out using a…

  2. Legally White, Socially "Mexican": The Politics of De Jure and De Facto School Segregation in the American Southwest

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donato, Ruben; Hanson, Jarrod S.

    2012-01-01

    The history of Mexican American school segregation is complex, often misunderstood, and currently unresolved. The literature suggests that Mexican Americans experienced de facto segregation because it was local custom and never sanctioned at the state level in the American Southwest. However, the same literature suggests that Mexican Americans…

  3. Effect of Streptokinase on Reperfusion After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Its Complications: An Ex-Post Facto Study

    PubMed Central

    Taheri, Leila; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Jahromi, Marzieh Kargar; Charkhandaz, Maryam; Hojat, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Emergency treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is very important. Streptokinase in Iran is often as the only clot-busting medication is used. The purpose of using streptokinase medication is to revive the ischemic heart tissue, although has dangerous complications too. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications, has been designed and conducted. Materials and Methods: This is an Ex-post facto study. The study population included patients who suffer from acute myocardial infarction. The sample size was 300 patients, and 2 groups were matched, in variables of age, sex, underlying disease, frequencies and area of MI. Data collection did by researcher making questionnaire, that accept face and content validity by 10 expert researcher, the reliability was conducted with Spearman’s test (r=0.85) by Test-retest method. Data analysis did by SPSS software: V 12. Findings: Mean of EF in SK group was (46.15±8.11) and in control group was (43.11±12.57). Significant relationship was seen between SK, arrhythmia occurring and improve EF reperfusion by chi-square test (p=0.028), (p=0.020). The most arrhythmia in SK group was Ventricular Tachycardia (20.7%). Significant statistical relation between SK and mortality were found by Chi-square test (p=0.001). But a meaningful statistical relation was not found between SK and pulmonary edema incidence (p=0.071). Conclusions: Nurses of CCU should be aware about SK complications such as hypotension, bleeding and arrhythmias. Proposed compare SK and tissue plasminogen drug in reperfusion and complications effect. PMID:25946921

  4. Research design.

    PubMed

    Toledo-Pereyra, Luis H

    2012-10-01

    The development of a good research design permits us to obtain the best research data possible. From the experimental question to the research hypothesis and data collection variables, we can begin to consider the optimal research design. Details pertaining to the selection of the research design are considered within and very much in relation with the knowledge of the researcher and the support of his research group.

  5. Librarians and Graphic Design: Preparation, Roles, and Desired Support

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wakimoto, Diana K.

    2015-01-01

    Librarians often become de facto graphic designers for their libraries, taking responsibility for designing signage, handouts, brochures, web pages, and many other promotional, instructional, and wayfinding documents. However, the majority of librarians with graphic design responsibilities are not trained as graphic designers. This exploratory…

  6. Clinical research with economically disadvantaged populations

    PubMed Central

    Denny, Colleen C; Grady, Christine

    2007-01-01

    Concerns about exploiting the poor or economically disadvantaged in clinical research are widespread in the bioethics community. For some, any research that involves economically disadvantaged individuals is de facto ethically problematic. The economically disadvantaged are thought of as “venerable” to exploitation, impaired decision making, or both, thus requiring either special protections or complete exclusion from research. A closer examination of the worries about vulnerabilities among the economically disadvantaged reveals that some of these worries are empirically or logically untenable, while others can be better resolved by improved study designs than by blanket exclusion of poorer individuals from research participation. The scientific objective to generate generalisable results and the ethical objective to fairly distribute both the risks and benefits of research oblige researchers not to unnecessarily bar economically disadvantaged subjects from clinical research participation. PMID:17601862

  7. De facto molecular weight distributions of glucans by size-exclusion chromatography combined with mass/molar-detection of fluorescence labeled terminal hemiacetals.

    PubMed

    Praznik, Werner; Huber, Anton

    2005-09-25

    A major capability of polysaccharides in aqueous media is their tendency for aggregation and dynamic formation of supermolecular structures. Even extended dissolution processes will not eliminate these structures which dominate many analytical approaches, in particular absolute molecular weight determinations referring to light scattering data. An alternative approach for determination of de facto molecular weight for glucans with free terminal hemiacetal functionality (reducing end group) has been adjusted from carbohydrates for midrange and high-dp glucans: quantitative and stabilized labeling as aminopyridyl-derivatives (AP-glucans) and subsequent analysis of SEC-separated elution profiles based on simultaneously monitored mass and molar fractions by refractive index and fluorescence detection. SEC-DRI/FL of AP-glucans proved as an appropriate approach for determination of de facto molecular weight of constituting glucan molecules even in the presence of supermolecular structures for non-branched (pullulan), branched (dextran), narrow distributed and broad distributed and for mixes of compact and loose packed polymer coils (starch glucan hydrolizate).

  8. Reflection: Research by Design: Design-Based Research and the Higher Degree Research Student

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy-Clark, Shannon

    2015-01-01

    The article "Research by design: Design-based research and the higher degree research student" (Kennedy-Clark, 2013) appeared in the "Journal of Learning Design" Volume 6, Issue 2 in 2013. Two years on, Shannon Kennedy-Clark reflects upon her original article. Upon being asked to revisit this article the author reflected upon…

  9. Research by Design: Design-Based Research and the Higher Degree Research student

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy-Clark, Shannon

    2013-01-01

    Design-based research lends itself to educational research as the aim of this approach is to develop and refine the design of artefacts, tools and curriculum and to advance existing theory or develop new theories that can support and lead to a deepened understanding of learning. This paper provides an overview of the potential benefits of using a…

  10. Research Designs and Special Education Research: Different Designs Address Different Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Bryan G.; Cook, Lysandra

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this article is to provide practitioners and other nonresearchers a basic understanding of research designs to aid in appropriately interpreting and applying research findings in special education. Research design provides the blueprint for conducting a research study and shapes what kind of knowledge is generated by the study. We…

  11. Design Process-System and Methodology of Design Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bashier, Fathi

    2017-10-01

    Studies have recognized the failure of the traditional design approach both in practice and in the studio. They showed that design problems today are too complex for the traditional approach to cope with and reflected a new interest in a better quality design services in order to meet the challenges of our time. In the mid-1970s and early 1980s, there has been a significant shift in focus within the field of design research towards the aim of creating a ‘design discipline’. The problem, as will be discussed, is the lack of an integrated theory of design knowledge that can explicitly describe the design process in a coherent way. As a consequence, the traditional approach fails to operate systematically, in a disciplinary manner. Addressing this problem is the primary goal of the research study in the design process currently being conducted in the research-based master studio at Wollega University, Ethiopia. The research study seeks to make a contribution towards a disciplinary approach, through proper understanding the mechanism of knowledge development within design process systems. This is the task of the ‘theory of design knowledge’. In this article the research project is introduced, and a model of the design process-system is developed in the studio as a research plan and a tool of design research at the same time. Based on data drawn from students’ research projects, the theory of design knowledge is developed and empirically verified through the research project.

  12. Technology and Engineering Education Accommodation Service Profile: An Ex Post Facto Research Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Jeremy V.; Williams, Thomas O., Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Technology and engineering educators have an opportunity to serve a vital role in contributing to or assisting in the guidance of educational programming for students qualifying for accommodation services. Within this article, students referred to as at-risk were from two specific special populations within this group: individuals with…

  13. 75 FR 78676 - De Facto Criteria for Establishing a Separate Rate in Antidumping Proceedings Involving Non...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-16

    ...In antidumping proceedings involving non-market economy (``NME'') countries,\\1\\ the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') has a rebuttable presumption that the export activities of all companies within the country are subject to government control and, thus, should be assessed a single antidumping duty rate (i.e., the NME- Entity rate). It is the Department's policy to assign to all exporters of merchandise subject to investigation in an NME country this single rate unless an exporter can demonstrate that it is sufficiently independent so as to be entitled to a ``separate rate'' (i.e., a dumping margin separate from the margin assigned to the NME-Entity). Exporters can demonstrate this independence through the absence of both de jure and de facto governmental control over their export activities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  14. What Is This Thing Called "Design" in Design Research and Instructional Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cronje, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    This paper will consider the phenomenon of design research. It will then consider four research positions in social science research. The paper will show how the design perspectives map onto the research paradigms and how by rotating through these paradigms, a design research cycle is formed. Finally, the paper will discuss four research questions…

  15. [Prosthodontic research design from the standpoint of statistical analysis: learning and knowing the research design].

    PubMed

    Tanoue, Naomi

    2007-10-01

    For any kind of research, "Research Design" is the most important. The design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the research project. It is necessary for all the researchers to begin the research after planning research design for what is the main theme, what is the background and reference, what kind of data is needed, and what kind of analysis is needed. It seems to be a roundabout route, but, in fact, it will be a shortcut. The research methods must be appropriate to the objectives of the study. Regarding the hypothesis-testing research that is the traditional style of the research, the research design based on statistics is undoubtedly necessary considering that the research basically proves "a hypothesis" with data and statistics theory. On the subject of the clinical trial, which is the clinical version of the hypothesis-testing research, the statistical method must be mentioned in a clinical trial planning. This report describes the basis of the research design for a prosthodontics study.

  16. Behavioral headache research: methodologic considerations and research design alternatives.

    PubMed

    Hursey, Karl G; Rains, Jeanetta C; Penzien, Donald B; Nash, Justin M; Nicholson, Robert A

    2005-05-01

    Behavioral headache treatments have garnered solid empirical support in recent years, but there is substantial opportunity to strengthen the next generation of studies with improved methods and consistency across studies. Recently, Guidelines for Trials of Behavioral Treatments for Recurrent Headache were published to facilitate the production of high-quality research. The present article compliments the guidelines with a discussion of methodologic and research design considerations. Since there is no research design that is applicable in every situation, selecting an appropriate research design is fundamental to producing meaningful results. Investigators in behavioral headache and other areas of research consider the developmental phase of the research, the principle objectives of the project, and the sources of error or alternative interpretations in selecting a design. Phases of clinical trials typically include pilot studies, efficacy studies, and effectiveness studies. These trials may be categorized as primarily pragmatic or explanatory. The most appropriate research designs for these different phases and different objectives vary on such characteristics as sample size and assignment to condition, types of control conditions, periods or frequency of measurement, and the dimensions along which comparisons are made. A research design also must fit within constraints on available resources. There are a large number of potential research designs that can be used and considering these characteristics allows selection of appropriate research designs.

  17. Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework.

    PubMed

    Tobi, Hilde; Kampen, Jarl K

    2018-01-01

    Many of today's global scientific challenges require the joint involvement of researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds (social sciences, environmental sciences, climatology, medicine, etc.). Such interdisciplinary research teams face many challenges resulting from differences in training and scientific culture. Interdisciplinary education programs are required to train truly interdisciplinary scientists with respect to the critical factor skills and competences. For that purpose this paper presents the Methodology for Interdisciplinary Research (MIR) framework. The MIR framework was developed to help cross disciplinary borders, especially those between the natural sciences and the social sciences. The framework has been specifically constructed to facilitate the design of interdisciplinary scientific research, and can be applied in an educational program, as a reference for monitoring the phases of interdisciplinary research, and as a tool to design such research in a process approach. It is suitable for research projects of different sizes and levels of complexity, and it allows for a range of methods' combinations (case study, mixed methods, etc.). The different phases of designing interdisciplinary research in the MIR framework are described and illustrated by real-life applications in teaching and research. We further discuss the framework's utility in research design in landscape architecture, mixed methods research, and provide an outlook to the framework's potential in inclusive interdisciplinary research, and last but not least, research integrity.

  18. Measuring Research Competitiveness in UK Universities: Introducing the Herfindahl Index to the 2008 and 2014 Research Assessment Exercises

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Anthony

    2016-01-01

    Like its 2008 predecessor, the, 2014 Research Excellence Framework was a high-stakes exercise. For universities and their constituent departments, it had zero-sum implications for league table position in a way that the 2001 exercise did not, and "post facto" it is having a significant effect on investment and disinvestment as…

  19. Research Design Options for Intervention Studies.

    PubMed

    Lobo, Michele A; Kagan, Sarah H; Corrigan, John D

    2017-07-01

    To review research designs for rehabilitation. Single-case, observational, and qualitative designs are highlighted in terms of recent advances and ability to answer important scientific questions about rehabilitation. Single-case, observational, and qualitative designs can be conducted in a systematic and rigorous manner that provides important information that cannot be acquired using more common designs, such as randomized controlled trials. These less commonly used designs may be more feasible and effective in answering many research questions in the field of rehabilitation. Researchers should consider these designs when selecting the optimal design to answer their research questions. We should improve education about the advantages and disadvantages of existing research designs to enable more critical analysis of the scientific literature we read and review to avoid undervaluing studies not within more commonly used categories.

  20. SSME Investment in Turbomachinery Inducer Impeller Design Tools and Methodology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zoladz, Thomas; Mitchell, William; Lunde, Kevin

    2010-01-01

    Within the rocket engine industry, SSME turbomachines are the de facto standards of success with regard to meeting aggressive performance requirements under challenging operational environments. Over the Shuttle era, SSME has invested heavily in our national inducer impeller design infrastructure. While both low and high pressure turbopump failures/anomaly resolution efforts spurred some of these investments, the SSME program was a major benefactor of key areas of turbomachinery inducer-impeller research outside of flight manifest pressures. Over the past several decades, key turbopump internal environments have been interrogated via highly instrumented hot-fire and cold-flow testing. Likewise, SSME has sponsored the advancement of time accurate and cavitating inducer impeller computation fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. These investments together have led to a better understanding of the complex internal flow fields within aggressive high performing inducers and impellers. New design tools and methodologies have evolved which intend to provide confident blade designs which strike an appropriate balance between performance and self induced load management.

  1. CADBIT II - Computer-Aided Design for Built-In Test. Volume 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-06-01

    data provided in the CADBIT I Final Report, as indicated in Figure 1.2. "• CADBIT II IMPLEMENTS SYSTEM CONCEPT, REQUIREMENTS, AND DATA DEVELOPED DURING...CADBIT II software was developed using de facto computer standards including Unix, C, and the X Windows-based OSF/Motif graphical user interface... export connectivity infermation. Design Architect is a package for designers that includes schematic capture, VHDL editor, and libraries of digital

  2. Design Research and the Solo Higher Degree Research Student: Strategies to Embed Trustworthiness and Validity into the Research Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy-Clark, Shannon

    2012-01-01

    This paper puts forward a set of criteria for ensuring trustworthiness in design research studies undertaken by Higher Degree Research (HDR) students. Design research is aimed at exploring educational problems and refining theory and practice by defining a pedagogical outcome and is a methodological approach often associated with the Learning…

  3. Overview of clinical research design.

    PubMed

    Hartung, Daniel M; Touchette, Daniel

    2009-02-15

    Basic concepts and terminology of clinical research design are presented for new clinical investigators. Clinical research, research involving human subjects, can be described as either observational or experimental. The findings of all clinical research can be threatened by issues of bias and confounding. Biases are systematic errors in how study subjects are selected or measured, which result in false inferences. Confounding is a distortion in findings that is attributable to mixing variable effects. Uncontrolled observation research is generally more prone to bias and confounding than experimental research. Observational research includes designs such as the cohort study, case-control study, and cross-sectional study, while experimental research typically involves a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The cohort study, which includes the RCT, defines subject allocation on the basis of exposure interest (e.g., drug, disease-management program) and follows the patients to assess the outcomes. The case-control study uses the primary outcome of interest (e.g., adverse event) to define subject allocation, and different exposures are assessed in a retrospective manner. Cross-sectional research evaluates both exposure and outcome concurrently. Each of these design methods possesses different strengths and weaknesses in answering research questions, as well as underlying many study subtypes. While experimental research is the strongest method for establishing causality, it can be difficult to accomplish under many scenarios. Observational clinical research offers many design alternatives that may be appropriate if planned and executed carefully.

  4. RESEARCH DESIGNS IN SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Research is designed to answer a question or to describe a phenomenon in a scientific process. Sports physical therapists must understand the different research methods, types, and designs in order to implement evidence‐based practice. The purpose of this article is to describe the most common research designs used in sports physical therapy research and practice. Both experimental and non‐experimental methods will be discussed. PMID:23091780

  5. Communicating Qualitative Research Study Designs to Research Ethics Review Boards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ells, Carolyn

    2011-01-01

    Researchers using qualitative methodologies appear to be particularly prone to having their study designs called into question by research ethics or funding agency review committees. In this paper, the author considers the issue of communicating qualitative research study designs in the context of institutional research ethics review and offers…

  6. Addressing Research Design Problem in Mixed Methods Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alavi, Hamed; Hąbek, Patrycja

    2016-03-01

    Alongside other disciplines in social sciences, management researchers use mixed methods research more and more in conduct of their scientific investigations. Mixed methods approach can also be used in the field of production engineering. In comparison with traditional quantitative and qualitative research methods, reasons behind increasing popularity of mixed research method in management science can be traced in different factors. First of all, any particular discipline in management can be theoretically related to it. Second is that concurrent approach of mixed research method to inductive and deductive research logic provides researchers with opportunity to generate theory and test hypothesis in one study simultaneously. In addition, it provides a better justification for chosen method of investigation and higher validity for obtained answers to research questions. Despite increasing popularity of mixed research methods among management scholars, there is still need for a comprehensive approach to research design typology and process in mixed research method from the perspective of management science. The authors in this paper try to explain fundamental principles of mixed research method, its typology and different steps in its design process.

  7. Using Backward Design in Education Research: A Research Methods Essay †

    PubMed Central

    Jensen, Jamie L.; Bailey, Elizabeth G.; Kummer, Tyler A.; Weber, K. Scott

    2017-01-01

    Education research within the STEM disciplines applies a scholarly approach to teaching and learning, with the intent of better understanding how people learn and of improving pedagogy at the undergraduate level. Most of the professionals practicing in this field have ‘crossed over’ from other disciplinary fields and thus have faced challenges in becoming experts in a new discipline. In this article, we offer a novel framework for approaching education research design called Backward Design in Education Research. It is patterned on backward curricular design and provides a three-step, systematic approach to designing education projects: 1) Define a research question that leads to a testable causal hypothesis based on a theoretical rationale; 2) Choose or design the assessment instruments to test the research hypothesis; and 3) Develop an experimental protocol that will be effective in testing the research hypothesis. This approach provides a systematic method to develop and carry out evidence-based research design. PMID:29854045

  8. The Practice of Design-Based Research: Uncovering the Interplay Between Design, Research, and the Real-World Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joseph, Diana

    2004-01-01

    Recent interest in design-based research as a research and development methodology in education has begun to clarify the goals and commitments involved in this practice. So far, we have limited views into how the work of design and the work of research impact each other in the course of design-based investigations. In this article, I use the…

  9. ANALYSIS OF AEROMONAS BY MASS SPECTROMETRY: SPECIATION AND VIRULENCE FACTORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Introduction:

    A number of bacteria, including Aeromonas hydrophila, are listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's 1998 Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) as research needs. One research priority designated by the CCL is the identification of virulence activity facto...

  10. Research on Interactive Acquisition and Use of Knowledge.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-11-01

    complex and challenging endeavor. Computer scientists faced with the problem of managing software complexity have de - veloped strict design disciplines...handle most-indeed, probably all-- phenomena in the syntax and semantics of natural language. It has also turned out to be well suited for the classes of...Semantics The previous grammar performs a de facto coordination of syntax and semantics by requiring that the (syntactically) preverbal NP play the

  11. Designing interaction, voice, and inclusion in AAC research.

    PubMed

    Pullin, Graham; Treviranus, Jutta; Patel, Rupal; Higginbotham, Jeff

    2017-09-01

    The ISAAC 2016 Research Symposium included a Design Stream that examined timely issues across augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), framed in terms of designing interaction, designing voice, and designing inclusion. Each is a complex term with multiple meanings; together they represent challenging yet important frontiers of AAC research. The Design Stream was conceived by the four authors, researchers who have been exploring AAC and disability-related design throughout their careers, brought together by a shared conviction that designing for communication implies more than ensuring access to words and utterances. Each of these presenters came to AAC from a different background: interaction design, inclusive design, speech science, and social science. The resulting discussion among 24 symposium participants included controversies about the role of technology, tensions about independence and interdependence, and a provocation about taste. The paper concludes by proposing new directions for AAC research: (a) new interdisciplinary research could combine scientific and design research methods, as distant yet complementary as microanalysis and interaction design, (b) new research tools could seed accessible and engaging contextual research into voice within a social model of disability, and (c) new open research networks could support inclusive, international and interdisciplinary research.

  12. Intermediate/Advanced Research Design and Statistics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ploutz-Snyder, Robert

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this module is To provide Institutional Researchers (IRs) with an understanding of the principles of advanced research design and the intermediate/advanced statistical procedures consistent with such designs

  13. Conducting Educational Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKenney, Susan; Reeves, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    Educational design research blends scientific investigation with systematic development and implementation of solutions to educational problems. Empirical investigation is conducted in real learning settings--not laboratories--to craft usable and effective solutions. At the same time, the research is carefully structured to produce theoretical…

  14. Research Designs for Intervention Research with Small Samples II: Stepped Wedge and Interrupted Time-Series Designs.

    PubMed

    Fok, Carlotta Ching Ting; Henry, David; Allen, James

    2015-10-01

    The stepped wedge design (SWD) and the interrupted time-series design (ITSD) are two alternative research designs that maximize efficiency and statistical power with small samples when contrasted to the operating characteristics of conventional randomized controlled trials (RCT). This paper provides an overview and introduction to previous work with these designs and compares and contrasts them with the dynamic wait-list design (DWLD) and the regression point displacement design (RPDD), which were presented in a previous article (Wyman, Henry, Knoblauch, and Brown, Prevention Science. 2015) in this special section. The SWD and the DWLD are similar in that both are intervention implementation roll-out designs. We discuss similarities and differences between the SWD and DWLD in their historical origin and application, along with differences in the statistical modeling of each design. Next, we describe the main design characteristics of the ITSD, along with some of its strengths and limitations. We provide a critical comparative review of strengths and weaknesses in application of the ITSD, SWD, DWLD, and RPDD as small sample alternatives to application of the RCT, concluding with a discussion of the types of contextual factors that influence selection of an optimal research design by prevention researchers working with small samples.

  15. Research Designs for Intervention Research with Small Samples II: Stepped Wedge and Interrupted Time-Series Designs

    PubMed Central

    Ting Fok, Carlotta Ching; Henry, David; Allen, James

    2015-01-01

    The stepped wedge design (SWD) and the interrupted time-series design (ITSD) are two alternative research designs that maximize efficiency and statistical power with small samples when contrasted to the operating characteristics of conventional randomized controlled trials (RCT). This paper provides an overview and introduction to previous work with these designs, and compares and contrasts them with the dynamic wait-list design (DWLD) and the regression point displacement design (RPDD), which were presented in a previous article (Wyman, Henry, Knoblauch, and Brown, 2015) in this Special Section. The SWD and the DWLD are similar in that both are intervention implementation roll-out designs. We discuss similarities and differences between the SWD and DWLD in their historical origin and application, along with differences in the statistical modeling of each design. Next, we describe the main design characteristics of the ITSD, along with some of its strengths and limitations. We provide a critical comparative review of strengths and weaknesses in application of the ITSD, SWD, DWLD, and RPDD as small samples alternatives to application of the RCT, concluding with a discussion of the types of contextual factors that influence selection of an optimal research design by prevention researchers working with small samples. PMID:26017633

  16. Relationships between Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Style, and School Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Segredo, Mirta R.; Cistone, Peter J.; Reio, Thomas G.

    2017-01-01

    Research regarding the association between emotional intelligence, leadership style and organizational culture has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to explore these relationships in elementary school settings. A non-experimental ex post facto research design was utilized to investigate four research hypotheses. Fifty-seven…

  17. Applying rapid 'de-facto' HTA in resource-limited settings: experience from Romania.

    PubMed

    Lopert, Ruth; Ruiz, Francis; Chalkidou, Kalipso

    2013-10-01

    In attempting to constrain healthcare expenditure growth, health technology assessment (HTA) can enable policy-makers to look beyond budget impact and facilitate more rational decision-making. However lack of technical capacity and poor governance can limit use in some countries. Undertaking de facto HTA by adapting decisions taken in countries with established processes is a method that may be applied while building domestic HTA capacity. We explored the potential for applying this approach in Romania. As part of a review of the basic health benefits available to insured Romanians we examined the listing process and content of the Romanian drug reimbursement formulary. We assessed value for money indirectly by drawing on appraisals by UK's NICE, and for products considered cost effective in the UK, adjusting prices by the ratio of Romanian per capita GDP to UK per capita GDP. We found more than 30 of the top 50 medicines on the Romanian formulary unlikely to be cost-effective, suggesting that existing external reference pricing mechanisms may not be delivering good value for money. While not taking into account local costs or treatment patterns, absent local considerations of value for money, this method offers a guide for both drug selection and pricing. Until robust local HTA processes are established this approach could support further analysis of existing prices and pricing mechanisms. Applied more generally, it is arguably preferable to external reference pricing, product delisting or arbitrary price cuts, and may support the future development of more rigorous, evidence-based decision-making. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Guidelines for Initiating a Research Agenda: Research Design and Dissemination of Results.

    PubMed

    Delost, Maria E; Nadder, Teresa S

    2014-01-01

    Successful research outcomes require selection and implementation of the appropriate research design. A realistic sampling plan appropriate for the design is essential. Qualitative or quantitative methodology may be utilized, depending on the research question and goals. Quantitative research may be experimental where there is an intervention, or nonexperimental, if no intervention is included in the design. Causation can only be established with experimental research. Popular types of nonexperimental research include descriptive and survey research. Research findings may be disseminated via presentations, posters, and publications, such as abstracts and manuscripts.

  19. Beyond Borders: Participatory Design Research and the Changing Role of Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blair-Early, Adream

    2010-01-01

    University art and design programs are branching out and creating cross-disciplinary programs and research centers that connect design students and faculty across various disciplines such as business, engineering, architecture, information studies, health sciences and education. A human-centered, problem-based approach to design research looks to…

  20. Design research and the globalization of healthcare environments.

    PubMed

    Shepley, Mardelle McCuskey; Song, Yilin

    2014-01-01

    Global healthcare practice has expanded in the past 20 years. At the same time the incorporation of research into the design process has gained prominence as a best practice among architects. The authors of this study investigated the status of design research in a variety of international settings. We intended to answer the question, "how pervasive is healthcare design research outside of the United States?" The authors reviewed the international literature on the design of healthcare facilities. More than 500 international studies and conference proceedings were incorporated in this literature review. A team of five research assistants searched multiple databases comparing approximately 16 keywords to geographic location. Some of those keywords included: evidence-based design, salutogenic design, design research, and healthcare environment. Additional articles were gathered by contacting prominent researchers and asking for their personal assessment of local health design research studies. While there are design researchers in most parts of the world, the majority of studies focus on the needs of populations in developed countries and generate guidelines that have significant cost and cultural implications that prohibit their implementation in developing countries. Additionally, the body of literature discussing the role of culture in healthcare environments is extremely limited. Design researchers must address the cultural implications of their studies. Additionally, we need to expand our research objectives to address healthcare design in countries that have not been previous considered. © 2014 Vendome Group, LLC.

  1. Research Design and Statistics for Applied Linguistics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatch, Evelyn; Farhady, Hossein

    An introduction to the conventions of research design and statistical analysis is presented for graduate students of applied linguistics. The chapters cover such concepts as the definition of research, variables, research designs, research report formats, sorting and displaying data, probability and hypothesis testing, comparing means,…

  2. Spatial heterogeneity in fishing creates de facto refugia for endangered Celtic Sea elasmobranchs.

    PubMed

    Shephard, Samuel; Gerritsen, Hans; Kaiser, Michel J; Reid, David G

    2012-01-01

    The life history characteristics of some elasmobranchs make them particularly vulnerable to fishing mortality; about a third of all species are listed by the IUCN as Threatened or Near Threatened. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been suggested as a tool for conservation of elasmobranchs, but they are likely to be effective only if such populations respond to fishing impacts at spatial-scales corresponding to MPA size. Using the example of the Celtic Sea, we modelled elasmobranch biomass (kg h(-1)) in fisheries-independent survey hauls as a function of environmental variables and 'local' (within 20 km radius) fishing effort (h y(-1)) recorded from Vessel Monitoring Systems data. Model selection using AIC suggested strongest support for linear mixed effects models in which the variables (i) fishing effort, (ii) geographic location and (iii) demersal fish assemblage had approximately equal importance in explaining elasmobranch biomass. In the eastern Celtic Sea, sampling sites that occurred in the lowest 10% of the observed fishing effort range recorded 10 species of elasmobranch including the critically endangered Dipturus spp. The most intensely fished 10% of sites had only three elasmobranch species, with two IUCN listed as Least Concern. Our results suggest that stable spatial heterogeneity in fishing effort creates de facto refugia for elasmobranchs in the Celtic Sea. However, changes in the present fisheries management regime could impair the refuge effect by changing fisher's behaviour and displacing effort into these areas.

  3. Spatial Heterogeneity in Fishing Creates de facto Refugia for Endangered Celtic Sea Elasmobranchs

    PubMed Central

    Shephard, Samuel; Gerritsen, Hans; Kaiser, Michel J.; Reid, David G.

    2012-01-01

    The life history characteristics of some elasmobranchs make them particularly vulnerable to fishing mortality; about a third of all species are listed by the IUCN as Threatened or Near Threatened. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been suggested as a tool for conservation of elasmobranchs, but they are likely to be effective only if such populations respond to fishing impacts at spatial-scales corresponding to MPA size. Using the example of the Celtic Sea, we modelled elasmobranch biomass (kg h−1) in fisheries-independent survey hauls as a function of environmental variables and ‘local’ (within 20 km radius) fishing effort (h y−1) recorded from Vessel Monitoring Systems data. Model selection using AIC suggested strongest support for linear mixed effects models in which the variables (i) fishing effort, (ii) geographic location and (iii) demersal fish assemblage had approximately equal importance in explaining elasmobranch biomass. In the eastern Celtic Sea, sampling sites that occurred in the lowest 10% of the observed fishing effort range recorded 10 species of elasmobranch including the critically endangered Dipturus spp. The most intensely fished 10% of sites had only three elasmobranch species, with two IUCN listed as Least Concern. Our results suggest that stable spatial heterogeneity in fishing effort creates de facto refugia for elasmobranchs in the Celtic Sea. However, changes in the present fisheries management regime could impair the refuge effect by changing fisher's behaviour and displacing effort into these areas. PMID:23166635

  4. Reinventing Learning: A Design-Research Odyssey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrahamson, Dor

    2015-01-01

    Design research is a broad, practice-based approach to investigating problems of education. This approach can catalyze the development of learning theory by fostering opportunities for transformational change in scholars' interpretation of instructional interactions. Surveying a succession of design-research projects, I explain how challenges in…

  5. The Rise and Fall of School Integration in Israel: Research and Policy Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Resh, Nura; Dar, Yechezkel

    2012-01-01

    School integration (desegregation) was introduced in Israeli junior high schools in 1968 with the aim of increasing educational equality and decreasing (Jewish) ethnic divides. While never officially abandoned, a "de facto" retreat from this policy has been observed since the early 1990s, despite the voluminous research that revealed its…

  6. Impact of Parent-Child Relationship on the Career Development Process of High School Students in Ibadan, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salami, Samuel O.; Aremu, A. Oyesoji

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relationships of parental attachment and psychological separation to the career development process of secondary school adolescents. Design/methodology/approach: An "ex post facto" survey research design was adopted. The sample comprised 242 (males = 121, females = 121) senior…

  7. Conducting Classroom Design Research with Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephan, Michelle. L.

    2015-01-01

    Design research is usually motivated by university members with experience and interest in building theory and instructional designs in collaboration with one teacher. Typically, the teacher is considered as a member of the research team, with the primary responsibility of implementing instruction. However, in this chapter, I describe a Classroom…

  8. Designing Effective Undergraduate Research Experiences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Severson, S.

    2010-12-01

    I present a model for designing student research internships that is informed by the best practices of the Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO) Professional Development Program. The dual strands of the CfAO education program include: the preparation of early-career scientists and engineers in effective teaching; and changing the learning experiences of students (e.g., undergraduate interns) through inquiry-based "teaching laboratories." This paper will focus on the carry-over of these ideas into the design of laboratory research internships such as the CfAO Mainland internship program as well as NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) and senior-thesis or "capstone" research programs. Key ideas in maximizing student learning outcomes and generating productive research during internships include: defining explicit content, scientific process, and attitudinal goals for the project; assessment of student prior knowledge and experience, then following up with formative assessment throughout the project; setting reasonable goals with timetables and addressing motivation; and giving students ownership of the research by implementing aspects of the inquiry process within the internship.

  9. Schematic representation of case study research designs.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, John P; Yates, Patsy M

    2007-11-01

    The paper is a report of a study to demonstrate how the use of schematics can provide procedural clarity and promote rigour in the conduct of case study research. Case study research is a methodologically flexible approach to research design that focuses on a particular case - whether an individual, a collective or a phenomenon of interest. It is known as the 'study of the particular' for its thorough investigation of particular, real-life situations and is gaining increased attention in nursing and social research. However, the methodological flexibility it offers can leave the novice researcher uncertain of suitable procedural steps required to ensure methodological rigour. This article provides a real example of a case study research design that utilizes schematic representation drawn from a doctoral study of the integration of health promotion principles and practices into a palliative care organization. The issues discussed are: (1) the definition and application of case study research design; (2) the application of schematics in research; (3) the procedural steps and their contribution to the maintenance of rigour; and (4) the benefits and risks of schematics in case study research. The inclusion of visual representations of design with accompanying explanatory text is recommended in reporting case study research methods.

  10. Gaining a Competitive Edge through Action Design Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexa, L.; Alexa, M.; Avasilcăi, S.

    2016-08-01

    The current business environment is characterized by increased competition and highly innovative approach, in order to create products and services to better respond to the costumers’ needs and expectations. In this specific context, the research approaches need to be more flexible and business oriented and so, throughout the paper we have used a research method that combines design research and action research, named Action Design Research which is a research method used for generating prescriptive design knowledge through building and evaluating IT artifacts in an organizational setting [1]. Following the Action Design Research stages and principles: problem identification, building, intervention and evaluation, reflection and learning and formalization of learning, the research team has developed an online instrument used to actively involve the consumer in the product development process, in order to generate a better consumers insight regarding their needs and desires and to design and/or adjust the product accordingly. The customer engagement IT tool created and tested by using Action Design Research, E-PICUS, has been developed within the framework of the research project „E-solutions for innovation through customer pro-active involvement in value creation to increase organisational competitiveness (E-PICUS)”, PN- II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1811, currently undergoing.

  11. Quasi experimental designs in pharmacist intervention research.

    PubMed

    Krass, Ines

    2016-06-01

    Background In the field of pharmacist intervention research it is often difficult to conform to the rigorous requirements of the "true experimental" models, especially the requirement of randomization. When randomization is not feasible, a practice based researcher can choose from a range of "quasi-experimental designs" i.e., non-randomised and at time non controlled. Objective The aim of this article was to provide an overview of quasi-experimental designs, discuss their strengths and weaknesses and to investigate their application in pharmacist intervention research over the previous decade. Results In the literature quasi experimental studies may be classified into five broad categories: quasi-experimental design without control groups; quasi-experimental design that use control groups with no pre-test; quasi-experimental design that use control groups and pre-tests; interrupted time series and stepped wedge designs. Quasi-experimental study design has consistently featured in the evolution of pharmacist intervention research. The most commonly applied of all quasi experimental designs in the practice based research literature are the one group pre-post-test design and the non-equivalent control group design i.e., (untreated control group with dependent pre-tests and post-tests) and have been used to test the impact of pharmacist interventions in general medications management as well as in specific disease states. Conclusion Quasi experimental studies have a role to play as proof of concept, in the pilot phases of interventions when testing different intervention components, especially in complex interventions. They serve to develop an understanding of possible intervention effects: while in isolation they yield weak evidence of clinical efficacy, taken collectively, they help build a body of evidence in support of the value of pharmacist interventions across different practice settings and countries. However, when a traditional RCT is not feasible for

  12. Implementing Clinical Research Using Factorial Designs: A Primer.

    PubMed

    Baker, Timothy B; Smith, Stevens S; Bolt, Daniel M; Loh, Wei-Yin; Mermelstein, Robin; Fiore, Michael C; Piper, Megan E; Collins, Linda M

    2017-07-01

    Factorial experiments have rarely been used in the development or evaluation of clinical interventions. However, factorial designs offer advantages over randomized controlled trial designs, the latter being much more frequently used in such research. Factorial designs are highly efficient (permitting evaluation of multiple intervention components with good statistical power) and present the opportunity to detect interactions amongst intervention components. Such advantages have led methodologists to advocate for the greater use of factorial designs in research on clinical interventions (Collins, Dziak, & Li, 2009). However, researchers considering the use of such designs in clinical research face a series of choices that have consequential implications for the interpretability and value of the experimental results. These choices include: whether to use a factorial design, selection of the number and type of factors to include, how to address the compatibility of the different factors included, whether and how to avoid confounds between the type and number of interventions a participant receives, and how to interpret interactions. The use of factorial designs in clinical intervention research poses choices that differ from those typically considered in randomized clinical trial designs. However, the great information yield of the former encourages clinical researchers' increased and careful execution of such designs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. Leveraging Failure in Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lobato, Joanne; Walters, C. David; Hohensee, Charles; Gruver, John; Diamond, Jaime Marie

    2015-01-01

    Even in the resource-rich, more ideal conditions of many design-based classroom interventions, unexpected events can lead to disappointing results in student learning. However, if later iterations in a design research study are more successful, the previous failures can provide opportunities for comparisons to reveal subtle differences in…

  14. Educational Cloud Services and the Mathematics Confidence, Affective Engagement, and Behavioral Engagement of Mathematics Education Students in Public University in Benue State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iji, Clement Onwu; Abah, Joshua Abah; Anyor, Joseph Wuave

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of cloud services on mathematics education students' mathematics confidence, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement in public universities in Benue State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for the study was the researcher-developed Cloud Services Mathematics…

  15. Assessment of Students Attitude and Perception of Teaching Practice: The Case of Undergraduates of Delta State University, Abraka

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ifeoma, Asiyai Romina

    2016-01-01

    This descriptive survey research employed ex-post facto design to examine teaching practice in Delta State University, Abraka Nigeria. Interview and questionnaire were used to generate data from 280 respondents. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the investigation. Data collected were analyzed via the use of mean, standard…

  16. Assessment of Information and Communication Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning in Institutions of Higher Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asiyai, Romina Ifeoma

    2014-01-01

    Employing survey research design of the ex-post facto type, this study examined information and community technologies integration in teaching and learning in institutions of higher learning in Delta State, Nigeria. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the investigation. Descriptive statistical tools such as mean and standard…

  17. Relative Contributions of Selected Teachers' Variables and Students' Attitudes toward Academic Achievement in Biology among Senior Secondary School Students in Ondo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gbore, L. O.; Daramola, C. A.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the relative contributions of selected teachers' variables and students' attitude towards academic achievement in biology among senior secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. It involved descriptive survey research and ex-post facto research designs. The sample, 360 respondents which consists of 180 biology teachers and…

  18. From "At Risk" to "At Promise": An Evaluation of an Early Reading First Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zoll, Susan Marie

    2012-01-01

    This study demonstrates the impact of an Early Reading First intervention on preschool children's language and literacy development using an ex post facto, causal-comparative research design. The project's professional development model was evaluated to produce a process and outcome evaluation to answer two overarching research questions: (1) What…

  19. The UNIX Operating System: A Model for Software Design.

    PubMed

    Kernighan, B W; Morgan, S P

    1982-02-12

    The UNIX operating system, a general-purpose time-sharng system, has, without marketing, advertising, or technical support, become widely used by universities and scientific research establishments. It is the de facto standard of comparison for such systems and has spawned a small industry of suppliers of UNIX variants and look-alikes. This article attempts to uncover the reasons for its success and to draw some lessons for the future of operating systems.

  20. Critical Issues in Research Design in Action Research in an SME Development Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGrath, Helen; O'Toole, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The main aim of this paper is to develop guidelines on the critical issues to consider in research design in an action research (AR) environment for SME network capability development. Design/methodology/approach: The issues in research design for AR studies are developed from the authors' experience in running learning sets but, in…

  1. How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design.

    PubMed

    Schoonenboom, Judith; Johnson, R Burke

    2017-01-01

    This article provides researchers with knowledge of how to design a high quality mixed methods research study. To design a mixed study, researchers must understand and carefully consider each of the dimensions of mixed methods design, and always keep an eye on the issue of validity. We explain the seven major design dimensions: purpose, theoretical drive, timing (simultaneity and dependency), point of integration, typological versus interactive design approaches, planned versus emergent design, and design complexity. There also are multiple secondary dimensions that need to be considered during the design process. We explain ten secondary dimensions of design to be considered for each research study. We also provide two case studies showing how the mixed designs were constructed.

  2. The research-design interaction: lessons learned from an evidence-based design studio.

    PubMed

    Haq, Saif; Pati, Debajyoti

    2010-01-01

    As evidence-based design (EBD) emerges as a model of design practice, considerable attention has been given to its research component. However, this overshadows another essential component of EBD-the change agent, namely the designer. EBD introduced a new skill set to the practitioner: the ability to interact with scientific evidence. Industry sources suggest adoption of the EBD approach across a large number of design firms. How comfortable are these designers in integrating research with design decision making? Optimizing the interaction between the primary change agent (the designer) and the evidence is crucial to producing the desired outcomes. Preliminary to examining this question, an architectural design studio was used as a surrogate environment to examine how designers interact with evidence. Twelve students enrolled in a healthcare EBD studio during the spring of 2009. A three-phase didactic structure was adopted: knowing a hospital, knowing the evidence, and designing with knowledge and evidence. Products of the studio and questionnaire responses from the students were used as the data for analysis. The data suggest that optimization of the research-design relationship warrants consideration in four domains: (1) a knowledge structure that is easy to comprehend; (2) phase-complemented representation of evidence; (3) access to context and precedence information; and (4) a designer-friendly vocabulary.

  3. Sex Bias in Research Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grady, Kathleen E.

    1981-01-01

    Presents feminist criticisms of selected aspects of research methods in psychology. Reviews data relevant to sex bias in topic selection, subject selection and single-sex designs, operationalization of variables, testing for sex differences, and interpretation of results. Suggestions for achieving more "sex fair" research methods are discussed.…

  4. Getting started in research: designing and preparing to conduct a research study.

    PubMed

    Macfarlane, Matthew D; Kisely, Steve; Loi, Samantha; Macfarlane, Stephen; Merry, Sally; Parker, Stephen; Power, Brian; Siskind, Dan; Smith, Geoff; Looi, Jeffrey C

    2015-02-01

    To discuss common pitfalls and useful tips in designing a quantitative research study, the importance and process of ethical approval, and consideration of funding. Through careful planning, based on formulation of a research question, early career researchers can design and conduct quantitative research projects within the framework of the Scholarly Project or in their own independent projects. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

  5. Impact of In-Service Training and Staff Development on Workers' Job Performance and Optimal Productivity in Public Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejoh, Johnson; Faniran, Victoria Loveth

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of in-service training and staff development on workers' job performance and optimal productivity in public secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. The study used the ex-post-facto research design. Three research questions and three hypotheses were generated and tested using questionnaire items adapted from…

  6. Perceived Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Career Development among Undergraduates in South-South Universities in Nigeria: Implication for Counselling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akpochafo, Grace Omejevwe; Alika, Ijeoma Henrietta

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the perceived impact of entrepreneurship education on career development among undergraduates in south-south universities in Nigeria. To guide the study four research questions were generated and one hypothesis formulated, which was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study employed an expost facto research design.…

  7. The application of mixed methods designs to trauma research.

    PubMed

    Creswell, John W; Zhang, Wanqing

    2009-12-01

    Despite the use of quantitative and qualitative data in trauma research and therapy, mixed methods studies in this field have not been analyzed to help researchers designing investigations. This discussion begins by reviewing four core characteristics of mixed methods research in the social and human sciences. Combining these characteristics, the authors focus on four select mixed methods designs that are applicable in trauma research. These designs are defined and their essential elements noted. Applying these designs to trauma research, a search was conducted to locate mixed methods trauma studies. From this search, one sample study was selected, and its characteristics of mixed methods procedures noted. Finally, drawing on other mixed methods designs available, several follow-up mixed methods studies were described for this sample study, enabling trauma researchers to view design options for applying mixed methods research in trauma investigations.

  8. Critical Race Design: An Emerging Methodological Approach to Anti-Racist Design and Implementation Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalil, Deena; Kier, Meredith

    2017-01-01

    This article is about introducing Critical Race Design (CRD), a research methodology that centers race and equity at the nucleus of educational opportunities by design. First, the authors define design-based implementation research (DBIR; Penuel, Fishman, Cheng, & Sabelli, 2011) as an equity-oriented education research methodology where…

  9. Principals Leadership Styles and Gender Influence on Teachers Morale in Public Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eboka, Obiajulu Chinyelum

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated the perception of teachers on the influence of principals' leadership styles and gender on teacher morale. Four research questions and four research hypotheses guided the study. An ex-post facto research design was adopted in the study. Through the simple random sampling technique a total of 72 principals and 2,506 in 72…

  10. Designing Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Multiplicity of Options

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manduca, C. A.

    2001-12-01

    Research experiences for undergraduate students can serve many goals including: developing student understanding of the process of science; providing opportunities for students to develop professional skills or test career plans; completing publishable research; enabling faculty professional development; or enhancing the visibility of a science program. The large range of choices made in the design of an undergraduate research program or opportunity must reflect the goals of the program, the needs and abilities of the students and faculty, and the available resources including both time and money. Effective program design, execution, and evaluation can all be enhanced if the goals of the program are clearly articulated. Student research experiences can be divided into four components: 1) defining the research problem; 2) developing the research plan or experiment design; 3) collecting and interpreting data, and 4) communicating results. In each of these components, the program can be structured in a wide variety of ways and students can be given more or less guidance or freedom. While a feeling of ownership of the research project appears to be very important, examples of successful projects displaying a wide range of design decisions are available. Work with the Keck Geology Consortium suggests that four strategies can enhance the likelihood of successful student experiences: 1) students are well-prepared for research experience (project design must match student preparation); 2) timelines and events are structured to move students through intermediate goals to project completion; 3) support for the emotional, financial, academic and technical challenges of a research project is in place; 4) strong communications between students and faculty set clear expectations and enable mid-course corrections in the program or project design. Creating a research culture for the participants or embedding a project in an existing research culture can also assist students in

  11. Creative inventive design and research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerley, James J.

    1994-06-01

    This paper is a summary of a course given at the Goddard Space Flight Center for graduate engineers entitled 'Creative Inventive Design and Research.' This course strikes at the heart of the problem as it describes the thinking process itself before it goes deeper into the design process as a structured method for performing creative design. Many problem examples and figures are presented in a form that should make clear to all students what this process is and how it can be used.

  12. Creative inventive design and research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kerley, James J.

    1994-01-01

    This paper is a summary of a course given at the Goddard Space Flight Center for graduate engineers entitled 'Creative Inventive Design and Research.' This course strikes at the heart of the problem as it describes the thinking process itself before it goes deeper into the design process as a structured method for performing creative design. Many problem examples and figures are presented in a form that should make clear to all students what this process is and how it can be used.

  13. Mixed Methods Research Designs in Counseling Psychology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, William E.; Creswell, John W.; Clark, Vicki L. Plano; Petska, Kelly S.; Creswell, David J.

    2005-01-01

    With the increased popularity of qualitative research, researchers in counseling psychology are expanding their methodologies to include mixed methods designs. These designs involve the collection, analysis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative data in a single or multiphase study. This article presents an overview of mixed methods…

  14. Design as a research development tool.

    PubMed

    Pearson, M

    2005-05-01

    The design and development process is due for some innovation. Current practices use design as a downstream activity. This article explores how to use it during research and development and the benefits this offers companies.

  15. Evaluating multicenter DTI data in Huntington's disease on site specific effects: An ex post facto approach.

    PubMed

    Müller, Hans-Peter; Grön, Georg; Sprengelmeyer, Reiner; Kassubek, Jan; Ludolph, Albert C; Hobbs, Nicola; Cole, James; Roos, Raymund A C; Duerr, Alexandra; Tabrizi, Sarah J; Landwehrmeyer, G Bernhard; Süssmuth, Sigurd D

    2013-01-01

    Assessment of the feasibility to average diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of MRI data acquired in the course of a multicenter study. Sixty-one early stage Huntington's disease patients and forty healthy controls were studied using four different MR scanners at four European sites with acquisition protocols as close as possible to a given standard protocol. The potential and feasibility of averaging data acquired at different sites was evaluated quantitatively by region-of-interest (ROI) based statistical comparisons of coefficients of variation (CV) across centers, as well as by testing for significant group-by-center differences on averaged fractional anisotropy (FA) values between patients and controls. In addition, a whole-brain based statistical between-group comparison was performed using FA maps. The ex post facto statistical evaluation of CV and FA-values in a priori defined ROIs showed no differences between sites above chance indicating that data were not systematically biased by center specific factors. Averaging FA-maps from DTI data acquired at different study sites and different MR scanner types does not appear to be systematically biased. A suitable recipe for testing on the possibility to pool multicenter DTI data is provided to permit averaging of DTI-derived metrics to differentiate patients from healthy controls at a larger scale.

  16. Enhancing public involvement in assistive technology design research.

    PubMed

    Williamson, Tracey; Kenney, Laurence; Barker, Anthony T; Cooper, Glen; Good, Tim; Healey, Jamie; Heller, Ben; Howard, David; Matthews, Martin; Prenton, Sarah; Ryan, Julia; Smith, Christine

    2015-05-01

    To appraise the application of accepted good practice guidance on public involvement in assistive technology research and to identify its impact on the research team, the public, device and trial design. Critical reflection and within-project evaluation were undertaken in a case study of the development of a functional electrical stimulation device. Individual and group interviews were undertaken with lay members of a 10 strong study user advisory group and also research team members. Public involvement was seen positively by research team members, who reported a positive impact on device and study designs. The public identified positive impact on confidence, skills, self-esteem, enjoyment, contribution to improving the care of others and opportunities for further involvement in research. A negative impact concerned the challenge of engaging the public in dissemination after the study end. The public were able to impact significantly on the design of an assistive technology device which was made more fit for purpose. Research team attitudes to public involvement were more positive after having witnessed its potential first hand. Within-project evaluation underpins this case study which presents a much needed detailed account of public involvement in assistive technology design research to add to the existing weak evidence base. The evidence base for impact of public involvement in rehabilitation technology design is in need of development. Public involvement in co-design of rehabilitation devices can lead to technologies that are fit for purpose. Rehabilitation researchers need to consider the merits of active public involvement in research.

  17. Strategies Towards Effective Management of Higher Education for Building a Culture of Peace in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asiyai, Romina Ifeoma

    2015-01-01

    This study was aimed at investigating strategies for effective management of higher education for building a culture of peace in Nigeria. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the investigation. The study is a survey research which adopted the ex-post-facto design. The respondents comprised of one thousand four hundred and eighty…

  18. Impact of Cloud Services on Students' Attitude towards Mathematics Education in Public Universities in Benue State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iji, Clement Onwu; Abah, Joshua Abah; Anyor, Joseph Wuave

    2017-01-01

    This study focused on the impact of cloud services on students' attitude towards mathematics education in public universities in Benue State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for the study is the researcher-developed Cloud Service Impact Questionnaire--CSIQ (Cronbach Alpha Coefficient = 0.92). The…

  19. Improving Agricultural Science Teachers' Work Attitude in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria: The Financial Initiative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ben, Camilus Bassey

    2014-01-01

    This research study carried out to investigate the influence of financial incentive initiatives on agricultural teachers' work attitude in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. One hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A total sample of 150 agricultural science teachers and 150 students drawn…

  20. Factors Affecting Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Academic Staff of Universities in South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osakwe, Regina N.

    2014-01-01

    This study determined the factors affecting motivation and job satisfaction of non-management academic staff of universities in South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It employed an expost-facto research design. Three research questions and two hypotheses were raised for the study. A sample of four hundred and fifty non-management academic…

  1. A Multidimensional View of Resistance to Organizational Change: Exploring Cognitive, Emotional, and Intentional Responses to Planned Change across Perceived Change Leadership Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szabla, David B.

    2007-01-01

    In this survey research study, the researcher employed a causal-comparative, or ex post facto, design to explore the relationship between how union employees of a U.S. county government perceived implementation of a new electronic performance appraisal process and how they responded to the planned organizational change along cognitive, emotional,…

  2. Implementation research design: integrating participatory action research into randomized controlled trials

    PubMed Central

    Leykum, Luci K; Pugh, Jacqueline A; Lanham, Holly J; Harmon, Joel; McDaniel, Reuben R

    2009-01-01

    Background A gap continues to exist between what is known to be effective and what is actually delivered in the usual course of medical care. The goal of implementation research is to reduce this gap. However, a tension exists between the need to obtain generalizeable knowledge through implementation trials, and the inherent differences between healthcare organizations that make standard interventional approaches less likely to succeed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the integration of participatory action research and randomized controlled trial (RCT) study designs to suggest a new approach for studying interventions in healthcare settings. Discussion We summarize key elements of participatory action research, with particular attention to its collaborative, reflective approach. Elements of participatory action research and RCT study designs are discussed and contrasted, with a complex adaptive systems approach used to frame their integration. Summary The integration of participatory action research and RCT design results in a new approach that reflects not only the complex nature of healthcare organizations, but also the need to obtain generalizeable knowledge regarding the implementation process. PMID:19852784

  3. Global Trends and Research Aims for English Academic Oral Presentations: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities for Learning Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrett, Neil E.; Liu, Gi-Zen

    2016-01-01

    English has become the de facto language for communication in academia in many parts of the world, but English language learners often lack the language resources to make effective oral academic presentations. However, English for academic purposes (EAP) research is beginning to provide valuable insights into this emerging field. This literature…

  4. Design-Based Implementation Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeMahieu, Paul G.; Nordstrum, Lee E.; Potvin, Ashley Seidel

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper is second of seven in this volume elaborating different approaches to quality improvement in education. It delineates a methodology called design-based implementation research (DBIR). The approach used in this paper is aimed at iteratively improving the quality of classroom teaching and learning practices in defined problem…

  5. Queering Participatory Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McWilliams, Jacob

    2016-01-01

    This article offers a way forward for educators and researchers interested in drawing on the principles of "queer theory" to inform participatory design. In this article, I aim to achieve two related goals: To introduce new concepts within a critical conceptual practice of questioning and challenging the "heterosexual matrix"…

  6. Research on nursing practice. Stress.

    PubMed

    Lyon, B L; Werner, J S

    1987-01-01

    Clearly, there is not agreement among nurse researchers regarding a definitional orientation to stress that best fits nursing's orientation to human experiences. Varying theoretical orientations are used to explain stress or stress-related phenomena, for example, stress as a stimulus, stress as a response, and stress as a transaction. The studies are fairly evenly distributed among the four definitional categories. The various approaches do not represent expanding theoretical explanations of stress, but rather are incompatible approaches to explaining stress. More disconcerting than the lack of direction in research efforts, however, is that all too commonly the measurement of the variables and the methodology were not "linked" or consistent with the theoretical framework. For the most part the research efforts reviewed fell short of theory testing. Even for those studies that were designed to contribute to theory development, it was rare to find research reports that included implications regarding theory in the discussion sections. Additionally, discussion sections of the reports typically did not identify alternative explanations for the findings. Quasi-experimental, ex post facto, and causal comparative studies typically were flawed with validity problems. If nursing is to strengthen its contribution to knowledge in the area of stress, more emphasis will need to be placed on congruence between design and measurement, and on issues of statistical rigor, validity, and reliability. Although some might argue that it is too early to expect a coalescing of definitional orientations, it is important to point out that considerable confusion regarding stress phenomena results from a nonsystematic or nondeliberative mixture of incompatible orientations to or definitions of stress. It is little wonder that the vast number of opinion articles that appear in the nursing literature include varied definitions of stress, often making conflicting recommendations regarding the

  7. Reconceptualizing Design Research in the Age of Mobile Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bannan, Brenda; Cook, John; Pachler, Norbert

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to begin to examine how the intersection of mobile learning and design research prompts the reconceptualization of research and design individually as well as their integration appropriate for current, complex learning environments. To fully conceptualize and reconceptualize design research in mobile learning, the…

  8. The Influence of In-Service Training, Seminars and Workshops Attendance by Social Studies Teachers on Academic Performance of Students in Junior Secondary Schools In Cross River State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Essien, Ekpenyong Essien; Akpan, Okon Edem; Obot, Imo Martin

    2016-01-01

    This research examined the influence of in-service training, seminar and workshop attendance by social studies teachers on students' academic performance in Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, one hypothesis was formulated to direct the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A sample of five…

  9. NASA Space Engineering Research Center for VLSI systems design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    This annual review reports the center's activities and findings on very large scale integration (VLSI) systems design for 1990, including project status, financial support, publications, the NASA Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) Symposium on VLSI Design, research results, and outreach programs. Processor chips completed or under development are listed. Research results summarized include a design technique to harden complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) memory circuits against single event upset (SEU); improved circuit design procedures; and advances in computer aided design (CAD), communications, computer architectures, and reliability design. Also described is a high school teacher program that exposes teachers to the fundamentals of digital logic design.

  10. Using Design-Based Research in Informal Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reisman, Molly

    2008-01-01

    Design-Based Research (DBR) has been a tool of the learning sciences since the early 1990s, used as a way to improve and study learning environments. Using an iterative process of design with the goal of reining theories of learning, researchers and educators now use DBR seek to identify "how" to make a learning environment work. They then draw…

  11. Infusing Qualitative Traditions in Counseling Research Designs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hays, Danica G.; Wood, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Research traditions serve as a blueprint or guide for a variety of design decisions throughout qualitative inquiry. This article presents 6 qualitative research traditions: grounded theory, phenomenology, consensual qualitative research, ethnography, narratology, and participatory action research. For each tradition, the authors describe its…

  12. CRISPR guide RNA design for research applications.

    PubMed

    Mohr, Stephanie E; Hu, Yanhui; Ewen-Campen, Benjamin; Housden, Benjamin E; Viswanatha, Raghuvir; Perrimon, Norbert

    2016-09-01

    The rapid rise of CRISPR as a technology for genome engineering and related research applications has created a need for algorithms and associated online tools that facilitate design of on-target and effective guide RNAs (gRNAs). Here, we review the state of the art in CRISPR gRNA design for research applications of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, including knockout, activation, and inhibition. Notably, achieving good gRNA design is not solely dependent on innovations in CRISPR technology. Good design and design tools also rely on availability of high-quality genome sequence and gene annotations, as well as on availability of accumulated data regarding off-targets and effectiveness metrics. © 2016 The Authors. The FEBS Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  13. Research on an innovative design model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Y.; Fang, H.

    2018-03-01

    The design methods of furniture are different from east to west; it has been the hotspot of the scholars. However, in terms of the theory of modern design innovation, neither the early creation theory, the modern design theory, nor the widely applied TRIZ theory can fully fit the modern furniture design innovation, so it is urgent to study the modern furniture design theory. This paper is based on the idea of TRIZ theory, using lots of literatures as data, and uses the method of statistical stratification to analyze and sort out the research of modern sitting equipment, and finally put forward the modern furniture design model, which provides new ideas and perspectives for the modern design of Chinese furniture.

  14. When to Use What Research Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vogt, W. Paul; Gardner, Dianne C.; Haeffele, Lynne M.

    2012-01-01

    Systematic, practical, and accessible, this is the first book to focus on finding the most defensible design for a particular research question. Thoughtful guidelines are provided for weighing the advantages and disadvantages of various methods, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs. The book can be read sequentially or…

  15. High School Learning Environments: Hybrid versus Traditional Formats

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clifton, Mary Beth

    2017-01-01

    This research study examined the effects of hybrid course format as compared to face-to-face instruction format in a high school setting. At this time, there is little research on hybrid courses in the secondary schools. The quantitative portion of this ex post facto study utilized causal comparative design. Student data was collected from teacher…

  16. Determining the Effectiveness of Bilingual Programs on Third Grade State Exam Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vela, Adriana; Jones, Don; Mundy, Marie-Anne; Isaacson, Carrie

    2017-01-01

    This ex-post-facto quasi-experimental research design was conducted by selecting a convenient sample of approximately 2,000 3rd grade ELLs who took the regular reading and math English STAAR test during the 2014-15 school year in an urban southern Texas school district. This study was conducted using a quantitative research method of data…

  17. Evaluating multicenter DTI data in Huntington's disease on site specific effects: An ex post facto approach☆

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Hans-Peter; Grön, Georg; Sprengelmeyer, Reiner; Kassubek, Jan; Ludolph, Albert C.; Hobbs, Nicola; Cole, James; Roos, Raymund A.C.; Duerr, Alexandra; Tabrizi, Sarah J.; Landwehrmeyer, G. Bernhard; Süssmuth, Sigurd D.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Assessment of the feasibility to average diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of MRI data acquired in the course of a multicenter study. Materials and methods Sixty-one early stage Huntington's disease patients and forty healthy controls were studied using four different MR scanners at four European sites with acquisition protocols as close as possible to a given standard protocol. The potential and feasibility of averaging data acquired at different sites was evaluated quantitatively by region-of-interest (ROI) based statistical comparisons of coefficients of variation (CV) across centers, as well as by testing for significant group-by-center differences on averaged fractional anisotropy (FA) values between patients and controls. In addition, a whole-brain based statistical between-group comparison was performed using FA maps. Results The ex post facto statistical evaluation of CV and FA-values in a priori defined ROIs showed no differences between sites above chance indicating that data were not systematically biased by center specific factors. Conclusion Averaging FA-maps from DTI data acquired at different study sites and different MR scanner types does not appear to be systematically biased. A suitable recipe for testing on the possibility to pool multicenter DTI data is provided to permit averaging of DTI-derived metrics to differentiate patients from healthy controls at a larger scale. PMID:24179771

  18. Feed-pump hydraulic performance and design improvement, Phase I: research program design. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brown, W.H.; Gopalakrishnan, S.; Fehlau, R.

    1982-03-01

    As a result of prior EPRI-sponsored studies, it was concluded that a research program should be designed and implemented to provide an improved basis for the design, procurement, testing, and operation of large feed pumps with increased reliability and stability over the full range of operating conditions. This two-volume report contains a research plan which is based on a review of the present state of the art and which defines the necessary R and D program and estimates the benefits and costs of the program. The recommended research program consists of 30 interrelated tasks. It is designed to perform themore » needed research; to verify the results; to develop improved components; and to publish computer-aided design methods, pump specification guidelines, and a troubleshooting manual. Most of the technology proposed in the research plan is applicable to nuclear power plants as well as to fossil-fired plants. This volume contains appendixes on pump design, cavitation damage, performance testing, hydraulics, two-phase flow in pumps, flow stability, and rotor dynamics.« less

  19. Integrated Research/Education University Aircraft Design Program Development

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-06

    iterations and loop shaping compared to MIMO control methods. Despite the drawbacks, loop closure and classical methods are the design methods most commonly...AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2017-0077 Integrated Research/Education University Aircraft Design Program Development Eli Livne UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 4333...SUBTITLE Integrated Research/Education University Aircraft Design Program Development 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA9550-14-1-0027 5c.  PROGRAM

  20. The design of a research water table

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fike, R. L.; Kinney, R. B.; Perkins, H. C.

    1973-01-01

    A complete design for a research water table is presented. Following a brief discussion of the analogy between water and compressible-gas flows (hydraulic analogy), the components of the water table and their function are described. The major design considerations are discussed, and the final design is presented.

  1. Conceptual design of Dipole Research Experiment (DREX)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Qingmei; Wang, Zhibin; Wang, Xiaogang; Xiao, Chijie; Yang, Xiaoyi; Zheng, Jinxing

    2017-03-01

    A new terrella-like device for laboratory simulation of inner magnetosphere plasmas, Dipole Research Experiment, is scheduled to be built at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China, as a major state scientific research facility for space physics studies. It is designed to provide a ground experimental platform to reproduce the inner magnetosphere to simulate the processes of trapping, acceleration, and transport of energetic charged particles restrained in a dipole magnetic field configuration. The scaling relation of hydromagnetism between the laboratory plasma of the device and the geomagnetosphere plasma is applied to resemble geospace processes in the Dipole Research Experiment plasma. Multiple plasma sources, different kinds of coils with specific functions, and advanced diagnostics are designed to be equipped in the facility for multi-functions. The motivation, design criteria for the Dipole Research Experiment experiments and the means applied to generate the plasma of desired parameters in the laboratory are also described. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11505040, 11261140326 and 11405038), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Nos. 2016M591518, 2015M570283) and Project Supported by Natural Scientific Research Innovation Foundation in Harbin Institute of Technology (No. 2017008).

  2. The Contribution of Information Acquisition and Management Capacity to Administrators' Decision-Making Effectiveness in Tertiary Institutions in South-Western Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabunmi, Martins; Erwat, Eseza Akiror

    2008-01-01

    This study investigated through empirical methods the extent to which information acquisition and information management capacity of administrators in tertiary institutions in South-Western Nigeria contributed to their decision-making effectiveness. It adopted the ex post facto survey research design, using the random sampling technique to select…

  3. Automated Writing Evaluation Program's Effect on Student Writing Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holman, Lester Donnie

    2011-01-01

    In an ex post facto causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs on raising the student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) writing achievement scores from the 2010 administration were utilized for this study. The independent variable…

  4. The Effects of Write Score Formative Assessment on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Janice M.

    2013-01-01

    In an "ex post facto" causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of a formative writing assessment program, Write Score, on increasing student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) reading language arts and writing scores from 2012 were utilized for this study. The…

  5. [Strengthening the methodology of study designs in scientific researches].

    PubMed

    Ren, Ze-qin

    2010-06-01

    Many problems in study designs have affected the validity of scientific researches seriously. We must understand the methodology of research, especially clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, and recognize the urgency in selection and implement of right study design. Thereafter we can promote the research capability and improve the overall quality of scientific researches.

  6. 20% Research & Design Science Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spear, Beth A.

    2015-04-01

    A project allowing employees to use 15 % of their time on independent projects was established at 3M in the 1950's. The result of this project included products like post it notes and masking tape. Google allows its employees to use 20% of their time on independently pursued projects. The company values creativity and innovation. Employees are allowed to explore projects of interest to them one day out of the week, 20 % of their work week. Products like AdSense, Gmail, Google Transit, Google News, and Google Talk are the result of this 20 % program. My school is implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as part of our regularly scheduled curriculum review. These new standards focus on the process of learning by doing and designing. The NGSS are very hands on and active. The new standards emphasize learning how to define, understand and solve problems in science and technology. In today's society everyone needs to be familiar with science and technology. This project allows students to develop and practice skills to help them be more comfortable and confident with science and technology while exploring something of interest to them. This project includes three major parts: research, design, and presentation. Students will spend approximately 2-4 weeks defining a project proposal and educating themselves by researching a science and technology topic that is of interest to them. In the next phase, 2-4 weeks, students design a product or plan to collect data for something related to their topic. The time spent on research and design will be dependant on the topic students select. Projects should be ambitious enough to encompass about six weeks. Lastly a presentation or demonstration incorporating the research and design of the project is created, peer reviewed and presented to the class. There are some problems anticipated or already experienced with this project. It is difficult for all students to choose a unique topic when you have large class sizes

  7. Research on conceptual/innovative design for the life cycle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cagan, Jonathan; Agogino, Alice M.

    1990-01-01

    The goal of this research is developing and integrating qualitative and quantitative methods for life cycle design. The definition of the problem includes formal computer-based methods limited to final detailing stages of design; CAD data bases do not capture design intent or design history; and life cycle issues were ignored during early stages of design. Viewgraphs outline research in conceptual design; the SYMON (SYmbolic MONotonicity analyzer) algorithm; multistart vector quantization optimization algorithm; intelligent manufacturing: IDES - Influence Diagram Architecture; and 1st PRINCE (FIRST PRINciple Computational Evaluator).

  8. Design principles for simulation games for learning clinical reasoning: A design-based research approach.

    PubMed

    Koivisto, J-M; Haavisto, E; Niemi, H; Haho, P; Nylund, S; Multisilta, J

    2018-01-01

    Nurses sometimes lack the competence needed for recognising deterioration in patient conditions and this is often due to poor clinical reasoning. There is a need to develop new possibilities for learning this crucial competence area. In addition, educators need to be future oriented; they need to be able to design and adopt new pedagogical innovations. The purpose of the study is to describe the development process and to generate principles for the design of nursing simulation games. A design-based research methodology is applied in this study. Iterative cycles of analysis, design, development, testing and refinement were conducted via collaboration among researchers, educators, students, and game designers. The study facilitated the generation of reusable design principles for simulation games to guide future designers when designing and developing simulation games for learning clinical reasoning. This study makes a major contribution to research on simulation game development in the field of nursing education. The results of this study provide important insights into the significance of involving nurse educators in the design and development process of educational simulation games for the purpose of nursing education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Descriptive Analysis of Single Subject Research Designs: 1983-2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammond, Diana; Gast, David L.

    2010-01-01

    Single subject research methodology is commonly used and cited in special education courses and journals. This article reviews the types of single subject research designs published in eight refereed journals between 1983 and 2007 used to answer applied research questions. Single subject designs were categorized as withdrawal/reversal, time…

  10. Planned Missing Data Designs for Research in Cognitive Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhemtulla, Mijke; Little, Todd D.

    2012-01-01

    Data collection can be the most time- and cost-intensive part of developmental research. This article describes some long-proposed but little-used research designs that have the potential to maximize data quality (reliability and validity) while minimizing research cost. In "planned missing data designs", missing data are used…

  11. Leadership Aspects of Hidden Curriculum Students Practice in Nigerian Universities: A Preview of Students' Union Government Contributions in University Governance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emesini, Nnenna Orieoma

    2016-01-01

    The paper examined the leadership aspect of Hidden Curriculum that students practice in Nigerian Universities and their contributions to university governance. Four research questions guided the study and Ex-Post-Facto Method was adopted as the design. Unstructured interviews with staff/students officials cum critical analysis of Students' Union…

  12. The Effect of Single Gender Instruction on Eighth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammel, David Michael

    2013-01-01

    In the research study, this investigator utilized a non-experimental, causal-comparative design (ex post facto) with archival data to determine the real impact single gender instruction had on eighth grade students' mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the benefits of single gender mathematics…

  13. Corporate Philanthropy in American Higher Education: An Investigation of Attitudes towards Giving.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meuth, Elsbeth F.

    This study investigated corporate attitudes toward giving to American higher education in order to contribute insight into corporate philanthropy and to facilitate better understanding and improve university and college fund raising strategies. The research design used was ex post facto. A survey instrument was developed to collect attitudinal and…

  14. Social research design: framework for integrating philosophical and practical elements.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, Kathryn Burns

    2014-09-01

    To provide and elucidate a comprehensible framework for the design of social research. An abundance of information exists concerning the process of designing social research. The overall message that can be gleaned is that numerable elements - both philosophical (ontological and epistemological assumptions and theoretical perspective) and practical (issue to be addressed, purpose, aims and research questions) - are influential in the process of selecting a research methodology and methods, and that these elements and their inter-relationships must be considered and explicated to ensure a coherent research design that enables well-founded and meaningful conclusions. There is a lack of guidance concerning the integration of practical and philosophical elements, hindering their consideration and explication. The author's PhD research into loneliness and cancer. This is a methodology paper. A guiding framework that incorporates all of the philosophical and practical elements influential in social research design is presented. The chronological and informative relationships between the elements are discussed. The framework presented can be used by social researchers to consider and explicate the practical and philosophical elements influential in the selection of a methodology and methods. It is hoped that the framework presented will aid social researchers with the design and the explication of the design of their research, thereby enhancing the credibility of their projects and enabling their research to establish well-founded and meaningful conclusions.

  15. [Realization of design regarding experimental research in the clinical real-world research].

    PubMed

    He, Q; Shi, J P

    2018-04-10

    Real world study (RWS), a further verification and supplement for explanatory randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention measures in real clinical environment, has increasingly become the focus in the field of research on medical and health care services. However, some people mistakenly equate real world study with observational research, and argue that intervention and randomization cannot be carried out in real world study. In fact, both observational and experimental design are the basic designs in real world study, while the latter usually refers to pragmatic randomized controlled trial and registry-based randomized controlled trial. Other nonrandomized controlled and adaptive designs can also be adopted in the RWS.

  16. Recommendations for research design of telehealth studies.

    PubMed

    Chumbler, Neale R; Kobb, Rita; Brennan, David M; Rabinowitz, Terry

    2008-11-01

    Properly designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard to use when examining the effectiveness of telehealth interventions on clinical outcomes. Some published telehealth studies have employed well-designed RCTs. However, such methods are not always feasible and practical in particular settings. This white paper addresses not only the need for properly designed RCTs, but also offers alternative research designs, such as quasi-experimental designs, and statistical techniques that can be employed to rigorously assess the effectiveness of telehealth studies. This paper further offers design and measurement recommendations aimed at and relevant to administrative decision-makers, policymakers, and practicing clinicians.

  17. Design Research Using Game Design as an Instructional Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siko, Jason; Barbour, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Using Homemade PowerPoint games as an instructional strategy incorporates elements of game design and constructionism in the classroom using "Microsoft PowerPoint," which is ubiquitous in schools today. However, previous research examining the use of these games has failed to show statistical differences in performance. In the second…

  18. Quasi-experimental designs in practice-based research settings: design and implementation considerations.

    PubMed

    Handley, Margaret A; Schillinger, Dean; Shiboski, Stephen

    2011-01-01

    Although randomized controlled trials are often a gold standard for determining intervention effects, in the area of practice-based research (PBR), there are many situations in which individual randomization is not possible. Alternative approaches to evaluating interventions have received increased attention, particularly those that can retain elements of randomization such that they can be considered "controlled" trials. Methodological design elements and practical implementation considerations for two quasi-experimental design approaches that have considerable promise in PBR settings--the stepped-wedge design, and a variant of this design, a wait-list cross-over design, are presented along with a case study from a recent PBR intervention for patients with diabetes. PBR-relevant design features include: creation of a cohort over time that collects control data but allows all participants (clusters or patients) to receive the intervention; staggered introduction of clusters; multiple data collection points; and one-way cross-over into the intervention arm. Practical considerations include: randomization versus stratification, training run in phases; and extended time period for overall study completion. Several design features of practice based research studies can be adapted to local circumstances yet retain elements to improve methodological rigor. Studies that utilize these methods, such as the stepped-wedge design and the wait-list cross-over design, can increase the evidence base for controlled studies conducted within the complex environment of PBR.

  19. Demystifying Mixed Methods Research Design: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caruth, Gail D.

    2013-01-01

    Mixed methods research evolved in response to the observed limitations of both quantitative and qualitative designs and is a more complex method. The purpose of this paper was to examine mixed methods research in an attempt to demystify the design thereby allowing those less familiar with its design an opportunity to utilize it in future research.…

  20. Study Designs and Statistical Analyses for Biomarker Research

    PubMed Central

    Gosho, Masahiko; Nagashima, Kengo; Sato, Yasunori

    2012-01-01

    Biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for streamlining drug discovery and development. In addition, biomarkers are widely expected to be used as a tool for disease diagnosis, personalized medication, and surrogate endpoints in clinical research. In this paper, we highlight several important aspects related to study design and statistical analysis for clinical research incorporating biomarkers. We describe the typical and current study designs for exploring, detecting, and utilizing biomarkers. Furthermore, we introduce statistical issues such as confounding and multiplicity for statistical tests in biomarker research. PMID:23012528

  1. Employing Design and Development Research (DDR): Approaches in the Design and Development of Online Arabic Vocabulary Learning Games Prototype

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahrir, Muhammad Sabri; Alias, Nor Aziah; Ismail, Zawawi; Osman, Nurulhuda

    2012-01-01

    The design and development research, first proposed by Brown and Collins in the 1990s, is currently among the well-known methods in educational research to test theory and validate its practicality. The method is also known as developmental research, design research, design-based research, formative research and design-cased and possesses…

  2. Bio-Social Variables as Predictors of Teacher Union Leaders' Adherence to Democratic Principles in Ogun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejoh, Johnson

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of bio-social variables - educational status, age and family socio-economic background on teacher union leaders' adherence to democratic principles in Ogun State of Nigeria. The study employed the ex-post-facto research design. Five hypotheses were generated and tested using an instrument titled "union…

  3. Psycho-Demographic Correlates of Behaviour towards Seeking Counselling Intervention among Workers in Lagos, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gesinde, Abiodun Matthew; Sanu, Oluwafunto Jolade

    2015-01-01

    This study sought to examine the impact which age, gender and psychological adjustment have on behaviour towards seeking professional counselling intervention. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select a total of three hundred workers across Lagos metropolis. The ex post facto research design was adopted for the study. Inventory of…

  4. Instructional Supervisory Practices and Teachers' Role Effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sule, Mary Anike; Eyiene, Ameh; Egbai, Mercy E.

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated the relationship between instructional supervisory practices and teachers' role effectiveness in public secondary schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study…

  5. Gender Disparity Analysis in Academic Achievement at Higher Education Preparatory Schools: Case of South Wollo, Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eshetu, Amogne Asfaw

    2015-01-01

    Gender is among the determinant factors affecting students' academic achievement. This paper tried to investigate the impact of gender on academic performance of preparatory secondary school students based on 2014 EHEECE result. Ex post facto research design was used. To that end, data were collected from 3243 students from eight purposively…

  6. Teacher Qualification and Students' Academic Performance in Science Mathematics and Technology Subjects in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musau, Lydia M.; Abere, Migosi Joash

    2015-01-01

    Performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) subjects among students in Kitui County, Kenya has perpetually been unsatisfactory. The aim of this study was to look into the extent to which teacher qualification influenced students' academic performance in SMT subjects. The study applied ex-post-facto survey research design. Random…

  7. Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Resources and Job Effectiveness among Library Staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ntui, Aniebiet Inyang; Inyang, Comfort Linus

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and job effectiveness among library staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted…

  8. A Comparative Study of Academic Achievement and Participation in a High School Freshman Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seng, Mark Patrick

    2014-01-01

    The transition to high school can be problematic for many ninth graders. Researchers and administrators have sought ways to improve academic performance and promotion rates while reducing dropout rates. A quantitative causal-comparative (ex post facto) and correlation study using a two-group design compared two freshman classes at separate…

  9. How Principals Learn to Lead: The Comparative Influence of On-the-Job Experiences, Administrator Credential Programs, and the ISLLC Standards in the Development of Leadership Expertise among Urban Public School Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Stephen H.; Leon, Ronald J.; Fultz, Miriam

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative influence of college administrator credential programs, on-the-job experiences, and the ISLLC Standards in the development of leadership expertise among urban public school principals. An exploratory, ex-post-facto research design used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A survey…

  10. Globalization of Access to Higher Education: Lessons for Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uchendu, C. C.

    2013-01-01

    Education is such a powerful instrument for national transformation and development such that anything that affects an educational system negatively affects the national development. This study investigated the extent to which access to higher education is globalized and the implications for Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was adopted…

  11. Factors of Role Conflict among Livestock Extension Professionals in Andhra Pradesh, India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sasidhar, P. V. K.; Rao, B. Sudhakar; Sreeramulu, Piedy

    2008-01-01

    To know the factors of role conflict among livestock extension professionals in Andhra Pradesh, India. Study was conducted following ex-post facto research design. Data were collected from 180 respondents through survey questionnaires. The data were subjected to multiple regression and path analyses to know the factors of role conflict.…

  12. Differences in Affect, Life Satisfaction, and Depression between Successfully and Unsuccessfully Rehabilitated Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapin, Martha H.; Holbert, Donald

    2009-01-01

    This study assessed whether persons with spinal cord injuries who were successfully rehabilitated differed from those who were not with regard to positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and depression. An ex post facto research design compared persons with spinal cord injuries who were previously employed with persons with spinal cord…

  13. Design and Implementation of Collaborative Research Approaches

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venti, Mike W.; Berger, David E.

    2009-01-01

    This poster reviews the collarborative research approaches that NASA has been designing and implementing for the Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Project. The inputs for the technical plan are reviewed, the Research Test and Integration Plan (RTIP) WIKI, is used to create and propose a multi-themed and multi-partner research testing opportunities. The outputs are testing opportunities.

  14. Mixed methods research design for pragmatic psychoanalytic studies.

    PubMed

    Tillman, Jane G; Clemence, A Jill; Stevens, Jennifer L

    2011-10-01

    Calls for more rigorous psychoanalytic studies have increased over the past decade. The field has been divided by those who assert that psychoanalysis is properly a hermeneutic endeavor and those who see it as a science. A comparable debate is found in research methodology, where qualitative and quantitative methods have often been seen as occupying orthogonal positions. Recently, Mixed Methods Research (MMR) has emerged as a viable "third community" of research, pursuing a pragmatic approach to research endeavors through integrating qualitative and quantitative procedures in a single study design. Mixed Methods Research designs and the terminology associated with this emerging approach are explained, after which the methodology is explored as a potential integrative approach to a psychoanalytic human science. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are reviewed, as well as how they may be used in Mixed Methods Research to study complex human phenomena.

  15. Designing environmental research for impact.

    PubMed

    Campbell, C A; Lefroy, E C; Caddy-Retalic, S; Bax, N; Doherty, P J; Douglas, M M; Johnson, D; Possingham, H P; Specht, A; Tarte, D; West, J

    2015-11-15

    Transdisciplinary research, involving close collaboration between researchers and the users of research, has been a feature of environmental problem solving for several decades, often spurred by the need to find negotiated outcomes to intractable problems. In 2005, the Australian government allocated funding to its environment portfolio for public good research, which resulted in consecutive four-year programmes (Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities, National Environmental Research Program). In April 2014, representatives of the funders, researchers and research users associated with these programmes met to reflect on eight years of experience with these collaborative research models. This structured reflection concluded that successful multi-institutional transdisciplinary research is necessarily a joint enterprise between funding agencies, researchers and the end users of research. The design and governance of research programmes need to explicitly recognise shared accountabilities among the participants, while respecting the different perspectives of each group. Experience shows that traditional incentive systems for academic researchers, current trends in public sector management, and loose organisation of many end users, work against sustained transdisciplinary research on intractable problems, which require continuity and adaptive learning by all three parties. The likelihood of research influencing and improving environmental policy and management is maximised when researchers, funders and research users have shared goals; there is sufficient continuity of personnel to build trust and sustain dialogue throughout the research process from issue scoping to application of findings; and there is sufficient flexibility in the funding, structure and operation of transdisciplinary research initiatives to enable the enterprise to assimilate and respond to new knowledge and situations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Connecting the Space between Design and Research: Explorations in Participatory Research Supervision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldwell, Glenda Amayo; Osborne, Lindy; Mewburn, Inger; Nottingham, Anitra

    2016-01-01

    In this article we offer a single case study using an action research method for gathering and analysing data offering insights valuable to both design and research supervision practice. We do not attempt to generalise from this single case, but offer it as an instance that can improve our understanding of research supervision practice. We…

  17. Research on Basic Design Education: An International Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boucharenc, C. G.

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports on the results of a survey and qualitative analysis on the teaching of "Basic Design" in schools of design and architecture located in 22 countries. In the context of this research work, Basic Design means the teaching and learning of design fundamentals that may also be commonly referred to as the Principles of Two- and…

  18. The Relationship between Scores of Mathematics Knowledge and Teaching Practice of Diploma Mathematics Students: A Quest for Quality Assurance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamu, L. E.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between scores in mathematics knowledge and teaching practice of Diploma mathematics students. A sample of 39 students was used. Two research questions and two hypotheses were asked and formulated respectively. An ex-post facto correlation design was used. The data were analyzed using…

  19. Student Satisfaction as a Predictor of Retention in a Professional Online For-Profit Higher Education Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Eric; Kulick, Melinda

    2016-01-01

    This study expanded on prior satisfaction and retention research by exploring this relationship within the online for-profit sector. An ex post facto design was utilized at an online for-profit undergraduate institution with programs in the creative arts to explore the relationship between student satisfaction as measured by the Priorities Survey…

  20. Predictive Power of School Based Assessment Scores on Students' Achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) in English and Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Opara, Ijeoma M.; Onyekuru, Bruno U.; Njoku, Joyce U.

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated the predictive power of school based assessment scores on students' achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) in English and Mathematics. Two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. A sample of 250 students were randomly drawn…

  1. Self Efficacy and Some Demographic Variables as Predictors of Occupational Stress among Primary School Teachers in Delta State of Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akpochafo, G. O.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated self efficacy and some demographic variables as predictors of occupational stress among primary school teachers in Delta State. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design that utilized an expost-facto research type. A sample of one hundred and twenty primary school…

  2. Quality Regulation in Expansion of Educational Systems: A Case of Privately Sponsored Students' Programme in Kenya's Public Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yego, Helen J. C.

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the expansion and management of quality of parallel programmes in Kenya's public universities. The study is based on Privately Sponsored Students Programmes (PSSP) at Moi University and its satellite campuses in Kenya. The study was descriptive in nature and adopted an ex-post facto research design. The study sample consisted…

  3. Teachers' Utilization of School Facilities and Academic Achievement of Student Nurses in Human Biology in Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usen, Onodiong Mfreke

    2016-01-01

    The study examined the relationship between teachers' utilization of school facilities and academic achievement of student nurses in Human Biology in schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State. Four (4) specific objectives, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto survey design was…

  4. Investigating the Effects of the Academy of Reading Program on Middle School Reading Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Brenda Gail

    2016-01-01

    Using a quantitative ex post facto causal comparative research design, this study analyzed the effects of the Academy of Reading software program on students' reading achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) reading scale scores of students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades from 2013-2014 were utilized in this study. The…

  5. Self-Efficacy, Risk-Taking Behavior and Mental Health as Predictors of Personal Growth Initiative among University Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogunyemi, Ajibola O.; Mabekoje, Sesan Ola

    2007-01-01

    Introduction: This study sought to determine the combined and relative efficacy of self-efficacy, risk-taking behaviour and mental health on personal growth initiative of university undergraduates. Method: The expo-facto research design was used to conduct the study. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 425 participants from 6…

  6. Goal Setting, Decision-Making Skills and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Distance Learners: Implications for Retention and Support Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanglang, Nebath; Ibrahim, Aminu Kazeem

    2015-01-01

    The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. Randomization sampling technique was used to select 346 undergraduate distance learners and the learners were grouped into four, High and Low Goal setter learners and High and Low Decision-making skills learners. The instruments for data collection were Undergraduate Academic Goal Setting Scale…

  7. Assessment of Users Information Needs and Satisfaction in Selected Seminary Libraries in Oyo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adekunjo, Olalekan Abraham; Adepoju, Samuel Olusegun; Adeola, Anuoluwapo Odebunmi

    2015-01-01

    The study assessed users' information needs and satisfaction in selected seminary libraries in Oyo State, Nigeria. This paper employed the descriptive survey research design, whereby the expost-facto was employed with a sample size of three hundred (300) participants, selected from six seminaries located in Ibadan, Oyo and Ogbomoso, all in Oyo…

  8. Research-design model for professional development of teachers: Designing lessons with physics education research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Bagno, Esther

    2006-12-01

    How can one increase the awareness of teachers to the existence and importance of knowledge gained through physics education research (PER) and provide them with capabilities to use it? How can one enrich teachers’ physics knowledge and the related pedagogical content knowledge of topics singled out by PER? In this paper we describe a professional development model that attempts to respond to these needs. We report on a study of the model’s implementation in a program for 22 high-school experienced physics teachers. In this program teachers (in teams of 5-6) developed during a year and a half (about 330h ), several lessons (minimodules) dealing with a topic identified as problematic by PER. The teachers employed a systematic research-based approach and used PER findings. The program consisted of three stages, each culminating with a miniconference: 1. Defining teaching and/or learning goals based on content analysis and diagnosis of students’ prior knowledge. 2. Designing the lessons using PER-based instructional strategies. 3. Performing a small-scale research study that accompanies the development process and publishing the results. We describe a case study of one of the groups and bring evidence that demonstrates how the workshop advanced: (a) Teachers’ awareness of deficiencies in their own knowledge of physics and pedagogy, and their perceptions about their students’ knowledge; (b) teachers’ knowledge of physics and physics pedagogy; (c) a systematic research-based approach to the design of lessons; (d) the formation of a community of practice; and (e) acquaintance with central findings of PER. There was a clear effect on teachers’ practice in the context of the study as indicated by the materials brought to the workshop. The teachers also reported that they continued to use the insights gained, mainly in the topics that were investigated by themselves and by their peers.

  9. Comparative effectiveness research for the clinician researcher: a framework for making a methodological design choice.

    PubMed

    Williams, Cylie M; Skinner, Elizabeth H; James, Alicia M; Cook, Jill L; McPhail, Steven M; Haines, Terry P

    2016-08-17

    Comparative effectiveness research compares two active forms of treatment or usual care in comparison with usual care with an additional intervention element. These types of study are commonly conducted following a placebo or no active treatment trial. Research designs with a placebo or non-active treatment arm can be challenging for the clinician researcher when conducted within the healthcare environment with patients attending for treatment.A framework for conducting comparative effectiveness research is needed, particularly for interventions for which there are no strong regulatory requirements that must be met prior to their introduction into usual care. We argue for a broader use of comparative effectiveness research to achieve translatable real-world clinical research. These types of research design also affect the rapid uptake of evidence-based clinical practice within the healthcare setting.This framework includes questions to guide the clinician researcher into the most appropriate trial design to measure treatment effect. These questions include consideration given to current treatment provision during usual care, known treatment effectiveness, side effects of treatments, economic impact, and the setting in which the research is being undertaken.

  10. Study/experimental/research design: much more than statistics.

    PubMed

    Knight, Kenneth L

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of study, experimental, or research design in scientific manuscripts has changed significantly over the years. It has evolved from an explanation of the design of the experiment (ie, data gathering or acquisition) to an explanation of the statistical analysis. This practice makes "Methods" sections hard to read and understand. To clarify the difference between study design and statistical analysis, to show the advantages of a properly written study design on article comprehension, and to encourage authors to correctly describe study designs. The role of study design is explored from the introduction of the concept by Fisher through modern-day scientists and the AMA Manual of Style. At one time, when experiments were simpler, the study design and statistical design were identical or very similar. With the complex research that is common today, which often includes manipulating variables to create new variables and the multiple (and different) analyses of a single data set, data collection is very different than statistical design. Thus, both a study design and a statistical design are necessary. Scientific manuscripts will be much easier to read and comprehend. A proper experimental design serves as a road map to the study methods, helping readers to understand more clearly how the data were obtained and, therefore, assisting them in properly analyzing the results.

  11. Study/Experimental/Research Design: Much More Than Statistics

    PubMed Central

    Knight, Kenneth L.

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Context: The purpose of study, experimental, or research design in scientific manuscripts has changed significantly over the years. It has evolved from an explanation of the design of the experiment (ie, data gathering or acquisition) to an explanation of the statistical analysis. This practice makes “Methods” sections hard to read and understand. Objective: To clarify the difference between study design and statistical analysis, to show the advantages of a properly written study design on article comprehension, and to encourage authors to correctly describe study designs. Description: The role of study design is explored from the introduction of the concept by Fisher through modern-day scientists and the AMA Manual of Style. At one time, when experiments were simpler, the study design and statistical design were identical or very similar. With the complex research that is common today, which often includes manipulating variables to create new variables and the multiple (and different) analyses of a single data set, data collection is very different than statistical design. Thus, both a study design and a statistical design are necessary. Advantages: Scientific manuscripts will be much easier to read and comprehend. A proper experimental design serves as a road map to the study methods, helping readers to understand more clearly how the data were obtained and, therefore, assisting them in properly analyzing the results. PMID:20064054

  12. ICS-II USA research design and methodology.

    PubMed

    Rana, H; Andersen, R M; Nakazono, T T; Davidson, P L

    1997-05-01

    The purpose of the WHO-sponsored International Collaborative Study of Oral Health Outcomes (ICS-II) was to provide policy-markers and researchers with detailed, reliable, and valid data on the oral health situation in their countries or regions, together with comparative data from other dental care delivery systems. ICS-II used a cross-sectional design with no explicit control groups or experimental interventions. A standardized methodology was developed and tested for collecting and analyzing epidemiological, sociocultural, economic, and delivery system data. Respondent information was obtained by household interviews, and clinical examinations were conducted by calibrated oral epidemiologists. Discussed are the sampling design characteristics for the USA research locations, response rates, samples size for interview and oral examination data, weighting procedures, and statistical methods. SUDAAN was used to adjust variance calculations, since complex sampling designs were used.

  13. Researching Design Practices and Design Cognition: Contexts, Experiences and Pedagogical Knowledge-in-Pieces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kali, Yael; Goodyear, Peter; Markauskaite, Lina

    2011-01-01

    If research and development in the field of learning design is to have a serious and sustained impact on education, then technological innovation needs to be accompanied--and probably guided--by good empirical studies of the design practices and design thinking of those who develop these innovations. This article synthesises two related lines of…

  14. From a Disciplinary to an Interdisciplinary Design Research: Developing an Integrative Approach for Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chou, Wen Huei; Wong, Ju-Joan

    2015-01-01

    As the new generation of designers face more complex design issues, the forms of design research start to shift towards a user-centred approach to problem-solving. The cooperation and communication among various fields and specialisations are becoming more complex; in many practical design cases, in particular, technology developers face…

  15. Document Design: A Review of the Relevant Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Felker, Daniel B., Ed.

    Research from several disciplines has been examined to create this literature review of information on document design, the overall movement toward producing public documents that the intended users can understand. Six chapters review appropriate research from the areas of psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, instructional research,…

  16. Towards Primary School Physics Teaching and Learning: Design Research Approach. Research Report 256

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juuti, Kalle

    2005-01-01

    This thesis describes a project to design a primary school physics learning environment which takes into account teachers' needs, design procedures, properties of the learning environment, and pupil learning outcomes. The project's design team has wide experience in research and development work in relation to science education, the use of ICT in…

  17. The Utility of Single Subject Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Kyle D.

    2016-01-01

    Single subject design (SSD) research is a quantitative approach used to investigate basic and applied research questions. It has been used for decades to examine issues of social importance such as those related to general and special education strategies, therapeutic approaches in mental health, community health practices, safety, and business…

  18. The Roles of Technical Communication Researchers in Design Scholarship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sánchez, Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Design has come to be understood as an essential aspect of the work that technical communicators claim. As a result, research in the field of technical communication has approached studies of design in numerous ways. This article showcases how technical communication researchers assume the roles of observers, testers, critics, creators, and…

  19. Development and evaluation of a study design typology for human research.

    PubMed

    Carini, Simona; Pollock, Brad H; Lehmann, Harold P; Bakken, Suzanne; Barbour, Edward M; Gabriel, Davera; Hagler, Herbert K; Harper, Caryn R; Mollah, Shamim A; Nahm, Meredith; Nguyen, Hien H; Scheuermann, Richard H; Sim, Ida

    2009-11-14

    A systematic classification of study designs would be useful for researchers, systematic reviewers, readers, and research administrators, among others. As part of the Human Studies Database Project, we developed the Study Design Typology to standardize the classification of study designs in human research. We then performed a multiple observer masked evaluation of active research protocols in four institutions according to a standardized protocol. Thirty-five protocols were classified by three reviewers each into one of nine high-level study designs for interventional and observational research (e.g., N-of-1, Parallel Group, Case Crossover). Rater classification agreement was moderately high for the 35 protocols (Fleiss' kappa = 0.442) and higher still for the 23 quantitative studies (Fleiss' kappa = 0.463). We conclude that our typology shows initial promise for reliably distinguishing study design types for quantitative human research.

  20. Handbook of Research Design in Mathematics and Science Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Anthony E., Ed.; Lesh, Richard A., Ed.

    This book attempts to clarify the nature of principles that govern the effective use of merging new research designs in mathematics and science education. A primary goal is to describe several of the most important types of research design that have been pioneered recently by mathematics and science educators, have distinctive characteristics when…

  1. A theory of requirements definition in engineering design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eodice, Michael Thomas

    2000-10-01

    Traditional requirements-definition activities begin with the engineer or design team performing a needs-analysis to identify user requirements. Needs-analysis is generally subjective, and varies according to the composition and experience of the design team. Systematic procedures for defining and ranking requirements are necessary to consolidate the foundation on which the design process is predicated, and to enhance its outcome by providing the designer with a consistent, reliable approach to product development. As a first step towards developing such procedures, research was conducted at Stanford University using empirical data from a NASA spaceflight experiment that flew aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-90 (April 1998). This research was accomplished using ex post facto data analysis. This researcher served in the central role of Experiment Manager for the spaceflight experiment, and acted as a participant-observer while conducting formal research. To better understand requirement structure and evolution, individual requirements were decomposed using AND/OR graphs. The AND/OR graph data structure illustrates requirements evolution, and reveals that the original requirement is often met by fulfilling a series of sub-requirements that are easier to implement. Early in the product life cycle, many hundreds of potential needs were identified; however, it was a smaller subset of these initial needs that were realized in the final product. Based on analysis of a large group of requirements, it was observed that two critical components for any individual requirement were: (1) a stated need, and (2) an advocate to implement the need. Identification of need, or needs-analysis, although a necessary condition, is insufficient to ensure that a stated need evolves into a formal requirement. Equally important to the concept of requirements-definition is the notion of advocacy. Early in the product development cycle of the of the NASA experiment, many potential needs were

  2. Assessing Learners' Satisfication towards Support Services Delivery in National Open University Nigeria: Implications for Counselling Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okopi, Fidel; Ofole, Ndidi

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at determining the level of students' satisfaction of learner support services in the study centres of NOUN--National Open University of Nigeria and whether the support services offered at the study centres have significant influence on the level of students' satisfaction. A descriptive survey of ex-post facto research design was…

  3. Gender Issue in the Performance of Students Admitted through UME and Pre-Degree into the Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omirin, M. S.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the gender issue in the performance of students admitted through Universities Matriculation Examination (UME) and pre-degree into the Nigerian Universities. Ex-post facto design of descriptive research was adopted for the study. A proforma was used to collect data from a sample of two hundred and fifty students from the…

  4. Assessment of the Adequacy of Instructional Resources in Business Education Programmes Relative to NCCE Standards for Colleges of Education in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onyesom, Moses; Okolocha, Chimezie Comfort

    2013-01-01

    The study assessed the adequacy of instructional resources available for business education programmes at the colleges of education in Edo and Delta states of Nigeria in relation to the standards stipulated by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE). The study adopted the ex-post facto research design and was guided by five…

  5. Ex post facto assessment of diffusion tensor imaging metrics from different MRI protocols: preparing for multicentre studies in ALS.

    PubMed

    Rosskopf, Johannes; Müller, Hans-Peter; Dreyhaupt, Jens; Gorges, Martin; Ludolph, Albert C; Kassubek, Jan

    2015-03-01

    Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for assessing ALS-associated white matter alterations has still not reached the level of a neuroimaging biomarker. Since large-scale multicentre DTI studies in ALS may be hampered by differences in scanning protocols, an approach for pooling of DTI data acquired with different protocols was investigated. Three hundred and nine datasets from 170 ALS patients and 139 controls were collected ex post facto from a monocentric database reflecting different scanning protocols. A 3D correction algorithm was introduced for a combined analysis of DTI metrics despite different acquisition protocols, with the focus on the CST as the tract correlate of ALS neuropathological stage 1. A homogenous set of data was obtained by application of 3D correction matrices. Results showed that a fractional anisotropy (FA) threshold of 0.41 could be defined to discriminate ALS patients from controls (sensitivity/specificity, 74%/72%). For the remaining test sample, sensitivity/specificity values of 68%/74% were obtained. In conclusion, the objective was to merge data recorded with different DTI protocols with 3D correction matrices for analyses at group level. These post processing tools might facilitate analysis of large study samples in a multicentre setting for DTI analysis at group level to aid in establishing DTI as a non-invasive biomarker for ALS.

  6. Artificial intelligence and design: Opportunities, research problems and directions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Amarel, Saul

    1990-01-01

    The issues of industrial productivity and economic competitiveness are of major significance in the U.S. at present. By advancing the science of design, and by creating a broad computer-based methodology for automating the design of artifacts and of industrial processes, we can attain dramatic improvements in productivity. It is our thesis that developments in computer science, especially in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and in related areas of advanced computing, provide us with a unique opportunity to push beyond the present level of computer aided automation technology and to attain substantial advances in the understanding and mechanization of design processes. To attain these goals, we need to build on top of the present state of AI, and to accelerate research and development in areas that are especially relevant to design problems of realistic complexity. We propose an approach to the special challenges in this area, which combines 'core work' in AI with the development of systems for handling significant design tasks. We discuss the general nature of design problems, the scientific issues involved in studying them with the help of AI approaches, and the methodological/technical issues that one must face in developing AI systems for handling advanced design tasks. Looking at basic work in AI from the perspective of design automation, we identify a number of research problems that need special attention. These include finding solution methods for handling multiple interacting goals, formation problems, problem decompositions, and redesign problems; choosing representations for design problems with emphasis on the concept of a design record; and developing approaches for the acquisition and structuring of domain knowledge with emphasis on finding useful approximations to domain theories. Progress in handling these research problems will have major impact both on our understanding of design processes and their automation, and also on several fundamental questions

  7. The Applied Behavior Analysis Research Paradigm and Single-Subject Designs in Adapted Physical Activity Research.

    PubMed

    Haegele, Justin A; Hodge, Samuel Russell

    2015-10-01

    There are basic philosophical and paradigmatic assumptions that guide scholarly research endeavors, including the methods used and the types of questions asked. Through this article, kinesiology faculty and students with interests in adapted physical activity are encouraged to understand the basic assumptions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) methodology for conducting, analyzing, and presenting research of high quality in this paradigm. The purposes of this viewpoint paper are to present information fundamental to understanding the assumptions undergirding research methodology in ABA, describe key aspects of single-subject research designs, and discuss common research designs and data-analysis strategies used in single-subject studies.

  8. How Design Experiments Can Inform Teaching and Learning: Teacher-Researchers as Collaborators in Educational Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jitendra, Asha K.

    2005-01-01

    In this commentary, I summarize my own research with colleagues to affirm Dr. Gersten's call for considering design experiments prior to conducting intervention research. I describe how design experiments not only can inform teaching and the learning of innovative approaches, but also hold the promise of effectively bridging the…

  9. Conjecture Mapping: An Approach to Systematic Educational Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandoval, William

    2014-01-01

    Design research is strongly associated with the learning sciences community, and in the 2 decades since its conception it has become broadly accepted. Yet within and without the learning sciences there remains confusion about how to do design research, with most scholarship on the approach describing what it is rather than how to do it. This…

  10. Designing Research Services: Cross-Disciplinary Administration and the Research Lifecycle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madden, G.

    2017-12-01

    The sheer number of technical and administrative offices involved in the research lifecycle, and the lack of shared governance and shared processes across those offices, creates challenges to the successful preservation of research outputs. Universities need a more integrated approach to the research lifecycle that allows us to: recognize a research project as it is being initiated; identify the data associated with the research project; document and track any compliance, security, access, and publication requirements associated with the research and its data; follow the research and its associated components across the research lifecycle; and finally recognize that the research has come to a close so we can trigger the various preservation, access, and communications processes that close the loop, inform the public, and promote the continued progress of science. Such an approach will require cooperation, communications, and shared workflow tools that tie together (often across many years) PIs, research design methodologists, grants offices, contract negotiators, central research administrators, research compliance specialists, desktop IT support units, server administrators, high performance computing facilities, data centers, specialized data transfer networks, institutional research repositories, institutional data repositories, and research communications groups, all of which play a significant role in the technical or administrative success of research. This session will focus on progress towards improving cross-disciplinary administrative and technical cooperation at Penn State University, with an emphasis on generalizable approaches that can be adopted elsewhere.

  11. DESEGREGATION--A COMMUNITY DESIGN.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SCHERMER, GEORGE

    ALTHOUGH DISCRIMINATION AND EXCLUSION ARE DOOMED ACCORDING TO TO THE LAW, THERE APPEARS TO BE CONSIDERABLE DISTINCTION IN MEN'S MINDS BETWEEN ABSENCE OF DISCRIMINATION ON THE ONE HAND AND AFFIRMATIVE MEASURES TO IMPLEMENT INTEGRATION ON THE OTHER. PHILADELPHIA HAS A GREAT DEAL OF DE FACTO SEGREGATION. AS THE POPULATION GROWS, NEGROES AND WHITES…

  12. Grief responses, coping processes, and social support of widows: research with Roy's model.

    PubMed

    Robinson, J H

    1995-01-01

    This ex post facto descriptive correlational design study of widows during their second year of bereavement utilizes Roy's adaptation model as a guiding framework. Contextual stimuli (social support, social network, income/education, spiritual beliefs) were related to the cognator function (coping process), which was related to adaptation outcome (grief response). Significant moderate positive relationships were found between social support and coping process, and between social network and coping process. A significant relationship was also found between coping process and grief response. The path model accounted for 18% explained variance.

  13. Combined qualitative and quantitative research designs.

    PubMed

    Seymour, Jane

    2012-12-01

    Mixed methods research designs have been recognized as important in addressing complexity and are recommended particularly in the development and evaluation of complex interventions. This article reports a review of studies in palliative care published between 2010 and March 2012 that combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. A synthesis of approaches to mixed methods research taken in 28 examples of published research studies of relevance to palliative and supportive care is provided, using a typology based on a classic categorization put forward in 1992. Mixed-method studies are becoming more frequently employed in palliative care research and resonate with the complexity of the palliative care endeavour. Undertaking mixed methods research requires a sophisticated understanding of the research process and recognition of some of the underlying complexities encountered when working with different traditions and perspectives on issues of: sampling, validity, reliability and rigour, different sources of data and different data collection and analysis techniques.

  14. Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 2: Context, research questions and designs.

    PubMed

    Korstjens, Irene; Moser, Albine

    2017-12-01

    In the course of our supervisory work over the years, we have noticed that qualitative research tends to evoke a lot of questions and worries, so-called frequently asked questions (FAQs). This series of four articles intends to provide novice researchers with practical guidance for conducting high-quality qualitative research in primary care. By 'novice' we mean Master's students and junior researchers, as well as experienced quantitative researchers who are engaging in qualitative research for the first time. This series addresses their questions and provides researchers, readers, reviewers and editors with references to criteria and tools for judging the quality of qualitative research papers. This second article addresses FAQs about context, research questions and designs. Qualitative research takes into account the natural contexts in which individuals or groups function to provide an in-depth understanding of real-world problems. The research questions are generally broad and open to unexpected findings. The choice of a qualitative design primarily depends on the nature of the research problem, the research question(s) and the scientific knowledge one seeks. Ethnography, phenomenology and grounded theory are considered to represent the 'big three' qualitative approaches. Theory guides the researcher through the research process by providing a 'lens' to look at the phenomenon under study. Since qualitative researchers and the participants of their studies interact in a social process, researchers influence the research process. The first article described the key features of qualitative research, the third article will focus on sampling, data collection and analysis, while the last article focuses on trustworthiness and publishing.

  15. Advancing Translational Research through Facility Design in Non-AMC Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Pati, Debajyoti; Pietrzak, Michael P; Harvey, Thomas E; Armstrong, Walter B; Clarke, Robert; Weissman, Neil J; Rapp, Paul E; Smith, Mark S; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Collins, Jeffreyg M

    2013-01-01

    This article aims to explore the future of translational research and its physical design implications for community hospitals and hospitals not attached to large centralized research platforms. With a shift in medical services delivery focus to community wellness, continuum of care, and comparative effectiveness research, healthcare research will witness increasing pressure to include community-based practitioners. The roundtable discussion group, comprising 14 invited experts from 10 institutions representing the fields of biomedical research, research administration, facility planning and design, facility management, finance, and environmental design research, examined the issue in a structured manner. The discussion was conducted at the Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Health, Washington, D.C. Institutions outside the AMCs will be increasingly targeted for future research. Three factors are crucial for successful research in non-AMC hospitals: operational culture, financial culture, and information culture. An operating culture geared towards creation, preservation, and protection of spaces needed for research; creative management of spaces for financial accountability; and a flexible information infrastructure at the system level that enables complete link of key programmatic areas to academic IT research infrastructure are critical to success of research endeavors. Hospital, interdisciplinary, leadership, planning, work environment.

  16. Research designs and making causal inferences from health care studies.

    PubMed

    Flannelly, Kevin J; Jankowski, Katherine R B

    2014-01-01

    This article summarizes the major types of research designs used in healthcare research, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies. Observational studies are divided into survey studies (descriptive and correlational studies), case-studies and analytic studies, the last of which are commonly used in epidemiology: case-control, retrospective cohort, and prospective cohort studies. Similarities and differences among the research designs are described and the relative strength of evidence they provide is discussed. Emphasis is placed on five criteria for drawing causal inferences that are derived from the writings of the philosopher John Stuart Mill, especially his methods or canons. The application of the criteria to experimentation is explained. Particular attention is given to the degree to which different designs meet the five criteria for making causal inferences. Examples of specific studies that have used various designs in chaplaincy research are provided.

  17. Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Aging among the Aged in Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ojukwu, M. O.

    2016-01-01

    The major aim of this study was to examine influence of psychosocial factors on aging among the aged in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto or casual comparative research design was adopted for the study. Two hundred and twenty-five (225) old people were selected through random sampling for the study.…

  18. Parental Involvement as a Correlate of Academic Achievement of Primary School Pupils in Edo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fajoju, Samuel A.; Aluede, Oyaziwo; Ojugo, Augustine I.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement in children's education and the academic achievement of primary six pupils in Edo State, Nigeria. The ex-post facto research design was employed in this study. The sample consisted of 1,895 primary six pupils (1,024 males and 863 females drawn from 37,908 primary six pupils in…

  19. Assessment of Service Delivery in Guidance and Counselling Units in Selected Secondary Schools in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owino, Elizabeth Akinyi

    2015-01-01

    This paper assesses the type of services delivered by the existing Guidance and Counselling units in secondary schools in Kenya based on a survey conducted in Eldoret Municipality in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design the target population being all secondary schools in the Municipality where a sample was…

  20. School Dropout Pattern among Senior Secondary Schools in Delta State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ajaja, O. Patrick

    2012-01-01

    The major purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of dropout among secondary school students in Delta State. To guide this study, 7 research questions were asked and answered, 3 hypotheses stated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of study was ex post facto using the past school attendance registers as the major…

  1. Doppler Lidar System Design via Interdisciplinary Design Concept at NASA Langley Research Center - Part III

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barnes, Bruce W.; Sessions, Alaric M.; Beyon, Jeffrey; Petway, Larry B.

    2014-01-01

    Optimized designs of the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) instrument for Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) were accomplished via Interdisciplinary Design Concept (IDEC) at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2013. Three branches in the Engineering Directorate and three students were involved in this joint task through the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program. The Laser Remote Sensing Branch (LRSB), Mechanical Systems Branch (MSB), and Structural and Thermal Systems Branch (STSB) were engaged to achieve optimal designs through iterative and interactive collaborative design processes. A preliminary design iteration was able to reduce the power consumption, mass, and footprint by removing redundant components and replacing inefficient components with more efficient ones. A second design iteration reduced volume and mass by replacing bulky components with excessive performance with smaller components custom-designed for the power system. The existing power system was analyzed to rank components in terms of inefficiency, power dissipation, footprint and mass. Design considerations and priorities are compared along with the results of each design iteration. Overall power system improvements are summarized for design implementations.

  2. The incident user design in comparative effectiveness research.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Eric S; Bartman, Barbara A; Briesacher, Becky A; Fleming, Neil S; Gerhard, Tobias; Kornegay, Cynthia J; Nourjah, Parivash; Sauer, Brian; Schumock, Glen T; Sedrakyan, Art; Stürmer, Til; West, Suzanne L; Schneeweiss, Sebastian

    2013-01-01

    Comparative effectiveness research includes cohort studies and registries of interventions. When investigators design such studies, how important is it to follow patients from the day they initiated treatment with the study interventions? Our article considers this question and related issues to start a dialogue on the value of the incident user design in comparative effectiveness research. By incident user design, we mean a study that sets the cohort's inception date according to patients' new use of an intervention. In contrast, most epidemiologic studies enroll patients who were currently or recently using an intervention when follow-up began. We take the incident user design as a reasonable default strategy because it reduces biases that can impact non-randomized studies, especially when investigators use healthcare databases. We review case studies where investigators have explored the consequences of designing a cohort study by restricting to incident users, but most of the discussion has been informed by expert opinion, not by systematic evidence. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  3. Dimensions of design space: a decision-theoretic approach to optimal research design.

    PubMed

    Conti, Stefano; Claxton, Karl

    2009-01-01

    Bayesian decision theory can be used not only to establish the optimal sample size and its allocation in a single clinical study but also to identify an optimal portfolio of research combining different types of study design. Within a single study, the highest societal payoff to proposed research is achieved when its sample sizes and allocation between available treatment options are chosen to maximize the expected net benefit of sampling (ENBS). Where a number of different types of study informing different parameters in the decision problem could be conducted, the simultaneous estimation of ENBS across all dimensions of the design space is required to identify the optimal sample sizes and allocations within such a research portfolio. This is illustrated through a simple example of a decision model of zanamivir for the treatment of influenza. The possible study designs include: 1) a single trial of all the parameters, 2) a clinical trial providing evidence only on clinical endpoints, 3) an epidemiological study of natural history of disease, and 4) a survey of quality of life. The possible combinations, samples sizes, and allocation between trial arms are evaluated over a range of cost-effectiveness thresholds. The computational challenges are addressed by implementing optimization algorithms to search the ENBS surface more efficiently over such large dimensions.

  4. Mixed methods research: a design for emergency care research?

    PubMed

    Cooper, Simon; Porter, Jo; Endacott, Ruth

    2011-08-01

    This paper follows previous publications on generic qualitative approaches, qualitative designs and action research in emergency care by this group of authors. Contemporary views on mixed methods approaches are considered, with a particular focus on the design choice and the amalgamation of qualitative and quantitative data emphasising the timing of data collection for each approach, their relative 'weight' and how they will be mixed. Mixed methods studies in emergency care are reviewed before the variety of methodological approaches and best practice considerations are presented. The use of mixed methods in clinical studies is increasing, aiming to answer questions such as 'how many' and 'why' in the same study, and as such are an important and useful approach to many key questions in emergency care.

  5. Design-based research in designing the model for educating simulation facilitators.

    PubMed

    Koivisto, Jaana-Maija; Hannula, Leena; Bøje, Rikke Buus; Prescott, Stephen; Bland, Andrew; Rekola, Leena; Haho, Päivi

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of design-based research, its appropriateness in creating education-based models, and to describe the process of developing such a model. The model was designed as part of the Nurse Educator Simulation based learning project, funded by the EU's Lifelong Learning program (2013-1-DK1-LEO05-07053). The project partners were VIA University College, Denmark, the University of Huddersfield, UK and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. As an outcome of the development process, "the NESTLED model for educating simulation facilitators" (NESTLED model) was generated. This article also illustrates five design principles that could be applied to other pedagogies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Educational Design Research: Signs of Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeves, Thomas C.

    2015-01-01

    This special issue of the "Australasian Journal of Educational Technology" includes an introductory article by the guest editors and six papers that illustrate the potential of educational design research (EDR) to address important problems in higher education. In this final paper, reflections on the papers are made. Then the rationale…

  7. De facto Privatization and Inequalities in Educational Opportunity in the Transition to Secondary School in Rural Malawi.

    PubMed

    Grant, Monica J

    2017-09-01

    There has been a recent, rapid de facto privatization of education in many African countries, as the number of private secondary schools operating in the region grew. The majority of these schools are "low-cost" private schools where tuition and fees are set as low as possible to cover operating costs and still generate profit. Proponents of low-cost private schools argue that these schools have proliferated in impoverished areas to meet unmet demand for access to education and where private schools may offer better quality than locally available public schools. Theories of inequality of educational opportunity suggest that if private schools offer better quality education, students from more advantaged families will be more likely to enroll at these institutions, potentially exacerbating educational inequality in the region. This analysis uses data from a school-based longitudinal survey, the Malawi Schooling and Adolescent Study, to examine socio-economic inequalities in the transition to secondary school and on-time enrollment in upper secondary. My findings indicate that youth from non-poor households are not only more likely to enroll in secondary school than poor youth, but they are also more likely to substitute enrollment in private schools for enrollment in second-tier government schools. Enrollment at private schools, however, does not yield schooling advantages; relative to both tiers of government secondary schooling, students who initially enrolled at private schools were the least likely to enroll on time in upper secondary school. These patterns suggest that these schooling circumstances may yield less segregation of opportunity than might otherwise be assumed.

  8. De/signing Research in Education: Patchwork(ing) Methodologies with Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Marc; Madden, Brooke; Berard, Marie-France; Lenz Kothe, Elsa; Nordstrom, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Four education scholars extend the methodological space inspired by Jackson and Mazzei's "Thinking with Theory" through focusing on research design. The notion of de/sign is presented and employed to counter prescriptive method/ology that often sutures over pedagogical possibilities in research and educational settings. Key…

  9. Designing and Proposing Your Research Project. Concise Guides to Conducting Behavioral, Health, and Social Science Research Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Urban, Jennifer Brown; van Eeden-Moorefield, Bradley Matheus

    2017-01-01

    Designing your own study and writing your research proposal takes time, often more so than conducting the study. This practical, accessible guide walks you through the entire process. You will learn to identify and narrow your research topic, develop your research question, design your study, and choose appropriate sampling and measurement…

  10. An Overview of Research and Evaluation Designs for Dissemination and Implementation

    PubMed Central

    Brown, C. Hendricks; Curran, Geoffrey; Palinkas, Lawrence A.; Aarons, Gregory A.; Wells, Kenneth B.; Jones, Loretta; Collins, Linda M.; Duan, Naihua; Mittman, Brian S.; Wallace, Andrea; Tabak, Rachel G.; Ducharme, Lori; Chambers, David; Neta, Gila; Wiley, Tisha; Landsverk, John; Cheung, Ken; Cruden, Gracelyn

    2016-01-01

    Background The wide variety of dissemination and implementation designs now being used to evaluate and improve health systems and outcomes warrants review of the scope, features, and limitations of these designs. Methods This paper is one product of a design workgroup formed in 2013 by the National Institutes of Health to address dissemination and implementation research, and whose members represented diverse methodologic backgrounds, content focus areas, and health sectors. These experts integrated their collective knowledge on dissemination and implementation designs with searches of published evaluations strategies. Results This paper emphasizes randomized and non-randomized designs for the traditional translational research continuum or pipeline, which builds on existing efficacy and effectiveness trials to examine how one or more evidence-based clinical/prevention interventions are adopted, scaled up, and sustained in community or service delivery systems. We also mention other designs, including hybrid designs that combine effectiveness and implementation research, quality improvement designs for local knowledge, and designs that use simulation modeling. PMID:28384085

  11. Researcher Brings Intelligent Design to Mind

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monastersky, Richard

    2006-01-01

    Jeffrey M. Schwartz, a research professor of psychiatry at the University of California at Los Angeles, presented a paper titled "Intelligence Is an Irreducible Aspect of Nature" at a secret conference on intelligent-design, held at Biola University, which describes itself as "a global center for Christian thought." Dr. Schwartz argued that his…

  12. Co-design and implementation research: challenges and solutions for ethics committees.

    PubMed

    Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Jackson, Claire; Greenhalgh, Trisha

    2015-11-16

    Implementation science research, especially when using participatory and co-design approaches, raises unique challenges for research ethics committees. Such challenges may be poorly addressed by approval and governance mechanisms that were developed for more traditional research approaches such as randomised controlled trials. Implementation science commonly involves the partnership of researchers and stakeholders, attempting to understand and encourage uptake of completed or piloted research. A co-creation approach involves collaboration between researchers and end users from the onset, in question framing, research design and delivery, and influencing strategy, with implementation and broader dissemination strategies part of its design from gestation. A defining feature of co-creation is its emergent and adaptive nature, making detailed pre-specification of interventions and outcome measures impossible. This methodology sits oddly with ethics committee protocols that require precise pre-definition of interventions, mode of delivery, outcome measurements, and the role of study participants. But the strict (and, some would say, inflexible) requirements of ethics committees were developed for a purpose - to protect participants from harm and help ensure the rigour and transparency of studies. We propose some guiding principles to help square this circle. First, ethics committees should acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of research approaches, both formally (through training) and informally (by promoting debate and discussion); without active support, their members may not understand or value participatory designs. Second, ground rules should be established for co-design applications (e.g. how to judge when 'consultation' or 'engagement' becomes research) and communicated to committee members and stakeholders. Third, the benefits of power-sharing should be recognised and credit given to measures likely to support this important goal, especially in research with

  13. Conducting Research in Technical Communication: The Application of True Experimental Designs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spyridakis, Jan H.

    1992-01-01

    Explains the use of true experimental designs in technical communication research, lists the eight steps in the research process, and concludes with the hope that practitioners should now be able to read research studies critically and perhaps design empirical studies of their own after further reading. (SR)

  14. Design Issues and Inference in Experimental L2 Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hudson, Thom; Llosa, Lorena

    2015-01-01

    Explicit attention to research design issues is essential in experimental second language (L2) research. Too often, however, such careful attention is not paid. This article examines some of the issues surrounding experimental L2 research and its relationships to causal inferences. It discusses the place of research questions and hypotheses,…

  15. A Typology of Mixed Methods Sampling Designs in Social Science Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Collins, Kathleen M. T.

    2007-01-01

    This paper provides a framework for developing sampling designs in mixed methods research. First, we present sampling schemes that have been associated with quantitative and qualitative research. Second, we discuss sample size considerations and provide sample size recommendations for each of the major research designs for quantitative and…

  16. A Computational Lens on Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoyles, Celia; Noss, Richard

    2015-01-01

    In this commentary, we briefly review the collective effort of design researchers to weave theory with empirical results, in order to gain a better understanding of the processes of learning. We seek to respond to this challenging agenda by centring on the evolution of one sub-field: namely that which involves investigations within a…

  17. Research on design connotation of hair drier system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yongchuan; Wu, Qiong

    2018-04-01

    After the analysis and summary of the research on the design of hair drier system, the system design is focused on. Product system design is not only to study its entity, but also is recognized as the part, element and component with a systematic feature to deeply analyze the innovation way of product system design, which is taken as its concept to carry out the association analysis on the component elements of hair driers and the overall analysis and study on the system design process of hair dryers. The product life cycle is taken as the main goal, through system analysis, system synthesis and system optimization, to solve the problems of product design. It is of great practical significance.

  18. Low Noise Research Fan Stage Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, David E.; Neubert, Robert J.; Malmborg, Eric W.; Philbrick, Daniel H.; Spear, David A.

    1995-01-01

    This report describes the design of a Low Noise ADP Research Fan stage. The fan is a variable pitch design which is designed at the cruise pitch condition. Relative to the cruise setting, the blade is closed at takeoff and opened for reverse thrust operation. The fan stage is a split flow design with fan exit guide vanes and core stators. This fan stage design was combined with a nacelle and engine core duct to form a powered fan/nacelle, subscale model. This model is intended for use in aerodynamic performance, acoustic and structural testing in a wind tunnel. The model has a 22-inch outer fan diameter and a hub-to-top ratio of 0.426 which permits the use of existing NASA fan and cowl force balance designs and rig drive system. The design parameters were selected to permit valid acoustic and aerodynamic comparisons with the PW 17-inch rig previously tested under NASA contract. The fan stage design is described in detail. The results of the design axisymmetric analysis at aerodynamic design condition are included. The structural analysis of the fan rotor and attachment is described including the material selections and stress analysis. The blade and attachment are predicted to have adequate low cycle fatigue life, and an acceptable operating range without resonant stress or flutter. The stage was acoustically designed with airfoil counts in the fan exit guide vane and core stator to minimize noise. A fan-FEGV tone analysis developed separately under NASA contract was used to determine these airfoil counts. The fan stage design was matched to a nacelle design to form a fan/nacelle model for wind tunnel testing. The nacelle design was developed under a separate NASA contract. The nacelle was designed with an axisymmetric inlet, cowl and nozzle for convenience in testing and fabrication. Aerodynamic analysis of the nacelle confirmed the required performance at various aircraft operating conditions.

  19. Design-Based Research: Case of a Teaching Sequence on Mechanics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tiberghien, Andree; Vince, Jacques; Gaidioz, Pierre

    2009-01-01

    Design-based research, and particularly its theoretical status, is a subject of debate in the science education community. In the first part of this paper, a theoretical framework drawn up to develop design-based research will be presented. This framework is mainly based on epistemological analysis of physics modelling, learning and teaching…

  20. PFERD Mission: Pluto Flyby Exploration/Research Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lemke, Gary; Zayed, Husni; Herring, Jason; Fuehne, Doug; Sutton, Kevin; Sharkey, Mike

    1990-01-01

    The Pluto Flyby Exploration/Research Design (PFERD) mission will consist of a flyby spacecraft to Pluto and its satellite, Charon. The mission lifetime is expected to be 18 years. The Titan 4 with a Centaur upper stage will be utilized to launch the craft into the transfer orbit. The proposal was divided into six main subsystems: (1) scientific instrumentation; (2) command, communications, and control: (3) altitude and articulation control; (4) power and propulsion; (5) structures and thermal control; and (6) mission management and costing. Tradeoff studies were performed to optimize all factors of design, including survivability, performance, cost, and weight. Problems encountered in the design are also presented.

  1. Design and analysis of post-marketing research.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiao-Hua Andrew; Yang, Wei

    2013-07-01

    A post-marketing study is an integral part of research that helps to ensure a favorable risk-benefit profile for approved drugs used in the market. Because most of post-marketing studies use observational designs, which are liable to confounding, estimation of the causal effect of a drug versus a comparative one is very challenging. This article focuses on methodological issues of importance in designing and analyzing studies to evaluate the safety of marketed drugs, especially marketed traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. Advantages and limitations of the current designs and analytic methods for postmarketing studies are discussed, and recommendations are given for improving the validity of postmarketing studies in TCM products.

  2. Using Design-Based Research in Higher Education Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ford, Cristi; McNally, Darragh; Ford, Kate

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses the design-based research approach used by the Center for Innovation in Learning and Student Success (CILSS) at the University of Maryland, University College (UMUC). CILSS is a laboratory for conducting applied research that focuses on continuous improvements to the university's instruction of curriculum, learning models, and…

  3. Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on a regional neurological intensive therapy unit towards brain stem death and organ donation.

    PubMed

    Davies, C

    1997-01-01

    The study aimed to explore nurses knowledge and attitudes towards brain stem death and organ donation. An ex post facto research design was used to determine relationships between variables. A 16 item questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical analysis revealed one significant result. The limitations of the sample size is acknowledged and the conclusion suggests a larger study is required.

  4. [Review of research design and statistical methods in Chinese Journal of Cardiology].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li-jun; Yu, Jin-ming

    2009-07-01

    To evaluate the research design and the use of statistical methods in Chinese Journal of Cardiology. Peer through the research design and statistical methods in all of the original papers in Chinese Journal of Cardiology from December 2007 to November 2008. The most frequently used research designs are cross-sectional design (34%), prospective design (21%) and experimental design (25%). In all of the articles, 49 (25%) use wrong statistical methods, 29 (15%) lack some sort of statistic analysis, 23 (12%) have inconsistencies in description of methods. There are significant differences between different statistical methods (P < 0.001). The correction rates of multifactor analysis were low and repeated measurement datas were not used repeated measurement analysis. Many problems exist in Chinese Journal of Cardiology. Better research design and correct use of statistical methods are still needed. More strict review by statistician and epidemiologist is also required to improve the literature qualities.

  5. Design Research on Inquiry-Based Multivariable Calculus: Focusing on Students' Argumentation and Instructional Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwon, Oh Nam; Bae, Younggon; Oh, Kuk Hwan

    2015-01-01

    In this study, researchers design and implement an inquiry based multivariable calculus course in a university which aims at enhancing students' argumentation in rich mathematical discussions. This research aims to understand the characteristics of students' argumentation in activities involving proof constructions through mathematical…

  6. A Research Reader "in" Universal Design for Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rappolt-Schlichtmann, Gabrielle, Ed.; Daley, Samantha G., Ed.; Rose, L. Todd, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    This fascinating and inventive book surveys the UDL research field in comprehensive detail while pointing in--imaginative and necessary ways--to crucial research undertakings yet to come. In recent years there has been heightened interest in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), particularly within the worlds of education policy and practice. As a…

  7. NASA gear research and its probable effect on rotorcraft transmission design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaretsky, E. V.; Townsend, D. P.; Coy, J. J.

    1979-01-01

    The results of the NASA gear research is reviewed as well as those programs which are presently being undertaken. Research programs studying pitting fatigue, gear steels and processing, life prediction methods, gear design and dynamics, elastohydrodynamic lubrication, lubrication methods and gear noise are presented. The impact of advanced gear research technology on rotorcraft transmission design is discussed.

  8. Conjecture Mapping to Optimize the Educational Design Research Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wozniak, Helen

    2015-01-01

    While educational design research promotes closer links between practice and theory, reporting its outcomes from iterations across multiple contexts is often constrained by the volumes of data generated, and the context bound nature of the research outcomes. Reports tend to focus on a single iteration of implementation without further research to…

  9. Designing, Teaching, and Evaluating Two Complementary Mixed Methods Research Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christ, Thomas W.

    2009-01-01

    Teaching mixed methods research is difficult. This longitudinal explanatory study examined how two classes were designed, taught, and evaluated. Curriculum, Research, and Teaching (EDCS-606) and Mixed Methods Research (EDCS-780) used a research proposal generation process to highlight the importance of the purpose, research question and…

  10. Arctic research vessel design would expand science prospects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elsner, Robert; Kristensen, Dirk

    The U.S. polar marine science community has long declared the need for an arctic research vessel dedicated to advancing the study of northern ice-dominated seas. Planning for such a vessel began 2 decades ago, but competition for funding has prevented construction. A new design program is underway, and it shows promise of opening up exciting possibilities for new research initiatives in arctic marine science.With its latest design, the Arctic Research Vessel (ARV) has grown to a size and capability that will make it the first U.S. academic research vessel able to provide access to the Arctic Ocean. This ship would open a vast arena for new studies in the least known of the world's seas. These studies promise to rank high in national priority because of the importance of the Arctic Ocean as a source of data relating to global climate change. Other issues that demand attention in the Arctic include its contributions to the world's heat budget, the climate history buried in its sediments, pollution monitoring, and the influence of arctic conditions on marine renewable resources.

  11. More ethical and more efficient clinical research: multiplex trial design.

    PubMed

    Keus, Frederik; van der Horst, Iwan C C; Nijsten, Maarten W

    2014-08-14

    Today's clinical research faces challenges such as a lack of clinical equipoise between treatment arms, reluctance in randomizing for multiple treatments simultaneously, inability to address interactions and increasingly restricted resources. Furthermore, many trials are biased by extensive exclusion criteria, relatively small sample size and less appropriate outcome measures. We propose a 'Multiplex' trial design that preserves clinical equipoise with a continuous and factorial trial design that will also result in more efficient use of resources. This multiplex design accommodates subtrials with appropriate choice of treatment arms within each subtrial. Clinical equipoise should increase consent rates while the factorial design is the best way to identify interactions. The multiplex design may evolve naturally from today's research limitations and challenges, while principal objections seem absent. However this new design poses important infrastructural, organisational and psychological challenges that need in depth consideration.

  12. Intervention Research and Program Evaluation in the School Setting: Issues and Alternative Research Designs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Anda, Diane

    2007-01-01

    This article discusses the difficulties in conducting intervention research or evaluating intervention programs in a school setting. In particular, the problems associated with randomization and obtaining control groups are examined. The use of quasi-experimental designs, specifically a paired comparison design using the individual as his or her…

  13. Design and Checkout of a High Speed Research Nozzle Evaluation Rig

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Castner, Raymond S.; Wolter, John D.

    1997-01-01

    The High Flow Jet Exit Rig (HFJER) was designed to provide simulated mixed flow turbojet engine exhaust for one- seventh scale models of advanced High Speed Research test nozzles. The new rig was designed to be used at NASA Lewis Research Center in the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig and the 8x6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel. Capabilities were also designed to collect nozzle thrust measurement, aerodynamic measurements, and acoustic measurements when installed at the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig. Simulated engine exhaust can be supplied from a high pressure air source at 33 pounds of air per second at 530 degrees Rankine and nozzle pressure ratios of 4.0. In addition, a combustion unit was designed from a J-58 aircraft engine burner to provide 20 pounds of air per second at 2000 degrees Rankine, also at nozzle pressure ratios of 4.0. These airflow capacities were designed to test High Speed Research nozzles with exhaust areas from eighteen square inches to twenty-two square inches. Nozzle inlet flow measurement is available through pressure and temperature sensors installed in the rig. Research instrumentation on High Speed Research nozzles is available with a maximum of 200 individual pressure and 100 individual temperature measurements. Checkout testing was performed in May 1997 with a 22 square inch ASME long radius flow nozzle. Checkout test results will be summarized and compared to the stated design goals.

  14. Doppler Lidar System Design via Interdisciplinary Design Concept at NASA Langley Research Center - Part II

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Crasner, Aaron I.; Scola,Salvatore; Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Petway, Larry B.

    2014-01-01

    Optimized designs of the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) instrument for Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) were accomplished via Interdisciplinary Design Concept (IDEC) at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2013. Three branches in the Engineering Directorate and three students were involved in this joint task through the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program. The Laser Remote Sensing Branch (LRSB), Mechanical Systems Branch (MSB), and Structural and Thermal Systems Branch (STSB) were engaged to achieve optimal designs through iterative and interactive collaborative design processes. A preliminary design iteration was able to reduce the power consumption, mass, and footprint by removing redundant components and replacing inefficient components with more efficient ones. A second design iteration reduced volume and mass by replacing bulky components with excessive performance with smaller components custom-designed for the power system. Thermal modeling software was used to run steady state thermal analyses, which were used to both validate the designs and recommend further changes. Analyses were run on each redesign, as well as the original system. Thermal Desktop was used to run trade studies to account for uncertainty and assumptions about fan performance and boundary conditions. The studies suggested that, even if the assumptions were significantly wrong, the redesigned systems would remain within operating temperature limits.

  15. NASA gear research and its probable effect on rotorcraft transmission design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaretsky, E. V.; Townsend, D. P.; Coy, J. J.

    1979-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center devised a comprehensive gear technology research program beginning in 1969, the results of which are being integrated into the NASA civilian Helicopter Transmission System Technology Program. Attention is given to the results of this gear research and those programs which are presently being undertaken. In addition, research programs studying pitting fatigue, gear steels and processing, life prediction methods, gear design and dynamics, elastohydrodynamic lubrication, lubrication methods and gear noise are presented. Finally, the impact of advanced gear research technology on rotorcraft transmission design is discussed.

  16. An Investigation of Experiment Designs for Applications in Biofeedback-Performance Research Methodologies.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    used to accomplish the necessary research . One such experi- ment design and its relationship to validity will be explored next. Nonequivalent Control ...interpreting the results. The non- equivalent control group design is of the quasi-experimental variety and is widely used in educational research . As...biofeed- back research literature is the controlled group outcome study. This design has also been discussed in Chapter III in two forms as the

  17. Single-Case Experimental Designs: A Systematic Review of Published Research and Current Standards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Justin D.

    2012-01-01

    This article systematically reviews the research design and methodological characteristics of single-case experimental design (SCED) research published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2010. SCEDs provide researchers with a flexible and viable alternative to group designs with large sample sizes. However, methodological challenges have…

  18. Introduction to the special issue: message design in health communication research.

    PubMed

    Harrington, Nancy Grant

    2015-01-01

    Message design is one of the most complex and vibrant research areas in the communication discipline. Based on the preconference of the 2014 Kentucky Conference on Health Communication, this special issue of Health Communication is focused on a broad range of message design concerns. It features 10 original articles addressing topics ranging from fundamental questions related to theory and method to questions of message adaptation for translation and dissemination. Together, these articles reflect the rich variety of health behaviors addressed by health communication researchers and the breadth and depth of theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches to be considered in message design research.

  19. Epidemiology and Clinical Research Design, Part 2: Principles.

    PubMed

    Manja, Veena; Lakshminrusimha, Satyan

    This is the third article covering core knowledge in scholarly activities for neonatal physicians. In this article, we discuss various principles of epidemiology and clinical research design. A basic knowledge of these principles is necessary for conducting clinical research and for proper interpretation of studies. This article reviews bias and confounding, causation, incidence and prevalence, decision analysis, cost-effectiveness, sensitivity analysis, and measurement.

  20. Reporting Qualitative Research: Standards, Challenges, and Implications for Health Design.

    PubMed

    Peditto, Kathryn

    2018-04-01

    This Methods column describes the existing reporting standards for qualitative research, their application to health design research, and the challenges to implementation. Intended for both researchers and practitioners, this article provides multiple perspectives on both reporting and evaluating high-quality qualitative research. Two popular reporting standards exist for reporting qualitative research-the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) and the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). Though compiled using similar procedures, they differ in their criteria and the methods to which they apply. Creating and applying reporting criteria is inherently difficult due to the undefined and fluctuating nature of qualitative research when compared to quantitative studies. Qualitative research is expansive and occasionally controversial, spanning many different methods of inquiry and epistemological approaches. A "one-size-fits-all" standard for reporting qualitative research can be restrictive, but COREQ and SRQR both serve as valuable tools for developing responsible qualitative research proposals, effectively communicating research decisions, and evaluating submissions. Ultimately, tailoring a set of standards specific to health design research and its frequently used methods would ensure quality research and aid reviewers in their evaluations.

  1. Melinda: De Facto Primary School Music Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Vries, Peter

    2013-01-01

    A series of reviews dating back to the 1960s and a body of research literature points to the inadequate delivery of music education by generalist primary school teachers in Australian schools. Despite recommendations for specialist music teachers to teach music in all Australian primary schools to counter this ongoing trend, such an approach has…

  2. Study design and "evidence" in patient-oriented research.

    PubMed

    Concato, John

    2013-06-01

    Individual studies in patient-oriented research, whether described as "comparative effectiveness" or using other terms, are based on underlying methodological designs. A simple taxonomy of study designs includes randomized controlled trials on the one hand, and observational studies (such as case series, cohort studies, and case-control studies) on the other. A rigid hierarchy of these design types is a fairly recent phenomenon, promoted as a tenet of "evidence-based medicine," with randomized controlled trials receiving gold-standard status in terms of producing valid results. Although randomized trials have many strengths, and contribute substantially to the evidence base in clinical care, making presumptions about the quality of a study based solely on category of research design is unscientific. Both the limitations of randomized trials as well as the strengths of observational studies tend to be overlooked when a priori assumptions are made. This essay presents an argument in support of a more balanced approach to evaluating evidence, and discusses representative examples from the general medical as well as pulmonary and critical care literature. The simultaneous consideration of validity (whether results are correct "internally") and generalizability (how well results apply to "external" populations) is warranted in assessing whether a study's results are accurate for patients likely to receive the intervention-examining the intersection of clinical and methodological issues in what can be called a medicine-based evidence approach. Examination of cause-effect associations in patient-oriented research should recognize both the strengths and limitations of randomized trials as well as observational studies.

  3. Dissect, Design, and Customize the Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tienken, Christopher H.

    2013-01-01

    Education bureaucrats in 45 states have approved the Common Core State Standards ([CCSS], 2010) as the de facto national curriculum. The implementation of the CCSS will be monitored by a national standardized test in language arts and mathematics. The confluence of a standardized curriculum enforced with a standardized test will entrench a…

  4. Screen Layout Design: Research into the Overall Appearance of the Screen.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grabinger, R. Scott

    1989-01-01

    Examines the current state of research into the visual effects of screen designs used in computer-assisted instruction and suggests areas for future efforts. Topics discussed include technical elements and comprehensibility elements in layout design; single element and multiple element research methodologies; dependent variables; and learning…

  5. [Research progress of probe design software of oligonucleotide microarrays].

    PubMed

    Chen, Xi; Wu, Zaoquan; Liu, Zhengchun

    2014-02-01

    DNA microarray has become an essential medical genetic diagnostic tool for its high-throughput, miniaturization and automation. The design and selection of oligonucleotide probes are critical for preparing gene chips with high quality. Several sets of probe design software have been developed and are available to perform this work now. Every set of the software aims to different target sequences and shows different advantages and limitations. In this article, the research and development of these sets of software are reviewed in line with three main criteria, including specificity, sensitivity and melting temperature (Tm). In addition, based on the experimental results from literatures, these sets of software are classified according to their applications. This review will be helpful for users to choose an appropriate probe-design software. It will also reduce the costs of microarrays, improve the application efficiency of microarrays, and promote both the research and development (R&D) and commercialization of high-performance probe design software.

  6. Evidence-Based Design and Research-Informed Design: What's the Difference? Conceptual Definitions and Comparative Analysis.

    PubMed

    Peavey, Erin; Vander Wyst, Kiley B

    2017-10-01

    This article provides critical examination and comparison of the conceptual meaning and underlying assumptions of the concepts evidence-based design (EBD) and research-informed design (RID) in order to facilitate practical use and theoretical development. In recent years, EBD has experienced broad adoption, yet it has been simultaneously critiqued for rigidity and misapplication. Many practitioners are gravitating to the term RID to describe their method of integrating knowledge into the design process. However, the term RID lacks a clear definition and the blurring of terms has the potential to weaken advances made integrating research into practice. Concept analysis methods from Walker and Avant were used to define the concepts for comparison. Conceptual definitions, process descriptions, examples (i.e., model cases), and methods of evaluation are offered for EBD and RID. Although EBD and RID share similarities in meaning, the two terms are distinct. When comparing evidence based (EB) and research informed, EB is a broad base of information types (evidence) that are narrowly applied (based), while the latter references a narrow slice of information (research) that is broadly applied (informed) to create an end product of design. Much of the confusion between the use of the concepts EBD and RID arises out of differing perspectives between the way practitioners and academics understand the underlying terms. The authors hope this article serves to generate thoughtful dialogue, which is essential to the development of a discipline, and look forward to the contribution of the readership.

  7. National Study of Nursing Research Characteristics at Magnet®-Designated Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Pintz, Christine; Zhou, Qiuping Pearl; McLaughlin, Maureen Kirkpatrick; Kelly, Katherine Patterson; Guzzetta, Cathie E

    2018-05-01

    To describe the research infrastructure, culture, and characteristics of building a nursing research program in Magnet®-designated hospitals. Magnet recognition requires hospitals to conduct research and implement evidence-based practice (EBP). Yet, the essential characteristics of productive nursing research programs are not well described. We surveyed 181 nursing research leaders at Magnet-designated hospitals to assess the characteristics in their hospitals associated with research infrastructure, research culture, and building a nursing research program. Magnet hospitals provide most of the needed research infrastructure and have a culture that support nursing research. Higher scores for the 3 categories were found when hospitals had a nursing research director, a research department, and more than 10 nurse-led research studies in the past 5 years. While some respondents indicated their nurse executives and leaders support the enculturation of EBP and research, there continue to be barriers to full implementation of these characteristics in practice.

  8. Visual Narrative Research Methods as Performance in Industrial Design Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Laurel H.; McDonagh, Deana

    2009-01-01

    This article discusses teaching empathic research methodology as performance. The authors describe their collaboration in an activity to help undergraduate industrial design students learn empathy for others when designing products for use by diverse or underrepresented people. The authors propose that an industrial design curriculum would benefit…

  9. Research and development activities in unified control-structure modeling and design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nayak, A. P.

    1985-01-01

    Results of work to develop a unified control/structures modeling and design capability for large space structures modeling are presented. Recent analytical results are presented to demonstrate the significant interdependence between structural and control properties. A new design methodology is suggested in which the structure, material properties, dynamic model and control design are all optimized simultaneously. Parallel research done by other researchers is reviewed. The development of a methodology for global design optimization is recommended as a long-term goal. It is suggested that this methodology should be incorporated into computer aided engineering programs, which eventually will be supplemented by an expert system to aid design optimization.

  10. Matriculation Evaluation: Monographs on Designs from the Local Research Options Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1992

    In November 1989, nine research designs developed to assist local colleges in the evaluation of their matriculation activities were disseminated to the California community colleges. These designs, created as part of the Local Research Options Project, focused on measuring the effects of the colleges' matriculation activities on student…

  11. Remote sensing technology research and instrumentation platform design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    An instrumented pallet concept and definition of an aircraft with performance and payload capability to meet NASA's airborne turbulent flux measurement needs for advanced multiple global climate research and field experiments is presented. The report addresses airborne measurement requirements for general circulation model sub-scale parameterization research, specifies instrumentation capable of making these measurements, and describes a preliminary support pallet design. Also, a review of aircraft types and a recommendation of a manned and an unmanned aircraft capable of meeting flux parameterization research needs is given.

  12. Doppler Lidar System Design via Interdisciplinary Design Concept at NASA Langley Research Center - Part I

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boyer, Charles M.; Jackson, Trevor P.; Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Petway, Larry B.

    2013-01-01

    Optimized designs of the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) instrument for Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) were accomplished via Interdisciplinary Design Concept (IDEC) at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2013. Three branches in the Engineering Directorate and three students were involved in this joint task through the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) Program. The Laser Remote Sensing Branch (LRSB), Mechanical Systems Branch (MSB), and Structural and Thermal Systems Branch (STSB) were engaged to achieve optimal designs through iterative and interactive collaborative design processes. A preliminary design iteration was able to reduce the power consumption, mass, and footprint by removing redundant components and replacing inefficient components with more efficient ones. A second design iteration reduced volume and mass by replacing bulky components with excessive performance with smaller components custom-designed for the power system. Mechanical placement collaboration reduced potential electromagnetic interference (EMI). Through application of newly selected electrical components and thermal analysis data, a total electronic chassis redesign was accomplished. Use of an innovative forced convection tunnel heat sink was employed to meet and exceed project requirements for cooling, mass reduction, and volume reduction. Functionality was a key concern to make efficient use of airflow, and accessibility was also imperative to allow for servicing of chassis internals. The collaborative process provided for accelerated design maturation with substantiated function.

  13. Epidemiology and Clinical Research Design, Part 2: Principles

    PubMed Central

    Manja, Veena; Lakshminrusimha, Satyan

    2015-01-01

    This is the third article covering core knowledge in scholarly activities for neonatal physicians. In this article, we discuss various principles of epidemiology and clinical research design. A basic knowledge of these principles is necessary for conducting clinical research and for proper interpretation of studies. This article reviews bias and confounding, causation, incidence and prevalence, decision analysis, cost-effectiveness, sensitivity analysis, and measurement. PMID:26236171

  14. Engaging youth in research planning, design and execution: Practical recommendations for researchers.

    PubMed

    Hawke, Lisa D; Relihan, Jacqueline; Miller, Joshua; McCann, Emma; Rong, Jessica; Darnay, Karleigh; Docherty, Samantha; Chaim, Gloria; Henderson, Joanna L

    2018-06-01

    Engaging youth as partners in academic research projects offers many benefits for the youth and the research team. However, it is not always clear to researchers how to engage youth effectively to optimize the experience and maximize the impact. This article provides practical recommendations to help researchers engage youth in meaningful ways in academic research, from initial planning to project completion. These general recommendations can be applied to all types of research methodologies, from community action-based research to highly technical designs. Youth can and do provide valuable input into academic research projects when their contributions are authentically valued, their roles are clearly defined, communication is clear, and their needs are taken into account. Researchers should be aware of the risk of tokenizing the youth they engage and work proactively to take their feedback into account in a genuine way. Some adaptations to regular research procedures are recommended to improve the success of the youth engagement initiative. By following these guidelines, academic researchers can make youth engagement a key tenet of their youth-oriented research initiatives, increasing the feasibility, youth-friendliness and ecological validity of their work and ultimately improve the value and impact of the results their research produces. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Designing the Microbial Research Commons

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Uhlir, Paul F.

    Recent decades have witnessed an ever-increasing range and volume of digital data. All elements of the pillars of science--whether observation, experiment, or theory and modeling--are being transformed by the continuous cycle of generation, dissemination, and use of factual information. This is even more so in terms of the re-using and re-purposing of digital scientific data beyond the original intent of the data collectors, often with dramatic results. We all know about the potential benefits and impacts of digital data, but we are also aware of the barriers, the challenges in maximizing the access, and use of such data. There ismore » thus a need to think about how a data infrastructure can enhance capabilities for finding, using, and integrating information to accelerate discovery and innovation. How can we best implement an accessible, interoperable digital environment so that the data can be repeatedly used by a wide variety of users in different settings and with different applications? With this objective: to use the microbial communities and microbial data, literature, and the research materials themselves as a test case, the Board on Research Data and Information held an International Symposium on Designing the Microbial Research Commons at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC on 8-9 October 2009. The symposium addressed topics such as models to lower the transaction costs and support access to and use of microbiological materials and digital resources from the perspective of publicly funded research, public-private interactions, and developing country concerns. The overall goal of the symposium was to stimulate more research and implementation of improved legal and institutional models for publicly funded research in microbiology.« less

  16. Implementing an Evidence-Based Reflective Teaching Cycle: Using Scholarly Research in Curriculum Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ragland, Rachel

    2016-01-01

    Course curriculum design using a research-teaching connection and reflective teaching is presented. The research-teaching connection is expanded to a three stage research-teaching-research cycle and reflection is expanded to include both faculty and students. Traditional disciplinary educational research was used to inform the design of the…

  17. Current Research in Aircraft Tire Design and Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tanner, J. A.; Mccarthy, J. L.; Clark, S. K.

    1981-01-01

    A review of the tire research programs which address the various needs identified by landing gear designers and airplane users is presented. The experimental programs are designed to increase tire tread lifetimes, relate static and dynamic tire properties, establish the tire hydroplaning spin up speed, study gear response to tire failures, and define tire temperature profiles during taxi, braking, and cornering operations. The analytical programs are aimed at providing insights into the mechanisms of heat generation in rolling tires and developing the tools necessary to streamline the tire design process and to aid in the analysis of landing gear problems.

  18. Increasing efficiency of preclinical research by group sequential designs

    PubMed Central

    Piper, Sophie K.; Rex, Andre; Florez-Vargas, Oscar; Karystianis, George; Schneider, Alice; Wellwood, Ian; Siegerink, Bob; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Kimmelman, Jonathan; Dirnagl, Ulrich

    2017-01-01

    Despite the potential benefits of sequential designs, studies evaluating treatments or experimental manipulations in preclinical experimental biomedicine almost exclusively use classical block designs. Our aim with this article is to bring the existing methodology of group sequential designs to the attention of researchers in the preclinical field and to clearly illustrate its potential utility. Group sequential designs can offer higher efficiency than traditional methods and are increasingly used in clinical trials. Using simulation of data, we demonstrate that group sequential designs have the potential to improve the efficiency of experimental studies, even when sample sizes are very small, as is currently prevalent in preclinical experimental biomedicine. When simulating data with a large effect size of d = 1 and a sample size of n = 18 per group, sequential frequentist analysis consumes in the long run only around 80% of the planned number of experimental units. In larger trials (n = 36 per group), additional stopping rules for futility lead to the saving of resources of up to 30% compared to block designs. We argue that these savings should be invested to increase sample sizes and hence power, since the currently underpowered experiments in preclinical biomedicine are a major threat to the value and predictiveness in this research domain. PMID:28282371

  19. Participant Observation, Anthropology Methodology and Design Anthropology Research Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gunn, Wendy; Løgstrup, Louise B.

    2014-01-01

    Within the design studio, and across multiple field sites, the authors compare involvement of research tools and materials during collaborative processes of designing. Their aim is to trace temporal dimensions (shifts/ movements) of where and when learning takes place along different sites of practice. They do so by combining participant…

  20. Learning Design Research: Advancing Pedagogies in the Digital Age

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobozy, Eva

    2013-01-01

    Learning design research (LDR) is establishing itself as a separate and specialised field of educational research. Worldwide, technology-mediated learning experiences in higher and further education are on the increase. LDR investigates their success in providing effective outcomes-based and personalised learning experiences. This paper reports on…

  1. NASA Space Engineering Research Center Symposium on VLSI Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maki, Gary K.

    1990-01-01

    The NASA Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) is proud to offer, at its second symposium on VLSI design, presentations by an outstanding set of individuals from national laboratories and the electronics industry. These featured speakers share insights into next generation advances that will serve as a basis for future VLSI design. Questions of reliability in the space environment along with new directions in CAD and design are addressed by the featured speakers.

  2. Periodontal Research: Basics and beyond - Part I (Defining the research problem, study design and levels of evidence).

    PubMed

    Avula, Haritha; Pandey, Ruchi; Bolla, Vijayalakshmi; Rao, Harika; Avula, Jaya Kumar

    2013-09-01

    Research in the field of periodontology has witnessed a tremendous upsurge in the last two decades unveiling newer innovations in techniques, methodologies, and material science. The recent focus in periodontal research is an evidence-based approach which offers a bridge from science to clinical practice. This three part review series intends to take a reader through a maze of periodontal research, unraveling and simplifying various issues in the design, conduct and interpretation of various study designs routinely used in the field of periodontal research. This understanding would facilitate a researcher with a focused and an enhanced vision toward formulating studies which can more efficiently translate sound scientific phenomena into clinically meaningful results.

  3. Design-Based Research for Professional Learning for "Cultural Mathematics"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kravia, Geori; Owens, Kay

    2014-01-01

    Design-based research is being used to develop and refine the principles used in professional learning workshops with teachers from three different Papua New Guinean ecologies: highlands, coastal, and inland in a coastal province. The appropriateness of the design of principles for Papua New Guinean Elementary Schools is tried over several phases…

  4. Conceptual Design of Tail-Research EXperiment (T-REX) on Space Plasma Environment Research Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Qingmei; Wang, Xiaogang; E, Peng; Shen, Chao; Wang, Zhibin; Mao, Aohua; Xiao, Chijie; Ding, Weixing; Ji, Hantao; Ren, Yang

    2016-10-01

    Space Environment Simulation Research Infrastructure (SESRI), a scientific project for a major national facility of fundamental researches, has recently been launched at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). The Space Plasma Environment Research Facility (SPERF) for simulation of space plasma environment is one of the components of SESRI. It is designed to investigate fundamental issues in space plasma environment, such as energetic particles transportation and the interaction with waves in magnetosphere, magnetic reconnection at magnetopause and magnetotail, etc. Tail-Research Experiment (T-REX) is part of the SPERF for laboratory studies of space physics relevant to tail reconnection and dipolarization process. T-REX is designed to carry out two kinds of experiments: the tail plasmamoid for magnetic reconnection and magnetohydrodynamic waves excited by high speed plasma jet. In this presentation, the scientific goals and experimental plans for T-REX together with the means applied to generate the plasma with desired parameters are reviewed. Two typical scenarios of T-REX with operations of plasma sources and various magnetic configurations to study specific physical processes in space plasmas will also be presented.

  5. A Research Design for NASA-Funded Professional Development Projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bleicher, R. E.; Lambert, J.; Getty, S. R.

    2011-12-01

    This proposal outlines a research plan designed to measure gains in student learning resulting from their teachers participating in professional development. Project Description Misconceptions about global climate change (GCC) are prevalent in the general public (Kellstedt, Zahran, & Vedlitz, 2008; Washington & Cook, 2011). One solution is to provide high school students with a better grounding in the basic science and data that underlie GCC. The overarching goal of a NASA-funded project, Promoting Educational Leadership in Climate Change Literacy (PEL), is to increase GCC literacy in high school students. Research Design The research design is interpretative (Erickson, 2006), framed within a multi-method design, synthesizing both quantitative and qualitative data sources (Morse, 2003). Overall, the data will provide rich information about the PEL's impact on curriculum development, teacher pedagogical knowledge, and student learning. The expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation (E-V-C) (Fan, 2011; Wigfield & Eccles, 1994) provides a theoretical foundation for the research. Expectancy is the degree to which a teacher or student has reason to expect that they will be successful in school. Value indicates whether they think that performance at school will be worthwhile to them. Cost is the perceived sacrifices that must be undertaken, or factors that can inhibit, a successful performance at school. For students, data from an embedded E-V-C investigation will help articulate how E-V-C factors relate to student interest in science, continuing to study science, or embarking on STEM related careers. For teachers, the E-V-C measures will give insight into a key mediating variable on student achievement in science. The evaluation will seek to address research questions at the student and teacher levels. Table 1 presents a sample of research questions and data sources. This is a sample of a much larger set of questions that will be addressed in the project. Data

  6. Heat sink structural design concepts for a hypersonic research airplane

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taylor, A. H.; Jackson, L. R.

    1977-01-01

    Hypersonic research aircraft design requires careful consideration of thermal stresses. This paper relates some of the problems in a heat sink structural design that can be avoided by appropriate selection of design options including material selection, design concepts, and load paths. Data on several thermal loading conditions are presented on various conventional designs including bulkheads, longerons, fittings, and frames. Results indicate that conventional designs are inadequate and that acceptable designs are possible by incorporating innovative design practices. These include nonintegral pressure compartments, ball-jointed links to distribute applied loads without restraining the thermal expansion, and material selections based on thermal compatibility.

  7. Situated Research Design and Methodological Choices in Formative Program Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Supovitz, Jonathan

    2013-01-01

    Design-based implementation research offers the opportunity to rethink the relationships between intervention, research, and situation to better attune research and evaluation to the program development process. Using a heuristic called the intervention development curve, I describe the rough trajectory that programs typically follow as they…

  8. Pasadena City College SIGI Project Research Design. Pilot Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Risser, John J.; Tulley, John E.

    A pilot study evaluation of SIGI (System of Interactive Guidance and Information) at Pasadena City College in 1974-75 tested the effectiveness of an experimental research design for an expanded field test of the system the following year. (SIGI is a computer based career guidance program designed by Educational Testing Service to assist community…

  9. Research Design and the Predictive Power of Measures of Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moriarty, Beverley

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this enquiry was to examine how research design impacts on the predictive power of measures of self-efficacy. Three cautions for designing research into self-efficacy drawn from the seminal work of Albert Bandura (1986) and a further caution proposed by the current author together form the analytical framework for this enquiry. For…

  10. Redesigning Vocational Education: The Possibilities of Design-Based Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leeman, Yvonne; Wardekker, Willem

    2011-01-01

    This article describes and reflects our experiences as researchers in a design-based research project on a curriculum innovation focused on meaningful, co-operative learning in vocational education in the Netherlands. The project was successful in gaining insights in possible practices for workplace learning but did only partly realize the…

  11. Keeping Connected: The Design and Overview of the Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moss, Julianne

    2014-01-01

    The special issue "Keeping Connected: Identity, Social Connection and Education for Young People" opens with a paper that discusses the research design and overview of a three-year project by a Melbourne (Australia)-based multi-disciplinary team. Over 2007-2009, the Keeping Connected team of 10 researchers investigated the lives of…

  12. A Two Group-Two Treatment Research Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxey, James H.

    A two group-two treatment research design is presented; it allows for the assessment of the individual and the combined effects of the two treatments. Advantages include: (1) Initial evaluation represents an estimate of the stabilities of the measurements; and (2) Observation 4 compared with the average of Observation 1 and Observation 2 tests the…

  13. Using Design-Based Research in Gifted Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jen, Enyi; Moon, Sidney; Samarapungavan, Ala

    2015-01-01

    Design-based research (DBR) is a new methodological framework that was developed in the context of the learning sciences; however, it has not been used very often in the field of gifted education. Compared with other methodologies, DBR is more process-oriented and context-sensitive. In this methodological brief, the authors introduce DBR and…

  14. Predicting the effectiveness of road safety campaigns through alternative research designs.

    PubMed

    Adamos, Giannis; Nathanail, Eftihia

    2016-12-01

    A large number of road safety communication campaigns have been designed and implemented in the recent years; however their explicit impact on driving behavior and road accident rates has been estimated in a rather low proportion. Based on the findings of the evaluation of three road safety communication campaigns addressing the issues of drinking and driving, seat belt usage, and driving fatigue, this paper applies different types of research designs (i.e., experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs), when estimating the effectiveness of road safety campaigns, implements a cross-design assessment, and conducts a cross-campaign evaluation. An integrated evaluation plan was developed, taking into account the structure of evaluation questions, the definition of measurable variables, the separation of the target audience into intervention (exposed to the campaign) and control (not exposed to the campaign) groups, the selection of alternative research designs, and the appropriate data collection methods and techniques. Evaluating the implementation of different research designs in estimating the effectiveness of road safety campaigns, results showed that the separate pre-post samples design demonstrated better predictability than other designs, especially in data obtained from the intervention group after the realization of the campaign. The more constructs that were added to the independent variables, the higher the values of the predictability were. The construct that most affects behavior is intention, whereas the rest of the constructs have a lower impact on behavior. This is particularly significant in the Health Belief Model (HBM). On the other hand, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and descriptive norms, are significant parameters for predicting intention according to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The theoretical and applied implications of alternative research designs and their applicability in the evaluation of road safety

  15. Design Based Research Methodology for Teaching with Technology in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jetnikoff, Anita

    2015-01-01

    Design based research (DBR) is an appropriate method for small scale educational research projects involving collaboration between teachers, students and researchers. It is particularly useful in collaborative projects where an intervention is implemented and evaluated in a grounded context. The intervention can be technological, or a new program…

  16. Increasing value and reducing waste in research design, conduct, and analysis.

    PubMed

    Ioannidis, John P A; Greenland, Sander; Hlatky, Mark A; Khoury, Muin J; Macleod, Malcolm R; Moher, David; Schulz, Kenneth F; Tibshirani, Robert

    2014-01-11

    Correctable weaknesses in the design, conduct, and analysis of biomedical and public health research studies can produce misleading results and waste valuable resources. Small effects can be difficult to distinguish from bias introduced by study design and analyses. An absence of detailed written protocols and poor documentation of research is common. Information obtained might not be useful or important, and statistical precision or power is often too low or used in a misleading way. Insufficient consideration might be given to both previous and continuing studies. Arbitrary choice of analyses and an overemphasis on random extremes might affect the reported findings. Several problems relate to the research workforce, including failure to involve experienced statisticians and methodologists, failure to train clinical researchers and laboratory scientists in research methods and design, and the involvement of stakeholders with conflicts of interest. Inadequate emphasis is placed on recording of research decisions and on reproducibility of research. Finally, reward systems incentivise quantity more than quality, and novelty more than reliability. We propose potential solutions for these problems, including improvements in protocols and documentation, consideration of evidence from studies in progress, standardisation of research efforts, optimisation and training of an experienced and non-conflicted scientific workforce, and reconsideration of scientific reward systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Single-Case Experimental Designs: A Systematic Review of Published Research and Current Standards

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Justin D.

    2013-01-01

    This article systematically reviews the research design and methodological characteristics of single-case experimental design (SCED) research published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2010. SCEDs provide researchers with a flexible and viable alternative to group designs with large sample sizes. However, methodological challenges have precluded widespread implementation and acceptance of the SCED as a viable complementary methodology to the predominant group design. This article includes a description of the research design, measurement, and analysis domains distinctive to the SCED; a discussion of the results within the framework of contemporary standards and guidelines in the field; and a presentation of updated benchmarks for key characteristics (e.g., baseline sampling, method of analysis), and overall, it provides researchers and reviewers with a resource for conducting and evaluating SCED research. The results of the systematic review of 409 studies suggest that recently published SCED research is largely in accordance with contemporary criteria for experimental quality. Analytic method emerged as an area of discord. Comparison of the findings of this review with historical estimates of the use of statistical analysis indicates an upward trend, but visual analysis remains the most common analytic method and also garners the most support amongst those entities providing SCED standards. Although consensus exists along key dimensions of single-case research design and researchers appear to be practicing within these parameters, there remains a need for further evaluation of assessment and sampling techniques and data analytic methods. PMID:22845874

  18. Geoscience Education Research Project: Student Benefits and Effective Design of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kortz, Karen M.; van der Hoeven Kraft, Katrien J.

    2016-01-01

    Undergraduate research has been shown to be an effective practice for learning science. While this is a popular discussion topic, there are few full examples in the literature for introductory-level students. This paper describes the Geoscience Education Research Project, an innovative course-based research experience designed for…

  19. Software design as a problem in learning theory (a research overview)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fass, Leona F.

    1992-01-01

    Our interest in automating software design has come out of our research in automated reasoning, inductive inference, learnability, and algebraic machine theory. We have investigated these areas extensively, in connection with specific problems of language representation, acquisition, processing, and design. In the case of formal context-free (CF) languages we established existence of finite learnable models ('behavioral realizations') and procedures for constructing them effectively. We also determined techniques for automatic construction of the models, inductively inferring them from finite examples of how they should 'behave'. These results were obtainable due to appropriate representation of domain knowledge, and constraints on the domain that the representation defined. It was when we sought to generalize our results, and adapt or apply them, that we began investigating the possibility of determining similar procedures for constructing correct software. Discussions with other researchers led us to examine testing and verification processes, as they are related to inference, and due to their considerable importance in correct software design. Motivating papers by other researchers, led us to examine these processes in some depth. Here we present our approach to those software design issues raised by other researchers, within our own theoretical context. We describe our results, relative to those of the other researchers, and conclude that they do not compare unfavorably.

  20. Concussion Awareness Education: A Design and Development Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pilbeam, Renee M.

    2016-01-01

    This research study looks at the design and development of an online concussion awareness education module. The Keep Your Head in the Game: Concussion Awareness Training for High School Athletes, or Brainbook, is a stand-alone e-learning module designed to run for fifty minutes and to be highly interactive using short video clips with associated…

  1. Design strategies for the International Space University's variable gravity research facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, Sheila G.; Chiaramonte, Francis P.; Davidian, Kenneth J.

    1990-01-01

    A variable gravity research facility named 'Newton' was designed by 58 students from 13 countries at the International Space University's 1989 summer session at the Universite Louis Pasteur, Strasbourge, France. The project was comprehensive in scope, including a political and legal foundation for international cooperation, development and financing; technical, science and engineering issues; architectural design; plausible schedules; and operations, crew issues and maintenance. Since log-term exposure to zero gravity is known to be harmful to the human body, the main goal was to design a unique variable gravity research facility which would find a practical solution to this problem, permitting a manned mission to Mars. The facility would not duplicate other space-based facilities and would provide the flexibility for examining a number of gravity levels, including lunar and Martian gravities. Major design alternatives included a truss versus a tether based system which also involved the question of docking while spinning or despinning to dock. These design issues are described. The relative advantages or disadvantages are discussed, including comments on the necessary research and technology development required for each.

  2. Advanced Low-Noise Research Fan Stage Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Neubert, Robert; Bock, Larry; Malmborg, Eric; Owen-Peer, William

    1997-01-01

    This report describes the design of the Advanced Low-Noise Research Fan stage. The fan is a variable pitch design, which is designed at the cruise pitch condition. Relative to the cruise setting, the blade is closed at takeoff and opened for reverse thrust operation. The fan stage is a split flow design with fan exit guide vanes (FEGVs) and core stators. The fan stage design is combined with a nacelle and engine core duct to form a powered fan/nacelle subscale model. This model is intended for use in combined aerodynamic, acoustic, and structural testing in a wind tunnel. The fan has an outer diameter of 22 in. and a hub-to-tip of 0.426 in., which allows the use of existing NASA fan and cowl force balance and rig drive systems. The design parameters were selected to permit valid acoustic and aerodynamic comparisons with the Pratt & Whitney (P&W) 17- and 22-in. rigs previously tested under NASA contract. The fan stage design is described in detail. The results of the design axisymmetric and Navier-Stokes aerodynamic analysis are presented at the critical design conditions. The structural analysis of the fan rotor and attachment is included. The blade and attachment are predicted to have adequate low-cycle fatigue life and an acceptable operating range without resonant stress or flutter. The stage was acoustically designed with airfoil counts in the FEGV and core stator to minimize noise. A fan/FEGV tone analysis developed separately under NASA contract was used to determine the optimum airfoil counts. The fan stage was matched to the existing nacelle, designed under the previous P&W low-noise contract, to form a fan/nacelle model for wind tunnel testing. It is an axisymmetric nacelle for convenience in testing and analysis. Previous testing confirmed that the nacelle performed as required at various aircraft operating conditions.

  3. Design of a high-performance rotary stratified-charge research aircraft engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, C.; Mount, R. E.

    1984-01-01

    The power section for an advanced rotary stratified-charge general aviation engine has been designed under contract to NASA. The single-rotor research engine of 40 cubic-inches displacement (RCI-40), now being procured for test initiation this summer, is targeted for 320 T.O. horse-power in a two-rotor production engine. The research engine is designed for operating on jet-fuel, gasoline or diesel fuel and will be used to explore applicable advanced technologies and to optimize high output performance variables. Design of major components of the engine is described in this paper.

  4. Recent Innovations in Small-N Designs for Research and Practice in "Professional School Counseling"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDougall, Dennis; Smith, Douglas

    2006-01-01

    This article illustrates an innovative small-N research design that researchers and practitioners can use to investigate questions of interest in "professional school counseling." The distributed criterion (DC) design integrates elements of three classic small-N research designs--the changing criterion, reversal, and multiple baseline. The DC…

  5. School Integration Policies in Northern Cities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glazer, Nathan

    It is pointed out that there is little expert research on the effects of de facto segregation in schools in the North and the West. Too often an oversimplified casual relationship is drawn which explains the educational gap between white and Negro students in de facto segregated schools. Other factors considered in analyzing educational status…

  6. What Value Can Qualitative Research Add to Quantitative Research Design? An Example From an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial Feasibility Study.

    PubMed

    Toye, Francine; Williamson, Esther; Williams, Mark A; Fairbank, Jeremy; Lamb, Sarah E

    2016-08-09

    Using an example of qualitative research embedded in a non-surgical feasibility trial, we explore the benefits of including qualitative research in trial design and reflect on epistemological challenges. We interviewed 18 trial participants and used methods of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Our findings demonstrate that qualitative research can make a valuable contribution by allowing trial stakeholders to see things from alternative perspectives. Specifically, it can help to make specific recommendations for improved trial design, generate questions which contextualize findings, and also explore disease experience beyond the trial. To make the most out of qualitative research embedded in quantitative design it would be useful to (a) agree specific qualitative study aims that underpin research design, (b) understand the impact of differences in epistemological truth claims, (c) provide clear thematic interpretations for trial researchers to utilize, and (d) include qualitative findings that explore experience beyond the trial setting within the impact plan. © The Author(s) 2016.

  7. Description of research design of articles published in four Brazilian physical therapy journals

    PubMed Central

    Saragiotto, Bruno T.; Costa, Lucíola C. M.; Oliveira, Ronaldo F.; Lopes, Alexandre D.; Moseley, Anne M.; Costa, Leonardo O. P.

    2014-01-01

    Background While the research design of articles published in medical journals and in some physical therapy journals has already been evaluated, this has not been investigated in Brazilian physical therapy journals. Objective To describe the research design used in all articles published in Brazilian scientific journals that are freely available, have high Qualis rankings, and are relevant to physical therapy over a 7-year period. Method We extracted the bibliometric data, research design, research type (human or animal), and clinical area for all articles published. The articles were grouped into their level of evidence, and descriptive analyses were performed. We calculated the frequency, proportions of articles, and 95% confidence interval of these proportions with each research design in each journal. We cross-tabulated the clinical areas with research designs (expressed as number and percentages). Results A total of 1,458 articles from four Brazilian journals were found: Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, Revista Fisioterapia em Movimento, Revista Fisioterapia e Pesquisa, and Revista Acta Fisiátrica. The majority of articles were classified as level II of evidence (60%), followed by level III (29%) and level I (10%). The most prevalent research designs were cross-sectional studies (38%), single-case or case-series studies, and narrative reviews. Most articles reported human research and were in the musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiothoracic areas. Conclusions Most of the research published in Brazilian physical therapy journals used levels II and III of evidence. Increasing the publication rate of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials would provide more high-quality evidence to guide evidence-based physical therapy practice. PMID:24675913

  8. Description of research design of articles published in four Brazilian physical therapy journals.

    PubMed

    Saragiotto, Bruno T; Costa, Lucíola C M; Oliveira, Ronaldo F; Lopes, Alexandre D; Moseley, Anne M; Costa, Leonardo O P

    2014-01-01

    While the research design of articles published in medical journals and in some physical therapy journals has already been evaluated, this has not been investigated in Brazilian physical therapy journals. Objective : To describe the research design used in all articles published in Brazilian scientific journals that are freely available, have high Qualis rankings, and are relevant to physical therapy over a 7-year period. We extracted the bibliometric data, research design, research type (human or animal), and clinical area for all articles published. The articles were grouped into their level of evidence, and descriptive analyses were performed. We calculated the frequency, proportions of articles, and 95% confidence interval of these proportions with each research design in each journal. We cross-tabulated the clinical areas with research designs (expressed as number and percentages). A total of 1,458 articles from four Brazilian journals were found: Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, Revista Fisioterapia em Movimento, Revista Fisioterapia e Pesquisa, and Revista Acta Fisiátrica. The majority of articles were classified as level II of evidence (60%), followed by level III (29%) and level I (10%). The most prevalent research designs were cross-sectional studies (38%), single-case or case-series studies, and narrative reviews. Most articles reported human research and were in the musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiothoracic areas. Most of the research published in Brazilian physical therapy journals used levels II and III of evidence. Increasing the publication rate of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials would provide more high-quality evidence to guide evidence-based physical therapy practice.

  9. Ethical Issues in Designing Internet-Based Research: Recommendations for Good Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gupta, Shikha

    2017-01-01

    This article presents an overview of internet-based research, highlighting the absence of a standard terminology to define and classify such research. The label internet-based research or online research can cover a diverse range of research designs and methods, involving different degrees of ethical concern regarding privacy, transparency,…

  10. Can Research Design Explain Variation in Head Start Research Results? A Meta-Analysis of Cognitive and Achievement Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shager, Hilary M.; Schindler, Holly S.; Magnuson, Katherine A.; Duncan, Greg J.; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Hart, Cassandra M. D.

    2013-01-01

    This study explores the extent to which differences in research design explain variation in Head Start program impacts. We employ meta-analytic techniques to predict effect sizes for cognitive and achievement outcomes as a function of the type and rigor of research design, quality and type of outcome measure, activity level of control group, and…

  11. Positioning the arts for intervention design research in the human services.

    PubMed

    Moxley, David P; Calligan, Holly Feen

    2015-12-01

    The arts have been integral to the human experience fostering innovation in social arrangements, strengthening group cohesion, and merging esthetics with the utilitarian properties of technology. For intervention design research in the human services the arts can harness innovation and creativity in meeting human needs and addressing social issues. Given their capacities to stimulate expression of first person experience through interpretative strategies, the arts can equip people and groups, including researchers, with opportunities to express primary experiential knowledge through creative means, portray useful ways of meeting human needs, educate others about the social issues people experience, and formulate intervention strategies or even models to address the causes and consequences of those issues. In this paper, the authors discuss how the arts can inform and deepen human service intervention design and development and, as a result, advance innovation in the human services. They offer a rationale supporting the inclusion of the arts in the design of human service interventions, examine the contributions of the arts to the formulation of intervention concept and developmental research to further improve interventions, and consider how the arts can advance the reflexivity of intervention designers. The authors draw implications for how researchers can position the arts in the nine steps of intervention design and development the authors offer in this paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. One hundred years of work design research: Looking back and looking forward.

    PubMed

    Parker, Sharon K; Morgeson, Frederick P; Johns, Gary

    2017-03-01

    In this article we take a big picture perspective on work design research. In the first section of the paper we identify influential work design articles and use scientific mapping to identify distinct clusters of research. Pulling this material together, we identify five key work design perspectives that map onto distinct historical developments: (a) sociotechnical systems and autonomous work groups, (b) job characteristics model, (c) job demands-control model, (d) job demands-resources model, and (e) role theory. The grounding of these perspectives in the past is understandable, but we suggest that some of the distinction between clusters is convenient rather than substantive. Thus we also identify contemporary integrative perspectives on work design that build connections across the clusters and we argue that there is scope for further integration. In the second section of the paper, we review the role of Journal of Applied Psychology ( JAP ) in shaping work design research. We conclude that JAP has played a vital role in the advancement of this topic over the last 100 years. Nevertheless, we suspect that to continue to play a leading role in advancing the science and practice of work design, the journal might need to publish research that is broader, more contextualized, and team-oriented. In the third section, we address the impact of work design research on: applied psychology and management, disciplines beyond our own, management thinking, work practice, and national policy agendas. Finally, we draw together observations from our analysis and identify key future directions for the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Creating Innovative Research Designs: The 10-Year Methodological Think Tank Case Study

    PubMed Central

    Katerndahl, David; Crabtree, Benjamin

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE Addressing important but complex research questions often necessitates the creation of innovative mixed methods designs. This report describes an approach to developing research designs for studying important but methodologically challenging research questions. METHODS The Methodological Think Tank has been held annually in conjunction with the Primary Care Research Methods and Statistics Conference in San Antonio since 1994. A group of 3 to 4 methodologists with expertise balanced between quantitative and qualitative backgrounds is invited by the think tank coordinators to serve on a 2-day think tank to discuss a research question selected from those submitted in response to a call for proposals. During the first half-day, these experts explore the content area with the investigator, often challenging beliefs and assumptions. During the second half-day, the think tank participants systematically prune potential approaches until a desirable research method is identified. RESULTS To date, the most recent 7 think tanks have produced fundable research designs, with 1 being funded by a K award and 4 by R01 grants. All participating investigators attributed much of their success to think tank participation. Lessons learned include (1) the importance of careful selection of participating methodologists, (2) all think tank communities of inquiry must go through 4 stages of development from pseudocommunity to community, and (3) the critical importance of listening by the investigator. CONCLUSION Researchers and academic departments could use this process locally to develop innovative research designs. PMID:17003146

  14. Integrated design optimization research and development in an industrial environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, V.; German, Marjorie D.; Lee, S.-J.

    1989-04-01

    An overview is given of a design optimization project that is in progress at the GE Research and Development Center for the past few years. The objective of this project is to develop a methodology and a software system for design automation and optimization of structural/mechanical components and systems. The effort focuses on research and development issues and also on optimization applications that can be related to real-life industrial design problems. The overall technical approach is based on integration of numerical optimization techniques, finite element methods, CAE and software engineering, and artificial intelligence/expert systems (AI/ES) concepts. The role of each of these engineering technologies in the development of a unified design methodology is illustrated. A software system DESIGN-OPT has been developed for both size and shape optimization of structural components subjected to static as well as dynamic loadings. By integrating this software with an automatic mesh generator, a geometric modeler and an attribute specification computer code, a software module SHAPE-OPT has been developed for shape optimization. Details of these software packages together with their applications to some 2- and 3-dimensional design problems are described.

  15. Integrated design optimization research and development in an industrial environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kumar, V.; German, Marjorie D.; Lee, S.-J.

    1989-01-01

    An overview is given of a design optimization project that is in progress at the GE Research and Development Center for the past few years. The objective of this project is to develop a methodology and a software system for design automation and optimization of structural/mechanical components and systems. The effort focuses on research and development issues and also on optimization applications that can be related to real-life industrial design problems. The overall technical approach is based on integration of numerical optimization techniques, finite element methods, CAE and software engineering, and artificial intelligence/expert systems (AI/ES) concepts. The role of each of these engineering technologies in the development of a unified design methodology is illustrated. A software system DESIGN-OPT has been developed for both size and shape optimization of structural components subjected to static as well as dynamic loadings. By integrating this software with an automatic mesh generator, a geometric modeler and an attribute specification computer code, a software module SHAPE-OPT has been developed for shape optimization. Details of these software packages together with their applications to some 2- and 3-dimensional design problems are described.

  16. Rethinking Physics for Biologists: A design-based research approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sawtelle, Vashti

    2015-03-01

    Biology majors at the University of Maryland are required to take courses in biology, chemistry, and physics - but they often see these courses as disconnected. Over the past three years the NEXUS/Physics course has been working to develop an interdisciplinary learning environment that bridges the disciplinary domains of biology and physics. Across the three years we have gone from teaching in a small class with one instructor to teaching in a large lecture hall with multiple instructors. We have used a design-based research approach to support critical reflection of the course at multiple-time scales. In this presentation I will detail our process of collecting systematic data, listening to and valuing students' reasoning, and bridging diverse perspectives led. I will demonstrate how this process led to improved curricular design, refined assessment objectives, and new design heuristics. This work is supported by NSF-TUES DUE 11-22818, the HHMI NEXUS grant, and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE 0750616).

  17. Research-Informed Principles for (Re)Designing Teaching and Learning Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finkelstein, Adam; Ferris, Jennie; Weston, Cynthia; Winer, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Designing physical learning environments that connect to indicators of effective educational practice reflects a university's pedagogical commitment to student success. This article describes an approach to teaching and learning space design based on research-informed pedagogical principles successfully implemented at our university. It then…

  18. Development of Prototype Driver Models for Highway Design: Research Update

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-06-01

    One of the high-priority research areas of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the development of the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM). The goal of the IHSDM research program is to develop a systematic approach that will allow...

  19. Model Identification and Control System Design for the Lambda Unmanned Research Vehicle

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-09-01

    AD-A241 859 D T IC_ _ _ _ _ __ OCT 21921MODEL IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN FOR THE LAMBDA UNMANNED RESEARCH VEHICLE: THESIS Gerald A...23 191K MODEL IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN FOR THE LAMBDA UNMANNED RESEARCH VEHICLE THESIS Gerald A. Swift, First Lieutenant, USAF AFIT...UNMANNED RESEARCH VEHICLE THESIS Presented to the Faculty of the School of Engineering of the Air Force Institute of Technology Air University in Partial

  20. Studies using single-subject designs in sport psychology: 30 years of research

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Garry L.; Thompson, Kendra; Regehr, Kaleigh

    2004-01-01

    A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we summarize that body of research, discuss its strengths and limitations, and identify areas for future research. PMID:22478434

  1. Making the Case for Practice-Based Research and the Imperative Role of Design Practitioners.

    PubMed

    Freihoefer, Kara; Zborowsky, Terri

    2017-04-01

    The purpose of this article is to justify the need for evidence-based design (EBD) in a research-based architecture and design practice. This article examines the current state of practice-based research (PBR), supports the need for EBD, illustrates PBR methods that can be applied to design work, and explores how findings can be used as a decision-making tool during design and as a validation tool during postoccupancy. As a result, design professions' body of knowledge will advance and practitioners will be better informed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the society. Furthermore, characteristics of Friedman's progressive research program are used as a framework to examine the current state of PBR in design practice. A modified EBD approach is proposed and showcased with a case study of a renovated inpatient unit. The modified approach demonstrates how a highly integrated project team, especially the role of design practitioners, contributed to the success of utilizing baseline findings and evidence in decision-making throughout the design process. Lastly, recommendations and resources for learning research concepts are provided for practitioners. It is the role of practitioners to pave the way for the next generation of design professionals, as the request and expectation for research become more prevalent in design practice.

  2. Periodontal Research: Basics and beyond – Part I (Defining the research problem, study design and levels of evidence)

    PubMed Central

    Avula, Haritha; Pandey, Ruchi; Bolla, Vijayalakshmi; Rao, Harika; Avula, Jaya Kumar

    2013-01-01

    Research in the field of periodontology has witnessed a tremendous upsurge in the last two decades unveiling newer innovations in techniques, methodologies, and material science. The recent focus in periodontal research is an evidence-based approach which offers a bridge from science to clinical practice. This three part review series intends to take a reader through a maze of periodontal research, unraveling and simplifying various issues in the design, conduct and interpretation of various study designs routinely used in the field of periodontal research. This understanding would facilitate a researcher with a focused and an enhanced vision toward formulating studies which can more efficiently translate sound scientific phenomena into clinically meaningful results. PMID:24174746

  3. Planned Missing Data Designs for Spline Growth Models in Salivary Cortisol Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hogue, Candace M.; Pornprasertmanit, Sunthud; Fry, Mary D.; Rhemtulla, Mijke; Little, Todd D.

    2013-01-01

    Salivary cortisol is often used as an index of physiological and psychological stress in exercise science and psychoneuroendocrine research. A primary concern when designing research studies examining cortisol stems from the high cost of analysis. Planned missing data designs involve intentionally omitting a random subset of observations from data…

  4. Collaborative Mission Design at NASA Langley Research Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gough, Kerry M.; Allen, B. Danette; Amundsen, Ruth M.

    2005-01-01

    NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed and tested two facilities dedicated to increasing efficiency in key mission design processes, including payload design, mission planning, and implementation plan development, among others. The Integrated Design Center (IDC) is a state-of-the-art concurrent design facility which allows scientists and spaceflight engineers to produce project designs and mission plans in a real-time collaborative environment, using industry-standard physics-based development tools and the latest communication technology. The Mission Simulation Lab (MiSL), a virtual reality (VR) facility focused on payload and project design, permits engineers to quickly translate their design and modeling output into enhanced three-dimensional models and then examine them in a realistic full-scale virtual environment. The authors were responsible for envisioning both facilities and turning those visions into fully operational mission design resources at LaRC with multiple advanced capabilities and applications. In addition, the authors have created a synergistic interface between these two facilities. This combined functionality is the Interactive Design and Simulation Center (IDSC), a meta-facility which offers project teams a powerful array of highly advanced tools, permitting them to rapidly produce project designs while maintaining the integrity of the input from every discipline expert on the project. The concept-to-flight mission support provided by IDSC has shown improved inter- and intra-team communication and a reduction in the resources required for proposal development, requirements definition, and design effort.

  5. Implications of complex adaptive systems theory for the design of research on health care organizations.

    PubMed

    McDaniel, Reuben R; Lanham, Holly Jordan; Anderson, Ruth A

    2009-01-01

    Because health care organizations (HCOs) are complex adaptive systems (CASs), phenomena of interest often are dynamic and unfold in unpredictable ways, and unfolding events are often unique. Researchers of HCOs may recognize that the subject of their research is dynamic; however, their research designs may not take this into account. Researchers may also know that unfolding events are often unique, but their design may not have the capacity to obtain information from meager evidence. These two concerns led us to examine two ideas from organizational theory: (a) the ideas of K. E. Weick (1993) on organizational design as a verb and (b) the ideas of J. G. March, L. S. Sproull, and M. Tamuz (1991) on learning from samples of one or fewer. In this article, we applied these ideas to develop an enriched perspective of research design for studying CASs. We conducted a theoretical analysis of organizations as CASs, identifying relevant characteristics for research designs. We then explored two ideas from organizational theory and discussed the implications for research designs. Weick's idea of "design as a verb" helps in understanding dynamic and process-oriented research design. The idea of "learning from samples of one or fewer" of March, Sproull, and Tamuz provides strategies for research design that enables learning from meager evidence. When studying HCOs, research designs are likely to be more effective when they (a) anticipate change, (b) include tension, (c) capitalize on serendipity, and (d) use an "act-then-look" mind set. Implications for practice are discussed. Practitioners who understand HCOs as CASs will be cautious in accepting findings from studies that treat HCOs mechanistically. They will consider the characteristics of CAS when evaluating the evidence base for practice. Practitioners can use the strategies proposed in this article to stimulate discussion with researchers seeking to conduct research in their HCO.

  6. Control group design: enhancing rigor in research of mind-body therapies for depression.

    PubMed

    Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

    2013-01-01

    Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research.

  7. Control Group Design: Enhancing Rigor in Research of Mind-Body Therapies for Depression

    PubMed Central

    Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

    2013-01-01

    Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research. PMID:23662111

  8. Outcomes of a Research-Driven Laboratory and Literature Course Designed to Enhance Undergraduate Contributions to Original Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rasche, Madeline E.

    2004-01-01

    This work describes outcomes of a research-driven advanced microbiology laboratory and literature research course intended to enhance undergraduate preparation for and contributions to original research. The laboratory section was designed to teach fundamental biochemistry and molecular biology techniques in the context of an original research…

  9. Reflective Drawing as a Tool for Reflection in Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calvo, Mirian

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the role of drawing as a tool for reflection. It reports on a PhD research project that aims to identify and analyse the value that co-design processes can bring to participants and their communities. The research is associated with Leapfrog, a three-year project funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).…

  10. Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Techniques: Implications and Opportunities for Fluid Dynamics Research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zang, Thomas A.; Green, Lawrence L.

    1999-01-01

    A challenge for the fluid dynamics community is to adapt to and exploit the trend towards greater multidisciplinary focus in research and technology. The past decade has witnessed substantial growth in the research field of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). MDO is a methodology for the design of complex engineering systems and subsystems that coherently exploits the synergism of mutually interacting phenomena. As evidenced by the papers, which appear in the biannual AIAA/USAF/NASA/ISSMO Symposia on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, the MDO technical community focuses on vehicle and system design issues. This paper provides an overview of the MDO technology field from a fluid dynamics perspective, giving emphasis to suggestions of specific applications of recent MDO technologies that can enhance fluid dynamics research itself across the spectrum, from basic flow physics to full configuration aerodynamics.

  11. Evaluating the design and reporting of pragmatic trials in osteoarthritis research.

    PubMed

    Ali, Shabana Amanda; Kloseck, Marita; Lee, Karen; Walsh, Kathleen Ellen; MacDermid, Joy C; Fitzsimmons, Deborah

    2018-01-01

    Among the challenges in health research is translating interventions from controlled experimental settings to clinical and community settings where chronic disease is managed daily. Pragmatic trials offer a method for testing interventions in real-world settings but are seldom used in OA research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the literature on pragmatic trials in OA research up to August 2016 in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in the design and reporting of these trials. We used established guidelines to assess the degree to which 61 OA studies complied with pragmatic trial design and reporting. We assessed design according to the pragmatic-explanatory continuum indicator summary and reporting according to the pragmatic trials extension of the CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines. None of the pragmatic trials met all 11 criteria evaluated and most of the trials met between 5 and 8 of the criteria. Criteria most often unmet pertained to practitioner expertise (by requiring specialists) and criteria most often met pertained to primary outcome analysis (by using intention-to-treat analysis). Our results suggest a lack of highly pragmatic trials in OA research. We identify this as a point of opportunity to improve research translation, since optimizing the design and reporting of pragmatic trials can facilitate implementation of evidence-based interventions for OA care. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  12. INVOLVING CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS IN RESEARCH DESIGN.

    PubMed

    Hibberd, Suzannah

    2016-09-01

    Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, states that children should be involved in decisions that directly affect them.1 Research involving children should ensure that the opinions and assistance of children and young people is sought at the beginning of the project as their perspectives may influence all aspects of the research design. To describe the challenges recruiting paediatric patients and members of the public to consult on the design of a research project. Posters were put up around the Children's Hospital including pharmacy to recruit paediatric patients and parents to review a research proposal involving children with long-term conditions. There were two responses to the poster, a father and his 15 year old daughter, and a father with a 2 year old child. The father of the 15 year old attended the initial planning meeting, unfortunately the 15 year old and the father of the 2 year old were unable to attend on the day although both agreed to participate in the project. The meeting gave the opportunity to explain the research proposal and answer questions. It was established that the lay team would review the lay summary, participant information leaflet (PIL), and questionnaires that would be sent to the participants. It was arranged that all further contact would be via email due to travel constraints.Patient and public involvement (PPI) in research requires the individuals to be reimbursed for their time. The National Institute for Health Research rate is £18.75 per hour. The lay team members were informed of this and were reimbursed for attending the planning meeting. The use of posters to recruit PPI into the research design had limited success. Since recruitment, the Children's Hospital has launched a youth partnership which may be able to assist in recruitment of lay team members in the future.The logistics of how to pay the lay team members needed to be resolved before their recruitment to ensure timely payment. A form has been

  13. Using the Power Balance Wristband to Improve Students' Research-Design Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawson, Timothy J.; Blackhart, Ginette C.; Gialopsos, Brooke M.

    2016-01-01

    We describe an exercise involving the power balance wristband (PBW) designed to enhance students' ability to design scientific tests. An instructor demonstrated that the PBW improved a student's balance, strength, and flexibility and invited students to design and conduct a brief scientific test of the PBW. Research methods students who…

  14. Research design of decision support system for team sport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abidin, Mohammad Zukuwwan Zainol; Nawawi, Mohd Kamal Mohd; Kasim, Maznah Mat

    2016-10-01

    This paper proposes a suitable research procedure that can be referred to while conducting a Decision Support System (DSS) study, especially when the development activity of system artifacts becomes one of the research objectives. The design of the research procedure was based on the completion of a football DSS development that can help in determining the position of a player and the best team formation to be used during a game. After studying the relevant literature, we found that it is necessary to combine the conventional rainfall System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) approach with Case Study approach to help in structuring the research task and phases, which can contribute to the fulfillment of the research aim and objectives.

  15. OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN THE DESIGN OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

    DTIC Science & Technology

    management information systems is concerned with the identification and detailed specification of the information and data processing...of advanced data processing techniques in management information systems today, the close coordination of operations research and data systems activities has become a practical necessity for the modern business firm.... information systems in which mathematical models are employed as the basis for analysis and systems design. Operations research provides a

  16. What Time-Series Designs May Have to Offer Educational Researchers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kratochwill, Thomas R.; Levin, Joel R.

    1978-01-01

    The promise of time-series designs for educational research and evaluation is reviewed. Ten time-series designs are presented and discussed in the context of threats to internal and external validity. The advantages and disadvantages of various visual and statistical data-analysis techniques are presented. A bibliography is appended. (Author/RD)

  17. Research News: Are VLSI Microcircuits Too Hard to Design?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Arthur L.

    1980-01-01

    This research news article on microelectronics discusses the scientific challenge the integrated circuit industry will have in the next decade, for designing the complicated microcircuits made possible by advancing miniaturization technology. (HM)

  18. A Course in Medical Research Study Design and Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linskey, Mark E.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    A course to familiarize medical students with the principles of good medical research study design and analysis focuses on three types of studies: clinical trials, laboratory science, and epidemiology and biostatistics. (MSE)

  19. 15 CFR 921.30 - Designation of National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONS Reserve... protection for reserve resources to ensure a stable environment for research; (3) Designation of the area as... agencies and/or private organizations) have been signed; and (7) The coastal state in which the area is...

  20. 15 CFR 921.30 - Designation of National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONS Reserve... protection for reserve resources to ensure a stable environment for research; (3) Designation of the area as... agencies and/or private organizations) have been signed; and (7) The coastal state in which the area is...

  1. 15 CFR 921.30 - Designation of National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONS Reserve... protection for reserve resources to ensure a stable environment for research; (3) Designation of the area as... agencies and/or private organizations) have been signed; and (7) The coastal state in which the area is...

  2. 15 CFR 921.30 - Designation of National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONS Reserve... protection for reserve resources to ensure a stable environment for research; (3) Designation of the area as... agencies and/or private organizations) have been signed; and (7) The coastal state in which the area is...

  3. 15 CFR 921.30 - Designation of National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONS Reserve... protection for reserve resources to ensure a stable environment for research; (3) Designation of the area as... agencies and/or private organizations) have been signed; and (7) The coastal state in which the area is...

  4. Action Research Approach on Mobile Learning Design for the Underserved

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Paul H.

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses an action research study focused on developing a mobile learning model of literacy development for underserved migrant indigenous children in Latin America. The research study incorporated a cyclical action model with four distinctive stages (Strategize, Apply, Evaluate, and Reflect) designed to guide constituencies involved…

  5. Information Sharing in the Field of Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pilerot, Ola

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: This paper reports on an extensive research project which aimed at exploring information sharing activities in a scholarly context. The paper presents and synthesises findings from a literature review and three qualitative case studies. The empirical setting is a geographically distributed Nordic network of design scholars. Method:…

  6. Computer-assisted design in perceptual-motor skills research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, C. A., Jr.

    1974-01-01

    A categorization was made of independent variables previously found to be potent in simple perceptual-motor tasks. A computer was then used to generate hypothetical factorial designs. These were evaluated in terms of literature trends and pragmatic criteria. Potential side-effects of machine-assisted research strategy were discussed.

  7. Study Designs and Evaluation Models for Emergency Department Public Health Research

    PubMed Central

    Broderick, Kerry B.; Ranney, Megan L.; Vaca, Federico E.; D’Onofrio, Gail; Rothman, Richard E.; Rhodes, Karin V.; Becker, Bruce; Haukoos, Jason S.

    2011-01-01

    Public health research requires sound design and thoughtful consideration of potential biases that may influence the validity of results. It also requires careful implementation of protocols and procedures that are likely to translate from the research environment to actual clinical practice. This article is the product of a breakout session from the 2009 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference entitled “Public Health in the ED: Screening, Surveillance, and Intervention” and serves to describe in detail aspects of performing emergency department (ED)-based public health research, while serving as a resource for current and future researchers. In doing so, the authors describe methodologic features of study design, participant selection and retention, and measurements and analyses pertinent to public health research. In addition, a number of recommendations related to research methods and future investigations related to public health work in the ED are provided. Public health investigators are poised to make substantial contributions to this important area of research, but this will only be accomplished by employing sound research methodology in the context of rigorous program evaluation. PMID:20053232

  8. Design-Based Intervention Research as the Science of the Doubly Artificial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Michael; Packer, Martin

    2016-01-01

    This article uses a variety of principles of cultural-historical activity theory to extend Herbert Simon's (1996) insight into the inherent linkage between the creation of artifacts and design. We argue that design research must grapple with the doubly artificial, as the classrooms in which many educational designs are implemented are themselves…

  9. Implications of complex adaptive systems theory for the design of research on health care organizations

    PubMed Central

    McDaniel, Reuben R.; Lanham, Holly Jordan; Anderson, Ruth A.

    2013-01-01

    Background Because health care organizations (HCOs) are complex adaptive systems (CASs), phenomena of interest often are dynamic and unfold in unpredictable ways, and unfolding events are often unique. Researchers of HCOs may recognize that the subject of their research is dynamic; however, their research designs may not take this into account. Researchers may also know that unfolding events are often unique, but their design may not have the capacity to obtain information from meager evidence. Purpose These two concerns led us to examine two ideas from organizational theory: (a) the ideas of K. E. Weick (1993) on organizational design as a verb and (b) the ideas of J. G. March, L. S. Sproull, and M. Tamuz (1991) on learning from samples of one or fewer. In this article, we applied these ideas to develop an enriched perspective of research design for studying CASs. Methodology/Approach We conducted a theoretical analysis of organizations as CASs, identifying relevant characteristics for research designs. We then explored two ideas from organizational theory and discussed the implications for research designs. Findings Weick's idea of “design as a verb” helps in understanding dynamic and process-oriented research design. The idea of “learning from samples of one or fewer” of March, Sproull, and Tamuz provides strategies for research design that enables learning from meager evidence. When studying HCOs, research designs are likely to be more effective when they (a) anticipate change, (b) include tension, (c) capitalize on serendipity, and (d) use an “act-then-look” mind set. Implications for practice are discussed. Practice Implications Practitioners who understand HCOs as CASs will be cautious in accepting findings from studies that treat HCOs mechanistically. They will consider the characteristics of CAS when evaluating the evidence base for practice. Practitioners can use the strategies proposed in this article to stimulate discussion with researchers

  10. Prevalence of Mixed-Methods Sampling Designs in Social Science Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Kathleen M. T.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to document the prevalence of sampling designs utilised in mixed-methods research and to examine the interpretive consistency between interpretations made in mixed-methods studies and the sampling design used. Classification of studies was based on a two-dimensional mixed-methods sampling model. This…

  11. Implementing an online pharmaceutical service using design science research.

    PubMed

    Lapão, Luís Velez; da Silva, Miguel Mira; Gregório, João

    2017-03-27

    The rising prevalence of chronic diseases is pressing health systems to introduce reforms. Primary healthcare and multidisciplinary models have been suggested as approaches to deal with this challenge, with new roles for nurses and pharmacists being advocated. More recently, implementing healthcare based on information systems and technologies (e.g. eHealth) has been proposed as a way to improve health services. However, implementing online pharmaceutical services, including their adoption by pharmacists and patients, is still an open research question. In this paper we present ePharmacare, a new online pharmaceutical service implemented using Design Science Research. The Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) was chosen to implement this online service for chronic diseases management. In the paper, DSRM's different activities are explained, from the definition of the problem to the evaluation of the artifact. During the design and development activities, surveys, observations, focus groups, and eye-tracking glasses were used to validate pharmacists' and patients' requirements. During the demonstration and evaluation activities the new service was used with real-world pharmacists and patients. The results show the contribution of DSRM in the implementation of online services for pharmacies. We found that pharmacists spend only 50% of their time interacting with patients, uncovering a clear opportunity to implement online pharmaceutical care services. On the other hand, patients that regularly visit the same pharmacy recognize the value in patient follow-up demanding to use channels such as the Internet for their pharmacy interactions. Limitations were identified regarding the high workload of pharmacists, but particularly their lack of know-how and experience in dealing with information systems (IST) for the provision of pharmaceutical services. This paper summarizes a research project in which an online pharmaceutical service was proposed, designed, developed

  12. Integrating Single-System Design Research into the Clinical Practice Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Marlene G.

    2006-01-01

    Clinical practice and research are generally taught separately in Master of Social Work programs by faculty with distinct areas of expertise. This paper discusses the teaching of single-subject design research methodology by clinical faculty, in the clinical practice class. Examples from student papers demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating…

  13. Replication, randomization, and treatment design concepts for on-farm research

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    For most agronomists, randomization and replication are fundamental concepts that have a nearly sacred or spiritual status. They are an integral part of nearly all of our field-based activities. Some on-farm research falls into this category, simply because it is driven and designed by researchers w...

  14. 15 CFR 921.40 - Ongoing oversight and evaluations of designated National Estuarine Research Reserves.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... designated National Estuarine Research Reserves. 921.40 Section 921.40 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations..., DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE OCEAN AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM... and evaluations of designated National Estuarine Research Reserves. (a) The Sanctuaries and Reserve...

  15. Enhancing the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design: Bridging the research-practice gap.

    PubMed

    Wall, Jessie M; Kwee, Janelle L; Hu, Monica; McDonald, Marvin J

    2017-09-01

    Systematic case study designs are emerging as alternative paradigm strategies for psychotherapy and social science research. Through enhanced sensitivity to context, these designs examine idiographic profiles of causal processes. We specifically advocate the use of the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED). HSCED has recently been used to investigate the efficacy of an existing therapy with a new population (Observed and Experiential Integration for athlete performance barriers) and an emerging therapy (Lifespan Integration Therapy). We describe innovations in HSCED that were implemented for these studies. These developments include (a) integrating psychotherapists as case developers, (b) incorporating multiple cases in one investigation, and (c) tailoring the repertoire of assessment tools. These extensions strategically incorporated principles of contextual paradigms in HSCED, thus complementing single-case designs that neglect idiographic contexts. We discuss recommendations for using HSCED in practice-based research, highlighting its potential as a bridge to address the research-practice gap.

  16. Research-oriented teaching in optical design course and its function in education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cen, Zhaofeng; Li, Xiaotong; Liu, Xiangdong; Deng, Shitao

    2008-03-01

    The principles and operation plans of research-oriented teaching in the course of computer aided optical design are presented, especially the mode of research in practice course. This program includes contract definition phase, project organization and execution, post project evaluation and discussion. Modes of academic organization are used in the practice course of computer aided optical design. In this course the students complete their design projects in research teams by autonomous group approach and cooperative exploration. In this research process they experience the interpersonal relationship in modern society, the importance of cooperation in team, the functions of each individual, the relationships between team members, the competition and cooperation in one academic group and with other groups, and know themselves objectively. In the design practice the knowledge of many academic fields is applied including applied optics, computer programming, engineering software and etc. The characteristic of interdisciplinary is very useful for academic research and makes the students be ready for innovation by integrating the knowledge of interdisciplinary field. As shown by the practice that this teaching mode has taken very important part in bringing up the abilities of engineering, cooperation, digesting the knowledge at a high level and problem analyzing and solving.

  17. Rethinking Race and Power in Design-Based Research: Reflections from the Field

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vakil, Sepehr; McKinney de Royston, Maxine; Suad Nasir, Na'ilah; Kirshner, Ben

    2016-01-01

    Participatory design-based research continues to expand and challenge the "researcher" and "researched" paradigm by incorporating teachers, administrators, community members, and youth throughout the research process. Yet, greater clarity is needed about the racial and political dimensions of these collaborative research…

  18. The contribution of case study design to supporting research on Clubhouse psychosocial rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Raeburn, Toby; Schmied, Virginia; Hungerford, Catherine; Cleary, Michelle

    2015-10-01

    Psychosocial Clubhouses provide recovery-focused psychosocial rehabilitation to people with serious mental illness at over 300 sites in more than 30 countries worldwide. To deliver the services involved, Clubhouses employ a complex mix of theory, programs and relationships, with this complexity presenting a number of challenges to those undertaking Clubhouse research. This paper provides an overview of the usefulness of case study designs for Clubhouse researchers; and suggests ways in which the evaluation of Clubhouse models can be facilitated. The paper begins by providing a brief explanation of the Clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation, and the need for ongoing evaluation of the services delivered. This explanation is followed by an introduction to case study design, with consideration given to the way in which case studies have been used in past Clubhouse research. It is posited that case study design provides a methodological framework that supports the analysis of either quantitative, qualitative or a mixture of both types of data to investigate complex phenomena in their everyday contexts, and thereby support the development of theory. As such, case study approaches to research are well suited to the Clubhouse environment. The paper concludes with recommendations for future Clubhouse researchers who choose to employ a case study design. While the quality of case study research that explores Clubhouses has been variable in the past, if applied in a diligent manner, case study design has a valuable contribution to make in future Clubhouse research.

  19. Motivating an Action Design Research Approach to Implementing Online Training in an Organisational Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogerson, Christine; Scott, Elsje

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of Action Design Research (ADR), a combination of Action Research and Design Science Research, as a methodology to examine how the implementation of e-learning will affect the learning outcomes for staff training in an organisational context. The research involves an intervention in the…

  20. Fish-inspired robots: design, sensing, actuation, and autonomy--a review of research.

    PubMed

    Raj, Aditi; Thakur, Atul

    2016-04-13

    Underwater robot designs inspired by the behavior, physiology, and anatomy of fishes can provide enhanced maneuverability, stealth, and energy efficiency. Over the last two decades, robotics researchers have developed and reported a large variety of fish-inspired robot designs. The purpose of this review is to report different types of fish-inspired robot designs based upon their intended locomotion patterns. We present a detailed comparison of various design features like sensing, actuation, autonomy, waterproofing, and morphological structure of fish-inspired robots reported in the past decade. We believe that by studying the existing robots, future designers will be able to create new designs by adopting features from the successful robots. The review also summarizes the open research issues that need to be taken up for the further advancement of the field and also for the deployment of fish-inspired robots in practice.

  1. Translating Genetic Research into Preventive Intervention: The Baseline Target Moderated Mediator Design.

    PubMed

    Howe, George W; Beach, Steven R H; Brody, Gene H; Wyman, Peter A

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we present and discuss a novel research approach, the baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) design, that holds substantial promise for advancing our understanding of how genetic research can inform prevention research. We first discuss how genetically informed research on developmental psychopathology can be used to identify potential intervention targets. We then describe the BTMM design, which employs moderated mediation within a longitudinal study to test whether baseline levels of intervention targets moderate the impact of the intervention on change in that target, and whether change in those targets mediates causal impact of preventive or treatment interventions on distal health outcomes. We next discuss how genetically informed BTMM designs can be applied to both microtrials and full-scale prevention trials. We use simulated data to illustrate a BTMM, and end with a discussion of some of the advantages and limitations of this approach.

  2. Translating Genetic Research into Preventive Intervention: The Baseline Target Moderated Mediator Design

    PubMed Central

    Howe, George W.; Beach, Steven R. H.; Brody, Gene H.; Wyman, Peter A.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we present and discuss a novel research approach, the baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) design, that holds substantial promise for advancing our understanding of how genetic research can inform prevention research. We first discuss how genetically informed research on developmental psychopathology can be used to identify potential intervention targets. We then describe the BTMM design, which employs moderated mediation within a longitudinal study to test whether baseline levels of intervention targets moderate the impact of the intervention on change in that target, and whether change in those targets mediates causal impact of preventive or treatment interventions on distal health outcomes. We next discuss how genetically informed BTMM designs can be applied to both microtrials and full-scale prevention trials. We use simulated data to illustrate a BTMM, and end with a discussion of some of the advantages and limitations of this approach. PMID:26779062

  3. Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stapleton, Drue; Hawkins, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and…

  4. Status of Single-Case Research Designs for Evidence-Based Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matson, Johnny L.; Turygin, Nicole C.; Beighley, Jennifer; Matson, Michael L.

    2012-01-01

    The single-case research design has become a paradoxical methodology in the applied sciences. While various experimental designs have been in place for over 50 years, there has not been wide acceptance of single-case methodology outside clinical and school psychology, or the field of special education. These methods were developed in the U.S.A.,…

  5. Empathic design: Research strategies.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Joyce; McDonagh, Deana

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the role of empathy within new product development from the perspective of human-centred design. The authors have developed a range of empathic design tools and strategies that help to identify authentic human needs.For products and services to be effective, they need to satisfy both functional and emotional needs of individuals. In addition, the individual user needs to feel that the product and/or service has been designed 'just for them', otherwise they may misuse, underuse or abandon the product/service. This becomes critical with a product such as a Zimmer frame (walker), when it fails to resonate with the patient due to any stigma the patient may perceive, and thus remains unused.When training young designers to consider the wider community (people unlike themselves) during the design process, it has proven extremely valuable to take them outside their comfort zones, by seeking to develop empathy with the end user for whom they are designing. Empathic modelling offers designers the opportunity to develop greater insight and understanding, in order to support more effective design outcomes. Sensitising designers to the different ways that individuals complete daily tasks has helped to diminish the gap between themselves and others (e.g. people with disabilities).The authors intend for this paper to resonate with health care providers. Human-centred design can help to refocus the designer, by placing the individual end user's needs at the heart of their decision-making.

  6. Outcomes and Research in Out-of-School Time Program Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peter, Nancy

    Out-of-school time (OST) programs have taken on a new importance in recent years because of changes in society. This paper examines OST programming and suggests reasons and mechanisms for integrating outcomes and research into program design. It explains and promotes the integration of outcomes and research into program development, provides…

  7. Environmental Design Research. Volume One: Selected Papers. Community Development Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preiser, Wolfgang F. E., Ed.

    The items contained in this volume are summaries and critiques of 43 research papers grouped within a framework of nine general topics which represents an attempt to delineate the basic concepts and structure of environmental design research. The papers are grouped under the following headings: (1) Theoretical issues in man-environment relations,…

  8. Using mixed methods research designs in health psychology: an illustrated discussion from a pragmatist perspective.

    PubMed

    Bishop, Felicity L

    2015-02-01

    To outline some of the challenges of mixed methods research and illustrate how they can be addressed in health psychology research. This study critically reflects on the author's previously published mixed methods research and discusses the philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods, grounding the discussion in a brief review of methodological literature. Mixed methods research is characterized as having philosophical and technical challenges; the former can be addressed by drawing on pragmatism, the latter by considering formal mixed methods research designs proposed in a number of design typologies. There are important differences among the design typologies which provide diverse examples of designs that health psychologists can adapt for their own mixed methods research. There are also similarities; in particular, many typologies explicitly orient to the technical challenges of deciding on the respective timing of qualitative and quantitative methods and the relative emphasis placed on each method. Characteristics, strengths, and limitations of different sequential and concurrent designs are identified by reviewing five mixed methods projects each conducted for a different purpose. Adapting formal mixed methods designs can help health psychologists address the technical challenges of mixed methods research and identify the approach that best fits the research questions and purpose. This does not obfuscate the need to address philosophical challenges of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Mixed methods research poses philosophical and technical challenges. Pragmatism in a popular approach to the philosophical challenges while diverse typologies of mixed methods designs can help address the technical challenges. Examples of mixed methods research can be hard to locate when component studies from mixed methods projects are published separately. What does this study add? Critical

  9. Can Approaches to Research in Art and Design Be Beneficially Adapted for Research into Higher Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trowler, Paul

    2013-01-01

    This paper examines the research practices in Art and Design that are distinctively different from those common in research into higher education outside those fields. It considers whether and what benefit could be derived from their adaptation by the latter. The paper also examines the factors that are conducive and obstructive to adaptive…

  10. Vulnerability Analysis of HD Photo Image Viewer Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-09-01

    the successor to the ubiquitous JPEG image format, as well as the eventual de facto standard in the digital photography market. With massive efforts...renamed to HD Photo in November of 2006, is being touted as the successor to the ubiquitous JPEG image format, as well as the eventual de facto standard...associated state-of-the-art compression algorithm “specifically designed [for] all types of continuous tone photographic” images [HDPhotoFeatureSpec

  11. Overcoming barriers to addressing education problems with research design: a panel discussion.

    PubMed

    Yarris, Lalena M; Gruppen, Larry D; Hamstra, Stanley J; Anders Ericsson, K; Cook, David A

    2012-12-01

    A plenary panel session at the 2012 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Education Research in Emergency Medicine: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies for Success" discussed barriers educators face in imagining, designing, and implementing studies to address educational challenges. This proceedings article presents a general approach to getting started in education research. Four examples of studies from the medical education literature that illustrate a distinct way to approach specific research questions are discussed. The study designs used are applicable to a variety of education research problems in emergency medicine (EM). Potential applications of studies are discussed, as well as effects and lessons learned. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  12. High-Speed Research: 1994 Sonic Boom Workshop. Configuration, Design, Analysis and Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McCurdy, David A. (Editor)

    1999-01-01

    The third High-Speed Research Sonic Boom Workshop was held at NASA Langley Research Center on June 1-3, 1994. The purpose of this workshop was to provide a forum for Government, industry, and university participants to present and discuss progress in their research. The workshop was organized into sessions dealing with atmospheric propagation; acceptability studies; and configuration design, and testing. Attendance at the workshop was by invitation only. The workshop proceedings include papers on design, analysis, and testing of low-boom high-speed civil transport configurations and experimental techniques for measuring sonic booms. Significant progress is noted in these areas in the time since the previous workshop a year earlier. The papers include preliminary results of sonic boom wind tunnel tests conducted during 1993 and 1994 on several low-boom designs. Results of a mission performance analysis of all low-boom designs are also included. Two experimental methods for measuring near-field signatures of airplanes in flight are reported.

  13. An ergonomics action research demonstration: integrating human factors into assembly design processes.

    PubMed

    Village, J; Greig, M; Salustri, F; Zolfaghari, S; Neumann, W P

    2014-01-01

    In action research (AR), the researcher participates 'in' the actions in an organisation, while simultaneously reflecting 'on' the actions to promote learning for both the organisation and the researchers. This paper demonstrates a longitudinal AR collaboration with an electronics manufacturing firm where the goal was to improve the organisation's ability to integrate human factors (HF) proactively into their design processes. During the three-year collaboration, all meetings, workshops, interviews and reflections were digitally recorded and qualitatively analysed to inform new 'actions'. By the end of the collaboration, HF tools with targets and sign-off by the HF specialist were integrated into several stages of the design process, and engineers were held accountable for meeting the HF targets. We conclude that the AR approach combined with targeting multiple initiatives at different stages of the design process helped the organisation find ways to integrate HF into their processes in a sustainable way. Researchers acted as a catalyst to help integrate HF into the engineering design process in a sustainable way. This paper demonstrates how an AR approach can help achieve HF integration, the benefits of using a reflective stance and one method for reporting an AR study.

  14. Mixed-Methods Design in Biology Education Research: Approach and Uses

    PubMed Central

    Warfa, Abdi-Rizak M.

    2016-01-01

    Educational research often requires mixing different research methodologies to strengthen findings, better contextualize or explain results, or minimize the weaknesses of a single method. This article provides practical guidelines on how to conduct such research in biology education, with a focus on mixed-methods research (MMR) that uses both quantitative and qualitative inquiries. Specifically, the paper provides an overview of mixed-methods design typologies most relevant in biology education research. It also discusses common methodological issues that may arise in mixed-methods studies and ways to address them. The paper concludes with recommendations on how to report and write about MMR. PMID:27856556

  15. Kids in the city study: research design and methodology

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Physical activity is essential for optimal physical and psychological health but substantial declines in children's activity levels have occurred in New Zealand and internationally. Children's independent mobility (i.e., outdoor play and traveling to destinations unsupervised), an integral component of physical activity in childhood, has also declined radically in recent decades. Safety-conscious parenting practices, car reliance and auto-centric urban design have converged to produce children living increasingly sedentary lives. This research investigates how urban neighborhood environments can support or enable or restrict children's independent mobility, thereby influencing physical activity accumulation and participation in daily life. Methods/Design The study is located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighborhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density. Participants comprise 160 children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers. Objective measures (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems, observational audits) assessed children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighborhood infrastructure, and streetscape attributes. Parent and child neighborhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods. Discussion This study is one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. Using robust, appropriate, and best practice objective measures, this study provides robust epidemiological information regarding the relationships between the built environment and health outcomes for this population. PMID:21781341

  16. Engineering Design Thinking and Information Gathering. Final Report. Research in Engineering and Technology Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mentzer, Nathan

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this research was to explore the relationship between information access and design solution quality of high school students presented with an engineering design problem. This objective is encompassed in the research question driving this inquiry: How does information access impact the design process? This question has emerged in…

  17. Design Research with a Focus on Learning Processes: An Overview on Achievements and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prediger, Susanne; Gravemeijer, Koeno; Confrey, Jere

    2015-01-01

    Design research continues to gain prominence as a significant methodology in the mathematics education research community. This overview summarizes the origins and the current state of design research practices focusing on methodological requirements and processes of theorizing. While recognizing the rich variations in the foci and scale of design…

  18. Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility - Design and operating characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shiner, Robert J.; Sullivan, Barry T.

    1992-01-01

    This paper describes the full-mission flight simulation facility at the NASA Ames Research Center. The Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility (MVSRF) supports aeronautical human factors research and consists of two full-mission flight simulators and an air-traffic-control simulator. The facility is used for a broad range of human factors research in both conventional and advanced aviation systems. The objectives of the research are to improve the understanding of the causes and effects of human errors in aviation operations, and to limit their occurrence. The facility is used to: (1) develop fundamental analytical expressions of the functional performance characteristics of aircraft flight crews; (2) formulate principles and design criteria for aviation environments; (3) evaluate the integration of subsystems in contemporary flight and air traffic control scenarios; and (4) develop training and simulation technologies.

  19. Single-case research design in pediatric psychology: considerations regarding data analysis.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Lindsey L; Feinstein, Amanda; Masuda, Akihiko; Vowles, Kevin E

    2014-03-01

    Single-case research allows for an examination of behavior and can demonstrate the functional relation between intervention and outcome in pediatric psychology. This review highlights key assumptions, methodological and design considerations, and options for data analysis. Single-case methodology and guidelines are reviewed with an in-depth focus on visual and statistical analyses. Guidelines allow for the careful evaluation of design quality and visual analysis. A number of statistical techniques have been introduced to supplement visual analysis, but to date, there is no consensus on their recommended use in single-case research design. Single-case methodology is invaluable for advancing pediatric psychology science and practice, and guidelines have been introduced to enhance the consistency, validity, and reliability of these studies. Experts generally agree that visual inspection is the optimal method of analysis in single-case design; however, statistical approaches are becoming increasingly evaluated and used to augment data interpretation.

  20. Development of a Design-Based Learning Curriculum through Design-Based Research for a Technology-Enabled Science Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Paul; Suh, Esther; Song, Donggil

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study provides a deeper look into the aspects of students' experience from design-based learning (DBL) activities for fifth grade students. Using design-based research (DBR), this study was conducted on a series of science learning activities leveraging mobile phones with relevant applications and sensors. We observed 3 different…

  1. Integrated testing and verification system for research flight software design document

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taylor, R. N.; Merilatt, R. L.; Osterweil, L. J.

    1979-01-01

    The NASA Langley Research Center is developing the MUST (Multipurpose User-oriented Software Technology) program to cut the cost of producing research flight software through a system of software support tools. The HAL/S language is the primary subject of the design. Boeing Computer Services Company (BCS) has designed an integrated verification and testing capability as part of MUST. Documentation, verification and test options are provided with special attention on real time, multiprocessing issues. The needs of the entire software production cycle have been considered, with effective management and reduced lifecycle costs as foremost goals. Capabilities have been included in the design for static detection of data flow anomalies involving communicating concurrent processes. Some types of ill formed process synchronization and deadlock also are detected statically.

  2. NASA transmission research and its probable effects on helicopter transmission design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaretsky, E. V.; Coy, J. J.; Townsend, D. P.

    1983-01-01

    Transmissions studied for application to helicopters in addition to the more conventional geared transmissions include hybrid (traction/gear), bearingless planetary, and split torque transmissions. Research is being performed to establish the validity of analysis and computer codes developed to predict the performance, efficiency, life, and reliability of these transmissions. Results of this research should provide the transmission designer with analytical tools to design for minimum weight and noise with maximum life and efficiency. In addition, the advantages and limitations of drive systems as well as the more conventional systems will be defined.

  3. NASA transmission research and its probable effects on helicopter transmission design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaretsky, E. V.; Coy, J. J.; Townsend, D. P.

    1984-01-01

    Transmissions studied for application to helicopters in addition to the more conventional geared transmissions include hybrid (traction/gear), bearingless planetary, and split torque transmissions. Research is being performed to establish the validity of analysis and computer codes developed to predict the performance, efficiency, life, and reliability of these transmissions. Results of this research should provide the transmission designer with analytical tools to design for minimum weight and noise with maximum life and efficiency. In addition, the advantages and limitations of drive systems as well as the more conventional systems will be defined.

  4. Enhancing Research and Practice in Early Childhood through Formative and Design Experiments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradley, Barbara A.; Reinking, David

    2011-01-01

    This article describes formative and design experiments and how they can advance research and instructional practices in early childhood education. We argue that this relatively new approach to education research closes the gap between research and practice, and it addresses limitations that have been identified in early childhood research. We…

  5. University-Partnered New School Designs: Fertile Ground for Research-Practice Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quartz, Karen Hunter; Weinstein, Rhona S.; Kaufman, Gail; Levine, Harold; Mehan, Hugh; Pollock, Mica; Priselac, Jody Z.; Worrell, Frank C.

    2017-01-01

    This commentary suggests that new school design is a fertile policy context for advancing research-practice partnerships. The authors represent four public universities that have created new school designs in partnership with urban school districts. Unlike the laboratory schools of previous generations, these university-partnered public schools…

  6. The value of value of information: best informing research design and prioritization using current methods.

    PubMed

    Eckermann, Simon; Karnon, Jon; Willan, Andrew R

    2010-01-01

    Value of information (VOI) methods have been proposed as a systematic approach to inform optimal research design and prioritization. Four related questions arise that VOI methods could address. (i) Is further research for a health technology assessment (HTA) potentially worthwhile? (ii) Is the cost of a given research design less than its expected value? (iii) What is the optimal research design for an HTA? (iv) How can research funding be best prioritized across alternative HTAs? Following Occam's razor, we consider the usefulness of VOI methods in informing questions 1-4 relative to their simplicity of use. Expected value of perfect information (EVPI) with current information, while simple to calculate, is shown to provide neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition to address question 1, given that what EVPI needs to exceed varies with the cost of research design, which can vary from very large down to negligible. Hence, for any given HTA, EVPI does not discriminate, as it can be large and further research not worthwhile or small and further research worthwhile. In contrast, each of questions 1-4 are shown to be fully addressed (necessary and sufficient) where VOI methods are applied to maximize expected value of sample information (EVSI) minus expected costs across designs. In comparing complexity in use of VOI methods, applying the central limit theorem (CLT) simplifies analysis to enable easy estimation of EVSI and optimal overall research design, and has been shown to outperform bootstrapping, particularly with small samples. Consequently, VOI methods applying the CLT to inform optimal overall research design satisfy Occam's razor in both improving decision making and reducing complexity. Furthermore, they enable consideration of relevant decision contexts, including option value and opportunity cost of delay, time, imperfect implementation and optimal design across jurisdictions. More complex VOI methods such as bootstrapping of the expected value of

  7. Clinical Trial Design for HIV Prevention Research: Determining Standards of Prevention.

    PubMed

    Dawson, Liza; Zwerski, Sheryl

    2015-06-01

    This article seeks to advance ethical dialogue on choosing standards of prevention in clinical trials testing improved biomedical prevention methods for HIV. The stakes in this area of research are high, given the continued high rates of infection in many countries and the budget limitations that have constrained efforts to expand treatment for all who are currently HIV-infected. New prevention methods are still needed; at the same time, some existing prevention and treatment interventions have been proven effective but are not yet widely available in the countries where they most urgently needed. The ethical tensions in this field of clinical research are well known and have been the subject of extensive debate. There is no single clinical trial design that can optimize all the ethically important goals and commitments involved in research. Several recent articles have described the current ethical difficulties in designing HIV prevention trials, especially in resource limited settings; however, there is no consensus on how to handle clinical trial design decisions, and existing international ethical guidelines offer conflicting advice. This article acknowledges these deep ethical dilemmas and moves beyond a simple descriptive approach to advance an organized method for considering what clinical trial designs will be ethically acceptable for HIV prevention trials, balancing the relevant criteria and providing justification for specific design decisions. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  8. Integrating Participatory Design and Health Literacy to Improve Research and Interventions.

    PubMed

    Neuhauser, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Health communication is an essential health promotion strategy to convert scientific findings into actionable, empowering information for the public. Health communication interventions have shown positive outcomes, but many efforts have been disappointing. A key weakness is that expert-designed health communication is often overly generic and not adequately aligned with the abilities, preferences and life situations of specific audiences. The emergence of the field of health literacy is providing powerful theoretical guidance and practice strategies. Health literacy, in concert with other determinants of health, has greatly advanced understanding of factors that facilitate or hinder health promotion at individual, organizational and community settings. However, health literacy models are incomplete and interventions have shown only modest success to date. A challenge is to move beyond the current focus on individual comprehension and address deeper factors of motivation, self-efficacy and empowerment, as well as socio-environmental influences, and their impact to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities. Integrating participatory design theory and methods drawn from social sciences and design sciences can significantly improve health literacy models and interventions. Likewise, researchers and practitioners using participatory design can greatly benefit from incorporating health literacy principles into their efforts. Such interventions at multiple levels are showing positive health outcomes and reduction of health disparities, but this approach is complex and not yet widespread. This chapter focuses on research findings about health literacy and participatory design to improve health promotion, and practical guidance and case examples for researchers, practitioners and policymakers.

  9. 47 CFR 1.9030 - Long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... use restrictions apply to the spectrum lessee as well. (4) Designated entity/entrepreneur rules. (i) A licensee that holds a license pursuant to small business and/or entrepreneur provisions (see § 1.2110 and... mobile voice and/or data services; (B) The licensee is not a designated entity or entrepreneur subject to...

  10. Those Responsible for Approving Research Studies Have Poor Knowledge of Research Study Design: a Knowledge Assessment of Institutional Review Board Members.

    PubMed

    Mhaskar, Rahul; Pathak, Elizabeth Barnett; Wieten, Sarah; Guterbock, Thomas M; Kumar, Ambuj; Djulbegovic, Benjamin

    2015-08-01

    Institutional Review Board (IRB) members have a duty to protect the integrity of the research process, but little is known about their basic knowledge of clinical research study designs. A nationwide sample of IRB members from major US research universities completed a web-based questionnaire consisting of 11 questions focusing on basic knowledge about clinical research study designs. It included questions about randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other observational research study designs. Potential predictors (age, gender, educational attainment, type of IRB, current IRB membership, years of IRB service, clinical research experience, and self-identification as a scientist) of incorrect answers were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression models. 148 individuals from 36 universities participated. The majority of participants, 68.9% (102/148), were holding a medical or doctoral degree. Overall, only 26.5% (39/148) of participants achieved a perfect score of 11. On the six-question subset addressing RCTs, 46.6% (69/148) had a perfect score. Most individual questions, and the summary model of overall quiz score (perfect vs. not perfect), revealed no significant predictors - indicating that knowledge deficits were not limited to specific subgroups of IRB members. For the RCT knowledge score there was one significant predictor: compared with MDs, IRB members without a doctoral degree were three times as likely to answer at least one RCT question incorrectly (Odds Ratio: 3.00, 95% CI 1.10-8.20). However, even among MD IRB members, 34.1% (14/41) did not achieve a perfect score on the six RCT questions. This first nationwide study of IRB member knowledge about clinical research study designs found significant knowledge deficits. Knowledge deficits were not limited to laypersons or community advocate members of IRBs, as previously suggested. Akin to widespread ethical training requirements for clinical researchers, IRB members should undergo systematic

  11. Designing and measuring the progress and impact of health research capacity strengthening initiatives

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Strengthening capacity in poorer countries to generate multi-disciplinary health research and to utilise research findings, is one of the most effective ways of advancing the countries' health and development. This paper explores current knowledge about how to design health research capacity strengthening (RCS) programmes and how to measure their progress and impact. It describes a systematic, evidence-based approach for designing such programmes and highlights some of the key challenges that will be faced in the next 10 years. These include designing and implementing common frameworks to facilitate comparisons among capacity strengthening projects, and developing monitoring indicators that can capture their interactions with knowledge users and their impact on changes in health systems. PMID:28281707

  12. NASA System-Level Design, Analysis and Simulation Tools Research on NextGen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bardina, Jorge

    2011-01-01

    A review of the research accomplished in 2009 in the System-Level Design, Analysis and Simulation Tools (SLDAST) of the NASA's Airspace Systems Program is presented. This research thrust focuses on the integrated system-level assessment of component level innovations, concepts and technologies of the Next Generation Air Traffic System (NextGen) under research in the ASP program to enable the development of revolutionary improvements and modernization of the National Airspace System. The review includes the accomplishments on baseline research and the advancements on design studies and system-level assessment, including the cluster analysis as an annualization standard of the air traffic in the U.S. National Airspace, and the ACES-Air MIDAS integration for human-in-the-loop analyzes within the NAS air traffic simulation.

  13. Research and Application of Autodesk Fusion360 in Industrial Design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, P. P.; Qi, Y. M.; Cai, D. C.

    2018-05-01

    In 2016, Fusion 360, a productintroduced byAutodesk and integrating industrial design, structural design, mechanical simulation, and CAM, turns out a design platform supportingcollaboration and sharing both cross-platform and via the cloud. In previous products, design and manufacturing use to be isolated. In the course of design, research and development, the communication between designers and engineers used to go on through different software products, tool commands, and even industry terms. Moreover, difficulty also lies with the communication between design thoughts and machining strategies. Naturally, a difficult product design and R & D process would trigger a noticeable gap between the design model and the actual product. A complete product development process tends to cover several major areas, such as industrial design, mechanical design, rendering and animation, computer aided emulation (CAE), and computer aided manufacturing (CAM). Fusion 360, a perfect design solving the technical problems of cross-platform data exchange, realizes the effective control of cross-regional collaboration and presents an overview of collaboration and breaks the barriers between art and manufacturing, andblocks between design and processing. The “Eco-development of Fusion360 Industrial Chain” is both a significant means to and an inevitable trend forthe manufacturers and industrial designers to carry out innovation in China.

  14. Vestibular Function Research (VFR) experiment. Phase B: Design definition study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1978-01-01

    The Vestibular Functions Research (VFR) Experiment was established to investigate the neurosensory and related physiological processes believed to be associated with the space flight nausea syndrome and to develop logical means for its prediction, prevention and treatment. The VFR Project consists of ground and spaceflight experimentation using frogs as specimens. The phase B Preliminary Design Study provided for the preliminary design of the experiment hardware, preparation of performance and hardware specification and a Phase C/D development plan, establishment of STS (Space Transportation System) interfaces and mission operations, and the study of a variety of hardware, experiment and mission options. The study consist of three major tasks: (1) mission mode trade-off; (2) conceptual design; and (3) preliminary design.

  15. Designing and evaluating a STEM teacher learning opportunity in the research university.

    PubMed

    Hardré, Patricia L; Ling, Chen; Shehab, Randa L; Herron, Jason; Nanny, Mark A; Nollert, Matthias U; Refai, Hazem; Ramseyer, Christopher; Wollega, Ebisa D

    2014-04-01

    This study examines the design and evaluation strategies for a year-long teacher learning and development experience, including their effectiveness, efficiency and recommendations for strategic redesign. Design characteristics include programmatic features and outcomes: cognitive, affective and motivational processes; interpersonal and social development; and performance activities. Program participants were secondary math and science teachers, partnered with engineering faculty mentors, in a research university-based education and support program. Data from multiple sources demonstrated strengths and weaknesses in design of the program's learning environment, including: face-to-face and via digital tools; on-site and distance community interactions; and strategic evaluation tools and systems. Implications are considered for the strategic design and evaluation of similar grant-funded research experiences intended to support teacher learning, development and transfer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. International Space University variable gravity research facility design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bailey, Sheila G.; Chiaramonte, Francis P.; Davidian, Kenneth J.

    1994-03-01

    A manned mission to Mars will require long travel times between Earth and Mars. However, exposure to long-duration zero gravity is known to be harmful to the human body. Some of the harmful effects are loss of heart and lung capacity, inability to stand upright, muscular weakness, and loss of bone calcium. A variable gravity research facility (VGRF) that will be placed in low Earth orbit (LEO) was designed by students of the International Space University 1989 Summer Session held in Strasbourg, France, to provide a testbed for conducting experiments in the life and physical sciences in preparation for a mission to Mars. This design exercise was unique because it addressed all aspects concerning a large space project. This report describes the VGRF design that was developed by international participants specializing in the following areas: the politics of international cooperation; engineering, architecture; in-space physiological, materials, and life science experimentation; data communications; and business and management.

  17. Color Research and Its Application to the Design of Instructional Materials.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pett, Dennis; Wilson, Trudy

    1996-01-01

    Reviews color research and considers its implications for the design of instructional materials. Topics include physiological and psychological effects; color and learning, including attention, search tasks, retention and other objective measures, and non-objective measures; color and the cathode ray tube (CRT); and further research needs.…

  18. Kids in the city study: research design and methodology.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Melody; Witten, Karen; Kearns, Robin A; Mavoa, Suzanne; Badland, Hannah M; Carroll, Penelope; Drumheller, Chelsea; Tavae, Nicola; Asiasiga, Lanuola; Jelley, Su; Kaiwai, Hector; Opit, Simon; Lin, En-Yi Judy; Sweetsur, Paul; Barnes, Helen Moewaka; Mason, Nic; Ergler, Christina

    2011-07-24

    Physical activity is essential for optimal physical and psychological health but substantial declines in children's activity levels have occurred in New Zealand and internationally. Children's independent mobility (i.e., outdoor play and traveling to destinations unsupervised), an integral component of physical activity in childhood, has also declined radically in recent decades. Safety-conscious parenting practices, car reliance and auto-centric urban design have converged to produce children living increasingly sedentary lives. This research investigates how urban neighborhood environments can support or enable or restrict children's independent mobility, thereby influencing physical activity accumulation and participation in daily life. The study is located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighborhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density. Participants comprise 160 children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers. Objective measures (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems, observational audits) assessed children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighborhood infrastructure, and streetscape attributes. Parent and child neighborhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods. This study is one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. Using robust, appropriate, and best practice objective measures, this study provides robust epidemiological information regarding the relationships between the built environment and health outcomes for this population.

  19. Asking good clinical research questions and choosing the right study design.

    PubMed

    Bragge, P

    2010-07-01

    Clinicians and researchers seek answers to clinical research questions, primarily by accessing the results of clinical research studies. This paper moves the focus of research enquiry from getting answers to developing good clinical research questions. Using worked examples, the steps involved in refining questions drawn from various sources to create 'answerable' clinical research questions using the 'PICO' principle are described. Issues to consider in prioritising clinical research questions are also identified. Theoretical and practical considerations involved in choosing the right study design for a clinical research question are then discussed using the worked examples. These include: Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Combining qualitative and quantitative research within mixed method research designs: a methodological review.

    PubMed

    Östlund, Ulrika; Kidd, Lisa; Wengström, Yvonne; Rowa-Dewar, Neneh

    2011-03-01

    It has been argued that mixed methods research can be useful in nursing and health science because of the complexity of the phenomena studied. However, the integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches continues to be one of much debate and there is a need for a rigorous framework for designing and interpreting mixed methods research. This paper explores the analytical approaches (i.e. parallel, concurrent or sequential) used in mixed methods studies within healthcare and exemplifies the use of triangulation as a methodological metaphor for drawing inferences from qualitative and quantitative findings originating from such analyses. This review of the literature used systematic principles in searching CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO for healthcare research studies which employed a mixed methods approach and were published in the English language between January 1999 and September 2009. In total, 168 studies were included in the results. Most studies originated in the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. The analytic approach most widely used was parallel data analysis. A number of studies used sequential data analysis; far fewer studies employed concurrent data analysis. Very few of these studies clearly articulated the purpose for using a mixed methods design. The use of the methodological metaphor of triangulation on convergent, complementary, and divergent results from mixed methods studies is exemplified and an example of developing theory from such data is provided. A trend for conducting parallel data analysis on quantitative and qualitative data in mixed methods healthcare research has been identified in the studies included in this review. Using triangulation as a methodological metaphor can facilitate the integration of qualitative and quantitative findings, help researchers to clarify their theoretical propositions and the basis of their results. This can offer a better understanding of the links between theory and

  1. On framing the research question and choosing the appropriate research design.

    PubMed

    Parfrey, Patrick; Ravani, Pietro

    2009-01-01

    Clinical epidemiology is the science of human disease investigation with a focus on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The generation of a reasonable question requires the definition of patients, interventions, controls, and outcomes. The goal of research design is to minimize error, ensure adequate samples, measure input and output variables appropriately, consider external and internal validities, limit bias, and address clinical as well as statistical relevance. The hierarchy of evidence for clinical decision making places randomized controlled trials (RCT) or systematic review of good quality RCTs at the top of the evidence pyramid. Prognostic and etiologic questions are best addressed with longitudinal cohort studies.

  2. The 3D Hough Transform for plane detection in point clouds: A review and a new accumulator design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borrmann, Dorit; Elseberg, Jan; Lingemann, Kai; Nüchter, Andreas

    2011-03-01

    The Hough Transform is a well-known method for detecting parameterized objects. It is the de facto standard for detecting lines and circles in 2-dimensional data sets. For 3D it has attained little attention so far. Even for the 2D case high computational costs have lead to the development of numerous variations for the Hough Transform. In this article we evaluate different variants of the Hough Transform with respect to their applicability to detect planes in 3D point clouds reliably. Apart from computational costs, the main problem is the representation of the accumulator. Usual implementations favor geometrical objects with certain parameters due to uneven sampling of the parameter space. We present a novel approach to design the accumulator focusing on achieving the same size for each cell and compare it to existing designs. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  3. Sampling Designs in Qualitative Research: Making the Sampling Process More Public

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Leech, Nancy L.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide a typology of sampling designs for qualitative researchers. We introduce the following sampling strategies: (a) parallel sampling designs, which represent a body of sampling strategies that facilitate credible comparisons of two or more different subgroups that are extracted from the same levels of study;…

  4. Aerodynamic Design of a Four-Stage Low-Speed Axial Compressor for Cantilevered Stator Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallace, James N.

    This research is focused on the baseline aerodynamic design of a four-stage low-speed axial compressor with the intent to achieve similarity of cantilevered stator hub leakage flows with those in the rear stages of Siemens large gas turbine compressors. The baseline airfoil design is to act as a comparison for all future research completed in the low speed compressor and, therefore, will not include possible future research topics such as 3-D airfoil geometry or end-wall contouring. Following the design of the airfoils is the aerodynamic design of the facility including the inlet and exhaust. These components were designed to eliminate interactions of the compressor with the facility and to accommodate instrumentation. A baseline set of aerodynamic instrumentation is then suggested to characterize compressor performance. Fully 3-D steady CFD was used extensively during the design of both the facility and the compressor, as well as determining the locations and types of instrumentation.

  5. The Logic of the Theoretical and Practical Products of Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Easterday, Matthew W.; Rees Lewis, Daniel G.; Gerber, Elizabeth M.

    2016-01-01

    Design research (DR) promises to simultaneously solve practical problems of education and develop theory to guide future interventions. However, educational DR remains paradigmatically underdeveloped, making it difficult to train new researchers, to agree upon what makes a theoretical contribution, and to promise clear outputs to funders--all of…

  6. Design of Digital Learning Material on Social-Psychological Theories for Nutrition Behavior Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Busstra, Maria C.; De Graaf, Cees; Hartog, Rob

    2007-01-01

    This article describes the design, implementation and evaluation of digital learning material on the social--psychological Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and its use in nutrition behavior research. The design is based on guidelines derived from theories on instructional design. The major component of the design challenge is to implement three…

  7. Simulation methods to estimate design power: an overview for applied research.

    PubMed

    Arnold, Benjamin F; Hogan, Daniel R; Colford, John M; Hubbard, Alan E

    2011-06-20

    Estimating the required sample size and statistical power for a study is an integral part of study design. For standard designs, power equations provide an efficient solution to the problem, but they are unavailable for many complex study designs that arise in practice. For such complex study designs, computer simulation is a useful alternative for estimating study power. Although this approach is well known among statisticians, in our experience many epidemiologists and social scientists are unfamiliar with the technique. This article aims to address this knowledge gap. We review an approach to estimate study power for individual- or cluster-randomized designs using computer simulation. This flexible approach arises naturally from the model used to derive conventional power equations, but extends those methods to accommodate arbitrarily complex designs. The method is universally applicable to a broad range of designs and outcomes, and we present the material in a way that is approachable for quantitative, applied researchers. We illustrate the method using two examples (one simple, one complex) based on sanitation and nutritional interventions to improve child growth. We first show how simulation reproduces conventional power estimates for simple randomized designs over a broad range of sample scenarios to familiarize the reader with the approach. We then demonstrate how to extend the simulation approach to more complex designs. Finally, we discuss extensions to the examples in the article, and provide computer code to efficiently run the example simulations in both R and Stata. Simulation methods offer a flexible option to estimate statistical power for standard and non-traditional study designs and parameters of interest. The approach we have described is universally applicable for evaluating study designs used in epidemiologic and social science research.

  8. Simulation methods to estimate design power: an overview for applied research

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Estimating the required sample size and statistical power for a study is an integral part of study design. For standard designs, power equations provide an efficient solution to the problem, but they are unavailable for many complex study designs that arise in practice. For such complex study designs, computer simulation is a useful alternative for estimating study power. Although this approach is well known among statisticians, in our experience many epidemiologists and social scientists are unfamiliar with the technique. This article aims to address this knowledge gap. Methods We review an approach to estimate study power for individual- or cluster-randomized designs using computer simulation. This flexible approach arises naturally from the model used to derive conventional power equations, but extends those methods to accommodate arbitrarily complex designs. The method is universally applicable to a broad range of designs and outcomes, and we present the material in a way that is approachable for quantitative, applied researchers. We illustrate the method using two examples (one simple, one complex) based on sanitation and nutritional interventions to improve child growth. Results We first show how simulation reproduces conventional power estimates for simple randomized designs over a broad range of sample scenarios to familiarize the reader with the approach. We then demonstrate how to extend the simulation approach to more complex designs. Finally, we discuss extensions to the examples in the article, and provide computer code to efficiently run the example simulations in both R and Stata. Conclusions Simulation methods offer a flexible option to estimate statistical power for standard and non-traditional study designs and parameters of interest. The approach we have described is universally applicable for evaluating study designs used in epidemiologic and social science research. PMID:21689447

  9. Design-Based Research Principles for Student Orientation to Online Study: Capturing the Lessons Learnt

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wozniak, Helen; Pizzica, Jenny; Mahony, Mary Jane

    2012-01-01

    Few institutions have reported research on students' "use" of orientation programs designed for mature students returning to study in contemporary learning environments now regularly amalgamating distance and online strategies. We report within a design-based research framework the student experience of "GetLearning," the third…

  10. Direct Bio-printing with Heterogeneous Topology Design.

    PubMed

    Ahsan, Amm Nazmul; Xie, Ruinan; Khoda, Bashir

    2017-01-01

    Bio-additive manufacturing is a promising tool to fabricate porous scaffold structures for expediting the tissue regeneration processes. Unlike the most traditional bulk material objects, the microstructures of tissue and organs are mostly highly anisotropic, heterogeneous, and porous in nature. However, modelling the internal heterogeneity of tissues/organs structures in the traditional CAD environment is difficult and oftentimes inaccurate. Besides, the de facto STL conversion of bio-models introduces loss of information and piles up more errors in each subsequent step (build orientation, slicing, tool-path planning) of the bio-printing process plan. We are proposing a topology based scaffold design methodology to accurately represent the heterogeneous internal architecture of tissues/organs. An image analysis technique is used that digitizes the topology information contained in medical images of tissues/organs. A weighted topology reconstruction algorithm is implemented to represent the heterogeneity with parametric functions. The parametric functions are then used to map the spatial material distribution. The generated information is directly transferred to the 3D bio-printer and heterogeneous porous tissue scaffold structure is manufactured without STL file. The proposed methodology is implemented to verify the effectiveness of the approach and the designed example structure is bio-fabricated with a deposition based bio-additive manufacturing system.

  11. Constructing experimental designs for discrete-choice experiments: report of the ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Experimental Design Good Research Practices Task Force.

    PubMed

    Reed Johnson, F; Lancsar, Emily; Marshall, Deborah; Kilambi, Vikram; Mühlbacher, Axel; Regier, Dean A; Bresnahan, Brian W; Kanninen, Barbara; Bridges, John F P

    2013-01-01

    Stated-preference methods are a class of evaluation techniques for studying the preferences of patients and other stakeholders. While these methods span a variety of techniques, conjoint-analysis methods-and particularly discrete-choice experiments (DCEs)-have become the most frequently applied approach in health care in recent years. Experimental design is an important stage in the development of such methods, but establishing a consensus on standards is hampered by lack of understanding of available techniques and software. This report builds on the previous ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Task Force Report: Conjoint Analysis Applications in Health-A Checklist: A Report of the ISPOR Good Research Practices for Conjoint Analysis Task Force. This report aims to assist researchers specifically in evaluating alternative approaches to experimental design, a difficult and important element of successful DCEs. While this report does not endorse any specific approach, it does provide a guide for choosing an approach that is appropriate for a particular study. In particular, it provides an overview of the role of experimental designs for the successful implementation of the DCE approach in health care studies, and it provides researchers with an introduction to constructing experimental designs on the basis of study objectives and the statistical model researchers have selected for the study. The report outlines the theoretical requirements for designs that identify choice-model preference parameters and summarizes and compares a number of available approaches for constructing experimental designs. The task-force leadership group met via bimonthly teleconferences and in person at ISPOR meetings in the United States and Europe. An international group of experimental-design experts was consulted during this process to discuss existing approaches for experimental design and to review the task force's draft reports. In addition, ISPOR members contributed to developing a consensus

  12. A Servant of Two Masters: Designing Research To Advance Knowledge and Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    James, Mary; Pedder, David; Swaffield, Sue; Conner, Colin; Frost, David; MacBeath, John

    This paper describes aspects of the design and implementation of "Learning How To Learnin Classrooms, Schools, and Networks," a major development and research project within the Teaching and Learning Research Programme in the United Kingdom. It focuses on how a group of Cambridge academics and researchers, working in partnership with other…

  13. Reconciling Rigour and Impact by Collaborative Research Design: Study of Teacher Agency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pantic, Nataša

    2017-01-01

    This paper illustrates a new way of working collaboratively on the development of a methodology for studying teacher agency for social justice. Increasing emphasis of impact on change as a purpose of social research raises questions about appropriate research designs. Large-scale quantitative research framed within externally set parameters has…

  14. Embedding the perceptions of people with dementia into quantitative research design.

    PubMed

    O'Rourke, Hannah M; Duggleby, Wendy; Fraser, Kimberly D

    2015-05-01

    Patient perspectives about quality of life are often found in the results of qualitative research and could be applied to steer the direction of future research. The purpose of this paper was to describe how findings from a body of qualitative research on patient perspectives about quality of life were linked to a clinical administrative dataset and then used to design a subsequent quantitative study. Themes from two systematic reviews of qualitative evidence (i.e., metasyntheses) identified what affects quality of life according to people with dementia. Selected themes and their sub-concepts were then mapped to an administrative dataset (the Resident Assessment Instrument 2.0) to determine the study focus, formulate nine hypotheses, and select a patient-reported outcome. A literature review followed to confirm existence of a knowledge gap, identify adjustment variables, and support design decisions. A quantitative study to test the association between conflict and sadness for people with dementia in long-term care was derived from metasynthesis themes. Challenges included (1) mapping broad themes to the administrative dataset; (2) decisions associated with inclusion of variables not identified by people with dementia from the qualitative research; and (3) selecting a patient-reported outcome, when the dataset lacked a valid subjective quality-of-life measure. Themes derived from a body of qualitative research capturing a target populations' perspective can be linked to administrative data and used to design a quantitative study. Using this approach, the quantitative findings will be meaningful with respect to the quality of life of the target population.

  15. Web-Based Integrated Research Environment for Aerodynamic Analyses and Design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahn, Jae Wan; Kim, Jin-Ho; Kim, Chongam; Cho, Jung-Hyun; Hur, Cinyoung; Kim, Yoonhee; Kang, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byungsoo; Moon, Jong Bae; Cho, Kum Won

    e-AIRS[1,2], an abbreviation of ‘e-Science Aerospace Integrated Research System,' is a virtual organization designed to support aerodynamic flow analyses in aerospace engineering using the e-Science environment. As the first step toward a virtual aerospace engineering organization, e-AIRS intends to give a full support of aerodynamic research process. Currently, e-AIRS can handle both the computational and experimental aerodynamic research on the e-Science infrastructure. In detail, users can conduct a full CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) research process, request wind tunnel experiment, perform comparative analysis between computational prediction and experimental measurement, and finally, collaborate with other researchers using the web portal. The present paper describes those services and the internal architecture of the e-AIRS system.

  16. On the utility of within-participant research design when working with patients with neurocognitive disorders

    PubMed Central

    Steingrimsdottir, Hanna Steinunn; Arntzen, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Within-participant research designs are frequently used within the field of behavior analysis to document changes in behavior before, during, and after treatment. The purpose of the present article is to show the utility of within-participant research designs when working with older adults with neurocognitive disorders. The reason for advocating for these types of experimental designs is that they provide valid information about whether the changes that are observed in the dependent variable are caused by manipulations of the independent variable, or whether the change may be due to other variables. We provide examples from published papers where within-participant research design has been used with patients with neurocognitive disorders. The examples vary somewhat, demonstrating possible applications. It is our suggestion that the within-participant research design may be used more often with the targeted client group than is documented in the literature at the current date. PMID:26229453

  17. On the utility of within-participant research design when working with patients with neurocognitive disorders.

    PubMed

    Steingrimsdottir, Hanna Steinunn; Arntzen, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Within-participant research designs are frequently used within the field of behavior analysis to document changes in behavior before, during, and after treatment. The purpose of the present article is to show the utility of within-participant research designs when working with older adults with neurocognitive disorders. The reason for advocating for these types of experimental designs is that they provide valid information about whether the changes that are observed in the dependent variable are caused by manipulations of the independent variable, or whether the change may be due to other variables. We provide examples from published papers where within-participant research design has been used with patients with neurocognitive disorders. The examples vary somewhat, demonstrating possible applications. It is our suggestion that the within-participant research design may be used more often with the targeted client group than is documented in the literature at the current date.

  18. Educative Curriculum Materials: Uptake, Impact, and Implications for Research and Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Elizabeth A.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan; Smith, P. Sean; Arias, Anna Maria; Kademian, Sylvie M.

    2017-01-01

    The authors synthesize the findings of a research project to extend what is known about educative curriculum materials, or curriculum materials designed with the intent of supporting teacher learning as well as student learning. Drawing on a three-year program of research, including several close observational case studies and a large-scale…

  19. Recent Innovations in the Changing Criterion Design: Implications for Research and Practice in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDougall, Dennis; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Brady, Michael; Jenkins, Amelia

    2006-01-01

    This article illustrates (a) 2 recent innovations in the changing criterion research design, (b) how these innovations apply to research and practice in special education, and (c) how clinical needs influence design features of the changing criterion design. The first innovation, the range-bound changing criterion, is a very simple variation of…

  20. A research on motion design for APP's loading pages based on time perception

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Huai; Hu, Xiaoyun

    2018-04-01

    Due to restrictions caused by objective reasons like network bandwidth, hardware performance and etc., waiting is still an inevitable phenomenon that appears in our using mobile-terminal products. Relevant researches show that users' feelings in a waiting scenario can affect their evaluations on the whole product and services the product provides. With the development of user experience and inter-facial design subjects, the role of motion effect in the interface design has attracted more and more scholars' attention. In the current studies, the research theory of motion design in a waiting scenario is imperfect. This article will use the basic theory and experimental research methods of cognitive psychology to explore the motion design's impact on user's time perception when users are waiting for loading APP pages. Firstly, the article analyzes the factors that affect waiting experience of loading APP pages based on the theory of time perception, and then discusses motion design's impact on the level of time-perception when loading pages and its design strategy. Moreover, by the operation analysis of existing loading motion designs, the article classifies the existing loading motions and designs an experiment to verify the impact of different types of motions on the user's time perception. The result shows that the waiting time perception of mobile's terminals' APPs is related to the loading motion types, the combination type of loading motions can effectively shorten the waiting time perception as it scores a higher mean value in the length of time perception.

  1. Using Bayesian Adaptive Trial Designs for Comparative Effectiveness Research: A Virtual Trial Execution.

    PubMed

    Luce, Bryan R; Connor, Jason T; Broglio, Kristine R; Mullins, C Daniel; Ishak, K Jack; Saunders, Elijah; Davis, Barry R

    2016-09-20

    Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial designs offer the potential for more efficient processes that result in lower sample sizes and shorter trial durations than traditional designs. To explore the use and potential benefits of Bayesian adaptive clinical trial designs in comparative effectiveness research. Virtual execution of ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial) as if it had been done according to a Bayesian adaptive trial design. Comparative effectiveness trial of antihypertensive medications. Patient data sampled from the more than 42 000 patients enrolled in ALLHAT with publicly available data. Number of patients randomly assigned between groups, trial duration, observed numbers of events, and overall trial results and conclusions. The Bayesian adaptive approach and original design yielded similar overall trial conclusions. The Bayesian adaptive trial randomly assigned more patients to the better-performing group and would probably have ended slightly earlier. This virtual trial execution required limited resampling of ALLHAT patients for inclusion in RE-ADAPT (REsearch in ADAptive methods for Pragmatic Trials). Involvement of a data monitoring committee and other trial logistics were not considered. In a comparative effectiveness research trial, Bayesian adaptive trial designs are a feasible approach and potentially generate earlier results and allocate more patients to better-performing groups. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

  2. Evaluation of occupational health interventions using a randomized controlled trial: challenges and alternative research designs.

    PubMed

    Schelvis, Roosmarijn M C; Oude Hengel, Karen M; Burdorf, Alex; Blatter, Birgitte M; Strijk, Jorien E; van der Beek, Allard J

    2015-09-01

    Occupational health researchers regularly conduct evaluative intervention research for which a randomized controlled trial (RCT) may not be the most appropriate design (eg, effects of policy measures, organizational interventions on work schedules). This article demonstrates the appropriateness of alternative designs for the evaluation of occupational health interventions, which permit causal inferences, formulated along two study design approaches: experimental (stepped-wedge) and observational (propensity scores, instrumental variables, multiple baseline design, interrupted time series, difference-in-difference, and regression discontinuity). For each design, the unique characteristics are presented including the advantages and disadvantages compared to the RCT, illustrated by empirical examples in occupational health. This overview shows that several appropriate alternatives for the RCT design are feasible and available, which may provide sufficiently strong evidence to guide decisions on implementation of interventions in workplaces. Researchers are encouraged to continue exploring these designs and thus contribute to evidence-based occupational health.

  3. A computer-aided design system geared toward conceptual design in a research environment. [for hypersonic vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    STACK S. H.

    1981-01-01

    A computer-aided design system has recently been developed specifically for the small research group environment. The system is implemented on a Prime 400 minicomputer linked with a CDC 6600 computer. The goal was to assign the minicomputer specific tasks, such as data input and graphics, thereby reserving the large mainframe computer for time-consuming analysis codes. The basic structure of the design system consists of GEMPAK, a computer code that generates detailed configuration geometry from a minimum of input; interface programs that reformat GEMPAK geometry for input to the analysis codes; and utility programs that simplify computer access and data interpretation. The working system has had a large positive impact on the quantity and quality of research performed by the originating group. This paper describes the system, the major factors that contributed to its particular form, and presents examples of its application.

  4. Regression Discontinuity Design in Gifted and Talented Education Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, Michael S.; Peters, Scott J.; Housand, Angela M.

    2012-01-01

    This Methodological Brief introduces the reader to the regression discontinuity design (RDD), which is a method that when used correctly can yield estimates of research treatment effects that are equivalent to those obtained through randomized control trials and can therefore be used to infer causality. However, RDD does not require the random…

  5. Engagement over Exposure: Designing Applied Research Projects for Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hahn, Hilary; Marquez, Joy; Reznik, Vivian; Hoyt, David; Daley, Sandra

    2002-01-01

    Describes how the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the San Diego Housing Commission, and San Diego State University worked together through the UCSD Community Outreach Partnership Center to engage students in the design and implementation of an applied research project in City Heights, a low-income neighborhood in San Diego. (EV)

  6. Design-Build Process for the Research Support Facility (RSF) (Book)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    2012-06-01

    An in-depth look at how the U.S. DOE and NREL used a performance-based design-build contract to build the Research Support Facility (RSF); one of the most energy efficient office buildings in the world.

  7. Man-vehicle systems research facility: Design and operating characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    The Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility (MVSRF) provides the capability of simulating aircraft (two with full crews), en route and terminal air traffic control and aircrew interactions, and advanced cockpit (1995) display representative of future generations of aircraft, all within the full mission context. The characteristics of this facility derive from research, addressing critical human factors issues that pertain to: (1) information requirements for the utilization and integration of advanced electronic display systems, (2) the interaction and distribution of responsibilities between aircrews and ground controllers, and (3) the automation of aircrew functions. This research has emphasized the need for high fidelity in simulations and for the capability to conduct full mission simulations of relevant aircraft operations. This report briefly describes the MVSRF design and operating characteristics.

  8. On framing the research question and choosing the appropriate research design.

    PubMed

    Parfrey, Patrick S; Ravani, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    Clinical epidemiology is the science of human disease investigation with a focus on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The generation of a reasonable question requires definition of patients, interventions, controls, and outcomes. The goal of research design is to minimize error, to ensure adequate samples, to measure input and output variables appropriately, to consider external and internal validities, to limit bias, and to address clinical as well as statistical relevance. The hierarchy of evidence for clinical decision-making places randomized controlled trials (RCT) or systematic review of good quality RCTs at the top of the evidence pyramid. Prognostic and etiologic questions are best addressed with longitudinal cohort studies.

  9. Clinical Research That Matters: Designing Outcome-Based Research for Older Adults to Qualify for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jeannie K; Fosnight, Susan M; Estus, Erica L; Evans, Paula J; Pho, Victoria B; Reidt, Shannon; Reist, Jeffrey C; Ruby, Christine M; Sibicky, Stephanie L; Wheeler, Janel B

    2018-01-01

    Though older adults are more sensitive to the effects of medications than their younger counterparts, they are often excluded from manufacturer-based clinical studies. Practice-based research is a practical method to identify medication-related effects in older patients. This research also highlights the role of a pharmacist in improving care in this population. A single study rarely has strong enough evidence to change geriatric practice, unless it is a large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial that specifically targets older adults. It is important to design studies that may be used in systematic reviews or meta-analyses that build a stronger evidence base. Recent literature has documented a gap in advanced pharmacist training pertaining to research skills. In this paper, we hope to fill some of the educational gaps related to research in older adults. We define best practices when deciding on the type of study, inclusion and exclusion criteria, design of the intervention, how outcomes are measured, and how results are reported. Well-designed studies increase the pool of available data to further document the important role that pharmacists have in optimizing care of older patients.

  10. [Clinical research. XIII. Research design contribution in the structured revision of an article].

    PubMed

    Talavera, Juan O; Rivas-Ruiz, Rodolfo

    2013-01-01

    The quality of information obtained in accordance to research design is integrated to the revision structured in relation to the causality model, used in the article "Reduction in the Incidence of Nosocomial Pneumonia Poststroke by Using the 'Turn-mob' Program", which corresponds to a clinical trial design. Points to identify and analyze are ethical issues in order to safeguard the security and respect for patients, randomization that seek to create basal homogeneous groups, subjects with the same probability of receiving any of the maneuvers in comparison, with the same pre maneuver probability of adherence, and which facilitate the blinding of outcome measurement and the distribution between groups of subjects with the same probability of leaving the study for reasons beyond the maneuvers. Other aspects are the relativity of comparison, the blinding of the maneuver, the parallel application of comparative maneuver, early stopping, and analysis according to the degree of adherence. The analysis in accordance with the design is complementary, since it is done based on the architectural model of causality, and the statistical and clinical relevance consideration.

  11. Some New Bases and Needs for Interior Design from Environmental Research. A Preliminary Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kleeman, Walter, Jr.

    Research which can form new bases for interior design is being greatly accelerated. Investigations in psychology, anthropology, psychiatry, and biology, as well as interdisciplinary projects, turn up literally hundreds of studies, the results of which will vitally affect interior design. This body of research falls into two parts--(1) human…

  12. Selecting and Improving Quasi-Experimental Designs in Effectiveness and Implementation Research.

    PubMed

    Handley, Margaret A; Lyles, Courtney R; McCulloch, Charles; Cattamanchi, Adithya

    2018-04-01

    Interventional researchers face many design challenges when assessing intervention implementation in real-world settings. Intervention implementation requires holding fast on internal validity needs while incorporating external validity considerations (such as uptake by diverse subpopulations, acceptability, cost, and sustainability). Quasi-experimental designs (QEDs) are increasingly employed to achieve a balance between internal and external validity. Although these designs are often referred to and summarized in terms of logistical benefits, there is still uncertainty about (a) selecting from among various QEDs and (b) developing strategies to strengthen the internal and external validity of QEDs. We focus here on commonly used QEDs (prepost designs with nonequivalent control groups, interrupted time series, and stepped-wedge designs) and discuss several variants that maximize internal and external validity at the design, execution and implementation, and analysis stages.

  13. Designs, Techniques, and Reporting Strategies in Geography Education: A Review of Research Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zadrozny, Joann; McClure, Caroline; Lee, Jinhee; Jo, Injeong

    2016-01-01

    A wide variety of research is being completed and published in geography education. The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of the different types of methodologies, research designs, and techniques used by geography education researchers. Analyzing three geography education journals, we found 191 research articles published…

  14. iRPD--A Framework for Guiding Design-Based Research for iPad Apps

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kucirkova, Natalia

    2017-01-01

    The last 5 years have been marked by an explosion of tablet and smartphone applications designed for young children and several calls to encourage educational researchers to engage in children's app research. This paper presents a novel prospect for educational researchers: to collaboratively research, implement and produce iPad apps for…

  15. Critical Need for Family-Based, Quasi-Experimental Designs in Integrating Genetic and Social Science Research

    PubMed Central

    Lahey, Benjamin B.; Turkheimer, Eric; Lichtenstein, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Researchers have identified environmental risks that predict subsequent psychological and medical problems. Based on these correlational findings, researchers have developed and tested complex developmental models and have examined biological moderating factors (e.g., gene–environment interactions). In this context, we stress the critical need for researchers to use family-based, quasi-experimental designs when trying to integrate genetic and social science research involving environmental variables because these designs rigorously examine causal inferences by testing competing hypotheses. We argue that sibling comparison, offspring of twins or siblings, in vitro fertilization designs, and other genetically informed approaches play a unique role in bridging gaps between basic biological and social science research. We use studies on maternal smoking during pregnancy to exemplify these principles. PMID:23927516

  16. Critical need for family-based, quasi-experimental designs in integrating genetic and social science research.

    PubMed

    D'Onofrio, Brian M; Lahey, Benjamin B; Turkheimer, Eric; Lichtenstein, Paul

    2013-10-01

    Researchers have identified environmental risks that predict subsequent psychological and medical problems. Based on these correlational findings, researchers have developed and tested complex developmental models and have examined biological moderating factors (e.g., gene-environment interactions). In this context, we stress the critical need for researchers to use family-based, quasi-experimental designs when trying to integrate genetic and social science research involving environmental variables because these designs rigorously examine causal inferences by testing competing hypotheses. We argue that sibling comparison, offspring of twins or siblings, in vitro fertilization designs, and other genetically informed approaches play a unique role in bridging gaps between basic biological and social science research. We use studies on maternal smoking during pregnancy to exemplify these principles.

  17. An Indispensable Ingredient: Flight Research and Aircraft Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gorn, Michael H.

    2003-01-01

    Flight research-the art of flying actual vehicles in the atmosphere in order to collect data about their behavior-has played a historic and decisive role in the design of aircraft. Naturally, wind tunnel experiments, computational fluid dynamics, and mathematical analyses all informed the judgments of the individuals who conceived of new aircraft. But flight research has offered moments of realization found in no other method. Engineer Dale Reed and research pilot Milt Thompson experienced one such epiphany on March 1, 1963, at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. On that date, Thompson sat in the cockpit of a small, simple, gumdrop-shaped aircraft known as the M2-F1, lashed by a long towline to a late-model Pontiac Catalina. As the Pontiac raced across Rogers Dry Lake, it eventually gained enough speed to make the M2-F1 airborne. Thompson braced himself for the world s first flight in a vehicle of its kind, called a lifting body because of its high lift-to-drag ratio. Reed later recounted what he saw:

  18. Development Research of a Teachers' Educational Performance Support System: The Practices of Design, Development, and Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hung, Wei-Chen; Smith, Thomas J.; Harris, Marian S.; Lockard, James

    2010-01-01

    This study adopted design and development research methodology (Richey & Klein, "Design and development research: Methods, strategies, and issues," 2007) to systematically investigate the process of applying instructional design principles, human-computer interaction, and software engineering to a performance support system (PSS) for behavior…

  19. Design features and results from fatigue reliability research machines.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lalli, V. R.; Kececioglu, D.; Mcconnell, J. B.

    1971-01-01

    The design, fabrication, development, operation, calibration and results from reversed bending combined with steady torque fatigue research machines are presented. Fifteen-centimeter long, notched, SAE 4340 steel specimens are subjected to various combinations of these stresses and cycled to failure. Failure occurs when the crack in the notch passes through the specimen automatically shutting down the test machine. These cycles-to-failure data are statistically analyzed to develop a probabilistic S-N diagram. These diagrams have many uses; a rotating component design example given in the literature shows that minimum size and weight for a specified number of cycles and reliability can be calculated using these diagrams.

  20. Variation in Research Designs Used to Test the Effectiveness of Dissemination and Implementation Strategies: A Review.

    PubMed

    Mazzucca, Stephanie; Tabak, Rachel G; Pilar, Meagan; Ramsey, Alex T; Baumann, Ana A; Kryzer, Emily; Lewis, Ericka M; Padek, Margaret; Powell, Byron J; Brownson, Ross C

    2018-01-01

    The need for optimal study designs in dissemination and implementation (D&I) research is increasingly recognized. Despite the wide range of study designs available for D&I research, we lack understanding of the types of designs and methodologies that are routinely used in the field. This review assesses the designs and methodologies in recently proposed D&I studies and provides resources to guide design decisions. We reviewed 404 study protocols published in the journal Implementation Science from 2/2006 to 9/2017. Eligible studies tested the efficacy or effectiveness of D&I strategies (i.e., not effectiveness of the underlying clinical or public health intervention); had a comparison by group and/or time; and used ≥1 quantitative measure. Several design elements were extracted: design category (e.g., randomized); design type [e.g., cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT)]; data type (e.g., quantitative); D&I theoretical framework; levels of treatment assignment, intervention, and measurement; and country in which the research was conducted. Each protocol was double-coded, and discrepancies were resolved through discussion. Of the 404 protocols reviewed, 212 (52%) studies tested one or more implementation strategy across 208 manuscripts, therefore meeting inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 77% utilized randomized designs, primarily cluster RCTs. The use of alternative designs (e.g., stepped wedge) increased over time. Fewer studies were quasi-experimental (17%) or observational (6%). Many study design categories (e.g., controlled pre-post, matched pair cluster design) were represented by only one or two studies. Most articles proposed quantitative and qualitative methods (61%), with the remaining 39% proposing only quantitative. Half of protocols (52%) reported using a theoretical framework to guide the study. The four most frequently reported frameworks were Consolidated Framework for Implementing Research and RE-AIM ( n  = 16 each), followed by

  1. Using Single-Case Design and Personalized Behavior Change Projects to Teach Research Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, David L.

    2009-01-01

    Students in research methods courses, especially those taught in an intense format, might be hard pressed to actually conduct research studies due to logistics and time constraints. I describe the use of single-case research design and a personalized behavior project as an alternative research project for students in an undergraduate psychology…

  2. Patient engagement in the design and execution of urologic oncology research.

    PubMed

    Lee, Daniel J; Avulova, Svetlana; Conwill, Ralph; Barocas, Daniel A

    2017-09-01

    There have been significant effort and financial support to engage patients in the design and execution of medical research. However, little is known about the relative benefits or potential impact of involving patients in research, most efficient practices and systems to enhance their involvement, and potential barriers and challenges that are involved with engaging patients. In this review, we will discuss the value of patient centered research, review the challenges that many of these studies faced, and highlight potential future opportunities to enhance patient involvement in urologic research. An English-language literature search was performed in the electronic databases of Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, and on the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) website. Search items included "patient-centered research," "patient-reported outcomes" and "patient engagement" in various combinations. Although PCORI has funded almost 600 projects with $1.6 billion to improve patient centered research, the search revealed 3 studies of patient engagement in the development, management, and execution of urologic oncology research. Patient engagement in the design and execution of medical research can help align research topics to match patient priorities, improve survey and data collection tools, increase patient recruitment and participation in studies, and improve accessibility and dissemination of clinically relevant results from medical research. However, engagement patients in research requires significant investment of time, financial support, and energy from the patients, stakeholders, and researchers to provide mutual benefit. In the three studies in urologic oncology that involved patients, the patients provided a significant impact on the structure of the studies and helped improve the ability of patients to apply the results from the research studies. The benefits to involving patients in research to

  3. Research and development activities in unified control-structure modeling and design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nayak, A. P.

    1985-01-01

    Results of work sponsored by JPL and other organizations to develop a unified control/structures modeling and design capability for large space structures is presented. Recent analytical results are presented to demonstrate the significant interdependence between structural and control properties. A new design methodology is suggested in which the structure, material properties, dynamic model and control design are all optimized simultaneously. The development of a methodology for global design optimization is recommended as a long term goal. It is suggested that this methodology should be incorporated into computer aided engineering programs, which eventually will be supplemented by an expert system to aid design optimization. Recommendations are also presented for near term research activities at JPL. The key recommendation is to continue the development of integrated dynamic modeling/control design techniques, with special attention given to the development of structural models specially tailored to support design.

  4. Interpretive Research Aiming at Theory Building: Adopting and Adapting the Case Study Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diaz Andrade, Antonio

    2009-01-01

    Although the advantages of case study design are widely recognised, its original positivist underlying assumptions may mislead interpretive researchers aiming at theory building. The paper discusses the limitations of the case study design for theory building and explains how grounded theory systemic process adds to the case study design. The…

  5. Exploration-Related Research on the International Space Station: Connecting Science Results to the Design of Future Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rhatigan, Jennifer L.; Robinson, Julie A.; Sawin, Charles F.; Ahlf, Peter R.

    2005-01-01

    In January, 2004, the US President announced a vision for space exploration, and charged NASA with utilizing the International Space Station (ISS) for research and technology targeted at supporting the US space exploration goals. This paper describes: 1) what we have learned from the first four years of research on ISS relative to the exploration mission, 2) the on-going research being conducted in this regard, 3) our current understanding of the major exploration mission risks that the ISS can be used to address, and 4) current progress in realigning NASA s research portfolio for ISS to support exploration missions. Specifically, we discuss the focus of research on solving the perplexing problems of maintaining human health on long-duration missions, and the development of countermeasures to protect humans from the space environment, enabling long duration exploration missions. The interchange between mission design and research needs is dynamic, where design decisions influence the type of research needed, and results of research influence design decisions. The fundamental challenge to science on ISS is completing experiments that answer key questions in time to shape design decisions for future exploration. In this context, exploration-relevant research must do more than be conceptually connected to design decisions-it must become a part of the mission design process.

  6. Preliminary design of flight hardware for two-phase fluid research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hustvedt, D. C.; Oonk, R. L.

    1982-01-01

    This study defined the preliminary designs of flight software for the Space Shuttle Orbiter for three two-phase fluid research experiments: (1) liquid reorientation - to study the motion of liquid in tanks subjected to small accelerations; (2) pool boiling - to study low-gravity boiling from horizontal cylinders; and (3) flow boiling - to study low-gravity forced flow boiling heat transfer and flow phenomena in a heated horizontal tube. The study consisted of eight major tasks: reassessment of the existing experiment designs, assessment of the Spacelab facility approach, assessment of the individual carry-on approach, selection of the preferred approach, preliminary design of flight hardware, safety analysis, preparation of a development plan, estimates of detailed design, fabrication and ground testing costs. The most cost effective design approach for the experiments is individual carry-ons in the Orbiter middeck. The experiments were designed to fit into one or two middeck lockers. Development schedules for the detailed design, fabrication and ground testing ranged from 15 1/2 to 18 months. Minimum costs (in 1981 dollars) ranged from $463K for the liquid reorientation experiment to $998K for the pool boiling experiment.

  7. NACA Researcher Sets up a Test of a New Seat Design

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1954-05-21

    A researcher at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory prepares for a test of an NACA-designed aircraft seat. The laboratory had undertaken a multi-year investigation into the causes and prevention of fires on low altitude aircraft crashes. The program was expanded in the mid-1950s to include the study of impact on passengers, types of seat restraints, and seat design. The crash impact portion of the program began by purposely wrecking surplus Fairchild C-82 Packet and Piper Cub aircraft into barricades at the end of a test runway at the Ravenna Arsenal, located approximately 40 miles south of the Lewis lab in Cleveland. Instrumented dummies and cameras were installed in the pilot and passenger areas. After determining the different loads and their effects on the passengers, the NACA researchers began designing new types of seats and restraints. The result was an elastic seat that flexed upon impact, absorbing 75 percent of the loads before it slowly recoiled. This photograph shows the seats mounted on a pendulum with a large spring behind the platform to provide the jolt that mimicked the forces of a crash. The seat was constructed without any potentially damaging metal parts and included rubber-like material, an inflated back and arms, and a seat cushion. After the pendulum tests, the researchers compared the flexible seats to the rigid seats during a crash of a transport aircraft. They found the passengers in the rigid seats received 66 percent higher g-forces than the NACA-designed seats.

  8. Design tradeoffs in long-term research for stream salamanders

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brand, Adrianne B,; Grant, Evan H. Campbell

    2017-01-01

    Long-term research programs can benefit from early and periodic evaluation of their ability to meet stated objectives. In particular, consideration of the spatial allocation of effort is key. We sampled 4 species of stream salamanders intensively for 2 years (2010–2011) in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland, USA to evaluate alternative distributions of sampling locations within stream networks, and then evaluated via simulation the ability of multiple survey designs to detect declines in occupancy and to estimate dynamic parameters (colonization, extinction) over 5 years for 2 species. We expected that fine-scale microhabitat variables (e.g., cobble, detritus) would be the strongest determinants of occupancy for each of the 4 species; however, we found greater support for all species for models including variables describing position within the stream network, stream size, or stream microhabitat. A monitoring design focused on headwater sections had greater power to detect changes in occupancy and the dynamic parameters in each of 3 scenarios for the dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) and red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber). Results for transect length were more variable, but across all species and scenarios, 25-m transects are most suitable as a balance between maximizing detection probability and describing colonization and extinction. These results inform sampling design and provide a general framework for setting appropriate goals, effort, and duration in the initial planning stages of research programs on stream salamanders in the eastern United States.

  9. Acoustics in Research Facilities--Control of Wanted and Unwanted Sound. Laboratory Design Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Robert B.

    Common and special acoustics problems are discussed in relation to the design and construction of research facilities. Following a brief examination of design criteria for the control of wanted and unwanted sound, the technology for achieving desired results is discussed. Emphasis is given to various design procedures and materials for the control…

  10. Mobile Apps for Reflection in Learning: A Design Research in K-12 Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leinonen, Teemu; Keune, Anna; Veermans, Marjaana; Toikkanen, Tarmo

    2016-01-01

    This study takes a design-based research approach to explore how applications designed for mobile devices could support reflection in learning in K-12 education. Use of mobile devices is increasing in schools. Most of the educational apps support single-person use of interactive learning materials, simulations and learning games. Apps designed to…

  11. [Again review of research design and statistical methods of Chinese Journal of Cardiology].

    PubMed

    Kong, Qun-yu; Yu, Jin-ming; Jia, Gong-xian; Lin, Fan-li

    2012-11-01

    To re-evaluate and compare the research design and the use of statistical methods in Chinese Journal of Cardiology. Summary the research design and statistical methods in all of the original papers in Chinese Journal of Cardiology all over the year of 2011, and compared the result with the evaluation of 2008. (1) There is no difference in the distribution of the design of researches of between the two volumes. Compared with the early volume, the use of survival regression and non-parameter test are increased, while decreased in the proportion of articles with no statistical analysis. (2) The proportions of articles in the later volume are significant lower than the former, such as 6(4%) with flaws in designs, 5(3%) with flaws in the expressions, 9(5%) with the incomplete of analysis. (3) The rate of correction of variance analysis has been increased, so as the multi-group comparisons and the test of normality. The error rate of usage has been decreased form 17% to 25% without significance in statistics due to the ignorance of the test of homogeneity of variance. Many improvements showed in Chinese Journal of Cardiology such as the regulation of the design and statistics. The homogeneity of variance should be paid more attention in the further application.

  12. Research design and statistical methods in Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (PJMS).

    PubMed

    Akhtar, Sohail; Shah, Syed Wadood Ali; Rafiq, M; Khan, Ajmal

    2016-01-01

    This article compares the study design and statistical methods used in 2005, 2010 and 2015 of Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (PJMS). Only original articles of PJMS were considered for the analysis. The articles were carefully reviewed for statistical methods and designs, and then recorded accordingly. The frequency of each statistical method and research design was estimated and compared with previous years. A total of 429 articles were evaluated (n=74 in 2005, n=179 in 2010, n=176 in 2015) in which 171 (40%) were cross-sectional and 116 (27%) were prospective study designs. A verity of statistical methods were found in the analysis. The most frequent methods include: descriptive statistics (n=315, 73.4%), chi-square/Fisher's exact tests (n=205, 47.8%) and student t-test (n=186, 43.4%). There was a significant increase in the use of statistical methods over time period: t-test, chi-square/Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, epidemiological statistics, and non-parametric tests. This study shows that a diverse variety of statistical methods have been used in the research articles of PJMS and frequency improved from 2005 to 2015. However, descriptive statistics was the most frequent method of statistical analysis in the published articles while cross-sectional study design was common study design.

  13. Conducting Quantitative Medical Education Research: From Design to Dissemination.

    PubMed

    Abramson, Erika L; Paul, Caroline R; Petershack, Jean; Serwint, Janet; Fischel, Janet E; Rocha, Mary; Treitz, Meghan; McPhillips, Heather; Lockspeiser, Tai; Hicks, Patricia; Tewksbury, Linda; Vasquez, Margarita; Tancredi, Daniel J; Li, Su-Ting T

    2018-03-01

    Rigorous medical education research is critical to effectively develop and evaluate the training we provide our learners. Yet many clinical medical educators lack the training and skills needed to conduct high-quality medical education research. We offer guidance on conducting sound quantitative medical education research. Our aim is to equip readers with the key skills and strategies necessary to conduct successful research projects, highlighting new concepts and controversies in the field. We utilize Glassick's criteria for scholarship as a framework to discuss strategies to ensure that the research question of interest is worthy of further study and how to use existing literature and conceptual frameworks to strengthen a research study. Through discussions of the strengths and limitations of commonly used study designs, we expose the reader to particular nuances of these decisions in medical education research and discuss outcomes generally focused on, as well as strategies for determining the significance of consequent findings. We conclude with information on critiquing research findings and preparing results for dissemination to a broad audience. Practical planning worksheets and comprehensive tables illustrating key concepts are provided in order to guide researchers through each step of the process. Medical education research provides wonderful opportunities to improve how we teach our learners, to satisfy our own intellectual curiosity, and ultimately to enhance the care provided to patients. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Can emergency medicine research benefit from adaptive design clinical trials?

    PubMed

    Flight, Laura; Julious, Steven A; Goodacre, Steve

    2017-04-01

    Adaptive design clinical trials use preplanned interim analyses to determine whether studies should be stopped or modified before recruitment is complete. Emergency medicine trials are well suited to these designs as many have a short time to primary outcome relative to the length of recruitment. We hypothesised that the majority of published emergency medicine trials have the potential to use a simple adaptive trial design. We reviewed clinical trials published in three emergency medicine journals between January 2003 and December 2013. We determined the proportion that used an adaptive design as well as the proportion that could have used a simple adaptive design based on the time to primary outcome and length of recruitment. Only 19 of 188 trials included in the review were considered to have used an adaptive trial design. A total of 154/165 trials that were fixed in design had the potential to use an adaptive design. Currently, there seems to be limited uptake in the use of adaptive trial designs in emergency medicine despite their potential benefits to save time and resources. Failing to take advantage of adaptive designs could be costly to patients and research. It is recommended that where practical and logistical considerations allow, adaptive designs should be used for all emergency medicine clinical trials. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  15. Research design considerations for confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials: IMMPACT recommendations.

    PubMed

    Dworkin, Robert H; Turk, Dennis C; Peirce-Sandner, Sarah; Baron, Ralf; Bellamy, Nicholas; Burke, Laurie B; Chappell, Amy; Chartier, Kevin; Cleeland, Charles S; Costello, Ann; Cowan, Penney; Dimitrova, Rozalina; Ellenberg, Susan; Farrar, John T; French, Jacqueline A; Gilron, Ian; Hertz, Sharon; Jadad, Alejandro R; Jay, Gary W; Kalliomäki, Jarkko; Katz, Nathaniel P; Kerns, Robert D; Manning, Donald C; McDermott, Michael P; McGrath, Patrick J; Narayana, Arvind; Porter, Linda; Quessy, Steve; Rappaport, Bob A; Rauschkolb, Christine; Reeve, Bryce B; Rhodes, Thomas; Sampaio, Cristina; Simpson, David M; Stauffer, Joseph W; Stucki, Gerold; Tobias, Jeffrey; White, Richard E; Witter, James

    2010-05-01

    There has been an increase in the number of chronic pain clinical trials in which the treatments being evaluated did not differ significantly from placebo in the primary efficacy analyses despite previous research suggesting that efficacy could be expected. These findings could reflect a true lack of efficacy or methodological and other aspects of these trials that compromise the demonstration of efficacy. There is substantial variability among chronic pain clinical trials with respect to important research design considerations, and identifying and addressing any methodological weaknesses would enhance the likelihood of demonstrating the analgesic effects of new interventions. An IMMPACT consensus meeting was therefore convened to identify the critical research design considerations for confirmatory chronic pain trials and to make recommendations for their conduct. We present recommendations for the major components of confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials, including participant selection, trial phases and duration, treatment groups and dosing regimens, and types of trials. Increased attention to and research on the methodological aspects of confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials has the potential to enhance their assay sensitivity and ultimately provide more meaningful evaluations of treatments for chronic pain. Copyright 2010 International Association for the Study of Pain. All rights reserved.

  16. Deciphering assumptions about stepped wedge designs: the case of Ebola vaccine research.

    PubMed

    Doussau, Adélaïde; Grady, Christine

    2016-12-01

    Ethical concerns about randomising persons to a no-treatment arm in the context of Ebola epidemic led to consideration of alternative designs. The stepped wedge (SW) design, in which participants or clusters are randomised to receive an intervention at different time points, gained popularity. Common arguments in favour of using this design are (1) when an intervention is likely to do more good than harm, (2) all participants should receive the experimental intervention at some time point during the study and (3) the design might be preferable for practical reasons. We examine these assumptions when considering Ebola vaccine research. First, based on the claim that a stepped wedge design is indicated when it is likely that the intervention will do more good than harm, we reviewed published and ongoing SW trials to explore previous use of this design to test experimental drugs or vaccines, and found that SW design has never been used for trials of experimental drugs or vaccines. Given that Ebola vaccines were all experimental with no prior efficacy data, the use of a stepped wedge design would have been unprecedented. Second, we show that it is rarely true that all participants receive the intervention in SW studies, but rather, depending on certain design features, all clusters receive the intervention. Third, we explore whether the SW design is appealing for feasibility reasons and point out that there is significant complexity. In the setting of the Ebola epidemic, spatiotemporal variation may have posed problematic challenges to a stepped wedge design for vaccine research. Finally, we propose a set of points to consider for scientific reviewers and ethics committees regarding proposals for SW designs. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design

    PubMed Central

    Alford, Rebecca F.; Dolan, Erin L.

    2017-01-01

    Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology. PMID:29216185

  18. A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design.

    PubMed

    Alford, Rebecca F; Leaver-Fay, Andrew; Gonzales, Lynda; Dolan, Erin L; Gray, Jeffrey J

    2017-12-01

    Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology.

  19. Application of modern control design methodology to oblique wing research aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vincent, James H.

    1991-01-01

    A Linear Quadratic Regulator synthesis technique was used to design an explicit model following control system for the Oblique Wing Research Aircraft (OWRA). The forward path model (Maneuver Command Generator) was designed to incorporate the desired flying qualities and response decoupling. The LQR synthesis was based on the use of generalized controls, and it was structured to provide a proportional/integral error regulator with feedforward compensation. An unexpected consequence of this design approach was the ability to decouple the control synthesis into separate longitudinal and lateral directional designs. Longitudinal and lateral directional control laws were generated for each of the nine design flight conditions, and gain scheduling requirements were addressed. A fully coupled 6 degree of freedom open loop model of the OWRA along with the longitudinal and lateral directional control laws was used to assess the closed loop performance of the design. Evaluations were performed for each of the nine design flight conditions.

  20. Design and Evaluation of a Personal Digital Assistant-based Research Platform for Cochlear Implants

    PubMed Central

    Ali, Hussnain; Lobo, Arthur P.; Loizou, Philipos C.

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses the design, development, features, and clinical evaluation of a personal digital assistant (PDA)-based platform for cochlear implant research. This highly versatile and portable research platform allows researchers to design and perform complex experiments with cochlear implants manufactured by Cochlear Corporation with great ease and flexibility. The research platform includes a portable processor for implementing and evaluating novel speech processing algorithms, a stimulator unit which can be used for electrical stimulation and neurophysio-logic studies with animals, and a recording unit for collecting electroencephalogram/evoked potentials from human subjects. The design of the platform for real time and offline stimulation modes is discussed for electric-only and electric plus acoustic stimulation followed by results from an acute study with implant users for speech intelligibility in quiet and noisy conditions. The results are comparable with users’ clinical processor and very promising for undertaking chronic studies. PMID:23674422

  1. Some research advances in computer graphics that will enhance applications to engineering design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allan, J. J., III

    1975-01-01

    Research in man/machine interactions and graphics hardware/software that will enhance applications to engineering design was described. Research aspects of executive systems, command languages, and networking used in the computer applications laboratory are mentioned. Finally, a few areas where little or no research is being done were identified.

  2. Studies Using Single-Subject Designs in Sport Psychology: 30 Years of Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, G. L.; Thompson, K.; Regehr, K.

    2004-01-01

    A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we…

  3. The challenge of causal inference in gene-environment interaction research: leveraging research designs from the social sciences.

    PubMed

    Fletcher, Jason M; Conley, Dalton

    2013-10-01

    The integration of genetics and the social sciences will lead to a more complex understanding of the articulation between social and biological processes, although the empirical difficulties inherent in this integration are large. One key challenge is the implications of moving "outside the lab" and away from the experimental tools available for research with model organisms. Social science research methods used to examine human behavior in nonexperimental, real-world settings to date have not been fully taken advantage of during this disciplinary integration, especially in the form of gene-environment interaction research. This article outlines and provides examples of several prominent research designs that should be used in gene-environment research and highlights a key benefit to geneticists of working with social scientists.

  4. Research-Informed Curriculum Design for a Master's-Level Program in Project Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bentley, Yongmei; Richardson, Diane; Duan, Yanqing; Philpott, Elly; Ong, Vincent; Owen, David

    2013-01-01

    This article reports on the application of Research-Informed Curriculum Design (RICD) for the development and implementation of an MSc Program in Project Management. The research focused on contemporary issues in project management and provided an analysis of project management approaches, tools, and techniques currently used in organizations.…

  5. The Impact of Non-Conscious Knowledge on Educational Technology Research and Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Richard E.

    2011-01-01

    There are at least three powerful insights for educational technology researchers and designers from recent neuroscience studies of the brain and from cognitive science research findings: First, our brains learn and process two very different types of knowledge; non-conscious, automated, procedural, or implicit knowledge, and conscious,…

  6. The Interaction between Multimedia Data Analysis and Theory Development in Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Nes, Fenna; Doorman, Michiel

    2010-01-01

    Mathematics education researchers conducting instruction experiments using a design research methodology are challenged with the analysis of often complex and large amounts of qualitative data. In this paper, we present two case studies that show how multimedia analysis software can greatly support video data analysis and theory development in…

  7. Quality Matters™: An Educational Input in an Ongoing Design-Based Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adair, Deborah; Shattuck, Kay

    2015-01-01

    Quality Matters (QM) has been transforming established best practices and online education-based research into an applicable, scalable course level improvement process for the last decade. In this article, the authors describe QM as an ongoing design-based research project and an educational input for improving online education.

  8. Design and Calibration of the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Closed Loop Laboratory Radio Frequency (RF) Propagation Section

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    ARL-TR-7860 ● OCT 2016 US Army Research Laboratory Design and Calibration of the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Closed Loop ...ARL-TR-7860 ● OCT 2016 US Army Research Laboratory Design and Calibration of the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Closed Loop Laboratory...Design and Calibration of the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Closed Loop Laboratory Radio Frequency (RF) Propagation Section 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

  9. Development of an ICT in IBSE course for science teachers: A design-based research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tran, Trinh-Ba

    2018-01-01

    Integration of ICT tools for measuring with sensors, analyzing video, and modelling into Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) is a need globally recognized. The challenge to teachers is how to turn manipulation of equipment and software into manipulation of ideas. We have developed a short ICT in IBSE course to prepare and support science teachers to teach inquiry-based activities with ICT tools. Within the framework of design-based research, we first defined the pedagogical principles from the literature, developed core materials for teacher learning, explored boundary conditions of the training in different countries, and elaborated set-ups of the course for the Dutch, Slovak, and Vietnamese contexts. Next, we taught and evaluated three iterative cycles of the Dutch course set-ups for pre-service science teachers from four teacher-education institutes nationwide. In each cycle, data on the teacher learning was collected via observations, questionnaires, interviews, and documents. These data were then analyzed for the questions about faithful implementation and effectiveness of the course. Following the same approach, we taught and evaluated two cycles of the Slovak course set-ups for in-service science teachers in the context of the national accreditation programme for teacher professional development. In addition, we investigated applicability of the final Dutch course set-up in the context of the physics-education master program in Vietnam with adaptations geared to educational and cultural difference. Through the iterations of implementation, evaluation, and revision, eventually the course objectives were achieved to certain extent; the pedagogical principles and core materials proved to be effective and applicable in different contexts. We started this research and design project with the pedagogical principles and concluded it with these principles (i.e. complete theory-practice cycle, depth first, distributed learning, and ownership of learning) as the

  10. Towards non-conventional methods of designing register-based epidemiological studies: An application to pediatric research.

    PubMed

    Gong, Tong; Brew, Bronwyn; Sjölander, Arvid; Almqvist, Catarina

    2017-07-01

    Various epidemiological designs have been applied to investigate the causes and consequences of fetal growth restriction in register-based observational studies. This review seeks to provide an overview of several conventional designs, including cohort, case-control and more recently applied non-conventional designs such as family-based designs. We also discuss some practical points regarding the application and interpretation of family-based designs. Definitions of each design, the study population, the exposure and the outcome measures are briefly summarised. Examples of study designs are taken from the field of low birth-weight research for illustrative purposes. Also examined are relative advantages and disadvantages of each design in terms of assumptions, potential selection and information bias, confounding and generalisability. Kinship data linkage, statistical models and result interpretation are discussed specific to family-based designs. When all information is retrieved from registers, there is no evident preference of the case-control design over the cohort design to estimate odds ratios. All conventional designs included in the review are prone to bias, particularly due to residual confounding. Family-based designs are able to reduce such bias and strengthen causal inference. In the field of low birth-weight research, family-based designs have been able to confirm a negative association not confounded by genetic or shared environmental factors between low birth weight and the risk of asthma. We conclude that there is a broader need for family-based design in observational research as evidenced by the meaningful contributions to the understanding of the potential causal association between low birth weight and subsequent outcomes.

  11. The International Space University's variable gravity research facility design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bailey, Sheila G.; Chiaramonte, Francis P.; Davidian, Kenneth J.

    1991-09-01

    A manned mission to Mars will require long travel times between Earth and Mars. However, exposure to long-duration zero gravity is known to be harmful to the human body. Some of the harmful effects are loss of heart and lung capacity, inability to stand upright, muscular weakness and loss of bone calcium. A variable gravity research facility (VGRF) that would be placed in low Earth orbit (LEO) was designed by students of the International Space University 1989 Summer Session held in Strasbourg, France, to provide a testbed for conducting experiments in the life and physical sciences in preparation for a mission to Mars. This design exercise was unique because it addressed all aspects concerning a large space project. The VGRF design was described which was developed by international participants specializing in the following areas: the politics of international cooperation, engineering, architecture, in-space physiology, material and life science experimentation, data communications, business, and management.

  12. The International Space University's variable gravity research facility design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, Sheila G.; Chiaramonte, Francis P.; Davidian, Kenneth J.

    1991-01-01

    A manned mission to Mars will require long travel times between Earth and Mars. However, exposure to long-duration zero gravity is known to be harmful to the human body. Some of the harmful effects are loss of heart and lung capacity, inability to stand upright, muscular weakness and loss of bone calcium. A variable gravity research facility (VGRF) that would be placed in low Earth orbit (LEO) was designed by students of the International Space University 1989 Summer Session held in Strasbourg, France, to provide a testbed for conducting experiments in the life and physical sciences in preparation for a mission to Mars. This design exercise was unique because it addressed all aspects concerning a large space project. The VGRF design was described which was developed by international participants specializing in the following areas: the politics of international cooperation, engineering, architecture, in-space physiology, material and life science experimentation, data communications, business, and management.

  13. EPSE Project 2: Designing and Evaluating Short Teaching Sequences, Informed by Research Evidence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leach, John; Hind, Andy; Lewis, Jenny; Scott, Phil

    2002-01-01

    Reports on Project 2 from the Evidence-based Practice in Science Education (EPSE) Research Network. In this project, teachers and researchers worked collaboratively on the design of three short teaching sequences on electric circuits. (DDR)

  14. Using Data Collection Apps and Single-Case Designs to Research Transformative Learning in Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roessger, Kevin M.; Greenleaf, Arie; Hoggan, Chad

    2017-01-01

    To overcome situational hurdles when researching transformative learning in adults, we outline a research approach using single-case research designs and smartphone data collection apps. This approach allows researchers to better understand learners' current lived experiences and determine the effects of transformative learning interventions on…

  15. Industrial Relations (The National Shipbuilding Research Program)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-01-01

    permit- ting him so to do, he shall notify his supervisor promptly expost facto . 2. In case of non-attendance due to injury or illness, the mployees shall...this study possible. Special appreciation is due the following individuals who provided. their time and information in the conduct of this study . Aioi...The material contained herein was-developed from the study of the Industrial Relations programs and systems presently in-operation in the shipyards of

  16. V/STOL tilt rotor aircraft study. Volume 2: Preliminary design of research aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    A preliminary design study was conducted to establish a minimum sized, low cost V/STOL tilt-rotor research aircraft with the capability of performing proof-of-concept flight research investigations applicable to a wide range of useful military and commercial configurations. The analysis and design approach was based on state-of-the-art methods and maximum use of off-the-shelf hardware and systems to reduce development risk, procurement cost and schedules impact. The rotors to be used are of 26 foot diameter and are the same as currently under construction and test as part of NASA Tilt-Rotor Contract NAS2-6505. The aircraft has a design gross weight of 12,000 lbs. The proposed engines to be used are Lycoming T53-L-13B rated at 1550 shaft horsepower which are fully qualified. A flight test investigation is recommended which will determine the capabilities and limitations of the research aircraft.

  17. Generation After Next Propulsor Research: Robust Design for Embedded Engine Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arend, David J.; Tillman, Gregory; O'Brien, Walter F.

    2012-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United Technologies Research Center and Virginia Polytechnic and State University have contracted to pursue multi-disciplinary research into boundary layer ingesting (BLI) propulsors for generation after next environmentally responsible subsonic fixed wing aircraft. This Robust Design for Embedded Engine Systems project first conducted a high-level vehicle system study based on a large commercial transport class hybrid wing body aircraft, which determined that a 3 to 5 percent reduction in fuel burn could be achieved over a 7,500 nanometer mission. Both pylon-mounted baseline and BLI propulsion systems were based on a low-pressure-ratio fan (1.35) in an ultra-high-bypass ratio engine (16), consistent with the next generation of advanced commercial turbofans. An optimized, coupled BLI inlet and fan system was subsequently designed to achieve performance targets identified in the system study. The resulting system possesses an inlet with total pressure losses less than 0.5%, and a fan stage with an efficiency debit of less than 1.5 percent relative to the pylon-mounted, clean-inflow baseline. The subject research project has identified tools and methodologies necessary for the design of next-generation, highly-airframe-integrated propulsion systems. These tools will be validated in future large-scale testing of the BLI inlet / fan system in NASA's 8 foot x 6 foot transonic wind tunnel. In addition, fan unsteady response to screen-generated total pressure distortion is being characterized experimentally in a JT15D engine test rig. These data will document engine sensitivities to distortion magnitude and spatial distribution, providing early insight into key physical processes that will control BLI propulsor design.

  18. Guidance for using mixed methods design in nursing practice research.

    PubMed

    Chiang-Hanisko, Lenny; Newman, David; Dyess, Susan; Piyakong, Duangporn; Liehr, Patricia

    2016-08-01

    The mixed methods approach purposefully combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques, enabling a multi-faceted understanding of nursing phenomena. The purpose of this article is to introduce three mixed methods designs (parallel; sequential; conversion) and highlight interpretive processes that occur with the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings. Real world examples of research studies conducted by the authors will demonstrate the processes leading to the merger of data. The examples include: research questions; data collection procedures and analysis with a focus on synthesizing findings. Based on experience with mixed methods studied, the authors introduce two synthesis patterns (complementary; contrasting), considering application for practice and implications for research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Instructional Design Models and Teacher Thinking: Toward a New Conceptual Model for Research and Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moallem, Mahnaz; Earle, Rodney S.

    1998-01-01

    In an effort to connect current research findings on teacher thinking with components of instructional design models and principles, this article discusses a new contextual model for thinking about teaching and considers the implications of the model for instructional development of research in instructional design and teacher thinking. (Author)

  20. Designs that Fly: What the History of Aeronautics Tells Us about the Future of Design-Based Research in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, D. Kevin

    2012-01-01

    For almost two decades, there has been growing interest in what design-based research (DBR) can contribute to both educational practice and theory. Since its introduction into the literature, this orientation to educational research has repeatedly been likened to aeronautical engineering as a way to clarify its nature and argue its potential. This…

  1. A META-COMPOSITE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH FOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

    PubMed Central

    Sadasivam, Rajani S.; Tanik, Murat M.

    2013-01-01

    Translational researchers conduct research in a highly data-intensive and continuously changing environment and need to use multiple, disparate tools to achieve their goals. These researchers would greatly benefit from meta-composite software development or the ability to continuously compose and recompose tools together in response to their ever-changing needs. However, the available tools are largely disconnected, and current software approaches are inefficient and ineffective in their support for meta-composite software development. Building on the composite services development approach, the de facto standard for developing integrated software systems, we propose a concept-map and agent-based meta-composite software development approach. A crucial step in composite services development is the modeling of users’ needs as processes, which can then be specified in an executable format for system composition. We have two key innovations. First, our approach allows researchers (who understand their needs best) instead of technicians to take a leadership role in the development of process models, reducing inefficiencies and errors. A second innovation is that our approach also allows for modeling of complex user interactions as part of the process, overcoming the technical limitations of current tools. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach using a real-world translational research use case. We also present results of usability studies evaluating our approach for future refinements. PMID:23504436

  2. A meta-composite software development approach for translational research.

    PubMed

    Sadasivam, Rajani S; Tanik, Murat M

    2013-06-01

    Translational researchers conduct research in a highly data-intensive and continuously changing environment and need to use multiple, disparate tools to achieve their goals. These researchers would greatly benefit from meta-composite software development or the ability to continuously compose and recompose tools together in response to their ever-changing needs. However, the available tools are largely disconnected, and current software approaches are inefficient and ineffective in their support for meta-composite software development. Building on the composite services development approach, the de facto standard for developing integrated software systems, we propose a concept-map and agent-based meta-composite software development approach. A crucial step in composite services development is the modeling of users' needs as processes, which can then be specified in an executable format for system composition. We have two key innovations. First, our approach allows researchers (who understand their needs best) instead of technicians to take a leadership role in the development of process models, reducing inefficiencies and errors. A second innovation is that our approach also allows for modeling of complex user interactions as part of the process, overcoming the technical limitations of current tools. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach using a real-world translational research use case. We also present results of usability studies evaluating our approach for future refinements.

  3. Reviews of Single Subject Research Designs: Applications to Special Education and School Psychology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nevin, Ann I., Ed.

    2004-01-01

    The authors of this collection of research reviews studied how single subject research designs might be a useful method to apply as part of being accountable to clients. The single subject research studies were evaluated in accordance with the following criteria: Was the study applied, behavioral, reliable, analytic, effective, and generalizable?…

  4. Rain Garden Research at EPA’s Urban Watershed Research Facility: Promoting Nitrate Removal through Rain Garden Design

    EPA Science Inventory

    Rain gardens are designed to infiltrate stormwater, capture suspended solids, sorb heavy metals and phosphorus, and transform nutrients through biological processes. Most studies have found a low capacity for stormwater nitrate removal. Research at the Urban Watershed Managemen...

  5. Universal Design of Research: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Mainstream Biomedical Studies

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Ann S.; Moore, Shirley M.

    2012-01-01

    Although persons with disabilities of all kinds have as wide a range of health conditions as the general population, they are profoundly underrepresented in mainstream health research. Such underrepresentation might contribute to the health disparities in this population. We propose the concept of Universal Design of Research (UDR), which would promote routine inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream biomedical studies, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Elements of UDR include the use of multi-sensory formats for recruiting participants, presenting research instruments and interventions, and data gathering from participants, and should promote the inclusion of participants with a wide range of abilities, thus enhancing the generalizability of results. PMID:21562227

  6. Universal design of research: inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream biomedical studies.

    PubMed

    Williams, Ann S; Moore, Shirley M

    2011-05-11

    Although persons with disabilities of all kinds have as wide a range of health conditions as the general population, they are profoundly underrepresented in mainstream health research. Such underrepresentation might contribute to the health disparities in this population. We propose the concept of Universal Design of Research (UDR), which would promote routine inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream biomedical and psychosocial studies, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Elements of UDR include the use of multisensory formats for recruiting participants, presenting research instruments and interventions, and data gathering from participants and should promote the inclusion of participants with a wide range of abilities, thus enhancing the generalizability of results.

  7. Using Action Research to Assess and Advocate for Innovative School Library Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harper, Meghan; Deskins,Liz

    2015-01-01

    This article describes a collaborative project designed to use action research to assess and advocate for innovative design changes in a school library. The high school library was in its fifth year of service, and yet the layout of the library was not meeting the learning and technological needs of 21st-century high school students. The purpose…

  8. Research design and statistical methods in Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (PJMS)

    PubMed Central

    Akhtar, Sohail; Shah, Syed Wadood Ali; Rafiq, M.; Khan, Ajmal

    2016-01-01

    Objective: This article compares the study design and statistical methods used in 2005, 2010 and 2015 of Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (PJMS). Methods: Only original articles of PJMS were considered for the analysis. The articles were carefully reviewed for statistical methods and designs, and then recorded accordingly. The frequency of each statistical method and research design was estimated and compared with previous years. Results: A total of 429 articles were evaluated (n=74 in 2005, n=179 in 2010, n=176 in 2015) in which 171 (40%) were cross-sectional and 116 (27%) were prospective study designs. A verity of statistical methods were found in the analysis. The most frequent methods include: descriptive statistics (n=315, 73.4%), chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests (n=205, 47.8%) and student t-test (n=186, 43.4%). There was a significant increase in the use of statistical methods over time period: t-test, chi-square/Fisher’s exact test, logistic regression, epidemiological statistics, and non-parametric tests. Conclusion: This study shows that a diverse variety of statistical methods have been used in the research articles of PJMS and frequency improved from 2005 to 2015. However, descriptive statistics was the most frequent method of statistical analysis in the published articles while cross-sectional study design was common study design. PMID:27022365

  9. Focus group positioning and analysis: a commentary on adjuncts for enhancing the design of health care research.

    PubMed

    Johnson, B C

    1990-01-01

    As health care competition increases, and as the penalties for making poor decisions become potentially more devastating, market research continues to play an increasingly important role in the decision-making process for hospitals. Concern over the appropriate use of market research and the costs related to it remains high. As such, efficiency in research design and clarity in research outcome are clearly the goals. This paper examines the focus group process and its adjunctive role in enhancing the overall design of health care market research. Specifically, the function and placement of focus groups within the research plan as well as several methods of creative focus group analysis are considered within the context of an effective research design.

  10. A Research Writing Tool: Designing an Online Resource for Supervisors and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Economou, Dorothy; James, Bronwyn

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents and discusses the key findings of a needs analysis, and its impact on the design for an innovative online Research Writing Tool, which aims to facilitate higher degree research writing development in medically related fields. Unlike other resources which target students only, this tool aims to support both supervisors and…

  11. Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Design Research: Introduction to the Special Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Matthew K.

    2012-01-01

    Single-case design (SCD) research focuses on finding powerful effects, but the influence of this methodology on the evidence-based practice (EBP) movement is questionable. Meta-analytic procedures may help facilitate the role of SCD research in the EBP movement, but meta-analyses of SCDs are controversial. The current article provides an…

  12. Publishing Single-Case Research Design Studies That Do Not Demonstrate Experimental Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tincani, Matt; Travers, Jason

    2018-01-01

    Demonstration of experimental control is considered a hallmark of high-quality single-case research design (SCRD). Studies that fail to demonstrate experimental control may not be published because researchers are unwilling to submit these papers for publication and journals are unlikely to publish negative results (i.e., the file drawer effect).…

  13. Research Design and Statistical Methods in Indian Medical Journals: A Retrospective Survey

    PubMed Central

    Hassan, Shabbeer; Yellur, Rajashree; Subramani, Pooventhan; Adiga, Poornima; Gokhale, Manoj; Iyer, Manasa S.; Mayya, Shreemathi S.

    2015-01-01

    Good quality medical research generally requires not only an expertise in the chosen medical field of interest but also a sound knowledge of statistical methodology. The number of medical research articles which have been published in Indian medical journals has increased quite substantially in the past decade. The aim of this study was to collate all evidence on study design quality and statistical analyses used in selected leading Indian medical journals. Ten (10) leading Indian medical journals were selected based on impact factors and all original research articles published in 2003 (N = 588) and 2013 (N = 774) were categorized and reviewed. A validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation of the articles. Main outcomes considered in the present study were – study design types and their frequencies, error/defects proportion in study design, statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT checklist in RCT (randomized clinical trials). From 2003 to 2013: The proportion of erroneous statistical analyses did not decrease (χ2=0.592, Φ=0.027, p=0.4418), 25% (80/320) in 2003 compared to 22.6% (111/490) in 2013. Compared with 2003, significant improvement was seen in 2013; the proportion of papers using statistical tests increased significantly (χ2=26.96, Φ=0.16, p<0.0001) from 42.5% (250/588) to 56.7 % (439/774). The overall proportion of errors in study design decreased significantly (χ2=16.783, Φ=0.12 p<0.0001), 41.3% (243/588) compared to 30.6% (237/774). In 2013, randomized clinical trials designs has remained very low (7.3%, 43/588) with majority showing some errors (41 papers, 95.3%). Majority of the published studies were retrospective in nature both in 2003 [79.1% (465/588)] and in 2013 [78.2% (605/774)]. Major decreases in error proportions were observed in both results presentation (χ2=24.477, Φ=0.17, p<0.0001), 82.2% (263/320) compared to 66.3% (325

  14. Research design and statistical methods in Indian medical journals: a retrospective survey.

    PubMed

    Hassan, Shabbeer; Yellur, Rajashree; Subramani, Pooventhan; Adiga, Poornima; Gokhale, Manoj; Iyer, Manasa S; Mayya, Shreemathi S

    2015-01-01

    Good quality medical research generally requires not only an expertise in the chosen medical field of interest but also a sound knowledge of statistical methodology. The number of medical research articles which have been published in Indian medical journals has increased quite substantially in the past decade. The aim of this study was to collate all evidence on study design quality and statistical analyses used in selected leading Indian medical journals. Ten (10) leading Indian medical journals were selected based on impact factors and all original research articles published in 2003 (N = 588) and 2013 (N = 774) were categorized and reviewed. A validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation of the articles. Main outcomes considered in the present study were - study design types and their frequencies, error/defects proportion in study design, statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT checklist in RCT (randomized clinical trials). From 2003 to 2013: The proportion of erroneous statistical analyses did not decrease (χ2=0.592, Φ=0.027, p=0.4418), 25% (80/320) in 2003 compared to 22.6% (111/490) in 2013. Compared with 2003, significant improvement was seen in 2013; the proportion of papers using statistical tests increased significantly (χ2=26.96, Φ=0.16, p<0.0001) from 42.5% (250/588) to 56.7 % (439/774). The overall proportion of errors in study design decreased significantly (χ2=16.783, Φ=0.12 p<0.0001), 41.3% (243/588) compared to 30.6% (237/774). In 2013, randomized clinical trials designs has remained very low (7.3%, 43/588) with majority showing some errors (41 papers, 95.3%). Majority of the published studies were retrospective in nature both in 2003 [79.1% (465/588)] and in 2013 [78.2% (605/774)]. Major decreases in error proportions were observed in both results presentation (χ2=24.477, Φ=0.17, p<0.0001), 82.2% (263/320) compared to 66.3% (325/490) and

  15. Developing the DESCARTE Model: The Design of Case Study Research in Health Care.

    PubMed

    Carolan, Clare M; Forbat, Liz; Smith, Annetta

    2016-04-01

    Case study is a long-established research tradition which predates the recent surge in mixed-methods research. Although a myriad of nuanced definitions of case study exist, seminal case study authors agree that the use of multiple data sources typify this research approach. The expansive case study literature demonstrates a lack of clarity and guidance in designing and reporting this approach to research. Informed by two reviews of the current health care literature, we posit that methodological description in case studies principally focuses on description of case study typology, which impedes the construction of methodologically clear and rigorous case studies. We draw from the case study and mixed-methods literature to develop the DESCARTE model as an innovative approach to the design, conduct, and reporting of case studies in health care. We examine how case study fits within the overall enterprise of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research, and the potential strengths of the model are considered. © The Author(s) 2015.

  16. Using Time-Series Research Designs to Investigate the Effects of Instruction on SLA.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellow, J. Dean; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Argues that the study of second-language acquisition theory can be enhanced through time-series research designs. Within the context of investigating the effects of second-language instruction, four main reasons for using T-S design are identified. (95 references) (Author/CK)

  17. A Systematic Review on the Designs of Clinical Technology: Findings and Recommendations for Future Research

    PubMed Central

    PhD, Greg Alexander; Staggers, Nancy

    2010-01-01

    Human factors (HF) studies are increasingly important as technology infuses into clinical settings. No nursing research reviews exist in this area. The authors conducted a systematic review on designs of clinical technology, 34 articles with 50 studies met inclusion criteria. Findings were classified into three categories based on HF research goals. The majority of studies evaluated effectiveness of clinical design; efficiency was fewest. Current research ranges across many interface types examined with no apparent pattern or obvious rationale. Future research should expand types, settings, participants; integrate displays; and expand outcome variables. PMID:19707093

  18. Research, design & development project Myoelectric Prosthesis of Upper Limb

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galiano, L.; Montaner, E.; Flecha, A.

    2007-11-01

    A Research Design and Development Project was developed of a myoelectric prosthesis for a pediatric patient presenting congenital amputation of the left forearm below the elbow. A multidisciplinary work-team was formed for this goal, in order to solve the several (/various) aspects regarding this project (mechanical, ergonomics, electronics, physical). The prosthesis as an electromechanical device was divided in several blocks, trying to achieve a focused development for each stage, acording to requisites. A mechanical prototype of the prothesis was designed and built along with the circuitry needed for EMG aquisition, control logic and drivers. Having acomplished the previuos stages, the project is now dealing with the definitions of the interface between the prosthesis and the patient, with promising perspectives.

  19. A Context Awareness System for Online Learning: Design Based Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laffey, James; Amelung, Chris; Goggins, Sean

    2009-01-01

    A design based research strategy examining the impressions and behavior of members of courses taught entirely online is used for refining a context-aware activity notification system (CANS). The findings show that CANS must address substantial variety in courses and members while also fitting with multitasking between online and real world…

  20. Identification and Validation of ESP Teacher Competencies: A Research Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venkatraman, G.; Prema, P.

    2013-01-01

    The paper presents the research design used for identifying and validating a set of competencies required of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) teachers. The identification of the competencies and the three-stage validation process are also discussed. The observation of classes of ESP teachers for field-testing the validated competencies and…

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