likert scale questions: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for likert scale questions

Cultural differences in responses to a Likert scale.

PubMed

Lee, Jerry W; Jones, Patricia S; Mineyama, Yoshimitsu; Zhang, Xinwei Esther

2002-08-01

Cultural differences in responses to a Likert scale were examined. Self-identified Chinese, Japanese, and Americans (N=136, 323, and 160, respectively) recruited at ethnic or general supermarkets in Southern California completed a 13-question Sense of Coherence scale with a choice of either four, five, or seven responses in either Chinese, Japanese, or English. The Japanese respondents more frequently reported difficulty with the scale, the Chinese more frequently skipped questions, and both these groups selected the midpoint more frequently on items that involved admitting to a positive emotion than did the Americans, who were more likely to indicate a positive emotion. Construct validity of the scale tended to be better for the Chinese and the Americans when there were four response choices and for the Japanese when there were seven. Although culture affected response patterns, the association of sense of coherence and health was positive in all three cultural groups. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analyzing Likert Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Harry N., Jr.; Boone, Deborah A.

2012-01-01

This article provides information for Extension professionals on the correct analysis of Likert data. The analyses of Likert-type and Likert scale data require unique data analysis procedures, and as a result, misuses and/or mistakes often occur. This article discusses the differences between Likert-type and Likert scale data and provides…
Active Learning of Classification Models with Likert-Scale Feedback.

PubMed

Xue, Yanbing; Hauskrecht, Milos

2017-01-01

Annotation of classification data by humans can be a time-consuming and tedious process. Finding ways of reducing the annotation effort is critical for building the classification models in practice and for applying them to a variety of classification tasks. In this paper, we develop a new active learning framework that combines two strategies to reduce the annotation effort. First, it relies on label uncertainty information obtained from the human in terms of the Likert-scale feedback. Second, it uses active learning to annotate examples with the greatest expected change. We propose a Bayesian approach to calculate the expectation and an incremental SVM solver to reduce the time complexity of the solvers. We show the combination of our active learning strategy and the Likert-scale feedback can learn classification models more rapidly and with a smaller number of labeled instances than methods that rely on either Likert-scale labels or active learning alone.
Active Learning of Classification Models with Likert-Scale Feedback

PubMed Central

Xue, Yanbing; Hauskrecht, Milos

2017-01-01

Annotation of classification data by humans can be a time-consuming and tedious process. Finding ways of reducing the annotation effort is critical for building the classification models in practice and for applying them to a variety of classification tasks. In this paper, we develop a new active learning framework that combines two strategies to reduce the annotation effort. First, it relies on label uncertainty information obtained from the human in terms of the Likert-scale feedback. Second, it uses active learning to annotate examples with the greatest expected change. We propose a Bayesian approach to calculate the expectation and an incremental SVM solver to reduce the time complexity of the solvers. We show the combination of our active learning strategy and the Likert-scale feedback can learn classification models more rapidly and with a smaller number of labeled instances than methods that rely on either Likert-scale labels or active learning alone. PMID:28979827
Psychological Distance between Categories in the Likert Scale: Comparing Different Numbers of Options

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakita, Takafumi; Ueshima, Natsumi; Noguchi, Hiroyuki

2012-01-01

This study examined whether the number of options in the Likert scale influences the psychological distance between categories. The most important assumption when using the Likert scale is that the psychological distance between options is equal. The authors proposed a new algorithm for calculating the scale values of options by applying item…
Investigating measurement equivalence of visual analogue scales and Likert-type scales in Internet-based personality questionnaires.

PubMed

Kuhlmann, Tim; Dantlgraber, Michael; Reips, Ulf-Dietrich

2017-12-01

Visual analogue scales (VASs) have shown superior measurement qualities in comparison to traditional Likert-type response scales in previous studies. The present study expands the comparison of response scales to properties of Internet-based personality scales in a within-subjects design. A sample of 879 participants filled out an online questionnaire measuring Conscientiousness, Excitement Seeking, and Narcissism. The questionnaire contained all instruments in both answer scale versions in a counterbalanced design. Results show comparable reliabilities, means, and SDs for the VAS versions of the original scales, in comparison to Likert-type scales. To assess the validity of the measurements, age and gender were used as criteria, because all three constructs have shown non-zero correlations with age and gender in previous research. Both response scales showed a high overlap and the proposed relationships with age and gender. The associations were largely identical, with the exception of an increase in explained variance when predicting age from the VAS version of Excitement Seeking (B10 = 1318.95, ΔR(2) = .025). VASs showed similar properties to Likert-type response scales in most cases.
[Visual circle scale (VCS)--a patient-friendly scale to measure pain compared to VAS and Likert scale].

PubMed

Huber, J F; Hüsler, J; Zumstein, M D; Ruflin, G; Lüscher, M

2007-01-01

The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Likert scale (LS) are widely used but the patients might have difficulties to work with these scales and there might be errors in calculation. The visual circle scale (VCS) is a graphic construct with a simple grading to augment the understanding and ease for calculation. This study compares the different scales in orthopaedic patients for pain assessment postoperatively. In addition, the scales were rated by the patients for simplicity, understanding and global rating. Included were 65 patients (40 women) with an average age of 66 years with 330 pain assessments and 65 questionnaire ratings. The average pain was LS 42.7, VAS 39.3, VCS 44. The correlation coefficients r (Spearman) between all scales were > 0.89 and the same held also for sensitivity for change. The VCS was the scale preferred by > 50 % of the orthopaedic patients to assess the pain. The VCS is able to measure pain comparably to the known scales (VAS, Likert scale). From the patients point of view it is the preferred scale to work with.
A Review of the Reliability and Validity of Likert-Type Scales for People with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, S. L.; MacLean, W. E., Jr.

2006-01-01

Background: Likert-type scales are increasingly being used among people with intellectual disability (ID). These scales offer an efficient method for capturing a wide range of variance in self-reported attitudes and behaviours. This review is an attempt to evaluate the reliability and validity of Likert-type scales in people with ID. Methods:…
Personality as a Determinate of Response Dimension Scaling for Likert Rating Categories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Wayne E.; Sanford, David L.

A study was designed to evaluate the use of summated rating (Likert) scales of agreement, evaluation, and frequency. The subjects, 58 female and 45 male college students, rank ordered the descriptive adjectives for the areas of agreement, evaluation, and frequency on a scale of 1 to 100. They also completed the Personal Report of Communication…
Cone beam CT dose reduction in prostate radiotherapy using Likert scale methods.

PubMed

Langmack, Keith A; Newton, Louise A; Jordan, Suzanne; Smith, Ruth

2016-01-01

To use a Likert scale method to optimize image quality (IQ) for cone beam CT (CBCT) soft-tissue matching for image-guided radiotherapy of the prostate. 23 males with local/locally advanced prostate cancer had the CBCT IQ assessed using a 4-point Likert scale (4 = excellent, no artefacts; 3 = good, few artefacts; 2 = poor, just able to match; 1 = unsatisfactory, not able to match) at three levels of exposure. The lateral separations of the subjects were also measured. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to determine if the IQ was associated with the exposure level. We used the point-biserial correlation and a χ(2) test to investigate the relationship between the separation and IQ. The Friedman test showed that the IQ was related to exposure (p = 2 × 10(-7)) and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the IQ decreased as exposure decreased (all p-values <0.005). We did not find a correlation between the IQ and the separation (correlation coefficient 0.045), but for separations <35 cm, it was possible to use the lowest exposure parameters studied. We can reduce exposure factors to 80% of those supplied with the system without hindering the matching process for all patients. For patients with lateral separations <35 cm, the exposure factors can be reduced further to 64% of the original values. Likert scales are a useful tool for measuring IQ in the optimization of CBCT IQ for soft-tissue matching in radiotherapy image guidance applications.
Improving the Factor Structure of Psychological Scales: The Expanded Format as an Alternative to the Likert Scale Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xijuan; Savalei, Victoria

2016-01-01

Many psychological scales written in the Likert format include reverse worded (RW) items in order to control acquiescence bias. However, studies have shown that RW items often contaminate the factor structure of the scale by creating one or more method factors. The present study examines an alternative scale format, called the Expanded format,…
Cone beam CT dose reduction in prostate radiotherapy using Likert scale methods

PubMed Central

Newton, Louise A; Jordan, Suzanne; Smith, Ruth

2016-01-01

Objective: To use a Likert scale method to optimize image quality (IQ) for cone beam CT (CBCT) soft-tissue matching for image-guided radiotherapy of the prostate. Methods: 23 males with local/locally advanced prostate cancer had the CBCT IQ assessed using a 4-point Likert scale (4 = excellent, no artefacts; 3 = good, few artefacts; 2 = poor, just able to match; 1 = unsatisfactory, not able to match) at three levels of exposure. The lateral separations of the subjects were also measured. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to determine if the IQ was associated with the exposure level. We used the point-biserial correlation and a χ2 test to investigate the relationship between the separation and IQ. Results: The Friedman test showed that the IQ was related to exposure (p = 2 × 10−7) and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the IQ decreased as exposure decreased (all p-values <0.005). We did not find a correlation between the IQ and the separation (correlation coefficient 0.045), but for separations <35 cm, it was possible to use the lowest exposure parameters studied. Conclusion: We can reduce exposure factors to 80% of those supplied with the system without hindering the matching process for all patients. For patients with lateral separations <35 cm, the exposure factors can be reduced further to 64% of the original values. Advances in knowledge: Likert scales are a useful tool for measuring IQ in the optimization of CBCT IQ for soft-tissue matching in radiotherapy image guidance applications. PMID:26689092
Qualitative interpretation of PET scans using a Likert scale to assess neck node response to radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Sjövall, Johanna; Bitzén, Ulrika; Kjellén, Elisabeth; Nilsson, Per; Wahlberg, Peter; Brun, Eva

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether PET scans after radiotherapy (RT), visually interpreted as equivocal regarding metabolic neck node response can be used to accurately categorize patients as responders or nonresponders using a Likert scale and/or maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). Other aims were to determine the performance of different methods for assessing post-RT PET scans (visual inspection, a Likert scale and SUVmax) and to establish whether any method is superior in predicting regional control (RC) and overall survival (OS). In 105 patients with neck node-positive head and neck cancer, the neck node response was evaluated by FDG PET/CT 6 weeks after RT. The scans were clinically assessed by visual inspection and, for the purposes of this analysis, re-evaluated using the Deauville criteria, a five-point Likert scale previously used in lymphoma studies. In addition, SUVmax was determined. All assessment methods were able to significantly predict RC but not OS. The methods were also able to significantly predict remission of tumour after completion of RT. Of the 105 PET scans, 19 were judged as equivocal on visual inspection. The Likert scale was preferable to SUVmax for grouping patients as responders or nonresponders. All methods (visual inspection, SUVmax and the Likert scale) identified responders and nonresponders and predicted RC. A Likert scale is a promising tool to reduce to a minimum the problem of PET scans judged as equivocal. Consensus regarding qualitative assessment would facilitate PET reporting in clinical practice.
Developing Multidimensional Likert Scales Using Item Factor Analysis: The Case of Four-Point Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asún, Rodrigo A.; Rdz-Navarro, Karina; Alvarado, Jesús M.

2016-01-01

This study compares the performance of two approaches in analysing four-point Likert rating scales with a factorial model: the classical factor analysis (FA) and the item factor analysis (IFA). For FA, maximum likelihood and weighted least squares estimations using Pearson correlation matrices among items are compared. For IFA, diagonally weighted…
Compressed ultrasound video image-quality evaluation using a Likert scale and Kappa statistical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Brent K.; Carter, Stephen J.; Langer, Steven G.; Andrew, Rex K.

1998-06-01

Experiments using NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellite were conducted to provide an estimate of the compressed video quality required for preservation of clinically relevant features for the detection of trauma. Bandwidth rates of 128, 256 and 384 kbps were used. A five point Likert scale (1 equals no useful information and 5 equals good diagnostic quality) was used for a subjective preference questionnaire to evaluate the quality of the compressed ultrasound imagery at the three compression rates for several anatomical regions of interest. At 384 kbps the Likert scores (mean plus or minus SD) were abdomen (4.45 plus or minus 0.71), carotid artery (4.70 plus or minus 0.36), kidney (5.0 plus or minus 0.0), liver (4.67 plus or minus 0.58) and thyroid (4.03 plus or minus 0.74). Due to the volatile nature of the H.320 compressed digital video stream, no statistically significant results can be derived through this methodology. As the MPEG standard has at its roots many of the same intraframe and motion vector compression algorithms as the H.261 (such as that used in the previous ACTS/AMT experiments), we are using the MPEG compressed video sequences to best gauge what minimum bandwidths are necessary for preservation of clinically relevant features for the detection of trauma. We have been using an MPEG codec board to collect losslessly compressed video clips from high quality S- VHS tapes and through direct digitization of S-video. Due to the large number of videoclips and questions to be presented to the radiologists and for ease of application, we have developed a web browser interface for this video visual perception study. Due to the large numbers of observations required to reach statistical significance in most ROC studies, Kappa statistical analysis is used to analyze the degree of agreement between observers and between viewing assessment. If the degree of agreement amongst readers is high, then there is a possibility that the ratings (i
Likert scales, levels of measurement and the "laws" of statistics.

PubMed

Norman, Geoff

2010-12-01

Reviewers of research reports frequently criticize the choice of statistical methods. While some of these criticisms are well-founded, frequently the use of various parametric methods such as analysis of variance, regression, correlation are faulted because: (a) the sample size is too small, (b) the data may not be normally distributed, or (c) The data are from Likert scales, which are ordinal, so parametric statistics cannot be used. In this paper, I dissect these arguments, and show that many studies, dating back to the 1930s consistently show that parametric statistics are robust with respect to violations of these assumptions. Hence, challenges like those above are unfounded, and parametric methods can be utilized without concern for "getting the wrong answer".
Effect of Items Direction (Positive or Negative) on the Reliability in Likert Scale. Paper-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gul, Showkeen Bilal Ahmad; Qasem, Mamun Ali Naji; Bhat, Mehraj Ahmad

2015-01-01

In this paper an attempt was made to analyze the effect of items direction (positive or negative) on the Alpha Cronbach reliability coefficient and the Split Half reliability coefficient in Likert scale. The descriptive survey research method was used for the study and sample of 510 undergraduate students were selected by used random sampling…
Assessing the Importance of Treatment Goals in Patients with Psoriasis: Analytic Hierarchy Process vs. Likert Scales.

PubMed

Gutknecht, Mandy; Danner, Marion; Schaarschmidt, Marthe-Lisa; Gross, Christian; Augustin, Matthias

2018-02-15

To define treatment benefit, the Patient Benefit Index contains a weighting of patient-relevant treatment goals using the Patient Needs Questionnaire, which includes a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("not important at all") to 4 ("very important"). These treatment goals have been assigned to five health dimensions. The importance of each dimension can be derived by averaging the importance ratings on the Likert scales of associated treatment goals. As the use of a Likert scale does not allow for a relative assessment of importance, the objective of this study was to estimate relative importance weights for health dimensions and associated treatment goals in patients with psoriasis by using the analytic hierarchy process and to compare these weights with the weights resulting from the Patient Needs Questionnaire. Furthermore, patients' judgments on the difficulty of the methods were investigated. Dimensions of the Patient Benefit Index and their treatment goals were mapped into a hierarchy of criteria and sub-criteria to develop the analytic hierarchy process questionnaire. Adult patients with psoriasis starting a new anti-psoriatic therapy in the outpatient clinic of the Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing at the University Medical Center Hamburg (Germany) were recruited and completed both methods (analytic hierarchy process, Patient Needs Questionnaire). Ratings of treatment goals on the Likert scales (Patient Needs Questionnaire) were summarized within each dimension to assess the importance of the respective health dimension/criterion. Following the analytic hierarchy process approach, consistency in judgments was assessed using a standardized measurement (consistency ratio). At the analytic hierarchy process level of criteria, 78 of 140 patients achieved the accepted consistency. Using the analytic hierarchy process, the dimension "improvement of physical functioning" was most important, followed by "improvement of social
Effect of Items Direction (Positive or Negative) on the Factorial Construction and Criterion Related Validity in Likert Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naji Qasem, Mamun Ali; Ahmad Gul, Showkeen Bilal

2014-01-01

The study was conducted to know the effect of items direction (positive or negative) on the factorial construction and criterion related validity in Likert scale. The descriptive survey research method was used for the study and the sample consisted of 510 undergraduate students selected by used random sampling technique. A scale developed by…
Relative utility of a visual analogue scale vs. a six-point Likert scale in the measurement of global subject outcome in patients with low back pain receiving physiotherapy.

PubMed

Harland, N J; Dawkin, M J; Martin, D

2015-03-01

Patients' subjective impression of change is an important construct to measure following physiotherapy, but little evidence exists about the best type of measure to use. To compare the construct validity and utility of two forms of a global subjective outcome scale (GSOS) in patients with back pain: Likert and visual analogue scale (VAS) GSOS. Two samples of patients attending physiotherapy for back pain completed a questionnaire battery at discharge from physiotherapy including either a Likert or VAS GSOS. One hundred and eighty-seven {79 males, mean age 52.1 [standard deviation (SD) 15.5] years} patients completed the Likert GSOS and a separate sample of 144 patients [62 males, mean age 55.7 (SD 15.9) years] completed the VAS GSOS upon discharge from physiotherapy. The two versions of the GSOS were compared using pre- and post-treatment changes in scores using a VAS (pain), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (18-item version) and catastrophising subscale of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire 24. Both versions of the GSOS showed significant (P<0.01) moderate correlations (r between 0.30 and 0.46) with changes in pain and disability. The correlations between the two types of GSOS and changes in catastrophising were trivial and not significant (Likert GSOS: r=0.07, P=0.372; VAS GSOS: r=0.10, P=0.267). There were fewer missing values in the Likert GSOS (1%) compared with the VAS GSOS (8%). The two versions of the GSOS showed similar validity; however, use of the Likert GSOS is recommended because of its greater utility. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Analysis of Likert Scales Using State Multipoles: An Application of Quantum Methods to Behavioral Sciences Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camparo, James; Camparo, Lorinda B.

2013-01-01

Though ubiquitous, Likert scaling's traditional mode of analysis is often unable to uncover all of the valid information in a data set. Here, the authors discuss a solution to this problem based on methodology developed by quantum physicists: the state multipole method. The authors demonstrate the relative ease and value of this method by…
Comparison of visual analogue and Likert scales in evaluation of an emergency department bedside teaching programme.

PubMed

Celenza, Antonio; Rogers, Ian R

2011-02-01

The present study compares visual analogue scale (VAS) to Likert-type scale (LTS) instruments in evaluating perceptions of an ED bedside clinical teaching programme. A prospective study was conducted in the ED of an urban, adult tertiary hospital. Prospective pairing occurred of a teaching consultant and registrar who were relatively quarantined from normal clinical duties. Registrars received 3 months of the teaching intervention, and 3 months without the intervention in a cross-over fashion. Evaluation questionnaires were completed using both the LTS and 100 mm horizontal VAS for each question. Correlation between VAS and LTS gave a measure of validity, and test-retest stability and internal consistency gave measures of reliability. Registrar perceptions of the teaching programme were positive, but no differences were found between the pre- and post-intervention groups. The test-retest reliabilities (intraclass correlation coefficient) for the questionnaires were 0.51 and 0.54 for the VAS, and 0.58 and 0.58 for the LTS. Cronbach's alpha varied between 0.79 and 0.91 for the VAS, and 0.79 and 0.81 for the LTS. Correlations between the two methods varied from 0.35 to 0.94 for each question. A linear regression equation describing the relationship approximated VAS = 19.5 × LTS-9 with overall r= 0.89. An ED bedside teaching programme is perceived to be a beneficial educational intervention. The VAS is a reliable and valid alternative to the LTS for educational evaluation and might provide advantages in educational measurement. Further research into the significance of extreme values and educationally important changes in scores is required. © 2011 The Authors. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.
How Differences among Data Collectors Are Reflected in the Reliability and Validity of Data Collected by Likert-Type Scales?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Köksal, Mustafa Serdar; Ertekin, Pelin; Çolakoglu, Özgür Murat

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate association of data collectors' differences with the differences in reliability and validity of scores regarding affective variables (motivation toward science learning and science attitude) that are measured by Likert-type scales. Four researchers trained in data collection and seven science teachers…
A Comparison of Halpin and Croft's Organizational Climates and Likert and Likert's Organizational Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, John W.

1972-01-01

This study is concerned with the relationship between Halpin and Croft's organizational climates as classified by the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire and Likert and Likert's organizational systems as classified by the teacher form of the Profile of a School Questionnaire. The positively significant relationship found between these…
Milestone-Based Assessments Are Superior to Likert-Type Assessments in Illustrating Trainee Progression

PubMed Central

Bartlett, Kathleen W.; Whicker, Shari A.; Bookman, Jack; Narayan, Aditee P.; Staples, Betty B.; Hering, Holly; McGann, Kathleen A.

2015-01-01

Background The Pediatrics Milestone Project uses behavioral anchors, narrative descriptions of observable behaviors, to describe learner progression through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies. Starting June 2014, pediatrics programs were required to submit milestone reports for their trainees semiannually. Likert-type scale assessment tools were not designed to inform milestone reporting, creating a challenge for Clinical Competency Committees. Objective To determine if milestone-based assessments better stratify trainees by training level compared to Likert-type assessments. Methods We compared assessment results for 3 subcompetencies after changing from a 5-point Likert scale to milestone-based behavioral anchors in July 2013. Program leadership evaluated the new system by (1) comparing PGY-1 mean scores on Likert-type versus milestone-based assessments; and (2) comparing mean scores on the Likert-type versus milestone-based assessments across PGY levels. Results Mean scores for PGY-1 residents were significantly higher on the prior year's Likert-type assessments than milestone-based assessments for all 3 subcompetencies (P < .01). Stratification by PGY level was not observed with Likert-type assessments (eg, interpersonal and communication skills 1 [ICS1] mean score for PGY-1, 3.99 versus PGY-3, 3.98; P = .98). In contrast, milestone-based assessments demonstrated stratification by PGY level (eg, the ICS1 mean score was 3.06 for PGY-1, 3.83 for PGY-2, and 3.99 for PGY-3; P < .01 for PGY-1 versus PGY-3). Significantly different means by trainee level were noted across 21 subcompetencies on milestone-based assessments (P < .01 for PGY-1 versus PGY-3). Conclusions Initial results indicate milestone-based assessments stratify trainee performance by level better than Likert-type assessments. Average PGY-level scores from milestone-based assessments may ultimately provide guidance for determining whether trainees are
A Two-Decision Model for Responses to Likert-Type Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thissen-Roe, Anne; Thissen, David

2013-01-01

Extreme response set, the tendency to prefer the lowest or highest response option when confronted with a Likert-type response scale, can lead to misfit of item response models such as the generalized partial credit model. Recently, a series of intrinsically multidimensional item response models have been hypothesized, wherein tendency toward…
Estimating Ordinal Reliability for Likert-Type and Ordinal Item Response Data: A Conceptual, Empirical, and Practical Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadermann, Anne M.; Guhn, Martin; Zumbo, Bruno D.

2012-01-01

This paper provides a conceptual, empirical, and practical guide for estimating ordinal reliability coefficients for ordinal item response data (also referred to as Likert, Likert-type, ordered categorical, or rating scale item responses). Conventionally, reliability coefficients, such as Cronbach's alpha, are calculated using a Pearson…
An Overview of Interrater Agreement on Likert Scales for Researchers and Practitioners

PubMed Central

O'Neill, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Applications of interrater agreement (IRA) statistics for Likert scales are plentiful in research and practice. IRA may be implicated in job analysis, performance appraisal, panel interviews, and any other approach to gathering systematic observations. Any rating system involving subject-matter experts can also benefit from IRA as a measure of consensus. Further, IRA is fundamental to aggregation in multilevel research, which is becoming increasingly common in order to address nesting. Although, several technical descriptions of a few specific IRA statistics exist, this paper aims to provide a tractable orientation to common IRA indices to support application. The introductory overview is written with the intent of facilitating contrasts among IRA statistics by critically reviewing equations, interpretations, strengths, and weaknesses. Statistics considered include rwg, rwg*, r′wg, rwg(p), average deviation (AD), awg, standard deviation (Swg), and the coefficient of variation (CVwg). Equations support quick calculation and contrasting of different agreement indices. The article also includes a “quick reference” table and three figures in order to help readers identify how IRA statistics differ and how interpretations of IRA will depend strongly on the statistic employed. A brief consideration of recommended practices involving statistical and practical cutoff standards is presented, and conclusions are offered in light of the current literature. PMID:28553257
Assessment of Prospectively Assigned Likert Scores for Targeted Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Transrectal Ultrasound Fusion Biopsies in Patients with Suspected Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Costa, Daniel N; Lotan, Yair; Rofsky, Neil M; Roehrborn, Claus; Liu, Alexander; Hornberger, Brad; Xi, Yin; Francis, Franto; Pedrosa, Ivan

2016-01-01

We assess the performance of prospectively assigned magnetic resonance imaging based Likert scale scores for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer, and analyze the pre-biopsy imaging variables associated with increased cancer detection using targeted magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy. In this retrospective review of prospectively generated data including men with abnormal multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (at least 1 Likert score 3 or greater lesion) who underwent subsequent targeted magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy, we determined the association between different imaging variables (Likert score, lesion size, lesion location, prostate volume, radiologist experience) and targeted biopsy positivity rate. We also compared the detection of clinically significant cancer according to Likert scale scores. Tumors with high volume (50% or more of any core) Gleason score 3+4 or any tumor with greater Gleason score were considered clinically significant. Each lesion served as the elementary unit for analysis. We used logistic regression for univariate and multivariate (stepwise selection) analysis to assess for an association between targeted biopsy positivity rate and each tested variable. The relationship between Likert scale and Gleason score was evaluated using the Spearman correlation coefficient. A total of 161 men with 244 lesions met the study eligibility criteria. Targeted biopsies diagnosed cancer in 41% (66 of 161) of the men and 41% (99 of 244) of the lesions. The Likert score was the strongest predictor of targeted biopsy positivity (OR 3.7, p <0.0001). Other imaging findings associated with a higher targeted biopsy positivity rate included smaller prostate volume (OR 0.7, p <0.01), larger lesion size (OR 2.2, p <0.001) and anterior location (OR 2.0, p=0.01). On multiple logistic regression analysis Likert score, lesion size and prostate volume were significant
Augmenting Fellow Education Through Spaced Multiple-Choice Questions.

PubMed

Barsoumian, Alice E; Yun, Heather C

2018-01-01

The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium Infectious Disease Fellowship program historically included a monthly short-answer and multiple-choice quiz. The intent was to ensure medical knowledge in relevant content areas that may not be addressed through clinical rotations, such as operationally relevant infectious disease. After completion, it was discussed in a small group with faculty. Over time, faculty noted increasing dissatisfaction with the activity. Spaced interval education is useful in retention of medical knowledge and skills by medical students and residents. Its use in infectious disease fellow education has not been described. To improve the quiz experience, we assessed the introduction of spaced education curriculum in our program. A pre-intervention survey was distributed to assess the monthly quiz with Likert scale and open-ended questions. A multiple-choice question spaced education curriculum was created using the Qstream(R) platform in 2011. Faculty development on question writing was conducted. Two questions were delivered every 2 d. Incorrectly and correctly answered questions were repeated after 7 and 13 d, respectively. Questions needed to be answered correctly twice to be retired. Fellow satisfaction was assessed at semi-annual fellowship reviews over 5 yr and by a one-time repeat survey. Pre-intervention survey of six fellows indicated dissatisfaction with the time commitment of the monthly quiz (median Likert score of 2, mean 6.5 h to complete), neutral in perceived utility, but satisfaction with knowledge retention (Likert score 4). Eighteen fellows over 5 yr participated in the spaced education curriculum. Three quizzes with 20, 39, and 48 questions were designed. Seventeen percentage of questions addressed operationally relevant topics. Fifty-nine percentage of questions were answered correctly on first attempt, improving to 93% correct answer rate at the end of the analysis. Questions were attempted 2,999 times
A Visual Analogue Scale and a Likert Scale are Simple and Responsive Tools for Assessing Dysphagia in Eosinophilic Esophagitis

PubMed Central

Reed, Craig C.; Wolf, W. Asher; Cotton, Cary C.; Dellon, Evan S.

2017-01-01

Background While symptom scores have been developed to evaluate dysphagia in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), their complexity may limit clinical use. Aim We aimed to evaluate a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a 10 point Likert scale (LS) for assessment of dysphagia severity before and after EoE treatment. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study enrolling consecutive adults undergoing outpatient endoscopy. Incident cases of EoE were diagnosed per consensus guidelines. At diagnosis and after 8 weeks of treatment, symptoms were measured using the VAS, LS, and the Mayo Dysphagia Questionnaire (MDQ). The percentage change in scores before and after treatment were compared overall, in treatment responders (<15 eos/hpf) and non-responders, and in patients without baseline dilation. Results In 51 EoE cases, the median VAS decreased from 3.6 at baseline to 1.4 post-treatment (71% decrease), the LS decreased from 6 to 2 (67%), and the MDQ decreased from 20 to 10 (49%). The VAS correlated with both the LS (R=0.77; p<0.0001) and MDQ (R=0.46, p=0.001). After stratification by histologic response, the LS decreased 70% in responders vs. 13% in non-responders (p=0.02). In patients who did not receive baseline dilation, both the VAS and LS decreased significantly more in the histologic responders. Conclusions Both the VAS and LS were responsive to successful histologic treatment. Because the VAS and LS are simple to administer and are responsive to treatment, they can provide an efficient and objective method for assessing dysphagia severity in EoE in clinical practice. PMID:28370355
A visual analogue scale and a Likert scale are simple and responsive tools for assessing dysphagia in eosinophilic oesophagitis.

PubMed

Reed, C C; Wolf, W A; Cotton, C C; Dellon, E S

2017-06-01

While symptom scores have been developed to evaluate dysphagia in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), their complexity may limit clinical use. To evaluate a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a 10-point Likert scale (LS) for assessment of dysphagia severity before and after EoE treatment. We conducted a prospective cohort study enrolling consecutive adults undergoing out-patient endoscopy. Incident cases of EoE were diagnosed per consensus guidelines. At diagnosis and after 8 weeks of treatment, symptoms were measured using the VAS, LS and the Mayo Dysphagia Questionnaire (MDQ). The percentage change in scores before and after treatment were compared overall, in treatment responders (<15 eos/hpf) and non-responders, and in patients without baseline dilation. In 51 EoE cases, the median VAS decreased from 3.6 at baseline to 1.4 post-treatment (71% decrease), the LS decreased from 6 to 2 (67%) and the MDQ decreased from 20 to 10 (49%). The VAS correlated with both the LS (R = 0.77; P < 0.0001) and MDQ (R = 0.46, P = 0.001). After stratification by histological response, the LS decreased 70% in responders vs. 13% in non-responders (P = 0.02). In patients who did not receive baseline dilation, both the VAS and LS decreased significantly more in the histological responders. Both the VAS and LS were responsive to successful treatment as measured by histologic improvement. Because the VAS and LS are simple to administer and are responsive to treatment, they can provide an efficient and objective method for assessing dysphagia severity in EoE in clinical practice. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Five-Point Likert Items: t Test versus Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Winter, Joost C. F.; Dodou, Dimitra

2010-01-01

Likert questionnaires are widely used in survey research, but it is unclear whether the item data should be investigated by means of parametric or nonparametric procedures. This study compared the Type I and II error rates of the "t" test versus the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon (MWW) for five-point Likert items. Fourteen population…
Diagnostic accuracy of a five-point Likert scoring system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluated according to results of MRI/ultrasonography image-fusion targeted biopsy of the prostate.

PubMed

Shin, Toshitaka; Smyth, Thomas B; Ukimura, Osamu; Ahmadi, Nariman; de Castro Abreu, Andre Luis; Ohe, Chisato; Oishi, Masakatsu; Mimata, Hiromitsu; Gill, Inderbir S

2018-01-01

To evaluate the accuracy of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based Likert scoring system in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPC), using MRI/ultrasonography (US) image-fusion targeted biopsy (FTB) as a reference standard. We retrospectively reviewed 1218 MRI-detected lesions in 629 patients who underwent subsequent MRI/US FTB between October 2012 and August 2015. 3-Tesla MRI was independently reported by one of eight radiologists with varying levels of experience and scored on a five-point Likert scale. All lesions with Likert scores 1-5 were prospectively defined as targets for MRI/US FTB. CSPC was defined as Gleason score ≥7. The median patient age was 64 years, PSA level 6.97 ng/mL and estimated prostate volume 52.2 mL. Of 1218 lesions, 48% (n = 581) were rated as Likert 1-2, 35% (n = 428) were Likert 3 and 17% (n = 209) were Likert 4-5. For Likert scores 1-5, the overall cancer detection rates were 12%, 13%, 22%, 50% and 59%, respectively, and the CSPC detection rates were 4%, 4%, 12%, 33% and 48%, respectively. Grading using the five-point scale showed strong positive correlation with overall cancer detection rate (r = 0.949, P = 0.05) and CSPC detection rate (r = 0.944, P = 0.05). By comparison, in Likert 4-5 lesions, significant differences were noted in overall cancer detection rate (63% vs 35%; P = 0.001) and CSPC detection rate (47% vs 29%; P = 0.027) for the more experienced vs the less experienced radiologists. The detection rates of overall cancer and CSPC strongly correlated with the five-point grading of the Likert scale. Among radiologists with different levels of experience, there were significant differences in these cancer detection rates. © 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Use of questioning during lectures in a dental hygiene didactic course.

PubMed

Hessheimer, Heather M; Rogo, Ellen J; Howlett, Bernadette

2011-08-01

The purposes of this quasi-experimental, one-group crossover study were to determine the effect of questioning during dental hygiene lectures on low-level and high-level learning and to evaluate student perceptions of questioning. Twenty-three dental hygiene students participated in two control lectures using traditional lecturing methods. The students served as their own controls by next participating in two experimental lectures with questions asked throughout the lecture at both low and high cognitive levels. Student performance was measured with an examination containing low- and high-level questions. The interaction between the group and the level of questions was analyzed using ANOVA, and no statistically significant difference was found. Based on a Likert scale (1 to 6), average ratings for student perceptions were as follows: enjoyment of use, 4.5; understanding the lecture material, 4.74; and questioning effectiveness, 4.35. Student perceptions of questioning were positive; however, this strategy was found to be no more effective than the traditional lecture in promoting retention of information.
Library Anxiety of Law Students: A Study Utilizing the Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Stacey L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether law students experienced library anxiety and, if so, which components contributed to that anxiety. The Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale (MLAS) developed by Dr. Doris Van Kampen was used to assess library anxiety levels of law students. The MLAS is a 53 question Likert scale instrument that…
General mixture item response models with different item response structures: Exposition with an application to Likert scales.

PubMed

Tijmstra, Jesper; Bolsinova, Maria; Jeon, Minjeong

2018-01-10

This article proposes a general mixture item response theory (IRT) framework that allows for classes of persons to differ with respect to the type of processes underlying the item responses. Through the use of mixture models, nonnested IRT models with different structures can be estimated for different classes, and class membership can be estimated for each person in the sample. If researchers are able to provide competing measurement models, this mixture IRT framework may help them deal with some violations of measurement invariance. To illustrate this approach, we consider a two-class mixture model, where a person's responses to Likert-scale items containing a neutral middle category are either modeled using a generalized partial credit model, or through an IRTree model. In the first model, the middle category ("neither agree nor disagree") is taken to be qualitatively similar to the other categories, and is taken to provide information about the person's endorsement. In the second model, the middle category is taken to be qualitatively different and to reflect a nonresponse choice, which is modeled using an additional latent variable that captures a person's willingness to respond. The mixture model is studied using simulation studies and is applied to an empirical example.
[Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief - Likert format: Factor structure analysis in general population in France].

PubMed

Ferchiou, A; Todorov, L; Lajnef, M; Baudin, G; Pignon, B; Richard, J-R; Leboyer, M; Szöke, A; Schürhoff, F

2017-12-01

The main objective of the study was to explore the factorial structure of the French version of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) in a Likert format, in a representative sample of the general population. In addition, differences in the dimensional scores of schizotypy according to gender and age were analyzed. As the study in the general population of schizotypal traits and its determinants has been recently proposed as a way toward the understanding of aetiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia, consistent self-report tools are crucial to measure psychometric schizotypy. A shorter version of the widely used Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ-Brief) has been extensively investigated in different countries, particularly in samples of students or clinical adolescents, and more recently, a few studies used a Likert-type scale format which allows partial endorsement of items and reduces the risk of defensive answers. A sample of 233 subjects representative of the adult population from an urban area near Paris (Créteil) was recruited using the "itinerary method". They completed the French version of the SPQ-B with a 5-point Likert-type response format (1=completely disagree; 5=completely agree). We examined the dimensional structure of the French version of the SPQ-B with a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) followed by a promax rotation. Factor selection was based on Eigenvalues over 1.0 (Kaiser's criterion), Cattell's Scree-plot test, and interpretability of the factors. Items with loadings greater than 0.4 were retained for each dimension. The internal consistency estimate of the dimensions was calculated with Cronbach's α. In order to study the influence of age and gender, we carried out a simple linear regression with the subscales as dependent variables. Our sample was composed of 131 women (mean age=52.5±18.2 years) and 102 men (mean age=53±18.1 years). SPQ-B Likert total scores ranged from 22 to 84 points (mean=43.6�
The birth satisfaction scale: Turkish adaptation, validation and reliability study

PubMed Central

Cetin, Fatma Cosar; Sezer, Ayse; Merih, Yeliz Dogan

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the validity and the reliability of Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) and to adapt it into the Turkish language. This scale is used for measuring maternal satisfaction with birth in order to evaluate women’s birth perceptions. METHODS: In this study there were 150 women who attended to inpatient postpartum clinic. The participants filled in an information form and the BSS questionnaire forms. The properties of the scale were tested by conducting reliability and validation analyses. RESULTS: BSS entails 30 Likert-type questions. It was developed by Hollins Martin and Fleming. Total scale scores ranged between 30–150 points. Higher scores from the scale mean increases in birth satisfaction. Three overarching themes were identified in Scale: service provision (home assessment, birth environment, support, relationships with health care professionals); personal attributes (ability to cope during labour, feeling in control, childbirth preparation, relationship with baby); and stress experienced during labour (distress, obstetric injuries, receiving sufficient medical care, obstetric intervention, pain, prolonged labour and baby’s health). Cronbach’s alfa coefficient was 0.62. CONCLUSION: According to the present study, BSS entails 30 Likert-type questions and evaluates women’s birth perceptions. The Turkish version of BSS has been proven to be a valid and a reliable scale. PMID:28058355
The Response Scale for the Intellectual Disability Module of the WHOQOL: 5-Point or 3-Point?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, J.; Fleck, M. P.; Green, A.; McVilly, K.; Hao, Y.; Tan, W.; Fu, R.; Power, M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To deal with the question of whether a 5-point response Likert scale should be changed to a 3-point scale when used in the field testing of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs), which was raised after the pilot study of World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-DIS, a module being developed with the World Health…

Instrument development and validation of a quality scale for historical research papers (QSHRP): a pilot study.

PubMed

Kelly, Jacinta; Watson, Roger

2014-12-01

To report a pilot study for the development and validation of an instrument to measure quality in historical research papers. There are no set criteria to assess historical papers published in nursing journals. A three phase mixed method sequential confirmatory design. In 2012, we used a three-phase approach to item generation and content evaluation. In phase 1, we consulted nursing historians using an online survey comprising three open-ended questions and revised the items. In phase 2, we evaluated the revised items for relevance with expert historians using a 4-point Likert scale and Content Validity Index calculation. In phase 3, we conducted reliability testing of the instrument using a 3-point Likert scale. In phase 1, 121 responses were generated via the online survey and revised to 40 interrogatively phrased items. In phase 2, five items with an Item Content Validity Index score of ≥0·7 remained. In phase 3, responses from historians resulted in 100% agreement to questions 1, 2 and 4 and 89% and 78%, respectively, to questions 3 and 5. Items for the QSHRP have been identified, content validated and reliability tested. This scale improves on previous scales, which over-emphasized source criticism. However, a full-scale study is needed with nursing historians to increase its robustness. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Improving the Factor Structure of Psychological Scales

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xijuan; Savalei, Victoria

2015-01-01

Many psychological scales written in the Likert format include reverse worded (RW) items in order to control acquiescence bias. However, studies have shown that RW items often contaminate the factor structure of the scale by creating one or more method factors. The present study examines an alternative scale format, called the Expanded format, which replaces each response option in the Likert scale with a full sentence. We hypothesized that this format would result in a cleaner factor structure as compared with the Likert format. We tested this hypothesis on three popular psychological scales: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, the Conscientiousness subscale of the Big Five Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Scales in both formats showed comparable reliabilities. However, scales in the Expanded format had better (i.e., lower and more theoretically defensible) dimensionalities than scales in the Likert format, as assessed by both exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses. We encourage further study and wider use of the Expanded format, particularly when a scale’s dimensionality is of theoretical interest. PMID:27182074
Validation of self-reported health literacy questions among diverse English and Spanish-speaking populations.

PubMed

Sarkar, Urmimala; Schillinger, Dean; López, Andrea; Sudore, Rebecca

2011-03-01

Limited health literacy (HL) contributes to poor health outcomes and disparities, and direct measurement is often time-intensive. Self-reported HL questions have not been validated among Spanish-speaking and diverse English-speaking populations. To evaluate three self-reported questions: 1 "How confident are you filling out medical forms?"; 2 "How often do you have problems learning about your medical condition because of difficulty understanding written information?"; and 3 "How often do you have someone help you read hospital materials?" Answers were based on a 5-point Likert scale. This was a validation study nested within a trial of diabetes self-management support in the San Francisco Department of Public Health. English and Spanish-speaking adults with type 2 diabetes receiving primary care. Using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA) in English and Spanish as the reference, we classified HL as inadequate, marginal, or adequate. We calculated the C-index and test characteristics of the three questions and summative scale compared to the s-TOFHLA and assessed variations in performance by language, race/ethnicity, age, and education. Of 296 participants, 48% were Spanish-speaking; 9% were White, non-Hispanic; 47% had inadequate HL and 12% had marginal HL. Overall, 57% reported being confident with forms "somewhat" or less. The "confident with forms" question performed best for detecting inadequate (C-index = 0.82, (0.77-0.87)) and inadequate plus marginal HL (C index = 0.81, (0.76-0.86); p<0.01 for differences from other questions), and performed comparably to the summative scale. The "confident with forms" question and scale also performed best across language, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and age. A single self-reported HL question about confidence with forms and a summative scale of three questions discriminated between Spanish and English speakers with adequate HL and those with inadequate and/or inadequate plus marginal HL
Measuring Generalized Trust: An Examination of Question Wording and the Number of Scale Points.

PubMed

Lundmark, Sebastian; Gilljam, Mikael; Dahlberg, Stefan

2016-01-01

Survey institutes recently have changed their measurement of generalized trust from the standard dichotomous scale to an 11-point scale. Additionally, numerous survey institutes use different question wordings: where most rely on the standard, fully balanced question (asking if "most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people"), some use minimally balanced questions, asking only if it is "possible to trust people." By using two survey-embedded experiments, one with 12,009 self-selected respondents and the other with a probability sample of 2,947 respondents, this study evaluates the generalized trust question in terms of question wording and number of scale points used. Results show that, contrary to the more commonly used standard question format (used, for example, by the American National Election Studies and the General Social Survey), generalized trust is best measured with a minimally balanced question wording accompanied with either a seven- or an 11-point scale.
Concept mapping improves academic performance in problem solving questions in biochemistry subject.

PubMed

Baig, Mukhtiar; Tariq, Saba; Rehman, Rehana; Ali, Sobia; Gazzaz, Zohair J

2016-01-01

To assess the effectiveness of concept mapping (CM) on the academic performance of medical students' in problem-solving as well as in declarative knowledge questions and their perception regarding CM. The present analytical and questionnaire-based study was carried out at Bahria University Medical and Dental College (BUMDC), Karachi, Pakistan. In this analytical study, students were assessed with problem-solving questions (A-type MCQs), and declarative knowledge questions (short essay questions), and 50% of the questions were from the topics learned by CM. Students also filled a 10-item, 3-point Likert scale questionnaire about their perception regarding the effectiveness of the CM approach, and two open-ended questions were also asked. There was a significant difference in the marks obtained in those problem-solving questions, which were learned by CM as compared to those topics which were taught by the traditional lectures (p<0.001), while no significant difference was observed in marks in declarative knowledge questions (p=0.704). Analysis of students' perception regarding CM showed that majority of the students perceive that CM is a helpful technique and it is enjoyed by the students. In open-ended questions, the majority of the students commented positively about the effectiveness of CM. Our results indicate that CM improves academic performance in problem solving but not in declarative knowledge questions. Students' perception about the effectiveness of CM was overwhelmingly positive.
Five critical questions of scale for the coastal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swaney, D. P.; Humborg, C.; Emeis, K.; Kannen, A.; Silvert, W.; Tett, P.; Pastres, R.; Solidoro, C.; Yamamuro, M.; Hénocque, Y.; Nicholls, R.

2012-01-01

Social and ecological systems around the world are becoming increasingly globalized. From the standpoint of understanding coastal ecosystem behavior, system boundaries are not sufficient to define causes of change. A flutter in the stock market in Tokyo or Hong Kong can affect salmon producers in Norway or farmers in Togo. The globalization of opportunistic species and the disempowerment of people trying to manage their own affairs on a local scale seem to coincide with the globalization of trade. Human-accelerated environmental change, including climate change, can exacerbate this sense of disenfranchisement. The structure and functioning of coastal ecosystems have been developed over thousands of years subject to environmental forces and constraints imposed mainly on local scales. However, phenomena that transcend these conventional scales have emerged with the explosion of human population, and especially with the rise of modern global culture. Here, we examine five broad questions of scale in the coastal zone: How big are coastal ecosystems and why should we care? Temporal scales of change in coastal waters and watersheds: Can we detect shifting baselines due to economic development and other drivers? Are footprints more important than boundaries? What makes a decision big? The tyranny of small decisions in coastal regions. Scales of complexity in coastal waters: the simple, the complicated or the complex? These questions do not have straightforward answers. There is no single "scale" for coastal ecosystems; their multiscale nature complicates our understanding and management of them. Coastal ecosystems depend on their watersheds as well as spatially-diffuse "footprints" associated with modern trade and material flows. Change occurs both rapidly and slowly on human time scales, and observing and responding to changes in coastal environments is a fundamental challenge. Apparently small human decisions collectively have potentially enormous consequences for
Appropriate Statistical Analysis for Two Independent Groups of Likert-Type Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warachan, Boonyasit

2011-01-01

The objective of this research was to determine the robustness and statistical power of three different methods for testing the hypothesis that ordinal samples of five and seven Likert categories come from equal populations. The three methods are the two sample t-test with equal variances, the Mann-Whitney test, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. In…
LATIST: A Performance Support Tool for Integrating Technologies into Defense Acquisition University Learning Assets

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

TECHNOLOGIES INTO DEFENSE ACqUISITION UNIVERSITY LEARNING ASSETS Nada Dabbagh, Kevin Clark, Susan Dass , Salim Al Waaili, Sally Byrd, Susan...demographic data, four Likert- scale questions that targeted respondents’ familiarity with ALT, and one Likert- scale question addressing the...use of technology in learning with under- served populations. (E-mail address: kclark6@gmu.edu) Ms. Susan Dass has over 20 years’ experi- ence in
Likert or Not, Survey (In)Validation Requires Explicit Theories and True Grit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrane, Joshua A.; Nowland, Trisha

2017-01-01

From the time of Likert (1932) on, attitudes of expediency regarding both theory and methodology became apparent with reference to survey construction and validation practices. In place of theory and more--theoretically minded methods, such as those found in the early work of Thurstone (1928) and Coombs (1964), statistical models and…
A Mathematical Approach in Evaluating Biotechnology Attitude Scale: Rough Set Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narli, Serkan; Sinan, Olcay

2011-01-01

Individuals' thoughts and attitudes towards biotechnology have been investigated in many countries. A Likert-type scale is the most commonly used scale to measure attitude. However, the weak side of a likert-type scale is that different responses may produce the same score. The Rough set method has been regarded to address this shortcoming. A…
Understanding Market Segments and Competition in the Private Military Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Likert scale, and importance scale) and “open-end” (unstructured) questions ( Kotler , 2009, p.137). We applied parts of the Tailored Design Method... Kotler , 2008, p. 249). Item 2 and Items 8-10 of the questionnaire attempted to capture the market niche/s that the respondents’ reportedly... Kotler , 2009, p. 137). These questions were designed using Likert-type items to assess the participant’s level of importance or level of
Effects of Scale, Question Location, Order of Response Alternatives, and Season on Self-Reported Noise Annoyance Using ICBEN Scales: A Field Experiment.

PubMed

Brink, Mark; Schreckenberg, Dirk; Vienneau, Danielle; Cajochen, Christian; Wunderli, Jean-Marc; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Röösli, Martin

2016-11-23

The type of noise annoyance scale and aspects of its presentation such as response format or location within a questionnaire and other contextual factors may affect self-reported noise annoyance. By means of a balanced experimental design, the effect of type of annoyance question and corresponding scale (5-point verbal vs. 11-point numerical ICBEN (International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise) scale), presentation order of scale points (ascending vs. descending), question location (early vs. late within the questionnaire), and survey season (autumn vs. spring) on reported road traffic noise annoyance was investigated in a postal survey with a stratified random sample of 2386 Swiss residents. Our results showed that early appearance of annoyance questions was significantly associated with higher annoyance scores. Questionnaires filled out in autumn were associated with a significantly higher annoyance rating than in the springtime. No effect was found for the order of response alternatives. Standardized average annoyance scores were slightly higher using the 11-point numerical scale whereas the percentage of highly annoyed respondents was higher based on the 5-point scale, using common cutoff points. In conclusion, placement and presentation of annoyance questions within a questionnaire, as well as the time of the year a survey is carried out, have small but demonstrable effects on the degree of self-reported noise annoyance.
Effects of Scale, Question Location, Order of Response Alternatives, and Season on Self-Reported Noise Annoyance Using ICBEN Scales: A Field Experiment

PubMed Central

Brink, Mark; Schreckenberg, Dirk; Vienneau, Danielle; Cajochen, Christian; Wunderli, Jean-Marc; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Röösli, Martin

2016-01-01

The type of noise annoyance scale and aspects of its presentation such as response format or location within a questionnaire and other contextual factors may affect self-reported noise annoyance. By means of a balanced experimental design, the effect of type of annoyance question and corresponding scale (5-point verbal vs. 11-point numerical ICBEN (International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise) scale), presentation order of scale points (ascending vs. descending), question location (early vs. late within the questionnaire), and survey season (autumn vs. spring) on reported road traffic noise annoyance was investigated in a postal survey with a stratified random sample of 2386 Swiss residents. Our results showed that early appearance of annoyance questions was significantly associated with higher annoyance scores. Questionnaires filled out in autumn were associated with a significantly higher annoyance rating than in the springtime. No effect was found for the order of response alternatives. Standardized average annoyance scores were slightly higher using the 11-point numerical scale whereas the percentage of highly annoyed respondents was higher based on the 5-point scale, using common cutoff points. In conclusion, placement and presentation of annoyance questions within a questionnaire, as well as the time of the year a survey is carried out, have small but demonstrable effects on the degree of self-reported noise annoyance. PMID:27886110
A Study of Student Completion Strategies in a Likert-Type Course Evaluation Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, Nick

2017-01-01

This article investigates the motivations and strategies employed by respondents to a Likert-style course evaluation at a UK university. These attitude surveys, generating large amounts of quantitative data, are commonly used in quality assurance procedures across UK higher education institutions. Similar student survey results are now scrutinised…
Development and Validation of the POSITIVES Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Nguyen, Mai N.; Wolforth, Joan; Budd, Jillian; Barile, Maria; Gaulin, Chris; Martiniello, Natalie; Tibbs, Anthony; Ferraro, Vittoria; Amsel, Rhonda

2009-01-01

Data on how well information and communication technology (ICT) needs of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities are met on and off campus were collected using the newly developed Positives Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which use a 6-point Likert scale (1 =…
The Visual Analogue Scale for Rating, Ranking and Paired-Comparison (VAS-RRP): A new technique for psychological measurement.

PubMed

Sung, Yao-Ting; Wu, Jeng-Shin

2018-04-17

Traditionally, the visual analogue scale (VAS) has been proposed to overcome the limitations of ordinal measures from Likert-type scales. However, the function of VASs to overcome the limitations of response styles to Likert-type scales has not yet been addressed. Previous research using ranking and paired comparisons to compensate for the response styles of Likert-type scales has suffered from limitations, such as that the total score of ipsative measures is a constant that cannot be analyzed by means of many common statistical techniques. In this study we propose a new scale, called the Visual Analogue Scale for Rating, Ranking, and Paired-Comparison (VAS-RRP), which can be used to collect rating, ranking, and paired-comparison data simultaneously, while avoiding the limitations of each of these data collection methods. The characteristics, use, and analytic method of VAS-RRPs, as well as how they overcome the disadvantages of Likert-type scales, ranking, and VASs, are discussed. On the basis of analyses of simulated and empirical data, this study showed that VAS-RRPs improved reliability, response style bias, and parameter recovery. Finally, we have also designed a VAS-RRP Generator for researchers' construction and administration of their own VAS-RRPs.
Nursing students collaborating to develop multiple-choice exam revision questions: A student engagement study.

PubMed

Craft, Judy A; Christensen, Martin; Shaw, Natasha; Bakon, Shannon

2017-12-01

Nursing students find bioscience subjects challenging. Bioscience exams pose particular concerns for these students, which may lead to students adopting a surface-approach to learning. To promote student collective understanding of bioscience, improve their confidence for the final exam, and improve deeper understanding of bioscience. In order to address exam anxiety, and improve student understanding of content, this student engagement project involved nursing students collaborating in small groups to develop multiple-choice questions and answers, which became available to the entire student cohort. This study was conducted at two campuses of an Australian university, within a first year bioscience subject as part of the undergraduate nursing programme. All students enrolled in the subject were encouraged to attend face-to-face workshops, and collaborate in revision question writing. Online anonymous questionnaires were used to invite student feedback on this initiative; 79 respondents completed this feedback. Students collaborated in groups to write revision questions as part of in-class activities. These questions were made available on the student online learning site for revision. An online feedback survey was deployed at the conclusion of all workshops for this subject, with questions rated using a Likert scale. Participants indicated that they enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate in this activity, and almost all of these respondents used these questions in their exam preparation. There was strong agreement that this activity improved their confidence for the final exam. Importantly, almost two-thirds of respondents agreed that writing questions improved their understanding of content, and assisted in their active reflection of content. Overall, this initiative revealed various potential benefits for the students, including promoting bioscience understanding and confidence. This may improve their long-term understanding of bioscience for nursing practice
Validity and Reliability of Trichotomous Achievement Goal Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilker, Gokce Erturan; Arslan, Yunus; Demirhan, Giyasettin

2011-01-01

The Trichotomous Achievement Goal Scale was developed by Agbuga and Xiang (2008) by including selected items from the scales of Duda and Nicholls (1992), Elliot (1999), and Elliot and Church (1997) and adapting them into Turkish. The scale consists of 18 items, and students rated each item on a 7-point Likert scale. To ascertain the validity and…
Designing the Nuclear Energy Attitude Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calhoun, Lawrence; And Others

1988-01-01

Presents a refined method for designing a valid and reliable Likert-type scale to test attitudes toward the generation of electricity from nuclear energy. Discusses various tests of validity that were used on the nuclear energy scale. Reports results of administration and concludes that the test is both reliable and valid. (CW)
Reflective Thinking Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basol, Gulsah; Evin Gencel, Ilke

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to adapt Reflective Thinking Scale to Turkish and investigate its validity and reliability over a Turkish university students' sample. Reflective Thinking Scale (RTS) is a 5 point Likert scale (ranging from 1 corresponding Agree Completely, 3 to Neutral, and 5 to Not Agree Completely), purposed to measure reflective…

Development and validation of a public attitudes toward epilepsy (PATE) scale.

PubMed

Lim, Kheng-Seang; Wu, Cathie; Choo, Wan-Yuen; Tan, Chong-Tin

2012-06-01

A quantitative scale of public attitudes toward epilepsy is essential to determine the magnitude of social stigma against epilepsy. This study aims to develop and validate a cross-culturally applicable scale of public attitudes toward epilepsy. A set of questions was selected from questionnaires identified from a literature review, following which a panel review determined the final version, consisting of 18 items. A 1-5 Likert scale was used for scoring. Additional questions, related to perception of the productivity of people with epilepsy and of a modified epilepsy stigma scale, were added as part of construct validation. One hundred and thirty heterogeneous respondents were collected, consisting of various age groups, ethnicity and occupation status levels. After item and factor analyses, the final version consisted of 14 items. Psychometric properties of the scale were first determined using factor analysis, which revealed a general and a personal domain, with good internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient 0.868 and 0.633, respectively). Construct validation was demonstrated. The mean score for the personal domain was higher than that for the general domain (2.72±0.56 and 2.09±0.59, respectively). The mean scores of those with tertiary education were significantly lower for the general domain, but not for the personal domain. Age was positively correlated with the mean scores in the personal domain, but not in the general domain. This scale is a reliable and valid scale to assess public attitudes toward epilepsy, in both the general and personal domains. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Barriers to Research Utilization Scale: psychometric properties of the Turkish version.

PubMed

Temel, Ayla Bayik; Uysal, Aynur; Ardahan, Melek; Ozkahraman, Sukran

2010-02-01

This paper is report of a study designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. The original Barriers to Research Utilization Scale was developed by Funk et al. in the United States of America. Many researchers in various countries have used this scale to identify barriers to research utilization. A methodological study was carried out at four hospitals. The sample consisted of 300 nurses. Data were collected in 2005 using a socio-demographic form (12 questions) and the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. A Likert-type scale composed of four sub-factors and 29 items was used. Means and standard deviations were calculated for interval level data. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Language equivalence and content validity were assessed by eight experts. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the Turkish version was made up of four subscales. Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.92 for the total scale and ranged from 0.73 to 0.80 for the subscales. Total-item correlation coefficients ranged from 0.37 to 0.60. The Turkish version of the scale is similar in structure to the original English language scale.
Perception of Parents Scale: Development and Validation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wintre, Maxine Gallander; Yaffe, Marvin

This paper describes the development and validation of the Perception of Parents Scale (POPS), which was designed to measure the transformation in parent-child relations from the initial positions of authority and obedience to the mature position of mutual reciprocity. A 51-item, 4-point Likert scale was designed. Items were divided into three…
Development of a Metaconceptual Awareness and Regulation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirbulut, Zubeyde Demet; Uzuntiryaki-Kondakci, Esen; Beeth, Michael Edward

2016-01-01

This study aimed to develop the Metaconceptual Awareness and Regulation Scale (MARS) -- a self-report instrument for measuring the extent to which students realise, monitor, and evaluate their ideas. MARS consists of 10 items scored on a six-point Likert scale for two factors: metaconceptual awareness and metaconceptual regulation. A pilot study…
Maximizing Teacher Time: The Collaborative Leadership Role of the Principal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterret, William L.; Parker, Michele A.; Mitzner, Kris

2018-01-01

Using data from the 2014 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (NCTWC) biennial survey researchers identified a sample from over 2,500 principals. The researchers surveyed 68 principals; 24 principals participated in a 19-item survey containing 5 demographic questions, 7 Likert-scale questions, and 7 open-ended questions. The descriptive…
Designing a valid and reliable Likert attitude scale on the generation of electricity from nuclear power plants

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

Calhoun, L.D.

A 15-step flowchart model was applied to the construction of a 20-item long form and a 6-item short form of the scale. Both scales were field-tested on 829 respondents representing a diverse range of subjects: high school juniors and seniors, nuclear engineering students, pre-service teachers, and members of a citizens action group. Both scales are available for immediate use. The 20-item scale appears to be reliable, content valid, and construct valid. Content validity was examined through factor analysis and the use of two separate juries of nuclear experts. Construct validity was examined by application of the known-groups approach. Scale reliabilitymore » and homogeneity were evidenced by a 0.93 coefficient alpha, a range of positive interim correlations of 0.15 to 0.73, and a range of adjusted item-total correlations of 0.46 to 0.80. The 20-item scale also has evaluative quality; means ranged from 2.80 to 3.70. Content validity for the 6-item scale was examined by a jury of nuclear experts. An obtained coefficient alpha of 0.82, a range of interim correlations of 0.51 to 0.72 suggest the scale is reliable and homogeneous. The 6-item short form also appears to have evaluative quality; means ranged from 2.37 to 3.18.« less
Value-Eroding Teacher Behaviors Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arseven, Zeynep; Kiliç, Abdurrahman; Sahin, Seyma

2016-01-01

In the present study, it is aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale for determining value-eroding behaviors of teachers, hence their values of judgment. The items of the "Value-eroding Teacher Behaviors Scale" were designed in the form of 5-point likert type rating scale. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to…
Psychometric Comparison of the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) and the Questions about Behavioral Function (QABF)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koritsas, S.; Iacono, T.

2013-01-01

Background: The Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) and the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) are frequently used to assess the learned function of challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disability (ID). The aim was to explore and compare the psychometric properties of the MAS and the QABF. Method: Seventy adults with ID and…
Factor Analysis of the Omega Scale: A Scale Designed To Measure the Attitudes of College Students toward Their Own Deaths and the Disposition of Their Bodies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staik, Irene M.

A study was undertaken to provide a factor analysis of the Omega Scale, a 25-item, Likert-type scale developed in 1984 to assess attitudes toward death and funerals and other body disposition practices. The Omega Scale was administered to 250 students enrolled in introductory psychology classes at two higher education institutions in Alabama.…
Classifying CT/MR findings in patients with suspicion of hepatocellular carcinoma: Comparison of liver imaging reporting and data system and criteria-free Likert scale reporting models.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-Dong; Zhu, Fei-Peng; Xu, Xun; Wang, Qing; Wu, Chen-Jiang; Liu, Xi-Sheng; Shi, Hai-Bin

2016-02-01

To compare the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) and a criteria-free Likert scale (LS) reporting models for classifying computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MR) findings of suspicious hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Imaging data of 281 hepatic nodules in 203 patients were retrospectively included. Imaging characteristics including diameter, arterial hyperenhancement, washout, and capsule were reviewed independently by two groups of readers using LI-RADS and LS (range, score 1-5). LS is primarily based on the overall impression of image findings without using fixed criteria. Interreader agreement (IRA), intraclass agreement (ICA), and diagnostic performance were determined by Fleiss, Cohen's kappa (κ), and logistic regression, respectively. There were 167 contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) versus 114 MR data. Overall, IRA was moderate (κ = 0.47, 0.52); IRA was moderate-to-good for arterial hyperenhancement, washout, and capsule (κ = 0.56-0.69); excellent for diameter and tumor embolus (κ = 0.99). Overall, ICA between LI-RADS and LS was moderate (κ = 0.44-0.50); ICA was good for scores 1-2 (κ = 0.71-0.90), moderate for scores 3 and 5 (κ = 0.41-0.52), but very poor for score 4 (κ = 0.11-0.19). LI-RADS produced significantly lower accuracy (78.6% vs. 87.2%) and sensitivity (72.1% vs. 92.8%), higher specificity (97.3% vs. 71.2%) and positive likelihood ratio (+LR: 26.32 vs. 3.23) in diagnosis of HCC. CECT produced relatively low IRA, ICA, and diagnostic ability against MR. There were substantial variations in liver observations between LI-RADS and LS. Further study is needed to investigate ICA between CECT and MR. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tipping the scales: educating surgeons about medical malpractice.

PubMed

Raper, Steven E; Joseph, Johncy; Seymour, Wilda G; Sullivan, Patricia G

2016-11-01

In Pennsylvania, medical malpractice premiums are a major cost to surgeons. Yet surgeons often have little if any education in the basics of tort litigation or how to manage their risk. This work describes one approach for educating academic faculty surgeons on current concepts of medical malpractice and provide some guidance on how to "tip the scales of justice"; or minimize the risks of being named in a malpractice claim. The course had five parts: the basics of medical malpractice, the cost of malpractice insurance, current departmental claims experience, strategies for decreasing the risk of being named in a claim, and an overview of malpractice reforms. An anonymous seven question survey was cast in a five-point Likert scale format. A weighted average of 4.5 or above was considered satisfactory. Two free text questions asked about positive and negative aspects of the course. Eighty of 95 (84%) faculty attended either in person or by reviewing a web-based video. Quantitatively, five of seven questions had a weighted average of more than 4.5 (n = 48, response rate = 60%). Qualitatively, the course was reviewed very favorably. The high percentage of participation and overall survey results suggest that the course was successful. This course was one facet of an approach to decrease the risk of malpractice claims. Unique aspects of this course include an emphasis on state law, department-specific data, and strategies to minimize risk of future claims. Given the state-specific nature of malpractice claims and litigation, individual departments must particularize similar presentations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Taylor, Graicunas, Worthy, Likert, and Thayer: Span of Control and Organizational Structure--Where They Fit on the "Leadership Continuum."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corder, Lloyd E.

The "Leadership Continuum" model developed in 1961 by R. Tannenbaum, I. Weschler, and F. Massarik clearly illustrates the ideas that management scholars like Frederick Taylor, V. A. Graicunas, James Worthy, Rensis Likert, and Frederick Thayer have posited concerning span of control and organizational structure. Each of these scholars…
The Use of Technology by Nonformal Environmental Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peffer, Tamara Elizabeth; Bodzin, Alec M.; Smith, Judith Duffield

2013-01-01

This study examined the use of instructional and learning technologies by nonformal environmental educators. A 40-question survey was developed to inquire about practitioner demographics, technology use in practice, and beliefs about technology. The survey consisted of multiple choice, open-ended questions, and a Likert-type scale component--the…
Using a Likert Scale to Measure "Environmental Responsibility"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horvat, Robert E.; Voelker, Alan M.

1976-01-01

An instrument (Some Ideas) was developed to assess the environmental responsibility of fifth and eighth grade students, and their perceptions of environmental problems and the people who work with them. Student scores served as the dependent variable in ANOVAS with the independent variables including grade, community, SES, IQ, and sex. (BT)
The Development of an Objective Scale to Measure a Transpersonal Orientation to Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Stewart B.; Fitzgerald, Louise F.

1989-01-01

A 40-item Likert scale, Transpersonal Orientation to Learning, was developed to investigate transpersonal (spiritual or mystical) orientation. The scale was validated via administration to 166 graduate students in education to determine their beliefs about the development of spiritual potential in learning environments. Satisfactory reliability…
Development of an Attitude Scale towards High School Physics Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavas, Pervin Ünlü; Çagan, Sultan

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a Likert type attitude scale for high school students with regard to high school physics lessons. The research was carried out with high school students who were studying in Ankara. First, the opinions of 105 high school students about physics lessons were obtained and then 55 scale items were determined from…
The Development of a Recycling Awareness Scale for Prospective Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksan, Zeynep; Çelikler, Dilek

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale for measuring prospective science teachers' awareness of waste recycling. The study was conducted with the participation of 382 prospective teachers attending a university located in northern Turkey. The five-point Likert type scale that was developed contained 82 items relating to prospective…
Development and evaluation of a regional, large-scale interprofessional collaborative care summit.

PubMed

Foote, Edward F; Clarke, Virginia; Szarek, John L; Waters, Sharon K; Walline, Vera; Shea, Diane; Goss, Sheryl; Farrell, Marian; Easton, Diana; Dunleavy, Erin; Arscott, Karen

2015-01-01

The Northeastern/Central Pennsylvania Interprofessional Education Coalition (NECPA IPEC) is a coalition of faculty from multiple smaller academic institutions with a mission to promote interprofessional education. An interprofessional learning program was organized, which involved 676 learners from 10 different institutions representing 16 unique professions, and took place at seven different institutions simultaneously. The program was a 3-hour long summit which focused on the management of a patient with ischemic stroke. A questionnaire consisting of the Interprofessional Education Perception Scale (IEPS) questionnaire (pre-post summit), Likert-type questions, and open comment questions explored the learners' perceptions of the session and their attitudes toward interprofessional learning. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical tests for difference and qualitative thematic coding. The attitude of learners toward interprofessional education (as measured by the IEPS) was quite high even prior to the summit, so there were no significant changes after the summit. However, a high percentage of learners and facilitators agreed that the summit met its objective and was effective. In addition, the thematic analysis of the open-ended questions confirmed that students learned from the experience with a sense of the core competencies of interprofessional education and practice. A collaborative approach to delivering interprofessional learning is time and work intensive but beneficial to learners.
Investigation of Students' Reading Anxiety with Regards to Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilinc, Hasan Huseyin; Yenen, Emin Tamer

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine students' views on reading anxiety with regards to variables of gender and grade levels of the students and socio-economic level of the schools. To this end, Melanlioglu's (2014) "Reading Anxiety Scale", a 5 point likert scale consisting of 14 questions, was used. The scale consists of following…
A Cross-Cultural Validation Study of the Computer Attitude Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, JinGyu; And Others

The reliability and factorial validity of the Computer Attitudes Scale (CAS) was assessed with college students in South Korea. The CAS was developed for use with high school students, but has been used in higher education in the United States. It is a Likert-type scale of 30 positive and negative statements about the use of computers, and is one…

Development of a Scale for Measuring Teachers' Attitudes toward Students' Inappropriate Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malak, Md. Saiful; Sharma, Umesh; Deppeler, Joanne M.

2017-01-01

This study aimed at developing a valid and reliable instrument for measuring attitudes of primary schoolteachers toward inappropriate student behaviour. A systematic approach was used to develop the scale. Results provide preliminary evidence that the new instrument (consisting of 13 items on a six-point Likert type scale) meets the standards for…
Preparing Attitude Scale to Define Students' Attitudes about Environment, Recycling, Plastic and Plastic Waste

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avan, Cagri; Aydinli, Bahattin; Bakar, Fatma; Alboga, Yunus

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to introduce an attitude scale in order to define students? attitudes about environment, recycling, plastics, plastic waste. In this study, 80 attitude sentences according to 5-point Likert-type scale were prepared and applied to 492 students of 6th grade in the Kastamonu city center of Turkey. The scale consists of…
An Integrated Skills Approach Using Feature Movies in EFL at Tertiary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuncay, Hidayet

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of a case study based on an integrated skills approach using feature movies (DVDs) in EFL syllabi at the tertiary level. 100 students took part in the study and the data was collected through a three - section survey questionnaire: demographic items, 18 likert scale questions and an open-ended question. The data…
An overview of the BIOASQ large-scale biomedical semantic indexing and question answering competition.

PubMed

Tsatsaronis, George; Balikas, Georgios; Malakasiotis, Prodromos; Partalas, Ioannis; Zschunke, Matthias; Alvers, Michael R; Weissenborn, Dirk; Krithara, Anastasia; Petridis, Sergios; Polychronopoulos, Dimitris; Almirantis, Yannis; Pavlopoulos, John; Baskiotis, Nicolas; Gallinari, Patrick; Artiéres, Thierry; Ngomo, Axel-Cyrille Ngonga; Heino, Norman; Gaussier, Eric; Barrio-Alvers, Liliana; Schroeder, Michael; Androutsopoulos, Ion; Paliouras, Georgios

2015-04-30

This article provides an overview of the first BIOASQ challenge, a competition on large-scale biomedical semantic indexing and question answering (QA), which took place between March and September 2013. BIOASQ assesses the ability of systems to semantically index very large numbers of biomedical scientific articles, and to return concise and user-understandable answers to given natural language questions by combining information from biomedical articles and ontologies. The 2013 BIOASQ competition comprised two tasks, Task 1a and Task 1b. In Task 1a participants were asked to automatically annotate new PUBMED documents with MESH headings. Twelve teams participated in Task 1a, with a total of 46 system runs submitted, and one of the teams performing consistently better than the MTI indexer used by NLM to suggest MESH headings to curators. Task 1b used benchmark datasets containing 29 development and 282 test English questions, along with gold standard (reference) answers, prepared by a team of biomedical experts from around Europe and participants had to automatically produce answers. Three teams participated in Task 1b, with 11 system runs. The BIOASQ infrastructure, including benchmark datasets, evaluation mechanisms, and the results of the participants and baseline methods, is publicly available. A publicly available evaluation infrastructure for biomedical semantic indexing and QA has been developed, which includes benchmark datasets, and can be used to evaluate systems that: assign MESH headings to published articles or to English questions; retrieve relevant RDF triples from ontologies, relevant articles and snippets from PUBMED Central; produce "exact" and paragraph-sized "ideal" answers (summaries). The results of the systems that participated in the 2013 BIOASQ competition are promising. In Task 1a one of the systems performed consistently better from the NLM's MTI indexer. In Task 1b the systems received high scores in the manual evaluation of the "ideal
Using Likert-type and ipsative/forced choice items in sequence to generate a preference.

PubMed

Ried, L Douglas

2014-01-01

Collaboration and implementation of a minimum, standardized set of core global educational and professional competencies seems appropriate given the expanding international evolution of pharmacy practice. However, winnowing down hundreds of competencies from a plethora of local, national and international competency frameworks to select the most highly preferred to be included in the core set is a daunting task. The objective of this paper is to describe a combination of strategies used to ascertain the most highly preferred items among a large number of disparate items. In this case, the items were >100 educational and professional competencies that might be incorporated as the core components of new and existing competency frameworks. Panelists (n = 30) from the European Union (EU) and United States (USA) were chosen to reflect a variety of practice settings. Each panelist completed two electronic surveys. The first survey presented competencies in a Likert-type format and the second survey presented many of the same competencies in an ipsative/forced choice format. Item mean scores were calculated for each competency, the competencies were ranked, and non-parametric statistical tests were used to ascertain the consistency in the rankings achieved by the two strategies. This exploratory study presented over 100 competencies to the panelists in the beginning. The two methods provided similar results, as indicated by the significant correlation between the rankings (Spearman's rho = 0.30, P < 0.09). A two-step strategy using Likert-type and ipsative/forced choice formats in sequence, appears to be useful in a situation where a clear preference is required from among a large number of choices. The ipsative/forced choice format resulted in some differences in the competency preferences because the panelists could not rate them equally by design. While this strategy was used for the selection of professional educational competencies in this exploratory study, it is
Women's Liberation Scale (WLS): A Measure of Attitudes Toward Positions Advocated by Women's Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Carlos

The Women's Liberation Scale (WLS) is a 14-item, Likert-type scale designed to measure attitudes toward positions advocated by women's groups. The WLS and its four-alternative response schema is presented, along with descriptive statistics of scores based on male and female college samples. Reliability and validity measures are reported, and the…
The Intuitive Eating Scale: Development and Preliminary Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawks, Steven; Merrill, Ray M.; Madanat, Hala N.

2004-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of an instrument designed to measure the concept of intuitive eating. To ensure face and content validity for items used in the Likert-type Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), content domain was clearly specified and a panel of experts assessed the validity of each item. Based on responses from 391…
Developing a Scale for Quality of Using Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tasci, Guntay; Yurdugul, Halil

2016-01-01

This study aims to develop a measurement tool to measure the quality of using learning strategies. First, the quality of using learning strategies was described based on the literature. The 32 items in the 5-point Likert scale were then administered to 320 prospective teachers, and they were analysed with exploratory factor analysis using…
Attracting Private Investment to Contaminated Properties: The Value of Public Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernstedt, Kris; Meyer, Peter B.; Alberini, Anna

2006-01-01

We employ a mail survey of private developers that uses conjoint choice experiments and Likert-scaled attitudinal questions to examine preferences for policy instruments and incentives intended to encourage brownfield cleanup and redevelopment. Our analysis suggests that developers judge public hearing requirements at brownfield redevelopments…
A Validation Study of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keck Seeley, Susan. M.; Perosa, Sandra, L.; Perosa, Linda, M.

2004-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to further the validation process of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES). In this study, a 6-item Likert response format with descriptors was used when responding to the A-DES rather than the 11-item response format used in the original A-DES. Method: The internal reliability and construct…
Acquiescent Responding in Balanced Multidimensional Scales and Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Rodriguez-Fornells, Antoni

2006-01-01

Personality tests often consist of a set of dichotomous or Likert items. These response formats are known to be susceptible to an agreeing-response bias called acquiescence. The common assumption in balanced scales is that the sum of appropriately reversed responses should be reasonably free of acquiescence. However, inter-item correlation (or…
Developing a Scale on the Usage of Learner Control Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutlu, M. Oguz

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a Likert-like scale in order to measure teachers' usage level of learner control strategy. This study was carried out with 219 State primary school teachers who were class teachers, Turkish teachers, English teachers, Mathematics teachers, Science teachers, Social Sciences teachers, Religion and Moral teachers…
Measuring Attitude toward Computers: The Computer Appreciator-Critic Attitude Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, Walter M.; Wolf, Abraham W.

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument that conveniently measures a person's attitude toward computers. The final version of the instrument is composed of 40 items on a Likert-type scale which assign scores to subjects on their "appreciative" and "critical" attitude toward computers. The sample…
Scientific Process Flowchart Assessment (SPFA): A Method for Evaluating Changes in Understanding and Visualization of the Scientific Process in a Multidisciplinary Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Kristy J.; Rigakos, Bessie

2016-01-01

The scientific process is nonlinear, unpredictable, and ongoing. Assessing the nature of science is difficult with methods that rely on Likert-scale or multiple-choice questions. This study evaluated conceptions about the scientific process using student-created visual representations that we term "flowcharts." The methodology,…
An Investigation into Factors Contributing to Iranian Secondary School English Teachers' Job Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soodmand Afshar, Hassan; Doosti, Mehdi

2016-01-01

This study explored factors contributing to job satisfaction and dissatisfaction of male and female Iranian secondary school English teachers. A Likert-scale 58-item questionnaire was developed which was completed by 210 participants. The questionnaire also included three open-ended questions which investigated participants' motivation and…
The Factor Structure of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xiaoping; And Others

A study involving teachers and administrators from 16 elementary, middle, and high schools in Tennessee investigated the factorial structure of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS). The SDLRS includes 58 Likert-like items designed to measure the readiness of adult learners to assume self-direction in the learning process. Study…
Thai EFL Learners' Attitudes and Motivation towards Learning English through Content-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai Yuanxing; Aksornjarung, Prachamon

2018-01-01

This study examined EFL learners' attitudes and motivation towards learning English through content-based instruction (CBI) at a university in Thailand. Seventy-one (71) university students, the majority sophomores, answered a 6-point Likert scale questionnaire on attitudes and motivation together with six open-ended questions regarding learning…
Learners' Reflections on and Perceptions of Computer-Mediated Communication in a Language Classroom: A Vietnamese Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Long V.

2011-01-01

The paper examines Vietnamese learners' reflections on and perceptions of the application of computer-mediated communication (CMC) into collaborative learning. Data for analysis included an evaluation questionnaire, consisting of 24 4-point Likert scale items, appended with six open-ended questions, and transcripts of 15, out of 30, teacher…
Teachers' Self-Efficacy: Progressing Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glackin, Melissa; Hohenstein, Jill

2018-01-01

Teacher self-efficacy has predominantly been explored using quantitative instruments such as Likert scales-based questionnaires. Several researchers have questioned these methods, suggesting they offer only a limited view of the concept. This paper considers their claim by exploring the self-efficacy of UK secondary science teachers participating…
Differential Trust between Parents and Teachers of Children from Low-Income and Immigrant Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janssen, Marije; Bakker, Joep T. A.; Bosman, Anna M. T.; Rosenberg, Kirsten; Leseman, Paul P. M.

2012-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the trust relationship between parents and teachers in first grade. Additional research questions were whether trust was related to ethnicity and reading performance. The five facets of trust; benevolence, reliability, competence, honesty and openness, were measured on a 4-point Likert scale. Reading…

The A14-scale: development and evaluation of a questionnaire for assessment of adherence and individual barriers.

PubMed

Jank, Susanne; Bertsche, Thilo; Schellberg, Dieter; Herzog, Wolfgang; Haefeli, Walter E

2009-08-01

To develop a questionnaire ("A14") for the description of adherence and individual barriers as basis for adherence-enhancing interventions in the clinical and pharmaceutical setting, and to compare it to the validated German MMAS (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale). Fourteen questions with a 5-item likert-scale from "never" (4) to "very often" (0) were given to 150 medical inpatients. According to their score, patients were classified into non-adherent (score <50) or adherent (score 50-56). On the dichotomous MMAS, "yes" is scored 0 and "no" 1 point, a total score of 4 indicating adherence. Patients with complete scales were compared with the remaining patients regarding socio-demographic factors. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's Alpha, Spearman correlation, and kappa were computed. Eighty-three participants completed both scales. Patients with missing values differed significantly regarding age, education, and adherence according to MMAS. Cronbach's Alpha for A14 was 0.861. MMAS and A14 median total scores were 4 and 52, respectively. About 39.5% of patients were non-adherent as per MMAS compared to 40% as per A14; kappa was 0.262 (P = 0.016). The total scores correlated with a Rho-value of 0.43 (P < 0.001). The A14-scale showed good internal consistency and a significant correlation with the MMAS suggesting that it merits further investigation.
Primary Teachers' Changing Attitudes and Cognition during a Two-Year Science In-Service Programme and Their Effect on Pupils. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarvis, Tina; Pell, Anthony

2004-01-01

Changes in 70 teachers' confidence, attitudes and science understanding were tested before and after a major in-service programme. Attitudes were assessed using a 49-item Likert-scale test that probed attitudes to practical science teaching and in-service training. Multi-choice and open-ended questions measured understanding of electricity;…
Determining External and Internal Demotivating Factors among Young Learners at Pozanti Regional Primary Boarding School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Esra; Tunaz, Mehmet

2012-01-01

This paper takes a brief look at external and internal demotivating factors among EFL young learners at Pozanti Regional Primary Boarding School (YIBO). In the search of the reasons of demotivation, a questionnaire consisting of 5-point Likert Scale, open-ended questions, observations and interviews were administered. Following the evaluation of…
The value of the internship for radiation oncology training: results of a survey of current and recent trainees.

PubMed

Baker, Stephen R; Romero, Michelle J; Geannette, Christian; Patel, Amish

2009-07-15

Although a 12-month clinical internship is the traditional precursor to a radiation oncology residency, the continuance of this mandated training sequence has been questioned. This study was performed to evaluate the perceptions of current radiation oncology residents with respect to the value of their internship experience. A survey was sent to all US radiation oncology residents. Each was queried about whether they considered the internship to be a necessary prerequisite for a career as a radiation oncologist and as a physician. Preferences were listed on a Likert scale (1 = not at all necessary to 5 = absolutely necessary). Seventy-one percent considered the internship year mostly (Likert Scale 4) or absolutely necessary (Likert Scale 5) for their development as a radiation oncologist, whereas 19.1% answered hardly or not at all (Likert Scale 2 and 1, respectively). With respect to their collective considerations about the impact of the internship year on their development as a physician, 89% had a positive response, 5.8% had a negative response, and 4.7% had no opinion. Although both deemed the preliminary year favorably, affirmative answers were more frequent among erstwhile internal medicine interns than former transitional program interns. A majority of radiation oncology residents positively acknowledged their internship for their development as a specialist and an even greater majority valued it for their development as a physician. This affirmative opinion was registered more frequently by those completing an internal medicine internship compared with a transitional internship.
A Scale for E-Content Preparation Skills: Development, Validity and Reliability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tekin, Ahmet; Polat, Ebru

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: For an effective teaching and learning process it is critical to provide support for teachers in the development of e-content, and teachers should play an active role in this development. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable Likert-type scale that will determine pre-service teachers'…
Measuring pregnancy planning: A psychometric evaluation and comparison of two scales.

PubMed

Drevin, Jennifer; Kristiansson, Per; Stern, Jenny; Rosenblad, Andreas

2017-11-01

To psychometrically test the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and compare it with the Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale. The incidence of unplanned pregnancies is an important indicator of reproductive health. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy measures pregnancy planning by taking contraceptive use, timing, intention to become pregnant, desire for pregnancy, partner agreement, and pre-conceptual preparations into account. It has, however, previously not been psychometrically evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The Likert-scored single-item Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale has been developed to measure the woman's own view of pregnancy planning level. Cross-sectional design. In 2012-2013, 5493 pregnant women living in Sweden were invited to participate in the Swedish Pregnancy Planning study, of whom 3327 (61%) agreed to participate and answered a questionnaire. A test-retest pilot study was conducted in 2011-2012. Thirty-two participants responded to the questionnaire on two occasions 14 days apart. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, Cohen's weighted kappa and Spearman's correlation. All items of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy contributed to measuring pregnancy planning, but four items had low item-reliability. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale corresponded reasonably well with each other and both showed good test-retest reliability. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy may benefit from item reduction and its usefulness may be questioned. The Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale is time-efficient and shows acceptable reliability and construct validity, which makes it more useful for measuring pregnancy planning. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Development of Health Education Learning Module in Bac.TSE-LDPE Programme in TTI: Needs Analysis Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ujang, Alijah; Alias, Norlidah; Siraj, Saedah

2015-01-01

This study is to explore the need to develop learning modules of health education for trainee teachers in the Bachelor Of Teaching (Hons)(Special Education-Learning Disabilities For Primary Education) Programme (Bac.TSE-LDPE) in the Teacher Training Institute (TTI). The questionnaire uses the Likert scale with the close ended questions analysed by…
Moral Disengagement in Business and Humanities Majors: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cory, Suzanne N.; Hernandez, Abigail R.

2014-01-01

This study measures moral disengagement of undergraduate business and humanities students with a focus on differences in moral disengagement between genders. Students completed a survey that consisted of 32 statements and were asked to determine the degree to which they agreed with each, using a 7-point Likert scale. The questions measured moral…
How Personality and Gender May Relate to Individual Attitudes toward Caring for and about Others

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruf, Deborah L.; Radosevich, David M.

2009-01-01

Heightened global awareness and caring are reported as attributes of high intelligence. But we noted enough exceptions in our gifted clientele to question whether feelings of global concern are further related to personality type and gender. A nonrandom sample of 124 bright adults responded to author-developed Likert scale online survey questions…
Exploring Teachers' Descriptions of 'Ways of Working with the Curriculum' in Teaching Mathematics and Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umugiraneza, Odette; Bansilal, Sarah; North, Delia

2018-01-01

What teachers teach, how they teach it and when they teach it should be guided by the curriculum. This paper focuses on teachers' reports about how they integrate the curriculum documentation in teaching mathematics and statistics concepts. Questionnaires containing both Likert scale and closed and open-ended questions were administered to 75…
Attributional Patterns towards Students with and without Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Pre- and In-Service Teachers in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Han; Woodcock, Stuart

2018-01-01

This study aims to investigate the differences of attributional responses to students with and without learning disabilities (LD) between pre- and in-service teachers in mainland China. A total of 204 teachers (101 pre-service and 103 in-service teachers) were surveyed using vignettes and Likert scale questions to ascertain their responses to…
EFL Teachers' Self-Initiated Professional Development: Perceptions and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simegn, Birhanu

2014-01-01

This study assessed perceptions and practices of secondary schools (Grade 9-12) EFL teachers' self-initiated professional development. A questionnaire of likert scale items and open-ended questions was used to gather data from thirty-two teachers. The teachers were asked to fill out the questionnaire at Bahir Dar University during their…
Multi-scale ecosystem monitoring: an application of scaling data to answer multiple ecological questions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background/Question/Methods Standardized monitoring data collection efforts using a probabilistic sample design, such as in the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy, provide a core suite of ecological indicators, maximize data collection efficiency,...
Quantitative analysis of scale of aeromagnetic data raises questions about geologic-map scale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nykanen, V.; Raines, G.L.

2006-01-01

A recently published study has shown that small-scale geologic map data can reproduce mineral assessments made with considerably larger scale data. This result contradicts conventional wisdom about the importance of scale in mineral exploration, at least for regional studies. In order to formally investigate aspects of scale, a weights-of-evidence analysis using known gold occurrences and deposits in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt of Finland as training sites provided a test of the predictive power of the aeromagnetic data. These orogenic-mesothermal-type gold occurrences and deposits have strong lithologic and structural controls associated with long (up to several kilometers), narrow (up to hundreds of meters) hydrothermal alteration zones with associated magnetic lows. The aeromagnetic data were processed using conventional geophysical methods of successive upward continuation simulating terrane clearance or 'flight height' from the original 30 m to an artificial 2000 m. The analyses show, as expected, that the predictive power of aeromagnetic data, as measured by the weights-of-evidence contrast, decreases with increasing flight height. Interestingly, the Moran autocorrelation of aeromagnetic data representing differing flight height, that is spatial scales, decreases with decreasing resolution of source data. The Moran autocorrelation coefficient scems to be another measure of the quality of the aeromagnetic data for predicting exploration targets. ?? Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007.
Should College Education Play a Significant Role in Teaching Students about Ethics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Phillip D.; Atkinson, John K.; Waduge, Shashie

2015-01-01

A ten question survey was administered to a medium size university in the Midwest. The responses were fashioned in a 5-item Likert Scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. The results were interpreted by SPSS and relationships, frequencies, and descriptive statistics were drawn from the results of this program. The purpose of this…
Report Card on College Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, William H.

This study of the Wisconsin State University, Stevens Point was conducted to assess the quality and quantity of the institution's facilities and its services to and procedures used with students. The Likert technique was used to obtain responses to 97 questions on a 5-point scale from former students of the university. The sampling comprised…
Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the Big 5 Personality Test Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamarulzaman, Wirawani; Nordin, Mohamad Sahari

2012-01-01

This paper is intended to examine the validity of Big 5 Personality test inventory of 44 questions with 5-Likert Scale measurement. Confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine the good fit indices of the 5 personality types. Those types are 1) extraversion, 2) agreeableness, 3) conscientiousness, 4) openness and 5) neuroticism.…
Turkish Prospective English Teachers' Reflections on Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Mine; Geçikli, Merve; Yesilyurt, Savas

2016-01-01

This study is an attempt to present the reflections of prospective English teachers in Turkey on teaching practice over their experiences and perceptions. A mixed-method research design was conducted through the use of a questionnaire involving a 5-Likert scale and one open-ended question. The participants were 120 senior students at ELT…
Educational Reforms and Implications on Teachers' World of Work: Perspectives of Fijian Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lingam, Govinda; Lingam, Narsamma; Sharma, Lalesh

2017-01-01

This preliminary study reports on educational changes and its impact on primary teachers' world of work in Fiji. Data were gathered from 38 primary teachers, using a questionnaire of Likert scale items and open-ended questions aiming to identify the intensity of the changes that have occurred in their work. The data analysis reveals the…
The Development of Will Perception Scale and Practice in a Psycho-Education Program with Its Validity and Reliability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yener, Özen

2014-01-01

In this research, we aim to develop a 5-point likert scale and use it in an experimental application by performing its validity and reliability in order to measure the will perception of teenagers and adults. With this aim, firstly the items have been taken either in the same or changed way from various scales and an item pool including 61 items…

Psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of Rosenberg's self-esteem scale.

PubMed

Eklund, Mona; Bäckström, Martin; Hansson, Lars

2018-04-01

The widely used Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (RSES) has not been evaluated for psychometric properties in Sweden. This study aimed at analyzing its factor structure, internal consistency, criterion, convergent and discriminant validity, sensitivity to change, and whether a four-graded Likert-type response scale increased its reliability and validity compared to a yes/no response scale. People with mental illness participating in intervention studies to (1) promote everyday life balance (N = 223) or (2) remedy self-stigma (N = 103) were included. Both samples completed the RSES and questionnaires addressing quality of life and sociodemographic data. Sample 1 also completed instruments chosen to assess convergent and discriminant validity: self-mastery (convergent validity), level of functioning and occupational engagement (discriminant validity). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling, and conventional inferential statistics were used. Based on both samples, the Swedish RSES formed one factor and exhibited high internal consistency (>0.90). The two response scales were equivalent. Criterion validity in relation to quality of life was demonstrated. RSES could distinguish between women and men (women scoring lower) and between diagnostic groups (people with depression scoring lower). Correlations >0.5 with variables chosen to reflect convergent validity and around 0.2 with variables used to address discriminant validity further highlighted the construct validity of RSES. The instrument also showed sensitivity to change. The Swedish RSES exhibited a one-component factor structure and showed good psychometric properties in terms of good internal consistency, criterion, convergent and discriminant validity, and sensitivity to change. The yes/no and the four-graded Likert-type response scales worked equivalently.
Questioning the Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tienken, Christopher H.; Goldberg, Stephanie; DiRocco, Dominic

2010-01-01

Historical accounts of questioning used in the education process trace back to Socrates. One of the best examples of his use of questioning is found in Plato's "The Republic." Socrates used a series of strategic questions to help his student Glaucon come to understand the concept of justice. Socrates purposefully posed a series of…
The Value of the Internship for Radiation Oncology Training: Results of a Survey of Current and Recent Trainees

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

Baker, Stephen R.; Romero, Michelle J. M.A.; Geannette, Christian M.D.

2009-07-15

Purpose: Although a 12-month clinical internship is the traditional precursor to a radiation oncology residency, the continuance of this mandated training sequence has been questioned. This study was performed to evaluate the perceptions of current radiation oncology residents with respect to the value of their internship experience. Methods and Materials: A survey was sent to all US radiation oncology residents. Each was queried about whether they considered the internship to be a necessary prerequisite for a career as a radiation oncologist and as a physician. Preferences were listed on a Likert scale (1 = not at all necessary to 5more » = absolutely necessary). Results: Seventy-one percent considered the internship year mostly (Likert Scale 4) or absolutely necessary (Likert Scale 5) for their development as a radiation oncologist, whereas 19.1% answered hardly or not at all (Likert Scale 2 and 1, respectively). With respect to their collective considerations about the impact of the internship year on their development as a physician, 89% had a positive response, 5.8% had a negative response, and 4.7% had no opinion. Although both deemed the preliminary year favorably, affirmative answers were more frequent among erstwhile internal medicine interns than former transitional program interns. Conclusions: A majority of radiation oncology residents positively acknowledged their internship for their development as a specialist and an even greater majority valued it for their development as a physician. This affirmative opinion was registered more frequently by those completing an internal medicine internship compared with a transitional internship.« less
Accessibility Considerations for e-Learning in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boateng, John Kwame

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a study that explored the best ways to design e-learning in order to provide better access for adult learners with disabilities. Two districts from the Central Region of Ghana were selected and two major research questions guided the study. The five-point Likert scale was employed between May and August of 2014. The two…
Enhancing College Students' Life Skills through Project Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wurdinger, Scott; Qureshi, Mariam

2015-01-01

This study examined whether life skills could be developed in a Project Based Learning (PBL) course. The participants were students enrolled in a graduate level PBL course. The same 35-question survey was given to students at the beginning and end of the course, and students were asked to rank their life skills using a Likert scale. Additionally,…
Music Practices and Teachers' Needs for Teaching Music in Public Preschools of South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Youngae

2009-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the current music practices and teachers' needs for teaching music in public preschools of South Korea. The data were obtained from the public preschools in South Korea, where 66.7 percent (n = 606) of the total sample (N = 908) responded. The online survey consisted of 42 questions: Likert-type scales,…
Exploratory Factor Analysis Study for the Scale of High School Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demircioglu, Gökhan; Aslan, Aysegül; Yadigaroglu, Mustafa

2014-01-01

It is important to develop students' positive attitudes chemistry lessons in school because research has suggested that attitudes are linked with academic achievement. Therefore, how to evaluate the attitudes is an important topic in education. The purpose of this study was to develop a Likert-type scale that could measure high school students'…
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: a Survey of Perspectives on Carrier Testing and Communication Within the Family.

PubMed

Hayes, Brenna; Hassed, Susan; Chaloner, Jae Lindsay; Aston, Christopher E; Guy, Carrie

2016-06-01

Carrier testing is widely available for multiple genetic conditions, and several professional organizations have created practice guidelines regarding appropriate clinical application and the testing of minors. Previous research has focused on carrier screening, predictive testing, and testing for X-linked conditions. However, family perspectives on carrier testing for X-linked lethal diseases have yet to be described. In this study, we explored communication within the family about carrier testing and the perspectives of mothers of sons with an X-linked lethal disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Twenty-five mothers of sons with DMD participated in an anonymous online survey. Survey questions included multiple choice, Likert scale, and open ended, short answer questions. Analysis of the multiple choice and Likert scale questions revealed that most mothers preferred a gradual style of communication with their daughters regarding risk status. In addition, most participants reported having consulted with a genetic counselor and found it helpful. Comparisons between groups, analyzed using Fisher's exact tests, found no differences in preferred style due to mother's carrier status or having a daughter. Thematic analysis was conducted on responses to open ended questions. Themes identified included the impact of family implications, age and maturity, and a desire for autonomy regarding the decision to discuss and undergo carrier testing with at-risk daughters, particularly timing of these discussions. Implications for genetic counseling practice are discussed.
Psychosocial consequences of cancer cachexia: the development of an item bank.

PubMed

Häne, Hanspeter; Oberholzer, Rolf; Walker, Jochen; Hopkinson, Jane B; de Wolf-Linder, Susanne; Strasser, Florian

2013-12-01

Cancer cachexia syndrome (CCS) is often accompanied by psychosocial consequences (PSC). To alleviate PSC, a systematic assessment method is required. Currently, few assessment tools are available (e.g., Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy). There is no systematic assessment tool that captures the PSC of CCS. To develop a pilot item bank to assess the PSC of CCS. A total of 132 questions, generated from patient answers in a previous study, were reduced to 121 items by content analysis and evaluation by multidisciplinary experts (doctor, nutritionists, and nurses). In our two-step, cross-sectional study, patients, judged by staff to have PSC of CCS, were included, and the questions were randomly allocated to the patients. Questions were evaluated for understandability and triggering emotions, and patients were asked to provide a response using a four-point Likert scale. Subsequently, problematic questions were revised, reformulated, and retested. A total of 20 patients with a variety of tumor types participated. Of the 121 questions, 31 had to be reformulated after Step 1 and were retested in Step 2, after which seven were again evaluated as not being perfectly comprehensible. In Step 1, 22 questions were found to trigger emotions, but no item required remodeling. Item performance using the Likert scale revealed no consistent floor or ceiling effects. Our final pilot question bank comprised 117 questions. The final item bank contains questions that are understood and accepted by the patients. This item bank now needs to be developed into a measurement tool that groups items into domains and can be used in future research studies. Copyright © 2013 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Do Japanese children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder respond differently to Wh-questions and Yes/No-questions?

PubMed

Oi, Manabu

2010-09-01

The present study compared 12 Japanese children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD), ranging in age from 7.3-14.8 years, with 12 typically developing (TD) children matched for age, gender, and vocabulary. The means of full-scale IQ and verbal-IQ of the children with HFASD were 95.92 (SD = 15.30) and 98.00 (SD = 18.44), respectively. Children responded to questions from their mothers in conversations collected under a semi-structured setting, and the responses of both groups were examined from the viewpoint of adequacy. Compared to TD children, HFASD children produced more inadequate responses to Wh-questions than to Yes/No questions. To both types of questions, HFASD children produced more inappropriate responses than TD children. The findings suggest that parents of HFASD children should consider the influence of the question format on these children's response inadequacies.
Transforming classroom questioning using emerging technology.

PubMed

Mahon, Paul; Lyng, Colette; Crotty, Yvonne; Farren, Margaret

2018-04-12

Classroom questioning is a common teaching and learning strategy in postgraduate nurse education. Technologies such as audience response systems (ARS) may offer advantage over traditional approaches to classroom questioning. However, despite being available since the 1960s, ARSs are still considered novel in many postgraduate nurse education classroom settings. This article aims to explicate the attitudes of postgraduate nursing students in an Irish academic teaching hospital towards classroom questioning (CQ) and the use of ARSs as an alternative to traditional CQ techniques. The results of this small-scale study demonstrate that ARSs have a role to play in CQ in the postgraduate setting, being regarded by students as beneficial to learning, psychological safety and classroom interaction.
Development of Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Scale for Indians (AHSI).

PubMed

Ahuja, Kanika K

2017-01-01

Attitudes toward homosexuality vary across cultures, with the legal and societal position being rather complicated in India. This study describes the process of developing and validating a Likert-type scale to assess attitudes toward homosexuality among heterosexuals. Phase 1 describes the development of the scale. Items were written based on thematic analysis of narratives generated from 50 college students and reviewing existing scales. After administering the 70-item scale to 68 participants, item analysis yielded 20 statements with item-total correlations over .70. Cronbach's alpha was .97. In Phase 2, the 20-item Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Scale for Indians (AHSI) was administered to 142 participants. Analysis yielded a corrected split-half correlation of .91. Further, AHSI discriminated between women and men; between liberal arts and STEM/business students; and those who reported interpersonal contact with gay men and lesbian women and those who did not. The scale has satisfactory reliability and shows promising construct validity.
Validation of an Empathy Scale in Pharmacy and Nursing Students

PubMed Central

Chen, Aleda M. H.; Yehle, Karen S.; Plake, Kimberly S.

2013-01-01

Objective. To validate an empathy scale to measure empathy in pharmacy and nursing students. Methods. A 15-item instrument comprised of the cognitive and affective empathy domains, was created. Each item was rated using a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Concurrent validity was demonstrated with the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professional Students (JSE-HPS). Results. Reliability analysis of data from 216 students (pharmacy, N=158; nursing, N=58) showed that scores on the empathy scale were positively associated with JSE-HPS scores (p<0.001). Factor analysis confirmed that 14 of the 15 items were significantly associated with their respective domain, but the overall instrument had limited goodness of fit. Conclusions. Results of this study demonstrate the reliability and validity of a new scale for evaluating student empathy. Further testing of the scale at other universities is needed to establish validity. PMID:23788805
The Convergent Validity of the Questions about Behavioral Function Scale and Functional Analysis for Problem Behavior Displayed by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Nicholas; Rapp, John T.

2013-01-01

Only a few studies have compared the convergent validity of the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) scale to the results of functional analyses (FA). In the current study, six participants who emitted problem behaviors participated in either a brief, or a no-interaction-series FA, while each participant's parent completed the QABF. The…
Development and Testing of the Nurse Manager EBP Competency Scale.

PubMed

Shuman, Clayton J; Ploutz-Snyder, Robert J; Titler, Marita G

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure nurse manager competencies regarding evidence-based practice (EBP). The Nurse Manager EBP Competency Scale consists of 16 items for respondents to indicate their perceived level of competency on a 0 to 3 Likert-type scale. Content validity was demonstrated through expert panel review and pilot testing. Principal axis factoring and Cronbach's alpha evaluated construct validity and internal consistency reliability, respectively. Eighty-three nurse managers completed the scale. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 16-item scale with two subscales, EBP Knowledge ( n = 6 items, α = .90) and EBP Activity ( n = 10 items, α = .94). Cronbach's alpha for the entire scale was .95. The Nurse Manager EBP Competency Scale is a brief measure of nurse manager EBP competency with evidence of validity and reliability. The scale can enhance our understanding in future studies regarding how nurse manager EBP competency affects implementation.
Measuring pretest-posttest change with a Rasch Rating Scale Model.

PubMed

Wolfe, E W; Chiu, C W

1999-01-01

When measures are taken on the same individual over time, it is difficult to determine whether observed differences are the result of changes in the person or changes in other facets of the measurement situation (e.g., interpretation of items or use of rating scale). This paper describes a method for disentangling changes in persons from changes in the interpretation of Likert-type questionnaire items and the use of rating scales (Wright, 1996a). The procedure relies on anchoring strategies to create a common frame of reference for interpreting measures that are taken at different times and provides a detailed illustration of how to implement these procedures using FACETS.
Reliability and Validity of a German Version of the "Questions about Behavioral Function" (QABF) Scale for Self-Injurious Behavior in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bienstein, Pia; Nussbeck, Susanne

2009-01-01

The psychometric properties of a German version of the Questions About Behavioral Function Scale (QABF) (Matson & Vollmer, 1995) were examined in a sample of 522 individuals with intellectual disabilities residing in large facilities participated. The factor structure was first examined by exploratory factor analysis, yielding a…
[The Bremen periodic health exam - feasibility of a new concept].

PubMed

Schmiemann, Guido; Biesewig-Siebenmorgen, Jürgen; Gebhardt, Klaus; Egidi, Günther

2014-01-01

All members of the Statutory Health Insurance are entitled to receive preventive health examinations. The current concept, however, does not take individual risk factors into account systematically. To improve this, the "Bremen Health Examination" was developed. The central component is a screening questionnaire to be completed by the patient, which is stratified by age, i.e., 35 to 69 years and ≥ 70 years. The feasibility and acceptance of this concept have been assessed. In a prospective observational study, a selected sample of general practitioners (GPs) was asked to implement the questionnaires during all preventive health examinations within a four-week period. The GPs subsequently answered content-related questions as well as Likert-scaled questions on the relevance of the issues addressed, and the feasibility of the new concept. 17 out of 20 GPs approached for the study included a total of 171 patients. On average, the patients in the two groups were 52 and 75 years of age, respectively, and answered 4.4 prompting questions positively. Age and gender had no significant effect on the frequency of "positively" answered questions. Implementing the questionnaire extended the duration of the health examination, however, GPs overall rated the time required for discussing newly assessed problems as adequate (four-level Likert scale, 1=yes; 4=no; Ø 1.59; SD 0.77). The implementation of the Bremen Health Examination appears to be feasible from the GP perspective. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
2011 AFMS Medical Research Symposium Held in National Harbor, Maryland on August 2-4, 2011. Volume 1: Plenary Sessions, Presentation & Poster Abstracts

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Each student completed an SCCM standardized and validated pretest and posttest , a survey of 10 five-point Likert scale questions on managing...knowledge improved from a pretest score of 60% to a posttest score of 80%. Pediatric residents reported feelings of preparation increased by an...This research uses a mixed- methods framework (qualitative and quantitative ) to demonstrate the importance of exploring alternative training models
Questioning Questions: Elementary Teachers' Adaptations of Investigation Questions Across the Inquiry Continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggers, Mandy

2018-02-01

Questioning is a central practice in science classrooms. However, not every question translates into a "good" science investigation. Questions that drive science investigations can be provided by many sources including the teacher, the curriculum, or the student. The variations in the source of investigation questions were explored in this study. A dataset of 120 elementary science classroom videos and associated lesson plans from 40 elementary teachers (K-5) across 21 elementary school campuses were scored on an instrument measuring the amount of teacher-direction or student-direction of the lessons' investigation questions. Results indicated that the investigation questions were overwhelmingly teacher directed in nature, with no opportunities for students to develop their own questions for investigation. This study has implications for researchers and practitioners alike, calling attention to the teacher-directed nature of investigation questions in existing science curriculum materials, and the need for teacher training in instructional strategies to adapt their existing curriculum materials across the continuum of teacher-directed and student-directed investigation questions. Teachers need strategies for adapting the teacher-directed questions provided in their existing curriculum materials in order to allow students the opportunity to engage in this essential scientific practice.

The effect of OPC Factor on energy levels in healthy adults ages 45-65: a phase IIb randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

LaRiccia, Patrick J; Farrar, John T; Sammel, Mary D; Gallo, Joseph J

2008-07-01

To determine the efficacy of the food supplement OPC Factor to increase energy levels in healthy adults aged 45 to 65. Randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind crossover study. Twenty-five (25) healthy adults recruited from the University of Pennsylvania Health System. OPC Factor,trade mark (AlivenLabs, Lebanon, TN) a food supplement that contains oligomeric proanthocyanidins from grape seeds and pine bark along with other nutrient supplements including vitamins and minerals, was in the form of an effervescent powder. The placebo was similar in appearance and taste. Five outcome measurements were performed: (1) Energy subscale scores of the Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD ACL); (2) One (1) global question of percent energy change (Global Energy Percent Change); (3) One (1) global question of energy change measured on a Likert scale (Global Energy Scale Change); 4. One (1) global question of percent overall status change (Global Overall Status Percent Change); and (5) One (1) global question of overall status change measured on a Likert scale (Global Overall Status Scale Change). There were no carryover/period effects in the groups randomized to Placebo/Active Product sequence versus Active Product/Placebo sequence. Examination of the AD ACL Energy subscale scores for the Active Product versus Placebo comparison revealed no significant difference in the intention-to-treat (IT) analysis and the treatment received (TR) analysis. However, Global Energy Percent Change (p = 0.06) and Global Energy Scale Change (p = 0.09) both closely approached conventional levels of statistical significance for the active product in the IT analysis. Global Energy Percent Change (p = 0.05) and Global Energy Scale Change (p = 0.04) reached statistical significance in the TR analysis. A cumulative percent responders analysis graph indicated greater response rates for the active product. OPC Factor may increase energy levels in healthy adults aged 45-65 years. A larger
Telephone survey respondents' reactions to questions regarding interpersonal violence.

PubMed

Black, Michele C; Kresnow, Marcie-jo; Simon, Thomas R; Arias, Ileana; Shelley, Gene

2006-08-01

Concerns have been raised regarding the appropriateness of asking about violence victimization in telephone interviews and whether asking such questions increases respondents' distress or risk for harm. However, no large-scale studies have evaluated the impact of asking such questions during a telephone interview. This study explored respondents' reactions to questions regarding violence in two large recently completed telephone surveys. After respondents were asked about violence, they were asked if they thought surveys should ask such questions and whether they felt upset or afraid because of the questions. In both surveys, the majority of respondents (regardless of their victimization history) were willing to answer questions about violence and were not upset or afraid because of the questions. More than 92% of respondents thought such questions should be asked. These results challenge commonly held beliefs and assumptions and provide some assurance to those concerned with the ethical collection of data on violent victimization.
Perioperative management of external fixation in staged protocols: an international survey.

PubMed

Hodel, Sandro; Link, Björn-Christian; Babst, Reto; Mallee, W H; Posso, Philippe; Beeres, Frank J P

2018-05-01

Despite the frequent use of external fixation, various regimes of antibiotic prophylaxis, surgical technique and postoperative pin care exist and underline the lack of current evidence. The aim of the study was to assess the variability or consensus in perioperative protocols to prevent implant-associated infections for temporary external fixation in closed fractures of the extremities. A 26-question survey was sent to 170 members of the Traumaplatform. The survey included questions concerning demographics, level of training, type of training and perioperative protocols as: antibiotic prophylaxis, intraoperative management, disinfection and postoperative pin site care. All responses were statistically analysed, and intraoperative measures rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The responses of fifty orthopaedic trauma and general surgeons (response rate, 29.4%) were analysed. The level of experience was more than 5 years in 92% (n = 46) with up to 50 closed fractures of the extremities annually treated with external fixation in 80% (n = 40). Highest consensus could be identified in the following perioperative measures: preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis with a second-generation cephalosporin (86%, n = 43), changing gloves if manipulation of the external fixator is necessary during surgery (86%, n = 43; 4.12 points on the Likert scale), avoid overlapping of the pin sites with the definitive implant site (94%, n = 47; 4.12 points on the Likert scale) and soft tissue protection with a drill sleeve (83.6%, n = 41). Our survey could identify some general principles, which were rated as important by a majority of the respondents. Futures studies' focus should elucidate the role of perioperative antibiotics and different disinfection protocols on implant-associated infections after temporary external fixation in staged protocols. This study provides Level IV evidence according to Oxford centre for evidence-based medicine.
Question analysis for Indonesian comparative question

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saelan, A.; Purwarianti, A.; Widyantoro, D. H.

2017-01-01

Information seeking is one of human needs today. Comparing things using search engine surely take more times than search only one thing. In this paper, we analyzed comparative questions for comparative question answering system. Comparative question is a question that comparing two or more entities. We grouped comparative questions into 5 types: selection between mentioned entities, selection between unmentioned entities, selection between any entity, comparison, and yes or no question. Then we extracted 4 types of information from comparative questions: entity, aspect, comparison, and constraint. We built classifiers for classification task and information extraction task. Features used for classification task are bag of words, whether for information extraction, we used lexical, 2 previous and following words lexical, and previous label as features. We tried 2 scenarios: classification first and extraction first. For classification first, we used classification result as a feature for extraction. Otherwise, for extraction first, we used extraction result as features for classification. We found that the result would be better if we do extraction first before classification. For the extraction task, classification using SMO gave the best result (88.78%), while for classification, it is better to use naïve bayes (82.35%).
Proceedings of the 2011 AFMS Medical Research Symposium. Volume 4. Healthcare Informatics Track

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-02

pretest and posttest , a survey of 10 five-point Likert scale questions on managing critical children before and after, and 2 videotaped pediatric...critical care simulations with debriefings after each scenario. Results: Fund of knowledge improved from a pretest score of 60% to a posttest score of...02--2012 Proceedings 02-08-2011 to 04-08-2011 Proceedings of the 2011 AFMS Medical Research Symposium. Volume 4. Healthcare Informatics Track Major
Questioning Questions: Elementary Teachers' Adaptations of Investigation Questions across the Inquiry Continuum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggers, Mandy

2018-01-01

Questioning is a central practice in science classrooms. However, not every question translates into a "good" science investigation. Questions that drive science investigations can be provided by many sources including the teacher, the curriculum, or the student. The variations in the source of investigation questions were explored in…
[Development of a New Scale for Gauging Smartphone Dependence].

PubMed

Toda, Masahiro; Nishio, Nobuhiro; Takeshita, Tatsuya

2015-01-01

We designed a scale to gauge smartphone dependence and assessed its reliability and validity. A prototype self-rating smartphone-dependence scale was tested on 133 medical students who use smartphones more frequently than other devices to access web pages. Each response was scored on a Likert scale (0, 1, 2, 3), with higher scores indicating greater dependence. To select items for the final scale, exploratory factor analysis was conducted. On the basis of factor analysis results, we designed the Wakayama Smartphone-Dependence Scale (WSDS) comprising 21 items with 3 subscales: immersion in Internet communication; using a smartphone for extended periods of time and neglecting social obligations and other tasks; using a smartphone while doing something else and neglect of etiquette. Our analysis confirmed the validity of the different elements of the WSDS: the reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) values of all subscales and total WSDS were from 0.79 to 0.83 and 0.88, respectively. These findings suggest that the WSDS is a useful tool for rating smartphone dependence.
Questions, Questioning Techniques, and Effective Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilen, William W., Ed.

This book focuses on questioning techniques and strategies teachers may employ to make the difference between active and passive learning in the classroom. There are nine chapters: (1) Why Questions? (Ambrose A. Clegg, Jr.); (2) Review of Research on Questioning Techniques (Meredith D. Gall and Tom Rhody); (3) The Multidisciplinary World of…
Rating scale for the assessment of competence in ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular access - a Delphi Consensus Study.

PubMed

Primdahl, Stine C; Todsen, Tobias; Clemmesen, Louise; Knudsen, Lars; Weile, Jesper

2016-09-21

Peripheral vascular access is vital for treatment and diagnostics of hospitalized patients. Ultrasound-guided vascular access (UGVA) is superior to the landmark technique. To ensure competence-based education, an assessment tool of UGVA competence is needed. We aimed to develop a global rating scale (RS) for assessment of UGVA competence based on opinions on the content from ultrasound experts in a modified Delphi consensus study. We included experts from anesthesiology, emergency medicine and radiology across university hospitals in Denmark. Nine elements were drafted based on existing literature and recommendations from international societies. In a multi-round survey, the experts rated the elements on a five-point Likert scale according to importance, and suggested missing elements. The final Delphi round occurred when >80% of the experts rated all elements ≥4 on the Likert scale. Sixteen experts consented to participate in the study, one withdrew consent prior to the first Delphi round, and 14 completed all three Delphi rounds. In the first Delphi round the experts excluded one element from the scale and changed the content of two elements. In the second Delphi round, the experts excluded one element from the scale. In the third Delphi round, consensus was obtained on the eight elements: preparation of utensils, ergonomics, preparation of the ultrasound device, identification of blood vessels, anatomy, hygiene, coordination of the needle, and completion of the procedure. We developed an RS for assessment of UGVA competence based on opinions of ultrasound experts through a modified Delphi consensus study.
[Development of skill scale for communication skill measurement of pharmacist].

PubMed

Teramachi, Hitomi; Komada, Natsuki; Tanizawa, Katsuya; Kuzuya, Yumi; Tsuchiya, Teruo

2011-04-01

To purpose of this study was to develop a pharmacist communication skill scale. A 38 items scale was made and 283 pharmacists responded. The original questionnaire consisted of 38 items, with 1-5 graded Likert scale. Completed responses of 228 pharmacists data were used for testing the reliability and the validity of this scale. The first group of items from the original questionnaire were 38, and finally 38 original items were chosen for investigation of content validity, correlation coefficient and commonality. From factor analysis, four factors were chosen among the 31 items as follows: patient respect reception skill, problem discovery and solution skill, positive approach skill, feelings processing skill. The correlation coefficient between this original scale and the KiSS-18 (Social Skill) received high score (r=0.694). The reliability of this scale showed high internal consistency (Cronbach α coefficient=0.951), so the result of test for the validity of this scale supports high content validity. Thus we propose adoption of pharmacist communication skill scale to carry a brief eponymous name as TePSS-31. The above findings indicate that this developed scale possess adequate validity and reliability for practical use.
Development of the competency scale for primary care managers in Thailand: Scale development.

PubMed

Kitreerawutiwong, Keerati; Sriruecha, Chanaphol; Laohasiriwong, Wongsa

2015-12-09

The complexity of the primary care system requires a competent manager to achieve high-quality healthcare. The existing literature in the field yields little evidence of the tools to assess the competency of primary care administrators. This study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the competency scale for primary care managers in Thailand. The scale was developed using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions among policy makers, managers, practitioners, village health volunteers, and clients. The specific dimensions were extracted from 35 participants. 123 items were generated from the evidence and qualitative data. Content validity was established through the evaluation of seven experts and the original 123 items were reduced to 84 items. The pilot testing was conducted on a simple random sample of 487 primary care managers. Item analysis, reliability testing, and exploratory factor analysis were applied to establish the scale's reliability and construct validity. Exploratory factor analysis identified nine dimensions with 48 items using a five-point Likert scale. Each dimension accounted for greater than 58.61% of the total variance. The scale had strong content validity (Indices = 0.85). Each dimension of Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.70 to 0.88. Based on these analyses, this instrument demonstrated sound psychometric properties and therefore is considered an effective tool for assessment of the primary care manager competencies. The results can be used to improve competency requirements of primary care managers, with implications for health service management workforce development.
The seismo-hydromechanical behavior during deep geothermal reservoir stimulations: open questions tackled in a decameter-scale in situ stimulation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amann, Florian; Gischig, Valentin; Evans, Keith; Doetsch, Joseph; Jalali, Reza; Valley, Benoît; Krietsch, Hannes; Dutler, Nathan; Villiger, Linus; Brixel, Bernard; Klepikova, Maria; Kittilä, Anniina; Madonna, Claudio; Wiemer, Stefan; Saar, Martin O.; Loew, Simon; Driesner, Thomas; Maurer, Hansruedi; Giardini, Domenico

2018-02-01

In this contribution, we present a review of scientific research results that address seismo-hydromechanically coupled processes relevant for the development of a sustainable heat exchanger in low-permeability crystalline rock and introduce the design of the In situ Stimulation and Circulation (ISC) experiment at the Grimsel Test Site dedicated to studying such processes under controlled conditions. The review shows that research on reservoir stimulation for deep geothermal energy exploitation has been largely based on laboratory observations, large-scale projects and numerical models. Observations of full-scale reservoir stimulations have yielded important results. However, the limited access to the reservoir and limitations in the control on the experimental conditions during deep reservoir stimulations is insufficient to resolve the details of the hydromechanical processes that would enhance process understanding in a way that aids future stimulation design. Small-scale laboratory experiments provide fundamental insights into various processes relevant for enhanced geothermal energy, but suffer from (1) difficulties and uncertainties in upscaling the results to the field scale and (2) relatively homogeneous material and stress conditions that lead to an oversimplistic fracture flow and/or hydraulic fracture propagation behavior that is not representative of a heterogeneous reservoir. Thus, there is a need for intermediate-scale hydraulic stimulation experiments with high experimental control that bridge the various scales and for which access to the target rock mass with a comprehensive monitoring system is possible. The ISC experiment is designed to address open research questions in a naturally fractured and faulted crystalline rock mass at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland). Two hydraulic injection phases were executed to enhance the permeability of the rock mass. During the injection phases the rock mass deformation across fractures and within intact rock
A Pilot Study: Testing of the Psychological Conditions Scale Among Hospital Nurses.

PubMed

Fountain, Donna M; Thomas-Hawkins, Charlotte

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Psychological Conditions Scale (PCS), a measure of drivers of engagement in hospital-based nurses. Research suggests drivers of engagement are positive links to patient, employee, and hospital outcomes. Although this scale has been used in other occupations, it has not been tested in nursing. A cross-sectional, methodological study using a convenience sample of 200 nurses in a large Magnet® hospital in New Jersey. Cronbach's α's ranged from .64 to .95. Principal components exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation revealed that 13 items loaded unambiguously in 3 domains and explained 76% of the variance. Mean PCS scores ranged from 3.62 to 4.68 on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale is an adequate measure of drivers of engagement in hospital-based nurses. Leadership efforts to promote the facilitators of engagement are recommended.
Assessing organizational climate: psychometric properties of the CLIOR Scale.

PubMed

Peña-Suárez, Elsa; Muñiz, José; Campillo-Álvarez, Angela; Fonseca-Pedrero, Eduardo; García-Cueto, Eduardo

2013-02-01

Organizational climate is the set of perceptions shared by workers who occupy the same workplace. The main goal of this study is to develop a new organizational climate scale and to determine its psychometric properties. The sample consisted of 3,163 Health Service workers. A total of 88.7% of participants worked in hospitals, and 11.3% in primary care; 80% were women and 20% men, with a mean age of 51.9 years (SD= 6.28). The proposed scale consists of 50 Likert-type items, with an alpha coefficient of 0.97, and an essentially one-dimensional structure. The discrimination indexes of the items are greater than 0.40, and the items show no differential item functioning in relation to participants' sex. A short version of the scale was developed, made up of 15 items, with discrimination indexes higher than 0.40, an alpha coefficient of 0.94, and its structure was clearly one-dimensional. These results indicate that the new scale has adequate psychometric properties, allowing a reliable and valid assessment of organizational climate.
Can we share questions? Performance of questions from different question banks in a single medical school.

PubMed

Freeman, Adrian; Nicholls, Anthony; Ricketts, Chris; Coombes, Lee

2010-01-01

To use progress testing, a large bank of questions is required, particularly when planning to deliver tests over a long period of time. The questions need not only to be of good quality but also balanced in subject coverage across the curriculum to allow appropriate sampling. Hence as well as creating its own questions, an institution could share questions. Both methods allow ownership and structuring of the test appropriate to the educational requirements of the institution. Peninsula Medical School (PMS) has developed a mechanism to validate questions written in house. That mechanism can be adapted to utilise questions from an International question bank International Digital Electronic Access Library (IDEAL) and another UK-based question bank Universities Medical Assessment Partnership (UMAP). These questions have been used in our progress tests and analysed for relative performance. Data are presented to show that questions from differing sources can have comparable performance in a progress testing format. There are difficulties in transferring questions from one institution to another. These include problems of curricula and cultural differences. Whilst many of these difficulties exist, our experience suggests that it only requires a relatively small amount of work to adapt questions from external question banks for effective use. The longitudinal aspect of progress testing (albeit summatively) may allow more flexibility in question usage than single high stakes exams.
Investigating Cognitive Effort and Response Quality of Question Formats in Web Surveys Using Paradata

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Höhne, Jan Karem; Schlosser, Stephan; Krebs, Dagmar

2017-01-01

Measuring attitudes and opinions employing agree/disagree (A/D) questions is a common method in social research because it appears to be possible to measure different constructs with identical response scales. However, theoretical considerations suggest that A/D questions require a considerable cognitive processing. Item-specific (IS) questions,…
Questioning Our Questions: Assessing Question Asking Practices to Evaluate a yPAR Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, Sarah; Langhout, Regina Day

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine question asking practices in a youth participatory action research (yPAR) after school program housed at an elementary school. The research question was: In which ways did the adult question asking practices in a yPAR setting challenge and/or reproduce conventional models of power in educational…
Assessment of Competence in EVAR Procedures: A Novel Rating Scale Developed by the Delphi Technique.

PubMed

Strøm, M; Lönn, L; Bech, B; Schroeder, T V; Konge, L

2017-07-01

To develop a procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of operator competence in endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). A Delphi approach was used to achieve expert consensus. A panel of 32 international experts (median 300 EVAR procedures, range 200-3000) from vascular surgery (n = 21) and radiology (n = 11) was established. The first Delphi round was based on a review of endovascular skills assessment papers, stent graft instructions for use, and structured interviews. It led to a primary pool of 83 items that were formulated as global rating scale items with tentative anchors. Iterative Delphi rounds were executed. The panellists rated the importance of each item on a 5 point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as 80% of the panel rating an item 4 or 5 in the primary round and 90% in subsequent rounds. Consensus on the final assessment tool was defined as Cronbach's alpha > .8 after a minimum of three rounds. Thirty-two of 35 invited experts participated. Three rounds of surveys were completed with a completion rate of 100% in the first two rounds and 91% in round three. The 83 primary assessment items were supplemented with five items suggested by the panel and reduced to seven pivotal assessment items that reached consensus, Cronbach's alpha = 0.82. The seven item rating scale covers key elements of competence in EVAR stent placement and deployment. Each item has well defined grades with explicit anchors at unacceptable, acceptable, and superior performance on a 5 point Likert scale. The Delphi methodology allowed for international consensus on a new procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of competence in EVAR. The resulting scale, EndoVascular Aortic Repair Assessment of Technical Expertise (EVARATE), represents key elements in the procedure. EVARATE constitutes an assessment tool for providing structured feedback to endovascular operators in training. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier
When is a research question not a research question?

PubMed

Mayo, Nancy E; Asano, Miho; Barbic, Skye Pamela

2013-06-01

Research is undertaken to answer important questions yet often the question is poorly expressed and lacks information on the population, the exposure or intervention, the comparison, and the outcome. An optimal research question sets out what the investigator wants to know, not what the investigator might do, nor what the results of the study might ultimately contribute. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the extent to which rehabilitation scientists optimally define their research questions. A cross-sectional survey of the rehabilitation research articles published during 2008. Two raters independently rated each question according to pre-specified criteria; a third rater adjudicated all discrepant ratings. The proportion of the 258 articles with a question formulated as methods or expected contribution and not as what knowledge was being sought was 65%; 30% of questions required reworking. The designs which most often had poorly formulated research questions were randomized trials, cross-sectional and measurement studies. Formulating the research question is not purely a semantic concern. When the question is poorly formulated, the design, analysis, sample size calculations, and presentation of results may not be optimal. The gap between research and clinical practice could be bridged by a clear, complete, and informative research question.
Customer Satisfaction Assessment at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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

Anderson, Dale N.; Sours, Mardell L.

2000-03-20

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing and implementing a customer satisfaction assessment program (CSAP) to assess the quality of research and development provided by the laboratory. We present the customer survey component of the PNNL CSAP. The customer survey questionnaire is composed of 2 major sections, Strategic Value and Project Performance. The Strategic Value section of the questionnaire consists of 5 questions that can be answered with a 5 point Likert scale response. These questions are designed to determine if a project is directly contributing to critical future national needs. The Project Performance section of the questionnaire consistsmore » of 9 questions that can be answered with a 5 point Likert scale response. These questions determine PNNL performance in meeting customer expectations. Many approaches could be used to analyze customer survey data. We present a statistical model that can accurately capture the random behavior of customer survey data. The properties of this statistical model can be used to establish a "gold standard'' or performance expectation for the laboratory, and then assess progress. The gold standard is defined from input from laboratory management --- answers to 4 simple questions, in terms of the information obtained from the CSAP customer survey, define the standard: *What should the average Strategic Value be for the laboratory project portfolio? *What Strategic Value interval should include most of the projects in the laboratory portfolio? *What should average Project Performance be for projects with a Strategic Value of about 2? *What should average Project Performance be for projects with a Strategic Value of about 4? We discuss how to analyze CSAP customer survey data with this model. Our discussion will include "lessons learned" and issues that can invalidate this type of assessment.« less

Current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of certified athletic trainers regarding recognition and treatment of exertional heat stroke.

PubMed

Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Scruggs, Ian C; Casa, Douglas J; Burton, Laura J; McDermott, Brendon P; Armstrong, Lawrence E; Maresh, Carl M

2010-01-01

Previous research has indicated that despite awareness of the current literature on the recommended prevention and care of exertional heat stroke (EHS), certified athletic trainers (ATs) acknowledge failure to follow those recommendations. To investigate the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of ATs regarding the recognition and treatment of EHS. Cross-sectional study. Online survey. We obtained a random sample of e-mail addresses for 1000 high school and collegiate ATs and contacted these individuals with invitations to participate. A total of 498 usable responses were received, for a 25% response rate. The survey instrument evaluated ATs' knowledge and actual practice regarding EHS and included 29 closed-ended Likert scale questions (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree), 2 closed-ended questions rated on a Likert scale (1 = lowest value, 9 = greatest value), 8 open-ended questions, and 7 demographic questions. We focused on the open-ended and demographic questions. Although most ATs (77.1%) have read the current National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement on heat illness, only 18.6% used rectal thermometers to assess core body temperature to recognize EHS, and 49.7% used cold-water immersion to treat EHS. Athletic trainers perceived rectal thermometers as the most valid temperature assessment device when compared with other assessment devices (P
Does Anyone Know the Answer to that Question? Individual Differences in Judging Answerability

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Bodil S. A.; Allwood, Carl Martin; Buratti, Sandra

2016-01-01

Occasionally people may attempt to judge whether a question can be answered today, or if not, if it can be answered in the future. For example, a person may consider whether enough is known about the dangers of living close to a nuclear plant, or to a major electricity cable, for them to be willing to do so, and state-authorities may consider whether questions about the dangers of new technologies have been answered, or in a reasonable future can be, for them to be willing to invest money in research aiming develop such technologies. A total of 476 participants, for each of 22 knowledge questions, either judged whether it was answerable today (current answerability), or judged when it could be answered (future answerability). The knowledge questions varied with respect to the expected consensus concerning their answerability: consensus questions (high expected consensus), non-consensus questions (lower expected consensus), and illusion questions (formulated to appear answerable, but with crucial information absent). The questions’ judged answerability level on the two scales was highly correlated. For both scales, consensus questions were rated more answerable than the non-consensus questions, with illusion questions falling in-between. The result for the illusion questions indicates that a feeling of answerability can be created even when it is unlikely that somebody can come up with an answer. The results also showed that individual difference variables influenced the answerability judgments. Higher levels of belief in certainty of knowledge, mankind’s knowledge, and mankind’s efficacy were related to judging the non-consensus questions as more answerable. Participants rating the illusion questions as answerable rated the other answerability questions as more, or equally, answerable compared to the other participants and showed tendencies to prefer a combination of more epistemic default processing and less intellectual processing. PMID:26793164
Toward automated consumer question answering: automatically separating consumer questions from professional questions in the healthcare domain.

PubMed

Liu, Feifan; Antieau, Lamont D; Yu, Hong

2011-12-01

Both healthcare professionals and healthcare consumers have information needs that can be met through the use of computers, specifically via medical question answering systems. However, the information needs of both groups are different in terms of literacy levels and technical expertise, and an effective question answering system must be able to account for these differences if it is to formulate the most relevant responses for users from each group. In this paper, we propose that a first step toward answering the queries of different users is automatically classifying questions according to whether they were asked by healthcare professionals or consumers. We obtained two sets of consumer questions (~10,000 questions in total) from Yahoo answers. The professional questions consist of two question collections: 4654 point-of-care questions (denoted as PointCare) obtained from interviews of a group of family doctors following patient visits and 5378 questions from physician practices through professional online services (denoted as OnlinePractice). With more than 20,000 questions combined, we developed supervised machine-learning models for automatic classification between consumer questions and professional questions. To evaluate the robustness of our models, we tested the model that was trained on the Consumer-PointCare dataset on the Consumer-OnlinePractice dataset. We evaluated both linguistic features and statistical features and examined how the characteristics in two different types of professional questions (PointCare vs. OnlinePractice) may affect the classification performance. We explored information gain for feature reduction and the back-off linguistic category features. The 10-fold cross-validation results showed the best F1-measure of 0.936 and 0.946 on Consumer-PointCare and Consumer-OnlinePractice respectively, and the best F1-measure of 0.891 when testing the Consumer-PointCare model on the Consumer-OnlinePractice dataset. Healthcare consumer
Development of Islamic Spiritual Health Scale (ISHS).

PubMed

Khorashadizadeh, Fatemeh; Heydari, Abbas; Nabavi, Fatemeh Heshmati; Mazlom, Seyed Reza; Ebrahimi, Mahdi; Esmaili, Habibollah

2017-03-01

To develop and psychometrically assess spiritual health scale based on Islamic view in Iran. The cross-sectional study was conducted at Imam Ali and Quem hospitals in Mashhad and Imam Ali and Imam Reza hospitals in Bojnurd, Iran, from 2015 to 2016 In the first stage, an 81-item Likert-type scale was developed using a qualitative approach. The second stage comprised quantitative component. The scale's impact factor, content validity ratio, content validity index, face validity and exploratory factor analysis were calculated. Test-retest and internal consistency was used to examine the reliability of the instrument. Data analysis was done using SPSS 11. Of 81 items in the scale, those with impact factor above 1.5, content validity ratio above 0.62, and content validity index above 0.79 were considered valid and the rest were discarded, resulting in a 61-item scale. Exploratory factor analysis reduced the list of items to 30, which were divided into seven groups with a minimum eigen value of 1 for each factor. But according to scatter plot, attributes of the concept of spiritual health included love to creator, duty-based life, religious rationality, psychological balance, and attention to afterlife. Internal reliability of the scale was calculated by alpha Cronbach coefficient as 0.91. There was solid evidence of the strength factor structure and reliability of the Islamic Spiritual Health Scale which provides a unique way for spiritual health assessment of Muslims.
Ask Questions to Encourage Questions Asked

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

belcastro, sarah-marie

2017-01-01

We delineate some types of structured practice (modeling, requests, feedback, and space-making) that help students learn to pose appropriate questions and to initiate exploration of those questions. Developing skills requires practice, so we suggest ways to embed structured practice into existing class sessions. Including structured practice is…
THE TRANSLATION, VALIDATION AND CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS THERAPY - SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING 12 (FACIT-SP12) SCALE IN GREEK LANGUAGE.

PubMed

Fradelos, Evangelos C; Tzavella, Foteini; Koukia, Evmorfia; Tsaras, Konstantinos; Papathanasiou, Ioanna V; Aroni, Adamantia; Alikari, Victoria; Ralli, Maria; Bredle, Jason; Zyga, Sofia

2016-06-01

According to World Health Organization (WHO), spirituality is an important domain of quality of life especially in terminal, life threatens chronic diseases. For many people spirituality and religion are not just very important dimensions of their existence, but also a source of support that contributes to wellbeing and coping with everyday difficulties of life. Aim of the study was the translation of the Facit Spiritual Well Being Scale (Facit-Sp12) in Greek language and the validation of the scale for the Greek population. The Facit-Sp12 questionnaire is an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that contains twelve, four point Likert scale, closed questions (0=Not at all, 1=A little bit, 2=Some-what, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very Much). The questionnaire was translated into Greek language and then back translated in the English in order to be checked for any inconsistencies. The sample of the study was 183 chronic kidney disease patients, undergoing hemodialysis. Exploratory factor analysis, with principal components analysis with Varimax rotation was performed for checking the construct validity of the questionnaire. The test-retest reliability and the internal consistency were also examined. Statistical analysis performed by the use of SPSS 21.0. Statistical significance level was set at p=0.05. The final Greek version of the questionnaire includes all of the twelve questions. The mean age of the participants was 61.81±13.9. Three factors were exported from the statistical analysis. The Cronbach-α coefficient was 0.77 for the total questionnaire and for each subscale was 0.70 for "meaning", 0.73 for "peace" and 0.87 for "faith". Between the three subscales "meaning" had the highest score (mean 12.49, SD=2.865). The Facit Spiritual Wellbeing Scale-Facit-Sp12, is a valuable and reliable questionnaire of three dimensions that can be used for assessing spirituality and spiritual wellbeing in Greek population.
Simple Texts, Complex Questions: Helping Young Children Generate Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ness, Molly

2017-01-01

As they are naturally curious about the world around them, young children ask lots and lots of questions. In classrooms today, however, there seems to be little space for these student-generated questions as teachers are more likely to pose the questions. Research indicates that question generation is an effective strategy to motivate young…
Physicians' opening questions and patients' satisfaction.

PubMed

Robinson, Jeffrey D; Heritage, John

2006-03-01

To determine the association between the format of physicians' opening questions that solicit patients' presenting concerns and patients' post-visit evaluations of (i.e., satisfaction with) the affective-relational dimension of physicians' communication. Videotape and questionnaire data were collected from visits between 28 primary-care physicians and 142 adult patients with acute problems. Factor analysis resulted in three dependent variables derived from the 9-item Socioemotional Behavior subscale of the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale. Question format was significantly, positively associated with patients' evaluations of physicians' listening (p=.028) and positive affective-relational communication (p=.046). Patients desire opportunities to present concerns in their own time and terms regardless of how extensively they act on this opportunity. Visits should be opened with general inquiries (e.g., What can I do for you today?) versus closed-ended requests for confirmation (e.g., Sore throat, huh?).
Question Popularity Analysis and Prediction in Community Question Answering Services

PubMed Central

Liu, Ting; Zhang, Wei-Nan; Cao, Liujuan; Zhang, Yu

2014-01-01

With the blooming of online social media applications, Community Question Answering (CQA) services have become one of the most important online resources for information and knowledge seekers. A large number of high quality question and answer pairs have been accumulated, which allow users to not only share their knowledge with others, but also interact with each other. Accordingly, volumes of efforts have been taken to explore the questions and answers retrieval in CQA services so as to help users to finding the similar questions or the right answers. However, to our knowledge, less attention has been paid so far to question popularity in CQA. Question popularity can reflect the attention and interest of users. Hence, predicting question popularity can better capture the users’ interest so as to improve the users’ experience. Meanwhile, it can also promote the development of the community. In this paper, we investigate the problem of predicting question popularity in CQA. We first explore the factors that have impact on question popularity by employing statistical analysis. We then propose a supervised machine learning approach to model these factors for question popularity prediction. The experimental results show that our proposed approach can effectively distinguish the popular questions from unpopular ones in the Yahoo! Answers question and answer repository. PMID:24837851
Question popularity analysis and prediction in community question answering services.

PubMed

Liu, Ting; Zhang, Wei-Nan; Cao, Liujuan; Zhang, Yu

2014-01-01

With the blooming of online social media applications, Community Question Answering (CQA) services have become one of the most important online resources for information and knowledge seekers. A large number of high quality question and answer pairs have been accumulated, which allow users to not only share their knowledge with others, but also interact with each other. Accordingly, volumes of efforts have been taken to explore the questions and answers retrieval in CQA services so as to help users to finding the similar questions or the right answers. However, to our knowledge, less attention has been paid so far to question popularity in CQA. Question popularity can reflect the attention and interest of users. Hence, predicting question popularity can better capture the users' interest so as to improve the users' experience. Meanwhile, it can also promote the development of the community. In this paper, we investigate the problem of predicting question popularity in CQA. We first explore the factors that have impact on question popularity by employing statistical analysis. We then propose a supervised machine learning approach to model these factors for question popularity prediction. The experimental results show that our proposed approach can effectively distinguish the popular questions from unpopular ones in the Yahoo! Answers question and answer repository.
Two-Year-Old Children Differentiate Test Questions from Genuine Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosse, Gerlind; Tomasello, Michael

2012-01-01

Children are frequently confronted with so-called "test questions". While genuine questions are requests for missing information, test questions ask for information obviously already known to the questioner. In this study we explored whether two-year-old children respond differentially to one and the same question used as either a genuine question…
Supporting nursing student supervision: An assessment of an innovative approach to supervisor support.

PubMed

Browning, Mark; Pront, Leeanne

2015-06-01

The responsibility for clinical supervision is recognised by both the nursing literature and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, through an expectation that RNs will provide support and facilitate student learning in the clinical environment (Atack et al., 2000; Gray and Smith, 2000; Brammer, 2005; Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2006; Hallin and Danielson, 2008). RNs identify with and acknowledge the need for the supervisory role and are willing participants however, request strategies to guide and support students in the clinical environment (Bourbonnais and Kerr, 2007; Hallin and Danielson, 2008). The aim of this study was to provide a means of support to clinical supervisors of nursing students through a computer-based clinical supervisor educational package (CSEP) and to test the effectiveness of the CSEP. The effectiveness of the CSEP was determined by a pre-test-post-test evaluation sheet that included open and Likert scale questions. 4 regional hospitals in South Australia, Australia. 28 participants completed the questionnaire on their experience with the CSEP. Analysis of quantitative data utilised non-parametric testing with SPSS version 20. A Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was performed on the Likert scale questions to establish any significant difference between the pre- and post-tests. The responses to the open-ended questions were thematically analysed separately by the two authors. The themes were then amalgamated. The results were then compared to find similarities or differences. The CSEP is an effective education package in promoting increased preparedness to supervise and increased confidence to promote learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Process evaluation of a walking programme delivered through the workplace in the South Pacific island Vanuatu.

PubMed

Siefken, Katja; Schofield, Grant; Schulenkorf, Nico

2015-06-01

The South Pacific region is experiencing significant rates of chronic diseases. Well-evaluated health promotion programmes are needed as a central piece of a strategic solution. Just as important as the evaluation itself is how that evaluation outcome can be communicated for future programme use by local programme planners. The objective of this study is to evaluate a physical activity (PA) programme that was designed for Pacific women in urban Vanuatu, and subsequently to develop new techniques to display data that support the understanding and communication of programme success and challenges. Data collection methods included quantitative Likert scale questions and qualitative open-ended questions. A new analysis technique visualises open-ended process evaluation data. We present themes using word sizes proportional to the frequency of the themes identified through thematic analysis. The Likert scale technique revealed little meaningful information; almost all participants rated most elements of the programme highly. This may be related to Pacific people being frequently inclined to assent with external ideas. Open-ended questions provided more significant insights. For example, we found a stronger change in eating habits (68.9%) than in exercise behaviour (28.2%). We present an evaluation of the first pedometer-based PA intervention in the Pacific and respond to the paucity of process evaluations that have been carried out in the context of low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, the new thematic data visualisation (TDV) approach may aid in understanding complex and cluttered data in a constructive and coordinated way; we present a new approach in health promotion research. © The Author(s) 2014.
Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Gay Male Sexual Difficulties Scale.

PubMed

McDonagh, Lorraine K; Stewart, Ian; Morrison, Melanie A; Morrison, Todd G

2016-08-01

Sexual difficulties (i.e., disturbances in normal sexual responding) have the potential to significantly and negatively affect men's social and psychological well-being. However, a review of published measurement tools indicates that most have limited applicability to gay men, and none offer a nuanced understanding of sexual difficulties, as experienced by members of this population. To address this omission, the Gay Male Sexual Difficulties Scale (GMSDS) was developed using a sequential mixed-methods approach. The 25-item GMSDS uses a 6-point frequency Likert-type response format and examines: difficulties with receptive and insertive anal intercourse (5 items each); erectile difficulties (4 items); foreskin difficulties (4 items); body embarrassment (4 items); and seminal fluid concerns (3 items). The measure's scale score dimensionality, assessed using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as scale score reliability and validity (e.g., known-groups and convergent) was tested and deemed to be satisfactory. Limitations of the current series of studies and directions for future research are discussed.
Posing Einstein's Question: Questioning Einstein's Pose.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topper, David; Vincent, Dwight E.

2000-01-01

Discusses the events surrounding a famous picture of Albert Einstein in which he poses near a blackboard containing a tensor form of his 10 field equations for pure gravity with a question mark after it. Speculates as to the content of Einstein's lecture and the questions he might have had about the equation. (Contains over 30 references.) (WRM)
How do patients choose private in vitro fertilization treatment? A customer survey in a tertiary fertility center in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Lass, A; Brinsden, P

2001-05-01

To assess the relevant factors affecting patients' decision when choosing a clinic for private, self-funded IVF treatment. Prospective anonymous closed questionnaires. Single tertiary-care private IVF center. New patients attending primary consultation in a period of 7 months from September 1999 to March 2000. None. Primary knowledge about the clinic, source of referral, knowledge of, availability of information pack, and familiarity with the clinic's success rates and treatment's price. The last question assessed the relative importance of each factor in the decision-making process according to the SERVQUAL model, modified version. All items were measured as perceptions on a 5-point Likert scale. 1 = not important, 3 = neutral, and 5 = very important. One hundred seventy-five patients completed the questionnaire. They were well informed and investigated the market before making their final choice. Patients collect information from many sources, including new channels such as the Internet. Up to one third of patients do not consult their doctor before treatment. By far the most relevant factor in decision making is the success rate (i.e., delivery rates) of the clinic, followed by recommendation by general practitioner (GP) or consultant (respectively, Likert scale score, 4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5-4.7; and Likert scale score, 4.0; 95% CI, 3.9-4.2; P<.01). Other factors, such as cost of the treatment, friends and relatives' opinions, and distance from home were not relevant. Units that wish to thrive and increase their market share should deliver high-quality service and concentrate their efforts on excelling in performance.
The Portuguese versions of the This Is ME Questionnaire and the Patient Dignity Question: tools for understanding and supporting personhood in clinical care.

PubMed

Julião, Miguel; Courelas, Carla; Costa, Manuel João; Correia Santos, Nadine; Fareleira, Filipa; Antunes, Bárbara; Magalhães, Susana; Faria de Sousa, Paulo; Chochinov, Harvey Max

2018-05-11

Modern medicine can be impersonal and routinized, paying insufficient attention to issues of personhood. The Patient Dignity Question (PDQ) and This Is ME (TIME) Questionnaire are clinical tools developed with the aim of probing for personhood, reinforcing dignity and promoting health care attitudes based on looking at people for who they are and not defining them solely based on their medical condition. This study aimed to translate and validate the TIME Questionnaire and the PDQ into European Portuguese, coined as Questionário Este Sou EU (ESEU) and Pergunta da Dignidade (PD), respectively. A three-stage research design, namely: a forward and back translation process (which included an expert committee panel), collected data on a sample of 43 non-institutionalized active elderly for the validation stage and a final expert panel consultation. Inclusion criteria: being 50 years old or older; ability to provide written informed consent; ability to read, speak and understand Portuguese. The original TIME authors fully endorsed the back translated version. A Portuguese version was created. Forty-three participants (response rate of 62%) were included, 53% of whom were male. The average age was 69 years old (range, 60-80 years old). The interviewed elderly strongly felt that the ESEU's summary captured their essence as a person beyond whatever health problems they might be experiencing (6.8, SD =0.48), heightened their sense of dignity (6.1, SD =1.48), considered important that health care professionals (HCPs) have access to ESEU´s summary (6.6, SD =0.73) and that this information could affect the way HCPs see and care for them (6.4, SD =0.86), rated on a Likert scale: 1 "strongly disagree"-7 "strongly agree". According to the experts' evaluations, the translated ESEU Questionnaire was clear, precise, comprehensible and captured important dimensions of personhood. The Questionário ESEU and the PD are clear, precise, comprehensible and well-aligned in terms of
Questions for Surveys

PubMed Central

Schaeffer, Nora Cate; Dykema, Jennifer

2011-01-01

We begin with a look back at the field to identify themes of recent research that we expect to continue to occupy researchers in the future. As part of this overview, we characterize the themes and topics examined in research about measurement and survey questions published in Public Opinion Quarterly in the past decade. We then characterize the field more broadly by highlighting topics that we expect to continue or to grow in importance, including the relationship between survey questions and the total survey error perspective, cognitive versus interactional approaches, interviewing practices, mode and technology, visual aspects of question design, and culture. Considering avenues for future research, we advocate for a decision-oriented framework for thinking about survey questions and their characteristics. The approach we propose distinguishes among various aspects of question characteristics, including question topic, question type and response dimension, conceptualization and operationalization of the target object, question structure, question form, response categories, question implementation, and question wording. Thinking about question characteristics more systematically would allow study designs to take into account relationships among these characteristics and identify gaps in current knowledge. PMID:24970951
The Development of the Francis Moral Values Scales: A Study among 16- to 18-Year-Old Students Taking Religious Studies at A Level in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Village, Andrew; Francis, Leslie J.

2016-01-01

This article reports on the development of scales for measuring moral values in three domains: anti-social behaviour, sex and relationships, and substance use. Students studying religion at A level in 25 schools were invited to respond to 32 Likert items that referred to a wide range of moral issues and behaviours, employing a 5-point response…
Popularity and impact of using smart devices in medicine: experiences in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Ghamdi, Sameer

2018-04-20

The present study aimed to investigate smart device medical apps currently preferred by physicians in Saudi Arabia and the perceived impact of the apps on patient care. Questionnaires for this cross-sectional study on smart device medical apps were randomly emailed to 384 physicians registered in the Saudi Commission of Health Specialists database. A total of 300 physicians returned completed questionnaires, with a response rate of 78.5%. Physician demographics and their perceptions of medical apps were assessed, including questions on the purpose, impact, and types of medical apps used. Questions were answered using a Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = not sure, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree). Study subjects had a median age of 39 years (57.7% male). Most respondents (88.3%) had smart devices, and 86.3% had at least one medical app installed. Just over half used an app at least once a day (53.0%). Medical apps were positively perceived, with physicians reporting increased dependency on the apps (Likert score: 4.7 ± 0.5). Medical apps were perceived to positively impact education, physician efficiency, and patient care.

Reflective Questions, Self-Questioning and Managing Professionally Situated Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malthouse, Richard; Watts, Mike; Roffey-Barentsen, Jodi

2015-01-01

Reflective self-questioning arises within the workplace when people are confronted with professional problems and situations. This paper focuses on reflective and "situated reflective" questions in terms of self-questioning and professional workplace problem solving. In our view, the situational context, entailed by the setting, social…
Four Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hark-Weber, Amara G., Ed.

2013-01-01

The author is pleased to introduce a new section in "TAJ," Four Questions. The structure is simple: four questions are asked to teaching artists working in various media and locations. The questions are always the same, but because each teaching artist's approach is unique, their answers will provide an insight into particular methodologies that…
Doing Science and Asking Questions II: An Exercise That Generates Questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurt Middlecamp, Catherine; Nickel, Anne-Marie L.

2005-08-01

Given the importance of questions in science, it is critical that students learn to ask questions as well as learning to answer them. This paper describes a classroom exercise to help students better ask their own questions. It has been classroom-tested in multiple formats and has also been used for curriculum development workshops for faculty. This exercise in creating questions can be easily customized to suit different instructional contexts; some variations are outlined. More broadly, this paper also discusses the pedagogical significance of questioning, raising four salient points: (1) learners are more likely to have a personal interest in the questions they raise; (2) questions can serve as entry points for issues relating to ethnicity and gender; (3) questions give control to the person who asks them; and (4) questions can challenge existing structures, categories, and norms.
Designing questionnaires: healthcare survey to compare two different response scales.

PubMed

Dell-Kuster, Salome; Sanjuan, Esteban; Todorov, Atanas; Weber, Heidemarie; Heberer, Michael; Rosenthal, Rachel

2014-08-03

A widely discussed design issue in patient satisfaction questionnaires is the optimal length and labelling of the answering scale. The aim of the present study was to compare intra-individually the answers on two response scales to five general questions evaluating patients' perception of hospital care. Between November 2011 and January 2012, all in-hospital patients at a Swiss University Hospital received a patient satisfaction questionnaire on an adjectival scale with three to four labelled categories (LS) and five redundant questions displayed on an 11-point end-anchored numeric scale (NS). The scales were compared concerning ceiling effect, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), individual item answers (Spearman's rank correlation), and concerning overall satisfaction by calculating an overall percentage score (sum of all answers related to the maximum possible sum). The response rate was 41% (2957/7158), of which 2400 (81%) completely filled out all questions. Baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar. Floor and ceiling effect were high on both response scales, but more pronounced on the LS than on the NS. Cronbach's alpha was higher on the NS than on the LS. There was a strong individual item correlation between both answering scales in questions regarding the intent to return, quality of treatment and the judgement whether the patient was treated with respect and dignity, but a lower correlation concerning satisfactory information transfer by physicians or nurses, where only three categories were available in the LS. The overall percentage score showed a comparable distribution, but with a wider spread of lower satisfaction in the NS. Since the longer scale did not substantially reduce the ceiling effect, the type of questions rather than the type of answering scale could be addressed with a focus on specific questions about concrete situations instead of general questions. Moreover, the low correlation in questions about
Designing questionnaires: healthcare survey to compare two different response scales

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background A widely discussed design issue in patient satisfaction questionnaires is the optimal length and labelling of the answering scale. The aim of the present study was to compare intra-individually the answers on two response scales to five general questions evaluating patients’ perception of hospital care. Methods Between November 2011 and January 2012, all in-hospital patients at a Swiss University Hospital received a patient satisfaction questionnaire on an adjectival scale with three to four labelled categories (LS) and five redundant questions displayed on an 11-point end-anchored numeric scale (NS). The scales were compared concerning ceiling effect, internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), individual item answers (Spearman’s rank correlation), and concerning overall satisfaction by calculating an overall percentage score (sum of all answers related to the maximum possible sum). Results The response rate was 41% (2957/7158), of which 2400 (81%) completely filled out all questions. Baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar. Floor and ceiling effect were high on both response scales, but more pronounced on the LS than on the NS. Cronbach’s alpha was higher on the NS than on the LS. There was a strong individual item correlation between both answering scales in questions regarding the intent to return, quality of treatment and the judgement whether the patient was treated with respect and dignity, but a lower correlation concerning satisfactory information transfer by physicians or nurses, where only three categories were available in the LS. The overall percentage score showed a comparable distribution, but with a wider spread of lower satisfaction in the NS. Conclusions Since the longer scale did not substantially reduce the ceiling effect, the type of questions rather than the type of answering scale could be addressed with a focus on specific questions about concrete situations instead of general questions
[Instruments for quantitative methods of nursing research].

PubMed

Vellone, E

2000-01-01

Instruments for quantitative nursing research are a mean to objectify and measure a variable or a phenomenon in the scientific research. There are direct instruments to measure concrete variables and indirect instruments to measure abstract concepts (Burns, Grove, 1997). Indirect instruments measure the attributes by which a concept is made of. Furthermore, there are instruments for physiologic variables (e.g. for the weight), observational instruments (Check-lists e Rating Scales), interviews, questionnaires, diaries and the scales (Check-lists, Rating Scales, Likert Scales, Semantic Differential Scales e Visual Anologue Scales). The choice to select an instrument or another one depends on the research question and design. Instruments research are very useful in research both to describe the variables and to see statistical significant relationships. Very carefully should be their use in the clinical practice for diagnostic assessment.
Changes in Student Perceptions and Study Strategies Over Time in a Veterinary Clinical Pathology Course Using Case-Based Instruction.

PubMed

Fernandez, Nicole J; Wagg, Catherine R; Warren, Amy L

2018-06-13

Veterinary students are challenged to develop new, nonlinear ways of thinking as they learn diagnostic reasoning skills. To support this process, we use real-life cases in our clinical pathology course. Changes in student perceptions regarding the use of cases and changes in study strategies over time have not been previously investigated or compared to student grades. Students participated in three voluntary online surveys that included 4-point Likert scale questions and open-ended questions on the helpfulness of cases for learning and study strategies used during the course. We used Friedman tests to detect any differences in perceptions over time; McNemar's test and "Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to detect any differences in study strategies over time. Fisher's exact tests'were used to examine the association between the Likert scale responses and grades in quartiles. Before beginning the course, 29% of students responded that cases were very helpful to their learning, with similar "responses for helpfulness in applying course material and grasping important concepts. There was a significant trend of increasing positivity over the duration of the course, with 74% responding that cases were very helpful at the end of the course. The most-reported study strategy was working individually on cases before the midterm (74% of students), and the most helpful study strategy was attending class regularly (88% reported it as very "helpful). Study strategies did not change significantly over time. Overall, perceptions and study strategies did not vary significantly with grades.
High Disparity Between Orthopedic Resident Interest and Participation in International Health Electives.

PubMed

Zhang, Steven; Shultz, Paul; Daniels, Alan; Ackelman, Edward; Kamal, Robin N

2016-07-01

Few orthopedic surgical residency programs offer international health electives (IHEs). Efforts to expand these programs have been increasing across medical disciplines. Whether orthopedic residents will participate remains unknown. This study quantified and characterized orthopedic resident interest and barriers to IHEs in US residency programs. A web-based survey was administered to residents from 154 US orthopedic residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education 2014 to 2015. Questions assessed demographics and program background, previous medical experience abroad, barriers to participation, and level of interest in participating in an international health elective during their training and beyond. Twenty-seven (17.5%) residency programs responded. Chi-square analysis showed that residents who expressed interest in participating were significantly more likely to have experience abroad compared with those who expressed no interest (P<.004). Analysis using Mann-Whitney U test suggested that those who expressed interest were more likely to believe IHEs are important to resident training (P<.0011; mean Likert scale score of 3.7 vs 2.6), provide valuable experience (P<.001; mean Likert scale score of 4.2 vs 3.2), and should be required for orthopedic residencies (P<.001; mean Likert scale score of 2.8 vs 1.9). Residents are strongly interested in participating in IHEs during their training, and many may integrate global health into future practices. Residents perceive lack of funding and scheduling flexibility as barriers preventing them from participating. Prior experience abroad influences level of interest, and international clinical experience may enhance future perception of its value. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(4):e680-e686.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.
Development of a scale to measure individuals’ ratings of peace

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The evolving concept of peace-building and the interplay between peace and health is examined in many venues, including at the World Health Assembly. However, without a metric to determine effectiveness of intervention programs all efforts are prone to subjective assessment. This paper develops a psychometric index that lays the foundation for measuring community peace stemming from intervention programs. Methods After developing a working definition of ‘peace’ and delineating a Peace Evaluation Across Cultures and Environments (PEACE) scale with seven constructs comprised of 71 items, a beta version of the index was pilot-tested. Two hundred and fifty subjects in three sites in the U.S. were studied using a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the psychometric functioning of the PEACE scale. Known groups validation was performed using the SOS-10. In addition, test-retest reliability was performed on 20 subjects. Results The preliminary data demonstrated that the scale has acceptable psychometric properties for measuring an individual’s level of peacefulness. The study also provides reliability and validity data for the scale. The data demonstrated internal consistency, correlation between data and psychological well-being, and test-retest reliability. Conclusions The PEACE scale may serve as a novel assessment tool in the health sector and be valuable in monitoring and evaluating the peace-building impact of health initiatives in conflict-affected regions. PMID:25298781
Secondary Students' Stable and Unstable Optics Conceptions Using Contextualized Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Hye-Eun; Treagust, David F.

2014-01-01

This study focuses on elucidating and explaining reasons for the stability of and interrelationships between students' conceptions about "Light Propagation" and "Visibility of Objects" using contextualized questions across 3 years of secondary schooling from Years 7 to 9. In a large-scale quantitative study involving 1,233…
Developmental College Student Self-Regulation: Results from Two Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Dawn; Ley, Kathryn

2005-01-01

This study compared 34 lower-achieving (developmental) first-time college students' self-reported self-regulation strategies from a Likert scale to those they reported in structured interviews. Likert scales have offered convenient administration and evaluation and have been used to identify what and how learners study. The reported study activity…
Frequently Asked Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Local Government Solar Project Portal's Frequently Asked Questions page provides a forum for cities and towns to ask specific questions of experts and for EPA to share answers to commonly asked questions.
Validation of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Sleep Questions

PubMed Central

Jungquist, Carla R.; Mund, Jaime; Aquilina, Alan T.; Klingman, Karen; Pender, John; Ochs-Balcom, Heather; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Dickerson, Suzanne S.

2016-01-01

Study Objective: Sleep problems may constitute a risk for health problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, poor work performance, and motor vehicle accidents. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the current Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) sleep questions by establishing the sensitivity and specificity for detection of sleep/ wake disturbance. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional assessment of 300 community dwelling adults over the age of 18 who did not wear CPAP or oxygen during sleep. Reliability and validity testing of the BRFSS sleep questions was performed comparing to BFRSS responses to data from home sleep study, actigraphy for 14 days, Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and PROMIS-57. Results: Only two of the five BRFSS sleep questions were found valid and reliable in determining total sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness. Conclusions: Refinement of the BRFSS questions is recommended. Citation: Jungquist CR, Mund J, Aquilina AT, Klingman K, Pender J, Ochs-Balcom H, van Wijngaarden E, Dickerson SS. Validation of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system sleep questions. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(3):301–310. PMID:26446246
Development of a community commitment scale with cross-sectional survey validation for preventing social isolation in older Japanese people.

PubMed

Kono, Ayumi; Tadaka, Etsuko; Kanaya, Yukiko; Dai, Yuka; Itoi, Waka; Imamatsu, Yuki

2012-10-24

Elderly social isolation could be prevented by facilitating communication or mutual helping at the neighborhood level. The helping of elderly neighbors by local volunteers may relate to their community commitment (CC), but ways to measure CC have not been identified. The aim of the present study was to develop a Community Commitment Scale (CCS) to measure psychological sense of belonging and socializing in the community among local volunteers, for research in prevention of elderly social isolation. We also tested the CCS in a general population of the elderly. A pilot test of 266 Japanese urban residents was conducted to examine face validity for 24 identified items, of which 12 items were selected for the CCS, based on a 4-point Likert-type scale. The CCS was developed via self-report questionnaires to 859 local volunteers in two suburban cities and to 3484 randomly sampled general residents aged 55 years or older living in one of the cities. To assess concurrent validity, data were collected using the Brief Sense of Community Scale (Peterson; 2008) and two types of single questions on self-efficacy for helping elderly neighbors. Item analysis and factor analysis identified 8 items, which were classified between two datasets under the domains of "belonging" and "socializing" in the local volunteers and the general residents. Cronbach's alpha (which conveyed the internal consistency of the CCS) was 0.75 in local volunteers and 0.78 in general residents. The correlation coefficients between the scores of the CCS and BSCS were 0.54 for local volunteers and 0.62 for general residents. ANOVA comparing the CCS between the confidence levels of the two types of single question of self-efficacy on helping elderly neighbors showed a strong relationship in the volunteers and residents. These results demonstrate acceptable internal consistency and concurrent validity for the CCS, with the two dimensions "belonging" and "socializing", among the local volunteers and general
When Is a Question a Question for Children and Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saindon, Mathieu R.; Trehub, Sandra E.; Schellenberg, E. Glenn; van Lieshout, Pascal H. H. M.

2017-01-01

Terminal changes in fundamental frequency provide the most salient acoustic cues to declarative questions, but adults sometimes identify such questions from pre-terminal cues. In the present study, adults and 7- to 10-year-old children judged a single speaker's adult- and child-directed utterances as questions or statements in a gating task with…
The Prolo Scale: history, evolution and psychometric properties.

PubMed

Vanti, Carla; Prosperi, Donatella; Boschi, Marco

2013-12-01

The Prolo Scale (PS) is a widely accepted assessment tool for lumbar spinal surgery results. Nevertheless, in the literature there is a dearth of consensus about its application, interpretation and accuracy. The purpose of this review is to investigate the evolution of the PS from its introduction in 1986 to the present, including an analysis of different versions of the scale and research on the existing studies investigating its psychometric properties. PubMed, Cochrane Library and PEDro databases were searched. Studies in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German published from 1986 to December 2012 were analyzed. The original lumbar surgery outcome scale consisted of two Likert-type scales (economic and functional). There are three more versions of the scale: Schnee proposed one consisting of 10 items, Brantigan made one with 20 items and introduced 2 more subscales (pain and medication), and Davis adapted the scale for the cervical spine. PS is often mentioned without any specific reference to the version used; therefore, a homogeneous comparison of studies is difficult to achieve. Several authors agree on the need to embrace a multidimensional measuring system to evaluate low back pain (LBP), but there is still no consensus regarding the most reliable tool. To date, PS has been mostly used as secondary outcome measure in association with validated primary measures for LBP. The Prolo Scale has been adopted for clinical examination for 20 years because it is easy to administer and useful to compare significant amounts of data from surgical studies carried out at different times. Although several authors demonstrated the scale sensitivity among a battery of tests, no thorough validation study was found in the current literature.
A Question of Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, John; McMillan, Rod

In a conventional teaching situation, a lecturer may use a wide range of questioning techniques aimed at helping students to become active learners. In distance learning, students are often isolated and have limited opportunities for interaction in a social learning environment. Hence, learning strategies in distance learning need to be structured…
The sense and non-sense of plot-scale, catchment-scale, continental-scale and global-scale hydrological modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bronstert, Axel; Heistermann, Maik; Francke, Till

2017-04-01

Hydrological models aim at quantifying the hydrological cycle and its constituent processes for particular conditions, sites or periods in time. Such models have been developed for a large range of spatial and temporal scales. One must be aware that the question which is the appropriate scale to be applied depends on the overall question under study. Therefore, it is not advisable to give a general applicable guideline on what is "the best" scale for a model. This statement is even more relevant for coupled hydrological, ecological and atmospheric models. Although a general statement about the most appropriate modelling scale is not recommendable, it is worth to have a look on what are the advantages and the shortcomings of micro-, meso- and macro-scale approaches. Such an appraisal is of increasing importance, since increasingly (very) large / global scale approaches and models are under operation and therefore the question arises how far and for what purposes such methods may yield scientifically sound results. It is important to understand that in most hydrological (and ecological, atmospheric and other) studies process scale, measurement scale, and modelling scale differ from each other. In some cases, the differences between theses scales can be of different orders of magnitude (example: runoff formation, measurement and modelling). These differences are a major source of uncertainty in description and modelling of hydrological, ecological and atmospheric processes. Let us now summarize our viewpoint of the strengths (+) and weaknesses (-) of hydrological models of different scales: Micro scale (e.g. extent of a plot, field or hillslope): (+) enables process research, based on controlled experiments (e.g. infiltration; root water uptake; chemical matter transport); (+) data of state conditions (e.g. soil parameter, vegetation properties) and boundary fluxes (e.g. rainfall or evapotranspiration) are directly measurable and reproducible; (+) equations based on
Geomorphic and vegetation processes of the Willamette River floodplain, Oregon: current understanding and unanswered science questions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wallick, J. Rose; Jones, Krista L.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Hulse, David; Gregory, Stanley V.

2013-01-01

4. How is the succession of native floodplain vegetation shaped by present-day flow and sediment conditions? Answering these questions will produce baseline data on the current distributions of landforms and habitats (question 1), the extent of the functional floodplain (question 2), and the effects of modern flow and sediment regimes on future floodplain landforms, habitats, and vegetation succession (questions 3 and 4). Addressing questions 1 and 2 is a logical next step because they underlie questions 3 and 4. Addressing these four questions would better characterize the modern Willamette Basin and help in implementing and setting realistic targets for ongoing management strategies, demonstrating their effectiveness at the site and basin scales, and anticipating future trends and conditions.
Exam Question Exchange.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, John J., Ed.

1983-01-01

Acceptable answers are provided for two chemistry questions. The first question is related to the prediction of the appearance of non-first-order proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The second question is related to extraterrestrial kinetic theory of gases. (JN)

The effect of Tomm's therapeutic questioning styles on therapeutic alliance: a clinical analog study.

PubMed

Dozier, R M; Hicks, M W; Cornille, T A; Peterson, G W

1998-01-01

Tomm (1988) suggests that circular and reflexive questions tend to elicit feelings of freedom/acceptance whereas lineal and strategic questions usually trigger feelings of judgment/constraint. Employing an analog methodology, each of Tomm's four questioning styles was portrayed in the form of a 5-minute videotaped intake scenario. Forty family triads with a mother, father, and adolescent son were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions with ten families each. Each condition involved viewing one of four questioning style scenarios. All participants (N = 120 individuals--40 mothers, 40 fathers, and 40 adolescent sons) completed the Family Therapy Alliance Scale (FTAS; Pinsof & Catherall, 1986) and a validity-check instrument. The results indicated that circular and reflexive questioning styles elicited significantly higher (p < 0.001) alliance scores on the FTAS than did either lineal or strategic questions. Implications for the use of different types of questions in family therapy are discussed.
Implementing a pilot leadership course for internal medicine residents: design considerations, participant impressions, and lessons learned.

PubMed

Blumenthal, Daniel M; Bernard, Ken; Fraser, Traci N; Bohnen, Jordan; Zeidman, Jessica; Stone, Valerie E

2014-11-30

Effective clinical leadership is associated with better patient care. We implemented and evaluated a pilot clinical leadership course for second year internal medicine residents at a large United States Academic Medical Center that is part of a multi-hospital health system. The course met weekly for two to three hours during July, 2013. Sessions included large group discussions and small group reflection meetings. Topics included leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and leading clinical teams. Course materials were designed internally and featured "business school style" case studies about everyday clinical medicine which explore how leadership skills impact care delivery. Participants evaluated the course's impact and quality using a post-course survey. Questions were structured in five point likert scale and free text format. Likert scale responses were converted to a 1-5 scale (1 = strongly disagree; 3 = neither agree nor disagree; 5 = strongly agree), and means were compared to the value 3 using one-way T-tests. Responses to free text questions were analyzed using the constant comparative method. All sixteen pilot course participants completed the survey. Participants overwhelmingly agreed that the course provided content and skills relevant to their clinical responsibilities and leadership roles. Most participants also acknowledged that taking the course improved their understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as leaders, different leadership styles, and how to manage interpersonal conflict on clinical teams. 88% also reported that the course increased their interest in pursuing additional leadership training. A clinical leadership course for internal medicine residents designed by colleagues, and utilizing case studies about clinical medicine, resulted in significant self-reported improvements in clinical leadership competencies.
How Do Question Writers Compose External Examination Questions? Question Writing as a Socio-Cognitive Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Martin; Constantinou, Filio; Crisp, Victoria

2017-01-01

The focus of this research is on the practice of education examination question writing. Educational examinations are tests that are taken by candidates in schools or colleges but that are externally developed, administered and marked by an assessment organisation. Whilst the practice of writing external examination questions is ubiquitous,…
Family doctors' views of pharmaceutical sales representatives: assessment scale development.

PubMed

Kersnik, Janko; Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Petek-Ster, Marija; Tusek-Bunc, Ksenija; Poplas-Susic, Tonka; Kolsek, Marko

2011-08-01

The prescribing patterns depend on the physicians' attitudes and their subjective norms towards prescribing a particular drug, as well as on their personal experience with a particular drug. The physicians are affected by their interactions with pharmaceutical industry. The objectives were to develop a scale for assessment of pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSRs) by the family doctors (FDs) and to determine factors for their evaluation. Cross-sectional anonymous postal study. We included a random sample of 250 Slovenian FDs. Settings. Slovenian FDs' surgeries. The score of various items regarding FDs' assessment of PSRs on a 7-point Likert scale. We got 163 responses (65.2% response rate). The most important characteristic of PSRs, as rated by respondents on the scale from 1 to 7, was the fact that they did not mislead when presenting products' information. The second most important characteristic was the ability to provide objective information about the product. The first three most important characteristics, as rated by the respondents by themselves, were 'Shows good knowledge on the promoted subject', 'Provides objective product information' and 'Makes brief and exact visits'. Cronbach's alpha of the composite scale was 0.844. Factor analysis revealed three PSRs' factors: selling skills, communicating skills and sense of trustworthiness. FDs evaluate PSRs mainly by their managerial skills and trustworthiness. The scale proved to be a reliable tool for assessing PSRs by FDs.
Exam Question Exchange.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, John J., Ed.

1987-01-01

Contains two articles relating to chemistry examination questions. One provides examples of how to sequence multiple choice questions so that partial credit may be given for some responses. The second includes a question and solution dealing with stereoisomerism as a result of free radical chlorination of a nonstereoisometic substance. (TW)
Validation of a general measure of treatment satisfaction, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM), using a national panel study of chronic disease

PubMed Central

Atkinson, Mark J; Sinha, Anusha; Hass, Steven L; Colman, Shoshana S; Kumar, Ritesh N; Brod, Meryl; Rowland, Clayton R

2004-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a general measure of patients' satisfaction with medication, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM). Methods The content and format of 55 initial questions were based on a formal conceptual framework, an extensive literature review, and the input from three patient focus groups. Patient interviews were used to select the most relevant questions for further evaluation (n = 31). The psychometric performance of items and resulting TSQM scales were examined using eight diverse patient groups (arthritis, asthma, major depression, type I diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, migraine, and psoriasis) recruited from a national longitudinal panel study of chronic illness (n = 567). Participants were then randomized to complete the test items using one of two alternate scaling methods (Visual Analogue vs. Likert-type). Results A factor analysis (principal component extraction with varimax rotation) of specific items revealed three factors (Eigenvalues > 1.7) explaining 75.6% of the total variance; namely Side effects (4 items, 28.4%, Cronbach's Alpha = .87), Effectiveness (3 items, 24.1%, Cronbach's Alpha = .85), and Convenience (3 items, 23.1%, Cronbach's Alpha = .87). A second factor analysis of more generally worded items yielded a Global Satisfaction scale (3 items, Eigenvalue = 2.3, 79.1%, Cronbach's Alpha = .85). The final four scales possessed good psychometric properties, with the Likert-type scaling method performing better than the VAS approach. Significant differences were found on the TSQM by the route of medication administration (oral, injectable, topical, inhalable), level of illness severity, and length of time on medication. Regression analyses using the TSQM scales accounted for 40–60% of variation in patients' ratings of their likelihood to persist with their current medication. Conclusion The TSQM is a psychometrically sound and valid measure
Executive function impairment in community elderly subjects with questionable dementia.

PubMed

Lam, Linda C W; Lui, Victor W C; Chiu, Helen F K; Chan, Sandra S M; Tam, Cindy W C

2005-01-01

The neurocognitive profile of community-dwelling Chinese subjects with 'questionable' dementia was studied. One hundred and fifty-four ambulatory Chinese subjects were recruited from local social centers for the elderly. Each subject was examined using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE), the Chinese version of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), the Category Verbal Fluency Test (CVFT), digit and visual span tests, and the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. The neurocognitive profile of nondemented subjects (CDR 0) was compared with that of subjects with 'questionable' dementia (CDR 0.5). Subjects with 'questionable' dementia were older, and had lower educational levels and global cognitive assessment scores than the controls (CMMSE and ADAS-Cog; t tests, p < 0.001). In addition, they also had significantly lower scores in delayed recall, reverse span, verbal fluency tests and worse performance in complex motor tasks related to executive function (Mann-Whitney tests, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that ADAS-Cog, CVFT, and reverse visual span were significant predictors for the CDR of 'questionable' dementia. Aside from memory impairment, executive function deficits were also present in subjects with 'questionable' dementia. To identify groups cognitively at risk for dementia, concomitant assessments of memory and executive function are suggested.
Beginning EFL Teachers' Beliefs about Quality Questions and Their Questioning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Ly Ngoc Khanh; Hamid, M. Obaidul

2013-01-01

Motivated by the scarcity of research that examines the impact of teacher beliefs on their actual practices in Vietnam, this study investigated the relationship between teachers' beliefs about quality questions and their questioning behaviours in terms of questioning purposes, content focus, students' cognitive level, wording and syntax. Thirteen…
Formative student-authored question bank: perceptions, question quality and association with summative performance

PubMed Central

Walsh, Jason L; Harris, Benjamin H L; Denny, Paul; Smith, Phil

2018-01-01

Purpose of the study There are few studies on the value of authoring questions as a study method, the quality of the questions produced by students and student perceptions of student-authored question banks. Here we evaluate PeerWise, a widely used and free online resource that allows students to author, answer and discuss multiple-choice questions. Study design We introduced two undergraduate medical student cohorts to PeerWise (n=603). We looked at their patterns of PeerWise usage; identified associations between student engagement and summative exam performance; and used focus groups to assess student perceptions of the value of PeerWise for learning. We undertook item analysis to assess question difficulty and quality. Results Over two academic years, the two cohorts wrote 4671 questions, answered questions 606 658 times and posted 7735 comments. Question writing frequency correlated most strongly with summative performance (Spearman’s rank: 0.24, p=<0.001). Student focus groups found that: (1) students valued curriculum specificity; and (2) students were concerned about student-authored question quality. Only two questions of the 300 ’most-answered' questions analysed had an unacceptable discriminatory value (point-biserial correlation <0.2). Conclusions Item analysis suggested acceptable question quality despite student concerns. Quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that PeerWise is a valuable study tool. PMID:28866607
Construction and evaluation of a self rating scale for stress-induced exhaustion disorder, the Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale.

PubMed

Besèr, Aniella; Sorjonen, Kimmo; Wahlberg, Kristina; Peterson, Ulla; Nygren, Ake; Asberg, Marie

2014-02-01

Prolonged stress (≥ six months) may cause a condition which has been named exhaustion disorder (ED) with ICD-10 code F43.8. ED is characterised by exhaustion, cognitive problems, poor sleep and reduced tolerance to further stress. ED can cause long term disability and depressive symptoms may develop. The aim was to construct and evaluate a self-rating scale, the Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale (KEDS), for the assessment of ED symptoms. A second aim was to examine the relationship between self-rated symptoms of ED, depression, and anxiety using KEDS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Items were selected based on their correspondence to criteria for ED as formulated by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW), with seven response alternatives in a Likert-format. Self-ratings performed by 317 clinically assessed participants were used to analyse the scale's psychometric properties. KEDS consists of nine items with a scale range of 0-54. Receiver operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that a cut-off score of 19 was accompanied by high sensitivity and specificity (each above 95%) in the discrimination between healthy subjects and patients with ED. Reliability was satisfactory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that ED, depression and anxiety are best regarded as different phenomena. KEDS may be a useful tool in the assessment of symptoms of Exhaustion Disorder in clinical as well as research settings. There is evidence that the symptom clusters of ED, anxiety and depression, respectively, reflect three different underlying dimensions. © 2013 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Construction and evaluation of a self rating scale for stress-induced Exhaustion Disorder, the Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale

PubMed Central

Besèr, Aniella; Sorjonen, Kimmo; Wahlberg, Kristina; Peterson, Ulla; Nygren, Åke; Åsberg, Marie

2014-01-01

Prolonged stress (≥ six months) may cause a condition which has been named exhaustion disorder (ED) with ICD-10 code F43.8. ED is characterised by exhaustion, cognitive problems, poor sleep and reduced tolerance to further stress. ED can cause long term disability and depressive symptoms may develop. The aim was to construct and evaluate a self-rating scale, the Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale (KEDS), for the assessment of ED symptoms. A second aim was to examine the relationship between self-rated symptoms of ED, depression, and anxiety using KEDS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Items were selected based on their correspondence to criteria for ED as formulated by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW), with seven response alternatives in a Likert-format. Self-ratings performed by 317 clinically assessed participants were used to analyse the scale’s psychometric properties. KEDS consists of nine items with a scale range of 0–54. Receiver operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that a cut-off score of 19 was accompanied by high sensitivity and specificity (each above 95%) in the discrimination between healthy subjects and patients with ED. Reliability was satisfactory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that ED, depression and anxiety are best regarded as different phenomena. KEDS may be a useful tool in the assessment of symptoms of Exhaustion Disorder in clinical as well as research settings. There is evidence that the symptom clusters of ED, anxiety and depression, respectively, reflect three different underlying dimensions. PMID:24236500
Formative student-authored question bank: perceptions, question quality and association with summative performance.

PubMed

Walsh, Jason L; Harris, Benjamin H L; Denny, Paul; Smith, Phil

2018-02-01

There are few studies on the value of authoring questions as a study method, the quality of the questions produced by students and student perceptions of student-authored question banks. Here we evaluate PeerWise, a widely used and free online resource that allows students to author, answer and discuss multiple-choice questions. We introduced two undergraduate medical student cohorts to PeerWise (n=603). We looked at their patterns of PeerWise usage; identified associations between student engagement and summative exam performance; and used focus groups to assess student perceptions of the value of PeerWise for learning. We undertook item analysis to assess question difficulty and quality. Over two academic years, the two cohorts wrote 4671 questions, answered questions 606 658 times and posted 7735 comments. Question writing frequency correlated most strongly with summative performance (Spearman's rank: 0.24, p=<0.001). Student focus groups found that: (1) students valued curriculum specificity; and (2) students were concerned about student-authored question quality. Only two questions of the 300 'most-answered' questions analysed had an unacceptable discriminatory value (point-biserial correlation <0.2). Item analysis suggested acceptable question quality despite student concerns. Quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that PeerWise is a valuable study tool. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
Essential Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D.

2012-01-01

The secret to teaching may be as simple as asking students good questions--and then giving them the opportunity to find the answers. The author shares how he uses essential questions that set the class off on an inquiry. Rather than consuming information that he distributes and then repeating it on a test, students carry out their own…
Clinical impact of 8 prospective, randomized, multicenter glaucoma trials.

PubMed

Panarelli, Joseph F; Banitt, Michael R; Sidoti, Paul A; Budenz, Donald L; Singh, Kuldev

2015-01-01

To determine the impact of 8 multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on glaucoma practice. An electronic survey was distributed to the members of the American Glaucoma Society (AGS). Each participant was asked 2 study-specific questions and 1 standard question common to all 8 RCTs assessing the study's impact on clinical practice. RCTs included in the survey were the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS), Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS), Collaborative Normal Tension Glaucoma (CNTG) Study, European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS), Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT), Glaucoma Laser Trial (GLT), Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS), and Tube Versus Trabeculectomy (TVT) Study. A 5-point Likert scale was used for rating all responses. The practice setting and duration of glaucoma practice was determined for all AGS members who responded. A total of 206 (23.0%) of 894 AGS members participated in the survey. Among those who responded, 46.4% were self classified as academic practitioners and 53.6% worked in a private practice setting. Mean Likert scores for the standard question evaluating the overall impact of the RCT were OHTS 4.47, CNTG Study 4.13, AGIS 3.78, TVT Study 3.53, EMGT 3.48, CIGTS 3.44, GLT 3.39, and 2.69 EGPS. Substantial differences were observed in the clinical impact of several RCTs in glaucoma. The reported impact of each study likely reflects several factors including study timing, design, conduct, and interpretation of results.
A web-based team-oriented medical error communication assessment tool: development, preliminary reliability, validity, and user ratings.

PubMed

Kim, Sara; Brock, Doug; Prouty, Carolyn D; Odegard, Peggy Soule; Shannon, Sarah E; Robins, Lynne; Boggs, Jim G; Clark, Fiona J; Gallagher, Thomas

2011-01-01

Multiple-choice exams are not well suited for assessing communication skills. Standardized patient assessments are costly and patient and peer assessments are often biased. Web-based assessment using video content offers the possibility of reliable, valid, and cost-efficient means for measuring complex communication skills, including interprofessional communication. We report development of the Web-based Team-Oriented Medical Error Communication Assessment Tool, which uses videotaped cases for assessing skills in error disclosure and team communication. Steps in development included (a) defining communication behaviors, (b) creating scenarios, (c) developing scripts, (d) filming video with professional actors, and (e) writing assessment questions targeting team communication during planning and error disclosure. Using valid data from 78 participants in the intervention group, coefficient alpha estimates of internal consistency were calculated based on the Likert-scale questions and ranged from α=.79 to α=.89 for each set of 7 Likert-type discussion/planning items and from α=.70 to α=.86 for each set of 8 Likert-type disclosure items. The preliminary test-retest Pearson correlation based on the scores of the intervention group was r=.59 for discussion/planning and r=.25 for error disclosure sections, respectively. Content validity was established through reliance on empirically driven published principles of effective disclosure as well as integration of expert views across all aspects of the development process. In addition, data from 122 medicine and surgical physicians and nurses showed high ratings for video quality (4.3 of 5.0), acting (4.3), and case content (4.5). Web assessment of communication skills appears promising. Physicians and nurses across specialties respond favorably to the tool.
Questioning ORACLE: An Assessment of ORACLE's Analysis of Teachers' Questions and [A Comment on "Questioning ORACLE"].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarth, John; And Others

1986-01-01

Analysis of teachers' questions, part of the ORACLE (Observation Research and Classroom Learning Evaluation) project research, is examined in detail. Scarth and Hammersley argue that the rules ORACLE uses for identifying different types of questions involve levels of ambiguity and inference that threaten reliability and validity of the study's…
The Intonation and Signaling of Declarative Questions in Manchego Peninsular Spanish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henriksen, Nicholas C.

2012-01-01

This paper is an experimental investigation on the tonal structure and phonetic signaling of declarative questions by speakers of Manchego Peninsular Spanish, a dialect of Spanish for which little experimental research on intonation is currently available. Analysis 1 examines the scaling and timing properties of final rises produced by 16 speakers…
Unpark Those Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ness, Molly

2013-01-01

Whenever Mr. Henderson's 3rd grade students had a question that he couldn't immediately answer or that seemed off-topic, he asked them to write the question on a sticky note and place it on a poster dubbed the "Parking Lot." His intention was to find time later to answer those questions, but too often, he said, the parking lot…
Attitude measurement: Judging the emotional intensity of likert-type science attitude statements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrigley, Robert L.; Koballa, Thomas R., Jr.

Emotional intensity, that readiness of a teacher to respond favorably or unfavorably toward such psychological objects as science or the teaching of science, is the quality that distinguishes the attitude concept from other related psychological concepts. It would seem, then, that valid attitude statements, if they are to reflect the definition of attitude, would evoke emotional intensity, responses in both a favorable and unfavorable direction by a group of teachers on each item on a science attitude scale. Science educators who design or modify science attitude scales should continue using item-total correlations and other quantitative techniques to test for emotional intensity, but qualitative judgments are necessary, too. In addition, the frequency distribution of data generated by each statement should be examined for skewness and high percentages of neutral responses, both of which can impair the emotional intensity of an item.
On the Question of an Identity Status Category Order: Rasch Model Step and Scale Statistics Used to Identify Category Order

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Owidha, Amjed; Green, Kathy E.; Kroger, Jane

2009-01-01

The question of whether or not a developmental continuum underlies James Marcia's identity statuses has been a topic of debate among identity researchers for nearly 20 years. This study addressed the prefatory question of whether the identity statuses can be empirically ordered in a theoretically optimal way. This question was addressed via use of…

Secondary science teachers' attitudes toward and beliefs about science reading and science textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yore, Larry D.

Science textbooks are dominant influences behind most secondary science instruction but little is known about teachers' approach to science reading. The purpose of this naturalistic study was to develop and validate a Science and Reading Questionnaire to assess secondary science teachers' attitudes toward science reading and their beliefs or informed opinions about science reading. A survey of 428 British Columbia secondary science teachers was conducted and 215 science teachers responded. Results on a 12-item Likert attitude scale indicated that teachers place high value on reading as an important strategy to promote learning in science and that they generally accept responsibility for teaching content reading skills to science students. Results on a 13-item Likert belief scale indicated that science teachers generally reject the text-driven model of reading, but they usually do not have well-formulated alternative models to guide their teaching practices. Teachers have intuitive beliefs about science reading that partially agree with many research findings, but their beliefs are fragmented and particularly sketchy in regard to the cognitive and metacognitive skills required by readers to learn from science texts. The findings for attitude, belief, and total scales were substantiated by further questions in the Science and Reading Questionnaire regarding classroom practice and by individual interviews and classroom observations of a 15-teacher subsample of the questionnaire respondents.
Curiosity Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelsen, Jane; DeLorenzo, Chip

2010-01-01

Have you ever found yourself lecturing a child, with the best of intentions, in an attempt to help him or her learn a lesson or process a situation in a manner that you feel will be productive? Curiosity questions, which the authors also call What and How questions, help children process an experience, event, or natural consequence so that they…
A concept for major incident triage: full-scaled simulation feasibility study.

PubMed

Rehn, Marius; Andersen, Jan E; Vigerust, Trond; Krüger, Andreas J; Lossius, Hans M

2010-08-11

Efficient management of major incidents involves triage, treatment and transport. In the absence of a standardised interdisciplinary major incident management approach, the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation developed Interdisciplinary Emergency Service Cooperation Course (TAS). The TAS-program was established in 1998 and by 2009, approximately 15 500 emergency service professionals have participated in one of more than 500 no-cost courses. The TAS-triage concept is based on the established triage Sieve and Paediatric Triage Tape models but modified with slap-wrap reflective triage tags and paediatric triage stretchers. We evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of the TAS-triage concept in full-scale simulated major incidents. The learners participated in two standardised bus crash simulations: without and with competence of TAS-triage and access to TAS-triage equipment. The instructors calculated triage accuracy and measured time consumption while the learners participated in a self-reported before-after study. Each question was scored on a 7-point Likert scale with points labelled "Did not work" (1) through "Worked excellent" (7). Among the 93 (85%) participating emergency service professionals, 48% confirmed the existence of a major incident triage system in their service, whereas 27% had access to triage tags. The simulations without TAS-triage resulted in a mean over- and undertriage of 12%. When TAS-Triage was used, no mistriage was found. The average time from "scene secured to all patients triaged" was 22 minutes (range 15-32) without TAS-triage vs. 10 minutes (range 5-21) with TAS-triage. The participants replied to "How did interdisciplinary cooperation of triage work?" with mean 4,9 (95% CI 4,7-5,2) before the course vs. mean 5,8 (95% CI 5,6-6,0) after the course, p < 0,001. Our modified triage Sieve tool is feasible, time-efficient and accurate in allocating priority during simulated bus accidents and may serve as a candidate for a future national
Question Classification Taxonomies as Guides to Formulating Questions for Use in Chemistry Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Festo, Kayima

2016-01-01

Teacher questions play an important role in facilitating classroom discourse. Using appropriate question types and proper questioning techniques help to create reflective-active learners. Teacher questions can elicit students' explanations, elaboration of their ideas and thinking, and they can be used to disclose students' misconceptions. Despite…
Using motivational interviewing in the community pharmacy to increase adult immunization readiness: A pilot evaluation.

PubMed

Brackett, Amber; Butler, Michell; Chapman, Liza

2015-01-01

To investigate whether the use of motivational interviewing (MI) in the community pharmacy improves immunization readiness and rates for hepatitis B, hepatitis A/B combination, herpes zoster, pneumococcal, and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis immunizations. Kroger Pharmacy. Grocery store pharmacies located in the Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area offering a variety of patient care services, including medication therapy management and immunizations. Patients were identified during workflow, and MI encounters were initiated to those eligible to receive hepatitis A/B combination, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and/or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccines. Following each encounter, pharmacists completed patient demographic information and responses to 5-point Likert scale questions assessing patient readiness to receive immunizations at the beginning and end of the encounter, and if follow-up occurred, 5-point Likert scale questions assessing pharmacists' perception of using MI. Immunization rates at the intervention site did not significantly increase due to the small sample size and other project limitations. Patient readiness to receive immunizations improved from the beginning to the end of the MI encounter and was statistically significant for hepatitis B (P = 0.001) and pneumococcal (P = 0.033) vaccines. Pharmacists agreed MI was an effective tool to discuss immunizations, agreed they could communicate more effectively about immunizations, and agreed MI could be incorporated into the community pharmacy workflow. Motivational interviewing may be a useful tool for community pharmacists to use in discussing immunizations. Larger studies need to be completed to determine the impact MI could have on immunization readiness and rates in the community pharmacy.
Consensus Conference Follow-up: Inter-rater Reliability Assessment of the Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM) Rater Scale, a Medical Literature Rating Tool for Emergency Physicians

PubMed Central

Worster, Andrew; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan; Carpenter, Christopher R.; Vallera, Teresa; Upadhye, Suneel; Sherbino, Jonathan; Haynes, R. Brian

2011-01-01

Background Studies published in general and specialty medical journals have the potential to improve emergency medicine (EM) practice, but there can be delayed awareness of this evidence because emergency physicians (EPs) are unlikely to read most of these journals. Also, not all published studies are intended for or ready for clinical practice application. The authors developed “Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine” (BEEM) to ameliorate these problems by searching for, identifying, appraising, and translating potentially practice-changing studies for EPs. An initial step in the BEEM process is the BEEM rater scale, a novel tool for EPs to collectively evaluate the relative clinical relevance of EM-related studies found in more than 120 journals. The BEEM rater process was designed to serve as a clinical relevance filter to identify those studies with the greatest potential to affect EM practice. Therefore, only those studies identified by BEEM raters as having the highest clinical relevance are selected for the subsequent critical appraisal process and, if found methodologically sound, are promoted as the best evidence in EM. Objectives The primary objective was to measure inter-rater reliability (IRR) of the BEEM rater scale. Secondary objectives were to determine the minimum number of EP raters needed for the BEEM rater scale to achieve acceptable reliability and to compare performance of the scale against a previously published evidence rating system, the McMaster Online Rating of Evidence (MORE), in an EP population. Methods The authors electronically distributed the title, conclusion, and a PubMed link for 23 recently published studies related to EM to a volunteer group of 134 EPs. The volunteers answered two demographic questions and rated the articles using one of two randomly assigned seven-point Likert scales, the BEEM rater scale (n = 68) or the MORE scale (n = 66), over two separate administrations. The IRR of each scale was measured using
Question-Asking and Question-Exploring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sands, Lorraine; Carr, Margaret; Lee, Wendy

2012-01-01

The Centre of Innovation Research at Greerton Early Childhood Centre was characterised as a dispositional milieu where working theories were explored through a narrative research methodology. As the research progressed, the teachers at Greerton strengthened the way we were listening to, and watching out for young children's questions to enable…
Correlation between Question Intonation and Focus of Interrogation--Evidence from French Dislocated Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Xiao-nan

This study explores the relationship between question intonation patterns in French using dislocated questions and question-focus (Q- focus). A dislocated question is defined as an interrogative sentence whose sequence is interrupted by the topicalization of a constituent at the left ("Toi, tu viens?"), at the right (Tu viens,…
Development and validation of a professionalism assessment scale for medical students

PubMed Central

Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Vrecko, Helena

2014-01-01

Objectives To develop and validate a scale for the assess-ment of professionalism in medical students based on students' perceptions of and attitudes towards professional-ism in medicine. Methods This was a mixed methods study with under-graduate medical students. Two focus groups were carried out with 12 students, followed by a transcript analysis (grounded theory method with open coding). Then, a 3-round Delphi with 20 family medicine experts was carried out. A psychometric assessment of the scale was performed with a group of 449 students. The items of the Professional-ism Assessment Scale could be answered on a five-point Likert scale. Results After the focus groups, the first version of the PAS consisted of 56 items and after the Delphi study, 30 items remained. The final sample for quantitative study consisted of 122 students (27.2% response rate). There were 95 (77.9%) female students in the sample. The mean age of the sample was 22.1 ± 2.1 years. After the principal component analysis, we removed 8 items and produced the final version of the PAS (22 items). The Cronbach's alpha of the scale was 0.88. Factor analysis revealed three factors: empathy and humanism, professional relationships and development and responsibility. Conclusions The new Professionalism Assessment Scale proved to be valid and reliable. It can be used for the assessment of professionalism in undergraduate medical students. PMID:25382090
Application for Smartphones using the App Inventor 2 Platform: evaluating the degree of student satisfaction through an instrument of analysis using the Likert scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raminelli, U. J.; de Souza Filho, M. P.; de P. Raminelli, C. M.

2017-06-01

Mobile devices in high schools are increasingly present. The teacher instead of rejecting, should make use of this tool. In order to offer a contribution to the discussion about the dilemma, we present in this article the results related to the acceptance by the students, of an application developed by us, destined to an electrodynamics course. Such an application had its employment organized by a didactic sequence. The research was developed in the second half of 2015, in E. E. Dep. "Felício Tarabay". The sample was composed of 39 students of the 3rd year of high school. Our analysis is based on 3 closed questions from our data collection instrument. The participants reported that using the application makes the content more attractive and they would like this type of feature to be incorporated into other disciplines. They argued that the use of the applications contributed greatly to the improvement of content comprehension. Thus, we understand that the smartphone should be used in activities aimed at teaching physics, but, like any other didactic resources, it should not be the only one.
Happiness Scale Interval Study. Methodological Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalmijn, W. M.; Arends, L. R.; Veenhoven, R.

2011-01-01

The Happiness Scale Interval Study deals with survey questions on happiness, using verbal response options, such as "very happy" and "pretty happy". The aim is to estimate what degrees of happiness are denoted by such terms in different questions and languages. These degrees are expressed in numerical values on a continuous…
A topic clustering approach to finding similar questions from large question and answer archives.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei-Nan; Liu, Ting; Yang, Yang; Cao, Liujuan; Zhang, Yu; Ji, Rongrong

2014-01-01

With the blooming of Web 2.0, Community Question Answering (CQA) services such as Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com), WikiAnswer (http://wiki.answers.com), and Baidu Zhidao (http://zhidao.baidu.com), etc., have emerged as alternatives for knowledge and information acquisition. Over time, a large number of question and answer (Q&A) pairs with high quality devoted by human intelligence have been accumulated as a comprehensive knowledge base. Unlike the search engines, which return long lists of results, searching in the CQA services can obtain the correct answers to the question queries by automatically finding similar questions that have already been answered by other users. Hence, it greatly improves the efficiency of the online information retrieval. However, given a question query, finding the similar and well-answered questions is a non-trivial task. The main challenge is the word mismatch between question query (query) and candidate question for retrieval (question). To investigate this problem, in this study, we capture the word semantic similarity between query and question by introducing the topic modeling approach. We then propose an unsupervised machine-learning approach to finding similar questions on CQA Q&A archives. The experimental results show that our proposed approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.
A Machine Learning-based Method for Question Type Classification in Biomedical Question Answering.

PubMed

Sarrouti, Mourad; Ouatik El Alaoui, Said

2017-05-18

Biomedical question type classification is one of the important components of an automatic biomedical question answering system. The performance of the latter depends directly on the performance of its biomedical question type classification system, which consists of assigning a category to each question in order to determine the appropriate answer extraction algorithm. This study aims to automatically classify biomedical questions into one of the four categories: (1) yes/no, (2) factoid, (3) list, and (4) summary. In this paper, we propose a biomedical question type classification method based on machine learning approaches to automatically assign a category to a biomedical question. First, we extract features from biomedical questions using the proposed handcrafted lexico-syntactic patterns. Then, we feed these features for machine-learning algorithms. Finally, the class label is predicted using the trained classifiers. Experimental evaluations performed on large standard annotated datasets of biomedical questions, provided by the BioASQ challenge, demonstrated that our method exhibits significant improved performance when compared to four baseline systems. The proposed method achieves a roughly 10-point increase over the best baseline in terms of accuracy. Moreover, the obtained results show that using handcrafted lexico-syntactic patterns as features' provider of support vector machine (SVM) lead to the highest accuracy of 89.40 %. The proposed method can automatically classify BioASQ questions into one of the four categories: yes/no, factoid, list, and summary. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that our method produced the best classification performance compared to four baseline systems.
The Effects of Question Generation, Question Answering and Reading on Prose Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Anthony Mathew

Eighty-seven students took part in a study (using three experimental conditions) of the effect of question generation, question answering, and rereading on an immediate posttest and on a delayed test of knowledge of a text passage. In condition G, subjects generated multiple-choice questions that would test knowledge of each of the six content…
How well does the Internet answer patients’ questions about inflammatory bowel disease?

PubMed Central

Promislow, Steven; Walker, John R; Taheri, Mohammad; Bernstein, Charles N

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND The Internet is an increasingly important source of health information. OBJECTIVE To assess how well common websites answered patients’ questions regarding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS Thirty websites were identified and evaluated. Based on a previous survey of patient information needs, a comprehensive question list was developed in the three following areas: medical information (seven items), medical treatment (six items) and self-management (eight items). The websites were evaluated for the amount of information they provided to answer each question using two standard measures of information quality – the DISCERN and the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients scales. RESULTS Four particularly strong websites, scoring highest (on a scale from 1 to 5) in terms of IBD information, were the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (mean information score 4.3), About.com (4.2), HealthCentral (3.8) and WebMD (3.8). These websites also scored well on the DISCERN and the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients quality scales. Most websites provided at least adequate information on common symptoms, complications, treatments and what is known (or not known) about the causes of IBD. However, many web-sites did not provide adequate information about prognosis, possible side effects of treatment and risks of developing cancer. Information regarding self-management was covered to a very limited extent. CONCLUSION Websites could be strengthened by providing more of the information patients deem to be important, and by more clearly identifying sources of information and the date the information was updated. Most websites would benefit from more attention given to reducing the reading level and improving the organization of material. PMID:21157582
Methodology Series Module 8: Designing Questionnaires and Clinical Record Forms.

PubMed

Setia, Maninder Singh

2017-01-01

As researchers, we often collect data on a clinical record form or a questionnaire. It is an important part of study design. If the questionnaire is not well designed, the data collected will not be useful. In this section of the module, we have discussed some practical aspects of designing a questionnaire. It is useful to make a list of all the variables that will be assessed in the study before preparing the questionnaire. The researcher should review all the existing questionnaires. It may be efficient to use an existing standardized questionnaire or scale. Many of these scales are freely available and may be used with an appropriate reference. However, some may be under copyright protection and permissions may be required to use the same questionnaire. While designing their own questionnaire, researchers may use open- or close-ended questions. It is important to design the responses appropriately as the format of responses will influence the analysis. Sometimes, one can collect the same information in multiple ways - continuous or categorical response. Besides these, the researcher can also use visual analog scales or Likert's scale in the questionnaire. Some practical take-home points are: (1) Use specific language while framing the questions; (2) write detailed instructions in the questionnaire; (3) use mutually exclusive response categories; (4) use skip patterns; (5) avoid double-barreled questions; and (6) anchor the time period if required.
Selected questions of topical interest in human bioclimatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jendritzky, G.

1991-09-01

This paper deals with the different effects of climate, and the likely impact of climatic change, on the human being, his health and well-being. Those effects follow from consideration of the human energy budget and air pollution, including photooxidants and radiation, the latter especially in the UV-range. The development of tools to produce bioclimate maps, i.e. maps expressed in physiologically significant terms, in different scales up to the high resolution necessary for the microscale urban climate, will be discussed. The most important questions in bioclimate research and its application will be considered.
Selected questions of topical interest in human bioclimatology.

PubMed

Jendritzky, G

1991-11-01

This paper deals with the different effects of climate, and the likely impact of climatic change, on the human being, his health and well-being. Those effects follow from consideration of the human energy budget and air pollution, including photooxidants and radiation, the latter especially in the UV-range. The development of tools to produce bioclimate maps, i.e. maps expressed in physiologically significant terms, in different scales up to the high resolution necessary for the microscale urban climate, will be discussed. The most important questions in bioclimate research and its application will be considered.
The effect of simulation-based crew resource management training on measurable teamwork and communication among interprofessional teams caring for postoperative patients.

PubMed

Paull, Douglas E; Deleeuw, Lori D; Wolk, Seth; Paige, John T; Neily, Julia; Mills, Peter D

2013-11-01

Many adverse events in health care are caused by teamwork and communication breakdown. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a point-of-care simulation-based team training curriculum on measurable teamwork and communication skills in staff caring for postoperative patients. Twelve facilities involving 334 perioperative surgical staff underwent simulation-based training. Pretest and posttest self-report data included the Self-Efficacy of Teamwork Competencies Scale. Observational data were captured with the Clinical Teamwork Scale. Teamwork scores (measured on a five-point Likert scale) improved for all eight survey questions by an average of 18% (3.7 to 4.4, p < .05). The observed communication rating (scale of 1 to 10) increased by 16% (5.6 to 6.4, p < .05). Simulation-based team training for staff caring for perioperative patients is associated with measurable improvements in teamwork and communication. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.
Student Moderators in Asynchronous Online Discussion: A Question of Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zingaro, Daniel

2012-01-01

Much current research exalts the benefits of having students facilitate weekly discussions in asynchronous online courses. This study seeks to add to what is known about student moderation through an analysis of the types of questions students use to spur each discussion. Prior experimental work has demonstrated that the types of questions posed…

Priority Questions and Horizon Scanning for Conservation: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Kark, Salit; Sutherland, William J.; Shanas, Uri; Klass, Keren; Achisar, Hila; Dayan, Tamar; Gavrieli, Yael; Justo-Hanani, Ronit; Mandelik, Yael; Orion, Nir; Pargament, David; Portman, Michelle; Reisman-Berman, Orna; Safriel, Uriel N.; Schaffer, Gad; Steiner, Noa; Tauber, Israel; Levin, Noam

2016-01-01

Several projects aimed at identifying priority issues for conservation with high relevance to policy have recently been completed in several countries. Two major types of projects have been undertaken, aimed at identifying (i) policy-relevant questions most imperative to conservation and (ii) horizon scanning topics, defined as emerging issues that are expected to have substantial implications for biodiversity conservation and policy in the future. Here, we provide the first overview of the outcomes of biodiversity and conservation-oriented projects recently completed around the world using this framework. We also include the results of the first questions and horizon scanning project completed for a Mediterranean country. Overall, the outcomes of the different projects undertaken (at the global scale, in the UK, US, Canada, Switzerland and in Israel) were strongly correlated in terms of the proportion of questions and/or horizon scanning topics selected when comparing different topic areas. However, some major differences were found across regions. There was large variation among regions in the percentage of proactive (i.e. action and response oriented) versus descriptive (non-response oriented) priority questions and in the emphasis given to socio-political issues. Substantial differences were also found when comparing outcomes of priority questions versus horizon scanning projects undertaken for the same region. For example, issues related to climate change, human demography and marine ecosystems received higher priority as horizon scanning topics, while ecosystem services were more emphasized as current priority questions. We suggest that future initiatives aimed at identifying priority conservation questions and horizon scanning topics should allow simultaneous identification of both current and future priority issues, as presented here for the first time. We propose that further emphasis on social-political issues should be explicitly integrated into future
Improving Student Question Classification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiner, Cecily; Zachary, Joseph L.

2009-01-01

Students in introductory programming classes often articulate their questions and information needs incompletely. Consequently, the automatic classification of student questions to provide automated tutorial responses is a challenging problem. This paper analyzes 411 questions from an introductory Java programming course by reducing the natural…
FAQ Question Submission

Science.gov Websites

, fax, or phone. Use this area to send us your question. Your name: Your E-Mail address: Your Phone Number (voice): Please include area code. Your Fax Number: Please include area code. Send Your Question
The Impact of Guided Student-Generated Questioning on Chemistry Achievement and Self-Efficacy of Elementary Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moseley, Christine; Bonner, Emily; Ibey, Marilyn

2016-01-01

This study investigated the use of Guided Student-Generated Questioning (GSGQ) as a metacognitive instructional strategy to increase chemistry achievement and self-efficacy of elementary preservice teachers. The Chemistry Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES), modified from the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES),was used to determine elementary preservice…
Estimating a just-noticeable difference for ocular comfort in contact lens wearers.

PubMed

Papas, Eric B; Keay, Lisa; Golebiowski, Blanka

2011-06-21

To estimate the just-noticeable difference (JND) in ocular comfort rating by human, contact lens-wearing subjects using 1 to 100 numerical scales. Ostensibly identical, new contact lenses were worn simultaneously in both eyes by 40 subjects who made individual comfort ratings for each eye using a 100-point numerical ratings scale (NRS). Concurrently, interocular preference was indicated on a five-point Likert scale (1 to 5: strongly prefer right, slightly prefer right, no preference, slightly prefer left, strongly prefer left, respectively). Differences in NRS comfort score (ΔC) between the right and left eyes were determined for each Likert scale preference criteria. The distribution of group ΔC scores was examined relative to alternative definitions of JND as a means of estimating its value. For Likert scores indicating the presence of a slight interocular preference, absolute ΔC ranged from 1 to 30 units with a mean of 7.4 ± 1.3 (95% confidence interval) across all lenses and trials. When there was no Likert scale preference expressed between the eyes, absolute ΔC did not exceed 5 units. For ratings of comfort using a 100-point numerical rating scale, the inter-ocular JND is unlikely to be less than 5 units. The estimate for the average value in the population was approximately 7 to 8 units. These numbers indicate the lowest level at which changes in comfort measured with such scales are likely to be clinically significant.
Asking the Right Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley, Jeffrey J.

1990-01-01

Contends that knowing the right questions to ask is crucial to making an analytical and informative examination of a topic. Presents a question framework for country studies in geography. Includes questions on physical, political, cultural, economic and population geography, transportation, communications, natural resources, and technology. (RW)
A scaling theory for linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brockett, R. W.; Krishnaprasad, P. S.

1980-01-01

A theory of scaling for rational (transfer) functions in terms of transformation groups is developed. Two different four-parameter scaling groups which play natural roles in studying linear systems are identified and the effect of scaling on Fisher information and related statistical measures in system identification are studied. The scalings considered include change of time scale, feedback, exponential scaling, magnitude scaling, etc. The scaling action of the groups studied is tied to the geometry of transfer functions in a rather strong way as becomes apparent in the examination of the invariants of scaling. As a result, the scaling process also provides new insight into the parameterization question for rational functions.
Assessing urgency in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

PubMed

Diggs, Christina; Meyer, Walter A; Langenberg, Patricia; Greenberg, Patty; Horne, Linda; Warren, John W

2007-02-01

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) at present is a symptom-based diagnosis. The Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI), also known as the O'Leary-Sant Symptom Index, is a widely used scale that assesses the four cardinal symptoms of IC/PBS (ie, bladder pain, urgency, frequency, and nocturia), by asking how often each is experienced. In an ongoing case-control study of recent-onset IC/PBS, we compared the ICSI with a series of questions that addressed the severity of these symptoms. Recruiting nationally, we enrolled women with IC/PBS symptoms of 12 months' duration or less. We assessed the severity of pain, frequency, and urgency using Likert and categorical scales, and how often these symptoms were experienced using the ICSI. We compared these scales by frequency distributions and interscale correlations. In 138 women with recent-onset IC/PBS, the scores for frequency were correlated and, for pain, appeared to be complementary. However, for urgency, the ICSI question of "the strong need to urinate with little or no warning" consistently yielded lower scores than the severity question of "the compelling urge to urinate that is difficult to postpone." Some patients denied urgency to the ICSI question yet reported intense urgency to the severity question. Compared with the severity question, the ICSI underestimated the prevalence and degree of urgency. This observation is consistent with the views of others that sudden urgency does not define the sensation experienced by many patients with IC/PBS. Clarifying this symptom description may assist in developing a usable case definition for IC/PBS.
Developing and testing the nurse educator scale: a robust measure of students' intentions to pursue an educator role.

PubMed

Abou Samra, Haifa; McGrath, Jacqueline M; Estes, Tracy

2013-06-01

No instrument exists that measures student perceptions of the faculty role. Such a measure is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of interventions aimed at attracting students to the faculty career path. We developed the Nurse Educator Scale (NES). The initial scale items were generated using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) constructs and were reviewed by an expert panel to ensure content validity. Exploratory factor analysis was used. The optimized 25-item, 7-point Likert scale has a Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.85, with a total variance of 42%. The underlying factor structure supported three defining characteristics congruent with SCCT: outcome expectations (alpha = 0.79), relevant knowledge (alpha = 0.67), and social influence (alpha = 0.80). A stand-alone, item-measuring goal setting was also supported. The NES provides a valid and reliable measure of students' intentions and motivations to pursue a future career as a nurse educator or scientist. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.
The 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology series: questions 40-49.

PubMed

2017-07-13

Since the beginning of 2017, Chinese Journal of Cancer has published a series of important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology, which sparkle diverse thoughts, interesting communications, and potential collaborations among researchers all over the world. In this article, 10 more questions are presented as followed. Question 40. Why do mice being used as tumorigenesis models raised in different places or different conditions possess different tumor formation rate? Question 41. How could we generate more effective anti-metastasis drugs? Question 42. What is the molecular mechanism underlying heterogeneity of cancer cachexia in patients with the same pathologic type? Question 43. Will patients with oligo-metastatic disease be curable by immunotherapy plus stereotactic body radiotherapy? Question 44. Can the Warburg effect regulation be targeted for cancer treatment? Question 45. Why do adenocarcinomas seldom occur in the small intestine? Question 46. Is Epstein-Barr virus infection a causal factor for nasal natural killer/T cell lymphoma formation? Question 47. Why will not all but very few human papillomavirus-infected patients eventually develop cervical cancer? Question 48. Why do cervical carcinomas induced by human papilloma virus have a low mutation rate in tumor suppressor genes? Question 49. Can viral infection trigger lung cancer relapse?
`Question Moments': A Rolling Programme of Question Opportunities in Classroom Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedrosa-de-Jesus, Helena; Leite, Sara; Watts, Mike

2016-06-01

This naturalistic study integrates specific `question moments' into lesson plans to increase pupils' classroom interactions. A range of tools explored students' ideas by providing students with opportunities to ask and write questions. Their oral and written outcomes provide data on individual and group misunderstandings. Changes to the schedule of lessons were introduced to explore these questions and address disparities. Flexible lesson planning over 14 lessons across a 4-week period of high school chemistry accommodated students' contributions and increased student participation, promoted inquiring and individualised teaching, with each teaching strategy feeding forward into the next.
Reflective questions in health counseling.

PubMed

Poskiparta, M; Kettunen, T; Liimatainen, L

1998-09-01

This study explores questions that nurses ask patients in order to awaken reflection on their health behavior in health counseling. Thirty-eight counseling situations were videotaped in a hospital. The data were analyzed using conversation analysis which was adapted for the purpose of this study. Nonverbal communication supported speech and was interpreted alongside it. This study found that nurses used only a few reflective questions, most of which were future-oriented or introduced hypotheses. In a nonreflective discussion, nurses used only check-up and alternative questions to get information about patients' illnesses and health care measures. Findings indicated that reflective conversation began with check-up questions about patients' immediate situation, followed by questions about patients' feelings in the past, present, or future. On the third level of questioning, the structure might vary between embedded questions, check-up, alternative, or feeling questions. Nonverbal communication supported the discussion. Reflective questions tended to ensure patient-centered conversation and might improve the effectiveness of health counselling.
National standards for the long-term care ombudsman program and a tool to assess compliance: the Huber Badrak Borders Scales.

PubMed

Huber, R; Borders, K W; Badrak, K; Netting, F E; Nelson, H W

2001-04-01

We propose national standards previously recommended for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program by an Institute of Medicine program evaluation committee, and introduce a tool to measure the compliance of local ombudsman programs to those standards: the Huber Badrak Borders Scales. The best practices for ombudsman programs detailed in the committee's report were adapted to 43 Likert-type scales that were then averaged into 10 infrastructure component scales: (a) program structure, (b) qualifications of local ombudsmen, (c) legal authority, (d) financial resources, (e) management information systems, (f) legal resources, (g) human resources, (h) resident advocacy services, (i) systemic advocacy, and (j) educational services. The scales were pilot-tested in 1996 and 1999 with Kentucky ombudsmen. The means of 9 of these 10 scales were higher in 1999 than in 1996, suggesting that local ombudsman programs were more in compliance with the proposed standards in 1999 than three years earlier. The development process consisted of 10 adopt-test-revise-retest steps that can be replicated by other types of programs to develop program compliance tools.
U.S. Outpatient Beneficiary Satisfaction at Korean Hospitals

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-12

aligned with the Department of Defense’s Army Provider Level Satisfaction Survey. The survey utilizes a Likert 5-point scale system . The setting included...outpatient care to Samsung , Dongsan, and Dankook hospitals, from September-November 2007. The analysis measured overall patient satisfaction as it...Satisfaction Survey (APLSS). The survey utilizes a Likert 5-point scale system . The setting included medical facilities within the ROK that participate under a
How to Improve Your Impact Factor: Questioning the Quantification of Academic Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeyers, Paul; Burbules, Nicholas C.

2011-01-01

A broad-scale quantification of the measure of quality for scholarship is under way. This trend has fundamental implications for the future of academic publishing and employment. In this essay we want to raise questions about these burgeoning practices, particularly how they affect philosophy of education and similar sub-disciplines. First,…
Brief report: Multiprogram evaluation of reading habits of primary care internal medicine residents on ambulatory rotations.

PubMed

Lai, Cindy J; Aagaard, Eva; Brandenburg, Suzanne; Nadkarni, Mohan; Wei, Henry G; Baron, Robert

2006-05-01

To assess the reading habits and educational resources of primary care internal medicine residents for their ambulatory medicine education. Cross-sectional, multiprogram survey of primary care internal medicine residents. Second- and third-year residents on ambulatory care rotations at 9 primary care medicine programs (124 eligible residents; 71% response rate). Participants were asked open-ended and 5-point Likert-scaled questions about reading habits: time spent reading, preferred resources, and motivating and inhibiting factors. Participants reported reading medical topics for a mean of 4.3+/-3.0 SD hours weekly. Online-only sources were the most frequently utilized medical resource (mean Likert response 4.16+/-0.87). Respondents most commonly cited specific patients' cases (4.38+/-0.65) and preparation for talks (4.08+/-0.89) as motivating factors, and family responsibilities (3.99+/-0.65) and lack of motivation (3.93+/-0.81) as inhibiting factors. To stimulate residents' reading, residency programs should encourage patient- and case-based learning; require teaching assignments; and provide easy access to online curricula.
The Priority of the Question: Focus Questions for Sustained Reasoning in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustick, David

2010-08-01

Science education standards place a high priority on promoting the skills and dispositions associated with inquiry at all levels of learning. Yet, the questions teachers employ to foster sustained reasoning are most likely borrowed from a textbook, lab manual, or worksheet. Such generic questions generated for a mass audience, lack authenticity and contextual cues that allow learners to immediately appreciate a question’s relevance. Teacher queries intended to motivate, guide, and foster learning through inquiry are known as focus questions. This theoretical article draws upon science education research to present a typology and conceptual framework intended to support science teacher educators as they identify, develop, and evaluate focus questions with their students.
Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess Students' Attitude towards Animal Welfare

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazas, Beatriz; Rosario Fernández Manzanal, Mª; Zarza, Francisco Javier; Adolfo María, Gustavo

2013-07-01

This work presents the development of a scale of attitudes of secondary-school and university students towards animal welfare. A questionnaire was drawn up following a Likert-type scale attitude assessment model. Four components or factors, which globally measure animal welfare, are proposed to define the object of the attitude. The components are animal abuse for pleasure or due to ignorance (C1), leisure with animals (C2), farm animals (C3) and animal abandonment (C4). The final version of the questionnaire contains 29 items that are evenly distributed among the four components indicated, guaranteeing that each component is one-dimensional. A sample of 329 students was used to validate the scale. These students were aged between 11 and 25, and were from secondary schools in Aragon and the University in Zaragoza (Aragon's main and largest city, located in NE Spain). The scale shows good internal reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.74. The questionnaire was later given to 1,007 students of similar levels and ages to the sample used in the validation, the results of which are presented in this study. The most relevant results show significant differences in gender and level of education in some of the components of the scale, observing that women and university students rate animal welfare more highly.
"Question Moments": A Rolling Programme of Question Opportunities in Classroom Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedrosa-de-Jesus, Helena; Leite, Sara; Watts, Mike

2016-01-01

This naturalistic study integrates specific "question moments" into lesson plans to increase pupils' classroom interactions. A range of tools explored students' ideas by providing students with opportunities to ask and write questions. Their oral and written outcomes provide data on individual and group misunderstandings. Changes to the…
Teacher Training for Effective Questioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godbold, John V.

This paper reviews research studies concerning the effectiveness of varying strategies for teaching questioning skills and groups them into the following organizational scheme: (a) study of question classification systems as a strategy for teaching questioning skills, (b) use of laboratory experiences as a strategy for teaching questioning skills,…

Automatic Chinese Factual Question Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ming; Rus, Vasile; Liu, Li

2017-01-01

Question generation is an emerging research area of artificial intelligence in education. Question authoring tools are important in educational technologies, e.g., intelligent tutoring systems, as well as in dialogue systems. Approaches to generate factual questions, i.e., questions that have concrete answers, mainly make use of the syntactical…
A Randomized Controlled Exploratory Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of Rotigotine Transdermal Patch on Parkinson's Disease-Associated Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Rascol, Olivier; Zesiewicz, Theresa; Chaudhuri, K Ray; Asgharnejad, Mahnaz; Surmann, Erwin; Dohin, Elisabeth; Nilius, Sigrid; Bauer, Lars

2016-07-01

Pain is a troublesome nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). This double-blind exploratory pilot study (NCT01744496) was the first to specifically investigate the effect of a dopamine agonist on PD-associated pain as primary outcome. Patients with advanced PD (ie, receiving levodopa) and at least moderate PD-associated chronic pain (≥3 months, ≥4 points on 11-point Likert pain scale) were randomized to rotigotine (optimal/maximum dose ≤16 mg/24h) or placebo and maintained for 12 weeks. Primary efficacy variable was change in pain severity (Likert pain scale) from baseline to end of maintenance. Secondary variables included percentage of responders (≥2-point Likert pain scale reduction), King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS) domains, and PD Questionnaire (PDQ-8). Statistical analyses were exploratory. Of 68 randomized patients, 60 (rotigotine, 30; placebo, 30) were evaluable for efficacy. A numerical improvement in pain was observed in favor of rotigotine (Likert pain scale: least-squares mean [95%CI] treatment difference, -0.76 [-1.87 to 0.34]; P = .172), and proportion of responders was 18/30 (60%) rotigotine vs 14/30 (47%) placebo. An ∼2-fold numerical improvement in KPPS domain "fluctuation-related pain" was observed with rotigotine vs placebo. Rotigotine improved PDQ-8 vs placebo (-8.01 [-15.56 to -0.46]; P = .038). These results suggest rotigotine may improve PD-associated pain; a large-scale confirmatory study is needed. © 2015, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.
Conceptual Questions and Challenge Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurrenbern, Susan C.; Robinson, William R.

1998-11-01

The JCE Internet Conceptual Question and Challenge Problem Web site is a source of questions and problems that can be used in teaching and assessing conceptual understanding and problem solving in chemistry. Here you can find a library of free-response and multiple-choice conceptual questions and challenge problems, tips for writing these questions and problems, and a discussion of types of conceptual questions. This site is intended to be a means of sharing conceptual questions and challenge problems among chemical educators. This is a living site that will grow as you share conceptual questions and challenge problems and as we find new sources of information. We would like to make this site as inclusive as possible. Please share your questions and problems with us and alert us to references or Web sites that could be included on the site. You can use email, fax, or regular mail. Email: nurrenbern@purdue.edu or wrrobin@purdue.edu Fax: 765/494-0239 Mailing address: Susan C. Nurrenbern or William R. Robinson; Department of Chemistry; Purdue University; 1393 Brown Building; West Lafayette, IN 47907-1393. The Conceptual Questions and Challenge Problems Web site can be found here.
Scaling, soil moisture and evapotranspiration in runoff models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Eric F.

1993-01-01

The effects of small-scale heterogeneity in land surface characteristics on the large-scale fluxes of water and energy in the land-atmosphere system has become a central focus of many of the climatology research experiments. The acquisition of high resolution land surface data through remote sensing and intensive land-climatology field experiments (like HAPEX and FIFE) has provided data to investigate the interactions between microscale land-atmosphere interactions and macroscale models. One essential research question is how to account for the small scale heterogeneities and whether 'effective' parameters can be used in the macroscale models. To address this question of scaling, the probability distribution for evaporation is derived which illustrates the conditions for which scaling should work. A correction algorithm that may appropriate for the land parameterization of a GCM is derived using a 2nd order linearization scheme. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated.
Problem of Questioning

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

Le Prof.Leprince-Ringuet, chercheur sur le plan scientifique, artistique et humain, parle de la remise en question des hommes et la remise en question scientifique fondamentale ou exemplaire- plusieurs personnes prennent la parole p.ex Jeanmairet, Adam, Gregory. Le Prof.Gregory clot la soirÃ©e en remerciant le Prof.Leprince-Ringuet
Consumer preferences for hearing aid attributes: a comparison of rating and conjoint analysis methods.

PubMed

Bridges, John F P; Lataille, Angela T; Buttorff, Christine; White, Sharon; Niparko, John K

2012-03-01

Low utilization of hearing aids has drawn increased attention to the study of consumer preferences using both simple ratings (e.g., Likert scale) and conjoint analyses, but these two approaches often produce inconsistent results. The study aims to directly compare Likert scales and conjoint analysis in identifying important attributes associated with hearing aids among those with hearing loss. Seven attributes of hearing aids were identified through qualitative research: performance in quiet settings, comfort, feedback, frequency of battery replacement, purchase price, water and sweat resistance, and performance in noisy settings. The preferences of 75 outpatients with hearing loss were measured with both a 5-point Likert scale and with 8 paired-comparison conjoint tasks (the latter being analyzed using OLS [ordinary least squares] and logistic regression). Results were compared by examining implied willingness-to-pay and Pearson's Rho. A total of 56 respondents (75%) provided complete responses. Two thirds of respondents were male, most had sensorineural hearing loss, and most were older than 50; 44% of respondents had never used a hearing aid. Both methods identified improved performance in noisy settings as the most valued attribute. Respondents were twice as likely to buy a hearing aid with better functionality in noisy environments (p < .001), and willingness to pay for this attribute ranged from US$2674 on the Likert to US$9000 in the conjoint analysis. The authors find a high level of concordance between the methods-a result that is in stark contrast with previous research. The authors conclude that their result stems from constraining the levels on the Likert scale.
Consumer Preferences for Hearing Aid Attributes

PubMed Central

Lataille, Angela T.; Buttorff, Christine; White, Sharon; Niparko, John K.

2012-01-01

Low utilization of hearing aids has drawn increased attention to the study of consumer preferences using both simple ratings (e.g., Likert scale) and conjoint analyses, but these two approaches often produce inconsistent results. The study aims to directly compare Likert scales and conjoint analysis in identifying important attributes associated with hearing aids among those with hearing loss. Seven attributes of hearing aids were identified through qualitative research: performance in quiet settings, comfort, feedback, frequency of battery replacement, purchase price, water and sweat resistance, and performance in noisy settings. The preferences of 75 outpatients with hearing loss were measured with both a 5-point Likert scale and with 8 paired-comparison conjoint tasks (the latter being analyzed using OLS [ordinary least squares] and logistic regression). Results were compared by examining implied willingness-to-pay and Pearson’s Rho. A total of 56 respondents (75%) provided complete responses. Two thirds of respondents were male, most had sensorineural hearing loss, and most were older than 50; 44% of respondents had never used a hearing aid. Both methods identified improved performance in noisy settings as the most valued attribute. Respondents were twice as likely to buy a hearing aid with better functionality in noisy environments (p < .001), and willingness to pay for this attribute ranged from US$2674 on the Likert to US$9000 in the conjoint analysis. The authors find a high level of concordance between the methods—a result that is in stark contrast with previous research. The authors conclude that their result stems from constraining the levels on the Likert scale. PMID:22514094
Scale in Remote Sensing and GIS: An Advancement in Methods Towards a Science of Scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.

1998-01-01

The term "scale", both in space and time, is central to remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). The emergence and widespread use of GIS technologies, including remote sensing, has generated significant interest in addressing scale as a generic topic, and in the development and implementation of techniques for dealing explicitly with the vicissitudes of scale as a multidisciplinary issue. As science becomes more complex and utilizes databases that are capable of performing complex space-time data analyses, it becomes paramount that we develop the tools and techniques needed to operate at multiple scales, to work with data whose scales are not necessarily ideal, and to produce results that can be aggregated or disaggregated in ways that suit the decision-making process. Contemporary science is constantly coping with compromises, and the data available for a particular study rarely fit perfectly with the scales at which the processes being investigated operate, or the scales that policy-makers require to make sound, rational decisions. This presentation discusses some of the problems associated with scale as related to remote sensing and GIS, and describes some of the questions that need to be addressed in approaching the development of a multidisciplinary "science of scale". Techniques for dealing with multiple scaled data that have been developed or explored recently are described as a means for recognizing scale as a generic issue, along with associated theory and tools that can be of simultaneous value to a large number of disciplines. These can be used to seek answers to a host of interrelated questions in the interest of providing a formal structure for the management and manipulation of scale and its universality as a key concept from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Scale in Remote Sensing and GIS: An Advancement in Methods Towards a Science of Scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, D. A.

1998-01-01

The term "scale", both in space and time, is central to remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The emergence and widespread use of GIS technologies, including remote sensing, has generated significant interest in addressing scale as a generic topic, and in the development and implementation of techniques for dealing explicitly with the vicissitudes of scale as a multidisciplinary issue. As science becomes more complex and utilizes databases that are capable of performing complex space-time data analyses, it becomes paramount that we develop the tools and techniques needed to operate at multiple scales, to work with data whose scales are not necessarily ideal, and to produce results that can be aggregated or disaggregated ways that suit the decision-making process. Contemporary science is constantly coping with compromises, and the data available for a particular study rarely fit perfectly with the scales at which the processes being investigated operate, or the scales that policy-makers require to make sound, rational decisions. This presentation discusses some of the problems associated with scale as related to remote sensing and GIS, and describes some of the questions that need to be addressed in approaching the development of a multidisciplinary "science of scale". Techniques for dealing with multiple scaled data that have been developed or explored recently are described as a means for recognizing scale as a generic issue, along with associated theory and tools that can be of simultaneous value to a large number of disciplines. These can be used to seek answers to a host of interrelated questions in the interest of providing a formal structure for the management and manipulation of scale and its universality as a key concept from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Asking a Great Question: A Librarian Teaches Questioning Skills to First-Year Medical Students.

PubMed

Adams, Nancy E

2015-01-01

In a single one-hour session, first-year medical students were taught a framework for differentiating between lower-order questions that lead to knowledge of facts and higher-order questions that lead to integration of concepts and deeper learning, thereby preparing them for problem-based learning (PBL). Students generated lists of questions in response to an assertion prompt and categorized them according to Bloom's Taxonomy. These data were analyzed in addition to data from the course exam, which asked them to formulate a higher-level question in response to a prompt. Categorizing questions according to Bloom's Taxonomy was a more difficult task for students than was formulating higher-order questions. Students reported that the skills that they learned were used in subsequent PBL sessions to formulate higher-order learning objectives that integrated new and previously-learned concepts.
Cross-domain question classification in community question answering via kernel mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Lei; Hu, Zuoliang; Yang, Bin; Li, Yiyang; Chen, Jun

2015-10-01

An increasingly popular method for retrieving information is via the community question answering (CQA) systems such as Yahoo! Answers and Baidu Knows. In CQA, question classification plays an important role to find the answers. However, the labeled training examples for statistical question classifier are fairly expensive to obtain, as they require the experienced human efforts. Meanwhile, unlabeled data are readily available. This paper employs the method of domain adaptation via kernel mapping to solve this problem. In detail, the kernel approach is utilized to map the target-domain data and the source-domain data into a common space, where the question classifiers are trained under the closer conditional probabilities. The kernel mapping function is constructed by domain knowledge. Therefore, domain knowledge could be transferred from the labeled examples in the source domain to the unlabeled ones in the targeted domain. The statistical training model can be improved by using a large number of unlabeled data. Meanwhile, the Hadoop Platform is used to construct the mapping mechanism to reduce the time complexity. Map/Reduce enable kernel mapping for domain adaptation in parallel in the Hadoop Platform. Experimental results show that the accuracy of question classification could be improved by the method of kernel mapping. Furthermore, the parallel method in the Hadoop Platform could effective schedule the computing resources to reduce the running time.
Assessing Question Quality Using NLP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopp, Kristopher J.; Johnson, Amy M.; Crossley, Scott A.; McNamara, Danielle S.

2017-01-01

An NLP algorithm was developed to assess question quality to inform feedback on questions generated by students within iSTART (an intelligent tutoring system that teaches reading strategies). A corpus of 4575 questions was coded using a four-level taxonomy. NLP indices were calculated for each question and machine learning was used to predict…
Virtual Reality for Pain Management in Cardiac Surgery

PubMed Central

Mosso-Vázquez, José Luis; Gao, Kenneth; Wiederhold, Brenda K.

2014-01-01

Abstract Surgical anxiety creates psychological and physiological stress, causes complications in surgical procedures, and prolongs recovery. Relaxation of patients in postoperative intensive care units can moderate patient vital signs and reduce discomfort. This experiment explores the use of virtual reality (VR) cybertherapy to reduce postoperative distress in patients that have recently undergone cardiac surgery. Sixty-seven patients were monitored at IMSS La Raza National Medical Center within 24 hours of cardiac surgery. Patients navigated through a 30 minute VR simulation designed for pain management. Results were analyzed through comparison of pre- and postoperative vital signs and Likert scale survey data. A connection was found in several physiological factors with subjective responses from the Likert scale survey. Heavy positive correlation existed between breathing rate and Likert ratings, and a moderate correlation was found between mean arterial pressure and Likert ratings and heart rate and Likert ratings, all of which indicated lower pain and stress within patients. Further study of these factors resulted in the categorization of patients based upon their vital signs and subjective response, providing a context for the effectiveness of the therapy to specific groups of patients. PMID:24892200
What is a Question?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuth, Kevin H.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A given question can be defined in terms of the set of statements or assertions that answer it. Application of the logic of inference to this set of assertions allows one to derive the logic of inquiry among questions. There are interesting symmetries between the logics of inference and inquiry; where probability describes the degree to which a premise implies an assertion, there exists an analogous quantity that describes the bearing or relevance that a question has on an outstanding issue. These have been extended to suggest that the logic of inquiry results in functional relationships analogous to, although more general than, those found in information theory. Employing lattice theory, I examine in greater detail the structure of the space of assertions and questions demonstrating that the symmetries between the logical relations in each of the spaces derive directly from the lattice structure. Furthermore, I show that while symmetries between the spaces exist, the two lattices are not isomorphic. The lattice of assertions is described by a Boolean lattice 2(sup N) whereas the lattice of real questions is shown to be a sublattice of the free distributive lattice FD(N) = 2(sup 2(sup N)). Thus there does not exist a one-to-one mapping of assertions to questions, there is no reflection symmetry between the two spaces, and questions in general do not possess unique complements. Last, with these lattice structures in mind, I discuss the relationship between probability, relevance and entropy.
Scaling up Psycholinguistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Nathaniel J.

2011-01-01

This dissertation contains several projects, each addressing different questions with different techniques. In chapter 1, I argue that they are unified thematically by their goal of "scaling up psycholinguistics"; they are all aimed at analyzing large data-sets using tools that reveal patterns to propose and test mechanism-neutral hypotheses about…
Any Questions? Want to Stimulate Student Curiosity? Let Them Ask Questions!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Tarin Harrar

2013-01-01

Of the eight scientific practices highlighted in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas," the first is for students to develop abilities to ask questions and define problems (NRC 2012). Constructing a range of questions about an object or phenomenon validates not only what students have…
Validation of the Perception of Change Scale - Family Version (EMP-F) as a treatment outcome measure in mental health services.

PubMed

Bandeira, Marina; Felicio, Cynthia Mara; Cesari, Luciana

2010-09-01

This study aimed to validate the Perception of Change Scale - Family Version, which evaluates the perception of family caregivers in regard to the treatment outcomes of psychiatric patients in mental health services. Family caregivers (N = 300) of psychiatric patients attending mental health services completed the Perception of Change Scale - Family Version. The scale has 19 items rated in a three-point Likert scale that evaluate changes perceived in the patient's life as a result of treatment. The factorial analysis revealed a four-factor structure, with the following dimensions: 1) occupation, 2) psychological factors, 3) relationships, and 4) physical health. In the internal consistency analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.85. The test-retest temporal stability analysis yielded a significant intraclass correlation coefficient (r = 0.96; p < 0.005). The convergent validity analysis revealed a positive significant correlation with another scale evaluating a distinct but theoretically related construct of family satisfaction with services (r = 0.41; p < 0.05). The Perception of Change Scale - Family Version has adequate reliability and construct and convergent validity. It can be used to evaluate treatment outcome in mental health services from the perspective of family caregivers, indicating targets to improve treatment.
Medical student quality-of-life in the clerkships: a scale validation study.

PubMed

Brannick, Michael T; Horn, Gregory T; Schnaus, Michael J; Wahi, Monika M; Goldin, Steven B

2015-04-01

Many aspects of medical school are stressful for students. To empirically assess student reactions to clerkship programs, or to assess efforts to improve such programs, educators must measure the overall well-being of the students reliably and validly. The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a measure designed to achieve these goals. The authors developed a measure of quality of life for medical students by sampling (public domain) items tapping general happiness, fatigue, and anxiety. A quality-of-life scale was developed by factor analyzing responses to the items from students in two different clerkships from 2005 to 2008. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Validity was assessed by factor analysis, convergence with additional theoretically relevant scales, and sensitivity to change over time. The refined nine-item measure is a Likert scaled survey of quality-of-life items comprised of two domains: exhaustion and general happiness. The resulting scale demonstrated good reliability and factorial validity at two time points for each of the two samples. The quality-of-life measure also correlated with measures of depression and the amount of sleep reported during the clerkships. The quality-of-life measure appeared more sensitive to changes over time than did the depression measure. The measure is short and can be easily administered in a survey. The scale appears useful for program evaluation and more generally as an outcome variable in medical educational research.
EDITORIAL: Fracture: from the atomic to the geophysical scale Fracture: from the atomic to the geophysical scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchaud, Elisabeth; Soukiassian, Patrick

2009-11-01

Although fracture is a very common experience in every day life, it still harbours many unanswered questions. New avenues of investigation arise concerning the basic mechanisms leading to deformation and failure in heterogeneous materials, particularly in non-metals. The processes involved are even more complex when plasticity, thermal fluctuations or chemical interactions between the material and its environment introduce a specific time scale. Sub-critical failure, which may be reached at unexpectedly low loads, is particularly important for silicate glasses. Another source of complications originates from dynamic fracture, when loading rates become so high that the acoustic waves produced by the crack interact with the material heterogeneities, in turn producing new waves that modify the propagation. Recent progress in experimental techniques, allowing one to test and probe materials at sufficiently small length or time scales or in three dimensions, has led to a quantitative understanding of the physical processes involved. In parallel, simulations have also progressed, by extending the time and length scales they are able to reach, and thus attaining experimentally accessible conditions. However, one central question remains the inclusion of these basic mechanisms into a statistical description. This is not an easy task, mostly because of the strong stress gradients present at the tip of a crack, and because the averaging of fracture properties over a heterogeneous material, containing more or less brittle phases, requires rare event statistics. Substantial progress has been made in models and simulations based on accurate experiments. From these models, scaling laws have been derived, linking the behaviour at a micro- or even nano-scale to the macroscopic and even to geophysical scales. The reviews in this Cluster Issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics cover several of these important topics, including the physical processes in fracture mechanisms
Development and Validation of the Eating Loss of Control Scale

PubMed Central

Blomquist, Kerstin K.; Roberto, Christina A.; Barnes, Rachel D.; White, Marney A.; Masheb, Robin M.; Grilo, Carlos M.

2014-01-01

Recurrent objective bulimic episodes (OBE) are a defining diagnostic characteristic of binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). OBEs are characterized by experiencing loss of control (LOC) while eating an unusually large quantity of food. Despite nosological importance and complex heterogeneity across patients, measurement of LOC has been assessed dichotomously (present/absent). This study describes the development and initial validation of the Eating Loss of Control Scale (ELOCS), a self-report questionnaire that examines the complexity of the LOC construct. Participants were 168 obese treatment-seeking individuals with BED who completed the Eating Disorder Examination interview and self-report measures. Participants rated their LOC-related feelings or behaviors on continuous Likert-type scales and reported the number of LOC episodes in the past 28 days. Principal component analysis identified a single-factor, 18-item scale, which demonstrated good internal reliability (α=0.90). Frequency of LOC episodes was significantly correlated with frequency of OBEs and subjective bulimic episodes. The ELOCS demonstrated good convergent validity and was significantly correlated with greater eating pathology, greater emotion dysregulation, greater depression, and lower self-control, but not with BMI. The findings suggest that the ELOCS is a valid self-report questionnaire that may provide important clinical information regarding experiences of LOC in obese persons with BED. Future research should examine the ELOCS in other eating disorders and non-clinical samples. PMID:24219700

Minimal Length Scale Scenarios for Quantum Gravity.

PubMed

Hossenfelder, Sabine

2013-01-01

We review the question of whether the fundamental laws of nature limit our ability to probe arbitrarily short distances. First, we examine what insights can be gained from thought experiments for probes of shortest distances, and summarize what can be learned from different approaches to a theory of quantum gravity. Then we discuss some models that have been developed to implement a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. These models have entered the literature as the generalized uncertainty principle or the modified dispersion relation, and have allowed the study of the effects of a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, thermodynamics, black-hole physics and cosmology. Finally, we touch upon the question of ways to circumvent the manifestation of a minimal length scale in short-distance physics.
Toward Question-Asking Machines: The Logic of Questions and the Inquiry Calculus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuth,Kevin H.

2005-01-01

For over a century, the study of logic has focused on the algebra of logical statements. This work, first performed by George Boole, has led to the development of modern computers, and was shown by Richard T. Cox to be the foundation of Bayesian inference. Meanwhile the logic of questions has been much neglected. For our computing machines to be truly intelligent, they need to be able to ask relevant questions. In this paper I will show how the Boolean lattice of logical statements gives rise to the free distributive lattice of questions thus defining their algebra. Furthermore, there exists a quantity analogous to probability, called relevance, which quantifies the degree to which one question answers another. I will show that relevance is not only a natural generalization of information theory, but also forms its foundation.
The Adaptation of Academic Motivation Scale to Turkish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaguven, M. Hulya Unal

2012-01-01

The current study evaluated the psychometric evidence of Turkish form of the Academic Motivation Scale. The scale was based on the tenets of self-determination theory. It was designed to assess an individual's academic motivation if intrinsically or extrinsically driven with 28 questions. University form of the scale was translated into Turkish…
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: a bifactor answer to a two-factor question?

PubMed

McKay, Michael T; Boduszek, Daniel; Harvey, Séamus A

2014-01-01

Despite its long-standing and widespread use, disagreement remains regarding the structure of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). In particular, concern remains regarding the degree to which the scale assesses self-esteem as a unidimensional or multidimensional (positive and negative self-esteem) construct. Using a sample of 3,862 high school students in the United Kingdom, 4 models were tested: (a) a unidimensional model, (b) a correlated 2-factor model in which the 2 latent variables are represented by positive and negative self-esteem, (c) a hierarchical model, and (d) a bifactor model. The totality of results including item loadings, goodness-of-fit indexes, reliability estimates, and correlations with self-efficacy measures all supported the bifactor model, suggesting that the 2 hypothesized factors are better understood as "grouping" factors rather than as representative of latent constructs. Accordingly, this study supports the unidimensionality of the RSES and the scoring of all 10 items to produce a global self-esteem score.
Using Cognitive Pretesting in Scale Development for Parkinson’s Disease: The Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Example

PubMed Central

Tilley, Barbara C.; LaPelle, Nancy R.; Goetz, Christopher G.; Stebbins, Glenn T.

2016-01-01

Background Cognitive pretesting, a qualitative step in scale development, precedes field testing and assesses the difficulty of instrument completion for examiners and respondents. Cognitive pretesting assesses respondent interest, attention span, discomfort, and comprehension, and highlights problems with the logical structure of questions/response options that can affect understanding. In the past this approach was not consistently used in the development or revision of movement disorders scales. Methods We applied qualitative cognitive pretesting using testing guides in development of the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). The guides were based on qualitative techniques, verbal probing and “think-aloud” interviewing, to identify problems with the scale from the patient and rater perspectives. English-speaking Parkinson’s disease patients and movement disorders specialists (raters) from multiple specialty clinics in the United States, Western Europe and Canada used the MDS-UPDRS and completed the testing guides. Results Two rounds of cognitive pretesting were necessary before proceeding to field testing of the revised scale to assess clinimetric properties. Scale revisions based on cognitive pretesting included changes in phrasing, simplification of some questions, and addition of a reassuring statement explaining that not all PD patients experience the symptoms described in the questions. Conclusions The strategy of incorporating cognitive pretesting into scale development and revision provides a model for other movement disorders scales. Cognitive pretesting is being used in translating the MDS-UPDRS into multiple languages to improve comprehension and acceptance and in the development of a new Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale for Parkinson’s disease patients. PMID:24613868
Qualitative Investigation of Students' Views about Experimental Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Dehui; Zwickl, Benjamin M.; Wilcox, Bethany R.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2017-01-01

This study examines students' reasoning surrounding seemingly contradictory Likert-scale responses within five items in the Colorado Learning Attitudes About Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). We administered the E-CLASS with embedded open-ended prompts, which asked students to provide explanations after making a Likert-scale…
Fun and games in reviewing neonatal emergency care.

PubMed

Gordon, D W; Brown, H N

1995-04-01

To develop a game-based review instrument for use by newborn caregivers in preparing for emergency situations. One hundred and one test questions covering pathophysiology, resuscitation, and medications were developed. The questions then underwent expert and peer review, psychometric testing for content validity and test-retest reliability, and a game trial. The needs of adult learners are different from those of other learners. The gaming format uses knowledge gained through experience and provides an avenue for validating knowledge and sharing experiences. This format has been found effective for review and reinforcement of facts. Twelve nurses participated in a trial game and completed a written evaluation using a Likert scale. The Neonatal Emergency Trivia Game is an effective tool for reviewing material related to neonatal emergency care decisions. Additional testing with a larger group would strengthen validity and reliability data.
Moving Forward Through Consensus: A Modified Delphi Approach to Determine the Top Research Priorities in Orthopaedic Oncology.

PubMed

Schneider, Patricia Jacqueline; Evaniew, Nathan; McKay, Paula; Ghert, Michelle

2017-12-01

Several challenges presently impede the conduct of prospective clinical studies in orthopaedic oncology, including limited financial resources to support their associated costs and inadequate patient volume at most single institutions. This study was conducted to prioritize research questions within the field so that the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS), and other relevant professional societies, can direct the limited human and fiscal resources available to address the priorities that the stakeholders involved believe will have the most meaningful impact on orthopaedic oncology patient care. The purpose of this study was to use a formal consensus-based approach involving clinician-scientists and other stakeholders to identify the top priority research questions for future international prospective clinical studies in orthopaedic oncology. A three-step modified Delphi process involving multiple stakeholder groups (including orthopaedic oncologists, research personnel, funding agency representation, and patient representation) was conducted. First, we sent an electronic questionnaire to all participants to solicit clinically relevant research questions (61 participants; 54% of the original 114 individuals invited to participate returned the questionnaires). Then, participants rated the candidate research questions using a 5-point Likert scale for five criteria (60 participants; 53% of the original group participated in this portion of the process). Research questions that met a priori consensus thresholds progressed for consideration to an in-person consensus meeting, which was attended by 44 participants (39% of the original group; 12 countries were represented at this meeting). After the consensus panel's discussion, members individually assigned scores to each question using a 9-point Likert scale. Research questions that met preset criteria advanced to final ranking, and panel members individually ranked their top three priority research questions, resulting
The $500 Million Question: Can Charter Management Organizations Deliver Quality Education at Scale?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Kevin; Lake, Robin

2011-01-01

Charter school management organizations (CMOs) have emerged as a popular means for bringing charter schooling to scale. Advocates credit CMOs with delivering a coherent model of charter schooling to a growing number of children across numerous sites. Skeptics have wondered whether CMOs constitute an effective management approach, whether they…
The role of questions in the science classroom - how girls and boys respond to teachers' questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliasson, Nina; Karlsson, Karl Göran; Sørensen, Helene

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explore (a) to what extent male and female science teachers pose different types of questions and (b) if the type of science question posed influences the extent to which boys or girls respond to them. Transcripts of the teacher-student interaction in a whole-class situation were analysed, with attention paid to interactions that involved science questions. Closed and open questions were used. Results revealed that the percentage of closed questions posed corresponded to 87%. Results show that teachers mainly use closed questions, and responses from boys to closed questions are in the majority regardless of if the question is posed by a female teacher (56%) or a male teacher (64%). Both categories of closed questions are mainly considered lower order questions that do not facilitate higher cognitive levels in students. Thus, a direct consequence of an excessive use of this type of questions may be that both boys and girls will be given less opportunities to practise their ability to talk about science. Less access to general classroom interaction may also affect girls' attitudes to science in a negative way which could ultimately hamper the recruitment of girls to higher scientific studies.
Scales and scaling in turbulent ocean sciences; physics-biology coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, Francois

2015-04-01

Geophysical fields possess huge fluctuations over many spatial and temporal scales. In the ocean, such property at smaller scales is closely linked to marine turbulence. The velocity field is varying from large scales to the Kolmogorov scale (mm) and scalar fields from large scales to the Batchelor scale, which is often much smaller. As a consequence, it is not always simple to determine at which scale a process should be considered. The scale question is hence fundamental in marine sciences, especially when dealing with physics-biology coupling. For example, marine dynamical models have typically a grid size of hundred meters or more, which is more than 105 times larger than the smallest turbulence scales (Kolmogorov scale). Such scale is fine for the dynamics of a whale (around 100 m) but for a fish larvae (1 cm) or a copepod (1 mm) a description at smaller scales is needed, due to the nonlinear nature of turbulence. The same is verified also for biogeochemical fields such as passive and actives tracers (oxygen, fluorescence, nutrients, pH, turbidity, temperature, salinity...) In this framework, we will discuss the scale problem in turbulence modeling in the ocean, and the relation of Kolmogorov's and Batchelor's scales of turbulence in the ocean, with the size of marine animals. We will also consider scaling laws for organism-particle Reynolds numbers (from whales to bacteria), and possible scaling laws for organism's accelerations.
Questioning and reading goals: information-seeking questions asked on scientific texts read under different task conditions.

PubMed

Ishiwa, Koto; Sanjosé, Vicente; Otero, José

2013-09-01

A number of studies report that few questions are asked in classrooms and that many of them are shallow questions. This study investigates the way in which reading goals determine questioning on scientific texts. Reading goals were manipulated through two different tasks: reading for understanding versus reading to solve a problem. A total of 183 university students. In the first and third questioning experiments, the participants read two short texts. Students in one condition were instructed to understand the texts, whereas in the alternative condition they had to read texts to solve a problem. Students were instructed to write down any questions they might have about the texts. The questions were categorized according to the type of underlying obstacle: associative, explanatory, or predictive. The second experiment used a think-aloud methodology to identify the mental representations generated by the students. The two questioning experiments show that the questions asked depend on the reading goals. Significantly more explanation questions were asked in the understanding condition than in the problem-solving condition. Also, the two conditions were found to have a different influence on the generation of association and explanation questions. Very few prediction questions were asked in either condition. The think-aloud experiment revealed that the mental representations attempted by readers under the two conditions were indeed different. In conclusion, the experiments showed that, given a certain textual input, readers' questions depend on the reading goals associated with tasks. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.
Hypohydration and Acute Thermal Stress Affect Mood State but not Cognition or Dynamic Postural

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-12

of the feet and ankles . The LCD screen presented a cursor interfaced with the movement of the platform. Balance scores were given based on three...Vol- unteers were asked to rate their thermal sensation (TS) using an 8-point Likert scale with verbal anchors from 0 (unbearably cold) to 8...unbearably hot). Thirst was asses- sed using a similar 8-point Likert scale with verbal anchors from 1 (not thirst at all) to 9 (very, very thirsty) (Gagge
Expansion of the wilderness values scale with three sub-scales: Personal maintenance, expression and learning, and societal maintenance

Treesearch

Rudy M. Schuster; Ken Cordell; Gary T. Green

2007-01-01

The purpose of this research was to expand the wilderness value scale administered in the 1994 and 2000 versions of the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment using questions included in the 2003 NSRE. A data set of 1,900 cases was randomly split in half. Validity of the additional questions was tested using principal component analysis, a confirmatory...
Semantic annotation of consumer health questions.

PubMed

Kilicoglu, Halil; Ben Abacha, Asma; Mrabet, Yassine; Shooshan, Sonya E; Rodriguez, Laritza; Masterton, Kate; Demner-Fushman, Dina

2018-02-06

Consumers increasingly use online resources for their health information needs. While current search engines can address these needs to some extent, they generally do not take into account that most health information needs are complex and can only fully be expressed in natural language. Consumer health question answering (QA) systems aim to fill this gap. A major challenge in developing consumer health QA systems is extracting relevant semantic content from the natural language questions (question understanding). To develop effective question understanding tools, question corpora semantically annotated for relevant question elements are needed. In this paper, we present a two-part consumer health question corpus annotated with several semantic categories: named entities, question triggers/types, question frames, and question topic. The first part (CHQA-email) consists of relatively long email requests received by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) customer service, while the second part (CHQA-web) consists of shorter questions posed to MedlinePlus search engine as queries. Each question has been annotated by two annotators. The annotation methodology is largely the same between the two parts of the corpus; however, we also explain and justify the differences between them. Additionally, we provide information about corpus characteristics, inter-annotator agreement, and our attempts to measure annotation confidence in the absence of adjudication of annotations. The resulting corpus consists of 2614 questions (CHQA-email: 1740, CHQA-web: 874). Problems are the most frequent named entities, while treatment and general information questions are the most common question types. Inter-annotator agreement was generally modest: question types and topics yielded highest agreement, while the agreement for more complex frame annotations was lower. Agreement in CHQA-web was consistently higher than that in CHQA-email. Pairwise inter-annotator agreement proved most
Pesticide Labeling Questions & Answers

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pesticide manufacturers, applicators, state regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders raise questions or issues about pesticide labels. The questions on this page are those that apply to multiple products or address inconsistencies among product labels.
Proposal of a short-form version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale

PubMed Central

dos Santos, Leonardo Pozza; Lindemann, Ivana Loraine; Motta, Janaína Vieira dos Santos; Mintem, Gicele; Bender, Eliana; Gigante, Denise Petrucci

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To propose a short version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. METHODS Two samples were used to test the results obtained in the analyses in two distinct scenarios. One of the studies was composed of 230 low income families from Pelotas, RS, Southern Brazil, and the other was composed of 15,575 women, whose data were obtained from the 2006 National Survey on Demography and Health. Two models were tested, the first containing seven questions, and the second, the five questions that were considered the most relevant ones in the concordance analysis. The models were compared to the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy parameters were calculated, as well as the kappa agreement test. RESULTS Comparing the prevalence of food insecurity between the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale and the two models, the differences were around 2 percentage points. In the sensitivity analysis, the short version of seven questions obtained 97.8% and 99.5% in the Pelotas sample and in the National Survey on Demography and Health sample, respectively, while specificity was 100% in both studies. The five-question model showed similar results (sensitivity of 95.7% and 99.5% in the Pelotas sample and in the National Survey on Demography and Health sample, respectively). In the Pelotas sample, the kappa test of the seven-question version totaled 97.0% and that of the five-question version, 95.0%. In the National Survey on Demography and Health sample, the two models presented a 99.0% kappa. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the model with five questions should be used as the short version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale, as its results were similar to the original scale with a lower number of questions. This version needs to be administered to other populations in Brazil in order to allow for the adequate assessment of the validity parameters. PMID:25372169
Methodology Series Module 8: Designing Questionnaires and Clinical Record Forms

PubMed Central

Setia, Maninder Singh

2017-01-01

As researchers, we often collect data on a clinical record form or a questionnaire. It is an important part of study design. If the questionnaire is not well designed, the data collected will not be useful. In this section of the module, we have discussed some practical aspects of designing a questionnaire. It is useful to make a list of all the variables that will be assessed in the study before preparing the questionnaire. The researcher should review all the existing questionnaires. It may be efficient to use an existing standardized questionnaire or scale. Many of these scales are freely available and may be used with an appropriate reference. However, some may be under copyright protection and permissions may be required to use the same questionnaire. While designing their own questionnaire, researchers may use open- or close-ended questions. It is important to design the responses appropriately as the format of responses will influence the analysis. Sometimes, one can collect the same information in multiple ways - continuous or categorical response. Besides these, the researcher can also use visual analog scales or Likert's scale in the questionnaire. Some practical take-home points are: (1) Use specific language while framing the questions; (2) write detailed instructions in the questionnaire; (3) use mutually exclusive response categories; (4) use skip patterns; (5) avoid double-barreled questions; and (6) anchor the time period if required. PMID:28400630
The role of questioning environment, personality traits, depressive and anxiety symptoms in tinnitus severity perception.

PubMed

Strumila, Robertas; Lengvenytė, Aistė; Vainutienė, Vija; Lesinskas, Eugenijus

2017-12-01

Psychological factors have been described as important for tinnitus severity, but attempts to incorporate them in one picture are sparse. This study investigated to what extent traits (personality), states (depressive and anxiety symptoms), sociodemographic factors and questioning environment influence tinnitus severity perception and how they interplay. Data were obtained from 212 subjects in a survey that was undertaken in 2016 at Vilnius University hospital and via internet. Measures included the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Big Five Personality Dimensions Scale and sociodemographic questions. A series of stepwise forward and multiple regression analyses were undertaken to discover how factors interconnect. Female gender, age, living in rural area, but not level of education, were found to be associated with THI and HADS. Total HADS score and of both subscales were linked to scores on THI, VAS scales and all personality traits, except agreeableness (and consciousness for anxiety). Anxiety was the most important predictor for tinnitus severity, followed by depressive symptoms. Only neuroticism from personality dimensions was a predictor of THI score, whereas THI scores did not predict scores on neuroticism. All results in scales were higher in the internet group, except agreeableness and neuroticism, while extroversion correlated negatively with THI score only in the hospital group. Tinnitus severity was highly correlated with depressive, anxiety symptoms and neuroticism. Respondents recruited through internet had higher scores on most parameters. Results emphasize the importance of psychological factors in tinnitus management.
Modeling motivated misreports to sensitive survey questions.

PubMed

Böckenholt, Ulf

2014-07-01

Asking sensitive or personal questions in surveys or experimental studies can both lower response rates and increase item non-response and misreports. Although non-response is easily diagnosed, misreports are not. However, misreports cannot be ignored because they give rise to systematic bias. The purpose of this paper is to present a modeling approach that identifies misreports and corrects for them. Misreports are conceptualized as a motivated process under which respondents edit their answers before they report them. For example, systematic bias introduced by overreports of socially desirable behaviors or underreports of less socially desirable ones can be modeled, leading to more-valid inferences. The proposed approach is applied to a large-scale experimental study and shows that respondents who feel powerful tend to overclaim their knowledge.

The 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology series: questions 50-56.

PubMed

2017-08-29

Since the beginning of 2017, Chinese Journal of Cancer has published a series of important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology, which sparkle diverse thoughts, interesting communications, and potential collaborations among researchers all over the world. In this article, seven more questions are presented as followed. Question 50. When tumor cells spread from primary site to distant sites, are they required to be "trained" or "armed" in the bone marrow niche prior to colonizing soft tissues? Question 51. Are there tipping points during cancer progression which can be identified for manipulation? Question 52. Can we replace molecular biomarkers by network biomarkers? Question 53. Are conventional inhibitors of key cellular processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation more effective than targeted chemotherapeutics that antagonize the downstream cell signaling network via cell-surface receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and c-Met, or intracellular receptors such as androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER), by drugs like erlotinib, sunitinib and cabozantinib, or enzalutamide and tomoxifen? Question 54. How can we robustly identify the candidate causal event of somatic genome alteration (SGA) by using computational approach? Question 55. How can we systematically reveal the immune evasion mechanism exploited by each tumor and utilize such information to guide targeted therapy to restore immune sensitivity? Question 56. Can the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) subtype benefit from more specific targeted therapy?
Application of the OMERACT filter to measures of core outcome domains in recent clinical studies of acute gout

PubMed Central

Taylor, William J; Redden, David; Dalbeth, Nicola; Schumacher, H Ralph; Edwards, N Lawrence; Simon, Lee S; John, Markus R; Essex, Margaret N; Watson, Douglas J; Evans, Robert; Rome, Keith; Singh, Jasvinder A

2014-01-01

Objective To determine the extent to which instruments that measure core outcome domains in acute gout fulfil the OMERACT filter requirements of truth, discrimination and feasibility. Methods Patient-level data from four randomised controlled trials of agents designed to treat acute gout and one observational study of acute gout were analysed. For each available measure construct validity, test-retest reliability, within-group change using effect size, between-group change using the Kruskall-Wallis statistic and repeated measures generalised estimating equations were assessed. Floor and ceiling effects were also assessed and MCID was estimated. These analyses were presented to participants at OMERACT 11 to help inform voting for possible endorsement. Results There was evidence for construct validity and discriminative ability for 3 measures of pain (0 to 4 Likert, 0 to 10 numeric rating scale, 0 to 100 mm visual analogue scale). Likewise, there appears to be sufficient evidence for a 4-point Likert scale to possess construct validity and discriminative ability for physician assessment of joint swelling and joint tenderness. There was some evidence for construct validity and within-group discriminative ability for the Health Assessment Questionnaire as a measure of activity limitations, but not for discrimination between groups allocated to different treatment. Conclusions There is sufficient evidence to support measures of pain (using Likert, numeric rating scale or visual analogue scales), joint tenderness and swelling (using Likert scale) as fulfilling the requirements of the OMERACT filter. Further research on a measure of activity limitations in acute gout clinical trials is required. PMID:24429178
H2@Scale Laboratory CRADA Call | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL

Science.gov Websites

research and development agreement (CRADA) projects with the Hydrogen at Scale (H2@Scale) national CRADA Call H2@Scale CRADA Agreement Template Responses to CRADA Call Questions: Part 1 (includes
Measuring Victimization inside Prisons: Questioning the Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Nancy; Shi, Jing; Bachman, Ronet

2008-01-01

Violence and victimization inside the prison setting are accepted as facts, although the facts about their prevalence remain uncertain. Variation in the methods used to estimate rates of sexual and physical victimization contribute to the wide range in estimates appearing in the prison literature. This article focuses on the questions used in the…
The Priority of the Question: Focus Questions for Sustained Reasoning in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lustick, David

2010-01-01

Science education standards place a high priority on promoting the skills and dispositions associated with inquiry at all levels of learning. Yet, the questions teachers employ to foster sustained reasoning are most likely borrowed from a textbook, lab manual, or worksheet. Such generic questions generated for a mass audience, lack authenticity…
Pacific Northwest residential energy survey. Volume 3. Question-by-question results

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

None

1980-07-01

Tabulations are presented of responses to approximately 105 questions. Results are tabulated by 9 geographic regions: the four states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; four climate zones in the region; and a weighted Pacific Northwest total. A description of the tabulated data is given in the Introduction. Tabulated data deal with questions on dwelling characteristics; heating and air-conditioning systems; water heating; appliances; demographic and swelling characteristics; and insulation.
Factors Affecting Responses of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to "Yes/No" Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funazaki, Yasuhiro; Oi, Manabu

2013-01-01

This study aimed to clarify factors related to difficulties in responding to "yes/no" questions (Y/N-Qs) among 52 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 41 boys and 11 girls aged between 3:5-16:0 years. Participants completed the Tanaka-Binet Intelligence Scale V, the Picture Vocabulary Test: Revised (PVT-R), and the Pervasive…
Frequent Questions on Recycling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is a list of frequent questions on recycling, broken down into five categories. These are answers to common questions that EPA has received from press and web inquiries. This list is located on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle website.
Development and testing of a scale to assess physician attitudes about handheld computers with decision support.

PubMed

Ray, Midge N; Houston, Thomas K; Yu, Feliciano B; Menachemi, Nir; Maisiak, Richard S; Allison, Jeroan J; Berner, Eta S

2006-01-01

The authors developed and evaluated a rating scale, the Attitudes toward Handheld Decision Support Software Scale (H-DSS), to assess physician attitudes about handheld decision support systems. The authors conducted a prospective assessment of psychometric characteristics of the H-DSS including reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Participants were 82 Internal Medicine residents. A higher score on each of the 14 five-point Likert scale items reflected a more positive attitude about handheld DSS. The H-DSS score is the mean across the fourteen items. Attitudes toward the use of the handheld DSS were assessed prior to and six months after receiving the handheld device. Cronbach's Alpha was used to assess internal consistency reliability. Pearson correlations were used to estimate and detect significant associations between scale scores and other measures (validity). Paired sample t-tests were used to test for changes in the mean attitude scale score (responsiveness) and for differences between groups. Internal consistency reliability for the scale was alpha = 0.73. In testing validity, moderate correlations were noted between the attitude scale scores and self-reported Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) usage in the hospital (correlation coefficient = 0.55) and clinic (0.48), p < 0.05 for both. The scale was responsive, in that it detected the expected increase in scores between the two administrations (3.99 (s.d. = 0.35) vs. 4.08, (s.d. = 0.34), p < 0.005). The authors' evaluation showed that the H-DSS scale was reliable, valid, and responsive. The scale can be used to guide future handheld DSS development and implementation.
Disturbance, scale, and boundary in wilderness management

Treesearch

Peter S. White; Jonathan Harrod; Joan L. Walker; Anke Jentsch

2000-01-01

Natural disturbances are critical to wilderness management. This paper reviews recent research on natural disturbance and addresses the problem of managing for disturbances in a world of human-imposed scales and boundaries. The dominant scale issue in disturbance management is the question of patch dynamic equilibrium. The dominant boundary issue in disturbance...
Disturbance, Scale, and Boundary in Wilderness Management

Treesearch

Peter S. White; Jonathan Harrod; Joan L. Walker; Anke Jentsch

2000-01-01

Natural disturbances are critical to wilderness management. This paper reviews recent research on natural disturbance and addresses the problem of managing for disturbances in a world of human-imposed scales and boundaries. The dominant scale issue in disturbance management is the question of patch dynamic equilibrium. The dominant boundary issue in disturbance...
The IPV-GBM scale: a new scale to measure intimate partner violence among gay and bisexual men.

PubMed

Stephenson, Rob; Finneran, Catherine

2013-01-01

The paper describes the creation of a new scale to measure intimate partner violence (IPV) among gay and bisexual men. Seven focus group discussions were held with gay and bisexual men, focusing on defining intimate partner violence: 30 forms of IPV were identified. A venue-recruited sample of 912 gay and bisexual men was surveyed, examining definitional understanding and recent experiences of each of the 30 forms of IPV. Participants were also asked questions from the CDC definition of intimate partner violence and the short-form of the Conflicts Tactics Scale (CTS2S). Factor analysis of responses to the definitional questions was used to create the IPV-GBM scale, and the prevalence of intimate partner violence was compared with that identified by the CDC and CTS2S measures of intimate partner violence. A 23-item scale, with 5 unique domains, was created, with strong internal reliability (Cronbach Alpha >.90). The IPV-GBM scale mirrored both the CDC and CTS2S definitions of intimate partner violence, but contained additional domains such as controlling violence, monitoring behaviors, emotional violence, and HIV-related violence. The new scale identified a significantly higher prevalence of IPV than either of the more commonly used measures. The results presented here provide encouraging evidence for a new, more accurate measure of intimate partner violence among gay and bisexual men in the U.S.
[Development and psychometric validation of the Brief Smartphone Addiction Scale (BSAS) with schoolchidren].

PubMed

Csibi, Sándor; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Szabó, Attila

2016-01-01

Smartphone use among children increases continuously. A growing range of stimulating applications may trigger the risk of addiction. The aim of this study was to develop a brief, easy-to-use and score tool for screening children at risk for smartphone addiction. A 6-item agree-disagree Likert scale (6-point range), was developed on the basis of the 'components' model of addiction (Griffiths, 2005). The brief tool was administered to 441 Hungarian speaking schoolchildren (mean age=13.4 years, SD=2.22) along with the 26-item Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI; Lin et al, 2014). Principal components analysis yielded a single component for the 6-item tool, which accounted for 52.38% of the total variance. The internal reliability of the scale was good (Cronbach's alpha=0.82). Content validity was confirmed by statistically significant differences between heavy and light users (p <.001). The brief tool correlated positively and significantly with the 26-item SPAI (r = 0.67, p <.001), that justified its congruent validity. Younger children (9-13 years) scored higher on the scale than their older (14-18 years) peers (p <.001). The Hungarian version of the brief smartphone addiction inventory appears to be a valid and reliable tool for screening for mobile phone addiction among schoolchildren.
Explaining errors in children's questions.

PubMed

Rowland, Caroline F

2007-07-01

The ability to explain the occurrence of errors in children's speech is an essential component of successful theories of language acquisition. The present study tested some generativist and constructivist predictions about error on the questions produced by ten English-learning children between 2 and 5 years of age. The analyses demonstrated that, as predicted by some generativist theories [e.g. Santelmann, L., Berk, S., Austin, J., Somashekar, S. & Lust. B. (2002). Continuity and development in the acquisition of inversion in yes/no questions: dissociating movement and inflection, Journal of Child Language, 29, 813-842], questions with auxiliary DO attracted higher error rates than those with modal auxiliaries. However, in wh-questions, questions with modals and DO attracted equally high error rates, and these findings could not be explained in terms of problems forming questions with why or negated auxiliaries. It was concluded that the data might be better explained in terms of a constructivist account that suggests that entrenched item-based constructions may be protected from error in children's speech, and that errors occur when children resort to other operations to produce questions [e.g. Dabrowska, E. (2000). From formula to schema: the acquisition of English questions. Cognitive Liguistics, 11, 83-102; Rowland, C. F. & Pine, J. M. (2000). Subject-auxiliary inversion errors and wh-question acquisition: What children do know? Journal of Child Language, 27, 157-181; Tomasello, M. (2003). Constructing a language: A usage-based theory of language acquisition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press]. However, further work on constructivist theory development is required to allow researchers to make predictions about the nature of these operations.
Examining the Impact of Question Surface Features on Students’ Answers to Constructed-Response Questions on Photosynthesis

PubMed Central

Weston, Michele; Haudek, Kevin C.; Prevost, Luanna; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Merrill, John

2015-01-01

One challenge in science education assessment is that students often focus on surface features of questions rather than the underlying scientific principles. We investigated how student written responses to constructed-response questions about photosynthesis vary based on two surface features of the question: the species of plant and the order of two question prompts. We asked four versions of the question with different combinations of the two plant species and order of prompts in an introductory cell biology course. We found that there was not a significant difference in the content of student responses to versions of the question stem with different species or order of prompts, using both computerized lexical analysis and expert scoring. We conducted 20 face-to-face interviews with students to further probe the effects of question wording on student responses. During the interviews, we found that students thought that the plant species was neither relevant nor confusing when answering the question. Students identified the prompts as both relevant and confusing. However, this confusion was not specific to a single version. PMID:25999312
Biology Question Generation from a Semantic Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lishan

Science instructors need questions for use in exams, homework assignments, class discussions, reviews, and other instructional activities. Textbooks never have enough questions, so instructors must find them from other sources or generate their own questions. In order to supply instructors with biology questions, a semantic network approach was developed for generating open response biology questions. The generated questions were compared to professional authorized questions. To boost students' learning experience, adaptive selection was built on the generated questions. Bayesian Knowledge Tracing was used as embedded assessment of the student's current competence so that a suitable question could be selected based on the student's previous performance. A between-subjects experiment with 42 participants was performed, where half of the participants studied with adaptive selected questions and the rest studied with mal-adaptive order of questions. Both groups significantly improved their test scores, and the participants in adaptive group registered larger learning gains than participants in the control group. To explore the possibility of generating rich instructional feedback for machine-generated questions, a question-paragraph mapping task was identified. Given a set of questions and a list of paragraphs for a textbook, the goal of the task was to map the related paragraphs to each question. An algorithm was developed whose performance was comparable to human annotators. A multiple-choice question with high quality distractors (incorrect answers) can be pedagogically valuable as well as being much easier to grade than open-response questions. Thus, an algorithm was developed to generate good distractors for multiple-choice questions. The machine-generated multiple-choice questions were compared to human-generated questions in terms of three measures: question difficulty, question discrimination and distractor usefulness. By recruiting 200 participants from
32 CFR 316.7 - Questions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Questions. 316.7 Section 316.7 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) PRIVACY PROGRAM DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY PRIVACY PROGRAM § 316.7 Questions. Questions on both the substance and procedure of...
Choice of rating scale labels: implication for minimizing patient satisfaction response ceiling effect in telemedicine surveys.

PubMed

Masino, Caterina; Lam, Tony C M

2014-12-01

Lack of response variability is problematic in surveys because of its detrimental effects on sensitivity and consequently reliability of the responses. In satisfaction surveys, this problem is caused by the ceiling effect resulting from high satisfaction ratings. A potential solution strategy is to manipulate the labels of the rating scale to create greater discrimination of responses on the high end of the response continuum. This study examined the effects of a positive-centered scale on the distribution and reliability of telemedicine satisfaction responses in a highly positive respondent population. In total, 216 telemedicine participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions as defined by the form of Likert scale: (1) 5-point Balanced Equal-Interval, (2) 5-point Positive-Packed, and (3) 5-point Positive-Centered Equal-Interval. Although the study findings were not statistically significant, partially because of sample size, the distribution and internal consistency reliability of responses occurred in the direction hypothesized. Loading the rating scale with more positive labels appears to be a useful strategy for reducing the ceiling effect and increases the discrimination ability of survey responses. The current research provides a survey design strategy to minimize ceiling effects. Although the findings provide some evidence suggesting the benefit of using rating scales loaded with positive labels, more research is needed to confirm this, as well as extend it to examine other types of rating scales and the interaction between rating scale formats and respondent characteristics.
[Scales to measure parents and caretakers satisfaction with the food and nutrition component of Child care Centers].

PubMed

Bernal, Jennifer; Lorenzana, Paulina

2002-06-01

Two Likert-type scales for measuring parents' and caretakers' level of satisfaction with the food and nutrition services offered at childcare multi-centers in a peri-urban community in Caracas, were developed and validated. An intentional sample of 20 parents and caretakers were interviewed within the naturalistic-constructivist perspective, to capture their perceptions of distinct aspects of the food and nutrition components of the program. Categories emerged from the interviews that served to construct the items for two scales that measure level of satisfaction of parents and caretakers with the food and nutrition aspects of the program. To validate the scales, they were applied to 73 parents and 32 caretakers. Factor and multiple components analysis showed that overall, the scales explained 61% and 69% of the variation in level of satisfaction of parents and caretakers respectively. Confiability measured with Alpha Cronbach coefficient was 0.74 and 0.77 for parents' and caretakers' scales respectively. These results reveal scales that have content validity and good reliability. Besides, the scales detect specific aspects of the food and nutrition service that should be reinforced or modified, to make the Child-care Centers program more effective and efficient. External validation of the scales is recommended, since they provide an instrument capable of capturing useful information for monitoring and evaluating the Child-care Centers program nation-wide, from the perspective of program managers and parents of program users.
47 CFR 13.215 - Question pools.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Question pools. 13.215 Section 13.215 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATORS Examination System § 13.215 Question pools. The question pool for each written examination element will be composed of questions...

Questions for Music Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Estelle R.

2008-01-01

In addressing the question-set "What questions do music education researchers need to address?", an illustrative list of juxtaposed descriptive and normative questions is sketched as follows: What are and should be the dimensions of music education? What are and should be the institutional agencies of music education? What are and should be the…
Do Questions Get Infants Talking? Infant Vocal Responses to Questions and Declaratives in Maternal Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimchen, Melissa; Soderstrom, Melanie

2017-01-01

Maternal questions play a crucial role in early language acquisition by virtue of their special grammatical, prosodic and lexical forms, and their abundance in the input. Infants are able to discriminate questions from other sentence types and produce rising intonations in their own requests. This study examined whether caregiver questions were…
Shockwave lithotripsy with music: Less painful and more satisfactory treatment.

PubMed

Ordaz Jurado, D G; Budia Alba, A; Bahilo Mateu, P; Trassierra Villa, M; López-Acón, D; Boronat Tormo, F

2017-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether listening to music during a session of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) improves patients' pain. A simple, blind randomisation was undertaken of patients with kidney and ureter stones attending an ESWL session of 7,000 waves for the first time, between September and December 2014. One group was given music and the other was not. The age, gender, location of stones (kidney/ureter) were recorded and 2questionnaires: pre ESWL (questionnaire A) and postESWL (questionnaire B). Each questionnaire contained a question about anxiety and another question on pain on the Likert scale (0-10). Questionnaire B also had a question on satisfaction and comfort (Likert 0-10). Other variables included heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on wave 2,000, 5,000 and 7,000, reason for halting the procedure, total pethidine (mg), secondary analgesia, energy (J) and frequency (Hz). Bivariate analysis using the Student's t-test, X 2 /Fisher test and a multiple linear regression model. The sample comprised 95 patients, with a mean age of 52 (±13) years, 35 (36.84%) females, 60 (63.2%) males. A total of 25 (26.3%) ureter stones and 70 (73.7%) kidney stones. A number of 42 (44.2%) patients were given music. There were no differences between the demographic variables or questionnaire A scores. Satisfaction and pain were better on questionnaire B with music. Music can reduce pain and improve patient satisfaction in ESWL treatment. More studies are required to confirm this effect. Copyright © 2017 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
Comparison of Missing Data Treatments in Producing Factor Scores.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witta, E. Lea

Because ignoring the missing data in an evaluation may lead to results that are questionable, this study investigated the effects of use of four missing data handling techniques on a survey instrument. A questionnaire containing 35 5-point Likert-style questions was completed by 384 respondents. Of these, 166 (43%) questionnaires contained 1 or…
Click-On-Diagram Questions: a New Tool to Study Conceptions Using Classroom Response Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaDue, Nicole D.; Shipley, Thomas F.

2018-06-01

Geoscience instructors depend upon photos, diagrams, and other visualizations to depict geologic structures and processes that occur over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. This proof-of-concept study tests click-on-diagram (COD) questions, administered using a classroom response system (CRS), as a research tool for identifying spatial misconceptions. First, we propose a categorization of spatial conceptions associated with geoscience concepts. Second, we implemented the COD questions in an undergraduate introductory geology course. Each question was implemented three times: pre-instruction, post-instruction, and at the end of the course to evaluate the stability of students' conceptual understanding. We classified each instance as (1) a false belief that was easily remediated, (2) a flawed mental model that was not fully transformed, or (3) a robust misconception that persisted despite targeted instruction. Geographic Information System (GIS) software facilitated spatial analysis of students' answers. The COD data confirmed known misconceptions about Earth's structure, geologic time, and base level and revealed a novel robust misconception about hot spot formation. Questions with complex spatial attributes were less likely to change following instruction and more likely to be classified as a robust misconception. COD questions provided efficient access to students' conceptual understanding. CRS-administered COD questions present an opportunity to gather spatial conceptions with large groups of students, immediately, building the knowledge base about students' misconceptions and providing feedback to guide instruction.
Improving the Questions Students Ask

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donohue-Smith, Maureen

2006-01-01

Teachers often tell their classes that "there is no such thing as a stupid question." But this is not completely honest. Questions aren't asked in a vacuum; their intelligence or stupidity depends on a variety of contextual variables. The ideal question is the right one, posed to the right source in the right way at the right time for the right…
Improving human papilloma virus vaccination rates throughout military treatment facilities.

PubMed

Dawson, Rachel; Lemmon, Keith; Trivedi, Nidhi J; Hansen, Shana

2018-03-07

The four objectives of this study were to (1) educate military healthcare providers on HPV disease and vaccine, (2) assess short term recall of information presented at educational sessions, (3) assess provider comfort level with the vaccine, and (4) assess improvement in HPV vaccination rates. Standardized interactive educational sessions were conducted at military primary care clinics with pre- and post-educational quizzes administered before and immediately following the sessions. Provider attitudes were assessed using Likert scale questionnaires. Vaccination rates in children and young adolescents ages 11-18 at one of the participating regions that had a champion and started a Quality Improvement (QI) project were assessed at baseline, at 3-months and at 6-months post sessions. 200 providers were reached at 48 primary care clinics during May 2014 through October 2015 with 200 quizzes and Likert scale questionnaires returned. There was increase in knowledge following the educational sessions as revealed in the pre- and post- test scores [t(57) = -5.04, p < 0.001]. There was a significant overall increase in comfort in answering patients' and parents' questions about HPV vaccine [p = 0.003]. There was a significant increase in the number of vaccines given at all the clinics 3-months after the educational sessions at the region who had a champion dedicated to monitoring vaccine rates and ensuring implementation efforts [p = 0.01] and started a QI project. This increase was not sustained at 6-months [p = 0.324]. Improvement in provider short term knowledge recall and comfort level in answering parents' questions was seen. We found that educational sessions can improve HPV vaccination rates in military clinics that have a vaccine champion for up to 3-months. Further research into the effects of having clinic vaccine champions is critical. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Exploring and revitalizing Indigenous food networks in Saskatchewan, Canada, as a way to improve food security.

PubMed

Gendron, Fidji; Hancherow, Anna; Norton, Ashley

2017-10-01

The project discussed in this paper was designed to expand research and instigate revitalization of Indigenous food networks in Saskatchewan, Canada, by exploring the current state of local Indigenous food networks, creating a Facebook page, organizing volunteer opportunities and surveying workshop participants regarding their knowledge and interest in Indigenous foods. The survey included Likert scale questions and qualitative questions. Project activities and survey results are discussed using statistical and qualitative analysis of the themes. Results indicate that participants are very interested in learning more about, and having greater access to, traditional foods and suggest that supporting Indigenous food networks may be an appropriate response to food insecurity in communities. Elders and community members are vital players in Indigenous foods exploration and revitalization in Saskatchewan by passing on traditional education. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Online Video Conferencing: A Promising Innovation in Interprofessional Education.

PubMed

Palumbo, Mary V; Bennett, Darcy N

2016-01-01

This pilot project demonstrated using online video conferencing with students from eight disciplines for providing care of a rural elder with multiple chronic conditions. Eighty-three students participated in 12 video case conferences, each led by a nurse-practitioner student. All students were given information on care of elders and the core competencies for interprofessional practice. Nurse-practitioner students were given information and practice on running a team meeting. A survey evaluated the activity in terms of interprofessional competency attainment in four domains (IPEC) by using data aggregated from 14 Likert scale questions. Participants (n=81, 98% response) rated the value of this activity highly (>60% strongly agreed and >25% agreed) across all four competency domains. Differences between disciplines were not found. Open-ended questions confirmed that the students valued the activity but also conveyed a desire for more in-person interprofessional activities to be included in their education.
Health Care Providers' Spirit at Work Within a Restructured Workplace.

PubMed

Wagner, Joan I J; Brooks, Denise; Urban, Ann-Marie

2018-01-01

Spirit at work (SAW) research emerged as a response to care provider determination to maintain a healthy and productive health care work environment, despite restructuring. The aim of this descriptive mixed-methods research is to present the care provider's perceptions of SAW. SAW is a holistic measure of care provider workplace outcomes, defined as the unique experience of individuals who are passionate about and energized by their work. A mixed group of licensed and unlicensed care providers in a continuing care workplace were surveyed. Eighteen Likert-type scale survey questions were further informed by two open-ended questions. Results indicated that unlicensed continuing care providers' perceptions of SAW are lower than licensed care providers. Responses suggest that open discussion between managers and team members, combined with structured workplace interventions, will lead to enhanced SAW and improved patient care. Further research on SAW within the continuing care workplace is required.
The Shared Decision Making Frontier: a Feasibility and Usability Study for Managing Non-Critical Chronic Illness by Combining Behavioural & Decision Theory with Online Technology.

PubMed

Russell, Amina; Van Woensel, William; Abidi, Samina Raza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine if shared decisions for managing non-critical chronic illness, made through an online biomedical technology intervention, us feasible and usable. The technology intervention incorporates behavioural and decision theories to increase patient engagement, and ultimately long term adherence to health behaviour change. We devised the iheart web intervention as a "proof of concept" in five phases. The implementation incorporates the Vaadin web application framework, Drools, EclipseLink and a MySQL database. Two-thirds of the study participants favoured the technology intervention, based on Likert-scale questions from a post-study questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of think aloud feedback, video screen captures and open-ended questions from the post-study questionnaire uncovered six main areas or themes for improvement. We conclude that online shared decisions for managing a non-critical chronic illness are feasible and usable through the iheart web intervention.
Interprofessional Student Perspectives of Online Social Networks in Health and Business Education.

PubMed

Doyle, Glynda; Jones, Cyri; Currie, Leanne

2016-01-01

The education sector is experiencing unprecedented change with the increasing use by students of mobile devices, social networks and e-portfolios as they prepare for future positions in the workforce. The purpose of this study was to examine student's preferences around these technologies. A mixed methods research strategy was used with an initial online survey using 29 Likert scale style questions to students from the School of Health Sciences and the School of Business at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Descriptive statistics and ANOVAs were performed to examine if there were any differences between groups regarding their overall responses to the survey questions. Content analysis was used for qualitative focus group data. Overall, students (n = 260) were enthusiastic about technology but wary of cost, lack of choice, increased workload and faculty involvement in their online social networks. Of note, students see significant value in face-to-face classroom time.
Pharmacy Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Medical Marijuana.

PubMed

Moeller, Karen E; Woods, Barbara

2015-08-25

To determine pharmacy students' knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana and to determine if pharmacy students need additional education on the topic. Pharmacy students were asked to complete a survey on medical marijuana that assessed their knowledge of, medical uses of, adverse effects with, and attitudes toward medical marijuana through 23 Likert-scale questions. Three hundred eleven students completed the survey. Fifty-eight percent of the students felt that medical marijuana should be legalized in all states. However, the majority of students did not feel comfortable answering consumers' questions regarding efficacy, safety, or drug interactions related to the substance. Accurate responses for diseases or conditions for permitted medical marijuana use was low, with only cancer (91%) and glaucoma (57%) identified by more than half the students. With an increasing number of states adopting medical marijuana use, pharmacy schools need to evaluate the adequacy of medical marijuana education in their curriculum.
Collaboration and nested environmental governance: Scale dependency, scale framing, and cross-scale interactions in collaborative conservation.

PubMed

Wyborn, Carina; Bixler, R Patrick

2013-07-15

The problem of fit between social institutions and ecological systems is an enduring challenge in natural resource management and conservation. Developments in the science of conservation biology encourage the management of landscapes at increasingly larger scales. In contrast, sociological approaches to conservation emphasize the importance of ownership, collaboration and stewardship at scales relevant to the individual or local community. Despite the proliferation of initiatives seeking to work with local communities to undertake conservation across large landscapes, there is an inherent tension between these scales of operation. Consequently, questions about the changing nature of effective conservation across scales abound. Through an analysis of three nested cases working in a semiautonomous fashion in the Northern Rocky Mountains in North America, this paper makes an empirical contribution to the literature on nested governance, collaboration and communication across scales. Despite different scales of operation, constituencies and scale frames, we demonstrate a surprising similarity in organizational structure and an implicit dependency between these initiatives. This paper examines the different capacities and capabilities of collaborative conservation from the local to regional to supra regional. We draw on the underexplored concept of 'scale-dependent comparative advantage' (Cash and Moser, 2000), to gain insight into what activities take place at which scale and what those activities contribute to nested governance and collaborative conservation. The comparison of these semiautonomous cases provides fruitful territory to draw lessons for understanding the roles and relationships of organizations operating at different scales in more connected networks of nested governance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Value Question in Metaphysics

PubMed Central

Kahane, Guy

2012-01-01

Much seems to be at stake in metaphysical questions about, for example, God, free will or morality. One thing that could be at stake is the value of the universe we inhabit—how good or bad it is. We can think of competing philosophical positions as describing possibilities, ways the world might turn out to be, and to which value can be assigned. When, for example, people hope that God exists, or fear that we do not possess free will, they express attitudes towards these possibilities, attitudes that presuppose answers to questions about their comparative value. My aim in this paper is to distinguish these evaluative questions from related questions with which they can be confused, to identify structural constraints on their proper pursuit, and to address objections to their very coherence. Answers to such evaluative questions offer one measure of the importance of philosophical disputes. PMID:23024399
The Value Question in Metaphysics.

PubMed

Kahane, Guy

2012-07-01

Much seems to be at stake in metaphysical questions about, for example, God, free will or morality. One thing that could be at stake is the value of the universe we inhabit-how good or bad it is. We can think of competing philosophical positions as describing possibilities, ways the world might turn out to be, and to which value can be assigned. When, for example, people hope that God exists, or fear that we do not possess free will, they express attitudes towards these possibilities, attitudes that presuppose answers to questions about their comparative value. My aim in this paper is to distinguish these evaluative questions from related questions with which they can be confused, to identify structural constraints on their proper pursuit, and to address objections to their very coherence. Answers to such evaluative questions offer one measure of the importance of philosophical disputes.
Evaluation of Computer Based Foreign Language Learning Software by Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baz, Fatih Çagatay; Tekdal, Mehmet

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate Computer Based Foreign Language Learning software called Dynamic Education (DYNED) by teachers and students. The study is conducted with randomly chosen ten primary schools with the participants of 522 7th grade students and 7 English teachers. Three points Likert scale for teachers and five points Likert scale…
Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale.

PubMed

Andreassen, Cecilie Schou; Torsheim, Torbjørn; Brunborg, Geir Scott; Pallesen, Ståle

2012-04-01

The Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), initially a pool of 18 items, three reflecting each of the six core elements of addiction (salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse), was constructed and administered to 423 students together with several other standardized self-report scales (Addictive Tendencies Scale, Online Sociability Scale, Facebook Attitude Scale, NEO-FFI, BIS/BAS scales, and Sleep questions). That item within each of the six addiction elements with the highest corrected item-total correlation was retained in the final scale. The factor structure of the scale was good (RMSEA = .046, CFI = .99) and coefficient alpha was .83. The 3-week test-retest reliability coefficient was .82. The scores converged with scores for other scales of Facebook activity. Also, they were positively related to Neuroticism and Extraversion, and negatively related to Conscientiousness. High scores on the new scale were associated with delayed bedtimes and rising times.
Now That's a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor through Classroom Questioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Erik M.

2016-01-01

In this book, Erik M. Francis explores how one of the most fundamental instructional strategies--questioning--can provide the proper scaffolding to deepen student thinking, understanding, and application of knowledge. You'll learn: (1) Techniques for using questioning to extend and evaluate student learning experiences; (2) Eight different kinds…
Five Strategies for Questioning with Intention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, Arthur L.; Kallick, Bena

2015-01-01

Masterful teachers don't just ask a lot of questions; they ask questions in a purposeful way. In this article, Costa and Kallick describe five strategies that can help teachers become more purposeful in designing and posing questions. One strategy is to plan questions that elicit student thinking at various cognitive levels, from simple recall of…

Instrument Development of Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment™.

PubMed

McElligott, Deborah; Eckardt, Sarah; Montgomery Dossey, Barbara; Luck, Susan; Eckardt, Patricia

2017-12-01

The nurse coach role was developed to address the needs of our nation and the world for health and wellbeing. The Theory of Integrative Nurse Coaching provides a foundation for coaching interventions supporting health promotion, and a framework for the development of the Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment (IHWA) short form. This 36-question Likert-type scale self-reporting tool assists participants in assessing healthy behaviors through a self-reflection process, provides information for the coaching relationship, and may be an outcome measurement. This article describes the history of the IHWA tool and the development and pilot testing of the IHWA short form using guidelines provided by DeVellis. Results of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test yielded a value of .520, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant. Cronbach's alpha overall scale internal consistency was .88 ( n = 36). Pilot study results indicate that the scale could be improved through additional revision, and an ongoing study is in progress.
Development of The Viking Speech Scale to classify the speech of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Pennington, Lindsay; Virella, Daniel; Mjøen, Tone; da Graça Andrada, Maria; Murray, Janice; Colver, Allan; Himmelmann, Kate; Rackauskaite, Gija; Greitane, Andra; Prasauskiene, Audrone; Andersen, Guro; de la Cruz, Javier

2013-10-01

Surveillance registers monitor the prevalence of cerebral palsy and the severity of resulting impairments across time and place. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy can affect children's speech production and limit their intelligibility. We describe the development of a scale to classify children's speech performance for use in cerebral palsy surveillance registers, and its reliability across raters and across time. Speech and language therapists, other healthcare professionals and parents classified the speech of 139 children with cerebral palsy (85 boys, 54 girls; mean age 6.03 years, SD 1.09) from observation and previous knowledge of the children. Another group of health professionals rated children's speech from information in their medical notes. With the exception of parents, raters reclassified children's speech at least four weeks after their initial classification. Raters were asked to rate how easy the scale was to use and how well the scale described the child's speech production using Likert scales. Inter-rater reliability was moderate to substantial (k>.58 for all comparisons). Test-retest reliability was substantial to almost perfect for all groups (k>.68). Over 74% of raters found the scale easy or very easy to use; 66% of parents and over 70% of health care professionals judged the scale to describe children's speech well or very well. We conclude that the Viking Speech Scale is a reliable tool to describe the speech performance of children with cerebral palsy, which can be applied through direct observation of children or through case note review. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Stanford Microsurgery and Resident Training (SMaRT) Scale: validation of an on-line global rating scale for technical assessment.

PubMed

Satterwhite, Thomas; Son, Ji; Carey, Joseph; Echo, Anthony; Spurling, Terry; Paro, John; Gurtner, Geoffrey; Chang, James; Lee, Gordon K

2014-05-01

We previously reported results of our on-line microsurgery training program, showing that residents who had access to our website significantly improved their cognitive and technical skills. In this study, we report an objective means for expert evaluators to reliably rate trainees' technical skills under the microscope, with the use of our novel global rating scale. "Microsurgery Essentials" (http://smartmicrosurgery.com) is our on-line training curriculum. Residents were randomly divided into 2 groups: 1 group reviewed this online resource and the other did not. Pre- and post-tests consisted of videotaped microsurgical sessions in which the trainee performed "microsurgery" on 3 different models: latex glove, penrose drain, and the dorsal vessel of a chicken foot. The SMaRT (Stanford Microsurgery and Resident Training) scale, consisting of 9 categories graded on a 5-point Likert scale, was used to assess the trainees. Results were analyzed with ANOVA and Student t test, with P less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Seventeen residents participated in the study. The SMaRT scale adequately differentiated the performance of more experienced senior residents (PGY-4 to PGY-6, total average score=3.43) from less experienced junior residents (PGY-1 to PGY-3, total average score=2.10, P<0.0001). Residents who viewed themselves as being confident received a higher score on the SMaRT scale (average score 3.5), compared to residents who were not as confident (average score 2.1) (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in scoring among all 3 evaluators (P>0.05). Additionally, junior residents who had access to our website showed a significant increase in their graded technical performance by 0.7 points when compared to residents who did not have access to the website who showed an improvement of only 0.2 points (P=0.01). Our SMaRT scale is valid and reliable in assessing the microsurgical skills of residents and other trainees. Current trainees are more
[The psychometric properties of the Turkish version of Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS)].

PubMed

Yılmaz, Emel; Eser, Erhan; Şekuri, Cevad; Kültürsay, Hakan

2011-08-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the psychometric properties of the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS). This is a methodological cultural adaptation study. The MIDAS consists of 35-items covering seven domains: physical activity, insecurity, emotional reaction, dependency, diet, concerns over medication, and side effects which are rated on a five-point Likert scale from 1: never to 5:always. The highest score of MIDAS is 100.Quality of life (QOL) decreases as the score of scale increases. Overall 185 myocardial infarction (MI) patients were enrolled in this study. Cronbach alpha was used for the reliability analysis. The criterion validity, structural validity, and sensitivity analysis approach was used for validity analysis. New York Heart Association (NYHA) and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Functional Classifications (CCSFC) for testing the criterion validity; SF-36 for construct validity testing of the Turkish version of the MIDAS were used. The range of Cronbach alpha values is 0.79-0.90 for seven domains of the scale. No problematic items were observed for the entire scale. Medication related domains of the MIDAS showed considerable floor effects (35.7%-22.7%). Confirmatory Factor analysis indicators [Comparative Fit Index (CFI) =0.95 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) =0.075] supported the construct validity of MIDAS. Convergent validity of the MIDAS was confirmed with correlation of SF-36 scale where appropriate. Criterion validity results was also satisfactory by comparing different stages of the NYHA and the CCSFC (p<0.05). Overall results revealed that Turkish version of the MIDAS is a reliable and valid instrument.
It's about the Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearwald, Ronald R.

2011-01-01

The best coaching partnerships are built on conversation and listening, and they are not built on a coach giving answers to a mentee. Ronald Bearward explains how coaches can use questions to help mentees find answers for themselves. Effective questions lead to greater reflection and solutions that teachers can use now and in the future.
Designing Great Hinge Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiliam, Dylan

2015-01-01

According to author Dylan Wiliam, because lessons never go exactly as planned, teachers should build plan B into plan A. This involves designing a lesson with a "hinge" somewhere in the middle and using specific kinds of questions--what he calls hinge questions--to quickly assess students' understanding of a concept before moving on.…
A new scale for disaster nursing core competencies: Development and psychometric testing.

PubMed

Al Thobaity, Abdulellah; Williams, Brett; Plummer, Virginia

2016-02-01

All nurses must have core competencies in preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as in many other countries, disaster nursing core competencies are not fully understood and lack reliable, validated tools. Thus, it is imperative to develop a scale for exploring disaster nursing core competencies, roles and barriers in the KSA. This study's objective is to develop a valid, reliable scale that identifies and explores core competencies of disaster nursing, nurses' roles in disaster management and barriers to developing disaster nursing in the KSA. This study developed a new scale testing its validity and reliability. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to develop and test psychometric properties of the new scale. The PCA used a purposive sample of nurses from emergency departments in two hospitals in the KSA. Participants rated 93 paper-based, self-report questionnaire items from 1 to 10 on a Likert scale. PCA using Varimax rotation was conducted to explore factors emerging from responses. The study's participants were 132 nurses (66% response rate). PCA of the 93 questionnaire items revealed 49 redundant items (which were deleted) and 3 factors with eigenvalues of >1. The remaining 44 items accounted for 77.3% of the total variance. The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.96 for all factors: 0.98 for Factor 1, 0.92 for Factor 2 and 0.86 for Factor 3. This study provided a validated, reliable scale for exploring nurses' core competencies, nurses' roles and barriers to developing disaster nursing in the KSA. The new scale has many implications, such as for improving education, planning and curricula. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Unanswered questions in ecology.

PubMed Central

May, R

1999-01-01

This is very much a personal view of what I think are some of the most important unanswered questions in ecology. That is, these are the questions that I expect will be high on the research agenda over the coming century. The list is organized hierarchically, beginning with questions at the level of individual populations, and progressing through interacting populations to entire communities or ecosystems. I will try to guess both at possible advances in basic knowledge and at potential applications. The only thing that is certain about this view of the future is that much of it will surely turn out to be wrong, and many of the most interesting future developments will be quite unforeseen. PMID:10670015
Let's Switch Questioning Around

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tovani, Cris

2015-01-01

English teacher Cris Tovani knows from her experiences teaching elementary school that students are naturally curious. But, too often, students are so trained to be question answerers that by the time they reach high school, they no longer form questions of their own and instead focus on trying to figure out what answer the teacher wants. Tovani…
Difficult Questions of Difficult Questions: The Role of The Researcher and Transcription Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Holly

2018-01-01

This paper refracts a comparison of three distinct transcription styles through questions of researcher reflexivity. It uses the data from a single question asked by the researcher in multiple interviews for a small empirical project. These data are transcribed in three ways, and the resulting transcripts are discussed in relation to the analysis…
An optimal modification of a Kalman filter for time scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenhall, C. A.

2003-01-01

The Kalman filter in question, which was implemented in the time scale algorithm TA(NIST), produces time scales with poor short-term stability. A simple modification of the error covariance matrix allows the filter to produce time scales with good stability at all averaging times, as verified by simulations of clock ensembles.
A Study of Novice Instructors' Questioning Techniques and Classroom Discourse Surrounding Those Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Kitty Lane

2015-01-01

The goals of this dissertation were to examine how novice calculus teachers used questions in their classrooms, how those questions and their use might change after video case-based course coordination, and what evidence of influence on student learning might be seen in undergraduate student achievement. This research focused on one way to elicit…
A Comparison of Study Strategies for Passages: Rereading, Answering Questions, and Generating Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, Yana; McDermott, Kathleen B.; Roediger, Henry L., III

2010-01-01

Students are often encouraged to generate and answer their own questions on to-be-remembered material, because this interactive process is thought to enhance memory. But does this strategy actually work? In three experiments, all participants read the same passage, answered questions, and took a test to get accustomed to the materials in a…
[Acceptance and understandability of various methods of health valuations for the chronically ill: willingness to pay, visual analogue scale and rating scale].

PubMed

Meder, M; Farin, E

2009-11-01

Health valuations are one way of measuring patient preferences with respect to the results of their treatment. The study examines three different methods of health valuations--willingness to pay (WTP), visual analogue scale (VAS), and a rating question for evaluating the subjective significance. The goal is to test the understandability and acceptance of these methods for implementation in questionnaires. In various rehabilitation centres, a total of six focus groups were conducted with 5-9 patients each with a mean age of 57.1 years. The illnesses considered were chronic-ischaemic heart disease, chronic back pain, and breast cancer. Patients filled out a questionnaire that was then discussed in the group. In addition to the quantitative evaluation of the data in the questionnaire, a qualitative analysis of the contents of the group discussion protocols was made. We have results from a total of 42 patients. 14.6% of the patients had "great difficulties" understanding the WTP or rated it as "completely incomprehensible"; this value was 7.3% for VAS and 0% for the rating scale. With respect to acceptance, 31.0% of the patients indicated that they were "not really" or "not at all" willing to answer such a WTP question in a questionnaire; this was 6.6% for the VAS, and again 0% for the rating scale. The qualitative analysis provided an indication as to why some patients view the WTP question in particular in a negative light. Many difficulties in understanding it were related to the formulation of the question and the structure of the questionnaire. However, the patients' statements also made it apparent that the hypothetical nature of the WTP questionnaire was not always recognised. The most frequent reason for the lack of acceptance of the WTP was the patients' fear of negative financial consequences of their responses. With respect to understandability and acceptance, VAS questions appear to be better suited for reflecting patient preferences than WTP questions. The
Examining the Impact of Question Surface Features on Students' Answers to Constructed-Response Questions on Photosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weston, Michele; Haudek, Kevin C.; Prevost, Luanna; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Merrill, John

2015-01-01

One challenge in science education assessment is that students often focus on surface features of questions rather than the underlying scientific principles. We investigated how student written responses to constructed-response questions about photosynthesis vary based on two surface features of the question: the species of plant and the order of…
Examining the impact of question surface features on students' answers to constructed-response questions on photosynthesis.

PubMed

Weston, Michele; Haudek, Kevin C; Prevost, Luanna; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Merrill, John

2015-01-01

One challenge in science education assessment is that students often focus on surface features of questions rather than the underlying scientific principles. We investigated how student written responses to constructed-response questions about photosynthesis vary based on two surface features of the question: the species of plant and the order of two question prompts. We asked four versions of the question with different combinations of the two plant species and order of prompts in an introductory cell biology course. We found that there was not a significant difference in the content of student responses to versions of the question stem with different species or order of prompts, using both computerized lexical analysis and expert scoring. We conducted 20 face-to-face interviews with students to further probe the effects of question wording on student responses. During the interviews, we found that students thought that the plant species was neither relevant nor confusing when answering the question. Students identified the prompts as both relevant and confusing. However, this confusion was not specific to a single version. © 2015 M. Weston et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Generic Drugs: Questions and Answers

MedlinePlus

... Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products Drugs Home Drugs Resources for You Information for Consumers (Drugs) Questions & Answers Generic Drugs: Questions & Answers Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ...
Small scale structure on cosmic strings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albrecht, Andreas

1989-01-01

The current understanding of cosmic string evolution is discussed, and the focus placed on the question of small scale structure on strings, where most of the disagreements lie. A physical picture designed to put the role of the small scale structure into more intuitive terms is presented. In this picture it can be seen how the small scale structure can feed back in a major way on the overall scaling solution. It is also argued that it is easy for small scale numerical errors to feed back in just such a way. The intuitive discussion presented here may form the basis for an analytic treatment of the small scale structure, which argued in any case would be extremely valuable in filling the gaps in the present understanding of cosmic string evolution.
Demonstration of Essential Reliability Services by Utility-Scale Solar

Science.gov Websites

Essential Reliability Services by Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant: Q&A Demonstration of Essential Reliability Services by Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant: Q&A Webinar Questions & Answers April 27, 2017 Is photovoltaic (PV) generation required to provide grid supportive
Ordered questions bias eyewitnesses and jurors.

PubMed

Michael, Robert B; Garry, Maryanne

2016-04-01

Eyewitnesses play an important role in the justice system. But suggestive questioning can distort eyewitness memory and confidence, and these distorted beliefs influence jurors (Loftus, Learning & Memory, 12, 361-366, 2005; Penrod & Culter, Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 1, 817-845, 1995). Recent research, however, hints that suggestion is not necessary: Simply changing the order of a set of trivia questions altered people's beliefs about their accuracy on those questions (Weinstein & Roediger, Memory & Cognition, 38, 366-376, 2010, Memory & Cognition, 40, 727-735, 2012). We wondered to what degree eyewitnesses' beliefs-and in turn the jurors who evaluate them-would be affected by this simple change to the order in which they answer questions. Across six experiments, we show that the order of questions matters. Eyewitnesses reported higher accuracy and were more confident about their memory when questions seemed initially easy, than when they seemed initially difficult. Moreover, jurors' beliefs about eyewitnesses closely matched those of the eyewitnesses themselves. These findings have implications for eyewitness metacognition and for eyewitness questioning procedures.

Beyond Information Retrieval—Medical Question Answering

PubMed Central

Lee, Minsuk; Cimino, James; Zhu, Hai Ran; Sable, Carl; Shanker, Vijay; Ely, John; Yu, Hong

2006-01-01

Physicians have many questions when caring for patients, and frequently need to seek answers for their questions. Information retrieval systems (e.g., PubMed) typically return a list of documents in response to a user’s query. Frequently the number of returned documents is large and makes physicians’ information seeking “practical only ‘after hours’ and not in the clinical settings”. Question answering techniques are based on automatically analyzing thousands of electronic documents to generate short-text answers in response to clinical questions that are posed by physicians. The authors address physicians’ information needs and described the design, implementation, and evaluation of the medical question answering system (MedQA). Although our long term goal is to enable MedQA to answer all types of medical questions, currently, we currently implement MedQA to integrate information retrieval, extraction, and summarization techniques to automatically generate paragraph-level text for definitional questions (i.e., “What is X?”). MedQA can be accessed at http://www.dbmi.columbia.edu/~yuh9001/research/MedQA.html. PMID:17238385
Characteristics of the Spanish- and English-Language Self-Efficacy to Manage Diabetes Scales.

PubMed

Ritter, Philip L; Lorig, Kate; Laurent, Diana D

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of the Spanish-language diabetes self-efficacy scale (DSES-S) and the English-language version (DSES). This study consists of secondary data from 3 randomized studies that administered the DSES-S and DSES at 2 time points. The scales consist of 8 Likert-type 10-point items. Principal component analysis was applied to determine if the scales were unitary or consisted of subscales. Univariate statistics were used to describe the scales. Sensitivity to change was measured by comparing randomized treatment with control groups, where the treatment included methods designed to enhance self-efficacy. General linear models were used to examine the association between the scales and the 8 medical outcomes after controlling for demographic variables. Principal component analysis indicated that there were 2 subscales for both versions: self-efficacy for behaviors and self-efficacy to manage blood levels and medical condition. The measures had similar means across the 3 studies, high internal consistent reliability, values distributed across the entire range, and they showed no evidence of floor effects and little evidence of ceiling effects. The measures were sensitive to change. They were associated with several health indicators and behaviors at baseline, and changes were associated with changes in health measures. The self-efficacy measures behaved consistently across the 3 studies and were highly reliable. Associations with medical indicators and behaviors suggested validity, although further study would be desirable to compare other measures of self-efficacy for people with type 2 diabetes. These brief scales are appropriate for measuring self-efficacy to manage diabetes. © 2016 The Author(s).
Questioning and Reading Goals: Information-Seeking Questions Asked on Scientific Texts Read under Different Task Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ishiwa, Koto; Sanjose, Vicente; Otero, Jose

2013-01-01

Background: A number of studies report that few questions are asked in classrooms and that many of them are shallow questions. Aims: This study investigates the way in which reading goals determine questioning on scientific texts. Reading goals were manipulated through two different tasks: reading for understanding versus reading to solve a…
Questioning context: a set of interdisciplinary questions for investigating contextual factors affecting health decision making

PubMed Central

Charise, Andrea; Witteman, Holly; Whyte, Sarah; Sutton, Erica J.; Bender, Jacqueline L.; Massimi, Michael; Stephens, Lindsay; Evans, Joshua; Logie, Carmen; Mirza, Raza M.; Elf, Marie

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To combine insights from multiple disciplines into a set of questions that can be used to investigate contextual factors affecting health decision making. Background Decision‐making processes and outcomes may be shaped by a range of non‐medical or ‘contextual’ factors particular to an individual including social, economic, political, geographical and institutional conditions. Research concerning contextual factors occurs across many disciplines and theoretical domains, but few conceptual tools have attempted to integrate and translate this wide‐ranging research for health decision‐making purposes. Methods To formulate this tool we employed an iterative, collaborative process of scenario development and question generation. Five hypothetical health decision‐making scenarios (preventative, screening, curative, supportive and palliative) were developed and used to generate a set of exploratory questions that aim to highlight potential contextual factors across a range of health decisions. Findings We present an exploratory tool consisting of questions organized into four thematic domains – Bodies, Technologies, Place and Work (BTPW) – articulating wide‐ranging contextual factors relevant to health decision making. The BTPW tool encompasses health‐related scholarship and research from a range of disciplines pertinent to health decision making, and identifies concrete points of intersection between its four thematic domains. Examples of the practical application of the questions are also provided. Conclusions These exploratory questions provide an interdisciplinary toolkit for identifying the complex contextual factors affecting decision making. The set of questions comprised by the BTPW tool may be applied wholly or partially in the context of clinical practice, policy development and health‐related research. PMID:21029277
Questionable Exercises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liemohn, Wendell; Haydu, Traci; Phillips, Dawn

1999-01-01

This publication presents general guidelines for exercise prescription that have an anatomical basis but also consider the exerciser's ability to do the exercise correctly. It reviews various common questionable exercises, explaining how some exercises, especially those designed for flexibility and muscle fitness, can cause harm. Safer…
Questioning Many Mysteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Sara F.

2015-04-01

The first section of this memoir queries my formative years. Indirectly I address the question, did my childhood and early years make a difference in my choice of career? Why and how did I begin my journey to becoming a scientist? Did I choose the field of solar astronomy or did circumstances dictate it for me? In the second section, I travel through my work environments and experiences, talking about interactions and aspects of being a scientist that do not appear in our research papers. What parts of my research were happenstances and what parts did I plan? What does it feel like to be on scientific quests? Using examples in my journey, I also turn to questions that have intrigued me throughout my sojourn as a solar astronomer. How do scientific discoveries come about? What factors lead to little discoveries? And what factors lead to major exciting discoveries? Are there timely questions we do not think to ask? How can small, seemingly scattered pieces of knowledge suddenly coalesce into a deeper understanding - what is called the "Aha!" experience - the times when our mental light switches on, and with child-like wonder we behold a "big picture"?
Work-related abuse: a replication, new items, and persistent questions.

PubMed

Brush, Lisa D

2002-12-01

This study compared independently developed tools to measure work-related control, abuse, and sabotage. Interviewers administered the Work/School Abuse Scale (W/SAS; Riger, Ahrens, & Blickenstaff, 2000) to 40 welfare recipients, and a Work-Related Control, Abuse, and Sabotage Checklist (WORCASC) to a total of 162 welfare recipients, including the same 40 who answered the W/SAS. I report and compare results on W/SAS and WORCASC with 40 non-sheltered (i.e., not residing in a shelter) respondents and discuss instrument strengths and weaknesses. Measurement analyses provided preliminary empirical answers to questions about the relationship between battering and work. Findings confirmed the reliability of the two instruments, the extent to which they measure something distinct from physical abuse, and their association with relevant outcomes such as being written up, reprimanded, or losing pay at work. Measurement questions are salient in the context of debates over welfare reforms and efforts to reconcile the ways researchers, advocates, service providers, and policy makers understand and address the costs of taking a beating.
Regional Screening Levels Frequent Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Regional Screening Level RSL frequently asked question FAQ page provides risk assessors answers to common questions about the preliminary remediation goal PRG risk based concentration RBC and risk calculator for the assessment of human Health.
Designing a Likert-Type Scale to Predict Environmentally Responsible Behavior in Undergraduate Students: A Multistep Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Sebasto, N. J.; D'Costa, Ayres

1995-01-01

Describes an attempt to develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the relationship between locus of control of reinforcement and environmentally responsible behavior. Presents a six-step psychometric process used to develop the Environmental Action Internal Control Index (EAICI) for undergraduate students. Contains 54 references. (JRH)
Design and development of food safety knowledge and attitude scales for consumer food safety education.

PubMed

Medeiros, Lydia C; Hillers, Virginia N; Chen, Gang; Bergmann, Verna; Kendall, Patricia; Schroeder, Mary

2004-11-01

The objective of this study was to design and develop food safety knowledge and attitude scales based on food-handling guidelines developed by a national panel of food safety experts. Knowledge (n=43) and attitude (n=49) questions were developed and pilot-tested with a variety of consumer groups. Final questions were selected based on item analysis and on validity and reliability statistical tests. Knowledge questions were tested in Washington State with participants in low-income nutrition education programs (pretest/posttest n=58, test/retest n=19) and college students (pretest/posttest n=34). Attitude questions were tested in Ohio with nutrition education program participants (n=30) and college students (non-nutrition majors n=138, nutrition majors n=57). Item analysis, paired sample t tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha were used. Reliability and validity tests of individual items and the question sets were used to reduce the scales to 18 knowledge questions and 10 attitude questions. The knowledge and attitude scales covered topics ranked as important by a national panel of experts and met most validity and reliability standards. The 18-item knowledge questionnaire had instructional sensitivity (mean score increase of more than three points after instruction), internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha >.75), and produced similar results in test-retest without intervention (coefficient of stability=.81). Knowledge of correct procedures for hand washing and avoiding cross-contamination was widespread before instruction. Knowledge was limited regarding avoiding food preparation while ill, cooking hamburgers, high-risk foods, and whether cooked rice and potatoes could be stored at room temperature. The 10-item attitude scale had an appropriate range of responses (item difficulty) and produced similar results in test-retest ( P
47 CFR 97.523 - Question pools.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Question pools. 97.523 Section 97.523 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES AMATEUR RADIO... question pool for each written examination element. Each question pool must contain at least 10 times the...
Protein Electrochemistry: Questions and Answers.

PubMed

Fourmond, V; Léger, C

This chapter presents the fundamentals of electrochemistry in the context of protein electrochemistry. We discuss redox proteins and enzymes that are not photoactive. Of course, the principles described herein also apply to photobioelectrochemistry, as discussed in later chapters of this book. Depending on which experiment is considered, electron transfer between proteins and electrodes can be either direct or mediated, and achieved in a variety of configurations: with the protein and/or the mediator free to diffuse in solution, immobilized in a thick, hydrated film, or adsorbed as a sub-monolayer on the electrode. The experiments can be performed with the goal to study the protein or to use it. Here emphasis is on mechanistic studies, which are easier in the configuration where the protein is adsorbed and electron transfer is direct, but we also explain the interpretation of signals obtained when diffusion processes affect the response.This chapter is organized as a series of responses to questions. Questions 1-5 are related to the basics of electrochemistry: what does "potential" or "current" mean, what does an electrochemical set-up look like? Questions 6-9 are related to the distinction between adsorbed and diffusive redox species. The answers to questions 10-13 explain the interpretation of slow and fast scan voltammetry with redox proteins. Questions 14-19 deal with catalytic electrochemistry, when the protein studied is actually an enzyme. Questions 20, 21 and 22 are general.
Good Student Questions in Inquiry Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombard, François E.; Schneider, Daniel K.

2013-01-01

Acquisition of scientific reasoning is one of the big challenges in education. A popular educational strategy advocated for acquiring deep knowledge is inquiry-based learning, which is driven by emerging "good questions". This study will address the question: "Which design features allow learners to refine questions while preserving…
The Effect of Bedside Presentations in the Emergency Department on Patient Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Schranz, Craig I.; Sobehart, Robert J.; Fallgatter, Kiva; Riffenburgh, Robert H.; Matteucci, Michael J.

2011-01-01

Background Due to increasing time constraints, the use of bedside presentations in resident education has declined. We examined whether patient satisfaction in the emergency department is affected when first-year residents present at the bedside with attendings. Methods We performed an observational, prospective, nonblinded study in the emergency department of a military teaching hospital. We alternately assigned first-year residents to present a convenience sample of 248 patients to the attending physician at the patient's bedside or away from the patient. We measured patient satisfaction by using the Patient Satisfaction Questionaire-18 (PSQ-18), a validated survey instrument that utilizes a Likert scale, and additional nonvalidated survey questions involving Likert and visual analog scales. Results While the median PSQ-18 score of 74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 72–76) was higher for patient satisfaction when residents made bedside presentations than that for standard presentations, 72 (95% CI, 70–74), the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .33). Conclusion There was no significant difference in overall patient satisfaction between residents' bedside presentations and presentations to attendings away from the patient. Although not significant, the differences noted in PSQ-18 subscales of communication, general satisfaction, and interpersonal manner warrant further investigation. Patients did not appear to be uncomfortable with having their care discussed and with having subsequent resident education at the bedside. Future research on patient satisfaction after implementation of standardized bedside teaching techniques 5 help further elucidate this relationship. PMID:23205195
Assessment of an introductory cervicocerebral catheter angiography learning program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lui, Y W; Farinhas, J M; Basalely, A M; Hsu, K A; Freeman, K; Bello, J A

2012-06-01

There is no standardized curriculum currently available at most institutions for establishing procedural competency in trainees performing cervicocerebral angiography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a simple learning program to supplement the teaching of basic cervicocerebral angiography. An 11-session interactive curriculum was implemented covering anatomic, clinical, and radiographic topics for the novice cervicocerebral angiographer. The target learner was the neuroradiology fellow. Data were gathered regarding fellow comfort level on topics relating to cervicocerebral angiography by using a 5-point Likert scale. Improvement in scores on knowledge-based questions after completion of the curriculum was calculated (McNemar test). Trainee-perceived utility of the program was also recorded by using a 5-point Likert scale. Focus sessions were held at the completion of the curriculum to gather feedback regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the program from participants. Ten subjects were enrolled in this pilot study for 3 years. Topics where participants reported a poor initial comfort level (4 or higher) included selection of injection rates and volumes and reformation of reverse-curve catheters. Trainees demonstrated a statistically significant change in the distribution of scores of 29.3% (49.4%-78.7% correct response rate, P < .0001). The average perceived utility was 1.5 (1 = most useful, 5 = least useful). This simple learning program was a useful adjunct to the training of fellows in diagnostic cervicocerebral angiography, resulting in quantitative improvements in knowledge.
Effect of two types of control questions and two question formats on the outcomes of polygraph examinations.

PubMed

Horvath, Frank; Palmatier, John J

2008-07-01

Two major variations of polygraph "Control Question" testing, the Zone Comparison (ZoC) and the Modified General Question Test (MGQT) were evaluated. Within each, the type of control question, Exclusive or "time bar" (e.g., "Before you were 21, did you ever...") and Nonexclusive or "no time bar" (e.g., "Did you ever....?") was manipulated in a mock theft scenario, with 80 male and 40 female subjects randomly assigned to be either innocent or guilty. Polygraphic data collected by experienced field examiners were numerically scored by an evaluator blind to all aspects of the study. Decision accuracy was not related to the type of procedure (ZoC/MGQT) used or the subject's sex. Accuracy was significantly related to the type of control question [chi(2) (2) = 11.46, p = 0.003; tau c = 0.29]. Nonexclusive control questions produced greater accuracy than Exclusive control questions on both innocent and guilty subjects. These results and subjects' self-reports support the general "theory" on which control question (CQ) testing is based. The need for better empirical support of accepted dogma and current field practices is strongly indicated by these findings.
How to Make Your Questions Essential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Grant; Wilbur, Denise

2015-01-01

Good essential questions rarely emerge in the first draft. Common first-draft questions typically are convergent low-level questions designed to support content acquisition. They either point toward the one official "right" answer, or they elicit mere lists and thus no further inquiry. So how can teachers ensure that subsequent drafts…
Item response theory analysis of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) using a sample of Japanese university and college students majoring medical science, nursing, and natural science.

PubMed

Tsubakita, Takashi; Shimazaki, Kazuyo; Ito, Hiroshi; Kawazoe, Nobuo

2017-10-30

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students has been used internationally to assess students' academic engagement, but it has not been analyzed via item response theory. The purpose of this study was to conduct an item response theory analysis of the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students translated by authors. Using a two-parameter model and Samejima's graded response model, difficulty and discrimination parameters were estimated after confirming the factor structure of the scale. The 14 items on the scale were analyzed with a sample of 3214 university and college students majoring medical science, nursing, or natural science in Japan. The preliminary parameter estimation was conducted with the two parameter model, and indicated that three items should be removed because there were outlier parameters. Final parameter estimation was conducted using the survived 11 items, and indicated that all difficulty and discrimination parameters were acceptable. The test information curve suggested that the scale better assesses higher engagement than average engagement. The estimated parameters provide a basis for future comparative studies. The results also suggested that a 7-point Likert scale is too broad; thus, the scaling should be modified to fewer graded scaling structure.
The role of topic, interviewee and question in predicting rich interview data in the field of health research.

PubMed

Ogden, Jane; Cornwell, Danielle

2010-11-01

Although texts recommend the generation of rich data from interviews, no empirical evidence base exists for achieving this. This study aimed to operationalise richness and to assess which components of the interview (for example, topic, interviewee, question) were predictive. A total of 400 interview questions and their corresponding responses were selected from 10 qualitative studies in the area of health identified from university colleagues and the UK Data Archive database. The analysis used the text analysis program, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, and additional rating scales. Richness was operationalised along five dimensions. 'Length of response' was predicted by a personal, less specific or positive topic, not being a layperson, later questions, open or double questions; 'personal richness' was predicted by being a healthy participant and questions about the past and future; 'analytical responses' were predicted by a personal or less specific topic, not being a layperson, later questions, questions relating to insight and causation; 'action responses' were predicted by a less specific topic, not being a layperson, being healthy, later and open questions. The model for 'descriptive richness' was not significant. Overall, open questions, located later on and framed in the present or past tense, tended to be most predictive of richness. This could inform improvements in interview technique. © 2010 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2010 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Using Questioning to Stimulate Mathematical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Way, Jenni

2008-01-01

Good questioning techniques have long been regarded as a fundamental tool of effective teachers and research has found that "differences in students' thinking and reasoning could be attributed to the type of questions that teachers asked" (Wood, 2002). Past research shows that 93% of teacher questions were "lower order" knowledge-based questions…

Questioning Profiles in Secondary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almeida, Patricia; de Souza, Francisle Neri

2010-01-01

In this paper, we are concerned with the role of both teachers and students' questioning in classroom interaction. Bearing in mind that the current guidelines point out to student centred teaching, our aim is to analyse and characterise the questioning patterns of contemporary secondary science classes and compare them to the questioning profiles…
Four Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hark-Weber, Amara G., Ed.

2013-01-01

Teaching artists often find themselves working in schools and communities that are new to them, whether these are situations close to home or farther afield. This issue of Four Questions highlights teaching artists who travel extensively as part of their teaching and artistic practices and bring their expertise, energy, and creativity to…
Conference summary: the Bologna-M16 Questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, M. B.

Rather than attempt to summarise an entire week of excellent talks, I will instead take the material covered in this meeting as a starting point and from it produce a list of questions which cover a number of outstanding questions within the field of stellar cluster formation and evolution. I have five questions in total. Given the location (Bologna) and nature (Modest-16) of the meeting, I label my questions the Bologna-M16 Questions.
Children's questions: a mechanism for cognitive development.

PubMed

Chouinard, Michael M

2007-01-01

Preschoolers' questions may play an important role in cognitive development. When children encounter a problem with their current knowledge state (a gap in their knowledge, some ambiguity they do not know how to resolve, some inconsistency they have detected), asking a question allows them to get targeted information exactly when they need it. This information is available to them when they are particularly receptive to it, and because it comes as the result of their own disequilibrium, it may have depth of processing benefits. In that questions allow children to get information they need to move their knowledge structures closer to adult-like states, the ability to ask questions to gather needed information constitutes an efficient mechanism for cognitive development (referred to in this paper as the Information Requesting Mechanism [IRM]; this term is used because it includes question-asking and other information recruiting behaviors such as gestures, expressions, and vocalizations). However, the role of children's questions in their cognitive development has been largely overlooked. If questions are a force in cognitive development, the following must be true: (1) children must actually ask questions that gather information; (2) children must receive informative answers to their questions if they are able to be of use to cognitive development; (3) children must be motivated to get the information they request, rather than asking questions for other purposes such as attention; (4) the questions children ask must be relevant and of potential use to their cognitive development; (5) we must see evidence that children's questions help them in some way-that is, that they can ask questions for a purpose, and use the information they receive purposefully to successfully achieve some change of knowledge state. This monograph reports data on these points. Study 1 analyzed questions taken from four children's transcripts in the CHILDES database (age 1;2-5;1). This
Management of in-flight medical emergencies: are senior medical students prepared to respond to this community need?

PubMed

Katzer, Robert J; Duong, David; Weber, Matthew; Memmer, Amy; Buchanan, Ian

2014-11-01

In-flight medical emergencies on commercial aircraft are common in both domestic and international flights. We hypothesized that fourth-year medical students feel inadequately prepared to lend assistance during in-flight medical emergencies. This multicenter study of two U.S. medical schools obtains a baseline assessment of knowledge and confidence in managing in-flight medical emergencies. A 25-question survey was administered to fourth-year medical students at two United States medical schools. Questions included baseline knowledge of in-flight medicine (10 questions) and perceived ability to respond to in-flight medical emergencies. 229 participants completed the survey (75% response rate). The average score on the fund of knowledge questions was 64%. Responses to the 5-point Likert scale questions indicated that, on average, students did not feel confident or competent responding to an in-flight medical emergency. Participants on average also disagreed with statements that they had adequate understanding of supplies, flight crew training, and ground-based management. This multicenter survey indicates that fourth-year medical students do not feel adequately prepared to respond to in-flight medical emergencies and may have sub-optimal knowledge. This study provides an initial step in identifying a deficiency in current medical education.
Management of In-Flight Medical Emergencies: Are Senior Medical Students Prepared to Respond to this Community Need?

PubMed Central

Katzer, Robert J.; Duong, David; Weber, Matthew; Memmer, Amy; Buchanan, Ian

2014-01-01

Introduction In-flight medical emergencies on commercial aircraft are common in both domestic and international flights. We hypothesized that fourth-year medical students feel inadequately prepared to lend assistance during in-flight medical emergencies. This multicenter study of two U.S. medical schools obtains a baseline assessment of knowledge and confidence in managing in-flight medical emergencies. Methods A 25-question survey was administered to fourth-year medical students at two United States medical schools. Questions included baseline knowledge of in-flight medicine (10 questions) and perceived ability to respond to in-flight medical emergencies. Results 229 participants completed the survey (75% response rate). The average score on the fund of knowledge questions was 64%. Responses to the 5-point Likert scale questions indicated that, on average, students did not feel confident or competent responding to an in-flight medical emergency. Participants on average also disagreed with statements that they had adequate understanding of supplies, flight crew training, and ground-based management. Conclusion This multicenter survey indicates that fourth-year medical students do not feel adequately prepared to respond to in-flight medical emergencies and may have sub-optimal knowledge. This study provides an initial step in identifying a deficiency in current medical education. PMID:25493155
Development of life story experience (LSE) scales for migrant dentists in Australia: a sequential qualitative-quantitative study.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, M; Spencer, A J; Short, S D; Watkins, K; Chrisopoulos, S; Brennan, D S

2016-09-01

The integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches introduces new avenues to bridge strengths, and address weaknesses of both methods. To develop measure(s) for migrant dentist experiences in Australia through a mixed methods approach. The sequential qualitative-quantitative design involved first the harvesting of data items from qualitative study, followed by a national survey of migrant dentists in Australia. Statements representing unique experiences in migrant dentists' life stories were deployed the survey questionnaire, using a five-point Likert scale. Factor analysis was used to examine component factors. Eighty-two statements from 51 participants were harvested from the qualitative analysis. A total of 1,022 of 1,977 migrant dentists (response rate 54.5%) returned completed questionnaires. Factor analysis supported an initial eight-factor solution; further scale development and reliability analysis led to five scales with a final list of 38 life story experience (LSE) items. Three scales were based on home country events: health system and general lifestyle concerns (LSE1; 10 items), society and culture (LSE4; 4 items) and career development (LSE5; 4 items). Two scales included migrant experiences in Australia: appreciation towards Australian way of life (LSE2; 13 items) and settlement concerns (LSE3; 7 items). The five life story experience scales provided necessary conceptual clarity and empirical grounding to explore migrant dentist experiences in Australia. Being based on original migrant dentist narrations, these scales have the potential to offer in-depth insights for policy makers and support future research on dentist migration. Copyright© 2016 Dennis Barber Ltd
Teaching Students to Form Effective Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stafford, Tish

2009-01-01

The ability to question lies at the heart of human curiosity and is a necessary component of cognition. The author stresses that forming questions is essential to human thought and communication. As such, forming questions is a foundational process that cuts across curricular areas and is embedded in content standards across the nation, including…
Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Medical Marijuana

PubMed Central

Woods, Barbara

2015-01-01

Objective. To determine pharmacy students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana and to determine if pharmacy students need additional education on the topic. Methods. Pharmacy students were asked to complete a survey on medical marijuana that assessed their knowledge of, medical uses of, adverse effects with, and attitudes toward medical marijuana through 23 Likert-scale questions. Results. Three hundred eleven students completed the survey. Fifty-eight percent of the students felt that medical marijuana should be legalized in all states. However, the majority of students did not feel comfortable answering consumers’ questions regarding efficacy, safety, or drug interactions related to the substance. Accurate responses for diseases or conditions for permitted medical marijuana use was low, with only cancer (91%) and glaucoma (57%) identified by more than half the students. Conclusion. With an increasing number of states adopting medical marijuana use, pharmacy schools need to evaluate the adequacy of medical marijuana education in their curriculum. PMID:26430272
Application of the OMERACT filter to measures of core outcome domains in recent clinical studies of acute gout.

PubMed

Taylor, William J; Redden, David; Dalbeth, Nicola; Schumacher, H Ralph; Edwards, N Lawrence; Simon, Lee S; John, Markus R; Essex, Margaret N; Watson, Douglas J; Evans, Robert; Rome, Keith; Singh, Jasvinder A

2014-03-01

To determine the extent to which instruments that measure core outcome domains in acute gout fulfill the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) filter requirements of truth, discrimination, and feasibility. Patient-level data from 4 randomized controlled trials of agents designed to treat acute gout and 1 observational study of acute gout were analyzed. For each available measure, construct validity, test-retest reliability, within-group change using effect size, between-group change using the Kruskall-Wallis statistic, and repeated measures generalized estimating equations were assessed. Floor and ceiling effects were also assessed and minimal clinically important difference was estimated. These analyses were presented to participants at OMERACT 11 to help inform voting for possible endorsement. There was evidence for construct validity and discriminative ability for 3 measures of pain [0 to 4 Likert, 0 to 10 numeric rating scale (NRS), 0 to 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS)]. Likewise, there appears to be sufficient evidence for a 4-point Likert scale to possess construct validity and discriminative ability for physician assessment of joint swelling and joint tenderness. There was some evidence for construct validity and within-group discriminative ability for the Health Assessment Questionnaire as a measure of activity limitations, but not for discrimination between groups allocated to different treatment. There is sufficient evidence to support measures of pain (using Likert, NRS, or VAS), joint tenderness, and swelling (using Likert scale) as fulfilling the requirements of the OMERACT filter. Further research on a measure of activity limitations in acute gout clinical trials is required.
The influence of question type, reasoning level, and wait time on student participation rates when using clicker questions with large classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, K.; Koh, J.; Murty, S. A.; Ramos, R. D. P.; Goodkin, N.

2017-12-01

"Wait time" is defined as the length of the pause between an instructor initiating a question and either the student answering it or the instructor interjecting (Rowe, 1974). However, the nature of the question-answer dynamic changes with student response systems that allow hundreds of students to answer the same question simultaneously before displaying the results to the class. In this study, we looked at 129 student response questions asked across 240 minutes of class lectures to determine if longer wait times were associated with higher student response rates. We also examined whether the type and reasoning level of the questions were diagnostic of their response rates. 644 undergraduate science students enrolled in an interdisciplinary environmental science course. During each of the course's lessons, the instructor presented a mix of lecture content, short student response activities (clicker questions), and small group discussion opportunities. Using the recorded videos, we coded each student response question for its question type and reasoning level. We divided the question types into three categories: yes/no questions, yes/no/maybe questions, and other questions. To code for the reasoning level necessary to answer each question, we used a collapsed version of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002). Questions that had a definite answer and relied on recalling facts or paraphrasing the lecture content were coded as "knowledge" questions. Questions that required students to apply what they had learned to analyze a new scenario, or come to a judgement were coded as "higher order" questions. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the question type and reasoning level as fixed factors and wait time as a covariate to predict student response rate indicated a strong interaction between question type and reasoning level F(6, 94) = 4.53, p<.01. In general, knowledge questions were answered by a higher percentage (M=91%) of students than higher order questions (M
Large-Scale Hybrid Motor Testing. Chapter 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Story, George

2006-01-01

Hybrid rocket motors can be successfully demonstrated at a small scale virtually anywhere. There have been many suitcase sized portable test stands assembled for demonstration of hybrids. They show the safety of hybrid rockets to the audiences. These small show motors and small laboratory scale motors can give comparative burn rate data for development of different fuel/oxidizer combinations, however questions that are always asked when hybrids are mentioned for large scale applications are - how do they scale and has it been shown in a large motor? To answer those questions, large scale motor testing is required to verify the hybrid motor at its true size. The necessity to conduct large-scale hybrid rocket motor tests to validate the burn rate from the small motors to application size has been documented in several place^'^^.^. Comparison of small scale hybrid data to that of larger scale data indicates that the fuel burn rate goes down with increasing port size, even with the same oxidizer flux. This trend holds for conventional hybrid motors with forward oxidizer injection and HTPB based fuels. While the reason this is occurring would make a great paper or study or thesis, it is not thoroughly understood at this time. Potential causes include the fact that since hybrid combustion is boundary layer driven, the larger port sizes reduce the interaction (radiation, mixing and heat transfer) from the core region of the port. This chapter focuses on some of the large, prototype sized testing of hybrid motors. The largest motors tested have been AMROC s 250K-lbf thrust motor at Edwards Air Force Base and the Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program s 250K-lbf thrust motor at Stennis Space Center. Numerous smaller tests were performed to support the burn rate, stability and scaling concepts that went into the development of those large motors.
Are 2 Questions Enough to Screen for Depression and Anxiety in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain?

PubMed Central

Lie, Stein Atle; Eriksen, Hege R.

2014-01-01

Study Design. Cross-sectional study. Objective. To examine the sensitivity of 2 single-item questions compared with 2 longer questionnaires for screening depression and anxiety among patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Summary of Background Data. Psychosocial factors are frequently identified as risk factors for developing CLBP and as predictors for treatment, and questionnaires are often used to screen for this. Shorter instruments may be easier to use in clinical practice settings. Methods. A total of 564 patients with 2 to 10 months of at least 50% sickness absence due to nonspecific low back pain were assessed for depression and anxiety with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Single-item questions for depression and anxiety from the Subjective Health Complaint Inventory and 2 longer questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Hopkins Symptom Checklist–25, were compared with MINI results, considered the “gold standard” in this study. Sensitivity and specificity of single-item and longer questionnaires and receiver operating characteristic curves were compared. Results. According to MINI, the prevalence of anxiety disorders was 12% whereas that of depressive disorders was 4%. The screening questions showed 95% sensitivity and 56% specificity for depressive disorders and 68% sensitivity and 85% specificity for anxiety disorders. The longer questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, showed 91% sensitivity and 85% specificity for depressive disorders and 58% sensitivity and 83% specificity for anxiety disorders. Hopkins Symptom Checklist–25 showed 86% sensitivity and 74% specificity for depressive disorders and 67% sensitivity and 87% specificity for anxiety disorders. For 3 of the anxiety disorders and 2 of the depressive disorders, a perfect sensitivity was found between the screening questions and MINI. Conclusions. A single-item screening question was sensitive for depression but less sensitive
Development and Validation of a Web-Based Survey on the Use of Personal Communication Devices by Hospital Registered Nurses: Pilot Study

PubMed Central

LeVasseur, Sandra A; Li, Dongmei

2013-01-01

was used to determine the test-retest reliability. There was a strong test-retest reliability between the two tests for the majority of the questions. The average test-retest percent of agreement for the Likert scale responses was 74% (range 43-100%). Accounting for responses within the 1 SD range on the Likert scale increased the agreement to 96% (range 87-100%). Missing data were in the range of 0 to 7%. Conclusions The psychometrics of the questionnaire showed good to fair levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The pilot study demonstrated that our questionnaire may be useful in exploring registered nurses’ perceptions of the impact of personal electronic devices on hospital units in a larger study. PMID:24280660
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R): a scale to assist the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in adults: an international validation study.

PubMed

Ritvo, Riva Ariella; Ritvo, Edward R; Guthrie, Donald; Ritvo, Max J; Hufnagel, Demetra H; McMahon, William; Tonge, Bruce; Mataix-Cols, David; Jassi, Amita; Attwood, Tony; Eloff, Johann

2011-08-01

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) is a valid and reliable instrument to assist the diagnosis of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The 80-question scale was administered to 779 subjects (201 ASD and 578 comparisons). All ASD subjects met inclusion criteria: DSM-IV-TR, ADI/ADOS diagnoses and standardized IQ testing. Mean scores for each of the questions and total mean ASD vs. the comparison groups' scores were significantly different (p < .0001). Concurrent validity with Constantino Social Responsiveness Scale-Adult = 95.59%. Sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 100%, test-retest reliability r = .987. Cronbach alpha coefficients for the subscales and 4 derived factors were good. We conclude that the RAADS-R is a useful adjunct diagnostic tool for adults with ASD.
Test Pool Questions, Area III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Jamee Reid

This manual contains multiple choice questions to be used in testing students on nurse training objectives. Each test includes several questions covering each concept. The concepts in section A, medical surgical nursing, are diseases of the following systems: musculoskeletal; central nervous; cardiovascular; gastrointestinal; urinary and male…
The Visual Analog Scale as a Comprehensible Patient-Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) in Septorhinoplasty.

PubMed

Spiekermann, Christoph; Amler, Susanne; Rudack, Claudia; Stenner, Markus

2018-06-01

The patient's satisfaction with the esthetic result is a major criterion of success in septorhinoplasty. However, the idea of esthetic perfection varies greatly and primarily depends on subjective perception. Hence, patient-reported instruments are important and necessary to assess the outcome in septorhinoplasty. To analyze the potential of the visual analog scale (VAS) as a patient-reported outcome measure in septorhinoplasty, the perception of the nasal appearance was assessed by a VAS pre- and postoperatively in 213 patients undergoing septorhinoplasty. Furthermore, in this prospective study, the patients' satisfaction concerning the procedure's result was analyzed using a five-point Likert scale. Females had lower preoperative VAS scores but a higher increase compared to males. Patients with lower initial VAS scores showed a higher improvement in the VAS score postoperatively compared to patients with higher initial VAS scores. Satisfaction with the result depends on the increase in the VAS score value. The VAS scale is a short and comprehensible tool to assess patients' perception of nasal appearance preoperatively and represents an appropriate instrument to assess the esthetic patient-reported outcome in septorhinoplasty.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Exploring cognitive complaints in schizophrenia: the subjective scale to investigate cognition in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Stip, E; Caron, J; Renaud, S; Pampoulova, T; Lecomte, Y

2003-01-01

While it has become commonplace to test the various components of memory in schizophrenia with paper-and-pencil or in-lab tasks, very little data exist on the subjective complaints of patients regarding their memory. Few instruments have been designed to collect systematically the complaints of patients with schizophrenia. We present a work in progress on the Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia (SSTICS), a 21-item, Likert-type scale that is simple and easy to use. It allows a quantitative approach to the subjective and cognitive dimensions of schizophrenia. Stip constructed the scale based on a questionnaire covering several cognitive domains: memory (working memory, explicit long-term memory), attention (divided, distractibility, alertness, sustained), language, and praxia. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the SSTICS in a population of 114 French-speaking patients in Montreal. Patients were recruited in the community and assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale (ESRS). Cognition was measured using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) (long-term memory), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (verbal fluency), and Trails A and B. Preliminary analyses showed very good internal consistency for the global score (alpha=0.88), and alphas varying from 0.57 to 0.72 for the subscales. Stability over time was very good. The principal components analysis accounted for a multiple structure. Correlations between subjective scores and objective cognitive assessment were significant for several domains. Validation of the SSTICS needs to be completed through further exploration of the factorial structure and testing of the English version.
Delivery of QTIiv2 Question Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Gary B.; Davis, Hugh C.; Gilbert, Lester; Hare, Jonathon; Howard, Yvonne; Jeyes, Steve; Millard, David; Sherratt, Robert

2009-01-01

The IMS Question and Test Interoperability (QTI) standard identifies 16 different question types which may be used in online assessment. While some partial implementations exist, the R2Q2 project has developed a complete solution that renders and responds to all 16 question types as specified. In addition, care has been taken in the R2Q2 project…
Descriptive Question Answering with Answer Type Independent Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Yeo-Chan; Lee, Chang-Ki; Kim, Hyun-Ki; Jang, Myung-Gil; Ryu, Pum Mo; Park, So-Young

In this paper, we present a supervised learning method to seek out answers to the most frequently asked descriptive questions: reason, method, and definition questions. Most of the previous systems for question answering focus on factoids, lists or definitional questions. However, descriptive questions such as reason questions and method questions are also frequently asked by users. We propose a system for these types of questions. The system conducts an answer search as follows. First, we analyze the user's question and extract search keywords and the expected answer type. Second, information retrieval results are obtained from an existing search engine such as Yahoo or Google. Finally, we rank the results to find snippets containing answers to the questions based on a ranking SVM algorithm. We also propose features to identify snippets containing answers for descriptive questions. The features are adaptable and thus are not dependent on answer type. Experimental results show that the proposed method and features are clearly effective for the task.

Analysis of Newton's Third Law Questions on the Force Concepts Inventory at Georgia State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oakley, Christopher; Thoms, Brian

2012-03-01

A major emphasis of the Physics Education Research program at Georgia State University is an effort to assess and improve students' understanding of Newton's Laws concepts. As part of these efforts the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI) has been given to students in both the algebra-based and calculus-based introductory physics sequences. In addition, the algebra-based introductory physics sequence is taught in both a SCALE-UP and a traditional lecture format. The results of the FCI have been analyzed by individual question and also as categorized by content. The analysis indicates that students in both algebra and calculus-based courses are successful at overcoming Aristotelian misconceptions regarding Newton's Third Law (N3) in the context of a stationary system. However, students are less successful on N3 questions involving objects in constant motion or accelerating. Interference between understanding of Newton's Second and Third Laws as well as other possible explanations for lower student performance on N3 questions involving non-stationary objects will be discussed.
Single-Concept Clicker Question Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Albert; Ding, Lin; Reay, Neville W.; Bao, Lei

2011-01-01

Students typically use electronic polling systems, or clickers, to answer individual questions. Differing from this tradition, we have developed a new clicker methodology in which multiple clicker questions targeting the same underlying concept but with different surface features are grouped into a sequence. Here we present the creation,…
Answering Your Questions about AIDS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalichman, Seth C.

This book focuses on AIDS education and answers 350 commonly asked questions about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) taken from questions addressed to two major urban AIDS hotlines (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Houston, Texas). Chapter 1, "HIV - The Virus That Causes AIDS," discusses: the HIV…
Setting a research question, aim and objective.

PubMed

Doody, Owen; Bailey, Maria E

2016-03-01

To describe the development of a research question, aim and objective. The first steps of any study are developing the research question, aim and objective. Subsequent steps develop from these and they govern the researchers' choice of population, setting, data to be collected and time period for the study. Clear, succinctly posed research questions, aims and objectives are essential if studies are to be successful. Researchers developing their research questions, aims and objectives generally experience difficulties. They are often overwhelmed trying to convert what they see as a relevant issue from practice into research. This necessitates engaging with the relevant published literature and knowledgeable people. This paper identifies the issues to be considered when developing a research question, aim and objective. Understanding these considerations will enable researchers to effectively present their research question, aim and objective. To conduct successful studies, researchers should develop clear research questions, aims and objectives.
A preliminary study to measure and develop job satisfaction scale for medical teachers.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Kavita; Srivastava, Kalpana; Singh, Amarjit; Jadav, S L

2011-07-01

Job satisfaction of medical teachers has an impact on quality of medical education and patient care. In this background, the study was planned to develop scale and measure job satisfaction status of medical teachers. To generate items pertaining to the scale of job satisfaction, closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires were administered to medical professionals. The job satisfaction questionnaire was developed and rated on Likert type of rating scale. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to ascertain job satisfaction among 245 health science faculty of an autonomous educational institution. Factor loading was calculated and final items with strong factor loading were selected. Data were statistically evaluated. Average job satisfaction score was 53.97 on a scale of 1-100. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.918 for entire set of items. There was statistically significant difference in job satisfaction level across different age groups (P 0.0358) showing a U-shaped pattern and fresh entrants versus reemployed faculty (P 0.0188), former showing lower satisfaction. Opportunity for self-development was biggest satisfier, followed by work, opportunity for promotion, and job security. Factors contributing toward job dissatisfaction were poor utilization of skills, poor promotional prospects, inadequate pay and allowances, work conditions, and work atmosphere. Tertiary care teaching hospitals in autonomous educational institutions need to build infrastructure and create opportunities for their medical professional. Job satisfaction of young entrants needs to be raised further by improving their work environment. This will pave the way for effective delivery of health care.
A preliminary study to measure and develop job satisfaction scale for medical teachers

PubMed Central

Bhatnagar, Kavita; Srivastava, Kalpana; Singh, Amarjit; Jadav, S.L.

2011-01-01

Background: Job satisfaction of medical teachers has an impact on quality of medical education and patient care. In this background, the study was planned to develop scale and measure job satisfaction status of medical teachers. Materials and Methods: To generate items pertaining to the scale of job satisfaction, closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires were administered to medical professionals. The job satisfaction questionnaire was developed and rated on Likert type of rating scale. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to ascertain job satisfaction among 245 health science faculty of an autonomous educational institution. Factor loading was calculated and final items with strong factor loading were selected. Data were statistically evaluated. Results: Average job satisfaction score was 53.97 on a scale of 1–100. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.918 for entire set of items. There was statistically significant difference in job satisfaction level across different age groups (P 0.0358) showing a U-shaped pattern and fresh entrants versus reemployed faculty (P 0.0188), former showing lower satisfaction. Opportunity for self-development was biggest satisfier, followed by work, opportunity for promotion, and job security. Factors contributing toward job dissatisfaction were poor utilization of skills, poor promotional prospects, inadequate pay and allowances, work conditions, and work atmosphere. Conclusion: Tertiary care teaching hospitals in autonomous educational institutions need to build infrastructure and create opportunities for their medical professional. Job satisfaction of young entrants needs to be raised further by improving their work environment. This will pave the way for effective delivery of health care. PMID:23271862
Asking Research Questions: Theoretical Presuppositions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tenenberg, Josh

2014-01-01

Asking significant research questions is a crucial aspect of building a research foundation in computer science (CS) education. In this article, I argue that the questions that we ask are shaped by internalized theoretical presuppositions about how the social and behavioral worlds operate. And although such presuppositions are essential in making…
The Denver II Scales and the Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: a correlational study.

PubMed

Luiz, Dolores M; Foxcroft, Cheryl D; Tukulu, Abigail N

2004-10-01

Screening measures aim to minimise the number of children being diagnosed incorrectly; however, many of these measures have been based on the "normal" white population. This study identified the need for a valid developmental assessment of black preschool children. The general aim of the study was to investigate the use of the Denver II and the Griffiths Scales on a pre-school black Xhosa-speaking sample. Specifically, the aim was to investigate the relationship between the Denver II Scales and the Griffiths Scales, in order to provide the first step in establishing the validity of the Denver II Scales on a South African black population. A correlational design was used and the sample was comprised of 60 Xhosa-speaking children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. The findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between the overall performance of the Denver II and the Griffiths Scales. However, the Personal-Social Scale of the Denver II appeared to have items that were culturally biased. Further, the Denver II further identified a higher percentage of the sample to have abnormal or questionable protocols than the Griffiths Scales did.
A Life Events Scale for Armed Forces personnel

PubMed Central

Chaudhury, Suprakash; Srivastava, Kalpana; Raju, M.S.V. Kama; Salujha, S.K.

2006-01-01

Background: Armed Forces personnel are routinely exposed to a number of unique stressful life events. None of the available scales are relevant to service personnel. Aim: To construct a scale to measure life events in service personnel. Methods: In the first stage of the study open-ended questions along with items generated by the expert group by consensus method were administered to 50 soldiers. During the second stage a scale comprising 59 items and open-ended questions was administered to 165 service personnel. The final scale of 52 items was administered to 200 service personnel in group setting. Weightage was assigned on a 0 to 100 range. For normative study the Armed Forces Medical College Life Events Scale (AFMC LES) was administered to 1200 Army, 100 Air Force and 100 Navy personnel. Results: Service personnel experience an average of 4 life events in past one year and 13 events in a life-time. On an average service personnel experience 115 life change unit scores in past one year and 577 life change unit scores in life-time on the AFMC LES. The scale has concurrent validity when compared with the Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES). There is internal consistency in the scale with the routine items being rated very low. There is a pattern of uniformity with the civilian counterparts along with differences in the items specific to service personnel. Conclusions: The AFMC LES includes the unique stresses of service personnel that are not included in any life events scale available in India or in the west and should be used to assess stressful life events in service personnel. PMID:20844647
A Questioning Environment for Scaffolding Learners' Questioning Engagement with Academic Text: A University Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardman, J.; Ng'ambi, D.

2003-01-01

Access to the textual world of academia requires that learners are familiar with the critical open-ended questioning stance demanded by textuality. Anecdotal evidence suggests that learners registered for the Bachelor of Education Honours degree are unable to generate appropriate questions to interrogate academic text, impacting on their ability…
Assessment of respondent acceptability of preference measures: discriminatory power of graphic positioning scale versus traditional scaling measures.

PubMed

Franic, Duska M; Pathak, Dev S

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare discriminatory power of two different measures-graphic positioning scale (GPS) versus traditional scale (TS)-in assessing respondent acceptability of three preference measures: visual analog scale (VAS), standard gamble (SG), and willingness to pay (WTP). Two face-to-face interviews were conducted at least 1 week apart in a convenience sample of women aged 22 to 50 years with no history of breast cancer or cancer requiring chemotherapy. Study participation required completion of two surveys: one evaluating health preferences for an acute condition (chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) and one evaluating a chronic condition (breast cancer). Data were collected from March 2000 to June 2000 at Ohio State University. Respondents were randomized to either GPS or TS surveys. Data analysis was a two-step process. First, a four-way multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to assess respondent acceptability of three-preference metrics-VAS, SG, and WTP-in health-care decision making. Each of the four dependent variables, difficulty, clarity, reasonableness, and comfort in use in decision making, was measured on 9-point Likert scale. Second, a mixed design univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each dependent variable to optimize MANOVA analysis. Univariate ANOVAs, 2 x (2 x 3), were composed of three independent variables: assessment (GPS/TS), condition (acute and chronic), and preferences (VAS, SG, WTP). Of 126 respondents, 119 were usable and complete. MANOVA results showed (P <.05) for two main effects, condition (F4,114 = 6.375) and preferences (F8,110 = 9.290), and two significant interactions, condition x assessment (F4,114 = 3.421) and condition x preferences (F8,110 = 2.087). GPS has higher discriminatory power than TS in assessing respondent attitudes toward health preference measures. Results showed that respondents had more difficulty and less comfort when making
The local response to HIV in Africa: a question of scale.

PubMed

Decosas, J

2000-01-01

This article presents the organization of local AIDS/HIV support groups in South Africa. In a survey conducted by the Southern Africa AIDS Training Program in Zimbabwe, approximately 150 support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe were identified. International support was reported in only four groups, some being supported by local churches and mission hospitals, but the majority functioned independently. The result clearly indicated the people were organizing themselves when faced with a major problem despite the lack of international assistance. The development of AIDS programs among these organizations were based on needs of their members and much of it is framed in a religious or spiritual context. On the other hand, the income generation embarked by these groups was precarious and implemented projects were not able to produce surplus money that could be distributed to its members. It has been encouraging that there has been a growing international recognition and interest in the local response to HIV in Africa, but the interest of international organizations in expanding local response was not appreciated by local organizations. This article stresses that scaling up of local response to HIV may hinder the important distinction between the local, national and international response. In addition, learning from every organizational level and creation of HIV information exchange opportunities is essential in the development of appropriate HIV programs.
Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students.

PubMed

Saunders, C; Hryhorskyj, L; Skinner, J

2013-07-01

This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Concerns of an itinerant surgeon: results of a Guatemalan surgical aid trip.

PubMed

Kavolus, Joseph J; Ritter, Merrill A; Claverie, Jorge G; Barfield, William R; Lackland, Daniel T; Trousdale, Robert T

2014-05-01

Over the past decade the popularity of foreign medical aid has increased and gained notoriety. Operation Walk is a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the ambulatory potential of patients in developing countries by providing free surgical treatment for patients who otherwise lack access to care of debilitating bone and joint conditions. During Operation Walk Mooresville's 2013 trip to Guatemala 40 patients prospectively completed a Likert Scale style survey. The 63-question survey assessed patient impressions and concerns regarding the care they receive as part of itinerant surgical aid trips. Mean scores were calculated and then concerns were ranked accordingly. We are aware of no other investigation assessing these sorts of patient centered perspectives for international surgical aid trips. © 2013.
Answering Schrödinger's question: A free-energy formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramstead, Maxwell James Désormeau; Badcock, Paul Benjamin; Friston, Karl John

2018-03-01

The free-energy principle (FEP) is a formal model of neuronal processes that is widely recognised in neuroscience as a unifying theory of the brain and biobehaviour. More recently, however, it has been extended beyond the brain to explain the dynamics of living systems, and their unique capacity to avoid decay. The aim of this review is to synthesise these advances with a meta-theoretical ontology of biological systems called variational neuroethology, which integrates the FEP with Tinbergen's four research questions to explain biological systems across spatial and temporal scales. We exemplify this framework by applying it to Homo sapiens, before translating variational neuroethology into a systematic research heuristic that supplies the biological, cognitive, and social sciences with a computationally tractable guide to discovery.
Sensitivity of the breastfeeding motivational measurement scale: a known group analysis of first time mothers.

PubMed

Stockdale, Janine; Sinclair, Marlene; Kernohan, George; McCrum-Gardner, Evie; Keller, John

2013-01-01

Breastfeeding has immense public health value for mothers, babies, and society. But there is an undesirably large gap between the number of new mothers who undertake and persist in breastfeeding compared to what would be a preferred level of accomplishment. This gap is a reflection of the many obstacles, both physical and psychological, that confront new mothers. Previous research has illuminated many of these concerns, but research on this problem is limited in part by the unavailability of a research instrument that can measure the key differences between first-time mothers and experienced mothers, with regard to the challenges they face when breastfeeding and the instructional advice they require. An instrument was designed to measure motivational complexity associated with sustained breast feeding behaviour; the Breastfeeding Motivational Measurement Scale. It contains 51 self-report items (7 point Likert scale) that cluster into four categories related to perceived value of breast-feeding, confidence to succeed, factors that influence success or failure, and strength of intentions, or goal. However, this scale has not been validated in terms of its sensitivity to profile the motivation of new mothers and experienced mothers. This issue was investigated by having 202 breastfeeding mothers (100 first time mothers) fill out the scale. The analysis reported in this paper is a three factor solution consisting of value, midwife support, and expectancies for success that explained the characteristics of first time mothers as a known group. These results support the validity of the BMM scale as a diagnostic tool for research on first time mothers who are learning to breastfeed. Further research studies are required to further test the validity of the scale in additional subgroups.
Do Melt Inclusions Answer Big Questions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, A. W.; Sobolev, A. V.

2009-12-01

In a pioneering paper, Sobolev and Shimizu (1993) demonstrated the existence of ultra-depleted melt inclusions in olivine phenocrysts in MORB. They interpreted these as evidence for the preservation of parental melts formed by progressive near-fractional melting. Subsequently many cases have been described where melt inclusions from single basalt samples display enormous chemical and isotopic heterogeneity. The interpretation of these observations hinges critically on whether such melt inclusions can faithfully preserve primary or parental melt composition. If they do, melt inclusion data can truly answer big questions from small-scale observations. If they do not, they answer rather small questions. Favoring the second possibility, Danyushevsky et al. (2004) have suggested that much of the observed variability of highly incompatible trace elements in melt inclusions “may not represent geologically significant melts, but instead reflect localized, grain-scale reaction processes within the magmatic plumbing system.” We disagree and show that this mechanism cannot, for example, explain isotopic heterogeneity measured in several suites of melt inclusions, nor does it not account for the presence of ultra-depleted melts and "ghost" plagioclase signatures in other inclusions. More recently, Spandler et al. (2007) have suggested on the basis of experimental evidence that diffusion rates for REE in olivine are so rapid that parental melt compositions in melt inclusions are rapidly falsified by diffusional exchange with (evolved) host lava. We show that the very fact that extreme chemical and isotopic heterogeneities are routinely preserved in melt inclusions demonstrates that this conclusion is unwarranted, either because residence times of the olivine phenocrysts are much shorter than assumed by Spandler et al. or because the high experimental diffusion rates are caused by an unknown experimental artifact. Although there is no obvious flaw in design and execution of
The Structure and Climate of Size: Small Scale Schooling in an Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeChasseur, Kimberly

2009-01-01

This study explores mechanisms involved in small scale schooling and student engagement. Specifically, this study questions the validity of arguments for small scale schooling reforms that confound the promised effects of small scale schooling "structures" (such as smaller enrollments, schools-within-schools, and smaller class sizes)…
General consequences of the violated Feynman scaling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamberov, G.; Popova, L.

1985-01-01

The problem of scaling of the hadronic production cross sections represents an outstanding question in high energy physics especially for interpretation of cosmic ray data. A comprehensive analysis of the accelerator data leads to the conclusion of the existence of breaked Feynman scaling. It was proposed that the Lorentz invariant inclusive cross sections for secondaries of a given type approaches constant in respect to a breaked scaling variable x sub s. Thus, the differential cross sections measured in accelerator energy can be extrapolated to higher cosmic ray energies. This assumption leads to some important consequences. The distribution of secondary multiplicity that follows from the violated Feynman scaling using a similar method of Koba et al is discussed.
Students' perceptions of a blended learning experience in dental education.

PubMed

Varthis, S; Anderson, O R

2018-02-01

"Flipped" instructional sequencing is a new instructional method where online instruction precedes the group meeting, allowing for more sophisticated learning through discussion and critical thinking during the in-person class session; a novel approach studied in this research. The purpose of this study was to document dental students' perceptions of flipped-based blended learning and to apply a new method of displaying their perceptions based on Likert-scale data analysis using a network diagramming method known as an item correlation network diagram (ICND). In addition, this article aimed to encourage institutions or course directors to consider self-regulated learning and social constructivism as a theoretical framework when blended learning is incorporated in dental curricula. Twenty (second year) dental students at a Northeastern Regional Dental School in the United States participated in this study. A Likert scale was administered before and after the learning experience to obtain evidence of their perceptions of its quality and educational merits. Item correlation network diagrams, based on the intercorrelations amongst the responses to the Likert-scale items, were constructed to display students' changes in perceptions before and after the learning experience. Students reported positive perceptions of the blended learning, and the ICND analysis of their responses before and after the learning experience provided insights into their social (group-based) cognition about the learning experience. The ICNDs are considered evidence of social or group-based cognition, because they are constructed from evidence obtained using intercorrelations of the total group responses to the Likert-scale items. The students positively received blended learning in dental education, and the ICND analyses demonstrated marked changes in their social cognition of the learning experience based on the pre- and post-Likert survey data. Self-regulated learning and social constructivism

Scale construction for measuring adolescent boys' and girls' attitudes, beliefs, perception of control, and intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity.

PubMed

Kerner, Matthew S; Kalinski, Michael I

2002-08-01

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework, the Attitude to Leisure-time Physical Activity, Expectations of Others, Perceived Control, and Intention of Engage in Leisure-time Physical Activity scales were developed for use among high school students. The study population included 20 boys and 68 girls 13 to 17 years of age (for boys, M = 15.1 yr., SD = 1.0; for girls, M = 15.0 yr., SD = 1.1). Generation of items and the establishment of content validity were performed by professionals in exercise physiology, physical education, and clinical psychology. Each scale item was phrased in a Likert-type format. Both unipolar and bipolar scales with seven response choices were developed. Following the pilot testing and subsequent revisions, 32 items were retained in the Attitude to Leisure-time Physical Activity scale, 10 items were retained in the Expectations of Others scale, 3 items were retained in the Perceived Control Scale, and 24 items were retained in the Intention to Engage in Leisure-time Physical Activity scale. Coefficients indicated adequate stability and internal consistency with alpha ranging from .81 to .96. Studies of validities are underway, after which scales would be made available to those interested in intervention techniques for promoting positive attitudes toward physical fitness, perception of control over engaging in leisure-time physical activities, and good intentions to engage in leisure-time physical activities. The present results are encouraging.
The Structure of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory With Binary and Rating Scale Items.

PubMed

Boldero, Jennifer M; Bell, Richard C; Davies, Richard C

2015-01-01

Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) items typically have a forced-choice format, comprising a narcissistic and a nonnarcissistic statement. Recently, some have presented the narcissistic statements and asked individuals to either indicate whether they agree or disagree that the statements are self-descriptive (i.e., a binary response format) or to rate the extent to which they agree or disagree that these statements are self-descriptive on a Likert scale (i.e., a rating response format). The current research demonstrates that when NPI items have a binary or a rating response format, the scale has a bifactor structure (i.e., the items load on a general factor and on 6 specific group factors). Indexes of factor strength suggest that the data are unidimensional enough for the NPI's general factor to be considered a measure of a narcissism latent trait. However, the rating item general factor assessed more narcissism components than the binary item one. The positive correlations of the NPI's general factor, assessed when items have a rating response format, were moderate with self-esteem, strong with a measure of narcissistic grandiosity, and weak with 2 measures of narcissistic vulnerability. Together, the results suggest that using a rating format for items enhances the information provided by the NPI.
Interim Exceptional Events Rule Frequently Asked Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Air agencies and other stakeholders have raised technical questions and issues related to implementation since the EPA promulgated the EER. This Question and Answer (Q&A) document is intended to respond to some of these frequently asked questions.
IMPACT OF THE GERIATRIC MEDICATION GAME® ON NURSING STUDENTS EMPATHY AND ATTITUDES TOWARD OLDER ADULTS

PubMed Central

Kiersma, Mary E.; Yehle, Karen S.; Plake, Kimberly S.

2014-01-01

Background Nurses should be well-prepared to improve and address health-related needs of older adults, but students may have difficulty understanding and empathizing, as they may not yet have personally experienced aging-related challenges. Simulation games can be used to help students understand the experiences of others, but limited information is available on the impact of simulation experiences on student empathy. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the impact of participation in an aging simulation game on nursing students’ empathy and attitudes toward older adults as well as their understanding of patients’ experiences in the healthcare system. Design This study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design. Setting A school of nursing in the Midwestern United States. Participants The convenience sample included 58 sophomore-level baccalaureate nursing students. Methods Students played the role of an older adult during a 3-hour laboratory aging simulation game, the Geriatric Medication Game® (GMG). Students completed the (1) Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES, 15 items, 7-point Likert-type), (2) Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Students (JSE-HPS, 20 items, 7-point Likert-type), and (3) Aging Simulation Experience Survey (13 items, 7-point Likert-type) pre- and post-game to assess study objectives. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests (were performed in SPSS v.21.0, as the data were normally distributed. Results Students’ empathy (N=58) toward older adults significantly improved overall (KCES p=0.015, JSE-HPS p<0.001). Improvements also were seen on seven out of 13 questions related to attitudes and healthcare understanding (p<0.05). In the post-test, students agreed that they experienced frustration and impatience during the GMG. Conclusions Students may not be aware of older adults’ feelings and experiences prior to experiencing aging-related changes themselves. Simulation activities, such as the GMG, can be
Image quality assessment of automatic three-segment MR attenuation correction vs. CT attenuation correction.

PubMed

Partovi, Sasan; Kohan, Andres; Gaeta, Chiara; Rubbert, Christian; Vercher-Conejero, Jose L; Jones, Robert S; O'Donnell, James K; Wojtylak, Patrick; Faulhaber, Peter

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the usefulness of Positron emission tomography/Magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) images in a clinical setting by assessing the image quality of Positron emission tomography (PET) images using a three-segment MR attenuation correction (MRAC) versus the standard CT attenuation correction (CTAC). We prospectively studied 48 patients who had their clinically scheduled FDG-PET/CT followed by an FDG-PET/MRI. Three nuclear radiologists evaluated the image quality of CTAC vs. MRAC using a Likert scale (five-point scale). A two-sided, paired t-test was performed for comparison purposes. The image quality was further assessed by categorizing it as acceptable (equal to 4 and 5 on the five-point Likert scale) or unacceptable (equal to 1, 2, and 3 on the five-point Likert scale) quality using the McNemar test. When assessing the image quality using the Likert scale, one reader observed a significant difference between CTAC and MRAC (p=0.0015), whereas the other readers did not observe a difference (p=0.8924 and p=0.1880, respectively). When performing the grouping analysis, no significant difference was found between CTAC vs. MRAC for any of the readers (p=0.6137 for reader 1, p=1 for reader 2, and p=0.8137 for reader 3). All three readers more often reported artifacts on the MRAC images than on the CTAC images. There was no clinically significant difference in quality between PET images generated on a PET/MRI system and those from a Positron emission tomography/Computed tomography (PET/CT) system. PET images using the automatic three-segmented MR attenuation method provided diagnostic image quality. However, future research regarding the image quality obtained using different MR attenuation based methods is warranted before PET/MRI can be used clinically.
A Mokken Scale to Assess Secondary Pupils' Experience of Violence in Terms of Severity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooij, Ton

2012-01-01

Violence assessment can potentially be improved by Item Response Theory, that is, ordinal Mokken Scale Analysis. The research question is as follows: Does Mokken Scale Analysis of secondary pupils' experience of violence result in a homogeneous, reliable, and valid unidimensional scale that fits all the requirements of Mokken scaling? The method…
Intonation as an encoder of speaker certainty: information and confirmation yes-no questions in Catalan.

PubMed

Vanrell, Maria del Mar; Mascaró, Ignasi; Torres-Tamarit, Francesc; Prieto, Pilar

2013-06-01

Recent studies in the field of intonational phonology have shown that information-seeking questions can be distinguished from confirmation-seeking questions by prosodic means in a variety of languages (Armstrong, 2010, for Puerto Rican Spanish; Grice & Savino, 1997, for Bari Italian; Kügler, 2003, for Leipzig German; Mata & Santos, 2010, for European Portuguese; Vanrell, Mascaró, Prieto, & Torres-Tamarit, 2010, for Catalan). However, all these studies have relied on production experiments and little is known about the perceptual relevance of these intonational cues. This paper explores whether Majorcan Catalan listeners distinguish information- and confirmation-seeking questions by means of two distinct nuclear falling pitch accents. Three behavioral tasks were conducted with 20 Majorcan Catalan subjects, namely a semantic congruity test, a rating test, and a classical categorical perception identification/discrimination test. The results show that a difference in pitch scaling on the leading H tone of the H+L* nuclear pitch accent is the main cue used by Majorcan Catalan listeners to distinguish confirmation questions from information-seeking questions. Thus, while a iH+L* pitch accent signals an information-seeking question (i.e., the speaker has no expectation about the nature of the answer), the H+L* pitch accent indicates that the speaker is asking about mutually shared information. We argue that these results have implications in representing the distinctions of tonal height in Catalan. The results also support the claim that phonological contrasts in intonation, together with other linguistic strategies, can signal the speakers' beliefs about the certainty of the proposition expressed.
Student perceptions of gamified audience response system interactions in large group lectures and via lecture capture technology.

PubMed

Pettit, Robin K; McCoy, Lise; Kinney, Marjorie; Schwartz, Frederic N

2015-05-22

Higher education students have positive attitudes about the use of audience response systems (ARS), but even technology-enhanced lessons can become tiresome if the pedagogical approach is exactly the same with each implementation. Gamification is the notion that gaming mechanics can be applied to routine activities. In this study, TurningPoint (TP) ARS interactions were gamified and implemented in 22 large group medical microbiology lectures throughout an integrated year 1 osteopathic medical school curriculum. A 32-item questionnaire was used to measure students' perceptions of the gamified TP interactions at the end of their first year. The survey instrument generated both Likert scale and open-ended response data that addressed game design and variety, engagement and learning features, use of TP questions after class, and any value of lecture capture technology for reviewing these interactive presentations. The Chi Square Test was used to analyze grouped responses to Likert scale questions. Responses to open-ended prompts were categorized using open-coding. Ninety-one students out of 106 (86 %) responded to the survey. A significant majority of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the games were engaging, and an effective learning tool. The questionnaire investigated the degree to which specific features of these interactions were engaging (nine items) and promoted learning (seven items). The most highly ranked engagement aspects were peer competition and focus on the activity (tied for highest ranking), and the most highly ranked learning aspect was applying theoretical knowledge to clinical scenarios. Another notable item was the variety of interactions, which ranked in the top three in both the engagement and learning categories. Open-ended comments shed light on how students use TP questions for exam preparation, and revealed engaging and non-engaging attributes of these interactive sessions for students who review them via lecture capture
Measuring mobbing experiences of academic nurses: development of a mobbing scale.

PubMed

Ozturk, Havva; Sokmen, Serap; Yilmaz, Fatma; Cilingir, Dilek

2008-09-01

The aims of this study were to develop a mobbing scale for academic nurses and to determine their mobbing experiences. Data were collected between January and June 2006 with a 60-item mobbing scale and a questionnaire composed of 6 questions concerning demographics and 10 questions regarding nurses' opinions about mobbing. For the Mobbing Scale for Academic Nurses, the content validity index was 88%, item-to-total correlations ranged from .41 to .73, Cronbach alpha was .97, and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was .72. Barlett's test yielded quite significant results (chi2= 7905.47, p = .000). The scale was composed of eight subscales. One fifth of the academic nurses experienced mobbing, and there was evidence of mobbing at university nursing schools. The mobbing scale for academic nurses can be used to collect reliable and accurate data about mobbing experienced by academic nurses. If there is mobbing in nursing faculties and schools, appropriate precautions should be taken to protect people against mobbing, and a safe and comfortable atmosphere must be created in nursing faculties and schools.
Scale-dependent approaches to modeling spatial epidemiology of chronic wasting disease.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conner, Mary M.; Gross, John E.; Cross, Paul C.; Ebinger, Michael R.; Gillies, Robert; Samuel, Michael D.; Miller, Michael W.

2007-01-01

For each scale, we presented a focal approach that would be useful for understanding the spatial pattern and epidemiology of CWD, as well as being a useful tool for CWD management. The focal approaches include risk analysis and micromaps for the regional scale, cluster analysis for the landscape scale, and individual based modeling for the fine scale of within population. For each of these methods, we used simulated data and walked through the method step by step to fully illustrate the “how to”, with specifics about what is input and output, as well as what questions the method addresses. We also provided a summary table to, at a glance, describe the scale, questions that can be addressed, and general data required for each method described in this e-book. We hope that this review will be helpful to biologists and managers by increasing the utility of their surveillance data, and ultimately be useful for increasing our understanding of CWD and allowing wildlife biologists and managers to move beyond retroactive fire-fighting to proactive preventative action.
Provocative Questions in Cancer: NCI Seminar

Cancer.gov

science writers' seminar to discuss various aspects of one of NCI’s signature efforts -- the Provocative Questions project. Discussion will focus on the scientific research that surrounds some of these questions.
Critical Review of Technical Questions Facing Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure: A Perspective from the Great Plains.

PubMed

Vogel, Jason R; Moore, Trisha L; Coffman, Reid R; Rodie, Steven N; Hutchinson, Stacy L; McDonough, Kelsey R; McLemore, Alex J; McMaine, John T

2015-09-01

Since its inception, Low Impact Development (LID) has become part of urban stormwater management across the United States, marking progress in the gradual transition from centralized to distributed runoff management infrastructure. The ultimate goal of LID is full, cost-effective implementation to maximize watershed-scale ecosystem services and enhance resilience. To reach that goal in the Great Plains, the multi-disciplinary author team presents this critical review based on thirteen technical questions within the context of regional climate and socioeconomics across increasing complexities in scale and function. Although some progress has been made, much remains to be done including continued basic and applied research, development of local LID design specifications, local demonstrations, and identifying funding mechanisms for these solutions. Within the Great Plains and beyond, by addressing these technical questions within a local context, the goal of widespread acceptance of LID can be achieved, resulting in more effective and resilient stormwater management.
Questions Dog Design of Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gewertz, Catherine

2012-01-01

On the verge of signing a contract to help design assessments for the common standards, ACT Inc. has withdrawn from the project amid conflict-of-interest questions sparked by its own development of a similar suite of tests. Even though it involves only a small subcontract, the move by the Iowa-based test-maker, and the questions from the state…
Further Empirical Results on Parametric Versus Non-Parametric IRT Modeling of Likert-Type Personality Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maydeu-Olivares, Albert

2005-01-01

Chernyshenko, Stark, Chan, Drasgow, and Williams (2001) investigated the fit of Samejima's logistic graded model and Levine's non-parametric MFS model to the scales of two personality questionnaires and found that the graded model did not fit well. We attribute the poor fit of the graded model to small amounts of multidimensionality present in…
[Spanish version of the Satisfaction With Decision scale: cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability].

PubMed

Chabrera, Carolina; Areal, Joan; Font, Albert; Caro, Mónica; Bonet, Marta; Zabalegui, Adelaida

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop a Spanish version of the Satisfaction With Decision scale (SWDs) and analyse the psychometric properties of validity and reliability. An observational, descriptive study and validation of a tool to measure satisfaction with the decision. Urology, Radiation oncology, and Medical oncology Departments of the Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut Català d'Oncologia and the Institut Oncològic del Vallès - Hospital General de Catalunya. A total of 170 participants diagnosed with prostate cancer, and who could read and write in Spanish and gave their informed consent. A translation, back-translation and cross-cultural adaptation to Spanish was performed on the SWDs. The content validity, criterion validity, construct validity and reliability (internal consistency and stability) of the Spanish version were evaluated. The SWDs contains 6 items with 5-item Likert scales. A Spanish version (ESD) was obtained that was linguistically and conceptually equivalent to the original version. Criterion validity, the ESD correlated with "satisfaction with the decision" using a linear analogue scale, was significant (r=0.63, P<.01) for all items. The factorial analysis showed a unique dimension to explain 82.08% of the variance. The ESD showed excellent results in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=0.95) and good test-retest reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.711. The ESD is a validated Spanish scale to measure the satisfaction with the decisions taken in health, and demonstrates a correct validity and reliability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
A comparison of low IQ scores from the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition.

PubMed

Umphress, Thomas B

2008-06-01

Twenty people with suspected intellectual disability took the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS; C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 1998) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-3rd Edition (WAIS-III; D. Wechsler, 1997) to see if the 2 IQ tests produced comparable results. A t test showed that the RIAS Composite Intelligence Index scores were significantly higher than WAIS-III Full Scale IQ scores at the alpha level of .01. There was a significant difference between the RIAS Nonverbal Intelligence and WAIS-III Performance Scale, but there was no significant difference between the RIAS Verbal Intelligence Index and the WAIS-III Verbal Scale IQ. The results raise questions concerning test selection for diagnosing intellectual disability and the use of the correlation statistic for comparing intelligence tests.
Separating the Research Question from the Laboratory Techniques: Advancing High-School Biology Teachers' Ability to Ask Research Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasson, Eilat; Yarden, Anat

2012-01-01

Inquiry is essentially a process in which research questions are asked and an attempt is made to find the answers. However, the formulation of operational research questions of the sort used in authentic scientific inquiry is not a trivial task. Here, we set out to explore the possible influence of separating the research question from the…
Determining the Scoring Validity of a Co-Constructed CEFR-Based Rating Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deygers, Bart; Van Gorp, Koen

2015-01-01

Considering scoring validity as encompassing both reliable rating scale use and valid descriptor interpretation, this study reports on the validation of a CEFR-based scale that was co-constructed and used by novice raters. The research questions this paper wishes to answer are (a) whether it is possible to construct a CEFR-based rating scale with…
Variational neuroethology: Answering further questions. Reply to comments on "Answering Schrödinger's question: A free-energy formulation"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramstead, Maxwell J. D.; Badcock, Paul B.; Friston, Karl J.

2018-03-01

First and foremost, we sincerely thank our commentators for their incisive and thought-provoking responses [1-14] to our metatheory of living systems; namely, variational neuroethology (VNE) [15]. We appreciated the critical insights, questions, suggestions, and proposals for future research. We were also pleased to see signs of a fruitful dialectic between different perspectives - unexpectedly, some of our commentators addressed others' questions and concerns; suggesting that VNE might enable productive scientific discourse and inspire new, multidisciplinary research questions. There were also friendly critics, who helpfully questioned the coherence and validity of VNE, and motivated us to revisit key issues.
Development of the Dyadic Relationship Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskan Avci, Özlem

2014-01-01

Problem Statement: The rise of premarital studies raises questions about the effectiveness of educational programs developed to prepare young couples for marriage and family life. Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to describe and introduce the Dyadic Relationship Scale (DRS) for use with university students. The author developed the…

75 FR 54347 - Draft Guidance for Industry: Bar Code Label Requirements-Questions and Answers (Question 12...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-07

...] Draft Guidance for Industry: Bar Code Label Requirements-- Questions and Answers (Question 12 Update... Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft document entitled ``Guidance for Industry: Bar... guidance provides you, manufacturers of a licensed vaccine, with advice concerning compliance with the bar...
Exploring spiritual value in earth science concept through learning using chain till unanswered questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johan, Henny; Suhandi, Andi; Samsudin, Ahmad; Ratna Wulan, Ana

2017-08-01

Now days, the youth's moral decline is an urgent problem in our country. Natural science especially earth and space science learning is potential to insert spirituality value in its learning activities. The aim of this study is to explore concept of planet earth to embed spirituality attitude through earth science learning. Interactive conceptual learning model using chain till unanswered questions (CTUQ) with help visualizations was implemented in this study. 23 pre-service physics teacher in Bengkulu, Indonesia participated in this study. A sixth indicator of spiritual aspect about awareness of divinity were used to identify the shifted of students' spirituality. Quasi experimental research design had been utilized to implement the learning model. The data were collected using a questionnaire in pretest and posttest. Open ended question was given at post-test only. Questionnaire was analyzed quantitative while open ended question was analyzed qualitatively. The results show that after implementation student's spiritual shifted to be more awareness of divinity. Students' response at scale 10 increased been 97.8% from 87.5% of total responses. Based on analysis of open ended question known that the shifted was influenced by spiritual value inserted in concepts, CTUQ, and media visualization used to show unobservable earth phenomenon during learning activities. It can be concluded that earth science concepts can be explored to embed spiritual aspect.
The public health disaster trust scale: validation of a brief measure.

PubMed

Eisenman, David P; Williams, Malcolm V; Glik, Deborah; Long, Anna; Plough, Alonzo L; Ong, Michael

2012-01-01

Trust contributes to community resilience by the critical influence it has on the community's responses to public health recommendations before, during, and after disasters. However, trust in public health is a multifactorial concept that has rarely been defined and measured empirically in public health jurisdictional risk assessment surveys. Measuring trust helps public health departments identify and ameliorate a threat to effective risk communications and increase resilience. Such a measure should be brief to be incorporated into assessments conducted by public health departments. We report on a brief scale of public health disaster-related trust, its psychometric properties, and its validity. On the basis of a literature review, our conceptual model of public health disaster-related trust and previously conducted focus groups, we postulated that public health disaster-related trust includes 4 major domains: competency, honesty, fairness, and confidentiality. A random-digit-dialed telephone survey of the Los Angeles county population, conducted in 2004-2005 in 6 languages. Two thousand five hundred eighty-eight adults aged 18 years and older including oversamples of African Americans and Asian Americans. Trust was measured by 4 items scored on a 4-point Likert scale. A summary score from 4 to 16 was constructed. Scores ranged from 4 to 16 and were normally distributed with a mean of 8.5 (SD 2.7). Cronbach α = 0.79. As hypothesized, scores were lower among racial/ethnic minority populations than whites. Also, trust was associated with lower likelihood of following public health recommendations in a hypothetical disaster and lower likelihood of household disaster preparedness. The Public Health Disaster Trust scale may facilitate identifying communities where trust is low and prioritizing them for inclusion in community partnership building efforts under Function 2 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Preparedness Capability 1. The
The 50 Most Important Questions Relating to the Maintenance and Restoration of an Ecological Continuum in the European Alps

PubMed Central

Walzer, Chris; Kowalczyk, Christine; Alexander, Jake M.; Baur, Bruno; Bogliani, Giuseppe; Brun, Jean-Jacques; Füreder, Leopold; Guth, Marie-Odile; Haller, Ruedi; Holderegger, Rolf; Kohler, Yann; Kueffer, Christoph; Righetti, Antonio; Spaar, Reto; Sutherland, William J.; Ullrich-Schneider, Aurelia; Vanpeene-Bruhier, Sylvie N.; Scheurer, Thomas

2013-01-01

The European Alps harbour a unique and species-rich biodiversity, which is increasingly impacted by habitat fragmentation through land-use changes, urbanization and expanding transport infrastructure. In this study, we identified the 50 most important questions relating to the maintenance and restoration of an ecological continuum – the connectedness of ecological processes across many scales including trophic relationship and disturbance processes and hydro-ecological flows in the European Alps. We initiated and implemented a trans-national priority setting exercise, inviting 48 institutions including researchers, conservation practitioners, NGOs, policymakers and administrators from the Alpine region. The exercise was composed of an initial call for pertinent questions, a first online evaluation of the received questions and a final discussion and selection process during a joint workshop. The participating institutions generated 484 initial questions, which were condensed to the 50 most important questions by 16 workshop participants. We suggest new approaches in tackling the issue of an ecological continuum in the Alps by analysing and classifying the characteristics of the resulting questions in a non-prioritized form as well as in a visual conceptualisation of the inter-dependencies among these questions. This priority setting exercise will support research and funding institutions in channelling their capacities and resources towards questions that need to be urgently addressed in order to facilitate significant progress in biodiversity conservation in the European Alps. PMID:23341928
A Comparison of Item-Level and Scale-Level Multiple Imputation for Questionnaire Batteries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottschall, Amanda C.; West, Stephen G.; Enders, Craig K.

2012-01-01

Behavioral science researchers routinely use scale scores that sum or average a set of questionnaire items to address their substantive questions. A researcher applying multiple imputation to incomplete questionnaire data can either impute the incomplete items prior to computing scale scores or impute the scale scores directly from other scale…
Assessing Latina/o Undergraduates' Depressive Symptomatology: Comparisons of the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and the Self-Report Depression Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gloria, Alberta M.; Castellanos, Jeanett; Kanagui-Munoz, Marlen; Rico, Melissa A.

2012-01-01

The use of depression scales as screening tools at university and college centers is increasing and thus, the question of whether scales are culturally valid for different student groups is increasingly more relevant with increased severity of depression for students and changing student demographics. As such, this study examined the reliability…
What are the Outstanding Questions in Biosphere-Atmosphere Exchange?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katul, G.; Finnigan, J.

2002-12-01

Our answer to this question has three parts. At the highest level human population is now so large (and will grow to 10-12 million by 2050 before stabilizing and reversing) and our capacity to influence the biosphere is so profound that we must now treat human, biophysical and geophysical processes as a single interacting system: the Anthroposphere. The Anthroposphere is a complex adaptive system (CAS) in the sense that action of humans individually or in groups (as large as nations) are a response to an environment that includes not just the geosphere and biosphere but the sum of human interactions as well. These actions, in turn, will change this system that provides critical ecosystem services that we are just now realizing are finite and threatened. At present we lack the tools and understanding even to frame key questions about the Anthroposphere although the emerging discipline of Complex System Science is hinting at ways this might be done. At the next level we address the problems posed by cross-scale interactions central to the state and function of the geosphere and biosphere, where processes at the cellular level, (e.g. photosynthesis and respiration), have consequences on the global level and vice-versa through a sequence of non-linear upscale and downscale interactions. Currently there are large gaps in our understanding of this scale cascade that inhibit our ability to parameterize, model and predict phenomena such as the rapid shifts in climate that recent studies of the paleo record have revealed. In short, we need to quantify the risk that our current actions may cause abrupt climate changes that may then feed upon the Anthrosphere. Unless we can reduce the uncertainty with which we describe quantitatively the non-human parts of the Anthroposphere, the injection of models of human interaction, initially tentative, may reduce our predictive ability to unusable levels. Finally we can detail a set of key processes that are themselves critical to
The Socratic Method and Levels of Questioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Karilee

1980-01-01

Determines if instruction in the Socratic method would increase higher level questioning during peer teaching experiences in teacher education programs. Raters, using the higher order questioning strategy, evaluated 14 students. A significant increase in higher level questions being asked suggests the Socratic Method may be useful. (Author)
Questions That Science Teachers Find Difficult (II).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Alan

2003-01-01

Presents some questions that science teachers find difficult. Focuses on three further questions relating to "simple" everyday situations that are normally explained in terms of the kinetic theory of matter. Identifies looking at the difference between chemical and physical changes as the most problematic question. (Author/YDS)
Coulombic faulting from the grain scale to the geophysical scale: lessons from ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Jérôme; Schulson, Erland M.

2009-11-01

Coulombic faulting, a concept formulated more than two centuries ago, still remains pertinent in describing the brittle compressive failure of various materials, including rocks and ice. Many questions remain, however, about the physical processes underlying this macroscopic phenomenology. This paper reviews the progress made in these directions during the past few years through the study of ice and its mechanical behaviour in both the laboratory and the field. Fault triggering is associated with the formation of specific features called comb-cracks and involves frictional sliding at the micro(grain)-scale. Similar mechanisms are observed at geophysical scales within the sea ice cover. This scale-independent physics is expressed by the same Coulombic phenomenology from laboratory to geophysical scales, with a very similar internal friction coefficient (μ ≈ 0.8). On the other hand, the cohesion strongly decreases with increasing spatial scale, reflecting the role of stress concentrators on fault initiation. Strong similarities also exist between ice and other brittle materials such as rocks and minerals and between faulting of the sea ice cover and Earth's crust, arguing for the ubiquitous nature of the underlying physics.
Screening for depression with a brief questionnaire in a primary care setting: validation of the two questions with help question (Malay version).

PubMed

Mohd-Sidik, Sherina; Arroll, Bruce; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Zain, Azhar M D

2011-01-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the two questions with help question (TQWHQ) in the Malay language. The two questions are case-finding questions on depression, and a question on whether help is needed was added to increase the specificity of the two questions. This cross sectional validation study was conducted in a government funded primary care clinic in Malaysia. The participants included 146 consecutive women patients receiving no psychotropic drugs and who were Malay speakers. The main outcome measures were sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios of the two questions and help question. The two questions showed a sensitivity of 99% (95% confidence interval 88% to 99.9%) and a specificity of 70% (62% to 78%), respectively. The likelihood ratio for a positive test was 3.3 (2.5 to 4.5) and the likelihood ratio for a negative test was 0.01 (0.00 to 0.57). The addition of the help question to the two questions increased the specificity to 95% (89% to 98%). The two qeustions on depression detected most cases of depression in this study. The questions have the advantage of brevity. The addition of the help question increased the specificity of the two questions. Based on these findings, the TQWHQ can be strongly recommended for detection of depression in government primary care clnics in Malaysia. Translation did not apear to affect the validity of the TQWHQ.
Investigations of Human Question Answering

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

information sources and search through the structures systematically. The formal,,ms and insights from these fields obviously must be tested in psychological ...experiments before we can incorporate them into psychological models of human question answering. One objective of this ONR contract was to test some... psychological model of human question answering. Tests of the QUEST Model QUEST was tested in four different informational contexts. These contexts
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R): A Scale to Assist the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults--An International Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritvo, Riva Ariella; Ritvo, Edward R.; Guthrie, Donald; Ritvo, Max J.; Hufnagel, Demetra H.; McMahon, William; Tonge, Bruce; Mataix-Cols, David; Jassi, Amita; Attwood, Tony; Eloff, Johann

2011-01-01

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) is a valid and reliable instrument to assist the diagnosis of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The 80-question scale was administered to 779 subjects (201 ASD and 578 comparisons). All ASD subjects met inclusion criteria: DSM-IV-TR, ADI/ADOS diagnoses and standardized IQ…
Overprompting Science Students Using Adjunct Study Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holliday, William G.

1983-01-01

The selective attention model was used to explain effects of overprompting students (N=170) provided with study questions adjunct to a complex flow diagram describing scientific cyclical schema. Strongly prompting students to answers of questions was less effective than an unprompted question treatment, suggesting that prompting techniques be used…
A Social Network Approach to the Estimation of Perceived Quality of Health Care

PubMed Central

Carletti, Giulia; Soriani, Nicola; Mattiazzi, Martina; Gregori, Dario

2017-01-01

Background: Measuring service quality aids health care providers to recognize specific and unmet needs of patients. Nevertheless, perceived quality of health care services (PQC) is often investigated with inadequate techniques which may lead to biased results. Objective: The aim of the present study is to develop a proof-of-concept for estimating the PQC using the scale-up estimator, with reference to a concrete assessment in patients of a major Oncology Hospital in Veneto (IOV). Results have then been compared with those collected by the Customer Relations Office (CRO) after the annual survey conducted with traditional questionnaire based techniques. Material and Methods: Seven hundred and eighty-three sets consisting of two questionnaires were handed out to IOV patients between 26 and 28 November 2012. The first questionnaire was the CRO annual one composed by 15 direct questions about the perception of quality satisfaction rate using a Likert scale. The second questionnaire was the scale-up (NSUM) one, composed by 20 indirect questions, 5 of which were reproducing the main target of CRO for estimating PQC. Results: The comparisons made over 299 sets of questionnaires showed differences between the two techniques. Network Scale-Up Method (NSUM) questionnaire seems to be able to produce lower estimates of PQC with respect to the CRO annual questionnaire. In some cases, the NSUM showed dissatisfaction rates which are 20-fold higher respect to CRO. Conclusion: NSUM could be a promising method for assessing the perceived quality of care. PMID:29238425
Evaluation and revision of questionnaires for use among low-literacy immigrant Latinos

PubMed Central

D'Alonzo, Karen T.

2011-01-01

As more Spanish speaking immigrants participate in and become the focus of research studies, questions arise about the appropriateness of existing research tools. Questionnaires have often been adapted from English language instruments and tested among college- educated Hispanic-Americans. Little has been written regarding the testing and evaluation of research tools among less educated Latino immigrants. The purpose of this study was to revise and evaluate the appropriateness of a battery of existing Spanish-language questionnaires for a physical activity intervention for immigrant Hispanic women. A three-step process was utilized to evaluate, adapt and test Spanish versions of the Self-Efficacy and Exercise Habits Survey, an abbreviated version of the Hispanic Stress Inventory-Immigrant version and the Latina Values Scale. The revised tools demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability. The adaptations improved the readability of the tools, resulting in a greater response rate, less missing data and fewer extreme responses. Psychometric limitations to the adaptation of Likert scales are discussed. PMID:22030592
Psychometric Properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale in Polio Survivors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burger, Helena; Franchignoni, Franco; Puzic, Natasa; Giordano, Andrea

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate by means of classical test theory and Rasch analysis the scaling characteristics and psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in polio survivors. A questionnaire, consisting of five general questions (sex, age, age at time of acute polio, sequelae of polio, and new symptoms), the FSS,…
Preceptor questioning and student critical thinking.

PubMed

Myrick, Florence; Yonge, Olive

2002-01-01

Questioning is fundamental to student learning. Not only does it enable students to elevate their level of thinking, but in the process it also affords them the opportunity to deal with their world intelligently. The practice setting is an environment rich in opportunity for enabling critical thinking through the use of questioning. In the preceptorship experience, preceptors are in a prime position to use questioning behaviors that can challenge the way preceptees think, encourage them to justify or clarify their assertions, promote the generation of original ideas, explanations, or solutions to patient problems, provide mental and emotional tools to help resolve dilemmas, promote discussion, and evaluate learning. This article discusses the importance of preceptor questioning for the development and promotion of student critical thinking. Contextually, the authors draw on the findings of a recent study in which preceptor questioning of the knowledge base, decision making, and actions of the preceptee were found to directly bring about or trigger their critical thinking. This article allows for some further reflection on that process and its contribution to the enhancement of the preceptorship experience. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Enhancing learning using questions, adjunct to science charts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holliday, William G.; Benson, Garth

This study supported two hypotheses. First, adjunct questions interacted with a science chart so powerfully that content established as difficult to learn in the pilot and in this study's control groups became easier to learn when charted. Second, students familiar with the chart test before instruction (test exposure) were better prepared to take this test after instruction. This adjunct-question study examined the generalizability of selective-attention and academic-studying hypotheses to a modified science chart medium. About 300 high school students were randomly assigned to four conditions each including a vitamin chart (chart only, test exposure, importance of questions emphasized to students by teachers, and combinational conditions - test exposure and question importance) across 16 biology classrooms. Then these same students were again randomly assigned within each classroom to a control and to four question treatments no questions, questions focusing on easy-to-learn charted content, questions focusing on difficult-to-learn charted content, and a combinational treatment.
Enhancing learning using questions adjunct to science charts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holliday, William G.; Benson, Garth

This study supported two hypotheses. First, adjunct questions interacted with a science chart so powerfully that content established as difficult to learn in the pilot and in this study's control groups became easier to learn when charted. Second, students familiar with the chart test before instruction (test exposure) were better prepared to take this test after instruction. This adjunct-question study examined the generalizability of selective-attention and academic-studying hypotheses to a modified science chart medium. About 300 high school students were randomly assigned to four conditions each including a vitamin chart (chart only, test exposure, importance of questions emphasized to students by teachers, and combinational conditions--test exposure and question importance) across 16 biology classrooms. Then these same students were again randomly assigned within each classroom to a control and to four question treatments (no questions, questions focusing on easy-to-learn charted content, questions focusing on difficult-to-learn charted content, and a combinational treatment).

Palaeoclimate dynamics : a voyage through scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crucifix, Michel; Mitsui, Takahito

2015-04-01

Our knowledge of climate dynamics depends on indirect observations of past climate evolution, as well as on what can be inferred from theoretical arguments. At the scale of the Cenozoic, it is common to define a framework of nested time scales, the longest time scale of interest being related to the slow tectonic evolution, then variability associated with or controlled by the astronomical forcing, and finally the fastest dynamics associated with the natural modes of variability of the ocean and the atmosphere. For example, in a model, the astronomical modes of variability may be simulated with deterministic equations under fixed boundary conditions representing the tectonic state, and associated with stochastic parameterisations of the ocean-atmosphere (chaotic) modes of motion. Bifurcations or, more generally, qualitative changes in climate dynamics may be scanned by changing slowly the tectonic state, in order to provide explanations to observed changes in regimes such as the appearance of ice ages and their changes in length or amplitude. The above framework, largely theorized by B. Saltzman, may still be partly justified but is in need of a review. We address here specifically three questions: To what extent astronomical variability interacts with natural modes of ocean - atmosphere variability ? Specifically, how does millennial variability (e.g.: Dansgaard-Oeschger events) fit the Saltzman scheme ? The astronomical forcing is quasi-periodic, and we recently showed that it may produce somewhat counter-intuitive dynamics associated with the emergence of strange non-chaotic attractors. What are the consequences on the spectrum of climate variability ? What are the effects of centennial climate variability on the slow variability of climate ? These three questions are addressed by reference to recently published material, with the objective of emphasising research questions to be explored in the near future.
The 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology series: Questions 25-30 : Edited by Chinese Journal of Cancer.

PubMed

2017-05-04

To accelerate our endeavors to overcome cancer, Chinese Journal of Cancer has launched a program of publishing 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology. In this article, 6 more questions are presented as followed. Question 25: Does imprinting of immune responses to infections early in life predict future risk of childhood and adult cancers? Question 26: How to induce homogeneous tumor antigen expression in a heterogeneous tumor mass to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy? Question 27: Could we enhance the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy by targeting multiple tumor antigens simultaneously or sequentially? Question 28: Can immuno-targeting to cytokines halt cancer metastasis? Question 29: How can we dynamically and less-invasively monitor the activity of CD8 + T killer cells at tumor sites and draining lymph nodes? Question 30: How can the immune system destroy the niches for cancer initiation?
Oncology house physician model: a response to changes in pediatric resident coverage.

PubMed

Rapson, Alicia; Kersun, Leslie

2014-10-01

Given decreasing resident duty hours, subspecialty hospitalist models have emerged to help compensate for the restructured presence of residents. We sought to examine the impact of our pediatric oncology hospitalist model on the oncology unit staff. The survey was developed after a literature review of subspecialty hospitalist models. The final surveys were designed using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were used to compile baseline demographic characteristics of respondents and overall responses to survey questions. Respondents agreed that house physicians provide better continuity of care (96.8%), are more comfortable with the experience level of the physician (98.4%), and are better able to answer questions (92%). Respondents also agreed that house physicians serve as backup for system-related and patient-related questions and found security knowing an experienced provider was on the floor (87.5%). Responses to open-ended questions indicated that the house physician model has impacted fellow education. Our oncology house physician model helps account for decreased residency duty hours. This can serve as a model for other institutions requiring subspecialty inpatient coverage, given resident work hour restrictions. Adjustments in the clinical education of hematology/oncology fellows need to be considered in the setting of competent, consistent, and experienced front-line providers.
Assessment of single-item literacy questions, age, and education level in the prediction of low health numeracy.

PubMed

Johnson, Tim V; Abbasi, Ammara; Kleris, Renee S; Ehrlich, Samantha S; Barthwaite, Echo; DeLong, Jennifer; Master, Viraj A

2013-08-01

Determining a patient's health literacy is important to optimum patient care. Single-item questions exist for screening written health literacy. We sought to assess the predictive potential of three common screening questions, along with patient age and education level, in the prediction of low health numerical literacy (numeracy). After demographic and educational information was obtained, 441 patients were administered three health literacy screening questions. The three-item Schwartz-Woloshin Numeracy Scale was then administered to assess for low health numeracy (score of 0 out of 3). This score served as the reference standard for Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. ROC curves were constructed and used to determine the area under the curve (AUC); a higher AUC suggests increased statistical significance. None of the three screening questions were significant predictors of low health numeracy. However, education level was a significant predictor of low health numeracy, with an AUC (95% CI) of 0.811 (0.720-0.902). This measure had a specificity of 95.3% at the cutoff of 12 years of education (<12 versus > or = 12 years of education) but was non-sensitive. Common single-item questions used to screen for written health literacy are ineffective screening tools for health numeracy. However, low education level is a specific predictor of low health numeracy.
Answering Wh- Questions About Sentences and Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Murray

1986-01-01

Describes a study designed to identify the mental operations that contribute to people's ability to answer wh- questions, that is, questions which request information that plays a particular role in relation to some action or event. Wh- questions are signaled by interrogative pronouns and adverbs like who, what, when, and where. (SED)
The Power of Questioning: Guiding Student Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGough, Julie V.; Nyberg, Lisa M.

2015-01-01

This pedagogical picture book is a powerful tool in a small package. The authors of "The Power of Questioning" invite you to nurture the potential for learning that grows out of children's irrepressible urges to ask questions. The book's foundation is a three-part instructional model, Powerful Practices, grounded in questioning,…
Mental Imagery Scale: a new measurement tool to assess structural features of mental representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ercole, Martina; Castelli, Paolo; Giannini, Anna Maria; Sbrilli, Antonella

2010-05-01

Mental imagery is a quasi-perceptual experience which resembles perceptual experience, but occurring without (appropriate) external stimuli. It is a form of mental representation and is often considered centrally involved in visuo-spatial reasoning and inventive and creative thought. Although imagery ability is assumed to be functionally independent of verbal systems, it is still considered to interact with verbal representations, enabling objects to be named and names to evoke images. In literature, most measurement tools for evaluating imagery capacity are self-report instruments focusing on differences in individuals. In the present work, we applied a Mental Imagery Scale (MIS) to mental images derived from verbal descriptions in order to assess the structural features of such mental representations. This is a key theme for those disciplines which need to turn objects and representations into words and vice versa, such as art or architectural didactics. To this aim, an MIS questionnaire was administered to 262 participants. The questionnaire, originally consisting of a 33-item 5-step Likert scale, was reduced to 28 items covering six areas: (1) Image Formation Speed, (2) Permanence/Stability, (3) Dimensions, (4) Level of Detail/Grain, (5) Distance and (6) Depth of Field or Perspective. Factor analysis confirmed our six-factor hypothesis underlying the 28 items.
Measuring the Benefits of Examinee-Selected Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Nancy L.; Holland, Paul W.; Thayer, Dorothy T.

2005-01-01

Allowing students to choose the question(s) that they will answer from among several possible alternatives is often viewed as a mechanism for increasing fairness in certain types of assessments. The fairness of optional topic choice is not a universally accepted fact, however, and various studies have been done to assess this question. We examine…
Open-Ended Questions and the Process Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Wendy B.

2013-01-01

Open-ended questions, as discussed in this article, are questions that can be solved or explained in a variety of ways, that focus on conceptual aspects of mathematics, and that have the potential to expose students' understanding and misconceptions. When working with teachers who are using open-ended questions with their students for the…
Questions and Answers About Nuclear Power Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

This pamphlet is designed to answer many of the questions that have arisen about nuclear power plants and the environment. It is organized into a question and answer format, with the questions taken from those most often asked by the public. Topics include regulation of nuclear power sources, potential dangers to people's health, whether nuclear…
Improving medical students' understanding of prehospital care through a fourth year emergency medicine clerkship.

PubMed

Merlin, Mark A; Moon, Jeffery; Krimmel, Jessica; Liu, Junfeng; Marques-Baptista, Andreia

2010-02-01

The objective of this study was to survey medical students for a measurable opinion or knowledge increase in prehospital care after a fourth-year clerkship in emergency medicine (EM). The goal of the mandatory prehospital care aspect of the clerkship was twofold: to diminish the prehospital knowledge gap in medical school by teaching students about prehospital protocols and disaster medicine and to increase student interest. The study setting was within a university-based academic EM department with a prehospital system of 250 prehospital personnel. Data were collected from two similar questionnaires administered pre- and post-rotation to 49 fourth-year medical students. Statistical analyses were applied to collected data to quantify the changes of opinion and knowledge. Questions used a Likert five-point Scale. The data verified the improvement of students' knowledge in multiple areas of assessment. Greater than 35% opinion change (two points on the Likert Scale) was found in areas of prehospital care, 911 dispatch and education differences in prehospital providers (all p<0.0001; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.02, 0.66 to 0.90 and 0.66 to 0.90, respectively). Greater than 35% opinion change was also found in understanding triage (p=0.03; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.58) and general teaching of prehospital care, fellowship opportunities and use of a monitor/defibrillator (p<0.0001, p<0.0001 and p=0.04, respectively). We found medical students developed a significantly improved understanding of prehospital care. Without extraordinary effort, academic emergency departments could easily include a significant experience and education within fourth-year EM clerkships.
Defining a Research Agenda for Patient-Reported Outcomes in Surgery: A Delphi Survey of Stakeholders

PubMed Central

Pezold, Michael L.; Pusic, Andrea L.; Cohen, Wess A.; Hollenberg, James P.; Butt, Zeeshan; Flum, David R.; Temple, Larissa K.

2016-01-01

Background Identifying timely and important research questions using relevant patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in surgery remains paramount in the current medical climate. The inaugural Patient-Reported Outcomes in Surgery Conference brought together stakeholders in PROs research in surgery, with the aim of creating a research agenda to help determine future directions and advance cross-disciplinary collaboration. Study Design An iterative Web-based interface was used to create a modified Delphi survey. Participation was limited to conference registrants, which included surgeons, PROs researchers, payers, and other stakeholders. In the first round, research items were generated from qualitative review of responses to open-ended prompts. In the second round, items were ranked using a 5-point Likert scale; attendees were also asked to submit any new items. In the final round, the top 30 items and newly submitted items were redistributed for final ranking using a 3-point Likert scale. The top 20 items by mean rating were selected for the research agenda. Results In round one, participants submitted 459 items, which were reduced to 53 distinct items within seven themes of PROs research. A research agenda was formulated after two successive rounds of ranking. The research agenda identified three themes important for future PROs research in surgery: (1) PROs in the decision-making process, (2) integrating PROs into the EHR and, (3) measuring quality in surgery with PROs. Conclusions The PROS Conference research agenda was created using a modified Delphi survey of stakeholders that will help researchers, surgeons, and funders identify crucial areas of future PROs research in surgery. PMID:27437666
Factors affecting orthopedic residency selection: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Strelzow, Jason; Petretta, Robert; Broekhuyse, Henry M

2017-06-01

Annually, orthopedic residency programs rank and recruit the best possible candidates. Little evidence exists identifying factors that potential candidates use to select their career paths. Recent literature from nonsurgical programs suggests hospital, social and program-based factors influence program selection. We sought to determine what factors influence the choice of an orthopedic career and a candidate's choice of orthopedic residency program. We surveyed medical student applicants to orthopedic programs and current Canadian orthopedic surgery residents (postgraduate year [PGY] 1-5). The confidential online survey focused on 3 broad categories of program selection: educational, program cohesion and noneducation factors. Questions were graded on a Likert Scale and tailed for mean scores. In total, 139 residents from 11 of 17 Canadian orthopedic programs (49% response rate) and 23 medical student applicants (88% response rate) completed our survey. Orthopedic electives and mandatory rotations were reported by 71% of participants as somewhat or very important to their career choice. Collegiality among residents (4.70 ± 0.6), program being the "right fit" (4.65 ± 0.53) and current resident satisfaction with their chosen program (4.63 ±0.66) were ranked with the highest mean scores on a 5-point Likert scale. There are several modifiable factors that residency programs may use to attract applicants, including early availability of clerkship rotations and a strong mentorship environment emphasizing both resident-resident and resident-staff cohesion. Desirable residency programs should develop early access to surgical and operative skills. These must be balanced with a continued emphasis on top-level orthopedic training.
Writing about an experience of illness in medical students

PubMed Central

Hwang, Kun; Fan, Huan; Hwang, Se Won

2013-01-01

Pathography is defined as “historical biography from a medical, psychological, and psychiatric viewpoint.” We thought that writing about an experience of illness might help students understand patients’ experience and in turn grow in terms of self-understanding. Participants included 151 medical students. Students wrote about their own experience of illness and were asked to answer questions from the Likert scale. Most students wrote about themselves (79.2%); however, some students (20.8%) wrote about the illness of others. Among the 149 pathographies, ecopathography was most frequent (30.9%), followed by testimonial pathography (25.5%); angry pathography (13.4%) and alternative pathography (12.1%) were relatively less frequent. Eighty-eight pathographies (59.1%) showed 120 expressions of family relationship. Among the 120 cases, worrying about family members was most frequent (47.5%), followed by reliance on a family member (32.5%). All students wrote about the enlightenment experienced on returning to daily life. The sense of belonging together was most frequent (38.3%), followed by gratitude for living (20.8%), resolution to be a good doctor (18.1%), and a will to live and be healthy (12.1%). Answers on the Likert scale (total 5) for pathography beneficence were very high in understanding desirable doctor image (4.46), attaining morals and personality as a health care professional (4.49), and understanding basic communication skills (4.46). Writing about an experience of illness allows students to better understand patients’ experience and to grow in self-understanding. PMID:24062621
Students' Preference for Science Careers: International comparisons based on PISA 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kjærnsli, Marit; Lie, Svein

2011-01-01

This article deals with 15-year-old students' tendencies to consider a future science-related career. Two aspects have been the focus of our investigation. The first is based on the construct called 'future science orientation', an affective construct consisting of four Likert scale items that measure students' consideration of being involved in future education and careers in science-related areas. Due to the well-known evidence for Likert scales providing culturally biased estimates, the aim has been to go beyond the comparison of simple country averages. In a series of regression and correlation analyses, we have investigated how well the variance of this construct in each of the participating countries can be accounted for by other Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) student data. The second aspect is based on a question about students' future jobs. By separating science-related jobs into what we have called 'soft' and 'hard' science-related types of jobs, we have calculated and compared country percentages within each category. In particular, gender differences are discussed, and interesting international patterns have been identified. The results in this article have been reported not only for individual countries, but also for groups of countries. These cluster analyses of countries are based on item-by-item patterns of (residual values of) national average values for the combination of cognitive and affective items. The emerging cluster structure of countries has turned out to contribute to the literature of similarities and differences between countries and the factors behind the country clustering both in science education and more generally.
Setting priorities for comparative effectiveness research on management of primary angle closure: a survey of Asia-Pacific clinicians.

PubMed

Yu, Tsung; Li, Tianjing; Lee, Kinbo J; Friedman, David S; Dickersin, Kay; Puhan, Milo A

2015-01-01

To set priorities for new systematic reviews (SRs) and randomized clinical trials on the management of primary angle closure (PAC) using clinical practice guidelines and a survey of Asia-Pacific clinicians. We restated the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Preferred Practice Patterns recommendations for management of PAC into answerable clinical questions. We asked participants at the Asia-Pacific Joint Glaucoma Congress 2010 in Taipei to rate the importance of having an answer to each question for providing effective patient care, using a Likert-type scale and scoring from 0 (not important at all) to 10 (highly important). We identified relevant SRs and mapped the evidence to clinical questions to identify evidence gaps. We generated 42 clinical questions. One hundred seventy-five individuals agreed to participate in the survey, 132 responded (75.4% response rate) and 96 completed the questionnaire (54.9% usable response rate). Questions rated important include laser iridotomy for the prevention of angle closure in primary angle-closure suspects, further therapies in eyes with plateau iris syndrome after laser iridotomy, and evaluation of the fellow eye in acute angle-closure patients for improving prognosis. Up-to-date and conclusive SR evidence was not available for any of the 42 clinical questions. We identified high priority clinical questions on the management of PAC, none of which had reliable SR evidence available. New SRs and randomized clinical trials can be initiated to address these evidence gaps.
Mathematics, Questions, and "Schools Without Failure"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perl, Teri

1974-01-01

Most questions in the mathematics classroom deal with memorization and learning, and have one correct answer. Suggestions for using three other types of questions identified by Glasser (SCHOOLS WITHOUT FAILURE) are provided. Activities discussed include tangrams, attribute blocks, pattern recognition, and games. (SD)
Development of a Scale to Assess Knowledge about Suicide Postvention Using Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nader, Ingo W.; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas; Schild, Anne H. E.; Koller, Ingrid; Tran, Ulrich S.; Kapusta, Nestor D.; Sonneck, Gernot; Voracek, Martin

2013-01-01

Knowledge about suicide postvention (KSPV) is an important distal outcome in the evaluation of suicide prevention programs that focus on the bereaved. However, most scales are specifically tailored to the evaluation study in question and psychometric properties are often unsatisfactory. Therefore, we developed the KSPV scale. Scale properties were…
30 CFR 250.1200 - Question index table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Question index table. 250.1200 Section 250.1200... Security § 250.1200 Question index table. The table in this section lists questions concerning Oil and Gas... requirements for a periodic well test used for allocation? § 250.1204(b) 21. What are the requirements for site...
Posing the research question: not so simple.

PubMed

Thabane, Lehana; Thomas, Tara; Ye, Chenglin; Paul, James

2009-01-01

The success of any research process relies, in part, on how well investigators are able to translate a clinical problem into a research question-a task that is not so simple for novice investigators. The PICOT approach requires that the framing of the research question specify the target Population, the Intervention of interest, the Comparator intervention, key Outcomes, and the Time frame over which the outcomes are assessed. This paper describes the use of the PICOT structure in framing research questions and examines PICOT criteria as applied to the anesthesia literature. We also provide a roadmap for applying the PICOT format in identifying and framing clear research questions. In addition to searching MEDLINE for the literature on framing research questions, we performed a systematic review of articles published in four key anesthesia journals in 2006, including Anesthesiology, Anesthesia & Analgesia, the British Journal of Anaesthesia, and the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia. Three hundred thirteen articles (n = 313) were included in this review, with the following distribution by study design: 139 (44%) randomized controlled trials, 129 (41%) cohort studies, and 45 (15%) case-controlled, cross-sectional studies or systematic reviews. Overall, 96% (95% confidence interval: 91,100) of articles did not apply the PICOT approach in reporting the research question. The PICOT approach may be helpful in defining and clearly stating the research question. It remains to be determined whether or not compliance with the PICOT style, or any other format for framing research questions, is associated with a higher quality of research reporting.

A Dynamical System Approach Explaining the Process of Development by Introducing Different Time-scales.

PubMed

Hashemi Kamangar, Somayeh Sadat; Moradimanesh, Zahra; Mokhtari, Setareh; Bakouie, Fatemeh

2018-06-11

A developmental process can be described as changes through time within a complex dynamic system. The self-organized changes and emergent behaviour during development can be described and modeled as a dynamical system. We propose a dynamical system approach to answer the main question in human cognitive development i.e. the changes during development happens continuously or in discontinuous stages. Within this approach there is a concept; the size of time scales, which can be used to address the aforementioned question. We introduce a framework, by considering the concept of time-scale, in which "fast" and "slow" is defined by the size of time-scales. According to our suggested model, the overall pattern of development can be seen as one continuous function, with different time-scales in different time intervals.
Questioning Mechanisms During Complex Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-11

1989; Kass & Finin, 1988). It is the "given" information from the perspective of the given-new contract in discourse processing theories (Clark 6...versus 43%. Graesser 15 Another way of cutting the pie is to segregate deep questions (i.e., why, why not, how, what-if) from shallow questions...regulate their own learning. As discussed earlier, however, it is widely acknowledged that students need some guidance in this process if deep knowledge
Client perspective assessment of women's satisfaction towards labour and delivery care service in public health facilities at Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, south Ethiopia.

PubMed

Dewana, Zeritu; Fikadu, Teshale; G/Mariam, Abebe; Abdulahi, Misra

2016-02-11

A woman's satisfaction with labour and delivery care service has a good effect on her health and subsequent utilization of the services. Thus knowledge about women's satisfaction on labour and delivery care used to enhances the services utilization. The objective of this study was to assess the satisfaction of women's towards labour and delivery care service and identify factors associated it at public health facilities in Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, southern Ethiopia. Facility based cross sectional study was conducted among women who gave birth at public health facility. A total 256 women who gave birth during the study period were included in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Satisfaction level was measured using a 5 point-Likert scale questions. Data were entered using Epi data version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. Factor analysis was employed for Likert scale questions to extract factor represented each of the scale which facilitate treatment of variable as continuous for further analysis. Bi-variate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify association between women's satisfaction and predicator variables. Statistical significance was declared at P value <0.05 on final model. The strength of association was interpreted using the adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI. This study revealed that 90.2% of women who gave birth in public health facilities were satisfied with labour and delivery care. Factors associated with women's satisfaction with labour and delivery care services include: not attending formal education [AOR = 8.00, 95% CI = (1.52, 12.27)] attending antenatal care four times and more [AOR = 5.00, 95% CI = (1.76, 14.20)] waiting below 15 minutes to be seen by health professional [AOR = 3.37, 95% CI = (1.14, 9.97)] and not paying for drugs and supplies [AOR = 6.19, 95% CI = (1.34, 18.59)]. Although majority
Validation of Scale of Commitment to Democratic Values among Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul

2015-01-01

This study reports development of a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the commitment to democratic values among secondary school students in Kerala from 57 likert type statements originally developed in 2007 by Gafoor and Thushara to assess commitment to nine values avowed in the Indian Constitution. Nine separate maximum likelihood…
Regional scale hydrology with a new land surface processes model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laymon, Charles; Crosson, William

1995-01-01

Through the CaPE Hydrometeorology Project, we have developed an understanding of some of the unique data quality issues involved in assimilating data of disparate types for regional-scale hydrologic modeling within a GIS framework. Among others, the issues addressed here include the development of adequate validation of the surface water budget, implementation of the STATSGO soil data set, and implementation of a remote sensing-derived landcover data set to account for surface heterogeneity. A model of land surface processes has been developed and used in studies of the sensitivity of surface fluxes and runoff to soil and landcover characterization. Results of these experiments have raised many questions about how to treat the scale-dependence of land surface-atmosphere interactions on spatial and temporal variability. In light of these questions, additional modifications are being considered for the Marshall Land Surface Processes Model. It is anticipated that these techniques can be tested and applied in conjunction with GCIP activities over regional scales.
Frequently Asked Questions

Science.gov Websites

PEER logo Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center home about peer news events research Site Map Search Frequently Asked Questions What is the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center ? The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) is a multidisciplinary research and
A spiritual sleepiness scale: the Friday prayer.

PubMed

Abouda, Maher; Turki, Senda; Hachicha, Amani; Yangui, Ferdaous; Triki, Miriam; Charfi, Med Ridha

2016-03-01

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) affects 5% to 20% of the population and is involved in a large number of traffic accidents. EDS is a major symptom in sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA). The daytime sleepiness is evaluated subjectively using scales and questionnaires based on perception. This study is aimed to build a new questionnaire more suited to our lifestyle and then to compare it to the Epworth sleepiness scales (ESS). We administered to 91 adult's patients (76 men and 15 women) consulting for sleep disturbance the ESS and a single subjective question tendency to drowsiness during the Friday prayer. Patients were listed in four groups according to their response to the question «During the past month, have you ever doze or fall asleep during the sermon of the Friday prayer? » By G1 never dozes, G2 low chance of falling asleep, G3 average chance of dozing, G4 high chance of falling asleep. Only 63 patients (58 men and 5 women) responded to both questionnaires. Group 1 included 14 patients with a ESS of 5.5 +/- 1.8, Group 2 included 18 patients with a ESS of 7.3 +/- 1.9, Group 3 included 18 patients with a ESS of 11.05 +/- 2 and Group 4 included 13 patients with a ESS of 14.69 +/- 2.3. The Rho correlation coefficient was high (0.86) and shows a strong correlation between the Results of the two questionnaires. the answer to the question " During the past month, have you ever doze or fall asleep during the sermon of the Friday prayer? » seems to be an appropriate Sleepiness Scale among Muslim patients.
Improvements in Signs and Symptoms During Hospitalization for Acute Heart Failure Follow Different Patterns and Depend on the Measurement Scales Used: An International, Prospective Registry to Evaluate the Evolution of Measures of Disease Severity in Acute Heart Failure (MEASURE-AHF)

PubMed Central

ALLEN, LARRY A.; METRA, MARCO; MILO-COTTER, OLGA; FILIPPATOS, GERASIMOS; REISIN, LEONARDO H.; BENSIMHON, DANIEL R.; GRONDA, EDOARDO G.; COLOMBO, PAOLO; FELKER, G. MICHAEL; DEI CAS, LIVIO; KREMASTINOS, DIMITRIOS T.; O'CONNOR, CHRISTOPHER M.; COTTER, GADI; DAVISON, BETH A.; DITTRICH, HOWARD C.; VELAZQUEZ, ERIC J.

2014-01-01

Background The natural evolution of signs and symptoms during acute heart failure (AHF) is poorly characterized. Methods and Results We followed a prospective international cohort of 182 patients hospitalized with AHF. Patient-reported dyspnea and general well-being (GWB) were measured daily using 7-tier Likert (–3 to +3) and visual analog scales (VAS, 0–100). Physician assessments were also recorded daily. Mean age was 69 years and 68% had ejection fraction <40%. Likert measures of dyspnea initially improved rapidly (day 1, 0.22; day 2, 1.31; P <.001) with no significant improvement thereafter (day 7, 1.51; day 2 versus 7 P = .16). In contrast, VAS measure of dyspnea improved throughout hospitalization (day 1, 50.1; day 2, 64.7; day 7, 83.2; day 1 versus 2 P < .001, day 2 versus 7 P < .001). Symptoms of dyspnea and GWB tracked closely (correlation r = .813, P < .001). Physical signs resolved more completely than did symptoms (eg, from day 1 to discharge/day 7, absence of edema increased from 33% to 72% of patients, whereas significant improvements in dyspnea increased from 27% to 52% of patients; P < .001). Conclusions Changes in patient-reported symptoms and physician-assessed signs followed different patterns during an AHF episode and are influenced by the measurement scales used. Multiple clinical measures should be considered in discharge decisions and evaluation of AHF therapies. PMID:18995183
'Any questions?'--Clinicians' usage of invitations to ask questions (IAQs) in outpatient plastic surgery consultations.

PubMed

Bristowe, Katherine; Patrick, Peter L

2014-12-01

To explore use of 'Invitations to Ask Questions' (IAQs) by plastic surgeons in outpatient consultations, and consider how type of IAQ impacts on patients' responses to, and recollection of, IAQs. Descriptive study: 63 patients were audio recorded in consultation with 5 plastic surgeons, and completed a brief questionnaire immediately after the consultation. Consultation transcripts were analyzed using inductive qualitative methods of Discourse Analysis and compared with questionnaire findings. A taxonomy of IAQs was developed, including three types of IAQ (Overt, Covert, and Borderline). Overt IAQs were rarely identified, and almost all IAQs occurred in the closing stages of the consultation. However, when an overt IAQ was used, patients always recollected being asked if they had any questions after the consultation. Patients are rarely explicitly offered the opportunity to ask questions. When this does occur, it is often in the closing stages of the consultation. Clinicians should openly encourage patients to ask questions frequently throughout the consultation, and be mindful that subtle differences in construction of these utterances may impact upon interpretation. Clear communication, of message and intention, is essential in clinical encounters to minimize misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or missed opportunities for patients to raise concerns. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Initial study of neutral post-instruction responses on the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltzman, J.; Price, M. F.; Rogers, M. B.

2016-06-01

Epistemological studies generally focus on how students think about their construction of knowledge compared to how experts think about the same ideas. Instruments such as the MPEX and CLASS use a Likert scale to gauge whether students agree or disagree with how experts think about the same ideas. During analysis, five point scale responses are typically reduced to favorable, neutral, and unfavorable with neutral being treated as a nonresponse. What if students are actively selecting neutral and not treating it as a "does not apply?" To address this question we chose to analyze the postinstruction neutral responses of students in our Physics I course using data from multiple years, multiple sections, and multiple instructors. We found that classroom average postinstruction neutral responses were consistently within a band of 15%-25% and that this was also consistent with other published results. It is not yet clear what this pattern means. Is this a measure of students receiving mixed messages from instructors or a measure of a transitional stage that students go through when learning how to be a good college physics student? These initial findings are interesting enough that we are presenting them here with a more detailed question-by-question analysis to be published in the near future. For example, high levels of neutral responses to applied questions (e.g., "All I need to do is. …") may indicate that students are receiving mixed messages from instructors. On the other hand, high levels of neutral responses to conceptual questions (e.g., "Knowledge in physics…") may indicate that students are in a transitional stage between novice and expert.
The Role of Questions in the Science Classroom--How Girls and Boys Respond to Teachers' Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eliasson, Nina; Karlsson, Karl Göran; Sørensen, Helene

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore (a) to what extent male and female science teachers pose different types of questions and (b) if the type of science question posed influences the extent to which boys or girls respond to them. Transcripts of the teacher-student interaction in a whole-class situation were analysed, with attention paid to…
The 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology series: questions 15-24 : Edited by Chinese Journal of Cancer.

PubMed

2017-04-05

To accelerate our endeavors to overcome cancer, Chinese Journal of Cancer has launched a program of publishing 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology. In this article, 10 more questions are presented as follows. Question 15: Can tumor-induced erythrogenesis provide qualified red blood cells for carrying oxygen to distant organs? Question 16: Can we overcome tumor resistance to platinum-containing antineoplastic drugs by activating the sensitivity factors in the tumor? Question 17: How can a cancer cell stay dormant for years? Question 18: Why do cancer cells use distinct transcriptomic and proteomic programs to reach the same metastatic phenotype? Question 19: Why do some cancers regress spontaneously? Question 20: What are the regulatory mechanisms occurring in donor cells that determine selective sorting of biological content into vesicles and their biological consequences in recipient cells? Are the genetic transfer and exchange of biological messages between cells transient? Is the phenotypic manipulation of recipient cells temporary or prolonged and persistent? If extracellular vesicles possess immune-modulatory potential, how could they be exploited for immune interventions and cancer immunotherapy? Presumably the cargo of extracellular vesicles reflects the cells of their origin and can be used for cancer diagnosis, how could the uniform/stringent capture criteria be met universally for applying EVs in point-of-care diagnostics for cancer patients? Question 21: Can we use self-sampling technologies to monitor the tumor genetic alterations for more precise targeted therapy? Can we cure a heterogeneous tumor by sequentially targeting the driver molecules? Question 22: Can we postpone the onset of non-infection-related cancers? Question 23: How many types of cells can jointly form the tumor vasculature to provide blood supply for tumor progression? Question 24: How tumor cells transmit their epigenetic features to daughter cells
Key Questions Related To Building Collaborative and Inclusive Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idol, Lorna

1997-01-01

Provides 15 key questions that educators should consider in developing collaborative and inclusive schools. The questions are organized into three categories: general and philosophical questions pertaining to inclusion, questions about the basic mechanics of developing inclusion programs, and questions about the practical implementation of…
Privacy Questions from Practicing School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergren, Martha Dewey

2004-01-01

This Question and Answer (Q&A) article addresses practice issues related to school health records and school nursing documentation that were posed by school nurses in the field. Specifically, the questions addressed concern the following: education records, medication privacy issues, sharing of sensitive health information, privacy of…
Is rock slope instability in high-mountain systems driven by topo-climatic, paraglacial or rock mechanical factors? - A question of scale!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messenzehl, Karoline; Dikau, Richard

2016-04-01

Due to the emergent and (often non-linear) complex nature of mountain systems the key small-scale system properties responsible for rock slope instability contrast to those being dominant at larger spatial scales. This geomorphic system behaviour has major epistemological consequences for the study of rockfalls and associated form-process-relationships. As each scale requires its own scientific explanation, we cannot simply upscale bedrock-scale findings and, in turn, we cannot downscale the valley-scale knowledge to smaller phenomena. Here, we present a multi-scale study from the Turtmann Valley (Swiss Alps), that addresses rock slope properties at three different geomorphic levels: (i) regional valley scale, (ii) the hillslope scale and (iii) the bedrock scale. Using this hierarchical approach, we aim to understand the key properties of high-mountain systems responsible for rockfall initiation with respect to the resulting form-process-relationship at each scale. (i) At the valley scale (110 km2) rock slope instability was evaluated using a GIS-based modelling approach. Topo-climatic parameters, i.e. the permafrost distribution and the time since deglaciation after LGM were found to be the key variables causative for the regional-scale bedrock erosion and the storage of 62.3 - 65.3 x 106 m3 rockfall sediments in the hanging valleys (Messenzehl et al. 2015). (ii) At the hillslope scale (0.03 km2) geotechnical scanline surveys of 16 rock slopes and one-year rock temperature data of 25 ibuttons reveal that the local rockfall activity and the resulting deposition of individual talus slope landforms is mainly controlled by the specific rock mass strength with respect to the slope aspect, than being a paraglacial reaction. Permafrost might be only of secondary importance for the present-day rock mechanical state as geophysical surveys disprove the existence of frozen bedrock below 2600 m asl. (Messenzehl & Draebing 2015). (iii) At the bedrock scale (0.01 mm - 10 m) the
Returns to Scale in the Production of Hospital Services

PubMed Central

Berry, Ralph E.

1967-01-01

The primary purpose of this article is to investigate whether or not economies of scale exist in the production of hospital services. In previous studies the results have implied the existence of economies of scale, but the question has not been satisfactorily resolved. The factor most responsible for clouding the issue is the overwhelming prevalence of product differences in the outputs of hospitals. In this study a method which avoids the problem of product differentiation is developed. The analysis strongly supports the conclusion that hospital services are produced subject to economies of scale. PMID:6054380
Variables That Influence the Environmental Behavior of Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Anat; Orion, Nir; Leshem, Yossi

2018-01-01

This study focuses on understanding the factors that encourage adults' environmental behavior. This mixed approach methodology study used 10 Likert type questionnaires to collect data about nine cognitive and affective components that might influence environmental behavior. The qualitative data was collected through open questions and interviews.…
Social Shyness among Mothers of Children with Disabilities Based on Some Variables in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allala, Saeb; Alzubairi, Sharefa

2016-01-01

The current study is an attempt to identify social shyness among mothers of children with disabilities based on (Disability type, mother's academic qualification, and family's economic level) in Riyadh. Thus, Social Shyness Scale was prepared of (28) paragraphs according to five-point Likert Scale. The reliability coefficient of the scale rated…
A relativistic signature in large-scale structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartolo, Nicola; Bertacca, Daniele; Bruni, Marco; Koyama, Kazuya; Maartens, Roy; Matarrese, Sabino; Sasaki, Misao; Verde, Licia; Wands, David

2016-09-01

In General Relativity, the constraint equation relating metric and density perturbations is inherently nonlinear, leading to an effective non-Gaussianity in the dark matter density field on large scales-even if the primordial metric perturbation is Gaussian. Intrinsic non-Gaussianity in the large-scale dark matter overdensity in GR is real and physical. However, the variance smoothed on a local physical scale is not correlated with the large-scale curvature perturbation, so that there is no relativistic signature in the galaxy bias when using the simplest model of bias. It is an open question whether the observable mass proxies such as luminosity or weak lensing correspond directly to the physical mass in the simple halo bias model. If not, there may be observables that encode this relativistic signature.
Academic Oversight: Asking Questions, Building Bridges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, E. B.

2011-01-01

The best way for trustees to fully understand and fulfill their responsibility to ensure that their institution is providing quality education and meeting academic goals is by asking appropriate questions. Collaboration among trustees, faculty members, and administrators is essential to framing questions from a strategic perspective. Just the act…

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