Reliability of the Nursing Home Survey Process: A Simultaneous Survey Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Robert H.; Gajewski, Byron J.; Thompson, Sarah

2006-01-01

Purpose: We designed this study to examine the reliability of the nursing home survey process in the state of Kansas using regular and simultaneous survey teams. In particular, the study examined how two survey teams exposed to the same information at the same time differed in their interpretations. Design and Methods: The protocol for…

Using simulation to improve wildlife surveys: Wintering mallards in Mississippi, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearse, A.T.; Reinecke, K.J.; Dinsmore, S.J.; Kaminski, R.M.

2009-01-01

Wildlife conservation plans generally require reliable data about population abundance and density. Aerial surveys often can provide these data; however, associated costs necessitate designing and conducting surveys efficiently. We developed methods to simulate population distributions of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) wintering in western Mississippi, USA, by combining bird observations from three previous strip-transect surveys and habitat data from three sets of satellite images representing conditions when surveys were conducted. For each simulated population distribution, we compared 12 primary survey designs and two secondary design options by using coefficients of variation (CV) of population indices as the primary criterion for assessing survey performance. In all, 3 of the 12 primary designs provided the best precision (CV???11.7%) and performed equally well (WR08082E1d.gif diff???0.6%). Features of the designs that provided the largest gains in precision were optimal allocation of sample effort among strata and configuring the study area into five rather than four strata, to more precisely estimate mallard indices in areas of consistently high density. Of the two secondary design options, we found including a second observer to double the size of strip transects increased precision or decreased costs, whereas ratio estimation using auxiliary habitat data from satellite images did not increase precision appreciably. We recommend future surveys of mallard populations in our study area use the strata we developed, optimally allocate samples among strata, employ PPS or EPS sampling, and include two observers when qualified staff are available. More generally, the methods we developed to simulate population distributions from prior survey data provide a cost-effective method to assess performance of alternative wildlife surveys critical to informing management decisions, and could be extended to account for effects of detectability on estimates of true abundance. ?? 2009 CSIRO.

Choosing a Cluster Sampling Design for Lot Quality Assurance Sampling Surveys

PubMed Central

Hund, Lauren; Bedrick, Edward J.; Pagano, Marcello

2015-01-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys are commonly used for monitoring and evaluation in resource-limited settings. Recently several methods have been proposed to combine LQAS with cluster sampling for more timely and cost-effective data collection. For some of these methods, the standard binomial model can be used for constructing decision rules as the clustering can be ignored. For other designs, considered here, clustering is accommodated in the design phase. In this paper, we compare these latter cluster LQAS methodologies and provide recommendations for choosing a cluster LQAS design. We compare technical differences in the three methods and determine situations in which the choice of method results in a substantively different design. We consider two different aspects of the methods: the distributional assumptions and the clustering parameterization. Further, we provide software tools for implementing each method and clarify misconceptions about these designs in the literature. We illustrate the differences in these methods using vaccination and nutrition cluster LQAS surveys as example designs. The cluster methods are not sensitive to the distributional assumptions but can result in substantially different designs (sample sizes) depending on the clustering parameterization. However, none of the clustering parameterizations used in the existing methods appears to be consistent with the observed data, and, consequently, choice between the cluster LQAS methods is not straightforward. Further research should attempt to characterize clustering patterns in specific applications and provide suggestions for best-practice cluster LQAS designs on a setting-specific basis. PMID:26125967

Choosing a Cluster Sampling Design for Lot Quality Assurance Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Hund, Lauren; Bedrick, Edward J; Pagano, Marcello

2015-01-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys are commonly used for monitoring and evaluation in resource-limited settings. Recently several methods have been proposed to combine LQAS with cluster sampling for more timely and cost-effective data collection. For some of these methods, the standard binomial model can be used for constructing decision rules as the clustering can be ignored. For other designs, considered here, clustering is accommodated in the design phase. In this paper, we compare these latter cluster LQAS methodologies and provide recommendations for choosing a cluster LQAS design. We compare technical differences in the three methods and determine situations in which the choice of method results in a substantively different design. We consider two different aspects of the methods: the distributional assumptions and the clustering parameterization. Further, we provide software tools for implementing each method and clarify misconceptions about these designs in the literature. We illustrate the differences in these methods using vaccination and nutrition cluster LQAS surveys as example designs. The cluster methods are not sensitive to the distributional assumptions but can result in substantially different designs (sample sizes) depending on the clustering parameterization. However, none of the clustering parameterizations used in the existing methods appears to be consistent with the observed data, and, consequently, choice between the cluster LQAS methods is not straightforward. Further research should attempt to characterize clustering patterns in specific applications and provide suggestions for best-practice cluster LQAS designs on a setting-specific basis.

Design and Validation of the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKagan, S. B.; Perkins, K. K.; Wieman, C. E.

2010-01-01

The Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey (QMCS) is a 12-question survey of students' conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. It is intended to be used to measure the relative effectiveness of different instructional methods in modern physics courses. In this paper, we describe the design and validation of the survey, a process that included…

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 430 - Methods 1650 and 1653

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... coulometric titration. The method is designed to meet the survey and monitoring requirements of the... designed to meet the survey and monitoring requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1... different quantitative purposes. The 3,4,5-trichlorophenol sample matrix internal standard (SMIS) is used...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 430 - Methods 1650 and 1653

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... coulometric titration. The method is designed to meet the survey and monitoring requirements of the... designed to meet the survey and monitoring requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1... different quantitative purposes. The 3,4,5-trichlorophenol sample matrix internal standard (SMIS) is used...

77 FR 42189 - Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States; National Saltwater Angler Registry and State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-18

... improvements to the design and management of survey and estimation methods used to produce marine recreational... to these effort surveys provides for continued pilot testing of effort sampling designs that use both... NMFS determine what specific sampling design to use in MRIP effort surveys on the Atlantic and Gulf...

Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method, 4th Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillman, Don A.; Smyth, Jolene D.; Christian, Lean Melani

2014-01-01

For over two decades, Dillman's classic text on survey design has aided both students and professionals in effectively planning and conducting mail, telephone, and, more recently, Internet surveys. The new edition is thoroughly updated and revised, and covers all aspects of survey research. It features expanded coverage of mobile phones, tablets,…

Sensitivity of measuring the progress in financial risk protection to survey design and its socioeconomic and demographic determinants: A case study in Rwanda.

PubMed

Lu, Chunling; Liu, Kai; Li, Lingling; Yang, Yuhong

2017-04-01

Reliable and comparable information on households with catastrophic health expenditure (HCHE) is crucial for monitoring and evaluating our progress towards achieving universal financial risk protection. This study aims to investigate the sensitivity of measuring the progress in financial risk protection to survey design and its socioeconomic and demographic determinants. Using the Rwanda Integrated Living Conditions Survey in 2005 and 2010/2011, we derived the level and trend of the percentage of the HCHE using out-of-pocket health spending data derived from (1) a health module with a two-week recall period and six (2005)/seven (2010/2011) survey questions (Method 1) and (2) a consumption module with a four-week/ten-/12-month recall period and 11(2005)/24 (2010/2011) questions (Method 2). Using multilevel logistic regression analysis, we investigated the household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics that affected the sensitivity of estimating the HCHE to survey design. We found that Method 1 generated a significantly higher HCHE estimate (9.2%, 95% confidence interval 8.4%-10.0%) than Method2 (7.4%, 6.6%-8.1%) in 2005 and lower estimate (5.6%, 5.2%-6.1%) than Method 2 (8.2%, 7.6%-8.7%) in 2010/2011. The estimated trends of the HCHE using the two methods were not consistent between the two years. A household's size, its income quintile, having no under-five children, and educational level of its head were positively associated with the consistency of its HCHE status when using the two survey methods. Estimates of the progress in financial risk protection, especially among the most vulnerable households, are sensitive to survey design. These results are robust to various thresholds of catastrophic health spending. Future work must focus on mitigating survey effects through the development of statistical tools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of measuring the progress in financial risk protection to survey design and its socioeconomic and demographic determinants: A case study in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Lu, Chunling; Liu, Kai; Li, Lingling; Yang, Yuhong

2017-01-01

Reliable and comparable information on households with catastrophic health expenditure (HCHE) is crucial for monitoring and evaluating our progress towards achieving universal financial risk protection. This study aims to investigate the sensitivity of measuring the progress in financial risk protection to survey design and its socioeconomic and demographic determinants. Using the Rwanda Integrated Living Conditions Survey in 2005 and 2010/2011, we derived the level and trend of the percentage of the HCHE using out-of-pocket health spending data derived from (1) a health module with a two-week recall period and six (2005)/seven (2010/2011) survey questions (Method 1) and (2) a consumption module with a four-week/ten-/12-month recall period and 11(2005)/24 (2010/2011) questions (Method 2). Using multilevel logistic regression analysis, we investigated the household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics that affected the sensitivity of estimating the HCHE to survey design. We found that Method 1 generated a significantly higher HCHE estimate (9.2%, 95% confidence interval 8.4%–10.0%) than Method2 (7.4%, 6.6%–8.1%) in 2005 and lower estimate (5.6%, 5.2%–6.1%) than Method 2 (8.2%, 7.6% –8.7%) in 2010/2011. The estimated trends of the HCHE using the two methods were not consistent between the two years. A household's size, its income quintile, having no under-five children, and educational level of its head were positively associated with the consistency of its HCHE status when using the two survey methods. Estimates of the progress in financial risk protection, especially among the most vulnerable households, are sensitive to survey design. These results are robust to various thresholds of catastrophic health spending. Future work must focus on mitigating survey effects through the development of statistical tools. PMID:28189819

Optimum structural design with plate bending elements - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haftka, R. T.; Prasad, B.

1981-01-01

A survey is presented of recently published papers in the field of optimum structural design of plates, largely with respect to the minimum-weight design of plates subject to such constraints as fundamental frequency maximization. It is shown that, due to the availability of powerful computers, the trend in optimum plate design is away from methods tailored to specific geometry and loads and toward methods that can be easily programmed for any kind of plate, such as finite element methods. A corresponding shift is seen in optimization from variational techniques to numerical optimization algorithms. Among the topics covered are fully stressed design and optimality criteria, mathematical programming, smooth and ribbed designs, design against plastic collapse, buckling constraints, and vibration constraints.

Software Design Methods for Real-Time Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

This module describes the concepts and methods used in the software design of real time systems . It outlines the characteristics of real time systems , describes...the role of software design in real time system development, surveys and compares some software design methods for real - time systems , and

Canadian Health Measures Survey pre-test: design, methods, results.

PubMed

Tremblay, Mark; Langlois, Renée; Bryan, Shirley; Esliger, Dale; Patterson, Julienne

2007-01-01

The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) pre-test was conducted to provide information about the challenges and costs associated with administering a physical health measures survey in Canada. To achieve the specific objectives of the pre-test, protocols were developed and tested, and methods for household interviewing and clinic testing were designed and revised. The cost, logistics and suitability of using fixed sites for the CHMS were assessed. Although data collection, transfer and storage procedures are complex, the pre-test experience confirmed Statistics Canada's ability to conduct a direct health measures survey and the willingness of Canadians to participate in such a health survey. Many operational and logistical procedures worked well and, with minor modifications, are being employed in the main survey. Fixed sites were problematic, and survey costs were higher than expected.

The Effect of Cluster Sampling Design in Survey Research on the Standard Error Statistic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lin; Fan, Xitao

Standard statistical methods are used to analyze data that is assumed to be collected using a simple random sampling scheme. These methods, however, tend to underestimate variance when the data is collected with a cluster design, which is often found in educational survey research. The purposes of this paper are to demonstrate how a cluster design…

Survey Research: Methods, Issues and the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Ernest W.; Torrisi-Steele, Geraldine; Wang, Victor C. X.

2015-01-01

Survey research is prevalent among many professional fields. Both cost effective and time efficient, this method of research is commonly used for the purposes of gaining insight into the attitudes, thoughts, and opinions of populations. Additionally, because there are several types of survey research designs and data collection instruments, the…

"Do I really want to do this?" Longitudinal cohort study participants' perspectives on postal survey design: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Randomised controlled trials have investigated aspects of postal survey design yet cannot elaborate on reasons behind participants' decision making and survey behaviour. This paper reports participants' perspectives of the design of, and participation in, a longitudinal postal cohort survey. It describes strengths and weaknesses in study design from the perspectives of study participants and aims to contribute to the: 1) design of future cohort surveys and questionnaires generally and, 2) design of cohort surveys for people with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) specifically. Methods In-depth interviews explored the design of postal surveys previously completed by participants. Interviews used open ended questioning with a topic guide for prompts if areas of interest were not covered spontaneously. Thematic data analysis was undertaken based on the framework method. A second researcher verified all coding. Results Data from fourteen interviews were analysed within three main themes; participation, survey design and survey content. One of the main findings was the importance of clear communication aimed at the correct audience both when inviting potential participants to take part and within the survey itself. Providing enough information about the study, having a topic of interest and an explanation of likely benefits of the study were important when inviting people to participate. The neutrality of the survey and origination from a reputable source were both important; as was an explanation about why information was being collected within the survey itself. Study findings included participants' impressions when invited to take part, why they participated, the acceptability of follow-up of non-responders and why participants completed the follow-up postal survey. Also discussed were participants' first impression of the survey, its length, presentation and participants' views about specific questions within the survey. Conclusions Ideas generated in this study provide an insight into participants' decision making and survey behaviour and may enhance the acceptability of future surveys to potential participants. As well as clear communication, participants valued incentives and survey questions that were relevant to them. However, opinions varied as to the preferred format for responses with some advising more opportunity for open-ended feedback. We also found that some standard format questions can raise quandaries for individual participants. PMID:21269515

A critical look at national monitoring programs for birds and other wildlife species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, J.R.; O'Shea, T.J.; Bogon, M.A.

2003-01-01

Concerns?about declines in numerous taxa have created agreat deal of interest in survey development. Because birds have traditionally been monitored by a variety of methods, bird surveys form natural models for development of surveys for other taxa. Here I suggest that most bird surveys are not appropriate models for survey design. Most lack important design components associated with estimation of population parameters at sample sites or with sampling over space, leading to estimates that may be biased, I discuss the limitations of national bird monitoring programs designed to monitor population size. Although these surveys are often analyzed, careful consideration must be given to factors that may bias estimates but that cannot be evaluated within the survey. Bird surveys with appropriate designs have generally been developed as part of management programs that have specific information needs. Experiences gained from bird surveys provide important information for development of surveys for other taxa, and statistical developments in estimation of population sizes from counts provide new approaches to overcoming the limitations evident in many bird surveys. Design of surveys is a collaborative effort, requiring input from biologists, statisticians, and the managers who will use the information from the surveys.

Program design features that can improve participation in health education interventions

PubMed Central

Gucciardi, Enza; Cameron, Jill I; Liao, Chen Di; Palmer, Alison; Stewart, Donna E

2007-01-01

Background Although there have been reported benefits of health education interventions across various health issues, the key to program effectiveness is participation and retention. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to participate in health interventions upon invitation. In fact, health education interventions are vulnerable to low participation rates. The objective of this study was to identify design features that may increase participation in health education interventions and evaluation surveys, and to maximize recruitment and retention efforts in a general ambulatory population. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 175 individuals in waiting rooms of two hospitals diagnostic centres in Toronto, Canada. Subjects were asked about their willingness to participate, in principle, and the extent of their participation (frequency and duration) in health education interventions under various settings and in intervention evaluation surveys using various survey methods. Results The majority of respondents preferred to participate in one 30–60 minutes education intervention session a year, in hospital either with a group or one-on-one with an educator. Also, the majority of respondents preferred to spend 20–30 minutes each time, completing one to two evaluation surveys per year in hospital or by mail. Conclusion When designing interventions and their evaluation surveys, it is important to consider the preferences for setting, length of participation and survey method of your target population, in order to maximize recruitment and retention efforts. Study respondents preferred short and convenient health education interventions and surveys. Therefore, brevity, convenience and choice appear to be important when designing education interventions and evaluation surveys from the perspective of our target population. PMID:17996089

Web-based Survey Data Collection With Peer Support and Advocacy Organizations: Implications of Participatory Methods.

PubMed

Ostrow, Laysha; Penney, Darby; Stuart, Elizabeth; Leaf, Phillip J

2017-01-01

The 2012 National Survey of Peer-Run Organizations is one of the first to survey a nationally representative sample of mental health peer-run organizations, nonprofit venues for support and advocacy which are defined by people with psychiatric histories being in positions of authority and control. This paper describes data collection methods and demonstrates how participatory strategies to involve people with psychiatric histories intersected with Internet research to achieve study aims. People with psychiatric histories were involved in designing and implementing a web-based survey to collect data on peer-run organizations' operations and views on national policy. Participatory approaches were used throughout design, data collection analysis, and dissemination. The extensive involvement of people with psychiatric histories in project design and implementation were important strategies that contributed to this study's success.

A Watershed-Scale Survey for Stream-Foraging Birds in Northern California

Treesearch

Sherri L. Miller; C. John Ralph

2005-01-01

Our objective was to develop a survey technique and watershed-scale design to monitor trends of population size and habitat associations in stream-foraging birds. The resulting methods and design will be used to examine the efficacy of quantifying the association of stream and watershed quality with bird abundance. We surveyed 60 randomly selected 2-km stream reaches...

Cross-National Analysis of Islamic Fundamentalism

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-20

attitudes, and was fully involved in activities concerning questionnaire design including a new experimental design in the survey, pilot testing, and...possible collaboration with the research design of the panel survey in Tunisia. • Data analysis: Analyses of religious fundamentalism, women’s dress, trust...the Event History Calendar and the best methods to ask about knowledge and experience of past events. The group designed a series of cognitive

Generalizing Observational Study Results: Applying Propensity Score Methods to Complex Surveys

PubMed Central

DuGoff, Eva H; Schuler, Megan; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2014-01-01

ObjectiveTo provide a tutorial for using propensity score methods with complex survey data. Data SourcesSimulated data and the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Study DesignUsing simulation, we compared the following methods for estimating the treatment effect: a naïve estimate (ignoring both survey weights and propensity scores), survey weighting, propensity score methods (nearest neighbor matching, weighting, and subclassification), and propensity score methods in combination with survey weighting. Methods are compared in terms of bias and 95 percent confidence interval coverage. In Example 2, we used these methods to estimate the effect on health care spending of having a generalist versus a specialist as a usual source of care. Principal FindingsIn general, combining a propensity score method and survey weighting is necessary to achieve unbiased treatment effect estimates that are generalizable to the original survey target population. ConclusionsPropensity score methods are an essential tool for addressing confounding in observational studies. Ignoring survey weights may lead to results that are not generalizable to the survey target population. This paper clarifies the appropriate inferences for different propensity score methods and suggests guidelines for selecting an appropriate propensity score method based on a researcher’s goal. PMID:23855598

SAM 2.1—A computer program for plotting and formatting surveying data for estimating peak discharges by the slope-area method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hortness, J.E.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measures discharge in streams using several methods. However, measurement of peak discharges is often impossible or impractical due to difficult access, inherent danger of making measurements during flood events, and timing often associated with flood events. Thus, many peak discharge values often are calculated after the fact by use of indirect methods. The most common indirect method for estimating peak dis- charges in streams is the slope-area method. This, like other indirect methods, requires measuring the flood profile through detailed surveys. Processing the survey data for efficient entry into computer streamflow models can be time demanding; SAM 2.1 is a program designed to expedite that process. The SAM 2.1 computer program is designed to be run in the field on a portable computer. The program processes digital surveying data obtained from an electronic surveying instrument during slope- area measurements. After all measurements have been completed, the program generates files to be input into the SAC (Slope-Area Computation program; Fulford, 1994) or HEC-RAS (Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System; Brunner, 2001) computer streamflow models so that an estimate of the peak discharge can be calculated.

Adding Confidence to Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodson, Ludwika Aniela; Slater, Don; Zubovic, Yvonne

2015-01-01

A "knowledge survey" and a formative evaluation process led to major changes in an instructor's course and teaching methods over a 5-year period. Design of the survey incorporated several innovations, including: a) using "confidence survey" rather than "knowledge survey" as the title; b) completing an instructional…

Ubiquitous Total Station Development using Smartphone, RSSI and Laser Sensor providing service to Ubi-GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoushtari, M. A.; Sadeghi-Niaraki, H.

2014-10-01

The growing trend in technological advances and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) has targeted for intelligent human lives. Accordingly, Ubiquitous Computing Approach was proposed by Mark Weiser. This paper proposes an ubiquitous surveying solution in Geometrics and surveying field. Ubiquitous Surveying provides cost-effective, smart and available surveying techniques while traditional surveying equipment are so expensive and have small availability specially in indoor and daily surveying jobs. In order to have a smart surveying instrument, different information technology methods and tools like Triangle method, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) method and laser sensor are used. These new ways in combine with surveying equations introduces a modern surveying equipment called Ubi-Total Station that also employed different sensors embedded in smartphone and mobile stand. RSSI-based localization and Triangle method technique are easy and well known methods to predict the position of an unknown node in indoor environments whereas additional measures are required for a sufficient accuracy. In this paper the main goal is to introduce the Ubiquitous Total Station as a development in smart and ubiquitous GIS. In order to public use of the surveying equipment, design and implementation of this instrument has been done. Conceptual model of Smartphone-based system is designed for this study and based on this model, an Android application as a first sample is developed. Finally the evaluations shows that absolute errors in X and Y calculation are 0.028 and 0.057 meter respectively. Also RMSE of 0.26 was calculated in RSSI method for distance measurement. The high price of traditional equipment and their requirement for professional surveyors has given way to intelligent surveying. In the suggested system, smartphones can be used as tools for positioning and coordinating geometric information of objects.

Survey of adaptive control using Liapunov design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindorff, D. P.; Carroll, R. L.

1972-01-01

A survey was made of the literature devoted to the synthesis of model-tracking adaptive systems based on application of Liapunov's second method. The basic synthesis procedure is introduced and a critical review of extensions made to the theory since 1966 is made. The extensions relate to design for relative stability, reduction of order techniques, design with disturbance, design with time variable parameters, multivariable systems, identification, and an adaptive observer.

Trends in Elevated Triglyceride in Adults: United States, 2001-2012

MedlinePlus

... All variance estimates accounted for the complex survey design using Taylor series linearization ( 10 ). Percentage estimates for the total adult ... al. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: Sample design, 2007–2010. ... KM. Taylor series methods. In: Introduction to variance estimation. 2nd ed. ...

Methods for Estimating Payload/Vehicle Design Loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, J. C.; Garba, J. A.; Salama, M. A.; Trubert, M. R.

1983-01-01

Several methods compared with respect to accuracy, design conservatism, and cost. Objective of survey: reduce time and expense of load calculation by selecting approximate method having sufficient accuracy for problem at hand. Methods generally applicable to dynamic load analysis in other aerospace and other vehicle/payload systems.

Modular neural networks: a survey.

PubMed

Auda, G; Kamel, M

1999-04-01

Modular Neural Networks (MNNs) is a rapidly growing field in artificial Neural Networks (NNs) research. This paper surveys the different motivations for creating MNNs: biological, psychological, hardware, and computational. Then, the general stages of MNN design are outlined and surveyed as well, viz., task decomposition techniques, learning schemes and multi-module decision-making strategies. Advantages and disadvantages of the surveyed methods are pointed out, and an assessment with respect to practical potential is provided. Finally, some general recommendations for future designs are presented.

Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence by Race/Ethnicity and Sex in the United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination ...

MedlinePlus

... factors on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Top Methods Study design and participants Since 1959, the National ... 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/survey_methods.htm. Accessed November 1, 2016. Current population survey ( ...

Sample Size Calculations for Population Size Estimation Studies Using Multiplier Methods With Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Fearon, Elizabeth; Chabata, Sungai T; Thompson, Jennifer A; Cowan, Frances M; Hargreaves, James R

2017-09-14

While guidance exists for obtaining population size estimates using multiplier methods with respondent-driven sampling surveys, we lack specific guidance for making sample size decisions. To guide the design of multiplier method population size estimation studies using respondent-driven sampling surveys to reduce the random error around the estimate obtained. The population size estimate is obtained by dividing the number of individuals receiving a service or the number of unique objects distributed (M) by the proportion of individuals in a representative survey who report receipt of the service or object (P). We have developed an approach to sample size calculation, interpreting methods to estimate the variance around estimates obtained using multiplier methods in conjunction with research into design effects and respondent-driven sampling. We describe an application to estimate the number of female sex workers in Harare, Zimbabwe. There is high variance in estimates. Random error around the size estimate reflects uncertainty from M and P, particularly when the estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey is low. As expected, sample size requirements are higher when the design effect of the survey is assumed to be greater. We suggest a method for investigating the effects of sample size on the precision of a population size estimate obtained using multipler methods and respondent-driven sampling. Uncertainty in the size estimate is high, particularly when P is small, so balancing against other potential sources of bias, we advise researchers to consider longer service attendance reference periods and to distribute more unique objects, which is likely to result in a higher estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey. ©Elizabeth Fearon, Sungai T Chabata, Jennifer A Thompson, Frances M Cowan, James R Hargreaves. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 14.09.2017.

Design and methodology of a mixed methods follow-up study to the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

PubMed Central

Staveteig, Sarah; Aryeetey, Richmond; Anie-Ansah, Michael; Ahiadeke, Clement; Ortiz, Ladys

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The intended meaning behind responses to standard questions posed in large-scale health surveys are not always well understood. Systematic follow-up studies, particularly those which pose a few repeated questions followed by open-ended discussions, are well positioned to gauge stability and consistency of data and to shed light on the intended meaning behind survey responses. Such follow-up studies require extensive coordination and face challenges in protecting respondent confidentiality during the process of recontacting and reinterviewing participants. Objectives: We describe practical field strategies for undertaking a mixed methods follow-up study during a large-scale health survey. Methods: The study was designed as a mixed methods follow-up study embedded within the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). The study was implemented in 13 clusters. Android tablets were used to import reference data from the parent survey and to administer the questionnaire, which asked a mixture of closed- and open-ended questions on reproductive intentions, decision-making, and family planning. Results: Despite a number of obstacles related to recontacting respondents and concern about respondent fatigue, over 92 percent of the selected sub-sample were successfully recontacted and reinterviewed; all consented to audio recording. A confidential linkage between GDHS data, follow-up tablet data, and audio transcripts was successfully created for the purpose of analysis. Conclusions: We summarize the challenges in follow-up study design, including ethical considerations, sample size, auditing, filtering, successful use of tablets, and share lessons learned for future such follow-up surveys. PMID:28145817

Substance-Related Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviour among College Students: Opportunities for Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, Carolyn J.; Dykstra, Jennifer L.; Collins, Bradley N.

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine substance-related attitudes and behaviours among college students across an academic semester. Design: Pre-post quasi-experimental survey design. Setting: A large University in the Midwestern United States. Method: Surveys were completed by 299 undergraduates enrolled in three courses: drugs and behaviour, abnormal…

Design and methodology of a mixed methods follow-up study to the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

PubMed

Staveteig, Sarah; Aryeetey, Richmond; Anie-Ansah, Michael; Ahiadeke, Clement; Ortiz, Ladys

2017-01-01

The intended meaning behind responses to standard questions posed in large-scale health surveys are not always well understood. Systematic follow-up studies, particularly those which pose a few repeated questions followed by open-ended discussions, are well positioned to gauge stability and consistency of data and to shed light on the intended meaning behind survey responses. Such follow-up studies require extensive coordination and face challenges in protecting respondent confidentiality during the process of recontacting and reinterviewing participants. We describe practical field strategies for undertaking a mixed methods follow-up study during a large-scale health survey. The study was designed as a mixed methods follow-up study embedded within the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). The study was implemented in 13 clusters. Android tablets were used to import reference data from the parent survey and to administer the questionnaire, which asked a mixture of closed- and open-ended questions on reproductive intentions, decision-making, and family planning. Despite a number of obstacles related to recontacting respondents and concern about respondent fatigue, over 92 percent of the selected sub-sample were successfully recontacted and reinterviewed; all consented to audio recording. A confidential linkage between GDHS data, follow-up tablet data, and audio transcripts was successfully created for the purpose of analysis. We summarize the challenges in follow-up study design, including ethical considerations, sample size, auditing, filtering, successful use of tablets, and share lessons learned for future such follow-up surveys.

Online Survey on Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities. Report 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albus, Deb; Shyyan, Vitaliy; Thurlow, Martha L.

2006-01-01

The current study, an online survey about instructional strategies for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities, was designed to build on the findings of the previous study about educator perceptions of instructional strategies. Although the current study did not use consensus building methods, it was similarly designed to obtain…

Students' Attitudes towards School-Based Sex and Relationships Education in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mkumbo, Kitila A. K.

2014-01-01

Objective: The objective of this paper was to assess students' attitudes towards school-based sex and relationships education (SRE). Design: This study featured a cross-sectional survey design. Method: A sample of 715 students from two districts in Tanzania completed a survey questionnaire assessing various aspects related to their attitudes…

Adaptive Critic Nonlinear Robust Control: A Survey.

PubMed

Wang, Ding; He, Haibo; Liu, Derong

2017-10-01

Adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) and reinforcement learning are quite relevant to each other when performing intelligent optimization. They are both regarded as promising methods involving important components of evaluation and improvement, at the background of information technology, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and deep learning. Although great progresses have been achieved and surveyed when addressing nonlinear optimal control problems, the research on robustness of ADP-based control strategies under uncertain environment has not been fully summarized. Hence, this survey reviews the recent main results of adaptive-critic-based robust control design of continuous-time nonlinear systems. The ADP-based nonlinear optimal regulation is reviewed, followed by robust stabilization of nonlinear systems with matched uncertainties, guaranteed cost control design of unmatched plants, and decentralized stabilization of interconnected systems. Additionally, further comprehensive discussions are presented, including event-based robust control design, improvement of the critic learning rule, nonlinear H ∞ control design, and several notes on future perspectives. By applying the ADP-based optimal and robust control methods to a practical power system and an overhead crane plant, two typical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of theoretical results. Overall, this survey is beneficial to promote the development of adaptive critic control methods with robustness guarantee and the construction of higher level intelligent systems.

Cognitive laboratory approach to designing questionnaires for surveys of the elderly.

PubMed Central

Jobe, J B; Mingay, D J

1990-01-01

Data from surveys of the elderly are used by policy analysts to design health services programs. Consequently, the quality of survey data on elderly respondents has important implications for this growing segment of society: improving the quality of data should result in more cost effective programs for the elderly. However, studies suggest that the quality of responses from the elderly may be less than that for other respondents. Moreover, the increasing needs of policy analysts and health researchers for data have resulted in more complex survey questions that place a high cognitive burden on respondents. New methods for improving the design of these questionnaires are needed. This project investigated whether new techniques of questionnaire design, adapted from the theories and methods of cognitive psychology, could be effectively used in interviewing older respondents. The techniques used in this study, concurrent think-aloud interviews with followup probe questions, have been shown recently to be effective with younger respondents. Problems that elderly respondents have in comprehending survey questions, retrieving relevant information from memory, and using decision processes to estimate and provide answers were investigated. Questions on functional ability and social support were taken from the 1984 Supplement on Aging to the National Health Interview Survey. Analysis of respondents' think-aloud protocols and responses to probes suggest that the cognitive interview procedures were effective in identifying problems with the survey questions that would result in data of poorer quality and in suggesting the wording of questions that would be likely to result in answers of greater validity and reliability. Implications of these results for survey design and validation studies are discussed. PMID:2120731

Examining Stress in Graduate Assistants: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Survey Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzola, Joseph J.; Walker, Erin J.; Shockley, Kristen M.; Spector, Paul E.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to employ qualitative and quantitative survey methods in a concurrent mixed model design to assess stressors and strains in graduate assistants. The stressors most frequently reported qualitatively were work overload, interpersonal conflict, and organizational constraints; the most frequently reported psychological…

A Survey of Methods and Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillis, Candida; And Others

Designed to assess and describe the nature and frequency of teaching methods, activities, and materials used in secondary school English courses, this survey consists of 14 questions related to teaching objectives, activities, and materials, each followed by a list of possible responses. Teachers are asked to select a course, and to circle for…

77 FR 75167 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-19

.... This allows us to proceed with confidence in the method, the contractor, and the survey design. The... a 30-minute, web-based survey. Data from the survey will then be quantitatively evaluated to... involved with GYT. This evaluation study will rely on a Web-based survey to be self- administered at home...

Terminating Sequential Delphi Survey Data Collection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalaian, Sema A.; Kasim, Rafa M.

2012-01-01

The Delphi survey technique is an iterative mail or electronic (e-mail or web-based) survey method used to obtain agreement or consensus among a group of experts in a specific field on a particular issue through a well-designed and systematic multiple sequential rounds of survey administrations. Each of the multiple rounds of the Delphi survey…

Use of High Fidelity Methods in Multidisciplinary Optimization-A Preliminary Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guruswamy, Guru P.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Multidisciplinary optimization is a key element of design process. To date multidiscipline optimization methods that use low fidelity methods are well advanced. Optimization methods based on simple linear aerodynamic equations and plate structural equations have been applied to complex aerospace configurations. However, use of high fidelity methods such as the Euler/ Navier-Stokes for fluids and 3-D (three dimensional) finite elements for structures has begun recently. As an activity of Multidiscipline Design Optimization Technical Committee (MDO TC) of AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), an effort was initiated to assess the status of the use of high fidelity methods in multidisciplinary optimization. Contributions were solicited through the members MDO TC committee. This paper provides a summary of that survey.

Factors Associated with the Performance and Cost-Effectiveness of Using Lymphatic Filariasis Transmission Assessment Surveys for Monitoring Soil-Transmitted Helminths: A Case Study in Kenya

PubMed Central

Smith, Jennifer L.; Sturrock, Hugh J. W.; Assefa, Liya; Nikolay, Birgit; Njenga, Sammy M.; Kihara, Jimmy; Mwandawiro, Charles S.; Brooker, Simon J.

2015-01-01

Transmission assessment surveys (TAS) for lymphatic filariasis have been proposed as a platform to assess the impact of mass drug administration (MDA) on soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This study used computer simulation and field data from pre- and post-MDA settings across Kenya to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the TAS design for STH assessment compared with alternative survey designs. Variations in the TAS design and different sample sizes and diagnostic methods were also evaluated. The district-level TAS design correctly classified more districts compared with standard STH designs in pre-MDA settings. Aggregating districts into larger evaluation units in a TAS design decreased performance, whereas age group sampled and sample size had minimal impact. The low diagnostic sensitivity of Kato-Katz and mini-FLOTAC methods was found to increase misclassification. We recommend using a district-level TAS among children 8–10 years of age to assess STH but suggest that key consideration is given to evaluation unit size. PMID:25487730

Two-Method Planned Missing Designs for Longitudinal Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnier-Villarreal, Mauricio; Rhemtulla, Mijke; Little, Todd D.

2014-01-01

We examine longitudinal extensions of the two-method measurement design, which uses planned missingness to optimize cost-efficiency and validity of hard-to-measure constructs. These designs use a combination of two measures: a "gold standard" that is highly valid but expensive to administer, and an inexpensive (e.g., survey-based)…

City Governments and Aging in Place: Community Design, Transportation and Housing Innovation Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehning, Amanda J.

2012-01-01

Purpose of the study: To examine the characteristics associated with city government adoption of community design, housing, and transportation innovations that could benefit older adults. Design and methods: A mixed-methods study with quantitative data collected via online surveys from 62 city planners combined with qualitative data collected via…

Elevation data fitting and precision analysis of Google Earth in road survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Haibin; Luan, Xiaohan; Li, Hanchao; Jia, Jiangkun; Chen, Zhao; Han, Leilei

2018-05-01

Objective: In order to improve efficiency of road survey and save manpower and material resources, this paper intends to apply Google Earth to the feasibility study stage of road survey and design. Limited by the problem that Google Earth elevation data lacks precision, this paper is focused on finding several different fitting or difference methods to improve the data precision, in order to make every effort to meet the accuracy requirements of road survey and design specifications. Method: On the basis of elevation difference of limited public points, any elevation difference of the other points can be fitted or interpolated. Thus, the precise elevation can be obtained by subtracting elevation difference from the Google Earth data. Quadratic polynomial surface fitting method, cubic polynomial surface fitting method, V4 interpolation method in MATLAB and neural network method are used in this paper to process elevation data of Google Earth. And internal conformity, external conformity and cross correlation coefficient are used as evaluation indexes to evaluate the data processing effect. Results: There is no fitting difference at the fitting point while using V4 interpolation method. Its external conformity is the largest and the effect of accuracy improvement is the worst, so V4 interpolation method is ruled out. The internal and external conformity of the cubic polynomial surface fitting method both are better than those of the quadratic polynomial surface fitting method. The neural network method has a similar fitting effect with the cubic polynomial surface fitting method, but its fitting effect is better in the case of a higher elevation difference. Because the neural network method is an unmanageable fitting model, the cubic polynomial surface fitting method should be mainly used and the neural network method can be used as the auxiliary method in the case of higher elevation difference. Conclusions: Cubic polynomial surface fitting method can obviously improve data precision of Google Earth. The error of data in hilly terrain areas meets the requirement of specifications after precision improvement and it can be used in feasibility study stage of road survey and design.

Prescribing Exercise for Older Adults: A Needs Assessment Comparing Primary Care Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dauenhauer, Jason A.; Podgorski, Carol A.; Karuza, Jurgis

2006-01-01

To inform the development of educational programming designed to teach providers appropriate methods of exercise prescription for older adults, the authors conducted a survey of 177 physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners (39% response rate). The survey was designed to better understand the prevalence of exercise prescriptions,…

"Do I really want to do this?" Longitudinal cohort study participants' perspectives on postal survey design: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Harcombe, Helen; Derrett, Sarah; Herbison, Peter; McBride, David

2011-01-27

Randomised controlled trials have investigated aspects of postal survey design yet cannot elaborate on reasons behind participants' decision making and survey behaviour. This paper reports participants' perspectives of the design of, and participation in, a longitudinal postal cohort survey. It describes strengths and weaknesses in study design from the perspectives of study participants and aims to contribute to the: 1) design of future cohort surveys and questionnaires generally and, 2) design of cohort surveys for people with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) specifically. In-depth interviews explored the design of postal surveys previously completed by participants. Interviews used open ended questioning with a topic guide for prompts if areas of interest were not covered spontaneously. Thematic data analysis was undertaken based on the framework method. A second researcher verified all coding. Data from fourteen interviews were analysed within three main themes; participation, survey design and survey content. One of the main findings was the importance of clear communication aimed at the correct audience both when inviting potential participants to take part and within the survey itself. Providing enough information about the study, having a topic of interest and an explanation of likely benefits of the study were important when inviting people to participate. The neutrality of the survey and origination from a reputable source were both important; as was an explanation about why information was being collected within the survey itself. Study findings included participants' impressions when invited to take part, why they participated, the acceptability of follow-up of non-responders and why participants completed the follow-up postal survey. Also discussed were participants' first impression of the survey, its length, presentation and participants' views about specific questions within the survey. Ideas generated in this study provide an insight into participants' decision making and survey behaviour and may enhance the acceptability of future surveys to potential participants. As well as clear communication, participants valued incentives and survey questions that were relevant to them. However, opinions varied as to the preferred format for responses with some advising more opportunity for open-ended feedback. We also found that some standard format questions can raise quandaries for individual participants.

Design and operation of the national home health aide survey: 2007-2008.

PubMed

Bercovitz, Anita; Moss, Abigail J; Sengupta, Manisha; Harris-Kojetin, Lauren D; Squillace, Marie R; Emily, Rosenoff; Branden, Laura

2010-03-01

This report provides an overview of the National Home Health Aide Survey (NHHAS), the first national probability survey of home health aides. NHHAS was designed to provide national estimates of home health aides who provided assistance in activities of daily living (ADLs) and were directly employed by agencies that provide home health and/or hospice care. This report discusses the need for and objectives of the survey, the design process, the survey methods, and data availability. METHODS NHHAS, a multistage probability sample survey, was conducted as a supplement to the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS). Agencies providing home health and/or hospice care were sampled, and then aides employed by these agencies were sampled and interviewed by telephone. Survey topics included recruitment, training, job history, family life, client relations, work-related injuries, and demographics. NHHAS was virtually identical to the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey of certified nursing assistants employed in sampled nursing homes with minor changes to account for differences in workplace environment and responsibilities. RESULTS From September 2007 to April 2008, interviews were completed with 3,416 aides. A public-use data file that contains the interview responses, sampling weights, and design variables is available. The NHHAS overall response rate weighted by the inverse of the probability of selection was 41 percent. This rate is the product of the weighted first-stage agency response rate of 57 percent (i.e., weighted response rate of 59 percent for agency participation in NHHCS times the weighted response rate of 97 percent for agencies participating in NHHCS that also participated in NHHAS) and the weighted second-stage aide response rate of 72 percent to NHHAS.

Multidisciplinary eHealth Survey Evaluation Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karras, Bryant T.; Tufano, James T.

2006-01-01

This paper describes the development process of an evaluation framework for describing and comparing web survey tools. We believe that this approach will help shape the design, development, deployment, and evaluation of population-based health interventions. A conceptual framework for describing and evaluating web survey systems will enable the…

How Do Mode and Timing of Follow-up Surveys Affect Evaluation Success?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koundinya, Vikram; Klink, Jenna; Deming, Philip; Meyers, Andrew; Erb, Kevin

2016-01-01

This article presents the analysis of evaluation methods used in a well-designed and comprehensive evaluation effort of a significant Extension program. The evaluation data collection methods were analyzed by questionnaire mode and timing of follow-up surveys. Response rates from the short- and long-term follow-ups and different questionnaire…

An International Survey of Industrial Applications of Formal Methods. Volume 2. Case Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-30

impact of the product on IBM revenues. 4. Error rates were claimed to be below industrial average and errors were minimal to fix. Formal methods, as...critical applications. These include: 3 I I International Survey of Industrial Applications 41 i) "Software failures, particularly under first use, seem...project to add improved modelling capability. I U International Survey of Industrial Applications 93 I Design and Implementation These products are being

Approximate median regression for complex survey data with skewed response.

PubMed

Fraser, Raphael André; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Sinha, Debajyoti; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M; Pan, Yi

2016-12-01

The ready availability of public-use data from various large national complex surveys has immense potential for the assessment of population characteristics using regression models. Complex surveys can be used to identify risk factors for important diseases such as cancer. Existing statistical methods based on estimating equations and/or utilizing resampling methods are often not valid with survey data due to complex survey design features. That is, stratification, multistage sampling, and weighting. In this article, we accommodate these design features in the analysis of highly skewed response variables arising from large complex surveys. Specifically, we propose a double-transform-both-sides (DTBS)'based estimating equations approach to estimate the median regression parameters of the highly skewed response; the DTBS approach applies the same Box-Cox type transformation twice to both the outcome and regression function. The usual sandwich variance estimate can be used in our approach, whereas a resampling approach would be needed for a pseudo-likelihood based on minimizing absolute deviations (MAD). Furthermore, the approach is relatively robust to the true underlying distribution, and has much smaller mean square error than a MAD approach. The method is motivated by an analysis of laboratory data on urinary iodine (UI) concentration from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. © 2016, The International Biometric Society.

Approximate Median Regression for Complex Survey Data with Skewed Response

PubMed Central

Fraser, Raphael André; Lipsitz, Stuart R.; Sinha, Debajyoti; Fitzmaurice, Garrett M.; Pan, Yi

2016-01-01

Summary The ready availability of public-use data from various large national complex surveys has immense potential for the assessment of population characteristics using regression models. Complex surveys can be used to identify risk factors for important diseases such as cancer. Existing statistical methods based on estimating equations and/or utilizing resampling methods are often not valid with survey data due to complex survey design features. That is, stratification, multistage sampling and weighting. In this paper, we accommodate these design features in the analysis of highly skewed response variables arising from large complex surveys. Specifically, we propose a double-transform-both-sides (DTBS) based estimating equations approach to estimate the median regression parameters of the highly skewed response; the DTBS approach applies the same Box-Cox type transformation twice to both the outcome and regression function. The usual sandwich variance estimate can be used in our approach, whereas a resampling approach would be needed for a pseudo-likelihood based on minimizing absolute deviations (MAD). Furthermore, the approach is relatively robust to the true underlying distribution, and has much smaller mean square error than a MAD approach. The method is motivated by an analysis of laboratory data on urinary iodine (UI) concentration from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. PMID:27062562

Incorporating the sampling design in weighting adjustments for panel attrition

PubMed Central

Chen, Qixuan; Gelman, Andrew; Tracy, Melissa; Norris, Fran H.; Galea, Sandro

2015-01-01

We review weighting adjustment methods for panel attrition and suggest approaches for incorporating design variables, such as strata, clusters and baseline sample weights. Design information can typically be included in attrition analysis using multilevel models or decision tree methods such as the CHAID algorithm. We use simulation to show that these weighting approaches can effectively reduce bias in the survey estimates that would occur from omitting the effect of design factors on attrition while keeping the resulted weights stable. We provide a step-by-step illustration on creating weighting adjustments for panel attrition in the Galveston Bay Recovery Study, a survey of residents in a community following a disaster, and provide suggestions to analysts in decision making about weighting approaches. PMID:26239405

Utilizing the Total Design Method in medicine: maximizing response rates in long, non-incentivized, personal questionnaire postal surveys.

PubMed

Kazzazi, Fawz; Haggie, Rebecca; Forouhi, Parto; Kazzazi, Nazar; Malata, Charles M

2018-01-01

Maximizing response rates in questionnaires can improve their validity and quality by reducing non-response bias. A comprehensive analysis is essential for producing reasonable conclusions in patient-reported outcome research particularly for topics of a sensitive nature. This often makes long (≥7 pages) questionnaires necessary but these have been shown to reduce response rates in mail surveys. Our work adapted the "Total Design Method," initially produced for commercial markets, to raise response rates in a long (total: 11 pages, 116 questions), non-incentivized, very personal postal survey sent to almost 350 women. A total of 346 women who had undergone mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction from 2008-2014 (inclusive) at Addenbrooke's University Hospital were sent our study pack (Breast-Q satisfaction questionnaire and support documents) using our modified "Total Design Method." Participants were sent packs and reminders according to our designed schedule. Of the 346 participants, we received 258 responses, an overall response rate of 74.5% with a useable response rate of 72.3%. One hundred and six responses were received before the week 1 reminder (30.6%), 120 before week 3 (34.6%), 225 before the week 7 reminder (64.6%) and the remainder within 3 weeks of the final pack being sent. The median age of patients that the survey was sent to, and the median age of the respondents, was 54 years. In this study, we have demonstrated the successful implementation of a novel approach to postal surveys. Despite the length of the questionnaire (nine pages, 116 questions) and limitations of expenses to mail a survey to ~350 women, we were able to attain a response rate of 74.6%.

Sensitivity analysis of discrete structural systems: A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, H. M.; Haftka, R. T.

1984-01-01

Methods for calculating sensitivity derivatives for discrete structural systems are surveyed, primarily covering literature published during the past two decades. Methods are described for calculating derivatives of static displacements and stresses, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, transient structural response, and derivatives of optimum structural designs with respect to problem parameters. The survey is focused on publications addressed to structural analysis, but also includes a number of methods developed in nonstructural fields such as electronics, controls, and physical chemistry which are directly applicable to structural problems. Most notable among the nonstructural-based methods are the adjoint variable technique from control theory, and the Green's function and FAST methods from physical chemistry.

Agent Reasoning Transparency: The Influence of Information Level on Automation-Induced Complacency

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-30

Surveys and Tests 16 3.3.4 Experimental Design and Performance Measures 19 3.3.5 Procedure 21 3.4 Results 23 3.4.1 Complacent behavior, Primary Task...Method 57 4.3.1 Participants 57 4.3.2 Apparatus 57 4.3.3 Surveys and Tests 57 4.3.4 Experimental Design and Performance Measures 58 4.3.5...Discussion 115 5.5 Conclusion 119 6. References 120 Appendix A. Demographics Questionnaire 127 Appendix B. Attentional Control Survey 129

Survey design research: a tool for answering nursing research questions.

PubMed

Siedlecki, Sandra L; Butler, Robert S; Burchill, Christian N

2015-01-01

The clinical nurse specialist is in a unique position to identify and study clinical problems in need of answers, but lack of time and resources may discourage nurses from conducting research. However, some research methods can be used by the clinical nurse specialist that are not time-intensive or cost prohibitive. The purpose of this article is to explain the utility of survey methodology for answering a number of nursing research questions. The article covers survey content, reliability and validity issues, sample size considerations, and methods of survey delivery.

Effects of Simplifying Choice Tasks on Estimates of Taste Heterogeneity in Stated-Choice Surveys

PubMed Central

Johnson, F. Reed; Ozdemir, Semra; Phillips, Kathryn A

2011-01-01

Researchers usually employ orthogonal arrays or D-optimal designs with little or no attribute overlap in stated-choice surveys. The challenge is to balance statistical efficiency and respondent burden to minimize the overall error in the survey responses. This study examined whether simplifying the choice task, by using a design with more overlap, provides advantages over standard minimum-overlap methods. We administered two designs for eliciting HIV test preferences to split samples. Surveys were undertaken at four HIV testing locations in San Francisco, California. Personal characteristics had different effects on willingness to pay for the two treatments, and gains in statistical efficiency in the minimal-overlap version more than compensated for possible imprecision from increased measurement error. PMID:19880234

Model-based inference for small area estimation with sampling weights

PubMed Central

Vandendijck, Y.; Faes, C.; Kirby, R.S.; Lawson, A.; Hens, N.

2017-01-01

Obtaining reliable estimates about health outcomes for areas or domains where only few to no samples are available is the goal of small area estimation (SAE). Often, we rely on health surveys to obtain information about health outcomes. Such surveys are often characterised by a complex design, stratification, and unequal sampling weights as common features. Hierarchical Bayesian models are well recognised in SAE as a spatial smoothing method, but often ignore the sampling weights that reflect the complex sampling design. In this paper, we focus on data obtained from a health survey where the sampling weights of the sampled individuals are the only information available about the design. We develop a predictive model-based approach to estimate the prevalence of a binary outcome for both the sampled and non-sampled individuals, using hierarchical Bayesian models that take into account the sampling weights. A simulation study is carried out to compare the performance of our proposed method with other established methods. The results indicate that our proposed method achieves great reductions in mean squared error when compared with standard approaches. It performs equally well or better when compared with more elaborate methods when there is a relationship between the responses and the sampling weights. The proposed method is applied to estimate asthma prevalence across districts. PMID:28989860

Health Beliefs about Osteoporosis and Osteoporosis Screening in Older Women and Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nayak, Smita; Roberts, Mark S.; Chang, Chung-Chou H.; Greenspan, Susan L.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine older adults' beliefs about osteoporosis and osteoporosis screening to identify barriers to screening. Design: Cross-sectional mailed survey. Setting: Western Pennsylvania. Methods: Surveys were mailed to 1,830 women and men aged 60 years and older. The survey assessed socio-demographic characteristics, osteoporosis and…

A bibliography on formal methods for system specification, design and validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J. F.; Furchtgott, D. G.; Movaghar, A.

1982-01-01

Literature on the specification, design, verification, testing, and evaluation of avionics systems was surveyed, providing 655 citations. Journal papers, conference papers, and technical reports are included. Manual and computer-based methods were employed. Keywords used in the online search are listed.

Rurality and Nursing Home Quality: Evidence from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Yu; Meng, Hongdao; Miller, Nancy A.

2011-01-01

Purpose of the Study: To evaluate the impact of rural geographic location on nursing home quality of care in the United States. Design and Methods: The study used cross-sectional observational design. We obtained resident- and facility-level data from 12,507 residents in 1,174 nursing homes from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. We used…

Needs and Opportunities for Uncertainty-Based Multidisciplinary Design Methods for Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zang, Thomas A.; Hemsch, Michael J.; Hilburger, Mark W.; Kenny, Sean P; Luckring, James M.; Maghami, Peiman; Padula, Sharon L.; Stroud, W. Jefferson

2002-01-01

This report consists of a survey of the state of the art in uncertainty-based design together with recommendations for a Base research activity in this area for the NASA Langley Research Center. This report identifies the needs and opportunities for computational and experimental methods that provide accurate, efficient solutions to nondeterministic multidisciplinary aerospace vehicle design problems. Barriers to the adoption of uncertainty-based design methods are identified. and the benefits of the use of such methods are explained. Particular research needs are listed.

Estimated Prevalence of People with Cognitive Impairment: Results from Nationally Representative Community and Institutional Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Amy B.; Remsburg, Robin E.

2007-01-01

Purpose: We address how the national prevalence of cognitive impairment can be estimated from two nationally representative surveys. Design and Methods: Data are from the 1999-2001 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 1999 National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS). The NHIS represents all community-dwelling people living in the United States,…

The Sampling Design of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS)

PubMed Central

Xie, Yu; Lu, Ping

2018-01-01

The China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) is an on-going, nearly nationwide, comprehensive, longitudinal social survey that is intended to serve research needs on a large variety of social phenomena in contemporary China. In this paper, we describe the sampling design of the CFPS sample for its 2010 baseline survey and methods for constructing weights to adjust for sampling design and survey nonresponses. Specifically, the CFPS used a multi-stage probability strategy to reduce operation costs and implicit stratification to increase efficiency. Respondents were oversampled in five provinces or administrative equivalents for regional comparisons. We provide operation details for both sampling and weights construction. PMID:29854418

Locating waterfowl observations on aerial surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, W.I.; Hodges, J.I.; Stehn, R.A.

1995-01-01

We modified standard aerial survey data collection to obtain the geographic location for each waterfowl observation on surveys in Alaska during 1987-1993. Using transect navigation with CPS (global positioning system), data recording on continuously running tapes, and a computer data input program, we located observations with an average deviation along transects of 214 m. The method provided flexibility in survey design and data analysis. Although developed for geese nesting near the coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the methods are widely applicable and were used on other waterfowl surveys in Alaska to map distribution and relative abundance of waterfowl. Accurate location data with GIS analysis and display may improve precision and usefulness of data from any aerial transect survey.

Temporally Adaptive Sampling: A Case Study in Rare Species Survey Design with Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum)

PubMed Central

Charney, Noah D.; Kubel, Jacob E.; Eiseman, Charles S.

2015-01-01

Improving detection rates for elusive species with clumped distributions is often accomplished through adaptive sampling designs. This approach can be extended to include species with temporally variable detection probabilities. By concentrating survey effort in years when the focal species are most abundant or visible, overall detection rates can be improved. This requires either long-term monitoring at a few locations where the species are known to occur or models capable of predicting population trends using climatic and demographic data. For marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) in Massachusetts, we demonstrate that annual variation in detection probability of larvae is regionally correlated. In our data, the difference in survey success between years was far more important than the difference among the three survey methods we employed: diurnal surveys, nocturnal surveys, and dipnet surveys. Based on these data, we simulate future surveys to locate unknown populations under a temporally adaptive sampling framework. In the simulations, when pond dynamics are correlated over the focal region, the temporally adaptive design improved mean survey success by as much as 26% over a non-adaptive sampling design. Employing a temporally adaptive strategy costs very little, is simple, and has the potential to substantially improve the efficient use of scarce conservation funds. PMID:25799224

[Satisfaction and perceived quality of people insured by the Social Health Protection in Mexico. Methodological foundations].

PubMed

Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J; Gutiérrez-Reyes, Juan Pablo; Vieyra-Romero, Waldo Ivan; Romero-Martínez, Martín; O'Shea-Cuevas, Gabriel Jaime; Lozano-Herrera, Javier; Tavera-Martínez, Sonia; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

2016-01-01

To describe the conceptual framework and methods for implementation and analysis of the satisfaction survey of the Mexican System for Social Protection in Health. We analyze the methodological elements of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 surveys, including the instrument, sampling method and study design, conceptual framework, and characteristics and indicators of the analysis. The survey captures information on perceived quality and satisfaction. Sampling has national and State representation. Simple and composite indicators (index of satisfaction and rate of reported quality problems) are built and described. The analysis is completed using Pareto diagrams, correlation between indicators and association with satisfaction by means of multivariate models. The measurement of satisfaction and perceived quality is a complex but necessary process to comply with regulations and to identify strategies for improvement. The described survey presents a design and rigorous analysis focused on its utility for improving.

Regional analysis of population trajectories from the North American Breeding Bird Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, J.R.; Link, W.A.; Helbig, Andreas J.; Flade, Martin

1999-01-01

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) was started in 1966, and provides information on population change and distribution for most of the birds in North America. The geographic extent of the survey, and the logistical compromises needed to survey such a large area, present many challenges for estimation from BBS data. In this paper, we describe the survey and discuss some of the limitations of the survey design and implementation. Analysis of the survey has evolved over time as new statistical methods and insights into the analysis of count data are developed. Survey results and analysis tools for the BBS are now available over intemet; we present new methods that use generalized linear models for estimation of population change and empirical Bayes procedures for regional summaries.

Designing occupancy studies: general advice and allocating survey effort

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacKenzie, D.I.; Royle, J. Andrew

2005-01-01

1. The fraction of sampling units in a landscape where a target species is present (occupancy) is an extensively used concept in ecology. Yet in many applications the species will not always be detected in a sampling unit even when present, resulting in biased estimates of occupancy. Given that sampling units are surveyed repeatedly within a relatively short timeframe, a number of similar methods have now been developed to provide unbiased occupancy estimates. However, practical guidance on the efficient design of occupancy studies has been lacking. 2. In this paper we comment on a number of general issues related to designing occupancy studies, including the need for clear objectives that are explicitly linked to science or management, selection of sampling units, timing of repeat surveys and allocation of survey effort. Advice on the number of repeat surveys per sampling unit is considered in terms of the variance of the occupancy estimator, for three possible study designs. 3. We recommend that sampling units should be surveyed a minimum of three times when detection probability is high (> 0.5 survey-1), unless a removal design is used. 4. We found that an optimal removal design will generally be the most efficient, but we suggest it may be less robust to assumption violations than a standard design. 5. Our results suggest that for a rare species it is more efficient to survey more sampling units less intensively, while for a common species fewer sampling units should be surveyed more intensively. 6. Synthesis and applications. Reliable inferences can only result from quality data. To make the best use of logistical resources, study objectives must be clearly defined; sampling units must be selected, and repeated surveys timed appropriately; and a sufficient number of repeated surveys must be conducted. Failure to do so may compromise the integrity of the study. The guidance given here on study design issues is particularly applicable to studies of species occurrence and distribution, habitat selection and modelling, metapopulation studies and monitoring programmes.

Continuous Space Estimation: Increasing WiFi-Based Indoor Localization Resolution without Increasing the Site-Survey Effort.

PubMed

Hernández, Noelia; Ocaña, Manuel; Alonso, Jose M; Kim, Euntai

2017-01-13

Although much research has taken place in WiFi indoor localization systems, their accuracy can still be improved. When designing this kind of system, fingerprint-based methods are a common choice. The problem with fingerprint-based methods comes with the need of site surveying the environment, which is effort consuming. In this work, we propose an approach, based on support vector regression, to estimate the received signal strength at non-site-surveyed positions of the environment. Experiments, performed in a real environment, show that the proposed method could be used to improve the resolution of fingerprint-based indoor WiFi localization systems without increasing the site survey effort.

Continuous Space Estimation: Increasing WiFi-Based Indoor Localization Resolution without Increasing the Site-Survey Effort †

PubMed Central

Hernández, Noelia; Ocaña, Manuel; Alonso, Jose M.; Kim, Euntai

2017-01-01

Although much research has taken place in WiFi indoor localization systems, their accuracy can still be improved. When designing this kind of system, fingerprint-based methods are a common choice. The problem with fingerprint-based methods comes with the need of site surveying the environment, which is effort consuming. In this work, we propose an approach, based on support vector regression, to estimate the received signal strength at non-site-surveyed positions of the environment. Experiments, performed in a real environment, show that the proposed method could be used to improve the resolution of fingerprint-based indoor WiFi localization systems without increasing the site survey effort. PMID:28098773

How Instructional Designers Solve Workplace Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortney, Kathleen S.; Yamagata-Lynch, Lisa C.

2013-01-01

This naturalistic inquiry investigated how instructional designers engage in complex and ambiguous problem solving across organizational boundaries in two corporations. Participants represented a range of instructional design experience, from novices to experts. Research methods included a participant background survey, observations of…

50 CFR 300.104 - Scientific research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... to be used. (vi) Survey design and methods of data analyses. (vii) Data to be collected. (3) A... for Finfish Surveys in the Convention Area when the Total Catch is Expected to be More Than 50 Tons to... Administrator. (2) The format requires: (i) The name of the CCAMLR Member. (ii) Survey details. (iii...

50 CFR 300.104 - Scientific research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... to be used. (vi) Survey design and methods of data analyses. (vii) Data to be collected. (3) A... for Finfish Surveys in the Convention Area when the Total Catch is Expected to be More Than 50 Tons to... Administrator. (2) The format requires: (i) The name of the CCAMLR Member. (ii) Survey details. (iii...

50 CFR 300.104 - Scientific research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... to be used. (vi) Survey design and methods of data analyses. (vii) Data to be collected. (3) A... for Finfish Surveys in the Convention Area when the Total Catch is Expected to be More Than 50 Tons to... Administrator. (2) The format requires: (i) The name of the CCAMLR Member. (ii) Survey details. (iii...

50 CFR 300.104 - Scientific research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... to be used. (vi) Survey design and methods of data analyses. (vii) Data to be collected. (3) A... for Finfish Surveys in the Convention Area when the Total Catch is Expected to be More Than 50 Tons to... Administrator. (2) The format requires: (i) The name of the CCAMLR Member. (ii) Survey details. (iii...

50 CFR 300.104 - Scientific research.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... to be used. (vi) Survey design and methods of data analyses. (vii) Data to be collected. (3) A... for Finfish Surveys in the Convention Area when the Total Catch is Expected to be More Than 50 Tons to... Administrator. (2) The format requires: (i) The name of the CCAMLR Member. (ii) Survey details. (iii...

Associations between Beliefs about Medicines and Medicines Education: A Survey among Finnish Comprehensive School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siitonen, Piia; Vainio, Kirsti; Keinonen, Tuula; Kiviniemi, Vesa; Hämeen-Anttila, Katri

2015-01-01

Objective: To describe the association between teachers' beliefs about medicines and teaching about illnesses and medicines-related topics by Finnish comprehensive school teachers. Design: A nationwide postal survey. Setting: Finnish primary and lower secondary school teachers. Method: Data were collected using a nationwide postal survey from a…

Ye Olde Maile Surveye.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berty, Ernest

This publication is primarily designed for educational practitioners who possess little or no training in conducting mail surveys or have not kept current on the present state of the art of survey methods and techniques. It is also intended to be a checking and comparing aid to ensure that important research considerations are taken into account.…

Domestic Violence Assessments in the Child Advocacy Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thackeray, Jonathan D.; Scribano, Philip V.; Rhoda, Dale

2010-01-01

Objective: This study was designed to identify the frequency, methods, and practices of universal assessments for domestic violence (DV) within child advocacy centers (CACs) and determine which factors are associated with CACs that conduct universal DV assessments. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional, web-based survey distributed to…

Methodology of the National School-based Health Survey in Malaysia, 2012.

PubMed

Yusoff, Fadhli; Saari, Riyanti; Naidu, Balkish M; Ahmad, Noor Ani; Omar, Azahadi; Aris, Tahir

2014-09-01

The National School-Based Health Survey 2012 was a nationwide school health survey of students in Standard 4 to Form 5 (10-17 years of age), who were schooling in government schools in Malaysia during the period of data collection. The survey comprised 3 subsurveys: the Global School Health Survey (GSHS), the Mental Health Survey, and the National School-Based Nutrition Survey. The aim of the survey was to provide data on the health status of adolescents in Malaysia toward strengthening the adolescent health program in the country. The design of the survey was created to fulfill the requirements of the 3 subsurveys. A 2-stage stratified sampling method was adopted in the sampling. The methods for data collection were via questionnaire and physical examination. The National School-Based Health Survey 2012 adopted an appropriate methodology for a school-based survey to ensure valid and reliable findings. © 2014 APJPH.

A field test of three LQAS designs to assess the prevalence of acute malnutrition.

PubMed

Deitchler, Megan; Valadez, Joseph J; Egge, Kari; Fernandez, Soledad; Hennigan, Mary

2007-08-01

The conventional method for assessing the prevalence of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in emergency settings is the 30 x 30 cluster-survey. This study describes alternative approaches: three Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) designs to assess GAM. The LQAS designs were field-tested and their results compared with those from a 30 x 30 cluster-survey. Computer simulations confirmed that small clusters instead of a simple random sample could be used for LQAS assessments of GAM. Three LQAS designs were developed (33 x 6, 67 x 3, Sequential design) to assess GAM thresholds of 10, 15 and 20%. The designs were field-tested simultaneously with a 30 x 30 cluster-survey in Siraro, Ethiopia during June 2003. Using a nested study design, anthropometric, morbidity and vaccination data were collected on all children 6-59 months in sampled households. Hypothesis tests about GAM thresholds were conducted for each LQAS design. Point estimates were obtained for the 30 x 30 cluster-survey and the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 LQAS designs. Hypothesis tests showed GAM as <10% for the 33 x 6 design and GAM as > or =10% for the 67 x 3 and Sequential designs. Point estimates for the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 designs were similar to those of the 30 x 30 cluster-survey for GAM (6.7%, CI = 3.2-10.2%; 8.2%, CI = 4.3-12.1%, 7.4%, CI = 4.8-9.9%) and all other indicators. The CIs for the LQAS designs were only slightly wider than the CIs for the 30 x 30 cluster-survey; yet the LQAS designs required substantially less time to administer. The LQAS designs provide statistically appropriate alternatives to the more time-consuming 30 x 30 cluster-survey. However, additional field-testing is needed using independent samples rather than a nested study design.

Modeling the Sensitivity of Field Surveys for Detection of Environmental DNA (eDNA)

PubMed Central

Schultz, Martin T.; Lance, Richard F.

2015-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is the practice of collecting environmental samples and analyzing them for the presence of a genetic marker specific to a target species. Little is known about the sensitivity of the eDNA method. Sensitivity is the probability that the target marker will be detected if it is present in the water body. Methods and tools are needed to assess the sensitivity of sampling protocols, design eDNA surveys, and interpret survey results. In this study, the sensitivity of the eDNA method is modeled as a function of ambient target marker concentration. The model accounts for five steps of sample collection and analysis, including: 1) collection of a filtered water sample from the source; 2) extraction of DNA from the filter and isolation in a purified elution; 3) removal of aliquots from the elution for use in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay; 4) PCR; and 5) genetic sequencing. The model is applicable to any target species. For demonstration purposes, the model is parameterized for bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix) assuming sampling protocols used in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Simulation results show that eDNA surveys have a high false negative rate at low concentrations of the genetic marker. This is attributed to processing of water samples and division of the extraction elution in preparation for the PCR assay. Increases in field survey sensitivity can be achieved by increasing sample volume, sample number, and PCR replicates. Increasing sample volume yields the greatest increase in sensitivity. It is recommended that investigators estimate and communicate the sensitivity of eDNA surveys to help facilitate interpretation of eDNA survey results. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to evaluate the results of surveys in which no water samples test positive for the target marker. It is also recommended that invasive species managers articulate concentration-based sensitivity objectives for eDNA surveys. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to design appropriate sampling protocols. The model provides insights into how sampling protocols can be designed or modified to achieve these sensitivity objectives. PMID:26509674

Modeling the Sensitivity of Field Surveys for Detection of Environmental DNA (eDNA).

PubMed

Schultz, Martin T; Lance, Richard F

2015-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method is the practice of collecting environmental samples and analyzing them for the presence of a genetic marker specific to a target species. Little is known about the sensitivity of the eDNA method. Sensitivity is the probability that the target marker will be detected if it is present in the water body. Methods and tools are needed to assess the sensitivity of sampling protocols, design eDNA surveys, and interpret survey results. In this study, the sensitivity of the eDNA method is modeled as a function of ambient target marker concentration. The model accounts for five steps of sample collection and analysis, including: 1) collection of a filtered water sample from the source; 2) extraction of DNA from the filter and isolation in a purified elution; 3) removal of aliquots from the elution for use in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay; 4) PCR; and 5) genetic sequencing. The model is applicable to any target species. For demonstration purposes, the model is parameterized for bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix) assuming sampling protocols used in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). Simulation results show that eDNA surveys have a high false negative rate at low concentrations of the genetic marker. This is attributed to processing of water samples and division of the extraction elution in preparation for the PCR assay. Increases in field survey sensitivity can be achieved by increasing sample volume, sample number, and PCR replicates. Increasing sample volume yields the greatest increase in sensitivity. It is recommended that investigators estimate and communicate the sensitivity of eDNA surveys to help facilitate interpretation of eDNA survey results. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to evaluate the results of surveys in which no water samples test positive for the target marker. It is also recommended that invasive species managers articulate concentration-based sensitivity objectives for eDNA surveys. In the absence of such information, it is difficult to design appropriate sampling protocols. The model provides insights into how sampling protocols can be designed or modified to achieve these sensitivity objectives.

Current State of Agile User-Centered Design: A Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Zahid; Slany, Wolfgang; Holzinger, Andreas

Agile software development methods are quite popular nowadays and are being adopted at an increasing rate in the industry every year. However, these methods are still lacking usability awareness in their development lifecycle, and the integration of usability/User-Centered Design (UCD) into agile methods is not adequately addressed. This paper presents the preliminary results of a recently conducted online survey regarding the current state of the integration of agile methods and usability/UCD. A world wide response of 92 practitioners was received. The results show that the majority of practitioners perceive that the integration of agile methods with usability/UCD has added value to their adopted processes and to their teams; has resulted in the improvement of usability and quality of the product developed; and has increased the satisfaction of the end-users of the product developed. The top most used HCI techniques are low-fidelity prototyping, conceptual designs, observational studies of users, usability expert evaluations, field studies, personas, rapid iterative testing, and laboratory usability testing.

Optimal surveillance strategy for invasive species management when surveys stop after detection.

PubMed

Guillera-Arroita, Gurutzeta; Hauser, Cindy E; McCarthy, Michael A

2014-05-01

Invasive species are a cause for concern in natural and economic systems and require both monitoring and management. There is a trade-off between the amount of resources spent on surveying for the species and conducting early management of occupied sites, and the resources that are ultimately spent in delayed management at sites where the species was present but undetected. Previous work addressed this optimal resource allocation problem assuming that surveys continue despite detection until the initially planned survey effort is consumed. However, a more realistic scenario is often that surveys stop after detection (i.e., follow a "removal" sampling design) and then management begins. Such an approach will indicate a different optimal survey design and can be expected to be more efficient. We analyze this case and compare the expected efficiency of invasive species management programs under both survey methods. We also evaluate the impact of mis-specifying the type of sampling approach during the program design phase. We derive analytical expressions that optimize resource allocation between monitoring and management in surveillance programs when surveys stop after detection. We do this under a scenario of unconstrained resources and scenarios where survey budget is constrained. The efficiency of surveillance programs is greater if a "removal survey" design is used, with larger gains obtained when savings from early detection are high, occupancy is high, and survey costs are not much lower than early management costs at a site. Designing a surveillance program disregarding that surveys stop after detection can result in an efficiency loss. Our results help guide the design of future surveillance programs for invasive species. Addressing program design within a decision-theoretic framework can lead to a better use of available resources. We show how species prevalence, its detectability, and the benefits derived from early detection can be considered.

Herpetological Monitoring Using a Pitfall Trapping Design in Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Robert; Stokes, Drew; Rochester, Carlton; Brehme, Cheryl; Hathaway, Stacie; Case, Ted

2008-01-01

The steps necessary to conduct a pitfall trapping survey for small terrestrial vertebrates are presented. Descriptions of the materials needed and the methods to build trapping equipment from raw materials are discussed. Recommended data collection techniques are given along with suggested data fields. Animal specimen processing procedures, including toe- and scale-clipping, are described for lizards, snakes, frogs, and salamanders. Methods are presented for conducting vegetation surveys that can be used to classify the environment associated with each pitfall trap array. Techniques for data storage and presentation are given based on commonly use computer applications. As with any study, much consideration should be given to the study design and methods before beginning any data collection effort.

National health and nutrition examination survey: plan and operations, 1999-2010.

PubMed

Zipf, George; Chiappa, Michele; Porter, Kathryn S; Ostchega, Yechiam; Lewis, Brenda G; Dostal, Jennifer

2013-08-01

Background-Starting in 1999, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) became a continuous, ongoing annual survey of the noninstitutionalized civilian resident population of the United States. A continuous survey allowed content to change to meet emerging needs. Objective-This report describes how NHANES for 1999-2010 was designed and implemented. NHANES is a national survey designed to provide national estimates on various health-related topics. Methods-The survey used in-person face-to-face interviews and physical examinations for data collection. Approximately 5,000 people per year participated in NHANES. The 5,000 people surveyed each year are representative of the entire U.S. population. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Michigan State University Extension Educators' Perceptions of the Use of Digital Technology in Their Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Elizabeth Chase

2009-01-01

This research study examined Michigan State University Extension educators' perceptions of the use of digital technology in their work. It used a mixed method of research which included a mailed survey and interviews of selected respondents. A census survey using Dillman's Total Design method was sent to 290 field staff of Michigan State…

Improving strategies to assess competitive effects of barred owls on northern spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiens, J. David; Weekes, Anne

2011-01-01

A scientific study has determined that survey methods designed for spotted owls do not always detect barred owls that are actually present in spotted owl habitat. The researchers suggest that strategies to address potential interactions between spotted owls and barred owls will require carefully designed surveys that account for response behaviors and imperfect detection of both species. Species-specific sampling methods, which are proposed, can be used by forest managers to determine the occurrence and distribution of barred owls with high confidence. This fact sheet provides highlights of the research (Wiens and others, 2011).

PARTIAL RESTRAINING FORCE INTRODUCTION METHOD FOR DESIGNING CONSTRUCTION COUNTERMESURE ON ΔB METHOD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiyama, Taku; Imanishi, Hajime; Chiba, Noriyuki; Ito, Takao

Landslide or slope failure is a three-dimensional movement phenomenon, thus a three-dimensional treatment makes it easier to understand stability. The ΔB method (simplified three-dimensional slope stability analysis method) is based on the limit equilibrium method and equals to an approximate three-dimensional slope stability analysis that extends two-dimensional cross-section stability analysis results to assess stability. This analysis can be conducted using conventional spreadsheets or two-dimensional slope stability computational software. This paper describes the concept of the partial restraining force in-troduction method for designing construction countermeasures using the distribution of the restraining force found along survey lines, which is based on the distribution of survey line safety factors derived from the above-stated analysis. This paper also presents the transverse distributive method of restraining force used for planning ground stabilizing on the basis of the example analysis.

40 CFR 21.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., architectural, legal, fiscal, or economic investigations or studies; surveys, designs, plans, writings, drawings... one or more applicable standards. This can be determined with reference to design specifications..., alterations, or methods of operation the design specifications of which will provide a measure of treatment or...

40 CFR 21.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., architectural, legal, fiscal, or economic investigations or studies; surveys, designs, plans, writings, drawings... one or more applicable standards. This can be determined with reference to design specifications..., alterations, or methods of operation the design specifications of which will provide a measure of treatment or...

40 CFR 21.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., architectural, legal, fiscal, or economic investigations or studies; surveys, designs, plans, writings, drawings... one or more applicable standards. This can be determined with reference to design specifications..., alterations, or methods of operation the design specifications of which will provide a measure of treatment or...

40 CFR 21.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., architectural, legal, fiscal, or economic investigations or studies; surveys, designs, plans, writings, drawings... one or more applicable standards. This can be determined with reference to design specifications..., alterations, or methods of operation the design specifications of which will provide a measure of treatment or...

40 CFR 21.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., architectural, legal, fiscal, or economic investigations or studies; surveys, designs, plans, writings, drawings... one or more applicable standards. This can be determined with reference to design specifications..., alterations, or methods of operation the design specifications of which will provide a measure of treatment or...

A practical guide to surveys and questionnaires.

PubMed

Slattery, Eric L; Voelker, Courtney C J; Nussenbaum, Brian; Rich, Jason T; Paniello, Randal C; Neely, J Gail

2011-06-01

Surveys with questionnaires play a vital role in decision and policy making in society. Within medicine, including otolaryngology, surveys with questionnaires may be the only method for gathering data on rare or unusual events. In addition, questionnaires can be developed and validated to be used as outcome measures in clinical trials and other clinical research architecture. Consequently, it is fundamentally important that such tools be properly developed and validated. Just asking questions that have not gone through rigorous design and development may be misleading and unfair at best; at worst, they can result in under- or overtreatment and unnecessary expense. Furthermore, it is important that consumers of the data produced by these instruments understand the principles of questionnaire design to interpret results in an optimal and meaningful way. This article presents a practical guide for understanding the methodologies of survey and questionnaire design, including the concepts of validity and reliability, how surveys are administered and implemented, and, finally, biases and pitfalls of surveys.

Survey of Verification and Validation Techniques for Small Satellite Software Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacklin, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current trends and practices in small-satellite software verification and validation. This document is not intended to promote a specific software assurance method. Rather, it seeks to present an unbiased survey of software assurance methods used to verify and validate small satellite software and to make mention of the benefits and value of each approach. These methods include simulation and testing, verification and validation with model-based design, formal methods, and fault-tolerant software design with run-time monitoring. Although the literature reveals that simulation and testing has by far the longest legacy, model-based design methods are proving to be useful for software verification and validation. Some work in formal methods, though not widely used for any satellites, may offer new ways to improve small satellite software verification and validation. These methods need to be further advanced to deal with the state explosion problem and to make them more usable by small-satellite software engineers to be regularly applied to software verification. Last, it is explained how run-time monitoring, combined with fault-tolerant software design methods, provides an important means to detect and correct software errors that escape the verification process or those errors that are produced after launch through the effects of ionizing radiation.

Use of cultural consensus analysis to evaluate expert feedback of median safety.

PubMed

Kim, Tae-Gyu; Donnell, Eric T; Lee, Dongmin

2008-07-01

Cultural consensus analysis is a statistical method that can be used to assess participant responses to survey questions. The technique concurrently estimates the knowledge of each survey participant and estimates the culturally correct answer to each question asked, based on the existence of consensus among survey participants. The main objectives of this paper are to present the cultural consensus methodology and apply it to a set of median design and safety survey data that were collected using the Delphi method. A total of 21 Delphi survey participants were asked to answer research questions related to cross-median crashes. It was found that the Delphi panel had agreeable opinions with respect to the association of average daily traffic (ADT) and heavy vehicle percentage combination on the risk of cross-median crashes; relative importance of additional factors, other than ADT, median width, and crash history that may contribute to cross-median crashes; and, the relative importance of geometric factors that may be associated with the likelihood of cross-median crashes. Therefore, the findings from the cultural consensus analysis indicate that the expert panel selected to participate in the Delphi survey shared a common knowledge pool relative to the association between median design and safety. There were, however, diverse opinions regarding median barrier type and its preferred placement location. The panel showed a higher level of knowledge on the relative importance regarding the association of geometric factors on cross-median crashes likelihood than on other issues considered. The results of the cultural consensus analysis of the present median design and safety survey data could be used to design a focused field study of median safety.

Development and Reliability of Items Measuring the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs for the Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Results Froman Initial Pilot Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Melissa M.; Weiler, Robert M.; Haddox, J. David

2009-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop and test the reliability of self-report survey items designed to monitor the nonmedical use of prescription drugs among adolescents. Methods: Eighteen nonmedical prescription drug items designed to be congruent with the substance abuse items in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's…

Understanding Sample Surveys: Selective Learning about Social Science Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currin-Percival, Mary; Johnson, Martin

2010-01-01

We investigate differences in what students learn about survey methodology in a class on public opinion presented in two critically different ways: with the inclusion or exclusion of an original research project using a random-digit-dial telephone survey. Using a quasi-experimental design and data obtained from pretests and posttests in two public…

Quality-Based Analysis Capability for National Youth Surveys: Development, Application, and Implications for Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orvis, Bruce R.; Gahart, Martin T.

As part of the military recruiting effort, the Department of Defense sponsors surveys of the national youth population to help design recruiting and advertising strategies. This report develops and applies a method of using the information contained in national youth surveys to estimate the probability that respondents taking the Armed Forces…

A Survey of Undergraduate Student Perceptions and Use of Nutrition Information Labels in a University Dining Hall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Olivia D.; Roberto, Christina A.; Kim, Jane H.; Schwartz, Marlene B.; Brownell, Kelly D.

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine undergraduate student perceptions and reported use of nutrition information labels in campus dining halls.Design: Paper surveys were administered to a convenience sample of undergraduates. Setting: This study was conducted at an urban United States university. Method: A survey about perceptions and use of nutrition…

A Case Study of Culturally Sensitive Mail Survey Methods for Understanding Walking within an Orthodox Jewish Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahan, David

2006-01-01

Adequate response to mail health surveys by minority populations has proved problematic. The impact of mail survey design features utilized to promote Orthodox Jews' responses (N = 138; 82 eligible synagogue member households) to a mailed questionnaire used to measure walking behavior are described and assessed. An examination of response…

Surveying Colorado Band Directors' Opinions of Skills and Characteristics Important to Successful Music Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miksza, Peter; Roeder, Matthew; Biggs, Dana

2010-01-01

This study was designed to (a) gather band directors' opinions of skills and characteristics important to teaching and (b) examine the relative effectiveness of electronic versus paper survey methods. Survey respondents ranked lists of music, teaching, and personal skills or characteristics in order of importance and answered open-ended items…

Development, Implementation, and Analysis of a National Survey of Faculty Goals for Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruck, Aaron D.; Towns, Marcy

2013-01-01

This work reports the development of a survey for laboratory goals in undergraduate chemistry, the analysis of reliable and valid data collected from a national survey of college chemistry faculty, and a synthesis of the findings. The study used a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. Faculty goals for laboratory emerged across seven…

The use of advanced web-based survey design in Delphi research.

PubMed

Helms, Christopher; Gardner, Anne; McInnes, Elizabeth

2017-12-01

A discussion of the application of metadata, paradata and embedded data in web-based survey research, using two completed Delphi surveys as examples. Metadata, paradata and embedded data use in web-based Delphi surveys has not been described in the literature. The rapid evolution and widespread use of online survey methods imply that paper-based Delphi methods will likely become obsolete. Commercially available web-based survey tools offer a convenient and affordable means of conducting Delphi research. Researchers and ethics committees may be unaware of the benefits and risks of using metadata in web-based surveys. Discussion paper. Two web-based, three-round Delphi surveys were conducted sequentially between August 2014 - January 2015 and April - May 2016. Their aims were to validate the Australian nurse practitioner metaspecialties and their respective clinical practice standards. Our discussion paper is supported by researcher experience and data obtained from conducting both web-based Delphi surveys. Researchers and ethics committees should consider the benefits and risks of metadata use in web-based survey methods. Web-based Delphi research using paradata and embedded data may introduce efficiencies that improve individual participant survey experiences and reduce attrition across iterations. Use of embedded data allows the efficient conduct of multiple simultaneous Delphi surveys across a shorter timeframe than traditional survey methods. The use of metadata, paradata and embedded data appears to improve response rates, identify bias and give possible explanation for apparent outlier responses, providing an efficient method of conducting web-based Delphi surveys. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Valuing Eastern Visibility: A Field Test of the Contingent Valuation Method (1993)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The report describes the Eastern visibility survey design in detail, presents the implementation of and data obtained from the surveys, provides summary statistics on the overall response and discusses the econometric techniques employed to value benefits.

Inclusion of mobile phone numbers into an ongoing population health survey in New South Wales, Australia: design, methods, call outcomes, costs and sample representativeness.

PubMed

Barr, Margo L; van Ritten, Jason J; Steel, David G; Thackway, Sarah V

2012-11-22

In Australia telephone surveys have been the method of choice for ongoing jurisdictional population health surveys. Although it was estimated in 2011 that nearly 20% of the Australian population were mobile-only phone users, the inclusion of mobile phone numbers into these existing landline population health surveys has not occurred. This paper describes the methods used for the inclusion of mobile phone numbers into an existing ongoing landline random digit dialling (RDD) health survey in an Australian state, the New South Wales Population Health Survey (NSWPHS). This paper also compares the call outcomes, costs and the representativeness of the resultant sample to that of the previous landline sample. After examining several mobile phone pilot studies conducted in Australia and possible sample designs (screening dual-frame and overlapping dual-frame), mobile phone numbers were included into the NSWPHS using an overlapping dual-frame design. Data collection was consistent, where possible, with the previous years' landline RDD phone surveys and between frames. Survey operational data for the frames were compared and combined. Demographic information from the interview data for mobile-only phone users, both, and total were compared to the landline frame using χ2 tests. Demographic information for each frame, landline and the mobile-only (equivalent to a screening dual frame design), and the frames combined (with appropriate overlap adjustment) were compared to the NSW demographic profile from the 2011 census using χ2 tests. In the first quarter of 2012, 3395 interviews were completed with 2171 respondents (63.9%) from the landline frame (17.6% landline only) and 1224 (36.1%) from the mobile frame (25.8% mobile only). Overall combined response, contact and cooperation rates were 33.1%, 65.1% and 72.2% respectively. As expected from previous research, the demographic profile of the mobile-only phone respondents differed most (more that were young, males, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, overseas born and single) compared to the landline frame responders. The profile of respondents from the two frames combined, with overlap adjustment, was most similar to the latest New South Wales (NSW) population profile. The inclusion of the mobile phone numbers, through an overlapping dual-frame design, did not impact negatively on response rates or data collection, and although costing more the design was still cost-effective because of the additional interviews that were conducted with young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people who were born overseas resulting in a more representative overall sample.

Use of methods for specifying the target difference in randomised controlled trial sample size calculations: Two surveys of trialists' practice.

PubMed

Cook, Jonathan A; Hislop, Jennifer M; Altman, Doug G; Briggs, Andrew H; Fayers, Peter M; Norrie, John D; Ramsay, Craig R; Harvey, Ian M; Vale, Luke D

2014-06-01

Central to the design of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is a calculation of the number of participants needed. This is typically achieved by specifying a target difference, which enables the trial to identify a difference of a particular magnitude should one exist. Seven methods have been proposed for formally determining what the target difference should be. However, in practice, it may be driven by convenience or some other informal basis. It is unclear how aware the trialist community is of these formal methods or whether they are used. To determine current practice regarding the specification of the target difference by surveying trialists. Two surveys were conducted: (1) Members of the Society for Clinical Trials (SCT): participants were invited to complete an online survey through the society's email distribution list. Respondents were asked about their awareness, use of, and willingness to recommend methods; (2) Leading UK- and Ireland-based trialists: the survey was sent to UK Clinical Research Collaboration registered Clinical Trials Units, Medical Research Council UK Hubs for Trial Methodology Research, and the Research Design Services of the National Institute for Health Research. This survey also included questions about the most recent trial developed by the respondent's group. Survey 1: Of the 1182 members on the SCT membership email distribution list, 180 responses were received (15%). Awareness of methods ranged from 69 (38%) for health economic methods to 162 (90%) for pilot study. Willingness to recommend among those who had used a particular method ranged from 56% for the opinion-seeking method to 89% for the review of evidence-base method. Survey 2: Of the 61 surveys sent out, 34 (56%) responses were received. Awareness of methods ranged from 33 (97%) for the review of evidence-base and pilot methods to 14 (41%) for the distribution method. The highest level of willingness to recommend among users was for the anchor method (87%). Based upon the most recent trial, the target difference was usually one viewed as important by a stakeholder group, mostly also viewed as a realistic difference given the interventions under evaluation, and sometimes one that led to an achievable sample size. The response rates achieved were relatively low despite the surveys being short, well presented, and having utilised reminders. Substantial variations in practice exist with awareness, use, and willingness to recommend methods varying substantially. The findings support the view that sample size calculation is a more complex process than would appear to be the case from trial reports and protocols. Guidance on approaches for sample size estimation may increase both awareness and use of appropriate formal methods. © The Author(s), 2014.

Tracking rural-to-urban migration in China: Lessons from the 2005 inter-census population survey.

PubMed

Ebenstein, Avraham; Zhao, Yaohui

2015-01-01

We examined migration in China using the 2005 inter-census population survey, in which migrants were registered at both their place of original (hukou) residence and at their destination. We find evidence that the estimated number of internal migrants in China is extremely sensitive to the enumeration method. We estimate that the traditional destination-based survey method fails to account for more than a third of migrants found using comparable origin-based methods. The 'missing' migrants are disproportionately young, male, and holders of rural hukou. We find that origin-based methods are more effective at capturing migrants who travel short distances for short periods, whereas destination-based methods are more effective when entire households have migrated and no remaining family members are located at the hukou location. We conclude with a set of policy recommendations for the design of population surveys in countries with large migrant populations.

Methods for implementing a medicine outlet survey: lessons from the anti-malarial market.

PubMed

O'Connell, Kathryn A; Poyer, Stephen; Solomon, Tsione; Munroe, Erik; Patouillard, Edith; Njogu, Julius; Evance, Illah; Hanson, Kara; Shewchuk, Tanya; Goodman, Catherine

2013-02-05

In recent years an increasing number of public investments and policy changes have been made to improve the availability, affordability and quality of medicines available to consumers in developing countries, including anti-malarials. It is important to monitor the extent to which these interventions are successful in achieving their aims using quantitative data on the supply side of the market. There are a number of challenges related to studying supply, including outlet sampling, gaining provider cooperation and collecting accurate data on medicines. This paper provides guidance on key steps to address these issues when conducting a medicine outlet survey in a developing country context. While the basic principles of good survey design and implementation are important for all surveys, there are a set of specific issues that should be considered when conducting a medicine outlet survey. This paper draws on the authors' experience of designing and implementing outlet surveys, including the lessons learnt from ACTwatch outlet surveys on anti-malarial retail supply, and other key studies in the field. Key lessons and points of debate are distilled around the following areas: selecting a sample of outlets; techniques for collecting and analysing data on medicine availability, price and sales volumes; and methods for ensuring high quality data in general. The authors first consider the inclusion criteria for outlets, contrasting comprehensive versus more focused approaches. Methods for developing a reliable sampling frame of outlets are then presented, including use of existing lists, key informants and an outlet census. Specific issues in the collection of data on medicine prices and sales volumes are discussed; and approaches for generating comparable price and sales volume data across products using the adult equivalent treatment dose (AETD) are explored. The paper concludes with advice on practical considerations, including questionnaire design, field worker training, and data collection. Survey materials developed by ACTwatch for investigating anti-malarial markets in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia provide a helpful resource for future studies in this area.

Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Physician Assistants in Physician Offices

MedlinePlus

... on Vital and Health Statistics Annual Reports Health Survey Research Methods Conference Reports from the National Medical Care ... each sample visit that takes all stages of design into account. The survey data are inflated or weighted to produce unbiased ...

The Laboratory Course Assessment Survey: A Tool to Measure Three Dimensions of Research-Course Design

PubMed Central

Corwin, Lisa A.; Runyon, Christopher; Robinson, Aspen; Dolan, Erin L.

2015-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are increasingly being offered as scalable ways to involve undergraduates in research. Yet few if any design features that make CUREs effective have been identified. We developed a 17-item survey instrument, the Laboratory Course Assessment Survey (LCAS), that measures students’ perceptions of three design features of biology lab courses: 1) collaboration, 2) discovery and relevance, and 3) iteration. We assessed the psychometric properties of the LCAS using established methods for instrument design and validation. We also assessed the ability of the LCAS to differentiate between CUREs and traditional laboratory courses, and found that the discovery and relevance and iteration scales differentiated between these groups. Our results indicate that the LCAS is suited for characterizing and comparing undergraduate biology lab courses and should be useful for determining the relative importance of the three design features for achieving student outcomes. PMID:26466990

Adequacy of Reporting Results of School Surveys and Nonresponse Effects: A Review of the Literature and a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kano, Megumi; Franke, Todd; Afifi, Abdelmonem A.; Bourque, Linda B.

2008-01-01

To ensure accurate interpretation of research findings, researchers should report details about their research design, data collection method, and response rates when presenting findings from survey research. A review of 100 peer-reviewed articles reporting the results of survey research on K-12 schools with principals as the designated…

Developing the design of a continuous national health survey for New Zealand

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A continuously operating survey can yield advantages in survey management, field operations, and the provision of timely information for policymakers and researchers. We describe the key features of the sample design of the New Zealand (NZ) Health Survey, which has been conducted on a continuous basis since mid-2011, and compare to a number of other national population health surveys. Methods A number of strategies to improve the NZ Health Survey are described: implementation of a targeted dual-frame sample design for better Māori, Pacific, and Asian statistics; movement from periodic to continuous operation; use of core questions with rotating topic modules to improve flexibility in survey content; and opportunities for ongoing improvements and efficiencies, including linkage to administrative datasets. Results and discussion The use of disproportionate area sampling and a dual frame design resulted in reductions of approximately 19%, 26%, and 4% to variances of Māori, Pacific and Asian statistics respectively, but at the cost of a 17% increase to all-ethnicity variances. These were broadly in line with the survey’s priorities. Respondents provided a high degree of cooperation in the first year, with an adult response rate of 79% and consent rates for data linkage above 90%. Conclusions A combination of strategies tailored to local conditions gives the best results for national health surveys. In the NZ context, data from the NZ Census of Population and Dwellings and the Electoral Roll can be used to improve the sample design. A continuously operating survey provides both administrative and statistical advantages. PMID:24364838

An International Survey of Gross Anatomy Courses in Chiropractic Colleges

PubMed Central

Ball, Jennette J.; Petrocco-Napuli, Kristina L.; Zumpano, Michael P.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide the first comprehensive description of gross anatomy course design in chiropractic colleges internationally and to provide baseline data for future investigation, future comparison with other health care professions, and identification of trends. Methods: A 72-question cross-sectional electronic survey was sent to the anatomy department chair at 36 chiropractic colleges internationally using Zoomerang, a web-based survey instrument. To augment the survey response data, public sources of data also were collected. Results: Forty-four percent of the electronic surveys were returned and information was gathered for 31 institutions from public sources. These results indicate (1) the most common degrees held by anatomy faculty were MS and PhD in anatomy, and DC degrees; (2) 75% of institutions utilized human cadavers and 75% presented laboratory anatomical demonstrations; (3) 62% used PowerPoint and 100% provided students with copies of lecture presentations; (4) 88% required attendance in laboratory and 50% in lecture; (5) 69% issued one grade for lecture and laboratory; (6) 100% of laboratory examinations were anatomical identification; and (7) 80% of written examinations were multiple-choice format. Conclusions: While individual variations existed, chiropractic institutions internationally have similar gross anatomy faculty, course design, delivery methods, and assessment methods. PMID:23362365

A review of parametric approaches specific to aerodynamic design process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tian-tian; Wang, Zhen-guo; Huang, Wei; Yan, Li

2018-04-01

Parametric modeling of aircrafts plays a crucial role in the aerodynamic design process. Effective parametric approaches have large design space with a few variables. Parametric methods that commonly used nowadays are summarized in this paper, and their principles have been introduced briefly. Two-dimensional parametric methods include B-Spline method, Class/Shape function transformation method, Parametric Section method, Hicks-Henne method and Singular Value Decomposition method, and all of them have wide application in the design of the airfoil. This survey made a comparison among them to find out their abilities in the design of the airfoil, and the results show that the Singular Value Decomposition method has the best parametric accuracy. The development of three-dimensional parametric methods is limited, and the most popular one is the Free-form deformation method. Those methods extended from two-dimensional parametric methods have promising prospect in aircraft modeling. Since different parametric methods differ in their characteristics, real design process needs flexible choice among them to adapt to subsequent optimization procedure.

The Second NASA Formal Methods Workshop 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Sally C. (Compiler); Holloway, C. Michael (Compiler); Butler, Ricky W. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

The primary goal of the workshop was to bring together formal methods researchers and aerospace industry engineers to investigate new opportunities for applying formal methods to aerospace problems. The first part of the workshop was tutorial in nature. The second part of the workshop explored the potential of formal methods to address current aerospace design and verification problems. The third part of the workshop involved on-line demonstrations of state-of-the-art formal verification tools. Also, a detailed survey was filled in by the attendees; the results of the survey are compiled.

Mixed Estimation for a Forest Survey Sample Design

Treesearch

Francis A. Roesch

1999-01-01

Three methods of estimating the current state of forest attributes over small areas for the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station's annual forest sampling design are compared. The three methods were (I) simple moving average, (II) single imputation of plot data that had been updated by externally developed models, and (III) local application of a global...

Optimal design of a plot cluster for monitoring

Treesearch

Charles T. Scott

1993-01-01

Traveling costs incurred during extensive forest surveys make cluster sampling cost-effective. Clusters are specified by the type of plots, plot size, number of plots, and the distance between plots within the cluster. A method to determine the optimal cluster design when different plot types are used for different forest resource attributes is described. The method...

Perception of Teachers and Administrators on the Teaching Methods That Influence the Acquisition of Generic Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Audu, R.; Bin Kamin, Yusri; Bin Musta'amal, Aede Hatib; Bin Saud, Muhammad Sukri; Hamid, Mohd. Zolkifli Abd.

2014-01-01

This study is designed to identify the most significant teaching methods that influence the acquisition of generic skills of mechanical engineering trades students at technical college level. Descriptive survey research design was utilized in carrying out the study. One hundred and ninety (190) respondents comprised of mechanical engineering…

Incorporating precision, accuracy and alternative sampling designs into a continental monitoring program for colonial waterbirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinkamp, Melanie J.; Peterjohn, B.G.; Keisman, J.L.

2003-01-01

A comprehensive monitoring program for colonial waterbirds in North America has never existed. At smaller geographic scales, many states and provinces conduct surveys of colonial waterbird populations. Periodic regional surveys are conducted at varying times during the breeding season using a variety of survey methods, which complicates attempts to estimate population trends for most species. The US Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center has recently started to coordinate colonial waterbird monitoring efforts throughout North America. A centralized database has been developed with an Internet-based data entry and retrieval page. The extent of existing colonial waterbird surveys has been defined, allowing gaps in coverage to be identified and basic inventories completed where desirable. To enable analyses of comparable data at regional or larger geographic scales, sampling populations through statistically sound sampling designs should supersede obtaining counts at every colony. Standardized breeding season survey techniques have been agreed upon and documented in a monitoring manual. Each survey in the manual has associated with it recommendations for bias estimation, and includes specific instructions on measuring detectability. The methods proposed in the manual are for developing reliable, comparable indices of population size to establish trend information at multiple spatial and temporal scales, but they will not result in robust estimates of total population numbers.

Estimating population trends with a linear model: Technical comments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, John R.; Link, William A.; Royle, J. Andrew

2004-01-01

Controversy has sometimes arisen over whether there is a need to accommodate the limitations of survey design in estimating population change from the count data collected in bird surveys. Analyses of surveys such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) can be quite complex; it is natural to ask if the complexity is necessary, or whether the statisticians have run amok. Bart et al. (2003) propose a very simple analysis involving nothing more complicated than simple linear regression, and contrast their approach with model-based procedures. We review the assumptions implicit to their proposed method, and document that these assumptions are unlikely to be valid for surveys such as the BBS. One fundamental limitation of a purely design-based approach is the absence of controls for factors that influence detection of birds at survey sites. We show that failure to model observer effects in survey data leads to substantial bias in estimation of population trends from BBS data for the 20 species that Bart et al. (2003) used as the basis of their simulations. Finally, we note that the simulations presented in Bart et al. (2003) do not provide a useful evaluation of their proposed method, nor do they provide a valid comparison to the estimating- equations alternative they consider.

An adaptive two-stage sequential design for sampling rare and clustered populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, J.A.; Salehi, M.M.; Moradi, M.; Bell, G.; Smith, D.R.

2008-01-01

How to design an efficient large-area survey continues to be an interesting question for ecologists. In sampling large areas, as is common in environmental studies, adaptive sampling can be efficient because it ensures survey effort is targeted to subareas of high interest. In two-stage sampling, higher density primary sample units are usually of more interest than lower density primary units when populations are rare and clustered. Two-stage sequential sampling has been suggested as a method for allocating second stage sample effort among primary units. Here, we suggest a modification: adaptive two-stage sequential sampling. In this method, the adaptive part of the allocation process means the design is more flexible in how much extra effort can be directed to higher-abundance primary units. We discuss how best to design an adaptive two-stage sequential sample. ?? 2008 The Society of Population Ecology and Springer.

[Data validation methods and discussion on Chinese materia medica resource survey].

PubMed

Zhang, Yue; Ma, Wei-Feng; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Zhu, Shou-Dong; Guo, Lan-Ping; Wang, Xing-Xing

2013-07-01

From the beginning of the fourth national survey of the Chinese materia medica resources, there were 22 provinces have conducted pilots. The survey teams have reported immense data, it put forward the very high request to the database system construction. In order to ensure the quality, it is necessary to check and validate the data in database system. Data validation is important methods to ensure the validity, integrity and accuracy of census data. This paper comprehensively introduce the data validation system of the fourth national survey of the Chinese materia medica resources database system, and further improve the design idea and programs of data validation. The purpose of this study is to promote the survey work smoothly.

Supernova Cosmology in the Big Data Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, Richard

Here we describe large "Big Data" Supernova (SN) Ia surveys, past and present, used to make precision measurements of cosmological parameters that describe the expansion history of the universe. In particular, we focus on surveys designed to measure the dark energy equation of state parameter w and its dependence on cosmic time. These large surveys have at least four photometric bands, and they use a rolling search strategy in which the same instrument is used for both discovery and photometric follow-up observations. These surveys include the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS), Sloan Digital Sky Survey II (SDSS-II), Pan-STARRS 1 (PS1), Dark Energy Survey (DES), and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). We discuss the development of how systematic uncertainties are evaluated, and how methods to reduce them play a major role is designing new surveys. The key systematic effects that we discuss are (1) calibration, measuring the telescope efficiency in each filter band, (2) biases from a magnitude-limited survey and from the analysis, and (3) photometric SN classification for current surveys that don't have enough resources to spectroscopically confirm each SN candidate.

Focusing on What Counts: Using Exploratory Focus Groups to Enhance the Development of an Electronic Survey in a Mixed-Methods Research Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galliott, Natal'ya; Graham, Linda J.

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the use of exploratory focus groups to inform the development of a survey instrument in a sequential phase mixed-methods study investigating differences in secondary students' career choice capability. Five focus groups were conducted with 23 Year 10 students in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of the focus…

Metamodels for Computer-Based Engineering Design: Survey and Recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Timothy W.; Peplinski, Jesse; Koch, Patrick N.; Allen, Janet K.

1997-01-01

The use of statistical techniques to build approximations of expensive computer analysis codes pervades much of todays engineering design. These statistical approximations, or metamodels, are used to replace the actual expensive computer analyses, facilitating multidisciplinary, multiobjective optimization and concept exploration. In this paper we review several of these techniques including design of experiments, response surface methodology, Taguchi methods, neural networks, inductive learning, and kriging. We survey their existing application in engineering design and then address the dangers of applying traditional statistical techniques to approximate deterministic computer analysis codes. We conclude with recommendations for the appropriate use of statistical approximation techniques in given situations and how common pitfalls can be avoided.

Survey of methods for calculating sensitivity of general eigenproblems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Durbha V.; Haftka, Raphael T.

1987-01-01

A survey of methods for sensitivity analysis of the algebraic eigenvalue problem for non-Hermitian matrices is presented. In addition, a modification of one method based on a better normalizing condition is proposed. Methods are classified as Direct or Adjoint and are evaluated for efficiency. Operation counts are presented in terms of matrix size, number of design variables and number of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of interest. The effect of the sparsity of the matrix and its derivatives is also considered, and typical solution times are given. General guidelines are established for the selection of the most efficient method.

Executive control systems in the engineering design environment. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurst, P. W.

1985-01-01

An executive control system (ECS) is a software structure for unifying various applications codes into a comprehensive system. It provides a library of applications, a uniform access method through a cental user interface, and a data management facility. A survey of twenty-four executive control systems designed to unify various CAD/CAE applications for use in diverse engineering design environments within government and industry was conducted. The goals of this research were to establish system requirements to survey state-of-the-art architectural design approaches, and to provide an overview of the historical evolution of these systems. Foundations for design are presented and include environmental settings, system requirements, major architectural components, and a system classification scheme based on knowledge of the supported engineering domain(s). An overview of the design approaches used in developing the major architectural components of an ECS is presented with examples taken from the surveyed systems. Attention is drawn to four major areas of ECS development: interdisciplinary usage; standardization; knowledge utilization; and computer science technology transfer.

Improving fault image by determination of optimum seismic survey parameters using ray-based modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saffarzadeh, Sadegh; Javaherian, Abdolrahim; Hasani, Hossein; Talebi, Mohammad Ali

2018-06-01

In complex structures such as faults, salt domes and reefs, specifying the survey parameters is more challenging and critical owing to the complicated wave field behavior involved in such structures. In the petroleum industry, detecting faults has become crucial for reservoir potential where faults can act as traps for hydrocarbon. In this regard, seismic survey modeling is employed to construct a model close to the real structure, and obtain very realistic synthetic seismic data. Seismic modeling software, the velocity model and parameters pre-determined by conventional methods enable a seismic survey designer to run a shot-by-shot virtual survey operation. A reliable velocity model of structures can be constructed by integrating the 2D seismic data, geological reports and the well information. The effects of various survey designs can be investigated by the analysis of illumination maps and flower plots. Also, seismic processing of the synthetic data output can describe the target image using different survey parameters. Therefore, seismic modeling is one of the most economical ways to establish and test the optimum acquisition parameters to obtain the best image when dealing with complex geological structures. The primary objective of this study is to design a proper 3D seismic survey orientation to achieve fault zone structures through ray-tracing seismic modeling. The results prove that a seismic survey designer can enhance the image of fault planes in a seismic section by utilizing the proposed modeling and processing approach.

Reliability and Validity of Survey Instruments to Measure Work-Related Fatigue in the Emergency Medical Services Setting: A Systematic Review

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-01-11

Background: This study sought to systematically search the literature to identify reliable and valid survey instruments for fatigue measurement in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) occupational setting. Methods: A systematic review study design wa...

University Students' Views of Obesity and Weight Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okonkwo, Ononuju; While, Alison

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the knowledge and views of university students regarding obesity and weight management strategies. Design: Online questionnaire-based survey of undergraduate and postgraduate university students in a large London university with a diverse student population. Method: The survey was administered online and circulated…

76 FR 67762 - Notice of Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

... are not available unless collected via surveys to students and teachers. The evaluation is an... instruments designed to gather information on change, or growth, made in various domains of STEM awareness... objectives. II. Method of Collection Electronic Survey. III. Data Title: NASA Summer of Innovation (SOI). OMB...

75 FR 28070 - Notice of Information Collection; (10-053).

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

... are not available unless collected via surveys to students and teachers. The evaluation is an... instruments designed to gather information on change, or growth, made in various domains of STEM awareness... objectives. II. Method of Collection: Electronic Survey. III. Data Title: NASA Summer of Innovation (SOI...

A comparison of survey methods to evaluate macrophyte index of biotic integrity performance in Minnesota lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vondracek, Bruce C.; Koch, Justine D.; Beck, Marcus W.

2014-01-01

Aquatic macrophytes shape trophic web dynamics, provide food and refuge for macroinvertebrates and fish, and increase nutrient retention, sediment stabilization, and water clarity. Macrophytes are well-suited as indicators of ecological health because they are immobile, relatively easy to sample and identify, and respond to anthropogenic disturbance on an ecological time scale. Aquatic plant monitoring programs can provide valuable information to water resource managers, especially in conjunction with macrophyte-based indices of biotic integrity (IBI). However, there are several current sampling designs and the precision of IBI scores has not been evaluated across different surveys. We evaluated the performance of the Minnesota macrophyte-based IBI for two survey designs; a point intercept (PI) survey and a belt transect (BT) survey. PI surveys are time intensive, especially on large lakes, whereas BT are less time intensive and have been used historically in Minnesota. Our objectives were to compare the PI surveys with BT surveys on the same lakes, and to modify the BT survey (MT survey) to improve information obtained from BT surveys. BT surveys consistently overestimated IBI scores compared to the PI method (t = 6.268, df = 60, p < 0.001). Overall IBI scores calculated from MT surveys differed significantly from PI scores, but on average, MT surveys predicted scores only 3% lower than PI scores. Implementation of the Minnesota macrophyte-based IBI through the adoption of the MT survey approach would improve sampling efficiency and enable widespread documentation of the effects of landscape change, shifts in hydrologic regimes, and other anthropogenic activities on the integrity of lacustrine systems.

Estimating population trends with a linear model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan; Collins, Brian D.; Morrison, R.I.G.

2003-01-01

We describe a simple and robust method for estimating trends in population size. The method may be used with Breeding Bird Survey data, aerial surveys, point counts, or any other program of repeated surveys at permanent locations. Surveys need not be made at each location during each survey period. The method differs from most existing methods in being design based, rather than model based. The only assumptions are that the nominal sampling plan is followed and that sample size is large enough for use of the t-distribution. Simulations based on two bird data sets from natural populations showed that the point estimate produced by the linear model was essentially unbiased even when counts varied substantially and 25% of the complete data set was missing. The estimating-equation approach, often used to analyze Breeding Bird Survey data, performed similarly on one data set but had substantial bias on the second data set, in which counts were highly variable. The advantages of the linear model are its simplicity, flexibility, and that it is self-weighting. A user-friendly computer program to carry out the calculations is available from the senior author.

Reef Fish Survey Techniques: Assessing the Potential for Standardizing Methodologies.

PubMed

Caldwell, Zachary R; Zgliczynski, Brian J; Williams, Gareth J; Sandin, Stuart A

2016-01-01

Dramatic changes in populations of fishes living on coral reefs have been documented globally and, in response, the research community has initiated efforts to assess and monitor reef fish assemblages. A variety of visual census techniques are employed, however results are often incomparable due to differential methodological performance. Although comparability of data may promote improved assessment of fish populations, and thus management of often critically important nearshore fisheries, to date no standardized and agreed-upon survey method has emerged. This study describes the use of methods across the research community and identifies potential drivers of method selection. An online survey was distributed to researchers from academic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations internationally. Although many methods were identified, 89% of survey-based projects employed one of three methods-belt transect, stationary point count, and some variation of the timed swim method. The selection of survey method was independent of the research design (i.e., assessment goal) and region of study, but was related to the researcher's home institution. While some researchers expressed willingness to modify their current survey protocols to more standardized protocols (76%), their willingness decreased when methodologies were tied to long-term datasets spanning five or more years. Willingness to modify current methodologies was also less common among academic researchers than resource managers. By understanding both the current application of methods and the reported motivations for method selection, we hope to focus discussions towards increasing the comparability of quantitative reef fish survey data.

Preliminary survey of markets and prices of forest products in the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula

Treesearch

George E. Doverspike

1949-01-01

This preliminary survey was designed to explore the present methods of marketing farm products and the problems involved in collecting price information about primary forest products. No attempt was made to initiate a permanent price-reporting service, since that was beyond the scope of the survey. However, certain price information was obtained; it is shown in table 2...

Determinants of Tobacco Use among Students Aged 13-15 Years in Nepal and Sri Lanka: Results from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabir, M. A.; Goh, Kim-Leng

2014-01-01

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate tobacco use behaviours and their correlates among secondary school students in Nepal and Sri Lanka together with cross-country comparisons. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods and Settings: The data were obtained from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), 2007. Current tobacco use was considered as…

2011 Military Family Life Project (MFLP): Tabulations of Responses

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-30

officials contributing to the development of this survey included Cathy Flynn and Yuko Whitestone (Military Community and Family Policy). DMDC’s Survey...Design, Analysis & Operations Branch, under the guidance of Lindsay Rock, Acting Branch Chief, is responsible for the development of questionnaires...responsible for developing the sampling and weighting methods used in the survey program. Fawzi Al Nassir, SRA International, Inc., supervised the

Perceived Income Adequacy among Older Adults in 12 Countries: Findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litwin, Howard; Sapir, Eliyahu V.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To validate a survey research measure of subjective income, as measured by perceived income adequacy, in an international context. Design and Methods: The study population comprised persons aged 50 years and older in 12 countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (n = 28,939). Perceived difficulty in making ends…

Environmental DNA as a Tool for Inventory and Monitoring of Aquatic Vertebrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

geomorphic calculations and description of each reach. Methods Channel Surveys We initially selected reaches based on access and visual indicators...WA 99164 I-2 Environmental DNA lab protocol: designing species-specific qPCR assays Species-specific surveys should use quantitative polymerase...to traditional field sampling with respect to sensitivity, detection probabilities, and cost efficiency. Compared to field surveys , eDNA sampling

The National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices survey: Multilevel survey methods and procedures⋆

PubMed Central

Taxman, Faye S.; Young, Douglas W.; Wiersema, Brian; Rhodes, Anne; Mitchell, Suzanne

2007-01-01

The National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices (NCJTP) survey provides a comprehensive inquiry into the nature of programs and services provided to adult and juvenile offenders involved in the justice system in the United States. The multilevel survey design covers topics such as the mission and goals of correctional and treatment programs; organizational climate and culture for providing services; organizational capacity and needs; opinions of administrators and staff regarding rehabilitation, punishment, and services provided to offenders; treatment policies and procedures; and working relationships between correctional and other agencies. The methodology generates national estimates of the availability of programs and services for offenders. This article details the methodology and sampling frame for the NCJTP survey, response rates, and survey procedures. Prevalence estimates of juvenile and adult offenders under correctional control are provided with externally validated comparisons to illustrate the veracity of the methodology. Limitations of the survey methods are also discussed. PMID:17383548

Using electronic surveys in nursing research.

PubMed

Cope, Diane G

2014-11-01

Computer and Internet use in businesses and homes in the United States has dramatically increased since the early 1980s. In 2011, 76% of households reported having a computer, compared with only 8% in 1984 (File, 2013). A similar increase in Internet use has also been seen, with 72% of households reporting access of the Internet in 2011 compared with 18% in 1997 (File, 2013). This emerging trend in technology has prompted use of electronic surveys in the research community as an alternative to previous telephone and postal surveys. Electronic surveys can offer an efficient, cost-effective method for data collection; however, challenges exist. An awareness of the issues and strategies to optimize data collection using web-based surveys is critical when designing research studies. This column will discuss the different types and advantages and disadvantages of using electronic surveys in nursing research, as well as methods to optimize the quality and quantity of survey responses.

Designing Low Carbon Higher Education Systems: Environmental Impacts of Campus and Distance Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Robin; Potter, Stephen; Yarrow, Karen

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to summarise the methods and main findings of a study of the environmental impacts of providing higher education (HE) courses by campus-based and distance/open-learning methods. Design/methodology/approach: The approach takes the form of an environmental audit, with data from surveys of 20 UK courses--13 campus-based,…

Student Learning in Student Services Extended Opportunity Program & Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soltani, Parisa

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between student learning and participation in Equal Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) at Irvine Valley College (IVC). An embedded survey design was developed using William Sedlacek's non-cognitive questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Community College Survey of…

Design of a Monitoring Program for Northern Spotted Owls

Treesearch

Jonathan Bart; Douglas S. Robson

1995-01-01

This paper discusses methods for estimating population trends of Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) based on point counts. Although the monitoring program will have five distinct components, attention here is restricted to one of these: roadside surveys of territorial birds. Analyses of Breeding Bird Survey data and computer...

Enhancing Student Learning through Scaffolded Client Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomlinson, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This article reports on the current status of client projects (CPs) in business communication courses, provides a scaffolded model for implementing CP, and assesses student learning in CPs. Using a longitudinal mixed method research design, survey data and qualitative materials from six semesters are presented. The instructor survey indicated need…

The Role of Principals in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttram, Joan L.; Farley-Ripple, Elizabeth N.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to identify how principals shape the adoption and implementation of professional learning communities. The study employed a sequential mixed-methods approach in which interviews, observations, and document analysis informed survey design. Teachers were surveyed in four elementary schools about the practices and…

Single-Phase Mail Survey Design for Rare Population Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brick, J. Michael; Andrews, William R.; Mathiowetz, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

Although using random digit dialing (RDD) telephone samples was the preferred method for conducting surveys of households for many years, declining response and coverage rates have led researchers to explore alternative approaches. The use of address-based sampling (ABS) has been examined for sampling the general population and subgroups, most…

Circuit Riding: A Method for Providing Reference Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plunket, Linda; And Others

1983-01-01

Discussion of the design and implementation of the Circuit Rider Librarian Program, a shared services project for delivering reference services to eight hospitals in Maine, includes a cost analysis of services and description of user evaluation survey. Five references, composite results of the survey, and postgrant options proposal are appended.…

Media Literacy and Cigarette Smoking in Hungarian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Randy M.; Piko, Bettina F.; Balazs, Mate A.; Struk, Tamara

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess smoking media literacy in a sample of Hungarian youth and to determine its association with current smoking and susceptibility to future smoking. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional survey. Setting: Four elementary and four high schools in Mako, Hungary. Method: A survey form was administered in regularly-scheduled classes to…

A Study of "Career Pathways" Policy with Implications for School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ormsmith, Michael I.; Mansfield, Katherine Cumings

2014-01-01

This explanatory mixed-methods study began with a quantitative survey to investigate counselor beliefs and implementation behaviors related to providing college and career planning services to high school students. Survey results informed the development and implementation of interview protocol designed to provide deeper insight into counselors'…

Attributing Responsibility for Child Maltreatment when Domestic Violence Is Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landsman, Miriam J.; Hartley, Carolyn Copps

2007-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine factors that influence how child welfare workers attribute responsibility for child maltreatment and child safety in cases involving domestic violence. Methods: The study used a factorial survey approach, combining elements of survey research with an experimental design. Case vignettes were…

Survey of adaptive control using Liapunov design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindorff, D. P.; Carroll, R. L.

1973-01-01

A survey of the literature in which Liapunov's second method is used in determining the control law is presented, with emphasis placed on the model-tracking adaptive control problem. Forty references are listed. Following a brief tutorial exposition of the adaptive control problem, the techniques for treating reduction of order, disturbance and time-varying parameters, multivariable systems, identification, and adaptive observers are discussed. The method is critically evaluated, particularly with respect to possibilities for application.

Solid lubricants: A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, M. E.

1972-01-01

A survey is presented of the most recent developments and trends in the field of solid lubrication. Topics discussed include: a history of solid lubrication, lubricating solids, bonded lubricants, new developments, methods of evaluation, environmental effects, application methods, novel materials, and designs for the use of solid lubricants. Excerpts of solid lubricant specifications and a discussion of contact stresses imposed on specimens in three types of test machines used for the evaluation of solid lubricants are presented.

Optimum allocation for a dual-frame telephone survey.

PubMed

Wolter, Kirk M; Tao, Xian; Montgomery, Robert; Smith, Philip J

2015-12-01

Careful design of a dual-frame random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey requires selecting from among many options that have varying impacts on cost, precision, and coverage in order to obtain the best possible implementation of the study goals. One such consideration is whether to screen cell-phone households in order to interview cell-phone only (CPO) households and exclude dual-user household, or to take all interviews obtained via the cell-phone sample. We present a framework in which to consider the tradeoffs between these two options and a method to select the optimal design. We derive and discuss the optimum allocation of sample size between the two sampling frames and explore the choice of optimum p , the mixing parameter for the dual-user domain. We illustrate our methods using the National Immunization Survey , sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statistical assessment on a combined analysis of GRYN-ROMN-UCBN upland vegetation vital signs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irvine, Kathryn M.; Rodhouse, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

As of 2013, Rocky Mountain and Upper Columbia Basin Inventory and Monitoring Networks have multiple years of vegetation data and Greater Yellowstone Network has three years of vegetation data and monitoring is ongoing in all three networks. Our primary objective is to assess whether a combined analysis of these data aimed at exploring correlations with climate and weather data is feasible. We summarize the core survey design elements across protocols and point out the major statistical challenges for a combined analysis at present. The dissimilarity in response designs between ROMN and UCBN-GRYN network protocols presents a statistical challenge that has not been resolved yet. However, the UCBN and GRYN data are compatible as they implement a similar response design; therefore, a combined analysis is feasible and will be pursued in future. When data collected by different networks are combined, the survey design describing the merged dataset is (likely) a complex survey design. A complex survey design is the result of combining datasets from different sampling designs. A complex survey design is characterized by unequal probability sampling, varying stratification, and clustering (see Lohr 2010 Chapter 7 for general overview). Statistical analysis of complex survey data requires modifications to standard methods, one of which is to include survey design weights within a statistical model. We focus on this issue for a combined analysis of upland vegetation from these networks, leaving other topics for future research. We conduct a simulation study on the possible effects of equal versus unequal probability selection of points on parameter estimates of temporal trend using available packages within the R statistical computing package. We find that, as written, using lmer or lm for trend detection in a continuous response and clm and clmm for visually estimated cover classes with “raw” GRTS design weights specified for the weight argument leads to substantially different results and/or computational instability. However, when only fixed effects are of interest, the survey package (svyglm and svyolr) may be suitable for a model-assisted analysis for trend. We provide possible directions for future research into combined analysis for ordinal and continuous vital sign indictors.

Measuring the patient experience in primary care

PubMed Central

Slater, Morgan; Kiran, Tara

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective To compare the characteristics and responses of patients completing a patient experience survey accessed online after e-mail notification or delivered in the waiting room using tablet computers. Design Cross-sectional comparison of 2 methods of delivering a patient experience survey. Setting A large family health team in Toronto, Ont. Participants Family practice patients aged 18 or older who completed an e-mail survey between January and June 2014 (N = 587) or who completed the survey in the waiting room in July and August 2014 (N = 592). Main outcome measures Comparison of respondent demographic characteristics and responses to questions related to access and patient-centredness. Results Patients responding to the e-mail survey were more likely to live in higher-income neighbourhoods (P = .0002), be between the ages of 35 and 64 (P = .0147), and be female (P = .0434) compared with those responding to the waiting room survey; there were no significant differences related to self-rated health. The differences in neighbourhood income were noted despite minimal differences between patients with and without e-mail addresses included in their medical records. There were few differences in responses to the survey questions between the 2 survey methods and any differences were explained by the underlying differences in patient demographic characteristics. Conclusion Our findings suggest that respondent demographic characteristics might differ depending on the method of survey delivery, and these differences might affect survey responses. Methods of delivering patient experience surveys that require electronic literacy might underrepresent patients living in low-income neighbourhoods. Practices should consider evaluating for nonresponse bias and adjusting for patient demographic characteristics when interpreting survey results. Further research is needed to understand how primary care practices can optimize electronic survey delivery methods to survey a representative sample of patients. PMID:27965350

Student Preferences Regarding Teaching Methods in a Drug-Induced Diseases and Clinical Toxicology Course

PubMed Central

Gim, Suzanna

2013-01-01

Objectives. To determine which teaching method in a drug-induced diseases and clinical toxicology course was preferred by students and whether their preference correlated with their learning of drug-induced diseases. Design. Three teaching methods incorporating active-learning exercises were implemented. A survey instrument was developed to analyze students’ perceptions of the active-learning methods used and how they compared to the traditional teaching method (lecture). Examination performance was then correlated to students’ perceptions of various teaching methods. Assessment. The majority of the 107 students who responded to the survey found traditional lecture significantly more helpful than active-learning methods (p=0.01 for all comparisons). None of the 3 active-learning methods were preferred over the others. No significant correlations were found between students’ survey responses and examination performance. Conclusions. Students preferred traditional lecture to other instructional methods. Learning was not influenced by the teaching method or by preference for a teaching method. PMID:23966726

Calories Consumed from Alcoholic Beverages by U.S. Adults, 2007-2010

MedlinePlus

... the National School Lunch Program. Data sources and methods National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data ... percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method that incorporates the sample weights and sample design. ...

Consumption of Diet Drinks in the United States, 2009‒2010

MedlinePlus

... in analyses for this report. Data source and methods National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data ... percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method that incorporates the sample weights and sample design. ...

Comparison of visual survey and seining methods for estimating abundance of an endangered, benthic stream fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jordan, F.; Jelks, H.L.; Bortone, S.A.; Dorazio, R.M.

2008-01-01

We compared visual survey and seining methods for estimating abundance of endangered Okaloosa darters, Etheostoma okaloosae, in 12 replicate stream reaches during August 2001. For each 20-m stream reach, two divers systematically located and marked the position of darters and then a second crew of three to five people came through with a small-mesh seine and exhaustively sampled the same area. Visual surveys required little extra time to complete. Visual counts (24.2 ?? 12.0; mean ?? one SD) considerably exceeded seine captures (7.4 ?? 4.8), and counts from the two methods were uncorrelated. Visual surveys, but not seines, detected the presence of Okaloosa darters at one site with low population densities. In 2003, we performed a depletion removal study in 10 replicate stream reaches to assess the accuracy of the visual survey method. Visual surveys detected 59% of Okaloosa darters present, and visual counts and removal estimates were positively correlated. Taken together, our comparisons indicate that visual surveys more accurately and precisely estimate abundance of Okaloosa darters than seining and more reliably detect presence at low population densities. We recommend evaluation of visual survey methods when designing programs to monitor abundance of benthic fishes in clear streams, especially for threatened and endangered species that may be sensitive to handling and habitat disturbance. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Surveying drainage culvert use by carnivores: sampling design and cost-benefit analyzes of track-pads vs. video-surveillance methods.

PubMed

Mateus, Ana Rita A; Grilo, Clara; Santos-Reis, Margarida

2011-10-01

Environmental assessment studies often evaluate the effectiveness of drainage culverts as habitat linkages for species, however, the efficiency of the sampling designs and the survey methods are not known. Our main goal was to estimate the most cost-effective monitoring method for sampling carnivore culvert using track-pads and video-surveillance. We estimated the most efficient (lower costs and high detection success) interval between visits (days) when using track-pads and also determined the advantages of using each method. In 2006, we selected two highways in southern Portugal and sampled 15 culverts over two 10-day sampling periods (spring and summer). Using the track-pad method, 90% of the animal tracks were detected using a 2-day interval between visits. We recorded a higher number of crossings for most species using video-surveillance (n = 129) when compared with the track-pad technique (n = 102); however, the detection ability using the video-surveillance method varied with type of structure and species. More crossings were detected in circular culverts (1 m and 1.5 m diameter) than in box culverts (2 m to 4 m width), likely because video cameras had a reduced vision coverage area. On the other hand, carnivore species with small feet such as the common genet Genetta genetta were detected less often using the track-pad surveying method. The cost-benefit analyzes shows that the track-pad technique is the most appropriate technique, but video-surveillance allows year-round surveys as well as the behavior response analyzes of species using crossing structures.

Evaluation of AM2 2 1 Lay Pattern Over a 25 CBR Subgrade

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-04-30

penetrometer in shallow pavement applications. Designation : D 6951. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International. ____. 2010. Standard test method for...Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN IT TO...27 Figure 3.21. Surveying designated cross section

Survey and analysis of research on supersonic drag-due-to-lift minimization with recommendations for wing design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Harry W.; Mann, Michael J.

1992-01-01

A survey of research on drag-due-to-lift minimization at supersonic speeds, including a study of the effectiveness of current design and analysis methods was conducted. The results show that a linearized theory analysis with estimated attainable thrust and vortex force effects can predict with reasonable accuracy the lifting efficiency of flat wings. Significantly better wing performance can be achieved through the use of twist and camber. Although linearized theory methods tend to overestimate the amount of twist and camber required for a given application and provide an overly optimistic performance prediction, these deficiencies can be overcome by implementation of recently developed empirical corrections. Numerous examples of the correlation of experiment and theory are presented to demonstrate the applicability and limitations of linearized theory methods with and without empirical corrections. The use of an Euler code for the estimation of aerodynamic characteristics of a twisted and cambered wing and its application to design by iteration are discussed.

Cross-System Evaluation of Clinical Trial Search Engines

PubMed Central

Jiang, Silis Y.; Weng, Chunhua

2014-01-01

Clinical trials are fundamental to the advancement of medicine but constantly face recruitment difficulties. Various clinical trial search engines have been designed to help health consumers identify trials for which they may be eligible. Unfortunately, knowledge of the usefulness and usability of their designs remains scarce. In this study, we used mixed methods, including time-motion analysis, think-aloud protocol, and survey, to evaluate five popular clinical trial search engines with 11 users. Differences in user preferences and time spent on each system were observed and correlated with user characteristics. In general, searching for applicable trials using these systems is a cognitively demanding task. Our results show that user perceptions of these systems are multifactorial. The survey indicated eTACTS being the generally preferred system, but this finding did not persist among all mixed methods. This study confirms the value of mixed-methods for a comprehensive system evaluation. Future system designers must be aware that different users groups expect different functionalities. PMID:25954590

Cross-system evaluation of clinical trial search engines.

PubMed

Jiang, Silis Y; Weng, Chunhua

2014-01-01

Clinical trials are fundamental to the advancement of medicine but constantly face recruitment difficulties. Various clinical trial search engines have been designed to help health consumers identify trials for which they may be eligible. Unfortunately, knowledge of the usefulness and usability of their designs remains scarce. In this study, we used mixed methods, including time-motion analysis, think-aloud protocol, and survey, to evaluate five popular clinical trial search engines with 11 users. Differences in user preferences and time spent on each system were observed and correlated with user characteristics. In general, searching for applicable trials using these systems is a cognitively demanding task. Our results show that user perceptions of these systems are multifactorial. The survey indicated eTACTS being the generally preferred system, but this finding did not persist among all mixed methods. This study confirms the value of mixed-methods for a comprehensive system evaluation. Future system designers must be aware that different users groups expect different functionalities.

Preparing university students to lead K-12 engineering outreach programmes: a design experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-11-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year design experiment to examine the programme's effectiveness at preparing university students to lead pre-engineering activities. Pre- and post-surveys incorporated items from the Student Engagement sub-scale of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Surveys were analysed using paired-samples t-test. Interview and open-ended survey data were analysed using discourse analysis and the constant comparative method. As a result of participation in the programme, university students reported a gain in efficacy to lead pre-engineering activities. The paper discusses programme features that supported efficacy gains and concludes with a set of design principles for developing learning environments that effectively prepare university students to facilitate pre-engineering outreach programmes.

Watershed-based survey designs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Detenbeck, N.E.; Cincotta, D.; Denver, J.M.; Greenlee, S.K.; Olsen, A.R.; Pitchford, A.M.

2005-01-01

Watershed-based sampling design and assessment tools help serve the multiple goals for water quality monitoring required under the Clean Water Act, including assessment of regional conditions to meet Section 305(b), identification of impaired water bodies or watersheds to meet Section 303(d), and development of empirical relationships between causes or sources of impairment and biological responses. Creation of GIS databases for hydrography, hydrologically corrected digital elevation models, and hydrologic derivatives such as watershed boundaries and upstream–downstream topology of subcatchments would provide a consistent seamless nationwide framework for these designs. The elements of a watershed-based sample framework can be represented either as a continuous infinite set defined by points along a linear stream network, or as a discrete set of watershed polygons. Watershed-based designs can be developed with existing probabilistic survey methods, including the use of unequal probability weighting, stratification, and two-stage frames for sampling. Case studies for monitoring of Atlantic Coastal Plain streams, West Virginia wadeable streams, and coastal Oregon streams illustrate three different approaches for selecting sites for watershed-based survey designs.

Large-area Soil Moisture Surveys Using a Cosmic-ray Rover: Approaches and Results from Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawdon, A. A.; McJannet, D. L.; Renzullo, L. J.; Baker, B.; Searle, R.

2017-12-01

Recent improvements in satellite instrumentation has increased the resolution and frequency of soil moisture observations, and this in turn has supported the development of higher resolution land surface process models. Calibration and validation of these products is restricted by the mismatch of scales between remotely sensed and contemporary ground based observations. Although the cosmic ray neutron soil moisture probe can provide estimates soil moisture at a scale useful for the calibration and validation purposes, it is spatially limited to a single, fixed location. This scaling issue has been addressed with the development of mobile soil moisture monitoring systems that utilizes the cosmic ray neutron method, typically referred to as a `rover'. This manuscript describes a project designed to develop approaches for undertaking rover surveys to produce soil moisture estimates at scales comparable to satellite observations and land surface process models. A custom designed, trailer-mounted rover was used to conduct repeat surveys at two scales in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. A broad scale survey was conducted at 36 x 36 km covering an area of a standard SMAP pixel and an intensive scale survey was conducted over a 10 x 10 km portion of the broad scale survey, which is at a scale equivalent to that used for national water balance modelling. We will describe the design of the rover, the methods used for converting neutron counts into soil moisture and discuss factors controlling soil moisture variability. We found that the intensive scale rover surveys produced reliable soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution and the broad scale at 9 km resolution. We conclude that these products are well suited for future analysis of satellite soil moisture retrievals and finer scale soil moisture models.

An evaluation of the quality of statistical design and analysis of published medical research: results from a systematic survey of general orthopaedic journals.

PubMed

Parsons, Nick R; Price, Charlotte L; Hiskens, Richard; Achten, Juul; Costa, Matthew L

2012-04-25

The application of statistics in reported research in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has become ever more important and complex. Despite the extensive use of statistical analysis, it is still a subject which is often not conceptually well understood, resulting in clear methodological flaws and inadequate reporting in many papers. A detailed statistical survey sampled 100 representative orthopaedic papers using a validated questionnaire that assessed the quality of the trial design and statistical analysis methods. The survey found evidence of failings in study design, statistical methodology and presentation of the results. Overall, in 17% (95% confidence interval; 10-26%) of the studies investigated the conclusions were not clearly justified by the results, in 39% (30-49%) of studies a different analysis should have been undertaken and in 17% (10-26%) a different analysis could have made a difference to the overall conclusions. It is only by an improved dialogue between statistician, clinician, reviewer and journal editor that the failings in design methodology and analysis highlighted by this survey can be addressed.

NASA software specification and evaluation system design, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A survey and analysis of the existing methods, tools and techniques employed in the development of software are presented along with recommendations for the construction of reliable software. Functional designs for software specification language, and the data base verifier are presented.

Reducing random measurement error in assessing postural load on the back in epidemiologic surveys.

PubMed

Burdorf, A

1995-02-01

The goal of this study was to design strategies to assess postural load on the back in occupational epidemiology by taking into account the reliability of measurement methods and the variability of exposure among the workers under study. Intermethod reliability studies were evaluated to estimate the systematic bias (accuracy) and random measurement error (precision) of various methods to assess postural load on the back. Intramethod reliability studies were reviewed to estimate random variability of back load over time. Intermethod surveys have shown that questionnaires have a moderate reliability for gross activities such as sitting, whereas duration of trunk flexion and rotation should be assessed by observation methods or inclinometers. Intramethod surveys indicate that exposure variability can markedly affect the reliability of estimates of back load if the estimates are based upon a single measurement over a certain time period. Equations have been presented to evaluate various study designs according to the reliability of the measurement method, the optimum allocation of the number of repeated measurements per subject, and the number of subjects in the study. Prior to a large epidemiologic study, an exposure-oriented survey should be conducted to evaluate the performance of measurement instruments and to estimate sources of variability for back load. The strategy for assessing back load can be optimized by balancing the number of workers under study and the number of repeated measurements per worker.

'Your DNA, Your Say': global survey gathering attitudes toward genomics: design, delivery and methods.

PubMed

Middleton, Anna; Niemiec, Emilia; Prainsack, Barbara; Bobe, Jason; Farley, Lauren; Steed, Claire; Smith, James; Bevan, Paul; Bonhomme, Natasha; Kleiderman, Erika; Thorogood, Adrian; Schickhardt, Christoph; Garattini, Chiara; Vears, Danya; Littler, Katherine; Banner, Natalie; Scott, Erick; Kovalevskaya, Nadezda V; Levin, Elissa; Morley, Katherine I; Howard, Heidi C

2018-06-01

Our international study, 'Your DNA, Your Say', uses film and an online cross-sectional survey to gather public attitudes toward the donation, access and sharing of DNA information. We describe the methodological approach used to create an engaging and bespoke survey, suitable for translation into many different languages. We address some of the particular challenges in designing a survey on the subject of genomics. In order to understand the significance of a genomic result, researchers and clinicians alike use external databases containing DNA and medical information from thousands of people. We ask how publics would like their 'anonymous' data to be used (or not to be used) and whether they are concerned by the potential risks of reidentification; the results will be used to inform policy.

A Low-Cost Energy-Efficient Cableless Geophone Unit for Passive Surface Wave Surveys.

PubMed

Dai, Kaoshan; Li, Xiaofeng; Lu, Chuan; You, Qingyu; Huang, Zhenhua; Wu, H Felix

2015-09-25

The passive surface wave survey is a practical, non-invasive seismic exploration method that has increasingly been used in geotechnical engineering. However, in situ deployment of traditional wired geophones is labor intensive for a dense sensor array. Alternatively, stand-alone seismometers can be used, but they are bulky, heavy, and expensive because they are usually designed for long-term monitoring. To better facilitate field applications of the passive surface wave survey, a low-cost energy-efficient geophone system was developed in this study. The hardware design is presented in this paper. To validate the system's functionality, both laboratory and field experiments were conducted. The unique feature of this newly-developed cableless geophone system allows for rapid field applications of the passive surface wave survey with dense array measurements.

Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over: United States, 2005-2008

MedlinePlus

... received from primary care providers. Data sources and methods NHANES is a continuous survey conducted to assess ... percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method that incorporates the sample design and weights. Overall ...

Inclusion of Alternative and Complementary Therapies in CACREP Training Programs: A Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lumadue, Christine A.; Munk, Melanie; Wooten, H. Ray

2005-01-01

Given a heightened focus within the mental health profession on creative, complementary, and alternative practices, the authors surveyed CACREP programs with respect to their inclusion of such approaches in counselor training. For the purpose of this study, these approaches were designated as complementary and alternative methods (CAM) and defined…

Nursing Home Work Practices and Nursing Assistants' Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Christine E.; Squillace, Marie R.; Meagher, Jennifer; Anderson, Wayne L.; Wiener, Joshua M.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To estimate the impact of nursing home work practices, specifically compensation and working conditions, on job satisfaction of nursing assistants employed in nursing homes. Design and Methods: Data are from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey, responses by the nursing assistants' employers to the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey,…

Assessing Needs for Gerontological Education in Urban and Rural Areas of Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dussen, Daniel J.; Leson, Suzanne M.; Emerick, Eric S.; Voytek, Joseph A.; Ewen, Heidi H.

2016-01-01

Purpose of the Study: This project surveyed health care professionals from both urban and rural care settings in Ohio and examined differences in professionals' needs and interests in continuing gerontological education. Design and Methods: The survey data were analyzed for 766 health care professionals descriptively, using cross-tabulations and…

Professional Development for Adult Education Instructors. State Policy Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolbert, Michelle

This State Policy Update provides background on professional development (PD) in adult education. Section 2 describes survey methods used to document how states funded and designed their PD systems. Section 3 reviews data collected by the survey of state PD systems, highlighting PD activities in Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. It…

Urban Indian Voices: A Community-Based Participatory Research Health and Needs Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Chad V.; Bartgis, Jami; Worley, Jody A.; Hellman, Chan M.; Burkhart, Russell

2010-01-01

This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project utilized a mixed-methods survey design to identify urban (Tulsa, OK) American Indian (AI) strengths and needs. Six hundred fifty AIs (550 adults and 100 youth) were surveyed regarding their attitudes and beliefs about their community. These results were used in conjunction with other…

Beliefs and Knowledge about the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Undergraduate Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Theresa; Weinstein, Melissa

2016-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess male undergraduate students' human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and intentions to receive the HPV vaccination. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Method: A sample of 116 male undergraduate students from a university in the Midwestern USA completed a survey questionnaire assessing various aspects…

The Role of Numeracy Skills in Graduate Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durrani, Naureen; Tariq, Vicki N.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore the role and importance of numeracy skills in graduate recruitment within a diversity of employment sectors. Design/methodology/approach: The results of a mixed-methods study, involving three online surveys (including an employer survey), student focus group sessions and interviews with tutors,…

The "Village" Model: A Consumer-Driven Approach for Aging in Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scharlach, Andrew; Graham, Carrie; Lehning, Amanda

2012-01-01

Purpose of the Study: This study examines the characteristics of the "Village" model, an innovative consumer-driven approach that aims to promote aging in place through a combination of member supports, service referrals, and consumer engagement. Design and Methods: Thirty of 42 fully operational Villages completed 2 surveys. One survey examined…

Review of Estimation Methods for Landline and Cell Phone Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arcos, Antonio; del Mar Rueda, María; Trujillo, Manuel; Molina, David

2015-01-01

The rapid proliferation of cell phone use and the accompanying decline in landline service in recent years have resulted in substantial potential for coverage bias in landline random-digit-dial telephone surveys, which has led to the implementation of dual-frame designs that incorporate both landline and cell phone samples. Consequently,…

Comparing two survey methods for estimating maternal and perinatal mortality in rural Cambodia.

PubMed

Chandy, Hoeuy; Heng, Yang Van; Samol, Ha; Husum, Hans

2008-03-01

We need solid estimates of maternal mortality rates (MMR) to monitor the impact of maternal care programs. Cambodian health authorities and WHO report the MMR in Cambodia at 450 per 100,000 live births. The figure is drawn from surveys where information is obtained by interviewing respondents about the survival of all their adult sisters (sisterhood method). The estimate is statistically imprecise, 95% confidence intervals ranging from 260 to 620/100,000. The MMR estimate is also uncertain due to under-reporting; where 80-90% of women deliver at home maternal fatalities may go undetected especially where mortality is highest, in remote rural areas. The aim of this study was to attain more reliable MMR estimates by using survey methods other than the sisterhood method prior to an intervention targeting obstetric rural emergencies. The study was carried out in rural Northwestern Cambodia where access to health services is poor and poverty, endemic diseases, and land mines are endemic. Two survey methods were applied in two separate sectors: a community-based survey gathering data from public sources and a household survey gathering data direct from primary sources. There was no statistically significant difference between the two survey results for maternal deaths, both types of survey reported mortality rates around the public figure. The household survey reported a significantly higher perinatal mortality rate as compared to the community-based survey, 8.6% versus 5.0%. Also the household survey gave qualitative data important for a better understanding of the many problems faced by mothers giving birth in the remote villages. There are detection failures in both surveys; the failure rate may be as high as 30-40%. PRINCIPLE CONCLUSION: Both survey methods are inaccurate, therefore inappropriate for evaluation of short-term changes of mortality rates. Surveys based on primary informants yield qualitative information about mothers' hardships important for the design of future maternal care interventions.

Implementation of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Chonde, Timothy M; Doulla, Basra; van Leth, Frank; Mfinanga, Sayoki GM; Range, Nyagosya; Lwilla, Fred; Mfaume, Saidi M; van Deun, Armand; Zignol, Matteo; Cobelens, Frank G; Egwaga, Saidi M

2008-01-01

Background A drug resistance survey is an essential public health management tool for evaluating and improving the performance of National Tuberculosis control programmes. The current manuscript describes the implementation of the first national drug resistance survey in Tanzania. Methods Description of the implementation process of a national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania, in relation to the study protocol and Standard Operating Procedures. Results Factors contributing positively to the implementation of the survey were a continuous commitment of the key stakeholders, the existence of a well organized National Tuberculosis Programme, and a detailed design of cluster-specific arrangements for rapid sputum transportation. Factors contributing negatively to the implementation were a long delay between training and actual survey activities, limited monitoring of activities, and an unclear design of the data capture forms leading to difficulties in form-filling. Conclusion Careful preparation of the survey, timing of planned activities, a strong emphasis on data capture tools and data management, and timely supervision are essential for a proper implementation of a national drug resistance survey. PMID:19116022

Using a mixed methods research design to investigate complementary alternative medicine (CAM) use among women with breast cancer in Ireland.

PubMed

Fox, Patricia; Butler, Michelle; Coughlan, Barbara; Murray, Mary; Boland, Noreen; Hanan, Terry; Murphy, Hilary; Forrester, Pauline; O' Brien, Marie; O' Sullivan, Nollaig

2013-08-01

To investigate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among women with breast cancer in Ireland using a mixed methods modified sequential explanatory design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with oncology professionals (n = 20) and CAM practitioners (n = 20) and this was followed by a survey of 406 women with breast cancer using the 'Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Survey' questionnaire (UCATS) (Lengacher et al., 2003). Follow up interviews were subsequently undertaken with a subset of this survey sample (n = 31). Over half of those surveyed (55.7%, n = 226) used some form of CAM since diagnosis. The most frequently used therapies were massage, herbal supplements (including herbs with oestrogenic properties), antioxidants, relaxation, counselling, health supplements, reflexology, reiki and support groups. Dietary interventions were used primarily to reduce symptoms and/or side effects while reduction of psychological stress was the primary reason for use of stress-reducing therapies. Most respondents reported that the CAM therapies they had used were helpful. The qualitative data elaborated on and provided clarification of the survey results. Similar to international studies, CAM is popular among women with breast cancer in Ireland. As such, the challenge for Irish oncology professionals is to identify low risk CAM therapies that are likely to benefit patients while educating patients and themselves on therapies which may be of concern. This study clearly illustrates the benefits of using a mixed methods approach to enhance our understanding of a complex clinical issue and thus we recommend that this method should be the method of choice when planning health services research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students' Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy: Does the Teaching Method Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abaho, Ernest; Olomi, Donath R.; Urassa, Goodluck Charles

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the various entrepreneurship teaching methods in Uganda and how these methods relate to entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 522 final year students from selected universities and study programs was surveyed using self-reported questionnaires. Findings: There…

46 CFR 199.30 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... surveys, atmospheric research, and biological research. Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), means... other similar places open to persons on board. Anti-exposure suit means a protective suit designed for... means the method or devices designed to transfer a survival craft or rescue boat from its stowed...

46 CFR 199.30 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... surveys, atmospheric research, and biological research. Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), means... other similar places open to persons on board. Anti-exposure suit means a protective suit designed for... means the method or devices designed to transfer a survival craft or rescue boat from its stowed...

46 CFR 199.30 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... surveys, atmospheric research, and biological research. Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), means... other similar places open to persons on board. Anti-exposure suit means a protective suit designed for... means the method or devices designed to transfer a survival craft or rescue boat from its stowed...

75 FR 3737 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-22

... days of this notice. Proposed Project Questionnaire Design Research Laboratory (QDRL) 2010-2012, (OMB... of health services in the United States. The Questionnaire Design Research Laboratory (QDRL) conducts... and more basic research on response errors in surveys. The most common questionnaire evaluation method...

Surveying for architectural students: as simple as possible - as much as necessary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, I.; Mitterecker, T.

2017-08-01

More and more, existing buildings - and particularly historic buildings - are becoming part of the daily business of every architect. Planning and designing in the field of architectural heritage requires not only knowledge of contemporary building techniques, design processes and national and international guidelines, but also a deep understanding of architectural heritage, its evolution and genesis, the building techniques that have been applied, materials used, traditions, etc. In many cases, it is indispensable to perform a detailed building survey and building research to achieve an adequate design concept. The Department of History of Architecture and Building Archaeology of TU Wien has an extensive tradition of building research and over the course of the past 10 years, has developed a teaching workflow to introduce architectural students to building archaeology und surveying methods for building research. A sophisticated, temporally interwoven combination of courses and lectures on different topics related to building archaeology and surveying rapidly gives the architectural students the right tools for this important but often neglected task.

Robotic influence in the conceptual design of mechanical systems in space and vice versa - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanger, George F.

1988-01-01

A survey of methods using robotic devices to construct structural elements in space is presented. Two approaches to robotic construction are considered: one in which the structural elements are designed using conventional aerospace techniques which tend to constrain the function aspects of robotics and one in which the structural elements are designed from the conceptual stage with built-in robotic features. Examples are presented of structural building concepts using robotics, including the construction of the SP-100 nuclear reactor power system, a multimirror large aperture IR space telescope concept, retrieval and repair in space, and the Flight Telerobotic Servicer.

Effectiveness of Facebook Based Learning to Enhance Creativity among Islamic Studies Students by Employing Isman Instructional Design Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Norlidah; Siraj, Saedah; Daud, Mohd Khairul Azman Md; Hussin, Zaharah

2013-01-01

The study examines the effectiveness of Facebook based learning to enhance creativity among Islamic Studies students in the secondary educational setting in Malaysia. It describes the design process by employing the Isman Instructional Design Model. A quantitative study was carried out using experimental method and background survey. The…

Interplay of Computer and Paper-Based Sketching in Graphic Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Rui; Kuo, Shih-Ping; Strobel, Johannes

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate student designers' attitude and choices towards the use of computers and paper sketches when involved in a graphic design process. 65 computer graphic technology undergraduates participated in this research. A mixed method study with survey and in-depth interviews was applied to answer the research…

Survey on large scale system control methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mercadal, Mathieu

1987-01-01

The problem inherent to large scale systems such as power network, communication network and economic or ecological systems were studied. The increase in size and flexibility of future spacecraft has put those dynamical systems into the category of large scale systems, and tools specific to the class of large systems are being sought to design control systems that can guarantee more stability and better performance. Among several survey papers, reference was found to a thorough investigation on decentralized control methods. Especially helpful was the classification made of the different existing approaches to deal with large scale systems. A very similar classification is used, even though the papers surveyed are somehow different from the ones reviewed in other papers. Special attention is brought to the applicability of the existing methods to controlling large mechanical systems like large space structures. Some recent developments are added to this survey.

Sample Size Methods for Estimating HIV Incidence from Cross-Sectional Surveys

PubMed Central

Brookmeyer, Ron

2015-01-01

Summary Understanding HIV incidence, the rate at which new infections occur in populations, is critical for tracking and surveillance of the epidemic. In this paper we derive methods for determining sample sizes for cross-sectional surveys to estimate incidence with sufficient precision. We further show how to specify sample sizes for two successive cross-sectional surveys to detect changes in incidence with adequate power. In these surveys biomarkers such as CD4 cell count, viral load, and recently developed serological assays are used to determine which individuals are in an early disease stage of infection. The total number of individuals in this stage, divided by the number of people who are uninfected, is used to approximate the incidence rate. Our methods account for uncertainty in the durations of time spent in the biomarker defined early disease stage. We find that failure to account for this uncertainty when designing surveys can lead to imprecise estimates of incidence and underpowered studies. We evaluated our sample size methods in simulations and found that they performed well in a variety of underlying epidemics. Code for implementing our methods in R is available with this paper at the Biometrics website on Wiley Online Library. PMID:26302040

Sample size methods for estimating HIV incidence from cross-sectional surveys.

PubMed

Konikoff, Jacob; Brookmeyer, Ron

2015-12-01

Understanding HIV incidence, the rate at which new infections occur in populations, is critical for tracking and surveillance of the epidemic. In this article, we derive methods for determining sample sizes for cross-sectional surveys to estimate incidence with sufficient precision. We further show how to specify sample sizes for two successive cross-sectional surveys to detect changes in incidence with adequate power. In these surveys biomarkers such as CD4 cell count, viral load, and recently developed serological assays are used to determine which individuals are in an early disease stage of infection. The total number of individuals in this stage, divided by the number of people who are uninfected, is used to approximate the incidence rate. Our methods account for uncertainty in the durations of time spent in the biomarker defined early disease stage. We find that failure to account for this uncertainty when designing surveys can lead to imprecise estimates of incidence and underpowered studies. We evaluated our sample size methods in simulations and found that they performed well in a variety of underlying epidemics. Code for implementing our methods in R is available with this article at the Biometrics website on Wiley Online Library. © 2015, The International Biometric Society.

Moving on From Representativeness: Testing the Utility of the Global Drug Survey.

PubMed

Barratt, Monica J; Ferris, Jason A; Zahnow, Renee; Palamar, Joseph J; Maier, Larissa J; Winstock, Adam R

2017-01-01

A decline in response rates in traditional household surveys, combined with increased internet coverage and decreased research budgets, has resulted in increased attractiveness of web survey research designs based on purposive and voluntary opt-in sampling strategies. In the study of hidden or stigmatised behaviours, such as cannabis use, web survey methods are increasingly common. However, opt-in web surveys are often heavily criticised due to their lack of sampling frame and unknown representativeness. In this article, we outline the current state of the debate about the relevance of pursuing representativeness, the state of probability sampling methods, and the utility of non-probability, web survey methods especially for accessing hidden or minority populations. Our article has two aims: (1) to present a comprehensive description of the methodology we use at Global Drug Survey (GDS), an annual cross-sectional web survey and (2) to compare the age and sex distributions of cannabis users who voluntarily completed (a) a household survey or (b) a large web-based purposive survey (GDS), across three countries: Australia, the United States, and Switzerland. We find that within each set of country comparisons, the demographic distributions among recent cannabis users are broadly similar, demonstrating that the age and sex distributions of those who volunteer to be surveyed are not vastly different between these non-probability and probability methods. We conclude that opt-in web surveys of hard-to-reach populations are an efficient way of gaining in-depth understanding of stigmatised behaviours and are appropriate, as long as they are not used to estimate drug use prevalence of the general population.

Moving on From Representativeness: Testing the Utility of the Global Drug Survey

PubMed Central

Barratt, Monica J; Ferris, Jason A; Zahnow, Renee; Palamar, Joseph J; Maier, Larissa J; Winstock, Adam R

2017-01-01

A decline in response rates in traditional household surveys, combined with increased internet coverage and decreased research budgets, has resulted in increased attractiveness of web survey research designs based on purposive and voluntary opt-in sampling strategies. In the study of hidden or stigmatised behaviours, such as cannabis use, web survey methods are increasingly common. However, opt-in web surveys are often heavily criticised due to their lack of sampling frame and unknown representativeness. In this article, we outline the current state of the debate about the relevance of pursuing representativeness, the state of probability sampling methods, and the utility of non-probability, web survey methods especially for accessing hidden or minority populations. Our article has two aims: (1) to present a comprehensive description of the methodology we use at Global Drug Survey (GDS), an annual cross-sectional web survey and (2) to compare the age and sex distributions of cannabis users who voluntarily completed (a) a household survey or (b) a large web-based purposive survey (GDS), across three countries: Australia, the United States, and Switzerland. We find that within each set of country comparisons, the demographic distributions among recent cannabis users are broadly similar, demonstrating that the age and sex distributions of those who volunteer to be surveyed are not vastly different between these non-probability and probability methods. We conclude that opt-in web surveys of hard-to-reach populations are an efficient way of gaining in-depth understanding of stigmatised behaviours and are appropriate, as long as they are not used to estimate drug use prevalence of the general population. PMID:28924351

Field manual for the collection of Navajo Nation streamflow-gage data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Robert J.; Fisk, Gregory G.

2014-01-01

The Field Manual for the Collection of Navajo Nation Streamflow-Gage Data (Navajo Field Manual) is based on established (standard) U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging methods and provides guidelines specifically designed for the Navajo Department of Water Resources personnel who establish and maintain streamflow gages. The Navajo Field Manual addresses field visits, including essential field equipment and the selection of and routine visits to streamflow-gaging stations, examines surveying methods for determining peak flows (indirect measurements), discusses safety considerations, and defines basic terms.

The Health-Related Quality of Life in Long-Term Colorectal Cancer Survivors Study: objectives, methods, and patient sample

PubMed Central

Mohler, M. Jane; Coons, Stephen Joel; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa J.; Wendel, Christopher S.; Grant, Marcia; Krouse, Robert S.

2008-01-01

Objectives The objective of this paper is to describe the complex mixed-methods design of a study conducted to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes and ostomy-related obstacles and adjustments among long-term (>five years) colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies (cases) and without ostomies (controls). In addition, details are provided regarding the study sample and the psychometric properties of the quantitative data collection measures used. Subsequent manuscripts will present the study findings. Research Design and Methods The study design involved a cross-sectional mail survey for collecting quantitative data and focus groups for collecting qualitative data. The study subjects were individuals identified as long-term CRC survivors within a community-based health maintenance organization's enrolled population. Focus groups comprised of cases and divided by gender and HRQOL high and low quartile contrasts (based on the mail survey data) were conducted. Main Outcome Measures The modified City of Hope Quality of Life (mCOH-QOL)-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were used in the mail survey. An abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy was used for the control subjects. Focus groups explored ostomy-related barriers to self-care, adaptation methods/skills, and advice for others with an ostomy. Results The survey response rate was 52% (679/1308) and 34 subjects participated in focus groups. The internal consistency reliability estimates for the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were very acceptable for group comparisons. In addition, evidence supports the construct validity of the abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy. Study limitations include potential non-response bias and limited minority participation. Conclusions We were able to successfully recruit long-term CRC survivors into this study and the psychometric properties of the quantitative measures used were quite acceptable. Mixed-methods designs, such as the one used in this study, may be useful in identification and further elucidation of common problems, coping strategies, and HRQOL outcomes among long-term cancer survivors. PMID:18544186

Why Don't We Ask? A Complementary Method for Assessing the Status of Great Apes

PubMed Central

Meijaard, Erik; Mengersen, Kerrie; Buchori, Damayanti; Nurcahyo, Anton; Ancrenaz, Marc; Wich, Serge; Atmoko, Sri Suci Utami; Tjiu, Albertus; Prasetyo, Didik; Nardiyono; Hadiprakarsa, Yokyok; Christy, Lenny; Wells, Jessie; Albar, Guillaume; Marshall, Andrew J.

2011-01-01

Species conservation is difficult. Threats to species are typically high and immediate. Effective solutions for counteracting these threats, however, require synthesis of high quality evidence, appropriately targeted activities, typically costly implementation, and rapid re-evaluation and adaptation. Conservation management can be ineffective if there is insufficient understanding of the complex ecological, political, socio-cultural, and economic factors that underlie conservation threats. When information about these factors is incomplete, conservation managers may be unaware of the most urgent threats or unable to envision all consequences of potential management strategies. Conservation research aims to address the gap between what is known and what knowledge is needed for effective conservation. Such research, however, generally addresses a subset of the factors that underlie conservation threats, producing a limited, simplistic, and often biased view of complex, real world situations. A combination of approaches is required to provide the complete picture necessary to engage in effective conservation. Orangutan conservation (Pongo spp.) offers an example: standard conservation assessments employ survey methods that focus on ecological variables, but do not usually address the socio-cultural factors that underlie threats. Here, we evaluate a complementary survey method based on interviews of nearly 7,000 people in 687 villages in Kalimantan, Indonesia. We address areas of potential methodological weakness in such surveys, including sampling and questionnaire design, respondent biases, statistical analyses, and sensitivity of resultant inferences. We show that interview-based surveys can provide cost-effective and statistically robust methods to better understand poorly known populations of species that are relatively easily identified by local people. Such surveys provide reasonably reliable estimates of relative presence and relative encounter rates of such species, as well as quantifying the main factors that threaten them. We recommend more extensive use of carefully designed and implemented interview surveys, in conjunction with more traditional field methods. PMID:21483859

AIPS technology survey report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogletree, Glenn (Editor)

1984-01-01

The results of a technology survey conducted for the NASA/JSC by the CSDL during Phase 1 of the NASA Advanced Information Processing System (AIPS) program at the CSDL are discussed. The purpose of the survey was to ensure that all technology relevant to the configuration, design, development, verification, implementation, and validation of an advanced information processing system, whether existing or under development and soon to be available, would be duly considered in the development of the AIPS. The emphasis in the survey was on technology items which were clearly relevant to the AIPS. Requirements were developed which guided the planning of contacts with the outside sources to be surveyed, and established practical limits on the scope and content of the Technology Survey. Subjects surveyed included architecture, software, hardware, methods for evaluation of reliability and performance, and methods for the verification of the AIPS design and the validation of the AIPS implementation. Survey requirements and survey results in each of these areas are presented, including analyses of the potential effects on the AIPS development process of using or not using the surveyed technology items. Another output of the survey was the identification of technology areas of particular relevance to the AIPS and for which further development, in some cases by the CSDL and in some cases by the NASA, would be fruitful. Appendices are provided in which are presented: (1) reports of some of the actual survey interactions with industrial and other outside information sources; (2) the literature list from the comprehensive literature survey which was conducted; (3) reduced-scale images of an excerpt ('Technology Survey' viewgraphs) from the set of viewgraphs used at the 14 April 1983 Preliminary Requirements Review by the CSDL for the NASA; and (4) reduced-scale images of the set of viewgraphs used in the AIPS Technology Survey Review presentation to the NASA monitors by the CSDL at the NASA Langley Research Center on 28 Sep. 1983.

A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding School Counseling Program Evaluation: High School Counselors' Methods and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aucoin, Jennifer Mangrum

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods concurrent triangulation study was to examine the program evaluation practices of high school counselors. A total of 294 high school counselors in Texas were assessed using a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. A researcher-developed survey, the School Counseling Program Evaluation Questionnaire…

USDA Forest Service National Woodland Owner Survey, 2011-2013: design, implementation, and estimation methods

Treesearch

Brett J. Butler; Brenton J. Dickinson; Jaketon H. Hewes; Sarah M. Butler; Kyle Andrejczyk; Marla Markowski-Lindsay

2016-01-01

The National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS) is conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program to increase the understanding of the attitudes, behaviors, and demographics of private forest and woodland ownerships across the United States. The information is intended to help policy makers, resource managers, educators, service providers, and...

Design, implementation, and analysis methods for the National Woodland Owner Survey

Treesearch

Brett J. Butler; Earl C. Leatherberry; Michael S. Williams; Michael S. Williams

2005-01-01

The National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS) is conducted by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program to increase our understanding of private forest-land owners in the United States. The information is intended to help policy makers, resource managers, and others interested in the forest resources of the United States better understand the social...

Practical Child Safety Education in England: A National Survey of the Child Safety Education Coalition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvaney, Caroline A.; Watson, Michael C.; Walsh, Patrick

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine the provision of practical safety education by Child Safety Education Coalition (CSEC) organizations in England. Design: A postal survey. Setting: Providers of child practical safety education who were also part of CSEC. Methods: In February 2010 all CSEC organizations were sent a self-completion postal questionnaire which…

Why Do They Stay? Job Tenure among Certified Nursing Assistants in Nursing Homes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Joshua M.; Squillace, Marie R.; Anderson, Wayne L.; Khatutsky, Galina

2009-01-01

Purpose: This study identifies factors related to job tenure among certified nursing assistants (CNAs) working in nursing homes. Design and Methods: The study uses 2004 data from the National Nursing Home Survey, the National Nursing Assistant Survey, and the Area Resource File. Ordinary least squares regression analyses were conducted with length…

Characteristics of Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults: Results of a Multisite Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Susan L.; Williams, Barbara; Molina, Lourdes C.; Bayles, Constance; Bryant, Lucinda L.; Harris, Jeffrey R.; Hunter, Rebecca; Ivey, Susan; Watkins, Ken

2005-01-01

Purpose: Although increased participation in physical activity by older adults is a major public health goal, little is known about the supply and use of physical activity programs in the United States. Design and Methods: Seven academic centers in diverse geographic areas surveyed physical activity programs for older adults. Five sites conducted…

Do Australian Adolescent Female Fake Tan (Sunless Tan) Users Practice Better Sun-Protection Behaviours than Non-Users?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Melinda; Jones, Sandra C.; Caputi, Peter; Iverson, Don

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine differences in sun-protection behaviours, and incidence of sunburn, between Australian adolescent female fake tan users and non-users. Design: Cross sectional survey. Method: 398 adolescent females aged 12 to 18 years participated in a survey at public venues, schools, and online. The main outcome measures were…

Motivating Factors for Teaching and Studying Music at Two-Year Colleges: A Survey of Faculty and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, John R.; Williams, Yolanda Y.; Vu, Kinh T.; Collins, Tracey R.; Clementson, Casey J.; Berberick, David M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore what motivates faculty and student involvement in this educational environment and how student participation in music coursework contributes to current musical endeavors. The research team utilized a modified explanatory sequential mixed methods design to collect survey data and focus group data from…

Resiliency and the Individual Demographics of School Leaders: Making a Difference in the Quality of Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaacs, Albert J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationships among the dimensions of resilience and the individual demographics of high school principals toward strengthening the leadership abilities of school principals. The study employs the survey method in its research design. Those surveyed included 68 high school principals,…

Information Literacy Standards and the World Wide Web: Results from a Student Survey on Evaluation of Internet Information Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Arthur; Dalal, Heather A.

2014-01-01

Introduction: This paper aims to determine how appropriate information literacy instruction is for preparing students for these unmediated searches using commercial search engines and the Web. Method. A survey was designed using the 2000 Association of College and Research Libraries literacy competency standards for higher education. Survey…

Leadership Styles of Nursing Home Administrators and Their Association with Staff Turnover

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoghue, Christopher; Castle, Nicholas G.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between nursing home administrator (NHA) leadership style and staff turnover. Design and Methods: We analyzed primary data from a survey of 2,900 NHAs conducted in 2005. The Online Survey Certification and Reporting database and the Area Resource File were utilized to extract…

Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior among Adults: Results from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

MedlinePlus

... provide services to people who are at risk. Methods. This report presents findings from the 2014 NSDUH ... Further details about the 2014 NSDUH design and methods can be found on the web at http: / / ...

A Low-Cost Energy-Efficient Cableless Geophone Unit for Passive Surface Wave Surveys

PubMed Central

Dai, Kaoshan; Li, Xiaofeng; Lu, Chuan; You, Qingyu; Huang, Zhenhua; Wu, H. Felix

2015-01-01

The passive surface wave survey is a practical, non-invasive seismic exploration method that has increasingly been used in geotechnical engineering. However, in situ deployment of traditional wired geophones is labor intensive for a dense sensor array. Alternatively, stand-alone seismometers can be used, but they are bulky, heavy, and expensive because they are usually designed for long-term monitoring. To better facilitate field applications of the passive surface wave survey, a low-cost energy-efficient geophone system was developed in this study. The hardware design is presented in this paper. To validate the system’s functionality, both laboratory and field experiments were conducted. The unique feature of this newly-developed cableless geophone system allows for rapid field applications of the passive surface wave survey with dense array measurements. PMID:26404270

A spectrophotometric method for detecting substellar companions to late-type M stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oetiker, Brian Glen

The most common stars in the Galaxy are the main-sequence M stars, yet current techniques are not optimized for detecting companions around the lowest mass stars; those with spectral designations ranging from M6 to M10. Described in this study is a search for companions around such stars using two methods: a unique implementation of the transit method, and a newly designed differential spectrophotometric method. The TEP project focusses on the detection of transits of terrestrial sized and larger companions in the eclipsing binary system CM Draconis. The newly designed spectrophotometric technique combines the strengths of the spectroscopic and photometric methods, while minimizing their inherent weaknesses. This unique method relies on the placement of three narrow band optical filters on and around the Titanium Oxide (TiO) bandhead near 8420 Å, a feature commonly seen in the atmospheres of late M stars. One filter is placed on the slope of the bandhead feature, while the remaining two are located on the adjacent continuum portions of the star's spectrum. The companion-induced motion of the star results in a doppler shifting of the bandhead feature, which in turn causes a change in flux passing through the filter located on the slope of the TiO bandhead. The spectrophotometric method is optimized for detecting compact systems containing brown dwarfs and giant planets. Because of its low dispersion-high photon efficiency design, this method is well suited for surveying large numbers of faint M stars. A small scale survey has been implemented, producing a candidate brown dwarf class companion of the star WX UMa. Applying the spectrophotometric method to a larger scale survey for brown dwarf and giant planet companions, coupled with a photometric transit study addresses two key astronomical issues. By detecting or placing limits on compact late type M star systems, a discrimination among competing theories of planetary formation may be gained. Furthermore, searching for a broad range of companion masses, may result in a better understanding of the substellar mass function.

Risk Factors for Injury Associated with Low, Moderate, and High Mileage Road Marching in a U.S. Army Infantry Brigade

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-24

Injuries in the previous 6 months were identified by survey from 831 U.S Army infantry soldiers. Road marching-related injuries were reported as those...2 2 References 2 3 Authority 3 4 Background 3 5 Methods 5 5.1 Survey Design and Administration...the 6 months prior to survey administration. Most respondents (89 percent, n=736) reported participation in road marching with their unit during

Defense Acquisition Research Journal. Volume 23, Number 1, Issue 76, January 2016

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-21

January 2016 Vol. 23 No. 1 | ISSUE 76 The Method MATTERS Article List ARJ Extra Survey of Modular Military Vehicles: Benefits and Burdens Jean M...15 years. p. 2 Survey of Modular Military Vehicles: Benefits and Burdens Jean M. Dasch and David J. Gorsich Military vehicles can be designed from a... modular standpoint to maximize cost savings and/or adapt- ability. This article surveys vehicle modularity from a historical viewpoint and considers

Methods for estimating population coverage of mass distribution programmes: a review of practices in relation to trachoma control.

PubMed

Cromwell, Elizabeth A; Ngondi, Jeremiah; McFarland, Deborah; King, Jonathan D; Emerson, Paul M

2012-10-01

In the context of trachoma control, population coverage with mass drug administration (MDA) using antibiotics is measured using routine data. Due to the limitations of administrative records as well as the potential for bias from incomplete or incorrect records, a literature review of coverage survey methods applied in neglected tropical disease control programmes and immunisation outreach was conducted to inform the design of coverage surveys for trachoma control. Several methods were identified, including the '30 × 7' survey method for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI 30×7), other cluster random sampling (CRS) methods, lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS), purposive sampling and routine data. When compared against one another, the EPI and other CRS methods produced similar population coverage estimates, whilst LQAS, purposive sampling and use of administrative data did not generate estimates consistent with CRS. In conclusion, CRS methods present a consistent approach for MDA coverage surveys despite different methods of household selection. They merit use until standard guidelines are available. CRS methods should be used to verify population coverage derived from LQAS, purposive sampling methods and administrative reports. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Take It or Leave It: Students' Attitudes about Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisecup, Allison K.

2017-01-01

This study employs a cross-sectional design to explore sociology majors' attitudes toward research methods. Survey data from a convenience sample of students enrolled in 16 departments are used to compare the attitudes of students who have and have not completed a research methods course. Despite consistent anecdotal claims that students harbor…

Applications of Genetic Methods to NASA Design and Operations Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, Philip D.

1996-01-01

We review four recent NASA-funded applications in which evolutionary/genetic methods are important. In the process we survey: the kinds of problems being solved today with these methods; techniques and tools used; problems encountered; and areas where research is needed. The presentation slides are annotated briefly at the top of each page.

Expert Consensus on Characteristics of Wisdom: A Delphi Method Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeste, Dilip V.; Ardelt, Monika; Blazer, Dan; Kraemer, Helena C.; Vaillant, George; Meeks, Thomas W.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Wisdom has received increasing attention in empirical research in recent years, especially in gerontology and psychology, but consistent definitions of wisdom remain elusive. We sought to better characterize this concept via an expert consensus panel using a 2-phase Delphi method. Design and Methods: A survey questionnaire comprised 53…

Developing Legal Problem-Solving Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathanson, Stephen

1994-01-01

A law professor explains how he came to view legal problem solving as the driving concept in law school curriculum design and draws on personal experience and a survey of students concerning teaching methods in a commercial law course. He outlines six curriculum design principles for teaching legal problem solving. (MSE)

Best Manufacturing Practices: Report of Survey Conducted at Texas Instruments Defense Systems and Electronics Group, Dallas, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

Washington, DC Richard Celin Naval Air Engineering Center (201) 323-2173 Lakehurst, NJ Alice Giampapa TRIAD Engineering Co., Inc. Administrative (609) 939...7 3.1 DESIGN DESIGN PROCESS Producibility Engineering ........................................................ 7 Producibility Advisor... Engineers in Manufacturing Processes ........................... 21 Method Improvement Report Program

PSALM for Empowering Educational Stakeholders: Participatory School Administration, Leadership and Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Antonio, Diosdado M.; Gamage, David T.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to examine the effect of implementing participatory school administration, leadership and management (PSALM) on the levels of empowerment among the educational stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method approach, combining the experimental design with empirical surveys, interviews and documentary analysis,…

First-Year Hands-On Design Course: Implementation & Reception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butterfield, Anthony E.; Branch, Kyle; Trujillo, Edward

2015-01-01

To incorporate active and collaborative teaching methods early in our curriculum, we have developed a freshman design laboratory. The course introduces numerous core concepts and lab skills, by way of seven teaching modules, including spectrometer construction and a collaborative project with seniors. Survey data show students enjoyed and learned…

Factors Influencing Residents' Satisfaction in Residential Aged Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Shu-Chiung; Boldy, Duncan P.; Lee, Andy H.

2003-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the important factors influencing residents' satisfaction in residential aged care and to provide a better understanding of their interrelationships. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the required information, including resident satisfaction, resident dependency…

Statistical methods for efficient design of community surveys of response to noise: Random coefficients regression models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomberlin, T. J.

1985-01-01

Research studies of residents' responses to noise consist of interviews with samples of individuals who are drawn from a number of different compact study areas. The statistical techniques developed provide a basis for those sample design decisions. These techniques are suitable for a wide range of sample survey applications. A sample may consist of a random sample of residents selected from a sample of compact study areas, or in a more complex design, of a sample of residents selected from a sample of larger areas (e.g., cities). The techniques may be applied to estimates of the effects on annoyance of noise level, numbers of noise events, the time-of-day of the events, ambient noise levels, or other factors. Methods are provided for determining, in advance, how accurately these effects can be estimated for different sample sizes and study designs. Using a simple cost function, they also provide for optimum allocation of the sample across the stages of the design for estimating these effects. These techniques are developed via a regression model in which the regression coefficients are assumed to be random, with components of variance associated with the various stages of a multi-stage sample design.

2010 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Marine Corps Personnel: Methods and Summary Statistics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

models for the ergonomic design of working environments. Today, the entire production chain for a piece of clothing, beginning with the design and...Corps 382 crewstations and workstations. Digital models are increasingly used in the design process for seated and standing workstations, as well...International Standards for Ergonomic Design : These dimensions are useful for comparing data sets between nations, and are measured according to

Structural optimization: Status and promise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamat, Manohar P.

Chapters contained in this book include fundamental concepts of optimum design, mathematical programming methods for constrained optimization, function approximations, approximate reanalysis methods, dual mathematical programming methods for constrained optimization, a generalized optimality criteria method, and a tutorial and survey of multicriteria optimization in engineering. Also included are chapters on the compromise decision support problem and the adaptive linear programming algorithm, sensitivity analyses of discrete and distributed systems, the design sensitivity analysis of nonlinear structures, optimization by decomposition, mixed elements in shape sensitivity analysis of structures based on local criteria, and optimization of stiffened cylindrical shells subjected to destabilizing loads. Other chapters are on applications to fixed-wing aircraft and spacecraft, integrated optimum structural and control design, modeling concurrency in the design of composite structures, and tools for structural optimization. (No individual items are abstracted in this volume)

A survey of scientific literacy to provide a foundation for designing science communication in Japan.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Shishin; Nakayama, Minoru; Saijo, Miki

2013-08-01

There are various definitions and survey methods for scientific literacy. Taking into consideration the contemporary significance of scientific literacy, we have defined it with an emphasis on its social aspects. To acquire the insights needed to design a form of science communication that will enhance the scientific literacy of each individual, we conducted a large-scale random survey within Japan of individuals older than 18 years, using a printed questionnaire. The data thus acquired were analyzed using factor analysis and cluster analysis to create a 3-factor/4-cluster model of people's interest and attitude toward science, technology and society and their resulting tendencies. Differences were found among the four clusters in terms of the three factors: scientific factor, social factor, and science-appreciating factor. We propose a plan for designing a form of science communication that is appropriate to this current status of scientific literacy in Japan.

Understanding local community's values, worldviews and perceptions in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve, Scotland.

PubMed

Hernes, Maya I; Metzger, Marc J

2017-01-15

Biosphere reserves have been studied around the world, but methods to elicit community's values, worldviews and perceptions are missing. A greater understanding of these can help avoid tension and improve successful management. This paper used a mixed-methods survey to elicit local community's environmental values, ecological world views and perceptions of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve (GSABR). Over three weeks, forty participants from three communities of the GSABR responded to a semi-structured mixed-methods survey. The survey revealed that residents of the GSABR greatly value wildlife and beauty of nature, and that the majority of the respondents showed concern for the environment from an ecocentric worldview. Results also revealed that the most influential tested socio-demographic characteristic affecting people's relationship to their environment is their professional affiliation. Tourism and recreation were seen as major benefits of the recent biosphere designation. Results did highlight contrasting benefits from the designation for different stakeholder groups, which could potentially lead to tensions and should be considered in the reserve management. Given the community's supportive world views and perceptions, greater participation in the biosphere's management in likely to be welcomed and should be used to avoid or mediate any conflicts. The mixed-method survey developed for this study, proved successful in eliciting these themes in the GSABR. We recommend other biosphere reserves replicate this research, to gain better understanding of local communities and increase their support and participation in reserve management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nature as the Most Important Coping Strategy Among Cancer Patients: A Swedish Survey.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Fereshteh; Ahmadi, Nader

2015-08-01

The authors have conducted a quantitative survey to examine the extent to which the results obtained in a qualitative study among cancer patients in Sweden (Ahmadi, Culture, religion and spirituality in coping: The example of cancer patients in Sweden, Uppsala, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2006) are applicable to a wider population of cancer patients in this country. In addition to questions relating to the former qualitative study, this survey also references the RCOPE questionnaire (designed by Kenneth I Pargament) in the design of the new quantitative study. In this study, questionnaires were distributed among persons diagnosed with cancer; 2,355 people responded. The results show that nature has been the most important coping method among cancer patients in Sweden. The highest mean value (2.9) is the factor 'nature has been an important resource to you so that you could deal with your illnesses'. Two out of three respondents (68 %) affirm that this method helped them feel significantly better during or after illness. The second highest average (2.8) is the factor 'listening to 'natural music' (birdsong and the wind)'. Two out of three respondents (66 %) answered that this coping method significantly helped them feel better during illness. The third highest average (2.7) is the factor 'to walk or engage in any activity outdoors gives you a spiritual sense'. This survey concerning the role of nature as the most important coping method for cancer patients confirms the result obtained from the previous qualitative studies.

Trends in Adults Receiving a Recommendation for Exercise or Other Physical Activity from a Physician or Other Health ...

MedlinePlus

... to exercise or physical activity. Data source and methods National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data are collected ... sample design of NHIS. The Taylor series linearization method was used for variance estimation. All estimates shown ...

Osteoporosis or Low Bone Mass at the Femur Neck or Lumbar Spine in Older Adults: United States, 2005-2008

MedlinePlus

... and multiracial persons, among others. Data source and methods The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) ... percentages were estimated using Taylor Series Linearization, a method that incorporates the sample weights and sample design. ...

A tutorial on the LQG/LTR method. [Linear Quadratic Gaussian/Loop Transfer Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Athans, M.

1986-01-01

In this paper the so-called Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian method with Loop-Transfer-Recovery is surveyed. The objective is to provide a pragmatic exposition, with special emphasis on the step-by-step characteristics for designing multivariable feedback control systems.

A Survey of Research Methods to Study Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

Integrated Computer-Aided Manufacturing (ICAM) Definition Languages (IDEFO, IDEF 1, and IDEF 2) Nijssen’s Information Analysis Method (NIAM) * Michael ... Jackson Diagrams 1I-1 • Warnier-Orr Di.grams Hierarchical Input Process Output (HIPO) charts * Nassi Schneiderman Charts. These techniques were intended

Designing an evaluation for a multiple-strategy community intervention: the North Coast Stay on Your Feet program.

PubMed

van Beurden, E; Kempton, A; Sladden, T; Garner, E

1998-02-01

Evaluation of the North Coast Stay on Your Feet falls prevention program is described as a case study of a comprehensive evaluation design for multi-strategic community interventions. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to evaluate the program at formative, process and outcome levels. Formative evaluation used literature review, focus groups, mail-out and telephone survey methods to gather evidence from publications, older people, health workers, local business, media and government bodies. It included an analysis of demographic and hospital databases and identified incidence, causal pathways, knowledge, attitudes, behaviour, consequences and effectiveness of potential strategies. Process evaluation employed auditing, monitoring and telephone surveys to maintain an inventory of intervention activities and to track the reach of the program. Outcome evaluation involved a longitudinal study of intervention and control cohorts, surveyed before, during and after the intervention by telephone to monitor changes in knowledge, attitudes, risk and falls incidence. The survey instrument was designed for both formative and outcome evaluation, and analysis reflected the research design by incorporating repeat measures and adjusting for bias and confounding. Outcome validity was cross-checked via hospital admission rates. A novel, integrated framework for presenting inputs, activities and outcomes from all stages of the program is described. This framework facilitated feedback to stakeholders and enabled subsequent rapid adjustment of the intervention. Rigorous evaluation combined with clear presentation of findings helped to engender intersectoral support and obtain funding grants for extended implementation and evaluation. It also helped Stay on Your Feet to become a model for other falls prevention programs within Australia and internationally.

Estimation of unemployment rates using small area estimation model by combining time series and cross-sectional data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muchlisoh, Siti; Kurnia, Anang; Notodiputro, Khairil Anwar; Mangku, I. Wayan

2016-02-01

Labor force surveys conducted over time by the rotating panel design have been carried out in many countries, including Indonesia. Labor force survey in Indonesia is regularly conducted by Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik-BPS) and has been known as the National Labor Force Survey (Sakernas). The main purpose of Sakernas is to obtain information about unemployment rates and its changes over time. Sakernas is a quarterly survey. The quarterly survey is designed only for estimating the parameters at the provincial level. The quarterly unemployment rate published by BPS (official statistics) is calculated based on only cross-sectional methods, despite the fact that the data is collected under rotating panel design. The study purpose to estimate a quarterly unemployment rate at the district level used small area estimation (SAE) model by combining time series and cross-sectional data. The study focused on the application and comparison between the Rao-Yu model and dynamic model in context estimating the unemployment rate based on a rotating panel survey. The goodness of fit of both models was almost similar. Both models produced an almost similar estimation and better than direct estimation, but the dynamic model was more capable than the Rao-Yu model to capture a heterogeneity across area, although it was reduced over time.

Using a mixed-methods design to examine nurse practitioner integration in British Columbia.

PubMed

Sangster-Gormley, Esther; Griffith, Janessa; Schreiber, Rita; Borycki, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

To discuss and provide examples of how mixed-methods research was used to evaluate the integration of nurse practitioners (NPs) into a Canadian province. Legislation enabling NPs to practise in British Columbia (BC) was enacted in 2005. This research evaluated the integration of NPs and their effect on the BC healthcare system. Data were collected using surveys, focus groups, participant interviews and case studies over three years. Data sources and methods were triangulated to determine how the findings addressed the research questions. The challenges and benefits of using the multiphase design are highlighted in the paper. The multiphase mixed-methods research design was selected because of its applicability to evaluation research. The design proved to be robust and flexible in answering research questions. As sub-studies within the multiphase design are often published separately, it can be difficult for researchers to find examples. This paper highlights ways that a multiphase mixed-methods design can be conducted for researchers unfamiliar with the process.

Design and methods in a survey of living conditions in the Arctic - the SLiCA study.

PubMed

Eliassen, Bent-Martin; Melhus, Marita; Kruse, Jack; Poppel, Birger; Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild

2012-03-19

The main objective of this study is to describe the methods and design of the survey of living conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA), relevant participation rates and the distribution of participants, as applicable to the survey data in Alaska, Greenland and Norway. This article briefly addresses possible selection bias in the data and also the ways to tackle it in future studies. Population-based cross-sectional survey. Indigenous individuals aged 16 years and older, living in Greenland, Alaska and in traditional settlement areas in Norway, were invited to participate. Random sampling methods were applied in Alaska and Greenland, while non-probability sampling methods were applied in Norway. Data were collected in 3 periods: in Alaska, from January 2002 to February 2003; in Greenland, from December 2003 to August 2006; and in Norway, in 2003 and from June 2006 to June 2008. The principal method in SLiCA was standardised face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. A total of 663, 1,197 and 445 individuals were interviewed in Alaska, Greenland and Norway, respectively. Very high overall participation rates of 83% were obtained in Greenland and Alaska, while a more conventional rate of 57% was achieved in Norway. A predominance of female respondents was obtained in Alaska. Overall, the Sami cohort is older than the cohorts from Greenland and Alaska. Preliminary assessments suggest that selection bias in the Sami sample is plausible but not a major threat. Few or no threats to validity are detected in the data from Alaska and Greenland. Despite different sampling and recruitment methods, and sociocultural differences, a unique database has been generated, which shall be used to explore relationships between health and other living conditions variables.

Using Mobile Phones to Collect Patient Data: Lessons Learned From the SIMPle Study

PubMed Central

Tandan, Meera; Murphy, Andrew W; Vellinga, Akke

2017-01-01

Background Mobile phones offer new opportunities to efficiently and interactively collect real-time data from patients with acute illnesses, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). One of the main benefits of using mobile data collection methods is automated data upload, which can reduce the chance of data loss, an issue when using other data collection methods such as paper-based surveys. Objective The aim was to explore differences in collecting data from patients with UTI using text messaging, a mobile phone app (UTI diary), and an online survey. This paper provides lessons learned from integrating mobile data collection into a randomized controlled trial. Methods Participants included UTI patients consulting in general practices that were participating in the Supporting the Improvement and Management of UTI (SIMPle) study. SIMPle was designed to improve prescribing antimicrobial therapies for UTI in the community. Patients were invited to reply to questions regarding their UTI either via a prospective text message survey, a mobile phone app (UTI diary), or a retrospective online survey. Data were collected from 329 patients who opted in to the text message survey, 71 UTI patients through the mobile phone UTI symptom diary app, and 91 online survey participants. Results The age profile of UTI diary app users was younger than that of the text message and online survey users. The largest dropout for both the text message survey respondents and UTI diary app users was after the initial opt-in message; once the participants completed question 1 of the text message survey or day 2 in the UTI diary app, they were more likely to respond to the remaining questions/days. Conclusions This feasibility study highlights the potential of using mobile data collection methods to capture patient data. As well as improving the efficiency of data collection, these novel approaches highlight the advantage of collecting data in real time across multiple time points. There was little variation in the number of patients responding between text message survey, UTI diary, and online survey, but more patients participated in the text message survey than the UTI diary app. The choice between designing a text message survey or UTI diary app will depend on the age profile of patients and the type of information the researchers’ desire. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01913860; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01913860 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6pfgCztgT). PMID:28442451

Automatic vetting of planet candidates from ground based surveys: Machine learning with NGTS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong, David J.; Günther, Maximilian N.; McCormac, James; Smith, Alexis M. S.; Bayliss, Daniel; Bouchy, François; Burleigh, Matthew R.; Casewell, Sarah; Eigmüller, Philipp; Gillen, Edward; Goad, Michael R.; Hodgkin, Simon T.; Jenkins, James S.; Louden, Tom; Metrailler, Lionel; Pollacco, Don; Poppenhaeger, Katja; Queloz, Didier; Raynard, Liam; Rauer, Heike; Udry, Stéphane; Walker, Simon R.; Watson, Christopher A.; West, Richard G.; Wheatley, Peter J.

2018-05-01

State of the art exoplanet transit surveys are producing ever increasing quantities of data. To make the best use of this resource, in detecting interesting planetary systems or in determining accurate planetary population statistics, requires new automated methods. Here we describe a machine learning algorithm that forms an integral part of the pipeline for the NGTS transit survey, demonstrating the efficacy of machine learning in selecting planetary candidates from multi-night ground based survey data. Our method uses a combination of random forests and self-organising-maps to rank planetary candidates, achieving an AUC score of 97.6% in ranking 12368 injected planets against 27496 false positives in the NGTS data. We build on past examples by using injected transit signals to form a training set, a necessary development for applying similar methods to upcoming surveys. We also make the autovet code used to implement the algorithm publicly accessible. autovet is designed to perform machine learned vetting of planetary candidates, and can utilise a variety of methods. The apparent robustness of machine learning techniques, whether on space-based or the qualitatively different ground-based data, highlights their importance to future surveys such as TESS and PLATO and the need to better understand their advantages and pitfalls in an exoplanetary context.

Health Insurance Dynamics: Methodological Considerations and a Comparison of Estimates from Two Surveys.

PubMed

Graves, John A; Mishra, Pranita

2016-10-01

To highlight key methodological issues in studying insurance dynamics and to compare estimates across two commonly used surveys. Nonelderly uninsured adults and children sampled between 2001 and 2011 in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the Survey of Income and Program Participation. We utilized nonparametric Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate quantiles (25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles) in the distribution of uninsured spells. We compared estimates obtained across surveys and across different methodological approaches to address issues like attrition, seam bias, censoring and truncation, and survey weighting method. All data were drawn from publicly available household surveys. Estimated uninsured spell durations in the MEPS were longer than those observed in the SIPP. There were few changes in spell durations between 2001 and 2011, with median durations of 14 months among adults and 5-7 months among children in the MEPS, and 8 months (adults) and 4 months (children) in the SIPP. The use of panel survey data to study insurance dynamics presents a unique set of methodological challenges. Researchers should consider key analytic and survey design trade-offs when choosing which survey can best suit their research goals. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Designs and methods used in published Australian health promotion evaluations 1992-2011.

PubMed

Chambers, Alana Hulme; Murphy, Kylie; Kolbe, Anthony

2015-06-01

To describe the designs and methods used in published Australian health promotion evaluation articles between 1992 and 2011. Using a content analysis approach, we reviewed 157 articles to analyse patterns and trends in designs and methods in Australian health promotion evaluation articles. The purpose was to provide empirical evidence about the types of designs and methods used. The most common type of evaluation conducted was impact evaluation. Quantitative designs were used exclusively in more than half of the articles analysed. Almost half the evaluations utilised only one data collection method. Surveys were the most common data collection method used. Few articles referred explicitly to an intended evaluation outcome or benefit and references to published evaluation models or frameworks were rare. This is the first time Australian-published health promotion evaluation articles have been empirically investigated in relation to designs and methods. There appears to be little change in the purposes, overall designs and methods of published evaluations since 1992. More methodologically transparent and sophisticated published evaluation articles might be instructional, and even motivational, for improving evaluation practice and result in better public health interventions and outcomes. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Resident Choice and the Survey Process: The Need for Standardized Observation and Transparency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnelle, John F.; Bertrand, Rosanna; Hurd, Donna; White, Alan; Squires, David; Feuerberg, Marvin; Hickey, Kelly; Simmons, Sandra F.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To describe a standardized observation protocol to determine if nursing home (NH) staff offer choice to residents during 3 morning activities of daily living (ADL) and compare the observational data with deficiency statements cited by state survey staff. Design and Methods: Morning ADL care was observed in 20 NHs in 5 states by research…

Just What Are Rural Premedical Students Thinking? A Report of the First 6 Years of a Pathways Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crump, William J.; Fricker, R. Steve; Crump, Allison M.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To assess outcomes of the first 6 years of a program designed to facilitate medical school admission for rural premedical students. Methods: Students completing the University of Louisville School of Medicine Trover Rural Scholar program were surveyed using a 23-item survey. Findings: Twenty-two of the 24 (92%) students responded.…

Associations of Special Care Units and Outcomes of Residents with Dementia: 2004 National Nursing Home Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Huabin; Fang, Xiangming; Liao, Youlian; Elliott, Amanda; Zhang, Xinzhi

2010-01-01

Purpose: We compared the rates of specialized care for residents with Alzheimer's disease or dementia in special care units (SCUs) and other nursing home (NH) units and examined the associations of SCU residence with process of care and resident outcomes. Design and Methods: Data came from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. The indicators of…

Customizing Survey Instruments and Data Collection to Reach Hispanic/Latino Adults in Border Communities in Texas

PubMed Central

Pederson, Linda L.; Thorne, Stacy L.; Caraballo, Ralph S.; Evans, Brian; Athey, Leslie; McMichael, Joseph

2010-01-01

Objectives. We sought to modify an instrument and to use it to collect information on smoking knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among Hispanics/Latinos, and to adapt survey methods to obtain high participation levels. Methods. Promotoras (outreach workers) conducted face-to-face interviews with 1485 Hispanic adults (July 2007–April 2008). The project team used GeoFrame field enumeration methods to develop a sampling frame from households in randomly selected colonias (residential areas along the Texas–Mexico border that may lack some basic necessities (e.g. portable water), in El Paso, Texas. Results. The revised questionnaire included 36 unchanged items from the State Adult Tobacco Survey, 7 modified items, and 17 new items focusing on possible culturally specific quitting methods, secondhand smoke issues, and attitudes and knowledge about tobacco use that might be unique for Hispanic/Latino groups. The eligibility rate was 90.2%, and the conservative combined completed screener and interview response rate was 80.0%. Conclusions. Strategic, targeted, carefully designed methods and surveys can achieve high reach and response rates in hard-to-reach populations. Similar procedures could be used to obtain cooperation of groups who may not be accessible with traditional methods. PMID:20147687

Teaching Structure from Motion to Undergraduates: New Learning Module for Field Geoscience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt-Sitaula, B. A.; Shervais, K.; Crosby, C. J.; Douglas, B. J.; Crosby, B. T.; Charlevoix, D. J.

2016-12-01

With photogrammetry use expanding rapidly, it is essential to integrate these methods into undergraduate geosciences courses. The NSF-funded "GEodetic Tools for Societal Issues" (GETSI) project has recently published a module for field geoscience courses called "Analyzing High Resolution Topography with TLS and SfM" (serc.carleton.edu/getsi/teaching_materials/high-rez-topo/index.html). Structure from motion (SfM) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) are two valuable methods for generating high-resolution topographic landscape models. In addition to teaching the basic surveying methods, the module includes several specific applications that are tied to societally important geoscience research questions. The module goals are that students will be able to: 1) design and conduct a complex TLS and/or SfM survey to address a geologic research question; 2) articulate the societal impetus for answering a given research question; and 3) justify why TLS and/or SfM is the appropriate method in some circumstances. The module includes 6 units: Unit 1-TLS Introduction, Unit 1-SfM Introduction, Unit 2 Stratigraphic Section Survey, Unit 3 Fault Scarp Survey, Unit 4 Geomorphic Change Detection Survey, and Unit 5 Summative Assessment. One or both survey methods can be taught. Instructors choose which application/s to use from Units 2-4. Unit 5 Summative Assessment is flexibly written and can be used to assess any of the learned applications or others such as dinosaur tracks or seismic trench photomosaics. Prepared data sets are also provided for courses unable to visit the field. The included SfM learning manuals may also be of interest to researchers seeking to start with SfM; these are "SfM Guide of Instructors and Investigators" and "SfM Data Exploration and Processing Manual (Agisoft)". The module is appropriate for geoscience courses with field components such as field methods, geomorphology, geophysics, tectonics, and structural geology. All GETSI modules are designed and developed by teams of faculty and content experts and undergo rigorous review and classroom testing. GETSI is a collaborative project by UNAVCO (which runs NSF's Geodetic Facility), Indiana University, and Idaho State University. The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) provides assessment and evaluation expertise and webhosting.

Do health care institutions value research? A mixed methods study of barriers and facilitators to methodological rigor in pediatric randomized trials.

PubMed

Hamm, Michele P; Scott, Shannon D; Klassen, Terry P; Moher, David; Hartling, Lisa

2012-10-18

Pediatric randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are susceptible to a high risk of bias. We examined the barriers and facilitators that pediatric trialists face in the design and conduct of unbiased trials. We used a mixed methods design, with semi-structured interviews building upon the results of a quantitative survey. We surveyed Canadian (n=253) and international (n=600) pediatric trialists regarding their knowledge and awareness of bias and their perceived barriers and facilitators in conducting clinical trials. We then interviewed 13 participants from different subspecialties and geographic locations to gain a more detailed description of how their experiences and attitudes towards research interacted with trial design and conduct. The survey response rate was 23.0% (186/807). 68.1% of respondents agreed that bias is a problem in pediatric RCTs and 72.0% felt that there is sufficient evidence to support changing some aspects of how trials are conducted. Knowledge related to bias was variable, with inconsistent awareness of study design features that may introduce bias into a study. Interview participants highlighted a lack of formal training in research methods, a negative research culture, and the pragmatics of trial conduct as barriers. Facilitators included contact with knowledgeable and supportive colleagues and infrastructure for research. A lack of awareness of bias and negative attitudes towards research present significant barriers in terms of conducting methodologically rigorous pediatric RCTs. Knowledge translation efforts must focus on these issues to ensure the relevance and validity of trial results.

Avian surveys of large geographical areas: A systematic approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, J.M.; Jacobi, J.D.; Ramsey, F.L.

1981-01-01

A multidisciplinary team approach was used to simultaneously map the distribution of birds, selected food items, and major vegetation types in 34,000- to 140,000-ha tracts in native Hawaiian forests. By using a team approach, large savings in time can be realized over attempts to conduct similar surveys of smaller scope, and a systems approach to management problems is made easier. The methods used in survey design, training observers, and documenting bird numbersand habitat descriptions are discussed in detail.

How Big of a Problem is Analytic Error in Secondary Analyses of Survey Data?

PubMed

West, Brady T; Sakshaug, Joseph W; Aurelien, Guy Alain S

2016-01-01

Secondary analyses of survey data collected from large probability samples of persons or establishments further scientific progress in many fields. The complex design features of these samples improve data collection efficiency, but also require analysts to account for these features when conducting analysis. Unfortunately, many secondary analysts from fields outside of statistics, biostatistics, and survey methodology do not have adequate training in this area, and as a result may apply incorrect statistical methods when analyzing these survey data sets. This in turn could lead to the publication of incorrect inferences based on the survey data that effectively negate the resources dedicated to these surveys. In this article, we build on the results of a preliminary meta-analysis of 100 peer-reviewed journal articles presenting analyses of data from a variety of national health surveys, which suggested that analytic errors may be extremely prevalent in these types of investigations. We first perform a meta-analysis of a stratified random sample of 145 additional research products analyzing survey data from the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT), which describes features of the U.S. Science and Engineering workforce, and examine trends in the prevalence of analytic error across the decades used to stratify the sample. We once again find that analytic errors appear to be quite prevalent in these studies. Next, we present several example analyses of real SESTAT data, and demonstrate that a failure to perform these analyses correctly can result in substantially biased estimates with standard errors that do not adequately reflect complex sample design features. Collectively, the results of this investigation suggest that reviewers of this type of research need to pay much closer attention to the analytic methods employed by researchers attempting to publish or present secondary analyses of survey data.

How Big of a Problem is Analytic Error in Secondary Analyses of Survey Data?

PubMed Central

West, Brady T.; Sakshaug, Joseph W.; Aurelien, Guy Alain S.

2016-01-01

Secondary analyses of survey data collected from large probability samples of persons or establishments further scientific progress in many fields. The complex design features of these samples improve data collection efficiency, but also require analysts to account for these features when conducting analysis. Unfortunately, many secondary analysts from fields outside of statistics, biostatistics, and survey methodology do not have adequate training in this area, and as a result may apply incorrect statistical methods when analyzing these survey data sets. This in turn could lead to the publication of incorrect inferences based on the survey data that effectively negate the resources dedicated to these surveys. In this article, we build on the results of a preliminary meta-analysis of 100 peer-reviewed journal articles presenting analyses of data from a variety of national health surveys, which suggested that analytic errors may be extremely prevalent in these types of investigations. We first perform a meta-analysis of a stratified random sample of 145 additional research products analyzing survey data from the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT), which describes features of the U.S. Science and Engineering workforce, and examine trends in the prevalence of analytic error across the decades used to stratify the sample. We once again find that analytic errors appear to be quite prevalent in these studies. Next, we present several example analyses of real SESTAT data, and demonstrate that a failure to perform these analyses correctly can result in substantially biased estimates with standard errors that do not adequately reflect complex sample design features. Collectively, the results of this investigation suggest that reviewers of this type of research need to pay much closer attention to the analytic methods employed by researchers attempting to publish or present secondary analyses of survey data. PMID:27355817

Opinion of stakeholders on existing curriculum for postgraduate (MD) course in Pharmacology: A survey.

PubMed

Badyal, Dinesh K; Daniel, Sujit R

2016-10-01

To survey the opinion about various curricular components of Doctor of Medicine (MD) pharmacology curriculum in India by stakeholders, including faculty and students. An online survey was done to evaluate the various curricular components of MD pharmacology curriculum being used in India. A total of 393 respondents including faculty, MD students, and other stakeholders completed the survey. The survey was developed using SurveyMonkey platform and link to survey was E-mailed to stakeholders. The results were expressed as percentages. There was a balanced representation of respondents from various designations, teaching experience, regions, and age groups. Most of the respondents (83%) were aware of the MD pharmacology curriculum. However, they reported that it is more inclined to knowledge domain. About half of respondents (53%) said that animal experiments are being used. The most common teaching methods mentioned are seminars (98.5%), journal clubs (95%), and practical exercises by postgraduates (73%), but there is less use of newer methods (25%) in theory and less of clinical pharmacology exercise (39%) in practical classes. The log books are maintained but not assessed regularly. Internal assessment is sparingly used. The MD pharmacology curriculum needs to be made uniform at the national level and updated to include the newer methods in teaching-learning and assessment. There should be sharing of newer methods at a common platform implemented at the national level.

Evaluating Student Performance and Qualifications in Rehabilitation Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Allison R.; Kline, Katherine M.; Phillips, Brian N.

2017-01-01

Purpose: To determine methods of student learning assessment and clinical training in rehabilitation counseling programs. With many shifts occurring in postsecondary education and in rehabilitation counseling, it is critical to understand these current practices. Method: The authors used an Internet-based survey design to solicit program…

Procedural Guide for Designation Surveys of Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites. Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

data standardization." One of the most frequently used clustering strategies is called UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages...Sneath and Sokal 1973). Romesburg (1984) 151 evaluated many possible methods and concluded that UPGMA is appropriate for most types of cluster

Chapter 3: Design of the Saber-Tooth Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Phillip

1999-01-01

Used data from interviews, surveys, and document analysis to describe the methods and reform processes of the Saber Tooth Project, examining selection of sites; demographics (school sites, teachers, data sources, and project assumptions); and project phases (development, planning, implementation, and support). The project's method of reform was…

Simulating future uncertainty to guide the selection of survey designs for long-term monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garman, Steven L.; Schweiger, E. William; Manier, Daniel J.; Gitzen, Robert A.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.; Cooper, Andrew B.; Licht, Daniel S.

2012-01-01

A goal of environmental monitoring is to provide sound information on the status and trends of natural resources (Messer et al. 1991, Theobald et al. 2007, Fancy et al. 2009). When monitoring observations are acquired by measuring a subset of the population of interest, probability sampling as part of a well-constructed survey design provides the most reliable and legally defensible approach to achieve this goal (Cochran 1977, Olsen et al. 1999, Schreuder et al. 2004; see Chapters 2, 5, 6, 7). Previous works have described the fundamentals of sample surveys (e.g. Hansen et al. 1953, Kish 1965). Interest in survey designs and monitoring over the past 15 years has led to extensive evaluations and new developments of sample selection methods (Stevens and Olsen 2004), of strategies for allocating sample units in space and time (Urquhart et al. 1993, Overton and Stehman 1996, Urquhart and Kincaid 1999), and of estimation (Lesser and Overton 1994, Overton and Stehman 1995) and variance properties (Larsen et al. 1995, Stevens and Olsen 2003) of survey designs. Carefully planned, “scientific” (Chapter 5) survey designs have become a standard in contemporary monitoring of natural resources. Based on our experience with the long-term monitoring program of the US National Park Service (NPS; Fancy et al. 2009; Chapters 16, 22), operational survey designs tend to be selected using the following procedures. For a monitoring indicator (i.e. variable or response), a minimum detectable trend requirement is specified, based on the minimum level of change that would result in meaningful change (e.g. degradation). A probability of detecting this trend (statistical power) and an acceptable level of uncertainty (Type I error; see Chapter 2) within a specified time frame (e.g. 10 years) are specified to ensure timely detection. Explicit statements of the minimum detectable trend, the time frame for detecting the minimum trend, power, and acceptable probability of Type I error (α) collectively form the quantitative sampling objective.

Methods of estimating or accounting for neighborhood associations with health using complex survey data.

PubMed

Brumback, Babette A; Cai, Zhuangyu; Dailey, Amy B

2014-05-15

Reasons for health disparities may include neighborhood-level factors, such as availability of health services, social norms, and environmental determinants, as well as individual-level factors. Investigating health inequalities using nationally or locally representative data often requires an approach that can accommodate a complex sampling design, in which individuals have unequal probabilities of selection into the study. The goal of the present article is to review and compare methods of estimating or accounting for neighborhood influences with complex survey data. We considered 3 types of methods, each generalized for use with complex survey data: ordinary regression, conditional likelihood regression, and generalized linear mixed-model regression. The relative strengths and weaknesses of each method differ from one study to another; we provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each method theoretically, in terms of the nature of the estimable associations and the plausibility of the assumptions required for validity, and also practically, via a simulation study and 2 epidemiologic data analyses. The first analysis addresses determinants of repeat mammography screening use using data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. The second analysis addresses disparities in preventive oral health care using data from the 2008 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.

Survey of engineering computational methods and experimental programs for estimating supersonic missile aerodynamic characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, W. C.; Allen, J. M.; Hernandez, G.; Dillenius, M. F. E.; Hemsch, M. J.

1982-01-01

This paper presents a survey of engineering computational methods and experimental programs used for estimating the aerodynamic characteristics of missile configurations. Emphasis is placed on those methods which are suitable for preliminary design of conventional and advanced concepts. An analysis of the technical approaches of the various methods is made in order to assess their suitability to estimate longitudinal and/or lateral-directional characteristics for different classes of missile configurations. Some comparisons between the predicted characteristics and experimental data are presented. These comparisons are made for a large variation in flow conditions and model attitude parameters. The paper also presents known experimental research programs developed for the specific purpose of validating analytical methods and extending the capability of data-base programs.

The Temporal Effect of Training Utility Perceptions on Adopting a Trained Method: The Role of Perceived Organizational Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madera, Juan M.; Steele, Stacey T.; Beier, Margaret

2011-01-01

The current study examined the temporal effect of perceived training utility on adoption of a trained method and how perceived organizational support influences the relationship between perceived training utility perceptions and adoption of a trained method. With the use of a correlational-survey-based design, this longitudinal study required…

Andragogical Methods to Sustain Quality Adult Education in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seyoum, Yilfashewa; Basha, Garkebo

2017-01-01

This study aims to analyse the extent andragogy serves as a means to secure quality in adult education programs. It attempts to scrutinize how active learning methods are implemented effectively in adult education program in the Eastern part of Ethiopia. A survey research design was adapted as a method of the study. Stratified and purposive…

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: National Youth Fitness Survey Estimation Procedures, 2012.

PubMed

Johnson, Clifford L; Dohrmann, Sylvia M; Kerckove, Van de; Diallo, Mamadou S; Clark, Jason; Mohadjer, Leyla K; Burt, Vicki L

2014-11-01

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's (NHANES) National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) was conducted in 2012 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NNYFS collected data on physical activity and fitness levels to evaluate the health and fitness of children aged 3-15 in the United States. The survey comprised three levels of data collection: a household screening interview (or screener), an in-home personal interview, and a physical examination. The screener's primary objective was to determine whether any children in the household were eligible for the interview and examination. Eligibility was determined by preset selection probabilities for desired sex-age subdomains. After selection, the in-home personal interview collected demographic, health, physical activity, and nutrition information about the child as well as information about the household. The examination included physical measurements and fitness tests. This report provides background on the NNYFS program and summarizes the survey's sample design specifications. The report presents NNYFS estimation procedures, including the methods used to calculate survey weights for the full sample as well as a combined NHANES/NNYFS sample for 2012 (accessible only through the NCHS Research Data Center). The report also describes appropriate variance estimation methods. Documentation of the sample selection methods, survey content, data collection procedures, and methods to assess nonsampling errors are reported elsewhere. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Aeromagnetic investigations of hazardous waste sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

Aeromagnetic survey data collected by helicopter over hazardous waste sites can be used to map the distribution of buried metallic (ferrous) objects at these sites, including drums and scrap metal. Thorough knowledge of the locations and nature of hazardous waste containers and contaminated objects is needed prior to the start of remediation efforts. Non-invasive geophysical techniques such as the aeromagnetic method provide the best way to obtain this knowledge. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) not only has experience in processing and interpreting aeromagnetic surveys of this type but also offers aid in the design and monitoring of contracts for such surveys.

Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Slitless Spectrometer: Design, Prototype, and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gong, Qian; Content, David; Dominguez, Margaret; Emmett, Thomas; Griesmann, Ulf; Hagopian, John; Kruk, Jeffrey; Marx, Catherine; Pasquale, Bert; Wallace, Thomas;

Quality of reporting of surveys in critical care journals: a methodologic review.

PubMed

Duffett, Mark; Burns, Karen E; Adhikari, Neill K; Arnold, Donald M; Lauzier, François; Kho, Michelle E; Meade, Maureen O; Hayani, Omar; Koo, Karen; Choong, Karen; Lamontagne, François; Zhou, Qi; Cook, Deborah J

2012-02-01

Adequate reporting is needed to judge methodologic quality and assess the risk of bias of surveys. The objective of this study is to describe the methodology and quality of reporting of surveys published in five critical care journals. All issues (1996-2009) of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. Two reviewers hand-searched all issues in duplicate. We included publications of self-administered questionnaires of health professionals and excluded surveys that were part of a multi-method study or measured the effect of an intervention. Data were abstracted in duplicate. We included 151 surveys. The frequency of survey publication increased at an average rate of 0.38 surveys per 1000 citations per year from 1996-2009 (p for trend = 0.001). The median number of respondents and reported response rates were 217 (interquartile range 90 to 402) and 63.3% (interquartile range 45.0% to 81.0%), respectively. Surveys originated predominantly from North America (United States [40.4%] and Canada [18.5%]). Surveys most frequently examined stated practice (78.8%), attitudes or opinions (60.3%), and less frequently knowledge (9.9%). The frequency of reporting on the survey design and methods were: 1) instrument development: domains (59.1%), item generation (33.1%), item reduction (12.6%); 2) instrument testing: pretesting or pilot testing (36.2%) and assessments of clarity (25.2%) or clinical sensibility (15.7%); and 3) clinimetric properties: qualitative or quantitative description of at least one of face, content, construct validity, intra- or inter-rater reliability, or consistency (28.5%). The reporting of five key elements of survey design and conduct did not significantly change over time. Surveys, primarily conducted in North America and focused on self-reported practice, are increasingly published in highly cited critical care journals. More uniform and comprehensive reporting will facilitate assessment of methodologic quality.

A Study of Alcohol Use by Designated Drivers among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dermody, Sarah S.; Cheong, JeeWon; Walther, Christine A.

2012-01-01

Objective: College students tend to drink while serving as a designated driver (DD). The predictors of alcohol use by DDs among college students were examined. Participants: Participants were 119 undergraduate students in introductory psychology courses who had experience with DD use. Methods: Survey data were analyzed to examine the predictors of…

Multiuniversity Comparison of Faculty Attitudes and Use of Universal Design Instructional Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dallas, Bryan K.; Sprong, Matthew E.; Kluesner, Bryon K.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To examine postsecondary faculty attitudes and actions toward inclusive teaching strategies (ITS) designed to benefit all learners. Method: The Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory is a self-report survey that measures faculty attitudes toward ITS and traditional academic accommodations, as well as their in-class actions. The authors…

Surveying the Landscape of Professional Development Research: Suggestions for New Perspectives in Design and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manduca, Cathryn A.

2017-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education is in need of improved teaching methods to increase learning for all students. Faculty professional development programs are a widespread strategy for fostering this improvement. Studies of faculty development programs have focused on program design and the impact of…

Elementary Educators' Perceptions of Design, Engineering, and Technology: An Analysis by Ethnicity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza Diaz, Noemi V.; Cox, Monica F.; Adams, Stephanie G.

2013-01-01

This mixed-methods pilot study extends researchers' understandings about elementary teachers' (K-6) perceptions of design, engineering and technology. In the first phase of the study, a reliable and valid survey was given to thirty-five participants in a teacher professional development academy sponsored by the Institute for P-12 Engineering…

Exploring Young Australian Adults' Asthma Management to Develop an Educational Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombs, Nicole; Allen, Louise; Cooper, Simon; Cant, Robyn; Beauchamp, Alison; Laszcyk, Jacki; Giannis, Anita; Hopmans, Ruben; Bullock, Shane; Waller, Susan; McKenna, Lisa; Peck, Blake

2018-01-01

Objective: This study explored young university students' (aged 18-24 years) health literacy, asthma experiences and help-seeking behaviours to inform the development of a web-based asthma education intervention relevant to this age group. Design: Exploratory mixed-methods design incorporateing a health literacy survey and interviews, plus the…

A survey of decision tree classifier methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safavian, S. R.; Landgrebe, David

1991-01-01

Decision tree classifiers (DTCs) are used successfully in many diverse areas such as radar signal classification, character recognition, remote sensing, medical diagnosis, expert systems, and speech recognition. Perhaps the most important feature of DTCs is their capability to break down a complex decision-making process into a collection of simpler decisions, thus providing a solution which is often easier to interpret. A survey of current methods is presented for DTC designs and the various existing issues. After considering potential advantages of DTCs over single-state classifiers, subjects of tree structure design, feature selection at each internal node, and decision and search strategies are discussed.

A survey of decision tree classifier methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safavian, S. Rasoul; Landgrebe, David

1990-01-01

Decision Tree Classifiers (DTC's) are used successfully in many diverse areas such as radar signal classification, character recognition, remote sensing, medical diagnosis, expert systems, and speech recognition. Perhaps, the most important feature of DTC's is their capability to break down a complex decision-making process into a collection of simpler decisions, thus providing a solution which is often easier to interpret. A survey of current methods is presented for DTC designs and the various existing issue. After considering potential advantages of DTC's over single stage classifiers, subjects of tree structure design, feature selection at each internal node, and decision and search strategies are discussed.

How many fish? Comparison of two underwater visual sampling methods for monitoring fish communities

PubMed Central

Sini, Maria; Vatikiotis, Konstantinos; Katsoupis, Christos

2018-01-01

Background Underwater visual surveys (UVSs) for monitoring fish communities are preferred over fishing surveys in certain habitats, such as rocky or coral reefs and seagrass beds and are the standard monitoring tool in many cases, especially in protected areas. However, despite their wide application there are potential biases, mainly due to imperfect detectability and the behavioral responses of fish to the observers. Methods The performance of two methods of UVSs were compared to test whether they give similar results in terms of fish population density, occupancy, species richness, and community composition. Distance sampling (line transects) and plot sampling (strip transects) were conducted at 31 rocky reef sites in the Aegean Sea (Greece) using SCUBA diving. Results Line transects generated significantly higher values of occupancy, species richness, and total fish density compared to strip transects. For most species, density estimates differed significantly between the two sampling methods. For secretive species and species avoiding the observers, the line transect method yielded higher estimates, as it accounted for imperfect detectability and utilized a larger survey area compared to the strip transect method. On the other hand, large-scale spatial patterns of species composition were similar for both methods. Discussion Overall, both methods presented a number of advantages and limitations, which should be considered in survey design. Line transects appear to be more suitable for surveying secretive species, while strip transects should be preferred at high fish densities and for species of high mobility. PMID:29942703

Aerodynamic aircraft design methods and their notable applications: Survey of the activity in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujii, Kozo; Takanashi, Susumu

1991-01-01

An overview of aerodynamic aircraft design methods and their recent applications in Japan is presented. A design code which was developed at the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) and is in use now is discussed, hence, most of the examples are the result of the collaborative work between heavy industry and the National Aerospace Laboratory. A wide variety of applications in transonic to supersonic flow regimes are presented. Although design of aircraft elements for external flows are the main focus, some of the internal flow applications are also presented. Recent applications of the design code, using the Navier Stokes and Euler equations in the analysis mode, include the design of HOPE (a space vehicle) and Upper Surface Blowing (USB) aircraft configurations.

Asian International Students' Willingness to Seek Counseling: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Peiwei; Wong, Y. Joel; Toth, Paul

2013-01-01

Using a mixed-methods survey design that was predominantly quantitative, this study explored Asian international students' willingness to seek counseling. Participants were 177 Asian international students recruited from a U.S. Midwestern University. After controlling for attitudes toward psychological help-seeking and past counseling experience,…

Research Methods and Data Analysis Procedures Used by Educational Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Tse-chi

2005-01-01

To assess the status and the trends of subject matters investigated and research methods/designs and data analysis procedures employed by educational researchers, this study surveyed articles published by the "American Educational Research Journal (AERJ)," "Journal of Experimental Education (JEE)" and "Journal of Educational Research (JER)" from…

A case study on better iconographic design in electronic medical records' user interface.

PubMed

Tasa, Umut Burcu; Ozcan, Oguzhan; Yantac, Asim Evren; Unluer, Ayca

2008-06-01

It is a known fact that there is a conflict between what users expect and what user interface designers create in the field of medical informatics along with other fields of interface design. The objective of the study is to suggest, from the 'design art' perspective, a method for improving the usability of an electronic medical record (EMR) interface. The suggestion is based on the hypothesis that the user interface of an EMR should be iconographic. The proposed three-step method consists of a questionnaire survey on how hospital users perceive concepts/terms that are going to be used in the EMR user interface. Then icons associated with the terms are designed by a designer, following a guideline which is prepared according to the results of the first questionnaire. Finally the icons are asked back to the target group for proof. A case study was conducted with 64 medical staff and 30 professional designers for the first questionnaire, and with 30 medical staff for the second. In the second questionnaire 7.53 icons out of 10 were matched correctly with a standard deviation of 0.98. Also, all icons except three were matched correctly in at least 83.3% of the forms. The proposed new method differs from the majority of previous studies which are based on user requirements by leaning on user experiments instead. The study demonstrated that the user interface of EMRs should be designed according to a guideline that results from a survey on users' experiences on metaphoric perception of the terms.

Density estimation in wildlife surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan; Droege, Sam; Geissler, Paul E.; Peterjohn, Bruce G.; Ralph, C. John

2004-01-01

Several authors have recently discussed the problems with using index methods to estimate trends in population size. Some have expressed the view that index methods should virtually never be used. Others have responded by defending index methods and questioning whether better alternatives exist. We suggest that index methods are often a cost-effective component of valid wildlife monitoring but that double-sampling or another procedure that corrects for bias or establishes bounds on bias is essential. The common assertion that index methods require constant detection rates for trend estimation is mathematically incorrect; the requirement is no long-term trend in detection "ratios" (index result/parameter of interest), a requirement that is probably approximately met by many well-designed index surveys. We urge that more attention be given to defining bird density rigorously and in ways useful to managers. Once this is done, 4 sources of bias in density estimates may be distinguished: coverage, closure, surplus birds, and detection rates. Distance, double-observer, and removal methods do not reduce bias due to coverage, closure, or surplus birds. These methods may yield unbiased estimates of the number of birds present at the time of the survey, but only if their required assumptions are met, which we doubt occurs very often in practice. Double-sampling, in contrast, produces unbiased density estimates if the plots are randomly selected and estimates on the intensive surveys are unbiased. More work is needed, however, to determine the feasibility of double-sampling in different populations and habitats. We believe the tension that has developed over appropriate survey methods can best be resolved through increased appreciation of the mathematical aspects of indices, especially the effects of bias, and through studies in which candidate methods are evaluated against known numbers determined through intensive surveys.

Examining Menstrual Tracking to Inform the Design of Personal Informatics Tools

PubMed Central

Epstein, Daniel A.; Lee, Nicole B.; Kang, Jennifer H.; Agapie, Elena; Schroeder, Jessica; Pina, Laura R.; Fogarty, James; Kientz, Julie A.; Munson, Sean A.

2017-01-01

We consider why and how women track their menstrual cycles, examining their experiences to uncover design opportunities and extend the field's understanding of personal informatics tools. To understand menstrual cycle tracking practices, we collected and analyzed data from three sources: 2,000 reviews of popular menstrual tracking apps, a survey of 687 people, and follow-up interviews with 12 survey respondents. We find that women track their menstrual cycle for varied reasons that include remembering and predicting their period as well as informing conversations with healthcare providers. Participants described six methods of tracking their menstrual cycles, including use of technology, awareness of their premenstrual physiological states, and simply remembering. Although women find apps and calendars helpful, these methods are ineffective when predictions of future menstrual cycles are inaccurate. Designs can create feelings of exclusion for gender and sexual minorities. Existing apps also generally fail to consider life stages that women experience, including young adulthood, pregnancy, and menopause. Our findings encourage expanding the field's conceptions of personal informatics. PMID:28516176

City Governments and Aging in Place: Community Design, Transportation and Housing Innovation Adoption

PubMed Central

Lehning, Amanda J.

2012-01-01

Purpose of the study: To examine the characteristics associated with city government adoption of community design, housing, and transportation innovations that could benefit older adults. Design and methods: A mixed-methods study with quantitative data collected via online surveys from 62 city planners combined with qualitative data collected via telephone interviews with a subsample of 18 survey respondents. Results: Results indicate that advocacy is an effective strategy to encourage city government adoption of these innovations. Percent of the population with a disability was positively associated, whereas percent of the population aged 65 and older was not associated or negatively associated, with innovation adoption in the regression models. Qualitative interviews suggest that younger individuals with disabilities are more active in local advocacy efforts. Implications: Results suggest that successful advocacy strategies for local government adoption include facilitating the involvement of older residents, targeting key decision makers within government, emphasizing the financial benefits to the city, and focusing on cities whose aging residents are vulnerable to disease and disability. PMID:21900505

Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families: the work, love, play study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background While families headed by same-sex couples have achieved greater public visibility in recent years, there are still many challenges for these families in dealing with legal and community contexts that are not supportive of same-sex relationships. The Work, Love, Play study is a large longitudinal study of same-sex parents. It aims to investigate many facets of family life among this sample and examine how they change over time. The study focuses specifically on two key areas missing from the current literature: factors supporting resilience in same-sex parented families; and health and wellbeing outcomes for same-sex couples who undergo separation, including the negotiation of shared parenting arrangements post-separation. The current paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the design and methods of this longitudinal study and discuss its significance. Methods/Design The Work, Love, Play study is a mixed design, three wave, longitudinal cohort study of same-sex attracted parents. The sample includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents in Australia and New Zealand (including single parents within these categories) caring for any children under the age of 18 years. The study will be conducted over six years from 2008 to 2014. Quantitative data are to be collected via three on-line surveys in 2008, 2010 and 2012 from the cohort of parents recruited in Wave1. Qualitative data will be collected via interviews with purposively selected subsamples in 2012 and 2013. Data collection began in 2008 and 355 respondents to Wave One of the study have agreed to participate in future surveys. Work is currently underway to increase this sample size. The methods and survey instruments are described. Discussion This study will make an important contribution to the existing research on same-sex parented families. Strengths of the study design include the longitudinal method, which will allow understanding of changes over time within internal family relationships and social supports. Further, the mixed method design enables triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data. A broad recruitment strategy has already enabled a large sample size with the inclusion of both gay men and lesbians. PMID:20211027

33 CFR 155.120 - Equivalents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (a) For ships required to be surveyed under § 151.17 of this chapter, the Commandant may, upon... operational methods to control the discharge of oil in place of those design and construction features...

33 CFR 155.120 - Equivalents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (a) For ships required to be surveyed under § 151.17 of this chapter, the Commandant may, upon... operational methods to control the discharge of oil in place of those design and construction features...

Documentation for the Academic Library Survey (ALS) Data File: Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Use). NCES 2007-343

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Carl M.; O'Shae, Patricia; Vaden, Kaleen; Williams, Jeffrey W.

2007-01-01

This manual describes the methods, procedures, techniques, and activities that were used to produce the Academic Library Survey of 2004 (ALS:2004). This manual is designed to provide guidance and documentation for users of the ALS data. Included in the manual are the following: an overview of the study and its predecessor studies; an account of…

Comparing Staffing Levels in the Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) System with the Medicaid Cost Report Data: Are Differences Systematic?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kash, Bita A.; Hawes, Catherine; Phillips, Charles D.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This study had two goals: (a) to assess the validity of the Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) staffing data by comparing them to staffing measures from audited Medicaid Cost Reports and (b) to identify systematic differences between facilities that over-report or underreport staffing in the OSCAR. Design and Methods: We…

The health-related quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors study: objectives, methods and patient sample.

PubMed

Mohler, M Jane; Coons, Stephen Joel; Hornbrook, Mark C; Herrinton, Lisa J; Wendel, Christopher S; Grant, Marcia; Krouse, Robert S

2008-07-01

The objective of this paper is to describe the complex mixed-methods design of a study conducted to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes and ostomy-related obstacles and adjustments among long-term (>5 years) colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies (cases) and without ostomies (controls). In addition, details are provided regarding the study sample and the psychometric properties of the quantitative data collection measures used. Subsequent manuscripts will present the study findings. The study design involved a cross-sectional mail survey for collecting quantitative data and focus groups for collecting qualitative data. The study subjects were individuals identified as long-term CRC survivors within a community-based health maintenance organization's enrolled population. Focus groups comprised of cases were conducted. The groups were divided by gender and HRQOL high and low quartile contrasts (based on the mail survey data). The modified City of Hope Quality of Life (mCOH-QOL)-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were used in the mail survey. An abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy was used for the control subjects. Focus groups explored ostomy-related barriers to self-care, adaptation methods/skills, and advice for others with an ostomy. The survey response rate was 52% (679/1308) and 34 subjects participated in focus groups. The internal consistency reliability estimates for the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy and SF-36v2 questionnaires were very acceptable for group comparisons. In addition, evidence supports the construct validity of the abridged version of the mCOH-QOL-Ostomy. Study limitations include potential non-response bias and limited minority participation. We were able to successfully recruit long-term CRC survivors into this study and the psychometric properties of the quantitative measures used were quite acceptable. Mixed-methods designs, such as the one used in this study, may be useful in identification and further elucidation of common problems, coping strategies, and HRQOL outcomes among long-term cancer survivors.

Design, methods, and participant characteristics of the Impact of Personal Genomics (PGen) Study, a prospective cohort study of direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing customers.

PubMed

Carere, Deanna Alexis; Couper, Mick P; Crawford, Scott D; Kalia, Sarah S; Duggan, Jake R; Moreno, Tanya A; Mountain, Joanna L; Roberts, J Scott; Green, Robert C

2014-01-01

Designed in collaboration with 23andMe and Pathway Genomics, the Impact of Personal Genomics (PGen) Study serves as a model for academic-industry partnership and provides a longitudinal dataset for studying psychosocial, behavioral, and health outcomes related to direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing (PGT). Web-based surveys administered at three time points, and linked to individual-level PGT results, provide data on 1,464 PGT customers, of which 71% completed each follow-up survey and 64% completed all three surveys. The cohort includes 15.7% individuals of non-white ethnicity, and encompasses a range of income, education, and health levels. Over 90% of participants agreed to re-contact for future research.

Exploring Medical Identity Theft

PubMed Central

Mancilla, Desla; Moczygemba, Jackie

2009-01-01

The crime of medical identity theft is a growing concern in healthcare institutions. A mixed-method study design including a two-stage electronic survey, telephone survey follow-up, and on-site observations was used to evaluate current practices in admitting and registration departments to reduce the occurrence of medical identity theft. Survey participants were chief compliance officers in acute healthcare organizations and members of the Health Care Compliance Association. Study results indicate variance in whether or how patient identity is confirmed in healthcare settings. The findings of this study suggest that information systems need to be designed for more efficient identity management. Admitting and registration staff must be trained, and compliance with medical identity theft policies and procedures must be monitored. Finally, biometric identity management solutions should be considered for stronger patient identification verification. PMID:20169017

Exploring medical identity theft.

PubMed

Mancilla, Desla; Moczygemba, Jackie

2009-09-16

The crime of medical identity theft is a growing concern in healthcare institutions. A mixed-method study design including a two-stage electronic survey, telephone survey follow-up, and on-site observations was used to evaluate current practices in admitting and registration departments to reduce the occurrence of medical identity theft. Survey participants were chief compliance officers in acute healthcare organizations and members of the Health Care Compliance Association. Study results indicate variance in whether or how patient identity is confirmed in healthcare settings. The findings of this study suggest that information systems need to be designed for more efficient identity management. Admitting and registration staff must be trained, and compliance with medical identity theft policies and procedures must be monitored. Finally, biometric identity management solutions should be considered for stronger patient identification verification.

Increasing response rates to lifestyle surveys: a pragmatic evidence review.

PubMed

McCluskey, S; Topping, A E

2011-03-01

Lifestyle surveys are often a key component of a local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), undertaken to inform public health planning. They are usually administered to a large number of people in order to provide a comprehensive profile of population health. However, declining response rates coupled with the under-representation of certain population groups in lifestyle survey data has led to doubts concerning the reliability of findings. In order to inform the design of their own lifestyle survey, NHS Calderdale commissioned an evidence-based review of the methodological literature relating to the administration of lifestyle surveys, with the specific aim of identifying practical and resource-efficient strategies shown to be effective for maximizing whole-population response rates. A pragmatic review of the published literature was undertaken, specifically to explore the most practical and resource-efficient ways to maximize lifestyle survey response rates to the most commonly used methods (postal surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews and electronic surveys). Electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, DARE, EMBASE and PsychINFO were searched. Empirical evidence published in the last 10 years was identified and citation tracking performed on all retrieved articles. An internet search for 'grey literature' was also conducted. The postal questionnaire remains an important lifestyle survey tool, but reported response rates have decreased rapidly in recent years. Interviews and telephone surveys are recommended in order to supplement data from postal questionnaires and increase response rates in some population groups, but costs may be prohibitive. Electronic surveys are a cheaper alternative, but the empirical evidence on effectiveness is inconclusive. Careful planning and tailoring of survey design to the characteristics of target populations can increase response rates and representativeness of lifestyle survey data. The results of this pragmatic review could provide a valuable resource for those involved in the design and administration of lifestyle surveys.

Systematic Review of the Use of Online Questionnaires among the Geriatric Population

PubMed Central

Remillard, Meegan L.; Mazor, Kathleen M.; Cutrona, Sarah L.; Gurwitz, Jerry H.; Tjia, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Background/Objectives The use of internet-based questionnaires to collect information from older adults is not well established. This systematic literature review of studies using online questionnaires in older adult populations aims to 1. describe methodologic approaches to population targeting and sampling and 2. summarize limitations of Internet-based questionnaires in geriatric populations. Design, Setting, Participants We identified English language articles using search terms for geriatric, age 65 and over, Internet survey, online survey, Internet questionnaire, and online questionnaire in PubMed and EBSCO host between 1984 and July 2012. Inclusion criteria were: study population mean age ≥65 years old and use of an online questionnaire for research. Review of 336 abstracts yielded 14 articles for full review by 2 investigators; 11 articles met inclusion criteria. Measurements Articles were extracted for study design and setting, patient characteristics, recruitment strategy, country, and study limitations. Results Eleven (11) articles were published after 2001. Studies had populations with a mean age of 65 to 78 years, included descriptive and analytical designs, and were conducted in the United States, Australia, and Japan. Recruiting methods varied widely from paper fliers and personal emails to use of consumer marketing panels. Investigator-reported study limitations included the use of small convenience samples and limited generalizability. Conclusion Online questionnaires are a feasible method of surveying older adults in some geographic regions and for some subsets of older adults, but limited Internet access constrains recruiting methods and often limits study generalizability. PMID:24635138

SABE Colombia: Survey on Health, Well-Being, and Aging in Colombia—Study Design and Protocol

PubMed Central

Corchuelo, Jairo; Curcio, Carmen-Lucia; Calzada, Maria-Teresa; Mendez, Fabian

2016-01-01

Objective. To describe the design of the SABE Colombia study. The major health study of the old people in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the Survey on Health, Well-Being, and Aging in LAC, SABE (from initials in Spanish: SAlud, Bienestar & Envejecimiento). Methods. The SABE Colombia is a population-based cross-sectional study on health, aging, and well-being of elderly individuals aged at least 60 years focusing attention on social determinants of health inequities. Methods and design were similar to original LAC SABE. The total sample size of the study at the urban and rural research sites (244 municipalities) was 23.694 elderly Colombians representative of the total population. The study had three components: (1) a questionnaire covering active aging determinants including anthropometry, blood pressure measurement, physical function, and biochemical and hematological measures; (2) a subsample survey among family caregivers; (3) a qualitative study with gender and cultural perspectives of quality of life to understand different dimensions of people meanings. Conclusions. The SABE Colombia is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary study of the elderly with respect to active aging determinants. The results of this study are intended to inform public policies aimed at tackling health inequalities for the aging society in Colombia. PMID:27956896

Occupancy Modeling Species-Environment Relationships with Non-ignorable Survey Designs.

PubMed

Irvine, Kathryn M; Rodhouse, Thomas J; Wright, Wilson J; Olsen, Anthony R

2018-05-26

Statistical models supporting inferences about species occurrence patterns in relation to environmental gradients are fundamental to ecology and conservation biology. A common implicit assumption is that the sampling design is ignorable and does not need to be formally accounted for in analyses. The analyst assumes data are representative of the desired population and statistical modeling proceeds. However, if datasets from probability and non-probability surveys are combined or unequal selection probabilities are used, the design may be non ignorable. We outline the use of pseudo-maximum likelihood estimation for site-occupancy models to account for such non-ignorable survey designs. This estimation method accounts for the survey design by properly weighting the pseudo-likelihood equation. In our empirical example, legacy and newer randomly selected locations were surveyed for bats to bridge a historic statewide effort with an ongoing nationwide program. We provide a worked example using bat acoustic detection/non-detection data and show how analysts can diagnose whether their design is ignorable. Using simulations we assessed whether our approach is viable for modeling datasets composed of sites contributed outside of a probability design Pseudo-maximum likelihood estimates differed from the usual maximum likelihood occu31 pancy estimates for some bat species. Using simulations we show the maximum likelihood estimator of species-environment relationships with non-ignorable sampling designs was biased, whereas the pseudo-likelihood estimator was design-unbiased. However, in our simulation study the designs composed of a large proportion of legacy or non-probability sites resulted in estimation issues for standard errors. These issues were likely a result of highly variable weights confounded by small sample sizes (5% or 10% sampling intensity and 4 revisits). Aggregating datasets from multiple sources logically supports larger sample sizes and potentially increases spatial extents for statistical inferences. Our results suggest that ignoring the mechanism for how locations were selected for data collection (e.g., the sampling design) could result in erroneous model-based conclusions. Therefore, in order to ensure robust and defensible recommendations for evidence-based conservation decision-making, the survey design information in addition to the data themselves must be available for analysts. Details for constructing the weights used in estimation and code for implementation are provided. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Comparing Errors in Medicaid Reporting across Surveys: Evidence to Date

PubMed Central

Call, Kathleen T; Davern, Michael E; Klerman, Jacob A; Lynch, Victoria

2013-01-01

Objective To synthesize evidence on the accuracy of Medicaid reporting across state and federal surveys. Data Sources All available validation studies. Study Design Compare results from existing research to understand variation in reporting across surveys. Data Collection Methods Synthesize all available studies validating survey reports of Medicaid coverage. Principal Findings Across all surveys, reporting some type of insurance coverage is better than reporting Medicaid specifically. Therefore, estimates of uninsurance are less biased than estimates of specific sources of coverage. The CPS stands out as being particularly inaccurate. Conclusions Measuring health insurance coverage is prone to some level of error, yet survey overstatements of uninsurance are modest in most surveys. Accounting for all forms of bias is complex. Researchers should consider adjusting estimates of Medicaid and uninsurance in surveys prone to high levels of misreporting. PMID:22816493

Survey of injury sources for a trampoline with equipment hazards designed out

PubMed Central

Eager, David; Scarrott, Carl; Nixon, Jim; Alexander, Keith

2012-01-01

Aim In Australia, trampolines contribute approximately one-quarter of all childhood play-equipment injuries. The purpose of this study was to gather and evaluate injury data from a nontraditional, ‘soft-edged’, consumer trampoline in which the equipment injury sources have been designed out. Methods A survey was undertaken in Queensland and New South Wales. The manufacturer of the nontraditional trampoline provided the University of Technology, Sydney, with their Australian customer database. Injury data were gathered in a pilot study by phone interview, then in a full study through an email survey. Results from 3817 respondents were compared with earlier Australian and US data from traditional trampolines gathered from emergency departments. Results A significantly lower proportion of the injuries caused by falling off or striking the equipment was found for this new design when compared with traditional trampolines both in Australia and in the USA. The age of children being injured on trampolines in Australia was found to be markedly lower than in North America. Conclusions This research indicates that with appropriate design the more severe injuries on traditional trampolines can be significantly reduced. PMID:22404557

The Influence of Alternative Pedagogical Methods in Postsecondary Biology Education: How Do Students Experience a Multimedia Case-Study Environment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolter, Bjorn Hugo Karl

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to better understand how an online, multimedia case study method influenced students' motivation, performance, and perceptions of science in collegiate level biology classes. It utilized a mix-methods design including data from pre- and post-test, student surveys, and focus group interviews to answer one primary…

Applying Research Methods to a Gerontological Population: Matching Data Collection to Characteristics of Older Persons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weil, Joyce

2015-01-01

As Baby Boomers reach 65 years of age and methods of studying older populations are becoming increasingly varied (e.g., including mixed methods designs, on-line surveys, and video-based environments), there is renewed interest in evaluating methodologies used to collect data with older persons. The goal of this article is to examine…

Bridging the Gap: Identifying Perceptions of Effective Teaching Methods for Age 50+ Baby Boomer Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newberry, Sheila

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify effective teaching methods for age 50+ baby boomer learners. The study used a mixed methods research design. The qualitative paradigm used focus group sessions and the quantitative paradigm was completed through surveys. Fifteen age 50+ baby boomer learners and 11 faculty who teach them comprised the two…

Automatic focusing system of BSST in Antarctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Peng-Yi; Liu, Jia-Jing; Zhang, Guang-yu; Wang, Jian

2015-10-01

Automatic focusing (AF) technology plays an important role in modern astronomical telescopes. Based on the focusing requirement of BSST (Bright Star Survey Telescope) in Antarctic, an AF system is set up. In this design, functions in OpenCV is used to find stars, the algorithm of area, HFD or FWHM are used to degree the focus metric by choosing. Curve fitting method is used to find focus position as the method of camera moving. All these design are suitable for unattended small telescope.

Relations between Prejudice, Cultural Intelligence and Level of Entrepreneurship: A Study of School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baltaci, Ali

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the mediating role of prejudice in the relationship between the cultural intelligence of school principals and the level of entrepreneurship. The design of this study was classified as correlational survey research. This study was designed by quantitative research method. The universe of this study constitutes…

User Involvement in Designing a Survey of People Directly Employing Care and Support Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Josie; McNaughton-Nicholls, Carol; d'Ardenne, Joanna; Doyle-Francis, Melanie; Manthorpe, Jill

2013-01-01

User involvement in social care research has generally been the preserve of qualitative methodologies, while user involvement in quantitative research has tended to be limited by the assumed inflexibility of statistical designs and concerns that lay people may require specialist training to engage with quantitative methods. Using the example of…

Applying Motivational Interviewing (MI) in Counselling Obese and Overweight Children and Parents in Swedish Child Healthcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soderlund, Lena L.; Malmsten, Janna; Bendtsen, Preben; Nilsen, Per

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate how a motivational interviewing (MI) training course for child healthcare nurses in Sweden affected their work with children's weight issues and their attitudes to MI. Design: Cross-sectional survey, descriptive design. Setting: Nurses were recruited from 33 different child healthcare centres in Ostergotland, Sweden. Method:…

Secondary Science Homework and Instructional Methodologies: An Investigation of the Alignment of Homework Assignments and Teachers' Self-Professed Instructional Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Paul M.

2009-01-01

This study utilized a mixed-method design in order to investigate the alignment of secondary science teachers' instructional methodologies and their homework designs. Surveys were distributed to educators from a Center for Ocean Sciences Excellence Education (COSEE) database. Coding rubrics were developed to categorize the participants' responses…

The Impact of Critical Thinking and Logico-Mathematical Intelligence on Algorithmic Design Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korkmaz, Ozgen

2012-01-01

The present study aims to reveal the impact of students' critical thinking and logico-mathematical intelligence levels of students on their algorithm design skills. This research was a descriptive study and carried out by survey methods. The sample consisted of 45 first-year educational faculty undergraduate students. The data was collected by…

Attitudes towards Knowledge Management of School Administrators and Teachers Working in Turkish Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Soner; Yigit, Yakup

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate attitudes of school administrators and teachers working in Turkish schools towards knowledge management. In this research, an explanatory design incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods was used. The quantitative strand of the study was designed as a survey model, and the data was collected from…

Recruitment and Training Policies and Practices: The Case of Turkey as an EU Candidate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanova, Cem; Nadiri, Halil

2005-01-01

Purpose: To provide information on differences between recruitment methods and training practices used in SMEs and large organizations in Turkey, as a representative of a developing country. Design/methodology/approach: A survey as designed by the Cranfield Network on International Human Resource Management (CRANET-G) was used for this study. The…

A Railway Track Geometry Measuring Trolley System Based on Aided INS

PubMed Central

Chen, Qijin; Niu, Xiaoji; Zuo, Lili; Zhang, Tisheng; Xiao, Fuqin; Liu, Yi; Liu, Jingnan

2018-01-01

Accurate measurement of the railway track geometry is a task of fundamental importance to ensure the track quality in both the construction phase and the regular maintenance stage. Conventional track geometry measuring trolleys (TGMTs) in combination with classical geodetic surveying apparatus such as total stations alone cannot meet the requirements of measurement accuracy and surveying efficiency at the same time. Accurate and fast track geometry surveying applications call for an innovative surveying method that can measure all or most of the track geometric parameters in short time without interrupting the railway traffic. We provide a novel solution to this problem by integrating an inertial navigation system (INS) with a geodetic surveying apparatus, and design a modular TGMT system based on aided INS, which can be configured according to different surveying tasks including precise adjustment of slab track, providing tamping measurements, measuring track deformation and irregularities, and determination of the track axis. TGMT based on aided INS can operate in mobile surveying mode to significantly improve the surveying efficiency. Key points in the design of the TGMT’s architecture and the data processing concept and workflow are introduced in details, which should benefit subsequent research and provide a reference for the implementation of this kind of TGMT. The surveying performance of proposed TGMT with different configurations is assessed in the track geometry surveying experiments and actual projects. PMID:29439423

Development of a database of instruments for resource-use measurement: purpose, feasibility, and design.

PubMed

Ridyard, Colin H; Hughes, Dyfrig A

2012-01-01

Health economists frequently rely on methods based on patient recall to estimate resource utilization. Access to questionnaires and diaries, however, is often limited. This study examined the feasibility of establishing an open-access Database of Instruments for Resource-Use Measurement, identified relevant fields for data extraction, and outlined its design. An electronic survey was sent to authors of full UK economic evaluations listed in the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (2008-2010), authors of monographs of Health Technology Assessments (1998-2010), and subscribers to the JISCMail health economics e-mailing list. The survey included questions on piloting, validation, recall period, and data capture method. Responses were analyzed and data extracted to generate relevant fields for the database. A total of 143 responses to the survey provided data on 54 resource-use instruments for inclusion in the database. All were reliant on patient or carer recall, and a majority (47) were questionnaires. Thirty-seven were designed for self-completion by the patient, carer, or guardian, and the remainder were designed for completion by researchers or health care professionals while interviewing patients. Methods of development were diverse, particularly in areas such as the planning of resource itemization (evident in 25 instruments), piloting (25), and validation (29). On the basis of the present analysis, we developed a Web-enabled Database of Instruments for Resource-Use Measurement, accessible via www.DIRUM.org. This database may serve as a practical resource for health economists, as well as a means to facilitate further research in the area of resource-use data collection. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

23 CFR 1340.11 - Post-approval alterations to survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Post-approval alterations to survey design. 1340.11... Post-approval alterations to survey design. After NHTSA approval of a survey design, States shall submit for NHTSA approval any proposed alteration to their survey design, including, but not limited to...

23 CFR 1340.11 - Post-approval alterations to survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Post-approval alterations to survey design. 1340.11... Post-approval alterations to survey design. After NHTSA approval of a survey design, States shall submit for NHTSA approval any proposed alteration to their survey design, including, but not limited to...

23 CFR 1340.11 - Post-approval alterations to survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Post-approval alterations to survey design. 1340.11... Post-approval alterations to survey design. After NHTSA approval of a survey design, States shall submit for NHTSA approval any proposed alteration to their survey design, including, but not limited to...

Designing Messaging to Engage Patients in an Online Suicide Prevention Intervention: Survey Results From Patients With Current Suicidal Ideation

PubMed Central

Lungu, Anita; Richards, Julie; Simon, Gregory E; Clingan, Sarah; Siler, Jaeden; Snyder, Lorilei; Ludman, Evette

2014-01-01

Background Computerized, Internet-delivered interventions can be efficacious; however, uptake and maintaining sustained client engagement are still big challenges. We see the development of effective engagement strategies as the next frontier in online health interventions, an area where much creative research has begun. We also argue that for engagement strategies to accomplish their purpose with novel targeted populations, they need to be tailored to such populations (ie, content is designed with the target population in mind). User-centered design frameworks provide a theoretical foundation for increasing user engagement and uptake by including users in development. However, deciding how to implement this approach to enage users in mental health intervention development is challenging. Objective The aim of this study was to get user input and feedback on acceptability of messaging content intended to engage suicidal individuals. Methods In March 2013, clinic intake staff distributed flyers announcing the study, “Your Feedback Counts” to potential participants (individuals waiting to be seen for a mental health appointment) together with the Patient Health Questionnaire. The flyer explained that a score of two or three (“more than half the days” or “nearly every day” respectively) on the suicide ideation question made them eligible to provide feedback on components of a suicide prevention intervention under development. The patient could access an anonymous online survey by following a link. After providing consent online, participants completed the anonymous survey. Results Thirty-four individuals provided data on past demographic information. Participants reported that they would be most drawn to an intervention where they knew that they were cared about, that was personalized, that others like them had found it helpful, and that included examples with real people. Participants preferred email invitations with subject lines expressing concern and availability of extra resources. Participants also provided feedback about a media prototype including a brand design and advertisement video for introducing the intervention. Conclusions This paper provides one model (including development of an engagement survey, audience for an engagement survey, methods for presenting results of an engagement survey) for including target users in the development of uptake strategies for online mental health interventions. PMID:24509475

When Theater Comes to Engineering Design: Oh How Creative They Can Be.

PubMed

Pfeiffer, Ferris M; Bauer, Rachel E; Borgelt, Steve; Burgoyne, Suzanne; Grant, Sheila; Hunt, Heather K; Pardoe, Jennie J; Schmidt, David C

2017-07-01

The creative process is fun, complex, and sometimes frustrating, but it is critical to the future of our nation and progress in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), as well as other fields. Thus, we set out to see if implementing methods of active learning typical to the theater department could impact the creativity of senior capstone design students in the bioengineering (BE) department. Senior bioengineering capstone design students were allowed to self-select into groups. Prior to the beginning of coursework, all students completed a validated survey measuring engineering design self-efficacy. The control and experimental groups both received standard instruction, but in addition the experimental group received 1 h per week of creativity training developed by a theater professor. Following the semester, the students again completed the self-efficacy survey. The surveys were examined to identify differences in the initial and final self-efficacy in the experimental and control groups over the course of the semester. An analysis of variance was used to compare the experimental and control groups with p < 0.05 considered significant. Students in the experimental group reported more than a twofold (4.8 (C) versus 10.9 (E)) increase of confidence. Additionally, students in the experimental group were more motivated and less anxious when engaging in engineering design following the semester of creativity instruction. The results of this pilot study indicate that there is a significant potential to improve engineering students' creative self-efficacy through the implementation of a "curriculum of creativity" which is developed using theater methods.

HEROs: Design of a Mixed-Methods Formative Research Phase for an Ecocultural Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors in Rural Families With Preschoolers.

PubMed

Bellows, Laura L; McCloskey, Morgan; Clark, Lauren; Thompson, Darcy A; Bekelman, Traci A; Chamberlin, Barbara; Johnson, Susan L

2018-04-10

To describe the mixed-methods formative research phase in the development of the Healthy Environments Study (HEROs), a technology-based, interactive family intervention to promote healthy eating and activity behaviors for young children in the home environment. A mixed-method iterative approach, using ecocultural theory as a framework, will guide the development of both quantitative and qualitative formative research assessments. Rural eastern Colorado. Low-income families (n = 200) with preschool-aged children enrolled at 6 Head Start/preschool centers. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies will garner insights into 4 key topic areas: (1) food behaviors and environments (Remote Food Photography Method, parent focus group, and survey), (2) physical activity behaviors and environments (parent interview and survey), (3) mobile device use (parent survey and interview), and (4) daily life (ecocultural family interview and teacher/staff group discussions). Results will be interpreted in combination to allow for a holistic understanding of participant behaviors, beliefs, attitudes and values related to each of the 4 topic areas. Collectively, outcomes will provide a comprehensive picture of preschoolers' daily life and inform intervention design and strategies to enhance preschoolers' eating and activity behaviors in the home environment. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Response-Order Effects in Survey Methods: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study in the Context of Sport Injury Prevention.

PubMed

Chan, Derwin K; Ivarsson, Andreas; Stenling, Andreas; Yang, Sophie X; Chatzisarantis, Nikos L; Hagger, Martin S

2015-12-01

Consistency tendency is characterized by the propensity for participants responding to subsequent items in a survey consistent with their responses to previous items. This method effect might contaminate the results of sport psychology surveys using cross-sectional design. We present a randomized controlled crossover study examining the effect of consistency tendency on the motivational pathway (i.e., autonomy support → autonomous motivation → intention) of self-determination theory in the context of sport injury prevention. Athletes from Sweden (N = 341) responded to the survey printed in either low interitem distance (IID; consistency tendency likely) or high IID (consistency tendency suppressed) on two separate occasions, with a one-week interim period. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups, and they received the survey of different IID at each occasion. Bayesian structural equation modeling showed that low IID condition had stronger parameter estimates than high IID condition, but the differences were not statistically significant.

Transient analysis mode participation for modal survey target mode selection using MSC/NASTRAN DMAP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, Alan R.; Ibrahim, Omar M.; Sullivan, Timothy L.; Goodnight, Thomas W.

1994-01-01

Many methods have been developed to aid analysts in identifying component modes which contribute significantly to component responses. These modes, typically targeted for dynamic model correlation via a modal survey, are known as target modes. Most methods used to identify target modes are based on component global dynamic behavior. It is sometimes unclear if these methods identify all modes contributing to responses important to the analyst. These responses are usually those in areas of hardware design concerns. One method used to check the completeness of target mode sets and identify modes contributing significantly to important component responses is mode participation. With this method, the participation of component modes in dynamic responses is quantified. Those modes which have high participation are likely modal survey target modes. Mode participation is most beneficial when it is used with responses from analyses simulating actual flight events. For spacecraft, these responses are generated via a structural dynamic coupled loads analysis. Using MSC/NASTRAN DMAP, a method has been developed for calculating mode participation based on transient coupled loads analysis results. The algorithm has been implemented to be compatible with an existing coupled loads methodology and has been used successfully to develop a set of modal survey target modes.

Using Crowdsourcing Technology for Testing Multilingual Public Health Promotion Materials

PubMed Central

Kirchhoff, Katrin; Capurro, Daniel

2012-01-01

Background Effective communication of public health messages is a key strategy for health promotion by public health agencies. Creating effective health promotion materials requires careful message design and feedback from representatives of target populations. This is particularly true when the target audiences are hard to reach as limited English proficiency groups. Traditional methods of soliciting feedback—such as focus groups and convenience sample interviews—are expensive and time consuming. As a result, adequate feedback from target populations is often insufficient due to the time and resource constraints characteristic to public health. Objective To describe a pilot study investigating the use of crowdsourcing technology as a method to gather rapid and relevant feedback on the design of health promotion messages for oral health. Our goal was to better describe the demographics of participants responding to a crowdsourcing survey and to test whether crowdsourcing could be used to gather feedback from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking participants in a short period of time and at relatively low costs. Methods We developed health promotion materials on pediatric dental health issues in four different formats and in two languages (English and Spanish). We then designed an online survey to elicit feedback on format preferences and made it available in both languages via the Amazon Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Results We surveyed 236 native English-speaking and 163 native Spanish-speaking participants in less than 12 days, at a cost of US $374. Overall, Spanish-speaking participants originated from a wider distribution of countries than the overall Latino population in the United States. Most participants were in the 18- to 29-year age range and had some college or graduate education. Participants provided valuable input for the health promotion material design. Conclusions Our results indicate that crowdsourcing can be an effective method for recruiting and gaining feedback from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking people. Compared with traditional methods, crowdsourcing has the potential to reach more diverse populations than convenience sampling, while substantially reducing the time and cost of gathering participant feedback. More widespread adoption of this method could streamline the development of effective health promotion materials in multiple languages. PMID:22664384

Development of an Interactive Social Media Tool for Parents with Concerns about Vaccines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoup, Jo Ann; Wagner, Nicole M.; Kraus, Courtney R.; Narwaney, Komal J.; Goddard, Kristin S.; Glanz, Jason M.

2015-01-01

Objective: Describe a process for designing, building, and evaluating a theory-driven social media intervention tool to help reduce parental concerns about vaccination. Method: We developed an interactive web-based tool using quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., survey, focus groups, individual interviews, and usability testing). Results:…

Assessing the Effectiveness of "Wise Guys": A Mixed-Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrman, Judith W.; Gordon, Mellissa; Rahmer, Brian; Moore, Christopher C.; Habermann, Barbara; Haigh, Katherine M.

2017-01-01

Previous research raised questions on the validity of survey studies with the teen population. As one response, our team implemented a mixed-methods study to evaluate an evidence-based, interactive curriculum, "Wise Guys," which is designed to promote healthy relationships and sexual behavior in young men ages 4-17. The current study…

Use and Impacts of Campbell Systematic Reviews on Policy, Practice, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynard, Brandy R.; Dell, Nathaniel A.

2018-01-01

Aim: This study examines use and impacts of systematic reviews produced by the Campbell Collaboration's Social Welfare Coordinating Group (SWCG) on practice, policy, and research. Methods: A mixed-method research design was used to examine impacts of 52 systematic reviews published by the SWCG. We conducted author surveys and retrieved multiple…

An Examination of Methods Used to Teach Practice Strategies in the College Voice Studio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baughman, Melissa

2017-01-01

This study investigated collegiate voice instructors' approaches for teaching practice strategies to their students. Voice instructors (N = 46) from accredited institutions in three Midwestern states participated in a researcher-designed survey, which described (a) the types of practice strategies addressed in lessons, (b) the methods used for…

Predictors of Learner Satisfaction and Transfer of Learning in a Corporate Online Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunawardena, Charlotte N.; Linder-VanBerschot, Jennifer A.; LaPointe, Deborah K.; Rao, Lalita

2010-01-01

This study explores factors that predict learner satisfaction and transfer of learning in an online educational program at a multinational corporation, established to improve organizational learning by providing training in technical skills. A mixed-methods design was used, selecting both quantitative methods (utilizing survey research) and…

A successful trap design for capturing large terrestrial snakes

Treesearch

Shirley J. Burgdorf; D. Craig Rudolph; Richard N. Conner; Daniel Saenz; Richard R. Schaefer

2005-01-01

Large scale trapping protocols for snakes can be expensive and require large investments of personnel and time. Typical methods, such as pitfall and small funnel traps, are not useful or suitable for capturing large snakes. A method was needed to survey multiple blocks of habitat for the Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni), throughout its...

Comparison of Ethical Dilemmas across Public and Private Sectors in Rehabilitation Counseling Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beveridge, Scott; Garcia, Jorge; Siblo, Matt

2015-01-01

Purpose: To examine the nature of ethical dilemmas most frequently reported by rehabilitation counselors in the private and public sectors and determine if significant differences exist in how practitioners experience ethical dilemmas in these two settings. Method: A mixed-methods internet-based survey design was utilized and included descriptive,…

A Long-Term Performance Enhancement Method for FOG-Based Measurement While Drilling

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chunxi; Lin, Tie

2016-01-01

In the oil industry, the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) systems are usually used to provide the real-time position and orientation of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) during drilling. However, the present MWD systems based on magnetic surveying technology can barely ensure good performance because of magnetic interference phenomena. In this paper, a MWD surveying system based on a fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) was developed to replace the magnetic surveying system. To accommodate the size of the downhole drilling conditions, a new design method is adopted. In order to realize long-term and high position precision and orientation surveying, an integrated surveying algorithm is proposed based on inertial navigation system (INS) and drilling features. In addition, the FOG-based MWD error model is built and the drilling features are analyzed. The state-space system model and the observation updates model of the Kalman filter are built. To validate the availability and utility of the algorithm, the semi-physical simulation is conducted under laboratory conditions. The results comparison with the traditional algorithms show that the errors were suppressed and the measurement precision of the proposed algorithm is better than the traditional ones. In addition, the proposed method uses a lot less time than the zero velocity update (ZUPT) method. PMID:27483270

A Long-Term Performance Enhancement Method for FOG-Based Measurement While Drilling.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunxi; Lin, Tie

2016-07-28

In the oil industry, the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) systems are usually used to provide the real-time position and orientation of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) during drilling. However, the present MWD systems based on magnetic surveying technology can barely ensure good performance because of magnetic interference phenomena. In this paper, a MWD surveying system based on a fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) was developed to replace the magnetic surveying system. To accommodate the size of the downhole drilling conditions, a new design method is adopted. In order to realize long-term and high position precision and orientation surveying, an integrated surveying algorithm is proposed based on inertial navigation system (INS) and drilling features. In addition, the FOG-based MWD error model is built and the drilling features are analyzed. The state-space system model and the observation updates model of the Kalman filter are built. To validate the availability and utility of the algorithm, the semi-physical simulation is conducted under laboratory conditions. The results comparison with the traditional algorithms show that the errors were suppressed and the measurement precision of the proposed algorithm is better than the traditional ones. In addition, the proposed method uses a lot less time than the zero velocity update (ZUPT) method.

Near surface IP investigations: Four case studies

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

Hearst, R.B.; Morris, W.A.; Clark, M.A.

1995-12-31

The use of the Induced Polarisation (IP) method of geophysical surveying for near surface site investigations is gaining acceptance within the geophysical community. In this study the IP method is evaluated as a tool for the delineation of ground water resources; contamination plume detection in a lateritic horizon; and acid mine drainage leak detection from decommissioned mine tailings. A time domain IP system was selected for this study primarily for the flexibility in the selection and setting of receiver time windows and diagnostic characteristics attributed to submitting the data to Cole-Cole analysis. Analysis of the acquired data in conjunction withmore » available borehole and geological information illustrates the effectiveness and usefulness of the survey method for solving near surface problems. In all of the locations tested, it was found that with a properly designed IP survey it was possible to resolve the target and/or related structures.« less

HyperCard to SPSS: improving data integrity.

PubMed

Gostel, R

1993-01-01

This article describes a database design that captures responses in a HyperCard stack and moves the data to SPSS for the Macintosh without the need to rekey data. Pregnant women used an interactive computer application with a touch screen to answer questions and receive educational information about fetal alcohol syndrome. A database design was created to capture survey responses through interaction with a computer by a sample of prenatal women during formative evaluation trials. The author does not compare this method of data collection to other methods. This article simply describes the method of data collection as a useful research tool.

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

Fazalare, R.W.; Hayes, S.J.

One decision hydro project designers and developers make when building a new facility is what method to use to embed the turbine spiral case in the powerhouse concrete. The type of technique chosen often is based on the long-standing practice or individual preference of the plant owner. However, according to a recent industry survey, any method can be used successfully if proper design and installation procedures are followed. Although pressurized embedment has been the prominent method in the past, especially in the US, the bare deflated casing method is gaining popularity throughout the world because it can reduce cost andmore » construction time. This method has been the primary technique used with apparent success in Japan and Scandinavia.« less

Mobile Applications for Patient-centered Care Coordination: A Review of Human Factors Methods Applied to their Design, Development, and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Westbrook, J. I.

2015-01-01

Summary Objectives To examine if human factors methods were applied in the design, development, and evaluation of mobile applications developed to facilitate aspects of patient-centered care coordination. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (2013-2014) for studies describing the design or the evaluation of a mobile health application that aimed to support patients’ active involvement in the coordination of their care. Results 34 papers met the inclusion criteria. Applications ranged from tools that supported self-management of specific conditions (e.g. asthma) to tools that provided coaching or education. Twelve of the 15 papers describing the design or development of an app reported the use of a human factors approach. The most frequently used methods were interviews and surveys, which often included an exploration of participants’ current use of information technology. Sixteen papers described the evaluation of a patient application in practice. All of them adopted a human factors approach, typically an examination of the use of app features and/or surveys or interviews which enquired about patients’ views of the effects of using the app on their behaviors (e.g. medication adherence), knowledge, and relationships with healthcare providers. No study in our review assessed the impact of mobile applications on health outcomes. Conclusion The potential of mobile health applications to assist patients to more actively engage in the management of their care has resulted in a large number of applications being developed. Our review showed that human factors approaches are nearly always adopted to some extent in the design, development, and evaluation of mobile applications. PMID:26293851

Alcohol Warning Label Awareness and Attention: A Multi-method Study.

PubMed

Pham, Cuong; Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn; Parkinson, Joy; Li, Shanshi

2018-01-01

Evaluation of alcohol warning labels requires careful consideration ensuring that research captures more than awareness given that labels may not be prominent enough to attract attention. This study investigates attention of current in market alcohol warning labels and examines whether attention can be enhanced through theoretically informed design. Attention scores obtained through self-report methods are compared to objective measures (eye-tracking). A multi-method experimental design was used delivering four conditions, namely control, colour, size and colour and size. The first study (n = 559) involved a self-report survey to measure attention. The second study (n = 87) utilized eye-tracking to measure fixation count and duration and time to first fixation. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized. Eye-tracking identified that 60% of participants looked at the current in market alcohol warning label while 81% looked at the optimized design (larger and red). In line with observed attention self-reported attention increased for the optimized design. The current study casts doubt on dominant practices (largely self-report), which have been used to evaluate alcohol warning labels. Awareness cannot be used to assess warning label effectiveness in isolation in cases where attention does not occur 100% of the time. Mixed methods permit objective data collection methodologies to be triangulated with surveys to assess warning label effectiveness. Attention should be incorporated as a measure in warning label effectiveness evaluations. Colour and size changes to the existing Australian warning labels aided by theoretically informed design increased attention. © The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Three-phase Discussion Sessions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karr, M. C.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes the procedures, organizational pattern and design of basic soils course used by teaching assistants. Cites studies which support small-group discussion for promoting higher levels of intellectual functioning. Presents tables showing survey evaluation results of this method. (RT)

A New Design for Survey Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alderfer, Clayton P.; Holbrook, John

1973-01-01

Presents a theoretical discussion analyzing and explaining the use of group methods in feeding back diagnostic data to organizations, illustrating a new peer group--intergroup model with a study of senior officers at a bank. (Author/JM)

A survey of infrared and visual image fusion methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xin; Jiang, Qian; Yao, Shaowen; Zhou, Dongming; Nie, Rencan; Hai, Jinjin; He, Kangjian

2017-09-01

Infrared (IR) and visual (VI) image fusion is designed to fuse multiple source images into a comprehensive image to boost imaging quality and reduce redundancy information, which is widely used in various imaging equipment to improve the visual ability of human and robot. The accurate, reliable and complementary descriptions of the scene in fused images make these techniques be widely used in various fields. In recent years, a large number of fusion methods for IR and VI images have been proposed due to the ever-growing demands and the progress of image representation methods; however, there has not been published an integrated survey paper about this field in last several years. Therefore, we make a survey to report the algorithmic developments of IR and VI image fusion. In this paper, we first characterize the IR and VI image fusion based applications to represent an overview of the research status. Then we present a synthesize survey of the state of the art. Thirdly, the frequently-used image fusion quality measures are introduced. Fourthly, we perform some experiments of typical methods and make corresponding analysis. At last, we summarize the corresponding tendencies and challenges in IR and VI image fusion. This survey concludes that although various IR and VI image fusion methods have been proposed, there still exist further improvements or potential research directions in different applications of IR and VI image fusion.

Practical Bias Correction in Aerial Surveys of Large Mammals: Validation of Hybrid Double-Observer with Sightability Method against Known Abundance of Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Populations

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Reliably estimating wildlife abundance is fundamental to effective management. Aerial surveys are one of the only spatially robust tools for estimating large mammal populations, but statistical sampling methods are required to address detection biases that affect accuracy and precision of the estimates. Although various methods for correcting aerial survey bias are employed on large mammal species around the world, these have rarely been rigorously validated. Several populations of feral horses (Equus caballus) in the western United States have been intensively studied, resulting in identification of all unique individuals. This provided a rare opportunity to test aerial survey bias correction on populations of known abundance. We hypothesized that a hybrid method combining simultaneous double-observer and sightability bias correction techniques would accurately estimate abundance. We validated this integrated technique on populations of known size and also on a pair of surveys before and after a known number was removed. Our analysis identified several covariates across the surveys that explained and corrected biases in the estimates. All six tests on known populations produced estimates with deviations from the known value ranging from -8.5% to +13.7% and <0.7 standard errors. Precision varied widely, from 6.1% CV to 25.0% CV. In contrast, the pair of surveys conducted around a known management removal produced an estimated change in population between the surveys that was significantly larger than the known reduction. Although the deviation between was only 9.1%, the precision estimate (CV = 1.6%) may have been artificially low. It was apparent that use of a helicopter in those surveys perturbed the horses, introducing detection error and heterogeneity in a manner that could not be corrected by our statistical models. Our results validate the hybrid method, highlight its potentially broad applicability, identify some limitations, and provide insight and guidance for improving survey designs. PMID:27139732

Practical Bias Correction in Aerial Surveys of Large Mammals: Validation of Hybrid Double-Observer with Sightability Method against Known Abundance of Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Populations.

PubMed

Lubow, Bruce C; Ransom, Jason I

2016-01-01

Reliably estimating wildlife abundance is fundamental to effective management. Aerial surveys are one of the only spatially robust tools for estimating large mammal populations, but statistical sampling methods are required to address detection biases that affect accuracy and precision of the estimates. Although various methods for correcting aerial survey bias are employed on large mammal species around the world, these have rarely been rigorously validated. Several populations of feral horses (Equus caballus) in the western United States have been intensively studied, resulting in identification of all unique individuals. This provided a rare opportunity to test aerial survey bias correction on populations of known abundance. We hypothesized that a hybrid method combining simultaneous double-observer and sightability bias correction techniques would accurately estimate abundance. We validated this integrated technique on populations of known size and also on a pair of surveys before and after a known number was removed. Our analysis identified several covariates across the surveys that explained and corrected biases in the estimates. All six tests on known populations produced estimates with deviations from the known value ranging from -8.5% to +13.7% and <0.7 standard errors. Precision varied widely, from 6.1% CV to 25.0% CV. In contrast, the pair of surveys conducted around a known management removal produced an estimated change in population between the surveys that was significantly larger than the known reduction. Although the deviation between was only 9.1%, the precision estimate (CV = 1.6%) may have been artificially low. It was apparent that use of a helicopter in those surveys perturbed the horses, introducing detection error and heterogeneity in a manner that could not be corrected by our statistical models. Our results validate the hybrid method, highlight its potentially broad applicability, identify some limitations, and provide insight and guidance for improving survey designs.

Statistical Application and Cost Saving in a Dental Survey

PubMed Central

Chyou, Po-Huang; Schroeder, Dixie; Schwei, Kelsey; Acharya, Amit

2017-01-01

Objective To effectively achieve a robust survey response rate in a timely manner, an alternative approach to survey distribution, informed by statistical modeling, was applied to efficiently and cost-effectively achieve the targeted rate of return. Design A prospective environmental scan surveying adoption of health information technology utilization within their practices was undertaken in a national pool of dental professionals (N=8000) using an alternative method of sampling. The piloted approach to rate of cohort sampling targeted a response rate of 400 completed surveys from among randomly targeted eligible providers who were contacted using replicated subsampling leveraging mailed surveys. Methods Two replicated subsample mailings (n=1000 surveys/mailings) were undertaken to project the true response rate and estimate the total number of surveys required to achieve the final target. Cost effectiveness and non-response bias analyses were performed. Results The final mailing required approximately 24% fewer mailings compared to targeting of the entire cohort, with a final survey capture exceeding the expected target. An estimated $5000 in cost savings was projected by applying the alternative approach. Non-response analyses found no evidence of bias relative to demographics, practice demographics, or topically-related survey questions. Conclusion The outcome of this pilot study suggests that this approach to survey studies will accomplish targeted enrollment in a cost effective manner. Future studies are needed to validate this approach in the context of other survey studies. PMID:28373286

A DRDC Management Accountability Framework: Results of Cycle 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

Survey Instrument Design ...................................................................................................... 97 6.1 Cycle 2 Survey... Design ................................................................................................ 97 6.1.1 Pilot Survey 2 Design ...98 6.1.2 Pilot Survey 3 Design

The SmokefreeTXT (SFTXT) Study: Web and Mobile Data Collection to Evaluate Smoking Cessation for Young Adults

PubMed Central

Brown, Derick; Parvanta, Sarah; Dolina, Suzanne; Kelly, Bridget; Dever, Jill; Southwell, Brian G; Sanders, Amy; Augustson, Erik

2016-01-01

Background Text messaging (short message service, SMS) has been shown to be effective in delivering interventions for various diseases and health conditions, including smoking cessation. While there are many published studies regarding smoking cessation text messaging interventions, most do not provide details about the study’s operational methods. As a result, there is a gap in our understanding of how best to design studies of smoking cessation text messaging programs. Objective The purpose of this paper is to detail the operational methods used to conduct a randomized trial comparing three different versions of the National Cancer Institute’s SmokefreeText (SFTXT) program, designed for smokers 18 to 29 years of age. We detail our methods for recruiting participants from the Internet, reducing fraud, conducting online data collection, and retaining panel study participants. Methods Participants were recruited through website advertisements and market research online panels. Screening questions established eligibility for the study (eg, 18 to 29 years of age, current smoker). Antifraud measures screened out participants who could not meet the study requirements. After completing a baseline survey, participants were randomized to one of three study arms, which varied by type and timing of text message delivery. The study offered US $20 gift cards as incentives to complete each of four follow-up surveys. Automated email reminders were sent at designated intervals to increase response rates. Researchers also provided telephone reminders to those who had not completed the survey after multiple email reminders. We calculated participation rates across study arms and compared the final sample characteristics to the Current Population Survey to examine generalizability. Results Recruitment methods drove 153,936 unique visitors to the SFTXT Study landing page and 27,360 began the screener. Based on the screening questions, 15,462 out of 27,360 responders (56.51%) were eligible to participate. Of the 15,462 who were eligible, 9486 passed the antifraud measures that were implemented; however, 3882 failed to verify their email addresses or cell phone numbers, leaving 5604 who were invited to complete the baseline survey. Of the 5604 who were invited, 4432 completed the baseline survey, but only 4027 were retained for analysis because 405 did not receive the intervention. Conclusions Although antifraud measures helped to catch participants who failed study requirements and could have biased the data collected, it is possible that the email and cell phone verification check excluded some potentially eligible participants from the study. Future research should explore ways to implement verification methods without risking the loss of so many potential participants. ClinicalTrial Clinical Trials.gov NCT01885052; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01885052; (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6iWzcmFdw) PMID:27349898

Assessing the health care needs of women in rural British Columbia

PubMed Central

Guy, Meghan; Norman, Wendy V.; Malhotra, Unjali

2013-01-01

Objective To design reliable survey instruments to evaluate needs and expectations for provision of women's health services in rural communities in British Columbia (BC). These tools will aim to plan programming for, and evaluate effectiveness of, a women's health enhanced skills residency program at the University of British Columbia. Design A qualitative design that included administration of written surveys and on-site interviews in several rural communities. Setting Three communities participated in initial questionnaire and interview administration. A fourth community participated in the second interview iteration. Participating communities did not have obstetrician-gynecologists but did have hospitals capable of supporting outpatient specialized women's health procedural care. Participants Community physicians, leaders of community groups serving women, and allied health providers, in Vancouver Island, Southeast Interior BC, and Northern BC. Methods Two preliminary questionnaires were developed to assess local specialized women's health services based on the curriculum of the enhanced skills training program; one was designed for physicians and the other for women's community group leaders and aboriginal health and community group leaders. Interview questions were designed to ensure the survey could be understood and to identify important areas of women's health not included on the initial questionnaires. Results were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods, and a second draft of the questionnaires was developed for a second iteration of interviews. Main findings Clarity and comprehension of questionnaires were good; however, nonphysician participants answered that they were unsure on many questions pertaining to specific services. Topics identified as important and missing from questionnaires included violence and mental health. A second version of the questionnaires was shown to have addressed these concerns. Conclusion Through iterations of pilot testing, we created 2 validated survey instruments for implementation as a component of program evaluation. Testing in remote locations highlighted unique rural concerns, such that University of British Columbia health care professional training will now better serve BC community needs. PMID:23418251

Analytical methods in the high conversion reactor core design

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

Zeggel, W.; Oldekop, W.; Axmann, J.K.

High conversion reactor (HCR) design methods have been used at the Technical University of Braunschweig (TUBS) with the technological support of Kraftwerk Union (KWU). The present state and objectives of this cooperation between KWU and TUBS in the field of HCRs have been described using existing design models and current activities aimed at further development and validation of the codes. The hard physical and thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions of pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores with a high degree of fuel utilization result from the tight packing of the HCR fuel rods and the high fissionable plutonium content of the fuel. Inmore » terms of design, the problem will be solved with rod bundles whose fuel rods are adjusted by helical spacers to the proposed small rod pitches. These HCR properties require novel computational models for neutron physics, thermal hydraulics, and fuel rod design. By means of a survey of the codes, the analytical procedure for present-day HCR core design is presented. The design programs are currently under intensive development, as design tools with a solid, scientific foundation and with essential parameters that are widely valid and are required for a promising optimization of the HCR core. Design results and a survey of future HCR development are given. In this connection, the reoptimization of the PWR core in the direction of an HCR is considered a fascinating scientific task, with respect to both economic and safety aspects.« less

The effectiveness of recruitment strategies on general practitioner’s survey response rates – a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Low survey response rates in general practice are common and lead to loss of power, selection bias, unexpected budgetary constraints and time delays in research projects. Methods Objective: To assess the effectiveness of recruitment strategies aimed at increasing survey response rates among GPs. Design: Systematic review. Search methods: MEDLINE (OVIDSP, 1948-2012), EMBASE (OVIDSP, 1980-2012), Evidence Based Medicine Reviews (OVIDSP, 2012) and references of included papers were searched. Major search terms included GPs, recruitment strategies, response rates, and randomised controlled trials (RCT). Selection criteria: Cluster RCTs, RCTs and factorial trial designs that evaluate recruitment strategies aimed at increasing GP survey response rates. Data collection and analysis: Abstracts identified by the search strategy were reviewed and relevant articles were retrieved. Each full-text publication was examined to determine whether it met the predetermined inclusion criteria. Data extraction and study quality was assessed by using predetermined checklists. Results Monetary and nonmonetary incentives were more effective than no incentive with monetary incentives having a slightly bigger effect than nonmonetary incentives. Large incentives were more effective than small incentives, as were upfront monetary incentives compared to promised monetary incentives. Postal surveys were more effective than telephone or email surveys. One study demonstrated that sequentially mixed mode (online survey followed by a paper survey with a reminder) was more effective than an online survey or the combination of an online and paper survey sent similtaneously in the first mail out. Pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail also increased response rates in single studies. Pre-contact by letter or postcard almost reached statistical signficance. Conclusions GP survey response rates may improve by using the following strategies: monetary and nonmonetary incentives, larger incentives, upfront monetary incentives, postal surveys, pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail. Mail pre-contact may also improve response rates and have low costs. Improved reporting and further trials, including sequential mixed mode trials and social media, are required to determine the effectiveness of recruitment strategies on GPs' response rates to surveys. PMID:24906492

Design-Build vs Design-Bid-Build: A Procurement Method Selection Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

Kumaraswamy and Dissanayaka [16,17], Molenaar [12], Love, Skitmore, and Earl [3], and Konchar and Sanvido [ 13]. Kumaraswamy and Dissanayaka explored the...measuring 11 performance areas [ 16, 17]. Love, Skitmore, and Earl used expert surveys to poll attitudes toward different delivery options [3], while Molenaar ... Molenaar , Keith R., and Robinson, Graham D., Selection Factors and Success Criteria for Design-Build in the U.S. and U.K., University of Colorado, 1997

Variation in choice of study design: findings from the Epidemiology Design Decision Inventory and Evaluation (EDDIE) survey.

PubMed

Stang, Paul E; Ryan, Patrick B; Overhage, J Marc; Schuemie, Martijn J; Hartzema, Abraham G; Welebob, Emily

2013-10-01

Researchers using observational data to understand drug effects must make a number of analytic design choices that suit the characteristics of the data and the subject of the study. Review of the published literature suggests that there is a lack of consistency even when addressing the same research question in the same database. To characterize the degree of similarity or difference in the method and analysis choices made by observational database research experts when presented with research study scenarios. On-line survey using research scenarios on drug-effect studies to capture method selection and analysis choices that follow a dependency branching based on response to key questions. Voluntary participants experienced in epidemiological study design solicited for participation through registration on the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership website, membership in particular professional organizations, or links in relevant newsletters. Description (proportion) of respondents selecting particular methods and making specific analysis choices based on individual drug-outcome scenario pairs. The number of questions/decisions differed based on stem questions of study design, time-at-risk, outcome definition, and comparator. There is little consistency across scenarios, by drug or by outcome of interest, in the decisions made for design and analyses in scenarios using large healthcare databases. The most consistent choice was the cohort study design but variability in the other critical decisions was common. There is great variation among epidemiologists in the design and analytical choices that they make when implementing analyses in observational healthcare databases. These findings confirm that it will be important to generate empiric evidence to inform these decisions and to promote a better understanding of the impact of standardization on research implementation.

Optimizing an experimental design for an electromagnetic experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roux, Estelle; Garcia, Xavier

2013-04-01

Most of geophysical studies focus on data acquisition and analysis, but another aspect which is gaining importance is the discussion on acquisition of suitable datasets. This can be done through the design of an optimal experiment. Optimizing an experimental design implies a compromise between maximizing the information we get about the target and reducing the cost of the experiment, considering a wide range of constraints (logistical, financial, experimental …). We are currently developing a method to design an optimal controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) experiment to detect a potential CO2 reservoir and monitor this reservoir during and after CO2 injection. Our statistical algorithm combines the use of linearized inverse theory (to evaluate the quality of one given design via the objective function) and stochastic optimization methods like genetic algorithm (to examine a wide range of possible surveys). The particularity of our method is that it uses a multi-objective genetic algorithm that searches for designs that fit several objective functions simultaneously. One main advantage of this kind of technique to design an experiment is that it does not require the acquisition of any data and can thus be easily conducted before any geophysical survey. Our new experimental design algorithm has been tested with a realistic one-dimensional resistivity model of the Earth in the region of study (northern Spain CO2 sequestration test site). We show that a small number of well distributed observations have the potential to resolve the target. This simple test also points out the importance of a well chosen objective function. Finally, in the context of CO2 sequestration that motivates this study, we might be interested in maximizing the information we get about the reservoir layer. In that case, we show how the combination of two different objective functions considerably improve its resolution.

Enhanced teaching and student learning through a simulator-based course in chemical unit operations design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasem, Nayef

2016-07-01

This paper illustrates a teaching technique used in computer applications in chemical engineering employed for designing various unit operation processes, where the students learn about unit operations by designing them. The aim of the course is not to teach design, but rather to teach the fundamentals and the function of unit operation processes through simulators. A case study presenting the teaching method was evaluated using student surveys and faculty assessments, which were designed to measure the quality and effectiveness of the teaching method. The results of the questionnaire conclusively demonstrate that this method is an extremely efficient way of teaching a simulator-based course. In addition to that, this teaching method can easily be generalised and used in other courses. A student's final mark is determined by a combination of in-class assessments conducted based on cooperative and peer learning, progress tests and a final exam. Results revealed that peer learning can improve the overall quality of student learning and enhance student understanding.

Wet cooling towers: rule-of-thumb design and simulation

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

Leeper, Stephen A.

1981-07-01

A survey of wet cooling tower literature was performed to develop a simplified method of cooling tower design and simulation for use in power plant cycle optimization. The theory of heat exchange in wet cooling towers is briefly summarized. The Merkel equation (the fundamental equation of heat transfer in wet cooling towers) is presented and discussed. The cooling tower fill constant (Ka) is defined and values derived. A rule-of-thumb method for the optimized design of cooling towers is presented. The rule-of-thumb design method provides information useful in power plant cycle optimization, including tower dimensions, water consumption rate, exit air temperature,more » power requirements and construction cost. In addition, a method for simulation of cooling tower performance at various operating conditions is presented. This information is also useful in power plant cycle evaluation. Using the information presented, it will be possible to incorporate wet cooling tower design and simulation into a procedure to evaluate and optimize power plant cycles.« less

Psychometric Evaluation of the Hospital Culture of Transitions Survey.

PubMed

McClelland, Mark; Bena, James; Albert, Nancy M; Pines, Jesse M

2017-10-01

Ineffective or inefficient transitions threaten patient safety, hinder communication, and worsen patient outcomes. The Hospital Culture of Transitions (H-CulT) survey was designed to assess a hospital's organizational culture related to within-hospital transitions in care involving patient movement. In this article, psychometric properties of the H-CulT survey were examined to assess and refine the hospital culture of transitions. A cross-sectional, multicenter, multidisciplinary correlational design and survey methods were used to examine the psychometric properties of the H-CulT survey. Exploratory factor analysis was used to quantify the accuracy of the previously identified structure. Specifically, the analysis involved the principal axis factor method with an oblique rotation, based on a polychoric correlation matrix. A sample of 492 respondents from 13 diverse hospitals participated. Cronbach's alpha for the instrument was 0.88, indicating strong internal consistency. Seven subscales emerged and were labeled: Hospital Leadership, Unit Leadership, My Unit's Culture, Other Units' Culture, Busy Workload, Priority of Patient Care, and Use of Data. Correlations between subscales ranged from 0.07 to 0.52, providing evidence that the subscales did not measure the same construct. Subscale correlations with the total score were near or above 0.50 (p <0.001). Use of a factor-loading cutoff of 0.40 resulted in the elimination of 12 items because of weak associations with the topic. The H-CulT is a psychometrically sound and practical survey for assessing hospital culture related to patient flow during transitions in care. Survey results may prompt quality improvement interventions that enhance in-hospital transitions and improve staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction with care. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contribution of formative research to design an environmental program for obesity prevention in schools in Mexico City.

PubMed

Bonvecchio, Anabelle; Théodore, Florence L; Safdie, Margarita; Duque, Tiffany; Villanueva, María Ángeles; Torres, Catalina; Rivera, Juan

2014-01-01

This paper describes the methods and key findings of formative research conducted to design a school-based program for obesity prevention. Formative research was based on the ecological model and the principles of social marketing. A mixed method approach was used. Qualitative (direct observation, indepth interviews, focus group discussions and photo-voice) and quantitative (closed ended surveys, checklists, anthropometry) methods were employed. Formative research key findings, including barriers by levels of the ecological model, were used for designing a program including environmental strategies to discourage the consumption of energy dense foods and sugar beverages. Formative research was fundamental to developing a context specific obesity prevention program in schools that seeks environment modification and behavior change.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia: surveying practice patterns of the speech-language pathologist.

PubMed

Martino, Rosemary; Pron, Gaylene; Diamant, Nicholas E

2004-01-01

The present study was designed to obtain a comprehensive view of the dysphagia assessment practice patterns of speech-language pathologists and their opinion on the importance of these practices using survey methods and taking into consideration clinician, patient, and practice-setting variables. A self-administered mail questionnaire was developed following established methodology to maximize response rates. Eight dysphagia experts independently rated the new survey for content validity. Test-retest reliability was assessed with a random sample of 23 participants. The survey was sent to 50 speech-language pathologists randomly selected from the Canadian professional association database of members who practice in dysphagia. Surveys were mailed according to the Dillman Total Design Method and included an incentive offer. High survey (64%) and item response (95%) rates were achieved and clinicians were reliable reporters of their practice behaviors (ICC>0.60). Of all the clinical assessment items, 36% were reported with high (>80%) utilization and 24% with low (<20%) utilization, the former pertaining to tongue motion and vocal quality after food/fluid intake and the latter to testing of oral sensation without food. One-third (33%) of instrumental assessment items were highly utilized and included assessment of bolus movement and laryngeal response to bolus misdirection. Overall, clinician experience and teaching institutions influenced greater utilization. Opinions of importance were similar to utilization behaviors (r = 0.947, p = 0.01). Of all patients referred for dysphagia assessment, full clinical assessments were administered to 71% of patients but instrumental assessments to only 36%. A hierarchical model of practice behavior is proposed to explain this pattern of progressively decreasing item utilization.

Enhancing Response Rates in Physician Surveys: The Limited Utility of Electronic Options

PubMed Central

Nicholls, Keith; Chapman, Kathryn; Shaw, Thomas; Perkins, Allen; Sullivan, Margaret Murray; Crutchfield, Susan; Reed, Eddie

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate the utility of offering physicians electronic options as alternatives to completing mail questionnaires. Data Source A survey of colorectal cancer screening practices of Alabama primary care physicians, conducted May–June 2010. Study Design In the follow-up to a mail questionnaire, physicians were offered options of completing surveys by telephone, fax, email, or online. Data Collection Method Detailed records were kept on the timing and mode of completion of surveys. Principal Findings Eighty-eight percent of surveys were returned by mail, 10 percent were returned by fax, and only 2 percent were completed online; none were completed by telephone or email. Conclusions Offering fax options increases response rates, but providing other electronic options does not. PMID:21492157

The Effect of Response Scale, Administration Mode, and Format on Responses to the CAHPS Clinician and Group Survey

PubMed Central

Drake, Keith M; Hargraves, J Lee; Lloyd, Stephanie; Gallagher, Patricia M; Cleary, Paul D

2014-01-01

Objective To examine how different response scales, methods of survey administration, and survey format affect responses to the CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Clinician and Group (CG-CAHPS) survey. Study Design A total of 6,500 patients from a university health center were randomly assigned to receive the following: standard 12-page mail surveys using 4-category or 6-category response scales (on CG-CAHPS composite items), telephone surveys using 4-category or 6-category response scales, or four-page mail surveys. Principal Findings A total of 3,538 patients completed surveys. Composite score means and provider-level reliabilities did not differ between respondents receiving 4-category or 6-category response scale surveys or between 12-page and four-page mail surveys. Telephone respondents gave more positive responses than mail respondents. Conclusions We recommend using 4-category response scales and the four-page mail CG-CAHPS survey. PMID:24471975

Effectiveness of innovative speed-enforcement techniques in Illinois.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

The effects of various police patrolling methods on the average speed and crash rate were studied in : this report. The number of speeding citations under various enforcement strategies was also : investigated. Two surveys were designed and conducted...

Estimating survival probabilities by exposure levels: utilizing vital statistics and complex survey data with mortality follow-up.

PubMed

Landsman, V; Lou, W Y W; Graubard, B I

2015-05-20

We present a two-step approach for estimating hazard rates and, consequently, survival probabilities, by levels of general categorical exposure. The resulting estimator utilizes three sources of data: vital statistics data and census data are used at the first step to estimate the overall hazard rate for a given combination of gender and age group, and cohort data constructed from a nationally representative complex survey with linked mortality records, are used at the second step to divide the overall hazard rate by exposure levels. We present an explicit expression for the resulting estimator and consider two methods for variance estimation that account for complex multistage sample design: (1) the leaving-one-out jackknife method, and (2) the Taylor linearization method, which provides an analytic formula for the variance estimator. The methods are illustrated with smoking and all-cause mortality data from the US National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality Files, and the proposed estimator is compared with a previously studied crude hazard rate estimator that uses survey data only. The advantages of a two-step approach and possible extensions of the proposed estimator are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Understanding commercial truck drivers' decision-makin process concerning distracted driving.

PubMed

Swedler, David I; Pollack, Keshia M; Gielen, Andrea C

2015-05-01

A concurrent mixed methods design was used to explore personal and workplace factors, informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior, that affect truck drivers' decision-making about distracted driving on the job. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews with experts in truck safety and distracted driving, and quantitative data were collected via online survey of truck drivers in the United States. Findings from the interviews illustrated how drivers perceived distractions and the importance of supervisors enforcing organizational distracted driving policies. Survey results found that behavioral intentions were most important in regards to texting and crash and near-crash outcomes, while perceived norms from management best described the correlation between dispatch device use and negative crash-related outcomes. By using a mixed methods design, rather than two separate studies, these findings revealed nuanced differences into the influence of supervisors on distracted driving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study protocol for enriching the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey insights.

PubMed

Jackson, Jeffrey B

2017-11-01

The following short report outlines a proposed study designed to evaluate the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey and its recommended method of administration. This exploratory study seeks to determine if there is a significant difference between two methods of administration, the recommended and validated retrospective pre-test and post-test, and a traditional pre-test and post-test. If a significant difference does exist, this data will provide a means to determine the effect size of that difference. The comparison will be done using repeated measure ANOVA and the subsequent effect size will be evaluated using Cohen's d. As the retrospective design is utilised to evaluate a change in perceived competency, comparison of data from a traditional pre-test with a retrospective pre-test may provide a means for evaluation of the participants' change in understanding of the construct, and thus a more thorough picture of the forces driving changes to scores.

Design and Analysis of Cognitive Interviews for Comparative Multinational Testing

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Rory; Padilla, José-Luis; Willson, Stephanie; Widdop, Sally; Caspar, Rachel; Dimov, Martin; Gray, Michelle; Nunes, Cátia; Prüfer, Peter; Schöbi, Nicole; Schoua-Glusberg, Alisú

2011-01-01

This article summarizes the work of the Comparative Cognitive Testing Workgroup, an international coalition of survey methodologists interested in developing an evidence-based methodology for examining the comparability of survey questions within cross-cultural or multinational contexts. To meet this objective, it was necessary to ensure that the cognitive interviewing (CI) method itself did not introduce method bias. Therefore, the workgroup first identified specific characteristics inherent in CI methodology that could undermine the comparability of CI evidence. The group then developed and implemented a protocol addressing those issues. In total, 135 cognitive interviews were conducted by participating countries. Through the process, the group identified various interpretive patterns resulting from sociocultural and language-related differences among countries as well as other patterns of error that would impede comparability of survey data. PMID:29081719

Research on geological hazard identification based on deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Cheng; Cheng, Tao

2018-05-01

Geological hazards such as landslides, debris flows and collapses are potential hazards affecting the safety of nearby roads and people. Land and Resources Bureau and other relevant departments to undertake the responsibility of prevention and control of geological disasters, an important body, how to deal with the characteristics of sudden geological disasters in the region, according to pre-established emergency measures quickly and accurately survey, is an important issue to be solved. Based on the analysis of the types and effects of typical geological disasters, this paper studies the relevant methods of identifying typical geological disasters through artificial neural networks, and proposes and designs intelligent geological survey methods and systems based on deep learning to provide relevant departments such as Land and Resources Bureau Related Mountain Geological Survey and Information Support.

Design and analysis of simple choice surveys for natural resource management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fieberg, John; Cornicelli, Louis; Fulton, David C.; Grund, Marrett D.

2010-01-01

We used a simple yet powerful method for judging public support for management actions from randomized surveys. We asked respondents to rank choices (representing management regulations under consideration) according to their preference, and we then used discrete choice models to estimate probability of choosing among options (conditional on the set of options presented to respondents). Because choices may share similar unmodeled characteristics, the multinomial logit model, commonly applied to discrete choice data, may not be appropriate. We introduced the nested logit model, which offers a simple approach for incorporating correlation among choices. This forced choice survey approach provides a useful method of gathering public input; it is relatively easy to apply in practice, and the data are likely to be more informative than asking constituents to rate attractiveness of each option separately.

A Tale of Two Cities: A Study of Access to Food, Lessons for Public Health Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caraher, Martin; Lloyd, Susan; Lawton, Julie; Singh, Gulab; Horsley, Kayt; Mussa, Fozia

2010-01-01

Objectives: To map food access in the city of Preston in the north-west of England in order to determine access, availability and affordability of healthy food options. Design and methodology: The research design employed a number of distinct methods including: surveys of shops; interviews with local people and shopkeepers; a cost and availability…

Generalized linear models and point count data: statistical considerations for the design and analysis of monitoring studies

Treesearch

Nathaniel E. Seavy; Suhel Quader; John D. Alexander; C. John Ralph

2005-01-01

The success of avian monitoring programs to effectively guide management decisions requires that studies be efficiently designed and data be properly analyzed. A complicating factor is that point count surveys often generate data with non-normal distributional properties. In this paper we review methods of dealing with deviations from normal assumptions, and we focus...

Using Mobile Phones to Collect Patient Data: Lessons Learned From the SIMPle Study.

PubMed

Duane, Sinead; Tandan, Meera; Murphy, Andrew W; Vellinga, Akke

2017-04-25

Mobile phones offer new opportunities to efficiently and interactively collect real-time data from patients with acute illnesses, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). One of the main benefits of using mobile data collection methods is automated data upload, which can reduce the chance of data loss, an issue when using other data collection methods such as paper-based surveys. The aim was to explore differences in collecting data from patients with UTI using text messaging, a mobile phone app (UTI diary), and an online survey. This paper provides lessons learned from integrating mobile data collection into a randomized controlled trial. Participants included UTI patients consulting in general practices that were participating in the Supporting the Improvement and Management of UTI (SIMPle) study. SIMPle was designed to improve prescribing antimicrobial therapies for UTI in the community. Patients were invited to reply to questions regarding their UTI either via a prospective text message survey, a mobile phone app (UTI diary), or a retrospective online survey. Data were collected from 329 patients who opted in to the text message survey, 71 UTI patients through the mobile phone UTI symptom diary app, and 91 online survey participants. The age profile of UTI diary app users was younger than that of the text message and online survey users. The largest dropout for both the text message survey respondents and UTI diary app users was after the initial opt-in message; once the participants completed question 1 of the text message survey or day 2 in the UTI diary app, they were more likely to respond to the remaining questions/days. This feasibility study highlights the potential of using mobile data collection methods to capture patient data. As well as improving the efficiency of data collection, these novel approaches highlight the advantage of collecting data in real time across multiple time points. There was little variation in the number of patients responding between text message survey, UTI diary, and online survey, but more patients participated in the text message survey than the UTI diary app. The choice between designing a text message survey or UTI diary app will depend on the age profile of patients and the type of information the researchers' desire. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01913860; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01913860 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6pfgCztgT). ©Sinead Duane, Meera Tandan, Andrew W Murphy, Akke Vellinga. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 25.04.2017.

Eat Smart! Ontario's Healthy Restaurant Program: a survey of participating restaurant operators.

PubMed

Macaskill, Lesley A; Dwyer, John J M; Uetrecht, Connie L; Dombrow, Carol

2003-01-01

Eat Smart! Ontario's Healthy Restaurant Program is a standard provincial health promotion program. Public health units grant an award of excellence to restaurants that meet designated standards in nutrition, food safety, and non-smoking seating. The purpose of this study was to assess whether program objectives for participating restaurant operators were achieved during the first year of program implementation, and to obtain operators' recommendations for improving the program. Dillman's tailored design method was used to design a mail survey and implement it among participating operators (n = 434). The design method, which consisted of four mail-outs, yielded a 74% response rate. Fifty percent of respondents operated family-style or quick-service restaurants, and 82% of respondents learned about the program from public health inspectors. Almost all respondents (98%) participated in the program mainly to have their establishments known as clean and healthy restaurants, 65% received and used either point-of-purchase table stands or postcards to promote the program, and 98% planned to continue participating. The respondents' suggestions for improving the program were related to the award ceremony and program materials, media promotion, communication, education, and program standards. Program staff can use the findings to enhance the program.

Experimental design and quantitative analysis of microbial community multiomics.

PubMed

Mallick, Himel; Ma, Siyuan; Franzosa, Eric A; Vatanen, Tommi; Morgan, Xochitl C; Huttenhower, Curtis

2017-11-30

Studies of the microbiome have become increasingly sophisticated, and multiple sequence-based, molecular methods as well as culture-based methods exist for population-scale microbiome profiles. To link the resulting host and microbial data types to human health, several experimental design considerations, data analysis challenges, and statistical epidemiological approaches must be addressed. Here, we survey current best practices for experimental design in microbiome molecular epidemiology, including technologies for generating, analyzing, and integrating microbiome multiomics data. We highlight studies that have identified molecular bioactives that influence human health, and we suggest steps for scaling translational microbiome research to high-throughput target discovery across large populations.

23 CFR 1340.13 - Annual reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... survey design, alternate observation site selected subsequent to the original survey design), and by... survey design that was approved by NHTSA, in writing, as conforming to the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 23 CFR Part 1340; (3) The survey design has remained unchanged since the...

23 CFR 1340.13 - Annual reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... survey design, alternate observation site selected subsequent to the original survey design), and by... survey design that was approved by NHTSA, in writing, as conforming to the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 23 CFR Part 1340; (3) The survey design has remained unchanged since the...

23 CFR 1340.13 - Annual reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... survey design, alternate observation site selected subsequent to the original survey design), and by... survey design that was approved by NHTSA, in writing, as conforming to the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 23 CFR Part 1340; (3) The survey design has remained unchanged since the...

Assessing angler effort, catch, and harvest and the efficacy of a use-estimation system on a multi-lake fishery in middle Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roop, Hunter J.; Poudyal, Neelam C.; Jennings, Cecil A.

2018-01-01

Creel surveys are valuable tools in recreational fisheries management. However, multiple‐impoundment fisheries of complex spatial structure can complicate survey designs and pose logistical challenges for management agencies. Marben Public Fishing Area in Mansfield, GA is a multi‐impoundment fishery with many access points, and these features prevent or complicate use of traditional on‐site contact methods such as standard roving‐ or access‐point designs because many anglers may be missed during the survey process. Therefore, adaptation of a traditional survey method is often required for sampling this special case of multi‐lake fisheries to develop an accurate fishery profile. Accordingly, a modified non‐uniform probability roving creel survey was conducted at the Marben PFA during 2013 to estimate fishery characteristics relating to fishing effort, catch, and fish harvest. Monthly fishing effort averaged 7,523 angler‐hours (h) (SD = 5,956) and ranged from 1,301 h (SD = 562) in December to 21,856 h (SD = 5909) in May. A generalized linear mixed model was used to determine that angler catch and harvest rates were significantly higher in the spring and summer (all p < 0.05) than in the other seasons, but did not vary by fishing location. Our results demonstrate the utility of modifying existing creel methodology for monitoring small, spatially complex, intensely managed impoundments that support quality recreational fisheries and provide a template for the assessment and management of similar regional fisheries.

Motivational Characteristics of Prospective Teachers with Different Levels of Commitment to Teaching: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Margareta Maria

2013-01-01

This study explored the U.S. prospective teachers' motivations for teaching, teaching goal development, and views of their commitment to teaching. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Participants (N = 61) completed a survey in which they rated the importance of various factors in their teaching career choice. Furthermore,…

Application of the Knowledge Validation Inventory--Revised to Assess Current Training Needs of State-Federal Rehabilitation Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beveridge, Scott; Leconte, Pamela; Doughty, Shaine Megan; Del Toro, Christopher; Penrod, John Christian

2015-01-01

Purpose: To identify the current training needs of state-federal rehabilitation counselors and determine if the self-perceived training needs differ for participants who are a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) to those counselors with out the CRC credential. Method: A mixed-methods internet-based survey design was utilized and included…

A Comparative Study on Power Point Presentation and Traditional Lecture Method in Material Understandability, Effectiveness and Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sewasew, Daniel; Mengestle, Missaye; Abate, Gebeyehu

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare PPT and traditional lecture method in material understandability, effectiveness and attitude among university students. Comparative descriptive survey research design was employed to answer the research questions raised. Four hundred and twenty nine participants were selected randomly using stratified sampling…

Methods and Management of the Healthy Brain Study: A Large Multisite Qualitative Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laditka, Sarah B.; Corwin, Sara J.; Laditka, James N.; Liu, Rui; Friedman, Daniela B.; Mathews, Anna E.; Wilcox, Sara

2009-01-01

Purpose of the study: To describe processes used in the Healthy Brain project to manage data collection, coding, and data distribution in a large qualitative project, conducted by researchers at 9 universities in 9 states. Design and Methods: Project management protocols included: (a) managing audiotapes and surveys to ensure data confidentiality,…

A Qualitative Study on the Contribution of Educational Administrators' Use of Social Media to Educational Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayram, Arslan

2017-01-01

The phenomenology design which is one of the qualitative research methods was employed in this research that aimed to reveal the contribution of educational administrators' usage of social media to educational administration. The research is an explanatory study survey model. The study groups were selected using convenience sampling method.…

Trends and Lessons Learned in Interdisciplinary and Non-Business Case Method Application.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anyansi-Archibong, Chi; Czuchry, Andrew J.; House, Claudia S.; Cicirello, Tony

2000-01-01

Presents results of a survey designed to test the level of development and application of cases in non-business courses such as sciences, mathematics, engineering, health, and technology. Findings support the growing popularity of the case method of teaching and learning outside the business domain. Suggests a framework for establishing win-win…

Academic Dishonesty: A Mixed-Method Study of Rational Choice among Students at the College of Basic Education in Kuwait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsuwaileh, Bader Ghannam; Russ-Eft, Darlene F.; Alshurai, Saad R.

2016-01-01

The research herein used a sequential mixed methods design to investigate why academic dishonesty is widespread among the students at the College of Basic Education in Kuwait. Qualitative interviews were conducted to generate research hypotheses. Then, using questionnaire survey, the research hypotheses were quantitatively tested. The findings…

The Career Counseling Needs of Mothers in the Criminal Justice System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laux, John M.; Calmes, Stephanie; Moe, Jeffry L.; Dupuy, Paula J.; Cox, Jane A.; Ventura, Lois A.; Williamson, Celia; Benjamin, Barbaranne J.; Lambert, Eric

2011-01-01

The past 2 decades have produced a rapid increase in the numbers of incarcerated mothers. This study investigated both career development and the career counseling needs of mothers in the criminal justice system. A mixed-methods design was employed using both qualitative interviews (n = 1,161) and quantitative survey methods (n = 1,170).…

An Investigation of Pattern Problems Posed by Middle School Mathematics Preservice Teachers Using Multiple Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Yasemin; Durmus, Soner; Yaman, Hakan

2018-01-01

This study investigated the pattern problems posed by middle school mathematics preservice teachers using multiple representations to determine both their pattern knowledge levels and their abilities to transfer this knowledge to students. The design of the study is the survey method, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group was…

Language Learning Motivation in Early Adolescents: Using Mixed Methods Research to Explore Contradiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wesely, Pamela M.

2010-01-01

This mixed methods study with an Explanatory Design is an exploration of students' language learning motivation as it relates to their attrition from a language immersion program. A total of 131 students who had graduated from five public elementary immersion schools responded to surveys, and 33 of those students were interviewed. Data analysis…

Teacher Perceptions of the Impact of the Data Team Process on Core Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwanenberger, Michael; Ahearn, Christopher

2013-01-01

This paper documents the results of a mixed method study of teachers who participated in a survey and focus groups in a K-12 southwestern suburban school district during the 2011-2012 school year. The mixed method design contains elements of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, permitting the authors to collect qualitative and…

Survey of Computer-Based Message Systems; COM/PortaCOM Conference System: Design Goals and Principles; Computer Conferencing Is More Than Electronic Mail; Effects of the COM Computer Conference System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palme, Jacob

The four papers contained in this document provide: (1) a survey of computer based mail and conference systems; (2) an evaluation of systems for both individually addressed mail and group addressing through conferences and distribution lists; (3) a discussion of various methods of structuring the text data in existing systems; and (4) a…

Caring for a Child with Learning Disabilities over a Prolonged Period of Time: An Exploratory Survey on the Experiences and Health of Older Parent Carers Living in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cairns, Deborah; Brown, Jayne; Tolson, Debbie; Darbyshire, Chris

2014-01-01

Background: The negative health impacts of prolonged caregiving are widely reported. However, there is a paucity of evidence concerning the impacts of a lifetime of caring on older parents of offspring with learning disabilities. Design and Methods: An exploratory postal survey including the Medical Outcome Study (Short Form) 36 version 2…

Politics, Work and Daily Life in the USSR: A Survey of Former Soviet Citizens

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

the validity of the various methods. Disagreement over the relative merits of quantitative and qualitative research and over various survey...archive that needed utilization as soon as possible. A design phase proposal was funded by the National Council for Soviet and East European Research in...the NORC staff and by appropriate members of the research team. Substantive and measurement equivalences were treated as controlling where conflicts

Contextualizing and assessing the social capital of seniors in congregate housing residences: study design and methods

PubMed Central

Moore, Spencer; Shiell, Alan; Haines, Valerie; Riley, Therese; Collier, Carrie

2005-01-01

Background This article discusses the study design and methods used to contextualize and assess the social capital of seniors living in congregate housing residences in Calgary, Alberta. The project is being funded as a pilot project under the Institute of Aging, Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Design/Methods Working with seniors living in 5 congregate housing residencies in Calgary, the project uses a mixed method approach to develop grounded measures of the social capital of seniors. The project integrates both qualitative and quantitative methods in a 3-phase research design: 1) qualitative, 2) quantitative, and 3) qualitative. Phase 1 uses gender-specific focus groups; phase 2 involves the administration of individual surveys that include a social network module; and phase 3 uses anamolous-case interviews. Not only does the study design allow us to develop grounded measures of social capital but it also permits us to test how well the three methods work separately, and how well they fit together to achieve project goals. This article describes the selection of the study population, the multiple methods used in the research and a brief discussion of our conceptualization and measurement of social capital. PMID:15836784

Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Development of Survey Methods, Sample Characteristics, and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Wysocki, Tim; Brosig, Cheryl L.; Hilliard, Marisa E.

2016-01-01

There are few detailed workforce studies of specialty fields within professional psychology, and none have been reported for pediatric psychology since 2006. Availability of such data could facilitate more-informed decision making by students and trainees, psychologists pursuing employment opportunities, and psychologists involved in employment or compensation negotiations. This article describes the work of a task force of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 54 (Society of Pediatric Psychology) in the design, construction, pretesting, distribution, and data management for the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Workforce Survey. The 18-member task force was established to design and implement a workforce survey that balanced needs for breadth, clarity, brevity, and protection of confidentiality. The survey solicits information about demographic characteristics; training, licensure and certifications; employment settings, responsibilities, and productivity metrics; compensation; and employment satisfaction. A survey link was distributed via e-mail to full members of the SPP in June 2015. A total of 404 members (32.3% return rate) completed the survey. This article focuses on the development, methodology, and respondent characteristics for this 1st administration of the workforce survey. Separate articles will report detailed analyses of the survey results such as compensation and work satisfaction. Future distributions of the survey will enable compilation of a longitudinal database to track changes in the profession. SPP members and others may propose additional analyses of these data. This work may provide guidance to other groups of specialized psychologists who may wish to implement similar initiatives. PMID:28066693

Mode Equivalence of Health Indicators Between Data Collection Modes and Mixed-Mode Survey Designs in Population-Based Health Interview Surveys for Children and Adolescents: Methodological Study

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Robert; Houben, Robin; Krause, Laura; Kamtsiuris, Panagiotis; Gößwald, Antje

2018-01-01

Background The implementation of an Internet option in an existing public health interview survey using a mixed-mode design is attractive because of lower costs and faster data availability. Additionally, mixed-mode surveys can increase response rates and improve sample composition. However, mixed-mode designs can increase the risk of measurement error (mode effects). Objective This study aimed to determine whether the prevalence rates or mean values of self- and parent-reported health indicators for children and adolescents aged 0-17 years differ between self-administered paper-based questionnaires (SAQ-paper) and self-administered Web-based questionnaires (SAQ-Web), as well as between a single-mode control group and different mixed-mode groups. Methods Data were collected for a methodological pilot of the third wave of the "German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents". Questionnaires were completed by parents or adolescents. A population-based sample of 11,140 children and adolescents aged 0-17 years was randomly allocated to 4 survey designs—a single-mode control group with paper-and-pencil questionnaires only (n=970 parents, n=343 adolescents)—and 3 mixed-mode designs, all of which offered Web-based questionnaire options. In the concurrent mixed-mode design, both questionnaires were offered at the same time (n=946 parents, n=290 adolescents); in the sequential mixed-mode design, the SAQ-Web was sent first, followed by the paper questionnaire along with a reminder (n=854 parents, n=269 adolescents); and in the preselect mixed-mode design, both options were offered and the respondents were asked to request the desired type of questionnaire (n=698 parents, n=292 adolescents). In total, 3468 questionnaires of parents of children aged 0-17 years (SAQ-Web: n=708; SAQ-paper: n=2760) and 1194 questionnaires of adolescents aged 11-17 years (SAQ-Web: n=299; SAQ-paper: n=895) were analyzed. Sociodemographic characteristics and a broad range of health indicators for children and adolescents were compared by survey design and data collection mode by calculating predictive margins from regression models. Results There were no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics or health indicators between the single-mode control group and any of the mixed-mode survey designs. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics between SAQ-Web and SAQ-paper were found. Web respondents were more likely to be male, have higher levels of education, and higher household income compared with paper respondents. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, only one of the 38 analyzed health indicators showed different prevalence rates between the data collection modes, with a higher prevalence rate for lifetime alcohol consumption among the online-responding adolescents (P<.001). Conclusions These results suggest that mode bias is limited in health interview surveys for children and adolescents using a mixed-mode design with Web-based and paper questionnaires. PMID:29506967

50 CFR 600.1417 - Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data... designation based on submission of recreational survey data. 600.1417 Section 600.1417 Wildlife and Fisheries... Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data. (a) To be...

50 CFR 600.1417 - Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data... designation based on submission of recreational survey data. 600.1417 Section 600.1417 Wildlife and Fisheries... Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data. (a) To be...

The Quebec Rural Emergency Department Project: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Potential Two-Pronged Strategy in the Knowledge Transfer Process

PubMed Central

Poitras, Julien; Chauny, Jean-Marc; Lévesque, Jean-Frédéric; Ouimet, Mathieu; Dupuis, Gilles; Tanguay, Alain; Simard-Racine, Geneviève

2015-01-01

Introduction Health services research generates useful knowledge. Promotion of implementation of this knowledge in medical practice is essential. Prior to initiation of a major study on rural emergency departments (EDs), we deployed two knowledge transfer strategies designed to generate interest and engagement from potential knowledge users. The objective of this paper was to review: 1) a combined project launch and media press release strategy, and 2) a pre-study survey designed to survey potential knowledge users’ opinions on the proposed study variables. Materials and Methods We evaluated the impact of the project launch (presentation at two conferences hosted by key stakeholders) and media press release via a survey of participants/stakeholders and by calculating the number of media interview requests and reports generated. We used a pre-study survey to collect potential key stakeholder’ opinions on the study variables. Results Twenty-one of Quebec’s 26 rural EDs participated in the pre-study survey (81% participation rate). The press release about the study generated 51 press articles and 20 media request for interviews, and contributed to public awareness of a major rural research initiative. In the pre-study survey, thirteen participants (46%) mentioned prior knowledge of the research project. Results from the pre-study survey revealed that all of the potential study variables were considered to be relevant for inclusion in the research project. Respondents also proposed additional variables of interest, including factors promoting retention of human resources. Conclusions The present study demonstrated the potential utility of a two-pronged knowledge transfer strategy, including a combined formal launch and press release, and a pre-study survey designed to ensure that the included variables were of interest to participants and stakeholders. PMID:25849328

State criminal justice telecommunications (STACOM). Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fielding, J. E.; Frewing, H. K.; Lee, J. J.; Leflang, W. G.; Reilly, N. B.

1977-01-01

Techniques for identifying user requirements and network designs for criminal justice networks on a state wide basis are discussed. Topics covered include: methods for determining data required; data collection and survey; data organization procedures, and methods for forecasting network traffic volumes. Developed network design techniques center around a computerized topology program which enables the user to generate least cost network topologies that satisfy network traffic requirements, response time requirements and other specified functional requirements. The developed techniques were applied in Texas and Ohio, and results of these studies are presented.

Making Full Use of the Longitudinal Design of the Current Population Survey: Methods for Linking Records Across 16 Months *

PubMed Central

Drew, Julia A. Rivera; Flood, Sarah; Warren, John Robert

2015-01-01

Data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) are rarely analyzed in a way that takes advantage of the CPS’s longitudinal design. This is mainly because of the technical difficulties associated with linking CPS files across months. In this paper, we describe the method we are using to create unique identifiers for all CPS person and household records from 1989 onward. These identifiers—available along with CPS basic and supplemental data as part of the on-line Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)—make it dramatically easier to use CPS data for longitudinal research across any number of substantive domains. To facilitate the use of these new longitudinal IPUMS-CPS data, we also outline seven different ways that researchers may choose to link CPS person records across months, and we describe the sample sizes and sample retention rates associated with these seven designs. Finally, we discuss a number of unique methodological challenges that researchers will confront when analyzing data from linked CPS files. PMID:26113770

Using crowdsourcing technology for testing multilingual public health promotion materials.

PubMed

Turner, Anne M; Kirchhoff, Katrin; Capurro, Daniel

2012-06-04

Effective communication of public health messages is a key strategy for health promotion by public health agencies. Creating effective health promotion materials requires careful message design and feedback from representatives of target populations. This is particularly true when the target audiences are hard to reach as limited English proficiency groups. Traditional methods of soliciting feedback--such as focus groups and convenience sample interviews--are expensive and time consuming. As a result, adequate feedback from target populations is often insufficient due to the time and resource constraints characteristic to public health. To describe a pilot study investigating the use of crowdsourcing technology as a method to gather rapid and relevant feedback on the design of health promotion messages for oral health. Our goal was to better describe the demographics of participants responding to a crowdsourcing survey and to test whether crowdsourcing could be used to gather feedback from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking participants in a short period of time and at relatively low costs. We developed health promotion materials on pediatric dental health issues in four different formats and in two languages (English and Spanish). We then designed an online survey to elicit feedback on format preferences and made it available in both languages via the Amazon Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. We surveyed 236 native English-speaking and 163 native Spanish-speaking participants in less than 12 days, at a cost of US $374. Overall, Spanish-speaking participants originated from a wider distribution of countries than the overall Latino population in the United States. Most participants were in the 18- to 29-year age range and had some college or graduate education. Participants provided valuable input for the health promotion material design. Our results indicate that crowdsourcing can be an effective method for recruiting and gaining feedback from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking people. Compared with traditional methods, crowdsourcing has the potential to reach more diverse populations than convenience sampling, while substantially reducing the time and cost of gathering participant feedback. More widespread adoption of this method could streamline the development of effective health promotion materials in multiple languages.

A calendar method of collecting remittance use data in a remittance dependent setting of Nepal1

PubMed Central

Bhandari, Prem; Chaudhary, Indra

2018-01-01

This methodological paper describes the design and refinement of a calendar method of collecting data on remittance receipt and remittance use and its piloting in a rural remittance dependent setting of Nepal. Much of the previous national surveys collected remittance receipt and remittance use cross-sectional data that used a time frame ranging from 12 – 24 months. These surveys collected remittance receipt data by asking, ‘How much money has he/she sent in the past 12 months or 2 years?’ We believe that the long time frame of one to two years adds burden to respondents for unnecessary calculations and is prone to re-call bias. Moreover, these surveys used vague words such as ‘capital formation’ or ‘daily consumption’ to measure the uses of remittances. Thus, the instrument per se is unreliable posing threats to collecting valid responses. Considering these flaws, in 2013, we designed a calendar with shorter timing cues and simple words for collecting longitudinal data on remittance receipt and remittance use. First, we describe the calendar design process. Next, we provide descriptive results of household responses on the amount of remittance received and the remittance used on various socio-economic and cultural dimensions of household activities. The implications of the insights gained from this study are discussed. PMID:29399417

Diagnosing Physical Plant Operation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKay, B. P.; Smith, H. W.

1972-01-01

Describes a survey designed to help administrators evaluate functional aspects, adequacy of employee work areas, quality of housekeeping methods, maintenance response, interior and exterior appearances, alteration and renovation satisfaction, employee feelings about parking adequacy, plant security, and attraction and function of roads and…

Measuring coverage in MNCH: design, implementation, and interpretation challenges associated with tracking vaccination coverage using household surveys.

PubMed

Cutts, Felicity T; Izurieta, Hector S; Rhoda, Dale A

2013-01-01

Vaccination coverage is an important public health indicator that is measured using administrative reports and/or surveys. The measurement of vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries using surveys is susceptible to numerous challenges. These challenges include selection bias and information bias, which cannot be solved by increasing the sample size, and the precision of the coverage estimate, which is determined by the survey sample size and sampling method. Selection bias can result from an inaccurate sampling frame or inappropriate field procedures and, since populations likely to be missed in a vaccination coverage survey are also likely to be missed by vaccination teams, most often inflates coverage estimates. Importantly, the large multi-purpose household surveys that are often used to measure vaccination coverage have invested substantial effort to reduce selection bias. Information bias occurs when a child's vaccination status is misclassified due to mistakes on his or her vaccination record, in data transcription, in the way survey questions are presented, or in the guardian's recall of vaccination for children without a written record. There has been substantial reliance on the guardian's recall in recent surveys, and, worryingly, information bias may become more likely in the future as immunization schedules become more complex and variable. Finally, some surveys assess immunity directly using serological assays. Sero-surveys are important for assessing public health risk, but currently are unable to validate coverage estimates directly. To improve vaccination coverage estimates based on surveys, we recommend that recording tools and practices should be improved and that surveys should incorporate best practices for design, implementation, and analysis.

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey as a tool for conservation: A critique of Bart et al. (2004)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, John R.; Link, William A.; Nichols, James D.; Royle, J. Andrew

2005-01-01

Bart et al. (2004) develop methods for predicting needed samples for estimation of long-term trends from Count survey data, and they apply these methods to the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). They recommend adding approximately 40% more survey routes ill the BBS to allow for estimation of long-term (i.e., 20 year) trends for a collection of species. We critique several aspects of their analysis and suggest that their focus on long-term trends and expansion of the present survey design will provide limited benefits for conservation because it fails to either enhance the credibility of the survey or better tie the survey to regional management activities. A primary innovation claimed by Bart et al. (2004) is the incorporation of bias in estimation of study planning. We question the value of this approach, as it requires reliable estimates of range of future bias. We show that estimates of bias used by Bart et al. (2004) are speculative. Failure to obtain better estimates of this bias is likely to compromise the credibility of future analyses of the survey. We also note that the generic analysis of population trends that they provide is of questionable validity and is unlikely to be relevant for regions and species of management concern.

It's all about balance: propensity score matching in the context of complex survey data.

PubMed

Lenis, David; Nguyen, Trang Quynh; Dong, Nianbo; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2017-12-27

Many research studies aim to draw causal inferences using data from large, nationally representative survey samples, and many of these studies use propensity score matching to make those causal inferences as rigorous as possible given the non-experimental nature of the data. However, very few applied studies are careful about incorporating the survey design with the propensity score analysis, which may mean that the results do not generate population inferences. This may be because few methodological studies examine how to best combine these methods. Furthermore, even fewer of them investigate different non-response mechanisms. This study examines methods for handling survey weights in propensity score matching analyses of survey data under different non-response mechanisms. Our main conclusions are: (i) whether the survey weights are incorporated in the estimation of the propensity score does not impact estimation of the population treatment effect, as long as good population treated-comparison balance is achieved on confounders, (ii) survey weights must be used in the outcome analysis, and (iii) the transferring of survey weights (i.e., assigning the weights of the treated units to the comparison units matched to them) can be beneficial under certain non-response mechanisms. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Online course delivery modes and design methods in the radiologic sciences.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Nina; Copley, Stacey

2013-01-01

To determine the current status of online education in the radiologic sciences and to explore learning management systems, course design methods, and online educational tools used in the radiologic sciences. A random sample of 373 educators from Joint Review Committee-accredited radiography, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine technology educational programs was invited to participate in this study with an online survey. The majority of the programs responding to the survey do not offer online core courses. However, the institutions that do provide online core radiologic courses reported limited use of online tools for course delivery. BlackBoard was reported as the most commonly used learning management system. No significant relationships were identified in reference to self-reported instructor information technology self-efficacy and the instructors' age, years of teaching in higher education, years of teaching online, or use of asynchronous and synchronous technologies. Survey results did demonstrate a significant relationship between the type of institution and the use of synchronous technologies, suggesting that university-based programs were more likely to use this technology. Although the results suggest that online distance education is still not prevalent in radiologic science education, the past 3 years have seen a substantial increase in online course activity. This increase emphasizes the importance of adequate educator instruction and continuing education in the use of interactive technologies for online content delivery. Most educators report receiving 1 to 4 hours of training prior to online course implementation, but additional postimplementation training is necessary to improve the success of online delivery and further integrate interactive learning activities into an online format. The traditional classroom setting is still the primary course offering for radiologic science programs. PowerPoint remains the primary content delivery tool, suggesting a need for educators to incorporate tools that promote student interactions and interactive learning. Although the results did not reveal a significant relationship between assessed factors, the small correlations identified suggest that the younger instructors have a higher information technology self-efficacy. In addition, survey results suggest that instructors responding to this survey received limited training in reference to online course methods and design both before and after implementing an online course. Although educators may not have a choice regarding the system adopted by their university or college, they should seek additional training regarding the best tools available for online course delivery methods.

The Laboratory Course Assessment Survey: A Tool to Measure Three Dimensions of Research-Course Design.

PubMed

Corwin, Lisa A; Runyon, Christopher; Robinson, Aspen; Dolan, Erin L

2015-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are increasingly being offered as scalable ways to involve undergraduates in research. Yet few if any design features that make CUREs effective have been identified. We developed a 17-item survey instrument, the Laboratory Course Assessment Survey (LCAS), that measures students' perceptions of three design features of biology lab courses: 1) collaboration, 2) discovery and relevance, and 3) iteration. We assessed the psychometric properties of the LCAS using established methods for instrument design and validation. We also assessed the ability of the LCAS to differentiate between CUREs and traditional laboratory courses, and found that the discovery and relevance and iteration scales differentiated between these groups. Our results indicate that the LCAS is suited for characterizing and comparing undergraduate biology lab courses and should be useful for determining the relative importance of the three design features for achieving student outcomes. © 2015 L. A. Corwin 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).

A novel mobile phone application to assess nutrition environment measures in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Kanter, Rebecca; Alvey, Jeniece; Fuentes, Deborah

2014-09-01

Consumer nutrition environment measures are important to understanding the food environment, which affects individual dietary intake. A nutrition environment measures survey for supermarkets (NEMS-S) has been designed on paper for use in Guatemala. However, a paper survey is not an inconspicuous data collection method. To design, pilot test, and validate the Guatemala NEMS-S in the form of a mobile phone application (mobile app). CommCare, a free and open-source software application, was used to design the NEMS-S for Guatemala in the form of a mobile app. Two raters tested the mobile app in a single Guatemalan supermarket. Both the interrater and the test-retest reliability of the mobile app were determined using percent agreement and Cohen's kappa score and compared with the interrater and test-retest reliability of the paper version. Interrater reliability was very high between the paper survey and the mobile app (Cohen's kappa > 0.90). Test-retest reliability ranged from kappa 0.78 to 0.91. Between two certified NEMS-S raters, survey completion time using the mobile app was 5 minutes less than that with the paper form (35 vs. 40 minutes). The NEMS-S mobile app provides for more rapid data collection, with equivalent reliability and validity to the NEMS-S paper version, with advantages over a paper-based survey of multiple language capability and concomitant data entry.

50 CFR 600.1417 - Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data...) Meet NMFS survey design and data collection standards. [73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR... designation based on submission of recreational survey data. 600.1417 Section 600.1417 Wildlife and Fisheries...

50 CFR 600.1417 - Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data...) Meet NMFS survey design and data collection standards. [73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR... designation based on submission of recreational survey data. 600.1417 Section 600.1417 Wildlife and Fisheries...

50 CFR 600.1417 - Requirements for exempted state designation based on submission of recreational survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the state's participation in a qualifying regional survey, and the survey's sample design, data...) Meet NMFS survey design and data collection standards. [73 FR 79717, Dec. 30, 2008, as amended at 77 FR... designation based on submission of recreational survey data. 600.1417 Section 600.1417 Wildlife and Fisheries...

The SmokefreeTXT (SFTXT) Study: Web and Mobile Data Collection to Evaluate Smoking Cessation for Young Adults.

PubMed

Squiers, Linda; Brown, Derick; Parvanta, Sarah; Dolina, Suzanne; Kelly, Bridget; Dever, Jill; Southwell, Brian G; Sanders, Amy; Augustson, Erik

2016-06-27

Text messaging (short message service, SMS) has been shown to be effective in delivering interventions for various diseases and health conditions, including smoking cessation. While there are many published studies regarding smoking cessation text messaging interventions, most do not provide details about the study's operational methods. As a result, there is a gap in our understanding of how best to design studies of smoking cessation text messaging programs. The purpose of this paper is to detail the operational methods used to conduct a randomized trial comparing three different versions of the National Cancer Institute's SmokefreeText (SFTXT) program, designed for smokers 18 to 29 years of age. We detail our methods for recruiting participants from the Internet, reducing fraud, conducting online data collection, and retaining panel study participants. Participants were recruited through website advertisements and market research online panels. Screening questions established eligibility for the study (eg, 18 to 29 years of age, current smoker). Antifraud measures screened out participants who could not meet the study requirements. After completing a baseline survey, participants were randomized to one of three study arms, which varied by type and timing of text message delivery. The study offered US $20 gift cards as incentives to complete each of four follow-up surveys. Automated email reminders were sent at designated intervals to increase response rates. Researchers also provided telephone reminders to those who had not completed the survey after multiple email reminders. We calculated participation rates across study arms and compared the final sample characteristics to the Current Population Survey to examine generalizability. Recruitment methods drove 153,936 unique visitors to the SFTXT Study landing page and 27,360 began the screener. Based on the screening questions, 15,462 out of 27,360 responders (56.51%) were eligible to participate. Of the 15,462 who were eligible, 9486 passed the antifraud measures that were implemented; however, 3882 failed to verify their email addresses or cell phone numbers, leaving 5604 who were invited to complete the baseline survey. Of the 5604 who were invited, 4432 completed the baseline survey, but only 4027 were retained for analysis because 405 did not receive the intervention. Although antifraud measures helped to catch participants who failed study requirements and could have biased the data collected, it is possible that the email and cell phone verification check excluded some potentially eligible participants from the study. Future research should explore ways to implement verification methods without risking the loss of so many potential participants. Clinical Trials.gov NCT01885052; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01885052; (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6iWzcmFdw).

Grouping methods for estimating the prevalences of rare traits from complex survey data that preserve confidentiality of respondents.

PubMed

Hyun, Noorie; Gastwirth, Joseph L; Graubard, Barry I

2018-03-26

Originally, 2-stage group testing was developed for efficiently screening individuals for a disease. In response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 1-stage group testing was adopted for estimating prevalences of a single or multiple traits from testing groups of size q, so individuals were not tested. This paper extends the methodology of 1-stage group testing to surveys with sample weighted complex multistage-cluster designs. Sample weighted-generalized estimating equations are used to estimate the prevalences of categorical traits while accounting for the error rates inherent in the tests. Two difficulties arise when using group testing in complex samples: (1) How does one weight the results of the test on each group as the sample weights will differ among observations in the same group. Furthermore, if the sample weights are related to positivity of the diagnostic test, then group-level weighting is needed to reduce bias in the prevalence estimation; (2) How does one form groups that will allow accurate estimation of the standard errors of prevalence estimates under multistage-cluster sampling allowing for intracluster correlation of the test results. We study 5 different grouping methods to address the weighting and cluster sampling aspects of complex designed samples. Finite sample properties of the estimators of prevalences, variances, and confidence interval coverage for these grouping methods are studied using simulations. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data are used to illustrate the methods. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Geodetic survey as a means of improving fast MASW (Multichannel Analysis Of Surface Waves) profiling in difficult terrain/land conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matuła, Rafał; Lewińska, Paulina

2018-01-01

This paper revolves around newly designed and constructed system that can make 2D seismic measurement in natural, subsoil conditions and role of land survey in obtaining accurate results and linking them to 3D surface maps. A new type of land streamer, designed for shallow subsurface exploration is described in this paper. In land seismic data acquisition methods a vehicle tows a line of seismic cable, lying on construction called streamer. The measurements of points and shots are taken while the line is stationary, arbitrary placed on seismic profile. Exposed land streamer consists of 24 innovatory gimballed 10 Hz geophones. It eliminates the need for hand `planting' of geophones, reducing time and costs. With the use of current survey techniques all data obtained with this instrument are being transferred in to 2D and 3D maps. This process is becoming more automatic.

Evaluating a Web-Based Health Risk Assessment With Tailored Feedback: What Does an Expert Focus Group Yield Compared to a Web-Based End-User Survey?

PubMed Central

Vosbergen, Sandra; Mahieu, Guy R; Laan, Eva K; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A; Jaspers, Monique WM

2014-01-01

Background Increasingly, Web-based health applications are developed for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. However, their reach and utilization is often disappointing. Qualitative evaluations post-implementation can be used to inform the optimization process and ultimately enhance their adoption. In current practice, such evaluations are mainly performed with end-user surveys. However, a review approach by experts in a focus group may be easier to administer and might provide similar results. Objective The aim of this study was to assess whether industrial design engineers in a focus group would address the same issues as end users in a Web-based survey when evaluating a commercial Web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback. Methods Seven Dutch companies used the HRA as part of their corporate health management strategy. Employees using the HRA (N=2289) and 10 independent industrial designers were invited to participate in the study. The HRA consisted of four components: (1) an electronic health questionnaire, (2) biometric measurements, (3) laboratory evaluation, and (4) individually tailored feedback generated by decision support software. After participating in the HRA as end users, both end users and designers evaluated the program. End users completed an evaluation questionnaire that included a free-text field. Designers participated in a focus group discussion. Constructs from user satisfaction and technology acceptance theories were used to categorize and compare the remarks from both evaluations. Results We assessed and qualitatively analyzed 294 remarks of 189 end users and 337 remarks of 6 industrial designers, pertaining to 295 issues in total. Of those, 137 issues were addressed in the end-user survey and 148 issues in the designer focus group. Only 7.3% (10/137) of the issues addressed in the survey were also addressed in the focus group. End users made more remarks about the usefulness of the HRA and prior expectations that were not met. Designers made more remarks about how the information was presented to end users, quality of the feedback provided by the HRA, recommendations on the marketing and on how to create more unity in the design of the HRA, and on how to improve the HRA based on these issues. Conclusions End-user surveys should not be substituted for expert focus groups. Issues identified by end users in the survey and designers in the focus group differed considerably, and the focus group produced a lot of new issues. The issues addressed in the focus group often focused on different aspects of user satisfaction and technology acceptance than those addressed by the survey participants; when they did focus on the same aspects, then the nature of issues differed considerably in content. PMID:24384408

Software Design for Real-Time Systems on Parallel Computers: Formal Specifications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-04-01

This research investigated the important issues related to the analysis and design of real - time systems targeted to parallel architectures. In...particular, the software specification models for real - time systems on parallel architectures were evaluated. A survey of current formal methods for...uniprocessor real - time systems specifications was conducted to determine their extensibility in specifying real - time systems on parallel architectures. In

The Art of Blending: Benefits and Challenges of a Blended Course for Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shand, Kristen; Farrelly, Susan Glassett

2018-01-01

In this study, we explore the design and delivery of a blended social studies teaching methods course according to principles and core attributes of blended course design. In a survey at the end of the course, pre-service teachers were asked to reflect on their experience in the course, and identify the benefits and challenges of the blended…

Diagrams: A Visual Survey of Graphs, Maps, Charts and Diagrams for the Graphic Designer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Arthur

Since the ultimate success of any diagram rests in its clarity, it is important that the designer select a method of presentation which will achieve this aim. He should be aware of the various ways in which statistics can be shown diagrammatically, how information can be incorporated in maps, and how events can be plotted in chart or graph form.…

Precision, time, and cost: a comparison of three sampling designs in an emergency setting.

PubMed

Deitchler, Megan; Deconinck, Hedwig; Bergeron, Gilles

2008-05-02

The conventional method to collect data on the health, nutrition, and food security status of a population affected by an emergency is a 30 x 30 cluster survey. This sampling method can be time and resource intensive and, accordingly, may not be the most appropriate one when data are needed rapidly for decision making. In this study, we compare the precision, time and cost of the 30 x 30 cluster survey with two alternative sampling designs: a 33 x 6 cluster design (33 clusters, 6 observations per cluster) and a 67 x 3 cluster design (67 clusters, 3 observations per cluster). Data for each sampling design were collected concurrently in West Darfur, Sudan in September-October 2005 in an emergency setting. Results of the study show the 30 x 30 design to provide more precise results (i.e. narrower 95% confidence intervals) than the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 design for most child-level indicators. Exceptions are indicators of immunization and vitamin A capsule supplementation coverage which show a high intra-cluster correlation. Although the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 designs provide wider confidence intervals than the 30 x 30 design for child anthropometric indicators, the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 designs provide the opportunity to conduct a LQAS hypothesis test to detect whether or not a critical threshold of global acute malnutrition prevalence has been exceeded, whereas the 30 x 30 design does not. For the household-level indicators tested in this study, the 67 x 3 design provides the most precise results. However, our results show that neither the 33 x 6 nor the 67 x 3 design are appropriate for assessing indicators of mortality. In this field application, data collection for the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 designs required substantially less time and cost than that required for the 30 x 30 design. The findings of this study suggest the 33 x 6 and 67 x 3 designs can provide useful time- and resource-saving alternatives to the 30 x 30 method of data collection in emergency settings.

Precision, time, and cost: a comparison of three sampling designs in an emergency setting

PubMed Central

Deitchler, Megan; Deconinck, Hedwig; Bergeron, Gilles

2008-01-01

The conventional method to collect data on the health, nutrition, and food security status of a population affected by an emergency is a 30 × 30 cluster survey. This sampling method can be time and resource intensive and, accordingly, may not be the most appropriate one when data are needed rapidly for decision making. In this study, we compare the precision, time and cost of the 30 × 30 cluster survey with two alternative sampling designs: a 33 × 6 cluster design (33 clusters, 6 observations per cluster) and a 67 × 3 cluster design (67 clusters, 3 observations per cluster). Data for each sampling design were collected concurrently in West Darfur, Sudan in September-October 2005 in an emergency setting. Results of the study show the 30 × 30 design to provide more precise results (i.e. narrower 95% confidence intervals) than the 33 × 6 and 67 × 3 design for most child-level indicators. Exceptions are indicators of immunization and vitamin A capsule supplementation coverage which show a high intra-cluster correlation. Although the 33 × 6 and 67 × 3 designs provide wider confidence intervals than the 30 × 30 design for child anthropometric indicators, the 33 × 6 and 67 × 3 designs provide the opportunity to conduct a LQAS hypothesis test to detect whether or not a critical threshold of global acute malnutrition prevalence has been exceeded, whereas the 30 × 30 design does not. For the household-level indicators tested in this study, the 67 × 3 design provides the most precise results. However, our results show that neither the 33 × 6 nor the 67 × 3 design are appropriate for assessing indicators of mortality. In this field application, data collection for the 33 × 6 and 67 × 3 designs required substantially less time and cost than that required for the 30 × 30 design. The findings of this study suggest the 33 × 6 and 67 × 3 designs can provide useful time- and resource-saving alternatives to the 30 × 30 method of data collection in emergency settings. PMID:18454866

Scent Lure Effect on Camera-Trap Based Leopard Density Estimates

PubMed Central

Braczkowski, Alexander Richard; Balme, Guy Andrew; Dickman, Amy; Fattebert, Julien; Johnson, Paul; Dickerson, Tristan; Macdonald, David Whyte; Hunter, Luke

2016-01-01

Density estimates for large carnivores derived from camera surveys often have wide confidence intervals due to low detection rates. Such estimates are of limited value to authorities, which require precise population estimates to inform conservation strategies. Using lures can potentially increase detection, improving the precision of estimates. However, by altering the spatio-temporal patterning of individuals across the camera array, lures may violate closure, a fundamental assumption of capture-recapture. Here, we test the effect of scent lures on the precision and veracity of density estimates derived from camera-trap surveys of a protected African leopard population. We undertook two surveys (a ‘control’ and ‘treatment’ survey) on Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa. Survey design remained consistent except a scent lure was applied at camera-trap stations during the treatment survey. Lures did not affect the maximum movement distances (p = 0.96) or temporal activity of female (p = 0.12) or male leopards (p = 0.79), and the assumption of geographic closure was met for both surveys (p >0.05). The numbers of photographic captures were also similar for control and treatment surveys (p = 0.90). Accordingly, density estimates were comparable between surveys (although estimates derived using non-spatial methods (7.28–9.28 leopards/100km2) were considerably higher than estimates from spatially-explicit methods (3.40–3.65 leopards/100km2). The precision of estimates from the control and treatment surveys, were also comparable and this applied to both non-spatial and spatial methods of estimation. Our findings suggest that at least in the context of leopard research in productive habitats, the use of lures is not warranted. PMID:27050816

A decade of aquatic invasive species (AIS) early detection ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As an invasion prone location, the St. Louis River Estuary (SLRE) has been a case study for ongoing research to develop the framework for a practical Great Lakes monitoring network for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Early detection, however, necessitates finding new invaders before they are common. Here we outline our research (2005 present) approach and findings, including strategies to increase detection efficiency by optimizing specimen collection and identification methods. Initial surveys were designed to over-sample to amass data as the basis for numerical experiments to investigate to the effort required for a given detection probability. Later surveys tested the outcome of implementing these strategies, examined the potential benefits of sampling larval fish instead of adults and explored the prospect of using advanced DNA based methods as an alternative to traditional taxonomy. To date we have identified several previously undetected invertebrate invaders, developed survey design and gear recommendations and have refined the search strategy for systems beyond the SLRE. In addition, because we’ve accumulated such a large body of data we now have the basis to show spatial-temporal trends for native and non-native species in the SLRE. not applicable

A STATISTICAL SURVEY OF DIOXIN-LIKE COMPOUNDS IN ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The USEPA and the USDA completed the first statistically designed survey of the occurrence and concentration of dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs), dibenzofurans (CDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the fat of beef animals raised for human consumption in the United States. Back fat was sampled from 63 carcasses at federally inspected slaughter establishments nationwide. The sample design called for sampling beef animal classes in proportion to national annual slaughter statistics. All samples were analyzed using a modification of EPA method 1613, using isotope dilution, High Resolution GC/MS to determine the rate of occurrence of 2,3,7,8-substituted CDDs/CDFs/PCBs. The method detection limits ranged from 0.05 ng/kg for TCDD to 3 ng/kg for OCDD. The results of this survey showed a mean concentration (reported as I-TEQ, lipid adjusted) in U.S. beef animals of 0.35 ng/kg and 0.89 ng/kg for CDD/CDF TEQs when either non-detects are treated as 0 value or assigned a value of 1/2 the detection limit, respectively, and 0.51 ng/kg for coplanar PCB TEQs at both non-detect equal 0 and 1/2 detection limit. journal article

76 FR 79054 - Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-21

... items collected, as well as changing the names and design of the survey forms. The changes are intended... reporting thresholds and data items collected, as well as changes in the names and design of the survey... survey forms. The new design incorporates improvements made to other BEA surveys. Survey instructions and...

A Novel Simulation Technician Laboratory Design: Results of a Survey-Based Study

PubMed Central

Hughes, Patrick G; Friedl, Ed; Ortiz Figueroa, Fabiana; Cepeda Brito, Jose R; Frey, Jennifer; Birmingham, Lauren E; Atkinson, Steven Scott

2016-01-01

Objective  The purpose of this study was to elicit feedback from simulation technicians prior to developing the first simulation technician-specific simulation laboratory in Akron, OH. Background Simulation technicians serve a vital role in simulation centers within hospitals/health centers around the world. The first simulation technician degree program in the US has been approved in Akron, OH. To satisfy the requirements of this program and to meet the needs of this special audience of learners, a customized simulation lab is essential.  Method A web-based survey was circulated to simulation technicians prior to completion of the lab for the new program. The survey consisted of questions aimed at identifying structural and functional design elements of a novel simulation center for the training of simulation technicians. Quantitative methods were utilized to analyze data. Results Over 90% of technicians (n=65) think that a lab designed explicitly for the training of technicians is novel and beneficial. Approximately 75% of respondents think that the space provided appropriate audiovisual (AV) infrastructure and space to evaluate the ability of technicians to be independent. The respondents think that the lab needed more storage space, visualization space for a large number of students, and more space in the technical/repair area. Conclusions  A space designed for the training of simulation technicians was considered to be beneficial. This laboratory requires distinct space for technical repair, adequate bench space for the maintenance and repair of simulators, an appropriate AV infrastructure, and space to evaluate the ability of technicians to be independent. PMID:27096134

Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January -- June 2013

MedlinePlus

... Park, NC) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS, taking into account stratum and primary sampling unit (PSU) identifiers. The Taylor series linearization method was chosen for variance estimation. Trends ...

Survey of aircraft electrical power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C. H.; Brandner, J. J.

1972-01-01

Areas investigated include: (1) load analysis; (2) power distribution, conversion techniques and generation; (3) design criteria and performance capabilities of hydraulic and pneumatic systems; (4) system control and protection methods; (5) component and heat transfer systems cooling; and (6) electrical system reliability.

The Golden Age of Software Architecture: A Comprehensive Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-01

UML [14], under the leadership of (at the time) Rational, has integrated a number of design notations and developed a method for applying them...yes 97 survey, model Garlan. Research directions in SA [28] 54 yes 93 specific domains Cremer et al. The SA for scenario control in the Iowa...Environment of the Domain-Specific Software Architecture Project, ADAGE-IBM-92-11, Version 2.0, November, 1993 [23] J. Cremer , J. Kearney, Y. Papelis, and

Factors controlling volume errors through 2D gully erosion assessment: guidelines for optimal survey design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Carlos; Pérez, Rafael

2017-04-01

The assessment of gully erosion volumes is essential for the quantification of soil losses derived from this relevant degradation process. Traditionally, 2D and 3D approaches has been applied for this purpose (Casalí et al., 2006). Although innovative 3D approaches have recently been proposed for gully volume quantification, a renewed interest can be found in literature regarding the useful information that cross-section analysis still provides in gully erosion research. Moreover, the application of methods based on 2D approaches can be the most cost-effective approach in many situations such as preliminary studies with low accuracy requirements or surveys under time or budget constraints. The main aim of this work is to examine the key factors controlling volume error variability in 2D gully assessment by means of a stochastic experiment involving a Monte Carlo analysis over synthetic gully profiles in order to 1) contribute to a better understanding of the drivers and magnitude of gully erosion 2D-surveys uncertainty and 2) provide guidelines for optimal survey designs. Owing to the stochastic properties of error generation in 2D volume assessment, a statistical approach was followed to generate a large and significant set of gully reach configurations to evaluate quantitatively the influence of the main factors controlling the uncertainty of the volume assessment. For this purpose, a simulation algorithm in Matlab® code was written, involving the following stages: - Generation of synthetic gully area profiles with different degrees of complexity (characterized by the cross-section variability) - Simulation of field measurements characterised by a survey intensity and the precision of the measurement method - Quantification of the volume error uncertainty as a function of the key factors In this communication we will present the relationships between volume error and the studied factors and propose guidelines for 2D field surveys based on the minimal survey densities required to achieve a certain accuracy given the cross-sectional variability of a gully and the measurement method applied. References Casali, J., Loizu, J., Campo, M.A., De Santisteban, L.M., Alvarez-Mozos, J., 2006. Accuracy of methods for field assessment of rill and ephemeral gully erosion. Catena 67, 128-138. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2006.03.005

23 CFR 1340.10 - Submission and approval of seat belt survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. 1340... § 1340.10 Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. (a) Contents: The following information shall be included in the State's seat belt survey design submitted for NHTSA approval: (1) Sample design...

23 CFR 1340.10 - Submission and approval of seat belt survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. 1340... § 1340.10 Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. (a) Contents: The following information shall be included in the State's seat belt survey design submitted for NHTSA approval: (1) Sample design...

23 CFR 1340.10 - Submission and approval of seat belt survey design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. 1340... § 1340.10 Submission and approval of seat belt survey design. (a) Contents: The following information shall be included in the State's seat belt survey design submitted for NHTSA approval: (1) Sample design...

Principals' Opinions on the Role of Speech-Language Pathologists Serving Students with Communication Disorders Involved in Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritzman, Mitzi J.; Sanger, Dixie

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey the opinions of principals concerning the role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) serving students with communication disorders who have been involved in violence. Method: A mixed methods design involving 678 questionnaires was mailed to elementary, middle, and high school principals in a…

"A Passion to Mold Young People": A Mixed-Methods Study of Iowa Community College Athletics Coaches' Profile Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kollasch, Korey

2017-01-01

This study focused on building a profile of characteristics of community college (CC) athletics coaches in Iowa and on exploring the possible relationships among these characteristics. Using a mixed-method research design that incorporates SPSS quantitative analysis of a survey and seven semi-structured interviews, the research data draws a…

The Reintegration of Military Families Following Long Term Separation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

qualitative and quantitative research methods , allowed the researcher to maintain the importance of the research question as well as to better...discovering how families succeed and developing effective social work interventions is more critical than ever. Using mixed methods design, this... RESEARCH AT LUKE AIR FORCE BASE APPENDIX F INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL APPENDIX A FAMILY REINTEGRATION SURVEY APPENDIX B QUALITATIVE

The Predictive Power of Undergraduates' Personality Traits and Self-Esteem Regarding Their Forgiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcin, S. Barbaros; Kavakli, Mehmet; Kesici, Sahin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the undergraduates' personality traits and self-esteem predict their forgiveness. Methods: The study was conducted using a descriptive research designed as a relational survey method. The study group consists of 323 undergraduates, of whom 250 (77.2 %) are female and 73 (22.5%) are…

Design Appropriate Models Based on Intelligent Dimension in Fars Education Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodarzi, Shahbaz; Fallah, Vahid; Saffarian, Saeid

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the dimensions of smart schools in the Fars education system and provide a suitable model. The research method is descriptive survey. The study population consisted of all school principals Fars Province in the academic 2014-2015 and number of them was 1364. The sample volume using Cochran method was 302…

The Impact of Student Teaching Experience on Pre-Service Teachers' Readiness for Technology Integration: A Mixed Methods Study with Growth Curve Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Yan; Strobel, Johannes; Newby, Timothy J.

2017-01-01

Adopting a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, the current study examined the impact of student teaching experiences on pre-service teachers' readiness for technology integration. In phase-1 of quantitative investigation, 2-level growth curve models were fitted using online repeated measures survey data collected from…

A Test of a Method of Increasing Patient Question Asking in Physician-Patient Interactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feeser, Teresa; Thompson, Teresa L.

A study examined the effectiveness of a method designed to increase active patient involvement in the health care context. Subjects, 38 patients visiting a three-physician dermatology practice one randomly selected morning, were asked to fill out a survey at the end of their visit. Half of the subjects were asked to read a "communication…

Comparison of Efficiency of Jackknife and Variance Component Estimators of Standard Errors. Program Statistics Research. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longford, Nicholas T.

Large scale surveys usually employ a complex sampling design and as a consequence, no standard methods for estimation of the standard errors associated with the estimates of population means are available. Resampling methods, such as jackknife or bootstrap, are often used, with reference to their properties of robustness and reduction of bias. A…

Numerical Wake Prediction Methods for Submerged Appended Bodies, A Literature Survey.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

Flement 62543N, Task Area 421-252, Work Unit number 1-1506-202-11. INTRODUCTION In order to design a propeller for a submerged vehicle, it is essential to...know the velocity field (i.e. wake) in the propeller plane. One of the goals of the application of computational fluid dynamics to ship design is to...tests for the purpose of obtaining wake data will be either unnecessary or would be needed only at the final stage of design . Before such a goal can

Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge, Attitude, Access and Confidence: A comparison of dental hygiene and dental students.

PubMed

Santiago, Victoria; Cardenas, Melissa; Charles, Anne Laure; Hernandez, Estefany; Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Kwon, So Ran

2018-04-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether current educational strategies at a dental institution in the United States made a difference in dental hygiene (DNHY) and dental students' (D3) learning outcomes in the four domains of evidence-based practice (EBP), knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence (KACE), following a 12-week research design course. Methods: All participants DNHY (n=19) and D3 (n=96) enrolled in the research design course at Loma Linda University completed a paper KACE survey distributed on the first day of class. Students completed the KACE survey once more at the end of the 12-week course. Pre- and post-survey results were compared both within and between the DNHY and D3 student groups to identify the learning outcomes in the four domains of EBP; knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence in EBP. Descriptive statistics were conducted to profile all variables in the study; the level of significance was set at α=0.05. Results: All DNHY students (n=19) completed the pre and post KACE surveys; of the D3 (n=96) students enrolled in the course 82% (n=79) competed the post-survey. Comparison of the survey results showed that both DNHY and D3 students demonstrated statistically significant increases in their level of knowledge and attitude (p < 0.05) towards EBP. In the attitude domain, DNHY students indicated more positive attitudes towards EBP (p < 0.001) than their D3 student cohorts. Neither group demonstrated significant changes in confidence in applying EBP (p > 0.05). Conclusion: DNHY and D3 students increased their knowledge and developed more positive attitudes towards EBP following a 12-week research design course. Study results identify improvement areas for EBP knowledge acquisition including determining levels of evidence, analysis of study results, and evaluating the appropriateness of research study designs through the use of validated EBP survey instrument. Copyright © 2018 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Performance of small cluster surveys and the clustered LQAS design to estimate local-level vaccination coverage in Mali

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Estimation of vaccination coverage at the local level is essential to identify communities that may require additional support. Cluster surveys can be used in resource-poor settings, when population figures are inaccurate. To be feasible, cluster samples need to be small, without losing robustness of results. The clustered LQAS (CLQAS) approach has been proposed as an alternative, as smaller sample sizes are required. Methods We explored (i) the efficiency of cluster surveys of decreasing sample size through bootstrapping analysis and (ii) the performance of CLQAS under three alternative sampling plans to classify local VC, using data from a survey carried out in Mali after mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis group A. Results VC estimates provided by a 10 × 15 cluster survey design were reasonably robust. We used them to classify health areas in three categories and guide mop-up activities: i) health areas not requiring supplemental activities; ii) health areas requiring additional vaccination; iii) health areas requiring further evaluation. As sample size decreased (from 10 × 15 to 10 × 3), standard error of VC and ICC estimates were increasingly unstable. Results of CLQAS simulations were not accurate for most health areas, with an overall risk of misclassification greater than 0.25 in one health area out of three. It was greater than 0.50 in one health area out of two under two of the three sampling plans. Conclusions Small sample cluster surveys (10 × 15) are acceptably robust for classification of VC at local level. We do not recommend the CLQAS method as currently formulated for evaluating vaccination programmes. PMID:23057445

Systematic review of the use of online questionnaires of older adults.

PubMed

Remillard, Meegan L; Mazor, Kathleen M; Cutrona, Sarah L; Gurwitz, Jerry H; Tjia, Jennifer

2014-04-01

To describe methodological approaches to population targeting and sampling and to summarize limitations of Internet-based questionnaires in older adults. Systematic literature review. Studies using online questionnaires in older adult populations. English-language articles using search terms for geriatric, age 65 and over, Internet survey, online survey, Internet questionnaire, and online questionnaire in PubMed and EBSCO host between 1984 and July 2012. Inclusion criteria were study population mean age 65 and older and use of an online questionnaire for research. Review of 336 abstracts yielded 14 articles for full review by two investigators; 11 articles met inclusion criteria. Articles were extracted for study design and setting, participant characteristics, recruitment strategy, country, and study limitations. Eleven articles were published after 2001. Studies had populations with a mean age of 65 to 78, included descriptive and analytical designs, and were conducted in the United States, Australia, and Japan. Recruiting methods varied widely from paper fliers and personal e-mails to use of consumer marketing panels. Investigator-reported study limitations included the use of small convenience samples and limited generalizability. Online questionnaires are a feasible method of surveying older adults in some geographic regions and for some subsets of older adults, but limited Internet access constrains recruiting methods and often limits study generalizability. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

A Simple Method for High-Lift Propeller Conceptual Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael; Borer, Nick; German, Brian

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a simple method for designing propellers that are placed upstream of the leading edge of a wing in order to augment lift. Because the primary purpose of these "high-lift propellers" is to increase lift rather than produce thrust, these props are best viewed as a form of high-lift device; consequently, they should be designed differently than traditional propellers. We present a theory that describes how these props can be designed to provide a relatively uniform axial velocity increase, which is hypothesized to be advantageous for lift augmentation based on a literature survey. Computational modeling indicates that such propellers can generate the same average induced axial velocity while consuming less power and producing less thrust than conventional propeller designs. For an example problem based on specifications for NASA's Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology and Operations Research (SCEPTOR) flight demonstrator, a propeller designed with the new method requires approximately 15% less power and produces approximately 11% less thrust than one designed for minimum induced loss. Higher-order modeling and/or wind tunnel testing are needed to verify the predicted performance.

Fixation strength analysis of cup to bone material using finite element simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwar, Iwan Budiwan; Saputra, Eko; Ismail, Rifky; Jamari, J.; van der Heide, Emile

2016-04-01

Fixation of acetabular cup to bone material is an important initial stability for artificial hip joint. In general, the fixation in cement less-type acetabular cup uses press-fit and screw methods. These methods can be applied alone or together. Based on literature survey, the additional screw inside of cup is effective; however, it has little effect in whole fixation. Therefore, an acetabular cup with good fixation, easy manufacture and easy installation is required. This paper is aiming at evaluating and proposing a new cup fixation design. To prove the strength of the present cup fixation design, the finite element simulation of three dimensional cup with new fixation design was performed. The present cup design was examined with twist axial and radial rotation. Results showed that the proposed cup design was better than the general version.

The National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A): I. Background and Measures

PubMed Central

Merikangas, Kathleen R.; Avenevoli, Shelli; Costello, E. Jane; Koretz, Doreen; Kessler, Ronald C.

2009-01-01

Objective This paper presents an overview of the background and measures used in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Methods The NCS-A is a national psychiatric epidemiological survey of adolescents ages 13–17. Results The NCS-A was designed to provide the first nationally representative estimates of the prevalence, correlates and patterns of service use for DSM-V mental disorders among US adolescents and to lay the groundwork for follow-up studies of risk-protective factors, consequences, and early expressions of adult mental disorders. The core NCS-A diagnostic interview, the World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), is a fully-structured research diagnostic interview designed for use by trained lay interviewers. A multi-construct, multi-method, multi-informant battery was also included to assess risk and protective factors and barriers to service use. Design limitations due to the NCS-A evolving as a supplement to an ongoing survey of mental disorders of US adults include restricted age range of youth, cross-sectional assessment, and lack of full parental/surrogate informant reports on youth mental disorders and correlates. Conclusions Despite these limitations, the NCS-A contains unparalleled information that can be used to generate national estimates of prevalence and correlates of adolescent mental disorders, risk and protective factors, patterns of service use, and barriers to receiving treatment for these disorders. The retrospective NCS-A data on the development of psychopathology can additionally complement data from longitudinal studies based on more geographically restricted samples and serve as a useful baseline for future prospective studies of the onset and progression of mental disorders in adulthood. PMID:19242382

Estimating occupancy and abundance using aerial images with imperfect detection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Perry J.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Womble, Jamie N.; Bower, Michael R.

2017-01-01

Species distribution and abundance are critical population characteristics for efficient management, conservation, and ecological insight. Point process models are a powerful tool for modelling distribution and abundance, and can incorporate many data types, including count data, presence-absence data, and presence-only data. Aerial photographic images are a natural tool for collecting data to fit point process models, but aerial images do not always capture all animals that are present at a site. Methods for estimating detection probability for aerial surveys usually include collecting auxiliary data to estimate the proportion of time animals are available to be detected.We developed an approach for fitting point process models using an N-mixture model framework to estimate detection probability for aerial occupancy and abundance surveys. Our method uses multiple aerial images taken of animals at the same spatial location to provide temporal replication of sample sites. The intersection of the images provide multiple counts of individuals at different times. We examined this approach using both simulated and real data of sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in Glacier Bay National Park, southeastern Alaska.Using our proposed methods, we estimated detection probability of sea otters to be 0.76, the same as visual aerial surveys that have been used in the past. Further, simulations demonstrated that our approach is a promising tool for estimating occupancy, abundance, and detection probability from aerial photographic surveys.Our methods can be readily extended to data collected using unmanned aerial vehicles, as technology and regulations permit. The generality of our methods for other aerial surveys depends on how well surveys can be designed to meet the assumptions of N-mixture models.

Measuring What People Value: A Comparison of “Attitude” and “Preference” Surveys

PubMed Central

Phillips, Kathryn A; Johnson, F Reed; Maddala, Tara

2002-01-01

Objective To compare and contrast methods and findings from two approaches to valuation used in the same survey: measurement of “attitudes” using simple rankings and ratings versus measurement of “preferences” using conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis, a stated preference method, involves comparing scenarios composed of attribute descriptions by ranking, rating, or choosing scenarios. We explore possible explanations for our findings using focus groups conducted after the quantitative survey. Methods A self-administered survey, measuring attitudes and preferences for HIV tests, was conducted at HIV testing sites in San Francisco in 1999–2000 (n = 365, response rate=96 percent). Attitudes were measured and analyzed using standard approaches. Conjoint analysis scenarios were developed using a fractional factorial design and results analyzed using random effects probit models. We examined how the results using the two approaches were both similar and different. Results We found that “attitudes” and “preferences” were generally consistent, but there were some important differences. Although rankings based on the attitude and conjoint analysis surveys were similar, closer examination revealed important differences in how respondents valued price and attributes with “halo” effects, variation in how attribute levels were valued, and apparent differences in decision-making processes. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare attitude surveys and conjoint analysis surveys and to explore the meaning of the results using post-hoc focus groups. Although the overall findings for attitudes and preferences were similar, the two approaches resulted in some different conclusions. Health researchers should consider the advantages and limitations of both methods when determining how to measure what people value. PMID:12546291

Distribution network connection pricing framework and methodology: identification of areas of improvement for Sarawak Energy Berhad Connection Charges Guidelines through modified delphi method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, J. K.; Abas, N.

2017-07-01

Complaints on issues and matters related to connection charges have been very common for electricity supply utility companies around the world including Sarawak Energy Berhad. In order to identify the areas that can be improved, a mixed method of exploratory research involving qualitative and quantitative methods have been designed and undertaken rather than a single method of survey. This will ensure a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of the issues from various target groups. The method is designed under three phases, employing Modified Delphi Technique for phase 1 through a series of stake holder engagements, online and offline survey questionnaires to be filled by internal wiring contractors for phase 2 whilst under phase 3, case studies shall be carried out on the issues identified from phase 1 and phase 2 of the study. This paper presented the findings from the Modified Delphi Technique. The findings revealed that there are areas of improvement for Sarawak Energy Berhad connection guidelines in term of differentiation of dedicated and shared assets which leads to unfairness to the connecting customers, inconsistency and non-transparent in charging. The findings of Modified Delphi Technique shall be used for implementation of phase 2 and phase 3 of the study.

Identifying patterns of item missing survey data using latent groups: an observational study

PubMed Central

McElwee, Paul; Nathan, Andrea; Burton, Nicola W; Turrell, Gavin

2017-01-01

Objectives To examine whether respondents to a survey of health and physical activity and potential determinants could be grouped according to the questions they missed, known as ‘item missing’. Design Observational study of longitudinal data. Setting Residents of Brisbane, Australia. Participants 6901 people aged 40–65 years in 2007. Materials and methods We used a latent class model with a mixture of multinomial distributions and chose the number of classes using the Bayesian information criterion. We used logistic regression to examine if participants’ characteristics were associated with their modal latent class. We used logistic regression to examine whether the amount of item missing in a survey predicted wave missing in the following survey. Results Four per cent of participants missed almost one-fifth of the questions, and this group missed more questions in the middle of the survey. Eighty-three per cent of participants completed almost every question, but had a relatively high missing probability for a question on sleep time, a question which had an inconsistent presentation compared with the rest of the survey. Participants who completed almost every question were generally younger and more educated. Participants who completed more questions were less likely to miss the next longitudinal wave. Conclusions Examining patterns in item missing data has improved our understanding of how missing data were generated and has informed future survey design to help reduce missing data. PMID:29084795

Curriculum in Psychiatry and Neurology for Pharmacy Programs

PubMed Central

Bostwick, Jolene R.; Goldstone, Lisa W; Thomas, Kelan; Nemire, Ruth; Gable, Kelly N.; Cates, Marshall; Caballero, Joshua; Smith, Tawny; Bainbridge, Jacquelyn

2017-01-01

Objective. To describe pharmacy curricula in psychiatry and neurology and to report on neuropsychiatric pharmacy specialists’ views on optimal curriculum. Methods. Design and administer one electronic survey to accredited pharmacy programs asking them to report information on curricula in psychiatry and neurology for the 2014-2015 academic year. Design and administer a separate electronic survey to board certified pharmacists with an academic affiliation who are members of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) asking about their teaching activities and their opinion on optimal curricula. Results. Fifty-six percent of pharmacy programs and 65% of CPNP members responded to the surveys. The program survey revealed greater than 80% of topics were taught by full-time faculty. Didactic lecturing, team-based learning, and case studies were the most common teaching methods. Programs dedicated the most didactics (3 to 5+ hours) to epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, and pain. Autism, traumatic brain injury, personality, and eating disorders were either not taught or given ≤ 1 hour of didactics in most programs. Inpatient psychiatry had the most APPE placements with a mean of 19.6, range 0-83. APPE electives in psychiatry outnumbered those in neurology 5 to 1. CPNP member survey results showed 2 out of 3 members agreed that curriculum could be improved with additional APPEs in psychiatry and neurology. Conclusion. Didactic hour distribution in psychiatry and neurology could be improved to better align with board certification in psychiatric pharmacy (BCPP) recommendations and disorder prevalence and complexity. Specialists recommend an experiential component in neurology and psychiatry to combat stigma and improve pharmacist knowledge and skills. PMID:29109559

Assessing and adjusting for differences between HIV prevalence estimates derived from national population-based surveys and antenatal care surveillance, with applications for Spectrum 2013

PubMed Central

Marsh, Kimberly; Mahy, Mary; Salomon, Joshua A.; Hogan, Daniel R.

2014-01-01

Objective(s): To assess differences between HIV prevalence estimates derived from national population surveys and antenatal care (ANC) surveillance sites and to improve the calibration of ANC-derived estimates in Spectrum 2013 to more appropriately account for differences between these data. Design: Retrospective analysis of national population survey and ANC surveillance data from 25 countries with generalized epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa and 8 countries with concentrated epidemics. Methods: Adult national population survey and ANC surveillance HIV prevalence estimates were compared for all available national population survey data points for the years 1999–2012. For sub-Saharan Africa, a mixed-effects linear regression model determined whether the relationship between national population and ANC estimates was constant across surveys. A new calibration method was developed to incorporate national population survey data directly into the likelihood for HIV prevalence in countries with generalized epidemics. Results were used to develop default rules for adjusting ANC data for countries with no national population surveys. Results: ANC surveillance data typically overestimate population prevalence, although a wide variation, particularly in rural areas, is observed across countries and survey years. The new calibration method yields similar point estimates to previous approaches, but leads to an average 44% increase in the width of 95% uncertainty intervals. Conclusion: Important biases remain in ANC surveillance data for HIV prevalence. The new approach to model-fitting in Spectrum 2013 more appropriately accounts for this bias when producing national estimates in countries with generalized epidemics. In countries with concentrated epidemics, local sex ratios should be used to calibrate ANC surveillance estimates. PMID:25203158

Measuring Coverage in MNCH: Design, Implementation, and Interpretation Challenges Associated with Tracking Vaccination Coverage Using Household Surveys

PubMed Central

Cutts, Felicity T.; Izurieta, Hector S.; Rhoda, Dale A.

2013-01-01

Vaccination coverage is an important public health indicator that is measured using administrative reports and/or surveys. The measurement of vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries using surveys is susceptible to numerous challenges. These challenges include selection bias and information bias, which cannot be solved by increasing the sample size, and the precision of the coverage estimate, which is determined by the survey sample size and sampling method. Selection bias can result from an inaccurate sampling frame or inappropriate field procedures and, since populations likely to be missed in a vaccination coverage survey are also likely to be missed by vaccination teams, most often inflates coverage estimates. Importantly, the large multi-purpose household surveys that are often used to measure vaccination coverage have invested substantial effort to reduce selection bias. Information bias occurs when a child's vaccination status is misclassified due to mistakes on his or her vaccination record, in data transcription, in the way survey questions are presented, or in the guardian's recall of vaccination for children without a written record. There has been substantial reliance on the guardian's recall in recent surveys, and, worryingly, information bias may become more likely in the future as immunization schedules become more complex and variable. Finally, some surveys assess immunity directly using serological assays. Sero-surveys are important for assessing public health risk, but currently are unable to validate coverage estimates directly. To improve vaccination coverage estimates based on surveys, we recommend that recording tools and practices should be improved and that surveys should incorporate best practices for design, implementation, and analysis. PMID:23667334

Human factors issues in the design of user interfaces for planning and scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Elizabeth D.

1991-01-01

The purpose is to provide and overview of human factors issues that impact the effectiveness of user interfaces to automated scheduling tools. The following methods are employed: (1) a survey of planning and scheduling tools; (2) the identification and analysis of human factors issues; (3) the development of design guidelines based on human factors literature; and (4) the generation of display concepts to illustrate guidelines.

Quits and Job Changes among Home Care Workers in Maine: The Role of Wages, Hours, and Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Lisa

2009-01-01

Purpose: Figuring out how to make home care jobs more attractive has become a top policy priority. This study investigates the impact of wages, hours, and benefits on the retention of home care workers. Design and Methods: Using a 2-wave survey design and a sample of home care workers from Maine, the factors associated with turnover intentions,…

78 FR 5458 - Medicare Program; Request for Information To Aid in the Design and Development of a Survey...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

...] Medicare Program; Request for Information To Aid in the Design and Development of a Survey Regarding..., well-designed Hospice Survey will allow us to understand: (1) Patient experiences throughout their... accordance with CAHPS[supreg] Survey Design Principles and implementation instructions will be based on those...

Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Structure from Motion teaching resources for undergraduate field education courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt-Sitaula, B. A.; Shervais, K.; Crosby, C. J.; Douglas, B. J.; Niemi, N. A.; Wang, G.; Charlevoix, D. J.

2015-12-01

Fieldwork is an integral part of the geosciences and there is a longstanding tradition of teaching field methods as part of the undergraduate curriculum. As new technology changes the ways in which we scientifically examine the Earth, and as workforce development demands evolve, there is growing interest in introducing these new technologies into field education courses. In collaboration with field education instructors, UNAVCO, the National Science Foundation's geodetic facility, has developed a module of teaching resources to integrate terrestrial lidar scanning into field courses. An NSF facility is well positioned to develop scalable resources that can then be distributed or adapted for broader implementation. The modules can also be accomplished using Structure from Motion methods in place of lidar scanning. Modules goals are for students to be able to: (A) design and conduct a complex TLS survey to address a geologic research question and (B) articulate the societal impetus for answering these research questions and identify why TLS is the appropriate method in some circumstances. The module is comprised of five units: (1) Introduction to survey design, (2) Stratigraphic section analysis, (3) Fault scarp analysis, (4) Geomorphic change detection, (5) Student-led survey design summative assessment. The modules, apart from the Introduction, are independent, thus select modules can be employed in a given field setting. Prototype module materials were developed from the last five years of UNAVCO support of undergraduate field courses. The current versions of the modules were tested in summer 2015 at the Indiana University and University of Michigan field camps. Results show that the majority of students are able to achieve the intended learning goals. Module materials are available on the UNAVCO Education and Community Engagement website.

An Efficient Acoustic Density Estimation Method with Human Detectors Applied to Gibbons in Cambodia.

PubMed

Kidney, Darren; Rawson, Benjamin M; Borchers, David L; Stevenson, Ben C; Marques, Tiago A; Thomas, Len

2016-01-01

Some animal species are hard to see but easy to hear. Standard visual methods for estimating population density for such species are often ineffective or inefficient, but methods based on passive acoustics show more promise. We develop spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) methods for territorial vocalising species, in which humans act as an acoustic detector array. We use SECR and estimated bearing data from a single-occasion acoustic survey of a gibbon population in northeastern Cambodia to estimate the density of calling groups. The properties of the estimator are assessed using a simulation study, in which a variety of survey designs are also investigated. We then present a new form of the SECR likelihood for multi-occasion data which accounts for the stochastic availability of animals. In the context of gibbon surveys this allows model-based estimation of the proportion of groups that produce territorial vocalisations on a given day, thereby enabling the density of groups, instead of the density of calling groups, to be estimated. We illustrate the performance of this new estimator by simulation. We show that it is possible to estimate density reliably from human acoustic detections of visually cryptic species using SECR methods. For gibbon surveys we also show that incorporating observers' estimates of bearings to detected groups substantially improves estimator performance. Using the new form of the SECR likelihood we demonstrate that estimates of availability, in addition to population density and detection function parameters, can be obtained from multi-occasion data, and that the detection function parameters are not confounded with the availability parameter. This acoustic SECR method provides a means of obtaining reliable density estimates for territorial vocalising species. It is also efficient in terms of data requirements since since it only requires routine survey data. We anticipate that the low-tech field requirements will make this method an attractive option in many situations where populations can be surveyed acoustically by humans.

Using qualitative methods to develop a contextually tailored instrument: Lessons learned

PubMed Central

Lee, Haeok; Kiang, Peter; Kim, Minjin; Semino-Asaro, Semira; Colten, Mary Ellen; Tang, Shirley S.; Chea, Phala; Peou, Sonith; Grigg-Saito, Dorcas C.

2015-01-01

Objective: To develop a population-specific instrument to inform hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human papilloma virus (HPV) prevention education and intervention based on data and evidence obtained from the targeted population of Khmer mothers reflecting their socio-cultural and health behaviors. Methods: The principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) guided the development of a standardized survey interview. Four stages of development and testing of the survey instrument took place in order to inform the quantitative health survey used to collect data in stage five of the project. This article reports only on Stages 1-4. Results: This process created a new quantitative measure of HBV and HPV prevention behavior based on the revised Network Episode Model and informed by the targeted population. The CBPR method facilitated the application and translation of abstract theoretical ideas of HBV and HPV prevention behavior into culturally-relevant words and expressions of Cambodian Americans (CAs). Conclusions: The design of an instrument development process that accounts for distinctive socio-cultural backgrounds of CA refugee/immigrant women provides a model for use in developing future health surveys that are intended to aid minority-serving health care professionals and researchers as well as targeted minority populations. PMID:27981114

Investigation into Hydraulic Gear Pump Efficiencies during the First Few Hours of the Pumps’ Lives and a Comparative Study of Accelerated Life Test Methods on Hydraulic Fluid Power Gear Pumps. Parts 1 and 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-12

Interi THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF THEIR LIVES AND A COMPARATIV 3 Ep. 77 - 29 A STUDY OF ACCELERATED LIFE TEST METHODS ON HYDRAULIC 6 PEFORINOORG...Hydrau- ics and Pneumatics raqazine Designers Guide to Fluid Power Products. The results of this survey were later analyzed and served as the basis in...selected. The selection criterion is based on formulas which use instrument design features, calibration $7) data and accuracy needs. Once selected, the

Assessing methods to specify the target difference for a randomised controlled trial: DELTA (Difference ELicitation in TriAls) review.

PubMed

Cook, Jonathan A; Hislop, Jennifer; Adewuyi, Temitope E; Harrild, Kirsten; Altman, Douglas G; Ramsay, Craig R; Fraser, Cynthia; Buckley, Brian; Fayers, Peter; Harvey, Ian; Briggs, Andrew H; Norrie, John D; Fergusson, Dean; Ford, Ian; Vale, Luke D

2014-05-01

The randomised controlled trial (RCT) is widely considered to be the gold standard study for comparing the effectiveness of health interventions. Central to the design and validity of a RCT is a calculation of the number of participants needed (the sample size). The value used to determine the sample size can be considered the 'target difference'. From both a scientific and an ethical standpoint, selecting an appropriate target difference is of crucial importance. Determination of the target difference, as opposed to statistical approaches to calculating the sample size, has been greatly neglected though a variety of approaches have been proposed the current state of the evidence is unclear. The aim was to provide an overview of the current evidence regarding specifying the target difference in a RCT sample size calculation. The specific objectives were to conduct a systematic review of methods for specifying a target difference; to evaluate current practice by surveying triallists; to develop guidance on specifying the target difference in a RCT; and to identify future research needs. The biomedical and social science databases searched were MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Methodology Register, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index, EconLit, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Scopus for in-press publications. All were searched from 1966 or the earliest date of the database coverage and searches were undertaken between November 2010 and January 2011. There were three interlinked components: (1) systematic review of methods for specifying a target difference for RCTs - a comprehensive search strategy involving an electronic literature search of biomedical and some non-biomedical databases and clinical trials textbooks was carried out; (2) identification of current trial practice using two surveys of triallists - members of the Society for Clinical Trials (SCT) were invited to complete an online survey and respondents were asked about their awareness and use of, and willingness to recommend, methods; one individual per triallist group [UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC)-registered Clinical Trials Units (CTUs), Medical Research Council (MRC) UK Hubs for Trials Methodology Research and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UK Research Design Services (RDS)] was invited to complete a survey; (3) production of a structured guidance document to aid the design of future trials - the draft guidance was developed utilising the results of the systematic review and surveys by the project steering and advisory groups. Methodological review incorporating electronic searches, review of books and guidelines, two surveys of experts (membership of an international society and UK- and Ireland-based triallists) and development of guidance. The two surveys were sent out to membership of the SCT and UK- and Ireland-based triallists. The review focused on methods for specifying the target difference in a RCT. It was not restricted to any type of intervention or condition. Methods for specifying the target difference for a RCT were considered. The search identified 11,485 potentially relevant studies. In total, 1434 were selected for full-text assessment and 777 were included in the review. Seven methods to specify the target difference for a RCT were identified - anchor, distribution, health economic, opinion-seeking, pilot study, review of evidence base (RoEB) and standardised effect size (SES) - each having important variations in implementation. A total of 216 of the included studies used more than one method. A total of 180 (15%) responses to the SCT survey were received, representing 13 countries. Awareness of methods ranged from 38% (n =69) for the health economic method to 90% (n =162) for the pilot study. Of the 61 surveys sent out to UK triallist groups, 34 (56%) responses were received. Awareness ranged from 97% (n =33) for the RoEB and pilot study methods to only 41% (n =14) for the distribution method. Based on the most recent trial, all bar three groups (91%, n =30) used a formal method. Guidance was developed on the use of each method and the reporting of the sample size calculation in a trial protocol and results paper. There is a clear need for greater use of formal methods to determine the target difference and better reporting of its specification. Raising the standard of RCT sample size calculations and the corresponding reporting of them would aid health professionals, patients, researchers and funders in judging the strength of the evidence and ensuring better use of scarce resources. The Medical Research Council UK and the National Institute for Health Research Joint Methodology Research programme.

Small Rov Marine Boat for Bathymetry Surveys of Shallow Waters - Potential Implementation in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhari, K. T.; Karim, H.; Gunawan, P. H.; Purwanto, H.

2017-10-01

Current practices in bathymetry survey (available method) are indeed having some limitations. New technologies for bathymetry survey such as using unmanned boat has becoming popular in developed countries - filled in and served those limitations of existing survey methods. Malaysia as one of tropical country has it own river/water body characteristics and suitable approaches in conducting bathymetry survey. Thus, a study on this emerging technology should be conducted using enhanced version of small ROV boat with Malaysian rivers and best approaches so that the surveyors get benefits from the innovative surveying product. Among the available ROV boat for bathymetry surveying in the market, an Indonesian product called SHUMOO is among the promising products - economically and practically proven using a few sample areas in Indonesia. The boat was equipped and integrated with systems of remote sensing technology, GNSS, echo sounder and navigational engine. It was designed for riverbed surveys on shallow area such as small /medium river, lakes, reservoirs, oxidation/detention pond and other water bodies. This paper tries to highlight the needs and enhancement offered to Malaysian' bathymetry surveyors/practitioners on the new ROV boat which make their task easier, faster, safer, economically effective and better riverbed modelling results. The discussion continues with a sample of Indonesia river (data collection and modelling) since it is mostly similar to Malaysia's river characteristics and suggests some improvement for Malaysia best practice.

[An Introduction to Methods for Evaluating Health Care Technology].

PubMed

Lee, Ting-Ting

2015-06-01

The rapid and continual advance of healthcare technology makes ensuring that this technology is used effectively to achieve its original goals a critical issue. This paper presents three methods that may be applied by healthcare professionals in the evaluation of healthcare technology. These methods include: the perception/experiences of users, user work-pattern changes, and chart review or data mining. The first method includes two categories: using interviews to explore the user experience and using theory-based questionnaire surveys. The second method applies work sampling to observe the work pattern changes of users. The last method conducts chart reviews or data mining to analyze the designated variables. In conclusion, while evaluative feedback may be used to improve the design and development of healthcare technology applications, the informatics competency and informatics literacy of users may be further explored in future research.

Seismic site survey investigations in urban environments: The case of the underground metro project in Copenhagen, Denmark.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, K.; Mendoza, J. A.; Colberg-Larsen, J.; Ploug, C.

2009-05-01

Near surface geophysics applications are gaining more widespread use in geotechnical and engineering projects. The development of data acquisition, processing tools and interpretation methods have optimized survey time, reduced logistics costs and increase results reliability of seismic surveys during the last decades. However, the use of wide-scale geophysical methods under urban environments continues to face great challenges due to multiple noise sources and obstacles inherent to cities. A seismic pre-investigation was conducted to investigate the feasibility of using seismic methods to obtain information about the subsurface layer locations and media properties in Copenhagen. Such information is needed for hydrological, geotechnical and groundwater modeling related to the Cityringen underground metro project. The pre-investigation objectives were to validate methods in an urban environment and optimize field survey procedures, processing and interpretation methods in urban settings in the event of further seismic investigations. The geological setting at the survey site is characterized by several interlaced layers of clay, till and sand. These layers are found unevenly distributed throughout the city and present varying thickness, overlaying several different unit types of limestone at shallow depths. Specific results objectives were to map the bedrock surface, ascertain a structural geological framework and investigate bedrock media properties relevant to the construction design. The seismic test consisted of a combined seismic reflection and refraction analyses of a profile line conducted along an approximately 1400 m section in the northern part of Copenhagen, along the projected metro city line. The data acquisition was carried out using a 192 channels array, receiver groups with 5 m spacing and a Vibroseis as a source at 10 m spacing. Complementarily, six vertical seismic profiles (VSP) were performed at boreholes located along the line. The reflection data underwent standard interpretation and the refraction included wavepath Eikonal traveltime tomography. The reflection results indicate the presence of horizontal reflectors with discontinuities likely related to deep lying structural features in deeper lying chalk layers. The refraction interpretation allowed the identification of the upper limestone surface, relevant to map for tunneling design. The VSP provided additional information regarding limestone quality and provided correlation data for improved refraction interpretation. In general, the pre-investigation results demonstrated that it is possible to image the limestone surface using the seismic method. The satisfactory results lead to the implementation of a 15 km survey planned during the spring 2009. The survey will combine reflection, refraction, walkaway-VSP and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The authors wish to acknowledge Metroselskabet I/S for permission in presenting the preliminary results and the Cityringen Joint Venture partners Arup and Systra.

Nurse forecasting in Europe (RN4CAST): Rationale, design and methodology

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Current human resources planning models in nursing are unreliable and ineffective as they consider volumes, but ignore effects on quality in patient care. The project RN4CAST aims innovative forecasting methods by addressing not only volumes, but quality of nursing staff as well as quality of patient care. Methods/Design A multi-country, multilevel cross-sectional design is used to obtain important unmeasured factors in forecasting models including how features of hospital work environments impact on nurse recruitment, retention and patient outcomes. In each of the 12 participating European countries, at least 30 general acute hospitals were sampled. Data are gathered via four data sources (nurse, patient and organizational surveys and via routinely collected hospital discharge data). All staff nurses of a random selection of medical and surgical units (at least 2 per hospital) were surveyed. The nurse survey has the purpose to measure the experiences of nurses on their job (e.g. job satisfaction, burnout) as well as to allow the creation of aggregated hospital level measures of staffing and working conditions. The patient survey is organized in a sub-sample of countries and hospitals using a one-day census approach to measure the patient experiences with medical and nursing care. In addition to conducting a patient survey, hospital discharge abstract datasets will be used to calculate additional patient outcomes like in-hospital mortality and failure-to-rescue. Via the organizational survey, information about the organizational profile (e.g. bed size, types of technology available, teaching status) is collected to control the analyses for institutional differences. This information will be linked via common identifiers and the relationships between different aspects of the nursing work environment and patient and nurse outcomes will be studied by using multilevel regression type analyses. These results will be used to simulate the impact of changing different aspects of the nursing work environment on quality of care and satisfaction of the nursing workforce. Discussion RN4CAST is one of the largest nurse workforce studies ever conducted in Europe, will add to accuracy of forecasting models and generate new approaches to more effective management of nursing resources in Europe. PMID:21501487

A Mixed Method Study of the Effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader Program on Middle School Students' Reading Achievement and Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, SuHua

2012-01-01

The mixed-method explanatory research design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program on middle school students' reading achievement and motivation. A total of 211 sixth to eighth-grade students provided quantitative data by completing an AR Survey. Thirty of the 211 students were randomly selected to…

Understanding the Influence Career Paths Have on Community and Technical College Chief Business Officers' Satisfaction with Their Position: A Mixed Method Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

File, Carter L.

2013-01-01

This study was undertaken to understand whether a community or technical college chief business officer's career line influenced the lived experience of job satisfaction. This mixed method study was conducted in a two-phase approach using the Explanatory Design: Participant Selection Model variant. An initial quantitative survey was conducted from…

Survey and Experimental Testing of Nongravimetric Mass Measurement Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oakey, W. E.; Lorenz, R.

1977-01-01

Documentation presented describes the design, testing, and evaluation of an accelerated gravimetric balance, a low mass air bearing oscillator of the spring-mass type, and a centrifugal device for liquid mass measurement. A direct mass readout method was developed to replace the oscillation period readout method which required manual calculations to determine mass. A protoype 25 gram capacity micro mass measurement device was developed and tested.

Advancing Collaboration between School- and Agency-Employed School-Based Social Workers: A Mixed-Methods Comparison of Competencies and Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Laura R.; Ball, Annahita; Mellin, Elizabeth A.; Wade-Mdivanian, Rebecca; Anderson-Butcher, Dawn

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share results of a mixed-methods research study designed to shed light on similarities and differences between school-employed and agency-employed school-based social workers' preparation and practice as a precursor for collaboration in expanded school mental health. Online survey data from a national sample of…

Identification of an Adaptable Computer Program Design for Analyzing a Modular Organizational Assessment Instrument.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

ber) Survey-guided development Organizational effectiveness Computer program Organizational diagnosis Management 20. ABSTRACT (Continue an reverse...Army. Doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, December 1977. (DTIC AD-A059-542) Bowers, D. G. Organizational diagnosis : A review and a proposed method...G. E. Compara- tive issues and methods in organizational diagnosis . Ann Arbor MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, November 1977

Redesign of a computerized clinical reminder for colorectal cancer screening: a human-computer interaction evaluation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Based on barriers to the use of computerized clinical decision support (CDS) learned in an earlier field study, we prototyped design enhancements to the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) colorectal cancer (CRC) screening clinical reminder to compare against the VHA's current CRC reminder. Methods In a controlled simulation experiment, 12 primary care providers (PCPs) used prototypes of the current and redesigned CRC screening reminder in a within-subject comparison. Quantitative measurements were based on a usability survey, workload assessment instrument, and workflow integration survey. We also collected qualitative data on both designs. Results Design enhancements to the VHA's existing CRC screening clinical reminder positively impacted aspects of usability and workflow integration but not workload. The qualitative analysis revealed broad support across participants for the design enhancements with specific suggestions for improving the reminder further. Conclusions This study demonstrates the value of a human-computer interaction evaluation in informing the redesign of information tools to foster uptake, integration into workflow, and use in clinical practice. PMID:22126324

Development of interest in science and interest in teaching elementary science: Influence of informal, school, and inquiry methods course experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulunuz, Mizrap

Inquiry-based science instruction is a major goal of science education reform. However, there is little research examining how preservice elementary teachers might be motivated to teach through inquiry. This quantitative study was designed to examine the role of background experiences and an inquiry science methods course on interest in science and interest in teaching science. The course included many activities and assignments at varying levels of inquiry, designed to teach content and inquiry methods and to model effective teaching. The study involved analyses of surveys completed by students in the course on their experiences with science before, during, and at the end of the course. The following questions guided the design of this study and analysis of the data: (1) What science background experiences (school, home, and informal education) do participants have and how do those experiences affect initial interest in science? (2) Among the hands-on activities in the methods course, is there a relationship between level of inquiry of the activity and the motivational quality (interesting, fun, and learning) of the activity? (3) Does the course affect participants' interest and attitude toward science? (4) What aspects of the course contribute to participants' interest in teaching science and choice to teach science? Descriptive and inferential analysis of a background survey revealed that participants with high and low initial interest in science differed significantly on remembering about elementary school science and involvement in science related activities in childhood/youth. Analysis of daily ratings of each hands-on activity on motivational qualities (fun, interest, and learning) indicated that there were significant differences in motivational quality of the activities by level of inquiry with higher levels of inquiry rated more positively. Pre/post surveys indicated that participants increased in interest in science and a number of variables reflecting more positive feelings about science and science teaching. Regression analysis found that the best predictors for interest in teaching science were experiencing fun activities in the science methods course followed by the interest participants brought to the course. This study highlights the motivational aspects of the methods course in developing interest in science and interest in teaching science.

Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families: the work, love, play study.

PubMed

Power, Jennifer J; Perlesz, Amaryll; Schofield, Margot J; Pitts, Marian K; Brown, Rhonda; McNair, Ruth; Barrett, Anna; Bickerdike, Andrew

2010-03-09

While families headed by same-sex couples have achieved greater public visibility in recent years, there are still many challenges for these families in dealing with legal and community contexts that are not supportive of same-sex relationships. The Work, Love, Play study is a large longitudinal study of same-sex parents. It aims to investigate many facets of family life among this sample and examine how they change over time. The study focuses specifically on two key areas missing from the current literature: factors supporting resilience in same-sex parented families; and health and wellbeing outcomes for same-sex couples who undergo separation, including the negotiation of shared parenting arrangements post-separation. The current paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the design and methods of this longitudinal study and discuss its significance. The Work, Love, Play study is a mixed design, three wave, longitudinal cohort study of same-sex attracted parents. The sample includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents in Australia and New Zealand (including single parents within these categories) caring for any children under the age of 18 years. The study will be conducted over six years from 2008 to 2014. Quantitative data are to be collected via three on-line surveys in 2008, 2010 and 2012 from the cohort of parents recruited in Wave1. Qualitative data will be collected via interviews with purposively selected subsamples in 2012 and 2013. Data collection began in 2008 and 355 respondents to Wave One of the study have agreed to participate in future surveys. Work is currently underway to increase this sample size. The methods and survey instruments are described. This study will make an important contribution to the existing research on same-sex parented families. Strengths of the study design include the longitudinal method, which will allow understanding of changes over time within internal family relationships and social supports. Further, the mixed method design enables triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data. A broad recruitment strategy has already enabled a large sample size with the inclusion of both gay men and lesbians.