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Sample records for student essays criterion

  1. A Crosscultural Analysis of Argumentative Strategies in Student Essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamimura, Taeko; Oi, Kyoko

    A study of essays on a single topic (capital punishment) written by 22 American high school students and 30 second-year Japanese college students investigated: cultural differences in organizational patterns in argumentative essays; comparative use of rational and affective appeals; differences in content of rational and affective appeals;…

  2. Astr 101 Students' Attitudes Towards Essays On Transits, Eclipses And Occultations

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Cruz, Noella L.

    2012-05-01

    Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL offers a one semester introductory astronomy course each semester. We teach over 110 primarily non-science major students each semester. We use proven active learning strategies such lecture tutorials, think-pair-share questions and small group discussions to help these students develop and retain a good understanding of astrophysical concepts. Occasionally, we offer projects that allow students to explore course topics beyond the classroom. We hope that such projects will increase students' interest in astronomy. We also hope that these assignments will help students to improve their critical thinking and writing skills. In Spring 12, we are offering three short individual essay assignments in our face-to-face sections. The essays focus on transits, eclipses and occultations to highlight the 2012 transit of Venus. For the first essay, students will find images of transit and occultation events using the Astronomy Picture of the Day website and describe their chosen events. In addition, students will predict how variations in certain physical and orbital parameters would alter their particular events. The second essay involves transits, eclipses and occultations observed by spacecraft. Students will describe their transit event, their spacecraft's mission, orbital path, how the orbital path was achieved, etc. The third essay deals with transiting exoplanets. Students will choose at least two exoplanets from an exoplanet database, one of which has been discovered through the transit method. This essay will enable students to learn about detecting exoplanets and how they compare with our solar system. Details of the essay assignments and students' reactions to them will be presented at the meeting.

  3. Metadiscourse in persuasive essays by elementary students in South Korea and the US

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    Kim Il-Hee

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated metadiscourse in the persuasive essays of fourth graders from both urban and rural communities: 224 students in South Korea and 188 in the US. Each student was asked to write a persuasive essay in his or her native Korean or English in response to a story not previously read or discussed. Analysis with a taxonomy developed by Hyland (2004 indicated significant differences in the metadiscourse by country. In terms of interactive metadiscourse, South Korean students used more sentence-level transitions than U.S. students, who used more frame markers and endophoric markers. With regard to interactional metadiscourse, U.S. students used more hedges, boosters, engagement markers, and self-mentions in their essays. This study also compared the students′ essays by the type of community in which the writers lived. In the US the essays of students in rural communities contained more hedges, whereas those of students in urban areas included significantly more self-mentions. In South Korea, no significant difference was detected in the metadiscourse of students living in rural and urban areas.

  4. Enhancing Argumentative Essay Writing of Fourth-Grade Students with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deatline-Buchman, Andria; Jitendra, Asha K.

    2006-01-01

    A within-subject pretest-posttest comparison design was used to explore the effectiveness of a planning and writing intervention in improving the argumentative writing performance of five fourth-grade students with learning disabilities. Students were taught to collaboratively plan and revise their essays and independently write their essays using…

  5. Valuing Essays: Essaying Values

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badley, Graham

    2010-01-01

    The essay regularly comes under attack. It is criticised for being rigidly linear rather than flexible and reflective. I first challenge this view by examining reasons why the essay should be valued as an important genre. Secondly, I propose that in using the essay form students and academics necessarily exemplify their own critical values. Essays…

  6. What Do Education Students Think about Their Ability to Write Essays?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintero, Gisela Consolación

    2018-01-01

    The present study reflects the results obtained from a diagnosis carried out with Education students concerning the writing of academic essays. The objective was to identify the perceptions that Comprehensive Education students have about their ability to write academic essays. A descriptive cross-sectional research study was conducted at a single…

  7. Drafting and acting on feedback supports student learning when writing essay assignments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freestone, Nicholas

    2009-06-01

    A diverse student population is a relatively recent feature of the higher education system in the United Kingdom. Consequently, it may be thought that more "traditional" types of assessment based around essay writing skills for science undergraduates may be of decreasing value and relevance to contemporary students. This article describes a study in which the process of feedback on, and associated redrafting of, an essay was closely supervised to improve essay writing skills and subsequent exam performance. The results of this study show that students can significantly improve their learning and academic performance, as assessed by final examination mark, by a process that more closely mimics a "real-world" situation of review and redrafting. Additionally, the data show that students benefit from feedback only when this is used appropriately by the student. The article also discusses the continuing importance and relevance of essay writing skills so that writing, and acting upon feedback to do with that writing, remains an integral part of the process of learning.

  8. An Analysis of the Language of Attribution in University Students' Academic Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabulani, Sibanda

    2014-01-01

    The study reports on challenges related to the use of the language of attribution in academic essay writing by Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at Rhodes University, as a microcosm of similar challenges faced by university students elsewhere. The study content-analysed 150 essays written by 50 PGCE students taking the course…

  9. The Effects of Browse Time on the Internet on Students' Essay Scores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doan, Kim; Bloomfield, Aaron

    2014-01-01

    This study examined how 30 minutes of search time on the Web affected students' essay scores in response to a writing prompt. Expository essays were obtained from 49 fourth- and fifth-grade students enrolled in an elementary school in Virginia, in the United States. Students were placed by random assignment into three groups with the same writing…

  10. "Argument!" Helping Students Understand What Essay Writing Is About

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wingate, Ursula

    2012-01-01

    Argumentation is a key requirement of the essay, which is the most common genre that students have to write. However, how argumentation is realised in disciplinary writing is often poorly understood by academic tutors, and therefore not adequately taught to students. This paper presents research into undergraduate students' concepts of argument…

  11. Lexical Cohesion in Students' Argumentative Essay among a Select Group of Filipino College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alarcon, Josephine B.

    2013-01-01

    This study analyzed the lexical devices used by undergraduate students in their argumentative text using Halliday and Hasan (1976) and Halliday's (2004) taxonomy. One hundred forty-eight argumentative essays were analyzed. The essays underwent interrating by three independent raters using a 20-point rubric and were grouped according to rating.…

  12. Discourse Connector Usage in Argumentative Essays by American and Thai University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jangarun, Kamolphan; Luksaneeyanawin, Sudaporn

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the similarities and differences in the use of discourse connectors (DCs) in argumentative essays of American undergraduate students (AMs), Thai with high-English exposure (THHs) and Thai with low-English exposure (THLs). The data of these three groups were collected from 60 essays; 20 essays were from the corpus of…

  13. The use of an essay examination in evaluating medical students during the surgical clerkship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smart, Blair J; Rinewalt, Daniel; Daly, Shaun C; Janssen, Imke; Luu, Minh B; Myers, Jonathan A

    2016-01-01

    Third-year medical students are graded according to subjective performance evaluations and standardized tests written by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Many "poor" standardized test takers believe the heavily weighted NBME does not evaluate their true fund of knowledge and would prefer a more open-ended forum to display their individualized learning experiences. Our study examined the use of an essay examination as part of the surgical clerkship evaluation. We retrospectively examined the final surgical clerkship grades of 781 consecutive medical students enrolled in a large urban academic medical center from 2005 to 2011. We examined final grades with and without the inclusion of the essay examination for all students using a paired t test and then sought any relationship between the essay and NBME using Pearson correlations. Final average with and without the essay examination was 72.2% vs 71.3% (P essay examination increasing average scores by .4, 1.8, and 2.5 for those receiving high pass, pass, and fail, respectively. The essay decreased the average score for those earning an honors by .4. Essay scores were found to overall positively correlate with the NBME (r = .32, P essay examination as part of the third-year surgical core clerkship final did increase the final grade a modest degree, especially for those with lower scores who may identify themselves as "poor" standardized test takers. A more open-ended forum may allow these students an opportunity to overcome this deficiency and reveal their true fund of surgical knowledge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A Pilot Intervention to Improve the Structural Quality of Exam Essay Writing in UK Undergraduate Psychology Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connelly, Vincent; Dockrell, Julie E.; Barnett, Jo

    2006-01-01

    Psychology undergraduates need to produce good quality essays in order to succeed at university. Students find the transition to university writing difficult. Using a rubric, a profile of student weakness in psychology essay writing was described. The students were generally poor at the structural organisation of their essays. A pilot intervention…

  15. Assessing the use of multiple sources in student essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastings, Peter; Hughes, Simon; Magliano, Joseph P; Goldman, Susan R; Lawless, Kimberly

    2012-09-01

    The present study explored different approaches for automatically scoring student essays that were written on the basis of multiple texts. Specifically, these approaches were developed to classify whether or not important elements of the texts were present in the essays. The first was a simple pattern-matching approach called "multi-word" that allowed for flexible matching of words and phrases in the sentences. The second technique was latent semantic analysis (LSA), which was used to compare student sentences to original source sentences using its high-dimensional vector-based representation. Finally, the third was a machine-learning technique, support vector machines, which learned a classification scheme from the corpus. The results of the study suggested that the LSA-based system was superior for detecting the presence of explicit content from the texts, but the multi-word pattern-matching approach was better for detecting inferences outside or across texts. These results suggest that the best approach for analyzing essays of this nature should draw upon multiple natural language processing approaches.

  16. Effectiveness of Student Admission Essays in Identifying Attrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadler, Judith

    2003-01-01

    From a longitudinal sample of nursing students, 193 completers and 43 noncompleters were compared, revealing significant differences in the groups' mean scores on admission essays but not admission grade point averages. Content analysis revealed how completers had internalized the role of nurse. (Contains 12 references.) (SK)

  17. Conflicting views on a neutrality criterion for radioactive-waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cochran, T.B.; Bodde, D.L.

    1983-01-01

    Two essays are presented by authors who agree that risks imposed on future generations through the management of radioactive waste are acceptable if they meet a criterion of neutrality, but who disagree on the interpretation of the neutrality criterion. The first viewpoint argues that acceptable isolation of high-level radioactive waste is yet to be accomplished and that a fundamental criterion for radioactive waste disposal must include consideration of the intergenerational radiation effects. The second essay promotes balanced resource allocation, technological progress, and adequate problem-solving institutions as the solution to the problem. The debate illustrates the complexities involved in applying philosophical principles to public policy, even when the principles have been agreed upon. 23 references, 1 figure

  18. Effectiveness of a Test-Taking Strategy on Achievement in Essay Tests for Students with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Therrien, William J.; Hughes, Charles; Kapelski, Cory; Mokhtari, Kouider

    2009-01-01

    Research was conducted to ascertain if an essay-writing strategy was effective at improving the achievement on essay tests for 7th- and 8th-grade students with reading and writing disabilities. Students were assigned via a stratified random sample to treatment or control group. Student scores were also compared to students without learning…

  19. Comparing Postsecondary Marketing Student Performance on Computer-Based and Handwritten Essay Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Truell, Allen D.; Alexander, Melody W.; Davis, Rodney E.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in postsecondary marketing student performance on essay tests based on test format (i.e., computer-based or handwritten). Specifically, the variables of performance, test completion time, and gender were explored for differences based on essay test format. Results of the study…

  20. Self-Assessment in Coursework Essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, Nigel; Norton, Lin S.

    1997-01-01

    Self-assessments of coursework essays were compared with tutor grades for 67 college students. Students could accurately assess their overall essay grades and could give an overall rank for deep processing, but when judging essays on individual criteria they were not so accurate when compared to tutor evaluations. (SLD)

  1. The Comparison of Typed and Handwritten Essays of Iranian EFL Students in terms of Length, Spelling, and Grammar

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    Behrouz Sarbakhshian

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This study attempted to compare typed and handwritten essays of Iranian EFL students in terms of length, spelling, and grammar. To administer the study, the researchers utilized Alice Touch Typing Tutor software to select 15 upper intermediate students with higher ability to write two essays: one typed and the other handwritten. The students were both males and females between the ages of 22 to 35. The analyses of the students’ scores in the three mentioned criteria through three paired samples t-tests indicate that typed essays are significantly better than handwritten ones in terms of length of texts and grammatical mistakes, but not significantly different in spelling mistakes. Positive effects of typing can provide a logical reason for students, especially TOEFL applicants, to spend more time on acquiring typing skill and also for teachers to encourage their students with higher typing ability to choose typed format in their essays.

  2. A qualitative thematic content analysis of medical students' essays on professionalism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, So-Youn; Shon, Changwoo; Kwon, Oh Young; Yoon, Tai Young; Kwon, Ivo

    2017-05-03

    Physicians in both Western and Eastern countries are being confronted by changes in health care delivery systems and medical professionalism values. The traditional concept of "In-Sul" (benevolent art) and the modern history of South Korea have led to cultural differences between South Korea and other countries in conceptualizing medical professionalism; thus, we studied medical students' perceptions of professionalism as described in essays written on this topic. In 2014, we asked 109 first-year medical students who were enrolled in a compulsory ethics course to anonymously write a description of an instance of medical professionalism that they had witnessed, as well as reflecting on their own professional context. We then processed 105 valid essays using thematic content analysis with computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis of the students' essays revealed two core aspects of professionalism in South Korea, one focused on respect for patients and the other on physicians' accountability. The most common theme regarding physician-patient relationships was trust. By contrast, distributive justice was thought to be a non-essential aspect of professionalism. In Western countries, physicians tend to promote justice in the health care system, including fair distribution of medical resources; however, we found that medical students in South Korea were more inclined to emphasize doctors' relationships with patients. Medical educators should develop curricular interventions regarding medical professionalism to meet the legitimate needs of patients in their own culture. Because professionalism is a dynamic construct of culture, medical educators should reaffirm cultural context-specific definitions of professionalism for development of associated curricula.

  3. A Criterion-Referenced Approach to Student Ratings of Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, J. Patrick; Doromal, Justin B.; Wei, Xiaoxin; Zhu, Shi

    2017-01-01

    We developed a criterion-referenced student rating of instruction (SRI) to facilitate formative assessment of teaching. It involves four dimensions of teaching quality that are grounded in current instructional design principles: Organization and structure, Assessment and feedback, Personal interactions, and Academic rigor. Using item response…

  4. Typing Compared with Handwriting for Essay Examinations at University: Letting the Students Choose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mogey, Nora; Paterson, Jessie; Burk, John; Purcell, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Students at the University of Edinburgh do almost all their work on computers, but at the end of the semester they are examined by handwritten essays. Intuitively it would be appealing to allow students the choice of handwriting or typing, but this raises a concern that perhaps this might not be "fair"--that the choice a student makes,…

  5. An Examination of the Instruction Provided in Australian Essay Guides for Students' Development of a Critical Viewpoint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammer, Sara

    2017-01-01

    The argumentative essay has endured as a popular form of university assessment, yet students still struggle to meet key intended learning outcomes, such as those associated with critical thinking. This paper presents the results of a study that examines the instruction provided by Australian essay writing guides to support students' development of…

  6. Short Essay on Managing Multicultural Students Groups within Diversity Context

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    Cătălin Ploae

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present essay focuses on summarizing the key elements that should be considered wheneducators are in a position to manage and interact with a group of students from different culturesor social environments. In this respect, we consider that the challenge educators’ face inconnecting with students of diverse backgrounds is to develop a critical consciousness of the waysin which these larger discourses operate in their classrooms and to care enough to question them,to challenge them and to advocate for their students. To care for students who come fromhistorically marginalized populations educators need to remember that schooling can serve eithera liberating or marginalizing function. They can empower students to identify structures in societythat have contributed to marginalizing their perspective and seek to maintain inequitable structuresin society or even narrow communities.

  7. Factors Influencing Student Preference When Comparing Handwriting and Typing for Essay Style Examinations

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    Mogey, Nora; Fluck, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    It seems anachronistic that we expect students to handwrite essay examinations when almost all their other work is mediated by computer. Two universities, one in the UK and one in Australia, are exploring the use of computers in free text response examinations. This paper compares both the attitudes and the behaviours of their students concerning…

  8. THE EFFECT OF CLUSTERING TECHNIQUE ON WRITING EXPOSITORY ESSAYS OF EFL STUDENTS

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    Sabarun Sabarun

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using clustering technique in writing expository essays. The aim of the study is to prove whether there is a significant difference between writing using clustering technique and writing without using it on the students’ writing achievement or not. The study belonged to experimental study by applying counterbalance procedure to collect the data. The study was conducted at the fourth semester English department students of Palangka Raya State Islamic College of 2012/ 2013 academic year. The number of the sample was 13 students. This study was restricted to two focuses: using clustering technique and without using clustering technique to write composition. Using clustering technique to write essay was one of the pre writing strategies in writing process. To answer the research problem, the t test for correlated samples was applied. The research findings showed that,it was found that the t value was 10.554.It was also found that the df (Degree of freedom of the distribution observed was 13-1= 12.  Based on the Table of t value, if df was 12, the 5% of significant level of t value was at 1.782 and the 1% of significant level of t value was at 2.179. It meant that using clustering gave facilitative effect on the students’ essay writing performance. Keywords: reading comprehension, text, scaffolding

  9. Audiotape Feedback for Essays in Distance Education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kirschner, P.A.; Brink, H. van den; Meester, M.

    1991-01-01

    Students who were required to write three short essays for a university level course on photochemistry at the Open university of the Netherlands received either audio-cassette or written feedback on their essays. The students receiving the audio feedback described their experience as personal,

  10. Giving Personal Examples and Telling Stories in Academic Essays.

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    Hinkel, Eli

    2001-01-01

    Analyzes the extensive use of personal examples and stories in the academic essays of students who are nonnative speakers of English. Draws on a large database of college examination essays to compare the use of personal examples in essays written by native and nonnative speakers. Finds nonnative students not only use examples more often than…

  11. Tutor Feedback on Draft Essays: Developing Students' Academic Writing and Subject Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Court, Krista

    2014-01-01

    Providing feedback on draft essays is an accepted means of enacting a social-constructivist approach to assessment, aligning with current views on the value of formative feedback and assessment for learning (AFL). However, the use of this process as a means of improving not only content but also students' academic writing skills has not been…

  12. The impact of interactive whiteboard technology on medical students' achievement in ESL essay writing : an early study in Egypt.

    OpenAIRE

    Albaaly, E.; Higgins, S.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of the interactive whiteboard on Egyptian medical students' achievement in essay writing in English as a second language (ESL). First, the writing micro-skills judged essential to help these students improve their essay writing were identified, using a questionnaire which investigated experts' views. This gave rise to a taxonomy of 29 writing micro-skills, which then provided the basis for the design of a teaching module. This module was subsequently taught ...

  13. A new self-report inventory of dyslexia for students: criterion and construct validity.

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    Tamboer, Peter; Vorst, Harrie C M

    2015-02-01

    The validity of a Dutch self-report inventory of dyslexia was ascertained in two samples of students. Six biographical questions, 20 general language statements and 56 specific language statements were based on dyslexia as a multi-dimensional deficit. Dyslexia and non-dyslexia were assessed with two criteria: identification with test results (Sample 1) and classification using biographical information (both samples). Using discriminant analyses, these criteria were predicted with various groups of statements. All together, 11 discriminant functions were used to estimate classification accuracy of the inventory. In Sample 1, 15 statements predicted the test criterion with classification accuracy of 98%, and 18 statements predicted the biographical criterion with classification accuracy of 97%. In Sample 2, 16 statements predicted the biographical criterion with classification accuracy of 94%. Estimations of positive and negative predictive value were 89% and 99%. Items of various discriminant functions were factor analysed to find characteristic difficulties of students with dyslexia, resulting in a five-factor structure in Sample 1 and a four-factor structure in Sample 2. Answer bias was investigated with measures of internal consistency reliability. Less than 20 self-report items are sufficient to accurately classify students with and without dyslexia. This supports the usefulness of self-assessment of dyslexia as a valid alternative to diagnostic test batteries. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Time to Criterion: An Experimental Study.

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    Anderson, Lorin W.

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the magnitude of individual differences in time-to-criterion and the stability of these differences. Time-to-criterion was defined in two ways: the amount of elapsed time required to attain the criterion level and the amount of on-task time required to attain the criterion level. Ninety students were…

  15. eGrader, A Software Application that Automatically Scores Student Essays: with a Postscript on Ethical Complexities

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    Roxanne Byrne

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Online and traditional teachers face several instructional challenges with regard to assessing student learning. This paper focuses on a software application that automatically scores student essay. The first part gives a brief overview of three commercial automated essay scoring systems. Then it describes the technical aspects of the machine grader developed by the authors, including an assessment of its performance. Although the statistical results were significant in finding a strong correlation between human and machine scorers and the other measures, follow-up non-quantitative evaluations led the researchers to discontinue using the eGrader. They concluded that while the eGrader's ability to measure objective evaluation criteria was successful, measuring subjective ideas proved to more complex and problematic.

  16. Coherence in the Argumentative Essays of First Year College of Liberal Arts Students at De La Salle University

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    Alphie G. Garing

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The study investigates five textual features of coherence in the students’ argumentative essays for text comprehensibility and overall writing quality. Specifically, it examines how comprehensible the students’ argumentative essays considering the following: focus, organization, cohesion, support and elaboration, and conventions; and the relationship between the textual features and the comprehensibility of the students’ argumentative essays. The data consists of 13 argumentative essays written in ENGLCOM class first year College of Liberal Arts students of De La Salle University. Two techniques were used to analyze the data. First, an analytic and holistic scorings using a four-point writing rubric were used to evaluate each of the textual features of coherence and comprehensibility, respectively. Second, correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the coherence features and the comprehensibility of the students’ texts and between the comprehensibility of the students’ argumentative essays.

  17. Application essays and future performance in medical school: are they related?

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    Dong, Ting; Kay, Allen; Artino, Anthony R; Gilliland, William R; Waechter, Donna M; Cruess, David; DeZee, Kent J; Durning, Steven J

    2013-01-01

    There is a paucity of research on whether application essays are a valid indicator of medical students' future performance. The goal is to score medical school application essays systematically and examine the correlations between these essay scores and several indicators of student performance during medical school and internship. A journalist created a scoring rubric based on the journalism literature and scored 2 required essays of students admitted to our university in 1 year (N = 145). We picked 7 indicators of medical school and internship performance and correlated these measures with overall essay scores: preclinical medical school grade point average (GPA), clinical medical school GPA, cumulative medical school GPA, U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and 2 scores, and scores on a program director's evaluation measuring intern professionalism and expertise. We then examined the Pearson and Spearman correlations between essay scores and the outcomes. Essay scores did not vary widely. American Medical College Application Service essay scores ranged from 3.3 to 4.5 (M = 4.11, SD = 0.15), and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences essay scores ranged from 2.9 to 4.5 (M = 4.09, SD = 0.17). None of the medical school or internship performance indicators was significantly correlated with the essay scores. These findings raise questions about the utility of matriculation essays, a resource-intensive admission requirement.

  18. Associated Effects of Automated Essay Evaluation Software on Growth in Writing Quality for Students with and without Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Joshua

    2017-01-01

    The present study examined growth in writing quality associated with feedback provided by an automated essay evaluation system called PEG Writing. Equal numbers of students with disabilities (SWD) and typically-developing students (TD) matched on prior writing achievement were sampled (n = 1196 total). Data from a subsample of students (n = 655)…

  19. Writing anxiety: an affective filter for essay writing instruction among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study which adopted the descriptive research design investigated the relationship between writing anxiety and students' achievement in essay writing. SS2 Students from six schools in Ibadan Metropolis were used for the study. The instruments used were Essay Writing Achievement Test(r=0.81) and Writing Anxiety ...

  20. Intertextual Trips: Teaching the Essay in the Composition Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kline, Nancy

    1989-01-01

    Cites essays by Joan Didion, John Berryman, and Martin Luther King in arguing that the essay, no matter how serious, can be considered as a fiction and a playful, exploratory and deeply interesting rhetorical game. Describes how these works were used to teach students that the essay is a living document calling for interaction. (SG)

  1. Teaching Critical Questions about Argumentation through the Revising Process: Effects of Strategy Instruction on College Students' Argumentative Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yi; Ferretti, Ralph P.

    2013-01-01

    The effects of self-regulated strategy development revising instruction for college students that targeted the use of argumentation schemes and critical questions were assessed in three conditions. In the first condition, students were taught to revise their essays by asking and answering critical questions about the "argument from consequences"…

  2. E-education Essay

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    李妍

    2012-01-01

    This entry is filed under Examples and tagged e-education essay sample,free education essay example,sample education essay.So many things around us have been changed by development of technology of which education can't help being an exception.Some kinds of technology have applied to education and one of produc~ is the E-education which makes us be ableto get education wherever and whenever we want to.This feature of E-education has given us many advantages.However,there is debate between online education and ordinary education due to some of concern such as technology of E-education and students responsibility for learning.Even though some problems have heen found in E-education,it could be one of best way to get good quality education and supplement ordinary education because technology which supports online education keeps developing and there are a lot of good online course which offer good qualityeducation.

  3. Model Essay as a Feedback Tool in Task 2 of the IELTS Writing Exam Instruction for Slovene Students

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    Nina Bostič Bishop

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper discusses using a model essay as a feedback tool when teaching EFL writing to Slovene EFL students in the context of Task 2 of the IELTS Writing exam. In the present study, four IELTS students of two different levels were asked to write a response to a Task 2 IELTS Writing Exam question and compare it to a native speaker or a native speaker-like model essay by means of note-taking. The notes were then analyzed, and the findings offer an insight into what aspects of the English language Slovene students noticed and how frequently they noticed individual language items. An analysis of the differences and similarities in the quality and quantity of noticing depending on the students’ level is also provided. A comparison with a Japanese study made by Abe in 2008 has been done. Finally, recommendations for future research are made.

  4. Academic Essay Writing as Imitative Problem Solving: Examples from Distance Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Sydney Ian

    2014-01-01

    Students in tertiary education are often faced with the prospect of writing an essay on a topic they know nothing about in advance. In distance learning institutions, essays are a common method of assessment in the UK, and specified course texts remain the main sources of information the students have. How do students use a source text to…

  5. Young people's awareness of energy problems - a contents analysis of students' essays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peters, H.P.

    1984-03-01

    A content analysis of 79 essays on energy topics written by students of 16 to 19 years was conducted to describe the representation of the energy problem in the mind of young people. Although energy conservation is highly appreciated most students associate the solution of the energy problem with an increase of the energy supply. On the long run they expect nuclear fusion and solar energy to be the most important energy sources. Fossile energies are discredited because of the limited ressources and environmental pollution. Even those students who accept the use of nuclear energy have an ambitious point of view because of the possible catastrophical consequences of nuclear accidents and the nuclear waste problem. Therefore they forecast the use of nuclear energy for only a limited time - until other technological options are developed. At last students have - regardless whether they are pro or contra nuclear energy - high expectations in technological progress. (orig.) [de

  6. THE STRATEGY OF USING PERSUASIVE ESSAY IN ENGLISH FOR MEDICAL ACADEMIC WRITING

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    Ellie Setyo Wahyuni

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Writing persuasive essay has the purpose of providing some techniques in organizing the idea and constructing the sentences in coherence. The content of this essay contains the health issue and medical terms. The students of medical faculty are expected to make a good persuasive essay in order to find out the recommendation solution of a health problem through the strategies (1 brainstorming (2 mapping (3 the 5 W’s (4 setting thesis statement (5 providing fact, statistic, and example (5 conclusion. The techniques have improved the student writing as the essays have been evaluated and given positive input on the content and development of paragraphs. This academic writing aims to give some practices for the Medical Faculty students of Hang Tuah University in order to produce a good persuasive essay in term of coherence, sentence structure, and organization.

  7. Decision-Making and the Law in Higher Education--Emphasis on Student Rights: Essay and Bibliography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tice, Terrence N.

    The essay and bibliography presented here are designed for general use among those concerned with questions of campus rights and responsibilities and with the application of legal principles in campus decision-making. The primary focus is on student rights issues. The discussion falls into three parts: (1) "Law and Morality in the Open Society" is…

  8. STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR REFLECTIVE ESSAY WRITING EXPERIENCE AND TEACHER FEEDBACK COMMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asiah Mohd Sharif

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Reflection which encompasses critical and analytical capabilities is a critical 21st century skill for students to develop. To ensure students are equipped with this skill, reflective writing has been identified as a possible tool. Teacher feedback on students’ written output therefore plays a role in developing students’ reflective skills. This study asks two questions: How do students perceive their experience writing reflective essays? What is the nature of the teacher’s feedback comments on students’ reflective essays and how do students perceive them? To answer these questions, nineteen ESL students in an entry-level Medical programme completed a questionnaire concerning their experiences writing reflective essays and perceptions of teacher feedback on these essays. Interviews were conducted with two students to follow-up on questionnaire responses. The content analysis showed that the students believed reflective writing played a small contribution to their language learning. Further investigation into the students’ perspectives of their teachers’ feedback comments suggests that even though the teachers’ feedback was positive, the students also referred to the comments as inadequate and ineffective. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

  9. Correlation Between Lexical Richness and Overall Quality of Argumentative Essays Written by English Department Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rizky Lutviana

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: This study aims at revealing the contribution of diction to the overall quality of argumenta-tive essays written by 42 EFL students. The researcher compared two sets of scores, the score of students’ lexical richness, measured with LFP (Lexical Frequency Profile, and the score of overall quality of EFL students’ argumentative essay, using analytical scoring rubric. The small and not significant correlation (ñ=.18, sig=.23 implied that diction had small contribution to the overall quality of the essay. There might be another factor related to the diction that supports the quality of written text. Thus, further research is needed to be conducted. Key Words: diction, lexical richness, overall quality, argumentative essay Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan kontribusi diksi untuk kualitas keseluruhan dari esai argumentatif yang ditulis oleh 42 siswa EFL. Peneliti membandingkan dua set nilai, skor siswa kekayaan leksikal, diukur dengan LFP (Lexical Frequency Profile, dan skor keseluruhan kualitas siswa EFL pada esai argumentatif, dengan menggunakan rubrik skoring analitis. Korelasi kecil dan tidak signifikan (ñ = 0,18, sig = 0,23 menunjukkan bahwa diksi memiliki kontribusi kecil untuk kualitas keseluruhan dari esai. Kemungkinan, ada faktor lain yang berhubungan dengan diksi yang mendukung kualitas dari teks. Dengan demikian, penelitian lebih lanjut diperlukan untuk dilakukan. Kata kunci: diksi, kekayaan leksikal, kualitas secara keseluruhan, esai argumentatif

  10. Statistical and Measurement Properties of Features Used in Essay Assessment. Research Report. ETS RR-04-21

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haberman, Shelby J.

    2004-01-01

    Statistical and measurement properties are examined for features used in essay assessment to determine the generalizability of the features across populations, prompts, and individuals. Data are employed from TOEFL® and GMAT® examinations and from writing for Criterion?.

  11. Essays on numbers and figures

    CERN Document Server

    Prasolov, V V

    2000-01-01

    This is the English translation of the book originally published in Russian. It contains 20 essays, each dealing with a separate mathematical topic. The topics range from brilliant mathematical statements with interesting proofs, to simple and effective methods of problem-solving, to interesting properties of polynomials, to exceptional points of the triangle. Many of the topics have a long and interesting history. The author has lectured on them to students worldwide. The essays are independent of one another for the most part, and each presents a vivid mathematical result that led to current

  12. Computer-Automated Approach for Scoring Short Essays in an Introductory Statistics Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, Whitney Alicia; Kang, Hyun Bin; Kim, Kyung; Gao, Mengzhao; Johnson, Glenn; Clariana, Roy; Zhang, Fan

    2018-01-01

    Over two semesters short essay prompts were developed for use with the Graphical Interface for Knowledge Structure (GIKS), an automated essay scoring system. Participants were students in an undergraduate-level online introductory statistics course. The GIKS compares students' writing samples with an expert's to produce keyword occurrence and…

  13. Forum: The Lecture and Student Learning. Rethinking Lecture-Learning from Communicative Lenses: A Response to Forum Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzzanell, Patrice M.

    2017-01-01

    This response discusses why the essays in this forum are of particular interest for instructors in light of recent articles in "The Chronicle of Higher Education" and trends in student populations and higher education. "The Chronicle" recently featured several articles on innovative ways to "shake up the lecture" that…

  14. The SAT® Essay and College Performance: Understanding What Essay Scores Add to HSGPA and SAT. Research Report 2012-9 (REV: 4-2013)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Emily J.; Kobrin, Jennifer L.

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the relationship between students' SAT essay scores and college outcomes, including first-year grade point average (FYGPA) and first-year English course grade average (FY EngGPA), overall and by various demographic and academic performance subgroups. Results showed that the SAT essay score has a positive relationship with both…

  15. EXTROVERT PERSONALITY AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS’ ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY WRITING SKILL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wida Sopia Marwa

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This research aims at finding the positive correlation between extroversion personality and students’ argumentative essay writing skill. The objective of this research is to know the correlation between extroversion personality and students’ argumentative essay of sophomore English Department students in University of Kuningan. The population in this research was all sophomore English Department students with total 60 students. A convenience purposive sampling was applied to get the sample students. The samples of this research were 12 extrovert students. From the results of statistical tests to test the correlation between two variables, this research used Pearson product moment. As the result of the calculation, it was found that r-observed (0,778 > t-tables (0, 532. Then, based on the hypothesis test with two tail test, the result of hypothesis test obtained t-observed (3, 917 > t-tables (1, 782. Thus, it can be concluded that Ha was accepted and there was a correlation between extroversion personality and students’ argumentative essay writing skill.

  16. A view of dyslexia in context: implications for understanding differences in essay writing experience amongst higher education students identified as dyslexic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Christine; Sellman, Edward

    2013-08-01

    This article applies socio-cultural theories to explore how differences in essay writing experience are constituted for a group of students identified as dyslexic. It reports on a qualitative study with eleven student writers, seven of whom are formally identified as dyslexic, from the schools of archaeology, history and philosophy in a 'traditional' UK university. Semi-structured interviews before, during and after writing a coursework essay revealed well-documented dyslexia-related difficulties and also strong differences in how writing was experienced. The multiple and fluid dimensions that construct these differences suggest the importance of position within the context, previous and developing writing and learning experience, and metacognitive, meta-affective and metalinguistic awareness. They also suggest tensions between specialist and inclusive policies in relation to writing pedagogy for students identified as dyslexic. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Hermetic and Web Plagiarism Detection Systems for Student Essays--An Evaluation of the State-of-the-Art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakkonen, Tuomo; Mozgovoy, Maxim

    2010-01-01

    Plagiarism has become a serious problem in education, and several plagiarism detection systems have been developed for dealing with this problem. This study provides an empirical evaluation of eight plagiarism detection systems for student essays. We present a categorical hierarchy of the most common types of plagiarism that are encountered in…

  18. Blue Marble Space Institute essay contest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendel, JoAnna

    2014-04-01

    The Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, based in Seattle, Wash., is inviting college students to participate in its essay contest. Essays need to address the question, "In the next 100 years, how can human civilization prepare for the long-term changes to the Earth system that will occur over the coming millennium?" According to the institute, the purpose of the contest is "to stimulate creative thinking relating to space exploration and global issues by exploring how changes in the Earth system will affect humanity's future."

  19. The Effect of Teaching Methods and Learning Styles on Capabilities of Writing Essays on Elementary School's Students in East Jakarta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wuryani; Yufiarti

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this research was to discover the effect of teaching methods and learning styles on the student's ability to write essays. This study was conducted in elementary school in East Jakarta. The population of this studies was 3rd-grade elementary school students who study in East Jakarta. Samples were taken with stratified cluster…

  20. Comparison between Two Assessment Methods; Modified Essay Questions and Multiple Choice Questions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assadi S.N.* MD

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Aims Using the best assessment methods is an important factor in educational development of health students. Modified essay questions and multiple choice questions are two prevalent methods of assessing the students. The aim of this study was to compare two methods of modified essay questions and multiple choice questions in occupational health engineering and work laws courses. Materials & Methods This semi-experimental study was performed during 2013 to 2014 on occupational health students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The class of occupational health and work laws course in 2013 was considered as group A and the class of 2014 as group B. Each group had 50 students.The group A students were assessed by modified essay questions method and the group B by multiple choice questions method.Data were analyzed in SPSS 16 software by paired T test and odd’s ratio. Findings The mean grade of occupational health and work laws course was 18.68±0.91 in group A (modified essay questions and was 18.78±0.86 in group B (multiple choice questions which was not significantly different (t=-0.41; p=0.684. The mean grade of chemical chapter (p<0.001 in occupational health engineering and harmful work law (p<0.001 and other (p=0.015 chapters in work laws were significantly different between two groups. Conclusion Modified essay questions and multiple choice questions methods have nearly the same student assessing value for the occupational health engineering and work laws course.

  1. A "Light Bulb Moment" in Understanding Public Health for Undergraduate Students: Evaluation of the Experiential "This Is Public Health" Photo Essay Task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dundas, Kate Joanne; Hansen, Vibeke; Outram, Suzanne; James, Erica L

    2017-01-01

    A lack of understanding of the importance of public health both within the community and in the tertiary education setting is a significant impediment to improvement in population health. The international campaign "This is Public Health" (TIPH) has been promoted widely as a strategy to increase community awareness and attract and inspire the next generation of public health professionals. This paper describes and evaluates student perceptions of a TIPH photo essay and reflective task in order to explore the pedagogical and learning outcomes related to undergraduate students' public health knowledge. The aim of the analysis was to understand (1) if the task led to increased awareness of public health, and if so, the process of how an understanding of public health develops, and (2) how the interactive nature of the experiential TIPH task leads to depth of understanding. This study was undertaken at the University of Newcastle (UON), NSW, Australia. A qualitative study design using a descriptive case study methodology was employed. One-hundred and thirty-nine undergraduate students taking part in a semester-long, introductory public health course provided informed consent and completed a TIPH photo essay and reflective task as a compulsory assessment. Analysis of the student reflections was performed using a general inductive approach to qualitative thematic analysis. Analysis of the reflections indicated that completion of the photo essay and reflective task revealed two strong thematic clusters each with a number of subthemes. The most important findings were the six strong data clusters around students' new and deeper understanding of Public Health. Additionally, four separate data clusters around the pedagogy of the task were revealed. The task also impacted beyond knowledge improvement and academic performance. Students alluded to an increased appreciation of their own health, a new recognition of the importance of preventative health measures, and an improved

  2. Automated Guidance for Thermodynamics Essays: Critiquing versus Revisiting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Dermot F.; Vitale, Jonathan M.; Linn, Marcia C.

    2015-01-01

    Middle school students struggle to explain thermodynamics concepts. In this study, to help students succeed, we use a natural language processing program to analyze their essays explaining the aspects of thermodynamics and provide guidance based on the automated score. The 346 sixth-grade students were assigned to either the critique condition…

  3. Guidelines for writing an argumentative essay

    OpenAIRE

    Aleksandra Egurnova

    2014-01-01

    The guidelines below are intended for teachers, professors, students, and the public at large who are interested in the issues of English writing culture. They provide a detailed plan for completing the writing task–writing an argumentative essay.

  4. Reconciling the Chinese Financial Development with its Economic Growth: A Discursive Essay

    OpenAIRE

    Maswana, Jean-Claude

    2005-01-01

    China‘s strong economic performance and its financial development outcomes are extremely difficult to reconcile with the dominant verdict that its financial system is seriously inefficient. Using an evolutionary perspective as a metaphor, this essay offered suggestions that adaptive efficiency criteria may help solve the apparent puzzle. An adaptive efficiency criterion offers conceptual as well as methodological approaches to resolving this puzzle and contradiction. The essay‘s discussions r...

  5. Scoring and setting pass/fail standards for an essay certification examination in nurse-midwifery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fullerton, J T; Greener, D L; Gross, L J

    1992-03-01

    Examination for certification or licensure of health professionals (credentialing) in the United States is almost exclusively of the multiple choice format. The certification examination for entry into the practice of the profession of nurse-midwifery has, however, used a modified essay format throughout its twenty-year history. The examination has recently undergone a revision in the method for score interpretation and for pass/fail decision-making. The revised method, described in this paper, has important implications for all health professional credentialing agencies which use modified essay, oral or practical methods of competency assessment. This paper describes criterion-referenced scoring, the process of constructing the essay items, the methods for assuring validity and reliability for the examination, and the manner of standard setting. In addition, two alternative methods for increasing the validity of the pass/fail decision are evaluated, and the rationale for decision-making about marginal candidates is described.

  6. Tales from the front lines: the creative essay as a tool for teaching genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koehler, K E; Hawley, R S

    1999-07-01

    In contrast to the more typical mock grant proposals or literature reviews, we describe the use of the creative essay as a novel tool for teaching human genetics at the college level. This method has worked well for both nonmajor and advanced courses for biology majors. The 10- to 15-page essay is written in storylike form and represents a student's response to the choice of 6-8 scenarios describing human beings coping with various genetic dilemmas. We have found this tool to be invaluable both in developing students' ability to express genetic concepts in lay terms and in promoting student awareness of genetic issues outside of the classroom. Examples from student essays are presented to illustrate these points, and guidelines are suggested regarding instructor expectations of student creativity and scientific accuracy. Methods of grading this assignment are also discussed.

  7. Writing an academic essay: a practical guide for nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booth, Y

    Writing academic essays can be a major hurdle and source of anxiety for many students. Fears and misconceptions relating to this kind of writing can be dispelled if the task is approached in a logical and systematic manner. This article outlines the key steps involved in successfully completing an essay and provides some practical tips to facilitate critical and analytical writing. These steps are: analysing the task; exploring the subject; planning the essay; writing the account; and revising the drafts. Although this process is challenging, academic writing is a means of developing both personally and professionally.

  8. Application of the PEE Model to essay composition in an IELTS preparation class

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ender Orlando Velasco Tovar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on two case studies, this study investigates the application of the Point, Explanation, Example (PEE model to essay composition in a multi-lingual IELTS preparation class. This model was incorporated into an eight-week programme of instruction to ESL adults in London, England. Students preparing for the IELTS exam were asked to write pre and post instruction essays on a given topic within 40 minutes. Employing the IELTS band descriptors (IELTS, 2013b and analyses of coherence and cohesion in line with Systemic Functional Linguistic concepts (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2004; McCarthy, 1991, samples of students’ writing were analysed. Data from students’ pre and post instruction interviews was also gathered and analysed. The findings of this study suggest that the PEE model is to some extent effective in improving the essay composition performance of IELTS students, in particular in the area of cohesion and coherence. Students find the PEE model useful in regard to the clarity and structure that the model seems to add to their essays.

  9. Biotechnology essay competition: biotechnology and sustainable food practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Judy; Schoeb, Helena; Lee, Gina

    2013-06-01

    Biotechnology Journal announces our second biotechnology essay competition with the theme "biotechnology and sustainable food practices", open to all undergraduate students. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Relations between scripted online peer feedback processes and quality of written argumentative essay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Noroozi, Omid; Biemans, Harm; Mulder, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Teachers often complain about the quality of students' written essays in higher education. This study explores the relations between scripted online peer feedback processes and quality of written argumentative essay as they occur in an authentic learning situation with direct practical relevance.

  11. Rhetorical, Metacognitive, and Cognitive Strategies in Teacher Candidates’ Essay Writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Díaz Larenas

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on a study about the rhetoric, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies pre-service teachers use before and after a process-based writing intervention when completing an argumentative essay. The data were collected through two think-aloud protocols while 21 Chilean English as a foreign language pre-service teachers completed an essay task. The findings show that strategies such as summarizing, reaffirming, and selecting ideas were only evidenced during the post intervention essay, without the use of communication and socio-affective strategies in either of the two essays. All in all, a process-based writing intervention does not only influence the number of times a strategy is used, but also the number of students who employs strategies when writing an essay—two key considerations for the devising of any writing program.

  12. Planning and Revising Written Arguments: The Effects of Two Text Structure-Based Interventions on Persuasiveness of 8th-Grade Students' Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Midgette, Ekaterina; Haria, Priti

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of two comprehensive argumentative writing interventions--Text Structure Instruction (TSI) and Text Structure Revision Instruction (TSRI)--on the eighth-grade students' ability to compose convincing essays that include structural elements of argumentative discourse. Both treatment groups…

  13. Solving the Students’ Problems in Writing Argumentative Essay Through the Provision of Planning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lestari Setyowati

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Most Indonesian students who are learning English often consider writing as not only the most difficult skill to master, but also a demanding activity. To help them cope these problems, the application of planning in the writing process seems to be a solution. This study attempts to find out howdifferent planning formats can improve EFL students’ writing performance in argumentative essays. The subjects of the studywere the fourth semester students taking essay writing class. The research was conducted from May to June 2015, consisting of three cycles in Classroom Action Research design by using different planning types, namely rough drafting and outlining strategy in which each cycle consisted of two meetings.The students’ compositions were measured by using primary trait scoring rubric for argumentative essay. The result of the study shows that the provision of planning is effective to improve the students’ performance in writing argumentative essay. The effectiveness of different types planningdepends on the students’ preference of which to use.

  14. Development and Psychometric Properties of the Emotional Intelligence Admission Essay Scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharon A. Gutman

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose was to describe the development and psychometric properties of the Emotional Intelligence Admission Essay scale. The authors developed an admission essay question and rating scale designed to provide information about applicants’ emotional intelligence (EI. Content validity, convergent validity, interrater reliability, and internal consistency were established. The scale was also examined to determine if it could discriminate between students with and without professional behavior problems in the academic and fieldwork settings. Content validity was found to be high by a panel of three experts in EI (content validity index = 1.0. Convergent validity with the Assessing Emotions Scale was moderate (r = .46, p < .02. Interrater reliability between two trained faculty raters was high (ICC = .91, p < .000. Internal consistency of the scale was high with a Cronbach’s alpha of .95. This version of the scale was not able to discriminate between students with and without professional behavior problems. The moderate to strong psychometric properties suggest that the EI Admission Essay Scale has the ability to provide information about applicants’ EI. The wording of the essay question must be modified to better instruct applicants to address interpersonal conflict.

  15. A “Light Bulb Moment” in Understanding Public Health for Undergraduate Students: Evaluation of the Experiential “This Is Public Health” Photo Essay Task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate Joanne Dundas

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available A lack of understanding of the importance of public health both within the community and in the tertiary education setting is a significant impediment to improvement in population health. The international campaign “This is Public Health” (TIPH has been promoted widely as a strategy to increase community awareness and attract and inspire the next generation of public health professionals. This paper describes and evaluates student perceptions of a TIPH photo essay and reflective task in order to explore the pedagogical and learning outcomes related to undergraduate students’ public health knowledge. The aim of the analysis was to understand (1 if the task led to increased awareness of public health, and if so, the process of how an understanding of public health develops, and (2 how the interactive nature of the experiential TIPH task leads to depth of understanding.MethodsThis study was undertaken at the University of Newcastle (UON, NSW, Australia. A qualitative study design using a descriptive case study methodology was employed. One-hundred and thirty-nine undergraduate students taking part in a semester-long, introductory public health course provided informed consent and completed a TIPH photo essay and reflective task as a compulsory assessment. Analysis of the student reflections was performed using a general inductive approach to qualitative thematic analysis.Results and discussionAnalysis of the reflections indicated that completion of the photo essay and reflective task revealed two strong thematic clusters each with a number of subthemes. The most important findings were the six strong data clusters around students’ new and deeper understanding of Public Health. Additionally, four separate data clusters around the pedagogy of the task were revealed. The task also impacted beyond knowledge improvement and academic performance. Students alluded to an increased appreciation of their own health, a new recognition of the

  16. HGSA DNA day essay contest winner 60 years on: still coding for cutting-edge science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, Patrick

    2013-08-01

    MESSAGE FROM THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: In 2013, the Education Committee of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) established the DNA Day Essay Contest in Australia and New Zealand. The contest was first established by the American Society of Human Genetics in 2005 and the HGSA DNA Day Essay Contest is adapted from this contest via a collaborative partnership. The aim of the contest is to engage high school students with important concepts in genetics through literature research and reflection. As 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick and the 10th anniversary of the first sequencing of the human genome, the essay topic was to choose either of these breakthroughs and explain its broader impact on biotechnology, human health and disease, or our understanding of basic genetics, such as genetic variation or gene expression. The contest attracted 87 entrants in 2013, with the winning essay authored by Patrick Yates, a Year 12 student from Melbourne High School. Further details about the contest including the names and schools of the other finalists can be found at http://www.hgsa-essay.net.au/. The Education Committee would like to thank all the 2013 applicants and encourage students to enter in 2014.

  17. General stability criterion for inviscid parallel flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Liang

    2007-01-01

    Arnol'd's second stability theorem is approached from an elementary point of view. First, a sufficient criterion for stability is found analytically as either -μ 1 s ) s ) in the flow, where U s is the velocity at the inflection point, and μ 1 is the eigenvalue of Poincare's problem. Second, this criterion is generalized to barotropic geophysical flows in the β plane. And the connections between present criteria and Arnol'd's nonlinear criteria are also discussed. The proofs are completely elementary and so could be used to teach undergraduate students

  18. Emotional intelligence: an admission criterion alternative to cumulative grade point averages for prelicensure students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones-Schenk, Jan; Harper, Mary G

    2014-03-01

    Predicting potential student success is of great interest to nursing educators and academic administrators alike. Cumulative grade point average (CGPA) has traditionally been used to screen nursing program candidates, but CGPA itself has shown to have no statistically significant predictive value and may in fact screen out individuals who possess social intelligence attributes that are essential for success in nursing practice. The purpose of this study is to determine if students whose emotional intelligence characteristics meet or exceed those of successful staff nurses are more likely to be successful in a baccalaureate nursing program. A descriptive, correlational design was used to compare the emotional intelligence attributes of 116 potential nursing students and 42 successful staff nurses using the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i). Nursing students who remained in the nursing program were found to have significantly higher levels of total emotional intelligence, interpersonal capacity, and stress tolerance. Students who dropped from the nursing program were not significantly different from successful staff nurses in terms of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence presents a compelling adjunct to current selection criteria for nursing students. However, the lack of research prevents widespread adoption of this criterion. This study suggests that students with higher levels of emotional intelligence, particularly intrapersonal capacity and stress tolerance, are more likely to be successful in a baccalaureate nursing program than students with lower levels. Further research is needed to determine the usefulness of EI as a predictor of student success in nursing programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Photo Essay: Pictures for Our “Honorable American Friends”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel Hideo Yamashita

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available An American minister’s outrage over a celebration of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan led to a generous gift of school supplies for students at a primary school in Hiroshima City. In gratitude, students at this school sent dozens of drawings and paintings to the minister’s church. This exchange was inspired by the minister’s Unitarian faith and moral decency and realized through the generosity of his parishioners. But the Japanese children’s artwork can be read in several other ways that greatly complicate the story and implicate Cold War narratives of victory and defeat as well as powerful memories of the destruction, death, and suffering caused by the war. This essay accompanies the “Hiroshima Children’s Drawings” photo essay featured in the March 2013 issue of Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review...

  20. Reflecting on 25 Years of Teaching, Researching, and Textbook Writing for Introduction to Management: An Essay with Some Lessons Learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dyck, Bruno

    2017-01-01

    This essay describes innovations made and lessons learned while teaching introduction to management courses during a 25-year career. The essay describes how teaching two approaches to management increases students' critical and ethical thinking, and reverses the tendency for business students to become increasingly materialistic and…

  1. Admitted or Denied: Multilingual Writers Negotiate Admissions Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wight, Shauna

    2017-01-01

    This article presents data from a collection of yearlong case studies on resident multilingual writers' college admissions essays. The focal student in this piece revealed the challenges that such writers face in presenting themselves to college admissions officers. Exploring these cultural and linguistic conflicts, this analysis uses Goffman's…

  2. Effects of Mastery Criterion on the Emergence of Derived Equivalence Relations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fienup, Daniel M.; Brodsky, Julia

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we manipulated mastery criterion form (rolling or block) and stringency (across 6 or 12 trials) and measured the emergence of derived relations. College students learned neuroanatomy equivalence classes and experienced one of two rolling mastery criteria (6 or 12 consecutive correct responses) or a block mastery criterion (12 trials…

  3. Measuring the Effectiveness of Writing Center Consultations on L2 Writers’ Essay Writing Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanthi Tiruchittampalam

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available With the international growth of English-medium education, tertiary institutions are increasingly providing academic support services to L2 students, and thus, the number of writing centers working with L2 student writers has also increased. Writing center practices originated in L1 English educational contexts and their appropriateness for L2 English writers requires examination. This study investigated the effect of writing center consultations on the essay writing skills of L1 Arabic foundation level students at an English-medium university in the Gulf region. Analysis was based on quantitative measures of writing ability of two distinct groups of students: an experimental group who participated in tutoring sessions at the university’s writing center and a control group who did not. Findings indicated that students who participated in writing center consultations scored significantly higher in overall essay writing scores, as well as in two aspects of writing: task fulfilment (that is ideas and text organization/coherence. These findings contribute to a limited bank of similar empirical studies on effectiveness of writing center sessions on students’ essay writing ability. They also support the case for the expansion of writing center work beyond the domains of predominantly L1 English academic communities.

  4. How to improve nuclear security worldwide: Three young women win IAEA essay contest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jeremy

    2016-01-01

    Three essays that provided actionable and innovative recommendations to strengthen nuclear security through stronger border controls, closer international cooperation and public education won the IAEA’s first ever nuclear security essay contest. In preparation for the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions, the IAEA invited students and young professionals to submit essays focusing on challenges and recommendations to strengthen nuclear security. A panel of experts from the IAEA and the International Nuclear Security Education Network selected three winners from among the 353 submissions received. The winners will present their papers at the conference, taking place in Vienna in December 2016

  5. How to improve nuclear security worldwide: Three young women win IAEA essay contest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jeremy

    2016-01-01

    Three essays that provided actionable and innovative recommendations to strengthen nuclear security through stronger border controls, closer international cooperation and public education won the IAEA’s first ever nuclear security essay contest. In preparation for the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions, the IAEA invited students and young professionals to submit essays focusing on challenges and recommendations to strengthen nuclear security. A panel of experts from the IAEA and the International Nuclear Security Education Network selected three winners from among the 353 submissions received. The winners will present their papers at the conference, taking place in Vienna in December 2016.

  6. SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL CRITERIONS OF FAMILY LIFESTYLE TYPOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yekaterina Anatolievna Yumkina

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to present socio-psychological criterions of family lifestyle typology, which were found during theoretical modelling and empirical research work. It is important in fundamental and practical aspects. St-Petersburg students (n = 116, from 19 to 21 years old were examined by special questionnaire «Family relationship and home» (Kunitsi-na V.N., Yumkina Ye.A., 2012 which measures different aspects of family lifestyle. We also used complex of methods that gave us information about personal values, self-rating and parent-child relationships. Dates were divided into six groups according to three main criterions of family lifestyle typology: social environment of family life, family activity, and family interpersonal relationships. There were found statistically significant differences between pairs of group from every criterions. The results can be useful in spheres dealing with family crisis, family development, family traditions etc.

  7. Automated essay scoring and the future of educational assessment in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gierl, Mark J; Latifi, Syed; Lai, Hollis; Boulais, André-Philippe; De Champlain, André

    2014-10-01

    Constructed-response tasks, which range from short-answer tests to essay questions, are included in assessments of medical knowledge because they allow educators to measure students' ability to think, reason, solve complex problems, communicate and collaborate through their use of writing. However, constructed-response tasks are also costly to administer and challenging to score because they rely on human raters. One alternative to the manual scoring process is to integrate computer technology with writing assessment. The process of scoring written responses using computer programs is known as 'automated essay scoring' (AES). An AES system uses a computer program that builds a scoring model by extracting linguistic features from a constructed-response prompt that has been pre-scored by human raters and then, using machine learning algorithms, maps the linguistic features to the human scores so that the computer can be used to classify (i.e. score or grade) the responses of a new group of students. The accuracy of the score classification can be evaluated using different measures of agreement. Automated essay scoring provides a method for scoring constructed-response tests that complements the current use of selected-response testing in medical education. The method can serve medical educators by providing the summative scores required for high-stakes testing. It can also serve medical students by providing them with detailed feedback as part of a formative assessment process. Automated essay scoring systems yield scores that consistently agree with those of human raters at a level as high, if not higher, as the level of agreement among human raters themselves. The system offers medical educators many benefits for scoring constructed-response tasks, such as improving the consistency of scoring, reducing the time required for scoring and reporting, minimising the costs of scoring, and providing students with immediate feedback on constructed-response tasks. © 2014

  8. Essays on Strategic Communication

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Z. Sharif (Zara)

    2016-01-01

    markdownabstractThree essays on strategic communication are discussed in this dissertation. These essays consider different settings in which a decision maker has to rely on another agent for information. In each essay, we analyze how much information the sender is able to credibly communicate to

  9. Essaying the essay: nursing scholarship and the hegemony of the laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Lyn; Rolfe, Gary

    2013-01-01

    It might appear odd or even perverse to be arguing for the essay as a vehicle for academic thought and writing, particularly given the current emphasis on scientific research and evidence-based practice. In fact, the scholarly essay has virtually ceased to exist as an academic form in practice disciplines such as nursing, excluded by what we will identify and refer to as the hegemony of the laboratory. In a practical as well as an intellectual attempt to reinstate it, this paper is structured in the form of two consecutive short essays. In the first, we identify the character, features and purpose of the scholarly essay and examine its demise as an academic form. In the second, we explore some possible reasons why the essay never became fully accepted as an academic form in nursing. We suggest that the essay is thematically eclectic and stylistically promiscuous, drawing from a broad range of cultural, disciplinary and academic reference points. As such, it presents a challenge to the dominant technical rational approach to academic nursing in both its form and its content, particularly in its disregard for the rigidly imposed genres and structures increasingly demanded by academic nursing journals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Raising voices: How sixth graders construct authority and knowledge in argumentative essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monahan, Mary Elizabeth

    This qualitative classroom-based study documents one teacher-researcher's response to the "voice" debate in composition studies and to the opposing views expressed by Elbow and Bartholomae. The author uses Bakhtin's principle of dialogism, Hymes's theory of communicative competence, as well as Ivanic's discussion of discoursally constructed identities to reconceptualize voice and to redesign writing instruction in her sixth grade classroom. This study shows how students, by redefining and then acting on that voice pedagogy in terms that made sense to them, shaped the author's understanding of what counts as "voiced" writing in non-narrative discourse. Based on a grounded-theory analysis of the twenty-six sixth graders' argumentative essays in science, the author explains voice, not as a property of writers or of texts, but as a process of "knowing together"---a collaborative, but not entirely congenial, exercise of establishing one's authority by talking with, against, and through other voices on the issue. As the results of this study show, the students' "I-Ness" or authorial presence within their texts, was born in a nexus of relationships with "rivals," "allies" and "readers." Given their teacher's injunctions to project confidence and authority in argumentative writing, the students assumed fairly adversarial stances toward these conversational partners throughout their essays. Exaggerating the terms for voiced writing built into the curriculum, the sixth graders produced essays that read more like caricatures than examples of argumentation. Their displays of rhetorical bravado and intellectual aggressiveness, however offsetting to the reader, still enabled these sixth graders to composed voiced essays. This study raises doubts about the value of urging students to sound like their "true selves" or to adopt the formal registers of academe. Students, it seems clear, stand to gain by experimenting with a range of textual identities. The author suggests that voice

  11. Proposing a Wiki-Based Technique for Collaborative Essay Writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mabel Ortiz Navarrete

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at proposing a technique for students learning English as a foreign language when they collaboratively write an argumentative essay in a wiki environment. A wiki environment and collaborative work play an important role within the academic writing task. Nevertheless, an appropriate and systematic work assignment is required in order to make use of both. In this paper the proposed technique when writing a collaborative essay mainly attempts to provide the most effective way to enhance equal participation among group members by taking as a base computer mediated collaboration. Within this context, the students’ role is clearly defined and individual and collaborative tasks are explained.

  12. Improving Undergraduates’ Argumentative Group Essay Writing through Self-assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Mei Fung

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available When writing an argumentative essay, writers develop and evaluate arguments to embody, initiate, or simulate various kinds of interpersonal and textual interaction for reader consideration (Wu & Allison, 2003. This is quite challenging for English as a second language (ESL learners. To improve the quality of their writing, students need to review their draft throughout the writing process. This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-assessment in group writing and how group work improves students’ writing ability. An intact class comprising 22 first-year undergraduates participated in the study.  Data were collected from pre- and post-treatment writing tests, semi-structured interview and reflection entries. The results revealed that self-assessment has a significant effect on students’ writing performance. Group work also enhanced social and cognitive development of the students. This study provides insights into the use of self-assessment in writing class to develop learner autonomy and improve writing ability. Keywords: Argumentative essay, Self-assessment, Learner autonomy, Group writing, ESL learners

  13. Methodology for Urbanism AR2U090 : Best essays 2010-2012

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rocco, R.C.

    2012-01-01

    These are essays written by students of the course AR2U090 Research and Design Methodology for Urbanism from 2010 to 2012. This is a 5 ECTS course given within the Masters in Urbanism programme of the TU Delft by Roberto Rocco and Egbert Stolk. At the end of the course students are asked to write an

  14. An analysis of medical students’ reflective essays in problem-based learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jihyun Si

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose This study aimed to explore students’ learning experience in problem-based learning (PBL particularly in terms of what they learned and how they learned in one Korean medical school by analyzing their reflective essays with qualitative research methods. Methods This study included 44 first-year medical students. They took three consecutive PBL courses and wrote reflective essays 3 times anonymously on the last day of each course. Their reflective essays were analyzed using an inductive content analysis method. Results The coding process yielded 16 sub-categories and these categories were grouped into six categories according to the distinctive characteristics of PBL learning experience: integrated knowledge base, clinical problem solving, collaboration, intrinsic motivation, self-directed learning, and professional attitude. Among these categories, integrated knowledge base (34.68% and professional attitude (2.31% were the categories mentioned most and least frequently. Conclusion The findings of this study provide an overall understanding of the learning experience of Korean medical students during PBL in terms of what they learned and how they learned with rich descriptive commentaries from their perspectives as well as several thoughtful insights to help develop instructional strategies to enhance the effectiveness of PBL.

  15. Sources of Social Control in School: A Speculative Essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlechty, Phillip C.; Burke, William I.

    1980-01-01

    This essay attempts to demonstrate that age segregation and subject matter specialization are two important supports of the authority of teachers and the school's ability to control students. Therefore, efforts to change these organizational patterns without considering alternative means of establishing control are doomed to failure. (Author/SJL)

  16. Improving Undergraduates' Argumentative Group Essay Writing through Self-Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Yong Mei; Mei, Hooi Chee

    2015-01-01

    When writing an argumentative essay, writers develop and evaluate arguments to embody, initiate, or simulate various kinds of interpersonal and textual interaction for reader consideration (Wu & Allison, 2003). This is quite challenging for English as a second language (ESL) learners. To improve the quality of their writing, students need to…

  17. Onsite: A Residency with Tim Rollins/KOS. A Photo Essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Placky, Robert

    2000-01-01

    Presents a photo essay that visually narrates the workshop that took place in State College, Pennsylvania, from October 19-24, 1998 bringing together middle and high school students with Tim Rollins, who is a conceptual artist and educator, and Kids of Survival (KOS). (CMK)

  18. The Determination of Children's Knowledge of Global Lunar Patterns from Online Essays Using Text Mining Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheon, Jongpil; Lee, Sangno; Smith, Walter; Song, Jaeki; Kim, Yongjin

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to use text mining analysis of early adolescents' online essays to determine their knowledge of global lunar patterns. Australian and American students in grades five to seven wrote about global lunar patterns they had discovered by sharing observations with each other via the Internet. These essays were analyzed for…

  19. Essays in energy economics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malischek, Raimund

    2016-10-25

    This thesis presents four essays in energy economics. The first essay investigates one of the workhorse models of resource economics, the Hotelling model of an inter-temporally optimizing resource extracting firm. The Hotelling model provides a convincing theory of fundamental concepts like resource scarcity, but very few empirical validations of the model have been conducted. This essay attempts to empirically validate the Hotelling model by first expanding it to include exploration activity and market power and then using a newly constructed data set for the uranium mining industry to test whether a major resource extracting mining firm in the industry is following the theory's predictions. The results show that the theory is rejected in all considered settings. The second and third essays investigate the difference in market outcomes under spot-market based trade as compared to long-term contract based trade in oligopolistic markets with investments. The second essay investigates analytically the difference in market outcomes in an electricity market setting, showing that investments and consumer welfare may be higher under spot-market based trade than under long-term contracts. The third essay proposes techniques to solve large-scale models of this kind, empirically, by exploring the practicability of this approach in an application to the international metallurgical coal market. The final essay investigates the influence of policy uncertainty on investment decisions. With France debating the role of nuclear technology, this essay analyses how policy uncertainty regarding nuclear power in France may feature in the French and European power sector. Applying a stochastic model for the European power system, the analysis shows that the costs of uncertainty in this particular application are rather low compared to the overall costs of a nuclear phase-out.

  20. Essays in energy economics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malischek, Raimund

    2016-01-01

    This thesis presents four essays in energy economics. The first essay investigates one of the workhorse models of resource economics, the Hotelling model of an inter-temporally optimizing resource extracting firm. The Hotelling model provides a convincing theory of fundamental concepts like resource scarcity, but very few empirical validations of the model have been conducted. This essay attempts to empirically validate the Hotelling model by first expanding it to include exploration activity and market power and then using a newly constructed data set for the uranium mining industry to test whether a major resource extracting mining firm in the industry is following the theory's predictions. The results show that the theory is rejected in all considered settings. The second and third essays investigate the difference in market outcomes under spot-market based trade as compared to long-term contract based trade in oligopolistic markets with investments. The second essay investigates analytically the difference in market outcomes in an electricity market setting, showing that investments and consumer welfare may be higher under spot-market based trade than under long-term contracts. The third essay proposes techniques to solve large-scale models of this kind, empirically, by exploring the practicability of this approach in an application to the international metallurgical coal market. The final essay investigates the influence of policy uncertainty on investment decisions. With France debating the role of nuclear technology, this essay analyses how policy uncertainty regarding nuclear power in France may feature in the French and European power sector. Applying a stochastic model for the European power system, the analysis shows that the costs of uncertainty in this particular application are rather low compared to the overall costs of a nuclear phase-out.

  1. Essay Genre in Tatar Journalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aigul A. Guseinova

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In this article, an essay is considered as a journalistic genre in the context of modern Tatar journalism. Using the example of works by contemporary authors in the Tatar-speaking periodicals of Russia, the main genre and the semantic features of this genre are studied. An essay is a publicistic form to reflect on the topical issues of Russian reality. The reproduction of a fact is not so important for an essay. An important role is played by the description of the author's impressions, reflections and emotions. The periodical press has many materials in the Tatar language in which the author's opinion, author's principle and subjective opinion are strongly expressed. In fact, during the last decades of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century there was a surge of essays in modern journalism. Due to some political events in Russia during the early 90s of the twentieth century, it was possible to express their thoughts and speak on the urgent problems in society openly in comparison with the Soviet reality. The object of research is essayism as a kind of journalistic creativity, the subject of the study is the essay genre in Tatar journalism. The empirical basis of the work consisted of the essays from Tatar journalists, publicists and writers. Provided that the personality of an author is one of the effectiveness factors concerning the publications in the genre of essay, the essayization of texts in Tatar journalism will be increased in the future.

  2. The Education of a Teacher. Essays on American Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Howard

    Written in the immediacy of the Vietnam period and its aftermath, these essays record, from the perspective of a college professor, the dramatic shifts of students from the active, even violent, style of protests for social justice of the sixties to the self-interested "protest of style" of the seventies, to the insecurity and career orientation…

  3. A Corpus Based Study on the Use of Preposition of Time "On" and "At" in Argumentative Essays of Form 4 and Form 5 Malaysian Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loke, Darina Lokeman; Ali, Juliana; Anthony, Norin Norain Zulkifli

    2013-01-01

    This article presents a corpus-based investigation on English prepositions of time presented in the argumentative essays of Form 4 and Form 5 Malaysian secondary students in the MCSAW corpus. The aims were to find out the distribution patterns and the common errors in the use of preposition of time, "on" and "at". This corpus…

  4. Plagiarism in residency application essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Segal, Scott; Gelfand, Brian J; Hurwitz, Shelley; Berkowitz, Lori; Ashley, Stanley W; Nadel, Eric S; Katz, Joel T

    2010-07-20

    Anecdotal reports suggest that some residency application essays contain plagiarized content. To determine the prevalence of plagiarism in a large cohort of residency application essays. Retrospective cohort study. 4975 application essays submitted to residency programs at a single large academic medical center between 1 September 2005 and 22 March 2007. Specialized software was used to compare residency application essays with a database of Internet pages, published works, and previously submitted essays and the percentage of the submission matching another source was calculated. A match of more than 10% to an existing work was defined as evidence of plagiarism. Evidence of plagiarism was found in 5.2% (95% CI, 4.6% to 5.9%) of essays. The essays of non-U.S. citizens were more likely to demonstrate evidence of plagiarism. Other characteristics associated with the prevalence of plagiarism included medical school location outside the United States and Canada; previous residency or fellowship; lack of research experience, volunteer experience, or publications; a low United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score; and non-membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The software database is probably incomplete, the 10%-match threshold for defining plagiarism has not been statistically validated, and the study was confined to applicants to 1 institution. Evidence of matching content in an essay cannot be used to infer the applicant's intent and is not sensitive to variations in the cultural context of copying in some societies. Evidence of plagiarism in residency application essays is more common in international applicants but was found in those by applicants to all specialty programs, from all medical school types, and even among applicants with significant academic honors. No external funding.

  5. Writing Essays on a Laptop or a Desktop Computer: Does It Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Guangming; Bridgeman, Brent

    2013-01-01

    To explore the potential effect of computer type on the Test of English as a Foreign Language-Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) Writing Test, a sample of 444 international students was used. The students were randomly assigned to either a laptop or a desktop computer to write two TOEFL iBT practice essays in a simulated testing environment, followed…

  6. The Distributed Criterion Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDougall, Dennis

    2006-01-01

    This article describes and illustrates a novel form of the changing criterion design called the distributed criterion design, which represents perhaps the first advance in the changing criterion design in four decades. The distributed criterion design incorporates elements of the multiple baseline and A-B-A-B designs and is well suited to applied…

  7. Content Analysis of Student Essays after Attending a Problem-Based Learning Course: Facilitating the Development of Critical Thinking and Communication Skills in Japanese Nursing Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itatani, Tomoya; Nagata, Kyoko; Yanagihara, Kiyoko; Tabuchi, Noriko

    2017-08-22

    The importance of active learning has continued to increase in Japan. The authors conducted classes for first-year students who entered the nursing program using the problem-based learning method which is a kind of active learning. Students discussed social topics in classes. The purposes of this study were to analyze the post-class essay, describe logical and critical thinking after attended a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) course. The authors used Mayring's methodology for qualitative content analysis and text mining. In the description about the skills required to resolve social issues, seven categories were extracted: (recognition of diverse social issues), (attitudes about resolving social issues), (discerning the root cause), (multi-lateral information processing skills), (making a path to resolve issues), (processivity in dealing with issues), and (reflecting). In the description about communication, five categories were extracted: (simple statement), (robust theories), (respecting the opponent), (communication skills), and (attractive presentations). As the result of text mining, the words extracted more than 100 times included "issue," "society," "resolve," "myself," "ability," "opinion," and "information." Education using PBL could be an effective means of improving skills that students described, and communication in general. Some students felt difficulty of communication resulting from characteristics of Japanese.

  8. On the Jeans criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitworth, A.P.

    1980-01-01

    The Jeans criterion is first stated and distinguished from the Virial Theorem. Then it is discussed how the Jeans criterion can be derived from the Virial Theorem and the inherent shortcomings in this derivation. Finally, it is indicated how these shortcomings might be overcome. The Jeans criterion is a fragmentation - or condensation -criterion. An expression is given, connecting the fragmentation of an unstable extended medium into masses Msub(J). Rather than picturing the background medium fragmenting, it is probably more appropriate to envisage these masses Msub(J) 'condensing' out of the background medium. On the condensation picture some fraction of the background material separates out into coherent bound nodules under the pull of its self-gravity. For this reason the Jeans criterion is discussed as a condensation condition, reserving the term fragmentation for a different process. The Virial Theorem provides a contraction criterion. This is described with reference to a spherical cloud and is developed to derive the Jeans criterion. (U.K.)

  9. Undergraduate Essay Writing: Online and Face-to-Face Peer Reviews

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Mike R.; Goff, Lori; Dej, Kimberly

    2012-01-01

    We implemented two different approaches of using peer review to support undergraduate essay assignments for students taking large second-year courses in life sciences and biology: a web-based online peer review (OPR) approach and a more traditional face-to-face peer review (FPR) approach that was conducted in tutorial settings. The essays…

  10. Prevalence of plagiarism among medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilić-Zulle, Lidija; Frković, Vedran; Turk, Tamara; Azman, Josip; Petrovecki, Mladen

    2005-02-01

    To determine the prevalence of plagiarism among medical students in writing essays. During two academic years, 198 second year medical students attending Medical Informatics course wrote an essay on one of four offered articles. Two of the source articles were available in an electronic form and two in printed form. Two (one electronic and one paper article) were considered less complex and the other two more complex. The essays were examined using plagiarism detection software "WCopyfind," which counted the number of matching phrases with six or more words. Plagiarism rate, expressed as the percentage of the plagiarized text, was calculated as a ratio of the absolute number of matching words and the total number of words in the essay. Only 17 (9%) of students did not plagiarize at all and 68 (34%) plagiarized less than 10% of the text. The average plagiarism rate (% of plagiarized text) was 19% (5-95% percentile=0-88). Students who were strictly warned not to plagiarize had a higher total word count in their essays than students who were not warned (P=0.002) but there was no difference between them in the rate of plagiarism. Students with higher grades in Medical Informatics exam plagiarized less than those with lower grades (P=0.015). Gender, subject source, and complexity had no influence on the plagiarism rate. Plagiarism in writing essays is common among medical students. An explicit warning is not enough to deter students from plagiarism. Detection software can be used to trace and evaluate the rate of plagiarism in written student assays.

  11. Student Self-Disclosure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Janet; DeGenaro, William

    2007-01-01

    This article presents two essays that focus on the challenges presented by students' self-disclosures in their writing. The authors have read each other's essays and provided their brief responses. This cross talk between the writers continues, in a more deliberate way, the cross talk generated by their essays.

  12. The Impact of Training Students How to Write Introductions for Academic Essays: An Exploratory, Longitudinal Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Gavin T. L.; Marshall, Jennifer C.

    2012-01-01

    Successful academic writing requires strong command of the rhetorical moves that orient the reader to the theme and substantive material of an academic essay. Effective control of the introduction leads to better overall writing. The goal of this study was to devise and evaluate a pedagogy for teaching the writing of academic essay introductions.…

  13. Essays in behavioral strategy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dumas, Jean-Malik

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation is composed of three quantitative empirical essays. Using social psychology, psychology and economic theory, the first essay explores how fear of death, belief in afterlife, self-esteem and generation influence the way employees project themselves in the future of their working

  14. Accounting Issues: An Essay Series Part IX--Statement of Cash Flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laux, Judy

    2009-01-01

    This essay series, beginning with Laux [2007a], defends the proposition that eliminating the theoretical chapter from the principles level accounting course has weakened the introduction for students new to this subject, perhaps resulting in some adverse selection for the accounting profession. As a remedy, it offers concise theoretical articles…

  15. Why Citation Impact is so Important for Tourism Researchers (Essay Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maximiliano E. KORSTANJE

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available During long time academy pondered the productivity of authors as criterion of distinction, but this model seems to be changed to citation impacts. In this short essay review, which is centred in my own experience, we discuss to what an extent the current editorial system is sustainable for the discipline as well as in interests of market to restrict the number of published papers. Nowadays, H-Index which is oft-used as a useful instrument to rank scholars and scientists confers further impact to those scholars who publish few but are highly cited. Readers will see why this model leads to feed editorial monopolies which are ideologically framed to the belief that quality of papers are not associated to their quality but the journal where they are pipelined and published.

  16. Essays on partial retirement

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kantarci, T.

    2012-01-01

    The five essays in this dissertation address a range of topics in the micro-economic literature on partial retirement. The focus is on the labor market behavior of older age groups. The essays examine the economic and non-economic determinants of partial retirement behavior, the effect of partial

  17. Essays on Empirical Asset Pricing : Essays over het empirisch prijzen van financiele producten

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R.W.M. Verbeek (Roy)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractThis dissertation consists of three essays on empirical asset pricing. In the first essay, I investigate whether common risk factors are priced across investment horizons. I show that only the market and size factors are priced, but only up to sixteen months. The results highlight the

  18. To Write or to Type? The Effects of Handwriting and Word-Processing on the Written Style of Examination Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mogey, Nora; Hartley, James

    2013-01-01

    There is much debate about whether or not these days students should be able to word-process essay-type examinations as opposed to handwriting them, particularly when they are asked to word-process everything else. This study used word-processing software to examine the stylistic features of 13 examination essays written by hand and 24 by…

  19. A comparative study of students' performance in preclinical physiology assessed by multiple choice and short essay questions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyebola, D D; Adewoye, O E; Iyaniwura, J O; Alada, A R; Fasanmade, A A; Raji, Y

    2000-01-01

    This study was designed to compare the performance of medical students in physiology when assessed by multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short essay questions (SEQs). The study also examined the influence of factors such as age, sex, O/level grades and JAMB scores on performance in the MCQs and SEQs. A structured questionnaire was administered to 264 medical students' four months before the Part I MBBS examination. Apart from personal data of each student, the questionnaire sought information on the JAMB scores and GCE O' Level grades of each student in English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. The physiology syllabus was divided into five parts and the students were administered separate examinations (tests) on each part. Each test consisted of MCQs and SEQs. The performance in MCQs and SEQs were compared. Also, the effects of JAMB scores and GCE O/level grades on the performance in both the MCQs and SEQs were assessed. The results showed that the students performed better in all MCQ tests than in the SEQs. JAMB scores and O' level English Language grade had no significant effect on students' performance in MCQs and SEQs. However O' level grades in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics had significant effects on performance in MCQs and SEQs. Inadequate knowledge of physiology and inability to present information in a logical sequence are believed to be major factors contributing to the poorer performance in the SEQs compared with MCQs. In view of the finding of significant association between performance in MCQs and SEQs and GCE O/level grades in science subjects and mathematics, it was recommended that both JAMB results and the GCE results in the four O/level subjects above may be considered when selecting candidates for admission into the medical schools.

  20. A Corpus-based Study on the Use of Contractions by EFL Learners in Argumentative Essays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Pınar Babanoğlu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Contraction forms in English are mostly occur in speech and informal writing and they are generally avoided in formal writing types such as academic prose, business reports and journal articles, therefore, most teachers discourage their use in academic essays (Biber, Johansonn, Leech, Conrad and Finegan 1999. Contractions in English have two types; negative contractions (isn’t, haven’t, doesn’t and verb contractions (I’m, they’ve, that’s. This corpus based study attempts to investigate contraction usage in learner and native English speaker essays. Major goal is to examine whether learners consider essay writing rules in respect of contractions which are accepted inappropriate for academic prose style. Five corpora, three learner and two native English, were utilized in order to analyze verb and not-contraction forms. Frequency calculations of contraction forms in each corpus compared via log-likelihood measurement for statistical significance.  Results revealed that learners use considerably more contraction forms, especially negative ones, than native English students in their argumentative essays.

  1. Is the Essay Dead? Revitalising Argument in the Era of Multiliteracies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyenes, Tom; Wilks, Judith

    2014-01-01

    While the essay is the default assessment tool of the Humanities in upper secondary and tertiary education, it is a text type that has been slowly bled of communicative purpose. It is suffered by students, taught according to restrictive formula and ignored in the literature. Evidence from the tertiary sector, employers and public examinations…

  2. Visual Input Enhancement via Essay Coding Results in Deaf Learners' Long-Term Retention of Improved English Grammatical Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berent, Gerald P.; Kelly, Ronald R.; Schmitz, Kathryn L.; Kenney, Patricia

    2009-01-01

    This study explored the efficacy of visual input enhancement, specifically "essay enhancement", for facilitating deaf college students' improvement in English grammatical knowledge. Results documented students' significant improvement immediately after a 10-week instructional intervention, a replication of recent research. Additionally, the…

  3. Essays in industrial organization and management strategy

    OpenAIRE

    de Bijl, P.W.J.

    1996-01-01

    This thesis contains five essays in the theory of industrial organization and management strategy. An introduction makes the main ideas accessible to non-specialists by presenting the essays as fictitious cases. The first essay investigates strategic disclosure of verifiable information. The disclosed information concerns a hidden action, and the transmission of information takes place in a noisy environment. The second essay explores how search costs and informational asymmetries influence t...

  4. CAREM reactor thermohydraulic essays laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horro, R.; Mazzi, R.; Rossini, A.

    1990-01-01

    The main characteristics, essays projected and the present state of the Thermohydraulic Essays Laboratory -under construction at present- prepared to meet the experimental needs resulting from a power reactor design of the CAREM type, are herein described. (Author) [es

  5. Essays in industrial organization and management strategy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Bijl, P.W.J.

    1996-01-01

    This thesis contains five essays in the theory of industrial organization and management strategy. An introduction makes the main ideas accessible to non-specialists by presenting the essays as fictitious cases. The first essay investigates strategic disclosure of verifiable information. The

  6. Students' Approaches to Essay-Writing and the Quality of the Written Product.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biggs, John B.

    Studies of text comprehension have suggested that readers focus on different levels of ideational unit while reading, thereby affecting the quality of their comprehension of the text. A study examined the viability of the deep-surface categorization with regard to essay-writing and the relation of different approaches to writing to the quality of…

  7. Contract Cheating in UK Higher Education: A Covert Investigation of Essay Mills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medway, Dominic; Roper, Stuart; Gillooly, Leah

    2018-01-01

    Contract cheating is currently a concern for universities and the higher education (HE) sector. It has been brought into the spotlight in recent years through the growth of online essay mills, where students can easily commission and purchase written assessment responses. This study contributes to the wider literature on academic integrity in HE…

  8. Essays on Economic Volatility and Financial Frictions

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Hongyan

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation consists of three essays in macroeconomics. The first one essay discusses the reasons of Chinese huge foreign reserves holdings. It contributes to the literature of sudden stops, precautionary saving and foreign assets holdings. In the second essay, I study the price volatility of commodities and manufactured goods. I measure the price volatility of each individual goods but not on the aggregated level and therefore the results complete the related study. The third essay exp...

  9. Essays in microeconomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Tim

    This dissertation consists of three essays in applied microeconomics. Each essay explores a different issue of economic interest. The essay in Chapter 2 describes an experiment designed to investigate if using assets with an intrinsic value that increases over time leads to persistent undervaluation in laboratory asset trading markets. This question has not previously been investigated by researchers. Results from ten sessions are reported. Three used assets with an intrinsic value that decreased over time. The results from these sessions are consistent with the findings by prior researchers who frequently observed price bubbles in laboratory asset trading experiments. The remaining seven sessions used assets with an intrinsic value that increased over time. In all these sessions trading generally occurred at prices below the asset's intrinsic value. In Chapter 3, in an essay co-authored with Adrian Stoian, we study road running races. Tournaments, where ordinal position determines rewards, are an important component of our economy. By studying sporting tournaments, we hope to shed light on the nature of other economically significant tournaments where data may be less readily available. We separately quantify the sorting and incentive effects of tournament prizes by employing a novel two-part model which we apply to a unique data set of road running race results. We present a counterfactual example of how a hypothetical change in prizes would be predicted to change race participation and speed. In Chapter 4, in an essay co-authored with Jedidiah Brewer and Joseph Cullen, we examine the combined effects of the locations and the brands of retail gasoline outlets in Tucson, Arizona on market prices. We apply an innovative approach to model the impact of competing gas stations that avoids limiting analysis to predetermined nearby locations. We show that increased brand diversity is associated with higher prices and that gas stations affiliated with mass

  10. Essay on the pertinence of Luscher's abbreviate test in psychological evaluation of the radioactive accident victims of Goiania

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa Neto, Sebastiao Benicio da

    1995-01-01

    The essay on the pertinence of Luscher's abbreviate test in psychological evaluation of the radioactive accident victims of Goiania - Brazilian city - occurred in 1987 is consequence of confront of data obtained in two distinct situations having for criterion: time, efficiency and pertinence. Besides of this, they are introduced palografic and the house-tree-person - HTP - tests. These tests aimed at the common psychological characteristics verification to radioactive accident victims' personality of Goiania and to the data existential moment for those people. Among the three tests, the one of Luscher was what obtained the best interviewees acceptance index

  11. Essays of leaching in cemented products containing simulated waste from evaporator concentrated of PWR reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haucz, Maria Judite A.; Calabria, Jaqueline A. Almeida; Tello, Cledola Cassia O.; Candido, Francisco Donizete; Seles, Sandro Rogerio Novaes

    2011-01-01

    This paper evaluated the results from leaching resistance essays of cemented products, prepared from three distinct formulations, containing simulated waste of concentrated from the PWR reactor evaporator. The leaching rate is a parameter of qualification of solidified products containing radioactive waste and is determined in accordance with regulation ISO 6961. This procedure evaluates the capacity of transfer organic and inorganic substances presents in the waste through dissolution in the extractor medium. For the case of radioactive waste it is reached the more retention of contaminants in the cemented product, i.e.the lesser value of lixiviation rate. Therefore, this work evaluated among the proposed formulation that one which attend the criterion established in the regulation CNEN-NN-6.09

  12. Content Analysis of Essays from a Cross-National Survey: Implications for Teaching Strategies in Holocaust Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRoy, James J.

    The content of essays written by randomly selected samples of 1500 U.S. and 500 British secondary students on the topic "What have I learned about Adolf Hitler?" were partitioned into theme-related assertions and analyzed. An experimental group of 150 9th- and 11th-grade male students who had studied the Holocaust also contributed papers…

  13. THE EFFECTS OF TEACHING CRITICAL THINKING ON STUDENTS’ ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A’am Rifaldi Khunaifi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study is directed to find out whether teaching critical thinking affects the writing ability of argumentative essay. This research employed quasi experimental design as it was intended to measure the effects of the strategy on the students’ ability in writing argumentative essay. The samples of the study were the students of class A and B enrolled in the seventh semester of the English Education Department of State Islamic College of Palangka Raya. To collect the data needed, it was used test as the instrument; it was Academic Writing for IELTS Test. The data were processed and analyzed by using SPSS 19.0 statistic technique of independent t-test and paired-sample t-test, and the analized data were concluded. From the result of the test, the independent t-test calculation in posttest scores in both groups shows that the significance value is higher than level of significance (0.194 > 0.05. It indicates that there is no significant difference between experimental and control groups. Moreover, the paired t-test calculation shows the result of paired sample test (0.000 < 0.05 in which there is a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores in experimental group after having treatments. Keywords: critical thinking, writing ability, argumentative essay

  14. Essays on Customization Applications in Marketing

    OpenAIRE

    Adiguzel, Feray

    2006-01-01

    The primary objective of this thesis is to develop and validate new methodologies to improve the collection of data and the effectiveness of promotion customization. This thesis contains two essays. In these essays, we search for optimal combinations of components of questionnaires to design split questionnaires and product categories to offer promotions. The first essay deals with how to improve collection of data. We focus on split questionnaires to collect data instead of using the more ty...

  15. Boston College Sees a Sharp Drop in Applications after Adding an Essay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Eric

    2013-01-01

    Boston College saw a 26-percent decrease in applications this year, a drop officials largely attribute to a new essay requirement. Last year the private Jesuit institution received a record 34,051 applications for 2,250 spots in its freshman class. This year approximately 25,000 students applied, and all of them had to do one thing their…

  16. The Apprentice Researcher: Using Undergraduate Researchers' Personal Essays to Shape Instruction and Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnet, Jennifer L.; Cordell, Sigrid Anderson; Cordell, Jeffrey; Duque, Gabriel J.; MacKintosh, Pamela J.; Peters, Amanda

    2013-01-01

    Little is known about the intellectual journey of advanced undergraduates engaged in the research process. Moreover, few studies of this population of library users include students' personal essays as a point of analysis in their scholarly pursuits. To gain insights into the research trajectory of apprentice researchers at the University of…

  17. Essays on Dynamic Competition and Academic Entrepreneurship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Huyen T.

    2012-01-01

    My dissertation focuses on dynamic firm competition and academic entrepreneurship. The first essay studies the dynamics and equilibrium outcomes of a duopoly in which firms make decisions about both capacity expansion and cost reduction. The second essay is an extension of the framework used in the first essay to study the strategic roles of…

  18. Students' Choices between Typing and Handwriting in Examinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mogey, Nora; Cowan, John; Paterson, Jessie; Purcell, Mike

    2012-01-01

    Keyboarding (typing) is a ubiquitous skill for most UK students, and most coursework essays must be word processed. However, few examinations, other than for students with disabilities, permit the use of a word processor. It is not known how students would respond given a free choice between handwriting and word processing in an essay examination.…

  19. Is there an effective approach to deterring students from plagiarizing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilic-Zulle, Lidija; Azman, Josip; Frkovic, Vedran; Petrovecki, Mladen

    2008-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of plagiarism detection software and penalty for plagiarizing in detecting and deterring plagiarism among medical students. The study was a continuation of previously published research in which second-year medical students from 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 school years were required to write an essay based on one of the four scientific articles offered by the instructor. Students from 2004/2005 (N = 92) included in present study were given the same task. Topics of two of the four articles were considered less complex, and two were more complex. One less and one more complex articles were available only as hardcopies, whereas the other two were available in electronic format. The students from 2001/2002 (N = 111) were only told to write an original essay, whereas the students from 2002/2003 (N = 87) were additionally warned against plagiarism, explained what plagiarism was, and how to avoid it. The students from 2004/2005 were warned that their essays would be examined by plagiarism detection software and that those who had plagiarized would be penalized. Students from 2004/2005 plagiarized significantly less of their essays than students from the previous two groups (2% vs. 17% vs. 21%, respectively, P plagiarism. Use of plagiarism detection software in evaluation of essays and consequent penalties had effectively deterred students from plagiarizing.

  20. Discriminant Validity Assessment: Use of Fornell & Larcker criterion versus HTMT Criterion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamid, M. R. Ab; Sami, W.; Mohmad Sidek, M. H.

    2017-09-01

    Assessment of discriminant validity is a must in any research that involves latent variables for the prevention of multicollinearity issues. Fornell and Larcker criterion is the most widely used method for this purpose. However, a new method has emerged for establishing the discriminant validity assessment through heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio of correlations method. Therefore, this article presents the results of discriminant validity assessment using these methods. Data from previous study was used that involved 429 respondents for empirical validation of value-based excellence model in higher education institutions (HEI) in Malaysia. From the analysis, the convergent, divergent and discriminant validity were established and admissible using Fornell and Larcker criterion. However, the discriminant validity is an issue when employing the HTMT criterion. This shows that the latent variables under study faced the issue of multicollinearity and should be looked into for further details. This also implied that the HTMT criterion is a stringent measure that could detect the possible indiscriminant among the latent variables. In conclusion, the instrument which consisted of six latent variables was still lacking in terms of discriminant validity and should be explored further.

  1. Students' and teachers' cognitions about good teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beishuizen, J J; Hof, E; van Putten, C M; Bouwmeester, S; Asscher, J J

    2001-06-01

    Good teachers have been studied ever since Plato described how Socrates taught by asking questions of his audience. Recent findings shed light on two characteristics of good teachers: their personality and their ability. However, more attention has been paid to teachers' practices and opinions than to students' views. The study reported here attempted to deepen our understanding of what students think about good teachers. Students of four age groups (7, 10, 13, and 16 years of age) and teachers from primary and secondary schools were asked to write an essay on the good teacher. The correspondence between conceptual items in the essays was investigated by determining the extent to which they were used in the same essays to describe good teachers. Correspondence analysis revealed two dimensions. The first dimension reflected the preference of students and teachers for describing the good teacher in terms of either personality or ability characteristics. The second dimension was interpreted as an orientation in the essays towards either attachment to, detachment from or commitment to school and teachers. Students and teachers were compared to establish the amount of (dis)agreement about what makes a good teacher. Primary school students described good teachers primarily as competent instructors, focusing on transfer of knowledge and skills, whereas secondary school students emphasised relational aspects of good teachers. Teachers, however, considered good teachers in the first place a matter of establishing personal relationships with their students. Consequently, primary school students and teachers disagreed about the characteristics of good teachers. In secondary education, disagreements between teachers and students were relatively small. The research method of collecting free essays and utilising correspondence analysis to represent conceptual items and groups of participants seems promising as long as a theoretical framework is available to interpret the

  2. Essays on electricity markets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rud, Linda

    2009-07-01

    The report covers several topics of electricity markets: The first essay, 'Selected Topics on Early Electricity Market Design in Norway' studies market design issues in establishing the market-based Norwegian electricity market. Essays 2-4 focus on issues of network congestion: 'Capacity Charges: A Price Adjustment Process for Managing Congestion in Electricity Transmission Networks' presents the capacity charge approach for managing transmission constraints in electricity networks. 'Understanding the Stochastics of Nodal Prices: Price Processes in a Constrained Network' seeks a further understanding of stochastic nodal prices processes. 'Investment Evaluation in a Constrained Electricity Network with Stochastic Nodal Price Processes' studies how the interaction of the competitive market and the capacitated network affects the evaluation of investments under uncertainty, and points out potential pitfalls of evaluation. In the last essay, 'A Newsboy Model Perspective on the Power Market: The Case of a Wind Power Producer' we discuss aspects of optimal bidding for a wind power producer. (Author)

  3. Essays on electricity markets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rud, Linda

    2009-07-01

    The report covers several topics of electricity markets: The first essay, 'Selected Topics on Early Electricity Market Design in Norway' studies market design issues in establishing the market-based Norwegian electricity market. Essays 2-4 focus on issues of network congestion: 'Capacity Charges: A Price Adjustment Process for Managing Congestion in Electricity Transmission Networks' presents the capacity charge approach for managing transmission constraints in electricity networks. 'Understanding the Stochastics of Nodal Prices: Price Processes in a Constrained Network' seeks a further understanding of stochastic nodal prices processes. 'Investment Evaluation in a Constrained Electricity Network with Stochastic Nodal Price Processes' studies how the interaction of the competitive market and the capacitated network affects the evaluation of investments under uncertainty, and points out potential pitfalls of evaluation. In the last essay, 'A Newsboy Model Perspective on the Power Market: The Case of a Wind Power Producer' we discuss aspects of optimal bidding for a wind power producer. (Author)

  4. Cohesion and the Social Construction of Meaning in the Essays of Filipino College Students Writing in L2 English

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Carolyn D.

    2004-01-01

    This study compares the degree of cohesion and coherence in the essays written by thirty Filipino college freshmen and analyzes how the social construction of meaning was made evident in their writing. Results showed that low, mid and highly rated essays were comparable in grammatical cohesive device use. Lexical repetition and use of synonyms…

  5. An interim report on the MCAT Essay Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koenig, J A; Mitchell, K J

    1988-01-01

    Results from four pilot administrations of the Medical College Admission Test essay question are reported. Analyses focused on (a) the performance characteristics of sample groups differentiated by gender, size of hometown, race/ethnicity, and dominant language; (b) the relationships between essay scores and academic/demographic characteristics; and (c) the reliability of one 45-minute versus two 30-minute essays. No differences were found for examinees grouped by gender and size of home community. Mean differences among the racial/ethnic groups were explained largely by reading level differences. Differences in essay performance by language group were large and unexplained by reading level differences. No relationship was found between the essay score and the academic/demographic characteristics. Reliability estimates for two 30-minute essays were higher than for one 45-minute essay; however, the 30-minute period yielded writing of poorer quality. Test-retest reliabilities for the 45-minute topics will remain the focus of future studies as will performance by examinees for whom English is a second language. The impact of the essay on the selection process will also be assessed.

  6. From Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom: Hopeful Essays for 21st Century Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prensky, Marc

    2012-01-01

    What can you learn on a cell phone? Almost anything! How does that concept fit with our traditional system of education? It doesn't. Best-selling author and futurist Marc Prensky's book of essays challenges educators to "reboot" and make the changes necessary to prepare students for 21st century careers. His "bottom-up" vision is based on…

  7. Essays on Customization Applications in Marketing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adiguzel, Feray

    2006-01-01

    The primary objective of this thesis is to develop and validate new methodologies to improve the collection of data and the effectiveness of promotion customization. This thesis contains two essays. In these essays, we search for optimal combinations of components of questionnaires to design split

  8. Einstein's essays in science

    CERN Document Server

    Einstein, Albert

    2009-01-01

    His name is synonymous with ""genius,"" but these essays by the renowned physicist and scholar are accessible to any reader. In addition to outlining the core of relativity theory in everyday language, Albert Einstein presents fascinating discussions of other scientific fields to which he made significant contributions. The Nobel Laureate also profiles some of history's most influential physicists, upon whose studies his own work was based.Assembled during Einstein's lifetime from his speeches and essays, this book marks the first presentation to the wider world of the scientist's accomplishme

  9. Essays in Household Finance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hanspal, Tobin

    This Ph.D. thesis, entitled Essays in Household Finance, analyzes the determinants and implications of investment biases, personal experiences in financial markets, and financing disruptions on households, individual investors, and entrepreneurs and small business owners. The first essay...... on risk taking is the potential bias resulting from inertia and inattention, which has been shown to be endemic in household finance. If individuals are inert or inattentive, it is difficult to establish whether changes in risk taking are caused by personal experiences or whether the change in risk taking...

  10. Essays on Social Media Fundraising and E-Commerce

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Xue

    2017-01-01

    This dissertation has two components: social media fundraising and e-commerce. The first component of social media fundraising discusses social media users' charitable content generation in essay 1 and charitable giving in essay 2. In essay 1, we examine how reciprocity of followees affects social influence on users' charitable content generation.…

  11. Essays on energy derivatives pricing and financial risk management =

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madaleno, Mara Teresa da Silva

    This thesis consists of an introductory chapter (essay I) and five more empirical essays on electricity markets and CO2 spot price behaviour, derivatives pricing analysis and hedging. Essay I presents the structure of the thesis and electricity markets functioning and characteristics, as well as the type of products traded, to be analyzed on the following essays. In the second essay we conduct an empirical study on co-movements in electricity markets resorting to wavelet analysis, discussing long-term dynamics and markets integration. Essay three is about hedging performance and multiscale relationships in the German electricity spot and futures markets, also using wavelet analysis. We concentrate the investigation on the relationship between coherence evolution and hedge ratio analysis, on a time-frequency-scale approach, between spot and futures which conditions the effectiveness of the hedging strategy. Essays four, five and six are interrelated between them and with the other two previous essays given the nature of the commodity analyzed, CO2 emission allowances, traded in electricity markets. Relationships between electricity prices, primary energy fuel prices and carbon dioxide permits are analyzed on essay four. The efficiency of the European market for allowances is examined taking into account markets heterogeneity. Essay five analyzes stylized statistical properties of the recent traded asset CO2 emission allowances, for spot and futures returns, examining also the relation linking convenience yield and risk premium, for the German European Energy Exchange (EEX) between October 2005 and October 2009. The study was conducted through empirical estimations of CO2 allowances risk premium, convenience yield, and their relation. Future prices from an ex-post perspective are examined to show evidence for significant negative risk premium, or else a positive forward premium. Finally, essay six analyzes emission allowances futures hedging effectiveness, providing

  12. Video essay

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    Camera movement has a profound influence on the way films look and the way films are experienced by spectators. In this visual essay Jakob Isak Nielsen proposes six major functions of camera movement in narrative cinema. Individual camera movements may serve more of these functions at the same time...

  13. Three essays in energy and environmental economics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redlinger, Michael

    This thesis exploits the boom in U.S. oil and gas production to explore several empirical questions in environmental and energy economics. In the first essay, statistical techniques are employed to evaluate learning-by-doing in the Bakken Shale Play. Furthermore, the essay demonstrates organizational forgetting and knowledge spillovers among firms. The results show rates of learning in an important sector the U.S. economy and may have broader lessons for productivity gains and losses. The second essay investigates interfirm learning economies in oil well drilling in terms of productivity improvements and increases in environmental safety. The empirical results improve our understanding of how interfirm relationships influence productivity as well as the drivers of environmental incidents. Lastly, the third essay analyzes the impacts of stricter environmental regulations on oil production and well drilling in North Dakota. The results have particular relevance for policymakers seeking to understand the trade-offs between resource development and environmental quality. These three essays ultimately expand our knowledge of how learning economies occur and the effects of environmental regulations on economic activity.

  14. Citation Behaviors Observed in Japanese EFL Students' Argumentative Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamimura, Taeko

    2014-01-01

    Effective use of outside source texts is one of the key components of successful academic writing. This study aims at clarifying Japanese university EFL students' citation behaviors in producing argumentative writing. Twenty-six Japanese university EFL students wrote an argumentative essay. Their essays were analyzed quantitatively by six…

  15. AN ERROR ANALYSIS OF ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY (CASE STUDY AT UNIVERSITY MUHAMMADIYAH OF METRO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fenny - Thresia

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was study analyze the students’ error in writing argumentative essay. The researcher focuses on errors of verb, concord and learner language. This study took 20 students as the subject of research from the third semester. The data took from observation and documentation. Based on the result of the data analysis there are some errors still found on the student’s argumentative essay in English writing? The common errors which repeatedly appear are verb. The second is concord, and learner languages are the smallest error. From 20 samples that took, the frequency the errors of verb are 12 items (60%, concord are 8 items (40%, learner languages are 7 items (35%. As a result, verb has the biggest number of common errors.

  16. Development and Criterion Validity of Differentiated and Elevated Vocational Interests in Adolescence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirschi, Andreas

    2009-01-01

    Interest differentiation and elevation are supposed to provide important information about a person's state of interest development, yet little is known about their development and criterion validity. The present study explored these constructs among a group of Swiss adolescents. Study 1 applied a cross-sectional design with 210 students in 11th…

  17. 75 FR 67169 - Foreign Institutions-Federal Student Aid Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-01

    ... research done by an individual student in the United States for not more than one academic year is... student in the United States for not more than one academic year, if it is conducted during the..., modified essay questions (MEQs), essays, and Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs)--are given greater...

  18. Fuel-pin cladding transient failure strain criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bard, F.E.; Duncan, D.R.; Hunter, C.W.

    1983-01-01

    A criterion for cladding failure based on accumulated strain was developed for mixed uranium-plutonium oxide fuel pins and used to interpret the calculated strain results from failed transient fuel pin experiments conducted in the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility. The new STRAIN criterion replaced a stress-based criterion that depends on the DORN parameter and that incorrectly predicted fuel pin failure for transient tested fuel pins. This paper describes the STRAIN criterion and compares its prediction with those of the stress-based criterion

  19. Conjunctions in Argumentative Writing of Libyan Tertiary Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed, Muftah

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was an attempt to investigate the use of conjunctions in argumentative essays written by English as a Foreign Language fourth-year undergraduate Libyan students majoring in English at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Libya. A corpus of 32 argumentative essays was collected from a sample of 16 students in order to be investigated…

  20. Three essays on economic development

    OpenAIRE

    Méndez Errico, Paula Luciana

    2014-01-01

    The main objective of this dissertation is to study some of the mechanisms suggested by the economic literature as factors that could prevent individuals from attaining certain domains of well-being. This thesis is divided in three independent essays providing new evidence on three issues within the field of economic development: the effect of social networks on immigrants' labor market outcomes (first essay), the long-lasting impact of income inequality on entrepreneurial success and job cre...

  1. How Reflective Is the Academic Essay?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maclellan, Effie

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of reflection in academic essays. Forty essays, all previously deemed to be of merit quality, were analysed in terms of three elements of reflection--how the educational issue is conceptualized; what the issue means for practice; and how practice might be changed to resolve the problematic. Each…

  2. Ecosociological essays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaillancourt, J.

    1982-01-01

    This book contains a collection of 25 essays, articles and reports of work in the domain of environmental sociology, a new area of sociology which can be labelled ΣecosociologyΣ. This area is situated on the border between sociology and ecology but from the point of view of sociology rather than that of ecology

  3. Essays on financial structure and macroeconomic performance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhu, D.

    2006-01-01

    In addressing the matter, two essays study the effects of the debt vs. equity dimension of the financial structure on international consumption smoothing and macroeconomic volatility (in particular, economic downturns). Another essay evaluates the role of informal financial institution by looking

  4. The effects of departmentalized and self-contained classrooms on fifth-grade students' achievement in science on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Lisa S.

    Elementary instruction of fifth grade classrooms was found to be primarily in two organizational models in a school district northwest of Atlanta, Georgia. The self-contained classroom provided a generalist teacher responsible for the instruction of all academic subjects to one group of students throughout the day, while departmentalized classrooms were structured utilizing one teacher for the instruction of one or two content areas, and students rotated throughout the day for each of the academic subjects. The majority of studies looking at the effect of instructional organization were concentrated in the content areas of mathematics and reading. This quantitative study, utilized an ex post facto methodology to determine whether fifth grade students attending departmentalized schools or self-contained classrooms had higher student achievement in science as measured by the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The statistical data was collected through the Georgia Department of Education and included raw mean scores of over 500 students attending departmentalized schools and 500 students attending self-contained classrooms, along with the various subgroups such as gender, ethnicity status, English language learners (ELL), and students with disability (SWD) placement. This data was analyzed to show if a significant statistical difference emerged from either instructional organization. The overall results that emerged from the archival data suggested no significant difference in student achievement existed for almost all subgroups tested of the total 1000+ participant scores used in the study. The results also did however, showed the departmentalization model of instruction had a slight advantage over self-contained classrooms for male students with disabilities.

  5. Four essays on market power in energy economics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hansen, Petter Vegard

    2008-07-01

    Market power in energy markets is discussed intensively in both academic and public arenas. There has been an intense energy debate on market power at least since the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) exercised its market power and caused the 'oil crisis' of the 1970s, and again following the deregulation of electricity markets at the beginning of the 1990s. However, this debate is not new. In 1911, for example, the US Supreme Court divided Standard Oil into 34 separate companies using antitrust law. With increasing energy prices and the ongoing process of liberalization of electricity markets throughout the world, the topic is still relevant for future markets. The four essays in this dissertation discuss specific aspects of market power in energy markets. The first essay concerns the crude oil market, and the remaining three essays relate to market power in the Nordic and Norwegian electricity markets. In the first essay, a multi-equation dynamic econometric model tests whether the behaviour of OPEC, as a whole or as different subgroups, is consistent with the behaviour of dominant producers in the world crude oil market. The second essay is a theoretical work that introduces uncertainty in inflow to the discussion of market power in hydropower markets by analysing the effects of uncertainty in inflow on market performance under alternative assumptions about market structure. In the third essay, high-frequency data are used to analyse how price signals from the spot market affect end-user demand in the Norwegian and Swedish electricity markets. Finally, in the fourth essay, retailer and household behaviour in the Norwegian electricity market are analysed using detailed information on prices and other market characteristics. In the following section, I provide highlights from a general discussion of market power in order to set the essays included in this dissertation in context. (Author). refs., figs., tabs

  6. The Bohm criterion for rf discharges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meijer, P.M.; Goedheer, W.J.

    1991-01-01

    The well-known dc Bohm criterion is extended to rf discharges. Both low- (ω rf much-lt ω pi ) and high-(ω pi much-lt ω rf ) frequency regimes are considered. For low frequencies, the dc Bohm criterion holds. This criterion states that the initial energy of the ions entering the sheath must exceed a limit in order to obtain a stable sheath. For high frequencies, a modified limit is derived, which is somewhat lower than that of the dc Bohm criterion. The resulting ion current density in a high-frequency sheath is only a few percent lower than that for the dc case

  7. Essays on preference formation and home production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Xu, Yan

    2017-01-01

    This thesis consists of three essays in quantitative marketing, focusing on structural empirical analysis of the evolution of consumer brand preference under incomplete information and the effect of time on consumer purchase behavior. The first essay studies the evolution of consumer brand

  8. Aristotle, De Memoria et Reminiscentia. Text, Translation and Interpretive Essays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bloch, David Kristian

    2006-01-01

    The dissertation analyses Aristotle's De Memoria et Reminiscentia. It contains an introduction, a critical edition accompanied by an English translation, an essay on Aristotle's own theories and an essay on the Aristotelian tradition.......The dissertation analyses Aristotle's De Memoria et Reminiscentia. It contains an introduction, a critical edition accompanied by an English translation, an essay on Aristotle's own theories and an essay on the Aristotelian tradition....

  9. Towards chaos criterion in quantum field theory

    OpenAIRE

    Kuvshinov, V. I.; Kuzmin, A. V.

    2002-01-01

    Chaos criterion for quantum field theory is proposed. Its correspondence with classical chaos criterion in semi-classical regime is shown. It is demonstrated for real scalar field that proposed chaos criterion can be used to investigate stability of classical solutions of field equations.

  10. Essays on top management and corporate behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wu, H.T.

    2010-01-01

    Human behavior is fascinating, and there is no exception to what its influences are on the financial market. This dissertation consists of three essays that examine corporate behavior that is affected by decisions made by the top management. The first essay studies the rationale for leveraged buyout

  11. Essays in financial reporting, tax, and politics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, W.H.P.

    2015-01-01

    This dissertation contains three essays on financial reporting, tax, and politics. The first essay explores whether the tax authority is able to generate spillover effects for auditors. The IRS can generate spillover effects for auditors, as a strong IRS increases manager’s incentives to comply with

  12. Essays on incomplete contracts in regulatory activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saavedra, Eduardo Humberto

    This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay, The Hold-Up Problem in Public Infrastructure Franchising, characterizes the equilibria of the investment decisions in public infrastructure franchising under incomplete contracting and ex-post renegotiation. The parties (government and a firm) are unable to credibly commit to the contracted investment plan, so that a second step investment is renegotiated by the parties at the revision stage. As expected, the possibility of renegotiation affects initial non-verifiable investments. The main conclusion of this essay is that not only underinvestment but also overinvestment in infrastructure may arise in equilibrium, compared to the complete contracting case. The second essay, Alternative Institutional Arrangements in Network Utilities: An Incomplete Contracting Approach, presents a theoretical assessment of the efficiency implications of privatizing natural monopolies which are vertically related to potential competitive firms. Based on the incomplete contracts and asymmetric information paradigm. I develop a model that analyzes the relative advantages of different institutional arrangements---alternative ownership and market structures in the industry--- in terms of their allocative and productive efficiencies. The main policy conclusion of this essay is that both ownership and the existence of conglomerates in network industries matter. Among other conclusions, this essay provides an economic rationale for a mixed economy in which the network is public and vertical separation of the industry when the natural monopoly is under private ownership. The last essay, Opportunistic Behavior and Legal Disputes in the Chilean Electricity Sector, analyzes post-contractual disputes in this newly privatized industry. It discusses the presumption that opportunistic behavior and disputes arise due to inadequate market design, ambiguous regulation, and institutional weaknesses. This chapter also assesses the presumption

  13. Essays on the role of accounting in acquisition decision-making

    OpenAIRE

    Puhakka, Hannu

    2017-01-01

    This dissertation investigates the role of accounting in acquisition decision-making via three essays. First essay examines the influence of accounting on trust development during the acquisition negotiation process. Essay 2 explores the interplay of formal and informal pre-decision control mechanisms and seeks to provide new insights on the interplay of various pre-decision control mechanisms at different stages of the acquisition decision-making process. Third essay seeks to specify how acc...

  14. The future-essay as a design tool

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Bente Dahl; Kappel, Anne

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present scenarios, photo-essays and future-essays as tools in communication, and as tools for clarifying the use of products in the future and the aesthetic qualities in the programme. In the design process, the programme is a description of the function, the condition...

  15. Constitution 200: A Bicentennial Collection of Essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hepburn, Mary A., Ed.; And Others

    Constitutional essays which formed the basis of public assemblies throughout three states are compiled in this book. The first three essays consider the U.S. government principles of federalism, judicial review, and the separation of powers. Michael L. Benedict proposes that the question of ultimate sovereignty has been answered differently by…

  16. The future of the city. Essays; De toekomst van de stad. Essays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uitermark, J.; Schinkel, W. [Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam EUR, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Engelen, E. [Universiteit van Amsterdam UvA, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Raspe, O.; Hamers, D. [Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands); Janssen, J.; Beunen, R. [Wageningen University WUR, Wageningen (Netherlands); Schutten, I. [Studio Iris Schutten, Den Haag (Netherlands); Mommaas, H. [Universiteit Tilburg, Telos, Brabants Centrum voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling, Tilburg (Netherlands); Tillie, N. [Landschapsarchitect en adviseur duurzaamheid, Technische Universiteit Delft TUD, Delft (Netherlands); Verheijen, M. [Hogeschool Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Schuilenburg, M. [Vrije Universiteit VU, Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Jong, J.D. [Rebond onderzoek en advies, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Van Steekelenburg, M. [Spatialplanning.com, Provinciehuis Zuid-Holland, Den Haag (Netherlands); Vermeulen, P. [Dienst Ruimtelijke Ordening Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Waal, M. [The Public Matters, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mulder, B. [Mandorla Consultancy, Bussum (Netherlands); Soeterbroek, F. [De Ruimtemaker, Utrecht (Netherlands); Wijma, J. [Programmabureau Regio Groningen-Assen, Groningen (Netherlands)

    2012-08-15

    The essays discuss nine tasks for the city. Each problem will be approached from two angles. The focus is on the relationship between governments and the self-resolving power in the city, the capacity of individuals, groups and organizations to change. Where In what cases does the self-resolving power of the city hamper? When is government intervention required? What is the role of connections between tasks, policies and groups? [Dutch] De essays gaan in op negen opgaven voor de stad. Elke opgave wordt vanuit twee invalshoeken belicht. Centraal staat de verhouding tussen overheden en zelfoplossend vermogen in de stad, de 'veranderkracht' van individuen, groepen en organisaties. Waar hapert het zelfoplossend vermogen van de stad? Wanneer is overheidsinterventie gewenst? Welke rol spelen verbindingen tussen opgaven, beleidssectoren en groepen daarbij?.

  17. The future of the city. Essays; De toekomst van de stad. Essays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uitermark, J.; Schinkel, W. [Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam EUR, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Engelen, E. [Universiteit van Amsterdam UvA, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Raspe, O.; Hamers, D. [Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands); Janssen, J.; Beunen, R. [Wageningen University WUR, Wageningen (Netherlands); Schutten, I. [Studio Iris Schutten, Den Haag (Netherlands); Mommaas, H. [Universiteit Tilburg, Telos, Brabants Centrum voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling, Tilburg (Netherlands); Tillie, N. [Landschapsarchitect en adviseur duurzaamheid, Technische Universiteit Delft TUD, Delft (Netherlands); Verheijen, M. [Hogeschool Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Schuilenburg, M. [Vrije Universiteit VU, Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Jong, J. D. [Rebond onderzoek en advies, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Van Steekelenburg, M. [Spatialplanning.com, Provinciehuis Zuid-Holland, Den Haag (Netherlands); Vermeulen, P. [Dienst Ruimtelijke Ordening Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Waal, M. [The Public Matters, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mulder, B. [Mandorla Consultancy, Bussum (Netherlands); Soeterbroek, F. [De Ruimtemaker, Utrecht (Netherlands); Wijma, J. [Programmabureau Regio Groningen-Assen, Groningen (Netherlands)

    2012-08-15

    The essays discuss nine tasks for the city. Each problem will be approached from two angles. The focus is on the relationship between governments and the self-resolving power in the city, the capacity of individuals, groups and organizations to change. Where In what cases does the self-resolving power of the city hamper? When is government intervention required? What is the role of connections between tasks, policies and groups? [Dutch] De essays gaan in op negen opgaven voor de stad. Elke opgave wordt vanuit twee invalshoeken belicht. Centraal staat de verhouding tussen overheden en zelfoplossend vermogen in de stad, de 'veranderkracht' van individuen, groepen en organisaties. Waar hapert het zelfoplossend vermogen van de stad? Wanneer is overheidsinterventie gewenst? Welke rol spelen verbindingen tussen opgaven, beleidssectoren en groepen daarbij?.

  18. A Flipped Writing Classroom: Effects on EFL Learners’ Argumentative Essays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Soltanpour

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available According to the literature, flipped teaching is a relatively new pedagogical approach in which the typical activities of classroom lectures followed by homework in common teaching practice are reversed in order, and most often integrated or supplemented with some types of instructional materials, such as instructional videos or PowerPoint files. This experimental study, using a pre-test-treatment-posttest-delayed posttest design, was aimed at investigating the effect of flipped instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ quality of argumentative essays. The participants were 55 students, who were assigned to two groups: the flipped classroom (FC and the traditional classroom (TC. Each group received 3 sessions of treatment. First, whether there was any significant difference between the FC and TC in the overall quality of the essays was investigated. The FC group significantly outperformed the TC one. Then, whether the difference between the groups varied over time was explored, and it was revealed that the FC was still significantly superior over the TC. Next, whether there would be any significant change in the FC in the long run was examined, and no significant change was seen. The promising results found in FC group can be attributed to not only the flipped instruction but also the process of actively engaging the learners in their learning in addition to incorporating different techniques, such as the video screencasting, collaborative writing, as well as in-class teacher-learner interaction and negotiation because it is argued that the crucial point in flipped instruction is how teachers best use in-class-time with students.

  19. Suboptimal Criterion Learning in Static and Dynamic Environments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elyse H Norton

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Humans often make decisions based on uncertain sensory information. Signal detection theory (SDT describes detection and discrimination decisions as a comparison of stimulus "strength" to a fixed decision criterion. However, recent research suggests that current responses depend on the recent history of stimuli and previous responses, suggesting that the decision criterion is updated trial-by-trial. The mechanisms underpinning criterion setting remain unknown. Here, we examine how observers learn to set a decision criterion in an orientation-discrimination task under both static and dynamic conditions. To investigate mechanisms underlying trial-by-trial criterion placement, we introduce a novel task in which participants explicitly set the criterion, and compare it to a more traditional discrimination task, allowing us to model this explicit indication of criterion dynamics. In each task, stimuli were ellipses with principal orientations drawn from two categories: Gaussian distributions with different means and equal variance. In the covert-criterion task, observers categorized a displayed ellipse. In the overt-criterion task, observers adjusted the orientation of a line that served as the discrimination criterion for a subsequently presented ellipse. We compared performance to the ideal Bayesian learner and several suboptimal models that varied in both computational and memory demands. Under static and dynamic conditions, we found that, in both tasks, observers used suboptimal learning rules. In most conditions, a model in which the recent history of past samples determines a belief about category means fit the data best for most observers and on average. Our results reveal dynamic adjustment of discrimination criterion, even after prolonged training, and indicate how decision criteria are updated over time.

  20. The Impact of Blended e-Learning on Undergraduate Academic Essay Writing in English (L2)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferriman, Nicholas

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a quasi-experimental study into the impact of a blended e-learning environment on academic writing assignments in English (L2) at a Thai international college. An experimental group of 15 students used an on-line bulletin board, as well as face-to-face (F2F) communication in class, to share information for essay topics they…

  1. Essays on liberalized energy markets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nese, Gjermund

    2003-07-01

    This thesis consists of four essays that aim at contributing to the understanding of some of the new challenges associated by the liberalized energy markets. More specifically the essays consider investments in energy generation projects; international trade of Green Certificates, market power in a Green Certificate system, and finally the behaviour of public firms in liberalized markets. Essay 1 considers energy investment, when a choice has to be made between fossil fuel and biomass fired production technologies. A dynamic model is presented to illustrate the effect of the different degrees of input price uncertainty on the choice of technology and the timing of the investment. It is shown that when the choice of technology is irreversible, it may be optimal to postpone the investment even if it would otherwise be optimal to invest in one or both of the plant types. We provide a numerical example based on cost estimates of two different power plant types. Essay 2 presents an analytical equilibrium model for simultaneously functioning international markets for electricity and Green Certificates is formulated. The percentage requirement is perceived as the policy instrument affecting the level of green electricity in end-use consumption. In none of the cases considered does an increase in the country's percentage requirement necessarily result in an increase in the generation of green electricity in that country, but it may have a positive effect on the trading partner's generation of green electricity. Further, under quite realistic assumptions, a country maximizes its generation of green electricity by setting the percentage requirement to zero. In essay 3 an analytic equilibrium model for a simultaneously functioning electricity market and a market for Green Certificates is formulated. The major focus of the paper is the effect of market power in a Green Certificate system. One of the main results is that the certificate system faced with market power

  2. Essays on liberalized energy markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nese, Gjermund

    2003-01-01

    This thesis consists of four essays that aim at contributing to the understanding of some of the new challenges associated by the liberalized energy markets. More specifically the essays consider investments in energy generation projects; international trade of Green Certificates, market power in a Green Certificate system, and finally the behaviour of public firms in liberalized markets. Essay 1 considers energy investment, when a choice has to be made between fossil fuel and biomass fired production technologies. A dynamic model is presented to illustrate the effect of the different degrees of input price uncertainty on the choice of technology and the timing of the investment. It is shown that when the choice of technology is irreversible, it may be optimal to postpone the investment even if it would otherwise be optimal to invest in one or both of the plant types. We provide a numerical example based on cost estimates of two different power plant types. Essay 2 presents an analytical equilibrium model for simultaneously functioning international markets for electricity and Green Certificates is formulated. The percentage requirement is perceived as the policy instrument affecting the level of green electricity in end-use consumption. In none of the cases considered does an increase in the country's percentage requirement necessarily result in an increase in the generation of green electricity in that country, but it may have a positive effect on the trading partner's generation of green electricity. Further, under quite realistic assumptions, a country maximizes its generation of green electricity by setting the percentage requirement to zero. In essay 3 an analytic equilibrium model for a simultaneously functioning electricity market and a market for Green Certificates is formulated. The major focus of the paper is the effect of market power in a Green Certificate system. One of the main results is that the certificate system faced with market power may

  3. Essays on Industrial Organization and Political Economy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camara, Odilon Roberto VG de a

    2009-01-01

    This thesis presents three essays on industrial organization and political economy. In the first essay, I show how the attributes of a managerial workforce affect firms' placement decisions and wage offers, and managers' quit decisions. My OLG model features two division managers and a CEO, where each executive may be at a different point in his…

  4. Peace talks: A “dialogical ethics” model of faculty–student collaboration in the undergraduate classroom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey W. Murray

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available At the 2015 CIDER conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, professors Abelson and Nelson discussed their intense and inspiring level of instructor–student collaboration, describing how they collaborate with their first-year students in the design of particular assignments and even overall course design at the unit level. This essay seeks to contribute to both our understanding and appreciation of such collaborative learning-centered strategies by applying a “dialogical ethics” model. The essay begins with an extended investigation of the ways in which the dramatistic philosophy of Kenneth Burke illuminates the grammatical, rhetorical, and dialogical mechanisms by which instructor–student collaboration fosters enhanced levels of student engagement in the process of education—including investment, ownership, and empowerment. In doing so, this essay explores how the notions of (i disparate grammars and recalcitrance, (ii consubstantiality and irony, and (iii dialogue of motives and peace treaty can elucidate the dynamics of instructor–student collaborative learning. Applying the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, this essay then argues that instructor–student collaboration is an inherently ethical pedagogy. Finally, consistent with the general topic of collaboration and theoretical framework of dialogue, this essay concludes with a response from those who inspired it, Abelson and Nelson.

  5. Three Essays on Macroeconomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doda, Lider Baran

    This dissertation consists of three independent essays in macroeconomics. The first essay studies the transition to a low carbon economy using an extension of the neoclassical growth model featuring endogenous energy efficiency, exhaustible energy and explicit climate-economy interaction. I derive the properties of the laissez faire equilibrium and compare them to the optimal allocations of a social planner who internalizes the climate change externality. Three main results emerge. First, the exhaustibility of energy generates strong market based incentives to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO 2 emissions without any government intervention. Second, the market and optimal allocations are substantially different suggesting a role for the government. Third, high and persistent taxes are required to implement the optimal allocations as a competitive equilibrium with taxes. The second essay focuses on coal fired power plants (CFPP) - one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions globally - and their generation efficiency using a macroeconomic model with an embedded CFPP sector. A key feature of the model is the endogenous choice of production technologies which differ in their energy efficiency. After establishing four empirical facts about the CFPP sector, I analyze the long run quantitative effects of energy taxes. Using the calibrated model, I find that sector-specific coal taxes have large effects on generation efficiency by inducing the use of more efficient technologies. Moreover, such taxes achieve large CO2 emissions reductions with relatively small effects on consumption and output. The final essay studies the procyclicality of fiscal policy in developing countries, which is a well-documented empirical observation seemingly at odds with Neoclassical and Keynesian policy prescriptions. I examine this issue by solving the optimal fiscal policy problem of a small open economy government when the interest rates on external debt are endogenous. Given an

  6. Relationships between Classroom Schedule Types and Performance on the Algebra I Criterion-Referenced Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Gregory V.; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.

    2014-01-01

    One option for length of individual mathematics class periods is the schedule type selected for Algebra I classes. This study examined the relationship between student achievement, as indicated by Algebra I Criterion-Referenced Test scores, and the schedule type for Algebra I classes. Data obtained from the Utah State Office of Education included…

  7. Essays on empirical industrial organization : Entry and innovation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fernandez Machado, Roxana

    2017-01-01

    The dissertation contains three essays on empirical industrial organization devoted to studying firms' strategic interaction in different settings. The first essay develops an entry model to address an important matter in the area of urban economics: the development of cities. In particular, it

  8. Empirical essays on behavioral economics and lifecycle decisions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dillingh, Rik

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation consists of four empirical essays that study decisions on insurance, consumption and the accumulation and decumulation of wealth. The studies pay due attention to behavioral factors that may limit rationality, such as complexity and intertemporal choice. The first essay looks at

  9. Conceptualizing Essay Tests' Reliability and Validity: From Research to Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badjadi, Nour El Imane

    2013-01-01

    The current paper on writing assessment surveys the literature on the reliability and validity of essay tests. The paper aims to examine the two concepts in relationship with essay testing as well as to provide a snapshot of the current understandings of the reliability and validity of essay tests as drawn in recent research studies. Bearing in…

  10. A work criterion for plastic collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muscat, Martin; Mackenzie, Donald; Hamilton, Robert

    2003-01-01

    A new criterion for evaluating limit and plastic loads in pressure vessel design by analysis is presented. The proposed criterion is based on the plastic work dissipated in the structure as loading progresses and may be used for structures subject to a single load or a combination of multiple loads. Example analyses show that limit and plastic loads given by the plastic work criterion are robust and consistent. The limit and plastic loads are determined purely by the inelastic response of the structure and are not influenced by the initial elastic response: a problem with some established plastic criteria

  11. Essay about nuclear right

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puig, D.

    1994-01-01

    The present essay treat about all Uruguaian Nuclear Energy legislation. Nuclear energy history, international treaties, agreements, national programs, nuclear government politics, radiation protection regulations, wastes, radioactive materials transport, environment and safeguards has been given in this compilation

  12. Essays in game theory and natural resource management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pham Do, K.H.

    2003-01-01

    This thesis presents a collection of essays in game theory with applications to environmental resource problems and their management. A major focus of these essays is related to coalitional games in which several classes of games, their properties and solution concepts are studied. Game theory is

  13. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF JOBSHEET-BASED STUDENT TEAMS ACHIEVEMENT DIVISION LEARNING MODEL TO IMPROVE STUDENTS LEARNING OUTCOMES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kadek Dodi Permana

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to improve the Information and Communications Technology (ICT learning outcomes of the students in SMA N 2 Singaraja through the learning model of Job sheet-based Student Team Achievement Division (STAD. This is a classroom action research. The data analysis reveals that learning outcomes in cycle I gain a mean score of 80. 51 and a classical provisions of 15%. There are three students who pass with a minimum score of 85 in cycle I. From these categories, the students’ learning outcomes in the first cycle have not met the criterion of 85%. The mean score of cycle II is 88. 57 and the classical provisions is 90%. In the second cycle, there are 18 students who gain a minimum score of 85. Based on the success criterion, a research study is successful if the minimum completeness criterion reaches 85 and the minimum classical completeness criterion reaches 85%. From the categories, the students’ learning outcomes have been successfully improved since the percentage of classical completeness in the second cycle has reached its expected results.

  14. Some properties of the computable cross-norm criterion for separability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudolph, Oliver

    2003-01-01

    The computable cross-norm (CCN) criterion is a powerful analytical and computable separability criterion for bipartite quantum states, which is also known to systematically detect bound entanglement. In certain aspects this criterion complements the well-known Peres positive partial transpose (PPT) criterion. In the present paper we study important analytical properties of the CCN criterion. We show that in contrast to the PPT criterion it is not sufficient in dimension 2x2. In higher dimensions, theorems connecting the fidelity of a quantum state with the CCN criterion are proved. We also analyze the behavior of the CCN criterion under local operations and identify the operations that leave it invariant. It turns out that the CCN criterion is in general not invariant under local operations

  15. Helping Students Avoid Plagiarism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhoit, Stephen

    1994-01-01

    Discusses how and why college students commit plagiarism, suggesting techniques that instructors can use to help student avoid plagiarism. Instructors should define and discuss plagiarism thoroughly; discuss hypothetical cases; review the conventions of quoting and documenting material; require multiple drafts of essays; and offer responses…

  16. Essays on Intrinsic Motivation of Students and Workers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. van Lent (Max)

    2017-01-01

    markdownabstractThis thesis focuses on intrinsic motivation. In the first part of the thesis I examine the effects of motivating university students to set goals on study performance. In particular I study whether encouraging students to set a grade goal and further motivating them to set a more

  17. Back to the future: eugenics--a bibliographic essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullen, David

    2007-01-01

    The following essay is a review of the literature about the American eugenics movement produced by scholars over the last fifty years. The essay provides an explanation for today's renewed interest in the subject and for why the science of eugenics remains relevant to contemporary society. The essay examines the catalyst to re-examine the eugenics movement, the influence of Darwinian thought upon its development, the political and institutional support for its growth, the relationship between eugenics, sterilization, and sex, and how the twentieth-century promises of the science of better breeding was a precursor to the twenty-first-century promise of genetic engineering.

  18. Intertextuality in Chinese High School Students' Essay Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liddicoat, Anthony J.; Scrimgeour, Andrew; Chen, Toni

    2008-01-01

    This paper investigates the intertextual practices developed for writing in Chinese of high school students in Taiwan. On the basis of texts written by Chinese high school students, we investigate these practices within their own cultural context to develop an understanding of intertextual practices into which Chinese learners are socialised. We…

  19. Essays on incentives and pro-environmental behaviour

    OpenAIRE

    De Martino, Samantha

    2017-01-01

    This thesis consists of four self-contained essays at the nexus of applied microeconomics, behavioural economics, and environmental economics. In the essays of the thesis, I use field experiments and econometric tools to examine the impact of monetary and non monetary incentives for behavioural change during resource scarcity. I use methods of eliciting intrinsic motivations and then empirically test theories on the interaction of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives. Specifically I ...

  20. Review Essay: Grenzgänger Seeks Reflexive Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wolff-Michael Roth

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Reflexive Methodology reviews major strands of current thought in epistemology, philosophy, social science, and interpretive methods. The book falls short in that it neither does a thorough job reviewing the literature nor does it provide method-related advice useful to students. Grenzgängerin constitutes a collection of essays on a broad range of topics, but which are only loosely connected if at all. Drawing on DERRIDA and the notion of a historical science of the historical subject, I attempt to practice method, something I missed in both texts. I make explicit the historical nature of my own writing and the historical nature of my subject. I make explicit intertextuality and in the process practice reflexivity in the particular way I am writing. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs020328

  1. When small words foretell academic success: the case of college admissions essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennebaker, James W; Chung, Cindy K; Frazee, Joey; Lavergne, Gary M; Beaver, David I

    2014-01-01

    The smallest and most commonly used words in English are pronouns, articles, and other function words. Almost invisible to the reader or writer, function words can reveal ways people think and approach topics. A computerized text analysis of over 50,000 college admissions essays from more than 25,000 entering students found a coherent dimension of language use based on eight standard function word categories. The dimension, which reflected the degree students used categorical versus dynamic language, was analyzed to track college grades over students' four years of college. Higher grades were associated with greater article and preposition use, indicating categorical language (i.e., references to complexly organized objects and concepts). Lower grades were associated with greater use of auxiliary verbs, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and negations, indicating more dynamic language (i.e., personal narratives). The links between the categorical-dynamic index (CDI) and academic performance hint at the cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions.

  2. When small words foretell academic success: the case of college admissions essays.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James W Pennebaker

    Full Text Available The smallest and most commonly used words in English are pronouns, articles, and other function words. Almost invisible to the reader or writer, function words can reveal ways people think and approach topics. A computerized text analysis of over 50,000 college admissions essays from more than 25,000 entering students found a coherent dimension of language use based on eight standard function word categories. The dimension, which reflected the degree students used categorical versus dynamic language, was analyzed to track college grades over students' four years of college. Higher grades were associated with greater article and preposition use, indicating categorical language (i.e., references to complexly organized objects and concepts. Lower grades were associated with greater use of auxiliary verbs, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and negations, indicating more dynamic language (i.e., personal narratives. The links between the categorical-dynamic index (CDI and academic performance hint at the cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions.

  3. When Small Words Foretell Academic Success: The Case of College Admissions Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennebaker, James W.; Chung, Cindy K.; Frazee, Joey; Lavergne, Gary M.; Beaver, David I.

    2014-01-01

    The smallest and most commonly used words in English are pronouns, articles, and other function words. Almost invisible to the reader or writer, function words can reveal ways people think and approach topics. A computerized text analysis of over 50,000 college admissions essays from more than 25,000 entering students found a coherent dimension of language use based on eight standard function word categories. The dimension, which reflected the degree students used categorical versus dynamic language, was analyzed to track college grades over students' four years of college. Higher grades were associated with greater article and preposition use, indicating categorical language (i.e., references to complexly organized objects and concepts). Lower grades were associated with greater use of auxiliary verbs, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and negations, indicating more dynamic language (i.e., personal narratives). The links between the categorical-dynamic index (CDI) and academic performance hint at the cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions. PMID:25551217

  4. Student voice - Getting motivated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowen, Emma

    2016-05-09

    ON THE whole, I consider myself a calm, logical person who rarely gets stressed. This stands me in good stead on placement, but it causes problems when it comes to the academic side of being a student. I rarely start work when I should. I have not yet started an essay the night before it is due, but it is unheard of for me to start an essay sooner than two weeks before it is due.

  5. "I Like to Plan Events": A Document Analysis of Essays Written by Applicants to a Public Relations Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Ronald E.

    2016-01-01

    A document analysis of 249 essays written during a 5-year period by applicants to a public relations program at a major state university in the southeast suggests that there are enduring reasons why students choose to major in public relations. Public relations is described as a major that allows for and encourages creative expression and that…

  6. The qualitative criterion of transient angle stability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lyu, R.; Xue, Y.; Xue, F.

    2015-01-01

    In almost all the literatures, the qualitative assessment of transient angle stability extracts the angle information of generators based on the swing curve. As the angle (or angle difference) of concern and the threshold value rely strongly on the engineering experience, the validity and robust...... of these criterions are weak. Based on the stability mechanism from the extended equal area criterion (EEAC) theory and combining with abundant simulations of real system, this paper analyzes the criterions in most literatures and finds that the results could be too conservative or too optimistic. It is concluded...

  7. Failure Criterion for Brick Masonry: A Micro-Mechanics Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kawa Marek

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the formulation of failure criterion for an in-plane loaded masonry. Using micro-mechanics approach the strength estimation for masonry microstructure with constituents obeying the Drucker-Prager criterion is determined numerically. The procedure invokes lower bound analysis: for assumed stress fields constructed within masonry periodic cell critical load is obtained as a solution of constrained optimization problem. The analysis is carried out for many different loading conditions at different orientations of bed joints. The performance of the approach is verified against solutions obtained for corresponding layered and block microstructures, which provides the upper and lower strength bounds for masonry microstructure, respectively. Subsequently, a phenomenological anisotropic strength criterion for masonry microstructure is proposed. The criterion has a form of conjunction of Jaeger critical plane condition and Tsai-Wu criterion. The model proposed is identified based on the fitting of numerical results obtained from the microstructural analysis. Identified criterion is then verified against results obtained for different loading orientations. It appears that strength of masonry microstructure can be satisfactorily described by the criterion proposed.

  8. STRENGTHENING STUDENTS’ LITERACY THROUGH REFLECTIVE ESSAY WRITING: AN IMPLEMENTATION OF WRITING TO READ PROGRAM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arina Shofiya

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Literacy is a condition where a person has capability to read for knowledge, write to share knowledge, and think critically. Students’ literacy is a never-end issue in the field of English Language Teaching. Studies have been carried out to investigate literacy practices in various level of education including higher education. Among the problems of students’ literacy in higher education are the amount of their reading and writing practices and their motivation to read and write. The current paper is intended to share an experience in strengthening students’ literacy at the English Department of State Islamic Institute (Institut Agama Islam Negeri/IAIN Tulungagung, East Java. The preliminary investigation of the present study revealed that many students have low motivation to read. In addition, their comprehension was relatively low as represented in their paper works. Under a Classroom Action Research Design, the present study was conducted to propose writing to read program to strengthen the students’ literacy. In such program, the students were required to write a reflective essay based on the selected topics that they had to read prior to classes. The findings showed that writing reflective essay helped students strengthen their literacy as well as improve their motivation to read and to write because the reading and writing activities were done in a more relax and supportive environment that was at home.

  9. Rethinking the Argumentative Essay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneer, David

    2014-01-01

    This article investigates the construction of the argumentative essay as it is commonly presented in academic writing textbooks and classrooms for English language learners. The author first examines the traditional three-stage structure (thesis-argument-conclusion) and then problematizes it within a genre-based approach to academic writing. He…

  10. A Failure Criterion for Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, N. S.

    1977-01-01

    A four-parameter failure criterion containing all the three stress invariants explicitly is proposed for short-time loading of concrete. It corresponds to a smooth convex failure surface with curved meridians, which open in the negative direction of the hydrostatic axis, and the trace in the devi......A four-parameter failure criterion containing all the three stress invariants explicitly is proposed for short-time loading of concrete. It corresponds to a smooth convex failure surface with curved meridians, which open in the negative direction of the hydrostatic axis, and the trace...

  11. Assessing High Impact Practices Using NVivo: An Automated Approach to Analyzing Student Reflections for Program Improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaney, Jennifer; Filer, Kimberly; Lyon, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Critical reflection allows students to synthesize their learning and deepen their understanding of an experience (Ash & Clayton, 2009). A recommended reflection method is for students to write essays about their experiences. However, on a large scale, such reflection essays become difficult to analyze in a meaningful way. At Roanoke College,…

  12. Detection of Common Errors in Turkish EFL Students' Writing through a Corpus Analytic Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirel, Elif Tokdemir

    2017-01-01

    The present study aims to explore Turkish EFL students' major writing difficulties by analyzing the frequent writing errors in academic essays. Accordingly, the study examined errors in a corpus of 150 academic essays written by Turkish EFL students studying at the Department of English Language and Literature at a public university in Turkey. The…

  13. Cooperation, networks and emotions: Three essays in behavioral economics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Leeuwen, B.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis contains three essays that study how people behave in a social context. The first two essays are on cooperation and networks. Chapter 2 investigates a mechanism to facilitate public good provision in networks. It relies on the idea that people compete for attractive network positions (or

  14. Scaffolding for Second Language Writers: Producing an Academic Essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotterall, Sara; Cohen, Robin

    2003-01-01

    Describes how a group of intermediate learners of English were guided through the process of producing their first academic essays in English. The approach applied the concept of scaffolding to the academic writing process by proving flexible support for the learners throughout the writing of their essays. (Author/VWL)

  15. Essays on medieval computational astronomy

    CERN Document Server

    Bergón, José Chabás

    2014-01-01

    In Essays on Medieval Computational Astronomy the authors provide examples of original and intelligent approaches and solutions given by medieval astronomers to the problems of their discipline, mostly presented in the form of astronomical tables.

  16. Essays in auction theory

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maasland, E.

    2012-01-01

    Auction theory is a branch of game theory that considers human behavior in auction markets and the ensuing market outcomes. It is also successfully used as a tool to design real-life auctions. This thesis contains five essays addressing a variety of topics within the realm of auction theory. The

  17. The EMU debt criterion: an interpretation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. BERNDSEN

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available The convergence criteria specified in the Maastricht Treaty on government deficit and debt, inflation, the exchange rate and the long-term interest rate will play an important, if not decisive, role in determining which countries move on to the third stage of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU. The aim of this work is to provide a possible interpretation of the EMU debt criterion. The author investigates the government debt criterion which, as Article 104c(2b of the Treaty shows, has a considerable scope for interpretation. Although this subject has been discussed extensively, relatively little work has been done to develop a clear interpretation of the EMU debt criterion. A flexible approach is adopted in which parts of the relevant Treaty text are characterised using two parameters.

  18. Responding Effectively to Composition Students: Comparing Student Perceptions of Written and Audio Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilbro, J.; Iluzada, C.; Clark, D. E.

    2013-01-01

    The authors compared student perceptions of audio and written feedback in order to assess what types of students may benefit from receiving audio feedback on their essays rather than written feedback. Many instructors previously have reported the advantages they see in audio feedback, but little quantitative research has been done on how the…

  19. Essays on Academic Achievement and Student Behavior in Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moussa, Wael Soheil

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation examines the student academic achievement through various mechanisms, put in place by the public school district, classroom student behavior, and negative external shocks to the students' living environment. I examine the impacts of various treatments on student short and long run academic outcomes such as math and English test…

  20. The Early (Feminist) Essays of Victoria Ocampo

    OpenAIRE

    Doris Meyer

    1996-01-01

    This study examines the essays written by Ocampo between 1920 and 1934, prior to the time when she publicly voiced her adhesion to feminism and the rights of women in Argentine society. In these works from her Testimonios in which Ocampo struggles to find her voice as a female writer, the maleable essay serves her need to engage in discursive dialogues from the margins of the literary culture of her time. Both as a woman and a member of the oligarchy, she questions cultural assumptions and ...

  1. Essays and Explorations: Studies in Ideas, Language, and Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, Morton W.

    Seventeen reprinted essays and an unpublished one are contained in this collection and organized under five headings: History of Ideas, Approaches to Medieval Literature, Chaucer and Fourteenth-Century English Literature, Language and Linguistics, and Essay-Reviews. Topics discussed include the origin of the concept of the Seven Cardinal Sins;…

  2. Inviscid criterion for decomposing scales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Dongxiao; Aluie, Hussein

    2018-05-01

    The proper scale decomposition in flows with significant density variations is not as straightforward as in incompressible flows, with many possible ways to define a "length scale." A choice can be made according to the so-called inviscid criterion [Aluie, Physica D 24, 54 (2013), 10.1016/j.physd.2012.12.009]. It is a kinematic requirement that a scale decomposition yield negligible viscous effects at large enough length scales. It has been proved [Aluie, Physica D 24, 54 (2013), 10.1016/j.physd.2012.12.009] recently that a Favre decomposition satisfies the inviscid criterion, which is necessary to unravel inertial-range dynamics and the cascade. Here we present numerical demonstrations of those results. We also show that two other commonly used decompositions can violate the inviscid criterion and, therefore, are not suitable to study inertial-range dynamics in variable-density and compressible turbulence. Our results have practical modeling implication in showing that viscous terms in Large Eddy Simulations do not need to be modeled and can be neglected.

  3. Plasma sheath criterion in thermal electronegative plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghomi, Hamid; Khoramabadi, Mansour; Ghorannevis, Mahmod; Shukla, Padma Kant

    2010-01-01

    The sheath formation criterion in electronegative plasma is examined. By using a multifluid model, it is shown that in a collisional sheath there will be upper as well as lower limits for the sheath velocity criterion. However, the parameters of the negative ions only affect the lower limit.

  4. Five essays on fiscal policy, intergenerational welfare and petroleum wealth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thoegersen, Oe

    1994-12-01

    Motivated by current macro economic problems facing the Norwegian economy, this thesis deals with fiscal policy and the management of petroleum wealth in a small open resource economy. The thesis highlights the fact that considerable parts of the petroleum revenues are collected by the government and studies in particular the interaction between fiscal policy, uncertain petroleum revenues and welfare between generations. Essay 1 is a paper on the calculation of the Norwegian petroleum wealth and surveys economic effects of the development of the petroleum sector and the spending of the petroleum revenues. Essay 2 deals with the effects of uncertain government petroleum revenues on fiscal policy, wealth accumulation and inter generational welfare. In Essay 3 a discussion is given of the effects of oil price risk on international risk sharing. Petroleum importing and exporting countries are considered within OECD-Europe. A possible wealth consumption policy is found to have serious and long-lasting negative effects on the welfare of coming generations, as described in Essay 4. Finally, Essay 5 considers a dynamic dependent economy model extended to incorporate finite horizons of the households and structural adjustment costs in production. 121 refs., 19 figs., 10 tabs.

  5. A pellet-clad interaction failure criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howl, D.A.; Coucill, D.N.; Marechal, A.J.C.

    1983-01-01

    A Pellet-Clad Interaction (PCI) failure criterion, enabling the number of fuel rod failures in a reactor core to be determined for a variety of normal and fault conditions, is required for safety analysis. The criterion currently being used for the safety analysis of the Pressurized Water Reactor planned for Sizewell in the UK is defined and justified in this paper. The criterion is based upon a threshold clad stress which diminishes with increasing fast neutron dose. This concept is consistent with the mechanism of clad failure being stress corrosion cracking (SCC); providing excess corrodant is always present, the dominant parameter determining the propagation of SCC defects is stress. In applying the criterion, the SLEUTH-SEER 77 fuel performance computer code is used to calculate the peak clad stress, allowing for concentrations due to pellet hourglassing and the effect of radial cracks in the fuel. The method has been validated by analysis of PCI failures in various in-reactor experiments, particularly in the well-characterised power ramp tests in the Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) at Winfrith. It is also in accord with out-of-reactor tests with iodine and irradiated Zircaloy clad, such as those carried out at Kjeller in Norway. (author)

  6. A multipole acceptability criterion for electronic structure theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwegler, E.; Challacombe, M.; Head-Gordon, M.

    1998-01-01

    Accurate and computationally inexpensive estimates of multipole expansion errors are crucial to the success of several fast electronic structure methods. In this paper, a new nonempirical multipole acceptability criterion is described that is directly applicable to expansions of high order moments. Several model calculations typical of electronic structure theory are presented to demonstrate its performance. For cases involving small translation distances, accuracies are increased by up to five orders of magnitude over an empirical criterion. The new multipole acceptance criterion is on average within an order of magnitude of the exact expansion error. Use of the multipole acceptance criterion in hierarchical multipole based methods as well as in traditional electronic structure methods is discussed. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

  7. Nonparametric adaptive age replacement with a one-cycle criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coolen-Schrijner, P.; Coolen, F.P.A.

    2007-01-01

    Age replacement of technical units has received much attention in the reliability literature over the last four decades. Mostly, the failure time distribution for the units is assumed to be known, and minimal costs per unit of time is used as optimality criterion, where renewal reward theory simplifies the mathematics involved but requires the assumption that the same process and replacement strategy continues over a very large ('infinite') period of time. Recently, there has been increasing attention to adaptive strategies for age replacement, taking into account the information from the process. Although renewal reward theory can still be used to provide an intuitively and mathematically attractive optimality criterion, it is more logical to use minimal costs per unit of time over a single cycle as optimality criterion for adaptive age replacement. In this paper, we first show that in the classical age replacement setting, with known failure time distribution with increasing hazard rate, the one-cycle criterion leads to earlier replacement than the renewal reward criterion. Thereafter, we present adaptive age replacement with a one-cycle criterion within the nonparametric predictive inferential framework. We study the performance of this approach via simulations, which are also used for comparisons with the use of the renewal reward criterion within the same statistical framework

  8. Essays on Character & Opportunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Children and Families at Brookings, 2014

    2014-01-01

    These essays provide richer set of writings on the philosophical, empirical and practical issues raised by a focus on character, and in particular its relationship to questions of opportunity. Each one is an intellectual pemmican: sharp and to the point. Two scholars draw attention to the gendered nature of character formation (Segal and Lexmond);…

  9. Discussion of David Thissen's Bad Questions: An Essay Involving Item Response Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wainer, Howard

    2016-01-01

    The usual role of a discussant is to clarify and correct the paper being discussed, but in this case, the author, Howard Wainer, generally agrees with everything David Thissen says in his essay, "Bad Questions: An Essay Involving Item Response Theory." This essay expands on David Thissen's statement that there are typically two principal…

  10. Rethinking the Ph.D. in English. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: English.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lunsford, Andrea Abernethy

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a series of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). The essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. The essay explores the Ph.D. in English and suggests changes the author would make in…

  11. Unified Bohm criterion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kos, L. [LECAD Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Tskhakaya, D. D.; Jelić, N. [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Fusion@ÖAW, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria)

    2015-09-15

    Recent decades have seen research into the conditions necessary for the formation of the monotonic potential shape in the sheath, appearing at the plasma boundaries like walls, in fluid, and kinetic approximations separately. Although either of these approaches yields a formulation commonly known as the much-acclaimed Bohm criterion (BC), the respective results involve essentially different physical quantities that describe the ion gas behavior. In the fluid approach, such a quantity is clearly identified as the ion directional velocity. In the kinetic approach, the ion behavior is formulated via a quantity (the squared inverse velocity averaged by the ion distribution function) without any clear physical significance, which is, moreover, impractical. In the present paper, we try to explain this difference by deriving a condition called here the Unified Bohm Criterion, which combines an advanced fluid model with an upgraded explicit kinetic formula in a new form of the BC. By introducing a generalized polytropic coefficient function, the unified BC can be interpreted in a form that holds, irrespective of whether the ions are described kinetically or in the fluid approximation.

  12. Reliability of Holistic Scoring for the 1985 MCAT Essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Karen J.; Anderson, Judith A.

    A pilot essay was included in the 1985 Spring and Fall administrations of the Medical College Admission Test. A sample of 320 of the essays written by Fall examinees who had expressed an interest in allopathic medicine was used to calculate interrater reliability estimates. Sixteen of 20 readers who had been trained by White's suggestions for…

  13. Decision-Making Capacity and Unusual Beliefs: Two Contentious Cases : Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law John McPhee (Law) Student Essay Prize 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyslop, Brent

    2017-09-01

    Decision-making capacity is a vital concept in law, ethics, and clinical practice. Two legal cases where capacity literally had life and death significance are NHS Trust v Ms T [2004] and Kings College Hospital v C [2015]. These cases share another feature: unusual beliefs. This essay will critically assess the concept of capacity, particularly in relation to the unusual beliefs in these cases. Firstly, the interface between capacity and unusual beliefs will be examined. This will show that the "using and weighing of information" is the pivotal element in assessment. Next, this essay will explore the relationship between capacity assessment and a decision's "rationality." Then, in light of these findings, the essay will appraise the judgments in NHS v T and Kings v C, and consider these judgments' implications. More broadly, this essay asks: Does capacity assessment examine only the decision-making process (as the law states), or is it also influenced by a decision's rationality? If influenced by rationality, capacity assessment has the potential to become "a search and disable policy aimed at those who are differently orientated in the human life-world" (Gillett 2012, 233). In contentious cases like these, this potential deserves attention.

  14. Reactor instrumentation. Definition of the single failure criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-12-01

    The standard defines the single failure criterion which is used in other IEC publications on reactor safety systems. The purpose of the single failure criterion is the assurance of minimum redundancy. (orig./HP) [de

  15. Undergraduate Research as Engaged Student Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Lorraine W.

    2018-01-01

    This chapter discusses the impact of undergraduate research as a form of engaged student learning. It summarizes the gains reported in post-fellowship assessment essays acquired from students participating in the Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. The chapter also discusses the program's efforts to increase opportunities…

  16. Modified Schur-Cohn Criterion for Stability of Delayed Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Ignacio Mulero-Martínez

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A modified Schur-Cohn criterion for time-delay linear time-invariant systems is derived. The classical Schur-Cohn criterion has two main drawbacks; namely, (i the dimension of the Schur-Cohn matrix generates some round-off errors eventually resulting in a polynomial of s with erroneous coefficients and (ii imaginary roots are very hard to detect when numerical errors creep in. In contrast to the classical Schur-Cohn criterion an alternative approach is proposed in this paper which is based on the application of triangular matrices over a polynomial ring in a similar way as in the Jury test of stability for discrete systems. The advantages of the proposed approach are that it halves the dimension of the polynomial and it only requires seeking real roots, making this modified criterion comparable to the Rekasius substitution criterion.

  17. Three Essays Examining Household Energy Demand and Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Anthony G.

    This dissertation consists of three essays examining household energy decisions and behavior. The first essay examines the adoption of energy efficient Energy Star home appliances by U.S. households. Program effectiveness requires that consumers be aware of the labeling scheme and also change their purchase decisions based on label information. The first essay examines the factors associated with consumer awareness of the Energy Star label of recently purchased major appliances and the factors associated with the choice of Energy Star labeled appliances. The findings suggest that eliminating identified gaps in Energy Star appliance adoption would result in house electricity cost savings of $164 million per year and associated carbon emission reductions of about 1.1 million metric tons per year. The second essay evaluates household energy security and the effectiveness of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the single largest energy assistance program available to poor households within the United States. Energy security is conceptually akin to the well-known concept of food security. Rasch models and household responses to energy security questions in the 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey are used to generate an energy insecurity index that is consistent with those found in the food insecurity literature. Participating in LIHEAP is found to significantly reduce household energy insecurity score in the index. Further, simulations show that the elimination of the energy assistance safety net currently available to households increases the number of energy insecure house- holds by over 16 percent. The third essay develops a five equation demand system to estimate household own-price, cross-price and income elasticities between electricity, natural gas, food at home, food away from home, and non-durable commodity groups. Household cross-price elasticities between energy and food commodities are of particular importance. Energy price shocks

  18. Essays on financial market integration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pungulescu, C.

    2009-01-01

    The four essays in this dissertation address these main questions and alternate a general perspective with focused analysis on specific measures of integration and regions, providing several novel answers. First, new relevant proxies are proposed to measure financial market integration. They give

  19. On Voting, Violence, and Health: Essays on Political Economics and Development

    OpenAIRE

    Leon, Gianmarco

    2012-01-01

    The three essays conforming this thesis are representative pieces of my approach to analyzing the causes and consequences of economic underdevelopment. The overaching topic that ties together these essays is role that institutions and culture play in affecting specific behaviors that undermine development. The approach to the questions addressed in each essay is empirical, using data from Per\\'{u} and Sierra Leone, and relies on economic theory to provide a general framework and deepen our un...

  20. The Gulf War: A Critical Essay

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tzu, Sun

    1992-01-01

    This essay, written by the famous Chinese military theoretician, Sun Tzu, proposes a thesis that ought to provoke considerable discussion among theoreticians in training at the National War College...

  1. Essays on oil: project evaluation and investment impact

    OpenAIRE

    Bagh, Dima

    2015-01-01

    This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London This thesis contains three essays related to fixed investment and crude oil. The first essay examines the implications of building a cross-border oil infrastructure project within the context of the bargaining problem (the Nash bargaining solution, and the alternating offer bargain of Rubinstein). We examine the viability of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, which is empl...

  2. Honesty in Critically Reflective Essays: An Analysis of Student Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maloney, Stephen; Tai, Joanna Hong-Meng; Lo, Kristin; Molloy, Elizabeth; Ilic, Dragan

    2013-01-01

    In health professional education, reflective practice is seen as a potential means for self-improvement from everyday clinical encounters. This study aims to examine the level of student honesty in critical reflection, and barriers and facilitators for students engaging in honest reflection. Third year physiotherapy students, completing summative…

  3. The Doctorate in Chemistry. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breslow, Ronald

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  4. Essays on globalization. Policies in trade, development, resources and climate change

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kerkelae, L.

    2009-07-01

    This research study on globalization consists of an introduction on the methodology applied, a summary and four independent essays focussing on applied policy research in international trade. The study follows the CGE (Computable General Equilibrium) research tradition. The simulation environment is the publicly available GTAP model. The essays examine the specific topics of trade and aid policies, price liberalization of the Russian energy markets, trade preferences in the sugar sector of the EU and the role of carbon sinks in mitigating climate change. The first essay examines trade and aid policies in Mozambique. The essay analyses the impact of alternative options like trade agreements, aid and trade facilitation. The results suggest that Mozambique has very little to gain from trade agreements or the Doha Round, although some agreements with the EU do yield some benefit. Trade facilitation and aid-for-trade programs on the other hand have the potential for larger benefits. The second essay examines the impact of liberalising RussiaAEs energy sector. The analysis is based on the implicit subsidies in regulated prices of electricity and gas and focuses on the effect of the different taxes and subsidies with respect to welfare and GDP in Russia and abroad. Increases in the price of electricity and gas improve efficiency and shift output from domestic markets to exports. The third essay investigates the impact of liberalising the EUAEs sugar sector by taking into account the complex structure of the EU sugar market and preferences in imports for developing countries. The fourth essay focuses on the effects of including carbon sinks into the analysis of the impacts of the Kyoto agreement. (orig.)

  5. Discriminant analysis of essay, mathematics/science type of essay, college scholastic ability test, and grade point average as predictors of acceptance to a pre-med course at a Korean medical school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Geum-Hee

    2008-01-01

    A discriminant analysis was conducted to investigate how an essay, a mathematics/science type of essay, a college scholastic ability test, and grade point average affect acceptance to a pre-med course at a Korean medical school. Subjects included 122 and 385 applicants for, respectively, early and regular admission to a medical school in Korea. The early admission examination was conducted in October 2007, and the regular admission examination was conducted in January 2008. The analysis of early admission data revealed significant F values for the mathematics/science type of essay (51.64; Pgrade point average (10.66; P=0.0014). The analysis of regular admission data revealed the following F values: 28.81 (Pgrade point average, 27.47 (P<0.0001) for college scholastic ability test, 10.67 (P=0.0012) for the essay, and 216.74 (P<0.0001) for the mathematics/science type of essay. Since the mathematics/science type of essay had a strong effect on acceptance, an emphasis on this requirement and exclusion of other kinds of essays would be effective in subsequent entrance examinations for this premed course.

  6. FFTBM and primary pressure acceptance criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prosek, A.

    2004-01-01

    When thermalhydraulic computer codes are used for simulation in the area of nuclear engineering the question is how to conduct an objective comparison between the code calculation and measured data. To answer this the fast Fourier transform based method (FFTBM) was developed. When the FFTBM method was developed the acceptance criteria for primary pressure and total accuracy were set. In the recent study the FFTBM method was used for accuracy quantification of RD-14M large LOCA test B9401 calculations. The blind accuracy analysis indicated good total accuracy while the primary pressure criterion was not fulfilled. The objective of the study was therefore to investigate the reasons for not fulfilling the primary pressure acceptance criterion and the applicability of the criterion to experimental facilities simulating heavy water reactor. The results of the open quantitative analysis showed that sensitivity analysis for influence parameters provide sufficient information to judge in which calculation the accuracy of primary pressure is acceptable. (author)

  7. Source-Based Tasks in Writing Independent and Integrated Essays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Gholami

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Integrated writing tasks have gained considerable attention in ESL and EFL writing assessment and are frequently needed and used in academic settings and daily life. However, they are very rarely practiced and promoted in writing classes. This paper explored the effects of source-based writing practice on EFL learners’ composing abilities and investigated the probable differences between those tasks and independent writing ones in improving Iranian EFL learners’ essay writing abilities. To this end, a quasi-experimental design was implemented to gauge EFL learners’ writing improvements using a pretest-posttest layout. Twenty female learners taking a TOEFL iBT preparation course were randomly divided into an only-writing group with just independent writing instruction and essay practice, and a hybrid-writing-approach group receiving instruction and practice on independent writing plus source-based essay writing for ten sessions. Based on the findings, the participants with hybrid writing practice outperformed their counterparts in integrated essay tests. Their superior performance was not observed in the case of traditional independent writing tasks. The present study calls for incorporating more source-based writing tasks in writing courses.

  8. Does the Lowest Bid Price Evaluation Criterion Make for a More Efficient Public Procurement Selection Criterion? (Case of the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ochrana František

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Through the institute of public procurement a considerable volume of financial resources is allocated. It is therefore in the interest of contracting entities to seek ways of how to achieve an efficient allocation of resources. Some public contract-awarding entities, along with some public-administration authorities in the Czech Republic, believe that the use of a single evaluation criterion (the lowest bid price results in a more efficient tender for a public contract. It was found that contracting entities in the Czech Republic strongly prefer to use the lowest bid price criterion. Within the examined sample, 86.5 % of public procurements were evaluated this way. The analysis of the examined sample of public contracts proved that the choice of an evaluation criterion, even the preference of the lowest bid price criterion, does not have any obvious impact on the final cost of a public contract. The study concludes that it is inappropriate to prefer the criterion of the lowest bid price within the evaluation of public contracts that are characterised by their complexity (including public contracts for construction works and public service contracts. The findings of the Supreme Audit Office related to the inspection of public contracts indicate that when using the lowest bid price as an evaluation criterion, a public contract may indeed be tendered with the lowest bid price, but not necessarily the best offer in terms of supplied quality. It is therefore not appropriate to use the lowest bid price evaluation criterion to such an extent for the purpose of evaluating work and services. Any improvement to this situation requires a corresponding amendment to the Law on Public Contracts and mainly a radical change in the attitude of the Office for the Protection of Competition towards proposed changes, as indicated within the conclusions and recommendations proposed by this study.

  9. Essays on Expressivism

    OpenAIRE

    Toppinen, Teemu

    2014-01-01

    This dissertation consists of five articles plus an introductory essay, the overarching goal being that of defending an expressivist view about normative thought and talk. According to expressivism, the meaning of normative sentences (e.g. 'We ought to cut down on our greenhouse gas emissions,' 'There is more to good life than enjoyment') is to be explained by their expressing broadly practical, 'desire-like,' states of mind, rather than by what they are about, or by their truth-conditions. T...

  10. Essays on the economics of decarbonization and renewable energy support

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaegemann, Cosima Claudia

    2014-01-01

    The thesis consists of five essays investigating various aspects associated with the decarbonization of Europe's power sector and the politically incentivized expansion of renewable energy generation. The first essay analyzes the economic implications of alternative decarbonization pathways and policy instruments for Europe's power sector up to 2050 and illustrates the importance of ensuring competition between all low-carbon technologies in order to limit the costs of decarbonization. The second essay analyzes the economic inefficiency associated with the concept of grid parity for the case of photovoltaic (PV). In order to both enhance overall welfare and avoid redistributional effects, the indirect financial incentive for in-house PV electricity consumption should be abolished. The third essay discusses the system price effect of wind and solar power generation and illustrates that the decrease in the marginal value of wind and solar power (as a consequence of increased penetration) is already highly relevant for both wind and solar power generation in Germany. The fourth essay adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the cost-efficient achievement of politically implemented renewable energy targets. Renewable energy support schemes that fail to incentivize investors to account for differences in the marginal value of wind and solar power generation are associated with excess costs as they prevent the equalization of net marginal costs across technologies and regions. The fifth essay analyzes the economic value of storage as a function of the overall generation mix and illustrates the economic inefficiency arising from feed-in tariff systems for the special case of thermal energy storage units in concentrating solar power plants.

  11. Essays on the economics of decarbonization and renewable energy support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaegemann, Cosima Claudia

    2014-06-05

    The thesis consists of five essays investigating various aspects associated with the decarbonization of Europe's power sector and the politically incentivized expansion of renewable energy generation. The first essay analyzes the economic implications of alternative decarbonization pathways and policy instruments for Europe's power sector up to 2050 and illustrates the importance of ensuring competition between all low-carbon technologies in order to limit the costs of decarbonization. The second essay analyzes the economic inefficiency associated with the concept of grid parity for the case of photovoltaic (PV). In order to both enhance overall welfare and avoid redistributional effects, the indirect financial incentive for in-house PV electricity consumption should be abolished. The third essay discusses the system price effect of wind and solar power generation and illustrates that the decrease in the marginal value of wind and solar power (as a consequence of increased penetration) is already highly relevant for both wind and solar power generation in Germany. The fourth essay adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the cost-efficient achievement of politically implemented renewable energy targets. Renewable energy support schemes that fail to incentivize investors to account for differences in the marginal value of wind and solar power generation are associated with excess costs as they prevent the equalization of net marginal costs across technologies and regions. The fifth essay analyzes the economic value of storage as a function of the overall generation mix and illustrates the economic inefficiency arising from feed-in tariff systems for the special case of thermal energy storage units in concentrating solar power plants.

  12. Transforming the Reserve Component: Four Essays

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Binnendijk, Hans; Baranick, Michael J; Bell, Raymond E., Jr; Cordero, Gina; Duncan, Stephen M; Holshek, Christopher; Wentz, Larry

    2005-01-01

    .... The first essay calls for a fundamental restructuring of the Reserve Component in light of the largest mobilization since the Korean War, which has been fraught with problems in terms of combat...

  13. General And Specific Features In Realizing An Essay In English Language – A Case Study Of Essay On Economic Themes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daliana Ecaterina TASCOVICI

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The present paper wants to be a systematic and not only a theoretical approach on essays. This type of writing knows several points of view connecting its form, content, specific features and types, rules to be observed in its writing, structures or styles. As we know, it implies freedom of composition, originality, associations of surprising images and propensity for aphorism. We try to frame all its specifications within the economic essay, as economics is a field of exact utterance, where the speaker cannot play with the words and their meaning.

  14. Covariance-Based Measurement Selection Criterion for Gaussian-Based Algorithms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando A. Auat Cheein

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Process modeling by means of Gaussian-based algorithms often suffers from redundant information which usually increases the estimation computational complexity without significantly improving the estimation performance. In this article, a non-arbitrary measurement selection criterion for Gaussian-based algorithms is proposed. The measurement selection criterion is based on the determination of the most significant measurement from both an estimation convergence perspective and the covariance matrix associated with the measurement. The selection criterion is independent from the nature of the measured variable. This criterion is used in conjunction with three Gaussian-based algorithms: the EIF (Extended Information Filter, the EKF (Extended Kalman Filter and the UKF (Unscented Kalman Filter. Nevertheless, the measurement selection criterion shown herein can also be applied to other Gaussian-based algorithms. Although this work is focused on environment modeling, the results shown herein can be applied to other Gaussian-based algorithm implementations. Mathematical descriptions and implementation results that validate the proposal are also included in this work.

  15. Essays on environmental policies, corruption, and energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baksi, Soham

    This thesis consists of four essays. The first essay looks at pollution taxation under capital mobility, and analyzes the role of pre-commitment by countries to their pollution tax rate. A polluting firm sells its product in two countries, and can locate and produce in a single country or in both countries. Due to the discrete-choice nature of the firm's location problem, the countries' welfare functions are discontinuous in their pollution tax rate. We show that when the countries cannot pre-commit to their pollution tax, the firm can still engender tax competition between them by strategically locating in both the countries. Moreover, pre-commitment pollution taxation may not be welfare improving for the countries, although it always makes the firm better off. The second essay studies the effect of liberalization on corruption. Corruptible inspectors enforce an environmental regulation on firms, and are monitored by an honest regulator. Liberalization not only increases the variety of goods and the marginal utility of accepting a bribe, but also puts pressure on the regulator to curb corruption. The interaction of these two effects can cause corruption to initially increase with liberalization, and then decrease beyond a threshold. Moreover, equilibrium corruption is lower when the regulator is able to pre-commit to her monitoring frequency. The third essay analyzes optimal labeling (information revelation) procedures for hidden attributes of credence goods. Consumers are heterogeneous in their preference for the hidden attribute, and producers can either self-label their products, or have them certified by a third party. The government can impose self or third-party labeling requirements on either the "green" or the "brown" producers. When corrupt producers can affix spurious labels, the government needs to monitor them. A mandatory self-labeling policy is shown to generally dominate mandatory third-party labeling. The fourth essay develops formulas for

  16. Angular criterion for distinguishing between Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medina, Francisco F.; Garcia-Sucerquia, Jorge; Castaneda, Roman; Matteucci, Giorgio

    2003-03-01

    The distinction between Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction is a crucial condition for the accurate analysis of diffracting structures. In this paper we propose a criterion based on the angle subtended by the first zero of the diffraction pattern from the center of the diffracting aperture. The determination of the zero of the diffraction pattern is the crucial point for assuring the precision of the criterion. It mainly depends on the dynamical range of the detector. Therefore, the applicability of adequate thresholds for different detector types is discussed. The criterion is also generalized by expressing it in terms of the number of Fresnel zones delimited by the aperture. Simulations are reported for illustrating the feasibility of the criterion. (author)

  17. Perceptions of Students and Self- assessment of Lecturers on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    assessments of lecturers on written essay error feedback. Overall 153 University of Botswana students and 20 lecturers participated in this study. All the students and 12 lecturers completed different but related questionnaires with both closed and ...

  18. An Evaluation of the IntelliMetric[SM] Essay Scoring System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudner, Lawrence M.; Garcia, Veronica; Welch, Catherine

    2006-01-01

    This report provides a two-part evaluation of the IntelliMetric[SM] automated essay scoring system based on its performance scoring essays from the Analytic Writing Assessment of the Graduate Management Admission Test[TM] (GMAT[TM]). The IntelliMetric system performance is first compared to that of individual human raters, a Bayesian system…

  19. Queer Girls in Class: Lesbian Teachers and Students Tell Their Classroom Stories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgman, Becky L.

    2012-01-01

    Lori Horvitz's book contains 26 essays from queer students and educators exploring how sexuality can affect classroom dynamics. Although the book's title references lesbians, it also encompasses bisexuals and highlights friendships between gays and lesbians. In addition, many of the essays discuss social justice initiatives as well as illustrate…

  20. War News Radio: Conflict Education through Student Journalism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hager, Emily

    2009-01-01

    In this essay Emily Hager presents an example of conflict education through student journalism. War News Radio is a student-organized and student-produced program developed at Swarthmore College in which participants produce for a global audience nonpartisan weekly radio shows and podcasts focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hager shares…

  1. How to Motivate Students in Their English Learning

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2001-01-01

    This essay mainly deals with the effectual ways to motivate students in their English learning, the motivation and teachers' role in motivating students. The author does hope, through this kind of studying, more and more English teachers come to realize the importance of motivation and do some research to improve students' English level.

  2. John's Big Moka: Student Resistance and Democratic Citizenship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mihelich, John

    2008-01-01

    In a reflective essay about experiential learning in the classroom, the author discusses a spontaneous student protest movement and how embracing student resistance as engagement can enhance the learning experience and foster a critical pedagogy. Students in an anthropology class attempted to organize a boycott of a scheduled quiz and, in doing…

  3. Essays in Education and Macroeconomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrington, Christopher M.

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation consists of three essays on education and macroeconomics. The first chapter analyzes whether public education financing systems can account for large differences among developed countries in earnings inequality and intergenerational earnings persistence. I first document facts about public education in the U.S. and Norway, which…

  4. Essays on mergers and acquisitions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Faelten, A.I.

    2016-01-01

    Essays on Mergers and Acquisitions" tackles some of the most prominent business challenges related to M&A activity. The Introduction examines the reasons why deals fail through well-known case studies; Chapter 1 presents a new index measuring countries M&A maturity worldwide; Chapter 2 focus on the

  5. The Impact of Self-Regulatory Strategies on the Essay Writing of EFL Students with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azar Najafi Marboyeh

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The complexity of self-regulatory strategies has been challenging to educational researchers who seek to find proper interventions that benefit students and teachers. This study has employed the Self-Regulatory Strategy Development (SRSD model of instruction to help students monitor, evaluate and revise their writing. SRSD would be beneficial for adult students with learning disabilities in the procedure of essay writing. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD as a cognitive-behavioral dysregulation is a consequence of deficits in self-regulatory process. Many students with learning disorders such as ADHD have trouble in the mechanics and process of writing. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of SRSD on the essay writing of EFL undergraduate students. This study tried to evaluate the effects of SRSD intervention on the essay writing of ADHD and NON-ADHD students. To fulfill the mentioned objectives, 126 EFL undergraduate students who enrolled in essay writing course at Tehran Azad University participated in this study. The results indicated that SRSD instruction had a significant effect on the essay writing of the EFL undergraduate students. Likewise, ADHD students could achieve a significant improvement after receiving SRSD intervention. چکیده: پیچیدگی روش های خود تنظیمی برای محققین حوزه آموزش معمولا چالش برانگیز بوده است و آنها همیشه سعی در یافتن روش مناسبی برای دانشجویان و اساتید در این زمینه داشته اند. این تحقیق از روش "استراتژی های ایجاد خود تنظیمی" برای کمک به دانشجویان در زمینه های مشاهده، ارزیابی و تجدیدنظر بهره برده است. "استراتژی های ایجاد خود تنظیمی" برای دانشجویانی که در زمینه نگارش مشکل دارند مفید خواهد

  6. Essays on the Determinants of Prosocial Behavior in Singapore

    OpenAIRE

    Lim, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Previous research has sought to explain why people engage in prosocial behavior and undertake activities that are costly to themselves and mostly benefit others, such as volunteering and donating. My dissertation comprises three essays that collectively explore the determinants of prosocial behavior and leverages insights from behavioral economics to design interventions to nudge people to behave more prosocially. The first essay is an observational study that examines how rapid demographic c...

  7. Essays in Industrial Organization: Intermediation, Marketing, and Strategic Pricing

    OpenAIRE

    Wismer, Sebastian

    2014-01-01

    This dissertation deals with certain business strategies that have become particularly relevant with the spread and development of new information technologies. The introduction explains the motivation, discusses different ways of defining the term "two-sided market", and briefly summarizes the subsequent essays. The first essay examines the effects of product information on the pricing and advertising decision of a seller who offers an experience good whose quality is unknown to cons...

  8. Essays on optimal hedging and investment strategies and on derivative pricing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Goorbergh, R.W.J.

    2004-01-01

    This dissertation encompasses four essays on various topics within the field of finance. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the contributions of each essay. Chapter 2, titled Risk Aversion, Price Uncertainty, and Irreversible Investments, extends the theory of irreversible investment under

  9. Calculation of uncertainties in influence quantities in biological essays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre Morel

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the need of showing the reliability of results from biological essays, such as in health and environmental areas, laboratories have been implementing quality systems, particularly ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 (ABNT, 2001, which include as one of the requirements, the calculation of uncertainty in essays results. It is of common knowledge that estimating uncertainty in essays using organisms, such as animal and vegetal species, is difficult, preventing from meeting that requirement in the standard. The paper shows the calculation of uncertainties in influences quantities in these essays as a tool to allow validating the measuring process, by using the essays performed by Rhodia Environmental Impact Analysis Laboratory and IPEN Ecotoxicology Laboratory as examples.Devido à necessidade de demonstrar a confiabilidade dos resultados de ensaios biológicos como, por exemplo, nas áreas de saúde e ambiental, laboratórios vêm implementando sistemas da qualidade, em especial a ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025 (ABNT, 2001 que inclui como um dos requisitos o cálculo da incerteza dos resultados dos ensaios. É reconhecidamente difícil de estimar a incerteza de ensaios que utilizam organismos, como com espécies animais e vegetais o que impede, consequentemente, o atendimento deste requisito da norma. O trabalho apresenta o cálculo de incerteza das grandezas de influências nestes ensaios como uma ferramenta que permite validar o processo de medição, utilizando como exemplos aqueles realizados pelos Laboratórios de Análise de Impacto Ambiental da Rhodia e de Ecologia e Ecotoxicologia do IPEN.

  10. Essays on the theory of numbers

    CERN Document Server

    Dedekind, Richard

    1963-01-01

    Two classic essays by great German mathematician: one provides an arithmetic, rigorous foundation for the irrational numbers, the other is an attempt to give the logical basis for transfinite numbers and properties of the natural numbers.

  11. Transforming the Reserve Component: Four Essays

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Binnendijk, Hans; Baranick, Michael J; Bell, Raymond E., Jr; Cordero, Gina; Duncan, Stephen M; Holshek, Christopher; Wentz, Larry

    2005-01-01

    This volume contains four essays on various aspects of the Reserve Component. We publish it at a time when Reserves are serving overseas at historically high rates and when new missions like homeland security demand their attention...

  12. Criterion for testing multiparticle negative-partial-transpose entanglement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng, B.; Zhou, D.L.; Zhang, P.; Xu, Z.; You, L.

    2003-01-01

    We revisit the criterion of multiparticle entanglement based on the overlaps of a given quantum state ρ with maximally entangled states. For a system of m particles, each with N distinct states, we prove that ρ is m-particle negative partial transpose entangled, if there exists a maximally entangled state vertical bar MES>, such that >1/N. While this sufficiency condition is weaker than the Peres-Horodecki criterion in all cases, it applies to multi-particle systems, and becomes especially useful when the number of particles (m) is large. We also consider the converse of this criterion and illustrate its invalidity with counter examples

  13. Pictorial essay: Orbital tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Narula, Mahender K; Chaudhary, Vikas; Baruah, Dhiraj; Kathuria, Manoj; Anand, Rama

    2010-01-01

    Tuberculosis of the orbit is rare, even in places where tuberculosis is endemic. The disease may involve soft tissue, the lacrimal gland, or the periosteum or bones of the orbital wall. Intracranial extension, in the form of extradural abscess, and infratemporal fossa extension has been described. This pictorial essay illustrates the imaging findings of nine histopathologically confirmed cases of orbital tuberculosis. All these patients responded to antituberculous treatment

  14. Essays on Asset Pricing with Financial Frictions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klingler, Sven

    The first essay focuses on Credit default swap (CDS) premiums of safe sovereigns, that is, the insurance against the default of countries with a low credit risk, like Germany, Japan, or the United States. We motivate the essay by establishing the following two stylized facts. First, we document...... insurance against the default of safe sovereigns? Second, what drives safe-haven CDS premiums if not credit risk?...... between bond yield and risk-free rate, for safe sovereigns. This finding is in opposition to the no-arbitrage theory that CDS premiums and yield spreads should move in lockstep. Motivated by these stylized facts, we investigate the following two questions: First, what are the motives behind purchasing...

  15. PROBLEMS FACED BY INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS IN WRITING ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wulan Rahmatunisa

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to find out problems in writing argumentative essay faced by Indonesian EFL learners. It is carried out in a qualitative research design as it attempted to describe the problems and their ways out. The data were taken from university students’ writing task and interview. The participants are the second year of university Indonesia students who enrol their study in English Department. Results of the data indicated that Indonesian EFL learners faced the problems in three categories, those are linguistics problems, cognitive problems, and psychological problems. Mostly, students faced problems in linguistics related to the grammatical structure (23.2%, formatting words (30.2%, words classes (16.3%, error in using words (9.3%, and the use of article (21%. Second, cognitive problems are related to organizing paragraph, difficulties in remaining word classes, getting lost the generic structure, making a conclusion, and putting punctuation. Last, psychological problems which included laziness, egoism, bad mood, and difficulties to start writing also faced by Indonesian EFL learners. Data analysis also indicated the problem solving which hopefully will be beneficial for EFL teachers in writing class. It is strongly recommended that the EFL class should strengthen all the language skills in general and writing in particular, motivate the students to use English with the teachers, introduce pair work, peer-correction, and use dictionaries frequently etc.

  16. The Ph.D. in Education. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Virginia

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  17. A student-initiated and student-facilitated international health elective for preclinical medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vora, Nirali; Chang, Mina; Pandya, Hemang; Hasham, Aliya; Lazarus, Cathy

    2010-02-15

    Global health education is becoming more important for developing well-rounded physicians and may encourage students toward a career in primary care. Many medical schools, however, lack adequate and structured opportunities for students beginning the curriculum. Second-year medical students initiated, designed, and facilitated a pass-fail international health elective, providing a curricular framework for preclinical medical students wishing to gain exposure to the clinical and cultural practices of a developing country. All course participants (N=30) completed a post-travel questionnaire within one week of sharing their experiences. Screening reflection essays for common themes that fulfill university core competencies yielded specific global health learning outcomes, including analysis of health care determinants. Medical students successfully implemented a sustainable global health curriculum for preclinical student peers. Financial constraints, language, and organizational burdens limit student participation. In future, long-term studies should analyze career impact and benefits to the host country.

  18. Student Rights, Decisionmaking, and the Law. Report No. 10

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tice, Terrence N.

    The issue of student rights and the law is presented in this essay and bibliography. Included are discussion of student activism and the courts, law and morality, the new era of student activism, legal, institutional, and moral rights, and institutional administration and the law. Also considered are constitutional questions raised by student…

  19. Four essays on the economics of climate change - with a supplement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torvanger, A.

    1993-01-01

    Climate change has been a main environmental issue over the last decade. The atmospheric concentration of some trace gases are increased through various human activities. Some of these trace gases, the greenhouse gases (GHGs), are transparent to incoming solar radiation, but absorb the infrared radiation from the Earth's surface. Through this mechanism the GHGs are able to induce global warming and climate change, even if their concentration is relatively low. The essays of this dissertation relate to different aspects of the climate change issue. The first essay and the supplement analyze the carbon dioxide emission sources and the distribution of emissions. In the first essay, ''Manufacturing sector carbon dioxide emissions in nine OECD countries 1973-87'', the relation between carbon dioxide emissions in manufacturing and output, structure, energy source mix and technology is discussed. In the supplement, ''Global, regional and national carbon dioxide emissions 1949-86'', the geographical distribution and time series of emissions are described. The next three essays relate to various aspects of climate policy. In ''An optimal growth model for Norway with a carbon dioxide emissions constraint'', the focus is on the economic consequences of an emissions abatement policy implemented as a carbon tax on fossil fuels. The topic of the subsequent essay, ''Efficient contracts in a game of nations pursuing greenhouse gas emissions abatement'', is the design and enforcement by a policing institution of efficient contracts to reduce GHG emissions under country moral hazard. Finally, in the last essay, ''Uncertain change in an intergenerational planning model'', some long-term aspects of climate policy such as intergenerational equity and uncertainty are analyzed

  20. Assessing students' performance in first-year university ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Students and tutor evaluations suggested that the tool developed, met the first two criteria successfully. Achieving the third criterion proved challenging for two reasons: (1) the difficulties involved in making the assessment criteria explicit and (2) the inconsistency across tutors when converting the criterion-referenced ...

  1. Industry Software Trustworthiness Criterion Research Based on Business Trustworthiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jin; Liu, Jun-fei; Jiao, Hai-xing; Shen, Yi; Liu, Shu-yuan

    To industry software Trustworthiness problem, an idea aiming to business to construct industry software trustworthiness criterion is proposed. Based on the triangle model of "trustworthy grade definition-trustworthy evidence model-trustworthy evaluating", the idea of business trustworthiness is incarnated from different aspects of trustworthy triangle model for special industry software, power producing management system (PPMS). Business trustworthiness is the center in the constructed industry trustworthy software criterion. Fusing the international standard and industry rules, the constructed trustworthy criterion strengthens the maneuverability and reliability. Quantitive evaluating method makes the evaluating results be intuitionistic and comparable.

  2. Two novel synchronization criterions for a unified chaotic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tao Chaohai; Xiong Hongxia; Hu Feng

    2006-01-01

    Two novel synchronization criterions are proposed in this paper. It includes drive-response synchronization and adaptive synchronization schemes. Moreover, these synchronization criterions can be applied to a large class of chaotic systems and are very useful for secure communication

  3. Dance for two selected essays

    CERN Document Server

    Lightman, Alan

    1996-01-01

    The author of Einstein's Dreams now presents a collection of essays, written over the past 20 years, that displays his genius for bringing literary and scientific concerns into ringing harmony. Sometimes provocative, sometimes fanciful, always elegantly conceived and written, these meditations offer readers a fascinating look into the creative compulsions shared by the scientist and the artist. Reading tour.

  4. More than Winning: When Students become Teachers of Civic Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markham, Paul N.

    2014-01-01

    This essay is an account of student civic engagement in action. It stresses the vital role of environments in which students learn to be civic actors. The student experiences recorded in this account point toward a form of campus politics that places students in a role of coworker and cocreator, where they must negotiate differences and…

  5. A scale invariance criterion for LES parametrizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urs Schaefer-Rolffs

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Turbulent kinetic energy cascades in fluid dynamical systems are usually characterized by scale invariance. However, representations of subgrid scales in large eddy simulations do not necessarily fulfill this constraint. So far, scale invariance has been considered in the context of isotropic, incompressible, and three-dimensional turbulence. In the present paper, the theory is extended to compressible flows that obey the hydrostatic approximation, as well as to corresponding subgrid-scale parametrizations. A criterion is presented to check if the symmetries of the governing equations are correctly translated into the equations used in numerical models. By applying scaling transformations to the model equations, relations between the scaling factors are obtained by demanding that the mathematical structure of the equations does not change.The criterion is validated by recovering the breakdown of scale invariance in the classical Smagorinsky model and confirming scale invariance for the Dynamic Smagorinsky Model. The criterion also shows that the compressible continuity equation is intrinsically scale-invariant. The criterion also proves that a scale-invariant turbulent kinetic energy equation or a scale-invariant equation of motion for a passive tracer is obtained only with a dynamic mixing length. For large-scale atmospheric flows governed by the hydrostatic balance the energy cascade is due to horizontal advection and the vertical length scale exhibits a scaling behaviour that is different from that derived for horizontal length scales.

  6. Supporting the Argumentative Writing of Students in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: An Action Research Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Yvonne C.; Filimon, Claudia

    2018-01-01

    The number of English language learners (ELLs) mainstreamed into regular classrooms continues to increase. Curricular writing standards required by the Common Core State Standards require students to write essays analytically in response to text(s). Many English Language Arts (ELA) teachers may worry about effectively delivering essay writing…

  7. Academic Dishonesty: Behaviors, Sanctions, and Retention of Adjudicated College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olafson, Lori; Schraw, Gregory; Kehrwald, Nicholas

    2014-01-01

    Academic dishonesty, also known as academic misconduct, includes a variety of actions such as plagiarism, cheating on tests using text messaging or concealed notes, exchanging work with other students, buying essays from students or on the Internet, and having other students write examinations (Diekhoff, LaBeff, Shinohara, & Yasukawa, 1999;…

  8. Essays on the frontiers of modern astrophysics and cosmology

    CERN Document Server

    Mathew, Santhosh

    2014-01-01

    This book is a collection of engaging and intriguing essays that describe an intellectual journey from the beginning to the end of universe. It is the product of an ongoing effort to know our place in the universe and share with readers the underpinnings of the magnificent cosmos where we are given a chance to exist only very briefly. The essays incorporate a group of challenging ideas that modern physics and cosmology are struggling to understand, in a unique way that incorporates mythological, religious, and philosophical perspectives. The author relies on a simple and powerful philosophy that we are part of the universe and the universe is part of us.   This wonderful collection of essays provides a journey through the current frontiers of modern astrophysics and cosmology. Its depiction of the most important unsolved mysteries about our place in the Universe is peppered with original insights and philosophical perspectives, making it an intellectual treat. – Avi Loeb, Professor, Harvard University Chai...

  9. Decision criterion dynamics in animals performing an auditory detection task.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert W Mill

    Full Text Available Classical signal detection theory attributes bias in perceptual decisions to a threshold criterion, against which sensory excitation is compared. The optimal criterion setting depends on the signal level, which may vary over time, and about which the subject is naïve. Consequently, the subject must optimise its threshold by responding appropriately to feedback. Here a series of experiments was conducted, and a computational model applied, to determine how the decision bias of the ferret in an auditory signal detection task tracks changes in the stimulus level. The time scales of criterion dynamics were investigated by means of a yes-no signal-in-noise detection task, in which trials were grouped into blocks that alternately contained easy- and hard-to-detect signals. The responses of the ferrets implied both long- and short-term criterion dynamics. The animals exhibited a bias in favour of responding "yes" during blocks of harder trials, and vice versa. Moreover, the outcome of each single trial had a strong influence on the decision at the next trial. We demonstrate that the single-trial and block-level changes in bias are a manifestation of the same criterion update policy by fitting a model, in which the criterion is shifted by fixed amounts according to the outcome of the previous trial and decays strongly towards a resting value. The apparent block-level stabilisation of bias arises as the probabilities of outcomes and shifts on single trials mutually interact to establish equilibrium. To gain an intuition into how stable criterion distributions arise from specific parameter sets we develop a Markov model which accounts for the dynamic effects of criterion shifts. Our approach provides a framework for investigating the dynamics of decisions at different timescales in other species (e.g., humans and in other psychological domains (e.g., vision, memory.

  10. Blind equalization with criterion with memory nonlinearity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuanjie; Nikias, Chrysostomos L.; Proakis, John G.

    1992-06-01

    Blind equalization methods usually combat the linear distortion caused by a nonideal channel via a transversal filter, without resorting to the a priori known training sequences. We introduce a new criterion with memory nonlinearity (CRIMNO) for the blind equalization problem. The basic idea of this criterion is to augment the Godard [or constant modulus algorithm (CMA)] cost function with additional terms that penalize the autocorrelations of the equalizer outputs. Several variations of the CRIMNO algorithms are derived, with the variations dependent on (1) whether the empirical averages or the single point estimates are used to approximate the expectations, (2) whether the recent or the delayed equalizer coefficients are used, and (3) whether the weights applied to the autocorrelation terms are fixed or are allowed to adapt. Simulation experiments show that the CRIMNO algorithm, and especially its adaptive weight version, exhibits faster convergence speed than the Godard (or CMA) algorithm. Extensions of the CRIMNO criterion to accommodate the case of correlated inputs to the channel are also presented.

  11. Importance biasing quality criterion based on contribution response theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borisov, N.M.; Panin, M.P.

    2001-01-01

    The report proposes a visual criterion of importance biasing both of forward and adjoint simulation. The similarity of contribution Monte Carlo and importance biasing random collision event distribution is proved. The conservation of total number of random trajectory crossings of surfaces, which separate the source and the detector is proposed as importance biasing quality criterion. The use of this criterion is demonstrated on the example of forward vs. adjoint importance biasing in gamma ray deep penetration problem. The larger amount of published data on forward field characteristics than on adjoint leads to the more accurate approximation of adjoint importance function in comparison to forward, for it adjoint importance simulation is more effective than forward. The proposed criterion indicates it visually, showing the most uniform distribution of random trajectory crossing events for the most effective importance biasing parameters and pointing to the direction of tuning importance biasing parameters. (orig.)

  12. A student-initiated and student-facilitated international health elective for preclinical medical students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirali Vora

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Global health education is becoming more important for developing well-rounded physicians and may encourage students toward a career in primary care. Many medical schools, however, lack adequate and structured opportunities for students beginning the curriculum. Methods: Second-year medical students initiated, designed, and facilitated a pass–fail international health elective, providing a curricular framework for preclinical medical students wishing to gain exposure to the clinical and cultural practices of a developing country. Results: All course participants (N=30 completed a post-travel questionnaire within one week of sharing their experiences. Screening reflection essays for common themes that fulfill university core competencies yielded specific global health learning outcomes, including analysis of health care determinants. Conclusion: Medical students successfully implemented a sustainable global health curriculum for preclinical student peers. Financial constraints, language, and organizational burdens limit student participation. In future, long-term studies should analyze career impact and benefits to the host country.

  13. Criterion of damage beginning: experimental identification for laminate composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thiebaud, F.; Perreux, D.; Varchon, D.; Lebras, J.

    1996-01-01

    The aim of this study is to propose a criterion of damage beginning for laminate composite. The materials is a glass-epoxy laminate [+55 deg.,-55 deg.[ n performed by winding filament process. First of all a description of the damage is performed and allows to define a damage variable. Thanks to the potential of free energy, an associated variable is defined. The damage criterion is written by using this last one. The parameter of the criterion is identified using mechanical and acoustical methods. The result is compared and exhibit a good agreement. (authors). 13 refs., 5 figs

  14. Demise of the essay question.

    OpenAIRE

    Tombleson, P.

    1990-01-01

    Psychometric studies of the essay paper in 1988 showed this instrument to have unacceptably low levels of reliability and generalizability. Furthermore, factor analysis showed that the paper's perceived functions could not be supported statistically. It was decided to discontinue the paper and introduce a replacement which would reflect the line of development envisaged by the College in the 1990s.

  15. ‘Everybody’s Doing It’ : Essays on trust, social norms and integration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smerdon, D.C.

    2017-01-01

    This thesis investigates three topics at the intersection of behavioural and development economics, using a combination of experiments, econometric analysis and mathematical theory. The essays are borne out of topical questions with important policy implications. The first essay seeks to answer why

  16. STUDENTS EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENT’S ACHIEVEMENT ASSESSMENT: SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gintautė Žibėnienė

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Assessment of student achievement is one of the indication of the study quality. Each time attention is paid to the student’s achievements assessment issues in Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (2015 which is a systematically-published European edition relevant to higher education institutions. Also it is reminiscent of the meaning of student oriented studies. The article raises the problem, that it is not clear, what assessment of student›s achievements first-year students would like. Also what assessment methods are relevant and why. The analysis of published literature suggests that this aspect has been less studied in Lithuania. The main aim of the article is to present first-year social work students expectations of the aspect of personal studying achievement assessment. A qualitative research, based on the methodological provisions of social constructivism and theoretical assumptions of social constructivism is presented in the article. Research data collection and analysis methods: document analysis and analysis of scientific literature, open questions, content analysis. The research was conducted on 2013-2015. May. The research involved 23 first-year social work students of bachelor›s degree studies. Was figured out expectations of assessment of studying achievements of students by first-year social work students, which we can connect with essential characteristic of personal achievement assessment which is mentioned in methodological literature: motivational assessment, formative/educational assessment, self promotion, self-assessment integration, criterion assessment. First-year social work students (of bachelor›s degree studies prefer different assessment methods, but they can highlight some of the most likely to choose (test, conversation, debate, open questions, review of literature, essay, project, problem solving. However, first-year students are not sufficiently aware of

  17. Students' Stories of Studying Abroad: Reflections upon Return

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costello, Jane

    2015-01-01

    Study abroad brings an enriching experience to students' academic and personal lives. This narrative essay relays two students' experiences with study abroad sojourns and touches upon their technology use during their study abroad as recounted in semi-structured interviews. Details of their cultural experiences and reflections thereof as well as…

  18. Essays in renewable energy and emissions trading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kneifel, Joshua D.

    Environmental issues have become a key political issue over the past forty years and has resulted in the enactment of many different environmental policies. The three essays in this dissertation add to the literature of renewable energy policies and sulfur dioxide emissions trading. The first essay ascertains which state policies are accelerating deployment of non-hydropower renewable electricity generation capacity into a states electric power industry. As would be expected, policies that lead to significant increases in actual renewable capacity in that state either set a Renewables Portfolio Standard with a certain level of required renewable capacity or use Clean Energy Funds to directly fund utility-scale renewable capacity construction. A surprising result is that Required Green Power Options, a policy that merely requires all utilities in a state to offer the option for consumers to purchase renewable energy at a premium rate, has a sizable impact on non-hydro renewable capacity in that state. The second essay studies the theoretical impacts fuel contract constraints have on an electricity generating unit's compliance costs of meeting the emissions compliance restrictions set by Phase I of the Title IV SO2 Emissions Trading Program. Fuel contract constraints restrict a utility's degrees of freedom in coal purchasing options, which can lead to the use of a more expensive compliance option and higher compliance costs. The third essay analytically and empirically shows how fuel contract constraints impact the emissions allowance market and total electric power industry compliance costs. This paper uses generating unit-level simulations to replicate results from previous studies and show that fuel contracts appear to explain a large portion (65%) of the previously unexplained compliance cost simulations. Also, my study considers a more appropriate plant-level decisions for compliance choices by analytically analyzing the plant level decision-making process to

  19. Cosmopolitanism and peace in Kant's essay on 'Perpetual Peace'

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huggler, Jørgen

    2010-01-01

    Immanuel Kant's essay on Perpetual Peace (1795/96) contains a rejection of the idea of a world government (earlier advocated by Kant himself). In connexion with a substantial argument for cosmopolitan rights based on the human body and its need for a space on the surface of the Earth, Kant presents...... the most rigorous philosophical formulation ever given of the limitations of the cosmopolitan law. In this contribution, Kant's essay is analysed and the reasons he gives for these restrictions discussed in relation to his main focus: to project a realistic path to perpetual peace....

  20. The Concept of Performance Levels in Criterion-Referenced Assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewitson, Mal

    The concept of performance levels in criterion-referenced assessment is explored by applying the idea to different types of tests commonly used in schools, mastery tests (including diagnostic tests) and achievement tests. In mastery tests, a threshold performance standard must be established for each criterion. Attainment of this threshold…

  1. Reflections on Doctoral Education in Chemistry. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwiram, Alvin L.

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  2. Interpretations: A Student Journal of Historical Writings, 1988.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Interpretations, 1988

    1988-01-01

    This booklet features a selection of student prepared essays, poetry, research papers, and reviews about various historical subjects and social studies-related areas. These collected works include: (1) "To the Mayan Ruins at Chichen-Itza, Mexico" (W. McClure); (2) "Corruption in Collegiate Athletics and How It Damages the Student Athlete's…

  3. A criterion for heated pipe design by linear electric resistances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bloch, M.; Cruz, J.R.B.

    1984-01-01

    A criterion for linear eletrical elements instalation on horizontal tubes is obtainned in this work. This criterion is based upon the calculation of the thermal stresses caused by the non uniform temperature distribution in the tube cross section. The finite difference method and the SAP IV computer code are both used in the calculations. The criterion is applied to the thermal circuits of the IEN which has tube diameter varying from φ 1/2 in till φ 8 in. (author) [pt

  4. Novel global robust stability criterion for neural networks with delay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Vimal

    2009-01-01

    A novel criterion for the global robust stability of Hopfield-type interval neural networks with delay is presented. An example illustrating the improvement of the present criterion over several recently reported criteria is given.

  5. Numerical and Experimental Validation of a New Damage Initiation Criterion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadhinoch, M.; Atzema, E. H.; Perdahcioglu, E. S.; van den Boogaard, A. H.

    2017-09-01

    Most commercial finite element software packages, like Abaqus, have a built-in coupled damage model where a damage evolution needs to be defined in terms of a single fracture energy value for all stress states. The Johnson-Cook criterion has been modified to be Lode parameter dependent and this Modified Johnson-Cook (MJC) criterion is used as a Damage Initiation Surface (DIS) in combination with the built-in Abaqus ductile damage model. An exponential damage evolution law has been used with a single fracture energy value. Ultimately, the simulated force-displacement curves are compared with experiments to validate the MJC criterion. 7 out of 9 fracture experiments were predicted accurately. The limitations and accuracy of the failure predictions of the newly developed damage initiation criterion will be discussed shortly.

  6. Prediction of Hot Tearing Using a Dimensionless Niyama Criterion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, Charles; Beckermann, Christoph

    2014-08-01

    The dimensionless form of the well-known Niyama criterion is extended to include the effect of applied strain. Under applied tensile strain, the pressure drop in the mushy zone is enhanced and pores grow beyond typical shrinkage porosity without deformation. This porosity growth can be expected to align perpendicular to the applied strain and to contribute to hot tearing. A model to capture this coupled effect of solidification shrinkage and applied strain on the mushy zone is derived. The dimensionless Niyama criterion can be used to determine the critical liquid fraction value below which porosity forms. This critical value is a function of alloy properties, solidification conditions, and strain rate. Once a dimensionless Niyama criterion value is obtained from thermal and mechanical simulation results, the corresponding shrinkage and deformation pore volume fractions can be calculated. The novelty of the proposed method lies in using the critical liquid fraction at the critical pressure drop within the mushy zone to determine the onset of hot tearing. The magnitude of pore growth due to shrinkage and deformation is plotted as a function of the dimensionless Niyama criterion for an Al-Cu alloy as an example. Furthermore, a typical hot tear "lambda"-shaped curve showing deformation pore volume as a function of alloy content is produced for two Niyama criterion values.

  7. Essays on pricing electricity and electricity derivatives in deregulated markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova, Julia

    2008-10-01

    This dissertation is composed of four essays on the behavior of wholesale electricity prices and their derivatives. The first essay provides an empirical model that takes into account the spatial features of a transmission network on the electricity market. The spatial structure of the transmission grid plays a key role in determining electricity prices, but it has not been incorporated into previous empirical models. The econometric model in this essay incorporates a simple representation of the transmission system into a spatial panel data model of electricity prices, and also accounts for the effect of dynamic transmission system constraints on electricity market integration. Empirical results using PJM data confirm the existence of spatial patterns in electricity prices and show that spatial correlation diminishes as transmission lines become more congested. The second essay develops and empirically tests a model of the influence of natural gas storage inventories on the electricity forward premium. I link a model of the effect of gas storage constraints on the higher moments of the distribution of electricity prices to a model of the effect of those moments on the forward premium. Empirical results using PJM data support the model's predictions that gas storage inventories sharply reduce the electricity forward premium when demand for electricity is high and space-heating demand for gas is low. The third essay examines the efficiency of PJM electricity markets. A market is efficient if prices reflect all relevant information, so that prices follow a random walk. The hypothesis of random walk is examined using empirical tests, including the Portmanteau, Augmented Dickey-Fuller, KPSS, and multiple variance ratio tests. The results are mixed though evidence of some level of market efficiency is found. The last essay investigates the possibility that previous researchers have drawn spurious conclusions based on classical unit root tests incorrectly applied to

  8. Essays on alternative energy policies affecting the US transportation sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Rear, Eric G.

    This dissertation encompasses three essays evaluating the impacts of different policies targeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fuel demands, etc. of the transportation sector. Though there are some similarities across the three chapters, each essay stands alone as an independent work. The 2010 US EPA MARKAL model is used in each essay to evaluate policy effects. Essay 1 focuses on the recent increases in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, and the implications of a "rebound effect." These increases are compared to a carbon tax generating similar reductions in system-wide emissions. As anticipated, the largest reductions in fuel use by light-duty vehicles (LDV) and emissions are achieved under CAFE. Consideration of the rebound effect does little to distort CAFE benefits. Our work validates many economists' belief that a carbon tax is a more efficient approach. However, because the tax takes advantage of cheaper abatement opportunities in other sectors, reductions in transportation emissions will be much lower than what we observe with CAFE. Essay 2 compares CAFE increases with what some economists suggest would be a much more "efficient" alternative -- a system-wide oil tax internalizing some environmental externalities. Because oil taxes are likely to be implemented in addition to CAFE standards, we consider a combined policy case reflecting this. Our supplementary analysis approximates the appropriate tax rates to produce similar reductions in oil demands as CAFE (CAFE-equivalent tax rates). We discover that taxes result in greater and more cost-effective reductions in system-wide emissions and net oil imports than CAFE. The current fuel tax system is compared to three versions of a national vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax charged to all LDVs in Essay 3. VMT taxes directly charge motorists for each mile driven and help to correct the problem of eroding tax revenues given the failure of today's fuel taxes to adjust with inflation. Results

  9. Establishing Trustworthiness When Students Read Multiple Documents Containing Conflicting Scientific Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bråten, Ivar; Braasch, Jason L. G.; Strømsø, Helge I.; Ferguson, Leila E.

    2015-01-01

    Students read six documents that varied in terms of their perspectives on a scientific issue and the trustworthiness of the source features. After reading, students wrote essays, rank-ordered the documents according to perceived trustworthiness, and provided reasons for their rank-order decisions. Students put the most trust in a textbook and a…

  10. Joined application of a multiaxial critical plane criterion and a strain energy density criterion in low-cycle fatigue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Carpinteri

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper, the multiaxial fatigue life assessment of notched structural components is performed by employing a strain-based multiaxial fatigue criterion. Such a criterion, depending on the critical plane concept, is extended by implementing the control volume concept reated to the Strain Energy Density (SED approach: a material point located at a certain distance from the notch tip is assumed to be the verification point where to perform the above assessment. Such a distance, measured along the notch bisector, is a function of both the biaxiality ratio (defined as the ratio between the applied shear stress amplitude and the normal stress amplitude and the control volume radii under Mode I and Mode III. Once the position of the verification point is determined, the fatigue lifetime is assessed through an equivalent strain amplitude, acting on the critical plane, together with a unique material reference curve (i.e. the Manson-Coffin curve. Some uniaxial and multiaxial fatigue data related to V-notched round bars made of titanium grade 5 alloy (Ti-6Al-4V are examined to validate the present criterion.

  11. On making laboratory report work more meaningful through criterion-based evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naeraa, N

    1987-05-01

    The purpose of this work was to encourage students to base their laboratory report work on guidelines reflecting a quality criterion set, previously derived from the functional role of the various sections in scientific papers. The materials were developed by a trial-and-error approach and comprise learning objectives, a parallel structure of manual and reports, general and specific report guidelines and a new common starting experiment. The principal contents are presented, followed by an account of the author's experience with them. Most of the author's students now follow the guidelines. Their conclusions are affected by difficulties in adjusting expected results with due regard to the specific conditions of the experimental subject or to their own deviations from the experimental or analytical procedures prescribed in the manual. Also, problems in interpreting data unbiased by explicit expectations are evident, although a clear distinction between expected and actual results has been helpful for them in seeing the relationship between experiments and textbook contents more clearly, and thus in understanding the hypothetico-deductive approach.

  12. Distance criterion for hydrogen bond

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Distance criterion for hydrogen bond. In a D-H ...A contact, the D...A distance must be less than the sum of van der Waals Radii of the D and A atoms, for it to be a hydrogen bond.

  13. Essays on Crowdfunding: Exploring the Funding and Post-Funding Phases and Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan-Osuala, Onochie

    2017-01-01

    In the recent years, crowdfunding (a phenomenon where individuals collectively contribute money to back different goals and projects through the internet) has been gaining a lot of attention especially for its socio-economic impact. This dissertation explores this phenomenon in three distinct but related essays. The first essay explores the nature…

  14. Sexual Essays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Giles, James

    Through a series of interrelated essays, this book explores fundamental issues concerning gender, sexual and romantic attraction, sexual desire and fantasies, the sexual positions, age dysphoria, and the role of naked skin in human sexuality. It does so by exploring experiential, social, biological...... on sex. It is further argued that sexual desire is an existential need based on the experience of having a gendered body. A case study of age dysphoria is presented showing how the conclusions concerning concerning gender and desire apply in an atypical case. The body's fundamental role in sexuality......, and evolutionary aspects of sexual life. The author criticizes several popular views, rejecting both social constructionist accounts of gender and social constructionist and biological accounts of sexual desire. It is argued instead that gender roles and gender are often confused and that gender itself is based...

  15. Impact of a novel teaching method based on feedback, activity, individuality and relevance on students' learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edafe, Ovie; Brooks, William S; Laskar, Simone N; Benjamin, Miles W; Chan, Philip

    2016-03-20

    This study examines the perceived impact of a novel clinical teaching method based on FAIR principles (feedback, activity, individuality and relevance) on students' learning on clinical placement. This was a qualitative research study. Participants were third year and final year medical students attached to one UK vascular firm over a four-year period (N=108). Students were asked to write a reflective essay on how FAIRness approach differs from previous clinical placement, and its advantages and disadvantages. Essays were thematically analysed and globally rated (positive, negative or neutral) by two independent researchers. Over 90% of essays reported positive experiences of feedback, activity, individuality and relevance model. The model provided multifaceted feedback; active participation; longitudinal improvement; relevance to stage of learning and future goals; structured teaching; professional development; safe learning environment; consultant involvement in teaching. Students perceived preparation for tutorials to be time intensive for tutors/students; a lack of teaching on medical sciences and direct observation of performance; more than once weekly sessions would be beneficial; some issues with peer and public feedback, relevance to upcoming exam and large group sizes. Students described negative experiences of "standard" clinical teaching. Progressive teaching programmes based on the FAIRness principles, feedback, activity, individuality and relevance, could be used as a model to improve current undergraduate clinical teaching.

  16. P2-17: Individual Differences in Dynamic Criterion Shifts during Perceptual Decision Making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Issac Rhim

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Perceptual decision-making involves placing an optimal criterion on the axis of encoded sensory evidence to maximize outcomes for choices. Optimal criterion setting becomes critical particularly when neural representations of sensory inputs are noisy and feedbacks for perceptual choices vary over time in an unpredictable manner. Here we monitored time courses of decision criteria that are adopted by human subjects while abruptly shifting the criterion of stochastic feedback to perceptual choices with certain amounts in an unpredictable direction and at an unpredictable point of time. Subjects viewed a brief (0.3 s, thin (.07 deg annulus around the fixation and were forced to judge whether the annulus was smaller or larger than an unknown boundary. We estimated moment-to-moment criteria by fitting a cumulative Gaussian function to the data within a sliding window of trials that are locked to a shift in feedback criterion. Unpredictable shifts in feedback criterion successfully induced shifts in actual decision criterion towards an optimal criterion for many of subjects, but with time delay and amount of shifts varying across individual subjects. There were disproportionately more numbers of overshooters (reaching and then surpassing the optimal criterion required than undershooters (subpar reach, with a significant anti-correlation with sensory sensitivity. To find a mechanism that generates these individual differences, we developed a dynamic criterion learning model by modifying a reinforcement learning model, which assumes that a criterion is adjusted every trial by a weighted discrepancy between actual and expected rewards.

  17. Space, Time, Matter, and Form Essays on Aristotle's Physics

    CERN Document Server

    Bostock, David

    2006-01-01

    Space, Time, Matter, and Form collects ten of David Bostock's essays on themes from Aristotle's Physics, four of them published here for the first time. The first five papers look at issues raised in the first two books of the Physics, centred on notions of matter and form, and the idea of substance as what persists through change. They also range over other of Aristotle's scientific works, such as his biology and psychology and the account of change in his De Generatione et Corruptione. The volume's remaining essays examine themes in later books of the Physics, including infinity, place, time

  18. Essays in general relativity a Festschrift for Abraham Taub

    CERN Document Server

    Tipler, Frank J

    1981-01-01

    Essays in General Relativity: A Festschrift for Abraham Taub is collection of essays to honor Professor Abraham H. Taub on the occasion of his retirement from the mathematics faculty of the University of California at Berkeley. Relativistic hydrodynamics has always been a subject dear to Taub's heart. In fact, many basic results on special relativistic fluid flows are due to him, and he has been a major contributor to the study of fluid flows near shocks. The book contains 16 chapters and begins with a discussion of a geometrical approach to general relativity. This is followed by separate cha

  19. Essays of leaching in cemented products containing simulated waste from evaporator concentrated of PWR reactor; Ensaios de lixiviacao em produtos cimentados contendo rejeito simulado de concentrado do evaporador de reator PWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haucz, Maria Judite A.; Calabria, Jaqueline A. Almeida; Tello, Cledola Cassia O.; Candido, Francisco Donizete; Seles, Sandro Rogerio Novaes, E-mail: hauczmj@cdtn.b, E-mail: jaalmeida@cdtn.b, E-mail: tellocc@cdtn.b, E-mail: fdc@cdtn.b, E-mail: seless@cdtn.b [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

    2011-10-26

    This paper evaluated the results from leaching resistance essays of cemented products, prepared from three distinct formulations, containing simulated waste of concentrated from the PWR reactor evaporator. The leaching rate is a parameter of qualification of solidified products containing radioactive waste and is determined in accordance with regulation ISO 6961. This procedure evaluates the capacity of transfer organic and inorganic substances presents in the waste through dissolution in the extractor medium. For the case of radioactive waste it is reached the more retention of contaminants in the cemented product, i.e.the lesser value of lixiviation rate. Therefore, this work evaluated among the proposed formulation that one which attend the criterion established in the regulation CNEN-NN-6.09

  20. Criterion for the onset of quench for low-flow reflood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, Y.Y.; Young, M.W.

    1982-07-01

    This study provides a criterion for the onset of quench for low flow reflood. The criterion is a combination of two conditions: T/sub clad/ < T/sub limiting quench/ where T = Temperature, and α < 0.95 where α = void fraction. This criterion was obtained by examining temperature data from tests simulating PWR reflood, such as FLECHT, THTF, PBF, CCTF, and FEBA tests, with void fraction data from CCTF, FEBA, and FLECHT low flood tests. The data show that quenching initiated at α = 0.95 and that the majority of quench occurred at void fractions near 0.85. The results show that rods can be completely quenched by entrained droplets even if the collapsed liquid level does not advance. A thorough discussion of the analysis which supports this quench criterion is given in the text of this report

  1. Three essays in risky behaviors

    OpenAIRE

    Sampaio, Mafalda

    2012-01-01

    A PhD Dissertation, presented as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the NOVA - School of Business and Economics This dissertation consists of three essays on the relationship between risky behaviors and social environment, including the strategic construction of conversational networks to discuss HIV related issues, the impact of social stigma on risky behaviors, and how subjective expectations from parents can influence childhood obesity. Underst...

  2. Self-Adjointness Criterion for Operators in Fock Spaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Falconi, Marco

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we provide a criterion of essential self-adjointness for operators in the tensor product of a separable Hilbert space and a Fock space. The class of operators we consider may contain a self-adjoint part, a part that preserves the number of Fock space particles and a non-diagonal part that is at most quadratic with respect to the creation and annihilation operators. The hypotheses of the criterion are satisfied in several interesting applications

  3. Criterion-based laparoscopic training reduces total training time

    OpenAIRE

    Brinkman, Willem M.; Buzink, Sonja N.; Alevizos, Leonidas; de Hingh, Ignace H. J. T.; Jakimowicz, Jack J.

    2011-01-01

    Introduction The benefits of criterion-based laparoscopic training over time-oriented training are unclear. The purpose of this study is to compare these types of training based on training outcome and time efficiency. Methods During four training sessions within 1 week (one session per day) 34 medical interns (no laparoscopic experience) practiced on two basic tasks on the Simbionix LAP Mentor virtual-reality (VR) simulator: ‘clipping and grasping’ and ‘cutting’. Group C (criterion-based) (N...

  4. The precautionary principle as a rational decision criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hovi, Jon

    2001-12-01

    The paper asks if the precautionary principle may be seen as a rational decision criterion. Six main questions are discussed. 1. Does the principle basically represent a particular set of political options or is it a genuine decision criterion? 2. If it is the latter, can it be reduced to any of the existing criteria for decision making under uncertainty? 3. In what kinds of situation is the principle applicable? 4. What is the relation between the precautionary principle and other principles for environmental regulation? 5. How plausible is the principle's claim that the burden of proof should be reversed? 6. Do the proponents of environmental regulation carry no burden of proof at all? A main conclusion is that, for now at least, the principle contains too many unclear elements to satisfy the requirements of precision and consistency that should reasonably be satisfied by a rational decision criterion. (author)

  5. Probabilistic interpretation of the reduction criterion for entanglement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Zhengmin; Luo, Shunlong

    2007-01-01

    Inspired by the idea of conditional probabilities, we introduce a variant of conditional density operators. But unlike the conditional probabilities which are bounded by 1, the conditional density operators may have eigenvalues exceeding 1 for entangled states. This has the consequence that although any bivariate classical probability distribution has a natural separable decomposition in terms of conditional probabilities, we do not have a quantum analogue of this separable decomposition in general. The 'nonclassical' eigenvalues of conditional density operators are indications of entanglement. The resulting separability criterion turns out to be equivalent to the reduction criterion introduced by Horodecki [Phys. Rev. A 59, 4206 (1999)] and Cerf et al. [Phys. Rev. A 60, 898 (1999)]. This supplies an intuitive probabilistic interpretation for the reduction criterion. The conditional density operators are also used to define a form of quantum conditional entropy which provides an alternative mechanism to reveal quantum discord

  6. The impact of a clinical rotation in hospice: medical students' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacoby, Liva H; Beehler, Connie J; Balint, John A

    2011-01-01

    Medical educators agree that training in end-of-life care (EOLC) must be an integral part of medical education at all levels. While progress in this area of education has taken place, many gaps still exist. This article describes the self-reported impact of a required one-week hospice rotation for third-year medical students. Students completing their hospice rotation during a one-year period were asked to write an essay describing the most important lessons they learned. Qualitative analyses of the essays revealed 10 core themes and generated a coding schema for detailed analysis. Students' essays reflected knowledge gained, emotional reactions, cognitive insights, and relationship-centered skills. Comments focused on the following themes: benefits and philosophy of hospice; impact on future practice; interdisciplinary team approach; management of pain and suffering; facts about hospice; personal impact; communication with patients and families; dedication and skill of staff; role of families; and value of home care. Students consistently recognized the significance of positive role models. Learning about a new field of medicine helped broaden students' knowledge, skills, and beliefs, and expanded their assumptions about illness and suffering, the role of health care professionals, and the goals of medicine. Reflection and writing brought about self-awareness of the learning process itself. The study demonstrates that a robust clinical EOLC exposure can be effectively incorporated into undergraduate education and that student self-reports constitute a valuable mode of evaluation. Longitudinal assessments of trainees' competencies in EOLC are needed to optimize these educational endeavors.

  7. Slope Safety Factor Calculations With Non-Linear Yield Criterion Using Finite Elements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Johan; Damkilde, Lars

    2006-01-01

    The factor of safety for a slope is calculated with the finite element method using a non-linear yield criterion of the Hoek-Brown type. The parameters of the Hoek-Brown criterion are found from triaxial test data. Parameters of the linear Mohr-Coulomb criterion are calibrated to the same triaxial...... are carried out at much higher stress levels than present in a slope failure, this leads to the conclusion that the use of the non-linear criterion leads to a safer slope design...

  8. Students' Reflective Essays as Insights into Student Centred-Pedagogies within the Undergraduate Research Methods Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata

    2017-01-01

    In higher education, despite the emphasis on student-centred pedagogical approaches, undergraduate research methods pedagogy remains surprisingly teacher-directed. Consequently, it may lead to research methods students assuming that becoming a researcher involves gathering information rather than it being a continuous developmental process. To…

  9. What do beginning students, in a rurally focused medical course, think about rural practice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Louise; Lindsay, Daniel B; Ray, Robin A

    2016-12-07

    Medical schools may select students for their attitudes towards rural medical practice, yet the rural-urban disparity in availability of medical practitioners and services has not diminished in recent times despite government initiatives and increasing numbers being trained for a career in medicine. One medical school, with a focus on rural and remote medicine, aims to select students with positive perceptions for rural medical practice. A research project collected data on the perceptions of these medical students in the first week of their medical studies. Students completed a low stakes essay on the life and work of a rural doctor. Initially, this formed part of a literacy assessment to determine any students requiring remediation. All students were asked if they would consent to their essay being reviewed for a research project. Data was obtained from those students who consented and handed their essays in for review. The 103 student essays underwent thematic analysis and sentences were coded into three main themes of rural lifestyle, doctor role and rural practice. Second level themes were further elicited and results were quantified according to whether they were positive or negative. Positive themes included rural lifestyle, doctor role, views of doctor, impact on community, broader work and skills knowledge, and better relationships with community and patients. Negative themes included doctor's health, pressure on doctor, family problems, greater workload, privacy and confidentiality issues, cultural issues, isolation, limited resources and financial impacts. Quantitisation of this data was used to transform essay sentences into a numerical form which allowed statistical analysis and comparison of perceptions using Z tests. No significant differences on the number of positive and negative responses for rural lifestyle and rural practice were found. The rural doctor role had a significantly more positive than negative views. Significant differences were

  10. A Strategy for Detection of Inconsistency in Evaluation of Essay Type Answers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Archana; Chaudhary, Banshi D.

    2014-01-01

    The quality of evaluation of essay type answer books involving multiple evaluators for courses with large number of enrollments is likely to be affected due to heterogeneity in experience, expertise and maturity of evaluators. In this paper, we present a strategy to detect anomalies in evaluation of essay type answers by multiple evaluators based…

  11. Grammar Errors Made by ESL Tertiary Students in Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Charanjit Kaur Swaran; Singh, Amreet Kaur Jageer; Razak, Nur Qistina Abd; Ravinthar, Thilaga

    2017-01-01

    The educational context in Malaysia demands students to be equipped with sound grammar so that they can produce good essays in the examination. However, despite having learnt English in primary and secondary schools, students in the higher learning institutions tend to make some grammatical errors in their writing. This study presents the…

  12. Use of X-ray essay and fluoroscopy in the armament industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bohnsack, G.

    1989-01-01

    Of the nondestructive testing the process of test by radiography has a special place. With view to great variety of problems of essays in the armament industry, the X-Ray radiography has excellent possibilities of testing, that not possible, for example, with ultrasonography. Different possibilities that the X-ray radiography offer to essays of grenade and blasting cap, through practice examples described case to case are presented. (V.R.B.)

  13. Proposing a Wiki-Based Technique for Collaborative Essay Writing (Propuesta de un modelo pedagógico para la escritura colaborativa de ensayos en un entorno virtual wiki)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz Navarrete, Mabel; Ferreira Cabrera, Anita

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims at proposing a technique for students learning English as a foreign language when they collaboratively write an argumentative essay in a wiki environment. A wiki environment and collaborative work play an important role within the academic writing task. Nevertheless, an appropriate and systematic work assignment is required in…

  14. A Criterion to Identify Maximally Entangled Four-Qubit State

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zha Xinwei; Song Haiyang; Feng Feng

    2011-01-01

    Paolo Facchi, et al. [Phys. Rev. A 77 (2008) 060304(R)] presented a maximally multipartite entangled state (MMES). Here, we give a criterion for the identification of maximally entangled four-qubit states. Using this criterion, we not only identify some existing maximally entangled four-qubit states in the literature, but also find several new maximally entangled four-qubit states as well. (general)

  15. A Joint Optimization Criterion for Blind DS-CDMA Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio A. Cruces-Alvarez

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses the problem of the blind detection of a desired user in an asynchronous DS-CDMA communications system with multipath propagation channels. Starting from the inverse filter criterion introduced by Tugnait and Li in 2001, we propose to tackle the problem in the context of the blind signal extraction methods for ICA. In order to improve the performance of the detector, we present a criterion based on the joint optimization of several higher-order statistics of the outputs. An algorithm that optimizes the proposed criterion is described, and its improved performance and robustness with respect to the near-far problem are corroborated through simulations. Additionally, a simulation using measurements on a real software-radio platform at 5 GHz has also been performed.

  16. A Joint Optimization Criterion for Blind DS-CDMA Detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durán-Díaz, Iván; Cruces-Alvarez, Sergio A.

    2006-12-01

    This paper addresses the problem of the blind detection of a desired user in an asynchronous DS-CDMA communications system with multipath propagation channels. Starting from the inverse filter criterion introduced by Tugnait and Li in 2001, we propose to tackle the problem in the context of the blind signal extraction methods for ICA. In order to improve the performance of the detector, we present a criterion based on the joint optimization of several higher-order statistics of the outputs. An algorithm that optimizes the proposed criterion is described, and its improved performance and robustness with respect to the near-far problem are corroborated through simulations. Additionally, a simulation using measurements on a real software-radio platform at 5 GHz has also been performed.

  17. Three-Dimensional Dynamic Rupture in Brittle Solids and the Volumetric Strain Criterion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uenishi, K.; Yamachi, H.

    2017-12-01

    As pointed out by Uenishi (2016 AGU Fall Meeting), source dynamics of ordinary earthquakes is often studied in the framework of 3D rupture in brittle solids but our knowledge of mechanics of actual 3D rupture is limited. Typically, criteria derived from 1D frictional observations of sliding materials or post-failure behavior of solids are applied in seismic simulations, and although mode-I cracks are frequently encountered in earthquake-induced ground failures, rupture in tension is in most cases ignored. Even when it is included in analyses, the classical maximum principal tensile stress rupture criterion is repeatedly used. Our recent basic experiments of dynamic rupture of spherical or cylindrical monolithic brittle solids by applying high-voltage electric discharge impulses or impact loads have indicated generation of surprisingly simple and often flat rupture surfaces in 3D specimens even without the initial existence of planes of weakness. However, at the same time, the snapshots taken by a high-speed digital video camera have shown rather complicated histories of rupture development in these 3D solid materials, which seem to be difficult to be explained by, for example, the maximum principal stress criterion. Instead, a (tensile) volumetric strain criterion where the volumetric strain (dilatation or the first invariant of the strain tensor) is a decisive parameter for rupture seems more effective in computationally reproducing the multi-directionally propagating waves and rupture. In this study, we try to show the connection between this volumetric strain criterion and other classical rupture criteria or physical parameters employed in continuum mechanics, and indicate that the criterion has, to some degree, physical meanings. First, we mathematically illustrate that the criterion is equivalent to a criterion based on the mean normal stress, a crucial parameter in plasticity. Then, we mention the relation between the volumetric strain criterion and the

  18. An Elasto-Plastic Damage Model for Rocks Based on a New Nonlinear Strength Criterion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jingqi; Zhao, Mi; Du, Xiuli; Dai, Feng; Ma, Chao; Liu, Jingbo

    2018-05-01

    The strength and deformation characteristics of rocks are the most important mechanical properties for rock engineering constructions. A new nonlinear strength criterion is developed for rocks by combining the Hoek-Brown (HB) criterion and the nonlinear unified strength criterion (NUSC). The proposed criterion takes account of the intermediate principal stress effect against HB criterion, as well as being nonlinear in the meridian plane against NUSC. Only three parameters are required to be determined by experiments, including the two HB parameters σ c and m i . The failure surface of the proposed criterion is continuous, smooth and convex. The proposed criterion fits the true triaxial test data well and performs better than the other three existing criteria. Then, by introducing the Geological Strength Index, the proposed criterion is extended to rock masses and predicts the test data well. Finally, based on the proposed criterion, a triaxial elasto-plastic damage model for intact rock is developed. The plastic part is based on the effective stress, whose yield function is developed by the proposed criterion. For the damage part, the evolution function is assumed to have an exponential form. The performance of the constitutive model shows good agreement with the results of experimental tests.

  19. French Higher Education: A Cartoon Essay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Matthew Henry

    2012-01-01

    In this cartoon essay, the author shares his experience from a travel to Paris to see the French higher education system. From his travel, he learned that in France, "degree" inflation may be an issue, but not grade inflation. On the flight home, the author reflects how French and American academics answer one question about the state of…

  20. Essays in Empirical Asset Pricing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rzeznik, Aleksandra

    This thesis consists of three essays investigating financial and real estate markets and identifying a relationship between them. A 2008 financial crises provides a perfect example of sizeable interactions between US housing market and equity prices, where a negative shock to house prices trigger...... a word-wide recession. Therefore, understanding forces driving investors behaviour and preferences, which in turn affect asset prices in both equity and housing market are of great interest....

  1. Sampling Criterion for EMC Near Field Measurements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Franek, Ondrej; Sørensen, Morten; Ebert, Hans

    2012-01-01

    An alternative, quasi-empirical sampling criterion for EMC near field measurements intended for close coupling investigations is proposed. The criterion is based on maximum error caused by sub-optimal sampling of near fields in the vicinity of an elementary dipole, which is suggested as a worst......-case representative of a signal trace on a typical printed circuit board. It has been found that the sampling density derived in this way is in fact very similar to that given by the antenna near field sampling theorem, if an error less than 1 dB is required. The principal advantage of the proposed formulation is its...

  2. A new objective criterion for IRIS localization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basit, A.

    2010-01-01

    Iris localization is the most important step in iris recognition systems. For commonly used databases, exact data is not given which describe the true results of localization. To cope with this problem a new objective criterion for iris localization is proposed in this paper based on our visual system. A specific number of points are selected on pupil boundary, iris boundary, upper eyelid and lower eyelid using the original image and then distance from these points to the result of complete iris localization has been calculated. If the determined distance is below a certain threshold then iris localization is considered correct. Experimental results show that proposed criterion is very effective. (author)

  3. The Linguistic Development of Students of English as a Second Language in Two Written Genres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Hyung-Jo; Polio, Charlene

    2017-01-01

    This study examined narrative and argumentative essays written over the course of a 4-month semester by 37 students of English as a second language (ESL). The essays were analyzed for development over time and for genre differences. The goal of the study was to conceptually replicate previous studies on genre differences (e.g., Lu, 2011) and on…

  4. Using Mixed Methods Research to Examine the Benefits of Culturally Relevant Instruction on Latino Students' Writing Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Joel P.; Murphy, Shirley A.

    2016-01-01

    A convergent mixed methods research design addressed the extent of benefit obtained from reading culturally inclusive prompts (i.e., four brief essays written by Latino authors) to improve essay writing in a developmental (pre-college) English course. Participants were 45 Latino students who provided quantitative data. Chi square analysis showed…

  5. Essays on oil and the macroeconomy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melolinna, M.

    2012-07-01

    This dissertation studies the effects of crude oil on the macroeconomy using a vector autoregression (VAR) modelling framework. In particular, the importance of identifying different types of oil shocks is explored for both small and large open economies. A VAR model is also used to study the information content of oil futures contracts. The dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay of the dissertation introduces a methodology for identifying oil supply shocks in a small open economy. Financial market information is used to construct an identification scheme that forces the response to an oil shock of the VAR model to be the same as that implied by futures markets. Due to the identification scheme, the model is only partially identified, and confidence intervals for impulse responses are calculated by using a bootstrapping procedure. The methodology is applied in illustrative examples to two small open economies in a VAR model that includes key domestic and international macroeconomic variables. The results suggest that while oil supply shocks have had an effect on domestic inflation during recent past, the effect on domestic GDP is ambiguous. The second essay of the dissertation studies the existence of risk premiums in crude oil futures prices with simple ordinary least squares regression and Bayesian VAR models. It also studies the importance of three main theoretical risk premium models in explaining and forecasting the risk premiums in practice. Whilst the existence of the premiums and the validity of the models can be established at certain time points, it turns out that the choice of sample period has a considerable effect on the results. Hence, the risk premiums are highly time-varying. The study also establishes a model, based on speculative positions in the futures markets, which has some predictive power for future oil spot prices. The third essay of the dissertation explores oil market and other macroeconomic shocks in a structural VAR

  6. The Mathematics Doctorate: A Time for Change? Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Mathematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Tony F.

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  7. Essays on household time allocation decisions in a collective household model

    OpenAIRE

    Silvennoinen, Heidi

    2008-01-01

    This thesis considers the consequences of traditional division of labour in households in a setting where spouses are allowed to have distinct preferences. This approach leads to different results compared to the traditional unitary approach and is better equipped to take into consideration gender related issues of household decision making. The thesis consists of three theoretical essays where the household production theory is applied in the collective household model. The first essay ...

  8. Essays on energy, equity, and the environment in developing countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Israel, Debra Kim

    1999-11-01

    The essays in this dissertation explore different environmental and public policy issues relevant to developing countries. Essay I examines household-level survey responses to the question "How willing would you be to pay somewhat higher taxes to the government if you knew the money would be spent to protect the environment and prevent land, water and air pollution?" Specifically, for twelve developing and three developed countries included in the survey, the empirical relationships among willingness to pay for environmental quality, relative household income and national income are investigated. The results indicate that when the effects of household and national income are combined, households with below-average income in low-income countries are less willing to pay for environmental protection than those with above-average income in high-income countries. Furthermore, willingness to pay for environmental protection increases more significantly with relative household income than with national income. Essay II uses data from urban Bolivia to study the determinants of household fuel choice, an important link between deforestation and indoor air pollution in developing countries. In particular, the effects of fixed fuel costs, income growth, and female earned income on household fuel choice are examined. The results imply that reduction in firewood use in developing countries is not likely to occur simply as the result of income growth. The essay discusses possible policy implications based on the results that fixed fuel costs appear to be a deterrent to switching to a cleaner fuel and households with female earned income seem less likely to use firewood than other households. Essay III analyzes the equity implications of the elimination of fuel subsidies in the 1985 Bolivian economic reforms. An analysis of the direct static burden shows that while the elimination of gasoline subsidies was progressively distributed, the elimination of LPG and kerosene subsidies

  9. Development of failure criterion for Kevlar-epoxy fabric laminates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tennyson, R. C.; Elliott, W. G.

    1984-01-01

    The development of the tensor polynomial failure criterion for composite laminate analysis is discussed. In particular, emphasis is given to the fabrication and testing of Kevlar-49 fabric (Style 285)/Narmco 5208 Epoxy. The quadratic-failure criterion with F(12)=0 provides accurate estimates of failure stresses for the Kevlar/Epoxy investigated. The cubic failure criterion was re-cast into an operationally easier form, providing the engineer with design curves that can be applied to laminates fabricated from unidirectional prepregs. In the form presented no interaction strength tests are required, although recourse to the quadratic model and the principal strength parameters is necessary. However, insufficient test data exists at present to generalize this approach for all undirectional prepregs and its use must be restricted to the generic materials investigated to-date.

  10. Assessing stress-related treatment needs among girls at risk for poor functional outcomes: The impact of cumulative adversity, criterion traumas, and non-criterion events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lansing, Amy E; Plante, Wendy Y; Beck, Audrey N

    2017-05-01

    Despite growing recognition that cumulative adversity (total stressor exposure, including complex trauma), increases the risk for psychopathology and impacts development, assessment strategies lag behind: Adversity-related mental health needs (symptoms, functional impairment, maladaptive coping) are typically assessed in response to only one qualifying Criterion-A traumatic event. This is especially problematic for youth at-risk for health and academic disparities who experience cumulative adversity, including non-qualifying events (separation from caregivers) which may produce more impairing symptomatology. Data from 118 delinquent girls demonstrate: (1) an average of 14 adverse Criterion-A and non-Criterion event exposures; (2) serious maladaptive coping strategies (self-injury) directly in response to cumulative adversity; (3) more cumulative adversity-related than worst-event related symptomatology and functional impairment; and (4) comparable symptomatology, but greater functional impairment, in response to non-Criterion events. These data support the evaluation of mental health needs in response to cumulative adversity for optimal identification and tailoring of services in high-risk populations to reduce disparities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Essays in empirical finance and monetary policy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Holle, Frederiek

    2017-01-01

    This dissertation consists of three essays. In the first paper, “Stock-Bond Correlations, Macroeconomic Regimes and Monetary Policy”, we link the evolution of stock-bond correlations for an international sample to both local and global regimes in inflation, the output gap and monetary policy. We

  12. Criterion for the engineering performance of carbon materials under neutron irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Virgil'ev, Yu.S.

    2002-01-01

    The criterion for the engineering performance and substation of its applicability to the reactor graphite are proposed. The complex indicator, representing the ratio of strength limits by compression and bending is proposed as the above criterion, characterizing the graphite quality. The growth of this criterion indicates the accumulation of large heterogeneities microcracks of technological or radiation character. The decrease in this indicator testifies to the growth of small heterogeneities, and consequently to the increase in the graphite engineering performance [ru

  13. Essays on Entrepreneurship and Innovation

    OpenAIRE

    Queiro, Francisco

    2015-01-01

    These essays investigate the role of entrepreneurial human capital as a driver of innovation and growth. In the first chapter, I estimate the effect of manager education on firm employment growth using administrative panel data on the universe of firms in Portugal between 1995 and 2009. I exploit manager changes and switches between management and other occupations to account for unobserved firm and manager characteristics as well as selection into management. I find that a year of manager sc...

  14. Five essays in property valuation

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Zan

    2000-01-01

    This doctoral thesis consists of five self-contained essayspresented to the Faculty Board of the Royal Institute ofTechnology. Property valuation is a central issue that forms acommon thread in the analysis in these essays. In the thesisproperty is considered in a mixed asset context in an attemptto build a bridge between valuation, property investment andfinancial theory. The object of the thesis is to value propertyfor finance, sales and purchases and investment. Theinvestigation of the the...

  15. Essays on mergers and acquisitions

    OpenAIRE

    Faelten, A.I.

    2016-01-01

    Essays on Mergers and Acquisitions" tackles some of the most prominent business challenges related to M&A activity. The Introduction examines the reasons why deals fail through well-known case studies; Chapter 1 presents a new index measuring countries M&A maturity worldwide; Chapter 2 focus on the importance of corporate governance when conducting deals in unknown territories; whilst Chapter 3 and 4 conduct research on companies’ decision to tap capital markets and their subsequent M&A acti...

  16. Essays in real-time forecasting

    OpenAIRE

    Liebermann, Joelle

    2012-01-01

    This thesis contains three essays in the field of real-time econometrics, and more particularlyforecasting.The issue of using data as available in real-time to forecasters, policymakers or financialmarkets is an important one which has only recently been taken on board in the empiricalliterature. Data available and used in real-time are preliminary and differ from ex-postrevised data, and given that data revisions may be quite substantial, the use of latestavailable instead of real-time can s...

  17. LA PRODUCCIÓN DE ENSAYOS EN LA EDUCACIÓN MEDIA Y SUPERIOR: UNA EXPERIENCIA SIGNIFICATIVA ALREDEDOR DE LA RELACIÓN VERTICAL UNIVERSIDAD – ESCUELA EN EL MEJORAMIENTO DE LAS HABILIDADES COMUNICATIVAS - ESSAYS PRODUCTION IN MEDIA AND HIGH EDUCATION: A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE AROUND THE VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITY – SCHOOL WITHIN THE IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CARMEN COLLANTE CAIAFA

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Reading and writing essays are part of daily life in academic contexts, especially media and high education levels. This research shows the design, application and evaluation of a program which tries to strength students skills when writing different kinds of essays, and it is also based on theories from the Functional Systemic Linguistics. As a fundamental of the program, it was taken the book Palabra abierta by Colombi, Pellettiere and Rodriguez (2001, who use language integrating elements, such as genre, register (field, tenor and way, situation context and culture context. Theoretical fundamentals are mainly based in Halliday, Hassan, Martin and Rose. This on-going project is being developed with a high school-student population from two public institutions, and students from the first semesters in Accounting and Psychology in Universidad Simon Bolivar, Barranquilla, Colombia. Partial results reflect a positive transformation, since the diagnosis showed students with problems for composing academic texts such as essays, and through this process, have achieved skills in written communication efficiently.

  18. Automated Essay Grading using Machine Learning Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramalingam, V. V.; Pandian, A.; Chetry, Prateek; Nigam, Himanshu

    2018-04-01

    Essays are paramount for of assessing the academic excellence along with linking the different ideas with the ability to recall but are notably time consuming when they are assessed manually. Manual grading takes significant amount of evaluator’s time and hence it is an expensive process. Automated grading if proven effective will not only reduce the time for assessment but comparing it with human scores will also make the score realistic. The project aims to develop an automated essay assessment system by use of machine learning techniques by classifying a corpus of textual entities into small number of discrete categories, corresponding to possible grades. Linear regression technique will be utilized for training the model along with making the use of various other classifications and clustering techniques. We intend to train classifiers on the training set, make it go through the downloaded dataset, and then measure performance our dataset by comparing the obtained values with the dataset values. We have implemented our model using java.

  19. Entanglement criterion for tripartite systems based on local sum uncertainty relations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari-Kourbolagh, Y.; Azhdargalam, M.

    2018-04-01

    We propose a sufficient criterion for the entanglement of tripartite systems based on local sum uncertainty relations for arbitrarily chosen observables of subsystems. This criterion generalizes the tighter criterion for bipartite systems introduced by Zhang et al. [C.-J. Zhang, H. Nha, Y.-S. Zhang, and G.-C. Guo, Phys. Rev. A 81, 012324 (2010), 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.012324] and can be used for both discrete- and continuous-variable systems. It enables us to detect the entanglement of quantum states without having a complete knowledge of them. Its utility is illustrated by some examples of three-qubit, qutrit-qutrit-qubit, and three-mode Gaussian states. It is found that, in comparison with other criteria, this criterion is able to detect some three-qubit bound entangled states more efficiently.

  20. Writing II for 2nd Year EFL Student Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdallah, Mahmoud M. S.

    2015-01-01

    Writing is a very important skill that should be mastered properly by university students, especially pre-service language teachers (e.g. EFL student teachers). In order to present their ideas efficiently in the context of their academic study, they have to be trained well on how to write meaningful pieces (e.g. essays, academic reports,…

  1. Evaluating the Validity and Applicability of Automated Essay Scoring in Two Massive Open Online Courses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Dawna Reilly

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The use of massive open online courses (MOOCs to expand students’ access to higher education has raised questions regarding the extent to which this course model can provide and assess authentic, higher level student learning. In response to this need, MOOC platforms have begun utilizing automated essay scoring (AES systems that allow students to engage in critical writing and free-response activities. However, there is a lack of research investigating the validity of such systems in MOOCs. This research examined the effectiveness of an AES tool to score writing assignments in two MOOCs. Results indicated that some significant differences existed between Instructor grading, AES-Holistic scores, and AES-Rubric Total scores within two MOOC courses. However, use of the AES system may still be useful given instructors’ assessment needs and intent. Findings from this research have implications for instructional technology administrators, educational designers, and instructors implementing AES learning activities in MOOC courses.

  2. Tacit Information Literacies in Beginning College Students: Research Pedagogy in Geography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauch, Nicholas; Sheldon, Christina

    2014-01-01

    Whereas instruction on how to conduct original research can build on beginning college students' tacit information literacies, the explicit articulation of existing processes for information gathering is rarely elicited by instructors prior to students' submission of a final research paper. In this essay, authors Nicholas Bauch and Christina…

  3. Mercier criterion for high-β tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galvao, R.M.O.

    1984-01-01

    An expression, for the application of the Mercier criterion to numerical studies of diffuse high-β tokamaks (β approximatelly Σ,q approximatelly 1), which contains only leading order contributions in the high-β tokamak approximation is derived. (L.C.) [pt

  4. Teaching academic writing to first year university students: a case ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Corporate Edition

    draws on a set of theories including development of student writing (Coffin et al., 2003), teacher feedback practices .... higher education, this group is generally made of students who may have experience of different ..... writing an essay for instance, you'll make sure that your title is short and really attractive” ..... PhD Thesis.

  5. Seven Birds with One Magic Bullet: Designing Assignments that Encourage Student Participation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause-Jensen, Jakob

    2010-01-01

    At the Danish University School of Education we have experimented with a form of assessment called "active participation". A week before each class students are given reading guidelines and questions to help them approach the texts, and on the basis of one of those questions the students each write a two-page essay. The students are…

  6. Essays on electricity transmission investment and financial transmission rights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Wenzhuo

    The U.S. electric power industry has been going through fundamental restructuring and realignment since the 1990's. Many issues and problems have emerged during the transition, and both economists and engineers have been looking for the solutions fervently. In this dissertation, which consists primarily of three essays, we apply economics theory and techniques to the power industry and address two related issues, transmission investment and financial transmission rights (FTRs). The first essay takes the decentralized perspective and investigates the efficiency attribute of market-based transmission investment under perfect competition. We clarify, for the first time, the nature of the externality created by loop flows that causes transmission investment to be inefficient. Our findings have important implications for better understanding of transmission market design and creating incentives for efficient transmission investment. In the second essay, we define several rules for allocating transmission investment cost within the framework of cooperative game theory. These rules provide fair, stable or efficient cost allocations in theory and are good benchmarks against which the allocation mechanism in practice can be compared and improved upon. In the last essay, we make exploratory efforts in analyzing and assessing empirically the performance of the Midwest independent system operator (MISO) FTR auction market. We reveal some stylized facts about this young market and find that it is not efficient under the risk-neutrality assumption. We also point out and correct the drawbacks in previous related work and suggest about more complete empirical work in future. In all, this dissertation makes both theoretic and empirical analysis of the two hot issues related to the power industry and comes up with findings that have important implications for the development of this industry.

  7. Effect of Process Approach to Writing on Senior Secondary Students ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of Process Approach to Writing on Senior Secondary Students' ... The study adopted a quasi-experimental non equivalent pretest-posttest research design. ... Key words: process approach, product approach, essay, writing, achievement.

  8. Topical Structure in Argumentative Essays of EFL Learners and Implications for Writing Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiliç, Mehmet; Genç, Bilal; Bada, Erdogan

    2016-01-01

    The literature on the topical organization of essays suggests that there are four possible types of progression from the topic of one clause to the topics of the following clauses. These are parallel, sequential, extended parallel, and extended sequential progressions. Essay writers' ability to create cohesion and coherence can be evaluated on the…

  9. Bioremediation of polluted wasewaterwater influent: phiosphorus and nitrogen removal. Scientific Research and Essays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muchie, Mammo; Akpor, OB

    2010-01-01

    Akpor OB and Muchie M. (2010). Bioremediation of polluted wasewaterwater influent: phiosphorus and nitrogen removal. Scientific Research and Essays, Vol. 5(21), pp. 3222–3230......Akpor OB and Muchie M. (2010). Bioremediation of polluted wasewaterwater influent: phiosphorus and nitrogen removal. Scientific Research and Essays, Vol. 5(21), pp. 3222–3230...

  10. Study on the quantitative rod internal pressure design criterion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Kyu Tae; Kim, Oh Hwan; Han, Hee Tak

    1991-01-01

    The current rod internal pressure criterion permits fuel rods to operate with internal pressures in excess of system pressure only if internal overpressure does not cause the diametral gap enlargement. In this study, the generic allowable internal gas pressure not violating this criterion is estimated as a function of rod power. The results show that the generic allowable internal gas pressure decreases linearly with the increase of rod power. Application of the generic allowable internal gas pressure for the rod internal pressure design criterion will result in the simplication of the current design procedure for checking the diametral gap enlargement caused by internal overpressure because according to the current design procedure the cladding creepout rate should be compared with the fuel swelling rate at each axial node at each time step whenever internal pressure exceeds the system pressure. (Author)

  11. Re-Theorizing the Role of Creative Writing in Composition Studies: Cautionary Notes towards Re-Thinking the Essay in the Teaching of Writing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julier, Laura

    An essay, often called a personal essay, familiar essay, lyric essay, the disjunctive or spiral essay, is a piece of writing which takes its form in the shifts and turns of a particular mind at work. The essay is a piece of writing which pays attention to and sometimes plays with form; often uses images and figures that are familiar with poetry;…

  12. Art and Pornography: Philosophical Essays

    OpenAIRE

    2012-01-01

    Art and Pornography presents a series of essays\\ud which investigate the artistic status and aesthetic\\ud dimension of pornographic pictures, films, and\\ud literature, and explores the distinction, if there is\\ud any, between pornography and erotic art. Is there\\ud any overlap between art and pornography, or are\\ud the two mutually exclusive? If they are, why is\\ud that? If they are not, how might we characterize\\ud pornographic art or artistic pornography, and how\\ud might pornographic art b...

  13. Generalized Majority Logic Criterion to Analyze the Statistical Strength of S-Boxes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Iqtadar; Shah, Tariq; Gondal, Muhammad Asif; Mahmood, Hasan

    2012-05-01

    The majority logic criterion is applicable in the evaluation process of substitution boxes used in the advanced encryption standard (AES). The performance of modified or advanced substitution boxes is predicted by processing the results of statistical analysis by the majority logic criteria. In this paper, we use the majority logic criteria to analyze some popular and prevailing substitution boxes used in encryption processes. In particular, the majority logic criterion is applied to AES, affine power affine (APA), Gray, Lui J, residue prime, S8 AES, Skipjack, and Xyi substitution boxes. The majority logic criterion is further extended into a generalized majority logic criterion which has a broader spectrum of analyzing the effectiveness of substitution boxes in image encryption applications. The integral components of the statistical analyses used for the generalized majority logic criterion are derived from results of entropy analysis, contrast analysis, correlation analysis, homogeneity analysis, energy analysis, and mean of absolute deviation (MAD) analysis.

  14. Can Style Be Creative? An Exploratory Essay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clinton, Gregory

    2016-01-01

    This essay explores the nature of creativity of the practicing professional through the examination of the role of personal style in creative work, as well as how personality can affect and sustain creativity. Instructional designers, as practicing creatives, must balance the divergent and novel with the restraints of clients, projects, and…

  15. Automated Assessment of Non-Native Learner Essays: Investigating the Role of Linguistic Features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vajjala, Sowmya

    2018-01-01

    Automatic essay scoring (AES) refers to the process of scoring free text responses to given prompts, considering human grader scores as the gold standard. Writing such essays is an essential component of many language and aptitude exams. Hence, AES became an active and established area of research, and there are many proprietary systems used in…

  16. Researching Race and Social Justice in Education: Essays in Honour of Barry Troyna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikes, Pat, Ed.; Rizvi, Fazal, Ed.

    The essays in this book comprise a "festschrift", a group of essays, to commemorate Barry Troyna, who made an important contribution to thinking about race, racism, and research on social-justice issues in the school context. Much of his work was directed at showing that it was impossible to research questions of "race"…

  17. Using Automated Essay Scores as an Anchor When Equating Constructed Response Writing Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almond, Russell G.

    2014-01-01

    Assessments consisting of only a few extended constructed response items (essays) are not typically equated using anchor test designs as there are typically too few essay prompts in each form to allow for meaningful equating. This article explores the idea that output from an automated scoring program designed to measure writing fluency (a common…

  18. Graduate Students' Reflections on Elder and End-of-Life Care for Prisoners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumann, Steven L; Todaro-Franceschi, Vidette

    2017-07-01

    The focus of this report was graduate nursing students' reflections on elder and end-of-life care for prisoners. The personal reflections of 21 graduate nursing students who attended a presentation by Susan J. Loeb on October 26, 2016 were included in this report. The title of the presentation was "Enhancing End-of-Life Care for Prisoners Through Partnering With the Prison Community." The student essays were synthesized to construct a summary essay, from which four themes were identified: aging in prison, dying in prison, ethical and professional issues in the elder and end-of-life care of prisoners, and ethical and professional issues in research involving elderly and end-of-life care of prisoners. These findings were interpreted from a global perspective in light of two different nursing perspectives: the humanbecoming tradition and the science of unitary human beings.

  19. Assessing the factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war-exposed youths with and without Criterion A2 endorsement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armour, Cherie; Layne, Christopher M; Naifeh, James A; Shevlin, Mark; Duraković-Belko, Elvira; Djapo, Nermin; Pynoos, Robert S; Elhai, Jon D

    2011-01-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder's (PTSD) tripartite factor structure proposed by the DSM-IV is rarely empirically supported. Other four-factor models (King et al., 1998; Simms et al., 2002) have proven to better account for PTSD's latent structure; however, results regarding model superiority are conflicting. The current study assessed whether endorsement of PTSD's Criterion A2 would impact on the factorial invariance of the King et al. (1998) model. Participants were 1572 war-exposed Bosnian secondary students who were assessed two years following the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict. The sample was grouped by those endorsing both parts of the DSM-IV Criterion A (A2 Group) and those endorsing only A1 (Non-A2 Group). The factorial invariance of the King et al. (1998) model was not supported between the A2 vs. Non-A2 Groups; rather, the groups significantly differed on all model parameters. The impact of removing A2 on the factor structure of King et al. (1998) PTSD model is discussed in light of the proposed removal of Criterion A2 for the DSM-V. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Elitism, Sharing and Ranking Choices in Evolutionary Multi-Criterion Optimisation

    OpenAIRE

    Pursehouse, R.C.; Fleming, P.J.

    2002-01-01

    Elitism and sharing are two mechanisms that are believed to improve the performance of an evolutionary multi-criterion optimiser. The relative performance of of the two most popular ranking strategies is largely unknown. Using a new empirical inquiry framework, this report studies the effect of elitism, sharing and ranking design choices using a benchmark suite of two-criterion problems.........

  1. Validation of a Criterion for Cam Mechanisms Optimization Using Constraints upon Cam’s Curvature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stelian Alaci

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available For the mechanism with rotating cam and knife-edge follower, an optimization criterion by means of imposed constraints upon cam’s curvature is expressed in a special coordinate system. Thus, stating the optimization criterion in the coordinate system defined by the mechanisms constructive parameters -eccentricity and minimum follower’s stroke, a contour is obtained for any position of the mechanism. The optimization criterion assumes establishing the position of the characteristic point of the mechanism with respect to this contour. Fulfillment of optimization criterion assumes that the characteristic point is positioned in the same manner with respect to all contours. The optimization criterion is simplified when considering the envelope of the contours. The method is exemplified using two mechanisms, with the cams priori satisfying the criterion.

  2. Essays on Public Documents and Government Policies (3).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morehead, Joe

    1986-01-01

    Eight essays on government documents examine a variety of subjects--the publication "Policy and Supporting Positions," Supreme Court and separation of powers rulings, private legislation, environmental information, publications of the Department of Education, physical fitness, and national cemeteries. (EM)

  3. ReaderBench Learns Dutch: Building a Comprehensive Automated Essay Scoring System for Dutch Language

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dascalu, Mihai; Westera, Wim; Ruseti, Stefan; Trausan-Matu, Stefan; Kurvers, Hub

    2018-01-01

    Automated Essay Scoring has gained a wider applicability and usage with the integration of advanced Natural Language Processing techniques which enabled in-depth analyses of discourse in order capture the specificities of written texts. In this paper, we introduce a novel Automatic Essay Scoring

  4. Toward DSM-V: mapping the alcohol use disorder continuum in college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagman, Brett T; Cohn, Amy M

    2011-11-01

    The present study examined the dimensionality of DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) criteria using Item Response Theory (IRT) methods and tested the validity of the proposed DSM-V AUD guidelines in a sample of college students. Participants were 396 college students who reported any alcohol use in the past 90 days and were aged 18 years or older. We conducted factor analyses to determine whether a one- or two-factor model provided a better fit to the AUD criteria. IRT analyses estimated item severity and discrimination parameters for each criterion. Multivariate analyses examined differences among the DSM-V diagnostic cut-off (AUD vs. No AUD) and severity qualifiers (no diagnosis, moderate, severe) across several validating measures of alcohol use. A dominant single-factor model provided the best fit to the AUD criteria. IRT analyses indicated that abuse and dependence criteria were intermixed along the latent continuum. The "legal problems" criterion had the highest severity parameter and the tolerance criterion had the lowest severity parameter. The abuse criterion "social/interpersonal problems" and dependence criterion "activities to obtain alcohol" had the highest discrimination parameter estimates. Multivariate analysis indicated that the DSM-V cut-off point, and severity qualifier groups were distinguishable on several measures of alcohol consumption, drinking consequences, and drinking restraint. Findings suggest that the AUD criteria reflect a latent variable that represents a primary disorder and provide support for the proposed DSM-V AUD criteria in a sample of college students. Continued research in other high-risk samples of college students is needed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. "Object Lesson": Using Family Heirlooms to Engage Students in Art History

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, Marice

    2012-01-01

    This first written assignment of the semester for the author's undergraduate introductory art history class--an essay where students describe and reflect upon the significance of a family heirloom--is instrumental in meeting class objectives. The author's objectives in this class are for students: (1) to broaden their conception of what art is…

  6. Young, Gifted, and Black: Promoting High Achievement among African-American Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Theresa; Steele, Claude; Hilliard, Asa G., III

    In three linked but separate essays, this book explores how African-American students experience school in a society that has historically devalued their intellectual abilities. It calls for a new understanding of the unique obstacles black students face in American schools and points to a variety of educational practices that can mitigate those…

  7. China Confronts Kant When University Students Experience the Angst of Freedom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Robert Keith

    2016-01-01

    An existential interpretation of student angst in Chinese universities raises issues of autonomy and freedom. The governance arrangements in China create a conflict for Chinese students who in their coursework are urged to become critical-minded and open-minded. In this essay, Kant's moral theory provides access to this phenomenon. His theory of…

  8. Essays on Labour Markets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buhai, Ioan Sebastian

    ), on modelling the arousal and persistence of occupational segregation and labour market inequalities between social subgroups (chapter 4), and respectively on characterizing the link between the firms' health and safety work environment and their financial performance (chapter 5). Each of the essays contributes...... return to seniority", with seniority the position of the worker in the tenure hierarchy of her firm, this concept establishing parsimoniously but effectively the link between the worker's fate in the labour market and her firm's fate in the product market; if network referrals are relevant for job search...... work") raises, but any other specific work health and safety practice indicators do not affect, a firm's productivity....

  9. Shrinkage Porosity Criterion and Its Application to A 5.5 Ton Steel Ingot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang C.

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to predict the distribution of shrinkage porosity in steel ingot efficiently and accurately, a criterion R√L and a method to obtain its threshold value were proposed. The criterion R√L was derived based on the solidification characteristics of steel ingot and pressure gradient in the mushy zone, in which the physical properties, the thermal parameters, the structure of the mushy zone and the secondary dendrite arm spacing were all taken into consideration. The threshold value of the criterion R√L was obtained with combination of numerical simulation of ingot solidification and total solidification shrinkage rate. Prediction of the shrinkage porosity in a 5.5 ton ingot of 2Cr13 steel with criterion R√L>0.21 m · °C1/2 · s−3/2 agreed well with the results of experimental sectioning. Based on this criterion, optimization of the ingot was carried out by decreasing the height-to-diameter ratio and increasing the taper, which successfully eliminated the centreline porosity and further proved the applicability of this criterion.

  10. Words and Responsibilities: Graduate Education and the Humanities. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Humanities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stimpson, Catharine R.

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  11. News Particle Physics: ATLAS unveils mural at CERN Prize: Corti Trust invites essay entries Astrophysics: CERN holds cosmic-ray conference Researchers in Residence: Lord Winston returns to school Music: ATLAS scientists record physics music Conference: Champagne flows at Reims event Competition: Students triumph at physics olympiad Teaching: Physics proves popular in Japanese schools Forthcoming Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Particle Physics: ATLAS unveils mural at CERN Prize: Corti Trust invites essay entries Astrophysics: CERN holds cosmic-ray conference Researchers in Residence: Lord Winston returns to school Music: ATLAS scientists record physics music Conference: Champagne flows at Reims event Competition: Students triumph at physics olympiad Teaching: Physics proves popular in Japanese schools Forthcoming Events

  12. Judging Criterion of Controlled Structures with Closely Spaced Natural Frequencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Faxiang; Sun Limin

    2010-01-01

    The structures with closely spaced natural frequencies widely exist in civil engineering; however, the judging criterion of the density of closely spaced frequencies is in dispute. This paper suggests a judging criterion for structures with closely spaced natural frequencies based on the analysis on a controlled 2-DOF structure. The analysis results indicate that the optimal control gain of the structure with velocity feedback is dependent on the frequency density parameter of structure and the maximum attainable additional modal damping ratio is 1.72 times of the frequency density parameter when state feedback is applied. Based on a brief review on the previous researches, a judging criterion related the minimum frequency density parameter and the required mode damping ratio was proposed.

  13. Aesthetic Function Realized in the Selected Modern Chinese Essays by Zhang Peiji

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    罗丹

    2014-01-01

    The selected modern Chinese essays translated by Zhang Peiji is a masterpiece for Chinese scholars to do translation research. Prof. Zhang not only excels at translating the Chinese works accurately but also conveys the aesthetic value in the translated version. This paper wil analyse the aesthetic function used in Zhang Peiji’s selected modern Chinese essays from five aspects, music value, rhythm value, ful-grownness value, conciseness value and artistic conception value.

  14. A New Criterion for Prediction of Hot Tearing Susceptibility of Cast Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasresfahani, Mohamad Reza; Niroumand, Behzad

    2014-08-01

    A new criterion for prediction of hot tearing susceptibility of cast alloys is suggested which takes into account the effects of both important mechanical and metallurgical factors and is believed to be less sensitive to the presence of volume defects such as bifilms and inclusions. The criterion was validated by studying the hot tearing tendency of Al-Cu alloy. In conformity with the experimental results, the new criterion predicted reduction of hot tearing tendency with increasing the copper content.

  15. Language style matching in writing: synchrony in essays, correspondence, and poetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ireland, Molly E; Pennebaker, James W

    2010-09-01

    Each relationship has its own personality. Almost immediately after a social interaction begins, verbal and nonverbal behaviors become synchronized. Even in asocial contexts, individuals tend to produce utterances that match the grammatical structure of sentences they have recently heard or read. Three projects explore language style matching (LSM) in everyday writing tasks and professional writing. LSM is the relative use of 9 function word categories (e.g., articles, personal pronouns) between any 2 texts. In the first project, 2 samples totaling 1,744 college students answered 4 essay questions written in very different styles. Students automatically matched the language style of the target questions. Overall, the LSM metric was internally consistent and reliable across writing tasks. Women, participants of higher socioeconomic status, and students who earned higher test grades matched with targets more than others did. In the second project, 74 participants completed cliffhanger excerpts from popular fiction. Judges' ratings of excerpt-response similarity were related to content matching but not function word matching, as indexed by LSM. Further, participants were not able to intentionally increase style or content matching. In the final project, an archival study tracked the professional writing and personal correspondence of 3 pairs of famous writers across their relationships. Language matching in poetry and letters reflected fluctuations in the relationships of 3 couples: Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, and Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Implications for using LSM as an implicit marker of social engagement and influence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. [A workshop to improve written communication skills of medical students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitran, Marcela; Zúñiga, Denisse; Flotts, Paulina; Padilla, Oslando; Moreno, Rodrigo

    2009-05-01

    Despite being among the best academically prepared of the country, many medical students have difficulties to communicate in writing. In 2005, the School of Medicine at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile introduced a writing workshop in the undergraduate curriculum, to enhance the students' writing skills. To describe the workshop and its impact on the writing skills of 3 cohorts of students. This 30-h workshop used a participative methodology with emphasis on deliberate practice and feedback. Students worked in small groups with a faculty member specially trained in writing. The qualities of the essays written before and after the workshop were compared. Essays were rated by a professional team that used an analytic rubric to measure formal aspects of text writing as well as more complex thinking processes. There was a significant improvement in the quality of the texts written after the workshop; the main changes occurred in argumentation, and in paragraph and text structure. This improvement was inversely proportional to the initial level of performance, and independent of gender. A writing workshop based on deliberate practice and personalized feedback is effective to enhance the writing proficiency of medical students. Due to its design, this workshop could be useful for students of other careers and universities.

  17. Student Engagement in an Independent Research Project: The Influence of Cohort Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conner, Jerusha O.

    2009-01-01

    Student engagement is widely viewed as an important antecedent to learning and achievement; however, research finds that engagement declines sharply as students advance through school. This article uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the engagement of high school seniors working on the IB Diploma Program's extended essay. Average engagement…

  18. Observing Engineering Student Teams from the Organization Behavior Perspective Using Linguistic Analysis of Student Reflections and Focus Group Interviews

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kearney, Kerri S.; Damron, Rebecca; Sohoni, Sohum

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates group/team development in computer engineering courses at a University in the Central USA from the perspective of organization behavior theory, specifically Tuckman's model of the stages of group development. The investigation, conducted through linguistic analysis of student reflection essays, and through focus group…

  19. Education, Language, and Identity amongst Students at a South African University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, Jean; Crouch, Alison

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on a study of language and cultural identity of mother-tongue Zulu students at an English-medium South African university. The data consist of focus group interviews, questionnaires, and student opinions in essays. Findings include a strong identification of the participants with the Zulu language and Zulu culture, and a view…

  20. General Criterion for Harmonicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proesmans, Karel; Vandebroek, Hans; Van den Broeck, Christian

    2017-10-01

    Inspired by Kubo-Anderson Markov processes, we introduce a new class of transfer matrices whose largest eigenvalue is determined by a simple explicit algebraic equation. Applications include the free energy calculation for various equilibrium systems and a general criterion for perfect harmonicity, i.e., a free energy that is exactly quadratic in the external field. As an illustration, we construct a "perfect spring," namely, a polymer with non-Gaussian, exponentially distributed subunits which, nevertheless, remains harmonic until it is fully stretched. This surprising discovery is confirmed by Monte Carlo and Langevin simulations.

  1. Telling Lives in Science: Essays on Scientific Biography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harman, Peter

    1997-09-01

    This collection of ten essays by historians of science, several of them biographers, is concerned with the role of scientific biography in forming conceptions of science and scientists. The essays include studies of the biographies of individual scientists, assessments of the aims and style of scientific portraits in different historical contexts, examinations of changing biographical interpretations of scientists, and much discussion of the methodological issues involved in the writing of scientific biographies. Many historians consider biography to be an ambiguous genre, its appeal based on nostalgia rather than history, with a focus on personality rather than historical context, but the biographer can reply that scientific biography reveals the practice of science at its most fundamental level. Indeed, scientific biography has provided a powerful medium in which public conceptions of science have been established. Einstein observed that 'the essential being of a man of my type lies in what he thinks and how he thinks', and his Autobiographical Notes suppress personality in favour of physics. But the biographer may see matters differently, and wish to integrate the public and the private life of the scientist. In their substantial introduction the editors discuss these and other problems, and the book is directed to the professional concerns of historians of science. While there is little here on the history of physics, Geoffrey Cantor's essay on public images of Faraday as constructed in popular biographies, a discussion of conflicting portraits of Faraday as romantic genius or hard-working slogger, may interest readers of this journal. (book review)

  2. Telling Lives in Science: Essays on Scientific Biography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harman, Peter

    1997-01-01

    This collection of ten essays by historians of science, several of them biographers, is concerned with the role of scientific biography in forming conceptions of science and scientists. The essays include studies of the biographies of individual scientists, assessments of the aims and style of scientific portraits in different historical contexts, examinations of changing biographical interpretations of scientists, and much discussion of the methodological issues involved in the writing of scientific biographies. Many historians consider biography to be an ambiguous genre, its appeal based on nostalgia rather than history, with a focus on personality rather than historical context, but the biographer can reply that scientific biography reveals the practice of science at its most fundamental level. Indeed, scientific biography has provided a powerful medium in which public conceptions of science have been established. Einstein observed that 'the essential being of a man of my type lies in what he thinks and how he thinks', and his Autobiographical Notes suppress personality in favour of physics. But the biographer may see matters differently, and wish to integrate the public and the private life of the scientist. In their substantial introduction the editors discuss these and other problems, and the book is directed to the professional concerns of historians of science. While there is little here on the history of physics, Geoffrey Cantor's essay on public images of Faraday as constructed in popular biographies, a discussion of conflicting portraits of Faraday as romantic genius or hard-working slogger, may interest readers of this journal. (book review)

  3. Three essays on the exploration for non-renewable resources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadorsky, P.A.

    1990-06-01

    A new additional motive for exploration activity is proposed in the first essay. When exploration occurs before the resource is extracted, there is an incentive to use exploration activity as a strategic instrument to capture market share and inflict capital losses on rivals. This provides an incentive for governments to use strategic taxation to capture greater rents from the imperfectly competitive world output markets. Analytic expressions for the optimal domestic extraction tax and exploration subsidy are presented. In the second essay, Canadian data are used to estimate a multiple-output translog exploration cost function. A new definition of depletion is introduced and its estimated coefficient is found to be statistically significant. Monte Carlo integration techniques were applied to ensure the estimated cost function satisfies concavity and monotonicity. The fitted cost function parameters are then used to estimate the marginal cost of oil and gas exploration. These estimates are used, along with estimates of exploration rents, to measure resource scarcity. In the third essay, Canadian data are used to estimate a stochastic and dynamic model of oil exploration and extraction in Alberta. The main determinants of current period extraction are one period lagged extraction and one period expected extraction. The main determinants of current period exploration are one period lagged cumulative exploration and a relative price variable. 150 refs., 13 figs., 19 tabs

  4. Enhancing Content Knowledge in Essay Writing Classes: A Multimedia Package for Iranian EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marziyeh Tahmouresi Majelan

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to investigate empirically if promoting a multimedia package enhances content knowledge in essay writing of 80 junior English translation students at a University in Karaj, Iran; plus, whether the learners’ writing content improve due to the presence of the multimedia package or not. The multimedia was considered to be a CD, containing recordings both in first language (L1=Farsi and in second language (L2=English along with manipulative and task-based activities. A homogenizing test, the pre-posttests, and the material in a form of a CD (treatment including forty of the most common TOEFL essays both in L1 and L2 plus manipulative tasks to fulfill provided by the researcher, were the instruments in the study.  After 14 weeks, both the experimental and control groups sat for the posttest with exactly the same characteristics of pretest except for the topics. When the collected data was analyzed, a mean difference of t-test along with a paired t-test showed a significant difference between the performance of the control and the experimental groups, regarding the content. Consequently, the statistics proved that enhancing content knowledge by means of a multimedia package containing recordings plus manipulative and task-based activities would improve students’ writing ability while the control group in which a current traditional rhetoric approach was used, the placebo, did not show any statistically significant improvement regarding content.

  5. Long-Term Impact of Valid Case Criterion on Capturing Population-Level Growth under Item Response Theory Equating. Research Report. ETS RR-17-17

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Weiling; Monfils, Lora

    2017-01-01

    Using simulated data, this study examined the impact of different levels of stringency of the valid case inclusion criterion on item response theory (IRT)-based true score equating over 5 years in the context of K-12 assessment when growth in student achievement is expected. Findings indicate that the use of the most stringent inclusion criterion…

  6. Stochastic Learning and the Intuitive Criterion in Simple Signaling Games

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sloth, Birgitte; Whitta-Jacobsen, Hans Jørgen

    A stochastic learning process for signaling games with two types, two signals, and two responses gives rise to equilibrium selection which is in remarkable accordance with the selection obtained by the intuitive criterion......A stochastic learning process for signaling games with two types, two signals, and two responses gives rise to equilibrium selection which is in remarkable accordance with the selection obtained by the intuitive criterion...

  7. Assisting Students in the College Choice Process: Three Essays on the Role and Effectiveness of College Advising Professionals in Public High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clayton, Ashley Brooke

    2016-01-01

    To address the importance of college access and the gaps in scholarship concerning college advising, this study is comprised of three essays, each focused on college advising professionals in public high schools. Though the majority of research in this area has focused on traditional school counselors, these studies examined the role and…

  8. A philosophical essay on probabilities

    CERN Document Server

    Laplace, Marquis de

    1996-01-01

    A classic of science, this famous essay by ""the Newton of France"" introduces lay readers to the concepts and uses of probability theory. It is of especial interest today as an application of mathematical techniques to problems in social and biological sciences.Generally recognized as the founder of the modern phase of probability theory, Laplace here applies the principles and general results of his theory ""to the most important questions of life, which are, in effect, for the most part, problems in probability."" Thus, without the use of higher mathematics, he demonstrates the application

  9. Prognosis Essay Scoring and Article Relevancy Using Multi-Text Features and Machine Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Mehmood

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study develops a model for essay scoring and article relevancy. Essay scoring is a costly process when we consider the time spent by an evaluator. It may lead to inequalities of the effort by various evaluators to apply the same evaluation criteria. Bibliometric research uses the evaluation criteria to find relevancy of articles instead. Researchers mostly face relevancy issues while searching articles. Therefore, they classify the articles manually. However, manual classification is burdensome due to time needed for evaluation. The proposed model performs automatic essay evaluation using multi-text features and ensemble machine learning. The proposed method is implemented in two data sets: a Kaggle short answer data set for essay scoring that includes four ranges of disciplines (Science, Biology, English, and English language Arts, and a bibliometric data set having IoT (Internet of Things and non-IoT classes. The efficacy of the model is measured against the Tandalla and AutoP approach using Cohen’s kappa. The model achieves kappa values of 0.80 and 0.83 for the first and second data sets, respectively. Kappa values show that the proposed model has better performance than those of earlier approaches.

  10. Selecting Items for Criterion-Referenced Tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellenbergh, Gideon J.; van der Linden, Wim J.

    1982-01-01

    Three item selection methods for criterion-referenced tests are examined: the classical theory of item difficulty and item-test correlation; the latent trait theory of item characteristic curves; and a decision-theoretic approach for optimal item selection. Item contribution to the standardized expected utility of mastery testing is discussed. (CM)

  11. Three Essays on Bureaucracy at American Research Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taggart, Gabel

    2017-01-01

    The three essays in this dissertation each examine how aspects of contemporary administrative structure within American research universities affect faculty outcomes. Specific aspects of administrative structure tested in this dissertation include the introduction of new administrative roles, administrative intensity (i.e., relative size of…

  12. Our 9/11 of hope: Short essays on European democracy since 1989

    OpenAIRE

    Tassinari, Fabrizio

    2010-01-01

    This collection of short essays proceeds from an international conference organized by DIIS on 9th November 2009, the day of the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The volume centers on the political, social, and economic implications of the revolutions of 1989 on European democracy. The authors of these essays come from very different backgrounds and interests: ranging from academics and public intellectuals that have written extensively on post-Cold War Europe, to practit...

  13. Multiaxial fatigue criterion based on parameters from torsion and axial S-N curve

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Margetin

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Multiaxial high cycle fatigue is a topic that concerns nearly all industrial domains. In recent years, a great deal of recommendations how to address problems with multiaxial fatigue life time estimation have been made and a huge progress in the field has been achieved. Until now, however, no universal criterion for multiaxial fatigue has been proposed. Addressing this situation, this paper offers a design of a new multiaxial criterion for high cycle fatigue. This criterion is based on critical plane search. Damage parameter consists of a combination of normal and shear stresses on a critical plane (which is a plane with maximal shear stress amplitude. Material parameters used in proposed criterion are obtained from torsion and axial S-N curves. Proposed criterion correctly calculates life time for boundary loading condition (pure torsion and pure axial loading. Application of proposed model is demonstrated on biaxial loading and the results are verified with testing program using specimens made from S355 steel. Fatigue material parameters for proposed criterion and multiple sets of data for different combination of axial and torsional loading have been obtained during the experiment.

  14. The role of word choice and criterion on intentional memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toyota, Hiroshi

    2015-02-01

    The relationship between the criterion for choosing and the self-choice effects (greater recall in a self-choice compared to a forced-choice condition) on intentional memory was examined. Thirty-three female nursing school volunteers were administered 24 word pairs in a 2 × 2 design to assess the influence of motivation upon free recall. When word pairs were presented to participants, they were asked to choose a word to-be-remembered, either in a self-choice condition or a forced-choice condition. Words chosen by the participants were recalled more often than those chosen by the experimenter (forced choice). Thus, the self-choice effect was greater for words chosen with a self-reference criterion compared to a metamemory criterion, supporting the integration hypothesis as the origin of the self-choice effect.

  15. Essays on Learning, Uncertainty, and Choice

    OpenAIRE

    Frick, Mira Anna Phyllis

    2015-01-01

    This dissertation presents three independent essays in microeconomic theory. Motivated by the rise of social media, Chapter 1 (co-authored with Yuhta Ishii) builds a model studying the effect of an economy's potential for social learning on the adoption of innovations of uncertain quality. Provided consumers are forward-looking (i.e. recognize the value of waiting for information), equilibrium dynamics depend non-trivially on qualitative and quantitative features of the informational envir...

  16. Analitycal Descriptive Study of Students' Critical Mathematic Thinking Ability Through Graded Response Model (Grm)

    OpenAIRE

    nurul, didin; zahra anasha, zara

    2013-01-01

    Critical mathematic thinking ability is very important to solve daily problems. But in reality, junior high school students' critical mathematic thinking ability is still low. Ability measurement such as measurement of critical mathematic thinking ability cannot be measured through multiple choices test. In that case, an essay test in which graded scoring is used as scoring technique more suitable than multiple choices test. The result of the essay test will be analyzed to describe...

  17. Writing a pictorial essay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peh, W C G; Ng, K H

    2010-03-01

    A pictorial essay is a type of educational article that aims to provide both textual and visual portrayals of a topical issue. It usually consists of a short unstructured abstract, brief introduction, subheadings to organise the material and a summary. The number of references is limited to a few key articles, typically, eight to 15, or fewer. The text is usually short, often approximately 1,000 to 2,000 words in length, with much of the message contained in the figure legends. This type of article allows for a large number of figures, typically up to 20 figures or 30 figure parts. The main criteria for publication are currency, educational value and high quality of illustrations.

  18. Development of Predictor and Criterion Measures for the NCO21 Research Program

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Knapp, Deidre

    2002-01-01

    ... incorporated into an NCO performance management system geared to 21st century job demands. This report documents the design and development of predictor and criterion measures that will be used in a criterion-related validation data collection...

  19. Technology and Military Doctrine. Essays on a Challenging Relationship

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Holley, I

    2004-01-01

    .... In these essays, Holley primarily addresses the need for the Air Force to adapt its doctrine and the processes of formulating and disseminating that guidance as the technology of air and space warfare improves. Dr...

  20. Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Effects of Western University Examination Formats on Their Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tait, Carolyn

    2010-01-01

    The recruitment of Asian students into western universities has highlighted the debate about commercialisation of education, academic standards and the role of culture and language in approaches to learning. This article investigates Chinese students' perceptions of how two typical examination formats (multiple choice and essay) affect their…

  1. A Controlled Evaluation of the Distress Criterion for Binge Eating Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grilo, Carlos M.; White, Marney A.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Research has examined various aspects of the validity of the research criteria for binge eating disorder (BED) but has yet to evaluate the utility of Criterion C, "marked distress about binge eating." This study examined the significance of the marked distress criterion for BED using 2 complementary comparison groups. Method:…

  2. Fulfillment of the kinetic Bohm criterion in a quasineutral particle-in-cell model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahedo, Eduardo; Santos, Robert; Parra, Felix I.

    2010-01-01

    Quasineutral particle-in-cell models of ions must fulfill the kinetic Bohm criterion, in its inequality form, at the domain boundary in order to match correctly with solutions of the Debye sheaths tied to the walls. The simple, fluid form of the Bohm criterion is shown to be a bad approximation of the exact, kinetic form when the ion velocity distribution function has a significant dispersion and involves different charge numbers. The fulfillment of the Bohm criterion is measured by a weighting algorithm at the boundary, but linear weighting algorithms have difficulties to reproduce the nonlinear behavior around the sheath edge. A surface weighting algorithm with an extended temporal weighting is proposed and shown to behave better than the standard volumetric weighting. Still, this must be supplemented by a forcing algorithm of the kinetic Bohm criterion. This postulates a small potential fall in a supplementary, thin, transition layer. The electron-wall interaction is shown to be of little relevance in the fulfillment of the Bohm criterion.

  3. The Practical and Theoretical Underpinning of Inclusion for College Students amidst Diverse Intersectionality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaymes, Mariyah

    2017-01-01

    American higher education is facing another major transition with escalating costs, an influx of diverse students, and an over all question about the return on investment for higher education. Within these complexities, this essay will consider the practical history and theoretical underpinning which inform the experience for students with complex…

  4. A Small Essay About a Big Boulevard

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Grigoryeva

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The essay presents the analogies of turning city borders and walls into boulevards and gardens through the examples of Moscow and Irkutsk. The main street of Irkutsk is viewed in a new light, as a boulevard. It is proposed to take into consideration the peculiarities of the four sense-parts of the street when working on design codes.

  5. Slope stability analysis using limit equilibrium method in nonlinear criterion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hang; Zhong, Wenwen; Xiong, Wei; Tang, Wenyu

    2014-01-01

    In slope stability analysis, the limit equilibrium method is usually used to calculate the safety factor of slope based on Mohr-Coulomb criterion. However, Mohr-Coulomb criterion is restricted to the description of rock mass. To overcome its shortcomings, this paper combined Hoek-Brown criterion and limit equilibrium method and proposed an equation for calculating the safety factor of slope with limit equilibrium method in Hoek-Brown criterion through equivalent cohesive strength and the friction angle. Moreover, this paper investigates the impact of Hoek-Brown parameters on the safety factor of slope, which reveals that there is linear relation between equivalent cohesive strength and weakening factor D. However, there are nonlinear relations between equivalent cohesive strength and Geological Strength Index (GSI), the uniaxial compressive strength of intact rock σ ci , and the parameter of intact rock m i . There is nonlinear relation between the friction angle and all Hoek-Brown parameters. With the increase of D, the safety factor of slope F decreases linearly; with the increase of GSI, F increases nonlinearly; when σ ci is relatively small, the relation between F and σ ci is nonlinear, but when σ ci is relatively large, the relation is linear; with the increase of m i , F decreases first and then increases.

  6. The Leadership Criterion in Technological Institute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, Marcelo Souza de; Cussa, Adriana Lourenco d'Avila; Suita, Julio Cezar

    2005-01-01

    This paper introduces the Direction's 'Decision Making Practice'. It has recently been reviewed with the merging of the beddings of the Leadership Criterion (CE-PNQ). These changes improved the control of institutional plans of action which are the result of the global performance critical analysis and other information associated with the Decision Making Practice. (author)

  7. Games in libraries essays on using play to connect and instruct

    CERN Document Server

    Kirsch, Breanne A

    2014-01-01

    Librarians are beginning to see the importance of game based learning and the incorporation of games into library services. This book is written for them--so they can use games to improve people's understanding and enjoyment of the library. Full of practical suggestions, the essays discuss not only innovative uses of games in libraries but also the game making process. The contributors are all well versed in games and game-based learning and a variety of different types of libraries are considered. The essays will inspire librarians and educators to get into this exciting new area of patron

  8. Essays on information disclosure and the environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathai, Koshy

    The essays in this dissertation study information disclosure and environmental policy. The first chapter challenges the longstanding result that firms will, in general, voluntarily disclose information about product quality, in light of the unrealism of the assumption, common to much of the literature, that consumers are identical. When this assumption is relaxed, an efficiency-enhancing role may emerge for disclosure regulation, insofar as it can improve information provision and thus help protect consumers with "moderately atypical" preferences. The paper also endogenizes firms's choice of quality and suggests that disclosure regulation may also raise welfare indirectly, by inducing firms to improve product quality. The second chapter explores the significance of policy-induced technological change (ITC) for the design of carbon-abatement policies. The paper considers both R&D-based and learning-by-doing-based knowledge accumulation, examining each specification under both a cost-effectiveness and a benefit-cost policy criterion. We show analytically that the presence of ITC generally implies a lower profile of optimal carbon taxes, a shifting of abatement effort into the future (in the R&D scenarios), and an increase in the scale of abatement (in the benefit-cost scenarios). Numerical simulations indicate that the impact of ITC on abatement timing is very slight, but the effects on costs, optimal carbon taxes, and cumulative abatement can be large. The third chapter uses a World Bank dataset on Chinese state-owned enterprises to estimate price elasticities of industrial coal demand. A simple coal-demand equation is estimated in many forms, and significant price sensitivity is almost always found: the own-price elasticity is estimated to be roughly -0.5. A cost-function/share-equation system is also estimated, and although the function is frequently ill-behaved, indicating that firms may not be minimizing costs, the elasticity estimates again are large and

  9. Spatial frequency discrimination: visual long-term memory or criterion setting?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lages, M; Treisman, M

    1998-02-01

    A long-term sensory memory is believed to account for spatial frequency discrimination when reference and test stimuli are separated by long intervals. We test an alternative proposal: that discrimination is determined by the range of test stimuli, through their entrainment of criterion-setting processes. Experiments 1 and 2 show that the 50% point of the psychometric function is largely determined by the midpoint of the stimulus range, not by the reference stimulus. Experiment 3 shows that discrimination of spatial frequencies is similarly affected by orthogonal contextual stimuli and parallel contextual stimuli and that these effects can be explained by criterion-setting processes. These findings support the hypothesis that discrimination over long intervals is explained by the operation of criterion-setting processes rather than by long-term sensory retention of a neural representation of the stimulus.

  10. Analyses of Skill Development through Essay Writing on Criterion Topics

    OpenAIRE

    田岡, 千明

    2016-01-01

    本論文では、English Testing Serviceにより開発された英語ライティング指導ツール、Criterionで提供されているトピックを分析する。第一にトピックが個人的・社会個人的・社会的なものであるかによって分類し、第二にそれぞれのトピックがどのような作文能力とそれに関連した能力を開発しようとしているかという観点から分析する。分析の結果、(1)学年が上がるにつれ、個人的なトピックから社会的なトピックへ、そして日常的な事柄に関する観察力から社会的な問題に関する観察力へと焦点が変わっていること、(2)小中高校では、想像力、創造力、感情的描写力、知覚的描写力、修辞的な言語能力の発達に重きをおいていること、(3)大学では説得力に重きをおくため、理由説明力、因果関係分析力、比較分析力に重きが置かれていること、(4)利点分析は大学のビジネス分野で主にみられること、(5)大学準備レベルでは人生経験について深く考えさせていること、(6)大学・GRE レベルでは哲学的思考力を鍛えようとしていることがわかった。さらに、自分を特定の相手に対して売り込む能力やイニシアティブをとる能力を鍛える...

  11. LSSVM-Based Rock Failure Criterion and Its Application in Numerical Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Changxing Zhu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A rock failure criterion is very important for the prediction of the failure of rocks or rock masses in rock mechanics and engineering. Least squares support vector machines (LSSVM are a powerful tool for addressing complex nonlinear problems. This paper describes a LSSVM-based rock failure criterion for analyzing the deformation of a circular tunnel under different in situ stresses without assuming a function form. First, LSSVM was used to represent the nonlinear relationship between the mechanical properties of rock and the failure behavior of the rock in order to construct a rock failure criterion based on experimental data. Then, this was used in a hypothetical numerical analysis of a circular tunnel to analyze the mechanical behavior of the rock mass surrounding the tunnel. The Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria were also used to analyze the same case, and the results were compared; these clearly indicate that LSSVM can be used to establish a rock failure criterion and to predict the failure of a rock mass during excavation of a circular tunnel.

  12. Voices of Chinese Post-­80s Students in English Academic Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Que, Hua; Li, Xuemei

    2015-01-01

    This study looks into the changing voice of Chinese Post-80s' students in English academic writing. Data were collected qualitatively through interviews with four Chinese Post-80s overseas graduate students and through an examination of their English essays with a focus on discursive features. Findings indicate that Chinese Post-80s' voice is…

  13. Imaging evaluation of middle ear cholesteatoma: iconographic essay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avila, Ana Flavia Assis de; Aburjeli, Bruna de Oliveira Melim; Moreira, Wanderval; Motta, Emilia Guerra Pinto Coelho; Ribeiro, Marcelo Almeida; Diniz, Renata Lopes Furletti Caldeira, E-mail: fauassis@hotmail.com [Hospital Mater Dei, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

    2013-06-15

    Middle ear cholesteatoma is a relevant and relatively common disease that may have severe consequences. In the present pictorial essay, the authors have selected illustrative examples of multislice computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging depicting the main presentations of cholesteatomas, and describing their characteristics, locations, and major complications. (author)

  14. Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Golanó, Pau; Vega, Jordi; de Leeuw, Peter A. J.; Malagelada, Francesc; Manzanares, M. Cristina; Götzens, Víctor; van Dijk, C. Niek

    2010-01-01

    Understanding the anatomy of the ankle ligaments is important for correct diagnosis and treatment. Ankle ligament injury is the most frequent cause of acute ankle pain. Chronic ankle pain often finds its cause in laxity of one of the ankle ligaments. In this pictorial essay, the ligaments around the

  15. Anatomy of the ankle ligaments: a pictorial essay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Golanó, Pau; Vega, Jordi; de Leeuw, Peter A. J.; Malagelada, Francesc; Manzanares, M. Cristina; Götzens, Víctor; van Dijk, C. Niek

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the anatomy of the ankle ligaments is important for correct diagnosis and treatment. Ankle ligament injury is the most frequent cause of acute ankle pain. Chronic ankle pain often finds its cause in laxity of one of the ankle ligaments. In this pictorial essay, the ligaments around the

  16. Profiling Learners' Achievement Goals when Completing Academic Essays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Chi-Hung Clarence

    2009-01-01

    This study explored adult learners' goal profiles in relation to the completion of a compulsory academic essay. Based on learners' scores on items assessing mastery, performance-approach, and work-avoidance goals, cluster analyses produced three distinct categories of learners: performance-focused, work-avoidant, and multiple-goal learners. These…

  17. Librarianship and literature essays in honour of Jack Pafford

    CERN Document Server

    Milne, A T

    2014-01-01

    These essays are produced in honour of the seventieth birthday of Dr J. H. Pafford, Goldsmith's Librarian of the University of London from 1945 to 1967, and reflect his interests in librarianship, textual editing and local history.

  18. The Ph.D. in English: Towards a New Consensus. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: English.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graff, Gerald

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  19. Consumption-based learning about brand quality : Essays on how private labels share and borrow reputation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Szymanowski, M.G.

    2009-01-01

    CONSUMPTION-BASED LEARNING ABOUT BRAND QUALITY: ESSAYS ON HOW PRIVATE LABELS SHARE AND BORROW REPUTATION is a collection of essays exploring the process of consumer cross-brand learning in the context of brands belonging to retailers: the so-called private labels. Private labels have gradually grown

  20. CITATION PRACTICES AND ACADEMIC PLAGIARISM IN THE TEXTUAL ELABORATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubén Comas Forgas

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Locate, evaluate, manage and communicate information in writing academic essays have become basic skills that university students should possess. This article presents the results of a descriptive study developed by survey with a sample of 1.025 under-graduate students at the University of the Balearic Islands on the prevalence in the practice of citation and plagiarism when preparing essays. It should be highlighted from the results obtained, on the one hand, the fact that much of the students or directly do not quote resources used in the preparation of their work or do so sporadically or infrequently. Concerning the commission of plagiarism, the percentage of students who admitted carrying out this type of practice is certainly high. Based on these data, as well as those of other studies with similar characteristics, the authors propose, first, the need for increased research efforts to assess and understand the causes of the situation described and, secondly, advocate for the provision and implementation of training initiatives to improve the situation described.

  1. The Development of Students' Writing Skills by Teaching Critical Thinking

    OpenAIRE

    久保田, 祐歌

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present some approaches to teaching critical thinking to college students for developing their Japanese academic writing skills. By examining the literature of critical thinking and writing, this paper shows the following. (1)How philosophy faculty can teach critical thinking skills to their own students the way they can improve their skills necessary for writing argumentative essays. (2)By what class and curriculum students' academic writing skills can be fost...

  2. Examining the Relationship between Faculty-Librarian Collaboration and First-Year Students' Information Literacy Abilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Veronica Arellano; Rabinowitz, Celia E.

    2016-01-01

    Using surveys, interviews, and a rubric-based assessment of student research essays, the St. Mary's College of Maryland Assessment in Action team investigated the relationship between faculty-librarian collaboration in a First Year Seminar (FYS) course and students' demonstrated information literacy (IL) abilities. In gathering information on the…

  3. On the upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotelnikov, I. A., E-mail: I.A.Kotelnikov@inp.nsk.su; Skovorodin, D. I., E-mail: D.I.Skovorodin@inp.nsk.su [Russian Academy of Sciences, Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Siberian Branch (Russian Federation)

    2016-02-15

    The question is discussed about the existence of an upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion, according to which the Debye sheath at the interface between plasma and a negatively charged electrode is stable only if the ion flow velocity in plasma exceeds the ion sound velocity. It is stated that, with an exception of some artificial ionization models, the Bohm sheath criterion is satisfied as an equality at the lower bound and the ion flow velocity is equal to the speed of sound. In the one-dimensional theory, a supersonic flow appears in an unrealistic model of a localized ion source the size of which is less than the Debye length; however, supersonic flows seem to be possible in the two- and three-dimensional cases. In the available numerical codes used to simulate charged particle sources with a plasma emitter, the presence of the upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion is not supposed; however, the correspondence with experimental data is usually achieved if the ion flow velocity in plasma is close to the ion sound velocity.

  4. Criterion learning in rule-based categorization: simulation of neural mechanism and new data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helie, Sebastien; Ell, Shawn W; Filoteo, J Vincent; Maddox, W Todd

    2015-04-01

    In perceptual categorization, rule selection consists of selecting one or several stimulus-dimensions to be used to categorize the stimuli (e.g., categorize lines according to their length). Once a rule has been selected, criterion learning consists of defining how stimuli will be grouped using the selected dimension(s) (e.g., if the selected rule is line length, define 'long' and 'short'). Very little is known about the neuroscience of criterion learning, and most existing computational models do not provide a biological mechanism for this process. In this article, we introduce a new model of rule learning called Heterosynaptic Inhibitory Criterion Learning (HICL). HICL includes a biologically-based explanation of criterion learning, and we use new category-learning data to test key aspects of the model. In HICL, rule selective cells in prefrontal cortex modulate stimulus-response associations using pre-synaptic inhibition. Criterion learning is implemented by a new type of heterosynaptic error-driven Hebbian learning at inhibitory synapses that uses feedback to drive cell activation above/below thresholds representing ionic gating mechanisms. The model is used to account for new human categorization data from two experiments showing that: (1) changing rule criterion on a given dimension is easier if irrelevant dimensions are also changing (Experiment 1), and (2) showing that changing the relevant rule dimension and learning a new criterion is more difficult, but also facilitated by a change in the irrelevant dimension (Experiment 2). We conclude with a discussion of some of HICL's implications for future research on rule learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. What's Important to Me: Identifying At-Risk and Resilient Students through Narrative Writing about Personal Values

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stepney, Cesalie T.; Elias, Maurice J.; Epstein, Yakov M.

    2015-01-01

    The study explored whether aspects of elementary students' writing about their personal values could predict if students were considered more at risk or more resilient. Essays from 176 fifth-grade students (79.54% African American, 20.46% Hispanic) from a low-income, urban district in New Jersey were analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word…

  6. Ideals and realities selected essays of Abdus Salam

    CERN Document Server

    Salam, Abdus; Lai, CH

    1989-01-01

    The latest edition of "Ideals and Realities" includes some of the most recent talks given by Professor Abdus Salam. They replace a few essays which were published in the second edition. An attempt has also been made to update some of the figures rendered absolete with the passage of time.

  7. Burnout among medical students during the first years of undergraduate school: Prevalence and associated factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boni, Robson Aparecido Dos Santos; Paiva, Carlos Eduardo; de Oliveira, Marco Antonio; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Fregnani, José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro; Paiva, Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate the prevalence and possible factors associated with the development of burnout among medical students in the first years of undergraduate school. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata. A total of 330 students in the first four years of medical undergraduate school were invited to participate in responding to the sociodemographic and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) questionnaires. The first-year group consisted of 150 students, followed by the second-, third-, and fourth-year groups, with 60 students each. Data from 265 students who answered at least the sociodemographic questionnaire and the MBI-SS were analyzed (response rate = 80.3%). One (n = 1, 0.3%) potential participant viewed the Informed Consent Form but did not agree to participate in the study. A total of 187 students (187/265, 70.6%) presented high levels of emotional exhaustion, 140 (140/265, 52.8%) had high cynicism, and 129 (129/265, 48.7%) had low academic efficacy. The two-dimensional criterion indicated that 119 (44.9%) students experienced burnout. Based on the three-dimensional criterion, 70 students (26.4%) presented with burnout. The year with the highest frequency of affected students for both criteria was the first year (p = 0.001). Personal attributes were able to explain 11% (ΔR = 0.11) of the variability of burnout under the two-dimensional criterion and 14.4% (R2 = 0.144) under the three-dimensional criterion. This study showed a high prevalence of burnout among medical students in a private school using active teaching methodologies. In the first years of graduation, students' personal attributes (optimism and self-perception of health) and school attributes (motivation and routine of the exhaustive study) were associated with higher levels of burnout. These findings reinforce the need to establish preventive measures focused on the personal attributes of first-year students, providing better

  8. Student-led leadership training for undergraduate healthcare students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheriff, Ibrahim Hasanyn Naim; Ahmed, Faheem; Jivraj, Naheed; Wan, Jonathan C M; Sampford, Jade; Ahmed, Na'eem

    2017-10-02

    Purpose Effective clinical leadership is crucial to avoid failings in the delivery of safe health care, particularly during a period of increasing scrutiny and cost-constraints for the National Health Service (NHS). However, there is a paucity of leadership training for health-care students, the future leaders of the NHS, which is due in part to overfilled curricula. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of student-led leadership training for the benefit of fellow students. Design/methodology/approach To address this training gap, a group of multiprofessional students organised a series of large-group seminars and small-group workshops given by notable health-care leaders at a London university over the course of two consecutive years. Findings The majority of students had not previously received any formal exposure to leadership training. Feedback post-events were almost universally positive, though students expressed a preference for experiential teaching of leadership. Working with university faculty, an inaugural essay prize was founded and student members were given the opportunity to complete internships in real-life quality improvement projects. Originality/value Student-led teaching interventions in leadership can help to fill an unmet teaching need and help to better equip the next generation of health-care workers for future roles as leaders within the NHS.

  9. Essays on investor behavior and trading activity

    OpenAIRE

    Kyröläinen, P. (Petri)

    2007-01-01

    Abstract This thesis investigates a set of equity market phenomena associated with investors' trading activity, using a comprehensive Finnish Central Securities Depository (FCSD) database that records practically all trades by Finnish investors. This database enables us to classify a large number of heterogeneous investors using both economic and institutional characteristics. The first essay classifies investors by trading activity. It analyzes trading styles of active and passive inv...

  10. The stressor criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder: Does it matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Andrea L.; Dohrenwend, Bruce P.; Aiello, Allison; Wright, Rosalind J.; Maercker, Andreas; Galea, Sandro; Koenen, Karestan C.

    2013-01-01

    Objective The definition of the stressor criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder (“Criterion A1”) is hotly debated with major revisions being considered for DSM-V. We examine whether symptoms, course, and consequences of PTSD vary predictably with the type of stressful event that precipitates symptoms. Method We used data from the 2009 PTSD diagnostic subsample (N=3,013) of the Nurses Health Study II. We asked respondents about exposure to stressful events qualifying under 1) DSM-III, 2) DSM-IV, or 3) not qualifying under DSM Criterion A1. Respondents selected the event they considered worst and reported subsequent PTSD symptoms. Among participants who met all other DSM-IV PTSD criteria, we compared distress, symptom severity, duration, impairment, receipt of professional help, and nine physical, behavioral, and psychiatric sequelae (e.g. physical functioning, unemployment, depression) by precipitating event group. Various assessment tools were used to determine fulfillment of PTSD Criteria B through F and to assess these 14 outcomes. Results Participants with PTSD from DSM-III events reported on average 1 more symptom (DSM-III mean=11.8 symptoms, DSM-IV=10.7, non-DSM=10.9) and more often reported symptoms lasted one year or longer compared to participants with PTSD from other groups. However, sequelae of PTSD did not vary systematically with precipitating event type. Conclusions Results indicate the stressor criterion as defined by the DSM may not be informative in characterizing PTSD symptoms and sequelae. In the context of ongoing DSM-V revision, these results suggest that Criterion A1 could be expanded in DSM-V without much consequence for our understanding of PTSD phenomenology. Events not considered qualifying stressors under the DSM produced PTSD as consequential as PTSD following DSM-III events, suggesting PTSD may be an aberrantly severe but nonspecific stress response syndrome. PMID:22401487

  11. Passages to Literature: Essays on Teaching in Australia, Canada, England, the United States, and Wales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milner, Joseph O'Beirne, Ed.; Milner, Lucy Floyd Morcock, Ed.

    Representing Australia, Canada, England, the United States, and Wales, this collection of essays focuses on ways in which teachers can adapt classroom activities and modify writing assignments to encourage personal response and exploration of texts. Essays, their authors, and nationalities are as follows: (1) "The River and Its Banks:…

  12. MDCT imaging of post interventional liver: a pictorial essay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romano, Stefania; Tortora, Giovanni; Scaglione, Mariano; Lassandro, Francesco; Guidi, Guido; Grassi, Roberto; Romano, Luigia

    2005-01-01

    In this pictorial essay, we consider the post operative MDCT findings after liver resection, transplantation, surgical managed major trauma and radiofrequency ablation of focal lesions. Common complications such as fluid collections, hemorrhage, biloma, vascular disease, hematoma, abscesses will be also considered

  13. VALIDITY OF EXCESS ENTROPY PRODUCTION CRITERION OF THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY FOR NONEQUILIBRIUM STEADY STATES

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    吴金平

    1991-01-01

    The relation between the excess entropy production criterion of thermodynamic stabilityfor nonequilibrium states and kinetic linear stability principle is discussed. It is shown thatthe condition required by the excess entropy production criterion generally is sufficient, butnot necessary to judge the system stability. The condition required by the excess entropyproduction criterion is stronger than that of the linear stability principle. Only when theproduct matrix between the linearized matrix of kinetic equations and matrix of quadraticform of second-order excess entropy is symmetric, is the condition required by the excessentropy production criterion that the steady steate is asymptotically stable (δ_xP>0) necessaryand sufficient. The counterexample given by Fox to prove that the excess entropy, (δ~2S)ss,is not a Liapunov function is incorrect. Contradictory to his conclusion, the counterexampleis just a positive one that proves that the excess entropy is a Liapunov function. Moreover,the excess entropy production criterion is not limited by symmetric conditions of the linear-ized matrix of kinetic equations. The excess entropy around nonequilibrium steady states,(δ~2S)ss, is a Liapunov function of thermodynamic system.

  14. Three essays on access pricing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sydee, Ahmed Nasim

    In the first essay, a theoretical model is developed to determine the time path of optimal access price in the telecommunications industry. Determining the optimal access price is an important issue in the economics of telecommunications. Setting a high access price discourages potential entrants; a low access price, on the other hand, amounts to confiscation of private property because the infrastructure already built by the incumbent is sunk. Furthermore, a low access price does not give the incumbent incentives to maintain the current network and to invest in new infrastructures. Much of the existing literature on access pricing suffers either from the limitations of a static framework or from the assumption that all costs are avoidable. The telecommunications industry is subject to high stranded costs and, therefore, to address this issue a dynamic model is imperative. This essay presents a dynamic model of one-way access pricing in which the compensation involved in deregulatory taking is formalized and then analyzed. The short run adjustment after deregulatory taking has occurred is carried out and discussed. The long run equilibrium is also analyzed. A time path for the Ramsey price is shown as the correct dynamic price of access. In the second essay, a theoretical model is developed to determine the time path of optimal access price for an infrastructure that is characterized by congestion and lumpy investment. Much of the theoretical literature on access pricing of infrastructure prescribes that the access price be set at the marginal cost of the infrastructure. In proposing this rule of access pricing, the conventional analysis assumes that infrastructure investments are infinitely divisible so that it makes sense to talk about the marginal cost of investment. Often it is the case that investments in infrastructure are lumpy and can only be made in large chunks, and this renders the marginal cost concept meaningless. In this essay, we formalize a model of

  15. Three essays on human resource management

    OpenAIRE

    Avgoustaki, Argyro

    2012-01-01

    This thesis comprises three essays on human resource management. The first one studies the effect of on-the-job training on firm productivity using a micro-dataset of a large firm in Greece for the period 2005 to 2006. The data consist of daily observations on the productivity of the same workers tracked before, during, and after the receipt of training. Overall, the empirical findings show that after the implementation of on-the-job training, productivity improves by almost 6.5 percent. Resu...

  16. Learning style and concept acquisition of community college students in introductory biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobick, Sandra Burin

    This study investigated the influence of learning style on concept acquisition within a sample of community college students in a general biology course. There are two subproblems within the larger problem: (1) the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, number of college credits, prior exposure to scientific information) on learning style, and (2) the correlations between prior scientific knowledge, learning style and student understanding of the concept of the gene. The sample included all students enrolled in an introductory general biology course during two consecutive semesters at an urban community college. Initial data was gathered during the first week of the semester, at which time students filled in a short questionnaire (age, gender, number of college credits, prior exposure to science information either through reading/visual sources or a prior biology course). Subjects were then given the Inventory of Learning Processes-Revised (ILP-R) which measures general preferences in five learning styles; Deep Learning; Elaborative Learning, Agentic Learning, Methodical Learning and Literal Memorization. Subjects were then given the Gene Conceptual Knowledge pretest: a 15 question objective section and an essay section. Subjects were exposed to specific concepts during lecture and laboratory exercises. At the last lab, students were given the Genetics Conceptual Knowledge Posttest. Pretest/posttest gains were correlated with demographic variables and learning styles were analyzed for significant correlations. Learning styles, as the independent variable in a simultaneous multiple regression, were significant predictors of results on the gene assessment tests, including pretest, posttest and gain. Of the learning styles, Deep Learning accounted for the greatest positive predictive value of pretest essay and pretest objective results. Literal Memorization was a significant negative predictor for posttest essay, essay gain and objective gain. Simultaneous

  17. The Mercier Criterion in Reversed Shear Tokamak Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kessel, C.; Chance, M.S.; Jardin, S.C.

    1999-01-01

    A recent numerical study has found that, contrary to conventional theoretical and experimental expectations, reversed shear plasmas are unstable primarily because the term proportional to the shear in the Mercier criterion is destabilizing. In the present study, the role of the magnetic shear, both local and global, is examined for various tokamak configurations with monotonic and non-monotonic safety factor profiles. The enhancement of the local shear due to the outward shift of the magnetic axis suggests that the latter are less susceptible to interchanges. Furthermore, by regrouping the terms in the criterion, the V'' term when differentiated instead with respect to the toroidal flux, is shown to absorb the dominant shear term. No Mercier instability is found for similar profiles as in the previous study

  18. Essays on Pricing of Information Goods and Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahiri, Atanu

    2010-01-01

    This dissertation consists of three essays that examine, in three specific contexts, issues related to pricing of information goods and services. As the ability to measure technology resource usage gets easier with increased connectivity, the question whether a technology resource should be priced by the amount of the resource used or by the…

  19. Burnout among medical students during the first years of undergraduate school: Prevalence and associated factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paiva, Carlos Eduardo; de Oliveira, Marco Antonio; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Fregnani, José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro; Paiva, Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro

    2018-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the prevalence and possible factors associated with the development of burnout among medical students in the first years of undergraduate school. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Barretos School of Health Sciences, Dr. Paulo Prata. A total of 330 students in the first four years of medical undergraduate school were invited to participate in responding to the sociodemographic and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) questionnaires. The first-year group consisted of 150 students, followed by the second-, third-, and fourth-year groups, with 60 students each. Results Data from 265 students who answered at least the sociodemographic questionnaire and the MBI-SS were analyzed (response rate = 80.3%). One (n = 1, 0.3%) potential participant viewed the Informed Consent Form but did not agree to participate in the study. A total of 187 students (187/265, 70.6%) presented high levels of emotional exhaustion, 140 (140/265, 52.8%) had high cynicism, and 129 (129/265, 48.7%) had low academic efficacy. The two-dimensional criterion indicated that 119 (44.9%) students experienced burnout. Based on the three-dimensional criterion, 70 students (26.4%) presented with burnout. The year with the highest frequency of affected students for both criteria was the first year (p = 0.001). Personal attributes were able to explain 11% (ΔR = 0.11) of the variability of burnout under the two-dimensional criterion and 14.4% (R2 = 0.144) under the three-dimensional criterion. Conclusion This study showed a high prevalence of burnout among medical students in a private school using active teaching methodologies. In the first years of graduation, students’ personal attributes (optimism and self-perception of health) and school attributes (motivation and routine of the exhaustive study) were associated with higher levels of burnout. These findings reinforce the need to establish preventive measures focused on the personal attributes of first

  20. Corrections on Grammar, Sentence Variety and Developing Detail to Qualify Academic Essay of Indonesian Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solikhah, Imroatus

    2017-01-01

    This experimental research examines: (1) significant differences of corrections on grammar, sentence variety and developing details on the quality of the essay by Indonesian learners; and (2) different effect of corrections on grammar, sentence variety, and developing details on the quality of the essay. Treatments for each were served as follows:…

  1. Essays on the effects of human capital, innovation and technology on economic performance

    OpenAIRE

    Tiruneh, Esubalew Alehegn

    2014-01-01

    This thesis is on human capital (HC) and innovation in Germany and comprises of three essays. The first essay provides a comparative analysis on the economic performance impacts of creative class and HC at regional level with the purpose of testing whether the contemporary occupation-based creative class or the conventional education-based HC can be used as a better driver of regional economy. In doing so, I disaggregate creative class into creative core (scientific experts), creative profess...

  2. Exploring Middle School Students' Heuristic Thinking about Probability

    OpenAIRE

    Mistele, Jean May

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT This descriptive qualitative study examines six eighth-grade students' thinking while solving probability problems. This study aimed to gather direct information on students' problem solving processes informed by the heuristics and biases framework. This study used purposive sampling (Patton, 1990) to identify eighth-grade students who were knowledgeable about probability and had reached the formal operational stage of cognitive development. These criterion were necessary to redu...

  3. The Criterion A problem revisited: controversies and challenges in defining and measuring psychological trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weathers, Frank W; Keane, Terence M

    2007-04-01

    The Criterion A problem in the field of traumatic stress refers to the stressor criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and involves a number of fundamental issues regarding the definition and measurement of psychological trauma. These issues first emerged with the introduction of PTSD as a diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and continue to generate considerable controversy. In this article, the authors provide an update on the Criterion A problem, with particular emphasis on the evolution of the DSM definition of the stressor criterion and the ongoing debate regarding broad versus narrow conceptualizations of traumatic events.

  4. Antropologie tussen wetenschap en kunst : Essays over Clifford Geertz

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuiper, Yme; Bakker, Jan Willem; Miedema, Jelle

    1987-01-01

    Clifford Geertz (*1926) is one of the most influential anthropologists of his generation. His most famous monographs and collection of essays are The Religion of Java, Agricultural Involution, Islam Observed, The Interpretation of Cultures, Local Knowledge, Negara: The Balinese Theatre State in

  5. An Unreasonable Argument against Student Free Speech

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blacker, David

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent opinion in "Morse v. Frederick" (2007), perhaps better known as the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case, contains a widely reported concurrence by Justice Clarence Thomas. Challenging well-established precedent, Thomas argues that students should have no constitutional rights in school. In this essay David Blacker argues that,…

  6. What makes a good clinical student and teacher? An exploratory study

    OpenAIRE

    Goldie, John; Dowie, Al; Goldie, Anne; Cotton, Phil; Morrison, Jill

    2015-01-01

    Background What makes a good clinical student is an area that has received little coverage in the literature and much of the available literature is based on essays and surveys. It is particularly relevant as recent curricular innovations have resulted in greater student autonomy. We also wished to look in depth at what makes a good clinical teacher. \\ud \\ud Methods A qualitative approach using individual interviews with educational supervisors and focus groups with senior clinical students w...

  7. The role of decision criterion in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) false recognition memory: False memory falls and rises as a function of restriction on criterion setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jou, Jerwen; Escamilla, Eric E; Arredondo, Mario L; Pena, Liann; Zuniga, Richard; Perez, Martin; Garcia, Clarissa

    2018-02-01

    How much of the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) false memory is attributable to decision criterion is so far a controversial issue. Previous studies typically used explicit warnings against accepting the critical lure to investigate this issue. The assumption is that if the false memory results from using a liberally biased criterion, it should be greatly reduced or eliminated by an explicit warning against accepting the critical lure. Results showed that warning was generally ineffective. We asked the question of whether subjects can substantially reduce false recognition without being warned when the test forces them to make a distinction between true and false memories. Using a two-alternative forced choice in which criterion plays a relatively smaller role, we showed that subjects could indeed greatly reduce the rate of false recognition. However, when the forced-choice restriction was removed from the two-item choice test, the rate of false recognition rebounded to that of the hit for studied list words, indicating the role of criterion in false recognition.

  8. Classification of Swedish Learner Essays by CEFR Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volodina, Elena; Pilán, Ildikó; Alfter, David

    2016-01-01

    The paper describes initial efforts on creating a system for the automatic assessment of Swedish second language (L2) learner essays from two points of view: holistic evaluation of the reached level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), and the lexical analysis of texts for receptive and productive vocabulary per CEFR…

  9. Argument-Counterargument Structure in Indonesian EFL Learners' English Argumentative Essays: A Dialogic Concept of Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusfandi

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the potential use of the argument-counterargument structure in English L2 essays written by Indonesian EFL learners. It examines whether L2 proficiency affects the use of opposing views in their essays, and measures whether there is a correlation between the use of the rhetorical structure and the participants' overall…

  10. Discriminant Analysis of Essay, Mathematics/Science Type of Essay, College Scholastic Ability Test, and Grade Point Average as Predictors of Acceptance to a Pre-med Course at a Korean Medical School

    OpenAIRE

    Geum-Hee Jeong

    2008-01-01

    A discriminant analysis was conducted to investigate how an essay, a mathematics/science type of essay, a college scholastic ability test, and grade point average affect acceptance to a pre-med course at a Korean medical school. Subjects included 122 and 385 applicants for, respectively, early and regular admission to a medical school in Korea. The early admission examination was conducted in October 2007, and the regular admission examination was conducted in January 2008. The analysis of ea...

  11. Group-Examination Improves Learning for Low-Achieving Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macpherson, G. L.; Lee, Young-Jin; Steeples, Don

    2011-01-01

    An introductory geology class that satisfies a liberal arts distribution requirement was used to investigate the benefits of allowing discussion during assessments. For three term examinations, students completed short- to medium-length essay tests individually (individual examination) and then again as part of an assigned group of four to five…

  12. Is Student Mental Health a Matter of Mission?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coblentz, Jessica; Staysniak, Christopher

    2017-01-01

    This essay presents a Catholic perspective on the growing concern for student mental health on college campuses. Drawing on the three characteristics of Catholic undergraduate education put forward by the seminal 1967 Land O'Lakes summit, which together engage the intellectual, social, and spiritual dimensions of campus life, the authors argue…

  13. An essay on the importance of being nonlinear

    CERN Document Server

    West, Bruce J

    1985-01-01

    One of my favorite quotes is from a letter of Charles Darwin (1887): "I have long discovered that geologists never read each other's works, and that the only object in writing a book is proof of earnestness, and that you do not form your opinions without undergoing labour of some kind. " It is not clear if this private opinion of Darwin was one that he held to be absolutely true, or was one of those opinions that, as with most of us, coincides with our "bad days," but is replaced with a more optimistic view on our "good days. " I hold the sense of the statement to be true in general, but not with regard to scientists never reading each other's work. Even if that were true however, the present essay. would still have been written as a proof of earnestness. This essay outlines my personal view of how nonlinear mathematics may be of value in formulating models outside the physical sciences. This perspective has developed over a number of years during which time I have repeatedly been amazed at how an "accepted" ...

  14. A criterion for selecting renewable energy processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Searcy, Erin; Flynn, Peter C.

    2010-01-01

    We propose that minimum incremental cost per unit of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, in essence the carbon credit required to economically sustain a renewable energy plant, is the most appropriate social criterion for choosing from a myriad of alternatives. The application of this criterion is illustrated for four processing alternatives for straw/corn stover: production of power by direct combustion and biomass integrated gasification and combined cycle (BIGCC), and production of transportation fuel via lignocellulosic ethanol and Fischer Tropsch (FT) syndiesel. Ethanol requires a lower carbon credit than FT, and direct combustion a lower credit than BIGCC. For comparing processes that make a different form of end use energy, in this study ethanol vs. electrical power via direct combustion, the lowest carbon credit depends on the relative values of the two energy forms. When power is 70$ MW h -1 , ethanol production has a lower required carbon credit at oil prices greater than 600$ t -1 (80$ bbl -1 ). (author)

  15. COMPETENCE CRITERIA OF TEACHERS AT BLENDED LEARNING OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kateryna A. Ivanova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The work is devoted to the definition of competence criteria of teachers in the mixed (hybrid education of engineering students. The study was conducted based on generalization of known competence criteria of teachers of traditional education and analysis of publications of domestic and foreign authors devoted to the problems of mixed education. The competence criteria of the teachers in mixed training of engineering students were proposed, an expert evaluation of the importance of each criterion was conducted using the non-parametric Friedman criterion. 27 criteria which are most significant for assessing the competence of teachers in the mixed education of engineering students were identified. Taking into account the specificity of the teacher's work in mixed education, the singled out competence criteria were divided into three subgroups.

  16. Essays on the behavior of the oil market and OPEC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Algudhea, Salim

    This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay is mainly concerned with investigating the risk-responsive behavior of OPEC members. Economic theory suggests that producers respond to the risk of volatile price by lowering production level. In the case of OPEC, the risk of the volatility in the price of crude oil does not seem to be a key determinant in the production decision-making process. Engineering constraints, data frequency, and political consideration may be the main causes of such a result. In the second essay, we tested the presence of the asymmetric adjustment in the cheating behavior as a result of crude oil price shocks. We utilize a set of cointegration and error correction methods that do not assume a linear adjustment to test whether cheaters within OPEC respond more to positive or negative crude oil price shocks. We conclude that cheaters respond more to negative shocks than positive shocks in oil price. The inelastic nature of demand for oil seems to play a crucial role in such asymmetric behavior. When there is a negative price shock, OPEC producers compensate for the loss in revenue by overproducing (i.e. cheat). Yet, if there is a positive shock in the price of crude oil, OPEC producers have less incentive to overproduce because of the inelastic demand for oil. The third essay is concerned with testing for the asymmetric adjustment in gasoline prices in the U.S. We consider a Momentum Threshold Autoregressive (MTAR) process to test for the asymmetric adjustment in all of the possible stages that a gallon of gasoline goes through in order to find the source of asymmetry. Then, we examine the dynamics of gasoline prices using asymmetric error correction models based on the MTAR specifications. We find the asymmetric adjustment present in all stages. The asymmetry in the retail stage seems to be the result of insufficient demand faced by retailers.

  17. Accounting Issues: An Essay Series Part V--Intangible Assets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laux, Judy

    2008-01-01

    This article represents the fifth in a series of theoretical essays intended to supplement the introductory financial accounting course and investigates the accounting treatment and related conceptual connections for intangibles. In addition, intangibles present unique accounting issues, conceptual challenges, and measurement dilemmas not found…

  18. Automated Subscores for TOEFL iBT[R] Independent Essays. Research Report. ETS RR-11-39

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attali, Yigal

    2011-01-01

    The e-rater[R] automated essay scoring system is used operationally in the scoring of TOEFL iBT[R] independent essays. Previous research has found support for a 3-factor structure of the e-rater features. This 3-factor structure has an attractive hierarchical linguistic interpretation with a word choice factor, a grammatical convention within a…

  19. The Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate: The Case of Mathematics. Carnegie Essays on the Doctorate: Mathematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bass, Hyman

    The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a collection of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). Essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. Intended to engender conversation about the conceptual foundation of doctoral…

  20. Analytical Solution of Tunnel Surrounding Rock for Stress and Displacement Based on Lade–Duncan Criterion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MingZheng Zhu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The deformation and failure of tunnel surrounding rock is the result of tunnel excavation disturbance and rock stress release. When the local stress of surrounding rock exceeds the elastic limit of rock mass, the plastic analysis of surrounding rock must be carried out to judge the stability of tunnel. In this study, the Lade–Duncan yield criterion is used to calculate the analytic solutions for the surrounding rock in a tunnel, and the radius and displacement of the plastic zone are deduced using an equilibrium equation. The plastic zone radius and displacement based on Lade–Duncan criterion and Mohr–Coulomb criterion were compared by using single-factor analysis method under the different internal friction angles, in situ stresses, and support resistances. The results show that the solutions of the radius and displacement of plastic zone calculated by the Lade–Duncan criterion are close to those of Mohr–Coulomb criterion under the high internal friction angle and support resistance or low in situ rock stress; however, the radius and displacement of the plastic zone calculated by the Lade–Duncan criterion are larger under normal circumstances, and the Lade–Duncan criterion is more applicable to the stability analysis of the surrounding rock in a tunnel.

  1. THE AFFECTING FACTORS ADDRESSED IN EFL ESSAY CLASS OF UM METRO LAMPUNG IN RESPECT TO THE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND THE LECTURER’S REFLECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dedi Turmudi -

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This research paper discusses a number of key points addressed in teaching essay writing course of EFL class in Indonesia. The lecturer applied some various techniques in teaching, including a new proposed technique called FBFRP technique (Turmudi 2013 which basically leads to assist learners in self regulatory process in writing composition ( Magno, 2009. Research goals were to disclose some critical points and to what extents of each point was qualified compared among the addressed issues. This research was a descriptive reflective expose-facto and the primary data was taken with instruments: tests, reflection, and questionnaires resulting a descriptive qualitative with quantitative data output. The subjects or participants were 100 undergraduate students of English Department enrolled at essay writing class and the objects were the students’ responses on the addressed points formatted in a rating scale questionnaire (Sugiono, 2009.The data analysis was first hand data as exposed-facto data which was processed through a set of procedures.  No statistical inferences were reported but descriptive statistics and logical inferences. The result turned out that none of all components were dominants; but a certain technique as medium to assist the students’ ability to write computer-based-essay test was needed to develop. Thus, this research has the same red thread with that of Magno (2009 hypothesizing that learners of EFL tend to use specific approach to learning and eventually undergo self regulatory process.

  2. Essays on issues relevant to the regulation of radioactive waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bishop, W.P.; Hoos, I.R.; Hilberry, N.; Metlay, D.S.; Watson, R.A.

    1978-05-01

    This document contains a collection of essays prepared by the individuals who participated in a Special Task Group for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the purpose of identifying and proposing goals (or guiding principles) for the regulation of radioactive waste management. The report of the Special Task group to the NRC is contained in 'Proposed Goals for Radioactive Waste Management'. The titles of the essays are as follows: History and interpretation of radioactive waste management in the United States; The credibility issue; Assessment of methodologies for radioactive waste management; Remarks on managerial errors and public participation; Observations and impressions on the nature of radioactive waste management problems; and Goals for nuclear waste management

  3. A critical analysis of the Mises stress criterion used in frequency domain fatigue life prediction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Niesłony

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Multiaxial fatigue failure criteria are formulated in time and frequency domain. The number of frequency domain criteria is rather small and the most popular one is the equivalent von Mises stress criterion. This criterion was elaborated by Preumont and Piefort on the basis of well-known von Mises stress concept, first proposed by Huber in 1907, and well accepted by the scientific community and engineers. It is important to know, that the criterion was developed to determine the yield stress and material effort under static load. Therefore the direct use of equivalent von Mises stress criterion for fatigue life prediction can lead to some incorrectness of theoretical and practical nature. In the present study four aspects were discussed: influence of the value of fatigue strength of tension and torsion, lack of parallelism of the SN curves, abnormal behaviour of the criterion under biaxial tensioncompression and influence of phase shift between particular stress state components. Information contained in this article will help to prevent improper use of this criterion and contributes to its better understanding

  4. Team Dynamics. Essays in the Sociology and Social Psychology of Sport Including Methodological and Epistemological Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenk, Hans

    This document contains nine essays on the sociology and social psychology of team dynamics, including methodological and epistemological issues involved in such study. Essay titles are: (1) Conflict and Achievement in Top Athletic Teams--Sociometric Structures of Racing Eight Oar Crews; (2) Top Performance Despite Internal Conflict--An Antithesis…

  5. How Constructivist-Based Teaching Influences Students Learning Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seimears, C. Matt; Graves, Emily; Schroyer, M. Gail; Staver, John

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide details about the beneficial processes the constructivist pedagogy has in the area of teaching science. No Child Left Behind could possibly cause detrimental effects to the science classroom and the constructivist teacher, so this essay tells how constructivist-based teaching influences students and their…

  6. International Student Migration and Social Stratification in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Biao; Shen, Wei

    2009-01-01

    During the late 1990s China moved from a period of "wealth creation" that benefited the majority of the population to a period of "wealth concentration" that benefited a minority. This essay focuses on the role of international student migration from China to other countries in this process. In particular the authors delineate…

  7. Essays on the economics of British Columbian timber policy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Niquidet, Kurt

    2007-01-01

    This thesis examines the process of institutional change in British Columbia’s timber sector. It is composed of a series of essays which highlight the underlying political and economic factors that have shaped past and current reforms. Taking center stage in the analysis, are the resource rents

  8. Essays on Port, Container, and Bulk Chemical Logistics Optimization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E. van Asperen (Eelco)

    2009-01-01

    textabstractThe essays in this thesis are concerned with two main themes in port logistics. The first theme is the coordination of transport arrivals with the distribution processes and the use of storage facilities. We study this for both containerized and bulk chemical transport. The second theme

  9. Inferring phylogenetic networks by the maximum parsimony criterion: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Guohua; Nakhleh, Luay; Snir, Sagi; Tuller, Tamir

    2007-01-01

    Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) may result in genes whose evolutionary histories disagree with each other, as well as with the species tree. In this case, reconciling the species and gene trees results in a network of relationships, known as the "phylogenetic network" of the set of species. A phylogenetic network that incorporates HGT consists of an underlying species tree that captures vertical inheritance and a set of edges which model the "horizontal" transfer of genetic material. In a series of papers, Nakhleh and colleagues have recently formulated a maximum parsimony (MP) criterion for phylogenetic networks, provided an array of computationally efficient algorithms and heuristics for computing it, and demonstrated its plausibility on simulated data. In this article, we study the performance and robustness of this criterion on biological data. Our findings indicate that MP is very promising when its application is extended to the domain of phylogenetic network reconstruction and HGT detection. In all cases we investigated, the MP criterion detected the correct number of HGT events required to map the evolutionary history of a gene data set onto the species phylogeny. Furthermore, our results indicate that the criterion is robust with respect to both incomplete taxon sampling and the use of different site substitution matrices. Finally, our results show that the MP criterion is very promising in detecting HGT in chimeric genes, whose evolutionary histories are a mix of vertical and horizontal evolution. Besides the performance analysis of MP, our findings offer new insights into the evolution of 4 biological data sets and new possible explanations of HGT scenarios in their evolutionary history.

  10. Information criterion for the categorization quality evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michail V. Svirkin

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper considers the possibility of using the variation of information function as a quality criterion for categorizing a collection of documents. The performance of the variation of information function is being examined subject to the number of categories and the sample volume of the test document collection.

  11. Bell's theorem based on a generalized EPR criterion of reality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eberhard, P.H.; Rosselet, P.

    1995-01-01

    First, the demonstration of Bell's theorem, i.e., of the nonlocal character of quantum theory, is spelled out using the EPR criterion of reality as premises and a gedanken experiment involving two particles. Then, the EPR criterion is extended to include quantities predicted almost with certainty, and Bell's theorem is demonstrated on these new premises. The same experiment is used but in conditions that become possible in real life, without the requirements of ideal efficiencies and zero background. Very high efficiencies and low background are needed, but these requirements may be met in the future

  12. FORUM: Instructional Communication and Millennial Students: Millennials, Teaching and Learning, and the Elephant in the College Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morreale, Sherwyn P.; Staley, Constance M.

    2016-01-01

    The essays that comprise "Communication Education's" Forum on Instructional Communication and Millennial Students provide excellent summaries of existing research on this new generational cohort as college students. Taken as a whole, the writings paint an intriguing picture of this cohort, including both challenges and opportunities to…

  13. Archives and societal provenance Australian essays

    CERN Document Server

    Piggott, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Records and archival arrangements in Australia are globally relevant because Australia's indigenous people represent the oldest living culture in the world, and because modern Australia is an ex-colonial society now heavily multicultural in outlook. Archives and Societal Provenance explores this distinctiveness using the theoretical concept of societal provenance as propounded by Canadian archival scholars led by Dr Tom Nesmith. The book's seventeen essays blend new writing and re-workings of earlier work, comprising the fi rst text to apply a societal provenance perspective to a national sett

  14. Three essays in control, entrepreneurship and innovation

    OpenAIRE

    Cardenas, F.

    2012-01-01

    One of the key emphases of these three essays is to provide practical managerial insight. However, good practical insight, can only be created by grounding it firmly on theoretical and empirical research. Practical experience-based understanding without theoretical grounding remains tacit and cannot be easily disseminated. Theoretical understanding without links to real life remains sterile. My studies aim to increase the understanding of how radical innovation could be generated at large est...

  15. Essays on Online and Multi-Channel Marketing

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Lingling

    2016-01-01

    Firms increasingly adopt online and multi-channel marketing strategies to reach and persuade consumers. Therefore, designing an effective marketing mix is critical to their success. The aim of my dissertation is to understand the strategy behind firms’ channel choices and assess marketing effectiveness. It consists of three large-scale empirical studies examining several important aspects of online and multi-channel marketing. My first essay focuses on the business-to-business (B2B) inte...

  16. Optimization of Thermal Object Nonlinear Control Systems by Energy Efficiency Criterion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velichkin, Vladimir A.; Zavyalov, Vladimir A.

    2018-03-01

    This article presents the results of thermal object functioning control analysis (heat exchanger, dryer, heat treatment chamber, etc.). The results were used to determine a mathematical model of the generalized thermal control object. The appropriate optimality criterion was chosen to make the control more energy-efficient. The mathematical programming task was formulated based on the chosen optimality criterion, control object mathematical model and technological constraints. The “maximum energy efficiency” criterion helped avoid solving a system of nonlinear differential equations and solve the formulated problem of mathematical programming in an analytical way. It should be noted that in the case under review the search for optimal control and optimal trajectory reduces to solving an algebraic system of equations. In addition, it is shown that the optimal trajectory does not depend on the dynamic characteristics of the control object.

  17. Service and the Millennial Business Student: The Motivating Influence of an E-Book Class Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, William W.

    2017-01-01

    A commitment to voluntary service that benefits others was reinforced for students who authored an e-book on service as a class project in a senior business course. The immersive experience of writing short essays that focused on service shifted students' motivations toward service and solidified their intentions to continue with service after…

  18. A Mixed Exam Format Closes the Gap for Students with a Conflict between Their Religious Belief & the Theory of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F.; Wenner, Julianne A.

    2014-01-01

    We assessed the performance of students with a self-reported conflict between their religious belief and the theory of evolution in two sections of a large introductory biology course (N = 373 students). Student performance was measured through pretest and posttest evolution essays and multiple- choice (MC) questions (evolution-related and…

  19. The Correlation of Metacognition with Critical Thinking Skills of Grade XI Students on Human Excretion System Concept

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dea Diella

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study is to reveal metacognition and critical thinking skill of students grade XI, and also the correlation between metacognition with crititical thinking skill on human excretion system. The participants of this study consist of 100 students from grade XI of five different high schools in Tasikmalaya. Correlational method was used in this study. Instruments which used to obtain the data consist of metacognition test and critical thinking test. The students' metacognition was captured with the essay item related to the human excretion system concept. The multiple choice-reason item and essay item was used to capture the critical thinking skills. The results showed that students’ score at metacognition and critical thinking have a low average. The results also proved that metacognition has a positive correlation and moderately strong with critical thinking skills

  20. Writing Skill and Categorical Error Analysis: A Study of First Year Undergraduate University Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adnan Satariyan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study identifies and analyses the common errors in writing skill of the first year students of Azad University of South Tehran Branch in relation to their first language (L1, the type of high school they graduated, and their exposure to media and technology in order to learn English. It also determines the categories in which the errors are committed (content, organisation/discourse, vocabulary, mechanics, or syntax and whether or not there is a significant difference in the percentage of errors committed and these categories. Participants of this study are 190 first year students that are asked to write an essay. An error analysis model adapted from Brown (2001 and Gayeta (2002 is then used to evaluate the essay writings in terms of content, organisation, vocabulary, mechanics, and syntax or language use. The results of the study show that the students have greater difficulties in organisation, content, and vocabulary and experience less difficulties in mechanics and syntax.