scholarly journals Ambiguity in European seasonal comparative research: how decisions on modelling shape results on inequality in learning?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Helbling ◽  
Martin J. Tomasik ◽  
Urs Moser
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Research ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Real Data ◽  
Social Disparities ◽  
Conditional Learning ◽  
Summer Setback ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Learning Progress ◽  
Modeling Strategy ◽  
Study Designs

AbstractSummer break study designs are used in educational research to disentangle school from non-school contributions to social performance gaps. The summer breaks provide a natural experimental setting that allows for the measurement of learning progress when school is not in session, which can help to capture the unfolding of social disparities in learning that are the result of non-school influences. Seasonal comparative research has a longer tradition in the U.S. than in Europe, where it is only at its beginning. As such, summer setback studies in Europe lack a common methodological framework, impairing the possibility to draw lines across studies because they differ in their inherent focus on social inequality in learning progress. This paper calls for greater consideration of the parameterization of “unconditional” or “conditional” learning progress in European seasonal comparative research. Different approaches to the modelling of learning progress answer different research questions. Based on real data and constructed examples, this paper outlines in an intuitive fashion the different dynamics in inequality that may be simultaneously present in the survey data and distinctly revealed depending on whether one or the other modeling strategy of learning progress is chosen. An awareness of the parameterization of learning progress is crucial for an accurate interpretation of the findings and their international comparison.

Studying the Effects of Meditation: The First Fifty Years

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug Oman
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Physiological Measurement ◽  
History Of ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Meditative Practices

This chapter traces the history of modern meditation research. Meditation is conceptualized primarily as a seated practice for systematically training attention. Historically present in every major religion, meditation was traditionally used for spiritual purposes and usually accompanied by ancillary practices, such as spiritual fellowship. This chapter traces the dynamics and evolving interplay between dominant conceptions and forms of meditative practices under scientific study, as well as critiques of those conceptions, research questions, study designs, measurement instruments, and public reception and application. It describes how developments in each of these spheres have at different times opened up new lines of research, sometimes transforming other dimensions of ongoing research and practice. For the past fifty years, modern meditation research has progressed through partly overlapping periods that emphasized physiological measurement and secular adaptations; links to numerous health and well-being outcomes; emphasis on a sui generis psychosocial goal (mindfulness); advances in physiological and questionnaire-based empirical measurement; expansion of public, corporate, and governmental interest; increased concerns about abandonment of ethical bases and cultural context; and initial moves toward greater inclusiveness and integration of diverse methods and traditional perspectives.

scholarly journals Study Design in Neurosurgical Research: Considerations for Observational and Experimental Cohort Studies

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
Christopher E Louie ◽  
Erin D’Agostino ◽  
Alexander Woods ◽  
Timothy Ryken
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Clinical Study ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Chronic Subdural Hematoma ◽  
Neurosurgical Procedures ◽  
Fundamental Study ◽  
Observational Cohort ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Designs

Abstract There is inadequate neurosurgical literature discussing appropriate clinical study design. Here, we explore considerations for 2 fundamental study designs of epidemiology: experimental and observational cohort studies, through examples of theoretical yet realistic neurosurgical research questions. By examining 2 common neurosurgical procedures—namely, subdural drains for evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma, and the utility of navigation for placing external ventricular drains—we characterize the framework of cohort study models for clinical research applications.

It hurts but I still need it: a qualitative investigation of post-event processing in social anxiety disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-369
Author(s):  
Naoki Yoshinaga ◽  
Kota Takaoka ◽  
Osamu Kobori
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Event Processing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Intermittent Reinforcement ◽  
Metacognitive Beliefs ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Do So

AbstractBackground:It has been proposed that both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs sustain engagement in post-event processing (PEP). However, it is unknown: (1) whether individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) actually derive the benefits from PEP that they expect; (2) if this is not the case, how their positive beliefs are maintained; and (3) if they are aware of the counterproductive effects of PEP, why they still perform PEP.Aims:To explore the phenomenology of the processes involved in PEP from the perspective of SADs, in order to address the research questions above.Method:Twenty-one participants suffering from SAD received individual semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.Results:Analysis revealed three main themes: (1) ‘Only, safe and useful way to improve myself’: SADs feel the need to improve their social performance, and they believe that PEP is the only, safe, and private way to do so, which is an underlying motive for them to do PEP; (2) ‘It hurts more than helps me’: however, through PEP, they do not seem to obtain the benefit that they expect, or only find a variety of counterproductive outcomes; (3) ‘Better safe than sorry’: they sometimes find makeshift solutions to improve their social performance during PEP, which may maintain their PEP as a form of intermittent reinforcement. They weigh up such costs and benefits, and choose to perform PEP while feeling conflicted about PEP.Conclusions:The results suggest that: (1) SADs rarely obtain the benefits from PEP that they expect; (2) their positive metacognitive beliefs are maintained by solutions they sometimes find during PEP; and (3) SADs choose to perform PEP while feeling conflicted; while PEP ironically maintains and exacerbates negative self-beliefs/images, it is the only safe and useful way to improve their social performance. These findings support and expand on the theories of PEP.

scholarly journals Causal and Associational Linking Language From Observational Research and Health Evaluation Literature in Practice: A systematic language evaluation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah A. Haber ◽  
Sarah E. Wieten ◽  
Julia M. Rohrer ◽  
Onyebuchi A. Arah ◽  
Peter W.G. Tennant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Observational Research ◽  
Health Evaluation ◽  
Cautious Approach ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Public Health Epidemiology ◽  
Causal Language

Background: Avoiding "causal" language with observational study designs is common publication practice, often justified as being a more cautious approach to interpretation. Objectives: We aimed to i) estimate the degree to which causality was implied by both the language linking exposures to outcomes and by action recommendations in the high-profile health literature ii) examine disconnects between language and recommendations, iii) identify which linking phrases were most common, and iv) generate estimates by which these phrases imply causality. Methods: We identified 18 of the most prominent general medical/public health/epidemiology journals, and searched and screened for articles published from 2010 to 2019 that investigated exposure/outcome pairs until we reached 65 non-RCT articles per journal (n=1,170). Two reviewers and an arbitrating reviewer rated the degree to which they believed causality had been implied by the language in abstracts based on written guidance. Reviewers then rated causal implications of linking words in isolation. For comparison, additional review was performed for full texts and for a secondary sample of RCTs. Results: Reviewers rated the causal implication of the sentence and phrase linking the exposure and outcome as None (i.e. makes no causal implication) in 13.8%, Weak in 34.2%, Moderate in 33.2%, and Strong in 18.7% of abstracts. Reviewers identified an action recommendation in 34.2% of abstracts. Of these action recommendations, reviewers rated the causal implications as None in 5.3%, Weak in 19.0%, Moderate in 42.8% and Strong in 33.0% of cases. The implied causality of action recommendations was often higher than the implied causality of linking sentences (44.5%) or commensurate (40.3%), with 15.3% being weaker. The most common linking word root identified in abstracts was "associate" (n=535/1,170; 45.7%) (e.g. "association," "associated," etc). There were only 16 (1.4%) abstracts using "cause" in the linking or modifying phrases. Reviewer ratings for causal implications of word roots were highly heterogeneous, including those commonly considered non-causal. Discussion: We found substantial disconnects between causal implications used to link an exposure to an outcome vs action implications made. This undercuts common assumptions about what words are often considered non-causal and that policing them eliminates causal implications. We recommend that instead of policing words; editors, researchers, and communicators should increase efforts at making research questions, as well as the potential of studies to answer them, more transparent.

scholarly journals Job Resources and Organizational Commitment in Finnish Company Units in Finland and Russia

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-71
Author(s):  
Тиина Саари ◽  
Харри Мелин
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Comparative Research ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Affective Organizational Commitment ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Cross Tabulation

This article compares organizational commitment and its predictors in the units of two Finnish companies operating in Finland and Russia. The research questions are: which of the two countries has a higher level of organizational commitment and do different job resources affect the organizational commitment of Finnish and Russian employees? The research data was collected in a web survey (N=636). Cross tabulation, variance analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used as the analysis methods. Russian employees were more committed in both organizations compared with their Finnish counterparts. Based on the regression analysis, development opportunities and the support of colleagues influenced the organizational commitment of both Finnish and Russian employees. Opportunities for influencing one’s work also affected commitment among Finns. By contrast, satisfaction with management or salary had no statistically significant effect on organizational commitment in either of the countries. Both in Finland and in Russia organizations must invest in employee well-being, especially development possibilities and supportive work communities in order to enhance affective organizational commitment. This study adds to the limited comparative research on Finland and Russia and the predictors of affective organizational commitment in these countries.

scholarly journals A Guide to Conducting a Meta-Analysis with Non-Independent Effect Sizes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike W.-L. Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Real Data ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Conventional meta-analytic procedures assume that effect sizes are independent. When effect sizes are non-independent, conclusions based on these conventional models can be misleading or even wrong. Traditional approaches, such as averaging the effect sizes and selecting one effect size per study, are usually used to remove the dependence of the effect sizes. These ad-hoc approaches, however, may lead to missed opportunities to utilize all available data to address the relevant research questions. Both multivariate meta-analysis and three-level meta-analysis have been proposed to handle non-independent effect sizes. This paper gives a brief introduction to these new techniques for applied researchers. The first objective is to highlight the benefits of using these methods to address non-independent effect sizes. The second objective is to illustrate how to apply these techniques with real data in R and Mplus. Researchers may modify the sample R and Mplus code to fit their data.

scholarly journals Using Emphasis-Purposeful Sampling-Phenomenon of Interest–Context (EPPiC) Framework to Reflect on Two Qualitative Research Designs and Questions: A Reflective Process

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Kalu
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Reflective Process ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Designs

A satisfactory research question often signifies the beginning point for many researchers. While this can be true for quantitative studies because of pre-defined research questions, qualitative research questions undergo series of revisions through a reflective process. This reflective process provides the framework for the subjectivity associated with qualitative inquiry. The continuous iterative reflective process is an essential component for developing qualitative research questions that correspond with the various qualitative study designs. Although qualitative inquiry is term exclusively subjective, there is a need to use a framework in developing qualitative research questions. The Emphasis- Purposeful sampling- Phenomenon of interest – Context (EPPiC) framework guides qualitative researchers in developing and revising qualitative research questions to suit a specific qualitative approach. This article addresses both the development of a research question using the “EPPiC framework” and demonstrate how to revise the “developed” research question to reflect two qualitative research design. I developed a qualitative research question for Sally Thorne’s Interpretive Description design using the EPPiC Framework and subsequently revised the research question to suit a grounded theory design.

scholarly journals Panorama da Educação Matemática em alguns países da América Latina Overview of Mathematics Education in some Latin American countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Célia Maria Carolino Pires
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Comparative Research ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Curricular Implementation ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
America Latina ◽  
Latin American Countries

Nesta conferência objetivamos apresentar um panorama da Educação Matemática em alguns países latino-americanos (Argentina, Bolívia, Brasil, Chile, México, Paraguai, Peru e Uruguai), apoiado no Projeto “Pesquisas comparativas sobre organização e desenvolvimento curricular na área de Educação Matemática, em países da América Latina” desenvolvido de 2009 a 2017. Nos baseamos em concepções e procedimentos da metodologia de estudos comparativos, de Ferrer Juliá (2002) e Pilz (2012). Partimos de questões de pesquisa como: Que Matemática está sendo proposta no ensino de crianças e jovens de países latino-americanos neste início de milênio? Que pressupostos norteiam os documentos curriculares em países latino-americanos? Como se dá o processo de implementação curricular nesses países? Que currículos estão de fato sendo realizados em sala de aula? Como resultados destacamos que, no tocante à educação até a faixa dos 14 anos, as propostas dos diferentes países são muito similares, tanto nas finalidades conferidas ao ensino de Matemática, com foco na formação do cidadão, como em relação aos conteúdos e à incorporação de metodologias como a resolução de problemas e os recursos tecnológicos. Para a faixa dos 15 a 17 anos, há diferenças na organização dos cursos, mas pode-se notar uma abordagem bastante tradicional da matemática nos documentos curriculares.In this conference, we have presented an overview of Mathematics Education in some Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay), supported by the Project "Comparative research on curricular organization and development in Mathematics Education, in Latin American countries" developed from 2009 to 2017. We have based on conceptions and procedures of the methodology of comparative studies, by Ferrer Juliá (2002) and Pilz (2012). We start with research questions such as: What Mathematics is being proposed in teaching children and young people from Latin American countries at the beginning of the millennium? What assumptions guide curriculum documents in Latin American countries? How does the curricular implementation process take place in these countries? What curricula are actually being delivered in the classroom? As a result, we highlighted that, in the case of education up to 14th years old, the proposals of the different countries are very similar, both in the purposes of Mathematics teaching, focusing on citizen training, as well the content and the incorporation of methodologies such as problem solving and technological resources. For the group of 15th to 17th years old, there are differences in course organization, but one can see a rather traditional approach to mathematics in curriculum documents.

scholarly journals Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design and Implementation for Novice Researchers

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Baxter ◽  
Susan Jack
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Health Science Research ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Study Designs

Qualitative case study methodology provides tools for researchers to study complex phenomena within their contexts. When the approach is applied correctly, it becomes a valuable method for health science research to develop theory, evaluate programs, and develop interventions. The purpose of this paper is to guide the novice researcher in identifying the key elements for designing and implementing qualitative case study research projects. An overview of the types of case study designs is provided along with general recommendations for writing the research questions, developing propositions, determining the “case” under study, binding the case and a discussion of data sources and triangulation. To facilitate application of these principles, clear examples of research questions, study propositions and the different types of case study designs are provided.

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