scholarly journals Advantages, Challenges and Limitations of Audit Experiments with Constituents

2021 ◽  
pp. 147892992110378
Author(s):  
Daniel Bischof ◽  
Gidon Cohen ◽  
Sarah Cohen ◽  
Florian Foos ◽  
Patrick Michael Kuhn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Study Design ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
Journal Editors ◽  
Ethics Review ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Ethical Design ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Review Boards

Audit experiments examining the responsiveness of public officials have become an increasingly popular tool used by political scientists. While these studies have brought significant insight into how public officials respond to different types of constituents, particularly those from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds, audit studies have also been controversial due to their frequent use of deception. Scholars have justified the use of deception by arguing that the benefits of audit studies ultimately outweigh the costs of deceptive practices. Do all audit experiments require the use of deception? This article reviews audit study designs differing in their amount of deception. It then discusses the organizational and logistical challenges of a UK study design where all letters were solicited from MPs’ actual constituents (so-called confederates) and reflected those constituents’ genuine opinions. We call on researchers to avoid deception, unless necessary, and engage in ethical design innovation of their audit experiments, on ethics review boards to raise the level of justification of needed studies involving fake identities and misrepresentation, and on journal editors and reviewers to require researchers to justify in detail which forms of deception were unavoidable.

scholarly journals Communicating Qualitative Research Study Designs to Research Ethics Review Boards

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Ells
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Ethics ◽  
Research Study ◽  
General Information ◽  
Funding Agency ◽  
Qualitative Research Study ◽  
Ethics Review ◽  
Research Ethics Review ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Review Boards

Researchers using qualitative methodologies appear to be particularly prone to having their study designs called into question by research ethics or funding agency review committees. In this paper, the author considers the issue of communicating qualitative research study designs in the context of institutional research ethics review and offers suggestions for researchers to consider in their communication of study designs to research ethics review boards. General information about the mandate of research ethics review boards is provided. In light of wide international variability with respect to research ethics regulatory environments and review board processes, specific considerations and suggestions about communicating qualitative study designs effectively are presented within a Canadian case study example.

The participation of Palestinian-Israeli politicians in public and commercial television and radio in Israel as capability

2021 ◽  
pp. 174804852199056
Author(s):  
Baruch Shomron ◽  
Amit Schejter
Keyword(s):  
Capabilities Approach ◽  
Media Representations ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Commercial Television ◽  
Radio Stations ◽  
Modes Of Representation ◽  
Current Affairs ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Media ◽  
Insight Into

This study examines how media representations of Palestinian-Israeli politicians, can help community members realize their capabilities. The study’s database is comprised of 1,207 interviews conducted with Palestinian-Israeli politicians on news and current affairs programs on the three national television channels and the two national radio stations in Israel, for 24 months (2016-2017). We identified and analyzed the differences in the modes of representation between national and local Palestinian-Israeli politicians and between Palestinian-Israeli parliament members in the Joint List and Palestinian-Israeli parliament members in Zionist parties, all through the capabilities prism. In this study, we demonstrated how different types of Palestinian-Israeli politicians may potentially affect the realization of different political functions and capabilities. Analyzing political representations in the media through the theoretical framework of the ‘capabilities approach’ contributes to a more comprehensive insight into the roles the media can play promoting people’s wellbeing and human rights, relative to traditional media theories.

scholarly journals Injuries and frequent use of emergency department services: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e040272
Author(s):  
Catherine Laferté ◽  
Andréa Dépelteau ◽  
Catherine Hudon
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Geriatric Population ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Return Visits

ObjectiveTo review all studies having examined the association between patients with physical injuries and frequent emergency department (ED) attendance or return visits.DesignSystematic review.Data sourceMedline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PsycINFO databases were searched up to and including July 2019.Eligibility criteriaEnglish and French language publications reporting on frequent use of ED services (frequent attendance and return visits), evaluating injured patients and using regression analysis.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers screened the search results, and assessed methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. Results were collated and summarised using a narrative synthesis. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the repercussions of removing a study that did not meet the quality criteria.ResultsOf the 2184 studies yielded by this search, 1957 remained after the removal of duplicates. Seventy-eight studies underwent full-text screening leaving nine that met the eligibility criteria and were included in this study: five retrospective cohort studies; two prospective cohort studies; one cross-sectional study; and one case-control study. Different types of injuries were represented, including fractures, trauma and physical injuries related to falls, domestic violence or accidents. Sample sizes ranged from 200 to 1 259 809. Six studies included a geriatric population while three addressed a younger population. Of the four studies evaluating the relationship between injuries and frequent ED use, three reported an association. Additionally, of the five studies in which the dependent variable was return ED visits, three articles identified a positive association with injuries.ConclusionsPhysical injuries appear to be associated with frequent use of ED services (frequent ED attendance as well as return ED visits). Further research into factors including relevant youth-related covariates such as substance abuse and different types of traumas should be undertaken to bridge the gap in understanding this association.

Double, triple or quadruple hits? Exploring the impact of cybercrime on victims in the Netherlands

2021 ◽  
pp. 026975802110106
Author(s):  
Raoul Notté ◽  
E.R. Leukfeldt ◽  
Marijke Malsch
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Victim Blaming ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

This article explores the impact of online crime victimisation. A literature review and 41 interviews – 19 with victims and 22 with experts – were carried out to gain insight into this. The interviews show that most impacts of online offences correspond to the impacts of traditional offline offences. There are also differences with offline crime victimisation. Several forms of impact seem to be specific to victims of online crime: the substantial scale and visibility of victimhood, victimisation that does not stop in time, the interwovenness of online and offline, and victim blaming. Victims suffer from double, triple or even quadruple hits; it is the accumulation of different types of impact, enforced by the limitlessness in time and space, which makes online crime victimisation so extremely invasive. Furthermore, the characteristics of online crime victimisation greatly complicate the fight against and prevention of online crime. Finally, the high prevalence of cybercrime victimisation combined with the severe impact of these crimes seems contradictory with public opinion – and associated moral judgments – on victims. Further research into the dominant public discourse on victimisation and how this affects the functioning of the police and victim support would be valuable.

scholarly journals Conceptualising natural and quasi experiments in public health

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank de Vocht ◽  
Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi ◽  
Cheryl McQuire ◽  
Kate Tilling ◽  
Matthew Hickman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Target Trial ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Natural or quasi experiments are appealing for public health research because they enable the evaluation of events or interventions that are difficult or impossible to manipulate experimentally, such as many policy and health system reforms. However, there remains ambiguity in the literature about their definition and how they differ from randomized controlled experiments and from other observational designs. We conceptualise natural experiments in the context of public health evaluations and align the study design to the Target Trial Framework. Methods A literature search was conducted, and key methodological papers were used to develop this work. Peer-reviewed papers were supplemented by grey literature. Results Natural experiment studies (NES) combine features of experiments and non-experiments. They differ from planned experiments, such as randomized controlled trials, in that exposure allocation is not controlled by researchers. They differ from other observational designs in that they evaluate the impact of events or process that leads to differences in exposure. As a result they are, in theory, less susceptible to bias than other observational study designs. Importantly, causal inference relies heavily on the assumption that exposure allocation can be considered ‘as-if randomized’. The target trial framework provides a systematic basis for evaluating this assumption and the other design elements that underpin the causal claims that can be made from NES. Conclusions NES should be considered a type of study design rather than a set of tools for analyses of non-randomized interventions. Alignment of NES to the Target Trial framework will clarify the strength of evidence underpinning claims about the effectiveness of public health interventions.

Journal Editor and Associate Editor Perspectives on Research Reproducibility and Open Science

2021 ◽  
pp. 074193252110172
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Maggin
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Journal Editor ◽  
Associate Editor ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Science Practices ◽  
Journal Editors ◽  
Education School ◽  
Special Education School ◽  
Insight Into

Interest in transparent and open science is increasing in special education, school psychology, and related disciplines. Proponents for open science reforms provide evidence that researchers in special education, and the broader social sciences, engage in practices that mitigates its credibility and reduces the validity of information disseminated to practitioners and policymakers. In light of these issues, this article reports on a survey of journal editors-in-chief and associate editors to gain insight into concerns regarding research reproducibility, and the familiarity and viability of open science for improving research credibility. Results indicate that respondents were concerned about research reproducibility, were moderately familiar with open science practices, and viewed many as effective for improving research credibility. Finally, respondents supported the use of journals to encourage open science practices though there was little support for requiring their use. Findings are discussed in relation to open science and implications for research and practice.

Small rodent communities (Muridae) in Gabonese savannas: species diversity and biogeographical affinities

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Mboumba ◽  
Maxime R. Hervé ◽  
Véronique Guyot ◽  
Frederic Ysnel
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Small Rodent ◽  
Small Rodents ◽  
South West ◽  
New Information ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Mus Minutoides ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Coastal Basin

Abstract The study contributes to the knowledge of species composition and biogeographical affinities of savannas rodent in Gabon. Unlike small rodents in Gabonese forests, there is little data on the diversity of small rodents in Gabonese savannas. The diversity and distribution of rodent murid communities was studied in four different types of savanna in Gabon: Coastal Basin (South-West), Lopé/Okanda (in the Center), Batéké Plateaux (Southeastern) and Ngougnié/ N’yanga (in the South). A total of 428 individuals representing six species were captured over 11,920 trap nights. Trap success was highly variable (2.2–6.9 %). The most abundant species were Mus minutoides (69%) followed by Lemniscomys striatus (21.5%). Indices of species richness varied from 2 to 5 and diversity (Shannon and Weaver) was low in the four savannas with the highest value at Ngougnié/N’yanga (H′ = 1.2). Species distributions show that Gabonese savanna small rodents conform to four distribution types, with one species known from Zambesian savannas exhibiting austral affinities (Pelomys campanae: occurs in three southern savannas). This new information provides important insight into the biogeography of small rodents at a local and regional level. Moreover, the correspondence analysis highlighted an influence of local ecological factors on population abundance.

EFFECT OF PERACETIC ACID OXIDATION ON N-CONTAINING COMPONENTS OF HUMIC MATERIALS

1980 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. SCHNITZER ◽  
D. A. HINDLE
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Peracetic Acid ◽  
Amino Sugar ◽  
Chemical Oxidation ◽  
Acid Oxidation ◽  
Mild Oxidation ◽  
Total N ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Humic Materials ◽  
Insight Into

Three humic and one fulvic acid were degraded by mild chemical oxidation with peracetic acid, with special emphasis on the effects of this type of oxidation on N-containing components. The different types of N that were considered were NH4+-N, amino acid-N, amino sugar-N, NO2−-N + NO3−-N, and by difference from total N, "unknown" N. The behaviour toward mild chemical oxidation of all four preparations was essentially similar: there were decreases in mino acid-N, amino sugar-N and "unknown" N, increases in NH4+-N, NO2−-N + NO3−-N with one material, and in N-gases. The "unknown" N was not inert. Between 16.6 and 59.1% of the latter appeared to be converted, as a result of mild chemical oxidation, to NH3 and N-gases which were expelled from the systems. The results presented provide an insight into what happens to N-containing humic components as a result of mild oxidation.

An Insight into the Polymeric Nanoparticles Applications in Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa Dehghani ◽  
Monireh Esameili Rad ◽  
Atefeh Zarepour ◽  
Ponnurengam Malliappan Sivakumar ◽  
Ali Zarrabi
Keyword(s):  
Polymeric Nanoparticles ◽  
Synthetic Polymers ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Diabetes Diagnosis ◽  
Transport Mechanisms ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Treatment And Diagnosis ◽  
Insight Into

: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a type of chronic metabolic disease that has affected millions of people worldwide and is known with a defect in the amount of insulin secretion, insulin functions, or both. This deficiency leads to an increase in the amounts of glucose, which could be accompanied by long-term damages to other organs such as eyes, kidneys, heart, and nervous system. Thus, introducing an appropriate approach for diagnosis and treatment of different types of DM is the aim of several researches. By the emergence of nanotechnology and its application in medicine, new approaches were presented for these purposes. The object of this review article is to introduce different types of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs), as one of the most important classes of nanoparticles, for diabetic management. To achieve this goal, at first, some of the conventional therapeutic and diagnostic methods of DM will be reviewed. Then, different types of PNPs, in two forms of natural and synthetic polymers with different properties, as a new method for DM treatment and diagnosis will be introduced. In the next section, the transport mechanisms of these types of nano-carriers across the epithelium, via paracellular and transcellular pathways will be explained. Finally, the clinical use of PNPs in the treatment and diagnosis of DM will be summarized. Based on the results of this literature review, PNPs could be considered one of the most promising methods for DM management.

scholarly journals Statistics for N = 1

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. e38066
Author(s):  
Jimmie Leppink
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Approach ◽  
Small Samples ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Interval Estimates ◽  
Linear Relations ◽  
Large Samples ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Research In Education ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Larger Sample

Research in education is often associated with comparing group averages and linear relations in sufficiently large samples and evidence-based practice is about using the outcomes of that research in the practice of education. However, there are questions that are important for the practice of education that cannot really be addressed by comparisons of group averages and linear relations, no matter how large the samples. Besides, different types of constraints including logistic, financial, and ethical ones may make larger-sample research unfeasible or at least questionable. What has remained less known in many fields is that there are study designs and statistical methods for research involving small samples or even individuals that allow us to address questions of importance for the practice of education. This article discusses one type of such situations and provides a simple coherent statistical approach that provides point and interval estimates of differences of interest regardless of the type of the outcome variable and that is of use in other types of studies involving large samples, small samples, and single individuals.

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