scholarly journals The problems with science communication evaluation

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. C04 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Impact Evaluation ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Communication Practice ◽  
Stunted Growth ◽  
Communication Evaluation

Even in the best-resourced science communication institutions, poor quality evaluation methods are routinely employed. This leads to questionable data, specious conclusions and stunted growth in the quality and effectiveness of science communication practice. Good impact evaluation requires upstream planning, clear objectives from practitioners, relevant research skills and a commitment to improving practice based on evaluation evidence.

scholarly journals Evaluating impact and quality of experience in the 21st century: using technology to narrow the gap between science communication research and practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (03) ◽  
pp. C05 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Quality Of Experience ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Source Analysis ◽  
Audience Response ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Communication Practice ◽  
The Common

Access to high quality evaluation results is essential for science communicators to identify negative patterns of audience response and improve outcomes. However, there are many good reasons why robust evaluation linked is not routinely conducted and linked to science communication practice. This essay begins by identifying some of the common challenges that explain this gap between evaluation evidence and practice. Automating evaluation processes through new technologies is then explicated as one solution to these challenges, capable of yielding accurate real-time results that can directly feed into practice. Automating evaluation through smartphone and web apps tied to open source analysis tools can deliver on-going evaluation insights without the expense of regularly employing external consultants or hiring evaluation experts in-house. While such automation does not address all evaluation needs, it can save resources and equip science communicators with the information they need to continually enhance practice for the benefit of their audiences.

scholarly journals Quality Assessment of Some Essential Children’s Medicines Sold in Licensed Outlets in Ashanti Region, Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Frimpong ◽  
Kwabena Ofori-Kwakye ◽  
Noble Kuntworbe ◽  
Kwame Ohene Buabeng ◽  
Yaa Asantewaa Osei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Ashanti Region ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Medicine Outlets ◽  
Children’S Medicines

The quality of 68 samples of 15 different essential children’s medicines sold in licensed medicine outlets in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, was evaluated. Thirty-two (47.1%) of the medicines were imported, mainly from India (65.6%) and the United Kingdom (28.1%), while 36 (52.9%) were locally manufactured. The quality of the medicines was assessed using content of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), pH, and microbial limit tests, and the results were compared with pharmacopoeial standards. Twenty-six (38.2%) of the samples studied passed the official content of API test while 42 (61.8%) failed. Forty-nine (72.1%) of the samples were compliant with official specifications for pH while 19 (27.9%) were noncompliant. Sixty-six (97.1%) samples passed the microbial load and content test while 2 (2.9%) failed. Eighteen (26.5%) samples passed all the three quality evaluation tests, while one (1.5%) sample (CFX1) failed all the tests. All the amoxicillin suspensions tested passed the three evaluation tests. All the ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, flucloxacillin, artemether-lumefantrine, multivitamin, and folic acid samples failed the content of API test and are substandard. The overall API failure rate for imported products (59.4%) was comparable to locally manufactured (63.9%) samples. The results highlight the poor quality of the children’s medicines studied and underscore the need for regular pharmacovigilance and surveillance systems to fight this menace.

Multi-Dimensional Cooking Quality Classification Using Routine Quality Evaluation Methods

2018 ◽  
pp. 137-150
Author(s):  
Lilia Molina ◽  
Rosario Jimenez ◽  
Nese Sreenivasulu ◽  
Rosa Paula O. Cuevas
Keyword(s):  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Cooking Quality ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Quality Classification

scholarly journals Comparative Quality Evaluation of Selected Brands of Cefuroxime Axetil Tablets Marketed in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Christina Osei-Asare ◽  
Esther Eshun Oppong ◽  
Frederick William Akuffo Owusu ◽  
John Antwi Apenteng ◽  
Yvonne Ochesinda Alatu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Cefuroxime Axetil ◽  
Disintegration Time ◽  
Substandard Medicines ◽  
Antibiotic Drug ◽  
Model Independent ◽  
Greater Accra Region ◽  
Global Health Challenge

The ever-growing commercialization of poor-quality and substandard medicines, especially anti-infectives characterized by inadequate postmarket surveillance by stakeholders remains a major global health challenge, particularly in developing countries, where antibiotic drug resistance and its repercussions on human health remain dominant. This research sought to evaluate the pharmaceutical quality of six randomly selected brands of cefuroxime axetil tablets (250 mg) marketed in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The selected brands were coded and subjected to both compendial and noncompendial tests. Statistical analysis and model-independent parameter (similarity factor, f2) were employed in analyzing the dissolution profiles of all the brands. All brands including the reference brand conformed to the pharmacopeial specifications for both compendial and noncompendial tests, indicating that they were of good quality. However, there were significant variations ( p < 0.05 ) in the disintegration time amongst the various brands. All the brands had ƒ2 values > 50 indicating similarity of their drug release profiles with the innovator. Hence, all the sampled cefuroxime axetil brands can be considered as pharmaceutical equivalents to the innovator drug. These brands can, therefore, be used as a substitute for the innovator drug by physicians to patients in cases of unaffordability or unavailability of the innovator brand.

scholarly journals A Systematic Map of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity in Science Communication Research: Do We Practice what We Preach?

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Judd ◽  
Merryn McKinnon
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Systematic Map ◽  
Communication Practice ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion

Effective engagement with diverse stakeholders, combating misinformation and encouraging wider participation in science is core to science communication practice, and comprises much of the current focus of research in the discipline. Global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have clearly shown that social inequalities also manifest within communication structures, including those of science communication. Practices which are inclusive of diverse audiences are key if we wish to engage diverse audiences in finding solutions to societal issues. Yet there is little available evidence to show which diverse, marginalised and/or excluded groups are being engaged within science communication, and via what means. This paper develops a systematic map of academic literature spanning 40 years to provide a preliminary evidence base of how diversity and inclusion within science communication research and practice is conceived and implemented. Although the discipline has shown an increased focus within the last 5 years, science communication must evolve further in order to develop a robust evidence base for understanding what constitutes inclusive science communication in both theory and practice.

scholarly journals Impact Evaluation Methods in Public Economics

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Pomeranz
Keyword(s):  
Impact Evaluation ◽  
Public Economics ◽  
Evaluation Methods

Cluster development policies and firms’ performance: evidence from an emerging economy in Latin America

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-726
Author(s):  
Diego Aboal ◽  
Marcelo Perera ◽  
Flavia Rovira
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Impact Evaluation ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
The Body ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Impact evaluations of cluster programs at firm level are still scarce in the literature. The available evidence on the effectiveness of such programs based on rigorous quantitative impact evaluations is mixed. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the body of literature the evaluates quantitatively the impact of cluster programs in emerging economies on firms’ performance. In particular, the authors evaluate the impact of a cluster program in Uruguay on firms’ sales and exports. Design/methodology/approach The authors use state-of-the-art impact evaluation methods to evaluate the impact of the program. In particular, difference in differences and matching methods Findings There is very strong evidence that the program had a positive impact on exports and the propensity to export of firms. However, the evidence of a positive impact on sales is weak. The evidence suggests that the maximum effect of the program can be found in the fourth or fifth year after the intervention. Originality/value The contribution of this paper to the literature is fourfold. First, this paper adds to the scarce body of literature evaluating the effects of cluster development programs with state-of-the-art impact evaluation methods. Second, it adds evidence for Latin America, a region that has implement a number of cluster policies (Maffioli et al., 2016) and where, as far as the authors know, there is only one additional paper evaluating rigorously the impacts of them (Figal-Garone et al., 2015). In addition, the authors provide evidence about the timing of the effects after the implementation of a cluster policy, an important issue that is mostly overlooked in the existent literature. Finally, the paper focus its attention on the impacts on exports and the propensity to export of firms, key elements for small open economies in Latin America that are heavily reliant on foreign currency inflows.

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