scholarly journals Using democracy to award research funding: an observational study

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Inter Quartile Range ◽  
Alternative Funding ◽  
Quartile Range

Winning funding for health and medical research usually involves a lengthy application process. With success rates under 20% most of this time has no immediate value. An alternative funding system that could save time is using democracy to award the most deserving researchers based on votes from the research community. We aimed to test how such a system could work and examine some potential biases. We used an online survey with a convenience sample of Australian researchers. Researchers were asked to name the 10 scientists currently working in Australia that they thought most deserved funding for future research. For comparison we used recent winners from large national fellowship schemes that used traditional peer review. We received 1119 eligible votes from 169 voters. Voting took a median of 5 minutes (inter-quartile range 3 to 10 minutes). Extrapolating to a national voting scheme we estimate 599 working days of voting time (95% CI 490 to 728), compared with 827 working days for the current peer review system. The gender ratio in the votes was 45:55 (female:male) compared with 34:66 in recent fellowship winners, although this could be partly explained by Simpson’s paradox as the votes were not stratified by research field. Voters were biased towards their own institution, with an additional 1.6 votes per ballot (inter-quartile range 0.8 to 2.2) above the expected number. Voting would take less time than traditional peer review and would spread the workload over many more reviewers. The study provides some support for using democracy based on time saved and gender balance, but also showed evidence of friendly voting.

Predicting punitive attitudes to sentencing: Does the public's perceptions of crime and Indigenous Australians matter?

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth P Brookman ◽  
Karl KK Wiener
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Community Perception ◽  
Punitive Attitudes ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
English Speaking

In English-speaking western cultures the punitive attitudes towards law-breakers is well documented. The present study examines the utility of predictors of punitive attitudes with online survey data obtained from a convenience sample of 566 Australian residents. After controlling for demographic variables, the study examines the utility of two theoretical models; the Crime–distrust model and the Racial–animus model, in predicting punitive attitudes. All three factors of the Crime–distrust model significantly predict punitive attitudes. The study extends the current literature through identifying the significance of negative perceptions of Indigenous Australians in predicting punitive attitudes to sentencing. Results suggest that community perception of Indigenous Australians is a significant predictor of punitive attitudes in addition to factors of the Crime–distrust model. Future research using a more representative sample of the Australian population is recommended to increase the confidence with which findings are interpreted.

scholarly journals The Impact of Grit on Health Outcomes in College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 455-455
Author(s):  
Amelia Sullivan ◽  
Leigh Neptune ◽  
Kayla Parsons ◽  
Ashley Reynolds ◽  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Experiment Station ◽  
College Undergraduate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives The objective was to examine the relationship between grit and health outcomes in college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the 2-item Hager Food Insecurity Screener. Grit was assessed by generating a mean score using the 8-item short grit scale. Independent t-tests were used to compare health outcomes between students who reported above/below the average grit score of the sample. Chi-square tests were used to examine group differences between grit level and prevalence of food insecurity. Results Participants (N = 655) were 19.8 ± 1.5 years old, mostly female (63%), and white (84%). The average grit score was 3.27 ± 0.54 out of 5. Results indicated that students who were grittier than average (n = 372) reported fewer days/months (d/m) with poor mental health (8.1 ± 8.5 vs. 11.6 ± 9.6, P < 0.001), fewer d/m feeling sad/depressed (6.2 ± 7.7 vs. 9.9 ± 9.3, P < 0.001), more d/m with restful sleep (12.9 ± 9.8 vs. 10.3 ± 8.6, P < 0.001), more d/m feeling very healthy and full of energy (12.6 ± 8.8 vs. 8.4 ± 7.5, P < 0.001), and ate more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2.4 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.32, P < 0.01). Grittier participants were also less likely to report being food insecure (16.0%) vs. less grittier participants (23.3%), P < 0.05. Conclusions This data indicates that students who were grittier than average reported better HRQOL, consumed a more healthful diet, and were more likely to be food secure. This provides justification for future research to explore grit as a mediating factor that may contribute to better health outcomes, especially in populations particularly susceptible to experiencing poor HRQOL and food insecurity. Funding Sources This project was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number #ME0022104 through the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station. NJ Agriculture Experiment Station.

scholarly journals Relation of Personality to Grades and Grading in Undergraduate Peer Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 9-22
Author(s):  
Jenessa Louise Shaw ◽  
Kenneth Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Academic Entitlement ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Peer Reviews ◽  
Psychology Course

Peer reviews offer a unique assessment of post-secondary students’ writing, wherein students grade fellow students’ (or peers’) essay submissions according to a provided rubric. Previous research found that students’ personality dimensions were related to the grades that students both gave and received through peer assessment. The present study examined the association between personality factors on grader leniency and grades received during a peer review assignment in an introductory psychology course. Participants completed an online survey to assess academic entitlement, learning/grade orientation, narcissism, and the 5-factor personality traits; these were later joined to peer review grades received and given. Results showed that rater leniency was negatively related to learning orientation, conscientiousness, and grade orientation. Moreover, the strongest predictors of grades received included academic entitlement, conscientiousness, and narcissism. Implications of these findings, plus directions for future research, are discussed.             Keywords: peer review, rater leniency, personality, academic achievement   L’évaluation par les pairs constitue un processus exceptionnel d’évaluation de l’écriture d’étudiants de niveau postsecondaire. Des étudiants notent les rédactions de leurs camarades de classe (leurs « pairs ») en utilisant une grille d’évaluation qui leur est fournie. Des recherches ont montré que les aspects de la personnalité des étudiants ont une incidence sur les notes que ceux-ci donnent ou reçoivent. La présente étude examine le lien entre, d’une part, les facteurs liés à la personnalité et, d’autre part, la clémence des évaluateurs et les notes reçues au cours d’une évaluation par les pairs dans un cours d’introduction à la psychologie. Les participants ont rempli un sondage en ligne pour mesurer leurs attentes en matière de notes, leur intérêt pour l’apprentissage ou pour les notes, leur narcissisme et les cinq traits centraux de la personnalité. Les réponses au sondage ont ensuite été combinées aux évaluations par les pairs que les participants ont rendues et reçues. Les résultats montrent que la clémence de l’évaluateur est liée de façon négative à l’intérêt en matière d’apprentissage, au caractère consciencieux et à l’intérêt pour les notes. Qui plus est, les principaux indicateurs des notes reçues comprennent l’attente de recevoir de bonnes notes, le caractère consciencieux et le narcissisme. L’article examine les conséquences de ces résultats et indique la direction à prendre pour des recherches à venir. Mots clés : évaluation par les pairs, clémence de l’évaluateur, personnalité, rendement universitaire

scholarly journals Changes in Physical Activity Pre-, During and Post-lockdown COVID-19 Restrictions in New Zealand and the Explanatory Role of Daily Hassles

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine A. Hargreaves ◽  
Craig Lee ◽  
Matthew Jenkins ◽  
Jessica R. Calverley ◽  
Ken Hodge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Daily Hassles ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Explanatory Role ◽  
Convenience Sample

Covid-19 lockdown restrictions constitute a population-wide “life-change event” disrupting normal daily routines. It was proposed that as a result of these lockdown restrictions, physical activity levels would likely decline. However, it could also be argued that lifestyle disruption may result in the formation of increased physical activity habits. Using a longitudinal design, the purpose of this study was to investigate changes in physical activity of different intensities, across individuals who differed in activity levels prior to lockdown restrictions being imposed, and across three time periods: pre-, during- and post-lockdown. This study also examined the extent to which the experience of daily hassles explained any changes in physical activity. A convenience sample (N = 759) recruited through social media, provided data from an online survey administered during weeks 2–3 of a 5-week lockdown and 231 participants provided complete data again 6 weeks post-lockdown (72% female, M age = 43 years). Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form and the Daily Hassles Scale. Results showed that vigorous and moderate intensity PA were significantly lower during- and post-lockdown compared to pre-lockdown in those individuals who had been highly active pre-lockdown. In contrast, for moderately active individuals pre-lockdown, vigorous and moderate intensity PA was significantly higher during-lockdown compared to pre-lockdown, and these increased levels of vigorous PA were maintained post-lockdown. Participants experienced daily hassles due to inner concerns, time pressures, family, and financial concerns to the same extent during- and post-lockdown. Those daily hassles had a small negative (Standardized β = −0.11; p < 0.05) predictive effect on post-lockdown PA. It appears that to understand the effect of COVID-19 restrictions on PA, the activity status of individuals pre-lockdown needs to be taken into account. The daily hassles appeared to play a role in post-lockdown PA behavior, but future research should investigate why these results occurred.

scholarly journals Not a stranger to the dark: discrimination against autistic students and employees

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Lorenz ◽  
Chelsea Rebecca Brüning ◽  
Mitzi Waltz ◽  
Marc Fabri
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Deprivation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Equal Treatment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Perceived Employability

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal barriers and their coherences between discrimination and self-perceived employability which students and employees on the autism spectrum often face and need to overcome. These include discrimination based on disability, when applying for a job or retaining employment. This research located barriers in three different categories: formality – problems that focus on organizational structures in the application process; social – communication and interaction problems; and job demand barriers – obstacles that epitomize work-related strains. Design/methodology/approach Barriers and discrimination can prevent individuals from accessing the labor market which can lead to severe consequences for an individual on the autism spectrum, such as poverty, social deprivation or lack of health promotion and equal treatment. Self-perceived employability can be regarded as an additional strength, as it describes the perception of an individual’s own skills and versatility to acquire and keep a job. In total, 53 German-speaking individuals on the autism spectrum participated in an online survey. Findings Results showed statistically significant coherences between both, formality and social barriers with discrimination. Formality barriers also indicated statistically significant coherences with self-perceived employability. A mediation model with discrimination as mediator between each category of barriers and self-perceived employability was examined. The non-significant results suggest that discrimination does not work as a superior construct but as a sole influence next to barriers and self-perceived employability. Originality/value Individuals on the autism spectrum epitomize a less common research approach. Moreover, diversity policies and practices in the workplace often do not focus on including individuals on the autism spectrum even though the employment rates for this specific group of potential highly qualified employees were reported to be consistently lower when compared to any other group of disabled people. Findings suggest possible starting points for future research, which are discussed alongside practical strategies to overcome barriers and change discriminatory attitudes toward skilled individuals on the autism spectrum.

scholarly journals Knowledge and motivations of researchers publishing in presumed predatory journals: a survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e026516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly D Cobey ◽  
Agnes Grudniewicz ◽  
Manoj M Lalu ◽  
Danielle B Rice ◽  
Hana Raffoul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Grey Zone ◽  
Predatory Journals ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Biomedical Journals ◽  
Predatory Journal ◽  
Email Invitation

ObjectivesTo develop effective interventions to prevent publishing in presumed predatory journals (ie, journals that display deceptive characteristics, markers or data that cannot be verified), it is helpful to understand the motivations and experiences of those who have published in these journals.DesignAn online survey delivered to two sets of corresponding authors containing demographic information, and questions about researchers' perceptions of publishing in the presumed predatory journal, type of article processing fees paid and the quality of peer review received. The survey also asked six open-ended items about researchers' motivations and experiences.ParticipantsUsing Beall’s lists, we identified two groups of individuals who had published empirical articles in biomedical journals that were presumed to be predatory.ResultsEighty-two authors partially responded (~14% response rate (11.4%[44/386] from the initial sample, 19.3%[38/197] from second sample) to our survey. The top three countries represented were India (n=21, 25.9%), USA (n=17, 21.0%) and Ethiopia (n=5, 6.2%). Three participants (3.9%) thought the journal they published in was predatory at the time of article submission. The majority of participants first encountered the journal via an email invitation to submit an article (n=32, 41.0%), or through an online search to find a journal with relevant scope (n=22, 28.2%). Most participants indicated their study received peer review (n=65, 83.3%) and that this was helpful and substantive (n=51, 79.7%). More than a third (n=32, 45.1%) indicated they did not pay fees to publish.ConclusionsThis work provides some evidence to inform policy to prevent future research from being published in predatory journals. Our research suggests that common views about predatory journals (eg, no peer review) may not always be true, and that a grey zone between legitimate and presumed predatory journals exists. These results are based on self-reports and may be biased thus limiting their interpretation.

scholarly journals Experiences of the Built Environment, Falls and Fear of Falling Outdoors among Older Adults: An Exploratory Study and Future Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Curl ◽  
Helen Fitt ◽  
Melanie Tomintz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Fear Of Falling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
The Impact

Falls can have serious impacts on the health, wellbeing and daily mobilities of older adults. Falls are a leading cause of injury and death amongst older adults and outdoor falls comprise a substantial proportion of pedestrian injuries. As well as physical injuries, the psychological impacts of experiencing a fall can result in older adults getting out of the house less often, resulting in lower levels of physical activity and social connection. Despite the known consequences of falls, relatively little research considers the impact of the urban built environment on falls among older adults. This research aimed to explore the experiences of older adults in the urban environment, falling and the fear of falling outdoors. We conducted an online survey with adults aged 50+ using a participatory mapping survey tool and a convenience sample. The study area was Greater Christchurch, New Zealand. Results suggest that both perceived accessibility and neighbourhood conditions are independently associated with fear of falling, after controlling for frequency of falling, gender and activities of daily living. Our findings demonstrate the need for much better understandings of the relationships between the urban environment, outdoor mobility, fear of falling and falling among older adults and we propose suggestions for future research.

Consumer location and ad type preferences as predictors of attitude toward femvertising

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-195
Author(s):  
Alan Abitbol ◽  
Miglena M. Sternadori
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cause Related Marketing ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Attitudes Toward Advertising

Purpose This purpose of this study was to investigate how consumers’ degree of rurality and preference for specific ad types are associated with their attitude toward femvertising (pro-female advertising). Design/methodology/approach An online survey of US-based respondents over 18 years of age was administered by Qualtrics Panels from February 7 to February 15, 2018. The final sample included 418 respondents. Findings The more urban the respondents’ location was, the more educated they were, leading to more support for gender equality but not a more positive attitude to femvertising. Liking of ads described as “funny,” “with a message” and “emotional” was associated with a more positive attitude toward femvertising. Research limitations/implications The findings were limited by the use of a convenience sample and the limited variance in participants’ rurality owing to the prevalence of respondents based in or near metropolitan areas. Future research should seek to understand how, if at all, femvertising has affected rather than only reflected social change across a variety of cultural settings. Practical implications Marketers can expect femvertising appeals to be relatively effective across the rural–urban divide. Femvertising campaigns should consider using or continue to use humor, inspiration/moral reasoning, and emotion in their messages. Social implications The relative lack of controversy surrounding femvertising indicates gender equality may be embraced across social divides, possibly because in the current economic environment, women’s empowerment is linked to monetary gains for both companies and households. Originality/value As the demand for companies to take a stance regarding socially charged issues increases, there is a critical need to understand the factors that impact consumer demand in the context of pro-female messaging. This study expands the literature on the effects of two such factors – rurality and ad type preferences – on attitudes toward advertising promoting egalitarian values. No previous research has investigated the role of these variables in cause-related marketing.

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCES OF NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA ON FOOD INSECURITY AND HOARDING BEHAVIOUR DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Lucy Charilaou ◽  
Santosh Vijaykumar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Food Hoarding ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Income Groups

Abstract Objective: To examine how sociodemographic variables and frequency of media consumption affect hoarding behaviour and food insecurity concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A quantitative, non-experimental, correlational online survey was administered using a convenience sample of 203 participants from the United Kingdom with no medical issues that affected buying behaviour during the pandemic to examine perceptions related to food insecurity, and self-reported food hoarding behaviour Results: Younger adults and lower income groups reported higher food insecurity perceptions and hoarding behaviours. Consuming COVID-19 information from websites was significantly associated with food insecurity perceptions, while information from social media was significantly associated with more food hoarding behaviours. Conclusions: Younger adults and lower income groups are vulnerable populations from the perspective of food insecurity and hoarding behaviour in times of health disasters like pandemics. While social media can play a positively catalytic role during crises, excessive online information and misinformation can contribute negatively to public panic and feelings of insecurity. Implications for disaster preparedness and future research are discussed. The findings suggest that age is the main predictor of food insecurity and hoarding behaviour, with younger adults more likely to be affected. They also suggest that people are turning to NHS wesbites, which were deemed more trustworthy than social media, to avoid ‘news fatigue’ and avoiding speculation. Suggestions for future research were made, specifically to examine people’s social support during the pandemic to understand its’ potential link to stockpiling behaviour or food insecurity concerns.

Job Demands–Resources and Flourishing: Exploring Workplace Bullying as a Potential Mediator

2019 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 1316-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzabé Nel ◽  
Melinde Coetzee
Keyword(s):  
Workplace Bullying ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Potential Mediator ◽  
Recommendations For Practice ◽  
The Relationship

Flourishing in the workplace can bring about various positive outcomes for individual and organizational well-being. This study explored the interactional effect of workplace bullying on the relationship between job demands–resources and flourishing. A convenience sample of 1102 employees was selected, and these employees completed an online survey that explored this relationship. Mediation analysis revealed that low job demands were linked to lower levels of workplace bullying, which in turn correlated with higher levels of flourishing. Workplace bullying partially mediated the job demands–flourishing relationship, but not the job resources–flourishing relation. The results were interpreted based on the job demands–resources theory, followed by recommendations for practice and future research.

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