Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Harnessing The Power Of Social Media: Understanding The Use Of Social Media For Crisis Communication, Amanda Fountain

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Intelligibility And Comprehensibility Of Learner Speech In Russian: A Study In The Salience Of Pronunciation, Lexicon, Grammar And Syntax, Jill A. Neuendorf

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

This study of L-2 Russian interlanguage production examined the salience of phonetic, lexical and syntactical features for L-1 listener intelligibility, based on L-2recitation of written scripts (Part I) and also unrehearsed speech (Part II). Part III of the study investigated strategies used by native-speaking teachers of Russian as a Second Language and experienced Russian host families to facilitate comprehensibility of L-2Russian speech.

The respondent group consisted of 51 native-Russian speakers plus a 20-member ethnic Russian control group, whose speech samples were also rated by the informant group. The 51 respondents comprised four sub-groups based on residency (Russia/US), profession (teacher/non-teacher of …

Embedding Semantic Markup In Web Pages, Virginia Shilling

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The World Wide Web first revolutionized the presentation of text and data for people. The next wave of technology, the semantic web, will make data accessible to computers as well as people. Underpinning the semantic web is the Resource Description Framework (RDF). One way to make RDF-compatible data available on the web is to embed it in the X/HTML document. A small project investigates the available syntax for encoding RDF in web pages, the available descriptive vocabularies, and discusses the results of manually encoding web pages using RDFa and Dublin Core

Foundation Evaluation Startup: A Pause For Reflection, Jill M. Yegian

The Foundation Review

· This article reports on the accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned in creating a new Department of Research and Evaluation at the California HealthCare Foundation.

· Different tools were developed to address each of three key areas: performance assessment, organizational learning, and program evaluation.

· These new processes and tools have been wellreceived by both staff and the board, and have become increasingly important as resources become more scarce, making understanding and maximizing the impact of investments even more critical.

· Fostering a culture of evaluative inquiry in a fast-paced, payout-oriented environment is a significant challenge – program staff often …

Moving Diversity Up The Agenda: Lessons And Next Steps From The Diversity In Philanthropy Project, Jessica Bearman, Henry A. J. Ramos, Anna-Nanine S. Pond

The Foundation Review

· The Diversity in Philanthropy Project (DPP) was a three-year, voluntary effort of foundation trustees, senior staff, and executives of philanthropysupport organizations committed to increasing diversity and inclusive practice across organized philanthropy’s boards, staff, grantmaking, contracting, and investing.

· DPP had significant achievements, including mobilizing greater commitment among foundation leaders to voluntary action on diversity and enhancing both the knowledge base and data methodologies available for understanding diversity, inclusion, and equity in foundation work.

· The initiative also faced its share of challenges, including difficulty assessing the impact on the diversity performance of foundations, slow adoption of recommended principles and …

Strategic Communications For Influence: Lessons From The Annie E. Casey Foundation And Its Kids Count Initiative, Anne Gienapp, Jane Reisman, Kasey Langley, Carolyn Cohen, Tony Cipollone, Tom Kelly, Don Crary, Sue Lin Chong

The Foundation Review

· This article describes how the Annie E. Casey Foundation is using the KIDS COUNT Network in a new way: as a strategic communications tool in its focused efforts toward policy change, broad social change, and improved conditions for vulnerable children and families. An outcome map illustrates links between this strategy and the intended outcomes.

· Case illustrations of KIDS COUNT grantee activities surrounding the release of the 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book describe the efforts of grantees in six states where the quantity and quality of media coverage surrounding the national data book reflected the kind of coverage that …

Status Of Technological Competencies: A Case Study Of University Librarians, Syeda Hina Batool, Kanwal Ameen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Technological expertise is the combination of knowledge and skill needed to apply technology for efficient and effective performance. This study investigates the technological expertise of eight university librarians using interview as data collection tool. Interview questions were based on technological template (T-template) or technology evaluation list for staff. It has been used by Education, Libraries & Heritage (ELH) Department’s ICT service in UK, California and Alberta public libraries to assess the IT competencies of their staff . The Template has been adopted and customized to meet the local requirements. It was used to measure the degree of professional technological expertise …

Libraries And Education For Peace In Pakistan, Rubina Bhatti

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper explores the role of all kinds of libraries (school, college, university, public and national) in promoting education for peace. This paper investigates how libraries can play their part in peace building in Pakistani society. The methodology is a review of the related literature and informal discussion with educationists, psychologists, sociologists, library professionals and other society members. Extensive discussion with international participants from various countries was also conducted during the International Conference in India in February, 2010. It concluded that libraries, by organising, seminar, conferences, book displays, fairs and exhibitions can create an environment where conflict and relationships may …

Electronic Information Seeking Among Lis Postgraduate Students At Makerere University, Uganda, C. Okello-Obura, J. R. Ikoja-Odongo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Without clearly understanding the users’ level of usage of resources, attitudes and the e-resources literacy levels, it is difficult to promote reading in electronic environment. Developing countries within their limited library resources need to ensure that the e-resources acquired or subscribed to are optimally used. It is on that basis that the study was designed and conducted among the postgraduate Library and Information Science (LIS) students of Makerere University, Uganda to establish the level of computer skills of its LIS postgraduate students; determine the use of electronic information resources; their attitudes towards e-resources; access; their e-resources literacy levels and propose …

Quality Of Life Among Rural Nigerian Women: The Role Of Information, Yetunde Abosede Zaid, S. O. Popoola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The quality of life of people in developing countries including Nigeria is not near the expected standard. This is especially so with women living in the rural areas whose lives are characterized by poor income, poverty, hunger, diseases as well as lack of potable water, good shelter and access to medical attention. This is due to the fact that these women do not have access to valuable information and may not make use of available information which could help them meet the challenges of daily living. This study, therefore, investigated the extent to which information accessibility and use could improve …

Editorial, Teresa R. Behrens

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Health Literacy: A Bibliometric And Citation Analysis, Robert M. Shapiro Ii

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The concept of health literacy finds its origins in the field of education. In its brief history the definition, structure, and direction of the field has changed dramatically and has emerged as a multidisciplinary endeavor full of discipline specific manifestations, most recently, public health literacy. Using bibliometric and citation analyses, this study investigated the field of health literacy from the first use of the term in 1974 to the present year, 2010. A range of databases from the various fields that have contributed to the field were searched using the keyword string, “health literacy.” Data was organized, cleaned and parsed …

Export Vs. Import - Led Growth In Mexico, Joseph Kababie

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study concentrates on the role of imports and the impact they have for economic growth in the country of Mexico. The investigation is conducted in a time series framework using an ordinary least square method, a vector autoregressive model, and a vector error correction model to test the trade variables of exports and imports for exogenous or endogenous induced growth. The results indicate through Granger causality tests that imports are having the significant impact for economic growth. These findings are in some ways in contradiction to previous literature that has focused on exports as being the sole engine for …

Disclosure Of Hiv Serostatus In Latinos As A Function Of Acculturation: The Role Of Attitudinal Components And The Theory Of Reasoned Action, John Andrew Sauceda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

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Early Psychosis Intervention In Oregon: Building A Positive Future For This Generation, Ryan P. Melton, Tamara Sale

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

The article focuses on the importance of early Schizophrenia intervention.

Can Fighting Grade Inflation Help The Bottom Line?, Arthur J. Caplan, John Gilbert

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This article uses a rich set of student transcript data to estimate the economic cost incurred by a university when it does not adopt a ‘mean-shift grading policy’ to fight grade inflation. We show that even in the face of moral hazard constraints a university can enhance its profitability by fighting grade inflation with a distribution-shifting policy.

Does "Free Sampling" Enhance The Value Of Public Goods?, Arthur J. Caplan, Douglas Jackson-Smith, Sandra Marquart-Pyatt

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This study investigates whether a ‘free sampling’ marketing strategy induces an enduring WTP premium effect for public goods. Using data from a unique field experiment involving curbside recycling, we find that the premium effect associated with providing non-participating households a brief opportunity to participate in a curbside recycling program for free is relatively small and not enduring. It may therefore not be cost effective to offer a free-sampling participation incentive for this type (or similar types) of local public good(s).

Estimating Hypothetical Bias In Economically Emergent Africa: A Generic Public Good Experiment, Arthur J. Caplan, David Aadland, Anthony Macharia

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This paper reports results from a contingent valuation based public good experiment conducted in the African nation of Botswana. In a sample of university students, we find evidence that stated willingness to contribute to a public good in a hypothetical setting is higher than actual contribution levels. However, results from regression analysis suggest that this is true only in the second round of the experiment, when participants making actual contributions have learned to significantly lower their contribution levels. As globalization expands markets, and economies such as Botswana's continue to modernize, there is a growing need to understand how hypothetical bias …

Branding The Family Drama: Genre Formations And Critical Perspectives On Gilmore Girls, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Photojournalism: Historical Dimensions To Contemporary Debates, Bonnie Brennen

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This chapter offers a brief discussion of the historical context surrounding recent discussions of photography and focuses on the role of photojournalism in contemporary society. As such, it addresses the introduction of photography and its perceived ability to provide authentic documentation of "reality" and details the development of photojournalism during the twentieth century. This chapter then focuses on challenges to the documentary role of photography since the introduction of digital technologies and notes the changing role of photojournalists showcasing their current emphasis on illustrating emotional aspects of experience.

Consumer Ethnocentrism: A Comparison Of Arab And Western Audiences, Kevin Keenan, James Pokrywczynski

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The subject of consumer ethnocentrism is discussed in the context of advertising country-of-origin effects. The literature and suggestions concerning the phenomenon in the Middle East are brought up and a study using U.S. and Egyptian samples is described. The findings show some evidence of consumer ethnocentrism in both countries, though statistical significance is only achieved with U.S. data, generally consistent with prior writing and research focused on developed versus developing countries. Special attention is given to the construct of worldliness and though not statistically significant, results suggest it may be a factor deserving additional study.

Formation Of An Academic Writing Group At Louisiana State University Libraries: Background, Guidelines And Lessons Learned, Kelly D. Blessinger, Stephanie Braunstein, Alice Daugherty, Paul Hrycaj

Faculty Publications

Producing high quality scholarly publications is a daunting task for many college and university librarians. In 2007, the LSU Libraries established a writing group to assist in this process. This four-member group makes itself available to review and critique manuscripts submitted by LSU librarians, most of whom are tenure-track. This paper examines the background, formation, and experiences-to-date of this group. Emphasis is placed on the particular characteristics of the LSU group, which make this group different from similar groups at other institutions. Thus, this paper includes, in its Appendices, practical materials such as forms for writers to use when submitting …

Prison As Seen By Convict Criminologists, Stephen C. Richards, Michael Lenza, Greg Newbold, Richard S. Jones, Daniel S. Murphy, Robert S. Grisby

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Most criminologists tend to base their view of prison on ideological assumptions gathered from secondary sources, with at best limited entry to the prison world. They nearly always get it wrong, as they systematically exclude the perspectives and real life experiences of their human subjects. These academic researchers have contributed to poor public policy that promotes the violent repression of prisoners in the USA and other countries. In response, Convict Criminologists are ex‐convicts working as criminology and criminal justice professors, along with “non‐con” associates, that insist that as a means for societies to develop humane, effective, and cost efficient prisons, …

School, Community And Clinical Psychology Training And Working Together In The Interdisciplinary School Mental Health Field, Mark D. Weist, C. Mills, S. Huebner, B. Smith, A. Wandersman

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Public Librarianship, Kathleen De La Peña Mccook

School of Information Faculty Publications

Preface Public libraries in the United States of America are in their third century of service as the heart of communities throughout the nation. Our public libraries are our public sphere open to all who desire to use their services—both as cultural spaces and as virtual services. The literature of public librarianship is extensive, but it is also dispersed among many specializations such as management, information technology,youth services, and community planning. In truth, public librarianship incorporates all of these specializations, just as public librarians work to serve all people—all backgrounds, all ethnicities, all ages, all religions or no religion, all …

[Rd] Prism Library: Patient Registry Item Specifications And Metadata For Rare Diseases, Rachel L. Richesson, Denise Shereff, James E. Andrews

School of Information Faculty Publications

Patient registries are important for understanding the causes and origins of rare diseases and estimating their impact; and they may prove critical developing new diagnostics and therapeutics. This paper introduces the [RD] PRISM resource , an NIH-funded project to develop a library of standardized question and answer sets to support rare disease research. The paper presents a project case-driven plan for creating a new registry using questions from an existing related registry, revising and expanding an existing registry, and showing interoperability of data collected from different registries and data sources. Each of the use cases involves the retrieval of indexed …

Grey Literature In Karst Research: The Evolution Of The Karst Information Portal (Kip), Todd A. Chavez

Academic Resources Faculty and Staff Publications

The Karst Information Portal (KIP) is a digital library linking scientists, resource managers, and explorers with quality information resources concerning karst, an understudied natural environment that is crucial to the health and well-being of one out of every four people on Earth. Beginning in 2006 as a partnership between the University of South Florida Libraries, the National Cave & Karst Research Institute, the University of New Mexico Library, and the Union Internationale de Spéléologie (UIS), the KIP initiative has expanded to include databases concerning cave minerals, speleothem dating, and coastal cave surveys. This chapter outlines the evolution of the project …

Numeracy: Open-Access Publishing To Reduce The Cost Of Scholarly Journals, Todd A. Chavez

Academic Resources Faculty and Staff Publications

Each fiscal year, as academic librarians throughout the United States prepare materials budgets, a national “groan” ensues. Regardless of their format (i.e. print or digital), serial subscription costs are escalating, in the process impacting the role of the library in advancing scholarly communication . This paper examines some of the economic issues concerning open-access (OA) journal publishing. The importance of quantitative literacy is suggested for librarians and academics seeking a better understanding of alternatives to traditional journal subscription models and to anyone considering ventures into OA publishing. Quantitative literacy is essential for managing alternatives to the rising cost of scholarly …

Resistant Starch And Sodium Butyrate Reduce Body Fat In Rodents, Kirk Adam Vidrine

LSU Master's Theses

Introduction: Obesity levels in the United States have significantly increased in the last forty years. Lifestyle and pharmacological treatments have been largely ineffective in treating obesity for most people. Both Resistant Starch (RS) and Dietary Sodium Butyrate (SB) are bioactivties which have shown the ability to decrease body fat levels of rodents without increasing physical activity or decreasing energy intake. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) are gut hormones that may be involved in increased energy expenditure at a cellular level with dietary RS and SB. Objective: To discern if SB and RS both work through the increase …

Basic Archives Processing Manual For Student Employees And Volunteers, Tomaro I. Taylor

Academic Services Faculty and Staff Publications

A step-by-step guide for the arrangement and description of archival collections. Developed for individuals new to archival processing in a special library setting.