Using digital libraries to provide online access to social science journals in Latin America

There is a strong history of social science research within Latin America, but its visibility (both within and outside the region) has been low for reasons of language and print distribution. The introduction of the Internet and online publication makes this information potentially more visible to the global research community, and within Latin America several organizations have undertaken to exploit this opportunity. The approaches taken show how collaboration between countries, and particularly between librarians and publishers, can provide innovative solutions. The CLACSO project uses a digital library model as a publishing platform for its member journals and this has provided a successful – and hopefully sustainable – model.     

Factors which comprise salary

A linear causal model is postulated and path analysis procedures are used to examine the direct, indirect, and total influence of 39 variables (grouped into eight general measures) on the salaries of 24.461 faculty members associated with virtually every discipline and type of postsecondary institution in the academic community. The results show wide variation in the relative influence of characteristics of postsecondary institutions and the personal and professional characteristics of faculty members on faculty salaries. The implications of these findings are discussed and specific guidelines are provided to assist those interested in examining the external and internal consistency of the faculty salary structures of their respective institutions.     

The BioSS Challenge - A demonstration of sampling bias

A sampling problem is described which was given to the general public to illustrate the problems of bias and the need for randomisation when sampling.     

Educational expenditures and student engagement: When does money matter?

The few studies focusing on the relationships between higher education expenditures and student outcomes have produced contradictory results. This study hypothesized that the lack of consistent relationships is a function of the fact that the effects of expenditures on outcomes are mediated by student engagement. Furthermore, it is expected that the relationships between expenditures and outcomes are contingent on the characteristics of the students and institutions being studied. The present research examined the relationships between higher education expenditures and students’ engagement in educationally purposeful activities, after controlling for a variety of student and institutional characteristics. Using data from a nationally representative sample of colleges and universities, the findings indicated that the relationships between expenditures and student engagement are very complex. Relationships differed by institutional control, students’ year in school, and the type of engagement measure included in the analysis.