Watch Your Mouth! An Analysis of Profanity Uttered by Children on Prime-Time Television

This study examines the frequency and types of offensive language spoken on prime-time television in 2001, particularly on programs rated acceptable for children and teenagers, and the use of profane language by characters under the age of 21. The findings are compared to similar studies conducted in 1990, 1994, and 1997 to determine whether the use of profanity by child and young adult characters has increased over an 11-year period. Age and content warnings inadequately protect children from profanity. TV-PG programs contain as much off-color language as TV-14 programs, and more coarse language could be found in programs not given an L warning. Further, the earliest hour of prime time, when children are more likely to be viewing, contains significantly more instances of profanity than the time period of 10 to 11 p.m. However, characters under the age of 21 rarely utter profane words, and they are just as infrequently spoken to with such language.     

Self reference in interpretive performance

Self reference, the capacity of language to “talk about itself”, provides a useful paradigm for understanding, directing, and performing oral interpretation. An analysis of the various relationships and interactions within this art form reveals dimensions of self reference, that feature of language which transforms a system of discursive symbolism into a presentational literary art form. To the degree that oral interpretation capitalizes on this reflexive power of language, the transformation is most complete in this literary art form.     

Père René Rapin's eloquence des belles‐lettres

This study employed factor‐analytic techniques in two separate experiments to determine the dimensions of message interpretation when different opinions on black‐white relationships were expressed. People in five cities responded to messages varying in perceived racial militancy. The results yielded a factor structure with three strong and pure dimensions accounting for 68 percent of the variance. Suggestions for the use of these scales in a variety of situations were offered.     

Internal,External, and Government Political Efficacy: Effects on News Use,Discussion, and Political Participation

News use and political discussion are often studied as important factors in understanding the effects of political efficacy on participation. However, measurements of external efficacy often blur distinctions between personal ability and government responsiveness. This study establishes a measure for perceptions of competence in the institutions of democratic government—government efficacy (GE). Drawing on panel survey data from the United States, confirmatory factor analysis introduces GE as a unique construct. Political efficacy dimensions are tested for their impact on news consumption, discussion, and political participation. Results add to the extant literature revolving the role of political efficacy on news use, discussion, and participation.     

A Correlational Study of Foreign Language Anxiety and Library Anxiety Among Non-native Speakers of English: A Case Study in a Malaysian Public University

This study examines the correlation of the dimensions of foreign language anxiety and library anxiety among undergraduates at a public university in Malaysia. The Malay translated versions of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and the Library Anxiety Scale (LAS) were completed by 147 students pursuing a Foundation in Science course. Analysis revealed a significant correlation in all the dimensions of library anxiety with three of the dimensions of foreign language anxiety, namely speaking anxiety, self-evaluation anxiety, and learner anxiety. The findings in this study will enable librarians to be aware of the anxieties faced by students which can help in the planning and delivery of services and instruction.     

Validating Wordscores: The Promises and Pitfalls of Computational Text Scaling

ABSTRACT

Wordscores is a popular computational text analysis method with numerous applications in communication research. Wordscores claims to scale documents on specified dimensions without requiring researchers to read or even understand the language of the input text. We investigate whether Wordscores delivers this claim by scaling the Euromanifestos of 117 political parties across 23 countries on 4 salient dimensions of political conflict. We assess validity by comparing the Wordscores estimates to expert surveys and other judgmental measures, and by examining the Wordscores’s estimates ability to predict party membership in the European Parliament groups. We find that the Wordscores estimates correlate poorly with expert and judgmental measures of party positions, while the latter outperform Wordscores in the predictive validity test. We conclude that Wordscores does not live up to its original claim of a “quick and easy” language blind method, and urge researchers to demonstrate the validity of the method in their domain of interest before any empirical analysis.     

Powerless Language in Health Media: The Influence of Biological Sex and Magazine Type on Health Language

Powerless language influences how media consumers perceive the believability and trustworthiness of news sources. Past studies have suggested females use more powerless language, which can negatively influence credibility. However, previous research also suggests powerless language may be preferred in certain contexts. To investigate powerless language use in written health media, a content analysis investigated health-related articles in issues of 12 magazines between October 2008 and September 2009. Analysis compared differences in powerless language frequencies relative to three variables: biological sex of the author, biological sex of the audience, and the magazine's overall topic focus. Female authors and health-focused magazines used more powerless language than male authors and generic-focused magazines, and powerless language was more often directed towards a female audience than a male audience.     

(5) A Review of Public Library Development in India

This study investigates the relationship between the students’ computer attitudes to library anxiety, computer experience, gender, native language and age. It also examines the amounts and most common types of computer use and their effects on the students’ computer attitudes. Age and gender do not show any significant relationship to computer attitudes; nonetheless, year of study and native language both show a relationship to the computer confidence factor. Computer use, especially home use, is strongly and consistently associated with positive computer attitudes although there are positive correlations between all computer-attitude factors and all library-anxiety factors. Computer experience produces positive computer attitudes, and positive computer attitudes help decrease library anxiety among students.     

图书馆焦虑量表的构建与实证分析

在已有图书馆焦虑量表的基础上,通过大量文献综述、深度访谈、专家讨论、问卷调查和实证分析,严格按照科学化的量表制定流程,构建一个全新的符合当前图书馆环境的包括7个维度、40个条目的图书馆焦虑量表,经检验量表具有很好的信度和效度,为以后的图书馆焦虑的量化研究提供有利工具。在因素分析过程中,尝试一种全新的分层因素分析方法,对以后实证研究中的量表的制定具有参考意义。     

综合性文献数据库大学生用户心智模型影响因素及效用分析:以CNKI为例

对综合性文献数据库大学生用户心智模型的影响因素和效应进行探索。研究采用实验法收集数据,采用独立样本t检验、单因素方差分析和多元线性回归法分析数据。61名大学生参与了此项试验。研究表明:①用户心智模型影响因素方面:网龄和认知风格是造成差异的两个重要因素。就网龄而言,高网龄组的心智模型平均得分高于低网龄组,体现在内容认知、用户负面情感和用户正面情感3个维度。就认知风格而言,场独立组用户的心智模型得分显著高于场依存组,体现在用户界面功能认知维度。年龄的不同对用户心智模型及其各个维度均未产生差异。此外,虽然性别、学科、年级、使用频率、学习风格在用户心智模型整体上没有差异,但却在相应的维度上有差异。②用户心智模型效应方面:用户心智模型在用户特征与用户检索绩效之间存在中介效应。就网龄变量而言,用户心智模型起着完全中介效应;就用户认知风格变量而言,用户心智模型可能起着部分中介效应(仍有待今后进一步验证)。本研究可为大学生个性化信息素养培训提供参考。     

Improving the assessment of digital services in government websites: Evidence from the Mexican State government portals ranking

Different definitions, frameworks and dimensions have been proposed in the literature to identify the best pathways for the development of government websites. Using these frameworks, several measurements and rankings to assess digital government success have been developed. Although these models have helped to understand the influence of many critical factors on the successful application of ICT in government, it is necessary to understand the empirical validity of these frameworks and dimensions. Some authors have proposed factor analysis techniques as a useful tool for this task. Using data from a ranking of state government portals in Mexico during the period 2009-2015, we conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the dimensions of the evolutionary model proposed in the ranking. Results ratify most of the original dimensions of the evaluated instrument, but allow reducing the number of questions and obtain more robust estimations. Also, the new reduced instrument is validated using data collected in 2016 and 2017. Based on the analysis, we provide a set of practical recommendations for improving measurement methodologies and the assessment of digital government services in general.     

从语篇交际功能看科技期刊英文摘要存在的问题——基于语料库的对比与分析

基于涵盖12个理工科学科的科技期刊英文摘要语料库,利用语料库方法对163个语言特征的频率进行因子分析,系统比较了中外科技期刊英文摘要的差异.结果显示,2类摘要在副词、第一人称代词、前置性修饰语以及被动语态的使用上存在显著的功能性差异.国内英文摘要多数不善于使用副词加强语气,有意规避第一人称代词,缺少与读者的交互,而过多的前置性修饰语和被动语态无形中增加了阅读困难,与国际学术界提倡的直接简洁的写作风格仍有偏差.我们分析了造成这些差异的可能原因,并对国内科技期刊英文摘要写作提出建议.     

基于自然语言词对法的文献主题新颖性探测研究

[目的/意义] 提出一个全新的量化指标--文档主题新颖度,通过自然语言词对方法对文献主题内容的新颖性进行探测研究,并探讨其可行性和优缺点以及新颖度与F1000推荐文献和引文指标之间的关系。[方法/过程] 以F1000为基础,选取hematology主题近一个月内推荐的文献,在Pubmed中查找并获取该推荐文献发表之前6个月内密切相关的文献,构成整个文献集。定义自然语言法新颖度的概念、计算公式并利用Oracle数据库PL/SQL语言进行编程,通过MetaMap软件提取自然语言词汇进行文献主题新颖度的运算。[结果/结论] 自然语言法在文献主题新颖性探测的运算上具有一定的可行性;文档主题新颖度与F1000推荐文献、引用情况并非成等价关系,分属于科技论文评价的不同维度、不同范畴,不可一概而论。应将文档主题新颖度这一新指标与同行评议情况和文献计量学等其他相关论文评价指标结合起来对文献进行综合评价分析,选取优质文献给予推荐。     

Contamination and Camouflage in Euphemisms

The study reports a factor analytic investigation of the interpersonal attraction construct. Two‐hundred and fifteen subjects completed 30 Likert‐type, seven‐step scales concerning an acquaintance. Factor analysis indicated three dimensions of the interpersonal attraction construct which were labeled “task” “social” and “physical.” The results of this study and four replications suggest that the resulting 15‐item instrument can be expected to measure reliably three dimensions of interpersonal attraction.     

服务质量分析系统的设计与实现*

从读者特征、服务质量和读者行为意愿相关性、服务质量维度对读者行为意愿影响等角度扩展服务质量评价系统的分析功能,并对系统实现的相关分析、回归分析等算法进行研究,为图书馆拓展服务质量评价系统功能提供一定的参考依据。     

图书馆员知识共享行为结构的测量与验证

通过对馆员的访谈和开放式问卷调查,在对有效问卷的探索性分析基础上阐述图书馆员知识共享行为是三因素结构,即共享质量、协同精神和躬行表现。同时对有效数据的验证性因素分析论证三维结构模型的合理性。     

Is it enough to change the language? A case study of Croatian biomedical journals

The language barrier is a factor in the low visibility and significance of scientific journals produced by small and scientifically peripheral countries. In order to reach an international audience, both as consumers and producers of scientific information, many journals abandon their national language and start publishing in English. Six Croatian biomedical journals that went through this transition were examined on their editing and publishing characteristics and their international visibility before and after the language shift. The analysis showed that this change influenced the journals' characteristics in general. Two journals enhanced their international visibility, but only one journal showed improvement in all analysed indicators.     

The h-index: Advantages,limitations and its relation with other bibliometric indicators at the micro level

The relationship of the h-index with other bibliometric indicators at the micro level is analysed for Spanish CSIC scientists in Natural Resources, using publications downloaded from the Web of Science (1994–2004). Different activity and impact indicators were obtained to describe the research performance of scientists in different dimensions, being the h-index located through factor analysis in a quantitative dimension highly correlated with the absolute number of publications and citations. The need to include the remaining dimensions in the analysis of research performance of scientists and the risks of relying only on the h-index are stressed. The hypothesis that the achievement of some highly visible but intermediate-productive authors might be underestimated when compared with other scientists by means of the h-index is tested.     

科技论著中人工语言的深度编辑加工和规范使用——以数学模型为例

数学模型是科技论著中人工语言的主要组成部分之一,规范数学模型中量符号的用法,是人工语言深度编辑加工的一个典型代表.为规范科技论著中人工语言尤其是数学模型中量符号的规范使用,在分析科技论著数学模型编辑加工现状的基础上,并借鉴他人已有研究成果,归纳了量符号的使用原则.结合示例分析,阐述数学模型中量符号的规范用法.分析了科技论著中人工语言尤其是数学模型中量符号使用不规范的原因,提出了提高人工语言质量的措施:提高科技编辑的编校质量意识、对人工语言的认知度;开发客观、科学、完善、可行的期刊评价指标体系;出台编校质量方面的国家标准、行业标准,追踪监管国标贯彻执行情况;加大审读力度,管理部门对期刊的管理实施全过程管理.     

Martin Heidegger and the dialogue with being

A careful analysis of the role of authentic discourse and primordial language in Heidegger's works helps one to understand what Heidegger means by the “path” to Being. His works move toward a more perfect and yet primordial notion of discourse where humanity learns to use language in authentic ways and where logos speaks for Being.