The importance of domestic football leagues to international performance: predicting FIFA points

This paper estimates the importance of domestic professional and semi-professional football clubs to the performance of national team sides in earning FIFA points. It is likely the case that the pathway to further development and a spot on the national team for a young player is, at least initially, through a domestic football league. Yet the stage of development of football leagues differs markedly across nations. This paper finds that the presence and development of these leagues is a significant contributor to FIFA points for the national side, but with diminishing returns. Most recently, the largest effect is found for the nations that play in the African (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) zones, while the other four zones (AFC, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and UEFA) share smaller positive effects. Even in the presence of limiting economic and demographic factors, the road to international football success is through the development of domestic leagues.     

Citation metrics of excellence in sports biomechanics research

This study extended research on key citation metrics of winners of two career scholar awards in sports biomechanics. Google Scholar (GS) was searched using Harzing’s Publish or Perish software for the 13 most recent winners of the ISBS Geoffrey Dyson Award and the ASB Jim Hay Memorial Award. Returned records were corrected for author, and publications excluded for all but peer-reviewed journal articles, proceedings articles, chapters and books in English. These recent award winners had published about 150 publications that had been cited typically 4,082 and 6,648 times over a 26- and 28-year period before receiving these career awards for sports biomechanics research. Estimated median citations at time of their awards were 2,927 and 4,907 for the Dyson and Hay awards, respectively. Award winners had mean Hirsh indexes of 32–45 and mean h_i of 19–28. Their mean g indexes (59–84) and their numerous citation classics (C > 100) indicated that they had many influential publications. The citation metrics of these scholars were outstanding and consistent with recent studies of top scholars in biomechanics and kinesiology/exercise science. Careful searching, cleaning and interpretation of several scholar-level citation metrics may provide useful confirmatory evidence for evaluations of awards committees.     

The Multivariate Dimensionality of Personal Control and Future Time Perspective Beliefs in Achievement and Self-Regulation

We examined the relations between college students' control beliefs and future time perspective (FTP) and their academic achievement and studying using canonical correlation. We identified two statistically significant canonical correlations. One associated primarily competency belief, as reflected by self-efficacy, and FTP connectedness with grades. The other associated primarily contingency beliefs, as reflected by locus of control and causal attributions, and FTP connectedness and valence with studying. Results support a distinction between competency and contingency in personal control beliefs and suggest that these have somewhat different motivational consequences. Results also indicate that future time perspective beliefs play a role in motivating achievement and studying.     

Assessment Processes in Social Work Education: A Review of Current Methods

This paper explores the process of assessment in social work education programs throughout the United States. Following the guidelines of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), social work education has switched from student learning outcomes to competency-based measures. Included in this study is a literature review on current assessment practices and results of a research project on assessment practices in social work education programs nationwide. The findings may be useful to social work educators in addressing programmatic changes and revisions based on the 2015 EPAS.     

Comparison of Three Methods of Estimating Energy Expenditure: Caltrac,Heart Rate,and Video Analysis

Abstract

This study examined the accuracy of a new device (Caltrac) in estimating energy expenditure via acceleration measurements. Energy expenditure of 20 high school students during basketball class activity (average length = 37 min) was estimated using the Caltrac, heart rate recording, and video analysis. Heart rate recording and video analysis estimates of energy expenditure were determined from heart rate, caloric expenditure curves, and an activity rating scale, respectively. The following estimates of caloric expenditure (M ± SD) were found: heart rate recording = 196 ±73 > Caltrac = 163 ±49 > film analysis = 123 ± 30 kcal (p < .05). Laboratory simulations of the basketball activity revealed that the Caltrac energy expenditure was not significantly different from the actual energy expenditure (p > .05). The heart rate recording and video analysis estimates of energy expenditure were significantly (p < .05) higher and lower, respectively, than the actual energy expenditure. The Caltrac is a lightweight, low-cost device that provides a relatively accurate estimate of energy expenditure in free-ranging activities, such as basketball.     

Male Program Assessment for College Excellence (M-PACE): Content Validation Summary

This article describes the development and content validation of the Male Program Assessment for College Excellence (M-PACE). The M-PACE is an outcomes based assessment tool designed to assess and improve the effectiveness of programs and initiatives serving men of color in the community college. The instrument was developed to serve as a standardized outcomes assessment tool to determine the efficacy of minority male initiative (MMI) interventions and enhance program models.     

Proposing application of results in sport and exercise research reports

The application of sport and exercise research findings to practice requires careful interpretation and integration of evidence. This paper reviews principles of evidence-based practice and the application of research in sports and exercise, in order to provide recommendations on developing appropriate application sections in research reports for sport and exercise journals. The strength of recommendations for application fall into one of four levels, with potential applications qualified as strong, limited, preliminary, or hypothesized. Specific limitations that should be discussed in framing recommendations for practice are also noted for each of these levels that should be useful for authors, and for practitioners and clinicians in interpreting these recommendations.     

The Impact of Human Capital and Selected Job Rewards on Community College Faculty Job Satisfaction

Community colleges accommodate nearly half of all United States college students. Increased reliance upon community colleges is driven by the current economic downturn, rising costs of higher education, and changing expectations for today's workforce requiring advanced skill sets. Community colleges offer more affordable options for broader spectrums of students including traditional and nontraditional college students and dual-enrolled high school students.

Community college faculty facilitate student learning and program completion. A shortage of community college faculty will likely emerge as numerous faculty retire. Community college administrators need strategies for retaining and recruiting faculty amid increasing retirements. One effective strategy is to offer a work environment that cultivates positive work-related attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction). This study examines the ability of select human capital investments, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, and sociodemographics to predict overall job satisfaction for full-time community college faculty. A cross-sectional predictive design was used with secondary analysis of the 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04) dataset.

Logistic Regression was utilized to determine predictive ability of the independent variables on overall job satisfaction. Results indicated that faculty were more likely to be satisfied with their work if they were satisfied with their salary, benefits and workload; were satisfied with the teaching support they received from their institutions; and if they perceived that females and minorities were treated fairly by the organization. Conversely, minority faculty were less likely to be satisfied, as were faculty who indicated they would again choose a career in academe if given the choice.     

Research Methods

Michael H. Walizer and Paul L. Wiener's Research Methods and Analysis: Searching for Relationships (New York: Harper & Row, 1978---$16.95)

Joseph B. Kruskal and Myron Wish's Multidimensional Scaling (Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1978---$3.00, paper)

Alwin, Duane F., ed. Survey Design and Analysis: Current Issues (Sage, 1978 ---$3.95, paper)

Dukes, Richard L., and Constance J. Seidner, eds. Learning with Simulation and Games (Sage, 1978---$4.95, paper)

Jib Fowles, ed. Handbook of Futures Research (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1978 ---$39.95)

J. Scott Armstrong's Long-Range Forecasting from Crystal Ball to Computer (New York: Wiley/Interscience, 1978---$24.95)