Commonly known,commonly not known,totally unknown: a framework for students becoming researchers

Providing undergraduate students with research experience has been asserted as a way of reinventing university education. This assertion lacks both substantial empirical evidence and a coherent theoretical framework. In this paper, the authors consider both research and theory relating to undergraduate research and present the Research Skill Development framework, which can be used to both chart and monitor students’ research skill development. An example is given of the practical application of this framework, together with associated preliminary research findings. Further related research directions are also suggested.

I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.

– Albert Einstein     

The limitations of retraction notices and the heroic acts of authors who correct the scholarly record: An analysis of retractions of papers published from 1975 to 2019

While researchers with retracted papers – publications that are withdrawn because of significant errors or scientific misconduct – carry a permanent stain on their publishing records, understanding the causes and initiators of such retractions can shed a different light on the matter. This paper, based on a random sample of 2,046 retracted papers, which were published between 1975 and 2019, extracted from Retraction Watch and the websites of major publishers, shows that 53% of the retraction notices do not specify who initiated the retraction. Nearly 10% of the retraction notes either omit or do not contain information related to reasons for retractions. Furthermore, most of the retracted papers in our sample have no limitation section; those who do are commonly unhelpful or irrelevant. The results carry three implications for scientific transparency: retraction notices need to be more informative; limitation sections ought to be a required and even an open section of all published articles; and finally, promoting ‘heroic acts’ in science can positively change the current publishing culture.     

The Project ‘Art for Learning Art’ in Contemporary Art Museums

Projection‐based augmented reality and virtual reality are used in a visual arts‐based educational project in contemporary art museums from an a/r/tographic perspective. The project ‘Art for Learning Art’ (in Spanish, Arte para aprender arte), at the Museo CajaGRANADA in Granada (Spain) has been developed in collaboration with the University of Granada since 2013. We have employed creative, educational and research methodologies inspired by exhibited works in art museums to encourage visual feedback of visitors participating in collaborative installations. Two such experiences also were produced at the Tate Liverpool Gallery and Museum in March 2018; utilising the methodology of mediation through projection‐based augmented reality and virtual reality, which introduces facets of visual and physical experience that alter the whole experience for the museum's public. By putting on virtual reality headsets, and playing with physical movements, we generate images and change the projections in the museum using projection‐based augmented reality to disrupt the way the public typically moves in the museum. The purpose of the developed interrelations with artworks in the Museo CajaGRANADA and the Tate Liverpool Gallery and Museum was to create collaborative digital images by playing with select artworks exhibited in the museums’ collections. We use this kind of mediation in art museums to develop a visual understanding to provoke learning about art through art creation in a contemporary way. The results are extraordinary as images; they are collaborative artworks, which connect visually with the artworks in the exhibition.     

Sexual and reproductive health education attitudes and experience in India: how much support is there for comprehensive sex education? Findings from an Internet survey

This study assessed the extent to which an Internet-recruited sample of residents of India was supportive of the provision of comprehensive sexual education in school in a country where youth sexual health is poor. We sought to determine whether attitudes differed for those of varying demographic backgrounds (age, sex, education level, religion), the extent of support for comprehensive coverage, the school or age levels deemed appropriate for delivery, and whether own sex education history influenced support. We conducted an anonymous online survey with 1140 Indian adults using crowdsourcing methods. We found widespread support for the provision of sex education to youth in India among members of our largely well educated, middle-class sample. However, most participants believed sex education should be provided relatively late (i.e., in mid- to late-adolescence). Few opposed sex education altogether and attitudes were not predicted by background, own school-based sex education, or parent-child communication about sex. Less than one-third of participants endorsed the coverage of all topics, indicating that support for truly comprehensive coverage was not strong. However, the findings counter politicised efforts to ban sex education by state leaders despite the availability of a progressive, comprehensive curriculum offered by the Central government.     

适合16-QAM信号的盲均衡算法

提出并采用修正恒模算法(MCMA)和判决引导的最小均方算法(DD-LMS)联合均衡算法,对16-QAM系统接收端的码间干扰进行均衡。分析了联合均衡的技术的实现方式和切换门限,对四种不同的均衡算法进行了仿真实验。仿真结果表明,MCMA与DD-LMS联合均衡算法较之其它三种均衡算法,能够将剩余误差迭代得更小,而且可以有效地修复传输过程中产生的相位偏移。     

“新常态”下中小企业融资创新研究

中小企业在推动我国科技进步、经济增长以及发展方式转变等方面扮演着至关重要的角色。创新作为推动我国经济增长的新引擎,中小企业是最具活力的创新群体,但是融资难依然是制约中小企业发展的关键因素。所以,如何改善中小企业融资状况,已经成为政银企关注的焦点。试从目前中小企业融资状况着手,分析存在的问题,并对如何在经济"新常态"背景下实现融资创新进行探究,为中小企业发展提出对策建议。     

皖江城市带文化创意产业的区位选择优化路径探析

根据产业区位理论,产业布局有其自身的规律性。合理的产业区位布局有利于产业的健康发展。通过考察发现皖江城市带的文化创意产业的区位分布存在着主观随意性、与当地的资源状况结合程度不够等一些不合理因素。对此应采取以下对策:统一规划,避免重复建设和过于分散化经营现象;充分利用区域资源优势和文化特色打造产业集群;政策引导与市场导向有机结合;打破行政区划的限制,按照市场和消费者群体的空间特征安排产业的空间布局;精心打造创意城市。