Developing a model for e‐prints and open access journal content in UK further and higher education

A study carried out for the UK Joint Information Systems Committee examined models for the provision of access to material in institutional and subject‐based archives and in open access journals. Their relative merits were considered, addressing not only technical concerns but also how e‐print provision (by authors) can be achieved – an essential factor for an effective e‐print delivery service (for users). A ‘harvesting’ model is recommended, where the metadata of articles deposited in distributed archives are harvested, stored and enhanced by a national service. This model has major advantages over the alternatives of a national centralized service or a completely decentralized one. Options for the implementation of a service based on the harvesting model are presented.     

Clicking to Learn During the 2008 Presidential Election: Why Capturing Channel Switching Matters

This article examines the effect that channel switching among news programs has on knowledge of the issue stands of the 2008 presidential candidates. Past studies focused on news-to-non-news-switching found news grazing to be negatively related to levels of political knowledge. Drawing on data from the 2008 National Annenberg Election Study (NAES) the study concludes that: 1) during the 2008 general election many viewers switched from one news program to another; 2) switchers were disproportionately those who reported closely following the election; 3) the level of channel switching was dynamic during the 2008 campaign and peaked during the parties' convention; 4) switching from one news program to another was positively related to knowledge of the candidates' issue stances, in the presence of controls, and 5) the impact of channel switching on knowledge is moderated by how closely one follows the election. The implication of the results and possible directions for future research are discussed.     

There Is an “I” in TEAM

Abstract

We investigated narcissism as a moderator of social loafing on a physical performance task. High and low narcissistic individuals twice performed a cycling task in same-sex teams of three: once when identifiability was low; and once when identifiability was high. A significant interaction between narcissism and identifiability was revealed, F(1, 40) = 4.09, p < .05, η² = .09 for performance. Follow-up tests indicated that high narcissists' performance significantly increased with greater identifiability, whereas low narcissists displayed no such performance differences. Results suggested that this effect was due to an increase in narcissists' on-task effort (ratings of perceived exertion and heart rate) when they knew that their performance was to be identified.     

Internal and External Focus of Attention in a Novice Form Sport

Abstract

In the current experiment, we examined optimal focus for novices during a movement sequence in which performance was measured on accurate movement form/technique. A novel gymnastics routine was practiced under either an internal skill-relevant, internal skill-irrelevant, external, or no attention focus. Retention and transfer tests were then completed. During acquisition, adopting an internal irrelevant focus significantly improved performance, whereas an external focus degraded performance. There were no significant group differences in the retention and transfer tests. This suggests that learning of movement form/technique did not benefit from a specific focus of attention. The results are interpreted via an attentional capacity viewpoint and the notion that form tasks do not always contain obvious movement effects central to common coding and the constrained action hypothesis.     

Injury rehabilitation: a qualitative follow-up study

The current qualitative follow-up study was conducted to enhance the interpretability and meaningfulness of the findings emerging from a 5-week goal-setting intervention study with injured athletes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 9 injured athletes, 3 from each of the three intervention study groups (goal-setting, social support control, and control), and cross-case summaries were inductively derived. The study highlighted the importance of individual difference variables, and the interaction of person and situational variables, including support from coaches and club, inability to train, weight gain, slowness of progress, physiotherapist support, and the importance of long-term outcome goals. Possible mechanisms for the observed effects of the goal-setting intervention included the effects of goal-setting on self-efficacy, attributions, perceptions of control, and attention.     

The relative impact of cognitive anxiety and self-confidence upon sport performance: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis (k = 48) investigated two relationships in competitive sport: (1) state cognitive anxiety with performance and (2) state self-confidence with performance. The cognitive anxiety mean effect size was r = -0.10 (P < 0.05). The self-confidence mean effect size was r = 0.24 (P < 0.001). A paired-samples t-test revealed that the magnitude of the self-confidence mean effect size was significantly greater than that of the cognitive anxiety mean effect size. The moderator variables for the cognitive anxiety-performance relationship were sex and standard of competition. The mean effect size for men (r = -0.22) was significantly greater than the mean effect size for women (r = -0.03). The mean effect size for high-standard competition (r = -0.27) was significantly greater than that for comparatively low-standard competition (r = -0.06). The significant moderator variables for the self-confidence-performance relationship were sex, standard of competition and measurement. The mean effect size for men (r = 0.29) was significantly greater than that for women (r = 0.04) and the mean effect size for high-standard competition (r = 0.33) was significantly greater than that for low-standard competition (r = 0.16). The mean effect size derived from studies employing the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (r = 0.19) was significantly smaller than the mean effect size derived from studies using other measures of self-confidence (r = 0.38). Measurement issues are discussed and future research directions are offered in light of the results.     

Improving Active Range of Hip Flexion

Abstract

It is argued that previous studies of active flexibility have not achieved experimental control. An experiment then is described which achieved experimental control by using daily flexibility training over a 7-day period.

Forty-two female subjects were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups or a control group. The six treatment groups received proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training for six consecutive days with isometric contraction periods of 0 sec, 3 sec, or 6 sec. Three of the treatment groups followed an active regime (concentric contraction of the agonists) and three a passive regime. All subjects were pretested for active flexibility on Day 1. They were also posttested after training on Day 6, and without training on Day 7. A two factor multivariate analysis of covariance with trend analysis on the period of isometric contraction factor indicated a significant positive linear trend for this factor, approximate F(2, 28) = 7.90, p < .002, together with a significant interaction between this linear trend and the active-passive regime factor, approximate F(2, 28) = 3.81, p < .034. Follow-up tests revealed that this interaction was due to larger gains in active flexibility being associated with longer periods of isometric contraction in the active groups, but not in the passive groups.     

Cutting without Cursing: A Successful Cancellation Project

The Salisbury University Libraries embarked on a serials and database cancellation project in the 2014–2015 academic year, eventually cutting nearly 20% of journals without causing any faculty protests. Picking up ideas from numerous other libraries, the three-person project task force developed a three-stage process: 1) preparation—gathering data and laying the groundwork for getting feedback; 2) getting feedback from liaisons, faculty, and departments; and 3) making decisions about what to cut and sharing the results. This article details the steps taken and key recommendations for other libraries undertaking similar projects.     

Getting Everyone to the Fair: Supporting Teachers in Broadening Participation in Science and Engineering Fairs

Journal of Science Education and Technology - Science and Engineering (S&amp;E) fairs are a valuable educational activity and are believed to increase students’ engagement and learning in...