Plagiarism in UK law schools: is there a postcode lottery?

The discussion of issues relating to academic dishonesty in the UK higher education sector has become increasingly intense in recent years and has often been subject to the media spotlight. This study examines the policies, procedures and penalties at law schools across the UK when dealing with allegations of plagiarism. Data were obtained in two stages via questionnaires and structured interviews with members of staff. The considerable degree of diversity which emerges is discussed and the possible implications of such diversity are examined.     

Coping with writing apprehension

Students with high writing apprehension (WA) were exposed or not exposed to visualization (a procedure designed to encourage positive thinking). Those exposed to visualization reported enjoying writing more than those who were not trained to visualize, both immediately and over time. The paper ends with a discussion of these and other results.     

体育运动领域流畅状态的研究进展

流畅状态是一种理想的内部体验状态,在体育运动领域也被称之为个体从事活动的最佳体验.由于其可以为个体提供良好的心境状态,有助于促进个体对活动的内部动机,提高个体的活动效率,所以,流畅状态作为一个重要的研究领域在运动心理学的发展过程中发挥着重要的作用.拟对体育运动情境中流畅状态的心理特征、模型构建及研究方法进行详细的阐述;并对相关的研究成果加以评述,如流畅状态的跨文化普遍性,体育运动中流畅体验的倾向性差异,流畅一运动技能表现间的关系,影响流畅状态的因素及其相应的调控措施.在此基础上提出,本领域的未来发展应拓展对流畅状态心理特征的研究,即以那些处于非西方文化和西方文化中少数民族文化背景下的群体作为研究对象,进行不同背景的跨文化对比研究;同时,对流畅模型的进一步改进,以充实流畅状态的理论架构,也应成为未来研究的一个焦点;此外,通过目标设置等心理干预手段以促进运动员流畅状态的发生,以及为流畅状态与运动技能建立明确的中介模型,从而应用于运动技能提升的实践情境中也将是未来研究的新主题.     

Decision boundaries and receiver operating characteristic curves: new methods for determining accelerometer cutpoints

We propose and evaluate the utility of an alternative method (decision boundaries) for establishing physical activity intensity-related accelerometer cutpoints. Accelerometer data collected from seventy-six 11- to 14-year-old boys during controlled bouts of moderate- and vigorous-intensity field physical activities were assessed. Mean values and standard deviations for moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities were obtained and normal equivalents generated. The decision boundary (the point of intersection of overlapping distributions) was used to create a lower-bound vigorous-intensity cutpoint. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves compared the sensitivity and specificity of the new cutpoint and mean values with the actual activity. There was a 96.5% probability that participants performing vigorous-intensity physical activity were accurately classified when using the decision boundary of 6700 counts per minute, in contrast to the 50% accurately classified when the mean value was used. Inspection of the empirical ROC curve indicated that the decision boundary provided the optimal threshold to distinguish between moderate and vigorous physical activity for this dataset. In conclusion, decision boundaries reduced the error associated with determining accelerometer threshold values. Applying these methods to accelerometer data collected in specific populations will improve the precision with which accelerometer thresholds can be identified.     

The brain and fatigue: new opportunities for nutritional interventions?

It is clear that the cause of fatigue is complex, influenced by events occurring in both the periphery and the central nervous system. Work conducted over the last 20 years has focused on the role of brain serotonin and catecholamines in the development of fatigue, and the possibility that manipulation of neurotransmitter precursors may delay the onset of fatigue. While there is some evidence that branched-chain amino acid and tyrosine ingestion can influence perceived exertion and some measures of mental performance, the results of several apparently well-controlled laboratory studies have not demonstrated a positive effect on exercise capacity or performance under temperate conditions. As football is highly reliant upon the successful execution of motor skills and tactics, the possibility that amino acid ingestion may help to attenuate a loss in cognitive function during the later stages of a game would be desirable, even in the absence of no apparent benefit to physical performance. There are several reports of enhanced performance of high-intensity intermittent exercise with carbohydrate ingestion, but at present it is difficult to separate the peripheral effects from any potential impact on the central nervous system. The possibility that changes in central neurotransmission play a role in the aetiology of fatigue when exercise is performed in high ambient temperatures has recently been examined, although the significance of this in relation to the pattern of activity associated with football has yet to be determined.     

Validity of the Blast Athletic Performance Monitor for Assessing Vertical Jump Height in Female Volleyball Players

Introduction: Wearable activity monitors have been developed for jump height assessment, but the Blast Athletic Performance monitor has not yet been validated, and it remains unclear if the Blast can track changes across a sports season. Methods: Collegiate women’s volleyball players (n = 20) wore the Blast monitor (waistband) while performing standing vertical jumps (SVJs) and one-step vertical jumps (OSJs) weekly during and after a 9-week season. Jump heights from the Blast were compared to a Vertec (criterion). Results: Correlations of Blast and Vertec were moderately high (r = 0.67–0.69), but the Blast underestimated SVJ and OSJ (9.2–10.0 cm), with mean absolute percent errors 19.8–21.0%. A + 23% correction factor reduced errors to 10.5–11.3%. The Blast did not detect small decreases (2–4 cm) in criterion-measured jump height in the postseason. Conclusion: The Blast underestimated jump height and had limited ability to detect changes of up to 5.0 cm following a volleyball season. A relative correction lowered, but did not eliminate, measurement error.     

Ratings of severity of life events by ninth-grade students

Special education, basic, and honors students rated the severity of stress for each of the life events on the Source of Stress Inventory (Chandler, 1981). There was a significant positive relationship between the Chandler rankings and the rankings made by the 60 ninth-grade students. Special education students reported they had experienced more of the events than had honors students, and the special education students reported more intense stress for the experienced events. Life experiences considered more stressful by students when compared to the stress values assigned by the Chandler rankings (teachers and mental health workers) include poor grades in school, loss of job by parent, mother beginning to work, birth of brother or sister, increased arguments with brothers and sisters vision problem requiring glasses.