University of Warwick Press: Journals
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The Effect of the Lunar Cycle on Nocturnal Behaviour in Captive Cape Porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis).
No full textThis study determined if a relationship between observed behaviours and lunar phases was present in captive Cape Porcupines (Hystrix africaeaustralis), a nocturnal species found in UK collections. Previous research on wild populations of hystrix species found that the amount of moonlight a lunar phase presents can limit activity levels. Field studies found that the correlation can be an evolved predatory avoidance tactic in response to moonlight exposure. A captive study aids in comprehending diel cycles and the factors which influence them, as behaviours are not limited to high moonlight phases. Between November 2022 and March 2023, recordings of nocturnal behaviours on dates surrounding distinct lunar phases took place at Reaseheath Mini Zoo. An ethogram based on previous behaviour studies identified behaviours. Data was then analysed using General Linear Regression (GLR). The study aimed to discover if a higher frequency of behaviours would correlate with lunar phases displaying higher levels of moonlight. Although GLMs proved insignificant, the data showed the rate of maintenance and resting behaviours increased during full moons, behaviours associated with predatory avoidance. Findings can provide information on lunar-behaviour relationships in captivity to benefit species-specific care and animal welfare by facilitating environmental challenge, competency and agency or alleviating moonlight-induced stressors to benefit affective welfare states
Designing Community-Based Placements in Engineering Education: Enabling the Student Voice
Get PDFThis practice paper captures the reflections of a workshop carried out at the Engineering Education Research Network Annual Symposium, in June 2023. Based on our on-going exploration of the experience of community-based placements for engineering in higher education, this opportunity supported us to gather insight from academic members of staff on the perceived role and value of this learning experience.
The reflections indicated that the contributors felt that more clarity surrounding the role of community-based placements is required; that involvement of all stakeholders in placement design is needed; and that consideration for the approaches implemented to include students in learning design is also necessary.  
Enhancing Engineering Education through Problem-based Learning
Get PDFProblem-based learning is a dynamic teaching approach that empowers students to actively address real-world challenges while taking charge of their own learning process. This study focuses on how problem-based learning enhances the retention of engineering concepts and principles, evidenced by higher levels of engagement and satisfaction reported by students. Through rigorous analysis of student feedback and project outcomes, this research investigates the effectiveness of problem-based learning in the context of engineering education. The results highlight the substantial positive influence of problem-based learning on both student engagement and their grasp of engineering fundamentals
STEM Connections: A model for empowering academics to deliver outreach by reducing barriers to engagement
Get PDFSTEM Connections worked with academic staff to develop their skills and confidence to communicate with any audience. Through creating a demonstration of their area of expertise and speaking with school-aged students, the academics hear a range of perspectives and repeatedly practice pitching their presentations. This project aimed to develop staff, engage the public, and work in partnership with local cultural institutions – in this case CV Life. Training has been provided by third-party organisations, by the project team and by the partner institution in both years.
Over two years, the project has worked with 23 academic members of staff across 17 different areas of research. Events have been run with 19 schools, either within those schools or at Coventry Transport Museum, reaching a total of 944 students with high-quality interactions. As of January 2024, the online resources have received over 36,000 views. Demonstrations have been used outside of the STEM Connections project for interactions with visitors, VIPs, funding bodies, and also filmed by TV crews for media work. Several staff on the project have mentioned STEM Connections in promotion cases and award nominations. Produced materials have complimented academic teaching and have been used to explain concepts more effectively during lectures. All the project resources and staff involved can be found at www.warwick.ac.uk/stemconnections.
The project targeted 5 key elements of outreach that are challenging for academics and may make engagement more difficult for them. This paper reflects on those challenges and how the project worked to reduce the barriers to engagement
Subtitling Hong Kong Code-Mixing and Code-Switching: The case of Netflix English and Spanish official subtitles for Hongkonese audiovisual creations
No full textTranslation has largely been considered a process involving only two languages, source and target. However, plurilingual audiovisual content has proliferated over the last few decades, reflecting, as a result, the world’s linguistic intermingling. Such a plurality complicates both theoretical categorizations and translation practices. Even though multilingualism in the media has received scholarly attention, more explorations are needed to ascertain the translation processes and methods adopted to handle linguistically diverse source texts in the streaming era.
The present piece of research tentatively explores the treatment given to Cantonese and English code-mixing and code-switching present in Hongkonese films and TV shows currently streamed on Netflix, the video-on-demand platform. This article probes a selection of such content and compares the original dialogues with official Chinese, English and Spanish subtitles. Preliminary results point towards a loss of linguistic diversity and nuance caused by subtitling processes. The differentiated roles that both languages originally play in creating comedic, stylistic, or emphatic effects are rarely retained, possibly affecting viewers’ reception and appreciation. This article argues that further attention should be paid to the translation and adaptation of code-mixing and code-switching present in Hongkonese creations, both by the industry and academia, if such a multilingual reality is to be portrayed successfully via subtitles
British Labour Movement Responses to Strikes and Riots in the English-speaking West Indies 1934-1939: Solidarity with strings
No full textThis project traces the reaction of the British labour movement (pressure groups; political parties; and trade unions) to the strikes, riots, and \u27disturbances\u27 in St Lucia, St Vincent, British Honduras, Trinidad, Barbados, British Guiana, St Kitts, and Jamaica. There were deep-seated differences as between Leninists views on imperialism; and social democrats who viewed colonialism as acceptable if reformed with the right to set up trade unions, to bargain collectively, to strike, and to have state-backed labour standards. Plantation economics dominated these lands, and there are case studies of the strikes and riots on the sugar plantations of St Kitts, Trinidad, British Guiana, St Vincent, and Jamaica; the banana plantations in Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados; and in the oil fields of Trinidad, the docks in St Lucia, and the forests of British Honduras.
The earlier strikes in 1934/5 and those in smaller countries (St Kitts, St Vincent, St Lucia) were not widely reported in the UK. But those in 1937/38, especially in Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad, were openly discussed. Some MPs raised issues in Parliament; there were motions of support (few and of limited scope) at TUC and Labour party meetings; some individuals visited the West Indies under their own steam; labour movement activists wrote plenty of articles and pamphlets; and invited representatives from the West Indies to attend meetings
Getting Informed and Inspired: Reflecting on Modern Records Centre at 50 Symposium
No full textOn 20th September 2023, I attended my first-ever external academic event. This was a symposium organised by the Modern Records Centre on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The symposium informed and inspired me in my future study and work, on which I would like to reflect in this article. The text first illustrates the broad range of materials available in the Modern Records Centre on the example of my research in this archive. Consequently, by drawing on the personal experience of attending and speaking at the symposium, this critical reflection will identify accessibility as one of the most inspiring aspects of this event. Other benefits connected to this symposium lie in the cross-generational and cross-sector networking of students, early-career researchers, well-established scholars, archivists, and volunteers. In my attempt to reflect on this anniversary event, I believe that the symposium kept its promise to inform and inspire. As examples of diverse speakers illustrate, similar events are beneficial for historical science and academia in numerous ways
Research Culture’s Role in Contributing to Research Waste: Lessons from Systematic Reviewlution
No full textSystematic reviews are the gold standard of evidence syntheses and underpin decision making which affects outcomes for patients globally. A research integrity project funded by the UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council, entitled ‘Systematic Reviewlution’ aimed to understand and document problems with these highly cited and influential articles, which are often being published at a rate that outpaces primary clinical research. This living systematic review found 485 articles in the first iteration, documenting 67 discrete problems relating to the conduct and reporting of published systematic reviews. These problems potentially jeopardise the reliability or validity of systematic reviews. A variety of institutional factors are likely fuelling the publication of substandard systematic reviews and these factors are representative of issues affecting the entire evidence ecosystem. These factors are discussed in reference to themes identified through this meta-meta-meta-research initiative. The publish or perish perverse academic reward system is fuelling a lack of reproducible research. Paradoxically, the reputation of systematic reviews as a high-quality form of evidence is leading to an overproduction as they are likely seen as a certainty for publication. Wider issues of the influences of research culture generally, the fallibility of peer review and the importance of diversity and representation in research teams are emphasised
Global Perspectives on Open Research Culture: A UK-New Zealand case study
No full textThis critical reflection explores the role academic libraries play in enhancing the research culture of their institutions, specifically in relation to Open Research, through two contrasting case studies of the work undertaken by the University of Waikato Library, Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Lancaster University Library, UK. A prevalent theme within the paper is the contrasting level of maturity and engagement with Open Research at national, governmental, and institutional levels and the impact this has on the approaches of both institutions. The paper demonstrates how libraries proactively work in partnership with their communities to act as a catalyst for initiatives that facilitate culture change.
Funding Acknowledgement
This work is supported by the Research England Enhancing Research Culture Fund, 2023–24.
An (Research) Enabler? ‘A Person Who Encourages or Enables Negative or Self-Destructive Behaviour in Another’: Autobiographic reflections
No full textA brief critical reflection on the term ‘Research Enabler’ within the context of the developing UK national agenda to broaden and deepen the collective understanding of research communities and cultures within higher education and whether that is a helpful term to support the development of healthy research cultures. The term ‘Research Enabler’ refers to a broader set of occupational groups beyond research administrators to include academic librarians, IT staff, knowledge exchange professionals, technicians, and estates staff. This paper will reflect on the term from the perspective of a research administrator.
An enabler is a person or thing that makes something possible. However, within taxonomies of addiction the term ‘Enabler’ has more negative connotations as someone who encourages or enables negative or self-destructive behaviour in another. This is not to characterise researchers as addicts and research administrators as negative enablers but to draw attention to the language being used having potential negative and dualistic interpretations for an occupational group who often self-report ambiguity and duality as inherent in their complex roles