68,839 research outputs found

    Issues of partial credit in mathematical assessment by computer

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    The CALM Project for Computer Aided Learning in Mathematics has operated at Heriot‐Watt University since 1985. From the beginning CALM has featured assessment in its programs (Beevers, Cherry, Foster and McGuire, 1991), and enabled both students and teachers to view progress in formative assessment The computer can play a role in at least four types of assessment: diagnostic, self‐test, continuous and grading assessment. The TLTP project Mathwise employs the computer in three of these roles. In 1994 CALM reported on an educational experiment in which the computer was used for the first time to grade, in part, the learning of a large class of service mathematics students (Beevers, McGuire, Stirling and Wild ,1995), using the Mathwise assessment template. At that time the main issues identified were those of ‘partial credit’ and communication between the student and the computer. These educational points were addressed in the next phase of the CALM Project in which the commercial testing program Interactive PastPapers was developed. The main aim of this paper is to describe how Interactive Past Papers has been able to incorporate some approaches to partial credit which has helped to alleviate student worries on these issues. Background information on other features in Interactive Past Papers is also included to provide context for the discussion

    On a theory for thermo-viscoelectric materials

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    This paper provides a sound thermodynamic foundation for the theory of thermoviscoelectricity. The work is based on a non-equilibrium theory of thermodynamics described by Bree &amp; Beevers [1] which generalises classical thermodynamics as proposed by Carathéodory [2]. A simple constitutive approach is outlined which can be used to discuss the well-known effects of Peltier, Seebeck and Thomson. A number of stability results for classical solutions to a class of initial-boundary value problems are deduced. © 1985.</p

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    On the thermodynamics and stability of deformable dielectrics

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    A brief derivation of the equations for deformable dielectrics is presented. The basic theory generalises that due to Toupin [1], for it contains thermomechanical interactions and viscous dissipation within a non-equilibrium thermodynamic framework recently constructed by Bree and Beevers [2]. Some asymptotic and Lyapounov stability results are established for initial-boundary value problems in the linearised theory using extended energy arguments. Similar arguments are then applied to produce analogous stability results for small electro-mechanical perturbations superimposed on a large static deformation and a strong magnetic field. © 1981 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.</p

    Memorandum from A. E. Demaray to E. C. Finney

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    Four letters of correspondence about the purchase of Bright Angel Trail between A. E. Demaray, Acting Director of the Grand Canyon National Park; E. C. Finney, Department of the Interior First Assistant Secretary; Carl T. Hayden, Representative (AZ); and Stephen T. Mather, Director of the National Park Service

    Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts

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    We conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more sophisticated methods

    Author, publisher and bookseller : a tripartite synergy in Nigerian book industry

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    This work is about the roles of Author, Publisher and Bookseller in Book development in Nigeria. The paper started by delving into the history of Book Publishing in Nigeria after which it proceeded by defining who an author, a publisher, and a bookseller is and expatiated on the indispensable roles of these key actors in Nigerian Book Industry and in the emerging Information Society. Furthermore, the various constraints to book development were identified while the paper advised on how the Book Industry can be further promoted in Nigeria. However, the paper concluded and made recommendations on how the Book sector can help in enhancing scholarship in the country

    Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply

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    Ophthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219. Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes. Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E. SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes. DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia. METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively). CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK. Comment in Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8

    Author Co-Citation Analysis (ACA): a powerful tool for representing implicit knowledge of scholar knowledge workers

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    In the last decade, knowledge has emerged as one of the most important and valuable organizational assets. Gradually this importance caused to emergence of new discipline entitled ―knowledge management‖. However one of the major challenges of knowledge management is conversion implicit or tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. Thus Making knowledge visible so that it can be better accessed, discussed, valued or generally managed is a long-standing objective in knowledge management. Accordingly in this paper author co- citation analysis (ACA) will be proposed as an efficient technique of knowledge visualization in academia (Scholar knowledge workers)

    Some Problems of Mathematical CAL

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    This paper describes briefly some problems of mathematical CAL and suggests ways to combat them. Within the context of the CALM Project for Computer Aided Learning in Mathematics we highlight three main areas of difficulty—mathematical display, input and evaluation. These problems are illustrated using examples from software developed at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and at Southampton University; the examples are taken from both calculus and algebra
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