scholarly journals Quality of Student Paper Sources Improves after Individual Consultation with Librarians

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Newton Miller

Objective – To determine whether the quality of sources used for a research paper will improve after a student receives one-on-one instruction with a librarian. To test citation analysis and a rating scale as means for measuring effectiveness of one-on-one consultations. Design – Citation analysis. Setting – Academic library of a large American university. Subjects – Papers from 10 courses were evaluated. In total, 76 students were asked to meet with librarians. Of these, 61 actually participated. Another 36 students from the control group were not asked to meet with a librarian (although 1 partook in a consultation). Methods – Librarians invited faculty to participate in a new service to help improve quality of student research papers. Eligible courses included those with a required research paper component where papers could be evaluated at different times in the project. Faculty instructed students in the class to meet with the librarian after a first draft of a paper was written. Students from seven courses were asked to meet with a librarian. Courses included English Composition (2), Geography (1), Child Development (1), Occupational Therapy (1), Marketing (1) and Women Writers (1). Three courses acted as control groups (all English Composition). After meeting with students to make recommendations, librarians used a rating scale (measuring relevancy, authority, appropriate dates and scope) to review the quality of sources in both drafts and final papers. Main Results – One-on-one consultations with a librarian resulted in sources being of a higher quality in the final paper. With the exception of authority, the differences between draft and final paper were statistically significant in all measures (overall quality, relevance, dates and scope). Those in the control group showed no improvement in quality of sources between draft and final paper. Conclusion – Quality of sources in final paper improves after one-on-one consultations with librarians. The use of a rating scale is helpful in objectively measuring quality of sources, although there is potential for subjective interpretation.

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilknur Albayrak ◽  
Ayten Biber ◽  
Ahmet Çalışkan ◽  
Funda Levendoglu

The aim of this study were to evaluate pain, care burden, depression level, sleep quality, fatigue and quality of life (QoL) among a group of mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare their results with a group of healthy controls. The study involved 101 mothers who had children with CP and 67 mothers who had a healthy child as the control group. Pain, care burden, depression level, sleep quality, fatigue and QoL of all the participants were evaluated by the numerical rating scale, the Zarit care burden scale (ZCBS), the beck depression inventory (BDI), the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the checklist individual strength (CIS) and the short form-36 (SF-36), respectively. Numerical rating scale value was 3.57 ± 2.96 in the patient group. When the two groups were compared, the CP group showed higher scores for ZCBS, BDI, PSQI, total CIS and SF-36 subscales of general health and vitality whereas the scores for role physical, role emotional, mental health and mental component summary were found to be lower in the patients, compared to the control group. Reducing caregiving burden of the mothers’ by other family members and increasing psychosocial supports may help improve the mother’s health status.


2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 366-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milos Tijanic ◽  
Nikola Buric ◽  
Goran Jovanovic

Introduction. Ropivacaine is used in orthopedcs, gyneacology, surgery, ophtamology, whereas experience about its usage in dentistry is still limited. The aim of this research was to compare the anesthetic effect between local anesthetics ropivacaine and bupivacaine, in surgical disposals of chronical periapical lessions in maxilla. Material and methods. The study included the patients that had indications for surgical removal of chronical periapical lessions at one of the frontal teeth of upper jaw. The total total number of examinees was 60, and they were devided in two groups. Ropivacaine chloride (0.75%) was used as a local anesthetic in one group (Naropin? 0,75%; Astra Zeneca), and in the other one bupivacaine chloride (0.5%) (Vexelit? 0,5%; Zdravlje). The autors applied 1,8 ml of block anesthesia for the n. infraorbitalis (intraoral approach) as well as 0,2 ml of the local anesthetic from the palatine side for the final branches of n. nasopalatinus in order to observe the folloving anesthetic parameters. I. Beginning of anesthesia was followed by the appearence of upper lip numbness. II. Pain rating scale according to Sisk was used for the objective measurement of the anesthesia quality. III. The pain intensity during the intervention was measured by visual analogous scale, on which the patient denoted the intensity of pain he had felt during the intervention. IV. Duration of anesthetic effect - it is followed by soft tissues numbness. Results and discussion. After the ropivacaine application anesthesia effect started in 1.57 min. and after the usage of bupivacaine in 1.67 min. The mean duration of soft tissue numbness after the application of ropivacaine was 321 minutes. Bupivacaine had a shorter anesthetic effect - 296.5 minutes. The quality of anesthesia after the usage of ropivacaine was assessed by the surgeons with average mark - 1.76. Interventions in which this anesthetic was used were performed with minimal pain and without additional anesthesia. The quality of anesthesia after the usage of bupivacaine (3.03) was statistically much worse (p<0.01) in comparison to ropivacaine. In visual analogous scale where patients denoted the intensity of pain during the intervention with ropivacaine the marked average value was 30.1 mm while the average value with usage of bupivacaine was 41.7 mm. The patients from the control group, where bupivacaine was used, had much stronger pain, statistically significant (p<0.05) in comparison to the group where ropivacaine was used. Our results show that the quality of anesthesia that was attained with 0,5% bupivacaine was much worse than the quality of anesthesia after the application of 0,75% ropivacaine. Conclusion. Ropivacaine has a potential to replace bupivacaine completely in cases when there is the indication for its usage in oral surgery (longlasting intervention, interventions followed by intensive postoperational pain, nerve blockade).


2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 267-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abiodun I. Ibraheem ◽  
Christopher Devine

Purpose This study aims to investigate the experiences, both academic and interpersonal, of a cohort of Saudi Arabian students in using the library of a medium-sized American university. It also examined how these experiences were similar to, or different from, those of other international students observed in earlier research studies conducted in American academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach This study used an online and paper survey that queried 169 Saudi Arabian students who were studying at Robert Morris University in 2015. Findings This study determined that many survey subjects struggled with language issues, the unfamiliar structure of American libraries and interpersonal communication with library staff. It also found that the respondents believed that formal instruction in the use of the library was helpful to them. Research limitations/implications The broad nature of the survey precluded comparison with a control group of students. The findings regarding the subjects’ interactions with library staff were, in some cases, ambiguous. An additional study will be necessary to clarify those experiences. Practical implications This study’s findings strongly support the value of formal library instruction programs for international students and the need for libraries to highly prioritize the importance of interpersonal communication in their services. Originality/value This is the first study to focus on the library experiences of Saudi Arabian students in an American academic library. It is of value to librarians and administrators, as well as to individuals who design and provide academic support services for international students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Lida Zhong ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Fang Li ◽  
Xiao Bao ◽  
Huiyu Liu ◽  
...  

Objectives. This study reviewed and evaluated existing evidence of the efficacy of acupuncture as a clinical treatment for dysphagia after stroke. Methods. Five English and four Chinese databases were searched from inception to March 2020. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) incorporating acupuncture or acupuncture combined with other interventions for the treatment of dysphagia after stroke were enrolled. All data were independently assessed and extracted by two authors. The bias risk assessment recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the quality of the selected studies. This meta-analysis was conducted by using RevMan 5.3. Pooled analyses were calculated by the mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 test. Results. Thirty-five studies involving 3024 patients were analyzed. The meta-analysis showed that the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture combined with other interventions was better than that of the control group for the standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) score (MD = −3.78, 95% CI: −4.64 to −2.91, P < 0.00001 ), Ichiro Fujishima rating scale (IFRS) score (MD = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.16 to 2.20, P < 0.00001 ), videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) score (MD = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.77 to 2.74, P < 0.00001 ), and water swallowing test (WST) score (MD = −1.21, 95% CI: −1.85 to −0.57, P =   0.0002 ). In studies reporting adverse effects, no serious outcome from an adverse event was confirmed. Conclusion. This systematic review indicated that acupuncture could be an effective therapy for treating dysphagia after stroke although stricter evaluation standards and rigorously designed RCTs are needed.


1973 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 29-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Wallace Sinaiko ◽  
R.George Klare

Abstract Language translation by computer has been proposed as a solution to the backlog of training and operational manuals awaiting translation by more conventional means. This study reports one of a series of experiments to assess the quality of translations produced by human translators and computers. The type of material under study was technical text (i.e., maintenance manuals) and the translation was from English to Vietnamese. Utility or readability of the translations was assessed by reading comprehension tests, the cloze procedure (in which readers filled in blanks where words had been systematically deleted) and a rating scale for judging clarity. Time to perform each of these tasks was also measured. The subjects were 141 Vietnamese Navy officer candidates and a control group of 57 U.S. Navy officer candidates. A 500-word passage, from a U.S. Navy casualty control instruction, was translated by computer into a rough (un-edited) and a finished (post-edited) version; also, highly competent human translators prepared a Vietnamese text. Some Vietnamese subjects served as controls and took all tests based on the English, or untranslated, version. Major conclusions were: (1) Translations produced by highly qualified humans were consistently more comprehensible than those produced by computer, whether edited or un-edited; post-edited versions of computer produced text were more comprehensible than unedited ones; most differences were not statistically significant; (2) Vietnamese Navy officer candidates were able to read text in English as well as its best Vietnamese version and their test scores were about as high as those of American control subjects. Reading speed was not affected by mode of translation.


Author(s):  
Ika Fidianingsih ◽  
Nur Aisyah Jamil ◽  
Russy Novita Andriani ◽  
Wira Muhammad Rindra

Abstract Background A high prevalence of anxiety in the elderly often leads to decreased quality of life (QOL). A restrictive diet can increase the production of ketone bodies that encourage mood enhancement, neural protection and pain reduction. This study aimed to identify whether Dawood fasting could increase the QOL of the elderly by reducing anxiety. Methods This research was a quasi-experimental study involving a pretest–post-test control group design. The subjects were pre-elderly and elderly or healthy people aged more than 50, and a consecutive sampling method was employed. The fasting group observed the fast of Dawood, in which they abstained from eating, drinking, or having sexual intercourse from the break of dawn to dusk with the expressed intent to fast every other day. The fast was observed for 22 days (11 fasting days). Anxiety was examined using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRS-A), while QOL was identified using the Indonesian version of the World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL). Results A total of 48 respondents participated in this study with 24 respondents observing the fast of Dawood and 24 others not fasting. Results showed that the 22 days of Dawood fast reduced respondents’ complaints about anxiety by 4.37% and was significantly different from the non-fasting group (p=0.001). There was an increase in the QOL of the fasting group (p=0.019), although no significant difference was found when compared to the non-fasting group. Conclusions The fast of Dawood reduced anxiety in the pre-elderly and elderly.


2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 140-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Abbas ◽  
Ruth Walton ◽  
Allan Johnston ◽  
Millicent Chikoore

Aims and methodThis paper introduces a new approach to producing case formulations, the integrated case formulation (ICF) approach, and a rating scale, the Case Formulation Scale (CFS). Twenty-four psychiatrists participated in a single-blind randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching using this new approach. The intervention group (n = 12) received teaching about using ICF, whereas the control group (n = 12) received teaching as usual. The scores on the CFS were compared before and after teaching.ResultsPrior to teaching, psychiatric trainees had poor scores on the CFS. The CFS score for the group taught the ICF approach improved five times more than the control group.Clinical implicationsThis study demonstrates that case formulation skills can be taught. With further improvements, the ICF approach might be useful in the teaching of case formulation.


Author(s):  
Francesca Morgante ◽  
Valentina Oppo ◽  
Margherita Fabbri ◽  
Enrica Olivola ◽  
Chiara Sorbera ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Levodopa–Carbidopa Intrajejunal gel (LCIG) infusion is an effective intervention for people with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although age may not be a limiting factor for LCIG implant, no data are available on late elderly PD (LE-PD) subjects. In this cross-sectional, we aimed to demonstrate if older age may impact on quality of life (QoL), motor and non-motor symptoms severity, and profile of side effects in PD treated with LCIG. Methods Out of 512 PD subjects treated with LCIG at 9 Italian PD centers, we selected 25 LE-PD defined as age ≥ 80 years at last follow-up who were available to attend the study visit. Twenty-five PD patients (Control-PD, defined as age < 75 years at last follow-up) matched to LE-PD by disease and LCIG duration served as control group. The following motor and non-motor variables were ascertained: quality of life (PDQ-8), time spent in ON, wearing-off Questionnaire, Unified PD Rating Scale, freezing of gait questionnaire, Parkinson’s disease sleep scale-2, Non Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), and MOCA. Results No statistically significant differences were found between LE-PD and Control-PD on PDQ-8 and several motor and non-motor variables. LE-PD had less frequent and milder impulsive–compulsive behaviors and milder dyskinesia. At multivariable regression, worse quality of life was associated with UPDRS-III and NMSS scores but not to age at study visit and age at LICG implant. Rate of adverse effects was similar in both groups. Drop-out rate calculated in the whole PD cohort was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion Our data provide evidence that valuable LCIG infusion might be achieved in late elderly PD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 1007-1012
Author(s):  
Geo Mani ◽  

The use of audio-visual and audio distraction tools can lead to the improvement of the quality of treatment and benefit both the dentist and the patient. It is of interest to evaluate the anxiety levels using audio and audio-visual distraction aids during pedodontic care. We collected data on 30 children between 6 to 12 years old. Subjects were randomly assigned into three groups of ten each. The three groups were control group, audio distraction group and audio-visual distraction group. The pulse rate of all the patients were assessed, Venham’s picture test and Venham’s Clinical Rating scale was recorded for all the subjects during the first and second visits. A statistically significant (p<0.01) difference in pulse rates was observed when audio and audio-visual groups were used during treatment. This implies that distraction aids help to reduce the levels of anxiety pedodontic care.


2012 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Reinsfelder

This study sought to determine the degree to which individual research consultations with a librarian can improve the work of undergraduate students. Citation analysis was used to evaluate the quality of sources selected on draft papers before meeting with a librarian and on final papers after meeting with a librarian. The rating scale presented here offers guidelines for measuring the quality of sources used by students. Findings of this research begin to provide some quantitative evidence demonstrating the positive impact of individual research consultations.


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