Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Expectations For Methodology And Translation Of Animal Research: A Survey Of Health Care Workers, Ari Joffe, Meredith Bara, Natalie Anton, Nathan Nobis

Experimentation Collection

Background: Health care workers (HCW) often perform, promote, and advocate use of public funds for animal research (AR); therefore, an awareness of the empirical costs and benefits of animal research is an important issue for HCW. We aim to determine what health-care-workers consider should be acceptable standards of AR methodology and translation rate to humans.

Methods: After development and validation, an e-mail survey was sent to all pediatricians and pediatric intensive care unit nurses and respiratory-therapists (RTs) affiliated with a Canadian University. We presented questions about demographics, methodology of AR, and expectations from AR. Responses of pediatricians and nurses/RTs were …

Impacts Of Consumer Horticulture On Stormwater And Nutrient Management: Investigating Public Perception, Knowledge, And Practices In The Shenandoah River Watershed, Christopher P. Parker

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The South Fork Shenandoah River is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay that is a significant contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus that enter the Bay and leads to increased eutrophication. These nutrients also cause problems in the South Fork Shenandoah River. The United States Environmental Protection agency has implemented strict regulation to reduce nutrients entering the Bay by developing the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. While the TMDL has strict regulation on wastewater treatment, agriculture, and industry, there are still sources of nutrients entering the Bay through unregulated sources. Urban/suburban runoff is one of these sources, particularly runoff from home owner’s lawns. …

The Effects Of A Planned Missingness Design On Examinee Motivation And Psychometric Quality, Matthew S. Swain

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Assessment practitioners in higher education face increasing demands to collect assessment and accountability data to make important inferences about student learning and institutional quality. The validity of these high-stakes decisions is jeopardized, particularly in low-stakes testing contexts, when examinees do not expend sufficient motivation to perform well on the test. This study introduced planned missingness as a potential solution. In planned missingness designs, data on all items are collected but each examinee only completes a subset of items, thus increasing data collection efficiency, reducing examinee burden, and potentially increasing data quality. The current scientific reasoning test served as the Long …

Examining The Performance Of The Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro Algorithm In The Estimation Of Multilevel Multidimensional Irt Models, Bozhidar M. Bashkov

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was to review the challenges that exist in the estimation of complex (multidimensional) models applied to complex (multilevel) data and to examine the performance of the recently developed Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro (MH-RM) algorithm (Cai, 2010a, 2010b), designed to overcome these challenges and implemented in both commercial and open-source software programs. Unlike other methods, which either rely on high-dimensional numerical integration or approximation of the entire multidimensional response surface, MH-RM makes use of Fisher’s Identity to employ stochastic imputation (i.e., data augmentation) via the Metropolis-Hastings sampler and then apply the stochastic approximation method of Robbins and Monro …

Applying Penalized Binary Logistic Regression With Correlation Based Elastic Net For Variables Selection, Zakariya Yahya Algamal, Muhammad Hisyam Lee

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Reduction of the high dimensional classification using penalized logistic regression is one of the challenges in applying binary logistic regression. The applied penalized method, correlation based elastic penalty (CBEP), was used to overcome the limitation of LASSO and elastic net in variable selection when there are perfect correlation among explanatory variables. The performance of the CBEP was demonstrated through its application in analyzing two well-known high dimensional binary classification data sets. The CBEP provided superior classification performance and variable selection compared with other existing penalized methods. It is a reliable penalized method in binary logistic regression.

Spss Programs For Addressing Two Forms Of Power For Multiple Regression Coefficients, Christopher Aberson

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This paper presents power analysis tools for multiple regression. The first takes input of correlations between variables and sample size and outputs power for multiple predictors. The second addresses power to detect significant effects for all of the predictors in the model. Both employ user-friendly SPSS Custom Dialogs.

Are Per-Family Type I Error Rates Relevant In Social And Behavioral Science?, Andrew V. Frane

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The familywise Type I error rate is a familiar concept in hypothesis testing, whereas the per‑family Type I error rate is rarely addressed. This article uses Monte Carlo simulations and graphics to make a case for the relevance of the per‑family Type I error rate in research practice and pedagogy.

Per Family Error Rates: A Response, James F. Troendle, Keshia-Lee Martin, Vance W. Berger

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

As the authors note, the familywise error rate (FWER) is used rather often, whereas the per-family error rate (PFER) is not. Is this as it should be? It would seem that no universal answer is possible, as context determines which is more appropriate in any given application. In the general scenario of testing the benefit of an intervention, one might ideally want an error rate that aligns with the decision for benefit. In most cases the FWER does this pretty well, while allowing one to identify those endpoints for which benefit exists. The PFER does not seem to have any …

Maximum Likelihood Estimation Of The Kumaraswamy Exponential Distribution With Applications, K. A. Adepoju, O. I. Chukwu

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The Kumaraswamy exponential distribution, a generalization of the exponential, is developed as a model for problems in environmental studies, survival analysis and reliability. The estimation of parameters is approached by maximum likelihood and the observed information matrix is derived. The proposed models are applied to three real data sets.

Test For The Equality Of Partial Correlation Coefficients For Two Populations, Madhusudan Bhandary, Arjun K. Gupta

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A likelihood ratio test for the equality of two partial correlation coefficients based on two independent multinormal samples has been derived. The large sample Z-test for the same problem has also been discussed. The power analysis of the two tests is obtained. It has been found that the approximate likelihood ratio (ALR) test showed consistently better results than Z -test in terms of power. The size of the ALR test is slightly more than the alpha level. The ALR test is recommended strongly for use in practice.

Comparison Of Model Fit Indices Used In Structural Equation Modeling Under Multivariate Normality, Sengul Cangur, Ilker Ercan

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of estimation techniques and sample sizes on model fit indices in structural equation models constructed according to the number of exogenous latent variables under multivariate normality. The performances of fit indices are compared by considering effects of related factors. The Ratio Chi-square Test Statistic to Degree of Freedom, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, and Comparative Fit Index are the least affected indices by estimation technique and sample size under multivariate normality, especially with large sample size.

Method Of Estimation In The Presence Of Non-Response And Measurement Errors Simultaneously, Rajesh Singh Singh, Prayas Sharma

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The problem of estimating the finite population mean of in simple random sampling in the presence of non-response and response error was considered. The estimators use auxiliary information to improve efficiency, assuming non–response and measurement error are present in both the study and auxiliary variables. A class of estimators was proposed and its properties studied in the simultaneous presence of non-response and response errors. It was shown that the proposed class of estimators is more efficient than the usual unbiased estimator, ratio and product estimators under non-response and response error together. A numerical study was carried out to compare its …

Pseudo-Random Number Generators For Vector Processors And Multicore Processors, Agner Fog

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Large scale Monte Carlo applications need a good pseudo-random number generator capable of utilizing both the vector processing capabilities and multiprocessing capabilities of modern computers in order to get the maximum performance. The requirements for such a generator are discussed. New ways of avoiding overlapping subsequences by combining two generators are proposed. Some fundamental philosophical problems in proving independence of random streams are discussed. Remedies for hitherto ignored quantization errors are offered. An open source C++ implementation is provided for a generator that meets these needs.

Domain Specific Document Retrieval Framework On Near Real-Time Social Health Data, Swapnil Soni

Kno.e.sis Publications

With the advent of web search and microblogging, the percentage of Online Health Information Seekers (OHIS) using these services to share and seek health information in real-time has increased exponentially. Recently, Twitter has emerged as one of the primary mediums for sharing and seeking of the latest information related to a variety of topics, including health information. Although Twitter is an excellent information source, the identification of useful information from the deluge of tweets is one of the major challenges. Twitter search is limited to keyword-based techniques to retrieve information for a given query and sometimes the results do not …

Monitoring Invasive Plant Species: Summer Internship At Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, Belmont, Massachusetts, Holly M. Zanoni

Sustainability and Social Justice

Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Belmont, Massachusetts is a dynamic suburban sanctuary that effectively upholds Mass Audubon’s three-part mission of advocacy, conservation, and education. Invasive plants threaten ecological integrity; however, proactive measures are taken to mitigate further encroachment. This is accomplished by surveying and taking inventory for presence of invasive species, then prioritizing them, and finally by incorporating high priority species into the immediate management strategy. Four invasive plants were formally analyzed using geographic information science during the 2014 growing season: Garlic mustard, Black swallowwort, Japanese knotweed, and Dame’s Rocket. The resulting density maps detected pattern changes from 2011, 2012, …

The Relationship Between Motivation And Volunteer Satisfaction In Conservation Programs 2015., Raena Blumenthal

Master's Theses

Conservation leisure service organizations are relying more heavily on volunteers to sustain their services and protect natural resources (Strigas, 2006). However, research focusing on volunteer vacationers, those who spend money to volunteer, is still in its infancy. Drawing on functional theorizing (Bruyer & Rappe, 2007; Clary, Snyder, Ridge, Copeland, Stukas, Haugen, & Miene, 1998; Houle, Sagarin, & Kaplan, 2005; Katz, 1960; Smith, Bruner, & White, 1956), this study explored volunteer vacationers’ motivations and the relationships between motivations to volunteer, satisfaction with the volunteer vacation experience, and inclinations to volunteer in the future (in both local and nonlocal settings). The study …

Spatial, Temporal And Demographical Analysis Of Gulf Of Mexico Research Priorities, The Effect Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Stephen Hiller Sempier

Dissertations

A set of twenty equally-weighted national ocean research priorities were define in 2007, but it was not clear if these priorities applied for the Gulf of Mexico. A series of three longitudinal surveys of people who conduct research, sponsor research or use research for professional or recreational purposes was released that focused on the twenty research priorities and asked people how they rated each. A convenience sampling method was employed, which suggests that the results are constrained to the survey respondents and should not be extrapolated to a larger population. More than 1,500 people completed the 2013 GMRP survey and …

Ua66 Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter, Cheryl Stevens, Dean

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

The Implications Of Self-Driving Cars On Insurance, Amanda Lobello

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are being researched and tested by automakers, technology industry leaders, and other institutions. Lawmakers and politicians are discussing the legislation that will affect the fate of such technology. Primary benefits include safety, mobility, free time, less traffic, and green effects. However, there are also obstacles to the implementation of self-driving vehicles including consumer acceptance, legal liability, and cost. With the potential shift in responsibility from driver to automaker, rating factors for insurance may change, weighing more heavily on the model of the car as a factor. The fate of auto insurance is in …

The Happy Secret To Better Work: Ted Talk Annotated Resource List, Logan Secrest

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Industrial Production Manager [Career Paper], Wesley Osborne

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Do Footprint-Based Cafe Standards Make Car Models Bigger?, Brianna Marie Jean

Economics

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards have historically been set equal across all manufacturer fleets of the same type. Concerns about varying costs across firms and safety implications of standards that are set homogeneously across firms and models resulted in a policy shift towards footprint-based standards. Under this type of standard, individual car models face targets based on the size of the area between the wheelbase and wheel track, so that larger models face less stringent standards, and manufacturers who make, on average, larger cars will face a lighter fleet standard. Theoretical models have shown that this type of policy …

Breaking The News: First Impressions Matter On Online News, Julio Reis, Fabr´Icio Benevenuto, Pedro Olmo, Raquel Prates, Haewoon Kwak, Jisun An

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A growing number of people are changing the way they consume news, replacing the traditional physical newspapers and magazines by their virtual online versions or/and weblogs. The interactivity and immediacy present in online news are changing the way news are being produced and exposed by media corporations. News websites have to create effective strategies to catch people’s attention and attract their clicks. In this paper we investigate possible strategies used by online news corporations in the design of their news headlines. We analyze the content of 69,907 headlines produced by four major global media corporations during a minimum of eight …

Analyzing The Social Media Footprint Of Street Gangs, Sanjaya Wijeratne, Derek Doran, Amit P. Sheth, Jack Dustin

Kno.e.sis Publications

Gangs utilize social media as a way to maintain threatening virtual presences, to communicate about their activities, and to intimidate others. Such usage has gained the attention of many justice service agencies that wish to create better crime prevention and judicial services. However, these agencies use analysis methods that are labor intensive and only lead to basic, qualitative data interpretations. This paper presents the architecture of a modern platform to discover the structure, function, and operation of gangs through the lens of social media. Preliminary analysis of social media posts shared in the greater Chicago, IL region demonstrate the platform’s …

Toolstone Use In Ozark Prehistory: Assessing Adaptations To A Lithic Dichotomy In The Boston Mountains And Springfield Plateau, Luke Allen Morris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toolstone use in the Ozark Mountains is a reactionary process reliant on how the landscape provides or constrains chipped stone for prehistoric populations. These technological adaptations are recognized at sites throughout the area, but no regional assessment of lithic assemblages provides answers as to why certain stones are used at a particular location. This thesis employs a five step mass analysis of lithic assemblages, and GIS visualizations to observe how the organization of stone technologies vary based on location within contrasting geologic contexts. The chert-bearing Springfield Plateau, and the Boston Mountains with siltstone, are two neighboring dichotomous landscapes that illustrate …

Estimating The Accuracy Of Automated Classification Systems Using Only Expert Ratings That Are Less Accurate Than The System, Paul E. Lehner

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A method is presented to estimate the accuracy of an automated classification system based only on expert ratings on test cases, where the system may be substantially more accurate than the raters. In this method an estimate of overall rater accuracy is derived from the level of inter-rater agreement, Bayesian updating based on estimated rater accuracy is applied to estimate a ground truth probability for each classification on each test case, and then overall system accuracy is estimated by comparing the relative frequency that the system agrees with the most probable classification at different probability levels. A simulation analysis provides …

Modeling Probability Of Causal And Random Impacts, Stan Lipovetsky, Igor Mandel

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The method of the estimation of the probability of an event occurring under the influence of the causal and random effects is considered. Epistemological differences from the traditional approaches to causality are discussed, and a new model of the statistical estimation of the parameters of each effect is proposed. The simple and effective algorithms of the model parameters estimation are presented, and numerical simulations are performed. A practical marketing example is analyzed. The results support the validity of the estimation procedure and open the perspective for the application of the method for various decision making problems, where different causes can …

Estimation For The Parameters Of The Exponentiated Exponential Distribution Using A Median Ranked Set Sampling, Monjed H. Samuh, Areen Qtait

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The method of maximum likelihood estimation based on Median Ranked Set Sampling (MRSS) was used to estimate the shape and scale parameters of the Exponentiated Exponential Distribution (EED). They were compared with the conventional estimators. The relative efficiency was used for comparison. The amount of information (in Fisher's sense) available from the MRSS about the parameters of the EED were be evaluated. Confidence intervals for the parameters were constructed using MRSS.

Investigating Categorization Preferences For Online Dating Sites, Scott Morrissette

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a three-category (3C) system for classifying profiles on online dating sites provides advantages over a two-category (2C) system as decision makers evaluate a long list of profiles. Two groups of single heterosexual or bisexual women ages 20 to 30 reviewed a list of 60 male profiles on simulated online dating sites to choose which profiled man they would most like to learn more about. One group (n = 53) evaluated the profiles using a 2C system; the other group (n = 56) used a 3C system. After making their choice, women …

Design, Programming, And User-Experience, Kaila G. Manca

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis is a culmination of my individualized major in Human-Computer Interaction. As such, it showcases my knowledge of design, computer engineering, user-experience research, and puts into practice my background in psychology, com- munications, and neuroscience.

I provided full-service design and development for a web application to be used by the Digital Media and Design Department and their students.This process involved several iterations of user-experience research, testing, concepting, branding and strategy, ideation, and design. It lead to two products.

The first product is full-scale development and optimization of the web appli- cation.The web application adheres to best practices. It was …