scholarly journals A Pilot Study: Vital Methodological Issues

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Hazzi ◽  
Issa Maldaon
Keyword(s):  
Missing Data ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Back Translation ◽  
Recommended Practices

A pilot study represents a vital step for conducting a full-fledged study soundly. In fact, a well-conducted pilot study can help the researchers to design a clear road map they can follow. Conducting a pilot study professionally, however, involves vital quantitative methodological issues (i.e., Back-Translation, Missing Data, Normality, and Reliability) the researchers had better take into account when conducting the pilot study and before embarking the main one. Unfortunately, such issues are neglected in many researches as well as barely addressed together in a one work in research papers. From the literature and the experience, the present work aims to address the most recommended practices of such methodological issues providing at the same time the best practices for new researchers and scholars alike, with a view to reduce the loss of suffered by research community when such issues and practices remain unpublished together. Suggestions and thoughts were also demonstrated in this work for further researches. Finally, the importance of such research for business sector was also demonstrated in this work.

scholarly journals Methodological Issues in Recommender Systems Research (Extended Abstract)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Ferrari Dacrema ◽  
Paolo Cremonesi ◽  
Dietmar Jannach
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Recommender Systems ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Heuristic Methods ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
The Core ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Small Set

The development of continuously improved machine learning algorithms for personalized item ranking lies at the core of today's research in the area of recommender systems. Over the years, the research community has developed widely-agreed best practices for comparing algorithms and demonstrating progress with offline experiments. Unfortunately, we find this accepted research practice can easily lead to phantom progress due to the following reasons: limited reproducibility, comparison with complex but weak and non-optimized baseline algorithms, over-generalization from a small set of experimental configurations. To assess the extent of such problems, we analyzed 18 research papers published recently at top-ranked conferences. Only 7 were reproducible with reasonable effort, and 6 of them could often be outperformed by relatively simple heuristic methods, e.g., nearest neighbors. In this paper, we discuss these observations in detail, and reflect on the related fundamental problem of over-reliance on offline experiments in recommender systems research.

Learning Chinese political formulaic phraseology from a self-built bilingual united nations security council corpus

Babel ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baimei Wu ◽  
Andrew K.F. Cheung ◽  
Jie Xing
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Security Council ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
United Nations Security Council ◽  
Retrieval Process ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Parallel Corpus ◽  
Simultaneous Interpreting

Abstract This pilot study investigates the formulaic phraseology most frequently used in highly formulaic political documents by examining a self-built bilingual parallel corpus of 43 speeches delivered in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meetings by Chinese representatives. The study also probes corpus-based approaches to explore formulaic phraseology and demonstrates a method to retrieve Chinese formulaic phraseology from the UNSC corpus. Formulaic phraseology is often seen in political discourse. It can be defined as a sequence, continuous or discontinuous, of words or other meaning elements that are, or appear to be, prefabricated, stored and retrieved whole from memory at the time of use rather than being subject to generation or analysis by the language grammar. This study begins with a literature review of formulaic phraseology, including its features and significance in simultaneous interpreting. It then exhibits a four-step retrieval process with the Sketch Engine software program to acquire Chinese formulaic phraseology from the corpus to fill previous studies’ gap. Key functional units of the Sketch Engine, including Wordlist, N-grams, and Concordance, are used to extract formulaic phraseology from the UNSC corpus. Methodological issues involved in identifying formulaic phraseology, such as length of phraseology and quantitative criteria (frequency and dispersion thresholds), are also discussed in the study. Three types of formulaic phraseology are identified: (1) greeting representatives and other members and expressing appreciation; (2) expressing concerns about the topic of the meeting; (3) expressing China’s viewpoints about the topic of the meeting. The training of interpreters would be more effective if this categorization of formulaic phraseology is incorporated into the curriculum.

Cross-cultural linguistic adaptation of Arabic version of four dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ) for assessing distress, anxiety, depression and somatization in Egyptian primary care attendees

QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nour Muhammad Raouf Elmessiri ◽  
Hussien Ahmed Elkholy ◽  
Mohamed Farouk Allam ◽  
Diaa Marzouk Abd el-Hamid
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Expert Committee ◽  
Arabic Version ◽  
English Version ◽  
Final Version ◽  
Symptom Questionnaire ◽  
Back Translation

Abstract Background The four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ) is a Dutch self-administered screening tool that has been developed in primary care to differentiate non pathologic general distress from depression, anxiety and somatization. It has been validated in the English language as well as other languages yet it has not been validated in Arabic. For the sake of developing the appropriate Arabic version, linguistic validation has been sought with the guidance of crosscultural adaptation guidelines. Objective To design the appropriate Arabic version of the 4DSQ that has linguistic and conceptual equivalence to its validated English version and that is appropriate for administration to Egyptian primary care attendees. Methods The validated English version of the 4DSQ was translated by 5 translators (including specialist psychiatrist, internists and English language specialist) into Arabic (Egyptian spoken dialect) without mutual consultation. An expert committee that consisted of 2 professors of public health and family medicine and an associate professor of neuropsychiatry was formed. The consensus version was created after expert committee modification and approval of each questionnaire item using DELPHI method. After that the back translation to English was carried out by two independent bilingual physicians whose English is their mother tongue. A pilot study was carried out on 17 bilingual participants after answering the questionnaire in both languages to test its equivalence. The consensus Arabic version was updated based on the pilot study and the final version was developed. The final version was then tested on 278 Egyptian primary care attendees. Results After the course of forward and back translation, expert committee’s review and developer’s comments, the final version of Arabic 4DSQ was developed for assessment of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization. There was no significant difference between results of Arabic and English questionnaire using paired T test. Final testing showed very good internal consistency of each of the 4 scales of the questionnaire. Conclusion The Arabic 4DSQ linguistically and conceptually corresponds to the validated English 4DSQ. It has good structural validity and internal consistency reliability and thus could be used in primary care after further psychometric validation.

“I Know Correlation Doesn’t Prove Causation, but . . .”: Are We Jumping to Unfounded Conclusions About the Causes of Sexual Offending?

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin L. Nunes ◽  
Chloe I. Pedneault ◽  
W. Eric Filleter ◽  
Sacha Maimone ◽  
Carolyn Blank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Methodological Rigor ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Differences Of Opinion ◽  
Information Sensitivity ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency

Identifying causes of sexual offending is the foundation of effective and efficient assessment, intervention, and policy aimed at reducing sexual offending. However, studies vary in methodological rigor and the inferences they support, and there are differences of opinion about the conclusions that can be drawn from ambiguous evidence. To explore how researchers in this area interpret the available empirical evidence, we asked authors of articles published in relevant specialized journals to identify (a) an important factor that may lead to sexual offending, (b) a study providing evidence of a relationship between that factor and sexual offending, and (c) the inferences supported by that study. Many participants seemed to endorse causal interpretations and conclusions that went beyond the methodological rigor of the study they identified. Our findings suggest that some researchers may not be adequately considering methodological issues when making inferences about the causes of sexual offending. Although it is difficult to conduct research in this area and all research designs can provide valuable information, sensitivity to the limits methodology places on inferences is important for the sake of accuracy and integrity, and to stimulate more informative research. We propose that increasing attention to methodology in the research community through better training and standards will advance scientific knowledge about the causes of sexual offending, and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of practice and policy.

scholarly journals Guidelines for Establishing Reliability when Coding Narrative Data

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moin Syed ◽  
Sarah C. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Emerging Adulthood ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Essential Resource

The use of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches has been foundational to research on emerging adulthood, yet there remain many unresolved methodological issues pertaining to how to handle qualitative data. The purpose of this article is to review best practices for coding and establishing reliability when working with narrative data. In doing so, we highlight how establishing reliability must be seen as an evolving process, rather than simply a focus on the end product. The review is divided into three broad sections. In the first section, we discuss relatively more quantitatively-focused methods of coding and establishing reliability, whereas in the second section we discuss relatively more qualitatively-focused methods. In the final section, we provide recommendations for researchers interested in coding narrative and other types of open-ended data. This article is intended to serve as an essential resource for researchers working on a variety of topics related to emerging adulthood and beyond.

Information Processing in Research Paper Recommender System Classes

2019 ◽  
pp. 90-118
Author(s):  
Benard M. Maake ◽  
Sunday O. Ojo ◽  
Tranos Zuva
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Recommender Systems ◽  
Operational Research ◽  
Data Access ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Research Community ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Art Research ◽  
Research Paper Recommender Systems

Research-related publications and articles have flooded the internet, and researchers are in the quest of getting better tools and technologies to improve the recommendation of relevant research papers. Ever since the introduction of research paper recommender systems, more than 400 research paper recommendation related articles have been so far published. These articles describe the numerous tools, methodologies, and technologies used in recommending research papers, further highlighting issues that need the attention of the research community. Few operational research paper recommender systems have been developed though. The main objective of this review paper is to summaries the state-of-the-art research paper recommender systems classification categories. Findings and concepts on data access and manipulations in the field of research paper recommendation will be highlighted, summarized, and disseminated. This chapter will be centered on reviewing articles in the field of research paper recommender systems published from the early 1990s until 2017.

Civic Value of National Service

2020 ◽  
pp. 265-280
Author(s):  
Jarrad D. Plante ◽  
Amanda Kinzey ◽  
Brooke M. Renney
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Education Leadership ◽  
Higher Education Leadership ◽  
Public University ◽  
National Service ◽  
Service Program ◽  
Institutional Leadership

Research from one large public university highlights that on average, of the 10,000 students who graduate, 650 students, or 8% of participating graduates, indicate ‘volunteering' or ‘taking time off' as their immediate next step post-graduation. This creates a ‘service year' opportunity. A pilot study was conducted on the civic value of national service within a population of students who graduated from one large public university and participated in at least one national service program to understand the civic value of national service. The pre-, during-, and post-service year experiences are examined with respect to ethical dilemmas and best practices within higher education leadership. Action steps for ethical best practices created by institutional leadership will foster a connection for students and national service opportunities as a pathway from college to career.

scholarly journals A stepwise method for annotating appraisal

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Fuoli
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Manual Annotation ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Stepwise Method ◽  
Evaluative Language ◽  
Practical Tool ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Context Specific

Abstract Despite a growing awareness of methodological issues, the literature on appraisal has not so far provided adequate answers to some of the key challenges involved in reliably identifying and classifying evaluative language expressions. This article presents a stepwise method for the manual annotation of appraisal in text that is designed to optimize reliability, replicability and transparency. The procedure consists of seven steps, from the creation of a context-specific annotation manual to the statistical analysis of the quantitative data derived from the manually-performed annotations. By presenting this method, the article pursues the twofold purpose of (i) providing a practical tool that can facilitate more reliable, replicable and transparent analyses, and (ii) fostering a discussion of the best practices that should be observed when manually annotating appraisal.

Pilot Study of the Juvenile Dermatomyositis Consensus Treatment Plans: A CARRA Registry Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuan Liu ◽  
George Tomlinson ◽  
Ann M. Reed ◽  
Adam M. Huber ◽  
Olli Saarela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Missing Data ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Comparative Effectiveness ◽  
Juvenile Dermatomyositis ◽  
Confounding By Indication ◽  
Childhood Arthritis ◽  
Moderate Improvement ◽  
Treatment Plans ◽  
Effectiveness Studies ◽  
New Onset

Objectives.To determine the feasibility of comparing the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology ResearchAlliance (CARRA) consensus treatment plans (CTP) in treating moderate new-onset juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) using the CARRA registry, and to establish appropriate analytic methods to control for confounding by indication and missing data.Methods.A pilot cohort of 39 patients with JDM from the CARRA registry was studied. Patients were assigned by the treating physician, considering patient/family preferences, to 1 of 3 CTP: methotrexate (MTX) and prednisone (MP); intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone, MTX, and prednisone (MMP); or IV methylprednisolone, MTX, prednisone, and IV immunoglobulin (MMPI). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving moderate improvement at 6 months under each CTP. Statistical methods including multiple imputation and inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to handle missing data and confounding by indication.Results.Patients received MP (n = 13), MMP (n = 18) and MMPI (n = 8). Patients in all CTP had significant improvement in disease activity. Of the 36 patients who remained in our pilot study at 6 months, 16 (44%) of them successfully achieved moderate improvement at 6 months (6/13, 46% for MP; 7/15, 47% for MMP; 3/8, 38% for MMPI). After correcting for confounding, there were no statistically significant pairwise differences between the CTP (P = 0.328–0.88).Conclusion.We gained valuable experience and insight from our pilot study that can be used to guide the design and analysis of comparative effectiveness studies using the CARRA registry CTP approach. Our analytical methods can be adopted for future comparative effectiveness studies and applied to other rare disease observational studies.

An Ideation Framework for Service Process Improvement

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Kaner ◽  
Reuven Karni
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Case Based Reasoning ◽  
Process Redesign ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Current State ◽  
Successful Design ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency ◽  
Improvement Methodologies

Service delivery processes play a key role in the competitiveness of modern organizations. Their effectiveness and efficiency are a consequence of successful design of new processes and improvement of existing processes. Improvement methodologies commonly focus on generic steps serving as a road map for moving a process from its current state along a guided path to better performance. However, these methodologies ignore the crucial step of methods for modifying processes, which often necessitate the generation of new improvement alternatives; generally based on “randomized” brainstorming rather than on systematic triggering of new ideas and reusing past improvements. The authors’ framework comprises and integrates 21 goal determinants to be achieved through process redesign, 32 best practices describing possible process modifications, 40 TRIZ inventive principles for generating new improvement ideas, and case-based reasoning (CBR) for retaining and reusing past improvements. This paper illustrates the application of the proposed methodology using an example of an inbound telesales process.

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