Understanding and Evaluating Research


Book Description

Understanding and Evaluating Research: A Critical Guide shows students how to be critical consumers of research and to appreciate the power of methodology as it shapes the research question, the use of theory in the study, the methods used, and how the outcomes are reported. The book starts with what it means to be a critical and uncritical reader of research, followed by a detailed chapter on methodology, and then proceeds to a discussion of each component of a research article as it is informed by the methodology. The book encourages readers to select an article from their discipline, learning along the way how to assess each component of the article and come to a judgment of its rigor or quality as a scholarly report.




The Science of Citizen Science


Book Description

This open access book discusses how the involvement of citizens into scientific endeavors is expected to contribute to solve the big challenges of our time, such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity, growing inequalities within and between societies, and the sustainability turn. The field of citizen science has been growing in recent decades. Many different stakeholders from scientists to citizens and from policy makers to environmental organisations have been involved in its practice. In addition, many scientists also study citizen science as a research approach and as a way for science and society to interact and collaborate. This book provides a representation of the practices as well as scientific and societal outcomes in different disciplines. It reflects the contribution of citizen science to societal development, education, or innovation and provides and overview of the field of actors as well as on tools and guidelines. It serves as an introduction for anyone who wants to get involved in and learn more about the science of citizen science.




Applying Conceptual Models of Nursing


Book Description

This practical resource for nursing students, educators, researchers, and practitioners provides content about the conceptual models of nursing that are used as organizing frameworks for nursing practice, quality improvement projects, and research. Chapters break these abstract models down into their core concepts and definitions. Discussions of each model provide examples of practical application so readers can employ these organizing frameworks. This is the only book to apply these models to quality improvement projects, particularly those in DNP programs and clinical agencies. For every conceptual model, diagrams, information boxes, and other visual elements clarify and reinforce information. Each chapter features applications of the conceptual models to a wide variety of examples, including nursing practice assessment and an intervention, a literature review and descriptive qualitative, instrument development, correlational, experimental, and mixed-method studies. Other valuable features include faculty templates for practice, quality improvement, and research methodologies for each conceptual model, along with extensive references. Key Features: Focuses on applying conceptual models in practice Demonstrates how a wide range of nursing conceptual models are applied to nursing practice, quality improvement, and research PowerPoint templates for each conceptual model avaliable to faculty Provides abundant diagrams, boxes, and other visual elements to clarify and reinforce information Includes an extensive list of references for each conceptual model




Conceptual Design for Interactive Systems


Book Description

Conceptual Design for Interactive Systems: Designing for Performance and User Experience provides readers with a comprehensive guide to the steps necessary to take the leap from research and requirements to product design. The text presents a proven strategy for transforming research into a conceptual model, discussing the iterative process that allows users to build the essential foundation for a successful interactive system, while also taking the users' mental model into consideration. Readers will gain a better understanding of the framework they need to perceive, understand, and experience their tasks and processes in the context of their products. The text is ideal for those seeking a proven, innovative strategy for meeting goals through intuitive and effective thinking. - Provides a practical, guiding approach that can be immediately applied to everyday practice and study - Complete analysis and explanation of conceptual modeling and its value - Discusses the implications of effective and poor conceptual models - Presents a step-by-step process, allowing users to build the essential foundation for a successful interactive system




Domain-Specific Conceptual Modeling


Book Description

This book draws new attention to domain-specific conceptual modeling by presenting the work of thought leaders who have designed and deployed specific modeling methods. It provides hands-on guidance on how to build models in a particular domain, such as requirements engineering, business process modeling or enterprise architecture. In addition to these results, it also puts forward ideas for future developments. All this is enriched with exercises, case studies, detailed references and further related information. All domain-specific methods described in this volume also have a tool implementation within the OMiLAB Collaborative Environment – a dedicated research and experimentation space for modeling method engineering at the University of Vienna, Austria – making these advances accessible to a wider community of further developers and users. The collection of works presented here will benefit experts and practitioners from academia and industry alike, including members of the conceptual modeling community as well as lecturers and students.




Taming the Big Green Elephant


Book Description

In this open access publication it is shown, that sustainable low carbon development is a transformative process that constitutes the shifting from the initially chosen or taken pathway to another pathway as goals have been re-visited and revised to enable the system to adapt to changes. However, shifting entails transition costs that are accrued through the effects of lock-ins that have framed decisions and collective actions. The uncertainty about these costs can be overwhelming or even disruptive. This book aims to provide a comprehensive and integrated analytical framework that promotes the understanding of transformation towards sustainability. The analysis of this book is built upon negotiative perspectives to help define, design, and facilitate collective actions in order to execute the principles of sustainability. Dr Dr Ariel Macaspac Hernandez is currently a researcher at the German Development Institute belonging to the research cluster knowledge cooperation and environmental governance. He was/is also a lecturer on negotiations, conflict and resource management, sustainability politics, environmental governance, climate change policies, development aid and sustainable energy systems in various universities in Germany, Philippines, Jamaica, Estonia, Spain and Mexico.




GUI Bloopers 2.0


Book Description

GUI Bloopers 2.0, Second Edition, is the completely updated and revised version of GUI Bloopers. It looks at user interface design bloopers from commercial software, Web sites, Web applications, and information appliances, explaining how intelligent, well-intentioned professionals make these mistakes – and how you can avoid them. GUI expert Jeff Johnson presents the reality of interface design in an entertaining, anecdotal, and instructive way while equipping readers with the minimum of theory. This updated version reflects the bloopers that are common today, incorporating many comments and suggestions from first edition readers. It covers bloopers in a wide range of categories including GUI controls, graphic design and layout, text messages, interaction strategies, Web site design – including search, link, and navigation, responsiveness issues, and management decision-making. Organized and formatted so information needed is quickly found, the new edition features call-outs for the examples and informative captions to enhance quick knowledge building. This book is recommended for software engineers, web designers, web application developers, and interaction designers working on all kinds of products. - Updated to reflect the bloopers that are common today, incorporating many comments and suggestions from first edition readers - Takes a learn-by-example approach that teaches how to avoid common errors - Covers bloopers in a wide range of categories: GUI controls, graphic design and layout, text messages, interaction strategies, Web site design -- including search, link, and navigation, responsiveness issues, and management decision-making - Organized and formatted so information needed is quickly found, the new edition features call-outs for the examples and informative captions to enhance quick knowledge building - Hundreds of illustrations: both the DOs and the DON'Ts for each topic covered, with checklists and additional bloopers on www.gui-bloopers.com




Object-Oriented Analysis and Design for Information Systems


Book Description

Object-Oriented Analysis and Design for Information Systems clearly explains real object-oriented programming in practice. Expert author Raul Sidnei Wazlawick explains concepts such as object responsibility, visibility and the real need for delegation in detail. The object-oriented code generated by using these concepts in a systematic way is concise, organized and reusable. The patterns and solutions presented in this book are based in research and industrial applications. You will come away with clarity regarding processes and use cases and a clear understand of how to expand a use case. Wazlawick clearly explains clearly how to build meaningful sequence diagrams. Object-Oriented Analysis and Design for Information Systems illustrates how and why building a class model is not just placing classes into a diagram. You will learn the necessary organizational patterns so that your software architecture will be maintainable. - Learn how to build better class models, which are more maintainable and understandable. - Write use cases in a more efficient and standardized way, using more effective and less complex diagrams. - Build true object-oriented code with division of responsibility and delegation.




Encyclopedia of Case Study Research


Book Description

This is the authoritative reference work in the field. An interdisciplinary set, it investigates the extensive history, design and methods of case study research.




Conceptual Modeling of Information Systems


Book Description

This brilliant textbook explains in detail the principles of conceptual modeling independently from particular methods and languages and shows how to apply them in real-world projects. The author covers all aspects of the engineering process from structural modeling over behavioral modeling to meta-modeling, and completes the presentation with an extensive case study based on the osCommerce system. Written for computer science students in classes on information systems modeling as well as for professionals feeling the need to formalize their experiences or to update their knowledge, Olivé delivers here a comprehensive treatment of all aspects of the modeling process. His book is complemented by lots of exercises and additional online teaching material.