Unmotivated or motivated to fail? A cross-cultural study of achievement motivation, fear of failure, and student disengagement

A classic distinction in the literature on achievement and motivation is between fear of failure and success orientations. From the perspective of self-worth theory, these motives are not bipolar constructs but dimensions that interact in ways that make

My intelligence may be more malleable than yours: the revised implicit theories of intelligence (self-theory) scale is a better predictor of achievement, motivation, and student disengagement

The belief that intelligence is malleable has important consequences for achievement and motivation (Blackwell et al. Child Development, 78, 246-263. 2007; Dweck, 1999; Robins & Pals, Self and Identity, 1,313-336, 2002). However, believing that it is possible to improve intelligence does not necessarily mean students are always confident they can improve their own. The current study presents a revised “self-theory” measure of the implicit theories of intelligence scale, which assess students’ beliefs about their ability to mold their own intelligence in contrast to their beliefs about the malleability of intelligence in general. In testing with 643 Australian high school students (62 % female) ranging from 15 to 19 years of age (M=16.6, standard deviation (SD)=1.01), the belief that intelligence is “fixed” was predictive of lower endorsement of achievement goals, greater helplessness attributions, and poorer self-reported academic grades. Fixed “entity” beliefs were also predictive of academic self-handicapping, truancy, and disengagement. On all of these measures, the new self-theory scale uniquely explained greater outcome variance. These results indicate that students’ implicit beliefs—particularly about their own intelligence—may have important implications for their motivation, engagement, and performance in school

Distribution, movements, and habitat use of small striped bass (Morone saxatilis) across multiple spatial scales

Distribution, movements, and habitat use of small (<46 cm, juveniles and individuals of unknown maturity) striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were investigated with multiple techniques and at multiple spatial scales (surveys and tag-recapture in the estuary and ocean, and telemetry in the estuary) over multiple years to determine the frequency and duration of use of non-natal estuaries. These unique comparisons suggest, at least in New Jersey, that smaller individuals (<20 cm) may disperse from natal estuaries and arrive in non-natal estuaries early in life and take up residence for several years. During this period of estuarine residence, individuals spend all seasons primarily in the low salinity portions of the estuary. At larger sizes, they then leave these non-natal estuaries to begin coastal migrations with those individuals from nurseries in natal estuaries. These composite observations of frequency and duration of habitat use indicate that non-natal estuaries may provide important habitat for a portion of the striped bass population

DETERMINANTS OF WHOLESALE BEEF-CUT PRICES

Key determinants of monthly wholesale prices for 12 beef cuts include the quantity of the specific cut, stickiness in prices, marketing costs, quantities of pork and chicken, and seasonality. Seasonal patterns across the respective cuts are very different. Relative to the price in December, prices at the wholesale level in other months can be as much as 6 percent lower to as much as 21 percent higher.Wholesale prices, Beef cuts, Seasonality, Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

Research and development of the dry tape battery concept Quarterly report no. 2, 9 Sep. - 8 Dec. 1965

Magnesium-aluminum chloride, hydrogen chloride- trichlorotriazinetrione system for dry tape batterie

Model Tests on Seismic Stability of an Approach Fill Embankment, Annacis Island Bridge Project, Vancouver, Canada

This paper describes a study performed to evaluate the seismic behaviour of a 10 m high bridge end sand fill placed upon soft organic foundation soils and supported on piles. Under static conditions the fill load is essentially carried by the piles by arching action , and little deformation was observed to occur in the field. The results of both model tests and finite element analysis are in agreement with this finding. Concern arose as to the likely response of this structure under earthquake loading and a model sand embankment supported on 400 model piles was built and tested on the shake table. The model and testing procedures are described in some detail in the paper. The results of the shaking table study indicate that during shaking the load is transferred from the piles onto the foundation resulting in large deformations of the fill. Analysis of the model tests based on this assumption gave deformations that were in good agreement with observed settlements. A similar analysis of the prototype indicates that seismic loading sufficient to cause such transfer would result in a settlement of the fill of about 0.4m, and that deformation would cease once the shaking stopped

The development of the Canberra symptom scorecard: a tool to monitor the physical symptoms of patients with advanced tumours

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced (incurable) tumours usually experience a diverse burden of symptoms. Although many symptom assessment instruments are available, we examined whether these addressed tumour-related symptoms. METHODS: We reviewed existing symptom assessment instruments and found a number of deficiencies such as instruments being too long or burdensome, too short, or measuring quality of life rather than tumour-related symptoms. Others focused on emotional, rather than physical symptoms. Therefore, we decided to devise a new symptom instrument. A list of 20 symptoms common in patients with advanced tumours generated from the literature and existing instruments, was ranked according to prevalence by 202 Australian clinicians. Following clinicians' responses, the list was revised and two severity assessment scales (functional severity and distress severity) added. The resultant 18-item list was assessed in 44 outpatients with advanced tumours. RESULTS: Patient responses indicated that a shorter questionnaire of 11 items, reflecting three main symptom clusters, provided a good representation of physical symptoms. An additional symptom that is an important predictor of survival was added, making a 12-item questionnaire, which was entitled "The Canberra Symptom Scorecard" (CSS). For symptom severity, the distress severity scale was more appropriate than the functional severity scale. CONCLUSION: The CSS focuses on tumour-related physical symptoms. It is about to be assessed in patients with advanced tumours receiving palliative treatments, when it will also be validated against existing instruments

Research and development of the dry tape battery concept Quarterly report no. 1, 9 Jun. - 8 Sep. 1965

Cell discharge measurements for dry tape battery couple - anode and cathode development in aqueous and nonaqueous electrolyte