The Role of Contextual Clues in the Creation of Information Overload

There has been an explosion of new forms of communications media for interpersonal communication. There is anecdotal evidence of people suffering from 'information overload' as a result of these developments. This paper presents the results from, and analysis of, a case study of a perceived problem of information overload from e-mail in a large international organization: Watson Wyatt Partners. The research took two approaches to exploring the problem. The first was a survey of 1500 members of staff in the UK and Europe. This was aimed at collecting factual information. The second approach was to conduct follow up interviews with 19 people at two sites in the UK to explore some of the issues raised by the survey in greater depth. In the paper, we argue that for CMCs (Computer Mediated Communications) to be effective there is a need to establish a 'context' in which the message can be interpreted. In doing so, we will demonstrate that ignoring the degree of 'context' a media provides can adversely affect the users perceptions of that media.Electronic mail, e-mail, CMC, communication technology, contextual clues, information overload

Processing, Grading and Sale of Utah Turkeys, 1947-48

Turkey production in Utah is one of the most important farm enterprises of the state. In 1945, 11.5 percent of the total farm cash income of the state was from the turkey enterprise. In 1946, 9.4 percent came from this source. Turkey production made up 8.9 percent of the total cash income from farm enterprises in 1944; 5.8 percent in 1945; 4.9 percent in 1940; 1.7 percent in 1935; and 1.3 percent in 1930. The objectives of this study were: (1) to ascertain charges for processing and hauling turkeys from the farm to the processing plants; (2) to determine the average and variation in size and grad of hen and tom turkeys processed by grower and plant; (3) to ascertain where Utah turkeys were marketed in 1947-48 and (4) to determine the average and variation in prices received by Utah growers for turkeys in1947-48

IT’S ABOUT HOW WELL YOU USE IT: SKATING STRIDE IN NOVICE, INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED INLINE SKATERS

Adequate skating technique is imperative to roller sports. Characteristics that differ between inline skating competencies have not been addressed. This study assessed skating parameters associated with coaching cues across three levels of experience. Inline-skaters (n=24) were divided into novice, intermediate and advanced groups based on experience. Skate trajectories were captured through 3D analysis as participants skated maximally down a 10 m runway. One-way ANOVA was used to compare differences for the skating parameters between skill levels. Significant differences (P < 0.016) were found for stride-width, recovery, stride-width-recovery and stride-length-recovery and stride rate. Results have implications for delivery of coaching and skating skill development

IT’S ABOUT HOW WELL YOU USE IT: SKATING STRIDE IN NOVICE, INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED INLINE SKATERS

Adequate skating technique is imperative to roller sports. Characteristics that differ between inline skating competencies have not been addressed. This study assessed skating parameters associated with coaching cues across three levels of experience. Inline-skaters (n=24) were divided into novice, intermediate and advanced groups based on experience. Skate trajectories were captured through 3D analysis as participants skated maximally down a 10 m runway. One-way ANOVA was used to compare differences for the skating parameters between skill levels. Significant differences (P < 0.016) were found for stride-width, recovery, stride-width-recovery and stride-length-recovery and stride rate. Results have implications for delivery of coaching and skating skill development

THREE DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS

This research describes a method of biomechanical analysis that allows for kinematic data to be captured in a game-like environment and key biomechanical differences between male and female soccer players to be identified. Male (n=3) players aged between 22 and 24 years and female players (n=3) aged between 19 and 23 years were recorded using a VICON motion capture system operating outdoors at an artificial grass venue. Biomechanical measurements of the lower limb such as inversion/eversion and flexion/extension of the ankle; the flexion/extension, varus/valgus and internal/external rotation of the knee; and the internal/external rotation and abduction/adduction of the hip, were recorded. Initial observations showed an increase in knee valgus and external tibial rotation in female players’ key activities performed during a soccer game

Analysis of movement variability in cycling : An exploratory study

The purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest repeatability of Blue Trident inertial measurement units (IMUs) and VICON Nexus kinematic modelling in analysing the Lyapunov Exponent (LyE) during a maximal effort 4000 m cycling bout in different body segments/joints. An additional aim was to determine if changes in the LyE existed across a trial. Twelve novice cyclists completed four sessions of cycling; one was a familiarisation session to determine a bike fit and become better accustomed to the time trial position and pacing of a 4000 m effort. IMUs were attached to the head, thorax, pelvis and left and right shanks to analyse segment accelerations, respectively, and reflective markers were attached to the participant to analyse neck, thorax, pelvis, hip, knee and ankle segment/joint angular kinematics, respectively. Both the IMU and VICON Nexus test-retest repeatability ranged from poor to excellent at the different sites. In each session, the head and thorax IMU acceleration LyE increased across the bout, whilst pelvic and shank acceleration remained consistent. Differences across sessions were evident in VICON Nexus segment/joint angular kinematics, but no consistent trend existed. The improved reliability and the ability to identify a consistent trend in performance, combined with their improved portability and reduced cost, advocate for the use of IMUs in analysing movement variability in cycling. However, additional research is required to determine the applicability of analysing movement variability during cycling

“TEARING UP THE TURF”: HOW NATURAL GRASS RESPONDS TO REPEATED TRACTIONAL TRIALS FOR SOCCER BOOT ANALYSIS

The shoe-surface interaction carries both performance and health-based implications for soccer players. As soccer is often played on natural grass surfaces, previous mechanical tests observing shoe-surface traction have examined the interaction on natural grass and reported averaged traction coefficient values. The aim for this study was to explore spatial changes within the playing surface, as well as examine if degradation over the testing period can alter these values. Through translational testing on a custom apparatus, this study showed that the average maximum traction coefficient on the same location of the playing surface was significantly lower than results reported at different locations (2.66 vs 3.05). The influence of the initial trial, however, was highlighted. Isolating and reporting this trial, as well the average result that excluded the first trial, presented traction data that accurately reflected the maximum traction of the playing surface as well as tractional changes over the entire trial

The Biomechanics of the Anterolateral Ligament

The anterolateral ligament (ALatL) of the knee is an under investigated soft tissue structure of the knee with its existence within the body mostly unknown to the layperson. It was determined that the ALatL has a femoral origin which is either anterior and distal, or posterior and proximal to the origin of the lateral collateral ligament, varying depending on the specimen being investigated. While there have been several studies recently conducted investigating the function of the ALatL of the knee through analysing a number of different factors including origin and insertion along with both physical and mechanical properties, there is still much mystery surrounding this ligament. Hence, further research should be conducted to accurately quantify the importance of the anterolateral ligament to internal tibial rotation stability, and the effect that a damaged anterolateral ligament can have on the stresses experienced by surrounding soft tissue structures of the knee

RELIABILITY ASSESMENT OF KINEMATIC VARIABLES IN THE MOTION ANALYSIS OF FEMALE SPRINT HURDLES

INTRODUCTION: There has been very little attention paid to the reliability of motion analysis in sport applications. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of kinematic variables in practical applied sports research utilising sprint hurdles. METHODS: Eight sprint hurdle clearances each from four national level female athletes were videotaped and digitised. The 3-D measurement set-up follows the procedure reported by Salo et al. (1997). Following the calculation of 28 kinematic variables, the reliability of the mean of eight trials was determined by using the ANOVA method (Vincent, 1995). The reliability of a certain number of measurements were estimated using the equation presented in Baumgartner (1989). RESULTS: The range of the reliability values across the eight trials [R(8)] and a single trial [R(1)] as well as the number of variables to gain different reliability levels when estimated from a different number of measurements are presented in table 1. {Table 1.} DISCUSSION: There are no absolute categories or significance test for reliability. However, the estimated R(1) showed that a single trial is not particularly representative for the kinematic analysis of sport events such as sprint hurdles. Athletes were not able to repeat all the specifics of the demanding skill in every trial and although motion analysis can be regarded as an objective method, the manual digitising involves a subjective evaluation. Finally, it is possible that homogenous performance at a group level may bias reliability values and closer examination of the results showed that this may have been the case in two variables. REFERENCES: Baumgartner, T.A. (1989). Norm-referenced Measurement: Reliability. In: Safrit, M.J. and Wood, T.M. (eds.). Measurement Concepts in Physical Education and Exercise Science. Champaign, Illinois, pp. 45-67, 1989. Salo, A., Grimshaw, P.N., Viitasalo, J.T. (1997). Reliability of Variables in the Kinematic Analysis of Sprint Hurdles. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 29, 383-389, 1997. Vincent, W.J. (1995). Statistics in Kinesiology. Champaign, Illinois, pp. 168- 181, 1995

The Effect of Gloss Type on Learners’ Intake of New Words During Reading: Evidence from Eye-tracking

A reading experiment combining online and off-line data evaluates the effect on second language learners’ reading behaviours and lexical uptake of three gloss types designed to clarify word meaning. These are (a) a textual definition, (b) a textual definition accompanied by a picture, and (c) a picture only. We recorded eye movements while intermediate learners of English read a story presented on-screen and containing six glossed pseudowords repeated three times each. Cumulative fixation counts and time spent on the pseudowords predicted post-test performance for form recall and meaning recognition, confirming findings of previous eye-tracking studies of vocabulary acquisition from reading. However, the total visual attention given to pseudowords and glosses was smallest in the condition with picture-only glosses, and yet this condition promoted best retention of word meaning. This suggests that gloss types differentially influence learners’ processing of novel words in ways that may elude the quantitative measures of attention captured by eye-tracking