Comparing Psychology Undergraduates' Performance in Probabilistic Reasoning under Verbal-Numerical and Graphical-Pictorial Problem Presentation Format: What is the Role of Individual and Contextual Dimensions?

This study aims to investigate about the existence of a graphical facilitation effect on probabilistic reasoning. Measures of undergraduates’ performances on problems presented in both verbal-numerical and graphical-pictorial formats have been related to visuo-spatial and numerical prerequisites, to statistical anxiety, to attitudes towards statistics and to the confidence in response correctness. Psychology undergraduates in Italy and Spain with no statistical expertise (N= 676) completed a protocol under conditions of presence versus absence of time pressure. Hierarchical linear regressions and ANCOVAs with mixed design have been carried out separately for each sample. The best predictor of performance in both formats has been the confidence in solution correctness under the condition of time pressure administration, which seemed to promote the commitment to the task. The findings suggest that the eventual occurrence of a graphical facilitation could be the result of a multifactorial interaction among contextual and individual dimensions, rather than being strictly related to the problem presentation format

Assessing probabilistic reasoning in verbal-numerical and graphical-pictorial formats: An evaluation of the psychometric properties of an instrument

Research on the graphical facilitation of probabilistic reasoning has been characterised by the effort expended to identify valid assessment tools. The authors developed an assessment instrument to compare reasoning performances when problems were presented in verbal-numerical and graphical-pictorial formats. A sample of undergraduate psychology students (n=676) who had not developed statistical skills, solved problems requiring probabilistic reasoning. They attended universities in Spain (n=127; f=71.7%) and Italy (n=549; f=72.9%). In Italy 173 undergraduates solved these problems under time pressure. The remaining students solved the problems without time limits. Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) were applied to assess the effect of two formats and to evaluate criterion and discriminant validity. The instrument showed acceptable psychometric properties, providing preliminary evidence of validity

Validation of the CAchexia SCOre (CASCO). Staging cancer patients: The use of miniCASCO as a simplified tool

The CAchexia SCOre (CASCO) was described as a tool for the staging of cachectic cancer patients. The aim of this study is to show the metric properties of CASCO in order to classify cachectic cancer patients into three different groups, which are associated with a numerical scoring. The final aim was to clinically validate CASCO for its use in the classification of cachectic cancer patients in clinical practice. We carried out a case -control study that enrolled prospectively 186 cancer patients and 95 age-matched controls. The score includes five components: (1) body weight loss and composition, (2) inflammation/metabolic disturbances/immunosuppression, (3) physical performance, (4) anorexia, and (5) quality of life. The present study provides clinical validation for the use of the score. In order to show the metric properties of CASCO, three different groups of cachectic cancer patients were established according to the results obtained with the statistical approach used: mild cachexia (15 â\u89¤ Ã\u97 â\u89¤ 28), moderate cachexia (29 â\u89¤ Ã\u97 â\u89¤ 46), and severe cachexia (47 â\u89¤ Ã\u97 â\u89¤ 100). In addition, a simplified version of CASCO, MiniCASCO (MCASCO), was also presented and it contributes as a valid and easy-to-use tool for cachexia staging. Significant statistically correlations were found between CASCO and other validated indexes such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the subjective diagnosis of cachexia by specialized oncologists. A very significant estimated correlation between CASCO and MCASCO was found that suggests that MCASCO might constitute an easy and valid tool for the staging of the cachectic cancer patients. CASCO and MCASCO provide a new tool for the quantitative staging of cachectic cancer patients with a clear advantage over previous classifications

Validation of the CAchexia SCOre (CASCO). Staging Cancer Patients: The Use of miniCASCO as a Simplified Tool

The CAchexia SCOre (CASCO) was described as a tool for the staging of cachectic cancer patients. The aim of this study is to show the metric properties of CASCO in order to classify cachectic cancer patients into three different groups, which are associated with a numerical scoring. The final aim was to clinically validate CASCO for its use in the classification of cachectic cancer patients in clinical practice. We carried out a case -control study that enrolled prospectively 186 cancer patients and 95 age-matched controls. The score includes five components: (1) body weight loss and composition, (2) inflammation/metabolic disturbances/immunosuppression, (3) physical performance, (4) anorexia, and (5) quality of life. The present study provides clinical validation for the use of the score. In order to show the metric properties of CASCO, three different groups of cachectic cancer patients were established according to the results obtained with the statistical approach used: mild cachexia (15 ≤ × ≤ 28), moderate cachexia (29 ≤ × ≤ 46), and severe cachexia (47 ≤ × ≤ 100). In addition, a simplified version of CASCO, MiniCASCO (MCASCO), was also presented and it contributes as a valid and easy-to-use tool for cachexia staging. Significant statistically correlations were found between CASCO and other validated indexes such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the subjective diagnosis of cachexia by specialized oncologists. A very significant estimated correlation between CASCO and MCASCO was found that suggests that MCASCO might constitute an easy and valid tool for the staging of the cachectic cancer patients. CASCO and MCASCO provide a new tool for the quantitative staging of cachectic cancer patients with a clear advantage over previous classifications

Empirical approach to the analysis of university student absenteeism. Proposal of a questionnaire for students to evaluate the possible causes

Works on student absenteeism in the universities have not been preferential for the authors in the field of educational research. Usually, what has been made is an approach to the available absenteeism data as an intervening variable or as a variable characteristic of the educational process, but not as a dependent variable in the strict sense of the term. In this work, we intend to make an empirical approach to the possible reasons of student absenteeism. There is a double point of view: the students" and the professors"; the reasons that justify it according to its protagonists are studied. This paper focuses on the six university degrees taught at the School of Economy and Business of the University of Barcelona (Facultat d"Economia i Empresa de la Universitat de Barcelona). An"ad-hoc" questionnaire has been prepared and the opinions of 1,162 undergraduates have been analyzed. The reasons given by each population differ in hierarchy and motivations

the measurement of statistical reasoning in verbal numerical and graphical forms a pilot study

Numerous subjects have trouble in understanding various conceptions connected to statistical problems. Research reports how students' ability to solve problems (including statistical problems) can be influenced by exhibiting proofs. In this work we aim to contrive an original and easy instrument able to assess statistical reasoning on uncertainty and on association, regarding two different forms of proof presentation: pictorial-graphical and verbal–numerical. We have conceived eleven pairs of simple problems in the verbal–numerical and pictorial–graphical form and we have presented the proofs to 47 undergraduate students. The purpose of our work was to evaluate the goodness and reliability of these problems in the assessment of statistical reasoning. Each subject solved each pair of proofs in the verbal-numerical and in the pictorial–graphical form, in different problem presentation orders. Data analyses have highlighted that six out of the eleven pairs of problems appear to be useful and adequate to estimate statistical reasoning on uncertainty and that there is no effect due to the order of presentation in the verbal–numerical and pictorial–graphical form

Factors related with the university degree selection in Spanish public university system. An structural equation model analysis

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11135-014-0008-9Students take into account different factors in their choice of university studies and college. Some are global, as the quality of the degree (ratio available places/firstchoice places in, cut-off grade, etc.), and others are subjective factors (e.g.: my friends are also taking this degree). In this work we present a partial multivariate model that takes into account the weight of the different variables shown by different works linked to this decision. We have studied three samples (n = 372 from the Universidad Pablo de Olavide; n = 2,244 from the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, and n = 543 from the Universitat de Barcelona) from several degrees in the 2010 2011 and 2011 2012 academic years, all of them new students, coming from high school, and who had choosen these universities as first choice. The global effect shows that the structural model fits reasonably well in the three universities studied. Similarly, university and specialty models show different intensity effects, and we found that, in the case of Universitat Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) and Universitat de Barcelona (UB), they show higher intensity than in Universidad Pablo de Olavide (UPO). This makes us think that in most urban universities with a clear and regular offer of degrees (engineering in the case of UPV, and Health and Social Sciences in the case of UB), personal and social factors are more important than in the case of universities, as is the case of UPO, with an offer and dimension not yet completely defined.Guàrdia Olmos, J.; Peró Cebollero, M.; Hervás Jorge, A.; Capilla Lladró, R.; Soriano Jiménez, PP.; Porras Yañez, M. (2014). Factors related with the university degree selection in Spanish public university system. An structural equation model analysis. Quality and Quantity. March(2014):1-19. doi:10.1007/s11135-014-0008-9S119March2014Baker, S., Brown, B.: Images of excellence: constructions of institutional prestige and reflections in the university choice process. Br. J. Sociol. Educ. 28(3), 377–391 (2007)Browne, M.W., Cudeck, R.: Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sociol. Methods Res. 21, 230–258 (1992)Capilla, R.: Análisis estratégico de los estudios TIC en la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Tesis Doctoral no Publicada. Valencia: Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia. (2009). http://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/5767 . Retrieved 11 Mar 2014Ford, D.Y.: The underrepresentation of minority students in gifted education: problems and promises in recruitment and retention. J. Spec. Educ. 31(1), 4–14 (2008)Guàrdia, J., Peró, M., Hervás, A., Capilla, R., Soriano, P.P., Porras, M.: Factores asociados con la decisión de cursar estudios universitarios de Psicología. Una aproximación mediante modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Anuario de Psicologia 42(1), 87–104 (2012)Guerra, C., & Rueda, E.M.: Estudio longitudinal de los jóvenes en el tránsito de la enseñza secundaria a la universidad: orientación, expectativas, toma de decisiones y acogida de los nuevos estudiantes en la universidad. Dirección General de Universidades. Estudios y Análisis (2005)Hu, L., Bentler, P.M.: Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct. Equ. Model. 6, 1–55 (1999)Huang, Sh, Fang, N.: Predicting student academic performance in an enginnering dynamics course: a comparison for four types of predictive mathematical models. Comput. Educ. 61, 133–145 (2013)Leppel, K., Williams, M.L., Waldauer, C.: The impact of parental occupation and socioeconomic status on choice of college major. J. Fam. Econ. Issues 22(4), 373–394 (2001)Maringe, F.: University and course choice Implications for positioning, recruitment and marketing. Int. J. Educ. Manage. 20(6), 466–479 (2006)Muñiz, J.: Utilización de los test. En J. Muñiz, A.M. Fidalgo, E. García-Cueto, R. Martínez y R. Moreno (Eds.). Análisis de los ítems, (pp. 133–172). Madrid: La Muralla, S.A (2005)Murphy, P.E., McGarrity, R.A.: Marketing universities: a survey of student recruitment activities. Coll. Univ. 53(3), 249–261 (1978)Ory, D.T., Mokhtarian, P.L.: The impact of non-normality, sample size and estimation technique on goodness-of-fit measures in structural equation modeling: evidence from ten empirical models of travel behavior. Qual. Q. 44(3), 427–445 (2010)Palomo, J., Dunson, D.B., Bollen, K.: Bayesian structural equation modeling. In: Lee, S.Y. (ed.) Handbook of Latent Variable and Related Models, pp. 163–179. Elsevier, New York (2007)Perna, L.W., Titus, M.A.: Understanding differences in the choice of college attended: the role of state public policies. Rev. High. Educ. 27(4), 501–525 (2004)Poon, W.Y., Lee, S.Y.: A Distribution Free Approach for Analysis of Two-level Structural Equation Model. Elsevier, New York (1994)Price, I., Matzdorf, F., Smith, L., Agahi, H.: The impact of facilities on student choice of university. Facilities 21(10), 212–222 (2003)Raymond, S.: Predicting academic succes of first-year engineering students from standardized test scores and psychological variables. Int. J. Eng. Educ. 17(1), 75–80 (2001)Turner, C.S.V., Thompson, J.R.: Socializing women doctoral students: minority and majority experiences. Rev. High. Educ. 6, 232–241 (1993)Veenstra, C.P., Dey, E.L., Herrin, G.D.: Is modeling of freshman engineering succes different from modeling of non-engineering succes? J. Eng. Educ. 97, 467–479 (2008)Yurtseven, T.: How does the image of engineering affect student recruitment and retention? A perspective from the USA. Glob. J. Eng. Educ. 6(2), 267 (2002

The measurement of statistical reasoning in verbal-numerical and graphical forms: a pilot study

Numerous subjects have trouble in understanding various conceptions connected to statistical problems. Research reports how students' ability to solve problems (including statistical problems) can be influenced by exhibiting proofs. In this work we aim to contrive an original and easy instrument able to assess statistical reasoning on uncertainty and on association, regarding two different forms of proof presentation: pictorial-graphical and verbal-numerical. We have conceived eleven pairs of simple problems in the verbal-numerical and pictorial-graphical form and we have presented the proofs to 47 undergraduate students. The purpose of our work was to evaluate the goodness and reliability of these problems in the assessment of statistical reasoning. Each subject solved each pair of proofs in the verbal-numerical and in the pictorial-graphical form, in different problem presentation orders. Data analyses have highlighted that six out of the eleven pairs of problems appear to be useful and adequate to estimate statistical reasoning on uncertainty and that there is no effect due to the order of presentation in the verbal-numerical and pictorial-graphical form

Towards the development of problems comparing verbal-numerical and graphical formats in statistical reasoning

Many students struggle with understanding concepts related to statistical problems. A body of studies has stated that the attitude of undergraduates when resolving statistical problems can be affected by problem displaying methods. Our paper reports on the development of novel and accessible problems designed to compare the basic processes of statistical reasoning using two different methods of presentation: Verbal-numerical versus graphical. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study is to estimate the goodness and reliability of those problems. Thus, we carried out two pilot studies in Italy and Spain, respectively. In the first study, 95 undergraduate students from the University of Cagliari (Italy) were presented with eleven pairs of simple statistical problems, homologous for verbal-numerical and graphical formats. Hence, according to the outcomes, we modified and improved the structure of our problems in order to present the revised version to 148 undergraduate students of the University of Barcelona (Spain). Each undergraduate was asked to solve the paired problems presented in verbal-numerical and graphical format, so that the presentation order of the trials was counterbalanced for all the participants. The results suggested which problems are suitable to assess the basic processes underpinning the statistical reasoning. Furthermore, by analysing the open responses on reasoning leading to the solution of the above mentioned problems, we were able to understand which items were misunderstood by our participants in order to reformulate them. Lastly, we discuss the method used to articulate the new items and the direction for future research