Generalized Non-Inferential Approach to Modeling Restricted Discrete Choice for the Case of The Spatial Random Utility

Multinomial logistic regression model (MNL) is a powerful and easily tractable way for measuring the probabilistic impact of input variables on individual categorical choices. Crucially, the standard MNL assumes that all subjects of the study have the same choice sets. In the meanwhile, especially in political science and economics, this condition is frequently violated. Probably, the most graphical example of varying choice sets (VCS) is partially contested elections. Furthermore, the MNL implicitly implies the Independence of the Irregular Alternatives (IIA) assumption by requiring i.i.d errors that contrasts the MNL and the multinomial probit (MNP) and mixed logit (MXL) models. In the case of VCS in the MNL, the errors are correlated and IIA is clearly violated. However, neither MNP nor MXL allows estimating particular parameters for distinct choice sets. This obstacle is critical if the aim is to compare the selection process conditional on the choice restrictions. This text argues that the MNL proposes the best opportunity to model categorical choice given VCS. For that, it advances the theory of MNL adjusting this classical model for the case of VCS. Second, the paper proposes a way to calculate and evaluate the model posing minimal data restrictions. Finally, this research provides an example of the model\u27s application

VISUAL COMPONENT OF INTERNET EDITIONS AS A FACTOR IN THEIR POSITIONING AND PROMOTION

Цель. Выявить специфику восприятия потребителем средства массовой информации путем его адаптации в виде Интернет-ресурса. Рассмотреть возможность создания универсальных принципов разработки макета online-версии печатного издания, максимально упрощенного и комфортного для пользования, уделив особое внимание оформлению и верстке, включая новостные блоки, что является необходимым для становления медиа в социологической науке.Метод или методология проведения работы. Статья представляет собой резюме оригинального исследования, написанное на основе результатов проведенной фокус-группы в рамках данной темы. Основу методологии составляют аналитическое исследование и психоанализ.Результаты. Результат заключается в том, что авторы выявляют основные особенности разработки Интернет-версии печатного издания своего региона. Результат данной работы демонстрирует вариативность универсальных способов сопоставления функциональной и визуальной составляющей верстки сайта, которые могут быть применены к аналогичным средствам массовой информации. Авторы акцентируют внимание на главной странице online-версии издания и особое значение придают подбору шрифтов и цветовой палитры для оформления, что способствует более комфортному пользованию ресурсом, а также отмечают важность адаптации сайта к мобильной версии.Область применения результатов. Результаты исследования могут быть применены в сфере социальной психологии, рекламы, дизайна и журналистики.Purpose. Identify the specificity of the perception by consumer media through its adaptation in the form of an Internet resource. Consider the possibility of establishing universal principles of design online version of the printed edition, simplified as much as possible and comfortable to use, paying particular attention to the design and layout of the publication, including news blocks, which important for the development of media in social science.Methodology. The article is an summary of original study based on the results of focus groups conducted in the context of the present topic. Methodology comprise the analytical study and psychoanalysis.Results. The results of the study are that the authors try to identify the main features of the development of the Internet version of the print edition of its region. The result of this work demonstrates the universal ways of mapping the functional and visual component layout of the site, which can be applied in the same media. Authors try to focus on the main page of the online version of the publication and attach the particular importance to the selection of fonts and color palettes for design that promotes a more comfortable use of the resource and also note the importance of adapting the site to the mobile version.Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in the field of social psychology, advertising, design and journalism

Practical Aspects of Academic Literacy Development in Higher Education Institutions

Global tendencies in all scientific spheres require developed academic literacy of the researcher for effective international communication. Foreign language communication in a professional academic environment implies proficiency in the language of academic discourse. For academic discourse, as a component of academic literacy, development of academic writing skills is crucial. Higher educational institutions realize the necessity to design academic writing courses, and determine their place in the curriculum. Following the challenges of the time and academic community demands, SSTU English Language instructors designed an academic writing course to increase the methodological and academic literacy of students and young researchers. We believe that the development of the key educational and communicative foreign language competencies for academic and professional interaction can contribute to successful integration into the international scientific environment. Course design considered foreign experience, methods and curricula in the field of academic writing and academic reading

Inconsistency between Salience and the Dynamics of Changes: The Information War on Wikipedia (Research Proposal)

Informational wars are not new phenomena. However, nowadays, with the increasing role of the Internet and the growth of networked sources that rely on collective intelligence, manipulation of the information online, especially in supposedly trustworthy sources, becomes of a special interest. Indeed, biased information that is uncritically believed may shift the individual incentives and let those who are responsible for the manipulation virtually affect the flow of the history. This proposal is for a paper that intends to investigate the conflicts and changes in the Wikipedia articles before their topic became salient as a result of a certain political event. The paper proposes that such changes may be suspected to be a part of the preparation of the public for the even

Bankrolled Elites, Controlled State Television, and Payroll Trolls on Wikipedia: Examining Russia\u27s Strategies in Manipulation of Opinions in the context of Ukrainian Revolution in 2014

Regionally influential powers are likely to pursue not just straightforward, rational policy goals but also sophisticated long-term, possibly ideological, ``milieu\u27\u27 goals. These objectives may be far from obvious for an external observer and often require manipulation of public and elites\u27 opinions on both domestic and international level. In our extremely digitalized era of Big Data, opinions have to compete with the facts that is why understanding better how they can be manipulated is crucial for both pundits and practitioners. While many approaches exist to address the topic, this work examines three sound cases from modern Russia in the exceptionally politically salient context of Ukrainian revolution in 2014. This country is an excellent choice for this task being recently highly active domestically and internationally in attempting to influence opinions and attitudes. Chapter I addresses the hidden manipulation targeted at the Ukrainian elites that resulted in an unexpected victory of the street protests in Kyiv. The following chapter investigates the state-controlled TV news coverage around this time. Finally, the last part analyzes the behavior of state-political trolls on the nationally significant Russian-language Wikipedia

Replication Data for: Bankrolling Repression? Modeling Third-Party Influence on Protests and Repression

Ukraine's anti-government protests in 2013-2014, and the ensuing removal of President Yanukovich, raised much speculation about Russia's role in the outcome of the crisis, as well as more general questions related to third-party influence on domestic protests and repression. Does third-party assistance to the government increase the level of government repression or deter protesters? Does the leader removal indicate that foreign involvement was a failure? Or can a third party gain from involvement, even if its protégé leader is removed from power? We model external influence on the onset of protests and repression as a game between the government, the protesters, and a third party that supports the government. The main finding is that a third party may "bankroll'' repression against the protesters, even at the risk of the removal of their protégé leader, with the goal of deterring future protests within its sphere of interest

Replication Data for: "Do Islamic State's Deadly Attacks Disengage, Deter, or Mobilize Supporters?"

What are the consequences of committing violent attacks for terrorist organizations? Terrorist attacks might broaden the base of supporters by increasing the perceived group efficacy. However, terrorist attacks might also lead its supporters to believe that the organization is excessively violent or involvement may become too dangerous. This paper employs a unique dataset with 300,842 observations of 13,321 Twitter accounts linked to the Islamic State (IS), collected during a 127-day period, to empirically investigate the impact of terrorist attacks on the number of the organization's supporters

Menshenina S.G. Interdisciplinarity as a Means for Students’ Soft Skills Development

Introduction. The development of the business sphere, scientific and technological progress set the pace of engineering education modernization and stimulate the search for the optimal and close to real working conditions ways of improving and enhancing professional competences and soft skills of university graduates. Interdisciplinarity has become a professional fields trend comprising enormous potential to foster the research, implement its results into practice and facilitate students’ soft skills development.Materials and Methods. The study is based on the analysis and comparison of domestic and foreign experience on the problem of the research; pedagogical observation of the educational process; study and generalization of pedagogical experience; experimental work.Results. The interdisciplinary project “Hardware and software complex of augmented reality as a means of learning a foreign language” was carried out with students of different specialties on the bases of Samara State Technical University. The rationale for this project choice is related to the relevance of the information technologies use in educational process and the need to learn a foreign language for professional purposes. These conditions make us think of creating the innovative methodological support of educational process. Considering the development of students’ soft skills, special attention was paid to group dynamics, role functions, leadership, as well as environmental and context factors. Interdisciplinary interaction terms were identified: stable working relationships which help develop communication literacy skills; finding the effective conflict solution that stimulates thinking skills; role and time distribution for actualizing management and self-management skills; a common goal achieving which is conditioned by the combination of the main soft skills groups of effective thinking skills, communication skills, management and self-management skills.Discussion and Conclusion. Practical work within the interdisciplinary project proved the necessity of students’ soft skills development for achieving success in professional sphere. The most efficient way to better this process is to realize the interdisciplinary interaction due to its potential, represented by its resources, ideas and approaches from different fields, and opportunities for mastering the skills in question

Language Education in the Age of Globalization and Innovation

Globalization and innovation have recently resulted in the extensive use of the latest technological products practically everywhere, and in education especially. Various technologies are now employed in different spheres of education. Virtual Reality (VR) is a global innovative technology with great potentials and enormous pedagogical possibilities that offers new methods and techniques for education. The main features of it are visibility, security, involvement, presence and focusing. It enables to combine the computer-generated virtual information and the real environment in real time. The presented VR language program is based on the concept of 3D modeling and semantic frame method