COMMON ERRORS IN COMPOSITION WRITING BY COLLEGE STUDENTS

The alarming decline in the English language proficiency of Filipinos in recent years calls for further exploration into the challenges encountered by learners across the four macro-skills, particularly in writing, being the macro-skill met with the most challenge alongside speaking. Hence, this study aimed to identify the common writing errors of college students from the Marinduque State College in writing recount text and attempt to determine the reasons behind these writing deficiencies. Twenty (20) recount texts written by third-year Social Work for their World Literature course were subjected to analysis. The results revealed that punctuation use, selection of correct verbs and prepositions, capitalization, subject-verb agreement, and selection of appropriate pronouns were the areas in writing that the participants were most challenged with. These composition errors may be attributed to a lack of focus on grammatical rules in L2 learning and the strong influence of the native language. Hence, intervention on these identified writing deficiencies must be implemented immediately in order for the learners’ communicative writing skills to be at par with global standards for English communicative competency

Plasma functionalized surface of commodity polymers for dopamine detection

We have fabricated potentially generalizable sensors based on polymeric-modified electrodes for the electrochemical detection of dopamine. Sensitive and selective sensors have been successfully obtained by applying a cold-plasma treatment during 1–2 min not only to conducting polymers but also to electrochemically inert polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polycaprolactone and polystyrene. The effects of the plasma in the electrode surface activation, which is an essential requirement for the dopamine detection when inert polymers are used, have been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results indicate that exposure of polymer-modified electrodes to cold-plasma produces the formation of a large variety of reactive species adsorbed on the electrode surface, which catalyse the dopamine oxidation. With this technology, which is based on the application of a very simple physical functionalization, we have defined a paradox-based paradigm for the fabrication of electrochemical sensors by using inert and cheap plastics.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Assessment of Biomedical and Science Librarian E-science Learner and User Needs to Develop an E-science Web Portal and Support Library and Institutional E-science Initiatives and Collaborations

Objective: To determine biomedical and science librarians\u27 need for an e-science web portal and to gather data on their user needs and Web 2.0 preferences in order to design a e-science web portal and support the development and strengthening of libraries’ e-science initiatives and collaborations. Methods: Using feedback from librarian interviews from attendees of an e-science symposium and boot-camp, we researched and developed questions to survey learner needs. We created the survey using SurveyMonkey. A small group of medical librarians then tested the survey. Based on the feedback of the testing, the survey was revised. The survey was administered to 178 health sciences librarians. After 3 weeks, 73 data sets and responses were collected and analyzed. Results and Conclusions: Preliminary results reveal a small yet significant number of diverse biomedical and science libraries actively engaged or actively pursuing e-science collaborations. These results indicate librarians have urgent needs for online scientific content and data tool tutorials to support and facilitate the exchange of e-science knowledge and experience among colleagues. In addition and important to note, the results indicate a significant need for and lack of awareness of online e-science resources. Thus, to support the e-science initiatives, biomedical and science librarians need an interactive e-science web portal designed by librarians that integrates e-science web resources and scientific content development. Additional areas for future research include identifying and examining the specific types of e-science collaborations and endeavors among biomedical and scientific institutions and their libraries and librarians and studying the future effectiveness and/or impact of the web portal and its resources and Web 2.0 tools on these collaborations and endeavors. Presented April 7, 2010, at the Second Annual University of Massachusetts and New England Area Librarian E-Science Symposium, Shrewsbury, MA

Assessment of health sciences and science and technology librarian e-science educational needs to develop an e-science web portal for librarians

In the summer of 2009, the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School applied for and was awarded funding from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region (NN/LM NER), to begin the construction of an e-science educational web portal specifically for librarians. The e-science web portal team\u27s first task was to assess the region\u27s health sciences and science and technology librarians and their e-science needs and learner preferences in order to help guide and inform the construction of the portal. The objectives of this assessment were threefold. The first was to establish that there was indeed a need for an e-science portal for librarians. The second was to examine what types of e-science and data services were being undertaken by these librarians and their libraries in New England. The third was to identify the background of the region\u27s health sciences and science and technology librarians as well as their educational needs and Web 2.0 tool preferences in order to develop the scope and transmission mechanism of online educational materials concerning e-science. Using feedback from librarian interviews from attendees of an e-science symposium and boot-camp, we researched and developed questions to survey learner needs. The results of the survey clearly show that a small, but significant number of New England libraries serving the health sciences are currently engaged in e-science activities within their institutions or with other institutions and that a larger group of health sciences and science and technology librarians see potential for e-science collaborations in the future. These results, from a sizeable representative sample of respondents, clearly establish that an e-science web portal specifically for librarians is both wanted and needed by New England\u27s library community. These results also show a regional demand for a portal centralizing e-science and data services tools and scientific content tutorials to serve patrons in basic as well as emerging information technology and data-intensive scientific disciplines. Moreover, the results present a community that is comfortable utilizing a variety of educational Web 2.0 tools for its self-guided learning and that is interested in future continuing education and professional development opportunities focusing on e-science

Data Curation and Management Competencies of New England Region Health Sciences and Science and Technology Librarians

Objective: To identify specific data curation and management competencies that would aid in the continued development of a data management curriculum and professional development supporting New England health sciences and science and technology librarians, and to gather data on the nature and progress of data services being provided by these librarians and those being demanded by their patrons. Methodology: Based on a content analysis of data services and e-science librarian job postings, selected library and information science schools¹ programs and curricula, and published case studies and related best practices, the team researched and developed questions for the survey. An assessment was created using SurveyMonkey. A small group of medical librarians tested the survey and offered feedback. The survey was revised and then disseminated to New England health sciences and science and technology librarians. After three weeks, the team collected and analyzed the results. Results and Conclusion: A quarter of respondents surveyed stated that they are already managing and curating data sets. This number has nearly doubled since the team\u27s 2009 assessment of New England health sciences and science and technology librarians engaged in e-science. Almost half of respondents will be providing these services in the future; almost three quarters of respondents stated their library has or is in the process of creating a data management policy. Their responses to the competencies suggest that the portal curriculum focus on technical resources that would develop librarians¹ competencies in data literacy, curation and management by teaching skills such as scripting and programming languages and metadata and interoperability standards, as well as skills necessary to administer an institutional data repository. The data also suggest that a curriculum provide resources that address the non-technical competencies necessary to develop a data management policy, understand intellectual property and scholarly communication related to data. This research is helping the University of Massachusetts Medical School Lamar Soutter Library and National Network of National Libraries of Medicine New England Region (NN/LM NER) to develop its E-Science Portal data management curriculum and in-person professional development programming for its regional librarians engaged in e-science activities. In addition, this assessment illuminates the many challenges that health sciences libraries in New England are facing trying to engage in e-science. Thus, an area for future investigation is the strategies that libraries are using to deal with these challenges and overcome these obstacles

An Assessment of Needed Competencies to Promote the Data Curation and Management Librarianship of Health Sciences and Science and Technology Librarians in New England

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate health sciences and science and technology librarians’ needed data curation and management (DCM) competencies to support nascent and future patron and institutional eScience research endeavors. The data from this research will be used to align a data curation and management curriculum with the educational needs of an online eScience portal community of users, and create relevant future professional development for librarians interested in data curation and eScience librarianship. Setting/Participants: The study targeted the needed data curation and data management competencies of health sciences and science and technology librarians in six U.S. states who are on a listserv of librarians interested in learning about eScience. The sample for this study was 63 librarians. Methodology: The team created the assessment tool using content analyses of digital curation and management library literature and LIS data management curricula. The survey contained 15 open-ended and closed-ended questions and was distributed to 141 librarians using Survey- Monkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com). Results/Outcomes: The team identified twenty needed competency areas related to data curation and data management. The participants identified the necessary competencies to provide data curation and data management services. Results revealed a small number of librarians engaged in DCM and infrequent data services requests. Findings suggest there is an increase in libraries pursuing strategic plans concerning data management and the library community needs to cultivate a diverse range of technical and non-technical competencies through future professional development. Librarians saw their future roles involving DCM and sought competencies in conducting data interviews with patrons and helping patrons with NSF data management requirements. The survey results indicate the greatest need for librarians is technical hands-on training in the digital description and curation of large data sets. Discussion/Conclusion: Librarians are interested in developing data curation and data management competencies to support eScience. These data indicate that future relevant professional development for librarians interested in eScience should focus on non-technical and technical DCM competencies

A Sample of Research Data Curation and Management Courses

Objective This paper identifies a sample of research data curation and management courses available at American Library Association-accredited Library and Information Science (LIS) Programs in North America. Methods This sample was identified through a content analysis of LIS program course descriptions and syllabi (N=58). Using a framework of research data management and curation competencies, the team gathered a sample of research data curation and management courses offered between fall 2011 and summer 2012. Results Only 13 (22%) of LIS programs currently offer a course focused on the management and curation of research data. Conclusion Although the literature supports LIS professionals adopting new roles and engaging in eScience and data management, most LIS data-related programs do not have a separate course solely focused on research data management. More LIS programs will need to adapt their curricula in order to help students and practicing professionals develop the needed competencies in research data curation and management

Plasma surface modification of polymers for sensor applications

Polymeric sensors play an increasingly important role in monitoring the environment we live in, providing relevant information for a host of applications. Among them, significant efforts have been made to fabricate polymeric sensors useful for healthcare-related application fields, such as the sensitive detection of biomolecules and cellular interfacing. Within the well-established field of biomedical polymeric sensors, surface modification and/or functionalization using plasma is just emerging as a technology to improve selectivity and sensitivity in the biodetection process. Treatments based on plasma irradiation of polymer surfaces, which have been traditionally applied for cleaning, etching, activating or cross-linking, are currently being used to induce the formation of electrocatalytic species able to promote the oxidation of, for example, bioanalytes and/or gas molecules harmful for human health. Here, we summarize the main advances in the utilization of plasma technologies for the fabrication of polymeric sensors for advanced biomedical applications (e.g. humidity, temperature, pH, neurotransmitter, and glucose sensors).Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft