The Reaction of Stock Prices to Unanticipated Changes in Money

This paper investigates the short-run effect of unexpected changes in the weekly money stock on common stock prices. Survey data on money market participants' forecasts of money changes are employed to construct the measure of unanticipated movements in the money stock. The results indicate that an unexpected increase in money depresses stock prices and, consistent with the efficient markets hypothesis, only the unexpected part of the weekly money announcement causes stock price fluctuations. The October 1979 change in Federal Reserve operating procedures appears to have made stock prices somewhat more sensitive to large money surprises.

Firm Characteristics, Unanticipated Inflation, and Stock Returns

This paper re-examines the effects of nominal contracts on the relationship between unanticipated inflation and individual stock's rate of return. This study differs in three main ways from previous research. First, announced inflation data are used to examine the effects of unanticipated inflation. Second, a different specification is used to obtain more efficient estimates. Third, additional nominal contracts are considered. The empirical results indicate that time-varying firm characteristics related to inflation predominately determine the effect of unanticipated inflation on a stock's rate of return. A firm's debt-equity ratio appears to be particularly important in determining the response.

The Future of Measuring Scholarly and Societal Impact in the Health Sciences: Exploring Dimensions in Non-Traditional Algorithms

Objective: To provide an overview of evaluating scientific scholarly impact among researchers in the health sciences. Librarians, as department liaisons, are a natural choice for guiding faculty, students, and tenure and promotion committees in understanding and responsibly applying altmetrics and bibliometrics, including the Relative Citation Ratio (RCR), to evaluate the impact of contemporary health sciences scholars. Background: Scholars in the health sciences, particularly clinician-researchers, who divide their time among patient care, education, as well as academic service, have less time for research than other scientists. Thus, citation patterns vary across the disciplines, possibly placing clinicians at a disadvantage when traditional bibliometrics are used to determine scholarly, as well as societal impact. Judicious use of altmetrics can complement bibliometrics and citation analysis to provide a clearer picture of the scholarly and societal impact of clinician-researchers. The RCR can be a helpful counterpart to altmetrics, because it normalizes across the disciplines, compensating for differences in citation patterns and is easily calculated using NIH’s iCite. Design: Discussion Paper. Data sources: Published literature in the health, information sciences, communications, and informatics disciplines. Implications for Health Sciences Librarians: Health sciences librarians can consult with faculty, students, and committees on best practices for using altmetrics to help determine scholarly impact. This paper will illustrate various means of using social media and incorporating altmetrics into clinicians’ curriculum vitae and grant proposals. It will also review the strengths, limitations and implications of using them. In addition, librarians can introduce the RCR to their departments and demonstrate iCite in calculating the RCR. Conclusion: Both altmetrics and RCR have great potential for showing a more complete and accurate picture of the scholarly and societal impact of researchers who work in the health sciences and librarians can take the lead in managing this evolution

The Value of Information in the Health Sciences: First, Do No Harm

The lesson in this chapter illustrates one way to challenge students in the health sciences to think beyond simply finding and accepting the validity of scholarly peer-reviewed articles and encourages them to think more critically and skeptically about research. The lesson focuses on the Information Has Value threshold concept in ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The frame states, “experts understand that value may be wielded by powerful interests in ways that marginalize certain voices.” When students enter into their fields of interest in healthcare, they must recognize their responsibility for “making deliberate and informed choices about when to comply with and when to contest current legal and socio- economic practices concerning the value of information.” In the following lesson plan, students examine the privatization of biomedical research and how undisclosed conflicts of interest can, in some cases, lead to accusations of misconduct or fraud. After completing the assignment, students should be more aware of how the “value of information” can influence the integrity of the scientific method

Family Influences on the Educational Aspirations of Female Youth in Appalachia

Family support, both financial and social, can impact the educational aspirations of youth. Studies have shown gender also plays a role in those educational aspirations. While there has been some research done on the educational aspirations of youth in Appalachia, the research on female youth Appalachia is less explored. This study looks at the educational aspirations of female youth in Appalachia by surveying a group of young women who belong to the Robinson Scholars at the University of Kentucky. Participants completed a brief, one time survey answering questions about the types of social support received and the providers of that support. Preliminarily data supports the literature; in the absence of financial capital, social capital may be used to empower young women. The data also supports the idea that most females are impacted by their mothers’ influence more than other members of their family or community. Conclusions and discussions will include a plan for further research, as well as the implications for educators and students throughout Appalachia

Editor\u27s Note - On the Map: The Function, Use, and Preservation of Maps in Archives

Editor\u27s introduction for The Primary Source, Vol. 31, No. 2