Plagiarism Education in Science: The Effect of Instruction on Student Attitudes

In scientific publications, plagiarism is an ethical breach that can lead to article retractions and damage the reputations of scientists. In academia, when students begin their scientific careers and are learning the norms of scientific research, teaching the concepts of plagiarism is critical. However, a lack of clarity exists regarding the nuances of plagiarism and how universities should address instances of plagiarism committed by students. This study was conducted at the University of The Bahamas with students of scientific research methods classes to assess the effectiveness of plagiarism instruction on student attitudes. Over five semesters, a total of 110 students attended a lesson on plagiarism and completed at-home assignments to support the information learned in class. Students were provided questionnaires, which were administered before and after the plagiarism class, to assess their understanding, attitudes, and opinions regarding plagiarism at the University. Following the class, students indicated a greater understanding of plagiarism, more agreement with strict punishments for plagiarism, and less agreement on the acceptability of reusing past assignments. Students also reported a lack of clarity of the University policy on plagiarism. These results suggest that the university would benefit from providing additional learning opportunities pertaining to plagiarism, as well as a revision of the plagiarism policy, which could assist students as they embark on their scientific careers

Evaluation of a Scientifically Developed Anesthesiology Handoff Protocol

Communication failures have been cited as the leading cause of avoidable adverse events in healthcare. Specifically, within handoffs, these communication failures can cause error in the transfer of patient information. A multitude of factors can affect the transmission of patient information between providers including transactive memory, power distance, and conversational noise; however, literature suggests that the use of handoff protocols assist in improving communication and efficiency during handoffs. Studies regarding handoffs have typically centered on the content or delivery of the information during the handoff. To date, none have targeted the underlying mechanisms of the communication and their effects on the handoff conversation between providers. Furthermore, protocol creation is commonly accomplished using Delphi methods, rather than empirical methods. This dissertation aims to implement an empirically derived handoff protocol and to test variables grounded in the communication mechanisms of the handoff conversation, which are associated with handoff efficiency

Microplastics in The Bahamas: A Reconnaissance Quantifying the Prevalence on Selected Beaches in New Providence.

Plastic substances, unlike organic materials, disintegrate over long periods of time. After degradation, larger plastic materials that are broken down into smaller pieces ranging in sizes of less than 5 mm are known as microplastics. To investigate microplastics on Bahamian beaches, this reconnaissance study was conducted on a total of three beaches in New Providence: Cabbage Beach, Goodman’s Bay, and Montague Beach. A total of 30 samples were collected, including 10 samples from each beach along the high tide line, and assessed for microplastics. The microplastics were then visualized using a dissecting microscope with a magnification of 25x or greater. In the 30 samples, an average of 13.5 microplastics were identified at Cabbage Beach; an average of 15.8 were identified at Goodman’s Bay, and an average of 16.3 were identified at Montague Beach. Fibres were the most prevalent type of microplastic observed, but film, pellets, and fragments were also identified. As the concern for the environments of Small Island Developing States grows tremendously, the need for research on the behavior and accumulation of microplastics is crucial

Grand Bahama Post-Hurricane Dorian: A Comparison of Fresh Water in Two Primary Wellfields

Freshwater lenses, a layer of fresh water that floats atop saline groundwater, are vulnerable sources of drinking water for small islands. The threats to freshwater lenses, and their recovery following catastrophic events, is not well documented. Due to storm surge and flooding during the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, the freshwater lenses of Grand Bahama were inundated with salt water, removing the freshwater source of drinking water for the island. This study builds on previous work to monitor the recovery of the freshwater lenses three years after the hurricane by assessing tidal lag, as well as stable isotopes in water (δ2H and δ18O), to understand the hydrologic characteristics of the FWL in Grand Bahama. Results from electrical conductivity revealed that the tidal lag, or the time it takes for the tidal effect to be observed in groundwater, was approximately 2.5 hours on average. Through stable isotope analysis of precipitation samples, we determined a local meteoric water line of δ2H = 8.2 * δ18O + 12.2, which is close to the global meteoric water line. Groundwater samples did not show evidence of significant evaporation from precipitation. These results serve as baseline data for additional monitoring and recovery efforts on Grand Bahama

Applying a Team Performance Framework to better Understand the Handoff Process: Part 2

In healthcare, handoffs are crucial when it comes to transitioning care of patients from one provider to another. Handoffs are communication events between providers that include the background and treatment plan, as well as all pertinent information involving the patient (Paterson, 2010). There are many factors that influence the reliability and transfer of the information being passed during a handoff. In order to understand the way these factors influence and change the handoff process, they were organized according to the input - mediator - output – input (IMOI) model. The IMOI model claims that the productivity and effectiveness of interactions between team members can be influenced by cognitive, affective, and external factors (Weaver, Feitosa, Salas, Seddon, & Vozenilek, 2013). The IMOI also clarifies that the output affects the performance of the team in the future through a feedback loop. This paper focuses specifically on the Output – Input stages, as well as future implications that come from understanding handoffs within the IMOI model

Applying a Team Performance Framework to better Understand the Handoff Process: Part 1

Handoffs require critical information transfers that are clear, comprehensible, and correct from receiver to sender. There are many factors that influence the reliability of the information in a handoff procedure, and impact the subsequent choices that are made that affect patient care. Using the Input – Mediator – Output – Input model multiple factors that influence the information transfer process have been identified to better handoff communication and in turn, lead to better patient care. The IMOI model is a recently developed theory that claims the productivity and value of interaction among team members can be influenced by cognitive, affective, and external factors (Weaver et al., 2013). This clarifies that the output affects the future performance of a group through a feedback loop, as well as reflects variability in mediational influences. This paper focuses on the first two parts of the IMOI model; input and mediators. Individual characteristics affect the handoff process for both the sender and receiver, including attitudes, expertise, experience, expectations, and fitness for duty. The inputs of a handoff are the individual characteristics of the providers and the patient case, where mediation is the shared process to develop an outcome. The attitudes, expertise, experience, and fitness for duty influence the composition of the team, but are moderated by factors such as interventions, communication, resources, team monitoring, and team orientation. By understanding these factors, providers can create a safer environment and provide safer patient care

Tracing Water Sources and Fluxes in a Dynamic Tropical Environment: From Observations to Modeling

Código de proyecto: Isotope Network for Tropical Ecosystem Studies (ISONet). Producción relacionada con el Observatorio del Agua y Cambio Global (OACG).Tropical regions cover approximately 36% of the Earth’s landmass. These regions are home to 40% of the world’s population, which is projected to increase to over 50% by 2030 under a remarkable climate variability scenario often exacerbated by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other climate teleconnections. In the tropics, ecohydrological conditions are typically under the influence of complex land-ocean-atmosphere interactions that produce a dynamic cycling of mass and energy reflected in a clear partition of water fluxes. Here, we present a review of 7 years of a concerted and continuous water stable isotope monitoring across Costa Rica, including key insights learned, main methodological advances and limitations (both in experimental designs and data analysis), potential data gaps, and future research opportunities with a humid tropical perspective. The uniqueness of the geographic location of Costa Rica within the mountainous Central America Isthmus, receiving moisture inputs from the Caribbean Sea (windward) and the Pacific Ocean (complex leeward topography), and experiencing strong ENSO events, poses a clear advantage for the use of isotopic variations to underpin key drivers in ecohydrological responses. In a sequential approach, isotopic variations are analyzed from moisture transport, rainfall generation, and groundwater/surface connectivity to Bayesian and rainfall-runoff modeling. The overarching goal of this review is to provide a robust humid tropical example with a progressive escalation from common water isotope observations to more complex modeling outputs and applications to enhance water resource management in the tropics.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas (CIGEFI)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de FísicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Sociales::Facultad de Ciencias Sociales::Escuela de Geografí