We thought it might encourage participation.” Using lottery incentives to improve LibQUAL+(TM) response rates among students

Libraries deploying the LibQUAL+™ survey can offer a lottery incentive and many do in the hope of increasing response rates. Other libraries may be prohibited from offering one because of Institutional Review Board restrictions, as is the case at [institution name]. We wanted to discover why libraries offer lottery incentives and what kinds and if they believe these incentives have a positive impact on their response rates. The responding libraries hold a general belief that lottery incentives are effective but base this on feeling rather than research. We examine what the literature says about lottery incentives and student populations

Raise Your Profile: Build Your Program

To raise the library\u27s profile within the campus community, it is critical to create a strategic plan and align library goals with those of the university. At George Washington University\u27s Gelman Library, the instruction librarians gained internal and external support to hire two new instruction librarians to better support collaboration with the new university writing program. The library then used assessment data to successfully advocate for an additional two positions

Information Literacy: Developing Partnerships Across Library Types

This article describes a grant-funded project with the final goal of creating information literacy collaborative partnerships among academic, school, and public libraries. The objectives of the grant as well as an overall description of the project are stated. The emphasis of the article is on the process followed to create the collaborative partnerships and the partnerships created as a result of the grant

Is Everything All Right At Night? Measuring User Response to Overnight Library Services

A multiple-methods study was conducted in FY15 at Santa Clara University Library to assess 24/5 hours, focusing specifically on impact and value. The purpose was to assess not only the overnight use of the library, but the perceptions of late-night users on the value of 24-hour library accessibility. This three-component study included a survey (conducted over three quarters in FY15, with 616 respondents), hourly patron headcounts, and more detailed headcounts by hour of day and user activity. A fourth component is also now underway (results available by conference time); hourly patron counts are currently being conducted that focus on user space and seating as a way to determine what types of furniture and environments users prefer. These data will be combined with the activity data to develop more detailed “what are they doing and where are they doing it” assessments to inform library issues ranging from the mundane questions concerning 24/5 staffing, services, and hours to more interesting questions that multiple data sets can answer, such as seating preferences (both library location and type of seating) by time of day (here, after midnight) and activity. Research questions for this study included: How many students make use of overnight hours? What library services do students need/use after midnight? What is the demographic makeup of students utilizing 24/5 library hours, including department and grade point average? Is this representative of the campus as a whole? What types of spaces and seating are preferred in overnight hours? Do students associate 24/5 library access with academic success? Do their self-reported grade points reflect their opinion? How do the perceived value to students and the campus for overnight hours mesh with assessments that point to times of low use and underutilized services? More specifically, how do we weigh the political implications of a data-driven decision? Are data-driven decisions always right? Preliminary results show that (between midnight and 7 a.m.) students overwhelmingly bring their own laptops to work in the library and therefore the primary library service they require is wi-fi. The next most-popular activity type after midnight is student use of a library-owned computer, followed by group study and studying alone. The survey results confirm that traditional library services (i.e. reference, circulation, use of print materials, photocopying) are not driving late-night library use. The enticements are wi-fi, comfortable furniture, different spaces and seating geared to different needs, and simply a safe, “clean, well-lighted” environment. And while there is a clear value users attribute to overnight library hours, few users remain in the library between 3-7 a.m. The variety of data sets used in these analyses result in a wide-range of ways to view and analyze the data. However, multiple data sets can lead to multiple viewpoints. Are data-driven decisions always right? The practical implications of conflicting data will be addressed

Using a cognitive prosthesis to assist foodservice managerial decision-making

The artificial intelligence community has been notably unsuccessful in producing intelligent agents that think for themselves. However, there is an obvious need for increased information processing power in real life situations. An example of this can be witnessed in the training of a foodservice manager, who is expected to solve a wide variety of complex problems on a daily basis. This article explores the possibility of creating an intelligence aid, rather than an intelligence agent, to assist novice foodservice managers in making decisions that are congruent with a subject matter expert\u27s decision schema

The Timing of the Research Question: First-Year Writing Faculty and Instruction Librarians‘ Differing Perspectives

Faculty and librarians agree on the qualities of a good research question. However, in an exploratory study, they differed on when students should develop their research question. While librarians stated that students should develop their question early, first-year writing faculty advocated for delaying the development of the research question. The timing of the research question is an important issue because it has implications for the structuring of research assignments and library instruction, as well as having an impact on the students who get differing messages

The Relationship Between Service Learning and Research

In Fall 2006, a faculty member in George Washington University\u27s University Writing 20 (UW20) program began incorporating service learning into her theme-based first-year writing course. Along with her librarian partner, they linked two research assignments to the service work of the students. An end-of-semester survey was administrated over three semesters with one question asking if the student\u27s research process was affected by their service experience. In reviewing and analyzing student comments, four themes emerged: increased motivation, use of numerical data and primary sources, increased knowledge in approaching and limiting topics, and the potential for bias

In silico analysis of terpene synthase genes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Terpenes are defense chemicals found in wide groups of plants. Terpenoids play a large role in plant development and stress response. The terpene synthase family comprises a diverse set of genes, all which contribute to production of terpenoids. We have used tools of bioinformatics and performed an in silico analysis of developmental and tissue specific terpene synthase gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as those expressed due to biotic and abiotic environmental stimuli. Using software tools from Genevestigator, a powerful microarray analyzer, we used multiple tool sets to better understand terpene synthase expression in Arabidopsis, which will hopefully open the genetic door to further wet laboratory investigations. The data can be used to predict roles of terpene synthase genes in plant cell division and growth. The data presented here can be used to model for terpene synthesis expression in other plant species and can also be used to integrate basic plant physiology, and ‘omics’ disciplines

Latino Students: on Dropping out and Reentering School

While research exists that examines the underlying factors related to Latino underachievement, the research on reengaging Latino students who previously dropped out is lacking. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the phenomenon of dropout and reentry of Latino students. It also highlighted underlying factors that affected their achievement. The overarching research question was, “According to participants, what factors contribute to Latino student reentry in school after dropping out?” This study was conducted in a rural resort Rocky Mountain region. Nine participants were from alternative high schools and one from a traditional school. To meet the selection criteria, participants had to have previously dropped out and then reentered school. The theoretical framework of this dissertation was that of critical research theory. Data were collected through individual interviews and then analyzed through an inductive and comparative analysis strategy. The goals were to understand the factors that contributed to dropout and reentry for the participants, while uncovering strategies for dropout prevention and increased achievement. Additional goals were to provide voice to an underserved population and advise school reform efforts. This study addressed a gap in the literature between researchers’ recommendations based on the process of dropping out and what proved to be effective in the cases of these Latino participants who reentered. The findings reinforced the potential of the following in decreasing Latino dropout rates: individual support/monitoring, engaging and relevant instruction, and a trusting relationship with an adult advocate at school. The participants also recommended a motivational component intended to educate students on the value of educational attainment to one’s financial future