Methods Of Collecting Information Research Articles

P-580 - Information basis for rating Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)

Introduction In psychiatry, the many instruments for assessment are all dependent on collecting information. Assessments should characterize the patients and less just a product of evaluations. GAF is an assessment instrument known worldwide and rates severity of illness. For GAF, we find problems with reliability, validity, sensitivity and generic properties (Aas 2010; 2011). Aims To indentify factors concerning collection of information relevant for rating GAF. Methods Systematic literature review with an encompassing hand search and search in the databases: PubMed, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Results (1) Sources of information. Every single source of information can diverge substantially from every other potential source. GAF's anchor points show relevance for all sources of information. (2) Methods for information collection are interviews of patients and informants, self-report version for GAF, reading of medical records, observation and a combination of methods. Research concerning the importance of sources and methods of information collection for scored GAF value is difficult to find. Conclusions Rating GAF is open to interpretation of information, subjectivity and synthesis. Differences in information can explain some of the discrepancy in scored GAF values. Use of several sources have the potential to corroborate, complement or correct each other.

Design of a Covert RFID Tag Network for Target Discovery and Target Information Routing

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are small electronic devices working in the radio frequency range. They use wireless radio communications to automatically identify objects or people without the need for line-of-sight or contact, and are widely used in inventory tracking, object location, environmental monitoring. This paper presents a design of a covert RFID tag network for target discovery and target information routing. In the design, a static or very slowly moving target in the field of RFID tags transmits a distinct pseudo-noise signal, and the RFID tags in the network collect the target information and route it to the command center. A map of each RFID tag’s location is saved at command center, which can determine where a RFID tag is located based on each RFID tag’s ID. We propose the target information collection method with target association and clustering, and we also propose the information routing algorithm within the RFID tag network. The design and operation of the proposed algorithms are illustrated through examples. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the design.

Gulag Art: Elusive Evidence from the Forbidden Territories

Considering the issue of Soviet revisionism and the concept of collective cultural amnesia, Gulag history is an exceedingly difficult topic of research, given that to this day it remains a very sensitive issue in the former Soviet Union. With the massive amount of literature dedicated to Socialist Realism, very little attention has been paid to the works and artifacts which have survived the destruction in the Gulag camps and which have been collected, documented, and preserved by a number of initiatives. Fragments and "pieces of the puzzle" obtained from a wide variety of resources were used in this article to construct a rough sketch of the subject, introduce the reader to the topic from a historical point of view, and discuss the practical issues of research and information collection methods.

Automatic data mining for telemetry database of computer systems

This study focuses on the development of automation platform for performing data mining on a telemetry database for computer systems. It is common for computer systems to encounter failures in an unexpected manner. It is therefore valuable to have prognostics capability for computer systems to minimize the effects of unexpected system failure. Data acquisition schemes employing telemetry techniques are considered the most effective method for collection of in-service information for computer systems. Analysis of an enormous telemetry database of high complexity must be completed before useful knowledge can be extracted. In this research, an automatic data mining platform is reported for the extraction of useful knowledge from the telemetry database. This paper describes the structure and basic theories underlying the data mining of the telemetry database. Also, an automatic computer program capable of performing database management, filtering, data analysis, and reporting is described. Some useful data generated by the platform are reported for the telemetry database.

Selective exposure: The impact of framing information search instructions as gains and losses

AbstractPrevious research has found that people prefer information that supports rather than conflicts with their decisions (selective exposure). In the present paper, we investigated whether selective exposure was influenced by the method of information collection. Based on Prospect Theory we hypothesized that the method of selection (MOS), where simply selected pieces of information are considered, would lead to a higher selective exposure compared to the method of elimination (MOE), where pieces of information are rejected and the remaining pieces of information are considered. In fact, we found that participants collected information more selectively when they were instructed to use the MOS compared to the MOE. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Access to and Control over Household Resources: A Consistency Check Using Gender Analysis and Household Survey Data

A study was conducted during 1998 covering three Village Development Committees (VDCs) ofChitwan district, Nepal, to examine the consistency of results if carried out independently usingformal and informal methods of information collection. Gender analysis (access and controlprofiles), and a face-to-face household survey (n = 123 households) were employed for thispurpose. Gender differences in access to and control over household resources was studied.Results showed a consistent response from both household survey and gender analysis for mostof the parameters studied, such as access to agriculture extension and veterinary services,participation in training, and community work. Gender response for control over resources, suchas income from small animals was also similar from both methods. However, some of theparameters were not consistent in response. For example, there was no participation of women incontrol over income from cash crops and cereal crops and large animals as strongly indicated bygender analysis, which was not visible in the case of household survey. This raises a questionabout the reliability of using only one approach of information collection for rural developmentresearch. On the basis of these results, we suggest a combine approach of quantitative andqualitative methods of data collection, which could be more reliable, informative andappropriate. The use of multiple methods also allows the researcher to cross-reference in order tovalidate the trustworthiness of information.Key words: Gender analysis; household survey; triangulationDOI: 10.3126/narj.v7i0.1875Nepal Agriculture Research Journal Vol.7 2006 pp.98-102

Subject-related information collection method based on domain Ontology

Vector Space Model (VSM) based on the keywords is a traditional related information collection method, which is commonly used in the professional search engine. It takes account of the weight of keywords and keywords' frequency in the web page to collect the subject-related pages. The method of ontology-based information collection no longer reflects the frequency of the term in a simple way, and it strengthens the page of the semantic relationships between terms, thereby it overcomes polysemy, synonyms and dependence on the word existing in the traditional vector space model. The result of the experiment, compared with the method based on keyword, further demonstrates the feasibility of the method based on Ontology.

Developing a Geovisual Analytics Environment for Investigating Archaeological Events: Extending the Space–Time Cube

Over the past several decades, archaeologists have been developing and improving methods for collection, analysis, visualization, and modeling of site information. Despite the increasing capabilities of GIScience tools in recent years, archaeology is an application domain where these capabilities have not been fully utilized. This paper presents preliminary results on the development of geovisual analytics functions for archaeological investigation by extending Space–Time Cube (STC) software currently under development. Graph-theoretical techniques are implemented to uncover and visualize spatio-temporal relationships between artefacts from different historical periods excavated at different locations. These techniques are implemented and tested on a database of archaeological sites in Puerto Rico. The contribution of this research to visual analytics is the integration of space, time, and relationships within a single interactive environment. The extended STC facilitates insight into potential interactions or clashes among different cultures identified through archaeological digs. This is achieved through building linkages between database tuples based on attribute similarities which can be explicitly visualized and queried within the STC environment. The paper concludes with a summary of the effectiveness and potential of the prototype and its functionality.

다중 가상 검지선을 이용한 실시간 교통정보 수집

ATIS(Advanced Traveler Information System)는 교통 상황이나 주행 정보 등을 실시간으로 제공하여 이용자의 편익을 도모하는 시스템이다. ATIS를 위해 영상 이미지를 분석하여 교통정보를 수집 수집하는 방식은 크게 영역에 루프 검지기를 설정하여 측정하는 방식과, 영상 분석을 통해 차량을 검출하고 추적하는 방식으로 나뉜다. 본 연구에서는 차선마다 가상 검지기를 설치하는 방식을 기초로, 영상 분석 방법의 차량 위치 추적 방식을 응용하여 교통정보를 측정하는 시스템을 제안한다. 이때 가상 검지기 방식의 단점을 보완하기 위해 차선마다 다중의 가상 검지선을 설정하여, 검지 영역 내에 여러 대의 차량이 진입하거나 차량의 차선 변경 시에도 효과적으로 교통정보를 추출할 수 있게 하였고, 영상분석 방식의 문제점인 검지영역의 크기 증가에 따른 차량 추출 시간의 증가를 해결하기 위해 검지 영역 내에서 대표 픽셀을 추출하여 교통정보를 측정하였다. CCTV를 이용하여 취득한 영상에 제안하는 시스템을 이용하여 차량의 평균 속도와 차선별 교통량 측정한 결과 실제 교통량대비 평균 92.32%의 차량 검지율를 보였다. ATIS(Advanced Traveler Information System) is the system to offer a real-time traffic information or traffic situation for the benefit of the client. One of traffic information collection methods for ATIS research is the method of image analysis. The method is divided into two : one is the method to set two loop detectors at the area and the other is the method detecting the vehicle through an image analysis. In this paper, we propose a real-time traffic information collection system to mix two methods. The system installs multiple virtual detection lines and traces the location of the vehicle. Use of multiple virtual detection lines supplements the defect of the method of loop detectors. And we drew a representative pixels in the detecting area and used it for image analysis. This is to solve the problem of time delay which increases as the image size increases. We gathered traffic images and experimented using the system and got 92.32% of detection accuracy.

SMS versus telephone interviews for epidemiological data collection: feasibility study estimating influenza vaccination coverage in the Swedish population

This study compared the use of Short Message Service (SMS) on mobile phones and the use of telephone interviews in collecting self-reported data about influenza vaccination. Through random selection from the Swedish population registry, 2,400 individuals were assigned to be contacted through SMS (SMS-group), and 2,150 were assigned to undergo personal telephone interviews (TI-group). Both groups were asked three questions about influenza and influenza vaccination. Mobile phone numbers were found for 1,055 persons in the SMS-group of whom 154 (6% of the original sample; 15% of all who had a listed mobile phone number) responded. Landline or mobile phone numbers were found for 1,636 persons in the TI-group and 1,009 (47% of the original TI sample; 62% of those where a telephone number was found) responded. The vaccination data collected via SMS was not statistically significantly different from data collected through telephone interviews, and adjustment for different background factors did not change this. Compared to the original sample, there was an under representation of elderly and less educated individuals among the participants in the SMS-group, and under representation of less educated in the TI-group. Though the participation rate was low, SMS is a feasible method for collection of information on vaccination status data among the Swedish population compared to telephone interviews.

The Approach of the 'Positivist' School and the 'Interpretative' School to the Relationship between Theory and Method, using examples from Criminological Research

The purpose of this paper is to attempt the analysis of the 'Positivist' School and the 'Interpretative' School to the Relationship between Theory and Method, Using examples from Criminological Research. The differences between approach of the positivist school and interpretative school are often made very difficult to make an approach. What are more to focus on are the relationships between quantitative research and positivism and qualitative research and interpretative paradigms are often presented as essential connections. Therefore, it is a lot more difficult to imply an appropriate research method and process depends on the subject and field of the research topic. The differences between types of research and also the connections which are made between types of research and theoretical paradigms portray a very simple picture. The danger of this is that two readily available set of research methods and assuming that positivist and interpretative research style represent competing approaches and also that they present 'either-or' alternatives as to strategies of research. For example, in some instances positivist and interpretative's methods do represent alternatives but in some case, positivist and interprativist each other can complement about each other's defects in terms of use of methodology. Though depending according to the specialist of the topic, it needs sensitivity to the potentials and the contributions of different styles of data and different methods of information collection and analysis to the criminological issues under test and to the theoretical questions being asked of them.

Study and analysis of information on the reader's potential discontent in an academic library

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to grope for the scientific research method for the reader's potential discontent information with the analysis of the show form of the reader's potential discontent information and the statistic analysis of the reader's service information in the academic library.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses the research method of the behavior analysis to study the show form of the reader's potential discontent information, and farther puts forward the research path for the reader's potential discontent information in the academic library by a statistics analytical methodology.FindingsThe paper finds that the reader's potential discontent information is very important but not easy ascertained information source in the library service work estimate. Library supervisor must understand that not only the behavior analysis but also statistics analytical method can develop the scientific analysis and research to obtain the information for the improvement of the library service.Research limitations/implicationsThere is an important value for using the behavior analysis and statistics method to develop a further research.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that it is very important value to obtain the reader's potential discontent information for improvement of the library service.Originality/valueThe paper offers some important information collection outlet and method to design the service mode and improve the service work for the academic library.

행정정보소재안내서비스(GILS) 평가 및 개선방안에 관한 연구

행정정보소재 안내 서비스는 정보원에 대한 내용적 기술뿐만 아니라 위치정보, 접근 방법 등 외부적인 요소까지 기술함으로써 이용자의 정보에 대한 접근 및 이용을 가능하게 한다. 서비스 개선을 위해 현재 전자정부에서 제공하고 있는 소재정보안내시스템을 분석한 결과 다음과 같은 문제점이 발견되었다. 첫째, 인터페이스적인 측면에서 검색결과 화면의 오류나 레코드 항목명을 이해하기 어려웠다. 둘째, 레코드 항목 중 내용이 기입되지 않은 항목이 다수 발견되었다. 셋째, 정보접근 방식에 대해 구체적으로 제시하지 않았다. 넷째, 비공개 혹은 제한적 공개 사유에 대한 근거를 명확히 제시하지 않았다. 따라서 발견된 문제점을 해결하여 정보소재안내 서비스를 활성화하기 위해서는 레코드 수집방법을 개선하고 소재 레코드 항목을 재구성하며 적극적인 홍보활동 및 인터넷을 이용한 정보접근 방법을 강화해야 한다. Government Information Locator Service(GILS) allows the users to access and utilize government information by including the content description about the resource as well as the secondary information about the resources such as location and access method. The following problems have been identified, while analyzing the electronic government offered GILS to come up with the service improvement plan. Firstly, it was difficult to comprehend the record labels from the user interface point of view. There were errors in the retrieval result screens. Secondly, there were a number of missing items in the records. Thirdly, there was no explicit explanation on how to access the information. Lastly, there were no clearly explained reasons that certain information is non-disclosed or partially disclosed. Thus, it is necessary to deal with the identified problems by improving the information collection method; reorganizing the record items; heavily investing in the public relation activities; and improving the web-based access method if the revitalization of GILS is to be achieved.

MobiSNMP--A Model for Remote Information Collection from Moving Entities Using SNMP over MobileIPv6

The advent of mobile IP communication has opened up several new areas of mission critical communication applications. But the bandwidth and reliability constraints coupled with handover latency are posing some hurdles which need to be overcome before real world mobile IP applications, with low tolerance for data loss, can be deployed. In this paper, we analyze the unreliability of existing information collection methods in the real-world MobilelP environment. We focus on this problem and propose a novel network management model that anticipates the wireless mobile entities and uses SNMP. The key idea of this model is the introduction of a store-and-forward type Managed Object (MO). During the period of unreachability between the Manager and the agent, the data is cached at the agent until the connectivity recovers. In our experiment we used a prototype implementation in real-world wireless communication field, and showed the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Corporate South Africa: making multicultural knowledge sharing work

PurposeKnowledge management in South Africa is still a very new field of management and knowledge managers are experiencing difficulties with the added dimension of multiculturalism. The history of South Africa, along with its current focus on cultural equality, complicates the matter. This research seeks to look at the challenges facing knowledge managers in a multicultural South African corporate environment.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory study, using in‐depth interviewing and a focus group as information collection methods, was launched to explore South African knowledge‐management practices in a cross‐section of companies in the economy.FindingsResults showed that companies were afraid to acknowledge cultural differences because of major cultural sensitivity and, as a result, corporate culture was seen as the great equaliser of cultural exchanges. Knowledge managers, along with top management's support, must rather create a cooperative knowledge‐sharing environment in which South Africa's diverse cultures can interact, learn from one another and innovate.Research limitations/implicationsServes as a pilot study that aims to explore new territory. From this explorative research, a new and extensive study of the contributing factors should be conducted. This study does not proclaim to be representative of all companies, as only a cross‐section of the South African corporate market was targeted for participation.Practical implicationsCompany management and knowledge workers will see the necessity of incorporating different approaches to knowledge‐management implementation to suit individual needs.Originality/valueVery little research has been done on this subject from a South African corporate‐environment perspective. These researchers hope to make knowledge workers more sensitive to the influence of multiculturalism on potential implementation of a knowledge‐management strategy.

Statistical analysis of milk products consumers' behaviour

At the turn of the economy changes (Lithuania rapidlyintegrating western civilization) new, individual customers’behaviour model is forming. Referring to scientificresearch methods, we can understand and forecast customerbehaviour, to clarify relation of cause and effectand, having identified customer needs, to produce suchproduct which would meet the needs of current customersand would attract new ones. Understanding of customerand his purchasing process helps to make specific decisionsin organising sales, to understand and forecast thepriorities of the customer in purchasing process and alongwith this to increase business opportunities. Because customerbehaviour is a constituent of human behaviour, it isdifficult to forecast. Therefore enterprises have periodicallyto carry out the analysis of customer behaviour, allowingunderstating customer deeds and forecast theirfuture behaviour.In the paper the level of milk and its product consumptionin Lithuania and consumption tendencies are highlighted.When carrying this research the methods of complexstatistic information collection were used: respondentssurvey, official statistics data analysis, direct observationof passives, the interview of an informal character.Collected information is analysed and interpreted, causalrelations of statistic research structure elements are presented.When carrying out this research, the representativeselective analysis (when by special techniques from generalset its part which makes sample, and later with thehelp of statistical methods it is reasonably applied to entirecitizens population), was used. By this method it is definedwhether provided services have satisfied expectations andmet needs. Only fully satisfied customers can become loyalcustomers of enterprises.

Discriminant Patterns of Consistency in Health Data Dictionaries: Implications for Evidence-Based Medicine

An increasing amount of the medical information in health provider organizations is derived from electronic patient records (EPRs). As such, the quality of information maintained by healthcare organizations becomes a key component of the healthcare delivery process, with a corresponding need for consistent information collection and management methods. The objective of this study was to examine and compare adoption rates of EPR data reliability within clinical support systems, identifying regional variation across the USA. In a nationwide study of all accredited US health information managers, reported levels of data dictionary adoption in electronic patient records were examined. Results show that the majority of health information managers have widely disparate policies and procedures related to data consistency. Despite increasing reliance on consistency of data for comparative purposes, most organizations have not exhibited regular adoption of data dictionaries to uniformly define system-based information within their organizations. This occurs in an era where government-mandated data standards require greater uniformity of medical information. Utilization of EPR data in evidence-based medical decision making must be undertaken with caution, especially when outcomes or other decision support data are compared across states or regions.

Estimations of the importance of plant resources extracted by inhabitants of the Peruvian Amazon flood plains

Extractions/applications of plant-resources were investigated in Mestizo communities in the Jenaro Herrera district, Peruvian Amazon. Knowledge differences between genders on forest resource uses were also examined. Two methods were applied: (1) a forest survey based on structured interviews of ten informants on potential uses of 334 pre-selected trees and lianas in permanent sample plots, and interviews of 20 male and female informants concerning potential uses of 85 trees and lianas; and (2) a household survey recording extracted materials in or near the dwellings of 73 families. The conclusions are: (i) most forest products are extracted from a limited number of species, whereas a large number of species is mentioned as important/potentially useful for identical purposes; (ii) coherence exists between extracted species and their abundance in easily accessible forest formations; (iii) knowledge of forest resources is gender correlated; and (iv) a combination of methods for collection of information on use and extraction of plant resources provides more detailed and profound results than using each method separately.

Mapping the northern frontier: Canada and the origins of the US army's Military Information Division, 1885–1898

In 1885, the United States Army established its first official peacetime intelligence organization, the Military Information Division (MID), at least in part to collect intelligence enabling it to strike Canada in the event of conflict with Great Britain. Examining MID's leadership, information collection methods, intelligence objectives, organizational structure, and officer recruitment criteria during its first dozen years of existence reveals that it devoted significant resources to mapping the Canadian border, restructured its organization in part to increase the efficiency of those scouting expeditions, and selected officers to lead MID and conduct its reconnaissance missions based on their topographical skills, their knowledge of Canada, and their ability to keep their work quiet.

La veille informationnelle dans les communautés de base en Afrique: l'expérience des audiothèques rurales du Mali

In the beginning of the 21st century, the democratization of access to information, an outcome of the right to information, has become a challenge that needs to be seriously taken up in Africa. Actually, how to make information available to rural communities which represent 70% of the population of this continent is a major concern, especially when we know that this rural population with 80% illiterate people, is one of the vital actors of growth, and therefore a key agent of economic and social development. In 1983, Mali a Sahelian country in west Africa tried out a system of information dissemination entitled rural ‘audiothec' that helped supply an illiterate population with information. This experience which was able to combine the traditional and the modern methods of information collection, processing, storage and dissemination yielded interesting results. (Journal of Librarianship and Information Science in Africa: 2001 1(2): 22-34)