Judgment Scale Research Articles

Calibration Effects in Person Perception: How Presentation Order Affects Variability, Consensus, and Accuracy in Inferences From Behavior Observations

Serial judgments of different target persons in a given situation can depend on the target’s position in the series: Perceivers may initially withhold extreme judgments to avoid violating their judgment algorithm’s consistency in case of more extreme observations later on. With subsequent observations, perceivers may better calibrate their judgment scale. We extend this theoretical reasoning on calibration effects to personality inferences: Between-target rating variability, consensus, and accuracy may be diminished in initial judgments if perceivers prefer moderate judgments regardless of the target. We tested and cross-validated these preregistered expectations using a sample of 3,963 perceivers who judged 200 targets regarding their personalities in 20 different situations. Whereas rating variability and consensus increased across the judgment series, accuracy did not. However, initial judgments were not always more moderate (e.g., higher Agreeableness) suggesting that perceivers reference trait-specific default values. This may be beneficial or detrimental for targets, depending on how their actual characteristics compare.

Exploring the effect of lexicality and listener experience on gradient ratings of Swedish sibilant fricatives

ABSTRACT This study explores the influence of lexicality on gradient judgments of Swedish sibilant fricatives by contrasting ratings of initial fricatives in words and word fragments (initial CV-syllables). Visual-Analogue Scale (VAS) judgments were elicited from experienced listeners (speech-language pathologists; SLPs) and inexperienced listeners, and compared with respect to the effects of lexicality using Bayesian mixed-effects beta regression. Overall, SLPs had higher intra- and interrater reliability than inexperienced listeners. SLPs as a group also rated fricatives as more target-like, with higher precision, than did inexperienced listeners. An effect of lexicality was observed for all individual listeners, though the magnitude of the effect varied. Although SLP’s ratings of Swedish children’s initial voiceless fricatives were less influenced by lexicality, our results indicate that previous findings concerning VAS ratings of non-lexical CV-syllables cannot be directly transferred to the clinical context, without consideration of possible lexical bias.

Revisiting the evaluation of IT ethical scenarios using a multidimensional scale

PurposeIn 2001, Ellis and Griffith used a multidimensional ethics scale including three subdimensions of moral equality, relativism and contractualism to examine the ethicality of IT scenarios. In the 20 plus years to follow, there has been an exponential growth in uses and users of technology. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to ascertain if the multi-item ethics measure remains valid in spite of the technological advances and progression of communication made possible through technology.Design/methodology/approachThe survey consisted of technology-related ethical situations, an ethical judgment scale, an engagement scale and demographical questions. The sample size was 366, consisting of mainly white, upperclassman, American-native males having proficient experience with computers and spending an average of 20 h or less a week on a computer.FindingsThe findings reveal that both moral equity and relativism have a positive relationship with engagement across all tested scenarios, while contractualism has a positive relationship in four scenarios. Furthermore, a significant difference between the means of gender exists in four of the six scenarios. These findings indicate that indeed college students can not only recognize, but also make an ethical decision to not engage in unethical behavior and reconfirm that using a multidimensional ethics scale is warranted.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is not without limitations. First, the data is cross-sectional and causal inferences are not warranted. Second, the sample consisted of students and may not be generalizable to employees. Therefore, future research may sample employees in a technology organization to provide greater insight into ethical judgment and engagement in such scenarios. Another limitation of this study is that the scenarios were generated from students discussing their concerns regarding various ethical judgment situations they anticipate encountering in the near future with technology. Although this method of developing scenarios addresses current concerns of students, some of the scenarios do not directly apply to the workplace and may appear to be limited in their applicability. Therefore, future studies should consider developing scenarios that reflect more practical situations that occur in the workplace in general and through work-life blending.Practical implicationsOne of the implications of these findings is that universities and business schools who embed ethics courses in the curriculum need to incorporate moral reasoning in ethics courses, as moral reasoning is an essential component of ethical decision-making and is shown to have a positive relationship with engagement in this study. By providing students with instruction on moral reasoning, universities can equip them with the skills to make ethical decisions that align with the values of their future employers and ameliorate their engagement levels. Continuing professional education in these ethical issues areas helps bridge college edification with practical career application, and ensures that as technologies and situations change, future business professionals are equipped to navigate changing environments and ethical scenarios.Social implicationsWith a brighter spotlight shining on employee ethical behavior both in and out of the workplace (Parker et al., 2019), the ability to make moral choices is vital. This study’s findings indicate that an increased focus on ethics education in universities is effective in helping future business professionals recognize and avoid ethical lapses. Therefore, it may be worthwhile for organizations to invest in ethics training programs to promote ethical decision-making skills among employees. By doing so, organizations may create a culture that values ethical behavior and provides employees with the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed and ethical decisions.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of ethics education and training programs and underscores the need for organizations to foster a culture of ethical behavior. Additionally, the study’s findings regarding gender differences call for greater efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, particularly in leadership positions.

L2 cognitive construal and morphosyntactic acquisition of pseudo-passive constructions

Abstract Discussion of the theoretical underpinning of pseudo-passive constructions abounds in generative linguistics and comparative typology. However, the cognitive construal of and morphosyntactic acquisition of (un)grammatical English pseudo-passive constructions by Chinese-speaking L2-English users with different proficiency levels have never been investigated. It is worth examining whether proficiency level modulates constructional acceptability and cognitive construal, which would allow us to infer L2-English users’ morphosyntactic acquisition stages of pseudo-passive constructions. To fill this research gap, the study recruited 120 L2-English speakers with different levels of proficiency and 40 native English speakers to complete a grammaticality judgment test with an acceptance judgment scale from −2 to 2 for 40 ungrammatical pseudo-passive sentences and 40 fillers. Proficiency level significantly correlates with a firmer rejection of ungrammatical pseudo-passive sentences and cognitive construal which is more target-like. Significantly asymmetrical acceptance levels between two types of target ungrammatical constructions are also revealed for low (p = 0.002) and medium proficiency (p = 0.000) groups, demonstrating the type effect on grammaticality judgment and morphosyntactic acquisition.

Greek primary school students’ moral judgments and motives about sustainable food consumption

Modern dietary habits pose large threats to the global vision for a sustainable food system transition, intensifying discussions around the urgency for educational initiatives that can promote more sustainable food consumption practices. However, research has not sufficiently studied food consumers' moral background, despite its strong influence on food choices, while relevant research on school-aged consumers is even scarcer. This study focuses on two individual ethical decision-making processes regarding food sustainability: moral judgments and moral motives. Data was selected using non-probability, opportunity sampling from 587 students attending the last two grades of primary school in the Region of Western Macedonia, Greece. Participants completed a Likert-scale questionnaire, which adopted a holistic approach towards food sustainability, incorporating the following 12 variables associated with all three domains of sustainability (environmental, societal, economic): Biodiversity, Carbon footprint, Soil, water and air conservation, (Food) loss and waste, Water footprint, Nutrition and health, Animal welfare, Workers' rights and safety, Cultural traditions, Food supply, Tax revenues and Profits, Jobs/incomes. In the moral motives scale, additional variables associated with non-moral considerations were also assessed: Sensory Appeal, Mood, Promotion, Social influence, Convenience and Familiarity. For the moral judgments scale, findings revealed low to medium scores for all the domains and among the variables associated with a sustainable food system, the lowest mean scores being recorded in those linked to the social dimension of sustainability. Regarding food consumption motives, results indicate that non-moral considerations prevail remarkably over moral ones and are linked to all three domains of sustainability. Statistical testing identified grade level, gender, place of residence and participation in environmental, health or food education school programs as factors influencing certain aspects of students’ moral thinking at a statistically significant level. Insights gained from this study can contribute to educational and other agendas aiming to promote sustainable food consumption.

Adaptation and Validation of the Mental Health Continuum Long Form (MHC-LF) in Indonesia: A Psychometric Analysis

The study aims to adapt and validate the MHC-LF in Indonesia. The sample used was 315 participants (29 client group and 286 general group. Psychometric property analysis was carried out, including item analysis, reliability estimation using test-retest and internal consistency, and collecting validity evidence based on test content, internal structure, and relationships with other variables. The results showed that psychological well-being item number 10 and social well-being number 3 had insignificant loading factor values. MHC-LF reliability is high, with r= 0.85-0.94. This shows that the score produced by the MHC-LF is stable over time, and the items that compose it have internal consistency and are unidimensional. The expert panel judgment provides evidence that all MHC-LF items are relevant to measured aspects. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the three-factor model of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. MHC-LF is positively correlated with WEMWBS and negatively correlated with BDI-II. The difference in the mean scores of each subscale and the total significantly differed between the general and client groups. The validity evidence proves that the MHC-LF is a measuring tool that measures subjective well-being. The systematic judgmental scale provides evidence that the measurement tool for the translation results is equivalent to the original version.

26 Apathy in Korsakoff Patients with and without Neurovascular Comorbidity

Objective:People with Korsakoff syndrome (KS) experience severe neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric complications following vitamin B1 deficiency predominantly due to alcoholism. KS often presents itself with neuropsychological symptoms such as problems in episodic memory, executive functioning, and social cognition. Common neuropsychiatric symptoms in KS are disorders of affect, confabulations, anosognosia, and apathy. Apathy can be defined by a pathological lack of goal-directed behaviors, goal-directed cognitions, and goal-directed emotions. Patients with KS have an increased risk of cerebrovascular comorbidity. Cerebrovascular accidents are known to increase the risk for developing apathy. Apathy in KS patients can negatively influence the ability to live an autonomous life, often making 24-hour care a necessity. Limited research on apathy in KS patients has been published to this day. Our aim was to assess apathy in Korsakoff patients with and without neurovascular comorbidity.Participants and Methods:General apathy and related subconstructs, such as judgment and decision-making skills, emotional blunting, and the intentions to perform pleasurable activities, were studied in fifteen KS patients, fifteen KS patients with additional cerebrovascular comorbidity, and fifteen healthy controls. The first responsible caregiver of each patient filled in the Apathy Evaluation Scale and Scale for Emotional Blunting. An examiner administered the interview-based Judgement scale of the Neuropsychology Assessment Battery with the KS patients and each KS patient filled in the self-report section of the Pleasurable Activities List. Both KS patient groups receive 24-hour care in a specialized facility for Korsakoff Syndrome.Results:Our study found higher levels of general apathy in both KS patient groups, when rated by their caregiver compared to healthy controls. No difference was found between the KS patient groups and the healthy control group on the self-reported section of the Pleasurable Activities List, which might suggest the presence of intrinsic motivation in KS patients. However, a discrepancy was found between the self-reported activity levels and proxy reported levels of apathy. KS patients with cerebrovascular comorbidity showed increased levels of emotional blunting compared to KS patients without cerebrovascular comorbidity and healthy controls. Decreased judgment and decision-making skills were found in both patient groups compared to healthy controls, with no difference found between KS patients with cerebrovascular comorbidity and KS patients without.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that people with Korsakoff syndrome experience more general apathy compared to healthy controls. Both patient groups showed decreased judgement and decision-making skills and increased emotional blunting. Intrinsic motivation was found to be intact in KS patients. Experiencing cerebrovascular comorbidity in KS carries a risk for developing emotional blunting. Our findings show that apathy greatly affects people with KS. Future scientific research is warranted to further benefit the care for this complex patient population.

Assessing clinical reasoning in the OSCE: pilot-testing a novel oral debrief exercise

IntroductionClinical reasoning (CR) is a complex skill enabling transition from clinical novice to expert decision maker. The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is widely used to evaluate clinical competency, though there is limited literature exploring how this assessment is best used to assess CR skills. This proof-of-concept study explored the creation and pilot testing of a post-station CR assessment, named Oral Debrief (OD), in the context of undergraduate medical education.MethodsA modified-Delphi technique was used to create a standardised domain-based OD marking rubric encapsulating the key skills of CR that drew upon existing literature and our existing placement-based CR tool. 16 OSCE examiners were recruited to score three simulated OD recordings that were scripted to portray differing levels of competency. Adopting a think-aloud approach, examiners vocalised their thought processes while utilising the rubric to assess each video. Thereafter, semi-structured interviews explored examiners’ views on the OD approach. Recordings were transcribed, anonymised and analysed deductively and inductively for recurring themes. Additionally, inter-rater agreement of examiners’ scoring was determined using the Fleiss Kappa statistic both within group and in comparison to a reference examiner group.ResultsThe rubric achieved fair to good levels of inter-rater reliability metrics across its constituent domains and overall global judgement scales. Think-aloud scoring revealed that participating examiners considered several factors when scoring students’ CR abilities. This included the adoption of a confident structured approach, discriminating between relevant and less-relevant information, and the ability to prioritise and justify decision making. Furthermore, students’ CR skills were judged in light of potential risks to patient safety and examiners’ own illness scripts. Feedback from examiners indicated that whilst additional training in rubric usage would be beneficial, OD offered a positive approach for examining CR ability.ConclusionThis pilot study has demonstrated promising results for the use of a novel post-station OD task to evaluate medical students’ CR ability in the OSCE setting. Further work is now planned to evaluate how the OD approach can most effectively be implemented into routine assessment practice.

An innovative approach to enhance students’ clinical judgment and clinical reasoning abilities

Objective: This study used Fowler’s Model for developing nursing judgment to document an innovative approach to enhance students’ clinical reasoning and judgment by examining the impact of incorporating concept-based learning and concept mapping in a structured classroom alongside clinical activities.Methods: The study employed a pretest-posttest design to collect data from a cohort of 40 junior students enrolled in adult care nursing courses at a private university in Jordan. Self-reporting and observing students’ clinical reasoning and judgment using a questionnaire and the Students’ Performance Aspects of Clinical Judgment Scale were employed.Results: Enhancement in students’ general cclinical reasoning behavior, independence in clinical reasoning and clinical judgment, and clinical judgment abilities were evident.Conclusions: This study provided a workable approach that will broaden academics’ understanding of the contextual factors that may impact students’ clinical reasoning and judgment abilities. It can also enhance deep learning and help desaturate the curriculum.

Delineation of groundwater potential zones using remotely sensed data and GIS-based analytical hierarchy process: Insights from the Geba river basin in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Study regionThe study was undertaken in the Geba Drainage Basin, major tributary of the Tekeze Drainage Basin in Northern Ethiopia. Study focusThe objective of this study is to identify the groundwater potential zones of Northern Ethiopia's Geba Drainage Basin. Nine groundwater indicators were used as inputs, including lithology, geomorphology, lineament density, drainage density, slope, elevation, land use and land cover, rainfall, and soil. According to their relative influence on groundwater potentiality, the thematic layers and their classes were assigned appropriate weights based on Saaty's 1–9 judgment scale. The assigned weights were then normalized using an Eigen vector-based Analytical Hierarchy process. By superimposing all the normalized layers in the GIS environment, a groundwater potential map was developed. New hydrological insights for the regionFive distinct groundwater potential zones—very good, good, moderate, poor, and very poor were found in the study area. The areal distribution showed that majority of the area (45%) fell within the poor groundwater potential zone. The groundwater potential zones of moderate, very poor, good, and very good cover approximately 27%, 12%, 10%, and 6% of the total area, respectively. The results were compared to the groundwater yield of boreholes collected from the study area. The validation analysis revealed a 72% similarity, which is representative. The employed method is therefore a reasonable option for groundwater development in the Geba Drainage Basin.

PET-MRI for evaluation of response to radiochemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer

ObjectiveWe aimed to analyze the diagnostic test accuracy of positron emission tomography and a magnetic resonance imaging scan (PET-MRI) fusion in evaluating tumor response after radiochemotherapy in patients with locally...

COMPARISON OF TWO DIFFERENT JUDGMENT SCALES WITH THE AHP GSM OPERATOR PREFERENCE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a method with elegant mathematical features that is widely used in multi-criteria decision making. One of the main applications of this method, which is frequently preferred by decision makers due to its systematic and understandable structure, includes addressing inadequacies in terms of numerical scales that are generally used in pairwise comparisons. Therefore, this study includes two different judgment scales, Saaty’s fundamental scale and the Balanced scale, which were used in the pairwise comparison stage. After the comparisons were made, the variance related to the consistency ratios and the range of the sensitivity was also observed. In the study, we discuss the use of both judgment scales in a real problem and their effects on priority estimation in the AHP. The study's goal is to evaluate the outcomes of Saaty’s fundamental scale and the Balanced scale in the AHP technique for the two current operators in Kosovo's GSM sector, VALA and IPKO, and assess the preference of students in Kosovo. The required data were obtained through a questionnaire and the importance weights of the decision criteria were calculated separately for each scale and compared. The preference order of the GSM operators was discovered according to each decision criterion and all criteria. The ranking of the weights obtained with both scales resulted in IPKO first, followed by VALA. The Balanced scale made the results lighter in the weight distribution. Another important result is that the pairwise comparisons made with the Balanced scale yielded results that are more sensitive. In addition, the closeness of the priority vectors obtained with both scales according to Saaty’s compatibility index and Garuti’s compatibility index was examined.

Linguistic judgments in 3D: the aesthetic quality, linguistic acceptability, and surface probability of stigmatized and non-stigmatized variation

Abstract Linguistic judgment experiments typically elicit judgments in terms of the acceptability or surface probability of a sentence. There is evidence that the dimension of the scale on which sentences are judged influences the outcome of the experiment, but to date this evidence is only limited. This is not a trivial matter, as the elicited judgment data are increasingly considered the basis for inferences about linguistic representation. The present study investigates whether the dimension of the scale influences judgments. Sentences are judged in one of three dimensions: acceptability, probability, or aesthetics. Two distinct sets of experimental items are tested; one with cases of stigmatized variation (violations of the prescriptive norm) and another with cases of non-stigmatized variation (middle-field scrambling) in Dutch. The results show that participants take into account the scale dimension, both in stigmatized and in non-stigmatized variation. The results for stigmatized variation reflect a certain degree of conscious reflection based on the judgment scale; the effects in non-stigmatized variation, by contrast, are only main effects of instruction without changes in the relative pattern of judgments between conditions. These findings corroborate the idea that linguistic judgments of non-stigmatized variation are not the result of introspection in the technical sense, but automatic, multi-dimensional responses to a stimulus.

Development of Nursing Clinical Judgment Scale

This study aimed to develop a nursing clinical judgment scale (NCJS) and verify its validity and reliability in assessing the clinical judgment of nurses. A preliminary instrument of the NCJS comprising 38 items was first developed from attributes and indicators derived from a literature review and an in-depth/focus interview with 12 clinical nurses. The preliminary tool was finalized after 7 experts conducted a content validity test based on a data from a preliminary survey of 30 hospital nurses in Korea. Data were collected from 443 ward, intensive care unit, emergency room nurses who voluntarily participated in the survey through offline and online for the verification of the construct validity and reliability of the scale. The final scale comprised 23 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Six factors- integrated data analysis, evaluation and reflection on interventions, evidence on interventions, collaboration among health professionals, patient-centered nursing, and collaboration among nurse colleagues - accounted for 64.9% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the fit of the measurement model, comprising six factors (root mean square error of approximation = .07, standardized root mean square residual = .04, comparative fit index = .90). Cronbach's α for all the items was .92. The NCJS is a valid and reliable tool that fully reflects the characteristics of clinical practice, and it can be used effectively to evaluate the clinical judgment of Korean nurses. Future research should reflect the variables influencing clinical judgment and develop an action plan to improve it.

Modelling the Probability of Discomfort Due to Glare at All Levels: The Case of Outdoor Lighting

ABSTRACT To limit glare, lighting engineers need to estimate the level of discomfort produced by a lighting installation. Outdoor, most discomfort glare models predict a mean level of discomfort on a judgment scale, which corresponds to a “mean road user.” However, in real life, the inter-individual variability of the sensitivity to glare is large; predicting the mean discomfort does not describe the full pattern of responses in a population. We propose a methodology to model the Discomfort Level, computing the probabilities that an observer reports any of the levels of a discomfort scale. This methodology is demonstrated for outdoor lighting, where no probabilistic model is available. Using a dedicated psychophysical experiment, we extend the results of a previous study where a formula was proposed to compute the Glare Excitation due to a multi-source stimulus, at the Borderline between Comfort and Discomfort (BCD), with a background luminance consistent with outdoor lighting. This formula is first extended to other discomfort levels and background luminance levels, and strengthened thanks to a different experimental protocol and to the use of up to 10 glare sources simultaneously. From this experiment, a formula of the Glare Excitation is proposed in the range of outdoor lighting. Then, a probabilistic model of the Discomfort Level is proposed, allowing computing the probability of ratings at each level of an ordinal scale from the Glare Excitation computed with our formula. It is hoped that the proposed model avoids most of the modeling methodological caveats of previous discomfort glare models.

Psychological Dimensions and Their Inner Relationships of College Students' Network Civilization.

Network civilization is a product of the rapid development of the virtual world. This study aims to investigate the psychological structure of college students' network civilization and to explore the role of value judgment and value identification between college students' psychological perception and value selection. In this study, 1096 college students (511 men and 585 women) completed the anonymous questionnaire on network civilization. They completed the scales of psychological perception, value judgment, value identification, and value selection. The total scale and each subscale both had high Cronbach's alphas (0.90-0.97), indicating good reliability. Results indicated the following: (1) Psychological perception and value selection are positively correlated. (2) Psychological perception improves college students' value selection by enhancing their value judgment. (3) Psychological perception may positively affect college students' value selection via value identification. (4) There is a chain-mediating role between psychological perception, value judgment, value identification, and value selection. These testimonies also contribute to and provide an empirical basis for guidance strategies for the cultivation of network civilization and moral education among college students.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of and the Extent to Which Large and Medium Logistics Organisations Report on Social Sustainability—The Case of South Africa

Despite the importance of the logistics sector to the South African economy and the significant negative impact of the sector on South African society, little research has been conducted to determine the extent to which South African logistics companies report their social sustainability and the effectiveness of their social sustainability reporting. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent to which South African logistics companies report on social sustainability performance and to evaluate the effectiveness of social sustainability reporting practices of South African logistics companies. A documentary analysis of the sustainability information of the logistics companies was conducted using a control list and a judgment scale. A purposive sample of 50 companies was used. The majority of the companies in the sample are private companies that are not listed. Of the sample group, 20% are family-owned, and 16% of the companies are publicly listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The results indicate that social sustainability reporting by logistics companies is very low. The range of scores is from a minimum of 0% to a maximum of 57%. Only two companies attained a score above 50%. About 61% of the companies did not disclose any of the stated themes of social sustainability, while 25% of the companies disclosed the themes in narrative form, and 12.1% disclosed them relative to prior periods of disclosure by the companies. Only 1.4% disclosed themes relative to the targets set by the company, and 0.3% of the companies disclosed them relative to industry standards. Regarding the effectiveness of social sustainability reporting, nine companies (18%) had a score of 50% and above. Only 13 companies (26%) have a score of 40% or higher. This is indicative of the fact that, in general, road logistics companies are not effective in their reporting of social sustainability activities. We endeavour for the study to assist South African logistics companies in being aware of elements to consider when reporting on their social sustainability, as well as assist them in improving their reporting.

Forensic facial examiners versus super-recognizers: Evaluating behavior beyond accuracy.

We evaluated the detailed, behavioral properties of face matching performance in two specialist groups: forensic facial examiners and super-recognizers. Both groups compare faces to determine identity with high accuracy and outperform the general population. Typically, facial examiners are highly trained; super-recognizers rely on natural ability. We found distinct behaviors between these two groups. Examiners used the full 7-point identity judgment scale (-3: "different"; +3: "same"). Super-recognizers' judgments clustered toward highly confident decisions. Examiners' judgments for same- and different-identities were symmetric across the scale midpoint (0); super-recognizers' judgments were not. Examiners showed higher identity judgment agreement than super-recognizers. Despite these qualitative differences, both groups showed insight into their own accuracy: more confident people and those who rated the task to be easier tended to be more accurate. Altogether, we show to better understand and interpret judgments according to the nature of someone's facial expertise, evaluations should assess more than accuracy.

A building sustainability assessment system (BSAS) for least developed countries: A case of Ethiopia

The principle of sustainability or meeting the needs of the current generation without imperiling the needs of the next generation become a major concern in modern infrastructure development. Economically least developed countries (LDCs) are struggling to meet the demand of current generation through large amount of infrastructure development. Ethiopia, one of the LDCs, provides a good example of sustainable energy development. However, the country has no local building sustainability assessment system and studies confirmed that internationally available systems are not suitable for LDCs like Ethiopia. This new building sustainability assessment system (BSAS) is developed after identifying non-sustainable practices, and challenges of building construction industry in the study area. Because of the principle is new for most of experts in the country, a combination of subjective expert evaluation and judgmental scale was applied to assign weightings using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) method. Two new buildings in the study area were evaluated to demonstrate the new system. Finally, the assessment system is compared with well-known existing systems around the world and in the continent. This work helps to promote sustainable building construction practices in Ethiopia and other economically LDCs by serving as reference and benchmark.

When publication metrics become the fetish: The research evaluation systems’ relationship with academic work engagement and burnout

Abstract In this article, we focused on the nature of the relationship between research evaluation systems that are based on metrics and those that are based on a critical comprehensive judgment of scientific content with researchers’ burnout and work engagement. The research was conducted on a sample of 1,191 Polish researchers in the context of a highly metricized research evaluation system. Our contribution to the field of research evaluation is fourfold. First, we provide empirical support for the recent call for more nuanced views on publication metrics in research evaluation, showing that evaluations lacking in the judgment of scientific content are associated with higher demands and lower job resources. Second, our study focuses the attention of various policymakers on the fact that performance measurement should not be confused with performance management and that thoughtless use of performance publication metrics might lead to research performance deterioration instead of improvement. Third, our findings illustrate the tensions between different views on publication metrics as means of research evaluation; this tension might be observed among researchers and their supervisors but also within the research community as a whole. Fourth, our article may inspire further research of evaluation systems, as we design measures of demands and resources generated by the evaluation system based on Job Demands-Resources theory. Moreover, based on the Leiden Manifesto and Royal Society Resume for researchers, we have validated an evaluation based on a judgment scale that might be used in further research and practical settings to audit research evaluation systems.