Logical Flow Research Articles

Numerical simulation of a hybrid energy system proposed for low carbon data center

Low-carbon energy application for both large grid and distributed energy consumers is an urgent problem to be solved. Data centers (DC) are the typical distributed large-size energy consumers, and the application of renewable energy and energy storage is a promising solution for data center decarbonization. This paper developed a complete hybrid energy system (HES) simulation process for data center applications. The photovoltaic (PV) cell, hydrogen electrolysis, hydrogen storage, proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), lithium battery (BAT), grid, and data center load are considered in the HES. A one-dimensional two-phase flow PEMFC model is developed. The detailed mass transfer process inside the PEMFC cell is modeled. The PEMFC model-solving algorithm is developed and integrated into the HES simulation program. The energy management system (EMS) based on a logical flow chart energy management strategy is integrated by editable subfunction. The HES simulation program is coded and implemented based on the MATLAB-SIMULINK environment. The yearly HES performance simulations are conducted and analyzed for a 200 kW data center in Xi’an with different HES parameters and an appropriate HES parameter arrangement is provided. The main contribution of this work is the development of an editable HES simulation program that is extensible for data center applications.

Evaluation and prediction of water-energy-food nexus under land use changes in the Yellow River Basin, China

Scientific understanding of the changes in the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus is crucial for regional development. As the spatial foundation of human activities, land use plays a pivotal role in shaping WEF nexus relations. However, little research has fully explored the impacts of land use changes within the WEF nexus from the human activities perspective. In this study, a novel theoretical framework was developed according to the logic flow “human activities-land use–WEF nexus”. Based on the LUI, the WEF score, and the ICCD between land use changes and WEF, the WEF score of various scenarios was forecasted using the ARIMA model. The findings revealed the various land use structures and LUI among nine provinces, with more intensive land use in lower reaches. During two decades, a discernible increase in both WEF system scores and ICCD was found in YRB. The WEF scores of all provinces had surpassed the threshold of 0.3 for two decades, and Inner Mongolia grew the fastest from 0.223 to 0.524. The ICCD of nine provinces evolved with fluctuations, from an imminent unbalanced or near coordination level in 2000 to primary coordination or moderate coordination level in 2020. The optimal land use scenarios varied across provinces, attributed to factors such as resource and environmental constraints (Qinghai and Sichuan), specialized agriculture or industry (Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia), differentiated zonal characteristics (Shaanxi and Shanxi), and rapid industrialization and urbanization (Henan and Shandong). To attain sustainable development within the YRB, it is imperative to formulate differentiated land use strategies in each province, and universal strategies should also be established for each land use type.

Grammatical Cohesion in the Introduction Chapters of Linguistics Ph.D. Theses Written by Anglophone Academic Writers

Effective formal writing skills are crucial for educational success and improved academic status; however, writing in English can be challenging, especially for inexperienced English writers and for those individuals for whom English is not their primary language. One often experienced challenge is the appropriate use of cohesive devices (CDs) to organize texts and enhance their semantic potential. Thus, this study analyzed the grammatical CDs utilized by Anglophone Academic Writers (AAWs) in the introduction chapters of 45 Ph.D. theses (86,000 words) in the field of linguistics using Halliday and Hasan’s CDs taxonomy. The analysis showed that AAWs mainly employed references, particularly personal and demonstrative, followed by conjunctions, particularly additive ones, as their dominant CDs. Additive conjunctions helped establish the coherent progressions of ideas in the introductions, while personal references, especially first-person pronouns, conveyed authorial presence. Demonstrative references emphasized important ideas discussed in the theses. The strategic application of these grammatical CDs effectively directed readers through the introductions, creating a logical flow for the writers’ points. Therefore, this study presents valuable insights into the cohesive writing practices of AAWs, which can be used to enhance writing instruction and help novice English writers in improving their formal writing skills.

Evaluation of Performance Indicator Development: A Study at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Indonesia

Research aims: This study evaluates the development of performance indicators using the performance blueprint analysis tool and determines the institutional factors that play a role in the development of performance indicators. Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative research with a case study approach was conducted at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Research findings: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' performance indicator development has applied the principle of logical flow so that the programs and activities set have supported the strategic goals. In addition, most of the performance indicators include results and quality-oriented. However, weak documentation means that the logic flow is not well illustrated. This research captures the phenomena of isomorphism (coercive, mimetic, and normative), institutional logic, and institutional entrepreneurship in the performance measurement system (including the development of performance indicators) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, 15 institutional factors play a role in the development of performance indicators in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, namely external parties, institutional idealism, initiation, efforts (related to accountability and performance indicator development), human resources, mindset, documentation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), leadership commitment, logical framework principles, the role of stakeholders, business processes, reward and punishment, training, and information systems. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This research complements knowledge related to evaluating the development of performance indicators with performance blueprint analysis and institutional factors that play a role in the development of performance indicators, as well as knowledge about the phenomenon of institutional isomorphism, logic and entrepreneurship in government agencies. Practitioner/Policy implication: Ministries/agencies and regulatory agencies can use the performance blueprint analysis tool so that they can develop appropriate indicators and support policy making. Research limitation/Implication: The research focused only on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so the results do not reflect the development of performance indicators in other government agencies. In addition, the interviews did not take the point of view of external parties who have a relationship with the development of performance indicators of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ENHANCING MANUSCRIPT QUALITY: COMMON MISTAKES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH PAPERS

This editorial offers a comprehensive guide for researchers planning to publish in high-impact education journals. It identifies common pitfalls in manuscript submissions and provides practical recommendations to overcome them. The paper emphasizes the importance of aligning with a journal's aims and scope, adhering to submission guidelines, and effectively structuring the manuscript using the IMRAD model. It also addresses weaknesses in various manuscript sections and underlines the significance of citing up-to-date sources, detailed methodological descriptions, ethical considerations, and a logical flow between sections. It concludes that respectful communication in response letters to reviewers significantly impacts the publication decision. Additionally, it offers valuable strategies to improve publication success in high-impact education journals.

Exploring Clause Complexity: A Detailed Analysis Within a Specific Text

This study investigates the role of clause complexity in students' academic writing, focusing on the application of Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) symbols to create persuasive and coherent discourse. Employing a qualitative single-case method, the analysis examines a specific text on the dangers of smoking produced by students. The findings showcase the students' effective use of varied clause types and relationships, as well as their ability to present a systematic and logical flow of ideas supported by factual evidence. The results emphasize the importance of mastering multiple elements, such as utilizing diverse clause types and maintaining a strategic narrative flow, for successful academic writing. These insights can serve as valuable information for educators and academic writers alike, offering a deeper understanding of the implications of clause complexity and its role in fostering effective communication in academic writing.

Land degradation neutrality and carbon neutrality: approaches, synergies, and challenges

Land is being degraded rapidly worldwide. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 2015 has invited countries to formulate voluntary targets to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). Under the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty adopted in 2015, the world is transitioning toward Carbon Neutrality (CN) with more mitigation actions. This paper intended to review the concepts of land degradation, LDN along with CN emphasizing the degradation types, approaches, models available to analyze, synergies, economic aspects and challenges. The review explores approaches and models available for achieving LDN and CN which are both synergistic, economically efficient and could overcome the common challenges. Land degradation has to focus beyond the traditional definitions to incorporate more persistent and the difficult to restore degradation causes. Such complex land degradation requires specialized LDN approaches. The level of degradation and restoration progress could be analyzed using a variety of modeling approaches including economic models. Approaches for LDN and CN can bring significant synergies for each other. The approach proposed by the present study will provide a logical flow for decision-making while minimizing time and effort and avoiding a piecemeal approach. The approach therefore maximizes the output in relation to the inputs thus enhancing sustainability.

Edge Impulse Potential to Enhance Object Recognition Through Machine Learning

Machine Learning (ML) is a powerful artificial intelligence branch that can help businesses, whether small or large, in a variety of industries. It is an option for replacing resources with high operating costs. The aim of this study was to use the Edge Impulse platform as an ML tool option. The system applies low-code frameworks which abstracts a series of complex techniques applied in ML, such as data processing and AI components structure. It implies a time reduction during the development period. Using Edge Impulse allows a more user-friendly interface alternative with an easy-to-interpret logic flow. The study focused an application to do an object recognition, aiming the system capacity limit. The autogenerated accuracy value, pointed by the system indicated 97.9 % after the training step and 89 % after retesting the first 20 mices, photographed in different image angles, indicating a possible model overfitting. Even though, the system showed promise in terms of classifying objects. Some adjustments in the image dataset can improve the model capacity of recognition, as the amount of images showed insufficient at the survey's conclusion.

Comparison of an AI-Generated Case Report With a Human-Written Case Report: Practical Considerations for AI-Assisted Medical Writing.

The utility of ChatGPT has recently caused consternation in the medical world. While it has been utilized to write manuscripts, only a few studies have evaluated the quality of manuscripts generated by AI (artificial intelligence). We evaluate the ability of ChatGPT to write a case report when provided with a framework. We also provide practical considerations for manuscript writing using AI. We compared a manuscript written by a blinded human author (10 years of medical experience) with a manuscript written by ChatGPT on a rare presentation of a common disease. We used multiple iterations of the manuscript generation request to derive the best ChatGPT output. Participants, outcomes, and measures: 22 human reviewers compared the manuscripts using parameters that characterize human writing and relevant standard manuscript assessment criteria, viz., scholarly impact quotient (SIQ). We also compared the manuscripts using the "average perplexity score" (APS), "burstiness score" (BS), and "highest perplexity of a sentence" (GPTZero parameters to detect AI-generated content). The human manuscript had a significantly higher quality of presentation and nuanced writing (p<0.05). Both manuscripts had a logical flow. 12/22 reviewers were able to identify the AI-generated manuscript (p<0.05), but 4/22 reviewers wrongly identified the human-written manuscript as AI-generated. GPTZero software erroneously identified four sentences of the human-written manuscript to be AI-generated. Though AI showed an ability to highlight the novelty of the case report and project a logical flow comparable to the human manuscript, it could not outperform the human writer on all parameters. The human manuscript showed a better quality of presentation and more nuanced writing. The practical considerations we provide for AI-assisted medical writing will help to better utilize AI in manuscript writing.

Society and the State: The Movement to Protect the Living Space of Indigenous People on Bengkalis Island

This research aims to analyze community movements and efforts made by the state to protect the living space (territory) of indigenous peoples on Bengkalis Island. For generations, indigenous people have used the mangrove forest area as a living space. On the way, the indigenous people found that their living space was damaged and narrowed, which they understood but were unable to control. This research is qualitative, obtaining data through observation, interviews, and aggregate data. The research data is then analyzed following a logical flow built and adjusted to the flow of field research data. The resource mobilization theory was used as a guide. This research found that facing the rate of mangrove destruction as a living space, indigenous tribes can only adapt slowly by utilizing the remaining open resources and opportunities. The community movement to protect mangrove forests as a living space for indigenous people on Bengkalis Island is still limited to being carried out by the indigenous people. The new movement is only in the form of building relationships with officials who have power in the region, hoping that indigenous people can carry out their traditional activities, namely utilizing mangrove forests as their living space. This movement is far from successful. In the form of the Regional Environmental Protection and Management Policy, local government policy keeps indigenous people away from mangrove forests as their living space.

Navigating Cultural Connotations in Translation: Blending Paradigms to Illuminate Diǎngù and Shúyǔ in Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's Government Reports

This study delves into the translation challenges of Premier Li Keqiang's Report on the Work of the Government (RWG), a notable piece in Chinese political discourse. It focuses on translating the cultural nuances embedded in Diǎngù 典故 (allusions) and Shúyǔ 熟语 (formulaic expressions) into English to enhance global comprehension. Using an interpretive qualitative methodology, the research identifies deficiencies in translating these cultural connotations from the RWG (2013-2022) and explores their root causes, considering translation strategies employed. It integrates Venuti's theories of domestication and foreignization with Aristotle’s concepts of logos and clarity in style. Thematic analysis uncovers key translation issues: loss of original imagery, disrupted logical flow, and verbose redundancy, primarily due to challenges in maintaining logos and stylistic clarity. The study's significance lies in pinpointing these translational gaps and introducing a novel approach that amalgamates diverse theoretical frameworks, offering unique insights and methods to effectively connect language, culture, and political communication in translation studies.

Challenges in Achieving Coherence and Cohesion: A Discourse Analysis of Chinese EFL Students’ Essays

This paper aims to highlight the prevalent challenges faced by Hong Kong Chinese students in utilizing connectives and ensuring coherence in their English academic writing. Research indicates that constructing fluent, effective, and cohesive English written texts that maintain logical flow poses a significant challenge for Chinese learners studying English as a foreign language (EFL). This difficulty is likely attributed to the substantial cultural differences between the English and Chinese languages, regardless of the learners’ grasp of English grammar and vocabulary usage. In order to raise awareness among EFL teachers regarding the struggles Chinese students encounter in mastering connectives and cohesion in English writing, this qualitative study analyses five sample English term papers written by Hong Kong university students majoring in English in 2023. The findings reveal that the Hong Kong EFL participants tend to present their arguments in an indirect and circular manner within their English essay assignments. Additionally, due to cultural norms and politeness, the true intent of their writing is often withheld, and the thesis statement is implicitly inferred towards the end of the essay rather than being explicitly stated at the beginning in the introduction. Furthermore, a focus group interview with the student participants conducted after the written analysis demonstrated that their English academic essays reflect the influence of Chinese social interaction norms on rhetorical patterns. The relevance of this study lies in its potential to inform EFL instruction, enabling educators to better support Hong Kong Chinese students in navigating the complexities of English academic writing and to adapt pedagogical approaches that bridge cultural and linguistic gaps.

OPTIMIZATION OF ZAKAT MANAGEMENT BY BKM MASJID IN MEDAN CITY PERSPECTIVE OF LAW NO.23 OF 2011

&lt;em&gt;Law No. 38 of 1999, later amended by Law No. 23 of 2011 on the Administration of Zakat, provides the legal basis for the administration of zakat in Indonesia. These laws and regulations recognise only two entities, namely the National Zakat Amil Agency (BAZNAS) and the Zakat Amil Institution (LAZ), as the legal managers of zakat in Indonesia. In Medan, there are two types of amil zakat, as well as community-formed amil-amil zakat who manage zakat at the mosque level, specifically for zakat fitrah. It is important to note that some of these mosque-level Amils have been approved by the state through a sub-unit framework known as the Zakat Collection Unit (UPZ). Meanwhile, some of these amil-amil have not yet been approved by the state and are only based on the policies of the Prosperity Board (BKM) of each mosque. In Islamic Jurisprudence, the appointment of an amil is carried out by the authority of the caliph/sultan (state). In this case, the amil's position is as a representative of the zakat mustahik. It is important to note that the appointment of an amil should be approved by the state to ensure compliance with Islamic Jurisprudence. This research aims to address three problems related to the establishment and management of zakat at the mosque level in the city of Medan, according to Law No. 23/2011. Specifically, the research will examine: 1) the procedure for establishing zakat amil at the mosque level, 2) the management of zakat by the zakat amil at the mosque level, and 3) ways to optimise the management of zakat by the zakat amil at the mosque level. The language used is clear, objective and value-free, with a formal register and precise word choice. The text follows conventional structure and format, with a consistent style of quoting and footnoting. The sentences and paragraphs create a logical flow of information with causal links between propositions. The content has not been changed. This research has identified three key findings in this area. Firstly, the procedure for establishing Amil Zakat at the mosque level in the city of Medan is based on the policy of each mosque administrator (BKM). Secondly, the BKM's policy is then confirmed (validated) through the UPZ system by the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) of the city of Medan. Finally, it is recommended that a more standardised procedure be implemented to ensure consistency across all mosques in the city. Zakat administration at the mosque level in the city of Medan is an ancillary activity that takes place only during the month of Ramadan and mainly within the framework of Zakat fitrah. During the collection phase, Amil opens a zakat booth at the mosque or at the BKM office, and potential muzakis come to the mosque to pay their zakat. Mosque Zakat Amil uses two methods: the coupon method and the delivery method for the distribution stage to the mustahik. Under the voucher system, a Muslim must present a voucher at the mosque in order to collect his zakat. Currently, the optimisation of zakat management in mosque zakat amil is limited to the collection and distribution stages, without taking into account the utilisation of zakat. Optimising Zakat collection is achieved through Zakat education, specifically by choosing recitation or lecture topics that focus on Zakat and by starting the Zakat collection period at the beginning of the month. During the distribution stage, optimization is achieved by prioritising mustahik selection, with a focus on actual mustahik. This research has found that there is little coordination between the Zakat Amil of the mosque and the BAZNAS, as well as between the Zakat Amil of the other mosques. It is important to address this issue in order to improve the effectiveness of the Zakat distribution.&lt;/em&gt;

A semantic model-based systems engineering approach for assessing the operational performance of metal forming process

Metal Forming is a basic and essential industrial process to provide materials for constructing complex products. To design an efficient metal forming process, the functional requirements and operational performance are two important aspects to be considered. In this paper, a semantic Model-based Systems Engineering (sMBSE) approach is proposed to support the design of the entire metal forming process. A multi-architecture modeling language KARMA is used to develop meta-models and architecture models of the metal forming process from the perspectives of mission, operation, function, logic flow and physical structure. Enabled by customized software, the KARMA models are transformed to ontology models, which are then converted to Petri Net (PN) models. Simulations are conducted based on the PN models to evaluate the operational performance of the created processes. A case study based on a real metal forming scenario is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach using quantitative and qualitative analysis. The result proves that the proposed approach enables to formalize the entire architecture modeling for metal forming process; and to provide an efficient approach for evaluating the operational performance of the designed solution for initial verification.

How to write a “results section” in biomedical scientific research papers?: Critical review

Introduction The “Results section” is a vital organ of a scientific paper, the main reason why readers come and read to find new information in the paper. However, writing the “Results section” demands a rigorous process that discourages many researchers, leaving their work unpublished and uncommunicated in reputable journals. Therefore, this review aims to describe the content, structure, and key standards of writing the “results section” and suggest practical recommendations to reduce common errors in writing the “results section” of manuscripts. Methods We searched the literature using search terms in the PubMed database. We also traditionally searched for literature from “Google Scholars”, “Google”, and “Websites”. We narrated and summarized finding sections as the content, structure, writing and presenting of data, logical flow of, and advised on the writing of the “results section” of the scientific paper. Result The review suggests guidelines for writing the content and organization, techniques of tabular, and graphical presentation of data in the “results section”. The review also suggests experiences on how to effectively present data in numbers such as percentages, statistical measures such as p-values, and other advanced forms of statistics, Finally, the review recommends relevant points to keep language brevity and logical flow in writing the “results section” of a scientific paper. Conclusions Writing a result section of a scientific paper requires practice and it must be concisely written, logically structured, and supported by a good journal-specific standard to be published.

Cohesion and Coherence in Remarks by President Biden in the Joint Statement with Ukraine

This research paper focuses on the analysis of cohesion and coherence in the remarks made by President Biden during the Joint Statement with Ukraine. The study aims to examine the logical flow, consistency, and clarity of President Biden's statements in the context of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. A content analysis approach is employed to analyze the speech delivered by President Biden, including key themes, messaging, and any potential inconsistencies. The findings of this analysis contribute to understanding the effectiveness of President Biden's communication strategy and the coherence of his administration's approach toward Ukraine. The analysis presents a comprehensive understanding of the cohesion and coherence exhibited by President Biden in the Joint Statement with Ukraine, offering valuable insights into the U.S. government's stance towards Ukraine and its broader foreign policy objectives. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of President Biden's communication strategy and the coherence of his administration's approach toward Ukraine. By assessing the cohesion and coherence in President Biden's remarks, this analysis offers a comprehensive understanding of the administration's commitment to supporting Ukraine in various domains, including security, democracy, and economic development.

Forester: Approximate Processing of an Imperative Procedure for Query-Time Exploratory Data Analysis in a Relational Database

Query-time Exploratory Data Analysis (qEDA) is an increasingly demanding aspect of the data analysis process that entails visually and quantitatively summarizing, comprehending, and interpreting the primary characteristics of a dataset. Nowadays, an imperative procedure is popular in relational databases for EDA because it enables us to write multiple dependent declarative queries with imperative logic. As online analytical processing (OLAP) systems contain extremely large datasets, data scientists often need quick visualizations of data, using approximate processing of imperative procedures, before analyzing them in their entirety. We identify gaps in the existing techniques, in that they are unable to sample both declarative-dependent statements and control logic at the same time and perform multi-dependent sampling-based approximate processing within the permitted time in qEDA. Traditional approximate query processing (AQP) involves tuple sampling for a single query approximation and enables queries to be executed over arbitrary random samples of tables. However, available AQP methods cannot produce a further representative sample of the data distribution for the dependent statements to estimate accurately and quickly for multiple dependent statements. On the other hand, sampling control structures, like loops and conditional statements, are discussed separately, without regard to the imperative structure of statements in a procedure. In this study, we propose Forester, a novel agile approximate processing method for imperative procedures that performs imperative program-aware sampling, which includes both statements with control regions (i.e., branch and loop) and processes them approximately within the permitted time in qEDA. Our method produces more targeted samples for each relation, while maintaining the data and control flow of dependent queries and imperative logic and determining all the conditions for a relation across all the statements in the sample that guarantee the existence of relevant data for dependent data distribution. Utilizing a workload of multi-statement imperative procedures from the Transaction Processing Performance Council Decision Support (TPC-DS) database, our experiment demonstrates that Forester outperforms the existing system in sampling, producing minimum error, and improving response time.

Cognitive processes in EFL learners' reading comprehension: A comparative analysis of WhatsApp and traditional group-driven reading

WhatsApp (WA) has become increasingly popular in second language (L2) instructional practices, primarily for assessing L2 learners’ outcomes. Despite this popularity, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding well-documented inquiries into the cognitive processes and reading comprehension of L2 learners. This study aimed to explain L2 learners’ reading comprehension abilities, and explore their cognitive processes between L2 learners who were taught using WA reading groups and those taught using the traditional group-driven reading approach. A mixed quantitative using an experimental design with 32 learners (12 males and 20 females) and a qualitative design was applied to address the two research purposes. The study results illustrated that learners' cognitive process in the WA reading group was effective, and their reading comprehension scores were higher than the traditional reading group. The effective cognitive strategies were visualized from learners’ WA chat histories. The WA reading group's cognitive process involved content discussion, self-reflection, and interpretation during online reading activities. They did not discuss from word to passage, but they tended to discuss the text's content and logical flow without finding the same difficult word for all group members. Conversely, the traditional reading group cognitive processes were less effective since the group member roles were not identified, such as all learners starting to find similar unfamiliar words and then discussing them again before interpreting the content of the texts. Study limitations and pedagogical implications from the study are adequately discussed.

Exploiting the untapped functional potential of Memento aggregators beyond aggregation

AbstractWeb archives capture, retain, and present historical versions of web pages. Viewing web archives often amounts to a user visiting the Wayback Machine homepage, typing in a URL, then choosing a date and time significant of the capture. Other web archives also capture the web and use Memento as an interoperable point of querying their captures. Memento aggregators are web accessible software packages that allow clients to send requests for past web pages to a single endpoint source that then relays that request to a set of web archives. Though few deployed aggregator instances exist that exhibit this aggregation trait, they all, for the most part, align to a model of serving a request for a URI of an original resource (URI-R) to a client by first querying then aggregating the results of the responses from a collection of web archives. This single tier querying need not be the logical flow of an aggregator, so long as a user can still utilize the aggregator from a single URL. In this paper, we discuss theoretical aggregation models of web archives. We first describe the status quo as the conventional behavior exhibited by an aggregator. We then build on prior work to describe a multi-tiered, structured querying model that may be exhibited by an aggregator. We highlight some potential issues and high-level optimization to ensure efficient aggregation while also extending on the state-of-the-art of memento aggregation. Part of our contribution is the extension of an open-source, user-deployable Memento aggregator to exhibit the capability described in this paper. We also extend a browser extension that typically consults an aggregator to have the ability to aggregate itself rather than needing to consult an external service. A purely client-side, browser-based Memento aggregator is novel to this work.

Item response theory to discriminate COVID-19 knowledge and attitudes among university students

The study sought to compare two-item response theory (IRT) models, the Rasch and 2PL models, and to uncover insights on COVID-19 knowledge and attitude item difficulty and discrimination among university students. We premise this study on ITM to argue that logical flow, degree of difficulty, and discrimination of items for the constructs among respondents contribute to the validity and quality of statistical inferences. The developed Rasch and 2PL models are compared to determine the difficulty and discrimination of knowledge and attitude items, with an application to COVID-19. Our results show that although the Rasch and 2PL models provide rich diagnostic tools to understand multiple traits, the 2PL model provides more robust results for the assessment of knowledge and attitude of students about the COVID-19 epidemic. Moreover, of the two constructs, the items for the attitude construct recieved more reliable responses than the knowledge construct items. Accordingly, under any pandemic, the lack of proper and evolving knowledge could have dire consequences; hence, strict efforts should be made while designing knowledge items.