Critical Analysis Methodology Research Articles

Long Ago and Far Away: Preservice Teachers’ (Mis)Conceptions Surrounding Racism

This study examines a large data set of preservice teachers’ definitions of racism at the beginning and at the end of a teacher training program in the Southeastern United States. Using the methodology of Critical Content Analysis that is grounded in Critical Race Theory, the authors found that the majority of the definitions illustrate a removed, passive, and old-fashioned conception of racism indicative of reluctance on the part of both preservice teachers and their university trainers to grapple with the historical and cultural context of the geographical area as well as to acknowledge the systemic nature of racism.

Avaliação de tecnologias no Centro Cirúrgico, Recuperação Pós-anestésica e Centro de Material e Esterilização

Introdução: As tecnologias em saúde são essenciais no centro cirúrgico (CC), na recuperação pós-anestésica (RPA) e no centro de material e esterilização(CME). Por isso, há grande pressão para sua incorporação tecnológica, o que demanda alto investimento e elevados custos operacionais. Objetivos:Refletir sobre os conceitos e princípios da avaliação de tecnologias em saúde (ATS) e discutir exemplos de sua aplicação no contexto do CC, da RPA e do CME.Resultados: A metodologia de ATS permite análise dos impactos clínicos, sociais e econômicos da incorporação de tecnologias, buscando melhorar a qualidadede atendimento e a saúde da população. O Ministério da Saúde tem patrocinado diversas iniciativas para difusão dos princípios de ATS que visam subsidiar osgestores para a tomada de decisão em incorporação tecnológica, tanto no âmbito do sistema de saúde quanto nas instituições hospitalares. Conclusão: A equipede enfermagem deve, na tomada de decisões, apropriar-se da metodologia de ATS para análise crítica do real benefício das tecnologias do bloco operatório.Palavras-chave: Avaliação da tecnologia biomédica. Centros cirúrgicos. Esterilização. Período de recuperação da anestesia.

CONCEPÇÕES ACERCA DO PROFESSOR E DA ESCOLA NO CINEMA BRASILEIRO: ANÁLISES CRÍTICAS DE DISCURSOS FÍLMICOS

O presente artigo apresenta análises críticas dos discursos de filmes brasileiros contemporâneos que têm o professor como personagem e/ou a escola como cenário, produzidos/apoiados pelas Organizações Globo a partir da Globo Filmes. Inicialmente, desenvolve-se a metodologia de análise crítica do discurso fílmico, composta de uma abordagem tridimensional que envolve texto, prática discursiva e prática social. Em seguida, caracteriza-se a atividade cinematográfica brasileira contemporânea a partir dos conceitos de indústria cultural e hegemonia, para então, apresentar análises críticas dos discursos de três filmes - Uma professora muito maluquinha (2011), Verônica (2009) e Qualquer gato vira-lata (2011) - com o objetivo de identificar concepções e sentidos, acerca do professor e da escola, que os envolvidos nas produções de tais filmes pretendem hegemonizar, tais como: a valorização da semiformação; a anulação do ensino, no binômio ensino-aprendizagem, em prol do aprendizado autônomo; e o conformismo social.
 
 Palavras-chave: Análise crítica do discurso fílmico. Cinema brasileiro. Filmes sobre o professor e a escola.

Towards a Transformative Conceptualisation of Violence Against Women ‐ A Critical Frame Analysis of Council of Europe Discourse on Violence Against Women

Much academic attention has been devoted to violence against women (VAW) in Europe and research has focused on the mounting policy reform initiatives and capacity building strategies in the EU. Council of Europe initiatives in this area have, surprisingly, by contrast, remained under‐researched. This paper seeks to fill the gap in the literature by engaging in an examination and critique of the ways in which the Council of Europe has incorporated and framed VAW within various legal and policy initiatives. It will employ a methodology of critical frame analysis as theorised by the literature on social movements, and anti‐essentialist critiques within feminist literature to ask: how VAW is problematised; what solutions are offered; where they are located; to what extent they are gendered; and who has a voice in these policy and legal texts.

Using drawings of pain-related images to understand the experience of chronic pain: A qualitative study

Introduction This study aimed to use drawing as a means to explore the content of pain-related images in a sample of people with chronic pain. Method Adults ( n = 90) attending three United Kingdom National Health Service pain clinics were asked to bring to mind and draw an image of their pain. Drawings were analysed using critical visual analysis methodology. Results Fifty-four participants drew a picture of their pain. Drawings were vivid, emotionally charged and included catastrophic interpretations of pain. Image content was described using three main themes: pain as an attacker, the nature of pain (pain sensations, timeline, pain location) and the impact of pain (pain as a barrier, being trapped by pain and the future with pain). Drawings reflected different perspectives taken in the image, with images of the person themselves in pain (as if seen through the eyes of an observer) evoking a sense of helplessness and isolation. Conclusion Pain-related images can provide a valuable insight into people’s pain worlds, with images reflecting pain cognitions and barriers to recovery. Clinicians may find drawing a helpful tool in the assessment and management of chronic pain, enabling a visual and shareable language for pain.

Traditional and not so traditional metaphors of love in Spanish

Metaphors about love in online dating advertisements might seem to be an easy and inconsequential way to express people’s romantic expectations. Using Critical Metaphor Analysis methodology, this paper takes a closer look at a sample of love metaphors used by Spanish-speaking heterosexual ad posters, to show how they use the metaphors to create a discourse of traditional romance in a modern medium, the online dating world. These metaphors are powerful tools for conveying traditional ideologies about romance and relationships. Additionally, they provide ad posters with a useful rhetorical tool for portraying themselves as ideal romantic partners, ‘regular’ and/or ‘normal’ heterosexuals, who play according to the regulatory norms of their gender, allowing them to ‘sell’ themselves as better candidates for romance.

Methodology for Critical-Gap Analysis at Intersections with Unprotected Opposing Left-Turn Movements

AbstractThis paper presents a methodology for critical gap analysis at signalized intersections with unprotected opposing left-turn movements. Highway capacity manual (HCM) methodology for estimating potential capacity uses base critical gap and base follow-up time, which are adjusted to reflect specific conditions of each intersection. That methodology assumes an unobstructed line-of-sight for drivers while executing left-turn maneuvers. However, the line-of-sight is not always unimpeded. Previous studies have shown that leading noncompact (larger and taller) vehicles and vehicles in the opposing left-turn lane may impede the line-of-sight. Specifically, the studies have demonstrated that the impedance may result in a capacity reduction. In order to quantify the capacity reduction, we present a methodology to modify the HCM critical gap and follow-up time model when the line-of-sight of unprotected left turn maneuver is obstructed. We introduce new adjustment factors to account for vehicles in the opposi...

Including Women's Voices? Gender Mainstreaming in EU and SADC Development Strategies for Southern Africa

This article examines gender mainstreaming in European Union (EU) development policy towards southern Africa. The aim is to detect how gender (in)equality in southern Africa is framed by the EU, and the extent to which this overlaps with Southern African Development Community (SADC) and civil society framing of gender (in)equality. We also explore potential reasons for the overlap and mismatch of frames. Using the methodology of critical frame analysis, EU policy programming documents are analysed and compared to SADC's Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan, and civil society texts on gender equality. We conclude that the EU approach to gender mainstreaming in its development aid towards southern Africa is to a large extent instrumentalist, predominantly integrationist and only partially participatory. Gender mainstreaming is framed as a way of more effectively achieving existing policy goals, and civil society groups are poorly integrated in the drafting process. Although the EU approach has significant overlap with the frames used by SADC, the latter seem to hold a broader, more holistic conception of gender mainstreaming. A major gap exists between civil society organisations' views on gender (in)equality and those expressed by the EU. This gap might be harmful for the relevance of EU policies and may compromise their effectiveness.

The Family as Basis of Social Order: Insights from the Yoruba Traditional Culture

opportunity to witness advancements in various facets of life, is accompanied by orientations which destroy traditional efforts – like the family systems – that engendered peace in various societies; and thus, with high-tech advancements today, the quest for social order is more pronounced than ever before. This paper interrogates the Yoruba traditional culture with a view to account for the role of the family system in achieving social order. Thus, it proceeds with a critical analysis of the idea of the family and the family system in Yoruba traditional society. It examines the notion of social order for the purpose of invoking a clear and distinct working understanding of the term. In order to achieve the set objectives identified above, this paper employs the trio methodology of translation, interpretation, and critical analysis. The translation and interpretation methods are employed as viable approaches to interrogate the oral texts with which we shall partly be dealing with; and the critical analysis method is adopted to achieve the twin goals of clarity and simplification of both the oral and the written literatures at our disposal. In the light of the above, this paper invigorates a discourse on the Yoruba traditional culture, and specifically unveils the importance of the family system within the culture in achieving social order. It seeks to bring into focus the impacts of the family in the society within the ambit of the Yoruba philosophical traditions, and how this matters in engendering social order.

Electrical performances optimization of Photovoltaic Modules with FMECA approach

The renewable energy industry has been growing remarkably over the last years and the recent Fukushima nuclear crisis has given a further incentive worldwide. In this context, solar radiation represents one of the most accessible energy resources and the involved industry has seen rapid expansion in the past decade with an ever-increasing share of the electricity-generating capacity. To this aim, both for manufactures and Photovoltaic Plant (PV) management, the assessment of the quality, reliability and electrical performances of their products are becoming more and more important. So, in order to fulfill such requirements, a Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis methodology (FMECA) has been proposed with the aim to classify the occurrence, the severity and the impact of all possible failure mechanisms on the PV module, which is the fundamental sub-system of the plant. The aim of the proposed approach is to reduce, or eliminate, the impact of potential failure modes before failures occur in the field and it highlights the final effects that show the occurrence of a fault or malfunction. Starting from the results of FMECA, it is also possible to implement suitable architecture of a monitoring system and its metrological characteristics, that can be applied in architecture devoted to Condition Monitoring (CM) techniques.By means of FMECA some crucial aspects for the efficiency of PV module have been put in evidence. Among these, the paper focuses the attention on the presence of pollution and dust on the panel surface. Such phenomenon, in fact, leads to a decrease of the transmittance of solar cell glazing and causes a significant degradation of solar conversion efficiency of PV modules. After the FMECA implementation two different steps has been followed. First the application of FMECA results has been verifies by means of a correlation between the energy reduction and the Maximum Power Point (MPP) of the PV module. Then, a sensitivity evaluation of MPP in function of the powder concentration has been analyzed and discussed.The sensitivity analysis has required the definition of a devoted experimental set-up able to guarantee the repeatability of the analysis; in fact, powder concentration analysis requires acquiring data in different time distant. FMECA approach results allow optimizing the electrical performances of the Photovoltaic Module and plant too.

Manual para la elaboración de documentos basados en la evidencia. Herramientas derivadas del conocimiento científico

This handbook is intended to be an accessible, easy-to-consult guide to help professionals produce or adapt Evidence-Based Documents. Such documents will help standardize both clinical practice and decision-making, the quality always being monitored in such a way that established references are complied with. Evidence-Based Health Care Committee, a member of "Virgen del Rocío" University Hospital quality structure, proposed the preparation of a handbook to produce Evidence-Based Documents including: a description of products, characteristics, qualities, uses, methodology of production, and application scope of every one of them. The handbook consists of seven Evidence-Based tools, one chapter on critical analysis methodology of scientific literature, one chapter with internet resources, and some appendices with different assessment tools. This Handbook provides general practitioners with a great opportunity to improve quality and as a guideline to standardize clinical healthcare, and managers with a strategy to promote and encourage the development of documents in an effort to reduce clinical practice variability, as well as giving patients the opportunity of taking part in planning their own care.

Amalgamated Criticality Analysis Methodology

Failure mode effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) is a widely useful design tool for enhancing product quality, safety and reliability. Most of the current FMECA procedure is in accordance with MIL-STD-1629A by which to conduct FMECA and criticality analysis, which is able to prioritize the failure modes and undertake limited corrective actions toward eliminating product risks. However, the criticality analysis calculation and its interpretation for a failure mode have some mathematical difficulties and erroneous omissions. To resolve these problems, this study proposes a new amalgamated criticality analysis methodology, which is knowledge-based to obtain the four different factor criteria and then using the maximal entropy ordered weighted geometric averaging (ME-OWGA) approach to compute the criticality numbers for a system. This study evaluates criticality analysis in the context of a communication system; the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is both accurate and provides discriminating analysis information that helps decision making in product design processes.

Prioritising security vulnerabilities in ports

Ports are exposed to various risks in their internal operations and external interactions with inland transport carriers and sea-going vessels within maritime logistics systems. While conventional safety management techniques may be capable of dealing with accidental, hazard-based risks in port, new vulnerability analysis methods are urgently required for tackling those caused by threats such as terrorist attacks. The motivation for identifying the vulnerabilities is the need for prioritising activities and resources on port security investments and risk reduction processes. This paper develops an advanced threat-based criticality analysis methodology designed for the identification and prioritisation of vulnerable port facilities under uncertainties. The model relies on the combination of fuzzy Bayesian reasoning and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) analysis in a complementary way so as to facilitate the treatment of uncertainty in data, thus realising effective quantitative analysis of the vulnerabilities under different threat modes in ports. The outcomes can be used either as a stand-alone technique for prioritising critical systems such as port facilitates with high values and significant functions or as part of an integrated decision making method for evaluating the effectiveness of security control options.

322 EMF Innovative Risk Assessment to Identify Critical Areas for Improvement in Emergency Department Sepsis Resuscitation

Study Objectives: Sepsis is an increasing problem in the practice of emergency medicine with significant mortality. Early aggressive resuscitation of sepsis patients in the emergency department (ED) has been shown to decrease mortality. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) advocates that all patients with severe sepsis receive the evidence-based Sepsis Resuscitation Bundle (the Bundle) within the first 6 hours of presentation. But, sepsis is a complex disease state and resuscitation can be resource and time intensive, involving care coordination between multiple departments. Additionally, there remains wide variation in the delivery of severe sepsis resuscitation, compliance with the Bundle, and sepsis outcomes within and across institutions. We hypothesize that using Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) methodology, an innovative proactive risk assessment, we can identify critical areas for improvement in (1) Bundle compliance, and (2) overall ED sepsis resuscitation care delivery. Methods: FMECA is a moderated focus group, conducted through meetings with clinicians involved in a specific process of care. We assembled a convenience sample of 13 ED physicians, nurses, managers, and pharmacists from an urban teaching hospital. For the purposes of this study, we limited the discussion to the actions of the Bundle conducted in the ED. Two 2-hour sessions were held to (1) describe the process of sepsis resuscitation; and (2) systematically review each process step and identify potential failures, their causes, the frequency and consequence of each, and institutional safeguards already in place. The research team then “risk-binned” each process step as high, medium, or low according to the identified frequency and consequence scores. Risks were further divided into those that impact Bundle compliance and those that impact sepsis care delivery. Results: Out of 33 total process steps, 15 high-risk failures were identified: all pertained to care delivery and 11 pertained directly to meeting a Bundle component. The components of the Bundle with the most high-risk failure modes were (1) antibiotic delivery within 3 hours of ED admission, and (2) vasopressors administered for persistent hypotension. Additional high-risk steps in the process that do not pertain directly to Bundle completion included: initial physician evaluation, the decision to pursue care for septic shock, and the decision to place the central venous catheter in order to pursue the treatment of septic shock. Conclusion: FMCEA is effective in identifying critical areas for improvement in a process. Using this technique, we have identified clear areas of potential process improvement and clinician education both to achieve 100% compliance with the Bundle: antibiotic and vasopressor delivery, and direct patient care, including physician cognition and decisionmaking abilities. In order to improve patient safety, efficiency of care delivery, and patient mortality outcomes, focus should be placed on processes of care that involve departments outside the ED, such as the pharmacy; and overcoming cognitive challenges through clinician education and training. Future multi-center work using FMECA should be conducted to improve generalizability of the results.

Methods of Assessing the Risks Associated with Lack of Water Supplies, Water Safety Plan for National Conditions

Abstract Article shows the desire to obtain risk-control options, and bringing it to a tolerable level. Subjects were ways of managing and dealing with risk. Methods of dealing with aspects of the protection of industrial buildings and high-risk critical infrastructure vulnerability analysis methodology to the loss of integrity. Also a set method to deal with aspects of the protection of industrial buildings and high-risk critical infrastructure that is the analysis of susceptibility to loss of integrity. The article also presents the basic principles of water safety plan based on national and foreign research publications. In the next part of article WSP methodology was concluded, outlining the actions which use significantly reduces the risk of threats that could lead to supply of contaminated tap water or total interruption of its supply. In further considerations the most important steps in creating WSP were presented. In the final section the principle of modular computer system operation that is used for network management for urban water supply in Rzeszow was presented.

Proactive Error Analysis of Ultrasound-Guided Axillary Brachial Plexus Block Performance

Detailed description of the tasks anesthetists undertake during the performance of a complex procedure, such as ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blockade, allows elements that are vulnerable to human error to be identified. We have applied 3 task analysis tools to one such procedure, namely, ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus blockade, with the intention that the results may form a basis to enhance training and performance of the procedure. A hierarchical task analysis of the procedure was performed with subsequent analysis using systematic human error reduction and prediction approach (SHERPA). Failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis was applied to the output of our SHERPA analysis to provide a definitive hierarchy to the error analysis. Hierarchical task analysis identified 256 tasks associated with the performance of ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus blockade. Two hundred twelve proposed errors were analyzed using SHERPA. Failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis methodology was applied to the output of SHERPA analysis to prioritize 20 errors. This study presents a formal analysis of (i) the specific tasks that might be associated with the safe and effective performance of the procedure and (ii) the most critical errors likely to occur as trainees learn to perform the procedure. Potential applications of these data include curricular development and the design of tools to teach and assess block performance.

Modified Critical Movement Analysis Approach for Signalized Intersections

In the preparation of the fourth edition of the textbook Traffic Engineering, a modified critical movement analysis methodology for signalized intersections was developed. The methodology was developed for consistency with signal timing approaches and to allow a simplified way to do a quick, manual analysis of a signalized intersection. This paper presents this methodology and reports on a comprehensive analysis of its results as compared with those resulting from application of the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology as it is implemented in the highway capacity software package. For a wide range of situations, the critical movement analysis provides reasonable estimates of delay and level of service compared with the more complex HCM 2000 approach. This critical movement analysis methodology provides analysts with a more straightforward approach and the ability to either conduct or check an analysis manually, and it can be used as a replacement for the quick estimation method of Chapter 10 of the HCM 2000.

The importance of service quality for competitive advantage – with special reference to industrial product

Current competitive environment induced by globalisation and advances in information technology have forced companies to focus on managing customer relationships, and in particular customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in order to efficiently maximise revenues. In the age of customer delivering quality service, it is considered an essential strategy for success and survival in today's competitive environment. The focus of any supply chain management system is to provide all customers with the level of service they require and as no budget is unlimited, there is need to prioritise services. The purpose of the paper is to examine and develop a better understanding of relationship between service quality (SQ), customer relationship management (CRM), customer satisfaction (CS) and customer loyalty (CL) which might lead to companies' competitiveness advantage. Methodology of critical value analysis is used for setting customer service priorities and an analytical hierarchy process approach is used for evaluation of importance of customers. This paper concludes by discussing the survey findings and proposing future research.

One White Teacher's Struggle for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: The Problem of the Community

This is a case of one novice White teacher whose strong commitment to becoming a culturally relevant teacher was hindered by her struggle to develop meaningful connections to the home community of her mostly African American students. Using a hybrid methodology of action research, discourse analysis, and critical interpretive analysis of qualitative data collected over two years, I examine the practical, ideological, and discursive barriers this teacher faced while attempting to enact culturally relevant pedagogy. The deficit discourse of the school, the work life pressures on new teachers, and assumptions about Black families were significant barriers for this teacher.

Fostering Nurses' Political Knowledges and Practices

This article describes findings from a qualitative policy study focused on female nurses' activism in relation to lesbian health. Critical feminist analysis and comparative life history methodology were applied to career histories obtained from 10 diversely situated female nurses across Ontario, Canada. The findings show that nursing activist practices are informed by advocacy experiences that foster inclusive professional and community education plus formal education processes that shape their political socialization. Implications for nursing theory include the development of political knowledges and practices that support caring science, sociopolitical knowing, and primary healthcare nursing practice in a community context.