A comparison of recent nonparametric methods for testing effects in two-by-two factorial designs

The two-way two-levels crossed factorial design is a commonly used design by practitioners at the exploratory phase of industrial experiments. The F-test in the usual linear model for analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a key instrument to assess the impact of each factor and of their interactions on the response variable. However, if assumptions such as normal distribution and homoscedasticity of errors are violated, the conventional wisdom is to resort to nonparametric tests. Nonparametric methods, rank-based as well as permutation, have been a subject of recent investigations to make them effective in testing the hypotheses of interest and to improve their performance in small sample situations. In this study, we assess the performances of some nonparametric methods and, more importantly, we compare their powers. Specifically, we examine three permutation methods (Constrained Synchronized Permutations, Unconstrained Synchronized Permutations and Wald-Type Permutation Test), a rank-based method (Aligned Rank Transform) and a parametric method (ANOVA-Type Test). In the simulations, we generate datasets with different configurations of distribution of errors, variance, factor's effect and number of replicates. The objective is to elicit practical advice and guides to practitioners regarding the sensitivity of the tests in the various configurations, the conditions under which some tests cannot be used, the tradeoff between power and type I error, and the bias of the power on one main factor analysis due to the presence of effect of the other factor. A dataset from an industrial engineering experiment for thermoformed packaging production is used to illustrate the application of the various methods of analysis, taking into account the power of the test suggested by the objective of the experiment.     

Multiple hypothesis tests based On conditional differences in means

Many hypothesis tests are univariate tests and cannot cope with multiple hypothesis without an auxiliary procedure as e. g. the Bonferroni-Holm-procedure. At the same time, there is an urgent need for testing multiple hypothesis due to the very simple existing methods as the Bonferroni-correction or the Bonferroni-Holm-procedure, which suffers from a very small local significance level to detect statistical inferences or the drawback that logical and statistical dependencies among the test statistics are not used, whereby its detection is NP-hard. In honour of this occasion, we present a multiple hypothesis test for i.i.d. random variables based on conditional differences in means, which is capable to cope with multiple hypothesis and does not suffer on such drawbacks as the Bonferroni-correction or the Bonferroni-Holm-procedure. Thereby, the computation time can be neglected.     

Community-based arts research for people with learning disabilities: challenging misconceptions about learning disabilities

This article presents some of the community-based artwork of a group of men with learning disabilities, who aimed to challenge some of the misconceptions associated with learning disabilities. People with learning disabilities regularly face many forms of direct and indirect stigma. The consequences of such negative perceptions may affect individuals’ social relationships and ensure that barriers are strengthened which prevent their full inclusion. The men in this project used a series of visual and creative methods to challenge some of these misconceptions by telling stories through art, demonstrating skill through photography, using poetry to talk about sexual identity and improvising drama and filmmaking to challenge stigma, and through sculpture expressed their voices. Thus, by doing so, they were able to challenge some of the stigma associated with learning disabilities, indicating that community-based arts research is a valuable way in which to promote the voices of people with learning disabilities.     

Reasons That Could Lead People to Divorce in an Evolutionary Perspective: Evidence from Cyprus

In the current research, we aimed to identify the reasons that could drive people to get a divorce. In Study 1, we employed qualitative research methods, and we identified 62 reasons that could potentially drive people to get a divorce. Using quantitative research methods, in Study 2 we classified these reasons into 7 broader factors. We found that being a harmful spouse was the most important factor for divorce, followed by incompatibility and in-law problems. We also found significant sex differences in several factors such as women indicating a higher willingness than men to divorce a harmful spouse. In addition, participants with children were less willing to divorce a harmful spouse than those who had no children. Finally, using second-order principal components analysis, we classified the 7 factors into 2 broader domains of reasons for getting a divorce.     

思想史视野中的质性研究:以方法意涵的构建为例

本文尝试从思想史视角反思质性研究方法,以揭示被结构视角遮蔽的研究过程,从而探讨一种直面内心的反思性社会科学研究方式。思想史视角强调回到文本去阐释书写者赋予研究方法以意涵的思想过程。本文以“推论”“充分必要性”与“意义”等三种方法论立场中的方法意涵构建过程为例展现这样的思想过程：方法论如何引导了对特定研究方法的选择;当方法论与现实情况存在差距时,书写者如何在原有方法论立场中发展对质性方法新的理解以捍卫方法论的合理性;书写者如何在强调与其他立场的区分中发展对方法的理解。本文由此揭示了看似相同的方法背后所蕴含的巨大意涵和实践差异。一种围绕“意涵”展开的方法知识系统将有可能被建立起来。思想史视角为反思性的质性方法知识构建提供了可以付诸实践的路径。     

Population aging and long-term care policies in the Gulf region: a case study of Oman

Population aging is a phenomenon occurring across the globe including in countries traditionally exhibiting population dividends and “youth bulges.” The Gulf Corporation Council countries are no exception as they currently experience a process of population aging, albeit at a different stage from many developed countries. However, due to historically high fertility rates and fast-paced epidemiological transition, some of these countries will experience population aging at a higher pace than what has been observed in Europe and the United States. This article reviews recent developments in long-term care policies in the Gulf region with a focus on Oman as an example of a high-income Arab country that is experiencing population aging while still being governed by traditional family aged-care norms. Utilizing existing data and published research complemented by policy analysis and field visits, we analyze the process of population aging in Oman and neighboring countries and its policy implications.     

Early-life mortality clustering in families: A literature review

Research on early-life mortality in contemporary and historical populations has shown that infant and child mortality tend to cluster in a limited number of high-mortality families, a phenomenon known as ‘mortality clustering’. This paper is the first to review the literature on the role of the family in early-life mortality. Contemporary results, methodological and theoretical shortfalls, recent developments, and opportunities for future research are all discussed in this review. Four methodological approaches are distinguished: those based on sibling deaths, mother heterogeneity, thresholds, and excess deaths in populations. It has become clear from research to date that the death of an older child harms the survival chances of younger children in that family, and that fertility behaviour, earlier stillbirths, remarriages, and socio-economic status all explain mortality clustering to some extent.     

对普通高校羽毛球选项课教学的探索

为了使学生尽快地掌握羽毛球击球手法,通过对比试验,对高校羽毛球选项课中的羽毛球手法教学进行了探索研究,试验证明在传统教学的基础上突出"发力"教学,能更好地培养学生学习羽毛球的兴趣,并能充分地利用教学条件,提高羽毛球教学效果.     

案例教学法在文科物理教学中的运用

在文科物理教学过程中,根据文科物理的教学特点引入了案例教学法,并通过多年的教学探索,取得了良好的教学效果。以此结合典型案例教学阐述了案例教学法在文科物理教学中的案例选择与实施,并通过对案例教学法和传统教学方法的比较,分析了案例教学法的优缺点及其注意事项,提出了合理运用案例教学法能充分挖掘学生的学习潜力,激发学生学习物理学的兴趣,同时对培养应用型人才可以起到非常重要的作用。     

英语口译课堂教学方法探究

英语口译课是高校英语专业的一门必修课,如何有效地开展口译课堂教学是一个重要课题。本文结合实践教学情况,以现阶段主要的口译训练模式为基础,系统地提出了一些口译课堂教学和训练的新建议和方法。