Abstract

The competence of fresh graduates of architecture has been continuously criticized by the industry for inadequate knowledge. This is often blamed on the poor standard of education evidenced by poor performances in professional and degree/diploma examinations conducted by various schools of architecture in the country. Although, factors responsible for the scenario are well documented in the literature, most of these works are based on testimonial and circumstantial evidences relating to management of architectural education only. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between entry qualifications and the performance of architecture students in Nigerian Polytechnics with a view to determining the relevance of current admission policy to architectural education in Nigeria. Data were obtained from official records in the Department of Architecture in four randomly selected polytechnics in the southwestern part of Nigeria. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r ) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings reveal weak relationship between the two variables (physics and mathematics). This is contrary to the expectations of most scholars and policy makers who opine that students' proficiency in these subjects would enhance their performance at higher levels. The paper traces the contradiction to the poor handling of public examinations and misconception of architecture as being pure science. It holds that if these requirements are still relied upon for the admission of students into schools of architecture, wrong candidates would continue to gain entry into the profession. The paper concludes by recommending certain measures that are capable of reversing the trend.

Abstract

In this paper we review the socalled altmetrics or alternative metrics. This concept raises from the development of new indicators based on Web 2.0, for the evaluation of the research and academic activity. The basic assumption is that variables such as mentions in blogs, number of twits or of researchers bookmarking a research paper for instance, may be legitimate indicators for measuring the use and impact of scientific publications. In this sense, these indicators are currently the focus of the bibliometric community and are being discussed and debated. We describe the main platforms and indicators and we analyze as a sample the Spanish research output in Communication Studies. Comparing traditional indicators such as citations with these new indicators. The results show that the most cited papers are also the ones with a highest impact according to the altmetrics. We conclude pointing out the main shortcomings these metrics present and the role they may play when measuring the research impact through 2.0 platforms.

Abstract

Science is the most refined cultural element to describe and manage the environment. It is the result of a permanent evolutionary algorithm and represents an adaptive biological advantage for the human species. Science evolves socially through physical records and information media, whose changes influence both science and society. Information professionals have been managing these physical records or knowledge containers. The technodigital revolution grows an industrialized information society where science is a productive workforce, with a neurodigital nature, and develops as a collective enterprise. Science containers are now very changeable, plural, segmented, networking, and take on a business look: they become “specific information platforms”. Information professionals’ position is rather weak, but they have the possibility to turn into information engineers, to participate in some of those platforms and to compete individually as information managers in the science arena.

Abstract

In 2006 Hwang’s fraudulent papers published in Science on stem cell research re-opened the debate on scientific misconduct. Taking this as a starting point, some reflections are put forward on the dimension of fraud in science. The singularity of Hwang’s case, due to its scientific, social and media impact, is examined as a consequence of the persuasion mechanisms systematised in the so-called Routes of Scholarly Lying. Furthermore, the reasons for publishing fraudulent research, the inefficiency of peer review for detecting it, and the various mechanisms for managing and eradicating it, are presented.

Abstract

No one disputes the need for science to be evaluated, but the evaluation is a source of continued controversy. The characteristics of major evaluations that have been carried out in the scientific research environment are presented in this article, including evaluations of articles under peer review, and evaluations of personal trajectories. The main problems and challenges along with possible solutions are discussed.

Abstract

In 1974, Unesco published the Nomenclature for Fields of Science and Technology. Since then, it has been used in Spain to classify the scientific activity. In order to better determine its characteristics, development and scope, we studied the literature and analysed its use by university research groups in Spain and in other national and international settings. From the data obtained, we designed an ontology based on the combination of the Nomenclature and keywords identified in the literature. The result is an ontological model adapted to the semantic web technologies that provides a higher degree of expressiveness than the original Nomenclature. It also helps to solve problems such as obsolescence and the absence of certain emerging subject areas, facilitating the classification of scientific activities and increasing its usefulness

Abstract

The treatment of scientific information is analysed in the digital edition of the most-read newspapers in Spain: El país, El mundo, ABC and 20 minutos in December 2012, 2013 and 2014. The subject of inquiry is the published news, of which the quantity has been determined, the sources identified, and each issue categorized by the area of science to which it refers. The data obtained leads to the conclusion that the online editions, rather than overcoming the disadvantages of homogenisation and selectivity, have accentuated them. Biology and biomedicine, along with astrophysics, are the most high-profile areas. Furthermore, they rely fundamentally on two types of source: high-impact journals and research centres, most of them international.

Abstract

21st century science has recruited amateurs and aficionados as a workforce to undertake large projects. Citizen science shows a large variety of models that can produce knowledge. Citizen science supposedly represents a democratic shift and as a result experts and expertise have been questioned. However, vulnerable and/or concerned communities may be a group, or “subtype”, that can be represented within citizen science. To analyze that subtype we must take into account the risk of exclusion and the notion of concerned community. ACT UP’s AIDS campaign is a good example of how to achieve changes on both politics and knowledge; electro-sensitivity is another case of success in the era of the internet. Both movements have deeply influenced online activism related to AIDS and electro-sensitivity. Nevertheless, a cautious approach should be taken because it is possible to transform those strategies into revenue sources that may risk vulnerability and exclusion.

Abstract

This study examines specific professional patterns among health journalists, and assesses whether these differ from those among generalists in the case of vaccines. 131 articles were analysed from national newspapers in Spain, of which 52% (n=68) were written by specialised health journalists. Content analysis was undertaken to examine the differences in terms of journalistic genre, frames, tone, sources and length of the article. Results revealed key journalistic patterns and confirmed that health journalists perform significantly differently than other authors in terms of journalistic genre, tone, sources and length of the article. Health journalists wrote more features and less opinion articles, from a more neutral perspective, using a wider number of scientific sources, especially those from professional associations and scientific journals. These findings provide insights into the process of health journalism, and identify potential aspects to further develop the profession for the broad dissemination of health news to the public.