“It’s just like passing notes in class…”: a content analysis of the use of Twitter at #asl2015

Twitter has changed the dynamic of the academic conference. Before Twitter, delegate participation was primarily dependent on attendance and feedback was limited to post-event survey. With Twitter, delegates have become active participants. They pass comment, share reactions and critique presentations, all the while generating a running commentary. This study examines this phenomenon using the Academic & Special Libraries (A&SL) conference 2015 (hashtag #asl2015) as a case study. A post-conference survey was undertaken asking delegates how and why they used Twitter at #asl2015. A content and conceptual analysis of tweets was conducted using Topsy and Storify. This analysis examined how delegates interacted with presentations, which sessions generated most activity on the timeline and the type of content shared. Actual tweet activity and volume per presentation was compared to survey responses. Finally, recommendations on Twitter engagement for conference organisers and presenters are provided.

Irish Times coverage of Irish relief and development nongovernmental organisations, legitimacy and accountability, 1994-2009: analysis and implications for the role of nongovernmental organisations

The overall aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which and ways in which Irish relief and development nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) were linked with the concepts of legitimacy and accountability in Irish Times newspaper coverage between 1994 and 2009. This research was based on a quantitative content analysis of 215 Irish Times articles and the results were analysed using statistical methods. Key findings of the research included that NGO accountability received significantly more coverage than NGO legitimacy, "principal-agent" approaches to NGO accountability received significantly more coverage than "stakeholder" approaches to NGO accountability, and questioning of NGOs based on either their accountability or legitimacy was very limited. It is suggested that these findings may indicate both a failure by Irish NGOs to promote "development literacy" and global solidarity among the Irish public, and a limited degree of "development literacy" and global solidarity among the Irish public.

The transformation of Ireland 1958 - 93: the role of ideas in punctuating institutional path dependency at critical junctures

Ireland experienced two critical junctures when its economic survival was threatened: 1958/9 and 1986/7. Common to both crises was the supplanting of long established practices, that had become an integral part of the political culture of the state, by new ideas that ensured eventual economic recovery. In their adoption and implementation these ideas also fundamentally changed the institutions of state – how politics was done, how it was organised and regulated. The end result was the transformation of the Irish state. The main hypothesis of this thesis is that at those critical junctures the political and administrative elites who enabled economic recovery were not just making pragmatic decisions, their actions were influenced by ideas. Systematic content analysis of the published works of the main ideational actors, together with primary interviews with those actors still alive, reveals how their ideas were formed, what influenced them, and how they set about implementing their ideas. As the hypothesis assumes institutional change over time historical institutionalism serves as the theoretical framework. Central to this theory is the idea that choices made when a policy is being initiated or an institution formed will have a continuing influence long into the future. Institutions of state become ‘path dependent’ and impervious to change – the forces of inertia take over. That path dependency is broken at critical junctures. At those moments ideas play a major role as they offer a set of ready-made solutions. Historical institutionalism serves as a robust framework for proving that in the transformation of Ireland the role of ideas in punctuating institutional path dependency at critical junctures was central.

The psychology of immersion and development of a quantitative measure of immersive response in games

This study sets out to investigate the psychology of immersion and the immersive response of individuals in relation to video and computer games. Initially, an exhaustive review of literature is presented, including research into games, player demographics, personality and identity. Play in traditional psychology is also reviewed, as well as previous research into immersion and attempts to define and measure this construct. An online qualitative study was carried out (N=38), and data was analysed using content analysis. A definition of immersion emerged, as well as a classification of two separate types of immersion, namely, vicarious immersion and visceral immersion. A survey study (N=217) verified the discrete nature of these categories and rejected the null hypothesis that there was no difference between individuals' interpretations of vicarious and visceral immersion. The primary aim of this research was to create a quantitative instrument which measures the immersive response as experienced by the player in a single game session. The IMX Questionnaire was developed using data from the initial qualitative study and quantitative survey. Exploratory Factor Analysis was carried out on data from 300 participants for the IMX Version 1, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted on data from 380 participants on the IMX Version 2. IMX Version 3 was developed from the results of these analyses. This questionnaire was found to have high internal consistency reliability and validity.

An examination of the construction of meanings for obesity in Ireland

Obesity has been defined as a consequence of energy imbalance, where energy intake exceeds energy expenditure and results in a build-up of adipose tissue. However, this scientific definition masks the complicated social meanings associated with the condition. This research investigated the construction of meaning around obesity at various levels of inquiry to inform how obesity is portrayed and understood in Ireland. A multi-paradigmatic approach was adopted, drawing on theory and methods from psychology and sociology and an analytical framework combining the Common Sense Model and framing theory was employed. In order to examine the exo-level meanings of obesity, content analysis was performed on two media data sets (n=479, n=346) and a thematic analysis was also performed on the multiple newspaper sample (n=346). At the micro-level, obesity discourses were investigated via the thematic analysis of comments sampled from an online message board. Finally, an online survey assessed individual-level beliefs and understandings of obesity. The media analysis revealed that individual blame for obesity was pervasive and the behavioural frame was dominant. A significant increase in attention to obesity over time was observed, manifestations of weight stigma were common, and there was an emotive discourse of blame directed towards the parents of obese children. The micro-level analysis provided insight into the weight-based stigma in society and a clear set of negative ‘default’ judgements accompanied the obese label. The survey analysis confirmed that the behavioural frame was the dominant means of understanding obesity. One of the strengths of this thesis is the link created between framing and the Common Sense Model in the development of an analytical framework for application in the examination of health/illness representations. This approach helped to ascertain the extent of the pervasive biomedical and individual blame discourse on obesity, which establishes the basis for the stigmatisation of obese persons.

Symptom burden in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease: a mixed methods study

To investigate the symptom burden experiences of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted. A cross-sectional, correlational survey was first undertaken. Symptom burden was measured using a modified disease specific version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, which was administered to a consecutive sample of individuals with IBD (n = 247) at an IBD Outpatients department in one urban teaching hospital in Ireland. Disease activity was determined using clinical disease activity indices, which were completed by the consulting physician. A sequential qualitative, descriptive study was then conducted aimed at explaining noteworthy quantitative findings. A criterion-related purposeful sample of seven participants from the quantitative study was recruited. Semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted using an interview guide and data were analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed that participants experienced a median of 10 symptoms during the last week, however as many as 16 symptoms were experienced during active disease. The most burdensome symptoms were lack of energy, bowel urgency, diarrhoea, feeling bloated, flatulence and worry. Total symptom burden was found to be low with a mean score of 0.56 identified out of a possible range from 0 to 4. Participants with active disease (M = 0.81, SD = 0.48; n = 68) had almost double mean total symptom burden scores than participants with inactive disease (M = 0.46, SD = 0.43; n = 166) (p < 0.001). Mean total psychological symptom burden was found to be significantly greater than mean total physical symptom burden (rho = 0.73, n = 247, p < 0.001). Self-reported disease control, gender, number of flare ups in the last two years, and smoking status was found to be significant predictors of total symptom burden, with self-reported disease control identified as the strongest predictor. Qualitative data revealed tiredness, pain, bowel symptoms, worry and fear as being burdensome. Furthermore, symptom burden experiences were described in terms of its impact on restricting aspects of daily activities, which accumulated into restrictions on general life events. Psychological symptom burden was revealed as more problematic than physical symptom burden due to its constant nature, with physical and psychological symptoms described to occur in a cyclical manner. Participants revealed that disease control was evaluated not only in terms of symptoms, but also in terms of their abilities to control the impact of symptoms on their lives. This study highlights the considerable number of symptoms and the most burdensome symptoms experienced by individuals with IBD, both during active and inactive disease. This study has important implications on symptom assessment in terms of the need to encompass both physical and psychological symptoms. In addition, greater attention needs to be placed on psychological aspects of IBD care.

An overview of online-research in information systems

As the Internet has changed communication, commerce, and the distribution of information, so it is changing Information Systems Research (ISR). The goal of this paper is to put the topic of application and reliability of online research into the focus of ISR by exploring the extension of online research methods (ORM) into its popular publication outlets. 513 articles from high ranked ISR publication outlets from the last decade have been analyzed using online content analysis. The findings show that in ISR online research methods are applied despite the missing discussion on the validity of the theories and methods that were defined offline within the new environment and the associated challenges.

Perceptions, expectations, and informal supports influence exercise activity in frail older adults

This study aims to explore frail older adults’ perceptions of what influences their exercise behaviors. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 29 frail older adults. Thematic content analysis established the findings. Frail older adults perceive exercise as a by-product of other purposeful activities such as manual work or social activities. Progression into frailty appears to be associated with a decline in non-family support, changing traditional roles within family support networks, and lower baseline activity levels. Frail older adults perceive exercise as incidental to more purposeful activities rather than an endpoint in itself. Therefore, exercise programs concentrating on functional outcomes may be more relevant for this population. Strategies that educate and promote social support networks may also benefit frail older adults.