Social Science Computer Review recent issues

Special Issue on e-Social Science

Halfpenny, P., Procter, R. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

Crisis in a Networked World: Features of Computer-Mediated Communication in the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech Event

Palen, L., Vieweg, S., Liu, S. B., Hughes, A. L. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

Crises and disasters have micro and macro social arrangements that differ from routine situations, as the field of disaster studies has described over its 100-year history. With increasingly pervasive information and communications technology and a changing political arena where terrorism is perceived as a major threat, the attention to crisis is high. Some of these new features of social life have created changes in disaster response that we are only beginning to understand. The University of Colorado is establishing an area of sociologically informed research and information and communications technology development in crisis informatics. This article reports on research that examines features of computer-mediated communication and information sharing activity during and after the April 16, 2007, crisis at Virginia Tech by members of the public. The authors consider consequences that these technology-supported social interactions have on emergency response and implications for methods in e-Social Science.

Social Network Services as Data Sources and Platforms for e-Researching Social Networks

Ackland, R. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

Social network services such as Facebook provide new data for social science research into, for example, the role of individual characteristics in friendship formation and the diffusion of tastes in social networks. This article assesses the potential of social network services for social science research in two ways. First, it is argued that social scientists conduct hyperlink analysis differently to applied physicists and researchers from the library and information sciences, and face constraints (relating to theory, methods and availability of appropriate tools) that are not encountered in the other disciplinary approaches. However, the constraints regarding theory and methods are less likely to be faced by researchers of online social networks, and for this reason, the rise of Facebook and other similar services is a potential boon for empirical social scientists interested in networks. The second part of the article focuses specifically on the availability of research tools, and it is argued that social network services may eventually serve as e-Research platforms for delivering social network analysis tools.

MoSeS: A Grid-Enabled Spatial Decision Support System

Birkin, M., Turner, A., Wu, B., Townend, P., Arshad, J., Xu, J. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

The authors present an architecture for simulation modeling using the resources of grid computing. The use of the grid provides access to the substantial data storage and processing power, which are necessary to translate such models from computational tools into genuine planning aids. As well as providing access to virtualized compute resources, the architecture allows customized applications to meet the needs of an array of potential user organizations. A number of key obstacles in the deployment and integration of e-Science services are identified. These include the high computational costs of simulation modeling at the microscale for typical ‘‘what if’’ scenario questions in research and policy settings; the management and technical issues relating to security in licensing common data sources; sociocultural, legal, and administrative restrictions on the privacy of individual-level response data; and the slow development and lack of uptake of agreed standards such as JSR-168 compliant portlets in the construction of useable applications.

Supporting Systematic Reviews Using Text Mining

Ananiadou, S., Rea, B., Okazaki, N., Procter, R., Thomas, J. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

In this article, we describe how we are using text mining solutions to enhance the production of systematic reviews. The aims of this collaborative project are the development of a text mining framework to support systematic reviews and the provision of a service exemplar serving as a test bed for deriving requirements for the development of more generally applicable text mining tools and services.

Mapping for the Masses: Accessing Web 2.0 Through Crowdsourcing

Hudson-Smith, A., Batty, M., Crooks, A., Milton, R. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

The authors describe how we are harnessing the power of web 2.0 technologies to create new approaches to collecting, mapping, and sharing geocoded data. The authors begin with GMapCreator that lets users fashion new maps using Google Maps as a base. The authors then describe MapTube that enables users to archive maps and demonstrate how it can be used in a variety of contexts to share map information, to put existing maps into a form that can be shared, and to create new maps from the bottom-up using a combination of crowdcasting, crowdsourcing, and traditional broadcasting. The authors conclude by arguing that such tools are helping to define a neogeography that is essentially ‘‘mapping for the masses,’’ while noting that there are many issues of quality, accuracy, copyright, and trust that will influence the impact of these tools on map-based communication.

Enabling Quantitative Data Analysis Through e-Infrastructure

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

This article discusses how quantitative data analysis in the social sciences can engage with and exploit an e-Infrastructure. We highlight how a number of activities that are central to quantitative data analysis, referred to as ‘‘data management,’’ can benefit from e-Infrastructural support. We conclude by discussing how these issues are relevant to the Data Management through e-Social Science (DAMES) research Node, an ongoing project that aims to develop e-Infrastructural resources for quantitative data analysis in the social sciences.

e-Social Science and Evidence-Based Policy Assessment: Challenges and Solutions

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

The PolicyGrid project is exploring the role of Grid, Semantic Web, and Web 2.0 technologies to support e-Social Science, with particular emphasis on tools to facilitate evidence-based policy making. In this article, we discuss the challenges associated with construction of a provenance framework to support evidence-based policy assessment. We then discuss ourSpaces, a virtual research environment for e-Social Science that uses the Web 2.0 paradigm as well as Semantic Grid technologies and which provides researchers with facilities for management of digital resources using a novel natural language interface.

Giving Them Something to Hate: Using Prototypes as a Vehicle for Early Engagement in Virtual Organizations

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

There are recognized problems in the course of requirements analysis and design for heterogeneous, distributed, and dynamic systems. These are particularly evident where the context of future use is not yet clear to users, and where the implementation of these systems will reconfigure the costs, risks, and benefits for stakeholding groups. The article provides examples of the value of collaborative early prototyping with users in two such cases—the design of a HealthGrid portal and a telehealth portal. We provide further examples of the value of the prototype as a vehicle for engagement, a sandbox for exploring emerging opportunities, a landscape for negotiating the reconfiguration of roles and resources, and as an early warning system for early identification of emerging problems likely to impact on usability.

Case Studies of e-Infrastructure Adoption

Barjak, F., Lane, J., Kertcher, Z., Poschen, M., Procter, R., Robinson, S. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:07:25 PDT

This article reports results from a study of e-Infrastructure adoption in the social sciences and humanities (SSH). The authors find that bridging barriers between computer and domain scientists is of key importance. In particular, SSH communities have to be accepted as being distinct and not suited to a ‘‘one size fits all’’ strategy of e-Infrastructure diffusion. Sustainability was also a core issue, whereas barriers to resource sharing could mostly be resolved with technological solutions, and skills and training activities are a reflection of the general ‘‘user dilemma.’’ The authors’ recommendations to European Union (EU) policy makers point the way to promoting e-Infrastructure development and wider application in the SSH.

Historical GIS: Enabling the Collision of History and Geography

Bailey, T. J., Schick, J. B. M. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Explaining much of what exists today or has happened in the past can be approached from both spatial and temporal perspectives. Often overlooked by traditional methodologies and paradigms, the locational element can provide significant new analytical perspectives and explanations that open up fresh opportunities for research. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies in the pursuit of historical research is emerging as an intriguing approach to understanding our world and its underlying historical dimension.

From Wilderness to Megalopolis: A Comparative Analysis of County Level Sex Ratios in the United States From 1790 to 1910 Using a Historical GIS

Boeckel, M. A., Otterstrom, S. M. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Using a historical Geographic Information System (GIS) and statistical measures, this research examines the sex ratios of the United States between 1790 and 1910 to determine whether men truly outnumbered women on the American Frontier. We used United States Census data combined with historical digital county maps to calculate male-to-female sex ratios by county and settlement density class. We analyzed these ratios using descriptive statistics, the Games-Howell analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and comparisons of historical GIS maps. We found that gender ratios on the American Frontier were extremely high throughout the study period and were significantly different from those in more densely populated areas. In addition, sex ratios declined as population density increased in each decade of this study. However, frontier areas still had fairly high gender ratios in 1910, thus showing ongoing significant demographic differences between those sparsely settled counties and more urbanized regions.

Using GIS and Individual-Level Data for Whole Communities: A Path Toward the Reconciliation of Political and Social History

DeBats, D. A. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can assist the reintegration of the estranged fields of American political and social history when focused on individual-level political and social information for whole communities of moderate size. This article illustrates these integrative possibilities through an exploration of political and social life in four 19th-century North American communities. Place of residence has been determined for approximately 80% of past inhabitants in each case study and spatial data serve as the link for all information. GIS provides a new variable—spatial relationships—of interest to both political and social historians. GIS employed in this type of ``total history'' adds value for its analytic capacities as well as its more familiar strengths in visualization. GIS in this way is returned to the narrative and placed at the center of the interests of both political and social history.

Backcountry Settlement Development and Indian Trails A GIS Land-Grant Analysis

Dobbs, G. R. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

During the 18th century, the Southern backcountry underwent both rapid settlement by Europeans and a period of intense urbanization, in contrast to other parts of the South where town building continued to lag. This article examines one Southern backcountry region, the North Carolina Piedmont, and describes the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze spatial and temporal pattern in the 18th-century granting of land in this region in relation to the emergence of towns. The results support the idea that initial conditions, including the presence of indigenous landscape features such as the Indian Trading Path, must be considered to understand town formation in the backcountry.

Historical GIS and Visualization: Insights From Three Hotel Guest Registers in Central Pennsylvania, 1888--1897

Fyfe, D. A., Holdsworth, D. W., Weaver, C. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Historic hotel guest registers are used to extract data to map and analyze visitation patterns for commercial hotels in three small places in Central Pennsylvania during the late 19th century. In an era before the automobile, guestsheds reflect both the slow travel of the horse and wagon era and linkages via railroad networks to more distant places. Hotel registers in places off a railroad line generate different guestsheds than those on rail lines; those in county seats often show the influence of seasonal court sessions and county fairs. Although the application of a geographic information system (GIS) is useful for teasing out spatial variations in the data, temporal patterns are not so easily distinguished. This research reports on the use of Hotelviz, an integrated software for visual data analysis, to help confront the complex spatiotemporal trends that are to be found in the data.

Exploring Vegetation Patterns Along an Undefined Boundary: Eastern Harrison County, Texas, Late Spring, 1838

Gang Gong, , Tiller, J. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Combining historical land survey field notes and modern Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technique, this essay explores the vegetation pattern in eastern Harrison County in Texas along the Texas—Louisiana border in 1838, the year that marked the beginning of major influx of Anglos into this region. The analysis confirms that the vegetation cover prior to the influx was significantly different from what is there today. This article also demonstrates how GIS can be used to assist in historical research.

Standard of Living Effects Due to Infrastructure Improvements in the 19th Century

Groote, P. D., Elhorst, J. P., Tassenaar, P.G. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze the relationship between the biological standard of living and the development of the transport network in 90 municipalities located in the rural provinces of Groningen and Drenthe, the Netherlands, in the historical context of the 19th century. By running advanced spatiotemporal models, we find empirical evidence in favor of the so-called antebellum puzzle. This puzzle states that although the 19th-century infrastructure improvements had a positive effect on the standard of living in the long term, the short-term effect is negative.

Layered Landscape: The Swamps of Colonial Northbridge

Morel-EdnieBrown, F. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

This study focuses on a very small area of land that forms part of the northern central business district of Perth in Western Australia. In investigating this microscale of human occupation, the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) was a research tool to investigate traditional historical sources not commonly thought of by historians as spatial. Changes, rediscovered through the agency of GIS, showed that the northern part of the townscape was intimately defined and cast in response to its swampland topography.

Reconstructing Former Features of the Cultural Landscape Near Early Celtic Princely Seats in Southern Germany: A GIS-Based Application of Large-Scale Historical Maps and Archival Sources as a Contribution to Archaeological Research

Schuppert, C., Dix, A. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

This study deals with the historical-geographical investigation of settlement structures of the early Iron Age in Central Europe using historical sources in cartographic and written form. To process and analyze the data from different sources and present the results, a Geographic Information System (GIS) is used. The results contribute to the exploration of both the historical topography of the so-called Early Celtic Princely Seats and the ecological and economic factors which contributed to their genesis.

Metropolitan Telecommunication: Uneven Telegraphic Connectivity in 19th-Century London

Wenzlhuemer, R. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Although the United Kingdom has long lost its position at the heart of a practically global empire, the British capital London still continues to stand at the very center of a global telecommunication and information network. Yet, global connectivity is not evenly distributed throughout the metropolis. As recent studies show, information-dependent businesses tend to concentrate in particular quarters in and around the City of London and the West End despite the spatial flexibility that modern telecommunication technology allows for. This study seeks to demonstrate how the modern ``digital divide'' that rips through London continuously evolved from similarly uneven connectivity patterns in the telegraphic network of late 19th-century London. With the help of historical Geographic Information Systems (GIS), these patterns will be visualized. This examination will show how important a role continuity played in the evolution of modern informational patterns and how this sheds new light on issues of technological dynamism and agency.

Book Review: Anne Kelly Knowles. (Ed.). (2002). Past Time, Past Place: GIS for History. Redlands, California: ESRI. (xx and 202 pp., maps, photos, notes, and glossary, $29.95 paper)

Hyun Joong Kim, — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:57:09 PDT

Political Blogs and Blogrolls in Canada: Forums for Democratic Deliberation?

Koop, R., Jansen, H. J. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Several theorists have entertained the possibility that the egalitarian nature of Internet-based discussion may facilitate meaningful democratic deliberative discussions amongst citizens. This article provides a preliminary empirical test of these claims by examining the extent to which blogs and blogroll communities act as forums for such deliberations. The analysis uses a dataset derived from a content analysis performed on blogs from three Canadian partisan blogrolls in October 2005. We perform three tests of the deliberative qualities of blog-based discussions: (a) whether discussion is characterized by equality of participation; (b) whether bloggers discuss substantive issues; and (c) whether bloggers engage constructively in discussions with political opponents. We find that this online discussion does exhibit some deliberative characteristics but that this discussion is often characterized by inequality of discussion, a focus on non-substantive issues, and unconstructive engagement between bloggers.

Exploring Online Structures on Chinese Government Portals: Citizen Political Participation and Government Legitimation

Min Jiang, , Heng Xu, — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

This article explores the communicative structures of Chinese government web sites and their implications for citizen political participation. Taking issue with the party-state's dubious claim of building a transparent, service-oriented, and democratic administration, the study analyzed web features on 31 Chinese provincial government portals. The UN's e-participation framework was adapted to locate venues for citizen involvement. The results suggest that by manipulating online structures, Chinese government resorts to more subtle forms of online social control through information delivery, agenda setting, and containment of public dissent. Limited improvement in administrative efficiency and transparency serves the dual role of deflating social tension and reestablishing party legitimacy. Paradoxically, citizens' political participation may generate unintended consequences of incremental reform of China's local governance and political institutions.

The Influence of Topic Interest and Interactive Probing on Responses to Open-Ended Questions in Web Surveys

Holland, J. L., Christian, L. M. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Web surveys offer new opportunities for achieving high-quality responses to open-ended questions because the interactive nature of the web allows questions to be tailored to individual respondents. This article explores how respondents' level of interest in the topic of the question can influence whether they provide a response and the quality of their answers. In addition, we examine whether an interactive follow-up probe, asked after people submit their initial response to the open-ended question, can improve the quality of responses. We find that respondents' interest in the question topic significantly affects the responses to open-ended questions, and interactively probing responses to open-ended questions in web surveys can improve the quality of responses for some respondents, particularly for those very interested in the question topic. Nonresponse remains a significant problem for open-ended questions; we found high item nonresponse rates for the initial question and even higher nonresponse to the probe, especially for those less interested in the topic of the question. Consequently, interactive probing should only be used for a few key open-ended questions within a survey where high-quality responses are essential and may be more effective for respondents who are already motivated to provide a response.

Differences in the Visual Design Language of Paper-and-Pencil Surveys Versus Web Surveys: A Field Experimental Study on the Length of Response Fields in Open-Ended Frequency Questions

Fuchs, M. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Respondents in self-administered, paper-based surveys answer open-ended frequency questions differently depending on the size of the response field provided. Longer fields increase the proportion of alphanumeric elaborations or answers explicitly designated as an estimate (``about 20,'' ``60-70''). By contrast, shorter fields yield higher proportions of pure digit responses. It is assumed that respondents interpret the size of the response field as an instruction regarding the format of the expected answer. In this article, the authors assess the effect of the length of the response field in a web survey compared to a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Results indicate that the effect of the length of the response field is more pronounced in the paper-and-pencil condition compared to the web survey condition. This raises the question as to what extent the underlying visual design language differs across self-administered survey modes.

Dimensionality Analysis as a Computerized Tool for Strategic Planning in Policing and Security

Brunet, J. R., Garson, G. D. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Multidimensional scaling is a useful addition to the toolkit of the crime or security analysts, made possible by the advent of desktop computing power. Three uses of this graphical statistical tool are as follows: (a) forming policy initiatives and making resource allocations; (b) analyzing terrorism threats and dynamics; and (c) performing structural analysis of performance data. Dimensionality analysis is compared with more commonly encountered techniques such as factor analysis, cluster analysis, and correspondence analysis, and their relative merits discussed. Data used to illustrate dimensionality analysis are drawn from the crime statistics on US cities, terrorism incidents in Israel, and performance indicators for American police departments, but the methods presented are broadly applicable to a wide variety of policing and security issues and the same principles apply to other forms of data.

Visualization of Group Members' Participation: How Information-Presentation Formats Support Information Exchange

Kimmerle, J., Cress, U. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Previous research has shown that people involved in a computer-mediated information-exchange situation are strongly influenced by the behavior of other participants. In order to avoid being exploited by the other group members, people use the current cooperation level of the rest of the group as an orientation for their own willingness to cooperate. In a highly cooperative group, this leads to a positive development. However, the question arises as to how a negative development can be dealt with, without reinforcing a mutual decline in cooperation. In order to empirically answer this question, the study reported here considers an idea from information-visualization research and experimentally varies information presentation formats. Results show that a cumulative information presentation format supports people's contribution behavior. Moreover, the highest cooperation rate was found for those individuals with a dispositionally high need to engage in social comparison in a situation with a cumulative group feedback format.

A Multi-Method Approach to Assess Usability and Acceptability: A Case Study of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System (PROMIS) Workshop

Jansky, L. J., Huang, J. C. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System (PROMIS) network, funded as part of the National Institute of Health's roadmap initiative, is in the process of developing a revolutionary computerized adaptive testing system for use in the clinical research community as a standardized method to select and implement patient-reported outcome measures. Soliciting end-user feedback on the system has posed logistical challenges, given the magnitude of the system's scope and the diversity of the target audience and their research needs. This case study presents the application of multiple qualitative methods—participant observation, usability testing, and focus groups—to determine end-users' acceptance of the system and its usability. Findings from these methods highlight the value in using a multifaceted approach to solicit end-user input to software development.

Teaching Methodology to Distance Education Students Using Rich-Media and Computer Simulation

Vasu, M. L., Ozturk, A. O. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

This article addresses the two major issues involved in the teaching of an introductory methodology course versus face-to-face instruction. The first issue incorporates a rich-media solution, specifically streaming video, to precede traditional notes on any topic and second the use of a computer simulation software created by the authors, which can be placed on a matriculated distance education student's desktop remotely, without the legal or logistical problems of using commercial software, for example, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) or Statistical Analysis Software (SAS). Technical and pedagogical dimensions of these particular issues are discussed as well.

Book Review: Fielding, N., Lee, R. M., & Blank, G. (Eds.) (2008) The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods. London: SAGE Publications, Ltd. (592 pp., $140.00 hardback)

Kleinschmit, S. — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:50:42 PDT

Using E-Government to Reinforce Government--Citizen Relationships: Comparing Government Reform in the United States and China

Seifert, J. W., Chung, J. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

A comparison of the United States and China shows that electronic government (e-government) can be used to enhance citizens' access to government as much as government's access to citizens. Both countries are using e-government initiatives as vehicles to improve internal efficiencies and provide better services to their citizens. However, in the case of the United States, e-government also represents an opportunity to infuse business principles into the government— citizen relationship (results-oriented government). In the case of China, e-government represents a means to bring subnational levels of government under greater scrutiny and control of the central government, as it reinforces monopoly control over the government—citizen relationship (transparency with security). Further comparative analysis along three dimensions suggests that although technology can play an important role in fostering the redistribution of power and encouraging interactions between governments and citizens, the notion of government reform carries many different connotations.

Digital Piracy: A Latent Class Analysis

Higgins, G. E., Wolfe, S. E., Ricketts, M. L. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

The rates of digital piracy appear to be increasing, suggesting that additional research that uses new approaches is necessary to evaluate the problem. Using data from undergraduate students (n = 353), the present study explores actual digital piracy and the intention to perform piracy using latent class analysis, develops profiles of these individuals, and provides an analysis of the differences between intentions and actual digital piracy for the groups. The results indicate three separate classes for each form of digital piracy and different profiles for each form of piracy. Actual piracy shows more demographic and social learning theory differences among individuals, whereas scenario-based digital piracy shows more self-control and social learning theory differences among individuals. A cross-tab analysis shows that there are differences between individuals who actually perform digital piracy and those who have the intention to pirate. Research and policy implications are discussed from these findings.

The Role of Income Inequality in a Multivariate Cross-National Analysis of the Digital Divide

Fuchs, C. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

This article is subject to the following research question: Is the role of income inequality in comparison to other factors an element that influences the digital divide? Eleven variables providing data on 126 countries are analyzed using multivariate regression to identify which of them influence Internet usage to what extent. The used data on 126 countries refer to the year 2005. The results show that income inequality measured by the Gini coefficient is an important influencing factor besides per capita income, the degree of urbanization, and the level of democratization. The results question reductionistic digital divide approaches that analyze information inequality via focusing on a single variable (such as technology or markets). Access to ICTs is shaped by the interaction of socioeconomic, political, cultural, social, and technological factors. These results cast doubt on technological determinism, economic reductionism, and linear trend projection in the digital divide debate. Digital divide causes are complex.

Evaluating Behavioral Change in Multigroup Collaboration for Content Publishing Over the Web

Patrikakis, C. Z., Koukouli, M., Papadopoulos, G. K., Sideridis, A. B. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

In this article, an evaluation of the behavioral change of groups collaborating towards the production of multilingual digital content is provided by using the data publication duration times as a proxy. In parallel, the assessment of feedback as a stimulant of social behavior in developing such systems is given. The evaluation is based on a system developed by a consortium of experts in the context of a European project towards the provision of an eServices platform on Organic Agriculture (OA). Group behavior of the partners involved is studied and analyzed using regression models for the extraction of trends and patterns while the results of their collaboration are discussed and valuable conclusions regarding the improvement of collaborative work over the Internet are presented.

A Social Cognitive Perspective on Mobile Communication Technology Use and Adoption

Peters, O. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

This study examined the triadic relationship between expected outcomes, habit strength, and mobile communication technology use and adoption within the model of media attendance (LaRose & Eastin, 2004). Mobile phone users (N = 644) were divided into two groups using a stratified random sampling method. Respondents from Group 1 (n = 334) were surveyed for mobile phone use and respondents from Group 2 (n = 310) were surveyed for the intention to adopt mobile video telephony. On the basis of structural equation analysis for the model of media attendance, the results of this study support the assumptions that (a) mobile phone use is more likely to be explained by habit strength and (b) the intention to adopt mobile video telephony is more likely to be predicted by outcome expectations.

Marketing Segmentation Through Machine Learning Models: An Approach Based on Customer Relationship Management and Customer Profitability Accounting

Florez-Lopez, R., Ramon-Jeronimo, J. M. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

Customer relationship management (CRM) aims to build relations with the most profitable clients by performing customer segmentation and designing appropriate marketing tools. In addition, customer profitability accounting (CPA) recommends evaluating the CRM program through the combination of partial measures in a global cost—benefit function. Several statistical techniques have been applied for market segmentations although the existence of large data sets reduces their effectiveness. As an alternative, decision trees are machine learning models that do not consider a priori hypotheses, achieve a high performance, and generate logical rules clearly understood by managers. In this article, a three-stage methodology is proposed that combines marketing feature selection, customer segmentation through univariate and oblique decision trees, and a new CPA function based on marketing, data warehousing, and opportunity costs linked to the analysis of different scenarios. This proposal is applied to a large insurance marketing data set for alternative cost and price conditions showing the superiority of univariate decision trees over statistical techniques.

Reflections of an Online Geographic Information Systems Course Based on Open Source Software

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

This article summarizes the experience of offering an online introductory course on geographic information systems (GIS) that utilizes available free/libre and open source software (FOSS). Two primary objectives are to (a) reach students in developing countries and (b) to help move forward the development of an open-content GIS curriculum as part of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo; OSGeo.org) educational effort. Course design, key software (QGIS, GRASS, PostgreSQL//PostGIS), and online delivery methods are described. Results and factors leading to a low course-completion rate are discussed. Contributing factors include (a) a for-credit versus no-credit decision and (b) technical issues. Recommendations for others considering online offerings and for the OSGeo educational effort are provided.

An Update on Survey Measures of Web-Oriented Digital Literacy

Hargittai, E. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

This article presents a test of a recently developed method for studying people's digital literacy. Self-reported instruments pose a risk of misreporting by respondents. Participants in the study are presented with items that are used to construct a previously established digital literacy measure, interspersed with strategically developed bogus items, to test how the latter measure up against the former. The bogus terms score the least in comparison with other items suggesting that the majority of people do not make up their responses to these questions, thereby adding support to the utility of the formerly proposed instrument. Results also show a considerable discrepancy between familiarity of older Internet-related terms and newer web-based concepts offering a more nuanced instrument for studies of users' digital literacy.

What's on Wikipedia, and What's Not . . . ?: Assessing Completeness of Information

Royal, C., Kapila, D. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST

The World Wide Web continues to grow closer to achieving the vision of becoming the repository of all human knowledge, as features and applications that support user-generated content become more prevalent. Wikipedia is fast becoming an important resource for news and information. It is an online information source that is increasingly used as the first, and sometimes only, stop for online encyclopedic information. Using a method employed by Tankard and Royal to judge completeness of Web content, completeness of information on Wikipedia is assessed. Some topics are covered more comprehensively than others, and the predictors of these biases include recency, importance, population, and financial wealth. Wikipedia is more a socially produced document than a value-free information source. It reflects the viewpoints, interests, and emphases of the people who use it.

Book Review: Braman, S. (2007). Change of State: Information, Policy, and Power. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 569 pp. $37.50 (paperback)

Bainbridge, W. S. — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:46:12 PST