As the population of the United States continues to grow as projected, it is clear that the need for new homes will grow with it. At the same time, there is increasing dissatisfaction with conventional sprawling suburban development. In response to this dissatisfaction, new types of alternative or “green” Greenfield developments are appearing all over the country. What these developments have in common is that they all strive to be better than conventional suburban development; better places to live that are also better for the environment. This report compiles a database of these different developments and their characteristics. Next, it examines if these “green” residential developments are in fact a success in the marketplace. To do this it looks at conventional and innovative real estate evaluation methods. A new evaluation tool that can be used to evaluate the market acceptance of the new generation of “green” Greenfield development is then proposed. Finally, the need for further study including the creation of an evaluation tool to measure the environmental “success” of these projects is examined. / text

A análise de agrupamento de dados é uma tarefa fundamental em mineração de dados e aprendizagem de máquina. Ela tem por objetivo encontrar um conjunto finito de categorias que evidencie as relações entre os objetos (registros, instâncias, observações, exemplos) de um conjunto de dados de interesse. Os algoritmos de agrupamento podem ser divididos em particionais e hierárquicos. Uma das vantagens dos algoritmos hierárquicos é conseguir representar agrupamentos em diferentes níveis de granularidade e ainda serem capazes de produzir partições planas como aquelas produzidas pelos algoritmos particionais, mas para isso é necessário que seja realizado um corte (por exemplo horizontal) sobre o dendrograma ou hierarquia dos grupos. A escolha de como realizar esse corte é um problema clássico que vem sendo investigado há décadas. Mais recentemente, este problema tem ganho especial importância no contexto de algoritmos hierárquicos baseados em densidade, pois somente estratégias mais sofisticadas de corte, em particular cortes não-horizontais denominados cortes locais (ao invés de globais) conseguem selecionar grupos de densidades diferentes para compor a solução final. Entre as principais vantagens dos algoritmos baseados em densidade está sua robustez à interferência de dados anômalos, que são detectados e deixados de fora da partição final, rotulados como ruído, além da capacidade de detectar clusters de formas arbitrárias. O objetivo deste trabalho foi adaptar uma variante da medida da Modularidade, utilizada amplamente na área de detecção de comunidades em redes complexas, para que esta possa ser aplicada ao problema de corte local de hierarquias de agrupamento. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que essa adaptação da modularidade pode ser uma alternativa competitiva para a medida de estabilidade utilizada originalmente pelo algoritmo estado-da-arte em agrupamento de dados baseado em densidade, HDBSCAN*. / Cluster Analysis is a fundamental task in Data Mining and Machine Learning. It aims to find a finite set of categories that evidences the relationships between the objects (records, instances, observations, examples) of a data set of interest. Clustering algorithms can be divided into partitional and hierarchical. One of the advantages of hierarchical algorithms is to be able to represent clusters at different levels of granularity while being able to produce flat partitions like those produced by partitional algorithms. To achieve this, it is necessary to perform a cut (for example horizontal) through the dendrogram or cluster tree. How to perform this cut is a classic problem that has been investigated for decades. More recently, this problem has gained special importance in the context of density-based hierarchical algorithms, since only more sophisticated cutting strategies, in particular nonhorizontal cuts (instead of global ones) are able to select clusters with different densities to compose the final solution. Among the main advantages of density-based algorithms is their robustness to noise and their capability to detect clusters of arbitrary shape. The objective of this work was to adapt a variant of the Q Modularity measure, widely used in the realm of community detection in complex networks, so that it can be applied to the problem of local cuts through cluster hierarchies. The results show that the proposed measure can be a competitive alternative to the stability measure, originally used by the state-of-the-art density-based clustering algorithm HDBSCAN*.

Inception of the Clean Water Act in 1972 resulted in regulation of activities in wetlands through Section 404. Regulatory agencies like the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) have tried to find methods to rapidly evaluate wetlands. This study compares three rapid evaluation methods, Hydrogeomorphic Approach (HGM), Wetlands Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP), and Wetland Evaluation System (WES), based on their scoring of a group of reference and mitigation wetland sites. Repeatability was studied by scoring a group of sites twice. The non-parametric Spearman?s correlation was used to compare the three methods. In this study, HGM was most repeatable followed by WES and WRAP. Comparisons of overall scores using the Spearman correlation found the strongest correlation between HGM and WES, although all pairings were significantly correlated (p< 0.05). This study determined HGM was the optimum method for the MDMR because due to repeatability and producing results similar to the other two methods.

The need for cost-effective usability evaluation has led to the development of methodologies to support the usability practitioner in finding usability problems during formative evaluation. Even though various methods exist for performing usability evaluation, practitioners seldom have the information needed to decide which method is appropriate for their specific purpose. In addition, most methods do not have an integrated relationship with a theoretical foundation for applying the method in a reliable and efficient manner. Practitioners often have to apply their own judgment and techniques, leading to inconsistencies in how the method is applied in the field. Usability practitioners need validated information to determine if a given usability evaluation method is effective and why it should be used instead of some other method. Such a desire motivates the need for formal, empirical comparison studies to evaluate and compare usability evaluation methods. In reality, the current data for comparing usability evaluation methods suffers from a lack of consistent measures, standards, and criteria for identifying effective methods. The work described here addresses three important research activities. First, the User Action Framework was developed to help organize usability concepts and issues into a knowledge base that supports usability methods and tools. From the User Action Framework, a mapping was made to the Usability Problem Inspector; a tool to help practitioners conduct a highly focused inspection of an interface design. Second, the reliability of the User Action Framework was evaluated to determine if usability practitioners could use the framework in a consistent manner when classifying a set of usability problems. Third, a comprehensive comparison study was conducted to determine if the Usability Problem Inspector, based on the User Action Framework, could produce results just as effective as two other inspection methods (i.e., the heuristic evaluation and the cognitive walkthrough). The comparison study used a new comparison approach with standards, measures, and criteria to prove the effectiveness of methods. Results from the User Action Framework reliability study showed higher agreement scores at all classification levels than was found in previous work with a similar classification tool. In addition, agreement using the User Action Framework was stronger than the results obtained from the same experts using the heuristic evaluation. From the inspection method comparison study, results showed the Usability Problem Inspector to be more effective than the heuristic evaluation and consistent with effectiveness scores from the cognitive walkthrough. / Ph. D.

This study is based upon the premise that overall team performance is the sum of the team's performance in several individual team processes. The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to measure performance in each of these individual team processes. This study begins the measurement development cycle by developing a tool that uses direct observation to collect data on team processes. The tool was then tested in a battle simulation being used as a C2 training exercise. The study showed that (1) the team process performance can be measured using direct observation, and (2) non subject-matter experts can accurately and reliably rate team performance by using the data collection tool. The tool developed here relied on an observer to rate the command team on 43 items concerning ten team processes. Ratings were collected on visual analog scales that were overlaid with a Likert-type template for analysis. The results showed that six of the ten constructs were measured reliably and validly. However, inter-rate reliability was shown to be an issue to be overcome in future studies. The implications of this weakness, the potential of this line of research,and potential tool design changes are discussed in this thesis. / Master of Science

Remote usability evaluation is a usability evaluation method (UEM) where the experimenter, performing observation and analysis, is separated in space and/or time from the user. There are several approaches by which to implement remote evaluation, limited only by the availability of supporting technology. One such implementation method is RECITE (the REmote Critical Incident TEchnique), an adaptation of the user-reported critical incident technique developed by Castillo (1997). This technique requires that trained users, working in their normal work environment, identify and report critical incidents. Critical incidents are interactions with a system feature that prove to be particularly easy or difficult, leading to extremely good or extremely poor performance. Critical incident reports are submitted to the experimenter using an on-line reporting tool, who is responsible for their compilation into a list of usability problems. Support for this approach to remote evaluation has been reported (Hartson, H.R., Castillo, J.C., Kelso, J., and Neale, W.C., 1996; Castillo, 1997). The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of RECITE with respect to traditional, laboratory-based applications of the critical incident technique. A 3x2x 5 mixed-factor experimental design was used to compare the frequency and severity ratings of critical incidents reported by remote versus laboratory-based users. Frequency was measured according to the number of critical incident reports submitted and severity was rated along four dimensions: task frequency, impact on task performance, impact on satisfaction, and error severity. This study also compared critical incident data reported by trained users versus by usability experts observing end-users. Finally, changes in critical incident data reported over time were evaluated. In total, 365 critical incident reports were submitted, containing 117 unique usability problems and 50 usability success descriptions. Critical incidents were classified using the Usability Problem Inspector (UPI). A higher number of web-based critical incidents occurred during Planning than expected. The distribution of voice-based critical incidents differed among participant groups: users reported a greater than expected number of Planning incidents while experts reported fewer than expected Assessment incidents. Usability expert performance was not correlated, requiring that separate analyses be conducted for each expert data set. Support for the effectiveness in applying critical incidents to remote usability was demonstrated, with all research hypotheses at least partially supported. Usability experts gave significantly different ratings of impact on task performance than did user reporters. Remote user performance versus laboratory-based users failed to reveal differences in all but one measure: laboratory-based users reported more positive critical incidents for the voice interface than did remote users. In general, the number of negative critical incidents decreased over time; a similar result did not apply to the number of positive critical incidents. It was concluded that RECITE is an effective means of capturing problem-oriented data over time. Recommendations for its use as a formative evaluation method applied during the latter stages of product development (i.e. when a high fidelity prototype is available) are made. Opportunities for future research are identified. / Master of Science

The thesis deals with the comparison of an administrative and market approach to real estate evaluation. A theoretical part covers an explanation of essential terminology used in evaluation process and describes individual evaluation methods. A practical part demonstrates an evaluation of a price of a detached house by the administrative approach; its market price is estimated by the means of cost, comparison and revenues methods. All the outcomes are summarized and mutually compared in the final part of the thesis.

A disfagia orofaríngea é um déficit frequentemente relacionado à consequências graves, como a desidratação, desnutrição, aspiração, pneumonia e morte. A avaliação fonoaudiológica a beira do leito é indicada para a detecção precoce deste distúrbio, no ambiente hospitalar. Geralmente inclui a coleta de informações acerca da dificuldade de deglutição; revisão da história médica; observação do estado clínico atual; avaliação da fala, voz e estruturas orofaciais e; observação do paciente durante os testes de deglutição com diferentes consistências de alimentos. Neste estudo, foi proposta a elaboração e validação de conteúdo do Protocolo Fonoaudiológico de Introdução e Transição da Alimentação por Via Oral para pacientes com risco para disfagia orofaríngea (PITA). Este protocolo visa auxiliar o fonoaudiólogo no gerenciamento clínico da disfagia, durante a fase de introdução e transição da alimentação por via oral na internação. O processo de elaboração e validação de conteúdo do PITA foi conduzido em três fases. A primeira fase baseou-se na fundamentação teórica e avaliação do protocolo-piloto. A segunda fase teve como objetivo a elaboração do PITA, sendo determinadas as definições constitutivas e operacionais de cada variável eleita. A terceira fase, a validação de aparência e conteúdo foi conduzida por meio da análise de treze juízes com expertise na área de estudo. Durante a terceira fase, os juízes foram convidados a avaliar o PITA, por meio de um questionário de validação de aparência e conteúdo. Para a análise das respostas dos juízes foram aceitos os índices de 0,78 para validação de conteúdo dos itens individualmente (IVC-I) e 0,90 para o índice de validação total do protocolo (IVC-T). Como resultado, o PITA foi constituído por vinte e um itens, com suas respectivas definições constitutivas e operacionais. Os resultados da terceira fase foram divididos em duas etapas. Na primeira, após a avaliação dos juízes, houve necessidade de modificar, incluir e excluir algumas variáveis. Na segunda, após repetição da avaliação dos juízes, os índices calculados apresentaram-se adequados, conforme a proposta do estudo, sendo definida a aparência e conteúdo do protocolo final. Assim, o PITA apresenta-se como um protocolo teórico, elaborado com base na literatura científica disponível. Por meio da avaliação de juízes experientes na área de estudo foi possível aperfeiçoar o instrumento e validá-lo em sua aparência e conteúdo. Outras pesquisas são essenciais para a aplicação experimental em larga escala, abrangendo diferentes fonoaudiólogos, pacientes, doenças de base e instituições. Apesar de ser um instrumento de baixo custo e fácil utilização, há ressalvas quanto à sua subjetividade e adverte-se a necessidade de treinamento prévio do examinador para a correta aplicação do instrumento. / Dysphagia is a deficit often related to serious consequences such as dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration, pneumonia, and death. Speech evaluation at bedside is indicated for early detection of this disorder in the hospital. It usually includes collecting information about dysphagia; medical review; current clinical status; assessment of speech, voice, and orofacial structures and; clinical tests with intake of different food textures. In this study, the development and validation of content of the \"Oral Feeding Transition Protocol (OFTP) was proposed. This protocol aims to assist speech pathologists in the clinical management of dysphagia, during the introduction and the transition to oral feeding at hospitals. The process of developing and validating the content of OFTP was conducted in three phases. The first phase provided theoretical background and evaluation of the pilot protocol. The OFTP was elaborated in the second phase, when the constitutive and operational definitions of each chosen variable were determined. The third phase was carried out in order to validate the protocol content. This validation was performed through the analysis of thirteen judges with expertise in dysphagia. During the third phase, the judges were asked to assess the OFTP, through a questionnaire of content validation. For this analysis the following validation indexes were accepted: 0.78 for individual items (IVC-I), and 0.90 for the overall scale (CVI-T). As a result, the OFTP was composed of 21 items, with their respective constitutive and operational definitions. The results of third phase were divided in two stages. In the first stage, after the judges evaluations, it was necessary to modify, add and delete some variables. In the second stage, after a new evaluation of the judges, the calculated indexes demonstrated to be adequate, as proposed by the study, and the final version of the protocol was determined. The OFTP is a theoretical protocol based on the available scientific literature. The evaluation of expert judges improved the tool and validated appearance and content of the protocol. Further research is essential for the experimental application with a large scale, different speech therapists, patients, underlying diseases, and institutions. The OFTP is a low cost instrument, with simple procedures for application. Despite this, there are concerns about its subjectivity; specific training is needed prior to the correct application of the instrument.

Os negócios evoluem cada vez mais aceleradamente. Essa expansão está representada pela predisposta valoração de ativos intangíveis em função dos ativos físicos. Mas a principal razão para a avaliação dos intangíveis talvez seja a gestão estratégica desses ativos. Tal desafio levou estudiosos a calcular e a mensurar o valor dos diferentes tipos de ativos intangíveis de uma entidade. Com isso, este trabalho passa a questionar-se sobre quais são os principais métodos de avaliação econômica de ativos intangíveis. Para tanto, o objetivo geral é estudar a mensuração dos ativos intangíveis e seu papel no meio empresarial. O estudo do ativo intangível torna-se fundamental dentro do atual cenário econômico mundial, vista a notória diferença entre o patrimônio contábil e o valor de mercado das empresas. A contabilidade vem se aprofundando, nas últimas décadas, no estudo do ativo intangível. Estudiosos, contadores e investidores têm buscado métodos de incorporar e divulgar, nas demonstrações financeiras, os ativos intangíveis das empresas. A pesquisa divide-se em definição de ativos; referencial teórico relativo aos ativos intangíveis e identificação e análise dos principais métodos de mensuração de ativos intangíveis. / Business is developing faster and faster these days. This expansion is represented by the predisposed valuation of intangible assets in terms of physical assets. But the main reason for the evaluation of intangible assets may be the strategic management of these assets. This challenge made scholars calculate and measure the value of different types of intangible assets of a company. Consequently, the objective of this work is to pose the question: what are the principal methods of economic valuation of intangible assets? The overall goal of this work is to study the measurement of intangible assets and their role in business. The study of intangible assets becomes crucial in the current global economic scenario, given the striking difference between the equity accounting and the market value of companies. In recent decades, accounting has been gathering strength in the study of intangible assets. Scholars, accountants and investors have sought methods to incorporate and report in the financial statements, the intangible assets of companies. The research has two aims: to define the assets, the theoretical framework related to the intangible assets and to identify and analyze the main methods of measurement of intangible assets.

No presente trabalho de pesquisa foram analisadas diferentes estratÃgias avaliativas com vistas à anÃlise da aprendizagem escolar em quÃmica orgÃnica, especificamente dos conteÃdos: propriedades e classificaÃÃo dos carbonos, classificaÃÃo das cadeias carbÃnicas, nomenclatura de compostos orgÃnicos e isomeria. AtravÃs de anÃlises quantitativas e qualitativas foi possÃvel aplicar diversificados mÃtodos avaliativos. Entre os mÃtodos analisados de avaliaÃÃo geralmente utilizados no ensino mÃdio destacam-se as provas com questÃes de mÃltipla escolha e com questÃes abertas. A aplicaÃÃo dessas metodologias representam uma anÃlise coerente da aprendizagem dos conteÃdos curriculares estabelecidos pelas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Ensino MÃdio, pois o estudante deve apresentar conhecimentos prÃvios acerca das temÃticas, alÃm de estimular o estudo prÃvio. Utilizou-se a dramatizaÃÃo sobre temÃticas da quÃmica orgÃnica, como as funÃÃes orgÃnicas e quÃmica ambiental, nos quais, os estudantes participantes da pesquisa expressaram-se atravÃs de peÃas teatrais utilizando as artes cÃnicas como forma de expressÃo, alÃm de representarem os efeitos nocivos das drogas e relacionÃ-los com o conhecimento curricular das funÃÃes aminas. Todas as apresentaÃÃes foram documentadas em vÃdeo para anÃlises posteriores. Foi proposto tambÃm a utilizaÃÃo de seminÃrios como procedimento avaliativo, onde os educandos puderam expressar temÃticas diferenciadas divididas em grupos. Os alunos tambÃm realizaram a criaÃÃo de histÃrias em quadrinhos sobre assuntos da quÃmica orgÃnica, anÃlises das disposiÃÃes das falas e sua relaÃÃo com o tema proposto e a consistÃncia do conhecimento quÃmico foram os critÃrios fundamentais que foram elencados para atribuiÃÃo de notas. Em cada mÃtodo de exame, foi realizado um levantamento das notas obtidas em cada procedimento avaliativo. Percebe-se que a avaliaÃÃo da aprendizagem ultrapassa a simples atribuiÃÃo de notas ao desempenho dos estudantes, pois nem sempre os valores atribuÃdos repercutem em efetiva aprendizagem. A produÃÃo textual tambÃm foi uma metodologia de avaliaÃÃo aplicada aos estudantes da turma pesquisada. Foi proposto que eles elaborassem um relatÃrio de prÃticas sobre o estudo dos Ãsteres e sua reaÃÃo com hipoclorito de sÃdio. Logo apÃs a experiÃncia realizada no laboratÃrio interdisciplinar de ciÃncias da escola, foi proposto aos educandos a elaboraÃÃo individual de um relatÃrio da prÃtica e feita uma anÃlise de aspectos como a escrita sobre o tema e anÃlise dos resultados e discussÃes com os elementos inerentes a metodologia cientÃfica. / In this research work were analyzed different evaluative strategies for the assessment of school learning in organic chemistry, specifically the contents: properties and classification of carbon, classification of carbon chains, naming organic compounds and isomerism. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis it was possible to apply diverse evaluation methods. Among the methods analyzed evaluation generally used in high school there are the tests with multiple choice questions and open questions. The application of these methodologies represent a coherent analysis of learning curricula established by the National Curriculum Guidelines for Secondary Education, for the student must submit prior knowledge of the subject, besides stimulating the previous study. We used the drama on topics of organic chemistry, such as bodily functions and environmental chemistry, in which the survey participants-students expressed through plays using the performing arts as a means of expression, besides representing the harmful effects of drugs and relate them to the curricular knowledge of amine functions. All presentations were documented on video for later analysis. It was also proposed the use of seminars as evaluation procedure where the students could express different themes divided into groups. Students also made the creation of comic books on subjects of organic chemistry, analysis of the provisions of the talks and their relation to the theme and the consistency of the chemical knowledge were the key criteria that were listed for grading. In each test method, a survey was conducted of the marks obtained in each evaluation procedure. It is noticed that the assessment of learning goes beyond simply assigning grades to student performance, because not always the assigned values resonate with effective learning. The text production was also a valuation methodology applied to students of the searched class. It was proposed that they prepare a report on the practical study of esters and their reaction with sodium hypochlorite. Soon after the experiment conducted in the interdisciplinary lab school science, it was proposed to students the individual elaboration of a practice report and an analysis of aspects such as writing on the subject and analyzing the results and discussions with inherent scientific methodology elements.