<p dir="ltr">Understanding how rubrics work to better use them in the classroom is an open question for educational practitioners and researchers. This meta-analysis sought to estimate the effectiveness of rubric use on performance and explore its interaction with rubrics’ measurement properties, characteristics of rubric use, and contextual variables that may influence this effect. To begin, we identified 41 experimental and quasi-experimental primary studies of rubric use effects (80 effect sizes) of 8,968 participants. After removing over-influential studies from the analysis, results showed a significant positive effect of rubric use on performance (Hedges’ <i>g</i> = 0.47). No moderator variable significantly impacts the effect of rubric use on performance. A rubrics’ content analysis identified patterns in rubric design that seemed to co-vary with the effect sizes. These results can inform best practices to improve the effectiveness of rubric use. Practical implications for designing and implementing rubrics as instructional tools in the classroom are presented.</p>

Thesis advisor: Joseph Quinn / This thesis explores the debate surrounding the impact of minimum wage increases on employment, dissecting the conflicting results and methodological divergences in the existing economic literature. It engages in a detailed meta-analysis of seminal studies, with a particular focus on how differing research methodologies and definitions of employment have contributed to the lack of consensus among economists. The analysis reveals that while some studies, like those by Card and Krueger (1994), find no negative effects on employment, others, such as Neumark and Shirley (2022), report significant adverse impacts, particularly on low-skilled and younger workers. This thesis examines the prevalent methodological approaches and highlights the role of controlling for spatial heterogeneity and the careful selection of control groups in assessing the true effects of minimum wage policies. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Morrissey School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics. / Discipline: Departmental Honors.

Cannabis use in the United States has generally increased over the past decade as more States have legalized recreational use. In conjunction with changes to the chemical makeup, which has made available cannabis more potent, the long-term effects experienced by cannabis users may have changed, and more individuals may be effected. The current study replicated the methods used in Schreiner & Dunn (2012) and Grant et al. (2003) to conduct a meta-analysis examining the neurocognitive effects of cannabis after abstinence lasting a period of at least 25 days. Previous research has found mixed results, with some studies finding significant differences between abstinent cannabis users and matched healthy controls, and others finding no evidence of significant differences. Results of the current meta-analytical study found no significant effects within the domains of overall effects, attention, forgetting/retrieval, learning, or verbal/language. Results identified a significant small effect size within the domain of abstraction/executive function. Results continue to add to the growing evidence there are no significant long-term neurocognitive effects associated with cannabis use.

In the ongoing discussion of treatment efficacy, some researchers have argued for the use of evidence from randomized controlled trials while others have argued the case for the use of non-randomized designs (Ingham 2003) in the study of the treatment of stuttering. Few attempts have been made to integrate findings from the research on stuttering intervention {Andrews, et al.1980; Howard, Nye, & Vanryckegbem, 2005; Herder, Howard, Nye & Vanryckeghem 2006; Thomas and Howell, 2001). Since the usual approach to the study of treatment efficacy uses experimental and quasi-experimental sources, a summary of the data available from single subject design {SSD) studies would seem warranted. The purpose of this project was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of stuttering treatment for children and adults by summarizing studies and determining an overall effect by calculating the percentage of non-overlapping data points (PND). The resulting review provides a summary of the effects of stuttering treatment, the nature of the treatment program characteristics and their associated effectiveness, and a general mapping of the research landscape in stuttering treatment terms of its' strengths and weaknesses and areas of need for future research.

Background: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an outpatient intervention, has shown efficacy in reducing suicidality. Less is known about its effectiveness when delivered in usual care (UC), and the resource-intensive nature of the program often results in modifications when implemented in usual care. Methods: A systematic search yielded 83 empirical evaluations of DBT that reported original data on at least one of three suicidality-related outcomes: (a) self-directed violence (SDV), (b) crisis service use (CSU), and (c) suicidal ideation (SI). Using meta-analysis, the current study (1) estimated pooled effect of DBT in UC, (2) compared effects in UC and non-UC settings, and (3) examined predictors of differential outcomes. Results: DBT demonstrated a large effect (g=.81) in reducing SDV and a medium effect in reducing SI (g=.68). The estimated effect on CSU (g=.60) was non-significant after adjusting for publication bias (g=.29). DBT was more effective than control conditions in reducing SDV (g=.50), even after adjusting for publication bias (g=1.63). No differences between UC and non-UC effects were detected. In uncontrolled studies, positive associations emerged between therapist training and SDV reduction, adherence-reporting and CSU reduction, and outpatient and SI reduction. Discussion: Results support DBT’s effectiveness in reducing suicidality-related outcomes in UC, but should be interpreted with caution given the heterogeneity among studies. Potential sources of heterogeneity and the methodological challenges of synthesizing research in UC are discussed. Recommendations for future work are offered. / Psychology

The study aims to summarize and synthesize 236 mean willingness to pay (WTP) estimates from 22 studies on WTP for broadband while exploring factors driving heterogeneity using a meta-regression analysis. Employing weighted least square regression, it identifies factors contributing to heterogeneity, including publication characteristics, study-design characteristics, consumer characteristics, and broadband attributes. Key findings reveal higher WTP in working papers and survey reports compared to peer-reviewed journal articles. WTP for broadband after 2015 is lower compared to pre-2007, potentially reflecting a shift in consumer perception over time. Higher download speeds are associated with increased WTP, and rural areas exhibit a nearly $2 higher WTP than urban areas. Households with income below $75,000 exhibit lower WTP than higher-earning counterparts. These findings are valuable for policymakers, extension specialists, researchers, and internet service providers to address broadband adoption barriers and bridge the availability-adoption gap.

Yes / A comprehensive meta‐analysis of two types of forced‐choice (FC) personality inventories (ipsative and quasi‐ipsative) across nine occupational groups (Clerical, Customer Service, Health Care, Managerial, Military, Police, Sales, Skilled Manual, and Supervisory) is reported. Quasi‐ipsative measures showed substantially higher operational validity coefficients and validity generalization across all occupations than ipsative measures. Results also showed that, compared with the findings of previous meta‐analyses, quasi‐ipsative personality inventories are better predictors of job performance than previously thought and that operational validities for ipsative measures are notably congruent with past findings. We conclude that quasi‐ipsative scale formats are superior for predicting job performance for all occupational groups. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for personnel selection are discussed in 4.4. / Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Grant Number: PSI2011‐27943. Leverhulme Trust. Grant Number: IN‐2012‐095

Yes / The aim of this research is to synthesise findings from previous studies by employing weight and meta-analysis to reconcile conflicting evidence and draw a “big picture” of eWOM factors influencing consumers’ intention to buy. By using the findings from 69 studies, this research identified best (e.g. argument quality, valence, eWOM usefulness, trust in message), promising (e.g. eWOM credibility, emotional trust, attitude towards website) and least effective (e.g. volume, existing eWOM, source credibility) predictors of intention to buy in eWOM research. Additionally, the effect size of each predictor was calculated by performing meta-analysis. For academics, understanding what influences consumers’ intention to buy will help set the agenda for future research directions; for practitioners, it will provide benefit in terms of practical guidance based on detailed analysis of specific factors influencing consumers’ intention to buy, which could enhance their marketing activities.

Yes / Much of the scholarly debate on the extrinsic-intrinsic motivation dichotomy to date has focused on organisational context. However, the recent upsurge of technology use amongst individuals in non-organisational context has led to consumer-focused research model such as extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2). The objective of this study is to bring back much needed focus on motivation dichotomy from the consumer perspective. This involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of hedonic motivation an affective construct in UTAUT2 studies. The findings from 79 UTAUT2 empirical studies revealed that only 46 studies (58%) utilised hedonic motivation while the remaining 33 studies (42%) omitted the construct. Extrinsic motivation was the major driver of non-hedonic and non-significant hedonic motivation studies with individuals using technologies for utilitarian outcomes. Unlike UTAUT2, moderators association of hedonic motivation were non-significant in determining consumer intention to use technology. The findings also revealed an important association between hedonic motivation and effort expectancy, in addition to fruitful directions for research and practice.

Yes / Despite being regarded as the most comprehensive theory in understanding individual technology adoption – UTAUT2 theory with growing number of citations and impetus beyond IS domain face strong criticism on usage of the model in its entirety. This study located UTAUT2 based empirical studies in the Scopus and Web of Science bibliographic database through citied reference search in order to evaluate appropriate usage of UTAUT2 constructs. The meta-analysis results spanning across 60 studies with more than 122,000 cumulative observations found BI→UB as the strongest path with all significant values. PE→BI emerged as the most utilized path with most significant values underscoring the emphasis placed by consumers on utilitarian value. Meanwhile, with most non-significant path values the future usage of EE→BI path is been cautioned and questioned. Finally, trust, personal innovativeness, perceived risk, attitude, and self-efficacy were found as the five topmost UTAUT2 extensions.