This study was designed to examine the comprehension processes used when reading cancer information found on the Internet and its relation to readability. The focus of the research was on the utilization of an alternative methodology, propositional analysis, to provide indices of textual difficulty that complement standard readability formulas. Kintsch's (1998) framework about discourse comprehension was used to distinguish between textbase and situational factors influencing comprehension. <br /><br /> This study analysed the verbal protocols of 16 community dwelling older adults. They each read a pair of either breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer web pages at low and high readability levels. Propositional density and coherence were measured for the web pages; recall, concepts, inferences, and coherence were measured for the protocols. Coherence was also captured using network representations. The readability formulas used were the Flesch-Kincaid (F-K), Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and SMOG. Results showed that propositional density did not agree with readability scores, and that the readability formulas did not even produce consistent results among themselves. Results also showed that readability was not associated with web page coherence. Analysis of the protocols revealed marked individual differences for the kinds of information recalled, the types of inferences made, and the coherence of mental models. Variations in background and personal interest appeared to influence whether superordinate or subordinate propositions were recalled. Dependence on prompted versus non-prompted interview questions also varied by individual. <br /><br /> The findings of this study suggest that propositional analysis should be considered as a complementary methodology to readability formulas. Relying solely on these formulas as an indictor of comprehension may mislead online health providers that their information will be understood. The findings also highlight that that individual create distinct and personalized mental models when presented with web pages that are influenced by text and situation based factors.

This study was designed to examine the comprehension processes used when reading cancer information found on the Internet and its relation to readability. The focus of the research was on the utilization of an alternative methodology, propositional analysis, to provide indices of textual difficulty that complement standard readability formulas. Kintsch's (1998) framework about discourse comprehension was used to distinguish between textbase and situational factors influencing comprehension. <br /><br /> This study analysed the verbal protocols of 16 community dwelling older adults. They each read a pair of either breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer web pages at low and high readability levels. Propositional density and coherence were measured for the web pages; recall, concepts, inferences, and coherence were measured for the protocols. Coherence was also captured using network representations. The readability formulas used were the Flesch-Kincaid (F-K), Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and SMOG. Results showed that propositional density did not agree with readability scores, and that the readability formulas did not even produce consistent results among themselves. Results also showed that readability was not associated with web page coherence. Analysis of the protocols revealed marked individual differences for the kinds of information recalled, the types of inferences made, and the coherence of mental models. Variations in background and personal interest appeared to influence whether superordinate or subordinate propositions were recalled. Dependence on prompted versus non-prompted interview questions also varied by individual. <br /><br /> The findings of this study suggest that propositional analysis should be considered as a complementary methodology to readability formulas. Relying solely on these formulas as an indictor of comprehension may mislead online health providers that their information will be understood. The findings also highlight that that individual create distinct and personalized mental models when presented with web pages that are influenced by text and situation based factors.

Military conflicts have become nonlinear and the interrelated political and socio-economic changes within these conflicts have created new challenges for American policymakers. A tool called Wallis' Propositional Analysis (PA) suggests a new paradigm that includes thinking about complexity and robustness/systemicity in a policy. The purpose of this single case study was to determine how the PA paradigm adds heuristic value to complex policy decision-making. A backdrop of Wallerstein's complexity theory and complex adaptive systems (CAS) guided this study. This study examined policy statements from the Obama administration on the Afghanistan and Pakistan conflicts in late December 2009. Data were coded and analyzed using Wallis' specific methodological approach that includes a systematic analysis of the policy's propositions and complexity and robustness/systemicity. Key findings indicated that the PA paradigm offers a heuristic method for how to think about the interrelated propositions within a policy that reflect the expected changes the policy intends to make. Specifically, this study demonstrated that an interwoven PA structural approach to policymaking affords the policymaker a method to consider the complex and nonlinear changes in the policy environment. By applying the PA paradigm, policymakers can positively impact social change by exploring policy options that consider a range of possible outcomes from the policy proposal, prior to policy implementation.

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Os mapas conceituais (MCs) são úteis para representar o conhecimento e promover a aprendizagem significativa, porém recentes trabalhos na literatura apontam que não estão sendo plenamente explorados, pois raramente são utilizados para representar o conhecimento diversificando as proposições. As proposições são unidades fundamentais de conhecimento nos mapas conceituais (MCs). Diferentes mapeadores podem responder a mesma pergunta focal realizando diferentes conexões e relacionando os conceitos de formas diferentes para representar o conhecimento. A proposta do trabalho consiste na elaboração de uma análise de proposições (n=1455) presentes em MCs (n= 104) coletados na disciplina Ciências da Natureza (EACH-USP/Leste) em 2009, durante o período da primeira (MC5) e terceira avaliação (MC15). A análise proposicional proposta utilizou-se de um esquema taxonômico para classificação de proposições estáticas e dinâmicas em seis categorias. As proposições estáticas representam o conhecimento com definições e classificações, enquanto que as proposições dinâmicas expressam relações de ação, influência, dependência, interdependência funcional, proporcionalidade e causa e efeito entre os conceitos. O número de proposições por categoria passou por métodos de estatística descritiva, para mostrar os parâmetros estatísticos como, média, mediana, quartil inferior, quartil superior, mínimo da amostra, e máximo da amostra para descrever cada uma das seis variáveis consideradas na análise proposicional proposta neste trabalho. A comparação dos valores médios de cada categoria para análise proposicional das avaliações MC5 com os valores médios de cada categoria das avaliações MC15 foi feita utilizando-se o teste-t. O método de estatística exploratória multivariada foi empregado para realizar análise hierárquica de agrupamentos (HCA) a fim de observar possíveis tendências entre os alunos e/ou categorias. A HCA agrupou as seis categorias de proposições propostas por este trabalho, sendo que em MC15 houve uma maior distribuição dos tipos de proposições entre as categorias dinâmicas. A HCA formou três agrupamentos para ambas as avaliações e, ainda que tendências dos agrupamentos tenham se mantido, houve um aumento do número total de proposições, sendo que mais de 60% dos alunos optaram pelas proposições dinâmicas, comprovando a eficácia dos estímulos fornecidos nas avaliações. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade da utilização da análise proposicional no mapeamento conceitual para diversificar formas de representação do conhecimento, ou seja, que não sejam somente com o objetivo de descrever, definir e classificar conceitos, mas que sejam utilizadas para incentivar relações conceituais de ação, influência, dependência, proporcionalidade, interdependência funcional e causa e efeito. / The concept maps (CMs) are useful for representing knowledge and promote meaningful learning, but recent studies in the literature indicate that they are not being fully exploited because they are rarely used to represent knowledge by diversifying the propositions. The propositions are fundamental units of knowledge in concept maps (CMs). Different authors may answer the same question different focal performing connections and related concepts in different ways to represent knowledge. Our purpose is to prepare an analysis of propositions (n = 1455) present in MCs (n = 104) collected in the course of Nature Sciences (EACH-USP/Leste) in 2009, during the first (MC5) and third assessment (MC15). The analysis used the propositional proposed a scheme for taxonomic classification of static and dynamic propositions in six categories. The proposals represent the static knowledge with definitions and classifications, while the dynamic propositions expressing relations of action, influence, dependence, and proportionality between cause and effect concepts. The number of propositions in each category went through descriptive statistical methods, to show the statistical parameters as mean, median, lower quartile, upper quartile, the sample minimum and maximum sample to describe each of the six variables considered in the analysis proposed propositional this work. A comparison of mean values for each category analysis of propositional evaluations MC05 to mean values for each category of MC15 evaluation was made using t-test. The exploratory multivariate statistical method was used to perform hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to observe possible trends among students and / or categories. HCA grouped the categories and in MC15 was a greater distribution of the types of propositions between the dynamic categories. The HCA was formed three groups for both assessments and, although trends of groupings have been kept, there was an increase in the total number of propositions, and more than 60% of students opted for dynamic propositions, proving the effectiveness of the stimuli provided in the evaluations . The results point to the necessity of using propositional analysis of the conceptual mapping to diversify forms of knowledge representation, they are not solely for the purpose of describing, defining and classifying concepts, but are used to encourage conceptual relations action, influence, dependence, proportionality and cause and effect.

Os mapas conceituais (MCs) são úteis para representar o conhecimento e promover a aprendizagem significativa, porém recentes trabalhos na literatura apontam que não estão sendo plenamente explorados, pois raramente são utilizados para representar o conhecimento diversificando as proposições. As proposições são unidades fundamentais de conhecimento nos mapas conceituais (MCs). Diferentes mapeadores podem responder a mesma pergunta focal realizando diferentes conexões e relacionando os conceitos de formas diferentes para representar o conhecimento. A proposta do trabalho consiste na elaboração de uma análise de proposições (n=1455) presentes em MCs (n= 104) coletados na disciplina Ciências da Natureza (EACH-USP/Leste) em 2009, durante o período da primeira (MC5) e terceira avaliação (MC15). A análise proposicional proposta utilizou-se de um esquema taxonômico para classificação de proposições estáticas e dinâmicas em seis categorias. As proposições estáticas representam o conhecimento com definições e classificações, enquanto que as proposições dinâmicas expressam relações de ação, influência, dependência, interdependência funcional, proporcionalidade e causa e efeito entre os conceitos. O número de proposições por categoria passou por métodos de estatística descritiva, para mostrar os parâmetros estatísticos como, média, mediana, quartil inferior, quartil superior, mínimo da amostra, e máximo da amostra para descrever cada uma das seis variáveis consideradas na análise proposicional proposta neste trabalho. A comparação dos valores médios de cada categoria para análise proposicional das avaliações MC5 com os valores médios de cada categoria das avaliações MC15 foi feita utilizando-se o teste-t. O método de estatística exploratória multivariada foi empregado para realizar análise hierárquica de agrupamentos (HCA) a fim de observar possíveis tendências entre os alunos e/ou categorias. A HCA agrupou as seis categorias de proposições propostas por este trabalho, sendo que em MC15 houve uma maior distribuição dos tipos de proposições entre as categorias dinâmicas. A HCA formou três agrupamentos para ambas as avaliações e, ainda que tendências dos agrupamentos tenham se mantido, houve um aumento do número total de proposições, sendo que mais de 60% dos alunos optaram pelas proposições dinâmicas, comprovando a eficácia dos estímulos fornecidos nas avaliações. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade da utilização da análise proposicional no mapeamento conceitual para diversificar formas de representação do conhecimento, ou seja, que não sejam somente com o objetivo de descrever, definir e classificar conceitos, mas que sejam utilizadas para incentivar relações conceituais de ação, influência, dependência, proporcionalidade, interdependência funcional e causa e efeito. / The concept maps (CMs) are useful for representing knowledge and promote meaningful learning, but recent studies in the literature indicate that they are not being fully exploited because they are rarely used to represent knowledge by diversifying the propositions. The propositions are fundamental units of knowledge in concept maps (CMs). Different authors may answer the same question different focal performing connections and related concepts in different ways to represent knowledge. Our purpose is to prepare an analysis of propositions (n = 1455) present in MCs (n = 104) collected in the course of Nature Sciences (EACH-USP/Leste) in 2009, during the first (MC5) and third assessment (MC15). The analysis used the propositional proposed a scheme for taxonomic classification of static and dynamic propositions in six categories. The proposals represent the static knowledge with definitions and classifications, while the dynamic propositions expressing relations of action, influence, dependence, and proportionality between cause and effect concepts. The number of propositions in each category went through descriptive statistical methods, to show the statistical parameters as mean, median, lower quartile, upper quartile, the sample minimum and maximum sample to describe each of the six variables considered in the analysis proposed propositional this work. A comparison of mean values for each category analysis of propositional evaluations MC05 to mean values for each category of MC15 evaluation was made using t-test. The exploratory multivariate statistical method was used to perform hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to observe possible trends among students and / or categories. HCA grouped the categories and in MC15 was a greater distribution of the types of propositions between the dynamic categories. The HCA was formed three groups for both assessments and, although trends of groupings have been kept, there was an increase in the total number of propositions, and more than 60% of students opted for dynamic propositions, proving the effectiveness of the stimuli provided in the evaluations . The results point to the necessity of using propositional analysis of the conceptual mapping to diversify forms of knowledge representation, they are not solely for the purpose of describing, defining and classifying concepts, but are used to encourage conceptual relations action, influence, dependence, proportionality and cause and effect.