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Teach students to use online literature

A partnership between a professor and a librarian helps undergraduate students search for and validate online scientific literature. The tutorial teaches skills to sift through growing amounts of information, identifying valid peer-reviewed scientific research and experimentation.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalJournal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education·DateFeb 11, 2008

Grocery retailers need not fear 'cherry pickers'

A new study by University at Buffalo researchers found that extreme cherry pickers barely affected retailer profits, with only 1.2% of grocery store customers engaged in this behavior. These 'extreme' shoppers saved an average of 76% of potential savings through their shopping strategies.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalJournal of Marketing Research·DateSep 19, 2007

Lip-read me now, hear me better later

A study by UC Riverside researchers found that individuals who lip-read a speaker's face are better at identifying words in noisy sentences when they hear the same speaker again. This suggests that watching a person speak can create a familiar pattern of speech characteristics, making it easier to recognize and hear them later.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 12, 2007

Two studies find ways to block the 'freshman 15'

Two studies by Cornell professor David Levitsky found that women who weighed themselves daily using the Tissue Monitoring System (TMS) gained less weight than those in a control group. Additionally, women who received lessons on estimating portion sizes in all-you-can-eat dining halls also showed no significant weight gain.

SourceCornell University·JournalInternational Journal of Obesity·DateNov 22, 2005

Mathematicians get a handle on centuries old shape

A team of mathematicians from Rice, Stanford, and Indiana universities has provided the first proof since Jean Meusnier's study of soap films in 1785. The new shape, called genus one helicoid, is an infinitely twisted version of a fundamental simple shape with balanced properties.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Child health teacher numbers at worrying levels

A survey of clinical academic staffing in paediatrics and child health found a worrying decline in lecturer numbers, with a 26% reduction over five years. The decrease is linked to an increase in medical students, putting pressure on existing lecturers and threatening teaching quality.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalArchives of Disease in Childhood·DateApr 20, 2005

Study: First 10 minutes after meeting may guide future of relationship

A recent study conducted by Ohio State University researchers found that the initial impressions formed within the first 10 minutes of a meeting can significantly influence the development of a relationship. The study, which analyzed data from over 164 college freshmen, revealed that positive initial impressions were the strongest pred...

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Social and Personal Relationships·DateSep 7, 2004