Citation: LOCKYER, S. and PICKERING, M., 2008 This is the pre-peer-reviewed version of the following article: LOCKYER, S. and PICKERING, M., 2008. You must be joking: the sociological critique of humour and comic media. Sociology Compass, 2 (3), pp. 808-820, which has been published in final form at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120185463/abstract 2
You Must Be Joking: The Sociological Critique of Humour and Comic Media AbstractRecent work in the sociological critique of humour and comic media has challenged the notion that humour is an absolute good. In this article we review some of the most interesting work that takes humour seriously and addresses the difficult topic of whether there are ethical limits to humour and media comedy. We outline three main reasons for taking humour seriously and review some of the ways in which humour has been studied sociologically through a consideration of how British 'alternative' comedy directed the work of those interested in the limits of humour in relation to gender, race and ethnicity. We also summarise some of the most controversial examples of contemporary media comedy -the comedic performances and personae of Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G and Borat) and the Danish cartoons of the Holy Prophet Muhammad -in order to illustrate the importance of the critical analysis of humour and how the ethics of humour can be applied to comic media.
BackgroundSpin in the reporting of randomized controlled trials, where authors report research in a way that potentially misrepresents results and mislead readers, has been demonstrated in the broader medical literature. We investigated spin in wound care trials with (a) no statistically significant result for the primary outcome and (b) no clearly specified primary outcome.MethodsWe searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register of Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Eligible studies were: Parallel-group RCTs of interventions for foot, leg or pressure ulcers published in 2004 to 2009 (inclusive) with either a clearly identified primary outcome for which there was a statistically non-significant result (Cohort A) or studies that had no clear primary outcome (Cohort B).We extracted general study details. For both Cohorts A and B we then assessed for the presence of spin. For Cohort A we used a pre-defined process to assess reports for spin. For Cohort B we aimed to assess spin by recording the number of positive treatment effect claims made. We also compared the number of statistically significant and non-significant results reported in the main text and the abstract looking specifically for spin in the form of selective outcome reporting.ResultsOf the 71 eligible studies, 28 were eligible for Cohort A; of these, 71% (20/28) contained spin. Cohort B contained 43 studies; of these, 86% (37/43) had abstracts that claimed a favorable treatment claim. Whilst 74% (32/43) of main text results in Cohort B included at least one statistically non-significant result, this was not reflected in the abstract where only 28% contained (12/43) at least one statistically non-significant result.ConclusionsSpin is a frequent phenomenon in reports of RCTs of wound treatments. Studies without statistically significant results for the primary outcome used spin in 71% of cases. Furthermore, 33% (43/132) of reports of wound RCTs did not specify a primary outcome and there was evidence of spin and selective outcome reporting in the abstracts of these. Readers should be wary of only reading the abstracts of reports of RCTs of wound treatments since they are frequently misleading regarding treatment effects.
Objectives : To establish reliable estimates of the proportion of books available in formats accessible to visually impaired people; to recommend a practical method of updating the estimates. Methods : The project had two stages. Stage one estimated the overall availability of all categories of books. The British National Bibliography (BNB) for 1999-2003 was chosen as the sampling frame. A sample of 2069 titles over the 5 years was selected using a systematic sample design. These titles were then checked for availability against the catalogues of four major producer/suppliers of materials in accessible formats. The second stage involved checking the availability of books in six genres; about 400 titles for each genre were examined. Results : Of the titles selected for the overall estimate, 92 (4.4%) were found to be available in one or more accessible formats. Availability of titles in accessible formats varied greatly between categories. Adult fiction had the highest number of available publications (26.3%), least represented were cookery (1.9%) and gardening (1.8%).
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe the first phase of the SCONUL Value and Impact Programme (VAMP), carried out in 2006. Design/methodology/approach -This paper is a critical review of some of the major tools and methodologies available to measure the value and impact of, particularly academic, libraries, was supplemented by a survey of SCONUL members to ascertain the state of current practice in the UK. Findings -The findings in the paper were synthesised by gap analysis, which found that, although there were some gaps in overall provision, a greater problem was a lack of knowledge and understanding of the tools available, and how they could be applied to demonstrate value and impact. Originality/value -This paper is a brief description of follow-up activity and the resulting SCONUL Performance Portal is given.
This paper describes and analyses the major organizations involved in library and archive preservation in the UK and Ireland, and puts them in their international context. The work was based on a questionnaire survey and interviews with stakeholders, as part of a wider review of the role of the National Preservation Office. It is concluded that the complexity has led to some confusion, and that there is a lack of coordination which needs to be resolved.
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe the methodology used in the 2004 user survey of the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS). Design/methodology/approach -An online survey of users of the IBSS was combined with hands-on sessions with novice users of the system at three UK universities. The online survey was a structured questionnaire aimed at experienced users, whilst the hands-on sessions sought more qualitative data on the novice users' reported and observed use of the IBSS. Findings -In addition to data specific to each part of the study, the findings from the online survey and hands-on survey showed some convergence, strengthening the value of the overall results. In particular, the demand for full text links and the advantage of some user training were features of both parts of the study. Originality/value -This was neither an in-house survey nor an academic investigation, but a project undertaken for a client, and thus subject to the client's specifications and a strict time-scale. The request for hands-on sessions in addition to the usual online survey required design of an instrument which could elicit the maximum amount of data within the time available (about two hours at each institution).
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