@article{hyman_courtney_mcneal_bialic-murphy_furiness_eaton_armsworth_2022, title={Distinct pathways to stakeholder use versus academic contribution in climate adaptation research}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1755-263X"]}, DOI={10.1111/conl.12892}, abstractNote={Challenges facing societies around the globe as they plan for and adapt to climate change are so large that usable, research‐driven recommendations to inform management actions are urgently needed. We sought to understand factors that influence the variation of academic contribution and use of collaborative research on climate change. We surveyed researchers (n = 31), program‐leaders (n = 5), and stakeholders (n = 81) from projects supported by a federally funded network across the United States. Our results suggest that peer‐reviewed publications do not lead to use, but frequency of meetings with stakeholders significantly increased use. Overall, the factors needed for projects to have high degrees of academic contributions are distinct from those needed to be useful to stakeholders. Furthermore, leadership perceptions of use of projects were significantly different from users. Our quantitative results can inform future requests for proposals and better enable researchers using collaborative approaches to conduct science that is more often used by stakeholders.}, journal={CONSERVATION LETTERS}, author={Hyman, Amanda A. and Courtney, Steph L. and McNeal, Karen S. and Bialic-Murphy, Lalasia and Furiness, Cari S. and Eaton, Mitchell J. and Armsworth, Paul R.}, year={2022}, month={Jun} }
 @article{gold_atkins_mcneal_2021, title={Undergraduates' Graph Interpretation and Scientific Paper Reading Shift from Novice- to Expert-like as a Result of Participation in a Summer Research Experience: A Case Study}, volume={5}, ISSN={["2476-101X"]}, DOI={10.18833/spur/5/2/2}, abstractNote={Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) programs often introduce students to scientific research and STEM career possibilities. However, the program impact on students and their research skill development is not well understood. In a case study with 10 REU students, the authors used eye-tracking and self-report data to determine student strategies for reading scientific papers and interpreting graphs at the beginning and end of the program. The strategies of REU students and science experts were then compared. The REU students changed their strategies and performed more like experts at posttest. These findings indicate that, during the REU, students acquired expert-like strategies necessary to engage with scientific articles and extract key information from graphs. The study demonstrates that eye-tracking can document skill growth in REU students.}, number={2}, journal={SPUR-SCHOLARSHIP AND PRACTICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH}, author={Gold, Anne U. and Atkins, Rachel and McNeal, Karen S.}, year={2021}, pages={7–19} }
 @article{mcneal_ryker_whitmeyer_giorgis_atkins_ladue_clark_soltis_pingel_2020, title={A multi-institutional study of inquiry-based lab activities using the Augmented Reality Sandbox: impacts on undergraduate student learning}, volume={44}, ISSN={["1466-1845"]}, DOI={10.1080/03098265.2019.1694875}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT We developed and tested different pedagogical treatments using an Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox to teach introductory geoscience students about reading topographic maps at five institutions in both pilot and full implementation studies. The AR Sandbox treatments were characterized as 1) unstructured play, 2) a semi-structured lesson, and 3) a structured lesson. The success of each was contrasted with the control condition of a traditional topographic map lab without the AR Sandbox. Students completed a subset of questions from the Topographic Maps Assessment (TMA) and a series of mental rotation questions post-implementation. No significant differences were found on TMA post-test scores between groups who used the unstructured Sandbox play treatment compared to the control condition. Semi-structured and structured lesson formats similarly failed to produce a statistically significant difference on the TMA post-test. This indicates that no single treatment worked universally better than another. However, regression analysis showed two factors significantly predicted performance on the TMA, including spatial performance and self-assessed knowledge (or confidence) of topographic maps. Of the groups that used the Sandbox, students with low and high scores on the mental rotation test performed best on the TMA following the structured treatment.}, number={1}, journal={JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION}, author={McNeal, Karen S. and Ryker, Katherine and Whitmeyer, Shelley and Giorgis, Scott and Atkins, Rachel and LaDue, Nicole and Clark, Christine and Soltis, Nick and Pingel, Thomas}, year={2020}, month={Jan}, pages={85–107} }
 @article{maudlin_mcneal_dinon-aldridge_davis_boyles_atkins_2020, title={Website Usability Differences between Males and Females: An Eye-Tracking Evaluation of a Climate Decision Support System}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1948-8335"]}, DOI={10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0127.1}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT}, number={1}, journal={WEATHER CLIMATE AND SOCIETY}, author={Maudlin, Lindsay C. and McNeal, Karen S. and Dinon-Aldridge, Heather and Davis, Corey and Boyles, Ryan and Atkins, Rachel M.}, year={2020}, month={Jan}, pages={183–192} }
 @article{atkins_mcneal_2018, title={Exploring Differences Among Student Populations During Climate Graph Reading Tasks: An Eye Tracking Study}, volume={5}, ISSN={["2374-6254"]}, DOI={10.19030/jaese.v5i2.10219}, abstractNote={Communicating climate information is challenging due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic along with compounding cognitive and affective learning challenges. Graphs are a common representation used by scientists to communicate evidence of climate change. However, it is important to identify how and why individuals on the continuum of expertise navigate graphical data differently as this has implications for effective communication of this information. We collected and analyzed eye-tracking metrics of geoscience graduate students and novice undergraduate students while viewing graphs displaying climate information. Our findings indicate that during fact-extraction tasks, novice undergraduates focus proportionally more attention on the question, title and axes graph elements, whereas geoscience graduate students spend proportionally more time viewing and interpreting data. This same finding was enhanced during extrapolation tasks. Undergraduate novices were also more likely to describe general trends, while graduate students identified more specific patterns. Undergraduates who performed high on the pre-test measuring graphing skill, viewed graphs more similar to graduate students than their peers who performed lower on the pre-test.}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF ASTRONOMY AND EARTH SCIENCES EDUCATION}, author={Atkins, Rachel M. and McNeal, Karen S.}, year={2018}, month={Dec}, pages={85–114} }
 @article{mitra_mcneal_bondell_2017, title={Pupillary response to complex interdependent tasks: A cognitive-load theory perspective}, volume={49}, ISSN={["1554-3528"]}, DOI={10.3758/s13428-016-0833-y}, abstractNote={Pupil dilation is known to indicate cognitive load. In this study, we looked at the average pupillary responses of a cohort of 29 undergraduate students during graphical problem solving. Three questions were asked, based on the same graphical input. The questions were interdependent and comprised multiple steps. We propose a novel way of analyzing pupillometry data for such tasks on the basis of eye fixations, a commonly used eyetracking parameter. We found that pupil diameter increased during the solution process. However, pupil diameter did not always reflect the expected cognitive load. This result was studied within a cognitive-load theory model. Higher-performing students showed evidence of germane load and schema creation, indicating use of the interdependent nature of the tasks to inform their problem-solving process. However, lower-performing students did not recognize the interdependent nature of the tasks and solved each problem independently, which was expressed in a markedly different pupillary response pattern. We discuss the import of our findings for instructional design.}, number={5}, journal={BEHAVIOR RESEARCH METHODS}, author={Mitra, Ritayan and McNeal, Karen S. and Bondell, Howard D.}, year={2017}, month={Oct}, pages={1905–1919} }
 @article{mills_mcneal_2014, title={Salt Marsh Sediment Biogeochemical Response to the BP Deepwater Horizon Blowout}, volume={43}, ISSN={["1537-2537"]}, DOI={10.2134/jeq2013.11.0441}, abstractNote={The impact of the blowout on salt marshes was investigated by observing the biogeochemistry in salt marsh sediments along the Gulf Coast. High sulfide levels due to hydrocarbon loading, increased microbial activity, and microbial community shifts can lead to plant browning and mortality. Sediment biogeochemical processes that degrade enriched carbon pools through sulfate reduction are primarily responsible for the biodegradation of spilled hydrocarbons. An assessment of the impact of contamination on salt marshes at Skiff Island, LA, and Cat Island, Marsh Point, and Saltpan Island, MS, was achieved through sediment electrode profiling, microbial community profiling, and quantification of hydrocarbon contamination, which captured the spatial sedimentary biogeochemical response that affects salt marsh productivity. At western locations (Skiff and Cat Islands), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) ranged from 2183 to 2996 mg kg, which was more than double the TPH concentration observed at eastern locales. At eastern study locations (e.g., Marsh Point), sedimentary pore-water HS concentrations were higher (maximum value = 231 mg L) and detected further up in the sediment column than at western locales (e.g., Skiff Island). Similarly, anaerobic and aerobic microbial activity, as measured by C substrate utilization profiles and well-color development, was as high or higher at eastern locations as compared with western locations. These results indicate that other factors besides location or degree of contamination, perhaps sedimentary dynamics and physical processes specific to each marsh, should be considered when determining salt marsh response to hydrocarbon contamination.}, number={5}, journal={JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY}, author={Mills, Calista G. and McNeal, Karen S.}, year={2014}, pages={1813–1819} }