Universities are increasingly being asked to take an active role as research collaborators with citizens, public bodies, and community organisations, which, it is claimed, makes them more accountable, creates better research outcomes, and enhances the knowledge base. Yet many of these research collaborators, as well as their funders and institutions, have not yet developed the methods to 'account for' collaborative research, or to help collaborators in challenging their assumptions about the quality of this work. This book, part of the Connected Communities series, highlights the benefits of universities collaborating with outside bodies on research and addresses the key challenge of articulating the value of collaborative research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Edited by two well respected academics, it includes voices and perspectives from researchers and practitioners in a wide range of disciplines. Together, they explore tensions in the evaluation and assessment of research in general, and the debates generated by collaborative research between universities and communities to enable greater understanding of collaborative research, and to provide a much-needed account of key theorists in the field of interdisciplinary collaborative research.

"The Birth of Opal" is the only book in the English speaking world that is devoted entirely to the topic of opal formation. It is a detailed investigative and enlightening account of the formation of opal both in nature and in the Lab. The investigation includes; the opal environment, Geography, Geology, Geochemistry, the decay cycle, soil reactions, the effect of salts and chemical reactions that result in "The Birth of Opal." Outside of Russia, "The Birth of Opal" is the most complete book about opal genesis in the world. It is a world first in its class. It dispels the myths and mystery that has surrounded the formation of opal for centuries. All those who love gemstones, or geology and are fascinated by opal in particular or are curious about its true origins will finally find the answers in this book. It is a must have for Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Libraries everywhere. Get your copy now

Universities are increasingly being asked to take an active role as research collaborators with citizens, public bodies, and community organisations, which, it is claimed, makes them more accountable, creates better research outcomes, and enhances the knowledge base. Yet many of these research collaborators, as well as their funders and institutions, have not yet developed the methods to 'account for' collaborative research, or to help collaborators in challenging their assumptions about the quality of this work. This book, part of the Connected Communities series, highlights the benefits of universities collaborating with outside bodies on research and addresses the key challenge of articulating the value of collaborative research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Edited by two well respected academics, it includes voices and perspectives from researchers and practitioners in a wide range of disciplines. Together, they explore tensions in the evaluation and assessment of research in general, and the debates generated by collaborative research between universities and communities to enable greater understanding of collaborative research, and to provide a much-needed account of key theorists in the field of interdisciplinary collaborative research.

Based on the methodology of the Principal Components Analysis technique, Shepherd proposes a model which seeks directly to relate the mergence of Style I symbolism with the contemporary evolution of a form of pagan kingship in north-west europe, which developed in parallel with a late-Roman/early Mediaeval form of kingship in some areas, which gradually became superseded.