Saturday, November 23, 2019

Free Essays on Sexual Dysfunction In Males

Sexual Dysfunction in Males and Therapy Available Sexual Dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation in men and Inability to have orgasms in women have been the cause of a great deal of mental anguish, not to mention marital friction. Most Americans either have a sexual dysfunction or are affected by one in their partner. However, thanks to the likes of Masters and Johnson who have written several publications to help us understand the causes of sexual dysfunction and the rapid treatment therapy for such disorders, several options are now available to help with this problem. A sexual dysfunction is any one of various disturbances or impairments of sexual functioning (Carey, M. P., Wincze, J.P., 2001). Although this definition may seem fairly simple, in practice it can be very difficult to determine exactly when something is a sexual dysfunction. No one knows the exact number of people with sexual dysfunctions, what is known though, is the number of people who actually go out and seek some kind of treatment for the problem, and these are fewer than those of people who have a dysfunction but suffer quietly and never seek therapy because of ignorance or embarrassment. In this paper I am going to discuss the various kinds of sexual dysfunctions found in men: erectile dysfunction (impotence), premature ejaculation and inhibited ejaculation their causes and also the various treatment methods available for such disorders. In 1992, the National Institutes of Health defined erectile dysfunction as the inability to attain or sustain an erection adequate for satisfactory sexual intercourse. "Erectile Dysfunction" is more precise than impotence, a term that some associate with being sterile or lacking strength, vigor, or power. The condition is called primary sexual dysfunction if a man has never in his life achieved or maintained an erection for coitus. If a man has previously had at least one successful coitus and then... Free Essays on Sexual Dysfunction In Males Free Essays on Sexual Dysfunction In Males Sexual Dysfunction in Males and Therapy Available Sexual Dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation in men and Inability to have orgasms in women have been the cause of a great deal of mental anguish, not to mention marital friction. Most Americans either have a sexual dysfunction or are affected by one in their partner. However, thanks to the likes of Masters and Johnson who have written several publications to help us understand the causes of sexual dysfunction and the rapid treatment therapy for such disorders, several options are now available to help with this problem. A sexual dysfunction is any one of various disturbances or impairments of sexual functioning (Carey, M. P., Wincze, J.P., 2001). Although this definition may seem fairly simple, in practice it can be very difficult to determine exactly when something is a sexual dysfunction. No one knows the exact number of people with sexual dysfunctions, what is known though, is the number of people who actually go out and seek some kind of treatment for the problem, and these are fewer than those of people who have a dysfunction but suffer quietly and never seek therapy because of ignorance or embarrassment. In this paper I am going to discuss the various kinds of sexual dysfunctions found in men: erectile dysfunction (impotence), premature ejaculation and inhibited ejaculation their causes and also the various treatment methods available for such disorders. In 1992, the National Institutes of Health defined erectile dysfunction as the inability to attain or sustain an erection adequate for satisfactory sexual intercourse. "Erectile Dysfunction" is more precise than impotence, a term that some associate with being sterile or lacking strength, vigor, or power. The condition is called primary sexual dysfunction if a man has never in his life achieved or maintained an erection for coitus. If a man has previously had at least one successful coitus and then...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Awakening Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Awakening - Essay Example the dedicated artist.† (Stone, 1986) Stone is of the opinion that Edna undergoes lack of decision power as well as deficiency in perceiving the things in an accurate way. Consequently, she seeks relief in the company of these two feminine characters from where she gets encouragement and pieces of advice regarding her domestic life on the one hand, and romantic emotions on the other. Adele and Reisz represent two different generations, which have strong relationship with Edna’s birth as an artist as a result of her emotional attachment with Robert Lebrun. Edna turns towards paintings in order to express her feelings out of her love for Robert, as she undergoes quite loneliness because her businessman husband is unable to pay due heed to his wife. Stone points out the role of the objects of nature, including ocean and hills, in Edna’s life, which instigate her fervor and boast her imagination and creativity. Stone has successfully explored the positive and negative aspects of the main characters of the novel with special focus on the protagonist Edna. Joseph Church observes all the characters of the novel â€Å"The Awakening† undergoing the situation of constant conflict between reason and emotions. Consequently, the main character i.e. Edna Pontellier acts according to the counsels offered by the unmarried pianist Reisz. Chopin witnesses the same conflict in minor characters of the novel too, including the lady in black and the lovers, though their conflict is comparatively trivial one. Thus, unlike Edna Pontellier, who until the very end painfully struggles and fails to unify these two sides of Being, Mademoiselle Reisz has sought to resolve the problem decisively, however spuriously, by siding primarily with mind-as-artist, denying the mind-absorbing passionate body in herself, and then unconsciously arranging to repossess passion vicariously through the young and sensuously beautiful Edna (Church, 2008: 21) Adà ¨le also contains interest in

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Co morbidity and dual diagnosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Co morbidity and dual diagnosis - Essay Example We look into 3 studies each of which provide evidence of one hypothesis or another. In the end we conclude that cannabis aggravates already susceptible people's condition who are young users and predominantly male and pushes them into a symptomatic stage of psychosis, rather than causing psychosis in an otherwise normal individual. It has been demonstrated by many a studies that substance abuse is more prevalent in patients with psychotic disorders than in the general population. What is of debate is whether substance abuse precedes psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and is a risk factor for the disease or whether it is just the fact that people with the disorders tend to misuse the drugs. Alcohol and cannabis are the most commonly abused drugs in the general population as well as in people with mental disabilities. Since the middle of the 20th century, the use of mental state altering drugs has increased. Cannabis use has been on the rise and although many attempts have been made to associate or disassociate it from disorders linked with it, researchers are still debating the full impact cannabis use might have on the public. It is imperative that agreement be achieved on the effects of cannabis so that policies and restriction on community use and definitive treatments can be provided to the affected peo ple. The exact relation between cannabis use an... The recent cause of concern is the fact that multiple studies are pointing the finger at the hypothesis that cannabis use leads to schizophrenia. Hickman M et al (2007) in their study have tried to estimate long term patterns of cannabis use in the general population and attempted to and estimate and observe if the schizophrenia rates follow the same pattern. This pattern, if could to be present, they believe could demonstrate that cannabis usage has a direct relationship with schizophrenia as has been proposed by numerous old studies. "Trends in cannabis use were estimated from a national survey, and the incidence of schizophrenia was derived from surveys in three cities. A difference equation cohort model was fitted against estimates of schizophrenia incidence, trends in cannabis exposure and assumptions on association between cannabis and schizophrenia. The model projects trends in schizophrenia incidence, prevalence and attributable fraction of cannabis induced schizophrenia" (Hickman M et al, 2007). Hickman M et al has shown that over the past few decades cannabis use has gradually, but steadily increased in the young age groups of the society. He argues that if there was a casual relationship between cannabis use and schizophrenia prevalence, then the incidence and prevalence of disease should also show an upwards trend in the younger generation (assuming that all other factors remain constant). But recent studies of epidemiology according to Hickman (2007) suggest that schizophrenia's incidence and prevalenc e is in a downward trend. Their projections for the future also show a downward or a trend. This pattern contradicts the theory of casual

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Performance - Dance Essay Example for Free

Performance Dance Essay This evaluative essay will explore why the dance piece â€Å"Twilight† choreographed by Sarah Boulter and performed by Grace, Jessie, Heath and Nick, should be chosen in the Empire Theatre â€Å"Youth Arts Showcase†. This piece is an outstanding example of contemporary dance and by far the perfect choice for the showcase, as it clearly follows the selected criteria given by the committee. These are that it clearly exhibits the characteristics of contemporary dance, has a clear intention and is extremely entertaining to watch. The characteristics of contemporary dance are clearly evident in the performance of â€Å"Twilight†. One evident characteristic in this piece is the use of Gravity (Rise and Fall) which is shown in a lot of movements. This is identified when each male lifts his female partner of the ground and the female performs a high kick into a split position, then back up again. In extension to this, flexed feet movements are included and shown when at the very start of the dance all four of the dancers perform their own movements/mini sequence for about 8 seconds in the middle of the stage, facing towards the audience. Movements include leaps, high kicks, jumps and tumbling. Finally the dancers perform movements in parallel, which are seen when they position themselves in a diamond shape in the centre of the stage, facing the audience and perform the same energetic and percussive running, lifting and leaping movements at the same time, across the stage at high and medium level. Sarah Boulter’s dance sequence â€Å"Twilight† clearly tells the story of 4 vampires that are in battle. This is shown through the female’s short, dark, ripped dresses and the male’s long black, ripped capes and pants. It is also highlighted by the fast, upbeat and loud tempo in the music as well as the lyrics â€Å"We will be Victorious†, which reveal that they are fighting and will win. The intention of the dance piece was also shown through the movement elements. The 4 dancers begin walking down a flight of stairs into a horizontal line, facing the audience. Each dancer then breaks into an individual routine, showing their â€Å"battle moves†. In addition to this, the dancers are also seen running around the stage in a circular formation, then breaking into a straddle leap across the stage, onto the ground. Finally, at the end of the dance all 4 dancers are seen in a different pose, then all dropping to the ground. This shows that they had either been defeated or were â€Å"worn out† and tired. After reading the above statements the intention has clearly been successfully conveyed to the audience in both a exiting and ingenious manner. In my opinion â€Å"Twilight† was both an entertaining and creative dance piece to watch. This is achievable by including the amazing use of many lifts, jumps and varied floor patterns. The choreographer also included a lot of movement elements that the dancers did in unison. An example of lifts was when all dancers were in a square shape, and then the 2 females and 2 males branched off into couples. Each couple were then seen to do a lift, down into side splits then up again. Another great element in this piece was the veritable use of jumps and leaps. This was seen at the start of the dance, when all of the dancers bunched up together and one of the females stood up on both of the males backs, jumped up and then landed on the males, they then all collapsed to the ground. Finally the various floor patterns showed many outstanding shapes and levels, which was seen when each dancer ran round the stage and zigzagged through each other. Consequently it is extremely clear that this dance piece is amazingly entertaining and creative to watch. In conclusion, I believe that it is extremely clear that the dance piece â€Å"Twilight† choreographed by Sarah Boulter and danced by Grace, Jesse, Nick and Heath should be included in the Empire Theatres Youth Arts Showcase. This piece should be chosen as it clearly addresses the selected criteria supplied by the committee. The characteristics of contemporary dance are clearly highlighted through the use of Flexed Feet, Gravity (Rise and Fall) and Parallel Movements. These can be seen when the dancers perform movements on different levels, as well as the use of energetic running in parallel and suspended leaps and lifts with flexed feet. The intention of the dance was clearly conveyed through the costumes which showed their characters. Finally the dance was amazingly entertaining to watch. The use of exciting level, directions and floor patterns kept the audience entertained and intrigued, so did the marvellous performance skills of the dancers. Consequently it is clear that this dance piece is the perfect choice for the showcase and therefore should be chosen.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Does the Media Matter?

Does the Media Matter? Does the media (print, broadcast and mass entertainment) matter? Do they change society or merely reflect society? Or do they reflect the changes made by others? Look carefully at the Frankfurt school as a source of information. The media is an integral part of modern life experience in western society today (Giddens 2001, 452). It surrounds us in its various forms through each waking moment of our lives, whether TV or radio, newspapers and magazines or most recently the internet and mobile phones. The extent of media penetration into peoples lives leads to many questions concerning the relation of society and the media: does the media matter, does it change or reflect society and if so, what parts of society? This kind of questioning of the modern mass media was pioneered by the Frankfurt School in the 1930s, who examined the economics of the mass media, or culture industry, as well as recognising them as significant agents of socialisation, reifying or creating social norms and ideologies in the interests of the dominant social groups (Hardt 1979, 28f.; Curran Seaton 2003, 323-29). This essay will explore these questions. Perhaps the most significant difference between modern and past societies is the existence of the mass media. The development of printing and the spread of paper manufacture represented the first major advance in the dissemination and preservation of information since the invention of the book form (Gardiner Wenborne 1995, 618). A consequence of cheaper reading matter, made cheaper and more available still by the industrialisation of the process in the late 18th and 19th centuries, was a rise in literacy, which in turn led to the increasing politicisation of the mass of society and a press reckoned by some to express public opinion and make governments accountable (Curran Seaton 2003, 4). Even before those developments, pamphleteering, made possible through the burgeoning print media, aided the spread of ideas essential to the Reformation. The sheer growth and spread of the media, beginning with the printing revolution, shows that indeed it does matter. Nowadays, it would be fair to say that we live in a mass media society, dominated by the print media and a variety of electronic media. Advances in technology, in particular the internet and mobile phones, have become rapidly widespread. Concerning the extent to which the media dominates peoples lives, Giddens observes that people aged four and over watch an average of twenty-five hours of TV a week and that if current trends in TV watching continue, by the age of eighteen the average child born today will have spent more time watching television than in any other activity except sleep (Giddens 2001, 453f.). This being the case, what exactly the media promotes or reflects is of prime concern. The commoditisation of culture that some have identified may be indicated by the prevalence of TV advertising. The revenue and commercial interest in the media certainly show its considerable importance. The National Association of Broadcasters in the USA sets a limit on the amount of time that can be devoted to TV advertising: 9.5 minutes per hour during prime time and 16 minutes at other times (Giddens 2001, 454). Such statistics could indicate that watching advertising may take up over 6 hours per week. The revenue from such adverting is enormous and this in itself shows the belief that the media thus influences culture and behaviour. Indeed, the power of media advertising has lead to the creation of media simply aimed at opening new markets (Curran Seaton 2003, 29-34). In the above discussion, we have briefly observed the importance of the media in terms of society and economics. Kellner observes that the Frankfurt School were the first social theorists to see the importance of what they called the culture industries in the reproduction of contemporary societies, in which so-called mass culture and communications stand in the center of leisure activity, are important agents of socialization, mediators of political reality, and should thus be seen as major institutions of contemporary societies with a variety of economic, political, cultural and social effects (Kellner 2005). We should now examine more closely whether the media changes or merely reflects society. There is considerable evidence to suggest that the media has the power actively to change society rather than merely present a passive reflection of it, discussed briefly above. The very existence of censorship and rules governing advertising proves that there is a widespread belief that the media will affect behaviour. Other evidence that suggest the mass media has an effect on society could be the standardisation of languages and the forging of national identities as well as the use of advertising campaigns that deliberately seek to change behaviour on a mass scale, with regard to, for example, seatbelt use in cars, drink driving and AIDS/HIV awareness (Cardiff, D. Scannell, P. 1987). The media has also been implicated in promoting and reifying particular gender roles through the characterisation of men and women. Trowler observes that women were seven times more likely to appear in TV advertising for personal hygiene product than not; 75% of all adverts using females were for pro ducts used in the bathroom or kitchen; 56% of women in adverts were shown as domestic housewives and only eighteen different occupations were shown for women, in comparison to forty-three for men (Trowler 1996, 96). The ban on tobacco advertising also shows a clear acceptance on the part of the government that such advertising has an effect on behaviour. It is evident that the Frankfurt School had a value-laden judgement of mass media culture.Adorno commented that I consider . that the average television entertainment is fundamentally far more dangerous politically than any political broadcast has ever been (quoted in Underwood 2003). Important in this view was their concept of an authentic culture and a debased mass culture that produced illusions of individuality while maintaining vested interests.Discussing this notion in their work Dialectic of Enlightenment, Adorno and Horkheimer stated: From the standardized jazz improvisation to the original film personality, who has to hang a curl over her eye so that she can be recognized as such, pseudo-individuality is everywhere. Individuality is reduced to the generalitys power to stamp the accidental detail so firmly that it is accepted as such. Precisely the defiant reserve or the sophisticated appearance of the individual on show is mass-produced like Yale locks (quoted in Underwood 2 003). The FrankfurtSchool were undoubtedly influenced by the rise of totalitarianism, as well asMarxist theories of society and Fordist systems of mass production (Curran Seaton 2003, 323f.; Giddens 2001, 383, 462). However, it has been noted that the Frankfurt School failed to differentiate between the mass and the individuals that form it (Underwood 2003). Underwood, in more pluralistic fashion, emphasises both the active participation of individuals in their relationship with the media, selecting and interpreting the messages they receive and notes that this participation feeds back to the media itself(Underwood 2003). This is in contrast to the deterministic position of theFrankfurt School, which seems to observe the mass as a homogeneous and passive victim of the media. Of course, it should go without saying that the media is made up of many thousands of individuals who have families and actively participate in society the media is not external to society or the individuals that form it. Another member of the Frankfurt School, Marcuse, however, viewed advertising as a manipulation of the false needs of society, and therefore may have concluded that even the extent to which people actively participate in a relationship with the media is defined by its manipulation of them (Curran Seaton 2003, 328). Significant in the debate over media influence is the creation of grassroots media, notably inLatin America (Green 1997, 102f.). This movement has appeared both as areaction to the domination of the media by big business and against the dominance particularly of North American cultural models expressed in film, TVand music. In conclusion, it can be seen that the media is undoubtedly important and that there is extensive evidence that it both reflects and shapes society and individuals in both positive and negative ways. The ideas of the Frankfurt School are useful in considering the relationship between the media and society but tend to view the masses en masse, and as passive victims of the media, rather thanas individuals who participate in an active relationship with the media. The issue of control and ownership of the media, and the extent to which this affects society, remain problematic. Bibliography Cardiff, D. Scannell, P. 1987. Broadcasting and national unity. In Curran, J., Smith, A. Wingate, P. (eds.). 1987. Impacts and Influences: Essays on Media Power. London: Methuen, pp157-173. Curran, J., Smith, A. Wingate, P. (eds.). 1987. Impacts and Influences: Essays on Media Power. London: Methuen. Curran, J. Seaton, J. 2003. Power Without Responsibility. London: Routledge. Kellner, D. 2005. The Frankfurt School and British Cultural Studies: The Missed Articulation. Available at: http://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell16.htm (16/3/5) Gardiner, J. Wenborne, N. (eds.). 1995. The History Today Companion to British History. London: Collins Brown Limited. Giddens, A. 2001. Sociology. 4th edition. Cambridge: Polity Press. Green, D. 1997. Faces of Latin America. 2nd edition. London: Latin America Bureau. Hardt, H. 1979. Social Theories of the Press. London: Sage. Trowler, P. 1996. Investigating Mass Media. London: HarperCollins. Underwood, M. 2003. Mass Media: cultural Effects. Available at: http://www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/media/marxism.html 16/3/5) Has Science Done More Harm Than Good? A Reflection Has Science Done More Harm Than Good? A Reflection Anuradha Boodoo-Balliram Academic Essay Title:â€Å"Science has done more harm than good to the overall development of society over the last 200 years† â€Å"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.† (Isaac Asimov) As I drove along the Golconda bypass I looked towards the sky and noticed something I never thought I’d see in our country. The skies over Point Lisas and the outskirts of San-Fernando were filled with smog. I then started to wonder if science had done more harm to humanity than good. I came to the conclusion that science has indeed done more good than harm, and it is humanity that is solely to blame for the problems that their irresponsible use of science has caused. It can be said that technology is making people more and more lazy and people are getting laid off of their jobs because of increased mechanization. Its also not natural; it is something that has to be created, but on the other hand, it has helped humankind advance in the world more over the last 200 years than in a thousand years before. â€Å"Science is the quest for truth about Nature. Its aim is not to produce technology, but to understand how Nature works and discover the tremendous order and intelligence operating around us. If Nature were chaotic, if sometimes a stone went up and sometimes down, then there would be no science. But definite causes produce definite effects, and that is why science is possible. The scientist does not create order, he merely studies it.† (Prof. P. Krishna, 2005). There is no doubt that with the development of science, mankind has been affected; the way we think, the way we live and even the way we worship has changed all due to science. A few thousand years ago man lived a terrible and nomadic existence and the average lifespan wasn’t even 50. Science has become so important to human life because it enhances the way we live. When Dutch spectacle makers Janssen and Lipperhey developed the concept of the compound microscope, they had no idea that it would be the basis o f many important scientific discoveries. The discovery of cells would create the foundation for a new way to look at life and medicine. Louis Pasteur used a microscope when he discovered yeast fungus which led to the process of pasteurization. Antonio van Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria through the lens of a microscope and because of this humanity has been able to learn about sickness and how it is spread. The invention of the electron microscope is solely responsible for humanity’s knowledge on the atom†¦the foundation of everything and all technologies! Can we even begin to imagine life without science or its applied counterpart – technology? No vaccinations or anaesthesia, no electricity to work our appliances, no telephones, computers or internet! Two hundred years ago in the nineteenth century bloodletting and leaching was practiced to help alleviate the ills of man. Fortunately, because of proper application of scientific knowledge we now know how to treat various disorders using the right medication and surgical methods. Antibiotics have become the biggest life saver, vaccination is the best preventative method of potentially fatal illnesses and most importantly surgical procedures can be done with no pain through anaesthesia. Methods of communication are improving at a rapid pace today than in any other century. We now have telephones, emails and cell phones that can send text messages and are internet ready. When the telegraph was invented in the 1830’s it allowed messages to be sent through a series of electric impulses. Although inconvenient compared with modern technology, it provided a lead forward in communication when compared with traditional mail. This would not have been possible if wasn’t for science and scientific experiments. It is in my opinion that when scientist learned to harness the power of electricity, the entire world changed for the better, development and progress in science and technology was done at a quicker pace. Society had a safe source of light; electricity replaced gas lamps and fires and eliminated accidents that may have been occurred because of this. It made refrigeration possible and because of this food lasted longer, food safety improved and food transportation was easier. The quality of life improved with electricity, industrialization was possible; dangerous jobs that were done manually were now done with machines. Various forms of communication stemmed from electricity such as the telegraph, telephone and television. The main function of the scientific goal is to carry out a comprehensive and thorough inquiry into nature and society, leading to new knowledge. This new knowledge provides educational, cultural and intellectual enrichment and leads to technological advances and economic benefits. New scientific knowledge may lead to new applications and new technological advances that may lead to new scientific discoveries. For example, the discovery of the structure of DNA was a fundamental breakthrough in biology. It formed the basis of research that would ultimately lead to a wide variety of practical applications, including DNA fingerprinting, genetically engineered crops and tests for genetic diseases. DNA copying and sequencing technologies have led to important breakthroughs in many areas of biology, especially in the reconstruction of the evolutionary relationships among organisms. The impact that science has had on society can be seen anywhere we turn, it is very visible; progress in agriculture, medicine and health care, telecommunications, transportation, computerization and so on, it is part of our daily living. To say that science has done more harm than good is naive, science does neither harm nor good because it is simply a disciplined way to understand how things work. It is mankind that uses the knowledge that science provides and they decide what kind of application to make of it. As the quote by Isaac Asimov says; science is gaining knowledge faster than man gains wisdom. If there is wisdom, we will not use the knowledge gained by science for destructive purposes. Albert Einstein whose theory of relativity was used in the making of the A-Bomb said â€Å"the discovery of nuclear reactions need not bring about the destruction of mankind anymore than the discovery of matches.† The gun was invented with the sole purpose to kill, an equalizer in so me way. The individual who invented the gun intended it to promote peace, by discouraging violence. It made hunting easier for man to do than with bow and arrow. All tools that are made are made for the sole purpose of making life easier. If a hammer is used to kill someone, the hammer is not to blame, it is the person who used it, and same too is the gun. Therefore in conclusion, I can now say that science without wisdom and conscience will be the destruction of humanity as we know it. Science is a good tool but it is only a tool. Like a knife, science has to be used with knowledge, wisdom and understanding. It needs to be guided by people who understand this concept so that it benefits mankind and not destroy it. Science can be referred to an intelligent child with a lot of potential, without the right guidance, that child will wreak havoc with his newfound power†¦his knowledge. â€Å"Science has generated tremendous power; knowledge always gives power and is useful because it increases our abilities. But when we do not have wisdom and love, compassion or brotherhood, which are all by-products of wisdom, then power can be used destructively. Sixty- five percent of all the scientific research being done currently is directly or indirectly meant for developing weapons, and supported by the Defence Ministry in every nation. In the last one century, 208 million people have been killed in wars, which is without precedent in any previous century.† (Prof. P. Krishna, 2005) References 10 Science Experiments That Changed the World : Discovery Channel. (n.d.). Discovery Channel : Science, History, Space, Tech, Sharks, News! : Discovery Channel. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/10-science-experiments.htm Benefits of science. (n.d.). Understanding Science. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_18 Category. (n.d.). Timeline The History of Guns Rifles and Machine Guns. Inventors. Retrieved March 8, 2013, from http://inventors.about.com/od/militaryhistoryinventions/a/firearms_2.htm History of the Microscope Who invented the Microscope?. (n.d.). Best Microscope Reviews and Microscopy Research. Retrieved March 8, 2013, from http://www.microscopemaster.com/history-of-the-microscope.html Krishna, P. (n.d.). The Impact of Science on Society. Homepage of Prof. P. Krishna. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://www.pkrishna.org/Impact_science_society.html My Century | BBC World Service . (n.d.). BBC Homepage. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/mycentury/science.shtml

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”

Edgar Allen Poe is a name that conjures up images of haunting dark rooms and dreary landscapes. His poems and short stories explore the inner workings of the human imagination, the parallelism of life and death, the fine line between sanity and madness, the delicate balance of beauty and terror, and the hesitation between a natural and a supernatural explanation of unusual events. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† examines these themes in a collision and intermingling of manifold, complex circumstances. Poe uses duality and mirror images, symbolism, and a Gothic tone to convey the terror and fear that overwhelms and finally destroys the House of Usher. Studying the characters and the connections established between them, the symbolism and duality throughout the story, and most importantly the way in which the story is told, provides insight into the deeper meanings and true significance of the story. A part of the terror of this story is its vagueness. Rather than directly exploring the internal causes of the Ushers' illnesses, it presents these characters to the narrator and the reader as an impenetrable mystery. While many have tried to decipher the twin motif, this paper serves to explore how the events effect the narrator, and in turn, effect the reader. As the reader tries to interpret the story and make sense of the strange events that unfold, the reader finds himself experiencing feelings that mirror the narrator's. This is an often overlooked meaning and purpose to â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher. † A study of the opening paragraph is a crucial element to understanding the significance of the story. The opening paragraph not only introduces the conflict between the natural and supernatural, but gives insight into the narrator's reason for telling this story. First, it sets up an opposition between the narrator's experience of a force that may be supernatural and his insistent interpretation of this experience as explainable according to obscure psychological laws or else illusory, the mere product of nerves. After struggling to rationalize his immediate â€Å"sense of insufferable gloom† upon merely glancing at the House of Usher, he acknowledges that worldly things can sometimes give shape to the mind. He tries to change his perspective to shake his gloomy feeling, but looking into the tarn and seeing the reflection of the house provides no relief and instead deepens his terror. This experience contradicts his beliefs. The conflict between the reports of his senses and his interpretations of these reports persists when he reasons that being conscious that one is giving way to superstition accelerates the speed at which one gives way. This is â€Å"the paradoxical law of all sentiments having terror as a basis. Parallel to the narrator's conflict is a subtle opposition that becomes increasingly stronger and important as the story progresses. Unlike many of Poe's other works, the opening provides no statement of the narrator's purpose in telling this story. Even though the narrator is never explicit about why he tells this story, he reveals his reasons indirectly from the very beginning. This narrator imagines a listener as conveyed by his conversational tone. The narrator mildly re sists his own story, trying rhetorically to dissociate himself from it. The frequency of his assertions of the present tense increases at crucial points in his narrative: when he recounts his perception of the atmosphere, when he discusses Usher's artistic productions, and especially, when he reports Usher's belief in the sentience of all things. This resistance suggests that he is telling this story to convince himself, or rather have the reader confirm that he is not mad. The purpose for the narrator's visit to the Usher House is to alleviate Rodrick from his suffering by means of his cheerful disposition. Upon discovering the physical similarities between Rodrick and the house, suggesting that both are essentially living corpses, alleviation seems futile. When Usher acknowledges these resemblances by asserting that the â€Å"physique† of the house affects the â€Å"morale† of his existence, he indicates that at the center of his malady is a growing dominance of the material world over his spirit, a world that includes both his house and his body. Rodrick's house and body have become his prison. Madeline's presence later in the conversation triggers yet another unaccountable oppression and after finding Usher with his face buried in his hands, he feels helpless. Mid story consists of a succession of of images of Usher's imprisonment in his world and of the narrator's attempts to resist the oppressive feelings that attack him. Rather than attempting to change Rodrick's point of view, the narrator only persists resistance to becoming â€Å"ushered. † The narratology shifts focus to the image of Rodrick. He proclaims his fear of going mad. In his mind, the house is causing him, body and soul, to mirror itself. The narrator, attempting to rationalize once again, concludes that Rodrick's condition is the condition of his world. It cause is in the nature of things. Rodrick hesitantly admits â€Å"a more natural and far more palpable origin,† hence why he send for the narrator as a aversion. As the days go on, Rodrick entertains the narrator with art and poems, all of which the narrator observes reflect the polarities of Rodrick's mental state. As the narrator tells of his and Rodrick's activities and of Rodrick's behavior, his tone becomes increasingly desperate and his efforts to remind the reader of his presence, rather than just reporting the events, increase exponentially. He describes their artistic pursuits: â€Å"his long, improvised dirges will ring forever in my ears,† â€Å"I hold painfully in my mind,† â€Å"(vivid as their images now are before me). † The narrator's very efforts to escape into the present of the narration betray him, for what he wishes to escape in the past awaits him in the future. Towards the end of the story, the narrator starts to mirror Rodrick. He appears to be telling his story to deny the significance upon which his story insists. As he resists his story, so his story resists him, refusing to take the shape he desires for it. His story mirrors the House of Usher. The narrator thus reveals his obsession. Could he convince his listener that what he has experienced is illusion, he might perhaps convince himself and so exorcise the story. He is compelled to tell his tale, but compelled by inner necessity to be free of the tale, to save himself. After Madeline's death, he claims he has been infected by Usher. After the account of Madeline's burial, the narrator's efforts at identifying with his listener are less frequent and less desperate. The death of Madeline is followed by the disappearance of all light from Usher's eyes and by rhetorical hopelessness in the narrator. Usher roams without object from chamber to chamber and gazes â€Å"upon vacancy for long hours,† as if listening (95). Soon the narrator is doing the same. When Rodrick enters the narrator's room his â€Å"mad hilarity† appalls the narrator, but the narrator welcomes his presence rather than being alone. Usher has come to show him something, the peculiar storm outside, which the narrator at first thinks sublimely beautiful. Upon further observation, he concludes that Usher must not look at it. He reaches this conclusion when he notices that the seemingly living whirlwind appears imprisoned within â€Å"the unnatural light of a faintly luminous and distinctly visible gaseous exhalation which hung about and enshrouded the mansion† (96). For the first time, the narrator reports direct resistance to Rodrick's perception and a direct attempt to explain it away as â€Å"merely electrical phenomena not uncommon† or as the result of the miasma of the tarn. As a diversion, he suggests reading. As the narrator attempts to entertain Rodrick with a hopeful sounding story he is not diverted. As Usher's arrival in the narrator's room mocks the narrator's earlier arrival at Usher, and as the revelation of the storm emphatically affirms Usher's world view, so Madeline's escape from the tomb mocks â€Å"The Mad Trist,† and her appearance turns the screw of the horror of Usher's world view. The Mad Trist,† while it may, as the narrator asserts, lack imagination, speaks rather directly to Rodrick's despair. The story, in the portion the narrator tells, is of the reconquest of a palace of gold, which had been reduced by a dragon into a hermit's hut, a hut with most of the characteristics of the haunted palace of U sher's poem. Ethelred's progress, then, suggests the possibility that King might retake his lost kingdom and don again the purple for which he was born. However, in the background is the opposite horror, the echoing series of events leading up to the destruction of the metaphorical king, Rodrick, and his palace. Madeline's escape from her tomb is a mockery of the recovery of reason. Soon the narrators surrounded by dualities: the twins, the reelings, the usherings, the collapses, the doublings of storm and house. He flees, but as the his rhetoric has already revealed, he cannot escape. He is infected. The House of Usher utters him with its last breath, and he is expelled into a space identical in meaning with those he has left. Were the narrator speaking rather than being spoken, he might seize his last opportunity to assert that with the destruction of the house and the appearance of the natural light of the moon, Usher's disease disappears from the earth. But it is clear from the manner of his telling as well as from his vision of the moon that the narrator has not yet accomplished this exorcism. The moon insists upon being unnatural, â€Å"a wild light †¦ a gleam so unusual †¦ the full, setting, and blood-red moon,† which bursts upon his sight. Usher is dead and yet, in the narrator, Usher lives on. Turn where he might, he sees only Usher. In the effort to throw off this burden, he tells his story, asking his implied listener to confirm his fruitless assertions that his experience was illusory, but in the very act of telling, he is again caught up in the compelling vision of Madeline's return and the doubled collapse of the house. Implicit in his attempts at persuasion has been the promise that the tale would come to an end and that his unaccountable experiences would be explained. The final image of the tarn's waters closing over the fragments of the house violates probability, and the narrator offers no explanation for it. If the opposition between the narrator's rational explanations and his unaccountable experiences is to be resolved, the reader must do so without the help of the narrator, and the immediately available alternatives are not satisfactory. The reader's natural response is to re read or relieve the text, trying to rationalize what has just been presented, thus mirroring the role of the narrator. As he has failed in his pursuit to alleviate Usher from his madness, the reader in turn fails to make sense of the narrators experience.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Stat 200 Exam 2

Top of Form Points Awarded| 34. 00| Points Missed| 6. 00| Percentage| 85. 0%| 1. The level of significance associated with a significance test is the probability A)  of rejecting a true null hypothesis. B)  of not rejecting a true null hypothesis. C)  that the null hypothesis is true. D)  that the alternative hypothesis is true. Feedback:  This level of significance, commonly set to ? equal to 0. 05, is used to set the cut-off as the maximum probability a researcher would use in order to reject a true null hypothesis. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 2.A null hypothesis is that the average pulse rate of adults is 70. For a sample of 64 adults, the average pulse rate is 71. 8. A significance test is done and the p-value is 0. 02. What is the  most  appropriate conclusion based on ? of 0. 05? A)  Conclude that the population average pulse rate is 70. B)  Conclude that the population average pulse rate is 71. 8. C)  Reject the hypothesis that the p opulation average pulse rate is 70. D)  Reject the hypothesis that the sample average pulse rate is 70. Feedback:  Since the p-value is less than ? we would reject the Ho the null hypothesis that the population average pulse rate is 70.Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 3. If the result of a hypothesis test for a proportion is statistically significant, then A)  the null hypothesis is rejected. B)  the alternative hypothesis is rejected. C)  the population proportion must equal the null value. Feedback:  When a hypothesis test is statistically significant then we reject Ho the null hypothesis Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 4. Which of the following conclusions is  not  equivalent to rejecting the null hypothesis? A)  The results are statistically significant. B)  The results are not statistically significant.C)  The alternative hypothesis is accepted. D)  The p-value < ? (the significance level) Feedback:  All are eq uivalent conclusions for rejecting Ho except when results are  not  statistically significant (i. e. we do  not  reject Ho) Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 5. Determine if the statement is a typical null hypothesis (Ho) or alternative hypothesis (Ha). There is no difference between the proportion of overweight men and overweight women in America. A)  Null hypothesis B)  Alternative hypothesis Feedback:  Ho refers to no difference or change or equal to.Ha will be the research hypothesis that involves either a difference, greater than, or less than. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 6. A safety officer wants to prove that ? = the average speed of cars driven by a school is less than 25 mph. Suppose that a random sample of 14 cars shows an average speed of 24. 0 mph, with a sample standard deviation of 2. 2 mph. Assume that the speeds of cars are normally distributed. What are the appropriate null and alternative hypotheses? A)  Ho: ? = 25 and Ha: ? < 25 B)  Ho: ? = 25 and Ha: ? > 25 C)  Ho: ? = 25 and Ha: ? ? 25 D)  Ho: ? ? 25 and Ha: ? = 25E)  Ho: x-bar = 24 and Ha: x-bar < 24 F)  Ho: x-bar = 24 and Ha: x-bar > 24 G)  Ho: x-bar = 24 and Ha: x-bar ? 24 H)  Ho: x-bar ? 24 and Ha: x-bar = 24 Feedback:  The word  less  is the key term in determining the correct Ha expression. Exceeds implies that the investigator is only interested in whether the true  population  mean is  less  than 25. The value of 24 is the  sample  mean. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 7. An ESP experiment is done in which a participant guesses which of 4 cards the researcher has randomly picked, where each card is equally likely. This is repeated for 200 trials.The null hypothesis is that the subject is guessing, while the alternative is that the subject has ESP and can guess at higher than the chance rate. The subject actually gets 70 correct answers out of the 200 trials. Whi ch of the following describes the probability represented by the p-value for this test? A)  The probability that the subject has ESP B)  The probability that the subject is just guessing. C)  The probability of 70 or more correct guesses if the subject has ESP. D)  The probability of 70 or more correct guesses if the subject is guessing at the chance rate. Feedback:  The null hypothesis would be that the subject is guessing, i. . Ho: ? = 1/4. Then the p-value is the probability that if the subject were guessing that they would get 70 or more right Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 8. Suppose the significance level for a hypothesis test is ? = 0. 05. If the p-value is 0. 049, the decision is to A)  reject the null hypothesis. B)  accept the null hypothesis. C)  not reject the null hypothesis. Feedback:  With p-value <e; ? our decision is to reject the null hypothesis Ho Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 9. Which statement is tr ue about x-bar and ? -hat? A)  They are both parameters. B)  They are both statistics.C)  x-bar is a parameter and ? -hat is a statistic. D)  ? -hat is a parameter and x-bar is a statistic. Feedback:  Both x-bar and ? -hat represent statistics. Points Earned:| 0. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 10. Which of the following statements is correct about a parameter and a statistic associated with repeated random samples of the same size from the same population? A)  Values of a parameter will vary from sample to sample but values of a statistic will not. B)  Values of both a parameter and a statistic may vary from sample to sample. C)  Values of a parameter will vary according to the sampling distribution for that parameter.D)  Values of a statistic will vary according to the sampling distribution for that statistic. Feedback:  The population parameter does not vary, however, the values of the statistic will vary based on the sampling distribution of that statistic P oints Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 11. For a random sample of 10 men, the mean head circumference is x = 57. 3 cm and the sample standard deviation is s = 2 cm. The standard error of the sample mean is A)  0. 200 B)  0. 447 C)  0. 500 D)  0. 632 Feedback:  The standard error equals S/Sq. Rt. of N = 2/3. 16 = 0. 632 Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| |Correct Answer(s):| D| 12. Suppose that a 95% confidence interval for the proportion of first-year students at a school who played in intramural sports is 35% plus or minus 5%. The margin of error for the confidence interval is A)  5% B)  35% C)  95% Feedback:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"plus or minus† indicates the margin of error which is 5% Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 13. In a past General Social Survey, a random sample of men and women answered the question â€Å"Are you a member of any sports groups? † Based on the sample data, 95% confidence intervals for the population proportion who wou ld answer yes are 0. 3 to 0. 19 for women and 0. 25 to 0. 33 for men. Based on these results, you can reasonably conclude that A)  at least 25% of American men and American women belong to sports clubs. B)  there is no conclusive evidence of a gender difference in the proportions of men and women who belong to sports clubs. C)  there is conclusive evidence of a gender difference in proportions of American men and American women who belong to sports clubs. Feedback:  Since the two confidence intervals do not overlap there is conclusive evidence that a difference in the proportions exists Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| |Correct Answer(s):| C| 14. In a past General Social Survey, 87% of a random sample of n = 990 respondents answered yes to the question â€Å"Would you approve of an adult male punching a stranger if the stranger had broken into the man's house? † A 90% confidence interval for the proportion of all Americans who approve of punching an intruder is A)  0. 852 to 0. 888 B)  0. 849 to 0. 891 C)  0. 845 to 0. 895 D)  0. 842 to 0. 898 Feedback:  A confidence interval is found by sample statistic  ± Zmultiplier*StandardError. With p-hat of 0. 87, Zmultiplier of 1. 65 and n = 990, the 90% confidence interval is 0. 49 to 0. 891 Points Earned:| 0. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 15. A randomly selected sample of n =51 men in Brazil had an average lifespan of 59 years. The standard deviation was 10 years and the standard error was 1. 400. Calculate a 98% confidence interval for the average lifespan for all men in Brazil. A)  (55. 6, 62. 4) B)  (56. 2, 61. 8) C)  (35. 0, 83. 0) Feedback:  Using degrees of freedom equal to 51 – 1 gives a t* of 2. 40 for confidence level of 98%. The standard error is equal to s/vn = 10/v51 = 1. 400 [given! ]. The interval then is 59  ± 2. 40*1. 400 = (55. 6, 62. 4) Points Earned:| 1. /1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 16. In a random sample of 1000 students, 80% were in favor of longer hour s at the school library. The standard error of ? -hat is approximately: A)  0. 013 B)  0. 160 C)  0. 640. D)  0. 800 Feedback:  The standard error is found by taking the square root of [(0. 80)(0. 20)/1000] = 0. 013 Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 17. A researcher wants to assess if there is a difference in the average age of onset of a certain disease for men and women who get the disease. Let ? 1  = average age of onset for women and ? 2  = average age of onset for men.A random sample of 30 women with the disease showed an average age of onset of 83 years, with a sample standard deviation of 11. 5 years. A random sample of 20 men with the disease showed an average age of onset of 77 years, with a sample standard deviation of 4. 5 years. Assume that ages at onset of this disease are normally distributed for each gender, do not assume the population variances are equal. What are the appropriate null and alternative hypotheses? A)  ? 1  = ? 2   and Ha: ? 1  ? ?2 B)  ? 1  ? ?2  and Ha: ? 1  = ? 2 C)  ? 1  = ? 2  and Ha: ? 1  < ? 2 D)  ? 1  = ? 2  and Ha: ? 1  > ? 2Feedback:  Since the researcher is interested in detecting only a  difference  this would imply that any difference will do, thus the Ha is ? Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 18. It is known that for right-handed people, the dominant (right) hand tends to be stronger. For left-handed people who live in a world designed for right-handed people, the same may  not  be true. To test this, muscle strength was measured on the right and left hands of a random sample of 15 left-handed men and the difference (left – right) was found. The alternative hypothesis is one-sided (left hand stronger).The resulting t-statistic was 1. 90. This is an example of A)  a two-sample t-test. B)  a paired t-test. C)  a pooled t-test. D)  an unpooled t-test. Feedback:  Since two measurements were taken per individ ual (i. e. for each man sampled muscle strength was measured on his right hand then his left hand) this would be a study using paired data. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 19. It is known that for right-handed people, the dominant (right) hand tends to be stronger. For left-handed people who live in a world designed for right-handed people, the same may  not  be true.To test this, muscle strength was measured on the right and left hands of a random sample of 15 left-handed men and the difference (left – right) was found. The alternative hypothesis is one-sided (left hand stronger). The resulting t-statistic was 1. 90. Assuming the conditions are met, based on the t-statistic of 1. 90 the appropriate decision for this test using ? = 0. 05 and using  T-Table  is: A)  df = 14, so p-value < 0. 05 and the null hypothesis can be rejected. B)  df = 14, so p-value > 0. 05 and the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. C)  df = 28, so p-value < 0. 05 and the null hypothesis can be rejected.D)  df = 28, so p-value > 0. 05 and the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. Feedback:  From  T-Table  and degrees of freedom equal to 15 ? 1 = 14 and a t-statistic of 1. 90, the p-value is between 0. 025 and 0. 050 which is less than 0. 05 making the appropriate decision to reject Ho. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 20. A shoe company wants to compare two materials, A and B, for use on the soles of boys' shoes. In this example, each of ten boys in a study wore a special pair of shoes with the sole of one shoe made from Material A and the sole on the other shoe made from Material B.The sole types were randomly assigned to account for systematic differences in wear between the left and right foot. After three months, the shoes are measured for wear. Let Ho: ? d  = 0 versus Ha: ? d  ? 0. From this random sample of 10 boys, the sample mean difference was 0. 41 and Sd  was 0. 387. If the p-value for this t est is 0. 009, then for a significance level of alpha = 0. 05, are the results statistically significant? A)  No, results are not statistically significant because the p-value < 0. 05. B)  Yes, results are statistically significant because the p-value < 0. 05.C)  No, results are not statistically significant because the p-value > 0. 05   D)  Yes, results are statistically significant because the p-value > 0. 05. Feedback:  Yes, results are statistically significant because the p-value < 0. 05. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 21. The maximum distance at which a highway sign can be read is determined for a sample of young people and a sample of older people. The mean distance is computed for each age group. What is the most appropriate  null  hypothesis about the means of the two groups? A)  The population means are different.B)  The sample means are different. C)  The population means are the same. D)  The sample means are th e same. Feedback:  The null hypothesis, Ho, would indicate that there is no difference and that this would take place in the population. The sample is used to test for a population difference. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 22. The p-value for a one-sided test for a mean was 0. 04. The p-value for the corresponding two-sided test would be: A)  0. 02 B)  0. 04 C)  0. 06 D)  0. 08 Feedback:  When we go from a 1-sided test of hypotheses to a 2-sided test we would double the p-value.Conversely, going from a 2-sided to a 1-sided we would cut the p-value in half. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 23. A shopper wanted to test whether there was a difference in the average waiting times at the check-out counter among 5 different supermarkets. She selected a random sample of 20 shoppers from each of the five supermarkets. What is the alternative hypothesis for this situation? A)  The average waiting time to check out is 25 minutes for all f ive supermarkets. B)  The average waiting time to check out is the same for all five supermarkets.C)  The average waiting time for each of the 100 shoppers is different. D)  The average waiting time to check out is not the same for all five supermarkets. Feedback:  The alternative hypothesis for an ANOVA test is that all the means are not the same, i. e. the means are not all equal. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 24. Which one of the following choices describes a problem for which an analysis of variance would be appropriate? A)  Comparing the proportion of successes for three different treatments of anxiety. Each treatment is tried on 100 patients.B)  Analyzing the relationship between high school GPA and college GPA. C)  Comparing the mean birth weights of newborn babies for three different racial groups. D)  Analyzing the relationship between gender and opinion about capital punishment (favor or oppose). Feedback:  The dependent (response) v ariable needs to be continuous and the different levels of the independent variable need to be mutually exclusive and categorical. This leads to the correct answer of mean birth weights (continuous response) across three racial groups (mutually exclusive, categorical). Points Earned:| 0. /1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 25. A study compared grade point averages (GPA) for students in a class: students were divided by 6 locations where they usually sat during lecture (i. e. left or right front, left or right center, left or right rear). A total sample size of 12 students was studied (2 students from each section) using one-way analysis of variance. What are the numerator and denominator degrees of freedom for the ANOVA F-test? A)  6 for numerator and 12 for denominator. B)  5 for numerator and 11 for denominator. C)  5 for numerator and 6 for denominator.Feedback:  The numerator degrees of freedom are found by taking the number of group levels minus 1 (this case 6 ? 1 = 5) and the denominator degrees of freedom are found by taking the total sample size minus the number of group levels (12 ? 6 = 6) Points Earned:| 0. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 26. A study compared testosterone levels among athletes in four sports: soccer, track, Lacrosse, and water polo. The total sample size was n =30 (10 soccer, 10 track, 5 Lacrosse, and 5 water polo). A one-way analysis of variance was used to compare the population mean levels for the four sports.The sum of squared errors is SS Error = 100. What is the value of the Mean Square Error (MS Error)? A)  10 B)  3. 45 C)  3. 85 Feedback:  The MS Error is equal to the SS Error divided by the Error degrees of freedom (which are equal to the total sample size minus the number of group levels: 30 ? 4 = 26). Therefore, the answer is 100/26 = 3. 85 Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 27. On a survey conducted at a university, students were asked how they felt about their weight (about right, overweight , or underweight), and also were asked to record their grade point average (GPA).There were 235 responses, with 160 saying their weight was about right, 50 said they were overweight, and 17 underweight. The question of interest is whether mean GPA is the same or differs for different weight attitude populations. The test F-statistic value is 4. 98. The p-value of 0. 008 is found by calculating: A)  the area to the right of 4. 98 under an F-distribution with 2 and 232 degrees of freedom. B)  the area to the right of 4. 98 under an F-distribution with 2 and 234 degrees of freedom. C)  the area to the right of 4. 98 under an F-distribution with 2 and 231 degrees of freedom.Feedback:  The p-value is the probability of being greater than the F-statistic or simply the area to the right of the F-statistic with the corresponding degrees of freedom for the group (number of group levels minus 1, or 3 ? 1 = 2) and error (total sample size minus the number of group levels, or 235 ? 3 = 232) Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 28. Ninety people with high cholesterol are randomly divided into three groups of thirty, and a different treatment program for decreasing cholesterol is assigned to each group.The response variable is the change in cholesterol level after two months of treatment. An analysis of variance will be used to compare the three treatments. What null hypothesis is tested by this ANOVA F-test? A)  The sample variances are equal for the three treatment groups. B)  The population variances are equal for the three treatments. C)  The sample means are equal for the three treatment groups. D)  The population means are equal for the three treatments Feedback:  The null hypothesis for an ANOVA test is that all population means are equal. Points Earned:| 0. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 29.A study done by the Center for Academic Integrity at Rutgers University surveyed 2116 students at 21 colleges and universities. Some of the sch ools had an â€Å"honor code† and others did not. Of the students at schools with an honor code, 7% reported having plagiarized a paper via the Internet, while at schools with no honor code, 13% did so. (Sacramento Bee, Feb 29, 2000, D1. ) For this study, which of the following statements about percent increase in risk is correct? A)  There is a 185. 7% increase in the risk of plagiarism at a school with no honor code, compared to a school with an honor code. B)  There is an 85. % increase in the risk of plagiarism at a school with no honor code, compared to a school with an honor code. C)  There is a 53. 8% increase in the risk of plagiarism at a school with no honor code, compared to a school with an honor code. D)  There is a 6% increase in the risk of plagiarism at a school with no honor code, compared to a school with an honor code. Feedback:  The percentage increase is found by taking the difference in risks between one group minus the baseline and then dividi ng this difference by the baseline risk. Here the answer that makes sense is one using the â€Å"with honor† as the baseline.Doing so produces: (13%-7%)/7% = 85. 7% increase in plagiarism from â€Å"with honor† to â€Å"without honor†. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 30. Which of the following variables  COULD  be used in a Chi-Square analysis? A)  Gender B)  Political Party Affiliation C)  Race D)  Age E)  Course Section Number F)  All of the above Feedback:  All are possible as you could categorize age. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| F| 31. A survey looked at the opinions of 321 respondents from the General Social Survey by whether they owned a gun (or not) and whether they favored (or opposed) a law requiring a permit to own a gun.What is the correct  null  hypothesis for this survey? A)  There is  no  relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law perm it   B)  There is  no  relationship  in the sample  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit   C)  There  is  a relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit   D)  There  is  a relationship  in the sample  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit Feedback:  There is  no  relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit Points Earned:| 1. /1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 32. Based on the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the percentage of 17-year olds who ever tried cigarette smoking is 56. 2%. The relative risk of ever smoking for a 17-year old versus a 12-year old is 3. 6. What is the risk of smoking for a 12-year-old (i. e. what was the percentage of 12-year olds who ever tried smoking)? A)  14. 1% B)  15. 6% C)  50. 0% D)  56. 2% Feedback:  You need to use algebra to solve: Relative risk (3. 6) = one group of interest (17 year olds who tried smoking = 56. %) divided by another group of interest (12 year olds who tried smoking and is unknown). Solving for the unknown comes to (3. 6)*(0. 562) = 0. 156 or 15. 6% Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 33. A survey examined the opinions of 321 respondents from the General Social Survey by whether they owned a gun (or not) and whether they favored (or opposed) a law requiring a permit to own a gun. What is the correct  alternative  hypothesis for this survey?A)  There is  no  relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit   B)  There is  no  relationship  in the sample  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit   C)  There  is  a relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit   D)  There  is  a relationship  in the sample  between gun ownership and opinion regard ing gun law permit Feedback:  There  is  a relationship  in the population  between gun ownership and opinion regarding gun law permit Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| |Correct Answer(s):| C| 34. A survey examined the opinions of 1447 respondents in the General Social Survey to the question â€Å"Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder? † The purpose of examining the data is to see if there is a gender difference in how people would respond to this question. State the  null  hypotheses for this study. A)  There is  no  relationship  in the population  between gender and opinion on the death penalty. B)  There is  no  relationship  in the sample  between gender and opinion on the death penalty.C)  There  is  a relationship  in the population  between gender and opinion on the death penalty. D)  There  is  a relationship  in the sample  between gender and opinion on the death penalty. Feedback:   The null hypothesis speaks of no relationship between the variables in the population. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 35. A regression was done for 20 cities with latitude as the explanatory variable (x) and average January temperature as the response variable (y). The latitude is measured in degrees and average January temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.The latitudes ranged from 26 (Miami) to 47 (Duluth) The regression equation is * y = 49. 4 – 0. 313x The city of Miami, Florida has latitude 26 degrees with average January temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. 1. What is the estimated average January temperature for Miami, and  2. based on the regression equation, what is the residual? A)  Estimated January temperature is 36. 88 and the residual is – 11. 88   B)  Estimated January temperature is 36. 88 and the residual is 11. 88   C)  Estimated January temperature is 41. 3 and the residual is – 25.    D)  Estimated January te mperature is 41. 3 and the residual is 25. 7 Feedback:  The estimated January temperature is 41. 3 degrees Fahrenheit. The residual is 25. 7 degrees (residual = observed minus predicted) Points Earned:| 0. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| D| 36. Which of the following correlations indicates a stronger linear relationship between two variables? A)  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 0. 90 B)  0. 75 C)  0. 50 D)  1. 25 Feedback:  The correct answer is -0. 90. Recall that the  value  of the correlation indicates the strength and this value cannot be less than – 1 nor greater than + 1 (thus ruling out 1. 5 as an answer). The negative sign just indicates the direction of the relationship (positive or negative) and has no bearing on the strength of the relationship. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| A| 37. What is the effect of an outlier on the value of a correlation coefficient? A)  An outlier will always decrease a correlation coefficient. B)  An outlier will always increa se a correlation coefficient. C)  An outlier might either decrease or increase a correlation coefficient, depending on where it is in relation to the other points.D)  An outlier will have no effect on a correlation coefficient. Feedback:  See the lecture notes! Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 38. A group of adults aged 20 to 80 were tested to see how far away they could first hear an ambulance coming towards them. An equation describing the relationship between distance (in feet) and age was found to be: * Distance = 600 – 3 ? Age Based on the equation, what is the direction of the association between distance and age? A)  Positive B)  Negative C)  ZeroD)  Direction can’t be determined from the equation. Feedback:  The direction of an association can be ascertained by considering the sign of the slope. Since the slope is negative then so is the association. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| B| 39. Past data has shown t hat the regression line relating the final exam score and the midterm exam score for students who take statistics from a certain professor is * final exam = 50 + 0. 5 ? midterm For a student with a midterm score of 50, the predicted final exam score is: A)  50.B)  50. 5. C)  75. D)  100. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| 40. Which of the following is a possible values of R2  indicates the strongest linear relationship between two quantitative variables? A)  -90% B)  0% C)  80% D)  120% Feedback:  Remember that the range of R2  is from 0 to 100%. Thus 80% would indicate the strongest linear relationship, i. e. correlation, based on the square root of 0. 8 is greater than the square root or 0. Points Earned:| 1. 0/1. 0| | Correct Answer(s):| C| Bottom of Form

Friday, November 8, 2019

The rise of Ngo Dinh Diem essays

The rise of Ngo Dinh Diem essays The story of the Vietnam conflict is one that will forever mark an important part of the world's history. The Vietnam conflict divided the world firmly into two camps, supporters of the south and supporters of the north. Ngo Dinh Diem was the president of South Vietnam for several years. During his reign the United States and other nation voiced strong opinions about his rise to power, and the actions he took once he was president. Diem spent his life preparing for that power, and the historical events just before he took over helped cement his ability to install himself as leader, to a nation, that would go down in history as one of the most stubborn and strong nations on earth. His rise to power cumulated in a United States sanctioned overthrow of then Emperor Bao Dai in 1955[1]. He then spent almost a decade at the helm of the nation while practicing oppressive and demanding politics. He cancelled democratic elections to insure that the competition would not be voted in. He was assassinated in 1963[2]. For one to understand how he became as powerful as he did and what allowed him to over through an in place regime one must understand the events that led to his rise in power. It is important to understand the life of Ngo Dinh Diem so that one can begin to understand what drove him to the power he Diem was born in a city called Hue which was the original capital of the Ngyuen Dynasty Vietnam. When he grew into a young man he became a civil servant in the Emperor government of Bao Dai[4]. He was a strong nationalist and was said to speak out as an anti communist throughout his initial adult life. Diem was not a stranger...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to Prepare for Private School Admissions Tests

How to Prepare for Private School Admissions Tests Unlike most public schools, not everyone who wants to attend, can. In fact, theres an application process, and as part of that process, most private schools require some kind of test for admission, particularly for the middle and upper grades. Independent day schools usually require the ISEE, or Independent School Entrance Exam, while boarding schools often require the SSAT, or Secondary School Admissions Test. Some schools will accept both, and still, others, have their own tests. For example, Catholic schools require different tests, such as the TACHs or the COOP or HSPT. But these entrance exams dont need to be stressful or be an obstacle to obtaining a private school education. Check out these general strategies to prepare for a private school admission test: Get a Test Prep Book Using a test prep book is a great way to get more familiar with the test itself. It gives you a chance to look over the structure of the test and get a sense of the sections that are required, which usually consist of reading, verbal reasoning (such as identifying the word that is synonymous, or the same as, the given word), and math or logic. Some tests also require a writing sample, and the test prep book will offer some prompts similar to what you might experience when you take it for real. The book will also help you get a sense of the format of the sections and the time allotted for each. While the various admission test organizations typically offer review books and practice tests that can be purchased. You may even be able to find online practice tests and sample questions for free. Take Timed Practice Tests Practice taking the test under simulated conditions, by giving yourself only as much time as the test allows. Be sure to pay attention to how you pace yourself on each section and note if you are taking too much time, or if you are rushing. Instead of getting hung up on one question, mark any question you are unsure about and go back to it when youve finished the other questions. This practice helps you get used to the environment in which the test will be given and prepare you to better manage your time and practice test-taking strategies. If you practice the entire test session, meaning, you simulate the full timed test experience, with breaks, it also helps you adjust to spending that much time sitting and working in one place. This lack of ability to get up and move around can be an adjustment for many students, and some truly need to practice sitting still and being quiet for that long.   Boost Your Weak Areas If you find that you are consistently getting certain types of test questions wrong, go back and correct those areas. For example, you may need to work on one area of math, such as fractions or percentages, or you may need to work on improving and expanding your vocabulary by making flash cards with the most commonly used vocabulary words on these tests, which are available in the test review books. Hire a Tutor if Necessary If you cannot boost your scores on your own, consider hiring a tutor or taking a test-prep course. Be sure that the tutor has experience preparing students for the test you are taking and do all the homework and practice tests that are part of the course to get the most out of it. Chances are, youre missing out on key strategies rather than needing to learn more, so a tutor who is skilled in the test itself is more important than a tutor experienced in English or math.   Read the Directions Carefully This seems obvious but is often an important strategy for test-taking success. Students often read the questions incorrectly or skip them completely, which may mean that even though they know the answers to the questions, they get them wrong. Its important to make sure you slow down and read the directions carefully and even underline KEY words such as EXCEPT or ONLY to make sure you are answering exactly what each question asks. Sometimes, there are hints right within the question itself! Get Ready for Test Day Know what you need for test day, including the proper identification and writing implements. And, dont forget to eat breakfast; you dont want a rumbling tummy distracting you (or people around you) during the test. Have the directions to your test site ready, and arrive early so that you can use the restroom and get settled in your seat. Be sure to also dress in layers, as temperatures in testing rooms can vary; its helpful to be able to add a sweater or coat if youre cold or remove your sweater or coat if the room is warm. Proper footwear can also be helpful, as cold toes when wearing flip flops could be a distraction if the room is cool. Once youre there and settled into your seat, be sure to familiarize yourself with the room. Know where the doors are, find the clock in the room, and get comfortable. When the test begins, be sure to listen carefully to the directions that the test proctor reads, and fill in the test sheet properly, as directed. Do not skip ahead! Wait for directions, as disobeying the instructions that are given could result in disqualifying you from the exam. During each section testing period, pay close attention to the time, and be sure to check that your test guide and answer sheet question numbers correspond. Bring snacks and water so that you can refresh yourself during breaks. Follow these guidelines, and youre sure to have a positive test-taking experience. If you dont you can always take the test more than once. Go online to the test organizations site to see how often you may take the exam, and if there are any restrictions you need to be aware of before you register for a second or third testing date. Good luck! Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Emergency Response to Nuclear Disasters Research Proposal

Emergency Response to Nuclear Disasters - Research Proposal Example Nearly three million people live within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of an operating nuclear power plant.1 Nuclear power plants use the heat generated from nuclear fission in a contained environment to convert water to steam, which powers generators to produce electricity, also producing by-products in the wake of this procedure like, radiation and release radioactive particles into the air which can be harmful to people, animals, crops, and the environment overall. Mutation of humans and animals, deaths of plants and infection of various species resulting in an entire food chain getting irrevocably poisoned, severely erosive acid rain, contamination of the water cycle and air as radioactive particles diffuse into the surrounding regions are some of the many devastating effects that disrupt the ecosystem of our planet. Although the construction and operation of nuclear power plants are closely monitored and regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), accidents at these plants are possible due to flaws in the design of the power plant, human error of the operators and electrical engineers involved etc. The worrying thing about these power stations is that when something goes wrong due to human error or a fault not fixed, an irreversibly massive accident can occur destroying many kilometers of area in its vicinity, contaminating it almost forever. The magnitude of its effects is determined by the amount of radiation released from the explosion, wind direction and speed, and weather condition. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945) nuclear bombings, two of the most famous nuclear accidents at these power stations occurred at the Chernobyl reactor 4 (Ukraine - 1986) in the former Soviet Union and the Three Mile Island (US - 1979) reactor 2 in the United States. Categorized as the most intense nuclear disaster ever, the Chernobyl nuclear explosion (1986) destroyed the unit in its entirety and released an incredible amount of radiated fallout, into the environment resulting in about 600000 deaths due to radiation exposure as revealed by IAEA and WHO studies with 56 direct deaths off the explosion. The 4000 cancer deaths due to exposure to nuclear carcinogens are just a meager part of the expected 100000 fatalities. The after effects of this nuclear power plant disaster were Nuclear rain in places like Ireland as the radioactive fallout traveled over an extensive geographical area spreading all through the Western Europe in just a span of 1 week resulting in contamination in large areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Four square kilometers of pine land forests turned brown and died in addition to numerous animal deaths and the remaining badly poisoned with thyroid and reproductive problems, now known as the 'Red Forest'. However, the later g enerations did not suffer these problems. About 336000 people's evacuation, resettling due to this tragedy and the horrendous large scale loss of life and lifestyle pose nuclear power catastrophe as one of the most irreversibly destructive threats in this contemporary society of technological development where precautions and safety measures direly need to be adopted to avoid a bigger loss.The Kyshtym (1957) disaster in a Russian nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Mayak, the Windscale fire (UK - 1957)

Friday, November 1, 2019

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Project - Essay Example Also known as innate needs, these are vital for the survival of an individual. Psychogenic Needs are more acquired in nature – they include the need for social belongingness, recognition and self-esteem. (Solomon, M.R., Dann, S., Dann, S. & Russell-Bennett, R. 2007). Motive, on the other hand, is an intensified need. One can argue that the reason(s) for which people are moving in numbers to the online communities and different online groups and platforms are more of an acquired nature. The internet has been successful in giving acceptance, love, and self-fulfillment as achievements to separate individuals. Every need brings along an appropriate and distinct goal into the limelight. The specific goals are often interdependent on specific variables like the person’s age, gender, experience, prevailing cultural values and norms, and the degree to which the goal is accessible in the present social setup. (Farrior M., August 2005) Social communities often help the individual to set up specific goals for themselves which might not have been possible for them to set for themselves in the real world. A person sets a goal for losing a few pounds, which he is unable to accomplish in real life. However the internet provides him with the option of being the real ‘Marlboro Man’ – lean, rugged and handsome. So it, in turn, helps him to achieve the goal of becoming accepted due to bringing up a new identity for him. (Jonathan L., 2002). Second Life goes further than the online communities, it is a virtual world, which is accessible by users online. Users develop their own avatars, or profiles, and interact with other users. They lead a complete life online – they socialize, travel, participate in activities, own and trade in commodities, and can even enjoy live music and theatre (Au, W. J., 2008)! Second Life is an online, multi-user, fully integrated,