Firewall Security - 2321 Words

FIREWALL SECURITY This reports looks at what a firewall is, and how it works. It also looks at what security risks can be stopped by a firewall in a computer system. Most people think that a firewall is where all data traffic on the internet has to go through between networks, as shown in Figure 1.1 [pic] What is a firewall? In network security, firewall is considered a first line of defense in protecting private information. A firewall sits at the junction point, or gateway, between the two networks, which are often a private network and a public network such as the Internet. (John V. Harrison, Hal Berghel, 2004, A Protocol Layer Survey of Network Security). It is a system designed to prevent certain access to or from another†¦show more content†¦The purpose of the firewall is to monitor the connection state. It then decides whether to permit or deny the data traffic. If the data passed is not matched to the state of conversation, or if the data is not in the state table, then this data is dropped. This is called ‘stateful inspection’. Access authentication provided by firewalls For authentication, firewalls use different types of mechanisms. 1 – Firewalls use usernames and passwords. When a connection receives authentication and authorisation once, then the user is not asked this information again. 2 – Certificates and public keys are also used for authorisation and authentication. 3 – Authentication can be handled through pre shared keys. These are better than certificates as they are less complex and easier to implement. The time it takes to authenticate is the same whether it is a certificate or a pre shared key. A pre shared host is issued with a predetermination key which is used for authentication. There is only one problem with a pre shared key: that it rarely changes. There are many organisations that use the same key to manage multiple remote hosts. This could be a security threat for the organisation. If a host firewall is not successful in its authentication, then the packet will be dropped. Role of a firewall as intercessor A firewall can act as an intercessor to help with the communication process between two hosts. This process is known as Proxy andShow MoreRelatedFirewall And The Security Levels1172 Words   |  5 Pagesserved by network security. The security levels can be classified into two they are low level security and high level security. Network security includes many components and firewall is one such component that protects a network from various threats. Everything in the existing world has got faults with it, similarly there are certain flaws in the firewall policies (Wool. A,2004). Due to these flaws in the policies associated for the firewall, it results in two scenarios of firewall failure. One isRead MoreFirewalls And Infrastructure Security1201 Words   |  5 PagesFirewalls and Infrastructure Security A firewall is a network device, hardware, software, or a combination of the two, whose purpose is to enforce a security policy across its connections. It is comparable to a wall that has a window where the wall serves to keep things out, except those permitted through the window. A security policy acts like the glass in the window; it permits some things to pass, light, while blocking others, air. The heart of a firewall is the security policy that it enforcesRead MoreSecurity Features Of A Firewall1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe first requirement is that the company must install and maintain a firewall that is properly configured to protect cardholders’ data. All computer systems shall be protected from unauthorized access by untrusted networks. A firewall shall be always be used when entering the system from the Internet as e-commerce, employee Internet access through a desktop browser, employee-email access, a dedicated connection such as business-to-business connections, via wireless networks, or other sources. ThereRead MoreFirewall Security Policy Pathways Industries1367 Words   |  6 PagesFirewall Security Policy Pathways Industries Security Policy Pathways Industries defines its Security Policies based on the risk assessment performed for the security of its assets, partners, and clients to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of data. Compliance to these security policies by Pathways Industries personnel is mandatory. Any breech of these policies could lead to disciplinary measures up to and including separation from the company. Pathways Industries will provide trainingRead MoreFirewall Security Policy : Pathways Industries1367 Words   |  6 PagesFirewall Security Policy Pathways Industries Security Policy Pathways Industries defines its Security Policies based on the risk assessment performed for the security of its assets, partners, and clients to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of data. Compliance to these security policies by Pathways Industries personnel is mandatory. Any breech of these policies could lead to disciplinary measures up to and including separation from the company. Pathways Industries will provide trainingRead MoreComputer Network Security and Firewall Essay example2024 Words   |  9 PagesPrincipals of Information Security 4th Edition Questions Chapter 6 Questions 1. What is the typical relationship among the untrusted network, the firewall, and the trusted network? The relationship is that data is only limited to what firewalls allow via specific places called â€Å"ports†. There is the untrusted network on the outside, then the firewall which prevents unwanted or suspicious connections, and the trusted network is what lies within the bounds of the firewall. 2. What is the relationshipRead MoreTraditional Datacenter Security : Using Edge Firewall, Neutral Territories ( Dmz )814 Words   |  4 Pages7.7 Traditional Datacenter Security The saying datacenter has since a long time ago evoked pictures of huge server cultivates behind bolted entryways, where power and cooling were as imperative as system security to keep up dependability and accessibility of information. Edge security controls are the most widely recognized methodology taken for customary datacenter security. This methodology normally incorporates edge firewall, neutral territories (DMZ), system division, system interruptionRead MoreSecurity Policies And Firewalls Essay1432 Words   |  6 PagesSecurity Policies and Firewalls Thesis Statement: This paper will try to prove that the improper management of firewalls and the lack of strong security policies used in enterprises will cause data breaches from within the enterprises. To try and prove this, the paper will shed light on various data breach scams that occurred to companies such as Target, Home Depot, Ashley Madison and OPM. It will also try to create a model for ideal security policy making for companies in the e-commerce domainRead MoreA Brief Note On Firewalls And Network Security954 Words   |  4 PagesJoshua Theophilus Jacqueline Stanton ITSA 255-4121 23 November 2015 Firewalls and Network Security The cyberspace has become a major concern to all stakeholders in view of persistent threats and attacks to IT infrastructures around the globe. Individuals, corporate entities and even governments have become victims of anonymous attacks in one form or the other. As a result of these, security professionals have continued to design and implement policies that can help protect valuable assets and vitalRead MoreNetwork Security : Complete Guide to Firewall2383 Words   |  10 PagesCONTENTS Introduction 2 – 3 What Is a Firewall? 3 – 4 Types of Attack 4 - 5 Firewall Technologies 5 – 6 Choosing a Firewall 7 – 8 Conclusion 8 – 9 Abstract The world is surging towards a digital revolution where computer networks mediate every aspect of modern life. Not many years ago, most computers were carefully guarded mainframes, held tightly in the hands of skilled professionals. The systems and their guardians combined to provide ironclad

Racial Differences Between African Americans And Europeans

Morrison expounds on this by explaining that racial characters like that in books and novels are formed by an African presence, a presence that has a three parts towards its development. The first part is through the â€Å"hierarchic difference† between African-Americans and Europeans, which was established years ago and is the simplest feature of the development. Basically, it is the established belief of Europeans’ academic dominance over that of Africans, and the view of Africans as ignorant and savage beast, not even humans. This belief is indeed how slavery was formed. The second stage of the construction of Africanist is a bit more complex. This one is involved the cracks and uncertain nature of Africans; this aspect involved the fear of â€Å"What If?† As in what if Africans gained the knowledge to read and write, or what if they figure out that being enslaved is indeed wrong and that the form together an army to fight back and gain their independence from slavery. The third and final stage of this construction process is the use of African American characters, or any character that is of darker skin, and create the image of them being evil or immoral or impure in comparison to Europeans and those of lighter skin tone. All three stages combined creates the American Africanist that has caused many literary works be thrown away and lost in history with other historical significance that the African race had a hand in the development of the United States of America. There are soShow MoreRelatedWhen Faced With The Debate Between The Relationship Between1326 Words   |  6 PagesWhen faced with the debate between the relationship between slavery and racism, scholars often use two arguments that attempt to provide an answer of whether or not slavery produced racism or racism was a necessary precursor to slavery. Some authors address the relationship between slavery and racism by exploring the economics behind slavery while relating it back to the development of chattel slavery and racism. Others explore how the views Europeans had on Africans prior to the mass enslavementRead MoreAmerican Antropological Association Statement on Race1590 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Anthropological Association Statement on Race (May 17, 1998) The following statement was adopted by the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association, acting on a draft prepared by a committee of representative American anthropologists. It does not reflect a consensus of all members of the AAA, as individuals vary in their approaches to the study of race. We believe that it represents generally the contemporary thinking and scholarly positions of a majority of anthropologistsRead MoreRacial Inequality797 Words   |  4 PagesRacial inequality is regrettably imbedded in the history of the United States. Americans like to think of the American colonies as the start or founding of the quest for freedom, initially, the ending of religious oppression and later political and economic liberty. Yet, from the start, the fabric of American society was equally founded on brutal forms of supremacy, inequality and oppression which involved the absolute denial of freedom for slaves. This is one of the great paradoxes of American historyRead M oreAnalysis Of Kenan Malik s The Meaning Of Race : Race, History And Culture906 Words   |  4 Pagesrehabilitation of a real but directly unobtainable thing.† Based on Broca’s statements, it is difficult to classify humans into racial categories because the definition of what makes a person a member of a particular race differs from region to region around the world. Scientists have collected data about the genetic make-up of people around the world in an effort to ascertain a person’s racial identity. Some groups of people do differ genetically from others, however, the methods used to categorized people dependRead More The Development of Racism Essay1259 Words   |  6 Pagesranks these attributes in a hierarchy of superiority and inferiority (Blum 5). It can be directly linked to the past and still, centuries later, serves as a painful reminder that race continues to be one of the sharpest and deepest divisions in American life (Loewen 138). What were the causes of racism? How did it develop historically? In order to answer those complex questions, I plan to examine the conditions of Americas history from colonialism to present day society. It was these conditionsRead MoreRace Class Gender 456 Final Exam1311 Words   |  6 Pagescharacterized by ethnocentrism, competition, and a differential in power, then some form of racial or ethnic stratification will result (Healey O Brien, 2015, p. 104). In this hypothesis, the contact situation is the initial contact of the groups and results in a dominant and minority group. Ethnocentrism is defined by our tendency to judge other groups or cultures based upon our own standards establishing boundaries between â€Å"us† and â€Å"them†. If these boundaries are positive the groups will coexist peacefullyRead MoreEssay on Who is White?1706 Words   |  7 Pagesof race to a work called, â€Å"Who is White? Latinos, Asians, and the New Black/Nonblack Divide.† â€Å"Who Is White?† looks at the evolving significance and idea of racial relations in the United States. In class, we learned that there is no such concept of minority without the concept of majority. In the United States, the European Americans, the whites, are the majority. They have been the majority and will be the majority. They are the dominant group and although the numbers of other races areRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1087 Words   |  5 Pagessuperiority to people of other ethnicities, have been distinguishably present in European societies as well as America throughout the last several centuries. The beginnings of racial difference can be traced back to the Age of Exploration, during which England was expanding its trading routes and was highly involved with trade in Africa. The English traders noticed distinguishing differences between themselves and the African people, both in physical appearance and cultural primitiveness. It wasRead MoreSocial Construction of Race and How It Affects Society Essay740 Words   |  3 Pages race is often referred to as a social construct. The differences in skin color and facial characteristics have led most of society to classify humans into groups instead of individuals. These constructs affect us all, and they often result in situations where majority racial groups cause undue suffering to those that are part of the minority. The understanding of race as a social construct is best illustrated by the examination of racial issues within our own culture, specifically those that haveRead MoreRacism And The Pursuit Of Happiness Ess ay1547 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the history of America, racism has been a major issue. The matter of racism has created a divide amongst many Americans and that divide continues to exist to this day. The United States has always taken pride in being recognized as the melting pot of the world. Although one downfall to having so many different cultures concentrated in one area is that there is a high probability that those cultures will clash. In return, this creates conflict and prejudices towards one another. On the

Security Breaches in Healthcare

Question: 1. Write a critical essay summarizing the two cases. Using what you have learned from this course, identify the principal threats in each of these cases and what could have been done to minimize these threats? 2. Critique the plan you have written, identifying its strengths, elements that were not covered in the text, and any additional omissions or weaknesses of the plan? Answer: 1. Security breaches are becoming a vital issue in healthcare system of the increasing population of the existing world. Peoples should be more aware about the medical related issues in healthcare industries, as the industries plagued by information security breaches (Biegelman, 2009). According to the survey, Anthem healthcare states that approximately 80 million customer and member of staff records are stolen or altered. These are a very vital threat to the healthcare system of the world. The healthcare system is a valuable target of the cyber criminals as because of the possessions of exploitable data of the medical record. The health insurance companies fetched 80 million records of the Americans; these records includes information about personal information, identification numbers, social security numbers ,address , job description an income details. These causes in criminals use the stolen information for financial achievement. The records are helpful in getting services at hos pitals; attain doctor, emergency rooms and pharmacies. This may lead to a negative impact on the healthcare system. The healthcare organisation has reported that 1100 security breaches happened, over 120 million patient records from 2009 onwards. The South Carolina Department of Health faced a great threat when an employee arrested for compiling of data on more than 228,000 people and sent it to his own email account (Hoyt, Yoshihashi Bailey, 2012). Howard University Hospital also faced such kind of problems. St. Joseph Health System, in California introduced 31,800 patients of a probable security breach at three of their organizations of the state. There are many more examples of the organisations facing the threat of Security breaches. The most recent attack on Beacon Health System, the cyber forensic team discovered a unauthorised access to the employee email account. The most affected by the breach are Memorial Hospital of South Bend or Elkhart General Hospitals (Klosek, 2011). In healthcare system, the use of health and related information is a important aspect. The exploit of health information technology in this process is a reason of health breaches in healthcare. However, the use of these new technologies is very helpful for the customer in different respects. To eliminate the risk to customer privacy , the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) introduced national standards for the safety of the customer privacy. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces the rules and established audit program to assess the pedals ('Major breaches and flaws hit gamblers, airline, bank and healthcare organisations', 2015). 2. In order to eliminate these kinds of issues related to the public healthcare system, the organisation should give priority to the security of the in formations of the patient. The security professional should be more active for impenetrable devices and software against the criminals. According to the report of 2014, Data Breach Investigation states that 46% of all breaches were, done via theft or loss, 15 % from insider abuse incident and 9% generated from the aspect of point-of-sale intrusion (Shoniregun, Dube Mtenzi, 2010). According to the question asked in the part of the project, how security system of a medium sized organisation should planned in order to avoid these kinds of issues. Therefore, through following ways a organisation should respond to avoid security breaches (Trinckes, 2013). The organisation should immediately contact IT professional, if there is any suspicion of attack on the data system. The organisation should be always in contact with the communication experts, IT security forensic teams and the breach support team. The organisation must have a department for the quick response for the threat before the specialist. The breach response team should be active and prepared for the worst scenarios. In order to eliminate the issue, the team should work closely with the IT professionals to disconnect the breach system from the database and servers. By doing this, the controller can restrict the criminal within the boundaries. The goal is limit the damage at the certain level for further data breaches in the organisation. The organisation should arrange training programmes to train the working staff in order to avoid information breaching in the organisation. This will help the organisation to do necessary step before the special came to work. The organisation must ensure that the effected parties should be, notified and parallel investigation system should be, implemented in order to meet the needs of the affected parties. References Biegelman, M. (2009).Identity theft handbook. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Hoyt, R., Yoshihashi, A., Bailey, N. (2012).Health informatics. [Raleigh, N.C.]: Lulu.com. Klosek, J. (2011).Protecting your health privacy. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger. Major breaches and flaws hit gamblers, airline, bank and healthcare organisations. (2015).Computer Fraud Security,2015(5), 1-3. doi:10.1016/s1361-3723(15)30031-2 Shoniregun, C., Dube, K., Mtenzi, F. (2010).Electronic healthcare information security. New York: Springer. Trinckes, J. (2013).The definitive guide to complying with the HIPAA/HITECH privacy and security rules. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press.

What are the logistical difficulties of the coalition action and what was the medias role Essay Example

What are the logistical difficulties of the coalition action and what was the medias role Essay On Wednesday the 19th of March 2003, America and England declared war on Iraq. They felt this to be necessary in order to stop Saddam Husseins Evil regime as he tells around 4 million people each year, they also thought war to be necessary in order to liberate the Iraqi people. Another reason they felt the need to proceed with this war because intelligence leads the politicians to believe that Saddam has chemical, biological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction which he uses to torture his own people. There are many more reasons for war, for example, Hussein is an evil dictator and has been treating his people badly for over 20 years and Iraqis have therefore been living in fear.Saddam also supports suicide bombers by paying their families large sums of money. Iraq has been committing war crimes for many years now while the world has tried to be tolerant. It is also important to remove Saddams power or end his reign before he attacks England, America, or any of the other countries in the United Nations in a form of revenge. U.S troops have found factories where the bombs were made including a chemical plant in the south of Baghdad. This war is also needed in order to make Iraq a democratic country so they can elect the own leader and make Iraqi people safe and stop Saddam from killing his own people, and using their money to pay for their torture and sometimes, their murder.However, many people disagree with the war and they show this by protesting. Most would say the reasons for not going to war greatly outweigh the reasons for war. Here are the majority of them. It would cost at least 19,000 pounds to make the necessary amount of bombs and this could be much more useful resources such as medical or educational equipment. Out of all U.S. military, over 51 have been killed and 14 are missing. Out of U.K. military, more than 12 troops are dead, and over 30 are missing. From Iraqi military, in excess of 1,500 have been killed , of the civilians the figures of prisoners of war that have been killed, injured or missing in action has risen to 5,898,000. Nearly 24,000 were killed or injured by daisy cutter bombs. So far there have been over 10,000 deaths each day. 9 news presenters have been killed, and two are missing. None of these deaths were necessary, they are the result of a war that most do not want, of find to be justified.People think that Tony Blair and George Bush are seeking revenge and probably have a hidden motive for this war. One of these could be that once the war is over, America will have to rebuild Iraq, when this is done, Iraq will then owe the U.S.A however much money they spent to rebuild Iraq. Iraq does not and will not have enough money to do this, so they will probably pay them with petroleum, as they are extremely rich in this source.There are three saying that have been used in protests against this war, The first isIncrease the peace make love not war.The second is,It is a war of hungry tiger and tied donkey (Ira q being the tied donkey)And the third is,Two wrongs dont make a rightEach of these sayings have a meaning behind them. The first one, I think, speaks for itself, is saying that whatever the situation, we should strive to achieve greater peace rather than retaliate or head for war as a resolution. The third saying tells us that you can not fight an injustice with an injustice, and quoting Martin Luther King,I truly believe that the eye for an eye method will ultimately leave everybody blind.Finally the second saying, this has the most meaning of the three as it shows that Iraqis have no choice but to fight, even though they will ultimately loose the war, no matter what they do, as they are too weak and they do not have the necessary equipment, soldiers or protection that they should if they were to stand a chance.There is one last very popular saying used in protests against war in Iraq,Not in my nameThis is a very powerful statement because as our leader and prime minister, Tony Bla ir should do as Great Britain wish, but by using this quote, they are saying that this war is not in our name and that he does not have the support of over 80% of the British population to go through and follow Bushs footsteps to war, he is doing what he wants to do but he is not fulfilling the wishes of Great Britain as a whole and so he is abusing his position and is not doing his job as he should be.Some people oppose the war because they do not want higher taxes, as this is what will happen when the war is over in order in order to afford the money rebuild Iraq. Others just do not agree with the suffering. For example one Iraqi man has lost eleven members of his family. Many children are malnourished and without families. Also, the body of an Iraqi baby was found on a main street and U.S troops give baby Muslims burials. For the few babies born since the war began, thousands have been killed. One particular boy called Ali Abbas was at home when a bomb went of very near by, his p arents and both of his brothers were killed, he himself was left without arms., Ali has become a bit of an icon of the suffering of Iraqis as he is one of thousands of children who have been injured and/or orphaned.Some disagree because it goes against general convention, the U.N did not want the war, and it goes against the rules of religion. Also they do not think that families should have been destroyed, due to the harm caused by some of the 2,000 lb TNTs or daisy cutter bombs, which have already killed over 24,000 people.Many people see it to be unnecessary for the U.S to have done some of the things they have, for example, they have bombed radio and TV stations in order to stop bias opinions being broadcast. They believe that the media lies, and that there are many innocent people that have been disabled, injured or even killed, and also that many women and children have been harmed both physically and emotionally, and some even mentally.However many families who have relatives in the war fear that they will become prisoners of war and be tortured on TV as other people and U.S troops have been.Logistical issues are all about tactics, problems, equipment, conditions and planning.Tactics were crucial in this war because in order for the U.S.A and the U.K to be successful, they had to think carefully about how they would overcome any obstacles that they could be faced with. They decided to do the following.They would stay in the deserts of Basra, and when Iraq were still not yet prepared the were going to slowly accelerate towards the centre of Baghdad, the capital city. On their route they would destroy anything that represented Saddam Husseins power such as portraits, statues, patches of land, houses or palaces or even his property. Once they are in Baghdad they will attempt to cease Saddam Hussein and his workers, in order to end the reign of Saddam Hussein and his evil ways.Some of the conditions that might cause problems for the troops are 24 hour sands torms which are also costly for the government who now have to fund for gas masks for each of the troops, these average out at around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12 each.Also the extreme heat could cause some annoyance as it is estimated that 10% of troops that will die, will die from some sort of heat related death.There are quite a few problems that may occur for the soldiers. Some of these are listed here. Supplies are a major issue. Important substances such as petrol, food and water take a long time to get to the soldiers as the tanks can only travel 30 miles a day. This is because the lorries behind them cannot drive through soft terrain, therefore the tanks have to build makeshift roads that the lorries can handle, therefore slowing down the tanks and all of the supplies. Supplies can also be slowed down by the narrow roads in Iraq, which are too narrow for the tanks to fit through. This would mean that the tanks would have to turn back and take a different route, therefore delaying the supp lies. Also if sand gets in the weapons they will be destroyed and with the sandstorms, this is hard to prevent. Another problem is the Iraqi people, because at the end of this, when they have removed Saddam, if the Iraqi people will not stand up for themselves and join America in their campaign, then all of the money, effort and lives would have been wasted.Their plan was also very important as they had to make sure they had gained the trust of the Iraqis as the last attempt to overthrow Saddam, led by George Bush Senior, ended in failure as the U.S backed out of Iraq too early, this led to Saddam Hussein slaughtering and torturing the millions of Iraqi people who stood up against him.The allied forces have a great range of weapons which they will use. These not only consist of riffles and batons, but also of B52 bombers, tanks and many more. However these must not be used in the wrong way, for example one bomb was dropped in a market square in the centre of Baghdad, killing many in nocent civilians and injuring even more.The media has played a critical role in this war. They have kept us informed about the war every day. Sky news even cut off all normal news, adverts and programs to make itself a 24 hour news report channel on the war in Iraq. This would have cost Sky a lot of money because they get the majority of their profit from companies and their advertisements, or television producing organisations for their items.When it comes to the newspapers, there have only been two newspapers that have been blatantly against the war on Iraq. They are The mirror and The evening standard. These two newspapers both constantly been writing everything that went wrong ended with innocent deaths or injuries, in order to try to change the opinions of the members of the public who did not oppose the war.The sun has supported the war from the get go. They have, on the contrary of the other two papers, made frequent positive remarks and reports on the war, and have made excu ses for any negative stories.Apart from the three newspapers that I have mentioned above , all the other have been very unbiased and seemingly quite honest. Many program timetables have been altered to broadcast as much up-to-date information as frequently as possible. The radio have allocated four different radio stations to broadcast 24hour reports in Arabic, for the first two, and the other two are in English. Finally music channels like MTV have banned all songs and videos that contain anything war related such as Madonnas song American lifeThe media reports in Iraq have been minimal as the Americans destroyed the broadcasting building in an attempt to stop biased reports.I believe that this war is wrong because it is not a war of religions, beliefs or truth as we would be led to believe, but a war of politics, and limbs, lives and families should not be hurt, destroyed or lo0st, for politics.

Learning to Write by Reading

Learning to Write by Reading Learning to Write by Reading Learning to Write by Reading By Michael You might think avoiding other influences makes you a more original writer. But nobody can write in a vacuum. Even the meanings of words depend on how others have used them. You didnt invent the English language. Everything you write, you learned from someone else, even if only from your first grade teacher. Only when youre aware of your influences as a writer can you transcend them, instead of unconsciously copying them. Instead, reading other writers (which you already do) and learning from their style will help you develop your own, original style. Besides improving your vocabulary, it will give you a wider array of tools from which you can choose. You may recognize your own style as you read someone elses. Or you may learn what you dont want to sound like. Choosing your influences Which writers should an aspiring writer read? You should read the great ones there, thats vague enough. Start with the classics of world literature, because many people over many years have confirmed theyre worth reading. You can search Google for greatest writers of all time to see a list. Include modern authors as well, because thats what you are. My colleague Mark Nichol suggests four books that demonstrate specific writing skills. But be warned: take advice on what writers to read, but not whom you must imitate. You can never be anyone but yourself. In 18th century England, everyone thought they needed to write like Lord Chesterfield, but that was a bad idea even in the 18th century. Imitate the writers you want to be like its more profound than it sounds. As Ive said before, you are what you read. Reading influences your style, and as you discover your true style, you have an obligation to keep developing it. Even great writers might be imitated for the wrong reasons. Perhaps another writers uniqueness shouldnt be imitated, since you have your own. Perhaps he or she can get away with breaking rules that you and I shouldnt try to, not until we become more skilled. Until we do, no wonder our writing doesnt quite work. Or it might be a writers persona that draws us, rather than their skill. Many aspiring writers long to be irreverent free-spirits, but that doesnt make them good writers. Mixing a drink like Ernest Hemingway will not make you write like him. (Hemingway himself retorted, Have you ever heard of anyone who drank while he worked? You’re thinking of Faulkner. He does sometimes.) Some great literary figures were great partly because of their suffering, and you may not want that. Some of them were mentally ill. Imitate writers because of how they write, not because of what they write about. Some writers became popular only because they landed on the popular side of popular controversies. As Kurt Vonnegut wrote about his fictitious novelist Kilgore Trout, His prose was frightful. Only his ideas were good.† Other writers camouflage their bad ideas with excellent writing, but its dangerous to imitate interesting writers who write badly. Developing your tools Choose the writers who can do what you want to do, so you can learn how to do it yourself. Like many people, my favorite writer Connie Willis could never guess the murderer in Agatha Christie novels. She wanted to learn how to surprise her readers too, so she studied Agatha Christies plots to figure out how she did it, and it paid off. Now critics call her a novelist who can plot like Agatha Christie. If youre writing within a genre, you need to learn the genre, but its more important to learn the skills. In other words, dont say, Okay, I like J.R.R. Tolkien, so I want to learn to write about orcs. Orcs have been done enough already. If you really want to give orcs a fresh face (and orcs are not known for their facial beauty), you first need to learn to write about evil, or danger, or enemies. So find authors who understand those things, whatever their genre. If you are organizing a dangerous quest, you dont need to imitate the way Gandalf organized one in Bilbo Baggins hobbit hole. You could find inspiration for that in Moby Dick or Treasure Island. Professor Tolkien would be ashamed if all you learned from his writings was how to talk like an orc. You can imitate the style of others as you develop your own, but theres no need to imitate their ideas. If youre writing about danger, sure, read how other writers depict danger. Read what they say, then decide what you want to say. It should not be the same thing. That is not the kind of imitation Im talking about. How you feel about danger will be different because youre different. Thats your unique contribution. How to absorb a writers influence Besides reading, what other ways can you learn from an author? Copy out passages that you like. Copying focuses your attention by slowing down your reading. You can learn better by involving the hand as well as the eye. Read out loud. While youre at it, why not read regularly to those who cant read for themselves? That helps you, the aspiring writer, as well as the preschool future reader, or the elderly person with failing sight. Create templates from favorite sentences, similar to the Mad Libs game, and fill the structure with your own words. For example, based on the first line of Edith Whartons Ethan Frome: NAME VERB the NOUN, bit by bit, from ADJECTIVE NOUN, and each time it was a ADJECTIVE NOUN. Adapted original: I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and each time it was a different story. Parody an authors style while writing on a subject that he never would have. Thats how the Bad Hemingway Contest kept going for nearly 30 years. Parodying Ernest Hemingway is an attractive target that has tempted distinguished writers such as E. B. White, Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald and George Plimpton. Imitation doesnt need to be a form of flattery. You can learn a lot about a writers style when you make gentle fun of him or her. W. H. Auden, in his 1962 essay â€Å"The Poet and the City,† says that in his imaginary College for Bards, the only critical exercise required of students would be the writing of parodies. Authors who learned writing by copying out passages, even entire books, include Jack London, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Hunter S. Thompson. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeRunning Amok or Running Amuck?20 Criminal Terms You Should Know

All About the USS Gerald Ford Aircraft Carrier

All About the USS Gerald Ford Aircraft Carrier One of the newer aircraft carriers is the Gerald R. Ford class, the first one to be named the USS Gerald R. Ford. The USS Gerald Ford is being built by Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding.The Navy plans to build 10 Gerald Ford class carriers, each with a  50-year  life span. The second Gerald Ford class carrier is named the USS John F. Kennedy and construction started in 2011. This class of aircraft carriers will replace the Nimitz class USS Enterprise carrier. Ordered in 2008, the USS Gerald Ford was scheduled for commissioning in 2017. Another carrier was scheduled to be completed in 2023.   A More Automated Aircraft Carrier The Gerald Ford-class carriers will have advanced aircraft arresting gear and be highly automated to reduce manpower requirements. The aircraft arresting gear (AAG) is built by General Atomics. Prior carriers used steam launchers to launch aircraft but the Gerald Ford will use the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) built by General Atomics. The carrier is nuclear powered with two reactors. The latest in stealth technology will be employed to reduce the ships radar signature. The Raytheon enhanced weapon handling and integrated warfare control systems will further improve ship operation. Dual Band Radar (DBR) will improve the ships ability to control aircraft and increase the number of sorties that can be made by 25 percent. The control island has been completely redesigned to enhance operations and be smaller. Aircraft carried by the carrier can include F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C Lightning II. Other aircraft on board include: EF-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraftE-2D Hawkeye for conducting battle management command and controlMH-60R Seahawk helicopter for antisubmarine and anti-surface warfare dutiesMH-60S Fire Scout unmanned helicopter. Current carriers use steam power throughout the ship but the Ford class has replaced all the steam lines with electric power. Weapons elevators on the carriers use electromagnetic hoists instead of wire rope to reduce maintenance costs. Hydraulics have been eliminated and replaced by electric actuators. Weapons elevators are built by Federal Equipment Company. Crew Amenities The new carriers will have enhanced quality of life for the crew. There are two galleys on the ship plus one for the Strike Group Commander and one for the Ship’s Commanding Officer. The ship will have improved air conditioning, better work spaces, sleeping and sanitary facilities. It is estimated that the operating cost of the new carriers will be $5 billion less over the ships life than the current Nimitz carriers. Parts of the ship are designed to be flexible and allow for future installation of speakers, lights, controls, and monitors. Ventilation and cabling are run under the decks to allow for easy reconfiguration. Weapons On Board Evolved Sea Sparrow missileRolling Airframe MissilePhalanx CIWSCarries 75 aircraft. Specifications Length 1,092 feetBeam 134 feetFlight deck 256 feetDraft 39 feetDisplacement 100,000 tonsPower generation from two nuclear reactors designed by Bettis LaboratoryFour shafts for propulsion (propulsion units built by General Electric and turbine generators are built by Northrop Grumman Marine Systems).Crew size 4,660 crew including ship staff and air wing personnel, 800 less than current carriersMaximum speed 30 knotsRange is unlimited since nuclear reactors can power the ship for many yearsApproximate cost $11.5 billion each To sum up, the next-generation aircraft carrier is the Gerald R. Ford class. It will carry superior firepower through over 75 aircraft, unlimited range using the nuclear reactors, lower manpower, and operating costs. The new design will increase the number of missions that the aircraft can complete making the carrier even more of a force.

EvolutionEcology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

EvolutionEcology - Essay Example Paper starts with the hypothesis demonstrating mitochondrial DNA as primary tool for investigation of evolutionary diversion among closely related species and development of new approach in terms of PCR-RFLP based rapid and inexpensive techniques to established phylogenitic correlation among different species. They also investigated correlation between two different approaches and indicated that data obtained by two different techniques may not be identical and hence caution must be taken to interpret them. For validation of hypothesis the authors selected four avian sp. found in North America, those having high rate of hybridization namely, Dendroica occidentalis, D. townsendi, D. virens, and D.nigrescens. To investigate above mention hypothesis the first experiment was based on classical RFLP based technique. The total mitochondrial DNA were Isolated and digested with 14 restriction enzymes to obtained band pattern which was subsequently analyzed by David L. Swofford's paup* 4.0d64 program for calculation of Nei-Li distances. Similarly, for sequences based analysis, three genes located on two sites on mtDNA were selected and sequenced, namely 681bp cytochrome oxidase I, and 1074bp ATP synthase8 and 6 genes from 30 representative warbler individuals.

Unit Testing of Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Unit Testing of Software - Essay Example Unit testing increases confidence in maintaining or changing the code. Good unit tests also increase the detectability of defects that may arise when changing codes. The development of unit testing is faster. The test runs take very less time as there is no need of firing the GUI and providing all the inputs. Â  Additionally, fixing defects detected during unit testing costs lesser than in higher levels of testing (Craig & Jaskiel, 2002). Debugging at this level is easy since only the latest changes need to be debugged contrary to higher levels where changes made over the span of several days or weeks may need to be debugged (Software Testing). Â  There are limits to the number of scenarios and test data that a developer can use to verify the source code. This means that after exhausting all options the developer has no choice but to merge the code segment with other units (Software Testing). Â  Integration testing involves testing combined parts of an application to determine if they function correctly together. Integration testing is performed after unit testing and before system testing. Integration testing is necessary to identify faults in the interaction between integrated units. Test stubs and test drivers are useful in performing integration testing (Tutorials Point). Â  When manufacturing a ballpoint pen, the body, the cap, the clip and tail, the ballpoint, and the ink cartridge are unit tested separately. When the units are ready, they are assembled and integration testing is performed. For instance, one would test whether the cap fits into the body (Tutorials Point). Â  Big bang approach involves combining all or most of the units together and testing them together.

Social Anthropology Essay Example for Free

Social Anthropology Essay Social and cultural anthropology is the comparative study of culture and human societies. Anthropologists seek an understanding of human kind in all its diversity. This understanding is reached through the study of societies and cultures and the exploration of the general principlesof social andcultural life. Social and cultural anthropology places special emphasis on comparative perspectives that challenge cultural assumptions. Many anthropologists explore problems and issues associated with the complexity of modern societies in local, regional and global contexts. Participant observation is one type of data collection method, its aim is to gain a close and intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals and their habits through an intensive involvement with people in their cultural environment, usually over an extended period of time. The term ethnography has come to be equated with virtually any qualitative research project where the intent is to provide a detailed, in-depth description of everyday life and practice. The relationship between P. O. and the ethnography is that, in order to write the ethnography, we get information using P. O. The importance of fieldwork is that the data the anthropologist gathers is more valuable because is first hand information. However, the armchair anthropology is based on books and reaserch papers written by anthropologists that have done prior studies. There are some advantages and disadvantages of fieldwork, which i will mention: The main advantage would be that the anthropologist can stablish a good relationship with the people being observered, that leads to a more honest information, and you may tell when people are lying or hiding something. Another important advatage to point out is that you learn how to formulate right questions. The most important disadvantage is that the person doing the research may be bias to the person who is being interviwed. Also, the fact that there is a lack of privacy while doing the work, which might affect the anthropologist point of view. Depending on the period of time in which the ethnography is written, the data included may vary. Due to this fact, the anthropologist as well as the person being observed are affected by the events going on, and by the knowledge they have at this point. As an example, an ethnography published before Darwin, might had been taking into account Lamarck`s theory. On the other side, a study done after Darwin, would consider Darwin`s theory.

My Soul Mate Essay example -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Essay

My Soul Mate I never thought I would meet the other "half of my orange." "Offspring" was not in my vocabulary, until I saw him, the entity of my imaginings. As he roamed the halls, strutting as though he possessed the building, he consumed my every thought. Every muscle he owned protruded through his uniform, his bulky, curly, caramel, tresses chiseled high and tight. The looks he granted me reassured my interests. He would be the father of my children. He dreaded our visit to Texas; we would travel through four southeastern states, all during the hottest months of the year. In the sweltering Texan sun, we arrived just after one o'clock. His forehead beaded with sweat, like a vehicle that had just been waxed with water beads at the surface. Sensing the encounter, he appeared nervous, almost unrecognizable. Usually he strutted tall and ambitiously; today, a difference was noted. His massive hands, displaying manicured nails, were humid to the touch; the callous that had been caused by heavy weightlifting was disguised. The origin of this unusual behavior was the infa...

Boewulf and Gilgamesh Similarities Essay

Beowulf and Gilgamesh were similar in many ways, even though they were written century’s apart from one another. These two stories (similar as they may be), also have their differences. The similarities, differences, character motivations, and use of symbolism make these great stories. A major similarity is that Beowulf and Gilgamesh want to be remembered as glorious heroes forever. They both feel as though they have to do great and daring things to achieve this. They were both in a position of high honor and power. Beowulf became king of the land he had defended against Grendel and his mother. Gilgamesh was one third human and two thirds god. Also, both heroes had won their battles in heroic and memorable ways. Beowulf rips Grendel’s arm off and had decapitated his mother, using a giant forged sword. Gilgamesh had chopped off Humbaba’s head with one mighty slash. There are also some major differences between these epic stories. For instance, Beowulf fought all his battles alone and unaided. Yet, Gilgamesh had a partner, one who acted as his voice of reason, by the name of Enkidu. As Gilgamesh went on into battle, he went in wearing full armor and wielding weapons, but Beowulf chose to enter his first fight wearing nothing at all and wielding no weapon. Each character had their motivations to fight, in some ways they were similar motives. Beowulf fought for nothing but fame and glory. All he wanted was to be remembered for eternity and to accumulate as much wealth as he could. Save us/ once more, and again twisted gold/ Heaped up ancient treasure, will reward you for the battle you win† (Beowulf 445-448). Gilgamesh also fought for fame and glory, but he had other motives too. One of his other motives was to fight to give hope to the youth, giving them something to strive for and model themselves after. â€Å"The youth of Uruk need this fight. They have grown soft and restless† (Gilgamesh 30-32). He was also motivated by wanting to push the limitations that the gods have set for everyone.

MayBank: Malaysia’s Largest Bank and Financial Group

1. 0. INTRODUCTION 1. 1. MAYBANK BERHAD BACKGROUND Maybank is a trade name for Malayan Banking Berhad. Maybank is well known as the largest bank and financial group in Malaysia, with significant banking operations in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. This bank also has large interests in Islamic banking throughout Maybank Islamic Berhad and insurance via its Etiqa subsidiary. As it moves into its six decade, Maybank Group already show it commitment and changes in order to become the financial service leader in Malaysia.From its incorporated on 13th May 1960, Maybank starting its operation on 12th September 1960 at Mansion House, High Street, Kuala Lumpur. At that time, Malayan economy was fully dependant on rubber and tin and Maybank take the chances to be the first wholly bank that owned finance company. It was known as Malayan Finance Corporation and later its change to Maybank Finance. Maybank opened its first overseas branch in Brunei on 28th November 1960 followed by Sou th Bridge Road, Singapore in December 1960.On 12th December 1962, the Hong Kong branch was opened followed by a branch in London on 12th September 1962. Maybank also listed on Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange on February 17 at the same year. On September 1973, Maybank step forward and sets up its investment banking arm known as Aseambanker and was already rename as Maybank Investment Bank in 2009. In 1974, Maybank introduced the Rural Credit Scheme which purposed its services to rural sectors and also to fulfil the government’s objective which want to balance the economic among populance.As the time passed by, Maybank upgraded its services and come out with the first mobile bus banking services in Johor in 1976 which provided financial services to rural communities. Maybank also introduced Mayban Phoenix Assurance Berhad in 1977 with the bank hold 70 % equity and the remaining 30% is held by British Phoenix assurance and changed its name to Mayban Assurance. In 1978, Maybank becom e the first Malaysian bank that computerized all the saving and other current account services. Maybank launched its first credit card called Maybank Visa Card in year 1980.Then, around 1983, the foundation stone of Menara Maybank or known as Maybank Headquarter was lay by Malaysian fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamed. Maybank also step forward by opened Balai Seni Maybank and Maybank Numismatic Museum that officially launched by Tan Sri Dato Jaafar Hussein, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia. An offshore bank in Labuan International Financial Centre was set up by Maybank to prove their establishment in this sector. After that, in 1992, Maybank formed Maybank Securities. This situation clearly show that Maybank always improving their standard year by year by introducing new services and products.Then,in year 1996, Maybank sell Kwong Yik Bank to Rashid Hussain Berhad Maybank also become the first bank that offer the convenience of ticket less travel for domestic flights on MAS through MASET (MAS Electronic Ticketing) in 1997. Maybank also upgraded its services by introducing Internet Banking services or known as Maybank2u. com that help their customer to use Maybank services at any time and places. In year 2001, Maybank then merged with Pacific Bank Berhad and Phileo Allied Bank berhad which well known as foreign banks.At the same year, Maybank also introduces Dataran Maybank which consists of head office of Mayban Finance, Maybank General Assurance, Mayban Fortis Holding, Mayban Life Assurance, Maybank Securities and last but not least is Maybank Futures. In year 2004, Mayban Finance vested all their entire operation and business into Maybank. Around 2008, Maybank was starting to establish its Islamic Banking Subsidiary known as Maybank Islamic Berhad. Besides that, Maybank also completed the acquisition of 15% in An Binh Bank (Vietnam), 20% of Muslim Commercial Bank of Pakistan and 97. 5% of Bank International Indonesia (BII).In addition, Maybank won for the second year Malaysia's Most Valuable Brand (worth RM9. 3 billion), and Deal of the Year – Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year at the 2008 ALB SE Asia Law Awards. Maybank was founded by Malaysian business tycoon Khoo Teck Puat, who died in 2004. The company was led by President and CEO Amirsham Abdul Aziz for some two decades until March 2008 after which he was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in-charge of the Economic Planning Unit, a post he held until April 2009. Dato' Sri Abdul Wahid Omar was officially appointed as President and CEO of Maybank Group in May 2008.As of June 30, 2010, Maybank boasting group assets worth RM337 billion (US$106 billion), placing it among the top 120 banks worldwide. Malayan Banking is also a listed corporation on Bursa Malaysia. Maybank is well known as the largest bank in Malaysia with 384 domestic branches and 190 international branches and offices. Maybank is largest listed companies on the Malaysian Stock Exchange, Bursa Malaysia, with a market capitalization of over RM54 billion (USD22 billion) as of end-March 2011. In addition, Maybank was ranked at 458th in the Forbes Global 2000 Leading Companies with market cap of USD 20. 8 billion in year 2011. 1. 2. MAYBANK OPERATION Maybank operates consumer banking, business and corporate banking as well as private banking services, through a network of 384 branch offices and more than 2,800 automated teller machines in Malaysia. The company operates 22 branches throughout Singapore providing a full range of banking and financial products and services. Maybank, through Maybank Philippines Incorporated, has 50 branches in the Philippines and also has a banking presence in most of the other Southeast Asian markets, including Brunei, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam.The bank also operates branches in New York, London, Hong Kong and Bahrain. Beside its commercial banking network, Maybank operates a number of specialized s ubsidiaries in the insurance, investment banking and assets management, and finance sectors. The group's subsidiaries include Etiqa Insurance & Takaful which provides both conventional and Shariah compliant insurance products, and Maybank Investment Bank which is the Group's investment banking division following the acquisition of Maybank Discount and Maybank Securities. Maybank was the first Malaysian bank granted the right to establish a branch office in China.

What Redshift Reveals About an Object

What Redshift Reveals About an Object When stargazers look up at the night sky, they see light. Its an essential part of the universe that has traveled across great distances. That light, formally called electromagnetic radiation, contains a treasury of information about the object it came from, ranging from its temperature to its motions. Astronomers study light in a technique called spectroscopy. It allows them to dissect it down to its wavelengths to create whats called a spectrum. Among other things, they can tell if an object is moving away from us. They use a property called a redshift to describe the motion of an objects moving away from each other in space. Redshift occurs when an object emitting electromagnetic radiation recedes from an observer. The light detected appears redder than it should be because it is shifted toward the red end of the spectrum. Redshift is not something anyone can see. Its an effect that astronomers measure in light by studying its wavelengths.   How Redshift Works An object (usually called the source) emits or absorbs electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength or set of wavelengths. Most stars give off a wide range of light, from visible to infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, and so on. As the source moves away from the observer, the wavelength appears to stretch out or increase. Each peak is emitted farther away from the previous peak as the object gets recedes. Similarly, while the wavelength increases (gets redder) the frequency, and therefore the energy, decreases. The faster the object recedes, the greater its redshift. This phenomenon is due to the doppler effect. People on Earth are familiar with Doppler shift in pretty practical ways. For example, some of the most common applications of the doppler effect (both redshift and blueshift) are police radar guns. They bounce signals off of a vehicle and the amount of redshift or blueshift tells an officer how fast its going. Doppler weather radar tells forecasters how fast a storm system is moving. The use of Doppler techniques in astronomy follows the same principles, but instead of ticketing galaxies, astronomers use it to learn about their motions.   The way astronomers determine redshift (and blueshift) is to use an instrument called a spectrograph (or spectrometer) to look at the light emitted by an object. Tiny differences in the spectral lines show a shift toward the red (for redshift) or the blue (for blueshift). If the differences show a redshift, it means the object is receding away. If theyre blue, then the object is approaching. The Expansion of the Universe In the early 1900s, astronomers thought that the entire universe was encased inside our own  galaxy, the Milky Way. However, measurements made of other galaxies, which were thought to be simply nebulae inside our own, showed they were really  outside of the Milky Way. This discovery was made by astronomer Edwin P. Hubble, based on measurements of variable stars by another astronomer named  Henrietta Leavitt.   Furthermore, redshifts (and in some cases blueshifts) were measured for these galaxies, as well as their distances. Hubble  made the startling discovery that the farther away a galaxy is, the greater its redshift appears to us. This correlation is now known as Hubbles Law. It helps astronomers define the expansion of the universe.   It also shows that the farther away objects are from us, the faster they are receding. (This is true in the broad sense, there are local galaxies, for instance, that are moving towards us due to the motion of our Local Group.)   For the most part, objects in the universe are receding away from each other and that motion can be measured by analyzing their redshifts. Other Uses of Redshift in Astronomy Astronomers can use redshift to determine the motion of the Milky Way. They do that by measuring the Doppler shift of objects in our galaxy. That information reveals how other stars and nebulae are moving in relation to Earth. They can also measure the motion of very distant galaxies - called high redshift galaxies.   This is a rapidly growing field of astronomy. It focuses not just on galaxies, but also on other other objects, such as the sources of  gamma-ray bursts. These objects have a very high redshift, which means they are moving away from us at tremendously high velocities. Astronomers assign the letter z to redshift. That explains why sometimes a story will come out that says a galaxy has a redshift of z1 or something like that. The earliest epochs of the universe lie at a z of about 100.   So, redshift also gives astronomers a way to understand how far away things are in addition to how fast they are moving.   The study of distant objects also gives astronomers a snapshot of the state of the universe some 13.7 billion years ago. Thats when cosmic history began with the Big Bang. The universe not only appears to be expanding since that time, but its expansion is also accelerating. The source of this effect is dark energy,  a not-well-understood part of the universe. Astronomers using redshift to measure cosmological (large) distances​ find that the acceleration has not always been the same throughout cosmic history. The reason for that change is still not known and this effect of dark energy remains an intriguing area of study in cosmology (the study of the origin and evolution of the universe.) Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Statistics on ACT Math Strategies for Mean, Medium, Mode

Statistics on ACT Math Strategies for Mean, Medium, Mode SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Statistics questions on the ACT are often simpler than the statistics questions you have seen in class. Most all of the statistics questions on the ACT boil down to finding or manipulating means, medians, and modes of a set of numbers. If you are already familiar with these terms, you will have a good head-start on these types of problems. But even if you aren't familiar with these terms, most of ACT stats questions require that you understand and apply just a few key concepts (all of which we will go through in this guide). This will be your complete guide to ACT means, medians, and modes- what they mean, how you'll see them on the test, and how to solve even the most complicated of ACT statistics questions. What is a Mean, Median, or Mode? Before we look at how to solve these kinds of problems, let's define our terms: A mean is the statistical average of a group of numbers. In order to find the mean, we must add up the sum of the numbers in our set and then divide that sum by the amount of numbers in the set. (Note: on the ACT, the question will almost always use the word "average" instead of "mean.") What is the average speed of six runners if their race times were, in seconds: 85, 67, 88, 75, 91, and 80? To find the average (mean), we must find the sum of all the numbers and then divide that number by the total amount, which in this case is 6. $(85 + 67 + 88 + 75 + 91 + 80)/6$ $486/6$ $81$ The mean (average) race time is 81 seconds. The median is the number directly in the middle of a set of numbers, after they have been arranged in numerical order. (Note: the number will be halfway into the set, but is NOT necessarily the mid-value between the largest and smallest number.) For example, take a set of numbers {14, 15, 23, 37, 213}, the median would be 23, as it is in the middle of the set. This is true, despite the fact that 23 is NOT halfway between 14 and 213. If your set has an even amount of numbers, then you must take the mean (average) of both the numbers in the middle. Find the median value of the set of numbers {10, 2, 34, 47, 17, 8}. First, arrange the numbers in order from least to greatest. 2, 8, 10, 17, 34, 47 We have an even number of terms in our set, so we must take the average of the two middle terms. $(10 + 17)/2$ $27/2$ $13.5$ Our median is 13.5 The mode is the number or numbers in a set that repeat(s) most frequently. In the set of numbers {4, 6, 6, 4, 3, 6, 12}, our mode is 6. Even though the number 4 occurred twice, the number 6 occurred three times and is thus our most frequently appearing number. If each number in your set occurs only once, there is no mode. In the set of numbers {3, 11, 7, 23, 19}, there is no mode, since no number repeats. If multiple numbers in a set repeat the same number of times, your set will have more than one mode. In the set {4, 11, 11, 11, 13, 21, 23, 23, 23, 43, 43, 43}, we have three modes- 11, 23, and 43. All three numbers occur exactly three times and no other numbers occur more frequently, which means that we have multiple modes. The more you get used to statistics questions, the more quickly you'll be able to spot your answers. Typical Mean, Median, and Mode Questions Mean, median, and mode questions are fairly simple once you get the hang of how they work. Because these types of questions will appear 1 to 2 times on the test, you will see them in a variety of different forms. But always keep in mind that, no matter how unusual they look, mean, median, and mode questions will always break down to the concepts we outlined above in their definitions. For mean questions, there will be two types- weighted and unweighted averages. Unweighted averages are by far the most common, but you'll need to know how to tackle both. Unweighted Average Unweighted average questions are solved exactly how we found our means above. We simply find the sum of our set and divide this number by the amount of numbers in the set. The monthly fees for single rooms at 5 colleges are $\$ 370$, $\$ 310$, $\$ 340$ 380$, and $\$ 310$, respectively. What is the mean of these monthly fees? F. $\$ 310$G. $\$ 340$H. $\$ 342$J. $\$ 350$K. $\$ 380$ We must find the sum of our terms and divide by the amount of terms (in this case 5). $(370 + 310 + 380 + 340 + 310)/5$ $1710/5$ $342$ We have found our mean. Our final answer is H, 342. Weighted Average A weighted average, on the other hand, puts more emphasis on (gives more "weight" to) some numbers more than others. When this is the case, you must multiply each number in the set by its weight and then add their sums and divide as normal. Let us look at this process in action: In Karen's math class, the final class grade is determined by a combination of quizzes, homework, and test scores. Quizzes make up 30% of the final grade, homework accounts for 25% of the final grade, and test scores account for 45% of the final grade. Each assignment/test has a potential score of 100 points. Karen received a 92 and an 83 on her two quizzes, scores of 100 on her three homework assignments, and test scores of 78, 89, and 98. What is Karen's final grade in the class? First, we must find the average of each type of assignment as normal and then multiply that average by the weight allotted to the assignment. So, to find the number of total points she earns from her quizzes, we would say: $(92 + 83)/2$ $175/2$ $87.5$ She earned an average of 87.5 on her quizzes, but now we must multiply it by the percentage allotted to the quiz scores in terms of her overall grade (the weight). $(87.5)(0.3)$ $26.25$ Her quiz score will contribute 26.25 points towards her overall score. Now let us do the same for her homework. $(100 + 100 + 100)/3$ $300/3$ $100$ The homework is weighted as 25% of the grade, so we must multiply the average by its weight. $(100)(0.25)$ $25$ And again for her test scores. $(78 + 89 + 98)/3$ $265/3$ $88.33$ And again, we must multiply this average by the allotted weight. $(88.33)(0.45)$ $39.75$ Now, simply add them all together to find her final score. $26.25 + 25 + 39.75$ $91$ Karen's final grade in the class will be a 91. Now that we've seen our different types of mean questions, let's look at the other types of statistics questions on the ACT. Most all the statistics questions you'll see on the ACT will be on means/averages, but a few will involve medians. These are generally straightforward, so long as you understand how to find your median. What is the median of the following 7 scores? 42, 67, 33, 79, 33, 79, 21 A. 42B. 52C. 54.5D. 56E. 79 First, let us, as always, put our numbers in ascending order. 21, 33, 33, 42, 67, 79, 89 Since we have a set of 7 numbers, there is a number exactly in the middle of our set. Now that we've put them in order, we can see that the middle number is 42. Our final answer is A, 42. And lastly, mode questions very rarely show up on the ACT. You should still know what a "mode" means in case you do see a mode question on the test, but odds are you'll only be asked to find means and/or medians. Though the questions may appear different, just remember that they are all variations on the same few concepts. How to Solve Mean, Median, and Mode Questions Since you will see these questions multiple time on any given test, it can be easy to rush through them and/or underestimate them. But as you go through your test, remember to keep these ACT math tips in mind: #1: Always (always!) pay attention to exactly what the question is asking You will be asked to find means/averages the majority of the time, so it can become second nature to immediately start finding a mean when you come across an m-word in a math problem. It may seem obvious right now, but the pulse of a ticking clock and the adrenaline in your veins during the test-taking process can make it so that you misread the words in a math question, and try to find the mean instead of the median (or even vice versa). The test makers know how easy it is for people to make these kinds of errors and will provide bait answers to tempt anyone who makes a mistake. Always double-check that you are answering precisely the right question before you start solving the problem (and especially before bubbling in your answer!). #2: Write It Out Take the time to rearrange your set of numbers in order when dealing with medians and modes, and make sure you write out your equations when dealing with means. It can be tempting to solve problems like these in your head, but a single misplaced digit will give you a wrong answer. In order to avoid losing points to careless errors, always take a moment to write out your problem. It will not take as long as you think it will to reorganize your values and it will almost always lead you (quickly) to the right answer. #3: Use PIA/PIN When Necessary If you find yourself stuck on a problem and have some extra time to spare, don't hesitate to use your fallback strategies of plugging in answers or plugging in numbers where applicable. Always keep in mind that it will often take you a little longer to solve a problem using these techniques, but doing so will almost always lead you to the right answer. Practice and technique are required to master any skill, be it statistics questions or silly walks. Test Your Knowledge And now, let's put your knowledge of statistics to the test against real ACT math problems. 1. Tom has taken 5 of the 8 equally weighted tests in his U.S. History class this semester, and he has an average score of exactly 78.0 points. How many points does he need to earn on the 6th test to bring his average score up to exactly 80.0 points? A. 90B. 88C. 82D. 80E. 79 2. 3. What is the difference between the mean and the median of the set {3, 8, 10, 15}? A. 0B. 1C. 4D. 9E. 12 4. To increase the mean of 4 numbers by 2, how much would the sum of the 4 numbers have to increase? F. 2G. 4H. 6J. 8K. 16 Answers: A, B, A, J Answer Explanations: 1. In order to find out how much we need to increase our sum, we first need to find our original sum. Let us represent the original sum with the variable $x$ and use our mean equation to find it. $x/5 = 78$ $x = 390$ Let us use this original sum for our new mean equation with the set of 6 terms. We will represent the missing value with $y$ and set our equation to the needed 80 points. $(390 + y)/6 = 80$ $390 + y = 480$ $y = 90$ We have found the amount necessary to increase our sum in order to get an average of 90 with 6 terms. Our final answer is A, 90. 2. We are told that there are 43 soccer games, so we must find the percentage of each match and multiply this figure by the number of goals per match. For instance, there are 4 matches in which there were 0 goals. Which would give us: $(0)(4/43)$ $(0)(0.093)$ $0$ Now, we need to do the same for all the matches and add them together. $0 + (10/43)(1) + (5/43)(2) + (9/43)(3) + (7/43)(4) + (5/43)(5) + (1/43)(6) + (2/43)(7)$ $0.2325 + 0.2326 + 0.6279 + 0.6512 + 0.5814 + 0.1395 + 0.3256$ $2.79$ Finally, we need to round this number to the nearest 0.1, as we were told to. $2.8$ Our final answer is B, 2.8. 3. The numbers in our set are already in numerical order, so we do not need to rearrange them. Let us find our median: We have two numbers in the middle of our set, because there are an even amount of numbers in our set. This means we must take the average of the two middle numbers. $(8 + 10)/2$ $18/2$ $9$ Now let us also find our mean: $(3 + 8 + 10 + 15)/4$ $36/4$ $9$ We can see that the mean and the median are equal, so the difference between the two is 0. Our final answer is A, 0. 4. We have two different ways to solve this question- using algebra and using PIN. Let's look at both methods. Method 1: Algebra Let us represent both the sum and the mean by the variables $x$ and $y$, respectively in our mean equation. $x/4 = y$ $x = 4y$ Now, let's look at how this changes when we add 2 to to our mean. $x/4 = y + 2$ $x = 4(y + 2)$ $x = 4y + 8$ We can see that we need to add 8 to our previous mean of $4y$. Our final answer is J, 8. Method 2: PIN We could also use plugging in numbers in this case. So let us pick four numbers and find their mean. Let's just say our four numbers are: 3, 4, 6, and 10. (Why those numbers? Why not!) (3 + 4 + 7 + 10)/4 $24/4$ $6$ Now, we want to increase our mean by 2, which would make it: $6 + 2 = 8$ Which means that now we have: $(24 + x)/4 = 8$ $24 + x = 32$ $x = 8$ We can see that we need to add 8 to our sum in order to increase our mean by 2. Our final answer is again J, 8. (Or boy or other gender). Either way, go you! The raptors are proud. The Take Aways Once you know your way around the techniques of finding your means, medians, and modes, you will be able to tackle most any ACT question on the topic. All ACT statistics questions are simply variations on the same theme, so knowing your foundations is essential. As we saw above, there are often multiple ways to solve these types of problems, so don't hesitate to use PIA or PIN if you have the time to spare and if you feel uncomfortable with the algebra. Otherwise, always make absolutely sure you are answering the proper question and don't take for granted that these questions are simple (a careless error will still lose you precious points!). What's Next? You've tackled all there is to know about ACT stats questions and now you're hungry for more ACT math guides...right? Right! Well, lucky for you, we've got guides on all the ACT math topics you could ask for. Need to brush up on your formulas? How about your trigonometry? In the mood to tackle ratios (or set up your own ratios to figure out how many seconds there are in a year)? Browse through our ACT math tab to find what you're looking for. Think you might need a tutor? Look to our guides to find the best ACT tutor for you (and your budget). Running out of time on ACT math? Check out our guide on how to maximize your time (and your points!) before the clock runs out. Looking to get a perfect score? No matter your current level, we've got guides on what to do if you scored lower than you wanted as well as how to get a perfect 36. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Proposal of literature review of proportional hazards model Research Paper

Proposal of literature review of proportional hazards model - Research Paper Example Most survival modeling examines the relationship between survival and one or several predictors. The survival library in R and S-PLUS also holds all of the other commonly used tools of survival analysis. Below is a brief description of the proportional hazards (Schoenfeld 499). Let z = {x, y †¦} be a vector of 1 or several explanatory variables supposed to affect lifetime. These variables may be incessant, for example, temperature in engineering studies, or dosage level of a given drug in medical tests or better still, they may be indicator variables with the value 1 when a given factor or condition is present (Schoenfeld 500). Let the hazard rate for a nominal set z 0 = (x 0, y0†¦) of the variables be set by h 0 (t), with h0 (t) indicating legitimate hazard function for unspecified life distribution model. In this regard, the proportional hazards model supposes that we can note the modified hazard function for a new value of z as: Given a log-linear model assumption for g (z), and with no additional suppositions concerning the life distribution model, it will be possible to analyze investigational data and figure out utmost likelihood estimates. Additionally, it would be possible to use likelihood ratio tests to decide which explanatory variables will are extremely significant. In this study, a series of trials on treatment of cancer will be conducted. The study will seek to assess the importance of chemotherapy and radiation therapy over radiation therapy alone. The following data from the study group will be used for the purpose of elucidating the effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. A total of 80 patients will be treated with radiation therapy alone in the first round, while the same patients will be treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Prognostic factors will be age and whether patients will have necrosis in their surgical

The use of the internet among the youth fosters social cohesiveness Essay

The use of the internet among the youth fosters social cohesiveness - Essay Example While most of the adult population continues to admonish the youths for their addiction to the internet, the platform creates an effective platform for interaction among the group thus fostering social cohesiveness. The internet among many other telecommunication developments have succeeded in making the world a global village thus overcoming the geographical barriers that had impaired human interactions. The use of the internet in the contemporary society coupled with the use of the social network sites such create a virtual society in which the youths interact and widen their networks thus sharing social values most of which they transfer to the actual society thus creating a cohesive society as the essay below portrays. The concern shared among most parents about the internet is that the platform has nor effective regulation and therefore exposes the users to unedited content most of which derail morality in the society. Such parents fear that their children would therefore acquir e undesirable behavior pattern from the internet and lose morality. The internet is indeed creates a cosmopolitan society by pooling people from diverse backgrounds together. Additionally, the internet is an unorthodox media that operates on the pull technology. Unlike the traditional media, internet places the power of choice and censure on the hands of the user. The user thus determines the contents to access and those to censure. Such features present challenges particularly with the adolescent a group of hyperactive individuals always willing to experiment especially with their sexuality (Agosto and June 55). Given the nature of the internet and the resources it pools together, the platform may prove detrimental especially to the young population. The internet creates a virtual reality in which the user determines his or her social grouping without the restriction or limitation of space. Young users therefore become exposed to corruptible and unedited content. Additionally, the internet presents the user with millions of users from all over the world. The social media have succeeded in creating a virtual society on the internet. At such, the internet presents the users with myriad of characters who enjoy the beneficial features of the internet such as anonymity and may therefore post whichever content they deem fit without any form of censure. As such, the internet thus becomes the greatest deterrent feature to the creation of cohesive and ethical societies. Despite the valid concerns raised by most parents and opponents of the idea to expose the youth to the internet, the internet still poses the features capable of developing responsive behavior among the youths thus contributing to the creation of cohesive societies. Just as explained earlier, the internet creates virtual societies by drawing participants from all over the world. Additionally, the intensive interaction on the internet has succeeded in turning the world into a global village in which any one anywhere is accessible and communication is therefore real-time. Among the key factors that people exchange over the internet is culture, culture refers to way of life including sets of human behavior, their attire, dietary and religion among others. The internet is the most effective platform on which the users interact and share views on different social views on a global platform. In the different chat rooms, users inform each other of the latest developments in different parts of the world thus increasing the user’s understanding of the world and their societies (Lupa 30). Peace and unity are social and cultural concepts referring to the cohesive societies in different par

Business Simulation Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Simulation Games - Essay Example The blending of content curricular and design simulation technology gives the students risk-free opportunities that test various strategies that drive corporate activities. Our participation in such games gave us a chance of integrating strategic and financial strategies for their virtual businesses (Blazic, Ribeiro & Arh 2012, p. 13).  Serious computer games from a part of the new and emergent educational environment based on sophisticated technologies and elements of entertainment (William & Klass 2007, p. 4). For this case, there is a need to define a serious computer game. A serious game is one whose primary function is to provide education of any type rather than entertainment. The games provoke active learner involvement and as such, they form one of the best learning platforms for the students. There are unique properties of the games that define their relevance to the education system because they attract concentrations that other methods fail to do. This paper is, therefor e, a personal report of the strategies of a game played for group work projects. The paper has eleven parts, which altogether outline the strategies that the game employed and their relevance of the game to real-life situations. After the introduction, the ten remaining parts will proceed in the sequence outlined. Next, there shall be a competitive strategy, external overview analysis, internal summary analysis, the decisions taken, the results, and strategic directions. The remaining parts will discuss the underlying strategic principles, the key learning outcomes and finally, the reflections and conclusion.

Impact of Globalisation on Land Use and Food Security

Impact of Globalisation on Land Use and Food Security Discuss the impact of globalisation on land use and food security in developed tropical areas. Globalisation over the past decades has impacted on major fields worldwide. It connects the world through trade, human migration, markets and capital flows and social and political institutions (Lambin Meyfroidt, 2011). With the projected population growth of 9 billion in 2030 (Grau Aide, 2008), the pressure on land use has become a major issue, the main reason being that land is a limited resource. There is no doubt that urbanization and technology breakthrough and population growth have a direct impact on the available land. This essay will argue that the impacts of globalisation have been rather negative, causing mass deforestation and pressure on the available fertile soils and yielding to an increase in abandoned lands which in turn have damaged the biomes of these forests. It will also include some possible solution to the problems caused by globalisation on land use. Globalisation has given rise to massive deforestation all over the planet. According to Lambin and Meyfroidt (2011), the land lost to degradation for the period 2000 to 2030 is predicted to be 30 to 87 Million per hectare, (Mha) and for the same period the total land demand predicted is 303 to 845 Mha. These authors further predict that the existing protected areas will continue to expand at a rate of 0.9 to 2.7 Mha per year while 1 to 2.9 Mha will become unsuitable for cultivation for the same period. Thus the available land for cultivation will be taken up rapidly and forests are bound to be cleared for cultivation in the near future. According to the same authors, deforestation is significantly affected by the spatial dynamics caused by displacement, rebound, cascade and remittance. The effect of these four factors are linked to migration of people, international growing trade and land conversion. Furthermore the change in diet and eating habits of the world growing population has contributed immensely to agricultural expansion (Grau Aide, 2008). A clear example of impact of globalization, deforestation and growing food demand can be seen in Brazil. For the past years, Brazil has been producing soy intensively for the South East Asia (soy boom). This phenomenon has a double effect on the world. The soy boom based partly on transgenic cultivars supplies the world with high quality food thus alleviating the increasing food demand and has a positive outcome for the Brazilian economy, but on the other hand this production has caused immense deforestation and damage of Biosystems in Brazil. The principal area of damage is the Amazon basin (Houghton et al. 1991; Laurance 1998; Lambin et al. 2003) cited by Grau Aide (2008)). Paragraph 2 One solution to cater for the diminishing fertile land would be modern agriculture. Modern agriculture can enhance food productivity and efficient use of fertile soils. Paragraph 3 The other factor contributing to depletion of the fertile soil around the world and to deforestation is the rapidly growing population, the constant increase in food demand and  new eating habits. There is evidence that land use has been highly affected by globalisation causing problems worldwide. This essay has discussed the various aspects of the problems. Both Lambin Meyfroidt (2011) and Grau Aide (2008) agree that efficient land management, technological advancement through new high yield crops and second generation biofuels as well as appropriate investments plans for the restoration of degraded lands are potential solutions to sustain food productivity and efficient land use. Furthermore, with modern agriculture, better policies and collaboration within countries, the available land can still produce enough food for the world while preserving biodiversity and our forests. The fertile lands could be used to cultivate high yield crops while the low productive lands could be used to grow crops for biofuels. Moreover technical knowhow in agriculture could contribute immensely towards research and innovation for the promotion of new plants adapted to grow in marginal and ab andoned lands. In this way, these lands could be restored and the plants cultivated would keep the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide as well as the biodiversity of the area. Reference List: Calum Brown, Dave Murray-Rust, Jasper van Vliet, Shah Jamal Alam,Peter H. Verburg, Mark D. Rounsevell, Experiments in Globalisation, Food Security and Land Use Decision Making, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, United Kingdom, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Eric F. Lambin Patrick Meyfroidt, 2011, Global land use change, economic globalization, and the looming land scarcity, School of Earth Sciences and Woods Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; and Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaà ®tre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, University of Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium Grau, HR M Aide 2008,Globalization and land-use transitions in Latin America Ecology and Society 13(2):16. http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss2/art16/ Patrick Meyfroidt, Eric F. Lambin (UCL/Stanford) et al., Globalization of land use: Global land use trends, potentially available cropland and paths of commodity crop Expansion, F.R.S.-FNRS Università © catholique de Louvain (UCL), Earth and Life Institute, TECLIM research center, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium Rachael D Garrett, Ximena Rueda Eric F Lambin2013, Globalizations unexpected impact on soybean production in South America: linkages between preferences for non-genetically modified crops, eco-certifications, and land use, Environmental Research Letters, Volume 8, Number 4 Schmitz, C , Biewald, A, Lotze-Campen, H, Popp, A, Dietrich, JP, Bodirsky, B, Krause, M, Weindl, I, 2012, Global Environmental Change-Human And Policy Dimensions, Vol.22(1), pp.189-209

Ulysses S Grant Essay -- American History

Ulysses S Grant Although Ulysses S. Grant's contemporaries placed him in the highest position of great Americans along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, the twentieth century has seen him fade. His presidency has been almost universally condemned, and he is consistently ranked second to rock bottom Warren G. Harding in polls of historians to rate the presidents. Although his military reputation has declined as well, it nevertheless continues to win him a steady following. Even his most faithful admirers, however, tend to end their studies conveniently at Appomattox, and one senses a wide regret that Grant's public career extended beyond the Civil War. Taking note of this trend, John Y. Simon observes that some biographers "seem to have wished that Grant had accepted Lincoln's invitation to Ford's Theatre" on the night the president was shot- the night that John Wilkes Booth had intended to assassinate Grant along with Lincoln. Much of what has been passed down as an objective appraisal of Grant's presidency more closely resembles the partisan critiques that were produced by a relatively small group of performers during the 1870's-- in many ways the intellectual ancestors of the present historical profession. Although such a minority can sometimes be a source of enlightenment, in this case, it has contributed a monolithic picture of a complex era that is about as depressing as it is inaccurate. Little consideration is given the checkered nature of Grant's eight years of the Gilded Age. Michael Les Benedict observes that Grant "dominated his era, a stronger resident than most have recognized". In both the domestic and foreign realms, President Grant could claim a wide range of achievements. In the aftermath... ... the corruption / civil service reform issue was more important than such issues as Reconstruction, international crises, Indian affairs, and the multitude of economic matters, all combined. As William B. Hesseltine admits in his definitive study of President Grant, "Grant's enemies....stuffed the ballot boxes of history against Grant..." Bibliogaphy Garland, Hamlin. Ulysses S. Grant; his life and character. New York: Doubleday & McClure Co., 1898. King, Charles. The True Ulysses S. Grant. Philadelphia, London, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1914. Ringwalt, J. Luther (John Luther) Anecdotes of General Ulysses S. Grant illustrating his military and political career and his personal traits. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1886. Richardson, Albert D. (Albert Deane). A personal history of Ulysses S. Grant. Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company, 1868.

Effect of Plant Densities and Phosphorus Levels on the Growth

Effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on the growth and yield of vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. ) var. Arka Garima K. RAVI KUMAR1 AND V. SUDHA VANI2 Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem-534 101, Andhra Pradesh, India. E-mail : [email  protected] com ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem to study the effect of plant density and phosphorus levels on the growth and yield of vegetable cowpea variety Arka Garima under irrigated conditions.The study revealed that the crop responded to plant densities as well as phosphorus levels. The biometric characters like number of primary branches per plant (8. 52), pod length (21. 31 cm), pod girth (12. 35 mm), number of pods per plant (37. 02), number of seeds per pod (16. 85), pod weight per plant (10. 93 g) and pod yield per plant (301. 85 g) were higher at lower density plants (37,037 plants/ha) along with 60 kg P2O5/ha. The growth and yiel d characters like plant height (52. 47 cm), TDM accumulation (3968. 04 kg/ha), days to flowering (34. 73 days), days to first picking (44. 8 days) and pod yield (152. 87 q//ha) were showed better expression in case of high density planting (74,074 plants/ha) along with 60 kg P2O5/ha. The interaction effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels were significant on plant height, total dry matter accumulation and days to flowering, pod length, pod weight per plant, and yield per plant and pod yield /ha. Key words: Growth, yield, plant density, phosphorus level, vegetable cowpea Cowpea plays a substantial role by serving as a grain and vegetable crop mainly for the rural people in the East, West, South and Central parts of Africa (Mortimore et al. 1997). According to FAO (2007), cowpea is produced annually on 11. 2 mha ranking 3rd after common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. ) with Africa taking the lead followed by Asia. It is extensively grown in Sout h India particularly in the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. Cowpea used at all stages of its growth including as a vegetable (Ofori and Stern, 1986). Vegetable cowpea variety Arka Garima is a bushy type. Pods are thick, light green, long, round, stringless and highly fleshy. Yield potential of Arka Garima is 18 t/ha.The optimum plant population is an important parameter for increasing the crop productivity and provides the plant with the best environment to express its capacity fully under the given conditions. The optimum plant density with proper geometry and its planting varied with the agro-climatic conditions and growth habit of the plant. Generally, pulses require phosphorus for their growth and nitrogen fixation. It also enhances the nodulation and pod development consequently pod yield. If the phosphate availability from the soil is limited, the growth and nitrogen fixation are affected (Prasad and Sanoria, 1981).Phosphorus being an essential constituent of cellular prote ins and nucleic acids, it encourages the meristematic activity in plants (Black, 1969) and adequate supply of nutrients which might have enhanced the metabolic activity and inturn plant growth. MATERIAL AND METHODS A field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem during kharif 2010. The experimental site had red sandy loam with pH 6. 9, EC of 0. 01 dS/m, 0. 34 % organic carbon with 712, 32. 5, 217. 5 kg of N, P2O5 and K2O per ha, respectively. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications.There were twelve treatmental combinations comprised of three plant densities (37,037, 55,555 and 74,074 plants/ha) designated as D1, D2 and D3 and four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5/ha) designated as P0, P1, P2 and P3. The seeds were treated with captan @ 3g/kg seeds before sowing against wilt. The Arka Garima seeds were dibbled on 29-8-2010 at 60 x 45, 60 x 30 and 45 x 30 cm spacings. During the crop perio d, the total rainfall received was 419. 07 mm. The nitrogen @ 20 kg/ha, potassium @10 kg/ha and phosphorus as per the treatments were applied during the crop period.The metereological data recorded from planting date to harvest are presented below. Table 1: Monthly mean temperatures, relative humidity and rainfall during the growing season of cowpea (Sep-Nov) in 2010 at Venkataramannagudem, Andhra Pradesh. Month Mean temperature (? C) Mean Relative Rain fall (mm) humidity (%) _____________________________________________________________________ September 28. 99 77. 96 19. 3 October 28. 84 71. 86 46. 00 November 27. 33 75. 14 38. 60 _____________________________________________________________________ A sample of five plants was taken randomly from two central rows in each experimental plot at different intervals. The growth parameters like plant height, number of primary branches, dry matter accumulation, days to flowering and days to first picking were recorded. Similarly the yield and its attributes were recorded.For estimating total dry matter accumulation, each sample was first air dried and later oven dried at 60? C to constant weight. The sum of dry weights of all plant parts was taken as total dry matter accumulation per plant (g). The data was analyzed by the method of variance outlined by Panse and Sukhatme (1985). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results revealed that the effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on vegetative growth performance and yield were significant. The plant height increased with increasing plant density and decreased number of primary branches per plant at all sampling occasions.Higher density produced tender and widely spread plants. Significant increase in plant height with high density (74,074 plants/ha) might be due to competition of solar energy coupled with shallow root system. Increased plant density limits the availability of space for plant and hence root configuration affecting the crop growth. Increased plant popu lation increased plant height (Ahmed et al. 2010). The TDM accumulation was higher at a plant density of 74,074 plant/ha. The result might be attributed to optimum use of natural resources, higher uptake of nutrients and more number of plants per unit area.Beneficial effect of optimum density on total dry matter accumulation has also been reported by Dwivedi et al. (1994) in frenchbean. Though the number of primary branches per plant, pod length, pod girth, number of pods per plant were higher at lower density (37,037 plants/ha), it delayed the maturity. Higher photosynthesis and higher amount of dry matter assimilation due to higher number of leaves and higher availability of nutrients led to vegetative growth at a longer period and as such the reproductive phase was delayed (Honma and Bert, 1977).The higher pod yield per plant at low plant density (37,037 plants/ha) could be attributed to the significant increase in pod length, pod girth, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and pod weight per plant. These values were significantly lower at higher density (74,074 plants/ha) due to increased competition among the plants for the space, light and nutrients. Increasing population decreased the number of pods per plant. This reduction may be attributed to the interference among branches. The findings are in accord with the previous results reported by Hamad (2004).The variations in number of pods per plant could be attributed to the variations in number of branches per plant. Hence lower plant densities resulted in maximum number of branches per plant and in turn was responsible for more number of fruiting points. Further, less competition for light, moisture and nutrients associated with wider spacing has an edge in producing more reproductive parts compared to high density plants. The plant growth, yield and its attributes were superior with the application of 60 kg P2O5/ha.Increase in plant growth might be due to hastened meristematic activity, be tter root growth and better absorption of nutrients by increased application of P (Philip, 1993). The translocation of photosynthates by the action of P also showed an improvement in various growth parameters (Verma and Saxena, 1995). The infection of Rhizobium bacteria depends on their interception with the root hair. Under adequate phosphate application, nodulation increases due to high bacterial infection on account of properly developed rooting system and increased density of nodule bacteria (Srivastava and Varma, 1985).Increased nodulation implies greater symbiotic fixation of atmospheric N which also helps in cell division and root extension which might have resulted in vigorous plant growth. Similar results were reported by Joseph and Varma (1994) in chickpea. The phosphorus application @ 60 kg/ha showed a significant influence on days to flowering, days to 50 per cent flowering and days to first picking. Influence of P in hastening maturity is well documented. Phosphorus imp arts quicker vegetative growth to the plant and entering into the reproductive phase early.The same trend of higher levels of P was also noted by Philip (1993) in cowpea and Bahadur and Singh (1990) in garden pea. The increase in yield attributes might be a direct consequence of growth characters. Adequate supply of P is important in laying down the primordia for the reproductive parts of plants. It is also considered important in the formation of pods and seeds. Being a constituent of protoplasm, which may be responsible for increased length of pods, pod weight, number of seeds per pod and inturn pod yield. These results are in conformity with the finding of Sundara et al. 2004) in pea. The interaction effect of application of 60 kg P2O5/ha and higher plant densities (74,074 plants/ha) produced higher pod yield along with rich protein content. The economic returns were more in case of high density as per the results obtained in the present experiment. It is also suggested that a pl ant density level D3 (74,074 plants/ha) and a phosphorus level of P3 (60 kg P2O5) was most profitable for the cultivation of vegetable cowpea cv. Arka Garima under irrigated conditions in coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. REFERENCESAhmed Naim, M. E. and Abdelrhim Jabereldar, A. 2010. Effect of plant density and cultivar on growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 4: 3148-53. Bahudur, V. and Singh, T. 1990. Yield and growth response of garden pea (Pisum sativum L. ) to nitrogen and phosphorus application. Vegetable Science, 17 : 205-09. Black, C. A. 1969. Soil plant relationships (2nd Ed. ) John Wiley and Sons Inc. New York, pp. 792. Dwivedi, D. K. , Singh, H. , Shahi, K. M. B. and Rai, J. N. 1994.Response of frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to population densities and nitrogen levels under mid-upland situation in north-east alluvial plains of Bihar. Indian J. Agron. , 39 : 581-83. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) . 2007. FAOSTAT http://faostat. fao. org/site/567/default. aspx#ancor. Hamad, M. S. 2004. Effect of planting density on the performance of three cultivars of cowpea. M. Sc. thesis submitted to University of Khartoum, Sudan. Honma, S. and Bert, J. 1977. Growing high density cauliflower. American Vegetable Grower, 25 : 40. Joseph, B. and Varma. 1994.Response of rainfed chickpea (Cicer arietinum) to jalshakti incorporation and phosphorus and sulphur fertilization. Indian J. Agron. , 39 : 312-14. Mortimore, M. J. , Singh, B. B. , Harris, F. and Blade, S. F. 1997. Cowpea in traditional cropping systems. Advances in Cowpea Research, 8: 99-113. Ofofi, F. and Stern, W. R. 1986. Maize/cowpea intercrops system: Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on productivity and efficiency. Field Crop Research, 14: 247-61. Panse, V. G. and Sukhatame, P. V. 1985. Statistical methods for agricultural workers. ICAR, New Delhi. Philip, A. 1993.Phosphorus and molybdenum nutrition in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. ). M . Sc. (Ag. ) Thesis submitted to the Kerala Agricultural University. Srivastava, S. N. L. and Varma, S. C. 1985. Effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and molybdenum fertilization on growth, nodulation and residual fertility in field pea. Indian J. Agric Res. , 19: 131-37. Sundara, T. H. , Vyakaranahal, B. S. , Shekhargoud, M. , Shishidhara, S. D. and Hosamani, R. M. 2004. Influence of phosphorus and micronutrients on seed yield and quality of pea (Pisum sativum L. ). Seed Research, 32: 214-16. Verma, V. S. and Saxena, K.K. 1995. Response of Frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to graded doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in silty loam soil of central Uttar Pradesh. Indian J. Agron. , 40 : 67-71. Table 2 : Effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on plant height, number of primary branches per plant and days to flowering of vegetable cowpea cv. Arka Garima. Plant height (cm) (At 60 DAS)No. of primary branches (At 45 DAS)Days to flowering (Days) Plant densitiesPhosphorus levels P 0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3Mean D145. 6045. 93046. 6748. 8046. 758. 078. 538. 608. 878. 5236. 6736. 0036. 336. 4736. 57 D245. 4047. 4050. 0748. 4047. 828. 008. 338. 138. 338. 2035. 4735. 4035. 3335. 2735. 37 D349. 2052. 6752. 2055. 8052. 477. 477. 808. 078. 077. 8535. 0034. 8034. 6334. 4734. 73 Mean46. 7348. 6749. 6451. 007. 848. 228. 278. 4235. 7135. 4035. 5035. 40 SourceSEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05) Plant density (D)0. 120. 340. 110. 310. 060. 18 Phosphorus level (P)0. 130. 390. 120. 360. 070. 20 D x P0. 230. 680. 21N. S0. 12NS Table 3 : Effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on total dry matter accumulation of vegetable cowpea cv. Arka Garima.Total dry matter accumulation (30 DAS)Total dry matter accumulation (60 DAS)Total dry matter accumulation (90 DAS) Plant densitiesPhosphorus levels P0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3Mean D1163. 50169. 03174. 85180. 38171. 941945. 661974. 371954. 932001. 671969. 16 3788. 403798. 773810. 643867. 503816 . 33 D2172. 91187. 81189. 64197. 97187. 081965. 171970. 672016. 332014. 281991. 613874. 413885. 983986. 924096. 853961. 04 D3187. 95200. 96211. 37221. 33205. 401951. 191983. 812107. 322094. 432034. 193722. 813865. 744080. 084203. 513968. 04 Mean174. 79185. 93191. 96199. 891954. 001976. 282026. 192036. 793795. 13850. 173959. 214055. 95 SourceSEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05) Plant density (D)0. 591. 7210. 1029. 637. 6022. 30 Phosphorus level (P)0. 681. 9911. 6634. 218. 7825. 75 D x P1. 173. 4420. 2059. 2615. 2044. 60 Table 4 : Effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on number of pods per plant, pod weight per plant and pod yield per plant of vegetable cowpea cv. Arka Garima. Pod length (cm)Pod girth (mm)No. of pods per plant Plant densitiesPhosphorus levels P0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3MeanP0P1P2P3Mean D118. 4721. 8021. 8323. 1321. 3111. 8712. 0012. 2713. 2712. 3515. 1316. 4717. 4718. 3316. 5 D218. 5319. 4020. 6720. 5319. 7811. 3313. 1312. 5312. 0012. 2515. 1316. 0717. 0017. 6716. 47 D316. 8017. 1322. 3322. 2719. 6310. 9311. 2712. 0012. 0711. 5715. 1315. 3316. 0716. 9315. 87 Mean17. 6319. 4421. 6121. 9811. 3812. 1312. 2712. 4415. 1315. 9616. 8417. 64 SourceSEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05)SEm  ±CD (P=0. 05) Plant density (D)0. 120. 340. 220. 650. 120. 36 Phosphorus level (P)0. 130. 390. 260. 750. 140. 42 D x P0. 230. 680. 44NS0. 25NS Table 5 : Effect of plant densities and phosphorus levels on number of pods per plant, pod weight per plant and pod yield per plant of vegetable cowpea