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. 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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