Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioural Science Assignment

Essays on Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioural Science Assignment The paper "Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioural Science" is a worthy example of an essay on statistics.  Significance of having at least interval level dataThe interval level of data is desirable because of its equidistance property that facilitates analysis. It is particularly important in inferential analysis in which the difference between data values is the center of focus (Gravetter and Wallnau, 2011).   Reasons for preference of the mean as a measure for central tendencyOne of the reasons for which the mean is preferred as a measure of central tendency is its incorporation of all data to be represented that meets the need for a central measure. This is contrary to other measures of central tendency that do not consider magnitudes of every data in a data set. The mean is also preferred because of its close relation to measures of dispersion such as standard deviation (Gravetter and Wallnau, 2011). Reasons for instability of the range as a measure of variabilityThe range is an unstable measure of variability because it only considers the minimum and maximum values. This defines its suitability to measure the variability of the extremes but not the other values in between (Wood and Haber, 2013; Gravetter and Wallnau, 2011). Intended descriptions of measures of variabilityMeasures of dispersion are intended for describing variation in a data set, describing the reliability of the mean, and describing the difference in trend between two or more data sets through the exploration of variability in the distribution of data (Wood and Haber, 2013; Gravetter and Wallnau, 2011). Factors to consider when determining the level of significance in hypothesis testingImportant factors to consider when determining level of significance is the standard error, sample size, variance, and the nature of the test, whether it is a one-tailed test or a two-tailed test, because the factors have direct effects on significance of a test (Wood and Haber, 2013; Gravetter and Wallnau, 2011).

Counterinsurgency in Iraq Free Essays

Since the start of the Iraq insurgency in 2003 before the ruling of a new supreme government within its borders, the armed resistance of Iraqi security forces, insurgents and militia bursted, as Iraqi rebels instigated an ‘asymmetric war’ with much foreign assistance coming from NGOs and countries like Iran. Instead of attacking only the coalition forces and the acting government, insurgents started to attack even the less significant supporters. This paper suggests that the counterinsurgency in Iraq had been presenting immense risks and destruction to all parties, but especially to the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Counterinsurgency in Iraq or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. , which had something to do with demography, economy, and power. By evaluating the event using the three basic criteria, it shall be concluded why counterinsurgency in Iraq should be brought to a halt. As social chaos and economic constraints have not been treated very well, the act of counterinsurgency has only made matters worse, as it brings destruction even to the United States of America. Main Body Criterion #1: demography-related ruin In terms of demography, counterinsurgency in Iraq had only made matters worse since 2003. In the Information Clearing House article written by Linda Bilmes and Joseph Stiglitz entitled ‘The Economics Costs of the Iraq War: An Appraisal Three Years after the Beginning of the Conflict’, it is said that there were approximately 2,000 American combatants who had died from March 2003 to January 2006, and about 16,000 American combatants who had been wounded during those same years (2006, p. 2). However, as of now, the number of deaths went up from 2,000 to 4,147 in totality (Casualties in Iraq, 2008); while the number of wounded went up from 16,000 in early 2006 to exactly 30,561 in totality as of now (Casualties in Iraq, 2008). As of early 2006, this number of deaths led to benefits and insurances that totals a staggering $100,000 death benefits and as much as $500,000 life insurances (Bilmes Stiglitz, 2006, p. 2). These numbers project the conclusion that demography-related ruin of the United States in the Iraq War damages not just the lives but also the economy of the nation. It can be evaluated that, in terms of demography, destruction brought by the Iraq War projects staggering amount and, thus, a disparaging situation. Criterion #2: economy-related ruin Secondly, in terms of economy, counterinsurgency in Iraq had only made matters worse since 2003. In the newspaper article also written by Linda Bilmes and Joseph Stiglitz entitled ‘The Iraq War Will Cost Us $3 Trillion, and Much More’, it was said that failed war at this age costs $3 trillion and that the costs and damages of the Iraq War has surpassed the financial costs of the World War II (2008, p. B01). As it was written, â€Å"As we approach the fifth anniversary of the invasion, Iraq is not only the second longest war in U. S. history (after Vietnam), it is also the second most costly—surpassed only by World War II† (Bilmes Stiglitz, 2008, p. B01). With a ‘conservative’ estimate of about $12 billion expenses per month (or $16 billion if the one in Afghanistan would be included), the Iraq War depletes America’s resources that should have been allotted to other expenses at this present age. These numbers project the conclusion that economy-related ruin of the United States in the Iraq War damages not just the economy but also the future of the nation. It can be evaluated that, in terms of economy, destruction brought by the Iraq War projects staggering amount and, thus, a similarly disparaging situation. Criterion #3: power-related ruin Lastly, in terms of power, counterinsurgency in Iraq had only made matters worse since 2003. Together with the demographic and economic ruin, national power is being depleted because of the fact that â€Å"population [is] one of the most important indicators of national power because of its importance for determining economic and military power† (Yoshihara, 2008, p. 2). According to Susan Yoshihara (2008), Hans Morgenthau has pointed out the eight means of power appear to be the following: (1) geography, (2) natural resources, (3) industrial capacity, (4) military preparedness, (5) population, (6) national character, (7) national morale, and (8) quality of government (p. 3). Therefore, because the Iraq War is destruction to both demography and economy, the third, fourth and fifth means of power that are industrial capacity, military preparedness, and population are also being negatively affected by the war. Destruction to these three means of power implies destruction of power. This projects that demography-related and economy-related ruin of the United States in the Iraq War means power-related ruin. Thus, it can be evaluated that, in terms of power, the Iraq War projects destructive elements that lead to a similarly disparaging situation. Conclusion From the stated paragraphs, it appears that the counterinsurgency in Iraq had been presenting immense risks and destruction to all parties, even to the American population. In relation to the three criteria that is demography, economy, and power, we can evaluate that counterinsurgency in Iraq should be brought to a halt. The war had only succeeded in bringing the country more than 4,000 deaths, more than 30,000 wounded, about $3 trillion worth of financial costs, with depleting power and less economic resources. It only brought social chaos and economic constraints. We should bring it to an end. Counterinsurgency can be defined as â€Å"military and political activities undertaken by a government to defeat a rebellion or guerrilla movement† (Counterinsurgency, 2008). As the United States started to invade and occupy Iraq in 2003 (Pirnie O’Connell, 2008, p. xiii), it is evident that counterinsurgency had been quite tough, as numerous armed groups were united with a common theme that â€Å"[t]he occupation of Iraq by foreign forces is bad† (Pirnie O’Connell, 2008, p. xiii). Yet, the case appeared to be a lot worse than just plain revolt. References Bilmes, L. , Stiglitz, J. E. (2006, January). The economic costs of the Iraq war: an appraisal three years after the beginning of the conflict. Information Clearing House. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. uncle-scam. com/Breaking/jan-06/ich-1-9. PDF. Bilmes, L. J. , Stiglitz, J. E. (2008, March 9). The Iraq war will cost us $3 trillion, and much more. The Washington Post, p. B01. Casualties in Iraq. (2008). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://antiwar. com/casualties/. Counterinsurgency. (2008). In Encarta dictionary. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from MSN database: http://encarta. msn. com/dictionary_1861600753/counterinsurgency. html. Pirnie, B. , O’Connell, E. (2008). Counterinsurgency in Iraq (2003-2006). RAND Counterinsurgency Study, Vol. 2. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Yoshihara, S. (2008, March 29). American demographic trends and the future of U. S. Military Power. Paper presented at the annual convention of the International Studies Association, San Francisco. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from the All Academic Research database: http://www. allacademic. com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/2/5/0/6/3/pages250636/p250636-1. php. How to cite Counterinsurgency in Iraq, Papers

How the Garcia girls lost their accent free essay sample

When Yolanda was young she liked to sneak into a shed that was said to be haunted by ghosts and spirits to search for devils. It was during one of these visits that she found a mother cat and her kittens. She decides to bring one of the kittens home with her to keep as a pet, this despite having been told by a stranger that the kittens are too young to be taken from their mother. As soon as she reaches her home with the kitten she grows annoyed with its meows and throws it out the window, causing the kitten to hurt its legs and try to find its way home on its own. Yolanda feels bad about this and is haunted by the mother cat in her dreams. This kitten symbolizes the Garcia girls and how they were plucked from their motherland when they were too young and the mother cat symbolizes the motherland, a land that haunts Yolanda and calls back for her kitten. We will write a custom essay sample on How the Garcia girls lost their accent or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After the family arrives in New York the girls start to attend a close by Catholic school. Yolanda is very fond of her teacher whom offers her much support. The teacher gives Yolanda special attention and helps her with her English. This might be one of the things that helped form Yolandas fascination and love of language. Yolanda enjoys reading and writing poetry. When in school, she is chosen to write a speech and present to the rest of her school. The speech she writes is inspired with Walt Whitman and expresses subordination and that students should learn from their teachers but also rise above them and evolve which makes her father upset and he rips the speech into pieces. This shows how Yolanda is split between the American and the Dominican culture. She is trying to form an American identity and to express it but is held back by her father and the Dominican traditions. This split in Yolandas personality is also shown in the chapter where the story of Rudy Elmenhurst is told. Rudy is a boy that Yolanda begins to date and he wants to start a sexual relationship between them. Yolanda, even though she is in love with Rudy and even though she wants to sleep with him, says no because she is turned off because of the words he use when speaking of sexual acts. Even though language plays a big part in her refusal, it is also the cultural differences between American and Dominican attitudes towards sex that makes her refuse. Later in life, after a failed marriage, Yolanda ends up in a mental hospital. She has lost to ability to communicate with others, speaking only in quotations or misquotations, and she can not understand other people. At the end of her marriage, all she could hear when her husband spoke was â€Å"babble babble†. Yolanda has no sense of herself, her cultural identity is split and feels that people can not understand her; the Americans can not understand the Dominican influences in her personality and her parents can not understand the American influences. Some time after her stay in the hospital, Yolanda returns to the Dominican Republic seemingly to stay there for good. She goes there because she has an antojo, meaning she has a craving. Yolanda has a craving to find herself, to find her identity. Since she could not find herself in America, she returns to her motherland where she remembers being happy. When there, she discovers that does not fit in anymore. Her American way of thinking when it comes to gender roles and sexuality goes against the traditional way of thinking in the Dominican Republic. She has also forgotten a lot of her Spanish, she has lost her accent.

Wild Horses and Slaughter Issue an Example by

Wild Horses and Slaughter Issue Civilization was built on the backs of wild horses. From the very first encounters with the majestic four-legged creatures, humanity was able to tame them enough to achieve a delicate relationship that continues to this day. Currently, the descendents of the wild horses that early man tamed continue to roam around the world, including in the western United States. The population of wild horses continues to grow, inspiring many of those affected by their presence to call for stronger regulations regarding their removal by the government, as well as the widespread support of slaughtering them, negating much of the American spirit behind them. The courage of the American west defined our nations character and because of the freedoms established in the explorations of original settlers we are able to stand up for our liberties today. In the cradle of the old west, our manifest destiny was achieved and a free country evolved out of the wild. Roaming free in this very wilderness, the wild horse has become the embodiment of our American bravery and vigor for life. They symbolize the raw will to survive and the powerful drive of liberty. Need essay sample on "Wild Horses and Slaughter Issue" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Wild horses live mostly throughout the Great Basin Desert, a huge stretch of land which includes nine western states and about 300 mountain ranges. These majestic creatures originate from Spanish settlers and have occupied North Americas western frontiers since the 1600s. By the mid-1700s wild horses had become vital parts of the Native American community and Native American Horsemanship was one of the most respected occupations. During the 19th and 20th centuries, overgrazing by sheep and cattle caused the once ideal grass prairies to become arid. The short grassy fields were provided the perfect environment for supporting herds of bison and eventually wild horses. Horses abandoned by trappers, pioneers, explorers, miners, and ranchers found this prairie land too and were able to grow because of the grasslands (Hyde). Horses have been deserted throughout American history, and today we face the challenge of managing their expanding populations. Even from when the Native Americans were forced into reservations, thousands of their horses were sent back to the wilderness. Later from the Civil war to the 1930s, the US Calvary released Morgan, Thoroubred, and Arabian stallions into wild herds in order to harvest their offspring for profits. Mustangs, the wild horses of the Great Basin Desert area, which could be sold provided a large profit for ranchers of the area and this practice has grown into a controversial issue. About 1 million of these horses were sent abroad to help fight foreign conflicts and wars as a result of breaking mustangs with stallionsno horse returned but many Americans got rich (Kerson). After the invention of the automobile and the poverty of the Depression, horses were no longer necessary to mans survival and so their value decreased. Many unwanted horses were abandoned from farm s and ranches and a fair portion were sent to slaughter houses. As the popularity of horses decreased, wild herd populations grew and eventually had to compete for grass and water with domestic livestock. Ranchers shot wild horses on sight from 1920 to 1960 in order to decrease such unmanageable numbers of animals, and they felt that wild horses were a genuine threat to their livelihoods. The open range was closed, grazing districts added, and grazing permits were allocated in 1934 with the Taylor Grazing Act. The Taylor Grazing act was established to stop injury to public rangelands from horse grazing and sought to provide for orderly use, improvement, and development. The Grazing Service and ranchers despised horses on their lands and wanted to banish wild horses from grazing areas. By the end of World War II 77,000 wild horses were taken from public lands to control their population size. The injustices toward the wild horses had only just begun at this point. Mustangs at this point had become an inexpensive meat as pet food, and were also used in fertilizer. Pet food processing plants began hunting mustangs and after only a few years drastically reduced their numbers in all areas that they could roam. Without the horses, grazing land became available for ranchers and horse meat was an inexpensive solution for processors. The handling of the mass slaughters of wild horses has, however been described as bloody, brutal, and repulsive (Mustangs and the Emergence of 'Wild Horse Annie) and as completely inhumane. Not only were the horses captured by airplane and killed in slaughter houses, but they were becoming close to a new extinction. The famous Velma B. Johnston, also known as Wild Horse Annie lead a campaign to stop the slaughtering of wild horses after seeing a truckload of injured horses near her home in Nevada. She raised awareness about horse treatment, and in 1971 convinced Congress to pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. This law prevented wild horses and burros from being caught for slaughter and forced livestock owners to either claim the horses they already had, or surrender their ownership. After a set time the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) became responsible for protecting and handling any remaining horses and those still in the wild. Rather than send the mustangs to slaughterhouses to keep their population sizes down, wild horses became available, after being given any needed medical attention, at BLM Wild Horse Facilities where wild horses could be adopted (Mustangs and the Emergence of 'Wild Horse Annie). After over thirty years of grazing in peace without the danger of being sent to the slaughter houses, the laws changed once again for the wild horses. In 2004 the BLM wanted to reduce the number of wild horses from 37,000 to 28,000 in order to manage the population (Mott). The horses themselves have few natural predators and their population size can increase dramatically from year to year according to BLM. Each year the BLM would round up horses that became available for adoption at adoption homes, homes that already had 24,000 horses to manage. According to Montana Republican Senator Conrad Burns These animals live in poor conditions that often lead to their deaths, and without proper management this will continue to happen (Mott). Senator Burns himself attached an amendment to a spending bill that would allow for the sale and slaughter of horses older than ten years and those that have been offered for adoption unsuccessfully more than three times. The bill, passed in December 2004, removed the laws set in place by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. The bill was designed to reduce the number of horses in government-run facilities and the roughly 20 million dollar cost per year to care for them (Mott). Despite government intentions and the efforts of anti-slaughter lobbyists, horses still continue to get slaughtered and have become a key battle line in the war between animal rights activists and commercial ranchers. Because of the sensitive nature of slaughtering the horses, there have been passionate arguments for both those in favor of slaughtering the horses and those against. Those that claim the ever-expanding horse population is a nuisance and destroy land continue to make their case to legislators and have been successful in lobbying states to pass laws protecting the slaughter of wild horse. According to one such important supporter, Ron Cerri, of the Rebel Creek Ranch in Nevada and president-elect of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association, said that the economic situation made slaughtering the horses virtually the ranchers only option: Ranchers would prefer horses be adopted but euthanasia may be necessary to keep their numbers down (Animal-Rights Groups Protest Wild-Horse Cull). However, to counter such actions, groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals put forth massive media campaigns and likewise lobby prominent politicians for assistance. Thus far, they have been instrume ntal in convincing celebrities and at least some influential politicians to take up the cause against horse slaughter. In 2005, a bill to ban horse slaughter was introduced to Congress, coauthored by prominent U.S. Senator Robert Byrd. For six decades, Byrd has thrown his support to many animal causes, and his efforts in response to the horse slaughtering issue has been extremely fruitful, though the wheels of the government continue to move slowly. One of three bills currently in Congress related to horse slaughter, the bill would prohibit the commercial slaughter and sale of wild horse and burros (Robert Byrd named Peta's Person of the Year). For his efforts, Byrd was even named 2007 Person of the Year by PETA, who leant their official endorsement of the bill, along with the endorsement of American legend and icon of the American southwest, Willie Nelson. With political and popular supporters on their side, activists against the slaughter of horses have plenty of fuel and energy to continue crusade. Though PETA is a large organization responsible for many successful protests and lobbying against horse slaughter, the wide scale nature of the problem has inspired many regular everyday people to take up the cause. As recently as early July of 2008, activists and ranchers clashed repeatedly in Nevada over horse slaughter. Unfortunately for many of the protestors, as well as people like Sen. Byrd and Willie Nelson, the United States continues to permit the slaughter of horses. Citing the overpopulation of wild horses in the West, the considerably large amount of wild horses the federal government has rounded, budget problems and the high cost of caring for the animals, federal officials with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management believe they have no choice left but to kill the animals they have rounded up (Animal-Rights Groups Protest Wild-Horse Cull). This proposal has the horse advocate community in an uproar, claiming that the drastic measure is merely a reflection of the Bureaus poo r management of the wild horse situation. Because the government fails to let the wild horses roam free and round them up, many cite the roundups as a cause for the proposed mass killing. According to Chris Heyde, the deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute based in Washington, D.C., the roundups left too many horses for the public to adopt, requiring the agency to contract for more private long-term holding facilities (Animal-Rights Groups Protest Wild-Horse Cull). As the state with one of the largest population of wild horses, Nevada allows a management level of 27,000 wild horses, while the state has around another 30,000 in holding facilities. Like so often in the debate for and against horse slaughter, it seems to be a case of business interests against moral objections, and more often than not, business interests have won. More than anything else, this speaks of a social problem greater than the issue of horse slaughter itself. The wild horse represents so many things to those with even a limited knowledge of American history, as well as the history of humanity. Until only a century ago, the horse was a pivotal instrument in society, allowing humans to communicate and travel faster than anything else. While the need for horses decreased with the rapid advancement of technology in the industrial age, their significance remains. Wild horses helped define the American push westward, and symbolize a freedom that is intrinsically American. The slaughter of horses, even if they are considered superfluous and a nuisance to a few wealthy ranchers, is fundamentally egregious in a country that was built on the backs of horses. Holding them in facilities and going on elaborate and costly roundups likewise seems like a waste of taxpayers money in the name of a few. Though the majority of the horses rounded up are adopted, it remains that it is simply not reasonable to roundup incredibly large numbers of wild horses and expect them to be adopted by people that will care for them. Whether legitimately from poor management or hidden obligations to the horsemeat lobby, the government has seriously mishandled the issue of wild horses. The arguments for and against the slaughter of animals make it difficult for a rational person to ever do anything but oppose their slaughter. If the fundamental reason for horse overpopulation is because they are not rounded up and slaughtered, then there is a slight chance that supporters of the sl aughter are correct. However, there exist many means to keep the population down, and according to Lacy Dalton, president and co-founder of the Let 'Em Run Foundation horse advocacy group, the government can also make efforts to step up birth control and legislation to provide tax breaks to large landowners willing to let horses roam on their property (Animal-Rights Groups Protest Wild-Horse Cull). If everyone like Lacy Dalton had land to provide for horses and a kind heart, the issue may dissolve into oblivion, though the population of wild horses may also grow to numbers previously unseen. That is why there is no easy answer to the issue of wild horses, and the debate rages on. The tumultuous history of wild horses has landed them in many places. From an invaluable aspect of life for Native Americans and pioneers to an airplane of devalued caucuses for processing plants and certain ranchers, these wild horses have experienced the breath of humanity. They have seen protestors fight for their treatment, and have experienced landowners taking control of grasslands. The wild horses once symbolized our American courage and spirit for freedom, and today they call on us to use our rights to give them a voice. Works Cited: Animal-Rights Groups Protest Wild-Horse Cull. FoxNews. 7 July 2008. 14 July 2008. Hyde, Dayton O. "History of the Wild Horse." Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary. Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary. Kerson, Nancy. "Mustang Wild Horse History." Mustangs 4 Us. 2006. 14 July 2008. "Mustangs and the Emergence of 'Wild Horse Annie.'" Unbroken Spirit. Buffalo Bill Historical Center. 14 July 2008. Mott, Maryanne. "U.S. Wild Horse Slaughter Legalization Draws Fire." National Geographic News. Mar.-Apr. 2005. National Geographic. 15 July 2008. Robert Byrd named Peta's Person of the Year. Horsetalk. 1 January 2008. 15 July 2008.