STA630 GDB No. 1 Solution

Semester Fall 2010

"Research Methods (STA630)"

This is to inform that Graded Discussion Board (GDB)

will be opened according to the following schedule

Schedule

Opening Date and Time
November 22, 2010 At 12:01 A.M. (Mid-Night)

Closing Date and Time
November 24 , 2010 At 11:59 P.M. (Mid-Night)

Topic/Area for Discussion

"MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS"

Note: The discussion question will be from the area/topic mentioned above. So start learning about the topic now.

....................

Discussion Question

"Which of the scale among ratio and interval scale is better? Justify our answer"

..........

Solution:

I think Ration Scale is better:

Interval Scale:-Permissible Statistics
mean, standard deviation, correlation, regression, analysis of variance

Ratio Scale:-Permissible Statistics
All statistics permitted for interval scales plus the following: geometric mean, harmonic mean, coefficient of variation, logarithms

...........

Interval scale

Quantitative attributes are all measurable on interval scales, as any difference between the levels of an attribute can be multiplied by any real number to exceed or equal another difference. A highly familiar example of interval scale measurement is temperature with the Celsius scale. In this particular scale, the unit of measurement is 1/100 of the difference between the melting temperature and the boiling temperature of water at atmospheric pressure. The "zero point" on an interval scale is arbitrary; and negative values can be used. The formal mathematical term is an affine space (in this case an affine line). Variables measured at the interval level are called "interval variables" or sometimes "scaled variables" as they have units of measurement.

Ratios between numbers on the scale are not meaningful, so operations such as multiplication and division cannot be carried out directly. But ratios of differences can be expressed; for example, one difference can be twice another.

The central tendency of a variable measured at the interval level can be represented by its mode, its median, or its arithmetic mean. Statistical dispersion can be measured in most of the usual ways, which just involved differences or averaging, such as range, interquartile range, and standard deviation. Since one cannot divide, one cannot define measures that require a ratio, such as studentized range or coefficient of variation. More subtly, while one can define moments about the origin, only central moments are useful, since the choice of origin is arbitrary and not meaningful. One can define standardized moments, since ratios of differences are meaningful, but one cannot define coefficient of variation, since the mean is a moment about the origin, unlike the standard deviation, which is (the square root of) a central moment.

Ratio measurement

Most measurement in the physical sciences and engineering is done on ratio scales. Mass, length, time, plane angle, energy and electric charge are examples of physical measures that are ratio scales. The scale type takes its name from the fact that measurement is the estimation of the ratio between a magnitude of a continuous quantity and a unit magnitude of the same kind (Michell, 1997, 1999). Informally, the distinguishing feature of a ratio scale is the possession of a non-arbitrary zero value. For example, the Kelvin temperature scale has a non-arbitrary zero point of absolute zero, which is denoted 0K and is equal to -273.15 degrees Celsius. This zero point is non arbitrary as the particles that compose matter at this temperature have zero kinetic energy.

Examples of ratio scale measurement in the behavioral sciences are all but non-existent. Luce (2000) argues that an example of ratio scale measurement in psychology can be found in rank and sign dependent expected utility theory.

All statistical measures can be used for a variable measured at the ratio level, as all necessary mathematical operations are defined. The central tendency of a variable measured at the ratio level can be represented by, in addition to its mode, its median, or its arithmetic mean, also its geometric mean or harmonic mean. In addition to the measures of statistical dispersion defined for interval variables, such as range and standard deviation, for ratio variables one can also define measures that require a ratio, such as studentized range or coefficient of variation.

.....

Interval Scale

An interval scale assumes that the measurements are made in equal units. However, an interval scale does not have to have a true zero. Good examples of interval scales are the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales. A temperature of "zero" does not mean that there is no temperature...it is just an arbitrary zero point. An Interval Scale


Ratio Scale

Ratio scales are similar to interval scales. A ratio scale allows you to compare differences between numbers. For example, if you measured the time it takes 3 people to run a race, their times may be 10 seconds (Racer A), 15 seconds (Racer B) and 20 seconds (Racer C). You can say with accuracy, that it took Racer C twice as long as Racer A. Unlike the interval scale, the ratio scale has a true zero value.

............

INTERVAL SCALE
A characteristic of data such that the difference between two values measured on the scale has the same substantive meaning/significance irrespective of the common level of the two values being compared. This implies that scores may meaningfully be added or subtracted and that the mean is a representative measure of central tendency. Such data are common in the domain of physical sciences or engineering - e.g. lengths or weights. Also see : MEASUREMENT TYPE, SCALE TYPES, STEVENS' TYPOLOGY. 

RATIO SCALE
This is a type of MEASUREMENT SCALE for which it is meaningful to reason in terms of differences in scores (see INTERVAL SCALE) and also in terms of ratios of scores. Such a scale will have a zero point which is meaningful in the sense that it indicates complete absence of the property which the scale measures. The RATIO SCALE may be either unipolar (negative values not meaningful) or bipolar (both positive and negative values meaningful), and either continuous or discrete.

Eng301 Assignment solution

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Andy Gillett looks at ways in which professional English language teachers can help other members of staff communicate better with international students.

In my present job, I am often asked if I can help other members of staff, both academic and non-academic, to communicate with international students better. At the IATEFL conference in Brighton this year, I tried to explore ways in which experienced professional language teachers can use their knowledge and experience to do this. How can intercultural communication be improved? How can we communicate better with a student from another culture, from another education system, of a different age, who speaks a different language?

After looking at problems with some definitions of communication, I suggested that in order to communicate well with someone from a different culture, knowledge of that person' s culture was necessary. This might be fine for people going to live in another country or for people who deal mainly with people from one or two other countries or cultures. However, this is impossible in a large university like the University of Hertfordshire which could have students from 80 different countries. I felt the most important objective of any training course was to raise people' s awareness of areas of difference.

There are five broad areas that I had found useful to look at:

1. Cultural behaviour. People from different cultures do things in different ways.
It is important to increase our awareness of and sensitivity to culturally different modes of behaviour. We need to recognise different cultural patterns at work in the behaviour of people from other countries and cultures.

It is also useful to be aware of how our own cultural background influences our behaviour. And we need to develop tolerance for behaviour patterns that are different from our own.

Some useful areas to look at are:

Silence 
Time 
Distance and personal space 
Touching 
Body language 
Posture & movement 
Eye contact 
Tomalin & Stempleski (1993) have some useful photcopiable exercises here.

2. Students' perception/expectations.
It is important to try to see what expectations the students have of studying and living in this country, to try to see the learning process and experience of living here from the students point of view. How do students see the learning process? What is the role of the teacher/host family? What part is the student expected to play in all this? What are the conventions in British families or schools and universities?

What can students expect and what is expected of them? In the UK, teachers tend to believe that we learn through interaction and discussion. Individual ideas and opinions are encouraged and expected. In many parts of the Far East students are taught to learn through imitation and observation. They believe that they need to internalise the existing knowledge before contributing their own ideas.

Educational institutions and families could help by making their expectations of the student' s role clear.

Jin & Cortazzi (1993)is a useful starting point for discussion of the student' s role in higher education. Underhill (1991) also has some useful ideas on both learning and loving in Britain.

3. Culture
Most teachers, secretaries and host families will share the same culture, but not all learners will. Culture is an inherited wealth in which we all can share, but it is passed on to us from different sources, and we share it in different parts with different groups to which we belong. What cultures do lecturers or host families and Students in Higher Education share? What knowledge is expected/presupposed?

Roger Bowers (1992) provides a useful quiz that can be used, or adapted for use , with students, teachers or others. He sees culture as a mixture of memories, metaphors, maxims and myths. Different groups of people share in this knowledge in different ways.

4. Cross cultural pragmatics
It is often difficult for speakers of other languages to understanding " what is meant" by " what is said" . It is also difficult for mono-lingual speakers to understand that this is a problem. People from different cultures use language to do things in different ways. A student who says, " Give me a coffee" is seen as rude by an English speaker in the UK. Jenny Thomas defines politeness as a linguistic phenomenon rather than equating it with any moral disposition towards one' s interlocutor. The student is therefore making a linguistic error rather than being rude.

Some examples which have been studied are:

Complimenting 
Apologising 
Requesting 
Inviting 
Offering and responding 
Thomas (1995) has some useful ideas. Tannen (1992) has some good examples of communication going wrong.

5. Language
We all, as language teachers, know about language problems, but how can we help people who are not English teachers to deal better with International students. Second language speakers may:

be unfamiliar with much idiomatic or technical English 
be unfamiliar with jargon/acronyms 
not be used to hearing English - speed of delivery is a problem 
not be used to the pronunciation of some words 
not be familiar with complex language 
have particular difficulty with some areas of language
e.g. prepositions cause trouble " the price rose to £ 5.00" , "the price rose by £ 5.00" 
have trouble understanding contractions - wouln' t' ve 
Students in higher education have particular difficulty understanding their lecturers. Although as an ESP teacher, my main role is to analyse the language the students will be exposed to and help my students to deal with it, not to get the lecturers to change their language, at the University of Hertfordshire, I give the following advice to lecturers who ask for help in making their language more accessible to Students in Higher Education:

Lectures

Make your organisation clear 
Support the lecture with writing/visuals/OHP/handouts 
It is useful to provide a core word list 
Be careful with handwriting on the board 
Provide reading before the lecture 
Speaking

Don' t keep changing the subject - make one point at a time 
Signpost 
Summarise often 
Repeat if necessary 
Be careful of background knowledge assumed 
Avoid unfamiliar, idiomatic or technical English - use formal language 
Be careful of speed of delivery/clear pauses etc. 
Pronunciation clearly 
Do not talk while eating or with your back to the audience: face the class 
Be careful of background noise etc. 
Organise questions - ask students to write them down or prepare in groups 
Be explicit 
Assignments

Set written coursework early in order to identify problems 
Give clear instructions for coursework 
Provide clear feedback in written work but be careful with handwriting 
Exams

Set exams as late as possible to allow students to improve their English 
General

Provide a simplified brochure/application form 
Provide an international student tutor 
Don' t try & answer grammar questions - give a model of good English 
Leave grammatical explanations to the experts 
Assume different expectations so be specific 
If everyone in the institution who deals with Students in Higher Education is helped to become aware if these differences, communication will be easier for everyone.

................................

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search 
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2010) 

Intercultural communication principles guide the process of exchanging meaningful and unambiguous information across cultural boundaries, in a way that preserves mutual respect and minimises antagonism. For these purposes, culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms of behaviour. It refers to coherent groups of people whether resident wholly or partly within state territories, or existing without residence in any particular territory. Hence, these principles may have equal relevance when a tourist seeks help, where two well-established independent corporations attempt to merge their operations, and where politicians attempt to negotiate world peace. Two factors have raised the importance of this topic:

improvements in communication and transportation technology have made it possible for previously stable cultures to meet in unstructured situations, e.g. the internet opens lines of communication without mediation, while budget airlines transplant ordinary citizens into unfamiliar milieux. Experience proves that merely crossing cultural boundaries can be considered threatening, while positive attempts to interact may provoke defensive responses. Misunderstanding may be compounded by either an exaggerated sensitivity to possible slights, or an exaggerated and over-protective fear of giving offence; 
some groups believe that the phenomenon of globalisation has reduced cultural diversity and so reduced the opportunity for misunderstandings, but characterising people as a homogeneous market is simplistic. One product or brand only appeals to the material aspirations of one self-selecting ***** of buyers, and its sales performance will not affect the vast multiplicity of factors that may separate the cultures.

.........