Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems

Types of Research Misconduct

• Fabrication (Illegitimate creation of data): Fabrication is the act of conjuring data or experiments with a belief of knowledge about what the conclusion of the analysis or experiments would be, but cannot wait for the results possibly due to timeline pressures from supervisor or customers.

• Falsification (Inappropriate alteration of data): Falsification is the misrepresentation or misinterpretation, or illegitimate alteration of data or experiments, even if partly, to support a desired hypothesis even when the actual data received from experiments suggest otherwise. Falsification and fabrication of data and results hamper engineering research and cause false empirical data to percolate in the literature, wreck trustworthiness

Chapter 5: Uncovering Systemic Injustice

Bryan Stevenson begins a deeper investigation into Walter McMillian’s case, uncovering significant misconduct by law enforcement and the prosecution. He discovers that Walter was placed on death row before his trial, an unusual and cruel treatment that underscored the racial bias in the case. Stevenson learns about the prosecution’s reliance on coerced and fabricated testimony from Ralph Myers and Bill Hooks. He faces hostility and intimidation from local officials as he works to challenge the wrongful conviction.

Key Figures and Their Roles in the Case

Walter McMillian

Walter was placed on death row even before being convicted, a rare and punitive measure. His alibi—being at a fish fry with dozens

Support Vector Machines (SVM)

A support vector machine is a supervised method for classification or regression that seeks a boundary in a high-dimensional space which separates classes with the widest possible margin. The training process involves choosing a boundary that maximizes the distance to the nearest training points, known as support vectors. When data are not perfectly separable, slack variables can be introduced to allow some misclassifications or margin violations while balancing margin maximization and classification accuracy. A kernel is a special function that effectively maps data into higher-dimensional spaces without doing the mapping explicitly; it lets the support vector machine handle nonlinear relationships by measuring... Continue reading "Machine Learning Algorithms: Comprehensive Definitions" »

Email Structure: Key Components

Subject Line: Clear and relevant (e.g., "Inquiry About Extended Essay Research Sources").

Salutation: Polite greeting (e.g., "Dear Ms. Smith").

Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and the purpose of the email (e.g., "I am a Year 12 student seeking guidance on...").

Main Content: Provide details concisely; ask clear questions.

Connection to IB Values: Relate to IB Learner Profile traits if applicable (e.g., "As an inquirer...").

Closing: Summarize points and express gratitude (e.g., "Thank you for your consideration.").

Sign-Off: Formal closing (e.g., "Sincerely,").

Signature: Name, role, and contact info (e.g., Alex Johnson, Year 12 Student, XYZ School).

Essay Structure: A Comprehensive Outline

Title: Clear and concise;... Continue reading "Effective Email, Essay, and Letter Structures" »

Cost Accounting Concepts and Objective Questions

Here are some key cost accounting concepts and objective-type questions to test your understanding:

Key Cost Accounting Concepts

1. Costing: Refers to the allocation of costs to cost centers and cost units.
2. Economic Order Quantity (EOQ): The optimal order quantity that minimizes total inventory costs.
3. Idle Time: Time spent by workers on unproductive activities.
4. Apportionment: The process of distributing overheads to various cost centers.
5. Profit under Absorption Costing: Higher when production exceeds sales compared to marginal costing.
6. Purpose of Cost Accounting: To ascertain and control costs.
7. Minimum Stock: The minimum level of inventory that must be maintained at all times.
8. Labor Turnover: Measured as

Black Beauty: A Horse's Enduring Story

"Black Beauty" is a timeless classic novel, told from the unique perspective of a horse. This poignant narrative by Anna Sewell delves into themes of animal welfare, human kindness, and the harsh realities faced by working animals in Victorian England.

Early Life and Birtwick Hall

The story begins on Farmer Grey’s farm, where young Black Beauty grows up content and happy, learning obedience and strength in a calm, peaceful setting. His idyllic early life, however, takes a significant turn when he is sold to Squire Gordon and moved to the esteemed Birtwick Hall. Here, he experiences a period of excellent care, treated kindly by the compassionate coachman John Manly. At Birtwick, Black Beauty forms bonds... Continue reading "Black Beauty's Journey: A Horse's Tale of Resilience" »

Brand

The overall perception someone has of a particular organization.

Branding

The act of shaping that perception.

Brand Values

A set of beliefs that a brand represents and uses to guide its actions and decisions.

Brand Promise

A statement that describes what a brand promises to deliver to its customers.

Employer Branding

The process of creating and managing a company's employer brand, which is the perception that employees and potential employees have of a company as an employer.

Co-branding

When two companies come together to create a product or service.

Personal Branding

The process of creating and managing your own personal brand.

Gut Feeling

An instinctive feeling rather than an opinion based on facts or reason.

Logo

A symbol or other design adopted by... Continue reading "Core Branding Concepts Defined" »

Architectural Walls: Function and Types

Walls create spaces, hold weight, and offer protection. They are categorized primarily by their structural role:

• Load-Bearing Walls: Support the building's weight.
• Non-Load-Bearing Walls: Simply divide rooms; these are also known as curtain or partition walls.

Masonry Walls

Masonry walls, typically made of bricks, are known for their strength, longevity, and fire resistance. However, they present several drawbacks:

• They are heavy and costly.
• They require significant time to construct.
• They need plaster and paint for finishing.
• They often require additional insulation for optimal sound and temperature control.

Roof Systems: Protection, Structure, and Materials

Roofs protect buildings from the weather and must be... Continue reading "Essential Building Components: Walls, Roofs, Floors, and Stairs" »

Competition vs. Cooperation in Education

The question of whether schools should prioritize competition or cooperation in their approach to education is complex, with valid arguments on both sides. While fostering a competitive spirit can drive individual achievement, an emphasis on collaboration and teamwork builds crucial social and interpersonal skills vital for success in the modern world.

Arguments for Competition

Arguments for promoting competition in schools often center on the idea that it pushes students to strive for excellence. A competitive environment can motivate students to work harder, achieve higher grades, and develop a strong work ethic. This drive for individual success can lead to greater personal achievement and potentially... Continue reading "Competition vs. Cooperation in Education: A Balanced Approach" »