Monday, December 23, 2019

Wikileaks May Have Saved Tunisia from Political Disaster

Wikileaks main goal has been finding the truth of topics wanted to be hidden to the public, and in this case their power was used to protect Tunisia. The procedure used to spread the truth may not be the most appropriate. It is the truth, and it will always be better to hear the crude reality than some beautiful lie. â€Å"The ends justify the means† –Niccolo Machiavelli. In some societies such as Tunisia, wikileaks has been so helpful that their fight has gone from virtual to physical. This is Wikileaks utopia, where a population gets together and embraces the fight against their government in order to defend their rights as a country. In Tunisia people did go out to protest and stand for their freedom of speech right, and all this began in the web. Tunisians had enough in their plate already, this was just the drop that spilled the glass. In the past weeks prior freedom of speech strikes, Tunisia was in a very bad shape. First of all food prices were going up at the same time as the unemployment rate. Past two characteristics are red flags for any government. On top of all this, corruption scandals were making the people even angrier. Officially, Tunisia’s case is the first time that wikileaks makes a population take actions in their own hands. These protests are also about the countrys utter lack of freedom of expression including when it comes to WikiLeaks. The only way that a society would achieve the status of real democracy is having freedom of

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Reliability and Validity Matrix Free Essays

TEST of Reliability | Application and APPROPRIATENESS| Strengths| Weaknesses| Internal Consistency| This measure of reliability is appropriate when trying to determine the difference in reliability from shortening or lengthening a test (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). Here I am specifically referring to the Spearman-Brown formula being used to determine internal consistency. A researcher could also use other measures of internal consistency meant for heterogeneous test items, such as Inter-item consistency. We will write a custom essay sample on Reliability and Validity Matrix or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reliability of a test increases with an increase in the number of test items. One of the strengths of the Spearman-Brown Formula is that is can determine how much more or less reliable a test is as a researcher lengthens or shortens the test. This measure can also work in reverse and tell a researcher how many items they need to add to reach a certain reliability coefficient. | The problem with the use of the Spearman-Brown formula to determine internal consistency is that it is only affective with homogenous test items, that is items that are the same difficulty and length. Also, tests of reliability are higher for whole-test vs. half-test applications of the formula, which means that lengthier tests work better with this instrument. | Split-half| The split-half form of measuring reliability entails creating two halves in the same test that can be compared in the same manner as the parallel form of reliability testing uses. This type of measurement is appropriate when using odd-even reliability or random assignment splits, but is most applicable when designing mini-parallel forms of the same test. In this instance, each half is, â€Å"†¦as nearly equal as humanly possible—in format, stylistic, statistical, and related aspects† (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010, p. 145). | The strength of this kind of measure is that it is less time-consuming and less cumbersome for test-takers than the parallel form, but is also a good measure of internal consistency. This type of measurement also help keep in check intermediary variables that might introduce error variance into the analysis, since the both parallel portions of the test are taken at once. However, there are several intermediary variables that are enhanced by this form of measuring reliability: fatigue that is felt during the second part of the test but not the first and variance in the difficulty or content of the items in the first half vs. the second half. It is also not advised to simply split a test down the middle. The different halves should have the same content and difficulty of question for the measure of reli ability to be accurate. Test/retest| This type of test is applicable when the construct being measured is relatively stable over time, but is inappropriate for constructs that are not stable over time (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). This is because test/retest reliability is based on taking the same test, with the same people, at two different times. If the construct being measured is purported to change over time, then the scores of the test would vary because of true variance, rather than error variance—which is the basis of reliability, the latter that is. An example of this principle might be an achievement test measuring grammatical skills. If the test-taker undergoes a series of lessons on grammar between the first test and the second test, then the test will show variance, but not due to error but due to the intermediary variable of education. Test/retest reliability would be inappropriate in this situation. | The strength of this measurement of reliability are in tests that, â€Å"†¦employ outcome measures such as reaction time or perceptual judgment† (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010, p. 143). This is because these types of psychometric traits do not vary greatly over time and are not sensitive to many types of intervening variable. The weakness of test/retest reliability is, of course, that the underlying constructs being tested can change over time, and therefore lower the test/retest reliability due to true variance rather than error variance. In this case, the overall reliability of a test might be seen as lower even though the actual measurement of the construct is stable (it is just that the construct itself varies). | Parallel and alternate forms| Both parallel and alternative forms of test reliability utilize multiple instances of the same test items at two different times with the same participants (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). These types of measures of reliability would be most appropriate with tests that measure traits that are stable over a long period of time and inappropriate when measuring finite emotional states or anxiety levels. | The strength of this measure of reliability is that it measures the core construct through several variances of the same test item. If equivalent scores are found on multiple forms of the same test item, then the reliability of the test will go up. Moreover, there are ways to perform this type of reliability analysis without having the test-taker undergo multiple examinations: internal onsistency estimate of reliability. This type of analysis would save time and money. | Designing these types of measures are time-consuming, expensive, and tiresome for the test-taker who has to take variations of the same test items over and over again. Also, these forms of testing reliability are not dependable for measuring constructs that change over time, such as anxiety levels. Anoth er weakness is that if the tests are taken some time apart, then intervening variables might have an effect on the scores, thereby increasing error variance. Test of Validity| Application and APPROPRIATENESS| Strengths| Weaknesses| Face validity| Face validity is a description of the subjective perception of the test-taker of the test’s validity (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). This measure is not so much a quantification of the test’s actual validity, but a measure of the test-taker’s perception of the test’s validity. Face validity is most appropriate when measuring the test-takers confidence that a test measures what it purports to measure. The strength of face validity is that if the test-taker has confidence in the validity of test, then they are more likely to take the test, and further the test user is more likely to administer the test. Without face validity, the test might be perfectly valid, but it is not administered or taken properly because the user/ taker does not have confidence in the test. | The weakness of face validity is that it might not measure actual validity. A test can appear to be valid to the user/taker while also being completely invalid for the construct/time/place of the test. A good example might be the inkblot test. Psychologists that adhere to the psychodynamic perspective of psychopathology would say that the test is perfectly valid for determining personality characteristics, but the test taker might not understanding how the test applies to personality development, thereby undermining the face validity of the test. | Content validity| Measures of content validity are most useful in situations a test designer is trying to create test items that match the content of the material being tested (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). For instance, a final course exam should test the content area that the course covered. Further, this measure might not be applicable in situations where the skills that the test designer are looking for in the applicant are not currently part of the skill-set of the already employed, such as in cases of new positions. | One of the strengths of content validity is that it can used to work backwards from job responsibilities to job applicant requirements. First, the test designer would examine veteran workers perform their job, and then design an application process that looks for these qualities in a potential employee. The items that are judge essential for the job are the ones that are most advantageous for the applicant to possess. | The downfall of content validity is that the perspective of the material being covered is culturally and chronologically subjective, meaning that the questions can have different answers in different areas of the world or at different times. Therefore, the test items must be culturally and chronologically accurate for the test-takers for content validity to be used. | Criterion related| I know this is personal opinion, but I think that criterion-related validity is the most powerful of all of the methods of verifying validity—especially concurrent validity. This type of validity is used to verify that the criterion that the test score purports to represent is actually in the sample of individuals being tested (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). For instance, a group of people who have already been diagnosed with schizophrenia could be tested using a new instruments and if they all score high on the test for schizophrenia, then the test can be said to have acceptable validity. | One of the strengths of criterion-related validity is that it is a very powerful measure of the actual validity of a test score. This type of validity uses methods external to the test itself to verify that the test covers the subject matter and criterion that it purports to cover. This fact alone makes this measure the most objective and verifiable of the measures of validity. A weakness of content validity is that criterion contaminations can occur, which is when the same predictor measure and criterion measure are used. As an example, if the diagnosis of a mental disorder by a panel of diagnosticians is used both as the test criterion and the measure of test validity. | Construct| Construct validity is the umbrella under which all of the other sub -types of validity fall (Cohen Swerdlik, 2010). Construct validity is appropriate to use in cases where a test is trying to measure some underlying construct, such as intelligence or anxiety. I suppose this measure of validity might not be appropriate in situations where there is not one clear construct that is being measured, such as generalized achievement tests. | One of the main strengths of construct validity is that the procedures used to verify underlying constructs follow the edicts of the scientific method. A hypothesis is formulated, predicting that if someone possesses in great quantity the construct of intelligences—as verified through other measures—then they will score high on a test purporting to measure intelligence. In this way, a predictions is made based on scientific facts and then the test is used to determine if the prediction holds true. If it does not, then the test items, predictions, or underlying construct might need to be revised. | The downfall of this measure of validity is that if there is not one clear construct or if the construct is vaguely defined, then the validity of the test score is not measurable. So, the validity of the test rests on the underlying construct definition and specificity. | How to cite Reliability and Validity Matrix, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis of Ronald Reagan Inaugural Speech free essay sample

In order to analysis Ronald Reagan First Inaugural Address, summarize and analysis peech, research political context, rhetorical analysis are necessary. The Ronald Reagans first inaugural address included the countrys situation, the President Reagans plan as a regularly president address. President Reagan thanks everybody to believe his and let him to be president at first. Next he said The business of our nation goes forward (Ronald), but unfortunately the United States are confronted with an economic affliction of great proportions. (Ronald). Not only economic recession, the United States also faced financial deficit which was caused by unreasonable tax structure. He urged Americans to act in order to preserve omorroW'(Ronald). For the crisis, he address his view as government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem(Ronald). With this, the government had to change, he said he would curb the size and influence of the Federal establishment and to demand recognition of the distinction between the powers granted to the Federal Government and those reserved to the states or to the people(Ronald). Not only plans about government reformation, he also punished the solution of economic recession which was removing the roadblocks that have slowed our economy and reduced productivity (Ronald). At the part of speech, he stated the is foreign policy which was strengthen relationship with ally and never compromised to the adversaries like the Soviet Union, the president Reagan confirmed that America had won the Cold War. Learning something about the speechs society background and political background were necessary for audience to analyze the speech. This speech was the president Reagan first inaugural address on January 20,1981. This was hardest period of America after World War II, as Weidenbaum talk about the United States economic situation in Working for President Ronald Reagan, that American economy was suffering from a combination f illnesses: high inflation and low growth as well as high taxation, rising government spending, and excessive regulation(P689-690). Except the economic crisis, the America also faced the high international pressure from the Soviet Union. n the high pressure of economic and international relationship, the America political failed in tough compete. In the 1980s president campaign, the democrats president Jimmy According the Chambers Dictionary of World History, in the Iran hostage crisis, the failed of attempted helicopter rescue causing the Carter administration great olitical embarrassment which was one of major factor of president Carter defeat by Ronald Reagan(lran). The republican candidate R onald Reagan This address was very important, it was an inaugural address, and it also was incentive speech for America. As the Great Lives: A Century in Obituaries said, Domestically, Reagans two great achievements were to restore Americas pride and confidence after Vietnam, Watergate (RONALD ). The president Reagans speech was very important, because America was in an important period of Cold War, in this period which called Second Cold war after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, and advertised communism to Afghanistan. The president Reagan had to recovery Americans pride to believe capitalism was better than communism. The president Reagan showed his plan about economics, government, and foreign policy. For the economics, as the president Reagan said Those who do work are denied a fair return for their labor by a tax system which penalizes successful achievement and keeps us from maintaining full productivity (Ronald). Focus on the unreasonable tax system, the president Reagan declared he would change it. In the 1980, he pushed the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1980 which implemented his commitment about change tax system. This policy focuses on the individual tax reduce, retirement saving incentive, personal saving incentive, reduction of the basic estate tax rate, incentives for the small business, accelerated cost recovery system, and accelerated coast recovery system(Delaney). For the government, the president Reagan suggested to limited the governments power and translated this power to the states or to the people(Ronald). In Reagans speech, he talked a lot about government, because he thought government was the root of the countrys problem (Ronald). No doubt, all his government policies were focusing on the economic recoveries, and his style of incentive economic policies was called Reaganomics. During his eight years in office the United States created roughly 17 million new Jobs, and the gross national product nearly doubled. Yet the sustained economic expansion was fuelled by more than Just tax cuts. Reagan tended to forget the $100 billion tax increase he had been obliged to endorse in 1982(Big ). The president Reagan also pushed some policy to reduce the unemployment as he said in his speech, Putting America back to work means putting all Americans back to work. Ending inflation means freeing all Americans from the terror of runaway living cost(Ronald). The president Reagans policy about unemployment really useful, according to The Encyclopedia of Strikes in American History, The statistics of the Department of Labor demonstrate the impact of the striker replacement tactic: after 1981 there was a sharp drop in work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more, from 235 strikes in 1979 to ninety-six in 1982, going down to forty in 1988. (STRlKES ). As for the foreign policy, the president was a believed that America would win the cold war, and America would continue the rmament race with the Soviet Union as he said in the address, When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act. We will maintain sufficient strength to prevail if need be, knowing that if we do so, we have the best chance of never having to use that strength(Ronald). In order to keep the advantage of military March 8, 1983, this program was popularly referred to as Star based on a plan to use space-based weapons to shoot down potential incoming missiles from the Soviet Union (Strategic). This program not only accelerated the nuclear race, it also accelerated the Soviet Union more collapsing. Along with the president Reagan showed his plan in the speech, the three kinds of rhetoric cross the speech which helps his speech clear, emotional, and authority. Analysis the rhetoric can help audiences more clear the speakers ideas and emotions. In the Ronald Reagans First Inaugural Address, the Ronald Reagan used the ethos in his speech. He cite the one of the greatest among the Founding Fathers, Dr. Joseph Warren, president of the Massachusetts Congresss world, Dr. Joseph Warren said to his fellow Americans, Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question upon which rest the happiness and the liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves. W(Ronald) The president Reagan used the ethos appeal who is one of the greatest among the Founding Fathers. He wanted to let American to know they had overcome the biggest problem in the founding of the country, and now, they also could overcome the economic recession which was easier than the America founding. The president Reagan tried to tell American economic recession was not to overcome if all American unite and never gave up. Reagan also used the logos which showed his speech very ogical. In the beginning of speech, he pointed the United States faced the seriously economic problem. Next he pointed the key of the economic problem, the way to solved economic recession was government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem (Ronald). by the logos appeals, the president Reagan showed the result as economic recession was not difficult to figure it out. The reason of his speech outstanding was he really good at using the pathos in the speech which could let American felt confidences and faith for the United States. Like he said in the peech It does require, however, our best effort, and our willingness to believe in ourselves and to believe in our capacity to perform great deeds; to believe that together with Gods help we can and will resolve the problems which now confront us(Ronald). In the pathos appeals, he certified the American would overcome the problem, and welcome new day. The president Reagan presents his purpose and situation in the speech. It was clear that the president Reagan tried to persuade American to unite and overcame the economic recession. The second purpose in his speech was showed his plan while he was president. As for the situation, the president Reagan had talked the American situation in the beginning of speech, as he said These United States are confronted with an economic affliction of great proportions. We suffer from the longest and one of the worst sustained inflations in our national history. (Ronald) A good speech not only need use rhetoric, it also need put all kinds of rhetoric in a logical order. In the President Reagans first inaugural address, the logos though all the speech, a good speech should clearly showed the point and the audience easy to understand how the speaker gets the final result. Of ourse, the President Reagans speech was outstanding, because the logos appeal was used from beginning to the end. In the speech beginning, the Reagan said The business of our nation goes forward(Ronald), next he talked about the present pushed his plan about how to deal with it, his plan included tax reformation ,and changed government to efficiency, because government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem(Ronald). Next he used the pathos appeal, he said the U. S. would begin an era of national renewal, next he called the entire American renew our determination, our courage, and our strength. And let us renew our faith and our hope. Everybody worked for national renewal, and everybody was hero for the country, which never been heroic dream. At the end of economic part, he summarized his policy, and use ethos appeal to second times encouraged his audiences that they could overcome the economic recession, as the Reagan cited Dr. Joseph Warren words Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question upon which rest the happiness and the liberty of millions yet unborn.