Rescale Test Scores by Using Sten Scores

Rescale Test Scores by Using Sten Scores Many times in order to make easy comparisons between individuals, test scores are rescaled.  One such rescaling is to a ten point system.  The result is called sten scores.  The word sten is formed by abbreviating the name standard ten. Details of Sten Scores A sten scoring system uses a ten point scale with a normal distribution. This standardized scoring system has a midpoint of 5.5.  The sten scoring system is normally distributed and then divided into ten parts by letting 0.5 standard deviations correspond to each point of the scale.  Our sten scores are bounded by the following numbers: -2, -1.5, -1, -0.5, 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2.0 Each of these numbers can be thought of as z-scores in the standard normal distribution.  The remaining tails of the distribution correspond to the first and tenth sten scores. So less than -2 corresponds to a score of 1, and greater than 2 corresponds to a score of ten. The following list relates sten scores, standard normal score (or z-score), and the corresponding percent of ranking: Sten scores of 1 have z-scores less than -2 and consist of the first 2.3% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 2 have z-scores greater than -2 and less than -1.5 and consist of the next 4.4% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 3 have z-scores greater than -1.5 and less than -1 and consist of the next 9.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 4 have z-scores greater than -1 and less than -0.5 and consist of the next 15% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 5 have z-scores greater than -0.5 and less than 0 and consist of the middle 19.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 6 have z-scores greater than 0 and less than 0.5 and consist of the next 19.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 7 have z-scores greater than 0.5 and less than 1 and consist of the next 15% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 8 have z-scores greater than 1 and less than 1.5 and consist of the next 9.2% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 9 have z-scores greater than 1.5 and less than 2 and consist of the next 4.4% of ranked scores.Sten scores of 10 have z-scores greater than 2 and consist of the last 2.3% of ranked scores. Uses of Sten Scores The sten scoring system is used in some psychometric settings.  The use of only ten scores minimizes small differences between various raw scores.  For example, everyone with a raw score in the first 2.3% of all scores would be converted into a sten score of 1.  This would make the differences among these individuals indistinguishable on the sten score scale. Generalization of Sten Scores There is no reason that we must always use a ten point scale.  There may be situations in which we would want to have use  of more or fewer divisions in our scale.  For example, we could: use a five-point scale, and refer to stafive scores.use a six-point scale, and refer to stasix scores.use a nine-point scale, and refer to stanine scores. Since nine and five are odd, there is a midpoint score in each of these systems, unlike the sten scoring system.

Case study stage q Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stage q - Case Study Example In addition, the essay also relays policies aimed at to bringing the centre into a 21st century complex hence have a high competitive advantage in the market. Porter’s Five Forces Model Buyer’s Power This is the customer’s ability to purchase the UR UMUC Healthy fitness center’s products at reasonable prices compared to other corporations (Baltzan, 2013). In UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center, increase of the buyer’s power will significantly boost business’s performance. Therefore, the business will yield to the setting reasonable prices intended to attract large client pool. Supplier power This is the power by suppliers to supply the centre with required quality equipment at a much higher price (Baltzan, 2013). The supplier power brings a neutral impact to the business. The above force is also not vital and ought not to appear among the institution’s strategies. Threat of substitute products or services This brings out how the customers c an switch to the competitors’ services and products at the expense of UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center merchandise (Baltzan, 2013). This force negatively affects the fitness centre because it reflects to high loss rate in the centre. It is also fundamental to include strategies and policies that attract competitors’ customers to opt for our products and services. ... Yes, it is vital to consider the factor while devising strategies of avoiding competition against UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center as well as come up with ways of competing with new entrants. Rivalry among existing competitors The intensity of rivalry between competitors is a major determinant of the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center’s success (Baltzan, 2013). This factor neutrally affects the centre as UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center can be the most preferred destination by numerous customers. The force ought to be included in the strategy making process to ensure the centre does not incur major losses due to competition. If the company’s competitors provide quality services and attractive products, the centre is most likely to have higher losses. Porter’s three Generic Strategies are vital in a business to ensure they have attained high competitive advantage (Baltzan, 2013). In order for UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center to improve and achieve a 21st century standard, I opt to employ the differentiation Strategy. This entails the business should strive to become unique in the market than its competitors (Baltzan, 2013). The strategy also encompasses emphasis on branding, advertising, design, service, quality, and new product development (Baltzan, 2013). For instance, UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center can be exceptional in providing the best customer service in the industry via studying its client’s behavior. In addition, we can be unique by providing Wi-Fi services in the centre to achieve technological advancement level, hence ensuring the clients feeling the institution not only avails the required necessities, but aids them to be in touch with whom they love or need. The most important business area which UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center ought to improve is the

Multi-Channel Retailing Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Multi-Channel Retailing - Speech or Presentation Example The global retail operations of Costco can be primarily classified into four major segments such as: Discount and Variety Retail – Warehouse Clubs and Superstores 2. Grocery Retail 3. Gasoline Retailers and, 4. Online Retailing Source: (Costco Wholesale Corporation, 2012) Advantages Offered by Costco’s Each Distribution Channel The distribution facilities offered by Costco incorporate a large number of potential buyers from different demographic backgrounds that are segregated based on family or business, income-level, age and gender. According to the present revolutionary transformations in the retail format, customers are highly focused on purchasing goods through online or catalog shopping. Therefore, the distribution process of Costco highly utilizes the benefits provided by the online format in order to provide adequate support to each group of customers. The company, in this regard, is highly focused on targeting the customers within the age group of 18 to 45 year s who generally prefer to purchase goods through online retailing format (Costco Wholesale Corporation, 2012). In relation to the similar retailers such as Wal-Mart, the organization has been identified as one of the major competitor for Costco. However, the organization is more competent than its competitors regardless catalogue/online shopping or store retail operations. Differentiating Buying Process of the Customers In relation to the distribution process of products, the operational process of Costco incorporates an effective strategy that ensures to provide various advantages to the organization. Therefore, the major advantageous factors that Costco avail from its exceptional distribution channels including brick and mortar store and catalogue or e-commerce format are depicted hereunder: The ‘shopping in person’ customers of Costco generally tend to purchase their preferred products through a modest online or catalogue format. In this context, the steps of online or catalogue shopping have been discussed hereunder. Identifying Needs: Identifying needs of the products is the initial step where the in-person customers tend to recognize merchandise(s) in accordance with their taste and preference. Searching and Obtaining Information: In this step, the in person customers are focused on searching information about the online store or catalogue regarding the availability, buying terms and condition, payment option and shipping facility among others. Evaluating and Selecting Retailers/Channels: After obtaining information about online/catalogue, the customers evaluate and select appropriate retailer or distribution channel. Visiting Online Shopping Website/ Catalogue: Visiting online shopping website/catalogue is the final step customers wherein the in person customers purchase their preferred or desired products via complying each term and condition of the retailer. In the due course of time, after a consumer starts to continuously visit an onlin e website for purchase his/her loyalty towards the retailer increases. Source: (Costco Wholesale Corporation, 2012) Retail Strategy: Focusing on Retail-Mix Elements Location: Location can be considered as one of the primary elements for any retail organization to efficiently perform its various distributional activities. In the context of the

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project - Essay Example Due to the introduction of Garnier product, coloring has produced 1.4 billion dollars value of big business. People ranging from 18-24 years are mainly targeted by the product. Due to the Garnier introduction, retailers have felt good concerning the hair category future. Garnier has shown a well-built stand in the international market by getting a lot of profit. The sales of the Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting cream moisturize in the Australian market is $15. In addition, the Superstructure cream goes for $15. Many Garnier Skin Naturals Youthful Radiance Multi-action Night creams are priced at $8 in the Australian market while most of the Nivea Visage products are been sold at $10. It is one of the successful skin care products in the world currently. Garnier is reliable and has a very well built brand name that is famously known globally. On the other hand, Garnier mainly puts more stress on the natural attractiveness of individuals. By using celebrities in marketing of Garnier, it has enabled it to be a strong brand in the market. Strength of the product is the good financial background of the company that leads in the advertising of the product. The products issued by the Garnier Company are not difficult when using them and good quality performance is achieved from the product. According to drugstore (2012), one of the garnier’s products named Fructis prevents the hair from having end splits. On the other hand, the product maximizes shine on the hair. The Fructis goes on and protects the hair against any damage. It is also trying to update the launch of its products from time to time. The product on the other hand has brightening actions that are re freshing to all its users (drugstore, 2012). During its launch in the market, the product has tried to preserve market leadership in skin and hair beauty products. Customers have been served efficiently and Garnier has tried to be a market leader with

Fundament of management Info systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fundament of management Info systems - Essay Example This calls for more mass mails being sent by the company to a large number of prospective customers to ensure at least a good amount of sales from this method. Another issue is that the mails might not be sent due to lack of internet and the mails might contain viruses that might disrupt the end user or recipient’s information system or computer. The mails often end up being treated as spam mails making the intended message not to be effectively conveyed. For the case of thick catalog system, it has been evident that the system is expensive for it to reach numerous prospective customers. Information if not efficiently conveyed using this method because it’s not guaranteed that the respondents will actually turn up and substantive sales realized from the adverts. It is also necessary to buy the list of prospective customers from the government information agencies, a list which sometimes is not up to date. The Applebee’s has applied several good advertising and selling strategies that has made it successful. It has made its advertising campaign more strong and aggressive. It has also shuffled the items on its menu adding some while removing others. It has also embarked on improving its image to attract customers. It has also embarked on aligning its products in such a way that customers get products in specific groups e. g clothes are found in one place while utensils found in another. This strategy is working for them and they are making sales more than ever

From a social psychological point of view

From a social psychological point of view Group behaviour (how the individual affects a group and vice-versa) has been widely studied in social psychology but has been hard to theorise (Brown, 2007). Within social psychology there are many social psychological perspectives that have used different theoretical frameworks to study group behaviour. Although each perspective is in agreement that social categorisation (the way an individual and others are classified part of the same or different social groups) and social identity (the way that being part of a social group can give individuals a sense of self) are important in group membership (Phoenix, 2007), the way they are both treated in each perspective varies. This essay will show this by using the cognitive social perspective (namely the social identity theory-SIT) and the critical discursive perspective and explain their ontological assumptions and different approaches to social categorisation and social identity. This essay will argue that from a social psychological poi nt of view, group membership is not primarily a cognitive matter. It will also argue that social and individual sides of group membership should not be seen as dichotomies but as interactive, dynamic and influenced by power relations. The cognitive social approach has an ontological assumption that people are information processing individuals (Hollway, 2007) whose thought processes are shaped by and create the world that they live in (The Open University, DVD 1, 2007). There are many different traditions within this approach, although this essay will concentrate on the social identity tradition. The social identity tradition was designed to break away from previous cognitive miser traditions of the approach that assumed that the social was just something that affected the individual (Brown, 2007). Although it shared the same ontological assumption as the cognitive miser tradition and assumed that individuals had limited and fixed cognitive mechanisms (Dixon, 2007), it also differed from it because it saw individuals as socialised thinkers where group membership played a part in structuring the individuals thoughts (The Open University, DVD 1 2007). The social identity tradition led Tajfel and Turner (1979, cited in Brown, 2007) to develop the social identity theory (SIT). SIT attempted to use a combined social and cognitive approach to studying inter-group relations; it saw the social as more than just something that affects individuals. It attempted to find out how people identified with groups and how this affected their judgements (Brown, 2007). SIT explained how group membership and inter-group relations are based on self categorisation, social comparison and the construction of a shared self definition (Brown, 2007). SIT is currently one of the leading theories in group processes; although this has led to power relations where group identification is still seen as mostly a cognitive process. The focus on cognitive mechanisms also stresses that group processes are still seen as individualistic and so misses out a lot of the influence that society has on the individual or group. In contrast to SIT, the critical discursive perspective argues that discourse and social practices are what make up an individual and their social world; individuals are seen as socially constructed, continent and situated (The Open University, DVD 1, 2007). Unlike SIT that studies how cognitive mechanisms allow an individual to identify with a group; the critical discursive perspective looks at how groups and group identities are created by the individual through discourse and the different ways that these groups are dynamic, flexible and changeable. Categorisation is therefore seen as an active and out there rather than a process that is internal (Brown, 2007). Akin to the cognitive social perspective, there are different approaches in the critical discursive perspective, for example, some researchers accept the reality of given categories (Billig, 2002, cited in Brown, 2007) whilst others argue that categories are socially constructed (Potter and Reicher, 1987, cited in Phoenix, 2 007). Power relations also blight the critical discursive perspective as discourses can be interpreted differently and each discourse available within each culture is politically and ideologically constructed. But, the critical discursive perspective does go beyond the individual-society dualism to look at how the individual and social come together to construct groups. SIT and the critical discursive perspective see categorisation and group membership differently. SIT sees categorisation and group membership as distorted and individualistic. It was developed from Tajfels (1957, cited in Brown, 2007) early coin experiments which led him to conclude that by combining a continuous dimension of judgement (coin value) with a clear-cut category dimension (size difference) would resulted in a cognitive bias and therefore a faulty judgement within and between the categories. Tajfel (1959, cited in Brown, 2007) saw that this bias could be used to explain how individuals perceive others using cognitive variables, like intelligence, for the continuous dimension of judgement and social variables, like nationality, for the clear-cut category dimension. Like the coins, Tajfel (1959, cited in Brown, 2007) hypothesised that individuals would stereotype group members and exaggerate inter-group differences. Tajfel and Turner (1970, cited in Brown, 2007) undertook some minimal group experiments to test this hypothesis. These experiments were purely cognitive; there was no reason for the groups to dislike or be competitive towards each other and therefore this shows how the cognitive bias and distortion can occur. The groups were formed by dividing participants according to a random preference. Participants were asked to distribute money to one of two participants; they only knew of each others group membership. Like hypothesised, the participants tended to reward people who belong to the same group as themselves at the expense of those who belong to the rival group, even if this was at the expense of maximising their own groups profit. So, in SIT individuals categorise themselves and others into groups then identify with the groups that heighten their self esteem and then compare their group with other groups by contrasting the good things about their group to the bad things about the other groups (Brown, 2007). Tajfel and Turner (1969, cited in Brown, 2007) argued that if an individual identifies themselves as being part of a category and consider themselves as part of that category then they are part of that category. But, biases are inevitable in SIT because the categories an individual uses serve a purpose (to preserve self esteem). As the categories used in SIT are social, this means that where the individual lives can affect their categorisation mechanisms (Brown, 2007). For example, to heighten the individuals self esteem, the group the individual sees him/herself as having membership to have to select a relevant out-group to compare itself favourably with. The selection of this out-group depends on what is important to the society that the individual is living in at the time (Brown, 2007). Therefore group membership is created by categorisation, a cognitive mechanism, and the social merely interacts with this mechanism. So therefore SIT emphasises individual, internal processes of group membership and how group membership occurs is primarily a cognitive matter. The critical discursive perspective, however, sees categorisation and group membership as more as something individuals do through language in everyday interaction. This can be seen in the way that social categories are constructed in discourse, for example, Potter and Reicher (1987, cited in Phoenix, 2007) undertook discourse research using communities. They used the social categorisation theory as a basis for their research which argued that if an individual perceived themselves to be part of a group, they behaved as a stereotypical member of the group when with the group; their personality shifted from an individual emphasis to a social emphasis which would be reflected in their discourse. Potter and Reicher (1987, cited in Phoenix, 2007) analysed discourses of community that circulated after the St Pauls riot in Bristol in the 1980s and saw that and saw that many different discourses were given of the same event; they called these different versions community repertoires. In these different community repertoires they saw that the use of the term community and who was a member of this group was very fluid, inconsistent and flexible. The same account could construct the term community in different ways, for example, the police could be constructed as being part of the community (which makes the riot an intra-group conflict) or the police could be seen as outside of the community (which makes the riot an inter-group conflict). The community could also be seen as a reference to things like lifestyle or the local residents or even as another term for the black community (Potter and Reicher, 1987, cited in Phoenix, 2007). This approach sees groups in terms of individual and social relationships which move away from the individual-social dichotomies of the cognitive social approaches. Therefore group membership is created by discourse which is not a cognitive mechanism, so groups are constructed. So therefore the critical discursive perspective emphasises external, individual and societal processes of group membership and so how group membership occurs is not a cognitive matter. How SIT and the critical discursive perspective study prejudice can expand on how they each view group processes, how they see the individual and society and how they see power relations within group processes. SIT argues that categorisation encourages individuals to see the good in their in-group and compare it to the bad in the out-group which leads people to prejudiced thinking (Dixon, 2007). SIT recognises that there are social aspects of inter-group processes, like assimilation, but at the heart of SIT are the cognitive aspects of group processes (Tajfel and Turner, 1979). SIT suggests that individualistic cognitive mechanisms are the cause of prejudice and inter-group processes. Power relations also occur with SIT as its dominance may have affected how inter-group relations are viewed. The critical discursive perspective, however, argues that how individuals talk about groups and construct group identities is a better way to view the different ways that individuals categorise e ach day (Brown, 2007; DD307 Course Team, 2007). The critical discursive perspective takes into account how an individual uses discourses and how society is involved in inter-group processes (DD303 Course Team, 2007). The critical discursive perspective argues that how an individual makes sense of their reality is affected by their culturally available linguistic resources (Potter and Wetherell, 1987, cited in Dixon, 2007). In this approach, individuals can only categorise and form prejudice because their society shares a language which enables them to construct identities and social relations (Dixon, 2007). Power relations are created in this approach depending on the discourses used by individuals and groups to construct a reality that is of best interest to them (Cooper and Kaye, 2007). This approach does not believe that stereotypes are caused by cognitive mechanisms (Hamilton and Troiler. 1986, cited in Dixon, 2007) they believe that collective belief systems causes the conflicts seen between groups (Eidelson and Eidelson, 200 3, cited in Dixon, 2007). Billig (2002, cited in Brown, 2007) moved from SIT to the critical discursive perspective and began to find limitations within SIT. For example, he saw that SIT assumed that categories that individual used to self categorise were fixed, stable and universal, whereas he argued that the categories used in SIT for prejudice were culturally determined, active, flexible, dynamic and constructed through language so cannot be explained in terms of psychological processes. SIT also assumes that the way individuals identify with groups is to help their self esteem when Billig (2002, cited in Brown, 2007) argued that this could not provide an explanation of extreme hate or the motivation for violence, hate or bigotry. But there have also been criticisms with the critical discursive perspective approach to groups, for example, Dixon (2007) noted that it neglects emotion and cognition in favour of language details, this does not make sense to psychology which is about the mind. It would also be difficult to believe that strongly felt emotions are only social constructions through interaction with others via language. The critical social perspective also does not explain how new groups are formed, for example, Emos, nor can they explain social change. There must also be a cognitive process that produces discourse as that is where meaning comes from; it cannot only come from external discourse. SIT (representing cognitive social psychology) and critical discursive perspective have shown the extent to which group membership can be seen as primarily a cognitive matter from a social psychological point of view. SIT seems to rely on inner cognitive mechanisms for group membership whereas the critical discursive perspective seems to rely on outer constructions. As SIT suggests, the cognitive mechanisms of group membership seem to be important for understanding the world, although like the critical discursive perspective suggests, how categories are constructed using discourse processes are important for this understanding too. So therefore, from a social psychological point of view group membership is not primarily a cognitive matter, but instead group membership can be seen as both a combined cognitive and social matter. This essay has also shown that social and individual sides of group membership should not be seen as dichotomies but as dynamic, interactive and influenced by power relations. Word Count: 2157 (excluding title). Brown, S. D. (2007) Intergroup processes: Social Identity Theory in Langdridge, D. and Taylor, S. (2007) (eds) Critical readings in Social Psychology. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press. DD307 Course Team (2007) DD307 Project Booklet in Horton-Salway, M. (2007) (ed), Social Psychology: Critical Perspectives on Self and Others, Milton Keynes: The Open University Press. Dixon, J. (2007) Prejudice, conflict and conflict reduction in Hollway, W., Lucy, H. and Phoenix, A. (2007) (eds) Social Psychology Matters. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press. Hollway, W, (2007) Social psychology: past and present, in Hollway, W., Lucy, H. and Phoenix, A. (2007) (eds) Social Psychology Matters. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press. Phoenix, A. (2007) Intragroup processes: entitativity in Langfridge, D. and Taylor, S. (2007) eds Critical readings in Social Psychology. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press. The Open University (2007) in Social Psychology: Critical Perspectives on Self and Others, DVD 1, DD307 (2007), The Open University.

Monopolistic Competition in the Retail Industry Essay -- Microeconomic

Monopolistic Competition in the Retail Industry Defining the Market The retail industry is comprised of thousands of different brands and companies. However each is defined by its quality of make and materials used. Abercrombie & Fitch, Timberland, and Guess are all well-known and respected brand names. However if prices were to exceed what people are willing to pay, then the consumers would alter their preferences and buy from another brand. Therefore we are dealing with a monopolistic competition. Monopolistic competition is often defined as: a common form of industry structure characterized by a large number of firms, none of which can influence market price by virtue of size alone; some degree of market power is achieved by firms producing differentiated products. New firms can enter and established firms can exit with ease ) I. ?common form of the industry structure characterized by a large number of firms none of which can influence market price by virtue of size alone ? New firms can enter and established firms can exit with ease.?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every year hundreds of new designers emerge into the retail industry. No matter what one?s style of clothing, there are dozens of other brands to choose from should one company?s price go beyond the household?s expectation of price. Each company is on a careful balance of price and cannot exceed the other company?s prices beyond what the consumer sees as reasonable. Moreover, firms can enter and exit easily because there are no tariffs and resources are plentiful. This is the competitive side of monopolistic competition. II. some degree of market power is achieved by firms producing differentiated products   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However the retail firm is also monopolistic because of the added aspect that each company does have some degree of market power through their differentiation of products. One way firms differentiate themselves is through the consumer and the way they fashion their products. The consumer determines the success/failure of a company. A major problem firms face is how to accommodate to the changing preferences of the consumer. Guess was at one point similar to Levi?s, a brand of jeans limited to the department store. However in 2002, Guess signed on Marciano, a prominent high-end European designer, and sales have boomed since. Now, Guess is a well-known, popular brand among teenagers and ... ...l be most receptive. Timberlands are successful in areas with cold, long winters like Ohio but would make minimal profit in area such as Florida. Bibiliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Case, Karl E. & Ray C. Fair. Principles of Microeconomics. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2004. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?Guess-Marciano,? 2004. < http://www.marciano.com> 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ?Glossary of Economic Terms? Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Understanding the Terms Symbol = a code comprised of letters used as a unique identification of the stock 52 week High = the highest price reached during the last 52 weeks 52 week Low = the lowest price reached during the last 52 weeks Dividend = taxable payment declared by a company?s board of directors & given to its shareholders out of the company?s current/retained earnings Dividend Yield = yield a company pays its shareholders in the form of dividends; calculated by the amount of dividends paid per share over the course of the year divided by the stock price P/E Ratio = (aka the price earnings ratio) most common measure of how pricey the stock is; equivalent to a stock?s market capitalization divided by its post tax earnings over a year?s period