Explain how you could use each of the measures of central tendency to better understand the criminal justice research topic you chose in Week 1.

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Measures of Central Tendency

One of the main goals of data analysis is to describe data in a succinct manner so that it is easily understandable; this is called data reduction. To succinctly describe data, measures of central tendency (that is, mean, median, and mode) can be used. For example, suppose you collect data on the arrest records of inmates in a particular region. From your data, you might want to determine the most common offenses committed by inmates. If each offense is measured nominally (for example, armed robbery = 1, murder = 2, and aggravated assault = 3), determining the mode would show which offense is committed most frequently. You might also want to determine the number of offenses typically committed by inmates (ratio level of measurement) prior to being sentenced to prison. To do this, you could calculate the mean, or the average number of offenses committed by inmates. You also could rank the number of offenses from the highest to the lowest to determine the middle number, or the median number of offenses committed by inmates.

Before choosing which measure of central tendency to use, it is important to consider the level of measurement that applies to the variable. For instance, it would not make sense to find the mean or median of a variable, such as gender, that is measured nominally. As you complete the following Discussion, keep in mind that not all measures of central tendency are appropriate for all levels of measurement.

Post a response to the following:

  • Define the three measures of central tendency including mean, median, and mode. Include the factors that must be considered when using each measure of central tendency and explain why they are important.
  • Explain how you could use each of the measures of central tendency to better understand the criminal justice research topic you chose in Week 1.

How do you assess the overarching significance of the opening of the Atlantic in this period?

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Benjamin, Thomas. The Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and Their Shared History, 1400-1900. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

  • Chapter 1: Antecedents: The Americas, Africa and Europe in the Fifteenth Century
  • Chapter 2: Commencement: The European Opening of the Atlantic Ocean

Fassnacht, Max, Stephanie Fink, Robert Jackson, and Michelle Warn. “The Anatomy of a Discussion Board (Links to an external site.).” Accessed February 15, 2016. https://sites.google.com/site/anatomyofadiscussionboard/home.

Fassnacht, Max, Stephanie Fink, Robert Jackson, and Michelle Warn. “Critical Thinking: A Guide to Skillful Reasoning (Links to an external site.).” Accessed August 15, 2016. http://www.criticalthinkingandreasoning.org/evaluating-critical-thinking-1.

Reflect: Each of the three geographic zones touching the Atlantic—Europe, Africa, and the Americas—were home to vast cultural, political, social, economic, religious, biological, and ecological diversity. While connections had existed for centuries between Europe, Africa, and Asia, early contact with the North American Atlantic coast by the Norse did not contribute to European knowledge of transatlantic exploration. Furthermore, centuries of raiding and trading along the Atlantic coast of Europe and the shores of the Mediterranean had not produced more far-flung ventures. All the while, Chinese and Arab traders plied the Indian Ocean, yet neither sought to move into the Atlantic. Only over the course of the fourteenth century did sustained expansion into the Atlantic by Europeans begin in earnest. Consult “Critical Thinking: A Guide to Skillful Reasoning (Links to an external site.)” as you formulate your response.

Write: In an initial post of at least 250-300 words, explain why and how Europeans pursued expansion into and across the Atlantic Ocean during the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. How does this impetus represent continuity with the past? How does it represent change over time? Cite specific examples from the required and recommended readings and address the following points in your response:

  • What factors motivated and enabled expansion into the Atlantic?
  • What elements of this expansion can be identified as part of previous patterns?
  • What elements of this expansion were unique or new?
  • How do you assess the overarching significance of the opening of the Atlantic in this period?

How would you characterize key elements or tactics used by the Spanish or Portuguese to establish empire? Motives? Results?

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Prepare: Read

Benjamin, Thomas. The Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and Their Shared History, 1400-1900. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

  • Chapter 3: Conquests: Forging the Iberian Empires in Africa and the Americas.
  • Chapter 4: Realms: The Overseas Empires of Spain and Portugal.

Fassnacht, Max, Stephanie Fink, Robert Jackson, and Michelle Warn. “The Anatomy of a Discussion Board (Links to an external site.).” Accessed February 15, 2016. https://sites.google.com/site/anatomyofadiscussionboard/home.

Fassnacht, Max, Stephanie Fink, Robert Jackson, and Michelle Warn. “Critical Thinking: A Guide to Skillful Reasoning (Links to an external site.).” Accessed August 15, 2016. http://www.criticalthinkingandreasoning.org/evaluating-critical-thinking-1.

Reflect:The establishment of Iberian empires in Africa and the Americas was the result of multiple processes, including, but not limited to, conquest, collaboration, cooptation, animosity, assistance, and alliance. In the different encounters between Europeans, Africans, and indigenous Americans, tactics and motivations varied widely, yet they were almost always conditioned by efforts to achieve advantage, as defined by each individual group. And while the Spanish and Portuguese established transatlantic empires in an effort to extend their home societies, their encounters with Africans and indigenous Americans meant that these new realms were the product of adaptation, whether by means of collaboration or resistance. Consult “Critical Thinking: A Guide to Skillful Reasoning (Links to an external site.)” as you formulate your response.

Write: In an initial post of at least 250-300 words, explain the impact of cultural identity as it affected the ways that specific African or indigenous American societies interacted with either the Spanish or Portuguese, as these Europeans sought to establish transatlantic empires over the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Cite specific examples from the required and recommended readings, and address at least two of following points as you compose your response:

  • How would you characterize key elements or tactics used by the Spanish or Portuguese to establish empire? Motives? Results?
  • How would you characterize key elements or tactics used by specific African or indigenous American societies to define, defend, or advance their own interests when interacting with the Spanish or Portuguese? Motives? Results?
  • How did specific characteristics of each society coming into contact with each other shape their interactions?
  • How did imperial rule attempt to extend European norms while simultaneously being forced to adapt to African or indigenous American norms?

In what ways did each group retain elements of its culture or experience changes in its culture over the course of encounter?

What are the advantages or disadvantages of the technology or gear? What advancements or potential for advancements exist in the use of this type of technology or gear? 

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Using Microsoft PowerPoint or similar presentation software, create a slide presentation that outlines at least two different types of technologies or gear that are utilized as personal protective equipment (PPE) in the prevention, response, and/or recovery for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents.

Your presentation should address the following. Give the specific make, model, and purpose of each type of gear or technology. Also, expand on its purpose and use in preparation, response, or recovery operations in a CBRNE incident. How is the gear or technology similar to what was available and used 10–20 years ago, and how is it different? What are the advantages or disadvantages of the technology or gear? What advancements or potential for advancements exist in the use of this type of technology or gear?

Your PowerPoint presentation should be a minimum of eight but no more than 10 slides, not counting the title and reference slides. You must utilize either the Notes or Audio Narration feature of PowerPoint to include additional context and amplify the information for each slide. Please contact the Writing Center if you need assistance with these features.

You are encouraged to use the Waldorf Online Library, as well as relevant, up-to-date industry resources to support your PowerPoint presentation. All sources used must be properly cited, and references should be formatted in APA style.

Reference: Baggett, R. K., Foster, C. S., & Simpkins, B. K. (Eds.). (2017). Homeland security technologies for the 21st century. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.