Confidence Intervals and Confidence Levels in Sociology

A confidence interval is a measure of estimation that is typically used in quantitative sociological research. It is an estimated range of values that is likely to include the population parameter being calculated. For instance, instead of estimating the mean age of a certain population to be a single value like 25.5 years, we could say that the mean age is somewhere between 23 and 28. This confidence interval contains the single value we are estimating, yet it gives us a wider net to be right. When we use confidence intervals to estimate a number ​or population parameter, we can also estimate just how accurate our estimate is. The likelihood that our confidence interval will contain the population parameter is called the confidence level. For example, how confident are we that our confidence interval of 23 – 28 years of age contains the mean age of our population? If this range of ages was calculated with a 95 percent confidence level, we could say that we are 95 percent confident that the mean age of our population is between 23 and 28 years. Or, the chances are 95 out of 100 that the mean age of the population falls between 23 and 28 years. Confidence levels can be constructed for any level of confidence, however, the most commonly used are 90 percent, 95 percent, and 99 percent. The larger the confidence level is, the narrower the confidence interval. For instance, when we used a 95 percent confidence level, our confidence interval was 23 – 28 years of age. If we use a 90 percent confidence level to calculate the confidence level for the mean age of our population, our confidence interval might be 25 – 26 years of age. Conversely, if we use a 99 percent confidence level, our confidence interval might be 21 – 30 years of age. Calculating The Confidence Interval There are four steps to calculating the confidence level for means. Calculate the standard error of the mean.Decide on the level of confidence (i.e. 90 percent, 95 percent, 99 percent, etc.). Then, find the corresponding Z value. This can usually be done with a table in an appendix of a statistics text book. For reference, the Z value for a 95 percent confidence level is 1.96, while the Z value for a 90 percent confidence level is 1.65, and the Z value for a 99 percent confidence level is 2.58.Calculate the confidence interval.*Interpret the results. *The formula for calculating the confidence interval is: CI sample mean /- Z score (standard error of the mean). If we estimate the mean age for our population to be 25.5, we calculate the standard error of the mean to be 1.2, and we choose a 95 percent confidence level (remember, the Z score for this is 1.96), our calculation would look like this: CI 25.5 – 1.96(1.2) 23.1 andCI 25.5 1.96(1.2) 27.9. Thus, our confidence interval is 23.1 to 27.9 years of age. This means that we can be 95 percent confident that the actual mean age of the population is not less than 23.1 year, and is not greater than 27.9. In other words, if we collect a large amount of samples (say, 500) from the population of interest, 95 times out of 100, the true population mean would be included within our computed interval. With a 95 percent confidence level, there is a 5 percent chance that we are wrong. Five times out of 100, the true population mean will not be included in our specified interval. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Philosophy of Early Childhood Essay - 854 Words

A personal philosophy of Early childhood Education My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process. The National Association for the Education of Young Children states that high quality, developmentally appropriate programs should be available for all children. Bredekamp, S., and T. Rosegrant. 1992. Reaching Potentials: Introduction.†¦show more content†¦3 conceptual models that influence my philosophy of teaching: 1. John Dewey. What I find of interest in Dewey’s theory is that â€Å" Childhood has ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling, peculiar to itself. http://www.marxists.org/archive/novack/wor ks/1960/x03.htm Dewey advocated that the need to know comes from within the child. Each child has an innate curiosity that should be nurtured and developed. He believed that children learn by doing. This theory is beneficial in an early childhood setting as that it encourages children to explore areas of interest and to creatively expand the knowledge. 2. Jean Piaget: His research shows that children cognitively develop in stages. His theory is the foundation for constructivist learning. Piaget’s theory emphasizes discovery learning and supporting the developing interests of the child utilizing this theory in early childhood education I would I challenge the childs abilities, but not present material or information that is too far beyond the childs level. I would also use a wide variety of concrete experiences to help the child learn. 3. Maria Montessori: The Montessori method of teaching stresses that all children have similar needs regardless of social status or inte llectual abilities. The Montessori Method is a way about thinking about who children are. It is a philosophy that respects the unique individuality of each child. By utilizing this method , the teaches doesShow MoreRelatedAcademic Philosophy Of Early Childhood Education1356 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Children’s academic performance in schools is not only based on the type of schools attended by them, children exposed to early education are expected to outperform those that were not. This paper focused on Philosophy of Early Childhood Education with interest on whether Children with early education perform well academically than those that do not. In most countries in West Africa, parents take their children to preschools before going through primary education. This preschool educationRead MoreMy Personal Philosophy On Early Childhood Education1117 Words   |  5 PagesAssociate, my personal philosophy about early childhood education was vague despite all the experience I have accumulated over the years. I had never really sat down and put much thought into my own philosophy. During this process of gathering information about the thirteen functional areas, learning all the information that entailed with each competency statement, as well as collecting resource information, I was able to develop an idea of my personal philosophy towards early childhood education. In orderRead MoreMy Philosophy of Early Childhood Education Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesMy philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process In my philosophy I will talk about the goalsRead MoreMy Personal Philosophy Of Early Childhood Education Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pagespersonal philosophy of early childhood education because as a teacher, I want to become better and a way to do that is by starting off with a personal, well- articulated educational philosophy. Philosophy of learning is constantly changing, but one thing that will never change is the fact that everybody is different. Moreover people learn at different rates and in different ways. All teachers should have a well-formulated perspective on how children learn best; therefore, my philosophy would be helpingRead MoreEarly Childhood Education: Vision, Mission, and Philosophy Statement1258 Words   |  6 PagesEarly childhood is a time of curiosity, a time for play, and a time of rapid development. Every child is unique and deserving of an early childhood education that facilitates academic, social, and developmental growth through a variety of enjoyable experiences. Differentiated instruction adapts content, products and processes to meet the diverse learning needs and preferences of students (Thousand, Villa, Nevin, 2007). Friedrich Froebel, the creator of Kindergarten, believed that children growRead MoreMy Reflection Of A Personal Early Childhood Education Philosophy878 Words   |  4 PagesIn this paper, I have developed a personal early childhood education philosophy statement. I will reflect and discuss my personal learning philosophy through topics such as: the purpose of education, how children learn best, what should be included in the curriculum, what environment children learn best in, what needs must be met for children to grow and learn, and how I can meet those needs. Every interaction with a child is important, and helps them to grow and develop. I want to create positiveRead MoreDevelopmentally Appropriate Practice1675 Words   |  7 Pagesthis question, we must first review the history of Developmentally Appro priate Practice (DAP) and Early Childhood Education (ECE). Although ECE has been around since the creation of kindergarten in the 1800’s, the decade of the 1980’s was an important period for ECE. â€Å"By the 1980’s, meta-analysis of the well-designed US projects offered compelling evidence on the positive outcomes of [early childhood education and intervention]† (Woodhead, 2007). Therefore, there was much pressure to improve the stateRead MoreMaria Montessori1367 Words   |  6 Pagesstep by step, they could do anything; she called this the sequential steps of learning (Gordon and Brown 13-336). According to Gordon and Brown, the Montessori concept is both a philosophy of child development and a plan for guiding growth. This concept believes that education begins at birth and that the early years in a person’s life are very important. During this time, children pass through â€Å"sensitive periods,† in which their curiosity makes them ready for acquiring certain skills and knowledgeRead MoreCritical Reflection Is Essential For Developing An Adaptive Pedagogy1112 Words   |  5 Pagesand experiences. Furthermore, critical reflective practice is a form of ongoing learning that involves engaging with questions of philosophy, ethics and practice. Additionally, documenting the daily events in the ECE sector is an important aspect of being a professional and are a compulsory requirement for meeting the NCAC (2005) guidelines for high quality early childhood education and care (National Childcare Accreditation Council, 2005.) Therefore it is becoming increasing ly important for practitionersRead MoreCritical Understanding Of Teaching Philosophy Essay1729 Words   |  7 PagesIn our centre self-review report on play pedagogy in relation to Lion Kindergarten’s teaching philosophy statement we will be underpinning the theoretical ideas around play and what play is and showing a critical understanding of play and playfulness. We will be identifying play in relation to children’s learning and development, and teaching within New Zealand early childhood settings. We will then be identifying and critically discussing two aspects of play that are particularly important to the

The Rebirth of Felix Prosper free essay sample

A review of Sheila Watsons The Double Hook. This paper anaylzes the spiritual rebirth and development of the main character, Felix Prosper, in the book The Double Hook. It describes Felixs initial place in life, and details his changes through out the course of events that are played out in the story. In Sheila Watsons The Double Hook, events and images conspire to entangle Felix Prosper in the towns regeneration, taking him from his lonely contentment to the heart of the community and leading him to his own rebirth. Felix is a man content in the serenity of his life. He takes no action, contented to sit in the sun, fish, and play his fiddle (31). A succession of wrongful actions by James Potter force changes in Felix and the town. Felix is called on in response to these actions. Within Felix is the power of a spiritual leader. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rebirth of Felix Prosper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Throughout the novel Felix is forced to deal with the consequences of James actions. Through his responses to others and himself, Felix finds the power within him to be a spiritual leader and is himself reborn along with the town.

Role of assesement and diagnosis in case conceptualization and treatment planning

Case conceptualization is the process of analyzing and putting together patient’s clinical assessment information obtained either through interview, observation or physical assessment in order to come up with hypothesis explaining the patient’s underlying illness (Braun Cox, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Role of assesement and diagnosis in case conceptualization and treatment planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After identifying the presenting problem physician designs a treatment plan for the patient. A treatment plan involves; setting up of therapy goals, choosing appropriate treatment guiding procedure and planning in terms of therapy time frame and resources required to achieve anticipated prognosis (Kang, Kok Bateman, 2005). Clinical assessment and diagnosis have a critical role in case conceptualization. They facilitate efficient identification and assembling of related featu res during patient review. For instance, incases of multiple illnesses where related signs and symptoms have to be put together and interlinked in order to come up with a diagnosis (Kang, Kok Bateman, 2005). To come up with a proper diagnosis a physician has to incorporate and organize clinical assessment data. In addition, he has to critically analyze it and blend it as he converges to the right point. Through assessing a patient, a physician is able to get insight and have a basis for explaining his diagnosis. Additionally, it puts him in a position to explain how illness has evolved and its devastating impact to the patient (Mead, Hohenshil Singh, 1997). Despite formulating diagnosis from clinical assessment, they also forms avenue for determining the expected patient’s prognosis. A physician is able to set therapy time frame and predict on patient’s prognosis. Based on the expected therapy out come and formulated treatment plan, physician can monitor patient†™s progress and continuously determine the degree of progress achieved at particular point of therapy process. Patient’s clinical assessment and diagnosis forms physician guidance frame work. It directs him in formulating therapy interventions, goals and the modalities to be applied in therapy process in addition to strategizing treatment plan.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They also determine the need for patient’s treatment collaboration between different therapy departments. For instance, psychiatric patient may require collaborative treatment interventions from medical doctor, psychiatrist, a counselor or a nurse (Linda, 2004). Assessment and diagnosis helps physician to clearly adhere and maintain therapeutic relationship with the patient. For instance, during therapy a nurse should adopt nurse patient relationship through out the therapy process contact . This fact ensures that at the end of therapy all stipulated therapy guidelines are adhered to in order to attain anticipated treatment goal (Sierra, 2009). In addition to understanding therapeutic relationship dynamics, physician maintaing a good relationship with a patient limits chances of facing unexpected difficulties and challenge in the course of therapy process. Finally, assessment and diagnosis plays a vital role in influencing approach technique to any illness not forgetting that they provide a map to guide therapy process (Kang, Kok Bateman, 2005). Just like case conceptualization, assessment and diagnosis has importance in treatment planning. Assessment and diagnosis acts as an assurance to the success of treatment plan. They motivate physician to do thorough research in order to come up with appropriate treatment plan. They ensure that physicians are reasonable, responsible and effective in their duties (Sierra, 2009). They eliminate chances of creating errors either by commission or omission since physician has formulated a right diagnosis and a well structured treatment plan. With assessment and diagnosis, it is easy for physician to track down the patient’s treatment progress. This fact is aided by the formulated goals, treatment procedures, and the set time frame to achieve better prognosis. To sum up, assessment and diagnosis forms basis for treatment structure and guide in the treatment process for both the physician and patient (Erford, 2010). Misdiagnosis has repercussions, which includes; being a contributing factor to patient’s death. For instance, if immediate medical interventions are not taken to reverse, alleviate symptoms or stop disease pathogenesis patient may die within short duration.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Role of assesement and diagnosis in case conceptualization and treatment planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In psychiatr ic cases misdiagnosis puts patients at risk of experiencing suicidal attempts (Braun Cox, 2005). These incidences are common in psychiatric patients suffering from bipolar disorder especially during hypomania, manic or during depressive episodes attacks (Meds cape: consequences of misdiagnosis, 2005). Wrong diagnosis prolongs patients suffering. Additionaly, it can attract other related problems like family, social, and occupational problems. Incidences of psychiatric patients in depersonalization or de-realization states losing their jobs, having conflicts with family or colleagues and breaking up of their relationships have emerged in the past ( Bufford, 2008). Medication errors related to wrong diagnosis pose a major threat in terms of patient’s improper treatment, in addition to worsening of patient’s condition. For example, a patient with bipolar depression should not be administered with antidepressants without mood stabilizer because they can precipitate mania, or hypomania attacks (Forsloff, 2010). Additionally, misdiagnosis can lead to long term or recurrence of illness since patient is not getting the appropriate medical attention (Meds cape: consequences of misdiagnosis, 2005). To conclude, Case conceptualization is a critical therapeutic tool. It forms a basis for intervention since it helps physician to articulate the information gathered from the patient during physical assessment, interview and observation in order to come up with the right diagnosis (Kang, Kok Bateman, 2005). Physicians should adopt a treatment plan comprising of; therapy goals setup, choosing of appropriate treatment guidance procedure, and planning resource and time frame required (Sierra, 2009). References Braun, S. A., Cox, J. A. (2005). Managed mental health care: Intentional misdiagnosis of mental disorders. Journal of Counseling Development, 83(4), 425–433.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bufford, R. K. (2008). Case studies: Escape from Alacatraz [sic]: Finding safety and peace. Journal of Psychology Christianity, 27(1), 66–72. Erford, B. (2010). Orientation to the Counseling Profession: Advocacy, Ethics, and Essential Professional Foundations. New York, NY: Springer. Forsloff, C. (2010). Impact of wrong diagnosis on health care in America. Retrieved from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/287533 Kang, S., Kok. P., Bateman, A. (2005). Case formulation in psychotherapy: Revitalizing its usefulness as a clinical tool. Web. Linda, S. (2004). Diagnosis and treatment planning in counseling. New York, NY: Springer. Mead, M. A., Hohenshil, T. H., Singh, K. (1997). How the DSM system is used by clinical counselors: A national study. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 19(4), 383–401. Meds cape: consequences of misdiagnosis. (2005). Retrieved from https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/507703_4 Sierra, M. (2009). Depersonalization: A new look at a neglected syndrome. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. This report on Role of assesement and diagnosis in case conceptualization and treatment planning was written and submitted by user Parker Holder to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.