Homework 4

Short HW due Monday 9/14/09 (in 5 days, next class)

1. If your Delphi question was done in class on Wednesday 9/9 (i.e. "today"), then find the median and the range of the middle 50% of the responses. Using a graphics editor of your choice (even paint works for this), make a graph that is analogous or similar to the one in the lecture notes, showing the total range, middle 50% range, and median.

On the other hand, if your question was discussed in class last Wednesday 9/2 (i.e. before Labor day vacation), then analyze the question you asked from the standpoint of clarity and ambiguity. What are the different ways it could be interpreted by different people or the confusions they might have in trying to answer it? If you were to run the Delphi method again, would you re-word your question? If so, how?

2. Recall that a project is part of the course, and this project will grow step by step throughout the semester. In other words, you will keep adding to it as we go along, so that in the end it will be a piece of work you can be proud of! Make up a tentative plan for your term project, which will be a paper, software system, combination, skit or musical performance or painting (if you are a fine arts major), or whatever it is. You may analyze the same topic as you used for your Delphi exercise, or change topics but include the Delphi results as an appendix or supplemental report. Also, answer the question, "What would be a good thing to do next on this project?"