Ask MetaFilter questions in the education category

graphing implicit/3d/whatever (multiple plots) in maple/other software

isoman2kx — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:21:51 -0800

graphing implicit/3d/whatever (multiple plots) in maple/other software how would I graph this? I'm getting killed by the boundaries on these triple integrals and trying to visualize these graphs without a calculator or any sort of help. for example, how would you get the boundaries from this problem with a graphing software such as maple?

:::Problem::::

evaluate the triple integral where E is bounded by the cylinder y^2 + z^2 = 16, and the planes x = 0, y = (4/3) x , and z = 0.

I see graphs like this for the problem above that look like my first attachment. The closest I've come is entering it in maple like I've shown in my 2nd attachment for this problem, but why doesn't my graph look like the random professors graph from attachment #1? Mine doesn't have any curves or contours, it's just rigid useless lines. What is their secret?

I take back the maple only request but if you guys know ANY software where I can successfully enter problems like the above in to visualize them would greatly help me out. In a way I'm looking at larger picture because I want to know how to graph any set of equations, planes, functions in one graph regardless of if there's a x, y, z etc, but this problem would certainly help in getting there.

attachment 1 (not mine) :

http://tinyurl.com/y9qrlo8

attachment 2 (mine, in maple):

http://tinyurl.com/y98ngn4

please help lol :(

-travis

Should I pursue a Masters of Science Degree in Biomedical Informatics?

speedoavenger — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:31 -0800

Should I pursue a Masters of Science Degree in Biomedical Informatics? I graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Management Information Systems back in May 2008. I've spent the past two years working for a Fortune 100 company as a Systems Administrator.

I enjoy my current work, but I'd like to use my IT skills to work in a more meaningful industry that has a lot of room for improvement and that deeply impacts people's lives, like healthcare!

I was randomly looking at Masters Degree programs one day when I came across the Biomedical Informatics Degree program.

I have a few questions that I feel I should attempt to answer before I apply for the program.

1. Do I get to choose what I want to research as a graduate student, or do I research what my professors want me to research? Does it depend on whether or not I get a Research Assistantship? Are those difficult to get?

2. How much Biological/Physiological/Chemical knowledge should I have to be successful in this program? I'm planning on taking a General Biology class to learn more about the "Biomedical" part of "Biomedical Informatics." I got A's in Biology and Chemistry in HS. :)

3. What are some potential job opportunities once I graduate, preferably in the Phoenix area? Companies? Titles? Earnings potential?

4. What are the greatest opportunities for computer applications in the health care field? To borrow a description of Biomedical Informatics, I would like to "develop novel information technology, computer science and knowledge management methodologies for disease prevention, treatment, more efficient and safer patient care delivery, and knowledge access."

The main point is that I want to help people with my IT skills, and this seems like a great way to do it. Should I do more research before I make a decision like this, or should I just do it! What are some good resources to learn more about the field?

Thanks!

How to get a career in marketing?

kylej — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:55:11 -0800

I'm a high school student interested in a career in marketing, how do I get there and what is the job like? I'm currently a high school junior, so I'll be applying to colleges about a year from now. I've been spending a lot of time looking at different careers, and though I've changed my mind frequently, marketing seems like an interesting option that would allow be to be creative while also using my brain.

I'd like to know a little more how a career in marketing works, how an average day goes, what skill sets are necessary, where to find jobs, payscale etc.

I'd also like to know what sort of education I should get in order to get a career in marketing. Should I get a bachelors in marketing, or should I get one in economics with a certificate like this? Then should I get an mba focused on marketing? Or would something like this as a graduate degree serve me better?

If you guys think its relevant I can post my academic credentials.

Thanks everyone! Sorry if I sound completely clueless!

y = mx + b. Etc.

dfriedman — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:54:39 -0800

So I'm tutoring my cousin in algebra. Specifically, 9th grade algebra. Even more specifically, in preparation for the New York State Regents test in algebra. I'm 20 years older than he, and always found algebra pretty easy and straightforward. What tips do you have for a 34 year old tutor to a 14 year old who is struggling with algebra?

At least I don't want to major in Sculpture.

lhude sing cuccu — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:58:21 -0800

Quarter life crisis. Help me decide what I can do with unmarketable interests? I am a sophomore in college. I recently decided that I have to start making career decisions soon, and that I thought, among all the choices I've considered, that I might like to be a college professor.
Problem: I love the humanities, not business finance or biochemistry. Luckily, I don't particularly like history or English, but I've been ignoring my other classes this semester in favor of, you guessed it: philosophy.
I have been gradually learning however that philosophy and teaching don't mix. So, I decided "hey! I don't hate "law", I guess, I could go to Law School, that must pay the bills, right?
No (I soon learned).
I feel like I am getting pushed down at every turn, hearing horror stories this way and that! "You'll never find a job!" "Tenure is such a rat-race!" "There's 10 million unemployed PhD's out there! Especially in philosophy!" etc.

I don't need $100,000 a year, but I don't want to be working part-time just to be an adjunct faculty when I'm 35 and making $17,500 per year altogether.

Sure, I just got this "teaching" idea recently, and who knows? "Hopefully" I will hate philosophy by next semester. But it was the first "good" idea I've had, and now it's pretty much dead.

Help me think of alternate ideas before I get too attached to this one, unless it can even be resuscitated?

More personal information:
1. My favorite things about philosophy are the least applicable parts: Epistemology, Do we have free will?, etc.
2. I learned that I like the theoretical and abstract. I like math (but only the numbers, not the graphs...and I'm bad at it anyway), but not science (maybe chemistry...but only the equations).
3. Maybe I don't really like law like I thought I could. I think I might like economics; I like CNBC even when I don't know what they're talking about.
4. I've come to the decision that I could work for some corporation if I had to; just looking at the pictures on colleges' Business Department webpages though makes me realise I'd never fit in (so clean cut!)
5. I also like French, and was going to minor in it until I decided to spend all my credits on philosophy and try to graduate with Honors so I can go to a good graduate school...I know, I'm looking too far ahead. The point is, I wouldn't even mind moving to France.
6. I wouldn't mind either not having that secure job until I'm old and grey (aka 35), and I'm thinking I do want to go to graduate school (anything to make me feel like I won't still be making $25,000 at 50, like my mom) ... but teaching sounds so ... harsh ...

green vs brown field - jargon decoder?

jennyhead — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:02:32 -0800

Businessjargon filter: 'green field' situation vs 'brown field' situation - what do these terms mean in a business context?

Help me find an online surface area/volume calculator that uses 3.14 as an approximation for pi.

23skidoo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:34:17 -0800

I'm looking for an online surface area and volume calculator, where I plug in various measurements of a cylinder or sphere and it calculates the answer for me. But I want one that approximates pi as 3.14. No, you're not helping me to cheat. I'm answer checking middle school math materials. All the surface area and volume calculators I've found online use a much longer approximation of pi, and all the questions I'm working on specifically direct students to "use 3.14 for pi".

(Note: if your answer includes any variation on "It doesn't take that long to calculate the surface area or volume yourself", then you are an unhelpful person who isn't very good at reading.)

What is this Heroic learning technique?

zardoz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:46:57 -0800

I'm looking for the name of a cognitive/learning technique in which a person is given two or more questions--on unrelated subjects--and is to give the answer to both questions at the same time. For example, question one could be, say, what is the square root of 3,450? and then the teacher begins telling a story on a completely unrelated subject. The student must listen to the story intently, and when it is finished, the teacher asks the student specific questions about the story and at the same time answers the math question.

The point being that the student must juggle multiple trains of thought at the same time. Any idea if this technique has a name and what are some resources I can find to learn this by myself?

(I think I read that this is a technique used by Jesuit scholars, though I'm sure it's ancient in origin. Now that I think of it, I remember this from a part in Orson Scott Card's novel Wyrms.)

Should I bother applying abroad?

nicolas léonard sadi carnot — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:06:54 -0800

How realistic is it to expect a pretty good grad (first class honours in undergrad, ~6ish GPA, a few prizes, good recommendations, industry experience) from an Australian university to gain a fully-funded postgrad spot at a strong, technically focused American research university? In the field of bioengineering, to be specific: so I'm thinking somewhere like UCSD/Berkeley or Johns Hopkins.

Playing good mentor/bad mentor

Admiral Haddock — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:56:49 -0800

Tutoring a 14 year old. How to be supportive of dreams and yet practical? I'm tutoring a fantastic 14 year old as part of a program focused on getting inner-city kids into good high schools (and from there, on to college). My student is very interested in acting, and wants to apply to an arts-oriented high school and then go to college and get into the movie business and be a famous actor. Hooray!

I've never seen him act--I take on faith that he's good, but I know he's got a great personality and is very funny and bright. But acting is a tough row to hoe, and I'd like to make sure that he keeps his options open.

We haven't talked at all about how hard it can be to make a living as an actor. Is this something we should do? He's very interested in school--but primarily, it seems, as a means to getting to be an actor--and I don't want to stifle that enthusiasm. The tutoring program is really geared towards nuts and bolts (and we don't have much time with the kids), so I don't have a lot of visibility into the rest of his life, though I do know that few people in his family finished high school.

Any advice?

Bonus question: he's asked me to pull together some materials on colleges that have good programs in film/theatre. I was thinking USC and NYU, but this is not my area. What should he have on his radar?

All of a sudden, everybody wants to open a day spa catering exclusively to hedgehogs

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:50:24 -0800

How do I stop noticing what everyone else is doing and concentrate on what I'm doing? I am beginning to fulfill pre-requisites for a graduate program I want to do, and I find myself being a little too aware that there are other people who are also following the same path. I know in my bones I have everything it takes to do this, and that this being "overaware" is just throwing me off my game and leading to pretty ridiculous thoughts that I find myself getting anxious about.

It's like the time I decided to build bridges out of toothpicks and suddenly everybody seemed to be doing that in their spare time or winning awards for being the best toothpick bridge-builder. Or the time (five years back) when I was considering becoming a pharmacist and everyone seemed to be considering becoming a pharmacist, was in pharmacy school, or was a pharmacist, leading me to temporarily believe that admission to pharmacy school was completely impossible because everyone was trying to get in. Or when I was getting married and everyone seemed to be getting married too.

This program is extremely important to me and I'm shelling out a lot of money to fulfill the pre-reqs. I am determined to focus on what I'm doing, do the best I can, and not pay attention to what other folks are or aren't thinking about doing. I know part of the reason it seems like everyone is interested in this path is because I've been focusing more on it and am in all the same places as these people. But how do I forget about them and just concentrate on me?

Underrated Bio

gensubuser — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:16:13 -0800

What biomedical engineering labs are "underrated"? I have a relative graduating from a Tier 1 public school with a bioengineering degree. High-powered research experience, although GPA is substellar. Tell me your favorite lab/University that's a diamond in the rough; cool ideas, maybe better funded than the rest of the department, but recruitment just hasn't quite caught up yet.

I'm in grad school in the sciences, so this is not a general interest question. I understand his background as slightly geared towards tissue/implantation of stuff, but you can expand that because it's absurd to feel constrained by UG research. US or fully funded only plz.

I'm aware of this askMe, but it's mostly not what I want.

How to choose a grad school?

1024x768 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:52:33 -0800

How to choose a grad school? After a couple years of really blah experiences in the corporate world have convinced me it's not for me, I'm ready to go back to school.

My background and experience is primarily in computer science (as is my bachelors), but I've always had a dream of studying cognitive neuroscience to better understand how consciousness arises from the human mind.

I'm primarily interested in schools in the chicago area. Thing is, there are many different neuroscience programs in the area universities and I'm at a loss of how to narrow my selection. My ultimate goal is to study and research the brain/mind, which I'm assuming will involve getting a PhD in neuroscience or a related discipline.

How does one go about settling on a school/program?

Advice for applying to a social work/psych doctorate program?

ShadePlant — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:18:04 -0800

Any advice for applying for a joint Doctorate of Social Work and Doctorate of Social Sciences program with an emphasis on psychology? How tough is it to get into a DSW program? The school is a midwestern big 10 school. I have been working full time in social work since 3/2008 and I will complete my Master of Social Work in 5/2010. I have a month to apply for this doctorate program. I called them and they said my "work experience was more than most of their candidates with bachelors degrees had" and that "I should apply even within the month because otherwise I'd be wasting a year of my life." I have recommendations from my masters thesis supervisor, a PhD, a prof, and my boss. I am bilingual and have pretty good (3.65, 3.72) undergrad and grad. GPAs. I have a BA in psych with honors and then the MSW.

Interviews are not part of the process, and I have the GRE scheduled for 11/13. I've taken it before and only bombed the math. Am not too concerned.

Any general advice or tips would be appreciated.

"F" stands for Freeway not Farm

MasonDixon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:26:36 -0800

Is there a set of Urban Alphabet Flashcards? Alternatively, I'd like to create my own for my kid. Time to begin teaching the little one letters and things, and I guess I'd like the flashcards to provide me some entertainment value too. Many are dry and they often have a pastoral bent, which seems unhelpful given the urban landscape we live in. Know of any creative/funny/atypical sets?

If I can't find something, I plan on making them myself. Your helpful suggestions for what "A," etc. should stand for appreciated.

Best places to become an LPC in Texas?

D+ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:19:58 -0800

I'd like to become a licensed professional counselor in Texas. How do I figure out what the best schools are? My bachelor's degree is in English, not psychology or a related field, so this is a bit of a change of field and I could use some pointers. For LMFT licensure, I can at least find a list of COAMFTE accredited programs here, but I haven't found a starting point like that for LPC training.

Where does that list exist? What other resources are there for filtering through graduate counseling programs? Do you have a personal recommendation?

Thanks!

Library-Related Trivia?

Jaybo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:48:28 -0800

Library-Related Trivia? I'm helping to plan a fun, informal gathering for the professional librarians who work at my mid-sized Canadian public library system. For one activity, I'd like to have some library-related trivia questions.

These don't have to be 100% accurate. For example, Q: Anecdotally, this is the most stolen book in public libraries. A: What is "Sex" by Madonna (I would also accept "Joy of Sex"). Another one is "This is the most written-about historic figure in public library holdings." Who is Jesus.

The main thing I'm looking for is questions that most librarians would have a reasonable shot at answering. (I'll avoid the "What's the Dewey number for books on Platypus mating habits?")

Public, please help me determine a gradual, economical policy for my life.

ropeladder — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:37:56 -0800

Considering grad school for public policy, economics, international development. Help me sort out my life. Note: my situation is pretty similar to this post. (I did a double take when I read it to make sure I hadn't posted this question already myself)

I just got back from teaching English for two years in the Peace Corps and suddenly everyone I know seems to be in grad school and loving it. I like learning and am pretty passionate about social science. I've been looking around at masters degrees in public policy and economics (possibly with an international slant, mostly because I'd be more qualified for it having done Peace Corps) and am considering masters programs in the following:

-Public Policy (or International PP) with econ focus
-Public Policy + Economics (dual degree)
-(plain old) Economics
-International Public Policy with econ focus
-International Studies with a development focus
-Public Administration + Economics (dual degree)
-(The other option is just to move back to DC and look for another nonprofit job.)

I don't have any formal background in economics (like the referenced post, I'm mostly a dilettante at this stage), so it's likely that I will be taking undergrad classes (econ and maybe stats) next spring in preparation for any of the programs. My BA was in German with a minor in Politics. Political orientation is leftward and making lots of money is not very important.

I have two major concerns. The first is that I want a solid grasp of both neoclassical economics and some of the major heterodox critiques. Ideally I would like a solid econ program that is grounded within a broader social science context. Public policy seems like it would be a good place for this, but I'm not really sure.

The second concern is that I don't really know what I want the degree for, career-wise. At this point I have no desire to continue on with a PhD and/or go into academia (I want to do some more things first...), and sitting in a think tank doesn't appeal to me very strongly either. Besides working for the gov'mint, what other kinds of jobs are there that this kind of degree would be conducive to getting? I'm concerned that my passion for a topic will not sustain a dull desk job.

Those of you that have done similar programs, where have you ended up and what are your jobs like? What kinds of programs seem like they would best fit what I'm looking for? Economists (and others), are you going to take me seriously if I don't have a specifically econ degree? Is more advanced economics helpful in the real world anyway?

Huge thanks in advance.

Can I even get in to grad school?

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:15:17 -0800

High standardized test scores, great references, low GPA, need to take classes online - can I go to grad school? I'm in the US military and just about to go to my next duty station where I'll have the time to get a master's degree. I'd like to get one in history or business, but there are quite a few hurdles to getting said degree:

Needs to be online
My GPA is low - 2.52
I have several Fs on my transcript

A bit more on my transcript - college was a bit of a whirlwind of depression, so for instance I got 3 As and 2 Fs my first semester - and this seemingly dichotomous pattern repeated itself until I wrested myself from the depths of the depression and also changed my degree, after which I got As and Bs, but nothing that would fix the first 2.5 years of my record.

All that being said, I have a history of doing extremely well on standardized tests and while, yes, the practice GRE/GMAT isn't the same as the real thing, it didn't seem especially challenging - more like the SAT than anything. So assuming that I would do well on the standardized test of choice for whichever degree program I select, would a high enough score and references from my bosses offset the low GPA? If so, to what schools should I be looking? If in your estimation grad school just isn't for me, that's useful too. Thanks!

throwaway email: askme.lowgpa.anon@gmail.com

GRE Study Tools

NotMyselfRightNow — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:31 -0800

What was your GRE Secret Weapon? I'm looking for recommendations on the best study guides out there for the GRE. Tips and tricks, study tools, Windows software, iPod apps, and anything else welcome, too!

Everyone has a supervsior but me

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:36:13 -0800

How to find a research supervisor? I've looked through a lot of previous askMe's but there don't seem to be any covering this. I am a little over one year into my MA and I have about a month to get all my stuff together for a major research project. It's not even a thesis, just a paper, and I'm not planning on going on to do a PhD, so it should be more or less no big deal... but I seem stuck. Mostly, at the moment I'm lacking a supervisor which would probably help me refine my research proposal. I haven't had great relationships with any of the professors from my courses - not bad, but I'm not really any good at the sort of academic networking and chitchat that seem to go into establishing this sort of thing. So, I guess my question is, outside of classes (which I'm pretty much done with at this point) how do you approach people re: supervising?

FWIW, I'm in a large interdisciplinary grad program in the humanities. Most students I know found a supervisor (seemingly) ages ago.

Rhetorical Theory texts for Undergrads?

BlooPen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:36:36 -0800

What textbooks and/or texts would you recommend for an undergraduate Rhetorical Theory class? I’ll be teaching Rhetorical Theory for the first time next semester and have been struggling to find a textbook or some combination of textbooks for the course. Alternatively, I can choose articles and selections from primary texts to post online, so suggestions for articles and key primary texts are also helpful. The students are mostly junior English majors focusing their studies on Lit or Creative Writing, and this will be their first exposure to rhetorical theory.

This question has given me a good head start, but I'm hoping to find things that are compelling for undergraduates without overwhelming them.

Will trade literature for science?

Diagonalize — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:35:36 -0800

Which books can a physicist and a liberal arts type trade to gain a deeper appreciation of literature and science, respectively? Ideally, these would be books we could both read and enjoy. When we met, he was working on his PhD in particle theory and I was studying English literature. Worlds collide, sparks fly, and some four years later, he's Mr. Doctor McPhysics and I'm Little Miss Publishing-Noob. We're still happily together, but I still don't “get” science as much as I'd like, and I'd really like to find some great works of literature that he could enjoy too.

I didn't really take any hard science or math in college, and the science education in my high school was abysmal, so my education is rather lopsided. I have the basics and the odd bits and pieces I've picked up over the years (usually high-level physics), so I'd really love to find some really good, non-technical science books to supplement my unsteady diet of sci fi novels and pop sci articles.

As for Mr. Doctor McP, thanks to philosopher parents, he grew up much better read than many people I know now, but given that he spends the majority of his time slogging through academic papers, when he picks up a novel, he tends to gravitate to the lighter side of things (Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, etc.). That is totally understandable and swell (I loved those series too!), but I'd also love to share a bit more of the adult literary world with him.

Please hope me with this meeting of minds!

Online Creative Writing Certificate Programs

Rudy Gerner — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:54:22 -0800

Can you recommend online writing certificate programs and tell me what makes your recs good? Thanks! I am interested in pursuing a certificate in writing--either creative nonfiction or poetry (not sure which yet). My goal is to build a portfolio as well as relationships with writing professors so that when I apply for an MFA I have work to show and people in the field who can write recommendations. I already have a graduate degree (MSW) but I need to work towards building a strong application for a creative writing program.

I would like a program that can be done all online. My other main criteria is that it's a reputable program with talented, engaged instructors and fellow students.

Can you recommend specific programs? I am already taking a class with UCLA Extension Writers Program and if that seems like it fits my criteria, I will consider it, although I've been not very impressed with the level of professor involvement....

Where can I publish old literary crit essays that are burning a hole in my pocket?

duncecap — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:59:13 -0800

Where can I publish some old literary crit essays that are burning a hole in my pocket? I was an English minor in college and have no advanced degree to back up my stuff, but a professor who I respected highly remarked at the time that I ought to hang on to the work b/c they were graduate level pieces. I guess he presumed I might go for an MA, but I never made it that far and now feel like the essays have just been wasting away in storage.

Is it possible to get these published somewhere? Moreover, how stupid is it of me to think that I can write new critical essays on other works, on my own, with only a Bachelor's? Please bear with my ignorance. I love critical essay writing and could do it all day long for fun; it would be nice to find a market for such an activity but know almost nothing about the world of academic journals.