This thesis sets out to explore, describe, quantify, and visualise uncertainty in a cultural informatics context, with a focus on archaeological reconstructions. For quite some time, archaeologists and heritage experts have been criticising the often toorealistic appearance of three-dimensional reconstructions. They have been highlighting one of the unique features of archaeology: the information we have on our heritage will always be incomplete. This incompleteness should be reflected in digitised reconstructions of the past. This criticism is the driving force behind this thesis. The research examines archaeological theory and inferential process and provides insight into computer visualisation. It describes how these two areas, of archaeology and computer graphics, have formed a useful, but often tumultuous, relationship through the years. By examining the uncertainty background of disciplines such as GIS, medicine, and law, the thesis postulates that archaeological visualisation, in order to mature, must move towards archaeological knowledge visualisation. Three sequential areas are proposed through this thesis for the initial exploration of archaeological uncertainty: identification, quantification and modelling. The main contributions of the thesis lie in those three areas. Firstly, through the innovative design, distribution, and analysis of a questionnaire, the thesis identifies the importance of uncertainty in archaeological interpretation and discovers potential preferences among different evidence types. Secondly, the thesis uniquely analyses and evaluates, in relation to archaeological uncertainty, three different belief quantification models. The varying ways that these mathematical models work, are also evaluated through simulated experiments. Comparison of results indicates significant convergence between the models. Thirdly, a novel approach to archaeological uncertainty and evidence conflict visualisation is presented, influenced by information visualisation schemes. Lastly, suggestions for future semantic extensions to this research are presented through the design and development of new plugins to a search engine.

Analytical survey of the above ground evidence has been undertaken on twelve areas of prehistoric fields in southern Britain. In all cases at least two phases were noted, one directly overlying the other; in ten of these areas the earlier phase comprised an extensive rectilinear grid and the later smaller areas of aggregated fields. The earlier field systems could be externally bounded and left little land unenclosed for open grazing and timber production, movement was only allowed along high ridges. It is suggested that the earliest of these fields date to the beginning of the 2nd millennium, on both sides of the Channel, where they were regarded as symbolic of status within a period of visible ostentatious possessions. The majority were created in the middle centuries of that period, possibly as a reaction to perceived land pressure. No settlements could be identified as coeval with these fields. The later fields represent a major contraction of enclosed land and their design is more suited to stock, rather than arable, production. Larger areas around the fields were marked by linear ditch systems or by cross ridge dykes. Settlements were frequently, and presumably deliberately, placed over the boundaries of the earlier fields, possibly in an act of incorporation; these settlements tend to date to the two centuries on either side of 1000BC, and it is likely, though not certain, that the later fields were contemporary with these settlements. The production of stock as evidence of wealth led to feasting, as exemplified by midden sites, and to a raiding culture within which aggression is more likely, but warfare not proven. The point is made that, with no structure visible at excavation across lynchets, analytical survey is the best method of recording phase differences. Also, given the lack of below ground evidence these sites, though widespread, are a diminishing resource and protection of the best examples is highly desirable.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1985.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Biostatistics) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-106). Free to UCD affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Thesis (Ph.D. in Analytic Health Sciences) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-60). Free to UCD affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-105).

Background and aims: The qualitative literature that has examined the topic of sudden and profound transformation has mostly focused on the antecedent and facilitative factors associated with this form of change. However, previous empirical research has noted the great difficulty participants experience when trying to arrive at an explanation for their change. Within this study, I have aimed to explore the lived experience of sudden personal transformation. Having experienced a life altering epiphany myself, I was compelled to investigate how others, who also identified as having experienced a sudden, transformative change, made sense of it. Participants' struggle to find the 'words that work' when retelling and interpreting their transformation experience developed to become one of the central focuses of this thesis. The lived body is conceptualised as an essential source of meaningful understanding, and therefore, is sought to be used as an instrument of data analysis. Method: Six participants took part in unstructured interviews which were transcribed, before applying an interpretative phenomenological analysis. With the aim of facilitating the development of emotionally receptive forms of understanding, an embodied interpretation was applied to each account, via the application of Gendlin's method of focusing. Found poems were also constructed. Findings: Five master themes were identified: 1) Making sense of what it is difficult to make sense of; 2) Who I was, what happened, who I am now; 3) Illuminating purpose; 4) Compelled to act; and 5) Attempting to capture the ineffable quality. Each master theme was identified as having two related sub-themes. The acceptance and appreciation of the experience as one which can never be fully explained played a vital role in the emerging meaning of the experience. Participants appeared to make sense of their transformation through the separation of their lives into the temporal categories of before and after the event. The lives of the participants were changed. New life paths became clear, and purpose was suddenly illuminated. For all the participants in the study, purpose appeared to be intimately linked with the creation of positive connections with others. Conclusions and Implications: Examination of how people experience positive change outside of the therapy room is of use to those seeking to support people who want to change within the realms of psychological therapy. Attendance to the researcher's bodily response to the research data was understood as enabling movement towards a fuller understanding of the phenomenon under examination, as well as facilitating the production of 'words that work'. It is concluded that therapeutic practitioners and other mental health professionals may benefit from understanding the dimensions of transformative change described here, in such qualitatively rich terms.

The subject of my thesis is to observe (analyse) the job welfare focused on co-worker motivation in the company Sagitarius.eu, whose main entrepreneurial activities are investing and finance. The main concern of my survey is worker himself and the company, where he/she performs tasks. The main aim of my thesis is to assess, based on questionnaires, the strengths and the weaknesses related to job welfare and motivation. My primary intention is to present individual`s attitude towards the observed fields and motivational factors. As a conclusion I formulate my findings into recommendation proposals, that should lead into improvement of welfare in the company.

In the first chapter I deal with subject and the aim of the diploma thesis. In the second chapter I deal with the theoretical base relating to the working satisfaction and motivation. In the third chapter I occupy with the concrete situation of satisfaction of the employees in this firm. In the fourth chapter I occupy with the analysis and interpretation of the results.

La Fantasy est aujourd’hui l’un des genres majeurs des littératures de l’Imaginaire et l’un des plus prolifiques. Revendiquant le statut de littérature mythique de notre époque, elle puise ostensiblement son inspiration dans les récits mythologiques et les contes tout en organisant la majorité de ses récits autour d’une quête centrale. Celle-ci, parce qu’elle ne cesse de ressurgir dans les espaces-temps de la Fantasy, parce qu’elle implique toujours des êtres surnaturels mythiques associés aux commencements du monde, à l’instar des Elfes, et parce que, racontée au passé, elle devient objet d’un récit renvoyant à un passé disparu, fonctionne comme un véritable mythe du genre.Le présent ouvrage vise à étudier plus avant ce mythe questuel de la Fantasy afin d’en dégager les constantes et de mettre à jour les thématiques privilégiées par le genre. À travers l’analyse comparative du «Seigneur des Anneaux» et du «Silmarillion» de J.R.R. Tolkien, du cycle de «Terremer» d’Ursula K. Le Guin et du roman «La Glace et la Nuit. Opus un – Nigredo» de Léa Silhol, l’étude replace le mythe questuel de la Fantasy dans l’histoire littéraire et souligne, sous sa gangue faussement archaïque, la modernité du genre et sa pertinence comme discours sur la condition humaine. / Fantasy is now one of the major literary genres of imaginative fiction and one of the most prolific. Claiming to be the mythic literature of our time, it is mainly inspired by mythological narratives and fairy-tales, and it often organises its stories around a central quest. Since that quest constantly reappears in Fantasy space-times, often implies mythic supernatural beings, such as Elves, and becomes the object of a tale about a lost past, it functions as a genuine myth inside the genre.The present study intents to analyse the Fantasy quest myth in order to highlight its main aspects, and, through them, the favourite themes of Fantasy fiction. Through the comparative analysis of J.R.R. Tolkien’s «The Lord of the Rings» and «The Silmarillion», Ursula K. Le Guin’s «Earthsea Series» and Léa Silhol’s «La Glace et la Nuit. Opus un – Nigredo», the Fantasy quest myth is replaced in the literary history. Besides the analysis shows that, despite its apparent archaic aspects, Fantasy fiction is a modern genre and a relevant discourse about human condition.