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Articles 1 - 21 of 21
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Biggest Loser: How Tanking In Professional Sports Impacts Fan Perception, Julia Ayres
The Biggest Loser: How Tanking In Professional Sports Impacts Fan Perception, Julia Ayres
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Professional sports teams are adored nationwide for their talents and the pride they bring to their city for their efforts. However, not all teams take this responsibility seriously and will lose on purpose, or tank, to gain a higher draft pick in the future. Although the long-term goals of tanking are to help the organization, many people take issue with athletes not putting in their best efforts in every game. Teams in both the NBA and NFL are guilty of tanking to gain better draft picks but not all have found success in this process. This leads to important questions …
Prediction Of Individual Income: A Machine Learning Approach, Michael Matkowski
Prediction Of Individual Income: A Machine Learning Approach, Michael Matkowski
Honors Projects in Economics
The use of machine learning models to improve prediction problems and handle increasingly large datasets is a rising trend in economics. Prediction plays a particularly important role in applied economics because it provides critical insights to assess market outcomes. This study builds on previous literature to showcase the relative power of these modelling methodologies in economics through the prediction of income. This research utilizes data from the Current Population Survey from 2017 – 2020, containing 467,811 observations and 264 variables. 2017-2018 data served as training data for the models and 2019-2020 served as data for the two testing sets. The …
The Decline Of The Mid-Range Jump Shot In Basketball: A Study Of The Impact Of Data Analytics On Shooting Habits In The Nba, Shawn Kilcoyne
The Decline Of The Mid-Range Jump Shot In Basketball: A Study Of The Impact Of Data Analytics On Shooting Habits In The Nba, Shawn Kilcoyne
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The purpose of this thesis paper is to investigate the strategic shift away from the mid-range jump shot in basketball over the past decade. This paper will cover the rationale for the decline of the mid-range, as well as the general impact of data analytics on the way the game of basketball is played at the professional level. Following a review of the existing literature relating to the use of analytics in the NBA, this paper will analyze the differences in shooting habits between two seven-season periods. Data visualization tools, including boxplots, statistical trends, and distribution plots, will be used …
Communicating In Crisis Situations, Rick Gorvett, Chris Morse, Julie Volkman
Communicating In Crisis Situations, Rick Gorvett, Chris Morse, Julie Volkman
Communication Faculty Journal Articles
Communicating technical information, especially in a crisis situation and particularly when the audience does not share the technical background, is a challenge that actuaries frequently face. This essay describes the dynamics and issues involved in crisis communications and provides some recommendations for actuaries confronting such a situation.
Under The Influence, Leonardo Cavicchio
Under The Influence, Leonardo Cavicchio
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The purpose of this Honors Capstone entitled Under the Influence is to assess the validity of claims concerning the possible influence of roommates on one another, concerning alcohol on college campuses. This will be done by examining data collected in a prior study conducted over a two-year period. This analysis will focus on how alcohol consumption changes in correlation with the personality factors of roommates over an extended period of time. This secondary analysis of de-identified data will focus on primary and secondary subquestions. The primary question that will be addressed with the data set collected from the University of …
The Value Of A Win: Analysis Of Playoff Structures, Matthew Orsi
The Value Of A Win: Analysis Of Playoff Structures, Matthew Orsi
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The purpose of this Senior Capstone project is to analyze the distinctions between existing playoff systems. In particular, we are looking to analyze the differences between the standard single-elimination tournament (which the NCAA has used since the inception of the tournament) and other potential options: double-elimination and multiple game series. Popular sports such as Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association all use multiple game series for their playoffs. This project will use probability theory and simulation to determine the likelihood of different seeds winning a championship as well as the expected number of victories by seed in each …
Daily Fantasy Sports: Chance Or Skill?, Danielle Bergner
Daily Fantasy Sports: Chance Or Skill?, Danielle Bergner
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Online daily fantasy sports is a billion dollar industry that has caused controversy for the last few years with states debating its legal status. As of today, under the current United States federal laws and regulations, betting money on daily fantasy sports online is considered legal. However, several states have decided to ban these games within their borders believing they are based on chance and should be considered gambling which they have ruled to be illegal online. Each state has the right to make their own rules of what they consider gambling even if the federal government has allowed it. …
What Is The True Cost To Stay In The Hospital?, Samantha Alicandro
What Is The True Cost To Stay In The Hospital?, Samantha Alicandro
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Currently, the unfortunate reality that receiving diverse health procedures can be extremely expensive is widely acknowledged and woefully accepted. However, have you inquired or been curious about the specific factors that influence the cost per day expensed by a hospital? Through examination, investigation, and evaluation operating SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Enterprise Miner and Tableau I have attempted to arrive at a conclusion for this very question. Utilizing a 1.5 million row data set provided by Rhode Island, for the years 2003-2013, I analyzed the assorted elements conceivably bearing impact on the cost per day at a hospital. Regressions, decision trees, …
Does Academic Performance Predict Workplace Productivity?, Jodie-Gaye Hunter
Does Academic Performance Predict Workplace Productivity?, Jodie-Gaye Hunter
Honors Projects in Economics
This research examines if college GPA affects productivity and compensation in the workplace. It uses data collected from a survey of approximately 23,000 Bryant University graduates in different stages of their career. About 10 percent of the alumni surveyed completed the survey. The econometric model used in this study allows estimating the effect of GPA on income after controlling for various demographic and socioeconomic variables, including education, major, occupation, gender, among others. The empirical work provides evidence that GPA has a positive and statistically significant impact on workplace productivity for females, but GPA seems to be a weaker predictor of …
Catching Card Counters, Sarah French
Catching Card Counters, Sarah French
Honors Projects in Mathematics
The casino industry has been researched through a variety of disciplines including psychological gambling habits, technological advances, business strategies, and mathematical simulations. In the vast number of studies that have been conducted, there are few scholarly articles that focus on the specific aspect of card counting. The majority of games in the casino are designed to favor the “house”. This study focuses on the game of blackjack, in which players using a card counting strategy can tip the odds in their favor. A computer simulation was used to model the betting strategy of a card counter who would bet methodically. …
The Implications Of Self-Driving Cars On Insurance, Amanda Lobello
The Implications Of Self-Driving Cars On Insurance, Amanda Lobello
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are being researched and tested by automakers, technology industry leaders, and other institutions. Lawmakers and politicians are discussing the legislation that will affect the fate of such technology. Primary benefits include safety, mobility, free time, less traffic, and green effects. However, there are also obstacles to the implementation of self-driving vehicles including consumer acceptance, legal liability, and cost. With the potential shift in responsibility from driver to automaker, rating factors for insurance may change, weighing more heavily on the model of the car as a factor. The fate of auto insurance is in …
Possible Bias In Asset Valuations: An Application Of The Fraud Risk Triangle To Divorce Cases, Jennifer Tomasetti
Possible Bias In Asset Valuations: An Application Of The Fraud Risk Triangle To Divorce Cases, Jennifer Tomasetti
Honors Projects in Accounting
No abstract provided.
Mathematical Modeling Of Trending Topics On Twitter, Jonathan S. Skaza
Mathematical Modeling Of Trending Topics On Twitter, Jonathan S. Skaza
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Created in 2006, Twitter is an online social networking service in which users share and read 140-character messages called Tweets. The site has approximately 288 million monthly active users who produce about 500 million Tweets per day. This study applies dynamical and statistical modeling strategies to quantify the spread of information on Twitter. Parameter estimates for the rates of infection and recovery are obtained using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. The methodological strategy employed is an extension of techniques traditionally used in an epidemiological and biomedical context (particularly in the spread of infectious disease). This study, which addresses …
Active Vs. Passive Portfolio Management, Timothy Greenhill
Active Vs. Passive Portfolio Management, Timothy Greenhill
Honors Projects in Mathematics
In the finance community there is a huge debate about whether or not active portfolio managers can provide better returns than passive managers. While active managers often provide excess returns, the costs of running an active fund offset whatever gains were made in the market. The objective of this report is to figure out whether or not active funds provide larger returns than passive funds on a cost adjusted basis. This report will identify which type of fund is a more cost effective investment, as well as identify different properties of funds and how they operate. The goal of doing …
Actual Vs. Perceived Value Of Players Of The National Basketball Association, Stephen Righini
Actual Vs. Perceived Value Of Players Of The National Basketball Association, Stephen Righini
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Over the past few decades the media has played an increasingly large role in shaping how player effectiveness in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is perceived. Several factors have caused fans, announcers, and even NBA team management to have unintentional bias toward certain players. This study aims to utilize various formulas created by NBA statisticians, called Player Raters, to identify how efficient each NBA player actually is in comparison to the rest of the league. Data from the past 12 seasons was compiled and six Player Raters were used to place values on every NBA player since the 2000-2001 season. …
The Stock Market Impact Of Bond Rating Changes, Michael Leonard
The Stock Market Impact Of Bond Rating Changes, Michael Leonard
Honors Projects in Mathematics
This paper examines the impact of a downgrade of a company’s credit rating on its stock price in the days surrounding the downgrade. If we consider this downgrade new information, then a negative impact on the company’s stock price would be expected. However, if we assume that rating agencies use information that investors have already accounted for, then there would be no impact. There could also be an impact, at least temporarily, due to the fact that a ratings downgrade is bad news, even if the reasons for the downgrade have already been priced in. To perform this analysis I …
Who Is The American League Mvp On A Per Dollar Basis?, Patrick Decker
Who Is The American League Mvp On A Per Dollar Basis?, Patrick Decker
Honors Projects in Mathematics
This study will look at the value of MLB players in the American League on a per dollar basis. It will be based on the 2011 statistics and will use a linear regression model to create a value for each player. The value will be based on a variety of statistics based upon position. For all players: age, team wins, and years in the league will be accounted for. For field players: games played, hits, runs, doubles, triples, home runs, runs batted in, walks, strike outs, stolen bases, on base percentage, slugging percentage, fielding percentage and errors will be accounted …
Are Nfl Athletes Receiving Over-Valued Contracts?, Jason Scott
Are Nfl Athletes Receiving Over-Valued Contracts?, Jason Scott
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Many sport research studies have been conducted that examine the performance of professional athletes and their corresponding effect on franchise winning percentages, team revenues, economic repercussions, performance-based compensation, and much more. Research in the National Football League, however, has been found to be somewhat limited due to the numerous possible positions and resulting vastness of position-specific variables. The NFL lockout in 2011 caused many to question the specific relationship between professional athlete performance and salary distribution. This study’s purpose was to find a collection of variables with which all NFL athletes could be compared, and to identify relationships existing between …
Cost Of Winning: What Contributing Factors Play The Most Significant Roles In Increasing The Winning Percentage Of A Major League Baseball Team?, Patrick Tartaro
Cost Of Winning: What Contributing Factors Play The Most Significant Roles In Increasing The Winning Percentage Of A Major League Baseball Team?, Patrick Tartaro
Honors Projects in Finance
Over the past decade, discussions of competition disparity in Major League Baseball have been brought to the forefront of many debates regarding the sport. The belief that "large market" teams such as the New York Yankees buy their championships through acquiring star talent at high prices has become a common belief of many followers of the game. This research will answer the pressing question, "What are the most significant factors that correlate to a Major League Baseball Team’s winning percentage?”. I used stepwise regression to identify factors significantly related to winning percentage. Interestingly enough, payroll is not a significant factor …
A Multiple Regression Analysis Of Personality’S Impact On Actuarial Exam Performance, Matthew Ciaffone
A Multiple Regression Analysis Of Personality’S Impact On Actuarial Exam Performance, Matthew Ciaffone
Honors Projects in Mathematics
Existing literature indicates that there is some connection between personality and both academic and work-related performance. The author's intent for the research described herein is to explore this connection for students majoring in actuarial mathematics with regard to their performance on actuarial certification exams. Specifically, using the five-factor model of personality, the author seeks to predict the number of attempts required to pass the first two exams in the process (Exam 1/P - probability; Exam 2/FM - financial mathematics) using measures of the five dimensions of the five-factor model (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) through regression …
Japanese Players In Major League Baseball: An Econometric Analysis Of Labor Discrimination, Kyle Audet
Japanese Players In Major League Baseball: An Econometric Analysis Of Labor Discrimination, Kyle Audet
Honors Projects in Economics
In recent years, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams have increasingly drawn talent from the international market. This study employs econometric techniques to test the various labor discrimination issues facing Japanese players playing in America’s MLB. There have been remarkably few studies focusing on Japanese players in MLB. Data from the 1995 to 2007 season has been analyzed. High degrees of discriminatory pay scales are found for Japanese pitchers. The findings suggest that Japanese batters do not face such pay discrimination. Positional discrimination has also been the subject of investigation. Japanese players are found to be disproportionally pitchers. Suggestions for future …