astronomy

Harold Cummins

Harold Cummins is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Harold Cummins rather than just read about it. In short: Harold Cummins (May 28, 1893 – May 12, 1976) was an anatomist and dermatoglyphics specialist. He is considered to be the founder of dermatoglyphics.

Key takeaways

Harold Cummins belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Harold Cummins to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Harold Cummins from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Harold Cummins (May 28, 1893 – May 12, 1976) was an anatomist and dermatoglyphics specialist. He is considered to be the founder of dermatoglyphics.

Early life and education A native of Markleville, Indiana, Cummins attended the University of Michigan, receiving his BA in 1916. While attending the University of Michigan, he was inducted into two academic honor societies: Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa. Cummins completed his PhD in anatomy at Tulane University in 1925.

Career In his multiple positions as an educator, Cummins taught over 5000 students. Cummins worked at Vanderbilt University as a Histology instructor (1916-1917) and as an assistant professor of Microscopic Anatomy from 1917 through 1919. In 1919, Cummins joined the faculty at Tulane University where he remained for the rest of his educational career, nearly five decades, serving in a variety of positions. His positions at Tulane University included:

Chairman of the Department of Anatomy (1933–1960) Chairman of the Department of Microscopic Anatomy (1933–1945) Assistant dean at Tulane University School of Medicine (1949-1964) Chair of Tulane University School of Medicine admissions (1949-1964) Professor emeritus of Anatomy (1964) Cummins also held positions at a number of journals and associated organizations including:

American Journal of Human Genetics editorial board (Advisory editorial committee) (1949-1955) Vice President of the American Society of Human Genetics (1955) 38th President of the American Association of Anatomists (1961-1962) In 1926, Cummins coined the term dermatoglyphics.

Professional affiliations American Association of Physical Anthropologists International Association for Identification Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine American Association for the Advancement of Science Louisiana State Medical Society (honorary member)

Selected publications Cummins, Harold (August 1923). "The configurations of epidermal ridges in a human Acephalic monster". The Anatomical Record. 26 (1): 1–13. doi:10.1002/ar.1090260102. S2CID 84253902. Cummins, Harold; Keith, Harriet H.; Midlo, Charles; Montgomery, Robert B.; Wilder, Harris H.; Wilder, Inez Whipple (January 1929). "Revised methods of interpreting and formulating palmar dermatoglyphics". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 12 (3): 415–473. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330120303. Cummins, Harold (October 1934). "A significant example of pedunculated postminimus". The Anatomical Record. 60 (3): 273–277. doi:10.1002/ar.1090600304. S2CID 85675360. Cummins, Harold (April 1935). "Dermatoglyphics in Eskimos from Point Barrow". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 20 (1): 13–17. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330200105. Cummins, Harold (March 1940). "Finger prints correlated with handedness". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 26 (1): 151–166. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330260126. Cummins, Harold; Midlo, Charles (1976). Finger Prints, Palms, and Soles: an Introduction to Dermatoglyphics. South Berlin, Mass.: Research Pub. Co. ISBN 0486207781. Cummins, Harold (December 1955). "Dermatoglyphics of Bushmen (South Africa)". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 13 (4): 699–709. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330130411. PMID 13292533.

See also Category:Taxa named by Harold Cummins

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Harold Cummins

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Harold Cummins claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Harold Cummins before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Harold Cummins ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Harold Cummins

In research: Harold Cummins appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Harold Cummins in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Harold Cummins is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1893 births, 1976 deaths, American scientists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Harold Cummins outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Harold Cummins in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Harold Cummins means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Harold Cummins out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Harold Cummins in simple terms?

Harold Cummins (May 28, 1893 – May 12, 1976) was an anatomist and dermatoglyphics specialist. He is considered to be the founder of dermatoglyphics.

Why does Harold Cummins matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Harold Cummins?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Harold Cummins.