Acknowledgements

The author, Peter Meyer, thanks the University of Derby for providing him with a research studentship and research facilities, and for the provision of a 330 Mhz Intel PC, on which all of the simulations reported in this research were performed.

He wishes thanks his Director of Studies, Dr Barry Blackham, and other members of the School of Mathematics and Computing at the University of Derby for their support; and his Second Supervisor, Dr Sudhir Jain, for selecting him for this research studentship, for drawing his attention to the existence of the Swendsen-Wang algorithm, the Binder cumulant and recent work on short-time critical dynamics, and for general guidance and occasional helpful suggestions.

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