English language learning challenges facing Saudi students in America Thesis Proposal

English language learning challenges facing Saudi students in America - Thesis Proposal Example The demand for internalization and globalization of the world has resulted in cross-border student mobility. Consequently, the United States has recorded an increase of international students seeking admission places in its universities. A report revealed that America recorded a five percent increase in the number of international students admitted to the learning institutions (Al-Mahrooqi & Denman, 2015). Most of the students were of the Asian origin with Saudi Arabia and China topping the list. The international students get admission slots in various universities and colleges across the US. The international students play a major role in creating diversity and internalization of the classrooms and campuses (Lippman & Council on Foreign Relations, 2012). The students share the different experiences regarding culture thereby enhancing a mutual appreciation of cultural diversity. The United States, therefore, should positively embrace the international students and welcome them to th e universities and colleges because of the contributions they bring at different levels including cultural exchange (Raddawi, 2014, Moraya, 2013). However, the Saudi students experience many academic and linguistic challenges while at the United States. The academic challenges experienced include communicating with the lecturers, instructors and staff (Raddawi, 2014). They thus have to deal with social isolation when interacting with different groups of people. They find it difficult to learn and do their activities according to the American culture.

Private Universities In Egypt Media Essay

Private Universities In Egypt Media Essay There are a lot of private universities in Egypt nowadays; private universities are not controlled by the government so there have been a lot of opinions about the quality of education and the differences between the public universities and the private universities in Egypt. In this paper I will discuss those differences showing the advantages and the disadvantages of both of them. Private universities are universities that are not controlled by governments although a lot of these universities collect public funding, in particularly in the shape of tax breaks and public student scholarships. Reliant on their place, private universities may be questioned to government guidelines. Private universities match up to public universities and national universities. Universities in Egypt are mainly divided into governmentally-funded or privately funded. Schooling in Egypt is without any costs by the government and has been a vital spread good for a long time in Europe and in the United States. Affiliation is always open for private universities, in particularly in the Arab world. Private universities are Egyptian or external, and normally have a much reduced student body and with a larger amount of fees.Private universities are each strongly exceptional. From variations in syllabus and educational paradigm to objective reports, each private university generates an ambiance that is really only for it. The students, not the government are the precedence of the private university. Lecturers make the aim high at the start and students keep hopping to fulfill these aims for the rest of the 4 years. If academics and only academic is the aim throughout the university years, then go to a private university if you can. Most parents do their best in order to provide a best education and opportunity for their sons and daughters to succeed. The outcome of this is that their sons and daughters turn out to be an extremely strong participator to the public and the people. From a lot of experiences, very little matches up to the academics that are gained at a private univers ity. Education and tutoring at private universities are the importance more than the syllabus itself. The syllabus is hard and the course-work never ends, but education is main objective at private universities. It is very hard for students to work while learning at a private university because it will be impossible to keep a balance between working and succeeding at courses. Although education is very high the workload is too much and this makes it very difficult to have any external activities while studying. Moreover, the fees of private universities are very high. Therefore, if there are no financial problems then go ahead and attend a private university, but if parents cannot afford it or students will fail then you have to set your priorities first and each student has to know that they will have to work hard in order to succeed. The rest of the article will be discussing more of the pros and cons of private universities, and how they could be of a benefit and what could make parents and students hesitate and think more than once before entering a private university. Body The government and the higher education control. Private universities have become very popular over the past few years in Egypt, and the reason behind this was to reduce the load on public universities, who admit millions of students that they cannot find places for. Private universities are Egyptian or foreign, and they normally have a way reduced student body and with much more expensive fees. Earlier in 1993, there were only 2 private foreign universities that were launched many years ago. The American University in Cairo was established in 1919, and the Arab Academy. Nowadays there are 8 private universities, and there will be 3 more private universities that will be launched soon. A lot of arguments and researches have been conducted around private universities, and whether they are good or not, and if they are better than public universities or not. Many questions were asked around this topic, and a lot of results with a lot of different opinions have evolved. Many people were against private universities and with public universities, others were in favor of private universities over the public sector, and others were in support of both which found that each one has its advantages and disadvantages. Escaping from the public universities!! Since private universities have been established it was noticed that many students started to get attracted to the private sector over the public sector regarding its expensive tuition fees. Below is a table that shows a comparison between students attending public universities and private universities: Year Private Universities Public Universities 2005 40884 2212536 2004 36834 2177661 2003 30431 2083451 2002 24946 1953561 2001 16774 1790604 2000 11954 1705715 1999 6274 1688434 1998 3201 1586972 1997 1911 1471991 As we can see from the above table that there has been a great increase in the number of students who admitted for private universities. So what does private universities look like and what do they offer more than what public universities offer? This is a question that has been asked by many people. Most private universities in Egypt are either universities owned by individuals or offshore campuses of foreign universities. Private universities are not often a chief reason on making higher education international; somewhat they are locally attached organizations with their individual programs. A lot of private universities tutor religion, information technology, and business administration, and these are the most sectors that are thriving in the whole world. Challenges in the higher education in Egypt For the beginning of the evolvement of private universities, these universities have faced a lot of false impressions such as low quality of education, expensive tuition fees and so on but as time went by these false impressions just started to disappear. An idea that is commonly known within private universities is that their normal tuition fees for a student is nearly equivalent to that of public universities. This idea has been denied by a research that was not published by the Federal Department Education. Private universities leaders quarreled for a long time that in spite of their harshly expensive fees, the whole fee of tutoring a student at a private university was on an average with the similar fee of schooling at a public university, together with all funding and aids. There is no doubt that there are some private universities that have extremely expensive tuition fees, but there are still other private universities that their tuition fees are somewhat reasonable. Private universities are moving fast towards their quest of giving education to a lot of people, sideways to their strong points and their weak points. Although public universities are playing the essential part, the important influence of private universities cannot be overlooked. Private universities give education to those people who cannot take advantage from the education that is provided by the public universities. If students did not get the opportunity to study at a public university they might not study at any university or they have to go to a foreign country in order to get the education they need. Therefore, private universities prevent students from leaving the country and still maintain a good education. Moreover, private universities offer courses that are connected with the desired career and also the syllabus is renewed on a regular basis so that it will always stay up-to-date to guarantee quality. The nature of private universities is much more concentrated to the academics more than public universities. Yet, there are no political aggressions that can be noticed in the private universities. In addition, in private universities the relationship between the student and the professor is different from that in public universities. Students in private universities can talk without restrictions with their professors because the number of students is not too much, which also gives the chance for the professor to give a better education because there few students. Moreover, private universities are also making employment chances for the new teachers. Also, different activities are carried out and inspired by the students of the private universities instead of the public ones, for example sports, debates, and so on. Also private universities reduce the nightmares of registration. Because the number of students at public universities is large, students usually have to struggle with the system in order to apply or to get into the classes required for them to graduate. This will not be a problem at private universities; if you are a new student and you are trying to apply for a private university this will not be a problem because the number of students is small, therefore, making the decision for the enrollment is done by studying each case for each student alone. If you are an existing student and you are trying to register for courses for graduation, this will not be a problem either, because the number of students is not large, each student will be able to register for the required courses and all students will be able to graduate on time. Moreover, private universities provide a cozy group environment. At private universities students will get to know each other better and form intimate relationships for good. Unlike public universities, students will not be able to know each other because the number of students is very large and everyone will be busy trying to succeed instead of forming friendships. Also, students will not drop of course and they will not fall behind because if a student is facing problems, whether if they are educational problems or personal problems, professors or advisors will be able notice that and they will try to help them. Private universities provide active alumni, and because private universities have small number of students, students will be able to be a member of an alumni group for good. Because the number of students at public universities is large a student will have to be perfect and also up to standard to be able to contribute in activities such as sports, music, drama, etc. with a smaller number of students at private universities everyone will be able to participate in any activity, a student will not have to be superior in order to participate. Therefore, students will be able to get involved any activity they want. Private universities Vs. Public Universities To summarize the advantages of private universities over the public ones, private universities offer smaller class sizes. Because the university grounds are usually small in size, private universities also have small class sizes. This gives the opportunity for larger student/professor communication and a more attractive learning experience. It is uncertain that a huge lecture hall will be found on private universities grounds. Also, because the classrooms are small and the ratio of professor-to-student is small this gives a greater chance for student to interact and participate more in class. Shy students are more capable to interact in a reduced and cozy environment than a lecture hall filled with hundreds of students. Moreover, a minor collection of students will be able to have debates with higher quality and they will be able to interact better at a personal level with their lecturers and professors. Different from public universities who have large student numbers; private universities place professors in each class. Because public universities have large numbers of students professors donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t often go to each class, instead university courses will normally be given by professorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ assistants, or doctoral students rather than professors themselves. Therefore, private universities have smaller class sizes, they provide more participation in class, students will be able to communicate better with their professors, they will be able to get involved in activities, they will be part of an alumni community, and students will be able to live in a cozy and a family-like environment. Although private universities have a lot of advantages as we have discussed above, they still have some disadvantages. One of the most critical disadvantages and the reason that could drive many students and parents away from private universities is their tuition fees. Private universities have very expensive tuition fees, students that want to enroll at these universities must be very well off in order to be able to pay the money required. Students who will not be able to pay the tuition fees will have to follow scholarships and financial aid forms. Also if students who could not afford the fees and want to attend these universities will have to take a weighty student loan debt, which is a major disadvantage because beginning your years with weighty loans can be quite a huge load. Another disadvantage is that private universities provide narrow graduate programs. For students who wish to continue a graduate or a doctoral degree, a lot of private universities will not provide any postgraduate degree, they only provide baccalaureate degree. Any students wishing to continue postgraduate studies will have to go and attend a public university. Moreover, private universities have very narrow major offerings. Because private universities are small, they do not provide different majors. The varieties of majors are only available at public universities because they are large and a lot of students enroll at these universities. In addition, private universities have fewer departments with not so much professors or courses that are offered. Conclusion Private universities have become very popular today, and many parents and students prefer to enroll at a private university today over public universities. Private universities has many advantages, which are that private universities provide education to those who cannot benefit from the education that is been provided by public universities. Private universities offer courses that are connected with the desired career, syllabus is always up-to-date, no political aggressions is found at private universities, and students and professors have a more open relationship, they both can talk freely with no restrictions. Moreover, private universities reduce the nightmares of registration, they provide a cozy group environment, and students at private universities will be sure to be members of active alumni. Although private universities have a lot of advantages, they still have their disadvantages which are expensive tuition fees, they provide narrow graduate programs, and they provide narrow major offerings.

Bowing to Seniority :: Documentary Journalism Sports Basketball Papers

Bowing to Seniority With the dearth of good centers in college basketball, one would expect that Xavier University would want David West, their All-American center who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior, to return for his senior season. But West did not feel so welcome. â€Å"Honestly, it felt like they wanted me to leave,† West said. â€Å"Not Coach [Thad] Matta specifically, but most people seemed to be pushing me out the door [to the NBA].† Eventually, West decided to return for his senior season, and then became part of a dying breed: college seniors who get drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. In the last two NBA drafts, high school players and college underclassmen outnumbered the college senior first round picks 19-13, with only four college seniors going in the first round in the June 2004 draft. In 1999, 13 seniors went in the first round. The number of lottery picks (teams who do not make the playoffs, the first 14 picks of the draft) shows the disparity more clearly with more underclassmen being drafted in the lottery by an 11 to 5 margin. Before the New Orleans Hornets took West with the 18th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, he had a successful senior season at Xavier, where he was an All-American and the Associated Press Collegiate Player of the Year. As little as eight years ago, West probably would have been a top five pick; as prospects were still valued more for their ability to contribute right away rather than their â€Å"potential.† But because of what Mississippi State University Coach Rick Stansbury calls a â€Å"disturbing trend,† that of underclassmen entering the draft with greater and greater frequency, West fell completely out of the lottery. Some argue that the slide through the draft of seniors like West has to compete with not only the increase of college underclassmen entering the draft, but also international prospects who have the â€Å"upside† to be superstars, even though many teams have seen very little of them actually play. However, West does not think that the international players have affected the draft that much. "If you can play, you can play," said West. "I'm not worried about what (European) guys can do. American guys have shown what they can do. In the end, if you can play, they're not going to let you go." Over the past 10 years, the mindset of the NBA prospect has changed.

Poetry is a vast genre of literature that is used to express emotions, feelings and ideas

With reference to the poems of Antonio Machado, Juan Ramin Jiminez, and Federico Garcia Lorca studied in the course, discuss the uses of poetry and the ways in which the three writers exploit this medium Poetry is a vast genre of literature that is used to express emotions, feelings and ideas. Every writer has different reasons for expressing their ideas through this medium. Antonio Machado, Juan Ramin Jiminez and Federico Garcia Lorca were all Spanish poets who lived around the same era. Does this mean their uses of poetry were the same? Did they write poems for the same reasons? In order to discuss how they have used poetry it is necessary to understand their poems in more detail. At first glance it seems that Antonio Machado explores nature and the beauty of it in his poetry. In his poem Crepisculo Machado describes a nature scene. Although he doesn't use the first person, it is clear from the content that the poem is implicitly about him. He has therefore, used nature to mirror himself. The cold images of stone and marble in the poem, like the statue of Cupid, communicate a lack of expression on the poet's part. With Cupid having connotations of love and with the statue being constructed from stone it is possible to say that Machado finds it difficult to express love. Antonio Machado, in this respect, has exploited the medium, with nature as a main theme, to reflect himself to the reader. In displaying his lack of love through poetry, he is able to get across exactly what he wants to say by emphasising aspects with repetition, rhyme and other stylistic features. Writing his feelings in prose, for Machado, would not have had the same effect. Another example of Machado using nature to describe himself is in his poem A Un Olmo Seco. He fears that his life is near to its end like that of the tree and he only has hope left. Here, Machado is using poetry to express anxiety and concern about the ending of his life. The descriptions which he writes about the tree are descriptions of how he sees himself in relation to life in general. In this way, he is using poetry to put across his worries and to tell people about how he sees himself in comparison to nature. Machado's poem El Limonero, however, is not, on the surface, a description about nature but a search for something. The poet tries to recall an innocent childhood illusion in which he attempted to pick up some fruit out of some water and then discovered that it was merely a reflection. Machado communicates the difficulty in finding the illusion he remembers from childhood, with a contrast between heart and mind -he knows he won't find it again but he still has hopes. This can be related to A Un Olmo Seco when he hopes for another ‘milagro de primavera'1 (miracle of spring). Poetry has been employed by Antonio Machado to illustrate his despondency on aging and on realising that things aren't what they used to be. El Limonero describes how the happiness and simplicity of being a child can never be regained. Poetry is a good way of expressing deep feelings and emotions because it can be adapted in ways that prose cannot. The letter form and use of the informal second person of the poem A Josi Mario Palacio tells the reader that this is a poem written to a friend. Machado is asking his friend whether spring has arrived and mentions typical spring-time occurrences. He introduces a third party with the use of â€Å"su† and it is later revealed that the poet is talking about the death of his wife. After reading A Josi Mario Palacio it could be said that the hopelessness he feels in A Un Olmo Seco is because of the death of his wife and the anxieties about his own life. Machado has used poetry to project grief out of himself onto nature without showing self pity. In writing this, he may have been able to come to terms with his emotions. For Machado, poetry is used to say things that he feels cannot be expressed in another way. Poetry and can be used when prose and normal word patterns are unable to put across the idea or feeling in the desired way. Unlike Machado, however, Jiminez uses poetry to illustrate his outlook on the mysteries of life. His poem El Nombre is directed to the intelligence and the brain. Jiminez feels the necessity to write something and asks his intelligence for the name of things. Poetry is being used by Jiminez to communicate the difficulties in language and expression. He describes the complexity in communicating a feeling to a reader. Like the poems of Machado, Jiminez has used poetry to overcome the difficulties of conveying an idea. irboles Hombres, nevertheless, is written in the form of a traditional ballad. The subject of this poem is the impermanence of human life. It is a story about a man who goes into a wood and hears the trees talking. They talk about him and think he's a tree too. Jiminez is describing the brevity of human life in comparison to the seemed permanence of nature; he is saying how human life is temporary. The trees existed before, and will exist after his life. Jiminez has, in this sense, used poetry to communicate his views about human existence in comparison to nature, which has existed since the beginning of time. Jiminez can be described as a mystic poet despite him being agnostic. In some ways he uses language poetically to develop the idea of a mystic God. This can be seen in the poem Soy Animal de Fondo. Jiminez explores the connection between material and immaterial. For example, feelings of warmth from the sun are not material even though the sun itself is. The poem, like El Nombre, recalls a search but this time it is for God. There is a progression throughout the poem to the realisation that God was there all along. Poetry, here, is used to explain that life is beyond material even though people only realise it when they are taken away from the material world. Jiminez has made use of poetry to recall the search about the unknown consciousness that the material world hides. The poetry of Jiminez is about subjects related to his life and it has been said that ‘vida y poesia son una y la misma cosa'2 (life and poetry are one and the same thing) for Jiminez. This indicates that he uses poetry, like Machado, to reflect himself and his personality. In the case of Federico Garcia Lorca, poetry is often applied to express feelings of marginalisation within society. Being homosexual Lorca was subject to persecution for not conforming to the expectations of the society in which he lived. In his ballads Lorca uses gypsies to express the exclusion he felt during his life. Gypsies were, like Lorca, considered to be outsiders and they too were not respected. In his ballad Romance de la Luna, Luna Lorca explores a scene about a gypsy boy who is ill and feels persecuted by the moon. He explains the interpretation of the death of a child from an uncivilised and unscientific mind. The gypsies can accept that the moon was the cause of death, because to their minds it is plausible. Civilised society cannot accept this idea and so gypsies, like Lorca were labelled as outsiders. With poetry Lorca can express the ostracism he felt without making a direct statement. Poetry works better than prose in this respect because Lorca can make use of imagery and symbolism to convey his idea. Another gypsy ballad written by Lorca is Preciosa y el Aire. The wind tries to abduct a gypsy girl, who is playing a tambourine. The wind represents the sexual impulse of nature and Preciosa sees it as a threat. Her primitive impulse tells her she is in danger but when she goes into the civilised world, i. e. the English consul's house, her experience is oppressed. Poetry has been used here to show the sense of exclusion that Lorca feels exists in society for those who step out of the norm. He is telling his readers about the feelings of persecution that existed in his life through the form of another equally mistreated figure in society. Romance Sonimbulo is again from Lorca's book Romancero Gitano (Gypsy Ballads) and is about an injured man seeking refuge at a gypsy dwelling. A gypsy girl has been waiting for him for so long that she's given up and killed herself. Lorca has used surrealism within his poetry by placing words in a non realist order. This form is used to describe the difference between the civilised, realist life and the somewhat surreal, gypsy life. There is also a reoccurrence of the colour green. Green has positive and, especially in Spain, negative connotations. For example green can signify nature and life but also rotten fruit. In Spain it can also indicate sexual perversion, in the case of ‘un hombre verde' meaning ‘a dirty old man'. The repetition of green could be said to be telling the reader about Lorca's ‘own libidinal tendency towards the forbidden fruit'3; this meaning his homosexuality. From all 3 poems it can be said that: Sexuality (†¦ is the subjective nub (†¦ ) where the violent context of ostracism and persecution (†¦ ) may be seen as a projection of the poet's inner anxiety. 4 Lorca has used language and poetry in his work, not only to express marginalisation, but also to show how his sexuality is perceived by society. From his judgment homosexuality is perceived as verde. All three poets and their work can be related and linked to each other. They all use poetry for personal reasons and convey their individual ideas through it. They use many devices within their poems to help put across meaning, for example, with the use of nature and gypsies. For writers, poetry is a tool to be exploited because there are no rules. Poets can make up the rules of what they write and in this can add to the affect that the poems have on a reader. Machado, Jiminez and Lorca have exploited poetry to their own means and used it for individual reasons. They have all used nature, in some way, to help their poetry have the desired effect or meaning. Lorca uses a more traditional form of poetry, the ballad, as it would have been very familiar to readers and so would be able to convey the exact idea that he wanted. The main and most common use of poetry between all three poets is the need to express a feeling, whether it is anxiety, absence or an opinion. In writing their poems, the poets have reflected themselves and revealed their outlooks on life. They have used this medium as a language tool to convey exactly their feelings, opinions and beliefs; the sort of ideas where prose will not suffice. Poetry is used by writers like Machado, Jiminez and Lorca because it can get across a meaning and can appeal to emotions in ways that other literature forms cannot. Imagery and symbolism are a big part of poetry and help writers put across detailed ideas. It is difficult to get across a subtle and implicit meaning with the use of prose and this is a reason why some of the poets have used this medium. Furthermore, poetry is an art that can communicate the beauty of ideas, scenes and thoughts and it has the power to describe a subject or tell a story effectively. For Machado, Jiminez and Lorca poetry is simply a way of escaping the normality and mundane routine of everyday life as they express their ideas through this medium.

Moral Reasoning across Cultures Essay

Moral reasoning involves an active critical thinking process that evaluates reasons for ethical beliefs (Sunar, 2002). Sometimes individuals may be skeptic about issues related to morality. However, these same people seek to relate their moral opinions with tangible reasons. By doing this, they try to prove the issues that encompass ethics but often end up making common fallacies in moral reasoning. The universal acceptance of moral reasoning or arguments becomes rather problematic as culture seems to play a critical role in the way individuals make moral judgments (Sunar, 2002). To fully appreciate the difference in moral reasoning across cultures, it is important to examine some of the moral questions that have drawn serious debates in history. These moral questions such as euthanasia, abortion, same-sex marriages have been a hurdle due to the differences in cultural practices and beliefs which make some individuals to view an issue as morally correct or morally wrong (Sunar, 2002). But at the same time, there are principals that are universally accepted across cultures and this makes moral reasoning, to some level, be homogenous in intercultural dimensions. Morality can be viewed differently across different psychologists. To evolutionally psychologist, morality is an issue of inheritance implying that if the parents had poor morals, the offspring will not escape but inherit the genes of poor morals (Sunar, 2002). Cognitive psychologists may differ and claim that morality is entirely learnt where a child develops character and morals through experiences and role-taking. The difference in their explanations comes in due to the attempt to answer the disconcerting question on why moral reasoning tends to differ across individuals, gender and cultural levels (Sunar, 2002). There are diverse and pervasive cultural differences in moral principles across cultures, an issue that has made serious debates among cross-cultural psychologists (Sunar, 2002). The thinking of cognitive psychologists as observed in Kohlberg’s cognitive-developmental theory seem to be applicable only to the Western people with liberal values and individualists social forms. In this perspective, social constructionists have given a strong critique on the cognitive-development theory in the understanding of moral reasoning (Bucciarelli, Khemlani & Johnson-Laird, 2008). The social constructionists maintain that every culture is entirely unique with distinct moral systems and meanings and the comparisons in their moral reasoning does not make sense. This argument can be supported by the number of states legalizing abortion. Countries such as Malta, El Salvador and Chile have made abortion to be illegal no matter the condition or the purpose of the procedure (Pregnant Pause, 2002). On the other hand, countries such as Belgium, Belarus, Australia, Bosnia, Cambodia and China have made abortion to be a legal practice for a number of reasons such as social or economic reasons (Pregnant Pause, 2002). A different perspective is held by evolutionary psychologists, psychoanalytic psychologists and cognitive-development psychologists. They all argue that moral reasoning should be uniform across cultures. Psychoanalytic theory claims that the internalization process is deeply rooted in the conflicts between the social life requirements and the individual desires. These factors tend to be universal and therefore moral reasoning is uniform across cultures. Cultures such as same-sex marriages that used to be predominantly in Western countries are slowly finding a place in African countries (Bucciarelli, Khemlani & Johnson-Laird, 2008). This shows that moral reasoning is similar across cultures. Another element of similarities across cultures is the manner in which social institutes such as marriage are conducted. Punishments for poor marriage practices and rewards for good conduct have been shown to increase the observance of the moral principles regardless to cultural differences. Generally, the issue of moral reasoning tends to be both uniform and different across different cultures. There are moral principles that are universally acceptable and some practices will be known to be wrong among all cultures. However, some practices tend to have cultural boundaries where some countries or ethnic groups may restrict certain practices while others allowing the practices. These factors make moral reasoning to differ across cultures. Reference: Bucciarelli, M. , Khemlani, S & Johnson-Laird, P. N (2008). The psychology of moral reasoning. Judgment and Decision Making. 3 (2):121-139. Pregnant Pause (2002). Summary of abortion laws around the world. Retrieved July 15, 2010 from http://www. pregnantpause. org/lex/world02. htm Sunar, D. (2002). The psychology of morality. In W. J. Lonner, D. L. Dinnel, S. A. Hayes, & D. N. Sattler (Eds. ), Online Readings in Psychology and Culture (Unit 2, Chapter 11), Retrieved July 15, 2010 from http://www. ac. wwu. edu/~culture/Sunar. htm

Key to Success Essay Example

Key to Success Essay Example Key to Success Essay Key to Success Essay Key to Success What is education? According to the Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English it is defined as â€Å"the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university and the theory and practice of teaching†. In my opinion success requires not only formal education but the positive attitude, drive and vision through informal education. What is formal education? It is the interaction between students and a teacher that is required for a student to obtain some sort of people pursue formal education in the hope that obtaining a degree or certificate will open the window of opportunity, help them gain social status and financial security. Education obtained in school teaches essential skills for the working world and it changes and mold behaviour of an individual so that the person will become a responsible for member of society. Two years ago, one of my teachers said â€Å"To be a productive member in our society, you need to get a formal education†. This statement seems to be true when one considers that we live in a complex and competitive society; many jobs are unavailable to those without an education. For example, in order to be a nurse, a person needs a nursing certificate from a recognized educational institution and pass the national board exam to get a license to work. However, is formal education the only way to success? Most of us believe that education from school is more important than the education obtained outside an institution. Our society thinks that receiving a diploma or degree is the necessary first step towards success. However, some of the world’s most famous and wealthiest billionaires are college dropouts. For instance, the youngest billionaire in the world, Mark Zuckerberg, dropped out from Harvard University and later co-developed Facebook. Obviously, his success did not happen overnight, but through his personal belief in what he was doing and his passion for computer programming. He had the courage to tackle a big project and he succeeded, even though he was a college drop out. Like Zuckerberg, I do not believe that only certificates from institutions will bring us the things we want in life. Instead, it is informal education that teaches us to explore and expand our world. One does not learn to become brave by sitting in a classroom. No college can teach curiosity or teach us who we truly are. Formal education gives people false confidence because knowing a lot of facts does not make you successful. It is how you use what you know, and this skill can only be learned outside the classroom. If a formal education does not guarantee success, what type of informal education is needed to help us achieve our goals? Informal education consists of a lesson learned from experiences outside the classroom. Manny Pacquiao from the Philippines started from poverty and now is one of the highest paid athletes in the world. His life was not always easy: his father left his family for his mistress, Pacquiao was unable to continue school because his family was now penniless, he left home at the age of 12 and lived on the street selling cigarettes. Through his positive work attitude, hard working nature and dedication to achieve his dream to become a boxer, he is now a successful professional boxer, a product endorser, politician and singer. Pacquiao did not learn his positive work attitude from school. He acquired the skills necessary for success from the informal environment of the Manila streets and people who helped him. In conclusion, a formal education may be a stepping stone to fulfilling an individual’s dreams, but success requires us to also develop a positive attitude and the motivation to get up each day and face the challenges of an impossible task or environment. In many cases, such as with Mark Zuckerberg and Manny Pacquiao, these skills are not learned in school but in the much more dynamic and risky environment of the real world. References: education. The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia. com. 5 Aug. 2011 . Pilkington, Ed (March 10, 2011). Forbes rich list: Facebook six stake their claims. The Guardian (UK). Retrieved March 30, 2011 Kroll, Luisa, ed (March 5, 2008). In Pictures: Youngest Billionaires: Mark Zuckerberg, U. S. : Age 23: $1. 5  billion, self-made. Forbes. Billionaire Dropouts. Pennylicious. 2006-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-30. Manny Pacquiao. PhilBoxing. com. Retrieved September 4, 2007. Manny Pacquiao. Canadastarboxing. com. Retrieved May 9, 2011.

Understanding International Relations Essays

Understanding International Relations Essays Understanding International Relations Essay Understanding International Relations Essay Additionally, globalisation has not been experienced everywhere to the same extent. In fact, it is probably only applicable to a small percentage of humankind. For instance, only a small minority of the worlds population can connect to the WWW and most people probably never even made a telephone phone call in their lives. Phenomenon such as electronic mail has been mainly concentrated in the so-called North of the world. It could even be argued that globalisation only applies to the developed world. It is very easy to overestimate the scope of globalisation.In the famous book World On Fire by Amy Chua, she notes that in several countries, there are market-dominant minorities- small ethnic groups which control the wealth and the economy. These include the Chinese in the Philippines, the Indians in east Africa, or whites in South Africa. Too often, free market reforms in these countries simply allow the market-dominant minorities to accumulate even more wealth, widening the poverty gap. Anti-globalisation movement claims that integration leads to growing inequality within countries, with no benefits going to the poor.Some see it as the latest manifestation of Western imperialism and capitalism. The forces that are being globalised are conveniently those found in the Western world. Thus, globalisation creates losers, allowing the more efficient exploitation of less well-off nations, all in the name of openness. Contemporary capitalism, driven by Western countries in Europe and North America, has established rules of trade and business relations that do not serve the interests of the poorer people in the world.Ecologically, globalisation has caused phenomena such as global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone depletion and a decline in Earths biological diversity. Rises in carbon dioxide emissions caused mainly by industry is expected to rise ten per cent every twenty years. This owes largely to globalisation. If it indeed does make lives better, how can one explain for the widespread poverty that still exist today? The per-capita income in the richest twenty countries is 37 times greater than that in the 20 poorest7. Accordingly, globalisation cannot, and does not, serve interests of all countries in the world.To conclude, globalization refers to a process in which the world is in many respects becoming a single place. It has in one way or another encompassed every sphere of social life. It brings people together as well as promoting higher economic growth and lower cost goods and provides much wider opportunities and choices at the same time. The advocates say globalization brings the first real chance of prosperity to the impoverished corners of the world whilst the opponents say globalization is the cause of growing poverty and inequality on the planet.However, globalization definitely is not a panacea. It does not hold the answer to universal equality, prosperity, peace and freedom as some had presumed. Poverty is still rampant in the contemporary globalizing world. Human-induced ecological degradation has never been worse. Numerous major armed conflicts were underway and globalization has not provided a formula for increased democracy either. Yet, it lowers costs, broadens choices, delivers more capital and opens more markets, giving the individual more power to control his or her destiny.As the Asian economies demonstrate, globalization can build economies through trade and investment and spur development in even the worlds poorest nations, but it can also bring economies down overnight. Namely, used properly it can be used to massively reduce poverty worldwide and to reduce global inequality. In this light, it seems that globalization itself is neither good nor bad. However, used properly it can bring about many benefits; used hastily it can seriously damage an economy. It must be seen as something to mold, shape and manage. The reality is that globalization is here to stay whether we like it or not.With 1. 2 billion people still living below the poverty line, the foremost challenge is to encourage greater global cooperation in order to provide g collaboration and coalitions to handle the risks emerging from this connected world. There is a need to balance local forces with international forces. A country must carefully choose a combination of policies that best enables it to take the opportunity while avoiding the pitfalls.BIBLIOGRAPHYBaylis, J. and Smith, S. , (2001) The Globalization of World Politics (3rd edn), Oxford University Press Brown, C. (2001) Understanding International Relations (2nd edn), Palgrave.

5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers

5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers 5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers Every modern business has a website. And if you have a website, you need an SEO strategy to help customers find you online. But how exactly does this work in terms of writing website copy? In this post, we run through a few SEO tips that you can use when writing online content. 1. Picking Keywords SEO is all about keywords. These are terms that people search for online to find your website, so it is crucial to use the right keywords in the right places. And this means working out the keywords your target customers are searching for online and building online content around them. A good starting point for this is using a keyword research tool. Alternatively, you can check competitors’ websites to see which terms they use. 2. Integrating Keywords How you work keywords into your copy is also crucial. For instance, you should try to: Use the main keyword(s) in the title of the page Include the main keyword(s) in the first paragraph of the copy Use keywords in subheadings within the copy Highlight keywords with bold or italic formatting where appropriate Include variations of keywords within the copy These may be small touches, but they make a big difference to SEO results. 3. Humans Are More Important Than Computers Keywords are good, but not if they come at the expense of readability. This is because, ultimately, the best way to boost SEO is to write good content that people want to share online. In the old days, you could get away with loading a webpage with keywords and search engines would still find them. This was known as â€Å"keyword stuffing.† But now, if you use too many keywords on a single page (more than 5% of the word count), Google may reduce the ranking of your website. Consequently, you should always focus on writing good content for human readers first. This also means making sure your website is error free, so don’t skip the proofreading! 4. Writing a Good Meta Description Getting your website to rank on search engines is only part of the battle. You also need people to click through to the site when they see the search results. And this is where the meta description is key. The meta description is the text that search engines use to â€Å"preview† a page in a list of results. It should therefore provide a brief summary of what the page is about. To do this: Keep it short (ideally between 155 and 320 characters) Explain how the page will resolve the reader’s problem For example, for this page, we could write: Check out our SEO tips for copy writers to boost your page ranking. Simple solutions for increasing traffic to your website. Perfect for businesses seeking a competitive edge online. In three short statements, we’ve made sure the reader will immediately know what the page is, what following our advice will achieve, and who we’re targeting with the page. 5. Strategic Linking One of the most important SEO tips is to work hyperlinks into your copy, including both internal links to other pages on your website and external links to other sites. Internal links should direct readers towards relevant information on your site. External links, meanwhile, can make your site more authoritative and boost its reputation. And if another site sees that you have linked to them, they might do the same in return, which will boost your SEO results significantly. However, don’t link to sites that rank higher than you for the same keywords, as this will be counterproductive. Focus instead on links to sites that cover related topics. Summary: 5 SEO Tips for Copy Writers When writing website copy, you need to think about SEO. This may include: Researching keywords and picking the right ones for your site Working keywords into the page copy effectively Making sure your work is easy to read for humans as well as computers Writing a strong meta description so people click through to your site Using internal and external links in your copy Applied well, these SEO tips should help boost your website traffic.

International Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business Law - Essay Example Over the last decade, the caseload of the ICSID notably increased mainly as a result of an increase in foreign investment practices. Among the 263 registered cases at ICSID as on 30th March 2007, the Argentine government involved in more than 30 cases as an effect of Argentina’s economic crisis (â€Å"Orinton Lawfirm†). ICSID provisions for Boris From the given case context, it is clear that Nonatian government does not give much emphasis on the protection of investor interests. However, Nonatia and Russia (home country of Boris) are signatories to the ICSID. Hence, Boris will be protected by the ICSID provisions even though the Nonatian government does not try to safeguard his financial interests. The ICSID mainly provides conciliation and arbitration facilities to contracting states and nationals of other contracting states in order to resolve investment disputes. Conciliation According to ICSID provisions, Boris may submit a request in writing to the Secretary-Genera l to institute conciliation proceedings if he is not satisfied with the dealing of Nonatian government in future. While requesting for conciliation, Boris has to clearly address detailed information concerning the dispute. The Secretary-General (as cited in Davidson Ciambella) will register the request unless he finds the dispute is outside the jurisdiction of the Center (331-332). As per the provision of Article 29, a Conciliation Commission is constituted immediately after the registration of the conciliation request. The Commission may contain a conciliator or sometimes any uneven numbers of conciliators according to the mutual agreement of both the parties. During the course of conciliation proceedings, the Commission clarifies the causes of disputes between parties with intent to suggest mutually acceptable solutions immediately. At various phases of the proceedings (as cited in Rayfuse,), the Commission may recommend terms of settlement to the parties (ICSID Reports). Under th is practice, both the parties will cooperate in good faith with intent to assist the Commission to carry out its functions smoothly and flawlessly (â€Å"Australian government†). Hence, Boris can ensure maximum cooperation of the Nonatian government on the strength of ICSID provisions because both of them (Nonatian government and Boris) need to give most serious considerations to the Commission’s recommendations. The effective intervention of the ICSID would probably force the Nonatian government to focus more on the needs of Boris; and in fact, this situation assists Boris to take maximum advantages of his investment in Nonatia. It would be an effective method for Boris on the ground of cost and time as it involves simple legal proceedings. However, it seems that conciliation proceedings of ICSID are not much effective for resolving complex disputes, and hence it is recommendable for Boris to seek the help of other ICSID provisions if the issue has multifarious effect s. Arbitration The submission of arbitration request is similar to that of request for conciliation. Once the arbitration request is registered by the General-Secretary, an Arbitration Council is constituted as early as possible. The Arbitration Council consists of arbitrator(s) whereas conciliator(s) represents Conciliation Comm

Literal Comprehension - Reading Strategies Essay

Literal Comprehension - Reading Strategies - Essay Example Each page and chapter may encompass a tedious load for the student hence command in the subject of discussion is key and rivets a methodological loom involving a number of steps. There is a myriad of textbook reading systems, many of which have three stages in common: a pre-reading stage, a reading stage and a post reading stage. Exposing learners to these systems empowers them to culture a system of critiquing issues, strategic approach to reading and establishing a student centered textbook study system. A proper reading system should entail the learner combing through a given text to unearth its gist. Skimming through the titles and sub headings to decipher issues of uttermost interest, problems highlighted and queries posed. Desist from overemphasis on analysis of pieces. This is encouraged to jumpstart the learners’ innate prowess to overcome torpor and gain impetus for reading. The major discrepancy between an excellent student and poor students is the mode of study. Inadequate students highlight points in textbooks and hope that they will be able to comprehend it later while excellent students use a learning system. A study system enables the student to filter the key ideas under test, and provides a way of settling them through generation of solutions The main difference between good students and poor students is the way they study. Poor students read their textbooks, underline, and hope that the significant points stick in their memories. Good students use a study system. A study system helps you choose the key ideas that are likely to be on a test, and it gives you a way to memorize them. There are many study systems. Some students outline chapters and memorize their outlines. Some students make chapter summaries. But the most efficient study system of all is SQ3R, which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. SQ3R was designed for textbook reading, and it is

Commodity Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commodity Trade - Essay Example The agreement aims at covering the bulk of the world trade in the commodity concerned and seeks to ensure corporative nature of the association. The associations also aim at safeguarding through participation, the interest of the producers and the consumers and insert provision that cater for all other entities (21). Any organization aims at implementing its provisions by carrying out specific functions that establish and strengthen their international accord. Challenges faced by the organizations International commodity agreements have been difficult to run and administer due to the current global economic crisis. There has been difficulties in the arranging and administering agreements partly due to technological problems surrounding the production and trading of products(27). The organizations have been facing the problem of conflicting interest between the importers and exporters where the importers want low quality products but of high prices. On the non-competitive imports, the importers require commodities of low prices and their respective quantity determined by demand. The international distribution of products is directly affected by government policy and the manner of trade restrictions within national bounds. Commodities transferred from the rich to the poor countries have an impact of accelerated economic impact. Large capitals are required to fulfill growth targets for the organizations and their payments are from the exchange earnings (29). For commodities that are largely produced in poor countries but consumed at the rich countries the agreement price set might be above the market levels or inelastic. These incidences give the market organizations to make negotiations with the producers who end up incurring losses or failing to strike a deal (31). The international trade organization having been facing another major challenge in the price stabilization, meant to implement support purchases. Theoretically, prices are set by the long term interli nk of the supply and demand to bring the equilibrium price and commodity. However, stabilization effect is not achieved in buffer stocks without heavy financial commitment (37). Failure to obey these, upward price fluctuations or heavy accumulation of inventories and burdensome will ultimately result. Currently (in order to reduce the risk of market volatile global markets) the international commodity trades are giving loans to the less developed countries. These loans are available to countries that have an annual shortage in annual shortage in the foreign exchange earnings due to commodity price declines. These loans are for compensatory effect to these countries (41). The compensatory financial scheme is operated strictly as a program to offset short-term market instability and global volatility. The recipient countries are to repay within five years. In order to curb the risk of volatility in the global market the terms of finances should be liberalized and the repayment made co ntingent upon recovery of the exports of a certain country (43). This makes the loan doable in all season unlike now where it can be taken only if the trading prices are high enough. ICC INCOTERMS Inco terms are international rules that are accepted rules accepted by governments, legal authorities, as well as practitioners

Language Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Language Portfolio - Essay Example It is always within my reach. My native country in Russia is where it all started. I became conscious of my existence in a place where the struggle for social steadiness is of great importance. It is the place where I became oriented with a cynical outlook in life while at the same time it enabled me to anticipate and understand any difficulties I encounter in life. Because of such view point, moving to Istanbul a few years ago became a welcoming experience for me. The shift in adjusting from Russian to Turkish culture became a needed challenge for me. Living in Turkey opened my doors to the convergence of cultures between the East and West. It allowed me to reflect on the hybrid between Western and Eastern influences. It opened my eyes to the cultural differences I have witnessed around me. Eventually, I decided to move into the United States only to immerse myself in a multi-cultural surrounding. While I experienced various intercultural encounters from my global travels, I sought to find a place where my love for culture and the arts will be satisfied. Because of this intense interest to retrace my European heritage and culture, I have looked up to the French language to equip me with better understanding of human creativity that I see in French cinema, literature, and arts. My various trips to France were always field with memorable moments that fueled my interest and love for humanities. As such, my motivation to learn French is deeply rooted from my appreciation of the country and its culture. As my future journey to live in France awaits me, I never cease to continuously the language. A Question of Identity: What it would mean for me to be a fluent speaker of French Learning French has always entailed a more personal than practical reasons to master the language. It cannot be denied that my motivation to learn French mainly comes from my appreciation of the culture in general. I learn French not only because it entails various opportunities in working fo r international organizations abroad, but also because it means that I am able to associate myself with French culture. Many might wonder why I exhibit such love for the language, but I can only tell them that I have been to many places around the world and while each country showcases a unique cultural heritage, I would say that in terms of music, architecture, movies, and literature, the French culture exhibits a more lively appreciation for the arts. Perhaps the word I should use in describing the French is sophistication. My various travels to France have always been memorable as I was able to appreciate the heritage and the undying affinity of the French people towards arts and literature. Personally, I want to live in this kind of setting where I could revel on the French countryside and associate with the like-mindedness I shared with French people. For these reasons, becoming a fluent speaker of French allows me to understand and penetrate in French society. A lot of friends whom I treasure deeply are French and to be able to gain more meaningful experiences with them, I am determined to hone

Principle Centered Leadership by Covey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principle Centered Leadership by Covey - Essay Example The cover quoted a famous Chinese proverb which states, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." It is better to teach someone how to do something than to do it for them. For example, if I were in charge of certain process in quality control of a firm, I can choose to do it myself and not teach it to my subordinates but that will just be a short term solution. My subordinates will still be dependent on me and not learn how to do it themselves. On the contrary, teaching them the process would be a long term solution and will eventually make them more responsible and probably assume the job in the future. This principle is what Covey discussed in his six conditions of empowerment where the employees are allowed to self-supervise making them accountable for their own actions. I enjoyed reading this book because the concepts presented do not only apply to the business world but also in my personal life since the wisdom and tru th that it speaks of is very universal. The ideas that he proffered are applicable in making managerial decisions in an organization, as well as decisions that we make in our everyday struggles in life. The first point that struck me is the importance of developing a mission statement. I believe in his idea that a principled leader should develop a mission statement that is short, simple, generic and easily memorized so that every employee understands it and accepts it as a guiding principle resulting in its successful implementation in the organization. Having a clearly defined mission statement will prevent companies from having employees who are unclear of their company’s priorities and goals. Even as individuals, I realized that having a mission statement is a must if we want to succeed in life. Another important aspect in Covey’s book which I think will have an impact in my leadership style is the relevance of having clear communication lines in an organization. I became more aware that every employee no matter how far below they are in the hierarchy of the organizational structure must have a voice in the company. As a leader, I will try to always have an open ear to the ideas of my employees and try to develop a personal relationship with them. Covey however stressed that leaders must also learn to strike a balance between logical and emotional and sympathy and empathy to become effective communicators. My favorite chapter in Covey’s book is Chapter 11 which discuses the thirty methods of influence. According to Covey, the best way to influence the consumer’s lives is to model by example, build caring relationships, and to mentor by instruction. I particularly took notice of no. 4 which is the â€Å"performance of anonymous service†. It reminded me of a gospel passage from Matthew 6: 3-4 which states, â€Å"In giving alms, you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of mercy s ecret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.† Although I have known this passage previously, as a leader, I did not realize that selfless service, that is, not expecting any reward from serving others, would redound to a positive influence among my co-workers.

Arab and Israel Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Arab and Israel Conflict - Essay Example al and nationalist clash over competing territorial ambitions after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and it involves the foundation of the Zionist movement and the ensuing formation of the modern State of Israel. The first conflict between the two nations, known as the first Arab-Israeli War, started on May 15, 1948, when five Arab armies invaded the one-day- old Jewish state. This war is generally divided into two phases: the first began on November 30, 1947 and ended on May 14, 1948, with the termination of the British Mandate and the second phase started on May 15, 1948 and ended on July 20, 1949, with the signing of the last of the Armistice Agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Significantly, the War of Independence in 1948 was the most destructive wars that the two nations ever fought and it only marked the beginning of the Arab-Israeli conflict. â€Å"By the time the fighting was over, Israel, albeit at the exorbitant human cost of 1 percent of its population, had survived the Arab attempt to destroy it at birth and had asserted its control over wider territories than those assigned to it by the UN Partition Resolution.† (Karsh 2008, P. 6). It is essential to realise that the 1948 war was more than a war about national self-determination in the light of concept of the formation of a Jewish homeland and the displacement of the Palestinians. This chapter makes a reflective exploration of the War of Independence in 1948, outlining the balance of forces which shaped the British Mandate of Palestine between Palestinians, Arabs, and the increasing number of immigrant Jews, in order to comprehend the various aspects of the conflict such as the two-state solution provided by the United Nation. The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, which was fought between the newly declared State of Israel and its Arab neighbours, has been known in different names, and the Israelis call it as the War of Independence or War of Liberation while the Arabs name it as the

Principle Centered Leadership by Covey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principle Centered Leadership by Covey - Essay Example The cover quoted a famous Chinese proverb which states, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." It is better to teach someone how to do something than to do it for them. For example, if I were in charge of certain process in quality control of a firm, I can choose to do it myself and not teach it to my subordinates but that will just be a short term solution. My subordinates will still be dependent on me and not learn how to do it themselves. On the contrary, teaching them the process would be a long term solution and will eventually make them more responsible and probably assume the job in the future. This principle is what Covey discussed in his six conditions of empowerment where the employees are allowed to self-supervise making them accountable for their own actions. I enjoyed reading this book because the concepts presented do not only apply to the business world but also in my personal life since the wisdom and tru th that it speaks of is very universal. The ideas that he proffered are applicable in making managerial decisions in an organization, as well as decisions that we make in our everyday struggles in life. The first point that struck me is the importance of developing a mission statement. I believe in his idea that a principled leader should develop a mission statement that is short, simple, generic and easily memorized so that every employee understands it and accepts it as a guiding principle resulting in its successful implementation in the organization. Having a clearly defined mission statement will prevent companies from having employees who are unclear of their company’s priorities and goals. Even as individuals, I realized that having a mission statement is a must if we want to succeed in life. Another important aspect in Covey’s book which I think will have an impact in my leadership style is the relevance of having clear communication lines in an organization. I became more aware that every employee no matter how far below they are in the hierarchy of the organizational structure must have a voice in the company. As a leader, I will try to always have an open ear to the ideas of my employees and try to develop a personal relationship with them. Covey however stressed that leaders must also learn to strike a balance between logical and emotional and sympathy and empathy to become effective communicators. My favorite chapter in Covey’s book is Chapter 11 which discuses the thirty methods of influence. According to Covey, the best way to influence the consumer’s lives is to model by example, build caring relationships, and to mentor by instruction. I particularly took notice of no. 4 which is the â€Å"performance of anonymous service†. It reminded me of a gospel passage from Matthew 6: 3-4 which states, â€Å"In giving alms, you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of mercy s ecret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.† Although I have known this passage previously, as a leader, I did not realize that selfless service, that is, not expecting any reward from serving others, would redound to a positive influence among my co-workers.

Medicaid and the Uninsured Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicaid and the Uninsured - Essay Example However, it seems that the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) (2005) poses a threat to those families who might use Medicaid and SCHIP. Reasons include the imposition of cost sharing, the complications involved in levels of income and percentage of cost demanded, and the need for individual families to keep records that determine what percentage to pay. This is difficult and complicated, as many such families' incomes vary a lot. Research also shows that imposing premiums makes people stop paying or applying for cover. Having such tight budgets already, this represents a further demand on limited resources. Knowing that treatment may be refused if one cannot pay is yet another deterrent. Restrictions on adults without children, enrolment processes, and the lack of knowledge of what is available are other factors preventing both adults and parents taking up insurance for themselves or their children. Christopher P. Tompkins, Stuart H.

Earthquake Preparedness of Staff Nurses Research Proposal

Earthquake Preparedness of Staff Nurses Research Proposal A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN INFORMATION BOOKLET ON EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF STAFF NURSES WORKING IN SELECTED COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OF GUJARAT STATE   INVESTIGATOR Bhavisha R. Patel ABSTRACT Disaster has been Mankind’s constant though inconvenient companion since time immemorial. The fury of nature can be as disastrously beautiful as the gifts of nature received gratis. Natural disaster continues to strike unabated and without notice and is perceived to be on the increase in their magnitude complexity, frequency and economic impact. India has been traditionally vulnerable to natural disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic conditions. Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been recurrent phenomena. About 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities; over 40 million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the area is susceptible to drought. The main objective of the study was assessing the knowledge and practice of the Staff Nurses before and after the administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness in the selected Community health centre of Gujarat state. The conceptual frame work is based on System theory model. Materials Method used for the study was after a preliminary study on Earthquake Preparedness of Staff Nurses conducted at Adalaj CHC, a pre-post interventional study was performed on 8 CHCs of Gujarat State. Four districts of Gujarat state i.e. Ahmedabd, Gandhinagar, Panchamahal and Bharuch were selected randomly. Each CHCs of selected districts were randomly selected. While sample selection was done by Lottery Method. One group pre post design used for the study Data collection includes personal data, knowledge of Earthquake Preparedness of staff nurses with help of structured knowledge questionnaires, Practice of Earthquake Preparedness of staff nurses with help of structured observation check list. An Information Booklet was introduced in terms of knowledge and Practice performing by Staff Nurses on Earthquake Preparedness. Reliability of the tool was confirmed by Pearson test and validity was done from experts of different health department. Results of or Forty staff nurses were included from Eight CHCs of Gujarat state. For the knowledge it is reveals the comparison between pre-test and post-test knowledge score obtained by the Samples on Earthquake Preparedness. The mean pre test score is 15.82 and the mean post test score is 29.75. The Standard Deviation of pre test knowledge score is 2.77 and that of the post test is 1.84. The calculated‘t’ is 13.92 and the tabulated’ is 1.68 at 0.05 level of significance. For practice of the samples it is reveals the comparison between pre-test and post-test practice score obtained by the Samples on Earthquake Preparedness. The mean pre test score is 35.47 and the mean post test score is 48.025. The calculated‘t’ is 21.37 and the tabulated’ is 1.68 at 0.05 level of significance There was significant difference between pretest mean score and posttest mean score for knowledge and practice of samples regarding Earth quake Preparedness of Staff Nurses. After administration of an Information Booklet, there was improvement in samples’ Knowledge and Practice. So it was concluded that An Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness increased the knowledge and practice of staff nurses working in selected CHCs of Gujarat State. Introduction â€Å"Hospitals Safe from Disasters Reduce Risk, Protect Health Facilities, Save Lives,† (World Health Day). Disaster caused by nature’s fury is not uncommon in this planet, earth. In fact, scientists believe that the birth of this planet, earth was the result of an explosion that occurred in the solar system, from time immemorial this planet has witnessed numerous natural disasters. In the past, man used to view this natural disaster as the â€Å"ACTS OF GOD† Gradually; science opened the doors of knowledge and enabled man to understand the mysteries of nature. On January 26, 2001 Gujarat was rocked by a violent earthquake. Thousands of people died and there was loss of about 400 crore rupees to the nation. It was one of the severest earthquakes to have hit the country. In served to highlight the gaping holes in the nation’s disaster management ability. This devastating incident made the investigator take up the present study. Nurses in any location will be on the front line as caregivers and managers in the event of a damaging, disaster. Having read the views of various authors the investigator is able to visualize that disaster situations are very different from routine nursing care situation. Nurses need to have adequate knowledge and training to work in such a unique, chaotic, stressful situation and to identify and meet the complex, multi various health needs of victims of disaster. India has been traditionally vulnerable to natural disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic conditions. Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been recurrent phenomena. About 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities; over 40 million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the area is susceptible to drought. In the decade 1990-2000, an average of about 4344 people lost their lives and about 30 million people were affected by disasters every year. The loss in terms of private, community and public assets has been astronomical. At the global level, there has been considerable concern over natural disasters. Even as substantial scientific and material progress is made, the loss of lives and property due to disasters has not decreased. In fact, The human toll and economic losses have mounted. It was in this background that the United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, declared the decade 1990- 2000 as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction with the objective to reduce loss of lives and property and restrict socio-economic damage through concerted international action, especially in developing countries. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: 1. To assess the knowledge of the Staff Nurses before and after the administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness in the selected Community health centre of Gujarat state. 2. To assess the practice of the Staff Nurses before and after the administration of Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness in the selected Community health centre of Gujarat state. HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY: H1: The mean post test knowledge scores of the Staff Nurses after the administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness will be significantly higher than their mean pre test Knowledge scores as evident from the Structured Knowledge Questionnaire at .05 levels. H2: The mean post test practice scores of the Staff Nurses after the Administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness will be significantly higher than their mean pre test practice scores as evident from the structured observational Checklist at .05 levels. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Effectiveness: it refers to the power of the information booklet to bring about changes in knowledge and practice of staff nurses regarding earthquake preparedness. Informational Booklet: A handy written material, which will enhance the knowledge of staff nurses regarding earthquake preparedness improve practice of the staff nurse. Earth Quake: A sudden violent shaking of the ground as a result of movement within the earth’s crust. Preparedness:- is concerned with forecasting and working, education and training of population, organization for and management of disaster including preparation of operational plan, training of relief groups, ensuring adequate supplies of necessary funds. Knowledge: It is the ability of staff nurses to respond to a structured knowledge questionnaire regarding earthquake preparedness resulting as evident from knowledge score. Practice: It refers to the abilities of the staff nurse to guide and provide care to the earthquake preparedness with the use of informational booklet. At Evidence by Structured Observational Check List. Staff nurse: staff nurse (male and female) who are working in community health center. Community health center: In this study CHC refers to community health center covering a population of 80,000 to 1.20 lake with 30 beds and specialist in surgery, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics with X-ray and laboratory facilities. DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:- The study is delimited to Staff nurse of selected CHC of Gujarat state accessible during the data collection will be selected for the sample. The study is delimited to Staff nurse who are willing to participate in the study. The study is delimited to the CHC of selected district of Gujarat State only. The study is delimited to the 40 staff nurses only. RESEARCH DESIGN Research design selected for the present study was one group pre test post test design. The investigator had developed structured Knowledge Questionnaire and Structured Observational Checklist for evaluation of pre test and post test. RESEARCH SETTING:- The present study was conducted in the selected Community Health Center of Gujarat State. Investigator was divided Gujarat state in five regions (north, east, and west, south and central) and from that investigator will select any four districts by lottery method). From each district by lottery method investigator will select two Community Health Center. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Materials Method used for the study was after a preliminary study on Earthquake Preparedness of Staff Nurses conducted at Adalaj CHC, a pre-post interventional study was performed on 8 CHCs of Gujarat State.. Four districts of Gujarat state i.e. Ahmedabd, Gandhinagar, Panchamahal and Bharuch were selected randomly. Each CHCs of selected districts were randomly selected. While sample selection was done by Lottery Method. One group pre post design used for the study Data collection includes personal data, knowledge of Earthquake Preparedness of staff nurses with help of structured knowledge questionnaires, Practice of Earthquake Preparedness of staff nurses with help of structured observation check list. An Information Booklet was introduced in terms of knowledge and Practice performing by Staff Nurses on Earthquake Preparedness. The main area of knowledge and Practice include – Introduction of Earthquake, Types and Phases of Disaster, Earthquake Preparedness and Care of Victim. Reliability of the tool was confirmed by Pearson test and validity was done from experts of different health department. Results for Forty staff nurses were included from Eight CHCs of Gujarat state. For the knowledge it is reveals the comparison between pre-test and post-test knowledge score obtained by the Samples on Earthquake Preparedness. The mean pre test score is 15.82 and the mean post test score is 29.75. The table also shows that the Standard Deviation of pre test knowledge score is 2.77 and that of the post test is 1.84. The calculated‘t’ is 13.92 and the tabulated’ is 1.68 at 0.05 level of significance. For practice of the samples it is reveals the comparison between pre-test and post-test practice score obtained by the Samples on Earthquake Preparedness. The mean pre test score is 35.47 and the mean post test score is 48.025. The table also shows that the Standard Deviation of pre test practice score is 3.17 and that of the post test is 2.03. The ca lculated‘t’ is 21.37 and the tabulated’ is 1.68 at 0.05 level of significance There was significant difference between pretest mean score and posttest mean score for knowledge and practice of samples regarding Earthquake Preparedness of Staff Nurses. After administration of an Information Booklet, there was improvement in samples’ Knowledge and Practice. So it was concluded that An Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness increased the knowledge and practice of staff nurses  working in selected CHCs of Gujarat State. CONCLUSIONS The following conclusions can be drawn from the study findings. For personal data investigator concluded the results and it is revealed that 18(45%) of the samples are in the age group of 31-40 years, 37(92.5%) are female, 40(100%) has not attend training regarding Disaster Management, 35(87.5%) have the professional qualification of GNM and 17(42.5%) have 6-10 years clinical experience and 39(97.5%) have not any experience related Earthquake Management. From knowledge questionnaire it is revealed that the mean difference in the area related to the Introduction of Earthquake is 3.30, in area related to Earthquake Types and Phases is 1.82, in area related to Earthquake Preparedness 5.42 and while area related to Care of Victim is 3.37. Samples have gained more knowledge in the area related to Earthquake Preparedness and Care of Victim. Obtained mean difference in all area of knowledge the calculated‘t’ is greater than tabulated‘t’ (1.68) and so the investigat or concluded that there is significant increase in the mean post test knowledge score as compared to the mean pre test knowledge score after the administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness which is statistically proved and so the null hypothesis Ho1 is rejected and research hypothesis H1 is accepted.. Mean post test knowledge score is higher than mean pre test knowledge score with the mean difference of 13.92 which is statistically proved that the Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness is effective in terms of knowledge among the samples. The calculated‘t’ (13.92) is significantly greater than the tabulated ‘t’(1.68) so there is significant increase in the knowledge of samples after the administration of the Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness. For The Observational Checklist It is is revealed that the mean difference in the area related to the Arrangement of infrastructure and equipments is 6.25, in area related to Preparation of Emergency kit articles is 2.025, in area related to Communication Facility 3.75 and while area related to Round the clock inspection of medicine and repair of equipment is 0.53. Samples have gained more practice in the area related to Arrangement of infrastructure and equipments and Communication Facility .Obtained mean difference in all area of practice the calculated ‘t’ is greater than tabulated ‘t’(1.68) and so the investigator concluded that there is significant increase in the mean post test practice score as compared to the mean pre test practice score after the administration of an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness which is statistically proved and so the null hypothesis Ho2 is rejected and research hypothesis H2 is accepted. Mean post test practice s core is higher than mean pre test practice score with the mean difference of 12.55 which is statistically proved that the Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness is effective in terms of practice among the samples. The calculated‘t’ (21.37) is significantly greater than the tabulated ‘t’(1.68) so there is significant increase in the practice of samples after the administration of the Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness. From all the above mentioned findings, it can be concluded that the administration of an Information Booklet was definite increase in both Knowledge and Practice of Staff Nurses. This clearly indicates that an Information Booklet on Earthquake Preparedness was effective in improving the Knowledge and Practice of the Samples. BIBLIOGRAPHY:- NEWSPAPERS â€Å"Coping with Calamities†. The Times of India, 31st January,2001. â€Å"Courses on Disaster Management Need Upgrading.† The Times of India, 18th January, 2002. â€Å"Networking Relief and Rehabilitation†. The Times of India, 30th January, 2001. â€Å"Press for Quack-Resistance Building Norms† The Times of India, 31st January, 2001. JOURNALES Anne G.H. Coping with Disaster. â€Å"American Journal of Nursing†. 1980 Dec; 80(4): 683. Berglin SL. Emergency Nurses in Community Disaster Planning. â€Å"Journal of Emergency Nursing†. 1990, 16(4): 290- 292. Bhatia, S.C., et. Al. â€Å"A Probabilistic Hazard map of India andAdjoining Regions†. Ann. Geofis, 1999, 42(6), 1153-1155. Bland, John. Superfluous to Requirement. â€Å"World Health†. 1991, 22(1), 17-20. Bittner, Patricia, Disaster Preparedness. â€Å"World Health†. 1991,22(1), 13. INTERNET www.who.int/disaster/repo/5522pdf prehospital disaster search www.redcross.int Disaster and triage http//206.39.77.2/DMCR/triage/rules.htm www.database .disaster BOOKS Best John w. â€Å"Research in Education†. New Delhi; prentice Hall of India Private Limited, 1992. B.T.Baswanthappa.â€Å"Nursing Theories†. 2ndEdition, Jaypee Brothers, New Delhi, 2005. B.T.Baswanthappa.â€Å"Nursing Research†. 2nd Edition, Jaypee Brothers, New Delhi, 2005. C.V.R Murty. â€Å"Preparing for Earthquakes: Where India Stands†. Vol 3, No.3, May 2000. Garrett, H. and K. Woodworth, R.S. â€Å"Statistics in Psychology and Evaluation†. Bombay: Vakils Feffers and Simons Ltd., 1981. Polite, D.F.. and Hungler, B.P. â€Å"Nursing Research; Principles and Methods†. Philadelphia: J.E. Lippincott Company, 1999. W.H.O, â€Å"Coping with Natural Disaster the Role of Local Health Personnel and the Community†, Geneva: WHO, 1989.

Te Great Gatsby :: Essays Papers

Te Great Gatsby Setting This story takes place at West Egg in Long Island, an unfashionable town. It is in the early 1900’s. Characters A. Nick Carraway- Nick is the story narrator. He is a young man from Minnesota who moves to the east after fighting in the First World War. He is Jay Gatsby’s next-door neighbor. B. Jay Gatsby- Jay is the title character. He is a wealthy man who lives in a gothic mansion in West Egg. He was born with the name Jay Gatz on farm in North Dakota. C. Daisy Buchanan- Daisy is Nick’s cousin. She is the woman with whom Gatsby is in love. She lives right across from Gatsby with her husband Tom. She is bitter and a little cynical. D. Tom Buchanan- Tom is Daisy’s husband. He is arrogant and hypocritical. E. Jordan Baker- Jordan is Daisy’s friend who becomes romantically involved with Nick during the story. She is a talented golfer but cheated her way into winning her first tournament. F. Myrtle Wilson- Myrtle is Tom’s lover. Her husband George owns a run-down garage. Summary Like the setting says, the story takes place at West Egg in Long Island. The narrator, Nick, is not like the people of West Egg. He drives out to East Egg to have dinner with his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom where he is introduced to Jordan Baker, the woman who he will begin a romantic relationship with. She informs Nick of Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s secret lover. As the summer goes on, Nick learns more about his mysterious neighbor Gatsby. He throws extravagant parties at his mansion every Saturday night to impress the women he loves, Daisy. Nick arranges for Gatsby and Daisy to reunite. After this they fall in love and start and affair. Tom finds out about his wife’s wrongdoings and confronts Gatsby at a suite in the Plaza Hotel in New York. Tom claims that he and Daisy have a history that Gatsby could never understand. He also tells Daisy that Gatsby’s fortune comes from bootlegging illegal alcohol and other criminal activities. On their way home Nick, Jordan and Tom discover that Gatsby’s car struck and killed Myrtle, Tom’s lover. They rush back to Long Island where Nick learns from Gatsby that Daisy was driving the car that struck Myrtle, but Gatsby intends to take the blame.

The Pediatric Sector Essay -- Health, Pharmaceutical, HIPAA

The Pediatric sector is one of the major economic contributors for health care industry (Slonim, LaFleur, Ahmed, & Joseph, 2003). The major cause of pediatric deaths is due to lack of interoperability among pediatric clinics. Medical errors are very common in pediatric departments. According to study by Kozer, Berkovitch, and Koren (2006) most of the drugs for children under age 12 are off-labeled and there is no standard dosing available. â€Å"Off-label use is a practice of prescribing pharmaceuticals for an unapproved indication† (Stanford, 2008). Some medications are adjusted according to body weight and nature of children. It is also very difficult to find medical reactions in children compared to older people. Some drugs referred by physicians needs to be diluted and doses needs to be calculated before they are given to children (Kozer, Berkovitch, & Koren, 2006). Calculation errors can end up in overdose of medicines, which can result in deaths (Kozer, Berkovitch, & Kor en). There are many reasons for the medical errors in health care industry. In year 2000, a study by IOM reported that there is economic loss from medical errors due to which health care industry was in a crisis (Kohn, 2000). It was found that even with the advancement of technological innovations health care is not utilizing technologies like electronic format of records. According to law set by US congress, President Bush declared that â€Å"every American should have an electronic medical record within 2014.† (Pear, 2007). The goal was to use technological innovation like Electronic health record system (EHR) across the country for all health care departments (Bush, 2004). With change in presidency the goal became more as a requirement. President Obama started intr... ...nt challenge faced by health care sector is the resistance to adopt newer technologies (Gupta & Murtaza, 2009). This is more common with major clinics and hospitals as they have to change the clinical workflows. Even if there are many benefits in using new technologies there are major challenges faced by the physicians, nurses and staff in redoing their workflow (Ilie, Slyke, Parikh, & Courtney, 2009). This study will be focusing on the pediatric departments with in the city of Chicago and analyzes the perceptions of using newer technologies in the work. Even if there are mandatory laws from government to move towards the EHR systems, the health care can push back with the challenges they will face when moving to a new technology. The study should also provide useful insights on how health care officials perceive the challenge of computerizing medical information.

Nacho Duato

Juan Ignacio Duato Barcia, also known op Nacho Duato (Valencia, 8 January 1957) is a Spanish modern ballet dancer and choreographer. After a long and successful career, he was selected by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Education as the artistic director of the National Spanish Dance Company (Compania Nacional de Danza de Espana) in June 1990. In July 2010 Nacho Duato was appointed the artistic director of the ballet at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, effective from January 2011. Contents   [hide] 1 Career 2 Choreographic works 3 Prizes and Awards 4 References 5 External links [edit]CareerNacho Duato studied at the Rambert School of London,[1] Maurice Bejart’s Mudra School in Brussels and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City alongside professional ballet dancer Shaylee Keith. He started his dancing career in Stockholm's Cullberg Ballet[2] and one year later he joined, Nederlands Dans Theater,[3] with artistic director Jiri Kilian and remained with the company fo r ten years. In 1983 he choreographed the Jardi tancat ( Shut Garden in Catalan) to music composed by Maria del Mar Bonet. They were awarded with the first prize in the Internationaler Choreographischer Wettbewerb, Koln.In 1988, Duato was appointed steady NDT choreographer together with Hans van Manen and Jiri Kilian. Nacho's choreographies have been included in the most prestigious international companies such as Cullberg Ballet y Nederlands Dans Theater, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Stuttgart Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet. On 07/02/2013 the German Online Newspaper Der Tagesspiegel reported that Nacho Duato was to become the chief of the Berlin State Ballet. [edit]

Biology Lab. Introduction to Science Essay

You should submit your document in a Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) for best compatibility. Exercise 1: Data Interpretation Table 1: Water Quality vs. Fish Population Dissolved Oxygen |0 |2 |4 |6 |8 |10 |12 |14 |16 |18 | |Number of Fish Observed |0 |1 |3 |10 |12 |13 |15 |10 |12 |13 | | 1. What patterns do you observe based on the information in Table 1? The patterns that I observe based on the information in Table 1 are: †¢ The level of ‘Dissolved Oxygen’ consistently increases by an increment of 2 with each subsequent data point †¢ The ‘Number of Fish Observed’ seems to fluctuate with no real consistency (with the exception that after the peak # of 15 fish was observed, the next 3 data points reflect â€Å"10, 12, 13† which was the same # of fish that were observed in the exact order prior to reaching the peak 15. (In short, the pattern 10, 12, 13 seems to have repeated itself.) †¢ The level of ‘Dissolved Oxygen’ does not seem to decrease when the ‘Number of Fish Observed’ decreases 2. Develop a hypothesis relating to the amount of dissolved oxygen measured in the water sample and the number of fish observed in the body of water. Based on the information provided in the table, I would hypothesize that the number of fish observed has no bearing on the level of oxygen dissolved. This hypothesis would be based on the fact that the dissolved oxygen steadily and consistently increased by an increment of 2 with each progressive data point. When the number of fish observed was significantly increased from 3 to 10, the dissolved oxygen level only increased by 2. Conversely, when the number of fish observed significantly decreased from 15 to 10, the dissolved oxygen still maintained that consistent increase of 2. 3. What would your experimental approach be to test this hypothesis? The experimental approach that I would use to test this hypothesis would be to obtain a 2 freshwater fish tanks, fresh water, fish, an aquarium water level meter and a dissolved oxygen meter. In one tank, I would ensure that the aquarium was filled with a specifically determined level of water and measure the level of dissolved oxygen present with no fish. Then I would gradually begin adding fish daily, starting with one fish. Each day I would ensure that the water level remained the same as it was prior to adding the first fish and I would continue increasing/decreasing the total number of fish daily. I would also consistently measure the dissolved oxygen levels as I introduced or removed fish to observe the levels. In the 2nd fish tank, I would ensure that the level of freshwater and dissolved oxygen matched the levels of the first fish tank prior to adding  any fish. Then, I would add the maximum number of fish that I intended to observe in the 1st tank and observe the oxygen level. For the duration of the experiment, I would not ensure that the water level remains the same but I would not modify the total fish in this tank. I would also observe the oxygen levels in the 2nd tank throughout the experiment. 4. What are the independent and dependent variables? The independent variable in this experiment would be the total number of fish being observed, and the dependent variable would be the dissolved oxygen. 5. What would be your control? My control in this experiment would be the 2nd fish tank, which I would not fluctuate the total number of observed fish. 6. What type of graph would be appropriate for this data set? Why? The most appropriate type of graph to utilize, which would best illustrate the data being compared in this example, would be a line graph. I would use a line graph because it most clearly and effectively demonstrates how the two independent data sets are related, as well as how their independent fluctuations in volume affect one another. 7. Graph the data from Table 1: Water Quality vs. Fish Population (found at the beginning of this exercise). You may use Excel, then â€Å"Insert† the graph, or use another drawing program. You may also draw it neatly by hand and scan your drawing. If you choose this option, you must insert the scanned jpg image here. [pic] 8. Interpret the data from the graph made in Question 7. The data from the graph supports my hypothesis that the total number of fish observed does not have any bearing on the level of dissolved oxygen, which steadily increases by a level of two with each data point. Exercise 2: Testable Observations Determine which of the following observations (A-J) could lead to a testable hypothesis. For those which are testable: Write a hypothesis and null hypothesis What would be your experimental approach? What are the dependent and independent variables? What is your control? How will you collect your data? How will you present your data (charts, graphs, types)? How will you analyze your data? 1. When a plant is placed on a window sill, it grows three inches faster per day than when it is placed on a coffee table in the middle of the living room. – TESTABLE †¢ Hypothesis – The plant will grow at a faster rate per day when it is placed on a window sill as opposed to being placed on a coffee table in the middle of a living room. †¢ Null Hypothesis – The location of the plant has no bearing on the growth rate per day. †¢ Experimental Approach – I would gather four identical plants, two of which I would I would rotate between the living room and window sill daily, and the other two would remain static in their locations for the entire duration of the experiment. I would treat and care for all plants in an identical manner, ensure that their respective locations remained precisely the same, as well as measure and record the growth of each plant daily. After a sufficient period of time had elapsed, I would record the final relevant data in Excel, and insert a line graph with all four plants incorporated into a single chart, which would also demonstrate the growth rate over time. Subsequently, based on the information contained within the data points, and the line graph comparison, I would draw a final conclusion and present my data to interested parties in the form of a brief Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. I would include a brief summary of the intent of the experiment, a detailed explanation of the tools and exact process in which I used to conduct my tests, and all of the raw data statistics relative to the daily growth rate of all four plants. †¢ Dependent Variable – The location of the plants. †¢ Independent Variable – The growth rate of the plants. †¢ Control – The 2 static plants. 2. The teller at the bank with brown hair and brown eyes and is taller than the other tellers. – NOT TESTABLE 3. When Sally eats healthy foods and exercises regularly, her blood pressure is 10 points lower than when she does not exercise and eats unhealthy foods. – TESTABLE †¢ Hypothesis – Sally’s blood pressure will be lower when she eats healthy foods and exercises regularly. †¢ Null Hypothesis – The fact that Sally eats healthy foods and excercises regularly will have no effect on Sally’s blood pressure. †¢ Experimental Approach – I would first observe and record, for a sufficient period of time, Sally’s eating habits, exercise regimen, and blood pressure, when she is not eating as healthy or exercising as regularly to accurately gauge a reliable average of the range of her blood pressure in this phase of the experiment. Then, I would ensure that Sally was placed on a healthy eating plan, approved by a nutritionist, and prescribe an exercise routine. Sally’s eating habits and exercise regimen would again be recorded daily, along with her blood pressure statistics and other relevant information. I would track and record the daily relevant statistics in Excel, and I would also use a line graph to illustrate the comparison of her blood pressure over time under the two different scenarios. Subsequently, based on the information contained within the data points, and the line graph comparison, I would draw final conclusion and present my data to interested parties in the form of a brief Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. I would include a brief summary of the intent of the experiment, a detailed explanation of the tools and exact process in which I used to conduct my tests, and all of the raw data statistics relative to the changes in Sally’s blood pressure as well as her diet and exercise habits throughout the experiment process. †¢ Dependent Variable – Sally’s eating and exercise plan. †¢ Independent Variable – Sally’s blood pressure reduction. †¢ Control – the phase of the experiment when Sally’s blood pressure is observed and recorded when she is not eating healthy or exercising regularly. 4. The Italian restaurant across the street closes at 9 pm but the one two blocks away closes at 10 pm. – NOT TESTABLE 5. For the past two days the clouds have come out at 3 pm and it has started raining at 3:15 pm. – NOT TESTABLE 6. George did not sleep at all the night following the start of daylight savings. – NOT TESTABLE Exercise 3: Conversion For each of the following, convert each value into the designated units. 1. 46,756,790 mg = _46.7568 kg 2. 5.6 hours = _20160 seconds 3. 13.5 cm = _5.31496_ inches 4. 47  °C = 116.6  °F Exercise 4: Accuracy and Precision During gym class, four students decided to see if they could beat the norm of 45 sit-ups in a minute. The first student did 64 sit-ups, the second did 69, the third did 65, and the fourth did 67. 2. The average score for the 5th grade math test is 89.5. The top 4th graders took the test and scored 89, 93, 91 and 87. – Both Yesterday the temperature was 89  °F, tomorrow it’s supposed to be 88 °F and the next day it’s supposed to be 90 °F, even though the average for September is only 75 °F degrees! – Precision Four friends decided to go out and play horseshoes. They took a picture of their results shown to the right: – Neither A local grocery store was holding a contest to see who could most closely guess the number of pennies that they had inside a large jar. The first six people guessed the numbers 735, 209, 390, 300, 1005 and 689. The grocery clerk said the jar actually contains 568 pennies. – Neither Exercise 5: Significant Digits and Scientific Notation Part 1: Determine the number of significant digits in each number and write out the specific significant digits. 405000 – 3 (405) 0.0098 – 2 (98) 39.999999 – 8 (39999999) 13.00 – 4 (1300) 80,000,089 – 8 (80000089) 55,430.00 – 7 (5543000) 0.000033 – 2 (33) 620.03080 – 8 (62003080) Part 2: Write the numbers below in scientific notation, incorporating what you know about significant digits. 70,000,000,000 = 7 X 1010 0.000000048 = 4.8 X 10-8 67,890,000 = 6.789 X 107 70,500 = 7.05 X 104 450,900,800 = 4.509008 X 108 0.009045 = 9.045 X 10-3 0.023 = 2.3 X 10-2 ———————– TYPE YOUR FULL NAME: