How Does Poverty Affect Education - 1036 Words

Boisvert Taylor Boisvert Mrs. Spoor English 11 April 17, 2017 Poverty Research Paper Research Question: How does poverty affect Education? A child who is raised in a stressful and poverty stricken household environment is more likely to channel their stress into disruptive behavior at school and will be less likely to develop a healthy social and academic life (Bradley and Corwyn, 2002). Many say that laziness is a factor affecting education and success rate, however, it is a proven fact that getting out of the cycle of poverty is not as easy as it may seem. According to Eric Jensen (Nov 2009), Emotional and social stressors affect how a child will behave. Infants born into low socioeconomic status families often experience factors such†¦show more content†¦When a child doesn t eat a nutritional meal it can affect grey matter mass in the brain. This negatively affects cognition and the ability to listen, concentrate, and learn. Lead exposure is linked with poor memory and weak ability to think cause and effect. A kid with an ear infection is troubled with so und discrimination, which makes it hard to understand the teacher which can hurt a child s reading ability. Ear infections in low income children often go undetected or untreated because of the medical resources available. Being uneducated about the effects of a low nutritional value diet are often associated with low income families. Children who have a poor diet often show symptoms of low or high energy. Therefore, poverty affects the health and wellbeing of a child and how learning abilities are affected. A third source, Teaching With Poverty In Mind (2009), states that acute and chronic stressors are more likely to occur in Low-SES children then their more affluent peers. Stressors associated with poverty stricken children are criticism, neglect, social exclusion, lack of enrichment, malnutrition, drug use, exposure to toxins, abuse, or trauma. These long term stressors affect cortisol levels which help with the functions of learning, cognition, and working memory. Experiments d emonstrate that exposure to acute and chronic stressors shrink neurons in the frontal lobes. This are isShow MoreRelatedA Child s Education Is Vital991 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is poverty and does social class shape the character of a child’s life and education, especially those children of poverty? These questions are important to consider for educators and all involved in the goal for children to have greater achievement. It s even more important to note that forty percent of the poor, in the United States, are children (Stevenson, 1997). Knowing this is the reason that finding solutions and studying the effects of parent involvement, both at school and at homeRead MorePoverty And Poverty1103 Words   |  5 PagesPoverty is a worldwide social issue that has affected many people in many different types of ways. 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Poverty affects many students at a young age depending on the location they are in as it prevents underprivileged kids to seek higher education. However, with new opportunities [in effect], kids in poverty can have the same education as privileged kids. Poverty stricken students are disadvantagedRead MorePoverty Essay931 Words   |  4 Pages2017 Poverty is something that many have suffered or still suffer from today. Poverty has changed a lot of lives for many years now. Many countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Niger are some of the poorest countries. This affects their education, society, environment, health, children, and even the crime rates. Poverty has become one of the greatest challenges in today’s society and is a major issue that is slowly trying to be solved over time. 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(DE-NavasRead MoreNegative Effects Of Poverty1440 Words   |  6 PagesThe negative effects of poverty have consistently led to disastrous outcomes for those who attend school in an effort to acquire a better education. These effects might be caused by the home life and financial instability. It could also be an effect on the school, which has suffered from financial instability. This can lead to an inability to give students the proper time and education that they deserve. Multiple groups are involved in efforts to assist children in poverty by having better school

Techniques Used For Extracting Useful Information From Images

The main objective over here focusses on the enhanced image searching which can be carried out by performing few of the existing techniques used for extracting useful information from images. These techniques include image classification, Feature Extraction, Face detection and recognition and image retrieval etc. 4.1 Image Classification After the image has been processed using the 3 frameworks proposed the image needs to be classified which is done using the image classification technique of image mining. Classification can be carried out by applying the method of supervised classification and unsupervised classification but here we will mainly focus upon supervised classification. Supervised Classiï ¬ cation Supervised classification is†¦show more content†¦Various trees for example R-tree, R*-tree, R+tree, SR-tree etc are used in such cases. 4.5 Face detection and Recognition The face plays an important role in today’s world in the identification of the person. Face recognition is the process concerned with the identification of one or more person in images or videos by analyzing the patterns and comparing them with one another. Algorithms that are used for face recognition basically extract facial features and compares them to a face database to find the best and suitable match. Application of face detection and recognition includes biometrics, security and surveillance systems. V. RESULT AND ANLYSIS We have taken six images which includes two Face based image, two Content based image, and one feature based image and the last image which is a combined image which includes all three types i.e. Face, content and feature. The search results obtained when the above mentioned six images were searched for on a search engine is shown in Table I. The following table shows the time taken in the searching process of the images: Image Type of Image Time taken for searching Image1 Face based 5 seconds Image2 Content based 4 seconds Image3 Feature based 5 seconds Image4 Face based 3.5 seconds Image5 Feature based 6 seconds Image6 Combined 7 seconds Table I: Time taken for Image search From the results obtained from the above searches we canShow MoreRelatedComputational Advances Of Big Data1147 Words   |  5 Pages– the data we create and copy annually – will reach 44 ZB, or 44 trillion gigabytes [1]. Under the massive increase of global digital data, Big Data term is mainly used to describe large-scale datasets. Big data is high-volume, high-velocity and high-variety information assets that demand cost-effective, innovative forms of information processing for enhanced insight and decision making [2]. 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Hannibal and the Battle of Cannae Free Essays

string(125) " already advancing with an army of more than 85,000 men, aligned in the standard offensive formation of the dreaded legions\." HANNIBAL AND THE BATTLE OF CANNAE The battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War near the town of Cannae, an ancient village in southern part of Italy. The battle took place between the outnumbered Carthaginian army under Hannibal against the Romans under the command of Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro. For the most part, the Romans were overpowered by the undermanned Carthaginian forces. We will write a custom essay sample on Hannibal and the Battle of Cannae or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many historians agree that the battle of Cannae is one of the greatest strategic victories in military history. Numerous historians have examined the possible route Hannibal took from New Carthage to the Pyrenees and then over the Alps to Rome. Along with using scientific data, these historians and scientists allege that there are three possible routes Hannibal may have taken from New Carthage in Iberia across Europe to get to Italy. Scientists and historians do disagree on which route is most accurate do to the fact that the only historical accounts of Hannibal’s journey are that of Livy and Polybius. Neither historian leaves a very detailed account of the surroundings for Hannibal and his troops. Through paleobotanical reconstruction, attempts have been made to more clearly identify if the places noted by Livy and Polybius resemble any of these places today1. Hannibal came from the very well-known Carthaginian Barca family. His father, Hamilcar Barca was the military leader of Carthage during the first Punic War. At the conclusion of the First Punic War, Carthage’s mercenaries revolted and Rome took advantage of her rival’s distraction and, in spite of the recent peace agreement, took control of Sardinia and Corsica and forced Carthage to pay a large indemnity2. Carthage finally won the mercenary war, but the loss of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica left her economic empire crippled and reduced the area from which she could hire troops. After regaining control, the Carthaginians were forced to major war concessions. Of those concessions, Carthage was to pay a war indemnity to Rome and could no longer recruit Italian sailors. Carthage also sent Hamilcar Barca to Iberia to eliminate the Spaniards and build an empire in Spain. Unfortunately, Barca was killed in an ambush at Helice in 229 B. C. E. but not until after he had been able to take over control of the Iberian southern coast. In 226 BC, Hasdrubal reached an agreement with Rome that recognized the Ebro River in northeastern Spain as the northern limit of Carthaginian interest in the area. Five years later, Hasdrubal was assassinated, and Hamilcar’s son Hannibal became the leader. At about that time, Rome began involving itself in the affairs of Saguntum, a city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain well south of the Ebro and therefore presumably in Carthaginian territory3. Hannibal viewed the Roman moves as an intervention similar to the ones that had touched off the first war. Hannibal laid siege to the town, which fell after eight months. Hannibal’s strategic insight now became evident4. When Hannibal came to the head of the Carthaginian army he took it upon himself to rebuild Carthaginian fortunes by occupying Spain. The Romans had aligned themselves with Saguntum in an attempt to show strength and power against Carthage. Since Carthage’s fleet was no longer a match for Rome’s, the invasion of Italy would need to occur by land. To that end, Hannibal did his best to speak with tribes in his line of march well in advance of the arrival of conflicts. He also established alliances with various north Italian Celtic tribes that were traditional enemies of Rome. Hannibal’s forces were the first civilized army to cross the Alps5. Exposure, desertion, accidents and fierce resistance by mountain tribes reduced his army from 40,000 to 26,000 during the trip, and most of the elephants accompanying the remarkable host also perished. Fortunately, once Italy was reached, the Celtic alliances provided replacements that brought the army back to its original strength. The Carthaginian troops endured great hardship and suffered serious casualties. Shortly thereafter, Hannibal fought two battles that demonstrated his resolve as a field commander and his determination to destroy rather than merely defeat his enemy. At the Trebia River, only 10,000 Romans escaped an ambush out of 40,000 involved, and at Lake Trasimene, nearly an entire Roman force of 25,000 was killed or captured. From then on, the Romans were hesitant to fight a large-scale engagement. Hannibal was careful to treat prisoners from Rome’s allied cities courteously, often freeing them without ransom to encourage dissatisfaction with Rome’s cause6. Captured Roman citizens, on the other hand, were held for ransom used to pay Hannibal’s men or were often sold into slavery. The Carthaginian army lived off the land causing as much damage to the economy as possible. After victory at Lake Trasimene, Hannibal moved his army to southern Italy in order to recruit additional troops7. This moving of troops by Hannibal and their subsequent looting forced the Romans to become more aggressive. Two now consuls, Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paulus, were given command of the combined legions of Rome with orders to make an end to the feared Carthaginian. Normally, the two consuls would have independent commands but, when their forces were combined, command of the whole alternated daily. Hannibal’s effective intelligence organization soon informed him that Varro was the more rash and impulsive of his opponents, and so Hannibal decided to force an action on a day that Varro was in command of the Roman forces8. Hannibal seized a grain depot to lure the Romans to the site he had chosen for battle. The depot was located at the small village of Cannae, south of Rome. Dawn of that August morning in 216 BC found Hannibal, commander of Carthage’s army in Italy, looking down at the plain separating his vantage point from the waters of the Adriatic Sea about three miles away9. The Roman enemy was already advancing with an army of more than 85,000 men, aligned in the standard offensive formation of the dreaded legions. You read "Hannibal and the Battle of Cannae" in category "Essay examples" Hannibal’s force, some 56,000 in number, faced long odds. The Roman force available for battle was large by the standards of the day. Eight full legions of infantry, some 40,000 men, were improved by 40,000 allied infantrymen. About 2,000 Roman cavalry and 4,000 allied horses completed the army, for a total strength of 86,00010. In battle, the Roman infantry usually advanced on a wide front, with cavalry on the flank. The heavy infantry was led by skirmishers, who opened the fighting with the throwing of javelins. They would then fall to the rear of the formation and were able to pass through the Roman formation because deliberate gaps were left in each line. The basic fighting unit of the heavy infantry was the maniple of about 160 men divided into two centuries. Rather than forming a constant line, the two centuries were deployed one behind the other, leaving the gaps used by the skirmishers. At the point of attack or when in a defensive position, the rear centuries could be moved up to fill the gaps11. The Hastati made up the first line of heavy infantry of the Roman army. They were equipped with a heavy shield, a helmet, light and heavy javelins and a short, straight sword. The Princeps were the second line of heavy infantry. Although armed like the Hastati, the Princeps were omewhat older and more experienced and formed behind those of the Hastati, but were offset to block the gaps in the Hastati line. The third line, made up of the old veteran troops known as the Tritarii, had its centuries form behind the gaps in the second line, giving an overall checkerboard result to the formation. The Tritarii had a thrusting spear in place of the javelin of the first two lines12. In the hands of an experienced commander, the flexibility possible wi th this formation was useful, particularly against older military formation such as the phalanx. Unfortunately, the Roman method of appointing new consuls each year and rotating command daily made it unlikely that the top military talent would be allowed to pursue a logical plan. Roman courage, discipline and patriotism were rarely lacking, but the coming battle of Cannae would highlight the need for changes in the selection and responsibilities of army commander13. Aside from the top leaders, very few Carthaginians were present in Hannibal’s army. His army at Cannae consisted of North African, Spanish and Celtic personnel. Perhaps the soundest foot soldiers available to Hannibal were the Libyan-Phoenician heavy infantry. The Phoenicians living in Libya were subject to Carthaginian military service and cleared themselves well. Originally armed like Greek hoplites, they now began equipping with Roman arms captured at the Trebia and Lake Trasimene. In addition to the infantry, 2,000 Spanish cavalry were at Hannibal’s disposal. They were heavily armed and used as heavy cavalry, but the outstanding quality of their horses allowed them to rival the speed of the Numidian cavalry14. About 25,000 Celtic infantry and 5,000 Celtic cavalry made up the remainder of Hannibal’s force. These people lived for war, but without the guidance of a commander like Hannibal, their absence of discipline made them unpredictable. At the time of Cannae, Hannibal was arming these men with captured Roman weapons. He liked to use the Celts as troops that would cause disruption in enemy ranks prior to sending in his African infantry. At Cannae, the Romans were determined to crush Hannibal’s center. They formed deep battle lines in order to bring pressure to stand against the middle of the Carthaginian line. On the Roman right, the legion cavalry, some 2,400 strong, faced Hannibal’s Spaniards and Celts, totaling 7,000. The mismatch would prove a decisive element in the battle’s surprising outcome. On the Roman left, the 4,000 allied cavalry faced an equal number of Numidians. Hannibal aligned his infantry in an unusual manner. The center of his position was curved, facing outward toward the advancing Romans. The flanks bent backward from the center. Alternating units of Spanish and Celtic swordsmen held this line, and they were greatly outnumbered by the approaching Romans. Hannibal positioned himself at the left end of the line, and his youngest brother Mago, held the right. Each end of the line was anchored by a dense square of African infantry, the location of which guaranteed that they would not be engaged until long after those at the center15. As the Romans advanced, a hot west wind blew dust in their faces and obscured their vision. At a range of about 35 yards, the Romans hurled their light javelins, causing casualties among the Spaniard and Celts. These javelins often caused problems even if they only pierced a man’s shield, because the shaft was difficult to remove and weighed the shield down, making the man vulnerable to an onrushing legionary. At closer range, the heavy javelin was thrown, and then the infantry lines collided, the swift Celts and athletic Spaniards against the disciplined Roman masses. In time, the weight of the Roman assault began to take effect on Hannibal’s troops, and the center of the Carthaginian line retreated. As Hannibal’s men were forced back, they found themselves slowly backing up a slope Due to the nature of the terrain, the Romans fought uphill as they advanced and at the same time were restricted into a narrowing front as their mass of men entered the ‘V. Although the Roman infantrymen did not know it, their fate was all but sealed by this time. Hannibal had planned for his cavalry to strike the decisive blows while his infantry fought a large-scale delay. As the battle opened, Hannibal launched the Spanish and Celtic cavalry on his left against the outnumbered Roman cavalry16. The consul Aemilius accompanied these cavalrymen but they could not endure the Carthaginian ass ault. Aemilius was wounded and the bulk of the Roman cavalry was driven from the field, exposing that flank of the Roman army. While this occurred on the Carthaginian left, the Numidians on the right had been engaged with the horsemen of Rome’s allies17. The Carthaginian cavalry commander on the left, reorganized his units and proceeded to ride behind the Roman infantry to the far side of the battlefield, where the stalemated cavalry fight continued between the Numidians and Rome’s allies. The allied horsemen now were taken by surprise and caught between the two Carthaginian forces. The allied cavalry fled the field, taking the consul Varro with them. At this point, Aemilius was dead or dying, and Varro, the other commander, no longer was with the Roman army. The Roman and allied cavalrymen had been killed, captured or driven from the field18. By that time, the Roman infantry had fought its way up the slope and into the enclosed end of the ‘V,’ the point. As the men became more tightly packed into a confined space, fewer of them could use their weapons effectively. Romans in the rear ranks continued to push forward, but found they had little room to maneuver. Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s younger brother, assaulted the Roman rear with his heavy cavalry, assisted by the Carthaginian light infantry. The encirclement was complete. Many Romans first discovered the danger when they realized they were being cut down and hamstrung by the Carthaginian troops. Historians have estimated that the fighting continued until evening and that approximately 600 Romans died per minute of the battle. Cannae represented the apex of Hannibal’s career, although he has been criticized for not attempting to end the war by sacking Rome itself at that point. Hannibal remained in Italy for 13 more years, but the determination of the Romans to fight on, regardless of losses, eventually gave them the opportunity to defeat the great Carthaginian. The failure of Carthage to rebuild its fleet in order to challenge that of the Romans made Hannibal’s task extremely tough. He attempted to reduce Rome’s naval advantage by occupying the Italian coastal cities. If Hannibal had been able to hold them, the odds against the Carthaginian fleet would have improved, but his limited number of troops made it difficult for him to isolate enough garrisons to prevent Roman recapture of the port cities. For 15 years in all, from 218 to 203 BC, Hannibal occupied large areas of Italy. He fought and defeated the Romans on numerous occasions but could not break their spirit19. After Cannae, the Romans again became cautious about entering into full-scale battle against Hannibal, but their command of the sea and the decision to invade Spain, made reinforcement of Hannibal’s army difficult. Slowly, the troops who had crossed the Alps with Hannibal decreased in number an in age. But Carthage’s absence of naval power prevented Hannibal’s alliances with Syracuse and Macedonia from becoming fruitful. The Roman navy captured a treaty between Hannibal and Philip V of Macedonia, and by the time the second received a copy and acted on it, the Roman fleet barred his troops from crossing to Italy. In spite of all the complications, Hannibal proved to be a gifted leader able to get the very best from his men. His army was made up of of mercenaries with no real obligation to the Carthaginian cause however no record shows any mutiny during the 5 years in Italy. The army did not more than just survive it maintained a high level of morale and fighting spirit. Spain was taken from Carthage and the Barcid family after Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal repeated a crossing of the Alps with a reinforcement that gave the Romans in Spain a free hand. Hasdrubal was incapable of uniting with Hannibal before being opposed by a strong Roman army in 207 BC. In the ensuing battle, Hasdrubal was defeated and killed20. In October of 203 BC, Publius Cornelius Scipio, the conqueror of Spain, invaded North Africa and forced Hannibal to defend Carthage. Hannibal’s defeat at Zama at the hands of Scipio in the following spring, caused mostly because of a shortage of cavalry strength, ended the Second Punic War. Hannibal rose to the position of prominence in Carthage after the war and took steps that helped Carthage recover economically from the conflict. Rome viewed Carthage’s revival with suspicion, and Hannibal was forced to flee to the east, where he committed suicide in 183 BC rather than fall into Roman hands. Hannibal Barca was one of history’s greatest generals and Rome’s greatest enemy. Although later Roman tradition belittled him, it respected his prowess as a great military commander. Had Hannibal not underestimated the strength of the Romans, he might have rewritten European history. NOTES Mahaney, M. C. ,â€Å"Hannibal’s Invasion Route: An Age-Old Question Revisited within a Geoarchaeological and Palaeobotanical Context. † (Archaeometry vol. 52 (6/2010), 1097 Marcel Le Glay, et al. ,A History of Rome. (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), 74 Ibid, 75 John Peddie, Hannibal’s War. (Gloucechesershire: Sutton, 1997), 9 Ibid, 21-26 G. P. Baker, Hannibal. (New York: Barnes Nobles, Inc. , 1967), 101-104 Ibid, 100 Le Glay, A History of Rome Adrian Goldsworthy, Cannae, (London: Cassel Co, 2001), 77-81 Ibid, 95 Dexter Hoyos, Hannibal Rome’s Greatest Enemy, (Exeter, Bristol Phoenix Press, 2008), 57-59 Goldsworthy, Cannae, 96-99 Hoyos, Hannibal Rome’s Greatest Enemy, 60 Goldsworthy, Cannae, 108-109 Ibid, 111 Peddie, Hannibal’s War, 92-93 Ibid, 94 Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Hannibal, (Boston, Da Capo Press, 1891), 372 Le Glay, A History of Rome, 77 Dodge, Hannibal, 556 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ancient Greece Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students, vol. 2. Hannibal Baker, G. P. Hannibal. New York: Barnes Nobles, Inc. , 1967 Dodge, Theodore Ayrault. Hannibal. Boston: DaCapo Press, 1891 Goldsworthy, Adrian. Cannae. London: Cassel Co, 2001 Hoyos, Dexter. Hannibal Rome’s Greatest Enemy. Exeter: Bristol Phoenix Press, 2008 Le Glay, et al. A History of Rome. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009 Mahaney, M. C. â€Å"Hannibal’s Invasion Route: An Age-Old Question Revisited within a Geoarchaeological and Palaeobotanical Context. † Archaeometry vol. 52 (6/2010): 1096-1109. Peddie, John. Hannibal’s War. Gloucechesershire: Sutton, 1997 Radice, Betty. Livy The War with Hannibal. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. Baltimore: Penguin, 1965 How to cite Hannibal and the Battle of Cannae, Essay examples

Evaluating Usefulness of Evidence

Question: Discuss about theEvaluating Usefulness of Evidence. Answer: Appraisal Paper 1 Article by Von Haaren, Haertel, Stumpp and Ebner-Priemer, (2015). The article was prepared by 5 authors; Ebner-Priemer, Hey, S., Haertel, Stumpp and Von Haaren from different departments in Karlsruhe Instutute of Technology. The authors sought to find ways of reducing perceived stressors of life through physical exercise. Ethical considerations were observed in the journal in that there were no special characters that were chosen in carrying out the experiment. Instead the article explains that students were randomly picked and assigned to the AET and waiting control groups. The title, the reduction of reactivity to emotional stress describes the article. It is informative but not concise. The title indicates the research approach, that is, Ambulatory Assessment include in the randomised controlled trial. In the introduction, the authors made the purpose clear. The introduction also states the actual problem being examined, that is, the daily life stressors such as when there is excessive demand to concentrate on a particular task and lead to effects on emotional and physical functioning of the person affected. The authors clearly explain the purpose of study as examination of whether the AET intervention can improve emotional stress when one is also faced with real-life stress. The purpose clearly states that it is to enhance reactivity of the emotions to the real life stress. The section of methods details how research question were addressed or hypothesis were tested. There were randomly collected sample of about sixty-one students who were to act as a control group. In order for the experiment to be situation-specific, there was use of electronic diaries. Before and after the experiment, there was a cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed on both groups. In the discussion the authors provide an explanation of the results and how they are related to the research question, theoretical framework as well as the significance of carrying out exercises to reduce psychological and real life stress. Here, the research proved that the effects of improved reactivity to emotions raise the possibilities of having mental and physical disorders. Here the authors explain how assessment was done pre- and post- intervention. In order for the authors to make the most of subject differences in the reactivity of stress as well as show the treatment effect, there were tw o real- life periods of intervention. The authors conclude by recommending performance of exercises as an effective way of dealing with health effects that are caused by stress. According to the purpose of the study, the conclusion showed the end results of performing the tests on the stressed individuals where the individuals started to experience little stress. In the conclusion, the author recommends that more studies to be performed on the evaluation and the impact of exercises on emotional and physiological stress reactivity. The study provides high quality information because its level and hierarchy of evidence is under unfiltered information of evidence hierarchy (Schneider et al., 2012). This is because the article is a randomized control trial. The article is applicable to Marianas scenario where, as a single mother she suffers from stress disorder because of her daughter being asthmatic and her lack of adequate support from her family. She also faces other daily life stressors. The journal is applicable to the scenario as it provides suggestions of carrying out exercises as a way of buffering psychological stress. The weakness of the article is that it fails to bring out an inexpensive strategy that are easier to use in the reduction of stress and that would take shorter time. Part 2- Appraisal Paper 2 Article by Kim, Yang and Schroeppel (2012). The first paper is a peer-reviewed journal with the title, A Study to Examine Effects of Kouk Sun Do (KSD) on University Students who have Symptoms of Anxiety. It was prepared by three authors: Jong-Ho Kim and Heewon Yang from the department of Recreation and Health Education and Stephen Schroeppel from Education Psychology department, all from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The title clearly describes the article. It is informative and concise at the same time. Before the reader gets the details of the article, they already understand that it is a report on a study that was conducted to examine the effects of Kouk Sun Do (KSD) on students who had anxiety problems. The reader can also tell that the authors took a case study research approach from the title. In the abstract, the authors provide an executive summary of the whole report. They point out that the objective of the article was to examine effects of KSD, the exercise involving mind and body, on mental health students. The population of participants included 30 students, 18 completed the pre-test as well as the post-test while 12 left during the intervention. A qualitative research method was used in data collection. In the abstract, the authors included a conclusion of the study, that is, self-induced relaxation KSD effects may reduce anxiety. The introduction makes the purpose of the study clear. The authors explain the actual problem under investigation and how it can be solved. Anxiety, a prevalent class of mental disorders is highly associated with psychiatric conditions, uneasiness, physical symptoms like shortness of breath, muscle stiffness and tension, chest pains and palpitations. Mindfulness exercises have been a growing regimen for this problems psychological treatment. Here the authors give a rationale of the observations by other researchers. For instance, different authors previously reported that mindfulness stress reduction programs that are mindful and meditation stretchers significantly treat individuals by reducing stress. KSD has been practiced for years but was never scientifically evaluated on its efficacy. The introduction sets the scope of the problem and the limits of the study. A good example is the unresearched anecdotal reports on the KSDs psychotherapeutic effects. The authors mention the purpose of the study at the end of the introduction, that is, examination of KSDs effects on the mental health of students in the university with symptoms of anxiety. However, the authors fail to offer a detailed explanation of the purpose. The methods section was broken down into participants, setting, instruments, procedures and data analysis subsections. Total participants were 30 university students. The procedure began by students completing the consent forms. The authors used level IV evidence in their hierarchy of evidence. Level IV is where evidence is obtained from a cohort study or a case-study that is well designed (Schneider et al., 2012). The authors engaged 30 participants, university students, who had certain anxiety levels. As a level IV evidence study, 18 participants acted as the treatment group because they attended the five to eight KSD sessions, while 12 participants who failed to complete acted as the control group. Concerning the evidence hierarchy, this study is located at the first part, from the bottom, of the unfiltered information since it is a case-control study. The authors did not include the strengths and weaknesses of the study that could be maintained or included in future research. This study is relevant to Marianas scenario. Part 3- Justification of Strongest Evidence Related to the Scenario According to the scenario, Mariana, a single mother suffers from a stress disorder due to different issues. She suffers from a rare blood disorder and diabetes while her 18 month daughter suffers from severe asthma. This first year student also has limited support from her family and lives in a small unit away from the university. While she attends her classes, she leaves her daughter in a child care center near the university. All these conditions are day-to-day circumstances that she has to live with and face. Among the two articles appraised, Von Haaren et al.s of 2015 provides the most relevant information that can be used for Marianas case. The discussion clearly reaffirms the reader that the information can be used without any doubts in Marianas case. Von Haaren et al. (2015) explains that they were able to prove that the aerobic intervention has the ability to reduce emotional stress when an individual is faced with real-life stress like Mariana is going through. Von Haaren et al.s article examined whether a 20-week aerobic exercise intervention (AET) has the potential of improving emotional stress while still undergoing real-life stress. In contrast to Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study, Von Haaren et al.s examined emotional stress such as the one Mariana is going through amidst real-life stress. The 61 students that were used in the study used to go through daily stress that was as a result of what life struggles. Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study did not provide the source of depression that the students were going through. In addition, the study used a very small number of participants (18 students) which might not be a good representation of a whole population of individuals suffering from stress. A sample of sixty one students provides more accurate results. The accuracy of this study and its relevance to Marianas case is further driven by the method and procedure used. The authors clearly explain the procedures used in the study. In the first two weeks of study, a pretest on cardiopulmonary exercise was done while the post test was done 3.5 months later. In addition, emotional stress was assessed before and after the intervention. The first, pre-test assessment was done when the semester begun because it was assumed that most had low stress at that period. This acted as the baseline assessment. To maximize the difference, the post-test assessment was done after the exam to act as a real-life stressful period. This difference increased the accuracy and relevance of the study. Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study did not have a baseline disqualifying it from being relevant to Marianas case. The study is well detailed using supporting materials from past researchers. According to Friesen-Storms et al. (2015), an evidence based article that uses more recently published articles is the best for provision of information. Von Haaren et al. (2015) used 71 references to support their arguments. Most of the references used were peer reviewed journals published between 2008 and 2014. The references used before this period mainly provide facts. Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study used only 58 reference materials, most of which were used before 2007, making the evidence less up-to-date. Apart from a strong evidence as a result of the materials used, Von Haaren et al.s study was strengthened by a confirmation of results from the two assessments that were carried at the same time. Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study did not have a second assessment like in the first paper, making its information to be weaker. The evidence in this article is stronger because of the fact that the study took a longer duration than the other one. Unlike in the first study that took five to eight weeks out of the 10 that were planned for, this study took a 20-week aerobic exercise intervention. Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study falls under the case-controlled studies while Von Haaren et al.s fall in the randomized Controlled trials. Although the quality of evidence with this research is a step below that of Kim, Yang and Schroeppels study in the hierarchy of evidence, the information is still unfiltered and hence of high quality (Ingham-Broomfield, 2016). According to Von Haaren et al. (2015), the previous researches that had been conducted were randomized controlled trials that had a lot of short comings. However, this research considered all the shortcomings and ended up using Ambulatory Assessment to avoid them. An Ambulatory Assessment is one which involves a wide range of methods to study people within their environments (Carpenter, Wycoff and Trull, 2016). This study used momentary self-reports, physiological and observational methods and ecological momentary assessments. The reduction of shortcomings increased the accuracy of the study. References Carpenter, R. W., Wycoff, A. M., Trull, T. J. (2016). Ambulatory Assessment. Assessment, 23(4), 414-424. doi: 10.1177/1073191116632341 Friesen-Storms, J. H., Moser, A., Loo, S., Beurskens, A. J., Bours, G. J. (2015). Systematic Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in a Clinical Nursing Setting: A Participatory Action Research Project. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(1/2), 57-68. doi:10.1111/jocn.12697 Ingham-Broomfield, R. (. (2016). A Nurses' Guide to the Hierarchy of Research Designs and Evidence. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 33(3), 38-43 Kim, J., Yang, H., Schroeppel, S. (2012). A Pilot Study Examining the Effects of Kouk Sun Do on University Students with Anxiety Symptoms. Stress and Health, 29(2), 99-107. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smi.2431 Von Haaren, B., Haertel, S., Stumpp, J., Hey, S., Ebner-Priemer, U. (2015). Reduced emotional stress reactivity to a real-life academic examination stressor in students participating in a 20-week aerobic exercise training: A randomised controlled trial using Ambulatory Assessment. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 20, 67-75. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.04.004 Schneider, Z., Whitehead, D., Elliott, D., LoBiondo-Wood, G., Haber, J. (2012). Nursing and Midwifery Research: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice (3rd ed.).

Television Is A Pervasive And Complex Part Of Childrens Lives, There

Television is a pervasive and complex part of children's lives, there are many factors that affect how much and what they view. In the essay ?Teaching as an Amusing Activity? (1987), Neil Postman argues television conditions us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in chunks at a time. He explains the ways in which the media is changing the way our children are learning. Neil Postman starts off by explaining how television is being used as an attractive and seductive medium to make children to like school with shows such as Sesame Street. He describes how in a classroom setting allows the student to participate in asking questions and being interactive, while television lures the children with stimulating, colourful and creative images. Neil Postman than compares the difference in learning behaviours between the classroom setting and sitting in front of the television, which is the problem that is facing America today. Television does not encourage children to go to school but also affects their cognitive and social development. Neil Postman continues on with his idea on how children should learn. It is not what they are learning, since television shows can all be educational, it is how you learn it that is important. By watching television, the children are only expected to play a viewer role, while not realizing the familiarity of their role as a student in a classroom. This is leading American culture in the process of converting their culture from a word-centered to an image-centered society. Television is more and more becoming a curriculum as pointed out by Postman. It influences, warps and manipulates the young minds of children into believing that education is entertainment. Postman(1985) states that there are three basic commandments that educational television provides (pgs.147,148). The first one is ?Thou shalt have no prerequisites.? It means that the viewer does not have to watch a previous episode or need to watch it from the start to finish. One can just jump in anytime and still understand it. The second commandment is ?Thou shalt induce no perplexity.? If the show becomes confusing and the viewer doesn't understand, one can simply just change the channel. The final commandment is ?Thou shalt avoid exposition like the ten plagues visited upon Egypt.? In this Postman means that it is not the aim of television to try to explain something, which can be done by books, but rather through entertainment in ways like story telling with creative images and sound effect s. Neil Postman has made it very clear of what television is doing to the educational system. It is taking away the traditional way of classroom learning, of how to interact with other people and respecting your elders. Television shows such as Sesame Street did not teach one those things, but it did teach children letters, words, numbers, classification and other skills considered to be important for school success. I agree with Postman that television as a teaching device is not all that great, also with its entertainment programs only encourages people to love television more, but it also depends on the viewer. Television is like a drug. It is up to the viewer if he/she wants more of it, how much resistance they are willing to provide. As stated by the author, more and more educational institutions are switching over to television as a form of teaching. Some things that are found in text books might never be able to be expressed on a screen, but images of solid objects and the sound they might produce can. Young children like moving pictures such as videos over still pictures found in books as it is more entertaining, which leads back to the same question of television being more for entertainment purposes. But that depends on ones views, some may find it as informative, others boring. Television has its positive and negative influences on children's intellectual development and behaviour, but television as a medium does not have clear effects on patterns of cognition or achievement. The effects depend on the nature of the programming. Television can be a rich source of stimulating, entertaining learning opportunities, or it can be a mind-numbing waste of time. Interacting with others learned in classrooms and other is something that

How to Make Money Freelance Writing Online

How to Make Money Freelance Writing Online How to Make Money Freelance Writing Online How to Make Money Freelance Writing Online By Daniel Scocco Until 15 years ago or so becoming a freelance writer was not an easy task. You had to get in touch with print magazines and newspapers, and you had to convince the editor that you were the right person for the job. The number of applications for each job was quite high, because the number of publications was limited. As a result, the chances of actually landing the job were quite low. The Internet and the Web changed all that, for the better! Today we have tens of thousands of online publications, from small blogs to online magazines and news sites, covering virtually any niche and topic you can imagine! Each of those online publications need fresh content, so the demand for freelance writers is higher than ever, and landing a job can be as simple as reaching out via email. If you like to write and want to start making some money freelancing online, this guide will provide all the information you need to get started. 1. Prerequisites Contrary to what many people believe, you dont need to be a talented writer to make money freelance writing online. You need to be talented if you want to write fiction, poetry, or if you want to write for TV sitcoms, for example. As long as you can write clear, correct English, you are qualified for most online writing jobs, as those only require clear and direct prose. On the technical side, all you need is basic computer and Internet skills. This includes using a word processor, sending and receiving emails, searching on Google efficiently and so on. If you need to brush up on your technical skills, the Goodwill Community Foundation has a free Internet Basics course. 2. Improving Your Writing Skills If you need to improve your writing skills, here are some tips: Practice is the best way to improve your writing skills, so write every day, as much as possible. Read sites that offer grammar, spelling and punctuation tips like this one. Read books about grammar and writing. We reviewed many in the past. Get friends and family to read your material and provide feedback. Consider joining a writing group to get feedback from fellow writers. Edit the work of other people. 3. Becoming a prolific writer If you want to make money writing, the amount of content you can produce per day will directly affect your income. In other words, its essential to become an efficient and prolific writer. Here are some strategies that can help with you that: Understand that writing and editing are two different things, and that you should do these tasks separately. Practically speaking, first you should write down all you need (perhaps more than you need), and only then you should edit it. Stop the habit of editing sentences as you write them, or of going back to read each paragraph once you finish it. One exercise you can use to practice this is to turn your computer monitor off (or to cover it in case of a notebook) while you write. Consider using a full screen editor like Dark Room to reduce distractions. Develop a writing routine, allocating some time slots in your day for writing. 4. Building an online presence with a website If you want to make money writing online, having a strong online presence is essential, because that is how many clients will find you. Having a website should be the cornerstone of your online strategy, as its the best way to showcase your expertise, portfolio, and it allows potential customers to quickly contact you. The first step here is to decide on the domain name you are going to use. Aim for something that is easy to spell, easy to remember, and not too long. For example: JohnWrites.com PunchingWords.com LiveProse.com WordsByMary.com You can also go with a .net or .org extension if you cant find a good domain with a .com. Use the InstantDomainSearch.com tool to check whether or not the domains you want are available (but dont register one yet!). Once you choose the domain name you want to use, it will be time to get a hosting plan, and most hosting companies will give you a free domain name registration (you just need to inform the domain while signing up). We use and recommend HostGator.com, as they have some very affordable prices, and both the service and customer support quality are top notch. Finally, refer to this tutorial to install WordPress on your site. WordPress is the most popular publishing software around. Its free, and easy to use, so you cant go wrong with it. 5. Promoting your website The first thing you should do after installing WordPress is to choose a template (there are thousands of free ones available from your Dashboard -> Appearance). Customize it a bit if you want and you should be ready to go. Now you need visitors to your website! There are two building blocks to bring visitors: content and backlinks (also called links). Content refers to the articles youll post on your website. Aim to provide valuable content to people looking for specific information (e.g., like this post provides information for aspiring freelance writers), and try to publish new content regularly (e.g., two or three times per week at least). Backlinks refer to getting other websites to mention and link to your own. Google considers each link from another website as a vote of trust for the quality of your website and its content. Guess what, the more links/votes you have, the higher your articles will rank on the search engine, and the more visitors youll get. Here are some strategies to gain links from other sites: Create a profile on all social networks, and include a link back to your site. Email bloggers and site owners and propose a partnership. Run interviews with site owners, and ask them to link to the interview. Write great content and email it to site owners, asking them to help to spread the word. Write a guest post for one these blogs. Finally, dont forget to have a Hire Me page on your site, so that visitors will promptly know that you offer freelance writing services. 6. Leveraging social media Literally billions of people use social media sites these days, so you need to have a profile on the most popular sites to strengthen your online presence and possibly land new clients. The most popular social media sites today are: Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest I recommend creating an account on all of them and regularly sharing content there. YouTube is a special case because you would need to upload videos there. Its worth the trouble, but consider doing it later on, as you will probably need to learn how to create those videos. You can share articles you write, interesting content from around the web, and occasionally you can promote your freelance writing services. 7. Finding clients Over time, as you spread your online presence, expand your network and become known as a freelance writer, clients will come to you spontaneously. In the beginning, however, dont count on this happening. Instead, youll need to literally hunt jobs down. Heres some strategies you can use: 1. Create a profile and browse freelance marketplaces Freelancer.com Upwork.com Guru.com The above marketplaces connect companies and freelancers, providing a platform where people can post job requirements and freelancers can bid for those jobs. They all have sections dedicated to freelance writing jobs, so its worth to create an account and browse the new jobs regularly. 2. Contact sites that pay writers There are many websites that make available the guidelines for writing for them and getting paid for it. Payment varies, but depending on the niche you can get as much as $200 per article. You can find lists of such sites here. Browse and list filtering the sites you believe are a good match for your style and skills, and then contact all of them. On some cases you can pitch your article right away, and they will get back to you stating if your article was accepted or not. 3. Browse boards with job listings There are several job boards that are completely dedicated or have special sections for freelance writing jobs. Some are updated regularly, even daily. Problogger Jobs and Freelance Writing Jobs are two examples. Browsing those job boards and contacting the job listings is a great way to land new gigs and eventually clients that will require your services on a regular basis. 4. Contact websites you like Even if a certain website is not publicly asking for new writers, it doesnt mean that they are not willing to hire one, should the right person show up. Guess what, be that right person! Get in touch via email or via the contact form on the website, and explain why you want to write for them, why you believe your style will match the audience of the site and so on. Better yet, send along some sample articles written specifically for that website. If they like what they see, there are good chances that they will hire you at least for a trial period. 8. How Much to Charge Figuring out how much to charge is not easy. If you charge too little youll be leaving money at the table. If you charge too much, you might scare away clients and lose job opportunities. On top of that there are differences that arise from the type of content you are producing, the niche you will be writing for and so on, which means that its virtually impossible to say how much you should charge. If you want ballpark numbers, consider that for short articles or blog posts (around 400 words) the low end is $15 per post and the high end is $100 per post. For longer and more structured pieces (i.e., feature articles or tutorials with 1000+ words) the low end is $50 and the high end $200 per article. You can start at the low end and gradually increase your rates as you gain new clients and establish a network of companies and websites who hire you on a regular basis. 9. Billing clients If you want to make money freelance writing online, getting paid will be an important part of the equation! The first tool you need to have is PayPal. Most companies and clients will prefer to pay you using PayPal, so having and account there and familiarizing yourself with how it works is essential. Make sure to verify your account, and learn how to send invoices (you can find this under Tools). Another very useful tool is FreshBooks, which allows you to create beautiful invoices (that can be integrated with your PayPal account). With FreshBooks you will be able to manage all your work and clients from a single platform. Remember that people are not always honest online, so avoid delivering a lot of work without being sure that the client will pay you. When in doubt, require at least part of the payment upfront. 10. Delivering your work The easiest way to deliver your work is to email it as an attachment to your client. Another tool you can use to produce and share your work with clients is Google Docs. Once you create an account you will be able to work on your articles from any computer, as they will always be saved and synchronized on Googles servers. Once the article is ready to be delivered you just need to share it with your client (using his email address). Good luck! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should Avoid7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewRite, Write, Right, Wright

Formal Research-based Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Formal Research-based Proposal - Essay Example The National Cancer Institute provides updated information on the deathly costs of smoking: â€Å"People who smoke are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmokers, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking also causes most cases of chronic lung disease.† Clara Phyllis, an employee in the organization, testified to the harms of smoking: â€Å"I’ve been smoking since I was 14 years old. Now, I have lung cancer. I wish I quit earlier.† Cigarette smoking is connected to the productivity of employees and the performance of the organization because it impacts their welfare. Smokers are three times likely to be absent or late because of their smoking-related illnesses, John Hopkins, a human resource staff, reports. Hopkins underscores the need for addressing smoking at work because he notes that people spend more time working than at other places. He advocates for a centralized effort in addressing this health and firm problem. Since smoking occurs at the workplace, it is important that the company implement a comprehensive workplace-smoking program to benefit the employees and the organization. This paper proposes a wide-ranging workplace-smoking program for the company. Background The organization needs a program that will address the needs of educating smoking employees about the consequences of their smoking and helping them to quit this bad habit. Alley Dimple, another HR staff, has recently collected information about smokers at work. She says: â€Å"Around 5 out of 10 people are smoking several times a day. Many of them are constantly sick with colds and other smoking-related diseases. They are more absent, or late, or in need of medical insurance because of smoking.† Her report shows the urgency of addressing smoking because it affects the health of the employees, while reducing their respective performance. Dimple notes that people need to be educated in why they have to stop smok ing and how they can do it: â€Å"Smokers need guidance. They need to be directed on their way towards recovery. This addiction can be stopped, but it is not something they can or we can do overnight.† She emphasizes the importance of education at the workplace to this effort. Smokers can change their smoking behaviors through education and other organization forms of support. HR staff Hopkins agrees with Dimple that firms need to support smoking cessation programs: â€Å"Smokers are not fully aware of the impacts of their smoking on themselves on others. At the same time, they need help quitting their bad habit. Getting help, however, is not something they do voluntarily easily.† He underscores the role of companies as networks of support. Healey and Zimmerman assert in their book that workplace smoking cessation programs are â€Å"more cost effective than many other clinical prevention services† (321). Adult smokers quit more rapidly when their workplaces are supportive of their efforts (Healey and Zimmerman 321). Apparently, a workplace systems approach can be used to understand the impact of organizations on employees. See figure 1, The Smoker in the Workplace. It explains the environmental factors that impact smoking cessation. Figure 1: The Smoker in the

Summary and Critical Analysis of Multi-objective Decision Making Term Paper

Summary and Critical Analysis of Multi-objective Decision Making - Term Paper Example This term paper discusses the subject of multi-objective decision making problems, that require a set of criteria prior to implementation. First, it is clear that objective functions must be normalized. That is, objective functions must have the same physical meaning to all the stakeholders involved, which likewise means that units and scales used in the measurement of these function must be consistent. Next, the appropriate principle of optimality must be chosen. The principle of optimality sets the properties of the optimal solution and answers in such a ways that the optimal solution bests all other possible solutions. Third, the researcher states that the priorities of objective functions have also to be considered. It is imortant to understand that different objective functions have different importance and thus, higher priority must be given to more important objective functions. Based on these considerations, this term paper provides a critical analysis of a multi-objective de cision making model, which covers economics and managerial applications of a company. A summary of the model were presented by the researcher of the paper, and its strengths and weaknesses were also highlighted. In conclusion, the researcher of this term paper analyzed the final portion of the study. This term paper also presents an outline of a possible research project, that will be concducted and that will involve both multi-objective decision making process and analysis as well as multi-objective decision making model to view.

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Report - Essay Example This objective of mine was built out of Adam’s (2009) relation, which he built between customer satisfaction and customer retention stating that â€Å"There exists an interaction between the desired results and customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and customer retention.† To the best of my knowledge, workers of a company should define their level of service satisfaction from the view point of customers since customers are the ultimate custodians of services and products from companies. ? How/if those Learning Objectives were accomplished My learning objectives were achieved mainly through the field works and small scale research projects that were organised. This is because these activities brought me closer to both workers of a given organisation and customers of the said organisation. Through the field research, I had the opportunity to interact with both the workers and customers to critically examine from them, factors they look out for to determine service satis faction. ... What I learn from the failure to meet that objective is that there could have been research that I could have done as an individual in terms of understanding the basic reasons why workers would not at all times but the needs of customers first. If indeed I had taken up extra research and part time learning to understand why this phenomenon exists, I would have been in an excellent position of impacting my knowledge and gained skills to the people my group and I went to have personal interaction with during the small scale research. I have therefore learnt to take extra studies and learning outside the time of the module more seriously. ? What else I learnt that was not in my initial objective In my initial objective, I was more particular about undertaking a critique of professional practice in a chosen field rather than concentrating more on my personal strengths and weaknesses and how these could help me become an overall good worker in my future employment positions. However, this module has helped in helping me identify more qualities about myself including my weaknesses, which I need to master to help me become a very good customer-centered employee in the nearest future. Currently, I have come to learn about some basic qualities that should be seen and put to work in me if I want to achieve my future employment aims. Some of these qualities include interpersonal relationship, team work and team spirit, working under pressure, working with very little supervision and taking up challenging tasks. ? Review of my original learning objectives in the light of new experience Reviewing my original learning objective in the light of my new experiences, I can say that I have been put in a better position to realising my

ILETS Test Evaluation

ILETS Test Evaluation IELTS The International English Language Testing System The purpose of any test is to diagnose what the learners know or dont know, in other words to check learning. The International English Language Testing System or IELTS test is a language proficiency test which covers all four language skills reading, writing, listening and speaking and is the most widely used and accepted test for English language. Each paper holds a percentage of the final score each equally weighted at 25%. The IELTS test is unique in that you cant fail it (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). Although we live in a very more modern, electronic world, the IELTS test is still a pen and paper-based test (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). The papers/tests covering the four skills are: Reading a 60 minute test which includes three texts to be read Writing a 60 minute test showing the test takers ability to summarise, explain or describe Listening this test is a 30 minute test Speaking this is the shortest of all four tests at 11-14 minutes. My essay will be focusing on the evaluation and the validity or fitness for purpose of the speaking test within the IELTS test. Michael Halliday (1968 cited in Levine and Spencer, 1996, p. 46) quotes; Language is a form of culturally determined behaviour and this behaviour includes the ability to take on a range of linguistically defined roles in speech situations. Unless the child grows up in an environment in which all these speech situation roles are open to him, he will fail to master important areas in the grammar of his language. With this is mind we must understand that all types of tasks have both advantages and limitations (or disadvantages) so it is necessary to ascertain the Fitness for purpose of a particular task and to use a different range of task types within the framework. We must provide different speaking tasks which activate our different speaking processes. The tasks should elicit behaviour which truly represents the candidates ability and which can be scored validly and reliably (Hughes, 1991, pg. 101). Although speaking can seem both simple and natural it is, in fact, a very complex skill with several stages to follow. From the conceptualisation of an idea we must then convert that idea into language. This is done through both lexical and grammatical knowledge. Through this knowledge we are able to form sentences and phrases in order to vocalise our idea. Once we have the essential words, sentences and phrases these are then changed into sound or articulated. This is how a non-verbal idea becomes an actual verbal expression. As you will know, when we speak we are constantly monitoring ourselves in order to ensure the flow of speech continues smoothly, whether this be through our internal access to vocabulary, grammar or intonation, etc. When we s peak all of these stages are completed automatically and naturally this is why speaking can be so challenging for learners. If a learner lacks both lexical and analytical knowledge their retrieval of that vocabulary or grammar may well take longer causing a less natural or automatic response to a task or question through longer pauses and hesitations. We must then ensure that testing incorporates all manner of validity and reliability in order to produce a rounded and more thorough outcome. The IELTS speaking test is a face-to-face, one-on-one interview between the test taker and the IELTS trained examiner. The interview only lasts between 11 to 15 minutes and is recorded. The speaking test can be taken before the other three sections listening, reading, writing of the test and the speaking comprises of three separate sections. The first section or part 1 is known as the introduction and interview segment. Here the interviewer introduces him or herself to the test taker. This is then continued as if it were an interview albeit a little formal whereby the test taker shares information with the examiner. The examiner will have a script of questions to ask the test taker which cover every day familiar topics e.g. work, study, where you live, food, holidays, friends, goig out, festivals, sports, school and public transport (TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC, 2017). The test taker provides the examiner with information about themselves, their family, work and interests through a series of open-ended questions like those in appendix 1 e.g. Whats the most interesting part of your village/town? Would you say its a good place to live? Why? (Ieltsessentials.com, 2017) and answers them to the best of their ability. This section usually takes around 4-5 minutes. The second section or part 2 is known as the individual long turn. In this segment the candidate or test taker is given a topic card (see appendix 2). The topic card has a subject on it which the test taker must talk about for two minutes. Before speaking, the candidate is allowed one minute in order to prepare notes on their given topic. These topic tasks are generally about a personal experience, for example, a memorable day or a person of great significance to them and they then have to produce a monologue on this topic. Once the candidate has completed their monologue the examiner will then ask them some follow up questions which then leads them into part 3 of the test. The third section or part 3 is known as the two-way discussion. This two-way discussion or dialogue is between the test taker and the examiner and is generally thematically linked (Karim and Haq, 2014) to part 2. If you look at appendices 2 and 3 you will see that the candidate in part 2 spoke about a piano he once owned and in part 3 the examiner then asks to have a discussion regarding things we own. Interviewing is a tried and tested way of assessing a language learners speaking capabilities, however, it can seem intensely formal to the interviewee and cause the interaction to be dominated by the examiner (Karim and Haq, 2014) in their role as interviewer in the IELTS test. In the test then, this tends, to lend itself toward a situation in which the speaking is less natural in form than it could be if it were in a different format e.g. an informal discussion over coffee. Hughes (1991) states the most obvious format for the testing of oral interaction is the interview, however, it has at least one potentially serious drawback. When the test taker feels they are in an interview situation they will speak to the examiner as if speaking to a superior (Hughes, 1991, pg.104). Therefore, the speaking confidence of the test taker may be put to a disadvantage. This limitation may well be avoided should the candidate feel they are able to ask questions as well as the examiner. Through a re laxed dialogue rather than an interview the conversation could well take a more natural path providing more confidence for the test taker. Also, interviews can cause unnecessary anxiety and nervousness to the test taker which could limit their interaction. We could also argue that natural conversation is built up with more informal language, whereby a conversation is not scripted but flows along an unseen path to an unseen destination. Conversation does not follow a strict or distinct route but is nudged along in many different directions. The question we are asking is Is the test successful in achieving its objectives? and for this we need to look at what is known as the validity and reliability of a test. Validity has several forms and I have looked at content, face and criterion-related validity. Content validity is a representative sample of the skills and abilities which have been taught. The structure and content of the IELTS speaking test is the same at all levels. This means that an elementary level candidate will be answering the same questions of those at advanced levels. This does not provide a concrete level of testing as the structure and content do not provide a more challenging course for those with more advanced skills. Face validity looks at the measurement of skill the test should be assessing. If we look at the format of the IELTS test we can see that it is clearly established. It is universal in its approach and anywhere you look for information on the IELTS test it always provides the same information. In contrast both IELTS academic and General English tests are no different with regards to what is tested for in the speaking section. If we look at the band descriptor (appendix 4) we can see that there is no distinction for specific English. This brings into question the validity of criterion-based validity. The reliability of the IELTS test must also be looked at. A single examiner is responsible for rating the candidate, therefore, the inter-rater reliability has to be questioned due to interpretation but a single person of the test taker. The scoring is split between four categories (appendix 4) within these four categories there is no in-depth breakdown so scoring is at the discretion of the examiner. The effectiveness of the IELTS speaking test has some limitations. Overall it is a meaningful test which shows validity and reliability in some areas but there are areas in which both validity and reliability fall short as has been shown. The following suggestions could make the IELTS speaking test somewhat more valid and reliable provide more time for the candidate to talk freely in the first section. In this way we could elicit more authentic data from the candidate and be provided with a more in-depth analysis of the actual ability the candidate has. More tasks would elicit a better performance from the candidate discussion about a picture or tasks which represent different communicative processes. The grading scale should be open to more variables to provide a broader perspective and finally, more than one examiner would ensure a more reliable assessment. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Speaking sample task Part 1 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart1recording.ashx?la=en Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Whats the most interesting part of your town/village? What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do? Would you say its a good place to live? (Why?) Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in? How long have you lived there? What do you like about living there? What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in? Speaking sample task Part 1 transcript Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Transcript Examiner: Now, in this first part, Id like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Candidate: Its quite a small village, about 20km from Zurich. And its very quiet. And we have only little two little shops because most of the people work in Zurich or are orientated to the city. Examiner: Whats the most interesting part of this place village? Candidate: On the top of a hill we have a little castle which is very old and quite well known in Switzerland. Examiner: What kind of jobs do people in the village do? Candidate: We have some farmers in the village as well as people who work in Zurich as bankers or journalists or there are also teachers and some doctors, some medicines. Examiner: Would you say its a good place to live? Candidate: Yes. Although it is very quiet, it is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ people are friendly and I would say it is a good place to live there, yes. Examiner: Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in APPENDIX 2 Speaking sample task Part 2 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart2recording.ashx?la=en Part 2 Individual long turn Candidate Task Card Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say: where you got it from how long you have had it what you use it for and explain why it is important to you. You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what youre going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish. Rounding off questions Is it valuable in terms of money? Would it be easy to replace? Speaking sample task Part 2 transcript Part 2 Individual long turn Transcript Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so dont worry if I stop you. Ill tell you when the time is up. Candidate: OK Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please? Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my piano because I like playing the piano. I got it from my parents to my twelve birthday, so I have it for about nine years, and the reason why it is so important for me is that I can go into another world when Im playing piano. I can forget whats around me and what I can forget my problems and this is sometimes quite good for a few minutes. Or I can play to relax or just, yes to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to relax and to think of something completely different. Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this piano? Candidate: Yes, I think it wouldnt be that big problem but I like my piano as it is because I have it from my parents, its some kind unique for me. APPENDIX 3 Speaking sample task Part 3 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart3recording.ashx?la=en Part 3 Two-way discussion Lets consider first of all how peoples values have changed. What kind of things give status to people in your country? Have things changed since your parents time? Finally, lets talk about the role of advertising. Do you think advertising influences what people buy? Speaking sample task Part 3 transcript Part 3 Two-way discussion Transcript Examiner: Weve been talking about things we own. Id like to discuss with you one or two more general questions relating to this topic. First, lets consider values and the way they can change. In Switzerland, what kind of possessions do you think give status to people? Candidate: The first thing which comes in my mind is the car. Yes, because lots of people like to have posh cars or expensive cars to show their status, their place in the society. Examiner: Is that a new development? Candidate: No, I think it isnt. Examiner: People have thought like that for quite a long time? Candidate: Yes. Another thing is probably the clothing. It starts already when you are young. When the children go to school they want to have posh labels on their jumpers or good shoes. Examiner: What do you think of this way of thinking that I need to have a car or certain clothes to show my status? Candidate: Probably its sometimes a replacement for something you dont have, so if your wife has left you or your girlfriend, you just buy some new, I dont know, new watches or new clothes to make you satisfied again. Examiner: You dont think of it as a healthy way of thinking? Candidate: Its probably not honest to yourself. You can understand what I mean? Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars and designer clothes be status symbols in the same way? Candidate: Im sure that clothes will be that the thing with the clothes will be the same. Im not so sure about the cars because cars cause lots of environmental problems and probably in some years, a few years, this will change because its not reasonable to drive a car anymore. Examiner: Can you tell me a little bit more about that? APPENDIX 4 IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Band Fluency and coherence Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation 9 speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; any hesitation is content-related rather than to find words or grammar speaks coherently with fully appropriate cohesive features develops topics fully and appropriately uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in all topics uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately uses a full range of structures naturally and appropriately produces consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speaker speech uses a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety sustains flexible use of features throughout is effortless to understand 8 speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self- correction; hesitation is usually content-related and only rarely to search for language develops topics coherently and appropriately uses a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly to convey precise meaning uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary skilfully, with occasional inaccuracies uses paraphrase effectively as required uses a wide range of structures flexibly produces a majority of error-free sentences with only very occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors uses a wide range of pronunciation features sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional lapses is easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility 7 speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence may demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition and/or self-correction uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices uses paraphrase effectively uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist shows all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 8 6 is willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at times due to occasional repetition, self-correction or hesitation uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear in spite of inappropriacies generally paraphrases successfully uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility may make frequent mistakes with complex structures though these rarely cause comprehension problems uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times 5 usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self correction and/or slow speech to keep going may over-use certain connectives and discourse markers produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility attempts to use paraphrase but with mixed success produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems shows all the positive features of Band 4 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 6 4 cannot respond without noticeable pauses and may speak slowly, with frequent repetition and self-correction links basic sentences but with repetitious use of simple connectives and some breakdowns in coherence is able to talk about familiar topics but can only convey basic meaning on unfamiliar topics and makes frequent errors in word choice rarely attempts paraphrase produces basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences but subordinate structures are rare errors are frequent and may lead to misunderstanding uses a limited range of pronunciation features attempts to control features but lapses are frequent mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty for the listener 3 speaks with long pauses has limited ability to link simple sentences gives only simple responses and is frequently unable to convey basic message uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information has insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics attempts basic sentence forms but with limited success, or relies on apparently memorised utterances makes numerous errors except in memorised expressions shows some of the features of Band 2 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 4 2 pauses lengthily before most words little communication possible only produces isolated words or memorised utterances cannot produce basic sentence forms Speech is often unintelligble 1 no communication possible no rateable language 0 does not attend REFERENCES Hughes, A. (1991). Testing for language teachers. 1st ed. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. Ieltsessentials.com. (2017). Speaking Practice Tests. [online] Available at: https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/prepare/freepracticetests/speakingpracticetests [Accessed 01 Mar. 2017]. Karim, S. and Haq, N. (2014). An Assessment of IELTS Speaking Test. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 3(3). Levine, J. and Spencer, M. (1996). Developing pedagogies in the multilingual classroom. 1st ed. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books. Takeielts.britishcouncil.org. (2017). IELTS teachers questions answered | Take IELTS. [online] Available at: http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teach-ielts [Accessed 7 Feb. 2017]. TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC. (2017). Evaluating speaking the IELTS speaking test. [online] Available at: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/evaluating-speaking-ielts-speaking-test [Accessed 07 Mar. 2017].

The Dramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeare

The Dramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 in the romantic comedy 'Much ado about nothing' is of great dramatic significance to the whole play, as it is in Scene 1 where Shakespeare brings out the different sides of the characters to illustrate the complexities of love and relationships. Act 4 Scene 1 is clustered with different incidents and in this essay, I will go through each event and describe its importance to the play as a whole. I will do this by showing how (with the use of language) Shakespeare expresses the feelings of his characters and uses theatrical stage actions to emphasize their emotions. The Scene begins with Claudio's accusation of Hero, who so far, throughout the play has been seen as an honest and honourable woman. However Claudio accuses Hero that she is not what he thought of her 'But you are more intemperate in your blood, Than Venus or those pampered animals that rage in savage sensuality. This is shocking and Shakespeare prepares its audience for a scene which represents a turning point for his characters lives through these remarkable personality changes, as Claudio has never acted like that towards Hero earlier in the play. However Claudia's is a gullible and innocent character. A reason for this previously in the play, Claudio is mislead by Don John. Don John tells him and swears that Don Pedro has enticed Hero, not for Claudia but himself: "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I heard him swear his affection..." Borachio who had heard Don Pedro whilst he was smoking in the "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦musty rooms..." also backs Don Pedro: ""à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦So did I, too, and he swore he would marry her tonigh... ... how they are both capable of love but were afraid of expressing their emotions. Since this play is a romantic comedy, Shakespeare is demonstrating how there are ups and downs in relationships and Act 1 Scene 4 is the dramatic scene where Don John's plot is successful and the lover's companionship has been broken. However, Shakespeare uses Beatrice and Benedick characters as a contrast to Claudio and Hero in the scene to make the audience optimistic about personal relationships. Their open admission to the love they share shows how they were hiding behind a mask of aloofness and wit before. In conclusion, this scene is extremely significant to the play as a whole as it is a turning point for the characters and Shakespeare adopts vivid use of language and imagery to emphasize the comedy behind romantic relationships.

Striving for a First Class Restaurant Experience

No matter what type of business you have it is imperative to command a well educated staff who understands the importance of service excellence with every last interaction with the customer. Service excellence as it relates to the restaurant industry is a requirement since there are so many areas in which perfection is an expectation of the experience.These areas include but are not limited to customer service, education and appearance of your staff; as a subset this must include a certain level of enthusiasms, and always meeting and exceeding customer expectations. This is not limited to face to face interactions but it also includes the appearance of the establishment, the quality of the food, and the hygiene used to prepare the selections. It doesn’t matter how flashy your ads are, or how attractive your staff appears if the customer leaves feeling unfulfilled at the end of the experience.â€Å"†¦there are some basic truths about service. First, it’s always def ined from a customer’s perspective, never from ours.† (http://waiterbell.wordpress.com/2006/05/17/article-service-the-real-product-of-your-restaurant-you-know-it-so-do-your-customers/) This statement couldn’t drive home the point any more clearly. That is why it is so essential to train all staff employees in a consistent and engaging manor, while giving them some ownership of the corporate mission, and philosophy. It has become to regular of a process in this day and age of fast food giants, to want the customer in and out of the establishment as soon as possible with no regard to there lasting impression of the service.To mention a few chains, that I personally find less than delectable, such as the infamous McDonald’s who has allowed the quality of their food slip along with the comprehension of their employees. So much for service with a smile, most times you will find a miserable individual behind the counter with a distinct lack of enthusiasm waiting for their shift to be over.On the other end of the spectrum you find establishments such as The Cheese Cake Factory where service excellence is reflected through there training allowances. â€Å"†¦The firm spends an average of $2,000 on training per hourly worker each year. Everyone within the organization benefits from training and development initiatives.† They have truly set up policies to live by, which gages their turn over rate as a return on there investment. They are about fifteen percent below industry standards which currently hovers around 106% turnover.The key to having motivated employees and helping them to understand that they are part of something bigger comes first with the managers recruited. â€Å"†¦Most managers think that employees are motivated solely by money. But research shows that intangible items — such as appreciation for doing a good job, open communication and involvement in decision-making — often play a more crucial ro le in employee motivation.  These non monetary recognitions help to promote confidence, and ownership in the company as it relates to on going service expectations. In order for people to improve or get better at there jobs they must have regular feedback as to a â€Å"job well done† or needed improvement in certain areas. From a managers perspective it comes down to the definition of clinical insanity â€Å"doing the same thing and expecting different results.† A good manager knows how to motivate their employees, and will recognize opportunities to get different personality types to open up, and perform at their best.Involvement in decision making policies is another way to motivate employees, giving them an active role in when changing corporate infrastructure, makes them feel as if their opinion matters. Not only will most people with ambition jump at the change to take on additional responsibility but it will also create a forum to recognize other management abi lities already with in the organization.This forum will also allow for individuals to communicate openly with regards to there feelings about management, and where improvements could be made to the entire system. It easy for the â€Å"higher ups† to get disconnected with the flow of day to day operations, and for them to loose contact with there ever changing customer, with ever changing needs. Keeping an active pulse on these issues will allow for efficient adjustments to these changes, and a distinct competitive advantage.When talking about learning curves and on going education it is important to work with every individual inside of the organization, from the cooks to the managers. The frequency of the training sessions is a delicate line that must be addressed carefully. It is important to take the staffs availability, relevant changes to corporate processes, along with varying levels of learning abilities into consideration when outlining the training schedule.These fact ors are important because you do not want to spend to much time training those who already understand, while neglecting those that may require more a more detailed explanation. â€Å"Waiters, waitresses, chefs, and fast-food workers demonstrating potential for handling increased responsibility sometimes advance to assistant manager or management trainee jobs. Executive chefs need extensive experience working as chefs, and general managers need experience as assistant managers.†This is especially true for established businesses that need to keep the same quality expected from the presentation, to the ingredients. It is very easy to look towards cutting corners, and saving pennies when sales decrease, or when operating cost rise. This is more of a question when, and having strategies in force to circumvent these changes allow for longevity, and continued success.For this success to continue the training systems, and corporate philosophy must have exceeding expectations build in to the employees requirements.â€Å"THE contented woman, savoring Marko’s warm bread, stopped in mid-bite, looked puzzled, turned to her tablemates and asked ‘Why didn't I ever know this restaurant was here?’†Awe invoking service is a difficult task to attain especially when the customers perception of these services is becoming more and more expected. If this same awe invoking service is seen on a regular basis, then steps must be taken to bring the â€Å"awe factor† up a degree as time passes. If a customer is used to outstanding service and that one time receives a less than stellar dining experience the repercussions could be staggering. Bad news travels ten times faster and farther than good news, and that hard earned reputations could go right out the door with that one instance.In closing knowing all the techniques to provide a professional level of service in the industry is not enough to keep the business running. It also requires a clear u nderstanding of the foundations of good service and developing the staff and management to best to fit in the restaurant, and the customer. The key is to maintaining the most professional service of any kind and learning the consequences of not having the power of good service.