Evidence base practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evidence base practice - Essay Example However, in some cases, the wrong prescription may not only make the patient fail to recover from the ailment, it may also lead to a further worsening of the ailment. Determination of the methods of prescriptions is usually significant in the application of treatment strategies aimed at treating mental problems. The treatment of the patient from the ailments is usually highly dependent on the treatment strategies that are employed by the medical practitioner. The medical practitioner therefore needs to clearly understand the effectiveness of the treatment strategies so as to know which strategies to apply in order to lead to the effective and quick recovery of the patients. Moreover, the medical practitioner needs to explicitly understand the different dimensions of the issue that he or she is trying to treat in order to device the treatment strategies effectively. A clear understanding of the dimensions would also help the medical practitioner, to effectively comprehend what the pat ient is going through. Thus, by putting himself or herself in the position of the patient, he or she can apply his medical concepts to achieve excellent results in the application of his treatment strategies. The application of the above practices by medical practitioners and other relevant parties is well defined by what is known as evidence based practice. Evidence based practice Evidence based practice can be simply defined as the use of certain treatment strategies preferentially based on research findings to help solve certain problems, mostly psychological, which the society may be faced with (Gowing, p.27). The use of the treatment strategies is usually backed with statistical evidence of the success of the treatment strategies on different people. Evidence base practice is usually applied in various fields, which include medicine, criminology, psychology and marriage and family therapy. Evidence based practice is a practice which has developed only recently and is necessitat ed by the failure of some of strategies, which are considered effective in helping to treat various psychological and mental conditions in the society. By using the evidence-based practice, the medical practitioners can apply the strategies, which have been proven most effective in their application for the treatments. The strategies used by the medical practitioners do not necessarily have to be the same; they usually vary from one individual to the other. This is because different medical practitioners have their own methods of dealing with different ailments to achieve the desired results. This medical concept is widely acknowledged by many medical practitioners and bodies that deal with medicine as an effective strategy in the treatment of people who suffer from various mental disorders. Evidence based practice in domestic violence Domestic violence is among the most common forms of problems, which psychologists and marriage counselors are usually faced with. Different countries usually have programs to help in treatment of problems, especially on people who have been convicted of the offence. The success of these programs is usually very low as their administration usually disregards the research evidence on the important strategies that the programs must use. The strategies to employ are mainly dependent on the causative factors of domestic violence. Evidence based practice can effectively be used to determine the causes of domestic viol

The Importance of Higher Education Through Community College Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Higher Education Through Community College Essay Why is higher education important you may ask through community colleges? There are many benefits to life that come with the achievement of higher education. Furthering your education puts you at a competetive edge with todays evolving technology and the aggressiveness of the present job market. Higher education plays such a huge factor in today’s society and yet there are still very many people out there who cannot afford to go to a big university because of the cost. Four out of ten graduating high school students start their college careers at community colleges. Along the same lines community colleges are the largest and fastest growing area of higher education which means that more and more people today are exploring and learning about the benefits of pursueing higher education through community colleges. There may be many reasons why we choose to further our education through community college. We all live busy lifestyles and at times just our daily lives, routines and obligations can dictate just how much time people can devote to pursuing a higher education. Some of us may already have families or may even be working at a job. There are also a great number of people as well who simply just spend beyond their means. All of these examples can play a huge roll on affordability and how much time a person can spend inside the classroom.And because of this, these obstacles may prevent or even discourage people from being able to become a full time student. Community colleges offer the opportunity to higher education at a lower expence and present the student with the opportunity to take advantage of the many various scholarships and programs that these community colleges have available. There are a great number of community colleges to choose from in every state of the country. And many of these schools have a lot to offer potential students. Community colleges such as Ivy Tech and Oakland City University for example, have a vast amount of programs and benefits that will allow people a chance to attend class no matter how much time their daily lives and routines require them to spend. These schools offer the student a selection of online classes, courses and even degree programs all ready to take from their home or office all online. In addition to online classes these two schools also omake available full or part time student enrollment, day time and night time classes are also available if needed to help accommodate all types of lifestyles,schedules and obligations. With all of these programs in place it makes pursuing your future that much easier to grasp. By allowing the availability to attend community college online and at different times of the day and by using government and student financial aid such as Pell grants and the Stafford student loan people can often get a degree without going into so much debt. Sometimes the availability of these classes can help people get degree’s even faster than they normally would if they had to be on campus at all times. With our busy lifestyles and the competitiveness of the job market in todays economy it is vital to have an education. Even though at times we may think to ourselves that we just cannot afford to attend community college or are simply just too busy with the demands of daily life to dedicate accomplishing such an important task. In my oppinion, othing can be further from the truth. Making the choice to attain higher education through community college is a fantastic decision for anyone wanting to be a competitive force in todays ever evolving technological world and try to win in the current job market. Going to a community college may be intimidating to some people for various reasons whether it is having enough time, money or obligations. And at times, may even let these issues disuade their decision to attend. There are no obstacles too big in your way of pursuing your future and your dreams. And by taking advantage of all the programs and benefits that these schools have to offer can and will help to ease any anxieties you may have of becoming a student pursuing a higher education through community college.

Social Inequality In Usa Sociology Essay

Social Inequality In Usa Sociology Essay Why do you think the U.S. is characterized by more inequality and fewer public efforts to reduce inequality than any other developed nation? Capitalism cannot provide a decent standard of living for all, but as long as it can provide a tolerable standard of living for substantial layers of the population, it can maintain social stability. Recent studies have shown that the middle America begins to feel insecure, which points at the inevitable social problems. The average salary is the salary, which includes both the income of the richest and the poorest. This amount is far from real wages of most Americans. According to the latest statistical review, in the period after 1998, when the U.S. economy grew by 25%, the average salary of one fifth of U.S. residents fell by 3.8%, while the salary of the rest remained at 1973 level (Hurst 132-34). While the economy was rapidly growing, this prosperity has not affected the middle class, not to mention industrial workers and the poor. Along with the freezing of income of the middle class, social inequality was growing. Since 1973 the annual revenue growth of 1% of the richest was 3.4%, and for 0.1% of the richest it was 5.2%. But for the remaining 90% this figure was 0.3% per year since 1973. Leaders of large companies were earning 26 times more than their employees. Now they are earning 300 times more (Crompton 98-102). According to experts, children from families with low income have a 1%chance to get rich, while children of the rich have 22% opportunity. For the middle class the figure is 1.8%, not much more than for the poor. The middle class of America is more and more afraid to become poor. Families face a decrease in their incomes. The number of families, whose income fell to $ 20,000, has increased from 13% in 1990 to 17% in 2007 (Hurst 206). Unemployment in the U.S. has reached the highest level over the past 20 years. Average duration of unemployment is 18 weeks. And, most often the unemployed have to accept a new job with less pay. House owners (about 70% of Americans), after paying taxes, have to give 11% of their income for mortgages. Today, these people are insolvent. Today the average American family with two working spouses has to work for 32 weeks to pay taxes, medical insurance, credit for housing, and education. In 1979, they needed 28 weeks. After all these payments, such a family has less means for basic needs than in 1980. In the current economic situation, an average American feels much worse than 25 years ago (Hurst 57-60). An average American works longer and harder than before just to make ends meet. And one increasingly has to take loans, family debt reached 120% of family income. Private pension funds are extremely small. Moreover, now pensions begin to be paid only after the worker invests a certain amount. In this world richest country 45% of Americans have no pension program. Only 20% have a guaranteed pension. The same situation is in health care. The number of uninsured people reached 16%, i.e. about 45 million Americans will not get treatment if they get sick. Despite all the efforts, most of the U.S. social problems do not disappear. Obviously, these are the negative effects of economic growth that exist in almost every post-industrial society. Moreover, the distribution of wealth including personal property and shares has not changed in the U.S. for 200 years. Tiree and Smith managed to obtain data on the taxable property of persons who had permanent jobs in Philadelphia in 1789. Comparing these data with the distribution of income in 1949, 1959 and 1969, they found a completely equal distribution of wealth in these two periods. Both, at that time and today, dealers and persons of intellectual labor were richer than the workers and clerks (Hurst 89-93). Since 1982, profits of American capitalists have grown considerably. This was achieved by reduction of salaries of workers, and increased exploitation. Thus, the rate of added value grew up while investments into new equipment have been reduced to minimum. Therefore the returns were growing. Inequality of income distribution remains in American society despite various changes in the economy and many programs helping the poor. The privileges are established for those who have the power in any societies. People with high status often have a very visible political influence, which they can use to their advantage. In the 1960s, the President Lyndon Johnson declared the war against poverty. The weapons of this war were tax cuts, retraining programs, educational programs and increased benefits. These actions were important, since it was estimated that between 1965 and 1975 the number of families below the poverty line was less than 5% of all families. However, since then many of these programs were reduced or abolished in order to stabilize the government budget. More positive results of programs have been undermined by rising unemployment and an increase in the number of poor families with single mothers. Therefore, in the U.S. there are still many poor families (Hurst 248-49). How is social stratification a creation of society rather than simply an expression of individual differences. The question of why there is social inequality is central in the study of society. It has two strikingly different answers. The first one was given by the conservatives, who argued that the unequal distribution of social benefits is a tool for solving the major tasks of society. Supporters of a radical approach, by contrast, sharply criticize the existing social order and believe that social inequality is a mechanism of exploitation of individuals and is associated with the struggle for scarce products and services. According to the functionalist theory of social inequality, stratification exists because it is useful to society. Davis and Moore argue that social stratification is not only universal but also necessary; therefore, no society can exist without stratification and classes. The system of stratification is required in order to fill all the statuses that form the social structure, and to give the individuals the motivations to perform duties associated with their position. In this regard the society must motivate people on two levels (Crompton 57-59): 1. It should encourage individuals to take various positions, since not all the duties associated with different statuses, are equally useful for the human body, equally important for social survival, and require equal abilities. If the social life was different, the position would make no difference, and the problem of social status would be considerably smaller; 2. When these positions are occupied, the company should awaken in people a desire to play the relevant role, because the duties associated with many posts are considered as painful and in the absence of motivation many would not manage to do their roles. These social realities have led to the view that society should have certain benefits that can be used as incentives for their members, and the mode of distribution of these benefits among different statuses. Inequality is the emotional stimulus that society has created in order to solve the problem of filling in all statuses and make their owners to do their best to fit the role. Since these benefits are built into the social system, social stratification may be considered a structural feature of all societies. On the basis of the economic model of supply and demand, Davis and Moore concluded that the highest paid positions are those occupied by the most talented or skilled workers, as well as functionally most important ones. Thus, separate individuals who hold high-paying jobs, should receive remuneration, otherwise the post will remain unclaimed, and society will disintegrate (Crompton 115-122). On the other hand, a person is born in a privileged or unprivileged position. For example, almost two-thirds of managers in 243 large U.S. companies have grown up in families of upper middle class or upper stratum of society. Basing on similar data, advocates of conflict theory claim that society is organized so that individualsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ rank is determined by birth and does not dependent on their abilities and characteristics of the society (Hurst 206-219). Advocates of the conflict theory believe that the stratification of society exists because it is profitable to individuals and groups with authority over others. While functionalists identify common interests of members of society, conflictologists focus on the differences of interests. From their point of view, the society is an arena where people are fighting for the privileges, prestige and power. The theory of conflict is based largely on the ideas of Karl Marx. He argued that to comprehend the mechanism of a particular economic system one must know what preceded this system, as well as the processes that contributed to its development. According to Marx, the level of technique and method of organization of production determines the evolution of society in general. At each stage of history, these factors determine the group, which will rule in society, and groups that it will obey. Possession of means of production is only one source of power. Another source is the possession of means of control over people. The role of bureaucracy in society (exclusive control of national income and national wealth) gives it a special privileged status (Crompton 87-94). Even in modern developed countries, individuals can flourish without property. Much of the power is provided by the position in large transnational corporations, rather than property. Employees do not merely possess a relatively small property, but their influence lasts only as long as they occupy a certain position. A very similar pattern is observed in the government. In this case, no class exists in isolation and independently of the other classes. Sociologists are divided on the sources of social stratification, but they are united in the fact that social inequality is a structural aspect of the modern life of the whole society. Speaking about the structuring of social inequality, social scientists mean not only the fact that individuals and social groups differ in the privileges they have, prestige they receive, and power they possess. Structuring means that inequality in the society is institutionalized as a system. Inequality is not formed at random, but in accordance with the repetitive, relatively consistent and stable models: it is usually passed down from generation to generation, for which the individuals and groups with the benefits usually find appropriate ways (Crompton 54-58). How do caste and class system differ? How are they the same? Why does industrialization introduce a measure of meritocracy into social stratification? Inequality exists in human societies of all types. Stratification can be defined as structured differences between groups of people; the society consists of layers located in a hierarchical order, where the privileged layers are closer to the top and the underprivileged ones are at the bottom. However, class and caste systems are different in their essence (Crompton 41-43). Caste system is primarily associated with the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, and is presented by four main classes (varnas), differing in the degree of social prestige. Below these four groups are the untouchables. There are also jatis in the caste system: local marginalized groups within which the division into castes takes place. The caste system is very complex, and its structure varies from region to region, but it shares some common principles. Brahmins, forming the highest Varna, represent the highest degree of purity, while the untouchables represent the lowest one. Brahmins should avoid certain contacts with the untouchables, while only the untouchables are allowed to have physical contact with objects or animals, which are considered unclean. The caste system is closely linked with the Hindu concept of reincarnation, under which people who neglect the rights and duties of their caste should be born in their next incarnation in a caste, which occupies a lower position. In the Indian caste system, an individual is not allowed to move from one caste to another during his life (Crompton 65-72). The concept of caste is sometimes used outside the context of Indian culture, e.g. in cases, when two or more ethnic groups are separated from each other, primarily for reasons of racial purity. In such circumstances, there are strict taboos (and sometimes legal prohibitions) on intergroup marriages. After the abolition of slavery in the southern states of the U.S., the level of disengagement of black and white population was so strong that the term caste is sometimes used for this system of stratification. There are also reasons to speak about the existence of caste system in South Africa, where rigid segregation remains between whites and blacks and where interracial marriages were until recently forbidden by law. The class system differs from the caste system in many aspects. Let us consider the four of these main features (Crompton 105-113). 1. Unlike other types of strata, classes do not depend on legal or religious orientation. The class membership is not associated with the congenital status, whatever it was determined by by law or custom. The class system is much more mobile than other stratification systems; the boundaries between classes are never clear-cut. Formal restrictions on marriages between people from different classes do not exist. 2. The class membership is achieved by the individual, at least partly, and is not simply given at birth, as in caste systems. Social mobility is distributed more widely, while in the caste system, an individual move from one caste to another is generally impossible. 3. Classes are related to differences in economic status groups, with inequality in the ownership of physical resources and control, whereas in caste systems, the leading role is played by non-economic factors (such as religion). 4. In caste stratification system, inequality manifests itself primarily in the personal relationships of people, in the difference between rights and responsibilities (Brahmin-Harijan). In contrast, class system is manifested mainly in the large-scale relations of impersonal nature. For example, the essential foundations for the class division are the differences in working conditions and payment, which relate to people of any category and, in turn, depend on the situation of the economy as a whole. Thus, classes can be defined as large-scale groups of people with similar material resources, which in turn determine the lifestyle they lead. Class differences primarily depend on the welfare of people and kind of occupation. In modern Western society, the following main classes exist: the upper class (rich people, businessmen, industrialists, and the upper stratum of managers who own or directly control the means of production), the middle class (which includes the majority of white collar workers and professionals) and the working class (à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"blue collarà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  workers, or people involved in physical labor) (Hurst 327-333). According to Weber, the division into classes is determined not only by the presence or absence of control over the means of production, but also by economic differences, not related directly to the property. These determining factors primarily include skills and expertise that affect the ability of the person to perform a job. People belonging to the categories of professionals and managers are also working for hire, but they earn more and have better working conditions than the workers. Qualification certificates, degrees, titles, diplomas and trainings place them in a more advantageous position in the labor market compared with those who do not have the relevant qualifications (Crompton 93-98). Thus, the concept of status in the meritocracy society is associated with varying degrees of social prestige of social groups. The distinctive features of the exact status can be changed independently of the class division. While the class affiliation is an objective feature, the status, in contrast, depends on subjective evaluations of social distinctions by individuals.

Macbeth essay :: essays research papers

This essay earned a 89/100. it was a lot of work considering the lines from macbeth for textual support.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Would you kill someone if it brought you power, and the ability to rule a country? Macbeth, one of the king’s generals wanted the power. Macbeth does many things throughout till he ends up in a crazed mess in the end. He goes from a thoughtful person who knew right from wrong, to a courageous ruler whose arrogance got the best of him. Throughout the play, Macbeth proves himself of a tragic hero. To prove that he is a tragic hero, he shows a supreme pride, and capacity for suffering. He also has a sense of commitment and vigorous protest, which eventually has an impact on him and other characters. Here are some facts that have been cited, to prove that he is a tragic hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth shows a supreme pride, because he knows that Banquo is an obstacle in his way of ruling. So, in order to maintain his place as king, he must kill him. Macbeth states that it is his duty to kill him, but not let anyone see his crime, for it will all be over when Banquo is dead. â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland! That is step / On which I must fall down or else o’er leap, / For in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see†(Macbeth 1.4.48-53). Macbeth also shows a supreme pride when he is thinking about the proposal of Duncan’s murder. He thinks about how nothing bad can happen and he can only move forward as king. Macbeth thinks about his ambition and how it can lead to a downfall. â€Å"I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition which o’er leaps itself / And falls on th’other†(1.7.25-25).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth’s capacity for suffering also leads him to be a tragic hero. Before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth has a personal moment of truth and thinks about what he is going to do. He imagines the dagger in his hand and thinks about the nightmares he will be invaded with. Macbeth is so obsessed with murder; he begins seeing things, and must be quiet and not wake anyone, for he would give himself away.

New Journalism

Is New Journalism a literary genre? Analyse with reference to the literary techniques used in two examples of New Journalism. Word Count – 2231 I suppose the most common sense point at which to start is by defining New Journalism, or Literary Journalism, as Eisenhuth and McDonald (2007, p. 38) say it is called at the â€Å"upper end of the spectrum. † The Collins Concise Dictionary (1999, p. 995) defines New Journalism as â€Å"a style of journalism, using techniques borrowed from fiction to portray a situation of event as vividly as possible. †Wikipedia (2010) defines it as â€Å"a style of 1960s and 1970s news writing and journalism that used literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time. † The meaning of New Journalism has evolved over the the past one hundred years or so and has supposedly been coined by many a person, including the so-called founding father of New Journalism, Matthew Arnold (Roggenkamp, 2005, p. xii) The term, with relevance t o the above definitions, was codified with its current meaning by Tom Wolfe in his 1973 collection of New Journalism articles,  The New Journalism,  which included works by – most notably – himself, Truman Capote, Hunter S.Thompson, Norman Mailer, and Joan Didion. With reference to the aforementioned New Journalists, Tom Wolfe, in a 1972  New York Magazine  article, said, â€Å"I know they never dreamed that anything they were going to write for newspapers or magazines would wreak such evil havoc in the literary world; causing panic, dethroning the novel as the number one literary genre, starting the first new direction in American literature in half a century. Nevertheless, that is what has happened. † He went on to say that, â€Å"Bellow, Barth, Updike – even the best of the lot,Philip Roth – the novelists are all out there ransacking the literary histories and sweating it out, wondering where they now stand. ‘Damn it all, Saul, th e  Huns  have arrived. ‘† So, this uproar is what begs several questions that these writers felt the need to be answered. Is New Journalism a literary genre, simply because it utilises the tools of fiction to give it colour? Is it a journalistic genre? Is it a genre all by itself? Imagine journalism and literature both being a circle side by side; they stand alone.They are pushed together when attempting to work out the place of New Journalism in the world of writing; how far do they overlap? And if, when they meet, there is an even overlap, surely that creates a distinct genre? Some argue that, as well as not being a literary genre, New Journalism is not a stand-alone genre at all. Murphy (1974, p. 15) says that, in his eyes, the main charge levelled against New Journalism is â€Å"criticism against it as a distinct genre. † Truman Capote seems to disagree with this and says, â€Å"It seems to me that most contemporary novelists are too subjective.I wanted t o exchange it, creatively speaking, for the everyday objective world we all inhabit. Reporting can be made as interesting as fiction, and done as artistically. † (Plimpton, 1967, p. 14) This suggests that Capote believes that New Journalism falls on neither side of the fence. Instead, New Journalism is all about taking journalism with one hand, taking literature with the other, and pulling them both together. He wanted to make literature more objective, as journalism is, and he wanted to make journalism more creative, as literature is. Conley (1998, p. ) notes that, â€Å"Journalism and fiction are not usually mentioned in the same sentence unless in an unflattering sense, yet they have much in common. † Again, we are directed towards the two forms as separate, but partially overlapped. Weiss (2004, p. 177) says that, â€Å"The tugs and pulls of fact versus fiction and memory versus imagination are evident within the genre of journalism. † She goes on to say that , â€Å"Journalism splintered from early reporting and took on many of the attributes of literature. There are many attributes of literary journalism which overlap with fiction. Again, this theme of convergence is present in her thoughts. Weiss (2004, p. 179) asks a good question: â€Å"Has the blurring of lines from non-fiction to fiction become excessive and confusing? † Roorbach (2001, p. 7) goes some way in answering this and states that â€Å"an over-insistence on verifiable accuracy has about the same deadening effect on art as an over-insistence on conformity in style and subject. † So it follows that the best course of action when considering the place of New Journalism is to nod towards the pieces of work that take responsibility for both fact and fiction.Somerset Maugham (1938, p. 19) agreed that fiction and journalism are intrinsically linked and says, of news, that â€Å"it is raw material straight from the knacker's yard and we are stupid if we turn our noses up at it because it smells of blood and sweat. † These are the words of a literary great who feels that writers must take journalism into account in their work. Believing there was whole new genre, Capote called his book,  In Cold Blood,  a non-fiction novel, which is a book that employs the conventions of fiction to tell a true story. The work is about the mass murder of a Kansas farming family.Although the book was the peak of Capote's career as a writer, and was hailed as an international success, it – along with New Journalism as a whole – was heavily criticised, due to facts being changed, scenes being added and dialogue being made-up. This criticism can be seen as a positive thing though, in terms of defining New Journalism. By stating that aspects of his style of writing makes it neither journalism, nor literature, the criticism creates a new genre for Capote's work to sit, comfortably, in. Interestingly, Capote, along with Mailer and many other authors, never agreed to their style's comparisons to Wolfe's school of narration.Much to the contrary, many of these writers would deny that their work was generically relevant to other new Journalists at the time. In a 1966  Atlantic  article, Dan Wakefield said that the non-fiction work of Capote elevated reporting to the level of literature. Although praising the work of Capote, this goes some way in saying that literature is better than journalism. This is evidence for what Capote said his critics felt:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Combining literature and journalism is little more than a literary solution for fatigued novelists. † (Plimpton, 1967, p. 16) Newfield (1967, p. 0) said that, â€Å"This new genre defines itself by claiming many of the techniques that were once the unchallenged terrain of the novelist: tension, symbol, cadence, irony, prosody, imagination. † Gay Talese's 1966 article for  Esquire  magazine,  Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,  was a very influential pie ce of New Journalism that gave a very detailed portrait of Frank Sinatra, without ever having interviewed him. Talese undertook huge amounts of research, as did many of the New journalists, including Capote with  In Cold Blood. Unlike Capote, Talese did not invent facts of characters.His article is, therefore, an example of New Journalism that falls under the category of a journalistic genre, as opposed to a distinct genre. In agreement with the methods of Talese and critical of those of Capote, writer Barry Seigel, who heads up a literature and journalism course at the University of California, says that he teaches of â€Å"nonfiction prose that transcends the limits of daily journalism. † He nonetheless â€Å"rejects absolutely the notion of imagining or otherwise fabricating quotes, inventing characters or blurring different sources into composites. (Eisenhuth and McDonald, 2007, p. 41) If the aim of most New Journalism is to write so  vividly and report in such inten se bursts that a scene leaps from the page, Talese goes in the other direction. He slowly drills down through the mundane subterranean reality of human existence to its â€Å"fictional† core. He said he wanted â€Å"to evoke the fictional current that flows between the reality. † Neither of these examples, nor any of the quotes gleaned from research, point towards New Journalism falling under the category of a literary genre.Obviously there will be those that do not wish to have it associated with the word literature; they see it as a bastard child. Hartsock (2000, p. 7) states that New Journalism â€Å"reflects a rough, but not definite split between journalism and literature. † He notes that some commentators, such as Lounsberry, who is affiliated with English studies, prefer to view it as a literary genre. Others, such as Connery, who is affiliated with journalism, prefer to view it as a journalistic genre. He adds that, â€Å"there long has been a bias agai nst journalism by English studies. Eisenhuth and McDonald (2007, p. 49) say that some journalists tend to see the term as ‘bunging it on a bit,' but the fact is that the notion of New Journalism is gaining acceptance, even in university English departments, which have traditionally disdained the reporting milieu that has nurtured so many novelists – the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Graham Green; and in more recent times, journalists turned non-fiction writers and novelists like Robert Drewe. † Drewe was the focus of Conley's 1998 article,  Birth of a Novelist, Death of a Journalist.Drewe is Australia's most prominent author turned journalist. His first book, The Savage Crows, was well received,  although at the time with some surprise, â€Å"like here is a dog that can ride a bicycle and play a trumpet at the same time, which was sort of flattering and slightly offensive† He said his transition to fiction entailed a grudging acceptance because of Austr alia’s tradition that novelists either came from the School of Hard Knocks – â€Å"the realist, outback, dingo-trapping background† – or from English Departments. (Conley, 1998, p. 0) There is still, to this day, an enormous amount of debate surrounding New Journalism and its place in the world of writing. There is, and always will be, a furore amongst steadfast writers that refuse to accept it into the literary world. Connery acknowledges â€Å"the difficulty of the form's identity,† and that our understanding of New Journalism as a genre â€Å"is still very much emerging. † (Hartsock, 2000, p. 3) The mere fact that Connery seeks to find a justification at all highlights the critical discomfort with the form's identity.Weber argues that this discomfort comes because â€Å"this category of serious writing is not well defined, and the many different terms used to describe it do not help. † (Hartsock, 2000, p. 6) Here, he is obviously r eferring to the terms Literary Journalism, New Journalism, and Literary Non-fiction; which vary in use, depending on the commentator. It seems that an answer will never be reached as to whether or not New Journalism is a stand-alone genre. Without taking the sceptics and critics too much to heart, New Journalism seems to be nestled, just fine, in its own world. Lounsberry (1990, p. 5) sums things up in a nutshell, despite her affiliation towards New Journalism as a literary genre. She states that, â€Å"it does not really matter what name we give to this type of discourse; it is possible to study it without actually placing it under any specific category. † References Books Collins Concise Dictionary, 1999. New Journalism. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers. Eisenhuth, S, MacDonald, W. , 2007. The Writer's Reader – Understanding Journalism and Nonfiction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hartsock, J. C. , 2000. A history of American Literary Journalism.The Emerge nce of a Modern Narrative Form. Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press. Lounsberry, B. , 1990. The Art of Fact – Contemporary Artists of Nonfiction. Lincoln: Greenwood Press. Maugham, S. , 1938. The Summing Up. London: Heinemann. Roggenkamp, K. , 2005. Narrating the News: New Journalism and Literary Genre in Late Nineteenth Century Newspapers and Fiction. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press. Roorbach, B. ,2001. The Art of Truth: Contemporary Creative Nonfiction. New York: Oxford University Press. Articles Conley, D. , 1998. Birth of a Novelist, Death of a Journalist.Australian Studies in Journalism 7,  46-73, p1. Murphy, J. E. , 1974. The New Journalism: A Critical Perspective. Journalism Monographs,  34, p15. Newfield, J. , 1967. Hooked and Dead. New York Times Book Review,  May 7, p. 20. Wakefield, D. , 1966. The personal Voice and the Impersonal Eye. The Atlantic,  pp. 86-89 Weiss, C. , 2004. Reviving the Elephant; Bringing Literary Journalism Back into the Classroom. Schenley High School,  p173. Websites Plimpton, G. , 1967. Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career. Online] Available at: ;http://www. thefreelibrary. com/Truman+Capote%3A+In+Which+Various+Friends,+Enemies,+Acquaintances,+and†¦ -a020210227; [Accessed 27 November 2010) Wikipedia, 2010. New Journalism. [Online] Available at: ;http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/New_Journalism; [Accessed 27 November 2010]. Wolfe, T. , 1972. Participant Reveals Main Factors Leading to Demise of the Novel, Rise of New Style Covering Events. New York Magazine. [Online] Available at: ;http://nymag. com/news/media/47353/; [Accessed 27 November 2010].

Managerial Finance Essay

You have been at your job with East Coast Yachts for a week now and have decided you need to sign up for the company’s 401(k) plan. Even after your discussion with Sarah Brown, the Bledsoe Financial Services representative, you are still unsure as to which investment option you should choose. Recall that the options available to you are stock in East Coast Yachts, the Bledsoe S&P 500 Index Fund, the Bledsoe Small-Cap Fund, the Bledsoe Large-Company Stock Fund, the Bledsoe Bond Fund, and the Bledsoe Money Market Fund. You have decided that you should invest in a diversified portfolio, with 70 percent of your investment in equity, 25 percent in bonds, and 5 percent in the money market fund. You have also decided to focus your equity investment on large-cap stocks, but you are debating whether to select the S&P 500 Index Fund or the Large-Company Stock Fund. In thinking it over, you understand the basic difference in the two funds. One is a purely passive fund that replicates a widely followed large-cap index, the S&P 500, and has low fees. The other is actively managed with the intention that the skill of the portfolio manager will result in improved performance relative to an index. Fees are higher in the latter fund. You’re just not certain on which way to go, so you ask Dan Ervin, who works in the company’s finance area, for advice. After discussing your concerns, Dan gives you some information comparing the performance of equity mutual funds and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund. The Vanguard 500 is the world’s largest equity index mutual fund. It replicates the S&P 500, and its return is only negligibly different from the S&P 500. Fees are very low. As a result, the Vanguard 500 is essentially identical to the Bledsoe S&P 500 Index Fund offered in the 401(k) plan, but it has been in existence for much longer, so you can study its track record for over two decades. The graph below summarizes Dan’s comments by showing the percentage of equity mutual funds that outperformed the Vanguard 500 Fund over the previous ten years. So for example, from January 1977 to December 1986, almost 70 percent of equity mutual funds outperformed the Vanguard 500. Dan suggests that you study the graph and answer the following questions: 1. What implications do you draw from the graph for mutual fund investors? If I was to draw any implications from the graph for mutual fund investors it would be an expectation that the investors will outperform the market. As with any business the high performers will continue performing and the low performers will be let go. If we were looking at the level of market efficiency it would be expected that mutual funds would outperform the market. It is expected that half of all investors will outperform the market. 2. Is the graph consistent or inconsistent with market efficiency? Explain carefully. I believe that the graph shows consistency with market efficiency, but even the most efficient of markets must be willing to spend on research to outperform the market and even then many investors do not outperform the market. The graph is consistent with market efficiency because if even the highest performers are not outperforming the market, even with high financing, then as would be expected average investors will not be outperforming the market. 3. What investment decision would you make for the equity portion of your 401(k) account? Why? If I was to make an investment decision based on the equity portion of this 401K plan I would choose to invest in the S&P 500 index. There should also be investments made in small cap funds as this will help diversify the portfolio. Small cap funds however are not available as an option so the S&P 500 would be the best choice as an investment decision.

Understanding Americas Digital Divide

Understanding America's Digital Divide While America’s once vast digital divide is narrowing, the gap between groups of people who have those who lack access to computers and the internet persists, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. What is the Digital Divide? The term â€Å"digital divide† refers to the gap between those who have easy access to computers and the internet and those who do not due to various demographic factors. Once referring mainly to the gap between those with and without access to information shared via telephones, radios, or televisions, the term is now used mainly to describe the gap between those with and without internet access, particularly high-speed broadband. Despite having some level of access to digital information and communication technologies, various groups continue to suffer the limitations of the digital divide in the form of lower-performance computers and slower, unreliable internet connections such as dial-up. Making quantifying the information gap even more complex, the list of devices used to connect to the internet has grown from basic desktop computers to include devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, MP3 music players, video gaming consoles, and electronic readers. No longer simply a question of having access or not, the digital divide is now best described as â€Å"who connects to what and how?† Or as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai described it, the gap between â€Å"those who can use cutting-edge communications services and those who cannot.† Drawbacks of Being in the Divide Persons without access to computers and the internet are less able to fully take part in America’s modern economic, political and social life. Perhaps most significantly, children who fall into the communication gap lack access to modern educational technology such as internet-based distance learning. Access to broadband internet has become increasingly important in carrying out simple day-to-day chores like accessing health information, online banking, choosing a place to live, applying for jobs, looking up government services, and taking classes. Just as when the problem was first recognized and addressed by the U.S. federal government in 1998, the digital divide remains concentrated among older, less educated, and less affluent populations, as well as those living in rural areas of the country that tend to have fewer connectivity choices and slower internet connections. Progress in Closing the Divide For historical perspective, the Apple-I personal computer went on sale in 1976. The first IBM PC hit the stores in 1981, and in 1992, the term â€Å"surfing the internet† was coined. In 1984, only 8% of all American households had a computer, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). By 2000, about half of all households (51%) had a computer. In 2015, this percentage grew to nearly 80%. Adding in smartphones, tablets and other internet-enabled devices, the percentage rose to 87% in 2015. However, just owning computers and connecting them to the internet are two different things. When the Census Bureau began collecting data on internet use as well as computer ownership in 1997, only 18% of households used the internet. A decade later, in 2007, this percentage had more than tripled to 62% and increased to 73% in 2015. Of the 73% of households using the internet, 77% had a high-speed, broadband connection. So who are the Americans still in the digital divide? According to the latest Census Bureau report on Computer and Internet Use in the United States compiled in 2015, both computer and internet use continue to vary based on a variety of factors, most notably, age, income, and geographic location. The Age Gap Households headed by persons 65 years and older continue to lag behind households headed by younger persons in both computer ownership and internet use. While up to 85% of households headed by a person under age 44 owned desktop or laptop computers, only 65% of households headed by a person age 65 and older owned or used a desktop or laptop in 2015. Ownership and use of handheld computers showed an even greater variation by age. While up to 90% of households headed by a person less than 44 years of age had a handheld computer, only 47% of households headed by a person 65 years and older used some type of handheld device. Similarly, while up to 84% of households headed by a person less than 44 years of age had a broadband internet connection, the same was true in only 62% of households headed by a person aged 65 and older. Interestingly, 8% of households without a desktop or laptop computer depended on smartphones alone for internet connectivity. This group included 8% of householders ages 15 to 34, versus 2% of households with householders age 65 and older. Of course, the age gap is expected narrow naturally as younger current computer and internet users grow older. The Income Gap Not surprisingly, the Census Bureau found that using a computer, whether a desktop or laptop or handheld computer, increased with household income. The same pattern was observed for a broadband internet subscription. For example, 73% of households with annual incomes of $25,000 to $49,999 owned or used a desktop or laptop, compared with only 52% of households earning less than $25,000. â€Å"Low-income households had the lowest overall connectivity, but the highest proportion of ‘handheld only’ households,† said Census Bureau demographer Camille Ryan. â€Å"Similarly, black and Hispanic households had relatively low connectivity overall but high proportions of handheld only households. As mobile devices continue to evolve and increase in popularity, it will be interesting to see what happens with this group.† The Urban vs. Rural Gap The longstanding gap in computer and internet use between urban and rural Americans not only persists but is growing wider with the increased adoption of new technologies such as the smartphone and social media. In 2015, all persons living in rural areas were less likely to use the internet than their urban counterparts. However, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NITA) found that certain groups of rural residents face a particularly wide digital divide. For example, 78% of Whites, 68% of African Americans, and 66% of Latinos nationwide use the internet. In rural areas, however, only 70% of White Americans had adopted the Internet, compared to 59% of African Americans and 61% of Latinos. Even as internet use has increased dramatically overall, the rural vs. urban gap remains. In 1998, 28% of Americans living in rural areas used the Internet, compared to 34% of those in urban areas. In 2015, over 75% of urban Americans used the internet, compared to 69% of those in rural areas. As NITA points out, the data shows a consistent 6% to 9% gap between rural and urban communities internet use over time. This trend, says NITA, shows that in spite of advances in technology and government policy, the barriers to internet use in rural America are complex and persistent. People who are less likely to use the internet no matter where they live- such as those with lower income or education level- face even greater disadvantages in rural areas. In the words of the FCC chairman, â€Å"If you live in rural America, there’s a better than a 1-in-4 chance that you lack access to fixed high-speed broadband at home, compared to a 1-in-50 probability in our cities.† In an effort to address the problem, the FCC in February 2017, created the Connect America Fund allocating up to $4.53 billion over a period of 10 years to advance high-speed 4G LTE wireless internet service primarily in rural areas. Guidelines regulating the fund will make it easier for rural communities to get federal subsidies for advancing internet availability.

ACT Math Strategy

Plugging in Numbers A Critical SAT/ACT Math Strategy SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As we mentioned in our math strategy article on plugging in answers, neither the SAT nor the ACT measures how you arrived at your answer. On standardized tests, all that matters is whether your answer is correct or not. There is no such thing as partial credit on a standardized test and no one is looking over your shoulder to see if you solved the question the â€Å"proper† way. This means that finding the right answerno matter the processis the only thing that matters. And there are plenty of short-cut techniques you can use to find that correct answer without the need to create and solve complex equations. This guide will take you through the strategy of plugging in your own numbers, one of simplest processes for working out the answers to several different kinds of standardized math questions. In this guide, we’ll give you a complete walk through on the strategy of plugging your own numbers (PIN) for math questions.We’ll go through the whys, hows, and, most importantly, whens of using PIN your standardized test(s), as well as take you through several real SAT and ACT practice problems. The other best strategy for working around problemsplugging in the answersis covered in a separate guide. Why Use Plugging in Numbers? Sometimes you may find yourself confronted with a problem that you have no idea how to approach. Sometimes you may just think it will take too long to solve the problem algebraically. And other times,you maybegiven so many different variables in a single problem that you want to make absolutely sure you have the correct solution. When this happens, plugging in your own numbers can often help get you to the right answer. It can be intimidating to begiven a question or answer choices with multiple variables, especially when you are on a strict time crunch. But if you use real numbers in place of x or y or a or k(or any other variable), it can make a previously obscure problem turn into one that it quite simple. Using numbers in place of variables can make the more theoretical questions become more practical and easy to visualize, which will allow you to solve them much more easily. For example, (We'll walk through how to solve this question in the next section) It can be very easy to forget that you have the power to replace variables with your own numbers while you’re taking the test. So remember to relax and know that solving a question via complex algebra is not your only option; you have other avenues available that are often much easier to work with. Use any and all advantages you have when battling standardized testing. How to Use Plugging in Numbers So now that you know why plugging in numbers can come in handy, let’s go through exactly how to do it. The basic idea of plugging in your own numbers is that you provide real numbers in place of variables or unknowns in your problem. This technique can work for any problemalgebra or geometryin which you are presented with several unknowns, or variables. The best way to tell if you can use PIN on a question is to look and see if the question, the answer choices, or both involve variables. When the question and/or answer options include variables (especially multiple variables), you can most likely use PIN. Because these kinds of questions are asking about the relationships between numbers (or objects or degrees, etc.), these relationships will be constant, no matter what actual numbers are used. As long as your numbers follow the rules you are presented with in the question, then you can find the right answer using your own numbers. Then, once you’ve picked a number to represent a variable, use that number to solve the original equation. Then use the number you chose for your original variable to replace that same variable in your answer options. By doing this, you can test your answer options and see which answer choices match the result you got for your original equation when you plugged in your own numbers. Don’t worry if this doesn’t make any sense to you yet. We’ll break down the steps using an actual math problem example: We are told that themathematical relationships described above work for all numbers $x, y, z$. This means we are allowed to pick any numbers we would like for $x, y, z$ because any and all numbers must work. We have multiple variables and a complex series of equations. Let's make life easier on ourselves and give each of these variables a number. Let's say that: $x = 2$ $y = 3$ $z = 4$ Now, let's solve our problems in accordance with the rules we were given and see if the equations are equal. The first is: $x⊕y = y⊕ x$ Let's take the left half of the equation first and replace our variables with numbers. $x⊕y$ $2⊕3$ Well, according to our rules, this would be: $2⊕3 =(2)(3) + 2 + 3$ $$ The left half of our equation is. Now let's look at the right half to see if it is equal. $y⊕x$ $3⊕2= (2)(3) + 3 + 2$ $$ Both sides equal , so option I is correct. This means we can eliminate answer choices B and C. Now let's try the equation for option II, using our same numbers for our variables. $(x - 1)⊕(x + 1) = (x⊕x) - 1$ Again, let's take the left side of the equation first. $(x -1)⊕(x + 1)$ $(2 - 1)⊕(2 + 1)$ $1⊕3$ $1⊕3= (1)(3) + 1 + 3$ $7$ So the first half of the equation equals 7. Now let's see if the right half is equal. $(x⊕x) - 1$ $(2⊕2) - 1 = ((2)(2) + 2 + 2) - 1$ $7$ Both sides equal 7, so option II is correct. We can eliminate answer choice A. Finally, let's test the last equation. $x⊕(y + z) = (x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ Looking at the left side of the equation, we have: $2⊕(3 + 4)$ $2⊕7$ $2⊕7= (2)(7) + 2 + 7$ $23$ The left side of the equation equals 23. Now let's test the right to see if it matches. $(x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ $(2⊕3) = (2)(3) + 2 + 3$ $$ And $2⊕4 = (2)(4) + 2 + 4$ $14$ We are told to addthe two together, which gets us: $ + 14 = 25$ The left half of our equation was 23 and the right half was 25. The two expressions not equal, so option III is incorrect. This means our final answer is D, I and II are the only correct equations for all values of $x, y, z$. Again, we were able to choose all of our own numbers for this problem, but this will not universally be the case. Always pay attention to when you have the leeway to choose your own numbers for multiple (or all) variables, and when you must choose a number for only one variable and solve for the rest. The reason we were allowed to choose numbers for every variable above was because the problem told us the equations were true for all numbers. This meant that any numbers we chose followed the rules as outlined by the problem. You will be able to tell when you can plug in numbers for multiple variables because the problem will specifically tell you that "all numbers" or "all integers" must work in place of yourvariables. This gives you free reign to pick your numbers with impunity. If you don't see the words "all numbers" or "all integers"in the question, then you may only use your own number for one variable and solve for the rest. This will keep the variables following their defined rules and keep the relationships between them intact. Now let's look at a problem where we CANNOT pick our own numbers for every variable: Because we are not told that this problem works for "all numbers," we know we must choose our own number for just one variable and solve for the rest. In this problem, I've chosen to replace$v$ with my own number. Why $v$? Because $v$ shows up in the middle equation and so will be usefulfor finding our other variables. We can also see that $v = 4t$, so let's give $v$ a number that is divisible by 4. (Note: we do not HAVE to make $v$ divisible by 4, but it makes lifeeasier forus, as it means we will bedealingwith integers rather than decimals.) Solet's just say that $v = 8$. If we replace every $v$ with the number 8, our first equation would look like: $x = 3v$ $x = 3(8)$ $x = 24$ So we know now that, when $v = 8$, $x = 24$. Now for our second equation: $v = 4t$ $8 = 4t$ $t = 2$ So, when $x = 24$ and $v = 8$, $t$ will be 2. And finally, let's look at the last equation using our newly found numbers for $x$ and $t$. $x = pt$ $24 = p(2)$ $p = 12$ So $p$ equals 12. But wait! Maybe you think $p$ equals 12only in this this one instance and that it would equal something else had we chosen a different number for $v$. Well let's test it. Let's say that $v = 20$ instead of 8. $x = 3v$ $x = 3(20)$ $x = 60$ And our second equation: $v = 4t$ $20 = 4t$ $t = 5$ And finally, our last equation: $x = pt$ $60 = p(5)$ $p = 12$ As you can see, no matter what value we choose for one of our variables, $p$ will always equal 12 as long as we keep the relationships between the variables intact. So our final answer is 12, $p = 12$ Using PINcan be like having your own personal decoder ring. Tips and Tricksfor PIN Now that you know how PIN works,you can use it more quickly and accurately by using these tips for your ACT and SAT math questions: Tip 1) When using PIN, your best bet is to testeach and every answer choice, even after one of the answers matches the one you got for your original equation. Why should we do this? Because sometimes when we choose our own numbers, we can get multiple answer options that work. Let's say for this problem that you randomly chose 95 to be your two digit number for $x$. If: $x = 95$, then the tens digit $t = 9$, and the units digit $u = 5$. We are told that $y$ is the number found by reversing the digits, so when $x = 95$, $y = 59$. And finally, we are searching for the value of $x -y$. Using our numbers: $x - y = 95 - 59$ $x - y = 36$ Now let us test our answer options using the numbers we have found for our variables and see which one matches 36. F. $9(t - u)$ $9(9 - 5)$ $9(4)$ $36$ Answer F works! (We can also eliminate answer choice K right now, because $36≠  0$). G. $9(u - t)$ $9(5 - 9)$ $9(-4)$ $-36$ Answer G has been eliminated. H. $9t - u$ $9(9) - 5$ $81 - 5$ $76$ Answer choice H has been eliminated. J. $9u - t$ $9(5) - 9$ $45 - 9$ $36$ Uh-oh! We found 36 for both F and J. When this happens, we must choose a different number or set of numbers in order to eliminate the answer that only works sometimes. Our goal is to findthe answer that works always and no matter what. But now that we have chosen a different set of numbers, do we have to test each answer choice again? Nope! We already know that G, H and K didn’t work last time, so they won’t be our final answer. Again, weare looking for the answer that works every time. Only test F and J again. Instead of $x = 95$, let's say that $x = 43$ (Again, this number is entirely random and can be anything you'd like). If $x = 43$, then $t = 4$ and $u = 3$. It also means that $y$, as the reverse of $x$, will be 34. $x - y = 43 - 34$ $x - y = 9$ So now we are looking for the answer choices that match 9. So let us once more test F and J. F. $9(t - u)$ $9(4 - 3)$ $9(1)$ $9$ Looking pretty good for answer choice F. But let's look at J as well. J. $9u - t$ $9(3) - 4$ $27 - 4$ $23$ Success! We can eliminate answer choice J now and feel confident that F (and only F) will work no matter our values for $x$ and $y$. So our final answer is F, $9(t - u)$ Tip 2) When plugging in your own numbers,avoid using the numbers 1 or 0. It can be very easy to get multiple right answers or very screwy answers when using 1 or 0, so it is best to avoid them. For example, let's look again at the first problem we saw: Now let's say that we had said $x = 0$, $y = 1$, and $z = 2$. For the sake of saving time, the first two equations are still correct, but now let's look at the third. $x⊕(y + z) = (x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ First, let's look at the left half of the equation: $x⊕(y + z)$ $0⊕(1 + 2)$ $0⊕3$ $0⊕3= (0)(3) + 0 + 3$ $3$ Now let's look at the right half of the equation: $(x⊕y) + (x⊕z)$ $(x⊕y)$ $0⊕1 = (0)(1) + 0 + 1$ $1$ And $(x⊕z)$ $0⊕2 = (0)(2) + 0 + 2$ $2$ So when we add them together, we get: $1 + 2 = 3$ This means that both sides of the equation are equal, which would mean that I, II, AND III were all correct. And we already proved when we did this question earlier that III is actually incorrect. (Remember, the answer choices must work every single time.) If we had used 0 and/or 1 in place of our variables, we would have gotten the question wrong. We would have chosen answer E, when really answer D is correct. Tip 3) Good numbers to use when working with percentages are 100 or 10, as most percentages questions involve you having to manipulate them around. Using nice, round numbers can make life easy for you. Alice has been collecting sea shells for many years. From 2009 to 2010, she increased her collection by 30%. From 2010 to 2012, she added another 20% to her collection. But in 2014, she had to move away and get rid of 50% of her collection. What percentage of her original shell collection did Alice end up with? 75 78 100 150 156 Let's say, for the sake of a nice round number and a good one to use with percentages, that Alice started out with 100 shells. If she increased her collection by 30% from 2009 to 2010, then she would have $100 + 100(0.3) = 130$ shells in 2010. If she then increased her collection by another 20% from 2010 to 2012, she woud have $130 + 130(0.2) = 156$ shells in 2012. Now, she must get rid of 50% (half) of her shells. $156 - 156(0.5) = 78$ So she is left with 78 shells. And, since we used 100 for her original amount, we do not have to fiddle with finding percentages. We can simply see that she is left with 78% of her original collection. So our final answer is B, 78. One day Alice may feelthat she has enough sea shells. Today is not that day. When to Use Plugging in Numbers Because it is best to test out each answer option when using PIN, it can often take longer to solve a question this way than by using algebra alone. Sometimes you can check all the answers at a glance, which will save time, but whether or not using PIN will eat up more time than it saves truly depends on the question This question would be a slow PIN. If you don't remember how to FOIL and you are fuzzy on your rules for multiplying and subtracting integers and variables, then go ahead and use PIN here. But if you are at all comfortable with the above mathematical concepts, then simply work with your variables and save using PIN for another occasion. As a demonstration, see how fast it is to use algebra here: $(4z + 3)(z - 2)$ $(4z *z) + (4z * -2) + (3 * z) + (3 * -2)$ $4z^2 - 8z + 3z - 6$ $4z^2 - 5z - 6$ So your answer is J. On the other hand, look how slow the process is using PIN: Let's say our $z$ value is 4. $(4z + 3)(z - 2)$ $(4(4) + 3)(4 - 2)$ $(19)(2)$ $38$ So we are looking for an answer choice that matches 38. F. $4z^2 - 5$ $4(4^2) - 5$ $64 - 5$ $59$ Option F is too large, so we can eliminate it. We can also eliminate option G because we can see that it would be 58, which is still too large. H. $4z^2 - 3z - 5$ $4(4^2) - 3(4) - 5$ $64 - 12 - 5$ $47$ We can eliminate option H, as it is still too large. J. $4z^2 - 5z - 6$ $4(4^2) - 5(4) - 6$ $64 - 20 - 6$ $38$ We have found an answer that matches our original equation. This could be our right answer, but let's look at option K to make sure we don't have duplicate correct answers. At a glance, we can tell that option K ($4z^2 + 5z - 6$) would be too large, because we would be adding 20 to 64. This means we can comfortably eliminate it. So our final answer is J. Though we were still able to find our answer, it took noticeably longer using PIN. Basically, don't be afraid to use PIN to help you through a test, butmake sure you useit in places that will help you the most and get you to the right answer in the shortest amount of time. Now let's look at a quick PIN problem. This is a problem you can mostly do in your head using PIN. For example, give $a$ and $b$ small numbers and then you can work out your answer choicesfairly quickly. Let's say that $a = 2$ and $b = 3$. Using those numbers, we know then that the absolute value of $a - b = 1$. Why? Because $a - b$ = $2 - 3 = -1$ and absolute values make anything contained in them positive. (For more info on this, check out our guides to advanced integers on the ACT and SAT) So we can tell straight away that F is incorrect, as that would be 5. This means G is also incorrect, as it would be -5. H would be an imaginary number, as it is the square root of a negative. J would be a negative number. Only K makes sense and we can see for ourselves that it is correct. $-(2 - 3) = +1$, which is the answer we are looking for. So our final answer is K. See how we were able to solve thesecond questionnoticeably faster using PIN? As you do more and more ACT and SAT math practice problems, you'll better be able to intuit when to use PIN (and when to use algebra or skip the question entirely) as you go through your test. As a general rule, if you have a lot of spare time per section, then go ahead and use PIN! It may even save you time going back and double-checking your work (though it never hurts to be extra sure and double-check anyway). If, however, you find yourself running short on time, you may want to save using PIN for these circumstances only: 1) You cannot find a way to solve the problem without using PIN If you have absolutely no idea how to approach a problem, definitely use PIN! If you forget a math rule or equation, you can still find the answer with PIN. Often, you won’t have to know the rules for manipulating multiple variables or the rules for exponents, etc., if you can circumvent the question entirely by going straight to using your own numbers. 2) You have enough spare time that you can spend the extra using PIN If you’ve gone quickly and accurately enough through earlier sections, go ahead and let yourself have the extra seconds per question that PIN uses. Though the difference between an algebraic solve and a PIN solve may not be more than 30 or 40 seconds, that time can add up fast. Always be sure you are using your time to your best advantage to get the most points possible across the board. If you feel you are completely running short on time, however, check out our articles on how to buy yourself extra time on both the SATand the ACT. 3) You want to double-check your answer PIN can often act as its own question double-checker. This can sometimes help off-set the extra time PIN eats up, but don’t always count on this. Because you found the answer by testing it out using real numbers instead of variables, you don’t have to plug more numbers into the equation to make sure it worksyou already know it works! You’ve both solved your question and double-checked to make sure it was accurate all in one. 4) You feel that you may have found the wrong answer using algebraic methods Maybe you started in on the question right away with algebra and got halfway through before you felt that you had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Maybe you know you tend to get distributing questions or exponent questions wrong. Maybe the algebra equation you set up spit out an answer that didn’t come close to any that were provided (or worsemaybe the answer you found was just slightly off). If questions with multiple variables tend to trip you up, this means it’s probably a good idea to switch your method and try using PIN. 5) The question lies in a question range in which you have previously made several errors If you have taken a practice SAT or ACT and discovered that you generally start to make mistakes around the halfway or three-quarter mark, switch your tactics to PIN instead of algebraic methods in this section in order to increase your score. It can be slower, but it will be more accurate and you won’t have to spend as much time double-checking your work. The more practice you get using PIN, the more you'llknow when to hold 'em (and use PIN) and when to walk away. Can I Always Use Plugging in Numbers? Unfortunately some questions can NOT be solved by plugging in answers. Again, when the question and/or answer options include variables, you can oftenuse PIN. If, however, your answers use numbersintegers, decimals, or fractionsyour best bet is probably to use the strategy of plugging in answers. Most questions (though not all) can be solved using one of these two strategies. To demonstrate the broad range of question types that both PIA and PIN can cover, let us look real SAT and ACT math questions and how to solve them using PIA and PIN. Test Your Knowledge: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)In the figure above, $z = 50$. What is the value of $x + y$? 90 130 180 210 230 Answers: A, B, D, E Answer Explanations: 1) In this first problem, we are dealing with the costa boat for $x$ amount of dollars split first 3 ways and then 4. To make life easier on ourselves, let's pick a number for $x$ that is divisible by both 3 and 4, so that we do not have to work with decimals. So let's say that the cost of buyinga boat ($x$) is 120 dollars. Now, we are asked how much less it is per person to divide the cost by 4 instead of by 3. So let us divide 120 by both and find the difference. $120/3 = 40$ $120/4 = 30$ $40 - 30 = 10$ So, when the boat costs 120 dollars, each member of the group will pay 10 dollars less when the cost is split 4 ways instead of 3 ways. Now let us test our answer options to see which one matches 10 dollars. A. $x/12$ $120/12 = 10$ Answer A matches the answer we got. But before we celebrate, let us look over the other answer options to make sure there are no duplicate right answers. Options B and C would be too large. Ifour number for $x$ divided by 12 was perfect, then that same number divided by 3 or 4 would be much larger. Option E would also be enormous and far greater than 10 (as it is $x$ multiplied by 7), so that is out as well. We can also and finally eliminate option D. We found our correct answer simply by dividing our $x$ value by 12. If we multiplied and then divided, that number would be much larger. So our final answer is A, $x/12$ 2) We need to find 75% of $m$ and $k$ percent of 25 (which we are told are equal). Instead of using decimals and fractions (and potentially getting ourselves confused), let us assign a number for $k$. If we say, as a random choice, that $k = 60$, then we are finding 60% of 25. $25 * 0.6 = 15$ And we know that this number (15) is 75% of $m$. So, to find $m$, we would say: ${15 * 100}/75 = 20$ So we have: $k = 60$ $m = 20$ Now, we are asked to find $m/k$ $20/60 = 1/3$ So our final answer is B, $1/3$ 3) Here, we need to know the difference between $t$ and $t^2$. So let us say that $t = 3$. (Why didn't we use 2 for $t$? Because, occasionally, using 2 for questions about squares and roots can give us duplicate right answers. For now, we are using 3 to reduce the possibility of needing to start over and select a different number, but we will look over what would have happened had we used 2 at the end of the problem.) So, if $t = 3$, then $t^2 = 9$ The difference, then, between $t$ and $t^2$: $9 - 3 = 6$ So we are looking for an answer option that matches 6. Answers A, B, and C are all eliminated for being too small (answer C $= t = 3$). Answer D is $t(t - 1)$ $3(3 - 1)$ $3(2)$ $6$ Answer D is correct, but let's look at answer E to make sure D is our only correct answer.Answer E is $(t - 1)(t + 1)$ $(3 - 1)(3 + 1)$ $(2)(4)$ $8$ This does not match, which means D is our only possible correct answer. So our final answer is D,$t(t - 1)$ (But what would have happened if we had used $t = 2$ instead of $t = 3$? Well $t^2 = 2^2 = 4$ and the difference between $t^2$ and $t$ would have been $4 - 2 = 2$. So answers B, C, and D would have all been correct. When this happens, simply choose a different number, like $t = 3$ and test B, C, and D again.) 4) PIN can be used for both straight algebra problems and for geometry problems. As long as the numbers we choose follow the rules of geometry, then we should always get the right answer. So here we have a triangle and we know one angle measure ($z = 50$). So let us give a value for each of the other angles inside the triangle. If $z = 50$, then the other two angles have to add up to $180 - 50 = 130$. So let's call the angle next to $x$ 100, and the angle next to $y$ 30. If the angle next to $x$ is 100, and it createsa straight line with $x$, then $x = 180 - 100 = 80$ And if the angle next to $y$ is 30 and it creates a straight line with $y$, then $y = 180 - 30 = 150$ $x = 80$ and $y = 150$ Together, they equal: $80 + 150 = 230$ So our final answer is E, 230. Remember to always give your brain time to rest and recover while studying. You worked hard, so don't be afraid to take a little break. The Take-Aways The strategy of plugging in your own numbers can be invaluable if you find yourself confronted with a problem you don’t know how to solve algebraically, or if you want to make absolutely sure you have the correct answer. The drawback, however, is that PIN can eat up extra time. If you make sure to use your plugging-in strategies wisely and save them for times in which you need them most, you will likely find yourself solving problems you were never able to before. What’s Next? Now that you’ve gone through the ins and outs of PIN, make sure you know the other techniques for navigating standardized math questions. Be sure to check out our article on plugging in answers (PIA) to get a complete picture for how to circumvent using complex algebra on the SAT and ACT. Running out of time on ACT or SAT math? Look no further than how to buy time on SAT math and how to buy time on ACT math. Want to get a perfect score? Check out our article on how to get an 800 on the SAT math section and how to get a 36 on the ACT math section, both written by a perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Anthology Poems

It is just filled with 5 poetic lines which we had to either do a free verse poem, poems without rhyming or patterns and that don‘t follow any rules, or a blank verse which is a poem that uses no rhyming but has iambic pentameters (patterns). Or you can do a rhyme verse which is a poem that uses rhyming. My poem is blank verse because even though I have no rhyming I have a pattern. You see I repeat the word â€Å"reason† a few times and it follow a pattern. Read ona The Room No matter how many times I tell him, He never cleans his room! On how dirty it is! His underwear is under the ____ Bed. His papers are on the __f_lo__o_r__. Last weeks sandwich is a M O L D Y Mess! Theirs something called â€Å"Clean up your room! † I say to him everyday! At last I punished him with a ban on T. V. That’s when the stink went away. Description This poem is a poem with a speaker. A speaker poem is a person that is talking in the poem. Sometimes the speaker can be the author itself talking in the poem. Other times it is a made up character. In this case, you can figure out that the speaker is the kids mother because she â€Å"banned him with no T. V. † until his room is cleaned up. (Now mothers will do that, just ask my mother. ) Read ona My Cat My cat is dumb! Let me tell you that! He’s the opposite of what a cat Should be! He hates mice, But loves dogs. He doesn’t like milk, But prefers meat. Now tell me, Is that how a cat should be? Description This poem by yours truly is a irony poem. Ever heard of that word? Irony in poetic terms means when a result of something is the complete opposite of what you would expect. For example, in my poem you wouldn’t expect a cat to be friends with dogs. I mean dogs and cats hate each other. Well at least that’s what we would expect. And for a cat to not like milk! Unbelievable, right? (Yea I know, I have a dumb cat. But it is ironic that my cat behaves the opposite of what cats should behave like. That is why this poem is a irony poem. Read ona I Love You Do you remember? All the fun times we had. Oh how you would laugh at my jokes. Oh I’d do anything To hear your lovely voice. Your voice makes me smile Even when I’m mad. So I wrote this poem, To tell you, That I love you! Description This poem is a theme poem. Yes you heard right. Theme. Theme is the main idea in a poem or the authors feelings/thoughts. In this poem the theme is love. This is easy to figure out because the poem just says right there that the person loves another person. Some times these poems can be in a shape. Like my poem is shaped kind of like a heart and the theme of it is love. Isn’t it sweet? Read ona Just A Kiss Silence walks upon the stone halls. As you sleep for a hundred years. Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer Visited you every year. Hoping to find you up and about. But just as they feared, Everything is weird- Sleeping Beauty has just premiered. But not before your sleep is evoked, Before you stands Charming himself. Thus, a kiss on the lips, Was all that was needed, To arouse you from your ancient sleep. Description This is another poem by me that is an allusion poem. Allusion in poetry terms means when a poem makes a reference to another poem. For example in my poem Just A Kiss the allusion is Sleeping Beauty sleeping for a hundred years until Prince Charming came to wake her from her deep sleep. I am alluding the story of Sleeping Beauty to my poem. Read ona I Wish I wish to drift into the darkness. Into the shadows of death. Slowly my grip loosens. I am trapped in an avalanche. This pain-its too much! I’m like snow trapped in the suns rays. Slowly and silently, I’ll rise, From this nightmare. Description This poem is a chance poem. Nothing big but we just had to pick 5 words from this list and use those words to make a poem. Read ona Moment Of Freedom The monsters in my head, They tell me I’m crazy. Maybe I am. These monsters, they yell and scream, Until I let them out. But they come back, they always do. These monsters they bring me crimson delight. Fresh crimson pleasure, trickling down my arm As the blade digs deeper, I find a moment of freedom. A moment where everything stops. Everything is peaceful. Everything is fine. But soon the monsters will come back. Then, no longer will I feel the pain. No longer will I feel crimson joy. Everything will be back to normal, With the monsters screaming, Until I let them out again. Description This poem is a poem with figurative language poem. Figurative language is a term in poetry when you compare two unlike things to make something clear. For example if I say the soap bubbles in the bath tub are like clouds in the sky, I am comparing the soap bubbles to the clouds, but the soap bubbles aren’t really clouds, right? In this poem I am comparing the suicide thoughts of the speaker to monsters. Read ona Nothing But The Best You’re my summer sun, And I’m your winter wind. No matter what mistakes I make, All the times I’ve yelled at you, You’re always there. Even when I’m fierce like the winter wind; Howling all the time, My nerves are calmed by your sunshine smile. You’re a treasure chest, Full of priceless gems. To me you’re nothing but the best. Description This poem is a poem of assonance/alliteration. Assonance is when you use repetition of the sound of a vowel. I don’t think I have tat but I do have alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of 2 or more words that end with the same sound or start with the same letter. For example in the poem I said â€Å"winter wind† both words have a â€Å"w† in the beginning. I also used â€Å"sunshine smile† which has a â€Å"s† in the beginning of each word. This is how my poem uses assonance/alliteration. Read ona The Monster Mama always said she loved me. But then why do I cry every time she came home? Why do I hide under the bed, Praying she didn’t come looking for me? Before daddy left, She told me I was her sweet little angel. So why does she tell me that she hates me? Why is it the she says I’m a nuisance? What did I do, To get black and blue, Bruises all over my body. Mama always told me, That the monster always haunts kids, Who lie and cheat and hit people. Then why did she lie to me when she told me, That daddy ran away, When she kicked him out of the house? And why did she cheat on daddy before he Went to another place? And why does she hit me with her whiskey bottle? Why does she love to see me cry When the glass cuts my skin? Mama knew what she did to me, But what she didn’t know was that the monster was, The only one that said it loved me. Description This poem is a poem on symbolism. Symbolism is the idea or topic of the poem. For example, the night is a symbol of death. Or in the poem I made the monster symbolizes the thoughts one would have after abuse. Read ona The End My past is finished, It’s all filled with pain. My past is killing me, ‘Cause I’m trapped in this lane. My mind is at war with me, I can’t control the thoughts deep inside me. I’m bent out of shape with all this pain, I think it’s time I’ve played life’s game. Before it’s time I ask myself, ‘Is this the end? Will there ever be a tomorrow? ’ Almost turning away, I turn right back, I decide there is nothing more for me, Only the end can set me†¦ Free†¦ Description This last poem is a free verse poem. Like I explained in the other poem called â€Å"Reason† I said that free verse poems are poems without rhyming or patterns and that don‘t follow any rules. And just like in this poem I did not follow any patterns. aSTOP? *NO MORE POEMS*

China in the 21st Century Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

China in the 21st Century - Thesis Example However, it should also be noted in this regard that the stated facets should not be distorted just for the reason of sustaining or for supporting a specific policy consequence1. The existence of intelligence activities in a particular democracy is learnt to exist since long. It is considered to necessary for a certain democracy for the reason of defending the particular state or country in opposition to every form of threats with respect to the national security. The services related to the security intelligence are considered to be facet related to the police force of the nation and so is considered to be a legal activity. It was long forecasted by various analysts of the West that China was competent enough to have a greater degree of control as well as influence with respect to the global scenario. China is considered to be the sole nation in order to value the annual assessments of the different military activities with regard to the United States Congress. ... with respect to China, the most potential and imperative aspect of the nation, which is measured to be its intelligence has been learnt to be usually ignored by the US. It needs to be mentioned in this regard that the intelligence activities conducted by China was viewed to be amongst the greatest risks posed to the US in the recent times2. Thesis Statement The study would intend to focus on the activities that are carried out by the intelligence agencies of China or rather the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Various attempts are found to be made by the PRC to obtain information regarding the programs related to the nuclear weapons. It also requires to be mentioned in this respect that China has already proved to be successful to a significant extent in getting hold of the desired kind of information. In relation to this particular context, the assortment of methods that are learnt to be made use of by the PRC in order to collect information from the US would also be concent rated on along with providing a detailed explanation for each. Based on the provided explanation, the most effective method engaged by the PRC which could be measured to be the greatest threat for the US would be ascertained. Human Intelligence Overseas The Chinese espionage is considered to be managed primarily by two different agencies, i.e. the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), particularly the Second Department of the General Staff Department of the PLA and the Ministry of State Security (MSS). While the facet of intelligence is perceived to be quite a recognizable complexity for any intelligence forecaster, the modus operandi of the Chinese intelligence is however known to offer some form of new realistic complicatedness with regard to the attempts put in by the western

Solution Description Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solution Description - Research Paper Example Primary interventions address coronary artery disease risk factors whilst secondary intervention addresses the health adverse outcomes. Patient’s safety can only be improved through medical adherence. This depends on the patient self-management such as lifestyle modification. All these need support from the health care system. Proposed solution From the survey conducted, it is evident that among the young males newly diagnosed with coronary artery disease, 70% of them have diabetes mellitus and hypertension in their medical history. In addition to that, 60% of these people smoke. However, they regularly carry out some physical exercise and do not have any idea of what coronary artery disease means to their health. This, therefore, means that they do not understand what is expected of them in order to contain the disease with reference to dietary. Given the fact that this population has no idea on diet, they have to be taught on what is expected of them. According to Hermida (2 011), changes in dietary can help in reducing the young men’s systolic blood pressure due to diabetes mellitus and hypertension in their medical history. The dietary factors that need to be considered by this group are reduced amount of salt intake and saturated fat contents. Adherence to these controls helps in managing hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Besides dietary changes, these individuals need to be encouraged not to smoke and also shun environmental smoke (Mosca et al., 2007). Compliance with lifestyle modification improves the patient’s quality of life via eliminating premature deaths and preventing further complications. To the patients’ immediate family, compliance relieves them of the negative psychological effects of losing their loved ones. Additionally, adherence conserves the resources of the family that would have been channeled in the obtaining of health care. Organizational culture: This section aims to illustrate how lifestyle modification , as the proposed solution, is consistent with the organization of resources and culture of the society. To the society at large, patient compliance with treatment is an effective measure of saving costs. This is because it decreases complications of incidents and the need for further medications. This is of great significance to the health care public financed systems. Compliance has a great impact on the health care system. For instance, it limits hospitalization needs and reduces workloads on the healthcare system staff. In addition, satisfactory outcomes of treatment boost the attending clinician’s morale whilst failure in treatment frustrates them and impacts their work delivery. Expected Outcome of the Project The expected outcome of the project is to improve the adherence of the patients to enhance their safety. The main reason is that chronic conditions such as the coronary artery disease need a lot of care. In addition, most of this care focuses on the patient self-m anagement. As a result, it requires complex multi-therapies and medical technology use for monitoring patient lifestyle change. Therefore, if these patients are not supported adequately by the health care system, they may be prone to risks that are life-threatening. The outcome will be achieved by educating the patients on lifestyle modifications such as the amount of salt intake, significance of physical activity, avoiding smoking, reducing the

Applied Information Technology Project Part2 Assignment

Applied Information Technology Project Part2 - Assignment Example By sustaining a narrow profit margin, the grocery proved to be successful and by 1926, M.B. acquired 322 Safeway stores and incorporated as Safeway Inc. the merger saw the incorporation of the grocery to Safeway Inc. before joining the New York Stock Exchange. As a form of improving the quality of products, Safeway introduced product quality assurance through a â€Å"sell by† date on the perishable products for the assurance of quality and nutrients labelling. As of 2013, Safeway Inc had an operating income of U.S. $17.219 billion and employed approximately 138,000 employees. According to Someville (n.p), today Safeway controls about $25 billion in private equity from New York Security Exchange. Since 1928, Safeway Inc. has been listed on the New York Stock exchange, and its headquarters are situated in Pleasanton, California. The retail store’s mission is to ensure that its employees establish loyal relationships with its clients, while its mission emphasizes the use o f employees’ talents and passion to grant customers the best experience. Although Safeway Stores are in the process of merging with Albertsons Grocery Stores, their name while remain while business will proceed as usual under new management. Owing to the merger, some Safeway stores expect great improvements, including better customer services and cleaner stores. In addition, Alberterson reveals that its aim of acquiring Safeways was to put a shine on it through improved customer service and memorable customer experience. However, there is little hope that Safeways will remain given that Albertsons has a history of demising acquired firms such as Hayward-Based Mervyns that was declared bankrupt in 2008. Another controversial aspect of the merger is that Albertson is known for its stake in car, and guns and military and not supermarkets or grocery operations. The acquisition of Safeway places it in a company that has 27 distribution facilities, 2,400 stores, and 20

Curriculum Development for CTE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Curriculum Development for CTE - Research Paper Example The program ensures that it offers the necessary skills and certificates that students require in their careers. It contains a set of the curriculum which is structured to reflect on the basics that are taught during technical training of students. The printed materials used in the CTE program fully match the training requirements because they are in accordance with the syllabus so as to enhance cohesion and understanding of the basics by the students. The students passing through this program highly benefit from the verse academic and technological resources presented by the institutions offering this program. This is because they gain the much needed first hand information on the basics (Wang & King, 2009). The equipments used in the CTE program are always technologically updated to ensure that the instructors teaching the program curriculum finds them efficient and effective to them and the students. This exposes students to the technological world and ensures efficiency upon sitt ing for the real classes. In most cases, it is the government that takes sole responsibility of sponsoring the CTE program for economical purposes. This enhances efficiency on the part of the instructors as they have all the necessary materials; on the other hand, it takes the burden away from private individuals who are out to make profits, and to make it an affordable to every student. Its aim is to bring change in the educational subjects that are of immense importance to the economy. They aim at imparting students with such skills like engineering and medicine which are of meaning to the expansion of the economy technologically (Wang & King, 2009). Reflections To evaluate the CTE program, the outcomes for the program must be measured for accuracy. This can be done through a survey, by conducting a research using a questionnaire to investigate the student remarks, or a sample research where samples of students are asked and data approximated. The CTE curriculum is aimed at helpin g students to acquire the basic skills through a clear organized and reflective program, which is its main purpose. The CTE program has tremendously assisted in my education because to a certain level the resources provided by the program have simplified my academic work, hence the accomplishment of school work accurately, efficiently, and effectively. My technical institution is a beneficiary of the program, and I get the privilege to access various academic resources provided for the student’s purposes. These academic resources have boosted learning and grades in school. Initially, most students could not attain the results which were essential in taking a CTE course, but with the changing times, majority of the students in technical institutions have registered for CTE courses. An example is, before I was enrolled for a CTE course, I experienced certain challenges that denied me an opportunity into the program. The most significant was my geographical area. It turned out t o be one of my nastiest nightmares because the district I came from did not benefit from the program, since it was inaccessible due to a variety of reasons. In my view, all CTE programs should be incorporated to enable it maintain its viability in secondary school education in technical education. The program largely contributes in such fields like

Analyse how Public Relations communications theory can help an Essay

Analyse how Public Relations communications theory can help an understanding of the role of new media - Essay Example Toward the end of the century, as business corporations became the dominant institutions of our times, the scope of PR widened and assumed new roles in the commercial realm of product marketing. At the birth of the new millennium, the ascendency of digital technology into the mainstream has once again enhanced and redefined the nature and role of public relations industry. Irrespective of the evolution and change of mediums of communication over the last century, the essence of PR industry has remained more or less the same. In other words, the theoretical framework within which the PR industry operates is applicable across media technologies, both new and traditional. This essay will pertain itself to the analysis of how Public Relations communications theory can help understanding the role of new media. Firstly, new media is a term that is used to refer to a range of communication options that fall along a spectrum. The research team of Diana Owen and Richard Davis have done extensive analytical work on new media. They describe the wide range of new media technologies thus: â€Å"At one end are communications platforms based on old technologies that have taken on new political roles, such as radio and television talk programs, tabloids, and television news magazines. In the middle of the spectrum are mixed or hybrid media that combine elements of traditional media with newer technologies. These include 24-hour cable news programs and the Internet sites of newspapers and magazines. On the far end of the spectrum are new media that have developed as a result of new technology that has been put to novel political uses. Internet applications, such as social networking Web sites like Facebook and MySpace, blogs, video-sharing sites including YouTube, and podcasts fall into this category.† (Owen & Davis, 2008) What we learn from the history of PR theory over the last century is the identification of