The Air Pollution And Its Effects On The People Of Sarnia

Aamjiwnaang First Nation Group effected by the Nearby Chemical Valley â€Å"The more clouds in the sky, the more people will die†, are the words of a young child in Sarnia, Ontario. The first thing you notice about Sarnia is the smell of rotten eggs, but it is not rotten eggs you are smelling. That would be all the chemicals that are polluting the air from all the industries that have been developed. The air pollution has been described as the the worst air in Canada. Aamjiwnaang is a first nation tribe that is located in Sarnia, Ontario. Their territorial grounds is near a Chemical Valley that is made up of forty percent of Canada’s industries. There is about â€Å"sixty oil refineries and industrial strips that over see the St. Clair River†. These industries have severely impacted the environment by releasing toxic fumes into the environment resulting with an impact on the health and habitat and wildlife. Pollution of the air and soil has had the greatest impact on the people of Sarnia. To the people of Sarnia, gardening is a component to their everyday lives, which keep them in touch with nature. For generations, the Aamjiwnaang people have been living off of these lands, until toxins from the the chemical valley have polluted the soil. Locals argue that the produce that is able to be grown is still contaminated. In addition, due to the pollution of chemicals into the environment, the animals and wildlife is also being contaminated. Therefore, they are force to either huntShow MoreRelatedA Report By Nolan Marriott1637 Words   |  7 Pagesclosing the plants, then will discuss how the overall environmental affect the environment. To conclude the effects of these causes will be reviewed looking at the resultant job outlook. This report will allow Ontarians to gain knowledge about this controversial situation and better understand why the final decision was made, clarifying information that may be found in the media. The pollution found from these power sources was inevitably offset, but to what extent is the matter at hand. In addition

I/O Psychology Functionalism, Technology, Training, and...

I/O Psychology: Functionalism, Technology, Training, and Cognitive Psychology The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how functionalism and cognitive psychology align with Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology, and defend the use functionalism and cognitive psychology, schools of thought to support the research topic on the effect of technological advancements, such as avatars, holograms, and computer/web-based instruction in employee training and development. In addition this paper serves as a call to action for those in the I/O psychology field to become leaders in research and the development of theories that practical applications in the work environment. Schools of Thought: Functionalism and Cognitive Psychology I/O†¦show more content†¦From the beginning, I/O psychologists were psychotechnologists who sought to understand the how and why of human adaptive behavior through observation, testing, and experimentation in order to predict and control behavior through the practical application of theory in business and industry through the exploration of individual differences, mental processes, emotional regulation, motivation, and behavior (Bingham, 1953; Katzell Austin, 1992; Koppes Pickren, 2007; Landy, 1997). Pychotechnology defined by Bingham (1953), Koppes and Pickren (2007), and Landy (1997) as an objective discipline in immersed in the scientific practice of psychology that seeks to explain an organisms adaptive ability to the environment through the exploration of individual differences in mental processes and behaviors that promote productivity and efficiency in the work environment to maintain and improve an organiz ations competitive advantage through the practical application of theory; thereby, earning the I/O psychology the usual distinction of an technology based field with a focus on practical issues (Koppes Pickren, 2007, p. 26). It is the understanding of history of I/O psychology that helps future. While functionalism provides the historical foundation for I/O psychology and the research on technology in the work, cognitive psychology adds to the richness of the research byShow MoreRelatedContemporary Applications of Schools in Psychology8487 Words   |  34 Pagesï » ¿INTRODUCTION Psychology evolved out of both philosophy and biology. Throughout psychologys history, a number of different  schools of thought  have formed to explain human thought and behavior. These schools of thought often rise to dominance for a period of time. While these schools of thought are sometimes perceived as competing forces, each  perspective  has contributed to our understanding of psychology. Some of the major schools of thought in psychology are Structuralism, Functionalism, Gestalt psychologyRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagescases, examples and good summaries for every chapter. Professor Martin Lindell, Hanken Business School, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Finland This book makes it easier to understand the current stand of organization theory. I strongly recommend it to anyone seriously interested in the different intellectual traditions that contribute to our understanding of organizations. Professor Tomas Mà ¼llern, Jà ¶nkà ¶ping International Business School, Sweden . McAuley, Duberley and

Using Technology as a Tool to Improve Teaching and Learning Processes Free Essays

string(99) " have the aptitude to think critically about the ICT they use as well as the texts that they read\." Abstract A research proposal setting out a planned study concerned with the use of ICT in education, and looking particularly at how ICT can be used to make teaching the classics of English literature more relevant to today’s teenagers. An introduction looks at the background for the study, and its rationale, while subsequent sections set out the proposed methodology in detail. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Using Technology as a Tool to Improve Teaching and Learning Processes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Introduction / Background to Study This study is motivated by the need to discover the best ways to make English literature relevant to adolescents today. After all, in order to teach dusty, old 19th Century novels or Shakespeare or even modern day novels to groups of children/teenagers that are used to the language of the iPhone and the Xbox represents a challenge to most English teachers. However, it could also be said to represent an opportunity to ensure that these same English texts are brought alive in some way, showing how they continue to be relevant to young people today.Young people are typically large-scale producers of digital communications (Lewis and Moje 2009), and the phenomenon of texting means they are likely to write more than adolescents of 20 years ago. As such, an exploration of classic texts is arguably particularly relevant to their experiences. The study is also informed by the role currently played by ICT in teaching. The aim of this part of the assignment is to understand how the spread of ICT can benefit education systems worldwide as well as the students being taught. It will also look at whether and how ICT can affect the outcomes of education with a world divided between the digital natives (those who have grown up after the spread of digital technology) and the digital immigrants (those who have had to learn how to use new ICT skills) (Lankshear and Knobel 2007). However, beyond this debate is a related debate: whether there are any benefits to using technology (and specifically ICT) in the classroom. Within the modern schoolroom the division is such that there are times when digital immigrants are teaching the digital natives using latest technologies with which the latter are sometimes more familiar. There is a related question which this brings up: is ICT always be beneficial to students, or can it be relied upon too much. There are many subjects in which ICT has a definite place. Maths and science-based subjects seem to benefit from the interactivity that ICT can offer especially in terms of how Powerpoint and interactive whiteboards can be used for the benefit of students. Pitler (2009) suggests that the use of technology within the classroom can increase ‘student learning, understanding and achievement’ when applied efficiently (Pitler: 2009: 3). However, some critics note that technology can also be relied upon too much.Part of the challenge that teachers and educationalists face with technology’s use in education is that not enough is known about the technology used within education before it is utilised (Trucano: 2008). Only afterwards are the educational implications actually thought about. With both of these views in mind it could be argued that the teacher is in a position to consider the use of various programs or applications regarding their ‘appropriateness to learning objectives’ (Evans et al: 2009: 183) and whether they really need ICT to augment the learning of their students. There is also a question of whether ICT is appropriate to all subjects. While it is widely accepted within the UK that it has a role in all subjects, allowing pupils to produce well-presented work, for example (Capel 2005), there is perhaps an argument to be made that it should play a smaller role in subjects including English. Another relevant point is raised by a research by Connolly and Ward (2008) entitled ‘Let them Eat Shakespeare’. In this study, they strove to question the placing of English Literature teaching and its list of prescribed authors in a 21st Century environment filled with ever-advancing technologies and changing ideologies. They point out that there are cultural, social and political forces in play which mean that the National Curriculum reflects a set of decisions made by those in power regarding what should and should not be acceptable to study, and also means that â€Å"proscribed authors are a force that acts against both democracy and the development of critical citizenship† (Connolly and Ward 2008, p. 21-22). Should many of the authors currently taught be rejected not because of issues about making them relevant, but because they reflect an unquestioned exercise in power and political control Perhaps, they suggest, a critical attitude towards dominant text s is what should be fostered? In this context, the current study has been designed to investigate whether, by creative use of new digital technologies, ICT can have a place at the very heart of the English curriculum and help make classic works of literature relevant to students today.It also addresses the question of why such classic works might be relevant to students, and therefore why they should form part of the curriculum. It is felt that this study can add to the body of knowledge already available. As technological changes occur at a rapid rate, academic research needs to be current in order to keep up-to-date with new types of technology, advances in ICT and new teaching approaches. In this context, it seems clear that more educational research needs to be done. In particular, it seems to be the case that teachers in general have an increasing challenge in enabling their students to learn. This fact seems to be consolidated by findings from Truscano (2008) and NATE (National Association for the Teaching of English) in 2011 which stated that English as a discipline has an ‘additional duty to educate†¦.in the critical study of media and electronic texts’ (NATE: 2011: www.nate.org.uk [onine]). It is interesting to note that NATE (2011) emphasised the word ‘critical’ when discussing teaching students regarding electronic texts. This means that teachers (and especially E nglish teachers) seem to be given the responsibility of enabling students to have the aptitude to think critically about the ICT they use as well as the texts that they read. You read "Using Technology as a Tool to Improve Teaching and Learning Processes" in category "Essay examples" In addition to the aims outlined above, this study will also address how teachers can help students take a more critical perspective on both the ICT they use and the texts they read. 2. Ethics Checklist Does your research involve human participantsYES Does your research involve accessing personal, sensitive or confidential dataYES Does your research involve ‘relevant material’ as defined by the Human Tissue Act (2004)NO Does your research involve participants who are 16 years and over who lack capacity to consent and therefore fall under the Mental Capacity Act (2005)NO Will the study involve NHS patients, staff or premises or Social Services users, staff or premisesNO 3. Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework for this study can be expressed as a series of related questions, below. Each inspires further questions and / or answers Is it necessary to make classics relevant to children today? Yes: children today write more than before No: Debatable: ‘classics’ are determined by wider political and cultural power relationships. Need foster questioning attitude How can we best make the classics relevant to children today? What is specific about current situation – IT / Digital Technologies Use of iPhone / Xbox / texting / personal computing What is the Current nature of ICT teaching in schools? Should all subjects embrace ICT equally What tools are currently used within English classroom What is current use of film / video technology Can better / more creative use be made of film / video technology to facilitate student’s engagement with key texts 4. Research Methodology The study proposed uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, with a focus upon qualitative techniques. Qualitative research focuses upon small scale collection of data, looking at one or two particular incidences. It is primarily concerned with textual responses. It contrasts with quantitative studies, which are typically larger scale and collect data in numeric form. Quantitative studies primarily follow a scientific model of reality and knowledge in which a testable hypothesis is generated prior to data collection. Qualitative data, while lacking the statistical vigour of quantitative studies, can offer insight into the richness of experience (Babbie 2010). The researcher has elected to use mixed methods in order to capture the fullness of the area under study. It is a flexible approach that allows the researcher to build upon findings as they emerge, and which can incorporate reliability with detailed studies of participant experiences (Hesse-Biber and Leav y 2010). The study also uses the approach of triangulation. Essentially, triangulation is used to ensure that the researcher is able to use at least three types of data (hence, triangulation) to either back up, complement or oppose other data that has been gathered. In many ways it is like a three-part jigsaw puzzle where when every piece of it is put in place then the picture is complete. However, Flick (2009) suggests that triangulation does not always have to be used in every context and that there are several questions that need to be asked by the researcher before it is (Flick: 2009: 446-447). These include the usual issues of cost and time as well as suitability to the topic being studied and legal issues (Flick: 2009: 447).Flick (2009) also suggests that the quality of the triangulation being used would need to be questioned and suggested several ways to do this. One of these methods of quality control was to do with the researcher being able to ‘combine’ methods effe ctively and asking about the ‘relevance’ that each single method had in the research: for example do the methods each address different levels relevant to the subject In other words, the researcher needs to ask him/herself whether the triangulation serves its purpose and how. It was felt that this approach, despite greater time and money costs, was justified in this instance in order to understand all aspects of the situation considered: the ways in which a film / video intervention might be used to make classic works of literature more relevant. The idea behind the use of triangulation of research methods that will be employed within this research project is therefore to establish a relationship between the research methodologies that would be employed and to integrate their results into a cohesive whole. The results of the questionnaires, the data obtained from the interviews as well as the data obtained from observations will be taken together and analysed to see i f they support each other, and in what areas (if any) they seem to produce contradictory results. 5. Data Collection Tools The study will look at two groups of students in year 10. This does raise an issue about sample size. If the sample of people questioned or observed is too large then there is too much evidence for the researcher to deal with and the data becomes too unwieldy to calculate accurately given the limited resources available to the present researcher. However, if the research sample is too small then the researcher does not have enough data to go on (Jacobsen 2011). In this case, the sample used also has to be representative of a larger group of pupils and has to reflect the social reality of the school in which the project is taking place as well as its surrounding area. Therefore, in order for the data to be truly valid it ideally needs to have a cross-section of pupils from all abilities and ethnicities.While these constraints would perhaps dictate a different approach in an ideal situation without constraints of time, access or money, in this situation the researcher was limited t o educational groups to which she could easily obtain access. For this study, the focus will be on two Year 10 English Literature classes who are learning ‘Macbeth’ as part of their GCSE coursework. Two interventions were designed as part of the study. Each of two groups, as part of the project, will be examining the scene where the Witches meet Macbeth and Banquo (Act 1 Scene 3). Firstly, both groups will be given a scene on a handout with questions on it relating to the scene and how it relates to the play as a whole, which they work on in pairs.Different film clips of the scene from different versions of Macbeth will be shown to them on YouTube. The students will then be given the task of answering questions on these clips. The questions will cover a number of areas including camera angles, special effects and character positioning, and how these can add meaning to the play. In another session, the pupils will be using the same act and scene of the play and acting it out in the sports hall.These sessions, and the experiences of being involved in them, will be the subject of the data collected during this study. The reason behind the two different interventions is to ensure that all learning styles (visual, auditory and kinaesthetic) are catered for over the two groups. One of the groups (Group 1) will also be given their own laptops and their own wiki with which they can discuss different aspects of the play and this scene in particular while the second group (Group 2) will not be given any additional use of ICT in order to achieve the goal of re-enacting their own version of the scene. Group 2 will therefore function as a control group to assess the extent to which these additional tools facilitate learning. Three types of method will be used to collect data: questionnaire, face-to-face interview, and ethnographic observation. These will be discussed in greater detail below. For all of these research methodologies there are both advantages and disadvantages in an educational environment especially if the researcher also teaches. Questionnaires will be given out at the end of the sessions with the pupils and will be given to both groups. The questionnaires will contain a mixture of open, closed and Likert scale questions which will ensure that the results include both quantitative and qualitative data. Open questions are one where the respondent can express their general thoughts on a subject, for example â€Å"what did you find good about that experience†. There are no suggested answers, rather respondents should be encouraged to state everything that comes to mind on the topic. By contrast, closed questions offer a set answer list, from which respondents can chose one or more answers.This allows easy analysis of the data, although can limit the depth of the response. Likert scales are a special type of closed question in which answers from a sequential scale, perhaps from â€Å"I agree strongly† through â€Å"I neither agree nor disagree† to â€Å"I disagree strongly† (Bryman and Bell 2007). The design of the questionnaire for this study, including various question types, is intended to elicit a wide range of data, and make the process of triangulation easier, as results can be checked against each other (McNiff and Whitehead: 2009: 179).The questions in the questionnaire will ask students about their perceptions of the technologies used in classrooms, for example the extent to which they felt their learning was improved by individual technologies.A pilot questionnaire will be used to ensure that the questions included are the most appropriate, are easy to ask, and can be easily understood, and can improve the questionnaire in other ways (Cohen et al 2007). It was felt that questionnaires offer advantages in the environment studied. They are, that is, relatively easy to distribute and, if they are administered correctly, are also unobtrusive. They should also take relatively little time for the participants to fill in. The advantage also with using questionnaires with students is that they can be incorporated into the lesson that they are doing. The teacher is able to hand them out, ensure they are filled in, and collect them without too much difficulty.However, the researcher is aware that there are also disadvantages with questionnaires within the educational environment. The educational researcher has to make sure that the questionnaires are anonymous or students have to at least be given the choice to give their name or not, in order to provide adequate confidentiality. Students might be reluctant to give their thoughts if they feel they are likely to be held accountable for their reactions. Questionnaires are also limited in t he types of data that can be gathered. The range of types of questions needs to be varied in order to ensure that there is breadth of data both qualitative and quantitative. In order to ensure that ethical considerations in this research are fulfilled, both the head teacher and the Head of Faculty will be shown the questionnaires and the research proposal so that they are informed exactly what the project is all about. A declaration will also be drafted to accompany the questionnaire, to inform the students who fill it in of the confidentiality of the data they give, of their rights to withdraw from the study at any time, and giving an overview of the purpose of the study. In addition to the questionnaires, the study will also collect face-to-face interviews with the students, about their perceptions of what they have learned. Again, these interviews would be based around perceptions that Year 10 students have regarding ICT use in the classroom. These interviews would use mostly open questions and would be semi-formal in order to produce a more conducive atmosphere. Face-to-face techniques have some advantages, for example they allow the researcher to help the respondent better understand the question (without leading the respondent in a particular direction), and they can generate fuller responses as the interviewer can make use of techniques of probing (Cohen et al 2007).Semi-structured interviews have advantages when used in an educational environment as they can be used as part of the assignment or lesson. They also offer more scope for the collection of more detailed and richer responses. As Burns (2009) suggests: The aim of a semi-structured interview is to enable you to make some kind of comparison across your participants’ responses, but also to allow for individual diversity and flexibility (Burns: 2009: 75). They can also enable the interviewee to be more relaxed and at home with the interviewing process thus enabling more information to flow (Burns 2009). On the other hand, one disadvantage with the semi-structured interview is the concept of interviewer interference. This is the idea that the person doing the interviewing would hypothetically be in the position of affecting the outcome of the interview by asking leading questions that, either accidentally or intentionally, lead the interviewee into answering the question in a certain way.Bell and Opie (2002) as cited in Bell (2005) state that this can be a way of ‘overweighting’ the research to suit the interviewer’s bias and would therefore distort the figures produced. Bell (2005) goes on to say that researchers need to be ‘wise and vigilant, critical of our interpretation of the data, regularly question our practice and†¦.triangulate’ (Bell: 2005: 167). This kind of reflective practice has its place both for teachers and for researchers. In addition to the interviews with the students, a further 30 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews will also be carried out amongst teachers, looking at their relationship with the technology they use. These interviews will usually take place within the classroom and will be pre-appointed to cater for their busy daily schedule. Prior approval will also be obtained from the head teacher for these interviews and she will also be interviewed herself on the same topic. Her semi-structured interview may be worded differently as she is directly involved with how ICT is utilised within her school. Finally the study will also include ethnographic observations of students within their learning environment, to see how they and the teacher interact with ICT (especially compared with ‘digital immigrant’ teachers). The purpose of ethnographic observation is to observe from an insider’s point of view (Bell: 2005: 17). In this case, observations will be carried out over a 2 week period, and the researcher will observe in the classroom situation how pupils from different classes and from different backgrounds interact with the teacher and whatever electronic learning and teaching aids they may use.The researcher will incorporate techniques from action research, such as interacting with the subjects under study (Greenwood 1999), in order to make their presence seem more ‘natural’ and accepted by the students. As well as this, the lessons that will be taught as part of the project will give the researcher the opportunity to observe how the students inte ract with the technology. In terms of educational research, this type of approach involves contact with, and close observation of, the pupils that are being observed. It has many advantages: for example it allows the researcher to share perspectives with the people studied, in a way which is not allowed by other means. The researcher is able â€Å"to understand better why they act in the way that they do and to see things as those involved see things† (Bell: 2005:17). However, Bell (2005) as well as other critics, also cite a number of disadvantages with ethnographic observation such as time issues. One main challenge with ethnographic observation is the issue of representativeness. That is, to what extent can the findings in small-scale studies of this type be generalised and allow more wide-sweeping conclusionsIn this case, what may be typical of that particular group being studied may not be typical of another group within the school. So the validity of this project might be called into questi on, because the observed behaviour or views collected may not be typical of the whole school. I aim to overcome this drawback by including other types of research, and by setting the study in the context of the literature review, which will draw upon findings from other studies. 6. Proposed Schedule JanFebMarAprilMayJuneJuly Research Design Planning Literature Review Data Collection Data Analysis Dissertation Draft Final Dissertation Research design – – – – Planning – – – – Literature review – – – – Data collection – – – – – Data analysis – – – – – Dissertation production Draft – – – Final – – – – 7. References Babbie, E R (2010) The Practice of Social Research (12th edn.), Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA Bryman, A and Bell, E (2007) Business research methods (2nd edn), Oxford University Press, Oxon. Burns, A (2009), Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners, Routledge, Abingdon Capel, S A (2005) Learning to teach subjects in the secondary school (4th edn), Taylor and Francis, UK Cohen, L, Manion, L and Morrison, K (2007) Research methods in education (6h edn.), Routledge, UK Evans, C, Midgley, A, Rigby, P, Warham, L and Woolnough, P,(2009), Teaching English, SAGE Publications, London Flick, U (2009), An Introduction to Qualitative Research (4th edn.), SAGE Publications, London Greenwood, D J (1999) Action research: from practice to writing in an international action research development program, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam. Hesse-Biber, S N and Leavy, P (2010) Handbook of Emergent Methods, Guilford Press, USA Jaconsen, A (2011) Introduction to health research methods: a practical guide, Jones Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA Lankshear, C and Knobel, M (2006), New Literacies: Everyday practices and classroom learning, Open University Press, Maidenhead, UK Lewis, J and Moje, E B (2009) Essential questions in adolescent literacy: teachers and researchers describe what works in classrooms, Guilford Press, USA Pitler, H (2007), Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, MidContinent Research for Education and Learning, Denver Colorado USA NATE (2011), ‘ICT and the teaching of English: National Curriculum Review 2011’, [online] available at: NATE, London www.nate.org.uk/index.php?page=62 [accessed 20th January 2012) Truscano, M (2008), Knowledge Maps: ICTs in Education, Infodev, Washington DC, USA Ward, S and Connolly, R, (2008), ‘Let them Eat Shakespeare’, The Curriculum Journal, 19:4. How to cite Using Technology as a Tool to Improve Teaching and Learning Processes, Essay examples

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Comparison

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Comparison Renaissance The middle ages and the renaissance were two time periods which were very different, yet similar in some ways. The middle ages was an era of European history caused by a gradual decline in the Roman Empire. It was known as the dark ages when society declined, taking place between the sass to the asses. The renaissance took place between the asses and asses and was the rebirth of society. The renaissance began after the wars and plagues when people wanted to celebrate life and the human spirit. This was a period of revival for art, writing, and learning. The main topics which show the similarities and differences between middle ages and the renaissance are art and literature, religion, and government. Art and literature was very different in these time periods. The art of the middle ages was mostly religious, including many symbols of Christian concepts and values. There was no perspective art and it lacked things like details, shadowing, and colors. The art wasnt very realistic, but it served a purpose. Renaissance art, on the other hand, was very realistic and more interesting. Things were portrayed as they looked using perspective. Art was more focused on the beauty of nature, and less on religion. There was more emphasis on individuals, showing their importance. The use of shadowing and many brighter colors also enhanced the art. Michelangelo Bonaparte, Donated, Leonardo dad Vinci, Raphael Sansei, Isobars Anguish, and Artemisia Gentiles were the most famous artists of the Renaissance. Middle ages literature downplayed the brutality of knighthood and feudal warfare in the asses. Epic poems were popular, such as the famous The Song of Roland, as well as love memos and songs. Renaissance writers produced works that reflected their time. They used techniques like writing in the vernacular, or their native language. Renaissance writers wrote for self expression or to portray the individuality of their subjects. During the renaissance, Johann Gutenberg developed the printing press which could produce books quickly and cheaply. This caused ideas and religion to spread rapidly. Overall art and literature became much more advanced and creative over time from the middle ages to the renaissance. Religion changed between the times of the middle ages and the renaissance. During the middle ages, the church build monasteries to adapt to rural conditions. Monks devoted their lives to serving god in monasteries. Women who devoted their lives to god were nuns and lived in convents. The church was very powerful and shaped the lives of people from all social classes. All medieval Christians were subject to canon law in matters like marriage and religious practices. Rulers questioned the popes authority, but the pope used the threat of excommunication. Otto I created the Roman Empire of the German Nation, later called the Holy Roman Empire. In the renaissance people began thinking that the authority and wealth of the church was corrupt. These new ideas and opinions spread fast because of the printing press. Martin Luther, a German monk, wrote 95 theses against the church. His 95 theses spread throughout Germany and sparked the reformation, which split Protestantism spread across Europe. People who remained true to Catholicism started the catholic reformation in response to the 95 theses and the church hanged some of its ways. The main difference with religion between the middle ages and the renaissance is that Catholicism was split into many branches of different beliefs during the renaissance. The third topic compares and contrasts the middle ages and renaissance is government. Pluralism, the system of governing and landholding, began in the middle ages. The feudal system depended on the control of land and was based on rights and obligations. A lord granted a fief to a vassal in exchange for military protection and other services. In

Araby By James Joyce Essays - Araby, Boy, , Term Papers

Araby By James Joyce The short story, "Araby", by James Joyce is about a lonely boy who makes a pilgrimage to an eastern-styled bazaar in hopes that it will alleviate his miserable life. Throughout the story he battles withdrawal and a lack of control. Moreover, the themes of alienation and control are inherently linked because the source of the boy's emotional distance is his lack of control over his life. The story begins as the boy describes his neighborhood. Immediately a feeling of alienation and bleakness prevails. The street that the boy lives on is a dead-end; he is literally trapped. Furthermore, he feels ignored by the houses on his street. Their "brown imperturbable faces make him feel excluded from the decent lives within them." Every detail of his neighborhood seems designed to connote to him the feeling of isolation. The boy's house, like the street he lives on, is filled with decay. It is suffocating and "musty from being long enclosed." It is difficult for him to establish any sort of connection to it. Even the history of the house feels unkind. The house's previous tenant, a priest, had died. He "left all his money to institutions and the furniture of the house to his sister." It was as if he was trying to insure the boy's boredom and solitude. The only thing of interest that the boy can find is a bicycle-pump, which is rusty and rendered unfit to play with. Even the "wild" garden is gloomy and unaffected, containing but a lone apple tree "and a few straggling bushes." It is hardly the sort of yard that a young boy would prefer. Like most boys, he has no voice in choosing where he lives. Yet, he is affected by his surroundings. His home and neighborhood are not the only sources of the boy's animosity. The weather is also unkind to the boy. Not only is it cold, but the short days of winter make play more difficult under the "feeble lanterns." He is resigned to playing in "dark muddy lanes behind the houses where [he runs] the gauntlet of the rough tribes from the cottages." The boy cannot expect to have any control over the seasons or weather. Nevertheless, the weather contributes to his feeling of helplessness. For the boy, one of the more dehumanizing aspects of the story is that nowhere does anyone ever refer to him by name. He is always referred to as 'you' or 'boy'. This could be attributed to the fact that, on the whole, there is relatively little dialogue, and the story is rather short. However, the boy is also the narrator of the story and could have introduced himself. After all, in the first paragraph he introduces the setting, it would not have been unreasonable for him to have mentioned his name. It seems likely then that the boy's name was omitted deliberately. By depriving the boy of a name, Joyce effectively denies the boy any sense of identity, consequently alienating the boy from himself. The plot of the story is based around the boy attempting to go to the Araby so that he may return with a gift that will please Mangan's sister. While in some ways Mangan's sister offers the boy some hope, she is also a source of the boy's alienation. He desperately lusts for her attention and affection. His recount of his mourning ritual: "When she came out on the doorstep my heart leaped. I ran to the hall, seized my books and followed her. I kept her brown figure always in my eye." The boy becomes so preoccupied with impressing Mangan's sister that he begins to neglect other aspects of his life: "I wished to annihilate the tedious intervening days. I chafed against the work of school. At night in my bedroom and buy day in the classroom, her image came between me and the page I strove to read...I had hardly any patience with the serious work of life which, now that it stood between me and my desire, seemed to me child's play, ugly monotonous child's play." To make things worse, he can not possibly expect to have any control over the girl's feelings. As it is, he can barely speak to the girl. When she finally talks to him he is "...so confused that he [does] not know what to answer." He is so desperate for recognition and care, that when he concludes that Mangan's sister is a potential source, he becomes fixated with her to the point of

Summary Of Orwells 1984 Essays - Nineteen Eighty-Four, Free Essays

Summary Of Orwells 1984 Essays - Nineteen Eighty-Four, Free Essays Summary of Orwell's 1984 Summary Chapter 1 and 2 We are introduced to Winston Smith the main character of the story. Works at Ministry of truth. Ministry of truth is one of four government buildings in destroyed London, the main city of Airstrip One, a province of Oceania. Year is 1984 and three contries are at war, Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia. Oceania is run by the party whose leader is Big Brother. Winston is sick of his life in the ruined city and decides to keep a diary. This is against the law in Oceania. He felt his feelings begin to hate Emmanuel Goldstein, leader of the enemy party. He also spots O'Brien, a party leader whose eyes he see's a bit of political sympthy. See's young girl who he dislikes. He feels it is only a matter of time before his though crimes are detected. A knock at the door he thinks is police. Mrs. Parsons, his neighbor is at the door and asked him to unclog a sink. He does it but smells sweat all over the apartment. Mrs. Parsons is a follower of party doctrine and a fellow employee at the ministry. The children are members of Spies, a youth that encourages spying and telling on traitors, including parents. Winston is revolted. He returns home and writes a couple more minutes before going back to work. He remenbers a dream where O'Brien tole him he would meet him in a place wher there is no darkness. He washes his hands and hides the diary Reaction Major ideas, conflicts and themes are introduced. We are shown how the earth has changed, into 3 main contenients. we are also introduced to the main character and how he fits into the new world. Also we are shown how the computer age has taken over peoples minds. The language is easy to underezd, it has not really changed much over time. Seems like nothing left after nuclear war, just ruins remaining. We are introduced to Tom Parsons which Winston is contrasted with. The city is very drab. Quotes "Big brother is watching you, the caption beneath it said" "Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed for ever." Summary Chapter 3,4 and 5 Waking from dreams, he remembers his mother and sister, and can barely remember their disappearence and feels responsible for there deaths. He has another dream where he is in the perfect countryside with the girl he had noticed eariler. He dreamed she stripped for him. This time he is woken up by the telescreen, telling him to do his exercises. He thinks about how much power the Party has over all information. Begins work at the ministry of truth. His job is to correct printed articles in line with the Party's orders. The Ministry and records department jobs are to rewrite history to make the party look good. They get a break because of the 2 minute hate. When he gets back he replaces a speech by Big Brother with invented history. Makes up story about a man named Ogilvy. The article had become contrary to the present party policy. It is replaced as though is never existed. Winston meets Syme, a philologist, for lunch. Syme explains parts about Newspeak. They are joined by Parsons. Winston thinks of the fate that each co-worker will recieve. Syme will be vapourized because he is to smart, where Parsons is dull enough to escape vapourization. He is the only one who has not been taken over by the propaganda that is always being brodcast. He notices the same girl from the other day starring at him and thinks it is the thought police. Reaction The Golden country that he dreams about is definatly a release or a freedom from the the drabness of London. Also from the party. We are introduced to the fact that he has no mother or father or sisters or brothers anymore because they were taken by the party. He is realizing that he is rebelling against the party and he underezds that he is at risk. Winston is in search of the truth and is concerned because of the party's ability to change history. We find that he likes his work even though it is for the party and against

Succession Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Succession Planning - Essay Example While aging of the staff is major contributor to the commencement of the issue, it is also true that a lack of skill levels in the staff also makes succession planning a major issue. This is particularly true in the case of public sector. Nearly 50% of the people employed by the US government is eligible to retire, says Douglas Braddock (1999). One in five senior executives of Fortune 500 companies will have to retire before the year end. All this mean that succession planning is becoming more meaningful to government offices as much as it is for private enterprises. He further says that man power requirement due to replacements (34.7 million) in organisations will far outstrip the requirements due to increase in business (20.3 million). While on one side there is a vacancy coming up, on the other side there is no talented and qualified people to hire from. According to Manpower (Jan 2006), nearly 44% of employers find difficulty in getting the right kind of person with the required skill level to fill the vacancy that is existing in the company. The succession planning is different from the replacement planning in the sense that while replacement planning will look for one single person and find a replacement for him from the market. Whereas in the case of succession planning, the company needs to consider who would take his position and who in turn would occupy once the succeeding person is promoted and so on. This would mean that the existing people have to be evaluated and kept ready for promotion and also the succession streak right to the end of the entire hierarchy where some one will be taken in from outside to fill the gap. Aims and Objectives To examine the potential elements involved in having a succession planning strategy and to present options and recommendations to the Management Board. The objective is to demonstrate the business benefits and added value to the organisation by producing an acceptable business case. Literary Review Workforce Life Cycle Management The Life Cycle of the workforce has to be completely taken care of including the retirement and succession thereof. Every employee should have an appropriate standby option in case he is to leave the employment. While this is normally looked at as a replacement plan for the individual, similar planning is needed for the succession too. The workforce life cycle would aim at a career planning for every person in the company followed by a succession plan. This would ensure that every key position in the company is filled whenever there is a need without any delay. Every position would require selection of the right person with adequate skill levels. After selecting the right person, an appropriate training program should be designed and provided in order to ensure that the person selected is trained for the position he is destined to take over. The person should also go through on the job observation and training enabling him to take on the assignment when it should occur. This would cr eate a hot standby for important key posts. On non-key positions, standby is maintained for a group of requirements. This would take care of any requirement that might arise among the equal positions. However, this may not be exactly the same position and might require some time to take over the assigned job. Succession planning is defined by Wendy Hirsh (2000) as

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 77

Case Study Example s required for admissions, the processing of test results for patients and transferring patients’ diagnosis or treatment at different places so that it could be more proficient. Previously, all the four sites that the hospital operates in had employed the use of different information technology systems that included electronic medical records system, e-payment systems as well as picture archiving and communications systems which are used in the management of imaging data from MRIs and computed tomography scanning systems. This meant that when patients had to be transferred from one hospital site to another, they were required to carry all their relevant medical records and data with them and the information had to be manually entered into the electronic system that was operated by the hospital. A lot of time and money was wasted through this process and since the hospital sites were not in a position to share histories of patients easily, they were forced to diagnose patients more than once therefore doubling some costs. The Integrated Medical Information System project was founded to deal with these issues that were reducing the efficiency of the hospital. It was meant to phase out the information stores that existed at all of the four sites the hospital operated through coming up with a central source of patient information that was referred to as a data warehouse. The data warehouse entails storage systems for patient’s records along with PaCS data for each site that the hospital operates while having a backup that is off the site to protect the records of the patients. The system transmits the patient’s data between the different sites through a secured private network which ensured that there is regulatory compliance together with integrity as only the employees who are authorised may be able to access it. The different sites of the hospital can simply access the warehouse through a web browser making access to information easy and fast thus reducing

How the Vietnam war changed the u.s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How the Vietnam war changed the u.s - Essay Example They are of the view that it changed the manner in which the American society perceived their Constitutional rights, the media, as well as the government (Lawrence, 2008). While the War torn the country apart to some extent, it brought the country in a different and new ways. The controversial nature of the war spurred a huge many sources of protest, against how power is used by the government, how far could the freedom of expression be stretched, and mainly against the war itself (Franklin, 2000). In order to understand the effects of the Vietnam War in to the American society, this paper will discuss how the war changed the U.S. At the beginning of the Vietnam War, majority of the American public believed that the United States involvement in the war was justified. Most of the Americans supported the containment strategy as a way of protecting the interests of the United States (Nulty, 2007). They saw the need for thousands of the Americans to fight and protect their country. However, as the war progressed, Americans realized that the whole concept of the Vietnam War was flawed. As a result of this realization, there were demonstrations and protests across America against the war. The defeat of the United States in the war severely demoralized the American people. The citizens of America had liked to perceive themselves and their country as being invincible and therefore losing the war meant that their self confidence as well as pride would be lost (Hagopian, 2009). The war led to a reappraisal of America’s glory and power, as well as dampening the self confidence of the American people. It also led to economic woes and increased debts considering the huge amount of resources that was used in during the war. The eventualities of the war weakened the public support in the American government, as well as the competence and honesty of its leaders. A high degree of suspicion and skepticism were the main characterized

Blood Glucose Tests and Medication

Blood Glucose Tests and Medication Definition: A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Glucose comes fromcarbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body.Insulinhormone helps the cells of the body use the glucose. Insulin produced by thepancreasand released into the blood when the amount of glucose in the blood rises. In the normal conditions blood glucose levels are slightly high after eating. This increase makes the pancreas to release insulin so that the blood glucose levels dont get too high. Blood glucose levels that remain high over time can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels. The importance of this test: This test is used to evaluate blood glucose levels. It may be used to diagnose or screen for diabetes and to monitor control in patients who have diabetes. Most dietary carbohydrate eventually ends up as glucose in the blood. Excess glucose is converted to glycogen for storage by the liver and skeletal muscles after meals. Glycogen is gradually broken down to glucose and released into the blood by the liver between meals. Excess glucose is converted to triglyceride for energy storage. The major hormone regulating glucose concentration in the body is insulin (although other hormones such as glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol also affect it). Glucose levels are measured to diagnose diabetes or to monitor adequacy of diabetic control. Diabetes is a very common disease affects about 2% of the general population results from insulin deficiency or insensitivity by the body to the level of insulin present. People with type 1 diabetes require daily injections of insulin to control their disease. Injection of too much or too little insulin can be dangerous because there is a limited range of blood sugar levels in which the brain can function normally. Types of blood glucose tests: Fasting blood sugar (FBS)measures blood glucose after you have not eaten for at least 8-10 hours. It often is the first test done to check fordiabetes. 2-hour postprandial blood sugarmeasures blood glucose exactly 2 hours after you eat a meal. Random blood sugar (RBS)Several random measurements taken throughout the day. Random testing is useful because glucose levels in healthy people do not vary widely throughout the day. Oral glucose tolerance test: A blood test done to diagnose diabetes mellitus. Its also done to diagnose hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or a malabsorption syndrome in which sugar is not absorbed properly through the intestines into the bloodstream. The test was designed originally to determine the tolerance for the sugar glucose. Tolerance refers to the bodys ability to handle (tolerate) glucose. The test depends on a number of factors: The ability of the intestine to absorb glucose, The power of the liver to take up and store glucose, The capacity of the pancreas to produce insulin, The amount of active insulin it produces The sensitivity of the cells in the body to the action of insulin. Fasting overnight is important for this test and the patient is given 100 grams of glucose by mouth and then your blood glucose levels are monitored for 3 hours. Normally, the blood glucose should return to normal within 2 to 2 ½ hours. The outcome of the test may indicate: Normal glucose tolerance Abnormal glucose tolerance Depressed glucose tolerance: in which the blood glucose peaks sharply before declining slower then usual to normal levels as in: Diabetes mellitus Increased glucose tolerance: in which the blood glucose levels peak at lower than normal levels as in the: Malabsorption syndrome, Insulinoma (an insulin-producing tumor) Since the dose of glucose is taken by mouth, the test is sometimes called an oral glucose tolerance test. This test is commonly used to diagnose diabetes that occurs during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). Glycosuria Glycosuria refers to sugar in the urine. Less than 0.1% of glucose normally filtered by the glomeruli appears in the urine, and less than 130 mg should appear in the urine over a 24-hour period. Glucose is present in glomerular filtrate but is reabsorbed by the kidneys proximal tubule. If the blood glucose level exceeds the capacity of the tubules to reabsorb all the glucose present in the glomerular filtrate, the renal threshold is reached and glucose spills into the urine. Finding of glycosuria indicates hyperglycemic or lowered renal threshold for glucose. The renal threshold for glucose is 160 to 190mg/dl of blood; glucose does not appear in the urine until the blood glucose rises above this level. Glycosuria may be a normal finding, such as after eating a heavy meal or during times of emotional stress. Some individuals have a benign condition in which they have a lower than usual renal threshold for glucose (120 mg %), but have normal blood glucose levels. In pregnancy, the renal threshold for glucose may be lowered so that small amounts of glycosuria may be present. Patients on hyperalimentation may have glycosuria if the carbohydrate solution is being infused faster than the pancreas can produce insulin. The most common reason for glycosuria is diabetes mellitus. Urine glucose tests are used to screen for diabetes, to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes, or to monitor diabetic control. Blood sugar test results: Normal Results fasting plasma glucose test: 55-109 mg/dL oral glucose tolerance test at two hours: less than 140 mg/dL glycated hemoglobin: 3-6 percent fructosamine: 1.6-2.7 mmol/L for adults (5% lower for children) gestational diabetes screening test: less than 140 mg/dL urine glucose (random semi quantitative): negative Abnormal results: A fasting blood glucose level is 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher. A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test result is 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher. Symptoms of diabetes are present and a random blood glucose test is 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher. If your fasting blood glucose level measures in the range of 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L) to 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L), you are considered to havepre diabetes. Many forms of severe stress (for example, trauma, stroke, heart attack, and surgery) can temporarily increase glucose levels. Drugs that can increase glucose measurements include the following: Corticosteroids Diuretics Epinephrine Glucagon Epinephrine: It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catabolism of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and also begins to break lipids in fat cells. Glucagon: Glucagon causes an increase in blood glucose, by stimulating gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis and facilitating glucose release from hepatocytes. Low blood glucose stimulates the alpha cells of pancrease to release glugacon. Corticosteroids: These increase blood glucose by inducing glucose release from hepatocytes and inhibiting glucose uptake by cells by decreasing GLU-4. Corticosteroids stimulate gluconeogenesis and glucagon secretion (that increases blood glucose). Drugs that can decrease glucose measurements include the following: Alcohol Anabolic steroids Clofibrate MAOS inhibitor Alcohol: After the ingestion of the food, the body turns the food to sugar or glucose. The pancreas produces insulin to help move the glucose into the bodys cells for energy use. When insulin is working effectively blood sugar levels are stable. Alcohol has the ability to lower blood sugar levels. For those who are on insulin, this can be dangerous because the combination of insulin and alcohol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Low blood sugar levels can lead to coma and possible death. Sources Used http://www.walgreens.com/marketing/library/graphics/images/en/19211.jpg  From the National Institute of Health http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3611 http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/images/glucosetolerancetest.jpg Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2004). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 7th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. http://www.labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/glucose/test.html http://www.rnceus.com/ua/uagly.html Chernecky, Cynthia C., and Barbara J. Berger. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2001.

Of Miracles by David Hume Essays -- Empiricists, Empiricism

"Of Miracles" by David Hume In David Hume?s paper ?Of Miracles,? Hume presents a various number of arguments concerning why people ought not to believe in any miracles. Hume does not think that miracles do not exist it is just that we should not believe in them because they have no rational background. One of his arguments is just by definition miracles are unbelievable. And have no rational means in believing miracles. Another argument is that most miracles tend to come from uncivilized countries and the witnesses typically have conflicts of interest and counterdict each others experiences. Both of these arguments are valid however they tend to be weak. I think that Hume?s strongest argument is that he claims there is no credibility to the testimony behind the miracles. In Hume?s argument he says ?that there is no testimony for any, even those which have not been expressly detected, that is not opposed by an infinite number of witnesses; so that not only the miracle destroys the credit of the testimony, but the testimony destroys itself.? To make this clear Hume uses religious matters. Many religions use miracles as a foundation. ?Every miracle, therefor, pretended to have been wrought in any of these religions as its direct scope is to establish the particular system to which it is attributed; so has it the same force, though bore indirectly, to overthrow every other system.? If the miracles try to destroy a system, a religion, it destroys the credit of the miracles themselves, and the system in which they were established. Since most religions are based on miracles and try to destroy each other with contrary miracles and then we as humans have no reasoning on which miracle to believe in. Therefore what I ... ...may not be any rationality behind the miracles its just something mankind must do. I do not know what Hume?s reaction would be to this kind of an argument but I am sure he would find something wrong about it and lead us to believe that miracles are still something that people ought not believe in. Miracles do happen. They have happened in the past and will remain occurring in the future. The question is not whether or not miracles exist, but whether we should believe in them or not. Hume discusses, in ?Of Miracles,? many reasons why we should not believe in such miracles for various reasons. However I have made a counter argument of Hume?s in saying that we must believe in miracles and if we do not have any faith that they are true then society would fail and not develop. Miracles are something that exist and are something that we have to believe in.

Exploration of a Journal Article in Sociology Essay

In this paper I will be discussing the type of article being explored. What type of research is involved in this article? I will be doing a summary of this article to discover what the main findings are. Explain how this article fits into the field of sociology. Discuss which chapter applies to this article. Explain how a journal article differs for a newspaper article, and what is alike. Type of article This article is a review of existing research that was conducted. It discusses what type of research was conducted. The reason why the research was done, and what was the outcome of the research that was performed (Playing hooky 2011). Type of Research There was various types of research conducted for this article. A study was provided by Youth Advocates Programs, Inc. there was a behavioral experiment done on three types of behavior that involved positive, negative, and no reinforcement. A questionnaire survey was also conducted on a group of students, and there were observation studies done (Playing hooky 2011). Summary Student truancy is a serious problem that faces the adolescent youth. This problem is caused by a number of variables. How involved the parents are in a child’s life. Weather the child is involved in any after school activities. Is there a history of alcohol, or drug abuse? Some of these factors can be caused at school. Some of the problems could be bullying, having nobody to turn to with their problems (Playing hooky 2011). Major Findings Bullying In one of the case studies conducted along with other variables bullying was found to be a significant cause of student absenteeism. The study showed that students would avoid school, because they feared being victimized. These students felt like they did not have a safe place to go. They had no one to talk to about their situation. They felt like they did not have anything to look forward to as long as they were being bullied (Playing hooky 2011). Other Factors With all of the other factors combined such as family environment, living situation, community involvement, alcohol, and substance abuse. These factors did very little to contribute to students being absent from school (Playing hooky 2011). How where they supported The research that was presented was conducted by a variety of methods. There was research from a questionnaire study. Research was conducted that involved a behavioral experiment. Research was also presented by a youth Adolescent group (Playing hooky 2011). Fits into Field of Sociology This article fits into the field on sociology, because it deals with sociological theory. The sociology theory that it deals with is the Social-Conflict Approach. It talks about the problems facing youth like drugs, and alcohol (Playing hooky 2011). Identify Chapter of Textbook The chapter that this article covers is chapter twenty. This chapter deals with education, and how different areas of the country receive better education those other areas. This chapter talks about how truancy can lead to other problems down the road in life (Playing hooky 2011). Difference between Types of Articles Scholarly articles are reviewed by other peers with expertise in the field. Magazines and newspapers are written for the majority of the population. The thing that is similar is they all have current information (Playing hooky 2011). Conclusion In this paper we discussed the type of article. We discussed what type of research was involved. We gave a summary of the article, what were some findings, and how they were supported. We provided information on how it relates to our textbook, and sociology. Described how this article is different from magazines and newspapers. References Playing Hooky†: Examining Factors that Contribute to Adolescent Truancy. (2011). Sociological Viewpoints, 2715-23

Good Morning Miss Toliver essays

Good Morning Miss Toliver essays Good Morning Miss Toliver was a very inspirational video. Ms. Toliver, who is an inner-city mathematics teacher, has a philosophy that all children can master mathematics. She has different types of teaching strategies. For example, on one certain occasion Ms. Toliver entered the classroom dressed in character. Ms. Toliver also describes and demonstrates a "hands-on" approach to mathematics instruction, and strategies to get students actively involved in classroom activities. All in all, she makes her students want to learn math. Ms. Toliver discusses and demonstrates the uses of speaking and writing as tools to develop-and assess-student understanding of math concepts. For example, she uses journals for the students to remember things they have learned. This seems to be one way she greatly encourages writing in her math class. Ms. Toliver clarifies basic concepts and terms, and tries to create an atmosphere in which students can communicate freely. Ms. Toliver asks very open-ended questions. She does not just ask for the answer to her questions, but also for an explanation for their answer. Ms. Toliver encourages all answers for questions. For example one student may answer a question that is acceptable by Ms. Toliver, but she may ask for other possible answers from the class. After all, Ms. Toliver says, There is more than one way to skin a cat. In my opinion Ms. Toliver uses a different type of room organization for an older class of students. Ms. Tolivers students are seated four persons to each table. All tables and chairs are facing the board. This way she is sure to have each students attention. With this seating arrangement the students will always have team members during group activities. This is the time when Ms. Toliver explains the value of each member of the team. Ms. Toliver is great when it comes to the introduction of a new lesson. For example, she entered the classroom with a great...

Free Essays on John Updike’s Araby And James Joyce’s A&P

when describing his lover’s legs when expressing them as "long white prima-donna legs" (Updike 27). Another important detail used in this particular story is the use of color, which has more underlying layers than only looking at the color, green, worn by one girl, as only being just another color. According to Updike, he used the color green because it can be looked at in different ways, from meaning â€Å"go,† as in a traffic light, or having a connotation of â€Å"money.† From looking at the color in this deeper meaning, the girls, by wearing green,... Free Essays on John Updike’s Araby And James Joyce’s A&P Free Essays on John Updike’s Araby And James Joyce’s A&P A young adolescent boy, who is lovesick for a girl, does not want to be let down nor disappointed. Unfortunately, this is exactly what occurs in two famous short stories. Both Updike’s A&P and Joyce’s Araby provide a similar theme that conveys a boy’s infatuation for a girl and the hardships he has to go through, in order to acquire more experience in the complicated area of love. These passions that are in both stories are presented through the use of detail and the intentions of both protagonists to capture the heart of the girl of their dreams. In short stories or novels, detail is mostly always an important characteristic. However, the same two stories can be looked at in opposite views due to a difference in detail. In Araby and A&P, detail has a large influence when comparing the two stories. From the narration of a teenager, as in A&P, to the telling by a more mature and wiser man in Araby, these two use detail to help the reader have a better understanding and become more emotionally involved in the story. Because the narration of Updike’s A&P is told by a young boy, the words used in description are obviously that of an obsessed teenager boy and his fantasies towards the opposite sex. The mind of the protagonist of the story, Sammy, is focused on the female characters in the story, but mostly on one specific girl. Sammy uses a very graphic choice of words when describing his lover’s legs when expressing them as "long white prima-donna legs" (Updike 27). Another important detail used in this particular story is the use of color, which has more underlying layers than only looking at the color, green, worn by one girl, as only being just another color. According to Updike, he used the color green because it can be looked at in different ways, from meaning â€Å"go,† as in a traffic light, or having a connotation of â€Å"money.† From looking at the color in this deeper meaning, the girls, by wearing green,...

OBESITY HEALTH PROMTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH Essay

OBESITY HEALTH PROMTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH - Essay Example Another interesting findings about obesity in U.K. is that the rate of increase in obesity was highest among middle aged (55-64) men. In 1994, around 18 percent of total middle aged men were obese, while in 2006 the rate stood at around 36 percent. (Trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity)     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today people irrespective of their ages are less interested in spending time in exercising or other outdoor activities. Along with it the busy families of today’s world have little free time to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. Eating out on a daily basis is becoming a part of everyday life of adults as well as adolescent members, particularly in westernized culture. Obesity poses a great problem to society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looking at the severity of the issue the present paper seeks to examine several epidemiological issues related to obesity in U.K., different health promotion initiatives taken by the government to tackle this problem, the possible public health care interventions using health promotion theories, and finally make some evaluation of the programs under taken by the U.K. government.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having a few extra pounds in one’s body does not imply obesity. Usually, in medical terms a person is considered to be obese when his weight is at least 10 percent more compared to the recommended weight for his height and frame of the body. For obese people, their excessively heavy weights endanger their health. Obesity is gaining much attention because in the westernized societies including U.K is increasingly being found to be responsible for higher degree of mortality as well as morbidity. The more alarming thing regarding obesity is that initially the problem of obesity have been concentrated among adults only, but over time, increasing problems related to obesity are being diagnosed among children also. According to the Health Survey of England 2002,

School Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

School Counseling - Essay Example Post the diagnosis, I started seeing my struggles in schools in an optimistic light which led me on a path towards self-exploration and self-acceptance instead of being critical and frustrated for being different. I agree with the implications mentioned by the writer in terms of frustration, depression and low self esteem. Overcoming these hurdles is not easy however the key lies in coming to an understanding about the unique way in which ones mind works. 3. I find commendable the way in which the ADHD is addressed not just from the student’s perspective but also that of the teachers, making the approach suggested much more effective and practical. What I feel works best with this approach is the fact that instead of treating the child like something is wrong with him the student’s hyper-ness is treated like it can be used to create a positive impact on his life when used appropriately. 4. The angle with which the topic is approached is highly plausible; that of addressing the severity and the lack of awareness of ADHD being a genuine flaw of the academic teaching staff – teachers. Their inability to spot a child with ADHD and in some cases be indifferent even when they do seems to be an area of genuine concern. 5. I agree with the core essence of the topic which goes right into the root of the problem as far as emotional and behavioral disorders are concerned, looking at all the right places – family, home life, history and background information. The common example of the girl who internalized her problems leading to cutting herself being one I can highly relate. 6. As much as I appreciate the approach suggested by the writer by taking in a holistic view of the individual’s problem to come up with a tailored treatment approach, focus and goals, what concerns me is the critical role time will play in the approach. Collaboration with the individual’s

Child Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Child Obesity - Essay Example It is clear that, children not only consume a lot of snacks but also fail to do the necessary exercise. They probably spend their free time watching television, hence become vulnerable to obesity (Berger & Luckmann, 2006). There other cultural and social factors that contributes to the child obesity; some societies believe that children are not safe while playing or walking to school. They tend to compromise their children from exercising, hence contribute to obesity (Brian, 2006). Child obesity has some serious consequences to the life of the affected child as well as the society at large. It can lead to health complication due to excessive weight and postural imbalance. It also affects the psycho-social functioning and the well-being of the affected children, especially in school or social places (Cole, 2001). In other words, the social life of the child will be affected in one way or another. Weight management in children can be a good control of childhood obesity. This can be done by providing appropriate meals and enough physical exercise for the children. ephysical exercise will enhance more expenditure of calories than consumption (Dewey, 2001). In addition to that, the best known strategies should be implemented in order to overcome the problem of obesity in children.

The Sniper Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Sniper Analysis Essay The Sniper The sniper is a story about a civil war taken place in Dublin. It tells of a republican sniper sitting on a rooftop of a building near to OConnell bridge. The war is between Republicans and the free states. the sniper is one of the fellow of republican, when a free state sniper shows himself on an opposite roof. they were waiting each other to see who would end up the better. Eventually the republican sniper gains the upper hand and after taking a bullet in the arm destroys the worthy opponent. After a curious inspection to the identity of the enemy sniper he finds himself looking into the eyes of his dead brother. The author created a three dimensional and interesting essay using important setting, Diction, and simile that effectively brings the essay in to life. The opening paragraph gives a vivid description of situation as would physically been seen, and gives a brief description of the setting, Also the setting contribute by being the critical component for assisting the story. The place the â€Å"sniper† takes place is in a city called Dublin, the sniper post himself on a rooftop near to the four courts building and O’Connell bridge. By using the word looking it draws the reader’s attention to the eye of the sniper. In addition when â€Å"the sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered† the word of choice on this occasion is very effective as it makes it easy for the reader to imagine the sniper feels. The reader can interpret the word â€Å"shuddered† in several ways. The most obvious way that the reader can interpret this is the sniper got a chill down his back as he watched the body falls to the ground. In addition simile also play a great roll in the effectiveness of the story, for example the author mentioned â€Å"machine guns and refiles broke the silence of the night spasmodically, like dogs barking on lone farm† these sentence makes similarity between firing of machine gun in the night with dog barking on lone farm, which makes the situation to be emphasised. Also the writer used simile after the sniper shot his right arm to emphasise his pen â€Å"his right arm was paining him like a thousand devils†. In both cases simile compare the two ideas indirectly and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities. In general, the setting , choice of words and the way the writer used to point out the similarities between tow things are very effective. These elements are the most crucial devices to create an effect and they are used to help and persuade the reader to agree the view presented in the story.

Information Security Threats And Countermeasures Information Technology Essay

Information Security Threats And Countermeasures Information Technology Essay A common body of knowledge for information security is formed when information from around the globe is grouped together for the purpose of being used as a guideline on how to secure information. There are, however no universally accepted common body of knowledge for information security, though ongoing efforts are made to establish one limitation that occurs in current developments of such a body of knowledge, is that it frequently focuses primarily on professionals in industry and leaves no room or opportunity for low-level users (such as end users) who require a scaled-down version of this knowledge. The aim of the common body of knowledge that is developed as part of the basis for the Information Security Retrieval and Awareness model proposed in this paper is twofold: to focus specifically on users with little or no formal background on how to properly secure information they work with, yet also not to exclude professionals. Computer systems are vulnerable to many threats that can inflict various types of damage resulting in significant losses. This damage can range from errors harming database integrity to fires destroying entire computer centers. Losses can stem, for example, from the actions of supposedly trusted employees defrauding a system, from outside hackers, or from careless data entry clerks. Precision in estimating computer security-related losses is not possible because many losses are never discovered, and others are swept under the carpet to avoid unfavorable publicity. The effects of various threats varies considerably: some affect the confidentiality or integrity of data while others affect the availability of a system. According to threats are categorized according to the type of information system asset that is affected, the categories are: Software, hardware, data, personnel, administration, network, physical. There are roughly 15 leading information system threats, among those threats are: data processing errors, network breakdowns, software breakdowns, and viruses. Viruses are one of the most popular threats to computer systems. One can define a computer virus as a total recursive function which applies to every program and obtains its infected form such that can infect other programs Among whole lot of viruses that exist there are a number of viruses: Malicious Codes/programs and backdoors. Malicious codes and programs refer to virus (that reproduces by attaching to another program), worm (an independent program that reproduces by copying itself from one system to another, usually over a network) and trojan programs (an independent program that appears to perform a useful function but that hides another unauthorized program inside it). Infected on a machine and permits an attacker to control the compromised machines network. Malicious code can cause significant security breaches such as jeopardize the availability of information once it infects programs/files and corrupts them thus making them inaccessible. A trojan program installed successfully in your PC, can permit an intruder to access or modify any information available in the PC and worst still the software configuration of a computer can be changed to permit subsequent intrusions. Hard disk boot sector The virus infects the DOS boot sector of the hard drive. Extending The virus extends the size of the infected program file Boot sector The virus infects the partition table of the hard disk or even the floppy disk boot sector. Disk corruption The virus corrupts all of part of the disk. File linkage Directly or indirectly corrupts the file linkage. Resident The virus installs itself in memory. Runtime slow down The virus affects system run-time operations. Types of countermeasures IS security threats have increased significantly in recent years. We identified the gaps between manager perceptions of IS security threats and the security countermeasures adopted by firms by collecting empirical data from 109 Taiwanese enterprises. Industry type and organizational use of IT were seen as the two factors that affected the motivation of firms to adopt security countermeasures, but their implementation did not necessarily affect the threat perceptions of the managers. Analyses of responses suggested that the scope of the countermeasures adopted were not commensurate with the severity of the perceived threats. Among the threats, networks were rated as contributing the most severe threat and yet had the lowest level of protection; this was followed by threats due to personnel and administrative issues. We therefore addressed threat mitigation strategies, specifically in terms of the differences between industries There are a number of countermeasures that can be done to prevent threats from interfering with the functionality of information systems. Software User entrance logs, system recovery, multi-user system, automatic debug and test, access control to program source, verification of system modified, convert channels and Trojan code. Hardware Remote mirroring, surveillance system use, entrance limitation, Uninterruptable power supplies and periodical disk checking. Data Information backup, data access controls, user access rights, enforced path, event logging, information handling procedures, management of removal media, and disposal of media. Network Antivirus software, encryption, user authentication, instruction detection systems, firewalls, alternative circuits, digital signatures, limitation of connection time. Unsecured Windows file sharings. Anyone with File and Print sharing enabled and using share level access are exposed to this threat, a common source of security problem under Windows operating systems. The flaw in an unsecured windows shares can be exploited by intruders in an automated way to place tools on large numbers of Windows based computers attached to the Internet. An unsecured windows shares together with DOS tools can become a great opportunity for intruders to launch DOS attacks. It was discovered recently that there is a flaw in the way that Windows handles the passwords for file sharing. An attacker still can access a password protected shared driving without knowing the full password just the first character of it. A special program can be easily written to exploit the problem and in fact are already circulating around the Net, to be abused by intruders everywhere. Conclusion The emerging trends in network security threats are leading more and more towards the need for pro-active Intrusion Prevention Systems, and further away from the traditional Intrusion Detection Systems with alert only capabilities. The goal of a security program is to choose and implement cost effective countermeasures that mitigate the vulnerabilities that will most likely lead to loss.

What Is A Human Being :: essays research papers

Webster's dictionary defines human as 'human 1. Of or characteristic of man || being a person || of people as limited creatures, human failings || resembling man 2. A person'; Of course there is more to being human than that. A concise yet broad definition of human would be any man, woman, child, etc. on this earth. To be human means that you can read this paper. It means that you don't have to worry you are resting comfortable at the top of the food chain.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many ways that humans are different from other animals and I have picked what I believe to be the greatest differences of all. A main difference is self-awareness, or the knowledge that we exist by living and dying. Since we know that we will die sooner or later we take care of those who may not be able to take care of themselves to prolong the life if the ones that we love. Another thing that self-awareness dose for us is that it makes us search for meaning in life and get the most out of it before we leave this physical plane.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  That lead's us to religion, one of the other things that separate us from animals. All most all humans have a religion that believes in an after life. Some believe in rebirth where you never die but keep living in different states on the earth. In all most all religions there is a superior being or superior beings, that concept is similar to the way our government works.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are primitive animal concepts that show traces of government, such as the almighty wolf that appoints an alpha pair similar to a king and queen to make the best decisions for the survival of the pack. Humans appoint government to prevent chaos from killing us off. Even though our government is far far far from perfect there is still a sense of security that you have someone semi-responsible leading parts of humanity to a better future.

Consider Thomas Hardy’s Essay

In the dictionary the word Isolation means to be separate or a part from others. I think if someone is isolated then it would be a negative aspect because they are alone and have nothing to do with anyone else. The reason for the various isolations in the two texts differs because of the different time periods they were set in. In the two books I am comparing is the â€Å"Withered Arm† by Thomas Hardy and â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck. I feel that in both texts there are a few characters with their lives or they had illegitimate children. The text â€Å"Of mice and Men† was written in the 1930’s the time period of the depression. In the most of John Steinbeck’s books he describes the life of people working on the land and that his characters are all often poor. This was because he wanted to show how real the life was during that time. Within his books men and women rarely understood each other because of the lack of communication. During the time when John Steinbeck wrote â€Å"Of Mice and Men† people would frown upon coloured people, the handicapped, the old and women. They also were prejudice about women. The text the â€Å"Withered Arm† was written in the late 19th century in England. The book is set in a place called Wessex and the expectations at the time are different compared to the ones we have in today’s society. In that time social classes were expected to marry inside their class and not below that. Otherwise this would be considered a disgrace to the family of the higher class. Thomas Hardy introduces Rhode as his First character who is isolated. He establishes her isolation as her sitting on her away from the others â€Å"Where a thin fading women of thirty milked somewhat apart from the rest. † The word fading and somewhat apart from the rest reveals that she was separated from the rest of the milkmaids. Further on in the first chapter Hardy also establishes her loneliness by where she lives â€Å"†¦ lay part from that of the others, to a lonely spot high above the water-meads†¦ † this also show her isolation. The characters who are lonely are Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife in the text â€Å"Of Mice and Men. † They are lonely because each one of them is different from everyone else. Such as Crooks is black, Candy is disabled and Curley’s wife is a women. The reason for them being lonely is because of the society’s attitude, which they lived in. The two characters that are not lonely are George and Lennie. This is as they have each other for company whereas everybody does not. Lennie and George treat each other, as they were family because they have been together for a very long time. â€Å"Because I got you an’___ An’ I got you. We got each other, that’s what, that gives a hot in hell about us’. † That quote indicates what Lennie say to George about them having each other to look after and keeping each other company. George needed Lennie because he wanted someone who would listen to him and not say anything. Lennie need George’s because he is not able to handle himself and also George promised Lennie’s aunt that he would look after him. Thomas Hardy describes Rhodes Brooks house as it old and worn † It was built of mud walls, the surface of which had been washed by many rains†¦ left none of the original flat face visible†¦ here and there in the thatch above a rafter showed like a bone protruding through the skin. † This suggests that Rhode did not a great house and that it was old just like her. The quote also indicates that the house had been through some hard times. In the text â€Å"Of Mice and Men† John Steinbeck writes about one female character that is known as Curley’s wife. As the reader I feel sympathy for her, as she is the only woman on the ranch. She is also isolated because her husband does not like her talking to any of the other workers, and also her own husband hardly speaks to her. The author has not given her a name because during that time period women were not as important as men, furthermore she is so isolated that the author decided on not given her a name. The effect this has on the reader is that she belongs to Curley unlike her being an individual person. So therefore the reader feels a little bit of sympathy for her. Thomas Hardy writes about a little boy in his book † Withered Arm† who is also nameless like Curley’s Wife. In the book he is referred as Rhode’s son. Rhode’s son is isolated because his mother had an affair with Farmer Lodge. The main reason that he is isolated is that his mother moved further away from the farm, so therefore he does not live close by to anybody. I feel that Rhode’s son is a victim of the circumstances between Farmer Lodge and Rhode because he was a product of their affair, and then Rhode moved away so she could be away from society. As a result Rhode’s son does not have friends. John Steinbeck writes about another isolated man named Crooks. The reason Crooks is so isolated is because during the time period everyone was prejudice against coloured people, and he was black. Another reason he is isolated as that he isolates himself to have some respect in the white world. Crooks was born with a disability, therefore he feels that he need to isolate himself further. He makes friends with Candy and Lennie as they isolated on the farm. When Crooks first meets Candy and Lennie it says † †¦ he kept is his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs. † This indicates that Crooks does not want anyone to be close to him. Though as the story goes on he makes friends with Candy and Lennie. I feel sorry for Crooks for being coloured and handicapped as he is very friendly person. In both the texts that I read there are two more handicapped people, named Gertrude from the † Withered Arm† and Candy from † Of Mice and Men†. Candy is isolated as he is old and has only got one arm since it was cut off when he was working on the farm. Gertrude isolated because one night Rhode cast a spell on her arm. In both texts Gertrude and Candy are alike because of their arms. They are not as isolated as Crooks or Rhode, since they only have a small isolation problem, unlike the rest. In the beginning of the text † Withered Arm† Farmer Lodge is presented as being bold and proud. He is proud as he has a new wife Gertrude, who is a lot younger than him and plus she is very beautiful. Gertrude starts to get a problem in one of her arms, as time passes her arm gets worse, therefore Farmer Lodge feels as she is not as pretty as before. This makes Farmer Lodge change. He also feels depressed since his son is hung and this changes him. The reason for him to isolate himself is that all these problems are occurring around him and he feels that it is his fault. So he moves away from his farm. In conclusion I consider that isolation is a negative aspect in someone’s life. I think that when people are isolated dreaming keeps them from getting trough. Like for instance Lennie and George’s dream to open up a farm or their own and Rhode’s dream to get back with Farmer Lodge. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

What is the Minimum ACT Score for College

What is the Minimum ACT Score for College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are a lot of numbers and scores associated with your college applications: GPA. Class rank. Maybe some AP Tests. Standardized test scores. It can be a lot to take in. If you’re taking the ACT, you might be worried about how you’ll do. What’s the worst score you could get? What’s the worst score you could get and still have a shot at your dream program? In this article, I’ll break down the lowest possible ACT score, and why you’re not likely to get it. Then I’ll discuss the minimum ACTscore for college admissions, how to choose colleges based on your score (whatever it may be), how to set a score goal based on your colleges of choice, and finally what you can do if you feel like your ACT score is too low for any of your desired schools. What's the Lowest ACT Score You Can Get? The ACT is scored from 1-36 on a composite scale. This means the minimum ACT score you could possibly receive- for example, if you showed up to the testing center and filled in every bubble on your entire scantron sheet- is a 1.The composite score is obtained from taking the average of your 4 section scores and rounding; .5 is rounded up. So to get a composite score of 1, you would have to get either 1 on each section score or three 1s and a 2. The average ACT score is a 21. The 25th percentile score is 16, and the 75th percentile score is a 24. This means that if you got a 16, you would have scored better than 25% of all test-takers. In the 75th percentile, you’ve scored better than 75% of test-takers, and so one. To give you an idea of how rare a score of 1 is, a composite score ranging anywhere from 1 to 11 would put you in the 1st percentile- meaning 99% of test-takers scored higher than 11. For individual sections, 99% of test-takers scored higher than 7 in English, 99% scored higher than 12 in Math, 99% scored higher than 9 in Reading, and 99% scored higher than 11 in Science.Even if you guessed on every question, you’d get a composite score around 11-13.Thus, it is very unlikely that you will get the lowest possible score- or even a score lower than 11- on the ACT. Even this guy got an 11! What’s the Lowest ACT Score You Can Have and Still Get Into College? Since it’s pretty unlikely that you would get the minimum ACT score, you might be more interested in knowing what is the lowest possible score you could have and still have a shot at getting into college. The answer to that question is that it depends- primarily on what colleges you are applying to, but also to a certain extent on your other qualifications. For more selective schools, you’ll need a much higher ACT score to have a shot than for less selective ones. If you’re aiming for an elite institution like University of Chicago or Princeton, you’ll need to score at least 30, and that would be on the low end for one of those schools. By contrast, you might still have a shot at a selective public school like University of Illinois with a 25 or 26. Smaller state schoolslocal to you often accept scores in the 18-22 range. In fact, public universities often have special admissions criteria for residents that allow or compensate for lower standardized test scores. For example, publicly funded Texas universities generally guarantee admission to those in the top 10% of any graduating high school class in Texas, although some have lowered the cap to the top 7 or 8% in recent years due to space concerns. You may still need to submit test scores for these schools, but they won’t keep you from being admitted. Specialized schools like art schools and music conservatories also often have lower standardized test requirements of their students, as a student’s creative work is the primary criteria for admission. Mime school only accepts your test scores if you can silently act them out. The truth is that it’s difficult to give a hard-and-fast rule as to the absolute minimum ACT score for college. Colleges and universities admit candidates along a range of test scores, although the band is narrower at more selective universities. However, you can get a general idea of what is the lowest score you could get and still have even a realistic chance at admission based on a great statistic called â€Å"the middle 50%.† The middle 50% is a statistic that most schools provide on their admissions websites that gives the test score range of the 25th to the 75th percentiles of their own admitted student pool (i.e. 25% of admits had test scores below this range, 50% had test scores in this range, and 25% had test scores above this range). This is a reliable way to figure out the scoring threshold necessary to be a viable candidate for admission. As to the lowest score you can get and still have a shot, I would say to place that mark a little (think around 1 point) below the bottom number of the middle 50%. Of course, if you pick a score that’s just a little below the 25th percentile, that does mean that people with a lower score than your â€Å"low score threshold† probably got in. There are always outliers and exceptions in the college admissions process- people who had other specific qualifications or strengths that the institution thought would be valuable. No doubt you also have unique strengths and talents that you should emphasize in college applications! But you should never assume that you are going to be one of the outliers who gets in with an ACT score at the lowest conceivable end of the admit range. That doesn’t mean don’t apply if your dream school’s middle 50% is 28-32 and you got a 26. Just be realistic that it’s quite areach school for you, and you’ll really need to differentiate yourself in other ways if you want to have a chance.By contrast, if your score is a decent cut above the 75th percentile mark (think 2+ points), you’re in a great position. Here’s a sample chart of some low and high marks as compared to some middle 50% score ranges. Sample Middle 50% Ranges and Low/High Scores Low Score Middle 50% High Score 12 13-16 18 14 15-20 22 20 21-26 28 21 22-28 30 25 26-30 32 27 28-32 34 29 30-34 36 31 32-35 36 So how is this information- about situating your own score relative to a school’s middle 50% of admits- useful? Well, it will help you choose which scores to apply to based on your own ACT score, by aiding you in identifying safety, match, and reach schools. Choosing a college is just like choosing a pumpkin, except completely different. Choosing Schools to Apply to Based on Your ACT Score If you already got your ACT score, you may be wondering how to pick which schools to apply to. In general, you’ll want to apply to some safety schools, some match schools, and some reach schools. A safety school is one where you are more qualified than the typical admitted student, a match school is one where you are as qualified as the typical student, and a reach school is one where you areless qualified than the typical student. This means that in terms of ACT scores, a safety school is one where your score well exceeds the middle 50% range (think 2+ points), a match school is one where you fall in within or just above the middle 50%, and a reach school is one where you fall in the bottom end of or just below the middle 50%. Very selective schools (think the Ivies, MIT, Stanford, University of Chicago, etc.) are a reach for everyone because they are so competitive. Let’s say Jared got a 24 on his ACT. How should we classify the following schools he is interested in: as safety, match, or reach? Northeastern Illinois University – middle 50% range: 16-21 With a score 3 points about NIU’s middle 50%, we can consider this one a safety school. Jared’s scores would put him the top quarter of applicants by a wide margin. Illinois State University – middle 50% range: 21-26 With a score right above the midpoint of ISU’s middle 50%, ISU would be a match school for Jared. Bard College – middle 50% range: 24-30 Because he is at the very bottom of the middle 50% range for Bard, we would consider Bard a reach school. Not a huge or unreasonable reach, but still a reach, as around 75% of applicants had better scores than Jared. He’ll really need for the rest of his application to be stellar. Depaul University – middle 50% range: 23-28 Jared is within the middle 50% at Depaul, but on the lower end (only one point about the bottom of the margin). This is one of those schools that sits right on the border between being a match and a reach. Just so long as you are applying to a variety of schools relative to your own test scores, it’s completely fine if an individual school’s classification seems a little ambiguous. Of course, there are other factors than test scores in choosing safety, match, and reach schools. Schools also usually provide information about the GPA and class ranks of their admitted students, so you’ll want to consider those as a factor as well. If you’re on the low end of the middle 50% in test scores, but way on the high end for GPA and class rank, it could be a match school.Unique talents or other interesting qualifications can also go a long way towards mitigating a test score that’s a little on the low end for a particular school. But what if you already have schools in mind, and you haven’t taken the SAT yet? How should you determine what score to aim for? Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. He should probably get an arrow if he wants to hit that target. Choosing a Goal ACT Score Based on Your Dream Schools You may already have some schools in mind before you take the ACT. In this case, you can use the middle 50% for those schools to set a target score for the ACT.An ideal target score would be the highest 75th percentile mark of the middle 50% among the schools you are interested in. That way, even if you fall a little short, you’ll still be well-positioned for the other schools on your list. First, make a list of all of the schools you are considering.When you have a complete list, look up the middle 50% range for each school. Then, you’ll note down the top number of the middle 50% - the 75th percentile- for each school. You can do this for total score, by section, or both- whatever is most useful for you. Note that some schools only report composite ACT scores and not section subscores. When you have all the necessary info noted down, find the highest score in the 75th percentile list.That's your target ACT score! Let’s work through an example. Here’s Alicia’s initial list of schools she’s interested in: University of Virginia Emory University Princeton University of Connecticut Syracuse University University of Maryland Johns Hopkins Now we’ll fill out our middle 50% table. An â€Å"n/a† means the school didn’t report the subscore. Sample Target Score Chart - Alicia Name of College/ University ACT English 75th ACT Reading 75th ACT Math 75th ACT Science 75th ACT Composite 25th ACT Composite 75th University of Virginia (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 28 33 Syracuse University (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 24 29 University of Connecticut (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 26 30 Emory University (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 30 34 Princeton (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 32 35 University of Maryland (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 29 33 Johns Hopkins (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 32 34 Target Score: 35 So given the schools she wants to attend, Alicia should be aiming for a 35 on her ACT. She’s got her work cut out for her! You can use the following table to do your own list: Target Score Chart Name of College/ University ACT English 75th ACT Reading 75th ACT Math 75th ACT Science 75th ACT Composite 25th ACT Composite 75th Target Score: By listing your match and reach schools and averaging their 75th percentile admit test scores, you can get a goal ACT score for yourself.But what if once you get your ACT scores back, it looks like every school is a reach? Are you out of luck? Did your four-leaf clover wilt? Based on My ACT Score, Every School I’m Interested in Is a Reach Let’s say you get your scores back. You open your scores. You look at your list of middle 50% ranges for the schools you are interested in. Your stomach drops- your score is at the 25th percentile or below for all of these schools! If your score is low enough that you are concerned about being accepted at any college you’re interested in, there are severalstrategies you might consider to address the issue: Prep for the ACT and Take It Again If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! If you prepare for your test strategically, you actually can improve your score quite a lot. See our guide to the pros and cons of all prep methods. You might try atargeted, personalized test-prep program like ours, using the best ACT prep books, or tutoring. If you still have a few months left before your deadlines, taking the ACT again is probably your best option. Take the SAT Instead The SAT and the ACT used to be very different animals- enough that students would perform dramatically differently on them. This is less true now that the SAT has been revised, because it's now very similar to the ACT. If you are particularly weak in the Science test on the ACT, the SAT may be better for you; instead of having a dedicated science section it has some chart- and data-interpretation questions throughout. This could help you if you are just hoping for a little boost. Evaluate if You Need Testing Accommodations If you have a medical condition, learning disability, or psychiatric disorder, you may qualify for special testing accommodations for the ACT. If you are on an IEP or a 504 plan at your school, it is especially likely that you are both eligible for and would benefit from test accommodations. Bear in mind that the request process is time-consuming process so you need to start early- months before you are going to take the ACT again! Adjust Your Expectations If you score is too low for all the colleges on your list, look at some less selective colleges. A 26 is too low for Northwestern, but it’s a great score for Ohio State or the University of Iowa. It's likely that you'll be able to find less selective colleges that have the same qualities you are looking for. Some collegiate ivy, outside of the Ivy League. Apply to Schools That Accept Alternate Scores Some schools will accept AP Exam Scores or SAT Subject Test Scores in lieu of more traditional SAT or ACT exam scores. If you’ve already performed well on AP exams or you feel you could do well on particular SAT Subject Tests, this could be a good strategy for you.Examples of schools that accept alternate tests include: Colorado College - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. Colby College - Accepts 3 SAT Subject Tests in lieu of ACT/SAT. Middlebury College - Accepts 3 SAT Subject Tests in lieu of ACT/SAT. Hamilton College - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. New York University - Accepts various combinations of AP, IB, and SAT Subject Test scores in lieu of the ACT/SAT. See a more comprehensive list of test-optional and test-deemphazised colleges at Fairtest.org. Apply to Test-Optional Schools Still other colleges have implemented test-optional admissions. This means that, while you can send standardized test scores as a bonus or qualification with your application, they are not required. In this case, your GPA, course records, essay, recommendation letters, and other application materials will be the determining factors in your admission- not your test scores. Though a fairly newfangled notion in college admissions, several high-quality schools have implemented test-optional policies. This seems eminently reasonable in light of the fact that there are some courses of study where you may not take hardly any tests, and certainly not many long, grueling, marathon-style standardized ones.Test-optional schools are a particularly good strategy for applicants who are good students but poor standardized test takers. Schools that are test-optional include: Wake-Forest University, NC Bates College, Maine Wesleyan University, CT Bowdoin College, Maine American University, Washington DC Mt. Holyoke College, MA (women’s college) Sarah Lawrence College, NY (women’s college) Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania (women’s college) Smith College, MA (women’s college) See a more comprehensive list of test-optional and test-deemphazised colleges at Fairtest.org. Go to Community College If your score is low enough that you are worried about getting accepted to any college, you might consider starting out at community college. Most local community colleges are open to anyone in the area with a high school diploma or GED. You can start taking classes at a community college and then transfer to a 4-year university upon completion of your associate’s degree; your most recent transcripts in this case will be much more important than your standardized test scores. The august facade of Bronx Community College. With these strategies, you’ll be sure to find a college solution that works for you, no matter your ACT score. Key Takeaways The minimumACT score you could receive is a 1, although this is very unlikely to happen.You may be more worried about getting a score high enough to get into college. While it’s difficult to set any specific threshold that is too low for college, the more selective the school, the higher you’ll need to score. You can use a statistic called the middle 50%- the test score range of the 25th-75th percentiles of admitted students for a given school- to choose safety, match, and reach schools for yourself based on your score, or to choose a target ACT score based on schools you are interested in. If you find yourself with a low enough score that you are concerned about getting into colleges you are interested in, you have several options: Prep for the ACT and take it again Take the SAT instead Figure out if you need testing accommodations Adjust your expectations and apply to less selective schools Apply to test-alternate or test-optional schools If your scores are low enough that you are worried about getting into any college, period, you might go to community college. Ultimately, if you want to pursue higher education, there are strategies to make that happen in a way that works for you regardless of your ACT score. You'll find the right rainbow for you! What's Next? Check out our complete, free guides to ACT prep, all gathered in one place.Or maybe you'd like to know how important the ACT is as part of your application, anyways. Need help figuring out your college application timeline? We've got you covered. We'll also help you identify target schools, and figure out how many schools to apply to.