To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

A summary: When Scout was six, Dill (Charles Baker Harris) comes to visit his aunt and becomes good friends with the Finches. The children in Maycomb spend all their free time of summer trying to get Boo (Arthur) Radley come out of his house. None of the children have ever seen the mysterious man that lives next door, but they never find out that he is actually shut up in this house. After the summer is over, Scout enters school and gets into trouble because she already knows how to read and to write. She is always constantly getting into fights with boys like Walter Cunningham, the son of a poor farmer. During that year, Scout and her older brother Jem begin to find things in a hole in a tree on the Radley property as they pass it going to and from school. The next summer, Dill returns and the three continue their plans to make Boo Radley emerge from his house. They try to use a fishing pole to stick a note onto one of the windows of the Radleys. One night they decided to sneak up t o one of the windows to have a peek inside. Jem reaches the porch when a shadow appears and the three of them run for their lives just as a shotgun blast is heard. Jem gets caught on the fence by his pants so he has to slip out of them in order to escape. Later he tries to go get the pants that he lost and is afraid. A little bit later Scout hears that the pants were mended very strangely and lying on the fence. The next fall, the children make their first snowman. During this cold spell, Miss Maudie's house burns down and Scout and Jem have to stand outside for fear that their house might also burn down. While they are shivering in the cold, someone wraps a blanket around scout without their knowing it. All indications point to Boo Radley putting the blanket around her. About this time, the children begin to hear in the town that their father is a "nigger- lover." Atticus warns his children never to fight about this, but at Christmas time when one of Scout's cousins makes the same statement, she bloodies his nose. That Christmas, both children receive air rifles but they are given instructions that they must never kill a

My Pawnshop

Course Project Introduction to Business (GEB 1011) Think of a small company you would like to start. Using this company, include the following components in your finalized submittal and use them as Section Headings for formatting your submittal. Put the Section Headings in BOLD. Then your responses in normal 12 point size type and write in complete sentences. 1) Provide an Introduction of your company. Include your main product and/or service. In what country and part of the world is your company located? Explain why your company is located there.With the economy struggling and more and more people loosing their jobs as a major source of income I believe that providing the service of small collateral loans would be a great idea for a business. In this economy the pawn industry is a business that is growing and taking a powerful jump in the economy. I believe that opening and place where people can get short-term loans against a collateral would be a very successful business. I would strategically pick locations in United States that really need this service the most. For example, low-income regions in Orlando such as Pine Hills, would be a good place to open a location.Last and more important,   Make sure to set up shop where the local population is interested in buying your goods Choosing a location with a population that has supply and demand for the specific products I am selling. 2) Describe the form of business ownership you would choose for this company and explain why. Give at least three advantages and three disadvantages of your chosen form of business ownership. The form of business ownership I would choose for my company would be Sole Proprietorship. A business owned and operated by a single individual — and the most common form of business structure in the U.S. The advantages with a sole proprietorship: 1. Ease and cost of formation: simply announcing you are in business and requesting any licenses and permits you may need; use of profits à ¢â‚¬â€ since all profits from the business belong exclusively to you, the owner. 2. Flexibility and control: you make all the decisions and direct the entire business operations; very little government regulations; secrecy; and ease of ending the business. 3. Sale or transfer can take place at the discretion of the sole proprietor. There are disadvantages, however, including unlimited liability: . All business debts are personal debts, meaning you could lose everything you own if the business fails or loses a major lawsuit. 2. Limited sources of financing: based on your creditworthiness. 3. Limited skills: the sole proprietor really must be a â€Å"jack-of-all-trades,† part manager, marketer, accountant, etc. ; and limited lifespan meaning that the business ends when the owner dies. 3) Describe how you would use Supply and Demand to determine the products/services your company would provide. Include how this affects the pricing of your company’s product/service. When supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise. †Ã‚  (Understanding Business, Nickels,McHugh and McHuhg P. 37. ) There are many factors that play a role in using Supply and Demand for the items that my company would be working with. The age of the item, current condition, market value, and ability to re-sell, are all taken into consideration. The market value of precious metals changes daily so this will give more flexibility to play with the loaning, buying or pricing of it.Furthermore, I would have to contemplate the supply and demand or desirability of your item. Perhaps a new product ahs made it obsolete or even decrease its value. For example, a video game system that was worth $300. 00 two years ago may be practically worthless today. With new technology in the market and depreciation of electronics an outdated platform is not going to be in high demand. Another example would be the Blue-ray player, since they have become increasingly popular and they have a high demand in the market the DVD player has depreciated in value.Therefore if a client brings a DVD player in the store the appraisal value would be lower hence the selling price. Taking these factor into consideration, the use of supply and demand would affect the pricing of my company and it would play a very big role because I am the one investing money on the collateral that the customer is bringing to the store, hence my responsibility is to have the knowledge to take smart decisions and to properly train the people that would be working for me to be capable to make smart pricing by using tools such, internet, blue book, catalogs and their experience.One advantage that my company would have is that because I am targeting low income communities the $300. 00 game system they could not afford would be selling for a much lower price at my store. The demand would be there still for the system but this time the used system would be price one third of the original price and there would be an option for that customer to put it on layaway and pay for it slowly something that is becoming popular on big retail stores now days. As the Chief Executive Officer of your company: ) Describe your company’s Strategic Plan. Include a SWOT, Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, analysis ((list at least three, (3) items per section)). 5) Describe how you would implement the Management Functions in your company. 6) Describe the process you would use to recruit, hire, and train your employees. 7) Describe how you would approach the marketing mix for your company (Product, Price, Place, Promotions, the 4 Ps,). 8) Describe how you would develop and use the basic accounting statements in your company.

How to write a rationale? Essay

In 200-300 words, answer the following questions in paragraph form: †¢How is the context of the task linked to the particular course? †¢How is the task intended to explore particular aspects of the course? Consider the changing historical, cultural and social context in which particular texts are written and revised. Students are asked to understands the context of the production of a given text, and compare that context to the way the text is understood today, or at another time. I believe I fulfilled one/various learning outcomes for part 3: literature in context. For example I considered the changing historical, cultural, and social context in which dahls short stories were written and received by exploring ideas of postmodernism, such as dark humor †¢The nature of the task chosen – what is it about? How is it written? What is the text type? What is about; how did you write it? Style? Formality? Images? †¢ Information about audience, purpose and the social, cultural or historical context in which the task is set. This sample written task is written by Michael Michell, who teaches at the International School of Amsterdam. The task is the product of a greater unit on the portrayal of women and sex in advertising. It takes its inspiration from Jean Kilbourne’s ‘Killing Us Softly’. Students watched this polemic presentation and discussed many of the ads that it features. Students explored the defining characteristics of opinion columns and more specifically the columns of Maureen Dowd. You can see that he imitates her writing style or ‘voice’ very well. After you view Kilbourne’s presentation and read the written task, assess his work according to the assessment criteria. Then compare your marks to the examiner’s marks offered below. How do your marks differ from the examiner’s? Sample Rationale: For Part 2 of my English course we studied how women are portrayed by the media. We began by viewing Jean Kilbourne’s Killing Us Softly 3 and reading Kilbourne’s book The More You Subtract, The More You Add. I refer to statistics and facts from this sources in the written task. The Calvin Klein ad pictured here, the one that I refer to in my written task, is one I also used for an â€Å"ad critique presentation† (IB further oral activity). We spent time in class asking ourselves who was responsible for several problems, including the social construction of gender, beauty and sexuality to the often dangerous behaviors advertisements seem to promote (eating disorders, objectification of women, violence against women, hyper-masculinity, and others). We also discussed ways in which individuals and groups can resist these problems and promote social change. An opinion column seemed to be the ideal forum for me to write. I wanted to move from the specific problems I saw in this ad and speak to the larger issues it points to. I read many writers of Op-Eds and decided to model mine after New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd because her voice combines comic elements with biting commentary. Her columns, like many other Op-Ed writers, are grounded in the writer’s personal life. It contains not only her opinion, but many newsworthy statistics and a call to action. I believe that have met several of the learning outcomes for Part 2. I have examined different forms of communication within the media, by looking at a range of texts, from ads and opinion columns to documentaries and counter ads. I have also shown an awareness of the potential for ideological influence of the media, by looking at both sexist ads and counter-propaganda, such as Kilbourne’s speech. Written Task 1: My child walked into the study last night while I was hammering away on a column about W.’s inability to use the English language in a speech he delivered to the National Education Association conference this past weekend. â€Å"Mommy, look at me. I’m beautiful.† I turned around, reading glasses perched on the end of my nose, peering over the top to see my eight-year-old posing, nearly naked, hips jutting provocatively forward and gently sucking a thumb, in one of her father’s dress shirts from the laundry basket and CK written in my red lipstick on the pocket, only one lower button closing the shirt so my baby’s privates were just covered like the proverbial fig leaf. I was horrified. Horrified at what she was communicating – already – without awareness. I shook my head, dismayed, â€Å"Daniela, let’s get you into your jammies and off to bed.† As I walked into her room, I told her how I feel about the advertisement she was mimicking. I told her about women’s strength and real â€Å"girl power.† And then I helped her change, and read her several pages of Stargirl until she drifted off to sleep. It is no surprise that Daniela and so many others, especially children and young people, are influenced by the images they see – everywhere and all the time – telling the same stories of beauty: expose yourself, be thin, be childlike and vulnerable, be sexually available, be like the image you see. As Daniela gets older she will be socialized to know that girls and women are to be available, to be sexy, to be vulnerable and that boys and men are different: they are to be hard, powerful, in control, and forceful. If we believe the statistics, and I do, the consequences for the health, happiness, and welfare for our society are dire: the average American sees 3,000 advertisements a day, computer retouching of images is so pervasive that no images of human models escape â€Å"reworking,† only 5% of American women have body types seen in most advertising, 4 of 5 American women are dissatisfied with their bodies, 5-10 million women struggle with a serious eating disorder, and on and on and on. The list of consequences is legion. Who is responsible? The ad agencies? They own a share, but we are all responsible. We buy the magazines. We watch the television. We purchase the products. But we have choices. We don’t have to buy products that exploit and manipulate. More importantly, we can and should communicate to companies directly about what we think and feel in response to their advertisements, and how they will affect our choices as consumers. For many readers this may seem daunting. It does take commitment and effort, but there are resources that can help. For guidance on writing such letters, as well as a rich body of information about media issues, visit the Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting website (http://www.fair.org). For a superb archive of actual letters praising and condemning specific advertisements and ad campaigns, visit the About-Face website (http://www.about-face.org). In many cases, response letters are included, and in a few of these we see how the consumer has affected change. In his 1950 Nobel acceptance speech, American writer William Faulkner said, â€Å"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty, and truth, and compassion against injustice, and lying, and greed. If people all over the world†¦would do this it would change the Earth.† Faulkner’s right. We can change the world. But we must â€Å"Be the change we seek in the world,† as Gandhi said. We must act. We must educate ourselves and each other. We must educate our children about the images they see. We must never let a teachable moment pass. We must never let those images rule our children and us. We must act – with our voices, with our wallets, with our pens and computers. Criteria| Possible| Awarded| Comments| A: Rationale| 2| | | B: Task and Content| 8| | | C: Organization | 5| | | D: Language and Style| 5| | | Feedback: Criterion A – Rationale – 2 marks * 1 out of 2 – The rationale explains how the task is connected to the coursework. However, Criterion B – Task and content – 8 marks The content of a task should lend itself well to the type of text that one chooses. The task should demonstrate an understanding of the course work and topics studied. Finally, there should be evidence that the student has understood the conventions of writing a particular text type. * 7 out of 8 – This task is very appropriate for the content. The voice of Maureen Dowd has been carefully studied and replicated. You can see the student demonstrating his understanding of the coursework and Jean Killbourne’s film. Having said this, the Calvin Klein text is only analyzed in passing. This could have received a little more attention. Criterion C – Organization – 5 marks The task is organized effectively and appropriately with a regard for the text type. There must be a sense of coherence. * 4 out of 5 – The task moves nicely from an anecdote to a social commentary. It is illustrated effectively with statistics and interesting quotes. It has the structural conventions of an opinion column. Unfortunately, the task falls short of the minimum word count requirement of 800. Criterion D – Language – 5 marks The language of the task must be appropriate to the nature of the task. This means that students use an appropriate and effective register and style. Whatever the nature of the task, ideas must be communicated effectively. * 5 out of 5 – The choice of vocabulary and the use of syntax are superb! The narrative voice is characteristic of Maureen Dowd. Here is a draft of a Written Task 1 that a student wrote. It has multiple problems and requires help. Answer the following questions before reading the feedback. 1. Which pitfalls has the student fallen into? 2. How could the ‘three right ingredients’ be used to steer this student in the right direction? 3. Look at the page on opinion columns in the reference section of this Subject Site. According to this definition, there are six defining characteristics of opinion columns: voice, newsworthiness, call to action, humor, hard facts and logos. Where do you see evidence of these in the column below? How could these characteristics be added to the task to make it more successful? Column on the advantages of being fat ‘Don’t you want to lose weight some day’? Is the question I was asked about weekly. And then I replied with my happiest voice; No! The they gave me this kind of look like, okay, you must be crazy. And yes I am. There are so many advantages of being fat. Lets start by shopping. Sale. The thing I like best, and so handy when you’re fat, because almost 70% of all the woman are skinny, at least skinny to fit in the most common sizes. So all the big sizes are left over. How nice. So there I was, standing at the H&M, at the sale-corner. Nothing but big sizes. So as a child in a toy shop I started grabbing the things I liked and made my way to the fitting room. It was rather crowdie over there so I accepted the fact that I had to wait for some minutes. I heard the sound of an opening door and saw a skinny girl coming outside, at a glance she saw me and then continued looking in the mirror. Her friend, waiting for her, said she looked pretty and the girl asked her friend ‘don’t I look fat in this dress?’ No it’s lovely’ she replied. I laughed. I never had those kind of problems. For I already accepted the fact that I was fat, and it would never disappoint me when shopping. When the girls left I went in to the fitting room and started to change. This dress was lovely, I took another look in the mirror, turned around and smiled. Shopping is great, after like half an hour I was ready, with about 9 dresses hanging over my arm I made my way to the pay desk. Only50 pounds for 9 dresses. Good job, I thought. As happy as I was I walked to the bus stop I realized I was just in time because the bus was about to leave. I hastened myself to get inside the bus, and lucky as I was, there was one seat left over, a seat for 2, just for me. The whole trip no one came to sit next to me, for they probably thought they wouldn’t have enough space, sitting next to 1.5 person. Life is great, and so you see, being fat is too! (: Criteria| Possible| Awarded| Comments| A: Rationale| 2| | | B: Task and Content| 8| | | C: Organization | 5| | | D: Language and Style| 5| | | ————————————————- Feedback First of all, this written task falls into is the pitfall of not reflecting course content. It is not clear what was studied in class from this piece. If the student studied obesity, its causes and effects, then this needs to be made clear. Where does the statistic on the percentage of skinny women (70%) come from? Are overweight people really happy for the reasons suggested in this column? If so, explain where this is supported. Secondly, this opinion column sounds very informal, using words such as ‘like’ and the emoticon ‘(:’. Columns often contain something that is newsworthy and relevant to the target audience. The context of this text is not self evident. ————————————————- Finally, this text must refer to another text or texts. If the student read an article about obesity, then she could explain its significance. It is suggested that this student start all over again with a completely new idea and set of texts. She may want to see the lesson on anorexia and the sample written task on the portrayal of women in the media. Sample Rationale: My diary entry, written in Ekwefi’s point of view, contains 2 different entries that intend to show her thoughts and emotions regarding her romantic life. Set it Nigeria in the late 1880s, she compares the days in which she fell in love with Okonkwo and ran away from her husband to the present situation she finds herself in. Being a diary, the audience is the writer herself, and for each entry I used a different tone: lightheartedness can be seen in the sentence â€Å"Okonkwo and I should elope, as he is the man I have always longed for† while melancholy is present in the following one: â€Å"And it all seems so different from back then.† The language I employed is intended to be similar to the one on â€Å"Things Fall Apart† and the Ibo language, including the months â€Å"Onwa Agwu† meaning June and â€Å"Onwa Okike† meaning November, as well how they popularly use the word â€Å"shall.† I wrote this this because I wish we had seen m ore of the personal sides of the characters in the novel, especially of a woman, since they allow us to connect to them and feel with them more deeply. The nature of the chosen task comes from the fact that the concept of love is a very delicate, complex, and even clichà © idea, yet it is the one common factor that has been present in th world despite the different cultures that exist. Therefore its purpose is to prove that even in a novel of postcolonial origin and focus, the role romance pays in a character’s life is a subject that can be regarded. 1. What’s good about this rationale? 2. What’s missing? 3. What could be done better? ————————————————- Sample Written Task 1 ‘Language issues’ A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO ZOULIKHA VAN KLAVEREN The discussion about Ebonics or African American English (AAE) has recently started again, due to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking Ebonics translators. The commotion around our language is about the DEA putting Ebonics on their list of languages they translate, among official languages like Spanish or Vietnamese. Many white Americans have put a somewhat radical opinion out there; in general they think that Ebonics should not be seen as a distinct language and thus should not be on a list among official and distinct languages. Personally I was shocked to see so many aggressive comments towards the language we speak in our daily lives – and expressing yourself so hostile against Ebonics is not the right thing to do in my opinion. The characterizations of Ebonics as ‘slang’, ‘lazy’ or ‘broken English’ are incorrect, demeaning and could offend a great amount of people. Ebonics is a form of communication that deserves recognition and study. In this months’ special edition we are taking a closer look at the events that are going on right now. There will be different views on this issue; the topics that are named here are all coming back and will be assessed throughout an in-depth article written by Aleecia Dewiz, Marcus Reganus, Tanya Leeso and Sean Comsin. The last debate about the Ebonics language was almost fourteen years ago. On December 18th, 1996, the Oakland, California, Unified School District proposed using Ebonics for teaching English. This caused a national discussion and drew an awful lot of media attention. Due to this unwanted attention, the school board to alter their plans and teach it as a second language. My dear friend Jesse Jackson expressed his opinion on this matter saying that it was unacceptable for it may damage the children’s Standard English skills. Later he reversed his position towards the case by saying that he misunderstood the schools’ wish to teach Ebonics as a standard language – which was eventually not the case. Although I personally deeply care for the Ebonics language, English is a global lingua franca, so it is obvious that Standard English is the most important language that has to be spoken and taught in school. It has an instrumental motivation, while Ebonics is somehow rega rded as more of a language that people use or learn with a intergrative motivation. However, there are so many other versions of English spoken over the world: almost each country that has English as their official or second official language, speaks a slightly different dialect. Just to name a few: Hong Kong English, Singapore English, Cameroon English, New Zealand English and Jamaican English. These are languages that can be learned because of the integrative and instrumental motivation. Ebonics could be one of these languages and this will be discussed in the article â€Å"Ebonics: language or idiolect?† The question that came up to me was why there is such a fuss about this specific variety of English. In the Anglophone world – which is an immense part of the world we live in – there are many different varieties of English. The one that is quite comparable to Ebonics is Chicano English, since it is also a cultural variety of English in the United States. There is less (media) commotion about this language, though. Is this because it is not considered a distinct language, as it is not on the DEA list or has not been tried to teach in schools? Or does it have something to do with people being intimidated by the Black American society? The thing that worries me is that this renewed issue might trigger polarization between the radical-thinking white Americans and us Black Americans. There is a large group of Black Americans that speaks Ebonics and is not against it being a distinct or even an official language, while the large group of non-African Americans thinks the othe r way around. If this is going to be a national debate again, a divide of ethnic groups might occur. Like mentioned above, in this issue there will be different views on this topic, including the negative point of view, explained by both a Black American and white American. This is why I am kindly stressing to stand up for the Ebonics language, but to not forget about Standard English. I have written a feature on this as well, together with great help provided by Stephanie Reed and Tyrese Lutchin. Some might not like our language because they don’t understand it – hence the searching for translators, which definitely points out that not everyone can simply understand us. So speak the Ebonics language with pride, but think about the people around you and about your best interests – because Standard English is the most important language to know and to master. At least, for now. Criteria| Possible| Awarded| Comments| A: Rationale| 2| | | B: Task and Content| 8| | | C: Organization | 5| | | D: Language and Style| 5| | | Examiner’s Feedback: The written task is a missed opportunity. The student has an excellent topic with no examples of language in use. The task reminds us that, besides exploring various attitudes towards varieties of English language, we must look at concrete examples of English in use. Criteria| Possible| Awarded| Comments| A: Rationale| 2| 0| The student fails to include a rationale.| B: Task and Content| 8| 4| The task is generally appropriate, though it lacks examples. It shows some understanding of letters from the editor, as a type of text, though it slips into essay form sometimes.| C: Organization | 5| 4| The task is well organized and generally well structured.| D: Language and Style| 5| 4| The student’s use of English is inaccurate and inappropriate.| Sample Written Task 1 Rationale: In class we explored several texts by African Americans, analyzing their use of English as an expression of a social identity. In particular we look looked at several song lyrics by rappers. I was intrigued by 2Pac Shakur’s lyrics. I wanted to create a context in which I could explore the effects of his lyrics on the African American community. Therefore, I decided to invent a column in Rolling Stone magazine called ‘Lyrics Up Close’, in which I interview several young African Americans on their response to 2Pac’s lyrics. The year is 1998 and 2Pac is still climbing the pop charts even though he has been killed in a shooting. I ask how 2Pac has earned respect among his target audience, and how they identify with him. I give several reasons, including his personal history and his use of English to account for his success. What’s more I define the main message of the song as one that encourages troubled youth to get off the streets, stop selling drugs and cease violent activity. I look at this within the context of 2Pac’s own violent life, which exposes his hypocrisy. All in all, the task made me think critically about language and culture. Task: A ‘Brotha’ Who Understands ‘Brotha’s’ From ‘Lyrics Up Close’ a column in Rolling Stone magazine 2Pac Shakur landed in the top ten again this week with ‘Changes’, and so it appears that he is enjoying more success posthumously than when he lived. Has his iconic status increased because of his death, or could it be that this song has struck a chord with African-Americans across the nation. Rolling Stone hit the streets of 2Pac’s old neighborhood in Marin City, asking young African-Americans how the lyrics of ‘Changes’ made them feel. â€Å"Here’s a brotha’ who understands brotha’s,† answered one high school student, who seemed to capture the sentiments of many in the area. Where, though, in the lyrics do young African Americans identify with 2Pac’s message? At first glance, ‘Changes’ sounds quite pessimistic. It opens with the lines, â€Å"I’m tired of bein’ poor & even worse I’m black.† This defeatist attitude seems strange when compared to 2Pac’s tough image, an image that many young gang members have imitated. One young man we spoke to, who wore a gangster-style bandana, explained that the opening lines are not so much pessimistic as realistic. The lyrics explain why young African Americans deal drugs and commit crime: â€Å"First ship ’em dope & let ’em deal the brothers / give ’em guns step back watch ’em kill each other.† While this may sound like the tone of a victim, 2Pac is not encouraging young African Americans to give up or lose hope. It is important that we keep the target audience of the song in mind. It does not intend to create sympathy among white Americans for poor African Americans. Rather, the song targets African Americans. In fact many young black men of Marin City feel spoken to by 2Pac’s song. He seems to call on them to change: â€Å"But now I’m back with the facts givin’ it back to you Don’t let ’em jack you up, back you up, crack you up and pimp smack you up You gotta learn to hold ya own.† In these lines, â€Å"you† is directed to troubled black youth. When asked what â€Å"hold ya own† means, many young African Americans explained: they must refuse to become victims of the hardships that 2Pac so poignantly describes in his lyrics. This call to social responsibility might just be the main theme of the song, which he suggest in the lines, â€Å"I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere unless we share with each other.† He calls on African Americans to stop dealing drugs to each other and stealing from each other. How, though, does 2Pac deliver this message without sounding patronizing? First of all, as the saying goes, ‘it takes one to know one.’ 2Pac’s criminal past and time in prison have earned him respect among troubled, black youth. But what’s more, he speaks to them in their language, a lyrical, almost sophisticated form of Ebonics or African American Vernacular English (AAVE). The rhythm and rhyme of the lyrics is engaging and compelling, which we see in the afore mentioned lines, â€Å"jack you up, back you up / crack you up and pimp smack you up.† The verb, ‘to pimp smack one up’ exemplifies the poetic style of street speech. Finally he addresses his audience as his â€Å"brothers†, he uses the word â€Å"nigga† in a permissible context and alludes casually to â€Å"Huey†, a.k.a. Huey P. Lewis, co-founder ofthe Black Panthers. These are all ‘in-group’ markers, which help establish his credit and rapport among African Americans in general and black gangsters specifically. It is for these reasons that he has earned the right to speak to them about these complex issues. In the midst of the many depressing scenarios that 2Pac sketches from children dying of drug abuse to the constant fear of being killed by an old enemy (â€Å"I never get to lay back / ‘Cause I always got to worry ’bout the pay backs†), his spoken words cast a ray of light and call for reasoning. â€Å"We gotta make a change†¦ It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes. Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live and let’s change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn’t working so it’s on us to do what we gotta do, to survive.† The final question that remains is: ‘How are troubled, young African Americans supposed to change the way they live?’ Unfortunately 2Pac left us with few answers and, even worse, a poor example. He lived his life like the lyrics of ‘Changes’: a series of violent, depressing acts interspersed with a few moments of clarity. At least his song helps create understanding the complex issues that poor, young African Americans face every day. From this kind of understanding and the realization that ‘it’s on us to do what we gotta do’, change can arise. Criteria| Possible| Awarded| Comments| A: Rationale| 2| | | B: Task and Content| 8| | | C: Organization | 5| | | D: Language and Style| 5| | |

Road Safety Measures

Introduction- Road Accident is collision between any vehicles (for example car, truck, motorcycle etsectra) or it can be with any pedestrian, animal or the hindrance placed in the middle of the road. The accident occurred could result in many injuries or damage to the property. There are various factors which come into account which can be the reason of accident that is design of the road, driver's impairment and vehicle design which can cause serious and most dangerous types of accidents. This essay is based on the prevention of car accidents on the roads mainly on the streets of Dubai.Defining the Problem- What is the Problem? – The provision of highways are resulting in convenience for the peoples but the main problem which is faced by the government of any country is that the more frequent road accidents which are happening on the highways which results in severe damage in form of man power or infrastructure and mainly it is happening in big cities like UAE or Dubai which are having large road transport. The problem is basically small which is to be handled very carefully by the government; they have taken many measures to stop these huge accidents.Whenever a road accident takes place there is various types of damage which takes place which could be in the form of human beings which is also a victim, infrastructure which is damage to the government and other administration damages which occurs during accident. There is heavy cost to all above types of damages which has to be paid during accident which increase the complication if every day there will hundreds of accidents across the country which would directly affect the economy of the country such as UAE.There is a cost which has to be paid by the victim's family which cause great problem financially, the property is damaged due to the accident which also affect government financially indirectly. There is also some administration cost which will undergo due to the accident. Reason- The main reason behind the accidents which occur so frequently on the roads of UAE is that inattention which is given during driving a car. There would probably lesser amount of accidents if proper attention and rules are followed during traveling. There could be reason related to weather which lso come into effect into the reason behind accident which is of course a natural reason, the fog which causes less appearance of on coming vehicles could result in accidents. The other main reason which can cause massive accident is consumption of alcohol during driving. There are some stats related to the car accidents in UAE- * Mostly 92% men are responsible for the death occurred during accident and only 8% women are responsible. * Accidents at night made up 45% of the total fatalities. * Private vehicles cause 1164 accidents taking a toll of 167 lives. The average ratio of death due to accident in UAE was 1 in every 28 hours. Cause of Accidents- There are four factors which are responsible for these ty pes of road car accidents which are- Equipment Failure- The failure of some equipment inside the machine working of a car resulting into serious car accident is known as Accident due to Equipment Failure. These could be of various types such as failing of break, bursting of tire, tread separations or the problem could occur in steering/suspension. Roadway Design- The accidents which occur due to the irregular design of roads are known as accidents due to Roadway Design.It could occur through hazardous visibility which consists of merging lanes, livestock or pedestrian crossings, crests and troughs etc. The accident also occurs due to the irregular surface of the roads which causes imbalance of the vehicle and results into collision with another vehicle or infrastructure. Poor Roadway Maintenance- Poor roadway maintenance also contributes to some of the car accidents. There could be debris in the way of the road which could create problems for the traveler which is responsibility of local highway department, faded road sign and potholes could be another cause for the major road accident.Driver Behavior- The main and foremost cause is driver's behavior other than three causes discussed above which constitutes only 5% of the cause of the road accidents and 95% depends on this one. Various surveys has been done in which there is a study which comes out to be that only 5% driver's committed their own mistake in the accident and a major of 80 % believe that the other driver should have done something to stop the accident to occur. Current Policy- There are various policies which has been started or being formed for the increasing road accidents on the roads of UAE.There is an immediate need for the adoption of government's policies which could change the face of the accidents in the positive manner. Recently there is a conference been held in Abu Dhabi which was 15th Road Safety conference of four continents under the patronage of the vice president and prime minist er of United Arab of Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid AL Maktoum. This conference was mainly organized by National Transport Authority (NTA) and with collaboration with other groups such as GRPS, FERSI, TRB and many more.This was the first road safety conference which will going to follow United Nation Assembly resolution A/64/L. 44/Rev1 on safety of roads. The aim to conduct this conference was to follow the path being adopted by the UN assembly resolution and to support the declaration being done in Moscow to improve the safety measures on road. This conference was great platform for the government to adopt the measures which are being adopted and technical methods which are better than their methods could be adopted and being implemented to construct a safe world to live in which is free from ant accident.It was a great platform to debate for road safety issues and to discuss them and the measurement for the improvement of safety measures. There should be organization of futu re events and form a close relationship with transport institutions and the government authorities to work on the topic of road safety which can reduce the number of accidents which took place these days. The conclusion of this conference come out with the understanding that all the participants that is the countries or the nations which have participated in the conference will follow the guidance given by the United Nations on the road safety measures.There should be implementation of the strategic plan such as â€Å"Zero Vision† which is famous in some countries in Europe which should be encouraged by the United Arab of Emirates government as well as the agency under which this project will go should handle it with care. Government' s Reaction- The accidents which are taking place in the UAE region of Arab countries are getting out of the alarming situation so there is a need of taking protective measures by the government to enhance the education related to the safety adop tion during driving to avoid the risk of accident.There are various policies which have been introduced by the UAE government to ensure that there is less number of accidents in the country. There are various system introduced to control the accidents which takes place at the highway like introduction of fine system, black points and application like radars should be installed. So these systems should be discussed in detail to understand their uniqueness System of fine-There is an introduction of fine in various countries for the breaking of traffic rules to control the ongoing accident on the highways or on the street but the fine system which is applied in the United Arab Emirates region is somehow little harsh from other countries because of the diversified atmosphere of that country and the large amount of vehicles running daily from one destination to other. There are more than hundreds of offences which are made under the rule which involves handsome amount of money which is t o be given by the culprit if he/she found guilty of any one of them.There are some examples which could be given to show you how strict is the government of UAE * Not wearing seat belt there is a fine of 100 AED * If there is some change found in the fundamental of engine without permit then a fine of 400 AED * Driving a vehicle which is creating lots of pollution then there is a fine of 300 AED * Driving without number plate then there is fine of 200 AED * Overloading can charge an individual with 200 AED Driving a vehicle which is not having a license from license authority could be charged with a toll of 200 AED. So above points describing fine are some of the fines which have described here very shortly instead they are having a big list of them. The system is introduced with a purpose of reducing the irrelevant trafficking and reduction of accidents which are taking place in the country at the faster rate. Radar System- Various countries are adopting high tech facilities to con trol the rate of accidents which is touching the sky.There are technical gadgets which are available in the market which could detect the speed of a vehicle from few kilometers before which could help in controlling the speeds of the vehicle which is the main reason for the accidents. For example there is radar installed somewhere at the place on highway which used to keep track of the speed of ongoing vehicles and if found some vehicle is running at the speed which too high then the censors of radar will give the indication about it.This system and other various measures which have been initialized by the government have reduced the rate of accidents which were taking place earlier. You will be shocked through the stats that death due to road accidents in Dubai has fallen short by 27 percent in the first nine months of the last year which are the figures being given by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA). There has been loads of effort being given by the UAE ministry of Interior in making the roads safer for the pedestrians and the motorists. Black Points-This system is introduced basically in the UAE in which there are points given on the basis of breaking the rules or committing any mistakes during driving along with the fine being charged. These points collectively if crosses a standard limit which has been specified by the government could result into cancellation of the driving license or could be even worse than that by cancelling the license of the vehicle and taking the vehicle into their custody. So these were few measures which are being taken by the government of UAE at the superior level to prevail UAE as the Best Global cities in the world by 2015.There is a signing of memorandum between Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and the ministry to involve road safety in the top agenda and to increase improving the driving standards and the safety measures which are being took by the people. Alternative Policy- The policies which are been introduced by the government or some of them which are in the line are discussed in the above topics but the help or the measures which an individual could take has its own preferences. There are some policies which could be added in the list of the safety rules can help hem a lot to somehow decrease the accidents being taking place at the highway or on the streets. There should be launching of nation wide campaigns which could help in providing information regarding the road safety measures being adopted and to make people aware of the rules which are being introduced in the rule books. There are around 11551 injuries and simultaneous deaths on the streets of Dubai and there are 17 deaths which took place weekly in Dubai which is quite shocking with the stats.There are websites which conduct online test to test the knowledge of the road laws of the people which have another purpose also which is to make aware people about various laws and protective measures which they can take while driving. There should be formation of different associations which could take part in making the rules of road safety implemented in every part of the country and help the government in reducing the rate of accidents and which should provide various new invented measures which could be implemented and will be helpful in decreasing the rate of accidents, the government should take these type of ideas.There is very sharp division on the speed breakers which are situated on the highways could be placed with the forewarning boards and properly colored which could be seen from a distance but the travelers feel that speed breakers are not necessary on the highways but the villagers which understands the necessity of the breakers for their safety from the fast running vehicles. So these ways we have seen the division of mentality. There should be jurisdictional restriction on speed limit of different types of vehicle which are running like anything on the roads or highways resulting into very bad accidents.There should be some technically installment of the limit of speed which could be set accordingly to the traffic running at that place. The criteria of providing license should be made harsher which could only give chance to the perfect drivers which could provide a better chance of decreasing the accident rate. There should be various level of testing the driving of an individual which result in total inspection of the people that how much they know and is it safer to give them license to drive vehicle. The Non-Governing Organizations (NGOs) should come in front to put extra effort on the safety measures being introduced by the government.There are mechanical failures which could occur in vehicle apart from it there are mainly driver's fault which could result in severe massive accidents resulting into loss of many lives with them. Nowadays people are consuming alcohol and driving vehicle which could result into serious accident so the policy should be made to check the a lcohol consumption which should not be found more than a standard level as set by the government. There are cops which are posted at some place on the highways to check for these types of faults with breath taking machines which indicates if there is overconsumption of alcohol.Sometimes there are accidents which occur due to improper sign boards being placed on the roads. The proper planning of city could make a city free from accident which can be made by taking such types of protective measures such as sidewalks should be made to avoid walking on the roads which could decrease in the road hitting cases in the city, the crossing which is made should be made more uplifted to save pedestrian, there should be the facility for separate lanes for the two wheeler, three wheeler vehicles which can travel in only one row to avoid the risk of accidents.The activities like talking on cell phone, listening to music while driving should be avoided by an individual by themselves which could ser iously harm their lives and is termed as very dangerous. The government should walk through every rural and urban area to educate the people and launch campaign at very big level to involve as many people as it can so that more and more people are being introduced to the new technologies which are rapidly being involved in the traffic rules.There should be collaboration which could be made with other countries to improve the conditions which is at present, more and more conferences should be organized within country to establish a base of road safety and there should be exchange of information and ideas between different people having different mindset which could help in building more ideas regarding safety of the people of the country. The road design is also sometimes responsible for the accidents which should be made properly.In some researches it has been shown that proper design and maintenance, with well designed intersections, proper installation of traffic control devices c ould make significant improvement in the rates of accidents. There should be no mechanical default in the vehicle which is actually 5% of the accidents which take place but there should adequate measures which should be taken by individual like proper wearing of seatbelts, time to time service of the vehicle to avoid any risk during long run and other measures which should be taken by the drivers to drive safely on the highways which is the place of aving maximum risk of accident. The driver which is driving a car should be well educated enough to identify the roadside signboards to minimize human error so that risk of accident from human side decreases as low it can be. Conclusion- The car accidents are taking place at frequent rate in the country like United Arab of Emirate where number of highway are more which increases the rate of accident, the protective measure should be taken by an individual while driving a vehicle which has been introduced in above points.There are various policies which are introduced by the government to decrease the alarming situation of the rate of accidents occurring in UAE. There are stats which are shocking about the deaths of the people occurred during the accidents, these can only be improved when there is an initialization from every person of the nation and if full support is achieved by the government of the country then there are chances to calm down the temperature of the rate of accident occurring at highway. Read more:  http://www. businessteacher. org. uk/free-management-essays/road-accident. php#ixzz2OL0YNSNs

Psychological Testing Essay

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children measures simultaneous and sequential processing skills as well as subscales that measure academic achievement. The age range this test investigates is ages 2-12 years. There are ten mental processing subtests as well as six achievement subtests. Only three of the subtests are administered to all ages groups, making the sub-testing age-specific. The older the child in question, the longer the tests will take. The sequential processing scale measures short term memory and problem solving is organized around sequences. The simultaneous scale measures several problems that need to be solved at the same time. Achievement scales measure applied skills of the individual. b) Intelligence in children of preschool age is very unstable whereas their intelligence begins to stabilize as they reach school age. The assessment tools for infants are different to school-going children in the sense that they measure development rather than academic foundations. These tests measure how quickly the child is developing in terms of motor skills, linguistic development, adaptive behavior and social interaction. It has to be given that school-aged children have a higher vocabulary and language skill that can be better tested than the infant who is still using monosyllabic noises rather than words. Motor skills also develop more rapidly as well as reasoning skills. c) Mental age does not refer to the actual age of the person in question. A person with a mental age of 5 years may actually only be 4 years chronologically and vice versa. Due to this anomaly, data derived from IQ testing does not follow a bell-curve on data sheets. The deviation IQ is implemented to smooth out inconsistencies. Instead of actual scores, the person is allocated a percentile score so that it can be placed more realistically on a normal curve chart. Mental age does not necessarily increase over time in the same way that chronological age does and this age difference gradually decreases around adolescence. For these reasons a deviation IQ is used as opposed to actual raw scores. d) Originally named the Binet-Simon test, the Testing underwent several revisions over time with the most significant change being that it included the first Intelligence Quotient after 1916 when it became the Stanford-Binet test. The Binet-Simon test was initially used to determine the intelligence of retarded children, came to the conclusion that rather than portraying a chronological age, the children displayed a mental age instead. The 1986 version of the test include a wider perimeter sample group in order to decrease inequities that occurred in race and gender previously. It had been engineered for children alone but in 2003 was amended to accommodate adults as well. Design changes were made also to accommodate and measure behavior at age levels. e) Fluid and crystallized intelligence both form part of general intelligence. Fluid intelligence relates to reasoning and problem solving and is largely thought of as being independent of learning or experience. It is therefore an inherent or instinctual intelligence. Crystallized intelligence on the other hand refers to the intelligence that you gain from experience and what you have learnt in life. This intelligence is something that increases with age due to experiences and the assimilation of knowledge through what we have learned. Fluid intelligence therefore decreases with age and peaks during adolescence while crystallized intelligence will continue to grow. f) The general intelligence factor (g-factor) is meant to be a measurement of the persons overall intelligence. The two-factor theory was initiated by Spearman who derived a g-factor from two functions: a generalized ability and a specific ability. Therefore according to Spearman a person’s intelligence could be determined by a general intelligence as well as a specific intelligence (s-factor). Multi-factor intelligence theories implement the individual ability to be intelligent in various fields. Thurstone found that there were multiple areas in which a person could display intelligence and derived 7 factors that he called primary abilities: word fluency, verbal comprehension, spatial concept, numerical facilitation, memory by association, reasoning and perceptual speed. g) Individual tests require one-one-one consultation and measure verbal and non-verbal abilities. The Stanford-Binet and the Wechsler tests both require this environment. Group tests are most often administered to large groups and do no require one-on-one consultation. These tests are most often aptitude tests or cognitive abilities. Scoring in these terms is most often more objective than in individual tests and also simplify the role of the coordinator. Group testing is not culture-specific as opposed to individual testing which can be more culturally loaded and also more subjective. It is not as easy to establish a relationship with the person in a group testing environment as it is when the person is tested individually. h) Army alpha and beta tests were prototypes initially used in group testing to place soldiers during the First World War. Alpha groups were those who were proficient in the English language. Those who were not initially considered alpha groups were those who were placed in beta groups who were intelligent but not native English speakers. This hypothesis was that people’s intelligence was inherited. This method was first used to identify where in the army the person was likely to be placed, given their responses to the tests and the results. The beta test decreased its use of verbal knowledge presumably because they are non-English and it used mainly pictographic references. i) Aptitude and achievement tests are both standardized. Aptitude testing assesses the ability of the person to learn in certain areas. These tests are developed in order to determine which field of proficiency the person is most likely to excel in. These also measure numerical and literal ability as well as mechanical and abstract reasoning. Achievement tests on the other hand measure how well a person has achieved a skill. It is mostly used to ascertain academic levels and therefore is useful in determining whether a person is inherently able to learn something or not. An aptitude test will be able to validate that a person is most likely to achieve highly in a certain area and not as highly in others. j) The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children is an individual test that does not require reading or writing. It measures verbal intelligence and response times which can be useful in the diagnosis of Attention Deficits or other such disorders/abnormal patterns. This form of testing is significant in that it supplies the coordinator with information as to how fast the child can assimilate and react to questions. It also ascertains the quality and efficiency of vocabulary as well as word processing. The test is significant also in that t determines the respondent’s concentration levels and possible problems in their attention span. This is useful in that answers require verbal reactions. k) Physical disability does not necessarily mean that there will be discrepancies in the IQ of the person. Testing a person who is deaf for instance, requires a different approach to testing as well as a different means for the test. These individuals need a non-verbal based test and verbal ability is therefore a non-entity in their testing. A blind person on the other hand will not benefit from spatially based tests or units that require sight. The tests used to identify IQ would have to be verbally based and not pictorial. This considered, a speech impaired individual will also not have the same verbal component as someone who is able to speak. However, this does not mean that a mute person is not able to understand verbal interjection. For this reason, the IQ test has to be tailored to the specific disability reflected by the individual. l) Certain cultures encourage some skills more than they do others. The culture fair test is non-verbal and does not therefore test linguistic understanding insomuch as if the person tested is not an English speaker, they cannot be expected to understand English word and sentence structure. The culture fair test therefore measures analytical and reasoning ability and makes use of abstract and unusual visual spatial pictographs. From this the spatial and pictorial representations are believed to be universal to all cultures and thus understood well from one culture to the next. It was initially meant to reduce cultural or ethnic bias that can be produced when a test is designed to be effect for a certain culture. It is also independent of educational foundations and therefore measures inherent skill rather than acquired skills. 2 a) Personality testing identifies certain traits inherently part of an individuals psychological make-up. These tests basically help you determine what personality attributes you have and therefore help to identify what career types may be more pertinent to whom. Aspects of the personality often denote what particular attributes the personality has and thus what lifestyle s better suited to whom. Jung and Myers-Briggs typology identify different personality types that are said to help the individual determine their best career path. The ability test measures a person’s ability to learn new skills and also their potential in certain fields. Ability tests also seek to ascertain what the person has learnt or assimilated in terms of whatever they are studying, for example, school tests. b) Personality traits are characteristics of the individual and certain personality qualities that are inherent to the person. There are theories that propose that all traits are present in all people but to varying degrees (lesser or more). Idiographic personality trait view maintains that each person has a unique psychological structure that is not shared by anyone else. For this reason, it is impossible to compare any two people. The nomothetic view however, sees people as unique in their combination of traits. This means that while they do share personality traits to various degrees this can be compared by degrees of each trait in comparable people. c) Items are chosen depending on the specific group that is being studied. For example, screening of normal behavior in police officer applicants will be given items that pertain to the criminal justice system. The group is split into two: one group is what the coordinator would think of as displaying abnormal reactions/behavior and the other would be normal. Items are distributed equally in both groups and reactions towards the stimuli are recorded. The empirical criterion key does not assume that respondents are able to observe their own behavior but rather sees the objects or items as stimuli that require a response. Those they believe to be normal are used as a scale by which abnormal behavior can be compared. d) Forced-choice format gives a more well-rounded result then standard testing. The forced choice format basically allows the respondent one of two statements that they most likely agree with. The advantage of this is that it not only gives an accurate representation of reality, but it prevents the choice from becoming monotonous. It is easier to score these kinds of questions than if the respondent was asked multiple choice questions. As a design this format prevents the respondent from being consciously manipulated and therefore makes sure that the answers are truthful. This form of questionnaire is also shorter, preventing the individual from becoming tired and losing focus on the questions that are being asked. This prevents answers from becoming distorted. e) Response sets or response style refers to the person’s propensity to answer the same response for all or most of the questions. For instance, if the person responded ‘yes’ to the above question and then ‘yes’ again, regardless of the nature of the question. This is usually counterbalanced in tests because there are times when the person is biased towards a certain question based on its contents. Counterbalancing this response requires the same question to be asked in a different way and later in the questionnaire. This situation of response bias is also termed ‘acquiescence’ as the person performs this unconsciously or with lack of interest in the nature of the questions. f) Factor analysis is used to describe variables in a research situation. For instance, we have a research questionnaire that we now have to translate into data specific terms. We have the variables that were studied and the scores for each variable. In psychometric intelligence testing we could have any number of variables that determine the overall factor. An example of this would be that while we are aware that there are multiple factors within the intelligence study, all these factors contribute to the g-factor or general intelligence factor. In this case ‘g’ is the only factor that is common in all persons. What this analysis does is ascertain what particular factors which people are most affiliated with. Basically we could determine which factor is specific to which person. g) Objective self reporting methods of personality assessment is based on standardized questionnaires with limited responses available as well as a fixed scoring system. It is based on nomothetic principles and is therefore less ambiguous then the progressive methods. Progressive personality assessment techniques use intuitive responses and the intuitive scoring is also use. This personality assessment is based on idiographic principles which make it entirely different to the objective method. The problem with progressive techniques is that there is no fixed scoring system, however the problem with the objective method is that it does not leave room for intuitive or interpretive responses which are natural human conditions. h) Word association tests require the coordinator to present the group or person with a word. The person responds to this with the first word that comes to mind. This is a free association and therefore does not give the person the chance to think about their answer. A table measures the test word, the response time and the response. Responses to the words can be either the opposite in meaning; an association with the word (green-yellow); or even a definitive answer. The basis of this test is that it provides a pattern of how the individual sees words and how they associate with things. The association of about 100 words will give the coordinator a pattern of response that can be determined as normal, abnormal or as an anomaly. Most people will have a set pattern of responses. i) The interaction between a need and a press is called a thema. There is a need that is ensued by a press. To simplify this, Murray identified 28 needs and forces that press them into fruition. This makes the relationship interactive and determined by this interaction is the thema. The thema therefore can be linked to other units of these interactions to form serial thema. The greatest portion of the persons thema is dependent on the amount of press and needs that are present in that specific thema. This theory is used to determine personality types that are identified by specific needs and forces of press. Murray conducted this typology on Adolf Hitler in order to ascertain the needs and forces that culminated in his erratic behavior. j) Interest inventories conduct in-depth investigation into a person’s likes and dislikes and this helps to determine what type of career path is best suited to the individual. Clearly you should not study or undertake careers in which you would have to partake in activities you intensely dislike. Neither would it be advisable to become involved in vocations that you are indifferent to. The key would be to become involved in a career that contains more of your inventories ‘likes’ than ‘dislikes’. These interest inventories help you to discover what it is exactly that you like or dislike. This particular form of inventory is highly related to personality in the sense that certain personalities are more likely to enjoy certain key activities. An example of this would be an artist or writer enjoying solitude in a way that an actor might not. 3 b) Test name: Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Test uses: The Stanford Binet was initially indicated for the correct placement of children in educational settings. It is now one of the most widely used intelligence tests. It is useful for determining cognitive skills and intelligence in children and adults. Population test was designed for: As already stated, it was designed for children in educational settings in order to ensure that they were placed in the right class environment. Administration of test: The time it takes to administer this test depends on the age of the respondent and how many subtests are administered. It may take from 45-90 minutes standard but may take longer depending on the conditions at the time and the variables concerned. The respondent is timed at each subtest and is determined by estimated entry level. Timing is approximately 5 minutes per test. Depending on the age, the articles measured include: fluid reasoning, knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing and working memory. Characteristics of normative samples: The Stanford Binet normative sample reflect the 2000 U. S census and bias reviews are conducted on race, ethnicity, gender, religion and socio-economic status. Because it is a standardized test, normative or mean scores are derived per age group and the representative sample is matched to the individual standing. It was standardized on a national representative sample of 5 000 subjects. Reliability information: Reliability in this test is considered high. The internal median consistency score was . 97. Subtest reliabilities differ from age-group to age-group. Reliability coefficients ranged from . 91 to . 98, with coefficients for the five factor indices ranging from . 90 to . 92. Subtest coefficients ranged from . 84 to . 89. Validity information: correlations in the validity were considered high with an approximate value of . 90 compared to earlier Stanford Binet editions and high compared to other tests. Strengths of the test: This test can assist in the diagnosis of learning disabilities as well as determine the level of competency for young children compared to a normative structure. It can be used to determine developmental stages and knowledge and can be used in all age-groups from pre-school to adults. Weaknesses of the test: Due to the lack of co-operation sometimes shown in very young preschoolers the test results may not be indicative of true ability because of their lack of interest in partaking in the study. Different age-groups are administered different subtests which may also be considered a criticism in terms of its universal application.

All About Suicide By Luisa Valenzuela

Suicide: something that occurs among all age groups except newborns obviously. Although suicide occurs among all age groups there has been an increase, specifically among teenagers. Some would say that suicide is not preventable. However, that is not the case. Teenagers give off warning signs that can be noticed by those around them. Parents, teachers, and guardians need to take action and bring a stop to this increase in teenage suicide by cutting down the stress they put on teens. According†¦ Assisted Suicide I examine the ways in which our cultural expectations with respect to death may be transformed by the legalization of assisted suicide. I suggest the inadequacy of the philosophical framework currently taken as the basis for discussing the advantages as well as the dangers of legalizing assisted suicide. I do not believe that individual autonomy is any sort of possibility for dying patients, regardless of the social policies that surround death in a society, insofar as our individual†¦ Olesen February 25, 2015 Our Fate in Our Hands Assisted suicide is a controversial topic, sparking up questions and debates on whether it should be legal, or not. I argue that it should be legalized, it would be beneficial to some individuals because it would allow people with terminal illnesses to plan and prepare for their deaths, rather than go through pain and suffering, and the fear of not knowing when you could die. Assisted suicide, also commonly known as death with dignity, was created so†¦ Over a time span of one year, 2003 to 2004, suicide amongst children, especially teens has risen drastically. Contemplating suicide at any age is horrible. When a teenage, who has the ability to make informed decisions and has all the potential in the world, considers committing suicide, this is a tragedy. The tragedy suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. This paper attempts to list theories†¦ Doctor-Assisted Suicide Suicide is the act or instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally especially if that person is of sound mind. Euthanasia is the act or practice of killing individuals who are hopelessly sick or injured for reasons of mercy. Doctor-assisted suicide is a term used to describe the act of a doctor or physician providing direct or indirect means of assisting someone in taking their own life. There are 2 types of euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is withholding†¦ That 's the thing about suicide. Try as you might to remember how a person lived his life, you always end up thinking about how he ended it. (Cooper). Suicide is a life changing event, not only for the person who commits suicide but also for the surviving family members and friends. Family members might turn to each other in search of answers wanting to know what drove their loved one to commit such an atrocious thing, and subsequently begin to blame themselves or each other for not realizing that†¦ Assisted suicide is a very contentious topic in the world today. Everyone has their own opinion on this subject and it is a socially debated subject that involves a person making a choice, whether it is a choice to continue on with their life or give up hope and end their life. This should be a choice a person should make for themselves. While in the United States only one state has legalized assisted suicide. I agree with assisted suicide and this paper will support my feelings on this subject.†¦ The Significance of Suicide in Hamlet The concept of suicide is one that is greatly contemplated and discussed by Hamlet and other characters in William Shakespeare's play. It can be seen through two of Hamlet's soliloquies and his overall demeanor throughout the play. Hamlet has many issues that he must deal with such as the death of his father and the marriage of his uncle and mother. These two incidents led Hamlet to consider the extreme act of suicide to escape the fate that he had been bestowed†¦ assisted suicide this is a controversial subject, in this case there is a young cancer patient who has declined quickly who may be asking for help in ending their life. It may be argued that this is one of the choice a patient may make in the way that they seek to determine their own treatments; furthermore that allowing fully competent patients to make this decision is respecting autonomy. However, the patient bill of rights does not enshrine any right for a patient to seek assisted suicide. They†¦ â€Å"Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain† (I-10). Ending a life is a big step in the wrong direction for most. Suicide is the killing of oneself. Suicide happens every day, and everyday a family’s life is changed. Something needs to be done to raise awareness of that startling fact. Suicide is a much bigger problem than society will admit; the causes, methods, and prevention need to be discussed more openly. Committing suicide probably sounds like a foreign†¦

Communication and Problem Solving Research Paper

Communication and Problem Solving - Research Paper Example gh team satisfaction have resulted from creativity in conflict resolution by dedicated team members seeking to create a culture of mutual respect combined with effective communication. In the article by Ken Pierce (p.60), the conflict arose as a result of building tension between an office scheduler and one of the physicians regarding a perceived negligence on the part of the physician to adequately carry his workload of patients. Lack of effective communication between them led to a breakdown of working cooperation which eventually involved management. There are actually several components to this particular conflict. The staff scheduler has made assumptions regarding the physician, â€Å"since the weather is nice, Jones is taking off with a couple of colleagues to go sailing or play a round of golf. After all, he always sports a dark tan, comes to clinic late and leaves early.† She sounds resentful at feeling forced to assume an extra workload as the result of his choice not to see patients, â€Å"having cancelled clinic twice this month already†. She also has internal filters that judge his level of commitment to the team. She appears to be operating from a position of intolerance and micromanagement. The scheduler, feeling manipulated and disrespected on several levels, opts not to show him the professional courtesy of discussing the situation with him by involving management to resolve the issue. The physician appears to act from a position of insensitivity and disrespect. He is insensitive to the needs of his patients, the seemingly unnecessary workload for the scheduler, and disregards what is involved in rescheduling the patients more than one time in a month. He exhibits disrespect for her position in asking her to breach trust with the patients and lie to them about why he can’t see them, and, possibly disrespect for his fellow team members, as well as the business, in not honoring his commitment to see patients. This is evident in his