Guidelines And Ethical Considerations For Assessment Center

Assessment Centers Literature Review An assessment center is â€Å"a variety of testing techniques designed to allow candidates [or current employees] to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities that are most essential for success in a given job† (qtd. in Coleman 3). Typical assessment center techniques include tests, structured interviews, in-basket exercises, leaderless group discussions, role plays, case studies, presentations, and writing samples (Campion 2014). The results of these techniques can be used for multiple human resource functions, including selection, placement, promotion, development, identifying early managerial talent, and managing succession (Gaugler et al. 493, Thornton III and Byham 3, Spychalski et al. 71). In addition, assessment centers can help organizations detect organizational deficiencies, inefficient procedures, and training deficiencies (Hale 18). The versatile nature of assessment centers makes them a beneficial tool for human resourc e management. The Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations were developed by assessment center specialists and serve as a guideline for establishing and using assessment center. Although these guidelines are constantly updated, they continue to emphasize the importance of using job-related simulations in because they show how individuals behave in job-related situations. In fact, the guidelines assert that at least one of the assessment center testingShow MoreRelatedThe Appropriate and Inappropriate Use of Assessments in Instructional Design1368 Words   |  6 PagesThe current attention on assessment in education has cause for concern about the appropriate and inappropriate practices teachers use in instructional design. Many teachers face ethical conflicts regarding assessment and the design of instructional materials for their students. This paper focuses on defining ethical behavior and examining educators ethical judgments in relation to assessmen t. According to the study (2008), Educational Leaders Perceptions about Ethical Practices in Student EvaluationRead MoreFinancing Of United States Health Care1127 Words   |  5 PagesFinancing the United States (U.S.) health care system is complicated and difficult at best. The role policy makers and health care professionals play in the reform and restructuring of the U.S. health care system is very important. The overarching consideration of supply and demand in the U.S. health care system relies on a workforce, financing, and cost of delivering quality healthcare to the U.S. population (Knickman Kover, 2015). To improve overall quality of care, healthcare providers and policyRead MoreThe Issue Of Raising An Aggressive Child Essay1481 Words   |  6 Pageschildren being completed to show that excessive tantrums in preschoolers are linked to psychiatric disorders. Based on these studies, it is important to identify aggressive behavior early so it can be properly treated. The first source, â€Å"Parents’ Assessment of Parent-child Interaction Interventions† (Neander Engstrà ¶m, 2009) describes a study conducted of 101 families to describe those who have sought out intervention and to determine long term and short term changes throughout the intervention. TheRead MoreThe Ethical Imperative Of Recovery Oriented Practices1746 Words   |  7 PagesThe aim of the assignment is to critique two research articles; Mental illness and wellbeing: the central importance of positive psychology and recovery approached (Slade, 2010) and Preserving the Person: The Ethical Imperative of Recovery-Oriented Practices (Atterbury , 2014)and its impact on practice. For both articles the dominant theme which runs through is recovery. There is no exact meaning of recovery in mental health. Professional meaning of recovery differentiate between clinical recoveryRead MoreResearch Critique Part 2 Quantitative Study845 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch took place in Stockholm, Sweden. The study shows a descriptive quantitative approach in investigating district nurse wound care management. Protection of Human Participants For this study district nurses (DNs) working at primary health care centers (PHCs) were randomly selected, to make sure that differences between sample and population are a function of chance. The nurses got information in writing and verbally the reason for the study and that the information used will be confidential.Read MoreClinical Trials Are Medically Based Experiments1567 Words   |  7 Pagesresponse to the Nuremburg war trials. †¢ The Helsinki Declaration of 1964. †¢ The 1971 Guidelines by the US Department of Health Education and Welfare, codified into formal Federal regulations in 1974. †¢ The Belmont Report, published in 1979 by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research is required reading for all researchers. This document provides the ethical underpinnings of most of the U.S. Federal regulations governing human research. TheRead More Brain Tissue Oxygenation Monitoring System and Subsequent Nursing Interventions for High School Athletes Diagnosed with a Severe Traumatic Brain Inju1471 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2010), approximately 1.7 million individuals are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Within the medical and allied health care professions, various definitions are utilized to define what constitutes a TBI (Abelson-Mitchell, 2007). Despite such various definitions, a TBI essentially describes any form of trauma directed at the brain and its surrounding anatomical structures (Abelson-Mitchell, 2007). As with most injuriesR ead MoreUnderstanding Multicultural Concerns May Influence People Essay1345 Words   |  6 Pagesmay contrast and make a fascinating element in restorative treatment. Errors of or potentially obliviousness toward social contrasts may create violence or confusion which may require therapeutic consideration. This paper analysis two case vignette. Both vignettes deal with ethical and legal guidelines to be considered with working with a diverse culture. Case Vignette 1 Distinctive ways to deal with treatment inside various cultures, and the route in which culture can strengthenRead MoreEthical Decision Making For Professional Counselors1526 Words   |  7 Pagessituations may be come about in the areas of ethical, professional, or legal concerns. New Counselors can become frustrated by the lack of dilemmas they can face in the field of mental health. Counselors must take into consideration the ethical, professional, and legal considerations they can or may encounter. Counselors use the ACA guide as rule book of professional standards of moral duty and obligation. The Ethics guide provides a frame work that centers on the counselor’s conduct in their workRead MoreBus 600 Cart the Learning Interface/Bus600Cartdotcom1067 Words   |  5 PagesReducing Communication Barriers BUS 600 Week 2 DQ 2 Intercultural Communication Competence BUS 600 Week 3 Assignment Communications Skill Assessment BUS 600 Week 3 DQ 1 Technology and Communication BUS 600 Week 3 DQ 2 Visual Presentations BUS 600 Week 4 DQ 1 Internal Communication BUS 600 Week 4 DQ 2 Listening BUS 600 Week 5 DQ 1 Conflict BUS 600 Week 5 DQ 2 Ethical Behavior BUS 600 Week 5 News Article BUS 600 Week 5 Assignment The Impact of Workplace Bullying Assignments (2 Papers) BUS 600 Week

An Overview of Diversity Awareness Free Essays

Exposure to diversity is essential for success in our world. While diversity can be anything from ethnicity to economic status to religion to sexuality to shape, our brain has the ability to make connections and discover how differences interact and function in our world. When we give ourselves the opportunity to work with diversity, we learn from one another. We will write a custom essay sample on An Overview of Diversity Awareness or any similar topic only for you Order Now We find so many differences and similarities between each other. Science tells us our brain functions by the transfer and interaction of neurons; in order to remember things, our brains must be exposed to information multiple times. Essentially, learning about and from others benefits us on a worldly scale, but the more new knowledge we retain and the more connections built between exploring differences and similarities, the overall smarter we become. Though diversity refers to our differences, it also reveals our similarities. Diversity not only helps us to make connections or learn from each other but also makes us think outside of your own perspectives and look at things in different light. Our brain recognizes the difference between us but also recognizes the similarity to past knowledge. As a result, our neurons for this information strengthen their bond and give us a better understanding. Individual percept things a certain way but interaction with others forces our brain to think outside of the box we look through every day, it helps us understand other people and in some cases even change someone’s views. Sexuality or sexual orientation is becoming increasingly diverse as each day passes by. How do these diverse sexual orientation or sexualities differ within each individual? And more importantly, what did I learn from my Human Sexuality class about my sexuality? How did it changed my perspective about similarities and differences I share with others? First of all, I will talk about the difference within myself that I wasn’t aware of at first. When I started this class it was pretty clear to me that this class will require some dedication on my part. I was trying my best to keep with my other classes as well when I stumbled upon one of the readings required for Human Sexuality class. The article by Lamaya H is about a Muslim girl and her queerness. As soon as Lamaya said, â€Å"It takes me a while to recognize this as desire. I have no models for these kinds of feelings and it is confusing. I figure I’ll outgrow it.† I took a break from this reading as though it spoke to me. Lamaya H talks about how her experience was and how she tried her best to â€Å"crush on boys and (painfully, awkwardly) flirt with them† and that it never got her far because she knew it wasn’t something she wanted. Lamaya talks about the representation of lesbians on media are very limited to naked blonde women kissing each other. Then moving onto how she got to the word queer and how she found out about Queer Muslim mixers. This way she was able to be who she wanted to be around her friends who would judge her for being queer or Muslim. It was just one sentence to make think about myself. I’ve been so focused on being what people wanted me to be that I completely forgot about what I wanted something else. I knew I had feelings for some of my friends who happened to be girls. It confused me a lot because I liked boys too. The only option left was me as bisexual. I drowned myself in all the articles and readings online. In my case, it was harder for me to even come out to myself. Some people go through same things, coming out to oneself becomes the hardest part but everyone and every individual is different from one and another. While we do diverse from each other, our brain make connections to things certain things making it easier for us to connect with others. Moving forward, I will be discussing asexuality and its connection to me or People within LGBTQ community. The first question is; what is asexuality? An asexual person is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Asexuality just like other sexuality has difference and similarities within itself. One statement can not define everyone’s preferences. Carrigan, in an article ‘Asexuality’, explains that it can be usefully understood in terms of divergent attitudes towards sexual behavior (positivity, neutrality, repulsion) and romance (aromanticism and romanticism, which can take heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, and panromantic forms). There are many more identifications some of which fall under â€Å"Gray-A† commonly known as â€Å"Grey Area†. Carrigan shares some of the statistics that fall within â€Å"Gray-A†, â€Å"56% of respondents reporting identification as ‘Asexual’, 21% as ‘Gray-asexual’, 21% as ‘Demisexual’, and 2% as ‘None of the above†. Even though not having sexual attractions is not so unknown there are still a lot of confusions or myths about asexuality. Carrigan talk about one of the most â€Å"common confusion is to equate asexuality with celibacy, such that a lack of sexual attraction (asexuality) is conflated with a choice to abstain from sexual acts (celibacy)† Celibacy is a choice to restrain oneself from acting on sexual attractions while asexual person has no sexual attractions (depends on where someone is on gray-A) towards any individual. As a person who defines herself as demisexual one of the biggest assumption is that everyone is sexually attracted to someone. Demisexuals is a person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form an emotional connection. Even though demisexuality falls under gray-a, they are sexually attracted to people to they have an emotional connection with but not to everyone as myths suggest. Even within sexuality, people have differences and similarities inwardly within each individual. How to cite An Overview of Diversity Awareness, Papers

Duty free essay sample

I would gather all my employees together and let each and every one of them know that business is picking up, thank everyone for their hard work and dedication, and let them know that I see quite a few things going on; some good and many that are not so impressive. I would go on to let them know that there will be some policy changes and that there will be some incentives at the end of each quarter but to be eligible to receive the rewards the organization will have to adhere to these changes. Each supervisor, manager, and crew leader must make sure all deadlines are met. ?Each supervisor, manager, and crew leader must carry out his/her job duties to the fullest extent of his/her title and duty description. ?Each supervisor, manager and crew leader must pull his/her own weight while on the grounds of Turner Inc. We will write a custom essay sample on Duty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ?Each staff member must be on time dressed and ready to perform assigned duties. ?Each staff member must respect their position, the company, and their fellow staff members. A sign will be hung throughout Turner Inc. that reads Finally, let them know that they are valued but also stress the fact that there are thousands that are waiting to step right into their positions. Consequently, there are those that need to be pulled into the office for an extra pep talk/tongue lashing; Mr. Black, Ms. Blue, and Mr. White. Reiterate to them that they will be on probation for 30 days to make sure all policy and rules are followed.

The Crucible And The Use Of Au Essay Example For Students

The Crucible And The Use Of Au Essay Todays society is composed of a country built on the Constitution, which is governed by laws, justice in these laws and authority. Authority holds precedence in any situation; the policeman upholding the law, the judge administering justice, the common citizen being law abiding. However, true authority is not constituted by a diploma, an appointment, or a title, it is earned by respect, honor and integrity. All of which are misused, and misunderstood, in the The Crucible. Authority can be a means of rectifying ones situation in a community. With a title, authority is swayed to protect a persons image or self respect, resulting in anothers misfortune. Reverend Parris himself led in the persecution of several innocent townspeople, all in protection of his own image and pulpit let it be disgraced by a niece that was a liar and sleep around. Now a man of lesser title, or precedent, would probably have been sneered at for believing his niece was afflicted with witchcraft and carrying out such accusations against the townspeople, but, as a man of god, more people were willing to believe in his feelings, resulting in the death of 20 individuals. Thomas Putnam, a man resembling wealth and property authority, was able to conveniently gain more property and wealth as a means of accusing his enemies of witchcraft to spite his own profit. Deputy Governor Danforth, a symbol of civil authority, controlled the court to his advantage by limiting his thoughts in regar ds to the obvious act put in front of him by the afflicted girls. A person who may have been innocent could easily be persecuted by a wealthy or titled person who had more authority, or was deemed so by the standards of the day or the title beseeched him. We will write a custom essay on The Crucible And The Use Of Au specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Respect and honor are key in maintaining authority. A persons true authority comes from the people, and is gained only through respect and honor. A respected person holds more weight in a society than any wealthy or titled individual. Rebecca Nurse, who is well known in Beverly for her goodwill, shows authority over the people who believe in her and mourn her when she is being persecuted for witchcraft. John Proctor also holds authority throughout the trials as an honest working man who holds deep honor and integrity for himself, despite his previous acts of adultery. Rebecca and John both lead the people in establishing a crumbling within the trials, they are deeply respected within the community. Nurse is not the Bridget Bishop who slept with her husband a year before marriage, and John is not the man who drank his family into debt and starvation. These facts give them a higher edge in the community, and cause in the dissolution of the trials themselves. Respect and honor earn them both authority in Salem, a position normally bestowed on titled or diplomed individuals who may, or may not, deserve it. A person with integrity can also easily hold authority in a situation. Reverand Hale shows true authority when he realizes that innocents are being helplessly persecuted, and shows so by leaving the court. Procter shows integrity for himself when he refuses to sign his declaration of being possessed by the devil. Governor Danforth lacked authority as a result of lacking integrity. By failing to remain open minded in relation to F. Nurse, Giles Corey, Mary Warren and Proctors declarations, his true authority became non existent, people were more willing to defy him and the courts after his own acts against justice. Authority cannot be appointed. There is good and evil to each person, regardless of position or social class. Authority can fall into the wrong hands at any time as a result of a title (i.e., Sudam Husain and Adolph Hitler.) True authority is earned, and used in benefit, not destruction, of man kind.

Whats a Good SAT Score for 2017

What's a Good SAT Score for 2017 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're planning on taking the SAT this year, you might be wondering how high you'll need to aim in order to get a good (or even great!) score. What is a good SAT score for 2017?More importantly, what is a good SAT score for you? In this guide, we look at different ways to define good SAT scores for 2017 and teach you how to set an SAT goal score. In addition, we examine old SAT averages and percentiles to determine whether (and how) the definition of a good SAT score has changed over time. What Is a Good SAT Score for 2017 Overall? In the simplest of terms, a good SAT score is any score that's high enough to get you into the schools you wish to attend.But to define good SAT scores for 2017 overall, we'll need to look at the SAT in a broader, more objective sense. And the easiest way to do this is to use averages and percentilesto seehow your scores compare with those of other test takers. (As a reminder, percentiles tell you what percentage of test takers you scored higher than on the SAT.) As you likely know, the SAT is scored on a scale of 400-1600. According to the College Board, theaverage SAT scorefor 2017is1083(for college-bound 11th and 12th graders), which is close to the 50th percentile. Generally speaking, good SAT scores for 2017 can be consideredanything above average (i.e., any score that places you in the top half of test takers). Likewise, a poor score can be considered anything below average. So essentially, the farther you get from average, the better (if above average) or worse (if below average) your score will be. Here is an overview of the current SAT percentiles and what they indicate about your overall test performance: Percentile EBRW Math TOTAL 90th percentile (excellent) 680* 690* 1340 75th percentile (good) 620 610* 1220* 50th percentile (average) 540** 530** 1080 25th percentile (poor) 470 470** 950 10th percentile (very poor) 410* 410 830 Source: SAT Understanding Scores 2016 *Score is 1% higher than percentile listed (i.e., 91st, 76th, or 11th percentiles). **Score is 1% lower than percentile listed (i.e., 49th or 24th percentiles). Let's start by looking at the good percentiles. As we can see from this chart, the higher your SAT percentile, the more test takers you've outperformed and the more impressive your score is. What's intriguing here, though, is thatyou don't need to get a perfect score or even break 1500 to qualify for the top 10%. As the data indicates, ascore of 1340- despite being 260 points below a perfect 1600- is in the 90th percentile! Therefore, anything at or above 1340 can be considered an extremely impressive SAT score for 2017. By contrast, a low percentile indicates that more test takers have outperformed you than you have them.According to the chart, any score in the range of 400-830- that’s a big 430-point span!- places you in the bottom 10% of test takers. Interestingly, a score of 950, which is only 130 points below average, still means you're scoring worse than a whopping 75% of test takers. So it's safe to say, then, that anything at or below 950 can be considered a rather poor SAT score. But what do all of these numbers mean for you specifically? Is a good SAT score simply defined by what percentile you're in, or is there more to it than that? What Is a Good 2017 SAT Score for YOU? Ultimately, and regardless of SAT percentiles and averages, what's important is that you're aiming for an SAT score that's good enough for you- in other words,an SAT score that's high enough to secure you admission to your schools. At PrepScholar, we call this ideal score a goal score. As you might've guessed, goal scores will vary depending on the test taker and where you're applying.For someone applying to Harvard, for example, a good SAT score would most likely be just under or even ata perfect 1600. But for someone applying to Washington State University, a solid goal score might be something closer to 1200. In the end, getting the exact SAT score you need for your schools is far more important than aimlessly trying to hit a certain percentile that might or might not actually be good enough for the colleges you're applying to. Buthow do you find your goal score? Read on to learn! How to Set a 2017 SAT Goal Score Figuring out your SAT goal score is easy if you know what you must do. Here, we walk you through the three critical steps needed to determine your goal score. Step 1: Make a Chart First things first, you'll need to make a chart. Fill in your school names in the leftmost column, and then write â€Å"25th Percentile SAT Score† and â€Å"75th Percentile SAT Score† across the top. Alternatively, you maydownload our goal score worksheet. Here is an example: School Name 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score University of Michigan Michigan State University Eastern Michigan University Step 2: Find SAT Score Info for Your Schools The next step is to start researching SAT score info for your schools. One way to do this is to look for your schools in thePrepScholar database.To find your school, search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar SAT† or â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar† on Google. Then, click the link to either your school's "Admission Requirements" or its "SAT Scores and GPA" page (both pages list SAT score info). Here’s an example of our "Admission Requirements" page for Eastern Michigan University: Once you find your school in our database, look for information about SAT scores- specifically, its 25th and 75th percentile scores. These percentiles are important because they tell you the middle 50%,oraverage range,of admitted applicants' SAT scores for your particular school. If you can't find your school in our database, try searching for â€Å"[School Name] average SAT scores† or â€Å"[School Name] 25th 75th percentile SAT† on Google to see whether any relevant pages on your school’s official website pop up. Here’s our example chart again, this time with SAT score info filled out for each school: School Name 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score University of Michigan 1370 1530 Michigan State University 1050 1310 Eastern Michigan University 980 1260 Step 3: Calculate Your Target Score Finally, look for the highest score in your chart (in the 75th percentile column); this score will be your goal score because it’s the one most likely to get you into all of the schools you're applying to. In our example above, our goal score would be1530- that's in the 99th percentile! If your goal score feels a little too high for you (such as our example goal score), you might want to consider lowering it slightly- ideally to either the second-highest 75th percentile score in your chart or to a score between the highest and second-highest percentile scores. In our example, this means you could instead aim for something closer to 1420, the halfway point between the highest and second-highest scores. This would still be high enough for MSU and EMU, though slightly lower for UM. Once you have your total goal score, you'll likely want to know your section goal scores, too. To get these, divide your total goal score by 2.In our example, this gives us765 (which we'll round up to 770) for both Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math. How Has the Definition of a Good SAT Score Changed? Now that we understand what a good SAT score for 2017 is, both in general and for you, let's look at whether the definition of a good SAT score has changed or stayed the same over the years. To do this, we'll need some data. But here's the caveat: the SAT hada massiveredesign in March 2016.These changes didn't simply shift the SAT scoring scale but alsocompletely overhauled the content and format of the exam. As a result, it'll be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to compare 2017 SAT data with data from earlier administrations of the test. What we'll do instead is compareSAT averages and percentiles for only the old SAT.This way we'll be able to determine with more accuracy whether the SAT average has risen or fallen over time, and whether SAT percentiles, too, have changed. Let's start with the averages. The following table showcases the average SAT scores for college-bound seniors from 2006 to 2016.Note that on the old SAT, there was no EBRW score (instead, you got two separate Critical Reading and Writing scores). Additionally, theessay used to be a required component that counted toward your total Writing score (now, it's optional and graded separately). Average SAT Scores 2006-2016 Year Critical Reading Math Writing 2006 503 518 497 2007 501 514 493 2008 500 514 493 2009 499 514 492 2010 500 515 491 2011 497 514 489 2012 496 514 488 2013 496 514 488 2014 497 513 487 2015 495 511 484 2016 494 508 482 Source: The College Board Total Group Profile Report 2016 As you can see, in all SAT sections, the average scores have declined steadily over time. From 2006 to 2016, Critical Reading witnessed a 9-point drop (503 to 494), Math a 10-point drop (518 to 508), and Writing a 15-point drop (497 to 482). Since these averages changed, it seems logical to assume thatthe definition of a good SAT score has also altered slightly over time. In recent years, students have needed to score fewer points on the SAT in order to hit the average score, indicating that it was somewhat easier to exceed this average (and get what's generally considered a good SAT score)in 2016 than it was in 2006. But how do percentiles come into play? Let's find out. Below is an overview of total SAT score percentiles from2011 to 2015: SAT Score Percentiles 2011-2015 Year 90th Percentile 75th Percentile 50th Percentile 25th Percentile 10th Percentile 2011 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1110 2012 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1100-1110 2013 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1100 2014 1930-1940 1720 1490 1270 1090-1100 2015 1930-1940 1720 1480 1260 1080-1090 Again, we can see that for some percentiles- namely the 10th to 50th percentiles- corresponding SAT scores have declined a little over time. This means that over the years, fewer test takers have reached certain scores on the SAT, thereby lowering the scores needed to achieve different percentiles. But these changes in scores and percentiles are all fairly nominal. Of the percentiles whose scores decreased from 2011 to 2015, all dropped by a mere 10 or 20 points- changes that aren't drastic enough to point to any major trend. Even more interesting, some percentiles' corresponding scores didn't change at all over the years.From 2011 to 2015, the 90th and 75th percentiles remained remarkably steady (at 1930-1940 and 1720, respectively), meaning that the same percentages of test takers were scoring at or around these scores each year. All in all, this general consistency in SAT score percentiles suggests that what’s considered a good score hasn’t changed much in recent years, particularly if you’re defining a good SAT score by how your score compares with those of other test takers. Recap: What Is a Good SAT Score for 2017? There are many ways to define good SAT scores for 2017. Perhaps the easiest way we can define them is to use data from the College Board. According to this data, the average SAT score for 2017 is 1083 (nearly the same as the median or 50th percentile). Generally speaking, any SAT score above average (i.e., in the top half of test takers) is a good score, and any score below average (i.e., in the bottom half of test takers) is a poor one. While averages and percentiles offer us a more objective idea of what good SAT scores for 2017 are, ultimately, you determine what a good SAT score is for yourself. To do this, you must set an SAT goal score. A goal score is the SAT score most likelyto get you into all of the schools to which you're applying. By setting (and eventually hitting) your goal score, you can guarantee yourself an excellent shot at gaining admission to your schools. What’s Next? Want more information about SAT scores?Learn what constitutes a good, bad, and excellent SAT score in general, and get the rundown on how the SAT is scored. Need help hitting your SAT goal score?Try our expert tips to improve your score. And if you're willing to work extra hard, follow the road to success with our step-by-step guide on how to get a perfect 1600! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Review

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Review The Old Man and the Sea was a big success for Ernest Hemingway when it was published in 1952. At first glance, the story appears to be a simple tale of an old Cuban fisherman who catches an enormous fish, only to lose it. Theres much more to the  story a tale of  bravery and heroism, of one mans struggle against his own doubts, the elements, a massive fish, sharks and even his desire to give up. The old man eventually succeeds, then fails, and then wins again. Its the story of perseverance and the machismo of the old man against the elements. This slim novella its only 127 pages   helped to revive Hemingways reputation as a writer, winning him great acclaim, including the Nobel Prize for literature.   Overview Santiago is an old man and a fisherman who has gone for months without catching a fish. Many are starting to doubt his abilities as an angler. Even his apprentice, Manolin, has abandoned him and gone to work for a more prosperous boat. The old man sets out to the open sea one day off the Florida coast and goes a little farther out than he normally would in his desperation to catch a fish. Sure enough, at noon, a big marlin takes hold of one of the lines, but the fish is far too big for Santiago to handle. To avoid letting the fish escape, Santiago lets the line go slack so that the fish wont break his pole; but he and his boat are dragged out to sea for three days. A kind of kinship and honor  develop between the fish and the man.  Finally, the fish an enormous and worthy opponent grows tired, and Santiago kills it. This victory does not end Santiagos journey; he is still far out to sea. Santiago has to drag the marlin behind the boat, and the blood from the dead fish attracts sharks.Santiago does his best to fend off the sharks, but his efforts are in vain. The sharks eat the flesh of the marlin, and Santiago is left with only the bones. Santiago gets back to shore weary and tired with nothing to show for his pains but the skeletal remains of a large marlin. Even with just the bare remains of the fish, the experience has changed him  and altered the perception others have of him. Manolin wakes the old man the morning after his return and suggests that they once again fish t ogether. Life and Death During his struggle to catch the fish, Santiago holds on to the rope even though he is cut and bruised by it, even though he wants to sleep and eat. He holds onto the rope as though his life depends on it. In these scenes of struggle, Hemingway brings to the fore the power and masculinity of a simple man in a simple habitat. He demonstrates how heroism is possible in even the most seemingly mundane circumstances. Hemingways novella shows how death can invigorate life, how killing and death can bring a man to an understanding of his own mortality and his own power to overcome it.  Hemingway  writes of a time when fishing was not merely a business or a sport. Instead, fishing was an expression of humankind in its natural state in tune with nature. Enormous stamina and power  arose  in the breast of Santiago. The simple fisherman became a classical hero in his epic struggle.

Cultural Competencies in Advaanced practice nurse- nurse practitioners Research Proposal

Cultural Competencies in Advaanced practice nurse- nurse practitioners - Research Proposal Example trends testify to the great need for advanced practice nurse who are competent and sensitive to care for culturally diverse populations (Canpinha, 2010). To address the idea of diverse cultures in our society, specific curriculum enhancement that focused on populations that are ethically diversified have been implemented for the nurse practitioners specialty at my university. We shall carry out a research on how effective the training program of cultural competency is in this institution. The process that has been used for these report include visiting clinical and community sites, identifying the curricular components at this institutions and analyzing the didactic and clinical learning experiences. The main purpose of this research was to determine how well APN are trained to give culturally competent care in practice and enhance preparation of the students to meet multifaceted needs of ethnically diverse patients, community and families. The objective of this research was to conduct a systematic review on the training of the advanced practitioners nurses on cultural competency, asses the strength of effects and quality of studies and then propose a frame work for future studies Campinha Bacote, (2010), defined cultural competence as the process in which nurses continiouly strive to achieve the ability to work with the cultural context of a patient, individual community or family from a diverse ethnic background. Kreps and Kunimoto (2002) stated that cross cultural practice is a practice that require experience and continued interest in learning and sharpening communication skills and cultural assessment. According to Eubanks, 2010, although nurses may achieve a certain degree of competence in some cultures, they cannot be totally competent in all cultures. Yet this nurses can achieve culturally competent cross cultural care when the complex combination of cultural awareness, knowledge, skills and attitude are used dynamically for the cultural assessment of

Education Technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education Technology - Coursework Example I also have two professors in my network for academic advice, and a professional swimmer (Misy Franklin) for sporting reasons and entertainment. I also have two practitioners (Eng. Peter and Nurse Ann) whom I follow as way of learning the trends in their areas of specialization. The tools I used for enhancing the communication include Twitter, Diigo Network, laptop, mobile phone and text messages. Through this PLN, I am able to develop some professional, religious, friendships, and healthy relationships through engaging in the exchange of the experiences, knowledge, and relevant information. During my undergraduate studies, I attended New York University Teaching College, before progressing to teach at the Landmark Christian School. I have connection with former college mates back at the University, where we chat through emails, twitter and messages on the status of the university and any other relevant conversations that may be helpful for our careers. I am a subscribed member of the prominent group called (Future Scholars) that helps me keep tabs with any conferences of Education, hence building a strong network with many other educators. I also attend business conferences as a way of keeping tabs with the trends of the business world. The platform will help enhance my knowledge of doing business in future. I am also a true follower of two prominent authors in U.S. (Michael Molenda and Dr. Andrzej Januszewski), for whom I attend their publication conferences to get the copies of their latest published books. Finally, engage in socializing with my peers and career advi sors through various media platforms, such as Twitter, emails, text messages, and Diigo networking tools (Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, 2011). My position in the area of specialization is that I am a trained professional teacher at the Landmark Christian School. The

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay Example for Free

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay A) Explain why the invasion of the USSR changed the lives of those living in Germany around 1941-42. (12 Marks) The invasion of the USSR in the summer months was that of great confidence and assertiveness that they were on the ‘front foot’ from the German people. During these summer months, the Russians had been pushed back by the Germans to what many thought of as the core of the USSR; Russia. Obviously when the Germans had advanced 20 miles short of the central of the most powerful enemy they’ve faced yet, the German people had a right to be happy with their recent progress in the war. This changed their lives by giving them more confidence in that they felt they could defeat the Russians as they were pushing them back towards the capital. However, after the winter set in the attitude of the German people to the progress being made in the war changed. Before the war the Germans had demolished smaller countries such as France and Poland, meaning that the German people felt that losing was almost alien to them. But when the Russians kicked back against the Germans on the Eastern Front on December 5th 1941 outside of Moscow, the German retreat began. More and more soldiers fell, and the Germans were never able to recover the ground that they had lost. Due to the soldiers diminishing, letters had to be written back to rural Germany to notify those whom had relatives/friends in the war. When the letters started to come thick and fast, the German people now had a hint of doubt in their mind. I like to think of it as a seed that was planted- the plantation is from the initial invasion of the USSR, and when more and more letters and stories came back from the Russian lines the tree grew. Eventually, the doubt that was once a seed at the start of the invasion of Russia, had now fully flourished into a vast tree of doubt, showing us how the German lives had changed through doubt and anxiety that gradually built up through the invasion of Russia, from going and destroying France and Poland to being pushed back from the Russians. Some historians could say that the battle of Stalingrad had the biggest effect of the German people around 1941. I would say that it was the turning point in the entire war, as it caused the realization from the German people that they were not going to win the war. This contrasts to before the war, where, as said, the German people didn’t have many qualms about minor losses because they believed they knew they were going to win in the first pl ace. However during Stalingrad this changed; where a quarter million Germans were surrounded, field marshaled, and eventually forced to surrender- this continued on to 1942 where the German soldiers were freezing, and running low on ammunition. The news of this was tried to be kept ‘under wraps’ by some of the hierarchy in the German army, as it would prove low for morale. However the word spread through the press and a flurry of letters of death being sent home. This fully confirmed to the German citizens that the Germans were now on the ‘back foot’ changing their lives, as they now had to be preparing for a loss, instead of a victory. Although it is not directly coherent to the invasion of the USSR, it could be said that the bombings that partly came about from the invasion of Russia changed the lifestyles and actions of the German people. Before the bombings, William L Shirer reported â€Å"The atmosphere was so peaceful and calm. The bathing beach at Wannsee jammed with thousands. Hundreds of sailboats and canoes on the Havel. Families picnicking under the trees† this tells us that the German people were once not bothered as much by the war, and it continued to be ‘business as usual’ for the German citizens. I can contrast this when the bombings continued to develop on 16th and 17th of January 1943. The German people were now saying that the â€Å"English are clearly superior in the air, and that the German Luftwaffe is ‘impotent’ at the moment and has no possibility of retaliating appropriately† I think that this is a perfect example of the change from the Germans being confident and carrying on with their ‘normal day’ to then beginning to doubt the German superiority in the war, showing us how much their attitude has changed from pride to dread in a matter of three years. Even though the bombings weren’t as connected to the Germans invading Russia, it could be said that had not the Germans invaded Russia then the bombings may not have been present/ been less relentless.

Reality, the Mind, and God Essay -- Philosophy Religion Essays

Reality, the Mind, and God The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Great Britain are marked by a general and persistent concern about threats to orthodoxy in religion. Many doctrines and views were seen as threatening: theories about the origin and nature of human knowledge, metaphysical claims about the nature of the world, claims about human nature, about the person and action. (Yolton 3) According to the major viewpoints held in metaphysics, one of the four major categories in the study of philosophy, there are three major ways to regard the constitution of reality. Materialism is "[†¦] the view that all that exists is material or is completely dependent on matter [†¦]" (Gould 421) in order to be perceived and to exist. This is one of the two major, extreme views that exist concerning the substance of reality. The other extreme view, idealism, is the belief that reality consists of mental perception and ideas, that "[†¦] what exists is either an idea or a perceiver of that idea" (Gould 437). According to this view, matter contains no material substance. All matter is comprised of a collection of ideas and the one who is accepting and interpreting those ideas. Beyond these two extreme viewpoints is one of the most popular beliefs concerning reality, especially in Western culture. The belief of dualism denotes that reality is a uniform combination of both material and non-material substance. This view states that reality is made of objects that contain material substance to them. But this perspective of reality holds that there is also a component to reality that depends upon the perceiver, what mental impression he obtains from the material substance, and how he can manipulate th... ...ry expression" (Thayer xv). And Newton’s influence on literary expression as well as philosophical reasoning can be easily seen when viewing the works of such famous writers as John Locke or Isaac Watts. Works Cited Bennett, Jonathan. Locke, Berkeley and Hume: Central Themes. Oxford: Clarendon, 1971. Damrosch, David, et al., eds. The Longman Anthology: British Literature. Vol. 1. New York: Longman, 1999. Gould, James A. ed. Classic Philosophical Questions. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 1995. Randall, John Herman Jr. Introduction. Thayer. ix-xvi. Thayer, H. S. ed. Newton’s Philosophy of Nature: Selections from His Writings. New York: Hafner, 1953. Watts, Isaac. "Man Frail, and God Eternal." Damrosch, et al. 2638. Yolton, John W. Thinking Matter: Materialism in Eighteenth-Century Britain. Minnesota: U of Minnesota P, 1983.

Jodi Arias

Travis Alexander, a 30-year-old businessman, well-known motivational speaker and devout Mormon. With a single gunshot to the right brow and being stabbed 29 times, Travis was then left for dead in a stand up shower in his bathroom for several days. When Arias was questioned by the police she stated that she had not seen Travis since April of 2008. She then claimed she had seen two men kill him, then eventually saying that she killed him out of self-defense (Warren, 2013).According to Arias, the dysfunction of their relationship reached its climax when she killed Alexander in self-defense after he became enraged following a day of sex and a gun accident, forcing her to fght for her life. This was the third different account of how Alexander's death had occurred that Arias had offered police, which both prosecutors and observers felt severely damaged Arias' credibility as a witness, a sentiment later echoed by Jurors upon the completion of the guilt phase. Arias also mention they had s plit up, but Alexander would still invite Arias to his house for sex.Investigators found a camera at the crime scene which had damaging evidence time stamped on photos left on the cameras hard drive, detectives found Alexander's clothes, sheets, and pillow case in the washer. Also, found the washing machine was the cameras memory card. With positive DNA samples and hair matching Jodi Arias at the crime scene Arias was arrested for the murder of Travis Alexander. In September 2008, Arias was given a public defender and she then pleaded not guilty at her arraignment. In October 2008 the Maricopa County Attorneys office filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Arias.The Maricopa County Superior court then accused Jodi Arias of First-degree murder â€Å"in an especially cruel, heinous or depraved manner. † This began one of the biggest criminal proceedings since Casey Anthony. Arias told Judge Sherry Stephens she wanted to represent herself. The request was gran ted but Arias Public defenders Kirk Nurmi and Victoria Washington stayed on the case. Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi argued Jodi Arias acted in self- defense after their relationship became sexual and physically abusive (Arizona Central, 2013).Arias defense attorneys requested that the death penalty be aken off as a punishment due to the defense she did not plan to kill Travis Alexander it was an act of self-defense. This motion was denied. Nurmi tried to enter in electronic letters into evidence to back his case, these letters supposedly nad proot ot Travis Alexander allegedly admitting being a pedophile. This evidence was dismissed due to it being forged. This delayed the trial for three weeks. In January 2011 Victoria Washington filed a motion to withdraw from the Arias' case. With the motion being granted, Jennifer Willmott was then assigned to the case.Willmott questioned Arias n the stand for 19 days and handled the witnesses for the defense which ended up with Willmott discredit ing Janeen DeMarte a clinical psychologist a state witness (Arizona Central, 2013). In January 2013, opening arguments began. Deputy County Attorney Juan Martinez, a prosecutor known for his gamesmanship, asked the Jury to sentence Jodi Arias to death. In his opening statements Jan. 2, 2013, he told the Jury that Arias first stabbed Travis Alexander, then slit his throat and put a bullet in his head after he was already dead.Martinez painted a picture of an attractive but ealous woman who murdered a successful man who was trying to break ties with her. His conduct during the trial came under scrutiny of defense attorneys when he was shown in the media posing for pictures with trial spectators outside the courthouse (Arizona Central, 2013). During the trial Juan Martinez tries to geta jurisdictional rule passed against Arias' use of text messages during the case. The rule was not passed due to lack of evidence and Freedom of speech.Ryan Burns a former love interest of Jodi Arias test ified on June 5, 2008 Arias was several hours late arriving home, she told him that she got lost and stopped to rest. Arias had dyed her hair and had cuts on her hands. Arias mentioned she had cut them while working at Margaritaville Resturant, she had broken a glass and cut her finger. They settled down to watch a film together – and soon got physical, he told the court at some point we were talking and we kissed,' he said. ‘Every time we started kissing it got a little more escalated (Warren, 2013).At some point she was kissing my neck, I was kissing hers, but our clothes never came off. Burns said they resumed their kissing later that night when she climbed on top of him, but they stopped as he did not want her to egret the visit due to her Mormon beliefs about sex. Burns, who is also a Mormon, was unaware that Just 24 hours earlier, she had been posing provocatively for photographs later found on her murdered ex-boyfriend's camera. On the stand the prosecutor asked about Arias strength, Burns replied, ‘she is a lot strong than she looks† (Warren, 2013).Penalty phase began on May 16, 2013, when prosecutors called Alexander's family members to offer victim impact statements, in an effort to convince the Jury that Arias' crime merited a death sentence. On May 21, 2013, Arias offered an allocution, during which she pleaded for a life sentence. Arias cknowledged that her plea for life was a reversal of remarks she made to a TV reporter shortly after her conviction, when she said she preferred the death penalty. â€Å"Each time I said that, I meant it, but I lacked perspective,† the former Arias said. â€Å"Until very recently, I could not imagine standing before you and asking you to give me life. She said she changed her mind to avoid bringing more pain to members of her family, who were in the courtroom.At one point, she held up a white T-shirt with the word â€Å"survivor† written across it, telling the Jurors that she would sell the clothing and donate all proceeds to victims of domestic abuse. She also said she would donate her hair to Locks of Love while in prison, and had already done so three times while in Jail. That evening, in a Joint Jailhouse interview with The Arizona Republic, snow, Arias said sne didn't know whether the Jury would come back witn lite or death. Whatever they come back with I will have to deal with it, I have no other choice. † Regarding the verdict she said â€Å"It felt like a huge sense of unreality, I felt betrayed, actually, by the Jury. I was hoping they would see things for what they are. I felt really awful for my family and what they were thinking. (Warren, 2013) On May 23, 2013, the sentencing phase of Arias' trial resulted in a hung Jury, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial for that phase. CNN reported the vote was 8 to 4 in favor of death (Shoichet, 2013).After the mistrial was declared and the Jury discharged, the jury foreman stated that he b elieved Arias was mentally abused, but that had not been enough to excuse her crime. He also said, â€Å"l think 18 days hurt her, I think she was not a good witness. We're charged with presuming innocence, right? But she was on the stand for so long, there were so many contradicting stories. † He said the Jury ound the responsibility of weighing the death sentence overwhelming, but were horrified when their efforts ended in a mistrial. â€Å"By the end of it, we were mentally and emotionally exhausted,† he said. l think we were horrified when we found out that they had actually called a mistrial, and we felt like we had failed. â€Å"

Nature in King Lear Essay

The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare is founded on the theme of Nature portrayed throughout the play from Lear’s kingship to personal human relations, from representations of the physical world to notions of the gods, from the portrayal of human nature to the use of animal imagery. Nature is the core of the play King Lear. Shakespeare’s take on nature is ambiguous thus he portrays the two extremes of human condition: good and evil. Through his characters, he asserts that humans are neither good nor evil by nature. However, Shakespeare reflects on what should be considered natural, since the concept of nature stems from social construct. In the play, there is a noticeable distinction between the natural ways in which people wish to behave as opposed to what is considered natural in society. Elements of the natural world, such as Mother Nature and the animal kingdom, are invoked in the characters’ speech, as they use their different concepts of what nature is in order to justify their actions. Through this essay I will demonstrate good and evil nature mainly through the two juxtaposing characters: Cordelia, the Jesus-Like daughter, and Edmund the Machiavellian son, as well as the use of animal imagery to depict natural character traits. The plot begins on the day King Lear decides to divide his inheritance amongst his three daughters. The proud King demands his daughters to show off their undying love for him in order to gain their share. However, King Lear’s notion of love is shallow, pompous and showy, which results in a great disadvantage to Cordelia’s natural way of being. Unfortunately, King Lear’s royal authority belongs to the civilized world. Therefore, he goes against the natural world when he misinterprets Cordelia’s love and casts her out. One of the biggest problems in the play is that Lear calls upon nature: â€Å"which of you shall we say doth love us most/ That we our largest bounty may extend/ Where nature doth with merit challenge† (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 52-54). Lear mistakes Cordelia’s true natural, loyal behavior as unnatural and disobedient when she sincerely expresses â€Å"I love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less† (Act I, Scene I, Lines 94-95) without the pompous performance played by Goneril and Reagan. Lear curses Cordelia exiling her outside society disclaiming â€Å"propinquity and property of blood† (Act 1, Scene 1). Lear’s lack of understanding of the natural bond between parents and children leads him to his tragic demise. He is easily fooled by Goneril and Regan’s fake  Ã¢â‚¬Å"natural† behavior when they give their long speeches and flatter him. Eventually, â€Å"Those pelican daughters† (Act 3, Scene 4, Line 75) and â€Å"Unnatural hags† (Act 2, Scene 4, Line-281) as Lear later on refers to them, throw him out of the house once they’ve obtained status and power yet fear he might take it back. Further on, they plot on killing Lear. On the other hand, Cordelia’s love is unconditional. Lear must go through a series of humiliating events to learn the true nature of love and the importance of the bond that Cordelia truthfully tried to explain. Cordelia is a tragic heroine, since she returns from France and easily forgives her father despite his wrath. Most importantly Cordelia gives Lear another chance to redeem himself as a king, a father and a human being. Shakespeare brilliantly portrays human nature through Edmund and Cordelia. By placing them in a similar situation, he is able to demonstrate that humans act accordingly to their nature. These two juxtaposing characters are stripped away from their royal wealth due to social norms. On one hand, Cordelia faces adversity being a legitimate loving and obedient daughter, yet she doesn’t follow the selfish and disloyal path that Edmund does. Cordelia is one of the few genuinely good characters in the entire play. In contrast to her two sisters she’s a saint. Lear’s poor judgment and misunderstanding of the father-daughter bond ultimately leads to his tragic loss. The subplot of the main plot is the relationship between Gloucester and his legitimate son Edgar and his bastard son Edmund. Gloucester as Lear, misunderstands the natural behavior of his sons. Edmund, a â€Å"natural† son, feels he is more deserving than his brother in spite of the social law of primogeniture. By calling Edmund â€Å"loyal and natural boy†, Gloucester mistakes Edmund’s unnatural behavior to be natural and casts out Edgar from the civilized world to the natural world. Lear and Gloucester share that they are both deceived and furthermore, mistake unnatural behavior (conspiracy against parents) to be natural (loyal and loving behavior). These misunderstandings ultimately lead to their downfall. Edmund calls on Mother Nature: â€Å"Nature, art my goddess.† This statement implies that nature provides an evil force. Edmund’s views this baseness as natural. Furthermore, Edmund recognizes his own evil nature and decides to use it to his advantage. He mocks the notion   of any kind of supernatural or divine influence over one’s destiny in the following lines: â€Å"†¦as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly  compulsions; knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance, drunkards liars and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence† (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 131-135). In Edmund’s soliloquy at the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, we learn of his malevolent intent to degenerate his legitimate half brother. Machiavelli believed that by nature, humans are not perfect in virtue and therefore, humans do not only posses good qualities, but bad ones â€Å"For if men were all good, this rule would not be allowable, but being they are full of mischief†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 100). Although he recognized that loyalty and trustworthiness can be gained, he believed that in times of adversity people are generally ungrateful, insincere, anxious to look out for their own safety, and greedy for gain â€Å"They are unthankful, inconstant dissemblers; they avoid dangers and are covetous of gain† and will rebel if they are in danger. (p. 99). Therefore, Edmund’s natural behavior represents Machiavelli’s belief of human nature being evil driven by a selfish, insincere and disloyal natural way of being. Contrary to Edmund, Cordelia also faces adversity and she stays true to her benevolent nature. Her character counteracts Machiavelli’s argument of human nature. Through this, Shakespeare hints that Machiavelli’s beliefs aren’t necessarily true and do not apply to human nature. Edmund reflects the character traits found in Machiavelli’s The Prince, as he rebels against the laws of society and is willing to hurt others in order to achieve power and status. He is ungrateful to his brother and father and deceives everyone around him for his benefit. Edmund appears to be loyal and trustworthy and knows how to play with these virtuous qualities, protecting his reputation while betraying others. He’s character reflects the lion and fox-like qualities described in Machiavelli’s depiction of the ideal ruler. Thus, he is conscientious of his wickedness since the â€Å"end justifies the means†. Edmund inverts the order of society by attacking the convention of marriage and law of legitimacy. â€Å"Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law/ My services are bound†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 1-22) Through this passage Edmund expresses his reverence to Nature (nature being the gods) and therefore demands â€Å"Now, gods, stand up for bastards† (Act I, Scene 2, Line 22). He explains that his conception comes from lust and passion being the most natural way of procreation. Furthermore, he rejects society and laws that deprive him from his right of being a legitimate son.

Free Essays on Assumption of Risk

Assumption of Risk: Who is to Blame For Our Actions The doctrine of "assumption of risk" clearly defines the responsibility of all voluntary actions taken on by individuals, independent of the inherent risk or danger involved with such actions. Are we only to assume responsibility for the positive outcomes of our actions, without also accepting the negative outcomes as well? Most individuals only claim responsibility in cases in which they are fully responsible for their actions. Living within a country which houses a large amount of private enterprise, we often find ourselves relying on outside help. In many occasions we, the individual seeking assistance, hold the power to choose which avenue of help will be taken. In these cases in which we have the choice, should we not also be held responsible for the outcomes of our decisions, especially in cases in which we have been pre-warned about any inherent risks or dangers? For example, When we take it upon ourselves to drive on a private road, smoke cigarettes, work for a mining company, or fly on a discount airline at our own volition, do we tacitly consent to take responsibility for any outcome these actions may hold? The "assumption of risk" doctrine seems to ignore the fundamental obligation of entities to ensure their natural goals. The distinguishing factor in deciding responsibility in faultless cases which call on the "assumption of risk" doctrine is the control held by individuals after the situation has begun. In accordance, companies such as discount airlines and cigarette companies must take on the responsibility of completing their duties, while individuals who chose to work in a mine or drive on a private road must accept the responsibility of their actions to do so. All airlines hold the responsibility of transporting their customers from a point of origin to a previously designated destination. The person who agrees to buy a discount... Free Essays on Assumption of Risk Free Essays on Assumption of Risk Assumption of Risk: Who is to Blame For Our Actions The doctrine of "assumption of risk" clearly defines the responsibility of all voluntary actions taken on by individuals, independent of the inherent risk or danger involved with such actions. Are we only to assume responsibility for the positive outcomes of our actions, without also accepting the negative outcomes as well? Most individuals only claim responsibility in cases in which they are fully responsible for their actions. Living within a country which houses a large amount of private enterprise, we often find ourselves relying on outside help. In many occasions we, the individual seeking assistance, hold the power to choose which avenue of help will be taken. In these cases in which we have the choice, should we not also be held responsible for the outcomes of our decisions, especially in cases in which we have been pre-warned about any inherent risks or dangers? For example, When we take it upon ourselves to drive on a private road, smoke cigarettes, work for a mining company, or fly on a discount airline at our own volition, do we tacitly consent to take responsibility for any outcome these actions may hold? The "assumption of risk" doctrine seems to ignore the fundamental obligation of entities to ensure their natural goals. The distinguishing factor in deciding responsibility in faultless cases which call on the "assumption of risk" doctrine is the control held by individuals after the situation has begun. In accordance, companies such as discount airlines and cigarette companies must take on the responsibility of completing their duties, while individuals who chose to work in a mine or drive on a private road must accept the responsibility of their actions to do so. All airlines hold the responsibility of transporting their customers from a point of origin to a previously designated destination. The person who agrees to buy a discount...

The Role of IBM in the History of Computers

The Role of IBM in the History of Computers This chapter in the History of Modern Computers finally brings us to a famous name most of you will have heard of. IBM stands for International Business Machines, the largest computer company in the world today. IBM has been responsible for numerous inventions having to do with computers. IBM - Background The company incorporated in 1911, starting as a major producer of punch card tabulating machines. During the 1930s, IBM built a series of calculators (the 600s) based on their punch-card processing equipment. In 1944, IBM co-funded the Mark 1 computer together with Harvard University, the Mark 1 was the first machine to compute long calculations automatically. The IBM 701 - General Purpose Computer The year 1953 saw the development of IBMs 701 EDPM, which, according to IBM, was the first commercially successful general-purpose computer. The 701s invention was due in part to the Korean War effort. Inventor, Thomas Johnson Watson Junior wanted to contribute what he called a defense calculator to aid in the United Nations policing of Korea. One obstacle he had to overcome was in convincing his father, Thomas Johnson Watson Senior (IBMs CEO) that the new computer would not harm IBMs profitable punch card processing business. The 701s were incompatible with IBMs punched card processing equipment, a big moneymaker for IBM. Only nineteen 701s were manufactured (the machine could be rented for $15,000 per month). The first 701 went to IBMs world headquarters in New York. Three went to atomic research laboratories. Eight went to aircraft companies. Three went to other research facilities. Two went to government agencies, including the first use of a computer by the United States Department of Defense. Two went to the navy and the last machine went to the United States Weather Bureau in early 1955. Features of the 701 The 1953 built 701 had electrostatic storage tube memory, used magnetic tape to store information, and had binary, fixed-point, single address hardware. The speed of the 701 computers was limited by the speed of its memory; the processing units in the machines were about 10 times faster than the core memory. The 701 also led to the development of the programming language FORTRAN. The IBM 704 In 1956, a significant upgrade to the 701 appeared. The IBM 704 was considered an early supercomputer and the first machine to incorporate floating-point hardware. The 704 used magnetic core memory that was faster and more reliable than the magnetic drum storage found in the 701. The IBM 7090 Also part of the 700 series, the IBM 7090 was the first commercial transistorized computer. Built in 1960, the 7090 computer was the fastest computer in the world. IBM dominated the mainframe and minicomputer market for the next two decades with its 700 series. The IBM 650 After releasing the 700 series, IBM built the 650 EDPM, a computer compatible with its earlier 600 calculator series. The 650 used the same card processing peripherals as the earlier calculators, starting the trend for loyal customers to upgrade. The 650s were IBMs first mass-produced computers (universities were offered a 60% discount). The IBM PC In 1981, IBM created its first personal home-use computer called the IBM PC, another milestone in computer history.

Constractivisim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Constractivisim - Essay Example The practice of constructing knowledge from experiences and ideas best describes constructivism. On the same note, assimilation and accommodation enhances the extent to which knowledge is constructed. It is important to note that different people have different internal representations that build diverse understanding of the world. In this respect, frameworks inform the understanding of the world differ from one person to another. The importance of this observation is that learn to create new experiences without altering their framework of understanding. This allows an individual to assimilate emerging experiences while capitalizing on what they already know. In addition, accommodation in the context of constructivism helps align reframed mental frameworks with new experiences and/or ideas (Fosnot, 2013). In so doing, individuals learn to construct knowledge from emerging trends in the world. Constructivism theory is an integral part of technological development. For example, programming languages are always changing. Such changes are subject to the influence of diverse and dynamic factors, but the common denominator is that they produce relevant knowledge that enhances the understanding of the world. Programming is notably an experience and the expression of an idea. On the same note, programming gives rise to new experiences and ideas that people choose to assimilate and/or accommodate. A key example in that regard is the use of Logo programming language, which Duffy and Jonassen (2013) essentially associate with constructivism. Most importantly, technology is a key tool in today’s instructional strategies. More and more academic institutions are increasingly embracing the use of educational technology. This shows that technology is an important factor in the construction of knowledge. Additionally, individual experiences and ideas, with assimilation and accommo dation, construct knowledge

Multicultrual Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multicultrual Teaching - Essay Example This is because those who are recognized as the minorities within the nation have far exceeded the once perceived majority of the whites. For example: during the period of 2006, around four states of United States were experience a majority of the minority population including the 75% of the minority that that were residing in the area of Hawai’I (Landis, 2012, p.22). Due to this change in the structure of the population, organizations from different industries need to accept diversity in order to operate successfully and benefit from elements that come with such a diverse population size. Multicultural societies experience immense challenges and these challenges are even experienced by teachers in the educational institutes of United States. Teachers in these educational institutes need to be culturally competent in order to cater to the needs of a diverse population of student. Cultural competency refers to an individual’s ability to deal with people from different cultures. In order to become culturally competent, teachers in the United States need to undergo training and develop knowledge, skills and abilities that are necessary to teach a multicultural class room. Culturally competent teachers are those who realize the differences in cultures of students and then design their teaching patterns accordingly to help students from different backgrounds in gaining better understanding of what is being taught. They need to accept and respect the differences among these students in order to provide them with facilities which help them learn. In order to teach a multicultural classroom, teachers need to implement various strategies in order to remove the barriers created by multiculturalism and to promote learning and development of all at the same time. In order to teach a multicultural classroom, teachers need to provide team based assignments comprising of team members

Failure of Canadian Solar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Failure of Canadian Solar - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present North Mountain Engagements LLP, a Hedge fund company which invests in different companies to increase their capital however the company invests in only those companies of which it could improve the earnings significantly and increase the value of the firm by twice. This is the reason the company invests and analyses the company thoroughly before it makes any investment decision. The report analyses one of the companies in the Solar PV industry, Canadian Solar which has been suffering from losses from 2006 and this report investigates whether the company would be able to improve its earnings by changing their strategies. North Mountain Engagements has a higher debt to equity ratio which is defined as total debt of the company in comparison to total equity and higher debt to equity ratio reflects higher risk. Thus, with higher risks shareholders demand higher return so; this is the reason why the North Mountain Engagements LLP requires higher profits. Canadian Solar has been known over the years as CSI meaning Canadian Solar International is suffering from losses despite of the overall demand in the industry has been growing and growing revenues of the company. Canadian Solar has reported total growth of 135.7% in five years from 2004 to 2008 with revenues of the company growing from $9.7 million to $705 million. With several opportunities in the industry, North Mountain Engagements feels that the Canadian Solar can live up to the potential and become an important firm to invest.... Canadian Solar has reported total growth of 135.7% in five years from 2004 to 2008 with revenues of the company growing from $9.7 million to $705 million. There are several reasons which have led Canadian Solar to situation where the company is showing negative net income and one of the major reasons for Canadian Solar suffering from losses is the increasing competition and this report discusses different factors that have resulted Canadian Solar to be in loss. Industry Overview The world economy has been going through recession and this recession has made an impact on major economies of the world. However, there are other factors besides recession which have influenced the profitability of Canadian Solar though the demand of solar PV industry has been showing tremendous growth since 1998 globally. In addition to this, steps and measures taken by government have been fruitful for the firms in the industry as it encouraged people to use more solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The fol lowing graph reflects the demand of solar PV in the international market and it can be seen that the demand slope has increased considerable in the last five years or so. (Source: Mitchell, 2010) Demand has increased at a much rapid pace than previous years since 2004. The demand has been growing in the range of 21% to 27% from 1998 to 2003 however since 2004, the global demand has reported much higher growth rate in the range of 31% to 38% till 2007. Demand in 2008 reported much higher growth as it reached over 60%. The increasing demand of solar PV internationally indicates that the demand would further increase in the years to come and it is the right time for firms in the industry

Concepts of Peace

Concepts of Peace Peace: A Theoretical Framework Miss Ritamoni Gogoi (Abstract: The study of peace has got immense significance in the various literature of political science. But there is no commonality in such understanding due to diversity of the political context where peace is defined and perspective adopted to define peace. This paper attempts to have a theoretical understanding of peace by taking into account various nuances. Besides, an attempt has been made to give a historical trajectory of the understanding of peace. Key Word: Peace) There are various definitions of peace depending on the context of its conceptualization and perspective adopted to define it. It is essential to take into the account the socio political context to have proper understanding of the concept of peace. According to Fedenico Mayor, former director general of the UNESCO, â€Å"Instead of absence of war, it (peace) is increasingly seen as a dynamic, participative, long term process, based on universal values and everyday practice, at all levels the family the school, the community as well as the nation†(Serto, 2003). According to Jawaharlal Nehru, â€Å"Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by the serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind lasting peace can come only through peaceful people†(Dutta and Bhuyan, 2008, p 15). British playwright Dorothy L Sayers said, â€Å"Never thinks wars are irrational catastrophes; they happen when wrong ways of thinking and living bring about intolerable situations†(L.Dorothy, 1947). According to Dr. Frank Buchman â€Å"peace is not just a beautiful idea. It means people becoming radically different. The thinking here is futuristic and there is scope for everyone to hang† (Buchman, 1947). Thus, the above definitions of peace signify the meaning of peace as freedom from disturbance, absence of tension and presence of quietness, calmness, tranquility, justice and brotherhood. Peace can come only through peaceful people. Peace is not just a beautiful idea; it is dynamic and long term process based on universal values. It can be practiced every day, at all levels of our life. According to Kanti Bajpai, the concept of peace can be defined on the basis of another three different perspectives. â€Å"Firstly, peace as the mere absence of war, that is a hegemonic of deterrent peace, secondly peace as functional and economic interaction, what could be called a transactional peace and peace as a social condition in which accommodation rather than force mediate change†(Samaddar, 2004, 38-53). The meaning of peace varied in differed period in history. For example â€Å"The Roman poet Tacitus spoke of making a desert and calling it ‘peace’ an unwanted place of sterility and emptiness. Similarly, although everyone desires â€Å"peace of mind†, the temporary â€Å"peace† that comes from drug based with drawl from social reality, the peacefulness of sleep, or the undesired â€Å"peace of a coma or even of death may not seen so desirable† (Barash and Webel, 2002, p 4). The concept of peace in eastern world claims that â€Å"peace may be the most longed for human condition. The Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu founder of Taoism and author of Tao De Ching, emphasized that military force is not the ‘Tao or way for human being to follow† (Ibid. p4). His conception of peace denotes that peace is not an ultimate human goal and social harmony cannot bring peace. Instead of this type of views, he valued obedience and order as virtues of peace. Gandhi’s vision of peace is different from other thinkers in many aspects. According to Gandhi, peace implies a state of positive and constructive world order where every individual live in co-operation and mutual aid. Peace is a cementing force for the society and the world. Gandhi viewed that truth is more important than peace and peace can be achieved only through truthful means. His vision of peace is based on his philosophy of life that is mutual good will and friendship among all the people. Now, we hear or read so much about peace and peace are being developed on global scales under the banner of peace keeping operations of the countries. The current wars, violence and conflict situation of the world force us to offer alternative thinking about peace. Today peace is used as a defense of certain security plans and rationalities. In this context we can refers to peace as a social justice mainly concerned with resolving the problem of poverty, unequal access to resources etc. Peace is governed by global rationalities of security that is consistent with particular kind of peace efforts such as â€Å"global peace programmes, institutional capacity training plans, information sharing and environmental sustainability schemes. This kind of peace efforts has inscribed as the future focused character of international peace program and initiatives† (IIcan and Philips, 2006, 59-60). The concept of peace is not merely stands as opposition to warfare or violent conflict; it is a metaphor for security and used to act on the security of a group or population. Thus the concept of peace is governed by various rationalities of security. At present there are mainly two types of interpretation of the meaning of peace-negative peace and positive peace. Negative peace is described as an absence of manifest violence such as war which could be realized through negotiation or mediation rather than resorting to the physical force. Negative peace simply denotes a condition in which no active organized military violence can take place. The term positive peace was invented in the mid- 1960s by John Galtung, a Norwegian peace researcher. The concept of positive peace is based on a broader understanding of social condition which implies presence of certain number of essential factors in the society. This means making available of those conditions of peace which are necessary for living a peaceful life. In the positive connotation of peace, peace is more than the absence of violence; it is the presence of social justice through equal opportunity and fair distribution of power and resources, equal protection and impartial enforcement of law. The negative conception of peace addresses the immediate symptoms conditions of war and the use and effects of force and weapon, while positive peace involves the elimination of the root causes of war, violence and injustice. It also involves, conscious efforts to build a society reflecting these commitments. On the other hand negative peace is consistent with structural violence. I n last few years, the meaning of violence is changed and new meanings arise. This new focus of violence is structural violence. Structural violence implies those injuries or exploitative characters which are inbuilt in the structure itself. It generally refers to societal structure, i.e., structure of society, structure of a society may be oppressive and exploitative and also a source of violence. Structural violence is more significant because it happens in a continuous manner. Thus structural violence is a serious form of social oppression. Positive peace signifies removal of such structural violence. Thus negative concept of peace is different from positive conception of peace. While the negative peace denotes narrow understanding of peace, positive concept of peace is a broader understanding of peace. Although, there is difference between negative peace and positive peace, both imply the striving for structural stability (Barash and Webel, 2002, 6-7). In the present context, more than the state some other actors and process are seen to be actively involved in the process of peace making. For instance, number of international organizations are today playing very significant role in the peace making process. With the means of global flows of capital, images, ideas and practices of governance; the sources of authority on peace have expanded from nation-state to international organization and institutes such as: Amnesty international govern peace, Oxfam International, the International institute of peace education, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO. In an effort to promote peace â€Å"the United Nation, Agenda for peace, initiated in 1992 under the former UN secretary General Butros Ghali, ex-compassed diverse peace initiatives that attempted to shape actions, processes and outcome in specific direction by linking peace developm ent and democracy†( IIcan and Philips, 2006, 59-60). Similarly we can mention the UNESCO’s peace effort, which is implemented to promote education for peace, human rights, democracy, international understanding and tolerance. In 1945, UNESCO adopted its own constitution where it stated its purposes. The basic purpose of the organization is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture. UNESCO’s culture of peace program grows a ‘global movement of peace when it introduced their proposal for an international Decade for a culture of peace in 2000. The current peace programme of UNESCO reflects a new era of cultural engineering in the name of peace and security. The basic intention of UNESCO’s culture of peace program was to building of international peace through â€Å"global effort†. Thus culture of peace implies a global effort to change people thinking and action towards peace. Finally it can be argued that UNESCO culture of peac e initiative mobilize the global population into the new mentalities of peace and security through an emphasis on investing in democratic institution by training children as the future peaceful generation and facilitating women’s involvement in peace proportion (ibid., 59-60). At present stage of human development, a wide variety of doctrines and organization expose various ways of achieving peace. In this context, peace movement is considered as source of popular opposition to war and to militarism as they are more traditionally identified (Goldstain, 2005, 261). â€Å"In addition to mass destruction, common tactics of peace movement include getting antiwar movements into the media, participating in civil disobedience and occasionally organizing consumer boycott†(ibid., 261). Peace movements participate in election and lobbying like other interest groups. It also includes the draft government buildings, taxes, and nuclear test sites and tries to educate the public by spreading information about a war or arms peace. As peace process evolve, a wide variety of documents are produced that can be termed ‘peace agreement’. Though there is no agreed definition of the term ‘peace agreement’, we use the term to signify the formal agreement aimed at ending violent conflict. The agreement provides space for civil society involvement in the implementation of a specific peace agreement. The terms of the agreements sometimes used variously which protect and develop the civil society’s role in the provision of humanitarian relief. â€Å"In some agreement, the focus is on ensuring physical protection of humanitarian relief operations, rather than establishing new forms of civil involvement in such operation in Sierra Leone, the 1999 ceasefire agreement(s) guaranteed safe and unhindered accuse to humanitarian organization†(Bell and Rourke, 2007, 375-376).† The role of civil society in some peace agreement chiefly associated with the human right monitoring. Peace agr eement can provide the civil society organization to monitor or strengthen human rights. The new human rights commission of Liberia was result of comprehensive peace agreement signed in 2003. Thus, the involvement of civil society in the peace agreement mainly provides humanitarian assistance. As a civic organization it can undermine the intended role of civil society as peace promoting (Bell, 2006, 375-376). The peace agreement can usefully be classified into three main types which tend to emerge at different stage of a conflict: renegotiation agreement, Framework/ substantive agreement and Implementation/ Renegotiation agreement (Ibid., 376). The pre negotiation stages of peace process are designed to resolve the fundamental issues in the conflict often termed ‘talk about talk’. â€Å"The pre negotiation stage tends to focus on who is going to negotiate and with what status, raising issues such as the return of negotiations from eviler or their release from prison, safeguards as to future physical integrity and freedom from imprisonment and limits on how the war may be waged while negotiation takes place† (Ibid.,376). Substantive or framework agreement begins to provide a framework to address the major causes of conflict. It aimed at sustaining cease fire to stop the violence more permanently. Substantive agreement are linking with new constitutional structure for addressing governance, elections and legal and human rights institution to end military violence. And lastly implementation agreement develops aspect of the framework to bring new negotiation and include all the parties to the framework of agreement. In case of uneven or nonexistent implementation, implemented agreement can effectively involve renegotiation and new agreement. Notably it is important that the pre negotiation, implementation agreement, substantive/ framework agreement constitute peace agreement per excellence (Ibid., 376). The above discussion suggests that today it is paramount important to redefine the peace not merely as the absence of violent conflict but as the positive and creative process of building sustainable societies. Peace and development are two sides of the same coin. When there is peace development can move much foster. Thus there is need of peace in the society for the overall socio-economic development of the society. During the last few years, there has been a lot of talking and discussion on peace and to demands from various quarters to bring peace into the state. But the history of peace studies proves that although most people claim to be in favour of peace, the natural preference and interest for peace have been negligible. The majority seems to be most interested in war. â€Å"At present all too many people find peace boring, and war exciting. When war is mentioned on the daily newscasts, people pick up their cars, when peace is mentioned people are more likely yawn† (Barash and Webel,2002, 29). It is also found that the struggle from peace is much more difficult than challenge of war. It is ultimately a question of establishing justice rather than resolving conflict. â€Å"Thus there is need to prepare for taking peace as peace, for approaching it from the window of civil society culture, identities and differences (Dutta Hazarika, 2012, 12). The need of the peace in the multi cultu ral society like India is immense as it is essential for a just society that provides justifiable rights to all segments of the society. References: Barash David P and Charles P Webel, (Edit), 2002, Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi: Sage Publication. Bell Christine, Catherine O Rourke, 2007, The Peoples Peace? Peace agreements civil society and participatory democracy in International Political Science Review, Vol.28, No.3, pp. 375-76. Bell, Christine, 2006, Peace Agreement: Their Nature and Legal Status in American Journal of International Law, Vol.100, No.2, pp.375-76. Buchman, Frank, 1947, Remarking the world, London: Glanford Press. Dutta Anuradha and Ranta Bhuyan, (Edit) 2008, Genesis of Conflict and peace: Understanding Northeast India (Vol 1), New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House, p 15. Dutta Hazarika, Sujata (Edit), 2008, Peace in Dialogue: Universals and specific reflection of North East India, New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. Goldstain, Joshua S, 2005, International Relation, New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt Limited. IIcan Suzan and Lynne Philips, 2006, Governing Peace: Global Rationalities of Security and UNESCO’s Culture of Peace Campaign, Anthropologica, Vol.48, No.1, pp.59-60. L. Dorothy Sayers, 1947, Creed or Chaos, London:Methuen. Leban Serto, 2003, Peace Education Nagaland Baptitst Church Council (NBCC), Seminar Paper. Ranabir, Samaddar (Edit), 2004, Peace Studies: An introduction to the Concept, Scope and Theses (Vol 1), New Delhi: Sage Publication, pp.38-53.

Grandma, Schnitzel and Politics :: Personal Narrative Profile

Grandma, Schnitzel and Politics I strolled the streets of Tel Aviv taking in the smell of fried falafel mixed with the salty ocean breeze. I watched people hurrying, lunging for bus doors before drivers pulled away. Then I realized that if I didn't get to my grandmother's in ten minutes, I'd be late - an offense that could provoke the dreaded silent treatment. I ran from the beach to her apartment on Bet-Lechem street and flew up the stairs two at a time, jumping over the Arab lady who sat scrubbing the floor. I arrived at the fifth story apartment breathless, wondering how the old lady climbed the stairs carrying five kilos of fruits and vegetables in each hand. She opened the door and squeezed me hard reminding me how she managed the stairs. She offered a wrinkled, rubbery cheek to kiss and then immediately ushered me to my place at the table, assuring me that lunch was all ready. I sat down and skimmed through her copy of the Post, vowing not to let her sucker me into a political discussion. She returned with the first course. "I made a chicken soup with canadelach special for you," she said. "Grandma, next time write me a list, and I'll go shopping for you." She snorted, "You know how to pick vegetables." "Then, I'll just carry the bags," I offered. "Darling, when I can't take care of myself, I'll write a big Shalom on the wall," she made a sweeping gesture indicating the whole dining room wall, "and that's this: I'll take all my pills." Then on her feet again, she plunged out of the room with her gray head down. A minute later, she returned with a full tray of salad, tehina, fresh bread, schnitzel, peas, beer and apple compot. The schnitzel itself left little room on my plate for other food. "I also made blintzes for you special, darling because I know you love them," she said. As I sat, she told me stories I'd heard before. She told me how when she was a girl in Poland, they hadn't had cars yet. They rode in horse and carriage. And when she came to Israel, the men stopped and stared at her. She told me for the nine-hundredth time that it was her father who had built the building we were sitting in.

The History of Affirmative Action

The history of affirmative action has its roots in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act provided the initial legal basis for affirmative action for women in the workplace. Affirmative action is a policy to encourage equal opportunity and to level the playing field for groups of people who have been and are discriminated against. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, affirmative action, â€Å"Is considered essential to assuring that jobs are genuinely and equally accessible to qualified persons, without regard to their sex, racial, or ethnic characteristics. Over the past few decades† roles for women in the workplace have increased. Many of the predominately male occupations have increasingly become more diverse. Affirmative action helps to promote diversity in employment and equality between genders. The effectiveness of affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity legislation has been vigorously debated for years, with advocates citing gains made by women and people of color in pay, organizational representation, and organizational status. Women, in general, have been the main beneficiaries of affirmative action and will be the biggest losers if it is overturned. The number of women entering the professions, including medicine, law and accounting, has increased substantially in 30 years. Women of all races have increased their share of professional positions in corporations. However, women have yet to achieve equality in the workplace as the gap in wages continues. Nationally, women earn 74 cents for every dollar earned by men. A National Academy of Science Report found that a significant proportion of these wage gaps could not be explained by factors such as education or work experience. Affirmative Action promotes the hiring of qualified people. It does not mean people should be hired just because they are minorities. It helps to broaden the range of people to be considered for employment in hopes of creating a more diverse applicant pool from which to choose. Groups of people are often stereotyped. In the case of sex stereotypes, these are attributes that are imparted to individual men and women simply by virtue of their sex. The impact of affirmative action on women may cause them to suffer the stigma of second-class citizenship as a result of preferential treatment, because they will be subjected to the presumption that they were hired not because of their qualifications but because of their gender. Affirmative action may therefore lead to the conclusion that the women hired under affirmative action are incompetent. If someone is thought to be hired or placed as a result of affirmative action efforts, then that supplies onlookers with a plausible and compelling explanation for the selection decision ndependent of the job incumbent†s qualifications for the position. Then the individual may be assumed to have been hired only because of her sex, with qualifications irrelevant to the selection process. Sex bias also has been demonstrated in decisions about pay raises, promotions, and employee utilization and training opportunities. Although sex may only be taken into consideration after hiring a person for their qualifications, it may only be assumed that they received their position because of affirmative action. Sometimes, affirmative action may create rather than alleviate problems for women by causing people to perceive them as possessing fewer of the characteristics deemed necessary for success in a traditionally male work context. If affirmative action promotes these negative conceptions, then there is a distinct possibility that rather than being a remedy for sex discrimination, it can be yet another contributor to the problem. Often, sex discrimination can be viewed through the â€Å"Glass Ceiling†. The Glass Ceiling refers to invisible, artificial barriers that prevent qualified individuals from advancing within their organization and reaching full potential. The term describes the point beyond which women managers and executives are not promoted. Although the barriers exist, it is hard to imagine how anyone can believe that treating people differently, or not promoting someone based on their sex is morally acceptable or financially responsible. Affirmative action policies are instrumental in providing women and minorities with the tools to help break through the glass ceiling, and create a more diverse workforce. Affirmative action policies provide equal opportunity to those groups who have been systematically denied it. Affirmative action is not the source of discrimination, but the vehicle for removing the effects of discrimination. Affirmative Action plans do not discriminate against anyone competing for any position. They actually increase the pool of qualified applicants by using aggressive recruitment and outreach techniques. The policies developed from the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action legislation do make a difference and are still necessary to assure a more equitable workforce. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Title VII is presumed to promote the hiring it is designed to protect. The logic underlying this presumption is simple: by making employers liable for failures to hire based on gender, the law raises the price of such discriminatory activity and produces less of it than would occur if employers were left completely free to hire whomever they wished. Women are more likely to be promoted in organizations with human resource programs that have affirmative action policies that consider the demographics of employees. Affirmative action in employment encompasses a broad range of actions and programs intended to ensure a fair chance at job opportunities for all Americans. Although it is suppose to eliminate discrimination, affirmative action is sometimes thought to be a source of reverse discrimination. When affirmative action was first implemented it was designed to be temporary, and now more than 30 years later it is still being used. The definition of it has grown and become far more intrusive than its designers could have imagined. Opponents of affirmative action believe no government law, program, or policy that makes distinctions based on race or gender can be beneficial. Government mandated reverse discrimination, under the politically correct guise of â€Å"affirmative action,† has failed to help minorities in a positive manner and has succeeded in continuing the trend of racially divisive policy. The majority group in an organization may sometimes feel threatened by diversity, because it means sharing their space with people who are different from them. Many people, both men and women, are opposed to affirmative action standards. Often, men do not like it because they think it will take away from their opportunities for employment or advancement within the organization. Some men also feel that they are being discriminated against just because they are men. Although affirmative action has been successful in helping women, they may still be opposed to the stigma attached to it if they are thought to be promoted due to the affirmative action standards, regardless of their qualifications. Some critics believe that affirmative action overcrowds the workforce with minorities or women with substantially lower qualifications. In the last several years cynical forces have tried to use race and ethnicity to divide America by claiming that affirmative action is detrimental and unfair to the majority because the programs contain â€Å"quotas† and â€Å"preferences† for people of color and women. After all, it is often assumed that if women were as qualified, as men were, they would not need help from affirmative action. This is a very negative connotation describing the women†s work ethic and the reason women have the need for affirmative action policies in the first place. Affirmative action is only in place to allow the opportunity for a more diverse applicant pool; the qualifications needed to perform the jobs remain the same. Both men and women can be equally qualified for a job, but the one that receives the offer should have an edge over the other candidate. Although some people view affirmative action as a form of reverse discrimination, it was originally conceived with good intentions. It has helped society to create a more diverse workforce. Affirmative action strengthens the nation by helping to provide equal opportunities to those who have been excluded unfairly. Affirmative action programs were never intended to last forever, however they are expected to remain in place so long as discrimination continues to deny equal opportunity to women and people of color. Affirmative action in employment encompasses a broad range of actions and programs intended to ensure a fair chance at job opportunities for all Americans. Affirmative action programs seek to remedy past discrimination against women, minorities, and others by increasing the recruitment, promotion, retention, and on-the-job training opportunities in employment and by removing barriers to admission to educational institutions. Because of the long history of discrimination based on sex and race, most affirmative action programs have been directed towards improving employment and education opportunities for women and minorities. Race, ethnicity, or gender may be but one factor considered among many others in evaluating qualified candidates. Discrimination continues to permeate American society and results in too many lost opportunities for everyone. The simple reality is that we have not reached the day where an individual†s gender, race or ethnicity is no more important than the color of their eyes or hair. As General Colin Powell noted when speaking about the current state of discrimination, â€Å"We†re not where we want to be- We are where we gotta be. † Reducing the nation†s commitment to equal opportunity by eliminating affirmative action programs for women and other minorities does not move us in the right direction. Until everyone is truly considered equal, affirmative action policies are needed to help ensure equality among genders. Affirmative action has been successful in promoting the advancements of minorities in the workplace. When affirmative action is used correctly, it is helpful by promoting equality for all. When it is abused, it has bad effects on society. Affirmative action may stigmatize or call into question the credentials of the qualified minorities. I believe that affirmative action was necessary to get where we are today in terms of equality. We have come a long way since the 1960†³s. Although, I think that if we were to do away with affirmative action, we would still continue to become a more diverse society. With women and minorities in the management positions of companies it is more likely that this diversification would continue even if we didn†t have affirmative action policies in place. This would probably eliminate some of the doubt people have when it comes to women being hired or promoted just because of affirmative action. It would totally be based on her qualifications. As of now, we cannot dismantle affirmative action and other organizational initiatives aimed at promoting equality in the workplace, and assume that sex discrimination will not occur. Sex discrimination has a long history and has proved highly resistant to efforts to eliminate it. But it is equally clear that Affirmative action as it is currently constructed, creates its own set of problems for those it intends to help. I believe that affirmative action policies will soon not exist, and everyone will be considered equal regardless of race, origin, or gender. Perhaps more than any other sentence in our rich written political heritage, these words from the Declaration of Independence embody the highest ideals of American democracy. We should remember these words and realize they are meant for every person in society. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.