Analyse item 1 a newspaper article from ‘ The Guardian’ Essay

I am writing an assignment which is on media. The two sources I have been given to analyse is a leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’ and a newspaper article from ‘ The Guardian. ‘ Both are based on the subject of homelessness. The problem of homelessness is a very unsettled issue. It is evident in many countries but in the UK it is concentrated in London. The two items are different, as one is an article from a broad sheet newspaper whereas item 2 is a leaflet asking for donation for a charity which helps the homeless. The article on homelessness states many facts on the reasons why homelessness is an issue which is faced by many people today. It is estimated that â€Å"419, 400† individuals have been accepted homeless by the local authorities in which many are living in a â€Å"sub standard† condition and are not even included in the statistics. This means that there are many out there who are regarded homeless and are yet not to be found. The main reason that people are homeless is the fact that most of them are â€Å"rough sleepers† who go about during the day and sleep wherever there is a dry place. It is mentioned that the majority are â€Å"single people†. This may have been due to the fact that many of them leave home at a young age and are unable to support themselves financially and resulting in not having kids. It is estimated tat â€Å"90%† of the homeless population is male. One may think why? The answer to this is due to the fact of excess consumption of alcohol resulting in spending a huge amount of money and leading to bankruptcy and not affording to a good life. People who are † dependant on non prescribed drugs† are also homeless because they spend most of their income on drugs. It is also stated that those who suffer from â€Å"multiple social problems† are mostly either family problems or are kicked out due to other problems. They suffer mentally as these problems mount up leading them to leave home and run away with no benefits and live on the streets without a fixed home. As homelessness is increasing, government intends to abolish the problem by setting up plans for the future, which may help in development. The newspaper states that in order for this plan to work out successfully, the government proposed many new acts since 1980’s Due to â€Å"public outcry† against â€Å"doss houses† many of these houses were closed down, in return new warm â€Å"hostels† were opened; the downside to this improvement was that it was â€Å"insufficient† as by 1989 they were, â€Å"5000 fewer beds than there were 10 years ago. † By 1990 the government estimated 1000 to 2000 people were sleeping rough in central London. Along the government response to this was the Department of the Environment had launched a â€Å"three year i 90,000,000 rough sleepers initiative (RSI) in which they funded resettlement workers, temporary cold workers and a permanent accommodation† for rough sleepers to move on. Other authorities like the Department of Health launched a â€Å"homeless mentally ill initiative† to provide a more high care hostels for those with mental problems. Because of its success, the initiatives were â€Å"renewed† for a further 3 years in 1993. By 1995, the government reported that the number of rough sleepers in London dropped to around â€Å"270† which means it was successful. The problem of homelessness was reported in the newspaper article in the Guardian. Now I will analyse an extract of a leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’ which helps to tackle the problem of homelessness. ‘The Salvation Army’ is an agency, which works on people’s contributions to continue the agency’s work on helping homeless people. ‘The Salvation Army’ is â€Å"a provider of accommodation† for those who are single and homeless all year round. This group has â€Å"developed† a † successful programme† for helping people to find â€Å"permanent homes. † This means that ‘the Salvation Army’ is not only working on short-term projects but also on long term projects to ensure safety for the future and help build their lives. An example of a successful help project is Jim. It is stated that Jim was a success because of many people’s â€Å"generosity† which enabled a â€Å"brighter future for Jim. † Home for Jim was not good. He lived on a hill amongst â€Å"brambles†, because of the reason that his life living on the streets was disappointing, and also the reason about the time he got is hopes high of getting a job that was refused, because of â€Å"the interviewer took one look at his crumpled clothes† his hopes of living a good life with a fresh start was shattered and he was left where he started from. But then ‘ the Salvation Army’ stepped in. Once the Army hears a person in need like Jim, they send someone to investigate the matter. After that incident an officer visited him. With a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on Jim was taken to a hostel where he â€Å"enjoyed a hot bath, a shave† and most of all â€Å"friendship. † From then, Jim had been living in the local ‘Salvation Army’ hostel. Building up his confidence with the dedicated help of the officers he has open up his hope and is determined to find a job and build up his life once again. As this story was successful in Jim’s case it may mean many other cases which are there must be successful too. With this story as an example ‘the Salvation Army’ is a charity which is there to â€Å"lend a sympathetic ear and a comforting arm† and most importantly it is there to offer â€Å"true friendship† to those who are lonely and scared. ‘The Salvation Army’ is not there just to provide a temporary home but also to offer a long-term programme which enables a better future for the unfortunate homeless people. As ‘The Salvation Army’ is a charity which helps to build long term projects for the homeless, they have to find a way to make people pay attention and one strategy used is the use of emotional language. There are many examples in which emotional language is used but the main ones are: â€Å"Once in the streets, homeless people become prey to all sorts of illnesses, all potential killers. In fact over 600 people a year on the streets die on the streets. † In this sentence the word â€Å"prey† is used. The literal meaning of â€Å"prey† is a victim. This tells the reader that homeless people are victims of cold weather and the use of this word is emotional and used to make a point; it is also supported by a fact â€Å"600† making this statement true. Another sentence where the use of language is strong is † With your generosity we can give vulnerable people not only a happier Christmas but a brighter future too†. The word â€Å"generosity† is used to give an opinion of being helpful or kind. This suggests that with the help of the people outside giving donations it can give â€Å"vulnerable† people a happier Christmas and give a lifelong help of a good future. Another sentence which captures the reader’s eye is â€Å"We are the ones to lend a sympathetic ear, the ones with the comforting arm, the ones offering true friendship and support during difficult times†. The words â€Å"comforting, sympathetic† are both very emotional. They are used here in order for the reader to be aware of the good nature of ‘The Salvation Army’, how at difficult times they can offer â€Å"friendship† and show support to those who are in â€Å"difficult times†. The Salvation Army is there to help people who can’t help themselves and those who do not show help to others. The use of emotive words gives an impression of a sad tone to the story about Jim and to the life of homeless people. The two items about homelessness are very unlike as item 1 is an article from a broadsheet newspaper ‘The Guardian’ whereas item 2 is a information leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’. The newspaper article follows a parliamentary debate which is going to take place on the issue of homelessness. The article begins with a subheading getting to the key point about † the size of the problem†. It begins with the historical past of homelessness. A lot of statistical information is given; it also states what kind of people is most likely to be found homeless â€Å"single people, childless couples†. It also shows previous parliament records † over 8,000 people† which tells you that this debate has taken place once before. There are many facts given to show evidence of the controversial issue of homelessness. The newspaper article finally shows what the government has done to overcome homelessness; an example of this is doss houses which were â€Å"closed down†. The leaflet from ‘ the Salvation Army’ begins with an opinion, of how sleeping rough you can dread bad weather. It states a fact about living outside in the cold weather can feel like. Compared to the newspaper article which is not biased about who is to blame for being homeless, the leaflet states a biased opinion on how homeless people are â€Å"blameless† for their situation. It also states what kind of people is likely to be homeless, which is different from the newspaper article. It gives a reason for publishing the leaflet but does not give a lot of statistical information. There is a blend of facts and opinions like â€Å"over 600 people a year die on the streets† which is a fact. It also gives a reason for why they are successful by giving the story about Jim, which was a success. It does not show background information on the issue of homelessness. It ends with a paragraph on requesting help from the readers by donating money. The newspaper article gets to the point on what the article is about with a large heading in bold and capitals † HOMELESSNESS† which later is followed by sub- headings. It is set out in vertical columns which are not fully justified. It has short paragraphs and sub-headings. The paragraphs give much information in a compact place. In comparison to the leaflet which begins with bold highlighted blocks giving little facts. The paragraphs are set like tabloid newspapers also in vertical columns. There are very short paragraphs and some of them are in Italics; the font of the letters varies in style like Italics â€Å"with your generosity†¦ â€Å". It does not give substantial information on the issue. The newspaper article’s use of language is formal and direct; it is very informative stating many facts on the issue and the historical background. Like the parliament debate, the sentences are easy to understand and the sentences are balanced with connectives like â€Å"however, or†. It gives a lot of statistical information to show evidence of how homelessness is a very big issue. No emotional language is used. The leaflet’s use of language is very straightforward and easy to understand. The sentences are very simple. It has information but not in a great amount. There is a case study shown in the story about Jim and how ‘ the Salvation Army’ was a success and this can draw a person’s attention. Many financial appeals are requested using emotive words â€Å"with your generosity† and â€Å"become prey† which also catches the reader’s attention. The leaflet is based on appeal rather than factual information like the newspaper article. The Salvation Army’s main motive’s to ask for donations to help resolve homelessness whereas the newspaper article is informative and has a lot of statistical information in a more formal manner. The article appeals to me as a more informative packed story. It gives more amount of statistical information to prove many facts; the sentence which caught my eye was â€Å"90 per cent were male† as I did not think that most homeless people were male. It also begins on with what kind of people are most likely to be homeless which can tell the reader how homelessness has begun. The information on how homelessness has increased during the years shows the reader how it has become a more highly regarded issue and is something to think about. It also shows what the government is doing to tackle the problem and how at a yearly basis new initiatives have been introduced. The reader is left to make their own opinion about homelessness whether it is an issue worth thinking about and, make a public stand to it or leave it to the government to sort it out. The leaflet has a more emotional tone for public appeal on donating for a charity which is helping to reduce the problem of homelessness. The Salvation Army is a charity which is based on people’s donation to help the homeless and develop long term projects for a good future. It gives information on what kind of conditions the homeless have to sleep in. it also shows a case study to support their success. It is not as informative as the newspaper article. It has no fixed presentation device unlike the newspaper article which is all set in columns. Towards the end of the leaflet the reader is left to make a choice of feeling sorry for the homeless and donate money or is left untouched by the story about Jim.

The Effectiveness of Time Management Strategies for Improving Academic Performance Among College Freshmen

The Effectiveness of Time Management Strategies for Improving Academic Performance Among College Freshmen Iris Hill University of West Alabama Author Note Iris R. Hill, Education Department, Class 504- Techniques of Educational Research, Dr. Reenay Rogers, the University of West Alabama. This research was not supported by any institutional grants or additional financial support. The author would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Reenay Rogers, for support and guidance during the preparation for the manuscript. The research reported does not reflect the views of the Mississippi State University, or the University of West Alabama. Iris R. Hill, 300 Carver Drive, Livingston, AL 12345. [email  protected] edu Abstract As college freshman search for ways to â€Å"fit-in† during their first few months of college life, it is important that they are introduced to time management techniques and strategies to improve their chances for academic success. The effectiveness of time management strategies among college freshmen at Mississippi State University, will be examined during the implementation of a freshman orientation class. A group of students that participate in a freshman orientation class will be introduced to time management strategies, to observe if academic improvement occurred. Another group of students will participate in another freshman orientation class without the time management component, to observe if academic improvement occurs or if grade point averages remain the same. Together, these findings will suggest that time management strategies do help to improve academic performance among college freshman. Keywords:academic performance, stress variables, grade point average, peers, aptitude, time management The Effectiveness of Time Management Strategies for Improving Academic Performance Among College Freshman Numerous occasions college students have not had to regulate their time systematically before attending college because they are smart and weren't really challenged in high school. This situation often differs in college because everyone who goes to college did academically well in high school, but the full selection are allocated. Students who received A's and B's, or above average grades in high school, are now receiving C's and D's, or average to below average grades in college. Those students receiving lower grades are likely no less competent than those receiving higher grades, but often their study habits, including time management, are less productive. A correct rule to manage time does not exist; however, it is critical for a person to become familiar with his or her self, so that they can make substantial decisions about how to use his or her time. We all are given 168 hours in a week to use, however, some individuals make better use of this time than others. Previous research suggested that many academically achieved students do not investigate their academic success. They tend to be successful and are satisfied with the study skills and time management techniques they have cultivated to guarantee that they accomplish their objectives (Balduf, 2009). Problem to be Investigated This study examines the problem of whether or not the effective use of time management strategies will improve academic performance among college freshmen. This is a problem because far too many first-time college freshman find themselves not prepared for the rigors of college life and academics. When college students learn how to effectively incorporate time management strategies into their daily, weekly, and monthly schedules and itineraries, it can help to reduce stress and fatigue, achieve goals and objectives, and improve academic achievement. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to discover if effective time management strategies and techniques can improve academic performance among college freshmen. The time management strategies that will be used in this study are demonstrated to be effective, adaptive, task-oriented, and individualistic. If these strategies and techniques are effective, then college freshmen academic performance will improve. It is assumed that then colleges and universities could implement the time management strategies to improve academic achievement and performance among college freshmen. Justification of the Study Time management is a very important part of any person's life. Somehow, it never really becomes relevant until a person is in college, for the first time. Effective time management skills should be used in all aspects of a college student's life. This study, if evidence supports this position, will improve academic performance by introducing time management strategies to first-time college freshmen. Time management is how a person manages his or her time according to Atkinson (1970). At times, many high performing students do not wonder about their academic achievement. Colleges should be aware that even their academically successful applicants may lack the skills necessary to succeed (Greene, 1986). One of the ways that college freshmen are introduced to time management skills, is through a freshman orientation class, that is required for all college freshmen during their first year of college. Through experimentation, the researcher plans to provide others with useful information regarding the correlation between the effectiveness of time management strategies and student academic achievement. Research Question and Research Hypothesis The research question is: Will the use of effective time management strategies improve academic performance among college freshmen? The research hypothesis is: Applying time management strategies and techniques will result in an improvement in academic performance among college freshmen. This hypothesis suggests the correlation between the dependent variable academic performance and the independent variable time management strategies. Definition of Terms Constitutive definitions- The following definitions were obtained from: www. dictionary. com Academic Performance is defined as â€Å"the execution or accomplishment related to certain areas of study†. †¢ Stress Variables is defined as â€Å"the physical or mental strain exerted on one thing by another that is apt to change or alter behavior†. †¢ Grade Point Average is defined as † a measure of a student's academic achievement at a college or university; calculated by dividing the total number of grade p oints received by the total number attempted†. †¢ Peers is defined as â€Å"a person or group who is equal to another in abilities, qualifications, age, grade, background, and social status†. Aptitude is defined as â€Å"the readiness or quickness in learning; intelligence, ability – innate or acquired capacity for something†. †¢ Time management is defined as â€Å"the analysis of how working hours are spent and the prioritization of tasks in order to maximize personal efficiency in the workplace and/or school†. Operational definitions †¢ Stress variables will be any potential outside factors that may negatively affect academic performance. †¢ Aptitude will be given in a form of a pretest or survey prior to the experimentation and a post-test will be given upon completion of the experiment. Pre-tests and post-tests will be given to all experimental and control group participants. A comparison will be used to determine if time management strategies improved academic performance. Brief Overview of the Study The research would match the hypothesis in that, applying time management strategies will result in an improvement of academic performance according to academic grade point averages. The research study would include a random selected sample of 80 first- time college freshmen from a local university. The 80 students will participate for two semesters. At the end of the first semester, without anyone receiving the time management strategies training, the entire group's grade point averages will be recorded. The 80 students would be given a pretest in the form of a time management survey before the research period begins. The time management survey would determine the student's familiarity with using time management strategies as well as the lack thereof. The 80 first- time college freshmen would be split into two groups consisting of forty students in each group. One group would be the experimental group, that would receive the time management strategies during a freshman orientation class. The time management strategies that the 40 in the experimental group would receive, consist of: assessing and planning, adjusting and implementing, and evaluating. The other group would be a control group, that would receive a normal freshman orientation class without introducing time management strategies. This study would last for a nine month research period. At the end of the second semester, all of the student's academic grade point averages would be recorded to determine if improved academic achievement actually occurred for the students in the experimental group, that received the freshman orientation class with the ime management strategies incorporated into the class curriculum. The differences in the in the grade point averages would be examined. Background and Review of Related Literature In order to understand student achievement in regards to persistence at learning objectives, and time management, many contemporary motivational models consider how much students are moti vated to succeed in their school work. However, student achievement and persistence may not only be affected by their amount of study motivation, but also by the motivation to engage in alternative activities, as suggested by Atkinson (1970). Time management is therefore an important aptitude, also for students (Vanheste, Lens, & Vandenberghe, 2001). Students must learn how to split their time over the various areas of interest, because spending too much time in challenging activities might keep them studying and climax in unsatisfactory achievement, as suggested by Gergen (1991). Theory Past studies have confirmed the importance of time management skills and undergraduate student's academic performance. The consequences of other uses of time are still in debate. Some researchers have discussed that students engaged in activities that command ambition and energy also accomplish more in the classroom, while students who participate mainly in docile activities, perform less than adequately (Balduf, 2009). Other researchers have discussed that students who are tied to the college campus or university through residence, work, or extracurricular activities, function better as an overall student, while those who are apart from the college or university campus tend to function less than average (Schwartz, 2000). Many students are realistic about having to plan their work independently, and having to use time management skills to adjust to college life. Coleman and Freedman (1996) contend that many students find it difficult to regulate their self-study and keep up the rigors of college work. College students were not always sure how to prioritize their time. It is argued that colleges and universities should attempt to play a more â€Å"active role in helping first-year students to make sense of time management (Coleman and Freedman, 1996, p. 34). Studies Directly Related In previous studies of academically challenged college students, both motivation and goal determination were key factors in evaluating why students do not succeed academically. In a recent study, Hsieh, Sullivan, and Guerra (2007) found students whose grade point averages put them on academic probation (below a 2. 0) had goals that were counter-productive to academic achievement. The students that performed badly were less likely to seek out assistance in changing their academic outcomes (Hsieh et al. 2007). Shim and Ryan (2005) found that students who valued accomplishment- accomplishing the academic content regardless of the academic gain, had higher levels of motivation, while staying away from challenge and situations that could result in failure-connected to lower motivation and less than average time management skills. In a previous study, Whitmore (1989) discussed the causes of each person's causes of academic failure. Participants associated their high school academic achievement to insignificant efforts. They did not have to work hard to obtain the achievement they wanted, these students were never instructed, nor ever instructed themselves, on how to persevere through challenging issues. When these participants experienced challenging class work in college, they were not prepared to handle it. In addition, many other factors of the participants' experiences played a part in their college underachievement: insufficient study habits, poor time management skills, and internal versus external motivation. Research shows that when first-year college students or freshman, use time management strategies, it will help to improve their academic performance. McCown, Petzel, and Rupert (1987) contend that † the student's pre-entry characteristics, perceptions of the learning environment, reported work discipline, the use of deep information processing strategies, time management skills, and current academic performance† (p. 782) all play significant roles in the future academic development of the student. There is a large amount of literature based on the influence of institutional characteristics on student achievement as well. Common sense infers and educational studies displays that individual contrasts in academic success are a result of disparities in cognitive and other abilities, but also from disparities in motivation. Parents and teachers both, often times associate disappointing academic school performance results, to a lack of motivation, rather than to inadequate abilities. They argue that more academically motivated students spend more time and effort in their school work, which, in turn, lead to higher levels of academic success. The old proverb, â€Å"Practice makes perfect† may not always be true, but many underachieving students would benefit from devoting more time to school work. McCowan, Petzel, and Rupert (1987) found an important positive correlation of . 60 between extraversion and procrastination. Extraverted students need stimulation and they want to find and investigate their environment, so they actively look for challenges, they are less likely to be curious in a broad wide range of activities. However, these expansive and varied interests might hinder them from studying, and heighten their study procrastination. The student's habit of study procrastination is often not a development of low motivation or elevated concern of failure. Extraverted students do not possess the time management skills because other more exciting things always are more important. The other factors involved can viewed as potential stress variables. As societal expectations about attending college have grown, professors report increasing numbers of students who are unprepared for the rigors of postsecondary education- not just more students with learning disabilities, but students (with or without special admission status) who are academically at-risk because of inadequate reading, writing, study, and time management skills. This study by Graves (2011) provided professors and their graduate assistants, those in the lead concerning the interactions with students, with strategies and techniques they can use in the classroom, to assist with at-risk students, and help to raise their skills so that those students can effectively complete their studies. Graves (2011) discussed confirmed techniques that not only interest all students in a class, but also create the environment, while maintaining integrity and high expectations, to ensure at-risk and under-prepared college students to flourish academically and graduate with high grade point averages. Rimm (1997) also explained how to work successfully with academic support components on campus. Within the system of recognizing those students who need help, building a rapport with them, implementing inclusive teaching techniques, and extending suitable instruction, the article submits the theory teachers will need, and efficient classroom techniques. Natale (1995) covered teaching philosophy and goals; issues of improving time management and study skills, as well as the application of â€Å"universal design† strategies. The concepts discussed in the article can be easily integrated into any classroom, at any school or university. Studies Tangentially Related In a study by Dealtry (2004), it was suggested that a collaboration between higher education stakeholders is needed to develop an academic plan or centralized advising center to assist college freshman with selecting a major, time management, campus resources, and future goals to increase persistence and graduation rates. Administrators and faculty should work to develop programs to address retention needs of first-year students. Further research should be conducted to examine how participation in co-extracurricular activities, living and learning on-campus communities, campus climate, and social integration and institution commitment components contribute to student retention and persistence. In some cases, there may be other causes or factors involved that may be related to a student not being able to utilize time management strategies. Schwartz (2000) explained that some students who appear to be lazy, simply lack the executive skills they need to stay organized and get their work done. Schwartz (2000) told a story about a student with attention problems, whose academic performance started plummeting in high school. With the help of a peer advisor, Josh learned to manage his time better and complete his assignments. Schwartz (2000) shared several time management strategies that schools can use to help students become better prepared for college life. Procedures This study is a randomized pretest/posttest control group design. The hypothesis suggests a relationship between these two variables: academic performance (quantitative) and time management strategies (categorical). Some possible extraneous variables that might affect the results are that students may not be receptive to the time management strategies shared by the graduate students and professors teaching the freshman orientation class. Also, students may or may not receive help implementing the time management strategies outside of the orientation class. The potential for harm to participants in this study are as follows: 1. ) The group of students not receiving the time management strategies or skills training may have lower academic performance than the treatment group, 2. Some freshmen may not be motivated to do the time management strategies as others, and therefore, some students may not receive quality time management skills training during the freshman orientation. To handle these potential problems, the researcher will: 1. ) Implement the time management strategies for the group not receiving the training after the experiment is completed. 2. ) Require that only graduate students be us ed to incorporate the time management strategies training, and those students would exemplify high levels of academic performance. The possibilities of problems with confidentiality include: 1. ) If graduate students revealed the names of the students participating in the time management skills training class or 2. ) If the names of the students, who received the time management training, were revealed with academic performance scores. This study is of no risk to human subjects and the proposed research is conducted in â€Å"commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices†, in accordance with IRB category level I. Description of Research Design A random sample of 80 first- year college freshmen would be given a pretest or time management survey to determine their current knowledge and application of time management strategies. The random sample of 80 students would also submit their grade point averages prior to the beginning of the study. The grade point average measures a student's academic achievement at a college or university. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted. The 80 first- year college freshmen would be divided into two groups. The experimental group, consisting of 40 students, would receive the time management strategies integrated into their freshman orientation class. The time management strategies that the 40 students in the experimental group would be receive is based on a time management plan developed by Weinstein (2003). Students would be given a three step plan consisting of: 1. ) Assessing and planning the schedule. 2. ) Adjusting the schedule. 3. ) Evaluating and implementing the schedule. These strategies will be taught and monitored weekly by professors and graduate assistants. The control group, consisting of the other 40 first- year college freshmen, would receive the freshman orientation class without the time management strategies implemented. The study will be conducted over two semesters. Upon the completion of the study, all 80 students will submit their grade point averages and time management survey or quiz developed by Weinstein (2003). The differences in the academic improvement would be examined. Description of the Sample The sample includes 80 first- year college freshmen out of 1200, from a university in the southeast. The 80 students are divided into two classrooms. One classroom will participate in the time management strategies training and the other will not. The students range in age from 19- 22 years old. In this study, each classroom consists of 20 females and 20 males. The ethnic breakdown is as follows: 75% Caucasian, 15% African American, 10% Hispanic, and 10% Asian American. The group of students for this study represented a various mixture of socioeconomic statuses, ranging from low-to high levels, as well as different levels of academic achievement (i. . , GPA's from 1. 0- 4. 0). Each of the professors for the classrooms have taught time management components earlier in their careers. The graduate assistants who will monitor and observe the freshmen during this study, have successfully used time management strategies to enhance their own individual academic performance. Description of the Instruments Used The student's grade point average is an existing instrument that will be used in this study. The grade point average measures a student's academic achievement at a college or university. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted. The grade point average adequately and logically measures the student's comprehension in each subject area. The grade point average formula is appropriate for first-year college freshmen because it measures student academic achievement. The grade point averages will vary; however, the GPA formula is the same for each student. To check reliability over time, the GPA would be used to ensure the results are similar over the research time period. The second instrument will be used to check for internal consistency, known as the â€Å"Time Management Quiz† and â€Å"Where Does Time Go? † survey and questionnaire developed by Weinstein (2003). The Cronbach alpha (1975) instrument will measure the reliability of the answers from the surveys and questionnaires. the Cronbach alpha instrument is very useful because not only is it easily calculated, but it is also quite general and can be applied universally. The Cronbach alpha (1975) formula can be applied through a variety of tests and other measurements. In referring to the Cronbach alpha (1975), the alpha level is a degree of reliability measurement which allows for the forecast of whether there is a probability of committing a Type 1 error, which is the prediction of chance that X exists. The Cronbach alpha (1975) assesses the reliability of a rating (measurement based on a pre-determined factor) by summarizing a group of test or survey answers (samples taken from a population or a population sample or census) which measure some underlying factor (e. g. some attributes of the test- taker). A score is computed from each test item and the overall rating or scale, which is defined by the sum of these scores over all the test items. To establish whether the measures are consistent, a correlation is computed between the results obtained on the first administration of the survey or quiz to the following administrations. There are four uncontrollable variables of 1. ) practice and 2. ) fatigue 3. ) too short an interval, or 4. ) too few of the first test takers are not available for the posttests or surveys. To check internal consistency, the Cronbach alpha (1975) instrument will be used to evaluate the scores on the â€Å"Time Management Quiz† and â€Å"Where Does Time Go? ‘ surveys at the beginning and the end of the research period. For checking validity, the Cronbach alpha (1975) tool will be used to compare the scores at the start and the end of the research period, and also with the GPA's of the experimental group, the student's receiving the time management strategies incorporated into their freshman orientation class. All of these instruments together will measure current academic levels (GPA), time usage, habits, and attitudes, as well as basic concepts (conceptual knowledge), and applications by using open-ended questions assigned to numerical values. To ensure validity and reliability, the time management strategies are well described in the research proposal, so others can conduct the study if desired. Explanation of Procedures Followed A random sample of 80 first- time college freshmen would given a time management survey, and asked to submit their grade point averages prior to the research period. Prior to starting the research, a consent form is mailed out to each randomly selected student. The form must be signed and returned before the student can participate in the study. The student's names would be kept confidential by assigning numbers to students so that when data is reported, scores are identified only by a specific number. Also, the graduate students would be refreshed about confidentiality rules, and the importance of keeping names of students included in the study, confidential. The time management would determine the student's current knowledge and implementation of time management skills usage, habits, and attitudes, as well as basic concepts (conceptual knowledge), and applications by using open-ended questions assigned to numerical values. The time management strategies that the 40 freshman students in the experimental group will recieve, consists of: 1. ) Assessing and planning the schedule. 2. ) Adjusting the schedule. 3. ) Evaluating and implementing the schedule. The control group, consisting of the other 40 first- time college freshmen, would take the freshman orientation class without the time management strategies incorporated. Both classrooms will be taught by the university professors with the assistance of graduate assistants for observation and monitoring. The research period will last a total of two semesters, to adequately measure and record academic achievement in regards to the implementation or lack of time management skills. The student's would be given the time management quiz again, the posttest, along with the submission of their GPA's. The differences in the improvement of academic performance would be examined. Discussion of Internal Validity There are four threats to internal validity in this study. The four threats are subject characteristics, testing, history, and subject attitude. Subject characteristics could be a threat because the groups may be different according to gender, motivation, IQ, GPA's, socioeconomic status, and attitudes. In this study, to control validity, groups will be randomly assigned while maintaining an equal number of males and females chosen for both groups. The second threat to validity is testing. Testing is a threat to validity because it can produce anxiety for students involved. To control validity, testing or surveys will be given to both groups at the same time and on the same day, with the nine month period between both tests, while assuming that the pretest or survey has an equal effect on both groups. The third threat to internal validity is history. History is a threat because poor use of time management (i. e. , previous bad grades, study habits, extracurricular activities, and academic boredom) at the school may affect students' attitudes and interest towards time management and academic achievement. To control this threat to internal validity, documentation of any event that may occur and have an effect on the students, must be kept. It is also assumed that both groups would be affected equally by these events. The final threat to internal validity is subject attitude. Subject attitude is a threat because there is always the possibility of subjects altering or changing the behavior during a study. If the comparison or control group knows that the experimental group is receiving an enhanced version of the freshman orientation class (learning useful time management strategies and techniques), it may affect posttest scores. To control this threat, a regular freshman orientation class invigorated with fun, unique, and original enhancements should be provided. Discussion of External Validity This study will be generalized to all first- time college freshmen attending Mississippi State University, which is the accessible population. The study will be able to generalize to all first-time college and university freshmen in the state. Most of the schools in the state are similar in characteristics to the chosen university, thus making the school a representative population to the state. The study's results will not be able to generalize past the region because of the population's distinct characteristics. The results will be generalized to first-time college freshmen and academic improvement and not any other subject, because that is the subject the study involves. Time management strategies were not tested on other subject areas (i. e. , relationships, work), only academic achievement, in this study. References Atkinson, J. W. & Birch, D. (1970). The dynamics of action. New York: Wiley. Balduf, M. , (2009). Underachievement among college students. Journal of Advanced Academics, 20, (2), 274-295. Coleman, H. L. K. , & Freedman, A. M. (1996). Effects of a structured group intervention on the achievement of academically at-risk undergraduates. Journal of College Student Development, 37, 631-636. Cronbach, L. J. (1975). Beyond the two disciplines of scientific psychology. American Psychologist, 30: 671-84. Dealtry, R. , (2004). The savvy learner. Journal of Workplace Learning, 16, 101-110. Gergen, K. J. (1991). The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life. New York: Basic Books. Greene, L. J. (1986). Kids who underachieve. New York: Simon and Schuster. Hsieh, P. , Sullivan, J. R. & Guerra, N. S. (2007). A closer look at college students: Self-efficacy and goal orientation. Journal of Advanced Academics, 18, 454-476. McCown, W. G. , Petzel, T. , & Rupert, T. (1987). An experimental study of some hypothesized behaviors and personality variables of college student procrastinators. Personality and Individual Differences, 8, 781-786. Natale, J. A. (1995). Making smar t cool. The Executive Educator,17, 20-24. Rimm, S. (1997). An underachievement epidemic. Educational Leadership, 54, 18-22. Schwartz, B. (2000). Self-determination: The tyranny of freedom. American Psychologist, 55, 79-88. Shim, S. , & Ryan, A. (2005). Changes in self-efficacy, challenge avoidance, and intrinsic value in response to grades: The role of achievement goals. The Journal of Experimental Education, 73, 333-349. Vanheste, T. , Lens, W. , & Vandenberghe, R. (2001). Motivation and learning styles among college freshmen. Leuven: University of Leuven. Weinstein, C. E. , (2003). Learning and study strategy inventory. Clearwater, FL: H & H Publishing Company. Whitmore, J. R. (1989). Re-examining the concept of underachievement. Understanding Our Gifted, 2, 1, 7-9. www. dictionary. com Appendix A Consent Form Iris Hill The University of West Alabama Research Proposal Title: The Effectiveness of Time Management Strategies for Improving Academic Performance Among College Freshmen 1. What is the purpose of the study? The purpose of the study is to discover if time management strategies can improve academic performance among college freshman. There will not be any behavior modifications used; however, the study will be based on the information received prior to the beginning of the study and after the time management strategies are implemented during the study. 2. How was I chosen? Eighty first-time college freshmen were andomly selected to participate 3. What will be involved in participating? The eighty in-coming college freshmen would be divided into two groups. The eighty students will complete a pretest before the research period begins. The pretest will assess whether or not the student actively uses time management strategies and the current academic performance levels. The control group, consis ting of forty students, will not receive any time management skills training during the freshman orientation class. The experimental group, consisting of forty students, would receive time management skills training during the reshman orientation class. Graduate students would be used to monitor and assist the freshman group with utilizing the time management strategies (experimental group) during the six month research period. At the end of the research period, both groups will be given a posttest, which is identical to the pretest. The results of the posttests of the experimental group will be compared to the results of the comparison group to determine if the effectiveness of time management strategies improved academic performance. 4. Who will know what I say? It is planned for the study to be published in a professional journal. 5. What risks and benefits are associated with participation? The risks are that there will be no change in academic performance, or time management strategies might be used and not needed. The benefits are that there are possible improvements in academic performance. 6. What are my rights as a respondent? You may ask questions regarding the research, and they will be answered fully. Your participation in the study is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time. 7. What will be published? Following the completion of this research proposal, I plan to maintain my records for use in future publications and scholarly presentations. I plan to publish my findings as articles in professional journals, with the ultimate goal of publishing a book or a chapter in a book. 8. If I want more information, whom can I contact about the study? This study has been approved by the University of West Alabama’s Internal Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. This board can be contacted through the office of Mrs. Patricia Pratt. In addition, my research advisor, Dr. Reenay Rogers, can be contacted at (205) 652-5423. ____________________________________________ Iris Hill, Project DirectorRespondent’s signature, date Appendix B Permission to Conduct Research The University of West Alabama Iris Hill, Graduate Student 300 Carver Drive Livingston, AL 12345 September 1, 2011 Dr. James Stewart, Student Affairs Director Mississippi State University 123 College Avenue MSU, MS 39760 Dear Dr. Stewart, I would like to conduct a study using a random sample of in-coming college freshman for the 2011-2012 school year. The study proposes to research the effectiveness of time management strategies and skills on academic performance. The results of this study will improve the educational practice of professors and directly impact the study habits and skills, in regard to the academic achievement of students. The study will take place from September 15, 2011 to March 15, 2011. It will be conducted by me, Ms. Iris Hill, a current graduate student. I feel that this research study is a very worthwhile endeavor for the students and the school. Please review the enclosed information in order to make a decision concerning the school’s ability to conduct this research. A consent form has been included. Sincerely, Ms. Iris Hill The University of West Alabama Appendix C Explanation of Instrument or Copy of Instrument The student's grade point average is an existing instrument that will be used in this study. The grade point average measures a student's academic achievement at a college or university. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted. The grade point average adequately and logically measures the student's comprehension in each subject area. The grade point average formula is appropriate for first-year college freshmen because it measures student academic achievement. The grade point averages will vary; however, the GPA formula is the same for each student. To check reliability over time, the GPA would be used to ensure the results are similar over the research time period. The second instrument will be used to check for internal consistency, known as the â€Å"Time Management Quiz† and â€Å"Where Does Time Go? † survey and questionnaire developed by Weinstein (2003). The Cronbach alpha (1975) instrument will measure the reliability of the answers from the surveys and questionnaires. the Cronbach alpha instrument is very useful because not only is it easily calculated, but it is also quite general and can be applied universally. The Cronbach alpha (1975) formula can be applied through a variety of tests and other measurements. In referring to the Cronbach alpha (1975), the alpha level is a degree of reliability measurement which allows for the forecast of whether there is a probability of committing a Type 1 error, which is the prediction of chance that X exists. The Cronbach alpha (1975) assesses the reliability of a rating (measurement based on a pre-determined factor) by summarizing a group of test or survey answers (samples taken from a population or a population sample or census) which measure some underlying factor (e. . some attributes of the test- taker). A score is computed from each test item and the overall rating or scale, which is defined by the sum of these scores over all the test items. To establish whether the measures are consistent, a correlation is computed between the results obtained on the first administration of the survey or quiz to the following administrations. There are four uncon trollable variables of 1. ) practice and 2. ) fatigue 3. ) too short an interval, or 4. ) too few of the first test takers are not available for the posttests or surveys. To check internal consistency, the Cronbach alpha (1975) instrument will be used to evaluate the scores on the â€Å"Time Management Quiz† and â€Å"Where Does Time Go? ‘ surveys at the beginning and the end of the research period. For checking validity, the Cronbach alpha (1975) tool will be used to compare the scores at the start and the end of the research period, and also with the GPA's of the experimental group, the student's receiving the time management strategies incorporated into their freshman orientation class. All of these instruments together will measure current academic levels (GPA), time usage, habits, and attitudes, as well as basic concepts (conceptual knowledge), and applications by using open-ended questions assigned to numerical values. To ensure validity and reliability, the time management strategies are well described in the research proposal, so others can conduct the study if desired.

Single-sex Schools Offer Higher Quality of Educational Experience to Essay

Single-sex Schools Offer Higher Quality of Educational Experience to Students than Coeducational Ones - Essay Example The English being the pioneers of educational systems, many countries looked up to them for benchmarks that they could follow for their own education systems. This is how the trend of single-sex schools emerged. It entered the United States and stayed there till the late 19th century, but as the aspect of modernization is predominant there, single sex schools are now scarce, being limited to only private communities and some catholic schools. With the change in the overall psyche of the people worldwide, and women empowerment being one of the major game changers for education system, the women were accepted as equals everywhere. This demanded that they are educated at the same level as men to be able to compete with and support them in different walks of life. Women were no longer confined to households and humanities education and this started the trend of co-educational environment. Co-education, like the name suggests, refers to an educational setup where men and women are educate d equally. In contrast to single-sex schools, both the genders get to interact with each other, work together and maintain friendships with each other. In a world where social skills are imperative to get anywhere, co-education allows both the genders to be equipped with such skills. They tend to be more socially comfortable and possess positive interpersonal attitudes. There have been several studies to gauge the effect of the education system on both the genders. The identical outcomes of almost all researches conclude that academically, girls fare well in single sex school and boys do well in a co-educational environment. The reasons are not clear so far but the general perception for such a conclusion is that the comparison of... This report approves that the counter arguments in case of co-education cannot be ignored. Like mentioned earlier, the comfort level of each gender within an environment of their likeness is higher and allows them to develop accordingly. There is a positive aspect to it, but the real world is not so. In practical life, humans are bound to interact with, live with, and socialize with the opposite gender. Thus, they should be equipped with the societal attitude that is necessary for such a setup. Where the success of female students cannot be argued in single sex environment, their presence in a co-educational environment makes it less disruptive and relationship with the facilitators is generally better, also honing them for the real world. This essay makes a conclusion that the counter arguments mentioned above are just some of the many that have been highlighted over the years. No research has given solid results regarding which schooling system is better. The quality of education imparted is also dependent upon the curriculum covered, teachers, facilities etc., and gender mix cannot be the only determinant for the quality of education being imparted at an institution. Though, in today’s world, socializing and interaction has become a key trend all over. It is imperative that students are made to study in an environment that teaches them gender equality and acknowledgement of the other’s presence. They should be abreast with the expected societal norms and this is possible only if they have not been restricted to mingling amongst the same gender.

Essay - Aristotle and Plato -ethics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

- Aristotle and Plato -ethics - Essay Example the Cave, he presented the idea that people are living in a world of forms, within which the ideas that were called truths were mere projections of the reality. For that matter, he considered that the ethical way of life for man was to achieve goodness which he defied as the level of understanding the real nature of things. This he stated can be done through education (Plato 453). Aristotle on the other hand presented in the work The Aim of Man his main ideas on ethics. According to him, ethics is a form of practical science, thus he was known for his experiential approach in ethics (Aristotle 691). Based on the views of Plato or Aristotle then, one’s way of life is more ethical and practical that another when one does not only think of one’s own goodness but contribute to the goodness of the society and the state. Through the course of the discussion then, both the views of the two philosophers will be discussed. The differences between Aristotle and Plato can be presented on different points. The first one is in relation to the manner of achieving an ethical life. Aristotle viewed that ethics was more practical and experiential while Plato viewed that it is more theoretical. Aristotle presented a view on ethics that is more practical and experiential. For that matter, based on his view, one’s life can be more ethical if it is more experiential. This means that a person needs to primarily focus on his or her function in the society to have an ethical life. Aristotle indicated that a man needs to be â€Å"rational and exercise his reason, not just possess it† because this is what separates him from other animals (Aristotle 700). He believed that goodness can be defined as a state wherein a particular entity maximizes its potentials and skills (Aristotle 694). One example that can be given is the profession. If a person is good in a certain field of study such as arts, he or she needs to pursue that field. In this manner, life is more ethical

American Government Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Government - Research Paper Example (US Constitution) When the U.S. Constitution was newly formulated, many of its opponents argued that the federal government had too much authority which could be used illegally. Therefore to avoid this, it was demanded that a bill should be formulated to protect the rights of the general people. As a result, the Bill of Rights was proposed on September 25, 1789 which contained 10 amendments that referred to the protection of rights of individuals. (Archives) The first amendment of the Bill of Rights was related to the free practice of religion and freedom of speech. It says that the Congress is not permitted to make any laws which affect the freedom of practice of any religion and that all the religions in the United States are to be respected. It also states that the existence of freedom of speech and media are to be maintained and that people have the right to protest peacefully. (Cornell University Law School) The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the democratic power of the United Nations is maintained and that people have the basic right to live freely and do whatever they want, given that it does not hurt someone else. People need to have the freedom to express themselves and practice their religion, and only then will the society develop as a whole. It is necessary for all who stand in the religious minority so that their issues are addressed equally to all the religion in the nation and well as all the ethical groups who want to have their voices heard. This amendment gives them a chance to submit a petition and protest peacefully if they think a certain action or law is affecting them unfairly. A person who has been accused of protesting against a policy of government can benefit from this amendment since it gives him/her the legal right to protest given that it is a peaceful one. The law enforcement needs to keep in mind that they do not violate the right given to them by

Database and Enterprise Application Security Essay - 1

Database and Enterprise Application Security - Essay Example Through the identification of problems and issues near the beginning of the projects initialization phase the operating system, environment, system architecture, and database can be designed and integrated with security included features. In addition, it also ensures that system development process followed the rules and regulations, legislation and standards application. This paper presents a detailed analysis of web-security issues which need to be considered by the developers of enterprise web-applications. This paper also outlines fundamental security features offered by database management systems and use of these features in securing the database from security breaches. Â  Websites and web applications normally interact and communicate with other back-office applications, remote services, and distributed systems those are competent to be placed with the range of local premises, locations, and facilities at some other location. In this scenario, the difficult to manage and complicated nature of web-based system presents the need for better communication among the systems and this aspect leads to a greater likelihood of experiencing security vulnerabilities or weaknesses. This condition initiates elevated chances of the security infringement.

Business - Gender Discrimination Speech or Presentation

Business - Gender Discrimination - Speech or Presentation Example Previous court rulings declare that, one of the responsibilities of a company is not to discriminate people against their sex. This indication is a determinant showing that discrimination begins even before the hiring process starts. As such, in this speech, I will seek to develop a persuasive argument showing the importance of addressing the issue of gender discrimination in work places. To begin with, the gap of gender at work place is still an impeding issue according to a new research on gender roles conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fact finding results reveal that women who work for 44 hours in a week earn 84.6 percent of total earnings of a man working for same hours (Stein, 2008:31). Worse still, the same statistics cites that, women who work for over 60 hours in week have earnings amounting to 78.3 percent of what men who are categorically in the same timeline earn. Additionally, it is agreeable that, sexual discrimination is a problem that affects education, e mployment, public institution, and domestic life (Lindgren, 2010:44). Even though today, women encounter minimal economic and social barriers as opposed to olden days, gender discrimination is still a major problem in many working places (Wrigley, 2008:7). With reference to a report brought forward by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women who worked full time earned only 77 cents for every single dollar that a man earned in 2009 (Reeves, 2010:57). According to the US report on female worker, in spite of the fact that women comprise of the largest percentage of workforce in most organizations in the world, they commonly access employment positions in the traditional female fields which include nursing, secretarial work, and elementary school teaching. It is therefore congruent for us to address the vagaries brought about by gender or sexual discrimination in our working organizations (Stein, 2008:49). Studies assert that, in most working places today, there are many instances of sexual discrimination against women. Despite the fact that court rulings set forth that it is possible to hold a company liable for discriminating people due to their sexes, pre employment screening tests portray discriminatory cases at large margins. Company discriminatory cases of gender occur in incidences of hiring where the firm sets or asks unacceptable questions that discriminate against sex (Reeves, 2010:69). The application process designs bogus pre employment tests that screen for sex making the overall hiring process bias and unfair. For a long time, the court upholds scenarios where a man receives an employment opportunity over a woman with a slight margin of qualification (Stein, 2008:63). This drastic difference in qualification has been around for a long time and according to analysts, it is a sure sign of discrimination. A better understanding of how sexual discrimination works reflects cases where a man who dropped out of high school gets an administra tive post over a woman who has a master’s degree (Gregory, 2003:19). In this case, sexual discrimination is the ultimate factor depicting gender bias. Apart from gender discrimination gender discrimination during the hiring process, our working places today faces another form of sexual discrimination called sexual harassment (Lindgren, 2010:58). In this form of discrimination, some

Essay on School Life Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On School Life - Essay Example With this particular process, there is the ability to understand the school culture through organization, identity, resources and community relationships which are established. The conclusion which the authors show is that there needs to be a re-evaluation of leadership and the association which teachers have on every level toward enhancing the school culture. The strength of this article begins with the different areas which are evaluated for teachers. Instead of limiting the environment to the culture that is expected in a general context, the author’s examine the specific culture of the school environment. The combination of organization, resources and community are evaluated independently to create the right conclusion. This is combined with the dependent variables which are associated through the survey and observation to reach a better conclusion about what is occurring within society. This combination of information is one that allows the right evaluation to be made in terms of environment and with the concept of culture which is built from the different expectations with relationship building and the school relationships. While the survey and overall evaluation is one that considers a variety of concepts, there are also limits with the approach that is taken from the idea of teacher leadership. The evaluation of different components doesn’t move into the individual leadership styles or expectations that are within the classroom. This is furthered with the inability to create the right association with how one should respond to the environment or how each of the independent variables links to culture. The gap in defining culture, teacher roles and the other independent variables, both in the review of theories and in the broader context, doesn’t provide the correct association with what is needed in terms of leadership. The idea of teacher leadership becomes one that carries a gap toward the culture which is evaluated because of the lack of theory that is provided. Another change which would alter the way in which this article is presented is with the theories based on the evaluation. There were a small number of teachers that were observed and the survey was a casual and unstructured evaluation. If there were different structures or observations, it may have changed the results that were associated with the overall evaluation. The idea of teacher leadership and the model for school renewal may have carried different results with broader observations as well as more structure to the data which was retrieved. Further studies would need to be done to alter the way in which the information was presented. Combining this with more thorough application to school culture, leadership and the understanding of environment would have then closed the gaps with the research which was conducted. In the article by Ronald Lindhal, â€Å"The Role of Organizational Climate and Culture in the School Improvement Process,† t here is an understanding of what it means to belong to a complex institutional environment. The evaluation which occurs in this article looks at improvement in schools, climate and the school culture that is associated with the main ideologies that are there. The theoretical viewpoint is one which makes a statement that the school system carries a complex system because of the combined associations with education and the culture of the institution. In turn, there is the need for

Effectiveness of the Current Credit Risk Management of Techcombank in Dissertation

Effectiveness of the Current Credit Risk Management of Techcombank in Vietnam - Dissertation Example How significant does the current credit risk management decreases the credit risk of Techcombank? What are the strategies to decrease the credit risk of Techcombank? In order to address this research question, this paper shall measure the credit risk under the previous risk management strategies compared to the credit risk under the current risk management strategies. If the findings indicate that the current credit risk management does not reduce the credit risk of the bank, then the reasons for it shall be analysed. 1.1.3. Statement of Research Hypothesis In this research study the Null hypothesis (H0) will be tested against the alternate hypothesis (H1) in each case. The null hypothesis (H0) states that Techcombank has established effective controls for reducing credit risk occurrence while the alternate hypothesis (H1) states that Techcombank still does not have established controls for effectively reducing its credit risk. 1.1.4. Scope of the Study The scope of this research is restricted to a study of credit risk and credit risk prevention in Techcombank Vietnam. However, in order to be able to critically review the credit risk situation in Techcombank of Vietnam, the research will rely on literature review from various authors about credit risk, credit risk controls and credit risk prevention. 1.2. Research Objectives / Hypotheses The specific objectives of the research are as follows: Analysis and review of credit risk faced by banks Determining Techcombank’s credit risk controls measures Proposing standards for measuring the credit risk in a bank such as Techcombank based on scientific footings 1.2.1. Significance of Study This study will identify the main causes of credit risk for Techcombank before and after the... The paper tells that for many banks, loans are the most obvious and the largest source of credit risk. However, there are other sources of credit risk which include bank acceptances, interbank swaps, bonds, equities, options, guarantees among others. In the modern times, as the economy of the world continues to grow and the effect of globalization continues to impact on economic activities, need for financing by investors has also grown, causing an increase in demand for financial services from banks. With the growth of the world’s economy, the number of people using banking services is also increasing as many people are increasingly appreciating use of bank services to undertake their businesses and day-to-day financial operations. As the number of borrowers requiring financial services from Techcombank Vietnam increases, the number of financial services extended to borrowers in form of loans, guarantees, bank acceptances, trade financing and foreign exchange transactions is also increasing. Techcombank Vietnam can fail in two ways. First, a bank can become insolvent by suffering losses on its assets or investment portfolio, resulting in a depletion of its capital. Second, a bank can be a profitable business operation, but fail because it cannot meet the liquidity demands of its depositors. The greater a banks expected deposit variability, the greater the proportion of liquid assets Techcombank should hold. The dilemma facing banks is reconciling the conflicting goals of solvency and liquidity on the one hand and profitability on the other.

Japanese traits Essay Example for Free

Japanese traits Essay In short, the characters of anime show the Japanese who so aspire to Western traits as they would like to see themselves. It is an effect that cannot possibly be duplicated by live actors, who — being alive — can never really change the physical characteristics determined by their genetic makeup. They can dye their hair and even change their eye color with contact lenses, but they cannot fundamentally alter their skin color, facial features, or physique. And even if they tried, using special make-up effects or plastic surgery, the result would be unnatural. Only anime, and its cousin manga, can convincingly meld Japanese and Caucasian attributes into a natural-looking human being. This is because the upside of these genres inherent lack of realism is their unique ability to exploit the appeal of and fascination for the unreal. And that is why manga and anime have attained such a high status in the popular culture of Japan, compared to that of other countries. These are the only two media capable of portraying reality the way Japanese feel it should be. By comparison, live-action films sacrifice appeal from the outset simply because they feature Japanese actors. Fashion illustrator Nagasawa Setsu expressed the feelings of many Japanese in an essay he wrote in 1983 for the Japanese playbill of the British film Dont Look Now: With their sharp-featured faces and long-limbed bodies, Westerners (read Caucasians) are physically suited to the movie screen; everyone looks almost too beautiful, down to the minor characters . .Japanese are just the opposite. Even people who appear delicately beautiful in person look round and dumpy and totally unstylish on camera. The reason many people today say they dislike the ugliness† of Japanese films — content notwithstanding — is that the looks of Japanese screen actors put domestic films at a crucial disadvantage. Period pieces at least allow one to cover up these failings with elaborate costumes. But when they take off their clothes for bedroom scenes, even the most glamorous Japanese actors and actresses look hopelessly unattractive — which is why you cant pay me to watch Japanese porn. That Nagasawa is not alone in his preference is attested to by the growing number of animated pornographic videos that have been produced in Japan since the mid 1980s. Thus, the history of the past twenty years, during which anime has pushed live-action to the side and emerged as the face of Japanese cinema, has in essence been the history of ethnic bleaching in Japanese film. Incidentally, it was also during the last two decades that manga, originally regarded as kids stuff, truly came into its own as adult entertainment. In contrast to ideologies of American communities being portrayed as great melting pots, Americans have historically aligned themselves along racial and ethnic divisions. This has flourished in stereotypes of practically all non-majority members in the media. Japanese-Americans have been no exception. Characterizations of Japanese-Americans in the media often fail to make distinctions between Japanese, Japanese-Americans, Asians and Asian Americans. Consequently, attitudes towards Japanese-Americans have been heavily influenced by portrayals of all Asians. The first Asians to come to America in significant numbers were Chinese laborers. The early depictions emphasized slant-eyes, buckteeth and yellow skin. This representation reinforced the notion of â€Å"otherness. † Anti-Asian bias was a major reason behind immigration exclusion acts directed first at he Chinese, then the Japanese. Rather than the media acknowledging the difference between Asian cultures, American representation of Asians often borrowed indiscriminately from all cultures. All the dozens of Asians and Pacific Island cultures are lumped together into one homogeneous group identity. Even the Korean and Vietnamese women in the late 1950’s-70 were commonly called â€Å"Mama San† despite the Japanese American origins of the term. Characterizations of Japanese-Americans (and all Asians) in the media of the 1920’s and 1930’s as â€Å"vicious, rat-like sneaks, part of a world-wide â€Å"yellow peril† appears to have been one of the reasons for the internment. Amy Kashiwabara in â€Å"Vanishing Son: The Appearance, Disappearance, and Assimilation of the Asian-American Male in American Mainstream Media (1996) states â€Å"The visceral hatred of the Japanese inevitably tapped into yellow peril sentiments before the turn of the century which had been directed mainly against the Chinese†. In early movies, attached to the assignation of being Japanese came the implication of duplicity, violence and untrustworthiness appearing as Japanese traits, thus, sending the message that Asians, particularly Japanese men could not be trusted, no matter how Americanized they seem. This furthered the notion that Japanese-American men were even more dangerous than unassimilated ones because they could deceive people into trusting them. Persistent in early media was the idea of the diabolical Japanese that continually plotted the destruction of America in general and white women in particular. The 1946 film, â€Å"The Yellow Menace,† showed attempted Japanese domination. The 1940’s images on film were rife with scenes of Japanese torturing and abusing white people. The majority of Americans in the ‘40’s were intimately introduced to the Japanese in the context of war and violence at the movies, newspaper editorials, propaganda posters (*scan example) and later on in the 1950’s on television. Films from 1942 included â€Å"Prisoner of Japan,† â€Å"Remember Pearl Harbor,† and â€Å"Secret Agent of Japan. †

Research Paper: CalREN Systems

Research Paper: CalREN Systems Introduction: The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) projected that they the state of California can achieve greater heights if they give it a better and more improved internet. On April 9, CENIC announced that they had talked with the technology giants and are working on the same project and those partners are going to provide all the hardware and communication technology to create a more robust network for California known as CalREN-2 which would be high performance internet for the California. The high-speed networking hardware such as routing and switching equipment will be provided by Cisco System, Pacific Bell Communications. California Research and Education Network (CalREN) is amongst the most powerful technology tool California has in its sleeves. The network infrastructure is a multitiered network with around 3,800 miles of fiber optic connecting over ten thousand educational and research institutes and universities like California State, Stanford, USC and community colleges to 58 counties of California. The CalREN system is completely owned and monitored by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC), a non-profit organization which was established in 1996 by the various education and research communities from California to create a very high bandwidth and efficient solution to networking that would meet the needs of the faculty and all students which belong to these various schools and universities. Goals: CalREN is completely monitored by the CENIC now and has new goals to achieve high quality video conferencing to the classes to let students receive high quality education in real-time at all levels even if the faculty is not currently present in the city, state or nation. This would also connect many scientists around the globe to this existing high bandwidth network. With CalREN, various artists could take live stream classes of the production house from institution like San Francisco Opera from any part of the world. The San Francisco would create an online video classes to students throughout the world and would share these libraries so that all the musicians could learn music via special software or any streaming media. Recently, Los Angeles has also been added to CalREN system in 2016. Backbone: The CalREN backbone provides various capabilities to the network as follows: CalREN-DC: The Digital California is presented for everyday applications like video conferencing, emails, web browsing etc with a bandwidth of 10 Gbps to the students and faculty. CalREN-HPR: The High-Performance Research network which is used for applications with high data needs. This is a high-end network with a speed of 40Gbps. CalREN-XD: The eXperimental/Developmental network is a support network to other services for network research in universities like University of Southern California, Advanced Computing Research at Caltech etc. This is to have a focused perspective on research and innovation on the network.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Backbone image from, http://cenic.org/network/network-maps The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP): The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP) was implemented to provide internet connectivity in 18 counties. Only 8% of the nations agricultural output is produced by the central valley. This kind of a strong and robust infrastructure network was implemented because central valley was still not completely connected to the internet. This was possible because of a vision in mind next generation connectivity where people living in those counties can learn things in a different way leaving the traditional way of learning behind where people used to ask each other for tips and methods. This is when two organizations CENIC and Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN) came together forming a joint venture making this like a dream come true and provide a better future to the people. The service also aims to keep the cost of the internet service as low as possible to help the schools, universities hospitals etc. to take as much as profit they can. The project was funded by NTIA (70%), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)s CAS Fund (10%) and the rest form other parties and the total amount is to be estimated at around 66 million involving 1,371 miles of cabling and connecting businesses together. California Library Initiatives: There are various initiatives by the California libraries. Video conferencing, emailing, and public research to schools and colleges are enhancing the learning possibilities at higher level. Many benefits and innovative ideas are initiated at the Public libraries making them abundant possibilities to achieve more in the coming future. Therefore, merging these libraries with CalREN would be an addition to the feature and service provided in digital age where everything and everyone is connected. Pacific Research Platform (PRP) initiative: Pacific Research Platform (PRP) is an initiative carried forward by UC San Diego and Berkeley which would help the college network for data access to be much faster than it is today within a few years. There is also a 5 million dollars funding for the initiative from the National Science Foundation (NSF). this would help the PRP with this grant. Quality of Service (QoS): Quality of Service (QoS) is the service provided by the network service provider that would affect the overall accessibility of the computer while performing certain task related to the internet connectivity. It is generally used to measure overall network performance over few characteristics like bandwidth, transmission delay etc. CalREN is a very high bandwidth network that provides is vital services to various research institutes throughout California hence, making quality of service a very important aspect to CalREN system. 100 Gigabit Ethernet connections: To achieve superfast speed for faster data travel, we need a higher capacity bandwidth. This is all possible by implementing and installing 100 Gigabit Ethernet connections that support lightning fast transmission over fibers or over the air. This is achieved with framerate of 100 gigabits per second bandwidth providing services to laboratories and research centers where there are supercomputers that can use this huge capacity bandwidth along other big facilities. A supercomputer in San Diego is using this speed and is connected to CalREN system. Network Operations Center (NOC): Network Operations Center is a building or a place where all the network connections are monitored, managed and if possible or need arises are also troubleshoot so that to avoid any possible chances of network failure or unavailability of the service. CalREN uses a multitiered network as we discussed earlier that allows access to many universities and research centers throughout California. This is where NOC would play important role in the system to manage and troubleshoot the network in any such cases. Applications for CalREN: On march 2006, at the CENIC workshop, iGrid showcased and important application of CalREN to the people. It was an experimental real-time broadcast of very high quality 4K video that was very much improved over our conventional televisions. They were also awarded networking innovation award. There was an issue with the video over the internet protocol on the CalREN-DC network. To trouble shoot the problem they adapted the new codec for the video broadcast throughout the CalREN system. Since the new codec was transmitted through packets, high quality of service was a concern which can be overlooked if we use the CalREN systems high speed network. K20 Video: CalREN is supporting this project by providing high speed internet connections. K20 video is an adaptation of video conferencing technology throughout the state with the collaboration of all K12, University of California and California State University sites. This is achieved by improving the distance learning scheme by providing high quality video services to all the students and faculties. End-sites connected to CalREN-DC network: There are 34 end sites to the CalREN-DC network. Everyone are using optical fiber for their access technology. The capacity provided to the end-sites is more than sufficient as we can see that some of the sites are underutilized and need proper resource management as most of the resource are wasted. End-sites connected to CVNGBIP network: There are many things that are carried forward in the fields of health care, business and residential with more than 63000 access lines. they are also using optical fibers for their access technology. SLA performance guarantees of CALREN: The SLA performance guarantees are as of November 2006. Implementing ticketing system to the educational institution with 99% availability. Various means of deployment would be assigned and operations to be performed to avoid outages. The jitter form central point to Los Angles for round-trip time should not be over 80 ms in 5 minutes. SLAs will be forced in all regions of network deployment such as fibers, routers etc. and use third party equipment to solve the problem.The problem can also be rectified by mailing to [emailprotected] to choose appropriate actions necessary. All the performance guarantees seem reasonable as there is a definite time to resolve any issue and rectify the problem using the ticketing system that is very efficient everywhere in communications business. Hierarchy in CalREN: CalREN is a multitiered network with 3 tiers. CalREN-XD with experimental or developmental abilities, CalREN-HPR for big applications and CalREN-DC with 10gbps bandwidth for research institutes and video conferencing uses. The CalREN-DC would consist of 3 level hierarchy network as a final design. One will be hub sites following with level two as nodes sites and all these node sites connected to CalREN infrastructure where all the schools, colleges and universities will be connected to each other for information Backbone Locations: The backbone locations for the CalREN are Corning, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Fergus, Sunnyvale, Fresno, Soledad, Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Los Angeles, Tustin, and San Diego. Most of the sites are reasonable but Tustin could be dropped as it can share resources from either of the two Los Angeles or Riverside. In future, maybe we can add San Jose or Palo Alto as it is booming in I.T infrastructure and the data availability would be much more and easy to troubleshoot. CSUEB to CalREN: Following are the links that connect CSU East Bay to CalREN: Link Speed Average Utilization [eb-csu] 10G DF to svl-agg4 Te0/7/0/4.212 CLR 6378 10 Gbps 9.8% [eb-csu] 10G DF to oak-agg4 Te0/4/0/7.208 CLR-6366 10 Gbps 10.3% To take full advantage of the bandwidth we could start features like online classes where a student could also attend classes if he/she is sick and cannot be physically present at the lectures or this could be also helpful to the students who need accessibility services. Also, keeping the bandwidth use in mind, we could also upload our video presentations over the network that could be asked to be rated or grades accordingly by our classmates. Comparing CalREN2 with SoX: Southern Crossroads (SoX) is an organization that provides high capacity internet service with global connectivity in Atlanta. It serves with internet2 to provide international research access.by the help of its supporters, SoX can implement a very low cost internet service in the whole Atlanta area. Comparing it to CalREN, SoX supports k-12 education as well as federal agencies in the united states. Similarly, CalREN is also powering research in various field in networking and development for the institutes. Conclusion: The CalREN system is an excellent design and the robust characteristic makes it a strong and better solution to form of higher level learning with technology. Few Strengths of CalREN is that the infrastructure is focused on various educational institutes and research facilities. Helping public libraries join CalREN is a brilliant step towards achieving that goals per the situation. CalREN also has few weaknesses amongst itself. We have seen that the backbone supports the CalREN which is a good thing but most of the links are underutilized which can be improved drastically over a period. Few of the resources could also be shared among sites which are close to each other saving expensive resource. References: http://www.cvngbip.org http://cenic.org/network/library-initiative http://cenic.org/files/publications/2011-13CENICAR.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Gigabit_Ethernet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_operations_center http://www.sunnycv.com/steve/local/pacific/art980408.html http://cenic.org/network/network-maps http://cenic.org/network/service-level-expectations http://prp.ucsd.edu/ http://www.sox.net/about-us/ https://intermapper.engineering.cenic.org/CENIC%20-%20DC%20Backbone%20Overview/document/_/full_screen.html

Capital Punishment Essay: Its Fair and Effective -- Argumentative Pe

Capital Punishment - It's Fair and Effective   Ã‚  Ã‚   Confronting head-on two of the most prominent objections to the death penalty is the object of this paper: Is the death penalty a miscarriage of justice? And Does it Deter Crime?    It's a miscarraige of justice. In a survey Professors Hugo Adam Bedau and Michael Radelet found that 7000 persons were executed in the United States between 1900 and 1985 and that 35 were innocent of capital crimes (1). Among the innocents they list Sacco and Vanzetti as well as Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Although their data may be questionable, I do not doubt that, over a long enough period, miscarriages of justice will occur even in capital cases. Despite precautions, nearly all human activities, such as trucking, lighting, or construction, cost the lives of some innocent bystanders. We do not give up these activities, because the advantages, moral or material, outweigh the unintended losses (2). Analogously, for those who think the death penalty just, miscarriages of justice are offset by the moral benefits and the usefulness of doing justice. For those who think death penalty unjust even when it does not miscarry, miscarriages can hardly be decisive.    Is it a deterrent? Despite much recent work, there has been no conclusive statistical demonstration that the death penalty is a better deterrent than are alternative punishments (3). However, deterrence is less than decisive for either side. Most abolitionists acknowledge that they would continue to favor abolition even if the death penalty were shown to deter more murders than alternatives could deter (4). Abolitionists appear to value the life of a convicted murderer or, at least, his non-execution, more highly than they v... ...n, however just, of murderers. But although there is a lively discussion of the subject, not serious evidence exists to support the hypothesis that executions produce a higher murder rate. Cf. Phllips, the deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment: New Evidence on an Old Controversy, 86 Am. J. Soc. 139 (1980) (arguing that murder rates drop immediately after executions of criminals). 6 H. Gross, A Theory of Criminal Justice 489 (1979) (attributing this passage to Sir James Fitzjames Stephen). 7 Weems v. United States, 217 U.S. 349 (1910) suggest that penalties be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime - a common theme in criminal law. Murder, therefore, demands more that life imprisonment. In modern times, our sensibility requires that the range of punishments be narrower than the range of crime - but not so narrow as to exclude the death penalty.   

Assessment of Product: The Refrigerator Essay -- Consumer Issues

Customer Expectation for a product changes from one customer to another and so does the definition of quality. In case of a refrigerator there isn’t a product that could satisfy every customers need therefore manufactures have to target their products in different segments. Even if the product caters for a certain customers need, it wouldn’t stop a rival company from bringing new features that customers never imagined and now customers have changed their quality definition. When assessing the quality of a product it is important to understand the thought process of a customer as sales are generated through them. A customer generally has a preconceived idea about the product or service, after consuming they would have perception on how the product or service performed; if the product or service does perform to expectation or even beyond, it would be perceived as a quality product. Evaluation of the LG Refrigerator (GL-M252VM) using the Garvin’s eight product dimensions framework. Dimensions of LG Refrigerator - GL-M252VM It is important to understand that quality varies when product evolves through time. Consider this, when refrigerators were introduced newly it contests on the level of performance and when all competitors are close enough to a certain level customers expect all products to perform (maintain a necessary temperature to keep bacteria away).then competition goes to the reliability stage where they compete on reliability, Durability, Conformance and Perceived Quality once these aspects are meet or even close to judge the completion moves on to convenience stage Features, Serviceability and Aesthetics will be their success factors and product is considered to be a commodity that is contested on price. G... ... Vogue type handle. Works Cited 1) Miner (2010) Re: 8 Dimensions of Product Quality according to Garvin. [online]. Last accessed 3 April 2012 at: http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=45292 2) Press Releases (2011) LG’s Linear Compressor Refrigerators: Technology that Preserves. [online]. Last accessed 3 April 2012 at: http://www.lg.com/za/press-release/article/lgs-linear-compressor-refrigerators-technology-that-preserves.jsp 3) Module 11: Quality Management (2010). [online]. From YouTube last accessed 4 April 2012 at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJNVrY_Z2NM&feature=related 4) Product Support for GL-M252VM.AMDQABN. [online]. Last accessed 3 April 2012 at: http://goo.gl/ziWk1 5) James R. Hood (1998) Consumer Complaints & Reviews [online]. Last accessed 3 April 2012 at: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/lg_refrigerator.html

Music and the Leit Motif in Hamlet :: Free GCSE Coursework

Music and the Leit Motif in Hamlet Throughout William Shakespeare's Hamlet, many leit motifs were seen. If the definition of a allegorical symbol was used for the concept of a leit motif, music was a leit motif in Hamlet. Music was repetitively brought up, in the play, and was also used by Shakespeare as a means of portraying the concept of being played upon. The flute was used to illustrate how Hamlet and Claudius played upon others and each other. Ophelia and other characters sang while they were mad, or dealing with mad characters. The use of music in Hamlet tied in with the concepts of Apolonian verse Dionysian, spying and lying, madness, poetry verse prose, and the burden of revenge on a thinking man. Possibly the most obvious case of music being used as a lead in for the idea of one playing upon another was seen in Act 4 Sc. 1, on lines 25-38. At this point in the play, Hamlet was confronted by Guildenstern, as Guildenstern made an attempt to spy on Hamlet. Hamlet countered Guildenstern's inquiry when he questioned him as to if he could not play a pipe, how could Guildenstern expect to play Hamlet, when he stated "You would play upon me†¦do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, you cannot play upon me." (Act 3. Sc. 2. Ln. 394-402). Hamlet then likened flute playing to lying, when he stated that "It is as easy as lying." (Act 3. Sc. 2 Ln. 387) Though Guildenstern attempted to play upon Hamlet, it was a futile attempt, as even Guildenstern admitted that he did "not have the skill" (Act 3. Sc. 2. Ln. 392) to play upon Hamlet. If being played upon was linked to music through the previously mentioned scene, three other major instances of characters were seen were one character played upon another. The first of these cases, were Hamlet put on the play to trick Claudius, was also in Act 3 Scene 2. Hamlet put on the play to prove to himself that the ghost's words were true and that Claudius did indeed kill his father. Claudius was successfully played upon when he stormed out of the play at the exact point where the player king was brought back to life. The play tied the leit