Dan Brown’s Deception Point Review

Unless you live in a cave (I’m not judging) then you’ve probably heard of Dan Brown. If you haven’t heard of Dan Brown then you’ve probably heard of â€Å"The Da Vinci Code†. If you’ve heard of neither then I suggest you watch less TV and stop collecting porn from the internet. (I’m still not judging). I won’t blog on about how fantastic the Da Vince Code is (it really is) or how mind-blowing the concepts where (they really were) or offer my thoughts on the validity of Dan Brown’s research for the book (not enough time in the day). Nope. This is about one of his earlier novels: Deception Point.If you’ve not read it, then stop reading this puerile obfuscation of the written language (that’s this blog by the way) and go read it now. If you need a little tease (still not judging) then reads on†¦. (Please affect your best â€Å"Deep Movie Trailer Voice†). There are no direct spoilers here, but if you prefer not to know anything about this book, turn away now. Not looking at your computer screen now? That’s a bit silly. President Zach Herney is in trouble. He’s taking a beating in the polls for the forthcoming presidential election. A stoic supporter of NASA, he’s backed and funded from tax payers money a string of expensive NASA blunders.His rival, the ruthless Senator Sedgewick Sexton, is riding a wave of unrest from the American people he’s stirred by condemning the billions of tax payers money that’s been wasted on failed NASA projects and he’s all but guaranteed the presidency. As the situation gets even more desperate for the President, a new NASA satellite detects evidence of an astonishing object buried deep in the Arctic ice: a meteorite containing the fossilized remains of extra terrestrial life. The floundering space agency appears to have struck gold and will silence all their critics with their find.The President dispatches Senator Sexton’s daughter, NRO intelligence analyst Rachel to the Arctic to verify the find. She’s accompanied by a team of NASA and civilian experts, including the charismatic â€Å"Amazing Seas† presenter Michael Tolland. Their every move is watched by the mysterious Delta Force taking orders from â€Å"the controller†. However, things start to unravel quickly when Rachel uncovers that the object isn’t all that it appears to be. A shocking discovery that will plunge the country into controversy. Before Rachel can make her findings known she realizes that her discovery puts her life, and the lives of others in danger.Fleeing for her life with Michael Tolland and Corky Marlinson – a NASA scientist – in the dangerous Arctic conditions they have only one hope for survival: to find out who’s behind the deception. Back in Washington, the election grows closer and the stakes get higher. William Pickering, the NRO director is frustra ted with NASA’s regular security leaks which put their technological advances into the hands of the highest bidder. The NASA administrator, an ex-Pentagon man is fighting to keep NASA from being restructured as part of the governments intelligence community joining the FBI and the CIA.The President, taking advice from his sly senior advisor Marjorie Tench, prepares to tell the world of NASA’s discovery. Sounds good, doesn’t it? It is. Dan Brown has really done is research and although you’re entertained, you also learn a fair bit about the Arctic, meteorites and fossils. His technical detail is on par with Tom Clancy although it’s not as dry as some of Clancy’s work. His real flair is in involving the reader. This is a book that you won’t want to put down. Now, go read it.

The Hmong New Year

`The Hmong New Year is a cultural celebration that occurs annually, in the months of November and December, in areas where large Hmong population exists. In this speech, I am going to share the three main components that make up the celebration of Hmong New Year, such as the culture of the food, tradition clothes, and the activities that are involved. I. There are several activities that are involved at Hmong New Years. A. The game of love â€Å"Pov pob,† or ball toss, involves lines or groups of men and women tossing a ball. 1. The ball is thrown so that the other player can catch it with one hand.If the throw is good and the other player drops or misses the ball, an ornament or a piece of silver or a belt from his or her costume is given to the opposite player in the pair. Ornaments are recovered by singing traditional courting songs to the opposite player. 2. Girls can toss the ball with other girls or boys, but boys cannot toss the ball with boys. It is also taboo to toss the ball to someone of the same clan. Through playing this game, the youngsters get to know each other, forming relationships that may eventually lead to marriage. a. According to Liz Price who wrote the article call The Hmong Game of Love on the webpage thestar. om, she stated, â€Å"Throw the ball and catch a husband. If you see a boy you like, toss the ball to him and hope he returns it. But if you don’t like your potential partner, then drop the ball he throws you. † The next activity is†¦ B. The beauty contest is held every at Hmong New Year. This contest offers young ladies a chance to show off their talent and skills to the whole community. 1. The rules for the contest are that you cannot be married and if you win first place you will be â€Å"Miss Hmong† for one whole year until the next â€Å"Miss Hmong† is chosen. The contest usually runs for three days and is held during the New Year celebration.C. There are also sports tournaments involvi ng soccer, volleyball and kato for men and women. 1. Kato is played by using your feet, body, and head. One of the rules is you were not allowed to use your hands. The winning team gets first prized with a $500 reward. 2. Soccer is a big tournament that takes place during Hmong New Year. Soccer is given the top highest prize money for the winning team. First place gets five thousand dollars. 3. Unlike Soccer and Kato, both male and females play volleyball. Prices are given as well. The winning teams both males and females get five hundred dollars as their winning prize. D.There is the talent show. 1. The talent show consist of multiple groups and sometimes individual performing some kind of traditional performance. a. One of the performances consists a group of girls performing a tradition dance. c. The Hmong flute is called Sao ‘Raj'; it is another intricate part of the talent show. The Sao is a vertical flute pierced with finger holes. The Hmong Sao is a single flute with ha rd and colorful timber; the sound it produces is harsh and sweet. When the Sao flute is being played on stage, the music captures the hearts of the audience and the hearts of young girls. Moving on to the second component†¦..II. The tradition Hmong clothes. A. Hmong New years is presented with many traditional Hmong clothes that consists of bright colors and Hmong jewelries. The dabtshos (pronounced da chaw) is a decorative panel worn in the back of a Hmong woman's traditional blouse. It is a required part of the woman's traditional clothing. If a woman does not wear her dabtshos at New Years, other people would think it’s very strange. The needlework on the dabtshos is used as a way for a young woman to attract a husband. If she is wearing a beautifully decorated panel that shows off her mother's sewing skills, many boys will want to be her artner in the ball toss. B. There is also coins involving in the costume. From my understanding, the coins show that you are rich o r not. The more coins you have on your clothes, the more you are successful. C. A tradition hat is also worn. All the tradition clothes are all hand-made and stitched in multiple patterns. The last component is†¦ III. The food that is offered at Hmong New Years. A. After a long day of enjoying the sports and activities, people go to the booth where they sell different varieties of food, such as bbq pork and chicken. These foods are served with a plate of rice and peppers.Hmong sausage is one of the popular plates within the variety of food. It has a distinct taste of ginger and pepper made with pork. B. Another popular plate is papaya salad. It’s basically made with papaya fruit, tomatoes, lime juice, pepper, and tamarind juice. C. Lastly, there are also multiple fruit drinks and snacks. a. According to Jeff Lindsay on his website webpages. csus. edu, he said that he had talked to many people of different races about this event and many loves it. They agree that it's a o ne of a kind celebration because it brings the community together in various ways and really show what the Hmong culture is about.Conclusion: When people go to any HNY event held around the world they can expect to see a variety of colorful Hmong tradition dresses, expect to enjoy different Hmong traditional foods, and expect to be entertain with traditional Hmong dances, music, pageant, and more. Also, there are activities and games that anyone can participate in, such as the traditional ball toss game. The Hmong people originated in central Asia, and now live spread throughout China, Tibet, Laos and Vietnam. Many Laotian Hmong fought for the United States during the Vietnam war, after which they took refuge in California, Wisconsin and Minnesota.Traditionally, Hmong communities celebrate the new year at the end of the harvest, staggering these dates from August to December to allow communities to enjoy each other's festivities. New year activities vary from community to community and reflect regional influences The only major holiday celebrated by the Hmong each year is the New Year's celebration timed to fall during the full moon at the end of the twelfth lunar calendar month usually around November. In Laos it falls after the rice harvest and also marks the beginning of the r New Yea

Analysis of the Poem “Genesis”

Bruce Dawe, an Australian poet, has written the poem ‘Genesis'. The poem compares the beginning of school to Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, hence the title ‘Genesis'. Dawe has put the context of the poem into a modern day theme. Using the comparison of Adam and Eve's loss of innocence, he describes how the innocence of children is lost at school. This correspondence to the story of God expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden because they had eaten fruit from the tree of knowledge. In the poem ‘Genesis', children are expelled from innocence into the harsh realities of the world by partaking of the tree of knowledge – education at school. Dawe has used various techniques to convey his message across. Throughout the poem, there is an underlying criticism of what society does to children by sending them to school, leading us to question the wisdom of â€Å"education† as provided at school. He has achieved this critical commentary by lightly incorporating the technique of gentle satire into the poem to attack the human folly. This satire implies that society has not learnt from Adam and Eve's mistakes and condones the sinful behaviour in the name of â€Å"education†. His idea has been put forward by the interpretations that God created Adam and Eve, of whom lost their innocence from the tree of knowledge, but society created the cause of the loss of innocence through education. In the lines â€Å"Ah, what ink-stained webs we weave†(1.23), Dawe implies that the adults of society have created a trap (that cannot be untangled) for their children, in their desire for their children to know more, almost pushing them into losing their purity of heart. This satire has made possible by the technique of irony because the Garden of Eden is supposed to harmonise paradise, but school is far from paradise; yet is respected and designated as a ‘good' place by society. The predominating mood created by Dawe is quite paradoxical for he has put forward a serious inner meaning, in an informal manner. The tone of the poem is cynical and sarcastic, occasionally using wry humour to express the feelings of entrapment and unwillingness of the children â€Å"Stabbing first flies with new biros† (1.8). In the poem you can almost sense the children's lack of freedom when the poet describes them â€Å"Watching corner-eyed, the sun, No longer at their beck and calling† (1.10-11). The school bell has replaced their freedom of control over the day. Using sarcasm, Dawe describes the different classrooms as prison cells. This implication is made by the words â€Å"Like old ‘lags' to whom all's one!† (1.7). ‘Lag' was the name given to a convict in the early days of Australian's history and refers to the children who are â€Å"imprisoned† in their classrooms. The fact that all cells look the same illustrates their lack of interest in their classrooms. It all symbolises the loss of freedom. The children's loss of freedom innocence is shown throughout the poem and is illustrated by examples of them choosing bad over good. â€Å"Dumping wholesome snacks Mum makes, In the school incinerator† (1.22) and eating â€Å"tooth-rotting cakes† (1.19) and drinking â€Å"Mind-destroying Fizzi-cola† (1.20). With the help of his mindful selection of words such as, ‘mincing' and ‘cocky' he has built up the imagery that incorporates the sense of flirtatiousness and rebelliousness in the students. Other effects of imagery include the use of metaphor where Dawe compares the delay of sound from a jet-plane to the delay of understanding from the school children when faced by the information in their new text-books. â€Å"Like jet ‘planes so far above them, Waiting for the sonic boom† (1.16-17). The use of simile is also closely connected with the metaphor, where Dawe compares the difficulty of schoolwork to the difficulty of reaching a jet-plane. â€Å"Text-book whose right answers loom, Like jet ‘planes so far above them†(1.15-16). By using both techniques, Dawe enables the reader to visualise more clearly the poet's impressions. The words used by Dawe are vivid and image is substantial, yet simplistic. This allows readers of all levels to appreciate and understand his writing even those who do not normally care for poetry. He has accomplished this in ‘Genesis' by using compound words throughout the whole poem, which allow him to describe ideas promptly and concisely, producing a clear image of his intentions: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦tooth-rotting cakes, Mind-destroying fizzi-cola† Along with these compound adjectives his rhyming pattern and regular rhythm futher enhances ease of reading and permits the poem to become almost harmonious. Dawe's negative connotations of school, aroused emotions of sadness. This is because I believe the poem speaks of truth of that innocence is lost in school, a place that provides one of the most important aspects to life, education. Dawe has created this poem to comment on the tragedy of the human race, that is to say, what children have become since Adam and Eve. However, I find that his negative attitudes are not necessarily accurate. Despite my disagreeing view with Dawes beliefs, he has nevertheless been successful in conveying his intentions – to satirise the human obsession with education and the emphasis placed on school learning. He has achieved by incorporating many techniques into his work.

Murders and Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault and murder are some of the most heinous crimes that occur in our society today.   It is stated in the news that there are around 1-4 cases of murders and around 300 reported victims of aggravated assault in every 10,000 people per year. Moreover, the data still vary depending on the type of country’s progress. It follows that as the country is more developed, the crime rates are higher. Both the aggravated assault and murder involved more than one party of conflicting views which leads to infliction of harm over the other party. The crimes mentioned are considered to be the worst crimes in our society and the perpetuators are subjected to long time in prison depending on the place where the crime is committed. Different countries have different punishments for murder and aggravated assault. (Answer.com, 2006) Although the two crimes results to serious physical damage, they usually differ according to some factors. Aggravated assault takes place when an individual is provoked or pushed to do such act. Moreover, the situation or the defendant himself is the reason why the event took place. The use of a deadly weapon to attack an individual and causes a serious physical injury or even death to that individual is also a classification of aggravated assault not to mention it is also an element in murder. On the other hand, murder, also termed as killing, is associated with premeditation which means that there is an intension to harm or to kill in murder unlike in the aggravated assault. In this regard, the person who committed the crime planned and escaped from that act. Therefore, one can only be charged and accused by murder if s/he commits the elements actus reus and mens rea which are Latin for â€Å"guilty act† and â€Å"guilty mind†.   Therefore, murder differs with aggravated assault if there is the presence of malice or intension to harm the other individual.   (Investigation, 2004) References: Answer.com. (2006). murder.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 15, 2006, from http://www.answers.com/topic/murder Investigation, D. o. J. F. B. o. (2004). Aggravated assault. from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/offenses_reported/violent_crime/aggravated_assault.html   

Keat’s & Longfellow Analysis

Jasmine Carter Mr. Gillet A. P. Literature September 20, 2012 Keats and Longfellow Both Keats and Longfellow were poets during the Romantic period. The two compose poems in which they reflect on their inability to live up to their creative potential and the idea that death could intervene at any moment. Longfellow is disappointed in his failures and sees comfort in the past rather than an uncertain future. Moreover, Keats fears he won’t accomplish all that he wants, but sees possibility and realizes his grievous goals won’t be important after death.While Longfellow’s tone is fearful, Keats’ is appreciative and hopeful about what life has to offer right now. In both poems, the poets use the literary devices parallelism and symbolism, to depict their particular situation in their own lives, while also using diction with characteristics of romantic poetry, reflecting their time period. The two poets of â€Å"When I Have Fears† and â€Å"Mezzo Camminâ €  tell their fear of not attaining what they want in life through the use of parallelism. Keats uses parallelism by starting his first quatrain, as well as the other two, with the word â€Å"when†, conveying that time is moving forward in his life.The use of this word also delivers the idea Keats’s youthfulness during the time he wrote this poem, and illustrates his fear of not showing others his writing potential before he is â€Å"[ceased to be]†. Longfellow uses parallelism in line 9, telling readers he’s â€Å"halfway up the hill† and that he only â€Å"[sees] the past†. The use of this parallelism depicts his older age and his views on the little time he has left to accomplish something major. Both Keats and Longfellow bring forth their ages to get their readers to realize there is not much time left in life, and they must make a choice to do something worthwhile before it is too late.The second sections of the two poems draw attent ion to the differences in each situation. The two poets use symbolism of something dark; Keats using the symbol of â€Å"the night’s starred face†, while Longfellow uses the symbol of â€Å"a city in the twilight dim and vast†. Both symbols are used to convey that darkness is equivalent to future’s mysteries. The difference in this is that Keats has a positive outlook on the mysteries his future holds, whereas Longfellow finds comfort in his past and fear in his uncertain future.Longfellow’s fears have stopped him from accomplishing greatness all together, in something such as â€Å"[building] some tower of song†. On the other hand, Keats has taken full advantage of the time he’s had and is only slightly frightened that he does not have time to achieve his greatness. Poets in the romantic period felt strongly that literature and nature had the effect to move people. Keats and Longfellow utilize diction characteristics of their romanti c style of poetry. In the couplet of â€Å"Mezzo Cammin†, Longfellow declares he â€Å"[hears an autumnal blast above him]†, referring to the way nature makes him feel.In this case, nature moves him in a negative way; conveying his old age, sickness and, most commonly, the death in which he believes is only getting closer. Although it is not used in Keats’ couplet, he uses the word â€Å"behold† to depict that he sees greatness in his writing and how it would move him, in a positive way, if he accomplished his goal of being a famous poet. In the couplet of â€Å"When I Have Fears†, we see that Keats believe without beholding greatness, he will be moved in a negative way, (i. e. â€Å"nothingness†).In both poems â€Å"When I Have Fears† and â€Å"Mezzo Cammin†, the poets use the poetic devises parallelism, symbolism and diction with hints of romantic style, to reveal the theme that death only comes closer, but what you do in the time you have left is strictly your choice. The two sonnets, written during the Romantic period, bring forth that outlooks on life can be both negative and positive. They convey the idea that no matter what age you are, there is always some feeling of the fear of death in all of us.

Dissertation Writing Essay

A dissertation basically refers to a treatise that is stating a certain academic position; it is a lengthy study backed by intensive research with an aim of making a vital contribution to a specific field of study or topic. The key to writing an excellent dissertation lies in conducting an extensive and rigorous research. There are a number of requirements that have to be put into consideration if a research project is to be successful. A research project is meant to contribute to an existing body of knowledge and not in any way be applied for any individual’s self-enlightment. It should not be conducted for the sole purpose of comparing data or show the existing differences or relationship between any two set pf data Finally the question; to be tackled should not be limited to either yes or no answers. A yes or no answer will not contribute to the studies as per the core of the dissertation. The knowledge gathered in research project should be geared towards providing important insights about the topic or the research problem (S. Joseph l. 2007) I have a lot of interest in health studies and have in the past engaged in a lot of research on the various aspects and problems affecting the human body and the solutions to such problems. The past researches have seen me contribute to the existing body of knowledge and were in no way meant for self-enlightment. The nature of the research problem: â€Å"Evaluation and management of patient with cardio-Pulmonary diseases† is itself an indicator that the solutions will not be found by comparing any set of data or show any inter-relationships or differences existing between that data. The research aims at looking at the ways to provide effective management of cardio- pulmonary diseases in an effort to fill any existing gaps. Many researches have been conducted but have not been comprehensive and may have left certain gaps. This will be the sole drive of this dissertation. Question 3 Cardiopulmonary disease refers to diseases that inhibit the function-ability of the heart and the lungs. These diseases can have a long time impact on a person physical and mental well standing. Randie A, et al, 1999). A large proportion of the population continues to search for ways to enable them cope with heart ailments and complications. These complications are among the most of the highest killers. Many more are at a higher risk of getting cardio-pulmonary diseases as time passes by, especially as they advance in age. Management of these ailments involves astronomical costs raging from hospitalization and medical costs. The government, individuals, and the employees feel these costs. This cost is in terms of the direct costs in addition to disability expenses. (www. cardiumhealth. com) A lot of research has been conducted in this aspect. This research seeks to explore further this topic. It will focus at filling the gaps that have been left by the prior researchers. Management of many health complications and issues need to be not only cost efficient but also meant to endure that hope and effective care is given to the patients. It should be geared towards ensuring that the patients are healthy and remain productive. Hence the research problem would aim at looking at ways through which management of patients with cardiopulmonary disease can be done cost effectively. It aims to provide more information towards how this can be achieved as well as evaluating the existing patient management methods and (criteria) and how they can be improved to meet this objective. Questions 2 The problem statement for the dissertation topic is:† Ensuring cost effective evaluation and management of patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. Cost effectiveness refers to provision of certain services or goods with the minimum possible costs. It is not meant rather to compromise the quality of those services. Management of any disease is a costly affair and takes toll on those all involved. There are many ways through which these diseases can be managed but they involve high costs that are increasingly becoming hard to meet as the ailments become more prevalent in the population. The nature of care and health needs for an individual patient would vary depending on the level of recovery. Some may be acute while others are outpatient. Specific demands of the individuals would mean specific cost levels (NYU Medical Centre, 2007). The costs would vary from nursing, therapy, counseling alongside many others. Management of cardiopulmonary disease would involve coming up with ways through which the patients would access self-care, proper medication, and information on proper nutrition and a healthier lifestyle (www. vnsny. org). A research conducted in this line would provide vital information on how the above activities would be provided cost effectively. It would be able to address more on a topic that has overtime been widely tackled but has failed to provide a definite solution, not just in heart and lungs complications but also on other health complications as many revolve around the same key issues. Again this research recognizes the need of quality care and hence will not seek at reaching a method that compromises the quality of health care to reduce on costs. If properly conducted it will provide answers and save on costs associated with management of these diseases. The reviewed research problem statement for the dissertation would be: â€Å"Ways for coming up with cost effective ways of evaluating and managing patients with cardio-pulmonary diseases. † The initial problem statement is not grammatically correct and could not make a lot of sense on its own. The statement starts with a continuous verb- â€Å"ensuring†, this is not understandable at a first glance. The statement as it stands does not offer a reader enough clues as to what the research is going to focus on, it is not clear what is the appropriate link between cost effectiveness and cardio-pulmonary diseases. A good research statement should be able to provide a sense of inter-relationship between the problem and the dissertation topic. It fails also to provide a limit or the point of focus that the research is to take. A research problem statement should provide a clear guidance on the content of the research or the study. It should have clear demarcated limits of the research. It should provide a specific scope to guide the research on what is to be tackled and what is to be left out. The initial problem statement is too general and is confusing to a reader. A researcher might be misguided to focus on the different ways of managing patients with cardio-pulmonary diseases and fail to come up with the best cost effective methods for these diseases management. A good statement hence should be one that points out clearly what is expected of the research in a manner that is devoid of any ambiguities. It should be all comprehensive and not meant to confuse the reader on what specifically it is aiming to investigate by giving a general idea of the objective and the purpose of the study. The edited version of the research answer will provide the solutions the study is looking for. Looking at it will give a clear and informative idea of what the paper will entail, it gives a limit and the scope, which the researcher will follow. It will limit the researcher to the best and the most cost effective way of evaluating and managing cardiopulmonary diseases with no room for irrelevancy (web. mit. edu) The way the statement has been framed ensures that the researcher comes with the necessary answers to the arising questions. It has no room for a yes or no answer or any need to make comparisons. The solutions will be elaborative and seeking to give the specific methods for cost efficiency. In tackling this research problem, the researcher will have to conduct intense research, gathering of data and relevant information. It will include the use of case studies, questionnaires, and interviews among other data collection strategies. The researcher will have to interview experts in the health field as well as the patients to get a grasp of the situation at hand. This will take time. It will also require a high allocation of financial resources to cater for all those requirements. A critical analysis of this research problem leaves no doubt in my mind that this is exactly what I would wish to investigate. I wish to scrutinize the ways that can be used to bring cost efficiency in patient’s management. For further analysis of the appropriateness of the research problem, I showed it to my colleagues in class for their review. Opinion was that the research problem statement requires more revision to ensure that it captures all aspects of the existing research problem and what the research seeks to tackle.  The revised problem statement would be: â€Å"What would it take to ensure cost efficiency in evaluation and management of patients with cardiopulmonary diseases? † Developing the dissertation topic or title is one of the most laborious tasks. List of research topics should be made in the bid to evaluate and choose the best and the most striking title. (www. unc. edu). An evaluation of the above checklist will provide a useful insight for arriving and developing the best dissertation topic. In choosing dissertation topic, it is imperative that one analyses what he/she is best at. It would be a plus to research a topic that you are well versed with its major concepts and that you have a lot of interest in to avoid generalization (www. c. s. purdue. edu). The fact that a research is not conducted for a persons own self interest does not mean that one should not pick a topic that he/she has interest in, what it means is that the researcher should not use that opportunity to satisfy his personal curiosities but rather should aim at researching for knowledge’s sake. In selecting this dissertation topic it is important that I ensure that the topic I have chosen is appropriate to my studies, it should be appropriate to the subject at hand. The topic should not be very wide as not to be manageable due to the possible time constraints. I will also have to put into consideration my instructors interest, it should be a topic that they will approve of and something they believe is within my scope of studies (www. disertation-writing. net). It is advisable to incorporate my peers view on the appropriateness of my topic, through their review I can get important tips to apply when selecting that topic. The importance of originality should be underscored, this makes the topic should have a sense of novelty and be interesting to the researcher as well as the reader as it seeks to unearth discoveries that have not been there before. The topic should be created and not stumble upon or found in the library books (Dr. Sally Jensen, 2000). These tips as well the above-learnt checklists should assist me to come up with an appropriate topic for my dissertation.

The connection between theories and child development at Kindergarten Research Paper

The connection between theories and child development at Kindergarten age - Research Paper Example These changes include; how children are growing, how they are moving, and how they are identifying their environment (Wadsworth, & Wadsworth, 1984). The cognitive development domain of childhood development relates to the mental development processes such as language development, memory development, and problem solving capability that children often use in order to acquire and use knowledge. Finally, the emotional and social development domain of childhood development focuses on how children learn to handle associations with others, as well as comprehend of their own emotional states (Wadsworth, & Wadsworth, 1984). During the kindergarten years of children, their bodies undergo continuous and dramatic changes. The changes are not only an issue of growing taller and gaining but also entail multifaceted series of changes in body composition, proportion, and motor development especially at the kindergarten (State Department of Early Learning, 2012). Physical and motor development often takes place alongside relatively predictable sequences from simple to more complexes (Salkind, 2002). During the kindergarten age, children develop motor skills concerning great share of their bodies and then progress to abilities using precise body parts. For example, they grip objects by holding them between their fingers and palm before using the thumb and index finger in a more refined gripper grasp (Salkind, 2002). During the kindergarten age, children often learn about health practices that could affect their health and consequently and usually set patterns for their lives. Adult molding and dialogue about good hygienic practices assist in equipping children at this age with the awareness and skills to flourish physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. It also assists young children in meeting the tests of growing up while understanding the importance of safety, good hygiene, disease prevention, the right medical care (Salkind, 2002). According

Summary of support group meeting that focuses on mental health needs, Assignment

Summary of support group meeting that focuses on mental health needs, eg. depression etc - Assignment Example In a situation where she would not manage to access it, she had to go home or eat whatever was available, but the desire to eat would height. The worst problem was that she only craved for junks, a situation that resulted in uncontrolled weight gained, which made it very difficult for her to walk for long distances, run or even participate in activities that required physical strength. The meeting had eight members and each individual had a different story to share concerning their eating disorder, and how their families were tirelessly seeking ways through which they would help them solve the problem. I felt a sense of belonging, because I was among individuals that completely comprehended what I was going through and they were willing to share and engage each one of us in finding a solution to the problem that we were facing. I thought for a while, why it took so long to join the group, but I realized as most other members revealed that I lived in denial that I did not have a problem. I feel grateful to the people that encouraged me to take the step of engaging in the group therapy, because it helped me deal with the problem of isolation and stereotype that people who did not understand what I was going through displayed. As Halter and Varcarolis (2014) assert, group therapy offers quality ground on which people facing a similar issue can share their experiences and strategize ways to deal with the

Power of Multinational Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Power of Multinational - Essay Example t its CEO in the five years prior to its rise to power (1995-2000) is Richard Cheney, the Vice President of the United States of America since 2000 and who lies second only to George W. Bush as the most powerful man in the world. This paper investigates the company’s rise to power, the perceived role of Mr. Cheney in the company’s success, and how the company exercises its growing power in the world’s political and economic environments. Beginning with a review of available literature on the power of multinational enterprises and how they exercise this power over nations and governments through the instrument of foreign direct investments, the paper looks at the techniques of strategic analyses to gain a deeper understanding of the company and the nation where it took root: America. Using the SLEPT/EE strategic analysis framework provides an in-depth look into the workings of the multinational enterprise and the thinking processes of its managers to discover a link between American history and the behaviour of America’s business and political institutions. The paper concludes by establishing a link that explains the consistency between the known American past, the traditional links between business, politics, and democracy, and the justifications for Halliburton’s exercise of power. This paper investigates the economic and political power of American multinational enterprises and explores the thesis that this explains America’s rise to globalism. Focusing on the American oil industry and specifically the Halliburton Oil Company, an analysis is made of the dynamics of business and government power in the light of contemporary issues using the SLEPT/EE strategic framework. The findings determine the accuracy of the thesis. This research paper looks at how a formerly obscure oil company rose to prominence in the past decade, investigates the role played by its former CEO who happens to be the incumbent Vice President of the United States of

Media and Entertainment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media and Entertainment Law - Essay Example Any exchange of the part of the Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters inescapably concentrates the degree to which it satisfies its transmit to supply public administration TV. There is as of now a progressing examination concerning the part and meaning of PSB. The Communications Act 2003 obliges Ofcom to do a survey of the degree to which the Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters [and other PSBs] have given program. It also involves administrations that, taken together, satisfy the reasons of public administration TV in the UK2. The act is the UK exchange affiliation that speaks to the commercial investments of free gimmick film, TV, activity and interactive media organizations. Act has around 1,000 parts, making it the biggest delegate gathering of screen-based substance makers in the UK and the biggest exchange relationship in these sectors3. The statutory Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters Charter Review gives a chance to get some information about the Corporations future in the light of the changing universe of public administration TV. Act will answer the key meeting inquiries in the setting of a general perspective of how an improved Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters can best give imaginative public administration television. Act upholds the Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters status as a social reference point; a paramount and positive impact on the lives of British subjects. There is no motivation behind why the Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters ought not to keep on satisfying these capacities in any event over the full compass of the following 10-year sanction period and past4. Act backs the continuation of the Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters as a solid autonomous public administration telecaster. The Commercial Public Sector Broadcasters key part is to be the first of the public administration broadcasters. The Charter Review must guarantee that the Commercial Public Sector

The construct lifestyle in market segmentation Essay

The construct lifestyle in market segmentation - Essay Example One outcome of the search for marketing innovations is market segmentation. Market segmentation basically deals with allocating the right consumer with the right product. The Investopedia (2011) explains market segmentation as â€Å"aggregating of prospective buyers into groups (segments) that have common needs and will respond similarly to a marketing action.† Closely related to this explanation, Tatum (2011) posits that market segmentation â€Å"is a strategy that involves dividing a larger market into subsets of consumers who have common needs and applications for the goods and services offered in the market.† Because market segmentation tries to limit the division of the market base, it allows for the fullest understanding of basic rudiments of a particular market segment. Out of this benefit, Gonzalez and Bello (2002) came up with a coiled concentration of market segmentation on the tourism market where he writes about â€Å"The construct "lifestyle" in market seg mentation: The behavior of tourist consumers†. This paper seeks to assess the thesis of the author in regard to the construct lifestyle and examine other innovations presented in the article. Assessment of the thesis of the authors in regards to the construct lifestyle The authors make a number of theses as far as the construct lifestyle in market segmentation for tourist consumers are concerned. One of these theses has to do with the inclusion of lifestyle to help segment the tourism market more adequately. The writers are of the view that lifestyle of consumers is very imminent if the tourist market can properly be segmented. In view of this, they define â€Å"the construct lifestyle based on the activities, interest and opinion approach.† The authors therefore believe that for any effect market segmentation that will target specific tourist consumers, players in the industry must not loss sight of the very activities that tourist would want to engage in when they are out there on tourism. As far as tourism is concerned the World Tourism Organization recognizes three groups of consumers who are visitors, overnight tourists and excursionist (Gonzalez& Bello, 2002, pp. 53). Each of these three categories of consumers undertake the type of tourism they do for different purposes. In doing this, they participate in different pre-intended activities based on their interest and opinion of tourism. For example one group of people on tourism would opt for animal related destinations because they have a natural love for animals. Another would opt for plant related destinations because their work has to do with plants. In the view of the authors, when such interests and activities of consumers are well harnessed in the construct lifestyle, tourism operators will be in an excellent position to attract the right consumers at the right time because they will put in place the right segmentation to meet the needs of the consumers. Another thesis outlined by the authors is the need to base the construct lifestyle on the total needs of travelers. Simply out, people’s needs reflect their lifestyle. To this effect, they assert that â€Å"good theory of tourist motivation must consider the total needs of travelers and not limit its focus to one need† (Gonzalez& Bello, 2002, pp. 53). Continuing research in tourism show that there is a lot of relation between tourist motivation

How does the implementation of a quality managment system such as EFQM Research Paper

How does the implementation of a quality managment system such as EFQM or Six Sigma in the hospitality industry help improve th - Research Paper Example All the prominent organizations may have a well defined quality management system in order to ensure the quality of all the products or services offered to the customers by the organization. Earlier, in most of the organizations, a quality control (QC) division was functioning whereas at present instead of QC, Quality Assurance (QA) division is functioning. The change from QC to QA reflects the importance and changing concepts about the quality in organizational world. Service sector is one area in which quality plays a vital role in determining the success and failures of an organization. For example, in hospitality industry, the customers often compare the quality of services they received from different organizations before they select one organization. European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and six sigma (Developed by Motorola Corporation) are the major quality management systems implemented in the hospitality industry at present. Both EFQM and Six Sigma have some meri ts and demerits. This paper briefly analyses how the implementation of a quality management system such as EFQM or Six Sigma helps the hospitality industry to improve the performance. ... â€Å"To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects/ million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications†( What is six sigma, 2010) (Jkerrigan, n. d) The basic architecture of six sigma includes five aspects; define, measure, analyse, improve and control. The organization which implements six sigma should define its objectives at first. Then the organization measures the output with the help of statistical analysis. If the output does not reach the six sigma mark, the process should be improved further and further till it reaches that mark. Proper control should be exercised while the organization strives for better quality and management practices. â€Å"Six Sigma is driven by the customer and thus aims to achieve maximum customer satisfaction and minimizing the defects. It targets the customer delight and new innovative ways to exceed the customer expectations† (Advantages and Disadvantages of Si x Sigma, n. d).The focus of Six Sigma implementation is attached to the customer. In most of the modern quality management systems customers are at the central point. All the quality improvement activities are rotate around the customer since the customer is the one who is capable of making or breaking an organization. Starwood Hotels and Resorts have already implemented the Six Sigma approach. Six Sigma at Starwood has helped improve the financial performance of the group by ushering in the quality and consistency of the customers' experiences. Six Sigma has also provided the guidelines and tools to create a consistently superior guest experience at all properties, and simultaneously improve the bottom line. The Six Sigma organization in the group reports to

New World Order Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

New World Order - Essay Example The continuous struggle for the natural resources, and going about to different places in the name of intervention for democracy and establishing the people’s elected government all amass to the real motives and agendas that are set forth in the New World Order. Apart from the ongoing elements and incidents, there are areas that have been subjected to political motives and interests which speak of the entire conspiracy against the free mankind.The usage of satellites networks and the functions fulfilled by the surveillance systems in the form of the Drone and other notable actions leave the ordinary citizens void of their basic rights and privacy that is promised to them under the charter of human rights. The presence and establishment of governments that are pro imperialistic superpowers is another motive and move that is in place.The subsequent output of these actions come in the form of the starvation, hunger, inequality, lack of true democracy, religious values distortion, religion being used as a subject of extremism and exploitation. The natural resources have become a trouble for a number of states on account of the interests that are shown by the imperialistic superpowers.If the trends keep going this way, the world may well see further deterioration and direct damages being suffered by the different people in the different parts of the world.Under the New World Order, the media has been used as a tool for the propagation of agendas and conspiracy has been done so through this process.

Public Health Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Health Leadership - Research Paper Example New paradigms should be considered when those in use seem to lose effectiveness and requires certain competencies and skills on the part of the leadership in public health. Public leaders must effectively organize and apply available resources to achieve the best outcomes for the community. Considering the resource constraints and difficult working environments for public health workers especially in the developing world, managers provide effective leadership for optimum results. A sense of mission is therefore particularly important as a skill for healthcare leaders to direct service delivery. They should purpose to strengthen the infrastructures and systems with the core functions and essential services of public health in mind. The leaders therefore must be able to examine the population’s health care status as well as the community’s ability to meet its priority healthcare needs and implement interventions that reduce if not avid occurrence of crises of public health. They should be able to implement service delivery with a view of the future, ground their views in present realities and also build on past experiences to inform directi on in service delivery policies (Rowitz, 2009). Change management and continuous learning are of great importance to public healthcare leadership. Delivery of health services as well as patient situations change constantly and therefore leaders must continually learn & adapt new skills and capabilities so as to keep up with the changes. Leadership significantly involves providing motivation to other staff, constant communication and negotiation with the stakeholders as well as promoting desirable behaviors which increase discipline and ultimately improve the achievement of good outcomes. it is there imperative for the leaders foster creation of working environments where every person is learning on a constant basis. They must be able to identify those challenges facing service, and the necessary knowledge and

The Catcher in the Rye Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Catcher in the Rye - Essay Example But if we look closer, we'll come to understand his negative outlook and bitterness toward life shows his fears and frustrations in life. At a young age, he had experienced the cruel side of life when his brother died and when he witnessed what he calls phoniness of the world. In one phony situation, Holden described his former headmaster, Mr.Haas as the phoniest bastard he ever met. "On Sundays, for instance, old Haas went around shaking hands with everybody's parents when they drove up to school. He'd be charming as hell and all. Except if some boy had a little old funny-looking parents" (Salinger, 14; ch. 2). Holden's experience of hypocrisy makes him view adults as superficial, insincere and guilty of a lot of things that's why he always quit school or gets expelled. His attitude is caused by his disappointment of the people surrounding him. In his encounter with the nuns, Holden displays his dismay of the irony of life but at the same time show his good heart. The line "I hate it if I'm eating bacon and eggs or something and somebody else is only eating toast and coffee. They let me give ten bucks as a contribution" (Salinger, 110; ch. 15).

The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections Literature review

The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery - Literature review Example The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery Sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery is a serious problem resulting in increased patient morbidity; mortality and duration of hospital stay (Luckraz et al 2003). The incidence of this infection has been variably reported as 0.5 to 5% and the resultant mortality as 10 to 25% (Sjogren et al 2006; Schimer et al 2008). Conventionally, many management techniques have been recommended to treat this complication like surgical debridement with open dressings, closed irrigation of the infected wound, or reconstruction with vascularised omental or pectoral muscle flaps (Domkowski et al 2003). Vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy is one of the newer modalities to treat this complication (Evans & Land 1997) which has been widely adopted. Application of negative pressure was successfully used for treating chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers (Eneroth &Â  van Houtum 2008; Ubbink et al 2008). After it was found successful in achieving faster healing in these wounds, use of this therapy has been extended for the management of sternal wound infections as well (Luckraz et al 2003; Domkowski et al 2003; Hersh et al 2003; Sjogren et al 2006). However, i t hasn’t been proven yet with good evidence that its efficacy is more than the conventional treatment. Thus, the main objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of vacuum assisted closure therapy in the management of wound infection after cardiac surgery. ... Also, it allows re-examination of the wound and bedside debridement, as and when required. To apply negative pressure, wound area is packed with special dressing (polyurethane sponge/foam or polyvinyl alcohol foam) and covered with a transparent tape which seals the wound. A drain tube passes through this tube which is connected to a vacuum tube which sucks out the fluid through this drain tube. Negative pressure applied is in the range of -75 to -125 mm Hg (MAS 2006). Conventionally, medical (antibiotics) and various surgical modalities have been used in the treatment of deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) (Singh, Anderson & Harper 2011). Surgical management options include closed suction antibiotic irrigation system, omental flap reconstruction, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi or rectus abdominis muscle advancement or rotation flap, and microsurgical free flap. Early wound exploration is combined with any of these techniques. Regimen of sternal fixation with sternal plating sys tem is also getting popular (Singh, Anderson & Harper 2011). Traditional methods of wound care involve regular cleaning and dressing of the wound different kinds of dressing materials from simple gauzes to chemical impregnated gauzes as per the type of the wound. However, VAC therapy is being projected as one solution for multiple wound types. Search strategy A manual search was conducted for the journals, books and other data related to the subject. Internet was also accessed for searching for journal articles pertaining to the subject. CINAHL database via the EBSCO host platform was utilized to perform a literature search because it is the most wide-ranging nursing database and is easy to search. MEDLINE and COCHRANE database

Civil Engineering Management Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Civil Engineering Management Portfolio - Essay Example Management is a leading science domain and routine in managing building companies. It is one of the oldest human activities; it activates human abilities on building investment objects in order to assure necessity for civil engineering purposes. It is good enough reason to take place in management development in civil engineering. As there are too many definitions of management depending on an author, only the most important are offered, namely the most acceptable in civil engineering domain. Remarkable attention is given to managing tasks in civil engineering as well to their correlationsIf we speak about management in civil engineering then the total quality management must be proposed. Total quality management is a business philosophy and accessible way of modern companies around the whole world. It is the most contemporary idea of developing and advancing in all life and work domains. The growing urge of efficient use of the earth's resources such as land, air, water and raw mate rials as well as concentration on efficient design, analysis and maintenance of civil structures requires a better insight in the spatial and temporal patterns of resources and activities (Bean, A.L., 2007). In view of the fact that the parameters of civil engineering today are not only confined to design and construction of structures but due to globalization and privatization of civil engineering organizations now civil engineering emerges as a study, which not only pay attention on construction.... Inspection is the activity that assesses by measurement or testing whether an element has conformed to specifications. Corrective work is then ordered to rectify any non-conformance in the element. QC builds upon the inspection efforts and relies largely on statistical techniques to determine trends and detect problems in the processes. Such techniques are being used routinely in manufacturing. With respect to the construction industry, concrete cube testing is one rare example. Both QA and TQM are focused on meeting customer requirements, and this is at the top of the agenda. It may be said that if TQM is necessary for all businesses, it becomes more crucial and critical in case of civil engineering because structures and constructions are the phenomena afford no repetition or revision after completion. In this way, civil engineering project management becomes a dynamic multi-dimensional and multi-pronged strategic field. (Pyzdek, Thomas, (2000) 1.1 Objective of the Study In general and widely adopted sense, civil engineers are considered to design and manage the construction of roads, railways, buildings, bridges, tunnels, dams, airports, water supply and sewage systems. They must have to look into several factors in the design procedure from the production costs and expected lifetime of a project keeping in view the government policies and possible environmental hazards such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Civil engineering, considered one of the oldest engineering disciplines, assimilates many specialties. The most common and crucial fields of civil engineering include structural, water resources, construction, transportation, and geotechnical engineering. (Bean, A.L., 2007) Most of the civil engineers hold administrative or supervisory

Is Free Cash better than dividend per share (DPS) Assignment

Is Free Cash better than dividend per share (DPS) - Assignment Example This study examines between Earnings per Share and Free Cash to determine the best investment option. Dividend is a payment made by public corporations to the shareholders from the profits. Dividend per Share (DPS) refers to the sum or dividends of declared dividends for every ordinary share issued (Brigham & Daves, 2012). Dividends are a proportion of company’s profits reported by the business to the shareholders since shareholders are owners of the company and deserve a share of company’s profit. When a corporation decides to issue a dividend to the shareholders they allocate a fixed amount per share with shareholders getting a fraction of dividend proportionate to the shares, they hold (Brigham & Daves, 2012). Some corporations issue fixed sum of dividends to the shareholders and transfer the other undistributed profit amount is maintained as retained earnings. Investing in companies that issue shareholders with dividend gives the investors an opportunity to generate a steady return through income from the stock purchases (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2010). However, the com pany should examine the pay-out ratio to ensure the earnings of the company are capable of supporting the current dividend payment amount. Investing in a corporation with the dividend per share implies the shareholders have the higher chance of increasing income, but the company has a problem with managing its operations due to inadequacy of cash (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2010) Free cash flow refer to pay a firm has generated for its shareholders after deducting expenses investing in its growth. It measures the amount of cash per share a company makes after accounting for capital costs such as buildings and equipment (Westbrook, 2014, p.111). It is equivalent to total cash flow less capital spending. It is essential in a corporation because it plans the financial health of the company and gets rid of all accounting suppositions built into earnings. It is a measure of the company’s

Models of change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Models of change - Research Paper Example These include increase in urgency for change, team building, vision construction, communication, empowerment, creation of short-term goals, persistence an establishment of permanent change (Kerollos, 2012). This model works best for small organizations and institutions due to its simplicity. It is also applicable in cases where change is intended for reasons of altering the goals of an organization, where it prepares employees for change beforehand. The third change model is that Change Management Model by Lewin and is organized into three stages known as unfreeze, transition, and refreeze (Kerollos, 2012). The model is characterized with hesitation towards change due to the discomfort caused by change in the environment that people work. Therefore, in order to overcome this state, unfreezing must be done to enter the transition zone where the actual change occurs. The refreeze stage occurs in order to stabilize the organization from the change process (Cellars, 2007). It is best suitable due to its nature in motivating employees towards a given goal that would not naturally work. In conclusion, the above three business models of change are diverse in nature with their modes of operation. They also have different suitability concerning use and application in their independent situations. In conclusion, the above three business models of change are diverse in nature with their modes of operation. They also have different suitability concerning use and application in their independent situations. Cellars, Tara. (2007). â€Å"Change Management Models: A Look at McKinseys 7-S Model, Lewins Change Management Model and Kotters Eight Step Change Model†. Yahoo! Voices. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/change-management-models-look-mckinseys-7-s-model-334598.html?cat=3 Kerollos, Joseph. (2012). The Management and Sustainability of Organizational Change in Primary Care Adoption of Electronic Medical Record

How the book house rules reflects upon how a boy in a family lives Essay

How the book house rules reflects upon how a boy in a family lives with asburgers and itellectual challanges - Essay Example In her all absorbing efforts to normalize the elder child, the younger one is thoroughly neglected and he grows up to be a rebel and a thief. The various Asperger syndromes have been clearly shown. The mother’s anguish is visible through her own words. She wants to be a good mother and neutralize her kid’s life as much as possible; still she grieves at each moment when she fails in her attempts. The brother of the AS kid also draws our sympathy in spite of the negative image created by him. He is very miserable in life with an absentee father, an abnormal brother, a busy mother and no money to fund his amusements. His soul cries out for love and happiness and to find out happiness he peaks into happy families. With the passage of time, he becomes bolder in his endeavors and starts house breaking in the absence of the owners and stealing stuff that his mother can’t afford. He feels burdened with having to look after his brother and irritated at having his needs me t before his own. While, the AS child is given all the facilities and care, the normal child is left to his devices. Thus, we find different people reacting in different manner towards Asperger Syndrome that starts from fear and shirking of responsibility (father), over protective attitude (mother), to a feeling of resentment and burdened (brother). House Rules also reflects on the inefficiency of the legal system when dealing with people facing some physical or psychological disability. The legal system is created on the basis of normal citizens and when an abnormal individual falls in its periphery then it become increasingly difficult to save his soul. The judiciary system has been inadequately created to mistrust all abnormal people. There is no word such as â€Å"abnormality† in their dictionary. They would deal with an AS person in the same way as an ordinary individual showing no empathy whatsoever. Thus, over and above the House Rules deals with the trauma of a suffer ing family that has a child with Asperger Syndrome and the inadequate justice system reigning in the country. Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder where the patient has difficulty in social interaction. The sufferer also show restricted and repetitive pattern of interest and behavior. This disorder is difficult to diagnose as the cognitive and linguistic development are preserved and are almost equal to a normal person. Hence, most of the time this disorder goes unnoticed. In fact, not many people are aware of this disorder and this is the reason that the sufferers do not get the empathy and treatment that they deserve. Jacob Hunt, the central character of the book suffers from this order and has to face several difficulties (besides the obvious ones) because of it. Jacob Hunt is an eighteen years old boy who lives with his mother, Emma Hunt and brother, Theo Hunt. His father had run away soon after Theo’s birth when he had been made aware of his first childâ€⠄¢s condition. Jacob is an intelligent individual with a very sharp mind but his drawback is that he is suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome and is hopeless at expressing himself and reading social cues. Jacob’s highly intelligent mind is revealed by his mother’s words in the first chapter itself: I’ve met so many parents of kids who are on the low end of the autism spectrum, kids who are diametrically opposed to Jacob,

Determinisms Relation to Free

Determinisms Relation to Free Will Essay The stereotypical definition of determinism, to the layman, goes something like this: All events are predetermined so we have no free will. Actually, this is more or less the definition of hard determinism. Determinism, however, according to professor of philosophy Sandra LaFave, can co-exist with free will in the form of soft determinism, the philosophical theory that all events indeed have causes but that humans can still act voluntarily. Soft determinism provides a more widely-acceptable definition of determinism that agrees more with common usage of the words free will and cause. Hard determinism states that all events have causes and that we cannot be free as a result. Soft determinism, however, responds to this pessimistic conclusion by asserting that we can indeed have free will and still exist by the deterministic model in which all events have causes. Hard determinism correlates cause with force or compulsion and free with total control, whereas soft determinism correlates free with voluntary or not forced. Thus soft determinisms definitions of words more strongly agree with average, everyday usage. If I were forced to open my safe of personal savings at gunpoint, for example, soft determinism would suggest that I am not acting freely in this situation as I am being coerced by an external force to do something I otherwise wouldnt. If I were to open the safe voluntarily (no one is forcing me), then I am exerting my free will. This distinction may seem obvious, but its validity proves why we cant support hard determinism hard determinism would suggest that both actions are not done out of free will since both actions have causes. Therefore, our usage of the word free will cannot co-exist with hard determinism, but only soft determinism. In conclusion, determinism can co-exist with free will in an effective manner. I must admit, however, that soft determinisms validity rests on an agreement with what cause and free will, as defined above, mean. Still, hard determinism also relies on its own definitions of cause and free will, so this linguistic criticism does not undermine soft determinisms validity. Still, many more arguments regarding determinism and free will exist that are beyond the scope of my knowledge.

Wrigley Jr. Company Essay Example for Free

Wrigley Jr. Company Essay 1.0 Introduction In June 2002 Blanka Dobrynin, a managing director of Aurora Borealis hedge fund, considers the possible gains from increasing the debt capitalization of The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Blanka suggests Wrigley raise the amount of $3 billion in debt of the capitalization while Wrigley has been conservatively financed and remained no debt at the end of 2001. This report is aiming to analyze whether Wrigley should use $3 billion debt recapitalization to either pay dividends or to repurchase shares. 2.0 Current Capital Structure Generally, firms can choose among various capital structures in order to maximize overall market value of the company. It is proposed however, that Wrigley issues $3 billion in debt. According to the trade-off theory, the optimal capital structure does exist (Kraus and Litzenberger, 1973). The higher level of debt may increase both bankruptcy and financial cost that lead the firm to go or avoid bankruptcy. However, there are several advantages of raising debt capital. Firstly, tax-deductions which decrease the cost of debt. Secondly, stockholders do not have to share the profit when the firm has excess, as debt holders are limited to their fixed return. Finally, stockholders do have voting right but debt holders do not which means the stockholders are controlling the business. 3.0 The Impacts of Proposed Changes The decision to increase $3 billion debt capitalization of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company by Blanka Dobrynin is to optimize the total value of the company. Firms are often inclined to choose debt over equity in order to use the tax shield. As the increasing of $3 billion debt in Wrigley’s capital structure, its equity value will increase by $1.2 billion due to the tax shield. Also this proposal of recapitalization will help Wrigley’s equity decrease by only $1.8 billion when they payout $3 billion debt, due to the offset by the $1.2 billion tax shield. According to our calculations, through recapitalization Wrigley’s total asset will be $14,459,826, which consists of $3,157,127 debt and $11,302,699 equity. In general, firms prefer to keep a higher level of debt/equity ratio to obtain larger total capital to increase the firm’s total value. But it is obvious that more debt means more risk and more payout. By assessing the spreadsheet, it suggests several reasons for and against the acquisition of debt. If the Wrigley’s debt increases, its credit rating will drop from AAA to BB, which leads to more cost of future financing and value of stocks. However, as debt can increase firm value up to a degree, we recommend that Wrigley’s find an optimal capital structure through further analysis of whether $3 billion of debt provides the smallest possible Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) for the firm. 3.1 Flexibility and Reserves According to Denis (2011), financial flexibility is the ability of a firm to make decisions and handle problems timely. Moreover, the firm should always maximize their firm value on any unexpected changes in investment opportunity and cash flows of the firm. In addition, the firm should prudently raise their capital in the good times to avoid stretching their capabilities too far, and in order to preserve their ability to choose to either borrow or issue equity in future times of need. Therefore, the lower level of firm’s debt, the more financial flexibility a firm has (Investopedia, 2014). Due to that $3 billion new debt existing, the financial flexibility of Wrigley will decline; this financial activity leads to lower ability to borrow money in the future if there are any profitable investment opportunities or any unexpected internal or external shocks. 3.2 The Book and Market Price per Share As is visible from the Appendix One, the decision of how to use the funds raised through debt is an important one as it will impact both the price per share and the book value per share. The price per share will decrease to $48.63 if the debt raised is used to pay out a dividend (decrease in the value of equity), whereas the price per share will increase to $61.53 if it is used to repurchase shares. However, the issuance of debt can have signalling effects for investors. Generally, when firms issue debt it signals to investors that the firm is in a good financial situation as the firm is able to undertake repayments of future interest. Furthermore, the clientele effect can impact the stock price because it assumes that the investors are attracted to the company for its policies and when these change the investors will react and adjust their stock accordingly (Moles Terry, 2005). In addition to this, the issuance of debt and repurchase of stock could signal to investors that managers believe the stock in undervalued. Despite this change in price, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) will give a more accurate representation of what the change in capital structure implies for the firm, by taking account the costs of debt. 3.3 Weighted Average Cost of Capital Before recapitalisation Wrigley’s WACC was equal to it’s cost of equity (ke), which was calculated at 10.95%. After capitalisation it was found that Wrigley’s WACC decreased to 10.29%. This follows the general pattern of increasing debt resulting in a lower WACC. The cost of debt (kd) rate of 13% was used after we assessed the key industrial financial ratios and compared  them with that of Wrigley’s (See Appendix 2) to conclude that it was in the range between the BB rate of 12.753% and B 14.663% (see Appendices 3 4). Although WACC has decreased, which means that every $1 that Wrigley raises in capital from investors it must pay at least $10.30 in return, it’s Beta has increased from 0.75 to 0.87. This means that Wrigley’s investment is still less volatile than the market, but it has become more in line with the market after recapitalisation. However Beta will not incorporate the risk of financial distress that becomes present once Wrigley have taken out the debt. 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations Therefore, from our analysis we know that an increase in debt can have adverse affects on flexibility and can have costs associated such as bankruptcy, agency and distress costs, however, due to the tax shield affects and the decrease in WACC we believe there should an increase in the level of debt. In addition, the share price change is not consistent with the change in WACC and it could be assumed that the distress costs associated with the increase in debt would mean the price would actually remain relatively steady to reflect the negligible change. We recommend that Wrigley issue $3 billion of debt in the form of share repurchase plan because this scenario has no defining impact upon WACC – slightly decreasing from 10.95% to 10.29%, and as a company’s main goal is to increase its’ shareholders value. Furthermore there are fewer risks in terms of clientele effect and signalling effect, while also allowing the Wrigley family to maintain their control with their high portion of shares. However, we recommend further analysis to determine what is the optimal level of debt by finding the lowest possible WACC, and therefore maximising the company’s value. 5.0 Reference List DeAngelo, H., DeAngelo, L., Whited T.M., (2011) Capital structure dynamics and transitory debt. Journal of Financial Economics, 99, 235–261. Denis, D J. (2011) Financial flexibility and corporate liquidity. Journal of Corporate Finance, 17(3), 667-674. Franco Modigliani; Merton H. Miller . (Jun., 1958) The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 3. , pp. 261-297. Investopedia. (2014). Complete Guide To Corporate Finance. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/walkthrough/corporate-finance/5/capital-structure/capital-structure.aspx Investopedia (2014). Optimal Capital Structure. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/optimal-capital-structure.asp. [Last Accessed 19 Aug 2014]. Kraus, A. and R. Litzenberger (1973). A State-Preference model of optimal financial leverage. Journal of Finance, Vol. 28, pp. 911-922. Moles, P., Terry, N. (2005). Clientele effect. The Handbook of International Finance Terms. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780198294818.001.0001/acref-9780198294818-e-1351 Myers, S.C. (2001). Capital structure. Journal of Economic Perspective, Vol. 15, pp. 81-102. Tsuji, C. (2012) A discussion on the signalling hypothesis of dividend poilcy. The Open Business Journal, 5, 1-7. Retrieved from http://benthamopen.com/tobj/articles/V005/1TOBJ.pdf

Consistency concerning Essay Example for Free

Consistency concerning Essay In my StrengthsFinder 2. 0 evaluation, I found a lot of patterns about myself which I believe to be true. My top five themes are Consistency, Relator, Arranger, Harmony, and Significance. Since I am an extrovert, I find the description under Consistency concerning the need to treat people equally to be especially true. I enjoy being around a lot of people, especially a large group of friends and I enjoy doing group projects and find them to be completed much more efficiently than if I was doing them by myself and alone. In fact, since I am good at delegating tasks, I find that group projects can be completed far more efficiently if I am in the role as leader. In this way, I can treat everyone equally and be especially fair in equal task performance. Also, since I feel comfortable making sure everyone is treated fairly, I tend to notice when people are being treated with bias. Being a Relator definitely ties in with my extroversion. I love people and I love being around people. I identify with the characteristics described in my Relator profile, because I really do enjoy getting close to people and I tend to spend a lot of time focusing on personal intimate activities which would help us share closer bonds. In fact, one of my driving forces is to develop air-tight relationships with my friends and lifelong bonds. I am still close friends with people I knew in grade school, and I tend to strive toward that goal with others even today. The Arranger theme specifies that not only am I an organizer, but that I have the flexibility to arrange all of the pieces of my life for maximum potential. I especially find this to be so during a group activity. Rather than delineating tasks to random people, I enjoy knowing and applying their different strengths to each task. I tend to categorize people and specify tasks to order, so that everyone is not only doing something which they are good at, but which they also enjoy. I feel that this builds a group focus, where everyone is appreciated for their strengths and where everyone gets an equal voice. I enjoy building group harmony, so that we can grow together, rather than away from each other and separately. This kind of leads into the next strength I have: Harmony. Not only do I enjoy a wide variety of people, but I really enjoy finding common ground between them and mixing them together. In fact, I get a real kick out of making friends between two people who ordinarily would never cross paths. I have a little bit of a reputation among my friends as the arbitrator of our groups, because I really like to focus on how we can all just along peaceably and enjoyably. Though it may seem like I enjoy conflict because I am constantly putting widely different people together, the truth is, I only enjoy doing this if I believe that I can bring some balance between them and if I think that they have enough in common to get along. My category of Significance: This leads back to my extroversion and leadership roles among groups. I enjoy taking credit for a job well done, and even though I enjoy for everyone to get equal credit, I really like being the center of the spotlight sometimes. Also, because I am so often around a group of people, one of the ways I enjoy gaining and retaining significance is by being the arbitrator between people. I enjoy it when other people ask me for advice and help with their personal or social problems. Not only do I feel qualified and adept at handling these problems, but I get a rush from being the one who they ask to assist them. I like being the one who everyone runs to for help, I guess because I feel needed and wanted, and also because it means that my attempts to draw closer to their personal lives were successful. I feel like I am an accepted part of the group if I remain qualified to help each individual with their lives.

Adolescent Substance Essay Example for Free

Adolescent Substance Essay In my teen age, I was exposed to a different atmosphere from Mark Spencer’s. For example, my parents who were very strict about my welfare did not accord me any freedom as Spencer’s parents do. Further, my parents were very concerned about my associates and therefore never accorded me any free time to go anywhere without their permission. They tried to make sure that all their views were imposed onto their children. Due to their strictness, my siblings and I used to clandestinely slip to the neighborhood. We would then enjoy the little free time we acquired via sneaking. This phenomenon had a lot of significance with regard to what activities we engaged in as well as whom we associated with. Although we used to hang around with girls, I used to make sure that my parents never discovered this for such awareness could cause a lot of negative consequences to my wellbeing as well as to my relationship with my associates. If a familiar grownup met me in such funny corners, and I could make sure that they did not report me to my parents because it was suicidal to have been caught in such places. As time went by, I became rebellious to my parent’s so-called rules. I thus started to secretly take drugs at some funny hideouts until I got addicted l. Eventually, I could not hide my drug addiction any longer. Consequently, my parents tried to groom me by the use of the cane but this was of no use to me for I had been hardened with this kind of habit. My parents thus had to send me to a rehabilitation center but again, this action was not significant to me. After spending a year at the center, I pretended to be reformed and was sent back to my parents. At home, I joined some of my old friends and we started to rob people of petty objects. We could then sell such items so that we could sustain our drug habit. I was arrested and taken to child custody where I was reformed and thus became a good teen. At the age of 17, I had reorganized my life and could systematize myself well. The problem that is seen in Mark’s kind of world is that his parents are providing all that he asks for. They erroneously think that denying him some privileges can cause disaster. This is the reason why he is given a car and is allowed to go out on his own. Further, the parents are not aware of the kind of people that Mark is associating with (Steinberg, Fletcher Darling, 1994). Such parental oversight has caused him to indulge in drugs to the extent of bringing drugs into the house. Conversely, due to the strictness of my parents, rather than seeking appropriate ways to curb my defiant behavior, they caused my hardening. It is notable that my case only needed to be addressed with love, understanding, and support from my parents (Gallo Matthews, 2006). In my time, I could not do anything without first consulting my peers. I was thus always struggling not to displease them. In my world, I could not be allowed to go to any overnight party, a privilege which was awarded to Mark (DiClemente et al. 2001). The influence brought about by the environment that I was growing in made my life to change. I thus became a hard nut to crack. This development was brought about by the strict environment in which I grew. Due to Mark’s associates segregating him, because he does not associate with them, he feels rejected by the whole world (Coleman, 196I). This viewpoint makes him to have a negative opinion about all people a disposition that makes him to be very bitter. Further, Mark does not want to be under any authority. The act of purchasing a car for Mark by his parents facilitates him to get back to his friends. Moreover, he is willing to do anything so as to please the associates. Mark therefore starts to take drugs when his parents allow him the freedom to go out with his friends. Instead of the parents in both cases offering guidance to us, they started devising alternative mechanisms to curb our behaviors. This was just a straight way of strengthening our bond with our â€Å"good friends† who were teaching us the so-called â€Å"good habits†. In both cases, parental neglect caused failure in school performance since it made myself to be jailed, while to Mark, it seems boring to go to school (Mak Kinsella, 1996). This disposition has made Mark’s performance to greatly drop from an above average student to merely maintain an average of grade C. References Coleman, J. S. (196I). The adolescent society. The social life of the teenager and its impact on education. Psychoanalysis Quarterly, 32, 126-128. DiClemente, R. J. et al. (2001). Parental Monitoring: Association with adolescents risk behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 1363-1368 Gallo, L. C. ; Matthews, K. A. (2006). Adolescents attachment orientation influences ambulatory blood pressure responses to everyday social interactions. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 253-261. Mak, A. S. ; Kinsella, C. (1996). Adolescent drinking, conduct problems, and parental bonding. Australian Journal of Psychology, 48, 15-20. Steinberg, L. ; Fletcher, A. ; Darling, N. (1994). Parental Monitoring and Peer Influences on Adolescent Substance Use. Pediatrics, 93 1060-1064.

An Exploratory Study On Student Engagement Education Essay

An Exploratory Study On Student Engagement Education Essay Research on higher education studies places emphasis on quality educational practices. This is especially true in a country such as Lebanon, which has experienced rapid growth in the number of institutes of higher education, and, in parallel, the number of university students. Engaging undergraduate students has been one major area of focus since research has shown engaging educational activities enhance the educational process and setting. Engaged students learn more material and learn it more effectively. Benchmarks and techniques have been established in order to engage the disengaged members of a student body. Training academic faculty and staff in the area of engagement, and the application of engaging techniques presents institutes of higher education with new possibilities for enhancing the quality of education. 116 Lebanese students completed an engagement survey in a preliminary study on variables which may correspond to levels of engagement. The study found that gender and years at university were significantly related to higher levels of engagement. 1 Introduction According to Hu and Kuh [1] student engagement is the most important factor of higher education in terms of learning and development. They define engagement as the quality of student effort devoted to educationally purposeful activities. Their research has revealed that academic performance improves as a result of challenging goals in the classroom environment. They also found that students want to both find and master challenges in and out of the classroom environment. However, a great number of students do not believe they are being adequately challenged to meet their academic needs. Many students also report they are not participating in activities that are known to be engaging. 1.1 Student Disengagement Research conducted at the University of California at Santa Barbara [2] showed an emerging culture of disengagement. This is due to several societal factors. Flacks and Thomas[2] believe that, in an effort to accommodate higher numbers of students, scholastic quality has been compromised. The amount of time students spend studying and participating in on-campus activities has decreased as they spend more time working and socializing off campus. Students seemed to be less prepared academically when they start college courses; therefore they are unable to avail themselves of all the university experience has to offer. Consequently, they are less engaged [3]. Boyer [4] believed that higher education is increasingly a part of the problem of student disengagement as opposed to being a part of the solution. Some institutes of higher education have become places students are credentialed rather then fostered to address the problems of their societies. In order to facilitate the scholarship of engagement, academia must connect the rich resource of our students to the responsibility thereof and address the social, civic, and ethical problems of civilization. In doing so, the scholarship of engagement will show its worth and service to a worldwide audience [4]. 1.2 Engagement Current research and literature show student demographics, habits and interests have changed over time [5, 6, 7]. This new campus culture has led to changing student expectations as well. Students want to be challenged and they want to know that their instructor is available to them both in and out the classroom. Students prefer instructors that motivate them to engage with classroom content [8, 9]. Creating activities related to student habits would better engage students in classroom content. For example, Kuh [9] found that surfing the internet was the leisure activity which demonstrated the greatest increase from 1996 until 2001. Students also spent more time listening to music, and watching movies than in previous years. Institutes of Higher Education should accommodate the needs and expectations of these new students. Emerging technology has necessitated the inclusion of interactivity, more involvement with the teacher as facilitator, and a greater emphasis on technology as a learning tool into traditional models of learning and course design. Educationally purposeful activities using information technology, such as emailing faculty or students about assignments, encouraged collaboration and increased contact with other students and faculty. Using information technology had a strong positive relationship with students overall measure of engagement. [9] An engaging classroom results in students engaged with classmates, instructor, and subject content. Additionally, faculty and student interaction seems to be a significant factor of quality student engagement and satisfaction. Studies have shown a positive correlation exists between engagement scores and faculty availability and access outside of class. [7, 6] Hu and Kuh [1] found student engagement to be a function of the interaction of students and various institutional characteristics. Students who had more positive views of their college or university campus were more likely to have higher engagement scores [10]. Kuh and Hu [11] used data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) database to compare undergraduate student experiences at research institutions and their counterparts in other college classifications. This study suggests that student engagement is varied among the different types of institutions. They found liberal arts colleges tended to score better in student engagement than other classifications of colleges. The variance of engaging institutions is related to the institutions mission rather than classification. The belief that small, private liberal arts colleges are more engaging institutions was not supported by the study[11]. However, liberal arts colleges consistently excel in the benchmarking for faculty-student interaction. It is presumed that since classes are smaller there is greater opportunity for faculty-student contact [7]. Defining institutional excellence is only successful in terms of the institutions effective educational practices or processes. The most important indicators of excellence, in the university setting, include quality and focus of instruction, faculty and peer interaction, writing experiences, and active involvement in course work. In an engaged university, the student is highly involved in the culture of the institute both in and out of the classroom. Increased engagement leads to increased acquisition of knowledge, skill development, and higher student graduation (retention) rates [12]. Pike and Kuh [13] compared first- and second-generation college students in levels of engagement and intelligence development. On average, first-generation college students were less engaged, and do not engage in activities associated with success in college, such as living on campus and participating in extra-curricular activities. Low levels of engagement are not related to intelligence but rather to being the first family member to attend college, financial hardships, or living at home. The groups found to be more engaged overall included students living on campus, females, minority students, and students planning to pursue advanced degrees. These students also reported greater perceived gains in their intellectual development and learning performance [13]. Engagement literature suggests that an engaging institutional environment positively affect learning productivity. These institutions not only attempt to engage students in class, but in college life, via social and civic organizations, intramural activities, sports events, and living in the campus community. The commitment to engaging students should be apparent in the institutions mission, vision, and philosophy. The members of the university faculty, staff, and administration must create an environment that engages students on campus and in the classroom [14]. 1.3 Teaching in the classroom If engagement is to be fostered and encouraged in the university setting, it is important to examine the learning environment instructors create. A study by Kuh [8] found that engaged students want prompt feedback. Teacher-student relationships of respect, as opposed to friendship, were also more conducive to learning [6, 7, 8]. One standard of teaching in institutes of higher education is lecturing. Few students possess this type of intelligence and therefore this method is not conducive to an engaging classroom environment. According to The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) annual reports students find methods, such as lecturing and note taking, to be less than engaging [6, 7]. Active learning is student learning via reading, writing, and participating in activities which apply learned concepts in an engaging manner [6, 7]. Engaging activities include class discussions, faculty and peer interactions, socialization in the college context, and interactive assignments [5, 6, 7]. Student affect, a mental and emotional reaction toward learning, demonstrates engagement. Cues, such as student questioning or cognitive or emotional excitement of learning concepts, are examples of positive student affect. Kuh [9] found students with higher levels of affect, displayed more engaging learning behaviors. Teachers who make eye contact, use gestures and humor, and personalize examples in class stimulate higher levels of student affect. Equally important were instructors who develop engaging, active learning while communicating high standards of expected academic performance. [15] Research[14] shows teachers who are successful, as measured by student engagement in the classroom, create an interesting and engaging learning environment. Research also revealed that outstanding teachers employ many types of strategies and methodologies. No single technique or specific delivery methodology yielded a greater number or percentage of engaged students. [14] Henning [16] reported improvement in engagement when there were open classroom discussions, creative questioning, and important and relevant material. One methodology to make course content interesting and relevant is called rhetoric skill. The instructor begins with a narrative open to discussion. The instructor then elicits a more conceptual understanding of the topic as student participation increases. Students are encouraged to actively participate in debate and inquiry until they control the discussion. [16] Similarly, Socratic questioning and responding deepens understanding of concepts that encourage student engagement. Effective teachers create a natural learning environment where students feel safe to express their opinions in a nonjudgmental, unbiased atmosphere. Engagement also increases when students work collaboratively to solve problems. Finally, teachers who create diverse learning experiences will have more engaged and interested students overall [10]. Regardless of methodology, it is important for teachers to emphasize clarity and important points, use relevant examples, and speak intelligibly. To create highly engaged students, teachers must be aware of, and use, many teaching strategies. They should teach from within and become equal participants in the learning process. [17] 2 The case of Lebanon Opportunities for higher education in Lebanon today have reached levels unparalleled in Lebanese history. The first institutes of higher education in Lebanon were the American University of Beirut (formerly the Syrian Protestant College), founded in 1866 and Saint Joseph University, founded in 1875. It wasnt until 1953 that the public university, Lebanese University, was opened. [18] A private university education at that time was only for the elite. After the Lebanese civil war came to an end, and the country began to stabilize, the demand for higher education began to grow. In 1996 the Ministry of Higher Education [18] set new licensing regulations for institutes of higher education. By 2000, 23 institutions (referred to as new universities) had been established. Lebanon currently boasts 41 institutes of higher education [19]. These are divided into 1 public university, 26 private universities, 7 university institutes, 3 university institutes of technology and 4 university institutes for religious studies. [18] The UNESCO Institute for Statistics [20] released a set of gross enrollment ratios on education in Lebanon from in 2008. This shows that more and more females are continuing into higher education. By 2008, 52% of tertiary age students were in tertiary education (46-male: 57-females) [20]. Quantity was not the equivalent of quality, and only 7 of Lebanons universities were labeled as excellent [21]. Lebanon is currently facing a restructuring in the area of higher education. In order to maintain its role as a leader of excellence in education in the Middle East, institutes of higher education must focus on the quality of their students as opposed to the quantity[21]. Quality assurance programs have become critical to Lebanese academics and educational institutes. The Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies (TEMPUS) project, Quality Assurance for Higher Education in Lebanon (QAHEL) is one example. This project is to raise awareness of European models of quality in higher education among Lebanese higher education institutions. [19] 3 The Study The questionnaire was established by Ahlfeldt, Mehta and Sellnow [17] in their research studies of classroom engagement. The questionnaire was proven in their research as both a valid and reliable measure of engagement with an alpha reliability of 0.84. Therefore the researchers felt that this was an appropriate tool of measure for levels of engagement in MUBS classrooms. 3.1Research Questions Are females more engaged than males? Are students who self reported higher GPAs more engaged than those with lower GPAs? Does age play a role in level of engagement? Does the level of student engagement differ according to the number of years at university? 3.2 Sample The researchers administered the questionnaire to 116 English communication skills students at The Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS). MUBS, a new university, was established in 2000 and strives to maintain a quality oriented institute of higher education, in a highly competitive market. In order to establish equal representation in the sample, in terms of the variables tested (gender, GPA, age and years at university), and the majors available at the university, the questionnaire was administered during English communication skills classes during the 1st week of the spring 2010 semester. MUBS doesnt offer a English as a major of study at the university. English communication skills courses are general requirements for all M.U.B.S students, regardless of major, when their language of instruction is English. 4. Results Correlations were run on the variables which were supposed to affect student levels of engagement. These variables were gender, self reported GPA scores, age and years at university. The relationship between gender and engagement was assessed using a paired-samples T-test. A significant relationship was found in the relationship between gender and student perceptions of engagement. On average females showed significantly greater levels of engagement, (F = 79.029, SE 1.428), than males (M= 70.407, SE 1.502), t (116) = -66.162, p In order to assess the relationship between age and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was no significant relationship between the age of students and engagement, r = -.069, p (one-tailed) >.05. In order to assess the relationship between self reported GPAs and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was no significant relationship between the self reported GPAs of students and engagement, r = -.072, p (one-tailed) >.05. In order to assess the relationship between years at university and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was a significant relationship between years spent at the university and engagement, r = .243, p (one-tailed) 5. Conclusions: The research on MUBS students coincided with the literature on student engagement. Female and senior students were found to be more engaged than their peers. Age and GPA showed no significant correlations to levels of student engagement. This could be true for a number of factors. First of all women in Lebanon are slowly working to close the gender gap. Yet they may still feel they have to work twice as hard as men to succeed. The other factor which may explain higher engagement among women is directly related to stressors of society. In general there is the notion that girls cant go out as often or stay out as late as boys. Boys are allowed to be bad while girls must be angelic in behavior. These ideas may transfer over into the academic arena. With boys who dont mind achieving less since they are not held accountable. A boys will be boys mentality. In terms of senior student engagement levels, these students are not older and wiser, but rather have more university experience. They know what their teachers expect and meet those expectations readily. Seniors take part in more major courses, are assigned a senior project, and are closer to completing their education and entering the real world. As they race towards graduation they are pushing harder to ensure they graduate on time. This includes a stipulation at the university of a minimum Accumulative GPA of 2.0 in order to graduate. Such factors may account for higher levels of engagement in senior students. One interesting factor was noted on 3 separate questionnaires from the Damour branch. 3 students added notes to their questionnaires. These notes stated that the only time they completed these activities (activities of engagement) was during English sessions. This might be beneficial to future MUBS engagement research. 5. Limitations of the Study and Implications for Future Research The questionnaire was administered in order to complete a preliminary study on student engagement at MUBS. In order for a total quality initiative to take place the class room questionnaire should perhaps be replaced with an NSSE questionnaire. A larger sample size should be tested. Also, Damour students take classes before 2 p.m, in the Hamra branch many courses begin after 2 and some classes continue until 7 or 8 p.m. This study does not take this into consideration. Previous studies on students have shown that the proportion of different religions at MUBS is not representative of a Lebanese sample. This is another limitation to the study. Another factor not tested for, but which may have affected the outcomes, is the idea of urban vs. rural student. Many of the students at MUBS live in villages and travel to university in the city and then back up to their villages in the mountains. They are country folk. This may also have skewed the results. There are also key variables the literature focuses on, and institutional characteristics which may be relevant to the MUBS study. Some of these are number of credits, branch of university, am-pm classes, first generation college student, socio-economic status, religion, choice of major and transfer students.