SWOT analysis Essay - 1653 Words

CyraCom International Inc. SWOT Analysis One night in 1981, Jeff Munks, a police office in San Jose, CA responded to an urgent call and arrived at a residence where a Vietnamese immigrant who spoke no English was screaming and waving his arms agitatedly. Next to him, his son was having trouble breathing. After Jeff guessed what had been happening and immediately called for an ambulance, he kept thinking about emergency situations where danger is exacerbated because of a language barrier. This resulted in Telephone Interpretation being offered since that year. This service connects trained interpreters via telephone to Limited English Proficient (LEP) Individuals. Cyracom International is one of those companies that provide critical†¦show more content†¦No wonder CyraCom is placed within the Top 15 companies reporting an average rate of growth of 72.75 percent growth in 2008. (Second annual ranking, 2011) Weaknesses Firstly, at CyraCom there is hardly a strong organization culture. It seems that the company chooses to focus on the call center side of things rather than create one. Many interpreters are misled in thinking of a company that values intelligence and language skills, when it turns out later that they hire bilingual persons to apply their protocols only. Consequently, interpreters should be content with low salaries; this job does not require a degree. And that is at the time of interviews. Next, there are distinct departments and lines of authority, work activities are designed around individuals. In this call center, 100% of calls are recorded and monitored and employees are required to follow extensive rules and regulations and to minimize formal contact with other employees if not functionally necessary. One supervisor sits at higher booth keeping an eye on 10 Interpreters. A manager of each department (that handles one language) walks around examining closely to ensure there are no deviations. Indeed, this is management in the survival mode and there is no workplace spirituality. And that leads the second weakness of CyraCom, High Employee Turnover compared to industry averages. Current HC recruiter, Richard Arana, is a foreverShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis Of Swot And Swot Analysis738 Words   |  3 Pagesknown as SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis is business analysis method that business can use for each of its department when deciding on the most perfect way to increase their business and future growth. This procedure identifies the internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are in the markets. SWOT analysis helps you decide your position against your competitors, identifies best future opportunities, and highlight current and future threats. SWOT analysis is an acronymRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Swot Analysis : Swot1223 Words   |  5 PagesOnStar – SWOT Analysis To help OnStar determine if home monitoring services should be added to its list of products and services, a SWOT analysis should be completed. A SWOT analysis is a situation analysis or tool used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization (SWOT Analysis Definition | Investopedia, 2005). Thus, it is a basic straightforward model that determines what an organization, like OnStar, can and cannot do, as well as determines its opportunitiesRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Swot Analysis : Swot911 Words   |  4 Pages SWOT Analysis In the article â€Å"SWOT analysis† Harmon (2015) offered a definition for SWOT analysis, the purpose of the SWOT analysis, the advantages of performing a SWOT analysis, and outlined and discussed the four components of the SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a planning and brainstorming tool that helps people evaluate an idea or project for a business or formulate a business plan (Harmon, 2015). It should be noted that SWOT analysis is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, OpportunitiesRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot1081 Words   |  5 PagesSWOT Analysis: A SWOT analysis (SWOT matrix) first used by Stanford Research Institute during 1960-1970 and it was presented by Mr. Albert S. Humphrey a American business and management consultant by using data from fortune 500 companies. We can succeed in our life if we use our talents to our full extent. Similarly, we‘ll have some problems if we know our weakness are, and if we manage these weaknesses so that we don’t matter in the work we do. To understand more about our self and our externalRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot1708 Words   |  7 Pages A SWOT analysis is â€Å"a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.†(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT analysis, 03/11/14). A swot analysis can also be used to examine a person’s attributes. The strengths and weaknesses usually are internal factors whereas threats and opportunities are mainly external. Advantage Disadvantage Internal Strengths 1. Self-motivated 2. I am organised; accurate and pay attentionRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot2320 Words   |  10 PagesSWOT analysis focuses on the internal factors which are the company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the external factors which are the opportunities and threats which are gained from situational analysis, which focuses on summarizing all the pertinent information acquired about the key three environments of internal, customer, and external (Ferrell Hartline, 2014, p. 39). A SWOT analysis further gives a company precise advantages and disadvantages in satisfying the needs of its selectedRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot852 Words   |  4 PagesStrength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, commonly known as a SWOT analysis is used by businesses. Organizations use the SWOT analysis technique to figure out and understand their areas of strong suits (strengths), their inevitable flaws (weaknesses), prospects that the organization could look into (opportunities) a nd things that pose as intimidations to the organization (threats). There are many obstacles to overcome when it comes to international expansion. Obstacles such as; language andRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot1957 Words   |  8 PagesSWOT analysis focuses on the internal factors which are the company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the external factors which are the opportunities and threats which are gained from situational analysis which focuses on summarizing all the pertinent information acquired about the key three environments of internal, customer, and external (Ferrell Hartline, 2014, p. 39). A SWOT analysis further gives a company precise advantages and disadvantages in satisfying the needs of its selected marketsRead MoreSwot Analysis : The Swot1215 Words   |  5 PagesThe SWOT analysis was originally introduced by Andrews Christiansen, Guth and Learned in 1969 and its basic organizing principles have remained largely unchanged in the field of str ategic management. [BADEN-FULLER, C. H. A. R. L. E. S., STOPFORD, J. (2002). The Firm Matters More than the Industry. Strategy for Business: A Reader, 123.] It is a systematic framework which helps managers to develop their business strategies by appraising their internal and external determinants of their organization’sRead MoreSwot Analysis : The Swot1888 Words   |  8 PagesThe SWOT analysis, a strategic planning tool was developed by Albert Humphrey in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Albert is said to have come up with this strategic planning tool through the use of data the Fortune 500 companies in the United States of America at that time (Lancaster Massingham, 2011). A SWOT analysis determines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which are a relevant part of any organization especially the ones that get involved in new ventures. This tool assists the users

The Amber Spyglass Chapter 32 Morning Free Essays

string(95) " and we came through, and it was moonlight everywhere, and I put him down to close the window\." The wide golden prairie that Lee Scoresby’s ghost had seen briefly through the window was lying quiet under the first sun of morning. Golden, but also yellow, brown, green, and every one of the million shades between them; and black, in places, in lines and streaks of bright pitch; and silvery, too, where the sun caught the tops of a particular kind of grass just coming into flower; and blue, where a wide lake some way off and a small pond closer by reflected back the wide blue of the sky. And quiet, but not silent, for a soft breeze rustled the billions of little stems, and a billion insects and other small creatures scraped and hummed and chirruped in the grass, and a bird too high in the blue to be seen sang little looping falls of bell notes now close by, now far off, and never twice the same. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 32 Morning or any similar topic only for you Order Now In all that wide landscape the only living things that were silent and still were the boy and the girl lying asleep, back to back, under the shade of an outcrop of rock at the top of a little bluff. They were so still, so pale, that they might have been dead. Hunger had drawn the skin over their faces, pain had left lines around their eyes, and they were covered in dust and mud and not a little blood. And from the absolute passivity of their limbs, they seemed in the last stages of exhaustion. Lyra was the first to wake. As the sun moved up the sky, it came past the rock above and touched her hair, and she began to stir, and when the sunlight reached her eyelids, she found herself pulled up from the depths of sleep like a fish, slow and heavy and resistant. But there was no arguing with the sun, and presently she moved her head and threw her arm across her eyes and murmured: â€Å"Pan – Pan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Under the shadow of her arm, she opened her eyes and came properly awake. She didn’t move for some time, because her arms and legs were so sore, and every part of her body felt limp with weariness; but still she was awake, and she felt the little breeze and the sun’s warmth, and she heard the little insect scrapings and the bell song of that bird high above. It was all good. She had forgotten how good the world was. Presently she rolled over and saw Will, still fast asleep. His hand had bled a lot, his shirt was ripped and filthy, his hair was stiff with dust and sweat. She looked at him for a long time, at the little pulse in his throat, at his chest rising and falling slowly, at the delicate shadows his eyelashes made when the sun finally reached them. He murmured something and stirred. Not wanting to be caught looking at him, she looked the other way at the little grave they’d dug the night before, just a couple of hand spans wide, where the bodies of the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia now lay at rest. There was a flat stone nearby; she got up and prized it loose from the soil, and set it upright at the head of the grave, and then sat up and shaded her eyes to gaze across the plain. It seemed to stretch forever and ever. It was nowhere entirely flat; gentle undulations and little ridges and gullies varied the surface wherever she looked, and here and there she saw a stand of trees so tall they seemed to be constructed rather than grown. Their straight trunks and dark green canopy seemed to defy distance, being so clearly visible at what must have been many miles away. Closer, though – in fact, at the foot of the bluff, not more than a hundred yards away – there was a little pond fed by a spring coming out of the rock, and Lyra realized how thirsty she was. She got up on shaky legs and walked slowly down toward it. The spring gurgled and trickled through mossy rocks, and she dipped her hands in it again and again, washing them clear of the mud and grime before lifting the water to her mouth. It was teeth-achingly cold, and she swallowed it with delight. The pond was fringed with reeds, where a frog was croaking. It was shallow and warmer than the spring, as she discovered when she took off her shoes and waded into it. She stood for a long time with the sun on her head and her body, relishing the cool mud under her feet and the cold flow of springwater around her calves. She bent down to dip her face under the water and wet her hair thoroughly, letting it trail out and flicking it back again, stirring it with her fingers to lift all the dust and grime out. When she felt a little cleaner and her thirst was satisfied, she looked up the slope again, to see that Will was awake. He was sitting with his knees drawn up and his arms across them, looking out across the plain as she’d done, and marveling at the extent of it. And at the light, and at the warmth, and at the quiet. She climbed slowly back to join him and found him cutting the names of the Gallivespians on the little headstone, and setting it more firmly in the soil. â€Å"Are they†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said, and she knew he meant the daemons. â€Å"Don’t know. I haven’t seen Pan. I got the feeling he’s not far away, but I don’t know. D’you remember what happened?† He rubbed his eyes and yawned so deeply she heard little cracking noises in his jaw. Then he blinked and shook his head. â€Å"Not much,† he said. â€Å"I picked up Pantalaimon and you picked up – the other one and we came through, and it was moonlight everywhere, and I put him down to close the window. You read "The Amber Spyglass Chapter 32 Morning" in category "Essay examples"† â€Å"And your – the other daemon just jumped out of my arms,† she said. â€Å"And I was trying to see Mr. Scoresby through the window, and Iorek, and to see where Pan had gone, and when I looked around, they just weren’t there.† â€Å"It doesn’t feel like when we went into the world of the dead, though. Like when we were really separated.† â€Å"No,† she agreed. â€Å"They’re somewhere near all right. I remember when we were young we used to try and play hide-and-seek, except it never really worked, because I was too big to hide from him and I always used to know exactly where he was, even if he was camouflaged as a moth or something. But this is strange,† she said, passing her hands over her head involuntarily as if she were trying to dispel some enchantment. â€Å"He en’t here, but I don’t feel torn apart, I feel safe, and I know he is.† â€Å"They’re together, I think,† Will said. â€Å"Yeah. They must be.† He stood up suddenly. â€Å"Look,† he said, â€Å"over there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was shading his eyes and pointing. She followed his gaze and saw a distant tremor of movement, quite different from the shimmer of the heat haze. â€Å"Animals?† she said doubtfully. â€Å"And listen,† he said, putting his hand behind his ear. Now he’d pointed it out, she could hear a low, persistent rumble, almost like thunder, a very long way off. â€Å"They’ve disappeared,† Will said, pointing. The little patch of moving shadows had vanished, but the rumble went on for a few moments. Then it became suddenly quieter, though it had been very quiet already. The two of them were still gazing in the same direction, and shortly afterward they saw the movement start up again. And a few moments later came the sound. â€Å"They went behind a ridge or something,† said Will. â€Å"Are they closer?† â€Å"Can’t really see. Yes, they’re turning, look, they’re coming this way.† â€Å"Well, if we have to fight them, I want a drink first,† said Will, and he took the rucksack down to the stream, where he drank deep and washed off most of the dirt. His wound had bled a lot. He was a mess; he longed for a hot shower with plenty of soap, and for some clean clothes. Lyra was watching the†¦ whatever they were; they were very strange. â€Å"Will,† she called, â€Å"they’re riding on wheels†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But she said it uncertainly. He climbed back a little way up the slope and shaded his eyes to look. It was possible to see individuals now. The group, or herd, or gang, was about a dozen strong, and they were moving, as Lyra said, on wheels. They looked like a cross between antelopes and motorcycles, but they were stranger than that, even: they had trunks like small elephants. And they were making for Will and Lyra, with an air of intention. Will took out the knife, but Lyra, sitting on the grass beside him, was already turning the hands of the alethiometer. It responded quickly, while the creatures were still a few hundred yards away. The needle darted swiftly left and right, and left and left, and Lyra felt her mind dart to the meanings and land on them as lightly as a bird. â€Å"They’re friendly,† she said, â€Å"it’s all right, Will, they’re looking for us, they knew we were here†¦ And it’s odd, I can’t quite make it out†¦ Dr. Malone?† She said the name half to herself, because she couldn’t believe Dr. Malone would be in this world. Still, the alethiometer indicated her clearly, although of course it couldn’t give her name. Lyra put it away and stood up slowly beside Will. â€Å"I think we should go down to them,† she said. â€Å"They en’t going to hurt us.† Some of them had stopped, waiting. The leader moved ahead a little, trunk raised, and they could see how he propelled himself with powerful backward strokes of his lateral limbs. Some of the creatures had gone to the pond to drink; the others waited, but not with the mild, passive curiosity of cows gathering at a gate. These were individuals, lively with intelligence and purpose. They were people. Will and Lyra moved down the slope until they were close enough to speak to them. In spite of what Lyra had said, Will kept his hand on the knife. â€Å"I don’t know if you understand me,† Lyra said cautiously, â€Å"but I know you’re friendly. I think we should – â€Å" The leader moved his trunk and said, â€Å"Come see Mary. You ride. We carry. Come see Mary.† â€Å"Oh!† she said, and turned to Will, smiling with delight. Two of the creatures were fitted with bridles and stirrups of braided cord. Not saddles; their diamond-shaped backs turned out to be comfortable enough without them. Lyra had ridden a bear, and Will had ridden a bicycle, but neither had ridden a horse, which was the closest comparison. However, riders of horses are usually in control, and the children soon found that they were not: the reins and the stirrups were there simply to give them something to hold on to and balance with. The creatures themselves made all the decisions. â€Å"Where are – † Will began to say, but had to stop and regain his balance as the creature moved under him. The group swung around and moved down the slight slope, going slowly through the grass. The movement was humpy, but not uncomfortable, because the creatures had no spine; Will and Lyra felt that they were sitting on chairs with a well-sprung seat. Soon they came to what they hadn’t seen clearly from the bluff: one of those patches of black or dark brown ground. And they were as surprised to find roads of smooth rock lacing through the prairie as Mary Malone had been sometime before. The creatures rolled onto the surface and set off, soon picking up speed. The road was more like a watercourse than a highway. In places it broadened into wide areas like small lakes; and at others it split into narrow channels, only to combine again unpredictably. It was quite unlike the brutal, rational way roads in Will’s world sliced through hillsides and leapt across valleys on bridges of concrete. This was part of the landscape, not an imposition on it. They were going faster and faster. It took Will and Lyra a while to get used to the living impulse of the muscles and the shuddering thunder of the hard wheels on the hard stone. Lyra found it more difficult than Will at first, because she had never ridden a bicycle, and she didn’t know the trick of leaning into the corner; but she saw how he was doing it, and soon she was finding the speed exhilarating. The wheels made too much noise for them to speak. Instead, they had to point: at the trees, in amazement at their size and splendor; at a flock of birds, the strangest they had ever seen, their fore and aft wings giving them a twisting, screwing motion through the air; at a fat blue lizard as long as a horse basking in the very middle of the road (the wheeled creatures divided to ride on either side of it, and it took no notice at all). The sun was high in the sky when they began to slow down. And in the air, unmistakable, was the salt smell of the sea. The road was rising toward a bluff, and presently they were moving no faster than a walk. Lyra, stiff and sore, said, â€Å"Can you stop? I want to get off and walk.† Her creature felt the tug at the bridle, and whether or not he understood her words, he came to a halt. Will’s did, too, and both children climbed down, finding themselves stiff and shaken after the continued jolting and tensing. The creatures wheeled around to talk together, their trunks moving elegantly in time with the sounds they made. After a minute they moved on, and Will and Lyra were happy to walk among the hay-scented, grass-warm creatures who trundled beside them. One or two had gone on ahead to the top of the rise, and the children, now that they no longer had to concentrate on hanging on, were able to watch how they moved, and admire the grace and power with which they propelled themselves forward and leaned and turned. As they came to the top of the rise, they stopped, and Will and Lyra heard the leader say, â€Å"Mary close. Mary there.† They looked down. On the horizon there was the blue gleam of the sea. A broad, slow-moving river wound through rich grassland in the middle distance, and at the foot of the long slope, among copses of small trees and rows of vegetables, stood a village of thatched houses. More creatures like these moved about among the houses, or tended crops, or worked among the trees. â€Å"Now ride again,† said the leader. There wasn’t far to go. Will and Lyra climbed up once more, and the other creatures looked closely at their balance and checked the stirrups with their trunks, as if to make sure they were safe. Then they set off, beating the road with their lateral limbs, and urging themselves forward down the slope until they were moving at a terrific pace. Will and Lyra clung tight with hands and knees. They felt the air whip past their faces, flinging their hair back and pressing on their eyeballs. The thundering of the wheels, the rush of the grassland on either side, the sure and powerful lean into the broad curve ahead, the clearheaded rapture of speed – the creatures loved this, and Will and Lyra felt their joy and laughed in happy response. They stopped in the center of the village, and the others, who had seen them coming, gathered around raising their trunks and speaking words of welcome. And then Lyra cried, â€Å"Dr. Malone!† Mary had come out of one of the huts, her faded blue shirt, her stocky figure, her warm, ruddy cheeks both strange and familiar. Lyra ran and embraced her, and the woman hugged her tight, and Will stood back, careful and doubtful. Mary kissed Lyra warmly and then came forward to welcome Will. And then came a curious little mental dance of sympathy and awkwardness, which took place in a second or less. Moved by compassion for the state they were in, Mary first meant to embrace him as well as Lyra. But Mary was grown up, and Will was nearly grown, and she could see that that kind of response would have made a child of him, because while she might have embraced a child, she would never have done that to a man she didn’t know; so she drew back mentally, wanting above all to honor this friend of Lyra’s and not cause him to lose face. So instead she held out her hand and he shook it, and a current of understanding and respect passed between them, so powerful that it became liking at once and each of them felt that they had made a lifelong friend, as indeed they had. â€Å"This is Will,† said Lyra, â€Å"he’s from your world – remember, I told you about him – â€Å" â€Å"I’m Mary Malone,† she said, â€Å"and you’re hungry, the pair of you, you look half-starved.† She turned to the creature by her side and spoke some of those singing, hooting sounds, moving her arm as she did so. At once the creatures moved away, and some of them brought cushions and rugs from the nearest house and laid them on the firm soil under a tree nearby, whose dense leaves and low-hanging branches gave a cool and fragrant shade. And as soon as they were comfortable, their hosts brought smooth wooden bowls brimming with milk, which had a faint lemony astringency and was wonderfully refreshing; and small nuts like hazels, but with a richer buttery taste; and salad plucked fresh from the soil, sharp, peppery leaves mingled with soft, thick ones that oozed a creamy sap, and little cherry-sized roots tasting like sweet carrots. But they couldn’t eat much. It was too rich. Will wanted to do justice to their generosity, but the only thing he could easily swallow, apart from the drink, was some flat, slightly scorched floury bread like chapatis or tortillas. It was plain and nourishing, and that was all Will could cope with. Lyra tried some of everything, but like Will she soon found that a little was quite enough. Mary managed to avoid asking any questions. These two had passed through an experience that had marked them deeply; they didn’t want to talk about it yet. So she answered their questions about the mulefa, and told them briefly how she had arrived in this world; and then she left them under the shade of the tree, because she could see their eyelids drooping and their heads nodding. â€Å"You don’t have to do anything now but sleep,† she said. The afternoon air was warm and still, and the shade of the tree was drowsy and murmurous with crickets. Less than five minutes after they’d swallowed the last of the drink, both Will and Lyra were fast asleep. They are of two sexes? said Atal, surprised. But how can you tell? It’s easy, said Mary. Their bodies are different shapes. They move differently. They are not much smaller than you. But they have less sraf. When will that come to them? I don’t know, Mary said. I suppose sometime soon. I don’t know when it happens to us. No wheels, said Atal sympathetically. They were weeding the vegetable garden. Mary had made a hoe to save having to bend down; Atal used her trunk, so their conversation was intermittent. But you knew they were coming, said Atal. Yes. Was it the sticks that told you? No, said Mary, blushing. She was a scientist; it was bad enough to have to admit to consulting the I Ching, but this was even more embarrassing. It was a night picture, she confessed. The mulefa had no single word for dream. They dreamed vividly, though, and took their dreams very seriously. You don’t like night pictures, Atal said. Yes, I do. But I didn’t believe them until now. I saw the boy and the girl so clearly, and a voice told me to prepare for them. What sort of voice? How did it speak if you couldn’t see it? It was hard for Atal to imagine speech without the trunk movements that clarified and defined it. She’d stopped in the middle of a row of beans and faced Mary with fascinated curiosity. Well, I did see it, said Mary. It was a woman, or a female wise one, like us, like my people. But very old and yet not old at all. Wise one was what the mulefa called their leaders. She saw that Atal was looking intensely interested. How could she be old and also not old? said Atal. It is a make-like, said Mary. Atal swung her trunk, reassured. Mary went on as best she could: She told me that I should expect the children, and when they would appear, and where. But not why. I must just look after them. They are hurt and tired, said Atal. Will they stop the sraf leaving? Mary looked up uneasily. She knew without having to check through the spyglass that the shadow particles were streaming away faster than ever. I hope so, she said. But I don’t know how. In the early evening, when the cooking fires were lit and the first stars were coming out, a group of strangers arrived. Mary was washing; she heard the thunder of their wheels and the agitated murmur of their talk, and hurried out of her house, drying herself. Will and Lyra had been asleep all afternoon, and they were just stirring now, hearing the noise. Lyra sat up groggily to see Mary talking to five or six of the mulefa, who were surrounding her, clearly excited; but whether they were angry or joyful, she couldn’t tell. Mary saw her and broke away. â€Å"Lyra,† she said, â€Å"something’s happened – they’ve found something they can’t explain and it’s†¦ I don’t know what it is†¦I’ve got to go and look. It’s an hour or so away. I’ll come back as soon as I can. Help yourself to anything you need from my house – I can’t stop, they’re too anxious – â€Å" â€Å"All right,† said Lyra, still dazed from her long sleep. Mary looked under the tree. Will was rubbing his eyes. â€Å"I really won’t be too long,† she said. â€Å"Atal will stay with you.† The leader was impatient. Mary swiftly threw her bridle and stirrups over his back, excusing herself for being clumsy, and mounted at once. They wheeled and turned and drove away into the dusk. They set off in a new direction, along the ridge above the coast to the north. Mary had never ridden in the dark before, and she found the speed even more alarming than by day. As they climbed, she could see the glitter of the moon on the sea far off to the left, and its silver-sepia light seemed to envelop her in a cool, skeptical wonder. The wonder was in her, and the skepticism was in the world, and the coolness was in both. She looked up from time to time and touched the spyglass in her pocket, but she couldn’t use it till they’d stopped moving. And these mulefa were moving urgently, with the air of not wanting to stop for anything. After an hour’s hard riding they swung inland, leaving the stone road and moving slowly along a trail of beaten earth that ran between knee-high grass past a stand of wheel trees and up toward a ridge. The landscape glowed under the moon: wide, bare hills with occasional little gullies, where streams trickled down among the trees that clustered there. It was toward one of these gullies that they led her. She had dismounted when they left the road, and she walked steadily at their pace over the brow of the hill and down into the gully. She heard the trickling of the spring, and the night wind in the grass. She heard the quiet sound of the wheels crunching over the hard-packed earth, and she heard the mulefa ahead of her murmuring to one another, and then they stopped. In the side of the hill, just a few yards away, was one of those openings made by the subtle knife. It was like the mouth of a cave, because the moonlight shone into it a little way, just as if inside the opening there were the inside of the hill; but it wasn’t. And out of it was coming a procession of ghosts. Mary felt as if the ground had given way beneath her mind. She caught herself with a start, seizing the nearest branch for reassurance that there still was a physical world, and she was still part of it. She moved closer. Old men and women, children, babes in arms, humans and other beings, too, more and more thickly they came out of the dark into the world of solid moonlight – and vanished. That was the strangest thing. They took a few steps in the world of grass and air and silver light, and looked around, their faces transformed with joy – Mary had never seen such joy – and held out their arms as if they were embracing the whole universe; and then, as if they were made of mist or smoke, they simply drifted away, becoming part of the earth and the dew and the night breeze. Some of them came toward Mary as if they wanted to tell her something, and reached out their hands, and she felt their touch like little shocks of cold. One of the ghosts – an old woman – beckoned, urging her to come close. Then she spoke, and Mary heard her say: â€Å"Tell them stories. They need the truth. You must tell them true stories, and everything will be well, just tell them stories.† That was all, and then she was gone. It was one of those moments when we suddenly recall a dream that we’ve unaccountably forgotten, and back in a flood comes all the emotion we felt in our sleep. It was the dream she’d tried to describe to Atal, the night picture; but as Mary tried to find it again, it dissolved and drifted apart, just as these presences did in the open air. The dream was gone. All that was left was the sweetness of that feeling, and the injunction to tell them stories. She looked into the darkness. As far as she could see into that endless silence, more of these ghosts were coming, thousands upon thousands, like refugees returning to their homeland. â€Å"Tell them stories,† she said to herself. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 32 Morning, Essay examples

Network Topology Paper free essay sample

Many home networks use the star topology. A star network features a central connection point called a hub that may be a hub, switch or router. Devices usually connect to the hub with Unshielded Twisted Pair Strengths Easy to Install, Flexible IF single device or cable failure will not bring down the network Weakness If the centralize device fails the entire system is affected Bus Bus is the simplest network topology. All computers are connected to a single cable that makes a connecting Ethernet. Computers decide when network is not busy and communicates data as needed. Bus computers listen to transmissions from other computers and do not forward or echo transmissions to other computers Weakness Limited cable length and number of stations, If there is a problem with the cable, the entire network goes down, Low security Strengths Requires less cable length than a star topology, Flexible Ring In a ring network, every device has exactly two neighbors for communication purpose. We will write a custom essay sample on Network Topology Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All messages travel through a ring in the same direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise. A failure in any cable or device breaks the loop and can take down the entire network. To implement a ring network, one usually uses FDDI, sonet, or Token Ring technology. Ring topologies are found in some office buildings or school campuses. Strengths All devices have equal access. Adding additional nodes has very little impact on bandwidth . Weakness Data packets must pass through every computer between the sender and recipient Therefore this makes it slower. It is difficult to troubleshoot the ring.

The Night of the Scorpion Essay Example

The Night of the Scorpion Essay How does the writer of this poem use language to create impressions and contrasts? How effective do you think this has been in helping him to convey a vivid picture of the event? Do you feel the differences in time and culture between the poet and yourself limit your appreciation of the ideas and feelings it conveys? In this essay, I will touch on how Nissim Ezekiel successfully uses language to create impressions and contrasts. In addition, I will show you how he effectively conveyed the vivid event of how his mother was stung by a scorpion. Finally, I will discuss how time and culture helped me to appreciate the poem. The peasant came like swarms of flies.. The poets comparison of the peasants to insects makes me frown. Initially I felt indignant that the villagers who buzzed the Name of God a hundred times were treated so contemptuously. After all they were only showing concern for the victim. However upon closer examination, I realise that they were more of a hindrance to the re covery of the poets mother. They created a noisy commotion with their candles and lanterns as they searched in vain for the scorpion. Just imagine hundreds of irritating clicking tongues when all she really needed was some peace and quiet to recover.Furthermore, flies are associated with death and decay. The impression the poet gives is that the people are bothersome and exasperating. By using this metaphor, effectively helped me see the event through his words. There is a religious connotation to the whole event. Usually when there is a combination of the Name of God and Mother, immediately there is a religious connection to Mother Mary, a Roman Catholic holy icon. He is comparing his Mother to someone holy, someone worthy of worship. It is evident that he loves his mother very much. When the Name of God is juxtaposed with the Evil One, then a battle between Good and Evil cann

Anorexia Nervosa A disease of selfimage destroying the body essays

Anorexia Nervosa A disease of selfimage destroying the body essays In American society women are given the message starting from a very young age that in order to be successful and happy, they must be thin. Eating disorders are on the rise, it is not surprising given the value which society places on being thin. Television and magazine advertising that show the image of glamorous and thin model are everywhere. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves daily in an effort to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal figure. An average female model weighs 23% less than the recommended weight for a woman. Maintaining a weight 20% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for the emotional eating disorder known as anorexia (Pirke Physicians now believe that anorexia has existed for at least 300 years (Pirke an emotional disorder characterized by an intense fear of becoming obese, lack of self-esteem and distorted body image which results in self-induced starvation (1990). The development of this disease generally peaks between the age of 14 to 18 but can occur later in life and is not uncommon to see it in women in to their early 40s. Recent estimates suggest that 1% of American girls between this age span will develop anorexia to some degree (Garfinkle & Garner, 1990). It has also propagated in many college campuses, and it is spreading. Studies have shown that nearly 20...

Why you should consider a reverse mentorship

Why you should consider a reverse mentorship If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you’re more than likely familiar with the concept of internships and how they benefit both the interns and the companies they work for. For many of us, it’s a tested and time-honored rite of passage: when starting out in our chosen fields, we â€Å"pay our dues† by providing free or low cost assistance to a mentor or team who, in turn, teaches us the job and its responsibilities, as well as the industry we’re looking to break into. We got free work experience and exposure to the field (and with a little luck a job at the end of the process), and the company got low cost help. It’s a win-win setup. However, something new has been flying under the radar in more progressive companies that’s starting to get more widespread attention- reverse mentorships. No, this doesn’t entail middle-aged employees returning to the classroom to learn how to be students. Instead, it’s an intriguing concept that typically involves millennials- young adults who are at the beginning of their career paths- working alongside older individuals to, well, mentor them!Get built-in, on-the-job tech training.What could a seasoned and established individual who’s farther along in his or her career journey learn from someone who’s just starting out? Plenty, it turns out! Millennials typically have their fingers on the pulse of the latest and greatest in tech, and can help keep their older, â€Å"late to the game† counterparts up to date. No longer do industry veterans need to secretly pretend that they’re up on all the latest tech and fumble along through it, hoping that no one gets wise to their ineptitude- today, they can get shame-free coaching from a reverse mentor!Millennials also have a great handle on how to use tools like social media, audio, and video to capture the attention of the younger generation- a key demographic for a variety of industries, pro ducts, and advertisers- which is something that older adults tend to struggle with. So, if you’re clueless about using Twitter or Instagram effectively to promote your business, a reverse mentor can help you see the light!Learn how to reach out to younger demographics.These days, it isn’t uncommon for companies to hire younger adults (and individuals even younger) to help them strategize their marketing campaigns targeted at this fickle and easily distracted age group. Sure, older adults can spend their time and effort guessing at what seems young and fresh, but today’s younger generation is very good at spotting phonies and pretenders, and turning away when they encounter something that sets off their disingenuous alarms. Who better to provide ideas for grabbing the attention of younger consumers than those closest to the age demographic?Strategize how to attract fresh talent.Reverse mentors can also help companies stay fresh and adopt progressive strategies fo r attracting and retaining a new generation of employees, and can even offer fresh perspectives on the industries they’re focused in. Younger individuals also usually have an abundance of creative new ideas that can help businesses stand out from their static, slower-moving competition- a valuable resource, indeed.Despite the seemingly obvious advantages to having a reverse mentor, the idea does have its critics. Some people feel like reverse mentoring only feeds the egos and sense of entitlement that the younger generation has become infamous for having. They also claim that it’s an unnecessary and irresponsible way to destroy the standard chain of respect and authority that traditional business are used to operating in.However, there is a growing consensus that both older and younger generations have something to learn from the other side, and that the most effective mentorship arrangement would allow each side to share its perspective, knowledge, and experience with the other, to the benefit of everyone involved. So, regardless of what side of the mentorship coin you’re on, consider taking advantage of a reverse mentorship arrangement to help you achieve your goals!

Giving the definition on communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Giving the definition on communication - Essay Example At the base of this entire debate lies one phenomenon common to all humans, and that is Communication. Communication may be defined in many ways; however, in simple words, communication is the exchange of information between two or more people. (The American Heritage College Dictionary, 2010). This information may be verbal (using words), non-verbal (using gestures, postures, expressions, etc.) or a combination of both, and may consist of facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings or any other information. (Wood, 2009). For a communication to be effective, it is very necessary for it to follow all the steps of the communication process properly. Failing on any step may cause the communication to be misunderstood and hence the entire purpose would be lost. The process of communication consists of the following steps: Message: First and foremost step is to be clear of what message (thought, idea, or information) is to be communicated. (Adair, 2009). Receiver: The receiver of the message should b e identified since the message would be encoded according to his intellectual capability. Encoding: The message should be carefully put formulated using words, symbols, visuals, gestures, etc., which can be easily decoded by the receiver. (Beebe, et al, 2010). Medium: The medium of communication is extremely important and should be reliable enough to carry the message properly without distorting its actual meaning. Various media include face-to-face communication, written script, pictures and visuals, email, telephone, etc. (Roethlisberger, 1962). Decoding: when the receiver receives a message, he decodes it to interpret the meaning behind them. The more nicely the message is encoded the easier it will be for the receiver to decode it and hence its effectiveness would be high. (Tannen, 1986). Feedback: This step does not exist in one-way communication; however, it is a very crucial step in making sure if the message is communicated correctly. The receiver sends his/her response or f eedback regarding the particular message through which the sender can detect any misunderstandings and can gauge how effective was the communication. (Roethlisberger, 1962). Communication can be classified in many ways. One way to categorize communication is on the basis of the way it is done. Hence, communication may be Oral (or Verbal), Non-Verbal, Visual or Written. (Beebe, et al, 2010). Oral communication mainly utilizes spoken language otherwise known as verbal cues but addition of non-verbal cues, visuals and written statements may assist in conveying the message more effectively. (Adair, 2009). Nonverbal communication is the most complicated type of communication. It may be used alone or in combination with other types as well. It is highly influential and when used in combination with oral communication may enhance its meaning if used in the same context. (Burgoon, et al, 2009). However, if the non-verbal cues go against the literal meaning of the verbal cues, the power of n on-verbal communication can easily sublime the impact of spoken words. For example, if a person says â€Å"I am going to kill you† with gritted teeth, stiff posture, raised eyebrows and a serious expression, he is most likely determined to kill the receiver of the message. On the other hand, if a person utters the same

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches Essay

The Concept of Risk in Diffirent Project Management Approaches - Essay Example If we talk about the risk management in agile (Scum) software project management, it basically allows us to deal with risks on the daily basis. For instance, till the end of a day we identify and record the project risks. On the other hand, PRINCE2 goes beyond the definition of risk as it divides the risk into two categories on the basis of their positive or negative consequences. These two categories can be threat and opportunity. In this scenario, a threat could be an uncertain activity or action which if it occurs can cause negative effect on the project’s likelihood of achieving its objectives. On the other hand, an opportunity is an event if it takes place can cause a favorable and advantageous effect on the project likelihood of achieving its objectives (Brady, 2009; Rehman et al., 2010; TutorialsPoint, 2012). However, in this paper we will consider the risk as a threat. In addition, risk management is an essential element of both the Agile (scrum) and Prince2 project ma nagement approaches. This paper will discuss the concept of risk from the perspective of Prince2 and Scrum project management approaches. ... According to this attribute, risk may or may not take place; in other words, we are not 100% sure about the occurrence of possible risks. On the other hand, another attribute is acknowledged as â€Å"loss†. According to this attribute, the risk turns into a certainty, unnecessary outcome or losses can take place. Hence, while evaluating project risks, it is necessary to assess the degree of loss and the level of improbability associated with each risk (Pressman, 2001, p.146; Kerzner, 2006, p.743). In addition, risk management is the process of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it turns out to be a danger to the successful completion of the project or the implementation of a software application. Moreover, risk management is a very important skill to manage a project successfully (Turban et al., 2005, p.712; Whitten et al., 2000, p.83). According to (Murthi, 2002), large software systems cannot be developed without facing a wide variety of risks. In this scenario, a report published by â€Å"The Standish Group† with the name of "CHAOS: A Recipe for Success," shows that only less than 30% of all software development projects are within budget and on time as well as fulfil all their indented requirements. On the other hand, more than 70% either fail or do not fulfil software development goals. Additionally, these facts are frightening in a cost-cutting measure where software systems play a significant role in fact they can make or break the organization (Murthi, 2002). In this paper, we will use the approach of identifying, measuring, and managing what might go in the wrong way into a project before it becomes problem for the successful completion of a project. Concept of Risk in Prince2 Project Management

Death Cap mushroom Essay Example for Free

Death Cap mushroom Essay If you took RNA polymerase out of the equation? Human cells use RNA polymerase to make a template of a cell’s DNA. It is one of the first steps in the process of eventual protein production. RNA is the enzyme that makes RNA chains using genes found in DNA as a pattern. These specific genetic codes are  expressed on mRNA. When the toxin blocks the action of RNA  polymerase, it by default, stops the production of mRNA in the transcription phase. mRNA, if available, goes on to the translation phase and is read by tRNA. In the reading of the mRNA pattern, tRNA matches the correct amino acid to that specific pattern. The amino acids are read and placed three at a time to match the mRNA codon. From these codon of amino acids, polypeptides are formed with the help of the cell’s ribosome. In turn, these polypeptides form to make proteins. (Hudon-Miller, 2012) What’s the big deal about protein? Proteins, the performers of the cell, cause action at all levels of cellular functioning. At the cellular level protein is needed to reproduce that cell, for cell structure and functioning. Proteins are also used as enzymes to begin other biochemical functions that affect everything from immunity to electrolyte balance. The liver’s function has decreased because the proteins needed to make it’s cells work have been blocked by alpha-amanitin’s ability to stop protein production simply by blocking the function of RNA polymerase. These proteins are so important that without them you die as they destroy first your body’s filters, the liver and the kidneys. (Hudon-Miller, 2012; Santi, et al., 2012) References Luca Santi, Caterina Maggioli, Marianna Mastroroberto, Manuel Tufoni, Lucia Napoli, and Paolo Caraceni, â€Å"Acute liver failure caused by amanita phalloides poisoning.† International Journal of Hepatology, vol. 2012, Article ID 487480, 6 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/487480 Hudon-Miller, S. (2012) Death cap mushrooms. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=vXONgeDC31Afeature=youtu.be

Snap Shot of a Dog Essay -- English Literature Essays

Snap Shot of a Dog James Thurber is a famous and popular American writer and artist. His humorous prose and drawing are never gay because the enthusiasm is dampened by melancholy. His fantastic characters are mostly animals whose balance of life is distorted and disturbed by a malignant fate. ‘Snap Shot of a Dog’ is taken from THE THURBER CARNIVAL which contains his most impressive work. Many of his writings and drawings deal with dogs. He understands them and he has the gist of being able to communicate his understanding to the reader. This piece is typical of Thurber. It is both humorous and serious as his writings usually are. The story flows along easily and smoothly and the reader has the impression that the writer is talking to him. The writer looks upon the dog sympathetically and at times affectionately. Rex was the name of the author’s pet dog. He was no doubt a dog of his own type who was fond of adventures. This account is as such written objectively. The dog has been dead long ago. The memory of the dog is still fresh in the mind of writer when he wrote this story. Rex was a bull terrier. He has a strong built. Indeed he was a beauty. The writer and his two brothers loved it dearly. He was a faithful dog and carried out all the orders of his maters. There was nothing impossible in his world. The writer describes certain qualities of his pet. Though he was strong and pugnacious yet he never started the fight. He had a gentle nature. He never bit anybo...

Swot Analysis for Amazon.Com

S W O T of Amazom. Com Strength 1. Selling of hundred product ranges 2. Amazom. com offering service to Web developers 3. Business contracts with other to offer distribution and warehouse storage service 4. 45% of international sale 5. Secure transactions 6. Price discount 7. Continuously shopping improvement 8. Ability of offering unique recommendations to the induviduals 9. Creating a comunityes 10. Partnership 11. New service ( Audio $ Video downloading) 12. Strategy of increasing customer traffic 13. Promotion of repeat purchase and building of awareness 14. Repurchasing of up to $500million of shares of shares if undervalues 15. Amazom has a huge global brand Weaknesses 1. Convince of themselves for the investment in a projects 2. Adding new category in business creates a risks which could damage the brand 3. Selling toys automotives brings confuse to customer of book segment 4. Free shipping undoubtly erode profit 5. Lawsuit that challenge the companies use 6. Sales increase, Income Tax increases Opportunities 1. Very large market segment 2. Emergency prerared store 3. Baby stores 4. Grand automative parts and accesories 5. Providing of several e-commerce service 6. Launching of two new business (Fulfillment $ Webstores) 7. US has more than 50% of internet users 8. Brand-loyal customers 9. Popularity of social networks (Myspace, Facebook) 10. A good economy 11. â€Å"Borders Group† will close half of its Waldenbooks store 12. International offices 13. Expansion of fulfillment capacity 14. Amazon has been a pioneer 15. Amazon has its own proprietary and licence technology from other companies 16. Investment of sevral areas 17. An increase of sales from 2005-2006 ($ 8. 5-10. 6 million) Threat 1. Power of internet for customer 2. Continueing wars ( global ) 3. Hyperinfilation ( Brazil, Mexico ) 4. Fluctuation of foreign currency 5. China has increased internet related regulations 6. VAT imposed by EU on US providers 7. Direct competitors 8. Indirect competitors 9. Decrease of net income 10. Increase of both retail and e-commerce competition 11. Expansion in to new countries/ new product segments creates ar risk

Assessments for Early Childhood Programs Essay

William J. Wilson once said, â€Å"The person who scored well on an SAT will not necessarily be the best doctor or the best lawyer or the best businessman. These tests do not measure character, leadership, creativity, or perseverance†. Why do we test students? What is the purpose of assessments? Do these tests and assessments benefit the students? These are questions educators have been asking for years. It is impossible for one to determine a child’s academic abilities based solely on a test. Yet there still needs to be some form of assessments performed in order to evaluate the academic level each student has reached. But how much assessing is too much? How heavily do educators rely on the results of these assessments? The main issues, when it comes to assessing early childhood students, are the consequences of the assessment results and how they affect the child. According to The National Academies of Sciences, there are two key principles that support the success of assessment. The first is that the purpose of an assessment should be a guide for assessment decisions. â€Å"The purpose for any assessment must be determined and clearly communicated to all stake- holders before the assessment is designed or implemented. Most important, assessment designed for programs should not be used to assess individual children. Because different purposes require different kinds of assessments, the purpose should drive assessment design and implementation decisions† (The National Academies of Sciences, 2008). The second principle is that any assessment performed should be completed in a â€Å"coherent system of health, educational, and family support services that promote optimal development for all children. Assessment should be an integral part of a coherent system of early childhood care and education that includes a range of services and resources† (The National Academies of Sciences, 2008). These two principles explain the main purpose of why assessing is important and how assessments should be conducted. After having an understanding of the purpose of assessments, why is it so important to begin evaluations at such a young age? What is the purpose of evaluating infants and toddlers? Author Sue Wortham explains evaluating toddlers and infants determine whether the child is developing normally or if they show any signs of delay and need assistance. All in all, the main purpose of assessment is to benefit the child (Wortham, p. 32). The NAEYC believes that during a child’s early years, evaluating and assessing their development should be the primary focus. They want to study how young children grown and learn. All the â€Å"results of assessment are used to inform the planning and implementation of experiences, to communicate with the child’s family, and to evaluate and improve teachers’ and program’s effectiveness† (Wortham, p.34). Teachers also use assessment results to in order to plan their curriculum accordingly. So exactly do assessments search for? Assessments look not only for what the child is already capable of doing independently but also what they can do with the help of a teacher or another student (Wortham, p. 35). So how are they assessed exactly? There are many different assessments given to children across the U. S. everyday. These may be administered orally or as written works, such as questionnaires, surveys, or tests. These may include: standardized tests, observations, checklists, rating scales, rubrics, interviews, or portfolios. Each of these serve a different purpose in order to give different pieces of information needed to evaluate the child in question. Standardized tests, though many disagree with them, are meant to measure individual characteristics. Observations, on the other hand, are one of the most effective ways to measure students’ characteristics. When children are young, it can be hard at times to determine if there are any developmental delays (Wortham, p. 39). Developmental checklists, or scopes, are mainly used at all levels of education. These checklists are lists of the learning objectives that have been established by the teacher in order to keep track of their learning and development. Items on a checklist are rated with a negative or positive response from the teacher. Rating scales, unlike checklists, provide measurement on a continuum and are used when a collection of criteria is needed to attain specific information. Another form of assessment teachers commonly use is Rubrics. Rubrics were created to â€Å"evaluate authentic and performance assessments† (Wortham, p. 41). Rubrics, like rating scales, have a range of criteria that must be met. However, unlike rating scales, rubrics can be used to not only determine the quality of performance required, but are also used to assign grades. Rubrics make it easy for students to understand what is expected and is makes it easier for teachers to grade assignments. The final types of assessments that are most frequently used are performance and portfolio assessments. These evaluations might be administered through interviews given directly by the teacher in order to understand the child’s thinking and understanding (Wortham, p. 41). Teachers may present these evaluations through directed assignments, activities, or games. The performance results are typically kept in a student or teacher portfolio. These portfolios contain samples of student’s work and are used as a sort of progress report card. Keeping detailed reports of student’s work in the portfolios help teachers keep track of their student’s progress and help determine which areas of learning are lacking attention (Wortham, p. 41). Overall, according to Wortham, these tests, whether administered to an individual child or a group of students, are meant to determine a student’s â€Å"abilities, achievements, aptitudes, interests, attitudes, values, and personality characteristics† (Wortham, p.39). Now having an understanding of the different types of assessments used to evaluate students and the purpose, let us turn to the negative and positive effects of these evaluations. It is crucial for educators to administer tests and evaluations carefully, because it they are poorly articulated, it can lead to decisions that are unfair or unclear, and they may do harm to programs, teachers, and, most importantly, children (Snow, C. E. & Van Hemel, S. B. , p. 341-342). Evaluations and assessments are not meant to punish a child, and therefore, should never be overseen lightly. It is important that the information gathered outweighs any negative effects. Editors of Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What, and How, Catherine E. Snow and Susan B. Van Hemel, explain that â€Å"although the same measure may be used for more than one purpose, prior consideration of all potential purposes is essential, as is careful analysis of the actual content of the assessment instrument. Direct examination of the assessment items is important because the title of a measure does not always reflect the content† (Snow, C. E. & Van Hemel, S. B. , p. 346). So what are some negative effects? Negative consequences of assessment findings may include program de-funding, closing a center, firing a teacher, mislabeling a child, or a reduction in program resources (The National Academies of Sciences, 2008). These effects, such as mislabeling a student, can follow students for the rest of their education career. Once a child is entered into a program, it can be difficult at time for teachers to look past that label. Children all develop at different his or her own pace. No one child will develop and learn the same way as another child. They all grow up and develop at different stages. Yet educational theorists have been able to observed and gather enough information to conclude that children, if divided in age groups, do tend to follow a certain development pattern. The problem is, it is hard to determine which children are the outliers in these results without carefully administering proper assessments. Assessments are not used to necessarily judge student or punish them. Their main purpose is to help students, teachers, and parents. So what are some positive effects of assessment and evaluations? Students that benefit from assessments and evaluations are those that are properly observed and tested. Teachers also benefit from the use of assessments because it helps them create an appropriate curriculum for their students. Evaluating children at a young age can have a positive effect if a delay or disability is in fact found, and because it was caught early, the student has a better chance of exceeding their potential in school. Catching developmental delays or disabilities at a young age is the same as finding cancer at an early stage in the sense that the earlier the cancer is found; the chances of survival are greater. Assessment results are used to plan for instruction, evaluate instructional programs, and report student progress. These are all positive results of assessments. Without the results of assessments and test, how can educators determine what to teach their students? Evaluations, if planned and administered properly, can be more beneficial than harmful. Unfortunately, not all teachers evaluate children fairly or appropriately. So it is important for parents to stay involved in their children’s education in the event that the results of an evaluation do not match the potential of their child. Parents should know the norms and abnormalities of their child’s behavior. Therefore, it is always beneficial to the child for parents and teachers to communicate. This way if a child is acting up in class, and the teacher notifies the parent, the parent may confirm any fears right away by simply saying, â€Å"that isn’t like him† or â€Å"he’s just nervous†. Avoiding drastic measures and not jumping to conclusions is the proper way to evaluate a child fairly. What are the predicted long-term benefits to Early Childhood Assessments? Are assessments and student evaluations accurate? Should teachers be required to assess and evaluate students as much as they already do? These are just a few of the questions that plagued educators for years. Too much assessing has placed so much pressure on students and teachers, inevitably taking away a child’s desire to learn for the sake of learning. The purpose of assessments and evaluations is a great concept, but placing too much pressure and emphasis on the test results is tainting the original purpose of learning. References Bers, T. H. & Mittler, M. L. (1994). New Directions for Community Colleges. Assessment & Testing Myths and Realities: A Critical Review of Student Assessment Options, 69-83. Brink, M. (2002). Involving Parents in Early Childhood Assessment: Perspectives from an Early Intervention Instructor. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(4), 251-7. Retrieved from Education Full Text database Early, D. M. , McKenna, M. , & Slentz, K. L. (2008). A Guide to Assessment in Early Childhood; Infancy to Age Eight. Washington State: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The National Academies of Sciences (2008). Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What, And How. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from http://www. bocyf. org/head_start_brief. pdf. Early Learning Standards Task Force and Kindergarten Assessment Work Group. (2005). Early Childhood Assessment For Children From Birth To Age 8 (Grade 3). Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania’s Departments of Education and Public Welfare. Snow, C. E. & Van Hemel, S. B. (2008). Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What, And How. Washington, D. C. : The National Research Council Of The National Academies Wortham, S. (2012). Assessment in Early Childhood Education, (6th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

How to Write a Term Paper in Less than 12 Hours

How to Write a Term Paper in Less than 12 Hours How to Write a Perfect Term Paper in One Evening? Many students find it extremely hard to cope with the academic load, keep track of every assignment they have to submit, as well as all the things that contribute to your college experience (hence extracurriculars and parties). So quite often they fail to submit some papers on time or find themselves with papers due the next day. So let us help you plan your time and write a perfect paper in just one night along with some term paper format advice! You may need to set the times for each section in order to follow the suggested schedule. Steps in Writing a Perfect Term PaperBreath in and breath outThere is one simple problem with college term papers: you stress too much about them. No, you are at the place where you need to take the motto better done than perfect and live up to it. So, sit down, take a couple of deep breaths, and calm down. Then have a look at your topic. Take your time and let it sink making sure you understand the expectations for the assignment, review the term paper guidelines, and begin your work. This part should take you approximately 15 minutes.Draft your thesis statement You cant really work on your term paper structure unless you come up with a thesis you like. The wording might not be perfect, but you need to capture the idea and let it sit for some time. As this is the most important part of your paper, take your time and come up with something worthy.Start strongVery often, students wonder how to start a term paper so it is not boring yet complies with academic standards. You need to com e up with a strong introduction that begins with a catchy hook sentence and makes the reader stay till the end. You need to bring the topic of your research paper making sure it is both clear and logical. This is not supposed to take you longer than 15 minutes.Brainstorm the defenseFor the next half an hour, think over all sort of reasons, facts, and ideas that support your thesis and create a list of convincing facts that support the idea behind your thesis statement. Write down the key arguments and make sure to cross out everything that seems far from realistic or academic.Start the researchUsually, students are given a number of references to be used in their term paper, so for the next 2 hours you have to find the most appropriate scholarly sources to include into your term paper and march them to the list of ideas you have on your brainstorm section.Write, write, write! Wondering how to write a term paper? Now is high time to start writing and address every single argument fro m your list. Draft a plan, include introduction and summary, and keep writing. Remember the rule better done, than and dont let yourself get stuck on the sentence structures, perfect wording, or other less meaningful parts of the process. You will be able to work on this later on. Give yourself at least 4 to 5 hour for the writing itself.Criticize yourself We are not asking you to think less of yourself, rather find the weakest arguments and logical fallacies in the structure of your term paper. This time is for you to find any inconsistencies and parts of the paper your professor might not be a fan of. You have approximately 1 hour to do this.Summarize the workOnce everything feels good, you may write a summary to bring a logical conclusion. Check if your facts match the thesis statement and reword it in your summary. You need to leave the reader with something to think on. You will have approximately 30 minutes for that before moving to the format of a term paper, so keep on!Forma t and style The term paper format is similar to many other academic writings, so you probably wont have any troubles with it. Read the paper carefully, as it is also your editing time. Use action verbs, active voice and eliminate anything that seems weak. This is the final hour of your work, and it will probably find you in the morning. Pour yourself some coffee, check your paper once more and submit it. We know that this guide to writing term papers is not perfect, but at least it will help you divide your time and survive that night. Sometimes its all you need. Or there is another simple way to have your term paper prepared in just one night. Refer to professional assistance of and have your paper written in no time! Completely safe and confidential writing service that offers high quality at a low price.

How to Split Strings in Ruby

How to Split Strings in Ruby Unless user input is a single word or number, that input will need to be split  or turned into a list of strings or numbers. For instance, if a program asks for your full name, including middle initial, it will first need to split that input into three separate strings before it can work with your individual first, middle and last name. This is achieved using the String#split method. How String#split Works In its most basic form, String#split takes a single argument: the field delimiter as a string. This delimiter will be removed from the output and an array of strings split on the delimiter will be returned. So, in the following example, assuming the user input their name correctly, you should receive a three-element Array from the split. #!/usr/bin/env rubyprint What is your full name? full_name gets.chompname full_name.split( )puts Your first name is #{name.first}puts Your last name is #{name.last} If we run this program and enter a name, well get some expected results. Also, note that name.first and name.last are coincidences. The name variable will be an Array, and those two method calls will be equivalent to name[0] and name[-1] respectively. $ ruby split.rbWhat is your full name? Michael C. MorinYour first name is MichaelYour last name is Morin However,  String#split is a bit smarter than youd think. If the argument to String#split is a string, it does indeed use that as the delimiter, but if the argument is a string with a single space (as we used), then it infers that you want to split on any amount of whitespace  and that you also want to remove any leading whitespace. So, if we were to give it some slightly malformed input such as Michael C. Morin (with extra spaces), then String#split would still do what is expected. However, thats the only special case when you pass a String as the first argument. Regular Expression Delimiters You can also pass a regular expression as the first argument. Here, String#split becomes a bit more flexible. We can also make our little name splitting code a bit smarter. We dont want the period at the end of the middle initial. We know its a middle initial, and the database wont want a period there, so we can remove it while we split. When String#split matches a regular expression, it does the same exact thing as if it had just matched a string delimiter: it takes it out of the output and splits it at that point. So, we can evolve our example a little bit: $ cat split.rb#!/usr/bin/env rubyprint What is your full name? full_name gets.chompname full_name.split(/\.?\s/)puts Your first name is #{name.first}puts Your middle initial is #{name[1]}puts Your last name is #{name.last} Default Record Separator Ruby is not really big on special variables that you might find in languages like Perl, but String#split does use one you need to be aware of. This is the default record separator variable, also known as $;. Its a global, something you dont often see in Ruby, so if you change it, it might affect other parts of the code- just be sure to change it back when finished. However, all this variable does is act as the default value for the first argument to String#split. By default, this variable seems to be set to nil. However, if String#splits first argument is nil, it will replace it with a single space string. Zero-Length Delimiters If the delimiter passed to String#split is a zero-length string or regular expression, then String#split will act a bit differently. It will remove nothing at all from the original string and split on every character. This essentially turns the string into an array of equal length containing only one-character strings, one for each character in the string. This can be useful for iterating over the string and was used in pre-1.9.x and pre-1.8.7 (which backported a number of features from 1.9.x) to iterate over characters in a string without worrying about breaking up multi-byte Unicode characters. However, if what you really want to do is iterate over a string, and youre using 1.8.7 or 1.9.x, you should probably use String#each_char instead. #!/usr/bin/env rubystr She turned me into a newt!str.split().each do|c| puts cend Limiting The Length of the Returned Array So back to our name parsing example, what if someone has a space in their last name? For instance, Dutch surnames can often begin with van (meaning of or from). We only really want a 3-element array, so we can use the second argument to String#split that we have so far ignored. The second argument is expected to be a Fixnum. If this argument is positive, at most, that many elements will be filled in the array. So in our case, we would want to pass 3 for this argument. #!/usr/bin/env rubyprint What is your full name? full_name gets.chompname full_name.split(/\.?\s/, 3)puts Your first name is #{name.first}puts Your middle initial is #{name[1]}puts Your last name is #{name.last} If we run this again and give it a Dutch name, it will act as expected. $ ruby split.rbWhat is your full name? Vincent Willem van GoghYour first name is VincentYour middle initial is WillemYour last name is van Gogh However, if this argument is negative (any negative number), then there will be no limit on the number of elements in the output array and any trailing delimiters will appear as zero-length strings at the end of the array. This is demonstrated in this IRB snippet: :001 this,is,a,test,,,,.split(,, -1) [this, is, a, test, , , , ]

Mental Illness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mental Illness - Case Study Example AD differs from other autism spectrum disorders because there is absence of speech or language delays and symptoms are less severe in asperger syndrome unlike other autism spectrum disorders, which have language delays and severe symptoms. AD is one of the mental illnesses commonly experienced among varied children during their childhood development process; thus, many children develop cognitive difficulties, language skill problems and lack effective nonverbal communication skills. The exact cause of AD is unknown but many researchers have attempted to base their arguments on the genetic basis as the major cause of asperger syndrome. Although there is no clear treatment for AD, cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and other intervention measures are among the effective therapies for improving symptoms and function of the patient. Mental Health History The client is a six years old child who grew up well and did not have any linguistic or speech problems but started experiencing some minor problems earlier at the age of five years. The child started having trouble in some basic elements of social skills including failure to make friendships with other children, lack of emotional reciprocity and impaired nonverbal behaviors. When the child was admitted in school, the teacher realized that the child displayed some repetitive behaviors, which were sometimes abnormal. Parents of the child also had already noticed earlier some displayed behaviors, activities and interests of the child which were repetitive but they could not take them seriously. Some of the behaviors of the child became apparent after the age of 5-6 years and this was the period their parents started seeking medical attention. For example, the child could memorize camera model figures but could care little about photography. Although these behaviors kept changing from time to time, they typically became narrowly focused and even dominated social inter action in the extent that the family members of the child became worried and stressed. According to Matson, Matson and Rivet (2007), repetitive motor behaviors are among the major symptoms for asperger syndrome but these behaviors tend to change from time to time. In addition, the client developed problems in understanding figurative language and ended up using language literary something that forced the teacher of the child to employ effective teaching intervention strategies and prepare Individualized Education programs in order to meet the demanding learning needs of the client. Although the child had excellent auditory and visual perception, some differences in perception with motor, emotion and sensory perception became apparent. The client was diagnosed and the diagnostic criteria required the treatment of the impairment social interaction, repetitive behaviors and many other problems. Rodriguez (2012) argues that employing effective diagnostic criteria and carrying out compre hensive assessment process in a multidisciplinary team approach is vital. Earlier intervention was carried out because AD does not have clear treatment but some therapies offered to the client included, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), social skill therapy, physical, speech therapy and other intervention programs were carried out. Assessment Process The first step of diagnosis is the assessment process, which includes observation and evaluating developmental history of the child. The medical professions or qualified social workers with experience should carry out assessment process in order to determine the causes and symptoms; thus offer effective