Swift Company Essay Example

Swift Company Paper No Cloth used to make drapes. 4. Production superintendents salary. 5. Wages of laborers assembling a product. 6. Depreciation of air purification equipment used to make furniture. Janitorial salaries. 8. Peaches used in canning fruit. 9. Lubricants for production equipment. 10. Sugar used in soft-drink production. I I Property taxes on the factory. 12. Wages of workers painting a product. 13. Depreciation on cafeteria equipment. 14. Insurance on a building used in producing helicopters. 15, Cost of rotor blades used in producing helicopters. Worksheet Learning Objective: 01-06 Understand the differences between variable costs and fixed costs. Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 01-07 understand the differences between direct and indirect costs. Http://est.. McLeod. McGraw-hill. Com/hem_accounting. tap Page 2 of 6 Swift Company was organized on March 1 of the current year. After five months Of Start-up losses, management had expected to earn a profit during August. Management was disappointed, however, when the income statement for August also showed a loss. We will write a custom essay sample on Swift Company specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swift Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swift Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

7 Types of Punctuation Errors

7 Types of Punctuation Errors 7 Types of Punctuation Errors 7 Types of Punctuation Errors By Mark Nichol Each of the following sentences below demonstrates a specific type of error involving internal punctuation, usually involving a problem with a comma. Discussion and revision following each example explains and illustrates correct use of punctuation in the sentence. 1. Misplaced Punctuation This approach requires an effective model risk governance program, and crucially, validation of the model by an independent party. A comma is needed after program only if what follows is an independent clause. In this case, the rest of the sentence is merely the rest of an extended compound predicate. However, crucially is a parenthetical, and a comma is required before as well as after it: â€Å"This approach requires an effective model risk governance program and, crucially, validation of the model by an independent party.† 2. Missing Punctuation Specifically her portfolio did not include the required number of samples. An adverbial introduction must be set off from the main clause by a comma: â€Å"Specifically, her portfolio did not include the required number of samples.† 3. Unpaired Punctuation The survey found increasing demand for customer experiences that are difficult, if not impossible to deliver with legacy systems. Related to the misplaced and missing examples above, this sentence is flawed in that the parenthetical phrase â€Å"if not impossible† is set off only in front, not behind as well: â€Å"The survey found increasing demand for customer experiences that are difficult, if not impossible, to deliver with legacy systems.† 4. Extraneous Punctuation Knowing which sensitive data need to be highly protected, where this information sits within the organization, and what security mechanisms need to be applied, are all key considerations for a sound information security risk assessment. A comma should not precede a verb unless it is the second of two commas bracketing a parenthetical phrase: â€Å"Knowing which sensitive data need to be highly protected, where this information sits within the organization, and what security mechanisms need to be applied are all key considerations for a sound information security risk assessment.† 5. Excessive Punctuation Consumers have the right to speak out or complain, and to seek compensation- payment or a replacement item- or redress- have a wrong corrected. Excessive punctuation often occurs when a sentence is cluttered with commas, and a sentence should be recast or divided into two or more sentences if more than a few commas appear (and semicolons are not included to assist in sentence organization). But when dashes are used to set off parenthetical phrases, no more than one pair should be used, because readers may have difficulty at first recognizing which parts of the sentence are being bracketed. Either revise the sentence so that only one pair of dashes is needed, or replace dashes with parentheses, which because the open and close parentheses are shaped differently, clearly indicate what is contained within them: â€Å"Consumers have the right to speak out or complain and to seek compensation (payment or a replacement item) or redress (have a wrong corrected).† (Note, too, that the sole comma is superfluous.) 6. Inconsistent Punctuation Last year a man agreed to give up his drone system and promise not to fly a drone for three years. . . . Last month, the FAA announced there are now more registered drone operators in the United States than there are registered manned aircraft. If an optional punctuation mark is used in one sentence in a piece of content, it should be used in any similarly constructed sentence; see the consistent inclusion of a comma after the short introductory phrase in both sentences: â€Å"Last year, a man agreed to give up his drone system and promise not to fly a drone for three years. . . . Last month, the FAA announced there are now more registered drone operators in the United States than there are registered manned aircraft.† (Note that â€Å"last year† and â€Å"last† month serve the same adverbial function as specifically in the second example, but such brief introductory phrases do not require punctuation, though for consistency, it is recommended.) 7. Incorrect Punctuation One person had to be airlifted off the site after the structure collapsed Monday night, the rest were treated at an on-site medical facility. Because this sentence consists of two independent clauses, they must be separated by a semicolon rather than a mere comma: â€Å"One person had to be airlifted off the site after the structure collapsed Monday night; the rest were treated at an on-site medical facility.† (A period is also appropriate, but the close relationship of the two clauses allows for a semicolon.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'tsAbstract Nouns from AdjectivesA Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases

How to find out your most annoying workplace habits

How to find out your most annoying workplace habits The office is like a second home. It’s the place where you spend 8-10+ hours daily with the same people around you. Being around the same group of people for that many hours you tend to find out what their most annoying habits are. Whether it is the loud girl that is always talking about how fab her life is or the guy across the room who is always bringing in the tuna sandwich; we all know their habits that makes us cringe. But have we ever stopped to consider just as other people’s habits may get under their skin; we just might have the same effect on them? Do you know what your most annoying workplace habit is?This quiz is perfect to help you figure it out; then you can work on stopping it immediately.  Ã‚  Source [PlayBuzz]

Bussiness plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bussiness plan - Research Paper Example This is a leading factor for the adaptation of technologies and products that lead to the recycling of by-products from the environment. The recyclable compactor is something which the targeted markets will adapt. The reason for this is because those components that are considered as wastes can be compacted in a way that will make them easily disposable or easily adaptable to recycling. Growth Potential The market for the product is in the process of picking up. The main reason for this is because people are continually looking for ways through which wastes can be disposed in a better way. The whole concept is also new altogether. Initially people have been so much used to the idea of just having a regular bin for disposal of wastes. However, in the recent past contemporary and better methods are being adapted for all activities that are associated with waste disposal. This is a fact which will make the growth of the market something which will pick up in the near future. Associated Risks The positivity which is associated with this market is something which cannot be mentioned without looking at the negatives. There are also some potential risks which are associated with this product. The first risk which is easily identifiable is that of rejection by a significant part of the targeted market. ... Marketing Channels Various businesses use different approaches in the course of their marketing. It is imperative to note that the method, which is to be used, is largely dependent on the expansive market. The financial outlay is something which will influence the methods of advertising and marketing. The first thing, which is rather noteworthy, is to gain an understanding of these international markets. Thorough analysis has to be undertaken before the firm can even think of venturing into these markets. A feasibility study regarding the success of the business has to be done. This is particularly pertinent as it will serve to point out whether the business will stand a chance of success in the new market. This is as opposed to going blindly into these markets without prior knowledge. There are new and emerging trends, which business are employing in the course of their marketing. In this case, the first one which cannot go without mention, is the use of the internet. Firms have com e to realize that as opposed to the internet being only a source of information, it has stood out to be a highly effective tool when it comes to marketing. The main reason for this is because, through the internet a large audience can also be reached. This is a sort of strategy which has proven to be rather effective since to a greater extent it is cost-effective on the part of the business. At the same time, it is rather easy for the consumer to access this form of advertising beating in mind the wide internet usage in the present time. Delivery Methods There are a number of methods of delivery which can be looked at depending on the location of the customer. The markets in this case are in South and North America. The

Eyewitness the movie and the issue of identification Essay

Eyewitness the movie and the issue of identification - Essay Example Eyewitness the Movie and the Issue of Identification Introduction For many years, a debate on the issue of eyewitness identification and testimony has been raging with thin the justice system.One camp pushes the concept that that eyewitness identification is not reliable and is, in fact, detrimental to the pursuit of genuine justice. This side of the argument insists that eyewitness accounts have many times resulted into the resolution of cases based on testimonies, which could be subjective and inaccurate, instead of on the merits of physical evidences, which could be more concrete and objective. The opposing camp, on the other hand, insists that eyewitness accounts are necessary to hasten the resolution of criminal cases in court. It stresses the point that without the testimony of a person who saw the crime committed, positive identification of the suspects cannot be achieved. Even as the debate on the merits and demerits of the two sides continue though, there have been films and television shows that tackle the issue directly and indirectly. The movie Eyewitness may not have presented a courtroom drama that dealt with the pros and cons eyewitness testimony but it did present the filmmaker’s own perspective on the issue. It did so by depicting a character that wishes to present himself as a witness to a crime not because he is interested in seeing the resolution of a murder case but because of his personal objective of winning the affection of a person. Weakness of Eyewitness Testimony Eyewitness is a movie that was released in 1981. The film was directed by Peter Yates and written by Steve Tesich. It stars William Hurt as Daryll Deever, the janitor who discovered the body of a murder victim in the building he is working in. Sigourney Weaver plays the role of a zealous television reporter, Tony Sokolow, who wants to get a scoop of the murder case. Deever sees the opportunity of becoming close to Sokolow when he presented himself as someone who discov ered the body. While this may be true though, Deever goes to the extent of insinuating that he saw more than just the dead body but also the actual crime while it was committed. This leads Tony to be interested in Deever’s account, hoping to be the first to broadcast the story to the public. Tony actually is already in a relationship with someone else, Joseph played by Christopher Plummer. However, just to have a story, she manages to flirt a little with Deever. Joseph, on the other hand, is also very interested about what Deever knows which is why he is not quite concerned about the relationship between Tony and Daryll. The attempt by Deever to maintain Tony’s interest in him later turned into the source of conflict in the film. The murderers begins to consider the possibility that Daryll may have indeed witness the commission of the crime and that Tony already knows about it. For fear of being caught by the police, who are already doing investigations on the matter, they run after both Tony and Daryll with the aim of silencing them before their identities are divulged to the public. The police for their part have also begun believing that Daryll may have indeed witnessed the crime and that he could identify the perpetrators. However, the issue that is at stake here really is regarding the credibility of the eyewitness. Deever is obviously motivated by his desire to become personally close to Tony. On the other hand, Tony, who can amplify Deever’s claim because she is a journalist, is only interested in getting a scoop. The police, whose objective is to see that the crime is solved as soon as possible, also have the tendency to believe in whatever story Deever may come up with because of convenience. Here lies the central issue of eyewitness identification. Without determining the possible motivation of the witness, a case could be brought to court with suspects pointed out through the most biased and unscientific means. Through the jury system employed by the American judiciary, the honesty of the witness has a very profound impact on the

Wireless Led Dot Matrix Notice Board Essay Example for Free

Wireless Led Dot Matrix Notice Board Essay POWER SUPPLY Power supply section power the whole circuitry. Different section of this system requires different voltage levels. This requirement cannot be achieved using a single power adapter or battery. So a power supply consist of dc-dc converter is used in our project. The DC-DC converted dc power supply can provide 12v dc, 9v dc and 5 v dc simultaneously for display, discrete IC and micro controller respectively. The power supply section is also included with short circuit protection to prevent system being damaged due to the careless usage or electrical malfunctions. CONTROLLER The controller used here is PIC 16f877a, which is an 8 bit micro controller used for general purpose medium scale applications. In our project this device retrieves signals from the RF receiver as serial data through its URAT port on a baud rate of 2400 bps and stores in its internal data memory. From there it sends the data one by one to display section to display it. The scrolling algorithm is also done through the program written in the controller. This controller also communicate with the RFID reader to fetch the ID of RFID card brought to its proximity and then retrieves the corresponding registry entry to display it in the display board. The scrolling message mode and personal message mode is switched with help of two way switch attached in the display board end. When the switch is in its normal position the message from the PC is displayed and when the switch is in other position the board will display the personal information of the  student whose card is in the proximity o f the RFID reader. DISPLAY The display used here are dot matrix LED. The whole panel consist of 32 displays each one of 57 dot matrix LED. Each character in this display is formed using four such display units. That means the whole display can show a total of 8 characters at a time. The display is drived and controlled using a ring counter IC 4017. By this IC we select each display independently and their column. It uses persistence of vision to let you drive the 32 led matrixes with only 10 microcontroller outputs! Normally you would need 32outputs for 32 LEDs but by using multiplexing and a helper chip you can get away with 10. LED Display multiplexing simply means turning on one led for a short period of time and doing this repeatedly for each LED. If you do this fast enough then your eye will not notice any flicker.The LEDs are no different to any other LEDs but it saves a huge amount of soldering as all the wiring has been done for you..Or you could wire it up yourself if you cant get hold of the module. Still only need 10 control wires (just wire you leds the same as shown in the module diagram). Your eye reacts slowly to changes in light intensity so that if a light is turned on and off quickly enough then it does not notice that the light is off. Basically your eye remembers a light pulse for a short time. The approximate time is 20ms so if the light is turned on at a frequency 50Hz ( 1/20ms) then your eye will not notice any flicker at all. Multiplexing uses this fact to reduce the number of pins needed to drive an LED display. You can do this by splitting the 32led displays into 7 rows and 5columns which lets you drive it using 7 row outputs and 5 column outputs. In fact the 57 led matrix block used here has all the leds arranged in this way already. Each row is driven in turn and as long as all of the rows are driven within a time period of 20ms it will appear as though the LEDs are on continuously. To turn a specific led ON, data is output to the column drivers when a row is driven. To save more pins it is common to use a helper chip and in this project it is a Johnson counter (a 4017). This generates a walking one every time that its clocked.  Since you only want one row on at a time it is the ideal chip for this application. In this project when the 4017 has been reset it outputs logic high at Q0 which is not connected so during reset the 4017 does nothing. This allows you to use the column driver port for something else if you want to when you are not driving the LEDs.To drive the 4017 all you need is two pins one for reset and one for clock. So to fully drive the 32 matrix led display you need only 4 4017. The most difficult thing about using the dot matrix LED display is defining the characters. Basically for ASCII characters you need an array of 128 blocks each having 8 column data numbers. The usual way is to get out a piece of graph paper and define your characters by drawing blocks where a pixel is on. You then translate each line into hex (binary to hex is very easy) and then transfer this information to your program source code. RFID READER RFID is used here to implement the personal information display. RFID technique helps the system for identifying each student with the help of a unique ID given to each student. This reader is capable of powering and reading data from an RFID card which is brought ot its proximity. It has a transmission section through which it sends the received data to controller. The range of this RFID is approximately about 10 cm so that it can avoid unwanted detection of RF signals. In our system RFID system consists of a reader and one or more tags. The readers antenna is used to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy. Depending on the tag type, the energy is harvested by the tags antenna and used to power up the internal circuitry of the tag. The tag will then modulate the electromagnetic waves generated by the reader in order to transmit its data back to the reader. The reader receives the modulated waves and converts them into digital data. In the case of the Parallax RFID Reader Module, correctly received digital data is sent serially through the SOUT pin. There are two major types of tag technologies. Passive tags are tags that do not contain their own power source or transmitter. When radio waves from the reader reach the chip’s antenna, the energy is converted by the antenna into electricity that can power up the microchip in the tag (known as parasitic power). The tag is then able to send back any information stored on the tag  by reflecting the electromagnetic waves as described above. Active tags have their own power source and transmitter. The power source, usually a battery, is used to run the microchips circuitry and to broadcast a signal to a reader. Due to the fact that passive tags do not have their own transmitter and must reflect their signal to the reader, the reading distance is much shorter than with active tags. However, active tags are typically larger, more expensive, and require occasional service. The RFID Reader Module is designed specifically for low-frequency (125 kHz) passive tags. Frequency refers to the size of the radio waves used to communicate between the RFID system components. Just as you tune your radio to different frequencies in order to hear different radio stations, RFID tags and readers have to be tuned to the same frequency in order to communicate effectively. RFID systems typically use one of the following frequency ranges: low frequency (or LF, around 125 kHz), high frequency (or HF, around 13.56 MHz), ultra-high frequency (or UHF, around 868 and 928 MHz), or microwave (around 2.45 and 5.8 GHz). Here we are using an RFID Reader Module with a single TTL-level. The current consumption of the module will increase dramatically when the module is active. A visual indication of the state of the RFID Reader Module is given with the on-board LED. When the module is successfully powered-up and is in an idle state, the LED will be GREEN. When the module is in an active state and the antenna is transmitting, the LED will be RED. The face of the RFID tag should be held parallel to the front or back face of the antenna (where the majority of RF energy is focused). If the tag is held sideways (perpendicular to the antenna) youll either get no reading or a poor reading. Only one transponder tag should be held up to the antenna at any time. The use of multiple tags at one time will cause tag collisions and confuse the reader. The two tags available in the Parallax store have a read distance of approximately 3 inches. Actual distance may vary slightly depending on the size of the transponder tag and environmental conditions of the application. When a valid RFID transponder tag is placed within range of the activated reader, the unique ID will be transmitted as a 12-byte ASCII string via the TTL-level SOUT (Serial Output) pin in the  following format: RF RECEIVER The RF receiver is used to receive RF wireless signals which are transmitted fro the pc section and feed it to the controller. This receiver works in the principle of ASK modulation, an analogue modulation technique to implement digital transmission. This receiver has an active antenna. It works with power of 5V and sink a current of 0.1 mA. The maximum baud rate allowable with this receiver is 2400 bps. For efficient operation we uses 1200 bps. The range of this receiver is with in 100 mtrs. But it can be extended to kms be increasing the power of transmitter . PC SECTION PC section contains application software which is used to interface with the computer. This application has a text box where we can enter the message to be displayed in the notice board. On hitting the send button the data in the text box is transmitted to the display board wirelessly. RS 232 – TTL CONVERTER The signal obtained from th PC is of RS 232 standard. Which means the signal from the PC will be in the range of +12 to -12V level. For the transmitter and the controller to understand the signal it should be in the range of 0 +5 V. so the signal should be level converted before transmission. For this level conversion we use MAX 232 IC. This IC is dedicated for RS 232 to TTL level conversion. With the help of some discrete components this IC can convers the level to ttl logic. RF TRANSMITTER RF transmitter transmits the digital signal generated by the level converter through space as electromagnetic waves. The transmitter uses ASK modulation technique. The range varies up to 100mtrs. The power varies from 5V to 12v. The more the power supply voltage the more will be its quality and range.

Lasers :: essays research papers

L A S E R S   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did you know that some laser beams are small enough and powerful enough to drill two hundred holes on a spot as tiny as the head of a pin?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first major advancement in laser development came in 1954. This was the year that Charles H. Townes, an American physicist, created a device that amplified microwaves. This device was actually called a maser at first, which was short for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Masers. It produced microwaves of just one frequency. Then the laser was developed from the maser.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Several people have been accredited for the development of the laser’s basic design. These people are as follows: American Arthur L. Shcawlow, the Russians Alexander M. Prokhorov and Nikolai G. Basov, and the American Gordon Gould. But the first laser was constructed in 1960 by American physicist T.H. Maiman and it is still one of the most powerful lasers available. This laser used a ruby rod for its active medium, which is its way of producing light. Ali Javan then created the first gas laser later in 1960. Three separate teams of American scientists operated the first semiconductor laser in 1962. Then in 1966, the American physicist Peter Sorokin built the first dye laser.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin with, I will explain the definition of a laser: It is a device that produces a very narrow powerful beam of light. A laser light is a narrow beam of light, in which all the waves are traveling exactly at the same length and moving together as one. A laser light is made up of only one wavelength and it is a single pure color, while a normal light has many different wavelengths or colors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most common laser has three parts to it. They are energy source, an active medium, and optical cavity. An energy source can be anything that can give energy to the active medium through a process called “pumping.'; Lasers often use electricity; usually a device called a flash lamp, as the energy source. An active medium is any material that can be used to create a laser light. The optical cavity is the structure that encloses the active medium. Most cavities have mirrors on both ends, one that fully reflects light and another that partially reflects light. The laser beam actually exits through the mirror that is partially reflecting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The central process of the laser is called stimulated emission.

High school statistics as a basis for increased beginner learning Essay

Although not the primary focus of this study, it is important to understand the future of elementary students by looking into current graduates predicaments. Over the last twenty years, there have been dramatic increases in high school promotion; as well as, in graduation requirements. Most recently, states and districts, such as Mississippi, have begun implementing graduation and end-of-course exams (Committee for Economic Development, 2000). Some critics have noted that the rise in standards and high-stakes tests will be unfair to students who have attended poorly resourced schools (Achieve, 2000). However, this problem has been met by offering extra help and supportive services to the students of the disadvantaged schools (2001). One of the most common support methods has been to offer disadvantaged students more time; such as summer school, adding an extra year to their high school education and transition programs to ensure students can fulfill high school requirements (2001). Little progress has been made in developing a better curriculum and instructional support to aid in the acceleration of learning for disadvantaged high school (Balfanz, et al. , 2002). Some high schools have implemented a whole school reform by creating catch-up courses and district wide special prep courses (2002). These reforms have not been thoroughly evaluated because their infancy; using small, formative studies, thus little is known about the feasibility and rapidity of student acceleration in disadvantaged high schools. This study aims at taking the first step to in understanding the elementary school learning needs and providing appropriate teaching techniques for each schools situation; by reporting on the initial results and impacts of the Talent Development High Schools (TDHS) ninth grade instructional program in reading and mathematics. The study involves several cities and multiple high-poverty, non-selective high schools within each city. Academic Models of Recognition Piney Woods School in Piney Woods, Mississippi has programs that should be viewed as national models. Although a private school, its strategies for success are practical and successful. The predominantly African American school is known for changing the lives of low-income students by having them â€Å"complete a rigid diet of reading, writing, math, science and foreign language† (Wooster, et al. 2001). While requiring students work ten hours a week in order to teach them responsibility, Piney Woods School gives students a sense of unity and tough love. The programs implemented are; Writing Across the Curriculum, which trains freshman and sophomores’ in basic composition skills; Always Reaching Upward, a peer tutoring program which pairs under achievers with high achievers and Save the Males, a tutoring, mentoring and special male focused groups that facilitate responsibility and self confidence. The results are phenomenal with a ninety five percentage rate of students going on to college after graduation and the other five percent going into military services. Analysis of existing achievement data in high-poverty high schools provides two conclusions. First, students who attend high-poverty high schools are typically performing below national norms and are dramatically short of the performance benchmarks employed to measure academic success. An analysis conducted by Education Week (1998) indicates, for example, that students entering high school in the majority of large cities are often found to be two or more years below grade level (Quality Counts ’98, 1998). In Philadelphia, for instance, seventeen percent of high school students attend one of twenty-two non-selective neighborhood schools (Neild & Balfanz, 2001); and approximately half of these students are reading below the fifth or sixth grade level. A quarter of these students are reading at the seventh or eighth grade level. Approximately one in four students attending a nonselective high school in Philadelphia read at grade level. In eight of the non-selective neighborhood schools in Philadelphia, a little over two thirds of first-time ninth graders are performing below the seventh grade level in both reading and mathematics (Neild & Balfanz, 2001). One important conclusion that can be drawn from this data is that in many non-selective urban schools students need accelerated learning opportunities. A second conclusion is that the current level of academic performance in disadvantaged high schools can lead to multiple negative consequences for students and society. It is too early to accurately gauge the impact of the high-stakes; standards based graduation tests and dropout rates of students entering high school with weak academic skills (Bishop & Mane, 2000; Hauser, 2001). Existing data from metropolitan cities such as Chicago (Roderick & Camburn, 1999) and Philadelphia, however, demonstrates a link between poor academic preparation and course failure; as well as the retention of many high-poverty students. Course failure and retention in the ninth grade has caused a high amount of high school drop outs. Forty-three percent of first-time freshmen in Philadelphia entering ninth grade with below seventh grade math and reading skills were not promoted to the tenth grade (Neild & Balfanz, 2001); in comparison to the eighteen percent of students entering ninth grade with math and reading skills above the seventh grade level. Student skills below grade level requirements result in retention, poor attendance, and course failure. First-time freshmen who were not promoted to the tenth grade had a dropout rate of nearly sixty percent when compared to a twelve percent drop out rate for students who were promoted (Neild, Stoner-Eby, & Furstenberg, 2001). The individual and social consequences of dropping out of high school are considerable. The Committee for Economic Development (2000) has documented the economic returns to advanced education. Non-promotion has become the norm in approximately two hundred-fifty to three hundred high schools, in thirty-five major cities in the United States (Balfanz & Legters, 2001). Sixty percent of the population in these public high schools is African American and Latino students in (2001). The United States Department of Education expresses the importance of raising graduation requirements and standards; therefore it is essential to the success of future high school students, that a means of improving reading proficiency is achieved.

Educational Needs Assessment Essay

Continuing education plays an important role in the development of nursing professionals in any healthcare institution (Waddell, 1991). However, different institutions have different needs to address with respect to their nurses professional competencies (Gould et. al. , 2004). According to Billings & Rowles (2001), the primary question that institutions have to answer is what particular educational needs their nurses have that are most relevant to the working environment. This paper seeks to determine and prioritize the needs of the Medical-Surgical/Bone Marrow Transplant Oncology Nursing Unit of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento through the administration of a survey questionnaire to a sample of seven (7) registered nurses and a qualitative analysis of the results. Background Sutter Medical Center is a non-profit hospital that specializes in providing acute and advanced care to patients living in Sacramento and the surrounding area. Its mission is to provide quality primary and tertiary care along with a continuum of services to meet the healthcare needs of the people throughout Northern California. During the previous year, the hospital has been able to generate 58,274 patient days spread across seven (7) hospital units with 20% of which coming from the nursing unit of interest to the study. The unit has 14 registered nurses with varying levels of proficiency and experience. Results There were seven key questions inquired from the seven registered nurses that comprise 50% of the total unit population. Based on the analysis of the results, the particular areas where that the nurses feel should be the focus of any educational program of the institution include chemotherapy patient care, professional stress management, cardiac emergency protocols, infection control, and telemetry. These were the post frequently mentioned topics throughout the questionnaire and thus appear to be the most important concerns according to the nurses surveyed. From the nurses’ responses, it is apparent that many of the nurses consider these subjects as underdeveloped in their professional experience and as such, they are very open to undergoing further education in order to be better equipped in the said areas. Some of the nurses prioritized special topics on patient care due to the large number of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Others consider learning proper stress management as a priority and claim that while they are equipped with the knowledge to care effectively for patients, they often find themselves stressed out in the process and some commented to eventually being in need of care themselves because of the demands of the work environment which they believe that can handle more effectively with appropriate training. With regard to how this new educational program should best be carried out, the nurses surveyed had varying suggestions but what was common among them is the preference of nontraditional educational programs over conventional programs such as actually going back to an institution and enrolling in a course that one has to be physically present to attend. The nurses generally preferred one of two options which are either to learn under the expertise of experienced mentors at work or to get enrolled to online learning classes at home. These preferences underscore the stress that the nurses are already experiencing at work which leaves them with no energy left to actually pursue further studies by traveling to an institution and being physically present to attend class. Hence, some of the surveyed nurses preferred to combine work and study by undergoing active learning under mentors who are experts at particular fields. The other half of the nurses surveyed preferred to learn through online courses that they can take at the comforts of their home and accomplish at their own pace. Common strengths cited by the nurses surveyed include the experience gained as nurses in the institution along with their strong proficiency with the use of current technology. The nurses justifiably claim that their exposure to various situations have honed their abilities in dealing with the same situations. However, they also cite that this is not the best way to learn as it places patients at some risk when they are handling a situation with the patient for the first time. Nurses believe that their expertise in utilizing web resources would allow them to have better access to continuing education since there are many specialized nursing courses available online. Furthermore even without enrolling in online courses, the internet provides knowledge sources that the nurses can access for free. Still, some commented on the level of reliability that these sources have. On the other hand, while the surveyed nurses claim that their experience has improved their competence, they also cite the demanding responsibilities given to them at work for their inability to pursue other educational courses in their profession. Some responded that the time that they spend between work and their families practically make up all the time that they have, and cite this fact as one of the major weaknesses in undergoing an educational program. In analyzing the sample’s assessment of hospital management’s sensitivity to their need for more specialized education, there is a general dissatisfaction perceived based primarily in the inability of management to respond to the staffing needs of the unit. The nurses stressed that while there are some educational programs being offered by the institution, these programs simply cannot be availed of by many of the nurses because of the physical and mental pressures brought about by their workload. One barrier to education that was highly prevalent with the sample is the lack of time due to the 5:1 nurse-to-patient ratios that the hospital has not been able to improve over the past years. Nurses need to prioritize their patients over other professional responsibilities and so continuing education takes a backseat. Some of the nurses also suggest that the hospital should give incentives to nurses who are willing to undergo additional training and education in order to motivate nurses to find the time for the task. Conclusion There is clearly a need to effect effective educational programs for the Medical-Surgical/Bone Marrow Transplant Oncology Nursing Unit of Sutter Medical Center. The nurses surveyed all agree that an effective program will be able to provide them with much needed professional development that they can use to improve the overall quality of service that they provide for their patients. However, the barrier of a highly toxic workplace caused by understaffing need to be addressed first before any program can be implemented that can capture the interest of the unit nurses. Thus, the top priority need of the unit involves the installation of a stress management program that would be able to help the nurses cope with their demanding responsibilities might be effective in taking out some of the pressure and allowing room for the nurses to accommodate professional training programs and academic work. A secondary need would be to address content that the nurses feel are lacking in their professional competence such as specialized subjects in chemotherapy patient care among others mentioned in the survey. It is anticipated that based on the administration’s thrust, they will be receptive to the results of this study and conduct efforts to help their nurses find the time to develop professionally. References Billings DM, Rowles CJ. (2001). â€Å"Development of continuing nursing education offerings for the World Wide Web. † J Contin Educ Nurs. 32(3):107-13. Gould D, Kelly D, White I, Chidgey J. (2004). â€Å"Training needs analysis. A literature review and reappraisal. † Int J Nurs Stud. 41(5):471-86. Click here to read Waddell DL. (1991). â€Å"The effects of continuing education on nursing practice: a meta-analysis. † J Contin Educ Nurs. (3):113-8.

Frost at Midnight Essays

Frost at Midnight Essays Frost at Midnight Paper Frost at Midnight Paper Essay Topic: Literature Frost at Midnight written by the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge describes the scene of the writer sitting in his cottage as his son sleeps beside him on a winter night, reminiscing of childhood that of his own and of his child. The stanzas are written through the first person narrative, providing a scene of intimacy to the reader. This intimate scene if further developed through the poets use of tone, repetition and imagery to name to name but a few of the poetic techniques evident in the poem. Through these devices the reader is transported through a world of solitude, melancholy and inspiration. The poem is written in four stanzas, each conveying the effect of nature and childhood through its blank verse. As a conversational poem, a form popular in the Romantic period, Coleridge reflects upon the serenity of nature and his surroundings. Frost at Midnight has been written in blank verse, lines of unmetered iambic pentameter. The narrative of the poem begins with the speaker sitting in his cottage with the sleeping child beside him. The reference to the Frost and its secret ministry may be subtle but is a powerful force of nature. Along with the personification of the capital F in Frost an ominous mood is created which is only enhanced by the owlets cry. The stanza continues describing the nights calmness, so calm that that it disturbs and vexes with its strange and extreme silentness, the consonance s sounds through out these lines is effective as its brings the quietness of the night to the forefront of the poem, a scene of tranquillity. The speakers mind wanders between the Sea, hill and wood (10) and the nearby village with the numberless goings-on of life (12) are mild distractions to the speaker. : Coleridge choice of language draws the reader into the intimate cottage scene. The solitude of the outside is soon transferred though the interior of the cottage as the poet becomes entranced with the dwindling fire flame. The film on the fire symbolises the motion inherent in nature, with the repetition of Coleridges use of fluttered or flutters, it appears the erratic motion stimulates the poets imagination. Words such as dim sympathies (18), echo and mirror (23) help establish the speaker in a state of peaceful harmony with nature through out this stanza. Enjambment can be detected as the first stanza leads into the second stanza, (24). This technique emphasises the connection of the film and the memory it clearly evokes in Coleridge, while separating the present from the time being recollected. It could be suggested that Coleridge wanted a clear separation of the past from the present, wishing to recall the past in the calmness of the present therefore passing on the lessons from his own unhappy childhood to his infant son. From the hush of nature (17) the tone of the second stanza changes as Coleridge recalls his own childhood. The repetition how oft (24 and 26) emphasises how the speaker is recollecting a habitual experience, rather than a one time event in his childhood. . Once again, the fluttering, (26) triggers Coleridges memory to recall his sweet birth-place enabling the poet to recollect his childhood hometown. Personification allows the speakers pining of his childhood home become apparent as his heart leaped up, reinforcing the memories that haunt Coleridge in his adulthood. As mentioned previously, the tone of the second stanza changes from the tranquillity that was evident in the first. Words such as brooded (36), stern (37) and hasty (40) highlight the unhappiness that Coleridge portrays. The allusion of the fluttering stranger (26) allows the speaker to describe the fluttering flame which in turn relates to an old superstition that a flickering flame suggests a visit from a stranger. This visit from a stranger is picked up once again towards the end of the second stanza, as Coleridge hoped to see the strangers face (41), signifying once again how the speaker wished to return home, hoping the stranger will be a much loved family member. Coleridge returns his infant son in the third stanza and the wonders he has yet to experience. The deep fatherly love Coleridge feels for his son is clear through his reference Dear Babe (44), the breathing of the child has brought the speaker back to the present and the future of his son. Coleridge rejoices in the knowledge that his son. shalt learn far other lore, And in far other scenes, (50, 51). A deep contrast to Coleridges upbringing in the great city, pent mid cloisters dim, (52) a reference to his childhood at Christs Hospital School in London where he was sent at the age of nine after this death of his father, (Owens and Johnson, 1998, page 437). The theme of nature is brought to the forefront of this stanza, as the speaker uses the powerful simile that his son shalt wander like a breeze, showing the freedom that the child will experience in the country. Throughout the stanza the reader is aware that Coleridge bitterly regrets the influence of nature on his childhood. The imagery is enhanced as the speaker describes the natural world, lakes and sandy shores, beneath the crags Of ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds which image in their bulk both lakes and shores, (55 57). This image shows the true magnificence of the natural world, and is not only evident in the physical mountains or lakes but also mirrored in the sky and clouds above. The tone of tranquillity has clearly returned to the poem. Coleridge closes the third stanza referencing God as the Great universal Teacher, (63) who shall mould thy spirit, (63-64) of the poets son. Through these closing lines the speaker relates children, in particular his son, and the natural world to God demonstrating how seeing, hearing and experiencing nature will allow his infant son to be closer to God and therefore understand him better. A key principle to Coleridge was the God- like quality that was a fundamental element in all human beings, in this instances his son, (Allen, 1996, page 75). With this the final stanza at Frost at Midnight, Coleridge gives his blessing to his son hoping the infant will appreciate nature. The relationship between the child, natural world and God are depicted that all seasons shall be sweet to thee (65), as long as this relationship continues. The awe inspiring beauty of nature is personified whether the summer cloth the general earth with greenness, (66-67) letting the vividness life become the focal point. As well as the greenness of the grass, the reader is also invited to see the beauty within the wildlife of the bird as it sings betwixt, an image that mimics the sounds a bird would make, a technique known as onomatopoeia. The repetition of secret ministry of frost (72) provides the poem with a full cycle of events. Frost at Midnight has gone full circle from past, present and finally the future of childhood, reflecting the unity of nature that is the inspiration of the poem. The frost ties the present to the future which in turn reflect the infant and his education, while the film in stanza two ties the present to the past, reflecting the speaker and his education. The poetic devices within Frost at Midnight provide a distinct insight into the central themes that influenced the writers of the Romantic period. Childhood is one of the most important elements to this poem, it is not only the key theme but Coleridges son is also the inspiration to the poem. The natural world is believed to be the ideal place, as nature is the most important education in the world. It could be argues that a pure connection between childhood and nature are created in Frost at Midnight, a time when innocence is links both of these themes to god, leaving the reader in a state of reflection. Through Coleridges upbringing in London, the reader is able to detect the solitary that he experienced without the influence of nature, a precious education that the poet himself was deprived and now wishes for his son. Coleridge recognises that there is a city outside the calmness of the cottage, that his son will eventually discover when he reaches adulthood. However, Coleridge hopes the access to nature will help his son develop a connection with the natural world that surrounds him and God.

How To Calculate Experimental Error in Chemistry

How To Calculate Experimental Error in Chemistry Error is a measure of the accuracy of the values in your experiment. It is important to be able to calculate experimental error, but there is more than one way to calculate and express it. Here are the most common ways to calculate experimental error: Error Formula In general, error is the difference between an accepted or theoretical value and an experimental value. Error Experimental Value - Known Value Relative Error Formula Relative Error Error / Known Value Percent Error  Formula % Error Relative Error x 100% Example Error Calculations Lets say a researcher measures the mass of a sample to be 5.51 grams. The actual mass of the sample is known to be 5.80 grams. Calculate the error of the measurement. Experimental Value 5.51 gramsKnown Value 5.80 grams Error Experimental Value - Known ValueError 5.51 g - 5.80 gramsError - 0.29 grams Relative Error Error / Known ValueRelative Error - 0.29 g / 5.80 gramsRelative Error - 0.050 % Error Relative Error x 100%% Error - 0.050 x 100%% Error - 5.0%

The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution Research Paper

The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution - Research Paper Example One of the important amendments of the Constitution is the 8th Amendment and its significance lies in the fact that it has, though the years, promoted humane and civilized forms and methods of punishing criminals. This amendment is adopted from an ancient English law and incorporated into the US Constitution at the time its framers were drafting the basic law of the land. The History of the 8th Amendment The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution states thus: â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed and no cruel, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† The 8th Amendment was first suggested by James Madison, the fourth president of the US, for inclusion to the US Constitution while the framers were working on its draft. The Commonwealth of Virginia, from where Madison hailed, had its own version of the passage incorporated in its Declaration of Rights. Its origin, however, was the 1689 English Bill of Rights. The inclusion of this passage in t hat law was to limit English courts from imposing punishments and fines that were excessive, cruel and unusual as was the practice of the English courts in the time of the House of Stewarts under King James VI who would impose such punishments such as quartering, boiling alive, disemboweling, decapitation and crushing criminals with heavy weights (Gill 114). On the other hand, the â€Å"excessive bail† clause was included in the 1689 law to prevent the English judges from circumventing the Habeas Corpus Act of 1969 by setting bail at very high amounts so arrested persons were unable to meet them. Finally, the â€Å"excessive fines† clause was also â€Å"intended to limit only those fines directly imposed by, and payable to, the government† (Excessive Bail 2011). Cases Involving the 8th Amendment Most of the cases decided by the US Supreme Court involving the 8th Amendment are related to the issue of the death penalty and its possible infringement of the â€Å"c ruel and unusual punishment† clause of the 8th Amendment. Some of the well-known cases involving the 8th Amendment are: Weems v US 217 US 349 (1910); Stack v Boyle 342 US 1 (1951); Furman v Georgia 408 US 238 (1972); Gregg v Georgia 428 US 153 (1976); Browning-Ferris Industries v Kelco Disposal, Inc 492 US 257 (1989), and; Austin v US 509 US 602 (1993). In Weems v US, the US Supreme Court held that the â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment† clause of the 8th Amendment can apply not only to court punishments, but also to legislative laws and rendered the punishment of 14 years of imprisonment with hard labor on top of civil and political disabilities as disproportionate to the crime of falsifying public documents. In Furman v Georgia, the Court ruled that the manner of imposing the death penalty in which there is an absence of standard to guide the jury as to when to impose the death penalty is â€Å"cruel and unusual† and therefore unconstitutional. However, in Greg g v Georgia, the Court clarified that the death penalty per se does not infringe the 8th Amendment so long as its imposition is not purely discretionary to the jury and laws exist that define the crimes that should be meted with the death penalty. In Stack v Boyle, the Court held that setting bail at an