The Effects of Police Morale in Chicago Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Effects of Police Morale in Chicago - Essay Example Therefore, Police force is an indispensable part of modern society. The term police originated from the city states of Greek and Romans. Initially in 1825, Charles II introduced the watch and ward system in England. The modern police system was introduced by Sir Robert Peel in England. He preferred to call it as a kind of preventive police. The Chicago police department is the largest police agency in the region and the nation's second largest department, which traces its origin back to1828 when Chicago elected its first Constable and first Sheriff in 1831. These groups discharged their duties on part time basis and were not involved in formal patrolling. The citizens who were aggrieved by Criminal acts used to obtain warrants through judicial process and Constables and Sheriffs would execute Warrants, after obtaining the prescribed fee. A system of watching at night was introduced during 1839 to apprehend alleged criminals and bring them within the purview of law. In 1853, the Government introduced a Nine day police system for monitoring traffic affairs at depots and bridges. A City marshall was appointed on salary, instead of fees was empowered to supervise and coordinate the activities and duties of these police officers. The unlawful pandemonium and chaos created by criminal groups and malcontents, who were not happy to see the progress of society, and intend to wreck good people, tried to create social disorders, and this became a hazardous task for the Government to monitor and control. Nevertheless, in the early part of 20th Century itself, the police administrative set up was not well organized, and consequently a chaotic situation arose within the uniform wearing guardians of the law themselves. At the particular juncture, Chicago city also witnessed many reforms which resulted in unexpected problems. The uniform wearing community and law enforcement officers was basically human being like other citizens, and had similar emotional and human feelings like other members of the society. The police people like other human beings, were made of flesh, blood and bones. They are also susceptible to the change factors in their routines and habits, either positively or negatively. When it appears in the form of negative form, it culminates in self inflicted death, or so called suicide. The terms suicide is a union of two Latin words sui and cide in which sui means self and cide means kill. This is one and only one kind of offense, the attempt to commit of which is a cognizable offense and punishable by law, while the actual successful commission is not. When problems and challenges posed to human beings rise to such an extend that he/she is not able to contain them, or not able to overcome them, they take a heavy toll on the minds and physique of human beings, and the state of no return is reached. At this stage the victim feels that his living is worthless, and a burden to himself/herself, or society and he/she then seriously contemplates suicide or ending

Refugee Blues Essay Example for Free

Refugee Blues Essay The speaker is talking to someone My dear (perhaps his wife), the language and tone is very conversational. Each stanza intensifies the situation in the poem. The first stanza brings out that the refugees are homeless. Though there are millions in the city all of whom have some kind of home but the refugees have nowhere to go. In stanza 2, the couple cannot stay in their country. It compares two living people with the old yew tree. Officially dead means you cannot make passport. This section tells us how the refugees are trying to get help. The refugees cannot leave the country due to lack of passport and hence they are described as officially dead, though they are indeed alive. The refugees are treated coldly by the committee and council. They are politely pushed aside but no real help is offered. At the public meeting the speaker demonises the refugees as thieves. This is made to incite ordinary people to hate Jews. A metaphorical storm breaks over the whole of Europe continent as hitler sentences them to death. The tone of the final stanza is very bitter. The comparisons that the poet uses are testimony to these; Pet animals are treated better then Jews. eg: saw a Door opened and a cat let in; Fish are free and Birds are free, Poet blames nazi regime for creating an environment in which natural things act far much better than humans. The poet further uses cruel contrast. For e. g. : he has a dream of a huge building with many rooms for everybody except Jews. In the final stanza the poet enlightens a brightening future for the Jews but now Jews are hunted down by 1000s of people.

Riverbend Telephone Company :: Case Study, solution

Riverbend Telephone Company The Riverbend Telephone Company is experiencing growth and had previously tried outsourcing some of its installation work to handle the overflow above its capacity. This was unsatisfactory, and so to accommodate the new customers, RTC needs to obtain a new maintenance truck and crew. It is considering whether leasing or buying the new truck necessary to their operations is the preferable method of investment. Question 1& 2 Without considering financing the purchase through debt, the cash costs for buying the truck for years 0- 4 are: The cash costs for leasing the truck are: The cash flows discounted by the risk-free rate of 9% allows us to compare the present values. This comparison illustrates a net advantage to buying the truck: There are not many advantages to leasing the vehicle, since Reliable does not cover the cost of maintenance or registration and taxes. They only cover the cost of tires, a minimal expense, which does not offset the cost advantages of buying the vehicle. The company does not seem concerned with their debt ratios or the threat of default. The main advantage to buying the vehicle, aside from the better price is the depreciation tax shield, which subtracts annual $1800 from the costs of ownership. There are tax advantages to leasing, as the lease payments are a tax deductible expense, but that tax savings amounts to $2,880/ year. However, this calculation is incomplete because the company needs to take on debt to finance the purchase of the car. These payments add an additional expense and cash outflow but purchasing still remains a more attractive option. The cost of the lease is still greater than the cost of debt. The NAL still favors buying over leasing by $1216. The only other consideration would be that lease may raise the earnings on asset ratio above 12%. But since the PV of the lease payments is greater than 90% of the FMV (assuming the purchase prices is FMV), then it would be considered a capital lease and the asset would go on the Balance Sheet. Therefore there are no earning over asset ratio advantages to leasing. Case Question 2 Using MACRS, the tax benefit realized in the early years, still does not significantly affect the NAL. Overall the tax benefits at the end of the five years are still equal. Case Question 3 If the truck is leased, how should Mr. Freeman report investment and annual income for the RTC to the state public service commission?

Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene (NHS) The person you care for may be physically or mentally unable to maintain their own personal hygiene. Keeping clean is essential for good health. Poor hygiene can cause skin complaints, unpleasant smells and bacterial or parasitic infections. General hygiene The daily personal hygiene of the person you care for is very important, so make sure: †¢ their hands are washed after they've used the toilet †¢ their genitals and anal area are washed every day †¢ their face is washed daily they're fully bathed or showered at least twice a week †¢ their teeth are brushed twice a day, preferably after each meal. It is also important that they have regular dental checks. Find out more about dental treatment for people with special needs. Washing and bathing For most people, washing is a very private activity. When helping someone to wash or bathe, be sensitive and help maintain their dignity. You'll both probably  feel awkward and embarrassed, especiall y at first. To make bathing as pleasant and comfortable as possible: †¢ use pleasant-smelling shampoo, bubble bath or soap play music that the person you care for likes and is familiar with †¢ if the person is confused, explain what's happening as you go along †¢ be sensitive to the mood of the person Carer's tip from Netbuddy â€Å"If you are caring for someone who won't wash, get involved with activities that are followed by showers, for example, swimming. It may help if they see other people showering. My son only started using the shower and wetting his head because he saw it in a film he was watching†. Personal preference and emotional stateBe aware of  the emotional state of the person you care for when helping them wash. For example, some people can be anxious  about deep bath water. Adaptations, such as seats or recliners,  can help with anxiety. Reassure the person that you won’t let them be hurt. Overhead showers can be frightening to som e people. If you have no bath or there is a good reason for using a shower rather than a bath,  use a hand-held shower unit. Ask the person how they would prefer to be helped and allow them as much independence as you think is safe.If they had a routine before you began caring for them, find out what it was and stick to it as  much as  you can. Find out which shampoo, shower gel or soap they prefer to make the experience more familiar to them. Many people become self-conscious when undressed in front of others. Be sensitive to the situation and approach it in the way you think is  most appropriate. The person you care for may feel isolated if you leave them alone. How you handle this depends on your relationship with them. Have clothes and towels with you so you don’t have to leave them alone in the bathroom if they don't want you to.Safety If the person you're looking after has limited mobility or has  problems balancing, make sure that: †¢ the floor is not sl ippery (dry it if necessary), †¢ the room is a comfortable temperature, †¢ the water is comfortably warm (older people  particularly feel the cold, so bear  this in mind when adjusting the  temperature), †¢ the locks are removed from the door (the person you care for may want privacy, but in an emergency you will need  to get into the bathroom), and †¢ you look out for your own safety, for example by making  sure you can manage  if you have to lift the person in and out of the bath.Toileting Toileting is an important part of personal hygiene, regardless of whether the person you're looking after is continent (able to control their bladder and bowels) or not. Incontinence can create feelings of shame or embarrassment for both the  carer and the person being cared for. Sometimes, they may be in  denial about their incontinence  or refuse to accept help. Reassure them that it’s not their fault and approach the issue in a calm, reassuring way if they're in denial. Bed baths If the person you care for cannot move or has extremely limited mobility, you may have to give them a bed bath.You will need to be extra careful, for your own safety,  when moving or lifting them. Specialist disposable baths are available if  they need a proper immersive bath (to be put fully in the water). Getting help If you're finding it difficult to cope with toileting, washing or general hygiene,  contact your local authority or a local carers organisation (see Services near you, above right). Cleanliness and infection control 12. —(1) The registered person must, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure that— (a) service users; (b) persons employed for the purpose of the carrying on of the regulated activity; and c) others who may be at risk of exposure to a health care associated infection arising from the carrying on of the regulated activity, are protected against identifiable risks of acquiring such an infection by the me ans specified in paragraph (2). (2) The means referred to in paragraph (1) are— (a) the effective operation of systems designed to assess the risk of and to prevent, detect and control the spread of a health care associated infection; (b) where applicable, the provision of appropriate treatment for those who are affected by a health care associated infection; and c) the maintenance of appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene in relation to— (i) premises occupied for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity, (ii) equipment and reusable medical devices used for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity, and (iii) materials to be used in the treatment of service users where such materials are at risk of being contaminated with a health care associated infection. Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010

IT Project Implementation Failures

Before an IT project can begin, the acquisition process must be successful. Once the implementation process beings, however; many things can start to go wrong because there are many factors and people involved that may not work together. Although the acquisition process is very stressful and important too, the implementation of planning a project and choosing the right team to do the job is not always as easy as it sounds. As hard as it may be to effectively navigate through these potential failures, project failures such as the ones illustrated in the case study, Memorial Health System CPOE Implementation, can be evaded. At the beginning of the implementation process, Fred Dryer and Joe Roberts agreed and established a plan to get the CPOE system effectively enough for the staff and other employees to use. Stakeholders did not agree with Dryer and Roberts that this system would be meaningful and eventually disagreed with them. This must be a common problem with the implementation process, because it is very difficult to get so many people to work together cohesively. The organization undergoing the IT process must be a cohesive unit in believing in the project as well as being on the same page about what needs to happen. Since the stakeholders have too much power in the process, Roberts and Dryer left the project. The other project failure demonstrates the difficulty of choosing the right team members and management personnel to effectively run the project. The interim CIO, Melvin Sparks, was, to put it mildly, the wrong person for the job. He illustrated many of the project failures. He was unable to effectively communicate with his staff, made decisions that negatively affected the project and ultimately committed a huge mistake by changing the scope of the project during the implementation process. The project manager in the case study was yelled at to give good news or no news at all to Sparks. Not only is it completely inappropriate for CIO to yell at staff, but communication is integral in the implementation process, whether it is good news or bad. Changing the scope of the project during the implementation process creates chaos. A good acquisition process will create an environment where large deviations from the initial project scope are not accepted. Another vital problem in the case study was the lack of testing done on the system. Testing assures the team of the functionality as well as the problems that may arise from the system, and gives time to fix it. Sparks created no confidence in the team and showed none in the initial project. Conclusion: The case study’s project failures could have probably been avoided. The main job of the implementation team, besides implementing the project, should be to create a strong team with strong management and staff. Without this backbone, the process is doomed from the start. There are steps and procedures that can be implemented in order to avoid these types of failures in the future. I would recommend cross-training between management to insure everyone knows what steps to take in order to have a successful IT project. It Project Implementation Failures IT Project Implementation Failures Barbara Ratcliff HCS/483 March 16, 2013 Donna Lee Lewis IT Project Implementation Failures Introduction Memorial Health System is an eight-hospital integrated health care system. The Memorial Health System implemented an IT system which failed. When an organization implements an IT system every one of its employees needs to be on the same page. This includes the stakeholders, CEOs and managers. When an organization has made the decision to implement an IT system it is important for the organization to have an IT staff that knows how to work with the system.When the organization that is implementing the system does not have the IT staff properly trained then the system could fail. This is main reason that the Memorial Health System implementation failed. Why the process failed In this case Memorial Health Care system failed. Four years ago the board of directors of Memorial Health Care Systems agreed to a multi-million dollar implementation of an org anizational clinician provider order entry system (CPOE) that would reduce the medical errors within the organization. Since the implementation four years ago the system is still not totally functioning.The system is only working fully for one out of the eight hospitals within the organization. Fred Dryer (CEO) and Joe Roberts (CIO) were in charge of the project. Even with some of the stakeholders not sure of this the go ahead was given. There were others complaining that the new system would double the workloads. In an effort to prove their timeline could be met Dryers and Roberts rushed the requirement analysis, had a RFP issued, selected a vendor, and signed the contract in just six months leaving 12 months to do the implementation of the IT system.It was a short time after that the two leads on the project Dryers and Roberts left the organization. The then chief medical officer, Barbara Lu was made CEO and put in charge of the implementation even though she was opposed to it. Th e board of directors still supported the project and did not want to lose the large down payment to the vendor so Lu was instructed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Dr. Melvin Sparks was appointed CIO of the system and hired Sally Martin as project manager. In working on the project Sparks and martin had an argument which caused a breakdown in communication.When the project launched it was obvious what the analysis missed, that the software was flawed and user-end training was not done. Doctors could not sign in to the system and the nurses could not enter the doctor’s orders. The patient ended up waiting for tests and their medications. What should be done different? The process should not have been rushed to ensure that the requirement analysis was through and that important steps were not missed. Some of the missing steps were training of the user staff, the cost of the whole project and the time frame of the project.The staff should have had more complete training for using the system. The cost should have been better explained so the organization could budget for all the costs. The time frame needed to be realistic not rushed. Conclusion All in all, this implementation of the system failed due to the rushed requirement analysis the lack of training for the staff using the system, and the lack of communication during the implementation of the system. It did not help that the key project managers changed during the process of implementing the system. The end result is that only one out of eight hospitals is using the system. It Project Implementation Failures IT Project Implementation Failures Barbara Ratcliff HCS/483 March 16, 2013 Donna Lee Lewis IT Project Implementation Failures Introduction Memorial Health System is an eight-hospital integrated health care system. The Memorial Health System implemented an IT system which failed. When an organization implements an IT system every one of its employees needs to be on the same page. This includes the stakeholders, CEOs and managers. When an organization has made the decision to implement an IT system it is important for the organization to have an IT staff that knows how to work with the system.When the organization that is implementing the system does not have the IT staff properly trained then the system could fail. This is main reason that the Memorial Health System implementation failed. Why the process failed In this case Memorial Health Care system failed. Four years ago the board of directors of Memorial Health Care Systems agreed to a multi-million dollar implementation of an org anizational clinician provider order entry system (CPOE) that would reduce the medical errors within the organization. Since the implementation four years ago the system is still not totally functioning.The system is only working fully for one out of the eight hospitals within the organization. Fred Dryer (CEO) and Joe Roberts (CIO) were in charge of the project. Even with some of the stakeholders not sure of this the go ahead was given. There were others complaining that the new system would double the workloads. In an effort to prove their timeline could be met Dryers and Roberts rushed the requirement analysis, had a RFP issued, selected a vendor, and signed the contract in just six months leaving 12 months to do the implementation of the IT system.It was a short time after that the two leads on the project Dryers and Roberts left the organization. The then chief medical officer, Barbara Lu was made CEO and put in charge of the implementation even though she was opposed to it. Th e board of directors still supported the project and did not want to lose the large down payment to the vendor so Lu was instructed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Dr. Melvin Sparks was appointed CIO of the system and hired Sally Martin as project manager. In working on the project Sparks and martin had an argument which caused a breakdown in communication.When the project launched it was obvious what the analysis missed, that the software was flawed and user-end training was not done. Doctors could not sign in to the system and the nurses could not enter the doctor’s orders. The patient ended up waiting for tests and their medications. What should be done different? The process should not have been rushed to ensure that the requirement analysis was through and that important steps were not missed. Some of the missing steps were training of the user staff, the cost of the whole project and the time frame of the project.The staff should have had more complete training for using the system. The cost should have been better explained so the organization could budget for all the costs. The time frame needed to be realistic not rushed. Conclusion All in all, this implementation of the system failed due to the rushed requirement analysis the lack of training for the staff using the system, and the lack of communication during the implementation of the system. It did not help that the key project managers changed during the process of implementing the system. The end result is that only one out of eight hospitals is using the system.

The Life and Work of Howard S. Becker

The Life and Work of Howard S. Becker Howard S. Howie Becker is an American sociologist renowned for his qualitative research into the lives of those otherwise classified as deviant, and for revolutionizing how deviant behavior is studied and theorized within the discipline. The development of the subfield focused on deviance is credited to him, as is  labeling theory. He also made significant contributions to the sociology of art. His most notable books include  Outsiders  (1963),  Art Worlds  (1982),  What About Mozart? What About Murder?  (2015).  Most of his career was spent as a professor of sociology at Northwestern University.   Early Life Born in 1928 in Chicago, IL, Becker is now technically retired but continues to teach and write in San Francisco, CA, and Paris, France. One of the most prolific living sociologists, he has about 200 publications to his name, including 13 books. Becker has been awarded six honorary degrees, and in 1998 was given the award for Career of Distinguished Scholarship by the American Sociological Association. His scholarship has been supported by the Ford Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. Becker served as President of the Society for the Study of Social Problems from 1965-66, and is a lifelong jazz pianist. Becker earned Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in sociology from the University of Chicago, studying with those considered a part of the Chicago School of Sociology, including Everett C. Hughes, Georg Simmel, and Robert E. Park. Becker himself is considered a part of the Chicago School. His career in studying those considered deviant began thanks to his exposure to marijuana smoking at Chicagos jazz bars, where he regularly played piano. One of his earliest research projects focused on marijuana use. This research fed into his widely read and cited book  Outsiders, which is considered one of the first texts to develop labeling theory, which postulates that people adopt deviant behavior that breaks social norms after they have been labeled deviant by others, by social institutions, and by the criminal justice system. Importance of His Work The importance of this work is that it shifts analytic focus away from individuals and to social structures and relations, which allows for the social forces at play in producing deviance to be seen, understood, and changed, if need be. Beckers groundbreaking research resonates today in the work of sociologists who study how institutions, including schools, use racial stereotypes to label students of color as deviant problems that must be managed by the criminal justice system, rather than in-school punishment. Beckers book  Art Worlds  made important contributions to the subfield of the sociology of art. His work shifted the conversation from individual artists to the whole field of social relations that make the production, distribution, and valuation of art possible. This text also proved influential to the sociology of media, media studies, and cultural studies. Another important contribution that Becker made to sociology was to write his books and articles in an engaging and readable way that made them accessible to a wide audience. He wrote prolifically also on the important role that good writing plays in disseminating the results of sociological research. His books on this topic, which also serve as writing guides, include  Writing for Social Scientists,  The Tricks of the Trade, and  Telling About Society. Learn More About Howie Becker You can find much of Beckers writing on his website, where he also shares his music, photos, and favorite quotes. To learn more about Beckers fascinating life as a jazz musician/sociologist, check out this in-depth 2015 profile of him in  The New Yorker.

Little Picture Questions in SAT Reading 5 Key Tips

Little Picture Questions in SAT Reading 5 Key Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Little picture, or detail, questions make up a significant amount of questions on the SAT Critical Reading sections. Of 4 post-2005 publicly available tests I surveyed, little picture questions accounted for 25% of all passage-based questions and 17% of all SAT Reading questions. This means that it is well worth your time in your SAT Reading prep to make sure you can consistently answer little picture questions accurately and in a reasonable amount of time (what that range is for accuracy and reasonableness will depend on the score you are aiming for). In this article, I’ll provide examples of the different ways the SAT will ask you to use little picture skills, explain the SAT Reading strategies you can use to help with these questions, and end with a walkthrough of a sample questions. First, however, I’ll explain what exactly I mean by â€Å"little picture† questions. Note:The advice in this article is still relevant for the new SAT (March 2016 and beyond), but some of the examples haven't been updated yet. feature image credit: Miniature Fimo Nikon D80 by 55Laney69, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Little Picture Questions? Little picture questions are questions that ask you to find specific details from a passage. Moreover, you will not just be asked about details at random; SAT Reading questions asks you specifically about details that are vital to understanding the passage (even though you don’t necessarily have to read the whole passage to find these details). For example, you might be asked, based on information from the passage, what the milky blue that appears around the edges of older dogs’ eyes signifies (cataracts); you would NOT, however, be asked the color of the film (unless that had greater significance in the passage as a whole). I’ve divided up little picture questions into two types: Type 1: Find The (Paraphrased) Detail Type 2: Given Line Information, Find What A Word/Phrase Refers To Type 1: Find the (Paraphrased) Detail These questions, which ask you to find a particular detail in the passage (sometimes paraphrased in the answer choice, sometimes stated directly using the same words as the passage), make up the majority of little picture questions. There are two ways in which the SAT Reading will ask you to fact find: 1. Find the Information in a Specific Place By far, questions that give you a location and ask you to find the detail to answer the question are the most common type of little picture question (more than half). Sometimes, you'll have to paraphrase the detail (meaning the passage uses slightly different wording than the correct answer choice). This is most often the case with questions that ask things like the following question: â€Å"Which of the following views of conflict is best supported by lines 37-40 (â€Å"These . . . one†) ?† To answer this question, you must first go to the lines cited in the question... "These places have interesting frictions and incongruities, and often, if you stand at the point of tangency, you can see both sides better than if you were in the middle of either one." ...and paraphrase the information contained in those lines. Only after that should you look at the answer choices to see what matches. In this case, the correct answer is (E) You can learn more about two parties in conflict as an observer than as an involved participant. Depending on how complex the passage is, detail questions with specific line information can require some vocab knowledge. Here's an example of a question where that might be the case: â€Å"The author initially responded to Herd’s request â€Å"with condescension† (lines 13-14) because the author† Lines 13-14: "I still blush at the fact that I went to graduate school to become a historian in order to contribute to the Black Struggle for social justice and yet met her request to write a history of Black women in Indiana with condescension." Now, if you don’t know what â€Å"condescension† means, the question might be tricky. If there is a word you don't know in the question or passage, context clues can often help. In the case of the question above, going on to read the next sentence will help you answer the question without needing to know what â€Å"condescension† means: "I had never even thought about Black women as historical subjects with their own relations to a state’s history, and I thought her invitation and phone call extraordinarily intrusive." Since this sentence is an explanation of the previous sentence, you don't even need to know what "condescension" means to figure out why the author responded to Herd's request "with condescension;" instead, you can just paraphrase the explanatory sentence above to get the answer to the question: (E) viewed Herd’ s request as irrelevant and presumptuous. Of course, if you also don't know the word "presumptuous" (or other words in the answer choices), process of elimination may be your best bet (more on that in Strategies). I've gathered what I think are good examples of detail/little picture questions with location information below, so you can get an idea of how these questions are worded: â€Å"Passage 1 suggests that the Fermi Paradox depends most directly on which assumption?† â€Å"The fourth paragraph (lines 50-56) indicates that Plato’s principal objection to â€Å"poetry† (line 50) was its† â€Å"The comment about â€Å"a new medium of artistic expression† (line 62) primarily suggests that† â€Å"The â€Å"porcupine women of this world† (lines 76-77) are best described as people who† â€Å"Ultimately, Cecil views his remark in line 34 (â€Å"It . . . now†) as† â€Å"The primary reason described for the usefulness of the theory mentioned in line 57 is its ability to† â€Å"In the quotation in lines 61-64, George Will primarily draws attention to† â€Å"Lines 30-34 (â€Å"In spite . . . persevered†) suggest that the author believed that† â€Å"In lines 40-43 (â€Å"Moonless . . . Sun†), the narrator’s comment about the â€Å"arrangement† demonstrates a preference for" 2. Find the Information in a Non-Specific Place The information needed to answer these questions is somewhere in the passage, maybe even narrowed down to a few paragraphs/generalization like â€Å"end of the passage,† but you aren't given specific lines. Because exact location information is not given, the wording of the questions is often even simpler than it is for questions for which you do have specific location information. Sometimes, the words in the question are taken directly from the text. At other times, just as for Type 1, a little paraphrasing is required. Some examples: â€Å"Which statement about the Fermi Paradox is supported by both passages?† â€Å"At the end of the passage, the author suggests that it would be ideal if the† â€Å"According to the author, too much energy today is spent debating† â€Å"In the first two paragraphs of the passage (lines 1-23), the author suggests that both sides of the debate† â€Å"Both passages support which of the following conclusions about Earth’s carrying capacity for humans?† â€Å"Darwin (lines 1-13, Passage 1) and Meek (lines 45-51, Passage 2) serve as examples of† â€Å"Both the author of Passage 1 and the â€Å"experts† mentioned in line 53 of Passage 2 directly support the idea that† Rare Question Types While the majority of little picture questions that ask you to find the (paraphrased) detail are phrased as shown above, there are a couple of rarer question types that I think are worth mentioning. The first of these are the "NOT/EXCEPT" questions. They are relatively rare (I found four examples out of 480 passage-based questions) and generally look something like this: â€Å"The author makes use of all of the following EXCEPT† These questions can be tricky because there will always, ALWAYS be at least one answer choice that banks on you forgetting the "EXCEPT" and, instead, saying to yourself "Aha! The author makes use of this, so it's the right answer." Not that I have ever done this myself. No. Of course not. Even rarer than "NOT/EXCEPT" questions on SAT Reading are what I call the "I, II, III" questions. Here's an example of what I mean: Which of the following can be found in both passages? I. A theory about how people originally traveled to Boston II. An exact date Boston was initially settled III. Reference to possible sources of food for early Bostonians. (A) I only (B) II only (C) I and III only (D) II and III only (E) I, II, and III Fortunately, this is one case where the question looks more obnoxious than it is. Why? Because you can use process of elimination to your advantage. Let's say you are able to immediately cross out statement II - the passage contains no information about an exact date when Boston was initially settled. That means that you can eliminate answer choices (B), (D), and (E) right away, and can focus your efforts on statement III (if it's true, then (C) must be the correct answer; if it's false, than (A) must be the correct answer). Clock Face by David~O, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Type 2: Given Line Information, Find What a Word/Phrase Refers to These are detail questions where you are given a word or phrase (in a specific line) and asked what it's referring to. In some ways, these questions require you to use skills similar to those you'd need for vocab in context questions, but unlike with vocab in context questions, the correct answer will be very specific to the passage. For example, if a little picture question asks about what the word â€Å"death† refers to, the answer choices won’t be â€Å"the absence of life, the cessation of movement, the end of a fad,† and so on (which would be possible answers if the question was something like "In line 42, the word "death" most nearly means"). Instead, answer choices to detail questions will be highly specific, like â€Å"the neglect of older cultural monuments.† These questions require taking another step because you don’t just have to go to the lines in question to find the detail – you have to figure out what that detail is referring to (which is not necessarily included in the cited lines). I've seen these words (where you have to find what they refer to) called "compression nouns" by Meltzer. Personally, I think of questions that ask you to find what a particular word or phrase refers to as very similar to Prounoun/Antecedent questions on the Writing section; like pronouns, these words refer back to other words/things. Here are some examples of questions that give you a phrase or word and ask you to find the detail it refers to: â€Å"Based on information presented in the passage, which best describes what Georgia was â€Å"tired of † (line 8) ?† â€Å"In lines 63-64, â€Å"psychological reality† describes which quality?† â€Å"As described in lines 17-23, the â€Å"practice† refers to the† â€Å"The phrase â€Å"horrible immensities† (line 54) primarily indicates† SAT Reading Strategies for Mastering Little Picture Questions I've list the following strategies for answering little picture questions in no particular order, since the order you choose will depend on the way you read the passage. (1) To answer little picture questions, start by figuring out what the key information the SAT is looking for in the question. Take the following question: â€Å"Which challenge is emphasized by the author in the final paragraph (lines 73-77)?† Now, here's the key information I extracted from that question: â€Å"final paragraph† (location information) â€Å"challenge† (you’re looking for something that was difficult) maybe â€Å"author† (if there are other people who could be emphasizing challenges in that context, then specifying that you're looking for a challenge emphasized by the author is important; otherwise, the author thing is pretty much something you can take for granted) (2) Figure out where in the passage the detail being asked about is (if you aren’t given the exact lines outright) and read the relevant section slowly. How do you find the detail if you aren't given the exact lines outright? While sometimes the questions use the same language as the passage, and all you have to do is scan the passage for the words used in the question to get your answer, this is not always true. In these cases, your best bet is to turn to the answer choices and see if you can find those in the text instead (and then if you don't find an answer choice in the text, you can eliminate it!). Because searching for these details can take up way too much time, I would recommend starting with questions that include location information and then moving on to those that lack location information. (3) You can try to quickly answer the question in your own words as well, even though the answer choices are sometimes taken word-for-word from the text. Putting the answers in your own words helps prevent you from falling into â€Å"I recognized the phrasing so I’ll just choose it† trap (when in fact the SAT has sneakily reversed the meaning on you). (4) As always, process of elimination is hugely helpful with these questions – if the text directly contradicts an answer choice, you can cross it out with no worries. (5) I almost always do little picture questions first on each passage. For me, hunting for the details gets me acquainted with the passage without having to read the whole thing. Plus, detail questions are easy points because they often involve nothing more than finding what is stated in the text. The order you answer questions in, however, will depend on your reading strategy and what works best for you. If you tend to read the passage thoroughly first, I would recommend answering big picture questions before moving on to little picture questions. That way, you can answer questions about the whole passage before getting lost in the details. If you read the questions first, absolutely start with level one little picture questions (get them out of the way). Answering these questions can give you a better idea of the way the essay is laid out. The only reason not to start with little picture questions would be if you are concerned it might disorient you and make it harder for you to answer other types of questions. If you skim, then answer questions, it could go either way. Skimming can help you form a mental map of where certain details are more likely to show up, which means answering detail questions first would be good...but answering detail questions first also might get you bogged down in detail too quickly and make it harder to answer big picture questions. Ultimately, you need to do some trial and error on your own to figure out which is most effective for you by using each method on multiple practice Reading questions (including SAT Reading sections as well as full length practice SATs). The strategy you get the most points with is the one to go with. Walkthrough To wrap up this article, I'm going to go through an example and apply strategies in my own order (you might find that using the strategies I mention above in a different order works best for you). The question: â€Å"According to lines 41-46 (â€Å"When I . . . crossfire†), the author’s initial goal was to† (A) consider the perspectives of both the American doctors and the Lees family to see what insights might develop (B) serve as a counselor to the county hospital’s Hmong patients in order to ease their anxieties (C) work out a compromise between the American doctors and the Lees family (D) acquire a greater knowledge of how the American medical culture serves patients (E) try to reduce the misunderstandings between the American doctors and the Lees family and promote good will The relevant lines: "When I first came to Merced, I hoped that the culture of American medicine, about which I knew a little, and the culture of the Hmong, about which I knew nothing, would somehow illuminate each other if I could position myself between the two and manage not to get caught in the cross-fire." Step 1: What key info is being looked for in the question? Hmm...what was the author's â€Å"initial goal†? Initial = first, goal =†¦goal. So what was the first thing the author wanted to do? Step 2: Find the passage and read the lines carefully Well, I already found the passage (because the lines are given), but now it's time to read carefully (maybe looking for a word like â€Å"first† or â€Å"initial†). "When I first came to Merced, I hoped that the culture of American medicine, about which I knew a little, and the culture of the Hmong, about which I knew nothing, would somehow illuminate each other if I could position myself between the two and manage not to get caught in the cross-fire." Step 3: Answer in my own words So the passage says that at first the author wanted to stand between the two cultures (American medicine and Hmong). Probably not literally. â€Å"hoped† that they â€Å"would somehow illuminate each other† = hoped that could learn from them? Probably? Bah. Let’s look at the answer choices. (A) consider the perspectives of both the American doctors and the Lees family to see what insights might develop This seems like it could be right –the author definitely wants to consider two different perspectives. Not sure about the rest of the answer choice – might need more context than just the lines cited in the question. (B) serve as a counselor to the county hospital’s Hmong patients in order to ease their anxieties Uh, no, there’s nothing about being a counselor. Can double check context though. (C) work out a compromise between the American doctors and the Lees family Seems like it could be possible, I guess. Except that the first thing the author hopes is that the cultures illuminate each other, not that the author can make a compromise. So maybe a compromise came later, but the illuminating came first. (D) acquire a greater knowledge of how the American medical culture serves patients I mean, sort of? The relevant lines do say something about American medical culture. But nothing about how it serves patients. (E) try to reduce the misunderstandings between the American doctors and the Lees family and promote good will Nothing in the lines cited about promoting goodwill. Looks like I might need a little more context to answer the question. What about the line before the cited lines? â€Å"This is especially true when the apposition is culture† What is â€Å"this†? Or â€Å"apposition?† Hmm let’s see what the line after the cross-fire line is, maybe that’ll be less work. I can always go back to the line before â€Å"This†¦culture† if I need to. â€Å"But after getting to know the Lees family and their daughter’s doctors and realizing how hard it was to blame anyone, I stopped analyzing the situation in such linear terms.† Aha! â€Å"stopped analyzing† meaning that analyzing is what the author WAS doing. Let’s take a look at the answers again. (A) consider the perspectives of both the American doctors and the Lees family to see what insights might develop Yes, author was doing analysis! I’ll double check the others to make sure I can eliminate them. (B) serve as a counselor to the county hospital’s Hmong patients in order to ease their anxieties Nope, even less supported now. ELIMINATE. (C) work out a compromise between the American doctors and the Lees family Nope, compromise ≠  analysis. ELIMINATE. (D) acquire a greater knowledge of how the American medical culture serves patients I mean, that’s part of the goal, but not the whole thing . Also why the â€Å"serves patients†? Not part of the point. The author just didn’t know about the American medical cultural in general. ELIMINATE. (E) try to reduce the misunderstandings between the American doctors and the Lees family and promote good will Nope, no reducing or promoting here! ELIMINATE! To triple check, what was that thing that â€Å"This is especially true when the apposition is cultural† was referring to? Looks like it was referring to part of the previous sentence: "...if you stand at the point of tangency, you can see both sides better than if you were in the middle of either one." Even more confirmation: you can see both sides better does not equal being a counselor, or creating a compromise, learning about how to serve patients, or promoting goodwill. Answer must be (A). Actually answering these questions on the SAT will probably not take nearly this long, because you won’t have to (nor should you) write out complete explanations for every reason to reject the answer like I just did. If you find you’re taking longer than 30-45 seconds on a question, circle it and come back to it later. SAT Reading Practice Questions Intro material and relevant paragraphs for questions 1-3: The following passage is from a 1991 essay that discusses the debate over which authors should be taught in English classes. 1. Lines 30-39 (â€Å"In school . . . cultures†) present a model of education where students learn to (A) value cultural diversity over tradition (B) respect the views of both sides of the debate (C) reflect critically on the nature of American schooling (D) differentiate between classic and contemporary works (E) explore the world through wide-ranging reading 2. In lines 54-60 (â€Å"School . . . say†), the author describes a world in which schools teach books that are (A) interesting (B) celebrated (C) uncontroversial (D) not obviously relevant (E) not likely to inspire 3. Lines 60-64 (â€Å"Being . . . teenagers†) suggest that excluding a book from a reading list might (A) enhance the reputation of the book’s author (B) encourage students to protest the decision (C) influence course curricula nationwide (D) appease conservative parents (E) disappoint the book’s fans Intro material and relevant paragraphs for questions 4-6: The following passage is adapted from a book published in 1999. 4. The â€Å"dark cloud† mentioned in line 4 refers to an (A) atypical diagnosis (B) unsupported hypothesis (C) unknown threat (D) evil influence (E) important contradiction 5. Which pairing best represents the different models of the universe presented in lines 7-14? (A) Big and little (B) Old and new (C) Complex and simple (D) Verified and undocumented (E) Theoretical and practical 6. The author uses the â€Å"automobile† (lines 45-46) to represent equations that (A) demand a professional’s attention (B) are intrinsically unreliable (C) do not work together effectively (D) can be easily adjusted if necessary (E) are based on dated mathematics Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. E 2. D 3. A 4.E 5. A 6. C Summary of SAT Reading Strategies for Little Picture Questions Find the key information in the question and/or put the question in your own words. Read the indicated part of the passage carefully, looking for context if necessary (especially if you’re being asked what a word or phrase refers to). Answer in your own words and find the answer that matches that answer. Eliminate three wrong answers. What’s Next? â€Å"Where can I find more official practice questions?† I hear you cry. Never fear – we have a complete guide to finding official SAT practice tests, including free links! Interested in more SAT Reading skills articles like this one? We’ve got articles on big picture, words in context, inference, and paired passage questions, or you can just go toour ultimate SAT Reading study guide to find a list of all of our Reading skills articles. Not sure how you’re supposed to finish the SAT Critical Reading section without running out of time? Learn about three different ways to read the passage on the SAT. Need structured help? Try our very own PrepScholar test prep platform. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

The Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution

The Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution The Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, ​was the defining battle of the Texas Revolution. Mexican General Santa Anna had unwisely divided his force to mop up those Texans still in rebellion after the Battle of the Alamo and the Goliad Massacre. General Sam Houston, sensing Santa Annas mistake, engaged him on the shores of the San Jacinto River. The battle was a rout, as hundreds of Mexican soldiers were killed or captured. Santa Anna himself was captured and forced to sign a treaty, effectively ending the war. Rebellion in Texas Tensions had long been simmering between rebellious Texans and Mexico. Settlers from the USA had been coming to Texas (then a part of Mexico) for years, with the support of the Mexican government, but a number of factors made them unhappy and open war broke out at the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835. Mexican President/General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna marched north with a massive army to put down the rebellion. He defeated the Texans at the legendary Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. This was followed by the Goliad Massacre, in which some 350 rebellious Texan prisoners were executed. Santa Anna vs. Sam Houston After the Alamo and Goliad, panicked Texans fled east, fearing for their lives. Santa Anna believed that the Texans were beaten even though General Sam Houston still had an army of almost 900 in the field and more recruits came every day. Santa Anna chased the fleeing Texans, alienating many with his policies of driving off Anglo settlers and destroying their homesteads. Meanwhile, Houston kept one step ahead of Santa Anna. His critics called him a coward, but Houston felt he would only get one shot at defeating the much-larger Mexican army and preferred to pick the time and place for battle. Prelude to Battle In April of 1836, Santa Anna learned that Houston was moving east. He divided his army in three: one part went on a failed attempt to capture the provisional government, another remained to protect his supply lines, and the third, which he commanded himself, went after Houston and his army. When Houston learned what Santa Anna had done, he knew the time was right and turned to meet the Mexicans. Santa Anna set up camp on April 19, 1836, in a marshy area bordered by the San Jacinto River, Buffalo Bayou and a lake. Houston set up camp nearby. Sherman’s Charge On the afternoon of April 20, as the two armies continued to skirmish and size each other up, Sidney Sherman demanded that Houston send a cavalry charge to attack the Mexicans: Houston thought this foolish. Sherman rounded up about 60 horsemen and charged anyway. The Mexicans did not flinch and before long, the horsemen were trapped, forcing the rest of the Texan army to briefly attack to allow them to escape. This was typical of Houston’s command. As most of the men were volunteers, they did not have to take orders from anyone if they didn’t want to and often did things on their own. The Battle of San Jacinto On the following day, April 21, Santa Anna received some 500 reinforcements under the command of General Martà ­n Perfecto de Cos. When Houston didn’t attack at first light, Santa Anna assumed he would not attack that day and the Mexicans rested. The troops under Cos were particularly tired. The Texans wanted to fight and several junior officers tried to convince Houston to attack. Houston held a good defensive position and wanted to let Santa Anna attack first, but in the end, he was convinced of the wisdom of an attack. At about 3:30, the Texans began silently marching forward, trying to get as close as possible before opening fire. Total Defeat As soon as the Mexicans realized an attack was coming, Houston ordered the cannons to fire (he had two of them, called the â€Å"twin sisters†) and the cavalry and infantry to charge. The Mexicans were taken completely unawares. Many were asleep and almost none were in defensive position. The angry Texans swarmed into the enemy camp, shouting â€Å"Remember Goliad!† and â€Å"Remember the Alamo!† After about 20 minutes, all organized resistance failed. Panicked Mexicans tried to flee only to find themselves trapped by the river or bayou. Many of Santa Anna’s best officers fell early and loss of leadership made the rout even worse. The Final Toll The Texans, still enraged over the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad, showed little pity for the Mexicans. Many Mexicans tried to surrender, saying â€Å"me no La Bahà ­a (Goliad), me no Alamo,† but it was no use. The worst part of the slaughter was at the edges of the Bayou, where fleeing Mexicans found themselves cornered. The final toll for the Texans: nine dead and 30 wounded, including Sam Houston, who had been shot in the ankle. For the Mexicans: about 630 dead, 200 wounded and 730 captured, including Santa Anna himself, who was captured the next day as he tried to flee in civilian clothes. Legacy of the Battle of San Jacinto After the battle, many of the victorious Texans clamored for the execution of General Santa Anna. Houston wisely refrained. He correctly surmised that Santa Anna was worth much more alive than dead. There were still three large Mexican armies in Texas, under Generals Filisola, Urrea and Gaona: any one of them was large enough to potentially defeat Houston and his men. Houston and his officers spoke with Santa Anna for hours before deciding on a course of action. Santa Anna dictated orders to his generals: they were to leave Texas at once. He also signed documents recognizing the independence of Texas and ending the war. Somewhat amazingly, Santa Annas generals did as they were told and retreated out of Texas with their armies. Santa Anna somehow evaded execution and eventually made his way back to Mexico, where he would later resume the Presidency, go back on his word, and try more than once to re-take Texas. But every effort was doomed to failure. Texas was gone, soon to be followed by California, New Mexico, and much more Mexican territory. History lends events such as the independence of Texas a certain feeling of inevitability  as if it was always the destiny of Texas to become first independent and then a state in the USA. The reality was different. The Texans had just suffered two huge losses at the Alamo and Goliad and were on the run. Had Santa Anna not split his forces, Houstons army may well have been beaten by the Mexicans superior numbers. In addition, Santa Annas generals had the strength to defeat the Texans: had Santa Anna been executed, they likely would have kept fighting. In either case, history would be much different today. As it was, the Mexicans crushing defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto proved decisive for Texas. The Mexican army retreated, effectively ending the only realistic chance they ever had of re-taking Texas. Mexico would futilely try for years to reclaim Texas, only finally relinquishing any claim to it after the Mexican-American War. San Jacinto was Houstons finest hour. The glorious victory silenced his critics and gave him the invincible air of a war hero, which served him in good stead during his subsequent political career. His decisions were consistently proven wise. His reluctance to attack Santa Annas unified force and his refusal to let the captured dictator be executed are two good examples. For the Mexicans, San Jacinto was the start of a long national nightmare that would end with the loss of not only Texas  but also California, New Mexico, and much more. It was a humiliating defeat and for years. Mexican politicians made great plans to get Texas back, but deep down they knew it was gone. Santa Anna was disgraced  but would make yet another comeback in Mexican politics during the Pastry War against France in 1838-1839. Today, there is a monument at the San Jacinto battlefield, not far from the city of Houston. Resources and Further Reading Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: the Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence. New York: Anchor Books, 2004.

Consumer Decision Making Process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Decision Making Process - Assignment Example The assignment "Consumer Decision Making Process" talks about the interview which began with a brief introduction of the interviewer and the intention of the interview to the interviewee who bought a 400 QR worth Samsung Galaxy phone. When asked what made him buy the Android phone, he answered Android phones were trendy and stylish. It was quite evident that the brand name played a role in influencing his purchasing decision. This was quite secondary as the main preference that was not brand related seemed to supersede brand loyalty.The method used was laddering, with the help of Means End Chain Approach. This approach dictates that questions are asked in a certain manner, especially with many â€Å"why†-questions that may make the customer uncomfortable especially when the answers being sought by such questions are apparent. So an explanation was made to the customer/ respondent in advance of the questioning. The Means End Chain is based on assumptions that customers’ product knowledge is based on three factors as shown below according to the interview. These factors are arranged in a hierarchical manner as shown above, with the attribute topping the hierarchy and the value being at the bottom. Below is the interview excerpt from the interview of the customer. Attributes are the good outstanding features of the product, consequences are the benefits associated with the product or the problems of the product and finally, the value is the feeling contributed by the consequence.

Artists Think Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Artists Think - Essay Example A question here arises as to why can’t the artists speak rather than sketching their feelings into a picture. An answer to this question is that some feelings cannot be expressed in words but rather can be expressed by sketching. These feelings can only be understood better by looking at the picture. Artists have a unique way of drawing these pictures to tell how they feel about these issues. They work on their drawing so that the audience can feel the theme of the drawing. Artists feel that a sketch can appeal more to an audience rather than simple words. It can be said that truly artists are able to express their feelings and emotions through a drawing. The pictures speak more than the words according to the artists as these pictures can present a whole picture of the event. The artists work on their drawings to give the audience a better picture of the whole event. It can be clearly said that these artists are able to express better in pictures than in speaking.

Individual report-corporate strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual report-corporate strategies - Essay Example With its vision of enabling its customers to make the most of their world and possibilities though the services it offers, O2 plc (O2) accomplishes its commitment of providing mobile communication services in Europe. The business organisation also profits from its leading mobile internet portal business. Armed with its values of being bold, trusted, open, and clear, O2 continues its quest to become the telecommunication industry’s market leader. The creation of O2 in the 1990s can be traced backed to the decision of British Telecommunication to â€Å"demerge its mobile phone business† in order to strengthen the financial position of the latter. From its beginning, the firm is currently a major player in the various nations where it operates including the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Germany, the Isle of Man, and Asia. As the business organisation is focused on satisfying consumer needs, O2 strategic business units are classified according to their geographic locations. It should be noted that the products being offered varies in each region (O2 Plc 2006). The major products of O2 are mobile telecommunication equipments which are either paid through installment plans or pre-paid. With its thrust to provide the market with higher quality products, the company offers complementary services like third generation telephony (3G), O2 Active, I Mode, and O2 Online. O2 also ensures the satisfaction of customers by offering product features like entertainment through its sponsorship of the England Rugby Team and Arsenal FC and partnership with Anschutz Entertainment Group (O2 Plc 2006). As stated above, O2 Plc operates in different geographic locations, battling head-on with various competitors. Table 1 shows the geographical locations of firm’s business activities alongside with its competitors in each region. It can

Security policy document Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Security policy document - Term Paper Example The Global Security Inc consist of three major components of security Architecture those components include; process, people and tools that have been integrated to protect the entire assets of Global Distribution Inc company. In terms of process, the company has a well structured and secure distribution channel across all its networks situated in Canada, United States and Mexico. In addition, the company has a well defined work process whereby, the organisation has various departments that have been integrated together for security purposes. Among those departments include; I.T department, finance department, Human resource department to mention just but a few. In terms of people, the organisation has employed more than three thousand and two hundred people in different departments. It has also been reported that the organisation has been experiencing continuous growth. The growth has been attributed to the technological creativity and innovation in the organisation. The number of em ployees has been increasing in order to help the organisation achieve its security goals and objectives (Schlachter, 2005). Â  The Global Distribution Inc has a well organized security Architect that consist of the following components; Technology, Accessibility and Control of the border, Identification management, Validation, architectural adjustment, training, guidance before and during disaster occurrence, inclusion and exclusion. In terms of technology, Global Distribution Inc utilizes both computer software and hardware.

Pathology of Ageing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pathology of Ageing - Essay Example A quality of life of elderly patients depends more on ageing-related disease than solely on chronological characteristics. ‘Natural’ transformations in the status of the organism during the process of ageing, such as the changes in the immune, cardiovascular and endocrine systems (Martin, & Sheaff 2007), occur simultaneously with abnormal pathological processes associated with variety of age-related diseases, such as wear and tear of skin, muscles, and skeleton (Freemon, & Hoyland 2007), cardiovascular system (Greenwald 2007), etc. These two types of changes interact closely in various types of age-related diseases such as hearing loss, noise damage, skin damage, hypertension, increased body mass index, etc. The process of aging is associated with changes in the human brain at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Although the recent studies have found that loss of neurons in aging persons is more modest than many past studies suggested and is limited to only some neuron populations, the reduction in the size of remaining neurons has been revealed as well as a reduced size of dendritic and axonal arborizations (Esiri 2007). Electrical activities of the brain change notably as the personal growth older. The changes are observed primarily in a rhythm of the brain and they do not depend on the absence or presence of any physical disorders or diseases. Serious cognitive changes are associated with aging. Various cognitive abilities demonstrate different patterns of change over the process of normal aging. (Schaie, 1994). The most common changes occur to reaction time, the overall speed of information processing, and reduction in visuospatial and motor control abilities, memory, and attention, particularly the ability to divide one's attention, to shift focus rapidly, and to deal with complex situations (APA, 2003). Cognitive functions that are better preserved with age include learning, language and vocabulary skills, reasoning, and other skills that rely primarily on

Management Accounting and Finance in U.K. museums and music Dissertation

Management Accounting and Finance in U.K. museums and music organisations - Dissertation Example Therefore in the following sections we will discuss about the historical background of the UK, the economy of the country, the political factors related to the overall administration of the country, the various social factors, the cultural aspects, the leisure activities and the financial aspects of both music organizations and museums. Background The European cultural funding have long been the subject of resentment for the arts organizations & artists of America. However over the last two years that is after 2010, as the severe minded conventional governments took step against the background of a profound fiscal emergency, countries across the European continent have focused on the arts segment for ruthless cuts. The most spectacular changes are taking place in countries that have conventionally been the major devotees of culture namely the Netherlands and the United Kingdom while locations that have been historically less charitable to the arts & culture of the society are now edg ing their funding to a meager amount. On the continent and in the nation of UK, art spaces, individual artists and museums have long been supported almost entirely with public funding, an arrangement that's tough to comprehend in the private-fundraising system prevailing in the U.S. For instance, In the Netherlands the proficient and talented artists used to get almost lifetime grants and accommodation allowance so that they could create art devoid of the requirement for a job for earning, and their unsold creations were bought by the government. In France, there was, until lately, specific unemployment assistance, planned to rush artists over amid performances. In nations... The European cultural funding have long been the subject of resentment for the arts organizations & artists of America. However over the last two years that is after 2010, as the severe minded conventional governments took step against the background of a profound fiscal emergency, countries across the European continent have focused on the arts segment for ruthless cuts. The most spectacular changes are taking place in countries that have conventionally been the major devotees of culture namely the Netherlands and the United Kingdom while locations that have been historically less charitable to the arts & culture of the society are now edging their funding to a meager amount. On the continent and in the nation of UK, art spaces, individual artists and museums have long been supported almost entirely with public funding, an arrangement that's tough to comprehend in the private-fundraising system prevailing in the U.S. For instance, In the Netherlands the proficient and talented artists used to get almost lifetime grants and accommodation allowance so that they could create art devoid of the requirement for a job for earning, and their unsold creations were bought by the government. In France, there was, until lately, specific unemployment assistance, planned to rush artists over amid performances. In nations like the, Hungary, Spain and UK all art museums were once supported with no private funding. Now the situation is changing fast. "The greatest impact within the visual arts will be on emerging productions or new works, and mainly in countries where the contemporary visual arts market is weak," said Luca Bergamo, secretary general of Culture Action Europe, a pan-European art advocacy organization based in Brussels.

Pathology of Ageing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pathology of Ageing - Essay Example A quality of life of elderly patients depends more on ageing-related disease than solely on chronological characteristics. ‘Natural’ transformations in the status of the organism during the process of ageing, such as the changes in the immune, cardiovascular and endocrine systems (Martin, & Sheaff 2007), occur simultaneously with abnormal pathological processes associated with variety of age-related diseases, such as wear and tear of skin, muscles, and skeleton (Freemon, & Hoyland 2007), cardiovascular system (Greenwald 2007), etc. These two types of changes interact closely in various types of age-related diseases such as hearing loss, noise damage, skin damage, hypertension, increased body mass index, etc. The process of aging is associated with changes in the human brain at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Although the recent studies have found that loss of neurons in aging persons is more modest than many past studies suggested and is limited to only some neuron populations, the reduction in the size of remaining neurons has been revealed as well as a reduced size of dendritic and axonal arborizations (Esiri 2007). Electrical activities of the brain change notably as the personal growth older. The changes are observed primarily in a rhythm of the brain and they do not depend on the absence or presence of any physical disorders or diseases. Serious cognitive changes are associated with aging. Various cognitive abilities demonstrate different patterns of change over the process of normal aging. (Schaie, 1994). The most common changes occur to reaction time, the overall speed of information processing, and reduction in visuospatial and motor control abilities, memory, and attention, particularly the ability to divide one's attention, to shift focus rapidly, and to deal with complex situations (APA, 2003). Cognitive functions that are better preserved with age include learning, language and vocabulary skills, reasoning, and other skills that rely primarily on

Energy Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Energy Policy - Essay Example This discussion will also help to draw a conclusion about whether it is beneficial to go ahead and promote these sources of energy. Renewable energy sources are beneficial in that they release less carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil fuels. For example, wind releases 0.02-0.04 pounds of CO2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) and solar energy releases 0.07-0.2 pounds of CO2/kWh: compared to coal, which produces 1.4-3.6 pounds of CO2/kWh (Hester, & Harrison, 2010). These statistics indicate that fossil fuels emit a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This gas causes global warming that makes the earth to be unbearable to the life of animals, human beings, and plants. This data also indicates that although renewable sources of energy are beneficial, they still pollute the environment with carbon dioxide. This means that these sources of power are not a perfect solution to the problem of emission of carbon to the atmosphere. Sources of energy such as wind, natural gas, and the sun promote health to the society compared to non-renewable sources of power such as coal (In Develi, & In Kaynak, 2012). Coal produces air that leads to health problems such as cancer, neurological damage, heart attacks, and respiratory difficulties. These problems are eliminated when the public uses natural gas, water, the sun, and geothermal. However, wind power remains to be a problem because it releases strong turbulent air that kills birds in the atmosphere (Haugen, & Musser, 2012). This means that the lives of birds especially the endangered species are risked when the public uses wind power. Therefore, not all renewable sources of energy are beneficial to the lives of living things. Renewable sources of energy are also inexhaustible and they create jobs more jobs for the public than fossil fuels. For example, wind uses more manpower than machines to produce heat and light (Jakab, 2010). This creates more

Customer Service Essay Example for Free

Customer Service Essay 1. The key concepts and topics in this course that have made me a stronger candidate to continue in the business world would be what I have learned from the units dealing with: Diversity, Customer Behavior, Customer Loyalty, and Exceptional Service: I have learned that customer comments, good or bad should always be taken into consideration, addressed and handled appropriately. Comments can provide insight to the thought process of the customer and it could help improve not only the customer service department but the product as well. The success of a company relies on the customer. Relationship Building and Solving Customer Problems: Satisfied customers will remain customers until there is a better option offered to them. Loyal customers establish an emotional connection with a business and/or company. Their loyalty is motivated by their experience with the products and the service. Customer service is what a company or business provides; customer loyalty is the result of the service. Extraordinary approaches to customer service is to go beyond the customer’s satisfaction, and make every attempt to surpass the customer’s expectations every time. A company earns customer loyalty by molding the shopping experience to the needs of the customer. Customers have a tendency to patronize companies that interactive with them in a positive, meaningful, personal manner. Many companies offer their customers loyalty programs such as; reward programs. This method can ensure a company keeps their current customer base and entices possible new customers. The Impact of Communication Styles on Customer Services:  A business cannot afford to lose customers because of a lack of customer service, but many do. Customers remember how they are treated and pass the word along, good or bad. Once a customer has been treated poorly they are likely not to return to buy from that business again, even if that business has what they need. When customers are satisfied, it is probable that they will spend more on the product or service and keep returning to that business. Customer service representatives (CSRs) play a big role in keeping, and bringing customers to a business. That is why it is essential to train customer service representatives in effective communications styles and skills because they are the liaison between the customer and the business. The CSR’s communication skills can impact the decision of a customer’s loyalty and the right communication style can be helpful in avoiding conflicts. Communication styles are methods in which a particular individual converses with another individual. Great service requires effective communication styles, and skills. Having a combination of these elements will guarantee that the right message is conveyed in a way that ensures the customer receives and understands it correctly and as intended. 2. Discuss how this course has affected you in your professional development as a student and as a person as well as encouraging you on your academic path. This was a very beneficial, educational and informative class. I have chosen the legal  field, more specifically, paralegal studies. I currently work for a bankruptcy law firm and I have learned a great deal since I have been employed there. I have 30 plus years work experience and a great work ethic. With what I have learned in this class, my work ethic, and common sense, I believe I will be successful as a paralegal. I have learned the importance of maintaining professionalism. This class has reinforced my desire to continue in the legal field and has helped me in interacting with clients, co-workers and the attorneys I currently work with. My skills in listening, communicating, observing and relationship building have improved by taking this class. I would recommend a class in customer service, regardless of the professional field one decides to enter into. I believe it would be very insightful and valuable.

Self Regulation Theory In Relation To Motivation Education Essay

Self Regulation Theory In Relation To Motivation Education Essay Learning and acquiring a second or foreign language can be difficult for some people and at the same time easy for others. Factors influencing this observation may be explained in terms of individual differences in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). These individuals differences may include personality, intelligence, language learning strategies, attitude, emotion and motivation. Some researchers believe that motivation may impact learners whole process of learning a second language (L2) (Gardner Lambert, 1972). One theory which has long been recognised in the field is called self-determination theory (e.g. Brown 1981, 1990), and it examines intrinsic/extrinsic motivation in L2 learning. However, there has also been a development of a more process-oriented theoretical approach namely the process model of L2 motivation by Dà ¶rnyei Ottà ³ (1998). They have highlighted the importance of developing self-regulatory strategies to manage, reinforce or sustain ones motivation during the course of learning. Accordingly, L2 self-regulation theory was later proposed by Dà ¶rnyei (2005), and the theory represents a major reformation of previous motivational thinking. This essay, therefore, will discuss the extent in which motivation plays a key role in second language learning. The focus of this essay is specifically on the linkage between self-regulation theory and second language learning, using the authors personal experience in Persian language learning as a case study. Research Objective The aim of this essay is to examine the authors experience in Persian language learning and analyse, based on self-regulation theory, to what extent motivation contributes to the learning of a second language. Methodology The essay employs a qualitative analysis based on theories and the authors personal experience in Persian language learning. First, definitions of the term motivation will be briefly demonstrated, and the most appropriate definition for this essay will be chosen. Second, theories and constructs of motivation in relation to self-regulation will be explored. Third, the role of motivation in the authors Persian Learning Experience will be evaluated based on self-regulation theory. Finally, a conclusion will be presented with a further discussion on future recommendations. CHAPTER TWO DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION Motivation is a broad concept, and definitions of motivation vary according to research and findings. The aim of this section is to explore several definitions of the term motivation and conclude on the most appropriate definition in second language (L2) learning which will contribute to this essay. To begin with, motivation comes from the Latin verb movere which means to move. It can be described as the driver inducing a person to take a certain action, make a decision, or invest efforts toward carrying out certain behaviours (Dà ¶rnyei Ushioda, 2011: 3). In a psychological perspective, motivation is often defined as the psychological quality that leads people to achieve a goal. For language learners, mastery of a language may be a goal. For others, communicative competence or even basic communication skills could be a goal. In a socio-educational framework, motivation to learn the second language is viewed as requiring three elements: effort, desire, and enjoyment. First, the motivated individual must expend an effort to learn the language. There must be a persistent and consistent strive to achieve success in learning such as by doing homework, practicing the language whenever there is an opportunity, etc. Second, the individual must demonstrate the desire to achieve the goal. Such individual will do all that is necessary to achieve the goal. Third, the motivated individual will enjoy the task of learning the language. Such an individual will say that it is fun, a challenge, and enjoyable, even though at times enthusiasm may be less than at other times. All three elements-effort, desire, and enjoyment-are necessary in order to differentiate individuals who are more motivated and those who are less motivated. However, each element, by itself, is seen as insufficient to reflect motivation. Some students may display effort, even though they have no strong desire to succeed, and may not find the experience particularly enjoyable. Others may want to learn the language, but may have other things that detract from their effort, etc. Motivation in Second Language Acquisition In the field of Second Language Acquisition research, motivation has been identified as one of the key factors which determines L2 achievement and attainment. Motivation initially serves as an impetus to generate learning and later as a sustaining force to ensure that the learner remains on-track with acquiring the target language (Cheng Dà ¶rnyei, 2007). According to Gardner (1985: 50), he posits that motivation in learning is based on four characteristics: a goal, effortful behaviour, a desire to attain the goal and favourable attitudes toward the activity in question. Dà ¶rnyei and Ottà ³s definition of L2 motivation (1998: 65) has a broader sense; they defined motivation as the dynamically changing cumulative arousal in a person that initiates, directs, coordinates, amplifies, terminates, and evaluates the cognitive and motor processes whereby initial wishes and desires are selected, prioritised, operationalised and (successfully or unsuccessfully) acted out. According to Dà ¶rnyei and Ushioda (2011: 4), the by far definition that most SLA research, including this essay, would agree on concerns the direction and magnitude of human behaviour, that is, motivation accounts for: why people decide to do something (choice), how long they are willing to sustain the activity (persistence), and how hard they are going to pursue it (effort). It is important to note that although choice, persistence, effort are the three key issues allowing learners to regulate their own motivation, Ushioda (2003: 99-100) further demonstrates that in order for motivation to grow in a positive way, it cannot be seen as a progressive attempts to regulate behaviour from outside. There needs to be supportive interpersonal processes which foster the development of autonomy and the growth and regulation of motivation from inside. Thus, with this in mind, this essay will consider the issue of motivation in relation to self-regulation in the following chapter. CHAPTER THREE REVIEW OF SELF-REGULATION THEORY IN RELATION TO MOTIVATION IN SLA It has been widely accepted that motivation plays an important role not only in general academic learning, but also in the process of achieving the goal in a second language learning. According to Dà ¶rnyei (2002), L2 motivation has been seen as a dynamic construct that directs and enhances learning behaviour. There are many theories that devoted to motivation in relation to autonomy and strategy use, and two most-cited theories are self-determination theory and self-regulation theory. The self-determination theory, which was developed from the education psychology approach, examines about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in relation to the learners behaviours and regulation. It denotes a sense of choice, personal responsibility, and self-initiation of behaviours. While the self-regulation theory, a more recent development within the field of SLA research, refers to self-generated thoughts, feelings, and actions that are planned and cyclically adapted to the attainment of personal goals. Other well-known related theories are Language Learning Strategies (LLS) and L2 Motivational Self System. LLS is another approach which relates to strategic behaviours and keys attribute of good language learners. This theory has been trying to establish a link between strategic behaviour and actual learning gains, to demonstrate that strategies are not culturally biased, and to explain why poor strategies user differs from good strategy users only in how they use strategies in context but not in the kinds or frequency of strategy they use (Ortega, 2009:214). Though self-regulation is a more recent alternative study that replacing the traditional emphasis on sheer frequency of strategy use. Its emphasis on the creativity of efforts employed to control ones learning processes is the main issue I would like to point out in this essay. L2 Motivational Self Systemis another important recent theory of L2 motivation proposed by Dornyei (2005). It concerns motivation especially in terms of the theory of possible selves and the self-discrepancy theory (Dornyei Ushioda, 2011). Drawing on theoretical paradigms from both motivational psychology and L2 motivational research, Dornyei (2005)s L2 Motivational Self System model has three main dimentions: the Ideal L2 self, the Ought-to L2 self, and the L2 Learning Experience. Rationale of this Essay: Self-regulation Theory in Relation to Motivation Despite the fact that there are many theories on motivation in the context of SLA, self-regulation theory seems to best fit this essay. The self-regulatory approach allows for the combined study of motivation and strategic behaviour, and of cognition and affect, under a single theoretical framework. As supported by Ortege (2009: 211) who demonstrates a clear relevance of self-regulation theory to SLA and individual differences when learning another language poses a high-anxiety and complex challenge that demands cognitive as well as affective self-regulation, and individuals differ in their capacity to self-regulate. There have been concerns about the clear-cut of LLS, as according to Dà ¶rnyei (2005: 162), there is a change of perspective that the LLS are immensely ambiguous phenomena and nothing is clear-cut about them. Furthermore, Dà ¶rnyei (2005: 190) stated that researchers started to accept that examining the LLS was not important as much as the fact that the good learners choose to put creative effort in their own learning and that they have the capacity to do so. Thus, because of learning strategies examine the outcome of these forces, I decided to draw self-regulation theory which is looking at the initial driving forces. The L2 Motivational Self System also does not fit in my context of describing a short language experience. It concerns more in terms of primary sources of the motivation to learn another language which are the Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, and L2 learning Experience. Review of Self-regulation Theory in Second Language Acquisition The starting point of self-regulation theory is that human endeavours are always goal-directed, intentional, effortful and voluntary (Boekaerts et al., 2006). In the face of multiple goals and ensuing environmental challenges, humans are capable of achieving the ends they choose to pursue because they are able to self-regulate their behaviour (Ortega, 2009: 211). In the context of SLA, L2 self-regulation is a process by which individuals direct their efforts, thoughts, and feelings toward the attainment of their personal goals, and self-regulation is neither a discrete mental ability nor an academic skill (Zimmerman, 2000). In other words, self-regulation involves processes, responses, and strategies that students initiate and regulate (Zimmerman, 1986) to activate and sustain both their behavioral conduct and their cognitive and affective functioning (Boekaerts, Pintrich, Zeidner, 2000; Zimmerman, 2001). Self-regulation theory became the recent developments in the field of L2 individual differences as there has been a need to reconceptualize the strategic behaviour into a theory over the past decades. The two main proponents for this urge are Dà ¶rnyei and Skehan (2003) who have pointed out that the L2 learning strategic behavior should not be limited to OMalley and Chamot (1990)s taxonomy of observed heuristic and reported mental process or Oxford (1990)s inventory of self-reported frequencies of strategy use. Then, in 2005, Dà ¶rnyei pushed forward the solution to theorizing learning strategies and claimed self-regulation theory as a framework for SLA research about strategic behaviour during L2 learning. Self-regulation Strategies Dà ¶rnyei has created a model of motivational strategies based on the psycholinguistic concept of selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ regulation which is intended to reà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ theorize language learning strategies by examining strategic learning in the paradigm of selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ regulation (see Dà ¶rnyei, 2005; Tseng et al., 2006). This taxonomy of strategic learning is based in the framework of motivation control strategies (Dà ¶rnyei, 2001) and consists of five categories. Dà ¶rnyei (2006) notes that his system was based on Kuhls (1987) and Corno and Kanfers (1993) taxonomy of action control strategies. The categories are defined below: 1. Commitment control strategies Commitment control strategies examine the students ability to set and reach goals in their learning. It helps to preserve or increase the learnersoriginal goal commitment. For example, students may keep in mind favourable expectations or positive incentives and rewards, or students may focus on what would happen if the original intention failed. 2. Metacognitive control strategies Metacognitive control strategies involve the monitoring and controlling of concentration, and the curtailing of any unnecessary procrastination e.g. identifying recurring distractions and developing defensive routines, and focusing on the first steps to take when getting down to an activity. 3. Satiation control strategies Satiation control refers to students capacity to control boredom and dissatisfaction in a learning task, and the ability to cope with these negative feelings (Dornyei, 2005). For example, students may add a twist to the task or using ones fantasy to liven up the task. These strategies can help to eliminate boredom and add extra attraction or interest to the task. 4. Emotion control strategies Emotional control strategies examine how learners cope with emotionally charged feeling such as stress, depression and disappointment that may hinder their language development. For example, students may use self-encouragement or using relaxation and meditation techniques. 5. Environment control strategies Environmental control strategies refer to how a student controls their learning environment in order to facilitate study. Learners with good environmental control are more aware of how their environment affects their learning and have strategies to curb these negative effects. For example, students may try to eliminate distractions or asking friends to help. Such activities will help in eliminating negative environmental influences and exploiting positive environmental influences by making the environment an ally in the pursuit of a difficult goal. CHAPTER FOUR PERSIAN LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Learning Context Persian Language Experience is part of the Second Language Teaching and Learning module. The aim of this language experience is not primarily for future use but to exemplify, and make more real, some of the issues connected with the language teaching and learning with which the modules deal. The instructor gives the reasons for choosing this language as follows: It is unlikely that any of the module students has learned it before. It is an Indo-Europeaen language, and so its grammatical categories, and some of its vocabulary, will be relatively familiar to students. The course runs eight weeks, covering the first six lessons of the textbook. The students will learn in romanised transcription not the Arabic script version as the purpose is to learn a limited amount of conversational Persian (Farsi), with associated grammar and vocabulary. There will be a review session at the end of each two-lesson section. (See Appendix 1 for more details) The class consists of about 30 students from various nationalities, mixed with females and males, aged approximately from 20 to 25, and all the lessons are taught in English. The instructor is the native speaker of the target language. I am a complete beginner-level learner as I have no previous knowledge in Persian language or culture. Though, I still show a great interest in learning a new language. I see this as a challenging task, and I am highly motivated by the thought of using the language as a mean of exploring Persian culture and people. Persian Language Learning Experience in Relation to Self-regulation Theory Personally, I aware that learning a second language is considered as a challenging task which requires time and effort. As I am highly motivated to use the language not just only for the purpose of the module, I developed my own goal to learn the language as much as I could within the time limit. In order to achieve the goal, keeping my learning on track is very important and the following strategies are how I regulate my Persian language learning in accordance to self-regulation theory: Commitment control strategies During the first two weeks, I was very interested to learn the language when the instructor began to introduce the lesson with an easy to remember greeting phrase. I became more motivated to learn Persian when the instructor presented about the tourist places and the culture. Hence, I made up my mind that I have to take this as an opportunity to learn the language as much as I could in order to travel to the area in the future. With this in my mind, I committed myself to buying a Persian textbook, so I would have to fully utilise the book and study thoroughly throughout the course. Metacognitive control strategies After the result of the first quiz, I became aware that maintaining my motivation through culture exploration was insufficient, and I needed to review more grammar and vocabularies periodically. In other words, I needed to structure my Persian learning by setting frequent goals. To illustrate clearly, I set mini-goals for myself to complete one or two exercises in the textbook per day. I also had a specific goal for each week that I must finish studying one chapter in the textbook before every Monday class. In the case that there were other deadlines from other courses and I could not finish one chapter by weekend, I told myself to devote a Sunday evening to complete the chapter. These mini goals provided me an opportunity to reflect and monitor my own progress each week and helped providing the motivation to focus on my tasks. Satiation control strategies During the course, I was always looking for a new inspiration or a new motivation in learning the language. I enhanced my interest by searching about tourist places or Persian culture online. I also recorded my own voice to overcome boredom while learning new vocabularies or practicing pronunciation. Emotion control strategies It was obvious that I experienced negative feelings such as anxiety, frustration, and discouragement after the result of the quiz. I avoided interacting with the instructor in the following lesson. However, I understood that I could not keep avoiding the interactions, and it would be better if I had prepared for the lesson ahead. I tried to get rid of negative feelings and cheered myself up by reminding myself about the real aim of the course, which is to point out some issues in the teaching and learning of a second language, and that the quiz mark was simply a way to reflect on my L2 learning progress. Environment control strategies As the Persian lesson runs only one hour per week, learning in class would be insufficient to achieve my personnal goal. to complete the book. Therefore, I tried to have extra lessons and/or sought out additional sources of input and interactions. I look for a good environment that have easy access to time and place to avoid procrastination such as the internet; I practice Persian pronunciation through YouTube videos and study more about Persian grammar and vocabulary through free lessons online. Self-evaluation Due to the fact that I needed to reflect on my daily progress in order to incorporate received feedback on the prospective assignment, it helped me to monitor my progress and observe my strategies whether the way I self-regulate has been improving my learning or not. In terms of commitment control strategies, I had a high amount of motivation in the beginning that I wanted to learn as much as I could. I had a very high expectation of myself and even bought the textbook in hope to study further the requirement. Although, this might not be strong enough to keep myself commit to my goal, in fact it kept me engaged in the tasks for a short period. Part of this failure was due to the fact that I did not have a definite schedule of my Persian learning and that I was distracted by other subjects. Another part might due to high intrinsic motivation, I was too ambitious to learn and did not examine my ability thoroughly. However, even though my motivation was dropped after the quiz, when I later set up the mini goals for each week, my process of learn became more structure and sustain my motivation throughout the week. In other words, these strategies help me minimizing procrastination or distraction and maximizing concentration and keeping goals in focus. This can be said that metacognitive control strategies are essential to develop a learner autonomy. As Wenden (2001: 62) demonstrates that a recognition of the function of metacognitive knowledge in the self-regulation of learning should contribute to a clearer understanding of learner autonomy, especially how it can be developed and enhanced. Wendens findings on the role of metacognitive knowledge in self-regulatory process also corroborate Chamot and OMalleys (1994: 382) observation that explicit metacognitive knowledge about task characteristics and appropriate strategies for task solution is a major determiner of language learning effectiveness . In addition to my satiation control strategies, the way that I always look for inspiration from different sources for my own learning can keep my learning on process. In my opinion, this strategy should be a way to increase my motivation when I feel procrastinated or bored. However, I found myself spending too much time browsing on the internet about Persian culture and had less time to review the task. I should be careful that it would not take up too much time of my daily Persian learning otherwise it would not be effective. So, it seems that this strategy might not be helpful to me sometimes because I can use it as an excuse to procrastinate. My emotion control strategies, particularly to my positive self-talk is also mentioned in a study by Bown (2009) that this technique helped learners maintain perspective on their language learning. It alleviated feelings of frustration or anxiety. Bown divided that learners used self-talk for two primary purposes: (a) to remind themselves of their own motivation for learning the language and (b) to encourage themselves when they felt that they were not making enough progress. The use of this self-talk also served to help learners keep their expectations of themselves realistic, as informed by their beliefs about language learning. Learners would tell themselves that mistakes are part of learning or that it takes longer to learn Russian than other languages they may have studied previously (Bown, 2009). Though it is true that the use of this strategy became effective when I had a low quiz mark, in my case it must be combined with other strategies (such as metacognitive control strateg ies) at the same time in order to completely encouraging myself. I must have a definite plan (the mini goals) to support my positive self-talk. For my environment control strategies, Wolters (1998), citing research from Corno (1989, 1993), Corno and Kanfer (1993), and Kuhl (1984, 1992), pinpoints a self-regulation technique I employed: (1) environmental control, for example a student who decides to go to a quiet place conducive to studying (225). In my opinion, the way that I always try to turn my surrounding environment into a learning environment for me makes me sometimes enjoy learning by myself rather than studying in the classroom. It helps me complete the mini goal I set for myself in each day. In addition, this can be supported by the study from Bown (2009). The findings suggested that effective self-regulation depended on the learners sense of themselves as agents in the learning process. Learners who recognized their role as authors of their own learning transformed the learning environment to meet their individual needs (Bown, 2009). CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION It is believed that motivation is essential in learning a second language as it can be a driven force for the learners to start their second language acquistion and it can be a force that sustain the learning throughout the acquisition. However, motivation, according to Dornyei and Ushioda (2011), is a dynamic and complicate factor which concerns about the choice, persistence, and effort of the learners in regulating thier own motivation. From this, motivation can be seen as a factor that correlate to the learner behaviour which can contribute to the learner autonomy. There are many theories which were developed to examine about motivation in relation to L2 learner behaviour and strategy use. Self-determination theory (SDT) is one of the theories that has a broad framework for the study of human motivation and personality. It is concerned mainly with intrinsic motivation and the way to which the individual is self-motivated and self-determined.Language Learning Strategies (LLS) is another approach which examines the strategies that the good language learner employ. The L2 Motivational Self System is another recent approach in relation to L2 motivation and the self framework. It concerns three self dimensions: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, L2 Learning Experience. Self-regulation refers to the degree to which individuals are active participants in their own learning. It is a more dynamic concept than learning strategy, highlighting the learners own strategic efforts to manage their own achievement through specific beliefs and processes (Dà ¶rnyei, 2005). In the context in this essay, it is found that motivation became a critical factors on how the learner will choose the strategies to regulate his/herself and keep the learning process going in order to achieve goal of learning a second language. In other words, it can be argued that self-regulation of L2 learning is multidimensional, including cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and behavioral processes that learners can apply to enhance achievement. The deliberative, adaptive process of self-regulation enables learners to handle tasks effectively and prepares them to take responsibility for their learning (Wenden, 2001). In chapter 4, based on the Self-regulation theory, my Persian Learning Experience has been evaluated in relation to motivation. According to the four self-regulation strategies I employed, it is found that I depend much or less on motivation to regulate or control the four strategies. For instance, motivation became a crucial factor on how I use the metacognitive control strategies to change the way I learn the language. While motivation has been rarely concerned on how I chose the place to study as in the environment control strategies. Nevertheless, I could not agree more that both motivation and the four self-regulation strategies are the two essential factors that cannot be overlooked in learner autonomy and the development in the process to enhance individual learning in order to achieve the goal. Though the aim of the Persian Language Learning class was merely to experience the issues that can be raised in L2 learning and teaching, the fact that the class is conducted only one hour per week might not be enough to motivate some learners to engage during the lesson. In order to have a more effective class, the instructor could raise an awareness of using self-regulation strategies which I believe will be fruitful for the students themselves to have an opportunity to monitor their learning progress and develop their learning autonomy in L2 learning. As Hurd (2008) emphasises, awareness-raising of self-regulation in L2 learning is equally if not more important in independent learning setting (e.g. online environments and distance learning), where students lack the kind of social-affective support provided by regular interactions with other learners and the teacher, and typically may be engaging in language learning on top of full-time study and personal commitments.