Everlasting Racism that Passes from One Generation to the...

Racism is defined as poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race or the belief that some races of people are superior to others. This belief has been instilled in people for centuries. These beliefs have slightly deteriorated due to the civil rights movement. However, racist beliefs have managed to be passed down from generation to generation which is why racism is still quite prevalent today. Harper Lee thoroughly explains how immoral society was in the 1930’s through â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird†. Jem and Scout’s dad, Atticus, rose to the challenge of defending a black man, named Tom Robinson, that was accused of raping a white woman (Lee). Atticus provided sufficient evidence that Tom had not raped her. In fact, she†¦show more content†¦Zimmerman served as a neighborhood watch captain at Twin Lakes gated community in Sanford. He found Trayvon to be a suspicious character and proceeded to call 911 and report him. Zimmerman is told not to leave his vehicle, but he disregards these orders and pursues Trayvon on foot. Zimmerman is a mere neighborhood watch man. He has none of the necessary qualifications to chase any suspicious characters and engage in physical contact. He claims to have shot Trayvon in self-defense. However, if he had felt even remotely threatened, then he should not have pursued Trayvon. In one of the 911 recordings, a voice is heard screaming for help. The voice was presumably Trayvon’s considering he was being pursued by a man he had never seen before This simple logic is sufficient evidence that Zimmerman had his own intentions in mind besides protecting the neighborhood. There are very few things to be found suspicious about a teenager walking around a neighborhood with skittles and a bottle of tea. This leads me to believe Zimmerman used stereotyping. He must’ve thought since Trayvon was an african american teenager that he must have been up to no good of course. What resul ted from Zimmerman’s racial profiling was the assigning of a false persona to Trayvon. This ultimately led to his death while Zimmerman is still walking the streets feeling as if he did the world some good. If racial stereotypes had not influenced a man’s sense ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on History and Opinions on the Policy of Affirmative Action1725 Words   |  7 Pages Racism is a problem that is older than the country we live in. Since the beginning of time racism, prejudice, and discrimination has existed. Through the years, society has come a long way in dealing with this everlasting problem; however, the problem still lives in todays world. It affects who we are and where we will go in our life. So if racism can so dramatically alter our life, one might question what can be done to cease this unfair practice? One solution, or rather method to equal out the

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe - 1334 Words

Beatriz Castro Professor Gary Smith English 1302 10/31/2012 Symbolism in â€Å"The Raven† Edgar Allan Poe was highly criticized throughout his life whether it was for his high achievements or his downfalls; he always seemed to be talked about. Poe was born in January 19, 1809; his mother died shortly after being abandoned by his father leaving him and his brothers’ orphans at an early age. Poe was taken by John and Francis Allan. With the help of his foster parents he was later able to attend the University of Virginia where he studied French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin, and had an excellent scholastic record. He soon was not able to pay for tuition and started gambling and drinking. His foster father would not pay his â€Å"debts of†¦show more content†¦This also says a lot about the level of sanity of the student. â€Å"A more rigorous reading suggests that the ravens Nevermore does not provide even the ostensible answer the speaker reads into it† (Freedman, 1). With this quote it is clear that the level of sanity of the student is suffering f rom the loss of his lover Lenore. The loss of his lover is what drives the student to see the raven as a prophet something far more than what he really is. The bust of Pallas is also a symbol in the poem â€Å"The Raven†. Pallas is Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom. â€Å"But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door† (Poe, 599). There was a statue of Athena right outside the student’s door. It is not merely a coincidence that Poe decides to position the raven perched upon the bust of Pallas a statue that represents wisdom. This helps signify the importance of the raven on this poem and that of the statue. This statue brings upon a sense of knowledge; so as the raven positions himself on it, it can be understood as to why the student would consider the bird to be far more than just an animal. This statue being located right in front of his house could symbolize the wisdom and answers the student desperately needs. Despite the fact that the narrator, the student, knew that the raven was speaking out of repetition he had the belief, orShow MoreRelatedThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe849 Words   |  4 Pagesnarrator of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe experiences this void after the loss of his love Lenore. The narrator is isolated from the world until a raven appears before him. The events and dialogue that follow are what makes The Raven such a legendary piece of literature. The gothic poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe is an example of repetition and shift. With the help of repetition and shift, Poe’s use of diction gives the reader clarity to the meaning of the poem. Nevermore, the answer the Raven gives theRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe (the Raven)1496 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allan Poes The Raven Poes The Raven is not only an American classic, its a favorite of high school students around the world, as well as their teachers. That being said, its still poetry and therefore can be difficult to understand. Read this summary to review the contents and get a better understanding. * Stanzas: 1-2 Make everyone in class think youre really smart when you bust out everything youve learned in this summary: Stanza 1:  Its late. The poems speaker is tiredRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe1062 Words   |  5 PagesWritten by Edgar Allan Poe, â€Å"The Raven† is a famous short poem known for the dark fantasy that it portrays. From the mindset of a first person narrative, one may experience the tale through the eyes of a haunted man who is in mourning for the death of his beloved Lenore. As this man sits in his chamber, within a dark and dreary December night, a â€Å"raven of the saintly days of yore† visits him. The raven is no ordinary bird, for it is like a ghost, silent, yet it answers every inquiry the man presentsRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe964 Words   |  4 Pages Essay 1 In the poem â€Å"The Raven†, Edgar Allan Poe expresses a current state of drunkenness, drug use, and depression as existing in a dark and dreary prison like setting, tormented by the memories of a lost love. Poe’s literary career was undoubtedly influenced by the many tragedies he suffered in his life. These misfortunes are evident in the correlation between his characters in his writings and real life events. It is clear that Poe had a problematic life from a young age; he struggled with mentalRead MoreThe Raven, By Edgar Allan Poe Essay1741 Words   |  7 Pagesprominent writer of the horror fiction genre would be Edgar Allan Poe, well known for writing The Raven, who would be the most recognizable and most established horror writer. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809 and was the middle child of three children. At the age of 3, both of his parents died and was then taken in by a tobacco merchant by the name of John Allan in Richmond, Virginia. John Allan wanted Poe to be a businessman but Edgar was by no means a businessman. By the age of 13Read MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe1157 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Raven† is a fictional poem written by Edgar Allan Poe in which the audience witnesses the narrator’s gradual change from a weary scholar to grieving lover. While falling asleep, he suddenly hears a tap at his chamber door. In alarm, the scholar tries to reason with himself and explain away the soft tapping. Eventually, he gains courage, opens the door, and finds it void of anyone. The narrator immediately wonders if it is perhaps his lost love, Lenore waiting for him, yet the only answer toRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe Essay1073 Words   |  5 Pages The poem I selected is â€Å"The Raven† written by popular American writer, Edgar Allan Poe. I chose this poem because of previous memories of reading several of Edgar Allan Poe’s writings. I remember in 8th grade when my teacher introduced the whole class to a short story called â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†. I loved the poem a lot, I liked how gory, detailed, and interesting it was. It went perfectly for the time of year it was, which was October. Soon after we were done reading the poem, the whole grade wentRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe945 Words   |  4 Pageshad to experience hardly any grief in my life. Everyone is different which results in everyone having their own way that they deal with grief. The way that Edgar Allan Poe describes grief and the way that Emily Dickinson describes grief is both different and similar. Poe’s famous poem titled â€Å"The Raven† is a great example of how Edgar Allan Poe writes about grief. The poem is about the grief of the narrator during the loss of the love of his life, Lenore. The narrator’s opening statement in theRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe1900 Words   |  8 Pagesall expectations and thoughts on poetry. His name is Edgar Allan Poe. He brought a lot more to the scene than just poetry, and that is what he is well known for. His poetry was more than just writing; they were dark stories that somehow resembled to him in some way. He wrote great works such as, â€Å"Eldorado†, â€Å"A Dream†, and â€Å"Alone.† All of those poems are great, but there is two that stand out far greater than all of them: â€Å"Annabel Lee† and â€Å"The Raven.† They share a similar story-line, but different popularityRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe Essay2246 Words   |  9 Pagesthat directly connects you to a well-known poem by Edgar Allan Poe. â€Å"The Raven† is a literary work that has gone down in ages as being a timeless classic that transcends your senses as you dive into this sinister tale. Poe had a life of hardships but still was able to prevail in life becoming a great writer writing many poems and stories that are mysterious and prevalent today. â€Å"The Raven† has many displaced factors that make it seem as though Poe is truly referencing his life throughout the work

Different Things That Can Affect the Rights of an Individual Free Essays

UNIT 10 Task 2. 1 List 4 different things that can affect the rights of an individual (2. 1) Explain how the things you have listed could affect the rights of an individual (2. We will write a custom essay sample on Different Things That Can Affect the Rights of an Individual or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1) 1. Murder- murder is really a serious factor that really affects all the rights of an individual, because taking one’s life is taking also all of his rights. As what it is written by the Law, every individual has the right to live. 2. Slavery and Forced Labour- slavery still exists nowadays, particularly this forced labour where an individual is working without any payment and in an unlimited hour. Individuals are working to have a source of income, to subsidize everyday’s needs like foods and money. Blood and sweats of individuals are the greatest sacrifice of an individual in order to live and to face the hardships of living. 3. Respect and Privacy- invasion of privacy is taking away one’s freedom. Disrespecting an individual is degrading one’s rights. Privacy is very important thing owned by an individual, it is like a treasure that should be kept carefully and must be respected by the others. Others should respect others’ privacy as they respect their own because having each own privacy is having a smuch secured freedom. 4. Discrimination- discriminating makes an individual thinks unworthy of himself. It sometimes forces an individual to commit suicide that caused him to death. Death is the end of life, the end of an individual’s rights. Task 2. 2 Produce a booklet that explains how we should respect the rights of others in the workplace. We can demonstrate respect with simple, yet powerful actions. These ideas will help us avoid needless, insensitive, unmeant disrespect, too. Treat people with courtesy, politeness, and kindness. * Encourage coworkers to express opinions and ideas. * Listen to what others have to say before expressing your viewpoint. Never speak over, but in, or cut off another person. * Don’t think of yourself only, we should think of others too. * Use people’s ideas to change or improve work. Let employees know you used their idea, or, better yet, encourage the person with the idea to implement the idea. * Never insult people, name call, disparage or put down people or their ideas. Do not nit-pick, constantly criticize over little things, belittle, judge, demeanor patronize. A series of seemingly trivial actions, added up over time, constitutes bullying. * Never ever covet your co-workers’ belongings; it is also a way of respecting them. * Treat people the same no matter their race, religion, gender, size, age, or country of origin. Implement policies and procedures consistently so people feel that they are treated fairly and equally. Treating people differently can constitute harassment or a hostile work environment. * Include all coworkers in meetings, discussions, training, and events. While not every person can participate in every activity, do not marginalize, exclude or leave any one person out. Provide an equal opportunity for employees to participate in committees, task forces, or continuous improvement teams. Solicit volunteers and try to involve every volunteer. * Praise much more frequently than you criticize. Encourage praise and recognition from employee to employee as well as from the supervisor. * Be always a humble co-worker for others. * Don’t show poker acts towards your co-workers. Respecting others is respecting you too. We should respect others for them to respect us too. How to cite Different Things That Can Affect the Rights of an Individual, Essay examples

Celestial Mechanics and Orbital Period Essay Example For Students

Celestial Mechanics and Orbital Period Essay AE-641 Problems Set No. 1 1. The orbital period of an Earth satellite is 106 min. Find the apogee altitude if the perigee altitude is 200 km. 2. Find the orbital period of a satellite if the perigee and apogee altitudes are 250 km and 300 km, respectively. 3. Find the maximum and minimum orbital speed of the Earth if the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit around Sun is 1/60. What is the mean speed if the mean radius is 1 AU? (Sun’s Gm1=1. 32710 11 km3/s 2. ) 4. Given the orbital period of Mars around Sun as 687 Earth mean solar days, find the semi-major axis of Mars orbit in AU. 5. Estimate solar gravitational constant using Kepler’s third law. 6. A spacecraft in a 200 km high circular Earth orbit fires its retro-rocket, reducing speed instantly by 600 m/s. What is the speed of the spacecraft when it reaches an altitude of 100 km? (Assume zero atmospheric drag. ) 7. What is the parabolic escape velocity from a geosynchronous orbit? What extra speed will be required for a geosynchronous satellite to escape Earth’s gravity? 8. A hyperbolic Earth departure trajectory has a perigee speed of 15 km/s at an altitude 300 km. Calculate (a) hyperbolic excess speed, (b) radius and speed when true anomaly is 100o. 9. Voyager-I’s closest approach to Saturn was at a periapsis radius of 124000 km and the hyperbolic excess speed was 7. 51 km/s. What was the angle through which the spacecraft’s velocity vector was turned by Saturn? (Saturn’s m = 37. 93110 6 km3/s2. ) 10. Derive expressions for the position and velocity vectors of a spacecraft in a coordinate system fixed to the orbital plane such that the unit vectors of the axes are along the eccentricity vector, e, the direction of parameter, p, and the angular momentum vector, h. Express the answers in terms of semi-major axis, a, eccentricity, e, and true anomaly, q. 11. Halley’s comet last passed perihelion on February 9, 1986. Its orbit has a semi-major axis, a=17. 9564 AU and eccentricity, e=0. 967298. Predict the date of next return (perihelion) of the comet.

Profession and Cultural Language

Executive summary Psychology is one among many professions that is considered to be fulfilling. The psychologists are concerned with the behavior of human beings. They are mainly interested in solving problems that are emotional and mental.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Profession and Cultural Language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their aim is to help patients recover and live normal lives. Like in other professions psychology has its own culture and language. Culture and language are revealed in their daily practice as they solve different problems. Culture is evident in the training, teamwork, research, work and experience, ethics, communication and use of internet, working environment. Language is interactive, with frequent use of psychological concepts and based on research. To become a psychologist one trains as an undergraduate for four years. They later work under the supervision of a qualified and registered psychologist. Training enables learners to acquire the language used in the working environment. Experience is gained over time and the individual is considered valuable and knowledgeable. Psychologists learn to deal with different individuals from diverse background and assist them equally. Teamwork yields excellent results as the tasks to be covered are adequately and efficiently done. Effective communication skills have an impact on the quality of work. Written and verbal communication is frequently used. The emails are also used communicate both within and outside the institution. Psychologist can either be self employed or be employed in different organizations. They can work in the area of development of research or be involved with patients. Patients have behavioral problems like drug abuse, mental illness among other emotional problems. They give assistance while observing ethical guidelines provided by the psychological regulatory boards.Advertising Looking for report on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Psychology engages in research to generate knowledge and to find solutions for emerging problems. Concepts that are used in the profession are as result of the concepts. The findings of research are verifiable and recognized by authorities. Research influence policy making and can be effective in preventing undesirable behavior. Introduction There are many professions that one could join. Before joining students evaluate what their interest is and choose a profession from a long list. Among many professions, psychology is a widely known profession that has been practiced over many years. Many who join the profession are interested in helping people who have emotional and others with mental illnesses. Psychology is a well developed profession. It has well established and developed theories as discussed in the Occupational outlook handbook (2011, p. 1). Those who tr ain in psychology can be employed in institutions and can be self employed. Moreover the field has the challenge of dealing with behavioral problems that have emerged in the contemporary world. Like many other professions, psychology has its own culture and language. This report will identify and discuss the culture and language within psychology. The culture and language of psychology Psychologists though different in areas of specialty have commonality in their practices and language. They observe regulations and ethics of the profession. They focus on behavior to assist patient overcome difficulties and lead healthy lives (Flinders.edu, 2010, p. 2). The America Psychology Association (2011, p. 1) indicates that research is at the core of the profession as theories are developed through research. Concepts are also developed and used as professional language to refer to specific ideas. The language used is understood amongst them and is part of their daily work. Culture within the field of psychology Training Training marks the beginning of a professional journey in psychology. All psychologists are trained to be competent professionals in accredited institutions. They cover units relevant to the field as the tutors mentor them. They participate in individual work, group work and work as interns in psychological institutions.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Profession and Cultural Language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also engage in research in the relevant field. The training prepares them to be knowledgeable, efficient, effective, team workers and to rely on verifiable knowledge. Those who undergo training can choose to specialize in different areas. they can become sports psychologists, social psychologists, school psychologists, engineering psychologists, clinical psychologists, cognitive and perceptual psychologists, counseling psychologists, educational psychologists, deve lopmental psychologists, evolutionary psychologists, experimental psychologists, forensic psychologists, health psychologists, industrial psychologists, rehabilitation psychologists, research psychologists and neuropsychologist (America Psychology Association 2011, p. 2). After training for four year training in an undergraduate program, the psychologist works under the supervision of qualified and practicing psychologist for two years. Thereafter they can be registered with the professional bodies (Flinders.edu, 2010, p. 4). Team work A common observation in today’s organizations is the adoption of teamwork in the working environment. Teamwork encourages the psychologist to complement each other as well as motivate each other while working. They contribute ideas and share ideas within the teams. A team leader who is a member of the team is in charge of the team. Psychologists share ideas in their team and better decisions are made. However, decisions take a very long time to be concluded and disagreements within the team can affect the efficiency of work negatively. Teamwork creates a competitive environment. Those who fail to meet the targets required and have difficulties coping are likely to be relieved from their work. Research Knowledge on used in the study of psychology is obtained from research findings. The psychologists investigate on a prevailing problem among patient to find explanations of the causes and also find solutions. What is more research can be done to generate knowledge.Advertising Looking for report on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides generating information, research facilitates the psychologist to make informed decisions. Information obtained from research is trusted by the authorities and can influence change in policy. Research is also an effective tool in prediction. Policies can be adopted to prevent undesirable situations in the future from happening. Research helps identify the changes that have occurred and helps the professional deal with specific situations accurately. The information obtained clarifies doubts and differentiate facts from myths. They get information from literature review, observations and investigations. Psychological institutions are diverse in their objectives and goals. The research is done within the organizational objective. The findings are presented inform of report. The report gives details on the investigation done, the findings and the recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations requires may have financial effect among other outcomes. In accordance with the America Psychology Association (2011, p. 1) research is vital in finding solutions to emerging problems. Individuals keep changing behavior which leads to new problems. Research generates knowledge that is used to train new professionals. Moreover the knowledge helps understand different cultures of the world. Work and Experience Lannon (2010) argues that the most experienced psychologists are valuable to their institutions. They are seen as a reservoir of knowledge. The patients prefer those with experience too. Gaining experience means that one must be practicing and at the same time take note of the new developments in the field. Psychologists work hand in hand with other professionals. They work with policy makers, the medical practitioners, school educators and courts as well as interact with a wide range of professionals. They assist people handle mental challenges and emotional experiences so that they can have healthy relationships within their environment. Their advice is highly regarded in disaster management where people are traumatized. There are many opportunities for those who train as psychologists as pointed out by the America Psychology Association (2011, p., 1). Psychologist can provide counseling in a firm, be involved in research, become educators in education institute and may also become a consultant for both individuals and society. Problems that psychologist treat are behavioral and constantly increasing. Some include adolescent rebellion, drug addiction, stress related to work and family life, disasters related trauma and other ailments that are emotional or mental in nature. The field of psychology is one of the most fulfilling professions that last as long as the psychologist is healthy and capable of working. Ethics The ethics within the psychology discipline must be followed. According to Lannon (2010) ethical issues require understanding between members of a profession such that there are well laid regulations and standards that must be followed. Ethics in psychology is requiring psychologist to be conduct themselves in the acceptable manner when handling the patients. Like in other professional bodies, psychology has its own ethics that are stipulated by the psychological regulatory boards, the state and other organizations within the profession (America Psychology Association 2011, p. 2). The significance of following the ethics is ensuring that patients receive quality services. Ethics originate from the professionals. They engage in discussions that lead to formulation of the ethics. The more experienced psychologist is the more likely they are to give contributions. Experienced psychologists give major contributions in the discussions. In some cases they vote before implementing or discarding the idea. Those who violate the ethics could receive sanction from either the state or the psychological organizations. Psychologists have to learn different personalities to be able to communicate. Psychologists deal with different people with unique problems. Listening is given important so that they clearly understand the patient. Communication and use of internet Communication between the professional and patients is important. Within the workplace there are various forms of communication. They include written, verbal and non verbal. The written form of communication is usually formal. It is used by the superiors to communicate to the employees. They give instructions and communicate changes in written memos and letters. The employees use written communication to give feedback to their superiors. The employees request for assistance and give reports inform of writing (America Psychology Association 2011, p. 2). Consistent with Lannon (2010) the world has many developments in technology which have been incorporated in the working environment. The employer and employees use the internet in communication. The emails have been used to recruit and to communicate within the organization. Psych ology is no exception. Patients can get assistance from online psychologists who offer services over the web. The internet is very rich in knowledge and can be handy in assisting professionals find facts very fast. Other institutions have used the internet to communicate with the patients. The institutions have web pages that are designed by the employees to get feedback. Working environment The Occupational outlook handbook (2011) mentions that the working environment in different institutions is diverse. The diversity is identical to the different subfields of psychology and the goals of the institutions. The psychologist adapts to the culture and the goals of the organization that they join. The psychologist gives high regard to patient. The patient is assured of confidence by the psychologist who offers to assist them. After being assured of confidentiality, patient feels liberated to talk to the psychologist. Additionally, they are not supposed to be condemning the patient if t hey confess, their role is to be understanding and have a relationship that will be effective in helping the patient recover. Language within the field of psychology Interactive language Psychologist interacts with the patients engage in a face to face conversation. They maintain good relations. Verbal conversations matter a lot as the psychologist uses a polite and friendly tone while assisting the patient. During the four year training the student of psychology learns the concepts used. They engage in literature review to understand their meaning and importance. Moreover, they can learn about the concepts during internship in a psychological institution. More concepts are learnt in the journals after the publication of an article or a book. Knowledge is cumulative and with time one adds knowledge on the concepts they know and use in conversation or in writing (America Psychology Association 2011, p. 2). Use of psychological concepts Language is one of the best ways of expressing o neself as Lannon (2010) indicates. The language an individual uses gives a lot of information about what the individual. In psychology, language use is important for both the patient and the psychologist. There are several important concepts used in everyday life of a psychologist. According to the America Psychology Association (2011, p. 1) the word psychology refers to the study of an individual’s behavior. This is different from sociology which investigates the behavior of people as a society. What an individual thinks is the concern of the psychologist. To be able to assist an individual they have to understand the individual behavior. Research Concepts used in psychology are generated from research. The concepts are used by psychologist to refer to specific ideas or conditions. The concepts are developed for easy communication within the field. They are more specific and well understood by the professional (America Psychology Association 2011, p. 1). The psychologist use s the language of the patient to communicate. The language in most cases should be simple. The psychologist explains meaning of complex words to patients when they request for explanation. While communicating, the psychologist is sensitive to different communities and diversity in the use of language. They pay attention not to use words that may be offensive in a community. Moreover they pay attention to the age and of the patient while making a conversation. For instance children require a polite conversation. Conclusion Psychology is a field whose objective is to assist individuals overcome emotional and mental problems. The professional language and culture are learnt throughout ones professional life. Research is very important and increases the knowledge and helps solve problems. It generates concepts used in the field and influences policy. The students specialize in different areas after training. Working as a psychology requires one to be good in communication teamwork and o bserve the ethics of the profession. Moreover one has to learn to work in an environment with diverse people. Reference List America Psychology Association. (2011). Career in Psychology. Web. Flinders.edu. (2010). The Psychology Profession. Web. Lannon, J. M. (2010). Technical communication 11th edition. Web. Occupational outlook handbook. (2011). Psychologist. Web. This report on Profession and Cultural Language was written and submitted by user Barracuda to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Evidence-based Interventions for a Patient Suffering from Dementia The WritePass Journal

Evidence-based Interventions for a Patient Suffering from Dementia Introduction Evidence-based Interventions for a Patient Suffering from Dementia ). This is done to ensure that interventions are supported by current evidence in healthcare and have been found to be effective for most patients (Pearson et al., 2009). The use of evidence-based practice is rooted in the belief that patients should only receive quality care (Pearson et al., 2009). The same approach is used when caring for patients with mental health conditions. In the policy, No Health without Mental Health (Department of Health, 2012), the NHS has emphasised that patients suffering from mental health conditions should receive quality and evidence-based care. This brief aims to critically discuss the case of an 80-year old woman who is suffering from dementia and the different forms of interventions that could be applied to the case. Consistent with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC, 2008) code of conduct, a pseudonym will be used to hide the identity of the patient. This brief discusses the purpose of evidence-based practice in managing patients with a progressive condition such as dementia. An investigation on the different forms of evidence-based interventions and their potential impact for promoting inclusion would also be presented. A discussion on interventions as means to develop a shared understanding of the patient’s needs would also be done. Legal, ethical and socio-political factors that influence the intervention process would also be explored. Finally, the last part discusses my role as a nurse in the intervention process. Using Evidence-based Interventions for Patients with Dementia The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC, 2008) Code of Conduct has stressed the importance of delivering quality evidence-based care that is patient-centred. Fitzpatrick (2007a) emphasised that the past model of evidence-based intervention relies only on current evidence from literature to support clinical decisions. Current studies that are of high quality are often used to inform current practices. Fitzpatrick (2007b; 2007c) exmphasised that nurses and other healthcare professionals should have the skills to critically assess the quality of a study and determine whether the findings are applicable to one’s current and future practice. Evaluating the strength of the evidence presented in a research study would require understanding of the search process and whether themes or findings from the study are credible or trustworthy (Polit and Beck, 2010). In recent years, this definition has included best practices, personal experiences of healthcare professional on providi ng care, experiences of colleagues, opinions of experts and current guidelines on a health condition (Fitzpatrick, 2007a; 2007b, 2007c; Greenhalgh, 2010). This new definition embraces other sources of evidence that could be used to help healthcare practitioners and patients make decisions regarding their care. Greenhalgh (2010) specifically points out that while there is reliance on good evidence from published studies, including the experiences of nurses, expert opinion and best practices to aid decision-making would ensure that patients receive quality care. Communicating evidence from published literature is also essential in helping patients decide on the best form of intervention. Morrisey and Calighan (2011) emphasises that effective communication is needed to convey findings of a study in a manner that is understandable to the patient. Successful use of evidence depends first on the quality of relationship between the healthcare providers and the patients (Croker et al., 2013. Kizer (2002) argued that for better care, the relationship between the healthcare professionals and the patients should be strengthened first. Kizer (2002) observe that, â€Å"this intimate relationship is the medium by which information, feelings, fears, concerns, and hopes are exchanged between caregiver and patient† (p. 117). In the UK, The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2006) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2007) have provided evidence-based guidelines on how to care for patients with dementia. These guidelines along with current literature, my own and my colleagues’ experiences, expert opinion and the experiences of my patient and her carers will form evidence on the best form of interventions for the patient. My patient’s name is Laura (not her real name). She is 80 years old with dementia, a condition that is progressive and characterized by deterioration of mental state, aggressive behaviour and agitation (Department of Health, 2009). A psychiatric consultant oversees the management of her condition. She has been receiving medications for her dementia but her GP and psychiatrist are discussing alternative drugs to reduce her anxiety level and regulate her sleeping patterns. She is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and is mobilised with a frame following a broken hip. While she is still lucid and can communicate clearly, it is a challenge to care for her during nighttime when she becomes more anxious and shows signs of confusion. Patients with dementia suffer from progressive cognitive impairments (Department of Health, 2009) that could have an impact on how they receive information from their healthcare professionals and carers and in their adherence to medications. In the case of my patient, she is now showing signs of advanced dementia (NICE, 2006). This could be a challenge since her ability to refuse treatment or engage in healthcare decisions is severely reduced (Department for Constitutional Affairs, 2007). In the UK, the Mental Health Act 2007 (UK Legislation, 2007) and the Mental Capacity Act (Department for Constitutional Affairs, 2007) serve as guides on how to care for patients with mental health conditions such as dementia. These acts serve to protect the rights of the patient by locating a representative of the patient who could decide on her behalf. Hence, any interventions introduced for the patient should be agreed by the patient’s immediate family members or appointed guardian (Depart ment for Constitutional Affair, 2007). Since dementia is a progressive condition that could eventually lead to palliative care, the nurses have to ensure that the patient receives appropriate support during the trajectory of the condition. In my patient’s case, she needs immediate interventions for anxiety and sleep disturbance. She is also currently taking medications for her type 2 diabetes. The NICE (2006) guideline has stated the use of psychological intervention for patients with dementia. These include cognitive behavioural therapy, which will include the patient’s carers, animal-assisted therapy, reminiscence therapy, multisensory stimulation and exercise. Evidence-based Interventions and Potential Impact for Promoting Inclusion A number of studies (Casartelli et al., 2013; Monaghan et al., 2012; Ewen et al., 2012) have shown that exercise could improve the mobility of patients following hip surgery. Most of these studies use the randomised controlled trial study design, which ranks high in the hierarchy of evidence (Greenhalgh, 2010). This type of design reduces selection bias of the participants and increases the credibility of the findings of the study (Polit and Beck, 2010). The NICE (2013) guideline for fall also supports exercise intervention for improving patient’s mobility. My patient Laura is using a frame to aid her walking following a fall and an exercise intervention would improve her mobility. Considering that Laura is also suffering from anxiety, I counseled with the carer that we might consider an exercise intervention to both manage anxiety and improve mobility of the patient. This was well-received by the carer who expressed that they could help the patient with a structured walking e xercise. Meanwhile, cognitive behavioural therapy (Kurz et al., 2012; Hopper et al., 2013) has also been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety amongst patients and in regulating sleep behaviour. This form of intervention was also introduced to Laura and her carer. A programme was created where she would receive CBT on a weekly basis. It should be noted that the psychiatrist and the GP in the healthcare team are considering on alternative pharmacologic therapy to regulate sleeping behaviour and anxiety of the patient. While this might have a positive effect on the patient, it should be noted that medications for anxiety have side effects. For instance, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as rivastigmine, galantamine and donepezil are known to have side effects on the cognition of patients (Porsteinsson et al., 2013; Moncrieff and Cohen, 2009). As a nurse and part of the team, I suggested to the team to consider the effects of pharmacologic interventions on the patient. Further, the NICE (2006) guideline also states that only specialists, that include GPs specialising in elderly care or psychiatrists, should initiate pharmacologic interventions. This guideline also emphasises that the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of the patient should be between 10 to 20 points. In Laura’s case, she is pro gressing from moderately severe dementia to its severe form. Introducing pharmacologic interventions might only worsen the cognitive state of Laura. Meanwhile, there is strong evidence from a systematic review (Filan and Llewellyn-Jones, 2006) on the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in reducing psychological and behavioural symptoms of dementia. A systematic review also ranks as high as randomised controlled trials in the hierarchy of evidence (Greenhalgh, 2010). Findings of Filan and Llewellyn-Jones (2006) also reveal that it can promote social behaviour amongst patients. This form of therapy was initially considered in Laura’s case due to its possible effects on the sleep behaviour of the patient. However, current evidence is still unclear on whether the effects could be sustained for prolonged periods. In application to my patient’s case, the use of animal-assisted therapy might be difficult to carry out since the patient has to depend on a carer for her daily needs. However, our team decided on using music therapy for the patient. Similar to animal-assisted therapy, there is also strong evidence on the e ffectiveness of music therapy in managing anxiety, depression and aggression amongst patients with dementia (Sakamoto et al., 2013; Wall and Duffy, 2010). Importantly, cognitive behavioural and music therapies and exercise interventions all promote inclusion of the patient in the care process (Repper and Perkins, 2003). In cognitive behavioural therapy, the patient and her carer receive support on how to manage anxiety and sleeping behaviour. Since carers are highly involved during CBT, there is a higher chance that the intervention would be successful (Hopper et al., 2013). It has been shown that carers of patients with chronic conditions such as dementia are also at risk of developing depression and anxiety (Department of Health, 2009). Smith et al. (2007) explain that this might be due to the realisation that the patient would not recover from the illness. Further, these carers have to prepare themselves for the patient’s end-of-life care. All these realisations could influence the carer’s own mental health (Smith et al., 2007). Hence, it is important that interventions are not only holistic for the patient, but should also include the carers in the process. Hence, implementing CBT would promote inclusion in practice (Wright and Stickley, 2013). The patient in my care is also suffering from type 2 diabetes. Pharmacologic interventions would include metformin and insulin therapy (NICE, 2008). Non-pharmacologic interventions include exercise, behavioural modification and diet. This presents a complex problem for Laura since it has been shown that elderly patients are also at greatest risk of malnutrition due to the aging process (Department of Health, 2009). Patients with dementia could experience feeding behavioural problems. When patients are admitted in hospitals, the new environment and lack of social interaction with peers could act as triggers in behavioural problems (Department of Health, 2009). Since patients might lack the cognitive ability to express themselves, this might present as aggressive behaviour (NICE, 2006). Hence, ensuring that Laura receives appropriate nutrition during her hospital stay could be influenced by changes in her behaviour. It is important that patients with type 2 diabetes do not only receive pharmacologic interventions but should also have sufficient diet. This is seen as a challenge in Laura’s case since she could experience feeding problems due to loss in cognitive abilities. For instance, she might be reminded on how to chew food or why she needs to eat (Department of Health, 2009). In patients with severe forms, the main aim of feeding is now focused on comfort feeding rather than allowing patients to eat the proper amount of food (Department of Health, 2009). Hence, managing Laura’s type 2 diabetes through proper feeding would be an added challenge to her care. Legal, Ethical and Socio-Political Factors that Influence the Intervention Process Decisions on the care and interventions received by the patient are influenced by several factors. First, the Mental Health Act 2007 (UK Legislation, 2007) states that patients with mental health condition could seek voluntary admission to hospitals and leave whenever they want. This Act also states that patients could only be forced to receive treatment in hospital settings if they are detained under this Act. Laura and her carer could refuse treatment or interventions at any point of her care and my team and I would respect her decision. Observance of this provision under the Mental Health Act would also be consistent with patient-centred care where patients are empowered to act for own benefit and to choose appropriate interventions. Apart from the legal aspects that influence the delivery of interventions, ethical issues should also be observed. In the ethics principle of beneficence, nurses and other healthcare practitioners should ensure that the interventions would be benefici al to the patient (Beauchamp and Childress, 2001). In Laura’s case, all the interventions cited previously have been shown to be beneficial to the patient. Only the pharmacologic interventions are associated with adverse and side effects for the patient (Popp and Arlt, 2011). Hence, as a nurse, I lobbied for inclusion of non-pharmacologic interventions instead of reliance on anticholinergic drugs to control the patient’s behaviour. In addition to beneficence, Beauchamp and Childress (2001) also add the ethics principles of autonomy, non-maleficence and justice. In Laura’s case, her autonomy would be respected. Allowing patients to participate in the decision-making process is crucial. However, patients with dementia suffer from cognitive impairments that could influence their decision-making ability (Wright et al., 2009). In accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (Department for Constitutional Affairs, 2007), the carers of Laura could be appointed to act on her behalf. In non-maleficence, the main aim of the interventions is to promote the health of the patient. There are no known side effects of the psychosocial and exercise interventions. Justice will be observed if Laura receives tailored-interventions that would address her needs. It is important that regardless of the patient’s background, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, she should receive healthcare interventions fit for her needs. This ethics principle is observed since a healthcare team has been addressing Laura’s healthcare needs. While all interventions are patient-centred, socio-political issues that could influence the interventions include the recent changes in the NHS structure where local health boards are primarily responsible for allocating funds to healthcare services (Department for Constitutional Affairs, 2007). Hence, if dementia care is not a priority in the local health board, health programmes for dementia might not receive sufficient funding. This could pose considerable problems for the elderly who are dependent on the NHS for their care. Laura has been receiving sufficient support for her mental health condition. This demonstrates that dementia care remains a priority in my area of care. A survey of the support system in my community reveals that support groups for carers are available. This is essential since supporting carers is also a priority in the NHS (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2007). Role of the Nurse in the Intervention Process On reflection of the case, I have a role to coordinate care with other team members and to ensure that the patient receives patient-centered care. As a nurse, I have to adhere to the NMC’s (2008) code of conduct and observe patient safety. Recognising that dementia is a progressive condition, I should also focus on interventions that not only addresses the current behavioural problems of the patient but also on preparing the carer and Laura’s family members on palliative care. The NICE (2006) guideline has stated that nurses have an important role in preparing patients of dementia and their family members on end-of-life care. This could be a highly stressful stage in the patient’s disease trajectory or could be one of acceptance and peace for the family. As a nurse, I have to ensure that interventions are appropriate to the stage of dementia that the patient is experiencing. Since nursing is a continuing process, I have to inform the family members that the patie nt will increasingly lose her cognitive abilities and would have difficulty feeding in the last stages of the condition (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2007). I have to ensure that the patient receives both spiritual and physical support at this stage. Evidence-based care is crucial in ensuring that patients receive the appropriate intervention. In my role as a nurse, I have to ensure that interventions are acceptable to the patient. I should also consider the preferences of the patient, their past experiences and their own perceptions on how to best manage their condition. Since I would be caring for a patient with declining cognitive abilities, I should ensure that her dignity would be maintained (Baillie and Gallagher, 2011). As part of my future learning development, I will attend courses on how to conduct end-of-life care for patients with dementia. Through Laura, I realised that a patient’s dignity should always be observed. It is recommended that in my future and present practice, I will continue to rely on literature on the best form of interventions of my patient. I will also consult with my colleagues, seek expert opinion and the patient’s experiences on how to choose and deliver interventions. Conclusion Evidence-based practice is important in helping patients achieve quality care. In this case, Laura is an 80-year old patient with dementia. She exhibits the moderate form of the condition but is beginning to show signs of advance dementia. As her nurse, I have the duty to observe ethics in healthcare and to seek for interventions that are evidence-based. However, I also realised that other factors also influence the delivery of interventions. These include socio-political, legal and ethical factors. As a nurse, I have to protect the patient’s rights, act as her advocate and ensure her safety during the trajectory of the condition. For future practice, I will continue to practice evidence-based practice. I will also encourage others in the mental health profession to always consider the patient’s preferences when caring for patients with dementia. When patients are unable to decide for their own care, the carer of the patient could act on her behalf. Finally, as a mental health nurse, I should constantly update myself with the best form of interventions for patients with dementia. This will ensure that my patients will receive evidence-based interventions. References Baillie, L. Gallagher, A. (2011). ‘Respecting dignity in care in diverse care settings: Strategies of UK nurses’. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 17, pp. 336-341. Beauchamp, T. Childress, J. (2001). Principles of biomedical ethics. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Casartelli, N., Item-Glatthorn, J., Bizzini, ., Leunig, M. Maffiuletti, N. (2013). ‘Differences in gait characteristics between total hip, knee, and ankle arthroplasty patients: a six-moth postoperative comparison’. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorder, 14:176 doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-14-176. Croker, J., Swancut, D., Roberts, M., Abel, G., Roland, M. Campbell, J. (2013) ‘Factors affecting patients’ trust and confidence in GPs: evidence from the national GP patient survey’, BMJ Open, 3(5). Pii: e002762. Doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002762. Department of Health (2012). No Health Without Mental Health. London: Department of Health. Department of Health (2009). Living Well with dementia: A National Dementia Strategy. London: Department of Health. Department for Constitutional Affairs (2007). Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. Norwich: The Stationery Office. Ewen, A., Stewart, S., St Clair Gibson, A., Kashyap, S. Caplan, N. (2012). ‘Post-operative gait analysis in total hip replacement patients- a review of current literature and meta-analysis’. Gait Posture, 36(1), pp. 1-6. Filan, S. Llewellyn-Jones, R. (2006). ‘An animal-assisted therapy for dementia: a review of the literature’. International Psychogeriatrics, 18(4), pp. 597-611. Fitzpatrick, J. (2007a). ‘Finding the research for evidence-based practice: Part one- The development of EBP’. Nursing Times, 103(17), pp. 32-33. Fitzpatrick, J. (2007b). ‘Finding the research for evidence-based practice: Part two-selecting credible evidence’. Nursing Times, 103(18), pp. 32-33. Fitzpatrick, J. (2007c). ‘How to turn research into evidence-based practice: Part three- Making a case’. Nursing Times, 103(19), pp. 32-33. Greenhalgh, T. (2010). How to read a paper: the basics of evidence-based medicine. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley and Sons. Hopper, T., bourgeois, M., Pimentel, J., Qualls, C., Hickey, E., Frymark, T. Schooling, T. (2013). ‘An evidence-based systematic review on cognitive interventions for individuals with dementia’. American Journal of Speech and Language Pathology, 22(1), pp. 126-145. Kizer, K. (2002). ‘Patient centred care: essential but probably not sufficient’. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 11, pp. 117-118. Kurz, A., Thà ¶ne-Otto, A., Cramer, B., Egert, S., Frà ¶lich, L., Gertz, H., Kehl, V., Wagenpfeil, S. Werheid, K. (2012). ‘CORDIAL: Cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral treatment for early dementia in Alzheimer disease: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial’. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, 26(3), pp. 246-253. Monaghan, B., Grant, T., Hing, W. Cusack, T. (2012). ‘Functional exercise after total hip replacement (FEATHER): a randomised control trial’, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorder. 13:237 doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-13-237. Moncrieff, J. Cohen, D. (2009). ‘How do psychiatric drugs work?’. British Medical Journal: 338 [Online]. Available from: bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b1963#alternate. Morrissey, J. Callgahan, P. (2011). Communication skills for mental health nurses. Maidenhead: Open University Press. National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2007). Dementia: The NICE-SCIE Guideline on supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care. London: The British Psychological Society and Gaskell and Social Care Institute for Excellence and NICE. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2013). Falls: assessment and prevention of falls in older people: NICE clinical guideline 161. London: NICE. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2008). Type 2 Diabetes: The Management of type 2 diabetes. London: NICE. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2006). Dementia: Supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care. London: NICE. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008). The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC. Pearson, A., Field, J., Jordan, Z. (2009). Evidence-Based Clinical Practice in Nursing and health Care. Assimilating Research, Experience and Expertise. Oxford. Blackwell Publishing. Polit, D. Beck, C. (2010). Essentials of nursing research: appraising evidence for nursing practice. 7th ed. London: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Popp, J. Arlt, S. (2011). ‘Pharmacological treatment of dementia and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease’. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 24(6), pp. 556-561. Porsteinsson, A., Drye, L., Pollock, B., Devanand, D., Frangakis, C. Ismail, Z., Marano, C., Meinert, C., Mintzer, J., Munro, C., Pelton, G., Rabins, P., Rosenberg, P., Schneider, L., Shade, D., Weintraub, D., yesavage, J. Lyketsos, C. (2013). ‘Effect of citalopram on agitation in Alzheimer disease: the CitAD randomized clinical trial’. JAMA, 311(7), pp. 682-691. Repper, J. Perkins, R. (2003). Social inclusion and recovery: A model for mental health practice. London: Balliere Tindall. Sakamoto, M., Ando, H. Tsutou, A. (2013). ‘Comparing the effects of different individualized music interventions for elderly individuals with severe dementia’, International Psychogeriatrics. 25(5), pp. 775-784. Smith, G., Greogry, K. Higgs, A. (2007). An integrated approach to family work for psychosis. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. UK Legislation (2007) Mental Health Act 2007 [Online]. Available from: legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/12/contents (Accessed: 13th May, 2014). Wall, M. Duffy, A. (2010). ‘The effects of music therapy for older people with dementia’. British Journal of Nursing, 19(2), pp. 108-113. Wright, N. Stickley, T. (2013). Concepts of social inclusion, exclusion and mental health: A review of the international literature. London: SAGE. Wright, J., Turkington, D., Kingdon, D. Basco, M. (2009). Cognitive-behaviour therapy for severe mental illness: An illustrated guide. USA: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.

Competition Bikes, Inc. is engaged in the business of manufacturing Coursework

Competition Bikes, Inc. is engaged in the business of manufacturing bicycles. Summary Report - Coursework Example There are various techniques which can be utilized to evaluate the information present in the financial statements of a company. Some of the commonly used techniques are horizontal analysis, vertical analysis, trend analysis and ratio analysis. All these analyses have been performed for the Competition Bikes, Inc. taking into account the income statements and the balance sheets of the company for the past three years. Horizontal analysis of the financial statements is generally done to compare the performance levels within the company for a given period of time (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2009, p. 647). Horizontal analysis of Competition Bikes, Inc. that has been presented in the case would facilitate comparative analysis of the amounts as well as percentage increase or decrease of each of the related items in its income statements and balance sheets (Warren, 2008, p. 306). It would thus help to identify and understand the operational weaknesses and strengths of the company. As evide nt from the horizontal analysis of the income statements of Competition Bikes, Inc., there has been an 81.6% decline in its net income in the year 2008 as compared to 2007 which is quite significant. This decline in net earnings of the company is mostly attributed towards the 15% decline in its net sales in 2008 as compared to 2007 because of the current economic scenario which is going through a downturn. A 15% decline in sales value implies that the cost of goods sold and the variable expenses directly related to the sales output would also decline correspondingly. This fact is evident from the 15% decline in the selling expense items like sales commissions, distribution network and transportation out. However, in spite of the reduction in sales, the utilities expenses of the company increased by $15,000 in 2008 which is around 11.1% rise when compared with the year 2007. In the year 2007, when the net sales of the company increased by 33.3%, the corresponding increase in its util ities expense was only 3.8% as compared to 2006. Hence, this is a major area of concern and a potential weakness of the company of not being able to cut down on its utility expenses even with the reduction in sales volume. However, the company managed to reduce its research and development costs by 16.3% in the year 2008. This can be regarded as one of the potential strength of the company of being able to reduce its operational costs related to its research and development activities significantly in the year 2008. As regards the general and administration costs incurred by the company, it did not manage to reduce it in spite of the decline in sales value in 2009. These facts suggest that the company management was inefficient in managing its resources effectively and efficiently to help in bringing down its operational costs significantly to compensate for the decline in sales because of the recent downturn in the economy. Next if we look at the horizontal analysis of the balance sheets of the company for the past three years, it is observable that the current assets of the company in the form of cash and cash equivalents increased by around 275.4% in 2008 as compared to the year 2007 which is quite significant. The work in process remained same for the year 2008 when compared to 2007. It is noteworthy mentioning the fact that previously the work in process inventory increased

Criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Criminology - Essay Example This makes the Crown Court the higher court of prime instance in criminal cases. Nevertheless, for some purposes, the Crown Court remains hierarchically ancillary to the High Court and Divisional Courts which fall under the High Court, on one hand. On the other hand, the Magistrates’ Court stands and operates as a lower court where all proceedings of criminal trials start from. Civil matters, particularly, family proceedings may also start at the Magistrates’ Court. The Magistrates’ Court have been streamlined and modified to help in fast and cheap delivery of justice. In England and Wales alone, there are 360 Magistrates’ Courts. The foregoing clearly shows that there are similarities and differences in the manner in which magistrates’ Courts and Crown Courts operate and the different roles they dispense. Also known as Justices of the Peace, magistrates serve as unpaid trained members of the local community. This is because magistrates are local pe ople who volunteer their services to the community. According to Macnair (2007, 678-679), although magistrates will not require formal legal qualifications, yet they are required to undertake a training programme including prison and court visits, in order to help magistrates acquire necessary skills. Magistrates are given procedural and legal advice by qualified clerks. On the converse, District and Crown Court judges are strictly qualified, full-time professionals on payroll and usually, are based in larger cities. Again, unlike magistrates’ court judges, District and Crown Court judges attend to more sensitive and complex court cases. Presently, there are about 30,000 magistrates, 150 district judges and 170 deputy district judges who operate in the approximately 330 magistrates’ courts in Wales and England. Given that magistrates do not need legal qualifications to discharge their duties, they are advised and helped in court on legal procedures and matters of law a nd legal practice by Justices’ Clerks. Assistant Justices’ Clerks also partake in this responsibility (Bell and Dadomo, 2006, 339). Unlike Crown Court judges, magistrates preside over less serious criminal cases such as motoring offences, the failure to pay council tax, TV licenses and vehicle excise license and misdemeanor. Magistrates may therefore commit to Crown Courts, more serious cases such as murder, rape and manslaughter. The same judges may deal with lighter legal duties such as enforcement of court fines, search warrants, court fines and right of entry applications. According to Carlen (1975, 378), cases may be brought to magistrates’ courts by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In the event that a defendant has pleaded not guilty, a trial may be held, with the magistrates listening to, viewing and analyzing the evidence that has been adduced before the court of law, deciding on agreed facts and facts [which are] in dispute and considering whether t he case has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. In case a suspect has been found guilty or the suspect has entered a guilty plea, the magistrates may proceed to issue a court sentence by using sentencing guidelines and structured decision making processes which define the expected penalty for typical offences. The magistrate judges will also take note of case law and practice directions from higher courts and are also given advice in court by a legally qualified and competent adviser (Riddle and Jones, 2013, 750). In the event th

The history of computer hardware and software Essay

The history of computer hardware and software - Essay Example 9). This technology would later evolve to calculators and then primitive forms of computers. The first computer is believed to be the United States Army’s Ballistic Research Laboratory ENIAC, which was developed in 1946. This machine was extremely large and would evolve into more widely functional forms of computer technology, as vacuum tube machines gave way to transistor-based machines. Still, it wasn’t until the late 1970s and early 1980s that the modern computer emerged. The emergence of modern computer technology was allowed by a number of hardware developments. In these regards, â€Å"the development of integrated circuit technology, and the later development of microprocessors, allowed the previously bulky and cumbersome dimensions of computer technology to be streamlined and formed into the personal home computer† (Lavington, p. 98). In addition to these hardware components, the main historical shift between traditional computer technology and the modern computer has been identified as the ability of modern computers to be programmed. While this is a nebulous concept, the main understanding is that an individual is able to tell a modern computer to process a task and it will be able to carry out the command. Ultimately, these advancements in computer hardware technology have allowed the contemporary pervasive influence of computer technology. While the development of computer hardware is primarily essential to the evolution of computer technology, software developments have made significant contributions. Perhaps the first computer software program was proposed by philosopher Alan Turing. John Turkey first used the term ‘software’ itself in 1958. In terms of the actual development of computer software, the first emergence occurred in 1946 with the ENIAC Army computer. In terms of software development, two major contributors in the late 20th century were IBM and Bill Gates. The 1980s

Evaluating Life Cycle of Pavements

Evaluating Life Cycle of Pavements Case Study from Nevada Department of Transportations Perspective Nowadays increasing number of agencies and companies have started to shift to the principles of sustainability in conducting business and activities. These principles also make good business sense as we try to improve the environmental, social and economic value of a product. The transportation industry is no different and many Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have already shifted to this by incorporating Life Cycle Analysis of pavements. Life cycle analysis of pavements is a comprehensive approach where economic costs of different alternatives during the life of a pavement are evaluated and the best one is chosen to be implemented. It is a complex process and varies from one DOT to another but usually there are some guidelines laid down by the Federal Highway Administration that are followed. For our case study, we have selected the Nevada Department of Transportation, also known as NDOT. This report presents a brief overview of the various components and strategies used in pavement analysis, maintenance and rehabilitation are discussed in detail. NDOT has a defined Pavement Management System to collect data and the application of LCA for construction of pavements has already been started. The various parameters considered in LCA as well as the limitations are discussed in this report. Keywords: Pavement, Life Cycle Analysis, NDOT, Maintenance, Rehabilitation Pavements, like any other thing, have a definite life cycle. They are constructed by keeping a certain period of utility in mind. The continuous use of roadways often leads to their degradation in their serviceability. The rate of this deterioration is dependent on many factors both environmental and load related. Using appropriate maintenance and rehabilitation techniques at the right time also can impact the life of a pavement drastically. The life cycle of pavements can be very broadly described as Stage 1: New Pavement Newly constructed pavements fall into this category. They require almost no repairs while in use. Stage 2: Minor Repairs After some initial time, the utility of the roads begins to decrease. Some maintenance work is favored. Stage 3: Major Repairs After long time in service the roads become deficient structurally and continuous use of roads in this state is not recommended. Stage 4: Complete Reconstruction Roads in this state of disarray are not be used except under extreme circumstances and require a complete overhaul and construction of new pavements. However, some agencies have been lagging in their effort to properly preserve their roadways. This has led to one third of the roads in United States being in poor or weak condition. Annually an estimated of 70 billion dollars to maintain the highway network in USA. This considerable sum has led people to try and manage pavements more efficiently. Constant evaluation of pavements has been adopted by many state DOTs to try and limit pavement deterioration once it is in use. There are two major categories for repairs of pavements in general terms are Maintenance Rehabilitation Maintenance is the process of repair of roads is done on a small scale as the pavements contain only minor faults and are fixed relatively easily. Some common maintenance techniques include fog seals and crack sealing and mainly slow down the deterioration rate of the pavements [1]. Rehabilitation is the procedure where existing portions of damaged pavements are completely redone as the damage is of significance. Rehabilitation techniques include in-place recycling and overlays and reset the whole process of deterioration [1]. The cost of either maintenance or rehabilitation of pavement is substantive and continuous to rise even today. This has lead highway agencies to use tools that can help combine economics and operations research to achieve pavements that are both cost effective without compromising their long-term properties. The most common method in use is the Life Cycle Cost Analysis or the LCCA [2]. It is a process where the value of the total project is calculated using the initial cost and discounted future costs over the life of the pavement. The components of LCCA is defined by different DOTs independently. For this report the case of Nevada DOT is chosen and LCCA used by NDOT will be explained later. The Nevada DOT was founded in 1917 and has since built and maintained almost 5,400 miles of road. There is an additional of more than 46,000 miles of public road mostly maintained by local agencies. The roads maintained by NDOT account only for 20% of roads in Nevada but these roads account for 52% of all traffic and 82% of heavy truck traffic of the state [3]. In the fiscal years of 2013 and 2014, NDOT spend around 270 million dollars on maintenance rehabilitation repair works. As one can infer from the figures the process of maintaining the roadways is costly and therefore NDOT uses various tools that can help to minimize this cost in the long run. Some of these tools are discussed in this report. Connecting the empirical data collected from the field and theoretical data calculated by an engineer in the lab has been one of the most difficult task in pavement engineering. Long term pavement performance has gained importance as it is a major component of any cost analyses that is conducted on the pavements. Therefore, predicting long term performance of pavements with good accuracy can provide valuable data for pavement modeling. Field data collected from various sites can also be used to verify whether the materials possesses required qualities or the design was sufficient. This can in their turn help in altering future pavement designs to better perform in the field. This has led to the creation of a Pavement Management System by pavement engineers. Data collected from various sites in the field is collected in the PMS and stored for further analysis by engineers. This collected data can be utilized to develop and verify pavement performance models The PMS used by NDOT was established in 1980 and is accordance with ISTEA guidelines. It monitors various pavement characteristics with time on a mile-by-mile basis for the entire NDOT system. The data collected includes cracking, rut depth, patching, surface condition, and ride with data on traffic and accidents are collected for informational purposes only. Using the data collected from the field seven performance indicators are calculated to classify pavements into four repair categories. The performance indicators calculated are Ride Rut Depth Cracking Patching Bleeding Raveling Present Serviceability Index (PSI) The PSI used by NDOT is calculated by the following formula PSI = 5*e-0.0041*IRI 1.38RD2 0.01(C+P)0.5 Where IRI = International Roughness Index (in/mile) RD = Rut Depth (in) C = Cracking Area (ft2/1000 ft2) P = Patching Area (ft2/1000 ft2) For the considered pavement points are assigned for the severity and extent of each of the distress indicators. The total summation of the points is used to assign the pavement into one of four repair categories which are Do Nothing Maintenance Overlay Reconstruction For details refer to Development of Pavement Performance, Analyses and Procedures [4]. The PSI of pavements is kept in check by performing routine maintenance and rehabilitation activities. As explained maintenance as a process only slows down the rate of deterioration while on the other hand rehabilitation will show an initial change in PSI and may also change the rate of deterioration of pavement. Generally, one observes that the cost of maintenance of pavement tends to be lower than the cost of rehabilitation. Therefore, if one has to be cost effective there needs to be a balance between the maintenance and rehabilitation of pavements. That is using only one type of repair work will be more economically inefficient. NDOT has chosen specific repair activities to catalog in the state of Nevada based on availability of previous data. If a technique was chosen without sufficient performance data, then the model would be of limited use only. The techniques thus used by NDOT include Maintenance Techniques: Rehabilitation Techniques: Sand Seals, Chips Seals. Flexible Overlays, Roadbed Modification, Mill and Overlays Sand Seals Sand seal is the application of an asphalt emulsion being sprayed on with a layer of clean sand or fine aggregate being embedded in the emulsion either by spreading immediately or using a pneumatic tire roller. After application of the tire-roller excess particles are removed from the pavement. The sand seals are useful for improving the surface properties of pavements and can also help in filling up any fine cracks of pavement surface. In addition, the sand can also improve the skid resistant properties of the road while reducing the chances of raveling. [5]. Chip Seals Chip seals have become one of the most used surface treatment technique for roads with less traffic. Similar to a sand seal, a chip seal is the process of spraying asphalt and applying a layer of aggregate over it. The asphalt applied could be in form of hot asphalt cement, cutback or emulsified asphalt. After the application of any of the listed types of asphalt aggregate layer is administers onto the surface, before the asphalt either cools down or the emulsion breaks so as to maximize adhesion. The aggregates in the asphalt matrix are further seated and reoriented using a pneumatic roller. Afterwards the excess aggregates are removed from the surface by use of brooming. Chip seals are used as a protection from further raveling as well as seal any small cracks that are in the pavement. Sometimes use of lightweight aggregates is justified in chip seals in cases where heavier aggregates might become a cause for windshield cracking. LWA are manufactured mainly from light minerals like shale, slate or clay and are usually more expensive and less durable than normal aggregates but these are much lighter in weight. This light weight prevents these aggregates from being able to crack windshields in the case they become projectiles. The cracking of windshields can also be prevented by use of polymer modified emulsion [5]. Flexible Overlays Flexible overlay is a method of rehabilitation wherein on top of the old structure a new intermediate layer is constructed. The major purpose of this new layer is to both add an additional structure to the pavement and to prevent the proliferation of reflective cracks from the structure underneath. The old structure can still provide a uniform support. The design and planning of the overlay should be done keeping into consideration the expected traffic loading that the pavement will be under. As such this technique usually causes an increase in the highway profile. Care also has to be taken to prevent moisture from getting between the overlay and old structure. To prevent this the materials uses in the overlay should be tested for both moisture susceptibility and durability [6]. Roadbed Modification Asphalt roads are also reclaimed using roadbed modification. This technique is usually applied to pavements where the PSI has fallen way below desired level. Pulverization of existing pavement is done to a depth depending upon the structure of the old pavement. The pulverization process sometimes also includes base materials sometimes if the depth of pulverization is greater than the bituminous layer. On the other hand, if the depth is lower than that of existing structure then use of cold milling can be beneficial as this will lead to minimal disturbance to the materials underneath. The materials pulverized is then mixed with cement and water, where it acts basically as aggregates. This concrete is spread out and compacted according to the design intended. Pavements with very weak or uneven foundations can benefit from this technique [7]. Mill and Overlays The mill and overlay method is a method of rehabilitation where the top surface of the damaged pavement is removed, usually up to 2 inches. This removal is done by the use of a milling machine capable to perform the task. The removal of the top layer comprises of the milling portion of the method and usually takes around a couple of days. Afterwards a new layer of bituminous layer is constructed on top of the structure, in place of the removed surface. The surface of the milled pavement is coated with liquid asphalt that acts as a tack coat between the old structure and the new bituminous layer. The construction of the overlay can take around one to two days depending upon the width of pavement and the traffic. The asphalt overlay to be placed on pavement is usually embedded to a depth of 1ÂÂ ½ using a paver [8]. When developing NDOTs pavement performance model three categories of data were considered Structural, Environmental and PMS. A list of factors from these categories was created that could possibly affect pavement performance was compiled into standard data collection form. Analyzing all the standardized data the following data sets were finally used when developing the model- Materials data of activity being modeled: These data include the types and percentages of asphalt binder and aggregates used in the maintenance or rehabilitation activity for which the performance model is being developed. Materials data of existing pavement layers: These data include the types and percentages of asphalt binder and aggregates used in the layers underlaying the maintenance or rehabilitation activity for which the performance model is being developed. Structural data: These data include the thickness of the various layers in the pavement structure including the thickness of the maintenance or rehabilitation activity that is being modeled. The structural number (SN) as defined by the AASHTO design guide was used to normalize the structural data among all of the pavement section. Reference 3 describes the method used to convert the layer thicknesses into SN values. Pavement performance data: These data include the PSI, percent cracking, and average rut depth values as obtained from the NDOT PMS data base. Traffic data: The equivalent single axle load (ESAL) was used as the traffic element. The average daily ESAL figures were obtained from the PMS data base and used to obtain the cumulative ESALs over the life of the maintenance or rehabilitation activity. Environmental data: These data include maximum and minimum temperatures, number of freeze/thaw cycles, number of wet days, and annual precipitation. LCCA is a tool that is used by NDOT to evaluate the economic assessment of pavements when considering the entirety of its useful life. It takes into consideration the initial costs as well as maintenance and repair cost that the pavement is likely to undergo in its life. This tool can be used by pavement engineers to optimize their budget to improve the overall useful life of the pavement. Different alternatives for repairs are considered and the one with the most utility or least cost is chosen to be put forward for consideration. LCCA is made from the following steps- All initial treatment alternatives must be identified For each alternative, their analysis period as well as treatment scheme should be determined The price of annual and each alternatives maintenance should be computed The economic assessment calculated for each alternative should be compared The alternative with the best economic assessment should be selected based on LCCA When performing LCCA, NDOT uses the AASHTO prescribed Present Worth method. This method is highly recommended and frequently used by state highway agencies. In this method, any future expense is converted to present value of the dollar. The present value of future expenses is the amount of money which will need to be invested at a particular compound interest rate for the total sum to be equal to the value of the future expense. The formula used in calculation is PW = F(1/(1+i) n) Where F = The future expense after n years i = Discount rate n = Number of years Since the costs of production keeps on changing with time due to inflation and other economic factors, a discount rate is chosen to compare the cost across all time periods. LCCA is performed on the pavement for a specific analyses period. The length of this analyses period has been calculated for various types of roads keeping important factors into consideration. Highway Class Analysis Period (Years) High Volume Urban 30 50 High Volume Rural 20 50 Low Volume Paved 15 25 Low Volume Aggregate Surface 10 20 For newly constructed flexible pavements NDOT recommends an analysis period of 25-40 years while for rehabilitation they recommended a period of 20 years. This data is derived from two major conditions, (a) It represents a realistic life of asphalt mixtures and (b) one or two rehabilitation periods are included in the period. Pavements have a defined life cycle. Regular repair work must be done during the useful life of a pavement to maintain it to a serviceable level. NDOT uses PSI as an indicator to determine the serviceability level of pavement. PSI can range from 0 to 5.0 and repair is done on a pavement when the PSI drops below an unacceptable level. NDOT uses 2.5 as the terminal level of PSI with roads having average daily traffic of more than 750. NDOT also has placed some reality checks in place for calculating the pavement performance period. They are not considered in when in performance models because they can act as an empirical check to the values obtained from theoretical models. These checks include data such as traffic accidents, high maintenance costs, specific site failures, etc. LCAA also include cost factors that encompass all the expenditure that is incurred by the pavement from the design phase till the end of its useful life cycle. These costs have to be properly compared for different alternatives in LCCA to arrive at the most economic pavement. These costs can include First Costs: These include both the expenditure for the initial construction of the pavement and the cost for the operations that occurred to facilitate the construction like surveys, designs and analyses. Annual Maintenance Costs: These include the expenditure that is use to maintain an optimum PSI level of the pavement so as to provide a smooth ride to the drivers. Road User Costs: These are the costs that are associated with driving on the road and include things like increase in travel time, accidents, change in fuel consumption by vehicle etc. Salvage Value: This is the value of the road at the end of its life cycle. These casts can be either positive or negative depending on the condition of the road. 1. Pavement Interactive 2. Evaluation of pavement life cycle cost analysis: Review and analysis 3. State Highway Preservation Report 4. Development of Pavement Performance, Analyses and Procedures 5. https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/html/99771201/99771201.htm 6.http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/pdm/flexible_base_overlay_and_flexible_base_thickening.htm 7. https://www.nevadadot.com/uploadedFiles/NDOT/About_NDOT/NDOT_Divisions/Operations/Construction/CM%20Section%206%20-%20300.pdf 8. https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/public-works/street-maintenance/mill-overlay

Energy Crisis Interrelated to Global Warming. Photovoltaic Cell †A Pos

Energy Crisis Interrelated to Global Warming. Photovoltaic Cell – A Possible Solution Abstract- The world’s energy crisis has worsened in recent years, as oil prices dramatically increased due to the limited amount of available oil. Global warming is considered as a byproduct of energy crisis, because as oil continues to burn in the refining process, CO2 is constantly emitted to the atmosphere at a fast rate and in heavy concentrations, which in turn, worsens the global warming situation. Photovoltaic cell technology converts sunlight into direct current electricity. This source can be a possible solution to solve the energy crisis as well as the global warming issue. Introduction- Energy crisis has remained a top concern in the world today. Fossil fuels, the most widely used energy source in the U.S. and in the world, is rapidly being depleted due to the fast consumption rate. Since we are highly depended on oil for transportation, cooking, and communication in our daily lives, the oil storage is starting to run out and eventually it will be all gone. Petroleum oil is always considered as a cheap energy source; however, the price of oil per barrel and per gallon has gone up significantly worldwide. The price of oil has already passed $60 per barrel, due to the energy crisis and oil shortages (Crude Oil Futures Prices – NYMEX, 2005). The increased oil prices and the limited energy resources will have a great impact to the global economy where stock prices fall, unemployment rates increase, economic recession and inflation can occur. Burning fossil fuels are not only causing the existing energy crisis in the world but are leading to global warming as well. Due to the excessive burning of fossil fuels, the ... .... Website: http://www.cintelliq.com/res_photo.htm Renewable Energy (2005) The Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 23,2005. Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy Turner, John A. (1999) A Realizable Renewable Energy Future. Retrieved July 21, 2005, from Energy Viewpoint. Website: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/285/5428/687.pdf 14 The Coming World Energy Crisis. (2005) Retrieved July 21, 2005 from Planet for life. Website: http://planetforlife.com/ William, James L. Alhajji, A. F. PhD. (2003). The Coming Energy Crisis? Retrieved July 21, 2005, from Energy Economics Newsletter. Website: http://www.wtrg.com/EnergyCrisis/ Zittel, Werner. Schindler, JÃ ¶rg (2003) Future world oil supply. Retrieved July 21, 2005, from University Salzburg. Website: http://www.energiekrise.de/e/articles/International-Summer-School-Salzburg- 2002.pdf

Math Skills for Today’s Workforce

Sometimes people would think that what we learn is school is actually useless when we work in the real world. Yes it is true. You will not really apply everything what you learn, but there are skills that we acquire during the process of learning, and that is what’s more significant. A skill that is very indispensable is basic math. It will get you a long way. Perfecting your ability to calculate in your head and properly analyzing word problems will not hurt. Basic math is actually occurring in different situations, some in implicit ways, everyday. From street vendors, to hairdressers, to clerks, to managers and leaders, they all use it. By being skilled in that area, you will absolutely make your work more efficient.There are issues in education on the required math units for students, setting a higher standard for them to be more competent when they get to step into the real world. However, with higher requirements, it was discovered that employers do not actually need educ ation in math higher than what is taught in 9th or 10th grade (Cavanagh 21). Yet, it is still believed that having more advanced skills will help you succeed in college, as well as get a higher-paying job.The contradiction is that, if students work right after high school, what they should be taught must be more of the applied math and not much dwell on the technical and complex side of math. This will not only help them improve their skills needed for today’s workforce, it may increase student’s participation and interest on the subject.In that same article, it was revealed that out of the 51 varied professionals interviewed by Rosenbaum in the mid-1990s, on the subject of skills that are relevant in the workplace; basic math like arithmetic, fractions, algebra are them most common (Cavanagh 21). Another shocking survey took by Michael Handel revealed that out of the 2300 white and blue-collar workers, 94 percent applied math in their jobs. 22 percent of the workers s aid that they only used math skills like adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. 19 percent only used Algebra 1 skills and only 9 percent used Algebra 2 (Cavanagh 22).Handel also proved the statement a while ago that people taking the most mathematics are earning way better – and that is Algebra 2 and above (Cavanagh 23). It was shown in their research that only less than 5 percent makes use of Algebra 2 and other higher math like trigonometriy, calculus and geometry.Math teachers have been greatly criticized on the theoretical approach and many students are actually looking for ways to apply the concepts being taught.   Not everyone will be taking Chemistry or Engineering so why tackle more on the very complex math? Employers are actually disappointed on the workforce today, which lacks the basic workforce skills like basic math, which involves more problem solving-related skills.In another study, which involved technical professionals, it has been discovered that m ath is very essential in areas that involve electronics (Stasz 210). They use geometry, algebra, trigonometry and even statistics. For health workers and vocational nurses, basic math is only needed in implementing their tasks.Waipahu High School and Kihei Charter School promotes education on the field of science, math, engineering and technology, which are needed to â€Å"fuel our new knowledge economy†. (Hatada 1) He said that math and science are very critical subjects and students must be able to master these subjects. It was said that most businesses are in need of â€Å"creative problem solvers†, which requires higher and stronger math and science knowledge.In their study, only half of the 17 year old students have strong enough math skills that will bring them to jobs in production. America’s 15 year olds rank poorly, with 24 out of the 29 developed nations in terms of math and problem solving skills (Hatada 1). That is why a lot of schools now are trying to reinvent their curriculum, especially for high school, whose big chunk already goes to the workforce after they graduate.There are programs for adults which refreshes you with basic education. An example is in Iowa, wherein local employers have been reported to provide education and training of their employees, which are more focused on the skills that are needed on a particular job description (Lundberg 1).The topics that will e discussed include the usual addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, addition and subtraction of decimals, addition and subtraction of shop fractions, addition and subtraction of shop decimals, basic calculation using scale drawings, ranking decimals and fractions, conversion between centimeters and millimeters, conversion between inches and metric measurements and last is tape measure reading.In Canada, the employability skills that are needed to enter, remain and also progress in your career are divided into three: fundamen tal skills, personal management skills and teamwork skills (The Conference Board Canada 2). Fundamental skills involve knowledge in math. When you communicate, you have to impart your knowledge through clear explanation of your ideas. When you manage information, you must be able to apply skills in mathematics as well, especially in statistics. When you use numbers, you measure something and methods in mathematics are really important. When you solve problems, math is undeniably an important tool in your analysis.It is also very evident in most skill tests in pre-employment examinations include math topics that are applied in business. An example question would be:If two employees working together product 12 products, four employees product 36 and eight employees produce 96, how many products would sixteen employees be expected to product?192  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  208  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  220  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  240If you were to organize the products for efficiency in picking and shipping, how would you position them relative to those employees responsible for picking the products?Product Z closest to the picker, then X and then Y.Such questions were taken from G Neil Skills Profiler Website. Evidently, there is a use of logic and common sense in these questions. This is to evaluate the applicant’s ability to strategize in different situations as well as assess how the applicant is able to apply such math skills than on the theoretical perspective of the math problem. Which means that the math used in workplace are more applied than the theoretical one that is mostly taught in school.The National Institute for Literacy took a survey regarding skills tested in the workplace. 11 percent of the firms have tested all their applicants of their math skills during 2001, which is higher by a few percentage points from the past several years, while 38 percent tested only some applicants (American Management Association 1).In 2001, math skills rank third in the survey, â€Å"Voices from Main Street: Assessing the State of Small Business Workforce Skills† with 62 percent (American Express 12). Verbal communication and interpersonal skills ranked higher. Other skills include written communication, basic business skills, financial accounting, mechanical ability, computer skills, internet knowledge and science.There was also a study by the National Center on the Educational Quality workforce (2). As said earlier, there have been efforts from employers to provide workplace education programs. In the manufacturing sector, 10 percent increase in the education of the workers is related to the 8.6 percent increase of productivity. An increase of 10 percent of working hours increases 5.6 percent of productivity, while 10 percent increase in the capital stock produces an increase of 3.4 percent in productivity. Evidently, the highest among the three would be increasing the average education of the workers, which emphasizes the importance of workforce training.In the non-manufacturing sector, a 10 percent increase in education yields a higher increase in productivity, with 11 percent. A 10 percent increase of working hours increases 6.3 percent productivity, while a 10 percent increase in capital stock yields an additional 3.9 percent productivity. This implies that training provides higher benefits in the non-manufacturing sector, although it is not really that far from the performance in the manufacturing sector.Training means an additional year of schooling for workers. With workplace education programs, there is at least one benefit gained by the organization itself, and at least one skill gained by the employees.   Thus, these programs mutually benefit the organization and employees and such programs would really be worth of the organization time, effort and money (Bloom 9).With these findings from various studies, I do believe that strong math skills pose a lot of benefits in the workforce today, by giving you an edge over other employees. You will be more efficient and be more likely receive higher compensation.   Math skills do not mean mastering the various mathematical theorems and definitions. There is a difference between being good in math and being good in applied math. Math is really useless if you cannot apply it to your job, since courses in school in the first place have the purpose of being applied when you get out of the campus. I believe that the current workforce must be reinforced with their basic education that is already geared towards their line of work.References:American Express, Small Business Services, Voices from Main Street: Assessing the State of Small Business Workforce Skills (PDF file), American Express, New York, NY, 2000.American Management Association, 2001 AMA Survey on Workplace Testing: Basic Skills, Job Skills, Psychological Measurement – Summary of Key Findings (PDF file), American Management Association, New York, NY, 2001.Bloom, Michael R. and Brenda Lafleur, Turning Skills into Profit: Economic Benefits ofWorkplace Education Programs, The Conference Board, New York, NY, 1999.Cavanagh, Sean. What kind of math matters? 12 June 2007. 5 February 2008. .Conference Board Canada. Employability Skills 2000+. 5 February 2008. .G. Neil Website. Skills Profiler. 5 February 2008. < http://www.gneil.com/info/skillsprofiler>.Hatada, Tori. Students need stronger math, science skills. 5 February 2008. .Lundberg, Marty. Workplace Math. December 1999. 5 February 2008. .Stasz, Cathy. Do employers need the skills they want? Evidence from technical work. Journal of Education and Work, 10(3), 205-223. 1997.