Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Materialistic Americans Essay

â€Å"With these words I can sell you anything† by William Lutz and â€Å"At sale at Old Navy: Cool Clothes for Identical Zombies! † by Damien Cave the readings explain how Americans are fooled into purchasing so many unnecessary things that most of the time don’t do what they promise when advertised as well as how the buyers themselves are blinded and don’t realized that they are wasting money, all because of the value of their pride and their need to be better than everyone else yet they are doing the same things as millions of other Americans. Although it seems correct that most people should be materialistic, it’s not a good thing because this form of living is damaging American’s values in many ways and advertisements are just making it worst. In Cave’s excerpt he explains how most Americans have become so materialistic now and that it’s becoming a big issue. In one part Cave says, â€Å"Consumers are being scammed, says Klein, arguing that stores like Old Nave and Ikea are duping millions, inspiring mass conformity while pretending to deliver high culture to the masses† (109). This explains how Americans are so gullible when it comes to buying products because most of the time they don’t really look into what they are buying they just want to own what everyone else has because that makes them â€Å"fit† it into this materialistic society because it’s all about hierarchy and who’s on top of everyone else. â€Å"Klein and Frank say that few consumers recognize just how conformist their consumption habits have become† (Cave 109). Some people do realize that they do over spend but they still don’t do anything about it because they always want more. There are many adults that think that buying so many things for themselves and their families is good because people always want to have the best things that are out there for their loved ones without realizing that they’re just giving money away to things they don’t really need. â€Å"At virtually every opening of Old Navy’s and Ikea’s stores-in the New York, Chicago, and San Francisco areas, for example- tens of thousand of people appeared in the first few days. Even now, long after the stores first opened, lines remain long† (Cave 110). Americans value so much their pride to be over achievers and be better than everyone else they come across but yet they aren’t much different from other people because they spend as much as every other person who might not have that much money because everyone’s values are similar. In Lutz’s excerpt he explains how Advertisements usually don’t promise what they offer and take people for fools but yet people keep buying more. He states, â€Å"The biggest weasel word used in advertising doublespeak is ‘help’† (114). He explains how people are manipulated into buying products all the time that will help them with a desire objective and they are influenced by the advertisements. The things that people wear, drink, eat, etc are all influenced by something or someone, how else did they ever hear or see about those products. Advertisements are everywhere, people that see all these advertisements of products think those products apply to them because they know everyone else that will see them will want them too and they don’t to feel left out in not being part of the revolution of that product. Lutz also says, â€Å"Whenever advertisers want you to stop thinking about the product and to start thinking about something bigger, better, or more attractive than the product, they use that very popular weasel word, ‘like’† (119). American’s values are on risk when it comes to advertisements because people want their families to be well and grow a certain way, but that can’t happen when their television and billboards selling things that are out of the comfort of some people. Only by becoming an active, critical consumer of the double speak of advertising will you ver be able to cut through the doublespeak and discover what the ad is really saying† (Lutz 120). Americans value so much their pride and the liberty to do whatever they want that they think buying so much stuff applies to them. Americans also value their Independence in this country but it’s also being ruined by advertisements because how can people be independent when they are buying the same things as everyone else and are being exploited all at the same time? If people keep getting sucked into buying every little thing they see hey will doing the opposite of what they believe in, they will just be shaming who they are as Americans. Americans need to realize that buying everything that is advertised isn’t doing them any good. they will lose so much money on things they don’t really need and all for what? to be better than everyone else? People have forgotten about being independent and doing their own thing when it comes to having a different lifestyle from others. How can they take pride in themselves when they are just alike to everyone else and that’s what the readings explain, to not be gullible when it comes to this topic

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. The WritePass Journal

Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. Introduction Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. IntroductionReflection Related Introduction The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse an aspect of professional development and by using relevant reflection techniques to evaluate the development of this skill. The area of clinical practice which will be examined is wound management and the role in which reflection can be used to emphasize the progression of the skills required, improving knowledge base and fundamentally the techniques used to promote safe and evidence based practice. Wound management is an essential part of nursing practice (Gray Cooper 2001).   Additionally, Cutting (2010) states that nurse should have a sound knowledge base when assessing and carrying out the management techniques required. Reflection is a crucial skill and a development technique nurses should utilize to enable them to learn from their past experiences and put what’s been learned into practice to strengthen their clinical approach in future (Jasper 2006). Moreover, by using reflection this essay will deliver further evid ence for the need to reflect and enhance skills in this area of practice. By using the chosen reflection tool the essay will provide a logical breakdown of how the skill has been developed and the personal progress within wound management. I will discuss how over my time in university and by combining theories and practical skills has allowed me to build on an essential skill.   In conclusion it will be evident the way in which by reflecting on events can enable improved and increase of evidence based knowledge base. Reflection is a human quality we actively integrate into everyday living and as Johns (2009) explains it allows us to appreciate experiences and how we apply any desired changes. With consideration to implementing this into education and learning, a significant figure was an American philosopher John Dewey (Bulman Schutz 2004, Brown Libberton 2007). He provided regulations to enable the understanding of the significance of reflection within study and personal development. Many healthcare policies and frameworks have promoted the development of this work with the focus on delivering safe practice for service users and reflection therefore, plays a fundamental part of nursing education (Timmins 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Department of Health (DOH 1999) developed integrated frameworks for the enhancement of knowledge and development for their staff with a section dedicated to nurses. The framework expects nurses to build on previous understanding, skills and experience within their nursing performance. This framework is further developed within the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Professional Conduct (NMC 2008) who provide guidelines for nursing practice. They state that nurses have a responsibility to take part in suitable learning events which enable them to advance and sustain safe practice.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rycroft-Malone et al (2002) and Priest (2007) support the effectiveness for a nurse in actively applying techniques such a reflection to identify gaps in their knowledge to ensure evidence based practice is put into practice. In contrast Pearsons (2004) earlier work argues that the approaches being used to progress and implement evidence based practice were not successful. In agreement Tagney Haines (2009) state that nurses are not fully prepared to successfully integrate theory into their clinical practice. Developed therefore over a period of time, were reflective models which Jasper (2003) states allowed nurses to easily clarify their experiences and subsequently understand and explore their actions. For the objective of this essay the model that will be used is the Gibbs Model of Reflection (1988) (Appendix 1). This model was chosen due to its ability to simply identify a chosen skill and methodically distinguish the learning opportunities and offers a link between the transferring of theory into practice (Hull et al 2005).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McCabe Timmins (2006) argue that the Gibbs cycle of reflection induces the user to concentrate on negative aspects of their practice rather than understanding the positive support of all development. In contrast Bulman Schutz (2004) and Wilding (2008) describe that the model has the capability to adapt simply to any circumstances and allows the user to clearly translate the knowledge in which they are reflecting. Other models of reflection were studied to ensure the strength of the selected one for the area of development. John’s model (1998) was structure d within a clinical environment and promotes the user to supply valid account for the development of clinical skills. Jasper (2003) explains the model comprised of a series of questions similar to Gibbs cycle, but seizes to offer a clear link between theory and practice. A second model which was also taken into account was Bortons (1970). This model is predominantly proposed for students as it allows novice reflectors to suitably recognise their thoughts and feelings within their chosen area (Hull et al 2005). This model was ruled out due to the required level of depth of writing essential for this essay. Gibbs cycle (Appendix 1) consists of six stages that guide the user through the stages of the reflective cycle by asking a chain of questions, this allows the user to structure and easy interpreter guidelines. The model uses a basic approach to reflection and assists the user to provide initially a clear report of the situation or skills being considered and an analysis of feelings connected with the area of development are given. The skills or situation is then evaluated to highlight their existing level of skills, to the skills the user needs or wants to develop. After the main part is finalised the user concludes what they could have done to better the situation and therefore an analysis is then offered on how the situation has enabled development of skills (Bulman Schutz 2008). Gibbs (1988) then encourages the user to develop an action plan to enable additional development of the area of interest or skill, this further promotes the NMC Code of Conduct (2008) for life long learning. For the following main body of this essay, Gibbs model (1988) will be used to analyse how I have advanced my skills and knowledge base in wound management. My basic introduction to wound management was within the clinical stimulation laboratories which took place within our first semester in first year at university. Before this point I had no knowledge base or previous experience of wound dressings, management or assessment. Within these classes we were given the chance to practice bandaging, cleansing and assessment skills that would be used within our clinical placements. In conjunction with these practical skills, we received academic lectures from tissue viability nurses which concentrated on standards of care management required and the importance of accurate assessment. One assessment tool explained was abbreviated as TIME. TIME presents a logical and systematic method to the assessment (Young 1997). It was at this stage I appreciated how my poor knowledge base would begin to improve as my first placement was given to me, care of the elderly. In first year of university my lack of knowledge was a main issue for me. With this in mind I developed an action plan (Appendix 2) which enabled me to examine my areas for development and allow me to recognise the exact learning outcomes I wished to attain and the resources I required to utilise. With the support and aid of my mentor within placement I was given tasks to deliver basic wound care to patients within the clinical area. These learning opportunities interconnected with my action plan enabling the development of my understanding and skills within wound management.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout various other clinical placements I have had many chances to advance on my skill s, however in my second year community placement I was participating in the care of a patient with a complex wound. The key issue which I felt arose from this opportunity was the ability for me to start connecting theory to practice when selecting suitable dressings and assessment tools. Due to the care being provided on a daily basis until required it allowed my skills to develop and I was able monitor the progression of the wound and the success of the interventions specific to this patient. Following this placement I worked on a personal reflection (Appendix 3) to enable me to identify my strengths and weaknesses so I could transfer my evolving skills into all aspects of my future practice.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My management placement in third year has been the revolving point in my three years of developing my wound management abilities. It took place in a surgical orthopaedic ward with high levels of wound management skills being vastly important to the patient’s recovery process. The main subject which arose within this placement was my capability to provide rationale for my care with regards to assessment and treatment of wounds. This clinical environment also offered me a new method to wound care. This approach was providing a holistic approach to my care delivery which included ensuring that accurate hydration of patients skin care was carried out for patients. After this placement I commenced a personal reflection (Appendix 4) to allow me to acknowledge the skills I had developed and highlight areas for development. Over the last three years my response and feelings related to wound management has changed significantly. When originally being taught wound management within university I felt hesitant in my ability, astonished at the degree of some wounds and concerned my lack of knowledge within this area of nursing care would interfere with me within placement. Having the chance to construct an action plan and work closely with my mentor in first year consequently allowed me to increase my confidence in this area and gave me the basis to identify evidence based practice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In second year my feelings had changed to becoming more assertive in my ability and understanding of wound management. I still remained hesitant in caring for some wounds however; I had the ability to accurately recognise the resources needed to correctly provide wound management gave me assurance.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My feelings connected with my practice in third year were entirely different. From using the reflection from second year I developed and became more aware of the role I played in effective wound management. I also was enhancing my ability to holistically care for patients with wounds. One significant lecture in first year by the tissue viability nurse specified we had to care for the patient as a whole and not just the wound a person has; this statement strengthened my practice in third year. This new method gave me confidence in providing rationale for care I was providing; I felt that I was finally achieving the skills required by a registered nurse. Through the use of reflection over my three years of study it has allowed me to identify strengthens and weaknesses within my clinical practice. My action plan from first year highlighted my poor knowledge base. This allowed me to develop ways in which my I could expand my knowledge being taught in university, by integrating policies and guidelines such as Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network 50 (SIGN 2008) into my studies. This guideline delivers promotion of national guidelines and local protocols which can assist practitioners to ensure their practice is evidence-based and their poor knowledge can be upgraded (Finnie 2000).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within second year it was clear my lack of confidence primarily in caring for complex wound could have made caring for the patient in the precise way impracticable. Through using a holistic and patient cantered method when carrying out care and building a professional relationship with them made this possible. Sources in this subject states that a mixture of evidence based and patient centred approach discussed by Cutting (2008) who describes that the nurse must determine if the technique they are using is of the best importance to the patient and cover all aspects of patient needs. This topic is further studied by Toy (2005) and Solowiej et al (2010) who supported that nurses should fully implement all areas of a holistic approach when planning and caring for wounds. In third year my area for development which became noticeable was taking control and being self confident in my practice. In the beginning this was complex due to the specialised area of wound care and necessary requirements of nurses within the area to be highly experienced. I was fortunate to have a very experienced and skilled mentor to pass on her understanding and perception into practice in this region. Closely working with my mentor allowe d me to subdue the areas of limitation and weakness within my nursing practice. Literature within this area reveals a qualitative study carried out by Roberts (2008) explored how students learned from one another, a large portion was devoted to the early skills developed by students came from working directly with their clinical mentors. This study strengthened the need for me to work closely with my mentor to develop vital skills. As the above reflection highlights, a main issue to evolve in my experience of wound management in first year was my poor knowledge. I had never encountered complex or even basic wound care so having the competence to develop the teachings from university into my clinical practice was of great benefit. University teachings had offered us with a basis of knowledge; it was then the student’s responsibility to further develop all features of this skill. Through the use of applicable learning materials such as developing action plans was of great advantage to me as it helped highlight areas that required strengthened and development. This is reiterated in work by Hackney (2008). He explains that by use of reflection and developing action plans will improve care and initiate professional and self development. Nursing education emphasises heavily on using this area of development which is further discussed by Bulman Schutz (2004) who state that reflective education allows the stude nt to rationalise their actions and identify areas for development.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further into my practice it became clear that that linking theory to practice was an important skill which guarantees practice is evidence based. Literature within evidence based practice allowed me to make this fundamental skill clearer to me with Tagney Haines (2009) clarifying that if nurses recognise with the recourses which are accessible the care of patients will be of the greatest level and nurses can be assured in the care they provide. Assessment formed a crucial area within second year tha t helped to further develop my ability to make use of evidence based practice. In order to make sense of the experience in second year a older yet significant piece of work by Young (1997) provided outstanding basis for me on assessment and documentation highlighting that this skill is vital for nurses to accurately plan and implement the care required. In relation to assessment, second year gave me an insight into how nurses are deskilling themselves by relying on tissue viability nurses. In some clinical environments I came across nurses relying too heavily on the information and suggestions from specialised nurses rather than utilising recourses which were available and using their own skill and knowledge. A recent study by Huynh Forget-Falcicchio (2005) suggested that nurses are not using their full ability, skills and knowledge when it comes to wound care and that their approach should be part of the holistic care they provide. Finnie (2000) emphasises the requirement for nurs es to incorporate clinical guidelines into their practice. By examining this area of literature whilst on placement and applying it within my practice has allowed me to recognise the importance of guidelines and policies. With help from my theoretical teachings and clinical placements I know the care I provide will always be up to the standard necessary.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With my final placement and the main issue discussed being the ability to provide rationale for my practice, relevant literature has all owed me to simply translate and understand this area of development. Timmins (2006) and Wilding (2008) further made it possible for me to identify that the development of this skill was a vital part of my educational training. Towards the end of my placement my mentor gave me the opportunity to discuss the need for me to work autonomously in my practice. My mentor was invaluable in allowing me and explaining to me the importance of holistic care. Since this was explained to me I have been enthusiastic in applying this in my clinical practice and also relating it to my part-time job within a care home. In conclusion it has become apparent that by the use of Gibbs model of reflection (1988) has allowed me to accurately investigate and explore how over my last three years of study my skills in wound management have developed. I discovered that by researching the evidence based practice guidelines and recommendations within my early experiences of wound management, my skills enhanced. By following the Gibbs model recommendations in developing action plans enabled me to highlight my weaknesses and allowed me to develop in these areas. My concerns of my lack of confidence soon began to settle by using techniques promoted within the model. Concluding what I have learned in my second year and the development of the skill it became evident that linking the teachings from university and from clinical practice made an impact in the way I carried out these procedures as my confidence increased. From the process of recognising a knowledge shortage, action planning and reflecting on practice be gan a process of self learning that will only further my professional development. The first reflection specified the role in which I was starting to play in wound management. Within third year practice is aimed at working autonomously and having the ability to provide rationale for my approaches and care, using reflection was of great benefit to me. Furthermore, by completing this assignment it has given me further understanding into the importance of reflection. Johns (2002) recognises reflection as a valuable and life long tool in developing healthcare practice, in agreement Jasper (2003) further explains that by using reflection nurses can provide high quality of care and be confident in their actions. Reflection Barton, T. 1970, â€Å"Reach, Touch and Teach. London: Hutchinson†, Cited in Jasper, M. (2003), â€Å"Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care†, London: Nelson Thornes. Brown, J. Libberton, P. 2007, Principles of Professional Studies in Nursing. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Bulman, C. Schutz, S. 2004, Reflective Practice in Nursing: The Growth of the Professional Practitioner. (3rd Ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Bulman, C. Schutz, S. 2008, Reflective Practice in Nursing. (4th Ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Cutting, K.F. 2008, â€Å"Should evidence dictate clinical practice or support it?†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 216. Cutting, K.F. 2010, â€Å"Addressing the challenge of wound cleansing in the modern era†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 19, no. 11, pp. 24-29. Department of Health. 1999, Continuing Professional Development Quality in the new NHS. London: DOH. Finch, M. 2003, â€Å"Assessment of skin in older people†, Nursing Older People, Vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 29-30. Finnie, A. 2000, â€Å"The SIGN guideline on the care of chronic leg ulcers: an aid to improve practice†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 365-367. Gibbs, G. 1988, Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education. Cited in Jasper, M. (2003), Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Gray, D. Cooper, P. 2001, â€Å"Modern wound management: theory and product selection†, Nursing and Residential Care, Vol. 3, no. 7, pp. 335-344. Hackney, S. 2008, â€Å"Advancing practice through reflection†, British Journal of School Nursing, Vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 297-300. Hull, C., Redfern, L., Shuttleworth, A. 2005, Profiles Portfolios. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Huynh, T. Forget-Falcicchio. 2005, â€Å"Assessing the primary nurse role in the wound healing process†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 407-409. Jasper, M. 2003, Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Jasper, M. 2006, Professional Development, Reflection and Decision-making. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Johns, C. 1998, Transforming Nursing Through Reflective Practice. Oxford: Blackwell Science. Cited in: Jasper, M. 2003, Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Johns, C. 2002, Guided Reflection Advancing Practice. Oxford: Blackwell. Johns, C. 2009, Becoming a reflective practitioner. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. McCabe, C. Timmins, F. 2006, Communication skills for nursing practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Nursing and Midwifery Council. 2008, The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives. NMC: London. Pearson, A. 2009, â€Å"Building research capacity in nursing†, International Journal of Nursing Practice, Vol. 10, pp. 247. Priest, H. 2007, â€Å"Novice researchers†, Nurse Researcher, Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 4-6. Roberts, D. 2008, â€Å"Learning in clinical practice: the importance of peers†, Nursing Standard, Vo.l 23, no. 12, pp. 35-41. Rycroft-Malone, J., Harvey, G., Kitson, A., McCormack, B., Seers, K., Titchen, A. 2002, â€Å"Getting evidence into practice: ingredients for change†, Nursing Standard. Vol. 16, no. 37, pp 38–43. Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network. 2008, An Introduction to SIGN Methodology for the Development of Evidence-based Clinical Guidelines. Edinburgh: SIGN Solowiej, K., Mason, V,. Upton D. 2010, â€Å"Psychological stress and pain in wound care, part 2: a review of pain and stress assessment tools†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 110-115. Tagney, J., Haines, C. 2009, â€Å"Using evidence-based practice to address gaps in nursing knowledge†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 18, no. 8, pp. 484-389. Timmins, F. 2006, â€Å"Critical practice in nursing care: analysis, action and reflexivity†, Nursing Standard. Vol. 20, no. 39, pp. 49-54. Toy, L.W. 2005, â€Å"How much do we understand about the effect of ageing on healing?†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 472-476. Voegeli, D. 2007, â€Å"The role of emollients in the care of patients with dry skin†, Nursing Standard, Vol. 22, no. 7, pp. 62-68. Wilding, P.M. 2008, â€Å"Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 720-724. Young, T. 1997, â€Å"Wound assessment and documentation†, Practice Nursing, Vol. 8, no. 13, pp. 27-30.

Monday, October 21, 2019

20 Types and Forms of Humor

20 Types and Forms of Humor 20 Types and Forms of Humor 20 Types and Forms of Humor By Mark Nichol Humor comes in many flavors, any of which may appeal to one person but not to another, and which may be enjoyed in alternation or in combination. Here are names and descriptions of the varieties of comic expression: 1. Anecdotal: Named after the word anecdote (which stems from the Greek term meaning â€Å"unpublished†); refers to comic personal stories that may be true or partly true but embellished. 2. Blue: Also called off-color, or risque (from the French word for â€Å"to risk†); relies on impropriety or indecency for comic effect. (The name probably derives from the eighteenth-century use of the word blue to refer to morally strict standards hence the phrase â€Å"blue laws† to refer to ordinances restricting certain behavior on the Sabbath). A related type is broad humor, which refers to unrestrained, unsubtle humor often marked by coarse jokes and sexual situations. 3. Burlesque: Ridicules by imitating with caricature, or exaggerated characterization. The association with striptease is that in a bygone era, mocking skits and ecdysiastic displays were often on the same playbills in certain venues. 4. Dark/Gallows/Morbid: Grim or depressing humor dealing with misfortune and/or death and with a pessimistic outlook. 5. Deadpan/Dry: Delivered with an impassive, expressionless, matter-of-fact presentation. 6. Droll: From the Dutch word meaning â€Å"imp†; utilizes capricious or eccentric humor. 7. Epigrammatic: Humor consisting of a witty saying such as â€Å"Too many people run out of ideas long before they run out of words.† (Not all epigrams are humorous, however.) Two masters of epigrammatic humor are Benjamin Franklin (as the author of Poor Richard’s Almanackand Oscar Wilde. 8. Farcical: Comedy based on improbable coincidences and with satirical elements, punctuated at times with overwrought, frantic action. (It, like screwball comedy see below shares many elements with a comedy of errors.) Movies and plays featuring the Marx Brothers are epitomes of farce. The adjective also refers to incidents or proceedings that seem too ridiculous to be true. 9. High/highbrow: Humor pertaining to cultured, sophisticated themes. 10. Hyperbolic: Comic presentation marked by extravagant exaggeration and outsized characterization. 11. Ironic: Humor involving incongruity and discordance with norms, in which the intended meaning is opposite, or nearly opposite, to the literal meaning. (Not all irony is humorous, however.) 12. Juvenile/sophomoric: Humor involving childish themes such as pranks, name-calling, and other immature behavior. 13. Mordant: Caustic or biting humor (the word stems from a Latin word meaning â€Å"to bite†). Not to be confused with morbid humor (see above). 14. Parodic: Comic imitation often intended to ridicule an author, an artistic endeavor, or a genre. 15. Satirical: Humor that mocks human weaknesses or aspects of society. 16. Screwball: Akin to farce in that it deals with unlikely situations and responses to those situations; distinguished, like farcical humor, by exaggerated characterizations and episodes of fast-paced action. 17. Self-deprecating: Humor in which performers target themselves and their foibles or misfortunes for comic effect. Stand-up comedian Rodney Dangerfield was a practitioner of self-deprecating humor. 18. Situational: Humor arising out of quotidian situations; it is the basis of sitcoms, or situation comedies. Situational comedies employ elements of farce, screwball, slapstick, and other types of humor. 19. Slapstick: Comedy in which mock violence and simulated bodily harm are staged for comic effect; also called physical comedy. The name derives from a prop consisting of a stick with an attached piece of wood that slapped loudly against it when one comedian struck another with it, enhancing the effect. The Three Stooges were renowned for their slapstick comedy. 20. Stand-up: A form of comedy delivery in which a comic entertains an audience with jokes and humorous stories. A stand-up comedian may employ one or more of the types of humor described here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 50 Synonyms for â€Å"Idea†English Grammar 101: Prepositions

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Function and Development Questions on ACT Reading

Function and Development Questions on ACT Reading SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Function questions (also sometimes known as â€Å"meaning in context† questions) make up approximately 20% of all ACT Reading questions (based on my survey of four publicly available ACTs). The ACT Reading will also occasionally have "development" questions, which are sort of like larger-scale versions of function questions (they ask about the structure of the passage or passages). Both function and development questions require you to judge the effect of a phrase in a certain place (as opposed to little picture and vocab in context questions, which are just concerned with meaning). So how do you get asked function questions on the ACT, and what strategies can you use to answer them? Keep on reading to find out! feature image credit: The Thinker by Japanexperterna.se, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Function Questions? Function questions are those questions that ask you to describe what the effect is of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph in the context of a passage. The wording of function questions makes them seem as if they are asking â€Å"The author [wrote a thing] in order to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Figuring out the right answer to these questions can be problematic, because the way function questions are phrased often makes it seem as if they're asking â€Å"Why did the author do this thing?† Unless you're the author, your immediate reaction is probably going to be "How should I know? I'm no psychic!" (unless you are able to read the author's mind, in which case this test just got a whole lot different for you). A better way to answer function questions would be to rephrase them like this: â€Å"What effect does [this thing] have in the context of [the lines, paragraph, or passage]? Regardless of whether or not I am a psychic?† Another name sometimes used for these questions is â€Å"meaning in context,† which is fine†¦except that they’re not exactly asking about meaning. Rather than asking you what a particular phrase MEANS (which would be an inference question), function questions ask â€Å"what does [that phrase] DO† or â€Å"what is the effect of this meaning in context?† For example, let's make up a scenario where the public transportation in my town was basically shut down for two months due to massive amounts of snow, and just as the trains were starting up again on their normal schedule, there was another snowstorm, prompting me to sing (sarcastically) "It's the most wonderful time of the year." The MEANING of the words "most wonderful" in this context would be "worst" (as in "It's the worst time of the year"); the FUNCTION of the words "most wonderful" would be "to suggest that the speaker actually feels the opposite is true." Like primary purpose questions, function questions usually have answer choices in the form of â€Å"verb a noun† (as in "illustrate the narrator's frustration with the city infrastructure" or "convey the joy the narrator felt in the unseasonable snowfall"); the main difference between the two is that function questions ask about relatively small amounts of text (phrases or lines), rather than entire paragraphs (which are asked about with big picture questions). In fact, having a good understanding of the big picture/main point of a passage can often assist you in answering function questions. Take the following example: you're asked "The phraseâ€Å"live and die depending on her whimsy† primarily serves to..." If you know that the main point is, for instance, about desert life, you’re unlikely to assume the phraseâ€Å"live and die depending on her whimsy† illustrates that there is an insane and murderous empress ruling over every desert on Earth. Instead, it's far more likely that the function of the statement is to support the idea that in the desert, even a small change in the amount of rainfall can have drastic effects on desert life. Here are a few examples of the most common ways you’ll see function questions presented on the ACT (adapted from ACTual ACT questions): â€Å"The quotation by Finck and Cranor in lines 32–41 is used in this passage to support the idea that:† â€Å"The author uses the fourth paragraph (lines 27–33) primarily to:† â€Å"The main purpose of the second paragraph (lines 6–18) is to:† â€Å"The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to:† â€Å"It is reasonable to infer that the primary reason the author included the information in the eleventh paragraph (lines 59–64) is to:† â€Å"In relation to the first paragraph’s earlier description of the nightmare, the narrator’s comments in lines 10–13 primarily serve to:† Sidebar: Development Questions Development questions involve the same skill set as you use for function questions, but generally ask about larger chunks of text. Instead of asking â€Å"what does this paragraph DO,† development questions seems to ask â€Å"what happens in this paragraph?† In order to lower the possibility of interpretation (and more than one correct answer), ACT Reading usually frames development questions as being about the "author's approach. It's a little hard to explain what I mean in the abstract, so here’s an example: Which of the following best describes the author’s approach to presenting the story of the narrator’s discovery about himself? F. Revealing the narrator’s self-awareness about a trait through a blend of personal reflection and scenes from the narrator’s youth and adulthood G. Starting immediately with a statement of the discovery in the narrator’s voice and continuing with scenes that reveal how the discovery came about H. Describing the physical details of scenes and summarizing their significance in a concluding statement in the narrator’s voice J. Using dialogue in the midst of scenes fraught with tension to indicate what the narrator is experiencing internally For paragraphs, it's possible to ask about the function (you can ask â€Å"what’s the main function of this paragraph†), but it's more difficult to do this for entire passages without the questions turning into primary purpose questions. Development questions differ from primary purpose questions because they're not about authorial intent; instead, development questions are closer to the flip side of function questions. If the above example were a function question, rather than a development question, it might go something like this: The author describes the physical details of scenes and summarizes their significance in order to... A. Present the story of the narrator's self-discovery. Compare with answer choice H and the original question: Which of the following best describes the author’s approach to presenting the story of the narrator’s discovery about himself? H. Describing the physical details of scenes and summarizing their significance in a concluding statement in the narrator’s voice Here are other ways I've seen development questions asked on ACT Reading: â€Å"Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?† â€Å"The narrator develops the third paragraph (lines 19–29) mainly through:† â€Å"In terms of developing the narrative, the last two paragraphs (lines 67–87) primarily serve to:† â€Å"In terms of the passage as a whole, one of the main functions of the third paragraph (lines 13–19) is to suggest that:† Strategies for Conquering ACT Reading Function Questions Some of the advice below works best for certain ways of approaching the passage, while other advice is useful for everyone, regardless of your passage reading strategy. In the end, you should mix and match strategies in a way that works for you - these are just suggestions to help get you started. Understand What The Question Is Really Asking For me, this is the key component needed to consistentIy answer function questions correctly. This isn't to say that you don't need to know what other ACT Reading questions are really asking, of course - it's more that function questions have the weirdest wording. Often, it seems like you need to read the mind of the author (or character) in order to answer these questions. I can understand why the ACT words the questions the way they do: questions that say â€Å"What does the mentioning of the two events listed in lines 77-79 do† are too open to interpretation, while questions like â€Å"The author uses the events listed in lines 77–79 primarily to" can only have one right answer. Understanding the motivation behind the wording doesn't make the wording any less confusing at first glance, though. So what's the best way to grapple with the wording of function questions? Learn to translate the questions into ones that are actually answerable (i.e. that don't require mind-reading abilities). Here's a sample function question: The author most likely includes the information in lines 53–57 to suggest: Wrong way to rephrase it: Why does the author include the information in lines 53-57? The answer to this question (unless you know the author and/or can read minds) will probably be along the lines of "Because it was his birthday? Because he felt like it? I have no idea." Right way to rephrase it: What does the information in lines 53-57 suggest/do? This is a question that can be answered (in this case, the information in lines 53-57 illustrates Armstrong’s highly developed skills.). Corollary: Answer In Your Own Words For most questions on ACT Reading, it's helpful to come up with the answer in your own words before you look at the answer choices. This strategy is particularly helpful with function questions because the answer choices for these questions tend to be complex, and so coming up with your own answer before looking at the answer choices can help prevent you from getting confused. True, your answer for â€Å"what best describes the transition the author presents in lines 80-84† will probably not be as nicely as the correct answer choice. However, the answer choice you come up with should only include relevant and accurate information, while the wrong answers may have irrelevant information or interpretations that â€Å"COULD be true, I guess." Why do the wrong answer choices include wrong or irrelevant information? Because this is one of the ways ACT Reading tries to trick you – the people writing the questions know that you’re used to trying to see things from multiple perspectives as part of school (which is ordinarily a good thing), when in fact there is only ONE right answer on the ACT. Figuring out the answer in your own words forst, then, makes it a lot easier to find that one correct answer. But how do you find the function of a phrase, line, or sentence in a passage in the first place? Question mark by the Italian voice, used under CC BY 2.0. Look For Context On ACT Reading, sometimes questions give you the specific lines where the information being asked about is located, which is nice (since the passages are so long). Alas, for function questions, the lines that the question gives you are not necessarily the only lines you’ll need to answer the question - sometimes, you just need more context. If you’re having trouble answering a function question, your best bet is to take a look at the sentences before and after the phrase/sentence/lines you’re given in the question and see if that helps make it clearer. On occasion, though, it may end up that you need even more context to answer a particular function question (like knowing the bigger picture/main point/perspective of the text/author). In these cases, if you don't already know that context and are having difficult answering the question, mark it and come back to it after you’ve answered the relevant big picture questions (questions about the paragraph/section the lines in question are in, or even questions about the whole passage). Answer Questions In The Order That Works For You This is a strategy that depends heavily on how you read the passage. You may also decide that this strategy works well for certain passage types better than others. For instance, you might be able to get away with looking at the questions first and skipping around Natural Science passages, but feel like you need to read Prose Fiction passages all the way through before you start answering questions. Basically, don't lock yourself into one way of doing things. That being said, if you read thoroughly first, then answer questions, I really recommend answering big picture questions first, then function and inference questions. It's better to answer questions about larger amounts of text while that text is still fresh in your mind, and starting out with big picture questions first might also give you information/context that is useful when it comes to answering the function questions. If you read quickly enough that you can read all the passages thoroughly and have still have plenty of time to answer the questions, just answering the questions in order is certainly a valid choice, because it lowers the chance that you'll accidentally fill in an answer in the wrong place or miss a question. Because there is so much text to get through on ACT Reading, however, I do not recommend the "read everything through" strategy (and yes, this is coming from someone who reads 60-100 pages/hour). If you start out by reading through all the questions, then going back to the passage, I recommend starting with little picture and vocab in context questions before getting to function questions. The answer to these more focused questions provide you with information about the author and topic being covered, which can assist you in answering function questions; if you do end up needing to know the big picture in order to answer a particular function question, you can always circle it and come back to it later. If you skim through first, then questions, then back to passage, it's best to answer both big and little picture questions before getting to function questions. Why? Well, unless the phrase, sentence, or lines being asked about were in part of the passage you read during your skim (at the beginning or end of a paragraph or passage), you probably didn’t read the necessary information during your skimming. If you're going to skim, you might as well make the most of it by answering questions that would be better served with a quick skim (questions about the passage as a whole and questions about specific details you might have mapped during your skimming). Eliminate Answers The fundamental rule for ACT Reading is that you must eliminate 3 wrong answers. For function questions, the answer choices are often complex, which can make eliminating just one answer choice seem daunting. After all, how can you figure out if the answer is right when there are so many parts of it to check? First of all, if you've successfully answered the question in your own words, you might not even have to worry about eliminating answers – only one answer choice should match yours. If it does turn out you need to eliminate answers, however, you're in luck - complicated answers are actually easier to eliminate, because if any part of the answer choice does not match with the passage, then you can cross it out. Example: Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage? A. A dialogue between two people in which both relate their dreams in an almost equal amount of detail B. An account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman revealed primarily through the narrator’s report of their conversations C. A character sketch of two people as related by a narrator who knows both of them and their thoughts D. A detailed narration of several of the narrator’s dreams accompanied by a description of the woman’s reactions to them Let's say you think the answer is probably B, an account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman revealed primarily through the narrator’s report of their conversations.In order for that to be true, it must pass the following obstacles: Is it an account of the narrator’s perspective? If not, ELIMINATE Is it about the narrator’s perspective of â€Å"the woman†? If not, ELIMINATE Is the information revealed primarily through the narrator’s report (or someone else’s)? If not, ELIMINATE Is the report of their conversations? If not, ELIMINATE As you can see, there are many chances for elimination as you consider the answer choices. For this question, the correct answer, B, passes this test: yes, it is an account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman, and it is revealed primarily through the narrator’s report, which is about their conversations. Function Questions: A Demonstration And now, before I leave you to your practice questions, a full breakdown of answering a function question on ACT Reading. First, the question: The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: F. give a sense of proportion to the numbers provided earlier in the paragraph. G. point out the limitations of the evidence provided by the Iowa scientists. H. supplement the paragraph’ s description of the comets with additional details about their size and capacity. J. provide readers with a sense of how old the planet really is. Before I even take a look at the lines (and the paragraph) cited in the question, I’m going to rephrase this question in a way that is answerable: What effect do lines 64-66 have in the 8th paragraph? ...Well, that wasn’t as drastic a change as I expected. Oh well. Time to take a look at the paragraph! Based on their images, the Iowa scientists estimated 20 comets an hour- each about 30 feet or so across and carrying 100 tons of water- were bombarding the Earth. At that rate, they would produce water vapor that would add about an inch of water to the planet every 10,000 years, Frank concluded. That may not seem like much, but when talking about a planet billions of years old, it adds up. Out of this paragraph, here are lines 64-66 (since they don’t specify that you should begin at the beginning of the sentence, I’m including all of line 64 in all its glory): planet every 10,000 years, Frank concluded. That may not seem like much, but when talking about a planet billions of years old, it adds up. My first thoughts: So what do lines 64-66 say? Basically that while the information given doesn’t seem impressive on its own, it actually is when considered over a long period of time. What does that do in terms of the paragraph as a whole? Well, what does the paragraph look like without those lines? Based on their images, the Iowa scientists estimated 20 comets an hour- each about 30 feet or so across and carrying 100 tons of water- were bombarding the Earth. At that rate, they would produce water vapor that would add about an inch of water to the It’s basically just giving information about tiny comets hitting the Earth (with water). If you don’t have lines 64-66, you don’t get the sense that this creates a significant amount of water over time, so the function of those lines is to put the amount of water the comets could have brought to Earth into perspective, I guess. I’ve reworded the question to make it easier to answer and answered in my own words considering the context of the paragraph. Next: eliminating answers. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: F. give a sense of proportion to the numbers provided earlier in the paragraph. Yeah, that seems right – my answer was that those lines â€Å"put the amount of water the comets could have brought to Earth into perspective,† which matches up pretty well with that answer. Let’s just look over the rest of the answers to double check†¦ The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: G. point out the limitations of the evidence provided by the Iowa scientists. No, no limitations are pointed out. In fact, lines 64-66 actually bring the information from the first part of the paragraph into a larger context. ELIMINATE. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: H. supplement the paragraph’s description of the comets with additional details about their size and capacity. Hmm†¦it has additional details, but it’s not about the size of the comets at all, so even if capacity is somewhat related (because of the amount of water they could add to the Earth) this answer must be ELIMINATED. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: J. provide readers with a sense of how old the planet really is. I mean, the age of the planet is sort of mentioned (billions of years old), but there’s nothing in lines 64-66 that provide â€Å"a sense of how old the planet really is.† I guess you could try to twist this answer so it works, except F already is a clear answer choice because this question is asking about the MAIN function. So even if A function is that you get a sense of how old the planet is, it’s not the main function. ELIMINATE. The correct answer is F. Comet activity, 21 June by European Space Agency, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. Function Questions: Your Turn To Practice! The following questions are all on the same passage, taken from an official (and currently public and free) ACT: 1. The main purpose of the last paragraph is to: A. reveal the enduring impact of Mr. Marsh’s lessons on the author. B. acknowledge that the author came to doubt some of Mr. Marsh’s teachings. C. describe a typical class as taught by Mr. Marsh. D. present a biographical sketch of Mr. Marsh. 2. The author mentions Melody Maker, the top 20, and articles about musicians primarily to suggest that his: A. early interest in music has remained with him to the present. B. time spent playing music should instead have been spent reading. C. fascination with pop music and musicians gave focus to his life for a time. D. commitment to study enabled him to perfect his drumming technique. 3. Viewed in the context of the passage, the statement in lines 55–56 is most likely intended to suggest that: A. schools should require students to take philosophy courses. B. students can become passionate when learning about science in school. C. schools need to keep searching for ways to tap into students’ deeply held interests. D. students should resolve to take school courses that interest them. 4. The author calls pen and paper â€Å"rudimentary tools† (line 80) as part of his argument that: F. the use of computers has made the use of pen and paper obsolete. G. students should become skilled with pen and paper before moving on to better tools. H. while writing with pen and paper can be pleasant, it can also be physically painful. I. although seemingly simple, pen and paper allow people to perform great feats. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. A 2. C 3. C 4. J In Conclusion Function questions on ACT Reading ask you â€Å"what effect does this [phrase, sentence, or series of lines] have, in context,† or, more simply put, â€Å"what does this [phrase, sentence, or series of lines] DO?† Development questions involve the reverse of function questions and ask "What is the structure of this passage/paragraph?" The most important part of answering function questions correctly is making sure you understand what the question is asking. Answer the question in your own words before looking at the ACT’s answer choices. If the lines cited in the question don't provide enough context, look to the surrounding sentences. Depending on your passage reading approach, you may wish to answer function questions after answering other types of questions first. Eliminate three wrong answers What’s Next? Want more practice with real ACT questions? Go to our guide and find links to free ACTs and information about what other official tests are out there. Interested in more ACT Reading skills articles like this one? We’ve got a whole series of articles that cover each ACT Reading skill - be sure to read my articles on main point, little picture, vocab in context, inference, and paired passage questions. Not sure how to finish all 40 questions on ACT Reading without running out of time? Learn about the three different ways to approach the passage on the ACT and figure out what works for you. Are these articles all very well and good, but you need more structured help to reach your ACT goal? Then why not try out our very own PrepScholar test prep platform FREE for five days? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Evaluating published research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Evaluating published research - Essay Example In this section, they state that beyond the investigation of corporate governance mechanisms, there is a great deal of discussion about how good or bad the existing governance mechanisms are of non-financial firms in industrialised countries. These arguments are provoked by the fact that each industrialised country has a different system of corporate governance that disciplines the management of firms: e.g., the United States and the United Kingdom have a market-oriented system of corporate governance, whereas Germany has a bank-oriented one. The researchers single out uniqueness and peculiarities of the Anglo-American and German context, discuss advantages and limitations of cultural approach. The next section "Governance and national culture" defines and explains the notion of culture and corporate governance. Buck and Shahrim (2005) define and explain different approaches to corporate governance and culture applied by culturalists and institutionalists. This section is based on careful analysis of current literature and different perspectives dominated in modern management theory. The authors state that the public mind-set as represented particularly in the ranks of the country's communication and education elites was, to say the least, anesthetized by the nonstop onslaught of these offensives. In contrast to culturalists, "some institutionalists deny the relevance of national culture, claiming that it amounts to national stereotyping, that national characteristics can change quickly, and that measures of culture have been calibrated in ways that are themselves culture-specific" (Buck and Shahrim 2005, p. 42). Indeed, corporate governance mechanisms consist of economic and legal institutions, such as the design of bankruptcy procedures, the allocation of control to the board of director

The importance of keeping customers for as long as possible, in what Essay

The importance of keeping customers for as long as possible, in what is seen often as a short-term approach to sales - Essay Example This is the main concern of the so-called consumer relationship management (CRM) models today. Vogt defined CRM as a customer-focused business strategy designed to optimize profitability, revenue and customer satisfaction. (p3) Shanmugasundram (2009) also posited that it is a comprehensive strategy and process of acquiring, retaining and partnering with selective customers to create superior value for the company and the customer. (p9) Unarguably there are numerous meanings and interpretations of CRM. Nonetheless, they all agree that a CRM strategy is always characterized by a quest to establish a relationship with a client in such a way that it contributes to the competitive advantage of the organization, which ultimately results to profitability. The simple logic is to make the customer happy so that the sales keep on coming. How does it work? As previously mentioned CRM strategies are diverse and varied. Sometimes, its distinction depends on the industry using it and sometimes it depends on specific needs and market trends. However, the fundamental principle emphasizes the importance given to people - naturally, there are the consumers but also, there is an emphasis given to the employees. According to Shanmugasundram, the principle is all about building enduring relationships that can lead to a profitable business organization and that both consumers and employees are fundamental to their achievement. This is expressed in the following model. Fig. 1: CRM Model (Shanmugasundram, p9) The model is pretty much straightforward: there are four crucial elements involved: Leadership, Delight, Loyalty and People. The model, as demonstrated above, puts the People at the center, with all the rest of the elements working together seamlessly for their benefit. The model ultimately aims for customer satisfaction. This is important because it has already been proven that satisfaction and a number of resulting variables, including customer loyalty lead to the probability o f purchase at different price points. This is also highlighted by the fact that only 26 percent of purchase decisions of consumers are influenced by advertising and that factors such as personal experience and referrals are more frequently cited. (Rai 2008, p145) Francis Buttle (2008) explained that, â€Å"a satisfied customer is more profitable than a dissatisfied one. If satisfaction declines, customers become more reluctant to buy unless prices are cut. If satisfaction improves the opposite is true.† (p47) This point is further reinforced by The American Customer Satisfaction Index Model (see fig. 2). Fig. 2: The American Customer Satisfaction Index Model (Buttle, p47) CRM and Technology An important variable in CRM models and strategies is the use of technology to achieve its objectives. CRM, in this context, becomes what Foss and Stone called as the methodologies, technologies and e-commerce capabilities used by companies in managing customer relationships. (p3) The adva nces in technology, particularly in communications, transportation and logistics have empowered organization to add value to their products and services. For example, an organization can use databases as part of the wider CRM strategy to build and keep accurate and up-to-date information about its customers. (Canwell and Sutherland 2003, p249) By doing so, the organization is able to analyze customer behaviors and expectations and develop better products

Friday, October 18, 2019

Literacture review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Literacture review - Essay Example However, critics have noted that, it is only by allowing ethnicity to thrive and be respected, that some measure of equality can be achieved – since it is difficult for people to completely separate themselves from their ethnic roots and take to a foreign culture (Salvidar 27). Furthermore, Rodriguez links his views of the Affirmative Action Program to a critique of bilingual education, claiming that â€Å"all children must abandon the[ir] language of origin in order to enter public society.† (Rodriguez 27). In this essay I will firstly outline the difficulties of integration faced by ethnic minority groups, in addition to taking into account the complexities of learning English as a second language. Secondly I will consider Rodriguez’s justification for assimilation, before assessing critiques of his work, which simultaneously serve to support the rationale on which approaches to combat racial discrimination, such as the Affirmative Action Program, are based. As a Korean bilingual student, learning English as a second language, to me Rodriguez’s views appear unrealistic and impractical for everyone to achieve. The difficulties that second language students face in learning English are a function of the differences in their own native tongues. There may be three major aspects that affect a student’s ability to learn English : (a) their low level of understanding and self esteem, (b) the different systems of sounds in different languages and (c) differences in grammar. When a student has continuously spoken and studied one language before trying to learn English, the native language tends to interfere with the learning of English. However, this cannot form the basis for completely rejecting the native tongue and bilingual education, as Rodriguez suggests. Instead, there may be a need to reform teaching and learning methods. Similarly, when taking into account the Affirmative Action