Types of Tests

Tests are a necessary aspect of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). For an educator it is crucial to monitor the progress of the learners and be aware of difficulties they may experience.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Types of Tests specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Testing is a suitable way for the teacher to observe the learner’s success and failure and make conclusions considering the methods and approaches implemented for each specific learner or class (Hancock, 2006). There are a number of various tests designed to determine the learners’ progress in each aspect of English such as proficiency, vocabulary, skills and knowledge, theoretical and practical application of language. This paper focuses on ten different types of tests and their use for TESOL. Proficiency tests are normally composed of several levels. This is done in order to determine the learner’s proficie ncy in various spheres such as grammar, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Tests of thins kind are based on multiple choice scheme so the learner needs to select one of the offered answers. The questions of such test are selected in order to target different aspects of the English grammar and also the learners’ ability to read and understand written text. Proficiency tests are good for TESOL educators because they serve as a perfect tool for monitoring general progress, the efficiency of various teaching methods and the level of knowledge and skills of learners at various stages. Diagnostic tests are rather specific; they are also recognised as progress tests. They are called this way because they are designed to diagnose certain aspects of language and the level of the learners’ progress (Gonzalez, 1996).Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The tests of this type are often conducted in the end of a unit and are directed at the determination of the knowledge the students acquired and the skills they obtained. These tests are normally based on short-term objectives. Since teaching English to the speakers of other languages is always broken down into units, diagnostic tests serve as useful means to estimate the quality of learning and to determine if the students can move on to the next stage based on their progress level. Placement tests represent a particular kind of diagnostic tests (Brown, 2003). They are designed to cover the materials within a certain curriculum. They are conducted with the purpose to determine where the students are to be placed in relation to the information studied by specific learners. In TESOL this kind of tests is useful because they help to save time and effort to both educators and students and place the learners exactly where they need to pick up from instead of making them go through certain materials for the second time . Achievement tests can be viewed as a kind of progress or diagnostic tests because the main objective of these tests is to evaluate the knowledge of a learner within a particular curriculum, program or unit. The length of the period of time covering certain material or program evaluated by the test is indefinite, and this is why the tests are called â€Å"achievement† instead of â€Å"progress†. Achievement tests are oriented at the evaluation of specific kinds of knowledge, which is useful in TESOL because this allows estimating the quality of the program, and its suitability for the learners.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Types of Tests specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Language aptitude tests are important in TESOL, they are conducted even before the learning starts in order to determine each specific learner’s ability to learn and comprehend foreign languages which varies from one indi vidual to another. The tests of this kind are not very popular in the present days because of ethical reasons (Gonzalez, 1996). These tests tend to create bias for the teachers and students and they are viewed as invalid since they are conducted prior to actual language teaching and learning experience. Testing is recognised as norm-referenced when a mark is given to a learner (Brown, 2003). This way, the individual performance of each student is related to that of the remaining members of the class. This way of testing is applied because the progress and skill of each learner need to be placed on a certain position within the class. In TESOL giving marks is vital for the awareness of progress and failure for both teachers and students. In criterion-referenced testing the progress of an individual learner is not compared to that of other students, but is matched against a set of criteria which are designed to determine the level of knowledge. In TESOL the criteria are designed to cr eate a frame of what the learner should be able to do at a certain stage of their learning process. The special feature of these tests is that they do not facilitate competition between the learners and focus of the positive effect of learning. In TESOL English language is broken down into four skills which are reading, writing, speaking and listening and seven linguistic components spelling, grammar, syntax, morphology, phonology, graphology and vocabulary.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Discrete-item tests are designed to evaluate these parts separately which provides the learners with more specific understanding of the difficulties a learner may experience. Global/integrative tests, on the contrary, are designed to view language as a whole. They do not separate the components from the context. This way, the learner’s ability to apply and combine many elements at the same time is evaluated. This approach towards testing considers the separate evaluation of the components as inadequate. Communicative language testing is designed in order to evaluate the learner’s ability to communicate certain information to other people and also to be able to comprehend the information received from other speakers (Gonzalez, 1996). Communicative testing normally concerns both written and spoken language skills and knowledge. The results of communicative languages tests are evaluated based on the quality but not the quantity of communication. The purpose of this kind o f testing is to determine the learner’s ability to apply the theoretical knowledge from their lessons in practice which requires levels of creativity. Such testing is focused on the content, integration and interactivity. In TESOL such tests are vital because they evaluate the levels of learners’ preparation for the independent application of their knowledge. In any kind of teaching testing is recognised to be one of the most controversial aspects. At the same time, it is one of the most important areas of teaching. It is impossible to determine an English language testing method which could be called the best. Testing methods are selected based on the individual choice of each educator based on the goals they pursue. There are five principles of language assessment; they are reliability, validity, authenticity, practicality and washback. The efficient test method is the one that aims for the highest levels of these features. Reference List Brown, H. D. (2003). Languag e assessment: Principles and classroom practices.  Harlow, United Kingdom: Longman. Gonzalez, A. B. (1996). Testing English as a foreign language: An overview an some  methodological considerations. RESLA, 11, 17-49. Hancock, C. R. (2006). Language Teaching and Language Testing: a way and ways  to make appropriate connections. Accion Pedagogica, 15, 6-13. This essay on Types of Tests was written and submitted by user Zeke Rowe 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. You can donate your paper here.

Babe Ruth the Legend essays

Babe Ruth the Legend essays Babe Ruth was born on February 16th, 1895 and died on August 16th, 1948. He loved baseball very much and it all started in Baltimore, Maryland. This is his story! Babe Ruth lived in Baltimore, Maryland. It was very rough for him, because he lived on the streets. His parents did not have a lot of money and they often neglected him, which is why his home was in the streets of Baltimore. He went to St. Marys Industrial School for boys. This school was located in Baltimore, Maryland. His education was both bad and good, but the food in the cafeteria was what really pleased Babe Ruth when he was young. It was not like the food on the streets it tasted much better. Babe was always very generous to his friends. Everyday they would go to the snack place with their earned cash to get treats to eat. Babes failure was in school. He was not a very good student, because his grades were very low and he lacked concentration in class. Many of the kids teased him because he was always so far behind them in learning in school. As Babe grew older he discovered baseball and became really good at it. He soon became known as the Best Home Run Hitter in Baseball. He hit sixty home runs in one year. Once he became a home run champ, known throughout the USA, many people wanted to be his friend. He was now famous. I admire Babe Ruth of his home run fame and for the reasons as follows. So, please listen up? When Babe Ruth was at St. Marys Industrial School, he discovered he was good at one thing, Baseball. Babe became one of the best baseball players there. He loved baseball and he worked very hard at hitting the ball very far. When he grew up an amazing thing happened. He was picked to play professional baseball. He even went to the World Series, where he hit three home runs. The seats in the stadium were full and there were people even stand ...

Analyzing an Aspect of Nursing Care Based on a Provided Profile of a Essay

Analyzing an Aspect of Nursing Care Based on a Provided Profile of a Patient - Essay Example Although, the patient has multiple system involvement, given the recent history of myocardial infarction and resulting LVF, heart failure is likely to be the leading cause of hospital readmission in this case. LVF, when coexisting with COPD, makes pharmacological treatment challenging (Padeletti, Jelic and LeJemtel, 2008). This disease is likely to impact and overshadow the management and prognosis of all other associated conditions. Limitation of functional capacity due to LVF is a serious hindrance for the patient to seek treatment for other associated conditions and participate in a rehabilitation program for stroke, peripheral vascular disease and COPD. Acute decompensation of LVF can occur because of treatment non-compliance, infection or poor nutritional status and can be fatal. Thus, nurses play an important role in preventing acute decompensation and rehospitalisation. Heart failure patients generally have a poor prognosis and a reduced quality of life (Gould, 2002). However, because of advances in treatment and dedicated heart failure programs, the prognosis of the condition has improved with the 6 month mortality rate declining from 26% in 1995 to 14% in 2005(Mehta, et al., 2009). Concurrently, hospitalization rates are increasing. An elderly patient with multiple comorbidities, multiple medications and reduced quality of life is the typical profile of a patient with heart failure. In this patient, MI, LVF, COPD, peripheral vascular disease as well as duodenal ulcer have common risk factors of age, smoking and atherosclerosis. Pathophysiology of left ventricular failure Left ventricular failure may be defined as the inability of left side of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Coronary artery disease leading to myocardial infarction is the most common cause of left sided heart failure (NICE, 2010, Gould 2002). MI impairs myocardial contraction and hence, reduces its efficiency to pump blood. Severity of the infarcti on is proportional to the severity of LVF. Other common causes of left ventricular failure include hypertension, cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease. Positive history of smoking, peripheral vascular disease and age, point towards atherosclerosis and resulting MI as the cause of LVF in this patient. COPD also causes heart failure which is mainly right sided. However, it can also precipitate LVF (Paudel, et al., 2008). LVF, in turn, can cause right heart failure by increasing pulmonary vascular resistance (pulmonary hypertension). Signs and symptoms As the ability of the left ventricle to pump blood in the forward direction is impaired, symptoms result from pulmonary vascular congestion and inadequate cardiac output. Pulmonary congestion affects gas exchange in the alveoli and causes dyspnea, orthopnoea, cough, dizziness, confusion, syncope, fatigue, and decreased functional capacity and exercise tolerance (Buckler, 2009). New York Heart Association (NYHA) grading is a useful to ol for grading the severity of LVF that should be used. Physical examination reveals tachypnea, gallop rhythm and features of pulmonary oedema, such as crepitations over lung fields, predominantly at the base. Respiratory distress and production of pink frothy sputum is present in decompensated cases,

Computer Networking - Protocol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer Networking - Protocol - Essay Example Packet switching can be regarded as advantageous since it allows for the groping of all data under transmission. As such, data is grouped without consideration of its structure, or even the contents of the data. Packet switching also allows for the sharing of data networks among various users. Packet switching can be discredited because it is slower than other methods used in data transmission. The advantage of Frame Relay is that it allows the connection between routers, as well as Local Area Networks. Frame relay can be regarded as disadvantageous since there is a lot of congestion between the networks. The use of Asynchronous Transfer Mode 2 can be regarded as beneficial based on a number of advantages that result from its use. ATM enhances the use of multimedia services within a single network since it facilitates the transmission of video and voice at the same time. ATM can also be regarded as useful since it allows ease of connection between Wide Area Networks and Local Area Ne tworks (White, 20130. The primary disadvantage of ATM is that it is costly; as such, it brings with it financial challenges to an organization. There is also a need to install new software and hardware to serve new customers. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) can be regarded as the main language used in internet communication. The primary advantage of TCP is that it allows for ease of communication between servers in a computer network. TCP also allows for the resending of data packets that may be lost during the transmission of data. In addition, there is order in the sending and receiving of data when TCP is used. The main disadvantage that can be attributed to this mode of data transmission is that slow transmission may be experienced (White, 2013). There are significant protocols in both packet switching and circuit switching. In packet switching, there is

Rossie the riveter Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rossie the riveter - Movie Review Example It is the case that Sheridan Harvey identifies that most people bring to mind the image â€Å"We can do it!† created by J. Howard Miller for the Westinghouse corporation. However it is Norman Rockwell that provided the image that was most examined by the film’s narrator. Rockwell created an image that was in many respects much brawnier and dirty than Miller’s iconic image. The naming of Rosie the Riveter comes from a song written by Red Evans John Jacob Loeb. In which the protagonist is more gifted than a typical male worker. It was postulated that this song influenced Rockwell insofar as he painted the name ‘Rosie’ on the lunchbox of his image. The film then highlights a number of women actually named ‘Rose/Rosie’ who were credited with excellent accomplishments during the war. The miller image became more popular as it is the case that there was less copyright restriction and as such became more widely reproduced. A great description is provided as to how the Rosie character becomes a contrast between male and female roles, as well as postulating that Rockwell gave her a kind of angelic look. Building on this last image, the film then indicates that a government sponsored publication called the women’s war guide, provided advice to companies on how to attract women in the workforce, as well as giving general advice to women on activities they could complete to help the war effort. This in essence was recognition by the U.S. government that women were an integral part of the war effort. The next image that was examined was also completed by Rockwell which depicted a patriotic woman carrying the gear to complete a variety of different tasks that were integral to the war effort. This image depicted a woman who was a nurse, farmer, a conductor, a mechanic and a telephone operator. The film then postulates that

Effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate

Effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate Abstract Heart rate is controlled in a normal heart by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Pilocarpine and atropine are cholinergic drugs that affect heart rate by affecting the acetylcholine receptors. A frog heart was used to compare the effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate. Pilocarpine was shown to decrease the heart rate and atropine increased heart rate. These results are consistent with how the two drugs affect the receptors. Introduction Although the heart has autorhythmic cells the heart rate is regulated by the sympathic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the autonomic nervous system (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). Acetylcholine is released by the parasympathetic nervous system to slow heart rate down (Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). Pilocarpine and atropine are cholinergic which means they act on acetylcholine either by increases its activity or decreasing the activity (Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). These two drugs also act on the muscarinic receptors which means they act mostly on smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands (Silverthorn, 2009). Pilocarpine is a muscarinic receptor agonist and increases the activity of acetylcholine released by the parasympathetic nervous system thus slowing the heart rate (Silverthorn, 2009). Atropine on the other hand is a muscarinic receptor antagonist and competes with acetylcholine for binding on the receptors which means it blocks acetylcholine released by the parasympathic system and allows the heart rate to increase (Silverthorn, 2009). A frog heart has three chambers and the human heart beats faster in a normal state but the mechanisms in both hearts are very similar, so a frog heart can be a good candidate for research to apply to humans (Stabler, 2009). Materials and Methods A frog heart was obtained and hung by placing a hook through the apex of the heart and tying a string to the hook and to a metal rod above. Ringers solution was applied to the heart at 23 degrees Celsius. An oscilloscope monitor was also used to monitor the heart rate. Bottles of pilocarpine and atropine were obtained. A few drops of pilocarpine were dropped on to the suspended frog heart. Results of heart rate were then recorded once the heart rate was stabilized. Room temperature (23C) Ringers solution was then applied to rid the heart of the pilocarpine. A few drops of Atropine were then dropped on to the suspended frog heart. Results of heart rate were again recorded once the heart rate was stabilized. Room temperature Ringers solution was then reapplied to the heart to rid the heart of atropine. (Stabler, 2009) Results Normal, initial heart rate was determined by the oscilloscope to be 60 beats per minute (bpm). The stabilized heart rate of the frog heart after pilocarpine was applied was 45bpm. The stabilized heart rate of the frog heart after atropine was applied was 70bpm. Table 1: Effects of Pilocarpine and Atropine on Heart Rate Solution Heart Rate None 60 Pilocarpine 45 Atropine 70 Rate of the frog heart beat before and after pilocarpine and atropine were applied. Discussion Pilocarpine is a muscarinic receptor agonist that increases the activity of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (Silverthorn, 2009). This means that pilocarpine increases the effects of acetylcholine in the body. As previously noted acetylcholine is used by the parasympathetic nervous system and one of its functions is to slow down the heart rate (Silverthorn, 2009). Therefore since pilocarpine increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, it slows down the heart rate. The results are consistent with the function of pilocarpine. Other experiments have been done that show that pilocarpine decreases heart rate as well (Saad, et al., 2003). Atropine is an anticholinergic drug and acts as a muscarinic receptor antagonist. Atropine competes with acetylcholine for the binding sites on the receptors (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009). Once atropine binds it blocks the binding of acetylcholine and thus blocks the effects of acetylcholine (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009). As previously noted acetylcholine regulates the heart rate by slowing it down when needed. Since acetylcholine cannot bind the heart rate increases. Thus the results are consistent with the way atropine affects acetylcholine receptors. Dahians results on atropine on rats showed that atropine increased the heart rate (2006). Literature Cited Dahian, A. (2006). Statistical analysis of the effects of atropine and propranolol on the inter-beat interval of rats. Mississippi State University: Biomedical Engineering. Saad, W., Guarda, I. F., Camargo, L., Santos, T., Saad, W. A., Guarda, R. S., et al. (2003). Role of nitric oxide of the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) in the alterations of salivary flow, arterial pressure and heart rate induced by injection of pilocarpine into the MnPO and intraperitoneally. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research , 897-905. Silverthorn, D. U. (2009). Human physiology. San Francisco: Pearson Education. Stabler, S. P. (2009). PhysioEx 8.0 for Human Physiology: Laboratory simulations in physiology. San Francisco: Pearson Education.

America Needs Cloning Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Science Essays

For many years, animals have been used to facilitate the testing of new procedures, drugs, and quest for information. Now as we enter the 21st century, humanity has created computer prediction models, tissue cloning, and great understanding of chemical reactions. However most of these new methods still are only sparingly used, despite their accuracy, and animal testing still remains the test method of choice. There's a newly developed technology that can allow doctors and scientists to duplicate living organisms. This development in technology is known as cloning, and it has forever changed the views of life. Cloning can serve as the answer to problems which plaque the human, animal, and plant populations. Any living species can now be artificially created through cloning. This could potentially eliminate the possibility of extinction among many species. Cloning creates the possibility of having a twin or child carrying the exact DNA of another person. The reproduction of animals wou ld ensure the lasting life of all species, and produce an abundant amount of food to feed the people of the world. Even the vegetarians of the world would be happy with the amount of vegetation that could be produced. Cloning is the perfect means of improving the quality of human life on this planet. Cloning is a very controversial topic and will be for many years to come. In February 1997, scientists in Scotland announced the birth of Dolly, the first cloned sheep. This heralded the future of further cloning possibilities and scientists began extensive experiments on cloning, and have since cloned both plants and animals successfully. The next step was to clone actual human beings but before experiments could be carried out, pressure started to build on the scientists because people started to doubt if cloning was ethical and morally correct. The government began to ban and impose constraints on cloning as a result of public pressure. After the cloning of Dolly, President Clinton was quick to cut all federal funding for research of human cloning (Lester & Hefley, 123). In December of 2001, the United Kingdom put a ban on human reproductive cloning but not therapeutic cloning (Seppa, 32). Even though cloning raises some difficult ethical issues, there are many aspects of cloning that will be very beneficial to mankind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the experimentation of cloning continues in t... ... in a number of various ways to benefit the lives of Americans. This new scientific techniques can be used to improve the quality of life and bring balance to the ecosystem. It could very well be inevitable that cloning play an important, if not vital, role in American lives. Society may be forced to accept these possibilities and lift some of the constraints off the experimentation of cloning. More research needs to be carried out to help eliminate any possible risks associated with the newly discovered procedure. Cloning doesn?t necessarily have to have a negative impact on the world. Cloning is a very beneficial technique to improve the quality of life, why not use the scientific breakthrough to the best of the world?s abilities. Cloning is the future. Works Cited Andrews, Dr. L. (1999). The Clone Age. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. Lester, L., Hefley, J. (1998). Human Cloning. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Company. Pence, G. (1998). Who?s Afraid of Human Cloning? Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Seppa, N. (2002, January). Forbidden Tests. Science News, 53. Travis, Dr. J. (2001, October). Dolly Was Lucky. Science News, 250-251. America Needs Cloning Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Science Essays For many years, animals have been used to facilitate the testing of new procedures, drugs, and quest for information. Now as we enter the 21st century, humanity has created computer prediction models, tissue cloning, and great understanding of chemical reactions. However most of these new methods still are only sparingly used, despite their accuracy, and animal testing still remains the test method of choice. There's a newly developed technology that can allow doctors and scientists to duplicate living organisms. This development in technology is known as cloning, and it has forever changed the views of life. Cloning can serve as the answer to problems which plaque the human, animal, and plant populations. Any living species can now be artificially created through cloning. This could potentially eliminate the possibility of extinction among many species. Cloning creates the possibility of having a twin or child carrying the exact DNA of another person. The reproduction of animals wou ld ensure the lasting life of all species, and produce an abundant amount of food to feed the people of the world. Even the vegetarians of the world would be happy with the amount of vegetation that could be produced. Cloning is the perfect means of improving the quality of human life on this planet. Cloning is a very controversial topic and will be for many years to come. In February 1997, scientists in Scotland announced the birth of Dolly, the first cloned sheep. This heralded the future of further cloning possibilities and scientists began extensive experiments on cloning, and have since cloned both plants and animals successfully. The next step was to clone actual human beings but before experiments could be carried out, pressure started to build on the scientists because people started to doubt if cloning was ethical and morally correct. The government began to ban and impose constraints on cloning as a result of public pressure. After the cloning of Dolly, President Clinton was quick to cut all federal funding for research of human cloning (Lester & Hefley, 123). In December of 2001, the United Kingdom put a ban on human reproductive cloning but not therapeutic cloning (Seppa, 32). Even though cloning raises some difficult ethical issues, there are many aspects of cloning that will be very beneficial to mankind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the experimentation of cloning continues in t... ... in a number of various ways to benefit the lives of Americans. This new scientific techniques can be used to improve the quality of life and bring balance to the ecosystem. It could very well be inevitable that cloning play an important, if not vital, role in American lives. Society may be forced to accept these possibilities and lift some of the constraints off the experimentation of cloning. More research needs to be carried out to help eliminate any possible risks associated with the newly discovered procedure. Cloning doesn?t necessarily have to have a negative impact on the world. Cloning is a very beneficial technique to improve the quality of life, why not use the scientific breakthrough to the best of the world?s abilities. Cloning is the future. Works Cited Andrews, Dr. L. (1999). The Clone Age. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. Lester, L., Hefley, J. (1998). Human Cloning. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Company. Pence, G. (1998). Who?s Afraid of Human Cloning? Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Seppa, N. (2002, January). Forbidden Tests. Science News, 53. Travis, Dr. J. (2001, October). Dolly Was Lucky. Science News, 250-251.

Confessions – Aurelius Augustine

26 November 2007 The Measure of a Woman In one of his most famous works, Confessions, Aurelius Augustine maps out important details and happenings throughout his life in reference to his loved ones and his God. An undeniable aspect of his life is the influence of his mother, Monica, and her perspective on life, love, and death. If compared to another famous female figure in the Christian life, such as Rebekah, the mother of Jacob, Monica’s virtues of patience and eternal perspective shine through, revealing her Biblical view of marriage and her husband.Augustine commends his mother’s virtues and lifestyle, providing an example for women everywhere to carefully consider. Monica shows one of the most difficult qualities in life to possess-patience. She demonstrates patience toward her son, Augustine, in her continual prayer and intercession for his salvation. In his Confessions, Augustine describes his mother’s prayers mixed with tears as he sets sail for Rome (5. 1232). Despite his departure, she continues to seek God for His power in the life of her son. Her patience is rewarded years later when Augustine finally comes to know the Lord.When Augustine brings her the good news, she is â€Å"filled with triumphant exultation† (8. 1238). Ultimately Monica realizes that God has done more than she could ever imagine. In Carl G. Vaught’s The Journey Toward God in Augustine’s Confessions: Book I-VI, he presents the importance of Augustine’s relationship with his mother concerning his conversion. He proposes that because of his relationship with his mother Augustine â€Å"begins to move beyond Skellenger 2 space and time toward the positive relationship with God that Monica wants him to embrace† (68).No doubt Monica’s patience influences her son to embark on his journey towards the Lord. By the time her son is converted, Monica already has countless opportunities to develop patience in her life. Before her e nduring attitude touches Augustine’s life, she is able to influence both her husband and mother-in-law. Referring to his mother’s impact on the life of his grandmother, Augustine confirms that Monica â€Å"won her completely by her unfailing patience and mildness† (Confessions 9. 1243). Such a straightforward statement proves that he not only recognizes, but also admires the virtue of patience he sees in his mother’s life.In one of his other works, Encounters With God in Augustine's Confessions: Books VII-IX, Carl G. Vaught draws attention to the fact that â€Å"Monica’s victory in this case is an unusual feat in any culture† (122). Perhaps demonstrating patience towards her mother-in-law is one of a woman’s greatest accomplishments in life. If so, this would greatly substantiate Monica’s character. Another virtue that Augustine reveres in Monica’s life is her eternal perspective. This is seen in his account of her last few days before her death. He reports that to both of them â€Å"the world with all its delights seemed cheap† (Confessions 9. 245). Monica’s focus on the life to come causes her to disregard the importance of her physical body’s final resting place. She gives instruction that her body is to be buried â€Å"wherever it may be† at the time of her death (9. 1246). Vaught again comments on the life of Monica, suggesting that â€Å"she points beyond death and the need to place the body in a particular place† (Encounters 135). Monica’s ability to see past the temporal life on earth illustrates her faith and obedience to God’s Word, which encourages the believer in II Corinthians 4:18 to concentrate on that which is eternal.In comparison, Rebekah of the Old Testament is not as patient nor eternally minded as Monica. Rather than waiting on the Lord to work in the lives of her family members, Rebekah feels the need to make things happen for h erself. When Rebekah discovers that her husband Skellenger 3 desires to bless their two sons she wastes no time to command the younger of the two boys, Jacob, to trick his father in order to receive the greater of the blessings. Though Jacob attempts to warn his mother of the potential danger she disregards it replying in Genesis 27:13, â€Å"My son, let the curse fall on me.Just do what I say. † The reader virtually hears the impatience and haste in Rebekah’s voice. In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, he describes Rebekah’s response as â€Å"a very rash word† (162). He also points out the fact that if Rebekah would have walked in patience and trust, rather than impulsiveness and anxiety, Jacob could have received the blessing in a proper way since God had already promised in Genesis 23:25 that he would be blessed (164). Both Rebekah and Monica receive the things they are after, yet in contrast to Monica’s patience whic h produces peace nd harmony in her home, Rebekah’s impatience results in additional strife and dissension amongst her family. It also displays Rebekah’s earthly and temporal mindset. She is so concerned with an earthly inheritance for her son that she fails to remember that it is God who blesses and fulfills His Word in His perfect timing and way. The virtues a woman possesses can have a huge impact on her view of marriage. Particular virtues may also shape her understanding and belief about her responsibilities to her husband.While counseling her peers, Monica reveals her personal belief and view of marriage, calling it a â€Å"matrimonial contract†¦an instrument by which they became servants† (Confessions 9. 1243). She also sees her life and the institute of marriage as a way to reach others and bring peace. Her son calls her a â€Å"peacemaker between people quarreling and minds at discord† (Confessions 9. 1244). Monica considered herself a servan t within the realm of marriage. This concept consequently affects her opinion of what her responsibilities are to her husband. Augustine Skellenger 4 lainly describes Monica’s behavior towards her husband in Book IX of Confessions, writing that â€Å"she served him as her lord† (1243). Such behavior apparently touches Augustine so greatly that he takes the time to include these particular facts in his work. Elizabeth A. Clark also observes in her book, St. Augustine On Marriage and Sexuality, that Augustine â€Å"praises her for the meekly subordinate position she had assumed in relation to his father† (21). Not only does Monica desire to live as a humble servant, she also sees her responsibility to be a witness for Christ to her husband.Augustine goes on to say in Confessions that Monica â€Å"use[s] all her effort to win him† to the Lord and does so by â€Å"preaching†¦to him by her character† (9. 1243). What a beautiful picture of Christâ⠂¬â„¢s love shining through her actions and integrity. She understands the power of her pure and submissive conduct, as well as the negative influence words possess while spoken in uncontrolled emotion. As Vaught so beautifully articulates, Monica â€Å"is prepared to wait for God’s mercy to transform him† (Encounters 121).Her approach to her husband may appear backwards to her peers, yet Monica’s demeanor proves to have amazing influence in her husband’s life. In comparison to Monica’s submission and faithfulness to her husband, Rebekah chooses to act out of desperation and fear. Though she serves her husband and family for the majority of her life, the story of her and Jacob’s deception illustrates a time when she decided to be lord of her house, instead of submitting to the head of their home, Isaac. During that time she does not walk in integrity towards her husband as Monica did.On the contrary, she devises a plan found in Genesis 27:14 -17 to deceive Isaac by dressing up Jacob in order to appear as Esau, his brother. Instead of utilizing her position of wife and mother to promote peace she attempts to orchestrate a selfish and cunning plan. This is a complete contrast to Monica’s desire to be a witness and model of God’s love. Skellenger 5 Monica is a Godly woman, referred to by her son with same qualities found in the third chapter of I Timothy, such as making herself beautiful by submitting to her husband.Her perspective and conduct would be magnificent to see in today’s women. Perhaps her ways might be considered old fashioned, weak, or even a way of suppressing women’s power. On the other hand, Rebekah’s choice to take charge is widely accepted and viewed as powerful in society today. Yet by humbling herself, Monica receives God’s power, as well as answers to her many prayers, and in her supposed weaker state she has enormous influence and power that goes far beyond th e realm of Rebekah’s misleading strength. Skellenger 6 Works CitedAugustine, Aurelius, and Elizabeth A. Clark, ed. St. Augustine On Marriage and Sexuality Fathers of the Church V. 1. Washington, D. C. Catholic University of America Press, 1996. ; http://www. netlibrary. com. library. dbu. edu:2048/Reader/;. Henry, Matthew. Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume I (Genesis to Deuteronomy). Logos, Inc. 1706-1721. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. ;http://www. ccel. org/ccel/henry /mhc1. html;. The Holy Bible, New International Version. International Bible Society, 1894. ;http://www. biblegateway. om/;. Lawall, Sarah, and Maynard Mack, Eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd ed. Vol. B. New York: W. W. Norton ; Company, 2002. Vaught, Carl G. The Journey Toward God in Augustine’s Confessions: Books I-VI. Albany State University of New York Press, 2003. ;http://www. netlibrary. com. library. dbu. edu:2048/Reader/;. Vaught, Carl G. Encounters With God in Augustin e's Confessions: Books VII-IX. Albany State University of New York Press, 2004. .

How to Measure Employee Business Writing Skills

How to Measure Employee Business Writing Skills One of the challenges of improving business writing in an organization is actuallymeasuringbusiness writing skills. "Good business writing" is a coveted skill for every analytical and collaborative employee. But, "good business writing" is also an fuzzy concept and tough to codify and measure. How then, can we measure "good business writing" skills? STEP ONE - Separate the measurement of content and analysis (the substance of a document) from thelanguageof the document (the syntax). Substance and syntax must be measured separately, because they are two distinct aspects unique to business writing. Business writing requires a keen analysis of the audience and decisions about matching the right document content to that particular audience. If this is wrong,syntax improvements will never correct content gaps or repetition or jumbled content. If the content is wrongly matched to audience needs, polish alone will never fix it. So, to first measure business writing skills, we have to separate the substance of documents from the syntax. STEP TWO - Analyze the substance of typical employee documents to measure what is working and what is not. Define the goals of the documents your employees need to write. What do you want a reader to know or do after reading this document? Then assess the skills required to achieve the document purpose. Every business document requires five core requisite skills. The first four are related to substance, while the last is related to syntax: Audience awareness Appropriate content Content logically categorized Content logically sequenced Syntax and grammar that is clear and correct and interesting The key is to identify the desired business outcome of key documents, and then break down the writing skills into measurable components. This will give you the content measurements you need to truly measure what is working, and not working. CLIENTS ONLY: Please contact us for templates you are welcome to use for your assessments. STEP THREE - Working with the same representative documents, next analyze the syntax. Good news. Syntax is much easier to evaluate than substance. And, syntax errors are very easy to fix. Typically, strong analytical employees, who likely work in finance, business analysis, technology, engineering, and energy, may not love business writing as part of their work only because they didn't write much in college. They preferred other courses. So, they may mistakenly feel their writing skills are weak. In fact, they possess the critical analytical skills so important for substance. I'm guessing you didn't hire a financial analyst for his or her ability with commas. You hired him or her because of keen analytical ability in finance! hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '934718b3-251a-45d6-8853-a7f94e43b92c', {}); Here are 2 resources to help you assess syntax in your employees' documents: 1. Syntax Measurement Resource #1 Microsoft's Readability Index. Run the documents through this tool, which will provide actual measurements for passive vs. active voice, and simplicity of sentence structure. This is an excellent tool to assess the all-important element of clarity since it reports on: 1. Words per sentence (average) 2. Percentage of passive sentences 3. Flesch Reading Ease score 4. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. Words per sentence - In general, the longer the sentence, the harder it becomes for your reader to follow along. That's not to say you should always write in short sentences. Instead, strive for a variety that makes for lively reading. Percentage of sentences written in the passive voice measures the readability of your text as the ratio of passive sentences over active sentences. The lower the score, the better. Active sentences are nearly always easier to read and understand, making your message clearer and more persuasive. Aim for a score less than 20%. The Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) is the standard test of readability used by the U.S. Department of Defense for its documents and forms. The results can be between 0 and 100. The higher the score, the easier it is to understand what you have written. For example, a typical issue of Reader's Digest earns an FRE score of around 65 while Time Magazine scores in the low 50's. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address scores a 74.2. One way to score higher is to use shorter sentences. The results can be interpreted as following: * 0-29 - very confusing hard to read * 30-49 - difficult to read * 50-59 - fairly difficult * 60-69 - standard * 70-79 - fairly easy * 80-89 - easy * 90-100 - very easy Recommendation: A score of 60 or more. Higher is better. Even for business documents, a score of 60 is very achievable and it takes only a few edits to obtain it. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL)translates the Flesch Reading Ease measure to a grade level. The grade level means the number of years of education generally required to understand the document. For example, a score of 9.4 would indicate that the text is expected to be understandable by an average student in the 9th grade. Most newspapers in the U.S. are written at a seventh to eighth grade level. Recommendation: 8.0 to 10.0 is a good target, but lower is better because it reflects language clarity, not content complexity. Remember: these measurements only assess the syntax of documents, not content. But, they will provide useful snapshot measurements to diagnose the clarity and syntax in employee documents. Here are the Readability Scores for the article you are reading now: Passive voice is very low, so that's good. The Flesh Reading Ease score is just a bit above standard, which is fine since this is a complex topic and you, my fine readers, are smart business leaders! The Flesh-Kincaid grade level score assures me that even though the concepts in the article are complex, the language is easy to understand. 2. Syntax Measurement Resource #2 Microsoft's Grammar Check. It is not infallible, but you can use simple Grammar Check to discover the actual grammar errors presenting in employee documents. Then, summarize those errors. It's ineffective - and let's admit it's boring - to present general grammar training. Instead, address the actual errors presenting. This is much more productive. Consolidate and Analyze Your Measurements See where the gaps in content are occurring. The usual gaps for content are in audience targeting and content. We all tend to write a subject from our understanding, instead of what our reader needs. Categorizing content logically is another very common issue in analytical writing. The usual gaps in syntax are clarity and engaged tone. Grammar errors vary across organizations. Knowing what is working, and not working, in your employees' business writing is the first step in truly improving business writing. Armed with real measurements, you can then provide employee feedback and request business writing training that addresses actual gaps.

Narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example

Narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example Narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Essay Topic: The Yellow Wallpaper One of my favorite short stories The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the narrator of the story is also one of the main characters, and she is a mentally ill patient whom, in her mind, believes that her doctor is her husband, she has a new born child, and they have moved to their new home for summer vacation. While there the narrator, John (the doctor/husband), and Jennie(Nurse/sister of John) are all living in this huge colonel home and the narrator starts to become lonely as her husband is always gone at work. John turns to his own forms of treatment for her thinking he knows what is best for her when in reality it is only causing her more damage. She begins to become delusional in the house and starts seeing weird images in the yellow wallpaper of a room she is staying in. Turning back to psychoanalysis criticism from Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide, it explains that the theory was influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud. The psych oanalysis of the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper, shows through her delusional thoughts and her journal entries she would write almost every day. She was very expressive in her fear of John and began to question why she was there with him and what his true purpose for her was. It drove her madder than she already was and she began to see images in the wallpaper that influenced her thought process. John’s repressive treatments towards the narrator showed a sense of control in his character, and he did not give her the full medical attention that she needed. As in the theory of psychoanalysis, it perfectly describes the narrator’s character as she was indulged in her own fears and dream interpretations. Johns controlling and stricken manners were mostly the cause of both of their downfalls, and he can be mostly blamed for the tragic ending of the story. From the beginning, the narrator was having troubles with John and her stay at the ne

Journalism and Publicity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journalism and Publicity - Essay Example To ensure that it effectively reaches out to its target audiences MTV Base broadcasts, music that the target audience can relate to or rather understand, for instance, in South Africa the channel will air music either in English or Zulu which is a predominant indigenous language there. In Nigeria, it will broadcast music in English or Igbo as these are the traditional languages there. In the East Africa region, the standard music that is played is either in English or Swahili with Buganda being common in Uganda (Haig, 2007). Culture is yet another aspect that is commonly emphasized to ensure the target audiences get programs or rather music that they can relate. Case in point the Afro genre of music is predominant in Nigeria thus a significant amount of airplay will be dedicated to artists from that genre likewise in South Africa Kwaito is the type of music that aligns with the local culture thus it will receive massive airplay than any other type in that country. That notwithstanding, the interest of the audience plays a significant role in determining the kind of programs that are aired, for instance the Hip-hop genre of music that is Western by origin and cultures tends to have a huge following in Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania thus the program airs this kind of music to appease the interests of the people that are huge followers of that genre (McLeod and Kuenzli, 2011). Free to air channels can be accessed by the general public without any form of subscriptions thus they entirely depend on the commercials that they run to foot their bills. I’ll choose NTV in Kenya as an example of a free to air channel for the purpose of this analysis. Evidently, most free to air channels have a substantial fan base given the fact that they can be accessed without paying any amount of money (Cramerotti, 2009). These channels tend to come up with all sorts of innovative programs so as to command a huge following to entice more companies to advertising with them based on the fact that they have a vast audience.  

Economic Objectives of the United States over the last three years Essay

Economic Objectives of the United States over the last three years - Essay Example Unfortunately, discretionary macroeconomic policies and a volatile environment of the US were closely related to awkward policies such as excessive government spending, high inflation, and an over-valued exchange rate render an economy prone to crisis. United States Government has always believed in broad consensus that exist on the utility of inflation-indexed or inflation linked bonds for which economists and policy makers make the sharing of risk between issuers of bonds and investors possible. In this context financial markets in the emerging market economies are deepened and when an emerging market government issues inflation-indexed bonds, this is seen as reducing the cost of educating the global investors regarding the benefits of these instruments. Though such policies in the past have reduced the co-ordination problems, but has left the most frequent areas devoid of discipline and these are the regulatory norms and supervisory structures. Today, the way the US is breathing a n unstable macroeconomic environment, these vulnerabilities of the financial sector readily spawn a crisis because of distortions in the real economy and serious macroeconomic policy.The macroeconomic policies or the economic crunch being witnessed for the last few years has not affected US military expenditure, since it has kept on increasing by 59 percent since 2001 and it is obvious that such increase reflects massive spending on military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, however it also includes increases in the ‘base’ defence budget.... Policies regarding public finance claims that only the most central, national government can successfully manage US economy's macro-economic swings and the resulting unemployment of labour and economic resources. The macroeconomics in this case does not held itself responsible for the inability to alleviate unemployment because it suggests that the mobility of factors of production in any economy and the inclination of a region's residents to spend their incomes on imported goods are responsible factors behind the raised unemployment rate (Inman & Rubinfield, 2001). Unemployment Compensation programs in the light of policies have been relatively modest in scale that has covered potential benefits during all these years of recession, however their duration is short and replacement rates are generally low. Recipiency rates are also relatively low (Vroman & Brusentsev, 2005: 145). The policies advice that many aspects of these programs highlight the association between inflation and Unemployment Compensation replacement rates without effective indexation provisions, high inflation would quickly erode the real value of monthly benefits (ibid). The main factor that explains why international trade and capital movements instead of other economical concerns have become a major concern of senior policymakers in the United States is the acceptance by all governments of responsibility for how well or poorly the domestic economy performs. The policymakers claim that the electorate's demand for a steady increase in the standard of living indicates that any policy that significantly affects domestic economic performance is an important variable in determining who is president and which party controls the