Psychological Testing Free Essay Example, 1250 words

The executive director of the SAT test declared that the question is about pop culture and it was just a fair question to ask. People may have differing opinions on this matter. However, it sort of emphasizes the point that the scope of the exam is not widely discussed publicly, since topics such as this causes surprise from parents of test-takers (Steinberg, â€Å"For SAT Test-Takers†). Still, the presence or absence of the information is not the main topic of this paper. The issue on how necessary these tests are is the area that needs more attention. First, even though newspapers frequently quote the scores of the tests, and several experts believe that this is the best measurement for an individual’s progress, it is not the absolute standard for success (Ryan and Weinstein, 2009, p. 224). Students have endured more and more tests over time, yet discussion on new educational processes are not happening. The tests only force the institutions to push their students t o earn higher grades, but they do not result in providing solutions to the real problems that causes low marks (Harlen, 2002, p. 141). Second, Indian University Professor of Education Roger Farr states that â€Å"multiple-choice questions do not allow students to apply what they can do. † (Klees, 2008, p. 313) Multiple-choice questions usually entail memorization, but no one can actually say that students understand the STANDARDIZED TESTS 4 logic behind their answers. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Testing or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Even open-ended questions do not prove to be accurate in gauging the student’s knowledge (Klees, 2008, p. 317). According to one former scorer of SAT-tests, â€Å"reading a paper every few seconds may sound weird but it is easy to put marks even without fully reading the answers†¦there is a bonus once you go above the quota of marked papers. † (Harlen, 2002, p. 142) Here, it is easy to see that the test results may also be questionable, thus increasing the issues surrounding the tests as the basis of educational progress of an individual. Third, high stakes exams cause controversy due to accountability. Coercion and bribery may happen due to the aim to receive high marks for the institution. Teachers can even receive bonuses for good scores, and students may receive perks for acquiring excellent marks. Threats may range from schools losing accreditation or funding for schools, to students refused of diplomas. This is because of the widely-accepted notion that low grades reflect the quality of education a school provides (Carson-Meyers, Bryant, Thomas, and Brinson, 2005, p. 29-34).

The Millenial Generation and Technology - 1414 Words

The recession has caused every one-in-eight older Millennials to return back home to their parents† (3). It is not because they want to, but because it is their only option. According to Richard Fry, a Senior Research Associate at Pews Research Center, the total number of older Millennials living at home is a record 21 million in 2012. There are several factors that cause them to return back to their parents, such as a declining employment rate and rising college enrollment fees. Fry additionally states that the unemployed Millennials were more inclined to be existing with their guardians, (45%) contrasted with utilized Millennials( 29%) (A Rising Share of Young Adults). Helicopter parents also influence Millennials to be dependant.†¦show more content†¦The Millennial generation has a strong connection to technology. Kathryn Tyler also described Millennials as â€Å"the first generation to use e-mail, instant messaging (IM) and cell phones since childhood and adolesce nce†. This means that it has been available since they were young, and contributed to their lifestyle. Because Millennials had such early exposure to technology, it is easier for them to adapt and learn how to operate it. Alison Gopnik explains that it is easier for them to learn because of the â€Å"cultural ratchet effect† which allows children to learn skills unconsciously and effortlessly. It is beneficial that Millennials can easily handle technology, but it also resulted in a strong dependency on it. Millennials use technology in different forms as a source of communication. Examples of communication through technology are texting, calling, voice mails, social media, and email. According to a graph provided by Pew Research Center, about 80% of Millennials use cell phones or have a social networking profile (25). The use of cellphones and social media give Millennials and easier way to communicate with people and has become a necessity to them. I use my cellphone every day of the week, whether it is to contact people or just use apps. In less than a minute, it allows me to communicate with my girlfriend, friends, and lovedShow MoreRelatedHow Millennials Are Redefining the American Dream Essay1502 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind’s greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear.† -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Nearly 3.7 million American babies born in 1982 were the first members of the new Generation Y, or more affectionately known as millenials (Thompson, par. 1). Many things play into whether a generation is considered to be faring ‘better’Read MoreThe Impact Of Media On The Media913 Words   |  4 Pagespreference to the increasing diversity of race and sexual orientation in each generation has an effect on the values portrayed in media. 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This presents many new challenges that must be faced; specifically, how to best communicate with your workforce in the most effective manner that reaches all generations, and how to create a cohesive and successful team that embraces the differences in the team members yet draws them together. This paper will be focused on a few key points: an explanation of each generation and whatRead MoreGenerational Differences Of The Workplace Today1034 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Workplace Today Todays workplace consists of Baby Boomers, Generation Xers and Millenials. An individual’s generations is determined by the era the individual was born. Each generation possess certain values and characteristics. At times these differences can cause issues in the work place. I will discuss the concept of Generational Differences in the workplace today. Managing Multiple Generations Managing multiple generations can pose a challenge for employers. Managers have to find a balanceRead MoreInformation Behaviour of Middle School Students Essays1585 Words   |  7 Pagescurrent generation of students who have been â€Å"raised with easy familiarity with video games, email, instant messaging†¦Web 2.0 social networking habits, they have developed patterns of engagement that are different from those of earlier generations.† (Godwin, 2008, p. 52). School librarians must create information literacy programs to include Web 2.0 tools to effectively engage this generation. (Carroll, 2011, p. 27). 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Kindred Free Essays

As the book entails more of African-American history rather than just a pure literature of science fiction since it deals slavery in the nineteenth century Antebellum South which unleashes the issue of slavery, its causes, effects and its evidences on a more modernized method and language to capture the interest of the reader particularly to the young adults whom the book has marketed, readers would see it as a reliable historical reference. Every detail written on it illustrates manifestation of the tragic truth on how white people consider their supremacy over the blacks.   This include horrible dilemma such as beatings, rape, forced labor, murderous acts, and any form of abuses whether physical, psychological or emotional which the protagonist Dana has experienced as a result of her permission to be transported in the past several times in search of a missing piece, though the epiphany was only after the first and second glimpses from the past via time travel on which the revelation involving her antecedent has occurred. We will write a custom essay sample on Kindred or any similar topic only for you Order Now To dare oneself to involve in the not-so-good incidents and allow himself being hurt by anyone or anything could be a brave action if not heroic.   However, Dana here is just a victim of unexplainable intervention which urges her to accept her ethnicity.   Knowing that both the blood of the slave-owner rapist Rufus and the slave Alice runs through her blood, and with marriage with Kevin, another white man like his grandfather Rufus, Dana courageously surpass it in the end. Readers of Kindred might see little of himself in Dana’s terrible experiences and would help him realize the message that everyone is related with one another irregardless of color differences and norms.   Time heals all wounds but never the lesson it imparted and the history out of it, with or without science intervention. R E F E R E N C E Butler, Octavia. Kindred. New York: Doubleday, 1979. How to cite Kindred, Essay examples

Corporate Ability and Social Responsibility MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Ability and Social Responsibility. Answer: Introduction Corporate Social Responsibility is conceptualised as the management functionality that helps in integrating the social and environmental concerns while undertaking the business operational process. According to Nikolaou, Evangelinos and Allan, (2013), CSR is the most effective way of achieving the economic balance, social, and environmental imperatives. The business organisations usually need to address the expectations and demands of the stakeholders. The corporate social responsibility is one of the most significant management strategies that help the organisation to achieve the strengthened position in the competitive ground (Harjoto, Laksmana Lee, 2015). The study will disclose the maintenance of corporate social responsibility by Woolworths, the retail giant in Australia. The study will also explore the theoretical perspectives of the company to determine the effectiveness of the CSR process in strengthening the reputed position of the organisation. The application of the theor etical view in Woolworths strategy will also be presented in this study. Theories or Approaches to the Corporate Social Responsibility The focus on the traditional view of the corporate social responsibility determines that the organisations use such process to make the remarkable profits for the future sustainability. However, the corporate social responsibility is mainly associated with three major approaches or theories, such as Corporate Social Responsibility (as a broader view), The Triple Bottom Line and Stakeholder Theory (Baumann-Pauly et al., 2013). These approaches are discussed further: As the specific term of corporate social responsibility, it can be reflected that this is used as the process used by the corporations to interact with the environment. The maintenance of the CSR process is based on several major obligations and these are as follows: The economic responsibility: Corporations usually pays attention towards the economic responsibilities to make more money. The company usually undertakes the simpler method of achieving the economic parameter (Habel et al., 2016). However, with the help of such process, the companies can avail the capital benefits gathered from the market. The legal responsibility: It is important to maintain the legal and regulatory policies while conducting the business operation in a community or in a country. It is notable that the laws do not create boundaries for the business; rather it provides the numerous opportunities for the business operations. The ethical responsibility: Every organisation needs to consider the ethical standards of the business while undertaking the operational behaviour (Saeidi et al., 2015). The maintenance of the ethical corporate culture is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability. The philanthropic responsibility: The organisation needs to contribute to the societys project in spite of conducting business independently. Several extra initiatives undertaken for the society would be much helpful for the business to promote the brand and strengthening the organisational position (Walsh Bartikowski, 2013). These obligations are essentially needed to be taken into consideration to operate the business successfully. According to Schramm-Klein, Morschett and Swoboda (2015), triple bottom line is another significant approach of maintaining corporate social responsibility. It dictates that the corporate leaders require focusing on the effects of the social realm as well as the economic values. The major focus on this approach is to maintain sustainability in a significant way. It is essential to maintain the balance in terms of economical, social, and environmental. Economical Sustainability: The triple bottom line suggests that financial benefits determine the long-term financial benefits of the firm (Christensen, Mackey Whetten, 2014). It is essential for the large corporations to create the sequential business plan that demands the prolonged and stable action. Social Sustainability: Maintaining the ethical responsibilities towards the community around the business is necessary for surviving in the business scenario. If the society collapses, it will bring the revolution that may turn into the negative aspect to retain the organisational position. Hence, it is essential to keep the products and services that can be served for the societal benefits. Environmental Sustainability: The firms need to provide the attention towards the environmental factors before launching any product or service (Servaes Tamayo, 2013). For example, the excessive amount of carbon footprints may affect the environment. Hence, the firm needs to pay attention towards such issues related to the environmental sustainability. The obtained information from the above analysis specifies the approaches of the triple-bottom-line. The further study will provide the insights regarding another approach associated with the corporate social responsibility. Edward Freeman introduced the stakeholder theory to present a transparent and mirror image of CSR process. The responsibility of CSR is attached with the responsibility of the owners to facilitate the safety parameter for the environment (Korschun, Bhattacharya Swain, 2014). The stakeholder theory determines the role of the various stakeholders who are directly and indirectly associated with the organisational operations. The major stakeholders of the firm are: Owner of the firm Workers of the firm Potential customer of the company Suppliers of the company Community people Competitors The involvement of these stakeholders is essential for conducting the business in a community. The identification of the stakeholders needs and demands drive the organisation towards success (Servaes Tamayo, 2013). Woolworths, the Australian retail giant also divided the stakeholders into two groups, such as the internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. Internal Stakeholders External Stakeholders 1) Owner 1) Potential customers 2) Shareholders 2) Suppliers 3) Employees/workers 3) People from the surrounded society 4) Managers 4) Competitors Identification of the organisational stakeholders is necessary to maintain the corporate social responsibility in a significant way (Walsh Bartikowski, 2013). On the other hand, the business operations even depend on the basic needs and demands of the stakeholders. Hence, the stakeholder signifies the important part of the CSR programme of a firm. Woolworths has captured the remarkable position in the retail sector of Australian market. The company offers the high quality retail products and service to the people all over Australia. The company has been operating more than 873 stores in Australian markets (Woolworthsgroup.com.au, 2017). Woolworths Group has been maintaining the corporate social responsibility in a significant way to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. The company has determined to achieve a set of corporate social responsibilities that includes the commitments and goals that are going to be implemented by the financial year of 2020. These goals and commitments include a range of stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, communities, and team members. The business organisations usually need to address the expectations and demands of the stakeholders. The corporate social responsibility is one of the most significant management strategies that help the organisation to achieve the strengthened position in the competitive ground. The company has been focusing on promoting the effective initiatives that can serve well for the community surrounded in the business location. In the further section of the study, the initiatives undertaken by the company to achieve such parameter will be explored. Application of the theory to Woolworths The company aims to strive for gender equity by targeting almost 40% of the senior management and female executive positions. The company has even ensured that the wages will not be discriminated and both the male and female employees will receive the equivalent position in the company. The company is looking forward to embrace the diversity by increasing the amount of the indigenous workers in line with the employee parity of Federal Government. The company is strictly concentrating on working towards the zero waste of food products. Moreover, the company ensures that the carbon emissions from the products of Woolworths will be almost 10% below of the level was in 2015 (Woolworthsgroup.com.au, 2017). The business engages the equitably and fairly treating of the suppliers for the future business. The company is even paying attention towards healthy and sustainable products for the potential consumers. Furthermore, the company is looking forward to invest more capital resource for promoting the partnerships and social welfare programmes. The initiatives determine that the company is maintaining the significant approach in maintaining the corporate social responsibility. It is necessary to mention that the company has already captured the leading position in the country among all other retail organisations. However, in order to maintain such reputed position, it is necessary to keep the focus on the continuous improvements and identification of the stakeholders demands. Conclusion The study reveals the in-depth ideas about the approaches and necessity of corporate social responsibility. It has been observed that the organisations have been securing the competitive position by undertaking the remarkable initiatives related to the corporate social responsibility. Failure to this approach may lead towards the negative influence on the business. In a specific way, corporate social responsibility is mainly associated with three major approaches or theories, such as Corporate Social Responsibility (as a broader view), The Triple Bottom Line and Stakeholder Theory. Woolworths have been paying the closer attention towards these purposes and has introduced the fruitful initiatives to achieve the long-term sustainability in a significant way. References Baumann-Pauly, D., Wickert, C., Spence, L. J., Scherer, A. G. (2013). Organizing corporate social responsibility in small and large firms: Size matters.Journal of Business Ethics,115(4), 693-705. Christensen, L. J., Mackey, A., Whetten, D. (2014). Taking responsibility for corporate social responsibility: The role of leaders in creating, implementing, sustaining, or avoiding socially responsible firm behaviors.The Academy of Management Perspectives,28(2), 164-178. Habel, J., Schons, L. M., Alavi, S., Wieseke, J. (2016). Warm glow or extra charge? The ambivalent effect of corporate social responsibility activities on customers perceived price fairness.Journal of Marketing,80(1), 84-105. Harjoto, M., Laksmana, I., Lee, R. (2015). Board diversity and corporate social responsibility.Journal of Business Ethics,132(4), 641-660. Korschun, D., Bhattacharya, C. B., Swain, S. D. (2014). Corporate social responsibility, customer orientation, and the job performance of frontline employees.Journal of Marketing,78(3), 20-37. Nikolaou, I. E., Evangelinos, K. I., Allan, S. (2013). A reverse logistics social responsibility evaluation framework based on the triple bottom line approach.Journal of Cleaner Production,56, 173-184. Saeidi, S. P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S. P., Saaeidi, S. A. (2015). How does corporate social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction.Journal of Business Research,68(2), 341-350. Schramm-Klein, H., Morschett, D., Swoboda, B. (2015). Retailer corporate social responsibility: Shedding light on CSRs impact on profit of intermediaries in marketing channels.International Journal of Retail Distribution Management,43(4/5), 403-431. Servaes, H., Tamayo, A. (2013). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value: The role of customer awareness.Management Science,59(5), 1045-1061. Walsh, G., Bartikowski, B. (2013). Exploring corporate ability and social responsibility associations as antecedents of customer satisfaction cross-culturally.Journal of business research,66(8), 989-995. Woolworthsgroup.com.au, (2017). Corporate Responsibility - Woolworths Group. [online] Woolworthsgroup.com.au. Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-responsibility/corporate-responsibility/ [Accessed 30 Apr. 2017]. Woolworthsgroup.com.au, (2017). Woolworths Supermarkets - Woolworths Group. [online] Woolworthsgroup.com.au. Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/about-us/our-brands/supermarkets/Woolworths [Accessed 30 Apr. 2017].

McKinley 1 Essays - Americas, Cuba, Chivalry, Eastern Bloc

McKinley 1 Case 2 There is definitely a fine line drawn between the protocol of physician, and an area where things could be considered as a personal matter. However, it isn't a physician's standpoint to rule out any procedure that a parent uses on their child, if its intent is to heal and not harm. If a physician encounters a situation such as the "coining", they should always be prepared to listen to whatever the parent had to say. From there on out, by all means the physician then has the right to offer their knowledgeable advice to the parent especially if the procedure has caused pain and or discomfort to th e child. Overall, tho se type of situations can be tricky in a physician's profession, it all boils down to them knowing limits and guidelines to not cross. No physician could be expected to understand the beliefs and practices of so many differing faith communities. At first glance, the simplest solution suggests that physicians avoid religious or spiritual content in the doctor-patient interaction. Patients should understand instructions from their physicians and be able to repeat them in their own words. Potential cultural conflicts between a physician and patient include differing attitudes towards time, personal space, eye contact, body language, and even what is important in life. Collectively, no physician has authority in intervene in the self-healings of any culture. I t is evident to us that the assumption that all patients possess little medical knowledge can create alienation between patient and physician . Therefore, a physician should never be concerned with alienating any ethnicity from modern medicine. It is not their job to convince or persuade a patient that modern medicine is more fit to heal, but it is necessary for them to inform McKinley 2 them of possible mishaps if they aren't utilized. Physicians have a difficult position to determine what methods are best to treat at times, but there's no room for error. There's always grounds for physicians to educate patients on treatments, but never for them to abandon one who doesn't typically agree with modern practices. No, p hysicians often encounter childhood injuries and conditions that test their knowledge of what is considered child abuse and neglect and when to report their suspicions. Some situations pose ethical dilemma s that are not easily resolved. Understanding what constitutes child maltreatment and having a plan for making decisions about it can reduce the burden of physicians' duty to report their suspicions effectively and appropriately. In the case presented here, there's no physical or verbal evidence that the child has been intentionally abused, neglected, sexually assaulted, malnourished, or possesses no pattern of abuse. Physicians, however required by law to report these cases to officials if any of the listed occurs. This particular case exposes the beliefs and principles of deontology. Deontology is simply the study of the nature of duty and obligation. An employer has deontic authority in the act of issuing an order that the employee is obliged to accept and obey regardless of its reliability or appropriateness. Ethically, deontology constitutes differences between consequentialism, virtue ethics, and pragmatic ethics. When these ethics are understood and practices, actions greatly over shadows consequences. McKinley 3 Yes, and because e ugenics is a movement that is aimed at improving the genetic composition of the human race. Historically, eugenicists advocated selective b reeding to achieve these goals. Today we have technologies that make it possible to more directly alter the genetic composition of an individual. However, people differ in their views on how to best (and ethically) use this technology. E ugenicists in the U.S. focused on efforts to stop the transmission of negative or "undesirable" traits from generation to generation. PGD for gender selection is only justified if a couple's family history includes a particular sex-linked genetic disorder; that is, a disorder that predominantly or exclusively affects babies of one gender . It could also be justifiable for parents to choose a gender if there's already multiple boys or girls, or lack of either in the family that's being created. Usually the sex of a child isn't more important than what diseases or disorders that a child will carry. That's why

Make the best case you can for public funding of the arts. Essays

Make the best case you can for public funding of the arts. Essays Make the best case you can for public funding of the arts. There are two main worries about public funding of the arts. One is that there seem nowadays to be so many more urgent calls on public money. Isn't public funding for the arts an unaffordable luxury? The second worry is that there seem to be so many other things that are similar to the arts, but that do not attract similar public funding. Are the arts being picked out for special privileges, perhaps thanks to snobbery? I will try to show why, in spite of these worries, the arts remain a deserving case for some public funding. Let's begin with the claim that the arts are attracting special treatment. A comparison can be made with sports. Like the arts, sports call for skill and discipline from their participants. Like the arts, sports can be enjoyed by spectators as well as participants. Like the arts, sports vary a lot among themselves. Like the arts, sports are publicly funded to some extent. The main difference seems to be, however, that while public funding of sports is usually restricted to support for participants (e.g training of sportspeople), public funding of the arts often extends to spectators as well as participants. One can go to an art gallery or museum for free, but one pays to go to Anfield or Brands Hatch. Is this fair? The answer is that the contrast is exaggerated. On the one hand, spectatorship of sports is sometimes publicly funded. One can watch Wimbledon on the BBC for free, just as one can go to an art gallery for free. On the other hand, not all spectatorship of the arts is publicly funded. It costs money to go to a premier league football match, but it costs no less to see a stadium rock concert. One must be careful to compare like with like. One should compare the treatment of niche arts with that of niche sports, arts infrastructure with sports infrastructure, etc. One should also be careful not to assume a purist's definition of the arts, according to which a stadium rock concert doesn't count as an arts event. That would be like claiming that football is not a sport, but only a game (sports being limited to pursuits that involve horses and hounds!) In general we should expect public arts and sports funding to go to pursuits that are worth preserving but will otherwise not be viable, because there are otherwise not enough people who will pay enough money for them, while keeping them open to others. The government should step in where the market fails. But this brings us straight to our other worry. Surely, with so many more urgent calls on government expenditure, support for such things as sports and arts, however admirable, must be a low priority? They may be worth preserving, but is their preservation more urgent than the preservation of human lives in public hospitals? The thought here is that priority should reflect urgency. But this seems a bad principle for government. It leads to the government thinking only about the short-term. Shouldn't the government provide for the future, as well as coping with the present? If so, the arts, like sports, seem suitable for inclusion in the government's longer-term plans. The government needs to ask itself whether great achievements and great excellences can be allowed to go to waste, bearing in mind that once they have gone to waste it will be much more expensive to recreate them (or to create replacements for them). This argument seems to assume that a time will come when we will miss the arts or sports we have lost. That may not be true. Few people miss Morris dancing (a nearly dead art) or jousting (a nearly dead sport). But suppose we lost all dance-related arts, or all performance arts? Suppose we lost all combat sports, or all dangerous sports? Then we will live in a world with fewer choices and fewer opportunities for human beings to excel and develop their abilities, as well as for other human beings to spectate and admire this development. One important job for governments, even if it is never

Christian copts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Christian copts - Research Paper Example The history of Coptic Christianity is tragic, sad and filled with stories of misery. The Coptic language is no longer spoken outside church and the percentage of Copts in Egypt have declined to fewer than 10 percent of the population yet this sect has survived through the centuries spreading beyond the Egyptian borders to many countries around the world. According to Coptic belief the Christian sect began when the Apostle Mark traveled to Egypt. Mark would become the first Pope of Alexandria. The word â€Å"Copt† is derived from the â€Å"Aigyptos,† a Greek word meaning Egyptian. The Coptic Church believes Jesus is less than God because He was made by God while all other Christian denominations believe Jesus to be a spiritual being whose nature was the same therefore equal to God. This was a major divisive issue in 451 AD at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) when the Copts separated from the other Christian sects but the disagreement has cooled over the many years since . Neither mainline nor do Coptic Christians believe this one point of contention to be of great importance anymore. Otherwise, most Coptic beliefs are essentially the same as other Christians Churches, the Bible being the guiding text. As in other Christian sects, Copts believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. Men actually wrote it but were guided by the Holy Spirit. Copts, as other Christian’s sects believe that Christ not only taught through words but also by His actions and the Bible is not the only source of knowledge. According to Coptic Pope H. H. Pope Shenouda II â€Å"the Holy Bible does not mention everything.† (BBC 2009). Traditions are particularly important to Copts because these have directed civilization from since the time of the first people, Adam and Eve, a period which, according to them, occurred many centuries prior to the writings of the Bible. Somewhat surprisingly, due to the Copts, Christian monasteries originated in Egypt. Termed â€Å"m onasticism,† the creation of monasteries is the most significant contribution to the Christian religion by the Copts. The original monastic community was unintentionally founded by Saint Anthony (died in 356 AD). He departed for Egypt intending to live a spiritual life alone but came across others who wanted to live close to what they believed to be a holy person. They formed a religious community, a novel concept at that time. Of course the community needed rules and who better than a Roman for the task? Saint Pachomius (died 346 AD), an Egyptian and former soldier in the Roman Army, established the first collection of rules for a religious community with a central highly spiritual leader, later to be termed ‘monastery.’ The list of rules combined a work regiment and spiritual dedication. As is the case for all other religions and Christian sects, there are many traditions and rituals unique to Coptic Christians. All Coptic churches face east as do the faithful w hen praying. Traditions and symbolism, such as facing east, is held sacred by Copts. â€Å"We see Christ as our east, in that the sun rises from the east. The sun is the source of our life and so Christ is our salvation, the source of our life in the spirit. Looking towards the east, we are facing the Garden of Eden.† The act is also Biblical in nature. According to ‘Acts,’ St. John of Zebedee â€Å"took a cross of wood and placed it up towards the east and kneeled

Social Security research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Social Security research - Essay Example It was Republican senator Marco Rubio who said that â€Å"But heres what I would tell people of my generation. I turn 40 this year. There isnt going to be a Social Security. There isnt going to be a Medicare when you retire. Forget about what your benefit is going to look like. There isnt going to be one if we dont make some reforms to save that program now.† It is this understanding that has led many leaders to believe that in order to survive, social security must be turned into an optional program for it members rather than mandatory. This case study shall be written in terms of someone who has had previous experience with the inner working of social security, yet through provide suggested solutions to the problem based upon the feelings, understanding, and needs of the members of the system. It shall thoroughly present the situation of the company and confidently describe the future of social security if changes are not made to the program immediately. Social Security is something that employed people from all walks of life look forward to collecting once they reach the mandatory age of retirement. It is like a forced savings account that everyone is forced to participate in so that they can have some sort of financial nest egg once they become too old to work. That is the main concept behind the existence of Social Security. Although the system had a very premise for being brought into existence by then President Roosevelt, the system was mishandled and its programs ended up being mismanaged over an extended period of time. This led to the financial disarray and incapacity of the system to truly answer to the needs for which it was first created. However, that is not to say that the problems in the system cannot be fixed. But the solutions may be difficult to implement so other options to social security should be looked into

What Works (Position Paper) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What Works (Position ) - Research Paper Example 52). The Phoenix Youth and Family Services (PYFS) was reported to be a community development program which established the Comprehensive Community-Based Judicial Services program as a means to address the needs of delinquent youths (Harris, 2006). The organization established linkages with various government justice agencies to assist juvenile-offenders in re-entry efforts to the community. Among the features of their juvenile correctional programs include: pre-release connections, transition phase support, a simulated work environment with family involvement, education and training support, community service, life skills and support, and job placement assistance (Harris, 2006). The Youth Opportunity (YO) Boston Youth Offender Program was stipulated as a program that serves the need of high-risk youth offenders (Harris, 2006). The key features of the program include the following: the provision for intensive pre-release intervention in detention facilities, the deployment of YO infrastructure for intensive aftercare support, the application of a four-tiered transitional employment services model, as well as offering summer and winter jobs programs targeted to serious offenders (Harris, 2006). According to Alarid (2015), â€Å"in juvenile corrections success is measured by the future behaviors of the youth† (p. 315). As such, juvenile corrections programs which offers interventions that aim to develop knowledge and skills of juvenile offenders to make them productive citizens are deemed to be most effective. As such, from the three juvenile corrections programs that were selected above, the program that is believed to be the most effective and efficient is the program which focuses on providing educational or skills-development training, in conjunction with assisting in seeking employment opportunities. So far, the three programs provide training and assistance for juvenile offenders by preparing them for re-entry and

The back to basics marketing approach of marks and spencer

The back to basics marketing approach of marks and spencer Title of the Project The scope of the project is to emphasize on the Marks and Spencers back to basic approach of marketing to capture the down-size in the market. Introduction Marketing is one of the core functions of any organization and an organizations most sincere efforts to attract the market can be inefficient if it lacks a basic marketing model to analyze the market segments, equip with the most appropriate product mix, and assess the competitors activities to ensure proper growth. The scope of the proposal is to analyze basic approach of marketing in UK by Marks and Spencer and also relate its importance in todays organizational success when its first marketing department was formed in 1998. The emphasis is on Marks and Spencer formal marketing planning, comprehensive situation analysis and adoption of pro-active approach to the future. Background of the Organization Marks and Spencer was formed in the year 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer today is one of the leading retailers in UK known for its high quality, fashionable and value clothing. It also has its presence in luxury food products, footwear, gifts and home furnishings. Marks and Spencer was a success story till 1998 after which a sudden fall in sales and growth of the organization led to sharp decline with shut-down of stores and numerous cost cutting measures. The revival plan was basically focused on the basics of marketing (focus on core business and brands, better product range, improve sourcing and supply chain etc) ignored in the continuous success story. Marks and Spencer today is again one the leading retailers in UK with an international presence, employing more than 75,000 people , having over 600 stores in UK alone and growing at a tremendous stage all over the world. Over the years, Marks and Spencer has not only evolved on international platform and gained recognition but also started its online business and introduced several campaigns in Corporate Ethics and Social Responsibility (Look behind the Label, Plan A and many other charity works). It has been in several controversies also but with the improved marketing plans is scaling new heights in the industry again. Purpose of the Research The purpose of the research is to analyze that marketing is the most essential of all the activities of the organizations as it is regarded as the direct means to reach the customers. The research will be conducted with respect to Marks and Spencer to: Understand the marketing basics closely in the organization. Analyze the focus of the overall marketing towards the customer solutions to capture market. Understand the positioning of the product in the market in terms of quality and value. Analyze the changing market requirements and promotion techniques adopted Understand the positioning of the competitors and monitor competitor behavior towards the changing market. Study the market segments and analyze the distribution channel. Identify the specific reasons for decline and framework adopted for growth that lifted Marks and Spencer back to the market. Rationale of the Research The lack of understanding of the marketing needs led to the downfall of Marks and Spencers. As per the basics Product, Price, Distribution and Promotion are the key components of any organizations marketing technique and Porters Five Forces model also has been identified to assess and analyze the position of the organization. Marks and Spencer was considered the largest retail market holder in UK perceived as having excellent quality and value of the products but its attempt to move into more fashion oriented clothing was not very successful with strong competitors like GAP, OASIS and NEXT. This study on the Back to Basic Approach on Marks and Spencer will help us understand how the utilization of the resources from marketing perspective helped it gain competitive advantage and brought itself back to the market. Research Questions The basic questions that will cater to the research are What are the basic marketing concepts and how organizations need to emphasize on the effective implementation of the plan. How marketing involves everything you do regain and retain growing base of customers. How to assess the basic marketing questions with context to competitive position. Research Objectives The research objectives are: Critically review the basics of marketing and relate its importance in todays organizational success. Conduct a qualitative and quantitative research to monitor the competitors market and positioning. Critical review of the decision making capabilities in the operational areas of marketing. Literature Review: A complete review will be undertaken to gather the published and unpublished data and provide a detailed understanding of the basic of marketing and its impact on the organizations success. The base of the review will be to analyze the overall market, product and is achieved through substantial research of the market and accurate data retrieved. Marks and Spencer went through a major downfall, the sudden sales dip cautioned the organization as well as the shareholders of the warning signals ahead. The customers dis-appointment, increasing cost, changing economic conditions and slipping market shares all stood as major concern for the management. The table below reviews the decline, Year ended Turnover (Â £m) Profit before tax (Â £m) Net profit (Â £m) Basic eps (p) 1-Apr-00 8,195.50 417.5 258.7 9 31-Mar-99 8,224.00 546.1 372.1 13 31-Mar-98 8,243.30 1,155.00 815.9 28.6 31-Mar-97 7,841.90 1,102.10 746.6 26.7 31-Mar-96 7,233.70 965.8 652.6 23.3 Source: www.abeuk.com The management started reviewing the basics of the business and it all outlined to the role of marketing in the growth of the business. As per the literature, the concepts of marketing mix, 4Ps (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) will be thoroughly reviewed in Marks and Spencers context and the emphasis will be to logically explain the evolvement of the marketing mix. As per Marks and Spencer analysis, the details will also cover the service marketing mix of additional 3Ps (People, Process and Physical Evidence). Also, the review will emphasize on the Porters Five Forces Model to analyze the basics of the industry and marketing development. It also covers the SWOT analysis for Marks and Spencer and gives an overall view of the fundamental issues faced and the plan adopted to overcome the shortfalls. A careful SWOT analysis is very important for an organization to tread towards success and be a leader in the market. The strengths are covered in the exiting organization chain and opportunities lie in addition of new line of products and catering to new market segments. The threats and weaknesses comprise of competitors strategies, innovations in market, new entrants, suppliers. Source: http://www.businessballs.com/ Research Methodology: The research methodology adopted here aims at examining and proving the existing basic marketing theories of the 4Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) and Porters Five Forces Model. It helps in proving again the logical reasoning behind the development of the theories- 3Ps (People, Process and Physical Evidence) and their relevance in the marketing context. The method adopted is clearly to emphasize not only on the importance of marketing plan in business but also on the effective implementation for growth. Data Collection and Data Analysis: The first step will be to collect data through primary and secondary data collection. Primary and secondary data collection would bring thorough understanding of the subject matter and it will be done through online research, printed material (journals, case studies, and news releases) and other researchers /practioners in the subject area. The data collection process also involves from questionnaires, personal interviews, etc to analyze the research questions. The analysis of the data will be both qualitative and quantitative, emphasis being on the accuracy of the sources of data collection and also considering the phases of data collection. The analyzed data will reflect the shortfalls in the implementation of the marketing plan and will also highlight the changes required in Marks and Spencer business. Action Plan: The basic marketing approach that turned the fortune of Marks and Spencers that brought significant changes in the organizations strategy and structure to make the proposed goal a success. The strengths are covered in the exiting organization chain and opportunities lie in addition of new line of products and catering to new market segments. The basic focus was to regain the customer confidence, understand the growing markets, expand product line, and grow distribution lines, value realization, and appropriate cost-cutting measures for the existing products. Marks and Spencer realized that their franchise business operates at a much profitable level than company operated stores, be more specific in area usage of the existing stores and reduce the additional cost incurred in acquisition of raw material from existing suppliers.

Comparing Science and Religion in Frankenstein and Angels and Demons Es

Comparing Science and Religion in Frankenstein and Angels and Demons Science and religion have been at odds since back in Galileo’s day and maybe even before. The battle rages on even today with debates on cloning and stem cell research. These issues can be seen not only today’s literary works but also in the works from the years past. Two great examples of the past and present are: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons. Both deal with the issue of the roles that science and religion play. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a horror story written in 1831. It tells a tale of Victor Frankenstein’s obsession with playing God and creating a man and the consequences that come with it. Not only does the book reflect on Victor’s life and but also on the monster’s life and how it deals with the situations at hand. Angels and Demons is a suspense thriller written in 2000. Robert Langdon has been asked to help solve a murder mystery because it is believed that a secret society that he has studied called the illuminati are behind it. The story takes a ton of twist and turns that involve a container of antimatter, the Catholic Church and a dead priest’s secret. Even though both of these books were written in different times and with totally different plots they still both bring to light the battle between science and religion that may never diminish. Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with his to attempt to create a human. He works on it constantly alienating friends and loved ones. His obsession is finally rewarded with success; he manages to create a monster. This is where Mary Shelley starts to bring in the lesson of playing God. When Victor looks at his creation, he sees what a horror he has created and how hideous a creature it is. â€Å"No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch† (Shelley 44). Shelley shows that man cannot create things without messing it up. This is would not be the last time that scientist went to far to attempt to create perfection. In 1991 Michael Stewart wrote a story called Prodigy in which a man messes with his daughter’s DNA to make her smarter. However, she becomes a child that has evil genes. (Nelkin 35). This is another way authors show that man is not capable of imitating God. Even though Victor’s description of... ...ck facts before committing them to complete believe. These two books show very well what can happen when religion and science try to battle with each other. There are two types of extremes. Those that want to use advanced technology to expand into the realms of God and those that want to use their religious stance to stop technology from advancing. Frankenstein is blinded by his obsession to create life and the Carmerlengo Carlo Ventresca went to the extreme to punish those that he thought had disobeyed his religion even if it was his own father. Neither extreme is completely right and yet both sides tend to think that they have all the answers. It is a battle that has been going on for centuries and one that is not soon to be done. Works Cited Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons. Pocket Star Books. New York, 2000. Mazur, Allan. Science three, religion zero. Society. May June 1996 V 33 No.4. P 20-28. Nelkin, Dorothy. Genetics, God and sacred DNA. Society. May/June. 1196 V33 no.4 pg 29-43. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Bantam Classics. New York, 1818. Silver, Lee. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. www.princeton.edu/wws320/films/Frankenstein/Frankenstein%20essay.htm

Analysis on “A Horse and Two Goats”

R.K. Narayan’s story entitled â€Å"A Horse and Two Goats† is a story of innocence and poverty. The narrator of the story illustrated how the main character was pushed into terrible situations due to poverty.Narayan discussed in his story the culture of India as it portrays some of the important traditions that exist within the whole country. It is a depiction of social construction that emerged through the issue of poverty and cultural differences.In the beginning of the story, the narrator illustrated the simple life of the main character and its wife. The couple is rich during their younger days together but as they grow old, all their richness slowly decreased until the time when only 2 of their 40 goats and sheep remain. It shows how poverty in India develops as its people grows old, which is different from other countries that older people are richer that younger people because they already established their lifestyle.In the latter part of the story, humorous atta ck emerged and developed as the author’s way of resolving the conflict of the protagonist. Based on my reading of the story, I have seen that the resolution caused another problem for the couple. It means that it is not a permanent but temporary resolution. It was depicted the humor of the author as he unravel the resolution of the conflict.Another thing is that the conflict lies within the middle part of the story and not in the beginning, which is somehow illogical in the field of literature. That is why confusion started to exists. However, I can see that the author imposed the conflict in the middle part of the story because he wanted to discuss the culture and tradition of India.Nevertheless, it can be seen that the author could not able to incorporate the things that he wanted to justify in the beginning of the story to the main conflict in order to make the audience hang from the beginning up to the end.ReferenceNarayan, R.K. A Horse and Two Goats. 273-290

Baoding balls Essay

Baoding balls are believed to have originated in Baoding, a small town in the Heibei province of China during the reign of the Ming dynasty( Luo, 1991). Baoding balls were originally known as Iron Balls, since the early Baoding balls were made of iron balls. At present, the Iron material that was originally used in making Baoding balls has been replaced with chrome-plated steel. Some modern day Baoding ball designs has been modified to be made of light materials forged into a hollow ball, containing a chime in the hollow space inside. This modification has caused the Baoding ball to be sometimes called rhyme balls. Baoding balls are generally used for exercise. It can also be used for meditation and can also be also be utilized for medical and therapy purposes. There are many possible forms of exercise that may employ the use of Baoding balls. A user may also design his own routine using his Baoding ball, depending on his preference. Baoding balls are good at relieving Arthritis, and may benefit individuals suffering from Carpal Tunnel syndrome (CTS) and other manual diseases. Baoding balls are also good at restoring or improving manual dexterity. At some extent, it can even be used in therapy against hand paralysis. Scientifically, the effects of Baoding balls are yet to be proven, but alternative medicine advocates ascertain that the Baoding balls can really help, health wise, by touching pressure points during their rotation in the palm. By touching pressure points, the Baoding balls can improve blood circulation and at the same time, helps muscles, nerves, and tissues relax. Baoding balls are usually used in pairs. For exercises, the Baoding balls are placed in the palm and are rotated clockwise or counterclockwise through hand motion. Advance exercises using the Baoding balls may employ additional balls, aside from the two Baoding balls employed in the basic exercises. Some Baoding ball users may use up to three Baoding balls at a time. Other users may also set rules to improve their exercises routine, such as not allowing the Baoding balls to touch each other during the exercises. Other variations to hand exercises using Baoding balls may also be made to suit the needs and preference of the users. Although the health effects of Baoding balls still lay as a mystery to the western medical sciences, the Chinese has spent centuries using the Baoding balls, and living up as witnesses to the health benefits that it can give. References Cited Luo, Steve. 1991. The Mysterious Iron Balls of Boading. Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health & Fitness. Retrieved on May 22, 2010 from http://www. qi-journal. com/culture

Free Essays on Drum Major

I believe that a drum major is someone who is constantly dedicated and devoted to what they are doing. As a leader, they must constantly set an example for the rest of the band. They are the people who are always the first to arrive to everything and the last to leave. They are always doing everything in their power to make the band the best they can be. Drum Majors always strive for excellence. They are always focused on how to help everyone else before his or herself and they always motivate others. Drum Majors must put everything into what they are doing - their time, energy, patience, perseverance, heart, and soul. They are full of ideas and advice to others that are struggling. A drum major is not simply a leader to the band, but a leader in life. Drum Majors must uphold the highest standards of leadership and conduct at all times. They are the student band director. They should promote the band within the school and community and proudly defend the band from any detractors. Above all else, the drum major must be someone that loves band and is completely loyal to the goals of the organization. I want to be a Drum Major because I know I have all of these qualifications. Mr. Mobley, Mr. Hilmer, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Shepard, please allow me to be the 2004 Drum Major of the Gold Brigade. It would be a great privilege. - Cordierro Richardson Leaders must demonstrate spirit and function as role models, never relaxing standards. They must always apply a positive approach when working with students; it is not permissible to complain or argue. Leaders must work harder than everyone else, set an example in every aspect of the band's operation, and never expect anything from band members that they do not demand of themselves.... Free Essays on Drum Major Free Essays on Drum Major I believe that a drum major is someone who is constantly dedicated and devoted to what they are doing. As a leader, they must constantly set an example for the rest of the band. They are the people who are always the first to arrive to everything and the last to leave. They are always doing everything in their power to make the band the best they can be. Drum Majors always strive for excellence. They are always focused on how to help everyone else before his or herself and they always motivate others. Drum Majors must put everything into what they are doing - their time, energy, patience, perseverance, heart, and soul. They are full of ideas and advice to others that are struggling. A drum major is not simply a leader to the band, but a leader in life. Drum Majors must uphold the highest standards of leadership and conduct at all times. They are the student band director. They should promote the band within the school and community and proudly defend the band from any detractors. Above all else, the drum major must be someone that loves band and is completely loyal to the goals of the organization. I want to be a Drum Major because I know I have all of these qualifications. Mr. Mobley, Mr. Hilmer, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Shepard, please allow me to be the 2004 Drum Major of the Gold Brigade. It would be a great privilege. - Cordierro Richardson Leaders must demonstrate spirit and function as role models, never relaxing standards. They must always apply a positive approach when working with students; it is not permissible to complain or argue. Leaders must work harder than everyone else, set an example in every aspect of the band's operation, and never expect anything from band members that they do not demand of themselves....

Prepare for a job interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Prepare for a job interview - Essay Example It is best to show up in business attire. Colors should be light and decent. It is best to wear shades of white, black, blue and grey. The candidate should not consume a heavy meal prior to interview, though a light snack is obviously recommendable. The candidate should try to assess the field specific questions he may be asked, and have answers ready for them. Also, the candidate should do a bit of research on the company (All Business, 2011). This practice raises the confidence level of the candidate. During interview, the candidate should try not to speak wrong about a concept if the concept is unfamiliar. A â€Å"sorry† is better than saying something that does not make sense. The candidate’s confidence is extremely important for an interview, and that should be displayed anyway. Finally, the candidate should maintain a nice and decent tone throughout the interview. References: All Business. (2011). Ten Tips on Preparing for a Job Interview. Retrieved from http://ww w.allbusiness.com/human-resources/careers-job-interview/11120-1.html. Pollick, M. (2010). How can I Prepare for a Job Interview? Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-prepare-for-a-job-interview.htm.

Cloning Brachyury from SW480 in pNEB193 plasmid Essay - 2

Cloning Brachyury from SW480 in pNEB193 plasmid - Essay Example This concentration permitted me to proceed on to the next step of the experiment as it had more than 500 ng of RNA. However, it was noted that some students obtained very low concentrations of 15 ng/ ÃŽ ¼L compared to the class average of 169.3 ng/ ÃŽ ¼L. If the class results are analyzed, it can be noted that the standard deviation of this experiment is 151, hence, the range of results is (169 +/− 151) 18 – 320. Table 1 shows that sample F concentration. Nevertheless, samples H, L for example are much higher than the range of the results. The key point of the experiment which determined if the experiment could go on or not was the quality of RNA. That is depicted in figure1: gel denaturation of RNA, the ratio between 28S and 18S RNA is 1.3 – 2.5; many of the students had this value while some were not due to sample degradation or they did not load their samples in the appropriate wells. 3 – The second experiment was the cDNA synthesis where RT – PCR (SuperScript III RT) was used to synthesis it from RNA which was determined by the students as B, D, E, G K O and P. Every student began with a concentration of 6.16 ng. After the synthesis of cDNA, the concentration of the the whole sample was measured by the demonstrator using a Nanodrop. The data of the whole class was very close to the average 747 .2 ng/ ÃŽ ¼L (table 2). The standard deviation was 131.2 which were very small. Thus, almost all students did the experiment correctly as the results of the class data were in the range of 547 – 631 ng/ ÃŽ ¼L. On my part, the sample obtained was 302 ng/ ÃŽ ¼L which also was in the range. This allowed all students to go on to the next experiment. 4 – The next step of the experiment involved the use of the PCR to amplify the full length of Brachyury and human ÃŽ ² – actin from the cDNA that was obtained. Using 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis, the products of the PCR were analyzed. The PCR in my group worked and had

Change model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change model - Assignment Example This paper is aimed at discussing the change process in an organization, including Health Safety and Environment change model and its application. The change process There are various models of the change process available today. Examples of models of change include the HSE; Kotters’ eight- step change model; Kurt Lewin’s model; Meta model among others. Kotter's eight-step model is a general organization-wide change management model where management initiates change (Beckhard 1969). It starts with increasing the urgency and building a guiding team. One must have the right vision and ensure you appeal to as many people as possible. Also, one must ensure that all obstacles against that vision are removed, maintain persistence and make the change last. Kurt Lewin’s model is based on the three processes of unfreezing, change and then freezing. Lewin’s theory, though appearing as impractical, is still relevant and has been adopted by most modern change process models (Almaraz 1994). The Meta change model, on the other hand, is based on the provision of understanding of the principles of the change process that is better than the other models. It achieves this by ensuring identification of the common themes in a broader perspective, ranging from individual to organization based changes (George & Jones 2000). First, one needs to study the patterns of change, which enables him or her get the stimulus for adapting to the change. The next step involves the rationalization of the necessity for change, preparing and adjusting to change that now becomes the normalcy. The Meta change model is renowned for its coverage of a broader range of fields thus diversifies the perspectives to the change process Rationale for the change model selected. The selected change model is HSE, which is the Health Safety and Environment change model. It is used in managing safety, health and environmental impact issues. The approach applied in the HSE model includes a combination of the project management and organizational development. This is essential as it facilitates implementation of discipline and structure to the change process (Kotter 2011). The HSE change model was used over more detailed change processes for instance the Kotters' eight-steps change model because the staff at the radiology department initiated the need for change. This eliminated the need for increasing the urgency as the radiology staff already wanted a better system. In addition to this, successful transition and adaptation to the change process requires the interaction and good relations between parties involved, in this case the hospital staff and patients (Bradford & Burke 2005). HSE model is a preferable choice as it encourages the recognition of people involved in the change process and this promotes successful transition (George & Jones 2000). HSE thus promotes team work, which is paramount to change the process. Being a health-care change (IHE), the HSE chang e model was the most suitable as it is geared more for managing change in the health-care provision which is driven more by the staff and patient needs at the radiology department. The IHE implementation change is taking place only at the radiology department and given the need for change originated from radiology staff, the HSE change model was chosen as more suitable for the health-care change. Conclusion For an organizational change to occur, the

Use of Elemental Imagery Jane Eyre Essay Example for Free

Use of Elemental Imagery Jane Eyre Essay The use of elemental imagery in Jane Eyre, revealed throughout the novel both literally and metaphorically, is one of Charlotte Bronte s key stylistic devices. The opposition of the two elements, fire and water, highlights the need for the characters to find equilibrium between the two. Fire can describe passion and warmth, but it can also burn. Water can describe coolness and comfort, but it can also chill. Because of Charlotte Bronte s use of elemental imagery in her book, Jane Eyre, the reader can better comprehend what the characters of Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester, St. John Rivers, and Bertha Mason are feeling and thinking. Fire imagery helps the reader understand the strong feeling of passion in the character of Jane Eyre. At Gateshead, Jane is unable to control her passions and hits John Reed after he bullies her. As her punishment, Jane is locked up in the red-room. Fire imagery here, in the form of the red room, is Bronte s way of representing Jane s passion and fury. A bed supported on massive pillars of mahogany, hung with curtains of deep red damask (20) is used by Bronte to represent, through physical manifestation, Jane s overly passionate nature. Also very significant is the direct use of fire. This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire (20) is Bronte s way of saying that Jane is the fire in the room. There was not a fire until Jane inhabited the room. This key symbolism generates a horrific image in the reader s mind of what Jane looks like and is acting like in this scene due to Bronte s significant use of elemental imagery. Another instance of fire describing Jane is when she sees Mr. Rochester s bed torched. It is ironic that Jane happens to find Rochester s bed torched. The reason, illustrated by Bronte, is because they share passion with each other. They have feelings for each other in a way that Bronte can only describe with the fire imagery. The scene s sheer coincidence makes that hard not to believe. Because Bronte used fire to describe Jane s passion in that scene, the reader can really grasp how Jane is feeling. On the contrary, that scene extinguishes the fire, thus the passion. Later in that scene, Jane extinguishes the fire in Rochester s room with water. The water that Jane uses to put out the passion flame in that scene is metaphorically telling the reader that she needs to relinquish her passion. The flame between Jane and Rochester is too hot. They need to find equilibrium. The reader can see the amount of passion that Jane feels, and the amount needed to extinguish her passion. Another instance of water imagery describing Jane s feelings is when Jane shows Rochester one of her paintings. This painting tells the reader much about Jane s concerns and values through the rich sense of imagery in them. The first painting is described as having a drowned corpse in its swollen seas of green water (143). Jane, because of her passionate nature, sees water, representing a locking out of passion and emotion, as death itself. Given that Jane has hot, fiery passion, water imagery is used by Bronte to show the reader how and equilibrium needs to be reached between the two. Another character, Mr. Rochester, shows extreme passion in his multifaceted and intricate feelings. Thornfield is usually considered a gloomy house like a grey hollow filled with rayless cells, (133) but when Rochester enters, Jane sees a warm glow in the oak staircase and a genial fire lit in the grate (133). Immediately upon Rochester s return to Thornfield, fire imagery is used more by Bronte. Come to the fire, (152) said by Rochester to Jane is seen as an invitation to indulge Rochester s passion. Bronte portrays Rochester as fire itself. His purpose is to offer passionate and romantic love to Jane. Rochester, viewed as fire, makes the passion swelling in him more obvious to the reader. St. John Rivers does not feel much passion in his life. Therefore, he can be described as cold and icy. The first and foremost evidence of this is exemplified just by reading his name, Rivers. When Jane sees St. John for the first time, she says, I have never seen that handsome face of his look more like chiseled marble as he put aside his snow wet hair from his forehead (386). Bronte writes that St. John was at the fireside a cold, cumbrous column, gloomy and out of place (393), hinting the incompatibility of Jane and St. John. Jane s nature is passionate while St. John s is not. Bronte again uses water imagery to describe the strange marriage proposal of St. John s. She compares him with imagery of cold, running water when Jane says he has no more a husband s heart for me than that frowning giant of a rock, down which the stream is foaming in yonder gorge (459). St. John Rivers feelings are better illustrated from this use of water imagery. Bronte uses fire to describe Bertha Mason. Through Bronte s use of this imagery, the reader can see the potential dangers of allowing passion to rule uncontrolled. Bertha represents unleashed, untamed passion, without any control or reason. This can be observed when she torches his bed curtains. The imagery, such as the lit candlestick on its side lying on the hallway floor, symbolizes destructive passion that Bertha possesses. Notice that the candlestick is on its side, not upright in a safe position. When Bertha torches Thornfield, she is described as having hair streaming against the flames (476). This description signifies that Bertha has almost a satanic nature bearing a head full of fire. These two scenes are designed to make the reader appreciate the grave danger of uncontrolled passion. In Charlotte Bronte s Jane Eyre, the reader understands better what Jane, Mr. Rochester, St. John Rivers, and Bertha Mason are feeling and thinking due to Bronte s use of elemental imagery. As a result of this, the reader appreciates these characters even more. Without the use of fire and water imagery to show the characters feelings, comprehending what the characters are thinking would be difficult. Basically, Bronte s use of fire and water imagery signifies her relentless pursuit to show the reader what her characters in Jane Eyre are feeling.

Effect of Alcohol on Reaction Times: Experiment

Effect of Alcohol on Reaction Times: Experiment The experiment tested whether alcohol had any effect on reaction time. Abstract Objective: The experiment tested whether alcohol had any effect on reaction time. Method: Subjects were required to identify the threshold at which a flickering light became constant (critical flicker fusion threshold) using a computerised flicker fusion system.   Frequency increased at a rate of 4 hertz per second.   Critical flicker fusion threshold is a well accepted and documented non-invasive measure of reaction time.   Ten female subjects were tested under control conditions and following ingestion of 2 units (80 mg) alcohol.   It was hypothesised that alcohol would cause an increase in reaction time, which would translate to a delay in recognising the critical flicker fusion threshold, thus higher frequency results. Results:   Ingestion of 2 units (80mg) of alcohol was associated with an increase in mean critical flicker fusion threshold from 14.6 hertz to 15.4 hertz (p Conclusion:   2 units of alcohol had the effect of increasing reaction time by an average of 0.2 seconds, which has serious implications for the consumption of alcohol prior to tasks involving complex motor skills such as driving. Introduction Alcohol and its effects Alcohol is believed to be the oldest drug used by humans, predating even the use of opium by 2000 years to around 8000 BC (Kerr, Hindmarch 1998).   Whilst legal age limits exist for the purchase of alcohol in the United Kingdom, it is widely regarded within the Western world as an acceptable drug. In recent household studies in the UK it was found that 75% of men and 60% of women consumed at least one alcoholic drink per week.   In addition, 40% of men and 23% of women were found to have exceeded the national recommendations on alcohol consumption within the previous week (Office for National Statistics 2005).   The Institute For Alcohol Studies ranks the United Kingdom as 9th in per capita consumption of pure alcohol within European Nations, with 9.6 litres of pure alcohol being consumed per capita in 2002 (Institute for Alcohol Studies 2005). Alcohol is known for its psychoactive effects, which include alterations in vision, motor tasks and skills such as car driving and flying.   In addition it is repeatedly shown, whether anecdotally or via scientific measurements, that a strong correlation exists between alcohol consumption and violence. Alcohol is known to be a contributory factor in road accidents, with 9% of casualties showing evidence of alcohol consumption, this figure rising to 31% when considering pedestrians (The Scottish Office Central Research Unit 1998).   Research carried out in the 1980s by the Transport Research Laboratory indicated that alcohol was involved in 35% of fatal road traffic accidents, with the figure falling slightly to 31.5% in a similar study completed in 2000 (Tunbridge, Keigan James 2001).  Ã‚   However neither of these reports explained why the association existed between alcohol and road traffic accidents, whether resulting in death or not.   Of import for this report is the association between alcohol and reaction time.   The majority of alcohol consumers can identify a slowing down of their faculties following alcohol consumption, regardless of claims to the contrary.  Ã‚   Research has shown that alcohol impairs the ability of individuals to carry out complex motor tasks. One example involved bus drivers being asked to drive a vehicle through a narrow space, or highlighting the fact that the gap was too narrow if necessary.   It was shown that alcohol consumption was correlated with a reduced ability to accurately guide the bus through the gap, coupled with an inability to accurately gauge the width of the gap.   Hence bus drivers who had consumed alcohol were more likely to judge a gap as to be wide enough when it was not, than those who had not consumed alcohol and whose spatial awareness remained intact (Rang, Dale Ritter 1999a). Recommended stopping distances at 30 miles per hour are 23 metres / 75 feet, of which 9 metres / 30 feet are the ‘thinking distance’.   This is based on an average reaction time of 0.7 seconds when the car is travelling at 44 feet / second.   Therefore if reaction times increase, stopping distances will do so also, with serious implications in an accident. It has been indicated by some research that low levels of alcohol consumption have very little effect on reaction time if attention could be focussed on a single objective (Jaaskelainen et al. 1996).   Where attention needs to be divided between task objectives, even low blood alcohol levels were found to impair performance.   This suggests that alcohol is not going to greatly impair reaction time during simple tasks, but complex tasks which require several aspects to the performance would be much more likely to be impaired.   This was further supported by the research of Bartholow et al which found that response times per se were relatively unaffected by the presence of alcohol but the ability to respond appropriately to tasks that required complex attention were (Bartholow et al. 2003).   Indeed the authors implicate alcohol in impairments of cognitive processing, rather than the motor responses that result from these processes.   They cite data from studies that have sho wn that alcohol acts to reduce the ability to respond to stimuli as well as interpret and process the correct relevance of these stimuli.   This inability to respond fully to cues from the environment is described as the attention-allocation model, as the brain is selective in which cues are actually attended to and processing within the brain.   Further research has indicated that alcohol can sometimes actually improve the ability of subjects to resist distraction from a task (Erblich, Earleywine 1995) but this is not in keeping with the majority of research. Given the existing data this experiment was designed to assess the ability of female subjects to respond to a change in a single form of stimulus.   There was no distraction, nor a divided attention focus required, in an effort to ensure that the effects of alcohol on reaction time, if any, were more obvious. Flicker fusion threshold The human eye is capable of distinguishing between intermittent stimuli such as flickering light, up to a threshold, which is usually around 16 Hertz.   The frequency at which the human eye is no longer able to distinguish individual stimuli is defined as the critical flicker fusion threshold.   It is at this frequency that the individual stimuli have fused to form a single continuous stimulus.   The flicker fusion threshold will vary between individuals depending on their eyesight, hence the use of a number os study participants.   It will also vary between an individual’s readings depending on their reaction time at each stage – ie the time at which they actually consciously register that the hitherto flickering stimulus has now become constant and are able to respond to this knowledge.   The purpose of this experiment was to use the measurement of critical flicker fusion threshold as a correlate to reaction time.   For this experiment the experimental hypothesis was that alcohol acts to increase the reaction time of female subjects. The null hypothesis was that alcohol has no effect on the reaction time of female subjects.   Thus it would be expected that an individual with a slower reaction time would give results indicating a higher critical flicker fusion threshold, measured in hertz.   In other words it would be expected that the frequency at which subjects indicated that the flickering light (for full details of methodology please see below) had fused into a single light would be higher under alcohol conditions than control.   This would not be due to an enhanced ability to differentiate between flickering and constant light, rather a delay in the ability for this change to register and be processed by the brain, and the subject to press the button. Method Ten female subjects aged from 18-35 years, with a body mass index of 19-28 were selected as part of an open experiment into the effect of alcohol on reaction time.   All subjects were informed of the purpose of the experiment prior to taking part and were required to complete medical questionnaires to exclude medication that might affect the results of the experiment.  Ã‚   Known negative effects of alcohol consumption were also excluded and subjects all had a history of regular alcohol consumption of at least 2 units, once per week. Subjects were required to refrain from eating or drinking for the 2 hours prior to each test, which took place on consecutive days, with the control (no alcohol) test taking place prior to the alcohol test.   The 2 hour nil by mouth regulation was put in place in an effort to standardise the absorption of the alcohol by reducing stomach contents to a more uniform amount, thus providing a similar surface area available for alcohol absorption in each study participant. On arriving at the test room subjects were required to complete a health and safety questionnaire and were again reminded of the aims and purposes of the experiment.   Subjects were free to leave at any time, and signed consent forms to allow their results to be used.   Following the initial briefing subjects were given a training briefing on the specialised equipment and allowed to take a small number of practise tests to familiarise themselves with the equipment requirements.   Following this training period a five-minute break was allowed. For the test itself each subject was required to drink 250ml of pure orange juice, with a five-minute timespan being allowed for the drink to be consumed.   Forty minutes after the drink had been consumed subjects critical flicker fusion threshold was tested using the Model 12021 Flicker Fusion System (Lafayette Instruments). This time scale was used as the 2 units of alcohol would have reached a peak blood alcohol concentration of approximately 80 mg/100 ml 45 minutes following ingestion (Wilson, Benjamin Sreenivasan 2003).   Assuming absorption and metabolism at the accepted 4 mmol/l per hour (Rang, Dale Ritter 1999b), the alcohol would be expected to have been removed completely from the body within 6 hours (Wilson, Benjamin Sreenivasan 2003). Subjects were requested to look in to the binocular eye piece at two white simultaneous lights.   The use of a separate light for each eye was used to prevent differences in eye focussing from causing conflicting critical flicker fusion thresholds. The initial flash frequency of 4 hertz was set to ascending at a rate of 4 hertz / second.   The subject was provided with a push button connected to a 1 metre cable and was required to push the button when the flickering ceased and the lights became fused to a single light emission.   The point at which the button was pressed was taken as the critical flicker fusion threshold.  Ã‚   Each subject was required to undertake ten reaction time recordings. The experimental procedures on day 2 were identical to day 1, except that 2 units of alcohol (vodka), approximately 80mg of pure alcohol, had been added to the 250ml of pure orange juice that the subjects were required to drink.   A further ten reaction time recordings were made using the flicker fusion system. Results Each subject was able to provide 10 reaction time recordings, which ranged from a minimum of 11.5 Hertz (subject 9, recording 6, no alcohol) to a maximum of 19.4 Hertz (subject 3, recording 8, with alcohol).   The mean for the control / no alcohol test was 14.6 + 3.6 Hertz.   The mean for the alcohol test was 15.4 + 4.0 Hertz. Tables 1 and 2 below show the individual reaction times of each subject participant on the two tests. Table 1. Reaction times of 5 female subjects with and without alcohol, as measured by critical flicker fusion threshold Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5 Reaction test number None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol 1 15.0 17.2 14.3 16.9 18.2 18.1 13.4 17.5 12.5 13.1 2 14.1 13.6 15.5 17.2 17.9 19.3 14.4 14.9 12.9 12.5 3 16.2 16.2 15.8 16.7 16.5 18.5 14.8 14.5 12.3 12.8 4 13.6 16.1 16.3 17.9 17.7 17.9 14.3 14.8 12.8 12.6 5 12.5 14.3 14.9 15.5 16.9 18.9 14.9 13.5 12.4 12.4 6 13.8 15.5 15.7 16.1 17.4 18.3 14.1 14.6 12.6 12.9 7 12.0 14.8 15.4 18.5 16.0 17.6 15.1 14.9 13.1 13.5 8 11.8 12.9 14.8 17.1 17.3 19.4 15.3 15.1 13.9 13.2 9 12.9 12.7 15.7 16.7 18.0 17.9 13.3 13.5 12.8 12.6 10 13.0 15.8 15.0 17.8 16.7 18.9 16.7 14.7 14.1 11.9 Mean 13.5 14.9 15.3 17.0 17.3 18.5 14.6 14.8 12.9 12.8 Median 13.3 15.2 15.5 17.0 17.4 18.4 14.6 14.8 12.8 12.7 Table 2. Reaction times of 5 female subjects with and without alcohol, as measured by critical flicker fusion threshold Subject 6 Subject 7 Subject 8 Subject 9 Subject 10 Reaction test number None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol 1 13.9 15.1 16.5 15.6 12.8 14.5 13.6 15.5 16.5 15.4 2 16.5 15.9 14.3 15.1 12.6 13.5 14.9 14.2 15.9 18.1 3 14.2 14.6 12.9 14.0 12.4 12.4 15.0 14.8 15.7 14.6 4 14.9 15.5 13.9 16.8 12.0 12.6 15.8 14.8 15.2 16.8 5 14.1 15.6 13.5 16.7 13.1 13.8 14.7 13.9 16.4 16.5 6 16.5 15.8 13.4 18.1 13.5 14.2 11.5 16.7 16.2 16.4 7 13.2 13.3 13.9 15.1 12.3 14.2 15.4 14.6 16.8 15.8 8 14.5 15.6 14.2 15.8 12.9 14.6 15.3 16.1 17.1 16.2 9

Biography of Miguel de Cervantes :: essays research papers

Miguel de Cervantes was a famous novelist in Spain in the sixteenth century during the Renaissance. Cervantes lived in Spain during the Golden Age which helped him become a recognized writer. He was very talented, and he showed his talents through the interesting and wonderful novels he wrote. The most famous novel he wrote was called Don Quixote. Cervantes had a very exhausting and enthusiastic life, full of excitement and success. Miguel de Cervantes has great histories which lead him to write his wonderful novels and plays, and these have been very influential during the Renaissance and today’s writers. Cervantes was born on September 29, 1547 in a town near Madrid called Alcala de Henares, Spain. He was the fourth son of seven children. His father was a surgeon and his mother died when he was young. Since his father was a medical doctor his family had to travel to many towns in Spain. During his youth and adolescence he was taught by Jesuits. Not much about his education is known but when he was about twenty-one years old in 1568, he went to Madrid where Juan Lopez de Hoyos, a Jesuit, was his tutor. Cervantes did not attend to university, but he read broadly, this greatly influenced his writings. In about 1568 to 1570 he moved to Naples, Italy. In Naples, he joined the Spanish Army because he had a very big interest in the military. In 1571, he participated in the naval battle of Lepanto, located in the Gulf of Lepanto. The war was between the Spanish and the Turks, since the relationship between the Mediterranean countries and the Ottoman Empire was tense. During this battle Cervantes was wounded in his chest and on his left hand. He lost the use of his left hand and therefore, he gained the nickname of ‘‘Manco de Lepanto’’, meaning Maimed of Lepanto. Nevertheless Cervantes remained in the military although he was wounded because he was very dedicated to it. Then he fought in northern Africa and the Mediterranean lands. When Miguel de Cervantes and his brother Rodrigo Cervantes where sailing back to Spain in 1575, their ship was captured by pirates. Bradbury pirates made them prisoners and took them to Algiers as slaves. Cervantes had to remain a prisoner for five years even though he tried to escape a variety of occasions. He had to wait until his family and his religious order released him from prison having to earn money.

Education of the Middle Ages Essay

Education, as we know it today, did not exist in the Middle Ages. Illiteracy was dominant among the population. Scribes were the exception to the rule. Churches were the main source of knowledge and schooling. Real interest in learning grew along with the development of towns. The towns’ officials needed to be educated. At the same time a need for legal institutions was created and so started the university phenomenon. Modern education was on its way. There were few schools in the Middle ages, so everyone had limited education. Even the Lord of the Manor was often unable to read or write. Some of the first schools were Cathedral schools. As well as Parish, Monastic, and Palace schools. Here people learned a particular role in society. Naturally the primary job was training the clergy in their professional duties as priests of the Christian people. The bishop was the head of the complex and he had a staff of priest to help him with the several of the diocese. These skills that were taught here were reading, singing of hymns, church law, writing of documents and the performing of Church duties and sacraments. An example of educating for a specific role in life were the Knights who had learn how to fight with various weapons so that they could fight for their king. The common people, however, had no way of being educated other than going a monastic school. However, if they did this, they had to donate their property to the church. The people who went to this school later become monks or nuns. They had to follow three important laws: chastity, obedience, and the law or the lord if not followed they would be thrown out of the monastery. Most monasteries had a rule of silence: monks could not talk which other except for a short period of time. During meals one monk might read passages from the bible while the others mediated. Even though monks’ lives seem to be so hard it was the best place to go for a good education for anybody from a king to a beggar (Monasteries 488-499). Women took part in monastic life by living in a convent under a direction of an abbess. Known as nuns, they wore simple clothes and wrapped a white cloth called a wimple around their face and neck. They alternated prayer with spinning, weaving, and embroiling items such as tapestries and banners. They also taught needlework and the medicinal use of herbs to daughters of nobles (Couglin A6). Although monks and nuns lived apart from society, they were not completely isolated. Indeed, they played a crucial role in medieval intellectual and social life. Since few people could read or write, the regular clergy preserved ancient and the classical writings. Scribes copied all the books by hand working in a small drafty room with one candle or a small window for light. Illuminated manuscripts decorated with rich colors and intricate pictures indicate that, although the task was done with hard work, it was also lovingly done (Monastaries 499-501). Monasteries and convents provided not only schools for young people, but hospitals for the sick, food for the needy, and a home for travelers who need a place to stay (Monasteries 499-501). Cathedral schools were there to train higher-member of the Church in their professional duties as ministers of the Christian people. The bishop in whose Cathedral complex the school was located needed a group of trained priests to administer the various needs dioceses. The Cathedral school largely emphasized practical skills, effective reading, singing, and knowledge of Church Law, public speaking and the administration of the holy sacraments (Corbishely 28). At first the university was not so much a place as it was a group of scholars organized like a guild for the purpose of learning. Classes were held in rented rooms or churches even in the open air. Books were scarce. In most classes teacher read the text and discussed it, while students took notes on slates or memorized as much information as possible. Classes did, however meet regularly schedule. University rules established the obligations of the students and the teachers toward each other. To qualify as a teacher students had to pass an exam leading to a degree, or a certificate of completion (Cantor 58). By the end of the 1200’s universities had spread throughout Europe. Most southern European universities were modeled after the law school at Bologna, Italy, and specialized in law and medicine. Universities in Northern Europe on the contrary, specialized in liberal arts in Theology. These were generally modeled after the University of Paris (Bailey 89). At medieval universities, scholars studied Latin classics and Roman law in depth. They also acquired knowledge from the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle and from the Islamic scholarship in the sciences. This interest in the physical world eventually led a rise of western science (Schools 291-292). Many church leaders opposed the study of Aristotle’s works, fearing that his ideas feared the Christian teachings. In contrast some scholars thought that new knowledge could be used ideas. The applied Aristotle philosophy to theological questions and developed a system of thought called scholasticism. This new type of learning emphasized reason as well as the faith in the interpretations of Christian doctrine. Scholastic sought to bring back classical philosophy along side with the teachings of the Church. They believed that knowledge could be integrated into a coherent whole (Schools 295). One scholastic teacher, Peter Aberlard taught theology in Paris during the early 1100’s. In his book Sic et Non, he collected statements from the bible writings of early Christian leaders that showed both sides of controversial questions. Abearld then had his students reconcile the difference though logic. In the 1200’s the most important scholastic thinker was Thomas Aquinas a brilliant theologian and philosopher who taught philosophy in Naples and France. In his work Summa Theolgica Aquinas claimed that reason was a gift from god that could provide answers to basic philosophical questions. The catholic later accepted and promoted Aquinas’s way of teaching and thinking (Schools 310). The education of a knight proceeded in a way similar to that of many medieval occupations. At an early age the prospective knight was apprenticed to serve as a page, or attendant, in a knight’s household. In his teens the page graduated to the status of a squire and received more responsibilities. As a squire the boy tended his knight’s horses and armor, but he also gained his first battle experience. Several squires were usually apprenticed to a knight at the same time and on the battlefield they might fight as a small band of infantry around their master. Here they acquired the many skills in arms necessary for their profession. To graduate to the status of a knight, a squire usually performed some heroic deed in battle. The squire was welcomed into the order of knights by being dubbed with a sword or slapped in the face by his lord. Afterwards the new knight would receive his fief, or gift of land. As the cult of chivalry developed in the 12th and 13th centuries, knighting ceremonies became more involved. Often they occurred at court, and a knight’s dubbing might be preceded by a religious vigil in which the knight vowed to uphold Christian and chivalric principles (Davies 12-13). Finally the Renaissance, or rebirth of learning, began in Europe in the 14th century and reached its height in the 15th century. Scholars became more interested in the humanist features that is, the secular or worldly rather than the religious aspects of the Greek and Latin classics. Humanist educators found their models of literary style in the classics. The Renaissance was a particularly powerful force in Italy, most notably in art, literature, and architecture. In literature, the works of such Italian writers as Dante Aleghieri, Petrarch, and Giovanni Boccaccio became especially important (Renaissance 228-229). Humanist educators designed teaching methods to prepare well-rounded, liberally educated persons. Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus was particularly influential. Erasmus believed that understanding and conversing about the meaning of literature was more important than memorizing it, as had been required at many of the medieval religious schools. He advised teachers to study such fields as archeology, astronomy, mythology, history, and Scripture (Renaissance 220). The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century made books more widely available and increased literacy rates. But school attendance did not increase greatly during the Renaissance. Elementary schools educated middle-class children while lower-class children received little, if any, formal schooling. Children of the nobility and upper classes attended humanist secondary schools (Bailey 112). Educational opportunities for women improved slightly during the Renaissance, especially for the upper classes. Some girls from wealthy families attended schools of the royal court or received private lessons at home. The curriculum studied by young women was still based on the belief that only certain subjects, such as art, music, needlework, dancing, and poetry, were suited for females. For working-class girls, especially rural peasants, education was still limited to training in household duties such as cooking and sewing (Couglin, A8). As it shows education the Middle Ages seems to be so diverse and a starting point for modern education. But the reader must always keep in mind only about five percent of the whole population did all of these educational activities.