Tuesday, December 31, 2019

A Promising Treatment Modality For Cancer - 2056 Words

Immunotherapy is a promising treatment modality for cancer as it can promote specific and durable anti-cancer responses. Systemic adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is an emerging form of cancer immunotherapy showing tremendous potential in clinical studies aimed at treating solid cancers. The success of promising anti-cancer adoptive cell therapies relies on the abilities of the perfused CD8+ T lymphocytes to gain access to and persist within the tumor microenvironment to carry out their cytotoxic functions. The success of cancer adoptive cell therapies depends on the expansion of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from patient derived tumors for their personalized systemic infusion back into individual patients, along with the capacity of†¦show more content†¦Hypotheses: The implantation of 3D T cell cultures will provide a means for conveyance of a continuous feed of these cells towards the reduction of tumor burden or of tumor reoccurrence near the site of tumor resection. To that end, the molecular architecture of the scaffold must permit the expansion and release of functional T cells whose activation state can be affected by the surrounding conditions, allowing activating and chemo attractant signatures from the tumor microenvironment to accelerate the proliferation, escape, and immunogenicity of the encapsulated cells. It must also allow its precise, local administration in a minimally invasive way (through catheter or needle), its jellifying ahead of its dispersion, and must provide it with the ability to withstand in vivo stress and degradation for the duration of treatment. Aim: The aim of this research is to develop a new method for local injection of concentrated, three dimensional (3D) TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes) cultures into the tumor microenvironment akin to adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy currently applied to cavities formed from tumor resection in cases of advanced tumor stage and margin positivity, and also with the intent to mimic naturally occurring tertiary lymphoid structures associated to positive patient prognosis. In this study,

Monday, December 23, 2019

Fashion as a Medium of Communication - 1305 Words

Since the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, the function of fashion as a medium of communication is becoming of a new significance for modern society. Introduction. Clothing has always had place in society. Ever since the primitive society people were dressing for variety of reasons: at first, simply to cover naked parts of human bodies, to protect one from bitter frost or extreme heat; centuries later--to become an indicator of one’s well-being and social position, a sign of royalty and the rich or poverty. Before the Industrial Revolution of the 18th--19th centuries, that had profound effect on almost all aspects of daily life, the importance attached to the way people dress was huge--it defined the rights and†¦show more content†¦Its first Known Use was 14th century. Of course, It does not mean, that people did not dress before 14th century and were walking around uncovered, but it might mean that only around those times it was becoming of such significance in society, that people needed a special word for it. According to Marcel Danesi, Fashion is â€Å"prevailing dress style or custom of an era, group of people, or entire society† (â€Å"Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics, Media, and Communications†, Marcel Danesi. University of Toronto Press Inc., 2008). As â€Å"functions† of clothing fashion he mentions Fashion as ideological statement. The certain way some groups of people dress has a message in it, their clothes â€Å"says†, what those groups want to communicate to other non-members. For example, Hippies in the middle of twentieth Century were dressing to â€Å"tell† people around them that there’s too much cruelty and other negative emotions in the world and that that generation wanted freedom, love and peace. Skinhead movement’s members always have shaved heads, they wear military boots and dress in way that represents violence and hatred. They are â€Å"saying† to everyone else â€Å"We hate you: white, coloured, Asian, C aucasian, Arab, etc people!†. Although no one knows the reason for this hatred (and, most likely, they don’t know either), the society understands their message. There are many more examples of fashion as an ideological statement, but it is not its onlyShow MoreRelatedIs Fashion Art? (Information and Interpretation)1651 Words   |  7 PagesIs Fashion Art? Everybody questions art. You would think art is merely created for admiration, but its not. The average person would describe art as a drawing on a piece of paper, and this quote by Clement Greenberg (1909-1991) suggests why: The task of self-criticism became to eliminate from the effects of each art, any and every effect that might conceivably be borrowed from or by the medium of any other art. Thereby, each art would be rendered ‘pureÂ… Painting is not sculpture Ââ€" it is two-dimensional;Read More TV MYTHS Essay1585 Words   |  7 Pages TELEVISION AS A MEDIUM FOR MODERN DAY MYTHS Throughout the 1950s and 1960s television programming developed rapidly into more than an assortment of fact and fiction narratives; it became itself a social text for an increasing population, â€Å"functioning as a kind of code through which people gleaned a large portion of their information, intellectual stimulation, and distraction† (Danesi, 240). Since its inception in the mid-1930s, many of television’s programs have become the history of many culturesRead MoreCriticism Of Media Convergence1031 Words   |  5 PagesMedia convergence in the digital era constructs a global ‘flat earth’, allowing for interaction of old and new mediums across various media platforms. Technology has become an increasingly dominant means of communication as it allows for information to be stored and shared across great distances. Flew (2005) suggests that this globalisation permissible through digital and online communication has effected cultural change. Individuals can communicate from any part of the world, irrespective of physicalRead MoreKey Communiation Processes939 Words   |  4 PagesCommunication is the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receivers (Bovà ©e Thill, 2012,p. 35). Communication is important, as it allows human to share vital information of each other and allows exchange of ideas. In business, good communication sends a message of your company’s product and your vision to consumers, the government, and potential and existing investors. When you are communicating, there is a complex process involved. According to Bovà ©e and Thill (2012Read MoreDelivering Sources of Value (channels) To what extent does the organisation use multiple channels1400 Words   |  6 PagesDelivering Sources of Value (channels) To what extent does the organisation use multiple channels to deliver sources of value (can be product/service related, process related or communication related) to its customers? Zara offers many sources of value to their customers, with heavy focus on the social and hedonic benefits of their product lines. Customer value is hard to define, and thus have many different ways of understanding from person to person. Generally, values may refer to: low price,Read MoreUnderstand the Business of Retail Essay examples976 Words   |  4 Pagesstore- Marks and Spencers are smaller in outlets and towns, and bigger in cities. E.g. small in junction 32 outlet, medium in Wakefield town centre and large in Leeds city centre. Understanding The Business of Retail Outcome 2 Understand the range of retail occupations A. State how retail occupations differ between small, medium and large retail business. Small | Medium | Large | Mobile hairdresser | Town Salon | City Salon | Village salon | | Cruise Ship | | | Chain salonsRead MoreCaroline Le Bon s Fashion Marketing Essay1402 Words   |  6 PagesCaroline Le Bon’s Fashion Marketing and Harriet Posner’s Marketing Fashion, defines fashion marketing and its elements. Fashion marketing and advertising is the process of analyzing, developing and marketing current fashion trends to satisfy consumer needs. Both or the readings discuss the role of marketing in the fashion industry and its differences to marketing other products. Fashion products are often trended items, temporary items based on design color, fabric and pattern. Le Bon and PosnerRead MoreMarketing And Advertising Of Fashion Marketing Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagesplay a critical role in the fashion industry; they are various activities involved in building consumer relationships and stimulating consumer purchases by satisfying their needs. The primary goal of fashion marketing is evident: supplying the right merchandise, to the right customers, at the right time, in the right place. Often confused as marketing, Advertising is a subset of marketing; it is a single component of promotion in the marketing mix. The process of fashion marketing is difficult dueRead MoreBackground into Social Media790 Words   |  3 PagesThe concept of social media is defined and explained. Then, we will talk about blogs, the effect of bloggers on the fashion industry and the last part of this chapter is related to consumer behavior. Social media are the online means of communication, conveyance, collaboration, and cultivation among interconnected and interdependent networks of people, communities, and organizations enhanced by technological capabilities and mobility. Like traditional media, social media include several channelsRead MoreMarketing Brief1012 Words   |  5 PagesOBJECTIVES CORPORATE Nudie Jeans (â€Å"Nudie†) strive to share their passion for denim with the fashion community and demonstrate socially responsible business practices. Nudie strives to deliver the best quality from material choice to craftsmanship and design coupled with a vision for change in manufacturing practices in the fashion industry. This is illustrated in their firm supporter of Amnesty International in their fight for ethical human rights practices in the garment manufacture industry

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Exam Notes Free Essays

Chapter 1- PRE MID Study Questions : 1) What are the challenges of working in the new economy 2) What are the organizations like in the new workplace? 3) Who are the managers and what do they do? 4) What is the management pricess? 5) How do you learn the essential managerial skills and competencies? Overview of the 21st century workplace -Organizations must adapt to rapidly changing society -Economy is global and driven by innovation and technology -High performing companies gain extraordinary results from people working for them -Interdependent, knowledge based STUDY QUESTION 1 Intellectual Capital- People are the ultimate foundations of organizational performance, it is the collective brainpower or shared knowledge of a workforce that can be used to create value. A knowledge worker adds to the intellectual capital of an organization. Globalization- National boundaries of world business have largely disappeared. We will write a custom essay sample on Exam Notes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Globalization is the worldwide interdependence of resource flows, product markets, and business competition that characterize the new economy. Technology- There is an increasing demand for knowledge workers with the skills to full utilize the technology such as (internet computers and information technology) Diversity- Workforce diversity reflects differenes with respect to gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and able bodiednes. Creates a diverse and multicultural workforce but challenges and offers opportunities to employers. Ethics- Code of moral principles, society requires business to operate according to high moral standards. Emphasis today is on restoring the strength of corporate governance. STUDY QUESTION 2 Some Critical skills for success in the workplace are; mastery, contacts, entrepreneurship, love of technology, marketing, passion for renewal. Organization- A collection of people working together to achieve a common purpose. Organizations provide useful goods and or services that return value to society and satisfy customer needs. Organizations are Open Systems- Composted of interrelated parts that function together to achieve a common purpose and interact with their environments. They transform resource inputs into product outputs(goods and services). Environmental feedback tells organization how well it is meeting the needs of customers and society. Organizational Performance- value is created when an organization’s operations ads value to the original cost of resource inputs. Value creation occurs when businesses earn a profit or nonprofit organizations add wealth to society. Organizational Performance -Productivity: an overall measure of the quantity and quality of work performance with resource utilization taken into account -Performance Effectiveness: An output measure of task or goal accomplishment -Performance Efficiency: An input measure of the resource costs associated with goal accomplishment Workplace changes that provide a context for studying management; belief in human capital, demise of â€Å"command and control†, emphasis on teamwork, Preeminence of technology, Embrace of networking, New workforce expectations, concern for work-life balance, focus on speed. STUDY QUESTION 3 Importance of human resources and managers; toxic workplaces that treat employees as costs, High performing organizations treat people as valuable strategic assets, managers must ensure that people are treated this way. Manager- a person in an organization who supports and is responsible for the work of others, they are the ones who help those whose tasks represent the real work of the organization. Levels of Management: a)Top Managers- responsible for performance of an organization as a whole or for one of its larger parts. b) Middle managers- in charge of relatively large departments or divisions. c) Project managers- coordinate complex projects with task deadlines d) Team Leaders or supervisors- in charge of a small work group of non-managerial workers. Reponsibilities of team leaders: Plan meetings and work schedules, clarify goals and tasks, and gather ideas for improvement, appraise performance and counsel team members, recommend pay raises and new assignments, recruit, develop and train team members, encourage high performance and teamwork, inform team members about organization goals and expectations, inform higher levels of work unit needs and accomplishments, co-ordinate with others teams and support the rest of the organization. Types of Managers: a)Line Managers: responsible for work activities that directly affect organizations outputs. )Staff managers: use technical expertise to advise and support the efforts of line workers c) Functional managers: responsible for a single area of an activity d) General managers: responsible for more complex units that include many functional areas. e) Administrators: work in public and nonprofit organizations. Managerial Performance and Accountability- accountability is the requirement o f one person to answer to a higher authority for relevant performance results. Effective managers fulfill performance accountability by helping others to achieve high performance outcomes and experience satisfaction in their work. Quality of work life (qwl) – an indicator of the overall quality of human experiences in the workplace. Some indicators are: fair pay, safe working conditions, opportunities to learn and use new skills, room to grow and progress into a career, protection of individual rights, pride in work itself and in the organization. High performing managers: build working relationships with others, help others develop their skills and performance competencies, foster teamwork, create a work environment that is performance driven and provides satisfaction for workers. The organization as an upside down pyramid: each individual is a value-added worker. A managers job is to support workers’ efforts. The best managers are known for helping and supporting. STUDY QUESTION 4 Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling the use of resources to accomplish performance goals. All managers are responsible for the four functions, and they are carried on continually. Functions of management a) Planning – the process of setting objectives and determining what actions should be taken to accomplish them. ) Organizing- the process of assigning tasks, allocating resources and arranging the coordinated activities of individuals and groups to implement plans c) Leading- the process of arousing people’s enthusiasm to work hard and direct their efforts to fulfill plans and accomplish objectives. d) Controlling- the process of measuring work performance, comparing results to objectives and taking corrective action as ne eded Managerial activities and roles a) Interpersonal roles- involve interactions with persons inside and outside the work unit b) Informational roles- Involve giving, receiving, and analyzing of information. ) Decisional Roles- involve using information to make decisions in order to solve problems or address opportunities Characteristics of managerial work: Managers work long hours, work at an intense pace, work at a fragmented and varied tasks, work with many commutation media, work largely though interpersonal relationships. Agenda setting- Development of action priorities for ones job, includes goals and plans that span long and short Networking- The process of building and maintaining positive relationships with people whose help may be needed to implement ones work agendas STUDY QUESTION 5 Essential managerial skills: Skill-the ability to translate knowledge into action that results in desired performance Technical skill- the ability to apply a special proficiency or expertise to perform particular tasks* lower level managers have more of this Human skill- the ability to work well in cooperation with others Conceptual skill- the ability to think critically and analytically to solve complex problems. * top level managers have more of this Managerial Competency- A skill-based capability that contributes to high performance in a management job. Managerial competencies are implicit in: Planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Informational, interpersonal, an decisional roles. Agenda setting and networking. Chapter 7-PRE MID Study Questions: 1) How is information technology changing the workplace? 2) What is the role of information in the management process? 3) How do managers use information to make decisions? 4) What are the steps in the decision-making process? 5) What are the current issues in managerial decision making? STUDY QUESTION 1 Knowledge and knowledge workers provide a decisive competitive factor in today’s economy. Intellectual Capital- shared knowledge of a workforce that can be used to create wealth * irreplaceable organizational resources* Electronic commerce- the process of buying and selling goods and services electronically through use of the internet. Implications if IT within organizations: Facilitation of communcation and information sharing, operating with fewer middle managers, flattening of organizational structures, faster decision making and increased coordination and control. How IT is changing the office: progressive organizations activiely use it to help achieve high performance in uncertain environments. Key developments in networked offices are instant messaging and peer to peer sharing (p2p) STUDY QUESTION 2 Data- raw facts and observations Information- Data made useful for decision making drives management functions Characteristics of useful info: timely, high quality, complete, relevant, understandable. Information system- Use of the latest IT to collect, organize and distribute data for use in decision making. Management Information System (MIS)- specifically designed to meet the information needs of managers in daily decision making. Decision to support syste (DSS)- An interactive information system that allows users to organize and analyze data for solving complex and sometimes unstructured problems. Group Decision Support System (GDSS)- facilitates group efforts to solve complex and unstructured problems. *use groupware Artificial Intelligence (AI)- computer systems with the capacity to reason the way people do. Expert Systems (ES)- Software systems that use AI to mimic the thinking of human experts. Managerial advantages of IT utilizations 1) Planning advantaes- better and more timely access to useful information, involving more people in planning. 2) Organizing advantages- more ongoing and informed communication among all parts of the organization, improved coordination and integration 3) Leading advantages- improved communication with staff and stakeholders, keeping objectives clear. 4) Controlling advantages- more immediate measure of performance results, allows real-time solutions to performance problems STUDY QUESTION 3 Performance deficiency- actual performance being less than desired performance Performance opportunity- actual performance being better than desired performance Problem Solving- the process of identifying a discrepancy between actual and desired performance and taking action to resolve it. Decision- a choice among possible alternative course of action. Programmed decisions- apply solutions that are readily available from past experiences to solve structured problems, these problems are ones that happen often and are familiar. Nonprogrammed decisions- develop novel solutions to meet the demands of unique situation that presents unstructured problems. Commonly faced by higher-level management Crisis Decision making – a crisis involves an unexpected problem that can lead to disaster if not resolved quickly and appropriately. Certain Environment- offers complete info about possible action alternatives and their outcomes Risk Environment- lacks complete info about action alternatives and their consequences, but offers some estimates of probabilities of outcomes for possible action alternatives. Uncertain Environments- Information is so poor that probabilities cannot be assigned to likely outcome of known action alternatives. Systematic v/s intuitive thinking- systematic thinking approaches problems in a rational step by step and analytical fashion. Intuitive thinking approaches problems in a flexible and spontaneous fashion. Multidimensional thinking applies both intuitive and systematic thinking. Effective multidimensional thinking requires skill at strategic opportunism. STUDY QUESTION 4 Decision making Process Step 1- Identify and define the problem: focuses on information gathering, info processing and deliberation. Decsion objectives should be established Step 2- Generate and evaluate possible solutions; potential solutions are formulated and more info is gathered, data are analyzed, the advantages and disadvantages of alternative solutions are identified. Step 3-decide on a preferred course of action; classical decision model managers act rationally in a certain world, managers face clearly defined problems and have complete knowledge of all possible alternatives and their consequences this results in an optimizing decision. OR behavioral decision model; managers act in terms of what they perceive about a given situation, recognizes limits to human information-processing capabilities, they will choose the first satisfactory alternative Step 4- Implement the decision solution; involves taking action to make sure the solution decided upon becomes a reality, managers need to have willingness and ability to implement action plans. Step 5- evaluate results; involves comparing actual and desired results, positive and negative consequences of chosen course of action should be examined. STUDY QUESTION 5 Availability Heuristic- people use information â€Å"readily available† from memory as a basis for assessing a current event or situation Representativeness Heuristic- People assess the likelihood of something happening based upon its similarity to a stereotyped set of occurrences Anchoring and adjustment Heuristic- People make decisions based on adjustments to a previously existing value or starting point. Ethics double check- any decision should follow this ethics rule ask yourself â€Å" how would I feel if my family found out about this decision? â€Å"how would I feel if this was published in the newspaper† *ethical decisions satisfy the following criteria : utility, rights, justice, caring. Chapter 2- POST MID Study Questions 1) what can be learned from classical management thinking? 2) What ideas were introduced by the human resource approaches? 3) What is the role of quantitative analysis in management? 4) What is unique about the systems view and contingency thinking? 5) What are the continuing management themes of the 21 century? STUDY QUSTION 1 Classical Approaches to management: 1) Scientific Management-(Frederick Taylor) Decelop rules of motion , standardized work implements and proper working conditions for every job. Carefully select workers with the right abilities for the job. Carefully train workers and provide proper incentives. Support workers by carefully planning their work and removing obstacles. (The Gilbreths) Motion study, science of reducing a job or taskt to its basic physical motions. Eliminating wasted motions imporves performance. ) Administrative Principles ( Henri Fayol) – RULES OF MANAGEMENT a) foresight- co complete a plan of ation for the future b) organization- tp provide and mobilize resources to implement the plan c) coordination- to fit diverse efforts together and ensure information is shared and problems are solved. d) Control- to make sure things happen according to plan and to take necessary corrective action PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT a) Scalar chain- there should be a clear and unbrok en line of communication from the top to the bottom of the organization. ) Unity of command- each person should receive orders from only one boss c) Unity of direction- one person should be in charge of all activities with the same performance objective. MARY PARKER FOLLET Group and human cooperation; Groups are mechanisms through which individuals can combine their talents for a greater good, Organizations are cooperating communities of managers and workers. Mangagers job is to help people in the organization cooperate and achieve an integration of interests. Forward-looking management insights; making every employee an owner creates a sense of collective responsibility (precursor of employee ownership, profit sharing, an gain sharing). Business problems involve a variety of inter-related factors. Private profits relative to public good (precursor of managerial ethics and social responsibility) 3) Bureaucratic Organization (max Weber)- Bureaucracy is an ideal intentionally rational and very efficient form of organization. Based on principles of logic, order, and legitimate authority. Characteristics of Bureaucratic organizations : clear division of labor, clear hierarchy of authority, formal rules and procedures, impersonality, careers based on merit. STUDY QUESTION 2 Human resource approaches include : 1) Hawthorne Studies – initial tudy examined how economic incentives and physical conditions affected worker output. No consistent relationship found. â€Å"Psychological factors† influenced results. Relay assembly test room studies manipulated physical work conditions to assess impact on output, was designed to minimize the â€Å"psychological factors† of previous experiment. Factors that accounted for increased productivity : group atmosphere and participative supervision. Employee attitutes, interpersonal relations and group processes- some things satisfied some workers but not others, people restricted output to adhere to group norms. Lessons from the Hawthorne Studies: Social and human concerns are keys to productivity, hawthorne effect-people who are singled out for special attention perform as expected. 2) Maslows theory of human needs- a need is a physiological or psychological deficiency a person feels compelled to satisfy. Need levels: physiological, safety, social, esteem, self actualization. Deficit principle- a satisfied need is not a motivator of behavior Progression principle- a need becomes a motivator once the preceding ower level need is satisfied. *Both principles cease to perate at a self actualization level 3) McGregors Theory X assumes that workers: dislike work, lack ambition, are irresponsible, resist change, prefer to be led. McGregors Theory Y assumes that workers are: willing to work, capable of self control, willing to accept responsibility, imaginative and creative, capable of self direction. Implications of Theory x and y : managers create self fulfilling prophecies, theory x managers create situations where workers become dependent and reluctant. Theory Y managers create situations where workes respond with initiative and high performance * central to notions of empowerment and self management 4) Argyris’s theory of adult personality – classical management principles and practices inhibit worker maturation and are inconsistent with the mature adult personality. Management practices should accommodate the mature personality by: increasing task responsibility, increasing task variety, using participative decision making. STUDY QUESTION 3 Management science (operations research) foundations – scientific application of mathematical techniques to management problems. Techniques and applications include: mathematical forecasting, inventory modeling, linear programming, queuing theory, network models, simulations. Quantitative analysis today- use of staff and specialists to help managers apply techniques, software and hardware developments have expanded potential quantitative applications to managerial problems. Good judgement and appreciation for human factors must accompany use of quantitatitve analysis. STUDY QUESTION 4 System-collection of interrelated parts that function together to achieve a common purpose. Subsytem- A smaller component of a larger system Open systems- organizations that interact with their environments in the continual process of transforming resource inputs to outputs. Contingency thinking- triest to match managerial respinses with problems and opportunities unique to different situations. * espically indicidual or environmental differences. No â€Å"one best way† to manage. Appropriate way to manage depends on the situation. STUDY QUESTION 5 Quality and performance excellence- managers and workers in progressive organizations are quality conscious. * wuality and competitive anaylsis are linked Total Qaulity Management (TQM) – Comprehensive approach to continupus quality improvement for a total organization, creates context for the value chain. Global Awareness- pressure for quality and performance excellence is created by a highly competitie global economy. Has promoted increasing intrest in new management concepts: process engineering, virtual organizations, Agile factories, network firms. Adoption of the theory Z management practices. Core Factors of a leraning Organization -mental models -personal mastery -systems thinking -shared vision -team learning In the 21st century managers must be Global strategists, masters of technology, inspiring leaders and models of ethical behaviour. How to cite Exam Notes, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Negotiation Skills Knowledge Creations and Transfer

Question: Discuss about theNegotiation Skillsfor Knowledge Creations and Transfer. Answer: Introduction Negotiation skills are one of the most prized assets in employees and are repeatedly listed by employers in job descriptions (Kelchner, 2017). Since not every employee possesses a mastery of these skills, it is imperative that organizations provided avenues for their personnel to attain them. A 2003 study titled: Learning Negotiation Skills: Four Models of Knowledge Creations and Transferreviewed literature in a bid to establish the most effective and commonly used methods of training negotiation skills followed by an examination of the efficacy of different learning methods in the improvement of negotiation skills. Four commonly used learning negotiation skills that were put to the test included:learning via information revelation, principle-based learning, analogical learning and observational learning (Nadler, Thompson Van Boven, 2003). An in-depth outline- in theory, and with empirical evidence- of the techniques provides employers with an opportunity to put in measures for empl oyees to horn their negotiation skills. The author provides an outline of the learning techniques using the findings of related studies thus providing audiences with a summary of the already existent information on the selected techniques.To begin with, Principle-based learning, variously referred to as didactic learning and regarded as the most used educational tool in negotiation has various features and the most important is as follows:It is based on the premise that in order to attain a solution that is integrative, negotiators need to conceptualize the situation(Nadler, Thompson Van Boven, 2003). Further, the author explains that Learning via information revelation encompasses that access to the other partys information regarding their priorities and preferences in a prior negotiation allows negotiators to correct their interpretation of their negotiated agreement. The above description is accurate, and Takemura (2014) agrees to explain that outcomes follow from peoples initial judgments and predictions, which are th en used to determine actions and choices. Moreover, an in-depth description of observational learning which is based on the idea that observation of other negotiators can improve the negotiating skills of employees is provided. The social learning theory, psychological mechanisms and the critical processes involved in observational learning are just but a few of the evidence outlined in support of the technique(Nadler, Thompson Van Boven, 2003).Lastly, a theoretical background of analogical learning is provided. Cited are the findings on the relevance of analogy in learning and understanding and the standard approaches to the techniques(Nadler, Thompson Van Boven, 2003). In addition to the above, the author outlines some of the limitations to the technique that will be expounded on when analyzing the findings and conclusions from the article. In a bid to establish which of the above-mentioned techniques is the most effective, four different learning conditions were created in correspondence to the four subject techniques. The following groups of subjects are used to establish effectiveness: all participants in the study population were engaged in negotiation with no formal learning, then divided the sample population into those who will receive no further learning and those that will be subjected to the different techniques. These groups were compared in the end. Performance on the task (negotiation) was used as a key measure of learning. In accordance with the findings, various ideas are put across in the article. Firstly, individuals with either of observational training and analogical training performed better in negotiations as compared to those subjected to the other two forms of training and those who received no training whatsoever- the baseline group. This is in line with Albert Banduras assertion that by observing someone elses activity learning could occur and reproduced when faced with a similar situation (Huitt, 2004). Secondly, individuals subjected to observational and analogical techniques exhibited more creativity in their negotiations. Wyer, (2014) agrees with this fact basing his reasons on cognitivesocial psychology citing the individual subjected to the two methods of learning normally exhibit superiority. A particular example of this fact is the construction of profitable tradeoffs in that the individuals subject to the above mentioned constructed profitable tradeoffs.Thirdly, an idea that contrad icts prior research was in relation to the absence of a significant difference between the performances of individuals subjected to analogical and didactic techniques. Such a deduction is baffling considering the current study concludes that in addition to observational training, analogical training was effective. It is important to note that the techniques were reviewed using findings from other studies and theoretical descriptions from scholars in order to form a basis for comparison. However, some of the findings outlined in the article contradict some of the features and the perceived outcomes of the of the training as per the theoretical descriptions of the techniques. For instance, learning via information revelation technique stipulates that negotiators are receiving information regarding the priorities and preferences of their opponents in the first encounter post desirable results in subsequent negotiations since they are able to transfer the acquired knowledge (Takemura, 2014). This was not the case as indicated by the findings. Again, a similar outcome was observed among the individuals that were subjected to a didactic technique where the definitions indicated by literature are not in line with the findings. This either points to a flaw in the methodology or an indication of the ne ed for more research in the training technique. Regardless, the above deductions from a review of the findings outlined in the article are not suggestive of the fact the study is a failure but only point to the fact that a more vigorous research design is needed. Also, this doesnt take away the revelation that a couple of beneficial lessons are manifest from the findings in the article being critiqued.Some of the lessons include, analogical and observational training are effective. Hence, provided is a look into some of the mechanisms used in learning within organizations (Moran, Bereby-Meyer, Bazerman, 2004). Even more, the breakthrough regarding the techniques mentioned above establishes a link to cognitive- social psychology thus encouraging the incorporation of related principles in the developments of professional skills such as negotiation. References Huitt, W. (2004). Observational (social) learning: An overview. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date], from https://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/soccog/soclrn.html Kelchner, L. (2017). Top Ten Effective Negotiation Skills. Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 26 May 2017, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/top-ten-effective-negotiation-skills-31534.html Nadler, J., Thompson, L., Boven, L. V. (2003). Learning negotiation skills: Four models of knowledge creation and transfer. Management Science, 49(4), 529-540. Takemura, K. (2014). Behavioral Decision Theory and Good Decision Making. In Behavioral Decision Theory (pp. 167-202). Springer Japan. Moran, S., Bereby-Meyer, Y., Bazerman, M. H. (2004). Getting more out of analogical training in negotiations: Learning core principles of creating value. (2004) Wyer, R. S. (2014). The automaticity of everyday life: Advances in social cognition (Vol. 10). Psychology Press.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Semiotic Analysis of The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard free essay sample

The bringing out of themes concerning love, adultery, and the harshness of reality, is supported by the usage of realistic, detailed set design and props in an attempt to recreate human life realistically. These include objects which serve actantial roles, like the typewriter, glasses of wine and cricket bat, being represented authentically or by visual replicas, thus being used as iconic signs of themselves. The set design of Henry’s living room over different periods also serves as an iconic representation of the time the play was set in, when considering specific props used, like the vinyl record player, typewriter, and the rotary dial telephone, which indicates a time set around the 1980’s, thus establishing a consistent time period for the play. This aspect of realistic stage design reduces the challenges of restructuring the stage, while shortening the psychical distance between the audience and the play, creating a natural stage environment the audience is familiar with. We will write a custom essay sample on Semiotic Analysis of The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This allows the issues of concern to be portrayed in a setting of familiarity, creating the sense that these issues can be inherent anywhere in our world, building the audience’s sense of immediacy with the themes, thus improving the effectiveness of the messages conveyed. Lighting takes on various functions in the play, accentuating moods, and expressing emotions of the scenes more effectively, to underscore themes1. Lighting serves an atmospheric function in the scene where Max was distraught after Charlotte leaves, in their play within a play. Amidst a darkening of the set, a disco ball sends patterns of light in swirls all about the stage, creating a melancholic atmosphere which complements the mood of the scene. Also, this same usage of lighting was repeated when Henry was upset, in a later scene. This usage of lighting serves an effective iconographic function, by drawing attention to the theme of the relation between fiction and reality as expressed in the play, by being deictic to the implicit connection between the two scenes, one of a fictional reality created by Henry, and the other which is reality experienced by Henry himself. While the mise-en-scene successfully aids in bringing out the themes of the play, there are aspects which challenge audience competence, limiting comprehension of certain parts of the play. One aspect would be a blurred distinction between scenes which are â€Å"plays within a play†, acted out by the characters as actors, and the representation of reality in the play. The first scene, which was a â€Å"play within a play†, would be difficult to distinguish from reality, until the second scene, when the answer was revealed explicitly in the dialogue. Also, the scene when Max confronts Annie in reality, for cheating on him, has a set designed in the same layout as the first, â€Å"play within a play† scene, thus creating a sense of confusion in distinguishing when the characters are acting, from when the dialogue was taking place in â€Å"reality†. There is a function of mise-en-scene that aids the ability of the audience to differentiate between them. These scenes that tend to be confused, have their sets very sparsely designed as compared to Henry’s well lit and richly furnished living room. With lighting focused on the characters and dim backgrounds, akin to stereotypical notions of certain plays where only minimal props are required to build an environment, and the focus is on the characters only, these scenes differentiate themselves from the reality of the play, as the nature of their set design is deictic to the idea that they are â€Å"plays within plays†, when contrasted with Henry’s living room, which is used to portray reality in â€Å"The Real Thing†.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Qualitative Research Definition and Methods

Qualitative Research Definition and Methods Qualitative research is a type of social science research that collects and works with non-numerical data and that seeks to interpret meaning from these data that help us understand social life through the study of targeted populations or places. People often frame it in opposition to quantitative research, which uses numerical data to identify large-scale trends and employs statistical operations to determine causal and correlative relationships between variables. Within sociology, qualitative research is typically focused on the micro-level of social interaction that composes everyday life, whereas quantitative research typically focuses on macro-level trends and phenomena. Methods of qualitative research include  observation and immersion, interviews, open-ended surveys, focus groups, content analysis of visual and textual materials, and oral history.   The Purpose of Qualitative Research Qualitative research has a long history in sociology and has been used within it for as long as the field itself has existed. This type of research has long appealed to social scientists because it allows the research to investigate the meanings that people attribute to their behavior, actions, and interactions with others. While quantitative research is useful for identifying relationships between variables, like, for example, the connection between poverty and racial hate, it is qualitative research that can illuminate why this connection exists by going directly to the source the people themselves. Qualitative research is designed to reveal the meaning that informs the action or outcomes that are typically measured by quantitative research. So, qualitative researchers investigate  meanings, interpretations, symbols, and the  processes and relations of social life. What this type of research produces is descriptive data that the researcher must then interpret using rigorous and systematic methods of transcribing, coding, and analysis of trends and themes. Because its focus is everyday life and peoples experiences, qualitative research lends itself well to creating new theories using the inductive method, which can then be tested with further research. Methods of Qualitative Research Qualitative researchers  use their own eyes, ears, and intelligence to collect in-depth perceptions and descriptions of targeted populations, places, and events. Their findings are collected through a variety of methods, and often, a researcher will use at least two or several of the following while conducting a qualitative study. Direct observation:  With direct observation, a researcher studies people as they go about their daily lives without participating or interfering. This type of research is often unknown to those under study, and as such, must be conducted in public settings where people do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For example, a researcher might observe the ways in which strangers interact in public as they gather to watch a street performer.Open-ended surveys: While many surveys are designed to generate quantitative data, many are also designed with open-ended questions that allow for the generation and analysis of qualitative data. For example, a survey might be used to investigate not just which political candidates voters chose, but why they chose them, in their own words.Focus group: In a focus group, a researcher engages a small group of participants in a conversation designed to generate data relevant to the research question. Focus groups can contain anywhere from 5 to 15 participants. Social scientists often use them  in studies that examine an event or trend that occurs within a specific community. They are common in market research too. In-depth interviews: Researchers conduct in-depth interviews by speaking with participants in a one-on-one setting. Sometimes a researcher approaches the interview with a predetermined list of questions or topics for discussion but allows the conversation to evolve based on how the participant responds. Other times, the researcher has identified certain topics of interest but does not have a formal guide for the conversation, but allows the participant to guide it.Oral history: The oral history method is used to create a historical account of an event, group, or community, and typically involves a series of in-depth interviews conducted with one or multiple participants over an extended period of time.Participant observation:  This method is similar to observation, however with this one, the researcher also participates in the action or events in order to not only observe others but to gain the first-hand experience in the setting.Ethnographic observation:  Ethnographic observati on is the most intensive and in-depth observational method. Originating in anthropology, with this method, a researcher fully immerses herself into the research setting and lives among the participants as one of them for anywhere from months to years.  By doing this, the researcher attempts to experience day-to-day existence from the viewpoints of those studied in order to develop in-depth and long-term accounts of the community, events, or trends under observation. Content analysis:  This method is used by sociologists to analyze social life by interpreting words and images from documents, film, art, music, and other cultural products and media. The researchers look at how the words and images are used, and the context in which they are used to draw inferences about the underlying culture. In the last decade, content analysis of digital material, especially that generated by social media users, has become a popular technique within the social sciences. While much of the data generated by qualitative research is coded and analyzed using just the researchers eyes and brain, the use of computer software to do these processes is increasingly popular within the social sciences. Pros and Cons of Qualitative Research Qualitative research has both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, it creates an in-depth understanding of the attitudes, behaviors, interactions, events, and social processes that comprise everyday life. In doing so, it helps social scientists understand how everyday life is influenced by society-wide things like social structure, social order, and all kinds of social forces. This set of methods also has the benefit of being flexible and easily adaptable to changes in the research environment and can be conducted with minimal cost in many cases. The downsides of qualitative research are that its scope is fairly limited so its findings are not always widely generalizable. Researchers also have to use caution with these methods to ensure that they themselves do not influence the data in ways that significantly change it and that they do not bring undue personal bias to their interpretation of the findings. Fortunately, qualitative researchers receive rigorous training designed to eliminate or reduce these types of research bias.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Human Resources Development Annotated Bibliography

Human Resources Development - Annotated Bibliography Example The source discusses the dynamics of employee training in reference to HRD climate in public and private commercial banks of Nepal. This is a journal article, which forms a reliable scholarly source. The article has updated information, easy and clear information and thus relevant to this study. Chi, H., Lan, C., & Dorjgotov, B. (2011). The influences of organizational culture and human resource development on R&D organizational effectiveness - the mediating effect of knowledge management. Journal of International Management Studies, 6(1), 1-12. This source uses a hypotheses model to evaluate the relationship between organizational culture, human resource development (HRD), and organizational effectiveness. The source equally defines human resource development and draws its significance in a business setup. Moreover, the source defines the four dimensions of Human resource development and utilization that include training and development, goal communication, support for the personal initiative, and involvement in decision-making. Additionally, the source establishes the importance of organizational performance and effectiveness in maintaining high HRD. The information in this journal article is easy to read and understand, current, not biased, and hence reliable for this study. The source describes the importance of human resource development, the need to tailor the HRD according to the organization’s strategy and structure, and the reasons why companies train and educate employees. In addition, the source relates human resource development and human resource management (HRM0 and relates the model for systematic training to HRM and HRD. Furthermore, the source discusses the mechanisms for evaluating human resource development. The information in this source is clear, easy to understand, and not biased.  

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Utilization of Tuscan Columns in the Coliseum in Rome Essay

The Utilization of Tuscan Columns in the Coliseum in Rome - Essay Example Apart from the brutal sport which was always staged by the Coliseum, the huge structure was the place for culture. The Roman high society exhibited their appreciation for the plebeian entertainment, while having brought their royal tradition amongst their peers. The patrician class, on the other hand, were the avid fans of their iconic gladiators whom they placed their bets upon. Aside from becoming a melting pot of the Roman society, the Coliseum was an architectural marvel. Its colossal image in the Roman urban setting was undefeated through time. Its intricate floor plan was deemed as an innovation of the classical era, an advanced structure ahead of its time. It was frequently compared by modern engineers and architects to the stadiums and arenas of today. This was in terms of organizational planning. Since the Coliseum had the capability to house thousands of individuals, it had to be constructed with respect to the manner of entry and exit of crowds at a single moment. The Coli seum was the first to bear such technical functions. In addition, having to bear such number of audiences, the Coliseum managed to separate the classes of the Roman society as per the seating placements within the arena. More importantly, the architectural design of the structure was an undeniable marvel for during its glory days. The series of arches and wall carvings were testament to the Roman classical art. What is interesting is the series of Tuscan columns prevalent in the entirety of the Coliseum. The Doric, Ionic and the Corinthian columns could be seen from the exterior to the interior of the structure. The prevalence of Roman columns is, indeed, a very interesting notion to look at. These columns have functional and implied meanings which pertain to their structural use and the message they convey to scholars of the Roman classical art. Thus, this research would focus entirely on the mentioned aspect: the use of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns in the Roman Coliseum . This research will first tackle a brief historical background to the structure in order to fully understand the context which it outlived. It will then establish a better understanding of the Tuscan columns, namely the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, through historical analysis and interpretation. As for the conclusive part of the study, it will use the historical analysis of the Coliseum and the Tuscan columns in order to establish the relationship of both. Hence, the task of this study is to explain the use and presence of the mentioned columns in the Coliseum through a survey of historical contexts associated with the classical Roman period. For the purpose of this study, it will use a series of secondary sources and scholarly works in order to corroborate and prove the thesis of this research. A Brief Historical Narrative of the Coliseum in Rome By mere observation of the ruins which now lay at the heart of Rome, the Coliseum is deemed as one of the most treasured classical legac ies of the Roman period. The magnanimous and huge built of the structure was conclusive of its ambitious accomplishment of having been considered as the focal point of the urban Roman setting. From the origins of its name alone, the Coliseum can be derived from either the colossal traits that it had during its time or from the Colossus of Nero from which it copied its enormity, height and bulk. Even scholars of Roman history are

Monday, November 18, 2019

During the latter part of 2014 the oil price fell from well over $100 Essay

During the latter part of 2014 the oil price fell from well over $100 per barrel to around $50 per barrel. Why might this sudden fall have occurred and how will it affect economies around the world - Essay Example The theories of aggregate demand and supply have been linked with the fall in price of oil to understand the macroeconomic policy (Arnhem, 2014). The traders who are responsible for setting the prices are to consider the current production and supply of oil before bidding for the prices. Other factors are the future supply of oil that is the capacity of the oil reserves. These reserves play a crucial role when the price of oil gets too high and in case when the demand exceeds the supply. The third factor to be taken into account is the demand for oil in the economy. The demand and the supply of oil are the essential components responsible for the changes in the oil prices. The global demand for oil is less than supply and that is responsible for the fall in oil prices. A major factor for fluctuation of the prices was the sudden increase in oil production in the US. This had resulted fall in the crude oil prices (Times Internet Limited, 2015). It was also observed that in order to keep the oil prices high, Saudi Arabia the largest exporter of petroleum reduced the oil prices affecting the economy. Moreover, the increase in pro duction was also observed in Libya and Angola that raised the total output of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC is an organization that that controls the production of oil in the world. Currently, the members of the OPEC are pumping 42 percent of the global annual supply. The organization is also responsible for controlling the exports of the petroleum. The member countries also support the oil reserves in case of excess demand. Therefore, for this reason OPEC’s decisions regarding control of oil prices are crucial for those countries dependent on import of oil (Bloomberg L.P, 2014). The economic activities are influenced by the demand for the energy resources. The supply of oil is also

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Robert Frost And Nature Themes

Robert Frost And Nature Themes Robert Frost was one of the few leading poets of the 20th-century and won the Pulitzer Prize four times. Frost was a poet from rural New England, but his poems could be related to any part of the world. After college Robert Frost moved to England and published a few poems while there. He closely observed rural life and in his poetry endowed it with universal, even metaphysical, meaning, using colloquial language, familiar rhythms, and common symbols to express both its pastoral ideals and its dark complexities (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia 1). Nature is an everyday detail that people infrequently take time to appreciate and sometimes take it for granted; its what makes the world beautiful. In several of Robert Frosts poems like The Road Not Taken, Fire and Ice, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening they reflect nature, he recognizes the beauty and disaster of it. In the poem The Road Not Taken nature comes into play when Robert Frost introduces to the reader to a traveler that comes to a sudden halt at the site of a crossroad in yellow woods. The traveler of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken is left to think about which path to travel on. Robert P. Ellis states On more than one occasion the poet claimed that this poem was about his friend Edward Thomas, a man inclined to indecisiveness out of a strong-and, as Frost thought, amusing-habit of dwelling on the irrevocability of decisions. After cautiously looking at of both routes, the traveler comes to the conclusion that both paths present a more interesting venture ahead. The traveler tells the reader that the woods are yellow which mean it could possibly be autumn. And looked down one as far as I could/To where it bent in the undergrowth (lines 4-5), this could mean the wood are thick and the road disappears in the undergrowth. The undergrowth would represent the travelers future that is uncle ar by which road he takes. Of the two means of travel, the traveler states that the passing there/Had worn them really about the same (lines 9-10) and both that morning equally lay/ In leaves no step had trodden black (11-12). There is a contradiction that one path is less worn than the other. These lines show us that the leaves have just fallen, and they cover which path was more or less traveled the day before. This line points out that there are times when you cant decide which decision is better. Without a clear solution to the problem, the character is left to think of any future consequences that could occur based on a decision of taken. As a result, the character comes to terms that the final destination is based only by chance and choice, but there are some regrets out the certain rode taken. Frosts work shows the general uncertainty of supposing a different result if another road was taken. The title suggests this feeling of doubt, where the road not taken is mentioned with greater standard than the actual course of travel. Missing the chance to travel both/ And be one traveler (2-3), one path must function as the chosen way and the other the other way, both with no indication of which is the better to travel. As a result, once the picked road is traveled, the other way holds a lingering reminder of what may have been lost just by chance. After a predictable self-evaluation of the travelers life, trying to figure out if he took full advantage of the available opportunities perceived as a frightening challenge for there will always be an ambiguity lingering around the other path. The traveler uneasily comes to terms with reality, and eventually determines the pointlessness on matters of the imagination. So, with a sigh (16), the traveler states that he took advantage of t he opportunities as they were given to him. Taking the chosen path has made all the difference (20). The decision determined the travelers overall course in life to the result that the other road couldve pointed the speaker to go in the complete opposite direction of his destination. This was the first Robert Frost poem I have ever read. The first time I read it I could easily relate to it. I do believe that this is one poem where anyone that reads it will be able to relate to it. I have been met with numerous decisions in like that are life changing. From which college I wanted to go to, to what major I want to study, and to fall or not to fall to peer pressure. All together, I enjoyed reading this poem. I like how Robert Frost compares a fork in the road to everyday life decisions we make. In the poem Fire and Ice Robert Frost compares two elements of nature fire and ice. Fire and Ice is straightforward in its message that emotions become destructive when they are too extreme, destructive enough even to end the world (Explanation of: Fire and Ice by Robert Frost). In the first two lines Some say the world will end in fire/Some say in ice (Lines1-2) the poem he presents the option to end of the world by fire or ice. He then talks about fire in the next two lines and compares fire to desire From what Ive tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favor fire (3-4). The comparison states that Frost sees desire as something that takes over and brings devastation. In the next stanza Frost then compares ice to hate. This comparison relates to the reader a view of hate as something that causes people to be unyielding, lifeless and cold. Ice also has the tendency to take in things and cause them to crack and break. The final line of the poem asserts that these two vicious forces a re evenly great. Fire consumes and destroys quickly, leaving ashes. In The overview Explanation of: Fire and Ice by Robert Frost it talk about how two opposites like fire and ice or passion and hatred can easily be linked together. While ice or hatred, destroys much slower. It causes objects to become so lifeless that they crack from the pressure created. Frost imagines that the end of the world could be caused by people becoming too strict, lifeless, and set in their way of life and beliefs that the world breaks apart into pieces. Stopping by Woods is a much stranger poem than may appear at first. From the opening lines, we know that the story is being told from the speakers point of view (Whose woods these are I think I know), but we may never bother to consider whom the man is addressing.(Monte). Robert Frosts love of nature is expressed through out the poem with the setting. His perfect description of the woods brings clear images to the readers head. The woods are lovely, dark and deep (line 13) the way Frost describes the wood would make the reader seem like they were there. The feel of Robert Frosts Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is set by the only other sounds the sweep / of easy wind and downy flake (11-12). The first line in the poem talks about the woods. In the poem Frost says that the narrator enjoyed sitting and watching the snow and that he is also a nature lover. In the second stanza Frost refers back to the woods. The depth and darkness of the woods make the woods gloomier. The snow elimi nates the limits and boundaries of things and of his own being is, the function here of some secret desire toward destruction. The setting of the poem is in the woods. John T. Ogilvie explains the peace of the woods by stating The artfulness of Stopping by Woods consists in the way the two worlds are established and balanced. The poet is aware that the woods by which he is stopping belong to someone in the village; they are owned by the world of men. The traveler sees something in the woods that attracts him making the woods a special place. It appears that speaker has connected the woods with his paradise. The tranquility, dimness, and silence are what make it paradise. The traveler knows that he is not able stay put in this paradise, But I have promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep (14-15).The traveler doesnt want to leave the peaceful woods, but he has made other promises that he must keep. Frost repeats the last two lines and miles to go before I sleep (15-16), this co uld stress the importance of this promise that was made, and to give the traveler a reason to leave. Further, Frost repeated the last two lines of the poem partially as a matter of form: What it [the repetend or repeated lines] does is save me from a third line promising another stanza . . . . I considered for a moment four of a kind in the last stanza but that would have made five including the third in the stanza before it. I considered for a moment winding up with a three line stanza. The repetend was the only logical way to end such a poem. (Hochman) Nature has its own way of relaxing the mind and body. Frost may have believed the same. Frosts use of colorful imagery helps other readers appreciate the serenity of nature. Stopping by Woods is an excellent poem uses symbolism and setting perfectly. I enjoyed this poem and I also like the meaning. This poem is telling you to stop and smell the roses and enjoys life. During winter is a time when most people are lone in solitude. Being isolated can be miserable, but it could all so be a time to collect thoughts without any annoyance of the outside world coming down on you. Nature is something that can bring about personal reflection in anyone. In many of Robert Frosts poems he tends to reflect on nature, and he recognizes the beauty and disaster of it.Robert Frost is an amazing poet. His ideas and the way he uses nature are perfect and are valued by many. Frost uses nature to put across his views as well as to make his poetry more interesting than it already is. His poems make it easy to imagine the setting in your mind through the detail he provides.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

How To Enter A Nine-ball Tournament :: essays research papers

How to Play Tournament Nine-ball   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People may think that spending eight dollars on a tournament is a waste of money. Every Sunday I go to Millertime Billiards and enter a nine-ball tournament. I never go in thinking that I’m going to win at least my entry fee back, although it would be nice. On the other hand, I always go in knowing that I will walk out understanding more about the game then the night before. The tournament starts at 7:30 p.m., but the entry fee must be paid before that. After paying, all there is to do is wait. When they call your name and table it’s time to play. It’s a race to four wins. To keep track of the games place a coin under the middle diamond. Every game won constitutes a move of the coin one diamond. The winner goes to the front counter and gives them the results. The loser of the first game doesn’t have to go home. The tournament is double elimination. After the first game is lost, the player goes down to the loser’s bracket. One loss in there means it’s time to go home, or at least sit down and wait for the nine-ball break. The winner of the loser’s bracket is guaranteed second place. To get first place the winner of the loser bracket will have to beat the winner of the winner’s bracket twice. After they establish and record all the winners and losers for the forth round they call all the people who entered the tournament down to table 5 for the nine-ball break. The racks are usually set up by an A player or better. Three names are drawn out of a box. Everybody that got there name picked gets two chances to drop the nine-ball on the break unless the person before them already hit it in. Two dollars of the entry fee go toward the pot for the winner.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther

Reformation Websites: Section 1: Life of Martin Luther 1. Fill out the graphic organizer using http://www. Luther. De/en/Enoch. HTML Life of Martin Luther After vaulting his parents, he was caught In a terrible thunderstorm. During the storm lightning struck near him, and he was thrown to the ground. At this moment he called to Saint Anne, and declared: â€Å"l will become a monk. † Why did he decide to become a Monk? When did he decide to become a Monk? During a terrible storm. When did he become a professor at Wattenberg (Germany) university? 1507 he started professed at 1 512 What did he do as a professor?He came into contact with the ideas of the humanists and embraced their slogan. 2. Answer these questions using the map at http://www. Circular. Net/history/ Marcel/Luther. HTML a. Where did followers of Martin Lather's ideas (Lutheran) live? Germany Denmark Sweden Norway Prussia a. Where did followers of another reformer, John Calvin (Calvinist) live? The city of Genoa Sw itzerland. Scotland, England, France, Italy, Bohemia, Poland, and the Dutch Netherlands. B. Was the majority of Europe Catholic or Protestant during the reformation? Protestants Section 2: Luther†s Beliefs 1.Find out what Martin Luther believed about Faith. Read the passage in the following link and fill out the chart. Http://www. Icicle. Org/pub/resources/text/ Wattenberg/Luther/Luther-faith. Txt What faith IS according to Luther What faith is NOT according to Luther living bold trust in Gods graces confidence and knowledge of goddesses makes you happy freely willingly do good things serve people love and praise god holy spiral Followed by good works or Better life Section 3: Luther Posts his 95 Theses 1. Use the following website to fill in the table below on Lather's 95 Theses. Www. Luther. De/en/nonchalant. HTMLCause Event Effect Why was Luther upset with the church? Http:// The people where no longer coming to hem for their confessions they were going to different towns. What did he do about it? He wrote 95 theses which were use as the basis for discussion on the topic. What was the reaction to the 95 Theses? Some humanists approved of these, but parts of the Roman Church completely rejected them What is an indulgence? They supposedly categorized Luther as a follower of the heretic Jan Hush and threatened to have him burned at the stake. What were the 95 Theses? Used for basic discussion on a topic.Section 4: Effects of the Reformation 1. Complete the following chart using http://www. Luther. De/en/banana. HTML and http:// Cause practically declared a heretic both churches wanted Luther to recant his teachings while he was there Luther is excommunicated (explain what happened) trip to worms Diet of Worms (explain what it was) repentance objective clever thought out Section 5: Printing Press 1. Use the following 3 links to answer the questions about the printing press. Http:// www. Definer. Com/history/inventions/story. HTML http://www. Gutenberg. De /English/refinery. HTML a.What is the printing press? Was screw press specially designed to achieve an effective an even transfer b. Who invented the printing press? Genius of Guttenberg c. How does it work? Pressing the letters down to then produce ink on paper d. How did the printing press help Martin Luther? It allowed them to write in a more advanced easier way Section 6: Changing Europe 1. Use the map found at the following link and what you have learned so far to answer the questions below: http://chlorofluorocarbon. Wiseacres. Com/Everything *Europe a. How would a map of the year 1400 be different? (Hint: think religions†¦ T would show where religions migrated or lived Catholic? Because of where their priest where located and what they were taught in that area c. What impact did Luther have on this map? With where religions lived a. What impact did the printing press have on this map? It allowed them to write clearly and readable to all. Section 7: Evaluation Task: You a re going to become a reporter during the early 1 ass's. You will be creating a newspaper article based on an event, the key figures, or problem. 1. You are to write an article on one of the topics listed below: a. Complaints with the Church .Key figures: Calvin, Woozily, Erasmus c. Martin Luther and his 95 Theses d. Compare and contrast common beliefs of the Catholic and Protestant Church (language, ultimate authority & salvation) 2. Research and answer the following questions using the suggested websites in #3. A. Why were people dissatisfied with the Catholic Church in the asses? B. What were Lather's criticisms of the Church? C. How did the printing press affect Reformation ideas? A. Why did Luther want the Bible translated from Latin into German and other languages? B. How did the Church respond to Lather's 95 Theses? C.How did the ideas of John Calvin, John Woozily, and Desires Erasmus influence the Reformation? D. How was Europe affected by the events following Lather's excomm unication? How did the map of Europe change? 2. Suggest website resources: John Woozily http://www. BBC. Co. UK/history John Calvin http://www. Unwanted. Org http://www. Excel. Org http://www. Immersed. Com http://www. Was. Du Desires Erasmus http://www. Gospel. Net http://en. Wisped. Org http://www. Studiously. Com/ Martin Luther http://www. PBS. Org http://www. U-s-history. Com Spreading of Lather's Ideas Church Dissatisfaction Lather's Criticism http://www. Calgary. Ca Reformation http://www. Encouragement. Org http://www. Wisped. Org * 95 theses 95 theses was written by Martin Luther this year 1 517 and is the catalyst for the protestant reformation. It was the sales of indulgence, it centers on the practices within the catholic church regarding baptism and absolution. It views upon how to repent and how to be less sinful. These should be strictly followed by anyone in the church. There are times where you are allowed to relieve your pain or frustration in purgatory. He is focus ing on catholic churches. Please be aware of the new movement. Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther Reformation Websites: Section 1: Life of Martin Luther 1. Fill out the graphic organizer using http://www. Luther. De/en/Enoch. HTML Life of Martin Luther After vaulting his parents, he was caught In a terrible thunderstorm. During the storm lightning struck near him, and he was thrown to the ground. At this moment he called to Saint Anne, and declared: â€Å"l will become a monk. † Why did he decide to become a Monk? When did he decide to become a Monk? During a terrible storm. When did he become a professor at Wattenberg (Germany) university? 1507 he started professed at 1 512 What did he do as a professor?He came into contact with the ideas of the humanists and embraced their slogan. 2. Answer these questions using the map at http://www. Circular. Net/history/ Marcel/Luther. HTML a. Where did followers of Martin Lather's ideas (Lutheran) live? Germany Denmark Sweden Norway Prussia a. Where did followers of another reformer, John Calvin (Calvinist) live? The city of Genoa Sw itzerland. Scotland, England, France, Italy, Bohemia, Poland, and the Dutch Netherlands. B. Was the majority of Europe Catholic or Protestant during the reformation? Protestants Section 2: Luther†s Beliefs 1.Find out what Martin Luther believed about Faith. Read the passage in the following link and fill out the chart. Http://www. Icicle. Org/pub/resources/text/ Wattenberg/Luther/Luther-faith. Txt What faith IS according to Luther What faith is NOT according to Luther living bold trust in Gods graces confidence and knowledge of goddesses makes you happy freely willingly do good things serve people love and praise god holy spiral Followed by good works or Better life Section 3: Luther Posts his 95 Theses 1. Use the following website to fill in the table below on Lather's 95 Theses. Www. Luther. De/en/nonchalant. HTMLCause Event Effect Why was Luther upset with the church? Http:// The people where no longer coming to hem for their confessions they were going to different towns. What did he do about it? He wrote 95 theses which were use as the basis for discussion on the topic. What was the reaction to the 95 Theses? Some humanists approved of these, but parts of the Roman Church completely rejected them What is an indulgence? They supposedly categorized Luther as a follower of the heretic Jan Hush and threatened to have him burned at the stake. What were the 95 Theses? Used for basic discussion on a topic.Section 4: Effects of the Reformation 1. Complete the following chart using http://www. Luther. De/en/banana. HTML and http:// Cause practically declared a heretic both churches wanted Luther to recant his teachings while he was there Luther is excommunicated (explain what happened) trip to worms Diet of Worms (explain what it was) repentance objective clever thought out Section 5: Printing Press 1. Use the following 3 links to answer the questions about the printing press. Http:// www. Definer. Com/history/inventions/story. HTML http://www. Gutenberg. De /English/refinery. HTML a.What is the printing press? Was screw press specially designed to achieve an effective an even transfer b. Who invented the printing press? Genius of Guttenberg c. How does it work? Pressing the letters down to then produce ink on paper d. How did the printing press help Martin Luther? It allowed them to write in a more advanced easier way Section 6: Changing Europe 1. Use the map found at the following link and what you have learned so far to answer the questions below: http://chlorofluorocarbon. Wiseacres. Com/Everything *Europe a. How would a map of the year 1400 be different? (Hint: think religions†¦ T would show where religions migrated or lived Catholic? Because of where their priest where located and what they were taught in that area c. What impact did Luther have on this map? With where religions lived a. What impact did the printing press have on this map? It allowed them to write clearly and readable to all. Section 7: Evaluation Task: You a re going to become a reporter during the early 1 ass's. You will be creating a newspaper article based on an event, the key figures, or problem. 1. You are to write an article on one of the topics listed below: a. Complaints with the Church .Key figures: Calvin, Woozily, Erasmus c. Martin Luther and his 95 Theses d. Compare and contrast common beliefs of the Catholic and Protestant Church (language, ultimate authority & salvation) 2. Research and answer the following questions using the suggested websites in #3. A. Why were people dissatisfied with the Catholic Church in the asses? B. What were Lather's criticisms of the Church? C. How did the printing press affect Reformation ideas? A. Why did Luther want the Bible translated from Latin into German and other languages? B. How did the Church respond to Lather's 95 Theses? C.How did the ideas of John Calvin, John Woozily, and Desires Erasmus influence the Reformation? D. How was Europe affected by the events following Lather's excomm unication? How did the map of Europe change? 2. Suggest website resources: John Woozily http://www. BBC. Co. UK/history John Calvin http://www. Unwanted. Org http://www. Excel. Org http://www. Immersed. Com http://www. Was. Du Desires Erasmus http://www. Gospel. Net http://en. Wisped. Org http://www. Studiously. Com/ Martin Luther http://www. PBS. Org http://www. U-s-history. Com Spreading of Lather's Ideas Church Dissatisfaction Lather's Criticism http://www. Calgary. Ca Reformation http://www. Encouragement. Org http://www. Wisped. Org * 95 theses 95 theses was written by Martin Luther this year 1 517 and is the catalyst for the protestant reformation. It was the sales of indulgence, it centers on the practices within the catholic church regarding baptism and absolution. It views upon how to repent and how to be less sinful. These should be strictly followed by anyone in the church. There are times where you are allowed to relieve your pain or frustration in purgatory. He is focus ing on catholic churches. Please be aware of the new movement.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Completed [email protected] Report

NATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE Candidate report template (2009 specification) UNIT NGC3 – THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION Student number: Location: Date of review: Introduction including overview of area inspected and activities taking place This report follows an inspection of the building and yard located in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. in order to meet the requirements of the Nebosh NGC 3 practical application. The areas concerned with this inspection are the works building and one store in the yard and its immediate surrounding area.The building consists of a canteen area, an office for admin duties, two toilets, a locker room, a drying/store room for personal protective equipment (PPE) and a small store room. In the yard is one store for the storage of various outdoor work materials and tools. The premises are occupied by up to fifteen staff at any one time. Staff work on a rotation of day and night shifts and the building is used for messing, completing paper work and plann ing work. The yard and store are used for loading and unloading vehicles with work equipment to prepare for railway work.There were no members of staff on duty at the time of the inspection. Executive Summary Upon completion of the inspection I found there were several areas of concern which lead to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA), the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO), the Manual Handling Operations Regulations, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). The health and safety of the employees who are using the premises may also be at risk if some of these concerns are not addressed immediately.Failure to address these issues may lead to attention and possible enforcement action from the HSE and/or the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). Breaches of statutory duty or failure to comply with improvement or prohibition notices may result in court action being taken which may lead to criminal prosecution and fines of up to ? 20 000 in a magistrates court and the possibility of up to 6 months imprisonment. A detailed description of the findings is listed below with reference to specific observations given in brackets.Main findings of the inspection Fire precautions The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (RRFSO) requires that fire fighting arrangements must be provided in the workplace (18). Although there are fire extinguishers located throughout the building there is an absence of any extinguisher in the office. Therefore there is an urgent requirement to have extinguishers installed here as employees would be in extreme danger if a fire were to start in the office. The RRFSO also states that fire exits must remain free from obstructions at all times (1).The PPE blocking the fire exit is not only creating a tripping hazard but it is putting the health and safety of the employees at risk of becoming trapped in the building if a fire were to start. Ma nagement of Health and Safety Many of the observations are the result of a poor Health and Safety management system which could easily be rectified by members of staff and at a very low cost to the organisation. (2,3,8,10,12). Use of rail steel as doorstops presents a significant risk of slips, trips and falls and is a very easy problem to rectify.Other housekeeping issues such as tangled cables, hand cleaners being stored near eating and drinking utensils and overflowing waste paper bins are all issues that will present a very poor image to visitors but are low cost and not time consuming problems to resolve. These issues may also be in breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. PPE. Issues The Personal Protective Equipment regulations state that all PPE must be suitably stored and maintained (1, 14). The PPE blocking the fire exit must be removed and all the old PPE in the store room should be disposed of and replaces as it is no longer fit for purpose .The heater in the drying room (6) also needs urgent attention as its purpose is to dry out PPE used by employees in wet weather conditions. With the heater not functional this has an impact on the ability to maintain the PPE to a good standard. PUWER Issues The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations state that employers must ensure that all work equipment is suitable, maintained and inspected (7, 17). The old fax machine in the office has been out of use for quite some time with service tags out of date and there has been no effort to have it repaired or replaced.It is creating a tripping hazard as well as breaching PUWER. A similar situation has arisen regarding the water dispenser in the canteen. The employees have shown their concerns about not being able to use the machine and it is in serious need of repair or replacement. This is also creating a welfare issue which must be addressed. Manual Handling Issues There are some issues concerning heavy materials being stored at ground level (13, 20). This is in breach of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and presents a high risk of a RIDDOR injury to employees lifting or moving these materials.As suggested these materials must be stored correctly and at waist level to prevent injuries from bending and lifting. This will prevent high costs through RIDDOR incidents and loss of productivity. Conclusions The building and yard are all of modern design with full refurbishments having been carried out as recent as 2007. Many of the hazards found were as a result of a lapse in general Health and Safety management and many of the observations could be rectified by simple maintenance and tidying up of the building and yard.This is a very low cost practice which in turn could improve the Health and Safety of the workforce. The employees have all had a very good level of workplace specific Health and Safety training with certificates on display on the notice board. However this training counts for li ttle if it is not put into practice on a daily basis. It appears there have also been many bad habits picked up over the years such as poor general housekeeping. Employers and employees should take pride in a clean and safe workplace and it also sets a good example to any visitors or potential clients.A safe workplace will also reduce the risk of accidents and ill health to employees and in the long run save money from unnecessary claims, losses of production and a poor corporate image. Recommendations: |Recommendation |Likely resource implications |Priority |Target date | |Fire exit door should remain free |PPE to be removed from exit area and signs to |High |Immediate | |from obstructions at all times. (1) |be erected advising to keep clear. | | |Fire extinguisher to be installed in |New fire extinguisher, ? 30, easy to install by|High |Immediate | |the office. (18) |a member of staff. | | | |Heater in drying room must not be |Wall brackets to be replaced, 1-2 man hours to|High |1 week | |used until it is re-attached to the |fit and reinstate heater to wall, approx cost | | | |wall. 6) |? 50. | | | | | | | | |Arrange for repair or replacement of |Repair could be very expensive, more practical|High |1 week | |drinking water dispenser. (17) |option may be to replace. ?200 approx. man | | | | |hour to install. | | | |Remove battery chargers from power |Install an extra plug socket to prevent |Medium |1 month | |when not in use, and establish better|tangling cables under chairs. Electrician for| | | |layout of cables. (8) |1 hour plus parts. 50 approx | | | |Arrange for a repair to be carried |Hire of a welder for 1 hour. ?50 approx. |Medium |1 week | |out on the entrance handrail. (23) | | | | |Dispose of old office swivel chair |Order the correct replacement chair. ?30-40 |Medium |1 week | |from canteen. 22) | | | | |Bracket for wall mounted first aid |New bracket approx ? 10 and less than 1 man |Medium |1 week | |kit to be replaced. (12) |hour to install. | | | |Remove cut-offs of rail steel from |Source correct doorstops or fit latches to the|Medium |1 month | |doors and keep doors closed whenever |walls.Approx cost ? 15 to fit. 1 man hour. | | | |possible. (2) | | | | |Yard store flooring to be cleared of |General clean up and disposal of any disused |Medium |1 week then review each | |obstructions to gain access to |and waste materials. 2 staff hours | |month | |shelving. 21) | | | | |Steel plates to moved from the yard |1-2 staff hours to store on shelving, |Medium |1 week then review every 3 | |area into the store and stored on |preventing injuries from lifting heavy plates | |months | |shelving at waist height. (20) |at ground level. | | | |Remove spray cans and all outdoor |General clean up of office by staff.Keep all|Medium |1 week then review each | |work equipment from office area. (9) |areas around and under desks free from | |month | | |clutter. 1-2 hours | | | |Install correct hand wash dispenser |Dispenser costs ? 5 a nd takes less than 1 man |Medium-Low |1 month | |in canteen. (4) |hour to fit. | | |

Thursday, November 7, 2019

International Baccalaureate vs Advanced Placement

International Baccalaureate vs Advanced Placement Most people are familiar with AP, or Advanced Placement courses, but more and more families are learning about the International Baccalaureate, and wondering, whats the difference between the two programs? Heres a review of each program, and an overview of how they differ.   The AP Program AP coursework and exams are developed and administered by  CollegeBoard.com  and include 35 courses and exams in 20 subject areas. AP  or Advanced Placement Program consists of a three-year sequence of course work in a specific subject. It is available to serious students in Grades 10 to 12. The course work culminates in rigorous examinations held in May of the graduating year. AP Grading The examinations are scored on a five-point scale, with 5 being the highest mark attainable. The course work in a given subject is generally equivalent to a first-year college course. As a result, a student who achieves a 4 or 5 is usually permitted to skip the corresponding course as a freshman in college. Administered by the College Board, the AP program is guided by a panel of expert educators from around the U.S.A. This great program prepares students for the rigors of college-level work. AP Subjects Subjects offered include: Art HistoryBiologyCalculus AB BCChemistryComputer Science AEconomicsEnglishEnvironmental ScienceEuropean HistoryFrenchGerman LanguageGovernment PoliticsHuman GeographyInternational English Language (APIEL)LatinMusic TheoryPhysicsPsychologySpanishStatisticsStudio ArtUS HistoryWorld History Each year, according to the College Board, more than half a million students take over a million  Advanced Placement exams! College Credits and AP Scholar Awards Each college or university sets its own admissions requirements. Good scores in AP coursework indicate  to admissions staff that a student has achieved a recognized standard in that subject area. Most schools will accept scores of 3 or above as the equivalent of their introductory or first-year courses in the same subject area. Consult university websites for details. The College Board offers a series of 8 Scholar Awards which recognize outstanding scores in AP examinations. Advanced Placement International Diploma In order to earn the Advanced Placement International Diploma (APID) students must earn a grade of 3 or higher in five specified subjects. One of these subjects must be chosen from the AP global course offerings: AP World History, AP Human Geography, or  AP Government and Politics: Comparative. The APID is the College Boards answer to the  IBs international cachet  and acceptance. It is aimed at students studying abroad and American students who wish to attend university in a foreign country. Its important to note, however, this is not a replacement for a high school diploma, it is only a certificate. Description of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program The  IB  is a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare students for liberal arts education at the tertiary level. It is directed by the  International Baccalaureate  Organisation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The mission of the IBO is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. In North America over 645 schools offer IB programs. IB Programmes The IBO offers three programmes: the  Diploma Programme  for juniors and seniorsthe  Middle Years Programme  for students aged 11 to 16the  Primary Years Programme  for students aged 3 to 12 The programmes form a sequence but can be offered independently according to the needs of individual schools. The IB Diploma Programme The IB Diploma is truly international in its philosophy and aims. The curriculum requires balance and research. For instance, a science student has to become familiar with a foreign language, and a humanities student must understand laboratory procedures. In addition, all candidates for the IB diploma must undertake some extensive research into one of over sixty subjects. The IB Diploma is accepted at universities in over 115 countries. Parents appreciate the rigorous training and education which the IB programs offer their children.   What do AP and IB have in common? The International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) are both  about excellence. A school doesnt commit to preparing students for these rigorous examinations lightly. Expert, well-trained faculty must implement and teach the courses which culminate in those examinations. They put a schools reputation squarely on the line. It boils down to two things: credibility and universal acceptance. These are key factors in a schools graduates gaining admission to the colleges and universities which they wish to attend. College admissions officers usually have a pretty good idea of a schools academic standards if the school has previously submitted applicants. The schools track record is more or less established by those prior candidates.  Grading policies  are understood. Curriculum taught has been examined. But what about a new school or a school from a foreign country or a school which is determined to upgrade its product? The AP and IB credentials immediately convey credibility. The standard is well-known and understood. Other things being equal, the college knows that a candidate with success in the AP or IB is ready for tertiary level work. The payoff for the student is exemption for many entry-level courses. This, in turn, means that the student gets his or her degree requirements completed more quickly. It also means fewer credits have to be paid for. How do APandIB differ? Reputation:  While the AP is widely accepted for course credit and recognized for its excellence at universities throughout the U.S., the IB Diploma Programmes reputation is even greater. Most international universities recognize and respect an IB diploma. Fewer U.S. schools offer the IB program than the AP- over 14,000 AP schools vs less than 1,000 IB schools according to  US News, but that number is on the rise for IB.  Style of Learning and  Courses:  The AP program has students focus deeply on one particular subject, and usually for a short period of time. The IB program takes a more holistic approach that focuses on a subject by not only delving in deep, but also applying it to other areas. Many IB courses are two-year continuous courses of study, vs. the APs one-year-only approach. IB courses related to each other in a coordinated cross-curricular approach with specific overlapping between the studies. AP courses are singular and not designed to be a part of an overla pping course of study between disciplines. AP courses are one level of study, while IB offers both a standard level and a higher level.   Requirements:  AP courses can be taken at will, in any manner at any time according to the schools discretion. While some schools do allow students to enroll in IB courses in a similar manner, if a student specifically wants to be a candidate for an IB diploma, they must take two years of exclusive IB courses in accordance with rules and regulations from the IBO. IB students aiming for the diploma must take at least 3 higher level courses.  Testing:  Educators have described the difference between the two testing methods as follows: AP tests to see what you dont know; IB tests to see what you do know. AP tests are designed to see what students know about a specific subject, pure and simple.  IB tests ask students to reflect on the knowledge they possess in order to test a students skills and abilities to analyze and present information, evaluate and make arguments, and creatively solve problems.  Diploma:  AP students who meet specific criteria receive a certificate that has an international reputation, but still only graduate with a traditional high school diploma. On the other hand, IB students who meet the required criteria and scores at schools in the US will receive two diplomas: the traditional high school diploma as well as the International Baccalaureate Diploma.   Rigor:  Many AP students will note that their studies are more demanding than non-AP peers, but they have the option to pick and choose courses at will. IB students, on the other hand, but take only IB courses if they wish to qualify for the IB diploma. IB students regularly express that their studies are extremely demanding. While they report high levels of stress during the program, most IB students report being incredibly prepared for college and appreciative of the rigor after they complete the program.   AP vs. IB: Which is Right for Me? Flexibility is a major factor in determining which program is right for you. AP courses provide more wiggle room when it comes to choosing courses, the order in which they are taken, and more. IB courses require a strict course of study for two solid years. If studying outside of the US is not a priority and youre unsure about the commitment to an IB program, then an AP program may be right for you. Both programs will prepare you for college, but where you plan to study may be a deciding factor in which program you choose. Article edited by Stacy Jagodowski