Improving Your Critical Thinking Writing

The importance of critical thinking in academic work can hardly be overestimated. On the one hand, assignments on critical thinking constitute a considerable part of any curriculum. On the other hand, even when an assignment does not belong to this category, you are still expected to exercise your critical thinking abilities to successfully analyze information sources, make correct assumptions, take informed decisions and efficiently work with information. It means that improving your critical thinking will have a much broader use than you might think. What Is Critical Thinking? Thinking about the subject matter critically means perceiving the reading material with open and enquiring mind, not accepting anything at face value, being unbiased in your judgment and drawing objective conclusions as to whether the presented points of view are persuasive and trustworthy, based on the received information. The most important features of good critical writing are as follows: refusal to accept the conclusions of the author unless they are backed by evidence, statistics or sound and logical reasoning. In other words, you doubt everything you read and consider everything that isn’t supported by facts to be false or at least unreliable; ability to clearly present the reasons why conclusions and arguments of another author or authors should be accepted or rejected. In other words, you should show the line of reasoning behind your evaluation of the written work in questions; presentation of your own arguments and conclusions that shows that your line of reasoning is feasible;/li understanding that your own conclusions, evidence and arguments have limitations. What Does It Mean to Be Thinking Critically? Successful critical thinking requires a set of skills or, rather, methods of dealing with problems. All of them are trainable, so the next time you write an essay, do your best to exercise these approaches to improve your performance in the long run: Understanding the connections between ideas, concepts, facts and statistical data. When you read or hear something, you don’t simply accept the explanations given by the author but analyze what you read or hear and try to draw your own picture, creating links between ideas and facts that the author may have omitted. Ability to evaluate the argumentation of others and build your own. By analyzing the logical soundness of arguments, you should be able to make an informed decision as to whether they are to be trusted or taken with a grain of salt. Systematic and consistent approach to problem solving. Critical thinking presupposes objective, analytical approach to dealing with problems. When you encounter an issue, you study the situation carefully, evaluate different points of view and their validity and draw a conclusion only after weighing all pros and cons. Instinct, intuition and preconceived assumptions don’t come into play at all. Ability to detect any inconsistencies and mistakes in reasoning. The author may be trying to confuse you intentionally, following his own agenda, or accidentally, through genuine errors in reasoning. Either way, you should be able to find weak spots and explain what is wrong with them. Difference between Critical and Descriptive Writing One of the main problems students experience when dealing with critical thinking writing is too vague understanding of the difference between it and descriptive writing. Many students have trouble expressing their own thoughts, their agreement or especially disagreement with the original text. That is why assignments on critical evaluation of a text all too often turn into mere descriptions. Nevertheless, every critical paper is partially descriptive – a part of a critical paper is supposed to be dedicated to setting the background for your critical evaluation. The problem is that it is all too easy to let this part bloat and eat up most of your word limit. Therefore, when engaged in critical writing you should steer yourself in the right direction using following methods: evaluate the quality of proofs and arguments used in the text; mark the most important positive and negative aspects of the writer’s reasoning you can comment upon; define if they are relevant to the debate you are going to lead in your assignment; decide what would be the best way to introduce them into your own argumentation. When you try to decide on the balance between the descriptive and the critical parts of your paper, try introducing only things that are absolutely relevant. It means that if you introduce something that you believe is relevant to your line of reasoning, you should explain to the reader why it is relevant. You may think that it is only going to unnecessarily inflate the word count, but in truth, its effects will be diametrically opposite. On the one hand, it will make you think twice before introducing any descriptions – if you can’t explain why it is relevant, perhaps it isn’t relevant at all. On the other hand, by making a point of explaining how this piece of evidence contributes to your argument, you improve the critical part of your writing on the spot. The Structure of Critical Thinking Writing Critical writing doesn’t have any clear-cut, pre-determined structure – it is very dependent on the format of your particular assignment, its size and the subject matter. However, in most cases its structure can be boiled down to a more or less stable one: Introduction. Here you point out the basics of your topic. You should present the issue, explain why it is important, in what context it exists and what its potential consequences are. The introduction should close with a fragment outlining the following paper. Analysis. Define the concepts you are going to use and the method of analysis you are about to employ. Analysis is based on the examination of evidence you have at your disposal, breaking it down into constituent elements, defining their qualities and meanings and then reconstitution of these elements into a new whole. You should reconnect proofs scattered across the subject matter in a way that would prove your point of view. Remember, however, that healthy skepticism is the basis of critical thinking – question everything and don’t use it as a stepping stone for your reasoning unless you are sure you can prove it. Considering other viewpoints. Another important aspect of critical thinking is that you should never consider any perspective to be self-evident, however obvious it may seem to you. Neither should you expect it from your readers. Be ready to study the subject matter from different viewpoints, especially the ones that wildly contradict your own. Not only can other perspectives open up new vistas for deeper analysis, but it is also possible to uncover the weaker points of your own reasoning and patch them up at an early stage. If you know about points of view different from your own, study them. If there is any literature promoting these points of view, make sure to read or at least look through it. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PsLktb7HTA Studying the contexts. Study the contexts in which the subject matter exists and single out the assumptions that are based on these contexts. Interpretation of the same text may differ greatly depending on cultural, religious and ideological biases, as well as your own experiences and beliefs. During this stage of your work, you are supposed to single out the influence contexts exercise over the perception of the subject matter, so that your analysis can be more objective and independent. Defining your own point of view. Expressing your own position may be either put into a separate section of the paper or spread across its entire body. In the first case, you do things part by part and prepare the foundation for your own viewpoint until that moment. In the second case, you introduce your own voice as a member of a discussion between different viewpoints whenever you discuss these conflicting perspectives. Both approaches have their pros and cons. The first one allows you to keep your entire line of reasoning tightly in one place. The second one allows for a more dynamic debate between different points of view. Conclusion. Just like in any other type of academic writing, you should recount what you’ve found out in the course of your work and point out the importance of the results of your research. Bring all the groundwork you’ve done to a logical conclusion and accentuate the importance of your work. If it is appropriate and applicable, you may provide a short outline of further possible study on the subject. A Simple Algorithm to Set You Thinking Critically If you have trouble evaluating an idea, piece of writing or something else, try using this simple sequence of 6 questions – it will help you view every assertion in context and get a broader perspective. Who wrote it? Is the identity of the author relevant in this case? What is the position of the author? What is his relationship with the issue in question? Is he an authority on the subject? What was written? When boiled down to a minimum, what exactly was said? Did the author mention all the facts pertaining to the problem? Did he omit anything? Was what he said presented as a fact or an opinion? Where was it written? What is the source of the subject matter (book, speech, article, etc.)? What is its intended audience? When was it written? Is the time of writing relevant? Was the item written before, after or during an important event? Why was it written? What are the writer’s declared purposes? May he/she have another, hidden agenda? Does he/she try to make the situation (concept, idea, person) look in a certain light? How was it written? Does the author’s language, intonation, choice of words feel affected, emotional, sarcastic, angry or colored in any other way? Was it written in an obscure or cryptic manner? Was this way of writing intentional or not? Source: http://www.knowledgereform.com/ Following these simple steps you will be able to start putting the subject matter apart and notice previously unseen connections between ideas, circumstances and the personality of the author. Academic Voice for Critical Thinking Writing Finding an academic voice that would be your own while possessing a certain predetermined set of qualities is probably more important in critical thinking writing than in any other line of academic work. The problem is, this kind of work requires careful balance – it is all too easy to overdo things and pass as bitterly cynical rather than healthily skeptical, for example. Be skeptical but not cynical. There is a difference between refusing to accept any judgment at face value and gleefully looking for (and finding) ulterior motives in any assertion made by the author. Back up your point of view. When you express an opinion, make sure to back it with facts, evidence and logical reasoning. Your professor is not so much interested in your opinion as in how exactly you’ve reached your conclusions. Be confident but not impertinent. Opposing and taking apart someone else’s opinions and reasoning requires assertiveness, but make sure you do it in a polite and respectful manner. Be unbiased. When you analyze someone else’s writing, be sure to evaluate both its weak and strong points fairly. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with what is said or not, like the author or not, want to disprove what is said or not. Be fair and don’t omit relevant information to make your own reasoning or that of the author look in a more or less favorable light. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBPseiuLI8o Try to Imagine Yourself in Your Reader’s Shoes Try to imagine what it would be like for a stranger who doesn’t share your viewpoint to read your paper. Why should he/she believe you? Read your own writing just as critically as you read that of others. It can help you find logical gaps, faulty reasoning and just plain mistakes. If possible, ask somebody else to read your paper as well, just make sure to ask for as harsh critique as possible. In the long run, our own critical thinking is only as good as it is ready to withstand the critical thinking of others.

The Effects Of Domestic Violence On Women - 1654 Words

Introduction Violence against women has been recognised internationally by the world Health Organization (WHO, 2013).Women has been facing different types of violence since the age of 15 such as physical, emotional or verbal abuse. The highest prevalence of domestic violence (DV) is from their intimate partner/perpetrator both physical emotional (WHO, 2013). It has been depicted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2013) that rate of domestic violence against women by their intimate partner will increase in future. The main objective of this paper is to endorse awareness and educate all women who has experienced or are potential of undergoing domestic violence. This paper is significant of women in general who are victims of domestic violence by their intimate partner for those who are potential victims. The health promotion program developed will make a significant change to the victim’s life. This will also empower women’s rights prevent avoidable upcoming events. The Planning cycle To recognize the development of the program a planning cycle must be used. This planning cycle accumulate all aspects of planning into a intangible integrated process. To generate this program, the features that are included are community assessment, designing the program, developing an action plan, implement the program, process evaluation , re-design re-implement the program , impact and/outcome evaluation (TalboVerrinder,2013). This paper highlights theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Domestic Violence On Women1652 Words   |  7 PagesDomestic violence is present in all regions of the world regardless of race, culture, or religion. It is not uncommon for men to experience spousal abuse. However, in reality abuse done by men towards women is a much more common occurrence. Men often abuse women as a result of negative domestic relationships experienced during childhood, the feeling of inadequacy and mental illness. 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Nursing Case Study The Journal of Pain

Question: Describe about the Nursing Case Study for The Journal of Pain. Answer: Introduction Mrs. Smith arrived to the ward with an IVT (Intravenous transfusion) in an IDC (indwelling catheter) in situ. After going through her past medical as well as medication history, along with her social history, the interventions has been made. A detailed analysis has been carried out regarding the diseases Mrs. Smith was diagnosed with. Nursing Interventions Safety can be provided to Mrs. Smith by making sure that her vitals are normal at all times of the day. This can be achieved by constant monitoring and any sort of discrepancy in the readings should be managed with incorporation of drugs. The drugs should be administered carefully in order to avoid any hyperactive reaction, especially during pre- and postoperative hours. Since she has previous history of falls, therefore, measures such as, use of side rails, reduced height of the bed as well as placing necessary belongings within her arms reach should prevent the chances of her falls. Hygiene and Comfort She should be placed comfortably in her bed so that she does not suffer from any sort of pain in the groin area, which is common in people with hip surgery. Pain relievers will be administered through IV to manage any sort of pain she might be facing. She will be provided with an incentive spirometer in case she is facing breathing difficulties. Cold therapy can also be given to her to relive her from pain. It needs to be made sure that Mrs. Smith does not contract MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) or infect others with MRSA (Randolph, 2012). She will be placed in protected isolation so that susceptibility of infections can be avoided. She should be assured that her dog has been placed with the neighbours so that she does not get anxious worrying about it. Nutrition Mrs. Smith is not only anorexic but also she is suffering from osteoporosis. She needs to have nutritious food in order to have a faster recovery. She needs to a high protein diet. Her diet should also contain a high amount of roughage to help her deal with the problem of constipation. Mrs. Smith is also diabetic. Her diet needs to be planned in a way so that her blood sugar level does not shoot up. She should be treated to counter dehydration risk. Severe case of dehydration can lead to hypotension and low urine output. Elimination for Mrs. Smith will be a difficult part since she has chronic constipation. Post operation she will have the catheter on. She will have to be administered with drugs to allow effortless bowel movement. Her fluid intake level should be improved as well as she should be put on a high fiber diet. Activity levels will be low in case of Mrs. Smith. The surgery will prevent her from several movements. She will require help to sit, walk, and climb down the bed. She might develop bedsores due to this hence, the nurses should check for skin eruptions and color changes. The physical therapists will assist her post surgery to learn to start moving her limbs again. She will have to exercise everyday to accelerate her recovery. Psychosocial needs of Mrs. Smith are high. She is a patient of depression and she lives on her own with only her dog Rufus for company. She will be provided with assistance from in-house counselors who can relive her from the emotional stress. Being depressed can raise her blood sugar as well as blood pressure level. Hence, the nurses should try to build a rapport with her and facilitate easy conversation so that Mrs. Smith can communicate her problems to the nurses. Diagnoses as referred to in medical history: Mrs. Smith suffers from atrial fibrillation. The irregularity in heartbeat leads to this condition. External symptoms include pain in the chest, shortness of breath has also been observed in patients with AF (Washam et al., 2015). Palpitations and fainting has also been observed in several patients. Her record shows that she is under the prescription of drugs that helps her to improve her condition. The medications should in no way be stopped as she might suffer a stroke. Mrs. Smith also suffers from hypertension as well as diabetes type 2. She is a social drinker and has not smoked in 25 yrs. However, these are the stimulants, both alcohol and cigarettes, of hypertension (Lampropoulos et al., 2013). It is common in patients with diabetes to develop hypertension (Shapiro, 2013). Emotional stress might be the main culprit to her situation especially when her husband has expired and with a daughter living in Queensland who only visits her infrequently. The diabetes is the resultant of her depression. Her record does not show any medications for hypertension (Eg. Microzide etc.) (Knarr et al., 2014). She should be prescribed with some cardioinhibitory drugs to deal with the high blood sugar. Metformin helps her with her high blood sugar problem (Inzucchi et al., 2014). L CVA (Left-side Cerebrovascular Accident) is common for a patient to suffer from when they already have hypertension, diabetes as well as the condition of atrial fibrillation (Thacker et al., 2013). All these pre-existing conditions made her suffer the stroke. Care should be taken that her blood pressure is normal all the time as well as her blood glucose level. The surgery cannot be carried out if both these vitals are high or low. Mrs. Smiths lifestyle is not suggestive of her having developed GORD (Gastro Oesophagal Reflux Disease). The contents of the stomach come back to the oesophagus and causes heart burns (Sanna et al., 2013). She has been prescribed with the proton pump based inhibitor drug, Esomeprazole that relieves her from the condition. Mrs. Smith underwent a Total hysterectonomy where she had her uterus and the cervix removed surgically. It is common in women to develop heart disease as well as osteoporosis post the hysterectonomy and it is mostly due to the deficiency of the hormones (Scierbeck et al., 2012). The deficiency of hormones, namely, estrogen and progesterone, leads to cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis (Mata-Granadol et al., 2013). Estrogen is responsible for a protective action on the cardiovascular muscles. Estrogen also helps in the calcium metabolism and its deficiency post forced menopause leads to loss in bone density (Klein-Nuland et al., 2015). The urinary incontinence is also due to the hysterectonomy (Knarr et al., 2014). Her anorexic condition is also responsible for her having developed osteoporosis. The vitamin D supplements that she takes help her with her condition. Drug Therapy Insights Mrs. Smith was prescribed to 62.5 mg of digoxin. Digoxin is responsible for the improvement of heart rhythm disorder (Washam et al., 2015). The nursing implication suggests that she has atril fibrillation and digoxin helps her in dealing with it. The nursing interventions includes that she should never be in a dehydrated state. Dehydration will lead to the symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, headaches, bloody stools, uneven heart rate, which are associated with the over dosage of the drug. The physician should be notified if her pulse count is less than 60 beats per minute and the drug should not be administered in such a case. A dosage of 2 mg of Warfarin was administered to Mrs. Smith. The nursing implication suggests helping her with her condition of atrial fibrillation, warfarin has been administered. By lowering the tendency of the blood to form clots, Warfarin reduces the chances of heart attacks (Ruff et al., 2014). The nursing interventions includes that the drug should not be administered drug while a patient has diabetes. A separate anti-coagulant drug should be administered. Nurses should monitor for any signs of bleeding gums, nosebleed or black tarry stools post surgery. A dosage of 5 mg Coversyl Arginine was prescribed to Mrs. Smith. The nursing implication suggests that being an angiotension converting enzyme, it helps in widening the blood vessels and relieves the patient from hypertension (Kiru et al., 2016). The nursing interventions includes that this drug should not be given to her, as it is advisable not to have traces of the drug in the system when the patient is to be anesthetized. However, post operation, the drug should be administered on a continuous basis and it should not be stopped without any order from the physician. Vitamin D is important for the adsorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate and zinc from the stomach. The nursing implication suggests that chewable tablet is administered to Mrs. Smith to keep the vitamin levels up. Mrs. Smith suffers from osteoporosis and the vitamin D supplements helps her deal with it (Mata-Granadol et al., 2013). The nursing interventions includes that it should be discontinued before surgery as it affects the effect of anesthesia. Furthermore, the administration of the drug should also be stopped if there is any change in her blood sugar or blood pressure level as the drug has debilitating effects on diabetic patients. Metformin helps her keep her blood sugar level under control (Inzucchi et al., 2014). She is given 500 mg of the drug and it causes heartburns. However, as she will be undergoing an operation, it would be helpful to administer insulin rather than giving her an oral dosage of metformin. The nursing implication suggests that she suffers from the condition of GORD and the drug Esomeprazole relieves her from the condition. The dosage is administered in a concentration of 40 mg. As a proton pump inhibitor, the drug reduces the acid production in the stomach and alleviates the irritation and swelling of the oesophagus (Tian et al., 2013). It interacts with the drug warfarin therefore, she should be monitored for clotting factors, INR and PT. The nursing implication suggests that to deal with her depression, she was prescribed with Effexor in a concentration of 150 mg (Gartlehner et al., 2012). The nursing interventions includes that this drug should not be used as she suffers from diabetes, heart disorder. The nursing implication suggests that for osteoporosis, she is given Caltrate with a dosage of 600 mg. She runs a risk of developing kidney stones, therefore, nurses should monitor her for any anamoly in her renal function. The nursing implication suggests that to allay the effects of heartburns, she was administered with Mylanta in a dosage of 30-40 ml. It can be administered with food. It aids in dissolving the acids in the stomach (Wibowo, Saleh Sampurno, 2015). The nursing interventions includes that Mylanta should not be given with calcium supplements, angiotensin-converting enzyme based drugs and with anti coagulants. Since she is already using Caltrate for her osteoporosis and Warfarin for blood clot and Coversyl for hypertension, it should be discontinued. A separate drug should be prescribed for treating heart burns (Eg. Gelusil) (Lambert, 2013). Implications of Nursery Actions prior to surgery In order to prepare Mrs. Smith for the surgery, at first Mrs. Smiths blood-glucose level needs to be normal. Being diabetic, and for her body being under stress, there are chances that the level can be high. If the levels are not brought to normalcy then the surgery cannot be carried out. If at all the blood sugar level appears to be high, insulin shots need to be incorporated in order to get instant results. The heart beat needs to be monitored at all hours as Mrs. Smith suffers from atrial fibrillation. A pulse oximetry is used to monitor it. Being a patient of atrial fibrillation, she runs a risk of suffering a stroke. An anticoagulant shot can ease the situation and then the doctors can carry out the surgery. Smith would require undergoing an x ray to determine the extent of bone injury. It will be difficult for her to participate in autologous transfusion. However, a quick check needs to be run to identify her blood group and then arrange for the blood from the blood bank. she will require familiarizing herself with the anesthesiology staff to discuss her condition and to be briefed upon the type of anesthesia she will be undergoing. She should not consume any food or water prior to the surgery as it interferes with the anesthesia. Patients throw up under the influence of anesthesia if the stomach is full (Chestnut et al., 2014). she needs to discontinue the usage of several drugs. Usage of Mylenta suspension should be stopped. Mylenta is responsible for increasing the the side effects of anti-coagulant drugs and reducing the effectivity of anti coagulants. Her vitamin D supplements should also not be given to her as they affect the influence of anesthesia on the patient. Smith needs to be screened for MRSA. If she is detected with MRSA, it can lead to a delay in the operation. Until the condition is not treated, surgery cannot be carried out. Smith should be checked for any dental implants because it will make her susceptible to bacterial infections. In such a case, she has to be administered with antibiotics to rescue her from the condition. Pre-operative checklist should be filled with details of information such as checking the last time of consumption of fluids and solid foods. She should be showered and rinsed thoroughly to reduce chances of microbial contamination. She should be prepared to learn to use the incentive spirometer in order to avoid respiratory complications. She should also be prepared for respiratory hygiene procedures of coughing and deep breathing exercises. She should be assessed and informed regarding the surgery she is supposed to go through and the implication it will have on her. The pre-operative tests and medications should be explained to her. Interventions Post Surgery: The immediate nursing intervention that needs to be implemented post the surgery will include, first, to monitor her heartbeat. It will be natural for her to be stressed out post op upon being a patient of atrial fibrillation. She needs to be put under observation to identify symptoms leading to a stroke. If necessary, she might have to be shifted to the Intensive Care Unit. Secondly, any possible signs of blood clot should be checked for. Symptoms generally involve pain in the chest or calf. Sometimes shortness of breath as well as redness above or below the knee region has also been observed indicating blood clot. She should be provided with a pump-driven compressive device to relieve her from the condition. Thirdly, Mrs. Smith is not supposed to consume any solid food or drink water post the surgery. In order to maintain the fluid level in her body, she should be put on IV and small sips of water should be given to her to drink. Fourthly, her vital signs needs to be checked at frequent intervals to make sure that she is doing fine because any sudden elevation of her blood-glucose level or temperature or blood pressure or uneven heartbeat can lead to life threatening situations. Her surgical incision needs to be dressed to avoid pus formation due to infection. Fifthly, in order to deal with the pain, she should be put on IV-PCA (Intravenous Patient Controlled Analgesia) where Mrs. Smith herself can introduce painkillers in her system as per her level of pain (Cattaneo et al., 2014). Sixthly, she is not supposed to move from her position as placed by the doctor post op. To avoid her from developing bedsores for lying down in the same position for days. Repositioning and back rubs are effective during such situations. Interventions to Implement to prepare for Transition: Firstly, Mrs. Smith will be equipped with booklets which will have graphical instructions, in details, to inform her regarding the lifestyle she should follow post the operation. Post her surgery, Mrs. Smith will be assisted by the physical therapists to help her start walking again and teach her about the positions in which she can bend her legs. She will also be assisted in teaching her to walk with the help of a walker or crutches. Secondly, she would be provided with a detailed record of her physiological condition so that the doctors at the sub acute rehab centre can be acquainted with her condition. She would be provided with a chart concerning the medications as well as specifying her diet that she is supposed to follow post the operation. Thirdly, Mrs. Smith will also be assisted by an occupational therapist who will teach her how to take a bath, how to distribute her weight while walking on a walker or while using the crutches, how to dress her incision area and how to climb the stairs. She will also be taught several exercises that will help her to get better. Exercises will be taught to her that will help her to strengthen her hip. Fourthly, she will also be taught to check her body temperature daily so that she will know about the onset of any infection. She will be taught to dress her incision in case of pus formation. By some unfortunate circumstance she lands up dislocating her hip, she will also be notified regarding the steps she needs to carry out. She will also be asked to wear a brace on her hip until she has completely recovered. Conclusion Post evaluation of the condition of Mrs. Smith, the interventions has been drawn of the steps that need to be carried out before her surgery, after her surgery and how she needs to be oriented for her transition from the hospital care to the rehab care. Her daughter needs to spend more time to her and she should seek professional help to deal with her depression. Regular exercise and proper posture for walking, standing and sitting is manadarory in order to avoid further ailments. Her recovery will definitely take time given her age and the status of her health. However, if proper care is adhered to her, she will be back on her feet in no time. References: Cattaneo, S., Somaini, M., Niebel, T., De Gregori, M., Bergesio, L., Bugada, D., ... Fanelli, G. (2014). (469) IV-PCA morphine therapy in post-surgery acute pain: how circadian rhythm could influence morphine requirement.The Journal of Pain,15(4), S93. Chestnut, D. H., Wong, C. A., Tsen, L. C., Kee, W. D. N., Beilin, Y., Mhyre, J. (2014).Chestnut's obstetric anesthesia: principles and practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. Gartlehner, G., Hansen, R. A., Morgan, L. C., Thaler, K., Lux, L., Megan Van Noord, M. S. I. S., ... Strobelberger, M. (2012). Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects more than 16% of adults at some point during their lifetime (1). The estimated US economic burden of depressive disorders is approximately $83 billion annually (2), and projected workforce productivity losses related to depres-sion are $24 billion annually (3).FOCUS Major Depressive Disorder Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Workbook,155, 55. Inzucchi, S. E., Lipska, K. J., Mayo, H., Bailey, C. J., McGuire, D. K. (2014). Metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease: a systematic review.Jama,312(24), 2668-2675. Kiru, G., Bicknell, C., Falaschetti, E., Powell, J., Poulter, N. (2016). An evaluation of the effect of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor on the growth rate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms: a randomised placebo-controlled trial (AARDVARK).Health Technology Assessment (Winchester, England),20(59), 1. Klein-Nulend, J., van Oers, R. F., Bakker, A. D., Bacabac, R. G. (2015). Bone cell mechanosensitivity, estrogen deficiency, and osteoporosis.Journal of biomechanics,48(5), 855-865. Knarr, J., Musil, C., Warner, C., Kless, J. R., Long, J. (2014). Female stress urinary incontinence: an evidence-based, case study approach.Urologic nursing,34(3), 143. Lambert, L. (2013). Dyspepsia: heartburn, hernia, gallstones and ulcers.South African Pharmacist's Assistant,13(2), 29-30. Lampropoulos, K. M., Bonou, M., Bountziouka, V., Evangelopoulos, A., Giotopoulou, A., Vallianou, N., ... Barbetseas, J. (2013). Alcohol and stimulants dietary pattern is associated with haptoglobin blood levels, among apparently healthy individuals.Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism,6(2), 127-133. Luo, H. B., Xu, J., Ke, L. J. (2012). The Impacts of Caltrate D combined with Vitamin K on bone mineral density and serum bone gla protein in osteoporotic patients.Strait Pharmaceutical Journal,9, 037. Mata-Granados, J. M., Cuenca-Acevedo, J. R., de Castro, M. L., Holick, M. F., Quesada-Gomez, J. M. (2013). Vitamin D insufficiency together with high serum levels of vitamin A increases the risk for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.Archives of osteoporosis,8(1-2), 1-8. Randolph, S. A. (2012). Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Workplace Health and Safety,60(3), 136. Ruff, C. T., Giugliano, R. P., Braunwald, E., Hoffman, E. B., Deenadayalu, N., Ezekowitz, M. D., ... Yamashita, T. (2014). Comparison of the efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomised trials.The Lancet,383(9921), 955-962. Sanna, L., Stuart, A. L., Berk, M., Pasco, J. A., Girardi, P., Williams, L. J. (2013). Gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)-related symptoms and its association with mood and anxiety disorders and psychological symptomology: a population-based study in women.BMC psychiatry,13(1), 1. Schierbeck, L. L., Rejnmark, L., Tofteng, C. L., Stilgren, L., Eiken, P., Mosekilde, L., ... Jensen, J. E. B. (2012). Effect of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular events in recently postmenopausal women: randomised trial.Bmj,345, e6409. Shapiro, A. (2013).Hypertension and Stress. Taylor Francis. Thacker, E. L., McKnight, B., Psaty, B. M., Longstreth Jr, W. T., Dublin, S., Jensen, P. N., ... Heckbert, S. R. (2013). Association of body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and blood pressure levels with risk of permanent atrial fibrillation.Journal of general internal medicine,28(2), 247-253. Tian, X. X., Du, H., Zheng, Y. F., Zhou, Q., Zhang, Y., Bai, Y. L. (2013). Esomeprazole Combined with Rebamipide in Preventing Gastric Mucosal Lesions Induced by Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs.Chin Gen Pract,16, 2407-2409. Washam, J. B., Stevens, S. R., Lokhnygina, Y., Halperin, J. L., Breithardt, G., Singer, D. E., ... Fox, K. A. (2015). Digoxin use in patients with atrial fibrillation and adverse cardiovascular outcomes: a retrospective analysis of the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF).The Lancet,385(9985), 2363-2370. Wibowo, F. F., Saleh, S., Sampurno, S. (2015). Factors Affecting Brand Loyalty of Promag and Mylanta among Pharmacy Customers.Journal of Management and Pharmacy Practice,5(1), 22-26.

Socialized Medicine Essays - Health Economics,

Socialized Medicine Socialized medicine is a service owned by all citizens and is present in many countries. How does it work and what does it do for a nations economy? One of the biggest fears most people have is becoming sick or injured, and the problem for them is paying for it. Under socialized medicine people would receive health care, regardless of their ability to pay. Everyone would be taken care of without worry of how they would pay for their care. The World Health Organization, part of the United Nations, says that, health care is a fundamental human right. The benefit of national health care would be potential for people to live longer lives. Costs would be driven down because doctors, nurses, and other health care providers would become civil servants. Another benefit would be that malpractice suits would decline, because it is very difficult to take legal action against the government (Carol 1994). Economics is the biggest factor in whether socialized medicine is good or bad for a nations economy. The United States, to a point, has socialized medicine with Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration Federal medicine, and health departments. The National Center for Public Policy Research said that, In 1990 the government shared 42 percent of the health and gained over 50 percent of health care in 1992 as expenses begin to rise. In 1993 health care expenditures consumed 13.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and 15.6 percent in 1995 according to the Heritage Foundation. Typically, people mistakenly blame rising costs on drug manufacturers, insurance companies, physicians, and hospitals. But the rapid growth in medical expenses is rising due to the rise in medical services needed (Oatman 11-34). As the government attempts to establish health care, hospitals are being overburdened with minor and unnecessary uses of health care services. These have caused emergency rooms to be filled with treating common colds, headaches, and minor scrapes. Medicare is said to be useless by the year 2002, just 8 years before 77 million baby boomers begin to retire. The only way that the country could continue is to raise taxes severely (Oatman 40). The supporters of national health care are Canada, Great Britain, France and Germany. All are suffering from severe budget and service problems. They are all losing their best and brightest doctors to the free market systems of the United States. These health care systems have a two-class system. The rich in these systems use private hospitals with private insurance to receive the levels of health care that the average American receives (Peikoff 1994). In Canada, the national health care system is facing many problems. Many hospitals have been closed to cut costs, and proof of this is shown in the amount of Canadian health care workers in the United States. Robert Bourassa, former Premier of Quebec, after discovering that he had melanoma, flew to Washington D.C. for further consultation at the National Cancer Institute. Former Cabinet Minister, John Moore, in charge of British National Health Service, checked himself into a private hospital for treatment of pneumonia. The British Royal Family has such faith in their health care system, that they are all treated in private hospitals. Socialized medicine is such a failure, even government officials admit to it by their actions (Mc Cuen, 1988). When health care starts being a right, the medical profession will not be as wealthy, and the quality of medical care will be decreased. Under the traditional American health care system a person has the right to health care if one can afford it, if you earn it by your own actions and efforts. But no one has the right, just because they want or need it. Pierre says that one is born with a moral right to hair care and the government should provide that free of charge. As a result, people show up everyday for an expensive new styling, the government pays out more and more, and barbers love their new huge incomes. Would you even think that a hairstylist could possibly even come close to making as much money as a doctor or nurse? These are not quite the actual standings but close enough for concern. There are also free hair implants, eyebrow plucks, breast implants, nose jobs, dental expenses tummy tucks, any type of plastic surgery you could possibly dream of getting, this could all be available for you, if you need it or have the want for it. Beauty schools have taken off, and tuition for them is sky high. Beauticians are working and spending like mad, trying

ACT English for Math and Science People

How to Ace SAT Writing/ACT English for Math and Science People SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a math or science person who feels intimidated by SAT Writing or ACT English? Do you think that your natural abilities will prevent you from doing well on the Writing and English sections? This article should alleviate your concerns. I'll let you know how you can excel on Writing or English even if you're more skilled in math and science. Furthermore, I'll provide you with important tips and strategies that will enable your success. Why You Shouldn’t Worry If you're worried that you can't excel on the SAT Writing/ACT English section if you're not a published novelist with superlative reading comprehension and writing skills, let me ease your fears. With the right studying and ample practice, you can do well even if you're not a naturally gifted writer. Maybe you're worried that you won't be able able to understand the passages well enough. Not a problem. Even though the questions come from longer passages, most of the questions pertain to specific sentences or paragraphs. None of the questions require more than a superficial understanding of the passage. Perhaps you're concerned because you have a limited vocabulary, and you're not familiar with the big fancy words that have become associated with the SAT. Don't fret. Most of the vocabulary isn’t extremely complicated or abstruse (an old SAT world). The SAT has done away with very difficult vocabulary words. Do you feel like you struggle with grammar? Do you have no idea when to use a comma? Are you clueless about the difference between "there" and "their?" You can overcome these obstacles. The grammar questions are based on rules that can be learned fairly quickly. You don’t need to have a strong intuitive grasp of English and writing to correctly answer most of the grammar questions. Are you scared of the organization or transition questions that test your knowledge of writing style? The majority of the writing style questions can be correctly answered by using logic and employing basic strategies. 3 Awesome Strategies for Success I recommend using these strategies to do well on SAT Writing/ACT English as a math/science person. #1: Rely on Grammar Rules Instead of What Sounds Right For all grammar questions, try to identify the rule that's being tested. Keep in mind that some questions will test multiple rules. Keep in mind that some questions will test multiple rules. If there’s a grammar error, select the answer choice that corrects the error without creating any additional errors. Often, the SAT and ACT provide answer choices that sound right to many people, but they contain subtle grammar errors. By relying on your knowledge of grammar rules, you’re less likely to overlook errors and make careless mistakes. ACT Example Here's a question taken from an actual ACT. If you’re not familiar with the grammar rules for the ACT, this sentence may sound fine to you. You may not detect any obvious grammar error and select A. However, if you study ACT grammar rules, you’ll know that the shortest answer that doesn’t contain a grammatical error and conveys the same information as the original sentence will be the right answer. Also, you’ll know that the word â€Å"being† often indicates a wordiness error. The correct answer is C. SAT Example You'll see the importance of following grammar rules on this question from an official practice SAT. If you rely on what sounds right, you may miss the grammar errors in this sentence. Whenever you see a verb underlined, you need to ensure that the verb agrees with its subject and that the correct form of the verb is being used. Also, whenever a pronoun is underlined, you need to check to see that the pronoun has a clear antecedent and that the correct form of the pronoun is being used. In this sentence, the singular verb â€Å"was† corresponds with the plural subject â€Å"Harvey Houses,† and the singular pronoun â€Å"its† refers to the Harvey Houses, too. Both the verb and the pronoun should be plural. The correct answer is B. #2: Use A Systematic Approach for Reading the Passages Before taking the SAT/ACT, you should have a tested approach for reading SAT Writing/ACT English passages. There are multiple approaches you can take to reading the passages: sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, answer as you go, or passage first. Read the article on how to approach ACT English passages or how to approach SAT Writing passages for more information explaining the various approaches and how to decide which one will work for you. Once you settle on the approach that works best for you, you’ll be able to maximize your efficiency and make the best use of your time. #3: Review Examples of Questions Related to Each Grammar Rule and Type of Writing Style Question The SAT and ACT use the same types of questions on each test. Reviewing each type of question will increase your familiarity and understanding of all of the different questions. You’ll be more comfortable with the content on the SAT/ACT. Create a study guide of questions from real ACTs/official practice SATs. Check out our articles in SAT Writing and ACT English to learn about all the different types of questions and for examples of each question type. Key Topics to Study If you’re not a reader or extremely proficient with English, you may struggle with questions that don’t conform to specific rules, like word choice and idiom questions. However, there are a number of topics you can study that are relatively straightforward and conform to rules that you should be able to understand. For a breakdown of the grammar rules you should know, check out my articles on the most important grammar rules for the SAT and ACT. Here are some of the most often tested topics that, even as a science/math person, you should be able to master with a little practice. I’ve linked to the related articles which thoroughly explain the rules you need to know and provide example questions. Punctuation SAT Writing and ACT English both emphasize punctuation rules. You need to know when and how to use commas, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, and dashes. While you may have no idea how to use punctuation right now, the punctuation rules tested on the SAT and ACT aren’t overly complex. Read our articles on punctuation, possessives, and commas. We break down all the rules and provide example questions. Transitions Transitions are more heavily emphasized on the SAT, but they're tested on both SAT Writing and ACT English. You need to know which transition word to use in a given sentence, and you need to be able to select the sentence that will most logically connect ideas in a passage. While transition questions can seem difficult to students who aren’t strong in English, there are some rules you can learn to simplify transition questions. Make sure to review our transition articles. Transition questions rely on logic, and I assume that’s a strength for all the math and science people. Wordiness and Redundancy As I mentioned previously, the basic wordiness rule is that a sentence should be grammatically correct and concise. The shortest grammatically correct sentence that conveys that same information as the original sentence will be the correct answer. On both the SAT and ACT, all else being equal, shorter is better. Review our wordiness and redundancy articles for example and practice questions. Verb Forms Verb tenses and forms are tested on both the SAT and ACT, but verb questions are more common on the ACT. If you know how different tenses are used and keep verb tenses consistent, you should be able to correctly answer the verb questions you encounter. Organization/Macro-Logic Both the SAT and the ACT test you on how to organize a passage. Macro-logic refers to knowing where sentences and paragraphs should go in a passage. You’ll be a asked where a sentence should be placed in a paragraph, and you’ll be asked where a paragraph should be placed in a passage. Basically, you need to remember that each sentence should logically connect to the sentence that follows, and each paragraph should logically transition to the next one. Owen Moore/Flickr Key Tips to Help You Correctly Answer SAT Writing/ACT English Questions Here are some important tips that will help you eliminate wrong answer choices and improve your score. Read the Whole Sentence This tip is extremely important for the SAT Writing and ACT English section. Most questions will ask you how to change the underlined portion of a sentence. Don’t just read the underlined portion. You need to read the entire sentence. For some questions, like transition questions and verb tense questions, you often need to read the surrounding sentences as well. If Two Answer Choices Are Functionally the Same, Both Are Wrong If two errors are functionally identical, both must be wrong. You may see this on redundancy, punctuation, or transition questions. Here’s a transition question from SAT Writing to illustrate this point. This is a transition question. You need to read both sentences to determine the relationship between them and select the correct transition to use. In looking at the answer choices, C and D are functionally identical. They can be used interchangeably; therefore, both answer choices must be wrong. Now, you only have to choose between A and B. Because the second sentence is illustrating the opinion expressed in the first sentence, the correct answer is A. â€Å"However† is used to indicate contrast. Don’t Fear No Change Some students think the NO CHANGE option can’t be right, but sometimes NO CHANGE will be the correct answer. In fact, on ACT English, NO CHANGE tends to be more common than expected if all the answer choices were distributed evenly. If a sentence doesn’t seem to contain an error, look at the differences between the answer choices to determine what concept is being tested. Then, look at the original sentence to ensure that there is no error pertaining to that concept or rule. Review: Key Takeaways To sum up the important points I've previously mentioned, here are the most essential things to remember on your quest to get a wonderful SAT Writing/ACT English score You Can Do It! This is the most important thing to remember. Even if you're a math/science person, you're capable of doing exceptionally well on the SAT Writing/ACT English section if you're diligent in your preparation. Grammar Can Be Your Friend There's no reason to think you have to be a professional grammarian to get a top score. While some of the grammar questions can be challenging, most of them apply to rules that can be learned fairly quickly with proper studying and practice. Targeted Practice Will Lead You to Your Target Score If you study and understand each type of question from real ACTS and the official practice SATs, you'll do well on test day. Again, make sure you're familiar with all the differenct concepts that are tested on SAT Writing/ACT English, and know the proper steps to take to correctly answer each type of question. Review our SAT Writing and ACT English articles for content instruction, example questions, and strategies. What's Next? If you're feeling very confident and want to strive for perfection, find out how to get perfect scores on ACT English and SAT Writing. Also, learn 8 crucial ACT English tips and 5 tips for SAT Writing. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online prep programs. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more or your ACT score by at leat 4 points. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Pope Julius II Biography

Pope Julius II Biography Pope Julius II was also known as Giuliano della Rovere. He also became known  as the warrior pope and  il papa terribile. Pope Julius II was known for sponsoring some of the greatest artwork of the Italian Renaissance, including the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Julius  became one of the most powerful rulers of his time, and he was more concerned with political matters than theological ones. He  was enormously successful in keeping Italy together politically and militarily.   Important Dates Born: Dec. 5, 1443Elected Pope: Sept. 22, 1503Crowned: Nov. 28, 1503Died: Feb. 21, 1513 About Pope Julius II Julius was born Giuliano della Rovere. His father Rafaello was from an impoverished but probably noble family. Rafaellos brother Francesco was a learned Franciscan scholar, who was made a cardinal in 1467. In 1468, Giuliano followed his uncle Francesco into the Franciscan order. In 1471, when Francesco became Pope Sixtus IV, he made his 27-year-old nephew a cardinal. Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere Giuliano showed no true interest in spiritual matters, but he enjoyed considerable income from three Italian bishoprics, six French bishoprics, and many abbeys and benefices bestowed on him by his uncle. He used much of his considerable wealth and influence to patronize artists of the day. He also became involved in the political side of the Church, and in 1480 he was made legate to France, where he acquitted himself well. As a result he built up influence among the clergy, particularly the College of Cardinals, although he also had rivals... including his cousin, Pietro Riario, and future pope Rodrigo Borgia. The worldly cardinal may have had several illegitimate children, although only one is known for certain: Felice della Rovera, born sometime around 1483. Giuliano openly (though discreetly) acknowledged and provided for Felice and her mother, Lucrezia.   When Sixtus died in 1484 he was followed by Innocent VIII; after Innocents death in 1492, Rodrigo Borgia became Pope Alexander VI. Giuliano had been considered favored to follow Innocent, and the pope may have seen him as a dangerous enemy because of it; in any case, he hatched a plot to assassinate the cardinal, and Giuliano was forced to flee to France. There he allied with King Charles VIII and accompanied him on an expedition against Naples, hoping that the king would depose Alexander in the process. When this failed, Giuliano stayed on in the French court. When Charles successor Louis XII invaded Italy in 1502, Giuliano went with him, avoiding two attempts by the pope to seize him. Giuliano finally returned to Rome when Alexander VI died in 1502. The Borgia pope was followed by Pius III, who lived only a month after taking the chair. With the help of some judicious simony, Giuliano was elected to succeed Pius on September 22, 1502. The first thing the new Pope Julius II did was to decree that any future papal election that had anything to do with simony would be invalid. The pontificate of Julius II would be characterized by his involvement in military and political expansion of the Church as well as his patronage of the arts. The Political Work of Pope Julius II As pope, Julius gave the highest priority to the restoration of the Papal States. Under the Borgias, the Church lands had been notably diminished, and after the death of Alexander VI, Venice had appropriated large portions of it. In the fall of 1508, Julius conquered Bologna and Perugia; then, in the spring of 1509, he joined the League of Cambrai, an alliance among Louis XII of France, Emperor Maximilian I, and Ferdinand II of Spain against the Venetians. In May, troops of the league defeated Venice, and the Papal States were restored. Now Julius sought to drive the French from Italy, but in this he was less successful. During the war, which lasted from autumn of 1510 to spring of 1511, some of the cardinals went over to the French and called a council of their own. In response, Julius forged an alliance with Venice and Ferdinand II of Spain and Naples, then called the fifth Lateran Council which condemned the actions of the rebellious cardinals. In April of 1512, the French defeated alliance troops at Ravenna, but when Swiss troops were sent to northern Italy to help the pope, the territories revolted against their French occupiers. Louis XIIs troops left Italy, and the Papal States were increased by the addition of Piacenza and Parma. Julius may have been more concerned with the recovery and expansion of papal territory, but in the process he helped forge an Italian national consciousness. Pope Julius IIs Sponsorship of the Arts Julius wasnt a particularly spiritual man, but he was very interested in the aggrandizement of the papacy and the Church at large. In this, his interest in the arts would play an integral role. He had a vision and a plan to renew the city of Rome and make everything associated with the Church splendid and awe-inspiring. The art-loving pope sponsored the construction of many fine buildings in Rome and encouraged the inclusion of new art in several notable churches. His work on antiquities in the Vatican Museum made it the greatest collection in Europe and he decided to build a new basilica of St. Peter, the foundation stone of which was laid in April of 1506. Julius also developed strong relationships with some of the foremost artists of the day, including Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo, all of whom executed multiple works for the demanding pontiff.   Pope Julius II appears to have been more interested in the status of the papacy than his own personal fame; nevertheless, his name will be forever linked with some of the most remarkable artistic works of the 16th century. Although Michelangelo completed a tomb for Julius, the pope was instead interred in St. Peters near his uncle, Sixtus IV. More Pope Julius II Resources: Julius II: The Warrior Popeby Christine ShawVisit merchantMichelangelo and the Popes Ceilingby Ross KingLives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul IIby Richard P. McBrienChronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy over 2000 Yearsby P. G. Maxwell-Stuart

Short essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Short essays - Essay Example The group has independent variable, which is tested against observed changes. Control group separates the group from the experiment; independent variable in this group has no effect over results. 1. The position the author take in this article is the characteristic of Tom DeLay. The article illustrates that the un-Texan politician is usually mean. This implies that he has some weaknesses as a politician in the Texas polls. 2. The author illustrates that Tom DeLay, the former Congressman and also Texan Republican, uses unique political tactics in Texas. He is a well intentioned politician, who has agreeable political weaknesses. For instance, he is genuinely feared and hated in Washington. 3. The rhetorical devices used in this article aims at conveying a meaning, with the purpose of persuading opinion. The author illustrates that Tom DeLay is hated and feared by other Washington politicians, because he is mean and has foolish behaviors. 1. The premise employed by the author illustrates commitment to political doctrines. Political debates continuously happen, because void political opinions. If a political belief is proved to be true, individuals must be intolerant to the other beliefs. 2. The article concludes that the political positions generate rewards through fixing social problems. Individuals who have different opinions are instrumental in determining the rightness of a given political issue. In the illustration, the presumed cause is the previous incarnation, while presumed effect is blue eyes. This example illustrates an example that is not easily tested. This is because previous incarnation details are vague and void. There is an appropriate way of testing the blue eyes situation. This is through a laboratory experiment (Born,

Canadian Aboriginal Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Canadian Aboriginal Law - Essay Example This assists in managing and bonding the interaction between the government and the aboriginals. The aboriginal law was adopted from several sources of legislation since Section 91 (24) of the 1867 Constitution Act gives federal parliament the powers to legislate on matters affecting or relating to the Indians and their reserved land. Such mandate has led to enactment of various legislations including Indian Oil and Gas Act, Indian Act, and First Nations Land Management Act among others as discussed by Elkins (1999 p23). However, there had been a breakdown of the rule of law for Aboriginal people as this paper discusses. The study also describes how breaking the laws affect the Aboriginal people and the involved stakeholders such as the governmental agents. The study points out various aspects of the breakdown of the rule of law and government defiance in respect to aboriginals. The first aspect is the way the Aboriginal people are colonized internally in Canada through processes of cultural suppressions, breaching the trust and promises, legislative, dispossession, and public discriminations. The Aboriginals have no freedom of dispossessing their traditional resources and land in Canada. There had been forced relocations and taking of First Nations’ land and resources that increase the dispossession cases from indigenous people. There has also enforcement and enactment of other policies, laws, and practices perceived to weaken the Aboriginal societies and economies, forcing the people to be assimilated into Canadian mainstreams. The Aboriginal Law reinforces the approach of colonialism by ignoring the fundamental rights of the aboriginal people, especially the rights treaty (Hogg p.631). The Canadian Constitution ironically, recognizes such legislations. Moreover, the federal government of Canada continues to strengthen and maintain the domination of Indian Act by adopting legislations that affect the Aboriginals’ human rights of determining and governing their own political future. The federal government also breaks the law by refusing to fairly, promptly, and equal address several cases of private or governmental theft of Aboriginal’s reserved land and resources. This undermines the rule of law and hinders the aboriginal people from getting their justice. Another aspect is the dishonor of treaties between the government and the Aboriginal people. The treaties gives a fundamental framework for the First Nation people to govern themselves and their cultural diversities be respected by all stakeholders in the country. Unfortunately, the dishonor by the federal government of the treaties means the infringement of law and order. This gives the government an opportunity to oppress the aboriginals, especially discriminating them from better public service deliveries. This results to poor governmental services to the society such as health, water, poor infrastructures, and food safety among other services. Study reveals th at among the diseases such as Tuberculosis are commonly affecting the Aboriginal societies, as compared to un-Aboriginals in Canada. Other diseases such as diabetes were uncommon to the Aboriginal society, but it is currently affecting them at the highest rate as compared to the rest societies in the world (Coon, 2003). This is because the government discriminate them from the medical services such as insurance care system. The life expectancy of Aboriginal people is six years lower than the non-Aboriginal Canadians. This

Corn Essay Example for Free

Corn Essay Demand for Corn If the demand for corn increases due to its use as an alternative energy source, the supply of corn substitute like soybean would decrease. This would happen because as the demand of corn rises, the price of corn would rise. Therefore the producers of a substitute like soybean would start producing corn instead of the soybean considering that they both have the same farmland. The producers of soybean will expect to make more profit by selling corn at a higher price assuming the cost of production remains the same. Therefore the quantity supplied of substitute such as soybean would reduce. Price of Corn The price increase of corn would lead to an increase in the price of corn oil. Corn will act as a high raw material cost in producing corn oil. Moreover as the demand for corn is to be used in the production of alternate energy rises, the total quantity supplied for production of corn oil would decrease initially whereas the quantity demanded for corn will remain the same and hence the price of corn will rise which ultimately cause the price of corn oil to rise. Price of Elasticity The price elasticity of demand for corn oil will eventually lead to a decrease in demand for corn oil and hence as the demand decreases, sales will drop and total revenue earned by sellers of corn will decline. In the market there are many available substitutes for a product like Corn oil. Corn oil is not a necessity for life and can be substituted with other related products. In this case soybean oil would be a close substitute for corn oil. Hence as with the price elasticity of demand, increase in price of the corn oil would lead to decrease in demand of the corn oil as the consumers will switch from high priced corn oil to the cheaper substitute soybean oil. In effect with the decrease in demand of corn oil the sales would fall leading to a decrease in the Total revenue earned by the sellers of corn oil.

Kubla Kahn :: Author, Literary Analysis

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem â€Å"Kubla Kahn† is an example of imaginative poetry due to an opium addiction. This poem creates its own kingdom and paradise while Colridge expresses his ideas of Heaven and Hell through his own drug induced thoughts and opinions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coleridge paints the picture of a kingdom, Xanadu, and the surrounding scenery is described with a heavenly, dreamlike vividness that can only result from smoking a little too much opium. This kingdom has a â€Å"pleasure dome† that was created by Kubla Kahn. The paradise-like kingdom consists of ten miles of â€Å"fertile ground† and is surrounded by walls that are securely â€Å"girdled† around the property. The gardens are â€Å"blossoming with many an incense baring tree† and are watered by a wandering stream. There is a river, and it gives life to Kubla Kahn’s creations and runs â€Å"through caverns measureless to man.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The landscape is described in an interesting fashion with contrasting adjectives. It is described as â€Å"savage,† but it is â€Å"holy† and â€Å"enchanted.† The enchantment is compared to a â€Å"woman wailing for her demon lover.† This image of sexuality leaves the impression that the Earth is anxiously mourning for a fulfillment of evil. The chasem below Kubla Kahn’s paradise â€Å"pleasure dome† is beset with â€Å"ceaseless turmoil† and chaos. It is described as â€Å"breathing in fast pants† and there is a powerful eruption, resulting in rock fragments bursting out and being flung from the river. The same river that sustained life for the â€Å"pleasure dome† floods the land. Additional to the noises of the chaos are â€Å"ancestral voiced prophesying war† and these voices of war are a reminder that the

Mrs.Fields Cookie Case

Zann Johnson Mrs. Fields’ Cookies Case 1. Would you describe Mrs. Fields’ Cookies as more of a functional hierarchy structured along traditional functional lines or more of an IT-enabled network consisting of tailored business processes? I believe that Mrs. Fields’ Cookies started out as traditional, but evolved into an IT-enabled networked that consisted of tailored business processes. Randy definitely had a vision for the company and made sure that what we desired came to life. It also allowed Debbie to maintain a closeness to her stores by being aware of what was going on at each location and having contact with the managers.Therefore, she could feel as if she was there, even when she wasn’t. 2. What role does IT play in the Mrs. Fields’ organizational structure? IT plays a major role in Mrs. Field’s organizational structure. IT allowed the DSM to not only have a closeness with the owner, but it allowed the company to function under a corp orate standard. They can send/receive electronic mail, given a daily schedule (day planner), schedule labor, offer skills tests to employees for raises, assist with interviewing process, have a time clock 3. What challenges does Mrs. Fields Cookies face in the next five years?The next 5 years challenges would be the need for more speed and the internet. New servers would be needed to meet the demand for faster uploading and downloading times. A better backup system and robust security to prevent hacking and viruses should also be considered. A website will be needed to let everyone know of all locations and what items are sold at all locations. This site can also alert customers of specials sale items. How well positioned is the company to meet these challenges? This company is well positioned to meet these challenges.This company already has a mindset to constantly improve using MIS,. They are well aware that their technological advances contributed to growth and better decision-ma king. They next thing would be implementation, which Randy has a drive to see through. The company is already networked. The servers and personal computers at the stores need to be upgraded with faster processors and better operating systems. The company have programmers that could either create upgraded applications and the website or lead in deciding a third-party in creating them. . What advice would you have given Debbi and Randy Fields in 1988? I would’ve advised them to franchise but with very strict rules and controlled rules and guidelines for their franchisees. I would also advise them to seek more acquisitions to expand their portfolio. I would also have advised them to research their competition and seek any ways to stay a step ahead. Also, they should have contingency plans in place for potential emergency situations and potential recessions.

Annotated Bibliography Essay

In hospitals, especially emergency rooms and intensive care units, nurses encounter many critically ill patients. â€Å"One-fifth of the patients cared for by critical care nurses die in the intensive care unit† (Browning, 144), when these patients are nearing the end of their lives there are many decisions that need to be made by the patient if they are able and their family. Healthcare workers are put under tremendous amounts of stress in these situations, especially when they disagree with what the current code status of their patient. According to Rosenburg, the â€Å"current ethical codes provide guidance for supporting autonomy and for information sharing among clinicians, patients, and their family members† (83). This means that the patients and their families should be fully informed on all aspects of the care they are currently receiving and what measures and to what extent these measures would be taken to save them if they were to quit breathing or if their he art was to stop. Most of the time patients and families do not understand the interventions used in these situations, they think what they see on television is an accurate representation; however when they are educated they are able to make the right decision for themselves. Santiago describes the dilemma that occurs when healthcare workers and those that are making decisions for the patient â€Å"disagree over the benefit and value of the continuation of â€Å"aggressive† medical interventions† (27). When they feel as if they are unable to appropriately advocate for their highest risk patients, â€Å"clinicians may experience tremendous anguish and torment, which can lead to compassion fatigue and moral distress† (27). It is easy for us as nurses to take this distress that Santiago describes home with us and this can cause distress in our personal lives. Ideally the patient will have their wishes known about their code status and end of life care before they are in a situation w here they are unable to voice their opinions. Some doctors may give narcotic pain medications or other medications to keep patients comfortable in their last hours. â€Å"Although the APA neither endorses nor opposes assisted suicide, they encourage psychologists to take active roles in both clinical practice and research involving end-of-life issues and in providing competent, culturally sensitive care to the dying and their families† (Rosenburg, 80). Dilemmas of this nature may be handled in many different ways; some may go before the ethics committee if a decision cannot be reached or if the nurse and the doctors do not agree on the course of action. The purpose of the ethics committee is â€Å"case discussion and consultation, policy review and development, and other appropriate interventions, and focuses on considerate and respectful decision-making that accords with fundamental precepts of health care ethics and human rights† (UNC Health Care, 2013). The committee may meet at the request of the family or employee, many by an anonymous telephone call. Technology has brought healthcare to new higher standards than it has been held to in the past. This improvement has â€Å"brought with it the promise of more efficient treatment techniques, extending life inappropriately and futile prolonging of patients’ suffering have become commonplace for critical care nurses caring for dying patients† (Browning. 144). Seeing these patients sustained longer than the nurse feels is ethically responsible may cause a large amount of turmoil in his or her personal life, the profession of nursing is one that requires much of you. Nurses are there for their patients in ways that sometimes the families are unable. The patient’s right to choose is a major player in the ethical debate about end of life care. According to Rosenburg the patient has the right to accept or decline any or all treatment, also Rosenburg says that â€Å"in addition to upholding patient’s dignity and relieving suffering, (clinicians) join their health care colleagues in ensuring that patients receive support for their autonomous decision making throughout care, and particularly in the context of their death† (78). The patient or family may choose no intubation, no Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or may decide to sign an order of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) as their nurse we should provide education and answer any questions they may have. â€Å"Moral distress occurs when nurses are unable to perform according to what they believe to be ethically correct† (Browning, 144). Often times as the patient’s advocate the nurse feels that he or she may know what’s best or what the patient would want. By being at the bedside of many patients’ in similar situations nurses see what th e patients are put through during life sustaining acts. Sometimes these acts are more traumatic than the illness that brought the patient into the hospital; many times in the emergency room this writer has heard nurses say, things like â€Å"we’re not doing them any favors.† This saying is normally when uttered when CPR is in progress or has brought back a patient that has a poor prognosis. Ethics is something that we encounter on a daily basis in much of our decision making especially with these critical patients, even outside the hospital in everyday lives ethics are in play. When it comes to decision about end of life care, it is best for the patient to make their own decisions but if that is not possible the family needs to be educated about all aspects of the processes and in terms that they are able to understand. End of life care is a very sensitive subject that should be approached with honesty while providing the patient with the utmost dignity. References Browning, A. M. (2013). MORAL DISTRESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT IN CRITICAL CARE NURSES CARING FOR ADULTS AT END OF LIFE. American Journal Of Critical Care, 22(2), 143-152. Rosenberg, T., & Speice, J. (2013). Integrating care when the end is near: Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care. Families, Systems & Health: The Journal Of Collaborative Family Healthcare, 31(1), 75-83. doi:10.1037/a0031850 Santiago, C., & Abdool, S. (2011). Conversations about challenging end-of-life cases: ethics debriefing in the medical surgical intensive care unit. Dynamics, 22(4), 26-30. UNC Health Care. (n.d.). UNC Health Care. Retrieved June 23, 2013, from http://www.unchealthcare.org

The 11 Best Architecture Schools for Undergrads

The 11 Best Architecture Schools for Undergrads SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you love studying buildings and dream of spending your career designing them? If so, you’re probably wondering where to get the best architecture education. Figuring out which architecture schools are best can be difficult, but we’ve done the hard work and compiled a list of the 11 best undergraduate architecture schools in the United States. Each of these best schools for architecture has a description that explains what makes it an excellent program, and we also include a list of questions to ask yourself to help you decide which is the best architecture school for you. What Is an Architecture School? Why Would You Want to Attend One? For this article, we defined an architecture school as one that offered a Bachelor of Architecture degree (B.Arch), which is the minimum degree required to become an architect. However, there are actually several different architecture degrees, though you will need either a Bachelor or Master of Architecture to work as an architect. The minimum degree to work as an architect is a Bachelor of Architecture. These programs are usually five years (rather than the four years it takes to earn most other undergrad degrees), and by the end of it you’ll have the coursework and experience you need to pass the Architecture Registration Exam and begin work as an architect. Architecture majors learn about architectural theory, construction methodology, drafting, and structural design, among other topics. Some schools also offer Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in Architecture. These four-year programs also teach you about the basics of architecture, but, on their own, they don’t provide enough coursework or work experience for you to begin working as an architect. Some students get these degrees because they want more of a liberal arts education for undergrad, because they want to work in the architecture field but not as an architect, or because they couldn’t get into a Bachelor of Architecture program but want to be well-prepared for a Master of Architecture degree. If you don’t have a Bachelor of Architecture, another way to become an architect is to get a Master of Architecture degree. Master of Architecture programs typically take one to three years, depending on how much background you have in architecture. How Did We Come Up With This List of the Best Schools for Architecture? You should never treat any list of school rankings- including this one- as an absolute truth. Instead, you can use lists as a starting point to learn about schools you may potentially be interested in. To create our ranking of the best schools for architecture, we took four factors into consideration: Resources for Architecture Students:There’s been a lot of innovation in architecture and architectural tools in the past few years, so we gave extra points to schools that kept pace with the current technology and gave students access to cutting-edge architecture programs and resources. Class Options:There are certain core classes every architecture student needs to take, but the best schools provide a wide range of courses beyond these so you have the ability to focus on areas that are of most interest to you. Hands-On Opportunities:Not only is having professional experience under your belt before you graduate a huge boost when you start applying for jobs, it’s required for you to pass your licensing exam. The best schools make it easy for you to get the experience you need, whether that’s requiring an internship as part of the coursework, providing networking opportunities to help you find jobs, and/or including hands-on components in their coursework. Alumni/Prestige:This is a more subjective factor, but a school that is known for having an outstanding architecture program and producing well-known alumni can make it easier for you to get a job after you graduate. The 11 Best Architecture Schools for Undergraduates Here’s our list of the 11 best architecture schools in the US for undergrads. Exact ranking is always a bit subjective, so look at this list as more of a trend from the very best colleges with architecture majors to those that are still really good, rather than trying to figure out why #2 is ranked higher than #3. All of these programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. #1: Cornell University Cornell’s architecture program is one of the oldest in the United States, which means it has a large network of alumni and research that students can make use of. Well-known architects who graduated from Cornell include Richard Meier (who designed the Getty Center in Los Angeles) and Peter Eisenman (who founded the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York City). Academically, Cornell's architecture students follow the same core architecture curriculum for the first three years, which gives students the comprehensive knowledgethey need while still allowing students to take elective courses from across the university.In their final two years, students concentrate on one of five areas of study, which include:Architecture, Culture, and Society; Architectural Science and Technology; History of Architecture; Architectural Analysis; and Visual Representation in Architecture. The architecture program at Cornell gives students the chance to work and/or study in the program’s NYC and Rome locations in addition to the school’s main campus in Ithaca, New York. Because of the architecture program’s reputation as a top school, students graduating from the program are often in high demand, especially for jobs in New York City, where the school has numerous connections. #2: Rice University Rice is well-known for its top-notch architecture programs, and with a studentto faculty ratio of 5:1, you’re guaranteed personal attention during your studies.Architecture undergrads at Rice enroll in a six-year program. The first four years are spent getting a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree. This is a liberal arts degree, and it gives you the opportunity to take classes in a variety of subjects during your first four years. This is great if you want to combine your architecture study with another area, and Rice encourages this with a lot of interdisciplinary study. The architecture school works closely with many other schools and departments at Rice, including business, engineering, and environmental science. After four years, you’ll spend another two years studying exclusively architecture, at the end of which you’ll receive a second degree, a Bachelor of Architecture, which allows you to work as an architect. Students spend one year of this program as paid employees at architecture firms around the world, which is a fantastic way to get experience and make professional connections. #3: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Cal Poly’s Architecture Department has multipleprograms in architecture, so you can focus on a specific area of interest to you. Its architecture department is one of the biggest in the country, and about one in twenty architects in the US (and one in five in California) graduated from Cal Poly, which means there are tons of alumni connections to be had. That's especially useful because Cal Poly offers a co-operative learning option for sophomore, junior, and senior students that allows them to earn course credit while working a paid job in an architecture-related field! Additionally, Cal Poly offersstudents the option to spend part of a year studying in Europe, Asia, or other cities in the United States. #4: Syracuse University Syracusewas the first school in the country to offer a bachelor of architecture degree, and since then it has established itself as a top architecture school. Due to its reputation, Syracuse's School of Architectureis able to get many well-known architects to give lectures at the school in addition to classes taught by its exemplary faculty. Although located in upstate New York, the School of Architecture has several working and teaching spaces in New York City for students to study the architecture of America’s largest city. There’s also a strong study abroad program, and most students spend at least a semester studying at Syracuse’s centers in Florence or London. #5: University of Notre Dame Notre Dame’s School of Architecture emphasizes both classical architecture and urbanism. Furthermore, all architecture students are required to participate in the school’s Rome Studies Program in Rome where undergrads spend a year learning about classical architecture. In fact, Notre Dame is the only school in the United States to require architecture students to spend part of the program abroad which ensures all students have a more global understanding of architecture. Furthermore, Notre Dame's architecture programs are known for their commitment to fundamentals, so much so thatcomputer-based modeling isn't introduced until students' fourth year of study!That's not to say that the program is stuck in the past. Notre Dame’s architecture school also emphasizes designing new buildings that are sustainable, long-lasting, and contribute to the livability of an area. #6: Virginia Tech Virginia Tech's College of Architecture and Urban Studies is one of the largest architecture schools in the United States. The architecture and urban studies program has over 2,000 students and offers 13 bachelors degrees, including a B.Arch. The school's main campus is in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it also has additional campuses in Alexandria, Virginia, and Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. In their fourth year, B.Arch students have opportunities for off-campus study (which can include classes, internships, or a combination of the two), and the fifth year is spent doing an independentdesign investigation which serves as the basis of the undergrad thesis. st #7: Rhode Island School of Design RISD is widely regarded as one of the top design schools in the world, and its architecture program is similarly well regarded. The school approaches architecture from a unique perspective, too. Because the Rhode Island School of Design is an internationally-renowned fine arts and design school, the architecture department combines avisual and humanities-based education with itsprofessional curriculum.This allows students to approach complex architectural problems with a fresh perspective, and graduates from RISD are well known for their creative problem-solving approaches. #8: Pratt Institute The Pratt Instituteputs a unique stamp on the Bachelor of Architecture degree through its commitment to exploring technological frontiers. Additionally, Pratt offersa variety of courses for concentrated study. It's most unique offering is its Morphology concentration, which studies form through a combination of mathematics,computation, fabrication, construction, and emerging technologies.(How cool is that?) The Pratt Institute prides itself on combining imagination with anethical approach to architecture that creates a new generation of culturally aware, socially responsible architects. #9: University of Texas at Austin The School of Architecture at UT Austin has a large number of resources available for students. These include the Center for Sustainable Development, which studies the environment, economics, and social issues to better design buildings that are both aestheticallypleasing and also have a positive impact on the environment and social equality. There's also libraries, archives, conservation labs, and research spaces on campus for architecture students to use. UT Austin's School of Architecture encourages international experiences, and they offer scholarships for some of the many study abroad programs architecture students can participate in. These range from studying pre-Columbian buildings in Mexico to touring modern infrastructure in Europe. Students must also complete a six-month professional residency to gain work experience before they graduate. #10: University of Southern California Students at USC's School of Architecturehave access to an entire 50,000 square feet of workspace, including classrooms, research spaces, galleries, labs, workshops, and design studios. Every architecture student at USC also has 24/7 access to their own personal workstation where they can work on their projects whenever they want. Many famous architects have graduated from USC including Frank O. Gehry (whose work included the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao), Boris Dramov (who designed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial), and Paul Revere Williams (who designed the homes of numerous Hollywood celebrities). #11:Cooper Union Cooper Union has been training the nation's top architects for more than 150 years, so students can rest assured that they'll be getting a great education. Cooper Union does this through specializing in art, architecture, and engineering (much like the Rhode Island School of Design specializes in...well,design).Because they focus on a narrow set of interrelated disciplines, Cooper Union offers its students a rigorous, in-depth course of study that teaches architectureas a combination of technical skill, cultural awareness, artistry, and technological advancement. How to Choose the Best Architecture School for You Just because a school has a top-ranked architecture major doesn’t automatically mean it’s the best school for you. If you want to major in architecture, ask yourself the following your questions to ensure you’re applying to the best architecture schools for you. #1: Do They Have the Program You’re Interested In? As stated above, there are several different architecture degrees, and your first step when researching a school should be to make sure they have the one you’re interested in.If you want a Bachelor’s of Architecture so you can start working as an architect right after undergrad, a school that only offers a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture isn’t going to be the best choice for you, no matter how great its program is. #2: Does Their Focus or Specialty Match Yours? Some architecture programs have specialties in areas such as sustainable design, urban design, or classical architecture. They may also have more internship opportunities or alumni in certain cities. Your exact interests don’t absolutely need to match with those of the school you want to attend, but it can make your studies more interesting and tailored to what you want to learn. #3: What Hands-On Opportunities Do They Offer? The best architecture schools offer hands-on learning opportunities for students to really learn what architects do, and you should make sure the opportunities the school you’re interested in offer match with what you want to do. Some schools offer experience in big cities, some have international programs, some require a year-long internship to graduate. Think about what which options seem best to you, and make sure to choose a school that offers what you want. #4: How Do You Like the Rest of the School? Even though you’re an architecture major, you won’t be attending the architecture program in a bubble, so it’s important to learn about the rest of the school. Look into what the dorms are like, what clubs and organizations the school offers, and what things there are to do off-campus. Taking a tour of the school can also help you get a good idea of if the school is right for you. What's Next? What other factors go into choosing a college? If you’re wondering which college you should attend, check out this guide on how to choose! Will you be applying for financial aid? This comprehensive guide takes you through the FAFSA application process, step by step. Liked this list of schools? Check out some of our other best-of-specialty-school lists, including the best engineering schools, best video game design schools, best journalism schools, and best creative writing schools. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: