The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - Essay Example Elliot has used his poetic skill to create a complex character study. He also creates an image of the period with ladies in long skirts; tea rooms; smoke from chimneys; smoggy evenings; a man in a morning suit with a high collar cutting into his chin. To some extent though the poem reflects, not just the society of the time, but also Elliot’s own place in it and his rather pessimistic view of his own situation. In this essay the poem will be considered as to how it reflects his life. Poetry Genius (2014) describes it as being :- The lines at the beginning are taken from Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ and are spoken by one of the damned souls in hell, Count Guido da Montefeltro, who describes how nobody ever returns from this dead state. Prufrock in this poem may be walking and talking in an earthly city, but in some senses he too is one of the living dead, observing society, yet not quite part of it. Prufrock has a companion, a listener to whom he says (line1) ‘Let us go then, you and I.’ It is unclear whether or not this listener is a real companion, or just Prufrock talking to his inner self as an internal monologue in which he describes himself in both negative and positive terms as when he says :- So he sees himself as a lesser figure, an attendant upon society, an extra in a film set perhaps, but with a role nevertheless. He then acts this out, by moving only on the very edges of society, in this case at the head of the stairs, rather in the room with the women talking about Michelangelo. They are interested in a great and admired artist, so why should women even notice him? Even the soot from the many chimneys falls upon him, making him even more invisible (line 19). The original title for the poem was ’Prufrock among the women’ (Cummings, undated). He isn’t interacting with them, and seems totally unable to. He is just there at the same time. Time seems to have stood still for him,

Visualize Poetry Essay Example for Free

Visualize Poetry Essay Through the ages of poetry, many poets have been making images with the expressions that they use to become leaders in creating the art of language. Several authors of the poems that we study daily use personification to make animals and objects do things that people do everyday to give the poem a twist. Poets also use imagery to give their readers a good portrait of what they are trying to describe. â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† by May Swenson and â€Å"Once by the Ocean† by Robert Frost include these two terms. These poems, â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† and â€Å"Once by the Ocean† are similar to each other in certain poetic descriptions, but they also have some that are unlike. One way these two poems are similar to each other is where the author uses many choices of poetic terms to get his audience’s attention. First, personification is found abundantly throughout each poem. For example, Swenson’s poem uses the personification like â€Å"Their feet are round and roll† (7) and â€Å"They have four eyes. The two in the back are red† (11, 12). As well in the Frost’s poem includes personification such as â€Å"The clouds were low and hairy in the skies† (5) and â€Å"Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes† (6). Those descriptions are very interesting and grab the reader’s attention. In addition to personification in these poems, there is imagery in â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† and â€Å"Once by the Pacific† also. Swenson uses imagery such as â€Å"They have four eyes. The two in the back are red† (11, 12) and â€Å"Sometimes you can see a five-eyed one with a red eye turning on the top of his head† (13). Frost also uses imagery like â€Å"Great waves looked over others coming in† (2). As you see these poems are both similar by both using figurative language. Next, a second similarity in these poems is how they chose to write these with patterns. First, alliteration is a key term they used in writing these poems. In â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway†, Swenson use alliteration such as â€Å"Those soft shapes, shadowy inside the hard bodies† (23). In â€Å"Once by the Pacific†, Frost uses it in â€Å"The shore was lucky being backed by cliff, the cliff in being backed by continent† (8, 9). Secondly, assonance is another pattern similarity between these great poems. In â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway†, Swenson uses assonance in the following line â€Å"Sometimes you can see a five-eyed one, with a red eye turning† (13). In â€Å"Once by the Pacific†, Frost uses assonance in the following â€Å"Great waves over others coming in† (2). As you see in both of these poems, the epic poets used a great amount of sound patterns. While these poems both have many similarities, they also have a couple of differences hidden beneath them. First, the rhyme scheme is unlike each other. In Swenson’s poem, there is not any rhyme scheme included, but in Frost’s poem, the rhyme scheme is very noticeable and catchy. These are the first three rhymes. â€Å"The shattered water made a misty din. Great waves looked over others coming in, and thought of doing something to the shore That water never did to land before. The clouds were low and hairy in the skies, Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes† (1-6). The second difference is how the speaker’s tone is different. In â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway†, the author’s tone is slow and somewhat careless. In â€Å"Once by the Pacific†, Swenson’s tone is intense and fierce that keeps that readers attention. This shows how Swenson’s poem keeps the author’s attention longer. In these ways, â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† and â€Å"Once by the Ocean† are very diverse. In conclusion, these poems, â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† and â€Å"Once by the Ocean† are similar to each other in certain poetic descriptions, but they still have some terms that are unlike. After studying these two poems, it is far easier to find the poetic terms. In the future, readers of these poems should be ready for finding multiple poetic terms and differences of â€Å"Southbound on the Freeway† and â€Å"Once by the Ocean†.

Child Abuse and Recovered Memories :: Child Abuse and Traumatic Amnesia

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past there was a vast gray area between the time and the substance of an alleged childhood sexual abuse and the subsequent recollection of that abuse. With the intense focus by psychiatric community and the criminal justice system to ascertain the truth, the grey lines are becoming more black and white. With the reliance more on scientific methodology and better methods of achieving memory recall there is less reason for jurors to question whether abuse occurred or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traumatic amnesia is a documented, verifiable syndrome. The numerous studies that have been seen made , some concurrent with the sexual abuse, others come from memory recall of the abused are statistically reliable and evidentiary of the facts. Sexual abuse creates trauma that is impossible to duplicate in a laboratory setting because the emotional responses that are experienced by the abused are far more complex than anything that can be stimulated artificially. Our better understanding of memory and how it works is really new paradigms for differentiating traumatic ,memory recall from false memory (implanted ideas that are subsequently â€Å"recalled.†In the article by Ann Cossins (recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse- fact or fantasy?), Cossins builds an excellent foundation for the acceptance of memory recall to validate the existence of abuse while rejecting the proponents of FMS, as potentially unscientific and basing their â€Å"truths† to be the subjective judgements of the accused. To adhere to a belief that recalled memory of sexual abuse is not reliable. We know empirically that this is not true. To return to our question of the reliability of recovered memory from childhood, I would have to conclude that the recovered memory is reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The recent cases in our criminal justice system dealing with the abuse by Catholic priests of young boys have been successfully prosecuted because of our belief as a society that if it walks like a duck , talks like a duck, the chances are, it’s a duck. In the past, such abuse might never have come to light because of our predisposition to believe that a priest was not capable of such behavior. Child Abuse and Recovered Memories :: Child Abuse and Traumatic Amnesia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past there was a vast gray area between the time and the substance of an alleged childhood sexual abuse and the subsequent recollection of that abuse. With the intense focus by psychiatric community and the criminal justice system to ascertain the truth, the grey lines are becoming more black and white. With the reliance more on scientific methodology and better methods of achieving memory recall there is less reason for jurors to question whether abuse occurred or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traumatic amnesia is a documented, verifiable syndrome. The numerous studies that have been seen made , some concurrent with the sexual abuse, others come from memory recall of the abused are statistically reliable and evidentiary of the facts. Sexual abuse creates trauma that is impossible to duplicate in a laboratory setting because the emotional responses that are experienced by the abused are far more complex than anything that can be stimulated artificially. Our better understanding of memory and how it works is really new paradigms for differentiating traumatic ,memory recall from false memory (implanted ideas that are subsequently â€Å"recalled.†In the article by Ann Cossins (recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse- fact or fantasy?), Cossins builds an excellent foundation for the acceptance of memory recall to validate the existence of abuse while rejecting the proponents of FMS, as potentially unscientific and basing their â€Å"truths† to be the subjective judgements of the accused. To adhere to a belief that recalled memory of sexual abuse is not reliable. We know empirically that this is not true. To return to our question of the reliability of recovered memory from childhood, I would have to conclude that the recovered memory is reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The recent cases in our criminal justice system dealing with the abuse by Catholic priests of young boys have been successfully prosecuted because of our belief as a society that if it walks like a duck , talks like a duck, the chances are, it’s a duck. In the past, such abuse might never have come to light because of our predisposition to believe that a priest was not capable of such behavior.

Problem Solving for Elementary School Math Teachers Essay

In every teaching discipline, a strategy is usually employed in working out a problem, and in mathematics, the problem-solving process is employed. Problem solving process is a series that is used to solve a problem instead of solving the problem through intuition or memory but by phases of analysis and at the same employs thinking and logic. In a mathematical perspective, there are four steps: understanding the problem, devising a plan, executing the plan and reflecting on the issue (Alfred, 2007, pp. 46). Usually the first step is looking for clues that form the basis of understanding the problem. Basics of the question are digested and the clue terms are analyzed and understood. This is through obtaining the facts that can help in solving the problem and previous knowledge on the question can be brought into use. The next step is devising a plan that will be employed in working out the solution to the problem. The game plan should be defined and trying to flash back whether such a problem as ever occurred. Strategies are developed that will help in solving the question and strategies like employing formulas and simplification are analyzed. At this, time the order and appropriate formulas that will be employed are checked. Strategies that have been developed are used to solve the problem. Each step is dealt with depending on the conditions of that question. In solving the problem, operators, number sentence and structure are employed. This is the third step that indicates how the mathematical problem is solved. The final part is checking the process or reflecting whether the right question is answered and the right style is employed. At this phase questions such as how the problem was solved, what strategy was employed and whether the right steps were followed comes into play. Solving any mathematical problem, there are certain numbers and operands / functions that can be applied. Natural numbers is common during counting and includes the countable numbers: 1, 2, 3 †¦ which leads to whole numbers when 0 is included: 0, 1, 2, 3. They then gives birth to integers that combine natural and whole numbers: -2, -1, 0, 1, 2. Rational numbers in most cases are the fractions that results due to dividing of integers (Kamala, 2004, pp. 18). Integer division results into decimal numbers that may be either repeating or terminating. Those numbers that are non-terminating decimals, non-repetitive are irrational and examples are the pi and sqrt 2. However, when numbers are expressed as a fraction of number in relation with 100 is termed as percentage. The percent sign (%) is usually employed. The combination of irrational numbers and integer numbers results in real numbers. This is real numbers because there are the complex numbers that are formed by imaginary numbers. To bring the different numbers together to solve a problem operands are employed. Some of the common operands are add, subtract, multiply and divide (James, 2003, pp. 124). Number theory deals with properties of integers and methods that are used to manipulate them. On the other hand, sets are used to define those distinct objects. When the sets are arranged in symbolic form and with the help of mathematical notation yields the number system. A mathematical teacher has to know the difference between numbers so that the teacher can easily manipulate any computation requirements. Differentiating between integers and complex numbers because of the introduction of function i in imaginary numbers will enable the understanding of space designs and structures. Teachers’ ability in understanding the different number system and the methods that can be used in solving the problems at the required phases: problem solving steps is important in developing the student logic and thinking capability. The aspect of mathematical operation ability and different number system has expanded personal knowledge in knowing that there are many and different numbers that can be worked on (James, 2003, pp. 124). The relation between this numbers is small e. g. , the difference between whole numbers and natural numbers is the introduction of zero. Additionally, the use of problem solving steps makes it easy to solve a problem and develop the logic that the students will have to apply in different mathematical computations. Mathematics is an important discipline that is usually employed in different fields. Its application to one field is the same to some extent when employed to another discipline. Problem solving understating is important so that the concept that is behind the computation should stay in the brain for a longer time. The four phases that is used in mathematical computation develops the logic and thinking. References Alfred, W. (2007). An Introduction to Mathematics. New York: Kessinger Publishing C. , pp. pp. 45 – 49 James, L. (2003). World Mathematical Operations. London: Cambridge University Press, pp. 123 – 127 Kamala, M. (2004). Introduction to Computational Mathematics. New York: Prentice Hall Publishing, pp. 16 – 19

Own role and responsiblities Essay

My role and responsibilities as a QCF assessor/ trainer for the Apprenticeship in Health Level 2 and 3 is to increase, or make communication easier among all learners, and encourage learners to discuss the topic chosen, assess various learning styles within the group and identify various teaching methods. Make sure that all learners have equal rights and safe learning environment where they are able to build a trusting and honest relationship. It is my responsibilities to keep updating myself with knowledge and developments within my area of specialisation. I regularly attend training workshops, courses including the CET. I follow my organisation’s code of conduct and constantly refer to its manual and update myself with legislations and policies. There are five stages in the learning cycle: Identifying Needs and Planning: My role is to initially assess the learners and find out their preferred learning style, using Fleming (2005) aural, visual and kinaesthetic definition in conjunction with Honey and Mumford (1992) learning style. I have taken in account any special needs and learners’ previous educational experience. I will plan the lessons in such a way that it reaches all the learners considering the needs of the organisation. Designing: My role is to take into consideration the length of the course and the number of sessions available and then plan and design the course in such a way that the syllabus is completed efficiently in the available time. I am responsible for designing different teaching methods to effectively deliver the course with the available resources and completing an assessment to make sure that message has reached all learners. Facilitating: I make sure that the course is adaptive and that the teaching methods and resources suited each lear ner’s needs. Make sure that there is equal teacher, learner involvement in each session, complete an assessment to test learners’ understanding and also to encourage them to clarify any  doubts regarding the session taught. Assessing: I assess the learners continuously throughout the teaching session, to make sure each learner gets involved and understands the lessons. Assessments can either a formal or an informal one which designed in a way that gives clear ideas of the learners’ understanding of the subject. I am responsible for the assessment to be valid and reliable, using the result to help the learner with any help needed to progress and improve their skills. Evaluating: All learners completed an evaluation form to find out the areas of strengths and weakness and I will the device methods to make the next session fruitful. Gravells (2011:7) explains â€Å"the teaching and learning cycle is so called as it starts at any stage and keep going.† However all stages must be addressed for teaching and learning to be effective. Within the organisation I work with internal and external providers such as: Skills for Health, Ofsted, City and Guilds, Professional teachers etc. which enable me t o fulfil my role as an assessor/ trainer. Questionnaire are given to learners which is used over the duration of the learning programme they are used during learners review to encourage them to feel safe in discussing any concerns they may have with the Safeguarding Team with the University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM) NHS Trust. According to Invest in Health (2012) safeguarding accredited centres should ensure that all learners / tutors / assessors are aware of trust policies / procedures and how to access these. As teachers we have a wide authority in the class for maximising teaching effectiveness and influencing a positive learning environment, but of course there are limits to how far we can go when performing our duties. There are boundaries and limitations. It may become apparent that a learner may be having problems in completing the course due to academic or personal problems, learners will then be referred to the appropriate person for example; if a learner whose writing is difficult to read or showing sign of having dyslexic would then be refer to the Dyslexia Assessment service for a screening with the learner’s consent. Councillors are available for learners with personal problems and learning support staffs are available for learners who need support with their English and Mathematics. As a trainer/assessor, I will never attempt to express or enforce my own beliefs whether religious or political. I will comply with my organisation’s rules and policies. In cases such as problems with mentally impaired learners, I may seek expert advice  or refer the learner to a specialist instead of dealing with a problem in person. References Fleming, N (2005) Teaching and learning style: VARK strategies. Honolulu: Honolulu community college. Gravells, A (2011) Prepare to teach in the lifelong sector. 4th ed. Exeter: learning matters ltd. Honey, P and Mumford, A (1992) The manual of learning style 3rd ed. Maiden Head: Peter Honey Associate. Invest in Health (2012) Funding guidance version 3.0

Analysis of Christian Boltanski and Roni Horn

Analysis of Christian Boltanski and Roni Horn Free Online Research Papers Christian Boltanski and Roni Horn are two contemporary artists who use photography as a means to an end. If asked Boltanski would probably shrug off the notion that he is a photographer let alone someone who even cares how a camera works. Horn would probably react the same way, insisting that she is more interested in drawing on paper than processing film. Never the less these two artist have used the medium of photography as a way to transcend their ideas of what it is to be human in a post modern age. Through the lens of the camera they question ideas of identity, memory, place, the present and the past. Although they share the same apathy towards photography, their perception of how the photographic images works as an object are completely different. Here, I will explore the similarities and difference between two specific bodies of work from the two artists: â€Å"Menshclick† from Boltanski and â€Å"You Are the Weather† from Horn. With the use of portraiture, these two projects look into the heart of humanity and find something dark and grim but also something tender and loving. Christian Boltanski no doubt draws his inspiration from his experiences as child. His father was Jewish of Ukrainian decent and his mother was from Corsica. He was born during WWII and he his family spent the better part of the war hiding from Nazis. Themes of childhood memory and death permeate most, if not all, of his works. He was once quoted as saying, â€Å"I began to work as an artist when I began to be an adult, when I understood that my childhood was finished, and was dead. I think we all have somebody who is dead inside of us. A dead child. I remember the Little Christian that is dead inside me. For Christian Boltanski every photograph is a little death. For him photography is a medium that undeniably ties together the acts of dieing and remembering. Like trying to preserve a butterfly under glass, it most first be killed in order for it last forever. Most would consider this kind of talk morbid and depressing, but this is the crux of Boltanski’s vision. He sees death as a form of enlightenment. For him, it is a way of putting our existence into perspective, a way of establishing our humanity and defining the only true common human experience. Death binds us and pulls us apart. In Boltanski’s installation entitled Menschlick (Humanity) 1995 , he explores the common traits in humans that go beyond skin colors, religions, or nationalities. His search is one of the human condition. In this piece Boltanski is looking for the common denominator in an ocean of numbers, and those numbers add up to about 1,300 photographs. This installation was composed of photographs from Boltanski’s extensive archive. All of them were acquired from newspaper obituaries, journals, magazines and other ephemeral sources. All of the images were also previously used in other installations. For example Menschlick is populated with dead people from Switzerland, which he used in an installation called ‘The Dead Swiss’. Boltanski chose the Swiss because he believes they are the embodiment of happiness and neutrality. For Boltanski they represented a kind of universality. For him, the Swiss are what everyone wants to become. But with that said the artist also included a wide array of ‘other’ people. Aside from including dead Swiss, Boltanski also incorporated Spanish killers, murderers, French victims, casualties of war, Nazi, Jews and members of the Mickey Mouse Club. The images are 15.7’’ x 15.7’’ silver gelatin prints in simple black-bordered frames behind glass. He mixed all of the photographs into one group to strip them of their individual identities. They are all just faces now, tightly cropped and hung on a wall one inch away from each other creating a new context for their existance. The work is install in a way that completely over-takes the viewer and forces the only undeniable fact; all of the images are of humans. The viewer cannot escape the maze of faces and one cannot differentiate between the good people and the bad people. Boltanski has done this to make the point that the same person that saves your life today has the ability to murder you tomorrow. With Menschlick he is delving into the human animal and stating that in our hearts w e are neither good nor bad but instead we are beings that act and react within given circumstances. Each photograph in the installation is a representation of someone that is dead or is going to die. Yet we can look into their dark eyes and see of our loved ones, ourselves. This confrontation with Death in the face of a stranger is the artist’s precise intention. Christian Boltanski wants us to remember that, ‘the fact of dying is inside the fact of living.’ By comparisons Roni Horn uses the tightly cropped portrait as a landscape for finding life within a persons face, not death. The eyes of her subject act as a window to the human soul not as an abyss leading into oblivion. Horn’s photographic installation entitled, You Are the Weather (1994-95) is a four-wall installation of 100 photographs (36 silver-gelatin and 64 chromogenic prints). There are 17 fixed sequences that are installed in a flexible order all hung at eye level. Through the photographs the viewer can trace Horn’s exploration unfold, as a woman looks deep into her camera’s lens to reveal something beautiful and incorporeal. For this body of work Horn and her model Margret traveled through Iceland visiting geothermal pools and hot springs for a six-week period. At each site the model submerged herself up to her neck in the water as Horn makes picture after picture of her face. The portraits are monotone, warm and quite. They reveal the artists perseverance in her exploration of the subtle changes in the model’s face. At each location and in-between each frame, something changes. There is a slight shifting of the camera’s point of view and an even more subtle shift of emotion in Margret. Is she reacting to Horn or is she reacting to the temperature of the pool? More over is she now reacting to ‘you’, the viewer of the photograph? Horn has transformed a human face into a barometer for emotion. The repetition of the woman model represents the constant. It is the unchanging variable that allows the true essence of the piece to emerge. Roni Horn is looking for the tenderness of humanity in Margret’s face. Those small almost unnoticeable traces of curiousity and love take you deeper into her expression. There exists sensuality in her gaze that holds the viewer as it reminds us of how a lover might look back at you. The stare is subjective and welcoming and yet at times is seems frustrated and confused. It’s the kind of communication that is purely visual like the way a newborn baby studies the expression of its mother, watching and mimicking her love. There exist many similarities between Boltanski and Horn’s pieces. For example as artists they are both playing the role of pseudo-scientist in the organization of the images in Menschlick and You Are the Weather. Also there are parallels in the way they installed these works too. Formally the use of the close-cropped portrait and emphasis on the face as a catalyst for emotional response is clear. In addition, their use of many photographs in close proximity of each other strategically emphasizes the idea of a collection or archive. However, many there are many more conceptual differences between Menschlick and You Are the Weather then there are formal similarities. Conceptually these two artist are both exploring humanity as a whole but their modes and intentions are very different. Boltanski for instance does not make new pictures but rather gives new life to existing imagery. In this way he not perpetuating the ‘little deaths’ that occur when a photograph is taken and instead is creating a memorial for the ones who have died. This evidence of death is further illustrated in the way Boltanski prints some of his images out of focus, removing the detail of their faces and turning them into ghosts. By contrast Horn is actively making new images and is somewhat in control of the condition in which they are being created. In Menschlick Christian Boltanski is exploring the dark world of death itself and going to places even more frightening, the past. The people in his photographs once existed, but the photograph itself tells us nothing about them. Boltanski suggests that who they were as people is irrelevant to the fact that they were humans. To him to be human is not singular but is in fact a collective experience. The individual lives of each one of his faces are trumped by death itself, because death consumes all in the end. And when that end comes all that is left is an image of a person but never the person. Dissimilarly, Roni Horn is looking for life not death in her pictures of Margret. Her choice to only use one model gives reference to the time in one person’s life, further placing You Are the Weather in the present rather than in the past like Menschlick. Horn’s choice of the number of images for the installation, 100, also refers to life expectancy. By human standards to live to be a hundred is considered to be close to the maximum amount of year a human has the potential to live. Moreover Horn’s search in the human face is geared more towards the qualities that make us alive. In Margret’s face she finds tenderness and compassion. These images are clear and warm, and invite the viewer to stare back. Both Boltanski and Horn what to evoke a visceral response from their works, but what is truly remarkable is how these responses are polar opposites of each other. Whether or not the viewer likes one piece over the other is irrelevant to the fact that these two artists are exploring different sides of the some coin. As ancient as night and day or stories of Darkness and the Light, Menschlick and You Are the Weather both reflect traits that all of humanity shares. Research Papers on Analysis of Christian Boltanski and Roni HornHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenQuebec and Canada19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThree Concepts of PsychodynamicMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductWhere Wild and West MeetGenetic Engineering

Guides for Students and Instructors in English 101

Guides for Students and Instructors in English 101 Perhaps youre a new grad student who has just been assigned three large sections of freshman composition. On the other hand, you might be a seasoned instructor looking for fresh approaches to an overly familiar course. Whatever the case, you may find something useful in this collection of tips, topics, and exercises for the first week of English 101. The overall purpose of these seven short articles is to encourage students to think about their own writing habits, attitudes, standards, and skills. As they do, youll have occasion to identify your own goals for the course and provide an overview. Seven Secrets to Success in English 101English 101 (sometimes called freshman English or college composition) is the one course that almost every first-year student in every American college and university is required to take- and it should be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding courses in your college life!The Write Attitude and Your Writing GoalsSpend some time thinking about why you would like to improve your writing skills: how you might benefit, personally and professionally, by becoming a more confident and competent writer. Then, on a sheet of paper or at your computer, explain to yourself why and how you plan to achieve the goal of becoming a better writer.A Writers Inventory: Evaluating Your Attitudes Toward WritingThis questionnaire invites students to examine their attitudes toward writing. To encourage honest responses (rather than teacher-pleasing ones), you might want to assign the questionnaire at the start of the first class meeting.Your Role as a WriterThis isnt a formal composition assignment but a chance to write a letter of introduction to yourself. Nobody will be passing judgments about you or your work. Youll simply take a few minutes to think about your writing background, skills, and expectations. By putting those thoughts down on paper (or a computer screen), you should gain a clearer sense of just how you plan to improve your writing skills. Your Writing: Private and PublicIf you require students to keep a journal in your class, this article should serve as a good introduction to private writing.The Characteristics of Good WritingExperiences in school leave some people with the impression that good writing simply means writing that contains no bad mistakes- that is, no errors of grammar, punctuation, or spelling. In fact, good writing is much more than just correct writing; its writing that responds to the interests and needs of our readers.Explore and Evaluate Your Writing ProcessNo single method of writing is followed by all writers in all circumstances. Each of us has to discover the approach that works best on any particular occasion. We can, however, identify a few basic steps that most successful writers follow in one way or another. Regardless of whether you use any of these materials, best wishes to you and your students in the new academic year!

The Top 6 ACT Science Tips You Must Use

The Top 6 ACT Science Tips You Must Use SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Many students struggle with ACT Science. Students, who came to me for tutoring after taking their first official ACT test, typically performed worst on this section.It is very fast and unlike any other science test. This section more than any other is about pacing and strategy. I was able to boost my ACT Science score 5 points with a few tips.So, what simple tips and tricks can you use to boost your ACT Science score right now? ACT Science Tip #1: Save the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage for Last Every question in the ACT Science section is worth the same point value, so you want to get the most points in the limited amount of time given (35 minutes total or 52.5 seconds per question). To get the most points, you should save the most time-consuming passage for last, which conflicting viewpoints is.If you do not know the 3 Types of ACT Science Passages, read this articlefirst. As a brief summary, there are 3 types of passages, 7 passages used on the test: 3 Data Representation Passages 3 Research Summaries Passages 1 Conflicting Viewpoints Passage The Conflicting Viewpoints Passage has no graphs or tables.Instead, there are two or more scientists/students/theories presented in short paragraphs.The questions ask you about each viewpoint and the differences and similarities between the viewpoints.You need to read and understand the entire passage to answer the questions.Therefore, this passage will take the longest, so save it for last, so it doesn’t kill your pace. Conflicting Viewpoints should be THE END You should be able to speed through the other 2 types of passages using our next tip: ACT Science Tip #2: Use Only Visuals to Answer Questions in Data Representation and Research Summary Passages Again, since every question is worth the same point value and you only have 52.5 seconds per question, you want to answer as many questions as you can in the shortest amount of time. Saving Conflicting Viewpoints until the end will save you some time, but not reading the Data Representation and Research Summary passages will save you even more time. Most of the questions in these 2 types of passages can be answered by using the visuals and not reading the passage, so you will actually save time and answer more questions correctly by not reading these passages! Counterintuitive, I know. Since the majority of the questions ask you about data which is presented in the visuals, you just need to look at these visuals to find the correct answer. Learn more about this in our other article on time management and section strategy. Again, skip reading these passages, jump right to the questions and answer as many as you can with visuals alone.If you can’t get to a final answer, at least use the visuals for process of elimination: ACT Science Tip #3: Use Process of Elimination Again,you have very little time on the ACT Science section (5 minutes per passage or 52.5 seconds per question). You need to find ways to make the best use of your limited time. So, as you start to notice what cannot be the correct answer, cross it out. This process of elimination will help you make the best use of your time and will lead you to the correct answer. If you don'tuse process of elimination, you may jump to pick an answer before making sure it is the best answer choice. With process of elimination, you know your final answer is the only one thatCANbe correct. If it is wrong, cross it out! You do not want to let anything slow you down, including the big science terms: ACT Science Tip #4: Make Sure You Read the Right Figure and Pay Attention to Labels In my experience teaching students, the most common careless mistake I see is reading the wrong figure and mixing up the labels. If you look at Figure 2 when you're supposed to be looking at Figure 3, you'll make huge mistakes. And you can bet the ACT has trap answers that bait you into these mistakes. Similarly, graphs often have labeled x and y-axes, and you need to make sure you're looking at the correct axis to find the correct data value. Check out my guide on reading graphs to make sure you don't make these mistakes. ACT Science Tip #5: Don't Get Stuck onBig Science Terms ACT Science is really a misnomer; the test should be called the â€Å"reading with very confusing big words and tricky visuals† section.The reason ACT Science does not force you to memorize AP level Bio or complete IB Physics HL problems is that not everyone takes all of that math in high school. For ACT Science to be a fair standardized test for all high school students, the test asks you about basic science concepts in tricky or confusing ways. The ACT Science does not expect you to be familiar with the big science terms it throws at you. ACT Science Tip #6: Don't Study ScienceTerms If you need to know a science term to answer a question, the term will be defined for you in the passage. For most of the large science terms that are not defined,you will not need to understand them to get to the answer.Think of it as a matching game. If a question asks about average change in AGTB and you do not know what that is, simply find the term â€Å"average change in AGTB† in a visual (such as a graph) and then see if you can find the data you need to answer the question. There are only 4 outside knowledge questions on ACT Science that require you to know concepts outside of the passage. We detail every concept you need to know in this guide. Recap Use these 6 tips and you will see an instant improvement: Save the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage for last. Try to use only visuals to answer questions in Data Representation and Research Summary Passages. Use Process of Elimination. Make sure you read the right figure and pay attention to labels. Do not get caught up in the big science terms. Don't actually study science to improve your score. Keep these tips in mind before your test and you'll avoid careless mistakes and save time! These strategies alone may not help you push your score to the maximum. Be sure to check out our other articles for maximum score improvement. What’s Next? Learnabout the differenttypes of questions on the ACT Science section such asfactual questions,interpreting trends questions, and experimental design and hypothetical change questions. Looking for overall ACT Science review? Read our complete guide to the section. Taking the ACT really soon? Check out our guide to cramming. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Finance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Finance - Term Paper Example The equity finance is an expensive and exclusive method for raising capital in the business and it comprises of ordinary and preference shareholdings, bonds and floating market shares. It also includes a listing cost and legal paper work, potential shareholders and raises wider opportunity for pool of finance (Slee, 2011). The difference in usage of appropriate financial capital structure is the selection of Leverage the business can be adhered to. It signifies the impact of debt in the company’s capital structure e.g. long-term bonds for 5 to 8 years and their impact on company’s profitability and earning stream (Khan et al., 2005). If the debt ratio is higher in good economic terms than it will also improve the required rate of return and return on equity of the business, similarly, if the debt ratio is higher in terms of recession than it creates a significance risk to the business operations and its sustainable future (Slee, 2011). According to the conventional theory of Modigliani and Miller (1985), in a perfect world the mix of debt and equity does not matter when economic terms and corporate taxes are assumed to be constant. It also suggested that value of the firm is independent of the financial capital structures and overall operating cost (Cox, 2011). It further argued that if the benefit is obtained due to low cost debt then it could be offset against the cost of equity borrowing that will be considerably higher than the debt finance. It also suggested that the cost of capital remains the same irrespective of the appropriate mix between debt and equity. It can be argued that value of the business and cost of capital will remain constant in a tax-free world e.g. United Arab Emirates (Slee, 2011). Debt financing is bind by obligations to pay interest and principal amounts and failure to meet the payment may result in serious risk to the business and in further case negative impact on the value of firm such as Bankruptcy (Khan et al., 2005). It can also be argued that as compared to the conventional theory if the business’s debt structure is higher than the equity portion, it might result in increased risk of higher interest payments and probable bankruptcy as well. It will also increase the cost of capital for the bondholders thus also indicating a highly geared business. It is suggested that to create an optimal mix of debt and equity structure, the margin level of gearing should be equal or does not outwei gh the probability of bankruptcy cost to the business (Ross et al., 2004). There are various debts to equity and debt ratio for industries and their risk level incorporating their business. The volatile industries like steel, cement, energy might adhere to higher debt ratio as compared

Food and Its Impact on Health and Environment Research Paper

Food and Its Impact on Health and Environment - Research Paper Example The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: I have selected a very popular fast food item on the menu of fast food chains, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. It is one of my favorite meals too but I have got to know many impacts it holds upon our health and long term living, also not to mention the impacts on animals and environment. A very popular documentary â€Å"Super-Size Me† was based upon the very similar issue. The maker of the documentary tries to gauge the impacts of fast food on his health and he goes on to eat McDonald’s meal every day three times for a period of 30 days. The impact it has on his health are enormous; he picks up a lot of fat and weight in the process. The doctors who had analyzed him said that he was also suffering from depression and anxiety and the meals had caused great damage to his heart. The documentary proved extremely shocking for many since it brought about the very true picture of how bad the impact of fast food is on our health. Composition of the Quarter Pounder: Now let’s delve into the ingredients of what makes a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese so interesting. The double quarter pounder contains 4 oz. beef patty, 2 slices of cheese and a sesame seed bun. Well it is also served with barbeque and mushroom sauce on many occasions. The calories count is 740 which are very high on any scale in the world. Its nutrition grade is also D. The amounts of calories are predominantly fat and cholesterol. (Calorie Count) The Sourcing & Production of its Ingredients: The Beef Patty is composed of beef usually locally sourced depending upon the location of the food chains. The beef patty is composed of corn fed beef which gives it the crisp and color. A United Nations study has found that almost 18% of greenhouse gases come from the ranching and slaughtering of cows. Due to the various techniques of cow breeding and corn based feed, the beef is now much cheaper and fattier than ever before. (Ecoliteracy) The b eef processing is done by large conglomerates and a patty may contain meat form many different cows. The cows are bred in a very inhumane level and through different scientific treatments are grown bigger than their bones and body can sustain. After slaughtering, the beef is transported in its raw form to different places across the country where the beef is processed. The beef is processed in machines that bring together the mince and process them with corn to form patties. These patties are then hauled to local fast food producers where they are deep fried in oil and used in the burgers. The Cheese is very similar to this. Cows are given heavy dosage of stimulus and steroids to expedite milk production which not only causes diseases in animals but also decreases their life and may also transmit some of that in the milk too. The milk is then transported for further process where it is made into cheese and shipped to local food stores. Now a lot of fuel is being burnt in the process and global warming is one of the causes of fuel burning through transportation. On average a food related products has to travel almost fifteen hundred miles to reach to a store and this transportation accounts for about thirty eight thousand tons of greenhouse gas emission per annum. (Ecoliteracy) Health Impacts: 1 – Headaches The processed meat is contained in the burgers that is a cause of

How to reduce the incidence of lower extermity amputations in diabetes Literature review

How to reduce the incidence of lower extermity amputations in diabetes with Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy - Literature review Example This study looks into hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), a popular treatment method for decompression sickness. It utilizes a special sealed chamber which is pressurized up to three times the normal atmospheric. Inside the chamber the patient can breathe pure oxygen, hence effectively increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. Over the years, HBOT has been used to treat various illnesses including gas embolism, gas gangrene, skin grafts, bone infections and many others. While HBOT has been used to treat many conditions, there is still conflicting evidence as to its effectiveness in treating infections of the skin and tissues. In a research by Meryl Brod it was mentioned, â€Å"Lower extremity ulcers are among the most common and costly complications of diabetes. They are a leading cause of amputation and account for more hospital days than other diabetic complications†. Aside from its economic cost, diabetic ulcers has a negative impact on a person’s quality of life; thereby making treatment for lower extremity ulcers a priority for many health care practitioners. Having said this, it is now important to qualify that this critical appraisal isn’t really about preventing amputations among diabetic patients, but rather, finding an effective treatment to cure foot ulcers. The researcher searched two databases, PubMed and Google Scholar. The search terms used were hyperbaric oxygen therapy, curing diabetic ulcers, preventing diabetic amputations, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and diabetes, and effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen in curing diabetic wounds. Thousands of resources were returned so several criteria for inclusion was created. Resources were accepted or rejected based on the following criteria: (1) the study cover the treatment for diabetes wounds and ulcers (2) the study must not be older than 1995; (3) the study must be in English; (4) the study must involve human subjects. Accepted resources were subjected to an ancestry search of th eir references to discover new resources which can be used to address the clinical question. Ten (10) studies were then included at the end of this search. The resources are intentionally international in scope in order to determine what factors may affect the efficacy of HBOT in treating lower extremity wounds and ulcers. Method for Appraising Articles For the purpose of this study, methodology for rapid critical appraisal (RCA) will be utilized. Through the RCA, this critical appraisal paper will review each study in order to determine (1) its level of evidence, (2) how well it was conducted, and (3) how useful it is to practice (Fineout-Overholt et al. 2010).

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry Essay

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry - Essay Example of a prosperous and growing England, with an exciting increase in worldly importance, others viewed the bustling city in a much more negative light, in which individuals became lost members of a crowd and social ills became much more apparent. These aspects of the city can be traced through the poetry of William Blake in poems such as â€Å"London† from Songs of Experience and William Wordsworth as it is reflected in book seven of his Prelude. In â€Å"London† for example, Blake describes the way in which the human spirit had been shackled in 1794, the year when the poem had been written. Through careful imagery, Blake expresses an abiding belief in the unchristian nature of the restrictions on freedoms being experienced by the British people. The French Revolution had just occurred and sentiment in Britain had reached an all-time low as expressed in lines such as â€Å"How the chimney-sweepers cry† (9) and â€Å"†¦ the hapless Soldiers sigh / Runs in blood down Palace walls† (11-12). These lines reflect the way in which even time-honored occupations such as chimney sweeps and soldiers had fallen into disrespect and despair. Although he is describing physical situations in lines 3-4: â€Å"A mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe†, he makes it clear that he is also discussing the state of the souls of people he meets. The signs of decay and desperation are seen in ever y face encountered as the speaker walks down what is presumed to be an average London street. This is reinforced in the second stanza as the speaker says, â€Å"In every cry of every man, / In every infant’s cry of fear, / In every voice, in every ban, / The mind-forged manacles I hear† (4-8). In this, it is apparent that someone is controlling these people, although it remains unclear if the ‘mind-forged manacles’ are of their own creation or someone else’s. However, because of the inclusion of infants, who cannot possibly be imposing harsh punishments on themselves

The Concept of Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Concept of Rights - Essay Example By "property" he means "life, liberty, and estate". The philosopher begins by asserting that each individual, at a minimum, "owns" himself, because he is free and equal in the state of nature. In the Second Treatise, Locke espoused the idea of government by consent (representative government). Since there is no natural hierarchy among human beings, any subordination of one to another must be conventional. This convent is called the social contract. In this way, Locke argues that a full economic system could, in principle, exist within the state of nature. Property could therefore predate the existence of government, and thus society can be dedicated to the protection of property. When one joins civil society, however, one joins one's property to it to be regulated by the community. As a practical matter, in every society, a part must rule the whole. As the majority is composed of more wills and is stronger than the minority, the will of society must be determined by the majority. This makes liberal democracy a moral imperative. At a minimum, the majority must support the regime in power; in practice, this support can be demonstrated only by including something like a Parl iament in the government. It must be said that the people rule themselves. The rule of law - the idea that the power of the state may be exercised only pursuant to a general rule crafted by the legislature - is the only legitimate form of government. However, according to the philosopher, if the state overstepped its limits and began to exercise arbitrary power, it forfeited its 'side' of the contract and thus, the contract being void, the citizens not only have the right to overthrow the state, but are indeed morally compelled to revolt and replace the state (Uzgalis). "The Declaration of Independence" (1776). The Preamble of the Declaration is influenced by Enlightenment philosophy, including the concept of natural law. Ideas and even some of the phrasing were taken directly from the writings of John Locke, particularly his Second Treatise. This was done so, because, according to Jefferson, the purpose of the Declaration was not to find out new philosophical principles or arguments, but to convince everyone that leaders of the colonies were right in their revolutionary actions. The preamble is presented as a logical demonstration, with one proposition leading to another proposition. From the first proposition (that all men are created equal), a chain of logic is produced that leads to the right and responsibility of revolution when a government becomes destructive of the people's rights (Locke's idea): "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". Again, the Locke's terminology: "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed". Then, according to the text of the Declaration, "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is in the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry Essay

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry - Essay Example of a prosperous and growing England, with an exciting increase in worldly importance, others viewed the bustling city in a much more negative light, in which individuals became lost members of a crowd and social ills became much more apparent. These aspects of the city can be traced through the poetry of William Blake in poems such as â€Å"London† from Songs of Experience and William Wordsworth as it is reflected in book seven of his Prelude. In â€Å"London† for example, Blake describes the way in which the human spirit had been shackled in 1794, the year when the poem had been written. Through careful imagery, Blake expresses an abiding belief in the unchristian nature of the restrictions on freedoms being experienced by the British people. The French Revolution had just occurred and sentiment in Britain had reached an all-time low as expressed in lines such as â€Å"How the chimney-sweepers cry† (9) and â€Å"†¦ the hapless Soldiers sigh / Runs in blood down Palace walls† (11-12). These lines reflect the way in which even time-honored occupations such as chimney sweeps and soldiers had fallen into disrespect and despair. Although he is describing physical situations in lines 3-4: â€Å"A mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe†, he makes it clear that he is also discussing the state of the souls of people he meets. The signs of decay and desperation are seen in ever y face encountered as the speaker walks down what is presumed to be an average London street. This is reinforced in the second stanza as the speaker says, â€Å"In every cry of every man, / In every infant’s cry of fear, / In every voice, in every ban, / The mind-forged manacles I hear† (4-8). In this, it is apparent that someone is controlling these people, although it remains unclear if the ‘mind-forged manacles’ are of their own creation or someone else’s. However, because of the inclusion of infants, who cannot possibly be imposing harsh punishments on themselves

A topic of interest in business or management Research Proposal

A topic of interest in business or management - Research Proposal Example Further, although business management courses have included various course modules on entrepreneurship that focus on strategies that would assist in establishing new businesses or determining factors and traits of successful entrepreneurs, information on the effect of economic crisis to entrepreneurship is not vagrantly published. One is intrigued to find out whether the economic crisis detracts potentially talented entrepreneurs from establishing new business endeavors or led successfully established businesses into financial loss and bankruptcy. The statistics that could be searched could provide the theoretical framework for the research. However, interpretation of the statistics and numbers of new or closed businesses during the period of economic crisis could assist aspiring entrepreneurs in learning from the experiences of others. The research objective could be stated as: The research aims to determine how the economic crisis affect and impact entrepreneurship in the United States. The objective could be achieved through addressing the following research questions: A description and qualitative research method would be proposed for the current research. Secondary sources of authoritative and academic information would provide support to contentions and would validate results, as required. From current statistics, relevant findings would be interpreted and would form the basis for recommendations and conclusions. Gries, T. and Naude, W. 2011. â€Å"Entrepreneurship, Structural Change and a Global Economic Crisis.† Entrepreneurship Research Journal, Volume 1, Issue: 3, Pages: article 4. [Online]. Available at: http://www.mendeley.com/research/entrepreneurship-structural-change-global-economic-crisis/. [Accessed 7 January 2012]. Knowledge@Wharton. 2008. Why an Economic Crisis Could Be the Right Time for Companies to

Vaux-le-Vicomte Essay Example for Free

Vaux-le-Vicomte Essay Architecture is the style of art in which spatial configuration is most important. The way in which the body of the building situates itself on the landscape, the way in which the building rises and falls with the horizon and the way in which Vaux-le-Vicomte’s facade and garden is what this essay will seek to explore. The Vaux-le-Vicomte is located in Maincy, was built in 1656-1661, with the intention of housing artists/poets/writers by the parliamentarian/financial secretary of France. The essay will focus on the element of light as it applies to the chateaux as well as how the building can be considered a Baroque masterpiece (Blunt 108). The basis of the Vaux-le-Vicomte’s design was a castle. The building actually an offshoot of a castle which explains its grand design. Three men are attributed to the design of the Chateau, which was purchased by Nicolas Fouquet: The architect Le Vau, the painter/decorator Le Brun, and the landscape artist Le Notre (Vaux-le-Vicomte 2008). The structure of the once castle turned into one of the â€Å"predominant chateau’s of France† (Sitwell 100) begins with the Baroque age architecture. Baroque architecture is known for its lavish nature, its supreme accoutrements to buildlings increasing in size and grandeur and the culmination of which is seen in Vaux-le-Vicomte. The elements which define the Baroque era in art and which are exemplified in Vaux-le-Vicomte are fanciful, extravagant and theatrical, each of which are extremely dominant in the facade of the chateaux with the dome, in the spire/gazebo atop the dome and the high windows with Corinthian columns as a faux facade to the architecture. Baroque art was in opposition to the previous artistic movement of the Renaissance in many ways. The Baroque era was the flowering of the Renaissance in different ways: While the Renaissance was static the Baroque had a certain dynamism or movement in their architecture. The Baroque style and the fact that the castle was redesigned into a grand chateaux had a lot to do with the expansion of France in the 1600’s. This is when colonization was very popular and strong and nationalistic monarchs such as Louis the VIIII were pressed into creating such grand scale items in order to prove their powerful positions. The imprisonment of Nicolas Fouquet in fact had to do with him outshining the king during a royal visit to the chateaux. The focus of the Baroque movement can be found with the scientist Galileo. Galileo changed how people see the world around them and thus their place in the world. Space of universe becomes fascinating aspect of Baroque art. Light becomes just as fascinating and symbolism of light and scientific point of view can be seen through the architecture of Vau-le-Vicomte, in the way the windows are situated in the building to the way in which the sun’s reflection from the rivers and the fountains plays upon the building itself. The theme of Baroque art is sensuality with emotion; thus there must be passion in the architecture (despite the Catholic Church’s resistance to such design avenues). Thus, the chateaux was in defiance of religious points of view (which also attributed to Nicolas’ imprisonment) as well as supporting this new scientific outlook on the world while also encapsulating light/sun as a main architectural element of the building (Wolf 45). The truly beautiful and Baroque encompassing element of the chateaux is it’s wide garden space. This space truly sees Galileo’s philosophy of the scientific point of view and one’s relationship with the outer design of things in the gardens pure geometrical forms made with bushes, fountains, walkways and more. Le Vau designed the house to have a pavilion which is in turn surrounded by wings. The crowning achievement of Le Vau is found with the cupola which is extravagant in itself as it is the highest point of the chateaux and therefore the first symbol anyone sees upon coming up to the once castle (McCarthy 3). As well as the copula there is also a pedimented entranceway found on the front of the chateaux – thus the design aspect of the outside of the house if dichotomized in a relaxed form as well as a formal form. This dichotomized nature, â€Å"This dual personality, severely formal on one side, grandiloquent on the other, was repeated in the treatment of its walls. Originally designed in brick, then altered, presumably at Fouquets request, to Creil stone, a concave recession pulls the visitor inward toward the great entrance vestibule, then thrusts him through the immense airy space of the saloon out to the garden terrace† (Shama paragraph 16). It is from this formal standpoint of the raised threshold that the spectator can see the vibrant and lush design of Le Notre. Le Notre’s design encapsulates everything Baroque: The pattern of the plants (i. e. hedges, shrubs, etc. ) there is a distinct nature of lavishness mixed with formality (as is the Baroque style). The element of water and subsequently light is essential in the portrayal of Baroque in the garden, â€Å"The play of water intersects the view, not with the furious drama of the Versailles fountains, but rather the more modest gushing of cascades and drowsy pools where water trickles from lichen-mottled stone mouths. Indeed, the whole house seems elevated on a platform or pedestal so that it appears to be not so much surrounded by a moat as actually floating on a body of limpid water. † (Shama paragraph 17). Another interesting element of the chateaux’s gardens is how very similar in construction it is to Frank Lloyd Wrights’ Falling Water house in Pennsylvania, and how conscious both landscape architects were to the landscape itself; from the horizon to the way in which the water reflected the sun on the facade of the chateaux; the viewer can tell that there was much thought in the placement of each water pool, and fountain (even with Nicolas’ diversion of the river by 45 degrees in order to have such spectacular natural architecture). The design of the gardens by Le Notre is so very singular in its approach and cohesive because Nicolas gave the landscape architect free rein over the garden. The word cohesion is used appropriately here as the entire estate would not have worked well if several gardeners were employed by Nicolas; the design would have been flawed because not every landscape artist can build with unification along with other designers; thus the design process by one ‘gardener’, Le Notre, is so important to the lasting impression of the chateaux. As has been mentioned the beauty of the landscape was achieved through harmony of the building and nature working as a combined force of Baroque architecture. The three architects of the chateaux, architect Le Vau, the painter/decorator Le Brun, and the landscape artist Le Notre, worked as a combined force of Baroque artistry as described by Shama, The result is a pleasing comedy of the unexpected: the house suddenly appearing in its inverted reflection in a mirror pool; steep escarpments that are abruptly made accessible with hidden flights of steps; teasing games of freedom and captivity made more poignant by the inescapable ghost of Superintendent Fouquet. From the stepped terrace at the back of the house, the frame of the great Oriental rug-garden is delineated by white pathways punctuated with mercilessly pruned conical topiary and statues of lions and tigers, the Graces and various deities. Within those borders, low hedges weave embroidery patterns that echo the curves and angles of the house itself. (Shama paragraph 19). Even the way in which the pathways are cut according to exact geometric measurements is breathtaking. The elements of mythology mix in with the complete design of the garden especially as the visitor goes from the promenade to the central allee and back into the grotto. It is this space in the garden that the nature of mythology and the extravagance that the Baroque period is best-known for come into fruition. The grotto is lorded over by two river god statues who are in a reclining mode carved within two niches. In the actual park, past the two reclining gods the viewer sees other elements of the Baroque mixed in with mythology such as little fountain or ‘water grille’ in which woodland deities romp around. It is at this point in Le Notre’s design that the active viewer begins to see how he had some fun with his design, â€Å"The ground drops sharply away toward a rectangular reflecting pool. Advance farther and another barrier interposes itself: a broad lateral canal, uncrossable, as elegant in form as its name, poele (frying pan), is homely. To reach the river gods requires another walk around the canals perimeter† (Shama paragraph 20). This essay has shown how the unification of landscape with construction has lead to one of the Baroque era’s finest accomplishments in architecture: Vaux-le-Vicomte. The design of the gardens could not have been exemplified as the genius that it is without the facade of the chateaux as well as the partnership between each architect (Wolf 67). The elements of water and light played an important role in the overall design in that they allow the chateaux the illusion of floating on water which adds that element of a fairy tale or otherworldliness which is further emphasized by the architects inclusion of various statues around the grounds of wood nymphs and river gods. Thus, the extravagance of the Baroque era is found in an enormous amount in Nicolas Fouquet’s chateaux. Works Cited Blunt, A. Art and Architecture in France: 1500 – 1700. Penguin Books. 1953.McCarthy, G. The Theatres of Moliaere. Routledge. 2002. Shama, S. Palaces and Pleasures: Vaux-le-Vicomte: A Perfect Chateaux Envied by a King. 20 October 1991. Online. 2 April 2008. http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9D0CE1DB1E3FF933A15753C1A967 58260sec=spon=pagewanted=all Sitwell, S. and Smith, E. Great Houses of Europe. Putnam. 1961. Vaux-le-Vicomte. 2008. Online. 2 April 2008. http://www. vaux-le-vicomte. com/en/vaux images-chateau. php. Wolf, J. Louis the XVI. W. W. Norton. New York. 1968.

Novel Eu3+-doped Garnet-tpye Tellurate Red-emitting Phosphor

Novel Eu3+-doped Garnet-tpye Tellurate Red-emitting Phosphor A novel Eu3+-doped garnet-tpye tellurate red-emitting phosphor with high thermal stability and color purity Introduction The garnet-related family Li3Ln3Te2O12(Ln=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm-Lu) have been extensively studied as promising solid electrolytes for application in solid state rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for the last few decades [1-4]. In 2006, OCallaghan et al. developed garnet-type Li3Ln3Te2O12 (Ln = Y, Pr, Nd, Sm-Lu) to investigate the relationship between Li site occupation and Li ion conductivity [1]. The lattice constant increases with increasing Ln ionic radius in Li3Ln3Te2O12. These Li3Ln3Te2O12 garnets have exhibited a fairly low ionic conductivity of ∠¼10−5 S cm−1 at 600  °C with a high activation energy (>1 eV) [3]. In 2014, the crystal structures and conductivity data for the most of perspective Li-ion solid electrolytes based on garnet-type metal oxides have been recently reviewed by Thangadurai et al. [4]. Garnet host lattices are of considerable interest due to their wide applications as laser hosts and as phosphors for white light emitting diodes [5]. For example, trivalent rare earth doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG) is one of the widely used systems of compounds for solid state lighting applications. Meanwhile, some new garnet-type compound can be constructed based on the garnet structural model, such as the green-emitting Ca3Sc2Si3O12:Ce3+, the orange-emitting Lu2CaMg2(Si, Ge)3O12:Ce3+, and the green-emitting Ca2LaZr2Ga3O12:Ce3+phosphors [6]. Therefore, the development of phosphors based on garnet-type materials is of great interest. As an important activator, the europium ion is one of the most studied lanthanide activators because of its singular luminescence properties, exhibiting pure red emission transitions with a series of sharp lines arising from the excited state 5D0 to the lower energy state 7F0-6. Eu3+ ions exhibit pure magnetic and electric dipole transitions which make it a very s ensitive probe for the rare earth ion site structure/symmetry. 5D0→7F2 electric dipole (ED) transitions around 610 nm are highly hypersensitive, which is highly sensitive to the symmetry of the Eu3+ sites in the lattices; however, the magnetic dipole transitions (5D0→7F1) are not affected by the environment, and their emission intensities are often used as an internal standard [7]. However, luminescence properties of Eu3+-doped garnet-type Li3Gd3Te2O12 have not been studied yet. In this work, red emitting phosphors Li3Gd3(1-x)Eu3xTe2O12(x = 0.01-0.30) were synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction. The structure, composition and photoluminescence properties of Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ phosphors were investigated. In addition, the luminescence quenching of Eu3+ doping concentration and CIE on the photoluminescence spectra were demonstrated in detail. 2. Experimental Procedure    The synthesis of Li3Gd3Te2O12 phosphors doped with Eu3+ ions was carried out via a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. Li2CO3 (99.99%), Gd2O3 (99.99%), TeO2 (99.9%), and Eu2O3 (99.99%) as raw materials, they were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich without further purification and thoroughly mixed in an agate mortar. The mixtures were sintered in air at 900 °C for 10 h. when the reaction was end at 900 °C, the products were cooled down to room temperature without cooling devices. Finally, white powers were obtained by grinding. The relevant reaction formulas are as follows: 3Li2CO3+3(1-x)Gd2O3 + 4TeO2 + 3xEu2O3 + 2O2 = 2Li3Gd3(1-x)Eu3xTe2O12+ 3CO2 The crystal structure of phosphors were characterized for phase formation by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis with a Philips XPert MPD (Philips, Netherlands) with Cu KÃŽ ± radiation (ÃŽ » = 1.5418 Ã…). The diffraction patterns were scanned within angular range of 10-70ËÅ ¡(2ÃŽ ¸). The morphology and size of the phosphors were measured using a scanning electron microscope (SEM, JEOL JSM-6490). The photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra of the samples were analyzed using a Hitachi F-4600 spectrophotometer at room temperature. The temperature-dependent PL spectra of the phosphor were recorded in air on an Edinburgh FLS 920 spectrometer equipped with a 450 W Xe lamp. Results and discussion Li3Gd3Te2O12 belongs to the cubic crystal system, space group of Iad (No.230), in the structure of Li3Gd3Te2O12, Gd3+ and Te6+ cations occupy the 8- and 6-fold sites, and Li+ ions are located exclusively in the tetrahedral (24d) sites, respectively. As shown in Fig. 1, this structure can be considered to be formed from two interpenetrating, body-centered lattices composed of edge-shared distorted [GdO8] cubes [8, 9]. One of these frameworks composed of Gd (black sphere) and O (red sphere) is shown in Fig.1(b) along with selected polyhedra to illustrate the linkages between the [GdO8] units. Tellurium in the [TeO6] polyhedra is accommodated in an octahedral site that shares edges with an edge-linked [GdO8] dimer.   Fig. 2 shows the observed, calculated, and patterns of the Li3Gd2.55Te2O12:0.15Eu3+phosphors, confirmed from Rietveld analysis using GSAS software. The final refinement converged with weighted profile of χ2 = 1.086, Rp = 24.4à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦, and Rwp = 33.9à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ for Li3Gd2.55Te2O12:0.15Eu3+. It is clear that all the diffraction peaks of these samples are in good agreement with the pure Li3Gd3Te2O12 (JCPDS 22-0683) and no second phase can be found, indicating that each sample is purity phase and that the substitution of Gd3+ by Eu3+ do not significantly influence the crystal structure. Li3Gd3Te2O12 belongs to the cubic system, and the lattice parameters are calculated to be a = b = c = 12.41 Ã…, V = 1911.24 Ã…3, which are consistent with the literature [1]. As the similarity of valence and the ionic radii of Eu3+(r = 0.95 Ã…, CN = 8) is the closest to that of Gd3+(r = 0.94 Ã…, CN = 8), the doped Eu3+ is supposed to substitute for the Gd3+ sites [10].   SEM analysis was carried out to investigate the surface morphology and particle sizes of the synthesized phosphor powder. Fig. 3 shows the representative SEM images of two different concentrations of Li3Gd3Te2O12:xEu3+(a, x = 0.05; b, x = 0.20). It seemed as if these small spherical particles combined together to form big crystallites. The size of particles is found to be in micrometer dimension. Meanwhile, the result indicated that doping content of Eu3+ content in Li3Gd3Te2O12:xEu3+from 0.05 to 0.20 mol did not alter the particle size and agglomeration. The grain size of phosphors is important for their applications in commercial WLEDs. In general, for practical bepowdering applications, the phosphors with micron particles can feed well the commercial demand for WLEDs. Therefore, a long ball-milling step is required to break up the agglomerations and improve the quality of the phosphor powder. Figure 4 shows the excitation spectra of Li3Gd2.55Te2O12:0.15Eu3+ monitored at 613 nm emission (5D0→7F2) at room temperature. The broad band of 200-300 nm (No.1) centered at around 275 nm is called as charge transfer (CT) band which is ascribed to the charge-transfer state (CTS) transition of O2−→Eu3+ ions. The position of this band mightily relies on the host lattice. A sequence of sharp excitation bands(Nos.2-11)between 300 and 500 nm was attributable to the intra-configurational 4f-4f transitions of Eu3+ in the matrix, namely,7F0 to 5FJ, 5H6, 5H3, 5D4, 5L8, 5G3, 5G2, 5L6, 5D3, and 5D2at wavelengths300, 314, 321, 364, 368, 381, 386, 396, 419 and 466 nm respectively [11]. The strongest absorption band located at approximately 396 nm occurred from the 7F0→5L6 transition of Eu3+ ions. A suitable red-emitting ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) phosphor should exhibit an absorption of around 400 nm (LED excitation wavelength). Obviously, the Li3Gd3Te2O1 2:Eu3+phosphor has a potential value for white lighting device. Upon 396 nm excitation, the PL emission spectrum of the Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+phosphors was measured as presented in Fig. 5. Clearly, the PL emission spectrum was dominated by a strong red emission with a center of about 613 nm due to the 5D0 →7F2 transition. Meanwhile, there also existed some relatively weak excitation peaks at 570, 596, 655 and 709 nm which are attributed to the 4f-4f transitions of Eu3+ ions from the excited state of 5D0 to 7F0, 7F1, 7F3 and 7F4, respectively. Generally, the local symmetry of Eu3+ site in the crystal lattice can be mostly reflected by Eu3+ emission profile. When Eu3+ ion occupies a crystallographic site with inversion symmetry, its magnetic-dipole 5D0→7F1 orange emission is dominant, while the electric dipole 5D0 →7F2 red emission dominates when possessing the non-centrosymmetrical site [12]. Thus, the I0-2/I0-1 emission ratio can be used in lanthanide-based systems as a probe for the local surroundings of a cation. As shown in Fig . 5, in comparison with that of the 5D0→7F1transition, the emission intensity of the 5D0→7F2 transition was much stronger, and the I0-2/I0-1 ratio was about 4.84. They demonstrated that the Eu3+ ions occupied the low symmetry sites with non-inversion centers in Li3Gd3Te2O12 host lattice. This ratio value is larger in comparison with those of the other Eu3+-doped phosphors. This larger ratio is favorable to improve the red color purity. The intensity of luminescence in phosphors is usually affected by the variation in concentration of activators. Dependence of PL emission intensity of Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ phosphors on dopant concentration can be seen in Fig. 6. None of wavelength shift or peak was observed for a new site at high Eu3+ concentrations. The emission intensity of the phosphor initially increases up to 15 mol%. The maximum intensity is observed at 15 mol% and after this it starts decreasing. The decrease in the emission intensity is due to concentration quenching effect. The concentration quenching of luminescence is observed when the energy transfer from one activator to another. Blasse has pointed out that if the activator is introduced solely on Z ion sites, xc is the critical concentration, N is the number of Z ions in the unit cell and V is the volume of the unit cell, then there is on the average one activator ion per V/xcN [13]. The critical transfer distance (Rc) is approximately equal to twice the radius of a sphere with this volume: The critical transfer distance of the centerEu3+ in Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ phosphor by taking the appropriate values of V, N, and xc (1911.24 Ã…3, 8, and 0.15, respectively) is 14 Ã…. The intensity of multipolar interaction can be determined from the change in the emission intensity. The emission intensity is related to the emitting level which has the multipolar interaction. The emission intensity (I) per activator ion is given by the formula [14]: where χ is the activator concentration; Q is a constant of multipolar interaction and equals 3, 6, 8, or 10 for the nearest-neighbor ions, dipole-dipole, dipole-quadrupole or quadrupole-quadrupole interaction, respectively; and K and ÃŽ ² are constants under the same excitation condition for the given host crystal [14, 15]. Then we use this equation to fit the experimental results of the relationship between integrated emission intensity and Eu3+ concentration. The curve of lgI/x vs. lgx in Li3Gd3Te2O12: Eu3+ phosphor based on Fig. 6 is shown in Fig. 7. The figure clearly shows that the relation between lgI/x and lgx is approximately linear and the slope is about -1.0. The Q value calculated based on the linear fitting using Eq. (2) is 3.0. This finding indicates that the concentration quenching of the Eu3+-site emission centers is caused by the energy transfer around the nearest-neighbor ions in the Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ phosphor. The similar phenomenon has been reported in the Sr1. 7Zn0.3CeO4: Eu3+ phosphor [16]. Both the maintenance of the chromaticity and brightness of white light output are favored by a lower-temperature quenching in the solid-state lighting application. Figure 8 represents the temperature-dependent PL spectra of Li3Gd3Te2O12: Eu3+ excited at 396 nm from 300 K to 460 K. The PL intensity almost unchanged with increase of temperature from 300 K to 460 K. The temperature dependence of the integrated emission intensities normalized at the 300 K value. The sample remained at about 82% of the intensity measured at room temperature, even the sample was heated to 420 K (the temperature at which LEDs typically operate). The thermal quenching temperature T50, the temperature at the 50% emission intensity, was above 500 K for Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+. The Eu3+-activated Li3Ba2Gd3(MoO4)8 red phosphor shows lower quenching temperature and only remain 60% of the room temperature emission intensity at 200  °C. The good thermal quenching performance is similar with K2Ba5Si12O30:Eu2+, BaTiF6:Mn 4+, Sr3Lu0.2(PO4)3:0.8Eu3+phosphor [18-20]. Furthermore, the emission wavelengths showed no shift with increasing temperature. The small decrease in the emission intensity and good color purity stability at higher temperature indicates that the phosphor Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ has good thermal stability and can serve a potential red emitting phosphor for white LEDs. In order to clarify the thermal quenching behavior and to calculate the activation energy, the Arrhenius equation is fitted to the thermal quenching data of Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ [21]: Where I0 means the initial intensity at room temperature, I(T) means the intensity at   temperature T, c is a constant, k is Boltzmanns constant (8.62 10−5eV/K), and Eais the activation energy for the thermal quenching process fitted with the thermal quenching data. The inset in Figure 9 plots ln[(I0/I)−1] versus 1/T for Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+. Linear regression showed that the thermal activation energy Ea for quenching was calculated to be ~ 0.22 eV. The thermal quenching of the emission intensity of Eu3+-activated phosphors was due to the excited electrons easily jumping into the CTS band after absorbing thermal energy at high temperatures, which the probability of non-radiative transition may increase. Thus, the emission intensity of Eu3+-activated phosphors decreased with increased temperature [22, 23].    The emission spectra of Li3Gd3Te2O12:0.15Eu3+ and commercial Y2O3:Eu3+ excited at 396 nm were then compared in Fig. 10. Remarkably, the integral emission intensity of Li3Gd3Te2O12:0.15Eu3+ was 3.03 times than that of Y2O3:Eu3+. The CIE chromaticity coordinates of the phosphors were calculated to be (0.642, 0.332) for Li3Gd3Te2O12:0.15Eu3+ according to its PL spectra, which are shown in the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram in the insets of Fig. 10. It was found that the CIE coordinates of the present red phosphor are more close to those of the NTSC standard CIE chromaticity coordinate values for red (0.67, 0.33) standard value, which is better than those of the commercial red phosphors Y2O3:Eu3+ (0.49, 0.32) [24] and Y2O2S:Eu3+ (0.65, 0.36) [25]. Furthermore, to better understand the red emission of the Eu3+-activated Li3Gd3Te2O12 phosphors, the color purity was calculated according to the following expression described by Fred Schubert [26]: where (x, y) denotes the CIE coordinate of the synthesized compounds, (xi, yi) presents the color coordinate of the white illumination and the (xd, yd) is the color coordinates of the dominant wavelength. The dominant wavelength point can be calculated from the intersection of the connecting line between the equal energy point and the sample point. The color purity of Li3Gd3Te2O12:0.15Eu3+ (0.642, 0.332) phosphors is determined to be around 92.6%. This indicates high color purity and excellent chromaticity coordinate characteristics. The inset image in Fig. 10 shows that strong red emission was observed with the naked eyes when Li3Gd3Te2O12:0.15Eu3+is under a 365 nm UV lamp. Conclusion A novel garnet-type red-emitting phosphor Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ was prepared by the convenient solid-state reaction. The excitation and emission spectra and the dependence of luminescence on temperature were studied. The excitation spectra indicate that this phosphor can be effectively excited by near-UV light, which matches the emission wavelength of near-UV-LED chips well. The phosphor shows intense red emission, which has a high quenching temperature and can keep a stable color purity with elevated temperature. The optimum dopant concentration of Eu3+ ions in Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ was around 15 mol%, and the critical transfer distance of Eu3+ was calculated to be 14 Ã…. The concentration quenching is probably caused by the energy transfer among the nearest-neighbor ions in the Li3Gd3Te2O12:Eu3+ phosphor. Because of its good excitation profile and stable luminescence properties at high temperature, Eu3+-doped Li3Gd3Te2O12 phosphors are a potential red phosphors for NUV chip-based WLEDs and display devices.

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Essay -- Jonathan Swifts A Mod

Not So Modest Proposal In 1729, with â€Å"A Modest Proposal';, Jonathan Swift raised the argument that, â€Å"For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public'; (44), we should rid ourselves of them by our own consumption. We should bake them, fry them, or serve them in a fricassee or ragout. Swift proposes his â€Å"humble'; thoughts, for which he expects no objection, on the idea that it would be beneficial to the parents, the country, and even the children if they were to be eaten. He also states that anyone who objects should â€Å"ask the parents of these mortals whether they would not at this day think it a great happiness to have been sold for food at a year old'; (49). Swift backs up his ingenious scheme with previous accounts of success by gentlemen in America and other parts of the world. This shows that his idea is creditable because it has worked on previous occasions. This wondrous idea has so many benefits that it’s hard to see how anyone would be so close-minded to disagree. For instance, poor tenants would have something of value which could help them pay rent and also it would greatly increase the sales at taverns where the cooks would strive to find the best recipes for their new delicacy. Finally it would be a great advantage to those getting married, where as they could sell their children for profit ( with the children’s best interest in mind, of course). Swift has a very l... A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Essay -- Jonathan Swift's A Mod Not So Modest Proposal In 1729, with â€Å"A Modest Proposal';, Jonathan Swift raised the argument that, â€Å"For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public'; (44), we should rid ourselves of them by our own consumption. We should bake them, fry them, or serve them in a fricassee or ragout. Swift proposes his â€Å"humble'; thoughts, for which he expects no objection, on the idea that it would be beneficial to the parents, the country, and even the children if they were to be eaten. He also states that anyone who objects should â€Å"ask the parents of these mortals whether they would not at this day think it a great happiness to have been sold for food at a year old'; (49). Swift backs up his ingenious scheme with previous accounts of success by gentlemen in America and other parts of the world. This shows that his idea is creditable because it has worked on previous occasions. This wondrous idea has so many benefits that it’s hard to see how anyone would be so close-minded to disagree. For instance, poor tenants would have something of value which could help them pay rent and also it would greatly increase the sales at taverns where the cooks would strive to find the best recipes for their new delicacy. Finally it would be a great advantage to those getting married, where as they could sell their children for profit ( with the children’s best interest in mind, of course). Swift has a very l...

Three Theories of Cognitive Development

Three Theories of Cognitive Development The Swiss psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is well-known for his work towards the cognitive sciences. Arguably one of his most important contributions involves his theory of cognitive development. In this theory, thinking progresses through four distinct stages between infancy and adulthood. Similar in scope to Piaget’s theory is Information Processing, in which human thinking is based on both mental hardware and mental software (Kail, Cavanaugh). A final theory on cognitive development was established by the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934).Vygotsky proposed that development is a collaborative effort between child and partner. While these three theories attempt to explain a similar topic in different manners, each can be considered an important aspect to cognitive development in infancy and early childhood. Through analyzing and comparing these theories, scientists are able to better understand how child development occurs and the process it takes in creating a functional human being. Piaget’s Theory Children are naturally curious: this is the claim Piaget proposed when explaining that children of all ages create theories about how the world around them works.They accomplish this through the use of â€Å"schemes,† referring to mental structures that organize information and regulate behavior. Infants group objects based on the actions they can perform on them. Later in development, schemes become based on functional or conceptual relationships, not action. This means that schemes of related objects, events, and ideas are present throughout development (Kail, Cavanaugh). Schemes change constantly, adapting to children’s experiences. Intellectual adaptation involves two key processes that work together: assimilation and accommodation.Assimilation is the process of taking in new information into previously existing schemes. Accommodation involves altering existing schemes in light of new information. Assimilation and accommodation are usually in equilibrium. But when disequilibrium occurs, children reorganize their schemes to return to a state of equilibrium, a process Piaget called â€Å"equilibration. † According to Piaget, revolutionary changes in thought occur three times over the life span, which are divided into four stages. Sensorimotor period (0-2 years): Infants adapt and explore their environment. Reflexes are first modified by experience.At 8 months, intentional behavior occurs. Soon, infants become active experimenters, and repeat actions with different objects for the purpose of seeing what will happen. An important aspect of the first stage is object permanence- the understanding that objects exist even if they cannot be seen. Not until at about 18 months do infants have a full understanding of object permanence. Soon after, the onset of symbols, including words and gestures, become apparent. Preoperational thinking (2-7 years): Children do not understand others’ different ideas and emotions (egocentrism). They also have trouble focusing on multiple features.A child in the preoperational stage has a narrowly focused type of thought (a term Piaget called centration). For example, in what is known as a conservation problem, children tend to focus on only one aspect of the problem. In conservation of length, they concentrate on the fact that, after the transformation, the end of one stick is farther to the right than the end of the other, when in fact each stick is similar in length. Concrete operational period (7-11 years): This stage is characterized by the appropriate use of logic. A child is able to sort objects according to its size, shape, etc.Also, children will now take into account multiple aspects of a problem. For example, a child will no longer perceive a wide and short cup to contain more liquid than a normal, tall cup. Egocentrism begins to disappear: the child can now view things from another’s perspective (even though that person may be wrong). Formal operational period (11 years and up): Individuals move beyond concrete experiences and begin to think more abstractly, reason logically, and draw conclusions from information available. Also changing is the way an adolescent thinks about social matters.The future is beginning to be thought of in relation to what he or she can become. Information Processing In this view, human thinking is based on mental hardware (allows the mind to operate) and mental software (basis for performing particular tasks). There are several different aspects to this theory. Learning and cognitive development can happen through habituation, classical and operant conditioning, and imitation. Habituation is the diminished response to a stimulus as it becomes more familiar. Constantly responding to insignificant stimuli is wasteful, so habituation keeps infants from devoting too much energy to non-important events.In classical c onditioning, a stimulus elicits a response that was originally produced by another stimulus. No new behaviors are learned, but an association is developed (Huitt, W. and Hummel, J). For example, a toddler may frown when he hears water running in the bathroom because he realizes that it is time for a bath. Operant conditioning emphasizes reward and punishment. This helps children form expectations about what will happen in their environment. Imitation is important in older children and adolescents. This process entails a â€Å"watch and learn† kind of approach.A boy can learn how to play basketball by watching a professional athlete, and an infant may imitate an adult waving her finger back and forth. A special kind of memory, â€Å"autobiographical memory,† emerges in the preschool years. These are memories of significant events and experiences in one’s own life. Infants have basic memory skills that enable them to remember past events. In addition to these skil ls are the language skills and sense of self obtained during the preschool years. Vygotsky’s Theory Lev Vygotsky incorporated the role that society and culture have on an individual throughout cognitive development.According to Vygostky, children rarely grow cognitively by themselves; they learn and progress when they have others by their side. This is contrasting to Piaget’s theory and Information Processing, where the individual growth takes place mostly alone. In his theory, Vygotsky developed the idea of the zone of proximal development. This refers to the â€Å"zone† between the level of performance a child can achieve when working independently and a higher level of performance that is possible when working under the guidance of more skilled adults or peers.This follows the idea that cognition develops first in a social setting and slowly comes under the child’s control. A factor that aids this shift is known as scaffolding. This is a style of teach ing in which the teacher decides the amount of assistance given to match what the child actually needs. Scaffolding is based off the premise that children do not learn readily when they are constantly told what to do or when they are left to struggle through a problem. Finally, Vygotsky viewed private speech as an â€Å"intermediate step toward self-regulation of cognitive skills. Private speech can be defined as comments that are not intended for anyone else but the child to hear, and are designed to help children regulate their behavior. This theory holds that cognitive development is not characterized as a solitary undertaking, but a collaboration between expert and novice. Compare and Contrast All of these theories attempt to measure the biological and psychological changes apparent in child development. They look to categorize specific behaviors, and associate them with current stages in growth. However, each theory is different in that it looks for different behavior patterns .Also, Piaget’s Theory and the Information Processing Theory can be grouped together due to the fact that they look at a child as an independent being, not cognitively dependent on its environment. However, Vygotsky views a child’s development as being reliable upon its surroundings (e. g. its peers, parents, teachers etc). Disputes These three theories are just that; theories. None of them have been scientifically proven and accepted by all scientists. Instead, they have formed the basis by which we conduct study and research of cognitive development today.Theories will always be open to criticism and review, and Piaget’s theory has specifically been scrutinized by scientists and researchers. Some believe that Piaget underestimated the cognitive competence in infants and young children. A main theme of modern child development is that of an extremely competent infant. Also, many scientists have found that certain components of Piaget’s theory are not tes table. For example, accommodation and assimilation prove to be too vague to test scientifically. In Vygosky’s Theory, some critics point out the overemphasizing of the role of language.Also, his â€Å"emphasis on collaboration and guidance has potential pitfalls if facilitators are too helpful in some cases. An example of that would be an overbearing and controlling parent. † Criticism is not meant to diminish the importance of these theories, but to foster more research in the field of cognitive development and improve our understanding of how children grow. Conclusion These three theories of cognitive development are meant to measure something that is physically not able to be measured. They take a look at how children behave, and attempt to classify each behavior accordingly.