Australian Macro-Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Australian Macro-Economy - Essay Example The macro-economic environment supporting the Australian micro-economic reforms have been satisfactory is some respects, but notably deficient in other areas. It is imperative to examine these developments briefly, since, if the major problem areas are not resolved, they have the potential to disrupt the genuinely significant achievements and frustrate the path towards an internationally oriented and efficient economy. The purpose of this section is to examine briefly the salient features of the macro-environment. This article also alludes to some of the effects of the reforms. It does not attempt to provide a comprehensive assessment, which would be beyond the scope of this chapter, and arguably premature. Fiscal Policy Throughout most of the reform period, fiscal policy was reasonably conservative. The Australian Labor administration inherited a large fiscal deficit in 1982/3, in consequence partly of a severe recession. The government proceeded to reduce this deficit progressively through the decade. By 1987/8 a modest surplus had been achieved, and was maintained for the next three years, before another serious recession forced a change in policy. For a short period, also, the administration reversed the post-war trend towards an ever-larger government presence in the economy. Economic growth remained quite buoyant during this period, although inflation continued to exceed that of major trading partners, while remaining below 10 per cent after 1983. The recession of the early 1990s was the major mistake in macro-economic management over this period.

Problem-Solution Essay Essay Example for Free

Problem-Solution Essay Essay It only comes once every four years. It is a day of unity, expression, equality and freedom. Every citizen over the age of eighteen in the United States has the opportunity –the right– to be a part of something huge. Presidential Election Day. The long awaited day that is consumed by the media, Facebook, and Twitter months in advance. An individual can choose to voice an opinion with discretion and secrecy in the voting booth, or one could also choose a more vocal approach with heated debates, obnoxious campaign signs, and even the occasional protest. After all, this is the land of the free, and if there’s one thing Burger King has taught me, it‘s that in the United States you really can â€Å"have it your way.† So why is it, then, that in the midst of the exciting and tumultuous day of our general election, I see the youth of the country sitting in their dorm rooms with absolutely no intent of casting their ballots? Seeing firsthand the lack of political activity among my peers and all those belonging to Generation Y makes me question whether or not I should care enough to vote myself. There is no argument that young voters (ages 18-34) have increasingly shown a lack of voter turnout in general elections. According to an article by The New Republic, 53 percent of 18-29 year-olds visited the polls in 1972. By the year 2000, that figure had dropped to 35 percent, which became a new historical low. So why is this a problem for me and my fellow Generation Y brothers and sisters? The answer is clear and simple. By choosing not to vote, we are also choosing not to have anyone represent our ideals and political agendas in government. At a time with increasing student-loan debt, a shocking unemployment rate and overall declination of the quality of life, Generation Y has more reason now than ever to start affecting political change. â€Å"People who try to have influence on government are going to have more influence than people who do not try† (Wilson 161). All of this begins with the polls. Many causes of political apathy among the younger generation have been noted, and in some cases, several attempts have been made to attract these voters. Registration is one of these causes and this resonates in particular with college students. First-time voters have to get a registration form, learn how and when to register, and then deliver it. Most college students will have to request absentee ballots if they are unable to go to their designated polling stations on Election Day. Unlike the older generation, younger voters are typically not yet settled and therefore the voting process takes more effort. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, over a quarter of college students reported that they did not register to vote because they didn’t know how or had missed the deadline. However, there have been steps to make this process simpler including the motor-voter bill of 1993. This allows citizens to register to vote as they are applying for a driver’s license (Wilson 166). Perhaps one of the biggest causes for lower voter turnout among young people was identified through the honesty of my own roommate. Paige Toepper, my roommate and also fellow first-time voter, did not go to the polls for the 2012 election simply because she had not previously been engaged in the political issues and felt ill-equipped to suddenly be making such decisions. â€Å"I haven’t been following up on politics until this point and I don’t believe I should vote for something when I’m not even sure what it is that I am voting for.† Once I heard this from my roommate, I found it to be a common theme on my entire floor. The problem isn’t that Generation Y doesn’t care to vote but, rather, that no one has really had the chance yet to be exposed to politics in an informative light where we feel confident in our own beliefs. My proposal for the solution to this problem begins in the education system. We should integrate politics and current events into our curriculum for high school students. This would also include the entire process for registering first-time voters, so that those who have not been exposed have a base to fall back on. The lack of voter turnout among the younger generation is a serious problem for the future of America if young people aren’t allowing their voices to be heard and to influence government. If people do not start voting while they are young, there is no way to know if they will ever begin to exercise this fundamental right. Being able to integrate politics as part of high school curriculum is an easy way to start getting the young generation engaged and involved. By doing this we can begin to push forward new innovative ideas and ultimately begin to successfully form our future as a society.

The History Of Education

The History Of Education Education is one of the most important aspects of society and benefits the individual and society as a whole. It benefits society through economical, political and cultural means. But what has to be assessed is whether the aim of education is to benefit each individual, whether it is to further the development and production in society, or whether it is to do both, but in a fair and equal manner without causing separations and problems within society. Modern day society is ever expanding and globalization, which Coatsworth says is where the movement of people, goods or ideas among countries and regions accelerates, increasing. This then results in the world requiring a global workplace of people working for TNCs (Trans-National Corporations) across multiple continents in order to create the biggest amount of profit and spread of goods. Whether globalization is a good thing is one question but what is central, is whether education needs to be transformed to prepare children for this e ver developing market. Arguably, there are many different purposes of education. The Functionalist view is that education unifies and stabilizes society, it benefits society as a whole and is based on a meritocratic system. Education contributes towards social cohesion through shared experiences and a common curriculum. The expansion of education, for Functionalists, is directly linked to the requirements of industrial production. Therefore, the essential purpose of education for Functionalism is to keep society going by creating workers and people who can benefit society economically. The Functionalist belief is that each individual childs achievement is based on how hard the individual works (meritocracy) and whether they want to achieve highly. This is a very positive view of education but unfortunately, Functionalism fails to notice any negatives within society and education. It fails to recognize any exterior or genetic factors that can affect a childs achievement within education such as poverty, gen der or ethnicity. Karl Marx would argue that the purpose of education is to reproduce inequality and social hierarchy (keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor). What Marx says is that children are being labelled in school according to their social class and then the education system makes sure they are kept in that class to produce low-skilled workers and manual labourers for means of production within society. The bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation (Marx, 1848). Making profit is more important to the capitalist society than the effective development and education of our future generations. One of the ways children could be kept in their social class within education is through language. Basil Bernstein said that humans use a restricted and elaborated language code depending on what social situation they find themselves in and with which types of people. The Restricted code is a simple understanding of language used with family and friends whilst the elaborated code is more abstract and complex and would be more commonly used within institutions. Bernsteins research found that working-class children had access to the restricted code whereas middle-class children had access to both the restricted and the elaborated code. It is the dominant use of the elaborated code within education though, that is disadvantaging working class children by affecting their understanding and ultimately resulting in lower achievement from them.(Bernstein, 1977). Marxism would argue that social class is based on the possession of means of production but in the modern day society class is based upon knowledge and wealth. Capitalism has created a society where knowledge creates wealth and power. Overall, the Marxist view would be that education is already preparing children for the global workplace by reproducing inequality and manual labourers who will be underpaid and mistreated in the workplace so that Trans-Na tional Corporations can make the biggest profits; whilst the middle class children shall become the management of the companies and the hierarchy shall be present in the global workplace as it was in school. Webers Interactionist theory examines how individuals and groups create patterns of behaviour which shape the systems. Beckers labelling theory explains how if a teacher labels a pupil negatively in school then a pupil will go on to fulfil that label. Labelling is an effect of the characteristics of a pupil on a teachers views of the student. If a child is labelled in school by a class teacher because they appear scruffy or lazy, this can be down to relative poverty in the home which could cause the child to be frequently tired and without the necessary resources to assist their learning. This can result in a teacher labelling a pupil as lazy, unenthusiastic or simply unwilling to learn, which then goes on to affect the childs achievement within school and possibly even later life. Labelling is potentially a major factor in working class children going on to perform manual labour jobs, making up the majority of a national and global workforce and remaining in their social class. Marx ism would maintain this is true and would state that this is the sole aim for the education system, to produce a global workforce that can benefit society economically. The world is in a transformation that means there is no longer a clear distinction between international and domestic, external and internal affairs (Rosenau, 1990). This statement by Rosenau explains how the world through modernisation is now merged into one global workplace. Globalisation has created a world where each individual country is now reliant upon one another for goods and services and so act not alone, but more as one. Globalisation has integrated rich, affluent, and educated classes, but has fractured working classes and marginalised the poor, who do not have the skills and economic clout to profit from open markets (Shalmali Guttal 2007). This statement from Guttal shows how Globalisation may be positive in terms of benefitting the rich and providing opportunities for the middle class but at the expense of the working class. Therefore if a student struggles academically and cannot go on to higher education, they should not suffer in todays society by not benefitting from the gains of globalisation. This is one way that Globalisation is creating inequality in society and if the education system was to prepare students for the global workplace then this would simply be reinforcing inequality in school. The purpose of education is to benefit the lives of all children in school not just to progress the lives of those children who have already been born into the middle and upper classes. Economic gain is not the vital target for the result of education. Globalisation enters the education sector on an ideological horse, and its effects on education and the production of knowledge are largely a product of that financially-driven, free-market ideology, not of a clear conception for improving education (Carnoy, 1999). Bowles Gintis explain how school relates to the workplace via the overt and the hidden curriculum. Orders are given by the teacher/boss to the student/worker to follow. The person in charge of the student/worker will have to give permission for the individual to use the toilet, when to go and return for fixed time breaks, will assign work tasks to the individual/group, give rewards for hard work, place emphasis on attitude towards tasks, give work to be done at home and discipline the students/workforce. Nearly every single thing a person will experience when they enter the workplace is imitated within the schooling system to prepare students for the global workplace. The restricted and elaborated language code explained by Bernstein not only puts working class children at a disadvantage in the schooling environment but also in the working environment and especially in the multi-national corporations of todays global workplace. If a working class child is underachieving in school because of the dominant elaborated language code used by teachers, then that student will not secure themselves a well-paid job in the management sector of TNCs because of their achievement academically and because of their dominant use of the restricted language code. In the global workplace, as well as in education, the elaborated language code is used. Therefore, the use of the elaborated language code in education and the global workplace is reproducing inequality by keeping the working class limited to the restricted code which results in them only gaining manual labour jobs and becoming the primary workforce of the global workplace. As a result of this, more emphasi s needs to be put on teaching children the elaborated language code in school before they reach the workplace, but in a gradual, subtle way so they can pick it up rather than being at a disadvantage right from the beginning of school. This is one major way that education needs to prepare students for the global workplace simply so that inequality is not being reproduced as a result of the schooling system. Bourdieus forms of capital can link to Bernsteins language codes in terms of class and social structure. Bourdieus says that a group or an individuals position in the social structure depends on three forms of capital: Economic, social and cultural. Economic capital is everything with a monetary value a person owns, social capital is what types of groups the individual may belong to and cultural capital is the way a person may have been cultured such as frequenting museums and art galleries as a child. These three forms of capital are something a child is either born into or not and as a result is crucial to the individuals position in the social structure as they grow up. It is also important to mention that economic capital can be converted into cultural and social capital by means of paying for a University degree from Kings College, London, and influencing the right to membership of an esteemed social group. A further form of capital that Bourdieu also explains is linguistic capi tal. If an individual is raised in a higher class family where the elaborated language code is used on a daily basis and the child even comes into contact with another language such as Greek or Latin, then that is going to raise their position in the social structure right from a young age (Bourdieu, 1986). Consequently, it is easy to see what role that child shall go on to take in terms of hierarchy in the global workplace and what role a child who has grown up without that form of capital will take. Harbison and Myers say that the role of education Unlocks the door to modernization. In terms of capitalism though, it is debatable whether modernization is a positive thing when it is reproducing inequality and reinforcing the class system. However, inequality is being reproduced not just now in a national sense, but a global sense where the poverty-stricken underclass are being exploited for cheap labor in third world countries by capitalist countries such as America. In conclusion, education is crucial to the development of society but not at the expense of the majority of individuals within that society. The rise of the global workplace through Globalization has created possibly more inequality and greed within the world and to prepare students for that in school would be ethically and morally wrong. It would be right to prepare students for the global workplace by dismissing social backgrounds, treating all equally and assisting those in more need. This could go on to reduce the gap in social class to create equal opportunities for all within the hierarchy of the global workplace. School already prepares students for the world of work in terms of its discipline and rules, and with the world becoming an ever increasingly multi-cultural place, schools are teaching children about other cultures. This therefore, is already preparing children for the global workplace. However, when there is so much inequality and exploitation in the global workplace , simply to enable cheap labour costs and higher profits, it is more important to focus on creating equality in the classroom and trying to make sure all children can achieve what they desire. Karl Marx- (1848), The Communist Manifesto. Margaret L. Andersen Howard F. Taylor, (2005) Sociology: understanding a diverse society. Fourth edition. Howard F. Taylor, (2007). Sociology: The Essentials. Cengage learning, P.425 S. Bowles H. Gintis, (1976). Schooling in Capitalist America. Basic Books Ltd. Shalmali Guttal, (2007). Development in Practice, vol 17, numbers 4-5. Taylor Francis Ltd. Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Reproduced in Ball, S. (ed.) (2004) The RoutledgeFalmer reader in sociology of education. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp.15-29. Bourdieu, P. and Passeron, J.-C. (1977). Reproduction in education, society and culture. London: Sage. Layard, R. Dunn, J. (2009). A Good Childhood; Searching for Values in a Competitive Age. London, Penguin. Paul Willis, (1977). Learning to Labour: how working class kids get working class jobs. Columbia University Press; Morningside edition. Bernstein, B., (1977). Class, codes and Control vol 3. London: Routledge. Bourdieu, P., (1986). The forms of capital. Reproduced in Ball, S. (ed.) (2004). The RoutledgeFalmer reader in sociology of education. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp.15-29.

Independent Reading Project: Creating a Museum of Living Literature Ess

Independent Reading Project: Creating a Museum of Living Literature 1. Problem Statement In preparation for the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition exam, high school students must read many kinds of literature during the year-long course to familiarize themselves with different time periods, movements, philosophies, and genres. Advanced Placement students must learn to think critically, and be ready to find, analyze, and express literary connections through written analysis. The biggest challenge of teaching and learning Advanced Placement English is the difficulty covering the entire scope of literature in two semesters. Twentieth century literature often gets neglected. The pace of the curriculum can also limit the creativity of lesson planning and evaluation. Many teachers rely heavily on lecture, discussion, and a traditional analysis paper. To add some variety to traditional teaching and learning strategies, a teacher might design an independent project where students work in teams and focus collaboratively on a single novel from the twentieth century. Each team would read a selected book and work together to create artifacts that would be shared with the other teams. Through collaborative work and sharing, students would be able to grasp the concepts and connections of several works of literature. The project outlined in section 5 will target twentieth century literature. 2. Target Audience The target audience is two sections of the Advanced Placement English Class. There are approximately 24 students in each class. These students are in their final year of high school at St. Pius X Catholic High School. The classes are coed, ranging in ages between 17-18 years old. The... ...to create. 7. Works Cited Blumenfeld, P. C., Solloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating project‑based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational Psychologist, 26(3 & 4), 369‑398. Available October 17, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database: http://search.epnet.com Turner, J., & Paris, S. G. (1995). How literacy tasks influence childrenï ¿ ½s motivation for literacy. The Reading Teacher, 48(8), 662‑673. Available October 17, 2002, from Professional Database Collection database: http://search.epnet.com/ Wang, S.‑K., & Han, S. (2001). Six cï ¿ ½s of motivation. In M. Orey (Ed.), Learning, teaching, & technology. Retrieved September 15, 2002, from University of Georgia, Dept. of Instructional Technology Web site: http://itstudio.coe.uga.edu/ebook/6csmotivation.htm

‘My parents kept me from children who were rough’ by Stephen Harold Essay

Introduction: Sir Stephen Harold spender was an English poet, novelist, and essayist who concentrated on themes of social justice and the class struggle in his work, (February 28, 1909, London- July 16 1955). Stephen spender took a keen interest in politics and declared himself to be a socialist and pacifist. This poem is about a boy who longs to be part of a group of children who he looks up to. I think the poet is writing about himself because he uses a lot of words like ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’. Analysis: The fist line seems to blame the Parents of the situation, and only after finishing the poem, you understand that is was actually the parents fault. In the first paragraph the poet introduces some of the things the children do. The poet writes about them throwing â€Å"Words like Stones†, this indicates that the language would hurt him, it was insulting. He also writes about how they dress and take off their clothes. The children wear rags and ‘torn clothes’, these boys wore such torn and ragged clothes that he could actually see their thighs where the clothes were torn. â€Å"They ran in the street†, as a middle class boy, his parents probably would not allow him to play in the streets. â€Å"And climbed cliffs and stripped by the country streams†, these boys could go wherever they wanted, without parental supervision. This gives the idea that the children have a reckless nature, they are the lower class. This is a gang of kids that the author was not allowed to hang around, but he must have felt very lonely. He is quick to show the misery of their situation. The second verse, it tells movement of a jerking action. I think this is effective because it helps paint a picture in the reader’s head of the boy â€Å"jerking† under the boy’s knees, of the violence involved when they attack him. He was frightened of these boys, because they would fight him, and pin him to the ground, kneeling on him so he couldn’t escape. Perhaps they hit him as well. (Jerking hands) â€Å"I feared the salt coarse pointing of those boys who copied my lisp behind me on the road†, He was frightened by the way they pointed at him in a rude way, and mimicked the way he spoke. The third verse shows, that these boys were strong, agile boys, who would lie in wait for him to pass by. They hid behind hedges, and as he drew near they leapt out at him, â€Å"barking like dogs† or shouting roughly. They threw mud at him, and he could not retaliate, but had to keep walking, and pretend it was funny. But actually, it was frightening and hurtful. He really wanted to be friends with them, and play their rough games, but they never invited him, he was just the object of their scorn. The contrasts again between weak and strong, lithe, sprang, barked. Those are all strong words suggesting that he was bullied by the local ‘gang’ of street children. He was excluded from their community because of his class and his lisp. He seems to be envious of their freedom, the freedom that â€Å"rough kids† take for granted. There seems to be two existing worlds, one of the lower class, and the other the middle class, this seems to create an invisible barrier between the two worlds. The children and the boy are all jealous, jealousy works both ways. The middle class boy wants to change his life, he see’s the bully’s to be free, though he is not, and they see him to have everything he’s ever wanted, but either way no ones happy, he wants to spend a day in their shoes. The poem is set as 3 stanzas, quatrain, the lines 1 and 2 are erratic. There is a lot of alliteration, for example, climbed, cliffs, and country. Conclusion: The poem is about rich vs. poor, over all in the poem â€Å"My parents kept me from children who were rough† a young boy is being bullied by rough and strong boys who intimidate him, so his parents have chosen to keep him away from them. It also brings in two worlds of childhood, the lower and higher of children.

Howard County High School Students Have Their Say Essay

Lunch menus in public schools have changed significantly over the past several years. There is an increased national concern about the alarming number of school age children who suffer from obesity. Federal and state requirements have been difficult to achieve due to the complexity in satisfying the palette as well as public health concerns. Howard County, Maryland has joined with other areas to find a compromise between public policies and student satisfaction. John-John Williams, IV in his article, â€Å"Having a Say on What They Eat,† examines the efforts of the Howard County Public Schools in Ellicott City, Maryland. In response to a 2006 â€Å"wellness† policy, high school administrators were required to reduce the amount of high fat foods offered to students. Items such as french fries or anything resembling fast foods were excluded as suitable choices. In response, students protested with their pocketbooks by refusing to purchase certain cafeteria items. Howard County high schools lost thousands of dollars in much needed revenue and were forced to include student-consumers in the decision making process. Students enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program are making their voices heard at Oakland Mills, a high school in Howard County. The young male and female chefs hope to create dishes suitable for next fall’s menu. Students enrolled in the cooking class, much like many restaurant owners and professional chefs, are faced with the challenges of providing foods that meet national nutritional guidelines and at the same time manage cost and taste appeal. Students participating in the taste-test were required to prepare dishes that would meet the national guidelines of 750 total calories (110 of which could derive from fat), and150 grams of sodium at the cost of $1. 22. On April1, just a few days away, judges will select recipes from twelve high schools in five counties including Howard. One of the major problems for high school administrators has been student awareness regarding food preparation and nutrition. They explain the students’ culinary wisdom in terms of cable food networks and celebrity chefs. High school students’ tastes in foods have clashed with administrative obligations yet culinary program participants have found a productive means of influencing systemic and institutional change. There are a variety of sociological issues imbedded in the Howard County challenge. The context of the struggle is the public high school, a social and political institutional space that operates under certain federal guidelines and state budgets. The question of community and culture is a dominant theme as Howard County explores how best to address the concerns of multiple and diverse constituents. While the primary goal is to meet public health and nutritional guidelines, the underlying impediments to meeting these objectives have been both economic and cultural. In order for Howard County to be in compliance they must not only answer the question of health but must also find a way to establish a form of nutritional wellness that is both affordable and acceptable to students. For example, Erika Henderson, a senior from Oakland Mills High enrolled in the Culinary Arts class, stated that the food was distasteful because it was â€Å"cheap food with no seasoning† (Williams, IV 10). As a result, Erika decided to bring her lunch each day. Erika’s choice to pass on the cafeteria foods raises issues about class. Students from lower incomes may not have items to bring from home and, in many instances, rely on the cafeteria cuisine. At the same time, Erika appears to have been quite comfortable with preparing her own food. She had a particular notion about ingredients suggesting that the culture of her home allowed and encouraged food preparation and experimentation. In addition, the Culinary Arts Program created a subculture; a cohort of students who, perhaps, were more aware of the nuances of food preparation and trends than their peers. The culinary arts students were the most vocal in demanding that their recipes be taste-tested and, if successful, placed on the menu. Laurie Collins, Instructional Facilitator at Oakland Mills, insisted that â€Å"they will try something that [has been] prepared by their peers† (Williams, IV 10). With just days away from a decision, over seventeen-thousand students at Oakland may have a chance to have their way in terms of affordable, healthy, appetizing, and appealing choices for lunch whether it is the baked onion rings or apple slices. Realizing that it will be difficult to please everyone, all parties are optimistic about the fall menu. Howard County and the Oakland students have taken matters into their own hands by offering a realistic solution to what is a national and institutional problem. The students, through hard work and creativity, are cooking up their own taste of â€Å"wellness. † Works Cited Williams IV, John-John. â€Å"Having A Say On What They Eat: Howard Students Taste- Test, Prepare Own Candidate for Cafeteria Menu† The Baltimore Sun 22 March 2009: 1, 10.

Victims Of Different Wars essays

Victims Of Different Wars essays War has always been horrible. In WWII, civilians were targets as part of bombing campaigns. Now, not only were the soldiers experiencing the horror of war but the civilians too now involved. This continued throughout the various wars like the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the War Of Terrorism and now the War In Iraq. However, I always stop to wonder, why were civilians and soldiers always suffering when the decision to go to war was not theirs. For example, in Vietnam, the US needlessly intervened in a country that was trying to gain independence. It was afraid of the communist in Vietnam and in a effort to stop it, millions of civilians and soldiers died just to get their independence which they eventually got in the end. In Iraq, it was known at first as a effort to disarm Iraq of Weapons Of Mass Destruction, however. It later became A Mission To Liberate The People Of Iraq. I do not agree that Saddam Hussein was a good leader, on the contrary, I hate Saddam. However what was George Bush really trying to do? Was this a plan of his to gain support from the US people so that he would be seen as a man trying to keep their nation safe? George Bush has always associated terrorist with Saddam Hussein even without credible proof. Most of the evidence he got before the war as we can see now have all been falsified. And now, he does not want to let the Iraq people choose their government but instead installs his own and even the leader who has caused grievous hurt to Iraq is not allowed to be trailed by the victims. What are wars really caused by? Who are the real people who are really guilty? At times circumstances lead to war but at others, it is the people at the top who are really guilty. However, no matter who is guilty, it is the people at the front lines and the civilians who really take the full blow of war. ...

12 Terms for Tests and Related Expressions

12 Terms for Tests and Related Expressions 12 Terms for Tests and Related Expressions 12 Terms for Tests and Related Expressions By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between an acid test and a litmus test? Can you test-drive something that can’t be driven, or test-fire something that can’t be fired? Here are literal and figurative definitions of some phrases that include the word test. 1. Acid test: a chemical test used to distinguish gold from other metals; by analogy, a very important or intense test of character or performance 2. Alpha test: a test of an early version of a company’s software or hardware by company employees or by consultants 3. Beta test: a test of a beta, or revised, version of a company’s software or hardware by people outside the company (often, a sample of prospective customers) before it is finalized and generally released for sale 4. Litmus test: a test for acidity using litmus, an organic dye absorbed onto a medium called litmus paper that changes color when exposed to chemicals; by analogy, a test in which one component or factor determines the outcome, or the posing of a question whose answer indicates the respondent’s suitability, or lack thereof, for a position, or an action whose result determines whether one or more other actions should be taken 5. Test ban: a self-imposed prohibition of nuclear weapons testing by mutual agreement between two or more countries 6. Test bed: a vehicle used to test equipment; by analogy, any thing, place, or method for testing a product or an idea 7. Test board: a sample piece of cardboard or other packing material for testing strength or resistance to damage, or a console for testing electronics (also, an organization that administers academic examinations) 8. Test case: a legal or similar case pursued with the intent of establishing a precedent for similar decisions; by analogy, an action undertaken to determine the likely outcome for such actions 9. Test check: auditing of sample data (also, as a verb, test-check, to audit sample data) 10. Test drive: use of a vehicle to evaluate its performance; by analogy, evaluation of any device or of implementation of a policy or procedure (also, as a verb, test-drive, to test a vehicle or other device, or a policy or procedure) 11. Test fire: testing of a weapon to evaluate its performance (also called a firing test); by analogy, to introduce or launch a policy or product to determine how it will be received (as a verb, test-fire, to test a weapon or launch a policy or product) 12. Test market: a region or group selected for limited release of a product (also, as a verb, test-market, to make a product available on a limited basis to evaluate its appeal) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientEnglish Grammar 101: Verb Mood20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

Brand management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Brand management - Essay Example In this paper, the writer will characterise Evisu’s efforts at revitalising and reinforcing its brand equity, and provide suggestions as to how the company can rejuvenate its brand equity. Evisu’s history goes back to the 1980s. During the 80s, vintage denim aficionados fanatically pursued methods to make similar replicas of vintage jeans. In 1988, Yamane succeeded in finding and acquiring a classic American shuttle loom that could weave 40 metres daily and make exact copies of vintage denim. The subsequent small output of just 12 pairs of jeans per week heralded the beginning of the Replica Movement. Evisu’s logo and brand identity are linked with the denim revolution. Evisu enjoyed its most successful period in the 1990s to early 2000s. It was hugely popular with celebrities and young people who identified with its unique designs and innovative marketing. It is regularly lauded as the pioneer of high-end, $600 jeans, and the leader of the â€Å"old school† denim movement (Choi, 2014:43). In the mid 2000s, the company faced many challenges associated with financial, creative and competitive aspects, the core components of the fashion industry. Th e tax evasion case it faced in 2006 hurt its PR and finances. In 2006, Evisu’s founder – Hidehiko Yamane – and the company were reported to Japanese authorities on suspicion of tax evasion. Yamane was accused of colluding with two other firms to conceal income totalling over 500 million yen and evading, over three years, income taxes totalling around 160 million yen. This incident severely dented the company’s image, which it had built for decades and sold to millions of people across the world. However, and prior to this case, the company had also been posting unsatisfactory results in terms of brand popularity and financial performances (Rossolatos, 2014:34). An unexpected lull in quality and industry had allowed aggressive brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Armani to eat into

The Distorted Mirror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Distorted Mirror - Essay Example It has largely influenced some of the common issues in the society and somehow provides answers to every role it played. But they added that despite of the benefits it brings in the marketplace and other economical contributions, advertising has side effects to the public’s personality and values taught by religion. It has been stressed out as well the issue of advertising as driver that opposes culture. Advertising began to affect some basic patterns of culture which are beyond what the society had perceived from its idea. Such basic patterns are the structure of authority in the family, the role of children and young adults as independent consumers in the society, the pattern of morals, and the different meanings of achievements in the society. The power of advertising can penetrate into the minds of all types of generations which it can either foster knowledge as a consumer or as a whole individual. The language and symbols being portrayed would often release a social chang e and problem.

Claires Antiques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Claires Antiques - Essay Example Since the company does not want to pass the increased commission to its customers, they will have to make up for the $15, 190 decrease in profit for the clocks product line and $23, 310 and $25, 025 for dinette sets and bedroom suites respectively. The company can make up for this lost by asking distributors to sell a lower percentage of the total expected sales volume in order to lessen the commission expenses. 5. In calculating the new monthly break even volume for Claire's Antiques, we must take into account the changes in price and monthly fixed cost. Cutting the unit sales price by 10% will yield $3, 300 ($3, 700 x .90) for one dinette set. Fixed cost will be increased to $27, 250 to take into account the $1, 000 advertising cost. The new contribution margin is computed as $3, 300 minus variable material cost of $1, 280 which is equal to $2, 050. Break even in units can be generated by dividing the $27, 250 fixed cost by the new contribution margin of 42, 050. This will give 13 units for Claire's Antiques to break even each month.

Team Work Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Team Work - Term Paper Example 6. Sublease unused hospital medical equipment when not in use 7. Create a website that will provide all software for students, professionals, and enterprises, such as Office, HFSS, Matlab, SolidWorks, etc. for a little low quote and fully unlimited license. 8. Web host to keep encrypted medical records so that they are accessible worldwide 9. Create custom phone apps for individual people and companies. 10. A health insurance co-op to get health insurance benefits of a large company to an individual 11. Refurbish medical equipment and sell needy medical establishments 12. Establish and maintain a data base of quality medical professionals 13. Create an integrated internet based query of emergency departments to reduce wait times 14. Create a company to help startups lessen the strain of FDA approval 15. Create a drug recycling company 16. Distribute unused drugs expired equipment to third world countries 17. Medical equipment maintenance company 18. Create a company that upgrades cur rent medical equipment 19. Create a website that encourages competition among medical providers 20. Using AzTechnology â€Å"Fuel-Cell Based True Uninterruptible Power Supply for DC powered Devices† this technology can be incorporated to hospitals for medical devices or private practitioners that use medical devices as a power back-up equipment. This technology will be useful for third world countries such as Haiti. 21. Living System Home for elderly people 22. Buy confiscated cars to the State before they go in auction, and repair them for purpose of selling them to a really considerable price 23. Primary or preventative care for automobiles 24. Using multi-touch technology to be applied to a retail company to show inventory of the product without the need that physically show it. This will elude the need of shoplifting 25. Medical Equipment repair 26. Using Volkswagen technology safety to be incorporated to home security. 27. sell/run program for I pad/Tablets that allows w aitresses to send orders directly to kitchen staff instead of physically giving it to them 28. lemonade stand 29. candy stand 30. invest in franchises 31. used furniture store 32. sell games for smart phone 33. auto detailing company 34. sell CPR training dummies that give electronic feedback for if one is doing compressions correctly 35. Create a website to automatically translate websites, making for a truly world wide web 36. Pet rental company 37. Start a club 38. Private personal webpage to manage your email and social media similar to a phone that is accessible anywhere 39. Some who hunts wild cats and sells them for food 40. Assisted living firm 41. Health insurance discounts based on health. 42. Create an assisted living apartment complex with more freedom than normal assisted living facilities. 43. A website/phone app to quickly estimate the necessity to call EMS or go to the hospital by one’s own means 44. Buy/sell used books 45. Start an insurance company based on keeping people healthy not curing the sick 46. Cooking home food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) to deliver to students or people that are really busy that cannot cook or get food at all 47. Create a hospital that is accessible by only private means no government services, a truly private hospital 48. Provide International Students with a database that will give them the facility of finding jobs or companies that sponsored H1 visas. Making a career fest or making such a thing as ASU Sun devils

Questios about graphs Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questios about graphs - Lab Report Example Such is the best solution rather than closing down the company. The number of firms remains steady in neither short-run, whereby no firm can enter nor exit. When the market price exceeds the average variable cost, the revenue generated by the firms will then cover the variable cost and some revenue left over to offset the fixed costs. The quantity supplied by each company will decrease and remain steady to where it can sustain to operate in the conditions. Thus, the quantity supplied in the market may not meet the required demand by the customers since the quantity will neither decrease nor increase till the firms are out of operating at loss (Caimcross 66). Q3. b) Monopoly is a market where production is under the control of a single supply. The marginal revenue is less than the average revenue because when the monopolists wants to sell more, they must reduce the price on each unit; this prevents the competition from happening. Q4. b) Economic profits are driven to zero when the demand curve, as well as the average total cost curves, are tangent to each other. In this case, the prices are equal to average total cost and thus the firms will earn zero economic profits. The quantity of outputs in the monopolistic competition is much smaller than the quantity that minimizes average total cost. But in perfect competition, price is equal to the minimum average total cost thus the companies produce at their efficient scale. The price in monopolistic competition is greater than marginal cost since the firm has the market power unlike in perfect competition where it is equal to marginal cost. Q5. b) Oligopoly is where a few firms exist in the market. The oligopolies face the downward sloping demand curve. In this case, the rival firms cannot follow a price increase by one firm hence demand will be relatively elastic and rises in the price that will lead to a fall in total revenue of the firm. Also, the rivals

How Globalization Affects small businesses Essay

How Globalization Affects small businesses - Essay Example ization affecting the current experiences in small business venture?† The increasing changes in business climate are a possible result of globalization effect. Many small and medium enterprises are not able to realize how this phenomenon is influencing the business environment. â€Å"Have you noted any unexplained changes in competition, consumer behavior, price changes and business rules and regulations which are derived from the globalization?† Such an approach to discussing the issue of globalization will evoke the interest of the reader due to the sensitivity of the question in respect of the widespread startup firms and increasing competition in small and medium enterprise in this era of globalization (Friedlander, Edward and John 56). This journalism lead approach is more appropriate in the case of using pictures and diagram to make a visual appeal to the underlying issues being addressed (Ballenger 163-4). It serves the purpose of a visual impression and gives the reader an overview of the topic being addressed. This is a critical tool of captivating the attention of the reader through proper pictorial presentation and precise expression of ideas (Friedlander, Edward and John 61-6). From the picture above it can be noted that the increasing technological application in small businesses is a culmination of the rising competition in various industries. Cost reduction measure versus high quality output is a major goal of the profit oriented small enterprises operators. In this respect, non-price competitive strategies are at play and this sums up as a culmination of the globalization effect. To contain the gap between well-established multinational corporations and startup firms, information technology application provides a level ground for survival and this one aspect of globalization. In this case, the critical concepts of globalization and its effect on small business are addressed through visual presentation and the reader has grasped important facts

Team Work Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Team Work - Term Paper Example 6. Sublease unused hospital medical equipment when not in use 7. Create a website that will provide all software for students, professionals, and enterprises, such as Office, HFSS, Matlab, SolidWorks, etc. for a little low quote and fully unlimited license. 8. Web host to keep encrypted medical records so that they are accessible worldwide 9. Create custom phone apps for individual people and companies. 10. A health insurance co-op to get health insurance benefits of a large company to an individual 11. Refurbish medical equipment and sell needy medical establishments 12. Establish and maintain a data base of quality medical professionals 13. Create an integrated internet based query of emergency departments to reduce wait times 14. Create a company to help startups lessen the strain of FDA approval 15. Create a drug recycling company 16. Distribute unused drugs expired equipment to third world countries 17. Medical equipment maintenance company 18. Create a company that upgrades cur rent medical equipment 19. Create a website that encourages competition among medical providers 20. Using AzTechnology â€Å"Fuel-Cell Based True Uninterruptible Power Supply for DC powered Devices† this technology can be incorporated to hospitals for medical devices or private practitioners that use medical devices as a power back-up equipment. This technology will be useful for third world countries such as Haiti. 21. Living System Home for elderly people 22. Buy confiscated cars to the State before they go in auction, and repair them for purpose of selling them to a really considerable price 23. Primary or preventative care for automobiles 24. Using multi-touch technology to be applied to a retail company to show inventory of the product without the need that physically show it. This will elude the need of shoplifting 25. Medical Equipment repair 26. Using Volkswagen technology safety to be incorporated to home security. 27. sell/run program for I pad/Tablets that allows w aitresses to send orders directly to kitchen staff instead of physically giving it to them 28. lemonade stand 29. candy stand 30. invest in franchises 31. used furniture store 32. sell games for smart phone 33. auto detailing company 34. sell CPR training dummies that give electronic feedback for if one is doing compressions correctly 35. Create a website to automatically translate websites, making for a truly world wide web 36. Pet rental company 37. Start a club 38. Private personal webpage to manage your email and social media similar to a phone that is accessible anywhere 39. Some who hunts wild cats and sells them for food 40. Assisted living firm 41. Health insurance discounts based on health. 42. Create an assisted living apartment complex with more freedom than normal assisted living facilities. 43. A website/phone app to quickly estimate the necessity to call EMS or go to the hospital by one’s own means 44. Buy/sell used books 45. Start an insurance company based on keeping people healthy not curing the sick 46. Cooking home food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) to deliver to students or people that are really busy that cannot cook or get food at all 47. Create a hospital that is accessible by only private means no government services, a truly private hospital 48. Provide International Students with a database that will give them the facility of finding jobs or companies that sponsored H1 visas. Making a career fest or making such a thing as ASU Sun devils

How Globalization Affects small businesses Essay

How Globalization Affects small businesses - Essay Example ization affecting the current experiences in small business venture?† The increasing changes in business climate are a possible result of globalization effect. Many small and medium enterprises are not able to realize how this phenomenon is influencing the business environment. â€Å"Have you noted any unexplained changes in competition, consumer behavior, price changes and business rules and regulations which are derived from the globalization?† Such an approach to discussing the issue of globalization will evoke the interest of the reader due to the sensitivity of the question in respect of the widespread startup firms and increasing competition in small and medium enterprise in this era of globalization (Friedlander, Edward and John 56). This journalism lead approach is more appropriate in the case of using pictures and diagram to make a visual appeal to the underlying issues being addressed (Ballenger 163-4). It serves the purpose of a visual impression and gives the reader an overview of the topic being addressed. This is a critical tool of captivating the attention of the reader through proper pictorial presentation and precise expression of ideas (Friedlander, Edward and John 61-6). From the picture above it can be noted that the increasing technological application in small businesses is a culmination of the rising competition in various industries. Cost reduction measure versus high quality output is a major goal of the profit oriented small enterprises operators. In this respect, non-price competitive strategies are at play and this sums up as a culmination of the globalization effect. To contain the gap between well-established multinational corporations and startup firms, information technology application provides a level ground for survival and this one aspect of globalization. In this case, the critical concepts of globalization and its effect on small business are addressed through visual presentation and the reader has grasped important facts

Retail Management Essay Example for Free

Retail Management Essay What can an independent retailer learn from this case? An independent retailer can pull several insights from this reading. First and foremost the market is becoming severely competitive which means that independent retailers will have to adapt to the environment. Adaptations such as; benchmarking other retailers, pinpointing customer needs wants, developing a long-term strategy for adaptation are to be made. It is imperative that retailers find ways to draw-in and maintain customers by changing with the market. Soft line specialty stores have found that the recent economic downturn has hurt the industry and in turn created intense competition for retailers to find new ways to get more sales from existing customers. Some good ideas for retailers to consider after reading this case are, repositioning old images, continuing to target the youth market, and creating a life cycle of retailing whereas, when a customer outgrows a particular brand, you have another brand for the consumer to grow into. There are also many ways that our ever-advancing technology can be incorporated into retailing to aid companies in increasing revenues.

Week 4 Assignment Plagiarism English Language Essay

Week 4 Assignment Plagiarism English Language Essay According to the American Association of University Professors, plagiarism is taking over the ideas, methods, or written words of another, without acknowledgment and with the intention that they be taken as the work of the deceiver (Roig, 2006). Plagiarism takes many forms and cannot always be easy to recognize, but this paper will discuss some of the common forms that plagiarism can take, how to recognize it and then give a practical example of it in action. There are many ways that a writer can plagiarize the work of another, some of the quite purposeful, others inadvertent and still others out of ignorance. When most people think about plagiarize, they probably think about someone simply cutting and pasting the work of one person directly into their work. With the advent of computers and the Internet, this has certainly become easier. Another form of plagiarism is to present the ideas of another that are not yet in common knowledge as ones own (Roig, 2006), The failure to adequately cite the source of information that one is using, both in-text and in ones reference section,. is also a common (although sometimes an inadvertent) form of plagiarism (Walden University, n.d). Perhaps the most common form of plagiarism, though, results from problems in the proper use of paraphrasing the work of an author that one is using on ones work (Roig, 2006). While it can be a simple matter of a lack of knowing the best ways to paraphrase an author (Walden University, n.d.), it is still wrong. There are several ways in which paraphrasing can lead to plagiarism, First of all, a write can simply make a few changes in word choose or word order, but still keep the basic thrust of the authors ideas (Walden University, n.d). Another problem can come when a writer does not provide a proper in-text citation for a paraphrase, thus leaving the reader with the idea that the work was original (Walden University, n.d). Yet another source of paraphrasing error is to distort the original meaning of the work cited (Roig, 2006), Finally, a writer needs to be sure that if they do use some exact phrases from another author in their paraphrase, the use quotations marks to identify those words, and also provide the proper citation. How can one recognize plagiarism? There are actually many ways that one can detect it in anothers work. First of all, there are a number of software programs that will compare the work of the writer with other published material, and then report specific potential problems. This method will probably work best with examples of direct copying or paraphrasing with inadequate citations. One can also simply take a suspect phrase and run that through a search engine to see if the material is or is not original. Another effective way of detecting plagiarism is a result of knowing what can be called the literary fingerprint of a writer. Everyone has a unique style to their writing-word choice, sentence structure and length and even idiosyncratic ways of thinking, and when one is familiar with that, it will be fairly easy to detect plagiarism. It is also useful for a reader to be familiar with the field in which the author is writing. Familiarity with the major sources and authors will help a reader spot the times when a writer is taking credit for anothers work. If one suspects that a particular section of a work is not original, one good technique for verification is to look at the suspect work and the original work next to each other. This helps a reader recognize many potential examples of poor paraphrasing, improper citation or direct copying. As an example of this process, following are an original text and the text written by a student for comparison. These examples are taken from Crossen, 1994 and (Coun 6100) Doctors, whose first allegiance is supposed to be to their patients, have traditionally stood between drug company researchers and trusting consumers. Yet unless there is evidence of misconduct (the deliberate misrepresentation of something as fact by someone who knows it is not), it is very difficult to discover and virtually impossible to prove that a piece of biomedical research has been tainted by conflict of interest. No study is perfect, and problems arise in the labs of even the most conscientious and honest researchers. Although biomedical research incorporates rigorous scientific rules and is often critically scrutinized by peers, the information can nevertheless be warped-by ending a study because the results are disappointing; changing rules mid-study; not trying to publish negative results; publicizing preliminary results even with final and less positive results in hand; skimming over or even not acknowledging drawbacks; and, especially, casting the results in the best l ight or, as scientists say, buffing them. Consumers must trust that the research that has gone into the manufacture of new drugs is safe. But it is hard to know if a conflict of interest between doctors, researchers, and the drug company stockholders has tainted the results. Biomedical researchers incorporate strict rules of science into their work, which is examined by peers. Yet the resulting information can be warped for five reasons: ending a study too soon, not publishing negative results, publishing results too early, skimming over or ignoring drawbacks, and buffing the results by showing them in the best light (Crossen, 1994, p. 167). (Coun 6100, Week 4, n.d., para. 7) In this example, it is not too difficult to identify the ways in which the writer plagiarized their source material. One of the first examples, and it is glaring, is that they do a poor job of accurately including citations in their work. One can quickly see several examples of sentences that seem to represent the thought of the source writer but that are not individually cited. The writer also follows the basic sentence pattern and argument flow of the source author, which is one type of plagiarism. With the exception of one rather poorly though-out sentence that implausibly involves stockholders in a conspiracy to distort results, one can clearly see that the writer simply took the source material and made a few changes and allows the reader to think that the ideas expressed are their own. The last two sentences of the writers paragraph are very obviously plagiarized from their source, including some word-for-word copying of that source, without proper citation. Specifically the list of ways in which studies can be distorted is a combination of some word-for-word copying of the source without proper citation and some poor paraphrasing, which leaves the reader unsure about what part of the work is the writers and what part belongs to the source. A better way of summarizing the last two sentences might be: Crossen (1994) argues that even research that would seem to be scientific on the surface nevertheless can be warped for five reasons: ending a study too soon, not publishing negative results, publishing results too early, skimming over or ignoring drawbacks, and buffing the results by showing them in the best light (p. 167). I use several strategies to avoid plagiarism. First of all, I use a program, Viper (http://www.Viper.com), to check all my work for plagiarism before I submit it for an assignment. Secondly, I try to follow the suggestion from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/). I have found that their suggestions are very helpful as one approaches an assignment. Finally, I try to read as widely in a field as I can beyond the assigned material, as this helps me have a good understanding of my topic, and it makes it less likely that I will improperly paraphrase anothers work. Practice Paraphrasing Original Source, OConnor, (2003) A good writer is one you can read without breaking a sweat. If you want a workout, you dont lift a book-you lift weights. Yet were brainwashed to believe that the more brilliant the writer, the tougher the going. The truth is that the reader is always right. Chances are, if something youre reading doesnt make sense, its not your fault-its the writers. And if something you write doesnt get your point across, its probably not the readers fault-its yours. Too many readers are intimidated and humbled by what they cant understand, and in some cases thats precisely the effect the writer is after. But confusion is not complexity; its just confusion. A venerable tradition, dating back to the ancient Greek orators, teaches that if you dont know what youre talking about, just ratchet up the level of difficulty and no one will ever know. Dont confuse simplicity, though, with simplemindedness. A good writer can express an extremely complicated idea clearly and make the job look effortless. But such simplicity is a difficult thing to achieve because to be clear in your writing you have to be clear in your thinking. This is why the simplest and clearest writing has the greatest power to delight, surprise, inform, and move the reader. You cant have this kind of shared understanding if writer and reader are in an adversary relationship. (pp. 195-196) Paraphrase: OConner (2003) argued that an authors goal should be communication, not confusion- connection, not conflict. She argues that while writing in such a way that the reader is left feeling stupid or confused might make the writer feel superior, it only makes the going tough for the reader, and does not accomplish the goal of making a meaningful connection with the reader. She adds that while it is much easier to be an obtuse writer, but it makes more sense for an author to envision their readers as friends than as enemies, if they wish to excite, not overwhelm. I think that I have several strengths when it comes to paraphrasing. First of all, I love to write and have a fairly large vocabulary, so I can usually think of creative ways to re-state what an author has said. Secondly, I am widely read in this field, so I usually have a clear understanding of what an author is saying, so I am comfortable accurately paraphrasing the basic meaning of a passage. Finally, because I am confident in my topic and what I am intending to say, I only look to other author;s to support my point, whereas it seems as though some writers almost use another author to make their point for them. When one uses a writer to essentially write for them, rather than just support them, there is a greater tendency, I think, to poor paraphrasing and expecially poor use of citations. I think that my biggest need to a technical one:knowing when and exactly where to use a citation in an extended paraphrase, and when a direct quote might be best. There have been times when it might have been best to include several in-text citations, for example, rather than one, and it not always clear which course of action is best. I have found several websites to which I refer on a regular basis to help me be clear on the best paraphrase and itation course to take. I fnd that Purdues site (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/) is very helpful, as is the Plagairism.org site (http://www.plagiarism.org/). Finally, I re-read Roig (2006) from time to time, as I find his discussion, most especially his emphasis on the plagiarism of ideas, to be very challenging.

Migration Similarities of Island People Essay -- Immigration Immigrant

Migration Similarities of Island People Works Cited Not Included I will compare the migration experiences of the Tongan island people as illustrated in Voyages: From Tongan Villages to American Suburbs with the migrants of the Dominican Republic that Peggy Levitt discussed in The Transnational Villagers. I will further describe how many of their encounters mirrored the life of "Dan," an island native that shared his transnational knowledge by describing the social remittances, international connections and migration he experienced. Dan is a native of Ireland. He is a legal alien living in Arizona. He grew up surrounded by the influences of a transnational family. Migration was viewed as an acceptable and natural step in a motivated Irish person’s rite of passage. This is also the clear message of Small (1997), she noted that migration became an essential part of what it meant to be Tongan and the excitement of living overseas might be the best way to fulfill a Tongan life. (p. 43) Dan's migration influence seemed to stem from his grandfather, who worked in a post-office when letter writing was the major form of communication. He would narrate and respond to letters from overseas, as requested by his neighbors. Many of these letters were from the Irish-Americans that had emigrated in large numbers to the United States over the decades. In 1911 for instance, the number of Irish-born persons living abroad was equivalent to 50% of the population that lived in Ireland at the time (Courtney, 2000). The international correspondence Dan’s grandfather processed, he often shared with his family. This may have sparked the desire in his daughters, one of which was Dan's mother to travel to the United States many years later. ... ...ain, Canada, Australia and the United States, during this time the population in the Republic of Ireland was only 3.53 million (Courtney, 2000). In1995, more than one-quarter of the entire population of Tonga, both Tongan born and American born were living in the U.S. (Small, 1997). Levitt (2001) pointed out that eight and a half percent of the Dominican Republic’s population lived in the United States, but they do not necessarily intend to stay in the U.S. (p. 22) Americans tend to have a belief that their country is superior, consequently we believe that everyone, if they could, would be a U.S. citizen (Small, 1997). As Dan proved, this is not the case, although he felt that it was his destiny to come to the United States, after 13 years of residing in America, he has no doubt that his identity remains that of an Irish man in America and not an Irish-American.

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf Essay -- Biography Biogr

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf      Ã‚  Ã‚   I chose to compare and contrast two women authors from different literary time periods.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) as a representative of the Victorian age (1832-1901) and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) as the spokeswoman for the Modernist (1914-1939) mindset.   Being women in historical time periods that did not embrace the talents and gifts of women; they share many of the same issues and themes throughout their works - however, it is the age in which they wrote that shaped their expressions of these themes.   Although they lived only decades apart their worlds were remarkably different - their voices were muted or amplified according to the beat of society's drum.   Passages from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh can be contrasted with Virginia Woolf's portrayal of Isabella in The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection.    The Victorian Era is known as the Age of Inquiry when all the foundational truths of the past were open to examination and reconsideration.   Despite this new desire for certainty, Victorians were slow to release the safety of the past - trying rather to meld the old and the new together and struggling with the mismatched pieces.   Modernists, on the other hand, rebelled openly and loudly against their past which resulted in an extreme sense of loss and instability - reflected in the works of the time.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes as one who is looking through a rain drenched window at a scene that is vaguely familiar but quite unclear.   She is attempting to remove the distortion to see what the vista holds.   Rather than direct analysis, Victorian authors often tried to offer a form of practical advice f... ...ted forth..." but, "Isabella did not wish to be known".   Not because she knew herself to be a fraud but because she was inexplicably complicated and the embodiment of contradiction - a truly modern woman.    Both of these women were intuitive authors who had deep messages to convey through their works.   Elizabeth was able to probe the perimeter of difficult issues while maintaining one foot on the firm ground of her upbringing and faith.   Virginia abandoned all to forge into the complexities of Modern thought and despite her bravery she was herself a victim of the despair that comes with a loss of moorings.    Longman citations   refer to page numbers of Eng 103 course text, Spring 2001: Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.

Nursing Research

?INTRODUCTION Nursing research is a systematic process by which nurses may used to confirm or refine existing knowledge and to explore new ideas about issues related to nursing practice (Borbasi, Jackson, & Langford, 2008). It falls largely into two areas, namely: Qualitative research and Quantitative research whereby qualitative research is based on the model of phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography and examines the experience of those receiving or delivering nursing care. The research methods most commonly used in qualitative research are interviews, case studies, and ethnography. On the other hand, quantitative research is based in the paradigm of logical positivism and is focused upon outcomes for clients that are measurable, generally using statistics gathered from a survey questionnaire method of research (Parahoo, 1997). The objective of this nursing research assignment is to distinguish the identified three pieces of nursing research with a common issue that is relevant to my current clinical experience. The five phases of the research process will be outlined and discussed the findings of the researchers by providing examples from each study. For purposes of this assignment, the research topic which I want to examine is poor hygiene and failure to follow infection control practices, contributing to the spread of nosocomial infections especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a clinical setting. The said topic was chosen because it has been observed during my clinical experience, that most of the time doctors, nurses, and other health professionals does not adhere to the implementation of existing guidelines pertinent to infection prevention and control practices maybe due to excessive workload and rapid turnover interval of patients but nonetheless, that is not an excuse. Further, the emergence of antibiotic resistance is primarily due to excessive and often unnecessary use of antibiotics to patients (Gould, 2008). Risk factor for the spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals can be summarized as over-crowding and lapses in hygiene or poor infection control practices (Gopal Rao, 1998). The three identified nursing research articles relates to my current clinical experience wherein a common problem was determined specifically enumerating the factors for the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) such as MRSA and providing some remedies to prevent and control the transmission of such infections. Problems identified in relation to my clinical experience. Based on previous studies it was ascertained that the mode of transmission of micro -organisms in a healthcare setting include direct and indirect contact, inhalation or droplet, waterborne or body fluid route, foodborne, and sexual activity (Gould, 2008). The problems related to my clinical experience are poor hygiene and non-adherence to infection control guidelines by nursing staff and other health professionals. Hence, it appears that infection control was not properly managed in a healthcare setting. In my clinical experience it was observed that most of the doctors and nurses do not wear disposable gloves and disposable apron during their visit to different patients especially for those patients who are in isolation room afflicted with different kinds of disease. This observation can be illustrated when a patient was admitted in the ward and lodged in an isolation room because the patient is MRSA positive. The doctor enter into the patient’s room to do some medical assessment and most of the time doctor tend to forget to wear protective gear before conducted clinical assessments, despite the notice or sign posted in front of the patient’s room being an isolated area. Upon conducting the medical assessment on a patient who is MRSA positive, the doctor did not wash his hands instead continued his job by conducting medical check up on the other patients who are not in isolation area. In addition, nurses also tend to forget to follow infection control ractices. They failed to understand the chain of infection control, for example an E. coli, which is considered as an infection agent found in the large intestine of human form the greater part of the normal intestinal flora. Its port of exit is via faeces. The nurse removed the contaminated linen from the bed. The E. coli contaminated the hands of the nurse who then provided care to another patient without hand washing. The sec ond patient has a foley catheter. The nurse manipulated the catheter tubing, the E. oli in the nurse’s hands contaminated the catheter tubing and ascending to the patient’s urinary tract and then into the bladder. The susceptible host, who is the second patient with the foley catheter is an elderly and had a chronic illness necessitating complete bed rest. The foley catheter contaminated by the E. coli organism provided a direct route into the urinary bladder causing the transmission of the infection from one patient to another. The most common mode of transmission of infection is by direct contact, often on the hands of health workers. This is the way that most HCAIs are spread and explains why hand washing is emphasized as the most important way of breaking the chain of infection (Gould, 2008). Moreover, nurses were observed roaming around in the ward corridor wearing the disposable gloves and disposable gowns after providing nursing care to patients who are in isolation room. These actuations probe that nurses should have continuing education on the implementation of infection control practices to avoid cross-infection and transmission of contagious diseases among patients. The essence of public health is taking sensible measures to prevent problems in the future. Good infection control in primary care has the potential to prevent grave consequences for patients. Nurses in primary care should play a crucial role in ensuring cleanliness, infection control practices and adhere to guidelines in this important area (Gould, 2008). Five phases of the research process The nursing research process contains an orderly series of phases or steps that outline the key points of research study. Research article has both qualitative and quantitative research method to develop and answer the issues pertinent to the specific topic (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). The first phase of nursing research is to conceive the study by identifying the issue or problem to be studied relevant to the interest of the researcher that will include the goal of the study, review of literature, development of theoretical framework, and the formulation of research hypothesis (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). Literature review serves to put the current study into the context of what is already known about the phenomenon (Parahoo, 1997). The three identified nursing research were conceived due to the following problems: In article one entitled Plastic apron wear during direct patient care, the researchers stated the problem as inconsistent practice in apron use by nurses in healthcare setting (Candlin & Stark, 2005). In this study an expansion of the general themes and concentration of the main report is given and the reader is able to make choice about the relevance of the article for the purpose. The identified problem in article two entitled controlling the risk of MRSA infection: screening and isolating patients stated that there is a need to minimize the spread of antibiotic resistant infection through screening and isolating patients (Bissett, 2005). For article three, entitled bed occupancy, turnover interval and MRSA rates in Northern Ireland, the researchers identified the problem as the increasing rate of MRSA infection in the healthcare setting. Relative thereto, the aim of the study is to ascertain the relationship between bed percentage occupancy and MRSA patient episode rates (Cunningham, kernohan & Rush, 2006). In the review of literature, the researchers of the three articles analyses the literatures from different sources such as Cinahl, Medline and Pubmed (Bissett, 2005), to help in the development of theoretical framework to explain or predict study outcomes (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). In article three the researchers develop theoretical framework to explain their findings by using the collected data from different sources. The second phase of nursing research is to design the study whereby the methodology for the conduct of research was identified (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). It includes the process of data collection, whereby article three is an example of quantitative method of research wherein the researchers gathered the needed data from annual reports and hospital statistics. In article one, the researchers collected the information and data needed in their study from 15 journal articles which are relevant to their topic that contribute to the credibility of the outcome of the study and this is a representation of a qualitative method of research as the researchers analyses previous case studies relevant to their topic (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Further, article two was identified as a quantitative study and clearly outlined the research question to be answered (Bissett, 2005). The conduct of the study is the third phase of nursing research and ethics is part of phase 3 of the nursing process. It is an important part of nursing research and it is an area in which the health professional is involved daily particularly in providing care to patients. Issues relating to the study, design, recruitment of participants, feedback and data collection methods are subject to scrutiny of a departmental ethics committee and approval should be obtained. Consent was secured from the target participants by the researchers in support to their study (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). Phase 3 includes the actual data collection pertinent to the study. In article one, the researchers evaluated and analyses the information and data gathered from the documents. They separated the data into three categories in order to accurately determine and interpret their findings (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Records show that the researchers of the three identified nursing research sought the approval of an institutional ethics committee prior to the conduct of their respective studies. However, such approval was not acknowledged in the content of their studies. The three nursing research studies encountered some limitations, which affect the validity of the outcome of their studies. For example, in article one and three, the researchers identified their method of data analysis as their limitation in the conduct of their studies. Candlin & Stark (2005) stressed that the documentary analysis in their study have limited available data, which are incomplete, inaccurate and has inherent biases, while the researcher in article two explained that by using survey questionnaire in the data collection does not guarantee that the target participants will provide honest and accurate answers to the questions (Bissett, 205). The analysis of the study, which includes the interpretation of the gathered data is the fourth phase of the nursing research process. The findings in article two, reveal that nursing staff doesn’t understand the proper implementation of infection control practices and the potential transmission of infections from one patient to another (Candlin & Stark, 2005). The findings in article one and three as presented were brief, concise and accurate which are easy to understand. In article three, the researchers presented the results of the study in tables and graphs, which were used as reference to explain the findings of the study. The phase five of nursing research is use the study that completes the research process and ensures that results or findings of the study are shared with the target consumers (Borbasi, et al. 2008). This phase includes recommendations whether further study is needed to strengthen the findings of the study and conclusions, which are being used as reference to reinforce the outcome of the research study. It may include the evaluation of the study and a summary of the findings together with the relevance and importance of the study in nursing practice. The researchers of the three articles presented their respective conclusions in a brief and concise manner. The researchers in article one outlined their conclusion as brief as possible and stated the implication of the study in relation to nursing practice. Nurses should adhere to the existing policies and guidelines pertinent to infection control practices such as use of disposable apron during direct patient care and nurses should have understanding on the said policies, to promote good practice and reduce risk of cross-infection, an area that cannot be ignored (Candlin & Stark, 2005). The researcher in article two emphasized that health worker should follow and observe the existing guidelines on infection control and MRSA screening should be done to all patients who are subject for admission to minimize the risk of MRSA infections (Bissett, 2005). Finally, in article three, as part of the findings of the study, the researchers were able to establish the link between high bed occupancy, patient turnovers interval and MRSA rates considering that nurses do not have enough time to implement effective infection control practices (Cunningham, Kernohan & Rush, 2006). Influence of the research study to the identified issue The study conducted in article one was able to identify the factors that influence the nurses to use plastic apron when providing direct patient care such as nurses’ uniforms are not considered as protective clothing. It promotes good practice for health workers as plastic apron protect themselves and other people in a healthcare setting from contagious diseases and other infections. The use of plastic apron will reduce the risk of cross-contamination and prevent the spread of micro-organisms. This research study could influence the identified problem by calling the attention of the health service managers to ensure that a policy from apron use is implemented. The management shall make sure that nurses and other health professionals will have adequate access to disposable apron to protect themselves from contamination, and to guarantee the safety of the patients and staff member in a healthcare setting (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Article two is considered as an educational in nursing practice. It provides information and data that described nosocomial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria such as MRSA (Bissett, 2005). Likewise, the study enumerated some infection control strategy that can be applied in my clinical experience such as surveillance of infection, education and training production, review and dissemination of written policies and guidelines, etc. that will provide a safe environment in the clinical setting by protecting the clients and other staff members. These infection control strategies will ensure safe and good nursing practice that will lead to proper management of infection control practices. It is interesting to note in this article, the findings of the researchers would serve as reference in combating healthcare-associated infections. It would educate the nursing staff as far as infection control practices that form part as an update of the existing policies and guidelines. It reminds the nurses and other healthcare workers of the grave consequences for patients if there will be an outbreak of the infection in the clinical setting. Likewise, the author of the article suggested some infection control strategies that will be of help in reducing the risk of cross-contamination and preventing the spread or transmission of infections. Bissett (2005) stressed that isolation of patient who is MRSA positive is the most ideal precautionary measure to prevent the spread of infections coupled with hygiene and cleanliness within the hospital premises. The data presented in article three are prevalent in my clinical experience and the findings of the study is evident in every healthcare setting that when there is a rapid turnover interval of patients meaning admission of patients is greater than the discharge it will caused high bed occupancy resulting to increase in the MRSA rate due to overcrowding and work overload of nurses and other healthcare workers in a hospital setting. Such limitations will put the nurses and medical staff working under pressure and may tend to forget to follow hygiene procedures and infection control practices (Wenzel, 1993). This article may influence the identified problem in my clinical experience by introducing equitable distribution of workload among nurses and medical staff that will include the number of patients to be taken care of by each nurse or medical staff. In this case, nurses could concentrate on the activities and care plan to be introduced to the patient including the promotion of proper hygiene and observance of infection control practices. Conclusion In conclusion, the main recommendations arising from this study suggest that nurses must be knowledgeable to the current policies and guidelines relative to proper hygiene and infection control practices. This recommendation relates to the competencies of nurses to promote an environment that enables client safety, independence, quality of life, and health. Likewise, nurses must also be responsible for their own professional development (Weber & Kelly, 2003). All qualified nurses must develop competency critical evaluation of research. According to Borbasi, et. al. (2008), it must be evident that nursing care provided to clients if possible, is based on quality research – based evidence. Assessing critical evaluation skills takes time and practice. Working along with other nurses (senior staff) can make the process more effective. This will ensure that the highest possible standard for evidence-based practice is provided for patients. Relative to the three pieces of nursing research, it appears that poor hygiene and failure to follow infection control practices by nurses and other healthcare workers are contributory to rapid transmission of nosocomial infections such as MRSA in a clinical setting (Bissett, 2005). To effectively address this issue existing policies and guidelines on infection control and prevention should be updated and strictly implemented in a clinical setting. An audit tool to monitor compliance of nurses and other health professionals to the said guidelines and policies should be initiated as part of the strategies on how to minimize if cannot eradicate the spread of infections. This study can be considered as a wake up call for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers for them to religiously observe proper hygiene within the hospital setting and strictly follow the standards provided by the government to stop the spread of infections in a clinical setting as well as in community setting through effective information, and education campaign. REFERENCES Bissett, L. (2005). Controlling the risk of MRSA infection: screening and isolating patients. British journal of Nursing, 14 (7), 396-390. Borbasi, S. , Jackson, D. , & Langford, R. (2008). Navigating the maze of nursing research 2e: An interactive learning adventure. Sydney, Australia: Elsevier Mosby. Candlin, J. , Stark, S. (2005). Plastic apron wear during direct patient care. Nursing Standard. 20, (2), 41-46. Cunningham, J. , Kernohan, W. , & Rush, T. (2006). Bed occupancy, turnover internal and MRSA rates in Northern Ireland. British Journal of Nursing, 15 (6), 324-328. Gopal Rao, G. (1998). Risk factors for the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Department of Microbiology, University Hospital: Lewisham, London Gould, D. (2008). Isolation precaution to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Nursing Standard. 23, (22), 47-55. Parahoo, K. (1997). Nursing Research: Principles, processes and issues. Macmillan. ISB No. 337-69918-1. Weber, J. & Kelly, J. , (2003). Health assessment in nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Wenzel, RP. (1993). Prevention and control of nosocomial infections, (2nd ed. ). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Nursing Research ?INTRODUCTION Nursing research is a systematic process by which nurses may used to confirm or refine existing knowledge and to explore new ideas about issues related to nursing practice (Borbasi, Jackson, & Langford, 2008). It falls largely into two areas, namely: Qualitative research and Quantitative research whereby qualitative research is based on the model of phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography and examines the experience of those receiving or delivering nursing care. The research methods most commonly used in qualitative research are interviews, case studies, and ethnography. On the other hand, quantitative research is based in the paradigm of logical positivism and is focused upon outcomes for clients that are measurable, generally using statistics gathered from a survey questionnaire method of research (Parahoo, 1997). The objective of this nursing research assignment is to distinguish the identified three pieces of nursing research with a common issue that is relevant to my current clinical experience. The five phases of the research process will be outlined and discussed the findings of the researchers by providing examples from each study. For purposes of this assignment, the research topic which I want to examine is poor hygiene and failure to follow infection control practices, contributing to the spread of nosocomial infections especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a clinical setting. The said topic was chosen because it has been observed during my clinical experience, that most of the time doctors, nurses, and other health professionals does not adhere to the implementation of existing guidelines pertinent to infection prevention and control practices maybe due to excessive workload and rapid turnover interval of patients but nonetheless, that is not an excuse. Further, the emergence of antibiotic resistance is primarily due to excessive and often unnecessary use of antibiotics to patients (Gould, 2008). Risk factor for the spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals can be summarized as over-crowding and lapses in hygiene or poor infection control practices (Gopal Rao, 1998). The three identified nursing research articles relates to my current clinical experience wherein a common problem was determined specifically enumerating the factors for the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) such as MRSA and providing some remedies to prevent and control the transmission of such infections. Problems identified in relation to my clinical experience. Based on previous studies it was ascertained that the mode of transmission of micro -organisms in a healthcare setting include direct and indirect contact, inhalation or droplet, waterborne or body fluid route, foodborne, and sexual activity (Gould, 2008). The problems related to my clinical experience are poor hygiene and non-adherence to infection control guidelines by nursing staff and other health professionals. Hence, it appears that infection control was not properly managed in a healthcare setting. In my clinical experience it was observed that most of the doctors and nurses do not wear disposable gloves and disposable apron during their visit to different patients especially for those patients who are in isolation room afflicted with different kinds of disease. This observation can be illustrated when a patient was admitted in the ward and lodged in an isolation room because the patient is MRSA positive. The doctor enter into the patient’s room to do some medical assessment and most of the time doctor tend to forget to wear protective gear before conducted clinical assessments, despite the notice or sign posted in front of the patient’s room being an isolated area. Upon conducting the medical assessment on a patient who is MRSA positive, the doctor did not wash his hands instead continued his job by conducting medical check up on the other patients who are not in isolation area. In addition, nurses also tend to forget to follow infection control ractices. They failed to understand the chain of infection control, for example an E. coli, which is considered as an infection agent found in the large intestine of human form the greater part of the normal intestinal flora. Its port of exit is via faeces. The nurse removed the contaminated linen from the bed. The E. coli contaminated the hands of the nurse who then provided care to another patient without hand washing. The sec ond patient has a foley catheter. The nurse manipulated the catheter tubing, the E. oli in the nurse’s hands contaminated the catheter tubing and ascending to the patient’s urinary tract and then into the bladder. The susceptible host, who is the second patient with the foley catheter is an elderly and had a chronic illness necessitating complete bed rest. The foley catheter contaminated by the E. coli organism provided a direct route into the urinary bladder causing the transmission of the infection from one patient to another. The most common mode of transmission of infection is by direct contact, often on the hands of health workers. This is the way that most HCAIs are spread and explains why hand washing is emphasized as the most important way of breaking the chain of infection (Gould, 2008). Moreover, nurses were observed roaming around in the ward corridor wearing the disposable gloves and disposable gowns after providing nursing care to patients who are in isolation room. These actuations probe that nurses should have continuing education on the implementation of infection control practices to avoid cross-infection and transmission of contagious diseases among patients. The essence of public health is taking sensible measures to prevent problems in the future. Good infection control in primary care has the potential to prevent grave consequences for patients. Nurses in primary care should play a crucial role in ensuring cleanliness, infection control practices and adhere to guidelines in this important area (Gould, 2008). Five phases of the research process The nursing research process contains an orderly series of phases or steps that outline the key points of research study. Research article has both qualitative and quantitative research method to develop and answer the issues pertinent to the specific topic (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). The first phase of nursing research is to conceive the study by identifying the issue or problem to be studied relevant to the interest of the researcher that will include the goal of the study, review of literature, development of theoretical framework, and the formulation of research hypothesis (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). Literature review serves to put the current study into the context of what is already known about the phenomenon (Parahoo, 1997). The three identified nursing research were conceived due to the following problems: In article one entitled Plastic apron wear during direct patient care, the researchers stated the problem as inconsistent practice in apron use by nurses in healthcare setting (Candlin & Stark, 2005). In this study an expansion of the general themes and concentration of the main report is given and the reader is able to make choice about the relevance of the article for the purpose. The identified problem in article two entitled controlling the risk of MRSA infection: screening and isolating patients stated that there is a need to minimize the spread of antibiotic resistant infection through screening and isolating patients (Bissett, 2005). For article three, entitled bed occupancy, turnover interval and MRSA rates in Northern Ireland, the researchers identified the problem as the increasing rate of MRSA infection in the healthcare setting. Relative thereto, the aim of the study is to ascertain the relationship between bed percentage occupancy and MRSA patient episode rates (Cunningham, kernohan & Rush, 2006). In the review of literature, the researchers of the three articles analyses the literatures from different sources such as Cinahl, Medline and Pubmed (Bissett, 2005), to help in the development of theoretical framework to explain or predict study outcomes (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). In article three the researchers develop theoretical framework to explain their findings by using the collected data from different sources. The second phase of nursing research is to design the study whereby the methodology for the conduct of research was identified (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). It includes the process of data collection, whereby article three is an example of quantitative method of research wherein the researchers gathered the needed data from annual reports and hospital statistics. In article one, the researchers collected the information and data needed in their study from 15 journal articles which are relevant to their topic that contribute to the credibility of the outcome of the study and this is a representation of a qualitative method of research as the researchers analyses previous case studies relevant to their topic (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Further, article two was identified as a quantitative study and clearly outlined the research question to be answered (Bissett, 2005). The conduct of the study is the third phase of nursing research and ethics is part of phase 3 of the nursing process. It is an important part of nursing research and it is an area in which the health professional is involved daily particularly in providing care to patients. Issues relating to the study, design, recruitment of participants, feedback and data collection methods are subject to scrutiny of a departmental ethics committee and approval should be obtained. Consent was secured from the target participants by the researchers in support to their study (Borbasi, et al. , 2008). Phase 3 includes the actual data collection pertinent to the study. In article one, the researchers evaluated and analyses the information and data gathered from the documents. They separated the data into three categories in order to accurately determine and interpret their findings (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Records show that the researchers of the three identified nursing research sought the approval of an institutional ethics committee prior to the conduct of their respective studies. However, such approval was not acknowledged in the content of their studies. The three nursing research studies encountered some limitations, which affect the validity of the outcome of their studies. For example, in article one and three, the researchers identified their method of data analysis as their limitation in the conduct of their studies. Candlin & Stark (2005) stressed that the documentary analysis in their study have limited available data, which are incomplete, inaccurate and has inherent biases, while the researcher in article two explained that by using survey questionnaire in the data collection does not guarantee that the target participants will provide honest and accurate answers to the questions (Bissett, 205). The analysis of the study, which includes the interpretation of the gathered data is the fourth phase of the nursing research process. The findings in article two, reveal that nursing staff doesn’t understand the proper implementation of infection control practices and the potential transmission of infections from one patient to another (Candlin & Stark, 2005). The findings in article one and three as presented were brief, concise and accurate which are easy to understand. In article three, the researchers presented the results of the study in tables and graphs, which were used as reference to explain the findings of the study. The phase five of nursing research is use the study that completes the research process and ensures that results or findings of the study are shared with the target consumers (Borbasi, et al. 2008). This phase includes recommendations whether further study is needed to strengthen the findings of the study and conclusions, which are being used as reference to reinforce the outcome of the research study. It may include the evaluation of the study and a summary of the findings together with the relevance and importance of the study in nursing practice. The researchers of the three articles presented their respective conclusions in a brief and concise manner. The researchers in article one outlined their conclusion as brief as possible and stated the implication of the study in relation to nursing practice. Nurses should adhere to the existing policies and guidelines pertinent to infection control practices such as use of disposable apron during direct patient care and nurses should have understanding on the said policies, to promote good practice and reduce risk of cross-infection, an area that cannot be ignored (Candlin & Stark, 2005). The researcher in article two emphasized that health worker should follow and observe the existing guidelines on infection control and MRSA screening should be done to all patients who are subject for admission to minimize the risk of MRSA infections (Bissett, 2005). Finally, in article three, as part of the findings of the study, the researchers were able to establish the link between high bed occupancy, patient turnovers interval and MRSA rates considering that nurses do not have enough time to implement effective infection control practices (Cunningham, Kernohan & Rush, 2006). Influence of the research study to the identified issue The study conducted in article one was able to identify the factors that influence the nurses to use plastic apron when providing direct patient care such as nurses’ uniforms are not considered as protective clothing. It promotes good practice for health workers as plastic apron protect themselves and other people in a healthcare setting from contagious diseases and other infections. The use of plastic apron will reduce the risk of cross-contamination and prevent the spread of micro-organisms. This research study could influence the identified problem by calling the attention of the health service managers to ensure that a policy from apron use is implemented. The management shall make sure that nurses and other health professionals will have adequate access to disposable apron to protect themselves from contamination, and to guarantee the safety of the patients and staff member in a healthcare setting (Candlin & Stark, 2005). Article two is considered as an educational in nursing practice. It provides information and data that described nosocomial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria such as MRSA (Bissett, 2005). Likewise, the study enumerated some infection control strategy that can be applied in my clinical experience such as surveillance of infection, education and training production, review and dissemination of written policies and guidelines, etc. that will provide a safe environment in the clinical setting by protecting the clients and other staff members. These infection control strategies will ensure safe and good nursing practice that will lead to proper management of infection control practices. It is interesting to note in this article, the findings of the researchers would serve as reference in combating healthcare-associated infections. It would educate the nursing staff as far as infection control practices that form part as an update of the existing policies and guidelines. It reminds the nurses and other healthcare workers of the grave consequences for patients if there will be an outbreak of the infection in the clinical setting. Likewise, the author of the article suggested some infection control strategies that will be of help in reducing the risk of cross-contamination and preventing the spread or transmission of infections. Bissett (2005) stressed that isolation of patient who is MRSA positive is the most ideal precautionary measure to prevent the spread of infections coupled with hygiene and cleanliness within the hospital premises. The data presented in article three are prevalent in my clinical experience and the findings of the study is evident in every healthcare setting that when there is a rapid turnover interval of patients meaning admission of patients is greater than the discharge it will caused high bed occupancy resulting to increase in the MRSA rate due to overcrowding and work overload of nurses and other healthcare workers in a hospital setting. Such limitations will put the nurses and medical staff working under pressure and may tend to forget to follow hygiene procedures and infection control practices (Wenzel, 1993). This article may influence the identified problem in my clinical experience by introducing equitable distribution of workload among nurses and medical staff that will include the number of patients to be taken care of by each nurse or medical staff. In this case, nurses could concentrate on the activities and care plan to be introduced to the patient including the promotion of proper hygiene and observance of infection control practices. Conclusion In conclusion, the main recommendations arising from this study suggest that nurses must be knowledgeable to the current policies and guidelines relative to proper hygiene and infection control practices. This recommendation relates to the competencies of nurses to promote an environment that enables client safety, independence, quality of life, and health. Likewise, nurses must also be responsible for their own professional development (Weber & Kelly, 2003). All qualified nurses must develop competency critical evaluation of research. According to Borbasi, et. al. (2008), it must be evident that nursing care provided to clients if possible, is based on quality research – based evidence. Assessing critical evaluation skills takes time and practice. Working along with other nurses (senior staff) can make the process more effective. This will ensure that the highest possible standard for evidence-based practice is provided for patients. Relative to the three pieces of nursing research, it appears that poor hygiene and failure to follow infection control practices by nurses and other healthcare workers are contributory to rapid transmission of nosocomial infections such as MRSA in a clinical setting (Bissett, 2005). To effectively address this issue existing policies and guidelines on infection control and prevention should be updated and strictly implemented in a clinical setting. An audit tool to monitor compliance of nurses and other health professionals to the said guidelines and policies should be initiated as part of the strategies on how to minimize if cannot eradicate the spread of infections. This study can be considered as a wake up call for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers for them to religiously observe proper hygiene within the hospital setting and strictly follow the standards provided by the government to stop the spread of infections in a clinical setting as well as in community setting through effective information, and education campaign. REFERENCES Bissett, L. (2005). Controlling the risk of MRSA infection: screening and isolating patients. British journal of Nursing, 14 (7), 396-390. Borbasi, S. , Jackson, D. , & Langford, R. (2008). Navigating the maze of nursing research 2e: An interactive learning adventure. Sydney, Australia: Elsevier Mosby. Candlin, J. , Stark, S. (2005). Plastic apron wear during direct patient care. Nursing Standard. 20, (2), 41-46. Cunningham, J. , Kernohan, W. , & Rush, T. (2006). Bed occupancy, turnover internal and MRSA rates in Northern Ireland. British Journal of Nursing, 15 (6), 324-328. Gopal Rao, G. (1998). Risk factors for the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Department of Microbiology, University Hospital: Lewisham, London Gould, D. (2008). Isolation precaution to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Nursing Standard. 23, (22), 47-55. Parahoo, K. (1997). Nursing Research: Principles, processes and issues. Macmillan. ISB No. 337-69918-1. Weber, J. & Kelly, J. , (2003). Health assessment in nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Wenzel, RP. (1993). Prevention and control of nosocomial infections, (2nd ed. ). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.