6 Ways to Create a Productive Study Environment

6 Ways to Create a Productive Study Environment 6 Ways to Create a Productive Study Environment Whether you’re studying for a test or writing an assignment, working effectively depends heavily on your surroundings. As such, it’s critical that you have a good study environment. Luckily, we have six top tips for what makes the perfect place to study. All you need to do is keep the following considerations in mind†¦ 1. Location, Location, Location! Where you go to work makes a big difference to your productivity. If you’re studying at home, the key will be finding somewhere away from distractions and disturbances. If you don’t want to study at home, however, or if your party-hard housemates make working from home a little challenging, you have plenty of alternative options, including libraries and coffee shops. 2. Tidy Desk, Tidy Mind This doesn’t work for everyone (some people thrive on chaos), but generally you’ll find yourself more productive if your study environment is tidy and organized. This is partly because keeping your workspace tidy makes it easier to find books, notes or anything else you need when you need it. But it’s also because not being surrounded by piles of clutter and discarded coffee cups can make it easier to focus on the task at hand! Theres probably a desk under there somewhere. [Image: Ali West/flickr] 3. Eliminate Distractions You’re unlikely to get much done if you’re checking Twitter every thirty seconds. If this sounds familiar, you might want to install software on your computer/phone to temporarily block any websites or apps that you find distracting. The same applies to TV, friends, partners and anything else that stops you paying attention to your work: If it’s distracting, make sure it isn’t part of your study environment! 4. Background Music Many people find a bit of background music good for concentration. Instrumental music is the best option here, as songs with lyrics can become distracting. Note, however, that wearing headphones while revising has been found to make it harder to recall what you’ve read. So although you might think that wearing headphones is a good way to block out noise when studying at a coffee shop, it might also interfere with your learning! It definitely helps if you open your eyes, too. 5. Comfort is Key! Temperature, lighting and comfort all make a big difference if you’re settling in for a prolonged study session. Make sure your environment is cool, well-lit and comfortable enough that you won’t become restless after a few minutes working. Taking regular breaks is also helpful. You can also be too comfortable, though, so studying in bed is probably not a great idea. 6. Be Prepared†¦ Ultimately, the most important thing when creating a study environment is to be prepared! This means having everything you need to hand when you start, including books, notes, pens and pencils, a drink, snacks and any other study resources you find helpful to have around.

A Hermeneutical Critique on the Conquest and Occupation Essay Example

A Hermeneutical Critique on the Conquest and Occupation Essay Example A Hermeneutical Critique on the Conquest and Occupation Essay A Hermeneutical Critique on the Conquest and Occupation Essay 95-100. [ 10 ]. Awala Longkumer, â€Å"Voices of the Indigenous People,† in National Council of Churches Review (March 2006): 52-54. [ 11 ]. Murali Dhar Majhi, â€Å"Cultural Rights of Indigenous People,† in Social Action: A Quarterly Review of Social Trends vol. 60 (Oct-Dec 2010): 406-407. [ 12 ]. P. J. Sonjeeva Raj, â€Å"The Call of the Indigenous People,† in Asia Journal of Theology, vol. 10 (April 1996):64-65. [ 13 ]. She connects them with their past (as the home of the ancestors), with the present (as provider of their materials need), and with the future (as the legacy they hold in trust for their children and grandchildren). In this way, indigenousness carries with it a sense of belonging to a place. [ 14 ]. The idea that the land can be owned, that it can belong to someone even when left unused, uncared for, or uninhabited is foreign to indigenous peoples, they are holding land collectively for the community. [ 15 ]. Pushpa Joseph, â€Å"Indigenous Knowledge for Survival A Descriptive Enquiry,† in Jeevandhara : A journal For Socio-Religious Research XXXIX/ 229 (January-2009): 82. [ 16 ]. Ivan Cardinal Dias, â€Å"Identities, Aspirations and Destines of Indigenous Peoples of India,† in Understanding Tribal Cultures: for effective education, edited by Joseph Anikuzhikattil et. l. , (New Delhi: Commission For Education and Culture, 2003), 265. [ 17 ]. Seram Rojesh, â€Å"Whither Indigenous Peoples and their Culture? † in Social Action: A Quarterly Review of Social Trends vol. 60 (October-December 2010): 364-365. [ 18 ]. They believed that each piece of land had its own Baal who helped it to produce good crops. The baal could be worshipped only on his own plot of land, and if a man moved to another district he was compelled to offer worship and gifts to the baal of the district to which he had moved. [ 19 ]. In those days there was no yeast to make bread rise when it was baked, they discovered that if they kept a piece of dough from one week’s baking and allowed it to go sour, it would happen as this went on. If this went on it would make the bread unpleasant to eat. In order to break this chain and make a fresh start, week’s baking was done without the addition of any sour dough, and therefore the bread did not rise: it was ‘unleavened’. [ 20 ]. Elsie Broadie, The Chosen Nation; Book one; Founders and Leaders (Headington Hill Hall: The Religious Education Press, 1968), 71-73. [ 21 ]. C. G. Libolt, â€Å"Canaanites,† in The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia vol. 1, edited by Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 4589. [ 22 ]. K. Thanzauva, â€Å"Tribal/Indigenous Interpretation of the Bible: A Keynote Address,† in Tribal Theology And the Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance, edited by Ynagkahao Vashum (Jorhat: Eastern Theological College, 2011), 20-23. [ 23 ]. Limatula Longkumer, Tribal Feminist Reading of the Bible, Tribal Theology and The Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance, edited by Yangkahao Vashum (Jorhat: Eastern Theological College, 2011), 140-141. 24 ]. B. J. Syiemlieh, â€Å"Contextual Interpretation of The New Testament in Northeast India: A search for Principles and Methods,† in Tribal Theology and The Bible: A Search for Contextual Relevance, edited by Yangkahao Vashum (Jorhat: Eastern Theological College, 2011), 42. [ 25 ]. J. G. Mc Convillle, â€Å"Joshua, Book of,† in the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, et. al. , Kevin. J. Vanhoozer (Michigan: Baker Book House, 2005), 400. [ 26 ]. Laiu Fachhai, The Land Must Be Distributed Equally: The Promise and Covenant Aspects of Land in the Old Testament (ISPCK: Delhi, 2009), 23. [ 27 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewish Wars (USA: Broadman and Hollman Publisher, 1998), 145. [ 28 ]. A. Wati Longchar, â€Å"Tribal Theology: Issues, Method and Perspective,† in Journal of Tribal Studies, vol. 1 (December 1997): 76-80. [ 29 ]. Peter Ignatius, â€Å"Interpretative Theories of Israelite Settlement,† in Jeevadhara: The Struggle for the Past: Historiography Today XXXII/187 (January 2002): 95-106. [ 30 ]. Temsuyanger, â€Å"Israelite Tribal As Resistance And Revolt Against Domination: Some Insights For Coalition Politics In Contemporary India,† in Journal of Tribal Studies, . XII/2 (July-December 2007): 76-88. 31 ]. He was a rather shadowy figure who was worshiped as the â€Å"father of man† and the â€Å"father of year†. A stele unearthed at Ras Sharma showed him seated upon a throne with a hand upraised in blessing, while the ruler of Ugarit presented a gift to him. [ 32 ]. R. K. Harrison, Old Testament Ti mes (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1970), 162. [ 33 ]. Antonius H. J. Gunneberg, â€Å"Israel,† in Encyclopedia of Christianity, edited by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Vol. 2 E-I (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 769. [ 34 ]. Their offering was the fertility deity Baal, sometimes known as Haddu (Hadad, the god of rain and storm. He succeeded El as the reigning king of the Canaanite pantheon, and lived in the lofty mountainous regions of the remote northern heavens. A stele from ancient Ugarit portrayed him in his role of storm deity. His titles included the epithets Zabul (Lord of the earth) and Aliyn (the one who prevails), the latter being prominent in Ugaritic poetic literature. The theme of the Baal and Anat cycle was that of his struggle with Mot, the deity of misfortune, who had challenged the kingship of Baal. The latter descended to the Underworld realm of Mot, and there was slain. When his death was followed by a seven-year cycle of famine, Anat, the consort of Baal, revenged herself by killing Mot, after which she planted his body in the ground. Aliyn Baal then recovered, and a seven-year period of prosperity ensued, followed once more by the resurgence of Mot. The depraved nature of Canaanite religion is indicated by the character of Anat, the sister-spouse of Baal, who was variously identified with Astarte, Asherah, and Ashtoreth in cultic worship. An Egyptian text of the New kingdom period described Anat and Astarte as â€Å"the great goddesses who conceive but do not bear. The Canaanites evidently regarded their fertility goddesses as combinations of virgins and begetters of life, and they spoke of Anat in her role of sacred prostitute as â€Å"qudshu,† â€Å"the holy one. † This term is somewhat related to the Biblical term for â€Å"holy,† but it is important to realize that among Semitic peoples generally the idea of â€Å"holine ss† was applied to anything that had been dedicated to the service of a deity. [ 35 ]. P. E. Satterthwaite and D. W. Baker, â€Å"Nation of Canaan,† in Dictionary of the Old Testament Pentateuch, edited by T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker (Illinois: Inter Varsity Press, 1984), 600-605. [ 36 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewish Wars †¦ 147. [ 37 ]. Lucien Legrand, The Bible on Culture; Belong or Dissenting? (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 2001), 6-8. [ 38 ]. Walter C. Kaiser, A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age Through The Jewish Wars †¦ 145. [ 39 ]. Yangkahao Vashum, â€Å"Colonialism, Christian Mission and Indigenous: An Examination from Asian Indigenous,† in Journal of Theologies and Cultures in Asia, Vol. 78 (2008/2009): 75-78. [ 40 ]. A. R. Ceresko, â€Å"Potsherds and Pioneers: Recent Research on the Origin of Israel,† Indian Theological Studies, vol. 34 (1997): 11. [ 41 ]. Awala Longkumer, â€Å"Experience of the Context: Socio-Political, Historical and Cultural Context of the Tribal,† in Critical Issues in Mission Among Tribals, edited by Awala Longkumer (Nagpur: NCCI, 2011), 36-37 [ 42 ]. K. C. Abraham, â€Å"Towards An Indian Christian Identity,† in Christian Identity and Cultural Nationalism: Challenges and Opportunities, edited E. C. John Samson Prabhakar (Bangalore: BTESSC/ SATHRI, 2008), 23-29. [ 43 ]. A. Wati Longchar, â€Å"Tribal Theology: Issues, Method and Perspective,† , 76-80.

Influence of Quality Management on the Overall Performance Research Paper

Influence of Quality Management on the Overall Performance - Research Paper Example TQM is now recognized as a management strategy adopted to constantly improve all the processes and functions of an organisation. This approach helps to minimise the chances of errors in the production system, ensuring meeting of tough deadlines on-time. This is achieved by adopting suitable techniques by which the available resources can be utilized optimally thereby leading to the maximization of outputs. Adoption of TQM has increased as companies strive to strengthen their competitive edge in the industry and carve out their niche in new markets. TQM ensures minimum wastage during production cycle making the production system lean thereby reducing the need of maintaining huge inventory levels. TQM helps in controlling the performance of all the operations, relating each process with the following one, in such a way that it helps in reducing the time taken to perform each operation. This helps in minimisation of idle time and speeds up the total manufacturing process which results i n the production of superior quality products. TQM is achieved with the help of quality control techniques and processes like Kaizen,5S, six sigma and Just in Time(JIT) approaches(to name a few) and quality circles. TQM underlines the philosophy of an organisation-wide integrated approach where each process and function is completed adhering to the standards of quality, outlined by the organisation. TQM follows a proactive approach which helps organisations to identify the expected bottlenecks in a process before their actual occurrence and enables the company to take measures to prevent the actual occurrence of the same. So, TQM has earned a lot of attention over the years because of its positive influence in enhancing the product and service quality of organisations. This is also the reason due to which this has emerged as one of the major areas of research today. Conceptual framework: This research proposal would intend to understand the importance of Kaizen (Continuous improvement) and JIT (Just in  Time) in achieving TQM within an organisation.  

Research Paper on Eliminating Job Stress Thesis

Research Paper on Eliminating Job Stress - Thesis Example .................................................................................16 Results & Analysis........................................................................................20 Discussion of Findings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦31 Conclusions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦34 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.35 Limitations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.35 References.................. ...................................................................................37 Introduction This paper will study job stress in organizations and how it impacts employee performance. It will take on a qualitative approach to research by conducting interviews/ focus group discussions with employees with varying positions in a selected company. The growing complexity of living in contemporary times is brought about by several factors related to progress. Working in various jobs may be much more challenging due to the evolution of job descriptions to include maximized work schedules filled with unceasing tasks. Oorganizations deemed to be successful may still run into internal problems, mostly related to their employees. These employees form a major part of the organizational setup. and majorly it is due to their performance that organizations become successful or bankrupt (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). A major concern of organizations is the productivity of their employ ees as achievement of organizational goals depend on it. One major factor that may severely impact employees’ performance at work is â€Å"job stress†. (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). Executive Summary The awareness that job stress can adversely affect the performance of workers in an organization can be alarming since stress may be inherent in most organization. This study explores how job stress affects the work performance of employees in an organization. Specifically, this study engages discussions with teachers and staff of a school. A focus group interview was conducted with 10 members of the educational institution concerned. They were asked their opinions regarding the relationship between job stress and employee performance; the main causes of job stress; what happens to them when they are stressed and the impact of job stress in both their personal and professional lives. Background of the study With the increase in volume of work, complexity in situat ions and heavy competitions job stress is on the rise. Generally, stress is what one feels when the demands on his life exceed his ability to meet those demands. According to data from health and safety, company executives recorded that in Britain around 420,000 were going through stress, anxiety and other pressure issues. In 2006, the figures mounted to 195,000 fresh cases (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). Over the years the rate has continued to increase and by 2007 it was stated that out of every 6 individuals at work, one among them was experiencing job stress. When carrying out research, it is important to understand the scope of the problem and how it will benefit the industry in that regard. As it can be seen from the statistics mentioned above, job stress is a significant issue. Since each employee is an asset of the organization and is contributing to the running of the organization it is essential to study his/her interests and issues and keep them at

Descriptive Writing Essay Example for Free

Descriptive Writing Essay The much publicized meteor shower has finally arrived and is a much anticipated awaited aesthetic show. As I’m observing the dark night sky waiting for the gorgeous meteors to enter Earth’s atmosphere, I see the sensational stunning spectacular sparkling stars. While sitting on my porch in the small town of Malton, I hear a small owl chirping on my backyard tree and the soothing summer breeze gusting throughout the trees. I can hear the constant chatter of my neighbours as they eagerly wait for the show to begin. This being my first meteor shower observation, I feel really happy and believe that this is going to be an amazing show that I wouldn’t miss for the world. The meteor shower is starting and I’m full of enjoyment, gazing at the sky, I see meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere at a tremendous rate, the beautiful sky is lit up with different colours; orange, blue and a bit of purple. The bright strands of light are appealing to the human eye. While meteors are falling every 10-20 seconds, they hardly make a sound. My family comes onto the porch gawking at the meteors, both them and I are watching in enjoyment. My dad brings out his camera and takes numerous pictures of the beautiful sight. The meteor shower finishes, my family goes inside gossiping about the show and how they won’t see it again, I on the other half stay outside and glance at the Big and Little Dipper. The stars start to vanish and I go inside to reminisce with my family and neighbours the next da y. In conclusion, this is a moment that will be cherished in my memories for a lengthy period of time and I will surely share these breathtaking sights with my children.

Comparing Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper; and Kate Cho

Comparing Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper' and Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour' 'The Yellow Wallpaper';, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and 'The Story of an Hour';, by Kate Chopin, are alike in that both of the women in the stories were controlled by their husbands which caused them to feel an intense desire for freedom. Both stories were also written from a feminist point of view. However, the women in the stories had different life changes and different responses to their own freedom as a result of that change. In both stories the women's husbands had direct control over their lives. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper'; the narrator's husband controlled her both mentally and physically. He does not allow her to have any sort of mental or physical stimulation. She is virtually imprisoned in her bedroom, supposedly to allow her to rest and recover her health. She is forbidden to work and not even supposed to write. She does not even have a say in the location or dà ©cor of the room she is forced to spend almost even moment in. Furthermore, visitors are absolutely not allowed. She says, 'It is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work-but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now';(Gilman 635). Mrs. Mallard in 'The Story of an Hour'; had to deal with the same sort of affliction. Her husband had control over her 'body and soul';. She felt that he lived her life for her and did 'not believe that anyone had th e right to impose a private will on a fellow creature'; (Chopin 13). This control caused both women to long for freedom from their husbands' oppressive behavior. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper'; it seems that the narrator wishes to drive her husband away. She explains, 'John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious. I am glad my case is not serious'; (Gilman 634)! This quote shows that she is glad to see her husband away so that she may be left alone to do as she pleases without interference from her husband. She is frequently rebelling against her husband's orders. She writes in her journal and tries to move her bed when there is no one around to see her. However, she always keeps an eye out for someone coming. The intense desire for freedom is even more obvious in 'The Story of an Hour.'; Mrs. Mallard's craving for freed... ...her husband's death, 'she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment'; (Chopin 12). But, her grief was short lived. She soon was overcome with the joy that her husband would no longer control her. 'Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of day that would be her own'; (Chopin 13). However, when she realized that her husband was not really dead, she was overcome by grief again. The resulting grief because her husband was not dead was so intense that it killed her. 'The Yellow Wallpaper'; and 'The Story of an Hour'; have many similarities between the two. Both stories had controlling husbands that directly led to the their wives yearning for freedom. The stories were also both written from a feminist point of view. But, the women had different types of life changes and different responses to the change in their life. Works Cited: Choplin, Kate. 'The Story of an Hour.'; Literature for Composition. Ed. Sylvan Barnet et al. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2000, 12-13. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. 'The Yellow Wallpaper.'; Literature for Composition. Ed. Sylvan Barnet et al. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2000, 12-13.

Defects of Human Nature Essay

Human nature can be defined as being the psychological characteristics of humankind which are understood to be shared by all human beings. In the novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding, the flaws of human nature are explored in detail. When critics asked Golding about the theme of the novel, he replied, â€Å"The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature† (p. 204). He believes that political systems cannot govern society effectively without first taking into consideration the defects of human nature. One of the numerous flaws in human nature which is illustrated in â€Å"Lord of the Flies† is the reluctance of admitting one’s mistakes. The characters in this novel are of young age, the oldest being around 12 or 13 years old. This leaves room for many mistakes to be made, as young children are bound to make mistakes. It is human nature to deny mistakes, and to instead blame mishaps on others. In the beginning of â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, when the first meeting is held, Piggy suggests a head count to keep track of everyone, especially the â€Å"littluns. † Ralph and Jack dismiss this idea by making fun of Piggy instead of taking his comment into consideration. There was a little child that talked about a â€Å"snake-thing† (p. 35). He is only distinguished by a mark on his face. The other boys laugh at the child and write off the idea as a nightmare. Later, when the boys are looking for wood, they come across a snake-pit. It is then when Piggy realizes that the small boy with the mark on his face is gone. â€Å"That little’un that had a mark on his face–where is–he now? I tell you I don’t see him–where is he now? † (p. 46-47) Piggy reprimands the other boys for not listening him and taking a head count. Instead of admitting his mistake, Ralph shamefully mumbles an excuse: â€Å"Perhaps he went back to the, the–† (p. 47). Ralph and Jack also blame the incident on Piggy who was put in charge of the â€Å"names. † However, it is not Piggy’s fault because there was no way that he could accomplish this task without the cooperation of the other boys, which was not available to him. The absence of the little one is ignored and is never spoken of again. This is an example of how people are reluctant to admit their mistakes and would rather blame things on others. When Simon realizes that the beastie is not real, but is rather the dead parachuter, he feels obligated to inform the other boys of his discovery. However, Simon barges in on them during one of their feast celebrations. The boys at the feast are dancing and are caught up in the excitement of the night. Not fully aware of the situation, when Simon made his unannounced entrance, he was mistaken for being the beast. In the excitement of the night, nobody realized the mistake and as a consequence, Simon was brutally murdered. After the incident, nobody believed that they actually committed the murder, and instead they all try to find excuses for their actions: â€Å"‘Don’t you understand, Piggy? The things we did–‘ ‘He may still be–‘ ‘No. ‘ ‘P’raps he was only pretending–‘† (p. 157). â€Å"It was an accident, that’s what it was†¦ coming in the dark. He was batty. He asked for it. It was an accident†¦. It was an accident, and that’s that. † (p. 157). Ralph and Piggy are not comfortable with what they had done when they woke up the next morning. Ralph realizes what happened, but Piggy persistently attempts to find an excuse for their actions, as can be seen in the quotes above. He denies all involvement in the murder and struggles to prove to himself, as well as to Ralph, that they both were not connected to the killing in any way. Sam and Eric [or Samneric] feel the same way about the situation as do Ralph and Piggy. The twins act as if they were not present when the murder took place, even though it is obvious they were. They justify this excuse by pretending that they left the feast early because they were â€Å"tired. † Piggy and Ralph go along with this explanation and actually use it for themselves as well: â€Å"‘We left early,’ said Piggy quickly, ‘because we were tired. ‘ ‘So did we–‘† (p. 158). All four of the boys are pretending that they do not know of what is going on and are shaken by the â€Å"dance they had not attended† (p. 158). Throughout â€Å"The Lord of the Flies†, William Golding identifies many â€Å"defects of human nature. † One of the themes of the novel is an â€Å"attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature† (p. 204). The flaws in human nature must be taken into consideration in order to build a successful political structure. In this novel, the young children do now have this knowledge and therefore their society breaks down. It is in human nature for one to be unwilling to admit one’s mistakes, and throughout the Lord of the Flies, Golding has exemplified this flaw in a variety of different ways.

Meanings of Intelligence and Adaptive Behavior Essay

Until several years ago, many students who were classified as having ID or assigned into an inclusion classroom were not expected to participate in standardized testing, however as late, everyone in public schools is expected to participate in standardized assessments. Some educators are happy with the change while others are concerned the assessments are not an accurate assessment of what students actually know. For many students with learning disabilities, standardized assessments often don’t accurately indicate what the student truly knows and where they have deficits. One problem with assessing students with ID is the identification and classification of ID is that they differ greatly between states and is often inconsistent. According to Kortez, students with specific learning disabilities are served under the IDEA, however we use the word â€Å"classification† when referring to the category of and indentified student’s specific disability or disabilities (K ortez). The major problem that arises is the fact that identification is being highly inconsistent which is raising the concern students being mislabeled. It seems as though some educators are either over identifying or under indentifying students. However, this is not just a problem on the educator’s level; it is also showing up on the state level. It seems as though when the combined across the nation, identification is inconsistent. More than half of all students being served are doing so under the IDEA part B umbrella, students with specific disabilities, while the number of students recognized as† learning disabled ranges from 3% to 9%† across the United States (Kortez). According to Kortez, not all states implement the same policies, guidelines, or criteria, therefore some states have a significant higher or lower number of students identified based on what they as a state deem legitimate. Because there is such a difference in policies, it is therefore difficult to d etermine an adequate way to assess students with disabilities. Inclusion needs to be implemented in a way that will not only boost the quality of performance generated by the assessment but also the constructive outcome of the education being provided. The difficulty therefore lies in being able to implement a sound assessment because of the significant essential factors. One factor that would have to be determined is how many special education students would qualify as ineligible to partake in the regular education assessments. Another factor that would be solved would be how the regular education assessment could be enhanced to better suit the needs of the special education students. Also, the decision would have to be made to determine the criteria for students who would qualify for accommodations and which accommodations would be appropriate. In order for all these decisions to be made, it is essential for all the characteristics as well as the needs of the indentified students be met, and it is almost impossible if the identification and cl assification of the students continue to be inconsistent. Another problem with assessing indentified students is the fact of accommodations. When a test is given to a student with disabilities, certain changes or â€Å"accommodations† are made. Some of these accommodations are simple as testing the student in a smaller group, allowing the frequent monitored breaks, allowing the student extra time to finish the assessment, or reading the directions or questions to the student. When small changes such as these mentioned are made, they are referred to as accommodations. However if changes such giving the student a different test, illuminating parts of the test, or change the test in any way it is referred to as a â€Å"modification† and the assessment is no longer considered a standard test and is referred to as a non-standard test. When it comes to the element of measuring the assessment, the main goal to implementing accommodations is to better validate the information regarding the students and their disabilities. Testing cons istency is implemented in order to increase the accuracy by getting rid of the immaterial variations for the testing between schools. For instance, if one school allows thirty minutes for a test and another allows an hour and a half, the longer test would be considered the bias between the two. When it comes to students and their disabilities it is only fair that accommodations be made in order to make the test fair for everyone. For example, if a student has a profound vision problem then it would only make sense to change the presentation of the test (larger print, recording), in order to show a more true result of what the student actually knows, instead of not doing well simply because they can’t see the text well enough. If accommodations aren’t standard then results will not be consistent and therefore we won’t have an accurate snapshot of what the students actually know. A third problem that may arise when testing students with disabilities is the design, construction, and evaluations of the test. One circumstance that needs to be considered where testing is concerned is the design of th e test. Some tests can be biased in one area where another assessment may be biased in another area. Some tests are designed to assess a certain group of students with similar backgrounds and therefore are biased against those students who don’t share a similar background. While there are methods for dealing with bias are implemented, not all the methods are not equipped to detect bias toward students with disabilities. Systems used for assessing bias often insist on students being paired on some criterion measure of the structure of relevance. For example, if a reasonable criterion could be settled on for fifth graders in math proficiency, then the students without disabilities and students with disabilities could be matched together and then determine if the two sets of students were similar or different in the same areas. The second area of design that needs to be considered is the difficulty of the assessment itself. Often, most students with disabilities do not perform well on assessments. Furthermore, most assessments are too complex for students with disabilities, therefore often rendering results that are intimidating for students with disabilities and may also cause unfavorable reactions from their teachers. Some students may be nonverbal students and may not be about to write or say their answers, making it impossible for them to par take in standardized tests. Many of the students with ID have a mixture of intelligence deficits and adaptive behavior that initiates their academic deficits. These deficits can’t be the effect of a sensory impairment, a specific learning disability, or a behavior disorder, and would have to start showing systems before the child reaches school age. If a student’s cognitive deficit seems to be mild, then their deficit would resemble a broad disability with no specific area. The students who have been diagnosed with a specific learning disability will have functioning highs and lows. Students with intelligence disabilities have a difficult time across the curriculum as well as adaptive behavior. As time goes on there are more and more students who have to take standardized tests. This can be difficult for teachers, especially when it is almost impossible to accurately assess them and their progress. Some of the problems that occur when assessing students with ID, is the classification and identification of students, deciding what accommodations or modifications should be used for each child, and if the test that is being administered is level appropriate for the students with disabilities. References 1. Kortez, Daniel. Center for the Study of Evaluation. Project 1.1 Comparative Analyses of Current Assessment and Accountability Systems/Strand 3 Daniel Koretz, Project Director, CRESST/Harvard Graduate School of Education http://www.cse.ucla.edu/products/reports/TR587.pdf 2. Centra, J. A., (1986). Handicapped student performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19, 324-327. 3. Clarizio, H. F., & Phillips, S. E. (1992). A comparison of severe discrepancy formulae: Implications for policy consultation. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 3, 55-68.

How to stay focused at work during the holidays

How to stay focused at work during the holidays Every year, as the weather gets colder and holiday shopping ads start appearing on TV (though admittedly those start showing up around Labor Day now), even the most diligent and focused employees find their attention wandering a bit. There’s a lot going on- travel plans, potluck food appearing like magic in the office, everyone feeling a little more festive and social- and the daily grind can get lost in all of that. So how do you keep on top of your actual job, despite holiday disruptions? Be prepared to shut out distractions.This doesn’t mean you have to hunch over your desk like Ebenezer Scrooge, frowning disapprovingly at your cheerful slacker colleagues. It just means finding ways to keep your own attention focused on the daily tasks you need to accomplish. For some, that means wearing noise-canceling headphones while working on a project or setting blocks of â€Å"head down† time where you don’t allow yourself to be distracted by things like online s hopping, social media, or extracurricular conversations with coworkers. It’s time to be honest with yourself and figure out what works best at keeping you on-task. If that means setting calendar reminders for everything, do it. If it involves using an app to keep you from wandering to particular distracting websites, go for it.Try to avoid multitasking, because that can lead to†¦flexible attention span. If you’re giving all of your effort to a particular task, you’re more likely to get it done. Even if you’re usually an A+ multitasker, try to limit the number of things you’re doing at once.Lean in to (some of) the distractions.This may seem counterintuitive to #1, but it’s also important to embrace the non-work stuff as part of your day. It’s far more realistic to plan for small bursts of non-work activity than to think you’ll be able to shut it out completely. Be sure to schedule some breaks when you can check those fligh t prices or stop and grab a cookie with a colleague. If you start making the down time part of your workday (in small chunks), it’ll be easier to move from â€Å"holiday mode† back to â€Å"work beast mode.† Moderation is key here- it’s not an â€Å"hour of work, hour of goofing off† proposition. Think of it as more like a standard coffee break, but instead you’re taking a few minutes to check out your Facebook friends’ pets in various holiday sweaters.Come up with a â€Å"rest of year† plan.Chances are, your workload has a combination of things that will need to be accomplished either now or in the near future, and things that can reasonably wait until January. It’s time to sit down and make a comprehensive list of must-dos, should-dos, and can-do-laters. Your to-do list should be realistic and have milestones/deadlines included wherever possible so that you can plan your time. If you need to, talk through your end of y ear priorities with your boss to make sure you’re hitting everything you need to do before everyone checks out. This has the added benefit of showing your boss how organized and driven you are, even as everyone else might already be starting to slip a little.While you’re making the list, also make note of what you’ll need from other people. This time of year people can be in and out of the office, so if there’s something important that you’ll need from Andy by mid-December, start thinking (and talking) about it now in case Andy’s planning on taking time off. If you’ve waited until the last minute and then you’re faced with Andy’s â€Å"Bye, see you next year!† Out of Office message, it’s too late.Reset your work-life boundaries.Setting a clear line between your work day and your personal time can help you stay focused at work if you know you can get all the fun stuff or personal logistics accomplished later . If you’re usually a â€Å"stay late† kind of person, start leaving at a set time every day. If you’re usually a â€Å"wander in a little late in the morning† kind of person, start putting in extra effort to get to work on time. And whenever possible, you should avoid taking work home- instead, set a realistic workload and to-do list for the official workday. That way, family/friend/personal time gets its own spotlight in your day, separate from work, and you’ll feel less inclined to â€Å"catch up† on the outside stuff while you’re at work.Don’t forget to take care of yourself.The time leading up to the holidays can often take a physical toll as well, if you’re indulging in special food, more drinks than usual, and/or later bedtimes to account for social activities. All of those can set you up for failure at work and make you feel lousy, so try to set up some extra healthy habits to compensate this time of year.Take sh ort walks and exercise breaks instead of coffee breaks.Stay hydrated (and not with egg nog).Practice some desk yoga.Aim for half an hour more sleep.Bring a healthy lunch so you can sneak in some extra calories later.These can all help you feel better during the workday and more ready to devote your time and mental sharpness to accomplishing what needs to be done.No matter what the distractions are between Thanksgiving and the New Year, staying organized is not a lost cause. It’s all about being realistic and developing some extra coping mechanisms to defeat those â€Å"it’s the holidays, woo!† impulses and stay productive. Fully embrace the good cheer of the season- just make sure it’s on your to-do list, next to all the other things you want to get done.

Addendum on Used To vs. Use To

Addendum on Used To vs. Use To Addendum on Used To vs. Use To Addendum on Used To vs. Use To By Maeve Maddox It sometimes happens that I write a post that I think is beautifully focused on one point of usage, and then I receive a slew of emails faulting me for misrepresenting the topic. That’s what happened with a post on the modal use of used and use to express habitual action in the past. When an article receives this kind of response, I have to assume that my intended explanation wasn’t as clear as I thought it was. The post was based on the following question from a reader: Which is correct    He USED to go to the game on Friday. He USE to go to the game on Friday. All I intended to point out in my answer was that used is the correct choice for the examples given, but that use is correct when it follows the negative didn’t. What I said was, When the statement is positive, as in the reader’s example, the expression is used to. In negative statements, the expression is use to. For example, â€Å"He didn’t use to go to the game on Friday.† One reader correctly commented, â€Å"The distinction is not really about positivity/negativity,† and offered the following sentences as evidence: He did use to go to the game on Friday. He never used to go to the game on Friday. The first example is correct as a contradictory statement. For example: Person A: He didn’t use to go to the game on Friday. Person B: He did use to go to the game on Friday. The second example contains the negative adverb never, but used is still the correct form. Any adverb, negative or otherwise, may modify the modal used: never used to go always used to go rarely used to go I apologize for my sweeping statements about positive and negative. Another reader asks, Can we say â€Å"usednt to† instead of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"didn’t  use to†? It depends. If you live in the UK or some other place where this expression is common, go ahead and use it. If you say it to an American speaker, you’re likely to get a puzzled look. For British speakers, here’s what it says about the different forms in The Penguin Writer’s Manual: The strictly correct negative form of used to is used not to, which can be shortened to usedn’t to: â€Å"You used not to (or usedn’t to) mind if we came in a little late.† This often sounds rather formal, so that did not use to or didn’t use to (but not didn’t used to) are generally acceptable in informal speech or writing. Likewise, the traditionally correct negative question form used you not to..? or usedn’t you to..? is often replaced, more informally, by didn’t you use to..? If neither of these options seems acceptable, you used to, didn’t you? can be used. Another reader demands, What is your authority for this? My usual authorities are the OED, Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary, and The Chicago Manual of Style. This time, however, I relied for the most part on British and American grammar sites that target English learners. BBC: When talking about things that we did in the past but dont do now we can use the expression  used to. The negative form, to talk about things which we didnt do in the past but do now, is  didnt use to.   Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries: Except in negatives and questions, the correct form is used to: â€Å"I used to go there every Saturday.† To form questions, use did: Did she use to have long hair? The negative form is usually didn’t use to, but in British English this is quite informal and is not usually used in writing. English Stack Exchange: Except in negatives and questions, the correct form is used to: â€Å"we used to go to the movies all the time† (not we use to go to the movies). However, in negatives and questions using the auxiliary verb do, the correct form is use to: â€Å"I didn’t use to like mushrooms† (not I didn’t used to like mushrooms). Finally, several readers wondered about the pronunciation of used to and use to. You’ll find a thorough treatment of British and American pronunciation of these forms at the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries site. Thanks to all of you for your comments. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid55 Boxing IdiomsUlterior and Alterior

Contamination and remediation of soil Assignment

Contamination and remediation of soil - Assignment Example Thermal desorption system The basic process of DHTD system has been illustrated in the figure 1 given below. The soil is dried through heating it directly with the help of a rotary dryer made up from a high temperature alloy. The rotary dryer comprises of a natural-gas-fired burner that has the capability to heat the feed material up to a temperature of about 550oC or 1,022oF. The rate of heating the feed soil by using the rotary dryer is primarily based upon the moisture present in the soil, the size distribution of the soil particles, and the discharge temperature of the soil. The processed-gas is conveyed to the emission control system from the discharge hood that receives the gas from the rotary dryer. The emission control system consists of the dual cyclones, evaporative cooler, thermal oxidizer, bag house, quench, draft fans with dual induction, supply system of sodium hydroxide, acid gas scrubber, stack, and continuous emissions monitoring system. The natural-gas-fired burner of the rotary dryer is basically fitted with the thermal oxidizer that functions between the temperature ranges of 930oC to 1000oC. The gas is cooled down by spraying an air atomized water stream at the top portion of the evaporative cooler. The bag house conveys the gas to a quench chamber and a packed scrubber through the induced draft fans. Then, in order to remove acid gases from the gas, a pH controlled water stream passes again through the scrubber before the stack discharges the gas to the atmosphere. A double tipping valve, steam hood, pug-mill, steam duct, stacking conveyor and shuttle conveyor are used in the construction of a cooling and handling system for the treated soil. The double tipping valve is used to discharge the soil from the rotary dryer to the pug-mill. The pug-mill also, receives the combined dust streams, through a series of screw conveyors, from the bag house and the dual cyclones. Then the soil is cooled and moisturized through spraying water in to the p ug-mill. Subsequently, the shuttle conveyor passes the cooled and moisturized soil discharged from the pug-mill to a stacking conveyor that, in turn, passes it to the stockpile of the treated soil. The steam-duct transfers the stream discharged from the pug-mill in to the evaporative cooler. The stockpiles of 500 ton each hold the treated soil until they are analyzed for complying with the treatment criteria. Figure 1: The Overview of the DHTD System (Troxler et al. 2010)2. Project Schedule The table 1 given below presents the major milestones related to the implementation and licensing of the thermal treatment plant project. Table 1: Project Schedule (Troxler et al. 2010)2. Commissioning Trials The testing sequence proposed for the selected approach at the site included a process comprising of two stages. In the first stage, the plant processes the non-contaminated soil in order to ascertain that all of the electrical, mechanical, and control equipments are working properly. Then, in the second stage, the plant processes the above-average concentration of the contaminated material which takes about 6 to 7 hours. EPA observed, in the preliminary review of the EIS, that the testing sequence should not include a one-step change from ‘0’ to above average concentration of the contaminant material. Demonstrated performance is required by EPA throughout the range of soil contamination. EPA also, suggests that the

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance Term Paper - 1

Improving Organisational and Employee Performance - Term Paper Example For a business organization with the aim of remaining competitive, there is always room for improvement in terms of organizational and employee performance. The need to improve productivity and performance has emerged to be one of the most essential things in the modern business environment. When employees are completely and creatively engaged in a business organization will have a superior performance in the market. The main challenge in improving organizational and employee performance is finding ways through which an organization maximizes engagement, retention, commitment, and overall satisfaction of their employees.One of the ways through which a company can enhance the performance of their employees is through recognition. This is very effective because it always makes employees feel appreciated. There is nothing as motivating as the feeling that an individual is part of a team and that they are appreciated members of the teams which they belong to. Research has proved that emp loyees with satisfaction with the level to which they are appreciated by the organizations they work for can be up to four times more motivated as compared to those who are not appreciated at all (Van Knippenberg 2000, p. 366). Ways through which a company can show recognition of their employees include verbal gratitude, involvement in decision making, training, giving the time off, acknowledging birthdays, organizing celebrations, acknowledge individuals and teams at staff meetings (Crossman & Abou-Zaki 2003, p. 376). However, companies such as The Boston Consulting Group, whose competitiveness is based on their affordability, have always had a hard time motivating their employees. However, other businesses such as Audi supermarket have minimized their expenditure in motivation through using rewarding through on-job training by the more experienced staff.  Ã‚