William Bratton and the Nypd - 12122 Words

yale case 07-015 rev. february 12, 2008 William Bratton and the NYPD Crime Control through Middle Management Reform Andrea R. Nagy1 Joel Podolny2 William Bratton, commissioner of the New York Police Department from 1994 to 1996, presided over a dramatic decline in the city’s crime rate. Hired by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as part of a new crime fighting initiative, Bratton embraced the â€Å"broken windows† theory that had made him so successful as chief of the city’s transit police. According to this theory, when a community ignores small offenses such as a broken window on a parked car, larger offenses such as burglary, robbery, and assault inevitably follow. Conversely, serious crime can be prevented if a community polices the little†¦show more content†¦First, between 1890 and 1930, the management of the police force was centralized. Virtually every decision had to go to the top for approval, with the goal of limiting the low-level officer’s exposure to temptation. To reinforce the hierarchy, specialized units were created to deal with such problems as drugs, youth, guns, and gangs. As Brat ton described it, [The department] was divided into little fiefdoms, and some bureau chiefs didn’t even talk to each other†¦. Each bureau was like a silo: Information entered at the bottom and had to be delivered up the chain of command from one level to another until it reached the chief’s office. 4 But centralization did not solve the problem of corruption, and it added the problem of inefficiency, because the bureaucracy was not capable of responding to the individual needs of different neighborhoods. â€Å"The reflexive solution to every police problem was more centralization and stronger controls,† according to criminologist George Kelling. But as the years went on, centralization became an end in itself, and even chiefs who wanted to make changes could not, for fear that they would be labeled soft on corruption. 5 Then, between 1930 and 1970, a second reform movement applied a scientific management model to the NYPD. The goal was to reduce policing to standard rules and routines. In essence, patrol officers became factory workers who performed simple,Show MoreRelatedNypd801 Words   |  4 Pagescommissioner in 1994, William Bratton has transformed NYPD into an effective deterrent of crime through a series of strategic organizational changes. Crime rate in New York has decreased by 25.9% in just a year compared to the average national rate of 5.4%. Now, NYPD’s results oriented strategy needs to sustain its momentum and continue to produce results, despite falling budgets, labor disputes and difficulty in getting resources allocated. In this paper, I will review the challenges Bratton faced, analyzeRead MoreBlack Male And Caucasian Police Officer Essay1489 Words   |  6 PagesStaten Island, New York City. Within the department I was surprised on female African American NYPD Sargent Kis sy Adoni on how she did not intervene. As a result of Garner s death, Police Commissioner William Bratton ordered an extensive review of the NYPD s training procedures, specifically focusing on the appropriate amount of force that can be used while detaining a suspect. According to CBS New York Bratton stated â€Å"we are not targeting communities of color, we are targeting behavior. Also that policingRead MoreZero Tolerance Policing2958 Words   |  12 PagesPolicing in Practice: the ‘New York Miracle’ 3 Zero Tolerance Policing: A Cost/Benefit Analysis 4 Reflection 8 Conclusion 9 Reference List 10 Introduction The election of Rudolph Giuliani as Mayor of New York City in 1993 and the appointment of William Bratton as NYC Police Commissioner in January 1994 ushered in a process of vigorous organisational ‘re-engineering’ (to use Bratton’s term) in the New York Police Department, resulting in the development of what is known as the Zero Tolerance PolicingRead MoreEssay about Crime and Police Department962 Words   |  4 Pagescontrols and take charge from that aspect. This implementation was a good method to reduce neighborhood fear and prevent crimes (Broken Windows). The third idea was implemented by Commissioner William Bratton. The Compstat program started by a management team in New York in which commissioner William Bratton was appointed as head of the police department to incorporate the Compstat model. The model was a basic process on how to collect abstract information and analyze data. He invested in his staffRead More Depicting the Various Traits and Characteristics of Leadership in Literature4045 Words   |  17 Pagesleadership.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is portrayed at its pinnacle in William Bratton’s Turnaround, Rudolph Giuliani’s book Leadership, Oren Harari’s book The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, and David Lipsky’s book Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point. In each of these works, the author does an exceptional job of depicting the various traits and characteristics necessary for being a powerful and effective leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Bratton, born and raised in Boston, was appointed as New York City’sRead MoreStop And Frisk Final Outline2670 Words   |  11 PagesTerry v. Ohio Is now walking down the New York City street in jeopardy? Are all men created equal? Mayor Bill de Blasio the first candidate opposed to the Stop and Frisk policy The Impact of Stop and Frisk on Individuals. Police Commissioner William J. Bratton â€Å"NYPD is the most racially diverse police force in the world† Conclusion: Summarized the argument. Recommendations. Communities Taking Action What should the mayor do to improve the efficiency of Stop and Frisk? What changes do the Hispanic andRead MoreThe Law Enforcement Oath Of Honor1540 Words   |  7 Pagesthat was conducted with the NYPD Commissioner William Bratton he stated that:â€Å"Policing is always such a profession that is going to have potential danger. That is the reality of it. †¦ The anger and the hatred and the violence directed against our police officers that every year takes more a hundred of their lives. So, I think we need to broaden the conversation to include the dangers being directed against them also.† (New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton, CBS News) These are theRead MoreNecessity Of Reform Throughout Police Culture1651 Words   |  7 Pagesperpetuating a culture in which the everyday average civilian fears an officer of the law, more then they respect or trust them. In the 1973 true to life movie â€Å"Serpico†, Frank Serpico is ostracized from the rest of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), after he had testified in court against his fellow officers for being corrupt and for taking bribe money from drug dealers. Serpico dealt with the harsh problems that whistle blowers in law enforcement face, and it is not a harmless matter to beRead MoreStop And Frisk During The United States1894 Words   |  8 Pagesmonitoring urban environments in a well ordered condition may stop further vandalism and escalation into most serious crime. Stop and Frisk practice raise serious concerns over racial profiling, illegal stops and privacy rights. According to William J. Bratton On average from 2002 to 2013 the number of individuals stopped and Frisked without any convictions was 87.6%. However, out of that 87.6% around 23% were black, 24% were Hispanic. And during all this stops the police officers recorded usingRead MoreImproving Police Community Relations Between Police And The Community Essay2309 Words   |  10 Pagesin NYC is non-existent and that police officers and the NYPD in general do not take community/police relationship seriously, but the problem is that must of the time the community simply does not want to get involved. For some time now the NYPD has tried to go back to community policing, but how can they when the members of the precinct’s population do not get involved in positive relations with the police. People can not just expects the NYPD to know what they need if the community does not communi cate

The World s Largest Trading Trade Agreement ( Nafta ) Essay

( I ) The USA as Unipolar state : The US after the Cold War, became the unipolar power in the world. The unipolar system possesses only one great power with no competition. If a competitor emerges, the system can no longer be called unipolar. With the end of the Cold War, US emerged as the Unipolar superpower which also ended the traditional â€Å"East vs West’’ conflict. The longest economic expansion in modern U.S. history was seen after the cold war, in the 1990s. Originating in US defense networks, the internet spread to the public which greatly impacted the global economy, society, and culture. In the beginning of 1994, the US participated in the world’s largest trading bloc in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), linking 450 million people producing $17 trillion worth of goods and services. Since NAFTA came into effect, the North American economy has more than doubled in size. The combined gross domestic product (GDP) for Canada, the United States, and Mexico surpassed US$17 tr illion in 2008, up from US$7.6 trillion in 1993. The structure of power in the international system determines the role of institutions. NATO, for example, is often cited as an institution that has outlived its original mandate—preventing a Soviet onslaught of Western Europe. NATO’s continued existence conveniently â€Å"illustrates how international institutions are created and maintained by stronger states (e.g., the United States) to serve their perceived and misperceived interests.†Show MoreRelatedThe North American Free Trade Agreement. One Of The Major1307 Words   |  6 Pages The North American Free Trade Agreement One of the major keys to having two or more parties successfully trade and invest with each other is the ability to make agreements peacefully and come to similar terms. Many times, people would like to trade goods and services, but cannot agree on the terms each other have made. This can obviously cause many problems with trading and is the reason many deals do not go through, which can impact not only the people involved, but many more people very negativelyRead MoreThe North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)1345 Words   |  6 PagesFree Trade Agreement (NAFTA), came into effect on January 1, 1994, creating the largest free trade region in the world, generating economic growth and helping to raise the standard of living for the people of all three countries participating. By strengthening the rules and procedures governing trade and investment, the NAFTA has shown to be a great base for adding to Canada’s prosperity and has set a valuable example of the benefits of tr ade liberalization for the rest of the world. NAFTA was designedRead MoreEu vs Nafta1729 Words   |  7 PagesUnion and the NAFTA, NAFTA’s functional structure. A brief introduction if NAFTA and EU confront one another. Executive Summary Some would doubt that the formation of NAFTA was the American response to the European Single Act that formed the EU, which is made up of 27 countries. There is nothing to gain for both the blocs. However in some areas, â€Å"peaceful co-existence† and some form of â€Å"stricter ties† between the EU and NAFTA would prove to be beneficial for both. Introduction The NAFTA and the EuropeanRead MoreEssay On NAFTA1661 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is an agreement between Canada, United States, and Mexico which was signed on December 17, 1992 (Hassan,M Nassar R 2016) but wasn’t established until January 1st, 1994. NAFTA is a trade agreement between the North American countries. It is an agreement that would allow businesses to obtain resources from each of the three countries. The idea behind it was to make it easier for countries to trade and to increase productivity. Since NAFTA businesses, trade, and alsoRead MoreImpact Of Trade Agreements On An International Scale1534 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Trade agreements have been around for the past several centuries, and naturally, they have evolved. Earlier on, they were used exclusively as agreements between nations to reduce tariffs on each other’s products. Tariffs, however, were not the only way a nation could protect its industries. Trade agreements have evolved to address this situation, and instituted measures to disincentivize circumvention of the spirit of these agreements. Evolving still, trade agreements have now grownRead MoreCanada Research Paper Rough Draft Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesStates in northwest of Alaska. and shares borders with the United States of America. Canada and the USA actually share the longest international border in the world. It is 8,891km/5,525miles long. The country expands from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to to the Pacific Ocean and right underneath the Arctic Ocean. Canada is the world s second-largest country in land mass, but has a small population of 31 million people. Canada was discovered and named by the French explorer Jacques Cartier in the yearRead MoreThe Relationship Between North American Free Trade Agreement And The European Union s Level Of Integration3824 Words   |  16 PagesQ1. Examine the various types of regional economic integration. What are the differences between the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the European Union’s level of integration?(2 pages maximum) Regional economic integration represents agreements between countries in a geographic region to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to the free flow of goods, services and factors of production between each other. Neighboring countries tend to ally because of their proximity to one anotherRead MoreRegional Development and Regional Blocks1884 Words   |  8 PagesFathers of ASEAN (5 countries) Today – 10 Member States NAFTA The North American market increased, create a free trade, elimination of tariff barriers North American free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)was formed on 1 January 1994 Richest market in the world – Canada, United States, Mexico MERCOSUR Countries common values of economic development, the fight against poverty, sustainable development and so on An economic and political agreement (Southern Common Market) was formed on 26 March 1991 5 SouthRead MoreInternational Trade : Free Trade Essay1420 Words   |  6 PagesEconomics Free Trade Free trade is a system in which goods, capital, and labor flow freely between nations, without barriers which could delay the trade process. There are many nations that have free trade agreements, and several global organizations promote free trade between their members. There are a few arguments both for and against this practice, ranging from economists, politicians, industries, and social scientists. A few barriers to trade are struck down in a free trade agreement. Taxes, tariffsRead MoreThe Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership1284 Words   |  6 Pagesassignment The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a bilateral free trade agreement between the United States and Europe, covering trade in services, government procurement, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, agriculture, customs and trade facilitation. If it completed, it will cover the world one-second of GDP. Transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement is Europe and the United States launched trade preferential agreements, to create Europe and the United

Conscience †personal creative writing Free Essays

He was dressed in a sluggish grey-green coat with dull checks. It reflected his character like a murky pond and the story he was feeding me smelt the same. I didn’t like his attitude. We will write a custom essay sample on Conscience – personal creative writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The way he leered at me with his nicotine yellow teeth and thin sharp lips. It made me feel really uncomfortable. Like I shouldn’t be there. I’d forgotten, as usual that I wasn’t invited. I noticed that as he repeated himself his gnarled fingers were ever whitening at the knuckles. His hair was greased back off his face as if he’d put a vat full of chip fat on it. It made him look slimy and manipulating. If he’d been a well dressed man with a polite attitude I would not have given a second thought to his wife’s suicide. The man in front of me was showing no sign of remorse, not even the slightest bit of sadness. The emotions that float in the air catching normal people unawares must either bounce off his highly polished forehead or slide down the nape of his neck. The flat was quite large with a private elevator at the back. A desk sat in the middle of the room. It was an old solid oak desk with two top draws and ink stains on the blotting paper. The worn out typewriter had the last written words of Mrs. Harrison stuck in it and sat there like a smug omen. People from forensics were buzzing about dusting this and bagging up that. They made the place look like an ant colony. It is very distracting to have someone spying for the minutest thing out of the corner of your eye. I went to have a look round myself. All the furniture, as far as I could see was dating back to the late 1930’s yet it was all in impeccable condition. Scattered on the shelves were objects and ornaments the couple had gathered from their short married life. China dogs, vulgar things, cluttered up the iron fire surround. On the mantelpiece slept two speakers, dusty with neglect. Something caught my eye. Two brass bookends. Neither of them particularly aesthetic yet that wasn’t what drew me to them. One was brown with dirt and grime, however the other was clean as the day it as bought. I called over Pete, a friend of mine in the forensics team. We were at college together until I went ‘over to the dark side’ as he would say. Pete is the type of guy you could quite easily fall in love with, if you allow yourself. His hair is tight and curly. The colour of midnight. Granted, his nose may be slightly out of proportion but the ocean blue colour of his eyes! Deep, full with care yet not deep enough to hide his soul. He told me he would take the bookends off for dusting and get back to me. I couldn’t help but stare as he swaggered away in his own original style. The swagger that leaves all girls stranded†¦ Waking my self up I walked back to the beetle red settee where Mr Harrison was lounging. I was sitting on the arm of the chair, trying to spot an intelligent comment from the ones reflected in his mirror forehead. I persuaded him to tell me a bit about his wife appearance. According to him she was of medium height, hourglass figure and full it the face. He got out a photo of her. She was really pretty. Her hair was sandy and fly away with dark brown eyes and full lips. The complete opposite of her husband. That then began to arouse my suspicions of her playing away. I didn’t address this issue straight away; I felt it wasn’t wise but I did ask what the professional relationship was between he and his wife. At this comment his attitude got blacker once more. He spoke bitterly of how she was clever and outgoing. She had been working as his accountant when they met and ‘slowly weaved her way up to the executive managers position’. It was the way he said it that made your blood chill like an ice cube had just been shoved down your back on a freezing winter day. There was certainly some jealousy going on. I could not fathom why a pretty intelligent girl could want to end her life so suddenly and tragically. Couldn’t she have just settled for divorce? Was he threatening her? One thing was for sure; this was no ordinary suicide. I had to find out what really happened earlier that night. I bid good day to Mr Harrison and went to the front elevator. As I waited I tried to heave the sense out of this scene like the heavy contraption heaving itself up to the 18th floor. With the bing of the lift the cold air hit my face once more. The streets of LA are awesome. Especially at night. The rain pattered down as it had been threatening to do all day making the pavement shine like liquid silver. The starlight filled the roadside trees with a magical light like a thousand faeries having a party. A newspaper tickled my feet then went on its way to the next obstacle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a crumpled heap, slumped in the doorway of a closed down chemists. It was partly illuminated by the street light. The other part shadowy and ghost like yet remarkably there. It churns my heart to see these things. From somewhere in amongst the churning it became clear that this fellow might know something. I strolled over as casually as I could muster in the below zero temperature and crouched down beside him. His face was like a canvas of war; his eyes hollow and lifeless. This guy didn’t have a single dream or hope left to hang on to in the great pendulum of life. He’d let go just waiting for it to hit him on its inevitable return swing. He showed an utter disgust towards me once I’d told him I was a detective. It made my job really hard. I had started off with a gentle motherly tone but I soon lost it to the wind. What is the point in trying to give these people respect if they judge you on face value and smell of dustbins and public toilets. He assured me that he was awake at the time I quoted and heard no scream. I hurried away as quickly as I could leaving him to mutter under his breath. How to cite Conscience – personal creative writing, Papers

Theory Related to a Growth Mindset Free Sample for Students

Questions: 1.Describe the Assumptions you hold about your Intelligence and how they May or May not have Changed Over time.2.Use Theory related to a Growth Mindset in combination with aspects of your Personal Experience to Illustrate the Impact of the above assumptions on your Studies to date.3.Use Theory related to a Growth Mindset in Combination with aspects of your personal experience to Speculate on the practical and Theoretical Implications of your Current Assumptions for your study over the coming Semester. 4.Use Theory related to a 'Growth Mindset' in Combination with aspects of your Personal Experience to Speculate on the practical and Theoretical Implications of your Current Assumptions for your current or Future Employment. Answers: 1.In my life as a student, I have come to realize my assumption about my intelligence is based on my performance in class. If someone asked me if I am intelligent my answer would always come with a stammer because I find it hard to confidently say am an intelligent person. For instance, there are those subjects or field of study I am good in and I can confidently say am very intelligent in that field of study. However there those subjects which i am weak at. When again asked if am intelligent in relation to this fields that I am poor in, I find it very difficult to give a positive answer. Moreover, when I fail in a particular field of study, it makes me fill stupid. In fact it makes me feel like a looser since others are doing pretty well in this subjects yet I am scoring dismally in the same. As a result I have always believed in one thing, there is nothing much I can do to improve my performance in a subject I am poor in. This is because I believe that there is a limit of intelligence I have in any particular subject and I cannot surpass that limit 2.Carol Dwecks video titled; The power of believing you can improve, has also opened my mind on the assumptions I had towards my intelligence. I know I am not good in some particular subjects and I still believe there is nothing much I can do to change that fixed state of mind. As a result I have been avoiding particular subjects that i am poor in. I am convinced that no matter how much effort I put in studying this subjects I will always fail in them. This fixed mindset has really affected my performance to date since I feel like I am a failure in some subjects and I shy away from them. In addition seeing my classmates performing well in the same subjects that I am poor in makes me feel less intelligence and a looser for that matter. According to Dweck, students belief about the nature of their ability or intelligence will always determine how they will approach challenging subjects or fields of study. To her students who observe their intelligence as a fixed state of mind will tend to shy away from subjects that pose great challenges to them. On the other hand, students who believe that their ability can increase through effort and constant practice always conquer academic challenges in their field of study Dwecks research has also opened my mind on the assumptions I had towards praise from my teachers and parents towards my academic performance. Praise and reward is a good motivator towards increasing a childs performance. However, studying Dwecks video on intelligence reveals a sharp contrast on the impact of praise on students intellectual growth. I have learnt praising students for their performance rather than their effort may lead to students accepting a fixed mindset in regards to intelligence. The message being sent by this adults is that success or failure is dependent on a greater power that is beyond their control thus these students end up accepting that their dumb or smart depending on their performance and nothing can be done to change the status quo. For example, if a teacher comments well done or smart boy to a student, the student will end up interpreting that success is related to being smart while being dumb is equally related to performing poorly. As a result of these students who perform well develop high self-esteem but this soon disappears when they are faced with academic challenges in other subjects. However students who are praised for the effort their input in their studies are more likely to develop and a growth mindset and they develop grit when faced with academic challenges Dwecks study has really set the ball rolling for me in the coming semester since now am more than convinced that my mental ability is not a fixed quantity and it is something I have control over. I can be able to improve on those subjects that am not doing well in. since now I know that through constant practice and perseverance I can be able to change the narrative to a successful one. I have also realized that what matters is the effort that one puts in something that will either translate to a failure or success. Also, even when I fail, it doesnt mean I am dumb but it should offer me an opportunity to learn and explore more on that particular subject (Duckworth, A, L.2009). 3.My assumptions towards intelligence have impacted in my studies to a certain level. Looking at the theory of growth mindset students who hold onto the entity theory of intelligence subscribe to the school of thought that intelligence is something that you have no control over and thus you can do very little to change it. There was a time I used to believe in this line of thought, and it still affects my thinking to this day. At times I tend to think that my intelligence is a fixed quantity. Moreover, this has pushed me to place such a high value on success that makes me always worried and scared of failure. As a result, I find myself studying so hard that I may not fail since to me, I perceive failure as evidence of being dumb or possessing low intelligence. This belief has further pushed me to select and study only those subjects that I find myself good in. In this light, I always tend to shy away from causes that have mathematics in them since I always score dismally in this subject. However studying and listening to Dwecks video on intelligence has struck something new in my line of thinking. I have realized that intelligence is not a fixed state of mind but it is something that can be worked on. In contrast to my line of thinking, I have realized that students who view intelligence as a malleable quantity are never threatened by failure since they believe that their mind ability can be increased through effort and grit. Moreover, instead of this students shying away from subjects that they score dismally in, they have made it their mission master this subjects and set academic challenges that will help improve their intellectual ability. However, I belonged to this group of students who viewed intelligence as a fixed quantity. I believed, intelligence cannot be improved and it is a limited entity. In most cases I concentrated more about by abilities and wasted a lot of time trying to prove it rather than improving it. As a result, this has lead to the onset of negative thoughts in my mind such as I am a dumb or I am a total failure and tendency of giving up so quickly on lifes challenges. I have realised students possessing growth mindset will always perceive lifes challenges not as setbacks but an opportunity to learn and improve while those with fixed mindset will always count themselves as failures when they face lifes challenges 4.Use theory related to a growth mindset in combination with aspects of your personal experience to speculate on the practical and theoretical implications of your current assumptions for your current or future employment. Length 500 words A lot can be learned from Duckworths video on intelligence with specific reference to the theory of growth mindset and grit.' One of the takeaway points for me is that intelligence is not a fixed state of mind. Everyone can grow their mental ability, and this will largely depend on ones ability to persevere. Dweck notes that students who employ a growth mindset about their intellectual ability tend to focus more on learning and mastering challenging academic materials The current job market just like education doesnt offer a rosy reception to those leaving school. The challenges are weightier than those experiences in the academic world. As a result, those students coming into employment with a growth mindset are more like to survive the fast few years of their employment since they have what it takes to face challenges that they may encounter in their line of work. Possessing grit and the ability to learn from failure has always been the key to success, and these students possess these elements of success. This cannot be said of those with a fixed mindset since they shy away from failure and due to the state of mentality they operate with, chances are very high they will quit the job as soon as they face a major obstacle in their line of duty Dwecks study has been a point of revelation for me since have just realized that how I view intelligence will always affect how I respond to challenges not only at my study level but even in how I see life out there. This means that I will have to adopt a growth mindset if am to be successful in my career later in life and at my place of work it will also come in handy. The challenges I will face in my area of employment will always be an opportunity to learn for me. This means that I wont concentrate much on my failures but how to learn from the challenges that face me in my area of work. I chose to adopt the growth mindset even as I hope to secure an employment during my semester break It has become evident to me that what I belief about my academic capability will always have a direct influence in my perseverance towards achieving academic success. This means that if I focus my effort on learning and practicing new skills then i can improve my class performance and perform well in school. Having this mindset will increase my chances of achieving a higher level of academic performance and also be successful in life since I now believe that I can overcome challenges and obstacles that life presents. I have also learnt grit is virtue that is worked on and doesnt come in a day. Through constant practice and pushing against challenges and odds will eventually translate into success and with this i know i can navigate through lifes challenges without the fear of failure. Therefore Intelligence is something that can be nurtured and thats a take away point for me even as i reflect on Duckworths literature on grit theory. References Deiner, C. I., Dweck, C.S. 1978. An analysis of learned helplessness: Continuous changes in performance, strategy and achievement cognitions following failure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 451-462. Deiner, C. I, Dweck, C.S. 1980. An analysis of learned helplessness: (II) The processing of success. journal of personality and social psychology, 39, 940-952. Duckworth, A, L.2009.True Grit: Can Perseverance be Taught? 2009, YouTube video, TEDx Talk. Presented by Angela Lee Duckworth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaeFnxSfSC4. Dweck, C.2014. The power of believing that you can improve, YouTube video, TED Talk Norrkoping, Sweden. Retrieved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU Dweck, C. S. 2002. Beliefs that make smart people dumb. In R.J. Sternberg (Ed.). Why smart people can be so stupid. New Haven : Yale University Press. Dweck, C.S. 2002. Messages that motivate: How praise molds students' beliefs, motivation, and performance (in surprising ways). In J. Aronson (Ed.), Improvingacademic achievement. New York: Academic Press. Dweck, C. S. 1999a. Caution-praise can be dangerous. American Educator, 23(1), 4-9. Dweck, C. S. 1999b. Self-theories: their role in motivation, personality and development. Philadelphia: The Psychology Press Dweck, C. S., Bempechat, J. 1983. Children's theories of intelligence. In S. Paris, G. Olsen, H. Stevenson (Eds.), Learning and motivation in the classroom(pp. 239-256). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Dweck, C. S., Reppucci, N. D. 1973. Learned helplessness and reinforcement responsibility in children. Journal of personality and social psychology,25, 109-116. Mueller, C.M., Dweck, C.S. 1998. Intelligence praise can undermine motivation and performance. Journal of personality and social psychology, 75, 33-52.

Hitlers Weltanschauung (World View) Essays - Nazism,

Hitlers Weltanschauung (World View) name = Glen R. Hees email = SigmaChi25 publish = yes subject = World Civ II title = Hitler's Weltanschauung (World View) In the early quarter of the twentieth century, a young man was beginning to fill his mind with ideas of a unification of all Germanic countries. That young man was Adolf Hitler, and what he learned in his youth would surface again as he struggled to become the leader of this movement. Hitler formed views of countries and even certain cities early in his life, those views often affecting his dictation of foreign policy as he grew older. What was Hitler's view of the world before the Nazi Party came to power? Based in large part on incidents occurring in his boyhood, Hitler's view included the belief that Jews should be eliminated, and that European countries were merely pawns for him to use in his game of world dominion. Adolf Hitler grew up the son of a respectable imperial customhouse official, who refused to let his son do what he was most interested in--art. Hitler never excelled in school, and took interest only in art, gymnastics and a casual interest in geography and history due to a liking he had taken to his teacher. It was his history teacher who would fill Adolf's mind with a simple thought: ?The day will come, that all of us, of German descent, will once more belong to one mighty Teutonic nation that will stretch from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, just like the Empire of the Middle Ages, and that will stand supreme among the peoples of this earth.? Already the young Adolf could envision himself in such a position. Much of the ideology that Adolf Hitler used was not original by any means. There were many thinkers and writers who laid the groundwork for what would become not just Hitler's, but the Nazi Party's Weltanschauung (world view). Three primary writers were Dietrich Eckart, editor of a harshly anti-Semitic periodical, Auf gut deutsch (Agd), Alfred Rosenberg, a Baltic German and contributor to Agd, and Gottfried Feder, an opponent of finance capitalism. These three men molded the political outlook of the German Worker's Party before Hitler encountered it in 1919, and would become quite influential in Adolf's ideology. Rosenberg contributed largely to Hitler's view of the Jews on an international perspective, suggesting the existence of a Jewish conspiracy to overthrow established nation-states on a worldwide scale. In 1924, Hitler proclaimed that he had departed from Vienna as an absolute anti-Semitic, a deadly enemy of the whole Marxist outlook, and as a Pan-German in his political persuasion. The Pan-Ger man movement was dedicated to achieving the defense and fortification of the German Volk (people) everywhere in the world. The elimination of the Jews was but one item on Hitler's agenda, however. Hitler wanted to do away with the Versailles Treaty which he saw as criminal. He also believed that Germany should not ally itself with any other nation, except perhaps Italy and England. Italy, because of its Fascist regime under Mussolini, and England, because it could be considered a Nordic region. While he would go on to ally himself with Italy, his views of these two nations would change drastically later. As for other European nations, Hitler's idea of expansionism laid the groundwork for his relations with them. Lebensraum or living-space, which Hitler mentioned in his book Mein Kampf, had been a key concept for German National Socialists. It was an old concept, not inconsistent with beliefs held since the middle ages. Hitler believed that an increase in his country's living-space would effectively improve the health and well-being of his Volk. As Hitler stated in his Secret Book: ?A healthy foreign policy therefore will always keep the winning of the basis of a people's sustenance immovably in sight as its ultimate goal.? Hitler was very hostile towards France and saw the French as a hereditary enemy that was always looking for a chance to annex the left bank of the Rhine so as to have a ?natural? frontier with Germany. Hitler was ready to support a war against France at any time and any cost. England was portrayed as one of Germany's absolute enemies, even though Hitler had considered making an alliance at one point. Hitler thought that England had been the Weltmacht, or world power for too long and was not a worthy ally because they assisted the Jewish cause and had allowed Jews to hold influential positions within the state. Hitler also said that the British

Cd roms

Cd roms CD:ROM drives are the thing of the future. CD:ROMs are used in almost every computer around the world.CD:ROM stands for COMPACT DISK READ ONLY MEMORY. That means that you can only read information off the disk. Three and a half disks are disks that you can read and wriye infromation from. Five and a quarter can do the same thing , but do not hold as much information. Five and a quarter disketts are very old. they stopped making those a while ago. In the ninteen ninty's they are totally outdated becaus of the lack of space they have and the lack of speed.A CD:ROM can hold more information than both of them put together. CD:ROMs hold up to four hundred megabytes of information. That is about half of what an average hard drive holds up to today.A hard drive is what all the information you install in to your computer goes.a water rocket with fins made in a compact diskInside a hard drive it looks like large CD:ROM , but this one is magnetic. If you open one up it will look like egular re cord player. The needle is what writes the information onto the hard drive. The needle writes by the magnetic force that pushes it down on to the disk. Once it is on the hard drive , whenever you turn on your computer the information is always there for you when you need it.A CD:ROM looks like a music compact disk , but they are not that much alike. First a CD:ROM has a lot more information than a regular compact disk. A CD:ROM has audio as well as visual information. Second a CD:ROM stores more data in it. Third if you put a CD:ROM in a compact disk player the compact disk player would just sit there and...

Breach Of Patients Safety By Using Of Medical Devices Essay

Breach Of Patients Safety By Using Of Medical Devices - Essay Example The booklet â€Å"Equipped to care† provides practical information on medical devices for health professionals, who will enhance patients care† (Department of Health 2000). Demographic factors, changing illness patterns and the concept of patients as consumers of healthcare will act as a driver to the delivery of care, where sophisticated device usage will become increasingly routine (Department of Health 2002). Medical devices have moved from being tools to support clinical practice to being an integral requirement in treatment delivery (Quinn 2000). However, use of medical devices is not entirely free of risk since sometimes they malfunction, or sometimes clients may have increased suffering from their misuse.Over the past 20 years, there has been significant development around medical device safety, from MHRA and the Department of Health. However, in the later years, available studies have been limited. Research articles were published in the early stages of developme nt on the safety of use of medical devices and were reinvestigated some years later, in 2001 – 2003. For some time, there has been a shortfall of ongoing research, and tremendous advances in medical equipment at the same time, previous research were deemed unreliable. It is perceived that major devices of the earlier time are now considered as minor. The major devices being studied today would not have been foreseen in previous years. The evolving complexity of devices and the need for training have been highlighted.

Templeton debate series Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Templeton debate series - Essay Example ess would mean hiring more workers and that would have the effect of putting money in the pockets of Afrikaans that would better their standard living. A better standard of living will end the cycle of poverty and empower the people of Africa. Iqbal larger global argument is about the promotion of an idea that for Africa to progress, foreign direct investment is necessary to propel the economy of Africa. Pouring money in business has the net effect of empowering its citizens and not government bureaucracy (Iqbal 6-8). He is calling for foreign capital to invest in Africa because the country is ripe for investment with huge available cheap labor and abundant resources just waiting to be used for business. I totally agree with Iqbal Quadir’s global argument of letting business flourish in Africa so that people will have jobs that will better their lives and finally end the cycle of poverty there. I agree with his argument of putting money in business because it would also contribute to ending government initiated violence since less money would mean that despotic governments there will not have enough money to buy

Witchcraft Evaluation through Comparison-Contrast Essay

Witchcraft Evaluation through Comparison-Contrast - Essay Example This paper will shed light upon witchcraft and paganism since 1815; modern day witchcraft will be discussed extensively in the following parts of this paper. â€Å"Before really getting into what Witchcraft is, perhaps we should take a look back at what it was—the history of it. Witches should be aware of their roots; aware of how and why the persecutions came about, for instance, and where and when the re-emergence took place. There is a great deal to be learned from the past. It's true that much of history can seem dry and boring to many of us, but that is far from so with the history of Witchcraft. It is very much alive and filled with excitement.† (Buckland, Raymond. P.1) ... Ancient religion, science fiction and myth all play an important part in witchcraft and paganism; people who practice it often take cues from religion, fiction and myth. Another important aspect of witchcraft and paganism is that people who follow it do not worship evil forces; they consider mother earth very important and usually worship mother earth rather than focusing their energy on evil forces. Satanism is another important topic which comes to mind when paganism and witchcraft is being talked of. There is a lot of difference between Satanism and witchcraft, people who indulge in Satanism pray to the Saturn or the evil forces but the followers of witchcraft do not pray to the Saturn or the evil forces. â€Å"Here in Canada kitchen prophecy is a way of life.† (The "Kitchen Goddess†) This goes to show that prophecy is often practiced by witches. They engage in speculation, they enjoy telling people about what they should expect in the future. Wicca has to be discusse d when witchcraft is being shed light upon, Wicca is a religion. The word Witch generally refers to a person from pagan religion. The roots of Wicca are firmly engraved in our history; people have been practicing it since pre-historic times. It would be inappropriate to consider Wicca as a unified whole. Beliefs and rituals practiced by the Witches vary significantly and this is why it would be inappropriate to consider Wicca as a unified whole. â€Å"There have been many books written on the history of Witchcraft. The vast majority have suffered from bias—as will be explained shortly— but a few of the more recently published ones have told the story accurately... or as accurately as we can determine.†

Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S.

Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S. Li Luo Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S.:  The Fight for Equal Rights and Equal Citizenship Intro and Thesis â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† Declaration of Independence, 1776 When we look back at American history, this well-known statement that was written in the Declaration of Independence has been constantly brought up by different groups of people to defend their equal rights and freedom in the society: America’s founding fathers used it to light up American’s spirit to fight for their freedom and rights from the oppression of Britain; African-Americans borrowed it to fight against their same rights as white people that has been denied by the laws for a long time. And right now, in our generation, we are witnessing a new battle for equality Same-sex marriage. The fight for same-sex marriage has a deep historical origin. Ever since the beginning of human civilization, marital and family relations have always been the foundation of human society. Marriage creates intimacy and family among individuals, it also provides order, stability and consistency which are essential to the survival and prosperity of human society. Based on those principles, people build up traditional family values, provide legal recognition and all sorts of privileges/rights through public institutions to reinforce this social norm. However, as the traditional marital relations and social order are rooted in heterosexuality, many people consider the legalization of same-sex marriage as a threat to this social norm, and refuse to give LGBT people the full rights and citizenship. In this paper, I will analyze the battle of same-sex marriage from three different perspective: rights and obligations; separation of powers and federalism; factions and democratic consensus. In the last section, I will conclude that as LGBT people constantly fighting for their equal right of marriage, and the fact that more and more American people are willing to accept gay people, the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage looks promising and the boundary of citizenship in American society is being refined. Rights and obligations: the unequal citizenship in terms of LGBT groups’ right of marriage. Citizenship has different meaning in different perspective. Citizenship can be used to describe someone’s legal identity, it also can mean people’s engagement in politics and community. In the article â€Å"The Meaning of Citizenship†, Kerber offered a different way to think about the definition of citizenship – a formal legal status with the possession of guaranteed rights as well as obligations. She believes that rights and obligations should be equal: If a person wants to enjoy the privileges and freedom his or her state provides, he or she must fulfill their obligations as a citizen. However, in some cases, certain groups of people are not being offered equal rights even though they meet their responsibilities. Specifically speaking, in some states, LGBT people are refused to be given the same rights as heterosexual people to marry the ones they love even the same amount of obligations are fulfilled. Besides, since marital and family relations are the foundation of human society, without legal marriage status, same-sex couples usually face many more economic and legal disadvantages compared to opposite-sex married couples, including medical care, inheritance, income tax, etc. Should government provides equal right of marriage to LGBT people? The debates over this topic have lasted for more than four decades. In 1970, two students from University of Minnesota, Richard Baker and James Michael McConnell became the first gay couple to apply for a marriage license (Rimmerman, 101). Unsurprisingly, their application was denied by the local county, and in their appeal case Baker v. Nelson, the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld a state law that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples (Rimmerman, 101). In the following two decades, many other states successively received similar suits, however, they all ended up in the same fate as the first one being rejected to give the right of marriage for gay couples. It wasn’t until early 1990s that the debates over same-sex marriage emerge to the national level. In 1991, in the case of Baehr v. Lewin, Hawaii Supreme Court rules that denial of same marriage right for same-sex couple violate the state constitution (Rimmerman, 103). This judgment raised a lot of concerns of people who oppose same-sex marriage. They fear that this result might lead to final approval of same-sex marriage in Hawaii and the U.S. nationwide (Rimmerman, 103). Therefore, with the purpose of preventing legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Hawaii, in 1996, conservatives introduced and pushed the pass of The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Under the provisions of the DOMA, the word â€Å"marriage† is strictly define as the legal union between a man and a woman. Furthermore, DOMA permits states to refuse recognition of same-sex marriages granted under the laws of other states. I will consider the debates over this federal law in terms of Equal Protection Clause and Full Faith and Credit Clause. The LGBT people have long been tried to fight for their equal rights of marriage, even though they have faced many impediments from conservatives. There are a series of struggles in court, including Lawrence v. Texas, United States v. Windsor, etc that can proves LGBT people’s struggles. I will analyze some of the most important cases in detail to examine how LGBT groups use their judicial power to challenge DOMA and secure their rights. How separation of powers within government and federalism apply to the same-sex marriage issue. Madison argues that creating â€Å"checks and balances† within government can prevent abuse of power. This idea can be applied to the same-sex marriage issue. In United States v. Windsor, the Federal Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of DOMA that defined â€Å"marriage† and â€Å"spouse† to apply only to heterosexual people. This is an example that Judicial branch checking the Legislative branch. I will also describe other cases including Baker v. Vermont, Hollingsworth v. Perry. In Federalist No. 51, Madison’s argument that a separation of powers can create a balance of interests can be extended to the idea of federalism. Federalism gives states the freedom to make their own policy that suits local circumstances. When different states make different laws and take different attitudes towards the same-sex marriage issue, this is the practice of federalism. To break this inequality across states and local areas, LGBT groups are now working hard to promote the legalization of same-sex marriage on the federal level. The Supremacy Clause and 10th Amendment will also be mentioned to illustrate its principle. Competing factions in the same-sex marriage issue. Federalist No. 10 discussed about how to break and control factions to avoid tyranny of the majority. In terms of the same-sex marriage issue, American society was divided by different groups that either support it or are against it or take neutral stance. I will list some major political and social groups and illustrate their attitudes towards the same-sex marriage issue, including Democratic and Republican Parties, Churches/Religious institutions, and human rights Organizations. Since LGBT group are pushing national legalization of same-sex marriage, is this a tyranny of the majority? I will discuss about this question in detail and give my answer that it’s a majority rule rather than tyranny of the majority. Conclusion Summarize key arguments. Add current data: Marriage between same-sex couples has been recognized on the federal level. As the Supreme Court decided to let stand rulings that allow same-sex marriage in late 2014, now 37 states have legalized same-sex marriage with more states to join them. The road of marriage equality looks more promising than before, and we can see that citizenship is being redefined to provide equal rights to LGBT people. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY COURSE TEXTS Kerber, Linda K. The Meanings of Citizenship. The Journal of American History 84.3 (1997): 833. Print. In this article, Kerber offers several ways to interpret citizenship, including formal legal status, possession of guaranteed rights and bearing of obligations. She believes that the meaning of citizenship is constantly changing and proposes a new way to look at citizenship: â€Å"A braided citizenship†. Different groups of people from different genders, races, classes and nations of origin have been fighting for their equal citizenship in the U.S. Kerber analyzes each group of people’s struggle in detail to illustrate how the boundaries of citizenship have been changing overtime to support her statement. I will use Kerber’s idea of citizenship in terms of the relations of rights and obligations to help me analyze the legitimacy of gay rights, more specifically, same-sex marriage. And by using all kinds of evidence of LGBT people’s fight for equal rights as part of the braided citizenship to justify how same-sex marriage redefines the boundaries of citizenship. Madison, James. Federalist No. 10: The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard against Domestic Faction and Insurrection.New York Daily Advertiser, November 22, 1787. Print. In this work, Madison states that people are diverse by nature and self-interested, so that factions are formed inside every society. He argues about the need to break and control factions which he identifies as a threat to popular governments that may lead to tyranny of the majority. He believes that in a large republic government is run by representatives chosen by its people. With so many different interests and groups, it would be more difficult to form a majority faction, thus it can better guard against the dangers of tyranny of the majority and protect the rights of all its people. I will use this resource to illustrate different groups/factions’ stances in terms of same-sex marriage, and to argue about the question: Is legalization of same-sex marriage a tyranny of the majority? Madison, James. Federalist No. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments. New York Packet, February 8, 1788. Print. In Federalist No. 51, James Madison addresses how the separation of powers within the government can be created under the new constitution. He believes that people are not â€Å"angels†, which means that if there isn’t any form of control over government, leaders will abuse their power. However, â€Å"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition†. By creating a system of â€Å"checks and balances†, in which the government is divided into different branches, the overlapping power between those three branches would put restrictions on government, thus preventing the misuse of powers, and protect the rights of the people. I will draw on Madison’s idea of checks and balances inside government to argue about how different branches work to protect LGBT people’s rights. I will further consider separation of powers in terms of federalism to examine same-sex marriage court cases. ADDITIONAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES Rimmerman, Craig A. The Lesbian and Gay Movements: Assimilation or Liberation? Boulder, CO: Westview, 2008. Print. This book gives people an historical perspective to understand lesbian and gay movements. Rimmerman tackles the challenging issue of what constitutes movement effectiveness and how effective the assimilationist and liberationist strategies have been in three contentious policy arenas: the military ban, same-sex marriage, and AIDS. I will focus on the same-sex marriage policy part of this book, using those detailed analyses of important courts cases in history to examine LGBT groups’ efforts to fight for their equal right of marriage. â€Å"So Far, so Fast.†The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. This article gives a brief introduction of the progress in terms of the same-sex marriage agenda since the early 2000s, and it gives some explanations of why this agenda has changed so fast in such a short time, including the change in moral judgment and transformation of LGBT people, too. I will use this resource in the conclusion to show why the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage is promising.

Robert Brownings My Last Duchess Character Analysis :: Robert Browning, Poems, Poetry, Prose

MurderÂ…mysteryÂ…intrigueÂ…All describe Robert Browning's poem, "My Last Duchess." From the speakers indirect allusions to the death of his wife the reader might easily think that the speaker is a bit crazy and committed a vengeful crime out of jealousy. His flowery speech confuses and disguises any possible motives; however, the mystery is left unsolved. Based on the poem's style and structure, it becomes evident that even if the speaker did not directly kill his wife, he certainly had something to hide. This poem is about a powerful Duke, and his beautiful, flirtatious wife who has two different personalities, one that was reality and the other was the lady in the painting. The duke comes off as being very possessive. "Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,/ Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without/ much the same smile?" (43-45). I believe this being said, the duke is over examining things, the smile can simply come off as simply being a nice person, but to duke sees it in a different light. He views it as being flirtatious. The poem begins and ends with him mourning the loss of his deceased Duchess, but from the way that the mighty Duke speaks, he knows more about her death than he leads us to believe. The Duke chooses his word very carefully, when he talks to his friend about the painting of his wife. He only drops small hints, to his friend about the death of his Duchess. "I gave commands/ then all smiles stopped together" (45-46). These lines mean that the Duke, playing a very dominant part, tells his wife to stop smiling and flirting. Being told this, she still continues on, which I believe she does not notice or see herself as being flirtatious. As a result I believe that the Duke killed his wife, or had someone to put her to her death. As the Duke speaks of his Duchess, in the beginning, he sounds extremely compassionate and caring towards her. The Duke had an absolute love for his Duchess as most husbands and wives do. He sounded so proud of her and the beauty that she posed: almost like she was a trophy. Despite all of the pride and excitement that he showed towards her, there was an element of distrust that lingered inside of his mind.

Mac vs Pc Essay

Americans have always had a choice when it comes to computers, but choose wisely not all computers are made the same. Mac and PC rivalry is on the same level as Pepsi vs. Coke. In today’s world, owning a computer is an essential part of life. Although there are numerous types of computers that you could own, there are two main types to consider, A Personal computer or MAC. Everyone has his or her own opinion on which is better. And there are many die-hard fans in each category. You either like it or love it. A lot of people choose personal computers because of how different Mac computers. Firstly we will consider software availability. The majority of computer users own personal computers, both for work and recreational use. Therefore, software companies find that it is far more profitable to develop software that is for use on a PC instead of a Mac You should choose your computer by doing your research and seeing what type of computer fits your life style and your family’s needs. Mac computers have been stereotyped as they type of computer that would be used by Artist and unemployed writers. Macs were not so popular with other people of the world. Now the Mac Company seems to be the fourth largest manufacturer in the world. The prices of Mac computers are a little higher. They range from $1,199.99 to $1,999.99. The price all depends on what size monitor and GB you decide on. Macs come with an Intel core i5 processor with 4 to 500 GB hard drives. They have built in internal speakers and web cam. For photos Mac computers use what is called I Photo. This is where you upload your pictures and have the ability to make picture folders and give them names. Example, (our wedding night). They have a feature call Front row, where you can view trailers of all the upcoming movies that will be coming out in theaters. This feature automatically updates its self, to keep you updated on the newest movies. Instead of a restore center Macs have a feature called the time machine, where you can literally go back in time to a time and place you were on your computer. Unlike Regular personal computers make has just one Large screen that has everything built into it. There is no computer tower, which is kind of nice. Everything you need is right on your computer monitor. You C.D drive are located on the side of the monitor and the USB imports are located in the back along with the on/off button. PC computers were also another stereotype. Many would say this would be they type of computer used by people who loved video games, video chatting, music mash-ups and other cool things. Pc computers were always the choice for people in America. And they definitely seem to be the cheaper choice of the two. PC computers range from about $400 to $800 and that includes a monitor and the tower. And in some cases the package deal comes with a printer. PC computers come with a 3 to 6 GB of memory. With PC computers you usually have to purchase speakers and web cams separately with could cost you between $ 30 and $40. PC computers have a photo gallery where you can up load your pictures to share with family and friends. They also have a backup database so you don’t lose any of your data. Personal computers come with a computer monitor and a tower. The tower is where one would put the C.D ROMs and plug in USB cables. All in all, I found that Mac computers are the most expensive computers. They are well worth the money. I recently bought a Mac computer and I love all the features that come with it. I love the build in web cam. This makes it easier to Skype with my sister, who is away at college. Finding the right computer takes time and effort. Take the time to research computers and find the right one for you.

The Desert Makers essays

The Desert Makers essays By the process of desertification, the Sahara desert is growing at a rate of 0.6 km a year. 'Millions of people in this area are suffering from the effects of this phenomenon, which causes the earth's ecosystems to deteriorate" . Sand dunes have covered large expanses of agricultural farmlands, oasis and ponds, causing farmers to abandon the season and their homes. Desertification is posing a serious threat to Nigeria's economy as jobs are lost, and food is becoming scarce. The deteriorating economy is at the fault of the Nigerians, the negative effects of desertification could have been, and still can be slowed down and even prevented by the Nigerian government and its people. Although desertification is a natural process of an ecosystem, it could have been stopped. The people of Nigeria and even many surrounding countries have taken up many processes that are increasing the rate of desertification. Nigerians are poor and live by the easiest ways of life, which is very destructive towards the environment. Instead of looking for long-term processes to help take them out of their poverty, Nigerians over cultivate and overgraze the land they live on. They destroying it and then moving on to ruin a fresh new area, in turn leaving a path of infertile soil to be never used again and ready to be swept away by wind erosion and turned into the dry desert ecosystem. "Grasslands that once provided good grazing and nourished sturdy crops are turning to barren wastes." Overgrazing is one of the biggest problems of the Nigerians. "For centuries people have raised livestock in the lands bordering the deserts. Mixed herds were driven from one grazing area to the next." Hundreds of animals were herded and soon Nigerians needed to wander far to find food for the flocks. "Their hoofs pound the dry earth hard so that new shoots can not break through, and cripple trees" . Nigerians traveled with their flocks, and land was being destroyed as they m...

How Will Outreach Marketing Make You More Successful

How Will Outreach Marketing Make You More Successful The story of the â€Å"great† blogger with â€Å"great† content but no traffic is a common one. Your excuse may be that youre blogging as a hobby, maintaining an online journal just for fun, or not in it for the money. But who are you kidding? Be honest with yourself- if you wanted to journal and didn’t care about having an audience, it would have been easier to write in a diary or Word doc. If you didnt care about an audience, you would have written a diary. #blogoutreachSo, you want traffic, right? Even if you aren’t blogging with the intention of building a million-dollar blog, it’s nice to have your ideas, words, and hard work appreciated. The unfortunate thing is that this idea of â€Å"content is king† has got you believing that, if you write amazing content, the traffic will somehow find you and because of this, you’ve been producing a post or two a day for the last 6 to 12 months. While you haven’t wasted your time, this strategy is incomplete. Whether or not you run your blog like a business, you need to strategize like a business. Focusing on your â€Å"product† with no investment in marketing is like a business sourcing materials, manufacturing 100,000 widgets, storing the inventory in a warehouse, and then wondering why the customers haven’t been buying the product. Not all is lost, however. You have tons of great blog posts already published and now you need to find the right bloggers or audience to share it with. Link Building Strategies: Guest Blogging And Outreach Marketing Unless you’re already recognized as an authority or have thousands of readers a day, a passive form of content marketing isn’t going to work. Instead, your link building campaign must take two forms- guest blogging and outreach marketing. For purposes of link building in this article, let me define guest blogging and outreach marketing: Guest blogging is contributing a blog post to a publication. Outreach marketing is requesting that a blogger link to your content from an existing or upcoming post. Any effective link building campaign should, at the minimum, incorporate a combination of these two tactics. But how do you decide where to leverage each one? Guest blogging Guest blogging should be reserved for highly-relevant, powerful authority sites. This is because, as an individual blogger or one part of a small team, you don’t have the resources (time, energy, money, opportunity cost, etc.) to contribute to every single guest posting opportunity. You have to pick and choose where your resources will yield the greatest results. The obvious example is that you would make a concerted effort to contribute to the Blog, whereas a smaller, lesser-known blog might get a pitch to be included in next month’s roundup. Prioritize your guest blogging opportunities. #marketingtipsFinding guest blogging opportunities. To evaluate a blog, you must find relevant ones. This is really the easiest task of all because whose job is it to return relevant blogs? Google’s! However, you need to be specific. If your blog is about â€Å"personal finance†, you wouldn’t try to reach out to CNN, Yahoo Finance, Wall Street Journal, or Bloomberg, which happen to be some of the top results for that keyword search. Instead, pick a related, niche topic such as â€Å"how to become financially independent† and open up every website in the first 300 results (maybe not all at once). Just remember that, as you work through this guide, it will benefit you to repeat the following process multiple times with different keywords to find the greatest number of bloggers to contact. To find the best guest blogging opportunities, search for one that is relevant and in your niche.Evaluating blogs. To determine if a website is worth guest blogging, don’t bother with the standard PageRank and domain authority (DA) metrics. PageRank hasn’t been updated since December 2013 and doesn’t seem to have the weight it once did in Google’s algorithm. Furthermore, as a third-party metric developed by Moz, DA is easily manipulated. For example, I’ve come across dozens of penalized sites with high domain authority, and I view penalized sites as essentially useless for SEO purposes. If Google penalizes a site and takes away its traffic, it is effectively stripping the strength of that domain, so why get a link from one? Beware of link sellers and SEO’s selling links on crappy high DA sites. Forget DA  and PageRank to find guesting opps. Organic traffic is  better.Ultimately, the best indication of a blog’s strength is the amount of traffic Google sends to it via organic rankings, making SEMrush my favorite SEO tool. Just enter the blog you are interested in contributing to, choose â€Å"Positions† under the â€Å"Organic Research† tab on the left, and click on â€Å"All time† in the â€Å"Organic keywords† section. If you find a level or upward trend, the blog is trusted by Google. Here’s a blog that ranks for nearly 10,000 keywords and is one you would likely be interested in earning a link from: This is a great blog to prioritize for guest blogging opportunities. Note that this  blog has been around for at least 4 years and enjoyed gradual growth until recently exploding with traffic. That’s the kind of blog you should want to be featured on. However, if this blog only had a 6-month history, now that might be a red flag indicating black hat SEO. And while you may get a temporary boost in rankings by guest posting on a site like that, it might be short-lived and thus a waste of your time because the goal is to build a strong, sustainable, long-term business model even if it takes more time and energy. An example of a blog to avoid may have a chart like this: Google penalized this blog, so it's probably not worth your time to send them a guest post. As you can see, this blog was hit by a penalty in late 2011 and has slowly been losing its keyword rankings. Not all penalized domains will demonstrate an obvious trend like this one, but anytime you see a huge drop in traffic and no recovery, the blog is in decline. This doesn’t necessarily make it unworthy of contributing to, assuming the traffic hasn’t finally reached 0; it just means it isn’t a priority right now. Save it for a lull period when you want to tie up loose ends. Guest blog vs. outreach: How to decide? Once you’ve decided a blog is worth reaching out to, you must determine your approach. There aren’t strict rules for pitching a specific blog; it really depends on a number of factors, such as: How many keywords is the domain ranking for? How relevant is the blog to my target audience? Is there a â€Å"Guest Post†, â€Å"Contributor Guidelines†, or â€Å"Write For Us† page? If so, how demanding are the guidelines? Does the author link out often? If so, are the links dofollow? How commercial does the site look? For me, a domain needs to rank for at least 300 keywords or have a large, loyal following (subscribers or social media) to be worth investing hours writing content. The bigger the blog, the more time you should invest in making your contribution absolutely memorable because eventually, your portfolio of work will be your future credentials in email pitches. Guest blogging guidelines:  Blogs must rank for 300 keywords or have  loyal following.On the other hand, if a blog is weak, you’re better off pitching the blogger on giving you a quick link by asking them to check out your content. Here  is a template of the email pitch I use: Here's a template you could follow for outreach marketing. Ask a fellow blogger to include a link to your relevant content. To make this feasible, the page you ask them to check out and possibly link to must be impeccable. Your content has to be extremely unique and insightful, your graphics need to be beautiful and vibrant, or you need to find some way to make a strong emotional connection with the blogger. The page must offer exceptional value to the blogger’s readers to convince him/her to share your resource; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Choosing the right content to promote. I’ve never been a prolific blogger. In fact, I probably don’t build â€Å"blogs† the way traditional bloggers do because I don’t develop content on a daily or even weekly basis. Since I create and grow so many websites, I focus on writing content where it makes strategic sense. There isn’t an exact formula for that, but I’ll use my latest project as an example. After 5 years of being a full-time Internet marketer and SEO expert, I finally thought it was time for me to start sharing my Internet marketing and SEO knowledge. I created StartABlog123.com to teach beginners how to start a blog. Given that the competition in the all-encompassing â€Å"blogging† niche is intense, it was important that I make my content stand out. This meant comprehensive non-commercial content, useful guides and resources, custom images, infographics, etc. For instance, I noticed a lot of solo bloggers discussing burn out, not knowing what to write about anymore, and linking to other resources that helped blog owners come up with new ideas. Knowing there was a â€Å"market† for this type of content, so I created the â€Å"Ultimate List of Blog Post Ideas†.

The Beveridge Approach versus The Workfare Approach Essay

The Beveridge Approach versus The Workfare Approach - Essay Example Nevertheless, it is cautioned that matters are not that straightforward. Often left-wingers favour practices that disable institutional support that may affect their broader ideology and there are right-wingers who may favour it as it positively affects their broader policies. This is only a particular instance. (An Introduction to Social Policy, Undated). In November, 1942, Sir William Beveridge presented his report entitled "Social Insurance and Allied Services" to His Majesty the King. In it he mentioned that there were three guiding principles that he had used to formulate his policy of public social service. These are as follows. Sir Beveridge asserted that any experiences gleaned in the past must be used to build opportunities to the future. Such experience should not be restricted on the basis of any sectional interests vested in its gathering. He personally remarked of this - "A revolutionary moment in the world's history is a time for revolutions, not for patching." (The Beveridge Report, 1942) The second principle cautioned that the organisation of social insurance should be treated as only a part of overall social progress. This was so because social insurance aimed at negating all want in the British people. Sir Beveridge cautioned that 'want' was only one aspect of the reconstruction that was then necessary to put the British Empire back on its feet after the war. The other four were - disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness. Then third principle was that social security w3as to be achieved by co-operation between state and individual. The state would offer security for service and contribution. It would organise security but not stifle incentive, opportunity and responsibility. It would establish a national minimum but it would leave room and encourage voluntary action by an individual to procure more than that minimum for himself and his family. (The Beveridge Report, 1942)New Labour's Welfare Policy When the 'New Labour' Party came to power in Britain in May, 1997, it did so with a considerably changed economic manifesto from its previous stint which immediately preceded its re-election. Under Tony Blair, the new labour economic policy was strongly oriented towards the supply side and the welfare state was intended to exist on the basis of steady employment provided by the pull of demand. All these changed policies were meant to

Procter and Gamble Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Procter and Gamble - Assignment Example As the paper declares the matrix formula suggested by Burrell and Morgan demonstrates interaction by any organization with its internal and external environment. The matrix is summarized into four quadrants representing the four paradigms: radical humanistic, radical structuralist, interpretive and functionalist.This discussion highlights that  the society constitutes of organizations that share civic values on which they base their status quo. Change would be realized by implementing minimal structural adjustment to fit within prevailing external context. Interpretive researchers hold that reality is a construct of individuals based on how they interpret their environment. Individual elements and members of an organization influence its competitiveness. Change can be realized as a result of individual reframing of events and other factors in the organizational context. An organizational analysis from this perspective investigates input by individual departments, management decisio ns, staff members and performance of individual products. Its subjective nature allows for creative ideas in crisis resolution and implementing change in organizations.  An appreciation of unique strength and weaknesses among members of staff provides insight in responsibility allocations. In market competitiveness interpretive research realize that various regions are defined by unique characteristics which marketers should be aware. In order to penetrate such regions evaluation of specific marketing strategies and their relevance should be conducted by marketers on the basis of the product being handled. This is based on the interpretive view that events are better understood through active

SSOrganizational Setting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SSOrganizational Setting - Coursework Example The expansion strategy saw the company introduce slightly above 45 manufacturing plants in the United States spread across 26 states. The manufacturing centers include the world’s largest food center that is located in Frankfort Indiana. â€Å"Currently, Frito-Lay has over 1800 distribution facilities and employs over 20,000 employees in addition to selling products in approximately 350,000 retail centers in the United States alone†(Wicklound & Alvers, 2001). In addition to this, Frito-Lay is also considered as one of the leading advertisers in the United States, a situation that has further strengthened the company’s market share as a leading marketer and snack manufacturer. As stated by Lucas and Baroudi, (2004) Frito-Lay has been in operation since the early 1950s where the company’s growth is attributed to the aggressive marketing strategy that Frito-Lay employs. In addition to this, Frito-Lay is involved in the advertising business that implies that the company spends less on marketing. The excess funds that could alternatively have been used in marketing are therefore channeled towards an expansion strategy that has seen Frito-Lay’s sales volumes increase drastically over the years. Over the years, Frito-Lay has introduced into the snack market various products that range from potato chips to various types of cheese dips. The introduction of cheese dips was necessitated by the increased popularity of Mexican food which began to rise steadily in the early 1960s. Today, it is estimated that a significant percentage of Frito-Lay’s dips are linked to vegetables, a situation that food and business experts attribute to low competition in this area. In addition to this, several researchers in food and nutrition have established that sour-based cream dips are increasingly becoming popular in the United States where Frito-Lay controls a significant market

The Contributions of Greeks and Arabs to Mathematics Essay Example for Free

The Contributions of Greeks and Arabs to Mathematics Essay The Greeks are one of the historical groups that contributed mostly to civilization. They have contributions in science, philosophy, and many other important fields like mathematics. It was when Greece started to consider mathematics as a science when the people of ancient Egypt and Babylon went to Greece for trade. However, although the Greeks have much contributions in mathematics, their discoveries regarding math were not recorded immediately rather spread through word of mouth. That is why Thales and Pythagoras did not have written texts about their work. Other Greeks namely Proclus and Eudemus just did a summary of the work of Pythagoras and Thales (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Early Greek Mathematics Thales is the one responsible for the theorem that says â€Å"any angle inscribed in a semicircle is a right angle†. This is very important and is very useful in the field of Geometry. Aside from his theorem about the right angles in a semicircle, he was also said to have measured the height of the pyramids just by measuring their shadows using a stick. Another thing that made Thales famous is the fact that, although the Egyptians and Babylonians brought the idea of mathematics to Greece, he was able to organize these ideas rationally (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Thales is also the one responsible for practicing geometry in everyday life since it is normally used at that time just for the sole reason of measurement. Because of this, other Greeks have been encouraged to follow what Thales had started. They are Pythagoras and Plato (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Pythagoras is not just a mathematician but also a man of astronomy and religion and that’s what made him famous that time. In fact, he founded a school in which the members are called Pythagoreans that would soon study about discoveries and new ideas in mathematics, astronomy and philosophy (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Talking about the contributions of Pythagoras to math, he was the one who introduced that the sum of angles of a triangle was half the central angle of a circle. Also, he proved that the plane space around a point could be divided into six equilateral triangles, four squares or three regular hexagons (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). But we all know that these are not the most famous works of Pythagoras. Every student today in secondary school knows the Pythagorean Theorem which states that the sum of the squares of the shorter sides of a right triangle is equal to the square of the third side. There is no doubt that this is one of the most useful theorems in mathematics today. The Pythagorean had been used in proving several other theorems in geometry and trigonometry. However, although this is one of the most famous works of Pythagoras, there were some reports that tracked down the Pythagorean Theorem to the Babylonians and that Pythagoras is the only one who provided proof to the theorem. Although this is the only visible work of Pythagoras today, his followers, the Pythagoreans are the ones who introduced the use of mathematics in religion, nature, etc (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). These Pythagoreans are responsible for the development of modern geometry. Hippocrates is one of them who studied about the quadrilateral. Another one is Hippias, the one who discovered the quadratrix which was the first curve that could be defined but could not be constructed with a straightedge and compass. The dodecahedron which was discovered by a Pythagorean named Hippasus is a regular polyhedron that consists of twelve faces. Another contribution of Greeks in geometry is the fact that there is a relationship between the volume of a cone and a cylinder with equal base and height. This was discovered by Democritus who also computed for the volume of the Egyptian pyramids. It is also the discovery of the Greeks that concerns integral calculus which s attributed as the method of reduction. This method involves increasing the number of sides of a rectilinear figure to approximate it to the area of a curvilinear figure (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Although Plato is a very famous Greek philosopher, he also has his fair share in ancient Greek mathematics. However, it started with his mentors first. Theodorus, his teacher in Athens, proved that the square roots of non-square integers from 3 to 17 are irrational. Eudoxus is the one responsible for the fame of ratio and proportion in mathematics because of his book. Menaechmus, on the other hand, is credited for the properties of conics. Aristotle (which was said to be Plato’s brightest student), has a book on indivisible lines and mechanics. Euclid, one of the greatest mathematicians of all time wrote a book consisting of all known mathematical knowledge which became famous for its being simple and logical. Last but not the least is Archimedes who contributed many important mathematical concepts. He was the one who discovered the concept of buoyancy and was also the one who was known for setting ships on fore using only a mirror and the sun’s rays. Aside from these discoveries, his works also consist of summation of squares of consecutive numbers, cubic equations, and solving for the area of a parabolic segment. He also proved that the volume of a sphere is one-third the volume of a cylinder with the same radius and height, and that the surface area of a sphere is four times the area of its greatest circle (Greece: Mathematics, 2001). Contribution of Arabs to mathematics If the Greeks are the ones responsible for geometry and trigonometry, they are very famous for the numerals and numbers. The Arabs are responsible for writing numerals from right to left. The Arabs also introduced the number zero. It was introduced by Muhammad Bin Ahmad. When zero was discovered, many disregarded it as important in the field of mathematics yet zero enabled many mathematics scholars to derive several laws and theorems that we are using right now. If the Greeks focused mostly on geometry such as plane figures and curvilinear figures, the Arabs managed to solve Algebraic problems using arithmetic methods. The also have their fair share when it comes to the concept of fractions (Arab contributions to mathematics and the introduction of the Zero, 1998). An Arab known as al-Khawarzmi is responsible for solving linear and quadratic equations in algebra. Aside from that, he also provided the geometrical methods of solving these equations. He was also the one who discovered that second degree equations have two roots. Because of his great contributions to algebra, it reported that the word algebra was named after him because he is considered as the father of Algebra in Arab mathematics. He is also the one who discovered geometric methods for completing the square (Drakos, 1996). With his methods, no symbols were used and no zero and negative coefficients were allowed. He is also the one who discovered the name algorithm (Arab contributions to mathematics and the introduction of the Zero, 1998). Because of these people, the Arabs learned to perfect geometrical algebra and they were also able to solve equations up to the fourth degree. Another Arab is Abul Wafa which made contributions about the polyhedral theory. Aside from that, he is also famous for his use of the tangent function and the discovery of the tables of sines and tangents. What was really amazing about him is his discovery of these things using the orbit of the moon! His trigonometric tables were accurate up to eight decimal places while Ptolemy’s were only accurate up to three places (Drakos, 1996). Another great Arab mathematician is Al-Karaki who wrote books regarding arithmetic and algebra. The Arabs also continued the Greeks’ studies about conics and developed the geometry of conic sections. Al Tusi discovered that trigonometry should be separated from trigonometry which opposes Euclid’s theory of parallels. Because of his discovery, he could be considered as the founder of non-Euclidian geometry (Arab contributions to mathematics and the introduction of the Zero, 1998). Abu lHasan al-Uqlidisi has his contributions in algorithm in multiplication and decimal fractions. Al Hasib is famous for his works in integer solutions. He also solved for the solutions of fourth degree equations and was able to solve for quadratic equations with irrational coefficients. Al Hasib is sometimes known as Abu Kamil. What made Abu Kamil famous is his knowledge about irrational coefficients which were not used by the famous Al Khwarizmi. Abu Bakr al-Karaji is also one of the Arab mathematicians which discovered the numerical solutions to the equations of the form . Omar Khayyam, another mathematician as well as poet is concerned about cubic equations and studied on parabolas and circles. Al Kashi is also an Aras which contributed to a very important concept of . He calculated its value up to 16 decimal places (Drakos, 1996).

Critical Thinking And Reflective Thinking

Critical Thinking And Reflective Thinking Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue; assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions; implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and frame of reference. Critical thinking   in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues, and purposes   is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking, and philosophical thinking. Critical thinking can be seen as having two components: 1) a set of information and belief generating and processing skills, and 2) the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behaviour. It is thus to be contrasted with: 1) the mere acquisition and retention of information alone, because it involves a particular way in which information is sought and treated; 2) the mere possession of a set of skills, because it involves the continual use of them; and 3) the mere use of those skills (as an exercise) without acceptance of their results. Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skilful manipulation of ideas in service of ones own, or ones groups, vested interest. As such it is typically intellectually flawed, however pragmatically successful it might be. When grounded in fair-mindedness and intellectual integrity, it is typically of a higher order intellectually, though subject to the charge of idealism by those habituated to its selfish use. Critical thinking of any kind is never universal in any individual; everyone is subject to episodes of undisciplined or irrational thought. Its quality is therefore typically a matter of degree and dependent on , among other things, the quality and depth of experience in a given domain of thinking or with respect to a particular class of questions. No one is a critical thinker through-and-through, but only to such-and-such a degree, with such-and-such insights and blind spots, subject to such-and-such tendencies towards self-delusion. For this reason, the development of critical thinking skills and dispositions is a life-long endeavour. Another Brief Conceptualization of Critical Thinking Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way.   People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically.  Ã‚   They are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left unchecked.   They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric and sociocentric tendencies.   They use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking.   They work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason.   They realize that no matter how skilled they are as thinkers, they can always improve their reasoning abilities and they will at times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices, bi ases, distortions, uncritically accepted social rules and taboos, self-interest, and vested interest.   They strive to improve the world in whatever ways they can and contribute to a more rational, civilized society.  Ã‚   At the same time, they recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so.   They avoid thinking simplistically about complicated issues and strive to appropriately consider the rights and needs of relevant others.   They recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit themselves to life-long practice toward self-improvement.   They embody the Socratic principle:   The unexamined life is not worth living, because they realize that many unexamined lives together result in an uncritical, unjust, dangerous world. ~ Linda Elder, September, 2007 Why Critical Thinking? The Problem Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated. A Definition Critical thinking is that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skilfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them. The Result A well cultivated critical thinker: raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely; gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards; thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems. Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.   (Taken from Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008). Available from : www.criticalthinking.org/aboutct/define_critical_thinking.cfm Both Critical Thinking and Reflective Thinking Critical thinking and reflective thinking are often used synonymously.   Critical thinking is used to describe: the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcomethinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome. Halpern (1996). Reflective thinking, on the other hand, is a part of the critical thinking process referring specifically to the processes of analyzing and making judgments about what has happened. Dewey (1933) suggests that reflective thinking is an active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge, of the grounds that support that knowledge, and the further conclusions to which that knowledge leads. Learners are aware of and control their learning by actively participating in reflective thinking assessing what they know, what they need to know, and how they bridge that gap during learning situations. In summary, critical thinking involves a wide range of thinking skills leading toward desirable outcomes and reflective thinking focuses on the process of making judgments about what has happened. However, reflective thinking is most important in prompting learning during complex problem-solving situations because it provides students with an opportunity to step back and think about how they actually solve problems and how a particular set of problem solving strategies is appropriated for achieving their goal. Characteristics of environments and activities that prompt and support reflective thinking: Provide enough wait-time for students to reflect when responding to inquiries. Provide emotionally supportive environments in the classroom encouraging re-evaluation of conclusions. Prompt reviews of the learning situation, what is known, what is not yet known, and what has been learned. Provide authentic tasks involving ill-structured data to encourage reflective thinking during learning activities. Prompt students reflection by asking questions that seek reasons and evidence. Provide some explanations to guide students thought processes during explorations. Provide a less-structured learning environment that prompts students to explore what they think is important. Provide social-learning environments such as those inherent in peer-group works and small group activities to allow students to see other points of view. Provide reflective journal to write down students positions, give reasons to support what they think, show awareness of opposing positions and the weaknesses of their own positions. Reflective Thinking Reflective thinking involves personal consideration of ones own learning. It considers personal achievements and failures and asks what worked, what didnt, and what needs improvement (Given, 2002). It asks the learner to think about her own thinking. Reflection is the key that opens the door to understanding ourselves in relation to core ethical values (Beland, 2003, p.15). Similarly, Lickona states that moral reflection is necessary to develop the cognitive side of character -the important part of our moral selves that enables us to make moral judgments about our own behaviour and that of others (Lickona, 1991, p.229).   This type of reflection enables learners to gain self-knowledge, to demonstrate their understanding of worthwhile moral values, take on the perspective of others, to reflect on why some actions are morally better than others, and to consider alternatives and consequences of actions. Whether reflection is verbal, written, or drawn it is a key strategy for learning and a major tool for character education.   Brain research suggests that brief periods of downtime aid in association, consolidate learning, and imprint memory (Jenson, 1998 as cited in Beland, 2003, p.38).   Reflection can be done through journal writing, keeping a daily diary, essay writing, drawing, and talking in pairs. Reflection can follow a peer discussion. Reflection can be in response to a journal prompt about a character in literature. Reflection on compelling literature and narratives help us bridge the struggle to gain an understanding of the ideas and reasoning of others. Reflection aids the learner in making connections between the moral and social issues in the story, the struggle of the stories characters, and their own struggles to lead a moral life. Reflection can occur in response to academic work and as a follow-up to a cooperative activity when students are asked to reflect upon how well their group did or did not work together. It can be used to review the day, as a follow-up for class meetings, as part of goal setting, and as part of a service learning activity. Students can reflect upon an authentic issue faced by students and the school community such as the impact of cliques, academic honesty or improving sportsmanship.   Reflection can be used in a number of ways that ask students to think about and respond to the learning. Teachers can model reflection by sharing their own learning regarding a moral issue.   This shows students that character development is a life-long journey and that, in this pursuit, it is the effort and the striving toward an ethical life that is important. (Beland, 2003, p.16)