The Ideal Customer Essays - Nordstrom, Michael Kors,

The Ideal Customer Carefree, adventurous, and always ready to have fun, is how I would describe the type of customer that would shop in my store. She's between the ages of 15 and 22, the perfect time to experiment with personal style and take risks with her wardrobe. Living in the suburbs of Seattle, this customer is upper middle class and has a job, but still gets spending money from her parents. She can mix the perfect find from Forever 21 with a more expensive item from the likes of Michael Kors or Free People. Her casual attire consists of True Religion jeans, a Juicy Couture velour jacket, and Ugg boots. Whether in high school or in a sorority at Washington State University, these girls always want their clothes to be classy and fun. I grew up with this customer living just outside of Seattle my whole life and went to school with them. These girls frequent stores like Nordstrom and are not afraid to be fabulous even if they are just going to high school for the day. These girls drive black BMWs and always have perfect manicures. On the weekends they go downtown Seattle with their girlfriends for dinner and possibly hit up one of the many 18 and over nightclubs. Spring break is always spent in Cabo, and summertime means a trip to Hawaii or a Cruise to the Bahamas. To create the look for my store I drew inspiration from my 17 and 16 year old sisters and from the people I went to high school with. I wanted to create a store that I, myself would be excited to shop in. For my portfolio pieces, I had my sister model clothes from our combined closets. Therefore, everything you see has actually been worn by the customers I would want shopping in my stores.

Biometrics and Ethics Essays

Biometrics and Ethics Essays Biometrics and Ethics Paper Biometrics and Ethics Paper Biometrics is essentially the statistical measure of biological beings. More simply it is a system which is used in identifying a person by verifying a physical or biological characteristic or attribute. The primary reason for its existence is to provide a single computer system login that can immediately detect fraudulent attempts to seek unauthorized access. It supersede other systems of protection as it relies solely on information gathered which is entirely individualistic and cannot be substituted. It is the application of technologies that make use of physical traits such as hand geometry, facial and voice recognition iris and retinal scans in order to verify or recognize a person identity. (BITE , n.d.) The role of biometrics extends further then one can imagine. Its unique characteristics have rendered it important in many domains of authentication and identification. The use of finger printing is used in police and investigative departments as well as the welfare programs so as to prevent people pooling money that they are not entitled to. The same method is applied to other entitlement programs such as health care , registration systems such as voting , drivers license etc. this purpose of its use serves all too well however it has its added disadvantages when it comes to banking transactions. Once a customer has already proved their identification their fingerprints which are stored in a database can be used to check their whereabouts and other personal information. What is worse it can be done without any authorization. It’s not important whether the data stored was for welfare registrations or bank machine access the same threat applies to both cases. If a certain person left their fingerprints in a night club where a crime scene takes place then he or she is more likely to get a call from the police. This is in the real sense an infringement of privacy. Fact of the matter is that this data is being used beyond its primary purpose (technology and human values, n.d.) Biometrics has by its very nature the capability to compromise privacy in the most adequate manner. The primary concern related to the use of biometrics is perhaps that of â€Å"function creep† which is the process whereby the original use of the data is widened to include purposes other than the one stated. A good example could be of using biometric data to find out about a persons medical history. Much work needs to be done in order to eradicate this unnerving problem that is discouraging the use of technology that is otherwise extremely beneficial. (CSSS policy brief, 2003) Numerous ethical concerns surround the use of biometrics and a significant number of people are weary of its use. Retina scans are relatively intrusive and the gathering of fingerprints has a negative image in the minds of many people as they associate it with criminal activities. Moreover the detailed gathering of biometric information by the police departments and other institutions has resulted in a loss of privacy and personal dignity. The automated face recognition could be used in public areas to track everyone’s movements without their consent or knowledge. Its also rather embarrassing that people get rejected in public if there is an error in detection. it makes them seem like a fraud who is deliberately trying to break access into someone else’s private information or account. Unfortunately not much has been done to safeguard the information of people the data is easily moved and duplicated electronic information that can be put the identity of any one person at jeopardy. Every move of a client or customer can be analyzed and by the time one goes to a store to shop the sales associate might as well have ones entire history of shopping. (Biometrics security and business ethics, n.d.) Another concern that is being recognized as far as biometrics is concerned is the increasing interdependence between technology and the human body which has come to be known as the â€Å"informatisation of the body†. Biometrics technologies are issues of serious concern and these concerns are being taken into account by many European states. There is deep rooted fear amidst the people that their personal information can be used by governments, employers, insurance companies, and other interest groups. (BITE, n.d.)

The American Experience Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The American Experience - Term Paper Example Thus, there were some forms in the eighteenth-century writing that did not conform to the general notions about genres and other forms. There were many interesting themes which could be found in the text of Letters from an American Farmer. The features included the nature of an American character such as their work ethic, the duties of an individual, anti-intellectualism, the farmer seen as a prototype representing the American character, the treatment of the slaves, the way of viewing new immigrants together with their ethnicity, literary resonances that showed the escape from the civilization as in Letter XII and stereotypical nature of the American characters. The Letter was divided into twelve sections that depict the way American soil, its life, slavery, and culture was perceived by Crevec?ur. He was probably the first writer who described Europeans by employing different American English terms. He emphasized the life seen on the American frontier and tried to explore the idea b ehind the so-called American Dream. In his writings, he portrayed American society to be characterized by the principles stressing on the equal opportunity as well as self-determination. His work was successful in providing a lot of useful information together with an understanding of the presumed "New World" which helped in creating utopian American identity (Crevecoeur xi). This was done for the prevailing European minds by describing the area as an entire country and not just another regional colony. The writing in The Letters celebrated the American ingenuity and its uncomplicated lifestyle. It was written to describe the inclusion and the acceptance of religious dynamics in a society that was created from several varieties of ethnic as well as cultural backgrounds. The letters that were written by him depicted the rural life of America. He introduced the cultivation of several European crops, notably the alfalfa, in the American country and the American potato in Normandy. He t ried to understand America from the purview of a farmer. He tried to find the answer to the question what actually consisted of American, this new American man. â€Å"He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds† (Crevecoeur 54). â€Å"The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must, therefore, entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, penury, and useless labor, he has passed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample subsistence. --This is an American† (Crevecoeur 56) Literary analysis Crevecoeur in his letters portrayed his love for nature from the perspective of a farmer. His respect towards nature and his compassion towards all living beings are obvious and is the principal backdrop of all his letters. Crevecoeur feels that man and natur e are interlinked, and without the right balance in nature, man cannot survive. Similarly, man’s compassion and caring attitude can preserve the sanctity of nature. He also feels that Americans do not display their compassion towards nature in the way that is needed.  

Shakespeare's Tragidy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shakespeare's Tragidy - Essay Example Finally, they all have to have a tragic flaw, usually something related to their source of pride. These three character traits combined lead the character to his or her downfall through a three-step process. This process begins with the first event, the mistake in judgment or action that will eventually cause his ruin. The second event is when the hero realizes finally where he made his mistake. The final event is the reversal of fortunes the hero experiences as a result of his mistake, experiencing the consequences of his mistake (â€Å"Aristotle†, 1998), which was usually a surprise to the audience but perfectly logical. With this definition in hand, it is easy to see how Shakespeare’s plays, such as Julius Caesar, Hamlet and King Lear fit within this definition. In the play Julius Caesar, the character Marcus Brutus emerges as a tragic hero because he fits all of the above criteria in character and action. When the play opens, Brutus is seen as one of the only senators to be capable of putting the interests of Rome above his own. He tells Cassius, â€Å"What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king ... yet I love him well† (I, ii, ll.85-89). This shows his ability and establishes his noble nature above the other men who are all scheming for their own self-interest. However, he is able to discern some level of deceit in other men because he seems very sure of his own noble opinions; that he is always on the side of correct action because he keeps his eye on what is best for the people. He is easily convinced of his own better judgment by Cassius who also suggests that the best course of action would be to kill Caesar. Brutus demonstrates that this is his motive for action when he says, â€Å"If then t hat friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more† (III,

How to help Americans doing business in China Assignment

How to help Americans doing business in China - Assignment Example The strength and size of Chinese have grown as well as its domestic companies. Because of the improvements, businesses and entrepreneurs can launch ventures with ease. Despite the growth experienced in China, there are several challenges that foreign investors and firms while trading in the country (Banerjee, 2015). Chinese domestic or state-owned companies receive preferential treatments that render it difficult for foreign (including American) firms to match their competitiveness. Further, the Chinese government has instituted strict procurement laws that act as obstacles to the foreign companies. Such rules place emphasis on encouraging purchase of local goods and services at the expense of imports. Such domestic purchases get encouragement in both business-business levels and business-customer levels. The part of procurement law that causes more prohibition to American companies is that the law encourages that state-owned firms at any given time must exclusively purchase their products from Chinese companies. Further, China’s antimonopoly law seems to favor domestic firms while it remains stricter to foreign investments. Considering the aforementioned challenges, it is therefore in order that American businesspersons, entrepreneurs, and investors understand the Chinese business environment. Some of the measures would help in creating an enabling and favorable business environment to the American investors trading in China. Every American entrepreneur who hopes to set a successful business enterprise in China should recognize a local business partner. It is vital that the local partner be a member of an established China-based company (Michael, 2015). In addition, the partner can be a well-contracted businessperson in China whose reputation is remarkable. Consequently, the local business partner would enable the American businessperson to navigate legal processes despite the complicated regulations

The Socio Demographic Profile Education Essay

The Socio Demographic Profile Education Essay Education is the process of nurturing and developing the skills, capacities and potentials of the students to prepare them to be successful in their chosen careers. From this point of view, education is serving primarily as an individual development function. Education is constant and ongoing. It is a never ending process. Formal education usually starts at the age four where children attend school for the purposes of specific guidance related to skills and competencies that society sees important. In the past, once a student finishes formal education in the tertiary level, the process was finished. However, in todays changing world, individuals do not only learn inside the four walls of the classroom and continue to learn throughout their working lives. In its broadest sense, education may be defined as a process developed to instill the knowledge, skills, talents and attitudes necessary to enable individuals to adjust and cope effectively with their environment. Its main purpose is to foster and promote the fullest self-realization for all individual. Achieving this goal requires understanding of commitment to the proposition that education is a primary tool or instrument for the advancement of human welfare both on social and economic aspect (Verma, 1990). Ramaswamy(1990), stated that we are in the generation where the world is becoming more and more competitive, performance and quality of work has become the key factor for personal progress and development. Every parents want the best and only the best for their children. They want their children to excel and to be on top. With this desire to excel and be on top, the pressure is not only with the students but with the teachers, the schools and in general the education system itself. In fact, it seems as if the whole educational system revolves around the students academic achievement, though other various outcomes are also expected from the school system. Thus the school exerts a lot of time, effort and resources in helping students to achieve better in their scholastic endeavors. The importance of academic and scholastic achievement gave rise to important questions for educational researchers. What factors contributes to the academic achievement of students? How do these different fa ctors contribute towards their academic achievement? Safaya, et al. (1963) mentioned that human life, which is the ultimate creation and gift of god to humankind, has got two aspects: The biological and sociological or cultural. While the former is maintained and transmitted by food and reproduction, the latter is preserved and transmitted by education. It is again through education that he promotes his intelligence and adds his knowledge with which he can move the world for good and for evil according to his wishes. Education in fact, is one of the major life processes of the human beings just as there are certain indispensable vital processes of life in a biological sense. So education may be considered a vital process in a social sense. Education is indispensable to normal living, without education the individual would be unqualified for group life. Every students academic achievement may be affected by various factors like intelligence, study habits, different aspects of their personality, attitudes of the students towards school, peers, socio economic status, demographic profile, the school system etc. The desire to be successful is derived from individuals concept of himself and in terms of the meaning of various incentives as they spell success and failure in the eye of others. Thus a child who sees himself to be on top, as scholars, as successful may set as his goal the attainment of the highest grade in the class. Nuthanap (2007) said that any modern society will not be able achieve its aim of cultural advancement, technical development and economic growth without cultivating and developing the talents of its citizens. One of the major purposes of education is to help children to develop their skills and those skills will help them have a better future. Teachers and counselors in educational institutions are often confronted with students who appear to have above average scholastic aptitude but are very poor in their studies. A recurring question that puzzles them is why some students succeed in their study while others do not. This question is sometimes considered to be closely related to learning than teaching. Jamuar (1974) stated that not only on good teaching methods but also good study attitude affects the students learning. Anwana and Cobbach (1989) are also of the view that there are other factors why students do badly academically other than low intellectual capacity. Tiwari and Bansa l (1994) also stated if that an individual has a high academic achievement he is likely to have a better opportunity in life and low achievers will have difficulty in landing a job after graduation. In our society academic achievement is considered a basis for an individuals potentials and capabilities. Hence academic achievement occupies a very important place in education as well as in the learning process. Academic achievement is defined by Crow and Crow (1969) as the extent to which a learner is profiting from instructions in a given area of learning i.e., achievement is reflected by the extent to which skill and knowledge has been imparted to him. Academic achievement also denotes the knowledge attained and skill developed in the school subject, usually designated by test scores. Achievement is influenced by personality, motivation, opportunities, education and training. There are several other factors also which influence the academic achievement of student like study habit, self-concept, socio economic status, intelligence etc. Study habits Other than low intellectual capacity, there are many factors why many students do badly academically. One factor is poor study habits, in which naturally intelligent students will have poor or low academic performance because they have bad study habits. Habits are true indicators of individuality in a person. So study habits may be defined as the behavior of an individual in relation to his studies. In the process of learning, learners habitual ways of exercising and practicing their abilities for learning are considered as study habits of learners. The pattern of behavior adopted by students in the pursuit of their studies is considered under the caption of their study habits. Study habits reveal students personality. Learners learning character is characterized by his study habits. Study habits serve as the vehicle of learning. It may be seen as both means and ends of learning. Study habits play a very important role in the life of students. Success or failure of each student depends upon his own study habits. Of course, study is an art and as such it requires practice. Some students study more but they fail to achieve more. Others study less but achieve more. Success of each student definitely depends upon ability, intelligence and effort of students. No doubt, regular study habits bring their own rewards in the sense of achievement of success. There are many types of disadvantaged students: physically, mentally, socially culturally, educationally and emotionally. The socially disadvantaged are not handicapped by genetic deficiency, but by the socio economic circumstances of their lives. The socio economic disadvantage prevents them from developing their basic and natural potentialities. The disadvantages are not with the individual, but with the society. Study habits refer to the activities carried out by learners during the learning process of improving learning. Study habits are intended to elicit and guide ones cognitive processes during learning. According to Patel (1976) study habits include. 1. Home environment and planning of work 2. Reading and note taking habits 3. Planning of subjects 4. Habits of concentration 5. Preparation for examination 6. General habits and attitudes 7. School environment The study habits are influenced by attitudes, personality traits, levels of aspirations, teaching methods adopted and material they are to learn. So, it is the effort of teachers to develop good study habits among students. Such habits are the best equipment with which they can live and lead their lives with confidence. If the habits are developed in the young age they will definitely cherish the joy of its fruits in the rest of their lives, because grown up children are already habituated to certain things. So they find it difficult it modify their habits and behavior. Therefore, it is better to develop study habits in secondary school students. It is the proper time and age to cultivate study habits. At this age students are quite matured. They are able to know what is good and what is bad. They can avoid bad things and invite good things with the help of teachers. Self-concept As a child grows and develops, he learns, not only about the world about him and his place in it, but also about himself. Each person lives with himself and hence, to some degree is always alone. No one can ever completely know the self-better than anyone else, although in the pursuit for understanding oneself and others there has developed much of human thought and philosophy, including psychology. Man has long held the hope of answering such questions as: who am I? How did I come to be this way? And their logical consequence, the search for purpose; why am I? (Nadalmani, 2001). The psychological construct, the self-concept is essentially private even though it is in part translated into action by the beliefs we express. Sidhu (1987) defined self-concept as those perceptions, beliefs, feelings, attitudes and values which the individual views on describing himself. Personality is not a specific quality of a person but a quality of his behavior. How he behaves depends upon how he feels about himself, about other people and about his relationship with them. These feelings make up his self-concept what he thinks about himself as a person. A persons self-concept is the fundamental core of his entire personality and determines the quality of behavior. It can be predicted that the poor self-concept implying lack of confidence in facing and mastering the environment, will accomplish his performance in school. In sum, the self-concept does appear to be related to school adjustment. Substantial evidence indicates that children and adults with poor self-concept when compared with those who have high self-concept are more anxious and less adjusted generally and less popular, are less effective in groups and are less honest about themselves. The pattern of parental rewards and punishments seems to affect the self-concept and quite certainly, the self-concept of bright but under achieving youngsters are less positive than those of children who are doing as well as can be expected in school. Incidentally children tend to mold their self-concept according to the way they think their teachers regarded them. Adolescence is a period of biosocial transition from childhood to adulthood. This period extends roughly from 12-19 years. Now a days puberty occurs earlier than it used to be, due to improvement in nutrition and health care. This has lengthened the transition from adolescence to adulthood. A dramatic biological change occurs in adolescents. In early adolescence, they experience a growth spurt. As a result they stop thinking of themselves as children and parents begin to expect matured behavior from them. Conflicts with parents, teachers, peers and society may arise over their demands and expectations along with this task of establishing a their own identity, which involves an understanding of self, of ones relationship with others and of ones values and roles in society. Erickson (1981) describes this as Identity crisis. Adolescents adopt many strategies to resolve this crisis by trying out different roles like good girl / boy, dutiful daughter / son, a rebel, athlete and so on. The world is becoming more and more competitive and parents desire that their children achieve high in academics. During this stage the influence of school far outweighs all others. So good schooling and effective teacher guidance are of utmost importance. Performance at school and experience in the larger world are related to the self-image of students. They have to strive hard to achieve better results academically. As a result, school and studies become major stressors. Hence, adolescents tend to give up and neglect recreational activities. This has resulted in the absence of physical and mental relaxation. The best type of relaxation is one in which the students learn the skill of relaxing. Schools should provide opportunities for regular physical and mental training like yoga which is a relaxation technique which will facilitate the enhancement of study habits, self-concept and academic performance (Erickson 1981). Teachers in school should become facilitators of learning. The i nfinite treasure with in every learner should be discovered and nurtured. For the purpose of improving learning, effective study skills have to be taught. Study skills may involve reference, reading, listening, study habits and learning strategies. Learning improves with planning of where, when and how much to study. Nayak et al. (2004) defined teaching as not about giving information, knowledge and skills to students, but it is about giving opportunities for students to mold their personality and develop their talents and skills. The primary purpose of teaching is to assist the individual to attain his and her full potential as well as to develop the necessary skills to cope up with the changing environment. The family, religious organizations and community also share primary responsibility in the educational process. Socio Demographic Profile Quality of education is mostly assessed on the basis of academic performance, and achievement scores are considered to be its primary indicators. However, achievement scores alone neither provide sufficient understanding of the causes of students success or failure, nor suggest the ways for improving the achievement. There is a need to identify and analyze the factors that can affect academic performance. The understanding of these factors can suggest some measures for improving the quality of education. Research on the academic achievement suggests that it has relationship with some demographic characteristics. For example, Jaeger Eagan (2007) and Cole Espinoza (2008) found gender differences in the academic performance of male and female students. Keith, et. al. (2006) found positive relationship between age and academic performance. However, Kaur, et. al. (2010) found that age does not significantly contribute to academic performance of university students in distance learning. Tuttle (2004) found that students academic performance correlates with the family household income and their place of residence. Davis-Kean (2005) found on his study that educational attainment of the parents and household income are strong predictors of academic achievement. Acharya and Joshi (2009) found that parents education can affect the achievement motivation in academic area. Yousefi, et. al. (2010) found that there is a relationship between family income and academic achievement of students. The above stated research studies indicate that some demographic factors may affect academic achievement of students. It was hypothesized that some demographic factors may be significant predictors of academic achievement of students. Locale Colegio de Sebastian, an educational institution that commits itself in academic excellence of the students is just a new school as compared to other big universities in Pampanga. As of to date there has been no research made about the students academic achievement. The researcher decided to conduct research in the school so as not only to help the students but also the school itself. Keeping in view the importance of study habits, self-concept, socio demographic status and academic achievement Colegio de Sebastian students was taken up with following specific objectives. _ To analyze the study habits of the students in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To study the self-concept of the students in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To determine the socio demographic profile of boys and male and female girls studying in Colegio de Sebastian. _ To know the influence of study habits, self-concept, socio demographic status on academic achievement. Research Problem At Colegio de Sebastian, where the research will be conducted, student applicants are selected based on specific academic criteria. Students should get a specific grade in the entrance exam in order to be admitted at Colegio de Sebastian. Despite these standards and the selection process, on average, 15% of all the students failed their math, science and English subjects. This is not a troubling number of failures, but it highlights the question, What factors beyond intelligence, are responsible for the variance in the academic achievement of students? What causes an intelligent student to either succeed or to fail in school? This is a question of great concern for many prospective and current students. It is also a concern for the faculty members who feel responsible for the students, and for the parents who have to pay the tuition fees. Myburgh, Grobler and Niehaus (1999) state that there is an increasing awareness that individual differences in intelligence alone cannot account for all, or even for the majority, of differences in academic achievement. One can conclude that besides intellectual ability, there have to be other factors that play a role in the learning and the academic achievement of students. Other important factors include the students interests and their involvement in various academic tasks, how they perceive their interactions with their teachers, and what they feel and think about themselves with regard to the execution of academic tasks (Sikhwari 2004:13). Also included here are the students attitude, their self-concept and motivation (Sikhwari 2004), self-determination (Mnyandu 2001), motivation, self-efficacy and perceived value (Nilsen 2009), stress and anxiety (Bester 2003), their socio-economic resources, parental involvement and family obligations (Areepattamannil Freeman 2008), and learning strategies (Rodriguez 2009). This study will focus on academic self-concept and study habits as factors that could influence and cause a variance in academic achievement. Research by McCoach and Siegle (2003) suggest that self-concept helps to predict academic achievement. They state that as much as one third of the variance in achievement can be accounted for by academic self-concept. Findings seem to lend support to the theory that consistent success or failure has an effect on self-concept, and that the level of academic achievement is influenced by an individuals self-concept of ability (Dambudzo 2009:6). The following highlights the importance of self-concept in academic achievement, when Mostert (1995:6) contends that a positive self-concept is one of the most vital elements for success, and because self-concept is both a personal and motivational variable, its overall contribution to the variance of academic achievement should be quite high; individuals seem to be motivated to perform in a manner consistent with their self-concept. Mwamwenda (in Dambudzo 2009:6) states that educators generally believe that an understanding of self-concept and what it involves is essential if education is to achieve its ultimate goal of developing the individuals highest possible potential. In addition, an awareness of the role self-concept plays in human behaviour and development will enable educators to deliberately introduce ways of maximizing self-concept as an integral part of whatever they do in their interactions with learners. Marsh (in Areepattamannil Freeman 2008:7.5) declares that a higher self-concept is associated with greater academic achievement among students. There is also evidence to the contrary, namely that humble self-assessments are more conducive to academic achievement, according to Ocshe (2003:67), Yoon, Eccles and Wigfield (1996) and Trusty, Watts and House (1996). Despite much research, there are no conclusive studies that clearly indicate the link that joins academic self-concept and academic achieve ment (Sanchez Roda 2003). Existing theory and research of Deci and Ryan (in Mnyandu 2001:1) have shown that self-determination (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation) plays a prominent role in the academic performance of learners. Kushmand, Sieber and Harold (in Broussard 2002) declare that a high level of motivation and engagement in learning has consistently been linked to a reduction in the number of drop-outs, and to increased levels of student success. In any academic setting, whether it be elementary, secondary or higher education, a students motivation for learning is generally regarded as one of the most important determinants, if not the premier determinant, of the success and quality of the learning outcome (Mitchell in Broussard 2001:7). However, the relationship between motivation and academic achievement remains complex (McCoach Siegle 2001:73). Mnyandu (2001:11) declares that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, are prerequisites for academic achievement. Mnyandu (2001: 11) considers it imperative that educators acquire a broad understanding of these different forms of motivation in order to help the learner to make use of the specific type of motivation that will facilitate his/her success in achieving the set goals. In the light of the above, the research question can be indicated as follows: How may the participants be described in terms of their Socio Demographic profile? age gender course family income number of members of the family How may the participants be described in terms of their Study Habits? How may participants be described in terms of their Academic Achievement? Can academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic profile predict the level of academic achievement of students of Colegio de Sebastian? Hypothesis of the Study There is a significant relationship between the students Academic Self-concept and Academic Achievement There is no significant difference between the students Academic Self-concept and Academic Achievement There is a significant difference between the students Study Habits and Academic Achievement There is no significant difference between the students Study Habits and Academic Achievement There is a significant difference between the students Socio-demographic profile and Academic Achievement Academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic status can be used to predict academic achievement. Academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic status cannot be used to predict academic achievement. Significance of the Study Study habits, self-concept and socio economic status play a very important role in bringing about the better academic achievement. The study could bring to light the importance of academic self-concept, study habits and socio demographic profile which are the major contributors of academic achievement. Through this research, the counselor can come up with an intervention program that would help the low achievers. Students would also know the reason why they are getting low grades. Faculty members could also adjust their teaching methods for students with low academic performance. Delimitations of the Study The study will be confined to college students. Moreover, the study will be conducted only at Colegio de Sebastian. Academic achievement will only include English, Math and Science subjects.

Judgment in Anna Karenina Essay -- Tolstoy Anna Karenina Essays

The question of judgment and sympathies in Anna Karenina is one that seems to become more complicated each time I read the novel. The basic problem with locating the voice of judgment is that throughout the novel, there are places where we feel less than comfortable with the seemingly straightforward, at times even didactic presentation of Anna and Vronsky's fall into sin alongside Levin's constant moral struggle. As Anna's story unfolds in its episodic manner within the context of the rest of the novel, Tolstoy seems to be trying to make the fact of her guilt more and more clear to us; at the same time though, we have more and more difficulty in tracing out the specific locus of that guilt. In a novel as consummately constructed as this one is, we are tempted to look for places where the undercurrents of the text, the places where the text takes on its own life and force, run against, or at least complicate, the discernment of authorial judgment. By closely examining To lstoy's treatment of Anna's moral crisis as compared with his handling of Levin, we might attempt to unravel the book's rather layered and complex system of condemnation. The novel's epigraph sets a certain tone for us before we even begin reading; the biblically inflected "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," plants in our heads the idea that wrong will be done and punishment exacted. Indeed, we come across a wrong in the very first lines of the opening chapter, in Stepan Arkadyich's dalliance with the French governess, which has thrown the Oblonsky house into "confusion."(1) Tolstoy's descriptions of Stepan Arkadyich as a pleasant, honest, well-liked bon vivant seem at times to drip with contempt. He is "lazy and mischievous"(14), his life... ...he end, perhaps because Tolstoy was a better writer than he was true moralist, I'm not sure that Tolstoy ever reconciled the novel's judgment of Anna with his own sympathy and love for her. The result is a novel divided, uneasy with the Å’vengefulness' of its own condemnation, perhaps proud of its over-riding message of living for truth and "the good"(817) in life, but ultimately unable to fully convince us that it gravitates toward its own confused and forced moral center. Works Cited and Consulted Cherneshevsky, Nikolai. "The Anthropological Principle in Philosophy" in Edie, Scanlan and Zeldin, eds., Russian Philosophy Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1965. Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina, trans. Constance Garnett New York: The Modern Library, 1993. Turgenev, Ivan. Sketches From a Hunter's Album, trans. Richard Freeborn London: Penguin Books, 1990.

Lord of the Rings: the Ring’s Addiction Essay

â€Å"One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them/ One ring to bring them all and in the darkness blind them/ In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.† (p. 8) This was said at the beginning of the story telling a brief summary of the ring of Sauron. The poem tells you how the ring will blind you to the point that the need that you will feel of it will be bigger than anything in the world. It will be so big that it becomes an addiction, worse than any drug in the word, because there is no cure for it, and the only way you can save yourself is by the destruction of this powerful ring. Addiction, this is what the ring symbolizes; a psychological need to have something. It changes everything in you. First, it wins you over and then, you will never be the same person. Addiction can change anyone from the best person you have ever known to the worst. It controls and blinds you to the point where you lose yourself. We see this addiction mostly in every character in the story; even the most powerful were tempted by it. In the book we see the addiction of the ring in many different ways throughout many different characters; three of these different ways are: the possession of it, the fear of losing it, and the wanting of it. We first see the change of the characters when they have in possession of it throughout Gollum and Bilbo, then throughout the story we begin to see it in Frodo, but it will grow stronger and stronger every second of every day. Gollum wasn’t always this repulsive creature, but he was a regular hobbit named Smeagol; he was just another victim of the ring. He possessed the ring for approximately five hundred years, and not much of a surprise this ring ruined him fiscally and emotionally. The fist terrible thing he did for the possession of the ring was to kill his brother; then he went to a cave and stood there all alone with only the company of â€Å"his precious†, the ring of Sauron. He turned from this hobbit to an old deformed nasty creature who was kept alive because of the ring, he became a cannibal, he only lived to see that ring every day, and since the first time he saw the ring he was just another slave, another addict to that â€Å"drug†. He now has two sides, Gollum and Smeagol. Gollum was his nasty evil side who was created by the ring and the possession of it for so long, and Smeagol was his still hobbit side which was innocent and in a way bullied and ruled by Gollum; he was a slave in him own body and he couldn’t control himself anymore, because he was loosing sense of who he was. Some may say Gollum is pure evil and deserved to die, like Frodo said at the beginning of the story. We see in the story that Tolkien never referred to Gollum as Smeagol because even though he may fool others and even himself Gollum had evil in him, and that would never change. We also see changes in Bilbo Baggins, but not as big as a change like we see in Smeagol, maybe because Smeagol had it for a longer time and was all alone in a cave for several years. Bilbo’s change wasn’t so big, he had to feel the ring close to him always but he didn’t lose himself as much as Smeagol. This doesn’t change the fact that he was obsessed by the ring. In â€Å"The Fellowship of the Ring† we see Bilbo’s change when Gandalf asks him to leave to ring to Bilbo as he has left everything else, and because of that Bilbo shouts to Gandalf, â€Å"Well, if you want the ring yourself say so! But you won’t get it. I won’t give my Precious away, I tell you.†(p. 34). This is when we see that hint of Gollum in Bilbo, when he calls the ring his Preci ous, a clear sign that he is transforming into Gollum one day at a time. Gandalf was very shocked and got very angry because he could not believe what he heard and how his old friend Bilbo believes he was convincing him to leave the ring for his own pleasure, when he was only trying to convince him so that he would not turn into Gollum or anything near him (but he almost did). He finally left the ring to his nephew, but with Frodo we don’t actually see a change in him throughout these two books but we do see how the ring is temping him to put it on so Sauron can find it, we also see how Frodo is very protective of the ring, such as Bilbo and Gollum, who thought that everyone was going to take it away from them (and sometimes, actually most of the time it was a true feeling). Another change we see because of this addiction is the fear of losing it. Like all Drug addicts, when you don’t have the drug, and you desperately need it you transform into another person who would do anything to have the â€Å"drug† (in this case the ring); again, the best example for this is Gollum who even after losing the ring always followed Frodo through the entire story with the hope of having the chance of taking the ring back so he can again be with â€Å"his preciousâ€Å". In the book we see that in many parts Frodo and others of the company like Gandalf and Strider see a shadow of a creature following them and in time Gandalf explained that it is actually Gollum. He will never accept the fact that the ring is with someone else because he needs it, he needs his drug. Finally the last type of addiction we see is the wanting of the ring. We see this addiction in many characters, even in people in the company of the ring especially in Boromir the general of Gondor. We see the this need of Boromir in taking the ring away from Frodo mostly at the end of the story when he transforms himself into this violent person because he wanted the ring from Frodo supposedly to save his people. Two of the most impressive changes we see in Gandalf and Galadriel, but their wills were strong enough to pass the test and succeed in denying the ring. In Gandalf we see it at the beginning of the story when Frodo was very scared and offers Gandalf this powerful ring. Even though he was very tempted by the ring in the book he said, â€Å"No! With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the ring will gain a power still greater and more deadly† (p. 61). This showed how strong he really was and with this he passed the test. With Galadriel we see it later in the book when Frodo said to her, â€Å"You are wise and fearless and fair, Lady Galadriel. I will give you the one ring if you ask for it.† (p. 365). After this she explains that her heart desires the ring very much and now she is being offered it freely by Frodo and then she said, â€Å"†¦And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the morning and the night! Fair as the sea and the sun and the snow upon the mountain! Dreadful as the storm and the lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair.†(p. 365). She transformed herself as the ring was trying to control her, but she managed to control the urge of having the most powerful ring and passed the test. An addict can only save himself with the elimination of the drug and a strong will power to continue without it; this also applies to this powerful ring of Sauron; the only way to overcome this wanting is to have these qualities and much more. Because the ring is so powerful one person alone cannot succeed in destroying it, this is why the company of the ring was created. Throughout the story many people wanted Frodo to fail just so they could get the ring, this was how strong the addiction was, but there would always be those who their will power was strong enough to succeed, and those few are the ones who will accompany you to the end; these few are a need in adventures like this, because the ring is so powerful that one person alone cannot do the job. In this case it was Samwise Gamgee who told Frodo in the story when he was planning to leave, â€Å"†¦All alone and without me to help you? I couldn’t have a borne it, it’s have been the death of me.†(p.406). T he little hobbit demonstrated how friendship can overcome any addiction in the world and that with the help of a true friend we can overcome every struggle and every blinding need that we would ever have. References: Tolkien J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings (50th anniversary). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Demonstrative Speech

Ever run out of crafts to do? Want to make a cool gift for someone? Want to get in touch with your creative side? Making a duct tape wallet is the answer. It’s a fun way to make a new project to keep busy while making something for someone else or yourself. For my presentation will be making a duct tape wallet. I will be starting with materials that will be needed, the steps to construct the wallet, and options to add to personalize it. For your reference the shell is referred to the main part of the wallet. The materials that is need 1.A pair scissors 2. Ruler 3. A piece of plastic or clear Scotch tape(optional) 4. Also, you will need 1 solid color and 1 printed duct tape. In this case I am using a solid pink and zebra printed tape. Now the steps 1. Cut 8 strips of the solid pink duct tape. The measurement is 8 ? inches long. 2. Once that’s done lay one strip sticky side up, then line up another strip( color side up) place it a little more than half way on top. There w ill be a little strip of sticky still showing. 3. Now place another strip on top of the sticky part that’s showing.Flip it over and continue to cover the sticky part on the bottom until you use all the strips of tape. You will be flipping it back and forth to complete the shell of the wallet. 4. When done the sticky parts that are left, fold them over. 5. Now clean up the edges. The length of your wallet should be 8 ? inches in length, and it should be 3 ? in width. When that is finished you will have the shell of the wallet. 6. Cut a strip of the printed tape measuring the length your wallet, and cut that piece into 2. 7.Put one of the printed strips on the top of the shell to create a printed border. 8. Cut 2 pieces of 4inch pick tape, to tape the sides of the wallet together. 9. Now it’s time to start the pockets. Cut 6 strips of 4 inch of any color tape besides the color of your actual shell (in this case the printed tape is used). Stick two pieces of tape together , after completion you should have 3 assembled pieces. Measure the 3 pockets to make sure they are exactly the same size 10. Cut small strips to tape down to the shell.Make sure after taping the first pocket down that there is a substantial amount of space so there will be room to put credit cards in. After, place the next on top and tape down and continue until the last one is taped down. 11. To create the secret pocket, cut 3 strips of 4 inches. Place the 2 pieces of tape on top of each other, once that’s done put the last piece on the very top of the pocket and fold it. Secure it with strips of tape on the three sides. 12. Get the other strip of the printed tape you cut earlier and place at the bottom to create the border. 13.Then cut 3 ? inches of the printed tape to finish up the printed border of your wallet. When that is done, you have made your own wallet. Options to add to the wallet * To make the I. D holder you will need a piece of plastic or 2 pieces of scotch tap e. Place over the secret pocket and secure it with small strips of tape and you has an I. D holder. * You could also add Velcro keep the wallet closed. Never knew that having a few pieces of duct tape could turn into something so fun and exciting to do. It’s a good way to be creative and make a craft for someone or yourself.

How to Use the Conditional Tense in German

How to Use the Conditional Tense in German The conditional tense in German is established through the subjunctive II  (past). But that is not the only way. As important as it is to learn the subjunctive II for such purposes, there are sometimes other ways to form a conditional statement, depending on your intent. The following is a listing of a few examples. Introducing a Condition With the Preposition Bei Bei schà ¶nem Wetter, gehen wir schwimmen.(When the weather is nice, we’ll go swimming.)Remember that the preposition bei is always followed by the dative. If you would use the subjunctive, the sentence would read as follows: Wenn es schà ¶nes Wetter sein sollte, dann gehen wir schwimmen. Using Wenn Use wenn plus the present tense if the condition is possible. Wenn du mà ¼de bist, leg dich hin.(If you are tired, lie down.) Wenn du Hunger hast, nimm dir ein Stà ¼ck Kuchen.(If you are hungry, you can have a piece of cake.) Use wenn plus the subjunctive II if the sentence indicates a hypothesis not realized. Wenn ich jung wre, wà ¼rde ich mir diese Schuhe kaufen.If I were young, then I would buy these shoes. Wenn wir reich wren, wà ¼rden wir auf eine Weltreise gehen.(If we were rich, we would go on a world trip.) Use wenn plus the subjunctive II if the sentence indicates a hypothesis that was not realized in the past. Wenn er studiert htte, wà ¼rde er gute Noten bekommen haben.(If he had studied, he would have gotten good marks.) Wenn er seine Medizin genommen htte, wà ¼rde er jetzt gesund sein.(If he had taken his medicine, he would be healthy now.) Using Falls/im Falle When something is possible. Falls du zum Museum hingehst, vergiss nicht dein Mitgliedsausweis.(In case you go to the museum, don’t forget your membership card.) Im Falle, dass wir spt sind, will ich mir eine Ausrede denken.(In case that we are late, I want to think of an excuse.) Using Es Sei Denn, Dass (Unless)/Vorausgesetzt, Dass Geh nicht im Keller, es sei denn, dass du vorher gefragst hast.(Don’t go in the basement, unless you’ve asked beforehand.) Guck nicht im Schrank, es sei denn du willst wissen was du fà ¼r deinen Geburtstag bekommen wirst.(Don’t look in the closet, unless you want to find out what you will be getting for your birthday.) Ich komme mit, vorausgesetzt, dass deine Eltern einverstanden sind.(Im coming, only unless your parents agree.) Adverbs Sonst (Else) or Andernfalls (Otherwise) These adverbs make reference to the past that would have influenced the past, that the situation occurred. Ich bin froh, dass du mitgekommen bist, sonst htte ich mich sehr gelangweilt haben.(I am happy that you came along, or else I would have been so bored.) Gute Sache, dass er die Suppe nicht gegessen hat, andernfalls wà ¼rde er auch krank gewesen sein.(Good thing, he didn’t eat the soup, otherwise he’d be sick too.)

Maimonides and an Eternal Universe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maimonides and an Eternal Universe - Essay Example By following the Biblical, Aristotelian and Neo-Platonism Maimonides expresses God as absolutely necessary and completely uncaused unity. Due to this Maimonides follows the Neo-Platonist tradition of envisioning God as the purest of all beings. This means that it is a being that transcends any other divisions. It is evident that this sense of unity has accounted for the Maimonides strong negative theology. Also as God is a subject about whom we cannot predict it then portrays that he transcends the normal parameters of language and conceptualization. (Hyman, 20-23).When Maimonides says that the world is created ex nihilo, some theological-political readings answer negatively because of the presumptions about the philosophy of the scripture. It is apparent that according to the theological-political reading Maimonides may be suppressing his real view because he is not reinterpreting the biblical scripture. He believes that there is no proof for the Aristotelian that is available thus creation is a live option. This tends to be an inference best explanation for holding the view of prima facie. This makes Maimonides to favor ex nihilo and therefore opposing the eternity of the world (Hyman, 28).Maimonides to one group is heretic while to another his views are a model of conventional orthodoxy. It is evident that Maimonides reasoning and point of view was due to the strong faith he had in the truth and eternity of the Torah of Moses and the traditions derived from it (Fox, 8).

Quantitative Reasoning About Duggan's Article Essay

Quantitative Reasoning About Duggan's Article - Essay Example   Duggan et al do not comprehensively describe study design they adopted to test the stated hypothesis. The researchers do not also describe sampling method they adopted in the study. According to Lohr (2009), the success of a research in achieving study objectives depend on research design adopted. Findings of Duggan et al are, therefore, questionable. In other words, the study possibly had certain prejudices. Research biases, also known as systematic errors, distort reproducibility of a study. In particular, the study of Duggan et al was associated with selection biases and measurement biases. Selection biases occur when an unrepresentative sample is used in a study. Because sampling method is not clearly explained in the study, there is a high likelihood that a no randomized sample was used. There is a possibility of measurement bias because no clear model is used to gun-related crimes and location and time of a gun show. In addition, statistical testing procedures are not clear ly discussed.Data Analysis procedures and Ethical ConcernsTo test the hypothesis, Duggan et al computed the correlation coefficient between the rate of guns and magazines sale and gun shows. The procedure yielded a perfect strong correlation. The researchers, however, assumed a linear and direct relationship between the sale of guns or magazines and gun-related crimes. As a statistical procedure, Duggan et al arrived at a conclusion based on the outcome of correlation computations.