Information technology and animation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 17 Words: 5204 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Introduction: Information technology (IT) plays a key role in creating knowledge [1] and supporting management towards decision making[2] and Visualization tools are computer applications that produce graphical representations that aid decision making. Visualization tools are used in IT based decision support systems (DSS) like the simple spreadsheets to complex computer-based systems like business intelligence system, enterprise resource management and reporting system, knowledge management systems, and expert systems; to help decision makers to solve structured ,unstructured and semi structured problems. In the digital era, decision makers have access to large amount of digital data which can be used by visual analytics software to support decision making. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Information technology and animation" essay for you Create order Well structured problem has clear path to solution but for solving ill structured problem, external representation of the data and the problem can reduce the effort in reaching an accurate solution[3]. Chief economist of Google Inc predicts that need for data visualization will be growing rapidly in the next few years. He writes. the ability to take datato be able to understand it, to process it, to extract value from it, to visualize it, to communicate itthats going to be a hugely important skill in the next decade. because now we really do have essentially free and ubiquitous data. So the complimentary scarce factor is the ability to understand that data and extract value from it Managers need to be able to access and understand the data themselves [4]. Independent researchers have predicted high future demand for visualization tools. Gartners research reports that in spite of global recession businesses are interested in investing in business intelligence (BI) platforms that are expanding their capabilities towards advanced data visualization, scorecards and interactive dashboards. It predicts BI markets compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2012 to be 7.0% for stand-alone BI platforms ([5]. Review of the literature on computer graphics as decision aid reports that the format in which data is presented to decision makers is critical to provide information for making decision[6]. As per the dual coding theory, cognition consists of two sub systems: Visual and Verbal[7-9]. The theory specifies that when information is represented visually, the recall is easier and the human brain can process changes in shape, color and motion parallely. As per the Central Capacity theory humans have limited working memory [10] and visualization of data (e.g. chart, diagram, graph) activates the visual component of the short-term working memory (visual working memory) to hold the visual objects for immediate attention. Both the theory recommend visual data representation to provide information to the users for making decisions as visual information is easier to store and recall. Visualization aids in perceptual information processing to identify exceptions, trends, patterns, relationship in the data (clusters, associations, causality etc), detect outliers and to summarize data perceptually [11]. Many complex business decision making need insight and insight is a sudden discovery of a solution to a problem which results in a subjectively catastrophic experience[12]. As competition in the knowledge economy gets fiercer, organizations are constantly trying to get new insights to gain competitive advantage. Effective visualization tools acts as external aids that supports thinking and building insight by providing graphs that represent information primarily through position, shape, color, size, location, movement and symbols, and that viewers decode that information by taking it in, organizing it, analyzing it and detecting patterns and structures perceptually[13]. Human brain is a powerful pattern-finding engine and effective graph make behavioral patterns, tem poral trends, correlations, clusters, gaps, and outliers visible in seconds and data graphics should amplify cognition and complement what humans do well[14]. Effective visualization tools are of great importance in supporting decision making as it amplifies cognition, perceptual information processing and facilitates knowledge generation. When visualization tools are inadequate decision making performance is impaired. A review of literature on computer graphics as decision aids has demonstrated that decision performance is effected by information presentation format[6]. Compared to static graph (SG) , Dynamic Graph (DG) facilitates in faster retrieval and recall of information [15, 16], information comprehension [16] required for decision making. One author writes If learners are in control of the speed of animation and can view and review, stop and start, zoom in and out, and change orientation of parts and wholes of the animation at will, then the problems of veridical perception can be alleviated [17]. However the use of dynamic interactive graph has increased in business decision making, its impact on decision making has not been explored extensively in the IS field. Both the IS literature and Accounting literature has emphasized the need for studying the role of presentation format in the efficiency and effectiveness of decision-makers decision quality in order to provide empirical evidence o n the effect of presentation format on decision quality [18] [19]. Previous research so far in the IS domain has extensively studied 2D, 3D graph, combining 2D-3D graph and animation with low data volume that are easily comprehensible in tables or graph. Gaining insight from high volume of business data can be challenging because the high density of the data makes it difficult to view all the data at once. On a typical computer screen the high volume data cannot be seen at once, the data has to be sliced to visually represent it on screen. A study done on functional mechanisms of online product presentation and its effect on online shopping reported that interactivity of product presentations is a design feature that influence (1) the efficacy of the presentations; (2) consumers perceptions of the diagnosticity of websites, their perceptions of the compatibility between online shopping and physical shopping, and their shopping enjoyment derived from a particular online shopping experience jointly influence consumers attitudes toward shopping at a we bsite; and (3) both consumers attitudes toward products and their attitudes toward shopping at a website contribute to their intentions to purchase the products displayed on the website[20].Thus Interactive display has a positive influence on decision making thus the first objective of this study is extend the work done in the past by studying whether the use of display which has bother interactivity and is dynamic impacts decision making, including reducing information overload when dealing with high volume of data. While indicating a positive l effect from the use of DID, on the basis of the theory of Cognitive Fit, which identifies that better performance results when the external representation corresponds to the nature of the task to be accomplished [21] this study argues that it is most effective when the qualities of the display corresponds to the salient features of the task. On Time is also an important component of information load[21] where information load is the volume of the data to be processed over the unit of time available for the task. The second objective of this study is to examine weather and how the effect of visualization tools on decision taking may be contingent on the time constraints- available time available for information processing. A prior study on 2D graph Vs table to examine the joints effects of presentation format and color on decision accuracy and efficiency under different time constraints [22] concluded that under low time constraints (15 min), tabular reports are better for accurate decision making and 2D graphs are better for faster processing. The combination of Table and graph were better than graph alone for decision accuracy. Under High time constraint (5 min)s color coding led to improved decision making. Decision makers are sometimes pressed for time which can result in information overload, which is the point at which information processing demands exceed the information processing capacity of the individual. This study investigates the moderating effect of time constraints on DID effe ctiveness on decision making in terms of the quality of the decision that the decision makers are able to make. This study uses the term High Time constraint (HTC) task to characterize the task that needs to completed in an environment when the decision makers are under time pressure and to distinguish it from Low time constraint (LTC) task where the decision makers are not under any time pressure to complete the decision making task. Next section contains the review of past work on DID and decision making done to arrive at the hypothesis on the overall impact of DID on decision making. The subsequent section presents a review of the previous litreature on the theory of Cognitive Fit which provides the foundation for our theories on the relationship between different task types and DID. Then the different task types with time constraints is explained along with the prediction about the moderating effects of task type on decision making. The research method for the proposed research is explained including the measurement of independent and dependent variables and the experimental design. Finally this paper concludes with the significance of this proposed study to both researchers and practioners. Theory and Hypothesis. The research model developed for this proposed study is shown in figure 1. The figure illustrates that DID enhances decision making. The effect of DID is more pronounced when the task is less time critical where the decision makers are not pressed for time and the effect of DID is limited when the task is time critical. The hypotheses supported by theory are developed below. Dynamic Interactive Display Businesses today are commonly using Dashboards, which is a combination of visualization tools that provide summarized and details reports of current status and alerts and creates situational awareness. The array of visualization tools that available today includes Tree Maps, [23], Node-Link diagram /Network diagram[24], Parallel coordinate Graph [25], Spark lines- Integrates text, and chart [26],Motion chart[27]. The present study focuses on visualization tools that provide dynamic and interactive display (DID) because in the recent time there has been staggering advances in visualization tools that are interactive and dynamic to support taking decisions and solving information-intensive problems in business. The DID chosen for this study is Googles Motion Chart, which is a flash based visualization tool that delivers dynamic chart with high level of interactivity for multidimensional data[28]. Motion charts are dynamic. The graph is said to dynamic when the graph consists of series of single frames, each showing incremental changes in the position, brightness, shape, color of the variables; shown in a sequence which give the illusion of movement[29, 30]. Graph Dynamism consist of two types of change : position or form [31, 32]. Translation change refers to change in position (from one location to another) and transformation change refers to the change in form ( in size, shape, color, brightness)[33]. Motion chart reflect both translation change and transformation change. It is dynamic as it has several indicators which show incremental change in color, location and shape over time. Graphical excellence consists of complex ideas communicated with clarity, precision and efficiency and are accurately perceived [14]. Animations are often not clear and complex or efficient ( too fast) to be accurately perceived and judicious use of interactivity may overcome this disadvantage [17]. Motion Chart provide high level of interactivity (i.e., the extent to which users can manipulate and transform the form and content of the graph in real time[34]. Interactivity is achieved when the users can control the speed of animation and can view and review, stop and start, can transform (change the way representation is rendered, such as zooming, panning or resizing), or manipulate (control the parameters during the process of image generation, i.e. filtering, visually encoding the variables based on color, shape). Decision Making Previous study on online shopping website has indicated that dynamic , interactive presentation of information has a positive effect on the shopping decisions ( intend to purchase, revisit the shopping website) of the consumers [20]. Decision making includes problem solving[2]. Problem solving involves mentally working to overcome obstacles that stand in reaching a goal and arriving at the solution to the problem involves identifying the problem, defining and representing the problem, formulating the strategy , organizing and reorganizing information, allocating resources, monitoring and evaluation[3]. Prior research has indicated that (1) task type, (2) individual characteristics, and (3) information presentation format have effects on cognitive processing for making decisions [6]. Decision accuracy, problem comprehension and satisfaction will be used to measure decision making performance. Decision accuracy is probably the most commonly used criterion for measuring decision making performance [22, 35-48]. It is suggested that compared to DG, Dynamic Interactive Graph should facilitate performance [49]. Therefore, this study proposes that DID can enable decision makers to be more accurate when evaluating high volume of data than Dynamic Display. H1. Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users Decision Accuracy Research in the Management field has not examined different types of visuals and its effect on graph comprehension in detail[6]. The effect of x-y and y-z relationship encoding on the time to comprehend information was studied with respect to2D and 3D line graph [50]. As per Pinkers theory of Graph Comprehension[51], different types of display are suited for extracting different classes of information, primarily because of two contrasting types of encoding mechanisms governing the graph comprehension process: (1) automatic conceptual message lookup processes and bottom up processing, and (2) inferential and top-down encoding processes. Simplified Flow diagram of the graph comprehension process is shown in Figure 2. Automatic conceptual message lookup is the acquisition of information using the bottom-up encoding processes where the required information is obtained from the graph easily from the graph by means of salient cues. For example the theory indicated that that trend in a line graph is encoded via the bottom-up encoding processes because the human eye can automatically extract the change perceptually. On the contrary, information that are encoded via the inferential and top-down encoding process , needs execution of deliberate and capacity-limited computations that requires effort and use of both short-term and long-term memory processing. Fulfilling comprehension tasks, such as making inferences and drawing conclusions about the data in the graph and selecting and organizing the information from the graph, requires integration of the retrieved and encoded new information. This study proposes that more scan and search operations are needed to visually locate and organize the new informa tion represented in the dynamic graph for both conceptual message lookup process and inferential process. The DID possesses interactivity and hence retrieving the information from the graph will be easier for the users by manipulating the data using overview, zoom, filter features of the display. Therefore, in response to the comprehension task, DID will be better than dynamic display. H2a. Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users graph comprehension for automatic conceptual message lookup process H2b Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users graph comprehension for inferential and top-down encoding process Next from the perspective of affective dimension, users form positive, neutral or negative attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the visualization tool in decision making. The study predicts that DID with interactivity and dynamic display of the multi dimensional data affects decision makers attitude regarding perceived usefulness of the tool more significantly in favor of the tool than dynamic graph. H3 Users attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the DID display differ from their attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the dynamic display. Theory of Cognitive Fit and Time constraints The theory of Cognitive Fit suggest that a match between External representation and users tasks is important for the realization of positive results from the display format [52]. While DID generally influences decision making, the degree to which DID affects decision making varies contingent upon the task types being examined. Decision makers may be faced with different types of tasks. Tasks for Problem solving can be retrieval, Communication of facts, Comparison of alternatives, Trend analysis, Recognition and recall, Problem finding, Problem comprehension and Problem solving[36]. When time in money decision makers have to make decisions fast and thus decision task can be time critical. In prior studies terms time pressure and time constraint are most commonly used interchangeably [53]. Prior research so far has not investigated the time-constraint tasks that are best supported by DID. For this study High Time Constraint (HTC) tasks are those that force the decision makers to perfo rm under high time pressure. It is different from Low time-constraint (LTC) task for which the decision makers are not under any time pressure to perform. These types of task types moderate the degree to which DDI affects decision making. Research suggests for HTC task , decision makers accelerated their processing, are more selective in processing and instead of evaluating one alternative at a time (depth based) the decision makers concentrate on attribute based ( breadth wide) pattern of processing[54]. Dynamic Interactive display (DID) have features that lets the users manipulate the data and retrieve details on demand but DID are complex because it provides access to several layers of data which the users can slice and dice. Therefore when DID is used with HTC task , decision makers are unable to accelerate processing as the complexity of the graph makes the users experience information overload , which affects their performance negatively. However when DID is applied to LTC task, then the interactivity is useful because access to several layers of information and availability of time lets the decision makers process information in depth. Thus DID for HTC task does not contribute as much to decision making accuracy, problem comprehension and perceived usefulness as it does for LTC task. H4. Increases in Decision accuracy, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H5a. Increases in users graph comprehension for automatic conceptual message lookup process, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H5b. Increases in graph comprehension for inferential and top-down encoding process, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H6. The impacts of DID on perceived usefulness towards decision making are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. Research Method The proposed study will employ a controlled laboratory experiment to empirically test the effects of DID on Decision making and the moderating effect of time-dependent task types to achieve a high degree of internal validity [55]. To simulate experimental display close to real experiences and to increase the generalizability of the findings, instead of developing a prototype of DID , we selected Motion Chart owned by Google Inc for the visualization tool to produce DID . Motion chart is a commercial product used in business. Experimental Design For this proposed study a within-subject factor along with a between-subject factor, 2X2 factorial design will be used. The within-subject factor, Display format, will have two levels: DID and Dynamic Graph. The between-subject factor, Task Type will have two levels: HTC and LTC (Refer fig 2). The within-subject design for the presentation format will enable control over individual differences like spatial ability[56], cognitive style, comprehension abilities, which could confound the results [6] and also economize on the number of participants required for this study. Fig 2 2X2 Factorial Design Because display format was a within-subject factor, different task type were employed for each display format. The different task will have the same difficulty level so that this study can control for difference in task difficulty to have an effect on decision performance. Different task will control for the learning effect that could happen by repeatedly making the same type of decision with same task using different display format under different time dependent task. The participants might not use the interactive features provided in the DID even though it is provided to them. To control for that, the task assigned to DID will require manipulation of the data to arrive at the correct solution and the participants with the correct result will be rewarded with Bonus gift certificate to motivate them to use the interactive features of DID to arrive at the optimum result. Prior use and practice with a display format has an effect on performance [57] hence to control for that this study will allow participants to have experience with the visualization tool by giving them a brief 15 mins hands on training with the product. As discussed earlier this study uses the term First, the pretest will be conducted with a pilot group that will be demographically similar to the experiment participants to determine the average time required by the subject to reach the optimum solution. Based on this average time the two limits will be chosen to arrive at the High time constraint and low time constraint condition. HTC task is a financial decision making task that will be given to the subjects which involve both bottom up encoding and inferential processing under the High Time constraint in an environment when the decision makers are under time pressure. When there is insufficient time to complete a task, decision performance becomes unpredictable[58] and to control for that the subjects in the HTC treatment will be given a time limit which will be close to the average time required to reach the optimum solution so that they get sufficient time. Low time constraint (LTC) task is a different financial decision making task that will be given to the subjects which involves both bottom up encoding and inferential processing where the decision makers are not under any time pressure to complete the decision making task. Half of the participants were assigned to Dynamic graph with HCT task and DID with LCT task and the other half in reverse order. Participants were assigned randomly to each condition to reduce potential extraneous effects in the experiment. Participants For the main experiment the participation will be voluntary and the subjects will be selected from the pool of graduate and undergraduate students taking courses in finance, economics or business in a large university. To motivate the subjects to participate in this study they will be offered gift certificates. to encourage their participation in the experiment. The participants will have to fill out a standard form about their demographics, if they have experience with Motion charts, number of years at the university. For the results to have external validity, this study proposes to conduct the experiment with handful of executives from the industry who are entrusted with the task of decision making to increase the generalizability of results. Measurements The study will use the decision accuracy to measure the decision quality of the decision making performance. As discussed earlier this is a common measure used to measure decision making performance. To measure the problem comprehension this study will employ a validated comprehension study which has been used in prior studies on effects of information formats [59, 60]. To measure perceived usefulness of the display this study will use the validated survey used in prior studies to predict system usage [61]. Data Analysis Cronbachs Alpha will be used to assess the reliability of the constructs. A repeated measure ANOVA will be run to analyze the effects of information display on decision making. Separate t-test will be conducted to compare the mean difference between DID and dynamic display for each of the task type to examine the nature of interaction effects. Significance of this Research The proposed study can contribute to both theory and practice. By a controlled laboratory experiment , it will empirically test the impact of Dynamic Interactive Display (DID) in decision making performance for high volume of data. Although DID today are available in a number of areas like accounting and finance (Electronic financial statements using XBRL eXtensible Business Reporting Language), geography (E.g. Active Maps), education (E.g. web based active textbook with animated interactive figures), medicine (E.g. Medical imaging), architecture (Floor plan, building plan) but the review of the literature suggests that the impact of DID has not been explored intensively in the IS field. This proposed study aims to provide empirical test of the theory of Cognitive Fit, in supporting that the impact of IT is limited which is contingent on whether a particular IT application, such as DID, is a good match with the requirement of processing high volume of data to complete a given task. The current study provides useful guidelines for design and use of dense, interactive visualizations towards effective business decision making. If Business want to want to improve decision making performance with high volume of data they can do it with DID. However, because there are so many visualization tools available for use that it is difficult to select the one that is useful for decision making under different time pressure. This proposed study will provide guideline for the usefulness of use DID for HTC and LTC task. These suggestions might help the decision makers and Visualization tool to enjoy the benefits of DID for the appropriate time-dependent task. The proposed study in crucial to understand whether DID has positive effects on decision making and if yes then under what conditions. Interaction can becomes become a powerful tool where users need to filter and zoom on subset of data. There might be information overload and the users might feel lost in the data. There can be added cost in giving access to several levels of data. We also need to understand if providing interactive display is appropriate for tasks which need to be completed under high time pressure and requires processing of high volume of data. This proposed study attempts to imply that DID might not be usable for all decision making context and it is important to understand when it is the most appropriate and use it accordingly to support decision making. References: 1. Shneiderman, B., Creating creativity: user interfaces for supporting innovation. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), 2000. 7(1): p. 114-138. 2. Todd, P. and I. Benbasat, The impact of information technology on decision making: A cognitive perspective. Framing the domains of IT managementProjecting the future through the past, 2000. 3. Yahaya, A., Problem Solving. unspecified. 4. DeSanctis, G., COMPUTER GRAPHICS AS DECISION AIDS: DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH*. 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The Precedency Supporting the Affrimative Action Essay

Affirmative action is a government policy that gives opportunities to minorities, women, and any group who has been the victim of discrimination in the past. Affirmative action is the outcome of the 1960’s Civil Rights movement, growing out of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or gender. It was the 1978 Supreme Court decision, The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which allowed for the use of race-based preferences as a means of fostering diversity, allowing affirmative action to be used in admissions policies. It was created with the intention to provide equal opportunities for members of minority groups in education and employment. Initially, affirmative action focused†¦show more content†¦Supporters of affirmative action make many arguments in support of affirmative action, in the hopes of getting others to see the genuine good that affirmative actin policies bring to our society. Supporters belie ve that affirmative action is more of a process rather than an admissions policy. Colleges and universities take the extra initiative to reach out to minority groups, encouraging them to apply. Colleges and universities offer additional financial aid and provide on-campus resources to help better the student’s college education. Supporters also note the rising number of minority applications to colleges and universities due in part to affirmative action policies. Statistics have proven that when affirmative action is eliminated, such as when it was at Berkley College and UCLA in 1998, the minority student admissions fell 61 percent and 36 percent respectively, proving that affirmative action plays a major role in a minority students college admissions process. Affirmative action supporters also believe that diversity in higher education provides a better educational atmosphere for all students, personally and intellectually. If affirmative action were to be eliminated, there would be fewer minority students enrolled in colleges, causing diversity to be fairly slim. Affirmative action policies are also necessary in order to compensate for centuries of racial, economic, and social oppression. Individuals with a

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In her short story â€Å"Everyday Use,† Alice Walker takes up what is a recurrent theme in her work: the representation of the harmony as well as the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. â€Å"Everyday Use† focuses on an encounter between members of the rural Johnson family. This encounter––which takes place when Dee (the only member of the family to receive a formal education) and her male companion return to visit Dee’s mother and younger sister Maggie––is essentially an encounter between two different interpretations of, or approaches to, African-American culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Short story â€Å"Everyday Use† or any similar topic only for you Order Now Walker employs characterization and symbolism to highlight the difference between these interpretations and ultimately to uphold one of them, showing that culture and heritage are parts of daily life. The opening of the story is largely involved in characterizing Mrs. Johnson, Dee’s mother and the story’s narrator. More specifically, Mrs. Johnson’s language points to a certain relationship between herself and her physical surroundings: she waits for Dee â€Å"in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy† (88). The emphasis on the physical characteristics of the yard, the pleasure in it manifested by the word â€Å"so,† points to the attachment that she and Maggie have to their home and to the everyday practice of their lives. The yard, in fact, is â€Å"not just a yard. It is like an extended living room† (71), confirming that it exists for her not only as an object of property, but also as the place of her life, as a sort of expression of herself. Her description of herself likewise shows a familiarity and comfort with her surroundings and with herself: she is â€Å"a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands† (72)—in other words, she knows the reality of her body and accepts it, even finding comfort (both physical and psychological) in the way that her â€Å"fat keeps [her] hot in zero weather† (72). Mrs. Johnson is fundamentally at home with herself; she accepts who she is, and thus, Walker implies, where she stands in relation to her culture. Mrs. Johnson’s daughter Maggie is described as rather unattractive and shy: the scars she bears on her body have likewise scarred her soul, and, as a result, she is retiring, even frightened. Mrs. Johnson admits, in a loving manner, that â€Å"like good looks and money, quickness passed her by† (73). She â€Å"stumbles† as she reads, but clearly Mrs. Johnson thinks of her as a sweet person, a daughter with whom she can sing songs at church. Most importantly, however, Maggie is, like her mother, at home in er traditions, and she honors the memory of her ancestors; for example, she is the daughter in the family who has learned how to quilt from her grandmother. Dee, however, is virtually Maggie’s opposite. She is characterized by good looks, ambition, and education (Mrs. Johnson, we are told, collects money at her church so that Dee can attend school). Dee’s education has been extremely important in forging her character, but at the same time it has s plit her off from her family. Mamma says, â€Å"She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks’ habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice† (73). Dee, in other words, has moved towards other traditions that go against the traditions and heritage of her own family: she is on a quest to link herself to her African roots and has changed her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. In doing so, in attempting to recover her â€Å"ancient† roots, she has at the same time denied, or at least refused to accept, her more immediate heritage, the heritage that her mother and sister share. The actions Walker’s characters take, as well as their physical attributes, are symbolic of their relation to their culture. Dee’s male companion, for example, has taken a Muslim name and now refuses to eat pork and collard greens, thus refusing to take part in the traditional African-American culture. Mrs. Johnson, meanwhile, has â€Å"man-working hands† and can â€Å"kill a hog as mercilessly as a man† (72); clearly this detail is meant to indicate a rough life, with great exposure to work. Symbolic meaning can also be found in Maggie’s skin: her scars are literally the inscriptions upon her body of the ruthless journey of life. Most obviously—and most importantly—the quilts that Mrs. Johnson has promised to give Maggie when she marries are highly symbolic, representing the Johnsons’ traditions and cultural heritage. These quilts were â€Å"pieced by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee â€Å"(76), both figures in family history who, unlike the present Dee, took charge in teaching their culture and heritage to their offspring. The quilts themselves are made up of fragments of history, of scraps of dresses, shirts, and uniforms, each of which represents those people who forged the family’s culture, its heritage, and its values. Most importantly, however, these fragments of the past are not simply representations in the sense of art objects; they are not removed from daily life. What is most crucial about these quilts—and what Dee does not understand—is that they are made up of daily life, from materials that were lived in. This, in essence, is the central point of â€Å"Everyday Use†: that the cultivation and maintenance of its heritage are necessary to each social group’s self-identification, but that also this process, in order to succeed, to be real, must be part of people’s use every day. After all, what is culture but what is home to us, just as Mrs. Johnson’s yard is home to her. How to cite Short story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Papers

The Picture of Dorian Essay Example For Students

The Picture of Dorian Essay The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the story ofmoral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel,the well meaning artist Basil Hallward presets young DorianGray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynicalLord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which dreadfullyaffects his life forever. If it were I who was to be alwaysyoung, and the picture that was to grow old! For that Iwould give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the wholeworld I would not give! I would give my soul for that(Wilde 109). As it turns out, the devil that Dorian sells hissoul to is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists not only assomething external to Dorian, but also as a voice within him(Bloom 107). Dorian continues to lead a life of sensualitywhich he learns about in a book given to him by LordHenry. Dorians unethical devotion to pleasure becomes hisway of life. The novel underscores its disapproval ofaestheticism which negatively impacts the main characters. We will write a custom essay on The Picture of Dorian specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Each of the three primary characters is an aesthete andmeets some form of terrible personal doom. Basil Hallwardsaestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his artisticcreations. He searches in the outside world for the perfectmanifestation of his own soul, when he finds this object, hecan create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). Herefuses to display the portrait of Dorian Gray with theexplanation that, I have put too much of myself into it(Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which heholds this philosophy by later stating that, only the artist istruly reveled (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes BasilHallward that, An artist should create beautiful things butshould put nothing of his own life into them (Wilde 25). Ironically, the purpose of Basil Hallwards existence is thathe is an aesthete striving to become one with his art (Eriksen105). It is this very work of art which Basil refuses todisplay that provides Dorian Gray with the idea that thereare no consequences to his actions. Dorian has this belief inmind when he murders Basil. Here we see that the artist iskilled for his excessive love of physical beauty; the same artthat he wished to merge with is the cause of his mortaldownfall (Juan 64). Lord Henry Wotton, the most influentialman in Dorians life, is an aesthete of the mind. Basil is anartist who uses a brush while Wotton is an artist who useswords: There is no good, no evil, no morality andimmorality;there are modes of being. To live is to experimentaesthetically in living to experiment all sensations, to know allemotions, and to think all thoughts, in order that the selfsevery capacity may be imaginatively realized (West 5811). Lord Henry believes that, it is better to be beautiful than tobe good (Wilde 215). Although he attests that aestheticismis a mode of thought, he does not act on his beliefs. BasilHallward accuses him saying, You never say a moral thingand you never do a wrong thing (5). However, Lord Henrydoes take the immoral action of influencing Dorian. AlthoughLord Henry states that, all influence is immoral (Wilde 18),he nonetheless drastically changes Dorian Gray. As Dorianacts on the beliefs of Lord Henry, the portraits beautybecomes corrupted. Lord Henry presents Dorian with thetenants of his New Hedonism, whose basis isself-development leading to the perfect realization of onesnature (Eriksen 97). If Lord Henrys aesthetic ideas havevalidity ,Dorian Grays portrait should not become ugly, butrather more beautiful. Since the picture becomes loathsome,it is evident that Lord Henrys beliefs are untrue (West5811). Dorian becomes so disgusted with the horribleportrait that he slashes the canvas, an d the knife pierces hisown heart. Because Lord Henry is responsible forinfluencing Dorian Gray, he is partly the cause of the deathof Dorian (5810). While Lord Henry is indirectly the causeof Dorians death, he too causes his own downfall. LordHenry changes Dorian with the belief that morals have nolegitimate place in life. He gives Dorian a book about a manwho seeks beauty in evil sensations. Both Lord Henrysactions and thoughts prove ruinous, as his wife leaves himand the remaining focus of his life, youthful Dorian Gray, killshimself in an attempt to further the lifestyle suggested to himby Lord Henry. Eventually, he is left destitute, withoutDorian, the art he so cherishes, because he tried to mold it,as dictated by aestheticism. Of all the protagonists, Doriansdownfall is the most clearly recognized. A young man whowas pure at the beginning of the novel becomes depraved bythe influence of Lord Henry. He grew more and moreenamored of his own beauty, more and more interested inthe corruption of his own soul (Bloom 121). He begins tolead a life of immorality, including the murder of his dearfriend Basil Hallward. There were moments when helooked on evil simply as a mode through which he couldrealize his conception of beautiful (Wilde 196). However,there is still a spark of good left in Dorian. He lashes out athis twisted mentor, Lord Henry, declaring, I cant bear thisHenry! You mock at everything, and then suggest the mostserious tragedies (173). This trace of goodness is notenough to save Dorian, for he has crossed too far towardsthe perverted side of aestheticism and cannot escape it. .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .postImageUrl , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:hover , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:visited , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:active { border:0!important; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:active , .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u538cae99d55dfbbd75dfbde6436634be:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Privacy And Information Technology EssayDorian experiments with himself and with men and women,and watches the experiment recorded year by year in thefouling and aging corruption of his portraits beauty (West5811). Dorian becomes so disgusted with this portrait of hissoul and his conscience, that he slashes the canvas, killinghimself. For Dorian, this is the ultimate evil act, the desire torid himself of all moral sense. Having failed the attempt toescape through good actions, he decides to escape bycommitting the most terrible of crimes. Aestheticism hasclaimed its final victim. Basil Hallward is what I think I am:Lord Henry what the world thinks of me: Dorian Gray whatI would like to be in other ages, perhaps (Hart-Davis352). Because of the endings he creates for thesecharacters, Oscar Wilde proves that he does not envisionshimself in the immoral characters of this story nor is heattempting to promote their lifestyles. Of all the characterswhom he creates, he sees himself as Basil, the good artistwho sacrifices himself to fight immorality. It was his beautythat had ruined him, his beauty and the youth that he hadprayed for (Wilde 242). Contrary to Wildes claim in thepreface that, there is no such thing as a moral or immoralbook (vii), this novel has a deep and meaningful purpose. The moral is that an absence of spirituality, of faith, ofregard for human life, separates individuals like WildesDorian Gray from humanity and makes monsters of them(West 5831). W.H. Auden feels that the story is specificallystructured to provide a moral. He compares the story to thatof a fairy tale, complete with a princess, a wicked witch, anda fairy godmother. This leaves room for a moral with whichgood every fairy tale ends. Not only is the novel seen asexisting on the pure level of fairy tales, but it is claimed tocontain ethical beauty (Auden 146). The Picture of DorianGray is a novel including a moral dialogue betweenconscience and temptation that is powerfully conveyed. Though it is made to seem an advocate for aestheticism onthe surface, the story ultimately undermines that entirephilosophy. Wilde brings the question of to what extent arewe shaped by our actions (26). He also demonstrates thatart cannot be a substitute for life (Eriksen 104). It is afantastic tale of hedonism with a moral to be learned andremembered. Works Cited Auden, W.H. In Defense of theTall Story. The New Yorker. 29 November 1969. pp.205-206, 208-210. Bloom, Harold. Oscar Wilde. NewYork: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Ellman, Richard. Oscar Wilde. New york: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1987. Eriksen, Donald. Oscar Wilde. Boston: Twayne Publishers,1977. Hart-Davis, Rupert. The Letters of Oscar Wilde. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1962. Juan,Efifanio. The Art of Oscar Wilde. New Jersey: PrincetownUniversity Press, 1967. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of DorianGray. New York: Random House, Inc., 1992.

nerves system essays

nerves system essays The two types of the nervous system are the Central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. They are responsible for integrating, processing, and coordinating Sensory data and motor commands the central nervous system, which interprets sensory input and carry information to maintain homeostasis. CNS can't be regenerate because a CNS consists of the spinal cord that mean if it's break the spinal cord is break also. The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that branch from the brain and spinal cord. It is a thick bundle of nerve fibers located within the spinal cord. The PNS can be regenerate and it will regrow. The brain and spinal cord are the main parts of the nervous system. The brain controls every part of your body and is located top of our head inside our skull. The spinal cord with controls our movement. Nerve cells contain 3 parts: dendrites, cell body and the axon. Dendrite is the receiving part of the neuron. It is a short extension of the cell body And send signals toward the cell body and the cell body conducts nerve impulses which in the transmission of the nerve impulses from the region to the other cell. The axon is a single extension carries the message to the next neuron, which controls all of the nerves. The nerve impulse is response of the neuron. There are 3 classes of neurons: sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons. Neurons are also called nerve cells. A sensory neuron takes information from a receptor to the CNS. A motor neuron takes information away from the CNS. An interneuron transfer information between neurons in the CNS. It also sending out signal to the muscles resulting in contraction or movement. Nerves impulse occurs when an action potential changes rapidly. When action potential occurs, the sodium gates will open as Na+ flowing into the axon the changes from -65mV to +40mV, this is call depolarization and during repolariza ...

What You Absolutely Need to Know About Changing Careers

What You Absolutely Need to Know About Changing Careers Adaptable. Multi-faceted. Nimble. These flexible qualities are all trending in the current job market- so why is changing careers so difficult? Let’s look at some of the ways you can make a career switch, and get yourself ready to embrace the current job trends and demands. Find Your Career Path(s)Conventional wisdom suggests that we all have a career path, a specific trajectory. You start here, you’ll hit these points along the way, and you’ll end up there. The problem with this is that it sounds great in theory, but more often than not, reality gets in the way: economic downturns, personal life changes, and burnout can all interfere greatly with this linear plan. Plus, many of us choose that career path at a young age, right out of school or as an idealistic twentysomething. Are you the same person you were at 21? I’m not (thank goodness), and as someone with evolving skills and interests, I like to think that I’m not locked into a rigid path.Life coach Roman Krznaric, author of How to Find Fulfilling Work, believes in the concept of â€Å"wide achievers†: the idea that a career can be a composite of diverse jobs and experiences, instead of a straight line through one field. In this model, you’d set your goal as a skill set rather than a specific job title (for example, VP of Marketing). It involves rethinking our careers, and deciding whether you might have multiple paths you can take to the endgame of a satisfying career.But how do you navigate this, if you’re already in a job, or have a ton of very specific experience that may not travel into the field where you want to go next?Make a Smart Start to Your ChangeIf you already have a job, you don’t need to hand in your resignation and jump right into that deep end of finding your next career. Take time to figure out what you want to do. Think you might have an interest in bumping your photography hobby up into a professional photography gig? Try to hustle one or two freelance jobs on nights and weekends, and try to build a client base.If you already know where you want to go†¦You should start by doing a self-assessment:What types of jobs are available to someone with limited experience?What skills do I have already?What are the bare minimum skills required by this field I’m interested in joining?What development do I need?Am I willing to start from the bottom if necessary?If you’re thinking about changing careers and know what your target field is, you can start by taking related classes online or in the evenings, or by attending networking events. Volunteer. Talk to someone who’s already in the field, and ask what their day-to-day is like, and what their job requires. At this point, there’s no commitment- it’s a fact-finding mission.If you’re still trying to figure out what you want your new career to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦don’t sweat it. You may just know that you want A Cha nge, and need to figure out what happens next. This option is a challenging one, to be sure- you’re starting from scratch. But that’s also the beauty of it: you’re starting from scratch! You don’t have preconceived notions, and can take the time to figure out what you really want to do, and why.Find Hot Career Change IndustriesWhere are the jobs and new opportunities? Right now, there are definite hotspot industries that are friendly to career changers. According to U.S. News and World Report, these fields are perpetually expanding to keep pace with society:Healthcare. With the Baby Boomer population retiring and aging, healthcare needs and demands will continue to explode.Mobile technology. Got coding skills? If not, perhaps it’s time to start taking some courses? While some areas of the tech sector are declining, the innovations happening in mobile technology (apps, communications, etc.) keep on going.Data analytics. Sometimes it feels like we ar e little but a walking, talking collection of aggregated data points. Almost every industry is pulling in massive amount of information these days, and having the skills to parse and analyze that information is a huge selling point.And remember: if you feel intimidated by the idea of starting over and changing career gears, you are not alone.  Be a New-Wave EmployeeA hard truth of jobs in general these days, and for people who are trying to build experience, is that many employers want non-traditional employees. That means employees who fall outside the full-time spectrum. If you’re looking to make the career switcheroo, you should consider job openings that are in your field, but might not be the permanent opportunity of your dreams. These include:Part-time jobsContract/freelance jobsTemporary jobsThis goes back to the flexibility issue I mentioned earlier. Employers value flexibility, because it helps them reach their own goals. And even if your own goal is to find a perm anent, full-time, benefits-laden job in your new field, these jobs can serve as a stepping stone while you pick up needed skills and experience.Build Your BrandBranding is a major part of any job search, but if you’re trying to rebrand yourself as a different kind of professional, it’s essential. You’re building your rep and your network from the ground up, basically, so it’s important to have a clean base. If you haven’t done so already, clean up your existing profiles and get them job-hunt ready. After you’ve done that, start positioning yourself for your new field. Start following strong voices in your new area, read (and post) links to stay on top of trends in the field, and figure out how people already in the field are positioning themselves. This can help you figure out how to best present yourself as your job hunt really gets underway.Social media is one of those perennial megatrends that doesn’t go away- so the trick is stayi ng on top of the new media to figure out where you should be as well. Which platforms are the â€Å"cool kids† using? Getting familiar with new platforms and sites is something you can easily do on your own time, and it pays off when you have a whole network of people in the field you’re trying to reach.If you’re ready to make the jump to a new career, there are lots of places you can land. With sharp-eyed attention to what’s going on and how you can transfer your existing skills and experience to another field, you’re well on your way. Good luck!

INDIVIDUAL project plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

INDIVIDUAL project plan - Essay Example The immediate effect on the families includes affording basic needs among them clean food and education. The learned individuals would as well become a role model to other children in their respective communities. This would consequently improve the society well being and general economy. The project is funded with ?500 which is intended to successfully carry out a golf tournament event scheduled for 1st June 2013. The event is planned to attract more than 5000 interested individuals to raise more than ?600,000 to help fund education for various children living in deplorable conditions. Tables of Contents 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.1.0 2. Business case†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2.0 3. Need assessment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2.1 4. The significance of the project†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2.2 5. Investigating alternatives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2.3 6. Evaluation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2.4 7. Breakdown structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3.0 8. Marketing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4.0 9. Network diagram †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5.0 10. ... The problems have been perverse in three main cities. These include Pretoria, Cape Town and Johannesburg. It is well known that South Africa has the highest number of street children. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations in the world have attempted to curb the situation without a complete success. However, it is clear that most of the destitute children have reformed given the highest increment of students at both primary and secondary levels. Although these children attend school, it is reported that there have been a tendency of students boycotting classes without teachers' knowledge. It is further noticed that habit of bhang smoking has led to high level of students drop out. Many of them fail to join high school following the high level of dropout at the primary level. It is also realized that some students drop out of school as a result of malnutrition. Many families rarely experience three meals in a day. The families find it prudent to involve their children in their efforts to search for a meal. Girls are extremely affected as most of them are forced to involve in prostitution as well as working as house girls in well off families. These activities deny the girl child a chance to study as their counterparts. Through various researches done, it was found out that if a single student is provided with adequate fees to cater for boarding facilities it is likely that the levels of school absenteeism and dropout would significantly drop. This would ensure that the chance of a student completing a college course is meaningfully increased. Accordingly, the student would become a role model and furthermore help the