Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Diversity in management development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diversity in management development - Essay Example Diversity in management ensures that there is the removal of barriers and permit equality in employment and promotion for job seekers and employees. Diversity ensures that all employees are empowered to reach their full potential and grow both personally and professionally. It serves as a key to growth in the modern competitive worldwide marketplace (Cole & Salimath 2013). Firms that seek to dominate the world market relevancy need to embrace diversity in how they act and innovate.  It is important for any organization to attract and hire a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where the organization operates in order for them to have a sense of ownership. Effective diversity management leads to an environment that accommodates and supports individual differences and capitalizes on the talents that exist in a workforce. A diverse staff boasts of expert knowledge of the surrounding communities and helps a firm to expand to other markets and customers. Employing from diverse groups helps a business to avoid a lack of labor by having a larger pool of applicants from which a firm can draw (DWL

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Dichotic Listening Task Analysis

Dichotic Listening Task Analysis Miss Emma Elizabeth Dorothy Meredith What does the dichotic listening task tell us about how we attend to information? Discuss this with reference to early and late selection models of attention. Attention is a selection process and is invaluable to our everyday lives. We use our attention for many things such as crossing the road, watching over our children, or even while multi-tasking (which is an invaluable skill in today’s world). Psychologist William James (890), talked about two modes of attention; Active attention which is indicative of an individual’s goals and expectations and controlled in a top-down way; and passive attention which is controlled in a bottom-up way and is effected by external stimuli (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). The way attention works brings about a host of questions which has generated much research in to this field; questions such as how much information can we take in at once? What happens to the information to which we are not attending? Do distractions from unwanted information cause attention to fail? Other questions are how do we process the information coming through our senses? And when in the process do we filter out that which i s not relevant? (Naish, 2010). This essay will be concerned with where the filter lies in the process and will compare and contrast early and late models of selection, drawing on research in this area which has used dichotic listening tasks to help explain how we attend to information. The dichotic listening task is a method commonly used by researchers in psychology to explore selective attention. Participants are asked to wear headphones, in which they are then presented with multiple sounds representing that of the real world. These different sounds are played in each ear and are easily manipulated (Naish, 2010). Broadbent (1952, 1954) used the dichotic listening task to support the bottleneck theory of attention. This theory proposed that information is selected on the basis of ‘low level’ physical characteristics such as location of sound, pitch and gender of speaker, and only this information is processed which would suggests that this bottleneck in the attentional system is such that only a limited amount of sensory information passes through it. Broadbent argued that this bottleneck occurs early on in the filtering process. To demonstrate this theory, Broadbent used the dichotic listening task in which he used two conditions where the participa nts are asked to listen and repeat different numbers. Pairs of different numbers are played to each ear. They then have to report these numbers back either by confirming the numbers heard in each ear (condition 1) or reporting the numbers in the order they were heard (condition 2). Broadbent’s findings were that generally participants found condition 1 easier than condition 2 and that participants generally couldn’t remember the ignored message in one ear when close attention was paid to the message in the other. However he found that with short messages, participants could access the neglected information a short time after, as it would be stored in the echoic memory. Physical features such as pitch and location were also found to be used by participants to track messages. From this, Broadbent concluded that switching attention back and forth between ears took up more cognitive resource and that the physical features were also used to filter information. He also propo sed that all information is received in parallel and then sorted based on the perceptual characteristics. It is only then that the signal wanted is passed on for processing, anything else is blocked which protects again overloading of the semantic processor (Naish, 2010). Broadbent’s early filter theory has been criticised he argument being that if we haven’t extracted meaning out of the sensory information then how do we know to discard it as not relevant. Theories which contrast Broadbent’s early filter theory shall be looked at next. Attenuation theorists suggest that only the shadowed message in dichotic listening tasks are fully processed, however everything else is not blocked, it is just attenuated. Treisman (1960) discovered that some participants, when shadowing a message, would say a word that had been presented in the unshadowed message. She found that this was usually because the word was plausible in the context of meaning in the shadowed message (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). This led Treisman (1964) to propose the attenuation theory which is that all information is perceptually processed in parallel then sent through for processing semantically. The attended message would be left untouched and then, in contrast to Broadbent, all of the other information would be attenuated and analysed, rather than blocked which explains why the attenuated message will sometimes be attended to (such as in the cocktail party effect where you can be attended to a conversation in one part of the room, hear your name in another part of the room and then switch your attention to that conversation) and also illustrates a flaw within Broadbent’s early Filter theory. Treisman used the dichotic listening task and shadowing to illustrate attenuation. Participants were asked to shadow a story being played in one ear ignoring what was being played in the other ear. She found that participants began to shadow the other ear if the story switched ears, contradicting Broadbent’s theory as they shouldn’t be aware of the story continuing in the other ear. Treisman proposed that this was due to priming where the temporary sensitisation of a word due to the presence of another causes the listener to assume what the next word will be. She also claimed that the location of the bottleneck was likely to be more flexible than Broadbent had suggested (Naish, 2010). Certain words, such as own name, may also be recognised easily in the unattended message. It was demonstrated by Underwood (1977) that the primi ng effect became stronger if there were several linked ideas used to prime rather than a single word. Underwood also concluded that sentences are processed as whole units but only when attended as the priming effect was also much stronger when the story starts in the attended ear and then switches to the unattended ear rather than vice versa (Driver, 2001). It has already been mentioned that Broadbent had found that information could be stored in the echoic memory and it is also true of the iconic memory when it come visual modality. He argued that if we could switch attention rapidly into the appropriate sensory buffer then it would be possible to process unattended information. Broadbent was, however, cynical about this as he believed that it took 500ms to shift attention, but it actually takes 50ms (Tsal, 1983 cited Eysenck, Keane, 2010). This means that shifting attention to that information in the echoic memory can be as efficient as shifting attention to the actual object. Tre isman argues that the reason for this sporadic semantic processing of the unattended information is due to a leaky filter. In contrast, Broadbent argues that it depends on what is called ‘slippage’ by Lachter et.al (2004). That is attention shifted to supposedly unattended information, therefore it is not unattended (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). There are three other studies that showed unconscious awareness of the unattended material. Corteen and Wood (1972) conducted an experiment where participants were conditioned with a mild shock to city names until they showed a Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). They still showed GSR to these words and cities they hadn’t been conditioned in, when they occurred in the non-shadowed message, although consciously they were not aware of them (Naish, 2010). Corteen and Dunn (1974) also conditioned their participants to certain words so that they would exhibit GSR upon hearing them. To demonstrate non-awareness, participants were instructed to make a conscious response when a conditioned word was played. They failed to do this most of the time when the conditioned word was played in the unattended ear and exhibited GSR. This suggests that some processing for meaning must take place and contradicts Broadbent’s early filter theory (Driver, 2001). Von Wright, Anderson and Stenman (197 5) suggested that meaning can be processed without awareness. They established that a GSR was caused by related words, even synonyms, for the conditioned word by conducting a dichotic listening task where the participants were presented with two lists of words auditorially and asked to shadow one list and ignore the other. The findings were that this indeed happened and a GSR effect occurred when the words were in the non-shadowed list or were very similar sounding words (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). As already mentioned, attenuation theory helps to explain the cocktail party effect and also Corteen and Dunn’s finding. It confirms that unattended information might be available for identification not meaning. There is also less perceptual information to be identified with special words such as own name. Attenuation theory also explains why participants will follow a message from one ear to the other as both messages are being processed however priming makes related words in attenuated messages easier to identify at switching point (Driver, 2001). It may also be possible to explain auditory attention (how we deduce distinct â€Å"sound objects† to attend to, such as one person’s voice among many) by extending visual attention theories that explain how we deduce and attend to objects in our spotlight of attention. This suggests the same neural mechanisms may lie beneath both types of perception (Shinn-Cunningham, 2008). It is proposed by late selection theorists that all information is processed. It’s only the pertinent material that is made available Deutsch and Deutsch (1963) suggested that all messages are processed both perceptually and semantically, with the most important or relevant stimulus deciding the response. This puts the bottleneck much closer to the end of the processing system than both Broadbent’s and Treisman’s theories (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). Another theory suggested by Norman (1968) was that all information must be processed to the point where meaning is designated from memory (Naish, 2010). However, late selection theories were later falsified by developments in neuroscience. Neurophysiological studies took place which provided evidence against the theories of Deutsch and Deutsch. Coch, Sanders and Neville (2005), using the dichotic listening task, asked their participants to attend to one of two auditory messages. The task for the participants was to spot p robe targets which were presented on both the attended and non-attended messages. Event-Related Potentials (ERP) were recorded from each participant. It was found that ERPs appeared 100ms after the probe was presented and was greater when the probe was presented on the attended message. This suggests that there was more assessing of attended probes rather than unattended probes. However, if processing happened in the way Deutsch and Deutsch theorise, then there wouldn’t be any difference in the ERPs recorded (Eysenck, Keane, 2010). Each of the theories uses the dichotic listening task to provide evidence to support their theory. We know that attention is a limited resource and that we can’t focus on everything within our environment. The three major theories do give us an insight in to this. Broadbent’s early selection theory argues that the filter comes before the information is given meaning, but if this was the case then we wouldn’t be able to identify our own name when spoken in the unattended ear. Deutsch and Deutsch went on to argue that the filter happens after the information has been given meaning , so you register and assign everything a meaning then the filter decides what to pass on to conscious awareness. However, as attention is limited, this seems like a waste of resource to assign meaning to information that you will never need. So, Treismans attenuation theory fits nicely in between Broadbent’s early filter and Deutsch and Deutsch late selection filter and argues tha t the information into the unattended ear weakens but is not eliminated, that some of it will get through to the perceptual processes and be given meaning. The input from the unattended ear will still be given meaning but not as high priority as that in the attended ear. If, at this point, the unattended information is important (like hearing your names across a crowded room) then attention can be switched and you attenuate the previously attended to ear. The jury is still out on which of these theories is the ultimate when it comes to helping in our understanding of selective attention, however, each if the theories has been pivotal in how we view selective attention and this is important because attention is crucial to any other cognitive function that we perform. Word count: 2046 References Driver, J. (2001). ‘A selective review of selective attention research from the past century’,British Journal of Psychology,vol. 92, pp. 53–78. Edgar, G. (2007). ‘Perception and attention’. In D. Miell, A. Phoenix, K. Thomas (Eds), Mapping Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 3-50). Milton Keynes: The Open University. Eysenck, M. Keane, M. (2010). ‘Visual perception and attention’. In Cognitive psychology: a students handbook. (6th ed. Pp 153 – 201) Hove, Eng. New York: Psychology Press. Naish. P., (2010). ‘Attention’. In Kaye, H. (Eds).Cognitive psychology (pp 29 – 62). Milton Keynes: The Open University Shinn-Cunningham, B.G. (2008). ‘Object-based auditory and visual attention’,Trends in Cognitive Sciences,vol. 12, pp. 182–6.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Rates of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

How does temperature affect the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid? Temperature and Rate of Reaction Question How does temperature affect the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid? sodium thiosulphate + hydrochloric acid sodium chloride +water + sulphur dioxide + sulphur Na2S2O3(aq) + 2HCl(aq) 2NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + SO2(aq) + S(s) Prediction I predict that the higher the temperature, the more quickly reaction will occur. This is because with heat, the particles of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid have more energy. This causes them to move around more. It works like this for all substances, not just those two. Chemical reactions require collisions, and if particles are moving around more quickly they are obviously more likely to collide. It is just like in a crowded street. If the people are moving quickly it is more likely that they will bump into each other then if they are moving slowly. It is in this way that particles of solutions react. I found out from preliminary research that the particle theory explains that chemical reactions require a collision between the particles of the reactants, at a certain velocity and angle. If this angle or velocity is not achieved, the substances will not react together. I also found out that the factors that affect the rate of a reaction are the surface area of the solid reactant (if there is a solid reactant), the concentration of the aqueous reactant(s), the presence of catalysts and temperature. In this experiment we are only interested in temperature. Where temperature is not high enough to provide energy for the particles to move at a high enough speed, the particles will just not react, or rather, not as many particles will be able to react together in a certain amount of time. At 0-10Â °C, I predict that the reaction will take a very long time to react. The reason I say this is because although the particles will be moving around, they will not be moving at a high enough velocity. For chemical reactions to occur, the particles must be travelling at a particular speed, and this requires energy. At this temperature I do not think that it will give the particles enough energy to convert into movement. Between 11-40Â °C (this includes 3 temperature intervals - 11-20Â °C, 21-30Â °C and 31-40Â °C), I predict that the reaction will occur more quickly than that of 0-10Â °C. I think the reaction rate will decrease dramatically at this temperature. I predict this because there is more heat to provide energy to the particles of the reactants. This energy causes the particles (of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid) to

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Bilingual programs and language interventions: the challenges

INTRODUCTION: A large problem with bilingual education programs is they simply do not work. Most do not take into account the social and cultural factors the weigh heavily on being able to learn a second language (Berry and Williams, 2004). There is too much variability in the programs to be effective. The earlier the intervention takes place the more likely, the program will work. The goal is to develop a more uniform early grade intervention. Children are more likely to learn more languages as their cognitive functions are still in their primitive development stages and are therefore able to pick more information than an adult mind. The capacity to learn new words is higher in a child than in an adult (Franquiz, 1998). Therefore, any linguistic programs that are introduced in the early ages are more likely to succeed. Why Problem Exists There is a large discrepancy in the number and quality of English acquisition programs in the United States. Many teachers in these areas are not properly qualified and there are little resources available to them in this area. Teacher and peer interaction is vital in the development of English for both native and non-native English learners (Haworth et al, 2006). The lack of knowledge of English language is not only present in the foreign students or children with different mother tongue, but has also been seen in children of English speaking families. The lack of vocabulary is the single determinant cause of poor language development that can take place in any child. The lack of vocabulary may make it difficult for these children in language or knowledge acquisition.(Silverman, 2007) Children who are not used to story reading, read alouds, and good instructions on use of words are likely to suffer from poor language skills. Experiments have shown that good vocabularies improve language with almost equal speed in English speakers and non speakers alike. (Silverman, 2007) The role of teachers and their characteristics seem to have an important bearing on the quality of teaching that they possess. Many studies now prove the positive outcomes of a good teacher on a child. These positive outcomes are independent of the social or the home background the child may have(Franquiz, 1998). While in the past these studies were limited to other subjects, there are researches that have shown a somewhat similar outcome in language teachers as well. A good teacher is seen to improve the outcomes of children regarding the different language tasks such as phonation, letter and word use, grammar and composition etc. (Cirino et al, 2007) Many countries in the world look towards English speaking countries as the best places for education. Along side studies in these countries help in improving the proficiency of English language among these people, which in turn can help them advance in their professions. While this dream may be the best intentions of a parent, they are not ideal in nature. There seems to be a stigma placed on bilingualism and biculturalism. Children of different cultures when exposed to an English speaking environment may feel out of place to their social and cultural norms.   This can directly effect how a student performs in the classroom. The research carried out by Barry and Williams was aimed to identify the problems that many Hong Kong children face when they are exposed to international English speaking environments. The students surveyed outlined many issues that cause problems in the language learning. These included linguistic problems such as listening, speaking, writing, vocabulary and reading. Such children were in the listening end to understand what others were saying. (Berry and Williams, 2004) Many teachers need to know the benefits of having a bilingual classroom and the how to better support their students (Macrory, 2006). This lack of quality programs, ill prepared informed teachers, and high variability between programs produces very poor results by the students. Some studies show that almost a quarter of students in bilingual education do not become bilingual (Pearson, 2006). The goal of this intervention is to provide a more effective program for bilingual students. More so, interventions require teachers who are proficient in teaching children English and other languages properly (Ng, E.,1999). Language acquisition is an innate quality of an individual, and is an individual capacity of each human mind to learn it. There are many factors that govern the ability to learn a language. Apart from the innate ability of an individual to do so, metalinguistics, consciousness, teaching methods at school and acquisition of written system of language are also important deciding factors in the language learning.(Collier, 1995) Also of help in this area are issues such as phonology, vocabulary, the grammar, meaning and discourse etc. The acquisition of a second language is therefore a high thought process that requires a positive and continued quality feedback in order to be successfully learned. (Collier, 1995) The concept of provision of meaningful education among the children is an important concern for the educational boards. Yet the proper education teaching practices remain unknown. There are many reasons why these policies have been unsuccessful (Tencer Garrity, T. L. 2003). The first and the foremost problem was failing to identify language as part of the social context and social issues and that English may not be the mother tongue of many children.(Collier, 1995) Intervention The intervention will focus on trying to improve English ability at a young age. The goal is to try to increase the English ability of the students quickly and effectively. Research has shown that students learn faster in single language classrooms (Pà ¡ez, Tabors, and Lopez, 2007). For the purpose of this intervention, the classrooms will then be monolingual. The students will be taught all week in almost all Spanish. The intervention will be a daily English vocabulary lesson. They will lean the pronunciation, spelling, and meaning a few new English words every day. Since they will have a frame of reference since knowing the vocabulary in Spanish, they will be better able to process this information. A study by Silverman showed that English learner children can learn English at a similar if not faster rate than native English speakers. This intervention should be effective(Franquiz, 1998). Testing †¢ The intervention will tested on if the English ability of the students improved after the intervention. †¢ To do this the students will be given an English vocabulary pre and posttest. †¢ This will take part in three classroom at three schools †¢ The SES of each class and school will be roughly the same †¢ There will be two English learner groups and one Native speaker group †¢ Quasi experimental since you cannot control for a some variables such as some children being more familiar with English than other. †¢ The measure will test how much vocabulary the children in the program were able to learn. †¢ To be effective the English learner children should have learned the vocabulary at a similar rate as the native English speakers. DISCUSSION: These interventions in many ways depict the conceptual models that were introduced in the past, which comprised of essentially four components. Language in the past was not recognized as part of the cultural and social practices (Ng, E.,1999). This misidentification has led to the apparent failure of the language acquisition and language teaching procedures. According to Collier (1995), the acquisition and learning of a second knowledge is based on socio-cultural, linguistic, academic and cognitive processes, which in turn may be different for different children. These factors are so interdependent that examining one with out the influence of the other is impossible. (Collier, 1995) The sociocultural facet of language acquisition is in many ways similar yet dissimilar to the social factors of the society. Each individual has exposure to different societal influences, and thereby may have variable exposure to a certain language (Berry and Williams, 2004). In a class room environment, these exposures can lead to increase in confidence or increase in anxiety in the language development (Tencer Garrity, T. L. 2003). While those exposed to a certain language may feel at home with their own language studies and may perform well, others may feel anxiety and may not respond to it at all. The society’s pretext and manner towards the minority also causes many effects on the individual’s performance, for discrimination and prejudice may cause negative outcomes within an individual about his or her identity. It is in this context hypothesized that the introduction of positive environments may help in achieving results sooner, and thereby improves outcomes in language acquisition. (Collier, 1995) Language learning can also lead to affective problems in learning. These affective problems include lingual affective problems and social cultural affective problems as mentioned above. The confidence levels may not be very high in such cases, and this can affect their progress in their studies.(Berry and Williams, 2004) The role of a teacher under such circumstances becomes impirical, as it is them who will help build up the confidence of the children from different social and cultural backgrounds. (Berry and Williams, 2004) Language learning therefore is the method where proper learning also requires understanding and â€Å"learning† the culture of the language. If a person is to achieve bilingual competency, he or she must be able to carry out three processes. He or she must first learn the controls of linguistic rules of both languages. He or she must be able to encompass new cognitive dimensions associated with language. Finally he or she must be able to achieve the mental functions that are necessary for language acquisition. (Haworth et al, 2006) Yet simply labeling the mental faculties and predisposition towards learning languages and not considering the conscious efforts in learning it is not possible. It is through this manner that a teacher is able to confer this knowledge to his or her students. The teacher systematically helps a child in learning new methods of vocabulary and sentence learning, and thereby helps him or her in creating the foundations of the new language (Wright, S. C., & Bougie, É., 2007). Interventions such as those mentioned above can help in creating better bilingual students who are at ease in their social and cultural environments. The teachers play an important role in helping foreign students get over their anxiety of discrimination and difficulty in fitting in to a new society (Wright, S. C., & Bougie, É., 2007). Interventions at an early stage provide better results than those that are carried out at later stages. Understanding that culture and society are important factors in the acquisition of new language can help in improving the outcomes in students. References Berry, R. S. Y., & Williams, M. (2004). In at the deep end: Difficulties experienced by Hong Kong Chinese ESL learners at an independent school in the United Kingdom. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 23(1), 118-134. Paul T Cirino, Sharolyn D Pollard-Durodola, Barbara R. Foorman, Coleen D Carlson and David J Francis, 2007. Teacher Characteristics, Class Room Instruction, and Student Literacy and Language Outcomes in Bilingual Kindergartners. The Elementary School Journal, VOl 107 No. 4, 2007 Virginia P Collier, 1995. Acquiring a Second Language for School. Directions in Language and Education. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Vol 1 No. 4 fall 1995 Haworth, P., Cullen, J., Simmons, H., Schimanski, L., McGarva, P., & Woodhead, E. (2006). The role of acquisition and learning in young children’s bilingual development: A sociocultural interpretation. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9(3), 295-309. Macrory, G. (2006). Bilingual language development: What do early years practitioners need to know? Early Years An International Journal of Research and Development, 26(2), 159-169. Pà ¡ez, M. M., Tabors, P. O., & Là ³pez, L. M. (2007). Dual language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking preschool children. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 28(2), 85-102. Pearson, B. Z. (2007). Social factors in childhood bilingualism in the United States. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28(3), 399-410. Silverman, R. D. (2007). Vocabulary development of English-language and English-only learners in kindergarten. The Elementary School Journal, 107(4), 365-383 Franquiz, M. I. (1998). The effects of bilingual education on academic achievement, language development, and self-esteem of hispanic children. US: ProQuest Information & Learning. Ng, E. (1999). The impact of heritage education on self-esteem and ethnic identity. US: ProQuest Information & Learning. Tencer Garrity, T. L. (2003). An investigation of the relationship between acculturation and academic performance, self-esteem, and ethnic identity with mexican-american children. US: ProQuest Information & Learning. Wright, S. C., & Bougie, É. (2007). Intergroup contact and minority-language education: Reducing language-based discrimination and its negative impact. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 26(2), 157-181.   

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Black Man with a Nose Job Essay

The article, Black man with a Nose job by Lawrence Otis Graham basically talks about how Mr. Graham got a nose job. The reading has plenty of controversies whether he is less black due to him narrowing his nose. This was a really interesting article because there were several critiques regarding his nose in which he described very well. This man was born into a generation were the concept of oxymoron included such things as a black man with a nose job. The reading starts on were Graham and his father are in the car driving to his doctor. During the way over there he faces with several people who are really concerned about him. Moving on from this, graham thinks about how his father would take it. As they arrived to the plastic surgeon he starts to see catalogs and magazines to what nose he would like to have. As he chooses the doctor gives his opinion to him whether it will look good or not. Once he was in the Manhattan’s upper west side to have his rhinoplasty done, Graham stopped and thought that having this done it was an assault to his identity and people. Growing up in a white neighborhood were all of them would get a cosmetic surgery Graham says, it was done to look better in his situation these alterations were made due to issues of ethnicity and heritage. As said in the book he never compared to a white man but surely he did with his own people. Overall, this article is really interesting because it has plenty of other topics such as on how other people of different races as well have done a surgery and have not seem to be different from their own people. As mentioned in the book one’s racial identity is not embodied in one’s nose. This means that it shouldn’t be a problem because you are the same person who grew up in that race. The article mentioned self hatred of being an accusation done for anyone who has done a surgery. This is really hard to explain but in my opinion self hatred in general can be a problem for people who have a low self-esteem about themselves. If you were born with several, in my opinion people shouldn’t change it. People should be happy and appreciate were they come from. These issues will never change because we are in a world where the media really portrays many things for looking better. Everyone will always want to have what other people have but just as the article says it will not make you less of which ever ethnicity you come from.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Public Policy Analyzing

Public Policy Analyzing Introduction Sometimes, understanding public policy and its effect on the people becomes challenging. Often, many people seem to complain about the impacts of the policy document without actually understanding its provisions. This makes it difficult for them to have an overview of the implications of the policy.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Public Policy Analyzing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, this research paper focuses on the importance of policy analysis, during its development and implementation stages. It also discusses the social impact of policies and the limitations on government power. The Importance of Public Policy Analysis During the development and implementation stages of public policy, it is of great importance for the people to analyze the public policy paper properly, so that their input might be reflected in the final draft (Hardee et al., 2004). Notably, analyzing the prov isions of the policy to be implemented would help the public policy makers include some important contributions, which the policy experts might have left out erroneously. It also enables the public to criticize certain provisions, which they believe might have adverse effects on their well-being. Often, open participation in scrutinizing the content of a public policy makes it generally accepted by the people. This makes them understand the basic intention that the planners wanted the policy to achieve (Dye, 2010). It is basic and primarily important for the people to raise concern on the provisions, which need amendments before the document is signed to become a law. This is important because the public experience is tapped and incorporated during the process of public policy making and implementation (Hardee et al., 2004). In addition, it helps the government and the policy makers avoid future problems, which might arise during implementation. The Social Impacts of Policies Social ly, the public policies lead to fairness, equity, justice, and consistency. On the fairness, the public policy that is generally accepted has provisions that are fair to all the people affected by its application. In addition, it guarantees equitable access to the resources without any barrier since it reflects the people’s wishes.Advertising Looking for research paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Concerning justice, it is significant since the public policy that pledges social justice would improve the social integration of the people, regardless of the person’s class (Dye, 2010). Finally, the public policy that is consistent with the societal needs and addresses the ethnic and racial balance would create an opportunity for social growth and development of the people. When the public policy focuses on other social amenities such as recreational facilities and cultural pract ices among the diverse groups of people, it would encourage and enhance the level of interaction and cultural identity respectively (Hardee et al., 2004). As a result, it reduces the chances of community tension and subsequent conflicts among the different people and cultures, thereby promoting peace and integration. There are chances that the public policy might eradicate discrimination of the people, based on one’s social status (Dye, 2010). This could be achieved through the recognition of the person’s ability and contribution to the societal development. Apparently, this might act as a motivation to the person to continue with his/her development effort, for the good of the society. The other social impact of the public policy is that it recognizes the historical developments of the society, thereby encourages most of the efforts, which the inhabitants make to improve their living standards (Smith, 2003). This results in the overall growth of the socio-cultural pra ctices and attributes of the people. This is possible because the policy provides the opportunity for all citizens to have a voice on matters relating to economic and social welfare (Dye, 2010). Notably, the society can only grow and become credible if the public policies encourage the public goods, not the private goods. The Limitations of the Policies on the Government Power There are various limitations that the public policies have on government power. For example, the provisions of the policy bind all the authorities in the country. Therefore, it would bar the government from taking intentional actions, which contravene the law (Hardee et al., 2004). The implication is that, it limits the government’s ability to exercise authority over the people. Sometimes, implementing the provisions of the public policy might need huge financial input that the government may not provide. Consequently, it forces the government to seek for domestic and external sources of funding, thus raising the amount of its domestic or foreign debt (Smith, 2003).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Public Policy Analyzing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This might interfere with the country’s financial stability. In such a situation, the government may be forced to develop good public policy by reviewing the provisions and recommending for some possible adjustments, which would not incapacitate its operations. The other limitation is that the public policy does not foster social integration, and this might lead to internal conflicts, which destabilize the government operations (Dye, 2010). Notably, the increased insecurity would raise government expenditure for restoring peace, thereby paralyzing other important domestic operations. Conclusion In summary, there is need for the people to analyze the public policy during its development and implementation stages, because the policies have social imp acts and the limitations on the government power. The people’s participation in the process of formulating a policy makes the outcome generally acceptable. References Dye, T. R. (2010). Understanding Public Policy (13th Ed.). Longman: Pearson Prentice Hall. Hardee, K., et al., (2004). The Policy Cycle. Journal of Policy Working Paper Series, 11, 7-34. Smith, B. L. (2003). Public Policy and Public Participation: Engaging Citizens and Community in the Development of Public Policy. New York, NY: Routledge.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The 14 Best Information Technology Schools

The 14 Best Information Technology Schools SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Information technology is a growing field, with more and more students looking to major in IT or a related subject. If you’re thinking of an IT major or maybe even a master’s degree, it’s vital that you know what the best information technology schools are. In this guide, we explain what an information technology school is and what kinds of jobs you can get with a degree in IT before presenting the14 top information technology schools, including the best online schools for information technology. We’ll then wrap up with some tips on how to find the best information technology school for you. What Are Information Technology Schools? Information technology, or IT, schools are any institutions that offer majors in IT and/or IT-related topics such as informatics, information systems, networking and cybersecurity, computer science, etc. One thing tobe aware of is how IT differs from computer science, though the two are similar. The gist of it is this: whereas computer sciencefocuses on the creation and theories behind computer applications and programs, IT is about using computer programs to send, retrieve, and store information for businesses.For more details, check outRasmussen College’s handy infographic, whichgives a comprehensive overview of thedifferences between the two fields. While some colleges offer an actual information technology major, others offer majors in topics that fall under the umbrella of IT as a whole. Indeed, IT covers a wide range of computer- and technology-related topics: Computer forensics Computer networking and telecommunications Computer programming Computer science Database administration Database management Game design Information science Information technology management Management information systems Network engineering Network management Software engineering System administration Video game programming Web development Information technology schools typically offer an array of IT degrees, most often Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS) degrees, though occasionally some will offer associate degrees and PhDs in IT as well. What Kinds of Jobs Can You Get With an IT Degree? IT degrees are generally quite flexible and can prepare you fornumerous careers in fields such as technology, business management, networking, website development, etc. Here are some common positions people with IT degrees hold: Cloud architect Computer and information research scientist Computer forensic analyst Computer network architect Computer support specialist Cybersecurity consultant Database administrator Information security analyst IT consultant Mobile application developer Network engineer Web developer Below are some sampleIT jobs; each job includes information about the degree typically needed, its median annual salary, and its employment growth rate for 2016-2026. All data is from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and jobs are listed in order of highest median salary to lowest. Note that the average employment growth rate for 2016-2026 is 7%, so any percentage above this means that the job is growing faster than average. Job Title Minimum Degree Required Median Annual Salary (2018) Job Outlook (2016-2026) Computer and information systems managers Bachelor’s degree $142,530 12% Computer and information research scientists Master’s degree $118,370 19% Computer network architects Bachelor’s degree $109,020 6% Software developers Bachelor’s degree $105,590 24% Information security analysts Bachelor’s degree $98,350 28% Database administrators Bachelor’s degree $90,070 11% Computer systems analysts Bachelor’s degree $88,740 9% Computer programmers Bachelor’s degree $84,280 -7% Network and computer systems administrators Bachelor’s degree $82,050 6% Web developers Associate degree $69,430 15% Computer support specialists Associate or bachelor’s degree $53,470 11% As the chart indicates, in general, the higher your degree, the higher your salary will likely be. You can also see that the vast majority of IT-related jobs are experiencing growth, which means it should be somewhat easier for you to get a job in the field in the coming years (nice!). Now that we’ve covered what information technology schools are and what jobs you can get with an IT degree, let’s take a look at the best information technology schools and how we determined which ones were worth including on our list. Top Information Technology Schools: Ranking Methodology To come up with our list below of the best information technology schools, we took into consideration six main factors: The school’s overall ranking by US News The IT program’s ranking by Niche The IT program’s ranking by College Choice Thebreadth of IT majors, degrees, and classes offered (including whetherthere are online options) Class size (the smaller the class, the higher the school ranked) Acceptance rate (the lower the rate, the higher the school ranked) Each school was assigned points based on how they met these criteria. The higher the score, the higher that school ranked on our list of the best information technology schools. The 14 Top Information Technology Schools Without further delay, here are the 14 best information technology schools for those seeking an undergraduate, graduate, or online degree in IT. Cornell University #1: Cornell University- Ithaca, NY A top-ranked national research university and prestigious Ivy League member, Cornell is home to one of the best information technology programs. Three IT bachelor’s degree programs are available, each at a different college: BA in Information Science (College of Arts and Sciences) BS in Information Science (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) BS in Information Systems and Technology (College of Engineering) There are also two graduate programs in IT: Master of Professional Studies in Information Science PhD in Information Science Students benefit from small class sizes, the opportunity to conduct independent research under the supervision of renowned faculty, and an array ofIT-geared student organizations, including the Information Science Student Association and Women in Computing at Cornell. Finally, Cornell offersa handful ofonline professional certificate programs in IT-related fields, such as website design and digital leadership. #2: New York University- New York, NY NYU isan excellent choice for pursuing an education in IT and related fields at the undergraduate and graduate levels. IT majors at this highly ranked private institution include the following: BS in Information Systems Management BS in Applied Data Analytics and Visualization BS in Computer Science Students learn in small class environments and take a diverse breadth of classes, from math and economics to networking and database design. Many IT graduate programs are also available at NYU, including the following (some of which have an online option): MS in Information Systems MS in Computer Science MS in Computing, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation MS in Management of Technology (on-campus or online) MS in Cybersecurity (on-campus or online) PhD in Information Systems NYU is ranked #2 by US News and #3 by College Choice for its online graduate program in IT. #3: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute- Troy, NY A renowned technological research university and ranked the #1 information technology school by College Choice, RPI takes a unique interdisciplinary approach to the field of IT. At RPI’s School of Science, undergraduates have the option to earn a BS in Information Technology and Web Science, whereas graduate-level programs include the MS in Information Technology and the PhD in Multidisciplinary Science (with an IT track). In both thebachelor's and master'sIT programs,students can choose an area of specialization from a list of more than 20 concentrations, which include the following: Arts Medicine Psychology Law Communication Finance Economics Data Science Information Security Students in these programs learn about security/privacy issues, the ethical and legal impacts of technology, and how to communicate effectively with technology. Jared L. Cohon University Center at Carnegie Mellon (Dllu/Wikimedia Commons) #4: Carnegie Mellon University- Pittsburgh, PA World-renowned for its interdisciplinary research, CMU is currentlyranked #1 by Niche for best information technology schools, thoughits key strengths are more geared toward graduate students than they are undergraduates. CMUhas also been ranked #1 by US Newson both itsbest computer science graduate schools listand its best IT management graduate programs list. Undergraduates can pursue aBS in Information Systems or a BS in Computer Science. In the IS major, students must choose from one of 12 content areas, which include the following: Game Design Design for Learning Quantitative Analysis Business/Enterprise Systems Computing and Information Systems Technology Animation and Special Effects At CMU’s Heinz College graduate school, students have several IT grad programs to choose from, and some of these are available entirely online (noted below): Master of Information Systems Management MS in Information Security Policy and Management MS in Information Technology Management (online) MS in Information Security and Assurance (online) #5: Lehigh University- Bethlehem, PA A highly competitive, premier research university and home to more than 7,000 students, Lehigh offers several rigorous programs in information systems and technology. At Lehigh’s College of Business and Economics, students can enter theBS in Business Information Systems program,which requires them to take courses on management information systems and business data management. Students can also take classes onrisk management, cloud computing, and software ventures. Additionally, Lehigh offersaBA in Science, Technology, and Societythrough its College of Arts and Sciences. This program focuses on the social aspect of technological innovation and scientific research.(Note that this program is currently not accepting new majors or minors.) If you’re interested in the educational application of technology, Lehigh has an MS in Instructional Technology as well as a PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Technology. #6: Brigham Young University- Provo, UT Those looking to study IT in a more traditional and openly Christian environment will enjoy BYU’s top-notch ITprogram, which helped the school nab the #2 Niche ranking for best information technology schools. At BYU, students can choose between two IT-related majors: a BS in Information Technology and a BS in Cybersecurity (which was recently approved in 2018). Six areas of concentration are available for both majors: User Experience Design (UXD) Mobile and Web Development System and Network Administration Internet of Things (IOT) Penetration Testing Digital Forensics IT students must complete a year-long capstone project, which involves meeting the technical needs of a client who sponsors the project. Elective topicsinclude cyber-physical systems, digital forensics, database administration, and web technologies. In addition to undergraduate IT programs, BYU offers anMS in Technology with an emphasis in information technology. Purdue University #7: Purdue University- West Lafayette, IN A top-20 computer science school and home for more than 30,000 undergrads, Purdue is a great choice for those wanting to study information technology and related fields. At Purdue's Polytechnic Institute, students have many options for information technology majors in the Computer and Information Technology Program: Computer and Information Technology Cybersecurity Network Engineering Technology Systems Analysis and Design The program boasts a job placement rate for graduates of 92.5% as well as a starting salary of $65,386.IT majors are extremely flexible and offer the option for interdisciplinary learning. Furthermore, Purdue offersanMS in Computer and Information Technologywithspecializations ranging from bioinformatics to cyber learning to information security. Some master's programs in IT are even available online,such as the MS in Information Technology Project Management and the MS in Information Technology Business Analysis. #8: University of Washington- Seattle, WA One of the top public research universities in the US, UW is currently ranked #3 by US News for its information systems program, making it a great option for IT students. At the Seattle campus, students can earn a BS in Informatics (which is similar to IT and draws upon various fields, including computer science, sociology, design, psychology, and information science). Several areas of concentration are available in the Informatics major, includingdata science, cybersecurity, human-computer interaction, and so on. In addition, there aresix core areas of the Informatics major curriculum: Data Development Design Discovery Ethics Organizations Students in this program must take courses on research methods, databases and data modeling, and design methods, in addition to completing a capstone project. Undergraduates at UW also have the option toget a BA in Business Administration via the Foster School of Business where they canincorporate into their majorthe study of information systems and operations management. Lastly, UW offers highly ranked master’s and doctoral programs in information systems. #9: Illinois Institute of Technology- Chicago, IL Illinois Tech is a small, private institutionmainly known for its impressive range of engineering and tech programs, including a top Information Technology and Management Program. In total, 11 career-oriented specializations areavailableinthis program: Cyber, System and Network Security, and Forensics Data Management and Analytics Digital Systems Technology and Embedded Systems IT Entrepreneurship and Management Management Information Systems Networking, Information, and Communications Technology Software Development System Administration Systems Analysis Web Design and Application Development General Course of Study (for undecided students) Many of these courses of study are available as bachelor's degrees, graduate degrees, and certificates.As part of the IT program here, students work with faculty on cutting-edge projects, examples of which can be viewed on the official website. Moreover,Illinois Tech hasseveral online information technology and management courses (both undergraduate and graduate). Lomb Memorial Drive at RIT (atlexplorer/Wikimedia Commons) #10: Rochester Institute of Technology- Rochester, NY A pioneer in computer science and technological education, RIT is a reputable private institution based in New York. At RIT's B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, students have several options for IT degrees, including the following: AS/AAS/AOS in Applied Computer Technology BS in Computer Science BS in Computer and Information Technologies BS in Computing Security BS in Web and Mobile Computing As part of RIT’s value of experiential learning, most of these IT programs have a cooperative education component, in which students get paid to work full-time in technological corporate settings. RIT also has several graduate degrees available in IT, from an MS in Computing Security to a PhD in Computing and Information Sciences. Finally, many IT courses are available onlinethrough RIT's online learning platform, allowing students to have a degree of flexibility in their schedules. #11: Pennsylvania State University- University Park, PA Founded in 1855, Penn State is a highly ranked public university with arenowned information technology program and- perhaps most impressive- tons of online options for studying IT. Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology offers manyIT degrees: AS in Information Sciences and Technology BS in Information Sciences and Technology BS in Security and Risk Analysis BS in Data Sciences BS in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations Youcan also earn a BS and MS in IT (or related fields) at the same timethrough Penn State's Integrated Undergraduate Graduate program. Here are the possible degree combinations: BS/MS in Information Sciences and Technology BS in Security and Risk Analysis/MS in Information Sciences and Technology BS in Security and Risk Analysis/MIA in International Affairs As I mentioned above, Penn State offersa superb array of onlineoptions for IT studies, from certificates to undergraduate and graduate degrees, in majors such as information systems and cybersecurity. Penn State isranked #7 by US News and #5 by College Choice for its online graduate IT program. #12: Florida State University- Tallahassee, FL FSU is a renowned public institution known forhaving a strong IT program. At FSU's School of Information, students can get a bachelor’s degree in information technology or information, communication, and technology. Whereas the former degree program focuses more on project management, networking, security, and informatics, the latter program is geared more toward social networking, PR, and promotion. Courses teach a wide range of skills, including website and graphic design, information literacy, technical communication, and applications development. FSU also offers a graduate program: an MS in Information Technology. In terms of online IT options, undergrads who have already completed at least 60 semester hours of credit can take classes online at FSUto earn a BA or BS in Computer Science. There are alsoseveral graduate degree programs in IT available online, including the MS in Information Technology and the MS in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies. These programs are top-quality: FSU is ranked #14 by US News for its online graduate IT program. Eberhardt Hall at NJIT #13: New Jersey Institute of Technology- Newark, NJ A top-50 public university, NJIT is a premier technological university with lots of options for those who wish to study IT at the undergraduate or graduate level.AvailableIT and related degrees include the following: BS in Information Technology BA in Information Systems BS in Business and Information Systems BS in Human-Computer Interaction BS in Web Information Systems BS in Computer Science BS in Computing and Business MS in Cybersecurity and Privacy MS in Computing and Business MS in Computer Science PhD in Computer Science The BS in Information Technology is one of NJIT's most flexible majors, allowing students to choose a concentration from a number of potential specializations: Criminal Justice and Law Management Information Systems Game Development Multimedia Network and Information Security Web Applications Class offerings in this IT program include Introduction to Network Technology, Information Design Techniques, Internet and Applications, and Technical Writing, as well as a capstone project that must be completed in the fourth year of study. Foraspiring grad students, NJIT offerssomeonline master’s degrees and graduate certificate programs,includingan MS in IT Administration and Security, an MS in Information Systems, and a graduate certificate in IT Administration. #14: DePaul University- Chicago, IL A private institution based in Chicago, DePaul is well known for its incorporation of experiential learning into its academic programs, including its IT program. The College of Computing and Digital Media- where IT majors are housed at DePaul- is located in the heart of Chicago, offering students numerous opportunities to work alongside tech companies and apply their skills to real-world situations. Students can earn the following IT-related undergraduate degrees at DePaul: BS in Information Technology BS in Information Systems BS in Cybersecurity BS in Computer Science BS/BA in Data Science BS in Management Information Systems BS in Network Engineering and Security BS in User Experience Design For the bachelor’s programs in IT and computer science, an online option is available for the final two years of the programs,letting students finish up their degrees entirely online. In addition, DePaul offers several graduate degrees in IT,including the MS in Business Information Technology, the MS in Cybersecurity, and the MS in Information Systems, all of which are available in online formats as well. Honorable Mention: ECPI University- Multiple Locations Lastly, I’d like to bring some attention to ECPI, a private, for-profit institution based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Although we don't normally recommend for-profit schools (which are notoriousfor churning out graduates with useless credentials and a ton of debt),ECPI's slightly better reputation compared with that of other for-profit institutions and itsgreat varietyof online information technology programs make it a solid optionto consider forstudying IT. Here is an overview of ECPI’s IT degree programs, available through its College of Technology: BS in Computer and Information Science, withconcentrations in the following: Cloud Computing Cybersecurity Cyber and Network Security Data Analytics Mobile Development Software Development Web Design and Development MS in Cybersecurity MS in Information Systems Many of these programs are available in multiple ECPI locations throughout Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as online. Online bachelor’s degree programs at ECPI can be completed in as little as 2.5 years, saving you both money and time on your degree. Choosing the Right IT School for You: 4 Factors With so many people now looking to get a degree in IT, it’s important to know how to find the best information technology school for youbased on what you’re hoping to gain out of a program. Here are four questions to ask yourself before you apply to an IT school. #1: Does It Offer the Specific Topic You Want to Study? Information technology is a broad field, with an array of potential concentrations and career paths. As a result, you'll need to ensure that the information technology schools you are applying to offer exactly what you’re interested in studying. For example, if you really want to learn more about cybersecurity, it’ll be a good idea to apply to information technology schools that offer an IT major incybersecurity or a closely related topic, such as BYU, Purdue, or UW. This way, you can rest assured that you’ll be focusing on the topics and skills you actually want to study and will (most likely) use in your future career. If you’re not sure what concentration to choose- maybe you’re just interested in IT as a whole- consider looking at information technology schools that offer a lot of flexibility in concentrations and course options so you can take your timeexploring and developing a rich foundation. #2: Do You Like the Location? Location is a big factor when choosing an information technology school because so many degree programs require students to doa capstone project or internship with areal business in the area.This is why most students will likely consider larger cities, such as New York City and Chicago, better locations for IT degrees than suburban or rural areas. Nevertheless, if you’re not the city type and prefer to live outside metropolises, then perhaps an IT school located in a smaller city or town would be a better fit. If possible, try to visit the campuses of the ITschools you’re considering attending so you can get a better feel for their respective environments and what kind of atmosphere might suit you. This tip applies to those considering online IT programs, too. Whether you have a job or don’t want to move to a new location, it’ll probably be best for you to apply only to local and online schools for information technology. #3: Can You Afford the Program? No matter what you major in, cost pretty much always plays a big role in deciding whether or not you’ll attend aparticularcollege. As you probably assumed, not all information technology schools are created equal in terms of cost. In general, you’ll spend less on online programs and public, in-state schools than you will on private, out-of-state schools. The following chart offersan overview of the typical costs for an IT bachelor’s degree at the top information technology schools above (ordered from most to least expensive): IT School Location Private or Public? Avg. Annual Cost (Tuition + Fees) Carnegie Mellon Pennsylvania Private $57,119 RPI New York Private $55,375 Cornell New York Private $55,188 Lehigh Pennsylvania Private $52,930 NYU New York Private $51,828 Illinois Tech Illinois Private $47,296 RIT New York Private $44,130 DePaul Illinois Private $39,975 UW Seattle Washington Public $36,898 (out-of-state)$11,517 (in-state) Penn State Pennsylvania Public $34,858 (out-of-state)$18,454 (in-state) NJIT New Jersey Public $32,750 (out-of-state)$17,338 (in-state) Purdue Indiana Public $28,794 (out-of-state)$9,992 (in-state) Florida State Florida Public $21,683 (out-of-state)$6,516 (in-state) ECPI Virginia Private, for-profit $16,764 (on-campus) BYU Utah Private $11,580 (non-LDS)$5,790 (LDS members) If you’re set on attending a more expensive information technology school, then I advise you to make every effort you can to win some scholarship money.Readour expert guides to learn about the best scholarships for high school seniors and 12 full-ride scholarships you could win. It's important to consider tuition costs before committing to a college. #4: How Competitive Is the School? The last factor tothink about is how selective an information technology schoolis. Someuniversities, such as Cornell and Carnegie Mellon, have prettylow acceptance rates (13% and 22%, respectively), so even if the IT program ata particular school is exactly what you want, there's a strongchance you won’t get in, especially if your GPAand SAT/ACT scores aren’t up to par. The takeaway? Make sure you’re applying to a breadth of IT schools that includes both some reach schools andsafety schools. Recap: The Best Information Technology Schools Information technology is a burgeoning technological field that’s drawing more and more students each year. For this article, we have defined information technology schools as schools that offer IT and/or related majors, such as computer science, information systems, informatics, etc. Most IT degrees offered at schools are bachelor's and master's degrees, though some schools offer associate degrees, certificates, and PhDs, too. There are many jobs available to those withan IT degree; popular fields include consulting, networking, security, and database administration. For our ranking list of the top information technology schools, including the best online schools for information technology, we looked primarily at six factors: The school’s overall US News ranking The IT program’s ranking by Niche The IT program’s ranking by College Choice The variety of IT majors, degrees, and class options offered Class size Acceptance rate Once again, here are the 14 best information technology schools, per our rankings: Cornell NYU RPI Carnegie Mellon Lehigh BYU Purdue UW Seattle Illinois Tech RIT Penn State Florida State NJIT DePaul Honorable Mention: ECPI University When it comes to choosing the best information technology school for you, be sure to consider the following four factors: What kinds of IT programs and concentrations the school offers Where the school is located How much tuition and fees will cost for the school How competitive the school is Asking yourself these questions should give you a clearer idea of which information technology schoolwill ultimately help you achieve your dreams. What’s Next? Maybe the concentration in IT you want to study is graphic design.If so, you'll get lots of help with our rankings of the best graphic design schools in the US. Not that into technology and more interested in the arts? Then perhaps you'll want to take a look at our picks for the best performing arts schools and the best creative writing programs. Need help making your college application the absolute best it can be? Get expert tips with our guides to writing a college essay and scoring high on the SAT.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow

Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow Idioms Referring to Colors of the Rainbow By Mark Nichol The six colors of the spectrum have contributed significantly to expressions and turns of phrase that are themselves often quite colorful. Here’s a sampling of idioms employing the words for colors. Red Because of the association of the color red with danger and deficits, most idioms that include the word red for example, â€Å"in the red† (meaning â€Å"in debt†) â€Å"red tape† (referring to bureaucratic complications), and â€Å"seeing red† (being so angry that one’s vision is blurred) have negative associations. However, they overshadow a few positive ones: â€Å"paint the town red† (enjoying oneself dining and drinking), â€Å"red-letter day† (an occasion for celebration), and â€Å"red-carpet treatment† or â€Å"roll out the red carpet† (referring to paying special attention to someone, based on the color of carpeting usually seen at the entrance to a gala event for celebrities or VIPs). A red herring is a deliberate diversion, a red-eye flight is a late-night airplane trip (from the bloodshot eyes of tired passengers), and to have a red face or to go beet red is to be embarrassed. Orange Among the colors of the rainbow, orange is curiously absent from idiomatic usage. Although it is a bright, cheerful color often found in nature, the only common expression that uses the word orange employs the plural form referring to the fruit of that name â€Å"apples and oranges,† meaning â€Å"unrelated subjects or issues,† to emphasize irrelevance. Yellow The few idioms incorporating the word yellow have negative connotations. To have a yellow belly or a yellow streak down one’s back (the reason for the choice of locations is obscure) is to be a coward, and yellow journalism, based on an early comic strip character named the Yellow Kid, is that which is sensational and/or biased. Green The phrases â€Å"green-eyed monster,† an epithet for jealousy, and â€Å"green with envy† are perhaps based on the idea that one’s complexion turns a sickly hue when feeling these emotions; similarly, to say that someone looks green (or is green around the gills) means that they appear to be sick. But green also has positive connotations: To give someone the green light, based on the universal traffic-signal color to indicate â€Å"Go,† is to approve a proposal. If you have a green thumb (or, in British English, green fingers), you are adept in gardening probably because successful gardeners are apparent from the green pigmentation that rubs off from healthy plants to their hands as they handle the vegetation. Because US paper currency is green, in American English, the color is associated with money and wealth. Blue Because it is the color of the sky, blue is associated with idioms such as â€Å"out of the blue,† â€Å"like a bolt from the blue,† and â€Å"out of a clear blue sky† that refer to a person, thing, or idea that arrives as if from nowhere. (â€Å"Into the wild blue yonder,† meanwhile, refers to a venture into unknown territory.) â€Å"Blue collar† connotes people who work at a trade or as laborers, because such workers at one time commonly wore durable shirts made of blue cotton (as opposed to â€Å"white collar,† referring to dress shirts worn by professionals and office workers, and â€Å"pink collar,† a later, now frowned-on, reference to women in clerical positions, so labeled because men rarely wore pink.) Two idioms generally negative in sense include blue-blooded, meaning â€Å"aristocratic,† probably because during the era in which the term was coined, nobility tended not to spend time in the sun and their veins showed blue under their pale skin, and â€Å"blue-eyed boy,† referring to a favored protà ©gà ©; this phrase likely stems from the fact that fair-skinned and fair-haired people, who at one time had a social advantage over their swarthier counterparts, are likely to have blue eyes. Other negative idioms include the use of blue to refer to a sad or bleak mood, as well as â€Å"black and blue,† meaning â€Å"bruised,† from the color of bruised skin, and â€Å"blue in the face,† referring to someone trying (in vain) to persuade another until, from lack of breath, they attain this state. Purple or Violet Purple, also called violet, like its color-spectrum counterpart yellow, has little representation in idiomatic language: Purple prose is that which is overwrought or overly complicated, and a shrinking violet is a shy person, though the usage is usually employed in such phrases as â€Å"not a shrinking violet† to refer to someone who is anything but shy. The color purple, because materials for dying fabric in that color were rare and therefore expensive, was reserved for royalty or the wealthy in western cultures and still has an association with nobility. This association resulted in another idiom, â€Å"born to the purple,† meaning â€Å"someone born to royalty during their reign† and, by extension, referring to children of prominent people. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesHomonyms, Homophones, Homographs and HeteronymsThe Difference Between e.g. and i.e.?

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Political Science and Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Science and Social Media - Essay Example This paper aims to understand the role of social media in projecting politics in the society and how social media can help in the field of political science to understand the political activities. The subjects such as politics have always been institutions for which a person needed to have an intellect to actually talk about. In other words, it could be said that political discussion did not interest youth in earlier decades. It was mainly because politics were never done on a ground level where socialization of people was to take on its toll. In addition, it has always been noted that the political campaigns and stigma was not discussed and free. With the advent of social media network through the web 2.0, it has become obvious that common people are even potential to change the way people percept about the political issue (Amerland). Social media networking has been used as a tool by many politicians to gain publicity. It will not be incorrect to state that most of the contemporary movements have been passed with the help of social media networking. As noted by the authors, the winning campaign of Barack Obama and the driving rights for women in Arab were basically become voice of common men with the help of social media network (Harfoush). Taking the case of Barack Obama where he used a couple of groups on Facebook to interact with youth so that he could actually tell them about the changes that he can bring. This needed questioning back by the youth. It should be noted that social media network is a two way communication where the update on status and a thread of messages by twitting, it became obvious that leaders like Barack Obama were real and can answer all the questions of common men. This makes it quiet easier to understand that politics becomes easier when leaders are communication with the common men. After

Friday, October 18, 2019

Perception of Soviet Russia in Hollywood Films Essay

Perception of Soviet Russia in Hollywood Films - Essay Example During the time of Ninotchka (1939), this American sentiment was anti-Soviet, but first this film depicted the union of "the spirit of Marxist ideas" (Rogin 269) with the spirit of a business enterprise - clearly, a parody of "the conversion of the former to the latter" (Rogin 369). It was in the same year, 1939, that the USSR "signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact in August 1939 and divided Poland with Germany" (Dunn 459). Ninotchka is an epitome of an anti-Soviet film. Like any other such film, "Every Russian- whether peasant or nobility- is caricatured as villain incarnate and the whole nation is represented as a threat to mankind, nineteenth-century style" (Fyne 194). Understandably, American sentiments toward the Soviet Union at the time of these anti-Soviet films are a degradation of communism as symbolized, at that time, by none other than the USSR. According to Fyne, Ninotchka was an "strong indictment about a regime that most Americans, sitting comfortably in their capitalist living rooms and reading about mass executions, feared and mistrusted" (200). In 1943, that sentiment changed drastically. It must be noted that this time was after Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor, "the U.S. and the Soviet Union were now brothers-in-arms" (Fyne 200), hence this new alliance "had to be solidified on the screen" (Fyne 200).

Statistics Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistics Assignment - Essay Example According to Gore and Altman (1992), Chi-square test is used in situations where the data table has two or more rows and columns and where there is no cell with less than 5 as a value. In this case, Chi-square tests can be performed since the table obeys the two conditions. If otherwise, the Chi-square exact goodness of fit test is used since it takes care of cells with less than value 2. In case of less than two rows, then independent t-test will be used. The ANOVA test compares the variations due to regression (SSR) and un-explained variation (SSE). Further, the analysis computes the F statistics (F computed) using the formula; F = MSE/MSR and compares it with the F tabulated value; qf(.95,1,198) = 3.89 and then compares the two values. According to Gore and Altman (1992), the regression model is significant if F (computed) > F (tabulated). The analyzed data further assures that there is no significant difference between the two groups with F =1.929 (p=.166; p>.05). This is so because, F (computed) = 1.926 .05 we reject the null hypothesis that the impact of the two groups is statistically significant at 95% level of significance. The two groups explain about 4.805 (sum of squares due to regression) of the variations in back pain improvements. The difference between participating in group discussions and group exercises is about 4.805 regression sum of square with. The un-explained variation (residual sums of squares) is about 493.995. Statistically, the interaction between certain factors may have a negative impact on the data being modelled. Considering each factor alone is encouraged to avoid the negative effects of interactions. Adjusting for extra factors changes the outcome results. For example, in this analysis, fully adjusting the explanatory variables results into a different p-value although statistically significant. The interaction between age, race and sex adjusted and

Effects of Technology in Administrative Office Systems Essay

Effects of Technology in Administrative Office Systems - Essay Example Technology has been a source of ease and comfort for man but along with innumerable advantages, it has bought with it certain drawbacks as well. Excessive dependence upon technology and its practically implemented turnaround such as Smartphone, the Internet and tablet PCs has shown signs of certain disadvantages that may have long-lasting effects if not addressed timely. Since connectivity to the internet is not an issue anymore it is possible to access both personal and office related work via the internet just about any time during the day. All one needs to do is to log into the internet and begin to access your work while even sitting at your home.For some people this may seem like a precious facility but the fact is that excessive usage of this facility is leading to personality disorders among individuals. Writing in the New York Times author Tara Parker-Pope maintains that," Typically, the concern about our dependence on technology is that it detracts from our time with family and friends in the real world. ... It may be that the immediacy of the Internet, the efficiency of the iPhone ..."It is vital to state here that though it is important to make use of technology throughout the day this usage should be constrained and should not affect the personal responsibilities of an individual. Tara Parker-Pope also emphasizes in her article that excessive dependence upon technology emerges like a disease that needs to be treated just like any other psychological disorder. Not only does this dependence make a person negligent of his responsibilities towards himself and his family he may even turn out to become beholders of virtual personalities which are entirely different from their own individual existence. This war of an individual with his own self is mainly overcome by the virtual self leading to devastating effects in the days to come. While technology has begun to have adverse affects upon the personalities of individuals, the core advantages that it has bought to the human society greatly outweigh drawbacks associated with it. Administrative Offices have many organizational and managerial tasks at hand. It is imperative that their details be discussed in order to narrate the changes that would be bought with the fusion of technology in them. For a conventional office system administrative tasks may merely be as simple as the maintenance of records of the employees working for an organization and the maintenance and generation of their payroll, regularly, on a monthly basis to the strategic tasks as those involving major business decision making. A number of tasks that may be assisted greatly by the infusion of technology are: Recording and Managing of Organizational data. Maintenance of records of purchases, products and merchandise. Business related human interactions. Accounting. Communications in business. Organization in business. Correspondence and Collaboration. Strategic Decision Making. Managing of administrative knowledge, in a knowledgeable manner is the key to betterment in the implementation of these processes. Shannak (2010) researched the effect of managing knowledge upon administrative decision making and quotes the following as part of his research, "Knowledge Management is a technique that seeks to improve the performance of individuals and organizations by making use of the present and future value of knowledge assets. It is presumed that the performance will be improved by

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Buncefield Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Buncefield Disaster - Essay Example Disasters are major accidents which take place on a large scale in specific areas. However it is not necessary that the whole areas are affected by these large scale disasters. Such a disaster which would be described in this report would be a mass disaster which took place on the 11th of December 2005. The disaster famously known as the Buncefield disaster took place because of an overfilled storage tank at the Buncefield Oil Depot located close to Hemel Hempstead, Herfordshire UK. The disaster was so huge that it expanded and took over other 20 storage tanks and the fire further spread. The horrible incident resulted in the combustion of that area for several days (Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board, 2006). The oil depot that was destroyed in that incident was one of the largest distribution terminals employed to store refined oil, petrol, aviation turbine fuel, diesel and other kerosene supplies. The explosion that started in the early morning of 11th December, 2005 resulted in the explosion of the large stocks of these refined products. The explosion was further fortified by petrol, diesel, gas and other products. The intensity of the disaster remained firm for 3-4 days. The last major combustions were stubbed out on Wednesday 14th December. However, the fire was not completely extinguished until 15th December. The explosion was so intense that the blast was heard up to about 200 miles (320 km) away. The devastating blast affected the nearby area including commercial buildings and the industrial area. The working week directed towards a great loss of many workers who were supposed to be residing there. 43 people were harmed; however, luckily no serious injuries or deaths were recorde d. The spectators and crews found this incident much destructive and confirmed that it is possibly the largest incident of this sort in peacetime Europe.

Biophysical Aspects of Pharmacology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biophysical Aspects of Pharmacology - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the physician may prefer to insert a gastroscope to promote safety in the delivery of food and medications for patients who developed increased difficulty of swallowing. With the insertion of the tube, an assessment must be carefully performed to ensure the correct placement of the tube and prevent accidental dislodgment. Specifically, placement of the tube can be checked by listening to a gurgling sound over the epigastric region of the abdomen while injecting a small amount of air into the tube. In addition, it might also be useful to aspirate a small amount of stomach content and test for pH. An acidic pH provides accurate information that the tube is in the stomach. Furthermore, abnormal breathing patterns suggest that the tube has been dislodged and is possibly blocking the airway. While the presence of any foreign material can be very uncomfortable, the tube should remain in place unless the physician orders fo r its removal. Lastly, the assessment of drug allergies and adverse reactions remains an important part of management. Practically, the healthcare professionals should take the subjective data from the patient as truth aside from considering the objective signs manifested by the patient. Thus, the patient really is experiencing pain at the moment. The patient’s report of pain should be the primary data to assess pain. This data would be further validated using an appropriate pain rating scale. Moreover, the patient’s behavioral manifestations can also be important factors in determining the patient’s pain tolerance. The medication chart should also be consulted to prevent over and under dosage of pain medications.  

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Buncefield Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Buncefield Disaster - Essay Example Disasters are major accidents which take place on a large scale in specific areas. However it is not necessary that the whole areas are affected by these large scale disasters. Such a disaster which would be described in this report would be a mass disaster which took place on the 11th of December 2005. The disaster famously known as the Buncefield disaster took place because of an overfilled storage tank at the Buncefield Oil Depot located close to Hemel Hempstead, Herfordshire UK. The disaster was so huge that it expanded and took over other 20 storage tanks and the fire further spread. The horrible incident resulted in the combustion of that area for several days (Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board, 2006). The oil depot that was destroyed in that incident was one of the largest distribution terminals employed to store refined oil, petrol, aviation turbine fuel, diesel and other kerosene supplies. The explosion that started in the early morning of 11th December, 2005 resulted in the explosion of the large stocks of these refined products. The explosion was further fortified by petrol, diesel, gas and other products. The intensity of the disaster remained firm for 3-4 days. The last major combustions were stubbed out on Wednesday 14th December. However, the fire was not completely extinguished until 15th December. The explosion was so intense that the blast was heard up to about 200 miles (320 km) away. The devastating blast affected the nearby area including commercial buildings and the industrial area. The working week directed towards a great loss of many workers who were supposed to be residing there. 43 people were harmed; however, luckily no serious injuries or deaths were recorde d. The spectators and crews found this incident much destructive and confirmed that it is possibly the largest incident of this sort in peacetime Europe.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Curriculum Assessments †Paper Two Essay Example for Free

Curriculum Assessments – Paper Two Essay Curriculum assessments have a variety of purposes depending upon the aim. Overall they have been positive experiences for me throughout my education in their attempt to construct an anonymous forum for feedback in the name of improving the curriculum. They can also prove to be troublesome for particular types of professors and for students who believe they are simply a formality and that they are not actually taken into consideration. In my opinion, this can be a troublesome obstacle in the path of achieving greater transparency between professor performance ratings and the faculty boards that are responsible for the career paths of these professors. An example of a positive experience using curriculum assessments was my freshman year of college. I had an astronomy professor that was very aloof and seemingly arrogant in his lectures, but in his office hours was personable and humorous. He handed out the assessment after our midterm in the hope of improving the course for the second half. He received overwhelming feedback in the same spirit as mine and he made a conscious effort to become more compassionate during his lectures. Needless to say the second half of the semester was much more enjoyable, hopefully for him as well. On the other hand, I had a negative experience with a tenured sociology professor. She had been at the university for over 35 years and she believed since she had been there for so long she would not benefit from student assessments. We took the assessment after midterms and when she reported the results back to the students, she was visibly upset. She took the feedback as a personal attack instead of constructive criticism. The rest of the semester seemed forced and unnatural as she grudgingly held to her tactics. I believe the main purpose of the assessment is to provide students with an anonymous forum to voice their opinion about the professor and the course without fear of repercussion. In addition, assessments can be used by the faculty board to determine which professors deserve a raise, or consideration for tenure. That being said, they have to be taken seriously, by the students, the professors, and the faculty boards. If they are discarded as simple formalities instead of given thoughtful interpretation and implementation, then they become a wasteful bureaucratic process. In this regard, assessments can have a great value as long as they are completed in good faith and are not personal attacks against a professor or a course. They can provide specific examples and criteria on which to judge the success of not only a professor, but the course in general. Furthermore, assessments can be used across the board to map overall trends of the courses and the professors that teach them. Some institutions favor great professors while others are more focused on high profile research projects or on having their professors be powerful publishing presences. If the goal of the institution is on the students themselves, then student assessments are vital parts of determining which professors best suit this aim. I think assessments are an overall positive approach to improving curriculum. They have to remain anonymous in order to maintain their integrity and honesty. Professors need to learn from them in the manner they are intended, that is that they are implemented with the greater good in mind; for the students, for the professors, and for the institutions of guiding principle.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Capital of Texas: Austin | Impact of Capitalization

Capital of Texas: Austin | Impact of Capitalization Claudia De La Fuente Austin became the capital of Texas after Mirabeau B. Lamar was elected President of the Republic of Texas. President Lamar moved the capital city from Houston to Waterloo, a city which in 1839 he renamed Austin in honor of Stephen F. â€Å"who, though he has gone into history books with the rather grand title of â€Å"impresario,† was in reality little more than a glorified real estate developer† (Lomax 1). Austin was chosen as the capital of Texas over more thriving cities because of many factors, one of them being its geographical location. Austin is located in the central part of Texas, where President Lamar believed the republic ´s population would eventually expand. Austin ´s central location made it easier for people from all over Texas to move and settle in that area. Another factor that contributed to President Lamar ´s decision to move the capital city was to escape the fevers that plagued residents of the republic ´s coastal areas. Austin ´s mild climate compared to Houston ´s humid climate was another reason why Lamar chose Austin as the capital city of Texas, since its great climate would attract more people to settle there. Another reason why Austin was chosen as the capital of Texas was because no one could have predicted the future of Austin or the significance of Houston ´s economic and cultural contributions to Texas. At the time, both Houston and Austin w ere just beginning to grow, it would have been impossible for the president or anyone to predict the insignificant number of medical and cultural happenings present in Austin compared to Houston’s. After being chosen the capital city of Texas, Austin experienced many changes on its economy, population, and culture. After Austin became the capital of Texas, its population started to increase. As more people from all over Texas started moving and settling in the capital, the cost of living in that area must have increased. As a result of the increase in demand for property started, the prices of those properties began to increase as well. Austin ´s growing population attracted entrepreneurs who started new businesses in the capital. These new businesses helped improve Austin ´s economy by providing more job opportunities. After Austin became the capital of Texas, the government started investing more on Austin ´s education. As evidence of these is the fact that the best university in the state of Texas is located in Austin. The government also started investing more in Austin ´s culture by building museums, theaters, and parks that would attract more people to come and vi sit the capital or even settle there. The fact that Austin is the capital of Texas provides a great amount of profit to the city since it attracts many people from all over Texas and the rest of the country to visit the city and spend their money on the city ´s businesses and attractions. As the city of Austin started to grow and its education and economy started to improve, more and more people from other parts of the country and the world started moving to Austin. This wave of immigrants has helped shape Austin ´s culture, since people who come from other parts of the world or the country and settle in Austin bring with them different traditions that have remained part of Austin ´s culture. As expected after Austin became Texas’ capital its population has increased over the years and Austin ´s culture is very diverse. We are looking forward to a greater development and that at some point Austin can be consider a truly capital with no second thought. The political culture that dominates Austin is a combination of traditionalism and individualism. In my opinion individualism dominates Austin ´s political culture because the majority of Austin ´s citizens are republicans; therefore they believe that the government should limit its intervention in the economy to a minimum and they particularly support private businesses. The city of Austin is mostly full of Republican politicians, appointees, lobbyists, and corporate leaders, who mostly care about their businesses and pursue their self-interests instead of considering the public good. Even though Austin has a political culture that is dominated by individualism, its traditionalistic subculture still remains present. I believe this is because even though as years have passed, and the immigration rates had increased, meaning more people from all over the world have settled in Austin, the Anglo population is still the majority group in Austin. Since most of them are conservative and their voter turnout is greater than any other group, traditionalism is still dominant. In a traditionalistic subculture, politicians come from society ´s elite and politics is mostly a competition between rival factions within the elite, these are all characteristics of Republicans. The traditionalistic aspects of Austin ´s politics are exemplified by the low level of voter turnout among minority groups, and the social and economic conservatism present in Austin. As a result, both a traditionalist and individualist subcultures dominates the state capital, and the state as a whole. If more minority groups would vote and make their opinions be heard, maybe Austin would not be dominated by a traditionalist and individualist subculture, and instead it would be dominated by a moralistic subculture, in which the government is more involved in social issues such as education and health, and corruption is less evident. Austin ´s slogan â€Å"Keep Austin Weird†, tries to convey the idea that Austin is a unique and strange city and that anyone who comes in must keep it that way. It is said that the culture of Austin is a mismatch with the rest of the state, I agree with this statement. Since throughout many years, people from other parts of the world, have come to Austin either to study or live there, Austin has a very diverse culture. People who come from other parts of the world and settle in Austin, bring with them different traditions from their countries of origin that have remained in Austin, therefore the city of Austin has been forced to adapt to those cultures and live with them. As a result, Austin ´s culture is not representative of the state of Texas and instead it is a combination of the culture of many different countries. â€Å"Capital cities should be something of a synthesis of the places they represent, but Austin is to Texas what Saint Petersburg was to Imperial Russia: a deplorable conduit for foreign ideas and fashions† (Lomax 3). The fact that Austin is a city full of people from different parts of the world with different political opinions and social status influences Austin ´s political subculture. Even though most of the population of Austin is white, there are still many people of different races with different points of views regarding politics. As a consequence, we find that there are several political subcultures present in Austin making influence on every aspect, which means they have an impact in politics, social and economic matters. For example, most white and wealthy people are most likely to favor an individualistic subculture because in an individualistic subculture the government ´s role in the economy is limited and corruption is tolerated, while members of minority groups are most likely to favor a moralistic subculture because in a moralistic subculture politics revolves around solving social issues and the public good. The state capital should be the most important city in the state of Texas; the city that has an impact, not only within the state but in the whole country. That city should serve as an example for the rest of the cities to follow. I believe that city is Houston, not Austin. Houston ´s medical, economic, and cultural contributions to Texas and the rest of the country, make it the best contender to become the capital city. One of the best hospitals in the state of Texas and the country are located in Houston. â€Å"For nine of the past eleven years, U.S. News World Report has named MD Anderson the top cancer hospital in the country†(Lomax 2). Houston ´s contributions to the American economy through its energy industry have earned Houston worldwide recognition; this is something that the city of Austin cannot claim. â€Å"Houston, the broad-shouldered city of refined oil and crude people, with its leviathan port and behemoth of a petrochemical complex, propels the American economy more vitally than all the stocky bald bankers on Wall Street† (Lomax 2). Houston ´s energy industry- particularly oil and natural gas- are essential to keeping the American economy progressing, which proves the importance of the city of Houston to Texas and the rest of the country. The capital city should be a strange city with a culture that represents the rest of the state and that attracts people from all over the country. Even though Austin claims to be weird and representative of the state of Texas, in reality Austin ´s culture has been shaped by foreign ideas and fashions. In contrast, Houston ´s cultural combination of the traditional, the modern, and bizarre, makes Houston weird and unique. In addition, Houston ´s cultural institutions, every year attract millions of people from all over the country. â€Å"More than two million people avail themselves yearly of ballet, Broadway shows, opera, plays, and symphonic music at the nine arts venues downtown† (Lomax 2). These are several reasons why I believe Houston should be the capital of Texas, instead of Austin. Works Cited Lomax, John Nova. February 2013. Texas Monthly. http://www.texasmonthly.com.