Tuesday, November 26, 2019

3 Tips for Writing Dialogue in Fiction

3 Tips for Writing Dialogue in Fiction 3 Tips for Writing Dialogue in Fiction â€Å"Fancy seeing you here,† the proofreader says, raising an eyebrow. â€Å"Word is you’re writing a novel and need some help. Well, you’ve come to the right place.† The proofreader takes your hand, gently but firmly leading you to a mysterious door in the corner of the room. â€Å"Come with me,† he says as he turns the handle, â€Å"and I’ll teach you all about writing great dialogue.† And as the door opens, you are dazzled by a bright light and feel the following tips fill your mind†¦ 1. Listen to People To sound real, dialogue should mimic the feeling of real conversation. A good way to get a sense of this is to listen to other people speak. Take note of the expressions that people use, the way conversations flow and change, and how speech differs from written language. Eavesdropping is the authors favorite pastime.(Photo: Thomas Szynkiewicz) However, don’t worry about making your dialogue too realistic. Human conversation is often full of â€Å"umms† an â€Å"urrrs,† but including these in your writing will make it stilted and hard to read. The main reason you’d include a verbal pause is to show that someone is hesitating. 2. He Said, She Said You may find yourself using â€Å"he said† and â€Å"she said† quite a lot in your dialogue. This is fine. In fact, it is better to use these terms consistently than to vary your dialogue tags too much. It is fine to use a descriptive term such as â€Å"shouted† or â€Å"whispered† now and then, but using too many will be distracting. The main thing is to ensure your readers know who is speaking at any given moment, so you can even leave dialogue tags out as long as this is clear from the context. 3. Show, Don’t Tell It can be tempting to tell your readers how a character feels while they speak. Typically, this will involve using adverbs such as â€Å"happily† or â€Å"sadly,† or even having the character outright say how they feel. Take the following exchange, for instance: â€Å"I got the job! I’m so happy!† she said. â€Å"That’s nice,† he replied distractedly. This tells us how the characters feel. But it is usually more interesting to show the reader how they feel by describing what they are doing. For example, we could change the line above to say: â€Å"I got the job!† she said, grinning from ear to ear. He looked up from his desk for a moment. â€Å"That’s nice,† he said, before returning to his work once more. Here, we can still tell that she is happy and that he is distracted. But we get this from the extra description rather than by being told directly. Summary: 3 Tips for Writing Dialogue in Fiction Keep these tips in mind when writing dialogue in a novel: Listen to other people’s conversations to get a sense of how they flow and the expressions used. This will help your dialogue sound natural. Stick to â€Å"he said† and â€Å"she said† as dialogue markers. Using too many terms such as â€Å"exclaimed† or â€Å"whispered† is distracting. Describe what your characters are doing while they speak. Most of the time, you can use actions to indicate how a character feels. And once you have a final draft written up, don’t forget that you can send it to us for professional proofreading!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Best ACT Math Practice Tests How to Find and Use Them

Best ACT Math Practice Tests How to Find and Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Whatever your ACT Math prep plan, whether you’re doing self-study, a class, or working with a tutor, you need to be working with real ACT Math practice materials. The ACT Math test will be unlike any other Math test you’ve taken. You need to work with the real material to get used to the pacing and style of this unique test. In this short guide, I’ll let you know where to find free and paid official ACT Math practice tests. Best ACT Math Practice - Free and Official These tests are totally free. We've gathered together all of them in one place for your convenience. ACT Math Free Online Sample Test This test format can be a little clunky to use, but it's convenient and online. Answer all choices on the page. Then, click answer at the bottom to see the answers to the question. Once you’ve checked your answers, you’ll be able to move on to the next page.There are 12 questions per page with five pages for a total of 60 questions (just like the real ACT Math section which has 60 questions). To keep the timing realistic, I recommend that you give yourself 12 minutes per page (which is 1 minute per question) since you get 60 minutes for 60 questions on the actual ACT Math section. Take as much time as you need to check your answers on the given page. Then, move on to the next page and give yourself another 12 minutes. PDFs: ACT Practice Test 2015-2016 (Form 72CPRE):Math Section Pages 24-31, Answers Page 57 ACT Practice Test 2014-15 (Form 67C):Math Section Pages 24-31, Answers Page 56 ACT Practice Test 20-12 (Form 64E):Math Section Pages 26-33, Answers Page 61 ACT Practice Test 2008-09 (Form 61C):Math Section Pages 26-33, Answers Page 61 ACT Practice Test 2005-06 (Form 59F):Math Section Pages 26-33, Answers Page 61 You might notice a few years are missing, and that's because the ACT duplicates the same test in different years. For example, the 2013-14 test is identical to the 2014-15 test. We've included the Form ID with each test so that you can check this for yourself (you can see the Form ID in the bottom left of each page on the test). Best ACT Math Practice - Paid and Official While studying for the ACT Math section, you’ll want more than six official ACT practice tests.I highly recommend The Real ACT 3rd Edition. The book only costs about $20, and it’s got five official Math practice tests. The book is written by the makers of the ACT, so it’s the real deal.Don't both buying Kaplan or Princeton Review for practice tests - their quality is far inferior to the tests put out by the ACT. If you want to get in a couple more practice ACT Math tests, I also recommend the ACT Online Program, though it’s less cost effective at $25 for two extra practice tests.It also includes an online prep program, but it’s not good. If you make the purchase, just do it the practice tests, if you need it. The ACT Math practice possibilities are (near) endless! Other ACT Math Materials In general, I recommend against using any ACT Math practice tests that were not written by the ACT as theywon’t providerealistic practice.You want to use real practice materials so that you ensure you’re taking tests that reflect the actual content and difficulty of the real ACT. If you take practices tests made by other companies, they may be more or less difficult and may not include all of the content on the real ACT.However,unofficial tests can be a great way to practicemath skills if not trying to practiceACT-style questions. ACTMath, more than any other section, is based on knowing the math content, so having plenty of materials to practice the different math skills required is important and bad formatting doesn't matter as much. Check out our massive collection of ACTstudy material for some official and unofficial tests. If you still want more ACT study material, check out our guide to the best ACT prep books. How to Use These ACT Math Practice Tests in Your Prep Even if you purchase all of the real ACT Math practice tests, you will only have 13, and each one of these tests will take you an hour, so you want to make sure you get the most out of each one. Here are my top three tips to best use your ACT Math practice tests: Tip #1:Take Math Practice Tests Under Realistic Conditions Take the math section in one sitting with accurate timing. Use a watch to time the one-hour math section. Sit for the full hour! It’s not that long! You need to sit for the full test so that you get used to the timing and learn to pace yourself. You only get 60 minutes for 60 questions. The questions progress from easy to hard.You’ll need to work on spending less thana minute per question on the first part of the ACT Math section so that you have a little more than a minute per question to answer the harder questions at the end of the Math section. Do not give yourself any extra time.This can allow you to do extra questions and improve your score. We want to use these practice tests as reliable indicators of your real score so stick to the real timing. NOTE: realistic practice means obeying all of the rules of the test. You're only allowed to have your calculator for the math section. You should not have your phone out. You should be using a pencil. Read our full guide to realistic practice. Tip #2: Review Your Mistakes When you finish your Math practice tests, score your Math test.Look at every mistake you made and try to figure out where you went wrong.If you skip this step, you're not going to learn from your mistakes, and you'll continue making them over and over again. I recommend spending at least 30 minutes to an hour reviewing your ACT math test.It may seem like a lot of time, but it’s necessary to take this time so that you learn from your mistakes.It’s better for you to take three ACT Math practice tests with detailed review than six with no review. Think quality over quantity! Tip #3: Supplement With Skill Work There are some students who can see improvement in ACT math by just taking practice tests and familiarizing themselves with the pace and style, but that is rare. The majority ofstudents need to do a more in-depth review of math skillsthat they might have forgotten, never learned, or never quite mastered. If you find you're not improving on your practice tests, I recommend that you look atour individual Math content guides. These articles tacklespecific math subject areas (i.e. Linear Equations, Trigonometry, etc.) that you need to know to succeed on the ACT Math section. When you review your first practice test, figure out the reason you got each math question wrong:was it due to misreading a question? Or not knowing the content?If you didn't know the content necessary tosolve the question, then you need to review that content! Tip #4: Get Additional Help If You Need It! If you’re not improving your score, you should supplement the practice tests with extra prep work, either a tutor, class, book (such as the ones linked to above) or a program.While some students may be able to learn from their mistakes on practice tests, the majority need additional guidance to point out their weaknesses and to help them improve. However, a good prep program should be personalized to your needs, focusing on your area of weakness while not wasting your time covering topics that you’ve already mastered. What’s Next? Now that you know where to find ACT Math practice tests, you might want to take a look at our ACT math guides to help you study any individual ACT math topic from ratios to rotations, points to probabilities;we've got you covered. Stuck on an ACT math problem? Whether you're stuck on a study guide, a practice test, or you're worried about getting stuck on test day, don't sweat it. We'll show you how to figure out when you're really stuck and what to do about it. Need more help with ACT Math? We've compiled the best ACT Math guides into one ultimate ACT math study guide. No more searching for ACT math tips and resources- they're available here. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

World Civilizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World Civilizations - Essay Example It was also one of the greatest commercial centers of Europe during the Middle Ages. Byzantium gathered all the classical knowledge from the Roman Empire and tried to maintain and develop them. "Its rich historiographical tradition preserved ancient knowledge upon which splendid art, architecture, literature and technological achievements were built" (Wikipedia, 2005, par.19). It is likely that the Renaissance could not have been so prosperous were it not for the foundation laid in Byzantium, and the group of Greek scholars to the West the Empire had fallen. The power of its theologians was large and it influenced many Western scholars, and their subtraction from the "canon" of Western theology in next centuries has only served to weaken the canon and make it poorer (Cantor, 1963). The Byzantine Empire brought common acceptance of Christianity to Western European countries - possibly one of the main aspects of a contemporary Europe's identity. Under the rule of Emperor Justinian, Byzantium got the body of laws -the Corpus iuris civilis. This was not merely a prominent legal achievement in codifying Roman law, it was also the first organized effort to combine Roman law and jurisprudence with Christianity. Even though Byzantium would finally weaken in power, from the eleventh century, Justinian's Corpus iuris civilis became the basis of all European law and legal practice (except for England). In general, this set of laws prescribed tolerance to foreigners, liberty of thought within the frames of Christian Orthodoxy and general rights of the residents of the Empire. Attitude towards women was tolerant comparing to Islamic tradition. Monogyny was obligatory in Byzantine, while Islamic tradition practiced polygyny. In Byzantine, women were compared to children and seniors: they were the weakest and most vulnerable, so it was necessary to protect them. In Muslim countries, women were nothing but men's property, they were allow ed to wear determined kinds of clothes and had to behave according to the certain rules.Political intolerance predominated in Asian countries: foreigners had restricted rights and were allowed to visit only certain places (except the mosque and so on) and had to be additional taxes, such as jizya poll tax ; they were always treated as strangers and people of 'wrong faith'. Jihad ('holy war') was one of the main aspects of Islamic doctrine, so Muslims were free to deceive, betray (and if necessary kill) people of 'wrong faith' . "Nature guided the Muslims to develop values and ways of behavior such as: repression of the other (since in Asian life, a person either controls or is controlled); constant preparation for war in order to achieve hegemony; living in a patriarchal system; contempt for others and for culture; and an amazing ability to shift loyalties" (Memri, 2005, par.8). On the other hand, Muslims created magnificent culture, developed sciences (algebra, geometry, chemistry) philosophy, architecture and fine arts. Lustered glass was the most obvious Islamic contribution to modern ceramics. Manuscript illumination in Islamic world was famous and greatly respected art, and portrait miniature painting was widespread in Persia. By 364 AD, the Roman Empire had been completely split into two different states: The Eastern Roman Empire, and the Western Roman Empire. The Western Empire soon fell after the invasion of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Crucibale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Crucibale - Essay Example Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife, fires Abigail her worker, who has fallen in love with her husband, and this makes Elizabeth to send her away. Abigail wants John back and blames Elizabeth for being a witch. The relevance of this extract is that it incorporates several themes in the play. One of the themes is authority. Reverend Parris is depicted as an authoritative man in Salem. Parris is supplanted when Reverend Hale derives power from books and learning. The theme of Sin and Guilt has also been highlighted. Proctor is haunted by fear caused by his infidelity. Reverend Hale put efforts to undermine the court he has assisted create a solution for his sins. Self-interest is a theme that comes out clearly. Abigail begins the condition of hysteria when she finds it a good way to deflect attention from the sins she commits. She accuses Elizabeth to protect herself. Reputation is another theme highlighted. Witchcraft is used to elevate individual from low status to high status. John Proctor reputation in Salem fades; he is an adulterer, he falls in love with Abigail and he is

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Functionalism Conflict Theory Essay Example for Free

Functionalism Conflict Theory Essay â€Å"Knowledge is shaped by the social world.† (Karl Mannheim.) Though trying to understand the social world may seem difficult, sociologists managed to create three theories on how different areas of the world fit with one another as well as working hand in hand with each other. The three theories are known as Symbolic Interactionism, Functionalism and Conflict Theory. Each theory serves as a significant perspective on how individuals view social life and how it effects society as a whole. The first perspective would have to be the simplest of all and is categorized as a micro level since it is focused on smaller scale than the remaining perspectives. Symbolic Interactionism was founded by Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929), William I. Thomas (1863-1947) and George Herbert Mead (18-63-1931). According to the textbook, symbolic interactionism means a theoretical perspective in which society is viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world and communicate with one another. In other words, it means symbols have an attached meaning that effect the way we view the world and communicate with individuals. Examples of symbols are family members, relationships, language, co-workers, etc. If there were no symbols in our life, we wouldn’t know who we are related to or who to give authority to. For example, at your job you are required to respect the person of high authority which may be your manager or your boss, (depending on your symbol at your facility). In your family, the symbols would be your mother, father, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, etc. No matter what area, each symbol has a different behavior and interacts differently unlike the rest. To narrow this down, let’s compare the relationship with a boyfriend to a brother. A brother would be loving and caring but would not be as intimate as the boyfriend would be. If we didn’t have symbols, we wouldn’t be able to differentiate how to act with those two. The only positive side about not having symbols would be the fact that there would be no war since we wouldn’t be able to understand who our enemy is let alone knowing what an enemy is. The next perspective is focused on a macro level since it is aimed at the large scale of society. Functionalism was founded by Robert Merton (1910-2003), â€Å"The accomplishments of functional analysis are sufficient to suggest that its large promise will progressively be fulfilled, just as its current deficiencies testify to the need for periodically overhauling the past to build for the future† (Social Theory and Social Structure Page 74). According to the textbook, functionalism means a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of various parts, each with a function that when fulfilled, contributes to society’s equilibrium. In other words, various parts work together as a whole to maintain society’s balance. Robert Merton defined functions as positive consequences based on human’s actions that benefit the society. Functions that are intended to help a system are known as manifest function. Followed by this would be the unintended consequence to adjust the system which is known as latent functions. The textbook breaks these two down using an example of giving married couples an extra $10,000 for child bearing (this is the manifest function). Unknowingly, this increases the products used to care for a baby which is known at the latent functions. Though manifest and latent functions are used to balance a system, there are also some dysfunctions that can actually break down the system. These consequences are unusually unintended and because of that, it’s referred to as latent dysfunctions. Referring back to the example stated in the textbook; a latent dysfunction about giving $10,000 to each married couple that bears a child would be the rise in taxes which the couples may not be able to afford since they will be living off of the bonus. Another example that many individuals can relate to is our family. Every family member plays a significant role in their household. Examining the financial state of the family, it’s the bread winner that holds the financial issues together. Without the bread winner, the family would struggle and even turn for help towards the government. If the function of the bread winner begins to take a turn for the negative, the family weakens and loses their ability to prosper as a whole. This is an important factor on how functions can either make or break society. The smaller units affect the larger units in both negative and p ositive ways. Last but not least, the next perspective would be conflict theory. References Cooley, Charles H. The Roots of Social Knowledge. American Journal of Sociology 32.1 (1926): 59-79. Print. Merton, Robert K. Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Division of Macmillian Co , 1968. The Free Press. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. http://A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.. Coser, Lewis. Chapter IX. The Functions of Social Conflict. Glenoe, IL: Free, 1956. 151-57. The Functions of Social Conflict. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. http://media.pfeiffer.edu/lridener/courses/COSERR1.HTML.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Benito Mussolini :: essays research papers

Benito Mussolini was born on July 29, 1883 in Predappio. The son of a blacksmith he was largely self-educated. He became a schoolteacher and a socialist journalist in northern Italy. In 1910 he married Rachele Guidi who bore his five children. Mussolini was jailed in 1911 for his opposition to Italy’s war in Libya. Soon after his release in 1912 he became editor of the socialist newspaper in Milan, "Avanti!". When WWI began in 1914 Mussolini advocated Italy’s entrance into the war on the allied side and was expelled from the socialist party. He then started his own newspaper in Milan, Il Popolo d’Italia (The People of Italy) which later became the origin of the Fascist Movement. In 1916 Mussolini enlisted in the military. After his promotion to sergeant he was wounded and in 1917 he returned to his paper. During the Chaos that Gripped Italy after the war Mussolini’s influence grew swiftly. Mussolini and other war veterans founded Fasci di Combattimento in March of 1919. This Nationalistic antisocialist movement attracted much of the lower middle class and took its name from the Fasces, an ancient symbol of Roman discipline. The Fascist movement grew rapidly in the 1920’s, spreading through the countryside where it’s Black Shirt Militia won support of the land owners and attacked peasant leagues of Socialist Supporters. To take advantage of the opportunity Fascism shed it’s initial Republicanism gaining the support of the King and Army. On October 28, 1922 Mussolini led his Fascist March on Rome. Mussolini was immediately invited to form the Italian Government by King Victor Emmanuel III. Although Mussolini was given extraordinary powers to return order to Italy he governed constitutionally until 1924 after the violence of the 1924 elections resulting in the death of Socialist party deputy Giacomo Mattoetti. Mussolini moved to suspend constitutional government and establish a totalitarian regime. He proceeded in stages to establish a dictatorship by forbidding the parliament to initiate legislation, making him responsible to the king alone. By 1926 he had passed decrees issuing him the force of law, establishing total censorship of the press and suppressing all opposition parties. In 1929 Mussolini made one of his greatest diplomatic triumphs when he concluded the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See. This settled the 60-year controversy concerning the power of the Pope within the Italian State. In 1933 Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany and was

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Performance Appraisal Interview

Conducting the Performance Appraisal Interview The performance Appraisal interview offers an opportunity to discuss and compare perceptions of an employee’s job performance. Through open communication a supervisory and employee can assess job performance, measure actual result against expected results and plan for the future. The interview should not be used as a vehicle to bombard the employee or the supervisor with criticism, failures, faults, and / or errors. a) Opening the interview: The climate of the interview is essential to its outcome. The supervisor should set a tone for the interview that exhibits openness and support. Once this tone has been set, an employee will be more likely to share assessments of his or her performance, discuss strengths and weaknesses and commit to the development plans that are set in the interview. To set the tone, a supervisor should: 1. Review the purpose of the meeting. Clarify any questions the employee has and reaffirm that the interview serves to promote employee development through identifying job responsibilities, reviewing performance roles, Overall rating of performance and preparing a plan for improved or enhanced performance. 2. Regard the employee as an individual. Special concerns should be given to the employee’s communication style, new assignments, increased job responsibilities and performance standards. These considerations should guide the supervisor as he/she deals with the employee. b) Discussing performance. The second component of a performance interview is the actual discussion of an employee’s job performance. Recommendations for an effective discussion include: 1. Come prepared. Both the Supervisor should prepare objectives ahead of time and time and be able to cite specific example support observations and recommendations. . The employee should present his / her self – assessment first. The employee’s objectives are to present information regarding his or her job performance, pointing out strengths, and seeking assistance in areas where problems exist. This promotes openness and provides insight on how the employee view his or her responsibilities and performance 3. The supervisor should present his or her assessment of the employee performance after hearing the employee’s assessment. Areas of agreements should be discussed first, followed by areas of disagreement. Finally, any pertinent topics that were not brought up by the employee should be mentioned. The supervisor’s objective is to help the employee improve performance or develop skills to become a more productive employee. 4. Communication should be two – way. A dialogue should occur between the employee and the supervisor, with neither participant dominating the discussion. 5. Seek agreement on each point. If opinions differ when discussing individual responsibilities, performance roles or ratings, both the employee and the supervisor should express their ideas. Again, focus on behaviors relevant to performance. 6. Setting Training and development goals. Employee should be prepared to state his or her future plans for development. Discuss these plans realistically and set up appropriate goals and time tables. Supervisors should feel comfortable adding or suggesting development goals with the approval of the employee C) Closing the Interview. An important aspect of the entire process is how the interview ends. The following actions should be included in the closing portion of the interview. Summarize what has been discussed and agreed upon, making sure of consensus on all – important points. Do this positively and enthusiastically. †¢ Give the employee an invitation to react, question and share additional ideas and suggestions. †¢ Make arrangements to follow upon specific points if needed †¢ Set a date for the next performance review session. ( -Semi annual or quarterly ) †¢ Thank Each other for the time and energy that went into the review and end the interview on a positive or encouraging note. †¢ Complete disseminate the Appraisal Form as earlier. Avoid these Mistakes when Completing a Performance Appraisal 1. Recency Too much focus on the most recent examples of behavior rather than considering overall performance. This can occur because of inadequate record keeping. 2. Central Tendency Managers tend to rate every one about the same, or ate last, they avoid extreme ratings. The reviewer should use the ends of the scale as well as the middle. 3. Leniency Managers shun low rating to avoid conflict or because they believe that low ratings reflect badly on the reviewer. This can happen when the reviewer is rushed or under pressure to complete the Appraisal 4. Horns / Hallow Effect A tendency to rate the same individual â€Å"Excellent† on every trait or â€Å"Unsatisfactory† on every trait. This may happen when the supervisor feels that the employee has some shortcomings and then rates them poorly on everything as a result (or conversely rates too high on everything based upon a few high ratings). 5. Constancy Some Managers rate their employees in rank – order rather than on an individual basis and adjust scores to match the ranking order. . Similarity A tendency to rate employees, who have similar values and interest to the reviewer, hire. Additional Factors Affecting Performance Appraisal Ratings: †¢ Length of service and the â€Å"compliancy† of the person being rated can affect ratings significantly. †¢ Previous review ratings influence current reviews, whether the current manager or a former one did the pre vious review. †¢ Supervisors â€Å"guess† when they aren’t sure or don’t have a lot of experience with a given employees behavior.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

IKEA Global Strategy Essay

Introduction: A network that covers a broad area (i.e., any telecommunications network that links across metropolitan, regional, national or international boundaries) using leased telecommunication lines. Related terms for other types of networks are personal area networks (PANs), local area networks(LANs), campus area networks (CANs), or metropolitan area networks (MANs) which are usually limited to a room, building, campus or specific metropolitan area (e.g., a city) respectively. If you have a large campus network using routers and dynamic routing protocols and an internal infrastructure, you do not necessarily have a WAN. A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. If your network uses a network infrastructure that is owned by your service provider, implementing WAN technologies, you have a WAN. Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. Body: The distinguishing features of a WAN: Sending data long distances Although distance is not a true criterion for determining whether your network is a WAN, most WANs do span a great distance, and the technologies used in the WAN depend a great deal on the distances involved. If your WAN spans only a single city, across town is a long way; nevertheless, your carrier may choose different technologies for that distance than they would if your network spanned a state, country, or continent. Although long distances are not criteria for defining a WAN, commonly, WANs do span substantial distances. Implementing routing protocols Routing protocols are also not true criteria for a WAN definition. A WAN can either use manual routing or implement a routing protocol such as RIP or EIRGP. Although larger, more complex networks like a national WAN may be  easier to manage when implementing a routing protocol, their use does not dictate that you have a WAN. A large corporation could have a single (but large) building or a campus of several buildings that causes the network to have several routers. To make life easier on the routing front, you could choose to implement one of the many available routing protocols. So, although most WAN environments make use of routing protocols, not all networks that implement routing protocols are necessarily WANs. Using carrier equipment Means the equipment from your telephone company that allows you to connect your network to the backbone of its network. These network connections can be digital subscriber line (DSL), frame relay, fiber optic, broadband cable, or another technology used by your telephone company or network provider. This component really turns a network into a WAN, allowing your traffic to travel between your locations while traversing another provider’s network, mainly your ISP or telephone company. In some cases, this traffic may cross several providers’ networks. If you are connecting two offices and they are in different countries, you may be crossing networks owned by a regional provider, which connects to a national provider and then crosses borders and travels across the other national provider to another regional provider before finally reaching your other branch office location. It is this use of other people’s networks that really defines use of a large LAN versus a WAN (LANs are covered in the next section). So, a WAN is not related to the size of your network, or to your choice of routing protocols, or to any other factors. Consolation: However, in terms of the application of computer networking protocols and concepts, it may be best to view WANs as computer networking technologies used to transmit data over long distances, and between different LANs, MANs and other localised computer networking architectures. This distinction stems from the fact that common LAN technologies operating at Layer 1/2 (such as the forms of Ethernet or Wifi) are often geared towards physically localised networks, and thus cannot transmit data over tens, hundreds or  even thousands of miles or kilometres. This could be to facilitate higher bandwidth applications, or provide better functionality for users in the CAN. A CAN, for example, may have a localised backbone of a WAN technology, which connects different LANs within a campus. The textbook definition of a WAN is a computer network spanning regions, countries, or even the world.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Standardized Testing for Homeschoolers

Standardized Testing for Homeschoolers Nearly half of all states in the U.S. either require standardized testing for homeschoolers  or offer testing as one of the options for demonstrating academic progress. Many parents who arent required to do so utilize standardized testing to objectively assess their childrens progress. If either of those scenarios describe you,  but your child hasn’t tested before, you may be unsure what your  options are or how to get started. Your state or local homeschool support group should be able to answer most questions specific to your state or county. However, the general information and  guidelines to consider are fairly universal.   Types of Tests There are several options for standardized testing. You may want to check your state’s homeschool laws  to be sure that the  test you’re considering satisfies your state’s laws. You may also wish to compare testing options for your state. Some of the more well-known testing options include: 1. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is a nationally standardized test for children in grades  K-12. It covers language arts, math, science, social studies, and study skills. It is a timed test that can  be administered any time during the school year, but it must be administered by someone with at least a  B.A. degree.   2. The Stanford Achievement Test is a nationally standardized test for children in grades K-12 covering language arts, math, science, social studies, and reading comprehension. It is an untimed test that must be administered by someone with at least  B.A. degree. There is now an online version that may allow in-home testing since the online source is considered the test administrator. 3. The California Achievement Test is a nationally standardized test for children in grades 2-12 that can be administered by parents and returned to the testing supplier for scoring.The CAT is a timed test that can be administered any time during the year and an online testing option is available.  Many homeschooling families prefer the CAT, an older version of the current CAT/5 test. The updated version can be used for grades K-12.   4. The Personalized Achievement Summary Survey (PASS) is a standardized test developed specifically for homeschoolers that meets the standardized testing requirements in some, but not all states. PASS is an untimed test that covers reading, language, and math for students in grades 3-12. It can be administered by parents and no degree is required. How to choose the right standardized test Just as with curriculum, scheduling, or any other aspect of homeschooling, choosing the right test for your students is very subjective. Some questions to consider are: Will your child do better with a timed or untimed test? Some kids get very stressed when using a timed test.Do you want to be able to administer the test yourself? If so, do you meet the qualification requirements for the test you’re considering?If you are not qualified to administer the test yourself, do you have a friend, relative, or homeschool contact who can administer the test for you?Does the test have restrictions or guidelines regarding testing your own children?What subjects does the test cover? Is it comprehensive enough to meet your needs?Is the test considered to be appropriately challenging for your child? Some standardized tests have a reputation for being more rigorous than others. You may want to ask around to ensure that you’re choosing a test that thoroughly assesses your child’s ability without reaching frustration level. Regardless of which  you choose, it’s often wise to  administer the same test each year in order to provide an accurate view of your child’s progress from year to year. Where to take tests There are many options for where students can be tested, though the choices may be limited by factors such as the guidelines of the particular test or  your state’s homeschool laws. Many homeschooling families prefer to administer tests themselves at home. There are several sources for ordering testing materials or taking standardized tests online. You may want to check your state homeschool support group’s website for information specific to your state. Some popular testing supply options include: Seton Testing ServicesBJU PressABeka TestingHewitt Homeschooling Some other testing location options may include: Co-op. Many homeschooling co-ops offer testing for their member families, and some open testing to non-member  homeschooling families, as well.Homeschool support groupsUmbrella or church-related schools Regardless of whether  you’re testing to fulfill your state’s homeschool  laws or  to monitor  your child’s academic progress,  these basic facts can help you choose  the standardized testing options to best  meet your family’s needs.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Biography of Garrett Morgan, Inventor of the Gas Mask

Biography of Garrett Morgan, Inventor of the Gas Mask Garrett Morgan (March 4, 1877–July 27, 1963) was an inventor and businessman from Cleveland who is best known for inventing a device called the Morgan Safety Hood and Smoke Protector in 1914. The invention was later dubbed the gas mask. Fast Facts: Garrett Morgan Known For: Invention of safety hood (early gas mask) and mechanical traffic signalBorn: March 4, 1877 in Claysville,  KentuckyParents: Sydney Morgan, Elizabeth ReedDied: July 27, 1963 in Cleveland,  OhioEducation: Up to sixth gradePublished Works:  The  Cleveland Call, a weekly African American newspaper that he established in 1916, which became the  still-published Cleveland Call and Post in 1929Awards and Honors:  Recognized at the Emancipation Centennial Celebration in  Chicago, Illinois, in August 1963; schools and streets named in his honor; included in the 2002 book,  100 Greatest African Americans  by  Molefi Kete Asante; honorary member of  Alpha Phi Alpha  fraternitySpouse(s): Madge Nelson, Mary HasekChildren: John P. Morgan, Garrett A. Morgan, Jr., and Cosmo H. MorganNotable Quote: â€Å"If you can be the best, then why not try to be the best?†Ã‚   Early Life The son of former slaves, Garrett Augustus Morgan was born in Claysville, Kentucky, on March 4, 1877. His mother was half-Native American and half-white (her father was a white minister named  Rev.  Garrett  Reed), and his father was half-white, the son of the Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan, who led Morgans Raiders in the Civil War. Garrett was the seventh of 11 children, and his early childhood was spent attending school and working on the family farm with his brothers and sisters. While still a teenager, he left Kentucky and moved north to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of opportunities. Although Morgans formal education never took him beyond elementary school, he worked to give himself an education, hiring a tutor while living in Cincinnati and continuing his studies in English grammar. In 1895, Morgan moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he went to work as a sewing machine repairman for a clothing manufacturer, teaching himself as much as he could about sewing machinery and experimenting with the process. Word of his experiments and his proficiency for fixing things traveled fast and he worked for numerous manufacturing firms in the Cleveland area. In 1907, the inventor opened his sewing equipment and repair shop. It was the first of several businesses he would establish. In 1909, he expanded the enterprise to include a tailoring shop that employed 32 people. The new company turned out coats, suits, and dresses, all sewn with equipment that Morgan himself had made. Marriage and Family Morgan married twice, first to Madge Nelson in 1896; they were divorced in 1898. In 1908 he married Mary Anna Hasek, a seamstress from Bohemia: it was one of the earliest interracial marriages in Cleveland. They had three children, John P., Garrett A., Jr., and Cosmo H. Morgan. The Safety Hood (Early Gas Mask) In 1914, Morgan was awarded two patents for the invention of an early gas mask, the Safety Hood and Smoke Protector. He manufactured the mask and sold it nationally and internationally through the National Safety Device Company, or Nadsco, using a marketing strategy to avoid Jim Crow discrimination- what historian Lisa Cook calls anonymity by dissociation. At the time, entrepreneurs sold their inventions by conducting live demonstrations. Morgan appeared in these events to the general public, with municipal fire departments and city officials representing himself as his own assistant- a Native American man called Big Chief Mason. In the south, Morgan hired whites, sometimes public safety professionals, to stage demonstrations for him. His newspaper advertisements featured smartly dressed white male models. The gas mask proved very popular: New York City quickly adopted the mask, and eventually 500 cities followed suit. In 1916, a refined model of Morgans gas mask was awarded a gold medal at the International Exposition of Sanitation and Safety and another gold medal from the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The Lake Erie Crib Disaster On July 25, 1916, Morgan made national news for using his gas mask to rescue men trapped during an explosion in an underground tunnel located 250 feet beneath Lake Erie. No one had been able to reach the men, 11 of them had died as had 10 others attempting to rescue them. Called in the middle of the night six hours after the incident, Morgan and a team of volunteers donned the new gas masks and brought two workers out alive and recovered the bodies of 17 others. He personally gave artificial respiration to one of the men he rescued. Afterward, Morgans company received many additional requests from fire departments around the country that wished to purchase the new masks. However, the national news contained photographs of him, and officials in a number of southern cities canceled their existing orders when they discovered he was black. In 1917, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission reviewed the reports of heroism displayed during the disaster. Based on news reports that downplayed Morgans role, the Carnegie board decided to give the prestigious Hero award to a minor figure in the rescue effort who was white, rather than to Morgan. Morgan protested, but the Carnegie Institution said he hadnt risked as much as the other person had because he had safety equipment. Some reports say the Morgan gas mask was modified and used in World War I after the Germans unleashed chemical warfare at Ypres on April 22, 1915, although theres no strong evidence for it. Despite Morgans popularity in the United States, there were dozens of other masks on the market by then, and most used in WWI were of English or French manufacture. The Morgan Traffic Signal In 1920, Morgan moved into the newspaper business when he established the Cleveland Call. As the years went on, he became a prosperous and widely respected businessman and was able to purchase a home and an automobile, invented by Henry Ford in 1903. In fact, Morgan was the first African-American to purchase an automobile in Cleveland, and it was Morgans experience while driving along the streets of that city that inspired him to invent an improvement to traffic signals. After witnessing a collision between an automobile and a horse-drawn carriage, Morgan took his turn at inventing a traffic signal. While other inventors had experimented with, marketed, and even patented traffic signals, Morgan was one of the first to apply for and acquire a U.S. patent for an inexpensive way to produce a traffic signal. The patent was granted on November 20, 1923. Morgan also had his invention patented in Great Britain and Canada. Morgan stated in his patent for the traffic signal: This invention relates to traffic signals, and particularly to those which are adapted to be positioned adjacent the intersection of two or more streets and are manually operable for directing the flow of traffic...In addition, my invention contemplates the provision of a signal which may be readily and cheaply manufactured. The Morgan traffic signal was a T-shaped pole unit that featured three positions: Stop, Go and an all-directional stop position. This third position halted traffic in all directions to allow pedestrians to cross streets more safely. Morgans hand-cranked semaphore traffic management device was in use throughout North America until all manual traffic signals were replaced by the automatic red, yellow  and green-light traffic signals currently used around the world. The inventor sold the rights to his traffic signal to the General Electric Corporation for $40,000. Other Inventions Throughout his life, Morgan was always experimenting to develop new concepts. Though the traffic signal came at the height of his career and became one of his most famous inventions, it was just one of several innovations he developed, manufactured, and sold over the years. Morgan invented a zig-zag stitching attachment for ​the  manually operated sewing machine. He also founded a company that made personal grooming products  such as hair dying ointments and the curved-tooth pressing comb. As word of Morgans life-saving inventions spread across North America and England, demand for these products grew. He was frequently invited to conventions and public exhibitions to demonstrate how his inventions worked. Death Along with many others, Morgan lost most of his wealth with the stock market crash, but it didnt stop his inventive nature. He developed glaucoma, but at the time of his death he was still working on a new invention: a  self-extinguishing  cigarette. Morgan died on August 27, 1963, at the age of 86. His life was long and full, and his creative energies were recognized both during and after his lifetime. Legacy Morgans inventions have had a tremendous impact on the safety and well-being of people all over the world- from miners to soldiers to first responders to ordinary car owners and pedestrians. Another ongoing legacy is his weekly newspaper, originally named the  Cleveland Call and now called the  Cleveland Call and Post. His achievements as a son of slaves, against all odds and in the face of Jim Crow era discrimination, are inspiring. Case Western University awarded him an honorary degree, and his papers are stored there.   Sources Asante, Molefi Kete (2002),  100 Greatest African Americans: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books.  ISBN  1 of Garrett Morgan. The Business History Review 86.2 (2012): 211–34. Print.Evans, Harold, Gail Buckland, and David Lefer. Garrett Augustus Morgan (1877–1963): He came to the rescue with his gas mask. They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators. New York City: Little Brown, 2004.  Garner, Carla. â€Å"Garrett A., Sr. Morgan (1877-1963) BlackPast.†Ã‚  BlackPast, 29 Jan. 2019.King, William M. Guardian of the Public Safety: Garrett A. Morgan and the Lake Erie Crib Disaster. The Journal of Negro History 70.1/2 (1985): 1–13. Print.PBS, Garrett Augustus Morgan. Public Broadcasting Service.Smart, Jeffrey K. History of the Army Protective Mask. Natick, Massachusetts: NBC Defense Systems: Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, 1999. Print.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Visual Learners. How children learn and develop, and can provide Research Paper

Visual Learners. How children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development - Research Paper Example One picture shown to different people will be perceived differently, depending upon the optimism or pessimism in the intrinsic psychology of the viewer. Having said that, children tend to develop questions in their brains about the portions of scene they did not have formal interaction with or understanding about. The visual language expresses itself overtly, and the child receives the data in his brain which was an empty pot now being filled with knowledge. Once the information is received, the child analyzes it from different aspects making use of the cognitive skills every human being is naturally born with. He weighs the information against various questions he previously had about the grey areas in the subject matter and finally tends to use that information to color the grey areas rightly. The process continues as the child views more images and the process of learning is enhanced. Teaching is all about strong expression of knowledge so that it is easily conceivable to the learners. One might be quite knowledgeable about a matter and yet not be good as a teacher if one is not able to convey the knowledge to the learners. A good teacher tries to deliver the lecture by attaining the attention of the learners. This is achieved by manipulating the tone of speech and often wise selection of words to make the speech. The intention is to make the speech more expressive and understandable. Often, a teacher would make use of inclined language that is biased and delivers the meaning as required by him. This is not easy and it is usual for a teacher to face difficulty in conveying the right point rightly. This is where visual teaching works. As they say, â€Å"One picture is worth a thousand words.† (Bernard cited in Moncur, n.d.). This is exactly the magic of visual arts and tells how visual learning is related to teaching. It clearly adds value of to the images and