Ryan Franzman Essays - Economy, Business, Gratuity,

Ryan Franzman Period 1 Nov. 3 Ann Landers gives several tips for leading a good life in her newspaper column but are these tips for everyone? Most of the points in the article are actually quite good, most people live by these tips and they don't even realize it. The article "Tips for Life" should be read by everyone although it should be made clear that they have the right to rephrase several of the tips to better suit themselves. Most of the points made in "Tips for Life" are very valid but, some points are a persons own particular choice and should not be determined by anyone else. The tip "Be engaged six months before you get married." Is a persons own choice not an elderly newspaper columnist's. Another tip that seems a little questionable is "Marry someone you love to talk to. As you get older, conversation will be one of the principal elements of your relationship." I honestly believe that a couple should get married if they have undying love and affection for each other, not because your possible spouse is a good conversationalist, that's preposterous. Despite a few of Ann Landers "tips", the article sets good morals for a person to live by and look at for guidance. Ann discusses and makes points ranging from deep mental thoughts to merely calling your own mother. To make her article perfect she would have to be willing to see that not everyone thinks the same way and that there is always more than one way to say or do something. Bibliography none

The Cherokee Removal essays

The Cherokee Removal essays The process of the removal of the Cherokees took place in 1838. This is when the Cherokees were evicted from their homes and work area into stockades by General Winfield Scott and his army. The Cherokees were related to the Iroquois of New England and also to northern New York. The Cherokees were divided into three separate groups before they migrated and spreaded out through out the southeast of the United States of America. Life for the Cherokees follow went with the women performing farm duties, raising crops, and the men of the Cherokees went out hunting for food. In the Cherokee life there were no leaders that ruled over them. The Cherokee life went on from generation to generation, meaning things were being passed down from one to another. Government wise the Cherokees were more democratic. As time went by, the Cherokee met up with the Europeans, who brought along many new things with them. The Cherokees started to bond with them a little bit more. The Europeans brought along diseases and helpful items such as fabrics and hatchets. The Cherokee started to hunt more for fabric and also started to barter much more with the Europeans. Due to the expansion and growth of the Europeans, the Cherokees without doubt were swept up into Europeans wars. Here is when fights and wars really started to break out, because of a conference that was taken place in South Carolina with, the colonial governor and some of his men killing some of the Cherokee. After the killing took place the British and the Cherokee started to attack one another. When all of the wars and disputes took place, against others, this was when Americans want to get rid of the Cherokee for good. If I had to argue for the Cherokees to stay I would tell president Andrew Jackson that first, there is really no reason why anyone or any army should come around make a cluster of people leave their area. Especially, when they were not bothering anyone at the time. Basicall...

Overview of Political Geography

Overview of Political Geography Political geography is a branch of human geography (the branch of geography concerned with understanding the worlds culture and how it relates to geographic space) that studies the spatial distribution of political processes and how these processes are impacted by ones geographic location. It often studies local and national elections, international relationships and the political structure of different areas based on geography. History of Political Geography Politische Geographie Another early theory in political geography was the heartland theory. In 1904, Halford Mackinder, a British geographer, developed this theory in his article, The Geographical Pivot of History. As a part of this theory, Mackinder said that world would be divided into a Heartland consisting of Eastern Europe, a World Island made up of Eurasia and Africa, Peripheral Islands, and the New World. His theory said that whoever controlled the heartland would control the world. Both Ratzel and Mackinders theories remained important before and during World War II. By the time of the Cold War, their theories and the importance of political geography began to decline and other fields within human geography began to develop. In the late 1970s however, political geography again began to grow. Today political geography is considered one of the most important branches of human geography and many geographers study a variety of fields concerned with political processes and geography. Fields within Political Geography European Union Modern political trends also have an impact on political geography and in recent years sub-topics focused on these trends have developed within political geography. This is known as critical political geography and includes political geography focused on ideas related to feminist groups and issues gay and lesbian as well as youth communities. Examples of Research in Political Geography Ellen Churchill Semple Today political geography is also a specialty group within the Association of American Geographers and there is an academic journal called Political Geography. Some titles from recent articles in this journal include Redistricting and the Elusive Ideals of Representation, Climate Triggers: Rainfall Anomalies, Vulnerability and Communal Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Normative Goals and Demographic Realities. To learn more about political geography and to see topics within the subject visit the Political Geography page here on Geography at About.com.

Differences Between Groups and Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Differences Between Groups and Teams - Essay Example A group can be defined as the formation of two or more people working together to achieve a common goal (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003, p.172). Groups can be either formal or informal. Any gathering of multiple employees constitutes a group. When the manager arranges a meeting with the employees the leader is directing his message towards a group. There are five stages that characterize the formation of a group. The stages of group formation are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjuring. During the norming stage the employee build a bond of trust between them and the other members that helps improve the overall performance. The size of the group is an important factor to consider. The optimal size of a group is between seven to eight members. Group decision making can be improved using techniques such as brainstorming, nominal group technique, and Delphi technique. A team is a type of formal group in which the members work together to accomplish common goals. One of the major differences between a group and a team is that in team settings individual and group accountability exists (Katzenback & Smith, 1993). Companies create teams for strategic purposes, while most work groups are formulated to accomplish specific tasks. Teams tend to be formulated to achieve long term tasks. For example a company can create a quality control team to reduce product defects. Work groups are different because they are typically formed to achieve short term goals. Another discrepancy between teams and groups is the way they operate. The five steps of the participation process of team members are illustrated below: An important aspect of teamwork is the necessity of leadership to manifest itself. Due to the nature of teamwork employees are able to exert leadership while working in settings even if the person is not the official team leader.

What Happened to Muses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What Happened to Muses - Essay Example They find the inspiration in something else. Usually these methods to get it are not right and decent: drinking alcohol, using drugs etc. Not very long ago actual women, wives or girl-friends, played a role of Muse for some artists. Today it is not necessary to an artist to have a Muse. In ancient times three Muses were divine creatures and the daughters of Zeus. Their mother, Mnemosyne, was the goddess of memory. Hesiod decided to expand the number of muses, so now we know nine: Clio, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Melpomene, Thalia, , Polyhymnia, Urania, Erato. Nine Muses were given different roles later by Romans: Clio was the muse of history, Erato of lyric poetry, Polyhymnia of sacred poetry and so on. Nine muses were considered to be kind, caring creatures. According to Hesiod, they came to the chosen and lucky artist and presented him with their invaluable gifts. At the same time Muses could punish artists and other creatures. We all know how they punished Sirens when they want to compete with them: they made them loose their wings and Sirens fell into the sea. The power of the ancient Muses was transferred to the modern ones. Many modern Muses were mostly strong women with difficult characters and interesting lives. Among them we can define Gala, the Muse of Salvador Dali, Georgia O’Keeffe, the Muse of Alfred Stieglitz, and many other. In the 21st century it is not very easy to find a Muse. Some artists still have Muses, very often they are their own wives, but the relationships between them does not have an element of divinity any more. They are just partners and their relations are the relations between two people, just human beings, usually with equal talent. Women do not limit themselves to the role of Muses any more, they want to create masterpieces themselves. Feminist ideas do not allow to treat women as objects. Muses did not completely disappear, just the idea of them was changed.

The importance of geometry

The importance of geometry This chapter includes the importance of geometry and the importance of learning how to solve traditional word problems by students in school mathematics. The concerns of mathematics education stakeholders about word problem solving based on national and international assessments and the suggestions provided by researchers and educators to improve students performance when solving word problems are also reviewed. The theories and empirical studies that focus on comprehension, representation, and solution of word problems are summarized. Although using mathematics, and in particular geometry, to model situations from work places has been part of education for centuries, the review of the literature starts with the beginning of the late nineteenth century, with the exception of Renà © Descartes (1596-1650) doctrine of problem solving (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1983). The review includes recommendations from important publications that inform mathematics education. Research-based theoretical and conceptual frameworks that support the solution process of mathematics word problems are used to develop a research hypothesis for examination in this study. Problem Solving and Solving Word Problems Some mathematics educators and researchers believe that a problem lies as an obstruction between two ends, the problem and the solution, without any clearly defined ways to traverse (Brownell, 1942; Mayer, 1985; Polya, 1980). This definition may also be applied to word problems because many researchers include math word problems in problem solving research (Kilpatrick, 1985). The logic behind this definition can be traced back to Renà © Descartes (1596-1650) philosophy which suggests that method is necessary to uncover the truth of nature. The following excerpt from Encyclopedia Britannica (1983) on Descartes Discourse on Method is worth mentioning as part of his doctrine of problem solving  [1]  [The Discourse] is a philosophical classic. [It] hides the fundamental assertion that the human mind is basically sound and the only means of attaining truth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ never to accept anything as true which I [you] did not clearly and distinctly see to be so. Descartes thus implies the rejection of all accepted ideas and opinions, the determination to doubt until convinced of the contrary by self-evident facts. The second rule is an instruction to analyze the problem to be solved. Once cleared of its prejudices, the mind, using the example set by mathematicians, must divide each of the difficulties under e xamination into as many parts as possible; that is, discover what is relevant to the problem and reduce it as far as possible to its simplest data. The third rule is to conduct my thoughts in order, beginning with objects that are the simplest and easiest to know and so proceed, gradually, to knowledge of the more complex. The fourth rule is a warning to recapitulate the chains of reasoning to be certain that there are no omissions. These simple rules are not to be considered a mere automatic formula; they are to be regarded as a mental discipline, based on the example of mathematical practice. (p. 600) Schoenfeld (1987) summarized the four phases of Descartes problem solving plan. The idea in phase I is to reduce an algebra problem to a single variable equation for solving. Phase II suggests reducing a mathematics problem to an algebra problem and solving it according to phase I. In phase III, any problem situation is converted to a mathematics problem by mathematizing. In phase IV , the problem is then solved using the ideas in phase I and II. In two of his many rules (rules XIV and XV), Descartes suggested the drawing of diagrams as an aid to solving problems (pp. 29-36). It is noted from the above excerpt of Descartes problem solving process that a problem should be broken down to its parts before attempting to solve it. Each part should also be understood separately. For example, a word problem can usually be solved if one can understand the words (vocabulary), their meaning, their interconnection, the objects they represent, and the relevance of those objects in the problem. Solving a word problem is also sometimes referred to as problem solving. According to Branca (1987), problem solving is an alternative meaning of applying mathematics to different circumstances (p. 72). That means if a situation is explained in words, or in a word problem, then applying mathematics as a tool to solve that problem situation may be treated as problem solving. Also, Brow n, Cronin, and McEntire (1994) stated that assessment on word problems has different names, including math reasoning, problem solving, word problems, as well as story problems (p. 32). Although word problems have been extensively used in problem solving research, the similarity and differences between word problems and problem solving should be clarified. A word problem is also a problem to solve, according to the definitions previously mentioned. Many educators think solving word problems require the problem solving skills. For this dissertation, word problems will refer to problems of the type that appear in standardized assessments and tests such as the NAEP, the New Jersey HSPA, the SAT, and the ACT. They are not problems related to everyday human life without unstated facts where students have to wander, collect facts for mathematizing the situation before solving them. The problems in this study can be attempted using general heuristics (Polya, 1945; Schoenfeld, 1985), as well as through the application of Descartes problem solving principle and other methods based on Descartes philosophy. According to Kilpatrick (1987), in recent years, some researchers in mathematics education have used problems with increasing level of difficulty and learning opportunity that require the novel combination of rules and reasoning. A few similar problems were used in this research. (See Appendix K for sample problems) However, these problems are infrequently found outside of tests or class assignments. Solving Word Problems: A Goal of Mathematics Education Learning to solve problems is the principal reason of studying mathematics (National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, 1977, p. 2). The NCTM (Krulik Reys, 1980) also suggested that problem solving be regarded as the major goal of learning school mathematics from 1980 to 1989 and repeated that recommendation more recently (NCTM, 2000). Mathematics accomplishment of students, which includes problem solving, became a major concern in the U. S. with the release of A Nation at Risk (U. S. Department of Education, 1983). This publication recommended focusing on the teaching of geometric and algebraic concepts and real-life importance of mathematics in solving problems. The low word problem solving ability of U.S. students of 9, 13, and 17 years of age was verified by the first data from the NAEP conducted in 1973. While analyzing the results of that assessment, Carpenter, Coburn, Reys, and Wilson (1976) concluded: It is most disturbing to ascertain the suggestion that many students receive very little opportunity to learn to solve world problems. The assessment results are so poor, however, that we wonder whether this is not the case. A commitment to working and thinking about word problems is needed for teachers and their students. (p. 392) Table 2.1 shows the scale scores of NAEP on mathematics obtained by U.S. students in grades 4, 8, and 12, on a 0 to 500 scale, from 1990 to 2007. Table 2.2 s hows the percent of different types of word problems correctly answered by the students in grades 8 and 12. According to Braswell et al. (2001), the achievement levels of 249, 299, and 336 are considered proficient levels for fourth-, eighth-, and 12th-grade students, respectively. Table 2.1 indicates very small improvements in the NAEP test scores for fourth-grade and eighth-grade students over the span of 17 years (1990 to 2007). However, these scores are below the suggested proficiency levels. It may be noted from Tables 2.1 and 2.2 that improvement, either in overall performance or in word problem solving skills for all participating U.S. students, is trivial. Also the scores that hover around 230 for grade 4, 275 for grade 8, and 300 for grade 12 on a 0 to 500 scale are too low. Of particular concern is an average of only 4% correctly answered questions for the years 1990 to 2000 (Table 2.2) by U.S. grade 12 students on volume and surface area related problems. International as sessments such as the FIMS in 1965, the SIMS in 1982, the PISA in 2003 and 2007, and the TIMSS in 1995 and 2003 further attested U.S. students poor problem solving skills and highlighted their low mathematical achievement in comparison to students from other participating countries. The FIMS and SIMS conducted mathematics assessment of 13year-old students and high school seniors (National Council of Educational Statistics, 1992). According to the NCTM (2004), the PISA measures the numerical skills and problem solving aptitude of 15-year-old students on a scale of 0 to 500whereas the TIMSS measures fourth and eighth grade students ability on concepts on a scale of 0 to 1000. The NCTM also reported that the NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA, which are low-stakes tests, generate group performance results of students. High-stakes tests, like New Jerseys HSPA or other state mandated tests, as well as the SAT and ACT, focus on the performance of individual students. Of the three assessments, NAEP, TI MSS, and PISA, TIMSS and NAEP have the most in common in terms of mathematical concepts and cognitive necessity (NCTM). The findings from the mathematics results of the PISA of 2000 and 2003 reported by Lemke et al. (2004) indicated that U. S. performance in algebra and geometry was lower than two-third of the participating OECD countries. Even the top 10% of the participants in the U.S. were outperformed by more than half of their OECD counterparts in solving problems. The then U.S. Education Secretary emphasized the need to reform high schools on top priority basis (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). The latest PISA (2007) results indicated that the mathematical accomplishment of U.S students is lower than the international average. According to TIMSS (2003), U.S. students of fourth and eighth grades scored on average 518 and 504, respectively in mathematics. These scores were higher than the average score of 495 of the fourth-grade students in the 25 participating countries and the average score of 466 of the eighth-grade students in the 45 participating countries. However, these scores were lower than the 4 Asian countries and 7 European countries for fourth grade and lower than the 5 Asian countries and 4 European countries for eighth grade. Although the average score of U.S. eighth-grade students improved by only 12 points from 492 in 1995 to 504 in 2003, there was no change reported by TIMSS in their score from 1999 to 2003. Overall, these scores on a scale from 0 to 1000 indicate that students in grades four and eight in the U.S. only achieved about 50% mastery of the concepts tested. National (NAEP, 2007) and international (FIMS, 1965; SIMS, 1982; TIMSS, 1995, 1999, 2003) assessments indicate that student achievement in mathematics remains a major educational concern. Those assessments use multiple choice, short-response, and open-ended word problems which are similar to those on the New Jersey HSPA, SAT, and ACT. Since students mathematical skills are measured using one or more of the above assessments, learning to solve word problems must be considered a major goal of mathematics education and a major component of assessing student achievement in mathematics. Further, learning to solve word problems related to real-life situations using mathematical concepts also helps students to be successful at work and in their lives. Geometry as a Cornerstone of Mathematics-History of Problem Solving and Geometry In ancient India, the rudiments of Geometry, called Rekha-Ganita, were formulated and applied to solve architectural problems for building temple motifs (Srivathsa, Narasimhan, Saà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã†â€™sat 2003, p. 218). The 4000 years old mathematics that emerged in India during The Indus Civilization (2500 BC-1700 BC) proposed for the first time, the ideas of zero, algebra, and finding square and cube roots in Indian Vedic literature (Birodhkar, 1997; OConnor Robertson, 2000; Singh, 2004). The significance of studying geometry is evi dent from the past mathematical records. The book, A History of Mathematics (Suzuki, 2002) provides the mathematical innovations made by the most brilliant mathematicians from ancient times until the 20th century. Some of the mathematical developments presented in this book that are related to problem solving and geometry are discussed next. According to Suzuki (2002), the ancient Egyptians (3000 B.C.) demonstrated their skills in solving word problems by an Egyptian scribe on the mathematical papyri using the concepts of linear and nonlinear equations without any mathematical notations. That is, every problem solved by an Egyptian scribe was a word problem (p. 13). In order to redraw property lines after the yearly flooding of the Nile, the Egyptians developed realistic geometry related geometric figures, but not their abstract properties. Also, their geometry is filled with problems relating to pyramids (p. 16). The Babylonians (1700 B.C.) also routinely solved more complicated an d complex problems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ entirely verbally (Suzuki, 2002, p. 28) without any system of mathematical notations. Their ways of solving interest relate problems show their advanced mathematical skills. According to Suzuki, the Babylonians also developed methods for calculating the area of triangles, trapezoids and other polygons. Before Pythagoras (580-500 B.C.), the Pythagorean Theorem was well known to the Babylonians (p. 31). The development of pre-Euclidean geometry goes back to the age of Plato (427-347 B.C.). It is said that the entrance plaque to Platos school in Athens read, Let No One Unversed In Geometry Come Under My Roof (Suzuki, 2002, p. 74). According to Suzuki, Plato had probably discovered the word mathematics from the mathema, meaning the three liberal arts, arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy (p. 74). Later, Euclid (300 B.C.), who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, wrote the Elements, a conglomeration of 300 years of Greek geometrical development. The Elements was so important for the next two thousand years of mathematics that Euclidean geometry became an essential part of learning mathematics until it faced the first serious mathematical challenges (p. 86) in the 19th century. The significance of understanding geometry for high school students has been a part of recommendations of the committees on mathematics education in the U.S. since 1894 (Commission on Mathematics, 1959; National Education Association, 1894, National Committee on Mathematical Requirements, 1923; Progressive Education Association (PEA) Committee and the Joint Commission, 1940; The National Committee of Fifteen, 1912). An account of these committees reports may be found in the 1970 yearbook of the NCTM, A History of Mathematics Education in the United States and Canada. A brief of the recommendations of these committees are presented below. The first national group of experts that addressed mathematics education was the subcommittee on mathematics of the Committee of Ten (National Education Association, 1894). They considered the goals and curriculum for mathematics education and recommended preparatory work on algebra and geometry in the upper elementary school curriculum. On demonstrative geometry, the committee stressed on the importance of elegance and finish in geometrical demonstration (p. 25). About demonstrative geometry, the committee further stated, there is no student whom it will not brighten and strengthen intellectually as few other exercises can (p. 116). This suggests all mathematics teachers engage their students in using the geometric concepts to visualize their surroundings and to geometrically demonstrate what they visualize. The final report of The National Committee of Fifteen on the Geometry Syllabus (National Education Association, 1912) recommended using realistic approaches to exercises in mathematics instruction. Eleven years later, its final report, The Reorganization of Mathematics in Secondary Education (The National C ommittee on Mathematical Requirements, 1923) also stressed the importance of the studying geometry. The commission advocated that the course of study in mathematics during the seventh, eighth, and ninth years contain the fundamental notions of arithmetic, of algebra, of intuitive geometry, of numerical trigonometry, and at least an introduction to demonstrative geometry (p. 1). One of the practical aims of this ecommendation was to encourage familiarity with geometric forms common in nature and life, as well as the elementary properties and relations of these forms, including their measurement, the development of space-perception, and the exercise of spatial imagination.

Strategy Formation and Strategic Change: Barnes&Noble and Amazon

The business sector is becoming more competitive than ever before, and many establishments lean on marketing to stand above the rest, making comprehensive strategies essential to any organization. Under strategy comes two distinct terms, which are often interchanged: strategy formation and strategic change. How are they similar, or different?How are they similar or different in terms of two online reference store giants Barnes&Noble and Amazon? Strategy Formation According to the Process of Strategy Formation (n. d. ), strategy formation includes both planning and implementing the details of the strategy.It requires strategists to answer the what, when, where, why, and how of the strategy that they are brewing. There are two bullet points in forming a strategy: activities and roles. Strategy formation activities are the actions that strategists will undertake throughout the strategic implementation. This includes determining the objectives of the strategy, assessing the strategy, pla nning the actual strategic plan and implementing them. Roles refer to the person or groups of people who take charge on each aspect of the strategy, implementing and controllong them.When Amazon started out, it is generally an online book store, with side products that avid web visitors can buy occasionally. The idea, it seems, was to bring convenience to the reading web consumers. (Amazon. com, 2006) Barnes& Noble on the other hand started out as an online â€Å"education system,† and courses were free. The book store phase comes when students start the class, as they are encouraged to buy the references from the site. The idea is to give free training, and sell books that students can use to maximize those trainings. (Barnesandnoble. com, 2006) Strategic ChangeStrategic change, on the other hand, is making an improvement or modifying an existing strategy. There are different reasons why strategies are modified, the most recurrent of which is the inefficacy of a strategy. Fr om an online book shop with occasional gifts and extra items, Amazon now carries many consumer goods—from the pioneering items books, music, and movies, clothing, electronics, household items, even event registries. The strategic change was from an online bookstore into an online shopping site, yet the mission is still to bring convenience to Amazon’s consumers.(Amazon. com, 2006) Barnes&Noble has adopted a similar strategic change, but it chose to stick with the writing-reading consumers in mind. The site, apart from the B&N University which offers free courses now sells books, stationeries, pens, and other gifts that writers and readers, as well as their friends, can appreciate. There is still the occasional stray items not intended for writers or readers, like toys and playthings and outdoor equipment, but they do not affect the general feel that Barnes&Noble was created with a specific market in mind. (Barnesandnoble.com, 2006) The two organizations’ strateg y formations were different—one opted to be a store while the other started out as an online school. However, they both had readers and writers as their costumers in mind. The strategic change, however, was a little bit similar as both sites branched out to selling more than books. The strategic change differed with the type of items that each site chose to sell. In the end, Amazon and Barnes&Noble’s strategy were based on their target markets, explaining why they were similar and different in their own respects.While B&N tried to touch base with their reading and writing customers, Amazon hoped to reach not just this market, but more. References Process of Strategy Formation. (n. d. ). Strategy Formation Chapter 3, 105-162. Retrieved July 20, 2006, from http://userwww. sfsu. edu/~bheiman/DMch3. pdf#search='process%20of%20strategy%20formation' Barnesandnoble. com. (2006). Retrieved July 20, 2006, from http://www. barnesandnoble. com/index. asp? z=y Amazon. com. (2006). Retrieved July 20, 2006, from http://www. amazon. com/gp/homepage. html/ref=topnav_gw_gw/102-2681851-9996929