Category: Uncategorized

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‘Allen Iverson’ is a documentary that tracks the career of an NBA superstar, Iverson. The documentary narrates about the ultimate legacy of the legend rising from a childhood of poverty in Hampton Virginia. Iverson rose from poverty to become an all-time superstar as an athlete in basketball, becoming an 11-time NBA all-star and as well being recognized in the basketball sports. Despite his success, Iverson was faced with rejection by people of his hometown, and this left his coach wondering whether he should stay and play. The main reason for his rejection was due to his unapologetic embrace of hip hop music that sent shockwaves to the entire league and as well influencing the entire generation. The documentary features interviews with various people including Iverson’s coach while the rest of the documentary is left for Iverson to tell his story.

The main intent of the filmmaker is to alert and make aware the audience of the life history of the NBA all-star icon, Allen Iverson. To fulfill this, the documentary highlights the course of his career in high school throughout the NBA, being a hip hop star as well as he progressed to become a superstar in basketball until his retirement. The main focus of the documentary, therefore, is to the life of a single person being narrated by various people, who provides their accounts on Allen’s life and career as well as the superstar himself telling his story and therefore the intention of the filmmaker of making the audience aware is fulfilled with facts.

The documentary is of a higher quality as there are no visually irrelevant materials. The visual materials are designed to suit the documentary in the sense that at the background, there are players playing basketball which is in line with the clip, all the interviews are of the same topic and the media outlets as well as newspapers in the documentary relate to Allen’s career. There are no visual distractions in the video, and it is easy for the audience to follow the concept as at some occasions there are visual aids such as words in the papers making the audience reconnect if they were lost. Besides, the quality of the pictures is of good quality and are taken from different angles. With the main character being on the screen all the time, the audience cannot get bored as he is introduced at different occasions, providing his part of the story keeping the audience ready to hear what next. Therefore, the overall quality of the video if high.

The mise-en-scene has been designed in such a manner that will provoke a response from the viewer. Since the documentary talks about the life course of a superstar, the images of Allen Iverson dominate the documentary as the main character. The setting of the documentary dictates that Allen is an NBA player as the costumes being worn are those of the basketball players. Most of the actions are in the field and therefore the audience even without listening to the audio, still can infer that the topic of the documentary is about sport and not any other sport but basketball. Allen Iverson was a shooting guard, and therefore we expect him to be shown scoring, this has been the case as he constantly scores, dribbling the ball past his opponents and celebrating the victory. The scoring is on different occasions, and this is an indication that Allen was indeed a superstar in the NBA. The reactions of the players as they win as well as that of the other characters in the documentary, illicit emotions to the audience. The overall mis-en-scene of the documentary is of high quality as the audience response is triggered as per the filmmaker’s intention.

Reference

ALLEN IVERSON: The Answer [FULL Documentary]: Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/2TCjK4jRDfw?t=409

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

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How A Bill Becomes A Law

Situation: Legislative Laws

Nursing professional is undergoing legislative changes for the provision of efficient and quality care to the patients. The current changes indicate a bright future for health services but undermine the nursing profession. Nurses have fixed number of patient and may require an increase in the number of nurses per hospital or reduction depending on the demand. Nurses will have no rights in working in a single healthcare but will move to hospitals that have high demand and in some situation may lack jobs due to low demand. Legislative body dealing with healthcare argues that high number of nurses in a health institution that surpasses the number of the patient lead to poor health care services. The hospital experienced an increased number of poor patient outcomes due to the high number of nurses. Laws on fixed nurse-to-patient ratio tend to stretch thin the responsibilities of nurses leading in the provision of quality healthcare to the patients.

Nurse-patient ratio uses a formula that will ensure equity in the distribution of nurses in the hospitals. Legislative laws concentrate on the provision of quality healthcare to the patient instead of considering the consequences of the nurses in the field of profession. Law makers are enforcing the laws without seeking the opinion of the nurses and have a high likelihood of failing to comply.

Background: Studies related to Nurse-Patient Ratios

Studies involving minimum nurse-patient ratio indicate that nurses have different categories of management. Rich nurses in a hospital set-up have low risk failure in handling patients. Hospitals that manage minimum nurse staffing ratio have reduced mortality rates and hospital stay durations. Studies by Linda H. Aiken and colleagues show that nurses experience burnout levels due to shortage of nurses and job dissatisfaction. The major problem occurs in the growth of hospital and understaffing of nurses. The hospital management should consider increasing the number of nurses with the same ratio as the patient increases in the hospital. Job dissatisfaction cases reports of nurses are four times higher than other health workers in the same hospital setting.

Dissatisfaction of nurses is high in that most nurses plan to quit a job after one year of service. Limited number of nurses in the hospital setting is not a solution in solving the mortality rate in hospitals although records show that 8:1 ratio have more deaths than 4:1 ratio. The hospital management experiences a cost of forty to sixty-five thousand dollars in replacing a nurse hence finding it worth in improving the nursing working conditions in order to save lives and decrease hospital costs. California law court made a decision that all hospitals should maintain a number of nurse staffs to avoid burnout. Rotational duties are efficient in a reduction of burnout incidences.

The National Nurses United Foundation in California made campaigns on protection of nursing in the working environment in order to create job satisfaction. Other states like Iowa, Michigan, New York, and Michigan adopted the Hospital Patient Protection Act that took the mandate of ensuring sufficient a good formulation of nurse-patient ratio in hospitals. Nurses would also get protection of potential whistle-blowers on the campaign of nurse-patient ratio. Massachusetts States adopted “The Patient Safety Act” towards assignment of a number of patients per nurse. The Act also has the mandate of evaluating nurses in terms of services to the patients.

Assessment: Finances and Stakeholders

Hospital size is the determinant of estimated cost and saving. A large hospital in terms of services to the patients saves a higher added cost than a small hospital. Savings present in the hospital depend on the prevailing wages and staffing pattern. Wages of workers should not surpass the income of the hospital in order to avoid bankruptcy of the hospital. Varying the cost of the hospital ranges from 1.0 % to 1.7% and mainly depends on the nursing expenditure per hospital. Hospitals should have sufficient revenue for expansion and hiring of extra nurses. Reduction of expenses in the hospital ensures increased revenue and provision of quality services.

Recommendation:

Nursing organization vows to support the legislation towards implementation of nurse-to-patient ratio method in all the healthcare institutions. Nurses recommend legislation Act should consider the nursing welfare in order to reduce incidences of burnout and quitting of job. Nursing Welfare Organization recommends for job satisfaction through increase of staffing levels in the hospitals in order to avoid overburdening the nurses with pronounced duties. The facilities within the hospital environment should have qualified personnel to head them in order to have quality services.

Registered nurses recommend for high nurse-to-patient ratio in order to address issues of safety and quality care. Registered nurses have first-hand experience and can tell areas that require high care and experts. Many patients require safe and quality environment for the reduction of unnecessary risks. California State ensures that the nurse-to-patient ratio is success and have tremendous results. Supporting legislation endorsement will ensure nurse ratio favours both the nurses and patient have good working environment. All questions that nurses have towards the legislature get addressed in the California Law Courts for the purpose of quality services.

How Amazon.com use their Digital Channels to Achieve Success

Introduction

The Internet is one of the major areas that have developed tremendously with the evolution of information technology (IT). To cope with technological developments and to compete effectively, companies increasingly exist in the online world (Bass, et al, 2008, p. 6). As well, IT development has opened opportunities whereby customers are able to do online shopping from online stores of companies existing online, rather than going to shop in physical retail stores and shopping malls (Bass, et al, 2008, p. 6). One of the largest and most competitive companies that exist online is Amazon. Through its online business, Amazon has been able to attract a huge number of customers from over 150 countries. Amazon.com is the main website of Amazon company in which it displays its products which comprise of millions of books DVDs, music, and videos. The site also displays other products offered by the company such as household items, apparel and clothes, electronics, drugs and cosmetics, among others. These products are also displayed in websites of affiliate companies.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Amazon opened its website on World Wide Web in 1995 and operated at a loss until 2002 when it attained its first annual profit (Daft, 2003, p. 137). Since then, the company’s profits have grown tremendously and the company continues to sustain competitive edge in the online market. One of the major drivers of successful performance of Amazon has been the effectiveness the company’s management which has steered the organisation to cope with the rapidly changing market needs as technology evolves.

The main goal of this report is to analyze how Amazon.com uses their digital channels to achieve success. Specifically, the paper analyses the nature of the company’s management structure and management strategies which has helped to steer it to success. Precisely, the paper provides a description of how the management strategies have steered this company to cope with effects, influences and changes in the online business environment. In the course of this evaluation, the paper assesses the impact of IT on the company’s success. Generally, the report expresses how management theory can be utilised to enhance effective performance of modern organisations.

Amazon’s management resources and capabilities

In today’s business environment, effectiveness of an organization’s management team as well as management strategies and networks highly influence capacity for successful performance (Robinson & Menon, 2009, p. 73). As noted earlier, one of the major reasons for the successful performance of Amazon for many years has been its effective management team led by the founder and Chief executive Officer, Jeff Bezos. According to Robinson and Menon (2009, p. 73), Amazon’s management upholds four views of leadership namely; transformation view, paradigm shift, power and social responsibility. However, the company’s management has always capitalised on a transformational leadership approach which enhances good relationships within the organisation and between the company staff and online clients and consumers (Robinson & Menon, 2009, p. 73).

One of the unique characteristics of transformational leadership is that it has a positive impact on the development and performances of the followers. According to Bass and Riggios (2006, p. 42), transformational leadership skills are often not ingrained in an individual’s personal traits, but are learned. However, some individual traits make it easier for a leader to display transformational leadership behaviours. For instance, studies have shown that the trait of agreeableness is positively associated with such leaders. Another common characteristic of transformational leaders is that they have strong ability to recognise emotions of others and to understand their behaviours. As a transformational leader, Bezos has always displayed these traits and thus it is not surprising that he has been able to accomplish change in Amazon by building networks of positive relationships.

Bezos has continuously been innovating new strategies which help the company to meet its goals. His leadership focuses on inspiring company staff to believe in his as well as in their potential, to always work hard and focus on creating a better future for the company. His approach has thus created constant change in both the company and the staff as technology and market change. According to Daft and Vershinina, (2010, p. 584), Bezos’s leadership has always focused on enhancing change in the company’s mission, structure and strategy as market needs change. Importantly, Bezos has been the central figure behind the company’s continuous innovation of new products and technology, which is one of the key areas of the company’s successful performance. Bezos does not rely only on tangible rules to control specific tasks and issues within the company. Rather, he focuses on intangible qualities such as ideas, vision and shared values within the organisation to build effective relationships, find common ground to enlist the company staff and to give larger meaning to different activities in the change process.

It would not be excessive to say that transformational, visionary leadership is the real magic behind the tremendous success of Amazon.com. According to Daft and Vershinina (2010, p. 584), the passion and enthusiasm of the online business in Bezos enabled him to secure millions of dollars financing from numerous investors. As noted, the company did not perform well for several years after it was established. However, according to Vershinina (2010, p. 584), Bezos continued to inspire employees with his vision of a new and uncommon kind of retailer as the company continued to struggle. Eventually, the company managed to achieve profitability and leadership in the business in 2002. Since then, Bezos has kept Amazon innovative with bold moves. A good example of this was the move to use Amazon’s operations, logistics expertise and technology to provide services to other services to other companies and entrepreneurs (Vershinina, 2010, p. 584).

The leadership of Amazon places accountability of success in the hands of each of the company’s employees. According to Vershinina (2010, p. 584), employees of the company are rewarded for putting both their minds and their hearts in their work. Bezos spends considerable time with employees, patting backs and giving pep talks. He personally keeps on reminding employees on the front lines that they are the heart and soul of Amazon and that only through their efforts can the company succeed. As a result of this support, the company’s employees have been able to work hard to steer the company to success.

Amazon’s online strategy in the wake of IT evolution

Since the company attained command in the online business, Amazon has always focused on sustaining competitive edge through continuous innovation and change, as the Internet continues to evolve. The company’s leadership has always ensured that its website is well updated and organised in a way that it provides more convenience to customers who wish to purchase products online rather than wait for delivery (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). The leadership ensures that the site offers the best customer experience through enhanced speed and convenience. For instance, according to Frisch (2011, p. 56), Amazon allows customers to rate the company’s products displayed on the website. This enables customers to make informed purchasing decisions. Some customers may purchase and others may not, depending on their views. On top of this, the company has an instant order update feature which provides past information about the product they are interested in (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). For instance, the feature provides information on whether the product they are interested in or they are ordering was ordered during the previous years.

Amazon.com’s consumers do not have to call all local stores to find a product (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). Amazon has formed partnership with Borders, which enables this company direct customers to the closest store that offers the desired products. Also, by partnering with other international and local suppliers, Amazon has been able to provide more options for their customers. Consumers are only required to provide a zip code. Amazon has been able to achieve this through the use of Z-shops. These are online business retailers offering similar products to Amazon and who set up online shops under Amazon umbrella. According to Frisch (2011, p. 56), this strategy enables Amazon to get as much information as possible on consumer purchasing habits.

Another long-term decision made by Amazon’s management is to enhance a competitive product pricing strategy. The products displayed on the website of this company are based on menu pricing. According to Byers (2006, p. 10) “in menu pricing, the seller sets the prices of products and buyers decide if they are or are not willing to pay the price.” Amazon focuses on offering the lowest price on products compared to its competitors. Basically, the company passes savings which are derived from its operating expenses to its customers in the form of lower prices for the products it offers. Third parties using the site are allowed to set their different prices for their products and sell them alongside Amazon’s products.

The success of this company is also as a result of successful diversification of their offerings to different products and services (Lopez, 2009, p. 12). Apart from using its website, Amazon offers differentiated content through partnership and alliances with other wholesalers and retailers. As a result, Amazon has been recognised by the largest number of online customers as a global bookstore that offers high quality products and services. Amazon’s advertising and marketing strategy focuses on attracting the interest of the targeted customers and building its reputation as a strong brand. The company has been creating affiliate websites that display its products which help in expanding its business market. In addition to the above strategies, Amazon has a “1-Click” program which helps to streamline the buying process by storing customer information (Lopez, 2009, p. 12). In short, the company’s integration of online operations and physical stores leads to great efficiencies in operations and great satisfaction to customers.

Summary

In summary, Amazon is one of the largest and most successful companies that exist online. The company offers a wide range of products which are displayed and can be purchased from its main website, Amazon.com as well as in other websites of affiliate companies. The successful performance of the company in online business is undoubtedly attributable to its effective leadership in the wake of IT evolution, specifically the Internet. The management of Amazon adopts a transformational leadership approach which is a key factor in enhancing good relationships within the organisation and between the organisation and consumers. Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon has been the central figure behind this organisation’s continuous innovation and changes which have enabled the company to cope with changes in technology and to meet changes in market needs. Steered by the company’s management, Amazon’s online strategy has been quite effective to meet the changing market needs. The components of the company’s online strategy include offering the best customer experience, effective pricing strategy, offering differentiated products and implementation of Z-shops and the “1-Click” program. Generally, the successful performance of Amazon can be attributed to the effectiveness of the company’s leadership through continuous innovation to cope with changes in technology.

Recommendations

Generally, as Lumsden, et al (2009) explains, e-commerce is a continuously growing area as evolution of internet technology continues. The ability of businesses to effectively compete in the global market is going to increasingly depend on their use of e-commerce. As noted, effective management as well as brand reputation are some of the Amazon’s important assets, which steered the company to become a market leader in the online business. In order to sustain this successful performance in the global market, Amazon has to maintain its current reputation by continuously observing and addressing the needs of its. The ability of the company to continuously gauge the needs of customers as market needs change as well continuous development and maintenance of good relationship with customers is essential to its success in the future. Precisely, the company must continue developing and initiating technological changes as internet continues evolving.

References

Bass, R M & Riggios, R E 2006, Transformational Leadership, California.

Bass, R M, Bass, R & Bass, R R 2008, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications, Simon and Schuster, New York.

Byers, A 2006, Jeff Bezos: The Founder of Amazon.com, New York.

Daft, K M & Vershinina, N 2010, Management-International Edition, Cengage Learning EMEA, New York.

Daft, R 2003, Management, 6th edn, Cincinnati, Thomson South-Western, Ohio.

Frisch, B 2011, Who’s in the Room: How Great Leaders Structure and Manage the Teams Around Them, John Wiley & Sons, California.

Lopez, S C 2009, A Qualitative Study of an E-Commerce Organization in Transitions, ProQuest, West Sussex.

Lumsden, G, Lumsden, D & Wiethoff, C 2009, Communicating in Groups and Teams: Sharing Leadership, Cengage Learning, New York.

Robinson, T & Menon, M 2009, Jeff Bezos: Amazon.com Architect, ABDO, Washington DC.

How a Group Leader Would Deal with an Uncomfortable Group Member

In almost all groups, there are enormous problems that do emerge directly affecting all or some of the group members. It is, therefore, essential to look for ways of identifying such problems and trying as much as possible to solve the problems in order to effectively manage the group. Most problems in groups are caused by group members and includes; monopoly of some group members, intolerant members, members who seduce other group members, resistant members, among others. This section explores ways in which a group leader would address the issue of a hostile member who wants to leave the group and work independently.

As the group leader, I would like to state that, in a group, decisions should be collectively made such that each member’s decision is respected by the other members. In case, a member shows opposition to the group, there are a number of steps that a group leader would follow in order to solve the problem.

In our group, we have had problems with one of our members over the last few months. For the purpose of confidentiality, I would not like to disclose his names, but indeed, he has decided to leave our group and start working alone. After a close examination, as a group leader, I have realized that the member may have personal problems which may be forcing him to move out of the group. This has come to my mind after exploring the various possibilities that may make him leave the group. However, I have noticed no single abnormality in the group and therefore concluded that his exit could possibly be as a result of personal problems, as I have indicated above.

In order to avoid his exit, the group members, who have full knowledge of the situation, have been at the forefront, trying to encourage him to remain in the group, as he has been an asset to the group. However, this has proven futile, because up to now, the hostile member still insists that he must move out of the group. Despite his resistance, I have personally looked at other possibilities of his hostility and realized that the members’ approach in solving the problem is quite faulty. In an effort to validate this, the members forcefully demanded that he should frankly outline the cause of his exit to members in the subsequent group meeting. Indeed, I felt offended, and decided to do the following in an aid to solve the problem.

Over the last one week, I have been analyzing the problem and indeed realized that there is a problem that is bothering the member and that is the reason why he needs to move out of the group. After a clear observation, I have noted a difference in terms of interactions in the group. In fact, I was told that the member had a relationship with one of the group member but due to personal differences, the relationship no longer subsists.

It was only yesterday that I humbly called for a meeting and fortunately, all group members turned up for the meeting. During the meeting, I raised the issue but never specified the actual problem. Certainly, this was a very crucial step toward solving the problem since all the members adequately participated in the discussion. In fact, a majority of the members highlighted the importance of group work including the hostile member. In order to back the importance of group work, the group members shared their personal experiences and indeed this could have had a crucial impact on the resistant member’s decision. In case the member changes his stand and promises to remain in the group, then I would have won the game. However, if he remains static, then I will have to follow other crucial steps in our subsequent meetings. Perhaps the member will choose the latter, as his decision, and in case this is so, I will have to select a small committee within the group, where the hostile member could share his feelings. However, I am at loss, in deciding the members who will be in the committee but, a prominent counselor in town told me that, I should select his close friends whom they can freely share ideas. Indeed, I think this is a very prudent idea having originated from a prominent and qualified counselor, who has possibly assisted many individuals with chronic problems than the one in our group.

Without any more delays, I have decided to select the committee members in collaboration with the secretary to the group who will really assist me in choosing the hostile member’s real friends. In order to achieve, I have personally called the secretary and she has informed me that she will send me an email indicating the friends to the said member. I am waiting for the message from the secretary and the moment this information reaches me, I will personally call the members for a sub meeting when I will inform them of their mandates. From the past cooperation that they have depicted, I am pretty sure that they will be willing to assist the member change his mind for his own benefits.

For a successful problem solving process, I do expect the members to give me with adequate feedback so that I can monitor and evaluate the progress. In line with this, I will request the members to be prudent enough while getting information from the member. This is after the failure that was depicted the other day after the members tried to directly confront him in the presence of all the other members. Indeed, I will let the selected committee understand that I am interested in good results and nothing less than that. However, I am not hard on this, because if the member insists that he leaves, I will have no other alternative other than letting him go. On the other hand, if he decides to remain in the group, I will have to evaluate his stay in the group. Perhaps, if he will portray any negative impacts in the group, I will allow him or his ex-partner leave us in peace. However, the ultimate decision will be communicated to all the other group members and I do promise to follow the same procedure in solving problems for the good of our group.

Challenging Issues

There are a number of challenging issues that affect the modern society including abortion, homosexuality and sexual abuse. Indeed, human life is extremely valuable, and even most cultures and religions do value life such that they are against all those activities that would endanger human life. Abortion is one of such activities that ruin human life. It is the act of intentionally stopping human pregnancy or any other efforts including surgically removing the foetus from the woman’s womb. Abortion assuredly is an outrage that may cause human race to extinct (Hauspie, 2004).

The issue of abortion and other issues affecting human lives have been discussed in our group for months now. The group is still discussing on other two issues including homosexuality and sexual abuse. The group members were especially very bitter when the issue of abortion was raised. I was, personally surprised to realize that all the group members do value human life and that no one member would advise his or her friend to do abortion. In fact, most members said that they were willing to sue those conducting such activities in courts of law. This is after a clear understanding that abortion has negative side effects on human life. “To the extremes, abortion may cause death due to excess bleeding,” one of the members said.

After a two hours’ engagement in the group discussion, I was very happy to get positive views from the members and I really congratulated them for portraying respect on human life.

Secondly, homosexuality has become extremely intense across the globe, and in particular, some cultures and religions have legalized it and, therefore, allow gay marriages. This issue is currently being discussed in our group. Similarly, the members have depicted a negative attitude towards homosexuality. I realized this after the members strongly opposed the issue of gay marriages that is rampant in almost all parts in the world.

As a group leader, I also oppose the presence of gay marriages which may cause homosexuality. Indeed, homosexuality has felt side effects in human lives including contraction of HIV and AIDS which may be caused as a result of promiscuity among homosexuals.

Thirdly, there is the issue of sexual abuse which takes the proper form of rape, which may even occur in the group. Some members may sexually abuse other group members. In our group, the members have highly opposed this practice and most of them believe that this is a form of evil. In fact, I happen to lead people who condone any form of wrongdoing. I suspect that the hatred that exists between two of our group members could have been as a result of attempted date rape and that is why one of the members wishes to withdraw from the group. However, I am not sure that this could be the cause but I am yet to investigate and if this is so, then I will take appropriate actions for the good of our group. Despite my suspicion, I think the group members may not involve themselves in such vices having informed them of the negative effects closely related to attempted rape.

However, I would not rule out the occurrence of such a vice. In case it happens in our group, I would strongly encourage outside relationships. In line with this, I would make the members know that genuine relationships require understanding between the parties involved. With such an understanding, sexual abuse may be significantly reduced if not at all eradicated.

In case where there is sexual abuse between two members, then I would not ignore the situation and therefore would talk to those involved and inform them on the side effects of sexual abuse. However, if the situation is chronic, then I would consider removing one of the members of the group since; with prolonged stay in the group, then the progress of the group would be significantly affected.

The ending process in a group may assist to minimize previous conflicts that have been rampant in the group. In fact, termination of a group provides an avenue for change and even growth where members can now start working as individuals and not as a group. In the ending process, the individual member gets an opportunity to practice new behaviors, which were absent in the group.

In order to end a group, I would discuss the issue with other members of the group and make them realize that the termination of such a group is not the end of life. In line with this, I would encourage members to apply the skills learnt in the group, in their future pursuits. In addition, I would make the members appreciate the importance of group work as opposed to individual work. In this case, I would encourage the group members to join other groups in the future so as to work as a team.

In case, a participant is referred to an ongoing service a trustworthy counselor would refer the participant to another therapist. In so doing, the counselor helps the participant to get new information from other therapists. This is in line with the old English adage that states that change is like rest. Alternatively, the counselor would refer the participant to another group.

In conclusion, it would be wise to suggest that group work do assist individuals in virtually all walks, in life. However, in order to ensure that it serves its purpose, I should encourage cooperation among members so that they move in the same direction towards their ultimate goal. In addition, I should ensure that the challenging issues are properly handled so as not to interfere with the progress of the group. Lastly, it is prudent to ensure that appropriate steps are followed when terminating a group.

References

Hauspie, L. A. (2004). Columbia Encyclopedia. Columbia: Columbia University Press.

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How and to what extent did women participate in the Scientific Revolution

Women participated and responded to the Humanistic and Renaissance Movements the same way they did during the Scientific Revolution. This means that during the various movements women played a role in making sure that they are recognized. It is only during the era of the Scientific Revolution that the women made significant advances towards being recognized. During the 17th and 18th centuries, there were many discoveries and this caused a lot of excitement. Furthermore, some women who were gifted were inspired to become scientists. In turn, they formulated and came up with theories concerning the world that is natural. There are not many people who are aware that there are notable women of the Scientific Revolution. Men are the ones who are famous and one must have heard of Sir Isaac Newton, Galileo Galilee and Nicholas Copernicus, among others. Women of the scientific evolution era also published their findings and performed experiments like the male scientists (Fara, 2004.34).

There were women who were formally educated in matters that concerned humanistic precepts. However, women who existed at the time of the scientific revolution did not have much knowledge concerning the sciences as they had not been trained. These women studied and read on their own, and the reason why they are given a lot of acclamation. Unfortunately, women were criticized by the families, rather than being encouraged. They were accused of engaging in acts that are unfeminine, inelegant as well as inappropriate (Fara, 2004.45).

It is evident that, across America and Europe, the natural sciences were a fascination to many women. The male and women scientists corresponded and studied together concerning extremely vital matters. Moreover, in union with each other, the knowledge they acquired was used in practical formulation of applications. Some of the fields were Natural History, Physical Geography, Medicine, Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Horticulture and Botany. The men and women during the Scientific Revolution, who were interested in the mentioned subjects, were known as naturalists. The latter is a name that continued to be used for many centuries. Charles Darwin is an example of a famous 19th century naturalist (Fara, 2004.56)

Scanty information exists concerning the notable women, as only few had their extensive biographies written down. For example, in the years 1599-1625, Ana de Osorio the Cinchon Countess had valuable medicinal information. She is known to be the first person who made sure that Europe had information regarding quinine. The latter’s bark has many medicinal properties, and she had came with it from Peru. Furthermore, the quinine is responsible for curing the malaria she had been infected. While, in Peru, she was the Viceroy’s wife and a resident of Peru. The latter is during the period when the Spanish had taken over Peru. As a result of her discovery, in her honor, the plant is today named Cinchona Pubescens. The father of taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus is the one who named the plant, in order to honor the Countess. The plant is mostly found in the Tropical South American region that is mountainous and extremely naïve. In the later years, discovery of quinine was credited to the American Army General known as Walter Reed. Malaria could now be treated due to the discovery of the strong palliative, especially when America took over France in building the Panama Canal (Fara, 2004.67).

In the whole of the 17th and 18th centuries, from the years 1647-1717, the most notable naturalist is Maria Sibylla Merian. Most people today remember her for being an artist’s rather than a scientist. When she was young, she would collect specimens from the fields, which her step father owned. In turn, she published and completed engravings and collections of European insects and flowers. Most people regarded this accomplishment as being artistic and not scientific (Merian, 2012.1). Merian observed the various stages in the development of caterpillars and painted them. Insect collectors, who were males and the Amsterdam Botanical Garden Director, were fascinated by her work. At the age of fifty two, she went for an expedition in South America’s interior for two years. Unfortunately, she had to return home after contracting yellow fever (Merian, 2012.1).

An aristocratic English woman known as Margaret Cavendish of the years 1617 to 1673 is famous for teaching herself universe studies, astronomy and mathematics. In the later years, a total of fourteen books were produced by her, and they ranged from atomic physics to natural history (James, 1999.220). It is indeed evident that she had a forte for writing and learning. Another notable woman is a noble French woman, known as Emile Du Chatelet. Among all the women scientists of the scientific revolution, she is the most erudite. By the time she had attained twelve years, she had knowledge of seven languages. Furthermore, she did not sleep for long hours, and her speed during reading was extremely fast. In Paris, people knew her for being exceptionally talented in scientific and mathematical circles. Moreover, she interpreted Isaac Newton’s theories and thus gaining a reputation in the field of physics. It had reached a point whereby, she even replicated some of the experiments done by Newton. Her father often scolded her by claiming that she would never get married if she continued pursuing knowledge. Her father claimed that men were not interested in women who were more ambitious than them. This shows that the society that existed during the scientific revolution was prejudice against the women (James, 1999.238).

Lastly, there is Maria Agnesi, known to be a prodigy during her childhood. By the time, she was nine years; she could speak, read and write seven languages. They included Hebrew, Spanish, German, Greek, Latin, French and Italian. She even went to the extent of teaching her brothers, and in the year 1748, she published a calculus book. The book is widely recognized as an influential book about calculus (Hannam, 2011. 12). At the university, she attained her doctorate, and is the second woman in the world to acquire such an achievement. The name ‘Witch of Agnesi’ was given to her and has since been immortalized. In fact, the latter name refers to an algebraic equation named after her. Indeed, women were a force equal to the male counterparts.

The scientific revolution played a significant role in making women known. During this time, women were viewed as vital figures in most of the 17th century public debates. According to embryologists, there was a need to find out the role of women from conception. In ancient Greek, ideas of tenacity were adopted from female anatomy, and how well it could be understood. At the onset, of the era of the scientific revolution, the microscope was developed, and it helped a lot in understanding women. It helped prove that during the process of embryology women were involved actively and equally. People were now convinced that the theories brought forward by Aristotle were not true or even significant. According to Aristotle, women owed their existence to the men, as their souls and the fetus was from the males (Hannam, 2011. 23). As people became aware of the contributions of women, men’s attitudes towards them changed significantly. Women were on their way towards being recognized for their contributions towards developing the quality of human life. The traditional role of women being housekeepers and housewives slowly came to an end. Furthermore, many women were inspired by their successful counter parts.

Before the scientific revolution, intelligent woman had to hide their talents, as they were viewed as outcasts. Moreover, they had to choose whether to have a career by gaining knowledge, or to enter a marriage. It was not easy for women to cater to their families needs and become scholars. The traditional role of women could not be escaped even if one was extremely brilliant (Hannam, 2011. 25). All these came to a halt after women like Emile and Cavendish showed their ability as naturalists. There are various changes that occurred to the women of the era of the scientific revolution, as they were empowered to write and study. They could also have children as well as lovers. Furthermore, women were allowed to have posts in society that previously were held by men. Attitude levels, that existed before declined as women had proven they had similar capabilities with the men. In the modern society, women are now recognized, and this is due to the notable women who existed during the 17th century. Indeed, women should not be viewed as inferior human beings, as they have the potential of becoming successful as history has proven.

Work Cited

Fara, Patricia. Pandora’s Breeches: Women, Science & Power in the Enlightenment. London: Pimlico, 2004.Print.

Hannam, James. The Genesis of Science: How the Christian Middle Ages Launched the Scientific Revolution. Oxford: Regnery Publishing, 2011.Print.

James, Susan. “The Philosophical Innovations of Margaret Cavendish.” British Journal for the History of Philosophy 7, 2 (1999): 219-244.

Merian, Sibylla. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2009/apr/09/the-flowering-genius-of-maria-sibylla-merian/” http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2009/apr/09/the-flowering-genius-of-maria-sibylla-merian (February 20, 2012).

1. In October 2018, one person won a Mega Millions jackpot worth 1.54 billion dollars. How would you express that jackpot amount in scientific notation?

1.54 × 1061.54 × 10915.4 × 10615.4 × 1092. In Major League Baseball, fans eat approximately 21 million hot dogs every season. There are a total of 2,430 games in each season. Approximately how many hot dogs are eaten at each game?

1,000 hot dogs

9,000 hot dogs

90,000 hot dogs

1 million hot dogs

The United States has two bodies of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives. On November 9, 2018, following elections, 226 seats belonged to members of the Democratic party and 198 seats belonged to members of the Republican party. Election results were still undecided for the other 11 seats.

Republicans were leading 7 of the undecided races and Democrats were leading 4. If the 7 leading Republicans and 4 leading Democrats won their races, what percent of the seats in House of Representatives would belong to Democrats and what percent would belong to Republicans? Round answers to the nearest percent.

Democrats would hold 46% of the seats and Republicans would hold 52% of the seats.

Democrats would hold 50% of the seats and Republicans would hold 50% of the seats.

Democrats would hold 52% of the seats and Republicans would hold 46% of the seats.

Democrats would hold 53% of the seats and Republicans would hold 47% of the seats.

4. A syllabus in a student’s mathematics course states that she can earn 450 points on homework, 100 points on attendance, and 800 points on exams. What percent of her final grade is determined by her attendance? Round to the nearest percent.

7%

10%

13%

74%

5. Smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion each year. In 2017, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States was $19.39 trillion. Calculate the total economic impact of smoking (cost) as a percentage of the United States’ GDP. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a percent.

0.02%

0.15%

0.65%

1.55%

6. Two students went shopping and bought $150 worth of clothes. They had to pay an additional $14.78 in tax. Estimate the tax rate they had to pay.

About 5%

About 10%

About 14%

About 15%

7. George took his long-time crush on their first date. They went to dinner where he spent $84.50 and left an additional 20% tip. Later he paid for two movie tickets that cost $12.50 each and bought snacks at the movie that cost a total of $14.45. Which equation would calculate how much George spent on his date?

84.50 + (0.20 x 84.50) + (2 * 12.50) + 14.45

1.20 x 84.50 + 12.50 + 14.45

1.20 (84.50 + 12.50 + 14.45)

84.50 + (1.20 x 84.50) + 12.50 + 12.50 + 14.45

8. In 2018, a Quinnipiac University poll found that 65% of Florida voters support stricter gun laws. There are approximately 13 million registered voters in Florida. If the poll represents how all voters in Florida feel, which of the following is the best estimate of the number of voters who support stricter gun laws?

Between 130 thousand and 650 thousand voters

Between 1.3 million and 2.3 thousand voters

Between 4 million and 5 million voters

Between 8 million and 9 million voters

Use the following information to answer the next two questions.

9. A high school student is writing a report on which social media site, Facebook or Instagram, is preferred by Millennials (people born between 1980 and 1994) compared to Generation Z (people born 1995 or later). The results of her survey are below.

Facebook Instagram Total

Millennials 530 504 1034

Generation Z 129 905 1034

Total 659 1409 2068

Which of the following conclusions could be accurately drawn from these results?

Approximately 25% of Millennials surveyed prefer Facebook

Approximately 36% of Millennials surveyed prefer Instagram

Approximately 50% of Generation Z surveyed prefer Facebook

Approximately 90% of Generation Z surveyed prefer Instagram

10. The student made the calculation shown below. What question was she trying to answer?

504 ÷ 1409

What percentage of those who prefer Instagram are Millennials?

What percentage of those who prefer Facebook are Millennials?

What percentage of Millennials prefer Instagram?

What percentage of Millennials prefer Facebook?

11. A 2018 Chevrolet Suburban averages 15 miles per gallon of gas in the city. It drives 47% farther per gallon of gas on the highway. If gas costs $3.25 per gallon, how much does a Suburban cost to drive per mile on the highway? Round to the nearest cent

7 cents per mile on the highway

15 cents per mile on the highway

22 cents per mile on the highway

153 cents per mile on the highway

12. The following data table gives information about the change in smartphone sales of two leading companies from 2007 to 2017.

Company Smartphones sold in 2007 Smartphones sold in 2017 Smartphones sold in 2027

Apple 2.3 million 214.9 million ?

Samsung 435.5 million 321.3 million ?

The number of smartphones sold is changing for these companies every year. Suppose that over the next 10 years, from 2017 to 2027, their absolute rates of change of smartphone sales remains the same as the previous 10 years. Using the data table, determine which of the following statements would be true.

Samsung will sell more smartphones that Apple in 2027.

Samsung will sell over 400 million smartphones in 2027.

Apple will sell over 400 million smartphones in 2027.

Apple and Samsung will sell approximately the same number of smartphones in 2027.

Date 3/1/98 1/1/01 1/1/02 1/1/07 1/1/08 7/1/14 1/1/16 1/1/17 1/1/18

Minimum Wage $5.75 $6.25 $6.75 $7.50 $8.00 $9.00 $10.00 $10.50 $11.00

13. California’s minimum wage (in dollars per hour) has increased substantially over the last 20 years, as seen in the table below.

Which of these graphic displays should be used to show the rate of change, or trend, of these minimum wage rates over time?

a. A bar graphb. A line graphc. A pie chart

d. A table displaying the mean and median

15. The table below shows the yearly income of a random sample of family physicians across the US in 2018.

Doctor Income in 2018

Dr. Bonner$108,000

Dr. Dupree$210,000

Dr. Gilbreath$145,000

Dr. Griner$190,000

Dr. Hornbuckle$135,000

Dr. Houston$180,000

Dr. Kizer$187,000

Dr. Taurasi$162,000

Dr. Taylor$151,000

Dr. Thomas$235,000

Calculate the mean and median income in 2018 for these doctors.

Mean = $162,000, median = $171,000

Mean = $167,800, median = $162,000

Mean = $170,300, median = $171,000

Mean = $171,000, median = $180,000

Use the following information to answer the next two questions.

19. The cost of Carlos’s electric bill (E) is computed by using a monthly charge of $29.99 plus $0.11 per kilowatt hour (k), as follows:

E = 0.11k + 29.99

Solve this equation for k.

E0.11 – 29.99 = k

E0.11 + 29.99 = k

(E – 29.99) / 0.11 = k

(E + 29.99) / 0.11 = k

Use the following information to answer the next two questions.

22. Which of the following could be a model for the amount of money (A) Maddie’s saving account will contain after (w) weeks?

A = 300w

A = 300 + 0.03w

A = 300 + 1.03w

A = 300 * 1.03w

23. A 21-year-old in New York wants to figure out how much he will spend at a new club, Club C. He figures out that his cost can be calculated using the formula below. Which of the following could be an interpretation of this formula?

C = 20 + 12D

The cost he will pay to go to Club C is a $12 cover charge plus $20 per drink.

The cost he will pay to go to Club C is a $20 cover charge plus $12 per drink.

The cost he will pay to go to Club C is $20 after 12 AM.

The cost he and his friends will pay to go to Club C is a $32 per person.

25. The average price of 42-inch TVs has gone down dramatically over the past 20 years. The graph below shows the approximate average price of a 42-inch TV each year, beginning in 1998. The equation to model this is:

P = $1200 * .97 t

Where:

P = the average price of a 42-inch TV

t = number of years since 1998

Which of the following statements gives the best interpretation of this model?

The average price of a 42-inch TV has decreased by $97 every year

The average price of a 42-inch TV has decreased by $36 each year

The average price of a 42-inch TV has decreased by 3% every year

The average price of a 42-inch TV has decreased by 97% every year

26. Recall that the formula for earnings on a principal investment compounded annually is:

A = P * (1 + r)t

Where:

A = amount in the fund

P = principal (initial amount invested)

r = Annual Percentage Rate (APR) (as a decimal)

t = time in years, or term

If you invest $3,000 into each of the four options below, which option would yield the highest amount at the end of the term?

12 years, 3% APR

8 years, 5% APR

6 years, 7% APR

4 years, 10% APR

27. Nikolas invests $1,400 into a certificate of deposit that earns 1.8% compounded semiannually (twice a year). How much money will he have at the end of 5 years? Use the compound interest formula given below. Round final answer to the nearest cent.

A = P(1 + r/n)n*t

Where:

A = the amount in the account

P = the original principal

r = the annual interest rate

n = the number of compounding periods in a year

t = the number of years

$1,530.62

$1,531.23

$1,673.42

$3,314.31

Part 2: Open Ended Items

For Part 2: Write your work and answers on the test. The answer sheet is not needed for this section.

An Amazon Echo originally costs $99.99. It is on sale for 10% off. Sales tax of 7.5% is then added to the sale price. What is the cost of the Echo on sale including tax? Round your answer to the nearest penny.

1+7.510099.99*0.9=96.74The population of Minnesota is about 5.577 million people. Write Minnesota’s population in standard notation (as a number).

5.577*106=557,7000 peopleIn 2018, the Unites States had a population of 325.7 million people. Of these, 11.66 million lived in Ohio. What percent of all people in the United States lived in Ohio in 2018? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a percent.

11.66325.7*100=3.6%As people are living longer and the world’s population is increasing, there are more and more people ages 65 or older. In 2000, approximately 419 million people were 65 or older. By 2017, that number increased to 656 million. On the two questions below, round to the nearest tenth when relevant.

a. What was the absolute change in the number of people 65 or older from 2000 to 2017?

Absolute Change=656-419=237 million b. What was the relative change in the number of people 65 or older from 2000 to 2017?

Relative Change=237419*100=56.6%

A student downloaded a new game on her phone that was recommended by her friend. She wanted to show her friend how good she was doing, so she wrote down all her scores on the game. Her first five scores on the game were 432, 543, 348, 788, and 823. On the two questions below, round to the nearest whole number when relevant.

a. What is her mean, or average, score on the game?

Mean=432+543+348+788+8235=586.8≈587b. What is her median score on the game?

Rearranging: 348, 432, 543, 788, 823Median=543Using the equation:

d = r * t

Where:

d = distance traveled

r = rate (speed, velocity)

t = time

If you have to fly from JFK airport in New York to LAX airport in Los Angeles, you will fly 2,475 miles. If the average amount of time for a plane to fly from JFK to LAX is 5 hours and 30 minutes, what is the average speed that a plane flies on this trip? Include the appropriate units.

Av.Speed=dt=2475miles5.5 hours=450 miles/hourYou need to buy bananas at the store, but you realize you only have $2. How many bananas could you buy if they each cost 30 cents? (Hint: you cannot buy a fraction of a banana).

Whole Bananas=20.3=6

After trick-or-treating, a boy opened all of his M&Ms and put them into one big jar. He ate the same amount of M&Ms each day until they were gone. He made a graph, shown below, to represent how many M&Ms he had left over time. His teacher explained that his situation could be modeled by a linear equation where M represents the amount of M&Ms left and d represents the number of days since Halloween that had passed. Use the student’s graph to answer the following questions.

3848100172974000

a.  Circle the horizontal intercept on the graph.

b. What information does the horizontal intercept tell you, in the context of this problem?

The Horizontal Intercept (days=50):There would no M&Ms left 50 days from Halloween

c.  What is the slope of the line on the graph?

Slopem=Change in M&MsChange in d(Days)=0-6050-30=-6020=-3 M&Ms/dayd.  What information does the slope tell you, in the context of this problem?

Slope tells rate at which M&M’s left are decreasing per day.

‘Build A Bear’ CEO Apology

An organization’s spokesperson needs to answer required questions entirely, provide the crisis information clearly, and handle difficult questions proficiently. Build the bear CEO, Sharon Price John spoke about a crisis that occurred after failing to offer services to all the customers who attended the pay your age event. The CEO well performs the roles of a spokesperson by answering the questions required and explaining the cause of the problem, and the solutions put in place to avoid such challenges in the future.

According to Coombs, a good spokesperson should have characteristics, including the ability to convey that the organization can control the situation and demonstrate compassion to the crisis victims. Sharon Price was well equipped with the two features. She explained the problem effectively and offered possible solutions to the public. Also, she put herself in the parents’ shoes and felt the hurt they had after the failed event. This led her to apologize to the parents and promise better services in the future.

Also, the traits of a spokesperson could be depicted through her facial and bodily expressions. She was empathetic throughout the interview and could persuade the stakeholders of better days in the future. This was due to her calmness and ensuring the credibility of the information.

I found Sharon Price’s interview more informative and clearer than the Facebook Sheryl Sandberg spokesmanship. In her interview, she seemed nervous, and she seemed to lack answers to some of the questions. Even though she was empathetic, the crisis explanation could not be well understood, and her words and actions could not be connected.

Fitchburg State University

Department of NursingLeadership and Management Final Paper

Part II due Week XIV by midnight on day of classGuidelines/Grading Rubric

1. Identify the area in need of improvement and the proposed change (2.5 points). Begin this section with an overview of the problem, and how it impacts nursing, patients or the healthcare setting. This information is similar to Writing Assignment Part I section I, and will be 1 paragraph in length. When the paper is completed this will be a transition paragraph and will lead the reader to the review of literature.

2. Support the need for the change with the nursing literature (4 articles selected and approved) (15 points)a. Write an introductory statement that leads the reader from the problem (in #1) to the literature which provides information to improve or remedy the problem.b. Summarize the key components of each article in this section. -Summarize research articles as you learned in Evidence Based Practice: identify the purpose, method, participants, research design, finding and limitations. -For professional nursing articles identify the key concepts. c. Write a transition statement that leads the reader from the research back to the problemd. Integrate the key components from each article into a rationale for the proposed change 3. Identify how the change will occur and who will participate in this process. (2.5 points) Is there a QI team? Who is on the team? How will information be shared to other nurses? If the change has already occurred, you can “pretend” that you are the original planner and identify who should be on the Quality Improvement Team. If the change has not occurred or if there is no QI team, utilize your textbook to determine the ideal membership of the QI team.

Writing Guidelines:Begin this section of the paper with the title page and content from Part I. Transition to Part II by following above guidelines.Part II should be 4-7 pages in length, not counting title page and Reference pages.Grammar, sentence structure, and writing style are graded within APA writing style and are worth 10 points.

This Assignment: Part II is worth 30 points (of a 100 point final exam).

Late submissions lose 5 points per day (of the maximum 30 points).

Name:

Course:

Professor:

Date:

Dead Wake

‘Dead Wake’ is a critically acclaimed non-fiction novel authored by Erik Larson, an American writer. The story is about Lusitania, an American ship bound for Liverpool. Unknown to those on board, the voyage would be the last that the ship would ever make. Believed to be greater than even the Titanic, everyone thought that the Lusitania was indestructible. The British had gotten word of a possible attack on the ship but ignored it. The events in the book revolve around the First World War during which Germany and Britain fought each other. The attack on the Lusitania was carried out by a German submarine to offend the British. The United States had long declined to be a British ally in the war, but after the ship sunk, the United States joined the First World War in 1917. The main idea of the book is to examine different characters of the people on board, as well as the position of Germany, Britain and the United States of America in the First World War.

When Lusitania left New York, there were many notable personalities aboard. Some of them include the billionaire businessman Alfred Vanderbilt, a famous bookseller named Charles Lauriat and also one of the first female architects of the time (Larson). Other characters explored in the novel are two brothers, Cliff and Leslie Morton who held the position of deckhands. The ship also had a significant number of women and children on it, more than any other ship before the Lusitania. The ship had five stories, further adding to the belief that it was indestructible. No one could destroy such a humongous structure. William Thomas Turner commanded the ship as its captain.

On board the Lusitania, people laughed, ate drank and made merry. They were excited to be on the ship and were assured of a safe journey. Smoking and drinking were particular pastimes enjoyed by the passengers. The ship was supposed to be a passenger ship, but there were claims that it ferried arms as well. Britain and Germany had declared war on each other’s vessels, but this was taken to mean only military ships. Those traveling on the Lusitania felt they had little to worry about concerning the war between Germany and Britain. Before this, the British sought to enlist the help of the United States in the war, but this was met with a lot of reluctance by President Woodrow of the United States. On the first of May 1915, the New York Times carried a post warning of a possible attack on the Lusitania because the Germans might ambush non-military ships (Larson). No one paid any heed to this, and the boat set off as planned. This oversight is what contributed to the sinking of the Lusitania by the Germans.

A German submarine shot at the Lusitania, sinking it. The U-20 submarine was under the command of a thirty-two-year-old captain, Walther Schweiger. The novel describes their submarine as stuffy and tiny, they shared a small toilet, and stale air pervaded the space (Larson). The reader is tempted to think that the captain and his men that sank the Lusitania were a group of monstrous and unfeeling human beings that caused the deaths of hundreds of people. It is also hard not to empathize with the men stuck in the tiny sub for a long time, unable to breathe fresh air and sharing one toilet. Larson shocks the reader by giving a contrasting description of Captain Walther. He loved dogs, man’s favorite pet, lending him an endearing quality. He only attacked because his position demanded that he lead his men to fulfill their duty to their country.

Erik Larson depended mostly on primary sources as he pieced together the events of the sinking of the Lusitania. One example of the primary sources is a letter from one of the survivors of the tragedy, Dwight Harris. Harris wrote to his mother telling her of what happened in the ship in several letters. It is probably the most comprehensive account since he was a first-hand witness to everything that happened. There were other survivors who also gave their accounts enabling the author to cross-check facts and make sure that the novel gave an accurate picture of the occurrences before, during and after the attack on the Lusitania. In addition to the first-hand accounts, Larson also visited the University of Liverpool where he accessed photographs taken after the tragic sinking of the ship (Larson). From the pictures of dead bodies, he got an idea of the magnitude of loss and death that accompanied the attack.

The author of ‘Dead Wake’ succeeds in convincing the readers of his arguments. The description of the atmosphere in the ship gives the reader a feel of the confidence that passengers had in the invincibility of the ship. The sinking itself is also described vividly and reading the book; one feels that they were right there to witness the event. Readers also get to see the viewpoint of the German officers who launched the attack on the ship. President Woodrow’s affair with Edith allows readers to see his humanity after the loss of his wife. These are some of the strengths of the book; readers can relate to many things. The use of primary sources strengthens the author’s credibility because he did not just make up a story but did research before writing. The book also informs on the events that led to the United States to join the way, mostly because of the attack on the Lusitania.

Works Cited

Larson, Erik. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. Broadway Books, 2015.

Art and Literature

(Author’s name)

(Institutional Affiliation)

Abstract

Student intellectual development is, largely, influenced by art, literature and other dramatic presentation. Research studies illustrate that a student’s experience with the arts not only increases the student’s creative abilities, it also develops their spatial reasoning, abstract thought, as well as, critical thinking abilities (Eisner, 1998). The arts have also been associated with increased cultural awareness in students and communication abilities, as they gain knowledge of how to use the arts to converse with the larger society. Appreciation of the fine arts is essential for the growth and development of students both mentally and socially, as it increases an individual’s adaptive techniques

Key Words: Art, Literature, Dramatic Presentation, Intellectual Development

Introduction

Students’ exposure to the arts take place in the form of drawing, book reading, or participation in school plays, among other things. Accordingly, educators agree that such exposure of students is essential if a student is to advance to other levels of the education system. In essence, student awareness of the arts takes place in four main phases. The first phase requires that students understand the basic concepts of the arts, ranging from the very simple concepts to the larger and much complex concepts and ideas (Umphrey, 2006). Providing a critical analysis and appreciation of the concepts of art is the next phase of student awareness of the arts, whereas, performance and creative work is the third phase of this process. Lastly, for students to fully comprehend the fine arts, they need to display the ability to communicate this awareness with the rest of the world.

This paper explains how a piece of art, a work of literature, or a dramatic presentation can have a significant impact on students’ intellectual development and their appreciation of the fine arts.

The Impact of Art and Literature on Student Intellectual Development

Researchers and educators argue that art and literature is beneficial for students as it facilitates the enhancement of various skills in students. This is because exposure to artistic forms encourages students to utilize most of their senses, hence, promoting mental stimulation (Umphrey, 2006). Such stimulation further encourages spatial reasoning and abstract thought, which are necessary for student advancement into other levels of education. In addition to this, exposure to the arts encourages students to exercise their creative abilities, prompting them to create their own pieces of work as well.

More specifically, art promotes the enhancement of student reading and analytical skills. Literary writing and dramatic presentations familiarizes students with the various components of writing and performing, which in turn, facilitates critical thinking in students. Most literature transpires within a historical or cultural context, hence introducing students to various concepts relevant to their education and learning (Horowitz, 2002). From this, students have the ability to understand the importance of expression through the arts. Historical and cultural exposure through the arts increases cultural awareness, hence cultural sensitivity, which is importance for students in their various social institutions.

Conclusion

Unswerving exposure to the arts in the learning environment supports the growth and development of students into well-rounded individuals who are beneficial to the society. It influences intellectual development in students and encourages the development of various skills that are necessary for their interaction with the larger community. Understanding of the fine arts improves social awareness and critical thinking abilities, all of which are indispensable elements of academic achievement.

References

Eisner, E. (1998). Does experience in the arts boost academic achievement. Art Education,

51(1): 7-15.

Horowitz, R. (2002). Arts Education Promotes Intellectual Development. Retrieved from:

http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news/article.htm?id=3831

Umphrey, D. (2006). Developing Creative & Cognitive Skills through a Comprehensive Arts

Education. Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://education.ucf.edu/arted/docs/Deborah%20Umphrey-” http://education.ucf.edu/arted/docs/Deborah%20Umphrey-Contribution%20of%20the%20Arts%20Final%20Presentation.pdf