The Moon Is Down Essays - Educational Psychology, Education

The Moon Is Down Essays - Educational Psychology, Education The Moon Is Down BASIC STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE STUDIES Effective learning depends upon good study habits. Efficient study skills do not simply occur; they must first be learned and then applied consistently. Good study strategies include a preset time for study, a desirable place to study, and a well-designed study plan. A Time to study All of us think we have more things to do than we have time to do, and studying gets shortchanged. It is important to prepare a schedule of daily activities that includes time slots for doing the studying we have to do. Within each study slot, write in the specific study activity; for example, Read Unit 6 of accounting; do Problems 1-5. Keep the schedule flexible so that it can be modified after you assess your success in meeting your study goals within each time slot. A Place to study Choose the best place to study and use the same one every day. Doing so will help to put you in a study mood when you enter that place. According to Usova (1989, 37), The library is not always a desirable place to study. Choose a place that has the fewest distractions such as people traffic, conversation, telephone, TV, and outside noises. Study is usually best done alone and in the absence of sights and sounds that distract the eye and ear. In your chosen quite place, force the mind to concentrate on the task at hand. A Plan for Study Research on the effects of specific study skills on student performance (Dansereau, 1985, 39) suggests that the following study tactics help to improve academic performance. 1. Skim a unit or a chapter, noting headings, topic sentences, key words, and definitions. This overview will clue you to what you are about to study. 2. As you read a unit or chapter, convert the headings into questions; then seek answers to those questions as you read. 3. If you own the book, use the color marking pens to highlight important ideas: headings, topic sentences, special terms, definitions, and supporting facts. If you dont own the book, make notes of these important ideas and facts. 4. After you have completed a unit or chapter, review the highlighted item (or your notes which contain them.) 5. Using the headings stated as questions, see if you can answer those questions based on your reading. 6. Test yourself to see if you can recall definitions of important terms and list of supporting facts or ideas. A high correlation exists between good study habits and good grades for the courses taken in school. REFERENCES Dansereau, D. F. Learning Strategy Research. Thinking and Learning Skills. Vol.1. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence E Erlbaum 1985, 21-40. Usova, George M. Efficient Study Strategies. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1989.

The Black Dahlia Murder Case

The Black Dahlia Murder Case The Black Dahlia Murder case remains one of Hollywoods long-running mysteries and one of the most gruesome of the 1940s. A pretty young woman, Elizabeth Short, was found cut in half and posed in a sexually explicit manner in a vacant lot. It would be sensationalized in the media as the Black Dahlia murder. In the media frenzy that followed, rumors and speculation were published as fact, and inaccuracies and exaggerations continue to plague accounts of the crime until this day. Here are the few real facts that are known about the life and death of Elizabeth Short. Elizabeth Shorts Childhood Years Elizabeth Short was born on July 29, 1924, in Hyde Park, Massachusetts to parents Cleo and Phoebe Short. Cleo made a good living building miniature golf courses until the Depression took its toll on the business. In 1930, with his business suffering, Cleo decided to fake his suicide and abandoned Phoebe and their five daughters. He parked his car by a bridge and took off to California. Authorities and Phoebe believed Cleo committed suicide. Later, Cleo decided he made a mistake, contacted Phoebe and apologized for what he had done. He asked to come home. Phoebe, who had faced bankruptcy, worked part-time jobs, stood in lines to get public assistance and raised the five children alone, wanted no part of Cleo and refused to reconcile. Her High School Years Elizabeth was not academically inclined earning average grades in high school. She left high school in her freshman year because of asthma which she suffered with since childhood. It was decided that it would be best for her health if she left New England during the winter months. Arrangements were made for her to go to Florida and stay with family friends, returning to Medford during the spring and summer. Despite her parents difficulties, Elizabeth continued to correspond with her father. She was growing up to be an attractive young girl and like many teenagers enjoyed going to the movies. Like many young pretty girls, Elizabeth developed an interest in modeling and the movie industry and set her goals to someday work in Hollywood. A Short-Lived Reunion At the age of 19, Elizabeths father sent her money to join him in Vallejo, California. The reunion was short-lived, and Cleo soon grew tired of Elizabeths lifestyle of sleeping during the day and going out on dates until late at night. Cleo told Elizabeth to leave, and she moved out on her own to Santa Barbara. The Next Three Years There is much debate about where Elizabeth spent her remaining years. It is known that in Santa Barbara she was arrested for underage drinking and was packed up and returned to Medford. According to reports up until 1946, she spent time in Boston and Miami. In 1944, she fell in love with Major Matt Gordon, a Flying Tiger, and the two discussed marriage, but he was killed on his way home from the war. In July 1946, she moved to Long Beach, California to be with an old boyfriend, Gordon Fickling, who she dated in Florida before her relationship with Matt Gordon. The relationship ended shortly after her arrival and Elizabeth floundered around for the next few months. A Soft Spoken Beauty Friends described Elizabeth as being soft-spoken, courteous, a non-drinker, or smoker, but somewhat of a loafer. Her habit of sleeping late in the day and staying out at night continued to be her lifestyle. She was pretty, enjoyed dressing stylishly and turned heads because of her pale skin contrasting against her dark hair and her translucent blue-green eyes. She wrote to her mother weekly, ensuring her that her life was going well. Some speculate that the letters were Elizabeths attempt to keep her mother from worrying. Those around her know it that over the next few months she moved often, was well liked, but elusive and not well known. During October and November of 1946, she lived in the home of Mark Hansen, owner of the Florentine Gardens. The Florentine Gardens had a reputation as being a rather shoddy strip joint in Hollywood. According to reports, Hansen was said to have various attractive women rooming together at his home, which was located behind the club. Elizabeths last known address in Hollywood was the Chancellor Apartments at 1842 N. Cherokee, where she and four other girls roomed together. In December, Elizabeth boarded a bus and left Hollywood for San Diego. She met Dorothy French, who felt sorry for her and offered her a place to stay. She stayed with the French family until January when she was finally asked to leave. Robert Manley Robert Manley was 25 years old and married, working as a salesman. According to reports, Manley first met Elizabeth in San Diego and offered her a ride to the French house where she was staying. When she was asked to leave, it was Manley who came and drove her back to the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles where she was supposed to be meeting her sister. According to Manley, she was planning to go live with her sister Berkeley. Manley walked Elizabeth to the hotel lobby where he left her at around 6:30 p.m. and drove back to his home San Diego. Where Elizabeth Short went after saying goodbye to Manley is unknown. The Murder Scene On January 15, 1947, Elizabeth Short was found murdered, her body left in a vacant lot on South Norton Avenue between 39th Street and Coliseum. Homemaker Betty Bersinger was running an errand with her three-year-old daughter when she realized that what she was looking at was not a mannequin but an actual body in the lot along the street where she was walking. She went to a nearby house, made an anonymous call to police, and reported the body. When police arrived on the scene, they found the body of a young woman who had been bisected, displayed face-up on the ground with her arms over her head and her lower half placed a foot away from her torso. Her legs were wide open in a vulgar position, and her mouth had three-inch slashes on each side. Rope burns were found on her wrists and ankles. Her head face and body was bruised and cut. There was little blood at the scene, indicating whoever left her, washed the body before bringing it in the lot. The  crime scene  quickly filled with police, bystanders, and reporters. It was later described as being out of control, with people trampling on any evidence investigators hoped to find. Through fingerprints, the body was soon identified as 22-year-old Elizabeth Short or as the press called her, The Black Dahlia. A massive investigation into finding her murderer was launched. Because of the brutality of the murder and Elizabeths sometimes sketchy lifestyle, rumors and speculation were rampant, often being incorrectly reported as fact in newspapers. Suspects Close to 200 suspects were interviewed, sometimes polygraphed, but all eventually released. Exhausted efforts were made to run down any leads or any of  the several false confessions  to the killing of Elizabeth by both men and women. Despite efforts made by investigators, the case has remained one of the most famous unsolved cases in Californias history.

Cultural Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance Research Paper

Cultural Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance - Research Paper Example The purpose of this study entails studying two different cultures in the society that affect the learning behaviors in the classroom. This issue is connected to cultural diversity where the different cultures with their own set of beliefs will agree on certain aspects of cultural behaviors or conventions and disagree or misunderstand each other regarding the diverse cultural aspects they portent and so value. The teachers in classrooms, thus, ought to incorporate multicultural education into their teaching processes ensuring that they embrace and apply equality and diversity into the education curriculum. The paper will describe two different cultures, the Hispanic and Anglos, establishing why everyone in the school should accept, understand and be aware of cultural diversity to enable the learning process. Cultural awareness is undoubtedly the real foundation of noble and effective communication since it encompasses the act of stepping aside from oneself and realizing the cultural v alues, perceptions and beliefs that we portend. The aspect of awareness of cultures becomes consummately significant on interacting with different people from different cultural backgrounds. Conventionally, people see, understand and interpret things in different ways, whereby a characteristic behavior or perception in one culture can be interpreted as inappropriate in another. Thus, misunderstandings may erupt when one tries to apply their cultural views and understandings in making sense of a different person’s reality. ... B. Results section: Culture descriptions I. Hispanic Culture 1. Religion and spiritual beliefs Approximately 90% of the Hispanic people are Roman Catholics while the other denominations dominate the remnant percentage (Miguel, 2009). They believe that health comes as a gift from their creator and people should not assume it. It comes from God. In cases of illnesses, prevention is achieved through wearing of amulets, religious medals and relic keeping. They constantly, visit shrines, offer medals and light candles, with persistent prayers as a sign of worship to their God. Shrines and saint pictures in homes of Hispanics is a common religious practice. They celebrate the saints’ day with jest than individuals do in their birthdays (Miguel 2009). The church comprises a significant part in the family lives of the Hispanic spiritual life. Religious institutions are a source of comfort to families in times of adversity. The Bible and other religious teachings that teach the Hispani cs how to live well guide life within the context of the family (Literacynet, 2012). 2. Teaching and Learning implications Attention to gaining and maintenance of trust is consummately important since Hispanics value that virtue in learning processes. Educational efforts among the Hispanic youth are dependent upon the active involvement of the Hispanic elders in the evaluation, delivery and planning of the educational efforts (Rojas, 2008). Therefore, they value exemplary leadership. Notably, Hispanics greatly value close distance when conversing. Respect towards ;learners is a profound Hispanic attribute, making it imperative for teachers to act respectfully towards them, for instance, individually, presenting papers to them

Current Event Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Current Event - Article Example A number of strategic factors have contributed towards Samsung’s increased success and dominance in the technological market. First is that Samsung is an ultimate fast follower. One successful strategy devised by Samsung in achieving success is the ability to learn from the competitors, and making innovations of the products and services. From the competitors’ products, Samsung has understood the market demands of the products and designed improved versions of competitors’ products thereby, capturing new markets (Nisen). The second strategy for Samsung’s success is its spending on research projects. Whenever funds are available, an organization needs to spend such cash on researching on new ideas of improving technology. As such, Samsung currently spends 5.7% of its revenue on research projects as compared to Apples 2.4%, a factor that has contributed towards its speedy success (Nisen). Samsung is not only a smartphone-maker, rather, a manufacturer and world’s largest chipmaker. Such a contribution enables flexibility in products production, and, therefore, making Samsung one of the greatest innovators in the technological

On Going Home Essay Example for Free

On Going Home Essay Did you ever wonder why some people opt for peace and serenity in the company of friends and colleagues? After reading Joan Didion’s, On Going Home, numerous ideas started to rush through my brain. The experiences I had in my life started to come back to me, like a flashback, with all the emotions coming with them. Yes, I know that my life has always been filled with numerous experiences. These experiences have helped me prepare for the life I am to experience when I grow older. A tragic event in my life led to my growth as an individual. When I was younger, I perceived life to be blissful and full of challenges. The everyday activities helped shape my future , molding me into the good individual that I want to be. I was a relatively good kid. I attended school daily, and achieved impressive grades. I also had friends both in school and in the neighborhood. One of my closest friends was Charlie, my neighbor. Charlie and I have been friends since we were six years old. They were new at that time, and when her parents would go to work, Charlie was left in our house. We did things together, and our differences never made a dent in our friendship. She was the perfect friend, who always knew what to do. I could never imagine going through my life without Charlie by my side. In the summer of junior year, Charlie came over to my house and asked me to join her. I told her I cannot go with her because I was doing my homework, and I had household chores to finish before my parents arrive from work. She said that it was alright, and then she hugged me tight. She told me how much she cherished our friendship and that if ever she died, she will be my angel. She would always watch over me, and guide me to do the right things. I felt shivers come up my spine, and so I asked her what she was up to. She told me that she just wanted me to know how much she cared for me. So she left. Hours past, and still I have not heard anything from Charlie. I continued doing my homework, when I heard shattered glass from downstairs. I was scared, because I was still alone in the house. I quietly went out of my room to check on where the noises came from. I was really scared, so I left Charlie a message in her voice mail. I asked her if she can come over to help me out, and that it was an emergency. As I reached the living room, I saw the glass windows shattered, and there were evidences that there was someone who broke in our house. I called Charlie, and this time she answered me. I told her that I think someone broke into our house, and I was still alone. She said to just wait for her, because she was coming over. I tried to be calm, and device a plan to save myself from the distress. I went around the house to look for the culprit, and was shocked when someone pulled me from behind. I was scared to death. I tried to scream, but the man put his hand on my mouth. He pulled me from behind and brought me to my parents’ bedroom. With right hand holding both my arms, he started to tear away my clothes. It turned out that the man did not break in to steal our things. He was a pervert who has been eyeing on me, waiting for the right time to come. I was crying and screaming my heart out because I was not in favor of the deed this pervert is doing. When I was starting to lose hope, I saw Charlie running towards the door, bringing with her the baseball bat I kept in my room. She hit the man in the head three times making the man dizzy and unconscious. She kicked the man and helped me to get up. We ran to my room, where she gave me the first shirt that she saw, and started running towards the door. Our goal was to get the phone and call 911. Charlie and I ran downstairs. The main door was locked, and the keys were hidden in the drawers. To avoid wasting time, Charlie and I decided to pass through the back door. As we ran into the kitchen, the pervert surprised us holding a knife in his hand. He said that he was not going to hurt us, if we would give in to what he wanted. Charlie was stern and wanted to fight. She started to throw dishes at the pervert, while keeping me close behind. We were both scared, but we had to hide our fears and show this pervert of a man that he cannot defeat us. The man cut his hand and this gave us the time to run. We passed through the back door and ran outside. Charlie’s hair was pulled by the man, and she wanted me to go leave her. I cannot just leave my best friend with a man who will just torture her, and reap the dignity away from her. As the fighter, Charlie struggled to get away from the man. She gave him numerous kicks, and blows in the stomach. Little did we know that the man still had a knife on his hand only to be used in this situation. I saw my best friend, Charlie, stabbed to death by a man who tried to molest me. I screamed my heart out, waking the neighbors close by. Soon, the ambulance and the police were there searching for evidences. Charlie was brought to the hospital, where she was declared death on arrival. Before she died, Charlie told me to fulfill the dreams we built as young kids, and to always be strong no matter what the circumstances are. Soon, Charlie left and became one of the stars in the heavens. She was sixteen. My unwavering friendship with my best friend, Charlie, is something that will always have a place in my heart. She taught me a lot of things, and that it was always worth to fight for the people we care for. Charlie sacrificed her life for me to be saved, and I did not waste that opportunity. I used this pain to help me go on, and succeed in life. She wanted me to live so that I may fulfill the dreams that we had when we were younger. Nowadays, I work hard to achieve excellence in my chosen field. Although there are times that I am not in a good situation, I still keep a positive note in me. Charlie’s dream was to make a difference in this world, and I want to fulfill that even in my own little way. I want to show the world that regardless of what happened to my life before, I can still manage to rise up and start anew. I know that there are times when I feel like giving up on my career and my life, in general. Then I start to think about Charlie, and how her unwavering love for me, has shielded me from harm. If I was the fighter between us, I would have been the one who died. Charlie took that option away from me, and me see that my life was destined for something big. After much hard work and dedication, my dreams and aspirations in life are just miles away. I just have to go and expand my knowledge so that I may be fully equipped with the challenges that I will face in my chosen profession. The reading paved way for me to reminisce the friendship that I had with Charlie. Charlie’s home was two houses away from ours, but her heart has always been with us. She treated us like her own family, and made us feel how much she loved and cared for us. All these years, I have wanted to find a perfect reason as to why Charlie sacrificed her life for me. The reading showed me that irrespective of who you are with, people will do anything for us, especially when they treat us like family. I know this, because this was Charlie’s lifetime sacrifice. When I feel devastated and no will to move on, I just have to look up in the stars and see that someone up there is watching over me until all of my dreams have come true.

The Power of Dillards A Field of Silence Essay -- Field of Silence Es

The Power of Dillard's A Field of Silence    In her essay, Annie Dillard wrote: "There was only silence. It was the silence of matter caught in the act and embarrassed. There were no cells moving, and yet there were cells. I could see the shape of the land, how it lay holding silence"(396)1. The story in which she talked about the silence of the land was published in 1982, and today, almost two decades having gone by, A Field of Silence, is still able to relate to its readers.    A Field of Silence is a story about one of Dillard's religious experiences. It may be considered boring and confusing to most people, but I found it to be quite interesting. I have to admit though, I found the story a bit boring the first time that I read it, but after reading it over a couple of times, I was able to understand what Dillard was trying to accomplish. She used a story telling technique to grab the reader's attention and then at the end she gave her own impression of what she thought about her experience. If Dillard just came right out and said what she believed was a valuable piece of information for everyone to know, this essay would not have survived as long as it has out there in the real world. Most people are not interested in being told the facts right away; they want to think about what it is that the author is trying to tell them. Although some people may complain that they are confused and that the article is boring (I know I did at first), most people will ag ree that they would try to figure out what the author is saying. For that reason, Dillard does an excellent job with A Field of Silence.    I believe that there is an advantage to reading an essay about a religious experience from another time period for ... ...h them. Most people, including myself, remember sayings a whole lot easier if there is a story behind it that we can fall back on or relate to, and that is exactly what Dillard did in A Field of Silence.    Whether people find this article boring or interesting most people would agree with me that Dillard knows how to relate to her readers. She knows how to grab the audience, drag them through her entire story, and leave them hanging wondering what it was that she was actually trying to tell them. No wonder I do not find it amazing that almost two decades later, people can still relate to Dillard's experience.    Work Cited: 1 Anderson, Chris and Lex Runciman. (1995). A field of Silence. In A Forest of Voices: Reading and Writing the Enviroment (pp.395- 399). Calafornia: Mayfield Publishing Co. Hereafter, all quotes will be taken from this source.

My dreams

My goal in life is to keep pushing myself because I know that I can achieve anything desire. Most would be happy going for a simple hike, perhaps a certain number of miles. Would not feel fulfilled. I would want to go all the way. What I would take from this beautiful day is the joy of finishing what I have begun. I also would know in my heart that pushed myself to the limits and it did not break me, what rather inspired me. My dream day would not take place on the easiest mountain or the most likely. I would set my sights on the most difficult, yet achievable destination.After all, success does have its limits just as the human body does. There have been many times in my life when I have been less than fit. Occasionally even less than â€Å"less than fit†. I am never proud bothers moments and I always swear that I will change how I live my life in the pursuit of fitness. Hiking is a very intense workout and it is extremely unforgiving. Sure, one could simply give up and turn around. T hats not who I am. I dream of a day when I can reach the top of my physical mountain as well as my proverbial mountain. Achieving this would push my body to its absolute limit ND strengthen my body and mind.This Thrall 2 would not be my end destination but a pattern that I could use for my entire life, enhancing my fitness level the further I would go. In conclusion, if I could wish for any one day it would be a day where I could reach the top of a mountain by hike. Do not take my dreams or wishes lightly. When I want something bad enough I go for it and give it everything. My dreams are big and difficult but they are doable. My personality is a stubborn one and my body is as well. Hiking would bring out both of these traits and it is this reason why I would want to do it.

History and development of Operating Systems Essay

At first, computers lacked any form of operating system. The computer user had sole use of the machine. The user would arrive at the machine armed with his or her program and data, often on punched paper tape. The program would be loaded into the machine, and then the machine set to work, until the program stopped. Later, computers came with libraries of support code which were linked to the user’s program to assist in operations such as input and output. This would become the start of the modern-day operating system. However, these machines still only ran a single job at a time. Originally, each user wrote all of the code necessary to implement a particular application, including the highly detailed machine level input/output instructions. Very quickly, this input/output coding needed to implement basic functions was consolidated into an input/output control system (IOCS). Users wishing to perform input/output operations no longer had to code the instructions directly. Instead, they used IOCS routines to do the real work. This greatly simplified and sped up the coding process. The implementation of input/output control system may have been the beginning of the concept of operating system. Under this system, the user has complete control over all of main storage memory and as a result, this system has been known as the single user contiguous storage allocation system. Storage is divided into a portion holding input/output control system (IOCS) routine, a portion holding the user’s program and an unused portion. The first single-user real storage systems were dedicated to one job for more than the jobs execution time. Job’s generally required a lot of setup time during which the operating system loaded, tapes and disk packs were mounted,  appropriate forms were placed in the printer and time cards been punched in. When the jobs were completed, they required considerable time to teardown, as tapes and disk packs were removed, time cards were punched out etc†¦. During the job setup and job teardown, the computer sat idle. Computer users soon realized that they could cut down the amount of time wasted between the jobs, if they could automate the job-to-job transition. The first major such system, which was considered by many to be the first operating system, was designed by the General Motors Research Laboratories for their IBM 701 mainframe beginning in early 1956 . Its success helped establish batch computing – the groupings of the jobs into a single deck of cards, separated by control cards that instructed computers about the various specification of the job. The programming language that the control cards used was called job control language (JCL). The Era of Timesharing and Multiprogramming 1960s: The systems of the 1960s were also batch processing systems but they were able to take better advantage of the computer resources by running several jobs at once. It was observed by the operating system designers that when one job was waiting for an input/output operation to be completed before the job could continue using the processor, some other could use the idle processor. They realized that running a mixture of diverse jobs appeared to be the best way to optimize computer utilization. The process by which they do so is called multiprogramming. To take maximum advantage of multiprogramming, it is necessary for several jobs to reside in the computers main storage at once. Then, when one job requests input/output, the CPU maybe immediately switched to another, and may do calculations without delay. One of the major developments was timesharing system which enabled many users to share computer resources simultaneously. In timesharing mode, the computer spends a fixed amount of time on one program before proceeding to another. Timesharing systems helped facilitate the software development process significantly. With turnaround time reduced to mere minutes, a  person writing a new program will not have to wait hours or days to correct errors. With timesharing, a programmer could enter a program, compile it, receive a list of syntax errors, correct them immediately and re-execute this cycle until the program is free of syntax errors thereby reducing development time significantly. The personal computer era Early personal computer operating systems were very diverse. Each vendor was producing one or more operating systems specific to their particular hardware. Nearly every operating system could have radically different models of commands, operating procedures, and such facilities as debugging aids. It was the development of microprocessors made inexpensive computing available for the small business and the hobbyist, which in turn led to the widespread use of interchangeable hardware components using a common interconnection (such as the S-100, Apple II, SS-50, ISA and PCI buses), and an increasing need for operating systems to control them. The most important of the early OS’s on these machines was Digital Research’s CP/M-80 for the 8080 / 8085 / Z-80 CPUs. It was based on several Digital Equipment Corporation operating systems, mostly for the PDP-11 architecture. MS-DOS (or PC-DOS when supplied by IBM) was based originally on CP/M-80. Each of these machines had a small boot program in ROM which loaded the OS itself from disk. The BIOS on the IBM-PC class machines was an extension of this idea and has more functions and features in the 20 years since the first IBM-PC was introduced in 1981. The decreasing cost of display equipment and processors made it practical to provide graphical use interfaces for many operating systems, such as the generic X Window, System that is provided with many UNIX systems, or other graphical systems such as Microsoft Window, the Radio Shack Color Computer’s OS-9 Level II, Apple’s Mac OS, or even IBM’s OS/2. The original GUI was developed at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the early ’70s (the Alto computer system) and imitated by many vendors. The significant types of Operating Systems Microsoft Windows has become the most widely used operating system for personal computers but there have been many others which have made a significant impact upon the development of the personal computer. CP/M : Considered to be the ‘first’ operating system, CP/M was developed by Gary Kildall DOS : A text based operating system developed into MS-DOS by Microsoft to run on IBM machines. MS-DOS (originally QDOS) is alleged by Gary Kildall to be based upon his CP/M operating system which IBM attempted, unsuccessfully, to buy from him, before they asked Bill Gates to create an operating system for their computers. OS/2 : Released by IBM in 1987, OS/2 was perhaps the first real multitasking operating system. It was designed by IBM and the code written at Microsoft. Although OS/2 was expected to outsell and eventually replace MS-DOS, its actual sales figures were very poor perhaps due to an increase in memory costs at the time. LINUX : An open-source operating system developed by Linus Torvalds. Linux was developed originally for use on home PCs but has grown to find homes on PowerPC, Macintosh, Amiga, Atari, DEC Alpha, Sun Sparc, ARM, and many other computer platforms. Linux offers a number of different Graphical User Interfaces and can be set to look like a Windows or Mac operating system. It has been praised for its stability and speed and is, in a relatively small way, offering an alternative to the Windows operating system for PCs. MAC OS : The Apple operating system developed to run on Macintosh machines. The Mac operating system is unique to Apple computers and yet is the second most widely used after Windows. Macintosh computers have often been favoured by computer users working in graphical design fields. Apple and Microsoft have fought over the available market for operating systems with IBM  machines often considered as mainly Windows machines. Apple have lost out in the past but are regaining customers with their innovative approach to computer design and the perceived reliability of Mac OS when compared to Windows. Windows : Now the predominant operating system for personal computers, Windows offers a Graphical User Interface based upon a ‘desktop’ metaphor. Windows has also enabled applications to perform in a consistent manner which means that menu options look similar from one package to another. The Functions of Operation Systems Operating Systems are the software that makes the hardware usable. Operating Systems makes the Hardware conveniently available to users, by managing the hardware carefully to achieve good performance. You may consider Operating Systems to be managers of resources as it determines which computer resources will be used for solving which problem an the order in which they will be used. The three principal types of functions an operating system has are : Assignment and allocation of system resources such as input/output devices, software, central processing unit. Scheduling : This Function coordinates the job an resources and follows certain giving Priority. Monitoring : This function Monitors and keeps track of the activities in the computer system. It maintains logs of job operation, notifies the computer operators of any abnormal terminations or error conditions. This function also contains security monitoring features such as any authorized attempt to access the system as well as ensures that all the security safeguards are in place. Modern operating systems often provide users and applications with a virtual  machine, an interface to the underlying hardware that makes it appear as though the user is the only user of the machine and it’s hardware. Whether the computer has one CPU or several CPUs, it is usually the case that there are more processes than CPUs. Therefore, the operating system is responsible for scheduling the processes on the CPU. There is a finite amount of memory that must be shared among the processes. The way this is done varies between different operating systems, but a commonly used mechanism is that of virtual memory. Several different processes may be trying to access a single IO device and the operating system must manage these accesses. This is a different issue than processes scheduling since often IO is being performed for processes that are not currently executing. Some devices (e.g. disks) have resources that can be shared among users and/or user processes. The operating system is responsible for managing and protecting these resources. Another important operating system function is providing support services for processes. These include: Support for IO operations. File system management. Networking. Protection. Interrupts and Traps. An interrupt is a CPU event that is triggered by some external device. The OS manages these devices. Each device has a diver which is used to communicate with the OS and the device. A trap is a CPU event that is triggered by a program. Traps are sometimes called software interrupts. They can be  deliberately triggered by a special instruction, or they may be triggered by an illegal instruction or an attempt to access a restricted resource. The reason why OS are so critical The main reasons why operating systems are so critical is by the functions that it performs which i have expalined in the last few pages. It is also so critical as it provides a layer of abstraction between the user and the bare machine. Without an OS, it would be very hard and time consuming to do a lot of the jobs on the computer that we take for granted. The users and applications do not see the hardware directly, but view it through the operating system. It is the operating system that lets us to communicate with the external devices. Conclusion Operating systems influence the way in which we communicate with personal computers. They have been developed to manage new technologies. The development of the PC has seen Microsoft grow to be the largest supplier of operating systems. The need for reliable and easy-to-understand operating systems has prompted development of suitable systems to progress at a very quick pace. It is possible that a greater number of competing operating systems will become available to the consumer in the future although this does mean that users may find it difficult to move from a machine running one operating system to a machine running something quite different. The market for operating systems will continue to grow as the number of devices that can use them increase and it is sure to be a competitive area. Bibliography http://computer.howstuffworks.com/operating-system.htm http://www.osdata.com/kind/history.htm http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs1104/VirtualMachines/OS.1.html http://www.computinghistorymuseum.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system http://vaidila.vdu.lt/~project2/index.htm http://faculty.kutztown.edu/rieksts/343/notes/osdevpt.html

The role of project managers in project management

The role of project managers in project management Free Online Research Papers The success of the project is measured as the ability to complete the project according to the specifications and within the specified budget and time schedule decided prior beginning the project. For proper flow of the project and to complete the project in due course of time both planning and execution must be properly implemented. In this essay we shall discuss about the basics of the project, project manager and project management. All the main aspects of the role of project managers to get the project running and to achieve its goals are defined below. First there is detailed explanation of the project and the set of working that would be followed by the organizations. Further it would be considering the selection of the project managers and the qualities required by them as they are key personnel in enabling the project to attain its set of goals. Further more it is discussed about selecting project considering its key values and implementing strategy to achieve the desired goals. A detailed explanation is given on the project life cycle and 7-S framework considered for the project manager. Lastly it is discussed about the general conflicts that generate during the working of the project a s it involves many teams and departments of the organization. Finally a practical approach would be discussed about the role of project manager in project management. Project has been defined as â€Å"A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service† (Project Management Institute, 2001, p.167) A project is usually a one time activity with a well defined set of goals. In order for the smooth conduct of the project it can be divided into many sub-division of the main goal. The sub-divided projects are then handled by many of the different departments in the organization to accomplish desired end results. The completion of the project is measured according to the goals defined and within the specified budget and time schedule. Similar to the product life cycle the project also has a life cycle. From a slow beginning with the appointment of the project manager, choosing a team of members for the project, allocating resources etc, they build up momentum; reach the peak point, starts declining and finally termination of the project. Furthermore if a project needs to be successfully completed then the project manager is expected to incorporate all the characteristic of the project, validate that the proper knowledge and resources are available, both planning and execution must be properly implemented. The project manager takes the responsibility of for planning, implementing, beginning and ending the project in the due course of the time as promised prior taking the project into account. The project managers first set of the task is to know the client’s history about the working of his organization, his needs and wants for the project given to the project manager’s organization. Then he has to deicide on the preliminary budget, select the people to serve on the project team, make sure that the proper facilities are available, the important thing is to consider the fact that the supplies required for the project are met through when needed and precaution should be taken of the time details necessary to get the project moving. Selection of the project manager is one of the most important aspects concerning the project. The following are the list of some important attributes, skills and qualities required for selecting the project manager. A strong technical background. A hard-nose manager. A mature individual. Someone who is currently available. Someone on good terms with senior executives. A person who can keep the project team happy. One who has worked in several different departments. A person who can walk on (or part) the waters. (As sited on Meredith, J.R. Mantel, S.J., Project Management – a Managerial Approach, p.140, 2003) Above all are the key pre-requisites for selecting a Project Manager. Apart from the different skills and attributes the other main qualities which are possessed by the project managers are credibility, sensitivity, leadership, ability to handle stress and management style. There are two different kinds of credibility that are needed by the project manger they are technical credibility and administrative credibility. â€Å"A project manager with reasonable technical competence seems to be associated with the project success and it is seen by the project team members to be a ‘positive’ leadership characteristic (Zimmerer and Yasin, 1998). The other credibility is the administrative in this the project manager has the responsibility to its clients and the senior management, to keep the project on schedule and within the cost determined to them prior to the project was undertaken, report to the superior manager about the working and progress of the project during certain intervals of the project. Project managers should be political sensitive it means that they should have the ability to sense interpersonal conflicts earlier then that generates among the project team. They should have the aptitude to confront and deal with the issues before the inconsistency escalates into interdepartmental and intradepartmental warfare. Leadership has been defined as â€Å"interpersonal influence, exercised in the situations and directed through the communication process, toward the attainment of a specified goal or goals† (Tannenbaum and Massarick, 1957). â€Å"Project management provides an organization with powerful tools that improve its ability to plan, implement, and control its activities as well as the ways in which it utilizes its people and resources† (Meredith, J.R. Mantel, S.J., Project Management – a Managerial Approach, p.1, 2003). The entire effort-from the implementation of the technology to the management of the change to the organization (culture, process and structure) needs to be managed. The project manager assigned by the organization has this responsibility and the associated authority to effect the needed change. The project manager also has responsibility to manage the vendor activities, deliverables and schedule while establishing a foundation for the ongoing partnership between the vendor and the organization. Effective project management involves communicating both upward and downward within the organization in order to understand the business concerns, gain acceptance of the pending changes and gain project buy-in and support for the teams activities. The project that is undertaken is assessed through various stages some of the important criteria for selecting the project are as follows based on Souder (1973) 1. Realism – The project to be embark on should be based on the reality of the manager’s decision and include the numerous objective of both the firm and its manager. It should also take into account the various factors like the project risk, technical risk of performance, cost, time and factors considering the customer rejection. 2. Capability – The decision made should be sophisticate enough to deal with multiple time periods, consider various situations like the micro and macro economic factors of the organization. 3. Flexibility – The project should be flexible enough to adjust as per the market change. It should also consider the firm’s environment in which it operates its primary business or the defined objectives of the firm. 4. Ease of Use – The project should be realistically convenient, it should not take a long time to execute, should be easy to implement and understand. It should also consider the resources that are readily available with the firm and it should not require special interpretation or equipment. 5. Cost – This is among the most important factors to be consider, the project selected should be profitable to both, the client and the firm. It should not require special equipment, human resource, which are in use for the current project and not useful after the completion of the project. After selecting the appropriate project which is feasible, profitable and that meets the goals or the objectives of the organization the implementation process begins. Source: Harvey Maylor, Project management. The planning stage involves the formulation and revision of the intended activity that needs to be carried out when the project is taken into consideration. After analysing the activity that needs to be performed the execution of the project is carried out. The check/study phase is the period when the performance, quality, quantity, cost and time is considered during the project initial stage. The final stage is the act stage where the process is considered as being the final termination or completion of the project. (Harvey Maylor, p.7, 1999) Thereafter selecting the project implementation process the framework for the project is required. The 7-S framework of management issues was promoted by McKinsey and Co., management consultants. 7-S model provides an effective way of analyzing an organization, in terms of dynamic relationship among 7 key elements namely: Strategy – The pre-requisites resources needed for the project and the technique to achieve them. Structure – The arrangement of the organizational departments that relates to each other; centralized or decentralised. Systems – The procedures, processes and routines that characterize how the work should be done: Financial system, recruiting, promotion and performance appraisal systems. Staff – The selection, appointing, position given in the project team are considered. Skills – The implementation of the managerial and technical tools during the working phase of the project by the managers as well as the project team. Style/Culture – Determining the ethics and code of conduct to maintain during the achievement of the organizational goals. Stakeholders Individuals or the group which are interested in the outcome of the project considered. The process of planning a project usually requires inputs from various people. No matter the size or the quantity of the project, planning involves interaction with different departments and staff working in the organization. It is logically not possible to interact with different people without having conflict, when there is a conflict there should be proper way to tackle the issues arising out of conflicts. Conflict can be defined as â€Å"the process which begins when one party perceives that the other has frustrated, or is about to frustrate, some concern of his† (Thamhain and Wilemon, P.891, 1975). Conflicts normally occur on issues such as schedules, priorities, staff requirement, technical factors, administrative procedure, cost estimates and personality conflicts. The best method known to mankind in solving the conflict is negotiation. Raffia (1982, P.139) defines a Pareto-Optimal solution to the two party conflict and discusses the nature of the bargaining process req uired to reach optimally, a difficult and time consuming process. Practical approach in understanding the role of project manager in project management. Bhavan’s is the largest college in Mumbai and it has over 25,000 full-time and part-time students. There is a large infrastructure which includes a learning resource centre, student services and 1,200 internet enabled PCs. The project was aimed at providing the learning materials over the internet to deliver specific study materials to identified group of students. To test the content of the study materials that are being provided are correct. It specified the objectives to achieve student course data exchange easily, to identify the rules and regulation within the college, to establish summary reports and to ensure that the tracking and reporting of the student achievements are met through intercourse and over the internet also. The project management approach was similar to the PRINCE for example but it was mixture of different combination of recognised practices. The main advantages of the methodical approach were to control, focus, key inputs/outputs, clear objective and challenges. It was the policy of the institute that the project was taken into consideration only if the project was beneficial to the institute. If the project was undertaken it would increase the reputation and market creditability of the institution. The matter it was concerned for was the funding of the project, it was considered that it would not fit in the strategy of the institution but the involvement in this project was very attractive for the external sources. The time required for the project to get down the resources to work was not that easy. There was a great deal of trust in people’s skills and expertise was endowed. A real ‘push’ was required towards the end of the project to ensure its successful concl usion. When the issue came into the notice of the trustees and the stakeholders there was a deliberate strategy tracked to ensure maximum support and get the project completed. The initial objective was to get a green signal from the trustees and stakeholders and it was achieved. The project was explained in a understandable measure so that it does not create any fears or confusion that would have been experienced. It was essential that the academic registry, the senior management team and the head of IT services would accept the project. Hence transparency and honesty was the best data to be provided to the internal management team. Team building was a essential step in getting the project to be selected. The main aim of the project was summoned as it would help the internal management team and not just being the facility provided to the external parties. The human resources were allocated and the group mix was important and it stayed together throughout the duration of the project. The people considered for the were based on their prior knowledge, experience and strengths in order to achieve the desired goals. The communication used by the project manager was just ‘plain English’ and a strong steer of direction was controlled over the team. This helped the project team to understand the requirements of the project and also helped them to clear some of the technological and data specific aspects of the project. PEST and SWOT analyses were used to measure the outcomes of the project at periodical intervals. The project investigated elements of the college rather that looking at the sector as a whole. Precise decisions were taken at the supplies and the requirements of the technology and the project outcomes. The team were introduced to the Just in – Time methodology where the requirements were met when there was a real need to avoid going over the budget. The project was not just about providing a cutting edge in the field of technology but during the initial stages a significant time was taken in consideration for the processes and demands of the technology. The vendor representatives attended the regular project meeting each month. The vendor-appointed project manager is the point person to act as a liaison between the organization and the vendor. This individual is responsible for coordinating vendor resources, managing the vendor deliverables and handling support requests as they are identified. In addition, the vendor-supplied project manager or a member of the vendors team should be expected to provide guidance to the organization on how to best leverage the vendor product by sharing best practices, processes and experiences of other companies using the vendors technology. One of the biggest challenges for a project manager is striking a right balance between technical and non-technical skills. The review process used a minimum bureaucracy approach. Emphasis was placed on communicating the matter or escalating the matter to the superior level of management or the project manager. General questions regarding the project progress were asked like â€Å"where are we today?†, â€Å"What steps are still pending?† and â€Å"When can we get it done?† many of the simple questions helped in frame the project progress and resulted in appropriate measurement of task and timescales. Monthly progress reports were complied by the supervisor considering the work to be completed given at the beginning of the month. This in turn helped the project to be reviewed or monitor its progress. The final goal of the project was achieved and there were lot of experience gained, good relationships were built. Extra creditability was gained by the institute and it also helped in developing close relations and smooth flow of work among the work areas of the different sections of the college. Thus if a project is to successfully completed, both planning and execution must be properly implemented. Poor planning will not allow appropriate execution and control processes or achievement of the project’s targets. Hence considering the above arguments and discussion the project managers role in the organization and responsibilities towards both the firm and project team are important. Research Papers on The role of project managers in project managementThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductOpen Architechture a white paperLifes What IfsRiordan Manufacturing Production Plan

Secrets of Writing Perfect Personal Essay

Secrets of Writing Perfect Personal Essay Personal Essay Writing Secrets: Reach Your Success with a Perfect Essay Every school arranges numerous classes to help students to learn how to write a proper personal essay. Still, even with many hours spent on explanation and practice, submitting a perfect personal paper is a challenge for most of the students. This type of an essay paper is exceptional since the skills of its proper performing can be used both when applying for a university and when looking for your first job providing a cover letter. Admittedly, it is more important to know how to perform a personal essay once applying at college or university. Moreover, this is the only way to get into your dreamed college or university. Therefore, keep in mind the extreme importance of this kind of academic paper. How to Perform a Remarkable Personal Essay Even if you think there is nothing difficult in submitting a personal essay, be sure you are wrong. Definitely, this kind of essay consists of the same introduction section, body parts, and a conclusion. At the same time, this writing piece requires concise and expert writing style. You need to reveal your thoughts with simple words, but to sound like a real professional at the same time. The primary purpose of a personal essay is to reveal certain scenes from your life in details and make the entire story interesting and attention-grabbing. In your paper, you must show the reader that you are the best candidate among a bunch of other talented students. You need to demonstrate both impressive writing talents and ability to think critically in your paper. You are the one to decide what personal story to tell about in your paper. You can write about some common things, which meant a lot to you like friendship, love, betrayal, hate, rivalry, leadership, competition, etc. There can be mo re and more appropriate topics. The most important is to choose the one you can write about with passion, and impress the readers with your final story. Thus, it is high time to concentrate on the main principles of writing a personal essay. Basics of a Personal Essay Outline When writing an essay outline, make sure to include each and every part of the paper. There is a popular writing formula when you write down five sentences for every part of the paper. Since there are five parts of an essay paper, including an introduction, three main body parts, and a conclusion, this formula is mostly called â€Å"five by five†. It is easy to write a few sentences on every part of the text, and make the outline clear and concise. There is no need to write the entire text at once, first put the main idea into a few sentences. The most attention-grabbing issues to reveal are personal fears, expectations, and your goals in life. People always appreciate stories with personal feelings revealed. To ease the entire process of an essay writing, first, write down a list of the things that inspire you the most. These things can include influential people, memorable dates, challenges, exciting events, and any other important person or occasion. You can look through media or newspapers to find something to inspire you. It is great to use quotes in your essay paper, which can help you to present your ideas in a more literary way. Be very attentive to the citations and the reference list at the end of the paper. The rules of proper citation depend on the exact formatting style you use, such as APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, etc. Personal Essay Tips: Proper Essay Structure The proper structure of a personal paper must be always followed in order to submit a perfect writing piece. If you have basic knowledge of writing essays and their structure, it will be easy for you to perform a flawless paper. Personal Essay Introduction Part An introduction is an essential part of every essay paper, which needs to be written with a few attention-grabbing sentences. When performing an introduction, make sure to remember who your main readers are – the college admission officers. You need to be well aware of the way they see the perfect personal essay paper. You must impress and intrigue them from the very first words. You can start your essay with the following hook sentences: Famous Quotes; Statistic and Facts; Allegories and Idioms; Funny Anecdotes; Controversial Questions. Every professional essay contains important background information to welcome the readers and explain them the following ongoing events described. Focus on the main ideas and top characters to make your introduction concise and catchy. Provide a list of arguments and evidence to work with through the entire personal essay paper. The Body Paragraphs Creation It is better to follow a standard essay structure with the three main body parts completed. There is no need to make this part of the text wider. Start the main part with an introductory sentence where write you define the top points of the paper, arguments, and evidence. Be aware that every new paragraph must cover a new idea. Still, make every paragraph clearly connected to the previous sentence. Up to ten lines are optimal for the body paragraph. Remember to discuss every situation allowing the reader to feel the same emotions and understand the way you see the situation. You must provoke sympathy with the proper sharing of feelings and emotions. It is better to tell your story chronologically since it will ease the entire picture for the reader who needs to stay concentrated on the topic you dwell on and never get lost. Tips for Personal Essay Conclusion The last thing you are writing in your paper is conclusion. This is a kind of paper summary made of up to ten sentences, where you sum up the main points of an essay, the results of your analytical thinking, and the importance of the topic for the other people. For a personal essay, it is more preferable to share some insights and certain lessons learned once facing the described events or people. You can also include some forecasts to end your essay paper properly. Secrets to Complete Good Personal Essay Use the following tips and writing secrets to submit a perfect final personal essay. Be honest – tell about the events from your real life; Take time before starting to write the paper; Stick to the writing instructions and paper requirements; Be clear and concise – share your ideas in simple language; Make sure the story you describe is from real life; Always stay positive – outline the current achievements and your personal expectations; Reveal both your good and bad sides. When preparing an essay, make sure to avoid the following things: Make a paper of a standard format. Do not try to exceed the limits. Avoid generalization and too broad concepts. Don’t mention too many details. Do not be afraid to express your personal feelings, fears, and expectations. Where to Get an Example of a Personal Essay It is possible to find examples of a personal essay paper online, that will help you compose your own essay. Be very attentive to the topic you are dealing with in order to provide the best explanation and share your exceptional experience in details. Always work on the issues you have enough knowledge about, and stay clear and concise. If you have no time to complete a perfect personal essay paper, you can order a ready paper online. When assigning an online writer to complete your paper, you can get both a lot of free time and an excellent personal essay completed on time.

Evolution of Management Theory Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evolution of Management Theory - Case Study Example Classical theory is essentially a grouping of similar ideas on the management of organizations that developed in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.This theory contains three general branches.Quintessentially, the theory emphasizes on economic rationality of the individual employee at work. The Rational economic view was based on the ideas if the 18th-century economist, Adam Smith. According to this school of thought, people are motivated by economic gains, therefore they key to drive employees was a monetary reward. Another noteworthy development of the classical period was the introduction of scientific management.F W Taylor is known as the father of scientific management. His contribution to the practice of management is widely recognized. Taylor was the first one to introduce a scientific approach to the study and practice of management. The essence of scientific management can be encapsulated in the following four ideas: 1. Each job should be divided into parts and a scientific method for performing each part should be determined. 2. The method of recruiting and training employees should be scientific as well. 3. Co-operation between the workers and management was regarded paramount to achieve a desirable outcome of the tasks performed. 4. Lastly, an emphasis was laid on the idea of division of labor.Managers were to supervise, plan and instruct whereas the workers were expected to carry out the execution part. Further on, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth refined Taylor’s methods. 's methods. They were also pioneers in the field of management and their most important contribution is the time and motion series and emphasis on improving efficency.The components of time and motion series are-break down each action into elements, find better ways to perform it, reoraganize each action to be more efficient. The Gilbreths also studied fatigue problems, lighting, heating and other worker issues. Administrative principles: Another group of classical theorists dealt with the operations of an organization as a whole unlike the aforementioned pioneers who focused mainly on individual workers. The Administrative theorist sought the most optimum way to combine jobs and people into an efficient organization. One of the forerunners of