Librarian PHP Essay Example for Free

Librarian PHP Essay A. Introduction A Library System is a software use to catalog, to track circulation and to have an inventory of the library’s assets. It often contains many thousands of books that are available in the library. This uses computer-based system to keep a record of the books and the transaction that took place. A computer- based library system allows for: * Quick and easy searching for books * Easy printing out of book list/ labels * Automatic warning letters for borrowers who have not yet returned books. The major goal of this study is to create an effective Library System that will meet the needs of the users. The researchers selected the Pasig City Elementary School Library as its subject for system proposal. An interview is conducted to observe transactions happening in that library. During gathering period, the group noticed that they are still using logbooks for filing and recording. It reaches to our knowledge that a one librarian suffers much without a computer- based system. In fact, a librarian stated that if there will be a system to be created for the library, it has to be something with swipe feature so it will display all information immediately. Furthermore, with this information gathered, a computer- based library system will be generated with the use of all the data disclosed to the researchers. B. Objective of the Study General Objective: * To create an effective system out of all information gathered during interview at Pasig City Elementary School Library Specific Objectives: * To be able to make a system that will lessen the work of the librarian * To be able to make a system that will help users for a quick and easy access with the needed information in the library * To be able to meet the needs of the users * To have an easy access with the library * To have a smooth transaction in the library * To avoid miscomputations of penalties for late book returnees C. Statement of the Problem The researchers found out that the library doesn’t have a Computer-Based System. They use logbooks to file all information needed in the library. The librarian is having a hard time cataloging and filing the books every now and then adding to the burdens is the utilization of different and separate logbooks for borrowers, visitors and attendees. Without computer-Based System, the one in-charge is having a hardship organizing borrowing transactions especially, when it comes to accommodating many students at a time. It was further revealed that there are times they lose some information of the students because of not having a system. These are the problems of the current system that would be addressed by our proposed system. D. Scope and Limitation Scopes The researchers will generate a system with the following scopes: * A system with a swipe feature that can display all information needed * A system that can organize/catalog books * A system with password for security * A system with that will give quick and easy access for the users * It has a comprehensible interface. Limitations * It cannot accommodate many users at a time. * This is slight time consuming in encoding/ cataloging. E. Importance of the Study The necessity of using the Library System is to help a lot more the librarians. It will lessen the time of librarian in writing all information of the students in the logbooks. All he had to do is to create a database that supports the system. This will also lessen his time printing out booklist/labels, receipt, etc. This also gives an automatic warning letters for borrowers who forgot to returned books on time. It will also avoid miscomputations of penalties for late book returnees. This study will improve the skills of the researchers in generating a system. F. Conceptual Framework The researchers will create a computer-based library system to meet the needs of the librarians. The group will try their very best to come up with the best system with the help of their instructors using PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) as the programming language and Wampserver as the database. Through the information gathered the proponent will try its o G. Definition of terms * Computer- based Library System It is the software used to catalog, track circulation (where appropriate) and inventory a librarys assets. * PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) It is a server-side scripting language designed for web development but also used as a general-purpose programming language. * Wampserver It is a web development platform on Windows allowing you to create dynamic web applications with Apache2, PHP and MySQL. * Software It is a general term for the various kinds of programs used to operate computers and related devices. * Inventory It’s an itemized catalog or list of tangible goods or property, or the intangible attributes or qualities * Catalog It also serves as an inventory or bookkeeping of whats in the library. * Database It is a collection of data that is organized so that its contents can easily be accessed, managed, and updated.

Education Today Essay -- essays papers

Education Today A college education is suggested to be the most heavily judged form of qualification to be looked at when looking for career opportunities. But what is a college education? Is it something you go out and buy at the most prestigious of College University's? Do you simply hand over 25,000 dollars a year, and at the end of 4 years, give or take a few, you are handed a diploma that says, 'Educated'? In my opinion, this is today's view on what education is. It is less of a conquest of knowledge then it is just a stepping-stone towards a career. John Newman suggested that all forms of education and knowledge are connected together, and that the subject matter of knowledge is united in itself. Each Science that we break our knowledge in to, complete, correct and balance the others. This is what John Henry Newman wrote in, The Idea of a University. This was written to discuss the idea of a Catholic University, so it has a large influence on how we get our education today. We take specific courses that educate us in our major, and a number of other core courses that help shape our ideas and views into that which we are learning. If an education is confined to only one subject, Newman believes the individual's work in life may favor the advancement of a particular pursuit or viewpoint over another, due to ignorance. This is the approach we take at Seton Hall and most other University's in the world towards an education. But is this the only form of education that is valid? Jon Spayde believed that one could gain education in any way he wants. If biology was an individual's serious interest, he could observe life throughout the year and justifiably educate himself that way. Anything you had int... ...roader the education you get the more knowledgeable you will become in all areas of your study. However, I also think that it isn't necessary to pay for a college degree to be truly educated. The problem is you have nothing to show for or prove your intellect. In today's competitive society everyone wants the best, and if you don't complete a college education and have your own individual flares your going to have a much harder time landing a job then perhaps someone you are smarter then. You can't just be the best, you have to show that you are the best. It seems that if you can throw 100,000 dollars away on a degree today, you probably will have a decent job waiting for you when you graduate. So the individual with the advantage in society is the one who loves what he paid to get educated in. Education in a field that you love is the only true conquest of knowledge.

Future of Public Sector Bargaining

The public sector workers unions in Canada play a very important role in the industrial workforce. The roles of these unions us to protect and enhance the members interests by making the government aware of the things that affect their work and policies that need to be lightened so that they can be motivated to work and help in improving the country's economy. Since the early 1980s, Canada has been evaluating its role in the nation's economic and social affairs.The Public sector responsibilities include: the provision of vital social services, preserving the nation’s identity and promoting economic development (Swimmer & Thompson). All these factors have been affected in one way or another by the reduction of government funding in support of the ventures thus affecting the public sector industrial relations. Progress in the public sector In Canada matured in 1965 when the government was expanding its activities and increased its funding such that labor and management performed well.The legal framework of collective bargaining was established in the 1940s as a way of increasing the functions and the positive relationships among labor, capital and the state. Various reforms were made in the labor unions in the 1960s with the aim of enhancing the workers rights and improving the employer employee relationship. Changes in the Canadian public sector started to take place in 1982 when controls were placed in the way the government made compensation.In early 1990s, people were tired with the restrictions and for this reason, in 1991 when the federal budget was made; it was followed by the largest federal employee union strike (Swimmer & Thompson). Examples of control programs that have been in place include the Social Credit Administration in British Columbia (1982) and the Mulroney government (1991). The willingness of the government to impose such policies raised the issue of the role of industrial relations to determine the terms and conditions of employment in Canada (Panitch & Swartz).Free collective bargaining began during the expansion of the post war capitalism in the 1960s and continued to deteriorate in the after years as restrictions on the government side created led to resistance on the union’s sides affecting organizational, political and ideological factors (Swimmer & Thompson). The Private sector responded to changes affected laborers by adopting new industrial relations practices and structures that never addressed the problem as it ought to. â€Å"The sectionalism was a result of years of neglect of the political and ideological mobilizing aspects of trade unionism (Panitch& Swartz, 152).† This is because the Canadian government never made any significant effort to restructure the economy evidenced by the few labor legislation reforms and laws (Swimmer & Thompson). There were an increasing number of women who joined the labor unions at this time and this enhanced the bargaining position of the labor unions. Wage negotiations never bore the fruits that the workers wanted and economic changes led to the reduction on unemployment as more people were employed in private firms on part-time basis. For this reason, private businesses failed.The public sector on the other hand, never reduced employment in any sector at high rates such that there was significant increase in employment in the government administrative services. This is because the government still provides vital services in the economy so they cannot change their operations as easily as the private sector. Moreover, it is difficult to substitute capital for labor. For the government to be able to support all these activities, they had to cut down on expenses across all the sectors. Measures of ChangeCoverage is an important indicator of change as it enables the union management to know the employees they support. Strikes and work stoppages are other change indicators. Therefore it is necessary that the right to strike and other financial restraint packages are founded in the law. There are also various changes in collective bargaining involving the bargaining and negotiation structures. All these indicators are vital in both the private and private sectors for developing accessing and making decisions on how several changes will be developed.This seemed to work in the 1970s when the public sector compensation was more than the private sector compensation levels. Role of strikes The rate of union strikes had reduced in Canada between the years 1984-1994. There are no valid explanations for the strikes but they are said to be triggered most in the presence of inflation and increase in unemployment. â€Å"An example is the 1976 Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) against the anti-inflation program (Panitch& Swartz). † The government has thus created regulations to deal with strikes.The right to strike by the public service was mandated by the government in 1994 but this was removed from British Columbia ind ustrial policies. Despite the regulations on bargaining outcomes, public sector strikes rose and they were even more than those related to the private sector. The back to work legislation and cabinet orders also led to the strikes such that there were about 39 restrictions between the years 1975-1986; 14 in Quebec and 11 in Ontario (Swimmer & Thompson).This led to the allegations that the laws were minimizing the bargaining rights of public employees. Coverage of the industrial Relations system in Canada Collective bargaining has always been there in the public sector to enhance the workers rights. Educations, government and health sector unions were among the most active in the 1980s and early 1990s even with the involvement of the private sector. â€Å"This is also the period when free trade and free capital flows enhanced work flexibility (Panitch & Swartz, 226).† Changes in public service delivery have created several challenges in the industrial relations system and will continue to do so. â€Å"For example, decentralizing the health care systems leads to the transfer of resources; all forms of capital including human capital, from large facilities to smaller health institutions in remote parts of the country. For the health care union to continue maintaining their strength, they will need to consider organizing smaller unions that have not yet been practiced. From the 1980s experiences, these unions will be successful (Swimmer & Thompson).† Despite the government's efforts to restrict the bargaining powers of the public sector unions, the government introduced employee involvement programs in the workplace in order to undermine the capabilities of the unions. This can be seen in 2000 when the government reorganized management practices in government run institutions but Swimmer says that such initiates will not necessarily affect the work of labor unions (Swimmer &Thompson, 433). Moreover, their role is not to weaken public employeesâ€℠¢ attachment to their unions.The public and private sector were not getting along especially in 1994 between employees in unions and those who were not. This is because the employees in unions wanted a lot of changes to be made and they needed to be in unison with their un-unionized counterparts who never had a spokesperson to facilitate the negotiation. This was made worse by the minimum legal standards and economic changes. Even in professional occupations in the public sector workers were reluctant to join collective labor agreements (Panitch & Swartz). Conduct of public sector bargainingLegislations somehow gave public sector workers in provinces like Ontario and British Columbia the striking right there was very minimal legislative changes. Most of these restrictions have reduced the importance of bargaining or eliminated it completely. However, Unions can use the Charter and rights freedom to delay the implementation of such restrictions and these means that they have a better chance of increasing their bargaining power. Efforts have been made to create central bargaining structures for example in British Columbia, the teachers union is being introduced to a provincial bargaining structure.Moreover, laws are enabling the formation of the sectoral bargaining in most public sectors. The state and large public sectors; especially education and health, are forming master bargaining structures. This is because the government sees centralizing the bargaining structures as a method of controlling its expenses. Centralizing bargaining structures takes place when the government employer undertakes the action and such arrangements with the government are not necessarily permanent.The government’s ability to control such bargaining agreements means that there is a likelihood of rise in political struggles when both sides do not agree especially given the fact that the public sector unions are likely to resist any government’s efforts to reduce their s alaries. The bargaining process will therefore entail the increment in the salaries for the top personnel who are likely to be limited by the accountability restrictions under the budgetary restrictions which will make hiring and retaining the top public personnel difficult.Pay and employment equity also affect compensation. Pay equity is likely to contribute to better female compensation but this will has the possibility of contributing to the internal problems within the organization. The Government will be looking for ways to reduce their tax expenditures and this will result in reductions in unemployment so that it can minimize the compensation rates. Nothing much can be done by the unions since there are no structures in place to address job security issues.Most of the public sector workers will therefore find it difficult to secure employment in the private sector. Issues of job security will therefore be at the forefront as a political matter and also at the bargaining table. Compensation for the municipal employees will also need to be looked at seriously especially since civic unions like that in British Columbia have been actively engaged in the local politics. Their continued involvement in such issues will lead to restrictions being made by the senior public officials. Future of public sector bargainingAfter the Second World War, labor unions in Canada used the old strategies that were associated with social democratic gradualism. Moreover, the unions focused on what their members needed in bargaining the terms and conditions for employment with their employers. Therefore, more emphasis was placed on negotiating skills rather over educating and mobilizing members (Panitch & Swartz, 226). The future if public sector bargaining can be enhanced by adapting various strategies and models as outlined below: Panitch and Swartz approaches ? Progressive competitivenessInvestment needs to be made by employers in increasing their employee’s skills thro ugh continuous education; training and research so that they are able to support the industry, promote new technologies and a high value-added economy that will enable them to be paid higher wages. Labor is therefore used as a means of supporting and enhancing the other forms of capital so as to increase productivity (Panitch & Swartz). The disadvantage of this strategy is that it only helps the elite hence those who are not skilled enough will miss out on a lot of job opportunities hence the least developed regions will remain underdeveloped.? Partnership internationalism This strategy was developed in the 1990s which involved labor unions being restructured so that they could be able to adopt certain conditions set by international trade organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This makes the labor leaders more responsible as they have to represent the interests of other member workers. Moreover, it ensures that unf air labor conditions and certain state regulations are addressed according to international standards and regulations.This therefore means that the public sector industrial institutions will have to develop an export-oriented model that may not be necessarily what the government was hoping for. This will mean that the country's employment will depend on low cost exports. This will mean that salaries will be limited as the employment rates are likely to decrease if the economy is doing badly. In addition, making the public sector bargaining more internationalized does not really support militant workers struggles hence making it harmful to the economy.Other strategies The new strategy as proposed by Panitch and Swartz (p. 236) should be more of a condition so that it is able to enhance its success as well as transform labor. The political leaders should therefore control investments and make reforms with the aim of reducing working hours and other limits that are found within the lab or movements. There also needs to be a strategy for reorganizing the public sector unions by creating new capabilities for the workers and the changing the union’s organizational structures for the better.The unions also need to open themselves up to the broader community so that they assist in the growth of the economy and developing their capacity and confidence to be a positive influence on others. Leadership and openness bring about significant changes that enhance the union's collective bargaining power. It is also necessary to develop ways that will be used to deal with new workers who are not part of the group could be included in the union so as to increase the labor union's bargaining power(237). Educational initiatives need to be created as this will help in including non-union members.Effort will need to be made in strengthening the social movement within the organization and also the community level. The Unions in Canada have not been able to achieve much in the s ense of fighting for their rights because their leaders assert too much power in the control of the unions such that they are not able to effectively communicate with their members. Canadians shifted from the American international unions in the 1980s and merged with the Canadian unions where they were faced with internal problems within the union structures.â€Å"Leadership in the unions needs to be restructured. This will entail educating leaders especially those who cannot see that the labor unions are lagging behind and are not fighting for the rights of the workers like they ought to (Panitch & Swartz). † Moreover, well developed democratic structures will enhance more involved and committed membership which is likened to the politicization of the union as seen today. According to Swimmer and Thompson, five scenarios/models will influence future public sector bargaining. They include: 1. Back to the pastThis scenario entails looking into the various features of the assoc iation-consultation model in public sector industrial relations. Employees will be more aware of their rights in terms of the pay they are supposed to get, length of working hours and other employee related organizational rules. This means that the employers will have to listen to their suggestions and pass the decisions that they see fit. Public employees however, have not shown signs of breaking away from the collective agreements. In addition, there is a lot of support for collective bargaining despite the restrictions in place.Workers can therefore engage in strikes if they feel that their grievances are not being addressed in a proper manner. Loyalty to the unions is brought about by the poor wages and they need to stick together for wage increases. This loyalty is however seen to fade away if their issues are not addressed in the long run. However, the success of strikes such as the 1991 federal government workers is enough to gather support and the government has not suggeste d any other form of consultation other than collective bargaining.In this model, job security for the public workers will be enhanced because they will be pressured to perform like their private counterparts. Though the program is not specifically designed to reduce unemployment, the adoption of the private sector organizational and operational systems will at least help in improving the status of the economy thus enhancing job security. 2. A sullen Truce Sullen truce occurs when the government hinders compensation and any form of public sector bargaining for a certain period of time such that employees cannot force any policies.Since the government cannot abolish the workers unions, they will simply ignore their existence. This model considers work stoppages as illegal. Public sector workers can decide not to communicate with their employers so that they can see that they are not motivated to perform their work well. This model did prevail in the 1990s where the government still re -enforced their restrictive policies. It can work in regions where the economy is declining and unemployment rates are high so that they are forced to bare with the poor status of the economy.If the private sector does well such that their wage rates have increased, then this model will not work. The government may refuse to engage in the bargaining process so that they can gain from the booming economy at the expense of the workers who will in turn demonstrate for their rights. The workers bargaining power will therefore depend on the society's economic situation. The public sector union can look for support from the private union workers as well as rights activists. Since they will be supported by influential members of the society, the government will be forced to lighten its rules.3. A new golden Age When government’s revenue is increasing, it means that the public services will also increase. Collective bargaining will be easier as the government is able to pay for the i ncreasing costs hence the negotiations are easier. But this is not always the case as the economy is not always stable and the political environment should always be stable. This will in turn mean that competent political leaders will be needed at the state and provincial level so that they make proper laws.On the other hand if the economy was booming, the workers unions will want their salaries increased constantly. 4. Struggle in the Streets This model involves incorporating the government's centralized bargaining structure in the bargaining strategies used by the public sector unions. It is further likened to the public sector industrial reforms between 1972 and 1982 in Quebec. The government to initiate change in the public sector industrial relations, it must be willing to maintain centralized bargaining structures as well as coordination as seen in the 1990s.The public sector may limit such efforts by their unwillingness to cooperate but the government will face pressure from striking and work stoppages by the employees. For public employees to get what they need, they will need to strike on a large scale from time to time if their issues are to be addressed. The government on the other hand can be able to gain support from the private sector union members and by using various legislative actions. 5. Power sharingIn this model, governments need to cut on spending and they will have to communicate the decisions they make with the public sector unions. Through such meetings, they are able to come to a consensus by agreeing on terms so that spending is controlled. Job security for some workers can be negotiated. This model therefore ensures that public sector employee rights enhanced through the commitment of both parties. The government needs to pass legislations that are less restrictive and the public sector workers need to accept some conditions which are necessary.Such conditions are not easily achieved because the government addresses changes often an d organizations have different operational structures and for this reason it is important for both parties to be willing to bend their rules. This model is similar to the productivity bargaining model that is used by private firms where costs must be minimized so that more money can be saved and paid as wage increases. Conclusion The Canadian public sector bargaining strategies have been limited over the years by strict government regulations and poor union structures among other factors.If these issues neither are nor addressed in a proper manner and fast. Labor unrest will continue to be a significant part of public sector bargaining. However, this can change with a decline in militancy in both the private and public sector hence, the reduction of public strikes will in turn reduce the overall strike rates in the country. The Unions need to restructure themselves as well as get support from the government so that they are in a position to ensure that its members have the necessary resources and are included in making decisions in the union hence reinforcing their solidarity to the union.Reforms in the public sector bargaining are very necessary as they ensure that freedom of expression of the workers is enhanced in a proper thus improving the future of the Canadian working class. References Panitch, L. & Swartz, D. From Consent to Coercion: The Assault on Trade Union Freedoms. 3rd Ed. Ch. 7 & 10, pp. 143-241 Swimmer, G. &Thompson, M. Public Sector Collective Bargaining in Canada: the future of public sector Industrial Relations. Ch. 16, pp. 430-445

Necklace: Writing Process Essay

Choose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a.k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction?

Action Potentials in the Locust Leg essays

Action Potentials in the Locust Leg essays The latency period measured from our representative muscle action potential is 8.2 ms (Figure 1). Figure 1 also shows the duration of the action potential, which was measured to be approximately 5 ms. The amplitude measured from baseline to peak was found to be 0.14 V (Figure 1). Dividing this value by the gain, which was set to 200 for this experiment, gives the baseline-to-peak amplitude of 0.7 mV. Three volts was the threshold voltage required to elicit a muscle action potential. Using Method A to calculate the conduction velocity, it was found to be 2.8 m/s (Appendix 1). Using Method B, the conduction velocity was found to be 3.3 m/s (Appendix 1). Figure 2 shows the relationship between stimulus duration and the threshold voltage required for an action potential to occur. As the duration of the stimulus increased, the value of the minimum voltage required to elicit an action potential decreased. The faster the action potential occurs, the shorter the synaptic delay. Following an action potential, the range for the absolute refractory period in the lab manual exercise was found to be 0-2.9 ms. The range for the relative refractory period was 3-6 ms after the action potential. 2. Jumps were seen in the muscle action potentials recorded in response to varying stimulus voltages because of the summation of action potentials from more than one axon. Arthropods have rapid motoneurons. Fast axons have large diameters and low resistances; therefore, they are able to produce phasic, all-or-none action potentials at high velocities. When the applied stimulus was above the threshold voltage, jumps were observed. In addition, during a fast axon depolarization, a rapid leg twitch was observed. There are also slow motoneurons in the arthropod muscle. According to Fourtner and Pearson (1977), slow motoneurons in muscles of the distal leg segments can produce tonic, graded potentials. Invertebrates usually h...

How to make your writing at work engaging

How to make your writing at work engaging How do you make writing engaging? How can you make your writing engaging? Or, more specifically, how can you make your business writing engaging? Why, surely thats a contradiction in terms! Right †¦? A lot of people do seem to make a distinction between 1) Work Writing, and 2) Pretty Much Every Other Kind of Writing. It essentially amounts to this: type 2 has the potential to be entertaining and engaging and type 1 doesnt. After all, prestigious prizes are awarded for literature, journalism and non-fiction writing. Meanwhile, the kind of writing they have to do at work can be, yes, functional – but probably also dry. Thats just how it is. You may be unsurprised to hear we dont think thats true. OK, you might not win a Pulitzer Prize for your latest proposal, this months management report or that email you wrote to Stuart in Accounts. But you can make the reading experience for your potential client, the management team or old Stu a more interesting one. Better still, doing so will make a huge difference to how successful and effective what youve written is. We live in a world of too many documents and too little time, and anything thats actually a pleasure to read already has an advantage. So heres how you can help topple the myth that business writing has to be B-O-R-I-N-G: Begin at the beginning Begin with your reader. This is always our number one rule, simply because who youre writing for should colour all the decisions you make when writing. A reader is much, much more likely to be engaged by what youve written if it feels relevant to them. Lets face it, if someone concludes by sentence three that this particular document or email has no relevance to them, what do you suppose the odds of them continuing to read are? Yep – not good. Ideally, youd be writing about a topic that already interests them, naturally – but there again, you may not have a choice. And even if you know theyre unlikely to be instantly gripped, you still have the chance to find a way to make it seem as important as you can to them. Ask yourself these questions every time you write, to prime yourself. And it might sound obvious, but be clear on what you want to say before you get going. Plan the structure first. Combining the thinking and writing processes tends to result in a message that meanders all over the place. And (tough love time), you cant expect anyone to follow you round the houses on the off-chance they find a point along the way. Hook em in Engaging writing has to engage from the start. Those first lines are when your reader is weighing up whether to keep going or do something else instead (like reading another document or email, checking social media or simply leaving their desk and grabbing a coffee). Its at this point that you set their mood for facing the rest. Clearly, it doesnt bode well if their reaction to the first few lines is, Wow, this is going to be a slog. So make your introduction work hard to captivate from the beginning. Its the gatekeeper to the rest of your work. Of course, the reader isnt the only one who may find this section problematic. You will still be getting into the swing of writing when you compose your introduction (unless youre writing it in a panic at the end). This makes it easy to start out a bit long-winded, waffly or flat. But an introduction must have impact. So keep your first sentence or two tight, and definitely dont go in with reams of background. One great technique you can use to kick off is the surprise intro: a strong statement that – youve guessed it – will come as a surprise and shake the reader out of autopilot. Something like More than 60 per cent of Acme Widgets business comes from just 20 customers or One in six people are at risk of flooding in England has a good chance of making them want to read on to find out more. Invisible ink Hands up everyone who likes working really hard to understand something. Thought so. Its very important to make your writing effortless to read. The best writing is invisible. This means that the language used doesnt draw attention to itself – its just a stealth vehicle for the message, which then seems to arrive in your readers head as if from nowhere. And how do you achieve this? Using simple language is a good place to start. Make short words your first choice. Mind you, what this doesnt mean is that you shouldnt ever use longer words. It means, when you do, you do so because the longer word is the best fit, not because it seems like a high-class upgrade. So, you might put utilise in place of the shorter use for its specific meaning of employing something to do a job it wasnt necessarily designed for. But replacing help with ameliorate wont gain you extra points or frequent flyer miles – it just might lose you readers. The points less about always using the shortest word and more about choosing words that are familiar – theres where your knowledge of the reader comes in. Try to avoid a word thats likely to send them off to the dictionary, or that could make them feel frustrated, small or stupid because they dont know it. Treat jargon words the same way, and ban any that wont be understood. (Do use ones that youre sure will be a useful shorthand, though – again, its about knowing whats appropriate for the reader.) In fact, try to write more or less as youd speak in a meeting: professional but conversational. Reading your work aloud can help to check your written voice is as natural as your speech. Doing this will also remind you to pick verbs over the noun equivalent where you would say something using verbs – we agreed rather than we reached an agreement, for example. The same goes for favouring the active voice, where you put the doer before what he, she or it did: we discussed the matter not the matter was discussed by us. (But if you would naturally say it in the passive, use the passive.) Two-way conversations You can draw on more conventions of conversation to engage a reader as you would a listener. Borrow its directness. Would you ever refer to yourself – or the other person – in the third person if you were having a chat? Catie would like to determine if a cup of tea would be of value to the addressee. No-one wants to sit next to that person in the office. Yet we often switch to this kind of indirect, detached language when we write. Weve all seen it. Management would appreciate it if colleagues comments were received by Friday, says the memo to no-one in particular, as if written by a disinterested outsider. But guess what? To be engaging, you have to engage with people. So use you to address the reader if you can, plus the odd I, or we for the company. Youll sound much more human too. And try using questions. Even closed ones with a simple yes/no answer can be powerful, as you cant help but answer them in your head (can you?). Make them see it, feel it and believe it A common piece of advice in fiction writing is show, dont tell – but it applies just as well to business writing. Showing is more visual and convincing than just proclaiming a fact and hoping youll be believed. Check if youre relying too heavily on describing words, whether theyre describing things or actions. Either way, they can sound a bit thin if theres nothing backing them up. So dont just say sales have been impressive, get specific: say theyve doubled or increased by 30 per cent in a month. And dont just call your team of trainers experienced – say how many years theyve been in the industry or whom theyve successfully helped. What did that success look like? Did they increase productivity or sales? Be sure to put numbers in a context people can actually relate to. Commit to what youre saying. Confident words are compelling, while continually using hedge words like perhaps, its possible, and it is our intention to will chip away at your readers faith in you. Find your rhythm When it comes to the sound of your writing, think less techno and more jazz. Mix up the length of your sentences to vary the rhythm and keep your reader (who will hear your words in their head) interested. You probably can – and should – go much shorter with your sentences than you think, sticking to a maximum of 35 words and an average of 15–20. But variety is key. If theyre all similarly longish, itll be dull; all short and the effect is like that of being on a bus during rush hour – endless stop-starting, a sense of nausea and a desperate desire to escape. Use punctuation to keep the rhythm interesting too – a strategically placed dash (like that one), for example, can add a nice dramatic pause. Meanwhile, brackets give the sense of an aside. If youre feeling particularly creative, you can play with some literary techniques thatll make your writing more visual and memorable. One is alliteration – repeatedly using the same letter, as above in stop-starting and desperate desire. The other is the power of three. No-ones sure quite why, but three does indeed seem to be the magic number. One way you can exploit this is by illustrating with three examples, as (again) with those side effects of riding a bus, or the subheading Make them see it, feel it and believe it. Theres no need to overdo these last two tricks, but they do give your writing a bit more punch and staying power – which is why advertisers use them. And finally One last thing: remember that for your writing to be engaging, you have to be engaged while youre writing it. Going through the motions wont result in anything that sounds fresh, especially if youre still getting used to trying out these techniques. With all that in mind, lets go forth and be engaging – yes, even at work. As well as giving everything we create the best chance at success, we just might make the world of business writing a bit more interesting. And that would indeed be something to prize. Image credit: A and N photography / Shutterstock

Choose your favourite decade in make up and hair and explain why Essay

Choose your favourite decade in make up and hair and explain why - Essay Example or Miss. Coming out of the confusion of the seventies with its disco and punk rock, the eighties became increasingly concerned with symbols of power and business. This was encouraged by the privatization of industries and the de-regulation of the stock market introduced as a part of Thatcherism. As a result, the prevailing attitude regarding the economy became one of every man for himself. Electronics were gaining in popularity in many areas of life – synthesizers and keyboards in music, the introduction of the music video and digital animation, computers in the workplace and video games from the arcade becoming available in the home. New innovations in technology including the ‘nuclear age’, innovations in hair gel and mousse and increased use of personal technology made the science fiction shows on television seem possible just around the corner. All of these elements combined together to create a vibrant and outspoken era in hair, fashion and makeup that thrill s me with its energy and innovative symbolism. One of the major influences on 80s fashions was the designer Vivienne Westwood, who developed her talents in the thick of the 1960s and 1970s rock and roll movement in Britain. Her fashions exemplify the sexual freedom and aggressive stance of female expression emerging in the women’s movements that rocked the world at this time. Through her early designs, Westwood discovered that â€Å"there was a dramatic potential in the clothes themselves that could be heightened: laden with associations, biker gear links sexuality, violence and death, in a twentieth century archetype† (Savage, 2001: 28). She began a new line of clothes that were based on these ideas by adding metal studs, chicken bones, chains, zippers and other gear to the clothing she made. Doing this, Westwood became the mother of the punk rock fashions (Savage, 2001: 28). These designs included a heavy use of the corset as a fetish object, frequently making it in leather,