Best Ways to Study According To Cognitive Psychologists

Introduction There has been heightened attention on the processes of learning from a psychological perspective. This is because there is need to optimize learning opportunities in order to gain maximally from the education system, which is coupled with shortage of time and other resources.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Best Ways to Study According To Cognitive Psychologists specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many researchers have taken different angles of approach in addressing this issue. Whilst some are taking a broad approach by considering many variables, others are addressing specific variables. In order to come up with a concise and efficient method or model of learning effective for students, analysis, and review of these different researches becomes important. This paper deliberates on different suggestions proposed by different researchers regarding the best ways to study. It offers a rigorous a nalysis and review of their work from which, best study methods are proposed. I hope that learners find this paper very nourishing in optimizing their learning skills. Study-Test Combination Assessment tests in education are as old as the education system itself. Since time immemorial, tests have always been an important way of determining the degree of understanding of learned content. Many psychologists appreciate the importance of tests in enhancing cognition in learners. Tests provide means by which the brain allocates addresses to specific problems. Therefore, it becomes easy to retrieve the information stored in these memory allocations when similar problem is encountered. However â€Å"learning through testing† needs more specific and concise approach in order to reap its full benefits. It is claimed â€Å"a combination of study and tests is more effective than spending the same amount of time reviewing the material† (Rohrer Pashler, 2010 p. 2). This is in cont rast to what many learners and learning institutions do. It is recommended that learning and reviewing of materials be sandwiched with tests. Similarly, continuous assessment in learning institutions should be practiced. This way learning process is improved and content retention enhanced. It has also been observed that the type of test determines quality of learning process and the rate of retention of learned material. Tests requiring recalling of learned materials are more beneficial as compared to multiple-choice tests. Recalling tests have been found to improve information retrieving process.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Spanning the Learning Period It does not come by surprise that conventional learning consists of short bursts of intense learning. This is because time, among other resources is very much limited. While this may seem like a solution to prevailing lea rning challenges, it undermines the very essence of learning. According to Rohrer Pashler â€Å"if a given amount of study time is distributed or spaced across multiple sessions rather than massed into a single session, performance on a delayed final test is improved† (Rohrer Pashler 2010, p. 3). When learning is done in a short spasm two main issues worth consideration arise. First, cognition is hampered since there is hardly any time to process all the learned materials within the given time. Secondly, the span in which such materials can be recalled is greatly reduced. Tests done to determine the effect of spacing learning period suggest that, relatively longer time spans enhance cognition and memory as well. It is therefore highly recommended that learning should not be taken in short bursts but rather distributed over a reasonable period in order to achieve a long lasting result. When spanning is coupled with continuous assessments, the overall cognition results are ev en more astounding. Interleaving The technique of interleaving refers to the idea of mixing up different pieces of information that needs to be learned. In conventional mode of learning, similar learning objects are presented in sequence such that learner gets more exposure and experience with these learning objects. Although this may seem to be a good way of improving cognition, it does not offer a long lasting learning effect since the materials are much more likely to be forgotten after a short period. In order to harness the logic potential of the brain, the interleaving concept needs to be incorporated in the learning process. Learning should begin by understanding different concepts, which are then mixed up. This makes it possible to identify and comprehend the different relationships that exist between the different concepts. Interleaving would certainly improve the learning process in mathematics. This is because different mathematical concepts are dependent. Additionally, m athematical concepts build up stepwise from simple to concepts that are more complex. Interleaving enhances understanding and logical thinking of the concepts. Consequently, this makes it possible to process similar or different problems in the future. Learners should endeavor to interleave different concepts rather than taking them as independent blocks of concepts. In fact, the power of logical reasoning is more powerful than memory.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Best Ways to Study According To Cognitive Psychologists specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conventional learning common in the field of mathematics and sciences present learning as a block and later present assessment tests at the end of these blocks. Whereas this may enhance understanding of that particular concept, it is important to incorporate previously learned concepts with the newly learned concept. This way, previously learned concept s will be more understood and the new concept will be easily understood since underlying foundation has already been recalled. Testing Effect Rohrer Pashler presented their argument into how test enhances learning by considering type of tests and test-learning combination as the main variables of their argument. However, Roediger Karpicke presented quite similar argument but using â€Å"test timing† as the main variable. In their test concept, â€Å"phenomenon of testing effect† they addressed the issue of timing of tests in the learning process in order to maximize the possible benefits. It is a common phenomenon in most education systems to have distinct time for learning and time for doing exams. However, many psychologists who claim that it hinders the process of continuous learning, which is more effective in the end, have criticized such setting. Roediger Karpicke suggest that tests should be well distributed throughout the learning period. In fact â€Å"If s tudents are tested on material and successfully recall or recognize it, they will remember it better in the future than if they had not been tested† (Roediger Karpicke, 2006, p. 2). It is important to consider the best way to do the timing of the tests for effective learning. They did a study in which they determined, among other factors the relationship between timing of the test and rate of retention. The overall results showed that short simple tests almost immediately after content has been read followed by more comprehensive test after considerable period greatly increased content retention capacity. It is thus suggested that tests should be incorporated in learning and most importantly done immediately and after the learning period. This will greatly enhance the learning process and the content learned will be retained for a long duration of time. Spaced Content Presentation Clustered presentation of concepts and learning content has been greatly criticized by Seabrook, Brown Solity. According to their research and study, distributed learning sessions realize better content retention as compared to clustered learning. They claim, â€Å"Effectiveness of teaching may be improved by increasing the degree to which lessons are distributed† (Seabrook, Brown Solity, 2005, p. 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Spaced presentation calls for distribution of learning content over a number of lessons as opposed to presenting the whole content in a single sitting. For instance, short bursts of learning usually common in conferences, workshops, and seminars may only be retained for a short while. This can be compared to a concept that has been learned and developed throughout a given semester. In the latter case, learned concepts are stored in the memory for a very long time. It is indeed possible to argue that it is easier to comprehend and recall content that has been presented severally as compared to content presented once. According to the phenomenon, they term as â€Å"spacing effect† more memory will be allocated to sets of information that is consistently presented. From this theory, it can be deduced that learners need to configure their learning programs such that learning is not clustered. Learning should be taken as a continuous process in which new ideas build up stepwise in well-spaced learning periods. Instead of taking compact five-hour study sessions, the same can be divided into, say, five short learning sessions with each session being a buildup of the previous session. Mixing Mathematical Problems Mathematics is arguably one of the most difficult subjects in the world. In fact, countries such as U.S have devised proficiency assessment for mathematics through the no child left behind act (NCLB). The importance of mathematics cannot be underestimated and actually, robust approach to learning mathematics is needed. Taylor dedicated an article in discussing ways in which learning mathematics can be enhanced. Taylor suggests a unique methodology of addressing issues in learning mathematics. Mathematical problems and tests should be shuffled up rather than presenting specific set of problems for a given learned concept. Rohrer Pashler share the same sentiments in their interleaving theory. However, Taylor’s idea departs from the interleaving t heory by specifically addressing how to mix the mathematical problems and tests as compared to interleaving which suggests mixing of concepts while learning. The results of Taylor’s study favored â€Å"mixed grill† testing format over the conventional method. He claims â€Å"when practice problems relating to a given topic are spaced across multiple practice sets, a student who fails to understand a lesson (or fails to attend a lesson) will still be able to solve most of the problems within the following practice set†(Taylor, 2007, p. 15). The underlying cognitive psychology theory is that mixed problems prompts the brain to recall previously learned concepts and uses them to build up new ways of solving new problems. This prompts us to deduce that the best way to learn mathematics is not taking concepts as independent. Mixing up problems from previously learned concepts with newly, learned concepts will go a long way in enhancing learning mathematics and improv es retention capacity (Taylor, 2007). Overlearning The concept of overlearning is perhaps the most widely used learning approach. Although ubiquitous, overlearning approach certainly is counterproductive when long-term returns are considered. It may appear, as subject mastery when something is repeatedly done after the concept has been understood. Although many proponents of overlearning propose that it enhances retention, other research indicates otherwise. When long-term retention is the primary objective, then overlearning becomes counterproductive. After doing a rigorous study on relationship between overlearning and retention Rohrer et al found out that â€Å"overlearned 10 items were more often recalled than the poorly learned 20 items when participants were tested 1 week after learning, but this benefit disappeared by 4 weeks† (Rohrer et al., 2005, p. 10). It is thus safe to conclude that learning should be moderated such that overlearning does not occur. Learners shou ld aim for perfection and mastery of the subjects in question. This will have a long lasting content retention effect and hence more beneficial. Conclusion Learning is truly a multivariate concept that demands different ways of approach in order to harness the limited resources in learning. As it has been discussed, wide varieties of approaches to learning do exist. Testing should be incorporated in the learning process to enhance understanding of the concepts. Spaced rather than block presentation of learning content should be encouraged as it results to longer lasting retention. For mathematicians, mixed up mathematical problems are highly encouraged as it makes it possible to build up new concepts on top of the old ones hence better understanding and retention of learned concepts. Although overlearning may seem to be a good learning approach, it is not recommended for learners aiming for long term content retention results. When all this approaches are incorporated in, learning p rofound results are certain. References Roediger, H Karpicke, J. (2006). Test-Enhanced Learning. Psychological Science, 17: 249. Rohrer et al. (2005). The Effect of Overlearning on Long-Term Retention. Appl. Cognit. Psychol. 19: 361–374. Rohrer, D and Pashler, H. (2010). Recent Research on Human Learning Challenges Conventional Instructional Strategies. Educational Researcher, 39: 406 Seabrook, R Brown, G. (2005). Distributed and Massed Practice: From Laboratory to Classroom. Appl. Cognit. Psychol. 19: 107–122. Taylor, D. (2007). The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning. Instr Sci, 35:481–498 This research paper on Best Ways to Study According To Cognitive Psychologists was written and submitted by user Marcus Valentine to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria The famed Lighthouse of Alexandria, called Pharos, was built around 250 B.C.  to help mariners navigate the harbor of Alexandria in Egypt. It was truly a marvel of engineering, standing at least 400 feet tall, making it one of the tallest structures in the ancient world. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was also solidly built, standing tall for over 1,500 years, until it was finally toppled by earthquakes around 1375 A.D.  The Lighthouse of Alexandria was exceptional and considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Purpose The city of Alexandria was founded in 332 B.C.  by Alexander the Great. Located in Egypt, just 20 miles west of the Nile River, Alexandria was perfectly situated to become a major Mediterranean port, helping the city to flourish. Soon, Alexandria became one of the most important cities of the ancient world, known far and wide for its famous library. The only stumbling block was that mariners found it difficult to avoid the rocks and shoals when approaching Alexandria’s harbor. To help with that, as well as to make a very grand statement, Ptolemy Soter (Alexander the Great’s successor) ordered a lighthouse to be built. This was to be the first building ever built solely to be a lighthouse. It was to take approximately 40 years for the Lighthouse at Alexandria to be built, finally being finished around 250 B.C. Architecture There’s a lot we don’t know about the Lighthouse of Alexandria, but we do know what it looked like. Since the Lighthouse was an icon of Alexandria, its image appeared in many places, including on ancient coins. Designed by Sostrates of Knidos, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was a strikingly tall structure. Located on the eastern end of the island of Pharos near the entrance of Alexandria’s harbor, the Lighthouse was soon itself called â€Å"Pharos.† The Lighthouse was at least 450 feet high and made of three sections. The bottommost section was square and held government offices and stables. The middle section was an octagon and held a balcony where tourists could sit, enjoy the view, and be served refreshments. The top section was cylindrical and held the fire that was continually lit to keep mariners safe. At the very top was a large statue of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Amazingly, inside this giant lighthouse was a spiraling ramp that led up to the top of the bottommost section. This allowed horses and wagons to carry supplies to the top sections. It is unknown what exactly was used to make the fire at the top of the Lighthouse. Wood was unlikely because it was scarce in the region. Whatever was used, the light was effective – mariners could easily see the light from miles away and could thus find their way safely to port. Destruction The Lighthouse of Alexandria stood for 1,500 years - an astounding number considering it was a hollowed out structure the height of a 40-story building. Interestingly, most lighthouses today resemble the shape and structure of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Ultimately, the Lighthouse outlived the Greek and Roman empires. It was then absorbed into the Arab empire, but its importance waned when Egypt’s capital was moved from Alexandria to Cairo. Having kept mariners safe for centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was finally destroyed by an earthquake sometime around 1375 A.D. Some of its blocks were taken and used to build a castle for the sultan of Egypt; others fell into the ocean. In 1994, French archeologist Jean Yves Empereur, of the French National Research Center,  investigated the harbor of Alexandria and found at least a few of these blocks still in the water. Sources Curlee, Lynn. Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. New York: Atheneum Books, 2002.Silverberg, Robert. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. New York: Macmillan Company, 1970.

Innovation of ... (e.g. e-commerce, web-based financial srvice, Research Paper

Innovation of ... (e.g. e-commerce, web-based financial srvice, paperless office, or ...) - Research Paper Example Special cases are presented on Business to Consumer markets to show its growing popularity from the consumers’ side. Website companies are cited which owing to web interface technology is increasing its revenues and customer base. In total, the paper analyses the innovation of electronic commerce technology from different angles to show its growing impact on the world economy. Advancements made in technological, social and organizational fields helped in expanding the horizon of electronic commerce to enter the realm of web-internet in the spring of 1993. Prior to this event electronic commerce depended on telecommunication technology as its medium of trade. Organizational and Social activities have become dependent on electronic commerce owing to its web-interface. In this connection, the ambit of electronic commerce now covers a broad range of activities in the fields of commerce, collaboration, communication, connection and computation. Electronic Commerce functioning along these varied fields have opened opportunities in innovation of the same. Opportunities identified along the business and social spheres include addressing larger markets, enlarging the scope of collaboration with business partners globally, transformation of business processes and working on the development to make electronic communication much faster. (Zwass, 2003) In this context Stratum Media, an electronic commerce technology developer in United Kingdom announced on the development of â€Å"Eros† technology, which an online vendor of Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances is using to promote its products. (Hollander, 1999) Further observation states that the internet web earns its success in becoming a global infrastructure for electronic commerce activities. The internet web acts as a link between the technology and innovation interface and business organizations. Internet web works towards being a global model for sharing of

Training Module Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Training Module - Assignment Example With regard to project management timeline, it can be apparently observed that there pertain numerous scopes as well as risks relating to the development of the training plan. In this regard, the scopes might encompass generation of greater customer value and employee motivation among others. On the other hand, the risks might comprise having negative attitude towards the organization and unwillingness of the leaders among others. It is to be stated that different sorts of activities like interactive learning, demonstrations and analysis of case studies can be executed in order to make the training plan more effectual for Tesco. 2. Identification and Rationale of the Goals/Objectives Goals/objectives in the training module are the major considerations that can support an organization to accomplish its desired expectations (Gullett & Bedi, 2007). Therefore, following are the major objectives that require to be undertaken in order to build an effective training module. Increasing Produ ctivity Increasing productivity will be a primary objective of the overall training module which can eventually enable Tesco to strive the capability of each individual employee within the organization. The main reason behind this objective is to maintain and develop the present brand position along with long-term sustainability of the organization in the highly competitive retail industry (Koller,Harvey, & Magnotta, 2010). Establishing Communication between Employees and Working Environment The objective of establishing effective communication between the personnel and the working environment can deliver adequate support to an organization towards developing the performance level of each individual. The rationale of this particular objective is to increase the amount of coordination amid the employees and raise operational effectiveness by a greater level (Wilson, Stine & Bowen 2009). Minimizing Cost and Time Cost and time minimization is often regarded as the major goals of traini ng module that can enable an organization to increase its revenue and accomplish superior competitive position over its chief business market participants. In terms of rationale, it can be affirmed that the objective of minimizing cost and time has been taken into concern for Tesco due to the augmentation of extreme business market competition in the respective industry and alterations in the business environment (Wilson, Stine & Bowen 2009). 3. Outcomes and Rationale of the Training Module In relation to the proposed training module for Tesco, it can be anticipated that three major outcomes can significantly reinforce the performance of the organization. The potential outcomes from the training module have been discussed in the following section. Adequate Control of the Process The training module concerning electronic and online technological aspect can improve the capability of Tesco to obtain greater control and efficiency in its overall operational as well as functional process (Ellis, 2009). Increase Knowledge and Capability The training module concerning electronic and online technology can emphasize upon providing greater scope for innovation and also formulating effective ways to meet the ultimate objectives of the organization at large (Ellis, 2009). Productive Working Environment The nature of the proposed training module can be recognized as that it has been designed to make aware the employees to become much

Character Development in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

Character Development in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Writers usually make use of and incorporate certain literary elements into their novels in order to make character development possible. Literary elements—Conflict, Theme, and Symbolism—were employed by Twain, Austen, and Potok in varying levels as well as executed using their own literary styles and techniques in order to show the characters development and growth throughout the novels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck braved that eras social conventions (including his own personal prejudices) by associating with a black man and later helping that person escape from slavery. Jane Austens Emma is a lighthearted story about a young womans disastrous foray into the pursuit of romantic matchmaking. It shows how Emmas false presumptions can conflict with the real intentions of the people whose lives she meddles with, and how her misguided actions can create unfavorable results. In Chaim Potoks My Name is Asher Lev, the young man, Asher, was embroiled in the clash between his passion and the sensibilities of his family and religious congregation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn presents social conditions and attitudes during the late 1800s in America, particularly that towards racism. It chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Huck wherein he faces numerous moral and ethical dilemmas. And just like Twains novel, Austens Emma is a study on the sensibilities and social norms of her time. It tells the story of Emma, a rich and beautiful girl with a lot of idle time on her hands. Although she lives a trouble-free life, it is uneventful and devoid of excitement—she is a woman, hence, she has no true career prospects. But then Emma discovers that she has a knack for matching couples. She discovers that this endeavor provides her with great amusement so she goes off pairing up the people around her. Lastly, Asher, in My Name is Asher Lev, struggles as he is confronted by two cultural influences—that of the Orthodox Jewish subculture that he grew up in, and that of the pervasive, secular Western culture. He is presented with the dilemma of choosing between art and his religion. Just like Hucks and Emmas stories, Ashers story chronicles his quest for truth and self-discovery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many authors use the element of conflict to bring about and affirm certain facets of a protagonists character.   In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck faces the conflict between the societys expectations and what his conscience tells him is right when he is given the opportunity to help Jim, a black man, escape. He struggles to see beyond the black stereotype—what the society has taught him to be right. In the end, Huck chooses to follow what his conscience dictates—that Jim is a human being who deserves the same rights as everybody else. He admits about Jim: I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n (Twain, 1999, p. 141). In the end, Huck developed a pure, undiscriminating sense of morality that many people of that era did not posses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel Emma, the conflict lies in Emmas inability to understand the true desires and intentions of the people around her, including her own. Emma does not realize this, and fancies herself as a good matchmaker, and as Austen describes in one episode, Emma was amusing herself in the consideration of the blunders which often arise from a partial knowledge of circumstances, of the mistakes which people of high pretensions to judgment are for ever falling into (Austen, 2003, p. 89). Ironically, what Emma thinks of other people (as evinced in the previous sentence), actually applies to her. In the end, Emma realizes that its no good making decisions for others   and manipulating their lives because only they know and therefore should decide whats best for them. This discovery also leads her to mature and develop emotionally, and in the end, makes her realize what her heart truly desires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his novel, My Name is Asher Lev, Potok portrays the kind of pain and emotional anguish one can carry when one chooses to embrace those things that come in conflict with ones upbringing and religious ideologies. In a lecture wherein he reveals the analysis to his novels, which included My Name is Asher Lev, Potok states: â€Å"Ideas from this secular world inevitably impinge upon an individual born in a church community or a synagogue community, especially when that individual embarks on a college experience† (Potok, 1896, par. 7). As a young boy, Asher tries to break free from the conservative Hasidic community that shuns the very thing that he was passionate about—art. However, his dream is met with condemnation from almost everyone around him, including his family. The following litany succinctly expresses the kind of backlash and emotional turmoil this conflict has brought upon him: So strong words are being written and spoken about me []: I am a traitor, an apostate, a self-hater, an inflicter of shame upon my family, my friends, my people; also, I am a mocker of ideas sacred to Christians (Potok, 2003, p. 3).   Another point of conflict deals with Ashers relationship with his father. Amidst the weight of the conflict bearing down on him, Asher chooses his own path and tries to discover his own truths. By confronting these issues, he grows as a human being, artistically and emotionally.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One dominant theme in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that of racism and slavery. The novel is set in a time where blacks are considered to be no more than property. As the story develops, so does Hucks character and value-system. Eschewing the societal and cultural norms of the time, he adopts a different moral outlook towards the people around him, especially when he decides to help a black man escape from slavery. In a climactic episode, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson, Jims owner, to tell her where Jim was, but then tears up the letter and says to himself: â€Å"All right then, I’ll go to hell† (Twain, 1999, p. 193)—here, he finally decides to ignore social convention and help Jim.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marriage is a major theme in the novel, Emma. In the 1800s, marriage was one of the most important concerns for women, especially since they were financially dependent on men and could not have their own careers. Emma takes this into consideration when planning her match-ups and decides on unions which will yield the best material benefit for both parties. However, Emma eschews the idea of marriage for herself—when her father tells her not to do any more match-making, Emma replies: I promise you to make none for myself, papa; but I must, indeed, for other people. It is the greatest amusement in the world! (Austen, 2003, p. 10). But in the end, she realizes that she too can fall in love, after all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One important theme in My Name is Asher Lev is that of Individualism. This was explored in the context of Ashers adolescent struggle to assert his identity in an environment that rejects the very thing that makes him stand out. When an uncle compares his work that of Chagall, he replies: â€Å"No, my name is Asher Lev† (Potok, 2003, p. 313). Asher is a visionary and has prodigious painting skills, but he is pressured to conform to the conventions of his society.   He tries to discover his role as an artist and reconcile it with his faith—this paves the way to his personal development, not to mention the realization of his gifts significance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Twains novel, the Mississippi river figures greatly in the story. It is used to symbolize life; the rivers ebbs and flows—its movement—shows the ever-changing nature of life. The changing tides causes Huck and Jim to come in contact with different people and situations. It represents mans capacity to change—the same way Hucks attitude and personality changed to embrace the greater morality regarding human existence. Its also a symbolic representation of freedom—in the confines of the raft, they are safe. They are in a world where laws do not apply, far from the reaches of society. Huck says: â€Å"We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft†Ã‚   (Twain, 1999, p. 107).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Emma, charades and word games are symbolic of the misunderstandings in the story. The same way that its hard to guess the intimations and desires of the other characters in the novel, word games are meant to be elusive—one   can easily go wrong and perceive a totally different meaning. In a gathering, Frank makes words for the ladies to decode, but each lady attaches different interpretations to them. Such is Emmas situation: she does not perceive everyones feelings correctly so she makes a lot of false assumptions. This is more evident when she tries to hook-up Harriet and Mr. Elton—she construes Mr. Eltons words and actions as proofs of his adulation for Harriet, when in fact it is Emma the he is interested in. When she finds out, she woefully reflects: The picture!—How eager he had been about the picture!—and the charade!—and an hundred other circumstances;—how clearly they had seemed to point at Harriet (Austen, 2003, p. 106).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Symbolism, particularly those in paintings, also plays a significant part in the novel, My Name is Asher Lev. Paintings were used to convey the abstract and intangible; Asher said: â€Å"I worked for – what? How could I explain it? For beauty? No, Many of the pictures I painted were not beautiful. For what, then? For a truth I did not know how to put in words. For a truth I could only bring to life by means of colour and line and texture and form† (Potok, 2003, p. 369) In his controversial painting, Asher uses the crucifiction scene as a symbolism of his mothers sufferings, much to the chagrin of his religious community. But even with all the antagonism towards art, he feels that painting was but a natural way to express his feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Literary elements give writers the means to project the qualities as well as develop the personalities of their characters. All protagonists in the aforementioned books were presented with points of conflict that each of them must address and contend with. Various symbolic representations, those that attribute certain intangible meanings to things, events, and other sensuous manifestations, were also utilized in order to highlight the protagonists personal issues and struggles. Thematic concepts tell what the stories are about and help reveal how each character progresses. References    Austen, J. (2003). Emma. New York: Oxford University Press. Potok, C. (2003). My name is Asher Lev. New York: Random House. Potok, C. (1986). On being proud of uniqueness. (J. Gladson, Ed.) In La Sierra University   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   website. Retrieved July 24, 2006, from http://www.lasierra.edu/~ballen/potok/Potok.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   unique.html. Twain, M. (1999). The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Oxford University Press.

Al capone Essay -- essays papers

Al capone There have been a lot of things written and said about Al Capone in newspapers and magazine articles, books, and movies that is completely untrue. One of the most common fictions is that like many gangsters of that era, he was born in Italy. Absolutely not true. This amazing criminal was strictly domestic, taking the Italian criminal society and fashioning it into a modern American criminal enterprise. Certainly many Italian immigrants, like immigrants of all nationalities, frequently came to the New World with very few assets. Many of these immigrants were peasants trying to escape the lack of opportunity in Italy. When they came to the American port cities they often ended up as laborers because of the inability to speak and write English and their lack of professional skills. This was not the case with the family of Al Capone. Gabriele Capone was one of 43,000 Italians who arrived in the U.S. in 1893, from Naples, Italy. He was a barber by trade and could read and write his native language. Gabriele, who was thirty years old, brought with him his pregnant twenty-seven-year-old wife Teresina, his two-year-old son Vincenzo and his infant son Raffaele. Unlike many Italian immigrants he did not owe anyone for his passage over. His plan was to do whatever work was necessary until he could open his own barbershop. Along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Gabriele's ability to read and write allowed him to get a job in a grocery store until he was able to open his barbershop. Her fourth son and the first to be born and conceived in the New World was born January 17, 1899. His name was Alphonse, also known as Al. Al came from a large family and was the fourth oldest of nine children. As a child, Capone was very wise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He had a clever mind when it came to street smarts. As far as school goes, Al was near illiterate. Education was not a top priority for immigrants. At the age of five in 1904, he went to Public School 7 on Adams Street. The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education, while the immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to work. At about the age of ele ven Capone became a member of a juveni... ... was released to the care of his family. For his remaining years, Al slowly deteriorated in the quiet splendor of his Palm Island palace. Mae stuck by him until January 25, 1947 when he had a massive brain hemorrhage and died. His body was removed from his estate in Florida and transferred back to the seen of his underworld triumph, Chicago. The family held a private ceremony at the cemetery, but were afraid of grave robbers taking the body so they reburied Capone in a secret place in Mt. Carmel Cemetery. In his forty-eight years, Capone had left his mark on the rackets and on Chicago, and more than anyone else he had demonstrated the stupidity of Prohibition; in the process he also made a fortune. Beyond that, he captured and held the imagination of the American public as few public figures ever do. Capone's fame should have been a passing sensation, but instead it stuck permanently in the consciousness of Americans. He redefined the concept of crime into an organized vent ure modeled on corporate business. As he was at pains to point out, many of his crimes were relative; bootlegging was only criminal because a certain set of laws decreed it, and then the laws were changed.

Time Lags in Discretionary Fiscal Policy

When congress or the president proposes fiscal policies to correct unhealthy economic conditions, the time it takes from the recognition of the problem, to the proposal of a solution, to the implementation, up to the time that the effects would yield some result normally takes a considerable amount of time. These time lags can be grouped into three different phases, the recognition time lag, the implementation time lag, and the response time lag. Time lags in Discretionary Fiscal Policy, besides consuming some considerable amount of time, are also very unpredictable.Studies have shown that â€Å"discretionary actions have shown little consistent response over time† (Taylor, 2003). With these three time lags adding up together, we can say that when the government generates one proposal to ease out economic health, one must foresee that within the period of lag, there are no roadblocks or events that could alter the eventual outcome of such a solution. Given the initial informat ion that time lags are very unpredictable, it makes it more difficult to know what range of time needs to be foreseen.So within the period of the time lag, the conditions may alter in such a way that when the discretionary policy is already in place it is no longer applicable, or it could make the situation worst where the change of conditions within the time lag would work in such a way that it makes things worst. Let us focus first on a condition where discretionary fiscal policies would end up useless or delayed as the chain of events within the time lag would make it inappropriate.One example is President George Bush response to the September 11 attack where he immediately requested $40 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations. In the late October of that same year, he added additional stimulus that includes, â€Å"reduced taxes for low- and moderate-income households, accelerating the tax cuts passed in 2001, allowing partial expensing on business capital equipment, el iminating the corporate alternative minimum tax, and extending unemployment benefits† (Cooper, 2002). Five months later President Bush added expensing provisions and unemployment benefits.The result was that the people believed that the added policy was short and late. This is because there was no way for the President to directly quantify the needed policy to ease out the economic stress after the September 11 attack. The delay took so long that the needed effects came late. The events that occurred due to sentiments and fear where overlooked while the effects of the discretionary policy were not yet in effect. According to Auerbach (2002), â€Å"the impact of policy on current activity depends on expectations about the future†.The worst scenario would occur when discretionary fiscal would actually work against what it was intended for. This is because discretionary fiscal policy is an inexact science with congress having different agendas trying to work out with the P resident using present data that are already in effect and taking time to generate a corrective action for the present conditions. For example â€Å"temporary investment incentives may work in the opposite direction strengthening the immediate response but also, potentially, weakening prior investment† (Auerbach, 2002).This is because when the data are collected and fiscal policies are put in place, the progress of investment within this period could well be depending primarily on prior investment that are expected to boom during the period where the discretionary fiscal is still in the process of being implemented. Upon implementation of the discretionary policy, these prior investments could be affected by massive competition of new investment resulting in a scenario where the discretionary fiscal will worsen the economic condition.In the end, this document does not discourage the use of discretionary fiscal policy but puts caution that discretionary fiscal policies should be well thought off, assessing the possible future risk before it is being implemented. Effective discretionary fiscal policy is just like mastery of any art, that a group of body, the congress and the president, must become a guru in order for discretionary policies to be effective. References Taylor,J. (2003). Reassessing Discretionary Fiscal Policy. Stanford University, Retrieved September 15, 2007 from http://www.stanford.edu/~johntayl/Papers/Reassessing+Revised.pdf Cooper, K. (2002). Monetary Policy. Economics: Principles, and Policies, 16/e.. Retrieved March 23, 2007 from https://www.esa.doc.gov/Speeches/NABEFINAL.doc Auerbach, A. (2002). Is There a Role for Discretionary Fiscal Policy?. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Retrieved September 15, 2007 from http://www.kansascityfed.org/publicat/Sympos/2002/pdf/S02auerbach.pdf