CIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIS - Essay Example The practical case problem presented is that of a software corporation called Virtusa which released a software program application for its client. In this case scenario, the Phase Forward circumstance use of the software failed within a few days and the program subsequently did not work according to the end user (clients) requirements expectations of the software. The software program had to undergo some additional inspection as the resultant outcome of the failure through delivering the entire requirements and expectations analysis of the software program end user. 5. A sort key defines the sort order for one or more components related to a specific field; the field would make a good candidate for a sort key because it is can be used to categorize order student information in the database according to registration numbers. Tchier, Fairouz, Latifa Ben Arfa Rabai, and Ali Mili. "Putting engineering into software engineering: Upholding software engineering principles in the classroom."  Computers in Human Behavior  48 (2015):

Importance of Effective Project Management

Importance of Effective Project Management Project management is applied to various tasks in our lives and work. it provides skills and knowledge that are used to control and manage the introduction of new initiatives or changes. Projects are determined in terms of the time, scope, procurement, quality and cost (Clement and Gido, 2009, p.13). It entails a number of activities that must be done in the specified time, under a fixed budget with the given resources. It is noted that project management is not limited to organizational or institutional initiatives but can be applied to personal and school items. The expectations are that the acquired project must be handled with appropriate project management tools and techniques in order to achieve the project goals. There are important aspects of any project; one of the most important of these is the project manager. The project manager is tasked with the responsibility of making sure that the principles, tools and techniques are applied effectively to make sure that the project succeeds. In this respect, as a student doing a dissertation, I will be the project manager in charge of my project. My responsibility will be to make sure that the project principles are observed in the research proposal and the final report. The project will take the time line between 10th September and the 20th November of this academic year. This time will be used to write the research proposal, collect data, analyze, write reports and make the necessary corrections as suggested by my supervisors. The project will encompass any resources in terms of time and finance as it is available to me. The project will involve several people, the project manager, who will also the researcher, fellow students who will be consult ed, and the supervisor will give expert opinion. Principles of Project Management Significance of the Study The first principles entail the purpose of the project, which is demonstrated through, the significance of the study to the society, the contributions it makes to current knowledge and the outcomes of the reports (Clement and Lewis, 2006, p.17). Therefore, the dissertation proposal and reports must address the significance of the recommendations as they apply to the society, knowledge base and the research questions. This then will entail the identification of appropriate research questions. Research questions to be addressed in this dissertation will address the main and specific objectives. They will ask on how much the topic is relevant to current societal and research environments. The dissertation must address the applicability of the recommendations and the viability of the research method. If the reports are based on sound academic principles the dissertation them must be able to defend the ideas proposed. Relevance of the study At the same time the dissertation must be relevant to current academic standards. This will be proven through the literature review which gives strong background of the research problem that is based on other researches. This section will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of other researches and how the dissertation will address and resole them in the report. At this point relevance will also be proven with a problem statement and explained through the provision of the significance of the problem. The project cannot exist without the identification of a problem or the reasons of having the project. The significance of the problem is sued to explain with relevant academic and theoretical support the reasons for the project. Relevance is used to explain to any donor of the project, support group, and programme the importance of the project. Feasibility of the dissertation The project must also be feasible. This is achieved through the identification and use of locally available resources like time, finance and human resources in the project development. The dissertation will take into consideration the resources in terms of finance; time allocated by the institution, research materials available in the library, online resources and classroom materials. Furthermore, feasibility will be achieved through a listing of the activities that will be carried out during the research stage. At this point the project will utilize any research method that will be deemed fit to collect the necessary data. Some of the research methods that will be used by this report are like data analysis, qualitative analysis, questionnaires and interviews. The feasibility will not be complete without identification of the limitations (Lewsi, 2006, p.14). The possible limitations of the study will entail the difficulties the study discovered in the research methods, the data analy sis report of the findings, the analysis of the budget, time and resources. Accuracy of the Dissertation The dissertation project must be accurate for it to qualify as an academic material. This will be achieved though its ability to be congruent with the theoretical predictions of available data and studies that have been achieved in the past (Lock, 2007, p.23). The reports must also make reference to expert work and must cite each literature review with proper expert references. At the end of the report proper verification of data must be made by referencing the source of the data, techniques used to acquire the data, methods used to quantify and analysis the data. Accountability The dissertation must also be accountable, therefore the project manager, or the research student will make detailed accounts of the actions taken and the decisions made during the research. At the same time this will be achieved through justification of any regress made from the original research design this will then be supported by any acknowledgements of any limitations. Objectives of the dissertation The objectives of the dissertation are only said to be viable if they meet a certain standard. The first is that they must be specific; this means that each objective must have a detailed point of focus. Therefore, in the dissertation specific objectives will be attained if they mention; the topic of the project, the time for meeting a certain plan, the methodologies in the research, the data collecting tools, data analysis and any other detailed account that relates to the project. At the same time they must be measurable, which is achieved through the use of the word have gained, achieved. The objectives will also be assignable to the relevant persons related to the project and must be realistic in attainment. This means that they are within budget, time slot and within the qualifications of the project participants (Kerzner, 2009, p.13). Project Management Tools The project research will take into consideration several project management tools and techniques. These are supposed to make sure the project is successful; therefore the project will be undertaken according to the following project management tools (Haynes, 2002, p.45). Resources The first resource is finance which will entail the amount of money available to the project. This is either from funding from the department or faculty or the amount of money in the pocket. Planning for this will entail a detailed budget that will entail the identification of all the functions, aspects, resources and items for the project that need to be purchased. It will also give the details of any outside help in terms of an analysts, internet access or any material assistance used in the project. It should also consider the finance used by the project owner for transportation, and expenses when conducting research. Time will be accounted for through the creation of a time plan, or a work plan. These will entail the identification and listing of all the steps that will be followed from proposal writing, presentation, defending, data collection, analysis, report writing and presentation. Every step between the two will be listed down and a time frame allocated to each (Hamel, 2007, p.32). The next item in the resources is persons who are important to the project. The first person is the project manager; I will be in charge of the project as it entails my dissertation. I have the responsibility of coming up with the project title, the identification of the problem, objectives and goals. I should also give a rationale for the study and support my ideas with appropriate academic literature with proper expert citation and referencing. I should come up will relevant research methodologies as applied to the field of study and with the help of literature materials I will be able to generate research questions that will guide me as I collect and analyze data. My duty in the whole process will be to write the proposal, defend it, collect and analyze data and write a report of the findings. The other relevant person is my supervisor and any faculty staff who can offer me academic guidelines in the development of the project. This supervisor/s is a member of the faculty staff who is in charge of the course work. They will assist in the guidance and academic advice on the development of the project. They are supposed to go through the reports and give their opinions and recommendations. Furthermore, together with the examination body they will grade the paper accordingly. Their knowledge and skills in academic research will be useful in the dissertation. In this list is any person who will assist in the collection and analysis of the data. Meanwhile my fellow students will be a vital part of the project as they can offer discussion forums to help in the development of the project. Gantt charts This will show all the activities in the project process, it will entail the budgets, the time schedule, the project plans, the reports and presentations of the projects and the time frame for each action. This is inconsideration that the time for the project will run from September to November. This chart will show a simple analysis of the plan, work plan and budget of the whole project. Strategic Management This will offer important themes and focus for the future directions of the project. This technique requires that the project focuses on the objectives, goals, missions and strategies in the implementation. Strategy then will entail the identification of the dissertation objectives; this will be covered in the main and specific objectives. One of the main objectives of the project is to make sure that the selected problem satisfied and solved using appropriate research methods and following expert referencing. The only means by which strategic management is achieved is if the project follows four main activities as proposed by the techniques. One of them is the reviewing and the definition of the organizational missions. For this step the dissertation will them make sure it reviews and defines the missions of the project. Every participant of the project and I included must make sure that the project achieves its goals. Therefore, the proposal stage must clearly define the goals and mission. The second logical step will be the setting of the long term goals and objectives. The identification and creation of the proposal marks the first step in the setting of the short term goals, these will then help in the achievement of the long term goals and objectives. Objectives that are deemed to be long term are those linked to the end product attained at the end of the project period. The third step is the analysis and the formulation of the strategies that will help reach these goals. These are seen in the work plan or time plan, that has clear identified main activities and the time allocated for each. A time plan is a means by which this dissertation will lay down its strategies. However, to make sure that the technical goals are achieved the dissertation will include a methodology that will entail every research method technique and plan that can give the desired results. This will also involve the methods and techniques that will be used in the collection and analysis of the data. It is important that the planning stage remembers to incorporate this in the strategy plan for the dissertations and report plan (Cleland, Lewis, 2006, p.20). This will entail in depth detailing of the persons, methods, tools and resources that will be used to collect, analyse, store and present the data ad reports. In project management, a project team is responsible for the enhancement of stakeholders ability to contribute and augmenting the functioning of the team as a group. Owing to the simplicity and duration of the project, the projects team will consist of ten people in possession of diverse skills. The projects manager is responsible for managing the project at hand. In this case, owing to the experience of the strategic manager in strategy articulation, he will form a fundamental addition of the projects team. The marketing manager will be part of the projects team due to his marketing abilities, which will augment marketing of the party to different stakeholders. The financial manager will be in charge of the projects finances. The productions team leader can act comfortably as the projects team leader as the project needs a team leader in addition to the projects manager (Phillips, 2010, p.41). The project will engage two members of staff for technical expertise on the technological aspects. These staffs will be responsible for ensuring that proper procedures are observed. Moreover, two sales personnel will be involved in the project as part of the efforts of the human resource to ensure adequate staffing. Therefore, the two sales executives will make up part of the projects team due to their ability to find solutions for increasing the sales volumes. Their ability will be valuable in formulating solutions to the risks that may plague the project. The facilities manager will be part of the projects team due to his evaluation ability. The final member of the projects team will be another employee from the projects staff who will work as the projects developer. This selection is based on a selection process checklist conducted from the companys employees profiles, which clearly indicate the expertise of each employee. After the selection of the projects team, a projects chart er will be prepared to allow the stakeholders to understand the specific roles of the projects team. The selection of the projects team augments proper and efficient management of the project. Finally, the last stage will be the implementation of the strategies through the projects. In this phase the dissertation will make use of the plans and goals that were laid down in the planning stage. it will then follow the time plan as it was designed, adhere to the budget of the project and follow every short term goals and plans in order to achieve the main goal. Dissertation Project plan The project will therefore follow the following project management process; Terms of reference: these are the specification of the project. They will entail the description of the purpose, objectives, aims and deliverables. It will also include the statement of the parameters; time, budget, scope, range, authority and territory of the project. The net item is the statement of the people who will be involved and how they will be involved. Finally there must be break points in the process in order to give a review and give progress reports to the faculty and supervisor. The next aspect is the planning of the project. This is the various stages that will be involved in the project development. Project time plan and costs must be developed. The project team must be involved in the planning and development stage. The identification of the project management tools like Gantt chart and the critical flow diagrams. Project strategy planning and implementation Project reports and progress reports. Discussion As it has been realized the success of the project will lie in the manner in which the project manager will manage the entire project. Project management will entail the identification of the tools and techniques that are relevant to the project. In this project the resources like persons, time, and finance are important. It is expected that the project will be feasible and relevant as an academic material. The project must meet academic standards be relevant to current society needs and academic studies. Project management principles have been identified that can help in the management of the project. Principle players in the system have been identified d incorporated into the planning and implementation. Project management marries well with risk management. Therefore, risk management is part of strategic management and a strategic manager is the best-qualified personnel to deal with risk management. Management of finances and resource is very fundamental for the successful completion of the project. This is because the allocation of the resources and finances is based on the stipulations of the budget and for a project to be completed successfully; it has to run as per its budget. The finance manager is qualified for financial management as his financial role in the company is based on financial qualifications, which can be utilized successfully in managing the projects finances. Owing to his marketing skills, the marketing manager is qualified for marketing the party to the other stakeholders, as he possesses the best skills that can convince the stakeholders on the importance of attending the party (Roman, 2009, p.74). The facilities manager is always in charge of managing the diff erent aspects of the companys facilities. While developing the stages to be followed in project management, it is important to ensure that imperative aspects such as risk management, human resource capital and strategic management is strictly incorporated into the initial stages prior to the actual project activities. These stages are usually depicted in the Gannt Chart. Most important of all is perhaps the timeline allocated for the project. All projects run on a specific timeline, which is determined, by the urgency and number of activities that need to be done to perform a particular activity. Moreover, communication is an integral part of the project (Meredith Mantel, 2010, p.29). It encompasses the timely production, compilation, broadcasting, storage and clearance of project information. This requires the utilization of a strong communication network. The person in charge of the communication network has to be in possession of the appropriate technological knowledge of different communication lines. For this reason, t he staff member allocated to deal with communications is qualified for due to his vast experience while working as a sound engineer. The team leader is the most appropriate person to carry out project evaluation based on his role of working successfully with teams. His team leadership skills enable him to work comfortably with each team leader hence, acquiring at a faster rate, the feedback required for the evaluation of the project. Documentation of the project required a person who is qualified in document preparation, the staff member in charge of the preparations for the production documents is highly qualified for the projects documentation. Owing to the fact that strategic management includes risk management, the strategic manager is highly qualified for risk management as it encompasses the scope of his role. Having been involved in a workshops dealing with risk management, I am qualified for joint risk management with the strategic manager. In addition, to the contributions of the strategic manager, the contributions of the whole project team are fundamental for the development of a contingency plan in risk management. The final role of a project manager encompasses procurement management in which the resources required for the project are procured and secured from the suppliers. I have acted as the company procurement officer before the current procurement officer took up this position; therefore, I have the skills required for procurement management. The different leadership and management skills I posses will enable me to act accordingly in my position as a projects manager. Quality management is also an important aspect of project management that should not be overlooked. The quality of a project is fundamental in measuring the projects success. Quality parameters have to be met by the project or exceeded in terms of exceptional projects. The quality parameters set for the project at hand is such that the quality of the party equalizes with the quality provided by four-star hotels. The human resource must be of extremely high quality to ensure that they deliver a high standard of service delivery, hence bolster the success of the project (Kerzner, 2009, p.33). For this reason, the company should provide human capital whose quality amounts to the value it attaches to its employees. I am highly qualified for this role because I have managed to produce previous projects whose quality exceeded that stipulated by the set quality parameters. Conclusion The project will entail a dissertation that will be developed following the rules of project management. It has taken into consideration the tools and techniques that are used in project management. The identification of goals, objectives and the strategic management process has been analyzed. Furthermore, it has taken into consideration the principles of project management; purpose, relevance, feasibility, accuracy and accountability. Budgeting and work plans have been identified as tools that can be used to manage the resources of time and finance. Meanwhile tools like Gantt charts and flow diagrams have been utilized to depict the strategic plan of the project.

Biography of Louisa May Alcott Essay -- Louis May Alcott Writers Essay

Biography of Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Amos Bronson Alcott, an educator and philosopher, and Abigail May, the energetic, philanthropist. Louisa grew up in Concord and Boston, suffering from poverty as a result of her selfish idealist father's inability to support his family. Bronson Alcott habitually sacrificed his wife and daughters by refusing to compromise with a venal world, most conspicuously when he subjected them to an experiment in ascetic communal living at Fruitlands farm in 1843. However, the Alcotts' intellectual environment was rich and stimulating: Louisa's parents assidously encouraged her writing, and her friends included leaders in abolition and women's rights, including the Transcendental philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau. Louisa took nature walks with Thoreau and had the run of Emerson's library. By the time she had reached her teens, she felt a responsibility to help her mother and older sister provide for the family. She taught, sewed, worked as a domestic and a companion, and wrote fairy tales and romantic thrillers. When the Civil War broke out, she was eager to participate, animated by her dislike of female passivity as well as her hatred of slavery. She enlisted as a nurse ans served for three weeks in an army hospital in Washington, D.C., until she contracted typhoid fever. She was treated with mercury, which permanently undermined her health. The experience did, however, provide material for her Hospital Sketches, which vividly combines heartbreaking pathos in death of a gental, stoical blacksmith, indignation at male official callousness and mismanagement, and humorous self-portrayal as the warmhearted, hot- tempered, down-to-earth Nurse Tribulation Periwinkle. In that year, she proudly recorded in her journal, she earned almost $600 "by my writing alone," of which she "spent less than a hundred" for herself. From then on, she provided the major financial support for her family, while remaining obligated to help them with the heavy housework and nurse them when ill. She never married. Later on, a publisher approached Louisa to do a girls' book, she accepted the offer only because she needed the money. The result was Little Women , one of the bestsellers of all time. Within four years it had sold 82,0... ... her characters who rebel against conventionally defined female goodness. Alcott, however, did not let her resentment surface in behavior: she constantly sacrificed her personal comfort and the artistic quality of her works to the demands of her family. She "plunged into a vortex" to write Work but had to stop to nurse her sister Anna through pneumonia; when she finished the book, it was "Not what it should be,-too many interruptions. Should like to do one book in peace, and see if it wouldn't be good." When her father was dying, she regularly dragged herself out to see him, although very ill herself; two days after his death, free at last of family obligations, she died in Boston. Alcott will always be remembered for Little Women , the classic American story of girls growing up. In her own time, it established her reputation as a purveyor of perceptive and sympathetic, but always morally uplifting, literature for young people. The subversive, feminist element in her books has only recently been clearly recognized. We now see not so much "the Children's Friend" as a deeply conflicted woman whose work richly expresses the tensions of female lives in nineteenth-century America. Biography of Louisa May Alcott Essay -- Louis May Alcott Writers Essay Biography of Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Amos Bronson Alcott, an educator and philosopher, and Abigail May, the energetic, philanthropist. Louisa grew up in Concord and Boston, suffering from poverty as a result of her selfish idealist father's inability to support his family. Bronson Alcott habitually sacrificed his wife and daughters by refusing to compromise with a venal world, most conspicuously when he subjected them to an experiment in ascetic communal living at Fruitlands farm in 1843. However, the Alcotts' intellectual environment was rich and stimulating: Louisa's parents assidously encouraged her writing, and her friends included leaders in abolition and women's rights, including the Transcendental philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau. Louisa took nature walks with Thoreau and had the run of Emerson's library. By the time she had reached her teens, she felt a responsibility to help her mother and older sister provide for the family. She taught, sewed, worked as a domestic and a companion, and wrote fairy tales and romantic thrillers. When the Civil War broke out, she was eager to participate, animated by her dislike of female passivity as well as her hatred of slavery. She enlisted as a nurse ans served for three weeks in an army hospital in Washington, D.C., until she contracted typhoid fever. She was treated with mercury, which permanently undermined her health. The experience did, however, provide material for her Hospital Sketches, which vividly combines heartbreaking pathos in death of a gental, stoical blacksmith, indignation at male official callousness and mismanagement, and humorous self-portrayal as the warmhearted, hot- tempered, down-to-earth Nurse Tribulation Periwinkle. In that year, she proudly recorded in her journal, she earned almost $600 "by my writing alone," of which she "spent less than a hundred" for herself. From then on, she provided the major financial support for her family, while remaining obligated to help them with the heavy housework and nurse them when ill. She never married. Later on, a publisher approached Louisa to do a girls' book, she accepted the offer only because she needed the money. The result was Little Women , one of the bestsellers of all time. Within four years it had sold 82,0... ... her characters who rebel against conventionally defined female goodness. Alcott, however, did not let her resentment surface in behavior: she constantly sacrificed her personal comfort and the artistic quality of her works to the demands of her family. She "plunged into a vortex" to write Work but had to stop to nurse her sister Anna through pneumonia; when she finished the book, it was "Not what it should be,-too many interruptions. Should like to do one book in peace, and see if it wouldn't be good." When her father was dying, she regularly dragged herself out to see him, although very ill herself; two days after his death, free at last of family obligations, she died in Boston. Alcott will always be remembered for Little Women , the classic American story of girls growing up. In her own time, it established her reputation as a purveyor of perceptive and sympathetic, but always morally uplifting, literature for young people. The subversive, feminist element in her books has only recently been clearly recognized. We now see not so much "the Children's Friend" as a deeply conflicted woman whose work richly expresses the tensions of female lives in nineteenth-century America.

Pressure Ulcers

Feature Strategies to improve the prevention of pressure ulcers Judy Elliott describes a project that sought to improve tissue viability during the patient journey from admission to discharge Summary This article outlines the actions taken by one acute trust to implement evidence-based, best practice recommendations for pressure ulcer prevention. Initially, an exploratory study identified specific areas for practice development, particularly improving early risk assessment, intervention and focus on heel ulcers.Further actions included recruiting tissue viability support workers to promote a pressure ulcer campaign. Prevalence audit results demonstrated improved prevention and reduced prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers by 6 per cent and heel ulcers by 4. 9 per cent. Further work is required to ensure prevention strategies are consistent and documented. Keywords Best practice, evidence base, pressure ulcer prevention ( Institute for Innovation and Improvement 2009), there fore it is important to seek further initiatives to eliminate avoidable pressure ulcers from NHS care.Tissue damage A pressure ulcer is defined as (European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) and National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) 2009): ‘†¦ localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear. ‘ Healthy individuals are continuously moving and readjusting their body posture to prevent excess pressure and shear forces. Reduced mobility or sensation interrupts this natural response, rendering an individual vulnerable to tissue damage.Eurther susceptibility is influenced by an individual's intrinsic risk factors reflected by their tissue tolerance (Bonomini 2003). Individual risk factors include immobility, malnourishment, cognitive impairment, acute and chronic ulness (National Institute for Health and CUnicad Excellence (NICE) 2005). Pressure ulcer preventio n involves the modification of an individual's risk factors by the whole multidiscipUnciry team (Gould et al 2000). Risk assessment Identification of vulnerable individuals can be challenging.Designated risk assessment tools have been found to lack reliability and validity with a tendency to overestimate risk (Pancorbo-Hidalgo et al 2006). The NICE (2005) guideline emphasises the importance of early assessment, within sbc hours, using clinical judgement. Vanderwee et al (2007a) found skin inspection more reliable compared with an assessment tool, with 50 per cent fewer patients identified as requiring intervention cuid no significant difference in patient outcomes. The skin should be assessed for early signs of tissue damage, which November 2010 | Volume 22 | Number 9PRESSURE ULCERS have potentially devastating consequences for patients, hospitals and the overaU hecdth economy. An estimated 5 to 10 per cent of patients admitted to hospital develop pressure ulcers, resulting in incre ased suffering, morbidity and mortaUty (Clark 2002, Redelings et al 2005) and depleting NHS budgets by 4 per cent, or more than ? 2 billion ? mnually (Bennett et al 2004). Prevention is a complex, multifactorial process and although it is accepted that some pressure ulcers are unavoidable, most are considered preventable.Acknowledging the difficulty in establishing national comparative prevalence data because of variances in methodology and settings (Calianno 2007), a prevalence of 21. 9 per cent of patients affected was reported in a pilot study of UK acute hospitals in 2001 (Clark et al 2004). Pressure ulcer prevention is a nursing quality indicator and high impact action for nursing and midwifery (NHS NURSING OLDER PEOPLE Feature Figure 1 I Illustrations showing a correctly fitting chair to ensure sufficient I pressure redistribution and poor sitting posture 1.The patient should be seated with hips and knees at right angles, feet flat on the floor and arms/shoulders supported. Th e patient's weight is evenly displaced through the feet, thighs and sacrum. 2. The chair is too low; the patient's upper legs are not supported, and weight is increased onto the buttocks leading to greater risk of pressure damage. include observable discolouration and palpable tissue changes such as localised bogginess, heat or cold (NICE 2005). International guidelines (EPUAP/NPUAP 2009) advise a structured approach to risk assessment using a combination of all three techniques.Ecirly intervention Once risk is identified immediate action is imperative to minimise risk of pressure ulcer development. As evidence is weak for specific interventions a number of areas should be addressed, involving ecirly initiation of preventive action, improving tissue tolerance and protecting from the adverse effects of pressure, friction and shear (Calianno 2007). Nutrition and tissue loading are two areas of nursing influence. Strategies to ensure optimal nutrition should be used and the provision o f oral nutritioneil supplements has been associated with reduced tissue breakdown (Bourdel-Marchasson et al 2000).Tissue loading may be addressed by manual and mechcinical repositioning, mobuisation and exercise. Strategies to minimise shear forces include addressing posture, moving and handling techniques and use of electric profiling beds (Keogh and Dealey 2001). Positioning and repositioning Research has not established an optimeil frequency of patient repositioning (Defloor et al 2005). Repositioning should be undertaken on an individual basis in Une with ongoing skin evaluation, avoiding bony prominences (NICE 2005).The skin shoiUd be closely monitored to ensure effectiveness of the regimen and further actions taken if ciny signs of tissue damage occur. November 2010 Volume 22 Number 9 A flatter position distributes body weight more evenly. Semi-Fowler (semi-recumbent) and prone positions yield the lowest interface pressures with sitting cind 90-degree side-lying the highest (S ewchuk et al 2006). Repositioning using the 30-degree tuted side-lying position (alternately right side, back, left side) or prone position is advised (EPUAP/NPUAP 2009).The repositioning regimen should be agreed with the patient and will require adaptation to ensure concordance with comfort, symptoms and medical condition. Prolonged chair sitting is impUcated with greater risk of pressure ulcer development (Gebhardt and BUss 1994). Chair sitting should be Umited to less than two hours at ciny one time for the acutely ul at-risk individual (Clark 2009). A correctly fitting chair is important to ensure sufflcient pressure redistribution (Figure 1).Poor sitting posture may cause posterior pelvic tilt (sacral sitting) or pelvic obUquity (side tUting onto one buttock), with the ideal chair allowing feet to sit flat on the floor, with hips and knees at 90 degrees and arm/shoulders supported (Beldon 2007). Support surfaces High specification foam mattresses have demonstrated improved perf ormance in pressure ulcer prevention (Defloor et al 2005), leading assessme Low risk †¢ Use static foam mattress. †¢ Reassess if patient's condition changes. Medium risk †¢ Use static foam mattress. †¢ Implement repositioning regimen. Check skin at least daily. †¢ If any signs of pressure damage request dynamic (air) mattress. †¢ Reassess if patient's condition changes. High risk (contraindicated if patient weighs more than 39 stone (refer to guidelines), has a spinal injury (refer to trauma and orthopaedics) or unstable fracture). †¢ Use dynamic (air) mattress. †¢ Implement repositioning regimen. †¢ Check skin at least daily. †¢ If any further signs of pressure damage increase repositioning programme. †¢ Reassess and step down onto static mattress as patient's condition improves.Remember to apply heel protector boots for patients at risk or with heel pressure ulcers. NURSING OLDER PEOPLE Feature to replacement of standard mattr esses by most hospital trusts. There has also been considerable investment in mechanical (dynamic) support surfaces, where air is pumped through the mattress via alternating pressure or low air loss. However, the benefits of these devices remain unclear in terms of clinlccd and cost effectiveness (Reddy et al 2006). Pressure ulcer incidence rates of 5 to 11 per cent have been reported in studies, with longer use associated with greater risk (Theaker et al 2005).These devices should be considered m conjunction with other support surfaces as delayed or inconsistent use may negate the benefits. Multiple strategies A number of studies have attained favourable outcomes using multiple interventions. Examples include introducing a multidisciplinary working party, improving management of pressure-relieving equipment, educational programmes and developing new guidelines (Gould et al 2000, Catania et al 2007, Dobbs et al 2007). Variations in approach suggest the commitment of practitioners is vital to success. For example, a support surface . howed improved outcomes only when used In conjunction with an educational programme for registered nurses (RNs) (Sewchuk et al 2006). Factors identified as impeding pressure ulcer prevention include lack of time, staffing levels and staff knowledge (Moore and Price 2004, Pancorbo-Hidalgo et al 2006, Robinson and Mercer 2007). Skill mix may also influence outcomes. Horn et al (2005) investigated staffing levels in a nursing home and found fewer pressure ulcers were associated with more direct RN care for each resident. heels' protocolj Apply heel protector boots to patients at high risk of heel ulcers when on bed rest.Assessment criteria include limited mobility and: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ I Is patient immobile, heavily sedated or unconscious? Can patient lift his or her leg up in bed? Is there any evidence of heel tissue breakdown, blistering or ulceration? Does the patient have diabetes, vascular or renal disease? experie nces highlighted the challenges in delivering timely, optimal preventive care. Opportunities to improve preventive care during the patient journey from admission to discharge were identified. These processes were influenced by the level of communication and collaborative care.Practice development recommendations included: †¢ Improve early risk assessment and intervention. †¢ Direct resources to the start of the patient journey. †¢ Prevent heel ulcers. Further actions were taken during 2009/10 to develop practice in line with these recommendations. Method Tissue viabUity support workers were recruited for each hospital site to focus on pressure ulcer prevention, in particular managing pressure-relieving equipment. They reclaimed dynamic mattresses and recurected them to admitting areas to enable immediate access ‘at the front door'.They were entrusted with keeping a ‘float' of mattresses in a clean library store and helping with maintenance, decontamination eind training. In September 2009 a trust-wide pressure ulcer campaign was launched. This focused on three Interventions: support surface, positioning and repositioning and heel offloading: 1. Risk assessment within six hours and appropriate support surface (Box 1). A simple flow chart was disseminated highlighting a structured patient pathway, based on NICF (2005) best practice recommendations.Initial risk assessment was encouraged using clinical judgement to help early assessment in the emergency admitting areas. A more detailed assessment was requested during the following 24 hours using the Waterlow assessment tool (Waterlow 1988) to provide risk status confirmation and identify individual risk factors. Patients were assessed as low risk (fuUy mobile and minimal risk factors/Waterlow score 20). All trust static mattresses consist of high specification foam offering protection to all admitted patients. The trust has purchased November 2010 Volume 22 BackgroundAn exploratory study of pressure ulcer prevention was undertaken in the project hospital trust during 2007/08. The trust includes three acute sites covering a large geographical area consisting of more than 1,200 beds and serving a predominantly ageing population. A case study meth(3dology was used to consider the topic from a range of perspectives using quantitative zind qualitative data (Yin 2003). A reduction in overall and hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevcdence since 2001 was found. Steady reduction in sacral ulcers was observed with the heel emerging as the most common site for hospital-acquired pressure ulcers by 2008.Increased prevalence observed in 2009 reflected revised data collection methods and improved reuabuity with thorough skin inspection. Data were also generated from focus group interviews with multidisciplinary clinicians. Their NURSING OLDER PEOPLE Feature more than 350 dyncimic mattresses and local recommendations prioritise patients at high risk, unless contraindicated. 2. Im plementation of revised positioning cind repositioning documentation. Revised documentation included a visual care plan/ regimen, repositioning chart and skin evaluation for all vulnerable patients. 3. F*revention of heel ulcers.The ‘hecilthy heels' project ran concurrent to the Ccimpaign cind was undertaken from October 2009 to March 2010. Funding was procured for regular provision of heel protector boots that ‘float the heel' and offload pressure to augment the repositioning and positioning programme. A protocol was disseminated aiming to protect patients with high risk factors such as diabetes or early signs of tissue damage located at the heel (Box 2). The annual prevalence audit methodology was revised to improve reliabUity of data collection cind undertciken in Februcuy 2009 and repeated in February 2010.Data was collected by tissue viabibty nurses at the bedside including skin inspection eind related preventive interventions. Previously, ward nurses supplied the d ate using vcirious collection methods. Data analysis was undertaken by the trust's clinical audit team. ulcers as some patients hav e more than one pressure ulcer. Audit results from Februciry 2010 showed a reduction in hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevcilence by 6 per cent and a reduction in total pressure ulcer prevalence by 4. 7 per cent (Table 1). Prevalence of patients with pressure ulcers had reduced from the previous audit by 2. per cent to 13. 4 per cent (Table 1). More than half of the total inpatient population was assessed as vulnerable to pressure dcimage. This information enables comparison with similar populations and indicates a 2 per cent increase in the population at risk from the previous year. There was also a reduction in all grades/ categories of hospiteil-acquired pressure ulcers (Table 2). The grade (category) of ulcer is used to assess depth of tissue damage, with grades 1 to 2 affecting the top skin layers and grades 3 to 4 including the deeper underlyin g tissues (EPUAP/ NPUAP 2009).The origin of some pressure ulcers was not fully established, mainly because of lack of documentation and appearance of the ulcer (Table 2). There were observable improving standards in best practice and patient comfort and care on the wards. Repositioning care plcinning documentation had improved by 7 per cent but ongoing documented repositioning had reduced by 1 per cent (Table 3). Further improvements are required to meet best practice standards in both cases. Although the heel remained the most common site for pressure dcimage, there was a reduction in hospital-acquired heel ulcers by 4. per cent. Results Benefits beccime apparent during the campaign with observable improvements in patient access to equipment cind eeirly intervention. The results were analysed in terms of patient prevalence (percentage of patients with one or more pressure ulcer) and pressure ulcer prevcilence (percentage of pressure ulcers). The prevalence of pressure ulcers is usu ally greater than the prevalence of patients with pressure Prevalence of pressure ulcers Discussion The tissue viability support workers were instrumental in raising awareness of prevention 009 Number Number of patients Population at risk Prevalence of patients with pressure ulcers Prevalence of pressure ulcers Pressure ulcers acquired in hospital Pressure ulcers present on admission Origin not known (unsure/not completed) Percentage Number 2010 Percentage Change Percentage 976 497 151 242 132 930 51 15. 5 24. 7 13. 5 492 125 186 53 13. 4 20. 0 7. 5 6. 8 5. 7 T2. 0 i 2. 1 J. 4. 7 J. 6. 0 i 0. 8 I2. 2 70 63 53 75 35 7. 6 3. 5 1 November 2010 Volume 22 Number 9 NURSING OLDER PEOPLE Feature in the admitting areas and improving early access to dynamic mattresses.Previously, dynamic systems were often a late intervention, once pressure damage was appeirent, cind competing demands from the wards impeded availability. A structured approach supported fairer allocation, prioritisation by pat ient need and improved availability. The support workers also improved processes by fostering good teamwork with support staff, hospital management teams and nursing departments. Their presence in the ward areas improved preventive care, related protocols and provided a link with the tissue viability nurses.Our experiences suggest that further education and communication are essential to reach a staff. The ‘healthy heels' campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of heel protectors in a prevention strategy. These devices were used for prevention and treatment to ‘float the heel', with resolution of superflcial tissue damage often achieved through continued use. This included the treatinent of superficial necrosis (black heels), which in many cases were kept dry cind allowed to slough off retaining viable deeper tissues, as recommended by EPUAP/NPUAP (2009).The audit results mirror previous reports of less than 10 per cent of hospiteil patients having documented adequate pr eventive care (Vanderwee ef al 2007b). Some nurses expressed concems over time constrEiints and extra paperwork, which may have contributed to a reluctance to adopt revised positioning and repositioning documentation. Communication and education Achievement of best practice standar Best practice standard quired pressujmJceyar^ajeiKe by grad Grade of pressure ulcer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Total 2009 Number 59 54 7 12 2010 Number 35 24 6 5 70 Percentage Change Percentage Percentage 6,0 5. 3,7 2,5 0,6 0,5 i 2. 3 4-3. 0 0. 7 1. 2 i 0,1 1 0,7 132 Origin not known (unsure/not completed) Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 16 15 2 2 1. 6 1. 5 0,2 0. 2 23 23 7 0 2,4 2. 4 0. 7 T0. 8 i 0,9 IO. 5 _ Total 35 † 1 issues were other possible factors. The trust operates a link nurse system for tissue viability education that may limit dissemination to all nursing staff. In an audit of 44 UK hospitals Phillips and Buttery (2009) also found a lack of documentary evidence of risk assessment on admission and C2ire planning, together with the need to improve immediate allocation of appropriate resources.Early risk assessment and immediate intervention may also be hcimpered by the focus on emergency care in admitting areas. Robinson and Mercer (2007) identified contextual barriers to pressure ulcer prevention in emergency departments as use of a stretcher and a lack of basic care provision for older Patients having a documented pressure ulcer risk assessment within six hours of admission. Patients with documented risk assessment at time of audit. Patients nursed on appropriate mattress.Patients with a high or medium risk of developing a pressure ulcer with documented evidence of a positioning and repositioning regimen. Patients with a high or medium risk of developing a pressure ulcer with documented evidence of repositioning. Use of heel protectors and offloading techniques (of total number heel ulcers). Ulcers with resolving/treated infection. Prevalence of patients wit h hospital-acquired heel ulcers. 75 79 88 13 T9 11 33 2 7,9 10 4. 1 36 0. 2 3,0 I3 Improved by 1. 8 i 4. 9 NURSING OLDER PEOPLE November 2010 Volume 22 adults.The improvement of resources and processes in admitting cireas is crucial to prevention. Technological advances may cdso have created a culture focused on dynamic systems as the primary intervention. Eurther difficulties may cuise in maintaining individual repositioning schedules in busy hospital Wcirds where competing demands often require a more immediate response. Hobbs (2004) demonstrated improved outcomes when regular repositioning schedules were re-established. Eurther work is required to place the emphasis on patient mobilisation and prevention and away from equipment and treatment.Education and leadership are peiramount to generate this culture shift and rebalance these nursing priorities. Conclusion A comprehensive review of previous and current prevention activity was invaluable in identifying appropriate areas for i mproved intervention. The recruitment of tissue viability support staff assisted with early risk assessment and intervention, particularly in terms of pressure-relieving equipment. A pressure ulcer campaign was useful in raising awareness of three interventions: early risk assessment and intervention, positioning cind repositioning regimens eind ‘healthy heels' project.Audit results from Eebruary 2010 showed a reduction in hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevalence by 6 per cent and a reduction in total pressure ulcer prevalence by 4. 7 per cent. Heel offloading using heel protector boots was an effective strategy for prevention and treatment of heel pressure ulcers. Although the heel remained the most common site for hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, there was a reduction in prevcilence by 4. 9 per cent. Improvements are indicated in the provision of documentary evidence to support prevention, particularly in terms of risk assessment, positioning and repositioning programme s.This project has demonstrated that responding to organisational specific factors can produce encouraging results in pressure ulcer prevention and identify' areas for continued effort. Dedicated leadership, education, teamwork and commitment are fundamental to continue to improve standards and ensure best possible patient outcomes. Online archive For related information, visit our online archive of more than 6,000 articles and search using the keywords Find out more Copies of the positioning and repositioning regimen can be obtained by emailing the author at: Judy. [email  protected] nhs. ukThis article has been subject to double-blind review and checked using antiplaglarism software. For author guidelines visit the Nursing Older People home page at www. nursingolderpeople. co. uk Judy Elliott is lead tissue viability nurse. East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust, Canterbury References Bcldon P (2007) Silting safely to prevent pressure damage. Wound Essentials. 2, 10 2-104. Bennett G, Dealey C, Posnetl J (2004) The cost oi pressure ulcers in the UK. A^e and Ageing. 33, 3, 230-235. Bonomini J (2003) Effective interventions for pressure ulcer prevention. Nursing Standard. 17. 32. 4300.Bourdel-Marehasson I, Barateau M, Rondeau V el al (2000) A multicenter trial of the effects of oriu nutritional supplementation in critically ill older inpatients. Nutrition. 16, 1, 1-5. Calianno C (2007) Quality improvement strategies to prevent pressure ulcers. Nurse Practitioner. 32, 7, 10, 13-I5. Catania K, Huang C, James P et al (2007) PlIPI'l: The Pressure Ulcer Prevention Protocol Interventions. American Joumai of Nursing. 107, 4, 44-52. Clark M (2002) Pressure ulcers and quality of life. Nursing Standard 16. 22, 74-80. Clark M (2009) Guidelines for seating in pressure ulcer prevention and management.Nursing Times. 105, 16, 40-41. Clark M. Defloor T, Bours G (2004) A pilot study of the prevalence of pressure ulcers in European hospitals. In Clark M (Ed) Pressu re Ulcers: Recent Advances in Tissue Viability. Quay Boolcs. London. Defloor T, De Bacquer D, Grypdonck M (2005) The effect of various combinations of turning and pres. sure reducing devices on the incidence of pressure ulcers. International Joumai of Nursing Studies. 42, 1, 37-46. Dobbs N, Spanbauer P, Datz D (2007) Continuous automated pressure ulcer monitoring. Journal for Nurses in Staff ue-elopment. 23. 3, 132-135.European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (2009) I're. ‘^sure Ulcer Prevention Quick Reference Guide. NPtJAP, Washington DC. Gebhardt K, Bliss M (1U94) Prevention of pressure sores in orthopaedic patients: is prolonged chair nursing detrimental? Journal of TLisue Viability. 4, 2, 51-54. Gould D, James T, I^rpey A et al (2000) Intervention studies to reduce the prevalence and incidence of pressure sores: a literature review. Joumai of Clinical Nursing. 9, 2,163-177. Hobbs B (2004) Reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers: implementation of a tum-team nursing program.Joumai of Gerontological Nursmg. 30, 11,46-51. Horn S, Buerbaus P, Bergstrom N et al (2005) RN staffing time and outcomes of long-stay nursing home residents: pressure ulcers and other adverse outcomes are less likely as RNs spend more time on direct patient care. American Joumai of Nursing. 105, 11, 58-70. Keogh A, Dealey C (2001) Profiling beds ver. sus standard hospital beds: effects on pressure ulcer incidence outcomes. Joumai of Wound Care. 10,2, 15-19. Moore Z, Price P (2004) Nurses' attitudes, behaviours and perceived barriers towards pressure ulcer prevention. Joumai of Clinical Nursing. 3,8,942-951. NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (2009) High Impact Actions for Nursing and Midwifery. NHS Institute for Irmovation and Improvement, Coventry: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2003) The Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers. Clinical Guideline 29. NICE, London. Pancorbo-Hidalgo P, Garcia-Femande z F, Lopez-Medina I et al (2006) Risk assessment scales for pressure ulcer prevention: a systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 34, 1,94-110. Pbillips L, Buttery J (2009) Exploring pressure ulcer prevalence and preventadve care. Nursing Times. 05, 16, 34-36. Reddy M, Gill S, Rocbon P (2006) Preventing pressure ulcers: a systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association. 296, 8, 974-984. Redelings M, Lee N, Sorvillo F (2003) Pressure ulcers: more lethal than we thought? Advances in Skin and Wound Care. 18. 7. 367-372. Robinson S, Mercer S (2007) Older adult care in the emergency department: identifying strategies that foster best practice. Joumai of Gerontological Nursing. 33, T, 40-47. Sewcbuk D, Padula C, Osborne E (2006) Prevention and eari> detection of pressure ulcers in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.AORN Joumai. 84. 1, 75-96. Tbeaker C, Kuper M, Soni N (2005) Pressure ulcer prevention in intensive care – a randomised control trial of two press ure-relieving devices, . ‘ aesthesia. 60, 4. 395-399. Vanderwee K, Grypdonck M, Defloor T (2007a) Non-blanchable erythema as an indicator for the need for pressure ulcer prevention: a randomized-controUed trial. Joumai of Clinical Nursing. 16. 2, 325-335. Vanderwee K, Clark M, Dealey C et al (2007b) Pressure ulcer prevalence in Europe: a pilot study. Joumai of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. 13, 2, 227-235.Walerlow J (1988) The Waterlow card for the prevention and management of pressure sores: towards a pocket policy. Care Science and Practice. 6, 1,8-12. Yin R (2003) Case Study Research, Design and Methods. Third edition. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks CA. November 2010 Volume 22 I Number 9 NURSING OLDER PEOPLE Copyright of Nursing Older People is the property of RCN Publishing Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

Biff Loman’s Role in Death of a Salesman

Biff Loman may not be the â€Å"Salesman† in Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Death of a Salesman, but he is the main character of the play. The character known as Biff Loman is at the root of his immediate family’s internal dilemmas and inner conflicts. Biff’s essence is what motivates the men in his family to choose the path that they take in life. For this reason, even when Biff is not present in a particular scene, he is still omnipresent because of his invisible pull on the actions and feelings of his family members whom he had impacted throughout the years. The play finds Biff Loman at age 34, while his younger brother Happy is 32. Growing up, Happy was influenced greatly by his older brother. This is common in most young boys, especially when they are this close in age. Happy was eyewitness to the arrogant and womanizing behaviors of his elder brother, Biff during their youth. Happy saw the way Biff behaved during high school and witnessed the positive feedback that he received from both his peers and his father as a result of his behavior, which was less than exemplary. Happy saw Biff skate through his teenage years living in this manner. Biff got the attention from their father that Happy had yearned for. The stage was set for Happy to attempt to emulate Biff’s womanizing, unscrupulous actions during his own life. Happy became a womanizer on a level which even exceeded Biff’s promiscuous behavior during his youth. Happy often found himself sleeping with his boss’s wives, girlfriends and fiances. He couldn’t even understand why he did it. It was simply an instinct which was engrained in him after spending his impressionable years so close to Biff, even sharing a bedroom with him during this time. Willy Loman, himself, was obsessed with his eldest son. During Biff’s prime of life, Willy found happiness by living vicariously though his son. Poor Happy was hardly noticed by his father who was so wrapped up in Biff. Willy believed that he would find all his dreams that were never realized finally seen through by Biff. He thought Biff would succeed in college and find the successful career that Willy himself was never fortunate enough to have. All of Willy’s hopes and dreams were wrapped up in this one boy and when Biff failed to live up to them, Willy felt that failure just as deeply as he felt the let-down of his own unfulfilled life. To make matters worse, even though Willy did not admit it, he knew that he, himself was to blame for Biff’s downfall. Willy never pushed Biff to do the right thing in life. He chuckled when Biff stole from his football coach and was proud of his son when Biff made his friends clean the family’s basement. Biff said to his father, â€Å"I think I’ll have them sweep out the furnace room† to which Willy replied, â€Å"Good work, Biff. (Miller 1192) Willy’s wife, Linda, had warned him about Biff being rough with the girls and this, too, was shrugged off . Linda said, â€Å"He’s too rough with the girls, Willy. All the mothers are afraid of him. † Willy replied, â€Å"Shut up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦There’s nothing the matter with him! †¦ . He’s got spirit, personality†¦. † (Miller 1195) Willy felt that Biff already possessed all the qualities needed in order to be successful in life, so there was no need to offer guidance to his son or punish his missteps along the way. This was a parenting strategy that Willy would later live to regret. The paramount of Willy’s guilt was the fact that Biff caught him in a hotel room with a woman with whom he was having an affair. Willy made up ridiculous excuses to cover the fact that this woman was in his hotel room naked. He tells his son, â€Å"Biff, she’s a buyer. They’re painting her room†¦. She lives down the hall – they’re painting. † (Miller 1240) Biff saw through to the truth of the matter, though. He yells at his father, saying â€Å"Don’t touch me, you – liar! (Miller 1241) Biff was so crushed by the realization that his father was not the family man whom he had idolized that he did not even bother to make up the math course that he had to complete that Summer in order to graduate. This one small action threw away his chances at attending college. The immense guilt that Willy felt as a result of his son discovering his infidelity is at the cor e of play’s plot. This guilt and attempted absolution is what ultimately leads to the death of Willy Loman. Willy is attempting suicide in order to finally make things right with Biff. He wants his first born son to collect twenty thousand dollars from a life insurance policy. Willy, who has his own identity so wrapped up in Biff, feels that Biff will become successful with this money and therefore Willy’s legacy will be one of achievement and success in life. Willy is so convinced of this idea being a reality, that he is willing to throw his earthly life away for a chance at an afterlife view of his own dreams being carried through his son, Biff. This makes Biff the lead character in the play. Bibliography; Only the actual play is refererenced in this report.

American and British Literature Comparative Essay

American and British Literature Comparative Essay Difference between American and British Literature Essay Difference between American and British Literature Essay The research paper investigates and analyzes differences between American and British literature. This work is based on the analysis of feminine fairy tales Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (or Alice in Wonderland), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and masculine novels The Jungle Book (stories about Mowgli’s adventures: â€Å"Mowglis Brothers,† â€Å"Tiger! Tiger!† and â€Å"Mowglis Song†), and Tarzan of the Apes. It includes the analysis of these fairy tales and novels in works of different researchers described in the literature review. The main method used in this research paper was the method of comparison of similar situations, events and characters of heroes from the above mentioned literary works. It is notable that American literature describes individualistic society and makes more stress on democracy, revolution and geographical extension of the country, whereas British literature describes collectivistic society and pays attention to historic e vents and autocracy of the ruling class. The language used in British literature is much more complicated, diverse and bright compared to American literature. This research paper describes numerous differences between American and English literature, like plot, characters of main heroes, literary language, etc. It is based on the examination of fairy tales written in the USA and the UK because fairy tales thoroughly reflect different historical, social, and political events and show them in a simple and understandable (for children) manner, without strong influence of personal author’s attitudes. These differences are shown in the analysis of four fairy tales and novels for children: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (or Alice in Wonderland), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book (â€Å"Mowglis Brothers,† â€Å"Tiger! Tiger!† and â€Å"Mowglis Song†), and Tarzan of the Apes. These fairy tales have some similarities, which produce more valuable outcomes of research of differences. American and English writers provide different descriptions of heroes and their destiny, environment, and events which too k place in fairy tales. They use different language to describe similar events. There will be provided a more thorough description and analysis of differences between British and American literature further. This research paper uses works of different researchers for providing a more detailed and relevant analysis of differences between American and British literature. Each researcher analyzed different distinguishing features of the above mentioned fairy tales and novels. This research paper unites their outcomes and provides a joint understanding of differences in the literatures of the USA and the UK. In her work From The Wizard of Oz to Wicked: Trajectory of American myth, Burger pointed out that The Wizard of Oz portrays racial diversification of people in the USA. There is a great variety of nationalities that live in different places of this geographically extensive country. Her ideas are supported by Okihiro (2001). In the article â€Å"Difference between English literature and American literature,† much attention is paid to differences in the literary language of American and British literature. The author stated that the language of British literature is more complicated and bright. It contains more descriptions of landscapes, events and creatures. In her work â€Å"Language -games in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, or: How language operates in Carrolls text to produce nonsensical meanings in common-sense references,† Lemos provides numerous examples of language games from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She also analyses these language games and describes the actual meanings of expressions used by Lewis Carroll. Pokrivcak in his work â€Å"Multiculturalism, transcendentalism, and the fate of American literature† stated his vision of the reasons for linguistic differences between American and British literature, which is based on social and ethnic homogeneity of the UK and diversification of the USA. This research paper is also based on the ideas from the work of Zanger â€Å"Some differences between American and British fantasy literature.† The author describes distinguishing features of feminine and masculine literature and provides an analysis of fairy tales and novels used in this work. This research paper will provide an analysis of American and British fairy tales in terms of differences between the literatures of the two countries. Fairy tales form social behavior of children and the society in general. They describe what is good and what is bad; different social, political as well as economic events; the way the society treats people’s actions. They develop an understanding that any action can lead to certain positive and negative consequences. The second reason why fairy tales were chosen for the investigation of differences between American and British literature is that they provide a more impartial reflection of history, social structure, vision, needs and wishes of people living in a particular period of time compared to other literary works, like novels, poems, etc. The main part of this research is based on the examination and comparison of four different fairy tales and novels. The first one is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, written in 1865. It reflects the social and political behavior of Victorian England. Alice in Wonderland is compared to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This American fairy tale was written by Frank Baum thirty five years later than Alice in Wonderland. It reflects social and political vision of people living in the 19th century in the USA. Some people consider that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is some kind of American transformation of Alice in Wonderland. This understanding is grounded on several reasons, including a similar subject. Alice and Dorothy are travelling in unusual places and are surrounded by unusual creatures. Both girls left their families due to different circumstances and are searching for the way to come back home. Both fairy tales are female writings, i.e. they are oriented on young female readers. This is reflected in the use of a young girl as the main hero; in more complicated and unusual language; a great number of descriptions (much more than dialogues); attempts to resolve conflicts in a peaceful way. Also, both fairy tales incorporate miracles, thaumaturgy, mystics, etc. All above mentioned similarities promote the understanding that the analysis of differences between American and British literature should be performed particularly on these fairy tales for elimination of any considerable improper outcomes based on differences in plot, main hero, etc. In addition, two male’s fairy tales were chosen for analysis and assessment. The first source is the collection of stories about Mowgli The Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling in 1894. It will be compared with the American fairy tale Tarzan of the Apes, written by Edgar Rice Burroughs eighteen years later. These fairy tales are also united by a similar plot, description of jungles, and the male main hero. Masculine character of these adventure fairy tales is reflected in numerous dialogues; short sentences and simple word constructions; martial character; more warlike ways of resolving the conflict (through a fight). Both The Jungle Book and Tarzan of the Apes include stories that describe adventures of the main heroes, which are closer to reality. The four fairy tales were chosen because all of them have considerable similarities, such as the plot, struggle against different enemies, and search for a way out from difficult situations. All actions and adventures have some particular goal that is finally reached, which can be united by the understanding that virtue conquered evil. They describe adventures of the main hero and his or her surrounding (like-minded creatures). The second similarity is reflected in the description of numerous unusual animals and creatures. The third one lies in uncommon environment where adventures take place. The last similarity is that the fairy tales were written in almost the same time period and reflect the same historical and social events. This research paper will provide an investigation of differences between British and American literature by using the method of content analysis (analysis of social and historical background); analysis of characters and behavior of the main heroes of British and American fairy tales; locations where adventures took place; literature language used in these writings; representation of virtue and villainy; background of good and bad actions; characteristics of the societies shown in these fairy tales; representation of the ruling class and its behavior; the way how the hero overcomes obstacles in the path of his or her goals. The content, main heroes and their characters, social and political background of these writings will be thoroughly analyzed and compared. Several citations from these fairy tales will support ideas formed during the research of the differences between American and British literature. This research paper will not describe the plot of fairy tales or pay much attention to the historical period when these fairy tales were written as it seems to be unnecessary for this research. Discussion and dissection of different parts of four tales will be enough for reflect the differences between the literature of the USA and the UK. The results of analysis of Alice in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book and Tarzan of the Apes are provided below. The majority of outcomes are supported by explanations, researchers’ thoughts and citations. The first difference between British and American literature is reflected in the behavior of the main hero. Dorothy and Tarzan are self-confident, self-sufficient and a little bit egoistic personalities. They are aimed primarily at gaining personal benefit, such as coming back home, and only then at providing benefit to the society. These heroes in many situations can rely only on themselves. American literature reflects the individualistic nature and history of Americans. Several centuries ago these people came to the continent of North America and could rely only on themselves for survival. Additionally, it should be mentioned that American literature contains descriptions of close groups of people (or creatures) who put their interests above the rest. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, such group of creatures consists of the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. The story begins with the description of the main goal of their adventure: Dorothy wants to find the way back home, and each of the creatures has its own personal goal in this adventure. Providing help to the other is represented as by-effect of the adventure. This reflects the behavior of Americans, who distinctly separate interests of their nation from the interests of the other nations. The characters of the main heroes in the British fairy tales are quite different. Alice often receives help from the Hatter, the dog, etc. The story Alice in Wonderland reflects the behavior of the collectivistic society, where a group of people (or creatures) have one joint goal. Special attention should be paid to the social structure described in the female fairy tales. Alice comes from an aristocratic family, whereas Dorothy’s family (grandparents) lives in more stringent conditions (like the majority of Americans of the 19th century) (Dobrinescu, n.d.). Close attention should be directed at the time and place described in American and British fairy tales. Usually in American literature â€Å"the fantastic is continually mingled with the ordinary, with the ‘real’ world† (Zanger, n.d.). Zanger (n.d.) states that â€Å"magic countries† in Africa and in Oz â€Å"employ the familiar American device of incongruity.† However, both fairy tales, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Tarzan of the Apes, describe adventures that happened in a present time. At the same time, the majority of British fairy tales describe adventure of heroes in prehistoric or even mythic past (Hevesiova, 2010). Familiar lands, sights and histories (for example Stonehenge) are usually shown in these fairy tales. British writers can reflect a great history of their country in their stories, whereas American writers rely more on their imagination and great unstudied scopes of their country. Frank Baum described a great variety of different races that lived in different locations of America (Okihiro, 2001). He portrays different racial groups living in separate locations in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, â€Å"Gillikins in the North, Munchk in the East, Quadlings in the South, and Winkies in the West† (Burger, 2009). In addition, special attention should be paid to the attitude to the ways of administrating authority that are reflected in American and British literature. Thus, British society paid much attention to the king or lord and his power. The society has strongly differentiated the political structure (or fixed system of ranks), which is usually turned on the basis of birth. By contrast, in American literature the power is obtained by force and remains in the hands of the main hero as long as he or she is strong and skillful. Thus, Dorothy and Tarzan at the end of the stories â€Å"move from private obscurity to greatness, then back to relative obscurity again† (Tarzan went back to his Jungle, and Dorothy returned to her family in Kansas) (Zanger, n.d.). Different heroes of British fairy tales pass through different social stages and integrate into the community and social or political order, reflected in the aristocracy and kingship. Alice realized her role and responsibility of saving Wonderland only through overcoming numerous difficulties. Mowgli also burned and later killed Shere Khan only after becoming wiser, older, and stronger. Numerous animals supported him in his struggle against monkeys, the tiger and people. Moreover, considerable attention should be paid to the fact that British literature describes the absolutism of power, i.e. the presence of one king or ruler in the society (like Akela and Mowgli). American literature shows political power and rulers in a different way. At the end of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, three main creatures (the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and Tin Man) â€Å"move to take their respective kingdoms† where they act as â€Å"politician, the worker in agriculture and the mechanic† (Zanger, n.d.). The election process of ruler is performed by acclamation. Frank Baum describes democratization and separation of power in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Differences in American and British literature are also manifested in the description of evil in the above mentioned and other popular fairy tales. In British literature â€Å"evil is often depicted as emerging from below - Goblins, Weasels, Orcs, Morlocks, Shere Khan, cobras Nag and Nagaina (from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) - possessing a kind of intrinsic wickedness quite apart from any inspired organizing principle that leads them† (Zanger, n.d.). Evil forces are usually represented as proletarian creatures. At the same time, American evil is more autocratic. In Tarzan of the Apes, evil comes from outside â€Å"from above in the farm of British bankers slaughtering game, or Arab slavers, or German diamond hunters, or a variety of European types motivated uniformly by greed† (Zanger, n.d.). As a rule, American bad heroes did evil things (like Munchkins) under constraint of stronger features and forces which they cannot withstand (like in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Tarzan of the Apes). Also, much attention should be paid to finals of such male fairy tales as The Jungle Book and Tarzan of the Apes. The main heroes of both writings were brought up by animals: Tarzan was brought up by monkeys, whereas Mowgli was brought up by different animals that lived in jungles (a bear, snake, panther and wolfs). However, in the final Mowgli found his bellowed and started to live with other people, whereas Tarzan felt uncomfortable with other people and returned to jungles. The finals of two fairy tales reflected differences in British and American society. The former is more collectivistic, whereas the latter is more individualistic. Much attention should be paid to literary language of fairy tales of the UK and the USA. The language of British fairy tales contains more bright descriptions and sophisticated literary expressions than the language of the American ones (â€Å"Difference between,† 2014). For example, in Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll used numerous language games, where words have indirect meanings. Examples of such language games are thoroughly analyzed by Lemos. The evaluation of a dialogue between Alice and the Hatter will be provided below: Alice had been looking over his shoulder with some curiosity, ‘What a funny watch!’ she remarked. ‘It tells the day of the month and doesn’t tell what o’clock it is!’ ‘Why should it?’ muttered the Hatter. ‘Does your watch tell you what year it is?’ ‘Of course not,’ Alice replied very readily: ‘but that’s because it stays in the same year for such a long time together.’ ‘Which is just the case with mine,’ said the Hatter (Lemos, 2009). The author combined meaningful language of Alice and on the first view nonsensical language of the Hatter in this dialogue. However, Hatter’s language has more sense than Alice’s, because at the March Hare’s house the time remains the same (six o’clock). Therefore, common clock are useless, and Hatter’s clock is useful because it shows the time (Lemos, 2009). Numerous linguistic challenges make the whole British literature and works of Lewis Carroll in particular unusual and memorable. The background of linguistic differences between American and British literatures are analyzed by Pokrivcak are reflected in the following words: â€Å"the difference lies especially in the fact that while European literatures have grown out of linguistically and ethnically homogeneous sources, the literatures of the United States have always been a product of several cultures speaking various languages† (Pokrivcak, 2010). American main heroes (Dorothy and Tarzan) are a little bit egoistic personalities that have such features as self-reliance, self-esteem, and self-sufficiency. They usually rely only on themselves. These heroes reflect the individualistic character of the American society. On the contrary, British society and characters of main heroes (Alice and Mowgli) are more collectivistic. Mowgli and Alice rely on the help and support of the group of like-minded creatures. Places where the adventures happen differ greatly in the writings of American and British authors. Events in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Tarzan of the Apes took place in real time, but in places which are far from readers. On the other hand, events of British fairy tales usually happen in pre-historic and mythic time periods. Attitudes to political order and administration authority are also quite different in the literatures of the USA and the UK. British fairy tales contain numerous descriptions of immortal soul of kingship and strict political order. Kingship is usually based on birth. In American fairy tales the authority is gained by power and skills. American literature describes a more democratic political order and availability of several rulers. The nature of evil is different in American and British fairy tales. In American fairy tales evil comes from outside, whereas in British fairy tales evil usually has an inherent character. Literary language of British fairy tales is more bright and colorful. It contains numerous complex language constructions and even language games (in Alice in Wonderland). By contrast, American literary language is simpler, with larger number of dialogues and shorter descriptions. This research paper provides an analysis of extinguish characteristics of four fairy tales and novels written by American and British writers. These fairy tales and novels are Alice in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book (novels about Mowgli’s adventures) and Tarzan of the Apes. They are connected by similar plot and time of creation. This provides more thorough and reliable outcomes of analysis of the literature of two countries. American and British literature have numerous differences reflected in the characteristics of the main heroes and description of their adventures, plots of the stories and literature language. All of these differences are based on distinctive histories, social orders, and views of life. Both American and English literatures depict different aspects of life of people who live on the territories of these countries. No one can definitely state that one literature is much better than the others. Every reader chooses the literature that is more suitable and attractive for him or her. This research paper not only describes differences between literatures of the USA and the UK but also recommends familiarizing oneself with both of them. Apart from that, it states that analysis should be made on similar types of writings which were created in the same (or almost the same) time periods for elimination of irrelevant outcomes. It is recommended to analyze works that have similar plots and characters in order to find out particularly literature differences. This will allow supporting the statements described in this work. Also, readers can find other differences between the literatures of the two great countries.

The Hardwood Killer Tree Diseases

The Hardwood Killer Tree Diseases There are several tree diseases that attack hardwoods trees which can ultimately cause death or devalue a tree in the urban landscape and rural forests, to the point where they need to be cut down. Five of the most malignant diseases have been suggested by foresters and landowners. These diseases are ranked according to their ability to cause aesthetic and commercial damage.   Armillaria Root, the Worst Tree Disease This disease attacks hardwoods and softwoods and kills shrubs, vines, and forbs in every state. It is pervasive in North America, commercially destructive, a major cause of oak decline, and is arguably the worst tree disease. The Armillaria sp. can kill trees that are already weakened by competition, other pests, or climatic factors. The fungi also infect healthy trees, either killing them outright or predisposing them to attacks by other fungi or insects. Oak Wilt Oak wilt, Ceratocystis fagacearum, is a disease that affects oaks (especially red oaks, white oaks, and live oaks). It is one of the most severe tree diseases in the eastern United States, killing thousands of oaks each year in forests and landscapes. The fungus takes advantage of wounded trees, and the wounds promote infection. The fungus can move from tree to tree through roots or by an insect transfer. Once the tree is infected, there is no known cure. Anthracnose, Dangerous Hardwood Diseases Anthracnose diseases of hardwood trees are widespread throughout the Eastern United States. The most common symptom of this group of diseases is dead areas or blotches on the leaves. The diseases are particularly severe on American sycamore, the white oak group, black walnut, and dogwood. The greatest impact of anthracnose is in the urban environment. Reduction of property values results from the decline or death of shade trees. Dutch Elm Disease Dutch elm disease primarily affects American and European species of elm. DED is a major disease problem throughout the range of elm in the United States. The economic loss resulting from the death of high-value urban trees is considered by many to be devastating. Fungus infection results in clogging of vascular tissues, preventing water movement to the crown and causing visual symptoms as the tree wilts and dies. American elm is highly susceptible. American Chestnut Blight The chestnut blight fungus has virtually eliminated the American chestnut as a commercial species from eastern hardwood forests. You only now see the chestnut as a sprout, as the fungus eventually kills every tree within the natural range. There is no effective control for chestnut blight even after decades of massive research. The loss of American Chestnut to this blight is one of forestrys saddest stories.

How to Win a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award

How to Win a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re a high school senior of Hispanic or Latinx heritage, you'll definitely want to learn more about the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). With more than 150 types of scholarships available through this program, there’s a lot to learn- and a lot to win! When you submit an HSF award scholarship, you’re actually submitting yourself for consideration for many different awards (much like when you submit a FAFSA). I’ll talk about all the details you’ll need to take into consideration before submitting your own application for Hispanic scholarships. Then, we'll take a look at application strategies for current high school seniors. What Is a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award? TheHispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)is a large organization that oversees many scholarship programs. It has partnerships with both philanthropic and corporate organizations to fund scholarships for Hispanic students. Since 1975, HSF has awarded more than $470 million in scholarship money, with 5,100+ new scholarships awarded each year. Overall, it's a real powerhouse of an organization, with aims to ensure that every Hispanic household in the US has at least one college graduate. In essence, there's no single HSF award; instead, HSF offers many different scholarships, each with its own funding sources, eligibility requirements, and award amounts. The great thing about HSF is that you only have to submit one application every year to be considered for all available scholarships. These scholarships are merit-based,meaning they're awarded based on academic and personal achievements, not financial need; that said, financial need is taken into consideration when determiningthe amount of the award. Most awards are not renewable- you only receive one annual award amount. As I mentioned above, however, you can submit an HSF scholarship application every year. Re-submitting applications in the future may help your chances of getting more scholarship funding. HSF really values building a community and slightly favors past award winners when reviewing scholarship applications. HSF award amounts vary from $500 to as high as $5,000,but the specific amount you could win will vary depending on your financial need. HSF scholarships offer more than just funding for school, though. Here's a list of the benefits that come along with an HSF award: Career center platform to help you look for jobs and internships Mentor match program Online course system to augment your normal college studies HSF newsletter with extracurricular and volunteer opportunities HSF events and programs, such as Latinos United and Networking for Advancement (LUNA) and National Leadership Conference (NLC) An extra "point" on future HSF scholarship applications- if you've won an HSF scholarship in the past, you'll be more likely to win one in the future All in all, an HSF award is a really great resource in more ways than one. Because one application means you'll be considered for countless scholarships, it's well worth your time to apply for an HSF award.So let's get started! How to Know If You're Eligible for an HSF Scholarship In order to receive an HSF award, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements: Be of Hispanic heritage (defined as being at least 1/4 Hispanic or Latino) Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (for high school students) Have a minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (for college and graduate students) Plan to enroll full-time at an accredited nonprofit four-year university or graduate school during the fall of the scholarship cycle year Be a US citizen, permanent legal resident, DACA, or eligible non-citizen as defined by the FAFSA Complete the FAFSA Complete the State Dream Act financial aid application, if applicable Students of all majors are considered, although there is an emphasis on STEM fields.This is likely because students of Hispanic heritage are especially underrepresented in the fields of math, science, technology, and engineering. What Do You Need to Apply for an HSF Scholarship? Before you start working on your Hispanic Scholarship Fund application, it'd be wise togather the following information and reports. To complete your HSF application, you'll need the following materials: Your FAFSA and Student Aid Report- get complete instructions here School transcripts- you can get these from your guidance counselor Enrollment verification from your school- check with the admissions office about this Financial aid award letter from the college you're enrolling in- the HSF uses this to determine your award amount but not whether you receive a scholarship Letters of recommendation- you'll need at least one academic recommender, but additional writers can be academic or non-academic Your school guidance counselor should be able to help you gather the paperwork you need. How Do You Submit an HSF Application? The Hispanic Scholarship Fund application opens January 1 and closes March 30 each year.For the 2019-20 scholarships, the application will open January 1, 2019, and close March 30, 2019. By submitting just one application, you'll be considered for a variety of awards. However, although you might be eligible to receive multiple scholarships, you can only be awarded one scholarship per year. Remember thatyou are encouraged to submit an HSF scholarship application every year you're in school. After you submit an HSF scholarship application, you'll learn whether you won an award via email in June orJuly. Want to build the best possible college application and financial aid package? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How May You Use Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award Money? HSF scholarship funds can be used for tuition, books, fees, and other academic expenses.You can also use the award money to pay for room, board, and transportation expenses. How to Raise Your Chances of Winning a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award HSFscholarships are highly competitive; unfortunately, not all qualified applicants receive a scholarship each year.It’s important, then, that you dedicate yourself fully to the application process if you’re serious about trying to get an HSF award. I'll address some long- and short-term strategies to help you win an HSF scholarship here. Long-Term Considerations As you prepare for HSF scholarship applications, keep in mind that students are evaluated on the following criteria: Academic achievement Personal strengths Leadership Commitment to giving back to their communities HSF also strives to help students achieve their goals, particularly in areas in which Hispanic/Latino students are underrepresented, namely STEM fields. You'll be considered an even stronger applicant if you plan on going into science, tech, engineering, or mathematics. You should also note that HSF scholarships are looking for students who are well rounded. In other words, they would prefer a student with a slightly lower GPA and an impressive resume than they would a student with a perfect GPA and no extracurricular activities. Nevertheless, the strongest HSF applicant will demonstrate both academic excellence and involvement in extracurricular activities. If you're a younger high school student, you can start working on making yourself a stronger applicant, both for scholarships and college applications (there tends to be a lot of overlap). Here are three thingsthat can make applicants more competitive, according to HSF. #1: Taking Honors or Advanced Classes Thisspeaks to your academic achievement. Students who challenge themselves with a more difficult course load will seem more ambitious and tenacious. #2: Consistent Involvement in Extracurricular or Volunteer Activities Depending on what activities you’re involved in, your participation in extracurriculars/volunteer activities can speak to all the qualities that applicants are evaluated for. Academic achievement: Activities such as Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, and Debate can augment what you’re already doing in class. Basically, participation demonstrates intellectual curiosity. Personal strengths: Your success in various activities/organizations will speak to your personal strengths. If you win any awards, honors, or accolades through your participation in extracurriculars, these will get you brownie points on applications. Leadership:If you hold an authoritative role as a club officer, or if you started a club or volunteer organization, you’ll prove that you are a strong and effective leader. Commitment to giving back to the community: Generally, any volunteer or school-related activity will demonstrate a commitment to your community. #3: Demonstrating Experiences That Have Contributed to Your Personal Growth You might be questioning what exactly this point is supposed to mean. After all, experiences that contribute to personal growth will be different for everyone. In general, though, any experience that challenges you or forces you out of your comfort zone will contribute to your growth. Here are some examples of how you can demonstrate these types of experiences in the domains relevant to the HSF application: Academics: Again, difficult coursework, especially in your weaker subject areas, will challenge you intellectually. If you approach the challenge productively by seeking extra help from teachers and keeping up with your work, you’ll come across as a strong applicant. Letters of recommendationfrom appropriate teachers can really shed light on whether you seek out challenging academic experiences. Leadership:No one starts off as a leader in any club or activity; you have to work your way up by proving yourself and earning respect over time. Volunteer to take on new and challenging learning experiences in your extracurriculars. You can do this by leading a group, proposing an independent learning project, or even starting your own club or organization. Commitment to giving back to your community: How do you demonstrate commitment or passion to giving back? You do more than what’s required or expected of you. Do you feel that your school or community is missing a particular type of service group? For example, maybe you’ve noticed that the younger kids in your school community don’t have access to tutors or mentors for homework help, and you have a passion for education and teaching. This would be a great opportunity to give back to your community while also demonstrating real initiative and leadership. Take every opportunity to describe personal growth and development - scholarships (and colleges) love to see this upwards trajectory. Sometimes, leadership and community commitment go formally unrecognized. Although I know it’s difficult for some students to toot their own horns, formal awards, honors, and accolades can really help you boost scholarship and college applications. Work on taking my advice above over the long term, but also try toactively seek out award opportunities in your community.You can do this by checking with your school's guidance counselor or by doing a Google search for any awards in your area. Short-Term Considerations If you're ready to start working on your applications, this section will be especially helpful. I'll break down the best ways to approach each part of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund application so you can optimize your chances of winning an award. The Essay The actual essay prompts for the 2019-20 HSF scholarship application aren't available yet, but the HSF lists ideas for personal statements that will likely overlap with its own application essays. You can use the following prompts to brainstorm before you have access to the actual application in January 2019: What are your goals? Why did you choose these goals? Why did you choose to apply for HSF fund scholarships? What are your values and philosophy about education? Why? Are there any accomplishments (either in or out of school) that you're particularly proud of? What have you learned from these experiences? Do you have a time-management system? What is it? How do you schedule your time to include both academic and social activities? What difficulties or disadvantages have you faced in your life, and how have you overcome them? What is one area in which you are weak, and how have you or do you plan to overcome this weakness? Identify a leadership experience and talk about the most important lessons of the position and experience. What makes you unique? Your actual scholarship essay will be evaluated on four different factors, which are as follows: #1: Length: There’s a maximum word count for each essay. The best essays will use all the space available. While you don’t need to write the exact max number of words, you should try to get as close as possible to the maximum. #2: Content:The essay prompts will be focused and direct; make sure your response is as well. If the prompt includes multiple parts, ensure that you’re answering each part of the prompt. Highlight the qualities that the HSF values in scholarship recipients, includingacademic achievement, personal strengths, leadership skills or experiences, and commitment to giving back to the community. Reference the section above for examples of activities, experiences, and challenges you could highlight. If there are any major weaknesses in your HSF application (such as a lack of leadership experiences or poor academic performance), use your essays to explain yourself.Don’t make excuses- keep your tone matter-of-fact, but optimistic. If you’ve experienced any extraordinary hardships or obstacles, mention them in your essays.It’s important that application readers have a full and comprehensive understanding of situational factors that could have affected different aspects of your application. #3: Use of Examples:The examples you use in your essays should be personal (without being confessional) and relevant to the prompt. Your essay responses will be more engaging if, for example, you begin your writing with an anecdote or personal story. #4: Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation:Errors are distracting and detract from the quality of your writing. Avoid mistakes by giving yourself plenty of time to write the essay. Have a trusted teacher or mentor edit and proofread your work, too. This sign doesn't make a great first impression. Make sure your HSF essay does! If you’ve prepped for the SAT, you might recognize that these scoring factors are pretty similar to the ones for the SAT Essay.It might be helpful to think of the HSF application essays as more developed, personal versions of the SAT Essay. Letters of Recommendation Your academic recommendation writer must be an instructor, an adviser, or someone who can evaluate you academically (e.g., your academic performance, motivation, plans and goals, etc.). Additional recommenders can be either academic or nonacademic. Secondary recommendation writers must be able to evaluate your community service and extracurricular activities (e.g., your leadership, work ethic, or commitment). Recommendations from family members, family friends, and other close friends are discouraged by HSF. Strong letters of recommendationare important for any application. Here’s how you can go about getting the best letters possible for an HSF award application: #1: Ask the Right People: Ideal recommendation writers are those in educator/mentor positions and with whom you have a long, positive history. The best recommender will be excited to vouch for you. If you have someone in mind, ask them to write your letters in such a way that they have an "out" if they’re not comfortable doing it. If they don’t have any positive things to say about you, they’ll end up writing a lukewarm letter, and thiswill really hurt your application. Ask if they’d be comfortable writing you a "very strong" or "glowing" letter. This way, you'll know that ifthey decline or hesitate, you’re probably better off asking someone else to write you a letter. You can ask more than one person to write you a letter of recommendation. This is potentially a great opportunity to present yourself as a well-rounded applicant. I advise you to ask for letters from two to three people; any more than that, though, and the HSF scholarship evaluators will have too much to read! #2: Give Your Letter Writers Plenty of Advance Notice:Aim for 10-12 weeks, if possible. Since the deadline for HSF is March 30, you'll want to aim to ask for rec letters by mid-December. What's Next? Although the HSF application means you'll be considered for many scholarships, you don't want to stop there! To really optimize your chances of getting scholarship funding, you should apply to as many scholarship programs as possible. The good news is that we have comprehensive guides to submitting the best applications for some of the nation's top scholarships. Read these to learn how to win theGates Millennium Scholarship, the Ronald McDonald House Charities scholarships, the Walmart Scholarships, and the Coca-Cola Scholarship. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: