Path-Goal Theory

Path-Goal Theory Free Online Research Papers This essay clarifies the path-goal theory and how leadership roles are utilized within the theory. Path-Goal Theory of Leadership was developed to discuss the way leaders encourage and support their followers in achieving the goals that have been set by making the direction they should take clear and easy. Specifically, leaders define the path so subordinates know which way to travel in their careers, remove roadblocks that are stopping them from achieving their goals, and increasing the rewards along the route. I will emphasize three leadership behaviors Jeanne Lewis used with her employees, provide three examples of Lewis’s leadership behavior in relation to the Path-Goal Theory, identify three behaviors of employees in response to Lewis’s leadership styles, and explain the dynamics of employee behavior in reference to the Path-Goal Theory. The Path-Goal Theory stipulates that leaders are effective in their leadership and managerial duties because of their impact on follower’s motivations, their ability to perform effectively, and their satisfaction level. (Hersey P., Blanchard K., Johnson D., (2008). Management of Organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. The Path-Goal Theories utmost concern is how a leader influences follower’s perceptions of their work goals, their perceptions of personal goals, and their paths to goal attainment. The Path-Goal Theory is best exemplified when the leader provides clarification and rewards in order to remove the unknowns from the environment. Jeanne Lewis utilized three different leadership behaviors with her employees. She used the Directive, Participative, and Supportive leadership behaviors. She was required to utilize the Directive leadership behavior during her tenure as the Director of Operations for New England Staples stores because the New England stores were severely under-performing other areas within the company due to a notable lack of leadership. She immediately set aggressive store goals in order to bring them up to company standards, initiated training programs for employees, and invigorated performance standards New England wide. She was required to utilize the Participative leadership behavior during her tenure in Merchandising. She was a catalyst in this department by inspiring dialogue and debate from her direct reports and lower-level employees in order inspire a sense of connection and belief in their decision making processes. Employees found these information exchanges extremely productive and felt a sense that management cared about their ideas. (Suesse, J.M.(2000). Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. Pp 1-14 (78-91). It provided employees with a deep feeling of ownership that they had not felt at any time before. She also utilized the Supportive leadership behavior by influencing her employees which garnered their respect for her. She exhibited brilliant insight into the future needs of the company and realizing the needs and rewards that her employees strived for. Examples of Lewis utilizing the Path-Goal Theory with the Directive leadership behavior corresponded to numerous benefits for Staples and improved employee performance which had a direct impact on employee behaviors. Instructing followers of what needs to be done and giving them appropriate guidance is a critical part of the Path-Goal Theory. This includes giving employees instructions of specific work that is required. Rewards may also be increased as required or needed and role uncertainty decreased. This may be used when the task is unstructured and complex and the follower is inexperienced or lacks confidence. This increases the followers sense of security and control and consequently is appropriate to the situation. Another example of Lewis utilizing the Path-Goal Theory with the Participative leadership behavior was her ability and desire to talk with employees and taking their ideas into account when making decisions on corporate actions. This approach is best when the followe rs are expert and their advice is both needed and they expect to be able to give it. While utilizing the Participative leadership behavior during her tenure in merchandising, her employees developed the increased knowledge in their needs and rewards they strived towards. This resulted in better employee effort, improved performance, and job satisfaction. The final example of Lewis utilizing the Path-Goal Theory with the Supportive leadership behavior exemplifies the needs of the follower, showing concern for their welfare and creating a friendly working environment. This includes increasing the followers self-esteem and making the job more appealing. This approach is best when the work is stressful, boring, hazardous, or dangerous. While utilizing the Supportive leadership behavior, her employees developed an increased confidence level in their abilities by being given path clarification to rewards and store goals. This resulted in better employee effort, improved performance, and job satisfaction. The aspects of the relationship of employee behavior to the Path-Goal theory in the Lewis case communicate the employee behavior due to Lewis clarifying task expectations. This leader behavior on the part of Jeanne Lewis provided employees with directive, participative, and supportive leadership. This is defined in the Path-Goal Theory and is a critical aspect in order for this theory to operate properly. As was stated earlier in this essay, this caused employees to develop a desire to learn more about their duties and directly led to improved employee performance. Employees became inspired because they had a better understanding of corporate goals which increased their confidence. Due to Jeanne Lewis utilizing these three types of leader behavior, she garnered the support of employees and her direct reports. This allowed her to improve her own leadership style and motivate the workforce to new and higher levels that Staples had never known before. References References (Hersey P., Blanchard K., Johnson D., (2008). Management of Organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. (Suesse, J.M.(2000). Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. Pp 1-14 (78-91). 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How to Choose a Major 5 Key Factors to Consider

How to Choose a Major 5 Key Factors to Consider SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When it comes to choosing a college major, pithy truisms and conflicting advice abound. But whose advice can you trust? In this no-nonsense guide, we'll help you figure out how to choose a major in college based on what's important to you. After a brief introduction to the dilemma of choosing a major we'll reveal the most important part of choosing a major in college. Then we'll go over what work you should be doing to help you pick a major in a variety of situations- before college, during college, and if any special circumstances arise. Finally, we'll give some parting thoughts on major selection. What Major Should I Choose? Help Me! I imagine that if you are reading this article, you are feeling some level of uncertainty or anxiety about choosing a college major. This is completely understandable. As parents, teachers, and counselors have no doubt hammered into you, choosing a major in college is an important decision. It's one of the first big independent decisions of your academic and professional life. In many ways, choosing a major functions as a rite of passage in the process of becoming an adult. Some people know what to major in in college before they even start high school. However, most people don't, so if you have no idea how to choose a college major, don't panic. (Even if you're a second-semester sophomore in college!) With that said, neither I nor anyone else can tell you what major to choose. And if you do let someone else choose for you (like your parents), you're likely to be miserable. The truth is that the process of thoughtfully selecting the best major for you takes work- work that you need to put in yourself. While I can't do that work for you, I can tell you the foundational principles of investigating and ultimately picking a college major. Or just major in kitty cuddling and call it a day. The Most Important Task for Picking a Major The most important task for choosing a major in college is deciding on your own priorities and goals. Too much of the advice out there on how to pick a major assumes you have particular goals or tells you what your priorities should be. Even your own parents may be focused on particular priorities and goals that don't match up with yours. Family conflict around major choice is a common issue. This may be especially salient for you if your parents are paying for part (or all) of your education. It is reasonable to listen to your parents' concerns and advice. However, it's important to remember that it's ultimately your major. You will have to do the work and ultimately leverage that major as you transition into the workforce. If you are studying something you are not really interested in, you may not be very motivated to succeed (or maybe even to attend class). So you need to ask, "Which college major is right for me?" Here's some advice on discussing any change in your major plans with your parents. If your parents are paying for your education and they want input into your plans, you can also consider compromises like majors that are agreeable to both of you, double majors, or minors. For you to be able to choose a college major that makes sense for you, you first need to figure out what you want out of a college major. For some people, knowing they will almost always be able to find a job throughout their lives is most important. For others, being able to pursue a particular intellectual interest is the critical factor. Most people are motivated by some combination of factors that they weigh in balance. These factors will guide you towards the answer to the question "What college major is right for me?" Here are some factors you will probably want to consider when you go about choosing a major: #1: Your Interests Of course, your interests are an important part of picking a major. If you really dislike what you are studying, you will be miserable. Additionally, you won't be particularly motivated to complete your coursework. So it is essential that you are actually interested in what you are studying. As part of that, you should be able to envision yourself using at least some of the skills you are learning in your major in the workforce. With that said, people place differing premiums on how interested they need to be in their major. For some people, only studying their one true passion- be it Greek and Roman military history or tropical horticulture- will do. However, many people have several areas of interest that they could envision themselves pursuing. For example, I considered going to art school for a BFA. I also considered majoring in biology or in English. (I ended up majoring in folklore and mythology- more on that later.) The ultimate deciding factors in my major choice weren't necessarily related to what I was most passionate about, because I was genuinely very interested in everything I considered. Other factors came into play when I made my final decision. So your interests will likely guide you, but they may not be the primary deciding factor when you choose a major. You will also find that new interests arise when you get to college and you have access to more possible courses of study. When I arrived at college, I was able to take classes about religion and anthropology, which ultimately led me to the folklore and mythology program. So keep an open mind about your interests throughout the major selection process, especially once you arrive at school. Her intense love of potato chips led her to food science. #2: Your Abilities You should also consider what you're good at when you think about how to choose your major. This doesn't mean that you should definitely major in whatever you are best at in high school. For one thing, you will probably discover new talents in college as you take courses in areas that weren't available to you in high school. For another thing, the thing that you're "best" at is not necessarily what aligns best with all your other priorities and goals. The main principle here is that it's probably not a great idea to major in something that you know you are pretty weak in. If you've barely pulled C's in math all through high school, being a math major (or a similarly math-heavy major like engineering or physics) is probably not the best move. The bottom line is that you should be confident that you will be able to do well in most of your coursework in your area of study. #3: Future Employability When you think about how to pick your major, it makes sense to consider what kind of job prospects you will have once you have your degree. Will you be able to find a job? How hard will it be? Will you have to move to where the jobs are, or are there jobs everywhere? There are a few ways to approach these questions. You can research professions facing shortages to get an idea of areas where you would be likely to find employment. Professions facing shortages include nursing, engineering, various computer science disciplines, accounting and finance, and teaching. In addition to looking at shortages, you can look at growth industries. (Of course, there's overlap here; if there aren't enough skilled workers available to fill these growth industries, there will be a shortage! But it's a slightly different angle). Some industries currently experiencing growth include nursing and other allied health professionals, finance, and data science. Within those groups, there are tons of different kinds of jobs available, and a variety of potential majors could lead you into those industries. Note that there may or may not be a very clear link between a certain major and a certain job or industry. For some majors, it's fairly clear what sort of job(s) the degree will lead to. A degree in teaching will lead to teaching, a degree in nursing to nursing, and so on. For others, it's less clear. A degree in communications or sociology or public policy could lead to a variety of jobs. Thus, in terms of future employability, don't just think in terms of what job title you will be qualified for, because those things shift all the time. Think about the skills you will learn in your major, and how much those skills are in demand. For example, as data becomes a super-important part of the economy, skills related to data and data analysis are super-valuable. This includes skills in statistical analysis and database construction and architecture. Majors in statistics and computer science are good choices if you are hoping to meet that demand. Note also that employability and salary aren't one and the same. Teachers are notoriously underpaid, but if you do become a teacher, you will almost certainly be able to find a job. What does all this mean for you? Research the employability prospects associated with a particular major. Think about the skills you will learn and the potential jobs you could have, and check out the employment prospects for those skills and jobs. While this is far from foolproof- predicting job shortages and growth isn't 100% accurate- it still provides valuable information that can give you at least a general idea of whether you are likely to find a job easily or whether it will take more work and require more flexibility in location etc. on your part. The school you go to also plays somewhat into your general employability. At Ivy League and other top-ranked schools, most students are generally able to find jobs (even ones that are totally unrelated to what they studied) regardless of what they majored in. This is not as true at less selective schools, where graduates may struggle much more to find a job in some less marketable fields than in other more marketable ones. Job?! Where? #4: Future Income Potential You will probably also want to consider your future income potential at least somewhat when you think about how to pick a major. This is far from an exact science but still a valuable exercise. If having a high salary is important to you, you need to be realistic about your interests; professions like teaching and social work typically pay very poorly so those may not be the best bet for a major. By contrast, majors like computer science and engineering tend to have a sunny salary outlook. You can find lots of data on the median salary of graduates with particular majors. This is a valuable starting place. As you can see from the PayScale data, engineering, computer science, mathematics and finance-focused degrees dominate the list of best-paying majors. But it also includes physician assistant studies and government. By contrast, the lowest-paid majors tend to be concentrated in education, service industries, pastoral and religious studies, and social work and counseling. But the median and mid-career salary data here doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. For one thing, in some of these professions, there is a high degree of income variability: graphic designers, for example, are low-paid in general, but the highest paid graphic designers can easily command six-figure salaries. You certainly can't assume that you will be among the highest-paid in your field, but you should know when higher salaries are at least possible. Additionally, sometimes your ultimate income potential depends a lot on graduate school. Psychology majors are low-paid unless they get advanced degrees, in which case they get a huge salary bump. So if you're already intending on graduate school, this is something to keep in mind as you choose a major. You can use sites like PayScale and Glassdoor to investigate the income potential of various careers that might follow from majors that you are considering. Again, it's hard to predict exactly what your salary could be solely based on your major, especially long-term. But doing research can at least keep you in a realistic frame of mind. #5: Particular Career Interests You might also have a very specific goal, like becoming an astrophysicist, or a doctor, or a lawyer. Some (but not all) very specific career goals require specific majors, or at least specific courses and activities. For example, if you want to be an engineer, you have to get an engineering degree. If you want to be a doctor, you need to fulfill your med school prerequisites, or else you might have to complete an expensive post-baccalaureate pre-med program later. On the other hand, if you want to be a journalist, there are lots of majors that can accommodate that goal. And if you think you might want to go to business or law school, you have plenty of leeway in your choice of undergraduate major. If you do have a very specific goal that requires a particular academic path, that probably needs to be your top priority in how to pick a college major. Heart set on designing airplanes? You probably need to major in aeronautical engineering. How to Choose a Major: Before College There's a good chance that you will change your mind about your major at least once you get to college. You'll be exposed to a lot of options you didn't consider before. You'll also grow and change. However, there are still some things you can do before college that will help you figure out how to pick a major. Start Exploring Majors Early Your high school schedule may be pretty rigid, filled up every year with math, science, English, history/social studies, gym, and maybe a foreign language. This often leaves you with very few electives. However, there are still things you can do to explore different academic and career areas: Shadowing and interviewing: Shadowing and interviewing adults you know who have careers you are interested in is a great way to figure out what you might want to study. It can also help to learn how these people got to where they are now from their college days, since many people shift around throughout their careers until they are doing something quite different from what the originally studied! Reading books and articles: Reading nonfiction books and articles on a variety of subjects can also help you figure out what excites you academically. What topics do you find super-engaging, and what topics bore you to tears? This can give you some clues as to what you might want to investigate further in college when you are choosing a college major. Podcasts are another great resource for exploring different topics, especially because you can listen to them while you do chores or other mundane tasks! Summer activities: The summer is a great time to do a deeper dive on things you think you might be seriously interested in pursuing. Internships, camps, classes at community colleges, and volunteering opportunities are all excellent chances to become more immersed in subjects you may not regularly study at school. Volunteer at the arboretum! Take a photography class! Do a robotics camp! There are tons of possibilities. Lectures and events at local colleges: If you do live near any colleges or universities, you can take advantage of their open-to-the-public lectures and events! It's a good chance to hear professors talk about their work, which can help you consider if you might want to do similar academic work. With all that said, don't feel too panicked if you can only do mostly surface-level exploration into choosing a college major at this stage. High school is a high-pressure endeavor; you will be able to consider your interests as you get to college (and throughout your life!) Just do what you can and remain thoughtful and curious about possible courses of study. Major benefit to shadowing a vet: cute animals. Plan If You Have a Specific Long-Term Goal If you do have a very specific long-term career goal that typically requires particular schooling at the bachelor level (like engineering, teaching, or nursing), you will have to be more mindful about choosing a major and school while you are still in high school. If you already know you are interested in a particular major, it makes sense to apply to schools with strong programs in that area. Additionally, at many schools, you have to specifically apply to a certain major or academic area. While you should certainly keep exploring and keep an open mind, it's typically easier to transfer out of competitive divisions like engineering or nursing than to transfer into them. So it makes sense to apply to those divisions and then transfer out if you change your mind later. Select Schools and Programs Wisely Since we have tons of advice out there on choosing a college, I won't belabor this point. But when you are choosing schools, you should keep the following principles related to choosing a college major in mind: The less sure you are of your interests, the more flexibility you want at your school. If you have no idea what to major in, it's not a great idea to go somewhere where you have to declare what you are studying going in. You're better served going to a school where you can explore for at least two semesters before you have to declare. If you are very sure of your major, you should still consider what your situation will be if you change your mind. If you go to a school that is highly ranked for one program and poorly ranked for everything else, think about what you might do if you want to transfer out of that highly ranked program. Will you transfer schools? Or are you fine with the possibility of finishing in a less prestigious program than you started in? Or maybe you are just very, very confident that you won't change your mind! This also applies to things like going to art school; if you get there and decide the whole thing is not for you, your only real option is typically to transfer (at least within University divisions, if not to a different school completely). This isn't a reason not to do it, but it is something you should be aware of. Choices here, there, and everywhere. How to Choose a Major: During College Once you get to college, here's our six recommendations for how to pick a major: Find Out Your School's Process The first thing to do is to determine what is your school's process and timeline for declaring a major. You need to be aware of how much time you have to consider your options, and how to make it happen once you've made a choice. Note that at some schools, different majors may even have different deadlines for officially choosing a major, so be sure to look into this. Of course, if you had to declare a major going in, you've already done that process. In that case you should find out what the process is for switching majors in case you need to use it. Keep Exploring Now that you are actually at college, you will have even more chances to explore different potential areas of study. Your coursework can help you investigate subjects and departments of interest, of course. But you will also have opportunities to explore through on-campus events, lectures, and speakers. Many departments specifically host open houses and other events for prospective majors. Go to anything that seems intriguing, and try to keep an open mind. Note as you explore that there are lots of college major quizzes on the internet. Some universities even have their own "how to choose a major" quizzes, like this college major quiz from Marquette or this one from Loyala University in Chicago. While a how-to-choose-a-major quiz can definitely be a useful way to get some ideas, you'll need to do additional research on any majors you uncover this way. You'll want to make sure that the information from any "What major should I choose?" quiz is accurate and that the major ideas you get from it really align with your priorities and goals. So the bottom line on college major quizzes is that they are definitely a useful tool but hardly the be-all end-all of the major selection process. Make Your Schedule Multi-Task Many students spend their first semesters fulfilling some of their general education requirements. If you can, try to use those requirements to explore academic areas you may be interested in. If you have flexibility in the classes you can take to fulfill requirements, try to take ones taught by professors in departments you are interested in. Classes with a multidisciplinary focus are great for this, too. When I was a freshman I took a combination gender studies and English class about romance literature, and another combination East Asian studies and religion class about Buddhism. Both of these multidisciplinary courses helped me refine my interests- efficiently. Even if you don't have much control over your general requirements, try to view your requirements as an opportunity to explore academic areas you haven't examined before instead of just something to slog through. This will help you narrow possibilities when choosing a college major. Simon's class in botanical illustration let him explore his interests in art and biology at the same time! Meet With Advisors I'm using the term "advisors" broadly here. There are lots of people you can meet with who might have valuable insights about choosing a major. You probably have at least one school-assigned advisor. They can definitely be helpful, but you'll also want to seek out advice from people with more specialized knowledge about the programs you are most interested in. This includes: Department advisors: Most departments have advisors available to meet with prospective students in that major. Of course, they will probably try to sell you on their department, so they may be a little biased. But you can still get valuable information from them, like info on course requirements, advising structures, research opportunities, and so on. Current students in the program: Current students in majors that you are interested in can provide valuable information. They will give you the truth about the pros and cons of the program. They can tell you what you can expect from the major in terms of course load, advising, class sizes, teaching quality, and other things that can impact your experience. Additionally, you should speak with seniors in the program about their goals and what's next for them. This can help you get an idea of the possibilities available to recent graduates. Alumni: Take advantage of your school's alumni network. You can talk to alumni who have careers you find interesting and ask them what they studied and how they got where they are. You can also talk to recent alumni who majored in programs you are considering and ask them for their thoughts on the program. Most schools have alumni directory sites with contact information. While some graduates may be too busy to talk to you, many will be receptive. Some schools even have mentoring programs where you can get an alumni mentor who is a working professional in a field that you are interested in. Keep Refining Your Priorities Keep thinking about what you are looking for in a major. It's likely that your priorities will shift over time, especially as you get more information and experience in college. So continue doing research about potential industries, careers, skills, and so on that you might want to pursue, and keep thinking about what's most important to you. It might be helpful to keep some kind of journal with all of your thoughts on potential majors and careers, as well as your goals. Be Realistic About Downsides Every major does have some downsides, and it's important to be realistic about the negative things about any potential major. Here are some things to consider: How large are most classes? If you have a preference for small courses but you'll be required to take many large lectures, it may be hard for you to get the most out of that course of study. How robust is advising support? Are advisors accessible and receptive, or hard to reach? How is job placement for the department? Is there adequate support for students trying to find jobs or go to graduate school? How prestigious is the program? At some universities, there's lots of variation between departments in prestige. You can most likely get lots of this information by talking to current and former students of a given department. You can also do your own research into things like program prestige and job placement. Downsides certainly don't have to be deal-breakers- they are just things to be mindful of as you go about choosing a major in college. After all, no major is all upside. Lots of early classes in your department? You may need to hit the coffee hard. Special Situations for Choosing a College Major In this section, we'll discuss some special situations about picking a major, including changing majors in college, double majoring (and minoring), and creating your own major. Switching Majors How do you know when switching majors in college is a good idea? There's no hard and fast rule as to when changing majors is a good move, but here are three things to consider: How Sure You Are If you know that you aren't happy in your current major but you aren't sure what you want to switch into, it may be best to take some time off. During that time off, you can figure out what you want to study through things like internships, shadowing, MOOCs, reading, and other exploratory activities. Otherwise, you risk spending some very expensive semesters dithering around on campus while you try to figure out what you're really interested in. It doesn't make sense to spend seven years getting your bachelor's degree because you switch majors every semester. How Close You Are to Finishing If you are a senior and/or very close to finishing your program, it may make the most sense to finish out your degree and pursue graduate studies in whatever your new interest is. In other words, switching majors late in college is not always the best choice. It's usually better to spend six years in school and end up with a bachelor's and a master's than to spend six years in school and just end up with a bachelor's. Most fields do have graduate degrees for people who are just entering into the field, and you can typically (though not always) command a slightly higher salary with a Master's degree as compared to just a bachelor's. So do your research into your prospects with respect to graduate school. How Expensive It Will Be Remember that no matter what, you can't recoup the cost of what you've already completed. Acting to try to protect what you've already spent is known as the sunk-cost fallacy. So if it won't cost you much more going forward to change degrees, there's not really much downside. But as we mentioned above, if it will be as expensive to finish a different bachelor's as it would be to get your current bachelor's and then a master's in what you really want, it may be a better use of your money to finish out the bachelor's and then get the master's. But, again, do your research on the relative return-on-investment of a bachelor's vs. an entry-level master's in your new desired field. We go into this a bit more in our analysis of when it's worth getting a master's degree here. Your education is a valuable diamond. And possibly as expensive as one. Double Majors and Minors Are you torn between two pretty different fields? Double majoring may be the answer. If you're interested in investigating this possibility, here are some things to find out: Do you have to integrate the majors in any way? Some schools that allow double majoring require students to integrate the two courses of study in some way, often through a thesis or other project. If you are really interested in both majors, you may consider this a feature, not a bug. Of course, some majors may be harder to integrate than others: Religion and history? Great! Math and English? More of a stretch. Can you waive or double-dip on requirements? Can you count classes towards both majors? Depending on how different the majors are, this might be difficult anyways, but it's worth finding out. Also, sometimes departments will let you waive some requirements if you are a double-major (typically departmental electives). That makes double-majoring less difficult. Can you make the schedule work? Because of the increased burden of requirements, you'll need to pay close attention to your schedule. You'll also need to do a lot of advance planning to make sure that you can actually fit in all of your requirements for both majors. It's not uncommon for people who double-major to spend an extra semester on campus to finish everything up. So if spending an extra semester of tuition is a concern, it's extra-important to make sure you can fit in everything in time. If double-majoring is too onerous or impractical, another way to accommodate multiple interests is to minor in something. A minor typically requires 4-6 classes in a given academic area and typically shows up on your diploma. It's a good way to get some grounding in a different field without the commitment and rigidity of double-majoring. As with double majors, however, it's important to plan carefully if you want a minor to make sure you can meet all the requirements you need to. I was actually one class away from two different minors, but because I didn't plan very well, I didn't end up getting either. One of my final classes in my major conflicted with my remaining requirements for each of the minors. Creating Your Own Major Some schools allow you to design your own major. At most schools that allow this, you need to have a pretty specific, cohesive plan about what that major will be. So you can't just use this option to avoid actually selecting a course of study. On the contrary, this option is the best for people who have a very clear idea of what they want to study and want to closely hone in on a topic. I knew people who designed their own majors in things like global migration and climate change. These are very particular topics that lend themselves to a create-your-own major situation. Some schools do allow you to major in something very vague like "liberal arts" or "humanities." These courses of study often have few requirements and offer lots of flexibility in coursework. While this may be appealing, you do run somewhat of a risk of seeming like an aimless dilettante (both to employers and graduate schools). Daphne wants to major in the interpretation of oracles. Parting Thoughts: Your Major Choice Is Not Your Destiny While you should not take choosing a college major lightly, don't allow the weight of the decision to keep you frozen in place. It's great to ponder questions like "What college major is right for me?" or "Which major should I choose?" But if you're thinking anything like "What if I change my mind later and I'm stuck forever" or "Will choosing the wrong major ruin my life" take some deep breaths. Your choice of major will have some repercussions for your professional life, and pretending otherwise is unrealistic. However, it absolutely will not lock you into a particular destiny for your entire life. As a point of personal experience, I majored in Folklore and Mythology, worked in the health insurance industry after graduation, and then got a Master's degree in Public Health. I don't regret my choice of major at all, and I still think I made the right choice. But it was also pretty clearly not the defining decision of my academic and professional life. It did not set me on one fixed path forever. The truth is that it's often hard to predict exactly where a particular degree will lead. New jobs will exist when you graduate that didn't exist when you started college. (Of course, lots of old jobs- like teacher- will still exist, too.) The bottom line is that while you should choose a major thoughtfully, you shouldn't be worried that your choice of major will lock you onto a particular life track that you can never deviate from. Don't be trapped by the idea that you might make the "wrong" decision. You'll learn valuable skills in college- and beyond- no matter what your major. Your major is not a trap! Key Takeaways: How to Choose Your Major If you've been asking yourself "What should I major in in college?" we've got the advice that you need. The truth is that there's no one foolproof method for how to choose a major in college. The most important thing is to figure out your own priorities and go from there. Here are some factors you might want to consider when you go about choosing a college major: Your interests: what do you find enjoyable and interesting? Your abilities: what are you good at? Future employability: How easy (or hard) will it be for you to find a job? Future income potential: Are you aiming for a particular income bracket Particular career interests: Do you have a specific professional interest that requires particular coursework or a particular major, or do your career interests allow for more flexibility in your major? Here are some things you can do while you are still in high school to prepare for choosing a college major: Start exploring majors early: use your free time, extracurriculars, and summer activities as a chance to explore subject areas you are interested in. Plan if you have a specific long-term goal: if you know you have a specific career goal, plan your major and program choice in advance. Select schools and programs wisely: if you are less sure of your major, look for more flexibility in declaring a major at your schools of choice. And here's how to pick a major in college in six steps: Find out your school's process for declaring a major (and any deadlines!) Keep exploring potential majors and departments. Make your schedule multi-task by using requirements to investigate potential majors. Meet with advisors, current students, and alumni to get the scoop on the departments you are most interested in. Keep refining your priorities and doing research to make sure the majors that you are considering align with your goals. Be realistic about the downsides of potential majors- no major is all upside. We also discussed switching majors, double majors and minors, and creating your own major! You're all prepared for this major decision now. What's Next? We have more information on the best-paying college majors and the majors with the worst financial and employment outlook. If you're just looking for a low-stress major, don't worry- we have a guide for that, too. Interested in becoming a doctor? Want to study law? Or is teaching (or becoming a professor) more your style? We have guides to help you pursue your interests! Need help choosing colleges? We have a guide to making a college list. We can also recommend the three best college finders and which college ranking lists you should read. 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:

Impact of Rise in Price of Gasoline Research Paper - 6

Impact of Rise in Price of Gasoline - Research Paper Example Gasoline is the complement of automobiles. The decrease in the supply of gasoline is likely to push its price up. Hike in price of compliment tends to decrease the demand for the good. In this case, the demand for both luxury cars and economy cars will decrease. However, due to the different nature of luxury and economy cars, their demand will decrease in different proportions in response to change in the price of gasoline. Luxury cars are likely to consume more gasoline hence their demand likely to be more responsive to increase in the price of gasoline relative to economy cars that are fuel-efficient and take a relatively little portion of consumption. Demand for luxury cars will, thus, decrease more than that of economy cars. These impacts are shown in the following figures. The horizontal axis shows the demand and supply quantity of luxury cars and the y-axis represents their price. Initial equilibrium lies at point E1 where demand curve D1intersects supply curve S. Due to increasing in price of gasoline demand curve shifts leftward i-e D2. The new equilibrium is E2, where equilibrium quantity has decreased from Q1 to Q2 and equilibrium price, has fallen from P1 to P2. In the case of economy cars, the same phenomena would repeat. The demand curve for the economy cars will shift to the left representing decreased demand for economy cars due to a rise in the price of gasoline. However, the extent of decrement in the demand for economy cars is likely to be lesser relative to that of luxury cars. As shown in the diagram below, X-axis shows the quantity demanded and supplied of economy cars and Y-axis shows their corresponding price. Due to the rise in the price of gasoline demand curve D1 shifts leftward and new demand curve D2 appears. Initial equilibrium lies at point E1 where equilibrium quantity is Q1 and the equilibrium price is P1. New demand curve D2 intersects supply curve S at point E2.  At new equilibrium, E2 equilibrium quantity is Q2 and the equilibrium price is P2.

The state of the real estate market in UK (2010) Assignment

The state of the real estate market in UK (2010) - Assignment Example More and more real estate developers and investors are pessimistic about Britain. They are of the opinion that fast recovery in the near future is not at all evident. Every body is recommending the investors not to invest in Britain. Industry pundits point out about the sorry picture of real estate markets in UK. They say that investment in the yield generating properties in UK is similar like purchasing a bond that is unlinked to inflation and which yields around 7%. Therefore it is not necessary to go to UK for that. Bonds can be purchased from other countries that yield mare than that. Even prime locations in UK including London don’t attract big investors in real estate now (Rochvarger.2009). In UK the economic situation has declined over the years due the after effect of the financial crisis. The rate of unemployment is higher and industrial production has gone down. All these factors have influenced the real estate markets severely. Many borrowers have failed to pay or d efaulted in their mortgages. This has resulted in forced sales of large number of properties at declining prices. As a result of increased sales, the supply side is on the high. This has resulted in a steep decline in prices because of no supplementary increase in demand. Another important factor that has negatively affected the real estate market in UK is the state of the currency market. ... The current situation in the UK real estate market has made it a buyers market rather than sellers market. Sellers’ often tend to lose their money through real estate transactions. People are taking their own time now to find the right property for them in the UK market. Although the number of buyers is limited or few, they are offered a wide choice where the prices are low and are really negotiable. Moreover the drop of pound against euro has definitely made an effect on the UK buyers of properties (Latest news from the Languedoc. 2009). The real estate market in UK includes buying and selling of properties and letting of dwellings as well as other related business support activities. In 2006, the gross value in this sector amounted to 83037 million pounds. The property market in UK boomed till 2008 when the great financial crisis hit the economy. The increase was due to variety of reasons ranging from low interest rates, growth in credit and economic growth, high employment, foreign investments and planning restrictions on new housing. All these upward levels came down since 2008. Currently the market does not show any kinds of positive signs even though other European real estate markets in France and some Scandinavian countries have shown signs of revival (UK Economy. 2011). UK Economy, UK Economic Profile, British Economy, United Kingdom Economy, Even though the real estate markets have shown a downwards trend since 2008, no real boosting measures for the sector was put forward by the government. Recently the chancellor announced 100 million pound assistance for filling potholes in his budget but little allocation was made to the housing and

Geography Resource Question Essay Example for Free

Geography Resource Question Essay Study figure 4 – what evidence is there to suggest Wem needs re-branding? Using figure 4, it is very apparent to me that Wem needs re-branding. The statement â€Å"the town hall is vacant† means that important council meetings can be held so no changes can be decided on. The fact that it is vacant shows a lack of interest in the community, which makes it not a very desirable place to live. The next statement from a local businessperson â€Å"Too many shops are shut-it’s like a dying place†, is an example of de-population as there aren’t enough people in the area to spend money locally. This creates a lack of jobs which eventually leads to deprivation. People have a low income and usually poor health and housing conditions, so the younger, more qualified people move to where there are jobs (brain drain). Another indicator from figure 4 that suggests Wem needs re-branding is the fact that North Shropshire District Council are asking how they can better market Wem’s market town image. This implies that it has a bad image – or they would not need to better it. Places only usually have a bad image when they show signs of deindustrialisation, depopulation, dereliction or deprivation and therefore need re-branding. Also, elderly resident states how the swimming pool was nearly closed in 2004 and that it is only open ‘on a shoestring’. The fact that it nearly closed and is still in danger of doing so is a sign of deprivation and shows that the town lacks stability. If it did close there would be an even larger lack of jobs and it would reduce Wem’s sphere of influence. A mother of two shows that Wem has a low sphere of influence already. She says â€Å"I prefer to shop in Shrewsbury which is only 6 miles away†. It also shows that Wem lacks chain stores, which drives people away from the town centre meaning less money spent there causing shops to close like previously mentioned. Even people that say positive things about Wem still suggests indirectly that it needs re-branding. â€Å"It’s a wonderful place to retire to†, creates an ageing population which puts pressure on services such as health care and creates a need for more care workers. Elderly people have a low income and are not able to spend much in shops, therefore less money is put back into Wem’s economy. This is called Grey Pounds. It also creates a de-multiplier effect. â€Å"Good High School here-100% A-Level passes† is also a negative thing because it means a lot of people with good qualifications have to move away to get jobs – the brain drain. This creates de-population and also an even larger ageing population. The last statement from a business commuter talks about reasonable house prices. They are reasonable because Wem is in a spiral of decline and shows signs of depreciation so very few people want to move there, meaning owners have to lower house prices.

Death of a Salesman Essay -- essays research papers fc

Death of a salesman The Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller is a controversial play of a typical American family and their desire to live the American dream â€Å"Rather than a tragedy or failure as the play is often described. Death of a Salesman dramatizes a failure of [that] dream† (Cohn 51). The story is told through the delusional eyes and mind of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman of 34 years, whose fantasy world of lies eventually causes him to suffer an emotional breakdown. Willy’s wife, Linda, loves and supports Willy despite all his problems, and continually believes in his success and that of their no good lazy sons, Biff and Happy. The play takes place in 1942, in Willy and Linda’s home, a dilapidated shack on the outskirts of a slum. Willy has spent his whole life teaching and believing that you can achieve success by your appearance and by making yourself as amiable as possible. Eventually Willy begins to fabricate stories at himself to be able to live with himself be cause he can’t meet his own expectations. He falls deeper into his lies, making himself and his family suffer for it. (Thesis). In the play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller proves he is America’s social critic when he criticizes Willy’s relationship concerning his family, his lack of success in achieving his goals and his dreams along with his inner turmoil and personal collapse which result in suicide. In the onset of the play, Willy told Linda that you â€Å"work a lifetime to pay of a house. You finally own it, and there is nobody to live in it† (Cohn 56). This quote shows how Willy strives his whole life to make a home for his family and by the time he sees the realization of that one dream, his family has drifted apart and he is alone with his haunting thoughts and his ghosts. Willy has such high expectations for himself and his sons, and when they all failed to accomplish their dreams, they were unable to accept each other for what they truly were. Willy raised Biff with the idea that success depends on whether or not a person can sell himself and not how smart a person is. Biff’s tragic flaw is his acceptance of Willy’s values and not creating any of his own. When Biff realizes his father is a fake, he becomes a lost individual and he does not speak to his father for 14 years. In Willy’s family it is always Biff who receives recognition, however, H appy strives for attention too... ...sm CLC.2 . Detroit: Indiana University press. 1971. 68-96. Bibliography Bloom, Harold. Major Literary Characters: Willy Loman. New York: Chelsea House, 1991. Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations: Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Cohn, Ruby. â€Å"The Articulate Victims of Arthur Miller†. Contemporary Literary Criticism CLC.2 . Detroit: Indiana University press. 1971. 68-96. Driver, Tom F. Saturday Review. Contemporary Literary Criticism. CLC.2.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Detroit: James Brown Associates. 1970. Magill, N Frank. â€Å"Arthur Miller.† Vol.4 of Magills Survey of American Literature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Salem Press. Inc, 1991. Murray, Edward. â€Å"Arthur Miller.† Contemporary Literary Criticism.† Vol.6.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Detroit: Gak Research, 1987. Perkins, George, Barbara Perkins and Phillip Leiniger. â€Å"Arthur Miller.† Readers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Encyclopedia of American Literature. 1991. Simon, John. â€Å"Arthur Miller.† Contemporary Literacy Criticism. Vol.2. Detroit   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NYM Corp. 1972.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Food Intake Essay

The Encyclopedia of Women’s Health (2004) defines nutrition as the sum of processes involved with the consumption of food. The human body depends on nutrients from carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, and fiber to function. Nutrition, exercise, and an appropriate diet work cohesively to maintain that the body is working productively and at full capacity. This week’s assignment required the recording of daily food intakes for a span of three days. Data from each meal was inputted into the IProfile food journal program, and reports were evaluated to determine how nutrition, diet, and physical activity are dependent on each other and impact health. The daily food journal allowed detailed imputation of realistic consumption products and studied information centered on individual particulars of weight, age, and physical actions. Daily Intake A three-day span of meal entries was inputted to the iProfile journal. Meals were chronicled around breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Protein, carbohydrates, and lipids were included in my daily meals. Within the span of three days, I indulged in both healthy and unhealthy meal choices based on convenience and strategic meal scheduling. Proteins were an essential portion of my meals, which consisted of baked chicken, honey baked ham, hot dog, grilled chicken, eggs, and baked fish. Carbohydrates are indispensable for nutrition as the digestive system converts carbohydrates into glucose and into energy needed by the cells, tissues, and organs. Lack of carbohydrates will result in feelings of fatigue and weakness (Medline Plus, 2012). I consumed a large amount of carbohydrates within the time constraints. My carbohydrate count was to stay within 248-358 of which my intake was 299 g (University of Phoenix, 2012). Carbohydrates can be found in fruits, vegetables, breads, grains, milk, and products that contain sugar. Some foods high in carbohydrate content are toast, jasmine rice, stuffing, lemon, cake, avocado, bread pudding, and corn. Lipids, also referred to as triglyceride, are a kind of fat that can be found in both plant and animal products. The body needs lipids to generate energy, but a surplus in lipid intake contributes to the development of heart disease (Nall, 2011). The honey baked ham and chicken that my family enjoyed did have a fatty film of saturated fat. I also tend to cook with milk and butter that is another saturated fat. On top of my bread pudding on Saturday was a tablespoon scoop of vanilla ice cream. Personal Intake After reviewing foods that provide the body with protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, it was imperative to review my own personal intakes. My personal intake for the duration of the study was 2011kcal with my recommended DRI at 2204 kcal. Most of my daily intakes were within the recommended range, but there are areas within my diet that I need to adjust. Protein My protein DRI was to stay within 55-193g of which I consumed 72 g still within the recommend range for my individual parameters. Proteins are essential for growth, tissue repair, and enzyme protection (Cespedes, 2012). This project was eye-opening as I realized the need to manage and balance what I eat with my physical activity to offset my consumption intakes. Complete Protein It is noteworthy that majority of the meals I consumed centered on complete proteins. Some meals had both complete protein and incomplete protein such as rice and corn. A complete protein source affords all necessary amino acids and is referred to as high quality proteins including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). I was pleasantly surprised to discover my meal portions consist of complete proteins containing vital amino acids. Fiber From the data collected over the three days, my total fiber does not meet the suggested DRI. The preferred DRI of fiber for a person of my characteristics and lifestyle was 25 g, whereas my fiber total was 14 g. I do agree that the intake was correct, and while my intention is to eat more fiber based products, I tend to limit myself as my husband’s diet is fiber limited as he has Crohn’s Disease. The iProfile site highlights that my current diet does not meet the minimum servings of foods from each fiber group. While I had thought that I was consuming a substantial amount of vegetables and fruits both areas are below standard intake. The food products that afforded me the most fiber was cornmeal stuffing, rice, strawberry, bread, and lemons. The products that offer the least fiber benefit were ham, ice cream, and processed macaroni and cheese. Reading over the reports I noticed that my meal trends tend to center on main proteins. I need to remember to efficiently balance more vegetables and fruits such as peas, carrots, bananas, and raspberries. Fiber is vital as the body needs fiber to digest. Fiber also reduces the development of colorectal and gastrointestinal cancer (Zelman, 2012). Staying within the macronutrient intake range is important as deficiency in any nutrient can impact energy level, growth, and ability to function. Eating too much protein can lead to osteoporosis, whereas if deficiency in saturated fat can lead to coronary artery disease (Cespedes, 2012). While I did stay within the recommended range, I do see areas of improvement particularly eating more lean meats lowering my saturated fats and incorporating more fruits into my diet as it was fairly existent. The project did not provide the results I was expecting. I found that the process allowed for me to really understand how important nutrition, diet, and exercise are for my health. I need to consume more food products that contain calcium, potassium, vitamins D, A, E, and K. I also need to look at portions and type of products I am cooking limiting the sodium intake as I was excessively over my DRI. Including more fiber-based fruits and vegetables can help ensure that my body is digesting the nutrients my body needs to function adequately. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html Cespedes, A. (2012). Livestrong. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/553038-what-happens-if-my-macronutrient-int

Analysis of Solutions Containing Essay

This experiment continues the qualitative analysis begun in Experiment 19. Here we will be analyzing solutions to determine the presence of anions. The same techniques that were used for the cation analysis must be used for the anions. If you have not carried out Experiment 19, read the introductory section before starting this experiment. The major difference between cation and anion analysis is that in anion analysis, a series of separations of the ions from one another is usually not the most efficient way to determine their presence. Instead, only some separations will be made, and the initial test solution will be used to test many of the ions. Refer to the flow chart at the end of the experimental directions as you proceed. First you will prepare and analyze a â€Å"known† solution which contains all six of the anions. Then you will analyze an â€Å"unknown† solution using the same techniques, to determine the presence or absence of each anion. Most of the acids and bases used are very concentrated and can cause chemical burns if spilled. Handle   them with care. Wash acid or base spills off of yourself with lots of water. Small spills (a few drops)   can be cleaned up with paper towels. Larger acid spills can be neutralized with baking soda, NaHCO3,  and then safely cleaned up. Neutralize base spills with a vinegar solution (dilute acetic acid). Some of   the compounds are poisonous. Wash your hands when finished. Solutions containing silver ions and potassium permanganate solutions cause stains which do not appear immediately. If you suspect that you spilled any of these solutions on yourself, wash off with soap and  water. Wear Chemical Splash Goggles and a Chemical-Resistant Apron. Preparation of a Solution for Analysis. Prepare a known solution containing 1 mL of each of the anions to be tested. This solution will be   referred to as the original test solution.  Your teacher will provide you with an â€Å"unknown† solution to be analyzed. Note that the following directions are written for a â€Å"known† solution that contains all of the anions. An   Ã¢â‚¬Å"unknown† solution will probably not form all of the products described in this procedure. You should  make note of any differences as you analyze your â€Å"unknown† solution. Aqueous solutions of all of the anions to be tested are colorless. The positive ion associated with each   of the anions will be either sodium or potassium ion. 1. Separation of the Halides (Cl-, Br-, I-); Confirmation of Chloride. The halides all form insoluble silver compounds. Silver chloride is a white solid, silver bromide is pale cream-colored solid, and the solid silver iodide is light yellow in color. Cl-(aq) + Ag+(aq) AgCl(s) Br-(aq) + Ag+(aq) AgBr(s) I-(aq) + Ag+(aq) AgI(s) Silver chloride is the only silver halide that dissolves in 6 M ammonia, NH3, forming the colorless ion Ag(NH3)2+. If nitric acid, HNO3, is added to a solution containing this ion, the ammonia in the complex reacts with hydrogen ions to form ammonium ions, and the silver recombines with the chloride ions which are still present in solution. AgCl(s) + 2 NH3(aq) Ag(NH3)2+(aq)+ (aq) Ag(NH3)2+ (aq) + (aq) + 2 H+(aq) AgCl(s) + 2 NH4+(aq) Place 10 drops of the original test solution (or unknown solution) in a test tube. Test to see if the solution is acidic. If it is not, add 6 M acetic acid, HC2H3O2, dropwise with stirring until the solution is acidic. Add 10 drops of 0.1 M silver nitrate, AgNO3. A precipitate of AgCl, AgBr, and AgI will form. Centrifuge and pour off the supernatant liquid. Wash the solid with 0.5 mL distilled water, centrifuge and discard the wash water. Add 0.5 mL 6 M ammonia, NH3, to the precipitate. Stir to dissolve any AgCl. Centrifuge, and pour the supernatant liquid into another test tube to test for chloride ion. Discard the precipitate of AgBr and AgI in a container provided for disposal of waste solutions. Add 1 mL 6 M nitric acid, NHO3, to the solution containing the dissolved silver chloride. The solution will get hot and smoke from the reaction with the excess ammonia whether or not silver chloride is present. Test with litmus or pH paper to see if the solution is acidic. If it is not, add more HNO3 until the solution is acidic. The appearance of the white precipitate of AgCl in the acidic solution confirms the presence of chloride. 2. Separation and Confirmation of Bromide and Iodide. In acid solution, iron(III) ion, Fe3+, is a weak oxidizing agent capable of oxidizing the easily oxidized iodide ion to iodine. Bromide and other ions present will not interfere. The nonpolar iodine will preferentially dissolve in nonpolar mineral oil, where it can be identified by its pink to violet color. 2 I-(aq) + 2 Fe3+(aq) I2(aq) + 2 Fe2+ KMnO4 is a stronger oxidizing agent than the iron (III) nitrate and will oxidize bromide, Br-, to bromine, Br2. Other ions present will not interfere. The nonpolar bromine can be extracted into nonpolar mineral oil where it can be identified by its characteristic yellow to brown color. 10 Br-(aq) + 2 MnO4-(aq) + 16 H+(aq) 5 Br2(aq) + 2 Mn2+(aq) + 8 H2O(l) Place 10 drops of the original test solution (or unknown solution) in a test tube. Add 6 M HNO3 dropwise with stirring until the solution is acidic. Add 1 mL 0.1 M Fe(NO3)3 in 0.6 M HNO3 solution and stir. Then add 1 mL of mineral oil, stopper the test tube with a cork stopper and shake for 30 seconds. The presence of a pale pink to purple color in the mineral oil layer (the top layer) due to dissolved iodine confirms the presence of I- in the original solution. Draw the mineral oil layer off the solution with a capillary dropper and discard in the container provided for waste solutions. Add 0.1 M KMnO4 solution dropwise with stirring until the solution remains pink. Again add 1 mL mineral oil, cork and shake the test tube for 30 seconds. The presence of a yellow to brown color in the mineral oil layer due to dissolved bromine confirms the presence of Br- in the original solution. Discard the solution in the container provided. 3. Confirmation of Carbonate. In acid solution, carbonate forms carbon dioxide gas and water. The carbon dioxide may be seen as a   slight effervescence. Carbon dioxide is less soluble in hot water than cold water. When carbon dioxide gas is passed through a saturated solution of barium hydroxide, it readily forms a precipitate of white barium carbonate. CO3 2-(aq) + 2 H+(aq) CO2(g) + H2O(l) CO2(g) + Ba2+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq) BaCO3(s) + H2O(l) If any bubbles were formed when acid was added to the original solution, carbonate is probably present and carbon dioxide is being formed. A confirmation of the presence of carbonate involves reacting evolving carbon dioxide with barium hydroxide to form white, insoluble barium carbonate. Place 2 mL of clear, saturated Ba(OH)2 solution in a test tube to be available for the test with carbon dioxide. Place 1 mL of the original test solution (or unknown solution) in a different test tube. Acidify this solution by adding 0.5 mL of 6 M HNO3. Place the tube in a hot water bath and observe to see if any gas bubbles form. Take a dry Beral pipet and squeeze the bulb closed. Place the tip of the pipet close to (but not touching) the surface of the liquid in the test tube and slowly release the bulb to draw escaping carbon dioxide into the pipet. Put the pipet into the  barium hydroxide solution, and slowly squeeze the bulb, causing the gas in the pipet to bubble through the barium hydroxide solution. This procedure may be repeated. The formation of a cloudy white precipitate of barium carbonate confirms the presence of carbonate ion in the original solution. 4. Confirmation of Sulfate. The test for sulfate is the formation of white, insoluble barium sulfate. This solid is insoluble even in acidic solution. SO4 2-(aq) + Ba2+(aq) BaSO4(s) Place 0.5 mL of the original test solution (or unknown solution) in a test tube. Add 6 M nitric acid, HNO3, dropwise until the solution is acidic. Then add 0.5 mL 0.1 M BaCl2 solution. The formation of a white precipitate of BaSO4 confirms the presence of sulfate. 5. Confirmation of Nitrate. The test for nitrate involves the reduction of nitrate ions in basic solution to ammonia, NH3, using solid aluminum as the reducing agent. When the solution is heated, ammonia gas is liberated. The evolving ammonia gas will turn litmus paper from pink to blue. 3 NO3 –(aq) + 8 Al(s) + 5 OH -(aq) + 18 H2O(l) 3 NH3(g) + 8 Al(OH)4 –(aq) Place 1 mL of the original test solution (or unknown solution) in a test tube. Add 6 M NaOH dropwise until the solution is basic, and then add 6 drops in excess. Use a Beral pipet to transfer the solution to the bottom of a dry test tube without getting the walls of the test tube wet with solution. Add the tip of a spatula of aluminum granules. Place a small cotton wad loosely about halfway down the test tube, but not touching the solution. This is to prevent spattering of the solution onto the litmus paper. Hang a piece of moist red litmus paper (or pH paper) in the tube so that the bottom of the paper is close to (but not touching) the cotton. Now  warm the solution in a hot water bath until it starts bubbling strongly. Be sure that the solution and the cotton do not touch the litmus paper. Allow the solution to cool. A slow color change (within 3 to 5 minutes) of the litmus from pink to blue, starting at the bottom and spreading to the top, indicates the evolution of ammonia and confirms the presence of nitrate in the original solution. Disposal Your teacher will provide a waste container for the solutions used in this experiment. The teacher will add solid zinc and some sodium sulfate to the waste collected. The substances may be safely disposed of using the method in the Flinn Chemical Catalog / Reference Manual, suggested disposal method #11 (procedure B). See the appendix. Discussion In your laboratory discussion include answers to the following questions: 1. The confirmatory test for chloride ion with silver ion is the same chemical reaction used to confirm silver in the cation analysis scheme. Explain what the reaction is and how the initial precipitate is dissolved and reprecipitated. Use equations in your explanation. 2. The procedure for chloride analysis makes use of the fact that AgCl can be dissolved in ammonia, but neither AgBr nor AgI will dissolve in ammonia. Look up the solubility products of AgCl, AgBr and AgI and show how their relative solubilities agree with this fact. 3. Refer to a table of standard reduction potentials to find the values for the reduction of Cl2, Br2, I2, MnO4-, and Fe3+. List the reduction reactions according to the E º values. From the listing determine which of the halides can be oxidized by Fe3+ and which can be oxidized by acidic MnO4-. 4. Explain why it is necessary to test for iodide by oxidation with Fe3+ before the test for bromide by oxidation with MnO4- is done. 5. Write separate oxidation and reduction half-reactions for the procedure used in the test for nitrate ions. 6. In the nitrate test, why must care be taken to keep the moist litmus from coming in contact with the cotton or the solution?

Life and Legend of Howard Hughes essays

Life and Legend of Howard Hughes essays The Life and Legend of Howard Hughes Throughout the 20th century, it has been the medias job to pinpoint what events and people would prove to be an effective story. This was certainly the case for Howard R. Hughes. Son to the wealthy Howard Hughes Sr., Howard became the interest of the American people and newspapers for most of his life. Being deemed one of the most famous men of the mid-20th century was greatly attributed to Hughess skills as an industrialist, aviator, and motion-picture producer combined with his enormous wealth, intellect, and achievement. The media thrived on Howards unusual and sometimes scandalous life, especially in his later years when newspapers would frequently front large amounts of money to get stories on Hughes. Howard was also associated with what has been called one of the greatest publishing hoaxes in history. Howard Hughes Sr., commonly known as Big Howard, was a graduate of the Harvard School of Law, yet never once appeared before a court of law. Big Howard spent the first 36 years of his life chasing money across the Texas plains, as a wildcatter and a speculator in oil leases, working hard enough and earning just enough to move on to another, hopefully more fortunate gamble. In the year of his marriage, Big Howard sold leases on land that proved to have $50,000 in oil beneath it. He promptly took his new wife to Europe for a honeymoon, and returned exactly $50,000 poorer. In 1908, Big Howard turned his ingenuity and his hobby to tinker into good fortune. Current drilling technology was unable to penetrate the thick rock of southwest Texas and oilmen could only extract the surface layers of oil, unable to tap the vast resources that lay far below. Big Howard came up with the idea for a rolling bit, with 166 cutting edges and invented a method to keep the bit lubricated as it to re away at the rock. Later that year, Big Howard produced a model and went into b...

President Barack Obama and Gun Rights

President Barack Obama and Gun Rights In the run-up to the 2008 presidential election, many gun owners worried about the consequences of victory for Democrat candidate Barack Obama. Given Obama’s record as an Illinois state senator, where he stated his support for an all-out ban on handguns, among other gun control stances, pro-gun advocates were concerned that gun rights might suffer under an Obama presidential administration.   National Rifle Association Executive Director Wayne LaPierre  said prior to the 2008 election that â€Å"never in NRAs history have we faced a presidential candidate - and hundreds of candidates running for other offices - with such a deep-rooted hatred of firearm freedoms.†Ã‚   After Obama’s election, gun sales reached a record pace as gun owners snatched up guns, particularly those that had been branded assault weapons under the defunct 1994 assault weapons ban, out of an apparent fear that Obama would crack down on gun ownership. The Obama presidency, however, had limited impact gun rights. Obama’s Gun Record as State Lawmaker When Obama was running for the Illinois state senate in 1996, the Independent Voters of Illinois, a Chicago-based non-profit, issued a questionnaire asking if candidates supported legislation to â€Å"ban the manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns,† to â€Å"ban assault weapons† and to instate â€Å"mandatory waiting periods and background checks† for gun purchases. Obama answered yes on all three accounts. When that survey came to light during his run for the White House in 2008, Obama’s campaign said that a staffer had filled out the survey and that some of the answers did not represent Obama’s views, â€Å"then or now.† Obama also cosponsored legislation to limit handgun purchases to one per month. He also voted against letting people violate local weapons bans in cases of self-defense and stated his support for the District of Columbia’s handgun ban that was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008. He also called it a â€Å"scandal† that President George W. Bush did not authorize a renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban. During the 2008 campaign, Obama said that he had â€Å"no intention of taking away folks’ guns,† but added that he would support â€Å"reasonable, thoughtful gun control measures† that respected the Second Amendment while also â€Å"cracking down on the various loopholes that exist.† He expressed his intent, as president, to make sure law enforcement was given access to information that would allow them to trace guns used in crimes back to â€Å"unscrupulous gun dealers.† Obama and Assault Weapons Just weeks after Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, attorney general Eric Holder announced at a press conference that the Obama administration would be seeking a renewal of the expired ban on assault weapons. â€Å"As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons,† Holder said. To gun owners wary of increased pressure on gun rights, the announcement seemed to serve as validation of their pre-election fears. But the Obama administration dismissed Holder’s statements. When asked about a renewal of the assault weapon ban, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said: â€Å"the president believes there are other strategies we can take to enforce the laws that are already on the books.† U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-New York, introduced legislation to renew the ban. However, the legislation did not receive an endorsement from Obama.   Ã¢â‚¬ËœCommon Sense’ Gun Control   In the aftermath of a mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Obama renewed his push for â€Å"common sense† measures to tighten gun regulations and close the so-called gun show loophole.   While not specifically calling for new gun control measures, Obama recommended strengthening the National Instant Background Check system in place for gun purchases and rewarding states supplying the best data that would keep guns out of the hands of those the system is meant to weed out. Later, Obama directed the Department of Justice to begin talks about gun control, involving â€Å"all stakeholders† in the issue. The National Rifle Association declined an invitation to join the talks, with LaPierre saying there is little use in sitting down with people who have â€Å"dedicated their lives† to reducing gun rights. As the summer of 2011 ended, however, those talks had not led to recommendations by the Obama administration for new or tougher gun laws. Strengthened Gun Reporting on the Border One of the Obama administration’s few actions on the subject of guns has been to strengthen a 1975 law that requires gun dealers to report the sale of multiple handguns to the same buyer. The heightened regulation, which took effect in August 2011, requires gun dealers in the border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report the sale of multiple assault-style rifles, such as AK-47s and AR-15s.   The NRA filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the new regulation from taking effect, calling it a move by the administration to â€Å"pursue their gun control agenda.† Summary of Gun Rights During Obama’s First Term The story through much of his first term in office was a neutral one. Congress did not take up serious consideration of new gun control laws, nor did Obama ask them to. When Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm, chances of far-reaching gun control laws being enacted were essentially squashed. Instead, Obama urged local, state, and federal authorities to stringently enforce existing gun control laws. In fact, the only two major gun-related laws enacted during the Obama administration’s first term actually expand the rights of gun owners. The first of these laws, which took effect in February 2012, allows people to openly carry legally owned guns in national parks. The law replaced a Ronald Reagan era policy that required guns to remain locked in glove compartments or trunks of private vehicles that enter national parks. In addressing this law, Obama surprised his pro-gun right critics when he wrote, â€Å"In this country, we have a strong tradition of gun ownership thats handed from generation to generation. Hunting and shooting are part of our national heritage. And, in fact, my administration has not curtailed the rights of gun owners - it has expanded them, including allowing people to carry their guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.† The other law allows Amtrak passengers to carry guns in checked baggage; a reversal of a measure put in place by President George W. Bush in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Obama’s two nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan were considered likely to rule against gun owners on issues involving the Second Amendment. However, the appointees did not shift the balance of power on the court. The new justices replaced David H. Souter and John Paul Stevens, two justices who had consistently voted against an expansion of gun rights, including the monumental Heller decision in 2008 and McDonald decision in 2010. Earlier in his first term, Obama had expressed his express support for the Second Amendment. â€Å"If you’ve got a rifle, you’ve got a shotgun, you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it away. Alright?† he said. Gun Rights During Obama’s Second Term On January 16, 2013 - just two months after 26 people were killed in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut - President Obama kicked off his second term by promising an â€Å"overhaul† of gun laws to end what he called the nation’s â€Å"epidemic† of gun violence However, the legislation to overhaul gun control failed on April 17, 2013, when the Republican-controlled Senate rejected a measure banning assault-style weapons and expanding gun-buyer background checks. In January 2016, President Obama began his final year in office by going around the gridlocked Congress by issuing a set of executive orders intended to reduce gun violence. According to a White House Fact Sheet, the measures aimed to improve background checks on gun buyers, increase community safety, provide additional federal funding for mental health treatment, and advance the development of â€Å"smart gun† technology. Obama’s Gun Rights Legacy During his eight years in office, President Barack Obama had to deal with more mass shootings than any of his predecessors, speaking to the nation on the subject of gun violence at least 14 times. In each address, Obama offered sympathy for the loved ones of the deceased victims and repeated his frustration with the Republican-controlled Congress to pass stronger gun control legislation. After each address, gun sales soared. In the end, however, Obama made little progress in advancing his â€Å"common-sense gun laws† at the federal government level - a fact he would later call one of the biggest regrets of his time as president. In 2015, Obama told the BBC that his inability to pass gun laws had been â€Å"the one area where I feel that Ive been most frustrated and most stymied. Updated by Robert Longley

HOW DOES INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS WORLD TRADE Research Paper

HOW DOES INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO), EUROPEAN UNION (EU) AND NORTH AMERICA - Research Paper Example Free trade has highly devastated American industries and American jobs at large. The Senator Barrack Obama in 2007 indicated his believe in free trade (Raskin, et al. 42). He however acknowledged that the burdens that came with this trade highly outweighed the benefits especially for millions of Americans. The trade has contributed to adverse working conditions. Underdeveloped countries will want to cut down on costs in a bid to benefit from price advantages but on the other hand, many employees in the respective countries end up facing low pay, bad working conditions and forced labor including abusive child labor. As underdeveloped countries attempt to cut costs to gain a price advantage, many workers in these countries face low pay, substandard working conditions and even forced labor and abusive child labor. Yet the WTO states that it does not consider a manufacturer’s treatment of workers reason for countries to bar importation of that manufacturer's products. The WTO howe ver notes that developing countries insist any attempt to include working conditions in trade agreements is meant to end their cost advantage in the world market. This trade often contributes to environmental damage. An increase of corporate farms in developing countries tends to increase pesticide and energy use, and in turn host countries ignore costly environmental standards. The Global Development and Environmental Institute, however, find the environmental impact mixed. The WTO is criticized for not allowing barriers to imports based on inadequate environmental standards in countries where goods are produced (Richardson 76-9). Yet the WTO points to its ruling in the 1990s allowing a U.S. ban on shrimp imports because fishing methods threatened endangered sea turtles outside U.S. borders. The extent to which environmental standards should be considered in free trade is an ongoing debate within the WTO. The trade agreements tend to draw protests from the U.S. public as a result o f feared job loss to foreign countries with cheaper labor. Yet proponents of free trade say new agreements help to improve the economy on either side. There is no clear picture of whether the trade significantly affects U.S. employment levels, given all the economic forces that affect job rates. Proponents of free trade contend that even if the economies of developing nations improve under free trade, those economies are still too small to have any real effect on the U.S. economy and job market (Goldstein 21). Unions have strongly criticized the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada as critically harmful to workers and the U.S. economy. The AFL-CIO argues NAFTA has harmed consumers and workers thereby contributing to a loss of jobs and drop in income while strengthening the clout of multinational corporations. The unions contend that the increased capital mobility facilitated by free trade has hurt the environment and weakened gover nment regulations. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), reports that many economists agree NAFTA has caused some overall improvement in U.S. jobs but with harmful side effects. Free trade can cause turbulence in sectors of a domestic economy, such as long-established