Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Statement Example In my senior year, I was the top 300th best student out of nearly 20,000 students in the whole city at that level. In my class, I am one of the best in Physics, Math, and Chemistry. Apart from my academics, my teachers also acknowledged my leadership skills, so the chairman of instructors chose me to be the class monitor for three years. This position is an important one since I was in charge of helping other students manage their academic life. This may be equivalent to a student senator in US schools. Armed with a stellar academic background and being very interested in the sciences, I intend to pursue a major in Electrical Engineering from the University of California (UCLA or UCB). My interest in Engineering pushes me to read books on this subject. I can say I have invested much of my time and savings in buying books or borrowing science-related books from the library. Since I was very young, my dream was to be a scientist because of my interest in machines. The first time I expe rienced flying on an airplane, I was amazed at the gigantic aircraft that could bring me to various places. I wondered how it worked and at that time, I knew I fell in love with engineering! This passion for engineering was fueled by my early experiences in tinkering with machines in my father’s business. ... In order to do so, I need to acquire expertise from a superb university which will equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills I will need in my future career. Hence, I chose the University of California. I want to learn more about machines so I can work hands-on in our family business when I take over someday. I could study in a good university in China so I can continue working for my father’s business while I do so, but I felt I needed something more. The educational system in China, sad to say, is just bent on making students learn things to pass tests. It emphasizes theoretical knowledge but lacks practical training. I know that I will get both in the best American university. My family and educational background have aptly prepared me in the pursuit of my dream to become a future engineer. With my practical, hands-on experience with machines and my avid interest in the sciences, I believe I have the tools to learn more, and the potential to be a successful graduate that the University of California will be proud to produce. Prompt #2. Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? I am proud of the way my parents supported and raised me to be a responsible person who is always on the lookout for new things to learn. Although China is known for authoritarian child-rearing, my parents have always respected me as a person and encouraged my interests. They allowed me the freedom to discover things on my own and did not reprimand me for making mistakes. Hence, I developed a love for learning, which I believe will be a lifelong quality I will cherish about

Analysis of qualitative research article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis of qualitative research article - Essay Example Inappropriate assessment of patients by nurses may result in high incidences of suicide. Both qualitative and quantitative assessment methods are available for use and the method used may be depend on the setting. Purpose The purpose of the research was to understand how nurses conceptualize suicide among patients in addition to the strategies they use in the process of assessment. Due to the emerging trends in suicide assessment inappropriate assessment might fail to pick potential suicide patients. Research design and research tradition The traditional phenomenography which analyses the different ways in which people experience, conceptualize, identify, and familiarize themselves with various aspects of phenomena in the world around them was used in this study. This method is frequently used in health care research and was utilized in an inductive, qualitative and descriptive approach to help understand the conceptualizations of suicide by psychiatric nurses and the strategies that psychiatric nurses utilize when conducting a suicide evaluation. Sampling A convenience/snowball sampling method was utilized in the study to recruit six psychiatric-mental health nurse participants for the ten months study period. The participants were obtained from two advanced practice nurses agencies in different psychiatric settings and different Northeastern states with the help of nurse managers. One of the settings chosen was a psychiatric hospital's emergency assessment unit while the other was an inpatient psychiatric unit of a general hospital. Five of the six participating nurses were females with four of them having more than 15 years experience while the fifth had nine months experience as a psychiatric mental health nurse and more than five years experience as a mental health worker. The sixth participant was a male nurse with more than 15 years experience. All the participants were white with one having a master’s degree in nursing, three with bachelorâ€℠¢s degree and two with associate degrees in nursing. Data collection The research methods used for data collection were approved by the University of Rhode Island’s Institutional Review Board. Before data collection began consent was sought from both the participating nurses and the patients. The inclusion criteria for the patients included more than 18 years of age, ability to understand and speak English in addition to giving informed consent. The patients were also informed that their participation or non participation in the research would not affect the care they received from the institution. The data in this study was mainly obtained through interviews with the psychiatric nurses after suicide assessment of adult patients. The assessment sessions varied from between 15 minutes to one and a half hours among different patients. The interviews with the psychiatric nurses were recorded in a private room and were guided by a few questions. The nurses were however allowed to express their perceptions, in a clear and systematic manner, of how they conceptualize suicide and the strategies they use in the suicide assessment process. In a bid to obtain as much information and as possible the participating nurses were encouraged to think out aloud, deliberate, and even to pause before answering the questions if they need to. All the participating

Musculoskeletal System Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Musculoskeletal System - Article Example Since this system is comprised of bone and muscle, it is also responsible for giving mass or shape to our body and protecting our internal organs. This system is also responsible for storing calcium in bones and producing red and white blood cells as well as corpuscles (Judge, 2007). There are four common conditions that affect this system and these are osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and injuries relating to muscles from strenuous activities such as with sports. Some of the conditions are more related to age and the general degeneration of tendons and ligaments, such as with osteoarthritis that damages tendons and ligaments due to the bearing down of weight on the joints (Judge, 2007). Before diagnosing musculoskeletal conditions, it is important to make a patient assessment first. Taking note of the patients' past medical history, family history and social history need to be taken in consideration because these play an important factor in some musculoskeletal conditions. The medication or drug history of the patient should also be assessed because some drugs cause muscular degeneration. Certain ethnic groups are also predisposed to conditions that affect this system due to their diet, an example of which are Asians who lack Vitamin D in their diets and are at high risk for osteoporosis (Judge, 2007). Next is the pain assessment where the mnemonic PQRST is used. The mnemonic stands for Provoke, Quality, Region, Severity and Timing. These keywords are used in order for the patient to describe the pain, for example if the pain is provoked by sudden movement, or where the pain is localized. Once the description of the pain is noted, physical examination can be done on the affected region where pain is reported. General inspection of the affected region requires the patient and the nurse to assess how much pain or swelling there is and if the patient can move or mobilize the affected part without adding more injury. This inspection may also require assistance especially for those who may find it difficult to move because of the pain or swelling. One of the common methods in managing sprains that affect the musculoskeletal system is to cold or hot compress the affected area. Resting and elevating the affected region is also one of the common methods of management in order to alleviate the pain and swelling. This is for minor conditions that help alleviate the pain and swelling. Monitoring the affected region for possible complication is the next step in the management process if the pain aggravates or the swelling gets worse. In monitoring the pain or swelling, checking the temperature of the swelling is important so that it can be checked for further infections. Taking pain killers like analgesics can help in the management of musculoskeletal conditions. The prescribing of analgesics depend on the gravity of the pain and if it will not counteract with any medication currently taken by the patient. There are non-medication types of pain management such as positioning of the body, distractions or massage of the affected area. Another part of management is immobilization and mobilization. The affected part may need to be rested or immobilized for a few days in order for the swelling to

Its about the three books ( A lone together ), ( Steve Jobs ), and ( Assignment

Its about the three books ( A lone together ), ( Steve Jobs ), and ( Facebook Effect ) - Assignment Example The economic policies are not the only limitations but the health and education policies together with other vital factors have been considered to put the country into a wrong track. There has been a promise on job creation by the government, which is yet to be accomplished. Income inequality is another of the factors of major interest among the Americans. How can the government be trusted while there is inequality of wealth; wealth is concentrated among the few persons while a majority still languish in joblessness and lack of basic income that can sustain their daily needs. Turkle believes in interdependence among people through technology (Turkle, 2011). As for the article in Arthur, there is clear interdependence of the students, staff and the other people involved in the university. The article defines its limits of interdependency to physical. Turkle, on the other hand, believes that through technology many have been interdependent in all aspects; which ranges from socializing to information or business sharing. It is informed that both parties define the existence of interdependence among people of different aspects. According to Steve Jobs, comprehensive design was to include simplicity without minimalism; the design was to integrate all the objectives of creation, with ease of use, but not at the cost of functionality. In his designs he articulated for artistic design from the cover, to the inner part of the system. In creating the designs, his main considerations were the usability of the system, as well as the beauty of the design to impress its users (Isaacson, 2011). These parts of architect formed the basis of the company in creating systems. Steve Jobs Company was mainly driven by innovation. The description of his approach can be defined as value disruption design. Whose main objective is to create a

Geography Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Geography - Lab Report Example The third category â€Å"Good Alternative†, its application is mainly evident worldwide where the coverage encompasses unregulated sea regions. Hence, depict good records in comparison to other techniques if applied to the similar coverage. Additionally, Yellowfin Tuna’s capability to reproduce quickly also aids in boosting their sustainability despite heavy overfishing especially in the unregulated regions (MBAF). The fish forms the overfished category where there is the utilization of destructive methods especially to the other marine life or environment. In addition, it is unfit for consumption owing to its high mercury content besides other contaminants. Fish’s category chiefly relies on its environment and the mode of fishing that may pose either negative or positive impact on other aquatic life and environment (MBAF). For instance, fish that are in the same group with Hake White usually possess high mercury content besides being unfit for consumption, which is contrary to Barramundi. After attaining this information, I now prefer Barramundi fish, because it does not have any negative effects on human besides its rearing and fishing being environmentally

The Wine of Astonishment Essay Example for Free

The Wine of Astonishment Essay â€Å"God don’t give you more than you can bear. † The opening line of the novel suggests that it is a deeply rooted religious novel. As the story unfolds, we explore the religious journey that the afflicted Spiritual Baptists in Bonasse have to embark on, in efforts to restore their rights to practise their faith. The title of the novel, The Wine of Astonishment can be analysed in two ways. Firstly, the literal translation of ‘The Wine of Astonishment’ stems from the meanings of the words ‘wine’ and ‘astonishment. ’ Wine is an alcoholic beverage typically made of fermented grape juice and is usually bitter. Astonishment refers to something unexpected. Combining the meanings, one can deduce that the Wine of Astonishment refers to something bitter and unexpected. As one of the major themes in the novel is struggle, we can interpret the wine to imply bitterness – the hardships and ‘sour’ experiences the Spiritual Baptists had to withstand and astonishment – the unexpected. Therefore, the Wine of Astonishment can literally mean an unexpected hardship. Secondly, if analysed from a biblical perspective, the phrase ‘the wine of astonishment’ is mentioned in Psalm 60:3 ‘ Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. ’ To David, the psalmist, in Psalm 60, he felt as though God withheld His protection, that God had turned his back on them because when the Israelites were at war away in the North, they were invaded in the south. It appeared as though instead of granting them the wine of blessing, God had rejected them unexpectedly. This was God’s way of testing the faith of his people. He made them endure unexpected hardship to see just how strong they were. In the novel, Eva knows that the trials they experience was God’s challenge to them. It seemed as though God rejected them and showered them with tribulations but real help comes from God alone and when a situation seems out of control, we can trust God to do mighty things. Hence, God made the Spiritual Baptists ‘drink the wine of astonishment’ to test their faith as a church and in the end, God restored his protection of his people and freed them from the torment they endured in attempts to keep their religion. The book’s title introduces the reader, to a religious plot that will examine the course of a struggling people.

Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Advantages and Disadvantages

Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Advantages and Disadvantages â€Å"Cost Volume Profit Analysis is not appropriate in an environment where companies produce many diverse products†. Cost volume profit analysis is the study of the effects of output volume on revenue, costs and profit (Horngren, Sundem and Stratton). The most common use of cost volume profit analysis is to find break-even point in terms of number of units sold. In its simplest form cost volume profit analysis works for single product companies. But most of the companies produce more than one product. Sales mix is the relative proportion of quantities of different products that comprise total sales. When sales mix changes, break-even point changes and so does the profit. Like any model, cost volume profit analysis is based on certain assumptions. This paper looks at the applicability of the assumptions, especially for a company producing more than one product. Most of the assumptions in cost volume profit model are based on the linearity of cost and sales with units. Major elements impacting cost are sudden increase in fixed costs, gain in worker efficiency and higher bargaining power of the company. Similarly revenues are non-linear because companies give varying discounts to different customers. Assumptions made in cost volume profit analysis: Unit selling price remains constant. This implies that the price of the product or service will not change as sales volume varies. In reality the situation is different as reduced selling prices are normally associated with increased sales volume and this supports the supply-demand hypothesis which states that lowering of price will result in higher sales and vice-versa. It is a common practice in the business world to offer different discounts to different customers based on the volume of purchase and the strategic importance of sale. Companies offer bulk discounts to larger customers. Managers often reduce prices as volume increases to attract more customers. Also stiff competition means selling product at discounts during lean periods or during festive times. Bigger companies producing more than one product have often more than one sales manager and they have their own targets. Each sales manager would adjust his sales volume and price to maximize his products profits and this may not result in ideal sales mix for the whole company. Hence the assumption of constant sales price is rarely applicable in today’s dynamic world. The realistic sales-output relationship is more like a curve than a straight line. And when a company is selling more than one product, the analysis of break-even point under multiple non-linear relationships becomes more difficult. The behavior of costs is linear (straight line) over the relevant range. This implies the following assumptions: Costs can be categorised as fixed or variable. In a large organisation with multi-product it becomes very difficult to organize costs into fixed and variable. Not only there are a large number of costs involved but also there are a large number of cost drivers acting on those costs. Under such circumstances segregating costs into fixed and variable is a very tedious and time consuming job. Unit variable costs are fixed and constant. It is possible that unit variable costs remain fixed under circumstances like where a company produces just one standard product. Most businesses enjoy benefits of economics of scale as their production increases in terms of Higher trade discounts; Better credit and financing terms. The above benefits result in reduction of variable cost per unit with increase in number of units. The assumption of linear variable costs doesn’t hold true in reality and will result in a situation where the relationship between variable cost and output is a non-linear relation (Williamson). Also when a company sells many products, unit variable costs can’t be identified properly and hence not known. It is hard to classify variable cost to each product. As an example, a superstore sells thousands of products at different prices. Calculating break-even point in terms of number of units sold would be meaningless. In such scenarios, companies can use total sales and total variable costs to calculate variable costs as a percentage of total sales. Fixed costs remain fixed over a wide range of activity. Companies, based on their experience and studies, can analyse fixed cost over a range of activity. But it would be improper to assume that fixed costs would remain constant over a wide range of activity. In a multi-product company, different products will take different unit time of various production facilities. A change in sales mix may not be met by existing fixed capacity and involve setting up of further facilities resulting in higher fixed costs. Many times fixed cost has a step change and a particular fixed cost is applicable for a range of production only. Because of sudden change in fixed costs, unit costs can vary a lot just near the step change point. In case of multi product companies, because of change in sales mix, it becomes difficult to access which product has caused the change in fixed costs. The efficiency and productivity of the production process and workers remain constant. Under economics of scale, efficiency of production processes increases with increase in production of units. Higher production levels should result in lower variable cost due to higher productivity. This means that assumption of constant unit variable costs doesn’t hold true when there is a change in productivity and efficiency. It is easier to calculate efficiency gains in a single product business. But for a company involved in multiple products, it becomes difficult to track efficiency gains in each process. In multi-product organizations, the sales mix remains constant over the relevant range. It is hardly a scenario where all products perform as per budget expectations in terms of number of units sold. Let’s first examine the scenario where sales-output relationship is a straight line. If products have different contribution percentages, change in sales mix would change overall contribution. A change in sales mix is now basically a question of working out new contribution to sales ratio which is a weighted average based on the number and contribution percentage of each product sold. Change in sales mix would change the contribution ratio and hence the break-even point. If now sales-output relationship is a non-linear one, it becomes much more difficult to calculate contribution percentage at different sales mix. The use of computer programming has made the task of calculations much easier but managers can miss the learning by just focusing on overall break-even point and profits. Fearon (1960) reasoned that the problem of maintaining a constant product-mix in a multi-product company may not be that serious because of the following main points: Break-even analysis is not just to give exact answer, it is more to throw light on the problem areas for management; Break-even point should be used as approximation and as an area rather than a point; Over time, multi-product companies reach a stable product mix which changes slowly. Hence constant product mix could be a good approximation for such scenarios; and Also if company uses constant margin over the cost for all products, then it is much simpler to use cost volume analysis. For companies adopting this pricing strategy, sales mix is not a complex issue. Ignores the time value of money. Cost volume profit analysis doesn’t take into account the time value of money. All cash flows are taken at face value. In real world, there are differences in timing of cash inflows and outflows. Companies have to pay for buying stock, workers salary, marketing and distribution before they can realize sales. Companies pay interest on any money borrowed to finance their working capital. Companies operating in high margin products can still manage to ignore the time value of money but companies with low-margin products have to take into account interest charges. There is no change in inventory levels at the beginning and end of the period. This is hardly the case as most of the companies have work in progress at the beginning and end of a period. It can be a coincidence that the inventory levels are same at the beginning and end, but very rarely a company would plan inventory levels in such a way so that there is no net change in inventory during a period. The task of managing inventory with multiple products is even more difficult. This is not a major issue as companies do stock taking at the end of a period for financial records. But the change in prices over the period and interest on working capital should be taken into account for proper cost volume profit calculations. Fearon (1960) suggested some techniques to incorporate the product mix in a multi-product company for cost volume profit analysis. Though he suggested five different ways of adopting simple cost volume profit analysis in a multi-product company, he himself wasn’t fully satisfied with any of those solutions. But he mentioned that the sales mix could be approximated to benefit from the cost volume profit analysis. With all its shortcomings and assumptions, cost volume profit analysis can be used to look at the profitability levels. Companies producing multiple products in today’s dynamic world should carry on the analysis with a view to look at the results as an approximation and not the definite answer. Management should use the results to highlight problem areas. CONCLUSION Cost volume profit analysis is a common tool used to find break-even point in terms of number of units sold. Assumptions used in cost volume profit analysis are debatable because of linearity of cost and sales price. In real world, both cost and sales price remain fixed only over a narrow range and are impacted by elements like improvement in worker efficiency, bulk discounts both in purchasing and being offered to clients and competition. When a company produces more than one product, a change in the relative proportion of quantities of different products changes the break-even point and profit. Because of the non-linearity and change in sales mix, cost volume profit analysis will not give a correct answer but could be a good approximation of what levels of production should a company target to break-even or to make certain level of profits. Management should use the analysis to look more at the problem areas and profitability of products rather than finding exact profit numbers. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fearon, H. E. (1960). â€Å"Constant product mix – A limiting assumption in B-E analysis†, National Association of Accountants, NAA Bulletin, July 1960, Pg. 61 Horngren, C.T., G.L. Sundem and W.O. Stratton. â€Å"Introduction to management accounting†. Prentice Hall International, Eleventh edition. Williamson, D. â€Å"Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Its assumptions and their pitfalls†, (http://business.fortunecity.com/discount/29/cvpass.htm), date 21 January 2007