Why we use reflection Essay Example for Free

Why we use reflection Essay It is important that we use reflection in order to further develop our skills in practice. No matter which reflective cycle chosen it is important that you identify what has been learned from the experience, how it has helped, if it is negative, how to overcome the problem in the future, and how it relates to theory and knowledge you have been taught. Reflective practice has been identified as one of the key ways in which we learn from our experiences in practice (Jasper 2003). As a concept for learning, reflective practice was introduced in the 1980’s (Jasper 2003). Boyd Fales (1983 cited in McGuinness 2009) suggests that â€Å"learning from experience can be very personal and, because of this, the process of reflection must allow the individual to address all aspects of each situation encountered†. There are many types of reflective cycle and they are only there to offer a guide and format to reflection. Schon (1983) suggests that â€Å"we can engage in one of two ways; either by reflecting on action, after the experience, or by reflecting in action, during the experience†. I researched many different cycles before selecting the one I thought was right for me. I will explain 3 I could have chosen and then explain the cycle I used and why. Firstly is Gibbs model of reflection (1988) (appendix 1). The pros to using this method are that it is very simple and directional. It splits your work into 6 sections and gives you a very structured essay. However I find it does not give you much help as to what you need to include within your essay. It is very basic and does not expand upon each section. The second cycle is John’s model of reflection (1994) (appendix 2). This model also provides structure and more detailed information of what to include by prompting with suggestional questions. This being said, I found the questions to be a bit lengthy and over complicated reflective practice. The final model was Atkin’s and Murphy’s model of reflection (1994) (appendix 3) I thought that this model was very directional and to the point offering a 5-sectioned essay plan, however it was still too basic for my learning style and therefore I found it best not to use it. For the purpose and intent of this essay I shall be using Driscoll reflective framework (1994). The reason for this is that I found it the most suited for me to follow. His reflective cycle uses just three simple questions as the main body of the framework,  which are then expended upon in greater detail. Driscoll’s framework has since been updated in 2000 (appendix 4). Introduction This reflective essay is based on a negative experience I had as a student operating department practitioner while on placement in anaesthetics. My reason for choosing this experience is that I found it to be a very valuable way to learn what needs to be done in order to ensure the smooth running of an operating department. This particular experience had some good issues to explore. Throughout the duration of this essay I will be using fictitious names for all patients and staff in order to protect anonymity and confidentiality. This is in order to comply with the codes and conducts set out by the health professions council (HPC). Due to word limitation the main focus of this essay will be surrounding the first patient and the complications that arose prior to anaesthesia, such as communication, consent, allergies, and the importance of all of these things. What? a description of the event One morning I came into work and found out I was going to be involved in a urology list that involved 4 patients; 1 female and 3 males, all needing different urological procedures. You would have thought that after the lengthy pathway that a patient goes through before finally having their surgery, everything would run smoothly when getting to theatre. This was not the case on this particular morning. Not one patient was appropriately fit for surgery on that day. We were setting up our anaesthetic room for the morning list. Before sending for the patient you should always see both the anaesthetist and the surgeon, the reason for this is so that the patient is not sitting in the anaesthetic room for longer that they need to be as they may be extremely nervous. Typically theatre lists start at around 9am however on this particular day we had seen neither the anaesthetist nor surgeon so were unable to send for the first patient. At 9.05am the junior anaesthetist, Dr K, came in explaining she had seen the patients however we still had to wait as Dr F, the consultant anaesthetist, had to go and see the second patient on the list as there were concerns with proceeding with his surgery. After explaining this she then went on to brief us about the rest of the patients. The first patient was Mrs. G. Dr K informed us that  this patient told her that she has a latex allergy and comes out in welts when it touches her. It was questionable as to whether or not we should proceed with her surgery. The surgeon then phoned our theatre shouting at the staff, asking who it was that told everyone his patient was allergic to latex. This is because Mrs. G had now told the surgeon, Mr. B, that she did not have a latex allergy. Whilst on the phone Mr. B stated that he wanted the patient to be collected immediately for a prompt start as soon as he got down to theatre. Finally Mrs. G arrived in the anaesthetic room, however when I was running through the checklist with her, asking her several important questions, such as when was the last time you ate and drank, and obviously, do you have an allergies? To which she responded, yes, I am allergic to latex. We could have still cancelled the procedure however now she was in the anaesthetic room the anaesthetist and surgeon were both happy to proceed. This unfortunately was not the end of the complications with this patient’s procedure. When shown the consent form to confirm the surgery she was having done and that she had signed it herself previously that day, she was also consented for a cystoscopy, Mrs. G was unaware that she was also having this and when asked if she was aware of the procedure she told us that she did not know what a cystoscopy was, even though she had consented to the procedure. After finally checking in the patient and making sure she was comfortable and aware, we continued with the anaesthetic induction. So what? – an analysis of the event Whilst Dr K was explaining the complications with each patient I thought of how key communication is within a theatre team. Without that communication all of the patients could potentially have had further problems when finally arriving for their procedure, be it during induction, during surgery or in recovery. Communication is not just important between the staff, but as shown it is extremely important between healthcare workers and patients. For example, it should not have taken as long as it did for someone to find out that Mrs. G had a latex allergy. This should have been picked up during her pre assessment or even when she was admitted to the ward. When patients have an allergy they should always have an extra wristband stating their allergy. (Trust Policy 2010). Many patients suffer from fear and anxiety surrounding anaesthetic procedures, it is therefore important that a clear and effective  communication takes place between the anaesthetist and patient prior to coming to th eatre. If this is done correctly it increases patient compliance and satisfaction (Kindler et al 2005). The most effective form of communication is face to face however, there are many different ways this can be achieved, for example, written forms such as graphs and notes. There are also non verbal forms using body language and touch. It is vital that all patients understand what their procedure is, how it will be done, recovery rate and anaesthetic procedures, regardless of their mental competency. It is vital that you know how to communicate in different forms because every patient deals with stress and nervousness in their own way, some will come in and cant stop talking, some won’t say anything, others will be shaking and others may be experiencing some form of chest pains, low blood pressure and a very fast heart rate. Anxiety levels of patients are much higher when admitted to hospitals, this is believed to be due to the thought of the procedure/surgery and the fear of the pain they may feel post operatively (Clancey et al 2002). Communication between staff members, as well as patients, is continuous, from the moment they enter the hospital, to pre admission, the ward, theatres, recovery etc. All staff are there to aid the patient to a quick and effective recovery. When Mrs. G came down to theatre and was asked about her consent form, I found it appalling that she had not been given this effective communication as every patient is entitled to and deserves the best form of care possible. When consenting a patient, the Dr should inform the patient of the full procedure and explain any doubts, questions or worries that the patient may be feeling as well as explaining the full procedure to them. (Brigden 1998) In Mrs. G’s case this was not done therefore left her confused and slightly nervous. We explained the procedure to her and told her there was nothing to worry about and it was just a routine procedure that is done with the other. This leads me on to the issues surrounding informed consent. It is the legal and ethical right of a patient to direct what happens to their body. In order for their consent to be valid it must be voluntary and they must be considered mentally competent to make the decision. (Brigden 1998). In order for consent to be considered legal and valid it is essential that the patient be deemed competent to make the decision and their consent must be voluntary (Hind and Wicker 2000). When obtaining consent from patients it is essential  that you find out whether they have any individual needs and priorities, such as religions beliefs, occupation or other factors that may affect their treatment. For example, Jehovah witnesses will not accept any form of blood transfusion as it is not recognised in that religion. If however the patient is deemed to be incapable of making an informed decision under the mental capacity act e.g. they are unconscious, then it is not, as it is typically assumed, relatives or a care giver that has the right to give consent for them, but is generally two doctors that have the right to make the decision. (Radfo rd et al 2004). This being said in an emergency situation where consent can not be obtained, providing that the treatment necessary is directly linked with what needs to be done to ensure patients safety and health, then you can provide medical treatment to whoever may need it. If, for example, the patient has previously refused treatment and you are aware of this fact, but the case is now deemed emergent, you cannot proceed and must respect the patient’s previous wishes. Once the patient is stable and mentally aware, you must inform them of what has been done and make sure they understand fully. (Kinder et al 2005). Sadly Mrs. G was already nervous about her procedure before she found out she had been misinformed. Also discovering her latex allergy could cause complications to herself and her surgery increased anxiety when she arrived in the anaesthetic room. This sent her heart rate racing. It went from a normal steady 86 beats per minute (BPM) to an irregular 176 bpm. Luckily Dr F is an extremely calm and sensible consultant anaesthetist and knew exactly how to handle that situation in order to keep her calm and lower her heart rate. All of these things should have been explained to her prior to her surgery, or better still prior to her attendance of the hospital. After I reassured her of what she was having done and had held her hand for a while, she finally understood and calmed down, therefore allowing us to proceed. This made me think of how people cope with stress and anxiety, and it showed me that everyone deals with things differently, just by explaining what was happening and having bodily contact with Mrs. G helped her greatly. She was very thankful and happy with the level of care she received in the anaesthetic room. After the list had finished I started to wonder why the world health organisation checklist (W.H.O) was not co mpleted. The W.H.O checklist should be completed at 3 stages during each operation; prior to  anaesthetic induction known as sign in, immediately after induction or just before the incision of skin time out, and finally once the operation is complete before going to recovery sign out. (World Alliance for Patient Safety 2008). One of the questions asked is ‘does the patient have any allergies?’. If the team had completed the checklists prior to the start of the list then the complications should have been located and would have meant that they would be dealt with accordingly. For example, the issues surrounding Mrs. G’s latex allergy would have been able to be avoided if we had known before she was due to come down. It is vital that patients with latex hypersensitivity must go first, in a theatre that has had all latex products removed. It is trust policy that the theatre must be latex free for at least 1-2 hours. As none of this was done it was very questionable as to whether this patient could have her surgery or not. We informed the theatre floor person, who agreed that she thought the risk was too great as patients allergic to latex can go into anaphylaxis. These can all be incredibly dangerous when under anaesthesia. She told us that if the surgeon and anaesthetist decided to proceed then we should complete an incident report form, just in case any reaction was to occur throughout the procedure. Now what? – proposed actions following the event After looking into the aspects of this experience I have found it very useful in furthering my skills and knowledge into becoming an operating department practitioner. The issues surrounding informed consent, patient anxiety, communication between staff members as well as the patients and the surgical safety checklist are all linked together in one way or another. Had all of these been carried out correctly the list would more than likely ran smoothly. However there is no sure fire way to guarantee something else would not have occurred hindering us further. I can use the information I have researched in practice as I now have a better understanding of how the peri-operative department should work. Each member of the team should ensure that these issues are dealt with at the time they arise. They should not be passed around from person to person. It is the staff’s responsibility to make sure the standards and expectations are maintained. Each patient has the right to their own dignity and modesty and should all be treated with respect. Treat patients how you would wish to be treated if you were having  surgery. Each hospital has a set of trust policies that should be adhered to, it is expected that any new members of staff read them so that they are aware of the procedures and standards that should be met. Information about the NHS and its practices can be found in vast quantities in libraries or on the internet. This is also there to provide support and assistance to further your knowledge and ensure correct procedures are carried out. The points previously discussed are just some of the reason it is vital that reflection is so important to health care professionals, it is essential for maintaining a high standard of care.

History of Autism and Aspergers

History of Autism and Aspergers Pandoras Box During World War II, the large-scale involvement of US psychiatrists in the required a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders. This prompted the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to publish the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) The first edition, DSM-I, published in 1952, included autism as schizophrenic reaction, childhood type, but provided no guidance on diagnosis. In DSM-III, published in 1980, infantile autism was lifted from schizophrenia and established as the core of a new category of pervasive developmental disorders, based on Kanners two cardinal signs: pervasive lack of responsiveness to other people and resistance to change. The age of onset was specified as before 30 months, which would rule out all kids who would later be diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. To accommodate kids who suffered a loss of skills after thirty months, there was Childhood Onset Pervasive Developmental Disorder (COPDD). In DSM-III-R, published in 1987, the manual was revised to improve the criteria for autism based on recommendations of a task force, comprising Lorna Wing, Lynn Waterhouse, and Bryna Siegel. In this revision, the word infantile was deleted, and Kanners syndrome was rechristened autistic disorder. There was no age-of-onset, and the COPDD diagnosis was dropped. It also added a new criterion Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). This label turned out to be the most commonly used PDD diagnosis. Estimates of autism prevalence increased worldwide after DSM-III and DSM-III-R was published. The overall trend was clear: Autism spectrum disorder might be as prevalent as 1 in 100 children. After a comprehensive analysis of the Family Fund database for the UK Department of Education and Skills, PricewaterhouseCoopers concluded that the increase in autism resulted from improved diagnosis and recognition of the disability. A similar evolution was taking place in the United States, prompted by a set of amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In 1991, autism was included in IDEA as its own category of disability, which enabled children with a diagnosis to gain access to individualized instructions and other services. In tandem with IDEA, state legislators passed laws making public funds available to families for early intervention therapy. The first standardized clinical instruments to screen for autism were becoming available.ÂÂ   The first attempt to develop and popularize such a tool was Rimlands E-1, and E-2 behavioral checklists. But the checklists depended entirely on parental recall rather than direct clinical observation. A childs score could differ depending on which parent filled in the checklist. In 1980, Eric Schopler and his TEACCH colleagues introduced the Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS), which was good at distinguishing autism from other forms of developmental delays, such as intellectual disability. After observing the child engage in a structured interaction through a one-way mirror, the rater scored the child on a seven-point continuum along several dimensions such as verbal and nonverbal communication, interaction with people and objects, sensory responsiveness, intellectual functioning. CARS used the spectrum model of autism in the DSM-III-R to score behaviors. Independent analyses showed that the scale was reliable and consistent, and that its score matched well with assessment by other means. In 1988, Schopler issued a second edition of CARS that could diagnose teenagers and adults. After reading the manual and watching a 30-minute video, a novice could produce ratings that were as accurate as those of seasoned clinical observers. Then, six months after Rain Man opened, an international team of researchers introduced a comprehensive tool called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Based on the criteria that would appear in the upcoming DSM-IV, the ADOS and a companion tool called the Autism Diagnostic Interview became the gold standard of autism assessment. *** The first international conference on Asperger syndrome was held in 1988, and Lorne Wing had lobbied the World Health Organization (WHO) to include Asperger Syndrome in the 10th edition of the International Classification of Disease (ICD), published in 1990. In 1994, Asperger syndrome was included in DSM-IV. *** Leominster, the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed, is forty-five miles northeast of Boston. In the 1940s, it was called the Plastic City as one in five residents worked for plastics manufacturers like Foster Grant, the company that turned sunglasses into a fashion. Soon it became the Pollution City as the waters of the Nashua flowed red, white, and blue. Then Foster Grant outsourced its frame manufacturing to Mexico. The defunct plant was declared a hazardous-waste site by state authorities. Two years after the plant closed, a couple in Leominster named Lori and Larry Altobelli had their second child, Joshua. When he was three, he was diagnosed with PDD-NOS. His younger brother, Jay, was also eventually diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Later on, Larry Altobelli realized that two of his friends grew up from the same neighborhood also had autistic kids. Lori, who had a masters degree in health care administration, asked parents at autism support group meetings if they had ever lived in her husbands old neighborhood. She was shocked by how many said yes. On March 25, 1990, Lori sent a letter to the CDC headquarters in Atlanta demanding an investigation. An epidemiologist arrived in town two months later to collect data. Lori had promised to keep the investigation secret to avert mass panic until she heard the city was planning to build a playground next to the old factory. She called and complained to the mayor who promised to postpone the playground. But an anonymous caller tipped off local reporters and the news went national, appearing at ABC Newss 20/20 on March 13, 1992. A graduate student named Martha Lang from Brown University found from Loris files that the number of confirmed autisms in town was lower than she had been led to believe. Some of the kids were misdiagnosed, and some parents in Loris files had never lived in Leominster at all. After failing to find evidence of genetic abnormalities in the community, the team of geneticists from Stanford suggested that the rise in autism was driven by the change in the diagnostic criteria for autism rather than a true increase in prevalence. But the media circus had long ago moved on. *** In 1995, after a torrent of inquiries from parents, Rimland ran a banner headline in his newsletter, Is There an Autism Epidemic? His answer was yes. But instead of focusing on the changes in the diagnostic criteria, he raised the possibilities that pollution, antibiotics, and vaccines were triggering the increase in new cases, citing the Leominster cluster as an example. Rimland made that statement after he read the book called DPT: A Shot in the Dark, written by Harris Coulter and Barbara Loe Fisher. Rimlands endorsement helped to spread Coulters ideas within the autistic parents community. Meanwhile, a young gastroenterologist in England named Andrew Wakefield introduced Coulters ideas into the mainstream by claiming to have discovered a potential mechanism by which the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine causes brain injury. In the mid 1990s, Wakefield published a series of studies in which he concluded that measles virus might cause Crohns disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The studies were considered groundbreaking, but subsequent research failed to confirm the hypothesis. In 1995, while conducting research into Crohns disease, a mother of an autistic child approach Wakefield seeking help with her sons bowel problems. That prompted him researching for possible connections between the MMR vaccine and autism. On February 28, 1998, Wakefield held a press conference at Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, North London, on his new studies published in The Lancet. The paper, written by Wakefield and twelve other authors, claimed to have identified a new syndrome, raising the possibility of a link between autism, the MMR vaccine, and a novel form of bowel disease. Although the paper said no causal connection had been proven, Wakefield made statements at a press conference calling for suspension of the MMR vaccine until further research. This press coverage sent shock waves through the autism parents community. In the coming years, many members of Rimlands network would become convinced that autism was caused by damage to the childs developing brain from from vaccines, vaccine preservatives, or both. Meanwhile, other researchers could not reproduce Wakefields findings or confirm his hypothesis. In 2004, Brian Deer, a Sunday Times reporter, discovered that Wakefield had failed to disclose its financial conflicts of interest; ten of the studys co-authors took their names off the paper; and Lancet retracted the study in 2004. Wakefield was stripped of his medical license in England in 2010, and the editors of the British Medical Journal denounced his study as an elaborate fraud in 2011. *** There was no question in Lorna Wings mind that the changes she brought to the DSM criteria were the primary factor responsible for the rise in autism cases. Her daughter, Suzie died of a heart attack in 2005 at age forty-nine, and her husband died of Alzheimers disease five years later. She died in 2014 at age eighty-five.

Womens Rights :: essays research papers

Women’s Rights For many years, women have been unable to participate and have often been discriminated against in many situations and circumstances such as not being able to vote, not getting equal pay for equal work, couldn’t own property, and had no educational or career opportunities. Women were under the control of a man throughout their entire life. A man virtually owned his wife as he did his material possessions. Their fathers controlled them until they got married, at which point their husbands controlled them. Women basically had no rights at this time in history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For many years, women in the United States felt they deserved the right to vote, but they were largely ignored. Voting was considered to be a man’s right and was not to be violated. Working conditions for women were very unfair as well. They would work for as long or maybe even longer as men would and get paid less money for it. Another disadvantage is that women were unable to get any educational or career opportunities for themselves. Many of the women’s jobs included raising children, prepare food, make clothing, and take care of the things around the house. Their days were really full and often very tiring. The labor work was mainly what the women were in charge of. A women’s life was very rough at this time. They fought for equality and didn’t receive it until years later.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When women started to fight for equality many things began to change. In August of 1920, the Tennessee legislature ratified the 19th amendment, and it became a law. Women had the vote! Women these days hold jobs that they weren’t allowed to or didn’t have during the Progressive Era. For example, doctors. In 1890, women constituted about 5 percent of the total doctors in the United States and during the 1980s the proportion was about 17 percent.

Propaganda in Four Articles Essay -- War Propaganda Literary Analysis

Propaganda in today’s world is at its all time peak due to the inability of humans to comprehend information on their own. One may define propaganda as a form of communication that is aimed towards influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. Realistically, however, this form of communication is nothing more than information, ideas, or rumors spread deliberately to help or harm an institution. In Tom Downey’s â€Å"The Insurgent’s Tale,† anti-war propaganda is used by telling the story of an actual Jihadist. He encourages that the men fighting on Iraqi soil are just as human as the American warriors. Regardless of what the Bush regime would have you believe, Jihadists are actually more than the evil, robotic suicide bombers that they may set out to be. Jihadists can be often confused with terrorists because they share similar traits and beliefs. In Daniel Byman and Christine Fair’s â€Å"The Case for Calling Them Nitwits,† the ones feared terrorist is ridiculed by simply calling them â€Å"nitwits.† Byman and Fair portray examples of carelessness and stupidity during acts of terrorism. They go on to mention how many terrorists are untrained, perverted, fools that are far less organized and sophisticated than we make them out to be. Byman explains that small investments in training for security can make a big difference when it comes to both experienced and inexperienced terrorists. There are many accounts that may cause a nation to go to war against terroristic plots. Susan Sontag’s â€Å"Regarding the Torture of Others† examines the manner in which war is perceived. She contends that war imagery is open to both interpretation and manipulation. Sontag argues that war itself is perennial while rejecting the notion that ... ...ey, Byman, Fair, and Sontag were all fairly strong in convincing the reader to believe what they have written. All of the texts make an attempt to convince the reader that the modern day terrorists are not as how we make them out to be. However, Sontag also takes it a step further and mentions that not all Americans have well intentions. Although the Americans are not referred to as terrorists, they are able to possess come of the qualities. Though we should not judge a book by its cover, we should also not be so naà ¯ve and blind to others. Works Cited 1. Byman, Daniel, and Christine Fair. "The Case for Calling Them Nitwits." Atlantic Magazine. July/August 2010: 1. Print 2. Downey, Tom. "An Insurgent's Tale." Rolling Stones. 12/29/2005: 1. Print. 3. Sontag, Susan. "Regarding the Torture of Others." New York Times. May 23, 2004: 13. Print.

Language Techniques Essay

1. Abstract Language: Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places. 2. Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds, such as â€Å"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. † 3. Allusion: A reference contained in a work 4. Ambiguity: an event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way. 5. Analogy: a literary device employed to serve as a basis for comparison. It is assumed that what applies to the parallel situation also applies to the original circumstance. In other words, it is the comparison between two different items. 6. Anaphora: repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent. 7. Anecdote: A story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate a point. 8. Annotation: explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data. 9. Antithesis: the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by phrase, clause, or paragraphs. â€Å"To be or not to be . . . † â€Å"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times . . . † â€Å"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country . . . † 10. Argument: A single assertion or a series of assertions presented and defended by the writer 11. Assonance: Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity 12. Attitude: the relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience 13. Authority: Arguments that draw on recognized experts or persons with highly relevant experience. 14. Backing: Support or evidence for a claim in an argument 15. Balance: a situation in which all parts of the presentation are equal, whether in sentences or paragraphs or sections of a longer work. 16. Begging the Question: Often called circular reasoning, __ occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim. 17. Causal Relationship: In __, a writer asserts that one thing results from another. To show how one thing produces or brings about another is often relevant in establishing a logical argument. 18. Character: those who carry out the action of the plot in literature. Major, minor, static, and dynamic are the types. 19. Colloquial: the use of slang in writing, often to create local color and to provide an informal tone. Huckleberry Finn in written in a __ style. 20. Comic Relief: the inclusion of a humorous character or scene to contrast with the tragic elements of a work, thereby intensifying the next tragic event. 21. Conflict: a clash between opposing forces in a literary work, such as man vs. man; man vs.  nature; man vs. God; man vs. self 22. Connotation: the interpretive level or a word based on its associated images rather than its literal meaning. 23. Consonance: Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity. 24. Cumulative: Sentence which begins with the main idea and then expands on that idea with a series of details or other particulars 25. Deduction: The process of moving from a general rule to a specific example. 26. Denotation: the literal or dictionary meaning of a word 27. Description: The purpose of this rhetorical mode is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that being described. Sometimes an author engages all five senses. 28. Dialect: the recreation of regional spoken language, such as a Southern one. Hurston uses this in Their Eyes Were Watching God. 29. Diction: the author’s choice of words that creates tone, attitude, and style, as well as meaning 30. Didactic: writing whose purpose is to instruct or to teach. A ___ work is usually formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns. 31. Dramatic Irony: In this type of irony, facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or a piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work 32. Either-or reasoning: When the writer reduces an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignores any alternatives. 33. Ellipsis: Indicated by a series of three periods, the __ indicates that some material has been omitted from a given text. 34. Ethical Appeal: When a writer tries to persuade the audience to respect and believe him or her based on a presentation of image of self through the text. 35. Ethos: an appeal based on the character of the speaker. An __-driven document relies on the reputation of the author. 36. Euphemism: a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. â€Å"He went to his final reward† is a common __ for â€Å"he died. † They are also used to obscure the reality of the situation. 37. Example: an individual instance taken to be representative of a general pattern 38. Exposition: The purpose of this rhetorical mode is to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion. 39. Figurative Language: Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid. 40. Figure of Speech: A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Examples are apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonomy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement. 41. Genre: The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. 42. Homily: This term literally means â€Å"sermon,† but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice. 43. Hyperbole: a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement 44. Imagery: The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, __ uses terms related to the five senses; we refer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory. For example, a rose may present visual __ while also representing the color in a woman’s cheeks. 45. Infer: To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. 46. Irony: The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. 47. Metaphor: a direct comparison between dissimilar things. â€Å"Your eyes are stars† is an example. 48. Metonomy: a term from the Greek meaning â€Å"changed label† or â€Å"substitute name† __ is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example: a news release that claims â€Å"The White House declared† rather than â€Å"The President declared† 49. Mood: This term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker’s attitude. The second meaning is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. 50. Narration: The purpose of this type of rhetorical mode is to tell the story or narrate an event or series of events. 51. Narrative: The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events. 52. Narrative Device/convention: This term describes the tools of the storyteller, such as ordering events to that they build to climatic movement or withholding information until a crucial or appropriate moment when revealing in creates a desired effect. 53. Onomatopoeia: a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum. 54. Oxymoron: From the Greek for â€Å"pointedly foolish,† ___ is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms. Simple examples include â€Å"jumbo shrimp† and â€Å"cruel kindness. † 55. Paradox: A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity. 56. Parallelism: refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. 57. Parody: A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. 58. Pathos: an appeal based on emotion. 59. Pedantic: An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish. 60. Personification: The assigning of human qualities to inanimate objects or concepts. An example: Wordsworth’s â€Å"the sea that bares her bosom to the moon. † 61. Point of View: In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. 62. Prose: One of the major divisions of genre, ___ refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms, because they are written in ordinary language and most closely resemble everyday speech. 63. Repetition: The duplication, either exact or approximate, or any element of language, such as sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. 64. Rhetorical question: A question that is posed by a writer or speaker to make the audience think. It does not require a reply. Often used to engage an audience. 65. Sarcasm: from the Greek meaning â€Å"to tear flesh,† ___ involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device. 66. Satire: A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and convention for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform humans or their society, ___ is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. The effect of __, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition. 67. Situational Irony: a type of irony in which events turn out the opposite of what was expected. 68. Stream-of-consciousness: This is a narrative technique that places the reader in the mind and thought process of the narrator, no matter how random and spontaneous that may be. 69. Style: an evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices. 70. Symbol: generally, anything that represents, stands for, something else. Usually, a ___ is something concrete—such as an object, action, character, or scene—that represents something more abstract. 71. Synecdoche: . a figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole. â€Å"All hands on deck† is an example. 72. Syntax: The grammatical structure of prose and poetry. 73. Theme: The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually, __ is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the __ may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing. 74. Third Person Limited Omniscient: This type of point of view presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all remaining characters 75. Third Person Omniscient: In ___, the narrator, with a godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. 76. Tone: Similar to mood, __ describes the author’s attitude toward his or her material, the audience, or both. 77. Transition: a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. 78. Understatement: the opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended. 79. Verbal Irony: In this type of irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer’s true meaning 80. Voice: can refer to two different areas of writing. One refers to the relationship between a sentence’s subject and verb (active and passive). The second refers to the total â€Å"sound† of the writer’s style. 81. Wit: In modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. Usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement.

Thought Fox

Fox: What do you mean? Starting with an interpretation of â€Å"The Burnt Fox,† and going on to an analysis of the poem, aim to figure out what exactly might be the relation of poem to dream, dream to poem. Refer closely to both, quote, and analyze what you have quoted, in support of your argument. In the year of 1952, Ted Hughes was a second year student at Cambridge University. For the first two years of his schooling he studied English in hopes to become a poet. However during his time there he had a profound experience. For quite some time Hughes was working on a paper over the lasting contributions of Samuel Johnson but had only ever been able to wright one sentence. The night before the paper was due for his English teacher he gave up and went to sleep. That night he had a very graphic and disturbing dream about a fox. In his dream he was still sitting at his desk trying to write his paper. He looks over at the door and a fox face peers. The fox stands about five or six feet of the ground on two legs and is as large as a human. However, one of the more disturbing parts of the fox is that it is burnt and â€Å"smoldering all over as if it just escaped from a furnace† (Rees 2009; 3). The fox walks over to Hughes and puts its paw, which looks like a human hand at this point, on the blank page. He smears blood on the page and says, â€Å"You are killing us†. Hughes studied English in school so he could become a poet or creative writer. However, his studies never seemed to be geared in such a manner. The burnt fox dream here is a cry for help. Hughes seems to be splitting his own self by not being able to do what it is he loves. The strict writing style that’s expected of him is not in his true nature. The fox, his inner self, in the dream is dying because Hughes’ has to stifle or suppress his real identity. The stereotypical archetype of the fox is wit. Wit and knowledge are closely related. Here the fox is clearly burring, representing the destruction of knowledge. Through the further examination of the Thought Fox, the poem he wrote after his dream, we can see that it is very closely related to the dream through deep symbolism. After this dream Hughes changed his study major to anthropology and archeology. This important change in his life sparks this poem. In the first sentence he sets the time at midnight. This word is very powerful. Midnight is a time that’s neither night nor day. It’s a transition period, which is important to this poem as there is a transition being made in the author life. The next line reads something else is alive. I feel like this is playing on something that is distantly known to Hughes. Perhaps it could be the creativity that he knows he possesses but that he has lost somewhere. In the end of the first stanza he talks about the blank page where his fingers move. Here I feel it doesn’t represent anything but, it is more of the literal blank page that he was trying to write his English paper on. At the beginning of the second stanza the poem starts to become not only personally deep but also slightly dark. There are two pieces of symbolism here that invoke a strong emotional response. He see(s) no stars through the window. This is a metaphor for a lack of hope. Stars give off light and light can be easily seen as hope. Hughes is thoroughly crushed by the pressure of the essay he’s been struggling with. The window is the reader’s way of seeing into Hughes’ more personal self and deepest feelings. If we go through the window, at first we can only see the darkness of his loneliness, which he explains throughout the rest of the second stanza. Next we see a fox. Hughes thought it was very important to understand nature if we wanted to understand ourselves. He even wrote a whole series of poems on animals. All of which have extraordinarily spiritual meanings that relate to everyday human life. The image of a fox's nose touches twig, leaf is presented to us. This is a beautiful scene that can only take place in nature. Hughes is trying to reconnect with his spirit animal, the fox, by connecting with nature. He is trying to find his primordial self; his true nature. This true nature is his creativity. Then it’s almost as if he has connected when he expresses that the moment is viewed through the fox’s eyes: two eyes serve a moment that now, and again now, and now. The word snow is seen again for the second time in the beginning of the forth stanza. Here it can be interpreted in two ways. On one hand we can view the fox literally as it sets neat prints into snow as he walks or on the other hand the snow could be seen as the blank page he’s trying to work on. After this entence though, the poem gets even blacker again. Hughes uses a lot of words in the next three lines such as lame, shadow, hollow, lags, and stump. These words all have a negative connotation that come with them. There is an immense amount of struggle and pain that the author is dealing with. However after the fox leads the readers through the forest the pain and evil of the darkness seem to leave. Itâ €™s almost as if we, the readers, have come upon a literal clearing in the fifth stanza. It seems to be viewed through the eye of the fox again with extreme pleasure. Words like greenness and brilliance can be easily categorized as something that is seen in a positive light. There are contrasting feelings in stanza four and five. As Hughes moves form one view to the other we can see the deep spiritual transition from anger and sadness to happiness and relief. It’s almost as the fox has been the guide in the journey to an enlightening experience. From here we can determine that it is not a literal clearing we’ve come to but a clarity in the since of a new state of mind. Hughes has realized that his current studies are crushing him and he knows he has to change. However in the last four lines there is a clear warning that is given by the Burnt Fox. The poem seems as if it were to end in a joyous manner. However, the Burnt Fox sneaks, as foxes often do, into the hole of the head, back into his thoughts and create the since of doom again. There is now the same lack of light from the stars, the same lack of hope. The sharp hot stink of the fox is a strong reminder that he must change his life before he destroys himself. The poem ends with the page is printed. Printing ink on a page is a very permanent action. So permanent that it could symbolize the sealing of one’s fate. If Hughes didn’t change the current suppression of his inner self he could permanently damage himself. Hughes’ work is very symbolic and can be interpreted in many ways. When comparing the Burnt fox to the Thought fox many connections can be made. The readers can clearly see the pain Hughes was hiding. It is very important as we move through our lives that we stay true to our inner nature if we wish to be happy.

Overview of accounting analysis Essay

1. A finance student states, â€Å"I don’t understand why anyone pays any attention  to accounting earnings numbers, given that a ‘clean’ number like cash from operations is readily available.† Do you agree? Why or why not? I disagree with the finance student, because net income forecasts future cash flow and is informative. a. Net income forecasts future cash flow better than current cash flow, and does so by recording transactions associated with cash consequences when the transactions occur, rather than when the cash is received or paid. To compute net income, the effects of economic transactions are recorded on the basis of expected, not necessarily actual, cash receipts and payments. b. Net income is informative when corporate managers have better information than outside investors. Corporate managers use accrual rather than cash accounting to prepare financial reporting and determine net income. Since accrual accounting helps managers to record past events and forecast future events, net income gives superior information. 2. Fred argues: â€Å"The standards that I like most are the ones that eliminate all management discretion in reporting – that way I get uniform numbers across all companies and don’t have to worry about doing accounting analysis†. Do you agree? Why or why not? I disagree with Fred, because the elimination of delegation of reporting to management will create chaos and misinterpretation of financial statements. Corporate managers know how to apply and judge business transactions using the accrual accounting framework. They have inside information and make appropriate judgments to convey that information to investors and forecast future performance. If this discretion is eliminated, managers will be unable to make use of inside information in reported financial statements. However, since investors view profits as a measure of a manager’s performance, some managers have an incentive to use their accounting  discretion to distort reported profits by making biased assumptions. Also, the use of accounting numbers in contracts between the firm and outsiders provides a motivation for management manipulation of accounting numbers. Therefore, the delegation of financial reporting decisions to managers has both costs and benefits. Accounting rules and auditing are mechanisms deigned to reduce the cost and preserve the benefit of delegating financial reporting to corporate managers. 3. Bill Simon says, â€Å"We should get rid of the FASB and SEC, since free market forces will make sure that companies report reliable information.† Do you agree? Why or why not? Free market forces do not make sure that all companies report reliable information. Bill assumes that corporate managers do not disclose unreliable information and that they share inside information with outside investors. In real life, managers disclose false information and investors don’t detect inside information right away. Therefore, FASB and SEC force managers to disclose reliable information and comply reasonably with U.S. GAAP standards. 4. Many firms recognize revenues at the point of shipment. This provides an incentive to accelerate revenues by shipping goods at the end of the quarter. Consider two companies, one of which ships its products evenly throughout the quarter, and the second of which ships all its products in the last two weeks of the quarter. Each company’s customers pay 30 days after receiving shipment. Using accounting ratios, how can you distinguish these companies? Both companies will have the same amount of revenues and expenses in their income statements. However, their balance sheets will show different amounts. At the end of each quarter, the company that ships its products evenly throughout the quarter should have higher cash and a lower accounts receivable balance than the company that ships all its products in the last two weeks of the quarter. We can distinguish between these companies using the following accounting  ratios: a. Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio = Sales Accounts Receivable The company that ships its products evenly throughout the quarter and has steady sales will have a higher accounts receivable turnover ratio. b. Accounts Receivable Days Ratio = Accounts Receivable Average Sales per Day The company that ships its products evenly throughout the quarter and has steady sales will have a lower accounts receivable days ratio. c. Cash Ratio = Cash + Short-Term Investments Current Liabilities The company that ships its products evenly throughout the quarter and has steady sales will have a higher cash ratio. 5. A. If management reports truthfully, what economic events are likely to prompt the following accounting changes? a. Increase in the estimated life of depreciable assets. If managers find out that the actual life of the depreciable assets lasted longer than was expected, managers will increase the estimated life of depreciable assets. b. Decrease in the uncollectible allowance as a percentage of gross receivables. The firm will decrease the percentage of uncollectable allowance when it receives orders from reliable customers. In contrast, the firm will increase the percentage of uncollectable allowance when it receives orders from unreliable customers. c. Recognition of revenues at the point of delivery, rather than at the point  cash is received. A firm could recognize revenues at the point of delivery rather than at the point of cash receipt when its customer’s credit improves or its customer’s cash payment is not a risk. d. Capitalization of a higher proportion of software R&D costs. A firm will capitalize a higher proportion of software R&D costs when the firm has established the technical and commercial feasibility of the asset for sale or use. For example, technical and commercial feasibility may be established when the firm completes the software and either uses it or sells it and is able to demonstrate how the intangible asset will generate future economic benefits. 5.B. What features of accounting, if any, would make it costly for dishonest managers to make the same changes without any corresponding economic changes? Opinion of third parties. Auditors provide a clean opinion of a firm’s financial statements. If the changes in the accounting policy are reasonably consistent with economic changes, auditors will not provide a clean opinion of the financial statements. Accrual reversal effect. Aggressive capitalization of software R&D expenditures will increase net income in the current period, but the later writing-off of capitalized R&D costs will decrease net income in the following period. Lawsuit. If a firm discloses false financial information and its investor loses because of that information, the firm will pay legal penalties. Labor Market Discipline. The labor market for managers will discipline those who are perceived as unreliable managers in dealing with external parties. 6. The conservatism principle arises because of concerns about management’s incentives to overstate the firm’s performance. Joe Banks argues: â€Å"We could get rid of conservatism and make accounting numbers more useful if we delegated financial reporting to independent auditors, rather than to  corporate managers.† Do you agree? Why or why not? I don’t agree with Joe Banks, because if we delegate financial reporting to independent auditors rather than to corporate managers, we will decrease the quality of financial reporting. Auditors don’t have all the inside information that corporate managers have when the economic reality of the firm is displayed. Furthermore, the way managers and auditors assess a firm is different. Auditors could apply accounting standards to assess business transactions in a mechanical way rather than using their professional judgment, leading to poor quality financial reporting. For example, everybody agrees that market-value accounting provides relevant information; however, auditors are concerned more about the audit liability. 7. A fund manager states: â€Å"I refuse to buy any company that makes a voluntary accounting change, since it’s certainly a case of management trying to hide bad news.† Can you think of any alternative interpretation? Voluntary accounting change could happen because business circumstances have changed in the firm. For example, unusual increases in receivables might be due to changes in a firm’s sales strategy, or unusual decreases in the allowance for uncollectible receivables might be reflecting a change in a firm’s customer focus. Therefore, an analyst should use qualitative information such as the evaluation of the context of the business strategy and economic circumstances, and not deliberately interpret the firm’s accounting change as earnings manipulation. 8. Fair value accounting attempts to make financial information more relevant to financial statement users, at the risk of greater subjectivity. What factors would you examine to evaluate the reliability of fair value assets? We should examine the fair value hierarchy to evaluate the reliability of fair value assets. Level 1 is the most reliable in terms of valuating fair value assets because it is based on quoted prices, like a closing stock price in the Wall Street Journal. Level 2 is the next most reliable and would rely on evaluating similar assets or liabilities in active markets Level 3 is the least reliable level because it requires a good deal of judgment and is based on the best information available (such as a company’s own data or assumptions) to arrive at a relevant and reliable fair value measurement. Financial statement users can trust prices in liquid markets as long as observable inputs such as level 1 and 2 reflect quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities. In level 3, we encounter unobservable inputs.