Puritan Dbq Essay Example

Puritan Dbq Essay Document Based Question Emily Morlock The Puritan colonies of New England developed in quite a different way from the previous English colonies in Virginia. The people who settled New England led completely different lives and had entirely different values than those of other English settlers. Religion was very important to them and they emigrated from England to the colonies for entirely different reasons than previous settlers. These values and ideas led the Puritans to influence the expansion of their colonies. The Puritan’s value of hard work and education greatly shaped the political, economic, and social growth of New England from 1630 through the 1660’s, but the main contributing factor in development was the importance of religion. The Puritan political structure was the precursor for modern American government. The Puritans, with religion on their mind, created a theocracy. But they did hold town meetings. These town meetings, though not completely democratic, offered much more political involvement by townspeople than in England. When founding Plymouth colony in 1620, Puritan men signed the Mayflower Compact stating that they would follow the laws set forth by the majority and they would establish a self-governing colony. These men did not want to create another monarchial government like the one they had just escaped in Europe and by signing this contract; they all agreed to do what was best for the community. These views appeared in many other New England communities as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Puritan Dbq specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Puritan Dbq specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Puritan Dbq specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Enlarged Salem Covenant of 1636 states that the townspeople â€Å"do hereby promise to carry our selves in all lawful obedience to those that are over us, in Church or Commonwealth, knowing how pleasing it will be to the Lord. † (Doc C) The Puritans believed that God gave power to man and man should not abuse it within the government. In â€Å"Limitation of Government†, John Cotton states that â€Å"it is therefore fit for every man to be studious of the bounds which that Lord has set: and for the people, in whom fundamentally all power lies, to give as much power as God in His word gives to men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Doc H) Similarly to their political influence, Puritan ideals affected the economic development of New England. Opposed to Virginia, New England was not founded as an economic venture. In â€Å"The Cause of God and His People in New England† John Higginson reminded all that â€Å"New England is originally a plantation of Religion, not a Plantation of Trade†¦worldly gain was not the end and designe of the people of New England, but Religion. † (Doc J) Even with this in mind, the Puritans did strive to create a successful economy. The common term â€Å"protestant work ethic† comes from the Puritans need to always be productive. In a Puritan’s mind â€Å"an hour’s idleness is as bad as an hour’s drunkenness. † Puritans believed in working hard to get ahead, and they were proud of their achievements, as demonstrated in Robert Keayne’s last will and testament. â€Å"[My account books]†¦testify to the world on my behalfe that I have not lived an idle, lazzie or dronish life. † (Doc I) Even though economics was not on the minds of New England’s founders, Puritan ideals did help to generate a flourishing economy. Most obvious of all, the Puritans greatly influenced the social development of New England. Religion was so important that, in some way or another, it indirectly manipulated everything about the colonies. New Englander’s believed that they were to create a â€Å"city on a hill†, one for all colonists to look up to. John Winthrop, the governor of the New England colony of Massachusetts, wrote that â€Å"the eies of all people are upon us. † (Doc A) Due to their desire to keep watch over all members of the community, making sure that everyone behaved appropriately, the Puritans had a great sense of unity within their colonies. In â€Å"A Modell of Christian Charity†, John Winthrop stated that â€Å"wee must be knitt together, in this worke, as one man. Wee must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities. †(Doc A) As seen in Document B, New England towns were set up with a church and town hall in the middle, surrounded by modest sized farms, all close together. This was another ploy to make sure that the townspeople could keep watch over one another. The Puritans did not allow other religions within their colonies. This contributed to the unvarying ethnic development of many New England colonies. They shunned people who even accepted another religion. As stated by Nathaniel Cotton in â€Å"The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam, â€Å"He that is willing to tolerate any religion†¦besides his own†¦either doubts of his own or is not sincere to it. † (Doc G) Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, two radical religious thinkers, were banished from their New England colonies for the crime of not agreeing with Puritan ideals. Hutchinson was convicted of the heresy of antinomianism and Williams was exiled for preaching separation of church and state along with religious freedom for all. Completely opposing to Puritan views, the banished Roger Williams, in â€Å"A Plea for Religious Liberty, wrote â€Å"God requireth not a uniformity of religion to be enacted in any civil state,† (Doc F) Similarly to this, the Puritans did not like the Indians, and they used their strong religious ties as an excuse to terrorize them. In the name of God† they ravaged Indian villages and killed men, women, and children. After a colonist attack on the Pequot’s Mystic River Village, William Bradford noted that â€Å"It was a fearful sight to see them thus frying in the fire, and the streams of blood quenching the same†¦but the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave praise thereof to God, who had wrought so wonderfully for them, thus to enclose their enemies in their hands, and give them so sp eedy a victory over so proud, insulting, and blasphemous an enemy. (Doc D) Also on a social basis, the importance of religion to Puritans helped establish a public schooling system, one that would be expanded upon to eventually create the system we have today. The Puritans wanted their children to be able to read the Bible, so education was extremely important to them. Each New England town consisting of fifty or more families was required to establish a public school. It did not take long after the founding of New England for the Puritans to start establishing schools. Document E states that â€Å"After God had carried us safe to New England†¦one of the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance Learning†¦dreading to leave an illiterate Ministery to the Churches. † Clearly, the importance of religion significantly affected New England’s social development. New England was greatly shaped by the morals of Puritans. The area was developed to perfectly fit their ideas and values. From 1630 through the 1660’s, the Puritans developed the New England colonies as they saw fit by infusing their strong religious ideals into the political, economic, and social structure of their communities.

Important Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges

Important Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No matter how stellar your transcript, no matter how mastered your extracurricular activities, no matter how lyrical your essay- no application is complete without your SAT scores. So how do you make sure your SAT scores are sent properly, at the right time, and with only the scores you are most proud of? Read on for our best advice on the decisions you'll be faced with and what to do in case something goes wrong. In this article,I'll go over the process of sending SAT scores, the ins and outs of SAT Score Choice, when to send SAT scores (and when not to!), and what to do if your scores go missing. I'll also explain the pros and cons of every option and give you my suggestion anytime there are multiple possible ways to proceed. How to Send Your SAT Scores: 2 Methods You can send your SAT scores either when you takethe test or anytime after you get your scores. We'll look at the two methods in more detail below. Method 1: Use Your Four Free Score Reports When you register for the SATand for nine days after you take the test, you can send four free score reports tocolleges and scholarship programs. However, note that you'd be doing this without first seeing your scores. Here's our advice onwhether you should send these free four SAT score reports: Pros: These four score reports are free. A dollar saved is a dollar earned! Cons:You won't know your scores before they get sent out. This means you won't be able to use SAT Score Choice to pick which scores colleges see and which they don't see (more about Score Choice in the next part of this article). Essentially, your scores will be sent out even if they aren't as strong as you'd like them to be. Recommendation:Save some money and time- use your four free score reports to send scores to colleges that want to see all your SAT scores. Note: More and more schools are allowing students to self-report their SAT/ACT scores and only require official score reports if students are accepted. If you're only applying to schools that fall into that category and wait until your acceptances to send an official score report, you'll have to default to method 2, which we'll be covering next. Ben Franklin and his three-pence paper money are proud of your frugality. Method 2: Order Additional Score Reports You can alsoorder SAT score reports through your College Board account anytime after you get your scores. In your account, you can see all of your SAT test dates and scoresand choose which ones to send out. Here's our advice about whether you should send your SAT scores after you see them: Pros:You can see all your scores first, so you can select only your best scores to be sent out (again, I'll address SAT Score Choice in more detail below). Cons: It costs$12 to send a score report to a college, and each report can include a number of test scores on it. In other words, if you want to send three SAT scores to the University of Vermont and two to the University of Hawaii, you'd pay $24. (Students eligible for a fee waiver have unlimited free score reports.) Note that rush reports cost more:$31. Here are our recommendations for when to order additional SAT score reports: Send scores withyour best section results to colleges that superscore the SAT. These schools make a new composite score using your best Math, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), and Essayscores from any SATs you took. Send your single highest score to colleges that neither superscore norrequire all your scores,to SAT scholarship programs,andto the NCAA if you plan to playcollege sports. Can You Send Old SAT Scores? To send scores from an SAT you took more than a year ago, you must request them from the archives. Each report costs$31, and each rush report costs an additional $31. You can order old SAT scores in one of two ways (note that youcannotorder them online through your College Board account): Fill out the Archived Score Report Order Form and send it to the following address: SAT Program PO Box 7503 London, KY 40742-7503 Call the College Board at (866) 756-7346.Be aware that there is an additional $15 fee for ordering scores over the phone. Pro Tip: You might run across QA websites that tell you to simply mail or fax a copy of your printed SAT score report to colleges as a way of sending scores for free. Don't listen to these! Most colleges only look at official score reports sent directly by the College Board. You can't simply send schools a copy of your report, even if your deadline is approaching. Faxed a copy of your scores? Might as well have sent them this note. Can YouChoose Which SAT Scores to Send? You can now decide whether you want the College Board to send all your SAT scores to colleges or whether you want to use a program called Score Choice. SAT Score Choice lets you pick which scores you send to schools.You can select individual test dates, but not test sections. In other words, you pick the date of the SAT you want to send, and the College Board will send out scores from that test and that test only. Say you tookthe SATthree times, and the second time you were nursing a fever and just generally having a bad day. Score Choice lets you send only the first and third test scores to colleges- so you can go ahead and consign that second one to the dustbin of history. Score Choice also applies to SAT Subject Tests.You can pick which Subject Test score to send to your target colleges. Here are the pros and cons of the SAT Score Choice policy: Pros Score Choice is awesome for colleges that don’t requireall of your SAT scores. It's also perfect for colleges that superscore- you can send them the test dates that have your highest section scores. It's great forany SAT Subject Tests you’ve taken multiple times,since you just want colleges to get your highest score. Finally, it’s the best way to send your best single SAT score to scholarship programs and the NCAA. Cons You have toread your target colleges' score submission policies very carefully. Failing to send all your scores to colleges that require all of them could land your application in hot water. To make keeping track of different policies easier, check out CollegeBoard's BigFuture site, which lists the SAT score policies for hundreds of US schools. When Should YouSend YourSAT Scores? Now, let's discuss the best timing for sending SAT scores to colleges. In this section, we'll touch on how early to send your scores, when to expect scores to reach your colleges, whether to consider rush ordering your score reports, and finally what to do if you miss a deadline. Should You Send Your SAT Scores Early? The College Board claims that sending scores earlyshows colleges that you're a very interested applicant. If you first take the SAT your junior year, then, should you go ahead and send that score to colleges you're particularly interested in? It's true that some collegesdo sometimes ask to see proof that an applicant sincerely wants to go to their school; this is calleddemonstrated interest.But this is something that usually comes into play after you've turned in your full application, usually as a way to move someone up on a waitlist. Typically, sending SAT scores early does notgive you an edge. Similarly, it doesn't count as demonstrated interest.This is because if you send SAT scores to a college but haven’t applied there yet, the admission staff will simply save them under your name in a general file until your application shows up. And it's not only that. If you send your scores early and are planning to retake the SAT, you won't get the full benefit of Score Choice since you won't be able to compare your early score with ones from later tests you take. Save getting there early for the Harry Potter swag line. When Should SAT Scores Get to the Admissions Office? It will be no surprise to hear that official SAT score reports should get to your schools by their respective application deadline.In order to figure out what this means in terms of when to send your scores, let’s go through the timing of everything that happens after you take the test. Step 1: The College Board Scores Your SAT Scoringusually takes two to three weeks but can take more than five weeks for the June test date. Step 2: Score Reports Are Posted Online and Processed for Sending You can access your SAT score report through your College Board account. If you registered for the four free score reports, these will be sent out to colleges about one to two weeks after your scores appearonline (if you took the SAT without Essay). If you took the SAT with Essay, your scores will be sent out about 10 days after you get them online. As soon as scores are online, you can order additional score reports from the College Board website. Step 3: Colleges Receive Your SAT Scores Most colleges receive test scores electronically through software that files your score with the rest of your application materials. Colleges themselvesselect how often to download new SAT score reports; this is usually somewhere between once per day and once per week(for example, UVA gets SAT scores daily). Remember that there will be a lag between when a college gets your scores and when it adds them to your application file. In most circumstances, the math for ordering SAT score reports goes like this: less than 1 week for ordering scores + 1 week for colleges to get and file scores = order scores at least 2weeks before the application deadline I always hedge my bets, soI’d advise ordering test reports at least three weeks early for safety or, even better, as soon as you're done testing and know which schools you're applying to. Your last possible test date math looks like this: 3weeks for scoring + 3 weeks for ordering tests = take your last test no later than6weeks before the application deadline Should You Rush Your SAT Score Report Order? If you are worried about beating deadlines, youcan pay extra for the College Board'srush service. Here are the pros and cons of doing so: Pros Instead of taking "a few days"to send your scores, the College Boardguarantees SAT scores will be sent out within two to four business days. Cons This service does not speed up how long it takes the College Board to score your test. It also does not speed up how long it takes for colleges to receive your scores. Remember, schools choose the timing themselves, with some getting score reports only weekly. In other words, while your scores are sent sooner, they aren't necessarily going to be seenby schools sooner. Colleges that receive score reports electronically might not view priority reports at all. The service costs $31(but you can rush reports to many schools at once). Recommendation:If your deadline is fast approaching, it might make sense to pay extra to buy yourself a little more time. Just keep in mind that colleges might not see your scores any faster if their delivery preferences aren’t set up for priority reports. Yes, sir- we have our very fastest messenger on it, sir. What If You Miss the Application Deadline? What happens to applications when SAT scores arrive late varies depending on each college's policy. Some schools have a hard and fast rule: late application materials disqualify that applicant. For example, theUniversity of Texas’s policy even overrides the guaranteed admission the school offers to any in-state students in the top 10% of their class. In short, late test scores are a big gamble- you’re essentially betting that your application won’t be considered until further into the process and that therefore your SAT scores still have a chance to get there without issue. For example, here's whatStanford University’s admissions site warns in regard to test scores: â€Å"We cannot delay the review of an application in anticipation of scores that will arrive after the deadline nor can we guarantee that late [SAT] scores will be reviewed." Meanwhile,UVA points out the followingif your SAT scores are late: â€Å"There is a chance that we will have already started the [sic] review your file before those scores arrive. You should still send those scores.... There's a chance that the scores will be seen at some point in the process.† Finally, some schools judge applications on a case-by-case basis.This means that an otherwise excellent application might be put aside until SAT scores arrive, while an application that is clearly not a good fit for the school will be rejected even before scores are received. How Can I Ensure That My SAT Scores Don’t Get Lost? A college is guaranteed to receive your SAT scores either when you select it during SAT registration or when youselect it on the College Board website while ordering additional score reports. Some university systems, such as University of California system, which has many campuses under one umbrella, share scores among campuses. In other words, if you send your SAT scores to one UC campus, your scores will be distributed to all UC campuses. The most likelyreason your target college can’t find your SATscore report is that you picked the wrong school's name on the form.If you registered for the four free reports, check your own score report to confirm that the collegesyou put in are correct. If you ordered reports through the College Board website, log in to your account to double-check the colleges you selected. A good rule of thumb is to wait three weeks after you send your SAT scores to check whether they've been received.Usually, this info is available on the college’s application site, but in some cases colleges will contact you to let you know which application materials aren't in your file yet. If you get a notice from the college that your scores are missing, don’t panic: often, it can take up to a few weeks for received application materials to be logged.Chances are, the school has indeed received your scores but simply hasn’t filed them yet. Feel free to call the admissions office and calmly and respectfully ask them to check whether your SAT scores have arrived or not. If your SAT scores don't turn up- either because they got lost in the mail, were somehow electronically derailed, or were simply misfiled- you can always resend your scores by ordering new ones throughthe College Board website. Can we somehow get the tooth fairy involved with this whole missing-SAT-scores situation? What’s Next? Unsure how to study for your next crack at the SAT? Check out our expert advice and SAT study plan suggestions for taking the test your sophomore and junior year as well as the summer before senior year. Ready to try for a full SAT score? Learn what it takes to get to a 1600 from a perfect SAT scorer. Want to start working on the rest of your college application? Try out our tips on how to craft a versatile one that'll work for many different colleges. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 36

Journal - Essay Example It is for this reason that the international community bypassed the government and channeled their aid funds through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). From the time Haiti got independence, it has failed to construct proper buildings and have efficient infrastructure and public service in place. Decade after decade, the authorities in Haiti do not have much to show in terms of developmental goals achieved, despite receiving aid from several donors as well as grants (Brooks 1). From this, I believe the government might have no development plan in the first place or, its excessively corrupt officials are drowning any national, people-oriented agendas. It follows that a government that has no development plan or is full of corrupt officials cannot have a practical means of using aid to bring down poverty. It is argued that the aid received is not sufficient. However, that hardly seems the truth, because the highest number of NGOs per capita in the world is found in Haiti. I think Hai ti needs to do away with its anti-developmental cultural influences because, like Barbados, the both come from oppressive histories of slavery, but Barbados is not facing poverty problems to the extent witnessed in Haiti. Haiti is languishing in abject poverty because of the lack of a growth policy. It is true that much of the pledged money in terms of aid after the 2010 earthquake was not received, but the government did not portray the image and capabilities of an able custodian of the people’s aid. It is true that the government is by all means accountable to its people, albeit through democratically elected representatives, but NGOs are not. Yet, aid was channeled through the NGOs. In this sense, the government is doing itself more harm by allowing the international community to belittle it in full awareness of its subjects (Brooks 1). This all goes back to lack

Labor Unions Differences could Affect Company Operations Essay

Labor Unions Differences could Affect Company Operations - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that power distance in a country like the USA and the UK is small, compared to the power difference in countries like Japan and France. This being the case, while it would be easier for the workers in nations such as the UK and the USA to interact openly with the managers and discuss issues affecting them, the works in nations such as Japan and France may not go to the management to discuss their matters. What this simply means is that; while it would be easier to resolve the labor issues in countries like the UK and USA through direct management involvement, it may be a bit of a challenge to address such issues in countries like France and Japan, which will most often result to labor union actions, as opposed to direct involvement with the management. The subordinates in countries like Japan and France always perceive the superiors in a different light and for that reason may not seek to engage with them directly. Therefore, the management might experienc e more labor union problems in countries like Japan and France, as opposed to the USA and the UK. In this respect, it would be more appropriate for the management to adapt a more autocratic management system in a country like Japan, while adapting a more open and participatory management style in countries like the USA, UK and France, to avoid the possible labor and labor union problems associated with the power.

Challenging customers in the marketplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Challenging customers in the marketplace - Essay Example Such customers also take more time of the shopkeepers as compared to other customers. Companies need to satisfy challenging customers in order to achieve success. Customer satisfaction results in improving the business (Fornell, Mithas, Morgeson, & Krishnan, 2006). Customers can be challenging for different reasons. Some of the most common reasons include language difference, aggressive mindset, lack of proper communication skills, inability to make quick decisions, and impatient and hostile nature. Past experiences, stresses, and different perceptions are those factors, which make most of the customers challenging. Every customer has a different set of experiences, which he/she uses while deciding to buy any specific product. Some customers have some concerns, which they communicate to the shopkeepers or customer service representatives while buying the products. Such customers are challenging customers and shopkeepers find it difficult to deal with such customers. Shopkeepers can deal with challenging customers by listening to them properly, asking questions, showing concerns towards the needs of the customers. Harris (2003) states, â€Å"Although challenging customers may be difficult to interact with, the reality is that they are still ou r customers and our goal is to provide them with excellent customer service† (p.

Collaboration in Professional Practice

Collaboration in Professional Practice Effective Interprofessional Collaboration is key to providing good quality patient centred care This essay will discuss the principles of patient centred care and their relationship to multi-disciplinary team working and identify and explain key concepts of individual and team communication within the practice setting. Reference will also be made to experiences in practice and the effect of these experiences on the patient. My personal experiences of multi-disciplinary team working will be reflected upon, as will my strengths and weaknesses in relation to my skills as a collaborative team member. Patient confidentiality will be protected at all times when reflecting on personal experiences in placement in accordance with the NMC code of professional conduct (NMC 2004). The term patient-centred care refers to the participation and involvement of the patient in the decisions taken concerning their care and treating the person as an individual, recognising the differing needs amongst individual patients (Barrett, Sellman and Thomas 2005). The importance of involving the patient in their own care has become increasingly important over the last half of the 20th century, with more people living into older age than ever before, and with this increase of life expectancy has come an increase of those living with chronic or long-term illness (Department of Health 2001). This has led to a heightened number of people becoming, in many instances, more knowledgeable of their condition than the healthcare professionals that are involved in their care and treatment, and therefore, rather than being merely recipients of this care they are increasingly taking responsibility for the management of their illness by making informed decisions concerning their treatment, alongside those of healthcare professionals (Department of Health 2001). As the significance of patient centred care has been identified it also important to understand the relationship between patient centred care and multi-disciplinary team work, which is that to enable the provision of patient-centred care a number of different professions will need to be involved, as it is not possible for one profession to have all the knowledge required to provide effective care, therefore the multi-disciplinary team must work collaboratively to be effective, with effective communication between professions making this collaboration possible (Barrett, Sellman and Thomas 2005). Furthermore, as healthcare teams are not comprised solely as a solitary department a patient may need to attend clinics in many of the different hospital departments in order to gain the desired treatment. In order to provide the patient with the best quality treatment and care, it is essential that there is high level of effective Interprofessional collaboration between all members of the healthcare team. Ensuring efficient communication between healthcare professionals will not only increase the quality of the service, but it could also help reduce hospital waiting lists for treatments and ultimately, increase patient satisfaction. For example, when considering a department such as radiology it is becomes clear why effective communication between all members if the team is essential. A radiology team is composed of many different interdisciplinary professionals not only doctors, radiologists and nurses working within the radiology department, but it also comprises the individuals w ith whom these members of staff interact within their different, complementary departments. For example, a patient will have been referred to a radiologist from a different department e.g. gynaecology. The patient will also go to meet the staff at the admissions desk, outpatients staff, perhaps ward staff if they are to be admitted. Thus, the coordination of this team of practitioners is vital in order to ensure that the patient is treat efficiently and that their care needs are met. When there is a lack of communication between professions the quality of care will inevitably suffer. There are many examples, and consequences, of good and poor communication and one example is that of a scenario my colleagues and I were asked to consider as part of our online learning for the Collaboration in Professional Practice (CIPP) module, which was of a student nurse attending a ward round with a doctor. In the scenario the student nurse had concerns as to the patient having little opportunity to ask the doctor any questions or allay any concerns that he had, which the student nurse perceived to be due to a number of reasons, including the lack of privacy on the ward and the doctor making it apparent that he was short of time. When she reflected on this incident she felt that she had not communicated with the doctor efficiently and acted as advocate for her patient, therefore, the consequences are that he was possibly left with many unanswered concerns. There were many opini ons relating to this scenario put forward on the group discussion board (see appendix 1) and many of us felt that this emphasised the importance of having a mixed number of professions on ward rounds, including a nurse whose responsibility it is to act as advocate for the patient. The student nurse in the scenario pointed out that she felt she had let her patient down in favour of showing the doctor that she was efficient and good at her job and it could be argued that this need to impress the doctor was due to the hierarchical structure within which hospitals tend to operate, with doctors being at the top of this structure, which could affect communication between doctors and nursing staff. One of the objectives of a study which was carried out by Kinley et al (2001) was the investigation of the quality of communication between senior medical staff and ATN (Kinley et al 2001: 2) (The ATN are appropriately trained nurses) and the study was conducted in retrospect of the plans to implement nurse-run clinics and to give nurses some duties which were previously considered to be that of a doctor. This is of importance and relevance to the provision of patient centred care, as the ability of members of a healthcare team to effectively communicate and articulate any problems, concerns or even advice which one may have in order to help another member of the healthcare team to treat a patient is one of the keys to effective collaboration within the multidisciplinary environment of a hospital (Barrett, Sellman and Thomas 2005). The conclusion made by the research team was that there is no reason to inhibit the development of fully trained nurse-led pre-operative assessment, provi ded that the nurses are appropriately trained and maintain sufficient workload to retain skills (Kinley et al, 2001: 3). However, the qualitative counterpart of the study indicated that the use of ATN for pre-operative assessment was agreeable to patients but there was no indication that there was any improvement in the communication between senior medical staff and those carrying out the pre-operative assessments’ (Kinley et al 2001: 3). Hence, this study could be viewed to be indicative of the fact that if interdisciplinary communication and collaboration was to be improved within the healthcare team and hospital settings, perhaps the abilities of nursing staff to fulfil roles and complete duties previously associated with a doctor, such as completing pre-operative assessments and taking medical histories would be enhanced. I myself have witnessed examples of both good and poor interprofessional collaboration and communication whilst out in practice. For example, whilst caring for an elderly lady in hospital who was recovering from surgery it became apparent that she was suffering from acute constipation. Numerous healthcare professionals worked collaboratively to eliminate her constipation, including doctors, nurses, a dietician and physiotherapist and in the end a satisfactory result was achieved. On reflection of this incident I felt that although there was clearly excellent communication and collaboration between professions, once they were working together in the treatment of this problem, there was also an unnecessary delay in the nurses involving these other professions in her treatment for this particular problem, which led to unnecessary suffering and pain for the patient. I referred to this incident on the CIPP group discussion board (see appendix 2) and found that this concern as to the lengt h of time it can sometimes take to involve other professions was shared. Therefore, it is worth noting that even when communication is good between professions the quality of patient care will still suffer if there are delays in bringing about their collaboration. The ability to reflect on incidents such as these is an essential component of nursing as it enables us to analyse what we did, if we did it well or if it we could have done it better, and then how we can develop our skills further to do better in the future (Brooker and Nicol 2003). When considering that nurses are expected to make certain decisions as to the care of a patient the benefits of reflective practice become apparent, reflecting on past mistakes can help greatly when deciding what action should be taken in the care of patient, particularly when it is a situation that one has previously experienced and thus gained knowledge from (Brooker and Nicol 2003). I feel that although I have made significant progress in my ability to reflect over the last year there is still much room for improvement, something which I have referred to in my action plan for the formative assignment (see appendix 3). I listed the priority of this ‘action point’ as being medium to high as although it is to be achieved throughout my career, as part of my lifelong learning, I feel that it is also an essential skill whilst being a student as it will my greatly aide my learning at present as well as in the future when qualified. Being self-aware is vital to the reflective process as it is through our knowledge of ourselves that we are able to recognise our strengths and weaknesses and identify areas where more learning is required (Burns and Bulman 2000). Self-awareness is to be conscious of who we are, to be aware of our own values, beliefs and strengths and weaknesses (Burns and Bulman 2000). Being self-aware is essential to nursing as not only does it form the basis upon which reflection is built but it also contributes to how we communicate with others and aides our interpersonal development with our colleagues, as well as enabling us to build and maintain positive relationships with our patients (Bulman and Schutz 2004). When reflecting upon my own strengths and weaknesses, in relation to my collaborative skills, I feel that whilst I am beginning to acquire an in depth understanding of the role of the nurse in the care of the patient I feel that I lack substantial knowledge of the roles of the other healthcare professionals that I work alongside in the care of these same patients. This point is also referred to in my action plan for the formative assessment (see appendix 3) and I listed the priority of this as being medium to high as I feel that it is not possible to become an effective collaborative healthcare professional without having an understanding of the roles of others with whom you are working alongside. If there is a lack of understanding of the roles of others I feel that it would be difficult to see why they are involved in the care of my patient, or even when it is appropriate to involve other healthcare professionals, inevitably leading to the quality of the care for the patient to suf fer. As we have identified the importance of Interprofessional collaboration in the provision of effective patient centred care and satisfaction within the hospital environment it is important to look at methodologies which can be utilised in order to improve the interactions and communication between members of each multidisciplinary team within the healthcare setting. Buchan and May (2007) describe how the process of skill mix; can be used to as a method of organisational change within a healthcare team and it has a role to play in improving the effectiveness of the organisation and quality of care. The four stages of a skill mix cycle are the evaluation of the need for change, the identification of opportunities and barriers for change, the planning for change and finally making the change happen (Buchanan and May 2007: 1) Therefore, we can see that the methodology of skill mix is one option available to healthcare managers when they are aiming to improve the Interprofessional collabor ation between members of their healthcare teams, the method does however require careful planning. Furthermore, it is important to realise that skill mix is more than just a technical exercise, as it is also a method of achieving organisational change which requires careful planning, communication, implementation and evaluation if it is to achieve its main objectives (Buchanan and O’May 2007: 1). Sibbald, Shen and McBride (2004) value the strategy of changing the skill mix of the healthcare workforce and highlight that factors promoting success in the improvement of the patient care service and the interactions and collaborations of members of the healthcare interdisciplinary teams include: introducing treatments of proven efficacy, appropriate staff education and training; removal of unhelpful boundary demarcations between staff or service sectors; appropriate pay and reward systems; and good strategic planning and human resource management (Sibbald, Shen and McBride, 2004 : 28). It is important to identify the areas which can help to improve staff communication because this will help with the planning and implementation of change and improvements within the healthcare setting. Education and training opportunities appear to be beneficial in two ways, firstly they provide a method for improving the staff morale and self-respect as they feel more satisfied and qualified to hel p others and thus communicate with other members of the healthcare team and additionally the training will provide opportunities for members of staff to become acquainted with other employees and to interact (Sibbald, Shen and McBride 2004). This may then help in the collaboration in the work place. Education and training strategies which could train doctors and nurses simultaneously would be beneficial in reducing the hierarchical boundaries between these disciplines (Freeth, 2005 and Dominelli, 2002). The subject of this essay is increasingly significant at present due to the recent changes observed within the structure and function of the National Health Service (NHS) and the demands placed upon it to reduce the waiting times of patients and increase patient centred care, whilst at the same time cutting the costs and expenditure within the NHS (The Department of Health 2000). This puts pressure on medical staff, not only to increase their efficiency of treatment, but also to cope with and adapt to changes which are being made within their departments (The department of Health 2000). One of these changes which may be difficult for medical staff to adapt to in particular is the replacement of doctors with nursing staff in the carrying out of some of the duties and roles which were previously associated solely with the doctor. As the primary aim of the NHS is to provide the best healthcare possible for each patient, it is important that the staff employed to take over some of the du ties and responsibilities previously associated with the doctors we must ensure that the nursing staff are fully trained and able to perform the tasks to the required standard and in order to do this it is important that there is an effective level of collaboration between the doctors and nursing staff and that the doctors provide a support network, to which members of the nursing team can turn to and ask advice when and wherever appropriate. However, as there may be negative feelings towards this change, perhaps felt more so by the doctors, this may prove to be difficult. Hence, it is necessary to enhance the levels of cooperation and team spirit in order to work more efficiently and make the most of the skills of all the professionals in the NHS workforce (The Department of Health 2000). In conclusion, it is clearly apparent that the effective collaboration and consequentially the communication between members of a healthcare team is of vital importance when considering the accuracy and efficiency in which care can be provided to patients in a patient focused manner, and as this is an important aim of the NHS plan to reform, plans must be put into action to ensure that the levels of communication between members of the healthcare team are achieved to enable the goals made by government bodies to be reached and to aid staff moral in the workplace. Reference List Barrett, G, Sellman, D and Thomas, J (2005) Interprofessional working in health and social care. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan Brooker, C., Nicol, M (2003) Nursing Adults, the Practice of Caring. London, Mosby Buchan. J, O’May. F (2007) Determining Skill Mix: Practical Guidelines for Managers and Health Professionals [online] last accessed on 16th December 2007 at: http://www.who.int/hrh/en/HRDJ_4_2_07.pdf Bulman, C., Schutz, S (2004) Reflective Practice in Nursing. Oxford, Blackwell Publishing Burns, S and Bulman, C (2000) Reflective practice in nursing: the growth of the reflective practitioner (2nd Edition) Oxford, Blackwell Science Department of Health (2000) The NHS Plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform [online] last accessed 16th December 2007 at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4002960 Department of Health (2001) The expert patient: a new approach to chronic disease management for the 21st century [online] last accessed on 15 December 2007 at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4006801 Dominelli, L (2002) Anti-oppressive social work theory and practice. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan Freeth, D (2005) Effective interprofessional education: development, delivery and evaluation. Oxford, Blackwell Publishing Kinley et al (2001) Extended scope of nursing practice: a multicentre randomised controlled trial of appropriately trained nurses and pre-registration house officers in pre-operative assessment in elective general surgery Health Technology Assessment. Vol 5: No 20 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004) The NMC code of professional conduct: standards for conduct, performance and ethics, London, Nursing and Midwifery Council Sibbald,B, Shen, J and McBride, A (2004). Changing the skill-mix of the health care workforce. Journal of Health Service Research and Policy 9(1), 28-38.

How the change of Hydrochloric Acid concentration affects the rate of reaction with Marble Chips :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

How the change of Hydrochloric Acid concentration affects the rate of reaction with Marble Chips Aim To find if changing the concentration of an acid will increase or decrease the rate of the reaction when marble is dissolved in hydrochloric acid. With the equation CaCO3 + 2HCl CaCl2 +H2O + CO2. The rate of the reaction affects how quickly the CO2 is produced. Background Knowledge ==================== The rate of reaction depends on how often and how hard the reacting particles collide with each other. Particles have to collide in order to react, and the have to collide hard enough as well. This is called the collision theory. When the temperature is increased the particles all move quicker. If they are moving quicker then they are going to have more collisions. Higher temperature also increases the energy of the collisions, because it makes all the particles move faster. Increasing the temperature only causes faster collisions. Reactions only happen if the particles collide with enough energy. At a higher temperature there will be more particles colliding with enough energy to make the reaction happen. This initial energy is known as the activation energy, and it is needed to break the initial bonds. If one of the reactants is a solid then breaking it up into smaller pieces will increase its surface area. This means the particles around it in the solution will have more area to work on so there will be more useful collisions. If the solution is made more concentrated it means that there are more particles of reactant moving about between the water molecules which makes collisions between the important particles more likely. Because of this I expect the reaction rate to be quicker when the concentration of the acid is higher. The reaction should however, end on the same amount of gas given off. Rate is measured by the disappearance of reactants and/or the appearance of a product. Prediction When the concentration of acid increases the rate of reaction will increase. I will be able to see the rate of reaction is increasing as the gas is produced more quickly. Equipment ========= Clamp Stand Hydrochloric Acid Medium Marble Chips Measuring Cylinder (100ml) x 2 (clearly mark each for water or acid) 250 ml conical flask Balance Gas Syringe Safety Equipment i.e. Lab coat, goggles Boiling Tubes Stopclock Delivery Tube Thermometer Method ====== * NB: before each experiment, ensure that the air temperature is consistent. * Using the measuring cylinder specific for the acid, measure out the specified amount of hydrochloric acid. Then, measure out the specified amount of water in the other measuring cylinder. Pour both of these liquids into a boiling tube.

Cypcore positive outcomes

Identify the positive outcomes for children and young people that practitioners should be striving to achieve. In 2003 the I-JK government for England and Wales launched one of the most important policies, partly in response to the death of Victoria Climbie, in relation to children and children's services.It was produced as a result of a review of children and young people's services, it had two main findings; one was for all services to work together and share information and it identified five positive outcomes for children and young people. As a practitioner working with children I am aware that the upport I give the children to achieve the five positive outcomes is crucial in their development.Be healthy; Physically healthy Mentally and emotionally healthy Sexually healthy Healthy lifestyles Choose not to take illegal drugs Parents, carers and families promote healthy choices Stay safe; Safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation Safe from accidental injury and death Safe from bullying and discrimination Safe from crime and anti-social behaviour in and out of school Have security, stability and are cared for Parents, carers and families provide safe homes and stability Enjoy and achieve; Ready for schoolAttend and enjoy school Achieve stretching national educational standards at primary school Achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation Achieve stretching national educational standards at secondary school Parents, carers and families support learning Make a positive contribution; Engage in decision-making and support the community And environment Engage in law-abiding and positive behaviour in and out of school Develop positive relationships and choose not to bully and Discriminate Develop selt-contldence and successtully deal witn signitlcant lite Changes and challenges Develop enterprising behaviour

Astronomy from Prehistory to Galileo

Astronomy from Prehistory to Galileo Astronomy and humanitys interest in the sky are almost as old as the history of intelligent life on our planet. As civilizations formed and spread across the continents, their interest in the sky (and what its objects and motions meant) grew as observers kept records of what they saw. Not every record was in writing; some monuments and buildings were created with an eye toward a link with the sky. The pyramids in Egypt, for example, not only housed the remains of their Pharaohs, but some were also aligned with certain star patterns and stars. Nearly every culture had a connection to the sky. Everybody also saw their gods, goddesses, and other heroes and heroines reflected in the constellations. The motions of the Sun, Moon, and stars had ritual meaning, and many tales invented during the ancient epochs are still told today. This fascination with sky objects may date back tens of thousands of years, and some primitive art examples, such as the caves at Lascaux, France, have paintings that appear to show constellations and star patterns. Beyond the ritual and sacred perceptions of the sky, however, people were moving from a simple awe of the sky to an understanding of the motions of celestial objects. They used a connection between the sky and the seasons, and ways to use the sky to create calendars.  Ã‚   Early Neolithic people are thought to have built Stonehenge in England as a connection to the sky. It seems to have a link to Moonrise and Moonset times throughout the year. Orion Lawlor Using the Sky What most historians find quite interesting today is how humanity moved from merely charting and worshipping the sky to actually learning more about celestial objects and our place in the universe. Theres plenty of written evidence of their interest. For example, some of the earliest known charts of the sky date back to 2300 BCE and were created by the Chinese. They were avid skywatchers, and noted such things as comets, guest stars (which turned out to be novae or supernovae), and other sky phenomena.   The ecliptic is the path that the Sun, Moon and planets appear to follow in the sky throughout the year. The constellations that appear along the ecliptic are called the zodiac constellations. These had special meaning to early astrologers, who used them in rituals and to attempt to predict events. Carolyn Collins Petersen The Chinese werent the only early civilizations to keep track of the sky. The Babylonians first charts date back to a couple of thousand years BCE, and the Chaldeans were among the first to recognize the zodiac constellations, which is a backdrop of stars through which the planets, Sun, and Moon appear to move. And, although solar eclipses have occurred throughout history, the Babylonians were the first to record one of these spectacular events in 763 BCE.   Explaining the Sky Scientific interest in the sky gathered steam when the earliest philosophers began pondering what it all meant, both scientifically and mathematically. In 500 BCE the Greek mathematician Pythagoras suggested that Earth was a sphere, rather than a flat object. It wasnt long before people such as Aristarchus of Samos looked to the sky to explain the distances between stars. Euclid, the mathematician from Alexandria, Egypt, introduced concepts of geometry, an important mathematics resource in most of the known sciences. It wasnt long before Eratosthenes of Cyrene calculated Earths size using the new tools of measurement and mathematics. These same tools eventually allowed scientists to measure other worlds and calculate their orbits. Aristarchuss calculations on the relative sizes of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. These were done in the 3rd century B.C.E. Public Domain. The very matter of the universe came under scrutiny by Leucippus, and along with his student Democritus, began to explore the existence of the  fundamental particles called atoms. (Atom comes from the Greek word meaning indivisible.) Our modern science of particle physics owes a great deal to their first explorations of the building blocks of the universe.   Our modern attempts to understand the structrure of the atomn (as shown in thise artists concept) are based on ancient Greek explorations of the nature of matter. Science Photo Library/Getty Images Although travelers (particularly sailors) relied on the stars for navigation from the earliest days of Earth exploration, it wasnt until Claudius Ptolemy (more familiarly known simply as Ptolemy) created his first star charts in the year 127 AD that maps of the cosmos became common. He cataloged some 1,022 stars, and his work called The Almagest became the basis for expanded charts and catalogs through the succeeding centuries.   The Renaissance of Astronomical Thought The concepts of the sky created by the ancients were interesting, but not always quite right. Many early philosopher were convinced that Earth was the center of the universe. All else, they reasoned, orbited our planet. This fit well with established religious ideas about the central role of our planet, and humans, in the cosmos. But, they were wrong. It took a Renaissance astronomer named  Nicolaus  Copernicus  to change that thinking. In 1514, he first suggested that Earth actually moves around the Sun, a nod to the idea that the Sun was the center of all creation. This concept, called heliocentrism, didnt last long, as continued observations showed that the Sun was just one of many stars in the galaxy. Copernicus published a treatise explaining his ideas in 1543. It was called  De Revolutionibus Orbium Caoelestium (The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres). It was his last and most valuable contribution to astronomy.   The status of Copernicus in front of the Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Poland. photo muguette/Getty Images The idea of a Sun-centered universe didnt sit well with the established Catholic church at the time. Even when astronomer Galileo Galilei used his telescope to show that  Jupiter was a planet with moons of his own, the church didnt approve. His discovery directly contradicted the holy scientific teachings. Those were based on the old assumption of human and Earth superiority over all things. Galileos writings were extensive chronicles of his work, although they were suppressed for a time. That would change, of course, but not until new observations and a flourishing interest in science would show the church how wrong its ideas were.   Galileo Galilei began the era of modern astronomy when he turned a telescope to the sky. His actions unleashed events that reverberated into the 20th century. Library of Congress. However, in Galileos time, the telescopes invention primed the pump for discovery and scientific reason that continue to this day.  His contributions and those of other ancient astronomers remain important in modern astronomy. However, for astronomy to advance, it had to move beyond small telescopes and naked-eye observations. The centuries following Galileos lifetime would bring astronomy into its own as a separate scientific discipline. Key Takeaways People have been interested in astronomy as long as they have been able to look up.The first astronomers used the sky as a calendar and time-keeping device, following as the stars changed daily and over the seasons.Cultural interest in the sky led people to associate constellations and certain stars and planets with their gods, goddesses, heroes and heroines.The Greek, Babylonian, Chinese, and other early astronomers began charting the skies.The Greek astronomy was used by the Romans.The first parents of modern astronomer were Copernicus and Galileo. Sources Krupp, E.  Echoes of the Ancient Skies: the Astronomy of ..  Harper Krupp, 1983.Krupp, E. C.  Skywatchers, Shamans Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power. Wiley, 1997.â€Å"Prehistoric Cave Art Suggests Ancient Use of Complex Astronomy.†Ã‚  ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 27 Nov. 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181127111025.htm.Tang, Yvonne. â€Å"The History of Astronomy.†Ã‚  Home - Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer, 17 Jan. 2015, curious.astro.cornell.edu/people-and-astronomy/the-history-of-astronomy. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

The Red Badge Of Courage Essays - The Red Badge Of Courage

The Red Badge Of Courage Essays - The Red Badge Of Courage The Red Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage is now universally recognized as a masterpiece, although when it first appeared in book form in 1896 (two months later in England than in the United States) it provoked mixed reactions. The English critics, in fact, brought it to the attention of the American public, which had generally ignored it. Those early readers who approved saw in it a "true and complete picture of war," a book which "thrusts aside romantic machinery" in favor of dramatic action and photographic revelation. Its critics attacked it for what they considered its utter lack of literary form - its "absurd similes," "bad grammar," and "violent straining after effect." Edward Garnett, however, praised its "perfect mastery of form," and Conrad, who had known Crane, said in 1926 that The Red Badge of Courage was a "spontaneous piece of work which seems to spurt and flow like a tapped stream from the depths of the writer's being," and he found it "virile and full of gentle sympathy! " while it was happily marred by no "declamatory sentiments." Throughout the first four decades of the century the book was variously praised and condemned for its naturalism or "animalism," its realism and its extraordinary style. V. S. Pritchett, writing in 1946, may be said to represent the prevailing opinion when he declares that Crane's "verisimilitude," his grasp of "human feelings," and his "dramatic scenes and portraits" give The Red Badge of Courage a place in the literature of war. It is only in the forties that serious literary analysis of the book begins. It had of course long been recognized that novels such as Zola's La Debacle and Tolstoy's Sevastopol and War and Peace had had some influence on Crane, and that he had made use of Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (which had first appeared serially in the Century Magazine) as well as accounts of particular campaigns; his brother William, for one thing, was an expert on the strategy of the Battle of Chancellorsville, and there are many parallels with this battle to be found in The Red Badge. But scholars like Pratt, Webster, Osborn, and Stallman began to call attention to the possible role played by less significant factors, like Crane's personal acquaintance with General Van Petten, an instructor at Claverack College, who might have provided him with a first-hand account of the Battle of Antietam. Crane may also have derived some less important conceptions from Civil War potboilers like Hinman's C! orporal Si Klegg or Kirkland's The Captain of Company K. Although Crane himself acknowledged an early influence by Kipling's novels, it was S. C. Osborn who pointed out that the famous "red wafer" image at the close of Chapter 9 probably had its source in Kipling's The Light That Failed, and who thereby inaugurated a discussion (maintained chiefly by R. W. Stallman) about the meaning of this image. The "wafer" may be a wax sealing wafer or it may be, as Stallman suggests, an allusion to the Christian communion wafer, but it lies at the center of the controversy concerning the alleged Christian symbolism of the novel. Discussions of the structure and total meaning of the novel date from about 1950. John Schroeder believes that Crane has not achieved a successful accommodation of antithetical elements: "War as man- made blasphemy" is not "distinguishable from nature's pattern of serene wisdom"; and he feels that the "putting off of the Old Man [by the youth] . . . is largely a matter of accident." R. W. Stallman, on the other hand, asserts that a consistent, meaningful pattern unifies the story. The Red Badge "is about the self - combat of a youth who fears and stubbornly resists change and spiritual growth. . . . Henry's regeneration is brought about by the death of Jim Conklin." Psychological and mythic criticism of a book whose action centers mainly about a "wound" was perhaps inevitable, and Maxwell Geismar (1953) explains that "Fleming's shame at his psychic wound . . . led him to yearn for the physical wound." The basic pattern of the narrative conforms to that of "acceptance after a t! rial by ordeal." Geismar further sees this as all a reflection of

FITT principle Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FITT principle - Assignment Example Cardiovascular fitness however, involves activities like walking, biking, skating, jogging as well as rowing. These activities in turns strengthen the heart and lungs of human being and hence; the muscles become more efficient due to availability of enough oxygen. In addition, the activities involved during cardiovascular fitness increases the amount of blood pumped per heartbeat hence; lowering resting heart rate up to an average of 72 BPM. Normal functioning and working of the heart depends on the resting heart rate and when it is low it enable the heart to function well and that why Cardiovascular fitness becomes an essential component of life (Dennis, McCully and Juris, 13-19.). Nevertheless, during cardiovascular fitness process, Aerobics which is an exercise under the process results into long term activity usually termed as cardiovascular endurance. This term is also known as cardio-respiratory endurance and it is the ability of the body of a human being is able to work continuously for a given absolute time frame. The practitioners however, have availed that cardio-respiratory endurance increases ones chances of living longer here on earth since it is a channel of healthier life. In addition, when one fails to engage into cardiovascular fitness, he or she may be affected by cardiovascular diseases such as type2 diabetes and obesity. In adhering to the health principle, one needs to understand the importance of FITT principles which brings about benefits to the health of your heart. The table below illustrates different FITT principles that give us an overview as far as the issue of body health is concerned. It is standardized that maximum cardiovascular benefits are accomplished when one engages into an exercise three to five times per week. This leads to improvement of general fitness but at times one may be engaged

Soft Systems Methodology and Activity Theory (System Thinking) Essay

Soft Systems Methodology and Activity Theory (System Thinking) - Essay Example Whereas AT inspires theoretical thought in many disciplines – psychology, culture, information systems, education, and management, disciplines that generally apply strategies involving human activity. Many researchers have cited AT as being holistically rich when it comes to understanding how humans conduct activities together with the aid of advanced tools in very dynamic and intricate settings (Adebowale, 2010). The aim of this paper is to critically evaluate how soft systems methodology and activity theory can be used to understand organisational problems. As part of this objective, the essay will also compare and contrast the two approaches and discuss relative strengths and weaknesses. SSM has undergone various modifications and revisions to become more practical, flexible, and relevant to different disciplines and organisational problems. However, SSM’s suitability to various fields has remained the most important asset, one which has not required numerous modifications to remain relevant (Bell, 2013). In addition, SSM is currently used by people who lack a technical background but want to solve complex organisational problems. At the moment, SSM is applied in several main organisational settings or disciplines. For example, in performance evaluation, it is used to develop performance measures, quality assurance processes, and to monitor the organisation. In education, it is used in defining course designs, training requirements, causes of absenteeism and to analyse language teaching. It is also used in project management, personal life decisions, risk management processes, organisational strategy, and industrial tribunal cases (Bozalek and Ambi, 2014). The first stage often involves recognising, exploring and defining the problem in some way. Firstly, the organisation must decide what it is actually investigating. At this stage,