Essay --

NAME: SHASHEEN POTHULA UMID: 17726116 1.) Zhai and Kristensson identify five motivating principles for their design. Consider T-9 input for entering text on a cell phone keypad, in predictive text mode. How would a proponent of T-9 address these principles? Do all apply? Text input constitutes one of the most frequent computer user tasks. Several input techniques were developed from QWERTY keyboard to the hand writing recognition systems and the virtual keyboards, but all of them have limitations. Shumin Zhai and Per-Ola Kristensson have proposed in their paper a new method that can help in fast typing for large vocabulary. They named their method SHARK which is stand for shorthand aided rapid keyboarding. This method basically offered writing on keyboard by identifying the typing gestures. It also defines and recognizes a symbol for each word by the way of movement pattern that it has been typed without taping on letters. The key five motivating principles involved in SHARK design are: ïÆ'Ëœ Scale and location independency ïÆ'Ëœ Efficiency ïÆ'Ëœ Durability ïÆ'Ëœ Zipf’s law effect ïÆ'Ëœ Transition from tapping to gesturing Predictive text entry is used to try to predict the word a user is typing before they ï ¬ nish entering all its characters. One or more predictions are normally presented to the user as they type, allowing them to select a correct choice before they ï ¬ nish entering their word. When successful, predictive text entry can improve both speed and accuracy. T9 short for Text on 9 keys—was one of the ï ¬ rst predictive text methods, used on feature phones with a number pad, where each number corresponds to multiple letters, identical to the number-to-letter mapping used on traditional landline phones. Prior to T9, users would e... ...ctive to learning stylus keyboarding although the rate of expansion and the unit of training in stylus keyboarding needed further investigation. Speed writing is an old research topic with renewed interest due to the need of using mobile computing devices. To write a significant amount of text, natural writing is too slow and stylus keyboarding is tedious and visually demanding. Usually there are two types of classes namely novice and experts. The novice users may find a little difficult to memorize the gestures but the experts does not feel so. But in the case of SHARK, even the novice users were able to memorize and started using the gestures with in less time and the number of words typed per minute increased drastically. By this we can say that SHARK can be used by every user with less hard work and it is one of the best human interfaces used for words typing.

Cherokee Indians Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

Cherokee Nation Before invasion of the Americans onto Cherokee territory, the Cherokee lived in peace and harmony. Keetoowah is the name of the ancient Cherokee town in the eastern homelands, said to be the â€Å"Mother Town† of the people (Conley 18). Many of the Cherokee Indians originated here according to the traditions. They referred themselves as Ani-Kituwagi, meaning Keetoowah People, or Ani-yunwi-ya, the Real People (Conley 27). The fertile lands of the Keetoowah were filled of many resources, but as the population grew too large for the town, many people had moved out and built new towns. Overtime, many towns were built one after another. Soon, there were approximately 200 scattered tribes over vast areas that consisted of a number of politically independent tribes comprised of a war chief and peace chief as there government (King 95). Each tribe was politically independent due to the fact they didn’t want a powerful central government; the idea that any one person had supreme power. Thus, tribes were held together by a common culture, language, and tradition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tradition played an important role in Cherokee clans. It made sure certain elements of a culture from generation to generation were passed down. Such as, the traditional matrilineal Cherokee family structure, which means descent, is traced through the female line (Conley 24). The children belonged to the mother and her family clan. There was not any relatedness with the father and he’s family clan. This family structure provided a safe and secure environment for women and children. Also, it meant the man lived in the wife’s house, surrounded by her clan’s people, so he would not dare to abuse her unless he wanted a tribal beating. Women were largely incorporated into the tribes. Not only was she the head of her domain with mutually respected power and authority, she had equal say in the affairs of war and peace. She was also in charge of the household and nourishment of her family (Lehochy). The women were involved in many functions of daily l ife. It seems as if the women were the tribe, but not for long.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Years after the first American contact, European traders living amongst would marry Cherokee women. European traders could not accept that fact of tracing descent through the female line, but slowly the clan system gave into the European... ...despair. After the first encounters with Americans, the Cherokee Nation was deteriorating. For instance, Cherokee family structures were changing, vast amounts of lands were being ceded to Americans, and Cherokee Indians were forced from their lands. Overtime, this constant chipping away at the Cherokee Nation, lead to the final Indian removal from homelands and the demise of the Cherokee Nation in southeastern United States. Works Cited â€Å"Aspect of Cherokee Women’s Social, Domestic, and Political Roles.† Lehochy, Wather. 11 Oct. 2004 . â€Å"Cherokee.† 10 Oct. 2004 . â€Å"Cherokee Messenger.† Vhenrichs@earthlink.net. 10 Oct. 2004 Conley, Robert, J. Cherokee. Portland: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co., 2002. â€Å"Early Tennessee History and Cherokee History.† Smith, Ray. 11 Oct. 2004 . Ehle, John. Trail of Tears. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1925. â€Å"History of the Cherokee.† Martin, Ken. Admin@cherokeehistory.com. 10 Oct. 2004 . King, Duane, H. The Cherokee Indian Nation. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1979. â€Å"Trail of Tears.† Carrielynn1970@iwon.com. 10 Oct. 2004 http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=104393&ck=/. Cherokee Indians Essay examples -- essays research papers fc Cherokee Nation Before invasion of the Americans onto Cherokee territory, the Cherokee lived in peace and harmony. Keetoowah is the name of the ancient Cherokee town in the eastern homelands, said to be the â€Å"Mother Town† of the people (Conley 18). Many of the Cherokee Indians originated here according to the traditions. They referred themselves as Ani-Kituwagi, meaning Keetoowah People, or Ani-yunwi-ya, the Real People (Conley 27). The fertile lands of the Keetoowah were filled of many resources, but as the population grew too large for the town, many people had moved out and built new towns. Overtime, many towns were built one after another. Soon, there were approximately 200 scattered tribes over vast areas that consisted of a number of politically independent tribes comprised of a war chief and peace chief as there government (King 95). Each tribe was politically independent due to the fact they didn’t want a powerful central government; the idea that any one person had supreme power. Thus, tribes were held together by a common culture, language, and tradition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tradition played an important role in Cherokee clans. It made sure certain elements of a culture from generation to generation were passed down. Such as, the traditional matrilineal Cherokee family structure, which means descent, is traced through the female line (Conley 24). The children belonged to the mother and her family clan. There was not any relatedness with the father and he’s family clan. This family structure provided a safe and secure environment for women and children. Also, it meant the man lived in the wife’s house, surrounded by her clan’s people, so he would not dare to abuse her unless he wanted a tribal beating. Women were largely incorporated into the tribes. Not only was she the head of her domain with mutually respected power and authority, she had equal say in the affairs of war and peace. She was also in charge of the household and nourishment of her family (Lehochy). The women were involved in many functions of daily l ife. It seems as if the women were the tribe, but not for long.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Years after the first American contact, European traders living amongst would marry Cherokee women. European traders could not accept that fact of tracing descent through the female line, but slowly the clan system gave into the European... ...despair. After the first encounters with Americans, the Cherokee Nation was deteriorating. For instance, Cherokee family structures were changing, vast amounts of lands were being ceded to Americans, and Cherokee Indians were forced from their lands. Overtime, this constant chipping away at the Cherokee Nation, lead to the final Indian removal from homelands and the demise of the Cherokee Nation in southeastern United States. Works Cited â€Å"Aspect of Cherokee Women’s Social, Domestic, and Political Roles.† Lehochy, Wather. 11 Oct. 2004 . â€Å"Cherokee.† 10 Oct. 2004 . â€Å"Cherokee Messenger.† Vhenrichs@earthlink.net. 10 Oct. 2004 Conley, Robert, J. Cherokee. Portland: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co., 2002. â€Å"Early Tennessee History and Cherokee History.† Smith, Ray. 11 Oct. 2004 . Ehle, John. Trail of Tears. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1925. â€Å"History of the Cherokee.† Martin, Ken. Admin@cherokeehistory.com. 10 Oct. 2004 . King, Duane, H. The Cherokee Indian Nation. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1979. â€Å"Trail of Tears.† Carrielynn1970@iwon.com. 10 Oct. 2004 http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=104393&ck=/.

Why Do Gamers Buy the Video Games They Buy? Essay -- Video Game Sales

Video games might have started out as a very small market. But today, this market has grown even bigger than the movie or music industry. Each year, millions and millions games fly off store shelves. Grand Theft Auto V broke sales records of the fastest selling entertainment property ever. While this game and others such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Assassin’s Creed sell millions of copies every year, other games don’t sell so well and just sit in store shelves. So, why do gamers rush out to stores to buy some games and pass by others? The answer is not so simple as â€Å"good games sell and bad games don’t.† If this were the case, then a game like Persona 4, a critically acclaimed game, would have sold millions of units. While Call of Duty that gets mixed reviews from its fans each year, sells millions of units each year. There are many factors that go into the buying decisions of a gamer. Advertising, gaming reviews, and trends/popularity(how well k nown a game is and trends by popular people) all affect the buying decisions of gamers. Advertising is a main factor in determining whether a game sells or not, as it determines if gamers know if the game exists or not, as well as piquing consumer interest in a game to go buy it. You can make a great game that receives glorious review from all the critics, but still not have it sell. If no one knows about your game, it won’t sell. This is just the basic surface of what advertising is for. Now that consumers know about the product, how does the advertisement encourage them to buy it? An academic study by Hermann Ebbinghaus, one of the first men to study how the human brain works, ran a test to see what parts of advertisements people remember best. His findings have shown how adver... ...ian.com. Guardian News and Media, 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. flappy-bird-ebay-app-store>. LIU, HUA-JUNG, and YIH-CHEARNG SHIUE. "INFLUENCE OF FACEBOOK GAME PLAYERS' BEHAVIOR ON FLOW AND PURCHASE INTENTION. ." Social Behavior & Personality 42.1 (2012): 125-133. Umass Lowell Online Databases. Web. 24 Apr 2014. Micheal, Pacther. "How Much Do the Programmers Make?." . Game Trailers, 10 May 2014. Web. 10 May 2014. . Pewdiepie, . FLAPPY BIRD - DONT PLAY THIS GAME! . 2014. Video. YoutubeWeb. 24 Apr 2014. .

Fahrenheit 451

This woman had a tremendous impact on Montag. She burned with her books. When he is talking with Mildred about it later, he says â€Å"There must be something in books, things we can't imagine to make a woman stay in a burning house, there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing. † (pg 51) Mildred tries to say that the woman was simple-minded and that it is water under the bridge. Montag knows that the experience will last him a lifetime. He cannot put it out of his mind. He goes on to explain that for the first time he realized that a man wrote the books He had to think them up and put them down on paper, and then he came along and in two minutes burned it all up and it was over. It seriously bothered him. montag becomes kinder: he sees the self-destructing, depressed people and is affected by them, instead of merely moving on in his life and not caring. He is so moved by his new change that he states, â€Å"It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you change something from the way it was. he decides to stand for a real purpose: he decides to rebell against this terribly corrupted government by remembering his book. Quote: It didn't come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick, thank God. Today, thanks to them, you can stay happy all the time, you are allowed to read comics, the good old confessions, or trade journa ls. Quote: If they give you ruled paper, write the other way. Fahrenheit 451 Most people today think nothing of knowledge and take it for granted because they think it is easy to gain. In fact, many young adults tend to resist gaining knowledge and would rather entertain themselves with games, television or partying. However, authors Ray Bradbury and Stephen Vincent Benet would pity their indifference. In science fiction story, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury tells the story of Guy Montag whose search for meaning and knowledge leads him to make difficult decisions throughout his journey. In â€Å"By the Waters of Babylon† a science fiction story, a boy, John, discovers the truth while on a journey to become a man. Both stories teach an important lesson about gaining knowledge, that it cannot be gained passively-it requires sacrifice. Primarily, both stories show that the cost to gain knowledge is to lose part of one’s old self. In Fahrenheit 451, we see the main character, Montag, doing actions that require him to abandon his old routines. He had to give up his job, his wife, and his house to gain the books and knowledge he so desires. Bradbury quotes Montag in his description stating, â€Å"You want to give up everything? After all these years of working, one night, some women and her books-,† (page 51). This quote shows that Montag wants to quit his job just for the sake of gaining books and finding knowledge so he can be happier. This is necessary to gain knowledge because it shows how he had to abandon of all the stuff he did over so many years because he can’t gain knowledge with the other luxurious life right in front of him. He needed to let it go so he won’t go back to it. Montag did not quit his job at that point (but did later) because of opposition from his wife, Mildred, but learned that he had to let go of Mildred because she did not want to gain knowledge. Similarly, â€Å"By the Waters of Babylon† is like Fahrenheit 451 when approaching this idea of losing part of one’s old self. John, the main character is on a journey to become a man. He wants to gain knowledge and truth. He must go to a forbidden land where the Gods used to live, but soon finds out that they were men before his time. Benet mentions John in the following quote, â€Å"It is not for the metal alone we go to the Dead Places now—there are the books and the writings. They are hard to learn. And the magic tools are broken-but we can look at them and wonder. At least, we can make a beginning,† (page 509). This is when John finds out the truth and decides to abandon his old life. He finds this necessary because he knew the truth and knew that he can no longer follow his old life because it wasn’t true. He wants to make a new beginning and begin right where the â€Å"gods† left off but more slowly. He wants it slowly because he knows that too much knowledge will eat anyone up. All in all, both stories show that losing part of one’s old self is necessary in order to gain knowledge. Without doing so, the journey will be more difficult. In addition, one must take risks in order to gain knowledge. not finished lost other part Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 Most people today think nothing of knowledge and take it for granted because they think it is easy to gain. In fact, many young adults tend to resist gaining knowledge and would rather entertain themselves with games, television or partying. However, authors Ray Bradbury and Stephen Vincent Benet would pity their indifference. In science fiction story, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury tells the story of Guy Montag whose search for meaning and knowledge leads him to make difficult decisions throughout his journey. In â€Å"By the Waters of Babylon† a science fiction story, a boy, John, discovers the truth while on a journey to become a man. Both stories teach an important lesson about gaining knowledge, that it cannot be gained passively-it requires sacrifice. Primarily, both stories show that the cost to gain knowledge is to lose part of one’s old self. In Fahrenheit 451, we see the main character, Montag, doing actions that require him to abandon his old routines. He had to give up his job, his wife, and his house to gain the books and knowledge he so desires. Bradbury quotes Montag in his description stating, â€Å"You want to give up everything? After all these years of working, one night, some women and her books-,† (page 51). This quote shows that Montag wants to quit his job just for the sake of gaining books and finding knowledge so he can be happier. This is necessary to gain knowledge because it shows how he had to abandon of all the stuff he did over so many years because he can’t gain knowledge with the other luxurious life right in front of him. He needed to let it go so he won’t go back to it. Montag did not quit his job at that point (but did later) because of opposition from his wife, Mildred, but learned that he had to let go of Mildred because she did not want to gain knowledge. Similarly, â€Å"By the Waters of Babylon† is like Fahrenheit 451 when approaching this idea of losing part of one’s old self. John, the main character is on a journey to become a man. He wants to gain knowledge and truth. He must go to a forbidden land where the Gods used to live, but soon finds out that they were men before his time. Benet mentions John in the following quote, â€Å"It is not for the metal alone we go to the Dead Places now—there are the books and the writings. They are hard to learn. And the magic tools are broken-but we can look at them and wonder. At least, we can make a beginning,† (page 509). This is when John finds out the truth and decides to abandon his old life. He finds this necessary because he knew the truth and knew that he can no longer follow his old life because it wasn’t true. He wants to make a new beginning and begin right where the â€Å"gods† left off but more slowly. He wants it slowly because he knows that too much knowledge will eat anyone up. All in all, both stories show that losing part of one’s old self is necessary in order to gain knowledge. Without doing so, the journey will be more difficult. In addition, one must take risks in order to gain knowledge. not finished lost other part Fahrenheit 451 This woman had a tremendous impact on Montag. She burned with her books. When he is talking with Mildred about it later, he says â€Å"There must be something in books, things we can't imagine to make a woman stay in a burning house, there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing. † (pg 51) Mildred tries to say that the woman was simple-minded and that it is water under the bridge. Montag knows that the experience will last him a lifetime. He cannot put it out of his mind. He goes on to explain that for the first time he realized that a man wrote the books He had to think them up and put them down on paper, and then he came along and in two minutes burned it all up and it was over. It seriously bothered him. montag becomes kinder: he sees the self-destructing, depressed people and is affected by them, instead of merely moving on in his life and not caring. He is so moved by his new change that he states, â€Å"It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you change something from the way it was. he decides to stand for a real purpose: he decides to rebell against this terribly corrupted government by remembering his book. Quote: It didn't come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick, thank God. Today, thanks to them, you can stay happy all the time, you are allowed to read comics, the good old confessions, or trade journa ls. Quote: If they give you ruled paper, write the other way. Fahrenheit 451

For Environmental Balance, Pick Up a Rifle Essay

In the article â€Å"For Environmental Balance, Pick up a Rifle† by Nicholas Kristof, the author informs the reader about the importance of hunting, arguing that hunting needs to be brought back in the United States to control the deer population. He talks about the negative impact deer have caused in death of people by car accidents and with the destruction of the ecosystem with their overpopulation. The majority of deer have had a profoundly unnatural effect in certain parts of New York and New Jersey. Kristof notes that these days many people view hunting as a cruel and brutal and are opting for other methods for deer control due to their sympathy for deer. He states that it is a waste of time and money for liberals and conservatives to be using birth control and condoms; to prevent pregnancy to the deer. With the decline in hunting practices in North America, further environmental imbalance continues, which makes hunting an ecological necessity. If hunting were to increase in the coming years, individuals would be able to participate in the outdoors and enjoy nature. However, Kristof is an unreliable source in the knowledge of animal control and uses ineffective persuasion on this controversial topic. When it comes to experts on animal control, environmentalists spend an excruciating amount of time examining animals that have had a habitat interference with the ecosystem. Nicholas Kristof is not a reliable source of information; he has based his article off of an outsider’s point of view. While a column piece points out issues associated within our society, Kristof has yet to have the appropriate background and information to support his claim. Growing up on a farm in Oregon, studying law, and working as a columnist in The New York Times, gives some insight as to why Kristof wrote the article in the first place. This is because his audience includes a wide range of people; from highly educated to hardly any education. He is  writing in a city where hunting is a foreign concept, which leads Kristof to writing a commentary piece that relates to other topics individuals know about rather than the information of the deer in general. For example, he states â€Å"It’s s till true that in a typical year, an American is less likely to be killed by Osama bin Laden than by Bambi† giving the reader irrelevant material that has nothing to do with the topic of deer control. The author often states statistics that are in his favor, so his point is substantiated. In an article, â€Å"Journal of Wildlife Management† by Clinton Faas talks about how people generalize all deer as something harmful without considering the different types of deer. Not many people know about the axis and white-tailed deer that have had a negative impact throughout the environment. While in the article Kristof’s states that â€Å"The New Jersey Audubon Society this year advocated deer hunting as an ecological necessity.† (Kristof, 13) Yet while researching the Audubon Society it states that the white-tail deer made resources scarce in the ecosystem and it shows no sign of resorting to the concept of hunting. Nicholas Kristof takes the word deer throughout his article and made an assumption that all deer are harmful to society. The idea that hunting deer should be encouraged for the benefit of society and that it connects people with nature is remarkably repugnant in Nicholas Kristof’s â€Å"For the Environmental Balance, Pick up a Rifle.à ¢â‚¬  Many animal activists, such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) would agree that animals are not ours to use for food, clothing, experimentation, or entertainment. The reason that it is important to treat other living things with dignity and respect is because they have the capacity to suffer as people do. We are told that it is wrong to hurt other people, physically and mentally. Although in the article Kristof becomes indulged in the fact that animals are the problem in society and should be put down for it. For instance he quotes â€Å"So it’s time to reestablish a balance in the natural world, by accepting the idea that hunting is as natural as bird watching.† (Kristof, 18) Yet the majority of the environments issues are caused by human actions. For example, misguided construction, irrigation and mining can deface the natural landscape and disrupt important ecological processes. Aggressive fishing and hunting can deplete entire stocks of species. Human migration can introduce alien competitors to native food chains. While reading Nicholas Kristof’s article,  I analyzed and exposed the unreliable information he provide d. He stated statics that were vague and unspecific, misguiding the reader with irrelevant facts on other topics, and did not have the appropriate background to be considered an expert on the problem of animal control. Overall, hunting is not the way to control the deer population nor has the author convinced his reader.

John M. Barry and His Use of Rhetorical Strategies

Knowledge, the key to progress, has proven to be a human being’s most powerful and significant weapon. We gain knowledge when we put our brain to work at the problems we need to solve in life. It doesn’t matter what we are trying to accomplish, whether it be creating a new technology or learning how to put together a puzzle, the matter of fact is that both request great examination and research to resolve and learn. Scientific research is a technique used to investigate phenomena, correct previous understanding, and acquire new knowledge. Knowledge could lead us to a possible cure for cancer, an alternative for fossil fuels, and the creation of a revolutionary technology. Nevertheless, all these benefits are a reason why John M. Barry writes about scientific research with admiration, curiosity, and passion in which he blends a use of rhetorical strategies in order to give off an overall perspective of the necessity and mystery within scientific research. Foremost, John M. Barry creates the sense of importance by describing unknown yet highly desired information that all scientists wish to obtain from scientific research, through the strategy of abstract diction where connotation is implemented at its best. The word â€Å"wilderness† is referred to in the passage various times and its dictionary meaning is not what’s really being discussed here. The wilderness John is referring to is the place where scientists must begin in every study in order to resolve or prove something. This is a place or in other words a moment where scientists have to take action and start guessing what is needed to do. The answer is never in the face of the scientist, and before you find it you must know where to look and how to look. Obviously, using the word wilderness creates the idea that the knowledge scientists are looking for is hard and hidden and it is a successful form of emotional appeal to characterize scientific research as secreted yet vital. Following, through a successful form of a logical appeal the writer draws an analogy that further embodies the obscurity of finding knowledge and the importance of scientific research. The author shoots to compare apples to apples when he puts side by side a shovel to the experiments performed during scientific research. When a successful comparison is given between two subjects it creates an understanding to the reader of what the overall intended purpose is for both. Both subjects compared here are meant to find an answer, or in the case of scientific research, knowledge. However, you must know what correct tool or experiment will find the answer. It’s not easy, so a scientist must really put a lot of thought into what must be done and how it must be done to find the information and key data they need. In other words, the author explains how the success towards finding new knowledge is hidden deep within and can only be found if we understand step by step how we’re going to reach that data. Therefore, when the answer is not in the face of the questioner it takes hard effort to find but when found its benefits are unmeasured. Preceding, John M. Barry is sure not to exclude the use of an ethical appeal in which he presents a carefully and edited argument to create the strong message that scientific research is important to succeed. In the beginning of the passage, it opens by explaining what certainty and uncertainty is. Then it clarifies what it takes to be a scientist, what a scientist must do, what happens if a scientist succeeds in their work, and why a scientist may fail. The main focus of these points is based on scientific research which proves its importance in his point of view and how it can make or break a scientist. John makes it clear that scientific research is essential and is not as easy as following step by step. It takes time, dedication, and most of all determination. When someone is determined they will do whatever it takes, especially thinking out of the box, to accomplish their goal. Overall, the essay was presented in a logical and comprehensible way that allowed the reader to understand how essential yet possibly hard it can be to use scientific research. Closing, the writer is successful in making his opinion and perspective towards scientific research through the use of logos, pathos, and ethos. The overall analysis brought me to the conclusion that the John M. Barry portray scientific research as the chief ingredient to putting together answers and information. Yet still, doesn’t deny the complexity of scientific research and that’s its not straightforward as a scientist wishes it could be. Nevertheless, the benefits scientific research has brought along we see them everyday because of our overall advancement as a world. Didn’t I say knowledge is our most powerful weapon? Well observe, for it has destroyed the slow and premature society humans once used to live in and created a beautiful, diverse, and intelligent culture today.

How to manage time Essay

The two most powerful warriors are patience and time Tolstoy Why use time management skills? It’s important that you develop effective strategies for managing your time to balance the conflicting demands of time for study, leisure, earning money and Job hunting. Time management skills are valuable in Job hunting, but also in many other aspects of life: from revising for examinations to working in a vacation Job. Sometimes it may seem that there isn’t enough time to do everything that you need to. This can lead to a build up of stress. When revising for examinations, or during your final year when you have to combine the pressures of intensive study with finding time to apply for jobs good management of your time can be particularly important. Once we have identified ways in which we can improve the management of our time, we can begin to adjust our routines and patterns of behavior to reduce any time-related stress in our lives. What skills are required for effective time management? Some of these skills including setting clear goals, breaking your goals down into discreet steps, and reviewing your progress towards your goals are covered in Action Planning. Other skills involved include prioritizing – focusing on urgent and important tasks rather than those that are not important or don’t move you towards your goals; organizing your work schedule; list making to remind you of what you need to do when; persevering when things are not working out and avoiding procrastination. Using Lists Keeping a to-do List TO DO Work Write up lecture notes. *Prepare for seminar on Thursday Decide on subject for project Go to library to get material for essay. Other *Pay rent Research employers I want to apply to. Card for Sue’s birthday Prepare draft CV Buy iron Get two tickets for concert Visit Simon Go to bank to remember everything in your head as this is a recipe for disaster! Carry a pen and paper or organizer wherever you go. At the simplest level your reminder system could simply be to use your diary to write down the things you need to do, including appointments and deadlines. Before interviews, it’s fine to write down the questions you wish to ask on a small piece of card or notepad â€Å"To stay on schedule I devised a timetable which I had to stick to. I used an electronic calendar which I programmed to send out emails as reminders to myself and my team. This was a very useful tool and it is one that I have used continuously to manage my time effectively. † Kent student. A daily list of tasks that need to be done is an essential part of action planning. Refer to and update this regularly. Priorities items on the list into important/not important and urgent/non-urgent. Such a list can take a variety of formats but an example is given to the right. Update your list daily, crossing off completed tasks and adding new tasks that need to be done. Urgent or important tasks can be highlighted with an asterisk. Advantages of using a to do list Focuses your mind on important objectives You are less likely to forget to do tasks Writing a list helps order your thoughts It helps show the bigger picture You dont need to hold everything in your head. It saves time It helps you decide on priorities: the most important and the most urgent You are less likely to become sidetracked You get the reward of ticking off your achievements You feel more in control You have a record of what you’ve done You always have something to work on Setting Goals Set yourself specific and clearly defined goals, and make sure that these are realistic and achievable. To do this, you first need to examine your present situation and assess what goals are important to you and what action you need to take to achieve your target. Have a contingency plan or alternative route to your goal in case you have to change your plans, for example, taking a relevant postgraduate course if you can’t get a Job. See Action Planning. In a survey by Accountemps 150 executives were asked, â€Å"On which day of the week are employees most productive? † Their responses: Monday 12% Tuesday 57% Wednesday 11% Thursday Friday 3% Don’t know 6% Prioritizing Efficiency and effectiveness are not the same. Someone who works hard and is well effective. To be effective, you need to decide what tasks are urgent and important and to focus on these. This is called prioritizing. It’s important to list the tasks you have and to sort these in order of priority, and then to devote most time to the most important tasks. This avoids the natural tendency to concentrate on the simple, easy tasks and to allow too many interruptions to your work. Differentiate also between urgent and important tasks: an urgent task may not necessarily be important! When job hunting, you wont be able to apply to every employer. You will need to carefully riorities those you wish to apply to, based upon factors such as closing date, location, degree class required, and chances of getting in. Avoiding Procrastination â€Å"Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today. † Benjamin Franklin Procrastination is the scourge of action planning. It’s important that you manage ‘Your fear of doing things’ you dont want to do and realize that the fear is often far worse than any possible negative results. Try to take decisions immediately when possible and when you don’t need to gather more information pertinent to the decision. The best time to do something is usually NOW. Taking action generates the impetus for further action. Many applications to prestigious employers now need to be made in the first term of your final year and if you procrastinate you’ll miss the deadlines. Breaking down tasks Break goals down into their components so that you can accomplish them one step at a time. Write these steps down, and try to be as specific as you can when you do this. Try to complete one task before you go on to the next. Reward yourself for achieving these goals to maintain your enthusiasm. For example, when you are invited to your first interview, treat yourself to a good meal with friends. Regularly review your progress towards your goals and revise plans as appropriate to take account of unforeseen changes. Persevering Inevitably, things will not always run smoothly as you progress towards your goals. When things are not working out, you need to persevere and learn how to take a positive attitude towards frustration and failure. Mistakes are a crucial part of any creative process and each is a lesson leading you towards the right solution. Fear of making or admitting mistakes is a major handicap to taking effective action. It is said that the people who have achieved the most have made the most mistakes! Try to be aware that satisfaction comes as much from pursuing goals as from achieving them. Work at effective strategies to deal with pressure – these can vary from taking exercise, to relaxation techniques such as Yoga, to simply sharing problems with friends. Being assertive can also help here, for example, politely saying no to the demands of others when you are pushed for time. Sharing tasks and problems with others will spread the burden and will bring a fresh perspective to them. Organizing your time Identify areas of your life where you are wasting time and try to reduce these. A good ay to do this is to log everything you do for a week in meticulous detail and then examine your record to see how you use (or misuse! ) your time. Develop a regular work routine. Keep your work space tidy so that you can work efficiently – it’s hard to so that you meet deadlines in good time – dont leave everything until the last minute. If you have a difficult essay to write, start by drafting out the structure first- this will break the ice. When applying for Jobs keep copies of all the applications you have made and keep a log of the date you applied, result, and a record of all your nterviews, plus you were questions asked.