Creating a Genealogy Research Plan Like a Detective

If you like mysteries, then you have the makings of a good genealogist. Why? Just like detectives, genealogists must use clues to formulate possible scenarios in their pursuit for answers. Whether it is as simple as looking up a name in an index, or as comprehensive as looking for patterns among neighbors and communities, turning those clues into answers is the goal of a good research plan. How to Develop a Genealogy Research Plan A major goal in developing a genealogy research plan is to identify what you want to know and formulate the questions which will provide the answers you seek. Most professional genealogists create a genealogy research plan (even if only a few steps) for each research question. The elements of a good genealogy research plan include: 1) Objective: What Do I Want to Know? What specifically do you want to learn about your ancestor? Their marriage date? Spouses name? Where they lived at a particular point in time? When they died? Be really specific in narrowing down to a single question if possible. This helps keep your research focused and your research plan on track. 2) Known Facts: What Do I Already Know? What have you already learned about your ancestors? This should include identities, relationships, dates and places that are supported by original records. Search family and home sources for documents, papers, photos, diaries, and family tree charts, and interview your relatives to fill in the gaps. 3) Working Hypothesis: What Do I Think the Answer Is? What are the possible or probable conclusions that you hope to prove or possibly disprove through your genealogy research? Say you want to know when your ancestor died? You might start, for example, with the hypothesis that they died in the town or county where they were last known to be living. 4) Identified Sources: Which Records Might Hold the Answer and Do They Exist? Which records are most likely to provide support for your hypothesis? Census records? Marriage records? Land deeds? Create a list of possible sources, and identify the repositories, including libraries, archives, societies or published Internet collections where these records and resources can be researched. 5) Research Strategy The final step of your genealogy research plan is to determine the best order to consult or visit the various repositories, considering the available records and your research needs. Often this will be organized in order of the available records likelihood of including the information youre looking for, but may also be influenced by factors such as ease of access (can you get it online or do you have to travel to a repository over 500 miles away) and cost of record copies. If you require information from one repository or record type to be able to more easily locate another record on your list, be sure to take that into account. A Genealogy Research Plan in Action ObjectiveFind the ancestral village in Poland for Stanislaw (Stanley) THOMAS and Barbara Ruzyllo THOMAS. Known Facts According to descendants, Stanley THOMAS was born Stanislaw TOMAN. He and his family often used the THOMAS surname after arriving in the U.S. as it was more American.According to descendants, Stanislaw TOMAN married Barbara RUZYLLO about 1896 in Krakow, Poland. He immigrated to the United States from Poland in the early 1900s to make a home for his family, settling first in Pittsburgh, and sent for his wife and children a few years later.The 1910 U.S. Census Miracode index for Glasgow, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, lists Stanley THOMAS with wife Barbara, and children Mary, Lily, Annie, John, Cora, and Josephine. Stanley is listed as having been born in Italy and immigrating to the U.S. in 1904, while Barbara, Mary, Lily, Anna, and John are also listed as having been born in Italy; immigrating in 1906. Children Cora and Josephine are identified as having been born in Pennsylvania. Cora, the oldest of the children born in the U.S. is listed as age 2 (born about 1907).Barbara and Stanle y TOMAN are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Glasgow, Reade Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. From the inscriptions: Barbara (Ruzyllo) TOMAN, b. Warsaw, Poland, 1872–1962; Stanley Toman, b. Poland, 1867–1942. Working HypothesisSince Barbara and Stanley were supposedly married in Krakow, Poland (according to family members), they most likely came from that general area of Poland. The listing of Italy in the 1910 U.S. Census is most likely a mistake, as it is the only record located that names Italy; all others say Poland or Galicia. Identified Sources 1910, 1920 and 1920 census for Stanley Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS in Cambria County, PennsylvaniaPassenger lists for the ports of Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; and Ellis Island, NY.Marriage records for the children born in PolandSocial Security Death Index and Social Security application records (SS-5) for Barbara and Stanley TOMAN/THOMASNaturalization records for Stanley, Barbara, Mary, Anna, Rosalia (Rose)or John Research Strategy View the actual 1910 U.S. Census to confirm the information from the index.Check the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Census online to see if Stanley or Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS were ever naturalized and to confirm Poland as a country of birth (disprove Italy).Search the online Ellis Island database on the chance that the TOMAN family immigrated into the U.S. through New York City (more likely they came in through Philadelphia or Baltimore).Search for Philadelphia passenger arrivals for Barbara and/or Stanley TOMAN  online at FamilySearch or Ancestry.com. Look for the town of origin, as well as indications of possible naturalizations for any of the family members. If not found in the Philadelphia arrivals, expand the search to nearby ports, including Baltimore and New York.  Note: when I originally researched this question these records were not available online; I ordered several microfilms of records from the Family History Library for viewing at my local Family History Center.Check the SSDI to see if Barbara or Stanley ever applied for a Social Security card. If so, then request an application from the Social Security Administration.Contact or visit the Cambria County courthouse for marriage records for Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John. If there is any indication in the 1920 and/or 1930 census that Barbara or Stanley was naturalized, check for naturalization documents as well. If your findings are negative or inconclusive when following your genealogy research plan, dont despair. Just redefine your objective and hypothesis to match the new information youve located so far. In the above example, initial findings prompted an expansion of the original plan when the passenger arrival record for Barbara TOMAN and her children, Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John indicated that Mary had applied for and become a naturalized U.S. citizen (the original research plan included only a search for naturalization records for the parents, Barbara and Stanley). The information that Mary had likely become a naturalized citizen led to a naturalization record which listed her town of birth as Wajtkowa, Poland. A gazetteer of Poland at the Family History Center confirmed that the village was located in the southeast corner of Poland—not too terribly far from Krakow—in the portion of Poland occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1772-1918, commonly referred to as Galica. After World War I and the Russo Polish War 1920-21, the area in which the TOMANs lived returned to Polish administration.

Quotes From The Notebook

The movie The Notebook is an adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks book by the same title. This romantic story is told by an old man, Duke, reading to an old woman in a nursing home. The  emotional roller coaster ride of the movie makes us laugh and cry along with the lead characters, Allie and Noah, who fall in love but are separated by her parents. Years later Allie meets a wealthy soldier, Lon, and becomes engaged to him. When Noah returns, she has to choose between the two men. These quotes from The Notebook focus on the miraculous power of love. Duke   It was an improbable romance. He was a country boy. She was from the city. She had the world at her feet while he didnt have two dimes to rub together. Look guys†¦thats my sweetheart in there. Im not leaving her. This is my home now. Your mother is my home. He [Noah] got the notion into his head that if he restored the old house where they had come that night, Allie would find a way to come back to him. Some called it a labor of love. Others called it something else. But in fact, Noah had gone a little mad. I am no one special. Just a common man with common thoughts. Ive led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but in one respect Ive succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. Ive loved another with all my heart and soul and for me that has always been enough. Young Noah   Now you know that I want to give you everything you want. But I cant  because theyre  gone...Theyre broken. Its not going to be easy. Its going to be really hard. And were going to have to work on this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me. Noah The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. Thats what I hope to give you forever. I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you every day for a year. It wasnt over...it still isnt over. Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?   Allie I want a white house with blue shutters and a room overlooking the river so I can paint. Do you think our love can make miracles? It was real, wasnt it? You and me. Such a long time ago, we were just a couple of kids. But we really loved each other, didnt we?   Allies Father Well, in theory, were both millionaires, but in reality, we live with a bunch of whores. Allies Fiancà ©Ã‚   The way I see it, I got three choices. One, I can shoot him. Two, I can kick the crap out of him. Or three, I leave you. Well, all thats no good. You see, cause none of those options gets me you.  [about Noah]

H202 Decomposition Free Essays

Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition Reaction Kinetics Purpose: In this experiment, you will determine the rate law and activation energy for the iodide-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Overview: The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is catalyzed by iodide according to the following reaction: 2H2O2 (aq) [pic] 2H2O (l) + O2 (g) The speed of the reaction is determined from the reactants being consumed or from products that are being formed. This must be determined experimentally by measuring the rate of change in the concentration of one of the reactants or one of the products. We will write a custom essay sample on H202 Decomposition or any similar topic only for you Order Now The change of concentration can be measured by such physical properties such as the volume of a gas or color intensity of a solution. The rate may be expressed, for example, as moles per liter of product being formed per minute, milliliters of gas being produced per minute, or moles per liter of reactant being consumed per second. During this experiment, you will determine the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a catalyst, iodide. The goal in this experiment is to deduce a rate law for the reaction, showing the dependence of the rate on the concentrations of H2O2 and I-. Your rate law will be of the form: -[pic]= k[H2O2]x[I-]y k is the reaction rate constant and depends only on temperature. x is the reaction order with respect to the hydrogen peroxide concentration and y is the reaction order with respect to the iodide ion concentration. Your objective is to determine the numerical values for the exponents x and y and rate constant, k. You will also study the effect of temperature on the reaction. Materials: 0. 25M KI solution 3% H2O2 solution distilled water 125mL or 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 50mL gas collection tube ring stand test tube clamp one-hole rubber stopper eaker water bath 50mL graduate cylinder 5 and 10 mL pipets thermometer Procedure: 1. Fill one beaker about half full with water. Fill the gas collection tube with water and invert into this beaker. Clamp the gas collection tube to the ring stand. You will use this to measure the volume of gas generated in the reaction. 2. Place the Erlenmeyer flask into a water bath. Fill the waterbath two thirds full of water. Record the temperature of the water. Cap the Erlenmeyer flask with a one-hole rubber stopper. Insert a short piece of glass tubing into the one-hole rubber stopper. If necessary, cut a piece of glass tubing and fire polish the ends. Connect one end of the rubber tubing to the glass tubing and insert the other end into the gas collection tube. You are now ready to start the reaction. 3. Remove the rubber stopper from the 50 mL flask. Add 10 mL of the 0. 25 M KI solution and 15 mL of distilled water to the flask. 4. Add 5 mL of 3% H2O2 to the Erlenmeyer flask. Swirl to mix the solutions and immediately replace the rubber stopper. Begin taking oxygen volume readings immediately. 5. Record the time and oxygen volume (mL) every ten seconds for 240 econds or 30mL (whichever comes first). Swirl the flask during the reaction to prevent the solution becoming super saturated with oxygen. 6. Repeat the experiment, using a clean flask, with10mL of the 0. 25-M KI solution and 10mL of distilled water, then adding 10 mL of the 3% H2O2. 7. Repeat the experiment again, this time using 20mL of the 0. 25-M KI solution and 5mL of distilled water, then adding 5 mL o f the 3% H2O2. 8. Replace the water in the water bath containing the Erlenmeyer flask, with water that is 10-20(C warmer than previously used. Repeat the experiment using 10mL of 0. 25M KI, 15mL of distilled water and 5mL of the 3% H2O2. 9. For each of the three trials, plot the volume of oxygen in milliliters versus the time in seconds. Fit the data with the best-fit curve or straight line for each trial, ignoring the first sixty seconds of data. (Do not draw a line that connects point to point. ) 10. Calculate the slope (mL/sec) of each line. The slope of each line gives the rate of oxygen production in mL/seconds. 11. Use the slopes and the details from each trial to determine the reaction orders for the I- and H2O2. Note that the KI and H2O2 volume are proportional to their concentrations in the reaction solution. | |Slope (mL/sec) |KI |H2O2 | |Trial 1 | |10mL |5mL | |Trial 2 | |10mL |10mL | |Trial 3 | |20mL |5mL | 2. Calculate the rate constant, k, for the equation: -[pic]= k[H2O2]x[I-]y Substitute values for [H2O2], [I-], x,y and -[pic]/[pic]into the equation and solve for k. Use the reaction orders determined above for x and y. Using data from one of the trials, calculate the molarity of the H2O2 and I- in the reaction solution and the hydrogen peroxide disappearance rate. Use these values to substitute into the above equation. You can determine the hydrogen peroxide disappearance rate from the rate of oxygen production. Convert the rate of oxygen production to moles per second using PV=nRT. Remember to reduce the pressure of the oxygen by the water vapor pressure. Use stoichiometry to convert moles of oxygen to moles of hydrogen peroxide. Use the solution volume to convert the moles per second to molarity per second. Calculate the rate constant, k, to two significant digits. Be sure to include units. 13. Examine your results to determine the effect that temperature had on the reaction rate. 14. Calculate k for the higher temperature, and, using both k values determine the activation energy for this reaction[1]. Questions: 1. How would your calculated reaction rate constants and calculated activation energy have been affected if the nominally 3% hydrogen peroxide had a concentration of only 2%? 2. How would your results have been affected if extra water had accidentally been added to the reaction mixture? 3. If you do not agitate the reaction solution, it can become supersaturated with oxygen. How would this affect your results? . If you had been able to directly determine the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the reaction solution, you would have been able to graph the concentration versus time. What would that graph look like? 5. If you had been able to directly determine the concentration of iodide in the reaction solution you would have been able to graph its concentration versus time. What would that graph look like? 6. What would you graph versus time to determine the reaction rate constant? How would you calculate k from the graph? dapted from a lab at Occidental College http://departments. oxy. edu/tops/Kinetics/kinetics. pdf ———————– [1] Activation energy, Ea, is related to the reaction rate constant, k, by the Arrhenius equation: k=Ae-Ea/RT. R is the ideal gas constant, 8. 314510 J/(K†¢mol). A is the frequency factor with units of L/mol†¢s, and is related to the fraction of collisions that have the correct geometry. The activation energy can be determined using reaction rate constants from two different temperatures using the Arrhenius Equation rearranged as: ln k2 – ln k1 = – [pic] How to cite H202 Decomposition, Papers

An Inside View on Budget

Question: Discuss the purpose of budgets and the relevance of traditional budgetary systems to the contemporary and dynamic environment in which companies operate? Answer: Introduction Budgets are a very important part of any business or activity carried out. People always think of a budget as the term for running of the typical household. That is given a certain amount of budget, how would one use that money so that all the basic needs are fulfilled and satisfaction is at the top level. In reality, the budget is a very wide concept and is used in almost every activity(Khan Hilderth, 2002). It is a universal tool. In this project, we are going to discuss the purpose of budgets and the relevance of traditional budgetary systems to the contemporary and dynamic environment in which companies operate. We are going to evaluate certain roles of the budget in planning and controlling. We will see how budgets have changed over time and will discuss some kind of traditional budgetary system in details and its advantages and disadvantages. Budget The budget can be defined as a quantitative layout of the plan for any mentioned period of time. It helps the company keep its expenses in control and helps the company it setting a sales target. The planning usually contains sales volume and revenue, expenses on various products, the assets the organization has to acquire, its liabilities etc. Budgets can be measured and so the comparison and setting the standards are easy(Harvard Business School Press, 2013). Budgets can vary from corporate, event management, government to family or personal. Different methods are used to calculate budget in different fields. There are different types of budgets like: Sales budget Production budget Capital budget Cash flow/cash budget Marketing budget Project budget Revenue budget Expenditure budget Purpose of budget Budget is one of the most important departments which have to be taken care of in any kind of activity. Without budget control, no company will be able to execute its plans successfully and smoothly. A budget helps to successfully carry out the plans made to achieve the goals of the business. It helps the managers and the superiors to forecast and see what steps could be taken in case any unfortunate event arises in the future. It helps to evaluate the conditions in the present and in the future and then take decisions accordingly (Curro, 1995). Budget helps the managers and other members of the organization to coordinate all the activities taking place within the organization by checking and keeping an eye on the works and the relationship between their operation and that of the other department. The purpose of budget could be classified as follows: To control resources To increase the morale of its employees and motivate them to achieve the desired goal. For accountability of the organization at the end of the financial year To evaluate the performance of the members of the organization. To make companys performance transparent to everyone. In short we can say that the purpose of budgeting tools is to forecast and plan about the expenses and the revenues in the future. It describes how an organized would carry out its activities and proceed towards its goals if the certain strategy is applied in the correct way. By taking up the budgeting system, the company can actually measure its measure with the standards that it has set. It will give them a clear indication if something goes wrong and they work on it accordingly. The standards set will also make them achieve them by putting it more hard work and dedication. Role of budget in planning If viewed from a practical point, making budgets is the most important part in the planning process. The link between the budget and the plan can show a person if the organization will be able to pull off the plan or not. Some exceptions are there in this case as well but we cannot ignore the fact that budgeting is an essential part of planning process. An annual plan is a big activity; the budget is just a small part in it. An annual plan outlines many things that have to be kept in mind by the organization like the objectives and the goals of the business, priorities for the use of the raw materials or the resources which would be used in the production process, the estimated output and the input of human, financial and physical resources to be used.(Amey, 1979) A budget in this process of planning is a much more specific term with is concerned with the receipts from different taxes and other sources, to check if the funds are available and if could be used, evaluating the cost for all the projects and programs that would be carried out in the future, checking if individual projects are feasible or not and last but not the least checking the income or the revenue generated by doing all of the above. Any business organization operated to earn profits and make its name in the type of field it operates. Budgets are used to evaluate all the cost that the company has to bear in order to get the product or the service readily available to the customer.(Bookboon, 2012) The company then has to put a price of its own so that all of its expenses are covered and it earns a profit at the end of the day. Budget is measurable and it helps an organization a lot in this process. Role of budget in control Once the budgets are made in the process of planning and its carried out, the next important stage where the budgets are used controls. The actual results come out and the company evaluates the result with the standards that it has set.(Drury, 2007) A control technique is used where the actual results are compared with the budget that was set earlier. Any variation or differences found out in the process is corrected by key individuals who are given those responsibilities. The decision then lies with them. (Hofstede, 2012)They can either revise the original budgets if they want to or exercise control action and make the relevant changes to meet the expectations. There are many advantages of budgetary control, some of which are stated under: It improves the allocation of the leftover resources and put them to good use. The action motivates all the employees and the other members of the organization to participate in the setting of budgets for the company. It brings out the faults and problems and helps the employees to work together. This helps in better understanding and amongst the people within the organization. Immediate actions are taken in places where there is a fault or a problem which helps the not divert and keep working to achieve its goals. It points out the areas that need extra responsibility and which should be given proper attention by the managers and other employees. Give the financial position of the company in a good place. Traditional budgetary system Advantages There are several advantages why many companies still make a budget at the start. Some of them are: Provides a for control Since the managers have to keep the finance in mind, budget kind of helps the company to do that. It makes sure that the financial use is done correctly and everything stays under control. Part of organizational structure Many companies have been making budgets since early times and it would be a change in culture if they try and adopt something else. It may be risky to put down this plan and come up with anything else as the company is used to make budgetary plans. Disadvantages Although there are advantages of the traditional budgeting, it has it downfalls as well. Researchers say that it takes most of the time, energy, fun and big dream of an organization. It was a very useful and meaningful control instrument once, now is considered as a danger for any organization to last its success. (Swain, 2012)Some of the main problems are: Takes too much of time, money and corporate resources The process of budgeting it too long and tiresome as well. Sometimes it takes around 6 to 8 months. Some of the budgets prepared by the organizations are very detailed and need negotiation continuously which takes up most of the corporate resources. Fixed and inflexible The budget is created at the stage of planning and is very detailed. Though it is made by keeping in mind certain uncertainties that might happen in the future, things might not always go as predicted. The budgets are fixed and its very hard to change them some something goes in the future. entry into the market, new competition, change in customer taste and other changes might affect the plans and changing of budgets then might be a very big problem. Conclusion Budgets are a very important part in any business and work. To have a control over your financial structure, making a budget is the best thing. We have seen in the above report how preparing a budget helps the company throughout the year (Institute of leadership and management, 2007). Though it is of help, it has its disadvantages too. Any organization needs to evaluate all the ups and downs and take the best available decision to achieve the best results. References Amey, L., 1979. Budget planning and control systems. London: Pitman Publishing. Bookboon, 2012. Budgeting: Planning for Success. Sweden: Bookboon. Curro, M., 1995. Budget Function Classification: Relating Agency Spending and Personnel Levels to Budget Functions. Collingdale, United states: DIANE Publishing. Drury, C., 2007. Management and Cost Accounting. Boston: Cengage Learning EMEA. Harvard Business School Press, 2013. Preparing a Budget: Expert Solutions to Everyday Challenges. Boston: Harvard Business Press. Hofstede, G., 2012. The Game of Budget Control. London: Routledge. Institute of leadership and management, 2007. Budgeting for Better Performance. London: Routledge. Khan, A. Hildreth, B., 2002. Budget Theory in the Public Sector. Portsmouth: Greenwood Publishing Group. Pizzey, A., 1989. Cost and Management Accounting: An Introduction for Students. s.l.: SAGE. Swain, 2012. Budgeting for Public Managers. New York City: M.E. Sharpe.

My Diary Essays (353 words) - , Term Papers

My Diary Dear Diary, Today was a pretty same old same old day. I woke up to Alia scrambling around her room at ten to seven, I was laughing cause I think she was looking for me(she never looks hard enough) finally her cat Princess jumped on her vanity and I rolled on to the floor. Alia found me put me onI feel so loved and needed when she does that.and put me in the pocket of her cute Lauzares uniform..(her private school).it is so cute..its a short little green red and navy plaid skirt..a white collared shirt and a red tiehigh socks..cute little mary janes..its adorable. Well anyways as I was sayingshe put me in her pocket and she drove to school.and her little friends were there waiting for her to fill he in the latest Lauzares gossip ..she walked into school and of course..applied me..im so special!!!..and then went to her pink locker..there art club were board and so for a project the painted the whole school all these brite colorshe locker is so pretty he books are all nice and neat with he mirror, cute little magnetic memo pad, and pictures of her friends and her.i was nice and comfy in her locker until next periodthen the coolest thing of all match maker me.accidently fell on the f loor on the way out of chemistry.right in front of the hottest head foot ball playerhe picked me up for her ..she put me in her pocket ..made eye contact and he ended up walking her to her Speach and Drama class.she also has a date with him on Friday thank me very much.well that was the high light of my day..now if you would excuse me a beautimaker need her rest to. Poetry Essays

Standard Based Grading Measures Student Skills

Standard Based Grading Measures Student Skills What does an A on a test or quiz mean to a student? Mastery of skill or mastery of information or content?   Does an F grade mean a student understands none of the material or less than 60% of the material? How is grading used as feedback for academic performance? Currently, in most middle and high schools (grades 7-12), students receive letter grades or numerical grades in subject areas based on points or percentages. These letter or numerical grades are tied to credits for graduation based on Carnegie units, or the number of  hours of contact time with an instructor.   But what does 75% grade on a math assessment tell a student about his or her specific strengths or weaknesses? What  does a B- grade on a literary analysis essay inform a student about how he or she meets skills sets in organization, content, or conventions of writing?   In contrast to letters or percentages, many elementary and intermediate schools have adopted a standards-based grading system, one that uses a 1-to-4 scale. This 1-4 scale breaks down academic subjects into specific skills needed for a content area.   While these elementary and intermediate schools use standards-based grading may vary in their report card terminology, the most common four-part scale denotes a students level of achievement with descriptors such as: Excels or above grade level (4)Proficient or at grade level (3)Approaching proficiency or approaching grade level (2)Well below proficiency or below grade level (1) A standards-based grading system may be called  competency-based,  mastery-based,  outcome-based,  performance-based, or proficiency-based. Regardless of the name used, this form of a grading system is  aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts and Literacy and in Math, which was established in 2009 and adopted by 42 out of 50 states. Since this adoption, several states have withdrawn from using CCSS in favor of developing their own academic standards. These CCSS standards for literacy and for math were organized in a framework that details specific skills for each grade level in grades K-12. These standards serve as guides for administrators and teachers to develop and implement the curriculum. Each skill in the CCSS has a separate standard, with skill progressions tied to grade levels. Despite the word standard in the CCSS, standards-based grading at the upper-grade levels, grades 7-12, has not been universally adopted. Instead, there is ongoing traditional grading at this level, and most middle and high school use letter grades or percentages based on 100 points. Here is the traditional grade conversion chart: Letter Grade Percentile Standard GPA A+ 97-100 4.0 A 93-96 4.0 A- 90-92 3.7 B+ 87-89 3.3 B 83-86 3.0 B- 80-82 2.7 C+ 77-79 2.3 C 73-76 2.0 C- 70-72 1.7 D+ 67-69 1.3 D 65-66 1.0 F Below 65 0.0 The skill sets outlined in the CCSS for literacy and math can be easily converted  to four point scales, just as they are at the K-6 grade levels. For example, the first reading standard for grade 9-10 states that a student should be able to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Under a traditional grading system with letter grades (A-to-F) or percentages, a score on this reading standard may be difficult to interpret. Advocates of standard based grading will ask, for example, what a score of B or 88% tells a student. This letter grade or percentage is less informative about a student’s skill performance and/or subject mastery.  Instead, they argue, a standards-based system would singularly assess a students skill to cite textual evidence for any content area: English, social studies, science, etc. Under a standards-based assessment system, students could be assessed on their skill to cite using a 1-to-4 scale that featured the following descriptors:   Score 4: excels in citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs no support;Score 3:  proficient at  citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential  OR needs minimal support;Score 2:  approaching proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs moderate support;Score 1:  below proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs extensive support and/or reteaching. Assessing students on a 1-4 scale  on a particular skill  can provide clear and specific feedback to a student. A standard by standard assessment separates and detail the skills, perhaps on a rubric.  This is less confusing or overwhelming to a student when compared to a combined skills percentage score on 100 point scale. A conversion chart that compares  a traditional grading of an assessment to standards-based graded assessment would look like the following: Letter Grade Standards-Based grade Percentage grade Standard GPA A to A+ Mastery 93-100 4.0 A- to B Proficient 90-83 3.0 to 3.7 C to B- Approaching proficiency 73-82 2.0-2.7 D to C- Below Proficiency 65-72 1.0-1.7 F Below Proficiency Below 65 0.0 Standards-based grading  also allows teachers, students,  and parents to see a grade report that lists overall levels of proficiency on separate skills instead of composite or combined skill scores. With this information, students are better informed in their individual strengths and in their weaknesses as  a standards-based score highlights the skill set(s) or content that need(s) improvement and allows them to target areas for improvement. Furthermore, students would not need to re-do all of a test or assignment if they have demonstrated mastery in some areas. An advocate for standards-based grading is educator and researcher Ken OConnor. In  his chapter,  The Last Frontier: Tackling the Grading Dilemma, in Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching and Learning, he notes: Traditional grading practices have promoted the idea of uniformity. The way we are fair is we expect all students do to the same thing in the same amount of time in the same way. We need to move†¦ to the idea that fairness is not uniformity. Fairness is equity of opportunity (p128). OConnor argues that standards-based grading allows for grading differentiation because it  is flexible and can be adjusted up and down as students confront new skills and content. Moreover, no matter where students are in a quarter or semester, a standard based grading system provides students, parents, or other stakeholders an assessment of student understanding in real time. That kind of student understanding may  take place during conferences, such as the ones Jeanetta Jones Miller explained in her article   A Better Grading System: Standards-Based, Student-Centered Assessment in the September 2013 edition of the English Journal. In her description of how standard based grading informs her instruction, Miller writes that it’s important to set up appointments to confer with each student about progress toward mastery of course standards. During the conference, each student receives individual feedback on his or her performance in meeting one or more standards in a content area:   The evaluation conference provides an opportunity for the teacher to make it clear that the student’s strengths and areas for growth are understood and the teacher is proud of the student’s efforts to master the standards that are most challenging. Another benefit to standardized based grading is the separation  of student work habits that are often combined in a grade. At the secondary level, a point penalty for late papers missed homework, and/or uncooperative collaborative behavior is sometimes included in a grade. While these unfortunate social behaviors will not stop with the use of standards-based grading, they may be isolated and given as separate scores  into another category. Of course, deadlines are important, but factoring in behaviors such as turning an assignment in on time or not has the effect of watering down an overall grade. To counter such behaviors, it may be possible to have a student turn in an assignment that still meets a mastery standard but does not meet a set deadline. For example, an essay assignment may still achieve a 4 or exemplary score on skills or content, but the academic behavior skill in turning in a late paper may receive a 1 or below proficiency score. Separating behavior from skills also has the effect of preventing students from receiving the kind of credit that simply completing work and meeting deadlines has had in distorting measures of academic skill.   There are, however, many educators, teachers and administrators alike, who do not see advantages to adopting a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. Their arguments against standards-based grading primarily reflect concerns at the instructional level. They stress that the  transition to a standards-based grading system, even if the school is from one of the 42 states using the CCSS, will require teachers to spend immeasurable amounts of time on extra planning, preparation, and training. In addition, any statewide initiative to move to standards-based learning may be difficult to fund and manage. These concerns may be a reason enough not to adopt standards-based grading. Classroom time can also be a concern for teachers when  students do not reach proficiency on a skill. These students will need reteaching and reassessment placing another demand on curriculum pacing guides. While this reteaching and reassessment by skill does create  additional work for classroom teachers, however, advocates for  standards-based grading note that this process may help teachers to refine their instruction. Rather than add to continuing student confusion or misunderstanding, reteaching may improve later understanding. Perhaps the strongest objection to standards-based grading is based on the concern that standards-based grading might put high school students at a disadvantage when applying to college. Many stakeholders -parents, students teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators-believe that college admissions officers will only evaluate students based on their letter grades or GPA, and that GPA must be in numerical form. Ken OConnor disputes that concern suggesting that secondary schools are in the position to issue both traditional letter or numerical grades and standards-based grades at the same time. â€Å"I think it’s unrealistic in most places to suggest that (GPA or letter grades) are going to go away at the high school level,† O’Connor agrees, but the basis for determining these might be different. He proposes that schools might base their letter-grade system on the percentage of grade-level standards a student meets in that particular subject and that schools can set their own standards based on GPA correlation.   Renowned author and education consultant Jay McTighe  agrees with OConnor, â€Å"You can have letter grades and standards-based grading as long as you clearly define what those (letter-grade) levels mean.† Other concerns are that standards-based grading can mean the loss of class ranking or honor rolls and academic honors. But OConnor points out that high schools and universities confer degrees with highest honors, high honors, and honors and that ranking students to the hundredth of a decimal may not be the best way to prove academic superiority. Several New England states will be at the forefront of this restructuring of grading systems. An article in  The  New England Journal of Higher Education Titled directly addressed the question of college admissions with standard based grading transcripts. The states of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have all passed legislation to implement proficiency or standards-based grading in their secondary schools.   In support of this initiative, a study in Maine titled Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Early Experiences in Maine  Ã‚  (2014) by Erika K. Stump and David L. Silvernail used a  two-phase, qualitative approach in their research and found: ...that benefits [of proficiency grading] include improved student engagement, greater attention to development of robust interventions systems and more deliberate collective and collaborative professional work. Maine schools are expected to establish a proficiency-based diploma system by 2018. The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) met in 2016 with admissions leaders from highly selective New England colleges and universities and discussion was the subject of an article How Selective Colleges and Universities Evaluate Proficiency-Based High School Transcripts (April 2016) by Erika  Blauth and Sarah Hadjian. The discussion revealed that college admissions officers are less concerned with grade percentages  and more concerned that grades must always be based on clearly specified learning criteria.   They also noted that: Overwhelmingly, these admissions leaders indicate that students with proficiency-based transcripts will not be disadvantaged in the highly selective admissions process. Moreover, according to some admissions leaders, features of the proficiency-based transcript model shared with the group provide important information for institutions seeking not just high-performing academics, but engaged, lifelong learners. A review of the information on standards-based grading at the secondary level shows that implementation will require careful planning, dedication, and follow through for all stakeholders. The benefits for students, however, could be worth the considerable effort.

Logical Fallacies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Logical Fallacies - Essay Example Furthermore, the expression â€Å"Ultraboost† falsely implies that the shoe automates individuals to run yet we know that people use energy to move. Therefore, the advertisement gives false and unachievable hope. The third ad is from Nike’s website but still, targets sports people. Nike air zoom structure 19 claims that it is so fast with not shaking hence increasing stability. Fundamentality, the message aims at convincing sports persons that the shoe provides suitable cushioning, which enhances stability during sports activities. However, the stability it claims to offer is in not clear. For instance, can it be stable against fire or severe knocking of stone? Furthermore, the expression â€Å"so fast† refers to something in motion. The audience cannot explicitly understand what â€Å"so quickly.† is, some may interpret it that the shoe possesses the locomotive power that makes wearers run while using them. In conclusion, the three advertisements aim to convince sports individuals to use their shoe brands. Both Nike and Adidas present the products on the basis that they facilitate locomotion, especially running and stability aspects of sports. However, the messages contain errors that might cause misinterpretation. In other words, target audience might buy the products for the wrong reason if they do not think through the advertisement statements well. In brief, the message spread across portrays the audience as individuals who run, use a lot of energy, and require stability as well.