The Agency Purpose And Mission - 2353 Words

ChildNet A) Overview of the agency; purpose/mission: ChildNet is a private non-profit agency that manages the local system of services and support for children in the community. It is the community-based-care lead agency in Broward and Palm Beach County and its mission is to protect abused, abandoned and neglected children in the community they serve. B) Population being served: The population being served at ChildNet are children and families who are involved in the child welfare system in Broward and Palm Beach County. C) Services provided to clients: ChildNet provides a wide range of services depending on the client’s needs. They offer case management, foster care, adoption and family preservation services for the children and†¦show more content†¦Having knowledge of different cultures and how it affects people is utterly important for social workers. Cultural competence for me, means having an understanding and acquiring knowledge of different cultures in order to effectively serve different clients and to understand their complex needs. Social workers should routinely review the professional literature and participate in continuing education relevant to social work practice and social work ethics (NASW, 2008). 2. Identify how clients at the agency may be oppressed, marginalized, or alienated in our society and how it impacts the clients at your agency ChildNet’s clients are from diverse backgrounds and belong to different races, ages, religions and ethnicities. Many of them are experiencing challenges due to mental health issues, addictions and the court system. They are being discriminated against because of their challenges and many are therefore unable to find a job, stable housing or help to overcome these challenges. Transportation is a vital part of being able to live a good life for many people. Without transportation it is almost impossible to gain and keep a job, and without a job it is impossible to have a stable income and housing in order to properly care for children. Many of our clients are being oppressed because of their challenges; they are unable to findShow MoreRelatedOverview of the US Department of Homeland Security925 Words   |  4 PagesDepartment of Homeland Security: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was formed more than a decade ago with a very significant mission of safeguarding Americas homeland from hazards, threats, and national disasters. This department conducts its mission through securing the countrys borders, preventing terror attacks, and responding to incidents or threats to its citizens (Miller, n.d.). Generally, the most important roles of the Department of Homeland Security are to lead a concerted nationalRead MoreCanadian Agency For Drugs And Technologies1451 Words   |  6 PagesCanadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health Introduction The purpose of this paper is to introduce a health-related organization that we are not familiar with and investigate the organization. For this paper, the organization that will be investigated will be the Canadian Agency of Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH). The following sections will discuss what the organization is about, its mission and mandate, how the organization is structured, funding, and why does the organizationRead MoreEssay on Spiers Travel Agency1689 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract An organization functions from the mission statement and the organizational structure. These functions helps to make a company move smoother within departments, which is assigned to individuals that are responsible for overseeing that part of the organization. The organization is responsible with living out the purpose of their mission statement. The organizational structure reflects from the operative goals to help the organization function accordingly. Operative goals according to DaftRead MoreQuestions On Senior Management Team1748 Words   |  7 Pages Assessment Criteria 4.2.1. Explain the strategic purpose of: School Governors. Senior Management Team. Other Statutory Roles eg SENCO. Teachers. Support Staff Roles. The strategic purpose of governors is to be aware of how the school is perceived within the community, while also monitoring and reviewing the performance of the school, and supporting and challenging the head teacher. They are at the heart of how a school operates, help make decisions about budgets and staffing, and have input intoRead MoreCanadian Agency Of Drugs And Technologies1510 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The purpose of this paper is to introduce a health-related organization that we were not familiar with and to investigate the organization. For this paper, the organization that will be investigated will be the Canadian Agency of Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH). The following sections will discuss what the organization is about, its mission and mandate, how the organization is structured, how are they funded, and why does the organization exist and do the work that they accomplishRead MoreThe Center For Disease Control999 Words   |  4 PagesThe CDC is a worldwide resource for control of diseases. While the Georgia Composite Medical Board is an agency that licenses anyone in a healthcare job an example would be physicians. This board investigates healthcare professionals complaints. They also discipline the healthcare professionals who violate the Medical Practice Act. They can violate other laws though. (Purpose and Mission Statement). Nevertheless, these laws govern the way the health care providers should behave. In other words, ifRead MoreHow Important Is Mapping Policy? The South Carolina Department Of Mental Health?1415 Words   |  6 Pagespolicy to an agency? Our text states, policy governs the relationship among agency staff members, provide order and direction. Policy can help to develop a plan of action to address a social issue such as mental illness. As a mental health counselor, I chose to policy map the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH). I will examine this agency and its policies, including its social agency history, mission, money stream, purpose, budget, overall purpose, and effectiveness. My mission is to createRead MoreDepartment of Homeland Security1073 Words   |  4 Pagesprimary mission is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reducing vulnerability to terrorism and minimizing the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters. The DHS was created by President G.W. Bush i n the aftermath of terrorist attacks on America in 2001. It is relatively new agency that continues to evolve in the 21st century. In my chosen topic I will perform research on the history and creation of Department of Homeland Security, identify 3 of the 22 agencies withinRead MoreHow Organizations Function And Meet Their Goals1292 Words   |  6 Pagesorganizational performance (Nelson Burns, 1998). While the HPP model was originally developed based on research of the U.S. Army, the methodology is effective to apply to almost any private company or public agency. This model can also be effectively applied to the Maryland State Police, or any police agency, as a method for understanding the organization’s current performance and future focus. The HPP model is based on a framework of four levels or sub-frames that each show a different organizational operationsRead MoreLeading Group Challenges Paper755 Words   |  4 Pagessecurity agency. These elements of organizational behavior are guidelines to organization hire valuable employees with values, morals, and ethnics. Commitment to ethical behavior one of the elements among others that will be discuss in this paper. Commitment to ethical behavior is when unethical behavior and illegal business practice in an organization is publicized. This is element that is use in the criminal justice and security agencies because the public and businesses trust the agencies to perform

Understanding Online Paper Help

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Burmese Days Essay Example For Students

Burmese Days Essay In the novel Burmese Days by George Orwell, imperialism shaped the daily lives of both British and Burmese characters through three main things racism, sexism and inequality. In the mid 1920’s, deep into the days of the empire when The British ruled Burma, racial and sexist boundaries were part of everyday life. In some instances in the novel, Non-European characters tried to gain self respect and freedom by trying to bend the rules an cross over boundries if they possibly could. However, this deed was very hard to complete because of the racial bounderies. In one very rare case it was successful, U Po Kyin, the Subdivisional Magistrate of Kyauktada (where the novel was based on), wishes to be in the European social club which wasn’t much but it meant so much to the burmese people an the rest of Kyauktada because it was where the most respected people came to socialize. In any town in India, the European club is the place where everyone wishes to be a part of. However the exclusive club has never admitted a man of a different race into it’s social club because they feel that that the other races non other than theirs is not as civilized. We will write a custom essay on Burmese Days specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One man who realized that white men are not as superior as they might think, James Flory is desperate to get his black friend, Dr. Veraswami, into the social club. The docter thought of the club as â€Å"fortress impregnable† pg 150 and mr. flory will stop at nothing till he is. U Po Kyin, jealous of Veraswami’s freindship with the â€Å"white man† is set on ruining both Flory and Veraswami for he should be the one considered for the prestigus club. Hence, he will stop at nothing to cross the thick racial barrier that consist over the entire town. At the end of the novel, riots, suicide, and mourning are the result from U Po Kyin. Yet U Po Kyin finally gets his membership to the club after he has done all the damage that he had planned to do. Imperialism forced people to become almost different people because they had started riots, cheated, and lied jus to try and get passed the racial barrier. But this would have never happened if the barriers weren’t so thick for the daily lives of the people of Kyauktada. The dailey lives of burmese an the britsih were affected by racism,sexism, and inequality. For the â€Å"white man† life was very well but to the burmese the british had lives of gods. The british had wealthy homes an had servants to wait on them hand an feet, which reated a very satisfying life. Their day consisted of enjoying themselves at the social club with drinks like whisky, and the presence of the other club members to talk to about a variety of things. Then they might go out into the jungle for a walk or maybe go hunting or what not. Basically the british ruled the premises of Kyauktada because the had all the power. The burmans were affected much differently than the birtish but only in a much worse way. The burmans were either poor working people that had no respect from the british. They lived in the jungle and sold their goods at the bazaar but besides that they lived very oor lives. The other part of the burmese were servants of the british so that was obviuosly a bad life because they had to obey their master who where the british. They had to tend to his or hers every need an never be disrespectfull unless they wanted to get a good kick in the bottom. After one of the servants didn’t bring ice for one of the â€Å"masters’ Verall took action by himself â€Å"I kicked his bottom. Serves him right. † Pg 208. So the burmese were greatly affected by imperialism hence they basically worshipped the british â€Å"white men† because they everything compared the burmese poor lives. .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .postImageUrl , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:hover , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:visited , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:active { border:0!important; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:active , .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucfab82de1b6c816d588a2141a4e854bd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Irony In The Story Of An Hour EssayThe boundaries were set by imperialism to all the people of Kyauktada creating a thick racial boundary. The boundries very hard to break but many tried and failed. To the burmese the boundaries looked like an impossible dream that they could never achieve or in other words break the boundaries. The burmese and the british were almost like two separate countrys because they were so different from each other in the way they lived their daily lives to the british the boundaries look like something that is keepin them away from the burmese who were considered † disgusting people† pg 132. The boundaries obviously favored the british rather than the burmese. Some of the non-european characters in the novel tried to break through the racial boundaries and save their self respect and their freedom. U Po Kyin created a whole complicated plan to get into the social club which would be a very great accomplishment for a man like himself. He knew that Dr. verswami would be the first to get accepted because he was friends with Mr. Flory. He planned a riot against the â€Å"white man† that he would not take part in but start, and then blame it on Dr. erswami. The plan didn’t go as planned but in the end mr. Flory ended up comiting suicide. Hence his friend the doctor (Dr. verswami) was ruined because mr flory was his only white friend and now he had no chance at getting in to the club. U Po Kyin took his place as the club decided to take in a non-eurpean and he had accomplished the impossible as it seemed in that time period for a burmese man or a â€Å"nigger† to be accepted by the â€Å"white man. † Another example of a non-european trying to break the boundarie was Ma Hla mha * she wanted to be mr. Florys wife so bad that after he had thrown her out of the house she still called him by his honorable name â€Å"thakin. † She would try to act like a british ladie by putting powder all over her face to make her face look white. She tried to black mail mr. flory by coming to places where she shouldn’t be after he wanted nothing to do with her. She would embarrass mr. Flory an cause a scene until he would give her money. She showed up at the church one time an it caused mr. Flory to loose the woman he wanted to marry, Elizabeth â€Å"his face appaled her, it was so ghastly,rigid and old. It was like a skull. Only ythe birthmark seemed alive in it. She hated him now for his birthmark. Hse had never known till this moment how dishonouring, how unforgivable a thing it was† pg 275. The charchters in the novel were not succesful at all except for U Po Kyin, they would offer anything they had to give to british and they would just turn there nose up in disgust. Except for the one the rest of the characters were unsuccesful at breaking the racial boundary that seperated the â€Å"white† from the rest.

When Studying Gender, The First Task Is To Clearly Define What It Is N

When studying gender, the first task is to clearly define what it is not. Gender simply can not be defined by one's anatomy. In other words, gender is not categorized as male or female. Stating this fact is of the utmost importance, because most people would define gender in such a way. In fact, some dictionaries actually define gender as See sex. So now that I have withdrawn that determinant, I must conclude that gender is something which is determined socially. Unfortunately, the concept is far too broad to have one clear definition. It can be studied in so many different ways, and it is because of this that there are a multitude of theories about it. Learning about differing theories stimulates one's own beliefs about gender and its usefulness. Every sociology litterateur is aware of the socialization theory. Socialization and the study of gender are often linked. In terms of gender, the socialization theory suggests that children are taught to behave a certain way according to their sex. Boys are taught to be masculine and girls to be feminine. For example, parents will often buy boys trucks or army toys and for girls, they will buy dolls and playhouse sort-of toys. Boys are played with in a rough manner and are taught to tough it out when they get hurt. Girls are taught to be more passive and expressive of their feelings. Also, children learn by observing their parents and the roles that they play. Girls love pretending to be the mommy. Chores are also divided. Those chores that are more masculine are for the boys such as taking out the trash and raking leaves. Girls help in the kitchen and with cleaning. The socialization theory is accepted by many, but it does not account for everything. This theory is limiting in that it doesnot allow one to study gender in a macro sense. This theory cannot explain why or how gender came about. It also doesn't provide an answer for how gender inequality began or how it can be minimized. Many theorists take the socialization theory and expand on it. One of the most unique theories on gender comes from Judith Lorber, a professor of sociology. Lorber's book, Paradoxes of Gender, introduces her idea of gender being a social institution. Lorber views gender inequality from this perspective. It is difficult to explain all aspects of Lorber's theory without sounding repetitive, because so much is interrelated. She critiques all of the popular beliefs about gender. Gender is not the assumptions or beliefs about males and females; it is not the roles that males and females play; it is not male and female status; it is certainly not anatomy, and it is not strictly socialization. Gender is a social structure that has its origins in the development of human culture, not in biology or procreation. ... As is true of other institutions, gender's history can be traced, its structure examined, and its changing effects researched. (Lorber, p.1) LLorber does not view gender at the individual level, but rather as a social construction that establishes norms for individuals which are built into the major societal organizations. The development of gender inequality is the main focus of Lorber's discussion of gender. According to Lorber, roles are gendered. Either sex can participate in opposite gendered roles. The problem is that males are expected to be masculine and women to be feminine. Those jobs that are more feminine have lower statuses, thus lower pay. So we now begin to see where inequality comes into play. An interesting point that Lorber makes about this is that women are to blame for this as well as men. When a woman chooses to go into a female-dominated field, she is perpetuating inequality by contributing to masculinism. However, when a female works in a male-dominated field, she must become a social man. For example, in the work force, CEOs are supposed to possess masculine traits. A female CEO must be aggressive, dominant, and non-sympathetic. So when females become social men, they are looked down upon. Most of these women are thought to be too aggressive and unappealing. They have failed at being a woman. The same goes for men in female-dominated jobs, although for

10 of the Best Jobs in Retail Nationwide

10 of the Best Jobs in Retail Nationwide Considering a job in retail? Hoping to find a workplace that treats you fairly and can maybe even lead to a full-time career? Maybe you’ve never even thought of making a career in the retail field, but the great news is there were several retail companies listed in this year’s Employees’ Choice Awards by Glassdoor and on Fortune’s Great Place to Work list. If retail might be a job (or even the job) for you, then you might want to consider these 10 companies first.1. Wegman’sThis food market chain in the mid-Atlantic and New England graces both lists. Employees say it looks out for its employees and offers great benefits- including extra holiday pay, time-and-a-half, and flexible hours. The company seems to truly value their employees and encourage them to advance within the company. (Glassdoor score out of 5: 4.2.)2. IKEAIKEA also gets a Glassdoor 4.2 for encouraging a friendly work environment and providing great benefits- including education assis tance, health care, holiday gatherings, and a flexible and supportive environment for working mothers.3. LululemonAgain: 4.2 from the Glassdoor list. Lululemon offers fabulous perks for the fitness oriented like free workouts, an enticing corporate culture, and career counseling.4. AppleAnother 4.2 from Glassdoor, Apple offers competitive pay, a yearly bonus, great benefits, and a work environment that is consistently rated on top 10  lists.5. QuikTripQuikTrip makes both lists, as well. Employees consistently mention a sense of community and a supportive work environment, plus good benefits, full-time weekly hours, a stable schedule, and a focus on not only employee well-being and growth, but also charitable giving. Glassdoor score: 4.2.6. CarMaxCarMax employees describe this company work environment like a family, with supervisors and managers nurturing employee’s ambitions to further their careers. There’s an emphasis on fun, respect, and integrity in the workplace .7. PatagoniaPatagonia also gets a great rep for as a workplace that feels like family, with employees consistently  writing glowing reviews. Employees also cite their appreciation for the company’s policies, goals, and ideals aligning with theirs on a social and environmental level. Employees also cite a sense of leadership that  nurtures the needs of their workers.8. In-N-Out BurgerThis West Coast burger chain out gets a whopping 4.4 on the Glassdoor scale, mostly for being a busy work environment where time seems to fly. It offers lots of opportunities for advancement, plus a very friendly and positive culture.9. Build-A-Bear WorkshopBuild-A-Bear is highly praised by its employees for the respect and empathy with which the company treats its employees. Employees say it feels like a family and that the warmth with which they interact with customers is almost always genuine. It’s a great place to turn a part-time job into a lifelong career.10. Publix SupermarketsP ublix employees consistently rave about the culture of respect and teamwork at this supermarket chain. Coworkers feel like family, and employees feel as though the management treats them support and dignity.

Intrinsic Property Definition (Chemistry)

Intrinsic Property Definition (Chemistry) In chemistry, an intrinsic property is a property of a substance that is independent of the amount of the substance present. Such properties are inherent qualities of the type and form of matter, mainly dependent on chemical composition and structure. Key Takeaways: Intrinsic Property of Matter An intrinsic property is independent of the size of a sample or the amount of matter that is present.Examples of intrinsic properties include density and specific gravity. Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Properties In contrast to intrinsic properties, extrinsic properties are not essential qualities of a material. Extrinsic properties are affected by external factors. Intrinsic and extrinsic properties are closely related to intensive and extensive properties of matter. Examples of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties Density is an intrinsic property, while weight is an extrinsic property. The density of a material is the same, regardless of the conditions. Weight depends on gravity, so it is not a property of matter, but depends on the gravitational field. The crystal structure of a sample of ice is an intrinsic property, while the color of the ice is an extrinsic property. A small sample of ice may appear clear, while a large sample would be blue. Source Lewis, David (1983). Extrinsic Properties. Philosophical Studies. Springer Netherlands. 44: 197–200. doi:10.1007/bf00354100

Investment Valuation Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Investment Valuation - Coursework Example We highly recommend buying the property. With the growing redevelopments in the Moorfoot area, a large number of investors in all sectors are likely to get attracted. This will generally increase the value of the buildings. The rent is likely to increase bringing in more profit. This report outlines the achievable amount of income that can be expected from leasing the property over a given period of 15 years. It will stipulate probable and effective ways to determine the market value of the property. It focuses more on Moorfoot new development considering the current issues and tendencies that can be subjected due to such redevelopment. Economic and financial aspects are considered in the valuation of the property and the general effect of the construction. The building being under construction and the first phase will be completed by mid-2015 while the rest by 2016. This enhances the determination of the maximum achievable rent and at the same time giving the actual value for selling the other part. Moor chambers is a mixed property use situated in Moorfoot area. The building is composed of two phases; the first part being office apartments and is projected to reach completion by mid-2015 while the rest part of it to be completed by 2016. Its first phase will be majorly retail while the adjacent segment will be available for sale by 2016. The property is available for purchase from the SWIP Property Trust To obtain the most probable market value for the above mentioned property while at the same time give an expertise view of the market quotation in terms of the best price to sell the rent and sell property. This report is for the sole purposes of the above named together with the professional advisors of the client. It should be relied on by no other person and for no other purpose than that stated. Neither the whole nor any part of this report or any

Strategic Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic Management and Leadership - Essay Example â€Å"GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services† (Company Q2 report, 2009). I would now begin this report by giving an in-depth and thorough internal and external analysis of General Motors that led it to its decision to withdraw from its European Operations. General Motors’ automobile production and sales business was greatly affected by global economic downturn. The economic meltdown across the world and the financial crunch adversely affected the business and sales volume of most of the corporate entities and businesses across the globe. General Motors also felt the pinch of this turmoil and observed a decline in sales and profits because of falling demand of its brands. The increasing levels of unemployment, subsequent reduction in incomes and purchasing power because of higher energy and oil prices increased the inflation that forced consumers to reduce their spending and increase saving. In short, sales decreased considerably and GM with high overheads found it difficult to assimilate the shock. Higher costs of production in European countries where company’s plants are located, weak British pound and â€Å"unfavorable mark-to-market commodity hedging† (company Q1 financial report, 2009) are others reasons that added to the miseries of GM. In short, the General Motor’s financial position became so weak which compelled It to announce its Bankruptcy on June 1 (2009). The money losing units of General Motors in Europe are Opel and Vauxhall. These units observed a drastic reduction in sales (from around 2.2 mn in 2007 to 2.04 in 2008) and profits which tumbled from positive 0.357$ bn (EBT) in 2006 to negative 2$ bn in 2009 (company Q1 financial report, 2009). The sharp reduction in sales and resulting mammoth losses forced GM to sell off its European Operations (Opel and Vauxhall) to an Austrian-Canadian automotive group Magna and its Russian partner

Fitts and Posners Phases of Learning Essay Example for Free

Fitts and Posners Phases of Learning Essay Describe Fitts and Posners phases of learning and explain how you would structure practises to enhance a performance In this essay I will explain Fitts and Posners phases of learning and how I would structure practises to enhance performance. By practising a skill we can become better. Fitts and Posner theories were that everyone has to go through stages of learning, known as the cognitive, associative and autonomous stages of learning. Depending how good a person is at a particular sport, they will fall into a certain category. An example of this is Wayne Rooney. At a young age he was introduced to football and played amateur football from a young age, becoming one of the youngest strikers in football history. However by learning a skill in sport involves the development of skills by practice. An example of this is shooting practise you can only become good by practising to kick the ball in between goalposts. Until a person becomes confident enough that they score a goal, they will naturally fall into the next category. The three stages of learning can be divided into two main categories; associationists and cognitivists. Associationists views learning of a sport as the link of particular stimulus and particular responses. Cognitivists see it as a function of the brain, where we learn through the understanding and knowledge of the sport. There are 3 stages of learning according to Fitts and Posner. They are: Cognitive v Associative v Autonomous Cognitive This is the initial stage of learning and is essential if the learner is to process successful through the other stages and is to move a stage where the skill can be performed. The cognitive stage involves formation of a mental picture of a skill. The most efficient way is from a demonstration, which allows them to see the key requirements and to work through the performance mentally. Visual guidance is one of the best ways to make others understand, and so that the person learning can see the correct method to perform the skill. They will then attempt to perform. Success rate is usually 2/3 out of 10. The cognitive stage initially concentrates more on the skill, rather than the game. There is a lack of control and consistency. Trial and error is also a key way to learn. Reinforcement of this can be by giving positive feedback. Questions will arise when learning skills of a sport if the skill is not correctly learnt. The learner will be confronted with some very specific, cognitively oriented problems. Examples of this are, How do I score? What is the aim of this game? If so, where are the positions for players? If the mental picture is not correct the skill will not develop. It is important that the coach explains very thoroughly what is required of each athlete. Associative Learning at the associative stage means that the skill is becoming more consistent, but there are still some errors. The simple element of the skill has been grasped however the performer still refers back to the mental picture. The performer can begin to detect errors and begin to realise his/her mistakes. Feedback should encourage a feeling of a well performed skill. This means that the performer will begin to enjoy the sport. Success rate is 5/7 out of 10. Verbal guidance is essential as it is used in the associative stage. Some people never exceed this phase. An example of this is a semi-professional shot-put thrower. Some performers return to the cognitive stage to refer to the mental image of the skill. Also, some professional players return from autonomous stage to the associative stage if they have an injury they need to work hard and rise up to the expected standard of an autonomous performer. Autonomous Learning at the autonomous stage is where the skill is done without conscious thought. The movements of the performer are fluent, consistent and athletically pleasing. There is an advanced stage of learning where the elements of the skill have become part of long term memory and are automatically produced in response to a an appropriate stimulus. The skill is automatic. The attention of the performer focuses on the next movement, for example tactics. Consistent practise is required to reinforce being at the autonomous stage. Success rate is 9/10 out of 10. In tennis for example a player would be able to perform a serve whilst contemplating what their opponent will do next, rather than being focusing on the technical side of the serve. Not all performers reach the autonomous stage in all skills. For those who do, if practise is not maintained revision to the associative stage will occur. Closed skills such as throwing events can be finely tuned so that a high level of performance can be produced. Learning in its simplest form is the development of a position where we cant perform a skill to a stage where we can perform it. Knapp, 1973 The quote means that learning is a more or less permanent change in performance brought about by experience. Knapp is suggesting that once something is learnt, it remains with us, thus supporting the statement: Once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget. Learning in sport involves the development of skills through practice, hence the saying: Practice makes perfect. Fitts Posner recognised that as we learn, we do not move directly from cant to can. They suggest that the learning process is sequential we move through specific stages/phases as we learn. These stages are hierarchal, in other words each stage must be passed through before the next one is achieved. Ivan Pavlov was a scientist who conducted experiments on the response of dogs. He taught them that when a bell was rung, the dogs would learn to understand that it was time to eat. These findings link into Fitts and Posners phases of learning because a particular response with a stimulus can give a great benefit to sports performances. This approach can be used to mentally prepare the athlete for the sport. The player may be taught switching into the zone whilst walking onto the pitch. However in order to achieve this, the player would need to gradually progress to that level of conditioned stimulus. In order to teach and improve somebodys skills at a sport, I would structure a 6 week Personal Exercise Programme (or PEP). A PEP would help improve the skill of the performer, and help the learner to enhance their performance. This way the performer can test to see how long it takes him to master one specific skill. As a trainer I would encourage the performer and give feedback and give a clear understanding to the performer what they are doing right and wrong. Doing something wrong doesnt mean its negative feedback it would just acknowledge the performer on how to improve, becoming more successful. I would ensure that the performer practices the skill consistently and monitor any improvements in their ability. In a professional football match I would help keep the players to the standard that is required by making them do drills as a team. Warm-ups are essential as they prevent muscles getting damaged. I would also make sure that the stamina of the players is always high; this can be achieved by the Cooper run. In a tennis match the athlete must be able to complete a full match. There are no substitutions so the athletes stamina must be high. By hitting a ball for a long period of time every other turn there must be a large amount of upper body strength. In order to help the athlete achieve this, the coach should set the athlete physical training such as sprints, press-up, sit-ups and bicep curls. Technique is needed when serving, volleying; as being able to retain balance quickly is essential. An example of this is Andre Agassi. he focused more on physical conditioning than in the past and became one of the fittest players on the tour. His upper-body strength allowed him to bench press 350 lb (159 kg), which helped him retain pace on his shots late into a match, as well as adding to his serve power. He had remarkable endurance and rarely appeared tired on court. Golf is a sport where the athlete has to be very concentrated on the game. Having a perfect technique allows one to compete to a high level. In order to help raise concentration levels the coach must remove all apprehension and put the athlete in a confident frame of mind. To help an athlete raise concentration before a game the coach could give the athlete a structured diet. Junk food will slow down the concentration rate. Tiger Woods had a bad putting strike so he went home and perfected it. Well, thats one of the worst putting weeks Ive had in a long time, very frustrating. When I get home I am going to practise until I get it right. References: * Advanced P.E for Edexcel Heinemann * http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/pavlov/readmore.html. * http://www.answers.com/topic/andre-agassi * http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=410149

What You Should Know about Stem Cells Essay -- Stem Cells Science Ethi

What You Should Know about Stem Cells A topic of extended scientific and ethical debate in our society as of late has been the question of Stem Cell research. Going down this path could yield unprecedented medical leaps in treatment and prevention that medicine will be able to offer. Before I address the debate of whether or not Stem Cell research should be done, I want to first explain to my readers what stem cells are, how they come to be and what we can use them for. We must first start with the different types of cells, I will explain them as I take you through part of the fetal development process. The first type of cell is the totipotent cell. This cell is created when a sperm fertilizes an egg. This kind of cell can become anything within the human body. After four days the totipotent cell begins to specialize by becoming a blastocyst. The blastocyst contains an outer layer of cells and an inner cell mass. The outer layer of cells will become the placenta and other support tissues for the fetus as it develops. The inner cell mass will go on to become virtually every type of tissue within the human body. The inner cell mass cannot create a placenta. Since it cannot form a placenta, it is no longer totipotent. It now becomes pluripotent, a cell with the ability to become any number of tissues within the human body. This is the cell that scientists are interested in. One part of Stem Cell debate is the question of when is a fetus a fetus? At what point is the potential for human life extinguished? At this stage the pluripotent cells while able to form almost every human tissue, cannot for a placenta. Therefore if you were to place the cells into another woman?s uterus a fetus would not develop. From this point the pluripotent cells further specialize and become the cells that create heat tissue or brain tissue etc. We need to understand the complex events that occur at this stage of development. There are genes referred to as ?decision making? genes. These genes direct how and what the pluripotent cells become. Now I will get into the possible benefits of Stem Cell research. Once we learn how the decision making genes work we can then begin to use the pluripotent cells to create the typed of tissues needed to treat patients with various types of sickness and disease. There is a bonus here as well. Birth defects an... ...t point come we may have already come to an ethical decision on what to do and with the knowledge already gained in research of adult stems cells we should be able to proceed quickly. Stem cell research is incredibly important. We as a civilization are standing on the brink of a major leap for our society and we must take that leap. Who knows that kinds of doors this research could open, who knows that other leads it could unveil for us? This research has the ability to change out culture, like the discovery of fire and the harnessing of electricity. We can?t let it slip away. Works Consulted: Adult Stem Cells May be Redefinable. 24. Oct. 2001. British Medical Journal. 24. Oct. 2001. http://www.Bmj.org/cgi/content/full/318/7179/282/b Stem Cells and the Human Embryo. 24. Oct. 2001. The Center for Bioethics and human Dignity. 29. Oct. 2001. http://www.bioethix.org/resources/overviews/stemcell.html Stem Cells: A Primer. 23. Oct. 2001. National Institute of Health. 29 Oct. 2001. http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/primer.htm Testimony of Nigel Cameron, PH. D. 24. Oct. 2001. Do No Harm Coalition. 24. Oct. 2001. http://www.stemcellresearch.org/testimonies/cameron2.htm

Fear in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay

In many works of literature, the behavior of a character or a group of characters is motivated by emotion. In Chinua Achebe’s Nigerian novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is motivated by the fear. Throughout Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s actions take place because he is afraid of becoming â€Å"A Woman† like his father. Not only does he act masculine to appear manly to the villagers, he does it to satisfy his own conscious. Okonkwo portrays a short temper in this book. Small things such as his supper being late and remarks about his hunting anger him, and lead to his beating of his wives and his son Nwoya. His desire to appear manly often fogged his judgment. When the time came to kill Ikemefuna, the boy who called him father, he was told by his best friend that he should not take part in this because the boy looked up to him. Okonkwo knew his friend was right. When he, Ikemefuna and other leaders of the tribe went to the woods to carry out the task, Okonkwo did not want the other men to think that he was weak so he cut down his own son. Okonkwo’s actions were also motivated by the fear that his whole village would become weak. After returning from his exile in Mbanta, Okonkwo realized that the Christians were taking over. Unlike the rest of his tribe he wanted to go to war with them and drive them out. Soon he realized that during his seven years in exile Umuofia had changed and no longer was feared tribe it used to be. Okonkwo continued to fight the inevitable. His actions were never able to help his village; his worst fear had come true, they had become weak. Okonkwo suffers the consequences of his actions being motivated by fear throughout Things Fall Apart. He damages his relationship with his family, and his actions lead to his eventual death. Okonkwo and his son Nwoye could never relate to each other. Both had totally different outlooks. Okonkwo was always trying to appear manly and trying to get Nwoye to appear the same way. These things were not really important to Nwoye, and Okonkwo could not understand why. He often beat his son thinking that it would get him to understand. When the Christians came through and were looking for new people for their church, Nwoye joined. He was just waiting for a good chance to leave his father. Okonkwo was also exiled because of his strong desire to appear masculine. The gun that inadvertently killed his fellow villagers was  defective but he still chose to take it to the council meeting so he would not seem weak. Because he brought a defective gun to the meeting and he accidentally killed a clansman he was exiled for seven years. All of his dreams of becoming the most successful and respected man in Umuofia went up in smoke, because his fear of being seen as â€Å"Womanlike† clouded his good judgment. His eventual death was also caused by his fear of becoming like his father. He could not handle the fact that his village had changed during his exile. They had become weak and were no longer willing to go to war. Okonkwo felt that he had rather not live than live like a woman so he hanged himself. Okonkwo was unwilling to accept change which was his eventual downfall. Finally, Okonkwo’s fear of turning out like his father affects the overall work in three main ways. It leads to the story’s denouement. Okonkwo’s unwillingness to accept change led to his death in the end of the story. He could never have been happy in a society where masculinity was not important. He had rather not live than live in a â€Å"Womanish† village. Further, Okonkwo’s fear of being unmasculine affects Things Fall Apart by contributing to the story’s mood. Because of Okonkwo’s short temper and unpredictability the mood of this novel was tense. The reader never knew when he was going to get mad and beat somebody or shoot at them. Finally, and most importantly, Okonkwo’s fear of being weak creates the story’s profoundest theme, â€Å"One must adapt to their surroundings.† Because Okonkwo was unable to accept the change of his village it leads to his eventual downfall. Okonkwo could never live in a village f ull of â€Å"Women.†

Database Management System

Dinky Hire firm is a small family business that stocks general equipment such as garden tools, car maintenance tools etc. For hiring to its customers. A database system is required to simplify management of the business and to provide some financial information and maintaining stocks. Equipment's are classified under various categories.Equipment's are of different brands within each category. Brands are varies in their prices and obtained from various suppliers. The known categories are: a) Gardening Equipment d) Decorating Equipment g) Heating and Lighting b) Building Equipment e) Car Maintenance h) Miscellaneous c) Access Equipment f) Power Tools Prices of equipment offered by the various suppliers as well as the delivery time for that equipment must be kept in the DB. The firm arranges for business customers only, a 24-hour support to replace any Rosen or faulty equipment that on hire.Upon receiving a customer complain, an immediate delivery will be arranged to replace the faulty equipment provided that it is in stock. Otherwise, a refund for the full charged amount will be administered. Private customers though, in similar cases, must bring the faulty equipment(s) themselves and replace them with working ones or get a full refund if there isn't any available in stock. Business customers are given various membership categories for discount purposes. These are silver, gold and diamond memberships.Silver members get 10%; Gold members get 25% and Diamond members get 40%. Hiring equipment's for private customers are restricted to those who live within 5 miles radius from their address. This distance from the private customer address is measured on map on the wall and the information stored on the customer record the first time the hire equipment's. No such restriction exists for business customers. Requirements: The following sections specify the requirements of the system. The computer is to be used when a customer visits the company to hire equipment's.At this time the following processing is necessary for each transaction: ; If not already known (I. E. Not previously entered into the DB), the customer's details are recorded. ; The equipment to be hired, with expected return date, is recorded. ; The equipment stock as recorded in the database is updated automatically. When business customers' call for support to replace any broken or faulty equipment's on hire, a log must be made in the DB and whether replacement equipment is arranged and delivered or a full refund is given.When the equipment is returned, the following processing is required: ; The actual return date is entered. ; An invoice is printed which shows the item borrowed and calculates the total cost including VAT. The cost should be based on a rate for one day plus a rate for each additional day. The daily rate varies between weekdays and weekend days. ; The stock figures are adjusted. ; Business customer discounts will be calculated according to the membership category, whil e no discount is given to private customers. 2. 3. 4. Design and create a database to the above scenario.State any assumptions made (if any). Map the diagram in to Relational Schema and Proof your answer is normalized up to BC. Create the Database using Myself. Final report should contain: 0 Assumptions 0 Entity Relationship Diagram 0 Relational Schema 0 Proof of Normalization 0 Myself commands which you have used to create the database Assignment Background A Database Management System (DB'S) is a set of programs that enables you to store, modify, and extract information from a database, it also provides users with tools to add, delete, access, modify, and analyze data stored in one location.A group can access the data by using query and reporting tools that are part of the DB'S or by using application programs specifically written to access the data. Assignment Requirements 1 . The final document should be Professional and systematic computerized document. 2. It is essential to ha ve References (if any). 3. Assignment should be word-processed and should be spiral bound. 4. The page after the Cover page should be as the assignment marking scheme (Attachment No 001). 5. Submit the softwood of the assignment along with the bound hard copy. Written Assignment Format:To receive full credit, assignments should maintain the following format: 0 Font: Caliber, Size: apt. 0 Spacing: standard. 0 File type (for electronic submission by prior arrangement): MS Word (â€Å". Doc† only) 0 Name/headers/footers on each page. Page number on each page. Cover page/ Contains page. Rules and Regulation of the Assignment 1 . Assignments will NOT be accepted after the last date of acceptance under any circumstance. Database Management System BABCOCK UNIVERSITY ILISHAN REMO OGUN STATE PROJECT PROPOSAL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE COURSE SOFTWARE ENGINEERING COMPUTER SCIENCE ON HOTEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM GROUP 8 PROJECT MEMBERS: 1. XXXXXXX 2. XXXXXXXXXXX 3. XXXXXXXXXXXX 4. XXXXXXXXXX 5. OBRUTSE ONAJITE 09/1635 6. OKOROSOBO TEMITOPE 7. OLAJIDE SEGUN 8. XXXXXXXXXX 9. XXXXXXXX 10. XXXXXXXXXX PROJECT MANAGER: MRS AYITE 1. INTRODUCTION A. BACKGROUND ‘Online Alumni System' An Alumni Management System is a system that helps in keeping the records of the past students in which that it can be sorted by the year or by their major.Alumni management system is implemented in various schools around the globe, so it can help the student to get together when there is the need to get together, maybe for a get together Dinner and so on. B. SCOPE /OVERVIEW The Online alumni system is designed to maintain the details of the past student, so when the school wants to check the year a student graduated for some unforeseen circumstances. Usin g this project, the administrator registers each past student into the directory and gives them their username and password so they can login and update their profile. The Alumni Management System provides following features. Members Directory * Online photo gallery * Comment posting facility C. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The aim of the software is to develop a software that helps the university to keep good record of their old students, in order to refer to them when necessary, even on occasions where they want to make a year book for the graduating class or something. D. PROJECT OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVE: The central objective of this project is to provide facility for record system for the university committee. In previous system (i. e. Manual System), the student has to queue up to register his/her name in the alumni register on paper.Database Management System and DataThis was the fully time consuming, expensive etc. Through this product, he can update his database maybe when he is marrie d and he wants to change his status to married and so on. 2. SYSTEM ANALYSIS System analysis is the process of gathering and interpreting facts, diagnosing problems and using the facts to improve the system. System analysis specifies what the system should do. A system is a set of components that interact to accomplish some purpose. * Identifying the drawback of the existing system * Identify the need for conversion * Perform feasibility study * Identify hardware, software and database requirements Create a system definition that forms the foundation for subsequent work A. SYSTEM STUDY Overview of the Existing System In the existing system user can face so much problems. They have to waist so much time for the registering. This is the time consuming task. Sometimes user is very tired then they face the so much problem. Sometimes user feel the laziness, this is also failure for the existing system. B. FEASIBILITY STUDY The feasibility of a project can be ascertained in terms of techn ical factors, economic factors, or both. A feasibility study is documented with a report showing all the ramifications of the project.Technical Feasibility Technical feasibility refers to the ability of the process to take advantage of the current state of the technology in pursuing further improvement. The technical capability of the personnel as well as the capability of the available technology should be considered. Technology transfer between geographical areas and cultures needs to be analyzed to understand productivity loss (or gain) due to differences (see Cultural Feasibility). Since we are using PHP 5, Tomcat 6. 0 and so on technically our project is feasible. Economic FeasibilityThis involves the feasibility of the proposed project to generate economic benefits. A benefit-cost analysis and a breakeven analysis are important aspects of evaluating the economic feasibility of new industrial projects. The tangible and intangible aspects of a project should be translated into e conomic terms to facilitate a consistent basis for evaluation. Cultural Feasibility Cultural feasibility deals with the compatibility of the proposed project with the cultural setup of the project environment. In labor-intensive projects, planned functions must be integrated with the local cultural practices and beliefs.For example, religious beliefs may influence what an individual is willing to do or not do. Social Feasibility Social feasibility addresses the influences that a proposed project may have on the social system in the project environment. The ambient social structure may be such that certain categories of workers may be in short supply or nonexistent. The effect of the Project on the social status of the project participants must be assessed to ensure compatibility. It should be recognized that workers in certain industries may have certain status symbols within the society. Scope of Feasibility AnalysisIn general terms, the elements of a feasibility analysis for a pro ject should cover the following: I. Need Analysis This indicates recognition of a need for the project. The need may affect the organization itself, another organization, the public, or the government. A preliminary study is then conducted to confirm and evaluate the need. A proposal of how the need may be satisfied is then made. Relevant questions that should be asked include: * Is the need significant enough to justify the proposed project? * Will the need still exist by the time the project is completed? * What are the alternate means of satisfying the need? What are the economic, social, environmental, and political impacts of the need? II. Process Work This is the preliminary analysis done to determine what will be required to satisfy the need. The work may be performed by a consultant who is an expert in the project field. The preliminary study often involves system models or prototypes. For technology-oriented projects, artist's conception and scaled-down models may be used f or illustrating the general characteristics of a process. A simulation of the proposed system can be carried out to predict the outcome before the actual project starts. III. Engineering & DesignThis involves a detailed technical study of the proposed project. Written quotations are obtained from suppliers and subcontractors as needed. Technology capabilities are evaluated as needed. Product design, if needed, should be done at this time. IV. Cost Estimate This involves estimating project cost to an acceptable level of accuracy. Levels of around -5% to +15% are common at this level of a project plan. Both the initial and operating costs are included in the cost estimation. Estimates of capital investment and of recurring and nonrecurring costs should also be contained in the cost estimate document.Sensitivity analysis can be carried out on the estimated cost values to see how sensitive the project plan is to the estimated cost values. V. Financial Analysis This involves an analysis of the cash flow profile of the project. The analysis should consider rates of return, inflation, sources of capital, payback periods, breakeven point, residual values, and sensitivity. This is a critical analysis since it determines whether or not and when funds will be available to the project. The project cash flow profile helps to support the economic and financial feasibility of the project. VI. Project ImpactsThis portion of the feasibility study provides an assessment of the impact on the proposed project. Environmental, social, cultural, political, and economic impacts may be some of the factors that will determine how a project is perceived by the public. The value added potential of the project should also be assessed. A value added tax may be assessed based on the price of a product and the cost of the raw material used in making the product. The tax so collected may be viewed as a contribution to government coffers. Conclusions and Recommendations The feasibility study s hould end with the overall outcome of the project analysis.This may indicate an endorsement or disapproval of the project. Recommendations on what should be done should be included in this section of the feasibility report. 3. SYSTEM DESIGN System design provides the understanding and procedural details necessary for implementing the system recommended in the system study. Emphasis is on translating the performance requirements into design specifications. The design phase is a transition from a user – oriented document (System proposal) to a documented oriented to the programmers or database personnel. A. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION I.Entity Relationship Diagram It is clear that the physical objects from the previous section the administrator, rooms, customer all correspond to entities in the Entity-Relationship model, and the operations to be done on those entities. Date of Birth Date of Birth SEX SEX NAME NAME Student Student Email Email Address Address IS A IS A Alumnus Alumn us IS A IS A GRADUATION YEAR GRADUATION YEAR GRADUATE STUDENT GRADUATE STUDENT POSTGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE COURSE COURSE DEGREE PROGRAMME DEGREE PROGRAMME COMPUTING TOOLS A. METHODOLOGIES B. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES TOOLS USED FOR DEVELOPING: Language -> PHPDatabase -> My SQL Web Server -> APACHE TOMCAT 6. 0 IDE -> NETBEANS Programming language choice affects the productivity and code quality in several ways. Programmers working with high level language achieve better productivity and quality than those working with low level language, because former is more expensive in nature. We have used HTML, PHP scripting languages for the coding as we have to make the software and these languages provide great compatibility and flexibility. Overview of Programming Languages Overview of PHP The PHP technology will be used to interface HTML.The PHP technology provides a seamless connection and presents an easy to use, PHP-like programming constructs that can be scripted within HTML files. Hypertext preprocessor is a technology for developing web pages that include dynamic content. A PHP page contains standard markup language elements, such as HTML tags, just like a regular web page. A PHP page also contains special PHP elements that allow the server to insert dynamic content in the web page. ADVANTAGES OF PHP 1. PHP supports both scripting and element-based dynamic content. 2. Allows developing custom tag libraries. . PHP pages are precompiled for efficient server processing. 4. PHP pages can be used in combination with servlets that handle the business logic. 5. High Security. . 6. High Quality tool supports. 7. Write Once, Run Everywhere. 8. PHP is vender Neutral Overview of Java Script Java script is a general purpose, prototype based, object oriented scripting language developed jointly by sun and Netscape and is meant for the WWW. Java script borrows most of its syntax from java but also inherits from awk and perl, with some indirect influence from self in its object prot otype system.Java Script is almost as easy to learn as HTML and it can be included directly in HTML documents. Java Script was developed independently of java. Java script is a high level scripting language that does not depend on or expose particular machine representations or operating system services. FEATURES OF JAVA SCRIPT Java script is embedded into HTML documents and is executed with in them. Java script is browser dependent. JavaScript is an interpreted language that can be interpreted by the browser at run time. Java script is loosely typed language. Java script is an object-based language.Java script is an Event-Driven language and supports event handlers to specify the functionality of a button. The Struts framework provides the flexibility to develop the much less coupled applications. It generalizes and strictly implements MVC-model View Controller Architecture. That is the basic need of our architecture. Overview of Apache Tomcat Apache Tomcat is a servlet container d eveloped by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). Tomcat implements the Java Servlet and the Java Server Pages (JSP) specifications from Sun Microsystems, and provides a â€Å"pure Java† HTTP web server environment for Java code to run.Tomcat should not be confused with the Apache web server, which is a C implementation of an HTTP web server; these two web servers are not bundled together. Apache Tomcat includes tools for configuration and management, but can also be configured by editing XML configuration files. Overview of MySQL MySQL is a multithreaded, multi-user SQL database management system (DBMS) which has, according to MySQL AB, more than 10 million installations. MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB, which holds the copyright to most codebase. Libraries for ccessing MySQL databases are available in all major programming languages with language-specific APIs. In addition, an ODBC interface called MyODBC allows additio nal programming languages that support the ODBC interface to communicate with a MySQL database, such as ASP or ColdFusion. The MySQL server and official libraries are mostly implemented in ANSI C. C. PLATFORM I. HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS Processor: Pentium III or higher RAM: 128 MB or More Hard Disk: 20 GB or More Modem: 56KBPS / LAN Card II. SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS Operating System: Windows XP, VISTA 7. Web Server: ApacheFront End: JSP Back End: MySQL Scripts: JavaScript Language: JAVA III. User Interface Requirements The user of the proposed system requires that the developed software should be user friendly, have security access, and ensure the privacy of the administrator and produce results in timely manner. The users are not frequently exposed to the on-line hotel management, so the system interface to the user must be simple and understandable. The web pages must be user-friendly and must be in an easy-to-use style. The user must be able to easily switch among various I/O scree ns.The product is well designed so that it can be used easily by layman and also the users who are novices to the system. The system should be designed in such a way that only authorized users should be allowed to login to the system. The user interface should be as interactive as possible. A user-friendly interface must be provided so that the user can easily interact with the system and comprehend things in a quicker and easier way. The system must provide reliable and up-to-date information. The application should be efficient so that the user does not spend much time in training.Consistency will increase the confidence of the user in the reliability of the application. The user must be limited with a small set of operations to achieve the result. The application should be visually and conceptually clear. The interface should accommodate user mistakes easily and fast. It should minimize the errors and should handle them peacefully. IV. Database Requirements The database should be designed in such a way that it enhances the efficient storage, retrieval and manipulation of all the information associated. For instance all general information regarding an item attribute should be stored in a particular table.The concerned users should have the facility to query to the database and supply the basic information easily. Security mechanisms should be provided so that no confidential details should be accessible to unauthorized persons. The database should be organized in such a way that it helps in preparing various essential summaries needed for users. V. Functional Requirements The various functional requirements of the system can be summarized as: 1. A home page that is user friendly and ambiguous. 2. Administrator Login Facility 3. Links to other related sites. 4.Ability of Administrator to perform any tasks which you can see in my snapshots (below) and in my running project. 5. A login page for alumnus to create a new user if not registered VI. Non-Functional Requirements Non-functional requirements define the system properties and constraints that arise through user needs, because of the budgeted constraints or organizational policies, or because of the need for interoperability with other software or due to the external factors such as safety regulations privacy registrations and so on. VII. Other Requirements and ConstraintsPerformance Requirements * The database should be centralized and secure. * The system should be user friendly and easily accessible * The system must be reliable. Design Requirements The main objectives of input design are: * Controlling the amount of input * Keeping the process simple, avoiding errors. * The best thing in the input design is to achieve all the objectives mentioned in the simplest manner possible. The main objectives of output design are: * Identifying the specific outputs. * Creating reports for displaying and storing information. 4. MILESTONES A.TIMELINES I. DISTRIBUTION OF TASKS AND SUBTASKS II . TEAM MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITIES Each project member has been given a role to perform which will make the project work go smoothly. | | | | | | | | | | | | III. PROPOSED TIMEFRAME FOR EACH TASK AS ASSIGNED B. DEADLINES FOR EACH TASK AND MODULES C. PROPOSED DUE DATE 5. POSSIBLE TEST CASES AND PLANS 6. LIMITATIONS The Hotel Management System can be used for any organization that may require detailed information at one time or the other. This application covers a relatively large scope more than is highlighted in this project work.There is always room for improvement depending on the intending area of application. For the purpose of this project, however, we will use Arzu Hotels as a set case. The limitations of this project are: * Unavailability of sufficient time due to tight academic schedule. * Lack of internet connection to perform necessary research Despite these limitations, we will be able to design a functional Hotel Management System. 7. CONCLUSION From a proper analysis of po sitive points and constraints on the component, it can be safely concluded that the product is a highly efficient GUI based component.This application is working properly and meeting to all user requirements. This component can be easily plugged in many other systems. 8. APPENDIX I. Programming Programming is not only a creative activity but also an intellectually rigorous discipline. It is the part where the design is actually translated into the machine readable form which is called program. II. Programming Principles The main activity of coding phase is to translate design into code. If we translate the structure of the design properly, we will have structured programs. A structured program doesn’t just â€Å"happen†.It is the end product of series of efforts that try to understand the problem and develop a structured, understandable solution plan. It is all impossible to write a good structured program based on unstructured poor design . The coding phase affects bo th testing and maintenance , profoundly the time spent in coding is small percentage of the total software cost, while testing and maintenance consume the major percentage . The goal of coding phase is not to simplify the job of the tester and maintainer. III. Programming style A well written program is more easily read and understood both by the author and by others who work that program.A good Programming style is characterized by the following: * Simplicity * Readability * Good documentation * Changeability * Predictability * Good Structure IV. Selection of Coding Language All the programs coded should be based on a standard which can tend to the needs of all readers, i. e. it should provide degree of predictability in programs of a common type. There are many aspects to what the programs must do so to enable the different users to comfortably work on it. For example the program should: * Be corrective of the solution * Have maximum speed of execution * Be comprehensive and east to maintain Database Management System BABCOCK UNIVERSITY ILISHAN REMO OGUN STATE PROJECT PROPOSAL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE COURSE SOFTWARE ENGINEERING COMPUTER SCIENCE ON HOTEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM GROUP 8 PROJECT MEMBERS: 1. XXXXXXX 2. XXXXXXXXXXX 3. XXXXXXXXXXXX 4. XXXXXXXXXX 5. OBRUTSE ONAJITE 09/1635 6. OKOROSOBO TEMITOPE 7. OLAJIDE SEGUN 8. XXXXXXXXXX 9. XXXXXXXX 10. XXXXXXXXXX PROJECT MANAGER: MRS AYITE 1. INTRODUCTION A. BACKGROUND ‘Online Alumni System' An Alumni Management System is a system that helps in keeping the records of the past students in which that it can be sorted by the year or by their major.Alumni management system is implemented in various schools around the globe, so it can help the student to get together when there is the need to get together, maybe for a get together Dinner and so on. B. SCOPE /OVERVIEW The Online alumni system is designed to maintain the details of the past student, so when the school wants to check the year a student graduated for some unforeseen circumstances. Usin g this project, the administrator registers each past student into the directory and gives them their username and password so they can login and update their profile. The Alumni Management System provides following features. Members Directory * Online photo gallery * Comment posting facility C. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The aim of the software is to develop a software that helps the university to keep good record of their old students, in order to refer to them when necessary, even on occasions where they want to make a year book for the graduating class or something. D. PROJECT OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVE: The central objective of this project is to provide facility for record system for the university committee. In previous system (i. e. Manual System), the student has to queue up to register his/her name in the alumni register on paper.Database Management System and DataThis was the fully time consuming, expensive etc. Through this product, he can update his database maybe when he is marrie d and he wants to change his status to married and so on. 2. SYSTEM ANALYSIS System analysis is the process of gathering and interpreting facts, diagnosing problems and using the facts to improve the system. System analysis specifies what the system should do. A system is a set of components that interact to accomplish some purpose. * Identifying the drawback of the existing system * Identify the need for conversion * Perform feasibility study * Identify hardware, software and database requirements Create a system definition that forms the foundation for subsequent work A. SYSTEM STUDY Overview of the Existing System In the existing system user can face so much problems. They have to waist so much time for the registering. This is the time consuming task. Sometimes user is very tired then they face the so much problem. Sometimes user feel the laziness, this is also failure for the existing system. B. FEASIBILITY STUDY The feasibility of a project can be ascertained in terms of techn ical factors, economic factors, or both. A feasibility study is documented with a report showing all the ramifications of the project.Technical Feasibility Technical feasibility refers to the ability of the process to take advantage of the current state of the technology in pursuing further improvement. The technical capability of the personnel as well as the capability of the available technology should be considered. Technology transfer between geographical areas and cultures needs to be analyzed to understand productivity loss (or gain) due to differences (see Cultural Feasibility). Since we are using PHP 5, Tomcat 6. 0 and so on technically our project is feasible. Economic FeasibilityThis involves the feasibility of the proposed project to generate economic benefits. A benefit-cost analysis and a breakeven analysis are important aspects of evaluating the economic feasibility of new industrial projects. The tangible and intangible aspects of a project should be translated into e conomic terms to facilitate a consistent basis for evaluation. Cultural Feasibility Cultural feasibility deals with the compatibility of the proposed project with the cultural setup of the project environment. In labor-intensive projects, planned functions must be integrated with the local cultural practices and beliefs.For example, religious beliefs may influence what an individual is willing to do or not do. Social Feasibility Social feasibility addresses the influences that a proposed project may have on the social system in the project environment. The ambient social structure may be such that certain categories of workers may be in short supply or nonexistent. The effect of the Project on the social status of the project participants must be assessed to ensure compatibility. It should be recognized that workers in certain industries may have certain status symbols within the society. Scope of Feasibility AnalysisIn general terms, the elements of a feasibility analysis for a pro ject should cover the following: I. Need Analysis This indicates recognition of a need for the project. The need may affect the organization itself, another organization, the public, or the government. A preliminary study is then conducted to confirm and evaluate the need. A proposal of how the need may be satisfied is then made. Relevant questions that should be asked include: * Is the need significant enough to justify the proposed project? * Will the need still exist by the time the project is completed? * What are the alternate means of satisfying the need? What are the economic, social, environmental, and political impacts of the need? II. Process Work This is the preliminary analysis done to determine what will be required to satisfy the need. The work may be performed by a consultant who is an expert in the project field. The preliminary study often involves system models or prototypes. For technology-oriented projects, artist's conception and scaled-down models may be used f or illustrating the general characteristics of a process. A simulation of the proposed system can be carried out to predict the outcome before the actual project starts. III. Engineering & DesignThis involves a detailed technical study of the proposed project. Written quotations are obtained from suppliers and subcontractors as needed. Technology capabilities are evaluated as needed. Product design, if needed, should be done at this time. IV. Cost Estimate This involves estimating project cost to an acceptable level of accuracy. Levels of around -5% to +15% are common at this level of a project plan. Both the initial and operating costs are included in the cost estimation. Estimates of capital investment and of recurring and nonrecurring costs should also be contained in the cost estimate document.Sensitivity analysis can be carried out on the estimated cost values to see how sensitive the project plan is to the estimated cost values. V. Financial Analysis This involves an analysis of the cash flow profile of the project. The analysis should consider rates of return, inflation, sources of capital, payback periods, breakeven point, residual values, and sensitivity. This is a critical analysis since it determines whether or not and when funds will be available to the project. The project cash flow profile helps to support the economic and financial feasibility of the project. VI. Project ImpactsThis portion of the feasibility study provides an assessment of the impact on the proposed project. Environmental, social, cultural, political, and economic impacts may be some of the factors that will determine how a project is perceived by the public. The value added potential of the project should also be assessed. A value added tax may be assessed based on the price of a product and the cost of the raw material used in making the product. The tax so collected may be viewed as a contribution to government coffers. Conclusions and Recommendations The feasibility study s hould end with the overall outcome of the project analysis.This may indicate an endorsement or disapproval of the project. Recommendations on what should be done should be included in this section of the feasibility report. 3. SYSTEM DESIGN System design provides the understanding and procedural details necessary for implementing the system recommended in the system study. Emphasis is on translating the performance requirements into design specifications. The design phase is a transition from a user – oriented document (System proposal) to a documented oriented to the programmers or database personnel. A. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION I.Entity Relationship Diagram It is clear that the physical objects from the previous section the administrator, rooms, customer all correspond to entities in the Entity-Relationship model, and the operations to be done on those entities. Date of Birth Date of Birth SEX SEX NAME NAME Student Student Email Email Address Address IS A IS A Alumnus Alumn us IS A IS A GRADUATION YEAR GRADUATION YEAR GRADUATE STUDENT GRADUATE STUDENT POSTGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE COURSE COURSE DEGREE PROGRAMME DEGREE PROGRAMME COMPUTING TOOLS A. METHODOLOGIES B. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES TOOLS USED FOR DEVELOPING: Language -> PHPDatabase -> My SQL Web Server -> APACHE TOMCAT 6. 0 IDE -> NETBEANS Programming language choice affects the productivity and code quality in several ways. Programmers working with high level language achieve better productivity and quality than those working with low level language, because former is more expensive in nature. We have used HTML, PHP scripting languages for the coding as we have to make the software and these languages provide great compatibility and flexibility. Overview of Programming Languages Overview of PHP The PHP technology will be used to interface HTML.The PHP technology provides a seamless connection and presents an easy to use, PHP-like programming constructs that can be scripted within HTML files. Hypertext preprocessor is a technology for developing web pages that include dynamic content. A PHP page contains standard markup language elements, such as HTML tags, just like a regular web page. A PHP page also contains special PHP elements that allow the server to insert dynamic content in the web page. ADVANTAGES OF PHP 1. PHP supports both scripting and element-based dynamic content. 2. Allows developing custom tag libraries. . PHP pages are precompiled for efficient server processing. 4. PHP pages can be used in combination with servlets that handle the business logic. 5. High Security. . 6. High Quality tool supports. 7. Write Once, Run Everywhere. 8. PHP is vender Neutral Overview of Java Script Java script is a general purpose, prototype based, object oriented scripting language developed jointly by sun and Netscape and is meant for the WWW. Java script borrows most of its syntax from java but also inherits from awk and perl, with some indirect influence from self in its object prot otype system.Java Script is almost as easy to learn as HTML and it can be included directly in HTML documents. Java Script was developed independently of java. Java script is a high level scripting language that does not depend on or expose particular machine representations or operating system services. FEATURES OF JAVA SCRIPT Java script is embedded into HTML documents and is executed with in them. Java script is browser dependent. JavaScript is an interpreted language that can be interpreted by the browser at run time. Java script is loosely typed language. Java script is an object-based language.Java script is an Event-Driven language and supports event handlers to specify the functionality of a button. The Struts framework provides the flexibility to develop the much less coupled applications. It generalizes and strictly implements MVC-model View Controller Architecture. That is the basic need of our architecture. Overview of Apache Tomcat Apache Tomcat is a servlet container d eveloped by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). Tomcat implements the Java Servlet and the Java Server Pages (JSP) specifications from Sun Microsystems, and provides a â€Å"pure Java† HTTP web server environment for Java code to run.Tomcat should not be confused with the Apache web server, which is a C implementation of an HTTP web server; these two web servers are not bundled together. Apache Tomcat includes tools for configuration and management, but can also be configured by editing XML configuration files. Overview of MySQL MySQL is a multithreaded, multi-user SQL database management system (DBMS) which has, according to MySQL AB, more than 10 million installations. MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB, which holds the copyright to most codebase. Libraries for ccessing MySQL databases are available in all major programming languages with language-specific APIs. In addition, an ODBC interface called MyODBC allows additio nal programming languages that support the ODBC interface to communicate with a MySQL database, such as ASP or ColdFusion. The MySQL server and official libraries are mostly implemented in ANSI C. C. PLATFORM I. HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS Processor: Pentium III or higher RAM: 128 MB or More Hard Disk: 20 GB or More Modem: 56KBPS / LAN Card II. SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS Operating System: Windows XP, VISTA 7. Web Server: ApacheFront End: JSP Back End: MySQL Scripts: JavaScript Language: JAVA III. User Interface Requirements The user of the proposed system requires that the developed software should be user friendly, have security access, and ensure the privacy of the administrator and produce results in timely manner. The users are not frequently exposed to the on-line hotel management, so the system interface to the user must be simple and understandable. The web pages must be user-friendly and must be in an easy-to-use style. The user must be able to easily switch among various I/O scree ns.The product is well designed so that it can be used easily by layman and also the users who are novices to the system. The system should be designed in such a way that only authorized users should be allowed to login to the system. The user interface should be as interactive as possible. A user-friendly interface must be provided so that the user can easily interact with the system and comprehend things in a quicker and easier way. The system must provide reliable and up-to-date information. The application should be efficient so that the user does not spend much time in training.Consistency will increase the confidence of the user in the reliability of the application. The user must be limited with a small set of operations to achieve the result. The application should be visually and conceptually clear. The interface should accommodate user mistakes easily and fast. It should minimize the errors and should handle them peacefully. IV. Database Requirements The database should be designed in such a way that it enhances the efficient storage, retrieval and manipulation of all the information associated. For instance all general information regarding an item attribute should be stored in a particular table.The concerned users should have the facility to query to the database and supply the basic information easily. Security mechanisms should be provided so that no confidential details should be accessible to unauthorized persons. The database should be organized in such a way that it helps in preparing various essential summaries needed for users. V. Functional Requirements The various functional requirements of the system can be summarized as: 1. A home page that is user friendly and ambiguous. 2. Administrator Login Facility 3. Links to other related sites. 4.Ability of Administrator to perform any tasks which you can see in my snapshots (below) and in my running project. 5. A login page for alumnus to create a new user if not registered VI. Non-Functional Requirements Non-functional requirements define the system properties and constraints that arise through user needs, because of the budgeted constraints or organizational policies, or because of the need for interoperability with other software or due to the external factors such as safety regulations privacy registrations and so on. VII. Other Requirements and ConstraintsPerformance Requirements * The database should be centralized and secure. * The system should be user friendly and easily accessible * The system must be reliable. Design Requirements The main objectives of input design are: * Controlling the amount of input * Keeping the process simple, avoiding errors. * The best thing in the input design is to achieve all the objectives mentioned in the simplest manner possible. The main objectives of output design are: * Identifying the specific outputs. * Creating reports for displaying and storing information. 4. MILESTONES A.TIMELINES I. DISTRIBUTION OF TASKS AND SUBTASKS II . TEAM MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITIES Each project member has been given a role to perform which will make the project work go smoothly. | | | | | | | | | | | | III. PROPOSED TIMEFRAME FOR EACH TASK AS ASSIGNED B. DEADLINES FOR EACH TASK AND MODULES C. PROPOSED DUE DATE 5. POSSIBLE TEST CASES AND PLANS 6. LIMITATIONS The Hotel Management System can be used for any organization that may require detailed information at one time or the other. This application covers a relatively large scope more than is highlighted in this project work.There is always room for improvement depending on the intending area of application. For the purpose of this project, however, we will use Arzu Hotels as a set case. The limitations of this project are: * Unavailability of sufficient time due to tight academic schedule. * Lack of internet connection to perform necessary research Despite these limitations, we will be able to design a functional Hotel Management System. 7. CONCLUSION From a proper analysis of po sitive points and constraints on the component, it can be safely concluded that the product is a highly efficient GUI based component.This application is working properly and meeting to all user requirements. This component can be easily plugged in many other systems. 8. APPENDIX I. Programming Programming is not only a creative activity but also an intellectually rigorous discipline. It is the part where the design is actually translated into the machine readable form which is called program. II. Programming Principles The main activity of coding phase is to translate design into code. If we translate the structure of the design properly, we will have structured programs. A structured program doesn’t just â€Å"happen†.It is the end product of series of efforts that try to understand the problem and develop a structured, understandable solution plan. It is all impossible to write a good structured program based on unstructured poor design . The coding phase affects bo th testing and maintenance , profoundly the time spent in coding is small percentage of the total software cost, while testing and maintenance consume the major percentage . The goal of coding phase is not to simplify the job of the tester and maintainer. III. Programming style A well written program is more easily read and understood both by the author and by others who work that program.A good Programming style is characterized by the following: * Simplicity * Readability * Good documentation * Changeability * Predictability * Good Structure IV. Selection of Coding Language All the programs coded should be based on a standard which can tend to the needs of all readers, i. e. it should provide degree of predictability in programs of a common type. There are many aspects to what the programs must do so to enable the different users to comfortably work on it. For example the program should: * Be corrective of the solution * Have maximum speed of execution * Be comprehensive and east to maintain

According to the traditional German view

According to the traditional German view, German unification was achieved in 1871 as a result of the actions of one great man, Otto von Bismarck, the Minister-President of Prussia, who planned the events leading to unification in detail. However, more recent historians have argued that Bismarck had no such ``master plan''. Instead, Bismarck's success was a result of his flexibility as a statesman, combined with the advantages Prussia enjoyed both in its resources and its diplomatic situation, the latter of which was improved by the mistakes and misjudgements of others. There were essentially two halves to Bismarck's supposed master plan: defeat Austria, keeping her as an ally by treating her leniently, and defeat France. Defeating Austria required the neutrality of France and Russia, and a way in which to trick Austria into declaring war with Prussia, so that Austria would appear to be to blame. According to the traditional view, Bismarck planned ways in which to carry this out. Originally it was said that Bismarck's handling of the rebellion in Russian Poland resulted in Russian neutrality: the rebellion was a potential threat to Russia, so Bismarck offered the Tsar military help, thereby gaining Russia's friendship. However, this was not entirely the case, and Bismarck almost ruined the good diplomatic position he had inherited: There was almost a French, British and Austrian alliance of liberal opposition against Prussia over the matter, and Russia resented Prussian interference. In the end, Russia's friendship with Prussia remained intact, and the Prussian benefit was that Austria's relations with Russia had worsened over Austrian opposition to Russia's Polish policy. Furthermore, this could not have been part of a master plan since Bismarck had no way of knowing about the rebellion in advance. It is more likely that Bismarck was simply following Prussia's Polish policy, and his ability to lie low in order to prevent any f...

Budgeting for Your Indie Novel

Budgeting for Your Indie Novel Budgeting for Your Indie Novel Michael Doane is the author of   "The Crossing"  and book strategist at Writing Inbound. When he’s not writing novels, he’s working with other authors to promote, launch, and sell their books. In this article, he talks about the budget he set for self-publishing his debut novel, "The Crossing" and how he was able to stick to it.  A couple of months ago, Reedsy put together a comprehensive infographic on what it costs to self-publish a book. The infographic breaks down costs associated with the various stages of editing as well as cover design and typesetting. According to the data, a 60,000 word book will cost you an average of $5,260 if you purchase each service individually. That’s a fair amount of money if you’re going into self-publishing for the first time and aren’t generating any revenue from your books yet.While Reedsy has the data on average costs, I’d like to share what authors really care about: a story. My debut novel, The C rossing is just under 60,000 words, so I’m going to judge my own progress up against Reedsy’s $5,260 average.My budgetWhen I got serious about publishing, I set a budget of $3,500 on editing and design services. This was money I had in my PayPal account from helping other authors market their books. That meant I had to find shortcuts and alternatives to cut costs and save myself money. One thing I wasn’t willing to compromise on, however, was quality.This was going to be quite the challenge: save about 50% on professional publishing services and STILL come to market with a quality, professionally designed product that’s been vetted by top-notch editors. I also didn’t want to haggle with professionals by negotiating unnecessary discounts.Spoiler alert: I was able to stay within budget.The steps I took to get my book ready to self-publish1. I started with myself†¦The first thing I did was read my own book. I read it critically and made lots and lots of notes. Then I edited the thing. I cut about 15,000 words from the first draft and added an additional 7,000 words to the manuscript.Then I did it again. I re-read, cut, and re-wrote. It’s not easy. Some may even call it soul-shattering. The thing is†¦ it’s necessary.I made "The Crossing" the best possible product I could make on my own before sharing it with anyone.2. I shared with friends and family†¦I have a funny story about the ending of "The Crossing"†¦It is late, about 1am on a Tuesday night, and I have to get up for work at 5am the next morning. My wife, Emily, is always my first-reader and she is just finishing the first draft of the manuscript. She is so disappointed with the ending that she wakes me up, shaking me. â€Å"Mike, Mike. What the†¦!? This book is SO GOOD, but the ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ It was so bad, she said, she couldn’t sleep. I love my wife, so I got up and wrote her an acceptable ending. I was up until about 2 am making it work. I brought it back to her and watched her read it. â€Å"This is better,† she said, â€Å"but still not the best it can be.†It took three more tries and two editors to get to the best possible ending - the one that made her cry!All this to say, it’s important to share with family and friends. Most of them will tell you they like it (giving you a slight boost in confidence). The best ones will be totally honest with you and encourage you to make art that’s beautiful and worthwhile. Share your writing with friends. It'll encourage you to make something worthwhile.†@medoane 3. I enlisted a small but dedicated group of beta readers†¦My beta readers are my most important asset. Seriously.I put it out there - on my blog and social media - that I was looking for people to read my book and provide feedback. About 50 people signed up and out of those 50, about 15 gave me good, valuable feedback.I sent my manuscript for "The Crossing" to them no strings attached and, over a few months, scheduled calls and exchanged emails with them to solicit direct feedback. I had a very diverse group, who gave me amazing perspective on my work.Once I was finished with all my calls and emails with my beta readers, I made yet another round of personal edits based on the feedback.4. I hired  an editor for an assessment†¦At this point, I knew there was little more I could do on my own and with the honesty and encouragement of my friends, family, and beta readers. I turned to Reedsy and put out proposals for an editorial assessment.I ended up hiring Rebecca Heyman, who was not the least expensive nor the most expensive of the five editors I’d reached out to.While I don’t want to share exactly what I paid for her services, I’ll say that it was (what I thought at the time) a big chunk of change. I’ll also say that the big chunk of change was totally worth it.Becca delivered an 8-page document detailing the parts of the narrative that worked and - more importantly - the parts of the narrative that didn’t work. We then had a pretty heated conversation via Skype about details and alternatives.The best part of working with Becca is that she brought me back to earth, tore down the hard work I’d already done, and pointed me back to the drawing board.What an editorial assessment does for an author is provide perspective. It gives you insights on your work from an experienced professional. Becca was able to create a comprehensive overview of my manuscript for "The Crossing" and help me refine it to a publishab le work. "What an editorial assessment really gives an author is perspective.† @medoane 5. I went back to the drawing board†¦I didn’t make all the edits Becca suggested (there’s that freedom of self-publishing coming into play), but what I did do was re-read the book with fresh eyes and tended to the problem areas that Becca pointed out. I ended up cutting and adding a lot more. Re-read, re-consider, re-write. That’s what it’s all about.Then I recruited more beta readers and had a few from the original group have another go at it and give me feedback. This time they were giving me pointers on not only the narrative, but also grammar and spelling.6. I hired a  cover designer†¦While my beta readers were busy reading, I went back to Reedsy and put out quotes for a cover designer. I ended up going with Matthew Cobb, who just so happens to be a Reedsy co-founder as well.We spent time going back and forth on different iterations and I was able to have complete control over the final product.7. I hired copyeditor/proofreader†¦Since I used so many other resources, like my beta readers, for copyediting and content development, I put out a final round of proposals on Reedsy for a mix of copyediting and proofreading services. I ended up hiring Rachel Small.Rachel’s profile mentioned that she dealt with YA, coming of age, and travel stories, so I knew I wanted to work with her before I even heard any responses back. I also read Reedsy author  Stacey Dyer’s article about working with Rachel, which seemed like a wonderful, collaborative process. Luckily, Rachel came back with a quote on point with what I expected to pay.At this point "The Crossing" was a pretty solid, final, and publishable narrative. I read through one more time, made most of the edits Rachel suggested, and made some tweaks to the narrative that the beta readers had suggested (such moving around chapters, and adding some overlooked elements).8. I  did my own typesettingWith the average cost of typesetting being $840 (according to R eedsy’s infographic),  this could’ve easily been the expense that took me over budget. However, I used the free Reedsy Book Editor  to do the typesetting for me.  You simply copy and paste your chapters into the tool (or use it to write your book), then hit export and you get a nice print-ready PDF and ebook reader-friendly ePub file.So, what does self-publishing a book really cost?Time! Writing, editing, learning how to publish, working with various editors and beta readers, sharing with friends and family and waiting for a response. Having your work torn down by editors so you can build it back up. Patience and effort. This is the true cost of self-publishing. "Time is the true cost of self-publishing."@medoane From the time my first draft was complete until the time the book was published, everything took about two years. I approached it like a second job and spent hundreds of hours, during nights and weekends, learning how to publish a book. But if you’re up to learning new processes, putting out the upfront investments, and working with a team of skilled professionals, the costs certainly are worth it.Thankfully, I was able to stick to the budget I set for myself. According to my $3500 budget, I spent an average of $145 per month in expenses, and if I did extend past my budget to the average cost based on Reedsy’s infographic, it still would have only been about $219 per month. With my current sales numbers, I’m set to make back these costs within the next few months.What’s next?Here is some  last minute advice for those who are ready to take the same path:Set a budget before anything else.Find an audience early.Promote to friends and family.Engage your beta readers.Hire a professional editor (or two).Get a well-designed cover.Learn as much as you can about the industry.Network with other authors.If you’re a detail-oriented and you want to bypass the publishing industry’s red-tape, then self-publishing is definitely worth the cost. Just know that it’s a long road if you’re going to do it right - and come into it with an entrepreneur’s perspective, because you  need to invest money if you want to create a beautiful product that will earn you money in return.  Good luck!"The Crossing" is available on Amazon in paperback and on Amazon Kindle.  Mention this article to get a 25% discount on your next book marketing plan through Michael Doane on Reedsy.Michael set himself the task to not cut corners, to create a book he would be proud of, but also to stay within his allocated self-publishing budget. And he did! What have been your experiences with taking on the cost of publishing yourself?  Leave y our thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Michael  in the comments below.