Thursday, November 28, 2019

In the Eyes of the Beholder free essay sample

This paper presents an in depth looks at art criticism and focuses on the life of Clement Greenberg and his contribution to the world of art critiquing. The reader is taken on an exploratory journey in which the life and career of Greenberg are discussed. This paper presents an in depth looks at art criticism and focuses on the life of Clement Greenberg and his contribution to the world of art critiquing. The reader is taken on an exploratory journey in which the life and career of Greenberg are discussed. From the paper: Throughout history artists have placed their works out for the world to see and respond to. Museums and galleries are set up for the purpose of allowing art patrons to go and view what the artist has put together. Each piece of art is a unique blend of the artists personality and the patron reacts to it partly on what the artist has created and partly because of his or her own life experiences. We will write a custom essay sample on In the Eyes of the Beholder or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The world of art is extremely subjective making the critiquing of the works especially difficult. There have been many art critiques in the world but few have had the major impact on critiquing that famed critic Clement Greenberg had. Greenberg helped shape the field of art criticism and was especially involved in the avant-garde field.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Essay On Speech To The Virgina Convention essays

Essay On Speech To The Virgina Convention essays Although most may only remember the Speech in the Virginia Convention by its quotable line Give my liberty, or give me death! Patrick Henry convinced the Virginia Convention to fight the British by use of sensory details, facts and statistics, examples, and his own options. First of all he convinced them by the use of sensory details. He used three forms of theses details for his speech, rhetorical questions, repetitions, and allusions. The first rhetorical question was Has Great Britain any enemy, in this corner of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? Bringing to the attention of the Convention that if Great Britain is not against us then why do they keep calling for navies and armies to be formed around us. The second rhetorical question was What terms shall we find which have not been already Exhausted? Meaning that what compromises and boundaries could they find to keep with Britain that they didnt already have and argue over. The third and final rhetorical question was But when shall we be stronger? Because he is asking them if we are not strong enough today then when will we be stronger?, he is showing them that, that was not a logical excuse for avoiding the war. Repetitions such as Peace, Let us fight, a nd Let it come, are used for emphasis of his points. Because in the repetition of these subject matters he is showing that they are very important to the speech. Allusions in this speech are important because they made the convention see and relate other instances when situations similar to these arose and how they unfolded. Such allusions are like Suffer not yourself be betrayed with a kiss. Which is a allusion to the Bible in the story of Jesus when Judas betrayed him to the soldiers with a kiss. Like wise Henry is warning the colonists not to become ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How the story of Cinderella has developed over time Essay

How the story of Cinderella has developed over time - Essay Example other literary tales, Cinderella came from an earlier oral tradition of stories that were recurring in different cultures around the world and they still show a lot of similarity even though the total known variants are more than seven hundred. There are different versions that have been made in to film at various points in time, and they include A Cinderella Story, which was a film that was directed Mark Rosman in 2004, Another Cinderella Story that was produced by Damon Santostefano in 2008 and Ever After: A Cinderella Story that was directed by Andy Tennant in 1999. Some versions that are in the form of books are The Rough Face Girl that was written by Rafe Martin and came out in 1992 as well as The Egyptian Cinderella, which was written by Shirley Climo. In all the versions of the Cinderella stories, the heroines are portrayed to be living in the middle to upper class societies and having loving fathers that are proper to their characters, birth as well as other traits but who ultimately leave or are forced out in one way or another. The heroines therefore, must prove themselves and participate in adventures or engage in work that will enable them to go back to the class and environment that they are familiar with. In the contemporary versions of the fairy tale the actresses that play the part are with no doubt beautiful, the attention is mainly drawn to the strength they possess, their knowledge as well as integrity as characters who are in charge of their own fates. The main difference that exists between the Cinderella tales that exist in the contemporary times and the cultural Cinderella is that they are set in varying times but the similarities in the tales outweigh the differences. All the central characters have a distinct visual appeal to her that makes her unique and stand out. For instance in Another Cinderella Story, Mary has hair that is dark brown in color while the others have hair of a lighter shade. The Rough-Faced Girl on the other hand

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Developing a Research Hypothesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Developing a Research Hypothesis - Essay Example 804). The study design that these researchers used was to review a series of research articles that described this phenomenon. They conducted cross-sectional empirical literature study. In doing so, they scoured PsycARTICLES database using a variety of keywords and then used two major databases, the Society of Personality and Social Psychology listserv and the Quality of Life Studies listserv. They found 225 articles that was comprised of 293 samples with over 275,000 participants. The results of their study found that happiness is â€Å"positively correlated† with â€Å"superior† mental and physical health. Essentially, they found that people who kept a positive affect were happier than those who did not. This suggests that there is truth in the idea that happy people are more successful in all aspects of their lives including family, work and health. In fact, there was a positive correlation with the immune system and happiness that showed that people who were happy w ere healthier most of the time. Research Hypothesis: People who are naturally happy are more successful in life than those who are not happy. Independent variable: Happiness Dependent variable: Positive affect There is a lot of talk about people who are happy having more in life than those who are unhappy.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Feminism and Kate Chopin's The Storm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Feminism and Kate Chopin's The Storm - Essay Example Louis, Missouri, all of whom were women of determination and intellect. This probably pointed her towards the path of feminism. Chopin lived and wrote her impressive repertoire of short stories in the second half of the nineteenth century, when the still patriarchal society revolved around the firmly rooted tenet that the ultimate goal of a fulfilled woman’s life was to be the ideal wife and mother and to adhere to the glorified virtues of submission and sacrifice. The feminist movement was very much in its’ nascent stages and centered round the demand for equal rights for women in the legal, political and educational spheres. Even before these issues could be resolved, Chopin’s stories delved into the complex threads of a woman’s life, including love, marriage, sex, women’s alcoholism, motherhood and autonomy. She was â€Å"a pioneer in her own time, in her portrayal of women’s desires for independence and control of their own sexualityâ₠¬  (Emily Toth, cited in Kate Chopin, n.d.). The concept of freedom for women, let alone their freedom to explore their own sexuality, was far beyond the comprehension of that age. Chopin wrote ‘The Storm,’ in 1898 but, perhaps anticipating a ‘storm’ of protest and condemnation, the story was published only after her death. In this portrayal of a woman’s extramarital affair, beautifully orchestrated to match the cadences of the storm raging outside, Chopin boldly asserts a woman’s freedom to explore and delight in her own sexuality, to participate in the sexual act as an equal partner and to fearlessly adhere to the same standards of sexual morality as a man. ‘The Storm’ begins its’ depiction of its’ protagonist, Calixta, as a woman who conforms to the mother and wife stereotype of that period. Her life, confined within the four walls of her house, is apparently quite satisfactorily filled with domestic chores like sewing and the laundry. She

Friday, November 15, 2019

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method, and to establish how these are achievable compared to traditional methods. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry The UK is legally bound to cut its green house gas emissions under the Climate Change Act 2008. These cuts are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050, compared to the baseline emission value from 1990. This is not a scientific quantitative study of the actually energy efficiencies of the construction method, but more of an in-depth qualitative study of the features of prefabrication. This will be done by reviewing existing literature on the topic and comparing this to actual opinions and use in the construction industry. These opinions and the level of implementation of prefabrication within the construction industry will be established using questionnaires. From this analysis it is hoped that there are environmental benefits to using off-site manufacture/prefabrication. This should then be shown in the construction industry by its increasingly use. With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Although the Climate Change Act 2008 is not specifically aimed at the construction industry, the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy has called for action in four key areas; the method by which electricity is produced, increasing the use of electric transport, reducing the carbon footprint of farms in the UK and an increase in the construction of energy efficient homes (Adam 2010). Many reports, especially from prefabrication manufacturers themselves state the benefits of off-site construction over traditional methods. These include an increased speed of construction, better health and safety conditions on-site, better quality of final product and a lesser total cost when economies of scale apply. However when observing construction sites; off-site construction seems to not be included and traditional methods of construction seem to dominate. This study aims to find out the actual use of prefabricated, off-site components within the industry, and the reasons professionals have for either using, or not using this construction method. The hypothesis for this study states that the current use of off-site manufactured components will have a positive correlation to the perceived benefits from using them. For example if the perceived benefits of the using off-site manufactured components are great, then it is predicted that their use will be common within construction. Conversely if the features of prefabrication are not greatly beneficial compared to traditional methods, it is predicted that the use of off-site manufacture in the construction industry will be low. These assumptions have been made due to common reasoning, being that; if something is more beneficial than another, it will be chosen more often. Some basic problems that may occur in this particular research project could involve the participant design. For example because this is a small scale research project, only a reasonably small number of professionals will be contacted to complete the questionnaire. This will mean that the results from the data collected can not be generalised to the rest of the construction industry. Another problem may occur with the return rate of the questionnaire. The expected return rate is 30%; this means that from the 60 questionnaires sent, around 18 are expected to be returned. Another problem may occur because the information produced about the systems is usually produced by the manufacturers themselves, and may be biased. The hypothesis will be accepted if the primary literature search states that there are clear advantages to prefabrication, and the industry study shows that it is being increasingly used as a construction method. It will be rejected if there is no significant correlation between the reported benefits and the use of the construction method. This dissertation will take the following structure. First a literature review will be undertaken to establish all known information on the subject area. This section will include analysis of literature to establish what the stated benefits of prefabrication are compared to traditional methods of construction. Examples of each construction method will be analysed and areas where the benefits or disadvantages arise will be highlighted. The Climate Change Act 2008 will be reviewed to ascertain the requirements the UK is legally bound to fulfil. The current energy efficiency requirements will be taken from a study of the Building Regulations. Then a methodology will be created which will involve formulating questions that have not been answered from the literature review. A participant design will be identified and a justification for its selection made. The selection and the rationale behind the research method chosen will then be made. The questionnaires will then be sent out and the data analysed from the information collected. A series of tables and graphs will be produced to identify any significance in the results collected. A discussion will then take place to deduce why the data collected has been produced and the impact it may have on the information we already know. Conclusions will then be made that will summarise the findings and show any limitations to the study that should be rectified if done again. This section may highlight areas for further research. At the end of the document, a section of references and appendices will be included. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Prefabrication Prefabrication is a term used to describe the construction of buildings or building components at a location, usually a factory, remote from the building site. (Emmitt, S. 2010) Prefabrication can also be known as off-site prefabrication (OSP), off-site manufacture (OSM) and as a modern method of construction (MMC) (Taylor 2010). It has been used in mass production of housing since the early twentieth century (Arieff, A 2002). Prefabrication need only affect the construction process and not the end-product (BRE 2001). It is common practise nowadays to use prefabricated components such as trussed roofs and precast concrete sections, however for the purposes of this study, the terms prefabrication and off-site manufacture are applied to bigger components, such as fully fitted toilet pods shown in Figure 1ab and external wall blocks with windows preinstalled and internal finishes applied. Figure 1a Source; http://www.archiexpo.com Figure 1b Source; http://www.stcinc.net/bahamar.html Figure 1a/1b; a prefabricated toilet and kitchen pod, ready to be lifted and secured on-site. Image and performance problems in the past have hindered the use of prefabrication, so it is useful to study the history to see if the same problems exist today. The mass production of prefabricated components started in the early twentieth century; however there are examples of its earlier use, including the UKs first iron bridge constructed in 1779 at Colebrookdale (BRE 2001). The major push for the use of prefabrication in the housing market occurred after both the First and Second World War (Arieff, A 2002). This was due to the period of reconstruction to account for the lack of new buildings constructed during the conflict, and the existing buildings that were damaged as a consequence of the conflict. Prefabrication suited the needs of the times as it provided a fast and affordable solution to the housing shortage. It addressed the lack in construction skills that existed after the wars and provided jobs in the factories for many people. It also provided a solution as to what to do with the large facilities that were constructed for armament manufacture during the war. Prefabrication enabled effective material management, reducing wastage. This was important at the time as there was a shortage in materials after the massive focus on production of components used for war. In October 1944 the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act was passed that gave the Government the power to spend  £150M on the construction of temporary housing. This led to around 157,000 temporary houses being erected from 1945-1948 (BRE 2001). This figure is less then was anticipated by the programme and subsequently led to the poor perception of the construction method. Factors that have also slowed development of off-site manufacture include the poor quality of earlier systems, the difficulty involved with the maintenance of systems installed after the war and the poor attention to detail that was incorporated into their design also hampered the development (BRE 2001). Due to the difference in physical construction processes compared to traditional construction, prefabrication produces the opportunity to capitalise on many benefits. Therefore new OSM systems boast many advantages from using off-site manufacture as a primary construction method. These include an increased speed of construction. A case study from modular building contractors Unite Modular Solutions reports of a 76 module, 32 self contained flats scheme in London that was fully erected in 8 days (Unite 2009). A study undertaken by Davis Langdon and Everest found that for the Peabody Trusts Murray Grove project in East London, a saving of 18 weeks was achieved compared with a conventional project (Davis Langdon Everest 2002). Due to the factory conditions in which the components are constructed, a higher level of quality can be incorporated into the end product. Problems occur on-site when adverse weather conditions affect the quality of components such as concrete. When the weather is adversely hot, too much water evaporates from the concrete whilst it is curing. If the temperature is too low the chemical reactions that happen during curing will take place too slow. Both these extremes will have detrimental effects on the compressive strength of the cured concrete (Mittelacher 1985). There is also less movement and shrinkage when the project is completed that means that the quality of the finishes and the level of attention to detail permissible mean that snagging time is reduced at the end of the project. This is the added time of making sure the finishing quality is satisfactory. The use of prefabrication can improve the health and safety conditions on-site. This done by eliminating the congestion on site as well as the amount of working from height that is necessary. This is because anything that is needed to be done at height can be done in the factory conditions on platforms under correct supervision. A paper produced by the Health and Safety Executive reports that HSE: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦statistics indicate that fatal accidents in construction are five times more likely than in the manufacturing sector. (Taylor 2009) The main advantage that makes OSM relevant to this study is the environmental benefits it is reported to bring to a construction project. With a higher standard of quality, optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently using OSM. When construction takes place on-site, there is more of a chance of thermal bridges and insufficient workmanship to reduce the thermal efficiencies of a component. In a factory, standardised components can be used in a controlled environment with correct supervision to achieve minimal tolerances in products. Less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction. This is due to lean processes and the efficient use of resources. The opportunity to re-use and recycle materials is also increased due to the controlled factory conditions. The factory environment means that components are produced correctly the first time, limiting waste. Another benefit is that the final design is locked at an early stage, so the opportunities for variations on-site are limited, and so less waste is generally produced. New OSM systems are constructed of a light weight steel frame, which has a reasonably low amount of embodied energy compared to materials such as concrete (Greenspec 2010). Clearly systems could be used that are more harmful to the environment than traditional methods of construction, however reports show undoubtedly that there is more potential to produce more environmentally friendly buildings using OSM. However there are disadvantages to using OSM. One contentious aspect is the cost. There are two sides to the argument; the first being that the process of using prefabrication is more expensive. A study by Davis Langdon showed that there is on average a cost premium of using OSM of between 10% and 25% (Rawlinson 2009). Others accept the premium in cost, however believe the loss in money is regained due to the reduced construction time and reduced snagging time due to the better quality. They also argue that the components are better designed for ease of maintenance and repair and so a saving can be made in the long term. The report by Rawlinson (2009) does state that the costs are regained through these savings for some or all of the costs, but does not quantify the amount. Other problems include the high set up costs of using the construction method. The majority of the construction work that is undertaken in the UK uses traditional methods of construction. Therefore there is only a very small skill base of trades people who are competent with the OSM processes. Although the training to learn these skills is not rigorous, over the entire United Kingdom it would amount to a sizeable sum. The cost of establishing prefabrication facilities is also very high and so this may be a factor as to why the construction method is not widely used. The aesthetics of OSM may also be a factor that has reduced the use of the construction process throughout the UK. The poor perception to past systems and very modular design of many OSM structures mean that the construction method does not suit everyones tastes. 2.2 The Climate Change Act 2008 The Climate Change Act 2008 is a piece of legislation that legally binds the United Kingdom to reduce its green house gas emissions. The main green house gas (GHG) which causes concern is carbon dioxide (C02). The reduction targets are an overall GHG emission cut of 80% by 2050, with an interim deadline of a reduction of 34% by 2022. This is compared to a baseline figure from 1990 of 593 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtC02) (National Audit Office 2008). Therefore a reduction of 34% is an emission level of 391MtC02 in 2022, and a proposed emission of 119 MtC02 for the year of 2050. The other GHGs named in the Act are methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride (Climate Change Act 2008 s24.1). The Act also makes provisions for other gases to be added to this list by the Secretary of State if they become of interest (s24.1g). Section 32.1 of the Act states that an independent body must be created, named the Committee on Climate Change. The duties of this body include providing advice on whether the GHG reduction targets should be altered and to what extent in order to meet them (s33), advising on the carbon budget (s34), advising on aviation and shipping emissions (s35), presenting progress reports to Parliament (s36) and to provide advice and assistance upon request (s38). The Act states that the Secretary of State, currently Chris Huhne, must set a carbon budgeting system. This is the process of stating the allowable GHG emissions within 5 year periods. This figure is set with the advice of the Committee on Climate Change (s9). Three of these periods are set at a time. The first 3 periods are 2008-2012, 2013-2017 and 2018-2022. The next 3 budget caps must be set by June 30th 2011 (Climate Change Act 2008 s4.2a+b). The United Kingdom is the first country to legally show its intentions for cutting its carbon emissions. The Act is aimed to pave the way for cutting emissions for other countries. In a video made by the Committee on Climate Change about building a low-carbon economy, Martin Parry member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that the Act will set a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦landmark example to what other countries can do. It is hoped that the Act will increase the UKs energy awareness and help improve our carbon management. The Government hopes that this will move the UK into a low-carbon economy. It is hoped that because the Act is a long term measure, covering 40 years, it will encourage businesses to invest heavily in low carbon technologies, as there is reassurance that returns will be made from investments now. It has been established that the main area where the UKs GHG emissions can be reduced is in electricity production. In EcoCentroGen newsletter August 2009, it is reported that the Government predicts that around 40% of electricity will be from low carbon sources by 2020. However significant savings in emissions can be made in both the transport and housing industry. In the same newsletter, it is reported that by 2020: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦7 million homes will be involved in energy saving schemes, and more than 1.5 million households will be supported to produce their own clean energy The Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy, highlighted four key areas where emission cuts can be made. These were electricity production, housing, transport and farming (Adam 2010). With about 27% of the UKs energy being consumed in the housing sector, there are substantial savings to be made (Farookhi 2008). Producing more energy efficient homes will reduce this figure. The Government will try to implement these savings through a variety of means. Examples of these may be through more stringent Building Regulations, financial initiatives for implementing renewable energy technologies, such as grants for installing solar panels or feed-back tariffs or by raising fuel prices. There is however some concern and criticism over the rate of decarbonisation the Act implies. The Kaya identity is an equation that shows the relationship between energy and human factors and the effect the combination of these has on total carbon emissions of a country. This equation states that the only method for reducing carbon emissions is to reduce either population, per capita GDP or the carbon intensity of the UKs economy. Governments tend not to manipulate population or GDP per capita as they do not receive public backing and disrupt economic growth. Therefore Government policies for reducing carbon emissions tend to focus on reducing the carbon intensity of the economy, and the Climate Change is no exception. It is argued that by using the Kaya Identity, the Climate Change Act 2008 has not taken into consideration the effects of population growth and per capita economic growth. It is argued that with the effect of a growing population and economic growth, to meet the reduce d emission targets of 2050, the UK would have to reduce the energy intensity and increase energy efficiency by a rate of 5.4% a year (Pielke Jr 2009). Pielke Jr argues that for this rate of decarbonisation to occur, the UK would have to have the same carbon efficiency as France achieved in 2006, by 2015. This would involve constructing around 30 nuclear power plants. It is argued that this is simply not feasible. Pielke Jr concludes by pointing out these unachievable targets have been set as the Acts approach to emissions reduction is backwards. Opposed to assessing what the ultimate rate of decarbonisation the UK is capable of achieving, and setting targets suitable to this, the Act has set practically impossible targets, and only now they have been made in law, the UK is thinking of ways of achieving them. 2.3 Building Regulations The current Building Regulation requirements are of interest to this study as they show the current energy efficiency standards of houses being constructed today. They will also be the means by which the Government will enforce changes in construction practice in order to meet the GHG emission reduction targets. Building Regulations are statutory instruments that are used to enforce the relevant legislation that dictate good standards of construction and safety in England and Wales. Schedule 1 of the Regulations consists of fourteen approved documents that cover the following subjects (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations); Part A Structural safety Part B Fire safety Part C Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture Part D Toxic substances Part E Resistance to sound Part F Ventilation Part G Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency Part H Drainage and waste disposal Part J Heat producing appliances Part K Protection from falling Part L Conservation of fuel and power Part M Access to and use of buildings Part N Glazing safety Part P Electrical Safety The Building Regulations are the statutory instruments of the Building Act 1984. The Act makes provision for the Secretary of State to update or create new regulations for the purposes of health and safety, increasing the conservation of fuel or power and preventing waste of water (Building Act 1984 s1). Building Control was first used in London in 1189. This involved the enforcement of rules dictating party walls, rights of light and drainage. Around this time the introduction of consideration in design for fire-resistance buildings and means of escape in case of a fire were developed (Stephenson 2005). After the Fire of London in 1666, the first building Act became law. This Act made provisions for surveyors to be selected to ensure that the regulations we obeyed on construction sites. In 1984 the Building Act was passed and consolidated the various previous regulations to produce one main piece of legislation. Most building work requires Building Approval. This is the process of checking work done onsite complies with the Building Regulations. The duty of checking compliance with the Regulations is undertaken by Building Control Bodies. These approved inspectors can be from the Local Authority or they can be from the private sector (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk). Some forms of construction are exempt from the Building Regulations. These include porches, conservatories and some garages which are all subject to size, use, description, design, location and other requirements. If these requirements are not strictly met then the construction work requires building approval (http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/buildingcontrol). The responsibility of following the Building Regulations falls to the person carrying out the work. To whom this responsibility falls to should be confirmed at the start of the work (Building Regulations Explanatory Handbook s2.4 2005). The Building Regulations state the allowable U-value of components to be used in new dwellings. U-values show the ability of a building component to conduct heat. Approved document L1B 2000 outlines the target minimum U-value of building components. To increase the energy performance of the overall building, the U-values of components must be as low as possible. Under Part L 2002, the U-Value of new build cavity walls is 0.35 W/m2K. For a comparison a 225mm solid brick wall has the average U-Value of 2.0 W/m2K (http://www.syec.co.uk/factsheets/U_value_factsheet.pdf) The Building Regulations also state the allowable air permeability of new build dwellings. This is the rate of air leaving the building as well as the rate of new air entering the building. A low air permeability figure means that the air will not escape and energy will not be wasted. Under Part L of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations the allowable air permeability is stated as  10m3/hm2 at 50Pa. These figures are relevant to this study as the benefits of a higher quality product coming from a factory environment, mean that these figures may be more easily achieved using prefabrication and off-site manufacturing techniques. 2.4 Literature Review Summary From the research of the respective literature the benefits of prefabrication have been presented. These are the increase in quality, speed of construction, health and safety on site and the environmental benefits these bring. The disadvantages the OSM produces as a construction method are an increase in the project cost, a potential unattractive aesthetic aspect and the high set up costs associated with new OSM facilities. The Building Regulations have been studied to show the standard to which new homes are built as a comparison to OSM. The targets of the Climate Change Act 2008 have been established. These are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050 compared to a baseline figure from 1990. In order for the UK to meet these targets, four key areas have been highlighted for action; one of these is the energy efficiency of the UKs housing stock. Studies have shown that these targets are very ambitious and for them to be achieved a radical change in how we design and build houses must be undertaken. From identifying the benefits of prefabrications, an argument can be made that this construction method could be the answer to producing more energy efficient homes. A methodology must now be formulated in order to collect data from the construction industry. This will involve identifying the participants for the study and a method for collecting data from them. It will also involve creating questions that will produce the required data. 3. Methodology 3.1 Scope of the Chapter This chapter will establish the method for collecting the data relevant to this study. It will set out the research aims and the rationale behind their selection. A section that explains the types of information studied will be included as well as an explanation of the participant design. A method for the analysis of the collected data will then be established. 3.2 Statement of Research Aim The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry 3.3 Rationale of the Research With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Off-site manufacture enables an improved finished quality so that optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently. Other benefits are that less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction and there is an increased opportunity to re-use and recycle materials in factory conditions. With the UK legally bound to reduce its GHG emissions by 34% by 2022 and 80% by 2050, action is required to make housing more energy efficient. 3.4 Secondary Research To establish the advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication, the current Building Regulations for energy efficiency and the targets set by the Climate Change Act 2008, a literature review was undertaken. This was done to establish all the information that is already known on the topic and to highlight any areas of study that have already been conducted. 3.5 Primary Research 3.6 Research Sample 3.7 Method of Analysis 3.8 Summary of Chapter

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Planning a Database for a Library :: Papers

I first needed to know who I was doing it for. It was the librarian at my school Mrs Flude she wanted to keep the information where it was safe and easy to access which would make it faster for her and the students. The two main problems of the current system are: 1st problem: They have to use an index to find books, and this is slow and very inefficient. 2nd problem: They use a card index to keep all the information needed about the students and to keep track of which students have books, this method is not reliable because you can mess up or mix up the cards or lose them and it also takes a long time which leads to inefficiency. The solution to fixing these problems is creating a database; a database is a collection of information stored in a computer in a systematic way, such that a computer program can consult it to answer questions. Before I started using the computer to make my database, I made a rough copy of what I wanted my database to look like and how it would function. It was a table which I had to fill in with information about my database. I wanted my database to be reliable and fast, to make it fast I had to make it simple and easy to use. To do this I divided it into 3 sections which are: 1) Student’s database- it would have all the names of the students in the school. 2) Book’s database- this would have all the books in the library 3) Issued books database- this would show which books were borrowed and who borrowed. They have to use a card index to keep all the information needed about the students and to keep track of which students have which books. It would be a lot easier to use a database though, for several reasons, one of which a card based index can get messed up very easily.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Psychology Learning Objectives

Psychology Exam 1 Learning Objectives 8/27/12: Chapter 1, p. 2-4 1. What is psychology? Explain why psychology is more than just common sense. 2. Describe how levels of analysis apply to the field/study of psychology. 3. Describe the five challenges for psychology discussed in your textbook. How do these make psychology complicated? 8/29/12: Chapter 1 p. 11-20 & 27-34 1. Define pseudoscience and its warning signs. 2. Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology and describe their major contributions to the field. 3.Describe the different types of psychologists and what each of them does. 8/31/12: Chapter 1, p. 5-10 & Chapter 8, p. 305-310 1. Identify methods for achieving cognitive economy. 2. How can heuristics and biases prevent us from thinking scientifically? 3. Describe what factors affect how we make decisions. 4. Describe the common problem solving strategies and challenges described in the text. 9/5/12: Chapter 1 p. 5-10; 20-26 1. Explain the importance of science as a safeguard against biases. 2. Identify the key features of scientific skepticism. . Identify and explain the â€Å"six principles of scientific thinking† 9/7/12: Chapter 2 p. 49-66 1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of the four discussed research designs. 2. Describe the role of correlational designs and distinguish correlation from causation 3. Identify the components of an experiment and potential pitfalls 9/10/12: Chapter 2 p. 66-69; 70-74 1. Describe the ethical obligations researchers towards their research participants 2. Describe both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research subjects 3.Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability 4. Explain how inferential statistics can help us determine whether we can generalize from our sample to the population 5. Explain how statistics can be misused 9/12/12: Chapter 7 p. 242-254 1. Explain how our memories don’t accurately reflect our experiences 2. Explain the fun ction, span, and duration of each of the 3 memory systems 3. Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory 9/14/12: Chapter 7, p. 254-263 1. Identify methods for connecting new information to existing knowledge Read also Memory – Forgetting2.Identify the roles that schemas play in memory storage 3. Distinguish ways of measuring memory 4. Describe how the relationship between encoding and retrieval condition influences memory. 9/17/12: Chapter 7 265-269, 271-278 1. Describe the major brain structures involved in memory and what role they play in memory storage 2. Explain the relevance of amnesia to the brain’s storage of memory. 3. Identify factors that influence people’s susceptibility to false memories and memory errors. 4. Describe some of the real world implications of false memories and memory errors.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Applying Karl Marx to Ritzers McDonaldization of Society essays

Applying Karl Marx to Ritzers McDonaldization of Society essays Karl Marx believed that a major revolution was in the future for the Western world. Exactly how far in the future remains to be seen, but many would argue that capitalism is as strong as it ever was and no class conflict will occur. I believe the reason that no major conflict has yet occurred can be attributed to Webers idea of bureaucratization as described in The McDonaldization of Society. In bureaucracies, every movement by an employee is a calculated one. There is a rule for every situation and every employee must abide by the rules. Doing this allows bureaucracies to be extremely large yet efficient, and more importantly, profitable. These systems, however, dehumanize people, and that is part of what Karl Marx fears. When workers are dehumanized and alienated they become restless and unhappy. Today, however, it is not only the lower class laborers who are being affected. White-collar workers, as well, must fall into line when working for a large corporate bureaucracy. It has become the way of life for almost everyone. Work is work. Everyone has to fall into line. Since the distinction, now, between those workers alienated and those who are not is a very blurred line, a class conflict would be difficult to see coming. Another reason that this conflict may never come is because of the positive sides of a bureaucratic world. In this world, many unskilled workers can get a decent job with a decent amount of responsibility attached to it and make a decent pay check. All they can do is decent, but that is better than not being able to do anything. Secondly, because of the bureaucracies and the good wages they provide for unskilled workers, many more products are available to all people. The bureaucracies allow for mass production of many products and with many people making a steady paycheck, they can afford something that would be extremel ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Rectal Cancer essays

Rectal Cancer essays Rectal Cancer is a disease where cancer cells are found in the tissues of the rectum. It is a highly treatable cancer if localized. The rectum is the last eight to ten inches of the large intestine in the digestive system, and has two muscle mechanisms involved in expelling fecal matters, the internal and external sphincter. The experience of rectal cancer may begin with your doctor discovering it first, or by discovering the symptoms. People assume that they have piles or hemorrhoids when they have discomfort in the rectal area. Sometimes, this just is not the case. In fact, the Hemorrhoid Care Medical Clinic said, 90% of people that have rectal cancer assumed they had hemorrhoids instead of cancer.(Hemorroid.net) Besides hemorrhoids, there are many symptoms to rectal cancer. These signs may help a person find it before it is too late. Some symptoms are: Changes in bowel movements like narrow stool, bloody stool, black stool, diarrhea, constipation, and bowel obstruction. Also, there could be fever and pain, rectal bleeding, stomach pains and cramps, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fatigue, anemia (low red blood cell count), constant visits to the restroom, pain in genital tissue, and an urgent need to urinate.(Colon and Rectal Cancer) Before going any further, there are some important facts to know about rectal cancer. 90 percent of all rectal cancer deaths are preventable, when found early; survival can be increased from 62% to 81% that means that 56,000 patients will live. 1 in 17 Americans will get rectal cancer and it is the second most common cancer death in America. The five year survival rate is 90% if the patient takes medication and makes the needed visits to the doctor.(Hemorroid.net) Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer. Cancer affecting any of these areas is referred as colorectal cancer. Cancer in these parts oc...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Back Pain Disability Treatment Research Proposal

Back Pain Disability Treatment - Research Proposal Example The title is concise in that it provides information in brief. From the title, there can be idea of the objective, but no idea about the content is available. However, the proposer clearly indicates the research approach used, which is randomised controlled trial. All studies can be categorized as experimental, quasi-experimental/pre-experimental, or non-experimental in design. From the title it appears that the researcher wants to design an experimental study with the purpose of determining the clinical outcomes of physiotherapy and related patient preferences for treatment of back pain. This is a clinical trial, and these studies are designed to determine whether the hypothesised clinical intervention will be effective. In this case, the trial was conceived since in mechanical back pain, surgery is never offered as an option of treatment. This trial was proposed with the purpose of comparing two treatment strategies, namely, physiotherapy for back pain chosen by patients and physiotherapy for back pain offered by the physiotherapist in alleviating back pain of the patients. If one goes back to examine the title again, this comparison through randomised controlled trial is not explicit in the title, so there is an obvious confusion on the ai m, purpose, and objective of the study. This study has been proposed to be done in a single physiotherapy department, and therefore this is not a multicentric trial. This reduces the authenticity of the findings in terms of internal and external validity. As a result the reliability will be compromised, and hence evidently there would be lack of generalisability of the outcomes. Thus, applications of the findings in the clinical practice would be severely limited even through the study is able to generate some valid results (Rumoren and Sunday, 2006). Brief Synopsis of the Project Low back pain is a problem with considerable disability with direct cost implications in terms of NHS resource utilisation. Due to its common occurrence, many patients present to GP and utilise other health and social care resources. It is also an important cause of disability, and thus there are implications of work hour losses. From the NHS point of view, low back pain has been demonstrated to represent both public and private costs. Other than the conventional treatment modalities, it is now known that prompt physiotherapy is an acceptable service for these patients. For the physiotherapists, the problem remains which could be the best form of therapy, which the patients choose or what the physiotherapist advises. In many cases, low back pain has no associated organic problem, and thus recovery cannot be ascertained by any investigative objective means. Moreover, pain has a subjective element. Therefore assessment of recovery can be done with a validated instrument, and if this va lidated assessment instrument is used to compare the responses of two groups of patients with two different interventions, then a trial with randomisation and clinical control would be the best way to determine the intervention of choice in such cases. This part of discussion indicates that the proposer has chosen a clinical problem, the decisive plan of action on which is unknown. The clinical problem here is low back pain and the appropriate physiotherapeutic

Friday, November 1, 2019

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Globalization - Essay Example Of the two opposing arguments Moore’s although more optimistic is only partially convincing. Chossudovsky’s argument on the other hand, although pessimistic appears to be more realistic and appreciative of the world’s general state of affairs. Michel Moore is optimistic in his general outlook and draws on the difficulties of the past and how the world has grown in a positive direction as a result. He takes the position that as a result of world wars and the great depression a ‘new system of global structures’ (Moore. P. 1) such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the international Monetary Fund and the International Trade Organization help is available to those third world countries that cannot help themselves. It is true that world conflicts have resulted in the creation of global structures. But in the grand scheme of things they are powerless to eradicate poverty and the resulting health crisis. As Chossudovsky points out in his publication Globalization of Poverty ‘In the 1990s, famines at the local level have erupted in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and parts of Latin America; health clinics and schools have been closed down; hundreds of millions of children have been denied the right to primary education. In the Third World, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, there has been a resurgence of infectious diseases including tuberculosis, malaria and cholera.’ (Chossudovsky. P1) Moore argues that international solidarity is the key to lending aide to those less fortunate than ourselves and extols the virtue of trading with the lesser developed countries. He suggests buying coffee from Uganda and perhaps T-shirts from Bangladesh and goes on to say ‘embrace the outside world, not shun it.† (Moore. P.2) When societies are open to one another, they share their ideas and their culture. Moore offer the European Economics Community as an example of the results of opening