Essay on An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author

An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author â€Å"The birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author.† – Roland Barthes Must the Author be dead to make way for the birth of the reader? In Roland Barthes’ essay â€Å"The Death of the Author,† Barthes asserts that the Author is dead because the latter is no longer a part of the deep structure in a particular text. To him, the Author does not create meaning in the text: one cannot explain a text by knowing about the person who wrote it. A text, however, cannot physically exist disconnected from the Author who writes it. Even if the role of the Author is to mix pre-existing signs, it does not follow that the Author-function is dead. Moreover, Barthes†¦show more content†¦This is a common experience shared by many authors. Authors are accountable for their texts because discourse is personalized. If text is indeed disconnected from its author as Barthes believes, why are authors connected to the responsibilities that texts generate? New Criticism, like Barthes’ â€Å"The Death of the Author†, emphasizes th e text as â€Å"an autotelic artefact, unrelated to the author’s life, intent, or history† (Hedges 1997). The author, however, is a sign of authentication and a lexical marker for an idea (Foucault 1629). Many texts – such as scholarly editing and Johnson’s Dictionary – are valued because they are written by named authors (McDermott 1996). Regardless of whom the Author might be or the extent to which the Author reveals himself[1][1], it is the language that â€Å"acts† and â€Å"performs† (Barthes 1467). Thus, according to Barthes, the text – and not the Author – performs within the time and space that the reader engages himself with it. Reader-Response Criticism agrees that literature is a performative art and that a text only exists when it is read (McManus 1998). This is as problematic as the well-known Zen koan: â€Å"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make any sound?† Yes, the falling tree makes a noise, but only to those within the range of recognition. What if a reader reads a text but does not comprehend it? The text continues to perform, but it also signals the death of the reader whoShow MoreRelatedRoland Barthes developed a range of semiotic tools to analyse the cultural meanings1729 Words   |  7 Pages3. Roland Barthes developed a range of semiotic tools to analyse the cultural meanings that are conveyed in advertising images, in a particular context. Using these semiotic tools, select and analyse four magazine adverts. This essay will discuss Roland Barthes’ ideas and his semiotic tools, and will also look at how Barthes uses these tools to analyse images and how they make us think. Roland Barthes was a French philosopher who wrote many books about the literary theory and semiotics. His writingRead MoreDeath of the Author864 Words   |  4 Pages‘Death of the Author’ Analysis Roland Barthes is a French literary philosopher born in 1915. In one of his theories ‘Death of the author’ he argues that by â€Å"giving a text an author is to impose a limit on that text†. He claims that having knowledge of the author’s background and purpose for the text restricts the readers imaginative license to build their own interpretations, and that the author and text are completely unrelated. Barthes declares, The death of the author is the birth of theRead More The Death of the Auteur Essay2920 Words   |  12 Pagesâ€Å"The Death of the Auteur† 2 The concept of ‘author’ is originally derived from the Latin word for authority. From the theoretician’s standpoint, the author carries power over the text only to the extent that the ideas and scenarios within it are originally those of the author. French literary theorist Roland Barthes argues that the function of an author is to provide the semblance of originality and meaning in The Death of the Author. â€Å"Writing is the destruction of every voice, of every originRead MoreThe Stranger By Albert Camus Essay1546 Words   |  7 PagesThe French philosopher Roland Barthes once said, â€Å"Literature is the question minus the answer† (Barthes 2). This statement hold true for most works of literature that explore a central question. According to Barthes, literature often raises a question, but leaves it up to the reader to determine the answer. The Stranger by Albert Camus is an excellent example of how a central question, â€Å"Is there value and meaning to human life?† is raised and left unanswered, resulting in different interpretationsRead MoreModern F. Robert Frost1547 Words   |  7 Pagesscience and language—nor the source of science and language—to be singular, but rather ulterior, double speaking or multiplicitous. In short, Frost believed duplicity or duplicitous interpretations should be drawn out of the reader with the help of the author throu gh the medium of poetic form which, to him, paradoxically eliminates the author’s influence on the reader. A sample of Frost’s multiplicity or multiplicitous form can be extracted from the opening line of one of his last well-known poems â€Å"Directive†Read MoreEssay on Structuralism as a Literary Movement2595 Words   |  11 Pageslinguistics. It expanded to other areas of studies as well by philosophers such as Louis Althusser in Marxist theory, Roland Barthes in literary studies, Jacques Lacan in psychoanalysis, Gerard Genette in narratology, and Claude Levi-Strauss in anthropology. This paper focuses on Strauss’s Structure and Dialectics, Genette’s Five Types of Transtextuality, and Barthes’s The Death of the Author. Also, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) is taken as an example to explain these structuralist methods. Read MoreAnalysis Of Dorothy Parker s One Perfect Rose1311 Words   |  6 Pagesthe use of metaphor. The commentary will address these discourses in relation to an adaptation of the original poem into prose, taking into consideration the implications of textual adaptation. This textual intervention will provide the necessary analysis in order gain an understanding of the text which is constituted through experiment and re-creation constituted through reflection . In Dorothy Parker s short poem, One Perfect Rose within the first stanza, the romanticised language depictsRead MoreEssay on Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Structuralism1899 Words   |  8 Pages   In his essay dated 1968, Roland Barthes sought to convince the individual reader that the author is obsolete; writers only have the capacity to draw upon existing themes (or structures) and reassemble them in a different order. This typically structuralist view completely defies a writers ability to express himself through unique, individual stories leading many to term the approach as anti-humanistic. Barthes clearly drew influence from Northrop Frye, author of Anatomy of Criticism,Read MoreUsing a Fashion Image, Explore the Strengths and Limitations of a Semiotic Analysis.2969 Words   |  12 PagesFASHION MEDIA Using a fashion image, explore the strengths and limitations of a semiotic analysis. Abstract; This essay will aim to elucidate the use of semiotic analysis using fashion iconography and imagery as its primary medium. We will aim to explore the strengths and limitations of semiotic analysis through a process of dissection; where we will explain how imagery has been layered to give voice to what the artist has chosen to communicate, without the use of syntax. Introduction; Read More The Relationship of Photographs, History, and Memory Essay5378 Words   |  22 Pagesprivate uses of photographic images in the perpetuation of memory. Photographs are also manifestations of time and records of experience. Consequently, writings on photographic theory are filled with references to representations of the past. Roland Barthes (1981, 76), for instance, writes about the location of photographs in history and confesses that in Photography I can never deny that the thing has been there. There is a superimposition here: of reality and of the past. He also ponders the

Essay about Unit 4222 258 Sensory Loss - 754 Words

Unit 4222-258 Introductory awareness of sensory loss (SSMU 2.1) Outcome 1 1. There are many different facts that can have a impact on people with sensory loss. Communication and awareness play big roles in the impact. They may find it difficult to feed themselves, dressing and mobility. Hobbies and interests can have negative impact on their lives. They may also feel scared and alone due to this. There can be positive factors that can help out the person such as increased help, aids for support and a good support team could give them a brighter outlook on life. Organizations might help the Deaf and Blind with many different aspects of their life to support or to helping them find the right kind of support. 2. Some steps that can be†¦show more content†¦Outcome 2 1. Sight loss - identify yourself and you need to make it clear that you are speaking to them and not someone else, they cant read your body language so you need to be clear about your meanings and directions etc, a noisy environment can make it difficult for them to concentrate on your voice and so on.Hearing loss - be respectful when trying to get their attention eg use a light touch on the arm, if they lip read they need to see your face, you need to speak clearly at a normal pace and tone, you may need to be patient and repeat things. Deafblindness - some of the above and you need to know the levels of deafness and blindness and their preferred method of communication. 2. Effective communication may have a positive impact on the lives of individuals with sensory loss by affecting their physical and mental well-being and make them cope with their sensory loss and maintaining social contact contributed to an improved quality of life. 3. You could provide information for the deaf in picture form, for the blind, via a cd etc. Outcome 3 1. The main cause of sensory loss is aging, as we age our senses become less and less. 2. Congenital sensory loss meaning we are born with it. Sensory loss can also be caused by an illness or by having an accident. 3. 45% of the population is likely to have sensory loss. Outcome 4 1. Sight loss - Bumping into things, movingShow MoreRelatedEssay about Intoductory Awareness of Sensory Loss1096 Words   |  5 PagesUnit 4222-258 Introductory awareness of sensory loss (SS MU2.1) Outcome 1 When people have any sensory loss, then their mobility and communication are greatly affected. This can lead to increased loneliness and even isolation in some cases. People with any kind of sensory loss can have difficulties in finding employment. Even though the Equality Act and the Disability Discrimination Act mean that employers cannot discriminate, it is hard to convince an employer that a sensory loss does notRead MoreAnswer In Unit 4222 2581950 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Answer in Unit 4222-258 Introductory awareness of sensory loss Outcome 1 1. Describe how a range of factors have a negative and positive impact on individuals with sensory loss In sensory loss (touch/ mobility, vision, hearing) can have a big impact to an individual like for example in mobility, the person can not feed or dress himself, or can not participate in an activity and worst if he can not attend to his personal daily living. Another is eyesight or vision, the person who suffers from

Jazz Heritage/The Roots of Jazz Free Essays

Africa is the home of jazz, which spread to Europe and all throughout America. Today’s jazz music is influenced by the different countries mentioned. There are musical traditions and cultural traditions coming from Africa, Europe and America which contributed to the sound of jazz today. We will write a custom essay sample on Jazz Heritage/The Roots of Jazz or any similar topic only for you Order Now As jazz developed, it was centered in New Orleans (Yurochko 3). To better understand why jazz sounds the way it does today, it is best to examine its roots one by one, country by country. Africa The life in Africa is centered around the tribe. All its members participate in Every activity, function and ritual in the tribe. African tribes were highly interactive and participatory because all of its members always found a way to contribute and cooperate and common gatherings and functions (Yurochko 3). From this, it can be inferred that the musical activities of the tribe were also interactive and participatory. Because of these characteristics, the music they created was full of dynamics. No single member of the African tribe just sat down. No one just listened. All of them were tied to everything that was happening in the tribe. As a result, music was functional as it was properly suited to all the activities and events in the tribe (Bjorn and Gallert 178). What was unique in Africa was how people listened to music. In this country, one cannot find a single concert hall. Everybody gathered themselves in just one area to listen to music. Listening to music was a significant part of the tribe’s lives. In Africa, there were different types of sounds fit for different types of occasions. There was music for marriage, death and births. There was music even for chopping down a tree, or clearing out a path. What music was to Africans was a social glue that united all members of the tribe together (Yurochko 3). Meanwhile, the characteristics of African music can explain why jazz music rooted from Africa. African music makes the body perform. It means that the music alone involves the body by making it dance, sway to the beat, clap, and pound a rod on the ground. Apart from the musicians themselves, all members of the audience were also joining the fun. Africa music makes everyone sing, too (Bjorn and Gallert 178). Africans used different musical instruments like aerophones, idiophones and cordophones. The bass sound of the music was mainly acquired from the drum. African music was full of drums which came in different shapes and sizes. The drum was their main instrument which Africans produced from hollowed out logs and gourds. Across the opening of the drum was a stretched animal skin (Bjorn and Gallert 178). What makes jazz so â€Å"African† is its rhythm, since African music is highly characterized by the emphasis on rhythm. Cross rhythms and polyrhythms were made by African drummers, both of which were major contributors to the driving force of jazz or African music (Bjorn and Gallert 178). The beat of jazz and the beat of African music can be demonstrated by creating a single beat, and dividing it into two. The other half should be given two claps to a single beat. The other hand will be given three claps to a single beat. This is a simple polyrhythm compared to how much jazz has developed through time. The basic principle behind jazz beats is two beats against one (Bjorn and Gallert 179). African sound seems unorganized, and this is what jazz is all about. It is because of the more complex polyrhythm found in African music. Each beat of the drum has an already set rhythm. Then again, once this beat is combined with other drums which also have their own set rhythms, then that is where the complicated sound is produced (Bjorn and Gallert 180). Another characteristic of African sound which can be found in jazz music is the pentatonic scale. A pentatonic scale can best be seen in a piano. The scale is defined by five notes, thus the term â€Å"penta†-tonic, with the chords C, D, E, G and A. This musical scale can also be found in the music of Peru, Mexico, Scotland and Japan (Salzman and the American Studies Association 961). In Africa, singers sing and the members of the audience respond. African musicians can also chant a melody, and the rest of the people in the venue react with the type of response already established in the society. In Africa, this is called â€Å"call and response†, which is also highly used in jazz. In jazz, though, the way people respond is different. This can be seen in many churches with people singing jazz praise songs (Salzman and the American Studies Association 961). The characteristics of jazz can be traced back to the African music’s characteristics, too, in which bending tones, falsetto, buzzes in the voice, raspy tones and vocal manipulation can be found. No vocal sound is ever produced. Letting out their feelings and expressing themselves by belting out what and how they were feeling an emotion contributed to the very distinct characteristics of jazz music. The tones were also not organized. As a listener listens to a jazz music, he will mostly find the singer reciting words spontaneously (Henson 48). Europe Europe influenced jazz music through harmony and instrumentation. The harmonies in jazz music are characterized by diatonic scale. Jazz music is highly diatonic, and diatonic, in this case, is an expanded version of the pentatonic scale coming from Africa. Chord progressions from the European or Western sound influenced today’s jazz music. Europe contributed a big part of the instrumentation of jazz. Instruments from Europe used in jazz music are clarinets, trombones and trumpets. Most of the European instruments used gave jazz music its symphonic nature (Henson 48). The birthplace of jazz music is mainly in New Orleans. The people of the city made use of what they were hearing from Africa and Europe, combined the different techniques and various musical styles to technically call the new genre â€Å"jazz† (Henson 48). New Orleans: New Orleans was undeniably successful in giving birth to jazz because of various components. One of these factors is its location. Since New Orleans is located at the tip of the Mississippi River, it was easy for people to bring in jazz to the area. The river made it easy for New Orleans to export music to different parts of the globe, too, which made the music genre jazz, became popular in a very short period of time upon its conception (Brown 74). The Mississippi River was a very important factor in making jazz a popular genre because it has touched various states in America. Several states which were considered areas for slaves contributed in New Orleans’ highly diverse population. Since the city became a busy seaport, it also developed into becoming the gateway to the islands of the Caribbean (Henson 48). It is also important to study the demographics of the people in New Orleans as this is related to the development of jazz. The city is a very unique one because even before it was a state of America, it has been under the flags of France and Spain. When one would visit New Orleans, one would see how diverse the population is because of the different ethnic groups found in the city. Because of the diverse population, there was also a diverse culture. Cultural diversity helped in improving the quality of jazz music (Brown 74). The races inhabiting the city defined jazz music. The different cultures taking place made jazz what it sounds today. Since French people were among those who were occupying New Orleans, the tradition where they allowed males to have their mistresses was a big influence to the music. Several men chose women who were light skinned, and they went for those who had mixed blood. Most of these women were found in the southern part of New Orleans. Because of this, the group of lower class blacks grew and became known to the city (Henson 48). The black creoles were widely accepted in New Orleans, especially by the white society. However, it didn’t stay this way for too long. They received the same privileges and rights from the government. In 1984, a law was passed by the Louisiana Legislature which suggested that people with African blood were labeled as â€Å"Negros†. Because of this, the black creoles were driven away from New Orleans. They had no choice but to join the black culture (Henson 48). The joining of the pure blacks and the black creoles (cross between black and light-skinned) gave birth to the full development of a new music which is now referred to as jazz. Slaves from different parts of the globe who were pushed to the United States possessed nothing but their clothing. Then again, they brought not only clothes in the United States, but music, too. They brought their heritage and culture. They shared their musical practices in the United States, specifically in New Orleans (Brown 74). Because of the struggle of the black culture, New Orleans slowly became identified as the city of refuge for blacks. All freed slaves and escaped slaves fled to New Orleans. They all gathered in Congo Square during Sundays because this was their only chance to be together and celebrate their culture. During these days, they all participated in the African culture where they played drums, sang and danced (Henson 48). New Orleans is then the breeding ground of musical activity. Numerous musical ensembles can be found here, like brass bands, musicales, opera companies and orchestras. Up to this day, there are still musical parties being held in the city. What made jazz sound disorganized and highly syncopated today is the merging of the musical influences of black slave culture and the black creoles. Their different cultures and distinct musical style made jazz sound like it does today. How jazz is being played is merely a result of the amalgamation of different tempos, beats and styles through time. Examples of African musical activities that highly influenced today’s jazz music are rhythmic emphasis, African field holler, interactive music and the call and response ritual. All of these found a space into the style of jazz (Brown 74). How to cite Jazz Heritage/The Roots of Jazz, Papers

Spartan Essay free essay sample

Imagine trying to overpower an army of soldiers, or hoplites, that covers about ten football fields. Imagine the fear you would experience as they rushed at you with their sharp bronze spears. Sparta had one of the most powerful armies of their time and conquered miles upon miles of land with their legions of Spartans. No civilization could surpass the greatness of the Spartan army or navy. They were hopeless against the relentless city-state that was a huge army base. Sparta was one of the most war-sophisticated civilizations known to mankind. Sparta was a city of ancient Greece. It was located in a fertile, mountain -walled valley. With their swords, knives, and spears they would conquer most of Europe. The Spartiates gave themselves wholly to war (Spartan Society,15). They carried swords instead of bibles, and shields instead of baskets. They acquired everything they needed by brute force. Sparta was a war machine who molded strong courageous men out of the strongest boys. We will write a custom essay sample on Spartan Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The boys would be checked at birth to see if he was worthy. If a baby was weak, it would be tossed aside ruthlessly (Sparta Society 10). Sparta had no room for weaklings. At the age of seven, boys started training to join the army. They were trained to endure pain, hunger, and the cold. At age twenty, they joined the army. At age thirty, you acquired full citizenship, but you still had to live in the barracks and eat with warriors. At age sixty, soldiers could retire from the army. Spartan men were usually in the army and women ran the homes and waited for their husbands to comeback from wars. A Spartan hoplite usually carried a sword made of bronze and a shield made of the same alloy. They may also carry spear with a bronze tip and a shield that protected about three-fourths of their body. Spartan generals usually carried a sword encrusted with precious stones, metals, or jewels. Their armor usually consisted of a helmet, chest plate, leg plates, and fore arm plates which were all made of bronze. A Spartan rushed into battle for honor and came home a hero, if he returned at all. One of the best war inventions was the hoplite phalanx. It was, in itself, a formation of soldiers in a rectangle. When a soldier was taken down in front of you, moved up into his spot. This created a defensive wall of hurt on anyone who opposed them. Armies that used this were unbeatable, especially Sparta. Mostly soldiers in this formation carried long spears and shields that was about one meter tall and covered most of their body mass(Corinthian War) The Spartan legions traveled in this formation everywhere they went. The Persian wars were a series of conflicts fought between Greek states and the Persian Empire (Persian Wars). The Persian army was massive. Not only were there many foot soldiers, but their navy was immensely large. It was unmatched by anything the Greeks had. It took most of the states in Greece to defeat Persia. Some states surrendered when Persia invaded them. These states were spared. The others, however, were not given a break from the constant war. One of the most famous battles was at Thermopylae, where the Spartan king Leonidas held off Xerxes’ army. Leonidas brought a small amount of soldiers because for Sparta to survive, a Spartan king must die (â€Å"Peloponnesian War†). This was told to him by an oracle. During the Persian wars, the battle of Marathon was underway. This is when Greece had the first victory of the war. Supposedly, a messenger named Pheidippides ran twenty five miles to Athens to tell of the victory. At the end of the great run, he died. This is why we have marathons. In 479 B. C. , Xerxes was defeated at Plataea by Pausanias, the nephew of king Leonidas. Pausanias was called home to face a charge of treasonable negotiations with Persia (Pausanias). Luckily, he was acquitted of all charges. This happened yet again later on. And the same thing happened. Then he was accused plotting against Sparta. He hid in a temple and was left to starve to death. The Peloponnesian Wars were most likely the most important wars of Sparta. These were wars against Athens, which was probably one of Sparta’s worst enemies. They took place from 431 B. C. to 404 B. C. (Peloponnesian War). There were very many disputes of government. Athens and Sparta battled on land and by sea. There was an armistice between the two, although they kept fighting without an end. Finally, in 422 B. C. , the Spartans won at Amphipolis. This was a major feat for Sparta, as they had just taken out their biggest enemy. One of the most notable Spartan was a naval commander named Lysander. He led an army of Spartans but he fell in the battle of Haliartus. By taking Athens, Sparta took control of the land and enslaved its people. The tremendous wars that Sparta was in were usually a landslide. Sparta was usually outnumbered, and with their military superiority, they came out triumphant. There were many feats that took place during the history of Sparta, but like other civilizations, there was an end. The Corinthian war was an armed conflict between Corinth, Argos, Thebes, and Athens on one side and Sparta on the other (Corinthian War 14). The only way to bring upon the downfall of Sparta was to overwhelm its forces. Through all the fighting and disputes, Sparta had much conquered land. The Spartiates were the only citizens and the only sharers in the land allotments of the lands and of the Helots†¦ (Spartan Society 1). Although the Spartans had a lot of land, there was an excess amount of people in Sparta. Even as they expanded their borders, the overpopulation became worse. It was once said that Helots, the slaves, outnumbered Spartans by as much as ten to one. Sparta also took over many civilizations. Surely Sparta could not control it all. This spread Sparta’s governing power too thin. They also had governors from the different regions they took over. These people usually did not listen to the king and their people would be punished severely. Also, the Helots revolted a few times, but did not prevail. Government also played a part in war. Whoever was ruling was commander of the army. If the ruler was worthy, the army was effective. However, there were many revisions of the Spartan government which tended to make the army less effective. Also, there was a lot of corruption in their government. This caused many disputes within the civilization. Sparta was weakened because its people were now fighting each other. (Spartan Society 4) The Spartan society was different from many others. Since most of the men were at war, women were the people who ran shops and what not. They would produce weapons and armor. Women also owned most of the land in Sparta. If you compare the society to that of Athens, you see major differences in their army. In Sparta, everyone was supposed to do their job. Men were supposed to be in the army, and women do everyday things. However, in Athens, women were to only marry and have children. They were also rarely seen in public. Most of the men were the ones who worked, therefore their army would never be able to be as strong as Sparta’s. A family In Sparta, however, was not very sturdy. The father went to war, the boys were taken at the age of seven, and some newborns would be thrown away. If you had a weak child, it brought shame to your family, so it was best to only have strong Spartans who would someday become heroes (Spartan Society 3). Even the Spartans in the community were strict. They could not eat with their families. They had to belong to a special dining table. They could not have any luxuries such as music, reading, or even talking nice. They spoke short and got to the point. Some people say this is called laconic speaking because the Spartans originated from Laconia. The Corinthian war was the last fought by the Spartans. It started in 395 B. C. and ended in 86 B. C. (Corinthian War 13). Sparta was outnumbered four to one. It was the first and only time Sparta would lose a major war, this one costing its very existence. Athens gained help from Persia to build a fleet better than the Spartan fleet of battleships. Antalcidas persuaded Artaxerxes II to agree to the King’s Peace or peace of Antalcidas. This was going to make Persia stop helping the other Greek states. The Persian king controlled it, however. This did eliminate many enemies though. Sparta fell in 371 B. C. The greatest warring state had been defeated by Thebes at Leuctra. In conclusion, Sparta had fallen for many reasons. First, its government was corrupt. Second, with all the inside disputes, people were fighting their own people. And last, they were overwhelmed by all the forces. Athens had gotten what they wanted-revenge. Sparta advanced the way humans see battle today. They made new types of weapons. They also made battle plans that humans used for centuries after that. They were also the first to dominate large amounts of land and to make a huge empire. The Spartans set guidelines as to how soldiers are to be raised. They also solved problems past civilizations had. Sparta was one of the most war-advanced civilizations that ever battled on the face of the earth. It was a forerunner of war, battle, and soldiers. All throughout history you can see bits and pieces of the Spartan war culture in many civilizations around the world. If you look closely, you can trace them back to Sparta, the land of the Spartans. Works Cited â€Å"Corinthian War. † Student Rsearch Center. Ebscohost, n. d. Web. 8 Oct. 2009. Durant, Will. The Life of Greece. New York: Simon and Shuster, 1939. N. pag. Print. Greece Travel Guide. â€Å"Sparta History. † Greece Travel. N. p. , 2009. Web. 7 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Hoplite. † Student Research Center. N. p. , n. d. Web. 8 Oct. 2009. Lazenby, J. â€Å"Sparta. † Middle Search Plus. N. p. , 1967. Web. 7 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Lysander. † Middle Search Plus. Columbia Encyclopedia, n. d. Web. 7 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Pausanias, Spartan general. † Columbia Encyclopedia. N. p. , n. d. Web. 7 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Peloponnesian War. † Ebsco Host. N. p. , n. d. Web. 8 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Persian Wars. † Primary Search. N. p. , n. d. Web. 7 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Sparta. † History World. N. p. , n. d. Web. 8 Oct. 2009. .

The Deadly Bubonic Plague essays

The Deadly Bubonic Plague essays The bubonic plague got its name because of the symptoms of the disease. Bubonic plague causes very painful, swollen lymph nodes called buboes. These swollen lymph nodes are mostly found first in the groin area, which is "boubon" in Latin. The disease became associated with the term "plague" because of the large amount of deaths through history. In medieval times, the plague was also known as the "Black Death" because the dried blood under the skin turns black. The plague can infect pretty much anyone. If you go around someone who's infected, you can get it. If you hang around rats and fleas a lot, you might get the disease. And if you work in a lab with diseases and you ingest a sample of the bacterium, you'll probably get it. If you travel a lot to countries with infected people and you don't take the proper precautions, you might get it. There are many ways to get the bubonic plague, but with modern technology, it can be prevented. But, if by some freak accident, you do get the plague, it can be easily treated. The plague is not age, gender, or race specific. An old, black woman could get it as could a newborn white boy. When the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, enters the bloodstream, it travels to the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and brain. The incubation period is usually two to six days after exposure. Some early symptoms include shivering, vomiting, headache, giddiness, intolerance to light, back and limb pain, and a white coating on the tongue. Eventually, pain occurs in places that contain lymph nodes, including the groin, armpit, and neck. Later, there is painful swelling of the lymph nodes called "boboes", hard lumps that appear in the inner thigh, neck, and armpit. Blood vessels then break, causing internal bleeding. Soon, the dried blood begins to turn black. If it goes untreated, plague mortality can be up to 75%. Once a person is infected and recovers, they become immune. The bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium...

Average SAT ACT Scores by State (Participation Adjusted)

Average SAT ACT Scores by State (Participation Adjusted) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Participation rate has a huge impact on state average SAT / ACT scores. In any state, the top students on the SAT/ACT are those most eager to take it, so states with low participation rates have artificiallyhigher SAT / ACT scores. Here, we use advanced statistical methods to adjustfor participation rate to get at the real ranking of states by their real SAT and ACT scores. Both the SAT and the ACT test makers have released data on raw average SAT and ACT scores by state. However, you cannot rely on raw average scores because these averages are biased by participation rates. The lowest participating states tend to send primarily their best students and have the highest scores. This results in bias. We have used advanced, robust statistical methods to adjustfor participation rate to get at the real, underlying, normed average SAT and ACT scores by state. This adjustment in the technical literature is also known as "controlling" or "norming". Hereare the adjusted scores: States Ranked by AverageSAT Scores,Adjusted Rank State Average SAT Score,Adjusted Average New SAT Score,Adjusted Raw Average SAT Score Participation Rate 1 Massachusetts 1694 30 1556 84% 2 Connecticut 1690 26 1525 88% 3 Minnesota 1660 07 1786 6% 4 New Jersey 1655 04 1526 79% 5 Illinois 1652 01 1802 5% 6 New Hampshire 1651 01 1566 70% 7 North Dakota 1649 1099 1816 2% 8 Virginia 1648 1099 1530 73% 9 South Dakota 1648 1099 1792 3% 10 Iowa 1648 1098 1794 3% Wisconsin 1644 1096 1782 4% 12 Vermont 1640 1093 1554 63% 13 Colorado 1635 1090 1735 14% 14 Missouri 1633 1089 1771 4% 15 Michigan 1628 1086 1784 4% 16 Kansas 1621 1081 1753 5% 17 Georgia 1620 1080 1445 77% 18 Indiana 1612 1075 1474 71% 19 Florida 1609 1073 1448 72% 20 Nebraska 1604 1070 1745 4% 21 Wyoming 1600 1067 1762 3% 22 Kentucky 1596 1064 1746 5% 23 New York 1593 1062 1468 76% 24 North Carolina 1592 1062 1483 64% 25 Oregon 1587 1058 1544 48% 26 Maryland 1586 1057 1468 78% 27 Washington 1585 1057 1519 63% 28 Idaho 1585 1056 1364 100% 29 South Carolina 1584 1056 1443 65% 30 Hawaii 1584 1056 1460 63% 31 Tennessee 1581 1054 1714 8% 32 California 1579 1053 1504 60% 33 Ohio 1577 1051 1652 15% 34 Arizona 1568 1045 1547 36% 35 Pennsylvania 1567 1044 1481 71% 36 Oklahoma 1565 1043 1697 5% 37 Rhode Island 1563 1042 1480 73% 38 Montana 1558 1039 1637 18% 39 Alaska 1555 1037 1485 54% 40 Mississippi 1552 1035 1714 3% 41 Arkansas 1551 1034 1698 4% 42 Utah 1540 1027 1690 5% 43 Texas 1539 1026 1432 62% 44 Nevada 1526 1017 1458 54% 45 New Mexico 1524 1016 1617 12% 46 Delaware 1522 1015 1359 100% 47 District of Columbia 1518 1012 1309 100% 48 Louisiana 1517 10 1667 5% 49 Maine 15 1008 1387 96% 50 Alabama 1496 998 1617 7% 51 West Virginia 1444 963 1522 15% Each state is listed with its SAT score adjusted for(controlled for) participation rate. Other columns include the rank of the normed SAT score, the new SAT conversion, the raw SAT score, and the participation rate. The top two states for normed SAT scores are Massachusetts and Connecticut. This isn't a surprise. Both states have relatively large education budgets. Massachusetts (home state of PrepScholar) and Connecticut have some of the best colleges in the USA, and both have a strong emphasis on high school education and test prep. The bottom two states are Alabama and West Virginia. The spread between the top and bottom is more than a whopping 250 points around the same improvement our PrepScholar Online Prep program guarantees. States Ranked by Average ACT Scores,Adjusted Rank State Average ACT Score,Adjusted Raw Average ACT Score Participation Rate 1 Minnesota 23.04 22.9 76% 2 Connecticut 22.93 24.2 29% 3 Massachusetts 22.72 24.3 23% 4 New Hampshire 22.63 24.2 20% 5 Ohio 22.47 22 72% 6 Montana 22.42 20.5 100% 7 Vermont 22.32 23.2 29% 8 Colorado 22.31 20.6 100% 9 New York 22.27 23.4 27% 10 Nebraska 22.20 21.7 86% Wisconsin 22.04 22.2 73% 12 Kansas 22.02 22 75% 13 Utah 21.97 20.8 100% 14 South Dakota 21.93 21.9 78% 15 Illinois 21.87 20.7 100% 16 Missouri 21.80 21.8 76% 17 North Carolina 21.79 18.9 100% 18 Virginia 21.79 22.8 28% 19 New Jersey 21.78 23.1 25% 20 Indiana 21.73 21.9 40% 21 Idaho 21.71 22.4 45% 22 Florida 21.66 19.6 81% 23 Washington 21.60 23 22% 24 North Dakota 21.57 20.6 100% 25 Iowa 21.49 22 68% 26 California 21.41 22.3 29% 27 South Carolina 21.37 20.4 58% 28 Georgia 21.34 20.8 53% 29 Arkansas 21.21 20.4 93% 30 Michigan 21.21 20.1 100% 31 Tennessee 21.16 19.8 100% 32 Wyoming 21.14 20.1 100% 33 Maryland 21.07 22.6 22% 34 Kentucky 21.07 19.9 100% 35 Pennsylvania 21.04 22.7 19% 36 Alabama 21.01 20.6 80% 37 Rhode Island 20.99 22.9 16% 38 Oregon 20.88 21.4 36% 39 Texas 20.78 20.9 40% 40 Nevada 20.76 21.2 36% 41 Hawaii 20.73 18.2 90% 42 Oklahoma 20.72 20.7 75% 43 Delaware 20.69 23.2 18% 44 West Virginia 20.69 20.6 65% 45 Alaska 20.63 21 37% 46 Maine 20.56 23.6 9% 47 District of Columbia 20.41 21.6 37% 48 Louisiana 20.37 19.2 100% 49 Arizona 20.12 19.7 55% 50 Mississippi 20.04 19 100% 51 New Mexico 20.04 19.9 69% Each state is listed with its ACT score adjusted for(controlled for) participation rate. Other columns include the rank of the normedACT score, the raw average ACT score, and the participation rate. The top states are Minnesota, another stated renowned for its education, and Connecticut (also on the top SAT scores list). The bottom states on this normed ACT list are Mississippi and New Mexico. We’ve presented our results first because we know that’s what most people are looking for. However, it's important to understand why average SAT / ACT scores are important, why adjustingis critical, and how we did the norming. Below, we get into those details. Why Are Average SAT / ACT Scores by State Important? For some, knowing state average test scores is fun trivia: my state is the best and smartest. But for many students and parents, knowing state average SAT / ACT scores can be critical. For students applying for scholarships, many scholarships are more competitive in "smarter" states. For students who want to compare themselves totheir in-state peers, the scores above are also very useful. For families thinking of moving states, they may want to make sure their target state has a good education system. For researchers and education designers, this data helps them see which state systems are working and which ones may be failing. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Why Is Adjusting (aka Controlling, or Norming)Needed? You absolutely cannot rely on raw average SAT / ACT scores to gauge state performance!This is because raw SAT / ACT scores are terribly confounded with participation rates. The reason is simple. Let's look atthe SAT. The best SAT students in any state tend to be the most aggressive about wanting to take the test (after all, it shows them in a good light). Therefore, if a state’s SAT participation is low, the state will only have the best students taking it, making the score artificially high. Likewise, if a state requires the SAT, it will have 100% participation but also include the worst SAT takers, making the score artificially low. In fact, the highest raw SAT state is North Dakota, which also has the flimsiest participation at 2%. Because the participation rate is so low, that means few, if any, schools in North Dakota require the SAT, so the only people who take it are those who really want to and went out of their way to take the test. These people likely studied for the SAT, are naturally good at the SAT, and can expect to do better than average. The lowest raw SAT state is Washington DC, which also has the highest participation at 100%. Likewise, this indicates that the district required everyone to take the SAT, so even students who didn't want to take it at all had to take it and this last group probably didn't study much and aren't naturally good at the SAT. We can see this negative relationship between participation rates and SAT / ACT scores in the two graphs below. On each X-axis, you see the participation rate expressed as a decimal (for example, .50 means half the people participated.) On the Y-axis, you see average SAT or ACT score. The pattern is stunningly clear: States with higher participation rates in either test almost always have much lower scores. Raw SAT Average Score per State vs. Participation Rate Raw ACT Average Score per State vs. Participation Rate This pattern would cause terrible bias if you were to judge a state by its raw SAT or ACT averages. You would be giving a highly unfair advantage to states with low participation rates which can showcase their best students. In fact, participation rates explain the vast majority (more than 80%) of natural variation in SAT scores and ACT scores. This means that correcting for participation rates is absolutely necessary. How Is the AdjustingDone? Basically, the adjusting is done when we take one state’s raw test scores and compare them toother states with similar participation rates. For example, take Massachusetts, with itsraw SAT average score of 1556. If you look at this score by itself, it’s not impressive pretty middle of the pack. But Massachusetts has an SAT participation rate of 84% one of the highest in the nation. Therefore, during adjustment, we compare this against a state with a similar participation rate: for example Maryland, with a rate of 78%. We see Maryland has an SAT score of 1468 and thus Massachusetts is actually very impressive when compared to peer states with similar participation rates. As a researcher with both a Master’s in statistics and a Doctorate in economics, including economic statistical methods, I ensured that the method used above is robust. That is, I made sure I used as much information as possible during norming to infer the SAT / ACT scores that each state would have gotten if they had the same participation rates. The methods I used should be rather immune to slight errors in the assumptions, and few assumptions were made to begin with. I also documented all my methods here so any other statistician can replicate my results to verify they are true [1]. How Are State Averages Useful for Students? One of the ways state average scores are most useful for students is as a peer group to compare to. If you want to know what a good, bad, or excellent SAT is or ACT score is, then these state averages provide a reference. However, you should understand that you can be more than average. You can improve your score and beat your state average, sometimes by a substantial amount, if you prep for the SAT and ACT. In fact, some of the top states in the list above, Massachusetts and Connecticut, are well-known for some of their top prep shops. Get started today! What's Next? Want to know how well you did on the SAT / ACT or what score you should be aiming for? Learn what's a good SAT score and what's a good ACT score! Interested in more information to help you understand this data? Check out average SAT scores by state and average ACT scores by state.These articles can help you understand how well your state is doing and how your test scores compare to other students within your state. Want to improve your test scores?Check out ourguides to learn 15 tips forraising your SAT score and your ACT score. [1] The full method I used was linear regression on states as observations (N=51). The regression was of both SAT scores onto participation rates on both the SAT and ACT, their interactions, and their second powers, as well as a constant. An analogous regression was made for SAT scores. The SAT score residual from this regression was added to the statewide average SAT score to get predicted SAT scores of all states if they had the same participation rate namely that of the average state. It turns out that simple one element regression of SAT scores on SAT participation rates captures the vast majority of variation of the full regression, so similar results should hold in this more robust base case. Participation rates explained up to about 80% of the variation in both SAT and ACT scores, and, therefore, this correction is substantial. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dr. Fred Zhang About the Author Fred is co-founder of PrepScholar. He scored a perfect score on the SAT and is passionate about sharing information with aspiring students. Fred graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor's in Mathematics and a PhD in Economics. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Healthcare Delivery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthcare Delivery - Essay Example In most situations, nurses take the big role of consoling patients as they patiently wait for the doctor. This issue can arguably said to be contributed by the fact that doctors are not well paid thus, they go abroad to seek for greener pastures where they can get good salary (Lundy and Janes 121). In addition, it is also evident that due to low remuneration form in the public sector, many doctors opt to operate private clinics where they have potential of earning good money. As a result, public hospitals record shortage of doctors. On the other hand, it is evident that due to shortage of doctors in public hospitals, the few available doctors are overwork as a result of attending to many patients without enough rest. When this happens, studies have documented that employees who overwork tend to offer poor quality services to their clients. In this regard, it is evident that the doctors would not be in a position to offer quality care to the patients due to exhaustion. In another dime nsion, current studies have also shown that motivation is a crucial element required for employees to produce quality work. Nevertheless, when employees are not motivated, they end not giving top results. In light of this, the bottom line is that since the few available doctors in the public hospitals receive low salaries and few incentives to motivate them, they feel not motivated to devote all their professionalism when attending to patients (Lundy and Janes 121). In addition, although some of the few available doctors in public hospitals may be seen in the office, most of them just appear there for a few hours and leave for their other assignments which include attending to their patients on their private clinics of other businesses that would help in supplementing the deficit they feel exists as a result of low salary by the government. The latter is that many patients will spend many hours queuing as they wait to see the doctor only to be turned down when the doctor walks away. Some doctors keep on changing or postponing patients’ appointments due to their busy schedule. The end result of all these deliberations is the provision of low quality services in the healthcare delivery. The other important issue of concern is the high cost of medical. Medical processes including diagnosis, testing, emergency care, specialist, admission costs and prescriptions have been a challenge to many people in the United States. For instance, some tests are considered costly to middle class and poor people in the United States. A specialised test that requires special machinery and chemicals may be expensive for ordinary people. In addition, some diseases require specialist to attend. The problem is when such specialists are few in the public hospitals (Lundy and Janes 122). In fact, most of the specialist operates private clinics. Therefore, the cost of seeing and getting help from them becomes high for ordinary people. It is also evident that staying in hospital fo r a long time translates to more money required to settle the hospital bills. This would be a problem to people who are not enrolled to any of the healthcare programs subsidized by the government. On the same note, even after being dispatched from the hospital, some people may not be able to take care of themselves due to high cost of after care services and other prescriptions required for recovery. In this regard, they are bound to look for cheap alternatives that do not lender good and quality services. Conclusion It