Concepts in Accounting and Developing Financial Statements

Concepts in Accounting and Developing Financial Statements There are likely to be various user groups with an interest in a particular organisation, in the sense of needing to make decisions about that organization. User group Competitors they use for: to assess the threat to sales and profits posed by those businesses. To provide a benchmark against which the competitors performance can be measured Employees (non-management) to assess the ability of the business to continue to provide employment and to reward employees for their labour Government to assess how much tax the business should pay, whether it complies with agreed pricing policies and whether financial support is needed. Community representatives to assess the ability of the business to continue to provide employment for the community and purchase community resources. To assess whether the business could help fund environmental improvements. Investment analysts to assess the likely risks and returns associated with the business in order to determine its investment potential and to advise clients accordingly. Suppliers to assess ability of the business to pay for the goods and services supplied. Lenders to assess the ability of the business to meet its obligations and to pay interest and to repay the mount borrowed. Managers to help make decisions and plans for the business and to exercise control so that the plans come to fruition. Owners to assess how effectively the managers are running the business and to make judgements about lively levels of risk and return in the future. There may be conflicts of interest arising between the various user groups over the ways in which the wealth of the business is generated and/or distributed. For example, a conflict of interest may arise between the managers and the owners of the business. Although managers are appointed to act on behalf of the owners, there is always a risk that they will put their own interests first. They may use the wealth of the business to furnish large offices, buy expensive cars or whatever. Accounting information has an important role to play in reporting, the extent to which various groups have benefited from the business. Thus, owners may rely on accounting information to check whether the pay and benefits of managers are in line with agreed policy. A further example of potential conflict is between owners and lenders. There is a risk that the funds loaned to a business will be used for purposes that have not been agreed. Concepts used in financial statement are: a) Money measurement concept accounting normally deals with only those items that are capable of being expressed in monetary terms. Money has the advantage that it is a useful common denominator with which to express the wide variety of recourses held by a business. However, not all such resources are capable of being measured in monetary terms and so will be excluded from a balance sheet. The money measurement concept, thus, limits the scope of accounting reports. b) Historic cost concept Assets are shown on the balance at a value that is based on their historic cost (that is, acquisition cost). This method of measuring asset value has been adopted by accountants in preference to methods based on some form of current value. Many commentators find this particular convection difficult to support as outdated historic cost are unlikely to help in the assessment of current financial position. It is often argued that recording assets at their current value would provide a more realistic view of financial position and would be relevant for a wide range of decisions. However, a system of measurement based on current values can present a number of problems. c) Going concern concept The going concern concept holds that a business will continue operations for the foreseeable future. In other words, there is no intention or need to sell off the assets of the business. Such a sale may arise when the business is in financial difficulties and it needs cash to the creditors. This convention is important because the value of fixed assets on sale is often low in relation to the recorded values, and an expectation of having to sell off the assets would mean that anticipated losses on sale should be fully recorded. However, where there is no expectation of the need to sell off the assets, the value of fixed assets can continue to be shown at their recorded values (that is, based on historic cost). This concept, therefore, provides support for the historic cost concept under normal circumstances. d) Business entity concept For accounting purposes, the business and its owner(s) are treated as quite separate and distinct. This is why owners are treated as being claimants against their own business in respect of their investment in the business. In the business entity concept must be distinguished from the legal position that may exist between businesses and their owners. For sole proprietorships and partnerships, the law does not make any distinction between the business and its owner(s). For limited companies, on the other hand, there is a clear legal distinction the business and its owners. For accounting purposes, these legal distinctions are irrelevant and the business entity convention applies to all businesses. e) Dual aspect concept each transaction has two aspects, both of which will affect the balance sheet. Thus, the purchase of a motor car for cash results in an increase in one asset (motor car) and a decrease in another (cash). The repayment of a loan results in the decrease in liability (loan) and the decrease in asset (cash/bank) f) Prudence The prudence concept holds that financial statements should err on the side of caution. The concept evolved to counteract the excessive optimism of some managers and owners, which resulted, in the past, in an overstatement of financial position. Operation of the prudence concept results in the recording of both actual and anticipated losses in full, whereas profits are not recognised until they are realized (that is, there is reasonable certainty that the profit will be received). When the prudence concept conflicts with another concept, it is prudence concept that will normally prevail. g) Stable monetary unit concept the stable monetary unit concept holds that money, which is the unit of measurement in accounting, will not change in value over time. However, in the UK and throughout much of the world, inflation has been persistent problem over the years and this has meant that the value of the money has declined in relation to other assets. In past years, high rates of inflation have resulted in balance sheets, which are drawn up on a cost basis, reflecting figures for assets, that were much lower than if current values were employed. The value of freehold land and buildings, in particular, increased rapidly during much of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, at least partly as a result of reduction in the value of each  £1. Where land and buildings were held for some time by a business, there was often a significant difference between their original cost and their current market value. This led to the criticism that balance sheet values were seriously understanded and, as a result, some businesses broke away from the use of historic cost as the basis for valuing this particular asset. Instead, freehold land is periodically revalued in order to provide more realistic statement of financial position. Although this represents a departure from accounting concept, it is a practice that has become increasingly common. h) Objectivity concept the objectivity concept seeks to reduce personal bias in financial statements. As far as possible, financial statements should be based on objective, verifiable evidence rather than matters of opinion. i) Separate determination concept the separate determination concept refers to in determining the aggregate amount of each asset or liability, the amount of each individual asset or a liability should be determined separately from all other assets and liabilities. j) Substance concept the substance over form holds if legal form of the transaction differs from its real substance, accounting should show the transaction in accordance with its real substance, i.e., how the transaction affects the economic situation of the business.

Houston Crime Stopper Proposal Essay

Description: This Crime Stopper Awareness presentation will be given to a small group of family and friends. This presentation is based on informing the audience members about the Crime Stoppers Organization in hopes of raise their awareness of Crime Stoppers and to get them more involved in stopping crime in our area. It is an opportunity for the audience members to learn about the many accomplishments of Crime Stoppers, and what makes this organization so successful. The audience will come to understand about how Crime Stoppers is able solve crimes and reduce the crime rates in the area. There will also be a segment focusing on the Safe School Program and how audience members can also get involved to help fight crime. All information in this presentation was obtained from the Crime Stoppers website: www.crime-stoppers.org Crime Stoppers Awareness Presentation The first Crime Stoppers program was implemented in New Mexico in 1976 and they have been growing ever since. Today there are over 3100 Crime Stoppers chapters across the United States, and an additional 1000 more scattered throughout other areas of the world. The Houston Crime Stoppers program was set up by local businesses in 1981 due to the increased level of crime in the greater Houston area. Crime Stoppers is a community-based program that works with law enforcement to solve crimes, ensure safer neighborhoods and schools for our children and also to provide people with the tools they need to help create a safer community. Houston Crime Stoppers has not only had a big impact on Houston, but also on other parts of the world. Thus, 10% of all worldwide arrests have come from tips that came in through the Houston chapter. For example, in 2007 Houston Crime Stoppers was responsible for solving over 30,000 crimes and received tips that led to 25,000 felony arrests. Also, Crime Stoppers has paid out over $10 million in rewards for tips leading to successful arrests. All the money Crime Stoppers has paid out is dependent on the donation from the community and fund raising events held by Crime Stoppers such as their â€Å"Brighter Tomorrow Gala†. Crime Stoppers goal is to create a safer community by helping to capture criminals and get them off Houston streets. In 2012, Crime Stoppers help to led to 684 felons arrests and solve 751 crimes such as: 18 murders, 10 capital murders, 79 robberies and 32 burglaries. Also, there were 34 cases solved in 2012 involving sex crimes against children. In addition, since 2007 Houston Crime Stoppers has assisted in helping to put criminals behind bars, to date the totaling jail time is 10,859 years in prison, 45,018 days in county and 24 life sentences. All these criminals were arrested, taken off the streets, and incarcerated thanks to the tips received from the community trying to stop crime. Another important program sponsored by Crime Stoppers is their Safe School Program that was started in 1997 and their motto is â€Å"Safe School Program is to cultivate and educate the youth of today and prevent the crimes of tomorrow†. This program has helped to remove guns from schools and in 2011 and 2012, Crime Stoppers helped solve 186 school related crimes. The goal is to not only fight the crimes occurring at public schools but also to educate students and thus far, Safe School, has provided over 1,000,000 students with safety training. This not only cuts down on crimes within the schools, it also leads to fewer student dropouts. Safer school led to safer neighborhoods, which increases property values and community job growth in the area. Therefore, protecting your children, schools and neighborhood from crime is an investment to the entire community! Crime Stoppers has been so successful not only because they work with law enforcement, but also due to the support they receive from the community. It is the tips from everyday people that allow the crimes to be solved and for the criminals to be apprehended. For instance, in the past many people had been afraid to contact the police to report information about a crime for the fear of retaliation or from fear of consequences from law enforcement. The key element in reporting tips to Crime Stoppers is that the individuals can remain anonymous; no questions asked. Also, any tip that results in a felony arrest, Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of $5,000 in cash, and again, no questions asked! By offering this reward incentive and allowing people to report their tips anonymously, more information is being reported, and more crimes are getting solved. Crime Stoppers is able to receive tips several way: by phone through their tip line at 713-222-TIPS, and also by text and email. So, Crime Stoppers offers a cash incentive for reporting tips and in doing so, have made it safe from anyone’s identity being revealed and easy for the various channels tips to be reported. In addition, Crime Stoppers has several other active programs in the efforts of making the greater Houston area safer. The newest society is Mothers Against Crime, which started in 2006 in hopes for safer neighborhoods for our children. Also, Crime Stoppers and the Gulf Coast Offenders Task Force have launched a campaign in arresting criminals with outstanding warrants for crimes against children. All that Crime Stoppers are able to do cannot be done without the involvement of the community, and the financial support of local businesses and individuals. Therefore, to help stop crime in our area please join in the fight with Crime Stoppers by getting involved in their local programs and/or donate to Crime Stoppers to help them continue to make Houston a safer place to live. It takes everyone in the community, working together to fight crime! Thank you.

The Unusual Mystery Into Environmental Essay Samples

The Unusual Mystery Into Environmental Essay Samples Use of water is an additional important aspect in regard to the environment. Introduction The Environment is the primary resource for tourism. Forests are the principal lungs of the Earth and the most important atmosphere for a wide array of animals, birds and insects. The caliber of the environment, both natural and man-made, is important to tourism. The majority of the living species rely on the water body to call home, therefore it is quite essential to control the water pollution. The contamination of the living environment contributes to the deaths of the whole all-natural ecosystems. Animal and plant biota don't have dates related to them. An environmental problems essay must also concentrate on how best to encourage individuals to safeguard their environment, and the advantages of this kind of endeavor. You can get in touch with your writer through our support department should you need to specify some vital points to earn your work more customized. It is extremely important to be sure it stays clean so as to live healthier and peaceful life. From time to time, you might also be happy to do the job, you have the wisdom and the skills, but you do not have the time. Part of their work is to receive communities prepared to confront the challenges caused by climate change. More than that, the issue needs to be resolved on a worldwide level by the united efforts of the international community. Environmental problems ought to be handled by the united efforts of the international community. There are not any minor remarks. Whenever your deadline is tight, you will likely write us nervously write my essay and think we'll see what you need from 1 sentence. You receive a preview of your essay and ask to create corrections if necessary. Students may seek out professional writers' or writing agencies' help to acquire their essays written in a customized format. The majority of the moment, they are asked to write argument papers that present a particular point of view and attempt to persuade the audience. New Questions About Environmental Essay Samples There are many effective solutions that could help us to fix the problem of pollution in our environment. Ultimately, the general public needs to be encouraged to boycott products created by Palm Oil companies. Some people believe that the very best way to fix environmental problems is to raise the amount of fuel for cars and other vehicles. Today, sustainable materials are somewhat more high tech with fantastic innovation behind them, states Primoz. The New Angle On Environmental Essay Samples Just Released Environmental sustainability is truly about preserving the planet's resources for future generations. The campus is anticipated to grow drastically over t he subsequent ten decades, with a new residence built and a number of other new buildings to be constructed in the forseeable future. Science should serve society, as opposed to corporate and political interests. The Start of Environmental Essay Samples The invasion of private space makes a good deal of people uncomfortable. When it is constantly violated it can cause anxiety for people. Most people in densely populated areas don't have land they can protect. It is extremely important to explore the many different forms of pollution and all probable methods of their prevention as a way to make our planet a safe spot for the increase and development of all living things. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Environmental Essay Samples There are many environmental issues in cities that it might be hard to pinpoint certain causes of anxiety. Tourism is based on the environment because environment is a significant tourist attraction. Individuals must remember that nature is at th e border of the catastrophe. Also, there are several human diseases brought on by water pollution. The effect of environmental pollution is dependent widely on the kind of pollution that's causing it. For instance, it cannot be fully controlled with the current population. With time, environmental pollution was connected to different kinds of cancer. Ifenvironmental pollution increases at exactly the same pace, it is going to allow it to be difficult for future generation to survive. Type of Environmental Essay Samples The paper must give the impression you know what you're doing. The aforementioned essay can be concluded by saying that it is quite vital to look at the increasing use of technical equipments to boost the caliber of air. Order your paper today and revel in the time spared! Folks feel the need, not just for primary essentials, like a slice of bread and a roof above their heads, but in addition for several facilities and luxuries. Ok, I Think I Understand Environmental Essay Samples, Now Tell Me About Environmental Essay Samples! EU environmental legislatio n confers a selection of substantive and procedural rights to citizens which should be upheld by national courts on the grounds of environmental accessibility to justice. Privacy is harder to attain in a densely populated place. Privacy Privacy is the selection of a person to or not to interact with different folks.

Lo que hay que saber sobre la mayoría de edad en EEUU

En Estados Unidos, cada  estado establece la edad de mayorà ­a de edad. Es importante saberla porque  a partir de la misma se considera a una persona como adulta. Si bien hay importantes excepciones para determinados cosas e incluso para efectos migratorios. Por su importancia legal, en este artà ­culo se informa sobre las distintas edades de mayorà ­a segà ºn los estados y cuà ¡ndo, a pesar de ser menores de edad, pueden ser juzgados como adulto. Ademà ¡s, cuà ¡les son los actos que un menor de edad puede hacer con efectos legales y cuà ¡les le està ¡n prohibidos a pesar de ser mayor de edad y, finalmente,  cuà ¡les son los casos en los que la edad determina derechos desde el punto de vista migratorio. Ademà ¡s, se resalta el tema de la edad para consentimiento sexual, ya que si no se respetan las reglas de cada estado, podrà ­a haber problemas. Edad de mayorà ­a de edad en Estados Unidos por estados y Puerto Rico Este es un asunto que regula cada estado. 47 de ellos y el Distrito de Columbia -la ciudad de Washington D.C.- han decidido que la mayorà ­a de edad es a los 18 aà ±os. Sin embargo hay tres importantes excepciones: dos estados han seà ±alado que se alcanza la mayorà ­a de edad a los 19: Alabama y Nebraska. Y uno a los 21: Mississippi. Con independencia del estado, todos los ciudadanos americanos mayores de 18 aà ±os pueden votar en elecciones federales, porque asà ­ lo establece la Constitucià ³n. En el estado libre asociado de Puerto Rico la edad de mayorà ­a de edad quedà ³ fijada en 18 aà ±os. En quà © casos menores de edad pueden actuar como si fueran personas adultas Hay que consultar con las leyes de cada estado, a que hay grandes diferencias entre ellos. Un buen nà ºmero de estados considera que en determinadas circunstancias los menores de 18 aà ±os son mayores de edad, generalmente en casos de: emancipacià ³n judicialmatrimonioestar alistado en el Ejà ©rcito, lo cual es frecuente por sus ventajas. Ademà ¡s, algunos estados conceden capacidad para decidir por sà ­ mismo a los menores en ciertos asuntos. Pero puede darse en situaciones relacionadas con: edad para contraer matrimonio. Si se tienen los aà ±os requeridos en el estado para contraer matrimonio legalmente y se tienen recursos econà ³micos suficientes entonces se puede solicitar la green card para el esposo/a extranjero.capacidad para celebrar cierto tipo de contratosCapacidad para demandar en corte por medio de representante (guardià ¡n, next friend, etc)Capacidad para decidir sobre tratamiento mà ©dico. Edad mà ­nima para puede ser juzgado como juvenil y juzgado como adulto En Estados Unidos, dependiendo de su edad los menores de edad que cometen un delito  pueden: no ser juzgados porque se considera que no tienen capacidadser juzgados como un juvenilser juzgados como un adulto No todos los estados establecen una edad mà ­nima para excluir a los nià ±os de todo tipo de responsabilidad criminal, lo cual significa que pueden ser juzgados independientemente de su edad. Sin embargo, una veintena de estados sà ­ que han establecido una edad mà ­nima. Asà ­ non pueden ser juzgados los menores de 10 aà ±os en Arkansas, Colorado, Dakota del Sur, Kansas, Lousiana, Minesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont y Wisconsin. Los menores de 8 aà ±os no tienen responsabilidad penal en Arizona, Nevada y Washington. Dicha edad se rebaja a los 7 aà ±os en los casos de Connecticut, Dakota del Norte, Maryland, Massachusetts y Nueva York. Finalmente, los nià ±os pueden ser juzgados en Carolina del Norte a partir de los 6 aà ±os. Los menores de edad, cuando son juzgados, pueden serlo como juveniles o como adultos, es decir, en corte criminal ordinaria. Como regla general, en todos los estados se establece que ninguna persona mayor de 18 aà ±os puede ser juzgada como juvenil. Ademà ¡s, se establece una edad menor a partir de la cual una persona es juzgada como adulto. En los estados de Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Texas y Wisconsin dicha edad es 16 aà ±os y en todos los demà ¡s estados la edad mà ­nima para ser juzgado como adulto en corte criminal es 17 aà ±os. Resaltar que a partir de octubre de 2020, en el estado de Nueva York los menores de 16 y 17 aà ±os no serà ¡n juzgados automà ¡ticamente como adultos, como està ¡ sucediendo en estos momentos. En todo caso, los 50 estados que componen la Unià ³n Americana tienen leyes que se conocen en inglà ©s con el nombre de transfer laws que permiten que los menores que cometan delitos muy graves, como por ejemplo, asesinato, puedan ser juzgados como adultos con independencia de la edad que tengan. Las modalidades de las transfer laws y sus requisitos varà ­an de estado a estado. Quà © no se puede hacer hasta los 21 aà ±os de edad A pesar de haber alcanzado la mayorà ­a de edad, los menores de 21 aà ±os no pueden comprar bebidas alcohà ³licas, excepto en el caso de Puerto Rico. Sin embargo,  las reglas sobre la presencia de menores en bares o tiendas de licor o consumo en privado,  por ejemplo, en una cena familiar, depende de cada estado. Ademà ¡s, segà ºn las leyes federales, los menores de 21 aà ±os no pueden comprar pistolas a ningà ºn comerciante. Sin embargo, pueden adquirirlas a partir de los 18 aà ±os si es a travà ©s de una persona privada. Asimismo, pueden comprar rifles y escopetas a un comerciante a partir de los 18 y no hay là ­mite de edad cuando se trata de adquisiciones privadas. En el tema de compra de armas, ademà ¡s de las leyes federales hay que respetar las leyes del estado en el que se vive. Varios de los estados imponen un mà ­nimo de 21 aà ±os de edad para comprar y/o poseer pistolas, por ejemplo California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Rhode Island, Washington, Wyoming y la ciudad de Washington D.C. Consecuencias de la edad en asuntos migratorios A efectos migratorios, son varios los casos en los que se considera a una persona como infante (child) mientras es menor  21 aà ±os de edad y està ¡ soltero. Por ejemplo, en las peticiones de sus hijos  por parte de ciudadanos o residentes permanentes. Ademà ¡s, los ciudadanos sà ³lo pueden pedir a hermanos y padres si ya han cumplido los 21 aà ±os de edad.   Otro caso donde importa la edad es el de los indocumentados menores de 21 aà ±os que no està ¡n casados y que han sido abusados o abandonados por uno de sus padres, ya que podrà ­an obtener papeles si califican para el Estatus Especial de Inmigrante Juvenil.   Se trata de casos en los que las leyes migratorias protegen mà ¡s allà ¡ de los 18 aà ±os de edad.   Sin embargo, en el caso de los muchachos que pueden ser protegidos por la Accià ³n Diferida (DACA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) sà ³lo està ¡n amparados los que llegaron a Estados Unidos antes de cumplir los 16 aà ±os de edad. El consentimiento para actos sexuales y la edad Cuando un adulto mantiene relaciones sexuales fuera del matrimonio con un menor de edad, aunque sean consentidas, puede ser considerado un delito, lo cual podrà ­a tener consecuencias penales y tambià ©n migratorias. Para evitar problemas serios hay que tener en cuenta cuà ¡l es  la edad para el consentimiento sexual en cada estado  Y es que como regla general, la mayorà ­a de edad y la de consentimiento para actos de naturaleza sexual no coinciden y es fundamental tener en cuenta la edad de las 2 personas que realizan el acto à ­ntimo. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Essay on Personal Narrative- Living for God - 754 Words

Personal Narrative- Living for God As I was driving into the church parking lot I had to take a deep breath. After leaving another frustrating day at school and then going to work right afterwards, I needed to calm myself down. I looked in the rear view mirror one more time to make sure I looked halfway presentable. I fixed my wind-blown hair by pulling it back in a high ponytail and put on some Burt’s Bees lip balm before exiting the car. I grabbed my Bible and notebook and locked the doors. As I walked towards the youth building a wave of comfort washed over me. I love the feeling I get every time I step into the youth room at my church. It’s a reassuring feeling that, no matter what I’ve been through during the day, everything†¦show more content†¦We walk into the room, giggling and laughing at absolutely nothing. Then out of nowhere I hear, Oh, my gosh in a deep, thick, country accent that carries for miles. I look over and I see a tall, dark and handsome fellow, with a John Deere hat on the top and well-worn boots on the bottom. Jason, I thought to myself. I turned and had to laugh out loud, even before he says anything, because he always makes me laugh. As we goof around waiting for things to get started, Michael, the worship leader of the youth band, starts playing and that is a sign for everyone to get to his or her seats. We start singing and I realize that my mind is somewhere else. I stop and ask God to help me regain focus because I know I need to concentrate on Him. I try to settle my mind, but it just keeps wandering. I take one more deep breath, and as the last song is ending, I plead with God to be with me tonight and help me focus on Him. Our youth pastor, Lenny, gets up on the stage and I take one last deep breath and as I settle into my chair, it happens. As Lenny is teaching, he says some of the most memorable words I have ever heard. In his most passionate voice he describes a conversation he had with God. I was talking to God one night, telling Him I wanted to do amazing things. Things that had never been done before. And He told me that, in order to do that, I would have toShow MoreRelatedFaith, Morals, Ethics And Cultural Values1077 Words   |  5 Pages In the same way the Bible is the story of God that has the power to transform our lives. The captivating and transforming power of story in preaching forms the foundation of Dan Boone s Preaching the Story that Shapes Us. Dr. Boone shares why he believes that narrative preaching is the best way to preach the story of God that lead to congregants having transforming encounters with God. 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It is a prominent source of biblical encouragement to those of the Puritan religion and some other religions that put God above all human and nature. Throughout the short story, a Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mary Rowlandson, itRead MoreEssay about Beowulf as a Messianic Narrative1027 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf as a messianic narrative has been a subject of great controversy. Given the time period, ‘Christianity’ was not completely established, and it was entwined with cultural paganism, as seen woven throughout the text. The definition of a messianic narrative (containing the ultimate messianic figure) is found in Isaiah 53, a prophecy spoken by God through the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. This is the standard to which Beowulf must be compared to determination the nature of the poem. Many scholars suchRead MoreBiblical Discourse : The Peaceable Kingdom By Stanley Hauerwas936 Words   |  4 PagesChapter one has four main points, Ethics and the Demand for Absolutes, Living Amid Fragments: The Insufficiency of Ethics, The Privatization of Religion, and The Truthfulness of Christian Convictions. Examining these further will provide more insight. In the section on Ethics and the Demand for Absolutes, the author cracked the code on absolutes when he stated, â€Å"†¦many believers and unbelievers alike seem to think that if God does not in some manner underwrite the absoluteness of our moral systemRead MoreSelf Reliance : Individualism Vs. Society Control850 Words   |  4 PagesSelf-Reliance: Individualism vs. Society Control Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of the motivational narrative Self-Reliance was written to teach the readers to follow their individual will instead of conforming to social expectations. Self-Reliance, is considered to be a short narrative that gives the audience a â€Å"pep talk on life,† which gives each individual support and a manual on how to live for those who seek to be individuals in a mass society. Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote Self-Reliance for thoseRead MoreIn the article, Genesis book of, describes how potential controversial indication that is found by800 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversial within the genesis book such as text, sources, narratives, the patriarchs and the history, etc. These details however can be controversial to conventional and traditional supporters that have been powerfully believe in the earliest explanations of the origins of the bible. In the book of Genesis, the text and author of the book was expected to be written everything by one person because of the Hebrew word as a result of a devoted to god. The articles says, â€Å"Textual variants is the glosses

Critical Thinking Doesn’t Mean Just Criticizing Free Essays

Sound thinking in every realm of life is more practical than poor thinking. When an individual is skilled in their thinking it pays off by saving time and energy. When an individual uses sound thinking they are able to control life circumstances whether good or bad. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking Doesn’t Mean Just Criticizing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Halpern, D. (2003) states, â€Å"Critical Thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. † (p. 6). Critical thinking can be also considered as teleological in nature. As well critical thinking concerns the attainment of goals and the desired outcomes from achieving them. Critical thinking is not meant just for criticizing. It is the ability to effectively evaluate evidence and use intellectual tools to avoid being gullible to highly questionable or absurd ideas. The development of critical thinking skills is vital because the skill enables people to operate in a capacity to participate effectively in society, make complex choices, commit to social justice, and reflect on beliefs and actions. Advances in technology have placed an abundance of information at the world’s finger tips. Without critical thinking a person will be unable to separate what is valuable from information that is useless. Critical thinking can be compared to strenuous movement because thinking is hard work. For example at the end of ones day if that person stayed open minded and grasped onto different ideas, that person must now evaluated the evidence supporting those ideas. The National Science Foundation surveyed public attitudes and knowledge about science, they found that 70% of American adults said they were interested in science, but fewer than 30% could give a passable definition of a scientific experiment or hypothesis. Therefore even if a person has general knowledge of critical thinking it will not ensure they will be able to recognize the difference between true and false teaching if they do not have an understanding of what constitutes scientific evidence. With proper instruction a humans thought process can become broadly applied, spontaneously generated, precisely focused, intricately complex and more insightfully divergent. To develop these skills will take practice, concentration and coaching. Critical Thinking must include critical reflection on what passes for critical thinking. However critical thinking can restrict a person to the use of criticism to approved topics and can cause one to wonder into unconventional fields of criticism. Critical thinking is not essentially a negative enterprise but should maintain the kind of criticism which is not aimed at rejection, but considers apparent knowledge on its merits, retaining whatever survives critical scrutiny. Being critical has its positive and negative sides. A writer can compose a review of an article that may or may not agree with the readings presented. The writer’s response to the material will depend on their attitude and what type of approach they are trying to bring out of the material. Therefore critical thinking is not to be taken as simple criticism. In order for a person to be an effective critical thinker they cannot accept information at face value in a non-critical or non-evaluating way. In order for critical thinking to have a positive impact in a person’s life they must have the skills of logical analysis and understand how to apply these skills. According to Passmore (1967), being critical is not simply a habit, a skill, or mastery over the art of logic. Passmore goes on to describe critical thinking as more of a character trait that causes one to ask questions about information received. A critical thinker knows how to consciously apply tactics to discover facts and understanding there meanings. The Stanley Milgram Obedience study successfully shows how a higher authority figure can use their position to encourage others under their authority to perform inhumane acts to cause harm to others. The Milgram study showed that 65% of his subjects which where residents of New Haven, were unknowingly willing to give false electric shocks of 450 volts to protesting victims. These victims were faultless for the pain that was apparently inflicted upon them however because of the authority commanded to the subjects, the subjects whether against or for the experiment continued as commanded. When put in this type of position one must have a strong sense of critical thinking to up hold what it right. This experiment surprises me at how many people will engage in activities knowing they are going cause someone else harm. It makes one wonder how people in authority who use their power to cause others harm gained such a position. One would think that this person’s superior would pick up one such an act and bring it to a stop. Not only that but why would the subordinates allow such activities to continue without reporting the situation to the proper authorities. One can only assume that fear for losing their job or level of respect would cause them to continue to adhere to authority figures whether the action being asked to perform is right or wrong. In the economy we live in today one can only assume to these actions are becoming more prevalent and people are obeying the commands given to the just to keep their careers. No one can afford to lose their job and expect to live comfortable. Instead of using critical thinking to overcome the inhumane request the subordinate just goes along with the order being given to remain in good standing with the authority figure. Had I been the participant in the Milgram study and was ordered to continue with the experiment knowing that the person I was shocking was in total disagreement and begging to stop, I would have stopped. My nature and kind heartedness would not have allowed me to continue with such an act. Not only would I have stopped with the experiment, I would have had to make the experimenter aware that what he was doing is wrong and unjust regardless of the excuse that the experiment was important. The first three questions in the think Tank self-evaluation asks you whether you believe there are right and wrong answers and authorities are those who have the right answers, there are no right answers and everyone has the right to their own opinion, and last even though the world is uncertain, we need to make decisions on what’s right or wrong. These three questions represent the three stages of cognitive development. I found myself to agree strongly with the third statement. I am at the stage in my life where I am well aware that the world is full of uncertainty but we as a society must come together and decide on what is right and what is wrong. This is the main reason we have laws, to keep control of the world. The laws give use a uniformed understanding of how our world is supposed to operate. Without laws we can expect that the world would be in chaos. Even though laws are set in place to be obeyed there are still people who set out to challenge these laws and there are others who don’t care what the law states and do whatever the will to do. However even though the laws are set in place they are not black and white. One must use there critical thinking skills to effectively apply the law in their life. This can be a shortcoming because many laws leave a lot to be interpreted as to the true meaning behind them. With this in mind if critical thinking skills are not applied one may assume they are in the right of the law and really not be because of a lack of understanding. What strengthens me at being in this position in this stage of my life is the fact that I don’t jump to rash decisions. I have learned how to take my time and evaluate each situation, weighing the facts and going with the best option available. Taking the time to do this helps to eliminate a lot of heart ache, struggle and regret. All of us have found ourselves in the position where we wished we could go back in time and change some of the decisions we have made. We all know hindsight is 20/20 and the only thing we can do is live and learn. Learn how to use critical thinking and apply to every aspect of our lives. Working a Hardee’s years ago I was placed in a position to make a decision to cook rotten chicken and serve it to the public. The manager ordered me to cook chicken that both she and I knew could be a danger to the public. Refusing in a very disrespectful manner I lost my job and was sent home with a broken heart because my intentions were good but the situation was handled in the wrong manner. I had to regroup and approach the situation from a different manner; therefore because of my beliefs I knew I could not let the situation go. Instead of remaining mad I used critical thinking to come to the conclusion that people could not suffer from eating rotten chicken and action had to be taken. At this point I called the health department and the district manager of Hardee’s and reported the situation and my concerns. By the end of day I had a call from my manager and was asked to come in for a meeting. During this meeting I was informed by the manager who fired me that if I had handled the situation in a more respectable manner she would have understood my point of view and respected it. If I had taken the time to use critical thinking and explained my standpoint for why I refused to disobey I would have never had to go to such lengths to get my point heard. Because I immediately got angry and viewed my manager as an inhumane person I criticized her and got fired. Although my initial reaction was handled in an inappropriate manner, I was able to bounce back and regain control through critical thinking and informing the appropriate authorities of the facts of the situation and regained my employment. From this I learned that critical thinking and criticism have a domino effect. One bad decision not only causes one side effect, it causes multiply until the chain is broken. In my situation the chain was broken when a thinking critical approach was taken and proper authorizes were involved. I could have been critical of what my manager had done and tried to ruin her name around the small town, but that would have only created more problems. Involving the proper authorities help to bring the situation under control, the chicken was thrown out and no one was placed in harms ways by consuming the product. I regained my employment because I stood up for what was right and changed my attitude towards the situation to gain a positive outcome. Society is often faced with the need to rapidly assess situations and make decisions under dynamic conditions and often with limited information. Sometimes the outcomes are good and sometimes they are bad. As long as humans are involved there will be injury to others in some cases which is unacceptable. Criticism can be constructive or destructive and each individual needs to evaluate themselves on which type they are using along with their critical thinking skills to gain the most positive outcomes for their experiences. How to cite Critical Thinking Doesn’t Mean Just Criticizing, Essay examples

Image and voice nursing free essay sample

One of the most diverse and powerful profession is nursing. Although it is a powerful profession the image of nursing does not reflect this. The importance of nursing is shaped by the images people see as patients, family members, members of a community and in the media. Over time there have been many images of nursing from angels to sexual cartoons. There have been many nurses who have had a voice and portrayed nursing in a positive light. Leaders and educators within the nursing profession must be the voice of the nursing profession to empower nurses to engage journalist, media, and the public in the profession of nursing. Historical Image of Nursing Throughout the years there have been many nurses that have imprinted a positive image of nurses such as Clara Barton, Walt Whitman, and Dorothea Dix. One of the most iconic images of nurses is Florence Nightingale who is still perceived as the leader of research and promoting the nursing profession. We will write a custom essay sample on Image and voice nursing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Florence Nightingale was a voice for nursing by changing perceptions of nursing through her efforts to reform the British military health care system, education, and research, especially in hygiene and reduction of death rates due to infections. It was her work during the Crimean War that started the tales of the â€Å"Lady with the Lamp† (Small, 2000). She had over 200 publications, with her most famous and well known book Notes on Nursing which served as the curriculum at the Nightingale school of nursing and eventually other schools. Throughout her career she continued promoting the need to improving patient care by utilizing the press (Monteiro, 1985). Upon her death she had become one of the most influential women of the 19th century. Her lantern represents the positive light of the nursing profession. Nursing Portrayal in the Media Television is one of the most popular news mediums in America today. The portrayal and images of nursing on television have for the most part been fictional and distorted. Negative stereotypes such as, overbearing, sexual, and incompetence make up most of the television shows and sitcoms. One television show that portrayed such an image was the series MASH, with one main character named Hot Lips Houlihan. Hot Lips was a loud, red-lipstick wearing nurse with large breasts, and was depicted as a sex object more than a nurse. Cartoons and print images have also taken part in the misrepresentation of the nursing profession such as the cartoon character Betty Boop as a nurse, and the popular naughty nurse outfits. These images stereotype nurses in a negative way, and are not reflective of the true value nurses provide to their patients and the community. Nursing is frequently seen as emotional work, assistants to physicians and not focusing on the contributions to research for improving patient care and the everyday clinical challenges they face. The information provided to the media is invaluable in making the nursing profession visible. When communicating with the media, nurses must be credible, enthusiastic and display a professional appearance (Buresh Gordon,2006). As the image of nursing has changed over the years so has the nurses’ appearance. Uniform companies have played a big role in how nurses dress today, with the inundation of uniform catalogs and hundreds of pages of cartoon character scrubs such as, Betty Boop, Snoopy, and an array of animal characters. Why do nurses not want to earn the respect so well deserved? If we were to look at other professions such as firefighters and police officers they have a strict dress code and would not think to throw on a tee shirt with goofy imprinted all over themselves while out on patrol or fighting a fire. What has happened to the official white uniform that represented nurses? Nurses are severely under-represented in print media, including in the area of health care coverage. Organizational public relations and marketing departments are very often focused on presenting highly trained physicians and â€Å"caring† nurses. It is up to nurse leaders and executives to educate journalists about development in nursing (Buresh Gordon, 2006). The internet is emerging to be the single most information medium out today, reaching more than 2 billion people worldwide. One way to utilize the internet is by blogging, which allows nurses to educate, connect and express themselves with others. Another way to utilize the internet is through a professional web site known as LinkedIn which allows a user to create a professional profile to include education, career history, recommendations and professional connections. This is a wonderful way for nurses to network and connect with each other to share ideas and help promote the profession. With the technology available today, nurses not only have an increased opportunity, but an increased duty to share their knowledge and expertise with the public through television, radio, internet, and print. Leadership and staff impact Public perception of what nurses do and contributions that nurses give to improve patient care can be influenced by nurse executives and nurse leaders. Organizations must promote nursing in a positive light. One way organizations can change the perception of nursing is by assessing what is presented on the organization’s web sites. According to Janet Kasoff (2006), few web sites include nursing images that are clear in the role of the nurse and services that are provided by nurses. There is a deficit in promoting the value of nurses and services they provide. Another way organizations can promote nurses is through community advertisements, newsletters, and accomplishments made by nurses within an organization. Many organizations do not take the initiative to promote nurses and what is promoted is usually brought about by nurses themselves. Nurse managers need to encourage their staff to obtain certifications in their respective field. Nurses must also take responsibility for their own career development. Nurse leaders and executives within an organization have the capability of networking with professional associations and committees to utilize their power within the organization to shape policies and make decisions . Promoting a nursing career should be a professional obligation and should be incorporated in every nursing school and organization. There are varied ways that the image of nursing can be changed. Communication which can reflect interest or disengagement is very important, and nurse leaders can act as role models for staff by promoting the image of nursing, and promoting further education and networking. This is will allow the public view nurses in a positive light, and also assists in educating the public in all the services nursing profession has to offer. Nurse leaders can also promote a positive image for nursing by visiting and speaking at their local high schools and colleges to encourage and recruit potential future nurses. Organizations need to take steps in describing what nurses do and the contributions nurses provide to the community. Future Challenges in Nursing Future challenges in nursing include shortages, predictions state that by the year 2015 there will be a shortage of 256,000 nurses across the country (Smith, 2009). The need for higher- level educated nurses. Is one factor in the nursing shortage. Nursing programs are filled to capacity, not because there are so many applicants for programs, but because there are not enough nursing instructors to meet the demand. Another cause for the nursing shortage is the retirement of the â€Å"baby boomer† generation. With their retirement also goes years of clinical experience, knowledge and clinical judgment. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported the need for highly educated nurses is increasing due to the realities of health care in the 21st century. During the 20th century the focus of health care and education was on acute illnesses versus today which is geared more to preventable illness and caring for chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure and hypertension(Report at a Glance, 2010). Allowing nurses to practice to their full extent as allowed by their education would allow for improvements to the health care system. Many barriers such as regulations and governmental policies have stifled nurse’s roles; one example is a Nurse Practitioners (NP) role. NP’s are educated as an advanced practice nurse and as such, are allowed to see patients and prescribe medications without physician supervision. Although this is a positive step, there are still many states that do not endorse the Nurse Practitioner.. Conclusion Historically the image of nurses is reflected by pictures of handling bedpans, bandaging men, or sitting reading a book at the bedside. Although these images are real, the profession of nursing has evolved to one of research, leadership, and educators. Image is crucial to how one is perceived in public. Nurses must be cognizant of how they act, speak, and interact in the world. According to Yoder-Wise (2011), â€Å"if nurses think they are powerful, other’s will view themselves as powerful (perceived power)†. . Nurses are responsible for their professional image and have an accountability to promote nursing as a profession. We as nurses must take pride in what we do and all we have to offer, and ensure the public is educated in what a diverse profession nursing is.