Energy Storage Of Renewable Energy Generation - 1423 Words

UTILIZING ENERGY STORAGE TO INCREASE THE PROLIFERATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION AND SOLVE INTERMITTENCY WHILE STABILIZNG THE GRID Brandon Oldham | Vermont Law School | Fall 2015 Energy Policy in a Carbon Constrained World | Michael Dworkin The energy storage field is ripe for investment and investments now can not only lead to financial returns in the future, but doing so can help usher in an industry that may just be able to put the energy sector on a path towards zero carbon emissions while improving grid reliability and security. Think about the boom of the plastics industry following the electrification of the United States, which coincided with the boom of the oil industry. Now fast-forward to today with discussions surrounding microgrid electrification aided in part by the acceleration of solar pho- tovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine renewable energy installations. In terms of rapid growth and in- vestment opportunity, the storage industry today is analogous to the plastics industry of the 1930s. Storage is a field that is born from the coinciding boom of a new type of energy generation (renewable) and a new system for electrification (microgrids). Energy storage, in combination with innovative real time dynamic pricing and renewable electricity generation, can be utilized to mitigate grid power disruptions, inefficiencies inherent in the current supply and demand of electricity to and from the grid, and limit the waste of elec- tricity generated from renewableShow MoreRelatedEssay On Hybrid Thermal Compressed Air Energy Storage849 Words   |  4 Pagesincreasing interest in the adoption of renewable energy sources. However, the integration of renewable sources in our existing infrastructure is challenging, as renewable generation is unstable and intermittent by nature. Energy storage compensates for the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources, by storing energy during surplus power production periods and discharging the stored energy during low production periods. Compressed Air Energy Storage has received much attention as a viableRead MoreHybrid Thermal Compressed Air Energy Storage Essay836 Words   |  4 Page sto increased interest in the adoption of renewable energy sources. However, the integration of renewable sources in our existing infrastructure is challenging, as renewable generation is unstable and intermittent by nature. Energy storage compensates for the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources, by storing energy during surplus power production periods and discharging the stored energy during low production periods. Compressed Air Energy Storage has received much attention as a viableRead MoreHybrid Energy Using Solar And Wind1195 Words   |  5 PagesHybrid energy using solar and wind Sustainable conservation Abstract Hybrid energy systems are being used in rural areas as the advances in renewable energy technology are increasing. Hybrid power consist of two or more renewable energy sources used collectively to provide efficient and balanced energy supply. If multiple energy storage devices with complementary performance characteristics are used together, the resulting hybrid system can reduce the cost of energy storage over singleRead MoreHybrid Wind And Solar Hybrid Generation System867 Words   |  4 Pagestype of energy solutions to preserve the earth for the future generations has become a prerequisite. Other than hydro power, many such energy sources like wind and solar energy is highly potential sources to meet our energy demands. Systems which uses two or more renewable energy sources is is better than the single source system in terms of cost, efficiency and reliability. Standalone Wind/solar hybrid generation system offers a reliable and better solution to distributed generation for remoteRead MoreAustralia Is Committed For The Clean Energy Target Of 33000gwh By The Year 20201272 Words   |  6 Pagesawareness of environmental issues, Australia is committed to the clean energy target of 33,000GWh by the year 2020. Integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) in low voltage system will play an important role in fulfilling the target. In order to accommodate DERs, the structure and control strategies of the modern power systems is moving from traditional centralised generation and control structure to localized generation and control and coordination [1]. However, it possesses a variety ofRead MoreEssay about Electrochemical Energy Storage for Electrical Grid1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe current worldwide electric generation is estimated to be about 20terra-watt hours [1]. Almost 68% of the electrical supply is generated by using fossil fuels as the raw material, nuclear accounts for 14%, hydro 15% and the remaining 3% is from renewable resources. The worldwide electrical demand is going to double by the mid-century and triple by the end of century. As the demand will increase so will the generation, which means more fossil fuels will be used which in turn will create more environmentalRead MoreEnergy Crisis : Individual Research Briefing1629 Words   |  7 Pages Tasmanian Energy Crisis Individual Research Briefing Paper Haya Daghlas | ID: 785864 | 19 September 2016â€Æ' Executive Summary 300 Words Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1 Introduction 4 1.1 Background 4 1.2 Purpose and Scope 4 1.3 Client 4 1.4 The Structure 4 2 Meeting the current energy demand 5 2.1 Findings 5 2.1.1 Energy Capacity and demand in Tasmania 5 2.1.2 The Tasmanian Energy Crisis 6 2.1.3 Temporary response 6 2.1.4 The Tamar Valley Power Station (TVPS)Read MoreAdvantages Of Optimum Design Of Islanded Microgrid863 Words   |  4 PagesBuilding in Myanmar Abstract: Renewable energy sources in energy generation can decrease the costs of system fuel and also can have desirable impact on reliability of system. According to the weather condition in Myanmar, solar energy is the best renewable energy source to provide electricity for both urban and rural areas. The islanded microgrid system optimization that is composed of the photovoltaic (PV) system, battery energy storage system (BESS), and diesel generation system (DGS) is proposed forRead MoreDc Link Voltage Based Islanded Operation And Control1310 Words   |  6 Pagesawareness of environmental issues, Australia is committed to the clean energy target of 33,000GWh by the year 2020. Integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) in a low voltage system will play an important role in fulfilling the target. In order to accommodate DERs, the structure and control strategies of the modern power systems is moving from traditional centralised generation and control structure to local ized generation and control and coordination [1]. However, it possesses a variety ofRead MoreWhy Wind Energy Is Important?1471 Words   |  6 Pages†¢ Introduction....................................................p.1 †¢ Why Wind energy is important? ...........................p.1 †¢ Installed capacity of renewable energy in India..........p.2 †¢ Advantages.....................................................p.3 †¢ Economy of one wind farm..................................p.4 †¢ Government contribution....................................p.4 †¢ Challenges............................................................p.5 †¢ Suggestion for Improvement

normative theory and policy evaluation Essay - 1136 Words

I. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS An interesting question concerns the ethical obligations of people who do policy analysis research. Such research often involves ethical dilemmas that relate to: 1. Whether ones purposes should include prescription or evaluation, as well as prediction or explanation. 2. Whether or not to work to maximize the interests of a political party, special interest group, or only general societal interests. 3. Focusing on intended consequences versus all consequences. 4. Efficiency versus equity as policy goals. 5. Evaluation along versus evaluation plus diverse replication as an obligation. 6. Cost-incurring versus cost-saving in research. 7. Whether or not to share ones raw data. 8. Research validity†¦show more content†¦2. Bringing up the bottom with regard to those who are least well off, as expounded by John Rawls. 3. Doing things that make everyone better off or at least no one worse off, as expounded by Vilfredo Pareto. Benefits refer to whatever the society and/or its leaders consider desirable. Costs refer to whatever is considered undesirable. Benefits and costs can refer to monetary or nonmonetary effects. Benefits and costs are interchangeable concepts depending on how they are worded. Thus, high employment is a benefit, and high unemployment is a cost, but they are the complements or inverses of each other. It makes more sense to subtract Normative Theory 89 costs from benefits in talking about overall goals than dividing costs by benefits. The subtraction criterion gives more of a net gain to ones original assets when one project is better on B-C, but another is better on B/C. Other overall goals are also defective, such as (1) merely maximizing benefits without considering costs, (2) merely minimizing costs without considering missed benefits, (3) maximizing benefits subject to a maximum cost level, (4) minimizing costs subject to a minimum benefit level, or (5) maximizing change in benefits divided by change in costs. The fifth alternative is only a means to maximizing benefits minus costs. The third and fourth alternativesShow MoreRelatedDemocracy1022 Words   |  5 PagesNormative democratic theory deals with the moral foundations of democracy and democratic institutions. It is distinct from descriptive and explanatory democratic theory. It does not offer in the first instance a scientific study of those societies that are called democratic. It aims to provide an account of when and why democracy is morally desirable as well as moral principles for guiding the design of democratic institutions. Of course, normative democratic theory is inherently inte rdisciplinaryRead MoreCritical Assessment And Communication Of Policy889 Words   |  4 Pagesguiding this study conceptualizes policy analysis as a multidisciplinary inquiry aimed at the creation, critical assessment and communication of policy-relevant information. Policy analysis is a problem-solving discipline. To solve practical problems, the analysis draws on social science methods and theories (Dunn, 2012). The methodology of policy analysis is a process of â€Å"reasoned inquiry aimed at finding solutions to practical problems† (Dunn, 2012 pp. 3). Policy analysis is methodologically heterogeneous;Read MoreA Short Note On Hed 525 Exam # 11323 Words   |  6 Pagessmart group! 1.Why do we have an entire class devoted to Health Behavior Theory?(2 pts) What is its value or application to the field of Health Education/Promotion/Public Health?(2 pts) How do professionals in our field use theory to help address health-related problems? (2 pts) An entire class is devoted to Health Behavior Theories due to the following: To gain knowledge and a foundation on how to use theories. Theories can guide the search to understand why people do or do not practice healthRead MoreBasic Methods Of Policy Analysis And Planning1163 Words   |  5 PagesThis paper is a review of Chapters 1, 2 and 3 in Patton, Sawicki, and Clark, (2012) third edition, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning. Chapter 1 discusses problem review, the analysis of difficult problems, the complexity of problems and how the decision makers will make their decisions (Patton, 2012, p. 2, 3). Chapter 2 examines the policy analysis process, the types of policy analysis, the role of the analyst and ethical considerations. Chapter 3 discusses the gathering of data, interviewingRead MoreBrief Description Of Public Policy953 Words   |  4 PagesPart A: Brief description of public policy †¢ Policy refers to a distinct path of action that is suitable for the pursuit of desired goals within a particular context, directing the decision-making or behavior of an organization or individual. There are three key elements of policies: problem definition, goals to be achieved, and policy instruments to address the problem and achieve the goal. The policy process is an activity of balancing different solutions that address aspects of complex problems:Read MoreThe On Maximizing Utility By Thomas Jefferson s Pursuit Of Happiness899 Words   |  4 Pages(Powdthavee, 2007). In other words, traditional economic theory assumes that people are expected utility maximizers and that facing a choice, a person will always select an option that provides her with the best financial outcome. Since the 1970s, however, scholars have been exploring a descriptive rather than normative approach to decision-making. Behavioral economists have shown that people rarely behave in the way assumed by classical economic theory and hence maximizing financial gains is not alwaysRead MoreEthical Implications Of Ethical Issues Essay1147 Words   |  5 Pages(Pelsmacker, Drisen and Rayp, 2005). Figure 1.1: Source: (Shaw and Shiu, 2003) 1.1.1. Theory of Reasoned Action/Theory of Planned Behavior The consumer ethical perspective can be defined by the â€Å"self-image†. The consumer would adopt ethical consumption as much as the ethical issues have become important to their self-identity. The consumer not always makes decision according to the Theory of Reasoned Action/Theory of Planned Behavior rather is also driven by value to other and self-identificationRead MoreDecision Making And The Prospect Theory1490 Words   |  6 Pagesdecision maker. In the first part of this essay, we will explore the Expected Utility theory and the Prospect Theory, which are normative and descriptive approaches to making decisions with inherent risks. The first part of the essay argues that Expected Utility Theory is a less viable hypothesis to decision making and is fundamentally flawed compared to the Prospect Theory in description and function. Prospect theory is a better model for decision making because firstly, decisions are not often madeRead MoreUtilitarianism : A Ethical Theory13 81 Words   |  6 PagesUtilitarianism is a normative theory that describes how one ought to act by evaluating the consequences of actions, thus utilitarianism is a breed of consequentialism. Consequences determine whether an act is right or wrong, so one ought to act to produce the best results. The best result is the one that maximizes utility, or produces the largest amount of good. Utilitarians define good as pleasure or happiness, since it is the only thing that is intrinsically good. This is not to say that utilitariansRead MoreSocial Responsibility Theory1420 Words   |  6 PagesResponsibility Theory To combat the pressures that threatened freedom of the press, this theory was first introduced in 1947 and was recommended by the Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press. It stated that the media should serve the public, and in order to do so, should remain free of government interference. It defined guidelines that the media should follow in order to fulfill its obligation of serving the public. Ethics and the Media The Social Responsibility Theory claimed that the

Australia East Timor Border Conflict - Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Australia East Timor Border Conflict. Answer: Introduction: By and large, the border disagreement between Australia and East Timor is very important and controversial. Mainly, this is due to the fact the pre-existing relationship between the two neighboring countries. Before the beginning of the border dispute, Australia had taken keen interest in helping the country regain its peace during the Indonesian-led violence. At this time, it was thought that Australia extended its help to Timor in good faith, but now it appears as though it had vested interest in the countrys oil reserves (Henriss, 2015). However, it turns out that East Timors oil has long been Australias weakness and managed to short-change its neighbor out of billions of dollars of government revenue. Both nations claim an interest in the lucrative Greater Sunrise gas field (Strating, 2016). Indeed, this aspect makes the disagreement contentious. Additionally, the fact that the conflict creates considerable implications for Timors future security and viability as an independent s tate makes the border disagreement controversial management. It is worth pointing out that Australia actions before and during the border conflicts reflects cruelty and greed. Particularly, the nation undertook premeditated moves after Timor gained independence to ensure it gains an upper hand in disputes arising on the oil field. As such, Australia withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction of international courts and tribunals on matters relating to maritime boundary delimitation. As a result. Timor cannot take any legal claims to a third-party arbitrator and is forced to negotiate with Australia (Strating, 2016). One may argue that the withdrawal was premeditated in preparation for the dispute, long before the border conflict began. All along, Australia disguised itself as a concerned neighbor while setting its eyes on Timors lucrative resources. Reference List Henriss, C. (2015). I thought Australia wanted to help East Timor, not take its oil. [Online] ABC News. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-21/henriss-address-the-oil-injustice/6790978 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2018]. Strating, R. (2016). What you need to know about Timor-Leste and Australia's sea border fight. [Online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-timor-leste-and-australias-sea-border-fight-67377 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2018].

The poetic techniques utilised to create the snowy scene Essay Example For Students

The poetic techniques utilised to create the snowy scene Essay Hardy uses some very effective language in the next couple of lines to describe the snows movement. The phrases, flakes have lost their way and grope back upward and meandering down they turn and descend again are extremely effective and give a good impression of how the snow weaves and how the flakes actually move. The next verse describes the effect of the snow on a sparrow, where it so nearly buries the sparrow. Hardy describes the scene thus: a snow-lump thrice his own size, descends on him and overturns him and near inurns him. We will write a custom essay on The poetic techniques utilised to create the snowy scene specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This portrays the sparrow as being overpowered by the snow and the language used is once again effective. The poem ends with a description of a cat, where we can come to the conclusion of the cat being thin and cold as well as struggling with the snow. The last line involves a human being for the first time throughout the poem; black cat comes, wide-eyed and thin; and we take him in. The fact that there is no human involvement until the last line of the poem emphasises that the poem is about snow and how it affects living things. Hardy describes in detail the snows effect and conveys his message with the use of strong vocabulary and effective language. Edward Thomas poem Snow describes the experience of a child with snow and her innocence. Thomas begins the poem by describing the snows silencing effect and the phrase; gloom of whiteness in the first line sets the scene for the poem very well. This is owing to it being an oxymoron; the gloom being the dark side whilst the whiteness is the snow. Thomas uses direct speech in his poem to describe the childs emotions; bitterly sighing. The use of these strong adverbs describes the snows effect very well as it portrays the childs bitterness at the bird dying. The birds feathers are what the child thinks is causing the snow to fall as when the bird died the scene created is very gloomy. The poem ends with the effective phrase, and still it fell though that dusky brightness, on the child crying for the bird of the snow. This explains that the snow continues to fall even though the child is crying. Thomas describes the effect of the snow on the child very cleverly by mixing the childs emotions with the snow the child believes its snowing because of the birds death. All three poets use a contrasting variety of poetic techniques in their poems. Bridges uses a variety of alliteration to good effect; lessened the load, silently sifting, road roof and railing. All of these examples evoke ideas that Bridges is trying to portray such as the silencing effect. This can be seen in the phrase stillness of solemn air. Bridges also uses a metaphor to describe the precious nature of the snow; they gathered up the crystal manna describing how the children are collecting the snow. Personification is used by Bridges in the phrase his sparkling beams. This suggests the sun as being extremely important. Furthermore, Bridges uses onomatopoeia to evoke action into the poem; muffling and plunging are examples of this. The rhyme scheme of London Snow is an ABAB where every other word rhymes. This is evident with the fact that the pace of the poem quickens. Hardy uses a number of poetic techniques as well. A simile is used in the phrase every fork like a white web-foot which implies that the twigs appear as a ducks foot. Hardy uses assonance to effect with the phrase, snow-lump thrice his own slight size and also alliteration; waft of wind with the fleecy fall, which both describe the snows movement. .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .postImageUrl , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:hover , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:visited , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:active { border:0!important; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:active , .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492 .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9734c9983ca37ed1546f1964cf0cd492:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Great is their powers EssayThe rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB which are rhyming couplets and the pace of the poem does not quicken whereas Bridges does. Thomas poem Snow is a completely different concept to the other two poems as a result of the whole poem being a metaphor. This is owing to the snow being portrayed as the birds feathers. There is sign of alliteration though, where Silence of snow is used to describe the snow as a silencer. There is no consistent rhyme scheme to the poem whereas there is in the other two poems. All three of the poems have a contrasting structure. Bridges structure is a thirty seven line poem with three line stanzas and a total of four sentences are used throughout the poem. Apart from the beginning and the end of the poem, every third line is indented. Hardy, however, has used four verses and where the first contains eight lines and the other three contain four lines. There are four sentences just as in Bridges poem. Thomas poem is an eight line verse and contains two sentences throughout the poem rather than the four that Bridges and Hardy used. In conclusion, I feel Robert Bridges has effectively created the snowy scene in his poem London Snow. I believe the detail of the description he has used has worked effectively as it portrays a magical Impression of the snow. Bridges uses a variety of adjectives and verbs to describe the snow and how it can transform a scene; Stifling, Incessantly, and Silently sifting are a few examples of adjectives used to describe the scene. Bridges creates many ideas and messaged to do with the snow such as how at first it can be magical and pure but it can then be ruined by people walking on it. I feel this portrays the snowy scene well and depicts exactly what happens owing to the snow being uncontrollable. The fact that Bridges has used many poetic techniques makes his poem effective. He uses a number of alliterative phrases including Silently Sifting which describes the snows silencing effect. Furthermore, he uses metaphors, onomatopoeia and personification. Therefore after assessing all three poems, I have reached the conclusion that Robert Bridges poem London Snow is the most effective in creating the snowy scene.

Free Essays on Spyware, The Newest Form Of Privacy Invasion

, and recording credit card numbers. Spywar... Free Essays on Spyware, The Newest Form Of Privacy Invasion Free Essays on Spyware, The Newest Form Of Privacy Invasion In a study of 3 million computers, over 83 million spyware programs were found. Spy-ware, which is deceitfully installed by malicious attackers, is an ever increasing problem among professional and home computer users worldwide. It not only causes performance problems for computers, but can also damage the computer’s hardware. It infects an estimated 80% of all computers worldwide, and many users have no idea what "spyware" is. Anyone who uses a computer should educate themselves on what spyware is, how it gets onto computers, and how to protect themselves. If people have no knowledge of what spyware is how can they protect their computer properly? Many people have heard about spyware and are purchasing programs to help protect their selves from it, but this is not always the best solution. Many legitimate software programs contain an information-gathering functionality that they need in order to perform properly. These include error reporting applications, troubleshooting and maintenance programs, security protocols, and Internet browsers. These small windows into computer’s security systems are there for legitimate programs that need some access to properly display their products and services, and if people install blocking tools that block all communication on those ports, then they also block the legitimate programs also. Spyware companies’ exploit this built in access to read personal or private information stored on computers. These programs can have devastating effects on a computer. Once a spyware program is installed on a computer it can be almost impossible to detect or remove. Sometimes multiple spyware programs can infect a computer and slow down the system to the point that it is almost useless. Spyware is the most commonly used tool for criminals committing identity theft. Spyware can perform many tasks, such as; recording keystrokes, recording passwords, and recording credit card numbers. Spywar...

Observations on Eloquence in Writing and Speaking

Observations on Eloquence in Writing and Speaking Definition Eloquence is the art or practice of using fluent, forceful, and persuasive discourse. Its adjectival form is  eloquent  and its adverb form is  eloquently. Etymology The word  eloquence  derives from the Old French word  eloquent, which itself came from the Latin  eloquens.  That Latin word essentially had the same meaning as the modern  eloquent  and pointed to a talent for speaking well. Its Latin etymology points to this as well:  e  (a preposition meaning  out  or  outwards) and  loqui  (the verb for  to speak). Elements Eloquence is generally considered an asset when it comes to spoken and written language. The art of using eloquent language in a persuasive manner is called  rhetoric, and the two often go hand in hand. However, eloquence differs from rhetoric in that rhetoric, by its very definition, has a purpose: convincing someone of something. Eloquence may be used in rhetoric, but it can also exist for its own sake of simply appreciating and using the possibilities of language. Eloquence can be achieved in a wide variety of ways. There are some elements or techniques that are generally important. Things like interesting word choice, varied sentence structure, repetition, and logical progression of ideas all may play a role. For more information on the elements of rhetorical style, try: Anti-RhetoricCopiaDeclamationThe English Manner of Discourse, by Thomas SpratEuphonyFormal Style and Informal StyleOratoryPhonaestheticsRhetoricSamuel Johnson on the Bugbear StyleWhat Is Style?Wisdom Speaking Eloquently Observations Writers, thinkers, and rhetoricians have had plenty of things to say about the virtues of eloquence over time. See some of their observations below: Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things.(Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries, 1630)They are eloquent who can speak low things acutely, and of great things with dignity, and of moderate things with temper.(Cicero, The Orator)In a word, to feel your subject thoroughly, and to speak without fear, are the only rules of eloquence.(Oliver Goldsmith, Of Eloquence, 1759)Today it is not the classroom nor the classics which are the repositories of models of eloquence, but the ad agencies.(Marshall McLuhan, The Mechanical Bride, 1951)Denis Donoghue on the Gift of EloquenceEloquence, as distinct from rhetoric, has no aim: it is a play of words or other expressive means. It is a gift to be enjoyed in appreciation and practice. The main attribute of eloquence is gratuitousness: its place in the world is to be without place or function, its mode is to be intrinsic. Like beauty, it claims only the privilege of being a grace note in the culture that permits it . . . .[T]he qualities of writing I care about are increasingly hard to expound: aesthetic finesse, beauty, eloquence, style, form, imagination, fiction, the architecture of a sentence, the bearing of rhyme, pleasure, how to do things with words. It has become harder to persuade students that these are real places of interest and value in a poem, a play, a novel, or an essay in the New Yorker. . . .It is regrettable that undergraduate education is already turned toward the professional and managerial skills on which students will depend for a livelihood. Those skills do not include eloquence or an appreciation of eloquence: each profession has its own ways of speech, corresponding to its pragmatic purposes and values.(Denis Donoghue, On Eloquence. Yale University Press, 2008) Kenneth Burke on Eloquence and LiteratureEloquence itself . . . is no mere plaster added to a framework of more stable qualities. Eloquence is simply the end of art, and is thus its essence. Even the poorest art is eloquent, but in a poor way, with less intensity, until this aspect is obscured by others fattening upon its leanness. Eloquence is not showiness . . ..The primary purpose of eloquence is not to enable us to live our lives on paperit is to convert life into its most thorough verbal equivalent. The categorical appeal of literature resides in a liking for verbalization as such, just as the categorical appeal of music resides in a liking for musical sounds as such.(Kenneth Burke, Counter-Statement. Harcourt, 1931)Sterne on Two Kinds of EloquenceThere are two sorts of eloquence. The one indeed scarce deserves the name of it, which consists chiefly in laboured and polished periods, an over-curious and artificial arrangement of figures, tinselled over with a gaudy embellishment of words, which glitter, but convey little or no light to the understanding. This kind of writing is for the most part much affected and admired by people of weak judgment and vicious taste. . . . The other sort of eloquence is quite the reverse of this; and which may be said to be the true characteristic of the holy scriptures, where the excellence does not arise from a laboured and far-fetched elocution, but from a surprising mixture of simplicity and majesty, which is a double character, so difficult to be united, that it is seldom to be met with in compositions merely human.(Laurence Sterne, Sermon 42: Search the Scriptures, 1760) David Hume on Modern EloquenceIt may be pretended, that the decline of eloquence is owing to the superior good sense of the moderns, who reject with disdain all those rhetorical tricks employed to seduce the judges, and will admit of nothing but solid argument in any debate of deliberation. . . . Now, banish the pathetic from public discourses, and you reduce the speakers merely to modern eloquence; that is, to good sense delivered in proper expression.(David Hume, An Essay on Eloquence, 1742)Pope on False and True EloquenceWords are like leaves; and where they most abound,Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found:False Eloquence, like the prismatic glass,Its gaudy colours spreads on every place;The face of Nature we no more survey,All glares alike, without distinction gay;But true expression, like th unchanging Sun,Clears and improves whateer it shines upon;It gilds all objects, but it alters none.(Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, 1711)Milton on Eloquence and TruthFor me, re aders, although I cannot say that I am utterly untrained in those rules which best rhetoricians have given, or unacquainted with those examples which the prime authors of eloquence have written in any learned tongue; yet true eloquence I find to be none, but the serious and hearty love of truth: and that whose mind soever is fully possessed with a fervent desire to know good things, and with the dearest charity to infuse the knowledge of them into others, when such a man would speak, his words (by what I can express) like so many nimble and airy servitors trip about him at command, and in well-ordered files, as he would wish, fall aptly into their own places.(John Milton, An Apology for Smectymnuus, 1642) Pronunciation: EH-le-kwents

Professional Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Professional Research Methods - Essay Example Other concerns about the applicability of quantitative methodologies to in-dept examination of complex social phenomena include taking the collected data out of the real-world setting, poor representativeness and generalisation of data, exclusion of discovery from the realm of scientific inquiry, etc. The institutional structure of business and management research has also reacted to the criticism of the positivist paradigm. Increasing numbers of qualitative studies published domestically and internationally have challenged the traditional view of qualitative research paradigm as the inferior to the more rigorous and reliable quantitative methodology. The aim of this paper is to identify the major research designs and techniques associated with each methodology and to provide explanation on the views about the nature of knowledge (epistemology) and the nature of reality (ontology) underlying these perspectives. There are various classifications of methods used in the area of professional research, but the most common classification splits the methods into two large groups, namely quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative methodology employs methods historically applied in the natural (physical) sciences. The primary task of quantitative research is to ensure validity and reliability of results (Dingwall et al, 1998). Examples of quantitative methods widely used in the social sciences and business and management research are survey methods, formal methods (e.g. econometrics), laboratory experiments and several numerical methods (e.g. mathematical modelling) (Myers, 1997). Quantitative research implies standardized questionnaires and methods of data analysis, specific position of the researcher whom is considered external to the research, replicability of the results regardless of the context, etc (Wainer and Braun, 1998). While reliability and validity are the most often cited strengths of the quantitative methodology, poor applicability of this methodology to exploration of a phenomenon, which is difficult or impossible to quantify, is considered a serious weakness. The main drawback that limits applicability of quantitative methods is the so-called 'decontextualization': models constructed on the basis of data obtained through quantitative methods do not take into account certain variables that act in the real world context (Patton, 1987). Qualitative methodology utilizes a naturalistic approach seeking to understand phenomena in a specific context, such as "real world setting [where] the researcher does not attempt to manipulate the phenomenon of interest" (Patton, 2002: 39). The broad definition of qualitative research is "any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification" (Strauss and Corbin, 1990: 17). Qualitative research reveals findings observed in the real world context where the phenomena being studied unfold naturally (Patton, 2002). The motivation underlying qualitative research is the researchers desire to understand the social and cultural phenomena within the real-world setting. Qualitative methods are designed to

Human behavior in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Human behavior in the workplace - Essay Example This report also includes the main issues that are faced within organisations due to difference in personalities and the traits of individuals. Some of the normal issues faced within organisations due to a mix of different personalities are discussed within this section. Firstly due to the different personalities within an organisation the management of the organisation will face a number of issues to motivate the employees. It will require taking different steps for every individual to motivate the employees. This can cause the organisation to spend a lot of time and resources in trying to motivate each individual. Also this could at times cause a feeling of inequality among the employees and could make it even more difficult for the management to motivate employees (Harvard Business Review, 2000). Also the different personalities cause a high possibility of conflicts of interest within the organisation, and different perspectives in relations to issues. These issues can cause a very unpleasant working environment for the employees. This does not only effect the employee’s motivations but also the mental stability and peacefulness. An unhealthy working environment also leads to employees loosing interest in work and can lead to absenteeism. These leads the employees to face stress in regards to work. Friedman and Rosenman, scholars have in their work have displayed the importance of the relationship between personality and health. They presented in their work that negative emotional states of employees including depression and work life stress can prove to be very disadvantageous to their health. Employees, who have a negative emotional state of mind, have been studied to have various disorders like asthma, headaches and ulcers. Also these employees tend to be more prone to lack in confidence, assertiveness in relationships, poor time management skills as well as poor stress management

Existing Direct Tax System and Proposed Direct Tax Code in India Essay Example for Free

Existing Direct Tax System and Proposed Direct Tax Code in India Essay Tax is defined as a compulsory payment made to the government by the individuals firms and companies without any expectation of a direct return. In general there are two types of tax system prevailing in our country. One is direct tax and other is indirect tax. Here we will restrict our discussion to direct tax only. Direct taxes are those the burden of which cannot be shifted, that is incidence and impact is on the same person. In India the tax law is governed by the finance act. The amendments are brought through budget every year which is issued on the last date of February. There have been various arguments in regard to the complexity of the tax laws. The new tax system which is proposed basically focuses on the principle of equality and simplicity. Instead of having different explanations of tax laws under different umbrellas all the laws will be brought under one head. The new tax system will be highly focused on the matter that the richer should pay heavier tax and vice-versa. For this regard the exemption limit and tax slabs will be expanded higher. Moreover under new taxation laws various taxes like securities transaction tax will also be abolished thus making the code an efficient one. With the new tax code being implemented in India one can expect to have free trade across the length and breadth of the country and peace in the bags of investors. Thus, the new tax system is an attempt to create a system with minimum loopholes of the existing system, thus contributing to the national benefit.

Essays --

This essay will assess research into the impact of globalization on inflation and discuss whether it has weekend the ability of central banks to control the dynamics of inflation. The ability of central banks to control the rates of inflation may be substantially complicated by the increased globalization of the goods markets, factor markets and the financial markets (Woodford, 2007). The ability of national banks to influence the dynamics of inflation through monetary policy may be undermined by globalization. The central bank’s primary goal is to maintain price stability by regulating the level of inflation through monetary policy. Globalization increases trade both within and across countries (Schwerhoff & Sy, 2013). Through communicating their policy intentions regarding the future short-term interest rates, central banks can affect also the current longer-term rates (Tang, 2011). The new consensus (DSGE) Model incorporates four components, the output gap equation, the Phillip’s curve, the exchange rate equation and the Policy Rule (Woodford, 2007). The policy rule incorporates the Taylor rule which stipulates the amount a central bank should change the nominal interest rates in response to changes in inflation, output or other economic conditions. It also incorporates the idea of the inconsistent trinity, (sovereign monetary policy, fixed exchange rate and free capital flow) where only two of these can be possible at any given time. The impact of globalization on the effectiveness of monetary policy is now at the center of international macroeconomics literature with the recent experience of inflation accelerating the large number of industrial and emerging market countries (Ãâ€"zatay & Ãâ€"zmen, 2008). They support the idea tha... ...lely on their domestic economy (The Economist, 2005). Even though this may suggest that globalization has been able to combat the nature of inflation mistakes by central banks could allow it to break out again. (The Economist, 2005). This is partly due to the fact that a number of central banks make their decisions based on the actions of other central banks such as the Federal Reserve in the US (Rogoff, 2006). An example of this would be with number of Asian and oil producing countries will stabilize their currencies against the US dollar, which implies that the policies enacted by the Fed can still have an impact on global interest rates. (Fisher, 2006) Suggests that central banks should be conditioned on changes in foreign potential output and questions why, for instance, the output gap is calculated without taking into account the Chinese and Indian economies.

Evidence Based Practice In Nursing

INTRODUCTIONResearch studies are conducting all over the world, throughout the year . Research is conducted to improve the existing practices. If the study findings are implemented to practice only , the study is effective. Evidences getting from the study which are utilized into practice makes the profession more fruitful, bright and effective. Most nurse researchers want their findings to contribute to nursing practice and there is growing interest among nurses in basing their practice on solid research evidence RESEARCH UTILIZATION IN NURSING The terms research utilization and evidence based practice are used synonymously.Although there is overlap between these two concepts they are in fact distinct. Research Utilization is: â€Å"A process of using findings from conducting research to guide practice† (Titler, Mentes, Rake, Abbott, and Baumler, 1999). â€Å"The process by which scientifically produced knowledge is transferred to practice† (Brown, 1999) DIFFERENCES: N urses should not confuse EBP [Evidence Based Practice] with research utilization. While research utilization overlaps with some of the same philosophic threadworks of EBP, EBP goes beyond just the rigorous scientific research steps.Research Utilization refers to the review and critique of scientific research, and then the application of the findings to clinical practice. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) represents a broader concept. When clinicians use the EBP approach, they go beyond the expertise of clinicians and researchers, and consider the patient's preferences and values to guide patient care. THE RESEARCH UTILIZATION CONTINUM The start point of research utilization is the emergence of new knowledge and new ideas. Research is conducted and over time knowledge on new topic accumulates.In turn knowledge works its way to use to varying degrees and different rates. Theorists who have studied the phenomenon of knowledge development and diffusion of ideas typically recognize a continu um in terms of the specificity of the use to which research findings are put At one end of the continuum are discrete , clearly identifiable attempts to base specific actions on research findings. . This type of utilization has been referred to as instrumental utilization. Research findings can be used in a more diffuse manner. In a way that promote cumulative awareness, understanding or enlightment.Caplan and Rich [1975] refer to this as the end of the utilization continuum as conceptual utilization. Conceptual utilization then refers to situations in which users are influvanced in their thinking about an issue based on their knowledge of studies but do not put this knowledge to any specific , documentable use. The middle ground of this continuum involves the partial impact of research findings on nursing activities. This middle ground is the result of a slow evolutionary process that does not reflect a conscious decision to use an innovative procedure but rather reflects what Weis s termed knowledge creep and decision accretion.‘ knowledge creep’ refers to an evolving percolation of research ideas and findings. ‘Decision accretion’ refers to the manner in which momentum for a decision builds over time based on accumulated information gained through informal discussions , readings , meetings and so on. Increasingly now a days nurses are making conscious decisions to use research in their clinical practice and the EBP movement has contributed to this change. Estrabooks [1999] studied research utilization and found evidence to support three distinct types of research utilization.Indirect research utilization: involving changes in nurses’ thinking and therefore analogous to conceptual utilization. Direct research utilization: involving the direct use of findings in giving patient care and therefore analogous to instrumental utilization. Persuasive utilization: involving the utilization of of findings to persuade [typically those i n decision making positions] to make changes in policies or practices relevant to nursing care.These varying ways of thinking about research utilization clearly suggest that both quantitative and qualitative research can play key roles in guiding and improving nursing practice The research utilization process; Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory Rogers’ theory is one of the most accepted theories that has developed models of how knowledge gets disseminated and used. It has influvanced several research utilization projects in the nursing community. Rogers postulate that knowledge diffusion is an evolutionary process by which an innovation is communicated over time to members of a social system.The key elements in this process, all of which influence the rate and extent of innovation, adoption include the following, 1. The innovation is a new idea, practice or procedure that if adopted will result in changes the nature of innovation strongly affects the decision about adoption. 2. Communication channels are the media through which information about the innovation is transmitted and can include both mass media or individual face to face communication. Communication is most effective when there are shared believes , values and expectations on the part of the sender and receiver of information.3.  Time is component of theory in that the process of knowledge diffusion occurs over time. There are varying amounts of time that elapse between the creation of knowledge and its dissemination and between knowledge awareness and the decision to use or reject the innovation 4. The social system is the set of interrelated units that solve the problems and seek to accomplish a common goal. Diffusion occurs within the social system that vary in their norms and receptivity to innovations Rogers Characterized the innovation adoption process as having five stages knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation.During the knowledge stage individu als or groups become aware of the innovation and during the persuasion stage they form appositive attitude towards it. In the decision stage , a choice is made about whether to adopt or reject the innovation. The innovation is actually put into use during the implementation stage. Finally the effectiveness of the innovation is evaluated during the confirmation stage, and decisions get made about continuation or discontinuation of the innovation. Recent research on utilization has challenged the linear nature of the process Evidence-based practice.During the 1980s, the term â€Å"evidence-based medicine† emerged to describe the approach that uses scientific evidence to determine the best practice. Later, the term shifted to become â€Å"evidence-based practice† as clinicians other than physicians recognized the importance of scientific evidence in clinical decision-making. Various definitions of evidence-based practice (EBP) have emerged in the literature, but the most commonly used definition is, â€Å"the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients† (Sackett, Rosenberg, Gray, Hayes, & Richardson, 1996).Subsequently, experts began to talk about evidence-based healthcare as a process by which research evidence is used in making decisions about a specific population or group of patients. Evidence-based practice and evidence-based healthcare assume that evidence is used in the context of a particular patient’s preferences and desires, the clinical situation, and the expertise of the clinician. They also expect that healthcare professionals can read, critique, and synthesize research findings and interpret existing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.Definitions of research utilization, quality improvement, and nursing research Evidence-based practice is not research utilization, quality improvement, or nursing research, although it may be rela ted to each of these processes. For example, quality improvement projects may be evidence-based, and the findings may contribute to other EBP or research initiatives. Also, an evidence-based practice project can lead to a research study or quality improvement initiative. What is research utilization? For decades, nurses have used available research to guide nursing practice and their efforts to improve patient outcomes.This process involved critical analysis and evaluation of research findings and then determining how they fit into clinical practice. Incorporating pertinent research findings into clinical practice (and evaluating the changes’ effectiveness), helps close the gap between research and practice. More recently, research utilization efforts in nursing have been replaced by evidence-based practice, What is quality or performance improvement? Quality, clinical, or performance improvement focuses on systems, processes, and functional, clinical, satisfaction, and cost outcomes.Typically, quality improvement efforts are not designed to develop nursing practice standards or nursing science, but they may contribute to understanding best practices or the processes of care in which nurses are actively involved. A commonly accepted view is that quality improvement activities in healthcare are not intended to generate scientific knowledge but rather to serve as management tools to improve the processes and outcomes within a specific healthcare organization or setting.More recently, experts have focused on improving care by examining and working within clinical Microsystems or the specific places where patients, families, and care teams meet (Nelson, et al. , 2002). To improve and maintain quality, safety, and efficiency, clinical teams must blend analysis, change, and measurement into their efforts to redesign care within these clinical Microsystems. Quality improvement initiatives generally address clinical problems or issues, examine clinical processe s, and use specific indicators to help evaluate clinical performance.Data are collected and analyzed to help understand both the process and the related outcomes. The findings help contribute to efforts to achieve and maintain continuous improvement through ongoing monitoring and improvement activities. Quality improvement projects vs. research projects Many have asked whether quality improvement projects are the same as research projects—they are not. In clinical practice, these efforts may seem similar in that, for example, both may seek answers to clinical problems and use similar data collection and analysis methods.However, factors that may differ include participant or subject recruitment, the study’s methods, and how the results are used. For example, in most quality improvement activities, the participants generally are the patients within a specific clinical micro system. In research efforts, the investigator recruits human subjects using approaches that will ensure a representative sample of the population. In many improvement activities, the intervention may change as it is evaluated, whereas in a research study the treatment or intervention remains the same.Furthermore, in most quality improvement initiatives, the healthcare team is trying to solve a problem in a particular setting instead of trying to generalize the results of the study to other settings and populations. Although it might be helpful to learn about the activities and experience of other improvement teams, their findings may not apply to or be appropriate in other settings or patient populations. The intent of research, however, is to develop new knowledge that can be generalized to other similar populations and clinical settings.Despite the differences between research and quality improvement projects, however, one must consider the protection of human subjects in both. To ensure that you adequately protect the rights of patients or subjects, always ask an Institution al Review Board (IRB) to review the research proposal or quality improvement project before implementing the study and beginning data collection. Also note that, whether the effort is research or quality improvement, one goal may be to disseminate the results of the project in a published paper or oral report.For any dissemination project, address adequate human subject protection and adherence with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) guidelines before beginning the improvement project or research study. Individuals involved in either quality improvement or research projects should seek advice from their organization’s IRB, privacy officer, and risk management department to ensure that data are managed in a manner consistent with any pertinent federal or state regulations and organizational policies and procedures..Multidisciplinary effort Within clinical settings, many such opportunities exist for both nursing and multidisciplinary impro vement efforts. Improvement activities for nursing can be as simple as reducing time in giving verbal report or improving compliance with documentation requirements. Multidisciplinary collaborative efforts may address complex health issues, such as the care of acute myocardial infarction patients or individuals with community-acquired pneumonia.These initiatives are becoming more important in acute care hospitals as the national focus on public reporting increases. Such efforts help consumers compare the quality of care that various hospitals provide. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); various organizations that represent hospitals, doctors, and employers; accrediting organizations; other federal agencies; and the public have combined efforts to develop Hospital Compare and, thus, have made key clinical outcome measures available to the public.In this way, the public can monitor performance indicators to related common medical conditions and certain evidence-based i nterventions that are consistent with achieving the best patient outcomes. Collaboration within multidisciplinary teams creates opportunities to address clinical problems and issues using various perspectives and expertise. Nurses play key roles in such efforts and often benefit from the synergy that can be realized by working with others interested in or concerned about the problem.The group can work together while measuring their progress against pre-determined objectives What is nursing research? Nursing research involves systematic inquiry specifically designed to develop, refine, and extend nursing knowledge. As part of a clinical and professional discipline, nurses have a unique body of knowledge that addresses nursing practice, administration, and education. Nurse researchers examine problems of specific concern to nurses and the patients, families, and communities they serve. Nursing research methods may be quantitative, qualitative, or mixed (i.e. , triangulated):†¢ In quantitative studies, researchers use objective, quantifiable data (such as blood pressure or pulse rate) or use a survey instrument to measure knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, or experiences †¢ Qualitative researchers use methods such as interviews or narrative analyses to help understand a particular phenomenon †¢ Triangulated approaches use both quantitative and qualitative methods Regardless of the method they use, researchers must adhere to certain approaches to ensure both the quality and the accuracy of the data and related analyses.The intent of each approach is to answer questions and develop knowledge using the scientific method. Examples of nursing research projects Examples of nursing research projects include the following: †¢ Randomized clinical trial examining best practice for orthopedic-pin site care †¢ Efficacy of examination gloves for simple dressing changes †¢ Reliability of methods used to determine nasogastric tube placement †¢ The effects of relaxation and guided imagery on preoperative anxiety †¢ Quality of life in patients with chronic pain†¢ The relationship of a preoperative teaching program for joint replacement surgery and patient outcomes The scientific method involves collecting observable, measurable, and verifiable data in a prescribed manner so as to describe, explain, or predict outcomes. For example, one might collect data to describe the effects of massage on blood pressure, explain decreased needs for sedation, or predict lower levels of anxiety. Research methods demand that the collected data remain objective and not be influenced by the researcher’s hypotheses, beliefs, or values.In the massage example, the researcher could easily bias the results by administering the massages or collecting the data. Using certain approaches to subject recruitment, performing faulty data collection, and not controlling for other confounding variables also can bias research findings. Therefor e, when developing a study proposal, the researcher must develop a plan that minimizes these risks and supports the development of reliable information and results. EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE EBP begins with search for information about how best to solve the specific problems.Findings from rigorous research are considered the best possible source of information but EBP also draws on other sources. A basic feature of EBP is that it deemphasizes decision making based on custom, opinion of the authority, or ritual. Rather the emphasis is on identifying the best available research evidence and integrating it with clinical expertise, patient input and existing resources. EBP movement has both supporters and critics. Supporters say that EBP offers a solution to sustaining high health care quality or in our cost constrained environment.Their position is that a rational approach is needed for providing best possible care to most people, with most cost effective use of resources. Critics worry that the advantages of EBP are exaggerated and that individual clinical judgments and patient inputs are being devalued. TYPE OF EVIDENCE AND EVIDENCE HIERARCHIES Positions about what constitutes useful evidence have loosened, but there have been efforts to develop evidence hierarchies that rank studies according to the strength of evidence they provide.The most accepted hierarchy is given below 1. Meta analysis of controlled studies 2. Individual experimental studies 3. Quasi experimental studies [eg; time series, non equalant control group] or matched case control studies 4. Non experimental studies [eg; co relational studies , descriptive and qualitative studies] 5. Programme evaluations, research utilization studies, quality improvement projects, case reports 6. Opinions of respected authorities and expert committeesThe nine alternative sources include Bench marking data, Cost effectiveness analysis, Pathophysiologic data, Retrospective or concurrent chart review, Quality improv ement and risk data, international, national , and local standards, institutional data collected for infection control purposes, patient preferences and clinical expertise EBP implications for nurses Nurses serve instrumental roles in ensuring and providing evidence-based practice. They must continually ask the questions, â€Å"What is the evidence for this intervention? † or â€Å"How do we provide best practice?† and â€Å"Are these the highest achievable outcomes for the patient, family, and nurse? †Nurses are also well positioned to work with other members of the healthcare team to identify clinical problems and use existing evidence to improve practice. Numerous opportunities exist for nurses to question current nursing practices and use evidence to make care more effective. Nurses throughout the country also have been involved in multidisciplinary efforts to reduce the number and severity of falls and pressure ulcers/injuries. Such projects can help save m oney and improve care processes and outcomes.By implementing existing evidence-based guidelines related to falls and pressure ulcers/injuries, care has improved, and the number and severity of negative outcomes have decreased. Importance of evidence-based practice Evidence-based practice helps nurses provide high-quality patient care based on research and knowledge rather than because â€Å"this is the way we have always done it,† or based on traditions, myths, hunches, advice of colleagues, or outdated textbooks. Why is EBP important to nursing practice? †¢ It results in better patient outcomes †¢ It contributes to the science of nursing †¢ It keeps practice current and relevant†¢ It increases confidence in decision-making †¢ Policies and procedures are current and include the latest research †¢ Integration of EBP into nursing practice is essential for high-quality patient care often, nurses feel that they are using â€Å"evidence† to gui de practice, but their sources of evidence are not research-based In a study conducted by Thompson, et al. , (2003), nurses reported that the most helpful knowledge source was experience or advice from colleagues or patients. Of concern were reports that up-to-date electronic resources that included evidence-based materials were not useful to nurses in clinical practice.This barrier contributes to significant gaps in clinicians applying research findings to practice and dissemination of innovations. The failure to use evidence results in care that is of lower quality, less effective, and more expensive (Berwick, 2003). Evidence-based practice can be easier for nurses to use if they refer to already-developed evidence based or clinical practice guidelines. Numerous expert groups have already undertaken systematic efforts to develop guidelines to help both healthcare providers and patients make informed decisions about care interventions.Guideline developers use a systematic approach to critique the existing research, rate the strength of the evidence, and establish practice guidelines. The overall goal of these types of efforts focuses on guiding practice and minimizing the variability in care MODELS FOR EVIDENCE BASED NURSING PRACTICE During the 1980,s and 1990’s a number of different models of research utilization were developed. These models offered guidelines for designing and implementing a utilization project in a practice setting. The most prominent of these models were the Stetler model and The Iowa model.These two models were updated to incorporate the EBP process rather than research utilistion alone. THE STETLER MODEL The Stetler model of research utilization was designed with the assumption that research utilization could be undertaken not only by organizations , but by individual clinicians and managers. It was a model designed to promote and facilitate critical thinking about the application of research findings in practice. The updated and refined model is based on many of the same assumptions and strategies as the original but provides an enhanced approach to the overall application of research in the service setting.The current model involves five sequential phases 1. Preparation ;- in this phase the nurse defines the underlying process, purpose and outcome of the project ; search, sort, and select sources of research evidence; consider the external factors that can influence potential application and internal factors that can diminish the objectivity and affirm the priority of the perceived problem. 2. Validation ;- This phase involves a utilization focused critique of each source of evidence focusing in particular on whether it is sufficiently sound for potential application in practice.The process stops at this point if the evidence sources are rejected. 3. Comprehensive evaluation and decision making ;- this phase involves the synthesis of findings and the application of four criteria that , taken together are used to determine the desirability and feasibility of applying findings from validated sources to nursing practice. These criteria include Fit for setting:- Similarity of characteristics of samples to your client population. Similarity of study’s environment to the one which you work FeasibilityPotential risk for implementation to patients, staff and organization Readiness for change among those who would be involved in a change in practice Resources requirements and availability Current practice Congruency of the study with theoretical basis for current practice behaviour Substantiating evidence Availability of confirming evidences from other studies Availability of confirming evidences from Meta analysis or integrative review The end result of comprehensive evaluation is to make a decision about using the study findings. If the decision is a rejection, no further steps are necessary4.  Translation/ Application;- this phase involves activities to Confirm how the findings w ill be used formally or informally Spell out the operational details of application and implement them. It involves the development of a guideline, detailed procedure, or plan of action, possibly including plans for formal organizational charge. 5. Evaluation:- in this final phase the application is evaluated. Informal use of the innovation versus formal use would lead to different evaluative strategies.Although the Stetler Model originally was designed as a tool for individual practitioners, it has also been the basis for  formal research utilization and EBP projects by group nurses. THE IOWA MODEL Efforts to use research evidence to improve nursing practice are often addressed by groups of nurses interested in the same practice issue. Formal EBP projects typically have followed systematic procedures using one of several models that have been followed systematic procedures using one of the several models that have been developed, such as The Iowa Model of the research in practice . The model was renamed as Iowa Model of Evidence Based Practice to Promote Quality Care.The current version of the Iowa Model acknowledges that a formal EBP project begins with a trigger- an impetus to explore possible changes to practice. The start point can be either a knowledge focused trigger that that emerges from awareness of innovative research findings and thus follows a more traditional research utilization path, or a problem focused trigger that has its roots in a clinical or organizational problem and thus follows a path that more closely resembles ad EBP path. The model outlines a series of activities with three critical decision points. 1.Deciding whether the problem is a sufficient priority for the organization exploring the possible changes; if yes a team is formed to proceed with the project ; if no a new trigger will be sought. 2. Deciding whether there is a sufficient research base ; if yes , the innovation is piloted in the practice setting; if no , the team woul d either search for other sources of evidence or conduct its own research. 3. Deciding whether the change is appropriate for adoption in practice ; if yes a change would be instituted and monitored; if no the team would continue to evaluate quality of care and search for new knowledge.The 5 steps of EBN 1. SELECT A TOPIC OR PROBLEM The first step is to select a topic. Ideas come from different sources but are categorized in two areas: Problem-focused triggers and Knowledge focused triggers. When selecting a topic, nurses should formulate questions that are likely to gain support from people within the organization. An interdisciplinary medical team should work together to come up with an agreement about the topic selection. The priority of the topic should be considered as well as the severity of the problem.Nurses should consider whether the topic would apply to many or few clinical areas. Also, the availability of solid evidence should be considered because providing proof of the research will increase staffs' willingness to implement into nursing practice. Problem & Knowledge Focused Triggers Problem focused triggers are identified by health care staff through quality improvement, risk surveillance, benchmarking data, financial data, or recurrent clinical problems. Problem focused triggers could be clinical problems, or risk management issues.Knowledge focused triggers are created when health care staff read research, listen to research conferences or encounter EBP guidelines published by federal agencies or organizations. Knowledge based triggers could be new research findings that further enhance nursing, or new practice guidelines. It is important that individuals work closely together to reach the optimum outcome for the chosen topic. Some things that would ensure collaboration are working in groups to review performance improvement data, brainstorming about ideas, and achieving consensus about the final selection.With both types of triggers, it is impo rtant to ensure that there is a general consensus about the importance of the problem and the need for improving practice. The method of selecting a topic does not appear to have any bearing on the success of an EBP project. What is important however is that the nursing staff who will implement an innovation are involved in topic selection and that key stake holders are â€Å"on board. † 2 . FORM A TEAM TO ASSEMBLE AND EVALUATE EVIDENCE Some might become overwhelmed when they first learn about EBP and apply it for reasons other than improvement of patient care.Forming a team increases the chance of EBP being adopted. A team becomes paramount in implementation, and evaluation of the EBP. It is important to have representatives of the team from authority members of the organization and also grassroots members. It is also important to consider interdisciplinary involvement to decrease rejection, and for all to have an understanding of the project. All these individuals have a gr eat impact on the possibility of successful implementation.Other factors to put into consideration include power figures in the organization that may directly or indirectly sabotage the efforts if they are not consulted, and fully included in EBP implementation. The EBP team should have explanations that clearly define the types of patients, setting, outcomes, interventions and exposures. This should be in simplified language that is comprehensible to a lay person. The role of the practitioners is remarkable in any meaningful gains, they are therefore inevitable and their role becomes pivotal.The approach they adopt and their ability to educate the co-workers, answer their questions, and clarify any misconceptions greatly improves the outcomes. In doing a literature reviews background for a new study, a central goal is to discover where the gaps are and how best to advance knowledge. For EBP projects which typically have as end products, prescriptive practice protocols or guidelines , literature reviews are typically much more formalized. The emphasis is on amassing comprehensive information on the topic, weighing pieces of evidence and integrating information to draw conclusions about the state of knowledge.Commentators have noted that integrative reviews have become the cornerstone of EBP. If an integrative view already exists it is wise to make sure that it is as up-to-date as possible and that new findings published after the review are taken into account. Moreover, even a published integrative review needs to be critiqued and the validity of its conclusions assessed 3. ASSESSING THE IMPLEMENTATION POTENTIAL One of the most challenging issues in using EBP in the clinical setting is learning how to adequately frame a clinical question so that an appropriate literature review can be performed.When forming a clinical question the following should be included: the disorder or disease of the patient, the intervention or finding being reviewed, possibly a compari son intervention, and the outcome An acronym used to remember this is called the â€Å"PICO† model: P = who is the Patient Population? I = what is the potential Intervention or area of Interest? C = is there a Comparison intervention or Control group? O = what is the desired Outcome? Once the topic is selected, the research relevant to the topic must be reviewed, in addition to other relevant literature.It is important that clinical studies, (including meta-analyses, metasyntheses and meta-aggregation) and well-known and reliable existing EBP guidelines are accessed in the literature retrieval process. With the internet at one’s fingertips, a plethora of research is just a few clicks away. However, just because you found it in a respectable journal does not signify high quality research. When reviewing any article for evidence retrieval read it very closely. Articles can appear to be precise and factual on the surface but with further and much closer examination, flaws can be found.The article can be loaded with opinionated and/or biased statements that would clearly taint the findings, thus lowering the creditability and quality of the article. Use of rating systems to determine the quality of the research is crucial to the development of EBP. There are several rating systems available online. Time management is crucial to information retrieval. Nurses making their way through the vast amount of research available may find it helpful to read research articles or critical reviews instead of clinical journals.To maintain high standards for EBP implementation, education in research review is necessary to distinguish good research from poorly conducted research. Equally important is that the materials being reviewed, consider if they are current. To assess the implementation potential of an innovation in a particular setting several issues should be considered particularly the transferability of the innovation, the feasibility of implementing it, an d it’s cost benefit ratio Transferability :- The main issue with regard to transferability is that whether it makes good sense to implement an innovation in the new practice setting.If there is some aspect of the practice setting that is fundamentally incongruent with the innovation in terms of its philosophy, types of client served, personal, financial or administrative structure, then it might make little sense to try to adapt the innovation Feasibility :- Assessing the feasibility concerns address various practical concerns about the availability of staff resources, the organizational climate, the need for and availability of external resources and assistance and the potential for clinical evaluation.An important issue here is that whether the nurse will have control over the innovation. When the nurse do not have full control over the new procedure, it is important to recognize the interdependent nature of the project and to proceed as early as possible to establish the n ecessary co operative arrangements. Cost benefit ratio:- It is an important aspect of EBP project innovation. The cost benefit assessment should encompass likely cost and benefits to various groups including clients, staff and the overall organization.Clearly the most important factor is the client. A cost benefit assessment should consider the opposite side of the coin as well that is the cost and benefits of not instituting an innovation. Documentation of the implementation potential is an innovation is highly recommended. Committing ideas to writing is useful because it can resolve ambiguities, serve as a problem solving tool if there are barriers to implementation , and be used to persuade others of the value of the project. 4.APPLY THE EVIDENCE/IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING THE INNOVATION After determining the internal and external validity of the study, a decision is arrived at whether the information gathered does apply to your initial question. It’s important to address questions related to diagnosis, therapy, harm, and prognosis. The information gathered should be interpreted according to many criteria and should always be shared with other nurses and/or fellow researcher. Building on the Iowa model, this phase of project likely would involve the following activities Developing an evaluation planCollecting baseline data pertaining to those outcomes, to develop a counterfactual against which the outcomes of the innovation would be assessed. Developing a written EBP guideline based on the synthesis of evidence, preferably a guideline that is clear and user friendly, and that uses such devises as flow charts and decision trees. Training relevant staff in the use of the new guideline and if necessary marketing the innovation to users so that it is given in a fair test.Trying the guideline out on one or more unit or with a sample of clients Evaluating the pilot project in terms of both processes and outcomes. 5. DISSEMINATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE PRO JECT It is the final optional step but it is the one which is highly advisable. It is done so that the results of the project can be disseminated to other participating staff members. How to Critique a Research Article The critiquing process is the building block and foundation for the multiple steps that are to follow in the successful implementation of EBP.This is so because you must first ensure that the material and research that you are trying to convince others to accept is reliable and accurate. By taking the time to thoroughly critique a study you can point out both the strengths and weaknesses of the findings and weigh them accordingly. Successful completion of this vital step will help â€Å"weed out† the material lacking the needed proof of effectiveness, therefore minimizing useless, or even harmful, implementation of new practices in the healthcare field.Once the literature is located, it is helpful to classify the articles as either conceptual (theory and clinic al articles) or data-based (systematic research reviews). Before reading and critiquing the research, it is useful to read theoretical and clinical articles to have a broad view of the nature of the topic and related concepts, and to then review existing EBP guidelines Critiquing criteria are the standards, evaluation guides, or questions used to judge (critique) an article.In analyzing a research report, the reader must evaluate each step of the research process and ask questions about whether each step of the process meets the criteria. Remember when you are doing a critique, you are pointing out strengths, as well as the weaknesses. To critique an article you must have some knowledge on the subject matter. There is no replacement for reading the article many times. The reader must search the article for contradictions, illogical statements, and faulty reasoning.It is important to evaluate every section of the research article. Each section has different criteria to meet, in order to be considered a well-written addition to the article. What are the barriers to implementing evidence-based practice? The barriers that prevent nurses from using research in everyday practice have been cited in numerous studies, and some common findings have emerged Nurses often report the following: †¢ Lack of value for research in practice †¢ Difficulty in changing practice†¢ Lack of administrative support †¢ Lack of knowledgeable mentors †¢ Insufficient time to conduct research †¢ Lack of education about the research process †¢ Lack of awareness about research or evidence-based practice †¢ Research reports/articles not readily available †¢ Difficulty accessing research reports and articles †¢ No time on the job to read research †¢ Complexity of research reports†¢ Lack of knowledge about EBP and critique of articles †¢ Feeling overwhelmed by the processDespite these barriers, nurses are engaging in EBP and making a difference in patient outcomes. Furthermore, barriers can be overcome through organizational efforts focused on integrating research in practice and using strategies such as journal clubs, nursing grand rounds, and having research articles available for review The use of evidence based practice depends a great deal on the nursing student's proficiency at understanding and critiquing the research articles and the associated literature that will be presented to them in the clinical setting.According to, Blythe Royal, author of Promoting Research Utilization in nursing: The Role of the Individual, Organization, and Environment, a large amount of the preparation requirements of nursing students consists of creating care plans for patients, covering in depth processes of pathophysiology, and retaining the complex information of pharmacology. These are indeed very important for the future of patient care, but their knowledge must consist of more when they begin to practice.Evidence base d nursing in an attempt to facilitate the management of the growing literature and technology accessible to healthcare providers that can potentially improve patient care and their outcomes. Nancy Dickenson-Hazard states, â€Å"Nurses have the capacity to serve as caregivers and change agents in creating and implementing community and population-focused health systems. † There is also a need to overcome the barriers to encourage the use of research by new graduates in an attempt to ensure familiarity with the process.This will help nurses to feel more confident and be more willing to engage in evidence based nursing. A survey that was established by the Honour Society of Nursing and completed by registered nurses proved that 69% have only a low to moderate knowledge of EBP and half of those that responded did not feel sure of the steps in the process. Many responded, â€Å"Lack of time during their shift is the primary challenge to researching and applying EBP. † There is always and will always be a desire to improve the care of our patients.The ever increasing cost of healthcare and the need for more accuracy in the field proves a cycle in need of evidence based healthcare. The necessity to overcome the current issues is to gain knowledge from a variety of literature not just the basics. There is a definite need for nurses, and all practitioners, to have an open mind when dealing with the modern inventions of the future because these could potentially improve the health of patients. There are many barriers to promoting evidence based practice.The first of which would be the practitioner's ability to critically appraise research. This includes having a considerable amount of research evaluation skills, access to journals, and clinic/hospital support to spend time on EBN. Time, workload pressures, and competing priorities can impede research and development. The causes of these barriers include nurse's and other professional practitioners lack of knowledge of research methods, lack of support from professional colleagues and organizations, and lack of confidence and authority in the research arena.Another barrier is that the practice environment can be resistant to changing tried and true conventional methods of practice. This can be caused because of reluctance to believe results of research study over safe, traditional practices, cost of adopting new practices, or gaining momentum to rewrite existing protocols It is important to show nurses who may be resistant to changes in nursing practice the benefits that nurses, their patients, and their institutions can reap from the implementation of evidence-based nursing practice, which is to provide better nursing care.Values, resources and evidence are the three factors that influence decision-making with regard to health care. All registered nurses and health care professionals should be taught to read and critically interpret research and know where to find articles which rela te to their field of care. In addition, nurses need to be more aware of how to assess the information and determine its applicability to their practice. Another barrier to implementing EBN into practice is lack of continuing education programs.Practices do not have the means to provide workshops to teach new skills due to lack of funding, staff, and time; therefore, the research may be tossed dismissed. If this occurs, valuable treatments may never be utilized in patient care. Not only will the patients suffer but the staff will not have the opportunity to learn a new skill. Also, the practitioners may not be willing to implement change regardless of the benefits to patient care. Another barrier to introducing newly learned methods for improving treatments or patients' health is the fear of â€Å"stepping on one's toes†.New nurses might feel it is not their place to suggest or even tell a superior nurse that newer, more efficient methods and/or practices are available. The pe rceived threat to clinical freedom offered by evidence-based practice is neither logical nor surprising. Resistance to change and to authority is part of human nature. When we make decisions based upon good quality information we are inconsistent and biased. Human nature offers many challenges to evidence-based practice. Can we do a better job of promoting evidence-based practice?And even if we find and use the evidence, will we make consistent unbiased decisions? Even if clinicians do act consistently it is possible that their decisions are consistently biased. People put different values on gains and losses. CONCLUSION Nursing is truly an art and a science. EBP not only provides elements of each aspect, but also contributes to the profession’s overall development. As a result EBP improves everyday practice in by providing empirical data to guide the nursing interventions. Use of research in EBP provides opportunity for research utilisation by all in the field of profession.

God Delusion Debate Essay

American education have problem with creation and evolution. In education teach students that his idea led to atheism. Faith is rational based on evidence that call them evidence. The evidence of science in no way whatsoever supports â€Å"the God hypothesis†. Science has explained many important things. How does Lennox respond?: Atheism undermined science and the evidence of science does indeed support belief in God. He gave example of John Maddox’s journal about the Big Bang theory is â€Å"dangerous† , because it would give credence to the creation story of Genesis, also he motioned about â€Å"supernatural Plan†. 2. Lennox says â€Å"Faith is rational and evidence based†. When Dawkins asks for clarification, what analogy does Lennox use? Lennox said faith is evidence based and gave question â€Å"I presume you’ve got faith in your wife is there any evidence for that?† 3. â€Å"God Delusion† thesis: Design is dead because who made the designer? What does Dawkins mean by this?: He agree with cosmologists don’t have an explanation for the origin of the universe and that biologists have no explanation for the origin of life. â€Å"Biological evolution† make simpler to understand. Also he said who created God? How does Lennox respond?: Lennox responded that question asked about who crated God? Christian did not believe created God. God is eternal and un created but universe created by Him. Lennox said Dawkins argument which is God delusion is wrong and created God is definition of delusion. 4. â€Å"God Delusion† thesis: Christianity is Dangerous What does Dawkins mean by this?: Dawkins argued religion is dangerous because it teaches that faith is a virtue. The Faith is blind, irrational, and unjustified. He said all wars, injustice happening, and unrighteous history issues cause from religion. He did not say all religion and believers are wrong, but some people are harmful. Faith is terrible weapon because it justify the performance terrible acts. After Lennox said then Dawkins said the people weren’t psychopaths, they were well educated, rational people, who thought they were good, the same thing could be said of the Taliban. Once you grant people the premise of their faith, then the terrible things that they do follow. How does Lennox respond?: Lennox said Dawkins only focused on violent situation of religion and targeted Christianity. He asserted unfairly mischaracterized Christianity and classifying it as, in the worst case, an inherently violent religion. Teachings of moderate religion is open invitation of extremism is wrong than what about teaching of moderate atheism. 5. â€Å"God Delusion† thesis: You don’t need God to be moral What does Dawkins mean by this?: He said â€Å"no one needs God in order to be good†. People do not need Bible when they choose or pick, they need something else. Moral had nothing to do read bible. He taught each society and generation the standards of right and wrong. How does Lennox respond?: Atheists have no rational basis to discuss morality at all. We can be good and find moral in society, but cannot find foundation concept being good with God. There is no God means the foundation of moral is removed. 6. â€Å"God Delusion† thesis: Christian claims about Jesus are not true What does Dawkins mean by this?: If the world is hideous world, It gives us something to rise above and we clearly do rise above it. Dawkins sees that the central criterion of Christ’s teachings was out of the main stream of our modern thinking about equal rights for all. How does Lennox respond?: Lennox said Dawkins is totally wrong attitude through Jesus. He focuses on the historical reliability of the New Testament writings and on the meaning of the golden rule: love your neighbor as yourself (in Leviticus) which Jesus understood the term â€Å"neighbor† to refer to non-Jews.

How to Improve Editorial Strategy with Tara Clapper [PODCAST]

How to Improve Editorial Strategy with Tara Clapper [PODCAST] Creating an editorial calendar can be a challenge. How can you decide how often to post to your blog without wasting time and energy- or leaving your readers wanting for either more content or more quality? That’s the topic of today’s show: maintaining consistency and a high level of quality while publishing at the right intervals for maximum reader engagement. Our guest is Tara Clapper, who previously managed the blog at SEMrush and now  works for Express Writers. She has honed the blog publication process and has a lot of insight to share with our listeners on when to blog and how to create an effective editorial calendar. Some of the topics that we’ll discuss today include: Tara’s background with SEMrush, including how she learned to balance quality with quantity when it came to posting on the blog. How far out to plan content, and how helps Tara’s whole team stay updated and focused on what’s coming up next. Why working about one month ahead works well for Tara, and how having that â€Å"cushion of days† helps when something urgent comes up that needs to be squeezed in. Why insisting on good pitches from guest authors saves time in the long run. Tips on organizing when you have a lot of different projects happening at once.

Grant Writing Courses You Can Take Online

Grant Writing Courses You Can Take Online Grant writers connect people and groups seeking funding with funding sources. They work in a wide range of settings including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local governments, and businesses. If youre interested in a career in grant writing, consider developing your skills through an online program. Grant writing is the process of completing applications for financial grants, which are non-repayable funds provided by organizations such as government departments, corporations, and foundations. Before choosing an online grant writing program, assess your finances, available time, and career goals. Are you looking to earn a certificate or degree in grant writing as a step towards a future career, or are you mid-career and seeking to improve your grant writing skills? Once youve answered these questions, you can easily determine which program is best for you. Free Online Grant Writing Resources You can find plenty of grant writing tips, general information, and even a few classes online for free. These resources rarely offer official certification, credit, or continuing education units. However, if youre good at independent learning or are simply looking to beef up your existing skills, the following options might work well for you. Coursera Coursera is home to a grant proposal course created by the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The course carries a fee if you wish to have graded assignments and earn a course certificate, but you can audit all of the course videos for free. MIT Open CourseWare The Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides a wide range of classes for free through MIT OpenCourseWare. The institutes graduate level Advanced Writing Seminar covers much more than grant writing, but youll find some excellent lessons on grants as well as writing and presentation tips that can improve your grant writing skills. Minnesota Council on Foundations The Minnesota Council on Foundations guide, Writing a Successful Grant Proposal, provides an overview of the key elements of a successful grant application. Nonprofitready.org If youre working for a nonprofit, nonprofitready.org offers two free online courses: Getting Foundation Grants and Grantsmanship Essentials. Youll need to create a free account to take these courses. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The United States Environmental Protection Agencys EPA Grants 101 Tutorial walks you through four steps of the grant application process. While the tutorial is focused on applying for EPA grants, the advice is useful for many other types of grant proposals. Online Grant Writing Classes You can find many reasonably-priced options for online grant writing courses. Below, youll find some examples of these courses, along with course descriptions and costs. University of Georgia The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education offers two courses: an introductory-level course called A to Z Grant Writing, and a higher-level course called Advanced Grant Proposal Writing. Each course provides 24 hours of instruction for a cost of $159. The classes are offered on the ed2go.com platform. Udemy Udemy delivers over a dozen courses on different aspects of grant writing. Options range from introductions to the grant writing process to more specialized classes on nonprofits and NIH grants. Courses are broken down into short lectures, and total course time ranges from 45 minutes to 5.5 hours. Each course costs $10.99. University of Wisconsin The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee offers an Introduction to Grant Writing course for $150. The course covers fundraising strategies and explores the six stages of grant writing. The class carries .5 continuing education units. Online Grant Writing Certificate Programs Many colleges offer online grant writing certificate programs. Costs vary, with typical prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to about $1,500. The required time commitment also varies significantly across courses. These large variations in cost and time commitment reveal one of the problems with certificate programs: they tend to not be accredited programs, and some of the certificates merely represent that you paid for a program and made an attempt at completing the instruction modules. When choosing a program, look carefully at the curriculum and the depth of the instruction to ensure that the course is worth the investment. Start your research with this list of examples: University of South Carolina USCs Grant Writing Certificate Program involves thirty hours of classes covering four courses: Introduction to Grant Writing, Needs Based Assessment, Intermediate Grant Writing, and Program Development and Evaluation. Both online and classroom options are available for a fee of $1,322. Arizona State University Arizona State University offers two levels of grant writing certificates: Grant Development- State and Foundation Proposal Certificate for $999; and Advanced Grant Development- Federal Proposal Certificate for $1,175. The courses take six weeks, and students can expect to spend 12 to 15 hours a week on coursework. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs UCCS offers an intensive credit-bearing certificate program, Graduate Certificate in Grant Writing, Management, and Program Evaluation. To apply for the program, students must hold a bachelors degree. Completion of the certificate requires a grade of B- or better in four courses: Evaluation, Grant Writing, Grant Management, and an elective. Both classroom and online options are available. University of Central Florida The University of Central Floridas Division of Continuing Education, in partnership with ed2go, offers a non-credit Certificate in Grant Writing and Nonprofit Management. The program includes four courses: Introduction to Nonprofit Management, Marketing Your Nonprofit, Writing Effective Grant Proposals, and Advanced Grant Proposal Writing. The cost is $465. Fort Hays State University Fort Hays State University offers an Eight-Week University Grant Writing Certification Program for $175. The class meets online for two months. Participants must receive a score of 70% or higher on the final exam to earn a certificate. Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University offers a Grant Research and Writing Certificate Program through WorldEducation.net. This is a more thorough (and more expensive program) than many others with 150 hours of instruction at a cost of $2,995. To earn a certificate, students must complete five courses: Introduction to Grant Research, Introduction to Grant Writing, Specialized Techniques for Grant Writing, Technical Writing, and Advanced Grant Writing. The program can typically be completed in six months. Online Grant Writing Degree Programs Grant writing is generally not offered as a college major, so you wont find many degree programs focused solely on grant writing. Instead, grant writers tend to major in writing-focused fields such as English, marketing, or communication studies. That coursework is then supplemented with specialized coursework, a certificate program, or internship experience focused on grant writing. One exception, however, is the MA in Grant Writing, Management and Evaluation program offered at Concordia University Chicago. Concordias program takes an multidisciplinary approach to grant writing that includes collaboration with your student cohort and partnering with organizations relevant to your professional goals. The program is 100% online, requires 30 credit hours of coursework, and can be completed in 20 months. The cost is over $13,000, but unlike many graduate programs, financial aid is available.