Principles Of Teaching And Learning In Teaching Math Essay Example for Free

Principles Of Teaching And Learning In Teaching Math Essay Students learn mathematics through the experiences that teachers provide. Teachers must know and understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching and understand and be committed to their students as learners of mathematics and as human beings. There is no one right way to teach. Nevertheless, much is known about effective mathematics teaching. Selecting and using suitable curricular materials, using appropriate instructional tools and techniques to support learning, and pursuing continuous self-improvement are actions good teachers take every day. The teacher is responsible for creating an intellectual environment in the classroom where serious engagement in mathematical thinking is the norm. Effective teaching requires deciding what aspects of a task to highlight, how to organize and orchestrate the work of students, what questions to ask students having varied levels of expertise, and how to support students without taking over the process of thinking for them. Effective teaching requires continuing efforts to learn and improve. Teachers need to increase their knowledge about mathematics and pedagogy, learn from their students and colleagues, and engage in professional development and self-reflection. Collaborating with otherspairing an experienced teacher with a new teacher or forming a community of teachersto observe, analyze, and discuss teaching and students thinking is a powerful, yet neglected, form of professional development. Teachers need ample opportunities to engage in this kind of continual learning. The working lives of teachers must be structured to allow and support different models of professional development that benefit them and their students. Mathematics Principles and practice What can learning in mathematics enable children and young people to achieve? Mathematics is important in our everyday life, allowing us to make sense of the world around us and to manage our lives. Using mathematics enables us to model real-life situations and make connections and informed predictions. It equips us with the skills we need to interpret and analyse information,  simplify and solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions. Mathematics plays an important role in areas such as science or technologies, and is vital to research and development in fields such as engineering, computing science, medicine and finance. Learning mathematics gives children and young people access to the wider curriculum and the opportunity to pursue further studies and interests. Because mathematics is rich and stimulating, it engages and fascinates learners of all ages, interests and abilities. Learning mathematics develops logical reasoning, analysis, problem-solving skills, creativity and the ability to think in abstract ways. It uses a universal language of numbers and symbols which allows us to communicate ideas in a concise, unambiguous and rigorous way. To face the challenges of the 21st century, each young person needs to have confidence in using mathematical skills, and Scotland needs both specialist mathematicians and a highly numerate population. Building the Curriculum 1 Mathematics equips us with many of the skills required for life, learning and work. Understanding the part that mathematics plays in almost all aspects of life is crucial. This reinforces the need for mathematics to play an integral part in lifelong learning and be appreciated for the richness it brings. How is the mathematics framework structured? Within the mathematics framework, some statements of experiences and outcomes are also identified as statements of experiences and outcomes in numeracy. These form an important part of the mathematics education of all children and young people as they include many of the numerical and analytical skills required by each of us to function effectively and successfully in everyday life. All teachers with a responsibility for the development of mathematics will be familiar with the role of numeracy within mathematics and with the means by which numeracy is developed across the range of learning  experiences. The numeracy subset of the mathematics experiences and outcomes is also published separately; further information can be found in the numeracy principles and practice paper. The mathematics experiences and outcomes are structured within three main organisers, each of which contains a number of subdivisions: Number, money and measure Estimation and rounding Number and number processes Multiples, factors and primes Powers and roots Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages Money Time Measurement Mathematics – its impact on the world, past, present and future Patterns and relationships Expressions and equations. Shape, position and movement Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects Angle, symmetry and transformation. Information handling Data and analysis Ideas of chance and uncertainty. The mathematics framework as a whole includes a strong emphasis on the important part mathematics has played, and will continue to play, in the advancement of society, and the relevance it has for daily life. A key feature of the mathematics framework is the development of algebraic thinking from an early stage. Research shows that the earlier algebraic thinking is introduced, the deeper the mathematical understanding will be  and the greater the confidence in using mathematics. Teachers will use the statements of experiences and outcomes in information handling to emphasise the interpretation of statistical information in the world around us and to emphasise the knowledge and skills required to take account of chance and uncertainty when making decisions. The level of achievement at the fourth level has been designed to approximate to that associated with SCQF level 4. What are the features of effective learning and teaching in mathematics? From the early stages onwards, children and young people should experience success in mathematics and develop the confidence to take risks, ask questions and explore alternative solutions without fear of being wrong. They will enjoy exploring and applying mathematical concepts to understand and solve problems, explaining their thinking and presenting their solutions to others in a variety of ways. At all stages, an emphasis on collaborative learning will encourage children to reason logically and creatively through discussion of mathematical ideas and concepts. Through their use of effective questioning and discussion, teachers will use misconceptions and wrong answers as opportunities to improve and deepen children’s understanding of mathematical concepts. The experiences and outcomes encourage learning and teaching approaches that challenge and stimulate children and young people and promote their enjoyment of mathematics. To achieve this, teachers will use a skilful mix of approaches, including:  planned active learning which provides opportunities to observe, explore, investigate, experiment, play, discuss and reflect modelling and scaffolding the development of mathematical thinking skills learning collaboratively and independently  opportunities for discussion, communication and explanation of thinking developing mental agility  using relevant contexts and experiences, familiar to young people making links across the curriculum to show how mathematical concepts are applied in a wide range of contexts, such as those provided by science and social studies using technology in appropriate and effective ways  building on the principles of Assessment is for Learning, ensuring that young people understand the purpose and relevanc e of what they are learning developing problem-solving capabilities and critical thinking skills. Mathematics is at its most powerful when the knowledge and understanding that have been developed are used to solve problems. Problem solving will be at the heart of all our learning and teaching. We should regularly encourage children and young people to explore different options: ‘what would happen if?’ is the fundamental question for teachers and learners to ask as mathematical thinking develops. How will we ensure progression within and through levels? As children and young people develop concepts within mathematics, these will need continual reinforcement and revisiting in order to maintain progression. Teachers can plan this development and progression through providing children and young people with more challenging contexts in which to use their skills. When the experience or outcome spans two levels within a line of development, this will be all the more important. One case in point would be the third level outcome on displaying information. The expectation is that young people will continue to use and refine the skills developed at second level to display charts, graphs and diagrams. The contexts should ensure progression and there are clear opportunities to use other curriculum areas when extending young people’s understanding. What are broad features of assessment in mathematics? (This section should be read alongside the advice for numeracy.) Assessment in mathematics will focus on children and young people’s abilities to work increasingly skilfully with numbers, data and mathematical concepts and processes and use them in a range of contexts. Teachers can gather evidence of progress as part of day-to-day learning about number, money and measurement, shape, position and movement and information handling. The use of specific assessment tasks will be important in assessing progress at key points of learning including transitions. From the early years through to the senior stages, children and young people will demonstrate progress in their skills in interpreting and analysing information, simplifying and solving problems, assessing risk and making informed choices. They will also show evidence of progress through their skills in collaborating and working independently as they observe, explore, experiment with and investigate mathematical problems. Approaches to assessment should identify the extent to which children and young people can apply their skills in their learning, in their daily lives and in preparing for the world of work. Progress will be seen as children and young people demonstrate their competence and confidence in applying mathematical concepts and skills. For example: Do they relish the challenge of number puzzles, patterns and relationships? Can they explain increasingly more abstract ideas of algebraic thinking? Can they successfully carry out mathematical processes and use their developing range of skills and attributes as set out in the experiences and outcomes? As they apply these to problems, can they draw on skills and concepts learned previously? As they tackle problems in unfamiliar contexts, can they confidently identify which skills and concepts are relevant to the problem? Can they then apply their skills accurately and then evaluate their solutions? Can they explain their thinking and demonstrate their understanding of 2D shapes and 3D objects? Can they evaluate data to make informed decisions? Are they developing the capacity to engage with and complete tasks and  assignments? Assessment should also link with other areas of the curriculum, within and outside the classroom, offering children and young people opportunities to develop and demonstrate their understanding of mathematics through social studies, technologies and science, and cultural and enterprise activities. How can I make connections within and beyond mathematics? Within mathematics there are rich opportunities for links among different concepts: a ready example is provided by investigations into area and perimeter which can involve estimation, patterns and relationships and a variety of numbers. When children and young people investigate number processes, there will be regular opportunities to develop mental strategies and mental agility. Teachers will make use of opportunities to develop algebraic thinking and introduce symbols, such as those opportunities afforded at early stages when reinforcing number bonds or later when investigating the sum of the angles in a triangle. There are many opportunities to develop mathematical concepts in all other areas of the curriculum. Patterns and symmetry are fundamental to art and music; time, money and measure regularly occur in modern languages, home economics, design technology and various aspects of health and wellbeing; graphs and charts are regularly used in science and social studies; scale and proportion can be developed within social studies; formulae are used in areas including health and wellbeing, technologies and sciences; while shape, position and movement can be developed in all areas of the curriculum. The Teaching Principle Effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well. Students learn mathematics through the experiences that teachers provide. Thus, students understanding of mathematics, their ability to  » use it to solve problems, and their confidence in, and disposition toward, mathematics are all shaped by the teaching they encounter in school. The improvement of  mathematics education for all students requires effective mathematics teaching in all classrooms. Teaching mathematics well is a complex endeavor, and there are no easy recipes for helping all students learn or for helping all teachers become effective. Nevertheless, much is known about effective mathematics teaching, and this knowledge should guide professional judgment and activity. To be effective, teachers must know and understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching and be able to draw on that knowledge with flexibility in the ir teaching tasks. They need to understand and be committed to their students as learners of mathematics and as human beings and be skillful in choosing from and using a variety of pedagogical and assessment strategies (National Commission on Teaching and Americas Future 1996). In addition, effective teaching requires reflection and continual efforts to seek improvement. Teachers must have frequent and ample opportunities and resources to enhance and refresh their knowledge. Effective teaching requires knowing and understanding mathematics, students as learners, and pedagogical strategies. Teachers need several different kinds of mathematical knowledge—knowledge about the whole domain; deep, flexible knowledge about curriculum goals and about the important ideas that are central to their grade level; knowledge about the challenges students are likely to encounter in learning these ideas; knowledge about how the ideas can be represented to teach them effectively; and knowledge about how students understanding can be assessed. This knowledge helps teachers make curricular judgments, respond to students questions, and look ahead to where concepts are leading and plan accordingly. Pedagogical knowledge, much of which is acquired and shaped through the practice of teaching, helps teachers understand how students learn mathematics, become facile with a range of different teaching techniques and instructional materials, and organize and manage the classroom. Teachers need to understand the big ideas of mathematics and be able to represent mathematics as a coherent and connected enterprise (Schifter 1999; Ma 1999). Their decisions and their actions in the classroom—all of which affect how well their students learn mathematics—should be based on this knowledge. This kind of knowledge is beyond what most teachers experience in standard preservice mathematics courses in the United States. For example, that fractions can be understood as parts of a whole, the quotient of two integers, or a number on a line is  important for mathematics teachers (Ball and Bass forthcoming). Such understanding might be characterized as profound understanding of fundamental mathematics (Ma 1999). Teachers also need to understand the different representations of an idea, the relative strengths and weaknesses of each, and how they are related to one another (Wilson, Shulman, and Richert 1987). They need to know the ideas with which students often have difficulty and ways to help bridge common misunderstandings.  » Effective mathematics teaching requires a serious commitment to the development of students understanding of mathematics. Because students learn by connecting new ideas to prior knowledge, teachers must understand what their students already know. Effective teachers know how to ask questions and plan lessons that reveal students prior knowledge; they can then design experiences and lessons that respond to, and build on, this knowledge. Teachers have different styles and strategies for helping students learn particular mathematical ideas, and there is no one right way to teach. However, effective teachers recognize that the decisions they make shape students mathematical dispositions and can create rich settings for learning. Selecting and using suitable curricular materials, using appropriate instructional tools and techniques, and engaging in reflective practice and continuous self-improvement are actions good teachers take every day. One of the complexities of mathematics teaching is that it must balance purposeful, planned classroom lessons with the ongoing decision making that inevitably occurs as teachers and students encounter unanticipated discoveries or difficulties that lead them into uncharted territory. Teaching mathematics well involves creating, enriching, maintaining, and adapting instruction to move toward mathematical goals, capture and sustain interest, and engage students in building mathematical understanding. Effective teaching requires a challenging and supportive classroom learning environment. Teachers make many choices each day about how the learning environment will be structured and what mathematics will be emphasized. These decisions determine, to a large extent, what students learn. Effective teaching conveys a belief that each student can and is expected to understand mathematics and that each will be supported in his or her efforts to accomplish this goal. Teachers establish and nurture an environment conducive to learning mathematics through the decisions they make, the conversations they orchestrate, and the  physical setting they create. Teachers actions are what encourage students to think, question, solve problems, and discuss their ideas, strategies, and solutions. The teacher is responsible for creating an intellectual environment where serious mathematical thinking is the norm. More than just a physical setting with desks, bulletin boards, and posters, the classroom en vironment communicates subtle messages about what is valued in learning and doing mathematics. Are students discussion and collaboration encouraged? Are students expected to justify their thinking? If students are to learn to make conjectures, experiment with various approaches to solving problems, construct mathematical arguments and respond to others arguments, then creating an environment that fosters these kinds of activities is essential. In effective teaching, worthwhile mathematical tasks are used to introduce important mathematical ideas and to engage and challenge students intellectually. Well-chosen tasks can pique students curiosity and draw them into mathematics. The tasks may be connected to the  » real-world experiences of students, or they may arise in contexts that are purely mathematical. Regardless of the context, worthwhile tasks should be intriguing, with a level of challenge that invites speculation and hard work. Such tasks often can be approached in more than one way, such as using an arithmetic counting approach, drawing a geometric diagram and enumerating possibilities, or using algebraic equations, which makes the tasks accessible to students with varied prior knowledge and experience. Worthwhile tasks alone are not sufficient for effective teaching. Teachers must also decide what aspects of a task to highlight, how to organize and orchestrate the work of the students, what questions to ask to challenge those with varied levels of expertise, and how to support students without taking over the process of thinking for them and thus eliminating the challenge. Opportunities to reflect on and refine instructional practice—during class and outside class, alone and with others—are crucial in the vision of school mathematics outlined in Principles and Standards. To improve their mathematics instruction, teachers must be able to analyze what they and their students are doing and consider how those actions are affecting students learning. Using a variety of strategies, teachers should monitor students capacity and inclination to analyze situations, frame and solve problems, and make sense of mathematical concepts and procedures. They  can use this information to assess their students progress and to appraise how well the mathematical tasks, student discourse, and classroom environment are interacting to foster students learning. They then use these appraisals to adapt their instruction. Reflection and analysis are often individual activities, but they can be greatly enhanced by teaming with an experienced and respected colleague, a new teacher, or a community of teachers. Collaborating with colleagues regularly to observe, analyze, and discuss teaching and students thinking or to do lesson study is a powerful, yet neglected, form of professional development in American schools (Stigler and Hiebert 1999). The work and time of teachers must be structured to allow and support professional development that will benefit them and their students.

Evidence Based Practice Impact Of Nurses Nursing Essay

Evidence Based Practice Impact Of Nurses Nursing Essay Evidence-based practice (EBP) is widely recognised within the role of nursing. Its implementation and purpose in the delivery of care is seen as an important driver for nursing practice and clinical outcomes (Cullen Adams 2010). It has been defined as the: conscientious integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patients values and needs in the delivery of high-quality, cost effective health care (Burns Grove. 2007, p.4). EBP provides opportunity for nurses to ensure that clinical interventions and decisions making processes are safe and suitable for every patient group and enabling effectiveness in patient advocacy (Parahoo, 2006). An important part of practice and nursing culture, EBP should not be seen as an extra aspect to daily workload. Knowledge-base gained from pre-registration educational programmes and clinical experience should be the basis for the development of EBP (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). Nurses critically reflect daily in clinical practice with the implementation and evaluation of care and it is important to understand that this forms the foundation in research for evidence. Quick reference for guidance does not necessarily need to be a lengthy process with accessibility to intranet and local policies, protocols and best practice statements. However, the self-recognition of base knowledge and skill should be continually developed (Parahoo, 2006). Nurses require time to strive fo r answers to clinical questions, expanding clinical expertise in locating research evidence. Using critique frameworks as suggested in Burns Grove (2007), articles should be critically appraised with time spent deciding how they might apply to clinical practice. By taking a rigorous approach to appraisal, making an informed decision about the reliability and validity of sources of evidence, nurses can really look the effects in clinical practice and how the evidence can be delivered (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). Nurses working in clinical settings should really think about dilemmas or problems that come up frequently in their clinical practice that they would like to know further research and evidence for. It is expected that registered nurses should be comfortable and competent with the components of EBP such as forming clinical questions, literature searching skills, including accessing appropriate literature and showing enthusiasm in its development. Nurses need to have good resources and support from employers through providing access to library facilities containing major on-line databases such as EBSCO; Cochrane library database; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and the British Nursing Index (BNI). Through the use of databases, a comprehensive literature review should be conducted to generate understanding of what is known and not known about the particular clinical problem (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). The review can allow the nurse to decide whether adequate knowledge exists allowing for change in clinical practice or whether further research is required. From this initial thought may follow development of clinical question creating ethical consideration and understanding of beliefs and values of patients and colleagues. Nurses should being with searching highest level of evidence such as systematic reviews involving the compilation and ranking of evidence according to its methodological origin (Whiting. 2009). Systematic reviews summarise the results of high quality studies, often reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Described and the gold standard to research, they identify which interventions work, those which are not as effective and where further research should be carried out. In this way, bias is reduced and the effects of treatments studied are not overestimated. By using such evidence, time will be reduced in the need for critical appraisal (Whiting. 2009). It is important to note that as nurses move forward having more autonomy in decision making and its emphasis of patient centred care there still remains lack of appreciation in best evidence for patient response in emotional, psychological and holistic understanding and focus lies within scientific interventionism. Cleary-Holdforth Leufer (2008) criticise that the described highest level of evidence fails to acknowledge research based on patient experience and perception and aspect fundamental to nursing practice. This can be viewed in clinical guidelines developed by Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), derived from systematic reviews of scientific literature all guidelines have levels of evidence statements with the highest level of evidence being meta-analyses, systematic reviews or RCTs (SIGN 2010). 640 words To apply evidence into practice it is vital for nurses to have role models that respect EBP, rather than relying on clinical expertise alone (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). They must value ideas and effectively support the process if clinical questions arise. Role models need to be enthusiastic about EBP and having positive vision about the opportunities EBP can provide when integrated into day-to-day practice. Nurses need be able to view the benefits of applying best current evidence to their practice and therefore creating a positive motivation for EBP. At all levels, nurses need to be interested in using the EBP and adopt certain practices and attitudes. These include devotion, professional pride, positiveness, courage and willingness to carry out change and commitment to continuous learning (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). The nurse will not only see maturity in professional self but also development of personal achievement and identity. Decision makers and new found knowledge needs to not only be distributed but fully utilised and the nurse must ensure that colleagues receive, read, understand and appreciate the value of and actually utilise it in their own decision-making processes and, where appropriate, alter their behaviour. As with any clinical intervention, evaluation of its effectiveness is essential and nurses must discuss with colleagues and participants Further to this assignment will be appraisal and evaluation of two papers providing critique and discussion. Each will be assessed for the appropriateness for evidence-based practice. Gethin, G. Cowman, S. (2008) Manuka honey vs. hydrogel a prospective, open label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial to compare desloughing efficacy and healing outcomes in venous ulcers. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 18 (3) p.466-474. Gethin and Cowman (2008) clearly seek to measure the effective comparison of two healing agents on venous ulcers and use a quantitative paradigm with two views to methods of debridement, and indicate that an RCT was undertaken. In a quantitative research study there is focus measurement of the relationship between variables (Burns Grove, 2007). Being the area of interest in the study, the variables that change over time are subject to statistical analysis. A prospective design has been decided on and to the reader indicates a collection of variable data with one or more points in the future. Macnee (2008) adds that time is a defining factor in the design of a quantitative study. In this case the time points were at week 4 and week 12 from initial baseline. A reasonable amount of information has been provided in the design title and allows the reader to be aware of the approach used. It seems that the research hypothesis is best addressed by quantifiable approach being the appropriat e design methodology for investigation. Gethin and Cowman (2008), aimed to select adults presenting with venous leg ulcers having over 50 percent of the wound area covered in slough. Further to this, they followed substantial inclusion and exclusion criteria which was clearly stated and indicated in the research including tables that could be easily understood by the reader. There could however be potential problem with this as a more tightly controlled or restricted sample could lead to limitations to clinical meaningfulness (Parahoo, 2006). The researchers goal is to avoid bias which could potentially distort findings and making it difficult or impossible to interpret results (). There is inconsistency in the description of the members in the study that could indicate bias. The researchers use both the term subject, participant and patient and to the reader, this could be questioned as to how removed the researchers were from those in the sample (Macnee, 2008). Had sample been used consistently then the reader could inte rpret this as being a distance and impersonal approach. Reassuringly the researchers state that they removed themselves from selection process and used blinded randomisation by two persons independent of the study to eliminate personal bias. Blinding refers to the group allocation and the concealment from one or more individuals involved in the research process (Karanicolas, Farrokhyar Bhandari 2010). The larger the sample size in a quantitative study, the more likely the study will apply to clinical situations and aiming to make generalisations about the larger population based on findings (Parahoo, 2006). The study uses a sample size of 108 which seems small and perhaps is unlikely to produce results of statistical significance failing to disclose the actual effectiveness of the agent used. It may have been that Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to get enough funding to support their study or an increase in sample size would have been too time consuming. Non-probability sampling was used with recruitment of subjects attending a clinic. This type of sampling limits the extent of generalisation of the results to the population outside the research (Burns Grove, 2007). Failure to enrol the predetermined number of subjects creates limitation and restricting what a reader may learn about the study. Further to this, Gethin and Cowman (2008) did not discuss During the data collection stage of the process, there are two important considerations: the potential impact on the reliability and validity of the study. Reliability refers to how reliable the data collection methods are, this is the extent to which the selected methods will collect the same data on repeated occasions. The more consistent this is, the more reliable the methods are (Macnee, 2008). Gethin and Cowman (2008) used local clinical investigators who took part in a pretrial inter-rater reliability (IRR) study determining the level of agreement between the three raters when assessing slough as a percentage within wound bed. As the assessment was split between three data collectors, the reader could query potential differences in subjective opinion in deciding the percentage of slough within the wound bed. Thus influencing the accuracy and consistency in measurement making the measure less reliable. Validity refers to the extent to which the methods used to collect and analyse the data accurately measures what the researchers intended it would measure (Macnee, 2008). They selected to use Visitrak Digital Planimetry a tool for wound measurement. Sugama et al. (2007) explores and concludes that this type for wound measurement device was a efficient reliable system applicable for use in clinical practice improving validity of the research. It must be noted however, that this is only valid if the users are fully competent in its use. An important methodology feature of RCTs is to minimise bias and maximise the validity of the results (Whiting 2009). Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to blind participants and data collectors due to the obvious orange staining from the Manuka honey. For a reader this is a immense flaw in the research introducing bias. The data collected in quantitative research must either be numerical or converted to numerical data and entered into a database (Macnee, 2008). Gethin and Cowman (2008) selected to use a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and further a statistician who was completely disconnected from the research in terms of collection and interaction with the subjects. This is a very positive aspect of the research and Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to elaborate why participants pulled out from the study and a reader should be highly concerned as to what exactly happened to these subjects and question averse reactions to the chosen product. A nurse having found this during a literature review would suggest there are too many weaknesses in the research to apply this to clinical practice and decision making. A main concern is the safety of patients and I would decline to use this product until further research was carried out considering all the available evidence potentially utilising a systematic review approach. Until then, it would not influence decision making in relation to methods of debridement. This intervention applied in everyday clinical practice could potentially have adverse consequences that outweigh the potential benefits. The cost was not reported and it may be that the Manuka honey treatment is very expensive providing only small health benefits and failing to make good use of reso urces. It may have been beneficial for the researchers to provide a rough idea of the cost of producing one unit of benefit. An aspect fundamental to nursing practice is to incorporate understanding of the participants perspective about their experiences (Leufer Cleary-Holdforth 2009). This is not something that was not explored, had funding been available qualitative research, which will be explored in the next paper could have been incorporating using two design methods. 1305 words Hancock, H. C. Easen, P. R. (2006) The decision-making processes of nurses when extubating patients following cardiac surgery: An ethnographic study. International Journal of Nursing Studies. [Online] 43 (6) p.693-705.

Ben Franklin A Touch Of Genius :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ben Franklin was born the tenth son of a soap maker, Josiah Franklin. In all Josiah had 17 children amid two wives. When Ben was 15, his brother had started the third paper to hit Boston called The New England Courant. Ben really wanted to write for the paper but he knew that his older brother James would never let him do that being that he is only an apprentice. Therefore, Ben being the young intellect that he was, started printing letters and sliding them into his brothers printing shop at night. He wrote under the alias Silence Dogood, and provided criticism towards views of the world, and the rights and treatments of women. Sixteen letters had been published until Ben came out and told James that it was his mere apprentice brother writing these reader loved articles. James's friends thought Ben was quite gifted but this infuriated James to know that his brother was gaining widespread attention through his alias Silence Dogood. Not before long at all Bens older brother was not at good terms with the Puritan leading family the Mathers. The Mathers supported inoculation, and James along with most people believed that this inoculation was not for the good of the people, and in fact it worsened conditions. James was thrown into prison and Ben was left to run the paper while he was gone. When James returned, he showed his brother no thanks for continuing his business on a positive note. In fact, James â€Å"harassed his younger brother and administered beatings from time to time† (The First American, 18). Ben could not take this harsh treatment from his former mentor so he decided to flee to in 1723 to New York.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ben traveled by boat hoping to find work as a printer in New York but there was none, he continued his journey for work through New Jersey and ended up in Philadelphia where he found work as an apprentice printer for Samuel Keimer. Franklin’s skill as a writer put him at good terms with the Governor William Keith of Pennsylvania. After Bens brother-in-law showed the governor one of Bens letters the governor was stunned by his mastery of wordplay and sent out to meet this great writer. The governor wanted Ben to start his own printing company, but Ben’s father would not finance his print shop, so the Governor told Franklin that he would in fact finance the start of his printing company, after Ben journeys to London to setup business connections, and buy supplies for the company.

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In this article, Goldstein attempts to describe the aspect of AIDS in Newfoundland. In order to sufficiently do so, she illustrates three main elements which relate to the expansion of the legend in the province; Cultural variability, localization and contemporary legend. The idea of doing this is to give the reader a general understanding of what stories were told In order to enhance the generation of these legends. Throughout the article, Goldstein provides examples of deferent versions of the AIDS legend. There are significant motifs used In these versions that distinguish he versions generated.There Is the coffin version In which the man usually lures the woman Into getting involved with him, and when she leaves to return home he hands her a box which has a coffin Inside with the message â€Å"welcome to the world of AIDS†. The lipstick version generally suggests the opposite; the woman lures the man Into getting Involved with her and In the morning the man will go to the bathroom with a message wrote on the mirror In lipstick â€Å"welcome to the world of AIDS†. The version chosen will reflect cultural assumptions and values, which Is what Is described as ultra variability.Goldstein provides facts that the coffin version is more prominent in Newfoundland than the lipstick version; 74% of random sample knew about the coffin legend versus the 26% that were aware of the lipstick legend. The original version may not have made sense to Nefariousness's, so it was altered to be understandable and meaningful. They often use mainlanders, which are the outsiders, as scapegoats. The Newfoundland version suggests an innocent, hardworking woman goes away on a trip, meets a man, falls in love and engages in sexual intercourse.If they engaged in sexual activity in Newfoundland and retrieved AIDS, the mainlanders would be blamed for the disperse because they are strangers. Newfoundland are good, mainlanders are bad. Newfoundland is safe, mainland is a threat . In part II of the article is where Cider's main points start. This is where he beings to outline his main points on murmuring. He begins with a definition on what murmuring is, in case the reader is unaware. If the reader is completely unaware of the aspect of murmuring, they would read Cider's first description and probably be totally confused. Loud banging at the Victims' kitchen door. † When seeing the word â€Å"victim† they may think there is some kind of illegal activity going to happen when they enter the house. â€Å"Loud banging† may constitute for an aggressive person or group. They both relate. In trying to avoid this conclusion, Sided quickly exemplifies the fact mummers are always lifelong neighbors and are never strangers even though they would appear to be. What happens when mummers enter the house? Sided continues to illustrate huge points that unfamiliar readers need to be aware of.Mummers do not enter households and â€Å"trash† the pla ce. They enter and dance around, have sociable drinks, eat food and Walt for the household to guess their Identity. There Is no Illegal occurrence that takes place during this activity and Slider makes this point very clear. The second point Sided makes Is the aspect of Scoffing. Upon reading this article, I was unfamiliar with what scoffing was. Sided makes a mall point regarding scoffing when he describes the term â€Å"scoff'. A scoff Is formerly known as a meal, usually one that consists of a large amount of food.Another efferent families, for which all the food is stolen or â€Å"bucked† which in Newfoundland means something a little different than stealing. Sided makes another huge point when he says that food is only taken from another family living in the same community and who is the same â€Å"social class† as the person taking the food. An individual who comes from a poor fisher family would not take from a wealthy family, and a wealthy individual would mos t certainly not take from a poor family. Sided also acknowledges the connection between murmuring and scoffing which is another age point made in this article.He notes that they lie at the intersection of different forms of alliances within and between families. These alliances can include sentiment and emotion, but also kinship or work and production. These activities basically hindered or helped social relations. In order to further illustrate the alliances, Sided goes in to talk about the organization of the village inshore fishery during the period when the family was the unit of work for the fishery, which is Part Ill of the article. In Part IV of the article, Sided describes the truck system and the tall al system.Due to reading the first article â€Å"In Between History and Tomorrow: Making and Breaking Everyday Life in Newfoundland. â€Å", I am very familiar with both of these systems, but he describes it because not all of the readers would have read that previous articl e. He thoroughly describes each system which is important so that the reader will know what these systems are and what they were used for. In Part V of the article, Sided illustrates the diminishing of the two customs (murmuring and scoffing).This is a major point because readers may understand why they haven't en familiar with either of them and it would be due to the fact that hardly anyone participates in them anymore. For example, I knew what murmuring was because it still occurs in my area but not very often. I was completely unaware of scoffing upon reading this article because it was not something that I was introduced to. It did not happen in my area and if it did, it would not go over well. These customs are diminishing and if we ask people in generations from now, they probably will not know what either one of these customs are.The last main point that Sided presents n this article is answering â€Å"Why do outpost Nefariousness's mum and scoff? † He answers by illu strating that customs do things. They are connected to people who participate in them. It becomes their social root for some people. The second answer that he illustrates is the connected between customs and culture. It is important for Sided to illustrate this because reader's may often times wonder while interpreting this article why people do the things that are being described.They may not realize it, but it is a true statement when people say it is part of you inheritance. Aside from the main points outlined in this article, which are relevant in understanding the article, I have generated a few questions based on a couple aspects that were discussed. 1. ) Why doesn't Sided talk more about the women during that era? He did mention in Part I that the mothers, wives, sisters and young children salted and dried the fish, preparing them for fall delivery to the merchant. He also mentioned them again during the explanation of kinship organization.The women were part of the shore cro wd, there were usually three or four needed, and they were not paid erectly (it depended on their father or brother's catch) Sided continues to describe how men interact during the off season, but what about the women? What do they do knows back then the women did all the cooking and cleaning). In my opinion, there is too much focus on the men, although it is proven they worked extremely hard and it is important to put emphasis on that, but it almost feels like women were minor in this article. 2. )Len the context of scoffing, how would people actually steal the goods?Sided gives a thorough description of scoffing, but fails to mention anything about owe the goods would be stolen, or bucked. Why didn't Sided expand on this context and provide an in-depth example? Would people wait until early hours in the morning? Would they do it in broad daylight? Would they go back numerous times in one scoff? Would they get someone else to do it for them Just in case they get caught? What do the y bring with them? Does anyone get really hurt or angry buy having their food stolen? Sided mentions that the individual(s) buck enough for it to hurt, but how hurt do they get?Do they seek revenge other than stealing back from them? A lot of answered questions came to me when reading about scoffing and it may be because I am so unfamiliar with the custom. I will definitely do more research into it because it seems very interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this article. I can relate to the murmuring where I am from. Although it is not a common thing, my family still sometimes go downstairs, dress up and come up dancing like mummers would. I really appreciated the point in the article when Sided referenced the â€Å"abundant Sunday dinner†. The traditional Sunday dinner is still a huge thing in my family.My grandmother faithfully cooks every Sunday, either for a small or big crowd. Cider's descriptions are very thorough and interesting to read, which is why this arti cle appealed to me more than the others. He covers most aspects that are needed in order for the reader to understand the points he is attempting to make. This is extremely important when trying to keep the reader interested and informed, and Sided productively does that. As a new reader of Cider's work I am impressed with his systematic descriptions and approach in his work and I look forward to reading more of his writing!

Sleep Apnea essays

Sleep Apnea essays Sleep Apnea is a serious potentially condition that is far more common than generally understood. Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder by brief Interruptions of breathing during sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea; central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air can't flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses orapnetic events? may be as high as 20 to 30 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea, although not everyone who snores has this condition. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness. Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it may be associated with irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and a stroke. Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes, but is more common in men. I may underdiagnosed in women and possibly young Americans. It has been estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have this disease, along with excessive daytime sleepiness. People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those who snore loudly and those who are overweight, or have high blood pressure, or have some, physical abnormality in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper airway. Sleep apnea seems to run in some families, suggesting a possible genetic basis. Certain mechanical and structural problems in the airway cause the interruptions in breathing during sleep. In some people, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the openi ...

Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath

THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Essay On Hamlet Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his difficulty deciding when to act on what he knows what he most do and timing for his actions and inactions. These flaws not only ruin his plans for revenge but also contribute to his death. The king was dead of murder, betrayed from his own brother and Hamlet turned away from the incest of his mother. One would think that an act of revenge would be taken quickly while in-raged, instead Hamlet made his plans for revenge over a large amount of time, which reveals his weakness inaction. Hamlet was full of grand ideas and intentions but failed to act and to carry out his revenge, the fall of Claudius. Why did Hamlet choose, and it was a choice, not to take revenge on Claudius quickly and decisively? Hamlet had his own reasons for inaction; the strategy that he felt best suited his revenge. Hamlet was undoubtedly an unpredictable character, and throughout the play it seemed as though the thoughts of his mind came too quickly for the actions of his body to keep up with. Nearly all of Hamlet’s actions, with the exception of his outburst at Ophelia’s grave, were preplanned and precisely calculated. His inborn thought process delayed his revenge, and while Hamlet may have appeared inmourning with inaction, the wheels in his mind never stopped turning. Hamlet questioned everything, including the validity of his own father’s ghost, and this questioning slowed down Hamlet’s ability to take action. Hamlet may have thought too much for his own good at times; he wrestled with many ideas, thoughts, and feelings over the course of the play, delaying any real action until the time, in his eyes, was right. Hamlet was very much a perfectionist in revenge. He wanted everything to be perfect, and this caused him to take unusual and unique steps to gain his revenge on Claudius. Hamlet’s play within a play, a brilliant scheme in which he caught the conscience of the king, was a prime example of the ... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Misfit to Madonna: Rose of Sharon’s Transformation When Rose of Sharon is first introduced in The Grapes of Wrath, we learn that she is expecting a child from her new husband, Connie Rivers. She is described as a mystical being whose primary concern is the well-being of her child, even at the almost ridiculously early stage of her pregnancy at the start of the novel. It is this concern that illustrates Rose of Sharon’s transformation from misfit to Madonna through the Joad’s journey. Rose of Sharon incessantly asks Ma Joad if â€Å"it’ll hurt the baby† throughout a majority of the novel, and adopts an attitude of superiority over others with her precious possession. She all but refuses to help the family pack the truck for California for fear of disturbing her fetus, even though she knows her help is needed. Her selfish antics and complaints are patiently absorbed by Ma, who tolerates her primarily because of her condition. Rose of Sharon knows that she is now an exception to the normal rules and exploits her position to its fullest potential. During the journey Rose of Sharon and Connie pass the time by dreaming of the idyllic life they will lead when they reach California. Connie says he will open a repair shop and buy a white house with a fence and an icebox and a car and a crib, all before the baby is born; all hopelessly idealistic and almost completely detached from reality. Every intention, though, is for the baby so that it may have a perfect life from the very moment it is born. In the face of hardships, Rose of Sharon comforts herself by remembering these dreamlike goals of her family and even reminds others of them, intending to lift the burden of reality. She does so when the sheriff threatens the roadside families to leave or be jailed. She tells Ma of Connie’s plans for California, which have nothing to do with the situation at that moment. This escape only proves to ultimately hurt Rose of Sharon and Connie; ... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Life Before Man: Novel Summary and Research Plot Summary A) As Margaret Atwood’s Life Before Man begins, the reader is introduced to the initial characters Elizabeth, her husband Nate and their children Janet and Nancy. The reader is also familiarized with Chris, Elizabeth’s former lover who has just taken his own life. The novel begins in Toronto in 1976, ending in 1978. The main storyline, Elizabeth’s affair and the decay of her marriage, is also presented. B) Life Before Man ‘s inciting incident occurs as Elizabeth changes visibly with the suicide of her lover. Once a devoted wife and mother, she has abandoned cooking and cleaning, opting for hours spent in bed. She gives her husband and children little attention and even banishes Nate to a separate bedroom. She removes herself from reality, but allows no one to enter her world. Nate is forced to give up his career as a lawyer, as juggling both his and his wife’s former role becomes too challenging. C) The rising action revolves around the complicated affairs that result in the end of Elizabeth and Nate’s marriage. The rising action begins as Nate has an affair of his own, becoming involved with one of his wife’s coworkers, Lesje. Elizabeth then plots revenge, sleeping with William, a man also involved with Lesje. D) The crisis is observed at Christmas, when Elizabeth invites each of the adulterous characters to dinner. A confrontation is unexpectedly provoked as the guests indulge in an after dinner game of â€Å"survival†. In the playing the game, each character must reveal why he or she feels that he or she should remain on the lifeboat and not be thrown overboard. The game results in number of emotional confessions from its participants and Elizabeth, whose family has become threatened by the couple’s infidelities, contemplates suicide. E) The climax is then reached as Elizabeth asks Nate to move out. She feels their marriage has suffered enough and looks... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath In the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings to the reader a variety of diverse and greatly significant characters. However, the majority of each characters’ individuality happens to lie within what they symbolize in the nature of the Joad family and their acquaintances, which itself stands for the entire migrant population of the Great Depression era. One such character is that of Jim Casey, a former preacher and long-time friend of the Joads. In Steinbeck’s, The Grapes of Wrath, Jim Casey represents a latter-day Christ figure who longs to bring religious stability to the burgeon of migrant families facing West. Steinbeck manages to give Jim Casey the exact initials as the historical savior (J.C.), which allows the reader to latch onto this connection from the beginning. Yet, Casey’s relation to Christ â€Å"goes beyond such mere coincidences, and plays out rather in their similar plans of action† (Johnson 19). One of the many similarities between Casey and Christ is that Casey had also drifted out to the forests in order to "soul-search" and discover the answers to sometimes hidden questions. In this particular situation, Casey himself states the comparison of Christ’s and his actions while giving a grace at the Joad’s breakfast table, "...I been in the hills, thinkin’, almost you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think His way out of a mess of troubles." (Steinbeck 104) Casey further goes on during his rather rambling grace, "I got tired like Him...I got mixed up like Him...I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin’ stuff." (Steinbeck 105) With Casey’s ... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath By: John Steinback Throughout history, more than one great event has happened that captured the attention of onlookers, not only the onlookers of that time, but also onlookers that were yet to come. Textbooks captured these events, and they were preserved in the hearts of the people. However, some less recognized events that occurred throughout the times that were not brought to the attention of most. These depended on the exploits of the pioneers in writing to preserve these occurrences, so that the people of the future would remember. The Grapes of Wrath is such a book, in which a less known historic event that had a great impact on some people and was an important part of history was documented and preserved for the future to see. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinback speaks of the ongoing tirade hovering over the never-ending cycle of unemployment, and the quest for stability, independence, and happiness. This book opens at the scene of the aftermath of a typical dust storm. It is apparent that these conditions are not by any means rare or unique, but rather common everyday scenes. The sand has settled, the male villagers are reviewing the damage, and their women and children sit quietly waiting for the men. The chapter is passive, and speaks of and to no one in particular, but rather to all people as a general whole. In the next chapter, the book begins a narrative of the Tom Joad, an ex-convict searching for his family after a four-year sentence. This narrative also takes place in Oklahoma. This alternating pattern between passive historical chapters that involve no direct action, and those of historical-fiction chapters, continues to alternate throughout the book, with the historical chapters extending in length from one to three chapters at a time, and the fictional chapters extending no longer than one chapter at a time. Steinback expressed the feelings of the different characters, the central the... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck’s classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath follows the trials and tribulations of Tom Joad and his family, along with a supporting cast of characters which includes members of Tom’s family, as well as local people. When Tom is released from prison after serving four years for the crime of manslaughter, he begins to return to his family’s farm in the infamous â€Å"Dust Bowl†. Eventually, he meets another main character in this book, Jim Casy, who is a former preacher who seems to value the importance of human contact as something quite holy. Tom and Jim together travel to the Joad’s residence, only to learn that his family is at his Uncle John’s house. There they are planning the long trip to California in search of jobs with high wages, as is promised by the handbills posted all over the Oklahoma landscape California land-owners. It is there that they feel their fiduciary troubles will end. Unfortunately for the Joads, California does anything but solve their problems. Tom’s grandparents die en route, Tom’s younger sister, Rose of Sharon, is pregnant and thinks she might lose the baby, jobs become difficult to find, and all the camps are full of people in similar or worse situations. This new wave of immigrants into California angers the already overcrowded population. Jim Casey is arrested by the local law enforcement because of an argument between them and Tom for which he gets blamed. Eventually, the Joads’ find a government-run camp in which they pick fruit. The police attempt to stage a riot in order to justify breaking up the camp, but Tom helps the men diffuse the situation. After this, the Joads once again set out to find new work. Again, Tom meets up with Jim along the way, who has been released from prison. He is now working to unite the migrant farmworkers into a solidified front commonly known as a union. They are discovered by the police and Jim is shot and killed by one of them....

How to Determine Which Marketing Tools Are Best For Your Team

How to Determine Which Marketing Tools Are Best For Your Team Picture this. Youre at your desk. Suddenly you realize theres got to be a better, faster way to accomplish your marketing goals, whether that be with a keyword, social media scheduling, project management, or email marketing tool. So you turn to the almighty Google And youre flooded by thousands of options, you cant seem to make sense of where to start. There are offers for trials everywhere, coupled with insane amounts of advice and you havent even figured out exactly what your team needs let alone looking at how much this tool is vs another *Insert panic screaming here* Breathe, you got this. And if you dont, well, this blog post will help get you through. Youll learn how to: Prioritize your teams needs. Learn the criteria you need to make the best decision when it comes to finding a marketing tool for your team. Learn how to pitch your winning tool to your boss. Learn how to pitch your winning tool to your team. Before You Start Your Research Dont just start Googling. Trust me. Diving right into the research phase of your marketing tool selection process can quickly become overwhelming. Just look at the first page of results when you type marketing tool into Google. Dont even get me started on the ads that will surface on your Google searches as well. Youve got advice coming at you left and right, and while that is great, it doesnt necessarily give you the jumping off point you need to start making decisions about a potential tool. There is a way to fix this. Before you start your research, sit down and prioritize what your team needs in order to be successful. Before you start researching marketing tools, sit down prioritize what your team needs to beIts really that simple. By knowing what your team needs to fix a broken process, or automate it so it goes faster, youre able to walk into your search knowing what youre looking for. So how do you create that list? Open a document or download Marketing Tool template. Once you've downloaded the template, click the second tab at the bottom: Here's what you'll see next: Begin to write down and prioritize what you think your team would need to be successful. And now you're staring at a blinking cursor wondering what to write. Here are some prompts that may help you begin your list: What does your team need to accomplish in order to be successful? What does your team want to accomplish that they think will make them successful? What's currently broken in your marketing process that you think a tool could help fix? What does your current process look like? What does your dream marketing process look like? How would you like to see your process flow in a new tool? Where are your team members divided into silos? What does this tool need to accomplish to break down those silos? From the answers you write down, you can identify what qualities you are looking for in a marketing tool. List Your Top 10 Must-Have Criteria These are features that absolutely must be a part of the tool that you select. They are you non-negotiables. Your top ten list could include things like. Drag and drop calendar features Social analytics tool Task lists Being able to assign tasks to team members Team reports Email integrations Project management features like being able to group by content type Being able to add in all of your social channels Landing page integrations WordPress or other blogging software integrations Automated task reminders Comment section on projects Being able to group multiple pieces of content under one campaign Minimum or maximum number of users Price per user/social channel I could keep going with this list but I don't want to bore you. Your list may look a bit different from the one above and that's okay. Every marketing team is different, which means the end goals you have may be different then the end goals the team at has. Now you have your must have criteria. You can start searching NOW right? Not quite. Sorry, I promise, we're almost there. List Your Top Ten "Would Be Nice To Have" Criteria Why? Because you're going to be researching a lot of tools. Those nice-to-haves could be the determining factor between one tool and another. Your initial list could look something like this. Automated optimum posting times Due dates that move automatically when you move a project Completion bar that shows the progress on a project Internal comment or chat system within the app Mobile app for on the go editing Approval process that let's a manager know if content has been reviewed or not Pre-made printable progress reports Social Media competitor analysis Google Analytics, bit.ly and other integrations The ability to separate different clients or projects by calendar Again, your specific list will depend on what type of tool you're looking for. Recommended Reading: How to Be More Successful With the Right Content Marketing Tools Start Your Initial Research Phase Yes, we finally got to the research phase. But I'm not unleashing you on to Google just yet. There's a good reason I promise. How you research is just as important as what you research. How you research your marketing tools is just as important as what you research them for.Pick One Researcher From Your Marketing Team Having only one researcher pays off for a number of different reasons: We have innate nature to compete with one another.  If you have 10 people researching 10 different tools, you suddenly have ten people championing their favorite tool. Not only is that a lot of noise, you have each person competing to say that they were the ones that picked the new marketing tool. You only need one expert.  The person that is conducting your research knows exactly what your team needs. They in essence, become an expert in all things marketing tools, making it easier to make an informed decision. You don't want to waste the team's already limited time.  You know you're team is busy. Taking away an hour of 10 people's time on your team is 10 hours that could have been spent elsewhere. Taking away even 3 hours of one person's time is a much more manageable task.Your team is already loaded to the max. Don't stress them out more then necessary. Research Your Top Ten Tools Okay, open up your browser. You can finally start searching for your marketing tool. You're going to have a lot of options and that's ok. That's why we made your checklist. As you go through the endless pages of tools, document them in your top ten in your spreadsheet that you downloaded earlier. Get that done? Ok, let's keep going. Add up the totals in your spreadsheet and narrow them down to your top three. Look for tools that: Meet your must-have criteria Meet your budget Meet most if not all of your must have's Why three you ask? Understand the Psychology of Three First, Second, and Third. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yours, mine and ours. Lots of things come in threes. Why? Because repeating a message three times helps stop the internal noise and distractions going on around you. Having three similar tools that meet your expectations will help solidify, in your mind, what tool you need. Choosing new marketing tools? Here's why you should narrow your choices down to three:Make Your Final Decision So you've narrowed in down to your top three tools. Check your point system again. Did one edge out over the others? If so, there is your winner. That was easy, wasn't it? Recommended Reading: How to Influence Marketing Change Management [Backed By Science] How To Pitch Your Favorite Tool You did all that work and you finally have the results of all your labor. This is the tool  that you believe will revolutionize the way your marketing team works. Now you just have to convince your boss to believe that too. What if I told you I outlined your entire presentation for you? You can download the whole thing right now. However, if you want to take the time to build your own presentation here's some things that you're going to want to cover. What To Cover In Your Presentation For Your Boss Depending on what your boss wants to see in your presentation, your list may vary. However, if it was me, this is what I would cover. What brought on the need for the tool? What did I hope the team would gain by investing in a tool? What qualifications would I be measuring this tool against? How many tools did I initially research? What did I narrow my decision down to? What qualities put this tool over the top? Price point Is there a demo or trail period that we could do to see if the tool works? You convinced your boss. They gave you the green light to move forward. Now the task lies on you convincing your team that they need this tool.