Battle of Ridgefield in the American Revolution

Battle of Ridgefield in the American Revolution Battle of Ridgefield - Conflict Date: The Battle of Ridgefield was fought April 27, 1777, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Armies Commanders Americans Major General David WoosterBrigadier General Benedict Arnold700 rising to 1,000 menBritishMajor General William Tryon1,800 men Battle of Ridgefield - Background: In 1777, General Sir William Howe, commanding British forces in North America, commenced planning operations designed to capture the American capital at Philadelphia.   These called for him to embark the bulk of his army in New York City and sail to  the Chesapeake Bay  where he would strike his target from the south.   In preparing for his absence, he  provided the  Royal  Governor of New York, William Tryon, with a local commission as a major general and directed him  to harass American forces in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut.   Early that spring, Howe learned through his intelligence network of the existence of a large Continental Army depot at Danbury, CT.   An inviting target, he instructed Tryon to  put together a  raid to  destroy it. Battle of Ridgefield - Tryon Prepares: To accomplish this objective, Tryon assembled a fleet of twelve transports, a hospital ship, and several smaller vessels.   Overseen by Captain Henry Duncan, the fleet was to transport the 1,800 men of the landing force up the coast to Compo Point (in present-day Westport).  Ã‚  This command drew troops from 4th, 15th, 23rd, 27th, 44th, and 64th Regiments of Foot as well as contained a group of 300 Loyalists  taken from  the Prince of Wales American Regiment.   Departing on April 22, Tyron and Duncan  spent three days working their way up the coast.   Anchoring in the  Saugatuck River,  the British advanced eight miles inland before making camp. Battle of Ridgefield - Striking Danbury: Pushing north the next day, Tryons men reached Danbury and  found Colonel Joseph P. Cookes small garrison attempting to remove the supplies to safety.   Attacking, the British drove off Cookes men after a brief skirmish.   Securing the depot, Tryon directed  its contents, largely foodstuffs, uniforms, and equipment, to be burned.   Remaining in Danbury through the day, the British continued the destruction of the depot.  Ã‚  Around 1:00 AM on the night April 27, Tryon received word that American forces were approaching the town.   Rather than risk being cut off from the coast, he ordered the houses of Patriot supporters burned and made preparations to depart. Battle of Ridgefield - The Americans Respond: On April 26, as Duncans ships passed Norwalk, word  of the enemys approach reached  Major General David Wooster of the Connecticut militia and Continental Brigadier General Benedict Arnold at New Haven.   Raising the local militia, Wooster ordered it to proceed to Fairfield.   Following, he and Arnold arrived to find that the commander of the Fairfield County militia, Brigadier General Gold Silliman, had raised his men and moved north to Redding leaving orders that newly-arrived troops should join him there.   Uniting with Silliman,  the combined American force numbered 500 militia and 100 Continental regulars.   Advancing towards Danbury, the column was slowed by heavy rain and around 11:00 PM halted at nearby Bethel to rest and dry their powder.   To the west, word of Tryons  presence reached Brigadier General Alexander McDougall who began assembling Continental troops around Peekskill. Battle of Ridgefield - A Running Fight: Around dawn, Tryon departed Danbury and moved south with the intention of reaching the coast via Ridgefield.   In an effort to slow the British and allow additional American forces to arrive, Wooster and Arnold split their force with the latter taking 400 men directly to Ridgefield while the former harassed the enemys rear.   Unaware of Woosters pursuit, Tryon paused for breakfast approximately three miles north of Ridgefield.   A veteran of the 1745 Siege of Louisbourg, the French Indian War, and the American Revolutions Canadian  Campaign, the experienced Wooster struck and successfully surprised the British rearguard, killing two and capturing forty.   Quickly withdrawing, Wooster  attacked again an hour later.  Ã‚  Better prepared for action,  British artillery repelled the Americans and Wooster fell mortally wounded. As fighting commenced north of Ridgefield, Arnold and his men worked to build barricades in the town and blockaded the streets.   Around noon, Tryon advanced on the town and commenced an artillery bombardment of the American positions.   Hoping to flank the barricades, he then sent forward troops on either side of the town.   Having anticipated this, Silliman had deployed his men in blocking positions.   With his initial efforts halted, Tryon made use of his numerical advantage and attacked on both flanks as well as pushed 600 men  directly against the barricade.   Supported by artillery fire, the British succeeded in turning Arnolds flank and  running battle ensued as  the Americans withdrew  down Town Street.   In the course of the fighting, Arnold was nearly captured when his horse was killed, briefly pinning  him between the lines. Battle of Ridgefield - Back to the Coast: Having driven off the defenders, Tyrons column camped for the night south of town.   During this time, Arnold and Silliman regrouped their men and received reinforcements in the form of additional New York and Connecticut militia as well as a company of Continental artillery under Colonel John Lamb.   The next day, while Arnold established a blocking position on Compo Hill that overlooked the roads leading to the landing beach, militia forces conducted an intense harassment of the British column similar to that faced during the British withdraw from Concord in 1775.   Moving south, Tryon crossed the Saugatuck above Arnolds position forcing the American commander to join the militia in  pursuit. Reaching the coast, Tryon was met by reinforcements from the fleet.   Arnold attempted an attack with the support of Lambs guns, but was pushed back by a British bayonet charge.   Losing another horse, he was unable to rally and reform his men to make another assault.   Having held, Tryon  re-embarked his men and departed for New York City. Battle of Ridgefield - Aftermath: The fighting at the Battle of Ridgefield and supporting actions saw the Americans lose 20 killed and  40 to 80 wounded, while Tryons command reported casualties of 26 killed, 117 wounded, and 29 missing.   Though the raid on Danbury achieved its objectives, the resistance faced during the return to the coast caused concern.   As a result, future raiding operations in Connecticut were limited to the coast including an attack by Tryon in 1779 and one by Arnold after his betrayal that resulted in the 1781 Battle of Groton Heights.  Ã‚  In addition, Tryons actions led to an increase in support for the Patriot cause in Connecticut including an upswing in enlistments.   Newly-raised troops from the  colony would aid Major General Horatio Gates later that year in the victory at Saratoga.   In recognition  for his contributions  during the Battle of Ridgefield, Arnold received  his much-delayed promotion to major general  as well as a new horse. Selected Sources: Town of Ridgefield: Battle of RidgefieldKeeler Tavern Museum: Battle of Ridgefield Ridgefield Historical Society

How to Write Compelling Dialogue

How to Write Compelling Dialogue Skillfully used, dialogue can pull a reader into a book and mesmerize that person. It also provides easy reading and quickly moves the reader along as opposed to pages upon pages of descriptive wordings and phrases. Nobody has to learn about speech, it’s an integral part of our society. We engage in dialogue everyday whether it’s with another individual, over the phone, to our pets or even to ourselves. Dialogue is the most natural way society has of conveying information to one another. There is a trick however, to creating natural sounding dialogue in a book. When you listen to people talk, their sentences are fragmented, disjointed and typically peppered with slang, cuss words and fillers such as â€Å"uh, well, like, um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Their facial and body expressions fill in the rest. It wouldn’t make much sense if you were to write dialogue exactly as you hear it. When writing dialogue, one must be able to convey conversation between characters in a natural , skillful way that doesn’t seem contrived. An adroit writer will use dialogue to convey the history, personality or description of a character, to create a mood or setting. Instead of droning on and on in a paragraph describing the setting, how a person looks or the mood and risk putting your reader to sleep, use dialogue to convey that information. Show the personality of your character by the way you have them speak. If you’re portraying a gangster then pepper their dialogue with slang and name calling. Convey the fact that they’re in a gang by making references to it in conversation. Portray a professional, perhaps a lawyer, by having him speak in a very eloquent manner using intellectual words. There would be no need to describe that he was a highly intelligent man who spoke well or even dressed well. Those can be shown through dialogue. You can even adopt a masculine or feminine way of speech to fit the gender of your character. What you want to do is create a picture of that character in the reader’s mind. Show the reader with your words and allow the reader to develop the picture in their minds. Make references to the past in conversations. This gives the readers an insight into what drives the character in the story. Create pictures for them using dialogue. Make it so that the reader can read and say â€Å"Aha, so that’s where he got his murderous tendencies†, after reading a dialogue showing how his father beat him senseless as a boy. Set the mood by using dialogue. Show the reader what a romantic night your characters are experiencing by having them reference the setting in their conversation. Instead of saying she got the matches out and lit the candles on the table. Use dialogue, such as â€Å"Hey babe, would you light the candles for me?† Using dialogue to show candles on a table is much more interesting than describing the action of getting the matches and lighting them. Describe someone by having two characters talk about them rather than going into an actual play by play of a physical description. For instance, if a woman had spiky red hair, you could show two other people commenting on how she must have spent a fortune getting her hair cut and dyed. Plus the fact that now she’s going to have to spend extra time every morning gelling and shaping her hair into spikes. Properly used in dialogue the reader can get a sense of resentment from the two who are having the conversation about the woman. Remember to read the dialogue out loud to yourself so you can get a sense of how it sounds to your ears. If it doesn’t flow or sound natural, then the reader isn’t going to identify with it. This is an extremely important part in creating compelling dialogue; getting the conversation to sound as if it could actually be taking place. If you find yourself hitting an awkward spot in the dialogue, then your readers most likely will too. Don’t get too carried away with dialects and slang. If it gets too complicated to read and follow, the reader most likely will put your book down. Another important thing to remember is not to get too carried away with the length of their responses. Most people speak in shorter spurts back and forth. The only time you’ll find someone going on and on would most likely be someone giving a speech or telling a story. Use dialogue to convey emotion. A simple one word response such as a curt â€Å"No† can indicate someone†™s impatience with another. Don’t insult a reader’s intelligence by telling him exactly how everything looked, felt or was. Readers have vivid imaginations and a big part of the lure of reading is to be able to figure out and visualize the spoken words into the bigger picture of the story.

The Proof of Euler that Captures the Soul of Mathematics Research Paper

The Proof of Euler that Captures the Soul of Mathematics - Research Paper Example The biggest credit to the Homo sapiens is their invention of mathematics; the invention has revolutionized every aspect of learning. Would it be possible for the code to a human gene without mathematics? Or send Neil Armstrong to the Moon? Mathematics has indeed provided clues to phenomenon hidden to human eyes for centuries. Mathematics can give absolute and divine pleasure to a mathematician. This is not only because it is beautiful and capable of artistic divination as any other art but because unlike poetry, music etc it provides complete and absolute satisfaction, purity and above all freedom. It is capable of unrivaled perfection compared to any other art form. A mathematician does not do indulge in mathematics not only because it is useful but because it gives a reason for being. The insignificant human existence can find purpose and greatness beyond its boundaries. To understand this beauty we should take it as an expression of structure and pattern like a painter paints a picture. Just like different colors combine to create a unique masters piece, similar numbers and notations integrating to produce beauty. Just look at the Rubik’s for instance, no human being without the help of mathematics can imagine solving it. It has more solution than many times the stars of this galaxy but with mathematical algorithms, we have accomplished to solves it in as less as 7.9 seconds.

Process Improvement Application Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Process Improvement Application - Assignment Example a) What is a QI story? A quality improvement story is a seven-step procedure whose main purpose is to improve business processes.  b) Discuss several reasons for using a QI story.  i) It enables the company to clearly define the problems that may be wrong with their products and to open ways for other areas to be exploitedii) The QI story also enables the company to analyze, with a considerable level of confidence, the extent to which their goods and/or services satisfies their customers and the cost effectiveness of their operations.   c) List the basic steps of a QI story. A QI story comprises of the following basic steps:i) Developing theme – the definition of the problem that is to be solvedii) Scheduling – a time plan on how these ten steps will be completediii) Accessing of current conditions -   involves the determination of the current process effectiveness and efficiency based on available factsiv) Performing cost-effective analysis – involves se eking the factors that must be changed to improve the situation.v) Verifying cause – this is designed to prove that the factors identified are indeed the causes of the present conditions.vi) Formulating countermeasures – this step involves formulation of changes that will act on the factors to improve the processvii) Assessing countermeasure effectiveness – this is a test of the countermeasures to with the aim of ensuring that the expected improvements does happen as planned

National music of China, Indonesia and Brazil Essay

National music of China, Indonesia and Brazil - Essay Example This "National music of China, Indonesia and Brazil" essay outlines the historical reasons for the national music's uprising. The idea of nationalism was first based on divisions between the German, Italian or French style, most which was seen in the image of the nation. However, this became more prevalent in the 1800s and 1900s, specifically because of the national agenda and political approach. Many leaders were searching for an identity which closed the doors to trade and other aspects of country interference, specifically to gain power over those within the country. Others were trying to shape the image of the nation, specifically so it would produce pride among those in the nation and increase the cultural and production. This led to the main aspects of national pride which were reflected in the music. The concept of patriotism which was pushed by the political leaders and society was followed by several composers experimenting with music and trying to find different ways of exp ressing what was occurring within the society. Composers such as Bartok were renowned for going into the fields and moving into the early fields of ethnomusicology. Folk songs from villages would be recorded then transferred into the classical styles within the nation. Other regions of the world followed this format, specifically with the folk music, combined with the contemporary idioms that were within each of the countries. Countries were able to keep their identity and heritage while associating the different concepts to modern and contemporary styles. This was followed with the continuous nationalism that experimented with modern sounds but announced that the movement of technique was specifically for a region. For instance, the concept of Impression, led by Ravel, was based on the French contemporary aspects in society. These several movements then redefined the approach to nationalism and the way in which it was associated with culture and society (Grosby, Leoussi, 55: 2007). Defining Contemporary Nationalism There are several elements which create a sense of nationalism in society and the contemporary approach which is a part of the music created. This is not only based on the idea of folk music and the presentation of one type of music presenting a country. The definition of nationalism has transcended into defining a country by the sounds which belong to a specific country and create an understanding of the artists which are in this region. This began with the contemporary approach to the modern compositions, which included the French Impressionism. While this wasn’t French, different techniques and theories led several to the belief that it belonged to this region. The ideal wasn’t only associated with the definitions of what it meant to be national through folk music, but also included the several techniques used. Instrumentation, distinct sounds, approaches to the culture and creating a sense of diversity within a given region

An Exploratory Study On Student Engagement Education Essay

An Exploratory Study On Student Engagement Education Essay Research on higher education studies places emphasis on quality educational practices. This is especially true in a country such as Lebanon, which has experienced rapid growth in the number of institutes of higher education, and, in parallel, the number of university students. Engaging undergraduate students has been one major area of focus since research has shown engaging educational activities enhance the educational process and setting. Engaged students learn more material and learn it more effectively. Benchmarks and techniques have been established in order to engage the disengaged members of a student body. Training academic faculty and staff in the area of engagement, and the application of engaging techniques presents institutes of higher education with new possibilities for enhancing the quality of education. 116 Lebanese students completed an engagement survey in a preliminary study on variables which may correspond to levels of engagement. The study found that gender and years at university were significantly related to higher levels of engagement. 1 Introduction According to Hu and Kuh [1] student engagement is the most important factor of higher education in terms of learning and development. They define engagement as the quality of student effort devoted to educationally purposeful activities. Their research has revealed that academic performance improves as a result of challenging goals in the classroom environment. They also found that students want to both find and master challenges in and out of the classroom environment. However, a great number of students do not believe they are being adequately challenged to meet their academic needs. Many students also report they are not participating in activities that are known to be engaging. 1.1 Student Disengagement Research conducted at the University of California at Santa Barbara [2] showed an emerging culture of disengagement. This is due to several societal factors. Flacks and Thomas[2] believe that, in an effort to accommodate higher numbers of students, scholastic quality has been compromised. The amount of time students spend studying and participating in on-campus activities has decreased as they spend more time working and socializing off campus. Students seemed to be less prepared academically when they start college courses; therefore they are unable to avail themselves of all the university experience has to offer. Consequently, they are less engaged [3]. Boyer [4] believed that higher education is increasingly a part of the problem of student disengagement as opposed to being a part of the solution. Some institutes of higher education have become places students are credentialed rather then fostered to address the problems of their societies. In order to facilitate the scholarship of engagement, academia must connect the rich resource of our students to the responsibility thereof and address the social, civic, and ethical problems of civilization. In doing so, the scholarship of engagement will show its worth and service to a worldwide audience [4]. 1.2 Engagement Current research and literature show student demographics, habits and interests have changed over time [5, 6, 7]. This new campus culture has led to changing student expectations as well. Students want to be challenged and they want to know that their instructor is available to them both in and out the classroom. Students prefer instructors that motivate them to engage with classroom content [8, 9]. Creating activities related to student habits would better engage students in classroom content. For example, Kuh [9] found that surfing the internet was the leisure activity which demonstrated the greatest increase from 1996 until 2001. Students also spent more time listening to music, and watching movies than in previous years. Institutes of Higher Education should accommodate the needs and expectations of these new students. Emerging technology has necessitated the inclusion of interactivity, more involvement with the teacher as facilitator, and a greater emphasis on technology as a learning tool into traditional models of learning and course design. Educationally purposeful activities using information technology, such as emailing faculty or students about assignments, encouraged collaboration and increased contact with other students and faculty. Using information technology had a strong positive relationship with students overall measure of engagement. [9] An engaging classroom results in students engaged with classmates, instructor, and subject content. Additionally, faculty and student interaction seems to be a significant factor of quality student engagement and satisfaction. Studies have shown a positive correlation exists between engagement scores and faculty availability and access outside of class. [7, 6] Hu and Kuh [1] found student engagement to be a function of the interaction of students and various institutional characteristics. Students who had more positive views of their college or university campus were more likely to have higher engagement scores [10]. Kuh and Hu [11] used data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) database to compare undergraduate student experiences at research institutions and their counterparts in other college classifications. This study suggests that student engagement is varied among the different types of institutions. They found liberal arts colleges tended to score better in student engagement than other classifications of colleges. The variance of engaging institutions is related to the institutions mission rather than classification. The belief that small, private liberal arts colleges are more engaging institutions was not supported by the study[11]. However, liberal arts colleges consistently excel in the benchmarking for faculty-student interaction. It is presumed that since classes are smaller there is greater opportunity for faculty-student contact [7]. Defining institutional excellence is only successful in terms of the institutions effective educational practices or processes. The most important indicators of excellence, in the university setting, include quality and focus of instruction, faculty and peer interaction, writing experiences, and active involvement in course work. In an engaged university, the student is highly involved in the culture of the institute both in and out of the classroom. Increased engagement leads to increased acquisition of knowledge, skill development, and higher student graduation (retention) rates [12]. Pike and Kuh [13] compared first- and second-generation college students in levels of engagement and intelligence development. On average, first-generation college students were less engaged, and do not engage in activities associated with success in college, such as living on campus and participating in extra-curricular activities. Low levels of engagement are not related to intelligence but rather to being the first family member to attend college, financial hardships, or living at home. The groups found to be more engaged overall included students living on campus, females, minority students, and students planning to pursue advanced degrees. These students also reported greater perceived gains in their intellectual development and learning performance [13]. Engagement literature suggests that an engaging institutional environment positively affect learning productivity. These institutions not only attempt to engage students in class, but in college life, via social and civic organizations, intramural activities, sports events, and living in the campus community. The commitment to engaging students should be apparent in the institutions mission, vision, and philosophy. The members of the university faculty, staff, and administration must create an environment that engages students on campus and in the classroom [14]. 1.3 Teaching in the classroom If engagement is to be fostered and encouraged in the university setting, it is important to examine the learning environment instructors create. A study by Kuh [8] found that engaged students want prompt feedback. Teacher-student relationships of respect, as opposed to friendship, were also more conducive to learning [6, 7, 8]. One standard of teaching in institutes of higher education is lecturing. Few students possess this type of intelligence and therefore this method is not conducive to an engaging classroom environment. According to The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) annual reports students find methods, such as lecturing and note taking, to be less than engaging [6, 7]. Active learning is student learning via reading, writing, and participating in activities which apply learned concepts in an engaging manner [6, 7]. Engaging activities include class discussions, faculty and peer interactions, socialization in the college context, and interactive assignments [5, 6, 7]. Student affect, a mental and emotional reaction toward learning, demonstrates engagement. Cues, such as student questioning or cognitive or emotional excitement of learning concepts, are examples of positive student affect. Kuh [9] found students with higher levels of affect, displayed more engaging learning behaviors. Teachers who make eye contact, use gestures and humor, and personalize examples in class stimulate higher levels of student affect. Equally important were instructors who develop engaging, active learning while communicating high standards of expected academic performance. [15] Research[14] shows teachers who are successful, as measured by student engagement in the classroom, create an interesting and engaging learning environment. Research also revealed that outstanding teachers employ many types of strategies and methodologies. No single technique or specific delivery methodology yielded a greater number or percentage of engaged students. [14] Henning [16] reported improvement in engagement when there were open classroom discussions, creative questioning, and important and relevant material. One methodology to make course content interesting and relevant is called rhetoric skill. The instructor begins with a narrative open to discussion. The instructor then elicits a more conceptual understanding of the topic as student participation increases. Students are encouraged to actively participate in debate and inquiry until they control the discussion. [16] Similarly, Socratic questioning and responding deepens understanding of concepts that encourage student engagement. Effective teachers create a natural learning environment where students feel safe to express their opinions in a nonjudgmental, unbiased atmosphere. Engagement also increases when students work collaboratively to solve problems. Finally, teachers who create diverse learning experiences will have more engaged and interested students overall [10]. Regardless of methodology, it is important for teachers to emphasize clarity and important points, use relevant examples, and speak intelligibly. To create highly engaged students, teachers must be aware of, and use, many teaching strategies. They should teach from within and become equal participants in the learning process. [17] 2 The case of Lebanon Opportunities for higher education in Lebanon today have reached levels unparalleled in Lebanese history. The first institutes of higher education in Lebanon were the American University of Beirut (formerly the Syrian Protestant College), founded in 1866 and Saint Joseph University, founded in 1875. It wasnt until 1953 that the public university, Lebanese University, was opened. [18] A private university education at that time was only for the elite. After the Lebanese civil war came to an end, and the country began to stabilize, the demand for higher education began to grow. In 1996 the Ministry of Higher Education [18] set new licensing regulations for institutes of higher education. By 2000, 23 institutions (referred to as new universities) had been established. Lebanon currently boasts 41 institutes of higher education [19]. These are divided into 1 public university, 26 private universities, 7 university institutes, 3 university institutes of technology and 4 university institutes for religious studies. [18] The UNESCO Institute for Statistics [20] released a set of gross enrollment ratios on education in Lebanon from in 2008. This shows that more and more females are continuing into higher education. By 2008, 52% of tertiary age students were in tertiary education (46-male: 57-females) [20]. Quantity was not the equivalent of quality, and only 7 of Lebanons universities were labeled as excellent [21]. Lebanon is currently facing a restructuring in the area of higher education. In order to maintain its role as a leader of excellence in education in the Middle East, institutes of higher education must focus on the quality of their students as opposed to the quantity[21]. Quality assurance programs have become critical to Lebanese academics and educational institutes. The Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies (TEMPUS) project, Quality Assurance for Higher Education in Lebanon (QAHEL) is one example. This project is to raise awareness of European models of quality in higher education among Lebanese higher education institutions. [19] 3 The Study The questionnaire was established by Ahlfeldt, Mehta and Sellnow [17] in their research studies of classroom engagement. The questionnaire was proven in their research as both a valid and reliable measure of engagement with an alpha reliability of 0.84. Therefore the researchers felt that this was an appropriate tool of measure for levels of engagement in MUBS classrooms. 3.1Research Questions Are females more engaged than males? Are students who self reported higher GPAs more engaged than those with lower GPAs? Does age play a role in level of engagement? Does the level of student engagement differ according to the number of years at university? 3.2 Sample The researchers administered the questionnaire to 116 English communication skills students at The Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS). MUBS, a new university, was established in 2000 and strives to maintain a quality oriented institute of higher education, in a highly competitive market. In order to establish equal representation in the sample, in terms of the variables tested (gender, GPA, age and years at university), and the majors available at the university, the questionnaire was administered during English communication skills classes during the 1st week of the spring 2010 semester. MUBS doesnt offer a English as a major of study at the university. English communication skills courses are general requirements for all M.U.B.S students, regardless of major, when their language of instruction is English. 4. Results Correlations were run on the variables which were supposed to affect student levels of engagement. These variables were gender, self reported GPA scores, age and years at university. The relationship between gender and engagement was assessed using a paired-samples T-test. A significant relationship was found in the relationship between gender and student perceptions of engagement. On average females showed significantly greater levels of engagement, (F = 79.029, SE 1.428), than males (M= 70.407, SE 1.502), t (116) = -66.162, p In order to assess the relationship between age and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was no significant relationship between the age of students and engagement, r = -.069, p (one-tailed) >.05. In order to assess the relationship between self reported GPAs and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was no significant relationship between the self reported GPAs of students and engagement, r = -.072, p (one-tailed) >.05. In order to assess the relationship between years at university and engagement, a bivariate correlation was used. There was a significant relationship between years spent at the university and engagement, r = .243, p (one-tailed) 5. Conclusions: The research on MUBS students coincided with the literature on student engagement. Female and senior students were found to be more engaged than their peers. Age and GPA showed no significant correlations to levels of student engagement. This could be true for a number of factors. First of all women in Lebanon are slowly working to close the gender gap. Yet they may still feel they have to work twice as hard as men to succeed. The other factor which may explain higher engagement among women is directly related to stressors of society. In general there is the notion that girls cant go out as often or stay out as late as boys. Boys are allowed to be bad while girls must be angelic in behavior. These ideas may transfer over into the academic arena. With boys who dont mind achieving less since they are not held accountable. A boys will be boys mentality. In terms of senior student engagement levels, these students are not older and wiser, but rather have more university experience. They know what their teachers expect and meet those expectations readily. Seniors take part in more major courses, are assigned a senior project, and are closer to completing their education and entering the real world. As they race towards graduation they are pushing harder to ensure they graduate on time. This includes a stipulation at the university of a minimum Accumulative GPA of 2.0 in order to graduate. Such factors may account for higher levels of engagement in senior students. One interesting factor was noted on 3 separate questionnaires from the Damour branch. 3 students added notes to their questionnaires. These notes stated that the only time they completed these activities (activities of engagement) was during English sessions. This might be beneficial to future MUBS engagement research. 5. Limitations of the Study and Implications for Future Research The questionnaire was administered in order to complete a preliminary study on student engagement at MUBS. In order for a total quality initiative to take place the class room questionnaire should perhaps be replaced with an NSSE questionnaire. A larger sample size should be tested. Also, Damour students take classes before 2 p.m, in the Hamra branch many courses begin after 2 and some classes continue until 7 or 8 p.m. This study does not take this into consideration. Previous studies on students have shown that the proportion of different religions at MUBS is not representative of a Lebanese sample. This is another limitation to the study. Another factor not tested for, but which may have affected the outcomes, is the idea of urban vs. rural student. Many of the students at MUBS live in villages and travel to university in the city and then back up to their villages in the mountains. They are country folk. This may also have skewed the results. There are also key variables the literature focuses on, and institutional characteristics which may be relevant to the MUBS study. Some of these are number of credits, branch of university, am-pm classes, first generation college student, socio-economic status, religion, choice of major and transfer students.

Loss of Innocence in Truman Capotes In Cold Blood Essay -- In Cold Bl

"All things truly wicked start from an innocence,† states Ernest Hemingway on his view of innocence. Innocence, what every youth possesses, is more accurately described as a state of unknowing but not ignorance- which connotation suggests a blissfully positive view of the world. Most youth are protected from the harsh realities of the adult world. Therefore they are able to maintain their state of innocence. While innocence normally wanes over time, sometimes innocence can be abruptly taken away. Some of the characters in Truman Capotes In Cold Blood lost their innocence due to the traumatic events they experienced in childhood and adulthood while some had none to begin with. Innocence can be stolen but the desire to return to the innocent state cannot. A traumatic event changes the nature of a small town, yet leaves some residents with a fervent desire to return to normalcy. An isolated city such as Holcomb is thought to be safe from the corruption and crime of city life. In 1959, the town of Holcomb was devastated by the brutal killings of a beloved family, the Clutters. This event completely changed the attitudes of most of the town’s population, which one resident, Mryt Clare, stated had turned them into â€Å"snakes†. While the once blamelessness that had been evident in most of the towns folk had disappeared, Clare had hoped the town would stop â€Å"scaring each other to death†. Clare wanted the usual kindness and innocence that drew her to the town to be restored. The deaths of the Clutter family had taken away the towns trust in one another, but the deaths of the killers and re established some of the innocence they had lost. While no one can completely recover from a traumatic event, the town of Holcomb desired to return to a st... ... become the victims. In the case there was never any innocence present in an individual, the choices they make will shape how corrupt they become. The town of Holcomb was traumatized by the unexpected murder of a respected family, which turned the community into distrusting gossipers. This event can take place in childhood, as it did for Perry Smith, who grew up with no protection from corruption by his parents and killed an entire family. Dick Hickock, impulsive and shallow, formulated a plan to rob and kill any witnesses present at the Clutter household. He was corrupt enough to go ahead with the plan and persuade Perry to kill the witnesses. Innocence must be protected to ensure that others may be kept innocent. The virtuous quality that most people have is connected to their innocence, but if their innocence is lost, their future may be condemned to sinfulness.