Sociology Personal Statement for a Graduate’s Program Essay Example

Sociology Personal Statement for a Graduate’s Program Essay Sociology, which sometimes also refers as social science, deals with the scientific study of society. By using numerous types of pragmatic examinations and critical analysis, a sociologist analyze how humans interact with each other or simply how they interact with the society. There are different areas of sociology each examine a unique perspective of humans or society such as social organization that deals with the study of numerous groups, institutes or organizations and social psychology that deals with the study of collective behavior of humans and their attitudes or personalities. To become a sociologist you will first need to complete your graduate from a prospective university and to get admission in that university you will need to write a sociology personal statement. A personal statement is a prerequisite that you need to tackle when you apply to any college or university. It tells the board that evaluates the applications what makes the applicant tick, how he developed an interest in sociology and why he wants to study in this university. There are some personal statements that offer the applicants to pick out their own theme such as medical or law statements. But there are also some that ask the applicant to respond to only given questions such as business related personal statements. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Personal Statement for a Graduate’s Program specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Personal Statement for a Graduate’s Program specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology Personal Statement for a Graduate’s Program specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Nonetheless, to write an attention-grabbing sociology personal statement that can occupy a slot in your specific university, follow the below listed guidelines. First determine your potential or capability for studying sociology. List down your special skills or past experiences that shows your aptitude for this field. Tell the audience why you are the fit candidate for the sociology graduate program. What makes you special and competent to continue further studies in this field? Recall the history of your academic performance or previous experience that can act as evidence that you can handle the graduate studies in sociology in a competent manner. For instance, show them that you maintained your good performance and high grades while doing a full-time job during undergraduate. It is also important to conduct a little research on the university where you are applying for the graduation program so that you can respond them why their university is the best place for you. For instance, you can discuss their special course that you didn’t find in any other university and how that special course compelled you to seek admission there. Start the draft with an appealing introduction that hooks the board of the university. Open the statement with an interesting anecdote. You can also start with a quotation that gives the readers an idea about your point of view regarding sociology. Describe your qualification, work experience, inspiration or aspiration in the body of the personal statement. Since it is a sociology personal statement you need not to use any jargon but keep the writing simple. In the conclusion of the statement, reiterate the interest in the sociology field and your future goals that you have in mind.

Best Rebecca Nurse Analysis †The Crucible

Best Rebecca Nurse Analysis - The Crucible SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Rebecca Nurse is a prominent and respected older woman in Puritan Salem, drawn into the witchcraft trials because of her and her husband’s friction with the Putnams. Though she has the least stage time of any of the major characters, Rebecca is important because of the moral ideals she represents. This guide goes over what we do know about Rebecca and explains why she is so important to the play despite her limited time in the audience’s eye. feature image credit: Samantha Lindsay, 2016/All rights reserved. Character Introduction: Meet Rebecca Nurse Rebecca is an older woman (especially for the times) and not physically strong. "Rebecca Nurse, seventy-two, enters. She is white-haired, leaning upon her walking-stick." (Act 1, p. 23) Relationships Married to Francis Nurse, Rebecca is on good terms with pretty much everyone in The Crucible (at least at the beginning of the play). She's so highly regarded that even non-Salem dwellers like Reverend Hale have heard good things about her: "HALE: It’s strange how I knew you, but I suppose you look as such a good soul should. We have all heard of your great charities in Beverly." (Act 1, p. 34) The only exception to Rebecca's genial social relationships is her relationship with the Putnam family. There's bad feeling between the Putnams and the Nurses there due to Rebecca's husband Francis’s blocking Putnam’s candidate for minister of Salem. Miller explicitly mentions this squabble in one of his character essays interspersed in the printed play (p. 24), but it doesn’t come up in the dialogue (or at least, not in a straightforward mention). There might also be some resentment from Ann Putnam due to her high infant mortality rate vs. Rebecca’s many children and grandchildren, but it’s only briefly touched upon in the play. It's not clear if Rebecca's fertility in the face of Ann Putnam's dead children is the reason why Rebecca is ultimately accused of murdering Ann Putnam’s children (Act 2, p. 67), or if that’s just a side-effect of the politics between the Putnamand Nurse families. What is clear, though, is that the only person Rebecca is sarcastic to inThe Crucible is Ann Putnam: "MRS. PUTNAM: This is no silly season, Rebecca. My Ruth is bewildered, Rebecca; she cannot eat.REBECCA: Perhaps she is not hungered yet." (Act 1, p. 25) With the exception of her attitude towards Goody Ann, though, Rebecca seems to think and hope for the best of people (and they strive to show it to her†¦until the witch business starts). Other Character Traits Other than the mere physical character traits, Miller characterizes GoodyNurse using both her actions and words as well as what other people say about her (other characters and Miller’s own character descriptions). Saintliness The most noticeable quality about Rebecca is her saintly demeanor and her moral superiority to the other characters in the play. Miller makes this clear from the beginning, writingâ€Å"Gentleness exudes from her† (p. 24) into the stage directions. When Rebecca is accused of witchcraft (a decidedly ungodly crime), the only justification Hale can come up with is that God has been fooled by seeming purity before: â€Å"Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven.† (Act 2, p. 68) Rebecca also displays high moral character through her interactions with other characters over the course of the play. She... urges Proctor not to quarrel and â€Å"break charity† with Parris, since no matter the man’s shortcomings he is still minister and thus should be respected (Act 1, p. 29). is shocked and horrified when she finds out that Goody Ann sent her daughter to consort with spirits (Act 1, p. 36). is the only one who bothers asking if Hale’s procedures will hurt Betty (Act 1, p. 37). won’t stay to see witchcraft hunted out ("REBECCA: I wish I knew. She goes out; they feel resentful of her note of moral superiority." Act 1, p. 37). has her good name attested to by 91 people, who signed their good opinion of her in a petition (Act 3, p. 86-87). Common Discussion Question: What is the function of Rebecca Nurse in the play? Answer: Rebecca serves as the moral high point of the play. She is the yardstick against which Miller measures all other characters. Smiling face with halo from Google's Noto Project/Used under Apache license. Powerful Rebecca is one of the few women to have authority pre-witchcraft trials. We know this because Parris appeals to her to help figure out what’s wrong with Betty and she is able to calm him (â€Å"I think she’ll wake in time. Pray, calm yourselves† Act 1, p. 25). She is also able to get John to not completely lose it (at least temporarily): â€Å"Pray, John, be calm. Pause. He defers to her.† (Act 1, p. 26) Rebecca's arrest causes people to feel doubt because of her power and authority in the town. As Parris worriedly tells Judges Hathorne and Danforth, â€Å"Let Rebecca stand upon the gibbet and send up some righteous prayer, and I fear she’ll wake a vengeance upon you† (Act 4, p. 8). Parris is concerned that if it turns out Rebecca was (somehow!) unjustly accused and is killed, God will be angered and take out that anger on her condemners. Common Discussion Question: Why is Rebecca Nurse being charged with witchcraft a sign the town has finally gone insane/lost all sense/gotten out of control? Answer: Because â€Å"Rebecca also enjoyed the high opinion that most people had for [her husband]† (p. 24), it was a shock for her to be named a witch. She is looked up to in the first act as having the answers because of her reputation of religious devotion (â€Å"My wife is the very brick and mortar of the church† Act 2, p. 67). In subsequent acts, the fact that she has been â€Å"condemned† is a sign that things have gone terribly wrong in Salem. As Reverend Hale says in Act 2, â€Å"[I]f Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing’s left to stop the whole green world from burning.† (Act 2, p.67) Honest GoodyNurse is the most straightforward and honest character in the play...even when it hurts her. It's hard to tell if this oblivious honesty happens because she doesn’t pick up on other people's reactions to her frank statements, or if she's oblivious because she’s used to her position of authority and thus has become accustomed to saying things without fear of reprisal due to her place in the Salem social hierarchy (more on this later). Two specific instances of this are when she's fine with telling Parris that, actually, he has been driving parishioners away (Act 1, p. 27) and when she won’t confess to witchcraft to save her life (Act 4, p. 129). When Does Rebecca Nurse Show Up in The Crucible? Rebecca only appears in Acts 1 and 4 ofThe Crucible (although she is mentioned in the other two acts by other characters). In Act 1, Rebecca shows up partway through the hullaballoo at Parris’s house, then leaves before Hale gets to the business of questioning Betty. In Act 4, Rebecca is brought in towards the end to witness John’s confession (and ultimately, his recanting of that confession); she then goes out to hang with John Proctor. What Does Rebecca Nurse Do in The Crucible? Rebecca's first action upon entering the stage in Act 1 is to soothe Betty Parris with her very presence (Act 1, p. 24). Rebecca cautions everyone onstage against putting too much stock in â€Å"silly girls† and their fancies (p. 25), warns against seeking answers in the supernatural (p. 25-26), and eventually leaves when it becomes apparent her advice is going to be ignored (p. 37). Rebecca does not appear onstage in Acts 2 and 3, but we do learn important information about her from other characters. In Act, 2, Giles Corey informs the Proctors (and the audience) that Rebecca has been charged with witchcraft (p. 67). In Act 3, Hale's identification of GoodyNurse as "Rebecca that were condemned this morning" (p. 80) lets the audience know that sometime between Acts 2 and 3, Rebecca was condemned a witch and set to hang. In Act 4, Rebecca's primary role is as a foil (and, ultimately, an inspiration) to John Proctor. Rebecca herself does not confess to witchcraft and stands by as a witness to Proctor’s â€Å"confession† and ultimate denial of his confession (p. 129-134). Rebecca Nurse Character Analysis In this next section, I'll go into more detail about possible motivations behind Rebecca's actions. Often these'll be related to an overarching theme, like hysteria or societal pressures. I've provided quotes from the text to accompany my analysis and support my interpretations. Remember, though, that my analyses are just that - interpretations. If you can think of a different explanation and then support it using evidence from the play, then you can and should do that! Rebecca's primary motivation inThe Crucible appears to be her internal sense of what is right and what is wrong. Of all the characters in the play, she is the least affected by fear and hysteria (at least, in my opinion), and is surprised when other people are swayed (e.g. p. 129 â€Å"Why, John!†). Rebecca remains strong through the course of the play; for her, doing the right thing is more important than staying alive, as she explicitly states in Act 4: â€Å"Why, it is a lie, it is a lie; how may I damn myself? I cannot, I cannot.† (Act 4, p. 129) Here Rebecca echoes Mary Warren’s "I cannot, I cannot," from the end of Act 2; instead of avowing that she cannot tell the truth (as Mary does), however, Rebecca here reaffirms that she cannot tell a lie. Ultimately, unconcern with the possible danger from hysteria is Rebecca's downfall. One instance of her not paying enough attention to other people's reactions to her is when she quiets Betty down in Act 1: MRS. PUTNAM, astonished: What have you done? Rebecca, in thought, now leaves the bedside and sits. (Act 1, p. 25). Even though Ann Putnam verbally expresses her astonishment that Betty was soothed by Rebecca's presence when Betty had previously been unresponsive to other stimuli, Rebecca completely ignores this in favor of her own thoughts. Other instances of this obliviousness can be seen when Rebecca, intentionally or not, puts down the concerns of other characters (particularly Ann Putnam) as being not worthy of further consideration. Rebecca ends up paying the price for this obliviousness and her uncompromising personal moral code with her life. TRUTH/Used under CC BY 2.0/cropped and modified from original. Common Discussion Question: Why do some people resent Rebecca and Francis Nurse? Answer: The Putnams resent that the Nurses interfered with Thomas Putnam's candidate for minister of Salem. Others may resent Francis's rise from land-renter to land-owner and Rebecca's being too saintly for her own good, as when she absents herself from Hale's witchcraft investigation in Act 1. In contrast to most of the other characters in the play, Rebecca doesn’t seem particularly motivated by pride, keeping her reputation pure, or even trying to maintain power/authority. She does keep her reputation of holiness, but this is more a side-effect than a cause: Rebecca ends up appearing so saintly because she seems above the earthly machinations and squabbles of characters like Parris and Putnam, or even above Proctor’s concern with admitting wrongdoing/losing face. How Does Rebecca Nurse Change Over Time? In contrast to characters like John Proctor and Reverend Hale, Rebecca doesn't show much development over the course ofThe Crucible, likely because Miller wanted to use her characteras a moral high point that everyone else in the play could be measured against. Rebecca's moral compass is never shaken, even when she is put through the crucible of the trials. She doesn't give in to Hale’s pleas to confess (p. 9), not because of pride, but because to do so would be lying. Similarly, Rebecca does not accuse anyone else of witchcraft - if she has too much integrity to lie about being a witch, she certainly has too much integrity to drag anyone else down with her. In addition to avoiding lies, Rebecca also shows mercy to others, even as they are weak (Proctor) or accusing her of terrible things. Even when John Proctor is falsely confessing to being a witch in Act 4, Rebecca still expresses her unhappiness in the form of wishing a positive outcome for him (â€Å"God send his mercy on you!† Act 4, p. 129). And unlike most of the male characters who run afoul of the court (Proctor, Giles Corey, even Reverend Hale), Rebecca doesn’t curse or malign those who are accusing and condemning her (e.g. Danforth). In this way, Rebecca takes responsibility for herself and maintains her high moral standing throughout the course of the play in a way no other character in The Crucible does. Rebecca Nurse Quotes from The Crucible To end this guide, I've chosen three Rebecca Nurse quotations to analyze and discuss. â€Å"I have eleven children, and I am twenty-six times a grandma, and I have seen them all through their silly seasons, and when it come on them they will run the Devil bowlegged keeping up with their mischief.† (Act 1, p. 25) Soon after her entrance in Act 1, Rebecca explicitly provides a rational explanation for why the girls are all acting weird: all young children have their silly times, so it's nothing out of the ordinary to worry about. Rebecca's reasoning has the weight of her experience behind it, and at this point in the play her experience as a devout matriarch still has some merit - even Parris seems temporarily convinced by this explanation for the girls' strange behavior. There's also a little bit of irony/foreshadowing in this quote because of the mention of the Devil having to keep up with "their [the girls’] mischief;" in fact, during the trials, it’s actually the girls who claim they are being afflicted by the Devil's mischief. â€Å"No, you cannot break charity with your minister.† (Act 1, p. 29) Here, Rebecca's warning not toâ€Å"break charity,† or turn against someone you’re supposed to honor, foreshadows the significance that the concept will have in the play. In Act 3, the concept comes up again when Giles Corey talks about how by accusing his wife of suspicious actions, he has broken charity with her (Act 3, p. 79-80). In fact, most of the people of Salem could be said to have â€Å"broken charity† with each other when neighbor turned against neighbor and started accusing each other of witchcraft. â€Å"Let you fear nothing! Another judgment waits us all!† (Act 4, p. 133) With these penultimate lines, Rebecca exhorts everyone (including the audience) to remember that the reverberations of the witchcraft trials will not simply end with the deaths of the accused witches. The "judgment" Rebecca refers to is not just everyone's judgment by God after death, but also how history will judge the witchcraft trials, and (in a meta-way) how the audience will judge the characters of The Crucible. What’s Next? Want to learn more about other characters in The Crucible? Read our complete guide to the characters of The Crucible. Need to refresh yourself on the acts Rebecca appears in? We've got summaries for both Acts 1 and 4 as well as for the entire play. How does Rebecca's character fit into the themes of the play as a whole? Read our analysis of The Crucible's themes to find out! 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International Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Marketing - Assignment Example We can also view it as â€Å"the action of acclimating a firm’s activities to international surroundings.† 1Strategy is the resolve of the fundamental long-standing goals of the business venture, and the embracing of courses of action and allotment of resources essential for carrying out these objectives. It consists of incorporated decisions, proceedings or tactics that will aid to realize goals. Brand strategy is used as a sunshade term to indicate the expansive range of strategic options open to the firm, together with both managerial and purposeful management strategies, product/market approaches, and diversification strategies. Main Body Step 1: Coca Cola brand topped in the 2010 list of Global Inter-brands and as the senior marketing consultant working for the brand, I hereby present a report that seeks to answer a digit of questions. Step 2: The Coca Cola brand has overtime played a vital role in the mother company’s international expansion. A coherent and viable global brand architecture is a vital constituent of the firm’s general worldwide marketing strategies because it provides structural basis for levering sturdy brands into foreign markets, ensuring assimilation of acquired brands in adding up to rationalizing the company’s adapted global strategies in branding. ... he global media, global retailing and outright movement of persons, goods and entities across international borders/territories has changed brand markets to constituents of emerging integrations that have not been in the picture before. Consequentially, a global firm like Coca Cola has concentrated on coordinating and integrating its existing strategies and methodologies in marketing across global markets. 3A vital element in Coca Cola’s International marketing strategy is the strategic branding policy that it has adopted overtime. A Strong brand like Coca Cola has helped the mother company to ascertain the firm's identity in the market, and develop an unyielding consumer franchise plus providing a weapon to defy growing retailer clout. The brand has also provided the root for other brand extensions, which further strengthen the firm's souk position and enhancement of value. 4In international markets arena, an important brand strategy for the firm is has been to use the same b rand name in different countries, leveraging brand strength across these established boundaries and maintaining local brands that respond to variant customer preferences in the local setups. A related issue has been the branding level that needs maximum emphasis, that is, corporate/house or product-level brands or a jumble of both. The innermost responsibility of branding in defining the firm's distinctiveness and its pose in intercontinental markets means that it is decisive to expand explicit and formidable international brand structural designs. This is implying identifying the dissimilar echelons of branding contained by the firm, the actual number of manufactured brands at each level on top of their product market and geographical scope. A crucial element in this branding structure is the

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula Essay

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula - Essay Example This novel compares to Tony Morrison’s Sula, written in 1978. The two books have strikingly similar themes, such as Family, mystery, the pursuit of knowledge, unconventional thought and love and romance. The theme of family ties seems to best join the two novels, since it is at the heart of this theme that the novels unravel. Both Shelley and Morrison seem top agree that the family is a very important institution in the society, and that its choice to accept or reject a person has serious implications on the person’s self worth, conduct and final outcome. For instance, both novels reveal that the family is the most important social order. Shelley’s Frankenstein’s begins with a narration by Robert Walton, an unsuccessful author who, in pursuit of fame, sets out on a scientific exploration of the Polar North. Captain Walton is writing a letter to his sister, Madam Margaret Walton Saville. The letter ends up being the novel Frankenstein. By indicating Waltonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s background, Shelley accounts for the inconsistencies and discontinuities seen in his narrative letter. On the other hand, Morrison’s introduction of the Bottom, the area where Sula is set brings about a slave and his master. The slave hopes to attain a reward from his master, who has become his family. The master points to the hills, the Bottomland. The authors could not have found a stronger way to introduce their stories. Shelley’s introduction of a captain talking to his sister foreshadows the close ties to be identified later in the novel. Similarly, Morrison’s introduction foreshadows the future issues which will arise from family ties. Captain Walton explains the story of Victor as received from a dying Victor Frankenstein. It will be noted that almost throughout the novel, Shelley introduces a character by first stating their family background. Victor’s birth in a wealthy family from Geneva, as well as that of his brothers Ernest and Willi am point to his current situation. The death of his mother just before he joins the University inspires him to venture in to researches in Alchemy, Chemistry and Physical Sciences. He is more fascinated with how such sciences can be used to bring back the dead. Shelley’s connection of Victor’s mother’s death to his ambitious pursuits in the University has significance in bringing coherence to her storyline. It is also a statement that circumstances affecting our beloved ones affect our life choices. Little is said about his brothers, which is understandable in a novel setting. On the other hand, in Sula, the background of the protagonist, Nel, and antagonist, Sula, take a similar perspective. The ... chapter contrasts the families of the two. Nel’s family upholds conventional living to the latter. The family wants her to lead a similar life, but she is not decided, even after meeting her unconventional grandmother. Sula’s family is the exact opposi te of Nel’s family. Her promiscuous mother and grandmother, as well as her three adopted brothers, the deweys represent an unconventional family. Nevertheless, Nel and Sula become fierce friends in their adolescence. Morrison uses the family to show how our personality types, life beliefs and philosophies are shaped. Similarly, the contrast builds in to his conflict and later resolution.     

Tentative Reference List Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tentative Reference List - Research Proposal Example It also contains some of the approaches that could be undertaken to prevent drug use in schools which is essential in our research recommendation. This article would provide information about the rules and consequences that should be introduced for those found using drugs in schools. It also provides information on how to manage drug related incidences. This article is important since it contains arguments on whether students should be tested for drug use. Moreover, it contains some of the evidences from court rulings that indicate whether drug testing should be undertaken in schools. This article contains information like the legal issues surrounding this research topic. People who advocate for students not to be tested for drug use use the arguments. The other information that this article contain is the reason why schools should test members of their fraternity for drug use. These are actually the arguments brought out by the people who advocate for drug testing in public schools. Zimmerman, M. A., & Schmeelk-Cone, K. H. (2003). A longitudinal Analysis of Adolescent Substance Use and School Motivation among African American Youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13 (2),

Re-establishment of Native Plants by Seed Germination

Re-establishment of Native Plants by Seed Germination Re-establishment of Native Plants by Seed Germination  in the State of Kuwait 1.1 Desertification Desertification and land degradation has become a matter of increasing importance both locally and globally. Due to heat fluctuations produced by climate change, arid and semi-arid areas are becoming easily susceptible and prone to desertification (Kassas, 1995). Conservation of natural desert habitats should be a priority for environmental agencies and governments especially in arid regions of the world (Stringer, 2008). Water scarcity is one of the factors provoking an increase of vegetation in arid climates, which can lead to land degradation and desertification (Dhief et al., 2009). The term desertification is used in diverse ways in the literature (Stringer, 2008). For this paper, it refers to land degradation in relation to loss of plant species diversity as well as loss of soil resources (Brown, 2003). The primary factor in the degradation of deserts is low rainfall, not to mention the huge impact on the deserts biodiversity from human activities such as camping, car racing or rallying (Brown et al., 2001), and unsupervised grazing by sheep and camels as well as the rapid increase of human population (Whitford, 2006). 1.2 Climate change and plant restoration Climate change is a global issue which is still rising and damaging our environment. Global warming is mainly caused and exacerbated by human influences and activities. Plant restoration is one way to reduce the effect of climate change (Dosery et al., 2012). Arid regions of the world are being effected by climate change the most. The issue of desertification primarily affects areas with less vegetation similar to those in desert areas (Hanafi et al., 2008) Restoration of plants to their natural habitats in arid climates with pressures from grazing and overpopulation is challenging. One way to vegetate these areas is germinating seeds of native species in lab condition to be transplanted in the desert. Plant restoration is a slow process, especially in ecosystems with unfavorable environmental conditions such as low rainfall, high evaporation rates and poor soil composition, precisely the conditions which are found in desert ecosystems (Bolling et al., 2000). Because seedbanks of desert plants can lie dormant for long periods of time, and can later germinate under favorable conditions (Brown et al., 2003) which can be replicated in lab facilities. 1.3 Seed germination and plant growth Seed germination is a process in which the seed emerges from dormancy and grows into a new plant. This occurs when environmental conditions are favourable including temperature, soil composition and water, (Derbel et al., 2007). This process is used to promote and establish plant seedlings for various desert species, which can contribute to increasing plant population for instance in arid and semi-arid climates. According to research on desert plants, temperature is one of the most important factors promoting seed germination, also it plays a big role in plant growth. Indeed, the optimal temperature for seed to germinate is usually close to the average temperature in the species natural habitat (Derbel et al., 2010). Knowledge of the life history, ecology and natural habitat of native species is important for a successful plant reestablishments. The most important part of the plant cycle is seed germination (Derbel et al.,2007). Scarification is a botanical term which refers to the process by which the coat of the seeds is opened, and it can be undertaken mechanically or chemically. Seed germination depends primarily on the level of moisture in the environment and temperature (El-Keblawy, Abdelfattah Khedr, 2015). This paper will examine seed germination treatment in the context of three different factors. The first is temperature: if the temperature is too high then the seed which has been planted for germination will die (Gorai, Laajili, Santiago Neffati, 2015). Low temperatures can also impact seed germination. The second factor which impacts seed germination is scarification of the seeds. The third factor relating to the pre-treatment of seeds for germination is soaking in water. It is important to soak the seeds in water prior to planting to give them the best chance of germinating (Gorai, Laajili, Santiago Neffati, 2015). 1.4 Use of peat moss for plant production Using peat moss to promote seed germination implies the use of stratification, which is a moist, cold treatment: this does not apply to desert plants, since they are mostly promoted by temperature and scarification[ES1]. It is reported that peat moss has growth-promoting substances, including antibiotics and oestrogens (Cox Westing, 2013). 1.5 Study area (add refrences) Kuwait is a small country located in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula, with a total area of 17,820 km2 and a human population of 4.3 million. Kuwait borders Iraq (north) and Saudi Arabia (west and south), while the east of the country lies at the tip of the Persian Gulf, reaching its highest elevation above sea level at 280 m (Brown Al-Mazrooei, 2003).   The climate of Kuwait is considered an arid climate, with summer temperatures ranging from 35-50 ° C. Summer lasts from May to September, with the hottest temperatures occurring from June to August. Winters are dry and cool with mean temperatures ranging from 6-20 ° C. Rainfall varies from year to year, with an average documented rainfall of 120mm (Halwagy et al., 1982). On average, evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation on a yearly basis (Halwagy Halwagy, 1974a). 1.6 The vegetation and soils of Kuwait The vegetation cover of Kuwait is less than 10 % (Brown, 2001). The dominant plant of Kuwait isRhanterium epapposum. There has been no documentation of native trees found in the deserts of Kuwait, while only one tree (6al7a) has been recorded as a native tree and protected in nature reserves (Brown Al-Mazrooei, 2003). Soil texture and composition is an important factor for plant regeneration in desert climates. The primary soil characteristics to be considered in seed germination are soil texture, depth, permeability, penetrability and fertility (Batanouny, 1990). Sandy alkaline soils are dominant in the deserts of Kuwait, and these have low water retention, which is a disadvantage for seed germination (Johns et al., 1984). However, rainfall on sandy soils can be more effective for seed germination than on clay soils (Carbon, 1975). 1.7 Native plants Calligonum comosum Calligonum is a genus of perennial shrubs from the Polygonaceae family. One of the striking features of the species is that it is covered with numerous bristled fruits, which are easily carried by the wind, thus avoiding burial in the sand. The Latin genus name comes from the Greek words callus (beautiful) and gonos (knee), and reflects the original shape of the twigs as they link to one another (Gouja, Garnatje, Hidalgo, Neffati, Raies Garcia, 2015). Calligonum comosum is a native plant to the state of Kuwait. It is a perennial shrub which grows up to 2m tall with a crown ranging from 1-2.5m. Its leaves are simple and green. The   flowering season runs from March to April, with the red flowers attracting birds. The most widespread use of this plant is to stabilise sand dunes and wind breaks, but it also fixes soil to provide protein for livestock, provides wood for fuel and burns without smoke. It is one of the most common plants used to fight desertification and is usually employed along with other native plants for rehabilitation purposes. The most critical stage for this plant is seed germination and seedling stabilisation (Qu et al., 2008). It is prone to heavy grazing since it is a major source of food for camels, as well as goats and sheep (fact sheet). The active ingredients include tannins contained within the green branches of Calligonum. The fruits are edible, and taste similar to an apple. The economic significa nce of these shrubs is very high. Their young branches and fruits, with a pleasantly sour taste, are readily eaten by sheep and camels. In winter, the sheep eat fallen twigs and fruit from the ground. The nutritional value of these products is rather high in conventional feed units. The timber produced by this tree is dense and heavy (it sinks in water), and the pink kernel is a good building material in the desert environment. The wood is also used as fuel for various crafts. Finally, Calligonum is excellent fixative of sand and is used for reclamation in areas of mobile sand. The plant can form new side (adventitious) roots at the base of the stalks after backfilling them with sand (El-Keblawy, Abdelfattah Khedr, 2015). Farsetia Aegyptia This is a perennial shrub that grows in coarse sandy soil, reaching a height of up to 60 cm. Its leaves are succulent and linear, its blooming season is from March to June, and it has greenish-brown flowers. The fruit has a winged seed. This plant has no documented or official publications (Farsetia aegyptia Overview Encyclopedia of Life, 2017). Rhanterium epapposum This is the national plant of Kuwait, and the most dominant plant found in the countrys deserts. This bush grows up to 1m tall, has small narrow leaves which fall in late spring, and becomes dormant during the summer season. Its flowering season is from March to May, with small yellow flowers. For this plant to germinate, the capitulum must be facing upwards, with the achene still attached to the capitulum. Seeds can be viable for more than 4 years (Ahmed, Al-Dousari and Al-Dousari, 2016), and the plant is mainly used for skin infections and for fuel in remote areas. Calligonum comosum, which does not require a lot of water to grow and tends to grow in areas with low rainfall (Gouja, Garnatje, Hidalgo, Neffati, Raies Garcia, 2015); Rhanterium epapposum, which is bushy and is produced naturally as well as with the help of vegetation[ES2]; and Farsetia aegyptia which is also used to combat desertification with the assistance of seed germination. The main objective of this study is to determine why seed germination is important and under what conditions it can take place. The study will discuss how seed germination occurs under different conditions and the factors which affect it. Three desert plants will be used in the   seed germination experiment The aim of this study is to induce seed germination using chemical treatments such as gibberellic acid in two different concentrations (ppm) and physical scarification treatment with two different intensity levels. The second part of the study will investigate four different ratios of peat moss to sand to measure plant growth of seedlings of three desert species in Kuwait. This study will contribute to increasing vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas such as Kuwait, and explore the conditions in which seed germination can take place, including environmental conditions and appropriate temperature (Gouja, Garnatje, Hidalgo, Neffati, Raies Garcia, 2015). As we know, the more plants are grown, the more we can protect our environment. Seed germination is one process for producing plants by artificial methods, which would participate in desert revegetation by transplanting native species back in their natural habitat. Seed germination experiment Three plants will be investigated in this study: Calligonum comosum, Rhanterium epapposum and Farsetia aegyptia. Ten seeds from each species will undergo two seed germination treatments, each with two different intensities. First is a physical treatment in the form of scarification using sand paper, with two different intensities of scarification. Second is a chemical treatment using two different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3). All treatments will be undertaken in the same environment and temperature conditions. The experiment will be replicated three times. Figure 1 Plant growth with peat moss For this experiment, seedlings from three species will be tested in five soil mixtures with different sand to peat moss ratios. A block of 15 seedlings, each with a different soil mixture (5 soil mixtures for each species) will be replicated 5 times (Figure 2).   Environmental factors such as temperature, soil moisture and pH will be measured for analysis. [ES3]Figure 2 A large data set will be collected over a period of 4-6 weeks, and daily logs will be completed for the final data analysis. Statistical data analysis using ANOVA will be applied to both experiments to compare the percentage of growth in different soil mixtures. As well as comparing seed germination percentages for four different treatments, ArcGIS software will be used to provide maps for this study if necessary. Petri dishes, paper filters and labels Sand paper Gibberellic acid (GA3). Native plant seeds (available at PAAFR*) Native plant seedlings (available at PAAFR*) 10cm plastic planting pots (75) (available at PAAFR*) Soil (peat moss and sand) (available at PAAFR*) Access to seed lab facility either at PAAFR* or KISR* (access fees may be applicabl For this study, safety precautions will be taken mostly when using seed lab facilities. Access lab safety check list Lab coat Long trousers Closed toe shoes Safety glasses Use of gloves Since this study will be done off campus, some expenses may apply, this is just a provisional budget plan Plane tickets (round trip from Aberdeen to Kuwait) (300  £) All materials mentioned previously might be available for use with no charge Onetime payment for seed lab access of 50  £ Petrol fees maybe applicable once experiment location is determined around 100  £ if the experiment is done over a period of six weeks. References Bolling, J. and Walker, L. (2000). Plant and soil recovery along a series of abandoned desert roads. Journal of Arid Environments, 46(1), pp.1-24. Brown, G. (2003) Factors maintaining plant diversity in degraded areas of northern Kuwait, Journal of Arid Environments, 54(1), pp. 183-194. Brown, G. and Al-Mazrooei, S. (2003). Rapid vegetation regeneration in a seriously degraded Rhanterium epapposum community in northern Kuwait after 4 years of protection. Journal of Environmental Management, 68(4), pp.387-395. Brown, G. and Schoknecht, N. (2001) Off-road vehicles and vegetation patterning in a degraded desert ecosystem in Kuwait, Journal of Arid Environments, 49(2), pp. 413-427. Derbel, S. and Chaieb, M. (2007). Germination behaviour and seedling establishment of two desert shrubs,Calligonum polygonoides(Polygonaceae) andSpartidium saharae(Fabaceae), under experimental conditions. Acta Botanica Gallica, 154(4), pp.533-544. Derbel, S., Touzard, B., Triki, M. and Chaieb, M. (2010). Seed germination responses of the Saharan plant species Ephedra alata ssp. alenda to fungicide seed treatments in the laboratory and the field. Flora Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 205(7), pp.471-474. Dhief, A., Gorai, M., Aschi-Smiti, S. and Neffati, M. (2009) Comparative phenological and water potential patterns of three Calligonum species in the eastern great Erg of Tunisia, Flora Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 204(8), pp. 581-592. doi: 10.1016/j.flora.2008.07.007. Dosery, N.A., Mathew, M., Suresh, N. and Al-Menaie, H.S. (2012) Kuwaits agricultural efforts to mitigate climate change, Energy Procedia, 18, pp. 1441-1445 Hanafi, A. and Jauffret, S. (2008). Are long-term vegetation dynamics useful in monitoring and assessing desertification processes in the arid steppe, southern Tunisia. Journal of Arid Environments, 72(4), pp.557-572. Kassas, M. (1995). Desertification: a general review. Journal of Arid Environments, 30(2), pp.115-128. Stringer, L. (2008). Reviewing the International Year of Deserts and Desertification 2006: What contribution towards combating global desertification and implementing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification? Journal of Arid Environments, [online] 72(11), pp.2065-2074. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196308001742 [Accessed 19 Feb. 2017]. Whitford, W. (2006). Ecology of desert systems. 1st ed. San Diego: Academic Press, pp.275-304. [ES1]This sentence wasnt very clear please read and check it and let me know if you think Ive accidentally changed the meaning! [ES2]Not quite sure what you mean by with the help of vegetation? [ES3]I would change the title of the Figure to: Illustration showing different ratios of sand to peat for three different species

The Moon :: Essays Papers

The Moon The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth: orbit: 384,400 km from Earth diameter: 3476 km mass: 7.35e22 kg Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks, and many other names in other mythologies. The Moon, of course, has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. As the Moon orbits around the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun changes; we see this as the cycle of the Moon's phases. The time between successive new moons is 29.5 days (709 hours), slightly different from the Moon's orbital period (measured against the stars) since the Earth moves a significant distance in its orbit around the Sun in that time. Due to its size and composition, the Moon is sometimes classified as a terrestrial "planet" along with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The Moon was first visited by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 in 1959. It is the only extraterrestrial body to have been visited by humans. The first landing was on July 20, 1969 (do you remember where you were?); the last was in December 1972. The Moon is also the only body from which samples have been returned to Earth. In the summer of 1994, the Moon was very extensively mapped by the little spacecraft Clementine and again in 1999 by Lunar Prospector. The gravitational forces between the Earth and the Moon cause some interesting effects. The most obvious is the tides. The Moon's gravitational attraction is stronger on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon and weaker on the opposite side. Since the Earth, and particularly the oceans, is not perfectly rigid it is stretched out along the line toward the Moon. From our perspective on the Earth's surface we see two small bulges, one in the direction of the Moon and one directly opposite. The effect is much stronger in the ocean water than in the solid crust so the water bulges are higher. And because the Earth rotates much faster than the Moon moves in its orbit, the bulges move around the Earth about once a day giving two high tides per day.