The Matrix and Fahrenheit 451 Comparison free essay sample

?1. The characters of Neo and Montag split away from the basic culture, deal with themselves, and endeavor to make a perfect world. 2. Parting from typical society through one’s own will a. Neo is saved from the Matrix by Morpheus I. It was Neo’s own choice to take the red pill. ii. Shows want to know reality with regards to world. b. Montag concedes he is despondent throughout everyday life and goes to books for information. I. It was Montag’s own interest and inward disappointment with his present state. ii. He is in this manner ready to betray society to help his own goals. c. Having settled on themselves to abandon from the universe of the regular man, Neo and Montag enter a battle to locate their internal identities. 3. Finding the genuine significance of their presences. a. Given the desires for being â€Å"the one†, Neo battles to find his genuine reason. We will compose a custom paper test on The Matrix and Fahrenheit 451 Comparison or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page I. The Oracle reveals to Neo the apothegm â€Å"Know thyself†, illuminating Neo that he can't become â€Å"the one† without tolerating the way that he is â€Å"the one†. ii. At the point when Morpheus is caught by the specialists, Neo chooses to protect him, essentially on the grounds that he accepts he can. iii. This shows Neo’s acknowledgment that he is the â€Å"the one† and his firm will in finding what he was intended for, additional exhibited when he is briefly ready to coordinate the speed of the operators. iv. These unbelievable accomplishments, including the defeating of death, plainly show Neo’s consistence with his fate, bringing about his capacity to see and control codes inside the Matrix. b. Thus, Montag defeats his disarray of personality through the relentless confidence in his convictions. I. In the start of the story, Montag is effectively impacted by individuals near him, making an inside clash between the longing be typical and the craving to be consistent with himself. ii. With the assistance of Faber, Montag understands the bad form of power controlling society and volunteers to vanquish them, as observed with his arrangement of putting away books inside the places of fire fighters. iii. At long last, he joins the learned people, concluding that he will move in the direction of a superior world. iv. Now, he no longer has any disarray about himself and solidly has faith in changing society. c. In finding their ways, Neo and Montag endeavor to improve their reality a spot. 4. Understanding their motivation throughout everyday life, Neo and Montag work to crush the abusive position and to carry the uninformed individuals of society to reality. a. Neo battles against the machines controlling the Matrix to spare his companions and the individuals caught inside the Matrix. I. Neo penances himself to spare Morpheus from the specialists. ii. This courage and altruism, which are normal of a chivalrous character, bring about his recovery and picking up of superhuman capacities. iii. Utilizing these capacities, he overpowers the adversary that had slaughtered him previously, showing that he has genuinely become â€Å"the one†. iv. Before the finish of the story, Neo joins his friends in their crucial free everybody in the Matrix, satisfying his job as a rescuer. b. Similarly, Montag stands firm against the fire fighters, whom he feels are shameful for constraining people’s opportunity. I. Subsequent to having his books found, Montag betrays the fire fighters, burning Captain Beatty. ii. In doing as such, he had pronounced his dismissal of and insubordination against that society. iii. Having chosen his objective, Montag joins the erudite people in their journey to change their reality to the manner in which they see fit. iv. After the bomb demolishes the city, he and the erudite people choose to remake society with the goal that the slip-ups of the past could be stayed away from. c. With their personalities found and objectives decided, Neo and Montag complete their excursion as legends. 5. End

Poe essay

Tuesday Great writing is frequently affected by the lives of the individuals who compose it. Edgar Allan Poe is an away from of an actual existence affecting workmanship. Two disastrous occasions or distresses from Edgar Allan Poe's life that impact quite a bit of his composing are brutal passing and the utilization of liquor. Each of these reflects into two stories each. The principal terrible occasion would be fierce passing. This tribulation comes up in a considerable lot of his bits of composing, particularly in â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†. Models from the sonnet â€Å"The Raven† that delineate a disastrous demise would be the misfortune ofLenore, obviously. Content help is the line â€Å"And each different kicking the bucket ash fashioned its phantom upon the floor† On numerous events Poe specifies the loss of his dearest Lenore. The rough, disastrous fold comes into place when the raven says his distress and depression will leave nevermore. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, the storyteller adores this elderly person; anyway he follows him for 8 evenings and murders him. After the homicide, he covers the elderly person's body underneath the sections of flooring. These 2 deplorable passings express his emotions about how every lady he cherished kicked the bucket a bleeding, grievous, alarming demise due to tuberculosis.The Tell-Tale Heart† is an extraordinary possibility for the second heartbreaking occasion or suffering too, being the utilization of liquor. It doesn't bode well that the storyteller would execute someone he adored, correct? On the off chance that you notice, he makes reference to his â€Å"disease†, alluding to liquor abuse. The maltreatment of liquor caused him to go frantic. The subsequent model out of content would be â€Å"The Black Cat†. The storyteller alludes to the term â€Å"fiend intemperance† When he is surpassed with liquor, he turns out to be increas ingly peevish and moody†¦ so he murdered his feline that adored him the more he detested it.In reality, Poe was known to utilize lcohol, which caused him to go crazy. He turned out to be entirely fractious and insane while impaired and that very transformed him for the more terrible. As should be obvious, Edgar Allan Poe fused numerous elements of his life and genuine predicaments into his composition. Possibly that is the reason he was such an incredible author, since it was the way he communicated his actual emotions. A few people play sports, a few people draw, a few people have different leisure activities to communicate, Poe composed. Poe's accounts and sonnets were in reality fiction, yet unquestionably have a tad of a practical edge to them. poe article By agullo

Getting Laid Off from My Six-Figure Job Was Exactly What I Needed

Getting Laid Off from My Six-Figure Job Was Exactly What I Needed I sat down in the harshly lit conference room and slid his birthday present across the table. It was September 29, 2011â€"my bosss birthday. And it was less than a month before my 30th birthday. It was also the day I lost my job. My boss, his  boss, and a kind woman from human resources were sitting on the other side of the large, meticulously polished conference table. My boss shook his head and a frown materialized on his face. I knew it wasnt good news, but my first thought was, It really sucks for him that he has to fire me on his birthday. Weve eliminated your position with the latest round of cuts. This change is effective immediately, my boss said. And thats when everything changed. Seven months after Joshua walked away from his job, I was laid off with no noticeâ€"blind-sided after working my ass off for that corporation. Seven years and seven promotions later, I was living the corporate dreamâ€"and then it was over in an instant. Do you have any additional questions before HR goes over the details with you? No, I didnt have any additional questions. I just sat there and thought, This is the best thing that could have happened to me. It was as if a gigantic weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I knew it was time for me to move on, and this was the nudge I needed to jump off Corporate Americas cliff umm, I mean ladder. It was the nudge I needed to focus my time on the important things in lifeâ€"my health, my relationships, my growth as an individual, and contributing to other people in meaningful ways. Yes, this is the drastic change I neededâ€"a change I hadnt been willing to make on my own. Thankfully, my gradual transition into minimalism these past two years has allowed me to buy less stuff, spend less money, cut most of my bills, payoff most of my debt, save a little cash, and live a more meaningful life with less stuff. Sure, with my job gone, Ill still need to make other cutbacksâ€"I contacted a new realtor to sell my condo, and Im in the process of selling my carâ€"but none of that matters, because Im free! Adding value to other peoples lives has been my passion for as long as I can remember. Adding value was the thing I enjoyed most about my corporate careerâ€"I led and managed a large team of people, and I enjoyed coaching and mentoring those people more than anything else at that job. Unfortunately, a lot of things occurred in the corporate world that prevented me from allocating most my time to adding value to those people. Thanks to my minimalist lifestyle, Ill be able to avoid finding another 70-hour-per-week corporate job, opting instead for a mission I enjoy. At this point, I only need to make enough money to pay for  necessitiesâ€"rent, food, utilities, insuranceâ€"which means Ill work to earn a living, no longer living just to work. Now Ill have more time for the people I love, as well, which has been a huge struggle for me ever since I started my corporate climb. As I advanced my career and traversed the corporate ladder, I often worked the equivilant of two work weeks in a single week and lost track of family and close friends in the process because I started feeling like my job was more important than my relationships. Sadly, I thought they would understand why I wasnt around as much; and some of them did understand, but it didnt feel goodâ€"it just didnt feel right. We cant just brush off our friends and family. And Im not going to anymore. Moreover, living the corporate life was often a great excuse to let my diet go (Ill just grab a quick snack before the meeting!). It was also a great excuse to skip daily exercise (Im just too busy to exercise today!) Those bullshit excuses are gone now, and Im committed to living a healthier life, one in which Im accountable for and focused on my own diet and exercise. Im not going to lie, though: I still have that joyfear feeling. What if I fail? What if people dont respect me as much? What if, what if, what if? To my fears, I say: What if I never got the chance to live a meaningful lifeâ€"stuck instead in the tedium of someone elses template. Thats the scariest thought of all! For me, getting laid off was the nudge I needed to get the balance back in my life. For those of you who may be facing a similar situation, you might be looking for advice. Well, I dont have all the answers. But what I do have is my commitment to add value whenever I can. So feel free to tweet me your comments, questions, or cynical remarks. Ill answer to the best of my ability. Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

Impact Of Globalization On The Supermarket Tesco - 2245 Words

Globalization Dynamic Business Environment Harriet Elizabeth Farrow 14007895 Word Count: 1974 ‘Explain the meaning of globalization and discuss critically, illustrating with examples, the impact globalization has had on a country, industry, or business of your choice.’ Globalization is not a new concept. It was first used in the 1970’s; however in recent years it has started to accelerate dramatically. Technological advancements, improved communications and the liberalization of trade have all contributed to increased globalization (BBC News, No Date]. The purpose of this essay is to explain the meaning of globalization, discuss the influence of globalization on the supermarket Tesco, and analyse the effects it has on the developing world. This essay will refer to Tesco, explaining the impacts that globalization has on their business. Globalization is difficult to simply define due to the variety of changing definitions that have been established over previous decades. Hamilton and Webster (2012) suggest that globalization is the connection between nations, defining globalization as a process in which barriers are reduced in order to encourage exchanges between countries. This view proposes that globalization refers very much so to the trade barriers and the improved communications between countries in order to ensure the world is unified. Globalization increases economic activity across the world and opens up markets for foreign investment.Show MoreRelated(a) Threat of New Entrants and Substitutes for Tesco1258 Words   |  6 Pagesdecision making enables an organisation to relate to its global business environment. 4. Critically evaluate and monitor the business mission, objectives and policies of international organisations. 5. Use critical reflective skills to reflect on the impact of their understanding on the problem solving process The assignment will be internally moderated by: John Dixon-Dawson Please note: 1. All work must adhere to the University regulations on ‘Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism’ which areRead MoreWinners and Losers in a Consumer Society Essay1681 Words   |  7 Pagesgrant supermarkets play a role in a consumer society as a winner. The main body: Paragraph 2 Introducing and define Mr Iygumnt Bauman ´s The seduced and repressed group division in a consumer society. What does he mean and who are those as he discribe as the seduced Paragraph 3 What does he mean and who are those as Bauman ´s discribe as the repressed. And a summeried for both. Paragraph 4 Introducing and by using the postive sum and zero sum define the grant supermarkets roleRead MoreTesco and Globalization Essay2147 Words   |  9 Pagesimproving their organizations’ performance and value creation. 2.0 Application 2.1 Tesco and Globalization Tesco is among the largest food retailers in the world with revenue in excess of  £54 billion in 2009 and employing over 470,000 people. They operate approximately 4,331 stores in 14 countries around the world. Tesco was founded in 1919 and launched its first store in Edgware, London, UK in 1929. Tesco provides online services through its subsidiary, Tesco.com. The UK is the companys largestRead MoreUk Supermarket2047 Words   |  9 PagesINTRODUCTION â€Å"Today’s strange, new business world needs an augmented model of industry and market analysis that reflects recent developments in industry dynamics, such as globalization, entrepreneurship, technological advances and the internet† (Slater Olson, 2002). 2.0 PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL FOR UK SUPERMARKET INDUSTRY Supermarkets’ performance is reliant on consumer’s income and their willingness to spend. The growing consumer pressure to drive value, quality and taste requires companies withRead MoreTesco Lotus in Thailand3770 Words   |  16 Pagesmentioned above information, Tesco PLC is one of the best examples of hypermarket that has a reputation in selling low cost of products with high quality. The excellent strategies and operation processes they perform in both domestic and global represent the efficient multinational corporations that I would like to present in this paper. In summary, due to the increasingly international convenience store of Tesco PLC in the chain of a hypermarket operation, I would select Tesco Thailand in specific threeRead MoreStrategic Development in Global Food Retail3706 Words   |  15 PagesCase Study – Strategy Development in the Global Food Retail Supermarket Industry Introduction In order to develop a global strategy, the deep understanding of the term ‘globalization’ is very important for every company. Globalisation: The globalization increases the mobility of goods. Globalization is a term describing different complex ideological, political, environmental and cultural forces as one world. During World War II, the national boundaries got faded and financial markets, informationRead MoreCorporations And Corporate Social Responsibility1140 Words   |  5 Pages(King and Lawley, 2013). Additionally, the definition of stakeholders are individuals or groups which affected by an organization and have an interest in its activities (Freeman, 1984). Moreover, Starik (1994) stated that those who potentially have impact on an organization may also is a stakeholder. However, according to Lynch (2006) argued that when a corporation involve many stakeholders, they will easily conflict with each other. And as manager at the central part of corporation, they may in aRead MoreEssay on Tesco Csr Responsibilities2160 Words   |  9 Pagesidentify these issues, you should read not only corporate reports and the company’s website, but also media reports and any research papers that offer commentary on both the company’s activities and its significant social and environmental impacts. Part Two: Critically evaluate the nature and degree of the company’s responsibilities in relation to each issue. To do so, arguments should explicitly draw upon the theories outlined in class – e.g. the various ethical theories, institutionalRead MoreThe Causes and Effects of Global Recession.3720 Words   |  15 PagesINTRODUCTION Here a definition a recession as well a global recession is mentioned. Some causes and effects has been listed. Due to recession occurring, I have identified the effects of recession based on Tesco. The causes and effects of global recession. Global financial crisis, increasing for a while, began to show its results in the mid of 2007 into 2008. Worldwide stock markets have subsided, financial institutions have dropped and governments in even the richest nations have had toRead MoreEssay Analysis of U.K Supermarket Development Strategy3555 Words   |  15 PagesPart one: Supermarket retail industry introduction Effective strategy is developed first by identifying and understanding the implications of the changing events in the business environment. Many of the events occurring currently have a wide international impact, and they may be seen to be influencing the results and responses of large supermarket retailers. The changes, or issues, that we see as important from a strategic planning perspective are: #61548; The growth of global companies #61548;

An Analysis of Bram Stokers Dracula - 885 Words

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the story about how the small company of men and a woman lead by Professor Abraham Van Helsing combats against Count Dracula, who moves from Transylvania to England in order to manipulate people as â€Å"foul things of the night like him, without heart or conscience, preying on the bodies and the souls of those [they] love best† (223). Stoker employs an epistolary format in this novel and nowadays, Dracula becomes one of popular literary works representing epistolary novels written in the nineteenth century. The term â€Å"epistolary novels† refers to the novels composed of different types of documents, such as journals, letters, newspaper clippings and so forth. One of the effects created by using an epistolary format is†¦show more content†¦As Jonathan is placed in such an isolated location without interaction with anyone except Dracula, Jonathan does not have many methods to reveal his emotions and thoughts; therefore, he keep s writing his journals in order to record the experiences he had, but also to convey his inner state while he was staying at Dracula’s castle. Also, Jonathan’s passage reveals that his habit of writing a journal functions as a temporary remedy to alleviate his uneasiness: â€Å"For now, feeling as though my own brain were unhinged or as if the shock had come which must end in its undoing, I turn to my diary for repose. The habit of entering [journals] accurately must help to soothe me† (33). The tension derived from Jonathan’s anxiety for his safety maximizes in his journal written on 29 June and 30 June. In Jonathan’s journal written on 29 June, he eavesdrops on the conversation between Dracula and three vampire women and recognizes that the following day is his last day of being as a human. He decides to crawl down the castle wall to go home and leaves farewell to Mina and others at the end of his journal. Later chapters focus on other characters in the story and Jonathan’s trace is unrevealed until the end of Chapter 8, 19 August in Mina’s journal (93) and the date of Mina’s first letter sending to Lucy Westernra is 9 May—few days after Jonathan’s arrival at Dracula’s castle. These immediate changes in the setting from TransylvaniaShow MoreRelatedPsychoanalytical Analysis of Bram Stokers Dracula1790 Words   |  8 PagesCarlos Dena Honors English 11 5/20/13 Critical Analysis on Dracula With several illicit subjects listed throughout Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the book becomes a playground for psychoanalysts. Whether it be to see a subjects as simple as the conscious take over a character, or a character’s surroundings corrupting its victims, Dracula intrigues in more ways than just its vampiristic features. The following is a psychoanalytic study with a focus on vampirism imitating sexual practice and drug usage todayRead MoreAnalysis Of Bram Stokers Dracula2059 Words   |  9 PagesVoluptuous Vampire or Proper Prude Written and set in the late 19th century, Bram Stoker’s epistolary novel Dracula is a pivotal book in gothic/horror literature. Like most novels written by men, Dracula appeals more to the male audience and their fantasies and fears about women than to the Victorian Age woman. In the novel, Lucy and Mina are the only two female characters the reader meets in detail, and they are also the only two characters that are seen becoming vampires – indeed, they are theRead MoreAnalysis of Bram Stokers Dracula672 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿DRACULA BY BRAM STOKER The epistolary form of the novel consists of a narrative based on letters, diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documentary records. It helps to bring realism into the narrative by lacing it with personal and historical references. It helps to add believability by incorporating a variety of perspectives on the events and characters in the novel. This form works for Dracula because the log of the ship captain and the diary entries of Jonathan Harker provide personalRead MoreDracula Seen in New Eyes760 Words   |  3 PagesDracula Seen in New Eyes Dracula by Bram Stoker which is written in the style of journal entries, newspaper clippings, and other forms of personal narratives from various characters, and their viewpoints of the peculiar events surrounding them. There are many interpretations of this novel, many different viewpoints on the themes of the novel. Carol Senf, wrote an essay called Dracula: The Unseen Face in the Mirror. In this interpretation, there are many different viewpoints and ideas about DraculaRead MoreDracula, By Bram Stoker1166 Words   |  5 PagesThe story of Dracula is well documented and has stood the test of time since it’s Victorian age creation. More times than not, literature writings are a reflection of the era from which they are produced. In the case of Dracula, Vampire literature expresses the fears of a society. Which leads me to the topic I chose to review: sexuality. The Victorian Era was viewed as a period diluted in intense sexual repression and I believe that Dracula effectivel y exploited this as the fear of sexuality wasRead MoreA Vampire’s Touch: Exploring Sexual Nature in Dracula926 Words   |  4 Pagesthe ancient ladies’ room† (416). Yu and Kuzmanovic clearly show that Jonathan is like any typical man fighting to control his sexual desires. Thus, the majority of men can relate to what Jonathan is experiencing. In the midst of his stay at Castle Dracula, Jonathan discovers Catholicism’s power to control his sexual desires. At the beginning of the novel, Jonathan has absolutely no association with Catholic practices. When the old woman first offers him the crucifix he â€Å"did not know what to do †¦ asRead MoreDracula Extension Speech1098 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the ability to change physical form to a blood-thirsty nature society has always been morbidly fascinated with the concept of Dracula. It has not only seduced literature such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula but also infected mainstream music and film industries. Many composers have expanded and appropriated much of the vampire genre such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula and Slayer’s Bloodline. The ideas surrounding vampires has been of good versus evil, the nature of religion and immortality. It isRead MoreLiterary Review of Bram Stokers Dracula Essay1230 Words   |  5 PagesReview of Bram Stokerâ⠂¬â„¢s Dracula Prior to the creation of the literary classic â€Å"Dracula†, Bram Stoker spent his time managing the Lyceum Theatre and legendary actor Henry Irving. According to Jennifer Dorn, when the novel was first published in 1897, critics regarded it as a â€Å"pulp fiction potboiler† (Dorn). The novels declaration as a literary masterpiece came many years later. A graduate of Trinity college, Stoker came from a middle class Irish family, the son of a civil servant. The publicationRead MoreBram Strokers Dracula: The Man Behind the Count Essay794 Words   |  4 PagesBram Stoker’s Dracula is a story of horror, suspense, and repulsion. The main antagonist, Count Dracula, is depicted as an evil, repulsive creature that ends and perverts life to keep himself alive and youthful. To most onlookers that may be the case, but most people fail to see one crucial element to this character. Dracula is a character that, though it may be long gone, was once human, and thus has m any human emotions and motives still within him. Let us delve into these emotions of a historicallyRead MoreFilm Adaptation Of Bram Stoker s Dracula1320 Words   |  6 PagesBram Stoker’s frightening tale of Count Dracula has struck horror into the hearts of many since it was originally penned. In 1987, Bram Stoker wrote the revolutionary tale Dracula that played off the fears of the people of the era. The plot and characters that make the novel great also translate nearly perfectly to cinematic adaptations. Starting in the early 1900’s, directors have done their best to portray the terror that the original novel inspired. Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Taxation Assignment Free Essays

Question 1: aTax treatment to an individual if his employer was to provide the following benefits in package 1: Rental of apartment $ Salary Airfare for home leave (1trip) (20% x 5000) 1,000 220,000 Employee’s remuneration 221,000 Rental of apartment (housing accommodation benefit) for a non- director will be assessed based on the lower of: the annual value of the accommodation provided or 10% of the employee’s remuneration inclusive of all other benefits except hotel accommodation. Therefore, housing benefit will be assessed at $22,100 because it is assessed based on the lower of (10% x 221,000= $22,100) or annual value of rental apartment of $60,000. Home leave passage According to Singapore tax law, home leave passage is provided by the employer to nonSingaporeans and non-permanent residents, the benefit is assessable to tax based on 20% of the cost to the employer. We will write a custom essay sample on Taxation Assignment or any similar topic only for you Order Now This concessionary treatment only can apply to ONE return leave passage per annum each for the employee and spouse, and TWO return passage for each child of employee per annum if child should be unmarried, under 16 years old or otherwise receiving full-time education or incapacitated. Therefore, in this package 1, Mr Rouse will be assessed for home leave passage at: 20% x 5,000= $1,000 Relocation passage According to Singapore tax law, relocation passages are by concession not a taxable benefit on the employee so that all the relocation expenses is not taxable benefit for Mr Rouse. b Package 1: $ Salary Annual rental of apartment Home leave passage (20% x 5000) Statutory income Less: donation Assessable income Less : Relief Chargeable income Tax on 1st $160,000 Balance @ 17% (238,100 – 160,000) x 17% 220,000 22,100 1,000 243,100 NIL 243,100 (5,000) 238,100 15,500 13,277 28,777 Less : 20% tax rebate (capped at $2000) Net tax payable (2,000) 6,777 Package 2: $ Salary Statutory Income Less: donation Assessable income Less: Relief Chargeable income Tax in 1st $160,000 Balance @ 17% 17% x (295,000-160,000) 300,000 300,000 NIL 300,000 (5,000) 295,000 15,500 22,950 38,450 Less : 20% tax rebate (capped at $2,000) Net tax payable (2,000) 36,450 c Mr Rouse should choose package 1 because in this package, he can receive many benefits as well as many concessionary treatments that can redu ce the net tax payable, in order to get higher return than in package 2. Singapore is a country where the government uses many policies that include many benefits, treat with consideration to attract talents from many the other countries and tax law is not the exception. Therefore, Mr Rouse should choose or ask more benefits instead of only high salary such as house accommodation benefit, home leave passage, relocation passage, transportation benefit, etc†¦. to earn many concessionaries to minimize his statutory income as well as to reduce tax payable. Question 2: aThe relevant dates in shareholder’s continuity test are different for unabsorbed capital allowances and trade losses and donation. Unabsorbed capital allowances can be carried against future profits provided the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the 2 relevant dates: The last day of the YA (31 Dec) it arose And The first day of the YA (1 Jan) it is utilized Trade losses and donations can be carried against future profits provided the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the 2 relevant dates: The last day of the year it arose (31 Dec of the calendar year) And The first day of the YA it is utilized (1 Jan of YA) b YA 2008: – Adjusted tax loss (trade loss) YA 2009: – Adjusted profit $40,000 $422,000 The shareholders of Feathers Pte Ltd based on % are as follows: 31/12/2007 Ee Mei Sarah 60% 40% 30/9/2008 40% 60% 31/12/2008 40% 60% 1/1/2009 10% 90% Assumption: on 1 Jan 2009, Donald still holds 5000 shares (total shares are 50,000 shares) Therefore, Queens’s shareholders and their shareholdings are as follows: Number of share 31/12/2007 Donald Ee Mei Ee Mei 25,000 20,000 60% x 5,000 = 3000 Sarah 40% x 5,000 = 2000 Total number of 50,000 shares 30/9/2008 5,000 10,000 40% x 35,000 = 14,000 60% x 35,000 = 21,000 50,000 s at 31/12/2008 5,000 10,000 40% x 35,000 = 14,000 60% x 35,000 = 21,000 50,000 1/1/2009 5,000 40,000 10% x 5,000 = 500 90% x 5,000 = 4,500 50,000 Two relevant dates in shareholder’s continuity test for trade loss are 31 Dec 2007 and 1 Jan 2009. Queens’s shareholders and their shareholdings in % as follows: 31/12/2007 Donald Ee Mei 50% {(20,000 + 3,000)/ 50,000} x 100% = 46% Sarah (2000/ 50,000) x 100% = 4% 100% 1/1/2009 10% {(40,000 + 500)/ 50,000} x 100% = 81% (4,500/ 50,000) x 100% = 9% 100% Previous year’s trade loss (adjusted tax loss) in YA 2008 can be carried against YA 2009 current year’s profit because the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the two relevant dates of 31/12/2007 and 1/1/2009. YA 2009: $ Adjusted profit Less: trade loss brought forward 422,000 (40,000) Assessable income/ chargeable income 382,000 Conditions to qualify for the tax exemption for new start-up company: A â€Å"qualifying company† means a company incorporated in Singapore which for each of the first three years of assessment is resident in Singapore for that YA, and has its total share capital beneficially held directly by no more than 20 shareholders: ? ? All of whom are individuals throughout the basis period for that YA or At least one of whom is an individual shareholder holding at least 10% of the total number of issued ordinary shares of the company throughout the basis period for that YA. In the case of a company limited by guarantee: ? ? all of its members must be individuals throughout the basis period for that YA or at least one of its member is an individual throughout the basis period for that YA, and the contribution of that individual under the Memorandum of Association of the company to the assets of the company in the event of its being wound up, amounts to at least 10% of total contributions of the members of the company throughout the basis period for that YA. Question 3: aThe Singapore tax system is considered as a territorial system because income accruing in or derived from Singapore (Singapore sourced) or overseas income received or deemed received in Singapore is assessable to tax. In other words, income that is sourced outside Singapore is not chargeable to Singapore income tax if this overseas income is not received or deemed received in Singapore. One exception to this rule is dividend gain in Singapore. Under the new one-tier corporate tax system since 1 January 2003, tax will only be imposed at the corporate level and all dividends distributed by a Singapore tax resident company will be tax exempt for its shareholders. b Assumption: basic period is 1/1/200x to 31/12/200x Ms Dinh Tam’s 2-year contract will be from 1/4/2006 to 31/3/2008. Year assessment of Physical presence in Residence Singapore/ period of employment YA 2007 1/4/2006- 31/12/2006 Resident Exercise of employment in Singapore is more than 183 days in the basic period YA 2008 1/1/2007- 31/12/2007 Resident Exercise of employment in Singapore is more than 183 days in the basic period YA 2009 1/1/2008- 31/3/2008 Non-resident Both periods of employment and physical presence are less than 183 days. Remarks c Mr Tan KL, a Singapore resident, purchased a house in China. He rents it out and the rent is credited into his bank account in Hong Kong by the property agent. It means he receives a rental income in China and this income may be subject to tax in China remitted to Singapore is exempt from Singapore tax. In addition, according to Singapore tax law, all foreign sourced income remitted by INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT in Singapore on or after 1 January 2004 will be exempt from tax. d Determine whether the following receipts would be considered as income for tax purposes: iThis income will be exempt from tax if Ah Kow is Singapore resident because this income may be taxed in Macau remitted to Singapore is exempt from Singapore tax. In addition, according to Singapore tax law, all foreign sourced income remitted by INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT in Singapore on or after 1 January 2004 will be exempt from tax. ii   Profits made by a share broker from sale of shares is taxable income because shares are considered as his inventory to make profit therefore it is called revenue receipt for this share broker and that is subject to Singapore tax. iii Samantha Lee, a teacher made a profit from the sale of her piano is exempt from tax if this piano is her fixed asset and Samantha Lee doesn’t repeat piano buy and sale transaction many times. It means this profit is capital receipt, not revenue receipt and so that it is not taxable. iv Money received from an unlawful business in Singapore is taxable income because it is revenue receipt and income derived in Singapore so that it is subject to tax in Singapore. v Money received from sale of computer by a private school is exempt from tax because computer is considered as fixed asset of this private school. It means this income is capital receipt that is not taxable income. How to cite Taxation Assignment, Essay examples

Study of Integrated Science free essay sample

The importance of science in today’s world is overwhelming and therefore the education system throughout the world has geared itself to provide the required training in scientific skills to meet this growing challenge. Many countries have transformed themselves from poor feudal type economies through the increasing application of science and technology. China and India are two outstanding examples as they have grown to become economic and industrial power houses and in several ways compete effectively with developed countries. Any country which does not give the needed assistance to the study of science usually lacks development. Through science, bridges are constructed, vehicles manufactured, roads constructed and knowledge expanded. In spite of the relevance of science mentioned above, the pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 have difficulty in studying and understanding science. The three aspects of pure science and one applied science (Agricultural science) have been combined to form the basis for the study of science at the junior high school. We will write a custom essay sample on Study of Integrated Science or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Collectively, they are known as integrated science. During the end-of-term examination, less than 40% of the thirty five (35) pupils in the class barely get above the average mark of fifty (50) in integrated science. The pupils mentality that, integrated science is difficult and poor methods of teaching can be counted as factors that have facilitated the poor performance of the pupils in the subject. Not using the scientific method of solving problems in the teaching of scientific problems and solving practical questions raises an eyebrow on how pupils can grasp the concepts of the subject. With pupils living in a community which major occupation is farming (cocoa to be precise) and pupils themselves engaging in farming activities, it would have served as a good ground for the application of agricultural science and biology which forms part of integrated science. But this seems not to be the case with the pupils. With the relevance of the study of science to the improvement of the pupils’ mind and life and also to the community as a farming one, prompted the researcher to study and investigate ways of improving the study of integrated science at JHS 2. Statement of the problem The problem which prompted the researcher to carry out this research is the poor performance of pupils in integrated science among the JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. It is therefore against this background that the researcher has decided to use the experiential approach to help solve this problem. Purpose of the study The reason why the researcher is carrying out this research is to: a) Identify the causes of the poor performance of pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 in integrated science. b) Assess the effects of the poor performance in integrated science on the pupils. ) Establish possible solutions that can help solve the poor performance in integrated science. d) Provide teachers with some guidelines in improving the teaching and studying of integrated science. e) Help parents understand the conditions that they can put in place to help their wards improve their performance in integrated science. f) Provide suggestions to managers of education in Ghana when planning the syllabus. Rese arch questions Research questions for this study include the following: i) What difficulties do pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 face in the study of integrated science? i) What are the major causes of the poor performance of the pupils in integrated science? iii) What are the appropriate interventions that can be taken to address the problem? iv) What is the effect of the project on the problem? Significance of the study This research will help pupils to recognize effective ways of learning integrated science which can bring about an improved performance in the subject. It will also help teachers of integrated science to vary their techniques or methods of teaching and choose methods according to the nature of the topic. Last but not least, it will also enable curriculum planners to include this practical work in the JHS science syllabus so that pupils at the junior high schools can make use of it. Delimitations This project work is limited to improving the performance of integrated science among only JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. This is because that is the class that the researcher was assigned to teach and has fair knowledge of their learning abilities. Also, out of all the subjects on the JHS 2 timetable, the researcher chose to carry out his research on only integrated science since it’s the subject assigned to him to teach. Last but not least, there were many approaches that could have been used for this study but the researcher deemed it best to use the experiential approach Organization of the study The research work is organized in five main chapters. Chapter one is titled ‘Introduction’ and it comprises the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations, limitations and organization of the study. Chapter two is the review of related literature. It consists of the ideas and views of other writers, internet and other sources. Chapter three discusses the methodology which includes the research design, population and sample selection, research instrument, data collection procedure and data analysis plan. Chapter four considers the analysis of data based on the findings and discussions of the findings. The last chapter summarizes, concludes and also makes recommendation after the study.   Literature review Review of related literature in this chapter involves the systematic identification, location and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem. It is designed to review works on the importance of the study of science in the basic school. The knowledge gained through the study of science plays an important role in the general education of the school curriculum, therefore, a large number of studies pertaining to the teaching and learning of science by many educationist and writers. This chapter considers the contributions of other researchers and their proposal suggestions for correcting these difficulties. The contributions are placed under the following headings in this chapter. Definitions of science. What is integrated science? Importance of science. Importance of science education as a school subject. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science. Experiential method of teaching. Definitions of science According to Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is Knowledge attained through study or practice, or Knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world. Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system. Less formally, the word science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it. (http://www. sciencemadesimple. com) According to Wikipedia (2012), Science is obtained from the Latin word scientia, it means knowledge. It furthered on to say that, science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. An older and closely related meaning still in use today is that found for example in Aristotle, whereby science refers to the body of reliable knowledge itself, of the type that can be logically and rationally explained. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Science). It goes on to say that, in modern use, science is a term which more often refers to a way of pursuing knowledge, and not the knowledge itself. Dictionary. com (2012) defines science as a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws. World English Dictionary (2009) also defines science as the systematic study of the nature and behavior of the material and physical universe, based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the formulation of laws to describe these facts in general terms. The medical dictionary (2002) also says science is  the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities restricted to explaining a limited class of natural phenomena. Such activities applied to an object of inquiry or study. The science dictionary (2002) also defines science as the investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation. It continues to state that science makes use of the scientific method, which includes the careful observation of natural phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis, the conducting of one or more experiments to test the hypothesis, and the drawing of a conclusion that onfirms or modifies the hypothesis. In general, science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws. According to Twumasi (2009), Science has three main branches, namely; Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Chemistry is an experimental study of substances and the useful compounds that can be formed from these substances. Chemistry also has three branches which include inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Physics is concerned with the forces that exist between objects and the interrelationships between matter and energy. Biology is the study of living things and their interactions with the environment. Biology is also divided into plants, animals and ecology. What is integrated science? Integrated Science is a straight forward, easy-to-read, but substantial introduction to the fundamental behavior of matter and energy in living and non-living systems. It is intended to serve the needs of non-science individuals who are required to complete one or more science courses as part of a general or basic studies requirement. It introduces basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. According to wiki. answers. com, integrated science is a combine study of all areas of the sciences or the introduction of some areas in sciences. It goes on to try to differentiate between science and integrated science by explaining that integrated science is a course with merged topics like biology, chemistry, etc. whilst science is a big body of knowledge, it is about everything around us even inside our own body. Importance of science Below are some importance of science as identified by www. mikebrotherton. com. 1. Science exercises the mind and teaches logical thinking. 2. Science encourages skepticism and questioning assumptions and looking at things in different ways. 3. Making important decisions based on science instead of superstition or demagoguery or hatred or fear etc often produces better results. 4. The techniques of science (logic, testing hypothesis, gathering, data, etc) can be applied in daily life for â€Å"small† personal problems and activities (purchasing decisions, playing games, cooking, debugging software, etc), not just for â€Å"big issues† like physics, astronomy, technological development, etc. 5. Through the study of science, horrible diseases can be cured, or prevented entirely, and it can still provide hope for those with as-yet-incurable diseases. . Through science, people who love each other can talk to each other whenever they want no matter how far apart they are in the world, and can be together the next day through improved ways of communication and transport. 7. Science can show us what has caused mass extinctions and point the way to preventing similar catastrophes in the future. 8. Science can make us feel big and special for understanding the age of the Earth, the nature of stars, and the size of the universe, even if those things dwarf us. 9. Science gives us superpowers, like looking across the universe, seeing atoms, flying across the Earth or to the moon, moving mountains, and harnessing the energy of the sun. 10. Science has helped us to understand ourselves and the environment. 11. It shows the best way of solving problems. Importance of science education as a school subject Science, as a subject is universal and knows no boundaries. The claims of Science for inclusion in the school curriculum came to be recognized after years of active and persistent efforts. Science almost revolutionarized human life and proved indispensable for existence of man. Now, supremacy of Science has been established in every field. In fact, so great is its importance for man and society that the present day people live in an age of science. No one perhaps needs an explanation at present to include science in the school curriculum. Canon Wilson, a famous educationist in 1867, in support of inclusion of science as a School subject wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is’’. English, History, Geography, Classics etc. re taught because they provide a liberal education. The main object of imparting education is to turn out intelligent citizens able to appreciate and enjoy the beauty and wonder of Nature. They should be efficient in all walks of life and should take delight in the wealth of culture of past generations and civilizations. Hence, Science should form an essential part of the curriculum as it is the only subject which affords k nowledge of certain facts and laws and helps in achieving the main object of education. According to www. preservearticles. om, Prakash (2011), the following are the arguments in favor of integrated Science to be placed in School Curriculum: 1. Science provides unique training in observation and reasoning. Science students reason from definitely ascertained facts and form clear concepts. It makes one systematic and enables him to form an objective judgment. 2. The discoveries have added to the prosperity of human race with vast increase of knowledge. Herbert Spencer in his, What Knowledge is of Most Worth gives information which study of Science furnishes. According to him, Science learning is incomparably more useful for our guidance in life. Other chief subjects too provide an intellectual training not inferior to that of Science. Practically, we live in a world of scientific discoveries. So science education cannot be neglected. 3. Prof. H. E. Armstrong says that Science is taught to provide training in and knowledge of Scientific method, which is useful in the life pursuits. So this needs a School base of Science education. 4. Science has its cultural value. It has a literature of its own. The Scientific discoveries of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Darwin, Pasteur, Kelvin, Bose, Armstrong and others are treasures of mankind. So, Science has won the first rank of humanistic studies. 5. Science has utilitarian value. It trains the child to use his leisure properly. These are clearly illustrated in scientific hobbies. 6. Modern knowledge of Science provides great intellectual pleasure. An educated person is under very great disadvantage if he is not familiar with that knowledge. 7. Knowledge of the methods of observation and experiment in the different branches of Science helps pupils to develop a logical mind, a critical judgment and a capacity for methodical organization. . Science is useful in that it remedies some of the defects of the ordinary school education. It is found to be the most valuable element in the education of those who show special aptitude. Science provides discipline of mind. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science The poor performance of pupils in integrated science can be attributed to many factors. Alsop (1985) said â€Å"if science is to be learned affectively i t must be experienced, (UNESCO, 1973)†. The laboratory is a unique fact of science education. Tamir (1989) also said that in the developing countries especially sub – Saharan Africa, there are a number of factors contributing to the poor performance in science. Thus low per capital income, predominantly rural populations, economy based on primary products, experience of political independence and limited access to school particularly at the secondary level. The sub — Saharan Africa is the region which has the greatest difficulties in providing the normal facilities of trained teachers, laboratories and equipment for teaching practical science. Also Toh (1990) said, prior knowledge, attitude to school, attitude to cience and academic self concept affect success in the performance in science investigation, and he continued to say that explicit understanding is not adequate for success in science investigation. Moreover, Torto (2003) said, gender disparity in education also leads to poor performance in science especially among woman. She said, female still have low access to education, low participation and poor performance in many subject. Many factors which are home, community and school based, continue to restrict development female education she said further that, factors within the classroom are not only uses of gender imbalances in education. Home based factors which include family size, household income, parents’ education, cultural and traditional beliefs all contributed substantially to poor female enrolment in school. Gott and Mishiter (1987) also added that, science education is in a state of rapid change. In recent years there has been an ongoing debate concerning the importance of concepts and process in our science courses. This debate has been brought into tighter focus since the autumn of 1988 in England and Whales with the advent of the national curriculum in science. Shito (1958) stated in the daily graphic that the community regards science students who are females as witches and ugly. In addition to this, Femsa project staff (1995) conducted and presented a research on the availability of resources and facilities for teaching and learning science as well as mathematics in Africa. They said that, where resources and facilities such as teacher textbooks, laboratories, chemicals, tools, textbooks, laboratory tools and equipment, teaching aids, store, office etc. are inadequate, it makes the teaching of science to become teacher centered. This type of approach is heavily dominated by the teacher as he or she lectures the subject, gives notes and demonstrates the practical aspect of the lessons. The students remain passive participants expected to listen and observe only. July (1925) said if science education is to be lectures and demonstration, then no results could be achieved in the future. He also added that any school that claims to teach science only theoretically is not a school. Morii (1434) said, a teacher is capable of teaching and implementing quality education if he is given what he is suppose to be given (an ancient scientist. He also added that the poor performance of science is due to low motivation given to teachers. According to Dzama (1999) causes of poor performance of pupils in science is as a results of absence of vocational incentives rather than by conflict between science and African traditional values and beliefs. He argued that conflict between science and traditional beliefs and values is not peculiar to Africans. He also demonstrated that in the growth of science in developed countries, improvement in the performance of students succeeded rather than proceeded industrial and technological development. Experiential method of teaching According to Wikipedia (2012), experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience. Simply put, Experiential Learning is learning from experience. The experience can be staged or left open. Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. David A. Kolb helped to popularize the idea of experiential learning, drawing heavily on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin and Jean Piaget. His work on experiential learning has contributed greatly to expanding the philosophy of experiential education. Experiential learning focuses on the learning process for the individual. An example of experiential learning is going to the zoo and learning through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as opposed to reading about animals from a book. Experiential learning requires no teacher and relates solely to the meaning making process of the individuals direct experience. However, though the gaining of knowledge is an inherent process that occurs naturally, for a genuine learning experience to occur, there must exist certain elements. According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required: 1. the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience; 2. the learner must be able to reflect on the experience; 3. the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience; and 4. The learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience. Experiential learning can be a highly effective educational method. It engages the learner at a more personal level by addressing the needs and wants of the individual. Experiential learning requires qualities such as self-initiative and self-evaluation. For experiential learning to be truly effective, it should employ the whole learning wheel, from goal setting, to experimenting and observing, to reviewing, and finally action planning. This complete process allows one to learn new skills, new attitudes or even entirely new ways of thinking. Most educators understand the important role experience plays in the learning process. A fun learning environment, with plenty of laughter and respect for the learners abilities, also fosters an effective experiential learning environment. It is vital that the individual is encouraged to directly involve themselves in the experience, in order that they gain a better understanding of the new knowledge and retain the information for a longer time. As stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand’’. According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. How do you create a well-crafted learning experience? The key lies in the facilitator and how he or she facilitates the learning process. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed: You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are. And while it is the learners experience that is most important to the learning process, it is also important not to forget the wealth of experience a good facilitator also brings to the situation. An effective experiential facilitator is one who is passionate about his or her work and is able to immerse participants totally in the learning situation, allowing them to gain new knowledge from their peers and the environment created. These facilitators stimulate the imagination, keeping participants hooked on the experience. Creating an experiential learning environment can be challenging for educators who have been taught through traditional classroom techniques. Identifying activities that allow learners to understand and absorb concepts can be a new and daunting experience. However, by providing direct experience in addition to standard written and visual materials, learners with different types of learning styles and strengths can be accommodated. Sudbury model of democratic education schools assert that much of the learning going on in their schools, including values, justice, democracy, arts and crafts, professions, and frequently academic subjects, is done by learning through experience. Summary Science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws. Science has been part of man in time past and has even become more of man’s life in recent years. The usefulness of science can be seen by the things around us; the roads, bridges, cars, computers, refrigerators etc. The selection and study of some aspects of science as a whole is what is termed as integrated science. To defend the study of integrated science and science as a whole in schools, Canon Wilson, a famous educationist in 1867, wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is’’. According to Prakash (2011), Science learning is incomparably more useful for our guidance in life. Many researchers are of the view that, learning is best understood when it is experienced as stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand’’. According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. Also, Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed: You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are.   This chapter talks about the research design that the researcher used in solving the problem, the population and sampling solution, research instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis plan. It also describes the type of research used in the study. It also involves the method of data collection, pre-Intervention, intervention and post- intervention stages. Research design Research design is a plan which specifies how data relating to a given problem should be collected and analyzed. It provides the procedural outline for conduct of any given investigation. The research design used is an action research design which is directed towards solving a specific problem at the classroom level. This type of research is usually undertaken by either a teacher or group of teachers in a school to solve a peculiar problem in the classroom or in the school as a whole. The design makes work very easier and simpler. This is due to the fact that, it does not involve inconveniences such as travelling etc. The design deals with a particular group of people in a given area concerned and helps to solve the problems which specifically affect him/her. Action research also helps the teacher to understand what actually goes on in teaching and learning situations. It is important in the sense that, it does not only enhance teacher’s professional status but also promotes teacher’s personal improvement of his/her practices. It is through action research that the teacher can evaluate his or her teaching effectively. Action research is also conducted with the purpose of solving classroom or local school problems through the application of the scientific method. Moreover action research helps teachers to understand better, all aspects of their practices in relation to the subject content, the curriculum, and the methods that are more appropriate to the levels of pupils in their class. Finally, action research helps teachers to be equipped with knowledge on the various approaches or methods that they can use to suit the children they teach. In spite of the outlined strength, the results of the design cannot be generalized. This is because the design does not cover a wide range of people and it seeks to detect and solve a problem affecting a particular group of people. This tends to be a weakness on the part of the action research. Population and sampling selection A population of 113 pupils at the junior high school was used for the study at Mampamhwe M/A JHS in the Obuasi Municipal Assembly. Though this number at the junior high school was considered, JHS 2 class was sampled for the study. The average age of the sampled class was fourteen (14) years. The table below shows the distribution of the sampled class. Table 3. 1 Distribution of pupils’ gender |Gender Number Percentage (%) | |Boys 16 44 | Girls 20 56 Total 36 100 | | | |This class was chosen for the research because the researcher was assigned to teach Integrated Science in that class. | | | Research Instruments I used two main strategies to detect how pupils learnt science. I initially had with pupils an oral discussion on a science topic and afterwards asked pupils oral questions on it. An exercise was later given to pupils based on the same topic discussed. Discussion The discussion method was aimed at finding out how pupils understand the principles of a topic if orally narrated and discussed in class. Discussion method stimulates critical thinking. Frequent questions whether asked by the researcher or the pupils, provide means of measuring learning and exploring in-depth the key concepts of the course. During discussions, pupils’ answers to questions could help the researcher to determine whether they have experienced what they are saying or they just read them from books. Exercise The purpose of the class exercise was to allow pupils to freely express themselves in the way they understood the topic that has just been taught. Pupils’ answers to questions will give the researcher the idea on how best they understand a topic when orally discussed with them. It also gives the researcher a clearer idea of how pupils think science is. Whether they think science is a written down facts that can never be tampered with or they think science is everything that goes on around them and they can verify each and every aspect of it. Data Collection Procedure Pre-Intervention Stage A lesson on corrosion and rusting from page 25 of pupils’ text book was selected and delivered by discussion method. Pupils had the basic concept of corrosion and rusting but could not different between the two. The factors responsible for rusting to occur were also discussed and few points were written for pupils to copy. From pupils’ answers given during the discussion, the researcher observed that pupils knew that rusting occurs on metals when they are left in the rain but cannot exactly tell what is responsible for it. This was explained to pupils. An exercise was then conducted to see how pupils understood the lesson. The exercise required pupils to state whether or not an iron can rust if it was kept a) under a bed b) on the ceiling c) in hot water d) inside a refrigerator e) in a hot water with oil spilt on the surface. Though pupils’ contributions to the discussion were favorable, about one-fourth of the class was able to score 3 out of 5 in the exercise. This showed that, pupils may have understood what was taught in the class but cannot apply it in real life situations. I looked at the exercise and recorded pupils correct answers without marking so that pupils could not tell whether they were correct or wrong. Besides that, there might have been some pupils in the class whose attention was somewhere else or did not understand what was been discussed but since most of the class were contributing, the researcher took it that, the whole class was contributing to the discussion. In practical lessons, this problem cannot be overlooked. Intervention Stage The class was divided into four (4) groups and each group was given an experiment to carry out. Each group was given three (3) new iron nails. The first group was asked to put their nails into a plastic or rubber container, cover it and place it under a bed for a week. The second group was asked to add water to their nails in a plastic container and place it inside the school refrigerator. The container should be left open. The third group was asked to also put their nails in boiled water, cover it and keep it for a week. The fourth group was also asked to place their nails into boiled water, pour oil on the surface and cover it tightly. After a week, pupils presented their experiments to the class and explained to the class the apparatus used for the experiment and what happened at the end of the experiment. Each member of the group had his/her own written report of how he/she saw the experiment go. One member of each group does the presentation with the other group members standing behind him/her. After the explanation, questions are thrown to the group and the other members are to answer. Some of the nails rusted whilst others did not. The absence of atmospheric oxygen in the boiled water covered with oil did not allow those nails to rust. So besides the fourth group’s setup, the rest of the setups caused the nails to rust due to the presence of oxygen or moisture. Post-Intervention Stage The class exercise that was given to pupils during the pre-intervention stage was again given to pupils to answer again. This time the researcher marked the exercise and saw many changes as compared to the answers they wrote before the intervention stage. Many wrong answers pupils wrote in the first exercise were corrected. Limitations Many problems may militate against this study but the few ones I would like to enumerate here include: 1. Problem of finance: The researcher will have to travel to other tertiary institutions to use their libraries if the researcher’s local library cannot provide the necessary books needed. Money will also be spent to buy airtime and data bundles to enable research on the World Wide Web. Without money, all these cannot be possible. 2. Time factor: The time at the disposal of the researcher is very limited and for that matter may not permit such an intensive coverage. Also there might be other written documents which may contain detailed information about this research work but due to the limited time available to the researcher, he may not review those documents.