MBA FPX5010

Question

ASSESSMENT 2 – PRODUCT PRICING RECOMMENDATION

Instructions

Create a 9-slide presentation in which you analyze cost accounting practices to make a recommendation about whether or not to accept a purchase offer at a lower price than normal. You may either record the presentation or write a 2-3 page supporting report.

Introduction

This portfolio work project will help you to assess a request, complete an analysis to understand the impact on an organization, provide a recommendation, and communicate that recommendation.

Scenerio

The Acme Pickle Company has distributed pickles under the “Florida’s Best” brand for eight years from its production facility in Jacksonville, Florida. It sells the pickles to stores in the southeastern United States. Acme normally produces between 8,000 and 10,000 cases of pickles a month but has the capacity to produce 12,000 cases without adding equipment or personnel.

The owner of a twenty-store supermarket chain in Wisconsin, called Super Deals, visits friends in Florida and is impressed with the quality of “Florida’s Best” pickles. He approaches you, an Acme Pickle account manager, with an offer to buy 2,000 cases of pickles to use in a special promotion at his stores. He is thinking of something such as:

“Free jar of Florida’s Best pickles with every purchase of forty dollars or more—this month only!”

He offers Acme a price of $9.50 per case, knowing that it is a very substantial discount from the normal selling price of $20 a case. Acme’s management is inclined to turn the offer down, because their cost is calculated at $10.00 a case. They believe they would lose money if they sold at $9.50 a case. You, on the other hand, believe that some errors have been made in the cost accounting.

Your Role

You are the accYour analysis for the Controller and Sales Manager is needed to suggest a different way of calculating the pricing of the pickles that may be lower. As part of your analysis, address the following items:

Explain why some production costs are variable and some are fixed.

Analyze the benefit of recalculating the cost of pickle production.

How would you recalculate it?

What would the result be?

  • What is the benefit to the company of recalculating the cost?
  • Analyze how financial accounting of production cost differs from managerial accounting of production cost.

Explain the difference between the two accounting methods.

  • Identify the benefits and drawbacks of each method.
  • Recommend a plan of action to management regarding Super Deals’ offer.
  • Below is the cost report for a recent month. In this month, Acme produced 9,000 cases and sold them at $20 per case, which is Acme’s normal selling price. Nine thousand cases are well beyond Acme’s break-even point, enabling Acme to record a substantial profit at the nine-thousand-case level.
  • Acme Pickle Company Cost ReportItemCostCucumbers$15,000Spices and vinegar11,000Jars and lids10,000Direct labor, paid by the case30,000Line supervisors, on salary10,000Depreciation on factory10,000Property taxes on factory3,000Insurance on factory1,000Total Costs:$90,000Cost per case (9,000 cases produced) $10.00

Deliverable Format

  • Your team lead wants to share this analysis across remote locations of the organization and is hoping you will set the standard for how analyses and decisions of this type should be presented and supported. Your team has requested either a recorded presentation (including slides and notes) or a presentation and supporting reporting that can be distributed as a model. Prepare a presentation of at least 9 slides using PowerPoint or software of your choice detailing your recommendation and the information you used to make your recommendation. You can either record the presentation or prepare a separate report supporting the presentation.
  • If you choose to record your presentation, you may use Capella-supported Kaltura Media or another technology of your choice that produces a shareable URL. Kaltura is recording software that can be used to create webcam, screen, and audio recordings. Refer to the MBA Program Resources for the Using Kaltura tutorial to prepare for this option. If you choose to use something other than Kaltura Media, ensure that it creates a shareable URL and can be embedded in the courseroom to ensure faculty can access your recording.
  • Note: If you require the use of assistive technology or alternative communication methods to participate in these activities, please contact DisabilityServices@Capella.edu to request accommodations.

RECOMMENDATION REQUIREMENTS:

Presentation slides:

Create at least 9 slides detailing your recommendation and the information you used to make your recommendation.

Include additional details as slide notes.

Supporting information. Choose one of the following options:

Record your presentation.

Create a 2–3 page report to support your slides.

RELATED COMPANY STANDARDS:

The recommendation report is a professional document and should therefore follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines, including single-spaced paragraphs.

In addition to the presentation or report materials, include:

Title (slide or page).

References (slide or page).

Appendix with supporting materials.

At least two APA-formatted references

ASSESSMENT 3 – PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Instruction – Write a 1-2 page executive summary, along with an appendix of supporting information, in which you analyze an organization’s financial performance as well as their level of risk for lending and make and present a recommendation to help leadership make a loan decision.

Introduction

This portfolio work project will help you complete a thorough review of an organization’s financial performance as well as their level of risk for lending. Your recommendation will help leadership create a loan portfolio, and your executive summary will clearly and concisely communicate your review to others in the organization.

Scenerio

You work for an organization that provides loans to businesses. You are working with a client who is requesting a loan that will require a review of financial and related performance documents. You have been asked to review the documents and summarize your findings in a loan recommendation for your management team.

You may apply this scenario to either Option 1 or Option 2, described in Requirementsbelow.

Your Role

You are a loan manager for a lending organization, and your responsibilities include reviewing loan requests and providing recommendations in regard to whether the loan requests should be funded.

Requirements

OPTION 1:

Your client works for Ace Company. Assume Ace Company requested a $3 million 10-year loan to purchase production equipment and develop accompanying software. Use the Ace Company Data Download Ace Company Datadocument for this option.

OPTION 2:

Use a firm or scenario of your choosing.

Before choosing a company, read the assessment thoroughly to ensure:

The company fits the assessment requirements.

You have access to the financial statements and related performance documents needed to assess risk and make a loan recommendation. You will need information for this year and last year.

You can distribute the financial statements and related performance documents without disclosing confidential company information.

LOAN RECOMMENDATION

To arrive at your recommendation, analyze the financial performance of the requesting company and present it to your organization’s upper-management team. The management team will take your recommendation into consideration as they finalize loan requests.

Analyze the company’s performance and performance trends. Include the following in your analysis:

Analyze the trend for accounts receivable collections.

Identify the trend.

Explain the relevance of the trend.

Determine if the trend is improving or getting worse.

Compare the company’s average inventory turnover to the industry average inventory turnover rate. Note that the average industry turnover rate for Ace Company is 10 times per year.

Consider whether the company’s average inventory turnover is higher or lower than the industry average.

Explain whether a higher or lower average is better.

Determine whether the trend is improving or getting worse.

  • Evaluate the company’s short-term and long-term credit worthiness based on financial performance and trend (comparing this year to last year). Include in your evaluation:

Information about performance and trends.

  • Information about other relevant financial information you consider important to the decision.
  • Your recommendation regarding whether the bank should grant the loan based on the financial data.
  • Deliverable Formats

The management team of your organization requests this information in the form of a 1–2 page executive summary along with a title page, references page, and appendix of supporting information. The executive summary must highlight the key findings from your review and will provide your recommendation and rationale. The appendix must include data used in your analysis for others to review. Assume that this document is the only communication in regard to your analysis and recommendation and that you will not be with the team to explain anything as it deliberates. In other words, the documentation you provide must be well organized and include information for the management team to clearly see your recommendation and rationale.

  • Related company report standards:
  • The executive summary is a professional document and should therefore follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines, including single-spaced paragraphs.

In addition to the executive summary, include:

A title page.

  • A references page.
  • Appendix with supporting materials. If you are using a firm or scenario of your choosing, ensure faculty has sufficient information to understand how you reached your recommendation.

At least two APA-formatted references.

  • ASSESSMENT 4 – EXPANSION RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Instructions
  • Prepare either a 3-4 page report or a 12-slide presentation in which you analyze financial information and risks associated with an investment to expand an organization and make a recommendation on whether or not to invest in expansion.
  • Introduction
  • This portfolio work project will allow you to review information and risks associated with an investment to expand an organization. As this information will be shared broadly across the organization, you will have a choice in your final deliverable audience and will organize your deliverable to meet the needs of that audience.

Scenerio

ZXY Company is a food product company. ZXY is considering expanding to two new products and a second production facility. The food products are staples with steady demands. The proposed expansion will require an investment of $7,000,000 for equipment with an assumed ten-year life, after which all equipment and other assets can be sold for an estimated $1,000,000. They will be renting the facility. ZXY requires a 12 percent return on investments. You have been asked to recommend whether or not to make the investment.

Your Role

You are an accounting manager. Your boss has asked you to review and provide a recommendation on the expansion based on information that has been provided.

Requirements

In preparing and supporting your recommendation to either make the investment or not, include the following items as part of your analysis:

Analysis of financial information.

Identification of risks associated with the investment. Consider:

How risky the project appears.

How far off your estimates of revenues and expenses can be before your decision would change.

The difference if the company were to use a straight line versus a MACRS depreciation.

Recommendation for a course of action.

Explanation of criteria supporting your recommendation.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

As part of your analysis you might find that additional information from marketing, accounting, or finance would be useful in making an informed and well-supported recommendation. In a real workplace setting you would have the ability to ask for that information. However, for the purposes of this assessment, you can make assumptions about the values of that data or ratios in support of your recommendation.

Accounting worked with the marketing group to create the ZXY Company Financial Statements Download ZXY Company Financial Statementsspreadsheet for the new products business and the new facility.

Notes about the financial information:

The expense line labeled SQF FDA Mandates refers to the costs of complying with Food and Drug Administration requirements.

Depreciation expense is calculated using 7-year life modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS).

Deliverable Format

Depending on the audience you choose to address, use one of the following options:

Report for a mid-management audience. Prepare a 3–4 page report detailing your recommendation and the information you used to make your recommendation.

Presentation for top leadership. Prepare a presentation of at least 12 slides detailing your recommendation and the information you used to make your recommendation. You may use your choice of presentation software. Include notes with additional details.

Keep in mind that your recommendation may be shared with others, so your materials should be designed for clarity and readability.

  • RELATED COMPANY STANDARDS FOR EITHER FORMAT:
  • The recommendation report is a professional document and should therefore follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines, including single-spaced paragraphs.
  • In addition to the report or presentation, include:

History Question

QUESTION

California Missions SLO Exercise (ASSIGNMENT)

This assignment is due Friday, March 22 at 11:59 PM.  Late submissions will be accepted for ten days through Monday, April 1, and a one-grade late deduction will be added to your score. This assessment will ask you to do several things:

1. Read/view a set of primary sources, including art works, related to the founding and development of the Spanish mission system in California

2. Analyze and synthesize primary and secondary sources in response to a historical thesis or question.

3. Articulate a cause or consequence of the event represented by the sources.

4. Describe one historical personality involved in this event and explain his or her significance in this event.

Write your answers directly into Canvas. Do not send back any files.

Here is the nuts-and-bolts video on the SLO exercise that was recorded in 2019.  This video was recorded with the Camtasia software and it does include the closed-captioning feature.  Just click the “CC” icon on the YouTube viewer to access the subtitles.

**NOTE: For this exercise, you are encouraged to bring in any information that you’ve learned about the historical period/topic from lecture, textbook, primary source documents, films and other sources. The term “secondary sources” refers to outside materials, including readings from “Between the Conquests.”**

Formal Instructions:

Read/view the attached set of primary sources, (the Father Duran and Indian laborer drawings, and the Father Jayme and La Perouse documents)

Address the following thesis statement: How do these sources prove that the policies of the Spanish Crown and Franciscan officials directly contributed to the cultural destruction of the California native populations as the mission system was being established? Explain in at least 5-6 sentences (based on your analysis of the primary and secondary sources) how the sources prove the thesis statement?

Articulate a cause or consequence of the California Mission system represented by the sources. Name and describe one cause or consequence of an event discussed in these sources in at least 5-6 sentences:

Describe one historical personality involved in this event ( the California Mission system) and explain his or her significance in this event. Name one person involved in this event. Why was that person significant?  Compose your answer in at least 5-6 sentences:

History 115 SLO Assessment: Set of Primary Source Documents

Source #1: Father Narciso Duran and Child, Mission San Jose (1844 painting)

Father Narciso Duran with native child

Source #2 Father Luis Jayme criticizes the behavior of Spanish Soldiers (1772)

With reference to the Indians, I wish to say that great progress would be made if there was anything to eat and the soldiers would set a good example. We cannot give them anything to eat because what Don Pedro has given is not enough to last half a year for the Indians from the Californias who are here. Thus little progress will be made under present conditions. As for the example to be set by the soldiers, no doubt some of them are good exemplars and deserve to be treated accordingly, but very many of them deserved to be hanged on account of the continuous outrages which they are committing in seizing and raping the women. There is not a single mission where all the gentiles have not been scandalized, and even on the roads, so I have been told. Surely, as the gentiles themselves state, they are committing a thousand evils, particularly those of a sexual nature. The fathers have petitioned Don Pedro concerning these points, but he has paid very little attention to them. He has punished some, but as soon as they promised him that they would work at the presidio, he turned them loose. That is what he did last year, but he does not even punish them or say anything to them on this point. I suppose that some ministers will write you about the cases which have occurred at other missions. I shall speak only of Mission San Diego. At one of these Indian villages near the mission of San Diego, which said village is very large, and which is on the road that goes to Monterey, the gentiles therein many times have been on the point of coming here to kill us all, and the reason for this is that some soldiers who were carrying the mail to Monterey turned their animals into the fields and they ate up their crops. Three other Indian villages about a league or a league and a half from here have reported the same thing to me several times. For this reason on several occasions where Father Francisco Dumetz or I have gone to see these Indian villages, as soon as they us they fled from their villages and fled to the woods or other remote places, and the only ones who remained in the villages were some men and some very old women. The Christians here have told me that many of the gentiles of the aforesaid villages leave their huts and the crops which they gather from the lands around their villages, and go to the woods and experience hunger. They do this so that the soldiers will not rape their women as they have already done so many times in the past. No wonder the Indians here were bad when the mission was first founded. To begin with, they did not know why they (the Spaniards) had come, unless they intended to take their lands away from them. Now they all want to be Christians because they know that there is a God who created the heavens and earth and all things, that there is a Hell, and Glory, that they have souls, etc., but when the mission was first founded they did not know these things; instead they thought they were like animals, and when the vessels came at first, they saw that most of the crews died; they were very loathe to pray, and they did not want to be Christians at all; instead they said that it was bad to become a Christian and then they would die immediately. No wonder they said so when they saw how most of the sailors and California Indians died, but now, thanks be to the Lord, God has converted them from Sauls to Pauls. They all know the natural law, which so I am informed, they have observed as well or better than many Christians elsewhere. They do not have any idols; they do not go on drinking sprees; they do not marry relatives; and they have but one wife. The married men sleep with their wives only. The bachelors sleep together and apart from the women and the married couples. If a man plays with any woman who is not his wife, he is scolded and punished by his captains. Concerning those from the Californias I have heard it said that they are given to sexual vices, but among those here I have not been able to discover a single fault of that nature. Some of the first adults whom we baptized, when we pointed out to them that it was wrong to have sexual intercourse with a woman to whom they were not married, told me that they already knew that, and that among them it was considered to be very bad, and so they do not do so at all. “the soldiers,” they told me, “are Christians and, although they know that God will punish them in Hell, do so, having sexual intercourse with our wives. We,” they said, “although we did not know that God would punish us for that in Hell, considered it to very bad, and we did not do it, and even less now that we know that God will punish us if we do so.” When I heard this, I burst into tears to see how these gentiles were setting an example for us Christians. 

Source #3 Jean Francois La Perouse Describes the Mission Indians of Carmel (1786)

The color of these Indian, which is that of Negores; the house of the missionaries; their storehouses;…the appearance of the ground on which the grain in trodden out; the cattle, the horses, everything in short, brought to our recollection a plantation at Santo Domingo or any other West Indian island. The men and women are collected by the sound of a bell; a missionary leads them to work, to the church, and to all their exercises. We observed with concern that the resemblance is so perfect that we have seen both men and women in irons, and others in the stocks. Lastly, the noise of the whip might have struck our ears, this punishment also being administered. Corporal punishment is inflicted on the Indians of both sexes who neglect the exercises of piety, and many sins, which in Europe are left to Divine justice, are here punished by irons and the stocks. And lastly, it must be observed that the moment an Indian is baptizes, the effect is the same as if he had pronounced a vow for life. If he escapes to reside with his relations in the independent villages, he is summoned three times to return; if he refuses, the missionaries apply to the governor, who sends soldiers to seize him in the midst of his family and conduct him to the mission, where he is condemned to receive a certain number of lashes with the whip. They have so little courage that they never make any resistance to the three or four soldiers who so evidently violate the rights of men in their persons. The custom is kept up because theologians have decided that they could not in conscience administer baptism to men so inconstant unless the government would in some measure serve as their sponsor and answer for their perseverance in the faith. Punishments are adjudged by Indian magistrates, called caciques. There are three in each mission…These caciques are like the overseers of a plantation: passive beings, blind performers of the will of their superiors. Their principal function…is to maintain order and the appearance of attention. Women are never whipped in public, but in an enclosed and somewhat distant place that their cries may not excite a too lively compassion, which might cause the men to revolt. The latter, on the contrary, are exposed to the view of all their fellow citizens, that their punishment may serve as an example. They usually ask pardon for their fault, in which case the executioner diminishes the force of his lashes, but the number is always irrevocable. An hour after supper, they take care to secure all the women whose husbands are absent, as well as the young girls above the age of nine years, by locking them up, and during the day they entrust them to the care of elderly women. All these precautions are still inadequate, and we must have seen men in the stocks and women in irons for having eluded the vigilance. These Indians have no knowledge of a God or of a future state… The missionaries, persuaded from their prejudices and perhaps from their experience that the reason of these men is scarcely ever developed, consider this a just motive for treating them like children, and admit only a very small number to the communion… The government is a true theocracy for the Indians, who believe that their superiors have immediate and continual communication with God, and that they cause him to descend every day on the altar. By virtue of this opinion, the holy fathers live in the midst of the villages with the greatest security. Their doors are not shut, even in the night.

Source #4: Indian neophytes were responsible for plowing acres of mission property

Native workers plowing field with oxen

Python Question

QUESTION

Implementing our Choose Unit Function / Printing Some Statistics

This is truly exciting. We’ve now got data loaded into our current_set object, and we are ready to display that data!

First, in order to make our program internationally useful and also recognized by the broad scientific community, we must implement our choose_unit() function, use our previously implemented convert_unit() function.

We need to create a global integer variable (not a constant, be sure to use the right naming convention) to hold the current unit selection and provide a default value. Name this variable current_unit. The variable, current_unit should have a default value that indicates units in Celsius.

We will use a global constant dictionary to contain valid unit. Because dictionaries are old news to us, I’m giving it to you. (What makes it is global constant?

UNITS = {
    0: ("Celsius", "C"),
    1: ("Fahrenheit", "F"),
    2: ("Kelvin", "K"),
    }

Next, we need to create a function to choose unit. It should provide the following functionality:

REPORT what the current unit is

GIVE A MENU of the available units

ASK the user to choose a new unit. Do not leave until the user chooses correctly. Be sure to filter for non-integer values.

CHANGE current_unit to the user’s selection.

Important: You should use the dictionary above to generate the menu options and validate the user selection.

When called, your function should generate something like this:

STEM Center Temperature Project
Mike Murphy

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice? 2
Current unit in Celsius
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
1

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice? 2
Current unit is Fahrenheit
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
2

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice? 2
Current unit is Kelvin
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
43
Please choose a unit from the list
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
a
*** Please enter a number only ***
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
0

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice?

Now, let’s make sure you implemented this correctly. Add an item to the dictionary so it looks like this WITHOUT MAKING ANY OTHER CHANGES TO YOUR CODE:

UNITS = {
0: ("Celsius", "C"),
1: ("Fahrenheit", "F"),
2: ("Kelvin", "K"),
5: ("Rankine", "R")
}

Of course, this won’t work with our convert_unit() function, but it’s okay, it’ll only be there for a second. Now make sure you can reproduce this, including the error entry of 4:

STEM Center Temperature Project
Mike Murphy

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice? 2
Current unit is Celsius
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
5 - Rankine
Which unit?
4
Please choose a unit from the list
Choose new unit:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
5 - Rankine
Which unit?
5

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

What is your choice? 2
Current unit is Rankine
Choose new units:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
5 - Rankine
Which unit?

Now make sure you remove the Rankine line.

Alright, got that. You should test your convert_unit() function, and make sure it works

We now need to implement the method get_avg_temperature_day_time(self, filter_list, day, time). I listed the parameters to remind you. We still want it to return None if there is no dataset loaded. We also want it to return None if there are no sensors active in filter_list or if the active sensors have no readings (you can do both in one statement!). If there are readings available, we want it to find all the samples based on our filter_list at a particular day of week and time of day, and return the average as a float (also known as a floating-point number).

It’s your job to determine how to implement this. I used a list comprehension to create a list of just the temperature field of each matching line, then it was easy to calculate the average. I encourage you to use a list comprehension. They are elegant, especially when we are filtering a few values like this, and they are one of the best-known features of Python. Remember, this function must not print anything out.

Once you have implemented this function, let’s make sure that it is working. Add a line after your call to print_menu() like this:

 print(current_set.get_avg_temperature_day_time(filter_list, 5, 7))  # for testing

After loading the dataset, you should see the number 20.4554411…… print out. That’s the average of temperatures on day 5 (Friday) at hour 7 (7AM-8AM). Now go to edit room filter and remove “Out”. When you go back to the main menu you should see 20.86392….. No sense continuing until you get these numbers! Now go back and remove ALL the rooms from the filter. The average temp should report None.

Leave the test line in for your submission, please. Remove it before the next assignment.

We’ll use the get_avg_temperature_day_time() function for the next assignment, but as long as we’re on a roll with summary statistics let’s implement menu option 4. This should be a piece of cake, it’s very similar to what we just did.

First implement get_summary_statistics(self, filter_list) to return a tuple of floats with the minimum, maximum, and average temperature of the sensors that are active in filter_list. If there is no data, this method should return None. Remember, this function must not print anything out, that’s the “We don’t need an if statement like we did for the last assignment”. This time we’re being good programmers and using getter. If we don’t have a dataset loaded the accessor will return None, and the print function will dutifully print None as well! This is the job of our helper function, print_summary_statistics()…

Just take a look at the sample run and you’ll know what to do for print_summary_statistics(). Be sure print_summary_statistics() behaves well in these situations:

  • Normal operation (all sensors active, and some sensors filtered)
  • No data loaded
  • All sensors off

Notice in the sample run that temperatures are rounded to two decimal places. Notice also that the units are listed! Those should come from the units dictionary, of course, not from some kind of if statement. Hint, in this case, the units dictionary behaves “kind-of” like a multi-dimensional array, as described in the modules. That also means you need to use convert_units to get the right values. Finally, note that the name we gave the dataset is printed out with the summary statistics!

The sample run is really long, don’t be shy to make yours long as well! Put your program through its paces:

STEM Center Temperature Project
Mike Murphy
Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

None
What is your choice? 4
Please load data file and make sure at least one sensor is active

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

None
What is your choice? 1
Please enter the filename of the new dataset: Temperatures2022-03-07.csv
Loaded 11724 samples

Please provide a 3 to 20 character name for the dataset Test Week: aaa

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

20.45544117647059
What is your choice? 4
Summary statistics for Test Week
Minimum Temperature: 16.55 C
Maximum Temperature: 28.42 C
Average Temperature: 21.47 C

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

20.45544117647059
What is your choice? 2
Current unit is Celsius
Choose new units:
0 - Celsius
1 - Fahrenheit
2 - Kelvin
Which unit?
1

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

20.45544117647059
What is your choice? 4
Summary statistics for Test Week
Minimum Temperature: 61.79 F
Maximum Temperature: 83.16 F
Average Temperature: 70.64 F

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

20.45544117647059
What is your choice? 3

4201: Foundations Lab [ACTIVE]
4204: CS Lab [ACTIVE]
4205: Tiled Room [ACTIVE]
4213: STEM Center [ACTIVE]
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end 4201

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab [ACTIVE]
4205: Tiled Room [ACTIVE]
4213: STEM Center [ACTIVE]
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end 4204

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room [ACTIVE]
4213: STEM Center [ACTIVE]
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end x

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

19.910638297872342
What is your choice? 4
Summary statistics for Test Week
Minimum Temperature: 61.79 F
Maximum Temperature: 83.16 F
Average Temperature: 70.13 F

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

19.910638297872342
What is your choice? 3

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room [ACTIVE]
4213: STEM Center [ACTIVE]
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end 4205

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room
4213: STEM Center [ACTIVE]
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end 4213

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room
4213: STEM Center
4218: Workshop Room [ACTIVE]
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end 4218

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room
4213: STEM Center
4218: Workshop Room
Out: Outside [ACTIVE]

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end Out

4201: Foundations Lab
4204: CS Lab
4205: Tiled Room
4213: STEM Center
4218: Workshop Room
Out: Outside

Type the sensor number to toggle (e.g. 4201) or x to end x

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

None
What is your choice? 4
Please load data file and make sure at least one sensor is active

Main Menu
---------
1 - Process a new data file
2 - Choose unit
3 - Edit room filter
4 - Show summary statistics
5 - Show temperature by date and time
6 - Show histogram of temperatures
7 - Quit

None
What is your choice? 7
Thank you for using the STEM Center Temperature Project
>>>

Management Question

QUESTION

QUESTION 1

  1. Flexible-generic job QUESTIONs would most likely be used a(n)_________strategy.
    customer-focused
    cost-cutter
    innovator
    differentiated

1 points

QUESTION 2

  1. Strategy refers to the fundamental direction that an organization chooses.

    true/

1 points

QUESTION 3

  1. Incentives do not permanently increase labor costs because:
    they are given based on the past performance of employees.
    they increase the base wage.
    they are one-time payments.
    they rely on a subjective rating of performance.

1 points

QUESTION 4

  1. Since unions represent such a small fraction of the labor force, their influence on pay decisions is insignificant.

1 points

QUESTION 5

  1. A compensation system using market-based pay is most likely to be part of a(n)_______strategy.
    customer-focused
    cost-cutter
    cost leadership
    innovator

1 points

QUESTION 6

  1. Comparisons based on the forms of compensation used by other companies are part of:
    corporate responsibility.
    employee contributions.
    external competitiveness.
    internal alignment.

1 points

QUESTION 7

  1. Internal alignment pertains to the pay rates both for employees doing equal work and for those doing dissimilar work.

1 points

QUESTION 8

  1. Jacob works at PrimeClean Corporation, a car wash company. He is asked to follow a set of instructions in a predetermined order to wash a car. All the details including the amount of washing liquid to use for each type of car are clearly specified. In this case, Jacob’s company is most likely to use a:
    closely tailored pay structure.
    loosely coupled pay structure.
    pay structure with large differences in pay among jobs.
    pay structure that is highly flexible.

1 points

QUESTION 9

  1. Compensation is often a company’s largest controllable expense.

1 points

QUESTION 10

  1. Many employers are easily able to justify the time and expense of collecting task-level information, particularly for flexible jobs with frequently changing tasks.

1 points

QUESTION 11

  1. When cooperation is important for successful organization performance, which of the following pay structures is most suitable?
    A layered pay structure
    A tournament theory-based pay structure
    A hierarchical pay structure
    An egalitarian pay structure

1 points

QUESTION 12

  1. Which of the following statements is true of compensation strategies?
    Compensation strategies may differ between industries but fail to differ between companies in the same industry.
    Compensation strategies may differ within a company, especially one with a variety of business units.
    Compensation strategies are static and only rarely evolve over time.
    A simple strategy of “let the market decide our compensation” may work internationally, but not domestically.

1 points

QUESTION 13

  1. All organizations that pay their employees have a compensation strategy even though it may not be stated or written.

1 points

QUESTION 14

  1. Which of the following is often the largets component in an executive pay package?
    Merit bonuses
    Incentives
    Stock options
    Base pay

1 points

QUESTION 15

  1. Objectives guide the design of pay systems and provide standards for evaluating their effectiveness.

1 points

QUESTION 16

  1. _________are related to greater performance when the work flow depends on individual contributors.
    More delayered structures
    More egalitarian structures
    More hierarchical structures
    More even-handed structures

1 points

QUESTION 17

  1. A structure based on value typically ranks jobs on:
    the relative contribution of skills.
    the complexity of the tasks involved.
    the skills required to complete tasks.
    problem-solving abilities.

1 points

QUESTION 18

  1. Organizations in a turbulent and unpredictable environment requiring flexibility in jobs and work processes are likely to be more successful with a(n)__________internal pay structure.
    closely tailored
    bureaucratic
    loosely coupled
    egalitarian

1 points

QUESTION 19

  1. Which of the following is a fundamental objective, and NOT a policy, of the pay model?
    Alignment
    Fairness
    Competitiveness
    Contributions

1 points

QUESTION 20

  1. In the context of the job analysis process, verification often involves the jobholders as well as their supervisors to determine whether the proposed job QUESTION is accurate and complete.

1 points

QUESTION 21

  1. Which of the following statements concerning cash compensation and the Fair Labor Standards Act is true?
    Managers and professionals usually fit the category of nonexempt worker.
    Labeling all base pay as “salary” means the employer does not have to follow the FLSA regulations.
    Exempt workers receive overtime pay.
    Nonexempt employees have their pay calculated at an hourly wage.

1 points

QUESTION 22

  1. Work that requires more knowledge or skills, is performed under unpleasant conditions, or adds more value is usually paid more. This is usually reflected in the organization’s______________.
    job-based structure
    levels
    egalitarian structure
    differentials

1 points

QUESTION 23

  1. Commissions are an example of incentives.

1 points

QUESTION 24

  1. Which of the following is true about a job specification?
    It primarily focuses on a specific job rather than on individuals who are expected to perform that job.
    It is the list of knowedge, skills, and abilities, that are necessary for an individual to have to perform a specific job.
    It refers to a grouping of jobs based on their job-related similarities and differences and on their value to an organization’s objectives
    It is the list of tasks, duties, and responsibiltities that make up a job.

1 points

QUESTION 25

  1. The well-defined jobs at McDonald’s and their small differences in pay are an example of a(n)________ internal pay structure.
    loosely coupled
    very competitive
    egalitarian
    closely tailored

1 points

QUESTION 26

  1. A specific statement of what a worker does on a job is known as a(n)
    position.
    appraisal.
    job structure.
    task.

1 points

QUESTION 27

  1. Most firms do not have generic strategies but use a blend of cost and innovation.

1 points

QUESTION 28

  1. In addition to supply and demand for labor, supply and demand for products and services also affect internal structures.

1 points

QUESTION 29

  1. Most unions prefer which of the following?
    Equal pay raises for employees
    Large pay differences among jobs and seniority-based promotions
    Large pay differences among jobs and performance-based promotions
    Small pay differences among jobs and seniority-based promotions.

1 points

QUESTION 30

  1. An organization defines its strategy through the trade-offs it makes in choosing what to do and what not to do.

1 points

QUESTION 31

  1. Which of the following theories predicts that individual performance will be maximized when the pay differentials between job levels are large?
    Equity theory
    Reinforecement theory
    Tournament theory
    Marginal productivity theory

1 points

QUESTION 32

  1. A compensation system focusing on operational excellence is most closely associated with a(n)__________strategy.
    differentiated
    cost-cutter
    customer-focused
    innovator

1 points

QUESTION 33

  1. Research investigating high-performance workplaces found that performance-based pay ___________ when combined with other high-performance practices.
    reduces labor costs
    increases the number of middle men required
    improves attitudes and behaviors
    has little effect on quality

1 points

QUESTION 34

  1. A set of identical positions makes a
    task.
    title.
    job.
    procedure.

1 points

QUESTION 35

  1. Which of the following is an example of a relational return?
    Income protection
    A short-term incentive
    Allowances
    Employment security

1 points

QUESTION 36

  1. Which of the following is NOT a factor in defining equal work according to the Equal Pay Act?
    Equal experience
    Equal effort
    Equal responsibility
    Equal skill

1 points

QUESTION 37

  1. Which of the following is true of internal alignment?
    It focuses on customer satisfaction and business growth.
    It addresses pay relationships inside an organization.
    It is the first issues in a strategic approach to pay.
    It is often referred to as distributive justice.

1 points

QUESTION 38

  1. Most organizations do not engage in any regular updating of job analysis information.

1 points

QUESTION 39

  1. A PAQ may be used to gather which type of information?
    Peformance criteria data
    Job content data
    Task data
    Employee data

1 points

QUESTION 40

  1. Managers seek internal alignment within their organization by:
    following Fair Labor Standards Act guidelines.
    paying on the basis of similarities among jobs.
    matching competitors’ pay rates.
    using fair merit increases.

1 points

QUESTION 41

  1. When interpreting research evidence concerning compensation strategy, it is thought that embedding compensation strategy within the broader_______affects results.
    business strategy
    corporate strategy
    HR strategy
    business unit strategies

1 points

QUESTION 42

  1. External factors are dominant influences on jobs filled via:
    transferring employees.
    promotions.
    demotions.
    hiring graduates.

1 points

QUESTION 43

  1. When organization performance declines:
    a virtuous circle may be created.
    managers must avoid changing pay practices.
    the employee attrition rate declines considerably.
    performance-based pay plans do not pay off.

1 points

QUESTION 44

  1. Which of the following is a fundamental strategic choice at the corporate level?
    How should total compensation help this business gain and sustain competitive advantage?
    Which dimension of the pay strategy should we focus on?
    How do we gain and sustain competitive advantage in this business?
    What buseinss should we be in?

1 points

QUESTION 45

  1. Nina is a high-performing individual who works best alone. Which of the following companies is the most appropriate for her?
    A company that pays its employees based on their seniority rather than their performance
    A company that pays all its employees the same amount of money
    A company that uses a hierarchical pay structure to pay its employees based on performance
    A company that uses an egalitarian pay structure

1 points

QUESTION 46

  1. _______refers to comparisons among jobs or skill levels inside a single organization.
    Internal alignment
    Compliance
    Merit guidelines
    External competitiveness

1 points

QUESTION 47

  1. A difference between incentives and merit increases is that incentives
    are relational returns, whereas merit increases are part of the total compensation.
    rely on a subjective measure of performance, whereas merit increases rely on an objective measure of performance.
    do not increase the base wage, whereas merit increases increase the base wage.
    cannot be tied to the performance of an individual, whereas merit increases can be tied to the perofrmance of an individual.

1 points

QUESTION 48

  1. Joshua believes that treating employees equally will improve their job satisfaction, which in turn will increase their work productivity and performance. In accordance with his beliefs, he wants to reduce the number of job levels and the pay differentials between the levels. In this case, he is most likely to use a(n):
    highly layered pay structure.
    hierarchical pay structure.
    egalitarian pay structure.
    highly inequitable pay structure.

1 points

QUESTION 49

  1. Compensation strategy, HR strategy, and business strategy ultimately seek to decrease costs or increase revenues, relative to competencies.

1 points

QUESTION 50

  1. Quantitative job analysis methods help increase reliability.

1 points

QUESTION 51

  1. How an organization positions its total compensation against its competitors is part of external competitiveness strategic choices.

1 points

QUESTION 52

  1. A compensation system focusing on system control and work specifications is most closely associated with a(n) _________strategy.
    differentiated
    innovator
    cost-cutter
    customer-focused

1 points

QUESTION 53

  1. The problem that is most likely to be faced by organizations using an egalitarian pay structure is
    maintaining cooperation among employees
    the perception of excessive CEO pay
    the difficulty in external recruitment
    the difficulty in performing teamwork

1 points

QUESTION 54

  1. Mich Incorporated, a hardware store, has a rating system in place that rates employees on their friendliness, usefulness, and product knowledge. Based on the ratings an employee receives, he or she gets an incentive. The compensation strategy followed by Mich is most closely described as a(n):
    cost-cutter strategy.
    innovator strategy.
    customer-focused strategy.
    differentiation strategy.

1 points

QUESTION 55

  1. The list of tasks, duties, and responsibilites that make up a job is known as a
    job search.
    job specification.
    job control.
    job QUESTION.

1 points

QUESTION 56

  1. Internal alignment is sometimes called internal equity.

1 points

QUESTION 57

  1. The most common bases for determining internal structures are
    pay surveys and job evaluation.
    work content and its value.
    seniority and experience.
    use value and exchange value.

1 points

QUESTION 58

  1. A compensation strategy should reflect an organization’s calues.

1 points

QUESTION 59

  1. Pay differences among levels in an organization are called differentials.

1 points

QUESTION 60

  1. A compensation system that focuses on competit

Touchstone 5 public speaking

QUESTION

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you must complete this unit’s assessments before you submit it. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.

Touchstone 5: Persuasive Speech Revision

ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will utilize the outline you submitted for Touchstone 4 and deliver a 5–7 minute persuasive speech that incorporates feedback and other tips and strategies you’ve learned throughout the course.

In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.

Touchstone Support Videos

Choosing the Right Language
Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety
Using Your Voice
Communicating Nonverbally
Filming Your Speech

A. Directions

Step 1: Review Outline

Review the outline of the persuasive speech that you delivered in Unit 4 as well as the feedback that you have received. Your speech should include an introduction, body, conclusion, and transitions. 

The introduction should contain your key message. 

The body should cover your main topics and support to back up your main points. Make sure that all information, evidence, and persuasive strategies (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) are relevant and from credible sources. 

The conclusion should summarize your main points and repeat your thesis.

The transition should help you shift from one topic to another.

Refer to the following lessons for support:

Components of a Speech

Choosing the Main Points

Highlighting the Main Points

Ordering the Main Points

The Preparation Outline

The Speaking and Rough Draft Outlines

The Role of the Introduction

Establishing Credibility: Topic, Thesis, and Main Points

Introducing the Topic, Thesis, and Main Points

The Role and Use of Transitions

The Role of the Conclusion

Step 2: Incorporate Visual Aid

Think of an effective way to incorporate at least one visual aid that will be relevant to your purpose and message and will enhance your speech.

Refer to the following lessons for support:

Using Visual Aids

The Dos and Don’ts of Using Visual Aids

Using PowerPoint and Other Presentation Software

  • PowerPoint Formatting and Delivery Tips
  • Step 3: Create New Notes
  • Create notes or bullet points that you can refer to while presenting your speech. You should not read your speech word-for-word from your notes. Make sure to cite any sources you have used as you deliver your speech.
  • Refer to the following lessons for support:

Preparing to Deliver Your Speech

Step 4: Use Clear Language

  • Ensure that the language you use is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience, which helps the audience connect with you and your topic. Explain any technical jargon you use where necessary.

Refer back to the following lesson for support:

Mind Your Audience

Make It Memorable and Enhance Audience Understanding

  • Step 5: Practice Speech

Practice presenting your speech, focusing on your voice, your nonverbal communication, and your use of one or more visual aids. Aim for a speech 5–7 minutes in length.

  • Refer to the following lessons for support:

Best Practices in Public Speaking

Using Your Voice: Volume and Rate

Using Your Voice: Articulation, Pronunciation, Dialect, and Vocal Variety

Eye Contact, Facial Expression, Movement, and Gesture

Step 6: Review Rubric

  • Before filming, review the rubric to ensure that you understand how you will be evaluated.

Step 7: Film Speech

  • Film yourself presenting the speech. Be sure that you can be easily seen and heard—at minimum, your head and shoulders should be visible in your video, and you should make eye contact with your audience by directing your speech toward the camera.

Important: Be sure that your speech’s purpose, audience, and thesis are clear. If you choose, you can state this information at the beginning of your video before you begin your speech.

Refer back to the following lessons for support:

Audience

The Purpose and Thesis Statement

Step 8: Review Video

Review your video, be sure that you can be easily seen and heard, and that you have directed your speech to the camera. Refilm as needed. Your speech should be delivered in one video with no cuts or editing.

Step 9: Review Checklist and Requirements

  • Review the checklist and requirements to ensure that your Touchstone is complete.

Step 10: Submit

  • Upload your video using the blue button at the top of this page.

Refer to the checklist below throughout the recording process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

  • ? I have reviewed my Touchstone 4 outline.
    ? I have read all of the feedback that I received on my Touchstone 4 outline.
    ? I have incorporated the feedback to improve my speech.
    ? My speech includes the following components: introduction, body (main points), conclusion, and transitions.
    ? I incorporated at least one visual aid in my speech.
    ? I have selected sources that are credible and support that is relevant.
    ? I have used language that is appropriate to my audience.
    ? I have filmed a video of myself presenting my speech.
    ? The video of my speech is 5–7 minutes in length.
    ? I have reviewed the video and I can be easily heard and seen.
    ? In my speech, I am focused on connecting with the audience, only looking at my notes occasionally.
    ? I have adhered to all the requirements.
    ? I have read through the rubric and I understand how my Touchstone will be evaluated.

B. Rubric

  • Advanced (100%)Proficient (85%)Acceptable (75%)Needs Improvement (50%)Nonperformance (0%)

Organization (25 points)

Follows the structure of a speech: body (main points), introduction, conclusion, transitions.Speech structure meets all requirements (includes an introduction, body, conclusion, and transitions).Speech structure meets all requirements, however some support is missing.Speech structure meets most requirements, however some support is missing.Speech structure is missing one requirement.Speech structure is missing two or more requirements, or the requirements are misinterpreted/met inadequately.

Persuasion (25 points)

Present a clear and persuasive stance on an issue.

Speech takes a clear stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are consistently persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech takes a stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are primarily persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are often used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech takes a stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are minimally persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are occasionally used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech does not take a clear stance on an issue and/or the speaker’s arguments and approach are not primarily persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are rarely used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech does not take a stance on an issue.. Credible and relevant sources are not used to support the thesis and main points.

Use of Appeals (25 points)

Make effective use of logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade your audience.

  • Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) that are appropriate for the audience, topic, and argument effectively.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) minimally, though their use is mostly appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) minimally as appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience; however, one or more uses of appeals may be ineffective.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos), although some appeals may be underused or used ineffectively.Does not use appeals or appeals are used ineffectively.

Verbal (25 points)

Choose the right language to convey the message. Speak naturally and conversationally, with effective use of pauses.

Language is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience, helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Where necessary, technical jargon is explained. Speech flows naturally, conversationally throughout with minimal or no use of vocal fillers, and pauses are consistently used effectively to deliver the message.Language is predominantly clear and appropriate to the audience, generally helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Speech primarily flows smoothly and use of filler words is infrequent with pauses that are generally used effectively to deliver the message.Language is clear and mostly appropriate to the audience. There may be minor inconsistencies with helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Speech flow is mostly smooth but may include some filler words and/or pauses that are somewhat ineffective in delivering the message to the audience. Language is frequently unclear or inconsistent with the audience and often fails to help the audience connect with the speaker or the topic. Speech flow is frequently interrupted by filler words and/or ineffective pauses that are inconsistent with the message for the audience.Language does not help the audience connect with the speaker or the topic. Speech flow is consistently interrupted by filler words and ineffective pauses that distracts from the message and decrease audience engagement.

Nonverbal (25 points)

Demonstrate effective awareness and use of nonverbal communication.

Consistently uses non-verbal cues to effectively connect with the audience: dress is appropriate to the topic, posture is open, eye contact is consistent, and gestures/movement are natural.Primarily uses non-verbal cues to effectively connect with the audience, although some cues occasionally interfere with audience connection and do not appear entirely naturalUses some non-verbal cues to somewhat effectively connect with the audience, although some cues frequently interfere with audience connection and may or may not appear entirely natural. Sometimes uses non-verbal cues to connect with the audience, although other cues frequently interfere with audience connection and do not appear natural.Use of non-verbal cues consistently interferes with audience connection.

Visual Aid (15 points)

  • Use a visual aid to enhance the speech.

Visual aid relates to and enhances the message of the speech and is incorporated naturally and smoothly in the flow of the speech at a logical point.Visual aid relates to the message of the speech and is incorporated at a logical point in the speech, though the incorporation is not entirely smooth.Visual aid is relevant to the message of the speech but may be inappropriately incorporated or introduced at an illogical point in the speech. Visual aid is not fully relevant to the message of the speech or it is not incorporated at a logical point in the speech.Visual aid is not relevant or not included in the speech.

  • Time Management (10 points)

Make effective use of the required time frame.

  • Makes effective use of the 5–7 minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds.Runs a little short or a little long of the 5–7 minutes by no more than 30 seconds.Runs a little short or a little long of the 5–7 minutes by no more than a minute.Runs short or long of the 5–7 minutes by well over a minute.Speech is so brief or so long that it is not an appropriate response to the assignment.

phase 2 research

QUESTION

Week 4 Phase 2 Paper

Students will continue their research topic, in this paper students will perform a brief literature review on the topic (Will need at least 5 support articles) and provide the desired methodology for the project. Paper will be approximately 5-6 pages. Use the following as subheadings for your paper.

1. Brief literature review

2. Methodology and design of the study (Be detailed )

3. Sampling methodology

4. Necessary tools

5. Any algorithms or flow maps created.

This will be considered a Library Assignment as you will need to visit the library to obtain information

Chapter 8: Sampling and Chapter 9: Reliability

Library Assignment is required. Library Assignment: This phase of your project will require everyone to visit the University Library or online to obtain information related to their project. Phase 2 is Due Sunday @ 2359 (Worth 10 points) You will need to refer to your research paper rubric for the best possible outcomes for this assignment. You will find this rubric located within your course syllabus under Phase 2.Class you will be asked to continue your research that you have already started. In this paper you are going to conduct a brief literature review on your topic. Please note that everyone will need to have at least five supporting articles related to their chosen topic (3 are peer-review journal articles) and will provide the desired methodology for their project. Your paper will be at least five to six pages (strict adherence to APA guidelines is required). Additionally, class, I will be looking for the quality of your writing, not the quantity. Your writings should be concise, factual and disseminates information.We will commence as follows:

Brief literature review

Methodology and design of the study (Please be detailed-oriented as possible, your methodology should be written as a recipe. Meaning anyone can reproduce your research after reading it).

Sampling Methodology: Qualitative or Quantitative or Mixed method for example

Necessary tools that will be incorporated into your paper- will you be using any surveys? or questioners?

Any algorithms or flow maps that you may create (illustrations)

*** Please submit this assignment through Safe Assign.Please look for the UPLOAD tabs to submit your assignments.
Research Paper Rubric Phase 2-Design (Due by WEEK 4) Students will continue their research topic, in this paper students will perform a brief literature review on the topic (Will need at least 5 support articles) and provide the desired methodology for the project. Paper will be approximately 5-6 pages. Use the following as subheadings for your paper.1. Brief literature review2. Methodology and design of the study (Be detailed )3. Sampling methodology4. Necessary tools5. Any algorithms or flow maps created.This will be considered a Library Assignment as you will need to visit the library to obtain information. Week 4 Validity & Trustworthiness of Qualitative Research

Week 4 Validity & Trustworthiness of Qualitative ResearchTextbooks:

Ruth M. Tappen. (2015). Nursing Research. Advanced Nursing Research: From Theory to Practice. (2nd ed.). ISBN-13: 9781284048308. ISBN-10: 1284048306. Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Learning

Publication Manual American Psychological Association (APA) (6th ed.). 2009 ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5

WEEK 7Chapter 10: Validity & Chapter 11: Trustworthiness of qualitative researchRead Chapter 10 & 11Discussion # 4Due Saturday night at 2359Hello Everyone,Welcome to week 4. Thank you for the submissions of your assignments. Please note any comments on your papers. Some comments were mainly for guidance. Continue to refer to your APA 7th edition manual. Understand if you plan to seek higher education (DNP, Ph.D. or Ed.D. studies) or perhaps begin to publish, editors and future professors will have stringent guidelines for research practice.Research is one of those necessary requirements for advanced practice nursing, regardless of the specialty or friend you are entering, you will encounter and be required to conduct or participate in research initiatives. Text reading for this week will require a review of Validity and Trustworthiness of Qualitative research. Let us think what the two topics are.***If you have not heard it before, I will say it now. There is an old saying which states, “All research is flawed.” There is an element of truth to that saying as research is conducted by humans, and we are subject to error. That is it is important to have checks and balances to ensure the best possible outcomes in our research trajectory.Research Validity (Is it true to the intended purpose?)A summarization of chapter 10 reveals the following:Progress has been gained from the initial concept of a “useless face validity” extending to examining the sensitivity and specificity of screening an diagnostic measures, When one selects a measure in their research endeavors, make certain that the validity has been thoroughly evaluated (Tappen, 2015).Article:A Primer on the Validity of Assessment Instrumentshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184912/Link: How sound is your research? A main premise of validity.http://linguistics.byu.edu/faculty/henrichsen/ResearchMethods/RM_2_18.htmlVideo: Types of Validityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd7GTlQ7SXsTrustworthiness of Qualitative Research (The quality of your qualitative research is essential to what it is for both qualitative and quantitative research studies.)A summary of chapter 11 states the following:One can envision difficulty imagining a nurse scholar or advanced practice nurse mitigating the importance of quality in research as not being significant. The principle investigator or researcher may select principles, criteria or strategies based on the decision or the extent of which scientific adequacy, systematicity, trustworthiness, transparency, or qualities of the researcher, theoretical consistency, aesthesis, literary qualities, and stimulation of social action are desire. This judgment should be based upon the purpose of the study, its philosophical roots, and the approach utilized (Tappen, 2015).Article: Trustworthiness of Research (Start with section 2, Quantitative Research)https://www.munich-business-school.de/insights/en/2017/trustworthiness-of-research/Link: Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projectshttps://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/cbe6/70d35e449ceed731466c316cd273032b28ca.pdfVideo: Trustworthiness and Validity in Qualitative Research Designhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXB-22GVbUAVideo: The quality of qualitative researchhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJSnSLCVsP0***Discussion topic for Week 4 (Worth 1 point)Based on your readings, please answer the following discussion question.What are the perceived challenges do you expect to find with validity and trustworthiness in qualitative research? What steps will you implement to ensure that your research is reliable?Remember: 3 posts are required, one original post and responses to two other colleagues. Your responses much adhere to APA 7th edition guidelines. Resources must support your statements. I am looking forward to some intriguing discussions. Please visit the Writing lab- they are a great resource.

Sampling and Reliability

  • Week 4 – Module Topic inclusive of Sampling and ReliabilityOne valuable component of research includes data collection and the validity of your research information. Research is a serious initiative, think about what if your data, methodology or eventual outcome methods are not quite up to standard. Your sample sizes were not correct; your information was affected; you could disseminate the wrong information, thus affecting populations at large. We have an ethical responsibility to do the right thing for our perspective communities as well as our healthcare professionals. For those who choose to continue their studies at the doctoral level, research, it is methodology, its application to practice (for DNP candidates) and the generation of new knowledge (for Ph.D. candidates), will quickly discover the importance of mastering these skills or having access to available resources.Chapter 8: SamplingLet us explore the various types of sampling that will be involved in this module. Sampling is the process of selecting units (e.g., people, organizations) from a population of interest so that by studying the sample, we may somewhat generalize our results back to the population from which they were chosen. Please review chapter 8 in your Tappen class text.Video: Sampling… What is sampling?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs-gLeYuDZwArticle: Sampling in Researchhttp://www.indiana.edu/~educy520/sec5982/week_2/mugo02sampling.pdfSo how does one begin?

Population identification

Obtain a sampling frame

Look at a sampling frame specify (this can be done randomly or non-randomly)

  1. Determine the sample size
  2. Methods of sampling from a populationSimple random sampling. In this case, everyone is chosen entirely by chance, and each member of the population has an equal chance, or probability, of being selected. Please become familiar with the following concepts.
  3. Systematic sampling.
  4. Stratified sampling.
  5. Clustered sampling.
  6. Convenience sampling.

Quota sampling.

Judgment (or Purposive) Sampling.

Snowball sampling.

Chapter 9: ReliabilityClass, when it comes to reliability and validity, these concepts are associated with the highest quality of measurement in your research endeavors. Chapter 9 has an emphasis on reliability, although there is mention of validity, much of this content is associated with your reading assignment in Chapter 10. However, since there is an overlap in these concepts, you will hear mention regarding the topic. I hope not to confuse anyone.Please note that reliability is one of the most important qualities of a research tool. Think of reliability as an instrument of measure that determines the degree of consistency with which it measures the attribute for what it is supposed to measure. If a measuring tool is accurate, it is said to be reliable.Estimation of reliability:

Stability – it is the extent to which the same results are obtained repeatedly during testing.

Test/Re-test method (p. 145).

Equivalence – shows the consistency of performance on different forms of the test; it is based on the correlation between performance on the different forms administered at the same time.

Inter rater method – this is estimated by having two or more trained observers watching the same event simultaneously and independently, then recording the relevant variable.

Intra rater method – scores are assessed by two tools by a single researcher, then the method is called the intra-rater method of calculating reliability.

Internal consistency – this shows the consistency of performance on the different pasts of items of the test taken at ta single setting.

Pilot study – it is the entire operation in a miniature version. It is a careful empirical checking of all phases of the study from the collection of data to their tabulation and analysis.

  • Summary Points:

Psychological researchers do not simply assume that their measures work. Instead, they conduct research to show that they work. If they cannot show that they work, they stop using them. You will see this while exploring the methodology section of your research.

  1. There are two distinct criteria by which researchers evaluate their measures: reliability and validity. Reliability is consistency across time (test-retest reliability), across items (internal consistency), and across researchers (interrater reliability). Validity is the extent to which the scores represent the variable they are intended to.
  2. Validity is a judgment based on various types of evidence. The relevant evidence includes the measure’s reliability, whether it covers the construct of interest, and whether the scores it produces are correlated with other variables they are expected to be correlated with and not correlated with variables that are conceptually distinct.
  3. The reliability and validity of a measure are not established by any single study but by the pattern of results across multiple studies. The assessment of reliability and validity is an ongoing process.

ReferencePetty, R. E, Briñol, P., Loersch, C., & McCaslin, M. J. (2009). The need for cognition. In M. R. Leary & R. H. Hoyle (Eds.), Handbook of individual differences in social behaviour (pp. 318–329). New York, NY: Guilford PressFor additional clarification and supplemental resources, please access the following:Video: Understanding Measurement Validityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkjjZtFV9ZEVideo: Reliability and Validity of Measurementhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTHWQOuEfiMArticle: Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Researchhttps://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol8/iss4/6/

ST Thomas University Pulmonary Function Case Study

Question

# 1 andrea

Pulmonary Function Case Study

D.R. is a 27-year-old man, who presents to the nurse practitioner at the Family Care Clinic complaining of increasing SOB, wheezing, fatigue, cough, stuffy nose, watery eyes, and postnasal drainage—all of which began four days ago.

According to the case study information, how would you classify the severity of D.R. asthma attack?

Asthma has a classification system according to the severity of the attack using the colors of a traffic light. The green zone is when the patient is asymptomatic, and the peak flow measurement is at least at the 80% level. The yellow zone is when the peak flow measurement is in the 50% -80% range and is indicative of asthma getting worse and being poorly controlled (Leik, 2021). Mr. D.R. did exactly what the asthma zones protocol requires when he began his Albuterol Inhaler after 24 hours of being in the yellow zone and also when he began measuring his peak flow regularly. In the ‘red zone’ the person’s asthma symptoms are more extreme, and they have a lot of trouble breathing. Their symptoms are not relieved from quick relief meds, they are not able to perform regular tasks normally. Usually in the red zone, the peak flow is less than 50% of the person’s best. Although Mr. D.R.’s peak flow rates are not as low as less than 50%, I would say he has entered into the Red Zone based on his other findings. A person is considered as having entered the red zone after 24 hours of being in the yellow zone, without improvement. This is congruent with Mr. J.D.’s case.

Name the most common triggers for asthma in any given patients and specify in your answer which ones you consider applied to D.R. on the case study.

The most common triggers for asthma exacerbation are exposure to allergens, irritants, weather changes, and common upper respiratory viral infections (Rogers & Brashers, 2023). Exercise can induce some asthma attacks. Women have reported pre-menstrual exacerbations (Duglasch &Story, 2024). Some common indoor allergens that can trigger asthma are dust mites, mold, and pet dander or fur, while the usual outdoor allergies that can trigger asthma are pollens and molds. Another cause for asthma attacks can be extreme emotional stress, like intense anger, crying, and laughter (Duglasch & Story, p. 269). I think that Mr. D.R.’s asthma exacerbation might’ve been caused by an upper respiratory virus like the common cold, according to his symptoms of cough, fatigue, stuffy nose, and nasal drainage.

Based on your knowledge and your research, please explain the factors that might be the etiology of D.R. being an asthmatic patient.

Asthma’s general etiological factors include having a parent with asthma, a severe respiratory illness in childhood, allergic condition, or exposure to industrial dusts or chemical irritants. Allergen exposure, living in an urban area, exposure to pollution, tobacco smoke, obesity, recurrent respiratory tract infections, GERD, and the use of acetaminophen all impact gene expression that can increase the risk of developing asthma (Rogers & Brashers, 2023). However, I didn’t see anything in the case study that would indicate the specific etiology of Mr. D. R.’s asthma.

Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Homeostasis Case Study

Ms. Brown is a 70-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus who has been too ill to get out of bed for 2 days. She has had a severe cough and has been unable to eat or drink during this time.

Based on Ms. Brown admission’s laboratory values, could you determine what type of water and electrolyte imbalance does she has?

I think that Ms. Brown might have hypovolemia / dehydration from the water loss from the polyuria that accompanies hyperglycemia and decreased fluid and food intake. Her serum sodium, potassium, and chloride are showing as higher than normal because of the decrease in fluid volume. Her Ph indicates acidosis. Another cause of high k+ is that Potassium shifts from the intracellular fluid to the extracellular in metabolic acidosis (Rogers & Brashers, 2023). Her Ph and the fact that she is hyperglycemic also points to metabolic acidosis.

Describe the signs and symptoms to the different types of water imbalance and described clinical manifestation she might exhibit with the potassium level she has.

Serum potassium (K+) cannot shift up or down much without serious implications. 3.5-5.0 being the normal range, Ms. Brown has a reading of 5.6, which is high (hyperkalemia). Since K+ is a key element of electrical conduction in the body, the nervous, skeletal, cardiac, respiratory, and GI systems can be affected by imbalances (Dlugasch & Story, 2024). Neuromuscular symptoms can include paresthesia, muscle cramps, weakness/fatigue, hyperreflexia, flaccid paralysis, and anxiety. Cardiovascular symptoms can include EKG changes and dysrhythmias from delayed conduction, bradyarrhythmia, asystole, ventricular tachycardia & fibrillation, and even cardiac arrest. There is diaphragm weakness that can lead to respiratory depression and arrest. The GI symptoms can be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramping (Dlugasch & Story, 2024).

In the specific case presented which would be the most appropriate treatment for Ms. Brown and why?

Ms. Brown could benefit from Lactated Ringer’s intravenous fluids since polyuria occurs with hyperglycemia and this can deplete fluid volume. Administration of isotonic IV fluids replace fluids when there has been a loss, such as in dehydration (Dlugasch & Story, 2024). Also, the lactate is converted to bicarbonate ions in the liver and will act to increase the PH to a normal value, also aiding the correction of the acidosis. A rapid- acting Insulin to correct her hyperglycemia would be appropriate. Insulin also promotes K+ to reenter the cell, so insulin deficits (which happen in Diabetic Keto-acidosis) is often accompanied by hyperkalemia (Rogers & Brashers, 2023). The cause of metabolic acidosis can be the keto-acidosis that occurs from hyperglycemia (Leik, 2014).

What the ABGs from Ms. Brown indicate regarding her acid-base imbalance?

Her Ph indicates acidemia. When the pH and paCO2 change in the same direction (which normally should not), the primary problem is metabolic (Sood et al., 2014). Considering her hyperglycemia, Diabetic Keto-acidosis is most likely which is a type of metabolic acidosis. Her O2 level is below normal, and this might likely be due to whatever the respiratory illness is that is causing her to cough severely.

Based on your readings and your research define and describe Anion Gaps and its clinical significance.

Anion Gaps refer to a method of diagnosis for metabolic acidosis that indicates the underlying cause. This test measures for albumin, sulfates, and phosphates, anions which are not usually measured. Normally, the sum of the cations is about the same as the sum of anions in the extracellular fluid. The sum of the bicarbonate and chloride are subtracted from the sum of sodium and potassium. A normal anion gap range is 3-10 mEq/L. Conditions of metabolic acidosis (as in Ms. Brown) like keto-acidosis, will result in an increased anion gap (Dlugasch & Story, 2024).

#2 MelissaPulmonary Function

Assessment of D.R.’s Asthma Attack Severity

The data presented in the case study supports the diagnosis of mild chronic asthma attack in the patient. His primary symptoms have been present for four days and include shortness of breath (SOB), wheezing, exhaustion, coughing, stuffy nose, watery eyes, and postnasal discharge. Moreover, he has had nocturnal symptoms for three nights in the last week, and his peak flow rates have fluctuated between 65% and 70% of his normal baseline. It is suggestive of mild chronic asthma that he has been using the lowest possible peak flow rate range in the morning. The fact that his albuterol inhaler is no longer as effective as it once was and that he must use the nebulizer so often implies that his symptoms have worsened beyond the control of his current medication.

Common Triggers for Asthma

While everyone’s asthma is different, some of the most common triggers include weather conditions, respiratory infections, occupational exposures, allergens, environmental factors, and exercise. Asthmatics are more vulnerable to the effects of meteorological extremes, such as cold air or excessive humidity. This information should be considered in a thorough evaluation, even if it is not included in the case study. Asthma symptoms may be worsened by viral respiratory illnesses like the flu or the common cold. According to Rudd (2019), D.R.’s four-day history of symptoms may point to a viral infection as the cause of his asthma attacks. Workplace exposures to irritants or allergens might trigger asthma symptoms in certain people. The provider needs to ask if in D.R.’s job he is exposed to such things.

Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mould, and pet dander are among the substances that might set off asthma attacks. It is possible that D.R. has been exposed to allergens since he has watery eyes, postnasal discharge, and a stuffy nose. Asthma symptoms may be exacerbated by being exposed to irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, or strong odours. To determine if these elements have a role in D.R.’s health, it is crucial to gather information about his surroundings (Tanday, 2021). Particularly in cases when asthma is poorly managed, physical exertion might bring on symptoms. If D.R. is trying to control his exercise-induced asthma symptoms, he may be using albuterol nebulizer treatment.

Etiology of D.R.’s Asthma

In most cases, both hereditary and environmental variables interact to bring about the onset of asthma. Possible components that contribute to D.R.’s condition include inadequate asthma control, allergen sensitization, environmental exposures, genetic predisposition, and viral respiratory infections. A worsening of symptoms may occur if the patient does not comply to the treatment plan for asthma, which includes taking medicine as prescribed and avoiding triggers. It is possible that D.R.’s lack of control is due to his dependency on regular albuterol nebulizer treatment.

Sensitization and the onset of asthma symptoms may be caused by prolonged exposure to allergens. The presence of postnasal discharge and watery eyes in D.R.’s symptoms indicates that there may be an allergy component. It is crucial to investigate D.R.’s living and working environment to see whether his symptoms are being exacerbated by allergies or irritants at work or at home. Onother possible factor that might increase D.R.’s risk of developing asthma is a history of the disease in his family. This might be set off if D.R. recently had a respiratory illness. Inflammation of the airways and worsening of asthma symptoms are both caused by viruses (Chapman et al., 2020).

Ultimately, the case study indicates that D.R. may have a mild chronic asthma attack, with allergens, a viral respiratory illness, and environmental variables being possible triggers. Complex interactions between hereditary susceptibility, allergen sensitivity, and maybe insufficient asthma management contribute to the etiology. For optimal care and prevention of future exacerbations, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive evaluation that considers environmental variables and the patient’s history.

PF Touchstone 4: Analyzing Finances

QUESTION

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it until you have completed the unit’s Challenges. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.

One way to check your progress towards your financial goals is to conduct a personal financial analysis. This will help you see how well you have stayed on track with your finances over time. Using technology can help you stay organized and help you visualize financial data, uncover trends, and effectively communicate your findings.

Your goal for this Touchstone is to build your confidence with technology. Using Microsoft Excel, you will organize three monthly budgets, visualize the data using graphs, and discuss the results. You’ll begin with the budget you created in Excel in the Unit 2 Touchstone. There are many types of technologies available for personal or professional use that can analyze and display personal financial data. Your experience with Excel spreadsheets in this course is a skill you can apply to other technology tools in your life and career. If you need a refresher on spreadsheets, review the tutorials in Unit 1, Challenge 3 of this course (Links are in Section D).

Touchstone 4: Analyzing Your Personal Finances

SCENARIO: Three months have passed since you created your first financial plan (i.e., the Unit 2 Touchstone). In that time, your budget has gone through some changes. The good news is that your income has increased because of your strong performance at work. However, health care and miscellaneous costs have gone up along with your earnings. You will need to reallocate your monthly budget based on these changes to see how you’re progressing toward your original savings goal.

While you appreciate numbers and figures, you also know that a strong financial analysis needs visual information. As part of your progress check, you’ve committed to creating a set of graphs that you can share with your financial advisor.

ASSIGNMENT: This assignment has two parts. In part 1, you will analyze personal finance data based on the scenario described above. You’ll use your problem solving and agility skills to balance three monthly budgets, and you’ll use your technology skill to graph the spending allocations in each of them. Finally, you’ll sharpen all three skills as you calculate and graph the progress you’re making toward your original savings goal.

In part 2, you will answer reflection questions about the decisions you made, identify how to create more savings opportunities, and make predictions about life and economic impacts that could affect the future of your plan.

For this assignment, you will:

Create three monthly budgets and perform a personal financial analysis using Microsoft Excel.

Summarize changes in expenditures between budgets.

Show the results of the analysis using appropriate graphs in Excel.

Explain how the graph types you have selected will help your financial advisor understand the data.

Discuss the results of the financial analysis including savings achievements, future budget modifications, and life impacts that could derail the budget in the coming year.

Reflect on what the analysis might reasonably look like in one year, accounting for economic factors such as inflation and the consumer price index.

Download the Excel template below, which further breaks down the steps involved in this assignment. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.

  • Assignment Template
  • In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
  • A. Assignment Guidelines
  • DIRECTIONS: Refer to the lists below throughout the assignment. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
  • 1. Analyzing Your Personal Finances
  • ? Have you populated the tables for Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3 with your budgeting information?? Have you verified that all amounts are displayed on a monthly (not annual) basis?? Have you verified that the sum of your expenditures (including savings) equals your employment income?? Have you populated the Savings Progress table?? Have you selected the most effective graph type for each of your data sets?? Have you left all predetermined formulas intact?

2. Reflection Questions

? Have you directly answered each question that was asked?? Have you provided sufficient evidence to support each of your answers?? Have you made clear and logical connections between your conclusions and the data used in the financial analysis?? Have you leveraged content from the course tutorials about economic factors?? Have you included sufficient detail in your answers?

B. Rubric

Advanced (100%)Proficient (85%)Acceptable (75%)Needs Improvement (50%)Non-Performance (0%)

Building Monthly Budgets (P1S1-P1S3) (20 points)

Create balanced budgets for Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3 using Excel’s formula feature and supplied data.All formulas are correct, income equals total expenditures, percentages are complete, and supplied data has been integrated. All values are realistic, and all units are displayed.Most formulas are correct, income equals total expenditures, percentages are mostly complete, and supplied data has been integrated. Most values are realistic, and all units are displayed.Some formulas are correct, income equals total expenditures, percentages are nearly complete, and supplied data has been integrated. Over half of the values are realistic, but not all units are displayed.Formulas were not used, income equals total expenditures, percentages are incomplete, and supplied data is missing. Only some values are realistic, but all units are displayed.Formulas were not used, income does not equal total expenditures, percentages are left blank, and supplied data is missing. Few values are realistic, and units are not displayed.

Creating Visuals (P1S4, P1S6) (20 points)

Graph expenditures for Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3, and graph the rate of savings over these three months.

All graphs are representative of the data tables and the axes are correctly labeled. The most effective graph type was chosen in all instances and cumulative savings shows an upward trend.Three to four graphs are representative of the data tables and the axes are correctly labeled. The most effective graph type was chosen in three to four instances and cumulative savings shows an upward trend.Two to three graphs are representative of the data tables and the axes are correctly labeled. The most effective graph type was chosen in two to three instances and cumulative savings shows an upward trend.One to two graphs are representative of the data tables, but the axes are not labeled. The most effective graph type was chosen in one to two instances and cumulative savings shows an upward trend.The graphs are not representative of the data tables and the axes are not labeled. The most effective graph type was chosen in only one instance and cumulative savings is trending incorrectly.

Measuring Savings Progress (P1Q3, P1Q4) (15 points)

Populate the Savings Progress table with savings per month, cumulative savings, and monthly shortages.

All the values for monthly savings match their respective data tables and monthly shortages are fully consistent with the original savings goal. Embedded formulas are present and accurate.All the values for monthly savings match their respective data tables and monthly shortages are mostly consistent with the original savings goal. Embedded formulas are present and mostly accurate.Two to three of the values for monthly savings match their respective data tables and monthly shortages are mostly consistent with the original savings goal. Embedded formulas are present and somewhat accurate.One to two of the values for monthly savings match their respective data tables but monthly shortages are not consistent with the original savings goal. Embedded formulas are present but inaccurate.Zero to one of the values for monthly savings matches its respective data table but monthly shortages are not consistent with the original savings goal. Embedded formulas are not present.

Choosing Graph Types (P2Q1) (15 points)

Give reasons for the graph types you selected for displaying expenditures and the savings rate. (150 words or less)

Rationale for choosing each graph type is thorough, evidence-based, and tightly connected to the tutorial content from the course.Rationale for choosing each graph type is mostly coherent, somewhat evidence-based, and largely connected to the tutorial content from the course.Rationale for choosing each graph type is somewhat coherent and evidence-based, but only loosely connected to the tutorial content from the course.Rationale for choosing each graph type is somewhat coherent and evidence-based, but no connections have been made to the tutorial content from the course.Rationale for choosing each graph type is incoherent, evidence is nonexistent, and no connections have been made to the tutorial content from the course.

Analyzing Results (P2Q2) 15 points)

Explain the results of your financial analysis in terms of progress, improvements, and anticipated derailments. (150 words or less)

QUESTION of savings progress is exceptional, improvement plans are logical and attainable, and derailments are closely tied to real-world economic factors.QUESTION of savings progress is well-written, improvement plans are logical and attainable, and derailments are largely tied to real-world economic factors. QUESTION of savings progress is acceptably written, improvement plans are logical and mostly attainable, and derailments are only loosely tied to real-world economic factors. QUESTION of savings progress is acceptably written, improvement plans are logical but not attainable, and derailments are only loosely tied to real-world economic factors.QUESTION of savings progress is poorly written, improvement plans are illogical, and derailments are not tied to real-world economic factors. 

Anticipating Economic Projections (P2Q3) (15 points)

Looking ahead one year, describe how economic factors might impact the financial analysis and how you might plan for them. (150 words or less)

The economic factors chosen are based on reality and tightly connected to the tutorial content from the course. The one-year plan is described clearly, is attainable, and is entirely logical based on the economic factors described.The economic factors chosen are based on reality and largely connected to the tutorial content from the course. The one-year plan is described clearly, is attainable, and is mostly logical based on the economic factors described.The economic factors chosen are mostly based on reality and sufficiently connected to the tutorial content from the course. The one-year plan is described sufficiently, is attainable, and is mostly logical based on the economic factors described.The economic factors chosen are loosely based on reality and somewhat connected to the tutorial content from the course. The one-year plan is described sufficiently but is not attainable or logical, based on the economic factors described.The economic factors chosen are not based on reality and are not connected to the tutorial content from the course. The one-year plan is described poorly, is not attainable, and is illogical based on the economic factors described.

CAU Emotional Intelligence Discussion

Question

Theme: Emotional Intelligence

Instructions: 

Peer responses should be constructive and meaningful, roughly 100 words in length.

Maintain a respectful and supportive tone throughout.

Adhere to proper grammar and punctuation standards.

First Post:

Leadership effectiveness is greatly influenced by self-awareness. It includes awareness of emotions, strengths and weaknesses, values and motivations. It allows us to see our thoughts and actions, find out what causes them, and so on purpose, and make better choices concerning ourselves (Bru-Luna et al., 2021). My self-awareness has helped me to become a better team player by understanding how my actions and speech can impact those around me.For example, I was a team leader in a project group with conflicts and tension among members. As a leader, I realized that my low self-awareness and poor emotional regulation were part of the issue. However, I was not reacting to other people’s opinions and impulsively responding to their recommendations. After I reconsidered my behavior, it was evident to me that I needed to take a pause and reflect on the nature of my emotions and triggers. I also took some time to seek feedback from team members and hear their grievances. By developing my self-awareness, I could regulate my feelings and engage with the team accordingly. It also facilitated the development of team dynamics and meeting our project goals.The understanding of personal emotional drivers has assisted to motivate myself. In determining what drives me and what I am passionate about, I can establish goals that are meaningful to me and strive to attain them. This understanding has also helped me to inspire others with my passion and vision. When I am empathetic towards others’ emotions, it is easier for me to approach them and understand their intentions so that I can motivate people to achieve a common purpose.

Second Post:

As a clinical analyst and leader in my company, I must keep my feelings in check, especially when things get stressful. Self-regulation was essential when our team had to deal with a significant patient data breach.When the break was first found, people were outraged. People were scared about how many patients had been affected, mad at the IT company that caused the problem, and afraid of what would happen to our organization’s image. At first, I felt scared because I thought this event might make patients less trusting of us. But I knew letting my feelings get the best of me would worsen things.Instead, I took a deep breath, got my ideas together, and thought about how to fix the problem. I and my team must remember that what was done is done and that we must settle what we can. First, I carefully worked with our head of IT security and public relations to determine what was going on and plan what to do. We worked with the seller to figure out what happened and stop it from happening again instead of pointing the finger. We wrote an open letter to the affected patients, including an explanation and a plan for what to do next.I kept my emotions in check throughout it all and set the tone for my team to work through this problem healthily. We were responsible for what we could do, one step at a time. We ultimately limited the damage by being accountable and efficient during the breach. The patients knew that we were trying to fix things.It taught me that as a leader, I must control myself even when things are tough. To lead my team through problems, I must hold my feelings, show them how to stay calm and focus on finding answers. Maintaining my emotions can be challenging, but I want to improve. It helps me concentrate so even when I’m stressed, I can choose the best things.

Theme: Financial Statement

Instructions: Responses to classmates’ posts comprising at least 150 words supporting, challenging, clarifying, or adding to the existing information.

First Post:

Financial statements are essential for reflecting an organization’s financial health or position. They are presented in a financial metrics language that requires accounting and finance managers to utilize to influence the strategic planning and decision-making of the organization (Zutter & Smart, 2021). The information contained within the financial statements is essential to users of financial statements, like investors, lenders, and analysts, because it clarifies the interpretation and comparison of financial statements (Zutter & Smart, 2021). As a clinical analyst, my job entails managing the computer systems within the clinical settings. Part of the process involves installing ratio analysis software and training the employees who will use them. At a personal level, financial statements are very crucial in managing my financial well-being and informing my investment decisions. For instance, financial ratios are created using numerical values taken from financial statements to gain meaningful information about a company. The analysis of financial ratios serves two primary purposes (Zutter & Smart, 2021). The first one is to track a company’s performance over time. Their analysis provides a picture of the trend in the firm’s financial progress. For instance, an increasing debt-to-asset ratio may indicate that the organization faces default risk. Based on these analyses, I can decide on whether or not to invest in a company or not. The second purpose is to make comparative judgments regarding company performance relative to competitors (Palepu et al., 2020). As a clinical analyst, financial statements and ratio analysis are less directly linked to my professional role. However, these aspects will significantly affect my financial management journey.

Second Post:

As a Clinical Analyst, understanding financial statements and ratio analysis is crucial for several reasons. To begin with, it helps in understanding healthcare businesses’ finances, which is essential while assessing healthcare partners. To ensure these companies can fund collaboration, I review their financial statements. I can now use financial statements and ratio analysis to determine healthcare organization’s strategic planning and decision-making trends. I evaluate resource consumption and improve using profitability and liquidity. Data-driven operations, cost, and patient care improve(Markonah et al., 2020). With financial and clinical skills, I can make more complete healthcare service improvement recommendations as a Clinical Analyst, enhancing financial sustainability and clinical quality.Moreover, ratio analysis evaluates healthcare organizations’ liquidity and efficiency. Current and inventory turnover rates may indicate hospital resource management. This information helps me understand healthcare companies’ financial practices affecting Clinical Analyst resource allocation and process improvement. Financial risk and stability of healthcare companies can be analyzed using ratio analysis (Markonah et al., 2020). Company leverage and financial capacity are shown by interest coverage and debt-to-equity ratios. I need this information as a Clinical Analyst to evaluate healthcare firms’ financial viability during economic or industry shifts. Understanding the debt-equity balance helps me predict financial constraints affecting clinical operations or patient care. This broad financial expertise improves my analysis and allows me to make clinically and financially sustainable healthcare decisions.Additionally, financial documents reflect debt and leverage, affecting my job. Understand a healthcare organization’s debt structure for financial risk and sustainability because healthcare requires significant capital spending. Knowing this helps me predict clinical care delivery issues. Healthcare firms’ financials include profitability ratios and market value estimates (B?trâncea, 2021). My Clinical Analyst job requires this data to evaluate healthcare companies’ long-term viability and growth. Healthcare companies can invest in innovative technologies, clinical processes, and patient care with financial security.Finally, financial statements and ratio analysis inform my clinical analyst opinions. They help me collaborate and improve clinical services by showing healthcare organization’s financial health, efficiency, and sustainability.

Third Post:

In this week’s topic we are discussing financial statements and ratio analysis. Financial statements and ratio analysis are essential tools for understanding a company’s financial health. According to Bloomenthal (2023) “Ratio analysis is a quantitative method of gaining insight into a company’s liquidity, operational efficiency, and profitability by studying its financial statements such as the balance sheet and income statement.” Financial statements and ratio analyses provide valuable insights into a company’s performance, financial position, and ability to generate profits. These tools can help you make informed decisions when investing, working for a company, or even starting your own business.Personally, understanding financial statements and ratio analysis has allowed me to better evaluate potential investments and make more informed decisions. According to Kenton (2022) “Financial statement analysis is the process of analyzing a company’s financial statements for decision-making purposes.” By analyzing financial statements, I can assess a company’s financial performance, growth potential, and overall risk. Ratio analysis helps me to compare a company’s financial performance to industry benchmarks, which can be crucial when making investment decisions. Additionally, having knowledge of financial statements and ratio analysis can be beneficial in various aspects of life, such as managing personal finances, understanding credit scores, and even negotiating salaries. By understanding these concepts, you can make more informed decisions that can positively impact your financial well-being.In summary, financial statements and ratio analysis can significantly impact your personal life by providing valuable insights into various aspects of finance. They can help you make better decisions when investing, working, or managing your personal finances.

Fourth Post: (I am repeating this post, because I Need to do 2 different answer/response)

In this week’s topic we are discussing financial statements and ratio analysis. Financial statements and ratio analysis are essential tools for understanding a company’s financial health. According to Bloomenthal (2023) “Ratio analysis is a quantitative method of gaining insight into a company’s liquidity, operational efficiency, and profitability by studying its financial statements such as the balance sheet and income statement.” Financial statements and ratio analyses provide valuable insights into a company’s performance, financial position, and ability to generate profits. These tools can help you make informed decisions when investing, working for a company, or even starting your own business.Personally, understanding financial statements and ratio analysis has allowed me to better evaluate potential investments and make more informed decisions. According to Kenton (2022) “Financial statement analysis is the process of analyzing a company’s financial statements for decision-making purposes.” By analyzing financial statements, I can assess a company’s financial performance, growth potential, and overall risk. Ratio analysis helps me to compare a company’s financial performance to industry benchmarks, which can be crucial when making investment decisions. Additionally, having knowledge of financial statements and ratio analysis can be beneficial in various aspects of life, such as managing personal finances, understanding credit scores, and even negotiating salaries. By understanding these concepts, you can make more informed decisions that can positively impact your financial well-being.In summary, financial statements and ratio analysis can significantly impact your personal life by providing valuable insights into various aspects of finance. They can help you make better decisions when investing, working, or managing your personal finances.

Data Analytics Question

QUESTION

The Introductory Section:

Brain tumours provide an obstacle in every aspect of medical care, demanding exact and swift detection enabling successful therapy with optimal results for patients. Although developments in health imaging technology, finding and categorizing cancers of the brain, especially using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), continues an involved work. This study intends to fill an understanding hole by employing machine learning methods to improve healthcare practitioners’ diagnosis powers. The pressing concern discussed here is consistent mitigating the essential intent for medical providers and vendors to offer timely and accurate conclusions, consequently enhancing choices for therapy and, eventually, improve overall outlook for those with brain cancer.

  • 1.1-First Sentence/Hook:

We are going to describe the goals of our study, processes, and projected outcomes within this proposal. Our objective is to establish and test a model using machine learning for MRI-based brain tumour identification as well as classification. The possible effects of our study on doctors, patients, and the wider healthcare sector will also be covered, along with the moral and societal ramifications of using machine learning to make medical diagnoses.

1.2-What is known:

There is a known need for effective and precise Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for the detection and classification of brain tumours in the context of healthcare imaging and diagnostics studies. Existing systems need radiologists to do manual interpretation, which may be laborious and biased. Machine learning techniques are rapidly being investigated as a potential way to automate and improve the diagnostic process. While some solutions exist, they frequently suffer problems such as restricted scalability, reliance on substantial feature engineering, and inadequate generalisation to varied sets.

The study at hand will make a contribution for this field of study by creating a complex artificial intelligence model utilizing deep learning structures to streamline the recognition and categorization of cancers of the brain in MRI scans. The objective is to overcome the limits of current methods by utilizing deep neural networks in order to extract complicated characteristics and trends in images. This strategy is projected to increase accuracy, minimize reliance on human intervention, and strengthen the ability of the model to manage information fluctuations, making it an even more durable and useful resource for healthcare professionals.

1.3- Gap in Knowledge:

The present knowledge deficit in the area of brain tumour recognition and classification by MRI is the creation of a highly precise yet computerized technique which is flexible among differed sets. While current technologies, such as machine learning techniques, have made great progress, here is still an urgent need of an answer that solves the issues of scaling, generalizing, and comprehension. The lack of a unified and generally acknowledged deep learning model designed exclusively for brain tumour detection and classification constitutes a significant gap in current understanding. This study intends to overcome this gap by introducing an improved deep learning design which not just delivers greater accuracy but also displays adaptability across diverse radiological data sets, eventually leading to the progress of autonomous brain tumour detection.

1.4-The critical need:

The major requirement addressed by this study is the creation of a powerful deep learning algorithm particularly built for automatically recognizing and categorization of brain cancers in MRI data. This is especially important in the realm of medical imaging and diagnostics, where precise and prompt diagnosis of brain tumours is critical for effective therapy management and outcomes for patients. The present absence of a uniform and widely recognized deep learning model designed for this reason impedes progress toward consistently high precision over heterogeneous data. This study intends to close this essential gap by presenting an improved deep learning architecture, which not only improves the accuracy of diagnostics but also make it easier to apply machines into medical procedures. This attempt is significant because it has the potential to change the area of brain tumour diagnosis, giving doctors a strong and dependable tool for improving patient care.

2-The second section:

2.1. Long-Term Goal:

The ultimate goal is to construct an enhanced deep learning algorithm for recognizing and categorizing cancers of the brain in MRI data. This tool will represent an important breakthrough for health care imaging, improving the accuracy of diagnosis and allowing easy incorporation into clinical processes.

2.2. Hypothesis and Proposal Objectives:

This work proposes developing a specific deep learning architecture for brain tumour identification in MRI images with increase efficiency and cost relative to current methods. To accomplish this, our proposal’s goals involve creating the deep learning model (Aim 1), evaluating its efficacy over varied datasets (Aim 2), doing comparisons with current algorithms (Aim 3), and integrating it into clinical processes (Aim 4). We believe that the suggested system is going to beat present ones, offering a reliable and practical alternative for improving brain tumour diagnosis.

2.3. Rationale: 

Our assumption is based on that restricts of existing methods with the swear of deeper training to retrieve complicated characteristics of clinical neuroimaging data. Previous research has emphasized the issues of scale and generalizing, that our suggested method immediately addresses. The successful completion of this project will open the road for enhanced brain tumour diagnoses, which is consistent with health stakeholder objective of enhancing the lives of patients using modern technologies.

2.4. Qualifications.

Our experimental setup and staff have the ability to meet the study objectives. Having an international group composed of workers in medical imaging, machine learning, and medical care, we offer a varied skills set to tackle the problems of tumour detection. Our cutting-edge laboratory facilities and significant expertise creating models using machine learning for healthcare applications highlight our capacity to provide new solutions.

3-The Aims(goals) section:

Aim 1: 

Aim: Create a complex deep learning system.

Objective: Create an innovative deep neural network framework for brain tumour recognition and categorization in MRI data.

Approach: Use innovative neural networks designs, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), to derive nuanced characteristics in MRI data.

Anticipated Outcomes: The creation of a robust and scalable neural network system intended for imaging purposes that can recognize and categorize cancers of the brain with excellent precision. This approach can serve as the basis for following goals.

Aim 2:

Aim: Evaluate the effectiveness of models and generalisation

Objective: Analyse the accuracy and generalisation abilities of the built deep learning model on a variety of samples.

Approach: Test the model’s predictive efficiency using comparable data sets like the BraTS (Brain Tumour Segmentation) database. Employ thorough the cross-validation processes and evaluate adaptation in order to ensure adaptability.

Anticipated Outcomes: An in-depth evaluation regarding the algorithm’s reliability, specificity, and sensitivity over many datasets, proving that it is fit for wider use in practical problems medical applications.

Aim 3: 

Aim: Comparing to Current Systems and Identifying advantages and disadvantages

Objective: To contrast the generated deep learning algorithm to current algorithms used for tumour proof of identity, which include support vector machines (SVMs) and choice trees.

Approach: Use consistent information to conduct an empirical study, focusing on every model’s advantages. Highlight the unique benefits provided by the suggested deep learning architecture.

Anticipated Outcomes: The constructed deep learning framework will be identified as functioning better than current ones. A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics which back up the selection, as well as the shortcomings of different options.

Aim 4: 

  • Aim: Integration with Medical Process

Objective: Showcase the tangible applicability and incorporation possibilities of the generated system within medical facilities.

  • Approach: Work alongside medical centres to incorporate the procedure into their current diagnosis procedures. Examine the hypothesis’s effect on accuracy of diagnostics, effectiveness, and total decision-making in medicine.

Anticipated Outcomes: Verification of the algorithm’s medical practicality, having a focus on improving the accuracy and swiftness of brain tumour diagnosis. This goal lays the framework for future real-world implementation and acceptance.

  • 4- final summary section:

The study project tackles a crucial need in healthcare imaging and diagnosis by concentrating on the creation of an effective deep learning model for automatic detection and classifying of brain tumours in MRI data. The current knowledge gap, defined by the lack of a unified and generally acknowledged deep learning architecture designed specifically for this purpose, emphasizes the importance of this undertaking. The proposed study intends to bridge this gap by providing a solution that not only improves diagnostic accuracy but also tackles scalability and generalisation issues among varied datasets. This investigation has a chance to change the brain tumour diagnosis by giving doctors with a powerful tool, thus enhancing the lives of patients and expanding the field of health care imagery. The implementation of such an approach in medical care is consistent with the changing health environment, stressing the use of cutting-edge technology to improve accuracy and effectiveness in illness evaluation and planning of therapy.

  • 4.1. Innovation: 

This study developed a deep learning model for brain tumour identification and categorization utilizing MRI data. Unlike previous attempts, the suggested model would use innovative methods, such as neural networks with deep layers, to extract complex information from image data. This invention bridges the present knowledge gap by delivering an integrated and extremely precise approach which is adaptable, universal, and comprehensible. The ability of the model to handle varied datasets, as well as its potential assimilation into clinical processes, are unique developments to the discipline of health-related imaging and medical diagnosis.

4.2. Expected Outcomes:

This initiative is projected to yield considerable results. To begin, the deep learning algorithm is expected to outperform other models in both precision and effectiveness when recognizing and categorizing brain cancers over a variety of MRI datasets. Each goal correlates to particular milestones, such as a model’s effective development and validation, implementation in real-life situations, and creation of complete insights into the recognized brain tumour instances. The anticipated results are consistent with the main objective of offering a dependable and autonomous device for brain therapists.

4.3. Impact: 

  • This initiative benefits patients, healthcare practitioners, and the academic society outside only scholarship. The suggested deep learning approach has a chance to improve brain tumour diagnosis by allowing for quicker and more precise tumour detection. This, in turn, can lead to more prompt and tailored treatment strategies, eventually improving patient outcomes. The creation of an unified and advanced framework which can be readily customized and adjusted for a variety of clinical imaging-related uses will help scientists as a whole. Overall, this initiative has the capacity to drastically enhance the fields of clinical and scientific inquiry.

Using the above information, write programs in python to compare the three models(follow the below):

  • Machine Learning Models: Compare at least three machine learning models, including a statistical-based model, a neural network-based model, a probabilistic-based model, and a baseline model, or opt for a single Generative AI Model or Large Language Model (LLM).