Day: October 5, 2020

Social Justice in the City-Urban Design

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment APA (edition "APA 6"), Social Sciences

This is just a simple summarization assignment for 4 readings. Follow the instructions below.

Summary paragraphs should state the authors main idea or argument IN YOUR OWN WORDS (1-2 sentences). Then, in 4-6 additional sentences, highlight key evidence or concepts that the author uses to support that main idea or argument.

Please write this using phrases like “In my opinion” or “I feel” or “I think”.

Please write 4 separate summaries. Do not combine the readings.

Please indicate what summary is for what reading.

Part 2:
Ask 3 questions about any of the readings. This does not require an answer. Just ask 3 questions pertaining to the readings

This does not need references or citation.
Can be written in  first person.

Reflection Essay

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment Chicago / Turabian, History

During these unprecedented times we have all been faced with challenges and hardships that at times have seemed overwhelming. Everyones experiences, albeit perhaps very different, are all valid responses to the pandemic. For this assignment you are asked to reflect on your experiences in whatever way you feel comfortable. Throughout the class we will be reading about Chican@ and Native American History and the experiences of persons who have endured, survived and told their stories of resilience.

This assignment can take the form of a brief narrative (1-2p) or a creative piece such as a poem. There is NO limit on what you can write. Some examples of what you may reflect on are:

NOTE: (these prompts are not exhaustive, so feel free to write about anything beyond what is mentioned below)

what have you learned about yourself and others as you had/have to navigate the uncertainties that COVID-19 brings
how has your social identity (however you may identify) and that of others shaped your understanding and experience of COVID-19
as UTSA continues its path in a distance learning environment are there improvements you might suggest (note: this course has been taught asynchronously online for over five years); but you can still reflect on the way that UTSA has provided or not the needed in-person now virtual services of the university for students
given the uncertainty of COVID-19 for the next academic year how are you thinking or contemplating your future college experience
has this ongoing experience changed the way you have come to understand your responsibility to others and your relationship with friends, family, and the general population
more generally, you can simply tell your story, that is, how has COVID-19 affected you, how you are coping with it, what have you learned from it thus far, and how do you expect to move forward as we all grapple with the uncertainties that we are all facing

Jim Crow Compare/Contrast Paper

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment History, MLA

For your first paper of the semester, you should use your reading of Worse than Slavery as a jumping-off point to explore some of the deeper issues surrounding the evolution of the system of Jim Crow in the American South.  Oshinskys account of the development of the post-Civil War convict lease system shows one of the most brutal ways in which post-Reconstruction governments sought to re-establish slavery by selectively imprisoning freed people and their descendants.  

In a 1500-word essay, you should delve more deeply into one of the subjects Oshinsky covers in the book.  You should take what you now know about Mississippi under Jim Crow and/or Parchman Prison and compare it to conditions in another state affected by Jim Crow.  You may do this by comparing conditions in Mississippi broadly against another state, or you can choose an industry, politician, prison, etc., that appears in Worse than Slavery and then discover through research a comparable industry, politician, prison, etc. in a different location in the South.

For instance, Oshinsky writes extensively about the rise of James K. Vardaman to power in Mississippi by crafting virulently racist appeals to poor whites in order to get elected.  One possible approach to the paper would be to examine another Southern populist politician in a different state (e.g. Texas, Arkansas, Florida) and compare and contrast that politicians rise to power.

Not only may you, and should you, use Worse than Slavery as a source for this exploration, but you should also use the book as a window into the wider world of sources Oshinsky uses in constructing his narrative.  

Other possible approaches to this compare/contrast paper include (but are by no means limited to)

Jim Crow prisons in ________ and Mississippi
Black Codes in _________ and Mississippi
Women prisoners in ________ and Mississippi
Lynching in _________ and Mississippi
The Great Migration and its social effect in _______ and Mississippi
Sharecropping in _________ and Mississippi

Since this is only a 1500-word paper, you should endeavor to isolate just a handful (three is a good number) of ways in which to compare and contrast your two examples.  For instance, using the Vardaman example above, you could examine his 1) rise to power, 2) use of racist speech and rhetoric, and 3) policies as they compare to the other politician you have chosen.

Requirements

1) A requirement of the paper is that you use, not including Worse than Slavery, at least two primary sources, and at least two secondary academic sources, in the preparation of your paper.  Handouts detailing the difference between a primary and secondary source are available in the course shell. Worse than Slavery cannot be one of the two required secondary sources (although it can certainly be used as a third secondary source.)

All of the topics suggested above are mentioned somewhere in the text, so you may want to follow the footnotes for those subtopics to guide you to appropriate primary and secondary sources.  (The endnotes are in the rear of the book.)  

The databases accessible through the Mercy Library online interface — JStor in particular — contain hundreds of possible secondary sources on the above and related topics. They are an excellent place to discover secondary sources, but reading papers such as this will also acquaint you with how a professional historian approaches these topics.  

2) The essay you prepare should contain a narrow and manageable thesis statement, which outlines exactly the point you are going to make in the essay, and then introduce in one or two sentences how you are going to go about proving it. Handouts detailing how to structure an essay are also posted in the course shell.  

3) All sources should be appropriately cited using MLA or Chicago as a style.  Information on appropriately citing sources in a historical essay are also posted in the course shell.

4)  Your paper will be graded using the attached rubric.  In order to complete the paper successively, not only must you read the entire book, but you must also focus on crafting a well-structured essay with a clear thesis, several points backed by evidence that prove your thesis, and a clear conclusion.

Any topic (writer’s choice)

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment APA (edition "APA 6"), English and Literature

Globalisation
Conduct research on the effects of globalisation on organizations, focusing on leadership concerns, or organisational behaviour / culture, or communication issues.

Initial Post (1)
Write a post that summarizes your findings and provide recommendations to todays leaders and managers in terms of the best leadership and communication practices.
Your post should include a minimum of two (2) references. One of which must be a scholarly reference, journal or article.

Analysis

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment Business and Management, MLA

What computer to get?

Imagine you just got a new awesome job at Best Buy, but before you start you have to prove that you know your stuff and are able to help people get what they need.

For each of the following people find the right computer for them. Include a link that shows where you can buy the computer and include the price. Back up your argument by sharing the computer Specs as well as any accessories that might help the person obtain the best computer for them. Explain in your discussion why certain Specs are important and why  you would recommend it for the person.

Person 1: Jason is a 18 year old college student. He likes playing games on his computer and is into virtual reality. He saved up his money to get the Vive. He has a laptop he currently uses for school but he wants a computer at home that can support his gaming and VR habits.

Person 2: Doris is a 90 year old grandmother with 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. She wants to be able to use that Skype Chat Thing (as she calls it), in order to talk with her grandchildren and great grandchildren on a weekly basis. But right now her computer is from 2000 and only runs Word Perfect. Her daughter finally convinced her to get a new computer and promised to set it up for her. Doris keeps telling you she doesn’t need anything fancy just the Skype thing, please.

Person 3: Alex is a graphic designer who is frustrated with bringing home his work laptop, it is heavy and doesn’t run the programs he needs fast enough. He wants a light laptop that can handle the Adobe programs that seem to use a lot of memory. He also wants this for the most reasonable price if possible. He finds spending over $1200 for a computer to be insane.

N/A

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment Art, MLA

In your opinion, was Medea justified in her actions at the climax of the play?  How might this same story or set of circumstances play out in our modern society?  Can you think of any comparable situations in our current world?

Be sure to use at least 2 pieces of textual evidence (i.e., quotes) from the play to support your argument.

Select a Disney Animated film with which you are very familiar.  Discuss what you think was the funniest scene in the Disney film that you selected. Be sure to mention what comedic devices were used that made the scene so funny and effective.  How did the characters, dialogue, situation, and physical actions of the scene contribute to its comic value?  Are there any similarities between these comedic devices and those we learned about in Ancient Greek and Roman Comedy?

Any topic (writer’s choice)

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment English and Literature, MLA

For each of the following terms, do the following.
1. Explain the term in your own words. If you are having trouble with this explanation, start with quoting a definition (and citing the source) and then try to rephrase it in your own words. (Quoting is not necessary but is only a suggestion that might help you.)
2. Provide a quotation that exemplifies the term from Wuthering Heights. Quotation should be around 100 words total. Cite with page number from a paper copy of the book.
3. Discuss the quotation, specifically pointing out how the term is exemplified by the quotation. This discussion should be around 200 words.
Academic honesty is taken very seriously on this exam, so use your own knowledge and analysis of the text, not what you can research on the internet. By turning in the exam, you are attesting that the work is your own.a

1. Sjuzet/ plot
2. Heteroglossia
3. Gothic literary tradition.
4. Metaphor
5. Protagonist for this term, you need to make the argument that the protagonist of the story is either Lockwood or Nelly

Discussion

October 5, 2020 Leave a comment APA (edition "APA 6"), Computer Science

Imagine you’re a senior executive for a large company. You’ve just been put in charge of your companies Information Security (IS) Program and told that your mandate is to prevent cybercrime through developing sound policy. Your primary challenges are twofold: 1) You are a transnational company and employees travel all over the globe; and 2) Your company has no active audit program in place to quantify vulnerabilities and potential losses from attacks to information systems. Attack them one at a time…

Realizing that when employees travel they are exposed to risk and possible cyberattack… You need to put information security protocols in place for individuals traveling abroad; specifically what other steps will you put in place to ensure that information (and equipment) will be secure? Will your plan vary depending on the countries your employees visit or is it one security plan works for all countries visited? Why? What steps must employees take before leaving and how will you measure that those steps have been taken?

Your other immediate challenge is to discuss with management the challenges associated with quantifying vulnerabilities and potential losses from attacks to your company’s computer systems. What’s involved in doing that and what are some of the biggest challenges involved in accomplishing that kind of assessment?