Descartes On Knowledge Essays - Ren Descartes, Epistemology, Thought

Descartes On Knowledge Descartes overall objective in the Meditations is to question knowledge. To explore such issues as the existence of God and the separation of mind and body, it was important for him to distinguish what we can know as truth. He believed that reason as opposed to experience was the source for discovering what is of absolute certainty. The first meditation acts as a foundation for all those that follow. Here Descartes discerns between mere opinion and strict absolute certainty. To make this consideration he establishes that he must first "attack those principles which supported everything I once believed." He first examines those beliefs that require our senses. He questions, whether our senses are true indicators of what they represent. By inspecting our sometimes firm belief in the reality of dreams, he comes to the conclusion that our senses are prone to error and thereby cannot reliably distinguish between certainty and falsity. To examine those ideas that have "objective reality," Descartes makes the improbable hypothesis of "an evil genius, as clever and deceitful as he is powerful, who has directed his entire effort to misleading me." By proposing this solution he is able to suspend his judgment and maintain that all his former beliefs are false. By using doubt as his tool, Descartes is now ready to build his following proofs with certainty. In Meditation two, Descartes embarks on his journey of truth. Attempting to affirm the idea that God must exist as a fabricator for his ideas, he stumbles on his first validity: the notion that he exists. He ascertains that if he can both persuade himself of something, and likewise be deceived of something, then surely he must exist. This self validating statement is known as the Cogito Argument. Simply put it implies whatever thinks exists. Having established this, Descartes asks himself: What is this I which "necessarily exists"? Descartes now begins to explore his inner consciousness to find the essence of his being. He disputes that he is a "rational animal" for this idea is difficult to understand. He scrutinizes whether perhaps he is a body infused with a soul but this idea is dismissed since he cannot be certain of concepts that are of the material world. Eventually he focuses on the act of thinking and from this he posits: "I am a thing that thinks" A thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, and that also imagines and senses. To prove that perception on the part of the mind is more real than that of the senses Descartes asks us to consider a piece of wax. Fresh from the comb the qualities we attribute to the wax are those derived from the senses. Melted, the qualities that we attribute to the wax are altered and can only be known to the intellect. Descartes demonstrates how the information from the senses gives us only the observable, it is the mind that allows us to understand. The results of the second meditation are considerable, doubt has both proven the certainty of Descartes existence and that his essence is the mind. Descartes having proven that God exists must now make some clarifications concerning why God is no deceiver. The main question that needs clarification is this: If God is no deceiver then why do we err? Descartes answers that we are prone to make mistakes because our wills are infinite but our intellect is not. The will gives us the faculties of assertion, denial and suspension of judgment. The intellect allows us to perceive things clearly and distinctly. Like God we have an infinite will, but we are imperfect because are understanding is finite. Descartes concludes that because we are free we are responsible for our errors. It is possible however, that if we use our faculties properly we will not assent false judgments. Confident that God has created us such that if we perceive things clearly and distinctly our reasoning will not be wrong; Descartes is now free to explore the possibilities of material things and the mind body relationship. In the fifth meditation the essence of material things is considered. Before he begins with material considerations however, Descartes feels it necessary to offer another proof for the existence of God. Since Descartes has just demonstrated that we gain understanding through ideas, he is able to continue with an ontological argument proving that God necessarily exists. The claim that is the glue to this argument is that a supremely perfect being must necessarily exist. If this is not the case the being in question

Eight things super powerful women NEVER do

Eight things super powerful women NEVER do Everyone could benefit from a little more power and confidence in the workplace, but studies have shown that women in particular tend to be more hesitant about wielding the kinds of skills and behavior typically associated with leaders. If you’re looking for a way to boost your own presence at work and feel more in control of your career, here are some of the things that badass, powerful women never do. 1. They don’t downplay their achievementsMany women feel like talking openly about their achievements is arrogant or braggy. On the contrary, owning your success (and the steps you took to get there) is one of the most effective ways to advance your career. Being open about your success gives you concrete accomplishments you can point to in job interviews or raise negotiations.2. They don’t avoid confrontationOpenly disagreeing with someone (like a colleague or superior) may feel aggressive and out of line, but debate can be healthy- and someone else isn’t necessarily right simply because they’re saying it in public. If you disagree, or have a differing perspective, don’t be shy about saying so (in a professionally appropriate way, of course).3. They don’t trash others to get aheadWhat was true in high school is still true in the workplace: smack talkers always get caught up in the drama in the end. Spreading rumors or denigrating others just so you might look better is not a good look for anyone. And if others know or think you can’t be trusted, you can expect the same treatment from others. Power comes from succeeding- not from stepping on other people.4. They don’t let criticism derail themAt some point, everyone comes up against some harsh criticism, a bad review, or a professional rejection of some sort. That doesn’t have to define you or your career. Powerful people take the criticism for what it is, learn what they can, make adjustments, and move on.5. They don’t let abusive behavior go uncheckedWhether it’s something as serious as harassment or simply not standing up to inappropriate behavior at work, calling it out doesn’t make you a snitch or a weak-looking victim. If you see or experience behavior that makes you uncomfortable, it’s on you to decide how to best approach it- whether that’s reporting through a Human Resources process or voicing your discomfort with the person directly.6. They don’t internalize mistakes as personal failingsIf something goes wrong at work, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your personality or skills are defective. The power move is to acknowledge what happened (â€Å"This was a choice I made, and this is why it was wrong.†), correct the course, and move on. Work fails are not necessarily personal fails.7. They don’t fear failureFailing at something is demoralizing for everyone, no matter how confident you normally are. But truly powerful people have confidence in their skills and abilities, and understand that failure isn’t a game-ender. Instead, think of it as a game-changer. It’s a chance to regroup, rethink, and be better.8. They don’t let self-doubt run the showEveryone has self-doubt sometimes. Every. Single. Person. The trick is not letting that derail your progress by hesitating and overthinking what your next steps are. Sometimes you have to overrule your doubting brain and go with your instincts. You have skills and experience that are guiding you- don’t let that get pushed out by that little voice saying, â€Å"But what if I’m wrong/not talented enough/not prepared?†Confidence and power are within reach for all of us- all personalities, experience levels, and walks of life. At the root of all of it is knowing who you are, what you bring, and what you want to achieve. You know better than anyone what youâ €™re capable of achieving. Don’t be afraid to be bold!

Understandings of Anderson's (2007) 'Imagined Communities' Essay

Understandings of Anderson's (2007) 'Imagined Communities' - Essay Example Understandings of Anderson's (2007) 'Imagined Communities' Other analysts for the concept will be included in the essay. Conclusion This compilation provokes will thought that ‘Imagined communities’ actually exist and that all nations have endeavored to strive towards accomplishing their imaginings. Anderson's 'imagined communities' The concept of imagined communities has had numerous opinions among various analysts and researchers in the context of geographical notion. In the words by Anderson, the concept of imagined communities is of the opinion that nations are not fallacial as the word imagined contemplates (6). Rather, this concept means that the making of a nation is of the meaning that the states are created from various processes that are common to the populace of that particular state. According to the research conducted by Anderson, the concept of ‘imagined communities’ relates to the fact that all persons hope to have touch with the members of their state and all that these members engage in (7). At most times, the members of the nation do not have the opportunity to interact with each other, meet all the members of the nation or even interact with all, but they all act in communion. Anderson continues to emphasize that imagined communities are mostly shaped by the institutions that are put in place in the nation (6). These institutions range from the political to cultural systems. Through these institutions, the beliefs, opinions and outlooks shared by a people in the nations are shared generally. The nation is indeed a large territory that encompasses numerous persons from all walks of life, with finite boundaries. These boundaries, must however bar persons from interacting with each other, but bring them together at all times (Chasteen & Castro-Klaren, 117). Additionally, Anderson is of the opinion that nations are imagined from the fact that all nations hope to be free (142). This relates to the sovereignty of the state and limited demography or spatial barriers. The hierarchies present in a nation as expected of a sovereign nation are in one way or another imagined being absent, and freedom is the pillar of the nation. The nation is expected to have assumed the archaic systems and replaced them with societal systems that include all persons in the social order. The nation, in this case, is one that should be inclusive of rule and sovereignty. Anderson emphasizes that this form of rule must be allow the nation exercise its authority over its citizens (6). On another point of view, the nation is imagined for the reason that all nations always hope to have a form of solidarity despite the forms of inequality and abuses prevalent in the nations (Anderson, 137). Members of the nation will always endeavor to uphold respect for each other for the nation is considered greater than all the individuals. It is also in this line that the members of the nation uphold respect and love for each other and will not watch the nation derail due to their individual differences. The imaginings by the members of these nations steer the nation towards heights of success. It is also evident that the members of the nation will be more than willing to offer any thing to see the achievement and maturation of their imaginations of a successful nation. This is a depiction of

International Financial Management - Assignment Question Essay - 1

International Financial Management - Assignment Question - Essay Example Each party in the venture is given roles and liabilities upon the occurrence of the foreseen risk (Kumar 2007). Bento, J. P. C., 2009. Economic integration, international trade and the role of foreign direct investment : the case of Portuguese manufacturing. Berlin : Distributed in North America by Transaction Publishers. A rein-voicing center is a department or a subsidiary of a multinational company where all transactions happening inside the firm are centralized and foreign currency liabilities and receivables are netted (Kumar 2007). A merger is a situation where two or more firms come together to form one expanded business. On the other hand, an acquisition is a situation where one firm takes over business operations of another firm and becomes the new owner (Kumar 2007). Bento, J. P. C., 2009. Economic integration, international trade and the role of foreign direct investment : the case of Portuguese manufacturing. Berlin : Distributed in North America by Transaction Publishers. The first advantage of mergers and acquisitions is that it helps a company to expand its market. They also help a company to enjoy the economies of scale and have increased efficiency in their operations (Kumar 2007). Mergers and acquisitions also help a company to reduce on tax and legal implications. A situation where a firm with a high profitability takes over a company with low profitability helps it to reduce the tax liability. In addition to this, a company gains high competitiveness, expands its industry know how and positioning and increases profitability (Kumar 2007). Mergers and acquisitions also have some disadvantages. They suffer from such things like decreased corporate performance and services, lowered industry innovation, decline in equity pricing, decline in investment value, increase in costs to consumers and they suppress competing businesses (Reuvid and Sherlock 2011). Expanding to new

The Good Life vs The Ethical life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Good Life vs The Ethical life - Essay Example In my opinion, one of the most valuable and credible allegations of Kant is that Kant focused on the fact that a person should always be considered as a goal rather than a means. This gives the opportunity to see the justification of Kant’s desire to argue the absolute nature of moral principles, as in this case the society might avoid the risk of dehumanization. The fact that a person should be seen as an end rather than as a means is directly related to the categorical imperative. According to this principle, we must evaluate our actions based on whether we can consider them â€Å"as a universal law† (Rohlf, 2010). The value of this concept is that it has a humanistic nature, arguing the need for humane treatment of others. Despite its obvious advantages, this concept is associated with a certain challenge. The fact is that in reality we cannot always remain faithful to moral principles. In some situations, it makes sense to hide the truth or even kill a person when it comes to saving our own life or the lives of our relatives. Different situations may involve different types of behavior, and, unfortunately, they cannot always meet the moral principles. I believe that Kantian ethics is crucial for the existence of society, because it determines the high status of moral values. On the other hand, my personal experience allows me to assert that the fundamental adherence to all ethical commandments in all situations may even lead to tragic consequences. Despite my sincere desire to comply with all the moral principles sometimes I have to violate a few of them. This fact makes me sad, but on the other hand, I understand that certain situations may require a certain behavior. In this case, I am referring to the method suggested by the concept of ethical utilitarianism. It argues that the assessment of behavior should assume an ethical analysis of the implications

International Legal English Certificate Test Of Writing English Language Essay

International Legal English Certificate Test Of Writing English Language Essay 1. Introduction This assignment evaluates the Test of Writing of the International Legal English Certificate (ILEC). ILEC is an examination produced by Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) in collaboration with Translegal, a firm of lawyer-linguists. The target candidature for ILEC is legal professionals and law students, operating in the area of international commercial law, who need to demonstrate proof of their language proficiency in English. The assignment will first consider relevant issues for the development of tests for specific purposes and then examine validity aspects of the ILEC Writing paper in detail. (1) 1.1 Tests in Language for Specific Purposes Testing Language for Specific Purposes (LSP), such as a Test of English for the legal profession refers to language assessment in which the test content arises from an analysis of specific target language use situations: these often (but not always) correspond to the language needs of a particular occupational group. Devising LSP tests presents test developers with a number of issues, including the relationship of test specificity to test generalisability; the importance of ensuring authenticity of test content; the interaction between background content knowledge and language knowledge, and for some domains, the difficulty in gaining access to relevant information on the nature of language use in that domain. (2) 1.2 Specificity vs Generalisability LSP tests have often been directly contrasted with general purpose tests. This is now, however, generally acknowledged to be an oversimplification of the issue and there is growing consensus that tests do not fall into one grouping (specific purpose) or the other (general purpose), but that, in the words of Douglas (2000:1), there is a continuum of specificity from the very general to the very specific: all tests are devised for some purpose and fall at some point along the specificity spectrum. The concept of a spectrum or continuum of specificity raises the question of where on the continuum a test should be placed and the related issue of how generalisable the LSP test is intended to be. Generalisability is often held to decrease in proportion to the specificity of the test: the more specific a test (such as English for Air Traffic Controllers), the less possible to generalise from that to other language use situations. This is accepted as a fundamental issue in LSP, to which the re are no straightforward answers. (3) 1.3 Background content knowledge In general purpose language testing, background knowledge of topic or cultural content is viewed as a confounding variable, which should be minimised as it has the potential to lead to measurement error. For LSP tests, however, subject specific content is arguably a defining feature of the test. Nonetheless, the question of separability, that is, how to distinguish between language knowledge and specific background knowledge in analysing candidates results on a specific purpose language test, has been a recurring concern. Bachman and Palmer (1996) argued in relation to a test for trainee doctors, that it should be possible to control for background medical knowledge in interpretation of performance on a language test, by, for example, the administration of knowledge tests alongside the LSP test. The difficulty in assessing the extent of the test takers background knowledge and its interaction with language proficiency has been addressed by Clapham (1996) who concluded that background knowledge was undoubtedly a significant factor in the process of testing reading, but the extent varied with the specificity of the test and the language proficiency of the candidate. There has more recently been an acceptance that until more is known about how the mind deals cognitively with ability and knowledge, specific background knowledge and language performance need to be treated as being inextricably linked (Douglas 2000:39). (4) 1.4 Access to information on language use within the domain With an increase, in the second part of the 20th century, in the number of people needing to learn English for education, technology and commerce, the main drive behind the development of LSP was practical rather than theoretical. As a result, LSP itself may be said to have suffered from a lack of theoretical underpinning. A key analytical tool has been the use of Needs Analysis to assess the linguistic requirements of a particular target group. Some analyses resulted in long detailed lists of needs for which empirical verification was held to be lacking. Widdowson, for example, described many LSP Needs Analyses as being made up of observational lists with no basis in theory (Widdowson 1983:8). Alderson, Davies and others have raised similar concerns (Alderson 1988, Davies 1990, Skehan 1984). A further criticism of some needs analyses was that they lacked objectivity, were influenced by the ideological perceptions of the analysts (Robinson 1991:7) and took insufficient account of the students themselves. Nonetheless, assessment of language needs can still inform LSP course and test design. As Clapham has said, We now know that such analyses can become too detailed, and also paradoxically, too limited in scope. However, this does not mean that they areunnecessary (Clapham 1996:5). Analysis of texts and spoken discourse from particular target language use situations is important in revealing how the target language use (TLU) community communicates and disseminates information. The growth of corpus linguistics and the corresponding development of electronic databases of texts can help in enabling the identification of specific syntactic patterns and use of specific lexis among particular occupational groups or discourse communities. At present, however, there is a limited number of such corpora available and genre analysis plays an important role when considering communication between members of the occupational group or discourse community in question. According to Swales (1990), texts belonging to a particular genre share common features with regard to the organisation of information, rhetorical conventions and lexico-grammatical patterns which practitioners within that discourse community need to access and use in order to operate with any degree of effectiveness. Bhatia (1993) developed earlier work by Swales and has extensively researched language use in professional contexts, particularly discourse within business settings. Nonetheless, due to the confidential nature of the work done by some occupational groups (such as lawyers), access to texts from those domains may not be easily acquired. Swales (1996 cited in Flowerdew and Wan 2006) refers to such texts as occluded, genres to which access is normally denied to those outside the participating discourse community. One task for the test developer in such circumstances therefore lies in obtaining subject-specific assistance and advice. Bhatia (1993) reports on how the subject specialis t or specialist informant has played a role within LSP genre analysis. (5) 2. The ILEC Writing Test: considering the validity issues A copy of the ILEC Writing Test is attached in Appendix 1. The test will be evaluated according to its context, theory-based, scoring and consequential validity. (6) 2.1 Context Validity The term Content Validity was traditionally used to refer to the authenticity and content coverage of the task. Context Validity is now a more widely used term as it also takes into account the discoursal, social and cultural contexts as well as the linguistic content. Context validity in the case of writing tasks also relates to the particular performance conditions under which the operations required for task fulfilment are performed such as purpose of task, time available, length, specified addresses. (7) 2.1.1 Authenticity of task and content coverage Authenticity of task means that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the LSP test tasks should share critical features of tasks in the target language use situation of interest to the test takers (Douglas 2000:2). Bachman and Palmer (1996:23) describe a task as being relatively authentic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ whose characteristics correspond to those of the Target Language Use (TLU) domain tasks and define authenticity as the degree of correspondence of the characteristics of a given language test task to the features of a TLU task (1996:23). In terms of the TLU situation, ILEC is a test of English in an international, commercial law context, the design of which is based on the following characteristics of the language environment of the target candidates: Areas of the law: law of associations; contract law; sale of goods; debtor-creditor law; commercial paper; employment law; intellectual property law; property law; remedies; civil procedure; administrative law; public international law; family law. Types of lawyer: lawyers practising (and law students who intend to practise) in a commercial law context with elements of international commercial business dealings. Types of environments that target lawyers work in: business law firms and other law firms with international dealings; in-house corporate counsel; governmental organisations; international organisations. Types of people that target lawyers must communicate with in English: other international lawyers; members of the international business community; governmental representatives; client form other countries. The choice of materials in the Writing Test is based on an analysis of the kinds of tasks that the target lawyers are likely to encounter in their working environment. (8) In a legal context, for example, a legal writing test must engage the test taker in writing tasks which are authentically representative of the situations they might plausibly encounter. The technical characteristics of language employed in a legal professional context has very specific features that lawyers operating in the field of law must control: There are lexical, semantic, syntactic, and even phonological characteristics of language peculiar to any field, and these characteristics allow for people in that field to speak and write more precisely about aspects of the field that outsiders sometimes find impenetrable (Douglas 2000:7). Interestingly, Douglas goes on to provide an example of legalise characterised by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the arcane lexis, the convoluted syntax, the use of Latin terminology, and the interminable cross-references to previous laws and cases in legal texts (2000:8) as an example of the requirement for precise, specific purpose language. Clearly, such language has consciously evolved, developed by the legal fraternity enabling its members to dynamically engage with each other in an attempt to communicate effectively the exact meaning of the law. (9) A legal test also needs to identify and cover its relevant content domain. Coverage of the appropriate domains of language use is attained through the employment of relevant topics, tasks, text types and contexts. The domains, therefore, need to be specified with reference to the characteristics of the test taker, and to the characteristics of the relevant language use contexts. This is the case with the ILEC Writing paper. (10) 2.1.2 Interactional and Situational Authenticity As a general principle it is now argued that language tests should as far as is practicable place the same requirements on test takers as involved in writers responses to communicative settings in non-test real-life situations. The purpose for writing in this paradigm is essentially about communication rather than accuracy (Hyland 2002:8) emphasising validity, particularly the psychological reality of the task, rather than statistical reliability (ibid:230). These views on writing reflect a concern with authenticity which has been a dominant theme in recent years for adherents of a communicative testing approach as they attempt to develop tests that approximate to the reality of non-test language use (real life performance) (see Hawkey 2004, Morrow 1979, Weir 1993 and Weir 2003).The Real-Life (RL) approach (Bachman 1990:41) has proved useful as a means of guiding practical test development. It is most useful in situations in which the domain of language use is relatively homogeneous and identifiable (see OSullivan 2006 on the development of Cambridge Business English examinations). Its primary limitation, however, is that it cannot provide very much information about language ability and hence cannot demonstrate validity in the broadest sense. The RL approach has been regarded as encapsulating the notion of communicative testing as it seeks to develop tests that mirror the reality of non-test language use (real life performance). Its prime concerns are : the appearance or perception of the test and how this may effect test performance and test use (face validity) and; the accuracy with which test performance predicts non-test performance (predictive validity). A number of various attempts have been made to characterise communicative tests (Morrow 1979, Alderson 1981, Porter 1983). Weir (1988), however, points out, there are inherent problems involved in basing test specifications on empirical research and observes that: the more specific the tasks one identifies the less one can generalise from performance on its realisation in a test. The concern with situational authenticity requires writers to make use of texts, situational contexts, and tasks which simulate real-life without trying to replicate it exactly. The interactional authenticity (IA) approach is concerned with the extent to which test performance reflects language abilities. In other words, the concern is with construct validity. Bachman (1989) summarises the IA approach arguing that it encapsulates the essential characteristics of communicative language use by reflecting the interactive relationship that exists between the language user, the context and the discourse. The major consideration shifts from that of attempting to sample actual instances of non-test language use, to that of determining the most appropriate combination of test method characteristics. For Bachman, an interactionally authentic test involves the following: some language function in addition to that of demonstrating the test takers language knowledge; the test takers language knowledge; the test takers language schemata; the test takers meta-cognitive strategies. (11) 2.1.3 Purpose of task Task setting (such as Purpose, Response Format, Weighting, Known Criteria, Order of Items, Time Constraints) and Linguistic Demands (such as Channel, Discourse Mode, Text length, Writer-reader Relationship, etc.) are normally conveyed through the rubric/instructions supplied to the candidates. It is generally accepted that the presentation of information in the task rubric should be made as explicit as possible in terms of the production demands required of the test taker. (12) The writing task rubric must present candidates with clear, precise and unequivocal information regarding the purpose for completing the writing task and the target audience for it. This purpose should provide a reason for completing the task that goes beyond a ritual display of knowledge for assessment. It may well involve suspension of disbelief but having a clear and acceptable communicative purpose in mind is thought to enhance performance. The way the prompt is worded has been shown to affect what the candidate sees as the purpose of the task (Hamp Lyons 1991 and Moore and Morton 1999). For example a term like discuss is open to different interpretations unless further specified (see Evans 1988). (13) The ILEC Writing test gives a clear role to the candidate in each task (eg You are a lawyer representing Ms Sandra Meyer.) and a clear purpose and target audience for the task (eg Write a letter to Robert Woodly on behalf of your client, Ms Meyer. Write a memorandum to your colleague to brief him on the case.) (14) 2.1.4 Time Constraints In writing we are concerned with the time available for task completion: speed at which processing must take place; length of time available to write; whether it is an exam or hand in assignment, and the number of revisions/drafts allowed (process element). Outside of examination essays, in the real world, writing tasks would not necessarily be timed (although there is a case for speed writing in a working context on occasions especially in a legal or professional setting where deadlines must be met). Where time in the workplace is not of the essence, students would be allowed maximum opportunity and access to resources for demonstrating their writing abilities. However considerations such as time constraints and reliability issues make longer, processà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœoriented tests impractical in most situations. (15) Weir (2004) points out that the texts we get candidates to produce obviously have to be long enough for them to be scored in a valid manner. If we want to establish whether a student can organize a written product into a coherent whole, length is obviously a key factor. He notes that as regards an appropriate time for completion of productà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœoriented writing tasks in an actual examination setting, Jacobs et al. (1981:19), in their research on the Michigan Composition Test, found that a time allowance of thirty minutes probably gave most students enough time to produce an adequate sample of their writing ability for the purpose of assessment. (16) One might reasonably expect that time-restricted test tasks cannot represent what writers are capable of in normal written discourse where time constraints may be less limited. Kroll (1990:140-154) reports on research comparing timed classroom essays and essays written at home over a 10-14 day period. Contrary to what one might have expected the study indicated that, in general, time does not buy very much for students in either their control over syntax the distribution of specific language errors being remarkably similar in both or in their organisational skills. (17) In the case of ILEC, common tasks are presented to a candidature comprising both B2 and C1 candidates who must complete the test in 1 hour and 15 minutes. (18) 2.1.5 Text Length Text length potentially has an important effect in terms of what Weir (2005) calls the executive resources that will be called into play in cognitive processing. These resources are both linguistic and experiential and need to be as similar as possible to those made by equivalent tasks in real life language use for use to generalise from test performance to language use in the domain of interest. ILEC Writing comprises two tasks, one of between 120 and 180 words and one of between 200 and 250 words. (19) 2.2 Theory-based validity Theory-based validity involves collecting evidence through the piloting and trialling of a test before it is made available to candidates on the cognitive processing activated by the test tasks. (20) Theory-based validity of a test of writing is a function of how closely it represents the cognitive processing involved in performing the construct in real life. Weir (2005) details how establishing theory-based validity for a writing task involves producing evidence on the nature of the executive resources and executive processing activated by the task. Executive resources involve linguistic resources and content knowledge. Content knowledge may already be possessed by the candidate or might be available in information supplied through task input. The Executive process refers to cognitive processing and includes the procedures of goal setting, topic genre modifying, generating, organizing, translating and reviewing. (21) Planning relates to a number of stages in the writing process: macro-planning; organisation; micro planning (Field 2004). Macro-planning entails assembling a set of ideas and drawing upon world knowledge. The writer initially establishes what the goal of the piece of writing is to be. This includes consideration of the target readership, of the genre of the text (earlier experience as a reader may assist) and of style (level of formality). Grabe and Kaplan (1996) refer to this stage as Goal Setting. Goal setting involves setting goals and purposes, offering an initial draft of task representation and connecting context with verbal working memory (1996: 226). During the Organisation stage the writer provisionally organises the ideas, still in abstract form, a) in relation to the text as a whole and b) in relation to each other. The ideas are evaluated in terms of their relative importance, and decisions made as to their relative prominence in the text. The outcome may be a set of roug h notes. Grabe and Kaplan (1996:226) describe Organizing as grouping, categorizing ideas, establishing new concepts and putting ideas in suitable order. At the micro-planning level, the writer shifts to a different level and begins to plan conceptually at sentence and paragraph level. Throughout this stage, constant reference back to two sets of criteria is made: to decisions taken at earlier stages and to the manner in which the text has progressed so far. Account is taken of the overall goals of the text; of the organisational plan and the direction in which the text is currently tending; and of the content of the immediately preceding sentence or paragraph. At this stage, the writer needs to give consideration to whether an individual piece of information is or is not shared with the reader a) by virtue of shared world knowledge or b) as a result of earlier mention in the text. These processing procedures are described in detail by Hayes and Flower (1980), Bereiter Scardamalia ( 1987), and Grabe Kaplan (1996). (22) ILEC Writing tasks require candidates to undertake writing tasks which engage these processing abilities. The Needs Analysis revealed that correspondence between legal firms and and clients is a written form of communication frequently needed by professionals. Furthermore, correspondence is often in the form of a response to an earlier letter and includes reference both to this text and to other documents or texts, such as tax statements, procedural documents, company accounts. This reflects the concept of intertextuality as identified by Kristeva (1980:69); research by others (Flowerdew and Wan 2006) has confirmed the prevalence of the interaction between texts in the corporate world. To reflect the findings of the ILEC Needs Analysis 9see Appendix 2), one task on the Test of Writing requires candidates to draw on a previous text and compose a response to it with the use of notes. Composing the response requires the candidate to use a range of functions including clarifying, refutin g, requesting information, referring the target reader to other documentation. (23) 2.3 Scoring Validity Scoring Validity is linked directly to both context and theory-based validity and accounts for the extent to which test scores are based on appropriate criteria, exhibit consensual greement in their marking, are as free as possible from measurement error, stable over time, consistent in terms of their content sampling and engender confidence as reliable decision making indicators. (24) The assessment criteria for ILEC Writing (see Appendix 3 ) are based on those of a General English test at the same levels related to the CEFR. As Douglas points out: contrary to the cases of LSP test content and method, LSP assessment criteria have not usually been derived from an analysis of the TLU situation (Douglas 2001:174). In the same article, he goes on to make a case for basing LSP assessment criteria on an empirical analysis of the TLU situation. It is also the case with ILEC, that examiners for both the ILEC Writing and Speaking papers, are not required to have a background in Legal English*. It may be argued that this is a weakness in the underpinning scoring validity of the ILEC Writing paper as assessment by a subject specialist may differ from that of the layperson (ie general marker). (25) Jacobs et al. (1981:3) identify aspects of this relating to cognitive process and social interaction: The direct testing of writing emphasizes the communicative purpose of writing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (it) utilizes the important intuitive, albeit subjective, resources of other participants in the communicative process the readers of written discourse, who must be the ultimate judges of the success or failure of the writers communicative efforts. If candidates self-assessments of their language abilities, or ratings of the candidate by teachers, subject specialists, or other informants (Alderson et al 1995) differs from that of the non-specialist Examiner, predictive validity may be compromised. (26) 2.4 Consequential Validity Messick (1989:18) argues that For a fully unified view of validity, it must à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ be recognised that the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of score- based inferences depend * personal information from ILEC Writing subject staff as well on the social consequences of the testing. Therefore social values and social consequences cannot be ignored in considerations of validity. Consequential Validity relates to the way in which the implementation of a test can affect the interpretability of test scores; the practical consequences of the introduction of a test (McNamara 2000). Shohamy (1993:37) argues that Testers must begin to examine the consequences of the tests they develop à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ often à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ they do not find it necessary to observe the actual use of the test. Weir (2005) provides a comprehensive treatment of these key elements within the Socio-Cognitive Validation framework. (27) ILEC has achieved recognition by a number of different legal entities, including universities and law practices in 36 countries (see Appendix 4). Furthermore, the initial market research and viability study was administered to a number of stakeholders in the field including international and local law firms, large companies with their own legal departments; university law faculties and legal training providers and language schools. Although the exam fee may be considered to be costly which is arguably an implication of the social consequences of testing, it may be argued that within the domain of corporate/commercial law, the consequential validity in this respect is not unsound. (28) 3. Conclusion This assignment has examined the ILEC Test of Writing. The development of ILEC saw collaboration between assessment specialist and legal content specialists, with each bringing expertise to the process. This has arguably resulted in a test which authentically simulates the TLU situation and as a result, it may be concluded that the test is sound in terms of Context, Theory-based and Consequential validity. Where the test is arguably less strong is in the area of Scoring Validity (and the resulting impact the issue may be said to have on Consequential Validity), in the use of assessment criteria and examining personnel unrelated to the TLU and specific LSP domain. (29) Word Count: 4, 125

Melville’s Tools of Bob le flambeur Essay -- Herman Melville French Fi

Melville’s Tools of Bob le flambeur Removing the sound from Melville’s Bob le flambeur might lead one to believe that he or she is watching a Hollywood film noir, circa 1950. Melville, though not professionally trained as a director, manages to create an oddly stirring and quirky French film shrouded in the sheer curtain of Hollywood film noir. Though he retains much of the Hollywood style, he also employs tools of his own—camera movement and voice-over—to embrace the film in Melville-vigilante-style. Melville uses the trademarked tools of the noir film. For example, high key lighting and, therefore, deep shadows play a key determinant in one of the first scenes of Bob le flambeur. After establishing the setting through the reflection on a darkened window pane, the camera pans left to reveal five or six men standing around a table, lit only by the hanging lamp at least one foot below each of their chins. This leaves the men’s faces encompassed by darkness, forcing the audience to watch their hands and the gambling that is taking place. While all these factors—high key lighting, flooding shadows, tall, looming men, gambling, and near silence—all lend to the typical noir style, Melville uses odd camera movements to remain distinct. Within the same scene, there is a shot of Bob rolling dice; the camera swoops upward, as though coming from underneath the table, and ends up in a high angle shot, shooting downward at the dice. Now, combine that sweeping movem ent with the next cut, and Melville’s distinction appears. After the dice have been rolled, there is a three-quarter shot of Bob, who claps his hands once and walks off screen left. Suddenly, the camera lurches forward, as if to catch a glimpse of something that li... ...lationship can be seen in Hawks’ 1944 film To Have and Have Not; Humphrey Bogart plays stern and experienced Harry Morgan, a man involved with Lauren Bacall’s character, Slim, a husky-voiced, wise young woman who butts heads with men. While the characters are written in the same essence, the acting in these cases also seems similar; Roger Duchesne and Humphrey Bogart both are older, stoic and serious where Isabel Corey and Lauren Bacall both are beautiful, young, quick-witted and seemingly independent. Melville’s attempt to Americanize himself proved successful—his name he changed in honor of American novelist Herman Melville and he often wore a cowboy hat. Though Bob le flambeur is very much a tribute to Hollywood film noir, Melville manages to make it his own through quirky camera shots, over-the-top narration, and the set of beautifully grimy Paris streets. Melville’s Tools of Bob le flambeur Essay -- Herman Melville French Fi Melville’s Tools of Bob le flambeur Removing the sound from Melville’s Bob le flambeur might lead one to believe that he or she is watching a Hollywood film noir, circa 1950. Melville, though not professionally trained as a director, manages to create an oddly stirring and quirky French film shrouded in the sheer curtain of Hollywood film noir. Though he retains much of the Hollywood style, he also employs tools of his own—camera movement and voice-over—to embrace the film in Melville-vigilante-style. Melville uses the trademarked tools of the noir film. For example, high key lighting and, therefore, deep shadows play a key determinant in one of the first scenes of Bob le flambeur. After establishing the setting through the reflection on a darkened window pane, the camera pans left to reveal five or six men standing around a table, lit only by the hanging lamp at least one foot below each of their chins. This leaves the men’s faces encompassed by darkness, forcing the audience to watch their hands and the gambling that is taking place. While all these factors—high key lighting, flooding shadows, tall, looming men, gambling, and near silence—all lend to the typical noir style, Melville uses odd camera movements to remain distinct. Within the same scene, there is a shot of Bob rolling dice; the camera swoops upward, as though coming from underneath the table, and ends up in a high angle shot, shooting downward at the dice. Now, combine that sweeping movem ent with the next cut, and Melville’s distinction appears. After the dice have been rolled, there is a three-quarter shot of Bob, who claps his hands once and walks off screen left. Suddenly, the camera lurches forward, as if to catch a glimpse of something that li... ...lationship can be seen in Hawks’ 1944 film To Have and Have Not; Humphrey Bogart plays stern and experienced Harry Morgan, a man involved with Lauren Bacall’s character, Slim, a husky-voiced, wise young woman who butts heads with men. While the characters are written in the same essence, the acting in these cases also seems similar; Roger Duchesne and Humphrey Bogart both are older, stoic and serious where Isabel Corey and Lauren Bacall both are beautiful, young, quick-witted and seemingly independent. Melville’s attempt to Americanize himself proved successful—his name he changed in honor of American novelist Herman Melville and he often wore a cowboy hat. Though Bob le flambeur is very much a tribute to Hollywood film noir, Melville manages to make it his own through quirky camera shots, over-the-top narration, and the set of beautifully grimy Paris streets.