Category: Sciences 2502

Archaeology is the study focused on the past. The days of the past make a significant impact on the development of the present events. Moreover, the past is what shapes peoples identities. That way, the contemporary individuals mainly identify and act based on how the evidence of the past is viewed and presented to them. Renfrew and Bahn use an example of the reactions of an Australian Aborigine and a white Australian to fossil human remains found in their sites (535). This example illustrates that various cultural groups and individuals have different perceptions of the past and history. In other words, the cultural background and heritage of every group of individuals is based on their past and is tightly intertwined with their history. As a result, archeological findings may play crucially different roles for the self-identification of various nations and communities.

New Archaeology

As pointed out by Tilley, the contemporary archaeology is different from what it used to be a hundred years ago (307). Over the last couple of decades, archaeology has shifted its priorities from history to science and started to be seen as the source of the objective knowledge (Tilley 307). One may notice that the new approach towards this study is rather materialistic than humanistic, and it looks like a search for some treasures instead of the connections between the past and the present. Elon emphasizes that the archaeological findings cannot and should not be viewed as objective information because all of them have to be interpreted, and the interpretation mainly depends on the individuals involved in the analysis of the unearthed evidence (35). Regardless of how objective an individual may attempt to be, they are still under multiple influences that come from their cultural and religious background, the events of their lives, education, or even gender and age.

Archaeology and its Connections to Social, Political, and Economic Aspects of Life

Elon also describes the attitude of the Jewish archaeologists and the Zionist people of Israel towards the ancient findings of their culture (36). The author shows that the things found by the archaeologists at a site became politically significant evidence and an event bringing the representatives of the Jewish culture together as a nation and making them proud of their identity. The power of archaeology regarding the formation of the identities of the new states is vital. The modern value of archaeology is far from objective or humanistic, on the contrary, it provides what is called the technical control of the past (Tilley 308). Moreover, Potts maintains that archaeology is an extremely complex system of knowledge and actions today that penetrates a variety of other aspects of a nations social, political, and economic life (194). As a concept dependent on ethics, archaeology often brings the researchers from different cultures together, which requires a great deal of tolerance and political correctness (Potts 193). Besides, the practice of archaeological investigation and research requires funding, and physical labor and that is how it penetrates the economic sphere of life of society.

The Identities of the New States

The newly developed countries have a common challenge  the search for the components of its national and state identity, something that would define and unite their people. That way, archaeology becomes a necessary tool for them to find their identities and features that make them stand out. Besides, another significant need of the new states is the need for patriotism and national pride. The countries with relatively young histories lack figures and events from the past they could use as national symbols and definitions. In such cases, archaeology is the source of national treasures. Such deliberate search for historical proofs of a cultures definitions is clearly not objective. On the contrary, it is directed towards the location of various findings and the interpretation of their meanings and value in favor of the national identity.

When a highly culturally biased search like this is going on, the pieces evidence are pursued with determination. An unreasonable ignorance towards various facts may be demonstrated. For example, a new country looking for a definition and authenticity may be oriented towards the differentiation of itself from the surrounding cultures and the denial of any connections with them or any signs of cross-cultural impacts of the other societies. An example used by Renfrew and Bahn, describing the tragic faith of the Bambiyan Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban in 2001is a good illustration of such phenomenon (537). An evidence of a power and social impact of one culture was ruined by the representatives of another culture as a proof of the present dominance of the latter.

Conclusion

To sum up, archaeology is the study focused on the exploration of the past. However, in the modern world the scholars recognize a concept known as the new archaeology (Tilley 307). This new study has a scientific nature rather than humanistic one and targets material evidence that could be used as the source of political, cultural, social, or economic influence. The new states in the hope of becoming stronger in the world arena exploit archaeology as a tool for obtaining identities associated with power and unity.

Works Cited

Elon, Amos. Politics and Archaeology. The Archaeology of Israel: Constructing the Past, Interpreting the Present. Ed. Neil Asher Silberman and David B. Small. London: A&C Black, 1997. 34-47. Print.

Potts, D. T. The Gulf Arab states and their archaeology. Archaeology under fire: Nationalism, politics and heritage in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Ed. L. Meskell. London: Routledge, 1998. 189-199. Print.

Renfrew, Colin and Paul Bahn. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. London, United Kingdom: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 2012. Print.

Tilley, Christopher. Archaeology as Sociopolitical Action in the Present. Critical Traditions in Contemporary Archaeology: Essays in the Philosophy, History and Socio-politics of Archaeology. Ed. Valerie Pinsky and Alison Wylie. Cambridge: CUP Archive, 1989. 305-330. Print.

Introduction

The generation of today must be highly responsive to attain a safe, long-lasting response to the looming waste management problem (Adamson 2012). It is normally a matter of responsibility to exercise appropriate waste disposal because some waste is highly detrimental (Adamson 2012). One of the most debatable waste products is the radioactive waste that often attracts international, public, legal and ethical disputes that pertain to human safety and environmental depletion. Although it is normally significant to dispose of radioactive waste appropriately not to affect the humans and the environment, people often wonder as to where and how to dispose of this deadly radioactive waste (Adamson 2012). Geologists often recommend companies to carry out preliminary assessments of the sites proposed for the disposal of harmful waste products such as radioactive wastes. Due to such concerns, this paper provides a preliminary site assessment of Sellafield, as a geological disposal facility used for shallow disposal of lower activity radioactive wastes.

Site Description: Geographical Location Sellafield

Sellafield is one of the main UKs geological disposal sites or the respiratory sites recommended for disposing of high and lower reactive radioactive wastes, especially those emanating from the nuclear power plants (Cruickshank 2013). Sellafield is a geological disposal site recommended by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is the authorized UK organization that plans and organizes geological disposal facilities (Cruickshank 2013). In terms of its geographical location, Sellafield is a nuclear disposal facility located within the Seascale Village, which is near the coast of the Irish Sea in the Cambria District of the United Kingdom. Located near the Northwest Coast of England around the Irish Sea region and served by the Sellafield Railway Station, this facility attracts numerous ethical, legal, and public discourses concerning the safety of the marine creatures and the human beings (Cruickshank 2013). The Sellafield geological disposal facility lies just 1 kilometer in distance from the Irish Sea, and just about 25 kilometers from the Sellafield Village.

In terms of natural sceneries, Sellafield lies on the western border of a national park known as the Lake District National Park, and on the feet of the Rivers Calder and Ehen (Adamson 2012). The licensed boundary occupied by the Sellafield Geological facility is approximately 276 hectors of land. The major local towns that surround the Sellafield geological facility are the Workington town, the Whitehaven town, and the Barrow town (Sellafield Ltd. 2012). These towns are approximately 14 kilometers on the north side of Sellafield, 25 kilometers to the north, and 38 kilometers southwest in that order. Small paths around the Sellafield facility are for the Sellafield traffic routes, which have about four principal pedestrian gates. The area immediate to Sellafield is mainly under farming activities and some residential purposes (Sellafield Ltd. 2012). Although there are no industries within 5 kilometers from Sellafield, there is a chemical processing plant at Workington, approximately 36 kilometers from Sellafield.

Topographical Description of Sellafield

The Sellafield disposal facility is hazardous to human life and the marine creatures due to its unfavorable topography. Topographically, the Sellafield nuclear disposal facility is unsafe because it lies within a region that has a steep topography estimated at +9.00 to +48.00-meters Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) (Sellafield Ltd. 2012, p. 12). Sellafield lies 54 degrees north and 3 degrees west in terms of altitude. It encompasses rapid surface runoffs that are within the water catchment areas where the major rivers find their water sources. Coupled with a highly sensitive hydrology that encompasses two, rapidly flowing rivers that react to ferociously to the rainfall, the Sellafield respiratory site is harmful because the percolation of harmful nuclear substances is almost unavoidable (Adamson 2012). Although this topographic range makes Sellafield not to be susceptible to any credible risk associated with the flooding events, which scientifically happens to areas with a 7.39m AOD in an estimated period of over 10,000 years, Sellafield is still a risky site for geological disposal.

Geological and topographical surveys carried out to determine the suitability and reliability of the Sellafield region for geological disposal activities reveal that the area still puts the people and marine creatures at risk (Haszeldine & Smythe 2000). Some sites are at great risk of wave and tidal actions that may result from the unprecedented tsunami catastrophes. Although the site has an adequate defense against internal flood events that may occur from the Rivers Calder and Ehen, extreme rainfall events can cause significant environmental and human hazards (Haszeldine & Smythe 2000). The Rivers Calder and Ehen also pose significant risks because River Calder, which can cause about one flooding event in 10,000 years as earlier estimated, also presents risks of fluvial floods around the East region of the riverbank, where the Calder Hall Site originates (Blowers 2014). Topographical scientists postulated that high dynamic events of powerful rains that may occur unexpectedly might cause mechanical damages to the machines that protect the disposal facility.

Hydrological Description of Sellafield

Sellafield geological disposal site lies within the high water catchment areas of the Rivers Ehen and River Calder, which are the giant rivers around the Sellafield region. The water catchment areas of River Calder and its tributary River Newmill Beck have an approximated total area of about 55.5 square kilometers (Sellafield Ltd. 2008). On the other hand, the catchment area of River Ehen has about 156.6 square kilometers in the covered area (Sellafield 2008). Sellafield area lies at the end of the catchment area of River Calder. In terms of river directional flow, the River Calder flows via the south-southwest direction of the Sellafield disposal facility (Sellafield Ltd. 2008). The River Calder has a historic construction of 1974 that the engineers designed to convey a rate of water flow of about 310 cubic meters per second. This construction was to counter flood events that may occur within the estimated 10,000 years as earlier assessed by the geologists and topologists.

Another surface catchment area in the Sellafield region is the River Ehen catchment area that has the Ehen River that flows through the southeastern direction of the Sellafield disposal facility. According to Kew, Richmond, & Surrey (2008), it is in this southeast site border where the River Ehen meets the River Calder before the two rivers flow across the beach area into the Irish Sea. Concerning the Newmill Beck River, this tributary river flows within the areas of the southeastern edge of the disposal site, where there is a culvert made to divert the flow of the river into a licensed landfill and beneath the Sellafield Coastal Railway line (Sellafield Ltd. 2012). After crossing the railway, the Newmill Beck River fills two little ponds beyond the watermark levels before discharging into River Calder. Such hydrological descriptions indicate that the Sellafield respiratory site is a highly detrimental disposal facility. Even geologists have established that the two giant rivers react rapidly to the constant rainfall events.

Description of the Historic and the Current Land Use

The Sellafield region of the Cambria District has been a region historically known to associate with agricultural activities and commercial activities associated with the production of agricultural chemicals and sprays (Merritt 2013). Before the beginning of 1941, Sellafield was a region where the Royal Ordinance Factory operated. Most of the factories that operated within this region were chemical producing companies that delved into producing plant chemicals and chemical storage facilities used for the production of trinitrotoluene (TNT) (Merritt 2013). The production of TNT ended during the end of the Second World War when the UK government cleared the area in 1946. Towards the 1947s, the British government acquired Sellafield and developed it to a site used for the location of the first atomic reactors of the British army (Merritt 2013). An atomic reactor plant was also set here. In the 1950s, the British government developed the first atomic power generation sites around the Calder Hall, where site expansion has commenced intermittently.

From the 1960s onwards, the Calder Hall geological construction has been serving the purpose of reprocessing used nuclear fuel and has been a site that the government uses for the temporary storage of liquid and solid nuclear waste reprocessed before verification, before encapsulation, and before storage (Cruickshank 2013). Such historical description reveals that Sellafield has been experiencing a significant number of spills and leaks that have significantly contaminated the seawaters, the shallow ground, and the agricultural soils (Price 2011). Although the hazardous spills and leaks have remained confined within the Separation Area that the government had designed, several climatic and geographic activities have occurred in the history of Sellafield (Cruickshank 2013). However, the Separation Area can never prove safe because Sellafield is a high catchment area comprised of two giant rivers, and river and rainy waters have been ferrying contaminated leaks and spills that have recently been contaminating the superficial groundwater and the core sandstone layer.

Geology of the Sellafield Geological Disposal Site

The Sellafield area has been unsuitable for the continued development and expansion of the Sellafield respiratory facility because of its longstanding controversies on issues that pertain to its geology (Cruickshank 2013). The first question that the geological scientists wanted to answer was whether there existed an appropriate hard rock of about 200 to 1,000 meters around Sellafield, which could withstand about 6 to 11 Albert Halls of highly reactive nuclear wastes. An initial scientific report concerning the geological suitability of the Sellafield region had indicated that Sellafield was, and would never be a suitable site for developing geological disposal facilities because of its unsuitable geology. The report stated, it is in the national interest that we squander no more time in basing our entire national nuclear waste strategy around seeking a geological disposal solution in entirely unsuitable geology (Blowers 2014, p. 550). Perhaps a deeper assessment of the superficial and solid geology of the Sellafield region can best explain such proclamations.

Superficial Geology

In geological sciences, superficial deposits are the latest geological deposits on the earth that have never lasted for more than 2.6 million years (Adamson 2012). These superficial deposits are in form of large unconsolidated sediments of recent soil deposits such as the floodplain soils, the gravel soils, the beach sand, the glacial deposits, or the moraine (Pepper, Webster & Reville 2003). Geological surveys carried out to determine the suitability of the Sellafield area as a geological respiratory zone for highly radioactive nuclear waste reveals that the superficial layers of Sellafield are unsafe for the development of the disposal facility. The upper surface of the Sellafield area is full of alluvial soil and the sand goes as deeper as 45 meters below the land surface. The quaternary deposits around the Sellafield area make up most of the superficial soil and geological material closest to the ground surface (Pepper et al. 2003). When analyzed through the domain geological model, most of the quaternary soil deposits are around the Sellafield geological disposal facility.

Quaternary deposits are generally weak soil sediments and when exposed to flooding events, tidal or glacial actions, they easily move, break, or disintegrate from each other (Pepper et al. 2003). An evaluation of the quaternary deposits in England shows that these soils constantly change and may become withered or vegetated depending on the physical or climatic actions that are affecting the region. Given the sloppy topography and the constantly running rivers that have unpredictable overflows during the rainy seasons, the superficial layer of the Sellafield may continue posing significant risks to the survival of the human beings and the marine creatures (Kenny 2003). At a depth of 45-55 meters above the land surface, the large area under the quaternary deposits poses the risks of contaminated percolations and seepages of the highly radioactive nuclear wastes. Because the scientific estimates and presumptions on earthquake intensities and floods can hardly prove significant, the superficial layer of Sellafield is still a predisposing factor to soil and groundwater contamination.

Solid Geology

Geological Scientists believe that a geological disposal facility meant for low or high radioactive waste must remain constructed in a stable geological setting, which is normally around an unwavering rock. According to Davies (2012), the suitability of the Sellafield hard rock for the disposal of lower activity radioactive wastes and higher activity radioactive wastes is still a doubting issue given the characteristic of its rock. Sellafield has bedrock that comprises of Triassic Calder type of rock material and Ormskirk sandstone, which are part of the Sherwood Sandstone Group (SSG) (Davies 2012). The Sherwood Group of Sandstones comprises of the carboniferous sandstone, the Permian aquifer, and the Ordovician aquifers, which may remain irrelevant in the case of Sellafield. The current SGG rock stratum beneath the land surface of Sellafield has a thickness range of about 650 meters and 1150 meters from the land surface (Kenny 2003). This thickness represents an overage of about 800m in the overall thickness of the SGG aquifer.

The positioning of the rock is strategic in inclination and direction as it immerses in the direction of the southwest on an average inclination angle of 25 degrees. The above rock characteristics of Sellafield meet the standards of developing a geological disposal facility for highly radioactive nuclear waste as the range matches the geological rock standards that provide a range from 200 meters to 1,000 meters (Barker & Tellam 2006). The size of rock thickness that ranges from 650 meters to 1150 meters is suitable in accommodating a Rock Characterization Facility (RCF) that would 6 to 11 Albert Halls. These large Albert Halls are capable of accommodating high-level activity wastes from the radioactive disposals and other intermediate-level wastes from the radioactive disposals (Barker & Tellam 2006). The only persistent dilemma that still lingers around the development of the RCF is the arrangement of the superficial stratum and the bedrock stratum. In Sellafield, the superficial layer and the bedrock seem to share a common water table.

Hydrogeology

Hydrogeology is normally the geological assessment of the distribution of underground water, the flow of underground water, and the quality of the underground water (Barker & Tellam 2006). The hydrogeological assessment of Sellafield reveals that the Sellafield region lies on a ground that is full of alluvial sand, glacial soil and moraine soil material in its superficial layer and a Triassic Sandstone aquifer makes-up its underlying bedrock. According to Oughton and Hansson (2013), the Triassic Sandstone has bedding planes that dip towards southwest into the Coast of Sellafield. In Sellafield, the underground water in which the science of hydrogeology focuses on most comes from the groundwater from River Ehen and River Calder. The two rivers have catchment areas that have regularly suffered the consequences of uncontrolled contamination from the agricultural chemicals and the nucleic impurities (Davies 2012). The groundwater from the nearby catchment areas contaminates the bedrock because the superficial stratum and the bedrock share a common water table.

Geo-hazards

The Sellafield site may not be a suitable site for a safe geological disposal site due to the geological hazards that may pose threats to the safety of the highly radioactive nuclear waste (Oughton & Hansson 2013). Flooding due to high rainfall events is an indispensable issue around Sellafield because the River Ehen and River Calder are highly sensitive to rainfall events due to the nature of the unstable superficial layer. The site is not conducive for disposing of lower activity radioactive nuclear wastes because the superficial layer consists of weak superficial deposits made up of the alluvial soils, large coarse-grained sands, beach sands, gravel deposits, glacial soil material, and some patchy clay soils (Barker & Tellam 2003). Even though the Sellafield disposal facility has reinforcements from powerful ground barriers that often provides adequate protection against the intermittent floods and erosions, extreme rains from unexpected conditions may pose threats to the safety of the lower activity radioactive wastes in Sellafield.

It is upsetting to notice that scientists are only providing unrealistic climatic forecasts and estimations concerning the structures of the Sellafield disposal facility, without considering the unpredictability of the geological events (National Audit Office 2012). The prevailing scientific investigations on the suitability of Sellafield show that tsunamis, seismic actions, and other earthquake events are potential geological hazards to the survival of the Sellafield disposal facility. The historical assessment concerning the earthquake events in Britain shows that the British seismic activities vary considerably within the different geographical regions of Great Britain (National Audit Office 2012). Although seismologists regularly provide scientific projections about the occurrence of seismic activities, most of their predictions often fall of the expectations and sometimes never apply in the geological world. Although Sellafield may not express severe seismic actions, even the little earthquake of 0.25g in magnitude is capable of altering the structures, systems, and components of the Sellafield geological facility (National Audit Office 2012). Volcanic activities such as glaciations, high and low sea temperatures may alter with the site.

Assessment of the Above Geological Concerns

The British government acted upon the community and expert recommendations to set up the geological disposal facility around Sellafield, but this respiratory site is still the most unsafe area for geological disposals (Barker & Tellam 2003). When one evaluates the topographical conditions, the hydro-geological characteristics, and the geological conditions of the superficial stratum of the Sellafield region, it is eminent that the region is unfit for the development of a facility that would cater for the lower activity radioactive wastes. Compared to the situation of the Triassic Sandstone bedrock that at least offers the required rigidity for the construction of geological facilities that would support the storage of higher activity radioactive wastes, the superficial layer is geologically unstable (Blowers 2014). The steep nature of the topography of Sellafield, the rivers that are highly sensitive to rainfall events, and the nature of the weak superficial deposits make Sellafield unsuitable for the development of a facility that would store low-level radioactive nuclear waste.

Conclusions and Recommendations

As long as Sellafield contains features, that predispose its geological facility to catastrophic events and climatic problems that make it vulnerable to contamination of the groundwater and soil, it is automatically unfit for the construction of a geological disposal facility. Low-sensitive radioactive reactors and the remnants of industrial chemicals can react to even the lowest climatic and geological actions as long as they provide a significant chance for their chemical and physical reactions. However much geologists, seismologists, and hydro-geologists might want to provide unproven facts about the stability of the Sellafield disposal facility and in term provide unrealistic targets about the climate and the geological events, Sellafield is a highly risky respiratory site. Most of their scientific predictions and presumptions are beyond the known scientific frontier and require constant evaluations to make them meaningful. Here are some of the recommendations that may help to make Sellafield a safe disposal site:

• The site is unsuitable for shallow disposal of lower activity radioactive wastes and thus, reconstructing and rehabilitating the current lower disposal site is necessary.
• The British government should focus on improving the state of the Rock Characterization Facility (RCF) to improve the storage of higher activity wastes.

References

Adamson, P 2012, Moving Forward Together: Process for Selecting a Site for Canadas Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel, Web.

Barker, R & Tellam, J 2006, Fluid Flow and Solute Movement in Sandstones: The Onshore UK Permo-Triassic Red Bed Sequence, Geological Society of London, London.

Blowers, A 2014, A geological disposal facility for nuclear waste if not Sellafield, then where?, Town & Country Planning, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 545-553.

Cruickshank, J 2013, The Sellafield Contaminated Land and Groundwater Management Project: Characterisation of a Complex Nuclear Facility, Web.

Davies, H 2012, Sellafield Stories: Life in Britains First Nuclear Plant, Little, Brown Book Group Publishers, London.

Haszeldine, R, & Smythe, D 2000, Radioactive Waste Disposal at Sellafield, UK: Site selection, geological, and engineering problems, Quarterly Journal of Engineering and Geology, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 1-493.

Kenny, C 2003, Fearing Sellafield: what it is and why the Irish want it shut, Gill & Macmillan Publishers, London.

Kew, R, Richmond, A, & Surrey, C 2008, Managing Radioactive Waste Safely A Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal, Web.

Merritt, J 2013, Characterisation of Quaternary deposits in West Cumbria using the concept of domains: A case study, Web.

National Audit Office 2012, Managing Risk Reduction at Sellafield: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, The Stationery Office, London.

Oughton, D & Hansson, S 2013, Social and Ethical Aspects of Radiation Risk Management, Newnes Publishers, London.

Pepper, D, Webster, F & Reville, G 2003, Environmentalism: Critical Concepts, Volume 4, Taylor & Francis, London.

Price, T 2013, Key to Britains energy future: The Strategy for Sellafield, Web.

Sellafield Ltd. 2008, Groundwater Monitoring Annual Report 2008, Web.

Sellafield Ltd. 2012, Final Report to ONR on the application of the ENSREG Stress Tests to the Sellafield Site, Web.

Introduction

This paper is about a Windshield Survey conducted while driving through Hialeah City. The intention was to observe the community and describe its every aspect. The areas of study include the geographical description, economy, transportation, health resources, welfare services, citizen services, and protecting services to evaluate the community. The Windshield survey gives a snapshot of the community. The City of Hialeah mainly comprises of the Hispanic speaking community.

People from other races and tribes also reside in the city. It is a developed city with most of its citizens being immigrants from other nations. The Cuban population is the majority in the city. It has a well-structured infrastructure comprising of a good network of roads. Most of its buildings are old. But there are a few new buildings and constant renovation for the upgrading of the old structures. It has some of the best recreational facilities in the state of Florida. Its climate enables the settlement to feel at ease and continue with business investments.

The City of Hialeah is among the greatest cities in America. Its location is in Dade County, Florida. It has a population slightly above a quarter million. The population density is among the highest per square mile in the United States of America. It is a city with over 90% of Spanish speaking people. The citys plan and supply of social amenities are well structured. The majority of the citizens are an average class with few being major investors in the city. The public transport is the primary means of transportation. The paper will discuss the City of Hialeah and its population.

Geographical description

Hialeah is a name that originated from the two words in the Muskogee. Haiyakpo means prairie and hili means beautiful. The combination of the two terms produced the citys name. Its location is in the large meadow which lies between the Everglades and Biscayne beach. In 1921, two men  a pioneer aviator and a cattleman- developed the town (Hialeah, 2016). They also came up with the well known Hialeah Park Race Track. In 1925, the population was 1,500.

Hialeah is a city in Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2014 census, Hialeah had a population estimate of 235,563. I can mention that the town of Hialeah is the 5th largest city in Florida, and it is the tenth-largest city in the United States (Hialeah, 2016). Hialeah is to the west of Miami. The city of Hialeah has the highest percentage of Cuban and Cuban American residents of any city in the United States. It is approximately 71% Cuban population.

Due to this, Hialeah is one of the largest Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. Hialeah has a total area of 19.7 square miles. It is surrounding the cities of Opa-Locka, Miami Spring, Miami Lakes, and Medley.

Hialeah has an unusual weather pattern. It has annual high temperatures of about 85°F and an annual low temperature of about 70°F. The average temperature is approximately 76°F. The annual rainfall is about 71 inches. The city does not experience snowfalls.

The city of Hialeah has important commercial centers. Among these commercial hubs, I found major stores such as Target, Kohls, Walmart, Lowes, The Home Depot, Publix, Navarro, and Sedano. The Westland Mall located on 49 Street has many stores. Three of the most familiar stores are Macys, Sears, and J. C. Penney. Consumers can enjoy shopping but also dine at Los Ranchos Steakhouse, McDonalds, and Chilis, among other eateries.

The mall has seats along the main hall that allow especially older people to rest while other members of the family continue shopping. They have set up convenient stores for all shoppers (Hialeah, 2016). On 2290 West 8th Avenue, is located Telemundo. As we know, Telemundo is the second-largest Spanish-language TV network in the United States.

The city of Hialeah is within Floridas 27th Congressional District. It has a representative in the legislative house. Its delegate in the House of Representatives is Republican, Cuban-American, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. The current mayor of Hialeah city is Carlos Hernández (Hialeah, 2016).

Most of the buildings and houses are well painted and clean. They have different times of construction. I could easily identify their closeness to each other. Each house had an air conditioning unit (City of Hialeah, 2016). Some houses had big backyards, and others had small back yards. Most of the fronts of the houses had vehicles. There were the condominium and building complexes with well-inscribed names of the buildings. The houses had important signposts with information offering the premises for rental services.

Outside of the buildings, I observed some people walking around the town. Most of them were elderly people. It shows that the city occupants were mainly the people who had advanced in age. The type of houses and building complexes indicated that the residents were mostly in the lower and median class. They all maintained their homes and property in such a way that they looked neat and appropriate for occupation (City of Hialeah, 2016).

I could not find any signs of decay. I found the streets, parking lots, and shopping centers with no trash on them. During my round, I saw houses and buildings well painted. There were no graffiti signs. The presence of trash cans indicated that city management had an organized system of keeping the city clean. Many of the people were city dwellers. They resided and worked within the city. They had businesses within the city. Only a few people came to the city from the neighboring towns. It is a city of immigrants from various nationalities (City of Hialeah, 2016). But Cubans are the majority according to the national data. There are a few rural citizens who mainly deal with farming. They plant crops and practice animal husbandry. They belong to the suburban areas.

Health Resources

The city of Hialeah has many health resources. They include hospitals, private offices, Urgent care centers, medical centers, and dentist offices. Palmetto Hospital, Palm Spring Hospital, and Hialeah Hospital are among the best hospitals in the city (City of Hialeah, 2016). The distribution of these facilities in the city is fantastic. They are at strategic points of the city. The citizens have the opportunity to select any one of them based on the distance.

Urgent care centers and Leon Medical Center are other health resources for the Hialeah community. Leon Medical Center has many buses offering service transportation to its clients. I observed some big pharmacy chains, such as CVS, Walgreens, and Navarro, which are available to the community. I also found small pharmacies around the city. These pharmacies not only give to the community the same service that the big ones do but also bring great experience in customer service.

The advantage that the large pharmacies had over the small ones is that they offer value additions to their services. There are enough parking lots, consultancy services, and even large stocks of medicine. In the east of the city, I found a psychiatry facility named Alpha and Omega. Alpha and Omega provides Occupational Therapy, Residential Care, and Intermediate Care to patients with mental health problems.

Regarding education, I found many daycare facilities, elementary schools, high schools, middle schools, private schools, and the College of Business and Technology. For the convenience of the young and adults interested in continuing their studies, there is a university, Florida National University. All of these have adequately labeled information to advise the community about traffic velocity required during school hours. There are some elementary schools.

An example is the Palm Lakes Elementary, which has a nursing facility to provide care for its students. Miami-Dade College Hialeah Campus is in 1780 W 48th Street. It is a community college. Among the private colleges and universities include the College of Business and Technology, and Florida National University (Hialeah Schools, 2016). It has a big parking lot. The city of Hialeah has six libraries. The libraries have enough space for adults and children who want to study.

They offer excellent services because of the availability of different types of literature for varied interests. They also have big parking lots to accommodate the huge number of people who have an interest in reading. One of them, John F. Kennedy, has two floors. It boasts of the convenient elevators. There are only two public high schools (Hialeah Schools, 2016).

Hialeah city has a lot of service centers. I found banks, optics, family doctors, travel agencies, auto-insurance offices, barbershops, and beauty salons. There were also dry cleaners, gas stations, pet shops, jewelry, libraries, pharmacies, doctors offices, urgent care centers, daycare facilities, elementary schools, and nursing homes. The number of these service centers was in hundreds. They also had excellent customer care services and enough space for parking and relaxing.

The city is also blessed to have varied religious structures and denominations. Some of the churches include the Witness of Jehovah, Catholic, and Bautista churches. The services they provide are mainly in Spanish and English. But the majority of them are in the Spanish language. Outside every church is a signpost that indicates the time of service and the activities of each day.

The city of Hialeah has risen to become a major commercial center in Miami-Dade County. There are a lot of stores in the community. Fast-food chains, such as Burger King, Mac Donalds, Taco Bell, Wendy, Checkers, and Subway, Sissy pizza, and Rey pizza abound in the city. Markets that bring to the community fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats are Public, Sedano, and Walmart (City of Hialeah, 2016). The Westland Mall is on 49 Street and has many stores, and eating restaurants.

It also has fast-food restaurants with a lot of tables and chairs for waiting for customers. Other shops, such as Target, K-mart, Burlington, The Home Depot, and Lowes are available to the community. I was impressed with the cleanness of all of these places. The town also has mom and pop stores that originated from the city. They provide stiff competition to national brands. National brands have had to change their business strategy to meet the local demands in the city.

The means of transportation in Hialeah city are public buses, private cars, taxis, and a few bicycles. The city has a vast network of bus transport for the public. I observed that some bus stations have benches, but others do not have any of those seats. Therefore, I think that this is an inconvenience especially for older people using this type of transportation (City of Hialeah, 2016). The citys transport management has done well to provide traffic signs and lights. They help to promote safe driving through the community. I could see some gas stations in good condition. There was also a lot of traffic in the streets which made me think that Hialeah is a busy city (City of Hialeah, 2016).

For the last ten years, the population change has been 4%. There are about 112,000 males and 124,000 females. The figures translate to 47.5% men and 52.5% women. The median resident age is approximately 43 years. The foreign-born residents are about 74%. There are varying levels of education among the population ranging from high school to graduate and professional level. Only about 10% are unemployed. The people take approximately a mean of 22 minutes to get to their work stations. About 16% of families live below the poverty line (Hialeah, 2016). Only 18% of the entire population lives below the poverty threshold. The city has four retirement schemes.

The Employee Retirement System as a defined benefit pension plan, the Differed Contribution, Defined Contribution Pension, and the Elected Officials Retirement Trust. All of them serve the interest of the employees in the city with varied needs and goals (Hialeah, 2016).

The estimated median household income is about $26,000, while the estimated per capita income is about $14,000. The estimated condo value is $150,000. The mean prices for all housing units are approximately $150,000. Mobile homes cost $66,000, while townhouses go for $117,000. The median gross rent is about $980 (City of Hialeah, 2016).

Citizen Safety and Protective Services

The city has some locations for police and fire departments. I saw three of them during my windshield survey. As Hialeah is a large city, this is a good step in the management and maintenance of law and order. All of them had good structures in clean environments.

Among the shelters for victims of abuse, I found one located on 150 E 1 Avenue. The shelter is named Womens Shelter of Hope. The shelter assists victims of domestic violence. The place was clean and well kept. During my rounds, I did not manage to see anyone outside the building.

Services provided in the City

The city has many daycare facilities and long-term care centers that provide adequate transportation. I found some parks and playgrounds in the city. One of the parks in Hialeah include the Amelia Earth Park. It is a safe place for children and their parents (Hialeah, 2016). Older people always had fun in the park together with their families. People can make barbecue, walk, and also play around. The park has big spaces for all activities. The kids can ride bicycles, ponies, and go fishing.

They can also take a look at other animals such as pigs, squirrels, ducks, and goats. They can also take a ride in the aquatic bicycle while they watch fishes in the lake. All the areas of the park were clean. It has well-labeled garbage disposal cans.

There was a little cafeteria that offers soft drinks, ice creams. There were also machines for water and other drinks. Next to the cafeteria, I found two bathrooms and a drinking fountain. The lake was clean except small areas with some candy bags (City of Hialeah, 2016). Amelia Earth Park is an excellent option for the community of Hialeah city. During my visit, I discovered that the people in the park were dressed appropriately to spend the whole day in the park. There was also a dominant race I observed on that day. It was a Hispanic race, specifically for Cubans. I also saw some gyms available to the community being flexible about the hours for workouts.

I found a recreational park with enough space for playing baseball, football, basketball, and tennis located over 12 Ave 60 St with adequate lighting. It has invitation signposts to families who want to maintain a healthy environment. It has a big parking lot. Another park was on 2250 W 60 Street. Its name was Bucky Dent Park. It had a playground for kids. The park has benches for parents to watch their children during games. It also has a pool with lifejackets available and some lifesavers. It has a basketball area. Located on 1800 W 68 Street is the University Health Care Center. It is the senior center that offers seniors transportation to and from the medical facility. It has various offices and diagnostic facilities (Hialeah, 2016).

Community Welfare Services beyond City/State

Hialeah has emergency food programs provided by Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens. They provide food to the individuals that need it, mostly the homeless families. Every year the city takes the necessary measures to be ready for the hurricane season to provide shelters, food, and clothes to individuals that need help (City of Hialeah, 2016). The city has community welfare services for those in need in case of natural disasters or emergencies.

Conclusions

During the windshield survey in Hialeah city, I found a clean environment and a lot of resources for the community. Among them, I found important recreational areas for the whole family, such as Amelia Earth Park. The community of Hialeah has many stores, service centers, and other amenities that give the community the opportunity of employment. I suggest that there should be the construction of more benches in bus stations. In my opinion, Hialeah is a healthy community that enjoys the opportunities that its environment has.

References

Hialeah Schools. (2016). Web.

Hialeah. (2016). Web.

City of Hialeah. (2016). Web.

The importance of balance in nature and in the living conditions of all the creatures is extremely high. This balance is based on a multitude of parameters, the alteration of which may cause serious disruptions in the life cycles and cause irreparable adverse outcomes. The scientific term used to describe this state of the internal biological balance and harmony of the living beings is homeostasis. This paper attempts to provide a clear definition to the term, its detailed explanation, and several examples of what it indicates, how it can be disrupted, and what consequences may occur as a result.

The roots of the word homeostasis come from the Greek language. The original meaning of this word is same. To date, this term stands for the processes all the living beings employ in order to maintain the internal conditions they require for the survival. In other words, homeostasis refers to stability in the vital biological environments within the bodies of the living things.

The textbook Concepts of Biology (2013) explains homeostasis as a process of self-regulation that is conducted on a regular basis by the bodies of animals when their internal organs constantly adjust to the changing external conditions such as atmospheric pressure or temperature. Some of the adjustments done by the internal organs are demonstrated by the changing water content and the levels of blood glucose and calcium. Homeostasis is an ongoing process as the animal body is in constant interaction with the external conditions and their changes. There are two key processes that comprise homeostasis of a body  thermoregulation and osmoregulation (Concepts of Biology, 2013).

Homeostasis can be summarized as a bodys attempt to return to the set point of the cells where the condition is in equilibrium. As soon as certain external influences lead to the internal fluctuations from the set point, the organs automatically begin to adjust to preserve the stability of the cells. In terms of thermoregulation, all animals can be divided into endotherms (the ones who maintain c constant body temperature) and ectotherms (the ones who do not have the capacity to maintain a steady body temperature under the changing conditions).

Ectotherms use the sun to make their bodies warm; the examples of such animals are fish and reptiles. Endotherms have the capacity to produce heat of their own; the examples are mammals and birds. The thermoregulation may be facilitated by the nervous system of the animals via such processes as vasodilation (the relaxation of the smooth muscles of the arteries that causes their opening up to the skin) or vasoconstriction (the contraction of the smooth muscles of the arteries that produces their narrowing) (Concepts of Biology, 2013).

Some other processes that occur as the thermoregulation mechanisms are sweating, heavy breathing, and shivering. In addition, responding to the changes in external temperature, the animals show behavioral reactions that occur in order to find the balanced body temperature; they are expressed in the search for warmer or cooler places to stay in for the maintenance of ideal thermal conditions.

To sum up, the ultimate biological goal of any living being is to survive. For this purpose, they are to maintain normal internal conditions that prevent the destabilization of their organs. The bodies of animals have the capacity to adjust to the external influences such as temperature and maintain balanced internal conditions with the help of thermoregulation. A bodys ability to regulate itself and maintain the stability of cells is known as homeostasis.

Reference

Concepts of Biology. (2013). Houston, TX: OpenStax College.

Definition

As a rule, the phenomenon of interpolation is referred to as the process of selecting the data that can be located within a particular range of information (Groebner, Shannon, & Fry, 2014). The identified definition can be applied to a variety of domains, including business, technology, science, education, etc. Traditionally, interpolation occurs when two values in a particular sequence are known, and the need to identify another value within the range occurs.

Extrapolation, in its turn, implies that the data should be selected from the areas outside the selected range. In other words, the data that is being guessed should either exceed the largest number in the identified data set or lower than the lowest limit (Kharin, 2013). Therefore, the sequence of values determined prior to the statistical procedure is being extended so that data could be guessed correctly. Applying the definition provided for interpolation to explore the subject matter, one may assume that extrapolation takes place when two values within a data set are known, and there is the need to guess what data beyond the known limits also occurs in the data set in question.

Differences

At first glance, the concepts of inter- and extrapolation could seem the exact opposite of each other. Indeed, as the definition provided above shows quite explicitly, the primary difference between the two concepts concerns the range that the required number or item is taken from. Particularly, the scope of the choice (i.e., whether it is made within the identified range or beyond it) can be deemed as the crucial difference between the two notions.

Another characteristic feature of extrapolation that sets it aside from interpolation concerns the possibility of retrieving a negative answer. Although negative numbers may make sense for a number of statistical calculations and the related procedures, when applied to real objects, it may deliver rather pointless results (e.g., based on a specific set of data, one may calculate that one will eat minus one apple tomorrow, which is hardly possible). Naturally, the outcome can be tailored to the real-life scenarios so that the results could make sense (e.g., it can be assumed that the apple will be given to someone else as opposed to eating it), yet the difference between the two procedures is quite obvious (Bruce, 2015).

Examples

The identification of a mean in a sequence of three items can be interpreted as a common cause of interpolation and the simplest example thereof. For instance, if one said that they sent four e-mails to their friends three days ago and two e-mails a day ago, it can be interpolated that they sent three e-mails two days ago. Logically, it can also be extrapolated that one email will be sent tomorrow (Montgomery, 2014).

In a similar way, the concepts of inter- and extrapolation can be applied to a workplace setting. For example, if the team manager reports that the QA department failed to notice 67 defects two months ago and missed 53 defects last month, it can be interpolated that they omitted 60 defects a month ago. Consequently, it may also be extrapolated that they are likely to miss 46 defects next month (Yao, Lorenzelli, & Chen, 2013).

Although the phenomena of inter- and extrapolation can be deemed as rather basic, they serve as rather efficient tools in setting expectations. As a result, the team manager is likely to build a quality management strategy that will be viable in the environment that the staff members work in.

Reference List

Bruce, P. C. (2015). Introductory statistics and analytics: A resampling perspective. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Groebner, D. F., Shannon, P. W., & Fry, P. C. (2014). Business statistics (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Kharin, Y. (2013). Robustness in statistical forecasting. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.

Montgomery, D. (2014). E-Study guide for: Applied statistics and probability for engineers. New York, NY: 101 Textbook Reviews.

Yao, K., Lorenzelli, F., & Chen, C. E. (2013). Detection and estimation for communication and radar systems. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

The Chebyshevs theorem, also known as the Chebyshevs inequality, is often related to the probability theory. The theorem presupposes that in the process of a probability distribution, almost every element is going to be very close to the expected mean. To be more exact, in case of having k values, only 1/k2 of their total number will be n times larger or smaller than the expected value of the predicted value (Brase and Brase Getting Started 5).

To understand the meaning of the statement provided above, the concept of the expected value should be defined. Also belonging to the realm of the probability theory, the given notion can be defined as a value that one is most likely to obtain when picking the elements randomly for an unlimited number of times.

In other words, Chebyshevs theorem helps define the number of observations, which one would expect to find within a particular number of standard deviations. Chebyshevs theorem is often shortened to the following formula: (1  (1/k2)) (Brase and Brase Getting Started 8).

Claiming that Chebyshevs theorem applies to everything from butterflies to the orbits of the planets, I would have a point, since the theorem is related to the basics of probability theory. Seeing how the latter can be applied to any object, Chebyshevs theorem as its major part can be as well. For instance, it can be used when defining the probability of planets changing their orbs, a person seeing a butterfly every Friday in May, etc.

The concept of the least square criterion, which is also often used in the field of probability theory, a least-squared criterion can be defined as a criterion that allows for locating the specific part of a regression line, which suits the scattered plot of the data in the best way possible. The least-square criterion includes the sum of squares of a range of particular data (Brase and Brase Organizing Data 19). It should be noted that the least square criterion is applied when the simple regression model  or, to be more exact, a simple linear regression model  is used to consider a particular list of data (Brase and Brase Organizing Data 21).

The least-square criterion can be calculated for a specific data set with the help of the following formula:

SSE = e2 = (y  y)2

The concept of the line of the best fit, also known as a regression line, is often related to the least square criterion concept. According to the existing definition, the line of the best fit can be defined as the line of data, in which the minimal sum of squares for error can be located, Brase explains (Brase and Brase Organizing Data 24). In other words, the least square criterion helps browse through all of the existing combinations between the elements of the data set to define the one that includes the smallest sum of squares of errors. Thus, it allows for defining the most appropriate solution of those provided.

Works Cited

Brase, Henry Charles and Corrinne Pellillo Brase. Getting Started.Understanding Basic Statistics. 6th ed. Ed. Henry Charles Brase and Corrinne Pellillo Brase. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. 2013. 318. Print.

Organizing Data. Understanding Basic Statistics. 6th ed. Ed. Henry Charles Brase and Corrinne Pellillo Brase. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. 2013. 1932. Print.

The paper in question is a dissertation chapter that dwells upon data analysis and presentation. The key challenge of the piece is to provide the major findings as well as the data analysis methodology. The introduction is rather effective as it provides some background information and reveals the subject matter of the research. Three elements of effective academic writing are present. For instance, the author presents some ideas, provides the necessary evidence to support these ideas, and interprets them (The importance and meaning of scholarly communication, n.d.).

The introductory part may seem rather long, which can undermine its effectiveness. References to relevant sources are used, which enables the reader to become aware of the context and the major issues that will be covered further in the paper. The introduction also includes the key challenge, which is the provision of main results and data analysis methods utilized.

As for the use of evidence and sources to support ideas provided in the paper, it is possible to note that recent and relevant articles are employed. The sources are peer-reviewed articles that dwell upon the issue that is the key challenge. The sources provide the necessary background information on the matter, and the reader can estimate whether the issue is well-researched or needs further investigation.

It is necessary to add that the paper can be characterized by high levels of critical analysis. The paper involves the analysis and application of ideas, evaluation, and creation (Successful courtroom postings and critiques, n.d.). One of the most vivid issues associated with the paper is the lack of cohesion. At that, cohesion is one of the most important aspects of an effective academic paper (Writing a course paper, n.d.).

Many links unite paragraphs, which makes the piece easy to follow. However, some paragraphs lack the necessary cohesion, which is apparent in the part concerning the provision of findings. There are attempts to synthesize the data and provide effective links that would make the transfer from one idea to another effective. However, in some places, the link is absent, and it may seem that a list of ideas (which are rather disconnected) is provided.

The necessary improvements include shortening the introduction and making it more precise. It can also be effective to provide more references to support ideas. It is necessary to note that the part under analysis provides findings, which means that the focus is on the study results rather than other data. However, even this section should have a sufficient number of resources that provide the background associated with the studys methodology, subject matter, and so on. As far as the cohesion is concerned, it is important to use linking words and phrases, as well as reveal some reasons for sharing an idea in a particular place.

It is possible to develop an action plan to address the issues mentioned above. It is important to read (and revise) various guidelines concerning some rules of academic writing. Reading the sources provided during the course will be beneficial as well. Furthermore, it can be helpful to implement a detailed analysis of other papers. This will help me unveil some gaps in my writing skills, and address these issues. The use of the MEAL method is effective during the analysis of academic papers. I will also continue reading peer-reviewed articles and published dissertations. These sources can be seen as effective illustrations of high-quality academic writing. I will pay considerable attention to such aspects as cohesion and the provision of evidence.

References

Successful courseroom postings and critiques. (n.d.). Web.

The importance and meaning of scholarly communication. (n.d.). Web.

Writing a course paper. (n.d.). Web.

Abstract

Defining a data collection method for qualitative research is not an easy task. Because of the focus on the exploratory aspect of the study, qualitative research requires a unique model for data interpretation based on unstructured or semi-structured data analysis techniques. For the study in question, it was crucial to define the existing trends in the application of social network theory to the process of public administration, with a major emphasis on the role of the African American community in it. Therefore, as a model, which allows for locating the variables and defining the relationships between them, the Action Research Model was a suitable choice for data interpretation and analysis.

Introduction: Action Research Model and Study Design

The analysis of public administration issues in contemporary American society, and the role of the African American population in it is complex research requiring a unique and comprehensive approach. It was imperative to analyze the trends in the modern U.S. society, thus, identifying the paradigm of the social evolution and understanding how the African American community factors in it.

The Action Research Model, which allowed for finding the links between the research variables (White, 2004), fits into the methodology of the study perfectly. Moreover, the model proposed creates the premises for applying the theory to practice efficiently and, thus, defines the choice of further strategies to be applied to address the problem.

Interpreting Data Collection: Locating the Right Tool

As has been stressed above, the process of data analysis in qualitative research is quite complicated due to the specifics of the information gathered. Since the emphasis is shifted from the acquisition of statistical data to the collection of qualitative information in the specified research design, it is essential to choose the approach that will help interpret the data obtained in a proper manner.

The Action Research Model allows for drawing the line between the user and the useless information in the very course of the data collection process, which is crucial for qualitative research (Greenwood, 2013). More to the point, the specified model helps interpret the information collected in a proper manner and, most importantly, helps define the patterns that will facilitate education through change (SAGE Publishing, 2013).

Interpretive Framework and Research Questions

The model chosen for the research seems quite adequate in relation to the research questions. To be more specific, it is the chance to explore the very nature of the research question, i.e., to turn the research into a meta-analysis, that makes the Action Research Model so unique (Rossouw, 2008). In the specified case, the issue of African Americans participation in the creation of trends in contemporary American society requires a closer look at the role of the African American community in the USA in general. More to the point, a brief analysis of the African American peoples culture must be introduced into the research, and the specified model facilitates the premises for such an analysis to be integrated into the research design.

Getting the Priorities Straight: What Comes First

Finally, the fact that the Action Research Model allows for identifying the priorities for the study is worth motioning. Unlike the rest of the methods for a qualitative study, the Action Research Model helps identify the factors affecting the variables in question and isolate these variables, therefore, defining the areas that need to be addressed. Particularly, the model displays in a very graphic manner that the changes in the role of the African American community in the U.S. society must be evaluated as the key independent variable.

Reference List

Greenwood, D. (2013). Introduction to action research. In D. Greenwood, Introduction to action research: Social research for social change (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publishing. Web.

Rossouw, D. (2008). Educators as action researchers: some key considerations. South African Journal of Education, 29(1), 116.

White, A. M. (2004). Levins action research model as a tool for theory building: A case study from South Africa. Action research, 2(2), 127144.

The issue of an ancient world is probably one of the most mysterious in the history. It is amazing to think that 65 million years ago there was a different world. There were no humans but flora and fauna were diverse and beautiful. Scientists still argue on the reason of Armageddon which ruined that world. Anyway, it proved the vulnerability and fragility of Earths nature against the power of the Universe.

Whatever it was, a giant comet or a huge asteroid, it left little alive inhabitants. The biggest creatures could not survive. Museums of history of nature look like grounds for fiction films. If there were no proofs of the reality of dinosaurs and other creatures due to archeological findings, it would be impossible to believe they existed.

The destructive influence of the event cannot be measured. The supposed size of the object was estimated at ten kilometers in diameter. It is barely possible to imagine what could happen if a similar comet or asteroid appeared today. Even thinking of such possibility brings in an unpleasant cold feeling of fear. Usually smaller natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods are difficult to predict in detail and almost impossible to avoid. Such disasters leave devastated areas and sometimes years are needed to renew the destroyed objects.

Nevertheless, the progress in science leaves some hope for survival in different conditions. Luckily, astronomers do not predict any huge asteroids shortly. The humanity should hope that next time, probably in another 65 million years, when a comet or asteroid approaches Earth, people will be prepared to face the danger and avoid ruin and devastation not to disappear like dinosaurs.

Introduction

Literature review is one of the most common types of academic works. This type requires applying specific search techniques. Although there are various techniques used in academic research, some general methods are applied by the majority of researchers. The main goals of this paper are to discuss the key aspects of a literature review and describe search methods for credible sources.

Search Methods

There are several ways to look for sources. An effective search might be conducted by using keywords, a topic, the title of a source, and the authors name (Finding and evaluating, n.d.). Keywords help to find most sources. However, using a subject provides more specific results as it searches in a narrower field. Also, the authors name or the title of a text gives an opportunity to locate the exact work that is needed for research.

In addition, there are some tips for a more effective search. It is very helpful to use the preposition and to combine keywords and phrases when searching the electronic databases for journal articles (Top ten, n.d., para. 1). Another tip is to use an asterisk and wildcards as it helps to retrieve a larger amount of materials.

Sources are divided into several categories. Two of the most prominent are books and scholarly articles. In order to conduct an effective search for sources, it is necessary to know how to evaluate them. There are some important steps to be taken to locate a credible source. First, it is necessary to identify the authors and their credentials. Also, the information about a publisher might be crucial to assess the credibility of a text. For example, if the publisher is an academic press, this generally means a scholarly resource (Finding and evaluating, n.d., para. 3). Second, the audience the work is aimed at is an important factor as well. It could be made for the general public or a specialized audience. Third, the information presented in a source should be supported by references or clearly demonstrated examples.

Another important aspect is the structure of a text. Information from sources should be incorporated in work in an organized and logical manner. In-text citations should support implications and conclusions. However, to avoid plagiarism, it is necessary to use paraphrasing or citing, including references to sources used for a study.

Literature Review

There are several important aspects of a literature review. The first one is credibility. The quality of evidence found in a literature review might be rated as follows: high, moderate, and low.The rate has a high impact on the level of evidence presented in a study. If evidence has a higher quality, further research will not alter conclusions (Pautasso, 2013). However, if the evidence is of low quality, it is necessary to continue research to provide more proof for a certain statement.Also, a literature review might contain unreliable statements. Unpicking dodgy claims are an explanatory tool used in science that critically appraises various studies. It promotes the development of new theories and concepts with the help of scientific conferences and scholar journals (Goldacre, 2011). This principle contributes to establishing a constructive discussion on relevant subjects.

The next aspect is the goal of a review. It highlights the main difference between literature reviews for clinical research, health education research, and basic science research. A literature review for clinical research requires gathering information about the effectiveness of medicine, technologies, and ways of treatment. This information is used for addressing problems associated with various diseases. A literature review for health education research is necessary for promoting medical literacy among the general public and medical personnel. It aims at implementing practical approaches in medical settings. Basic science research is conducted to understand a problem at a basic level. It creates the foundation for further research.

Conclusion

A literature review should abide by specific principles. One of them is credibility. Appropriately selected sources enhance the significance of a study. Therefore, to achieve reliable results, it is necessary to apply the mentioned above techniques as they foster the quality of research.

References

Goldacre, B. (2011). Battling bad science.[Video file]. Web.

Finding and evaluating research materials.(n.d.). Web.

Pautasso, M. (2013). Ten simple rules for writing a literature review. PLoS Computational Biology, 9(7), 1-4.

Top ten search tips.(n.d.). Web.