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Author Archives: Academic Wizard

June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025
  • Discussion Prompt: Now that you’ve explored emotional intelligence (Head & Heart), AI, and strategic simplicity (Business Made Simple), it’s time to bring it all together. Reflect on how you will integrate emotional intelligence, AI-driven insights, and simple business strategies to ensure the long-term success of your business or process improvement. How will each of these elements play a role in creating a sustainable, values-driven business? Consider what data you will continue to collect and analyze to support ongoing decision-making and improvement.
  • EQ, AI, and Strategy Integration

EQ, AI, and Strategy Integration

  • Response Prompt: Provide feedback on how a peer can further integrate emotional intelligence, AI, and data to strengthen their business or process improvement plan. How can they ensure that all three elements work together harmoniously for long-term success?
  • EQ, AI, and Strategy Integration
  1. How will you integrate emotional intelligence into your business or process improvement?,

  2. What role will AI-driven insights play in your strategy?,

  3. How will simple business strategies contribute to long-term success?,

  4. What data will you continue to collect and analyze?,

  5. How will these elements support ongoing decision-making and improvement?

June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025

Linear Algebra Home Exam

General Instructions 1. Submission of a solution to this exam constitutes a statement that you followed these instructions.

If you failed to follow some of the instructions for whatever reason, explain at the top of the exams which instructions you failed to follow, how you solved the relevant parts of the exam, and why.

Linear Algebra Home Exam

  • How can we efficiently and stably factor a real anti-symmetric matrix into A=LTLTA = LTL^T?,

  • How many operations does the anti-symmetric factorization perform compared to LU?,

  • What happens when we apply partial pivoting to the anti-symmetric factorization?,

  • How do we benchmark and compare solvers for Laplacian systems?,

  • How can we multiply sparse matrices efficiently in CSC format?

2. The exam is individual. You may not discuss the exam, your solutions or other solutions, or anything having to do with the algorithms and computations that the exam focuses on with any person except Sivan Toledo. You must follow this rule before, during, and after you solve the exam (including in the periods before you start the exam and after you submit your solution, since different students may solve it at different times).

3. You may only discuss this exam with persons other than Sivan Toledo after the grades are published.

4. You may use any publicly-accessible non-human resource to solve the exam, but you must cite every resource that you use. For books, articles, web sites, and so on, cite the title, author, and URL, and explain how you used the resource. For AI tools and other responsive resources, give the name of the tool (and URL if not well known) and the prompts. If the interaction was complex, just summarize the interaction. In both cases, explain how you used the results.

5. Include all the code that you used, and mark clearly code that you wrote, code from other sources (static or responsive/AI). If you fixed or corrected existing or generated code, indicate your changes or fixes clearly.

6. All code must be clearly documented using comments.

7. Use diagrams and graphs where appropriate to clarify and/or enhance your answers.

1 Efficient and Stable Factorization of Anti-Symmetric Matrices (40 points)

We can solve a linear system of equation with an <-by-< symmetric positive-definite matrix � using the Cholesky factorization using 1

3< 3 + =(<3) arithmetic operations. The algorithm is backward stable and it is

about twice as efficient as an !* factorization with partial pivoting, which is also usually backward stable, but does not exploit symmetry. In some vague way it makes sense that Cholesky would be twice as efficient,

Linear Algebra Home Exam

 

ראינו בשיעור 2

 

because due to the symmetry of the matrix, we can represent it using its upper and lower half, so we do not need to update the entire trailing submatrix after every elimination step.

In this problem we want to factor in a backward-stable a real matrix that is not symmetric, but satis- fies the constraint �) = −�. In other words, its elements satisfy �7 8 = −�87. We will call such matrices anti symmetric. Such matrices are fully defined by about <2/2 real values, not <2, so we hope to achieve computational savings similar to the savings in Cholesky.

The main building block in our new algorithm will be to zero most of the first column by subtracting a multiple of the second row of � from rows 3 : <. We will then zero most of the first row by subtracting the same multiples of the second column from columns 3 : <. We continue with the trailing submatrix in the same way, until we reduce � to a tridiagonal matrix) , in only sub- and super-diagonal elements)7+7,7,)7,7+1 are nonzero, and which is also anti symmetric.

1. Implement this algorithm and test it on random matrices with Gaussian elements. The algorithm should return twomatrices, a lower triangularmatrix !with 1s on the diagonal and an anti symmetric matrix ) , such that � satisfies � = !)!) (but a weaker condition in floating point). For simplicity, operate on all the elements of � and the trailing submatrices, not only on one triangle. Try to make the code as efficient as possible (while operating on both triangles). Test that it works correctly and explain how you performed the tests. Hint: As in !* with Gaussian elimination, if you eliminate column 8 with using a matrix !8 with ones on the diagonal and the negation of the multipliers below the diagonal in one column (which one?), thematrix ! should have themultipliers in the same position, but not negated.

2. Roughly how many arithmetic operation does your code perform? The answer should be given as an explicit multiple of <3; you can ignore low order terms. Please relate your answer to the number of operations that the !* factorization performs. Explain the result.

3. If you were to modify the algorithm and the code from Part 1 so that it would only operate on one triangle, say the lower one, howmany operations would the improved algorithm perform? How does this relate to the number of operations performed by the !* factorization?

4. The main motivation for this algorithm is that we can incorporate into it partial pivoting. Show that the algorithm, as presented up to now, can fail, and explain why it might be unstable even in cases where it does not fail.

5. We can avoid these problems by exchanging before we eliminate column 8 and row 8 two rows and the same two columns so that the element in position 8+1, 8 in the trailing submatrix has the largest mag- nitude among elements 8 + 1 : <, 8. We can express the overall factorization as %�%) = !)!) ,where % is a permutation matrix. Explain how these exchanges affect the matrix !. How do you think we can characterize the trailing submatrices and) if we perform these exchanges, both in the worst case and in practice? You only need to provide a reasonable characterization and to justify it from what we know about !* with partial pivoting; you do not need to provide a formal analysis.

6. We can make this algorithm even more efficient by noticing that the matrix � = )!) is upper Hes- senberg (elements �7 8 with 7 > 8 + 1 are zeros). Prove that this is indeed the case and explain how elements of ) relate to elements of � (so that we can construct ) from �).

7. Modify your code from Part 1 so that it computes ! and � . You can again update the entire trailing submatrix.

Linear Algebra Home Exam

8. Explain how this modification reduces the number of arithmetic operations and give an estimate for the number of operations that the algorithm performs if it exploits the anti-symmetry (the leading term only).

9. To solve a system �F = %)!)!)%F = 1, we need to solve linear systems with a anti-symmetric tridi- agonal matrix) . Explain howwe can do that in a backward-stable way in$(<) arithmetic operations and storage.

2 Benchmarking Linear Solvers (30 Points) The aim of this problem is to benchmark a number of exiting solvers of linear equations. The focus is on producing valid and robust results and on presenting them well. For this problem, it is important that the solvers be efficient. Matlab is considered the gold standard for this problem. All its solvers are good enough (if used correctly); you can use some other programming environment (e.g., Python), but if one or more of its solvers is inefficient, you may lose points.

1. Implement a function lap2d that creates the Laplacian of an <-by-< two dimensional grid. Theweight of all edges should be 1, and the row-sums of all rows other than the first should be 0. The sum of the elements in the first row should be 1. The row/column ordering of the matrix should be a row- by-row ordering of the grid vertices (the so-called natural order). Thematrixmust be represented efficiently as a sparsematrix (inmatlab, the form S=sparse(i,j,a) is a goodway to construct the matrix from a set of nonzero values 07 8) Plot the nonzero structure of the matrix (spy) for a 10-by-10 grid.

2. Implement a similar function lap3d for 3-dimensional grids. Plot it for some convenient size for which the structure of the matrix is clear from the plot.

3. Write a code that measures the performance of several linear solvers for �F = 1, where � is a Lapla- cian from Part 1 and 1 is a random vector. You The solvers that you need to implement are:

(a) A dense Cholesky factorization. In Matlab, A=full(S) creates a dense representation of a sparse matrix.

(b) A sparse Cholesky factorization, with a row/column permutation to enhance sparsity in the factor. In Matlab, help chol (or the more detailed doc chol) will tell you how to invoke the Cholesky factorization so that it can permute the rows and columns of a sparse matrix.

(c) Conjugate gradients without a preconditioner (pcg in Matlab).

(d) Conjugate gradients with an incomplete-Cholesky factorization with no fill (ichol in Matlab).

4. Demonstrate that each of the solvers is correct. For the iterative solvers, explain their accuracy of the solution that they return and compare to the solution of the direct (Cholesky factorization) solvers. For the sparse solver, show the nonzero structure of the factor, to demonstrate that it is indeed sparse.

5. Compare the performance of the 4 solvers by finding out the size of the largest grid they can handle (in both 2D and 3D) in 10s (only the linear solver should take 10s; exclude the time to construct the test problem). You will need to write code that finds these problem sizes. You are free to also present the performance of the 4 solvers in other ways. Make sure your results are statistically robust; the

3

 

 

actual running times are not deterministic even if the algorithm is. You need not perform a statistical analysis, but you need to account for the running-times variability and to explain how do you did it. In this part of the problem, do your best to ensure that the solver is using only 1 CPU core (in Matlab, maxNumCompThreads(1) should work); explain how you restricted the solvers to 1 core and how you checked that they are indeed using only one.

6. Repeat Part 5, but with at as many cores as you can. Try to the speedups.

3 Efficient Multiplication of Sparse Matrices (20 Points) This problem investigates the efficient multiplication of sparse matrices represented using a compressed sparse column (CSC) representations. In this representation, the nonzero values of elements each column are stored consecutively in an array, and the row indices of these elements are stored in the same order in an integer array. These arrays need not be sorted in increasing row order. A third array points to the two arrays representing each column; this array represents the columns in increasing index order.

1. Given the CSC representation of two sparse matrices � ∈ R;×< and � ∈ R<×9, show how to create the CSC representation of the product �� in $(; + 9 + >) operations, where > is the number of arithmetic operations on nonzeros required to multiply the two matrices. Make sure you explain how to determine the size of each column in the product (that is, the size of the arrays that represent that column).

2. Given the CSC representation a sparse matrix � ∈ R;×<, show how to create the CSC representation of the product �) �. Try tomake this as efficient as possible and analyze the total number of operations that the multiplication requires in terms of ;, <, and >.

3. Suggest a mechanism to improve the efficiency of the solution of Part 1 in cases in which ; � >. That is, try to find a way to remove the dependence on ; from the running time.

4 A Tradeoff in the LLL Basis Reduction Algorithm (10 points) The !!! algorithm ensures that in the output matrix ‘ satisfies��’7,8�� ≤ 1

2 ��’7,7��

‘27,7 ≥ H’27−1,7−1 − ’27−1,7 .

for some 1/4 < H < 1. That is, the client code that calls LLL sets H to some value in this range. Explain the tradeoff: what happens when we set H just above 1/4? What happens when we set H just below 1?

4

June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025

Science Communicator Example

Your task is to find and share an example of a science or environmental communicator in action. This could be a video, podcast episode, article, social media post, or even a profile or biography of the communicator. Your example should show how they engage the public with science or environmental topics.

 Science Communicator Example

You may define “communicator” broadly—this could be a scientist giving a TED Talk, an activist on TikTok, a journalist writing about climate change, or a YouTuber explaining ocean pollution—as long as you can clearly explain why you think it fits.

 Science Communicator Example

Instructions:

  1. Find and provide a link to your chosen example.
  2. Write a short post (approx. 200 words) that includes:
    • (a) Any background or context needed to understand the example
    • (b) Why you selected it
    • (c) Who the target audience is
    • (d) Whether you think it is an effective or ineffective example of science/environment communication, and any suggestions for improvement

Examples:

  • Greta Thunberg speaking at the UN Climate Summit
  • An article from National Geographic about coral bleaching
  • A podcast episode from Ologies by Alie Ward

Requirements:

  • Length: Approximately 200 words
  • Be sure to proofread—grammar and spelling count!
  • Science Communicator Example
  • What is the example of science or environmental communication you’ve chosen?,

  • What background or context is needed to understand it?,

  • Why did you select this example?,

  • Who is the target audience?,

  • Is it effective or ineffective and how could it be improved?

  • Post (~200 words):
    In this short but impactful TED Talk, Joe Smith, a former attorney and environmental advocate, explains how to properly use a paper towel to reduce waste. The video, less than five minutes long, offers a simple message: most people overuse paper towels, and by using just one—correctly—you can help conserve millions of pounds of paper annually.

    I selected this talk because it’s a brilliant example of how small, everyday actions connect to broader environmental issues. Smith uses humor, props, and repetition (“shake and fold!”) to keep the audience engaged, making an often overlooked issue memorable. It’s a clear demonstration of effective science communication—delivering environmental information in a way that is accessible, actionable, and easy to remember.

    The target audience is the general public, especially those unaware of how small habits contribute to environmental problems. Because the talk is short, engaging, and practical, it is perfect for students, families, and office workers alike.

June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025

Disaster Risks in Dream Location

In the first discussion I asked you about the place you most wish to live. Over this semester we have learned about the many disasters that occur on our planet. In this paper you are to research what disasters could occur in the place you want to live. Usually, every location has one big disaster that will be the focus of your paper, but you should also include any other possible disasters. Determine what are the immediate dangers and the long-term dangers you will need to be prepared for. Once you know what the dangers are you can then prepare for them, so list your preparations to live happily in your most desired location.

Disaster Risks in Dream Location

Disaster Risks in Dream Location

· Brief description of the location you mentioned in your first discussion

· Biggest disaster and dangers

· All other possible disasters and dangers

· How to best prepare for the disaster

Grading

80% of your grade is on the content of your paper.

What you include, what you researched, what you say. All of this must be evident in your writing.

Be organized in your thoughts. The paper may not be long enough to follow the standard format of intro, body, and conclusion, but it still should not be all over the place.

This is a college level class and I expect your paper to be at the same level.

20% of your grade is based on spelling and grammar.

I expect you to write a college level paper and that includes more than content.

The greatest paper in the world is useless if no one can make sense of it.

I expect you to follow the rules of the English language.

Avoid using “I” unless necessary.

Write in complete sentences. Avoid run-on sentences.

Use proper spelling, no shorthand or texting patterns.

  • What is the location you most wish to live in?,

  • What is the biggest disaster threat in that location?,

  • What are the other possible disasters in that location?,

  • What are the immediate and long-term dangers of these disasters?,

  • How can you best prepare to live safely and happily there?

Disaster Risks in Dream Location

June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025

Capital Budgeting Analysis

create a PowerPoint presentation for a forecasting scenario for Deere & Company using the financial statements in this week’s Required Resources and two outside scholarly or credible sources.

John Deere. (n.d.). Investor relations: SEC filings Links to an external site. https://investor.deere.com/sec-filings/default.aspx. Download the quarterly reports (10Q)

Capital Budgeting Analysis

In your presentation, you must

· list the criteria used to evaluate how cash flows influence capital budgeting decisions,

· identify at least five criteria necessary for making a good capital budgeting recommendation, and

· explain the rationale for considering these criteria before making a recommendation.

The Capital Budgeting PowerPoint Presentation, must be eight to 10 slides in length (not including title and references slides) and formatted according to APA Style.

must include a separate title [page or slide] with the following in title case:

title of presentation in bold font

Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.

student’s name

name of institution

course name and number

instructor’s name

Capital Budgeting Analysis

must utilize academic voice.

must use at least two outside scholarly or credible sources in addition to the course text.

 

  • What criteria are used to evaluate how cash flows influence capital budgeting decisions?,

  • What are five key criteria for making a good capital budgeting recommendation?,

  • Why is each criterion important to consider before making a recommendation?,

  • How should forecasting be approached for Deere & Company using their 10-Q statements?,

  • What academic sources support capital budgeting best practices?

Original work only. The paper will be checked by the institution for Plagiarism.

A screenshot of a document  AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Capital Budgeting Analysis

Slide 3: Criteria for Evaluating Cash Flows

  • Initial Outlay: Upfront investment required.

  • Net Cash Flows: Expected inflows/outflows from the project.

  • Terminal Value: Expected salvage value or final year cash flows.

  • Risk Adjustments: Accounting for uncertainties in projections.

  • Time Value of Money (TVM): Ensures proper present value calculations.
    (Ross et al., 2022)


Slide 4: Five Key Capital Budgeting Criteria

  1. Net Present Value (NPV) – Measures value creation.

  2. Internal Rate of Return (IRR) – Identifies profitability through return rate.

  3. Payback Period – Evaluates how fast investment is recovered.

  4. Profitability Index (PI) – Compares value created per dollar invested.

  5. Accounting Rate of Return (ARR) – Gauges efficiency via income-based return.


Slide 5: Rationale Behind Each Criterion

  • NPV: Accounts for TVM and directly measures added value.

  • IRR: Useful for comparing projects with similar scale.

  • Payback Period: Indicates liquidity risk and short-term recovery.

  • PI: Helps rank multiple projects under capital constraints.

  • ARR: Simple and based on accounting profits, used in preliminary analysis.
    (Brealey, Myers, & Allen, 2020)


Slide 6: Applying Capital Budgeting to Deere & Company

  • Analyzed 10-Q filings (Q1 2025) to identify investment opportunities.

  • Evaluated capital expenditure trends and earnings forecasts.

  • Focused on machinery segment expansion given strong

June 20, 2025

TouchWell Storefront Presentation Analysis

read and analyze “Real-Life Research – TouchWell Storefront Concept and Naming Research,” in your textbook, pp. 359-365, then address the following questions in a 4 page APA-formatted paper:

TouchWell Storefront Presentation Analysis

1. Comment on the general effectiveness of the presentation. Are the slides easy to understand? Do they effectively convey key information? What suggestions would you make for improving the presentation?

2. Comment on the “overall concept appeal” results. What does this slide convey? Does it provide a clear picture? What changes, if any, would you make in the presentation of this information?

3. Comment on the “naming comparison” results slide. A strong contingent of managers favor the TouchWell Care Café name. What would you say to them? What would be your first choice among the names tested based on the research findings? Second choice? Third choice?

4. How would your recommendations for services to offer differ based on the appeal of service? Likelihood to use service? Which one do you think is more important? 5. What would your recommendations be regarding key characteristics of the centers?

  • Are the presentation slides effective and easy to understand?,

  • What does the “Overall Concept Appeal” slide reveal?,

  • What insights does the “Naming Comparison” slide provide?,

  • Should service offerings be based more on appeal or likelihood of use?,

  • What key characteristics should be prioritized in designing the centers?

TouchWell Storefront Presentation Analysis

Cite six (6) peer-reviewed articles, not including your textbook.

1. Slide Effectiveness and Presentation Quality

The TouchWell Storefront Concept presentation overall is moderately effective in conveying its core ideas. The slide deck is structured clearly, with section titles that allow easy navigation between ideas. However, while the layout is clean and simple, some slides could benefit from improved visual hierarchy and the use of more engaging graphics. The text-heavy nature of a few slides can impede readability, especially when conveying complex data. Simplifying dense slides and incorporating icons or visuals to support key findings would help sustain viewer attention and make the content more accessible.

For example, the slide summarizing respondent feedback could integrate more visual elements like pie charts or infographics, which tend to be more engaging than bullet points. Moreover, using consistent color coding for different data sets throughout the slides would improve cohesion. Finally, transitions between slides could be smoother, with brief context or summaries to reinforce the message.

2. Evaluation of the “Overall Concept Appeal” Slide

The “Overall Concept Appeal” slide offers valuable insight into how well the audience received the TouchWell concept. This slide quantifies consumer attitudes toward the brand idea, typically using bar or Likert-scale charts. The results reflect a generally favorable perception, but the slide could do more to contextualize why respondents felt the way they did.

The slide would benefit from a brief qualitative summary or a few quoted responses from participants, helping to connect numerical data with actual sentiments. Additionally, segmenting results by demographic (e.g., age or location) might reveal important variations in appeal that could inform targeting strategies.

3. Naming Comparison and Brand Preferences

TouchWell Storefront Presentation Analysis

The “Naming Comparison” slide reveals that while several names were tested, a significant portion of managers prefers “TouchWell Care Café.” However, the research shows other names may test better in terms of consumer resonance. If I were addressing these managers, I would remind them that branding decisions should be consumer-driven. A name that resonates with customers will likely yield stronge

June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025

Renaissance and Its Key Figures

Define the term “Renaissance,” and explain why that period in Western history is referred to as such.  Identify some of the major figures (at least three) associated with the Renaissance, and discuss their contributions to history.

Renaissance and Its Key Figures

When answering the question, please be sure to document your sources (even if you just use the textbook), using the format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) you’re most familiar with.  Because the Discussion Board is somewhat informal, you’re free to use the style you’re most accustomed to using when documenting sources.  Additionally, please work to answer the question using YOUR OWN WORDS as much as possible.  Occasionally using direct quotations from the textbook is okay/acceptable, but most of your answer should be written in your own words (use of AI is NOT permitted).  It’s really not your own work if you just copy your answer from the textbook (or other sources), even if you use quotation marks and citations, and will thus be scored accordingly.  

  1. What is the definition of the term “Renaissance”?,

  2. Why is this historical period referred to as a “rebirth”?,

  3. Who are three major figures of the Renaissance?,

  4. What contributions did these individuals make to history?,

  5. Why is understanding the Renaissance important to Western history?

Renaissance and Its Key Figures

The term “Renaissance” comes from the French word meaning rebirth. It refers to the cultural, intellectual, and artistic revival that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread across Europe over the next two centuries. This period is called a “rebirth” because it marked a renewed interest in the classical learning and achievements of ancient Greece and Rome after the relative stagnation of the Middle Ages. It was a time when scholars, artists, and thinkers began to value human experience, individual achievement, and the study of the humanities — subjects like literature, philosophy, and history — which came to be known as studia humanitatis (Brotton, 2006).

The Renaissance was not just about art; it also included advances in science, politics, literature, and education. It fostered a new spirit of inquiry, secularism, and humanism — the belief that humans have value and potential and can shape their world through reason and creativity (Hunt et al., 2013).


Major Figures of the Renaissance and Their Contributions

1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
Leonardo is often considered the ultimate “Renaissance man” because of his vast talents in art, science, engineering, and anatomy. He is best known for paintings such as The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, which display masterful use of perspective and human emotion. But Leonardo also sketched designs for inventions like flying machines and tanks, showing his keen interest in how the world worked. His notebooks combine scientific observation and artistic imagination, capturing the Renaissance ideal of combining art and science (Kemp, 2006).

Renaissance and Its Key Figures

June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025

Progressive Era Legacy

Prepare a PowerPoint Presentation on the Legacy of the Progressive Era. Using resources from the Topic 6 Readings, including your textbook, materials provided by your instructor through class discussion, and materials from the GCU Library Guide for HIS-144 US History Themes, prepare your PowerPoint with the following areas of focus: Regulation of Business, Greater Democracy, Conservationism, the Rise of Professionalism, and Prohibition. The PowerPoint should be five to six slides (a minimum of one for each area) and include slide notes of 100-200 words for each. Additionally, include a title, introduction, and reference slide(s), which do not count toward the five to six slide totals. Each response should show good writing mechanics, grammar, formatting, and proper citations at the end of each question/response.

  1. Progressive Era LegacyWhat was the impact of Progressive Era business regulation?

  2. How did the Progressive Era expand democracy?,

  3. What role did conservationism play in this period?,

  4. How did professionalism rise during the Progressive Era?,

  5. What were the causes and consequences of Prohibition?

Progressive Era Legacy

  • Early 20th-century movement

  • Aimed to address problems of industrialization, urbanization, and corruption

  • Lasting influence on American governance and society

Slide Notes (100–200 words):
The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s) was a time of widespread social, political, and economic reform in response to the excesses of the Gilded Age. Progressives sought to use government action to correct injustices and improve the lives of average Americans. The movement tackled issues such as monopolistic business practices, poor working conditions, political corruption, environmental degradation, and social vices. Reformers included journalists, politicians, middle-class citizens, and emerging professionals. Their work resulted in major shifts in how American society functioned, setting precedents for future reform movements. This presentation explores five key areas influenced by the Progressive Era: the regulation of business, expansion of democracy, conservationism, professionalism, and Prohibition.


🟦 Slide 3: Regulation of Business

Slide Text:

  • Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) & Clayton Act (1914)

  • Creation of FTC in 1914

  • Breakup of monopolies (e.g., Standard Oil)

Slide Notes:
One of the hallmark achievements of the Progressive Era was the regulation of big business. Progressive reformers viewed unchecked corporate power as a threat to democratic governance and fair competition. Antitrust legislation like the Sherman Act and later the Clayton Act was designed to dismantle monopolies and prevent abusive practices. President Theodore Roosevelt, known as a “trust buster,” actively pursued cases against large corporations such as Standard Oil and Northern Securities. The creation of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) institutionalized federal oversight of trade practices, protecting consumers and promoting fair competition. These efforts set the foundation for modern regulatory frameworks in the U.S. economy.

Progressive Era Legacy

June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025

Role of Government Debate

) What should the role of government be: A positive good or a necessary evil?  Why?

Paper Assignments:

Role of Government Debate

A) Paper has to be 3 – 4 pages long

B) It has to be double space and one-inch margins on all sides

C) It has to be typed in Times New Roman Font (12)

D) Written in MLA format and it must contain a separate Works Cited page. Needs to have at least 4 citations from 4 different reputable sources within your paper.

E) No Wikipedia is allowed.

F) You must provide statistical and/or specific current or historical events or facts to augment your thesis.

  • Is the government a positive good or a necessary evil and why?,

  • What arguments support the opposing view of your chosen stance?,

  • What are the main arguments supporting your chosen position?,

  • What historical or current events support your position?,

  • What reputable sources can be used to support your claims?

 

Role of Government Debate

In the first paragraph you must include the one you choose if it’s a positive good /or necessary evil.

The arguments of both must be included, but focus and stating facts more on the side you choose

IMPORTANT: MLA format

MLA Format | Position: Government as a Positive Good

Thesis Statement: Government should be viewed as a positive good because it safeguards individual rights, provides essential services, maintains social order, and enables societal progress through collective action.


Introduction

Debates over the role of government have persisted since the founding of democratic societies. Some regard it as a “necessary evil”—a force that must be limited to prevent tyranny—while others see it as a “positive good,” necessary to promote justice and protect public welfare. I argue that government is a positive good. Though it can be misused, the government plays a vital role in ensuring social cohesion, enabling economic development, and defending citizens’ rights. This essay will examine both perspectives but focus primarily on why the government is essential for a functioning and just society.


Arguments for Government as a Necessary Evil

Those who argue that government is a necessary evil often cite the risk of government overreach and loss of personal freedom. This view, most famously associated with Thomas Paine and many American Founding Fathers, emphasizes the idea that while some government is necessary to avoid chaos, it should be strictly limited. They argue that centralized power, unchecked, leads to tyranny. Historical examples, such as the British monarchy’s abuses before the American Revolution or the surveillance practices of authoritarian regimes like North Korea, fuel this concern (Paine, Common Sense).

Additionally, some libertarian thinkers argue that government interference in markets and personal lives hinders innovation and freedom, preferring voluntary action and minimal regulation (Nozick 98). These fears are not baseless, but they assume an idealized vision of self-governance that often fails in complex, modern societies.


Arguments for Government as a Positive Good

Viewing government as a positive good acknowledges its essential role in protecting individual rights and promoting the common good. Governments establish and uphold laws that protect citizens from violence, fraud, and exploitation. For instance, civil rights legislation in the 1960s—such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964—would not have occurred without strong federal government action (U.S. National Archives). Left to private or state actors alone, systemic discrimination likely would have continued unchecked.

Moreover, modern governments provide critical services such as public education, healthcare, infrastructure, and disaster response. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, government-led initiatives such as vaccine distribution, stimulus aid, and public health guidance saved millions of lives (CDC, 2021). These collective efforts illustrate the scale of organization and resources only government can marshal effectively.

Historically, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression showcased how government could be a force for economic recovery, job creation, and social stability (Kennedy 57). Programs like Social Security, established in 1935, continue to support millions of elderly and disabled Americans today.


Balancing Power with Accountability

Proponents of limited government are correct to demand transparency and accountability—but these principles are not incompatible with strong governance. Rather, they are features of well-designed democratic institutions. Effective governments function with checks and balances, such as independent courts, free press, and civil society participation. These mechanisms are not only protections against abuse but tools that strengthen government legitimacy and responsiveness (Dahl 115).

June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025

Translating National Purpose

Essay #1: Using our INTR 3200-PSCI 6630 Strategy Formulation Graphic, explain why it is essential for a national security policymaker to understand all of the aspects that translate National Purpose into Strategic Vision.

Translating National Purpose

Translating National Purpose

The goal is for you to author an appropriately researched and formatted argumentative essay that answers the question posed in the assignment. Each essay is to be about 2000 words. Footnotes or endnotes are required; Author-Date In-text Citations must include page numbers. e.g. (Smith, 154). The content is to be typed, double-spaced, in font 12. The assignment must have appropriate footnotes or endnotes in Chicago (preferred), APA, or MLA style documentation. A bibliography is required. Ensure your PDF version correctly displays your footnotes or endnotes after converting to PDF. The cover page, endnotes, and bibliography (if used) do not count in the word count. The naming convention for the PDF file is lastnamePSCI6630essay#.pdf (the last name being the student’s last name and Essay # being, e.g., Essay#1, Essay#2, etc.) All submissions must include the student’s name, course number, and title on the cover page.

Guidelines for Grading Your Essays: The highest grades will go to appropriately structured essays that accomplish the following: 1) substantively answers the question (60% of the grade); 2) correctly uses concepts and terminology from the class (20% of the grade); 3) is grammatically correct and error-free (10% of the grade). Following these submission directions precisely is worth 10% of the grade.

Translating National Purpose

  • Why must national security policymakers understand all aspects from National Purpose to Strategic Vision?,

  • What is the significance of the Strategy Formulation Graphic in national strategy development,

  • How does National Purpose inform National Interests and Objectives?,

  • What role do Ends, Ways, and Means play in strategic vision formulation?,

  • How can misunderstanding this process lead to ineffective or misaligned national security policy?

  • How can misunderstanding this process lead to ineffective or misaligned national security policy?