Data Validation and Verification Essay Example for Free

Data Validation and Verification Essay Computers can produce inaccurate results only if the data inputted is incorrect. If an input is scanned in by a computer this reduces the risk of errors. In my system it is important that all the data is accurate as well as correct. There are two main ways of achieving this. These are Verification and Validation. Verification allows me to ensure that the data entered into my system is correct. This is important since when a new patient comes to join I will need to collect the correct information. As for validation, this will be useful so you can set various checks and limit the mistakes in the data. Verification By verifying what the computer comes up with you can reduce errors, like if you are at a catalogue shop and you tell the person behind the till a number and it comes up with an item. This item is then checked with the customer to check that it is the right item. The item is then sent down from their storage floor and is again verified that it is indeed the correct item. This constant verification greatly reduces errors I will need to use verification in two scenarios. These are booking an appointment in either person or on phone and when a new patient joins. I will deal with these two situations separately, firstly with booking appointments. In booking an appointment either on the phone or in person I will need to collect the following information. * Patient Number * Patient Name and Surname * D.O.B * Time and date of appointment I asking for the patients number will verify the above. When I have collected this I would have to ask a number of questions, such as the patients address or D.O.B to verify that this is the right person and no one is trying to make a hoax. Once I have got all his or hers details and allocated them a GP, I will check the data over again to confirm that its all correct. This will all be inserted directly into the system. When a patient calls over the phone I will use the same method of asking their Patient Number than asking a question such as their D.O.B to see if its the right person. Again once I have enough information to confirm that this isnt a hoax I will allocate them a GP, and check the data over again to confirm that it is correct. In this case the data would also be input directly into the system. When a new patient comes depending on how busy the surgery will depend what data entry method I would use. If it were busy then I would issue the person a paper-based copy of the Patients form for them to fill out. Once they had finished it I would ask them to check over it to confirm that all the information is correct. If the surgery wasnt busy then I would instead ask them the question in the intend that they can answer the questions for me to put the answers directly in the online system. Once all the questions had been asked I would then go over the answers once more to confirm everything is correct. This is how verification will be used in my system. Validation Validation is the process of detecting any data that is inaccurate, incomplete or unreasonable. A computer programme performs validation. Validation programmes will perform some or all of the following checks Character type checks Character checks to make sure that the right type of characters have been entered such as characters where there should be characters and numbers where there should be numbers Range checks That a value entered is in the right range e.g. 18 is not a valid age for a pension Hash Totals This will check that the values on something like an invoice have been keyed in correctly the hash total has no real meaning as a number Control total A control total is like a hash total except the total has a meaning like the cost of something Check digits When a number is directly inputted to a computer there will be errors and check digits are a way around this we call barcodes International Standard Book Number or ISBN Spelling checkers Any software with words in it should have a spell checking function Length checks Sometimes a certain item of information should always be a certain number of characters, then the length checker will alert you that the values are incorrect Types of Errors There are two main types of errors these are: Transcription errors Misreading or misunderstanding data causes these, this could be caused by bad handwriting or confusing handwriting for example where the letter s looks like the number 5. Transposition errors These errors occur where two digits or letters are swapped around as if you are working at high speed you dont always look at the screen so it is common to type ot instead of to or 5124 instead of 5214 about 70% of all errors are transposition errors. Within my system I have used Validation to hopefully enhance it and limit mistakes. 1. Here you can see that I have used validation to limit the number of characters that can be inputted into the surname. 2. Here I have used a data type filter so no numbers can be inserted in to the patients surname. This doesnt stop mistakes but will limit the mistakes within my system. 3. Here I have used an input mask this is so you automatically put a capital in the beginning of a surname. This rectifies the mistake of forgetting to put a capital at the start of a surname. Another, and more accurate method of validation within my system is the use of an input mask. I used a simple type of input mask in 3 above and here is another part in which I have used an input mask. Here you can see another example of an input mask in my system. This one is used for the Postcode. As you can see this input mask reduces mistakes by allowing the first two figures of the Postcode to be capital letters only and the next two numbers only. Then it has an automatic space. The next figure is a number with the remaining two being capital letters. This input mask is a good method of validation since it doesnt allow you to insert letters where numbers are required and vice-versa. It also automatically makes a space within your Postcode. The final method of Validation used in my system is the combo box. With this it only allows for a set number of answers. Of course this can only be used on a field that only has set answers such as sex or title. I have in fact used this on both of the prior mentioned. 1. Firstly I have set the type of control to Combo box. 2. In row source I have then chosen the values that you can select from. As you can see the only values selectable for the title table is Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms and Doctor. This has set up my combo box for use in both my patients form and table as you can see below. The above examples both show the combo box working successfully in my database. This actually limits the mistakes made since it is impossible to but Mr as MMR and Dr as SDFS. It allows is time saving and makes sure that the data isnt unreasonable and incomplete. As you can see the verification and validation methods used in my system enable me to have more accurate data, which is essential within a database of this importance. As the aim of this part of my system was, it allows me to ensure that the data input into my system is correct.

The Great Departure :: Great Departure Essays

The Great Departure Daniel Smith’s, The Great Departure illustrates very well the United State’s evolution from a traditionally isolationist nation to an interventionist nation. WWI literally dragged the U.S. out of its isolationist shell and placed the U.S. at the forefront of international politics. The pressure to join WWI was resisted greatly by the Wilson administration and the country as a whole. Smith does an excellent job at presenting the factors that influenced the U.S. to enter the war and at conveying the mind set of American leaders during this time and the issues they faced pertaining to the war. The author illustrates the factors of interest or the eventual causes involvement in WWI in chapters II, III, IV. He offers good points to the issues and now I would like to discuss some of the issues he has mentioned. Propaganda was a tool used by Germany and the allies to influence the U.S., whether that propaganda was used to keep the U.S. out of the war or to try and draw the U.S . into the war makes no real difference. The extent of propaganda in the U.S. is shown by the Dr. Albert’s briefcase affair and the German execution of Nurse Edith Cavell and other atrocities of war carried out by either side. The author, while recognizing the importance of these propaganda stories and the heterogeneous culture of the U.S., underestimates the actual impact on public sentiment it actually had I feel. The U.S., "the great melting pot" had an enormous immigrant population, to underestimate the effect of propaganda on a population that had close personal ties to their homeland, and their ability to influence the actions of government in a democratic republic is a mistake. President Wilson was operating under this assumption that the people would influence the government when he neglected to accept any of the Senator Lodge’s changes to the peace treaty. While I agree with Smith that this is not the reason the U.S. joined the allies in WWI, I feel the heterogenous makeup of the U.S. population is possibly the major influence the U.S. had to move away from an isolationist state. Balance of Powers was another great factor that influenced the U.S. in its views of WWI. The U.S. and the world had come to rely on the principle of balance of power to ensure peace, security and trade throughout the world, and it was no doubt that a victory by the Central Powers would catapult Germany to superpower status and upset the balance of power in Europe and thus the rest of the world.

Research Proposal †Brief Provisional Title Essay

Brief Provisional Title: To what extent does media reporting, during a two-month period in 2000 contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles. The main aims of the dissertation: It can be suggested amongst academic literature that much of the heightened attacks against paedophiles is media generated, generally the media is perceived as instigators of provoking and motivating heightened anxiety and vigilantes amongst the public domain (refer to Kitzinger, 1999b and Soothill, 1991). Ultimately it can be claimed that tabloid newspapers have led the way in the construction of the personification of paedophiles, often portraying them as ‘perverts’, ‘evil’ and ‘beasts’, reinforcing the public’s beliefs that paedophiles are somewhat a different species apart from ‘ordinary’ people. It can be platitude amongst academic commentators â€Å"that the newsprint media do more than merely reflect social reality† (Greer, 2003, P.44 ), the media can be accused of amplifying a moral panic or even cultivating a mob rule mentality through such conceptualisations. The print media potentially play an active role in criminological theory, too exemplify labelling theory. The labelling theory focuses on the premise that crime and criminal behaviour is a social process, that of the relationship between an individual who is defined as deviant and those who have the power to label such individual as deviant. These general propositions attribute the media as an important factor in such process, thus helping to construct the paedophile with a hate figure identity. The process by which labelling occurs has social and psychological implications on those who are labelled, which in my research is paedophiles. Embedded within such theory exists the belief that such individuals who are labelled are likely to incorporate the label within their self-image and such stigmatisation is likely to affect how they are treated by others in the future. Indeed Spencer, 1999 proclaims that â€Å"where paedophiles are hounded out, they will go underground† (Spencer , 1999, P.178). Such a theory will be applied into my dissertation to attempt to explain whether the labelling of paedophiles by the print media contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles. However throughout my research process there existed an identifiable relationship between the failures of legislation, in accordance to the protection of children and vigilante attacks towards paedophiles, as â€Å"people seem to have lost confidence in the system and have decided to take the law into their own hands† (David, 1997, P.20). But such a relationship will not be acknowledged within my research, as my aim is to examine the way in which paedophiles are represented and labelled through print media reporting. Examining such relationship between legislation and vigilante attacks would inevitably result in me exploring outside the realm of my research question. The central research question I wish to explore is: â€Å"To what extent does media reporting, during a two-month period contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles?† My initial hypothesis is that negative labelling of paedophiles perceived through the print media structure individuals perceptions. There also exists a certain complicity towards the way in which the print media reinforces or contributes people’s actions to act violently towards paedophiles. Reasons for undertaking research: Although I have never worked with sex offenders or with victims who have experienced such abuse, the desire to focus my dissertation on paedophiles originated from the tragic death of Sarah Payne in July 2000 by Roy Whiting, a previous convicted sex offender. What jilted my interest was the profound response of the public and media, which triggered a campaign for the implementation of ‘Sarah’s Law’. Such a campaign resulted in the actions of the Sunday newspaper, the News Of The World publicly naming and shaming convicted paedophiles. To me this is detrimental not only to children but also to paedophiles are they are likely to pose a greater risk to children. A great concern of mine is the way in which paedophiles are stereotypically represented by the media, as it notably feeds the hysteria of public fear and incites such hostility for lynch mob frenzy. Methodology and methods: To investigate the way in which paedophiles are portrayed in the print media and does such portrayal reinforce violent behaviour, I wish to examine both written text and visual images, thus resulting in my methodology consisting of a qualitative approach. My methodology will allow me to explore the ideological themes and stereotypical language embedded within such press report, evaluating whether conceptualisations of the paedophile incite a violent mentality. The source of documentation I wish to analyse in my methodology, will be from national newspapers from the year 2000, such as the News Of The World, The Sun, the Daily Mail and The Guardian, which will consist of a time framework of two months, preferably being the months July and August. I wish to explore these specific months as the newspaper, the News Of The World, in the summer of 2000 undertook such initiative to publicly name and shame convicted paedophiles. Examining newspapers during this period will inevitably provide me with a rich source of information to evaluate and analyse. Due to my study concentrating on a limited time framework and a specific theme it is fair to illustrate that my study will not represent the norm of the print media in relation to the way in which paedophiles are ascribed with such label, my study will only represent a fragment of the print media. However my intentions from my findings is to elucidate the representation of paedophiles within the print media and provide a rigorous analysis concerning the way in which the media militates violent behaviour towards paedophiles. Thus in relation to my research there may exist some difficulties I may encounter these may include, with respect to a paedophile report, me questioning to what extent a report featured in a newspaper is actually valid, which could result in my findings representing a misinterpretation of paedophiles. With respect to resources, I may encounter difficulties in relation to gaining access to newspaper articles from the year 2000. Some articles can be gained from UWCN Library but other articles from newspapers such as the News Of The World and The Sun may result in me researching beyond the UWCN library to libraries such as Cardiff or even paying to order back issues from the internet. Bibliography: David, M. (1997). Child Protection, Moral Outrage or Mob Rule? Community Care. 7 August, PP. 20-21. Greer, C. (2003). Sex Crime And The media, Cornwall: Willan Publishing. Kitzinger, J. (2002). The Ultimate Neighbour Form Hell? Stranger Danger And The Media Framing Paedophiles. In: Jewkes, Y and Letherby, G. Criminology: A reader, London: Sage Publications. McDonald, l. (2001). Sex Offender, The Home Office And the Sunday Papers, Journal of Social Welfare and family Law 23 (1), PP. 103-108. Reiner, R (2002). Media Made Criminality. In: Maguire, M and et-al. The Oxford Handbook Of Criminology, Oxford university press. Thomas, T. (2002). Sex Crime, Sex Offending And Society, Cornwall, Willan publishing. Tierney, J. (1996). Criminology, Theory And Context, England: Longman. White, R and Haines, F. (1996). Crime and Criminology, An Introduction, Oxford University Press.

General Ambrose Burnside in the Civil War

The fourth of nine children, Ambrose Everett Burnside was born to Edghill and Pamela Burnside of Liberty, Indiana on May 23, 1824. His family had moved to Indiana from South Carolina shortly before his birth. As they were members of the Society of Friends, which opposed slavery, they felt they could no longer live in the South. As a young boy, Burnside attended Liberty Seminary until his mothers death in 1841. Cutting short his education, Burnsides father apprenticed him to a local tailor. West Point Learning the trade, Burnside elected to utilize his fathers political connections in 1843, to obtain an appointment to the US Military Academy. He did so despite his pacifist Quaker upbringing. Enrolling at West Point, his classmates included Orlando B. Willcox, Ambrose P. Hill, John Gibbon, Romeyn Ayres, and Henry Heth. While there he proved a middling student and graduated four years later ranked 18th in a class of 38. Commissioned as a brevet second lieutenant, Burnside received an assignment to the 2nd US Artillery. Early Career Sent to Vera Cruz to take part in the Mexican-American War, Burnside joined his regiment but found that the hostilities had largely been concluded. As a result, he and the 2nd US Artillery were assigned to garrison duty in Mexico City. Returning to the United States, Burnside served under Captain Braxton Bragg with the 3rd US Artillery on the Western Frontier. A light artillery unit that served with the cavalry, the 3rd helped protect the routes west. In 1949, Burnside was wounded in the neck during a fight with the Apaches in New Mexico. Two years later, he was promoted to first lieutenant. In 1852, Burnside returned east and assumed command of Fort Adams at Newport, RI. Private Citizen On April 27, 1852, Burnside married Mary Richmond Bishop of Providence, RI. The following year, he resigned his commission from the army (but remained in the Rhode Island Militia) to perfect his design for a breech-loading carbine. This weapon used a special brass cartridge (also designed by Burnside) and did not leak hot gas like many other breech-loading designs of the time. In 1857, Burnsides carbine won a competition at West Point against a multitude of competing designs. Establishing the Burnside Arms Company, Burnside succeeded in obtaining a contract from Secretary of War John B. Floyd to equip the US Army with the weapon. This contract was broken when Floyd was bribed to use another arms maker. Shortly thereafter, Burnside ran for Congress as a Democrat and was defeated in a landslide. His election loss, coupled with a fire at his factory, led to his financial ruin and forced him to sell the patent for his carbine design. The Civil War Begins Moving west, Burnside secured employment as the treasurer of the Illinois Central Railroad. While there, he became friendly with George B. McClellan. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Burnside returned to Rhode Island and raised the 1st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry. Appointed its colonel on May 2, he traveled to Washington, DC with his men and quickly rose to brigade command in the Department of Northeast Virginia. He led the brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, and was criticized for committing his men piecemeal. Following the Union defeat, Burnsides 90-day regiment was mustered out of service and he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 6. After serving in a training capacity with the Army of the Potomac, he was given command of the North Carolina Expeditionary Force at Annapolis, MD. Sailing for North Carolina in January 1862, Burnside won victories at Roanoke Island and New Bern in February and March. For these achievements, he was promoted to major general on March 18. Continuing to expand his position through the late spring of 1862, Burnside was preparing to launch a drive on Goldsborough when he received orders to bring part of his command north to Virginia. Army of the Potomac With the collapse of McClellans Peninsula Campaign in July, President Abraham Lincoln offered Burnside command of the Army of the Potomac. A humble man who understood his limitations, Burnside declined citing a lack of experience. Instead, he retained command of IX Corps which he had led in North Carolina. With the Union defeat at Second Bull Run that August, Burnside was again offered and again declined command of the army. Instead, his corps was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and he was made commander of the armys right wing consisting of IX Corps, now led by Major General Jesse L. Reno, and Major General Joseph Hookers I Corps. Serving under McClellan, Burnsides men took part in the Battle of South Mountain on September 14. In the fighting, I and IX Corps attacked at Turners and Foxs Gaps.   In the fighting, Burnsides men pushed back the Confederates but Reno was killed. Three days later at the Battle of Antietam, McClellan separated Burnsides two corps during the fight with Hookers I Corps ordered to the northern side of the battlefield and IX Corps ordered south. Antietam Assigned to capture a key bridge at the south end of the battlefield, Burnside refused to relinquish his higher authority and issued orders through the new IX Corps commander, Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, despite the fact that the unit was the only one under his direct control. Failing to scout the area for other crossing points, Burnside moved slowly and focused his attack on the bridge which led to increased casualties. Due to his tardiness and the time needed to take the bridge, Burnside was unable to exploit his success once the crossing was taken and his advance was contained by Major General A.P. Hill. Fredericksburg In the wake of Antietam, McClellan was again sacked by Lincoln for failing to pursue General Robert E. Lees retreating army. Turning to Burnside, the president pressured the uncertain general into accepting command of the army on November 7. A week later, he approved Burnsides plan for taking Richmond which called for a rapid movement to Fredericksburg, VA with the goal of getting around Lee. Initiating this plan, Burnsides men beat Lee to Fredericksburg, but squandered their advantage while waiting for pontoons to arrive to facilitate crossing the Rappahannock River. Unwilling to push across local fords, Burnside delayed allowing Lee to arrive and fortify the heights west of the town. On December 13, Burnside assaulted this position during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Repulsed with heavy losses, Burnside offered to resign, but was refused. The next month, he attempted a second offensive which bogged down due to heavy rains. In the wake of the Mud March, Burnside asked that several officers who were openly insubordinate be court-martialed or he would resign. Lincoln elected for the latter and Burnside was replaced with Hooker on January 26, 1863. Department of the Ohio Not wishing to lose Burnside, Lincoln had him re-assigned to IX Corps and placed in command of the Department of the Ohio. In April, Burnside issued the controversial General Order No. 38 which made it a crime to express any opposition to the war. That summer, Burnsides men were key in the defeat and capture of the Confederate raider Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan. Returning to offensive action that fall, Burnside led a successful campaign which captured Knoxville, TN. With the Union defeat at Chickamauga, Burnside was attacked by the Confederate corps of Lieutenant General James Longstreet. A Return East Defeating Longstreet outside Knoxville in late November, Burnside was able aid in the Union victory at Chattanooga by preventing the Confederate corps from reinforcing Braggs army. The following spring, Burnside and IX Corps were brought east to aid in Lieutenant General Ulysses Grants Overland Campaign. Initially reporting directly to Grant as he outranked the Army of the Potomacs commander, Major General George Meade, Burnside fought at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania in May 1864. In both cases he failed to distinguish himself and often was reluctant to fully engage his troops. Failure at the Crater Following the battles at North Anna and Cold Harbor, Burnsides corps entered the siege lines at Petersburg. As the fighting stalemated, men from IX Corps 48th Pennsylvania Infantry proposed digging a mine under the enemy lines and detonating a massive charge to create a gap through which Union troops could attack. Approved by Burnside, Meade, and Grant, the plan went forward. Intending to use a division of specially trained black troops for the assault, Burnside was told hours before the attack to use white troops. The resulting Battle of the Crater was a disaster for which Burnside was blamed and relieved of his command on August 14. Later Life Placed on leave, Burnside never received another command and left the army on April 15, 1865. A simple patriot, Burnside never engaged in the political scheming or backbiting that was common to many commanders of his rank. Well aware of his military limitations, Burnside was repeatedly failed by the army which should never have promoted him command positions. Returning home to Rhode Island, he worked with various railroads and later served as governor and a US senator before dying of angina on September 13, 1881.