Please review the attached documents (will send screenshoy). Write an investigative summary of any three documents in this module. The summaries should be no longer than a paragraph; all three should fit on one single-spaced page (or longer if you choose). Use the format and writing style that are in the various example affidavits that you’ve been reading throughout the semester. Detail and context (the “why it matters”) are usually the most critical. 
HINT: Remember that we want to capture the most interesting data and what relevance it has to the overall investigation. Help the adjudicator “connect the dots” by showing material misstatements, omissions, or contradictory information.

DOCUMENT 1

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Today
via Courier

Hon. Sally Helms-Carter

State of Flux, Inspector General

Dear Inspector General Helms-Carter:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide the required documents under Subpoena 19-MC-29293, specifically regarding the travel imbursements submitted to the County Treasurer by Mr. Ronald Sanders. As you are aware, Mr. Sanders was my campaign manager and helped me win the election several years ago. However, in light of the subpoena and following the review of certain documents and information this date we have provided an official notice of suspension from all duties with the Moore County Government to Mr. Sanders, pending a full investigation by yourself and any other law enforcement.

In addition, due to numerous discrepancies and concerns regarding possible improper conduct, I have asked our Corporation Counsel to retain Larcey, Billups, and Creel, LLP, Counselors at Law, to perform an external investigation of the entire travel reimbursement process. As you know, I believe transparency and action are key elements to a successful government organization. No one is above the law, including those closest to the top. As a way of repairing the potential damage, I am also asking for any management recommendations and analysis that your office can provide, once the criminal investigation portion has concluded.

I hope this letter and the accompanying documents which are responsive to the subpoena can assist your investigation. I remain committed to preserving the integrity of this county government and wish to assist in any way I can. I have also asked Corporation Counsel Robert Samuel to extend to your office any assistance necessary. Thank you again for your assistance in this matter and I look forward to reviewing the final outcome and recommendations.

Yours sincerely,

Philip J. Wilson
Moore County Commissioner

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DOCUMENT 2

48 hours ago
via Hand Delivery Mr. Ronald Sanders
Private and confidential
IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYMENT
Dear Mr. Sanders:
In light of the review of certain documents and information provided by the Flux Office of Inspector General, this letter serves as your official notice of suspension from all duties with the Moore County Government. Due to numerous discrepancies and concerns regarding possible improper conduct, as Corporation Counsel, in consultation with the Moore County Human Resources Division, have determined that your conduct warrants immediate suspension, pending full termination.
Upon receipt of the subpoena duces tecum from the Flux Inspector General regarding possible travel reimbursement fraud, a review was conducted by myself and I have determined, in consultation with County Commissioner Philip J. Wilson, that the conduct appears to be grounds for termination. Moore County Government is committed to transparency and the rule of law, and thus will cooperate fully with the Inspector General’s probe. In addition, the County has retained Larcey, Billups, and Creel, LLP, Counselors at Law, to perform an external investigation of the entire travel reimbursement process.
Ms. Carolyn Simpson, Executive Director for Human Capital, is the point of contact from now on. Any personal effects will be mailed to your home address. You will also be paid your accrued entitlements and outstanding remuneration, including superannuation, up to and including your last day of employment, which will be determined following the conclusion of the investigation.
You are hereby prohibited from accessing any government issued computer networks, buildings, spaces, offices, or other areas owned or controlled by Moore County without prior authorization by myself. Please inform your personal attorney of this fact. They may contact me if they desire to establish any follow-up meetings or to make other arrangements. Please do not hesitate to have them reach out regarding this decision.
Yours sincerely,
Electronically signed Robert E. Samuel, Corp. Counsel

PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THIS LETTER FOR YOUR RECORDS

DOCUMENT 3
1040 Department of the Treasury—Internal Revenue Service (99)
U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Last name
Form
For the year Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2017, or other tax year beginning Your first name and initial
Ronald J.
If a joint return, spouse’s first name and initial
TaraM.
OMB No. 1545-0074 IRS Use Only—Do not write or staple in this space.
 
 
 

, 2017, ending
, 20
Apt. no.
Foreign postal code
See separate instructions.
Your social security number
3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 1
Spouse’s social security number
88 812467 9
? Make sure the SSN(s) above
and on line 6c are correct.
Presidential Election Campaign
Check here if you, or your spouse if filing
jointly, want $3 to go to this fund. Checking a box below will not change your tax or
 

Sanders
Last name
Sanders
 

Home address (number and street). If you have a P.O. box, see instructions.
301 East Hamburg St.
 
 

City, town or post office, state, and ZIP code. If you have a foreign address, also complete spaces below (see instructions).
Saraenden Township,
Foreign country name
Filing Status
Check only one box.
Flux 13338
Foreign province/state/county
 
 
 
 
 
 

1 2 3
Single
Married filing jointly (even if only one had income) Married filing separately. Enter spouse’s SSN above and full name here. ?
4 5
refund. You Spouse Head of household (with qualifying person). (See instructions.)
If the qualifying person is a child but not your dependent, enter this child’s name here. ?
Qualifying widow(er) (see instructions)
 
 
 

Yourself. If someone can claim you as a dependent, do not check box 6a . . . . . Spouse…………. ………. .
6a
Exemptions }
Boxes checked on6aand6b 2 No. of children
on 6c who:
• lived with you 2 • did not live with
you due to divorce
or separation
(see instructions)
Dependents on 6c not entered above
Add numbers on 4 lines above ?
98,575 3015
b
c Dependents:
(2) Dependent’s social security number
(3) Dependent’s relationship to you
(4) ? if child under age 17 qualifying for child tax credit (see instructions)
. . . … . . . .7
. . . . 8a
. . . . 9a
 
 
 

(1) First name
Last name

BarryB.Sanders Ifmorethanfour JessicaF.Sanders
xxxxx 1dd5 Son xxxx x 2f f 9 Daughter

dependents, see instructions and check here ?
Income
Attach Form(s) W-2 here. Also attach Forms W-2G and 1099-R if tax was withheld.
If you did not get a W-2,
see instructions.
Adjusted Gross Income
d Total number of exemptions claimed . . . . . . 7 Wages, salaries, tips, etc. Attach Form(s) W-2 . .
. .. . .
. .. . . . .. . .
8b
. .. . .
 
 
 
 
 
 

. 8a Taxable interest. Attach Schedule B if required . . .

b Tax-exempt interest. Do not include on line 8a . 9a Ordinary dividends. Attach Schedule B if required
. . . .
b Qualifieddividends………..
10 Taxable refunds, credits, or offsets of state and local income
11 Alimonyreceived………… ……… 11
12 Businessincomeor(loss).AttachScheduleCorC-EZ . . . . . . . . . . 12 13 Capital gain or (loss). Attach Schedule D if required. If not required, check here ? 13
14 Othergainsor(losses).AttachForm4797. . . . .
15a IRA distributions . 15a
16a Pensions and annuities 16a
17 Rental real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, trusts, etc. Attach Schedule E 17
18 Farmincomeor(loss).AttachScheduleF. . . . . 19 Unemploymentcompensation…….. 20a Social security benefits 20a
21 Other income. List type and amount
. . . . . . . . . ………
b Taxable amount .
18
19 . . 20b
21 22 Combine the amounts in the far right column for lines 7 through 21. This is your total income ? 22
16,952 118,542
9b
taxes . . . . . . 10
. . . . . . . . . 14 b Taxable amount . . . 15b b Taxable amount . . . 16b
 
 

23 Educatorexpenses……….. 23 24 Certain business expenses of reservists, performing artists, and
fee-basis government officials. Attach Form 2106 or 2106-EZ 24
25 Health savings account deduction. Attach Form 8889 . 25 26 Moving expenses. Attach Form 3903 . . . . . . 26 27 Deductible part of self-employment tax. Attach Schedule SE . 27
28 Self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plans .
.
28 29 30 31a 32 33
29 Self-employed health insurance deduction
30 Penalty on early withdrawal of savings . .
31a Alimony paid b Recipient’s SSN ?
32 IRAdeduction………….
33 Student loan interest deduction . . . . . . . .
34 Tuition and fees. Attach Form 8917 . . . .
35 Domestic production activities deduction. Attach Form 8903 35
.
37 Subtract line 36 from line 22. This is your adjusted gross income . . . . .
36 Addlines23through35……….
……… 36 ? 37
118,542
. . . . . . . .
. 34
 
 
 
 
 

For Disclosure, Privacy Act, and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see separate instructions.
Cat. No. 11320B
Form 1040
(YR-3)
 
 

 
 
 

Form 1040 (YR-03)
 
 
 
 
 
 

40
41 42
.
.
40
43
12,700
Amount from line 37 (adjusted gross income) . . . . .
Check
if: {
If your spouse itemizes on a separate return or you were a dual-status alien, check here ?
Itemized deductions (from Schedule A) or your standard deduction (see left margin) Subtractline40fromline38………. ……… 41 Exemptions. If line 38 is $156,900 or less, multiply $4,050 by the number on line 6d. Otherwise, see instructions 42
You were born before January 2, 1953, Spouse was born before January 2, 1953,
Blind. } Total boxes Blind. checked ? 39a
………
 
 

39b
Page 2

Tax and
Credits
Standard
Deduction
for—
• People who
check any box on line
39a or 39b or who can be
claimed as a dependent, see instructions.
• All others:
Single or
Married filing separately, $6,350
Married filing jointly or Qualifying widow(er), $12,700
Head of household, $9,350
Other Taxes
Payments
If you have a
qualifying child, attach
Schedule EIC.
Refund
Direct deposit? ?
See instructions.
Amount
You Owe
Third Party Designee
Sign Here
Joint return? See instructions. Keep a copy for
your records.
Paid
Preparer Use Only
38 39a
b
43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60a
b 61
62 63 64 65 66a
b 67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75 76a
38
 
 

Taxable income. Subtract line 42 from line 41. If line 42 is more than line 41, enter -0- . Tax (see instructions). Check if any from: a Form(s) 8814 b Form 4972 c
. .

Alternative minimum tax (see instructions). Attach Form 6251 Excess advance premium tax credit repayment. Attach Form 8962 .
. . . . .
….
44 . 45 46 .. .. ? 47
Addlines44,45,and46 ……….. Foreign tax credit. Attach Form 1116 if required . . . . Credit for child and dependent care expenses. Attach Form 2441 Education credits from Form 8863, line 19 . . . . . Retirement savings contributions credit. Attach Form 8880
Child tax credit. Attach Schedule 8812, if required .
.
.
.
Residential energy credits. Attach Form 5695 . Other credits from Form: a 3800 b 8801
.
.
c
Add lines 48 through 54. These are your total credits . . .
… .. …
…. . .. ..
…. . 8919 .
. 55 ? 56 . 57 . 58 59 . 60a
. …. . …

                                                     48
                                                    49
                                                    50
                                                    51
                                                    52
                                                    53
                                                    54

Subtract line 55 from line 47. If line 55 is more than line 47, enter -0- Self-employment tax. Attach Schedule SE . . . . . .
 
 
 
 
 
 

Unreported social security and Medicare tax from Form:
Additional tax on IRAs, other qualified retirement plans, etc. Attach Form 5329 if required . . HouseholdemploymenttaxesfromScheduleH . . . . . . . . . . . . . First-time homebuyer credit repayment. Attach Form 5405 if required . . . . . . . .
Health care: individual responsibility (see instructions) Full-year coverage . . Taxes from: a Form 8959 b Form 8960 c Instructions; enter code(s)
a 4137
b
60b . 61 62 . . . . . . . . ? 63

. .
 

Addlines56through62.Thisisyourtotaltax . . . . .
Federal income tax withheld from Forms W-2 and 1099 . .
2017 estimated tax payments and amount applied from 2016 return 65
 
 

Earnedincomecredit(EIC) . . . . . . . . . . Nontaxable combat pay election 66b
Additional child tax credit. Attach Schedule 8812 . . American opportunity credit from Form 8863, line 8 .
. . . .
. .
. . 67 . 68 69 . 70 . 71 . 72 73
Net premium tax credit. Attach Form 8962 . . .
Amount paid with request for extension to file .
Excess social security and tier 1 RRTA tax withheld
Credit for federal tax on fuels. Attach Form 4136
Credits from Form: a 2439 b Reserved c 8885
Add lines 64, 65, 66a, and 67 through 73. These are your total payments .
If line 74 is more than line 63, subtract line 63 from line 74. This is the amount you overpaid Amount of line 75 you want refunded to you. If Form 8888 is attached, check here . ?
. .
.
.
d
. .
. .
64 66a
15,044
 
 
 
 
 

. .
. .
? 74 75
76a
? 78
 
 
 

Routing number 4 3 5 4 9 9 ? c Type: Checking Savings Amount of line 75 you want applied to your 2018 estimated tax ? 77
20,195
No
b
? dAccountnumber 1231112 3 15589 941 0

77 78 79
Amount you owe. Subtract line 74 from line 63. For details on how to pay, see instructions
Estimated tax penalty (see instructions) . . . . . . . 79
Do you want to allow another person to discuss this return with the IRS (see instructions)?
 
 
 
 
 

Yes. Complete below. Designee’s Phone Personal identification
name ? no. ? number (PIN) ?
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, and accurately list all amounts and sources of income I received during the tax year. Declaration of preparer (other than taxpayer) is based on all information of which preparer has any knowledge.
Your signature Date
 

Spouse’s signature. If a joint return, both must sign.
Your occupation
Government Official
Date 
 
Spouse’s occupation
Household Engineer
Date
Daytime phone number
If the IRS sent you an Identity Protection PIN, enter it
here (see inst.

OverviewActivityDue DateFormatGrading PercentHealth and Wellness Jobs and Career GoalsDay 3(1st Post)Discussion Forum4Certifications and Professional OrganizationsDay 3(1st Post)Discussion Forum4Corporate Wellness Question and Answer AssignmentDay 7Assignment14Learning OutcomesThis week students will:Analyze job opportunities in the health and wellness field.Evaluate the importance of joining a professional organization.Evaluate the importance of obtaining relevant certifications and credentials.Assess corporate wellness programs and their effectiveness.IntroductionCongratulations on making it to Week 3 in HWE 498! This week focuses on your specific career goals and available job opportunities in the health and wellness arena. You will have a chance to research specific jobs of interest to you and examine the relating job requirements and benefits. In addition, professional organizations and certifications will be discussed and their respective benefits will be evaluated. Lastly, you will get an opportunity to analyze corporate wellness programs and some of the essential components entailed in such initiatives. The effectiveness of corporate wellness programs will be assessed via the examination of a case study.Required ResourcesArticlesAnderko, L., Roffenbender, J., Goetzel, R., Millard, F., Wildenhause, K., DeSantis, C., & Novelli, W. (2012). Promoting prevention through the Affordable Care Act: Workplace Wellness (Links to an external site.). Preventing Chronic Disease, 9 (E175). https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.120092This article discusses improving health and wellness at the workplace through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).Accessibility Statement does not exist. This article will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)RAND Corporation (2013). Workplace wellness programs study (Links to an external site.). Rand Health Quarterly, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/pubs/periodicals/health-quarte…This report discusses the characteristics and impacts of worksite wellness programs as well as the effects on employee health and healthcare costs. Case studies and relevant examples are included in this report, along with data on effectiveness. This article will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Accessibility Statement does not existPrivacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Scholnik, J. (2013, September). 5 benefits of joining a professional association (Links to an external site.). USA Today. Retrieved from http://college.usatoday.com/2013/09/19/5-benefits-…This author discusses five benefits of joining a professional organization. The article is targeted toward students. This article will assist you in the Certifications and Professional Organizations Discussion this week.Accessibility Statement does not exist.Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)MultimediaDonohue, D. (2014, March 11). Safeway – Corporate wellness initiative (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from This video highlights wellness initiatives taken by Safeway. Data on the wellness program and its impacts on employee health are included. This media will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Web PagesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). Essential elements of effective workplace programs and policies for improving worker health and wellbeing (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/essentials.htmlThis website entails a comprehensive guide for employers and other professionals who attempt to create effective worksite wellness programs. Relevant components of effective programs are discussed, along with practical recommendations for implementation. This webpage will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Johnson & Johnson. (2018). Our approach in health and wellness (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.jnj.com/jjhwsThis site provides some in insight into Johnson & Johnson’s employee wellness efforts and the effectiveness of such actions. This webpage will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week. Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Johnson & Johnson (2016). Protecting our people (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.jnj.com/caring/protecting-our-peopleThis site highlights current resources and initiatives implemented by Johnson & Johnson for the promotion of health and wellness among its employees. This webpage will assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Recommended ResourcesArticlesCenters for Disease Control. (2017). Healthy communities program (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/healthyco…This handbook, created by the Partnership for Prevention and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, entails specific recommendation for health practitioners and other health and wellness professionals regarding the implementation of effective intervention and health promotion strategies. Specific action guides are included. This webpage may assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Texas Department of State Health Services (n.d.). Cardiovascular health and wellness program (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.wellnessproposals.com/pdfs/tool_kits/wo…This document offers tips when creating specific worksite wellness programs. Worksite policies are addressed and additional tools and resources are included. This webpage may assist you in the Corporate Wellness Question and Answer Assignment this week.WebsitesO*Net OnLine (Links to an external site.). (http://www.onetonline.org/)This website allows users to search for specific occupations and learn more about the typical knowledge, skills, abilities, requirements, and setting of a chosen occupation. This webpage may assist you in the Health and Wellness and Jobs and Career Goals Discussion this week.University of Arizona Global CampusGuidance for HWE 498Health and Wellness CapstoneWeek 4Week 4 OverviewActivityDue DateFormatCover LetterDay 3(1st Post)DiscussionCreating a ResumeDay 5ActivityInterviewingDay 7AssignmentWelcome to your fourth week in this course! This week will be all about you and your career. As part of the discussion forum this week, you will have the opportunity to create a cover letter and share an excerpt with your peers for feedback. In order to land your dream job, you also require a strong resume. In the activity assignment, you will have a chance to create or fine-tune your resume that is tailored toward a specific job posting. The resources and tips in the My Career section of your student portal will help you with the design of this project. Last but not least, you will be able to prepare for a mock interview by practicing your responses to common interview questions. This assignment will help you feel more confident when you are invited for an interview and hopefully land you the job. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your instructor with questions or concerns! Enjoy week 4 and keep the end in mind – you are so very close now!Guidance IntroductionAn interview can be very intimidating since there is much at stake: your dream job. Sitting in front of several people, all staring at you and asking you questions, is something that most people would like to avoid if they could. However, rather than seeing this process as something negative, look at it this way: You and only you can relay all that you have learned and done in the past. You will be able to tell everyone about your achievements, strengths, and character. Additionally, you can personally communicate your interest for the position and the organization, as well as your potential. Your resume has landed you the interview and now it is time to show off your skills. Go for it!Interviewing tipsIt is very important to practice answering interview questions prior to the interview. If you are serious about your job search, which you should be, you need to practice and be prepared. Monster Worldwide (2016) offers the following ten tips to prepare for an interview:1) Research the company- You need to know about the organization you are interviewing with. What does the company do? What services does it offer? What is its mission? This is also important information to help you decide if this is a place where you can be happy working. 2) Dress professional- I don’t care where or what type of job this is, you should always dress professional. I remember going into a job interview when I was in college wearing a business suit. It was only for a part-time factory job to get me through college, but I was astounded at what some of the interviewees were wearing. If you want the job, show them you want it. Dress professional. No excuses.3) Be prepared- When going to the interview, bring along a file of any pertinent information that may help you land the job. Bring along a hard copy of your resume, a portfolio of previous experience, a list of references, and a list of questions to ask the employer.4) Be on time- This means show up 10-15 minutes before the interview is to start. There is no worse way to get off on the wrong foot than to show up late to an interview.5) Be enthusiastic- Whoever you encounter in the building, be courteous and kind. It is important to treat everyone with respect. When you meet the individual who is going to interview you, provide a strong handshake and look the person in the eye.6) Listen- Do not forget to listen to the person interviewing you. This sounds simple, but it can be difficult. I remember when I was on an interview once, I was so nervous about remembering what questions I wanted to ask I kept repeating them over and over in my head, and I was not paying attention to what the interviewer was saying. You can miss a lot of valuable information if you do not listen actively during the interview.7) Answer the question- Think before you respond to a question and be sure that you are answering the question that is being asked and not giving a response that does not pertain to the question.8) Give examples- If you are discussing a time where you resolved a conflict, provide a specific example of what happened and how you dealt with it. Employers want specific examples of specific situations. 9) Ask questions- You should always have 3-4 questions prepared to ask the employer. This shows the employer that you are truly interested in the job. In addition, this gives you an opportunity to find out more about the job.10) Follow up- After the interview, you should follow up with a phone call or email to the person who interviewed you. This provides you with an opportunity to show them that you are still interested and remind them of your talent and skills that match what they are looking for.ConclusionAs you go out to the first, second, or even third job interview, be sure to practice your answers and be able to provide examples. You can find a list of common interview questions on the internet. It is a good idea to go through the types of questions you think you may be asked. Practice answering these questions. Also be sure to allow yourself enough time to arrive before the interview starts. Then just relax and do the best you can to land that new job. Before you know it, you will be off to work every day to your dream job. Good luck!Additional Resources:http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/Interview-Preparation/Practice-Makes-Perfect/article.aspx (Links to an external site.)http://www.olin.edu/sites/default/files/01_skillsandtech.pdf (Links to an external site.)https://careerservices.wayne.edu/behavioralinterviewinfo.pdf (Links to an external site.)http://career-advice.monster.com/salary-benefits/Negotiation-Tips/Salary-Negotiation-Know-How/article.aspx (Links to an external site.)ReferencesMonster Worldwide. (2016). Interviewing tips (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-preparation/ten-interviewing-rules/article.aspxImage ReferenceiStock Images. Retrieved from http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/business-people-w… InterviewingIn order to prepare for an upcoming live interview, it is critical to practice interview techniques and commonly asked questions.Review the Complete a Mock Interview on My Career (Links to an external site.) and the Interview Questions & Tips (Links to an external site.) modules and select seven questions for the purpose of this assignment.Tip: It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with all available questions (and create ideal responses) since each of these could be asked in your interview.Paste your selected seven questions into a PPT presentation format (each question should be on a separate slide).Create your personal responses to your selected questions (be specific and provide examples when applicable). This can be done by taking notes; however, do not paste your responses on the PPT slides as the slides should only include your questions. Instead, you will record your responses as you will see in the next step. Your response to each question should not exceed two minutes.When you feel confident in your responses, record your mock interview session (state your questions and the appropriate responses) via one of the following options: Jing Download Jingor Screencast-O-Matic Download Screencast-O-Matic.Submit the link to your recording on a word document to Waypoint for grading.The Interviewing AssignmentMust be at least seven PPT slides in length (not including title and reference slides), and formatted according to APA style (Links to an external site.), as outlined in the Writing Center.Must include a separate title page with the following:Title of PresentationStudent’s nameCourse name and numberInstructor’s nameDate submittedScholarly sources are not required for this assignment; however, if you use any outside sources, please follow APA citation guidelines, as outlined here (Links to an external site.) and here (Links to an external site.). If applicable, must include a separate reference slide (Links to an external site.) that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center.Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Develop a disaster recovery plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to community services after a disaster. Then, develop and record a 10-12 slide presentation (please refer to the PowerPoint tutorial) of the plan with audio and speaker notes for the Vila Health system, city officials, and the disaster relief team.
As you begin to prepare this assessment, you are encouraged to complete the Disaster Preparedness and Management activity. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment as you think through key issues in disaster preparedness and management in the community or workplace. Completing activities is also a way to demonstrate engagement.
Professional Context
Nurses perform a variety of roles and their responsibilities as health care providers extend to the community. The decisions we make daily and in times of crisis often involve the balancing of human rights with medical necessities, equitable access to services, legal and ethical mandates, and financial constraints. In the event of a major accident or natural disaster, many issues can complicate decisions concerning the needs of an individual or group, including understanding and upholding rights and desires, mediating conflict, and applying established ethical and legal standards of nursing care. As a nurse, you must be knowledgeable about disaster preparedness and recovery to safeguard those in your care. As an advocate, you are also accountable for promoting equitable services and quality care for the diverse community.
Nurses work alongside first responders, other professionals, volunteers, and the health department to safeguard the community. Some concerns during a disaster and recovery period include the possibility of death and infectious disease due to debris and/or contamination of the water, air, food supply, or environment. Various degrees of injury may also occur during disasters, terrorism, and violent conflicts.
To maximize survival, first responders must use a triage system to assign victims according to the severity of their condition/prognosis in order to allocate equitable resources and provide treatment. During infectious disease outbreaks, triage does not take the place of routine clinical triage.
Trace-mapping becomes an important step to interrupting the spread of all infectious diseases to prevent or curtail morbidity and mortality in the community. A vital step in trace-mapping is the identification of the infectious individual or group and isolating or quarantining them. During the trace-mapping process, these individuals are interviewed to identify those who have had close contact with them. Contacts are notified of their potential exposure, testing referrals become paramount, and individuals are connected with appropriate services they might need during the self-quarantine period (CDC, 2020).
An example of such disaster is the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. People who had contact with someone who were in contact with the COVID-19 virus were encouraged to stay home and maintain social distance (at least 6 feet) from others until 14 days after their last exposure to a person with COVID-19. Contacts were required to monitor themselves by checking their temperature twice daily and watching for symptoms of COVID-19 (CDC, 2020). Local, state, and health department guidelines were essential in establishing the recovery phase. Triage Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the case of COVID-19 focused on inpatient and outpatient health care facilities that would be receiving, or preparing to receive, suspected, or confirmed COVID- 19 victims. Controlling droplet transmission through hand washing, social distancing, self-quarantine, PPE, installing barriers, education, and standardized triage algorithm/questionnaires became essential to the triage system (CDC, 2020; WHO, 2020).
This assessment provides an opportunity for you to apply the concepts of emergency preparedness, public health assessment, triage, management, and surveillance after a disaster. You will also focus on evacuation, extended displacement periods, and contact tracing based on the disaster scenario provided.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Analyze health risks and health care needs among distinct populations. 

Describe the determinants of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers that impact safety, health, and disaster recovery efforts in a community.

Competency 2: Propose health promotion strategies to improve the health of populations. 

Present specific, evidence-based strategies to overcome communication barriers and enhance interprofessional collaboration to improve disaster recovery efforts.

Competency 3: Evaluate health policies, based on their ability to achieve desired outcomes. 

Explain how health and governmental policy affect disaster recovery efforts.

Competency 4: Integrate principles of social justice in community health interventions. 

Explain how a proposed disaster recovery plan will lessen health disparities and improve access to community services.

Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly communication strategies to lead health promotion and improve population health. 

Organize content with clear purpose/goals and with relevant and evidence-based sources (published within 5 years).
Slides are easy to read and error free. Detailed audio and speaker notes are provided. Audio is clear, organized, and professionally presented.

Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.
Preparation
When disaster strikes, community members must be protected. A comprehensive recovery plan, guided by the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework, is essential to help ensure everyone’s safety. The unique needs of residents must be assessed to lessen health disparities and improve access to equitable services after a disaster. Recovery efforts depend on the appropriateness of the plan, the extent to which key stakeholders have been prepared, the quality of the trace-mapping, and the allocation of available resources. In a time of cost containment, when personnel and resources may be limited, the needs of residents must be weighed carefully against available resources.
In this assessment, you are a community task force member responsible for developing a disaster recovery plan for the Vila Health community using MAP-IT and trace-mapping, which you will present to city officials and the disaster relief team.
To prepare for the assessment, complete the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario simulation.
In addition, you are encouraged to complete the Disaster Preparedness and Management activity. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment as you think through key issues in disaster preparedness and management in the community or workplace. Completing activities is also a way to demonstrate engagement.
Begin thinking about:

Community needs.
Resources, personnel, budget, and community makeup.
People accountable for implementation of the disaster recovery plan.
Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
A timeline for the recovery effort.

You may also wish to:

Review the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework, which you will use to guide the development of your plan: 

Mobilize collaborative partners.
Assess community needs.
Plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to services.
Implement a plan to reach Healthy People 2020 goals or 2030 objectives.
Track community progress.

Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.

Note: Remember that you can submit all, or a portion of, your draft recovery plan to Smarthinking Tutoringfor feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24-48 hours for receiving feedback.
Note: If you require the use of assistive technology or alternative communication methods to participate in this activity, please contact DisabilityServices@capella.edu to request accommodations.
Instructions
Every 10 years, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion release information on health indicators, public health issues, and current trends. At the end of 2020, Healthy People 2030 was released to provide information for the next 10 years. Healthy People 2030 provides the most updated content when it comes to prioritizing public health issues; however, there are historical contents that offer a better understanding of some topics. Disaster preparedness is addressed in Healthy People 2030, but a more robust understanding of MAP-IT, triage, and recovery efforts is found in Healthy People 2020. For this reason, you will find references to both Healthy People 2020 and Healthy People 2030 in this course.
Complete the following:

Develop a disaster recovery plan for the Vila Health community that will lessen health disparities and improve access to services after a disaster. Refer back to the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario to understand the Vila Health community. 

Assess community needs.
Consider resources, personnel, budget, and community makeup.
Identify the people accountable for implementation of the plan and describe their roles.
Focus on specific Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
Include a timeline for the recovery effort.

Apply the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework to guide the development of your plan: 

Mobilize collaborative partners.
Assess community needs. 

Use the demographic data and specifics related to the disaster to identify the needs of the community and develop a recovery plan. Consider physical, emotional, cultural, and financial needs of the entire community.
Include in your plan the equitable allocation of services for the diverse community.
Apply the triage classification to provide a rationale for those who may have been injured during the train derailment. Provide support for your position.
Include in your plan contact tracing of the homeless, disabled, displaced community members, migrant workers, and those who have hearing impairment or English as a second language in the event of severe tornadoes.

Plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to services.
Implement a plan to reach Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
Track and trace-map community progress. 

Use the CDC’s Contract Tracing Resources for Health Departments as a template to create your contact tracing. 
Describe the plan for contact tracing during the disaster and recovery phase.

Develop a slide presentation of your disaster recovery plan with an audio recording of you presenting your assessment of the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario for city officials and the disaster relief team. Be sure to also include speaker notes.

Presentation Format and Length
You may use Microsoft PowerPoint (preferred) or other suitable presentation software to create your slides and add your voice-over along with speaker notes. If you elect to use an application other than PowerPoint, check with your instructor to avoid potential file compatibility issues.
Be sure that your slide deck includes the following slides:

Title slide. 

Recovery plan title.
Your name.
Date.
Course number and title.

References (at the end of your presentation).

Your slide deck should consist of 10-12 content slides plus title and references slides. Use the speaker’s notes section of each slide to develop your talking points and cite your sources as appropriate. The speaker notes should match your recorded voice-over. Make sure to review the Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial for directions for inserting your speaker notes.
The following resources will help you create and deliver an effective presentation:

Record a Slide Show With Narration and Slide Timings. 

This Microsoft article provides steps for recording slide shows in different versions of PowerPoint, including steps for Windows, Mac, and online.

Microsoft Office Software. 

This Campus page includes tip sheets and tutorials for Microsoft PowerPoint.

PowerPoint Presentations Library Guide. 

This library guide provides links to PowerPoint and other presentation software resources.

SoNHS Professional Presentation Guidelines [PPTX]. 

This presentation, designed especially for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, offers valuable tips and links, and is itself a PowerPoint template that can be used to create a presentation.

Supporting Evidence
Cite at least three credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications within the past 5 years to support your plan.
Graded Requirements
The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide, so be sure to address each point:

Describe the determinants of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers that impact safety, health, and recovery efforts in the community. 

Consider the interrelationships among these factors.

Explain how your proposed disaster recovery plan will lessen health disparities and improve access to community services. 

Consider principles of social justice and cultural sensitivity with respect to ensuring health equity for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.

Explain how health and governmental policy impact disaster recovery efforts. 

Consider the implications for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community of legislation that includes, but is not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA).

Present specific, evidence-based strategies to overcome communication barriers and enhance interprofessional collaboration to improve the disaster recovery effort. 

Consider how your proposed strategies will affect members of the disaster relief team, individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.
Include evidence to support your strategies.

Organize content with clear purpose/goals and with relevant and evidence-based sources (published within 5 years).
Slides are easy to read and error free. Detailed audio and speaker notes are provided. Audio is clear, organized, and professionally presented. 

Develop your presentation with a specific purpose and audience in mind.

1 short paragraph describing the limitations of these findings.  
As you’ve learned in class, descriptive statistics are used to describe and summarize the visible characteristics of a sample and we have practiced using inference and estimation to determine if there are statistically significant differences between our sample statistics and the population parameter. Finally, you have learned how to conduct a t-test and analysis of variance to learn to compare means.   
For this group assignment, you will use univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics, conduct a T-test, interpret p-values and confidence intervals and conduct an ANOVA to describe and summarize features of the Health and Retirement Study. 
Step 1: Select 1 health equity-related question that can be answered with our 2008 (variable names RAND: r8*;  Psychosocial and Lifestyle questionnaire: KLB*) HRS data from the following list: 

Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Life Satisfaction (KLBQ03a-e) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Hopelessness (KLBQ19L-o) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Loneliness (KLBQ19a-c) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Religiosity/Spirituality (KLBQ28a-d) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Perceived Everyday Discrimination (KLBQ30a-e) among older adults? *(items in scale must first be reverse coded)
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Purpose in Life (KLBQ35a-g) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Major Experience of Lifetime Discrimination (KLBQ36a-g) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Life Time Traumas (KLBQ37a-g) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Life Time Traumas before 18 (KLBQ37a-d) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Stressful Life Events (KLBQ38a-f) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Ongoing Chronic Stress (KLBQ40a_a-h) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Anxiety (KLBQ41a-e) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Depression (r8cesd) among older adults?
Are there gender (ragender) and race/ethnic (race4) differences in Chronic Work Discrimination (KLBQ49a-f) among older adults?

Step 2: Identify and recode the variables in the dataset that you will use to answer your chosen question. You’ll begin by determining which are your independent variables and which is your dependent variable, and then finding them in the codebook and the dataset. You will need to follow the instructions in the codebook for the Psychosocial Leave behind Survey to create the scale appropriate for your research question. Note: Some scales will be the sum of the variables in the scale, sum will average across variables to create the scale. Please make sure you note whether you summarized or averaged across the variables in your scale; present an alpha for scales that are averaged).
Independent Variables: Race (a1RACE) & Gender (a1GENDER)
Dependent Variable: Lifetime Traumas (a1_rS_LTT) <- To scale this, we took the sum of the variables.  Step 3: Use univariate descriptive statistics to summarize the characteristics of each of your variables, including the mean, standard deviation, and range for your continuous variables and the frequency and percentages for your categorical variables.    Descriptive Statistics N Range Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation a1_rS_LTT 6941 7.00 .00 7.00 1.2320 1.19247 Valid N (listwise) 6941 Step 4: Use bivariate descriptive statistics to summarize mean gender and race/ethnic differences in your outcome variable.  To do this, you will produce a means table by 1) gender and 2) race/ethnicity using the Compare Means command (include standard deviation, standard error, range). Hint: you should have measures of central tendency and dispersion for men and women separately and for each race/ethnic group separately.  a1_rS_LTT  * ragender: r gender a1_rS_LTT   ragender: r gender Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error of Mean Range 1.male 1.2908 2930 1.22122 .02256 7.00 2.female 1.1890 4011 1.16930 .01846 7.00 Total 1.2320 6941 1.19247 .01431 7.00 a1_rS_LTT  * a1RACE a1_rS_LTT   a1RACE Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error of Mean Range white 1.2260 5535 1.17176 .01575 7.00 black 1.2503 891 1.23761 .04146 7.00 hispanic 1.2641 515 1.32771 .05851 6.00 Total 1.2320 6941 1.19247 .01431 7.00 Step 5: Calculate and interpret a 95% confidence interval around the means for each race/ethnic and gender group and produce a Simple Error Bar graph that shows the means and the 95% confidence intervals around the means for each group (one graph for gender differences; one graph for race differences) Analyze < Descriptive Statistics < Explore < Dependent variable: BMI < Factor List: RACE  < Under Display: select “Statistics” < Statistics  command < Check “Descriptives: Confidence Interval for Mean: 95%” < Continue < OK Graphs < Chart Builder < Choose from: Bar < Simple Error Bar Mean < put race as your x axis (along the bottom) < put BMI as the y axis (along the side) < Errors Bars Represent: Confidence Intervals, Level: 95 < OK Step 6: Conduct an independent sample t?test (two-sample t?test for significance of difference between two means) to determine whether the difference in the mean of your dependent variable between men and women is statistically significant (i.e., different from 0). Reach a conclusion.  **because p-value is <0.001, equal variances are not assumed and we can conclude that there is a significant difference b/t genders and the lifetime traumas that they face** **Note: Be sure to use the “Levene’s Test” p-value/sig to determine if you should “equal variances assumed” or “equal variances not assumed” output.  Step 7: Conduct an ANOVA (F-test for significance of difference between more than two means) to determine whether there are race/ethnic differences in your dependent variable. Interpret the F-value in terms of between/within group differences. What can we conclude about race differences in your dependent variable? **From the ANOVA, based on the p-value of 0.697 (>0.005), we can conclude that there is no significant difference between races and the experience of lifetime traumas**
Step 8: Develop a final product that includes the following: 

Group member names, date, title of the assignment
Your chosen research question from the options above
Original variables included in analysis. Be sure to include the full information on the variables from the codebook, including the survey question that was asked of the participants. You may copy/paste this but it should be formatted like the rest of the document.
Brief description of any re-coding of variables and why you re-coded them that way. Brief description of how you created the scale or count variable that is your outcome/dependent variable.
Brief description of your approach to analysis, including your steps for producing the T-test and F-test. 
Tables, charts, and/or graphs presenting your findings in a way that makes sense and authentically presents what you found (remember what you learned about misleading graphs!). Include a Table that summarizes all the following information in one place:

Gender and race/ethnic differences in (dependent variable) among older adults

n
Mean
SE
CI
T or F value
P-value
(T or F test)
Gender
    Men
2930
1.2908
.02256
1.25 -1.34
8.996
0.003
    Women
4011
1.1890
.01846
1.15 -1.23
8.996
0.003
Race/Ethnicity
    White
5535
1.23
.01575
1.20 – 1.26
0.361
0.697
    Black
892
1.25
.04146
1.17 – 1.33
0.361
0.697
    Hispanic
515
1.26
.05851
1.15 – 1.38
0.361
0.697

1-3 short paragraphs describing what you found, i.e., describing the outcomes/findings of your crosstabs, chi-square 1.33test of independence, T-test and ANOVA.

Based on the results of the T-test, p-value is <0.001, equal variances are not assumed. We can conclude that there is a significant difference between males and females and the reported lifetime trauma that they faced. Based on the  ANOVA testing, there is a P-value of 0.697 which is greater than the significance level 0.05. Therefore, we can conclude that there is no significant difference in mean between race/ethnicity and Lifetime Traumas. Because the results of the ANOVA indicated that there was no significant difference, there was no reason to check the Scheffe test of multiple comparisons; however, reading over did confirm that there was no significant difference between races and lifetime traumas.  1-2 short paragraphs describing the implications of your findings (the “So what?” for public health). Find ONE study in APA format and describe how they support or disprove your findings. In what ways is your study design and sample similar or different from these studies?  According to our findings, trauma does not discriminate by race or ethnicity, but does occur statistically more often to women when compared to men. This is probable because women are more likely to experience lifetime traumas, such as assault, because of perceived vulnerability, in addition to the fact that women are statistically more likely to report these occurrences.  The results should be used to justify a refined study of lifetime traumatic events for women stratified by race. From those results a public health need for women of race or women in general can be assessed and addressed.  In a similar, yet more in depth, lifetime trauma and PTSD research by Roberts et al., from the NESARC (National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions) second wave follow up interviews in the year of 2005, they found different findings than our own. Apart from the prevalence of PTSD development in those exposed to trauma, their findings revealed higher rates of trauma exposure in whites than any other group. 86% of the White subjects had traumatic exposure and 76% for Black, 66% for Asians, and 68% for Hispanic subjects.  The information is found in Table 1 of the research. However, there were strong statistical differences between traumatic exposure origins. For example, the Black ethnicity/race subjects had higher rates of domestic violence exposure and Asians had higher rates of war trauma exposure.  Some differences of the NESARC review from our own study was the sample size of over 34,000 people, compared to our 7030 subjects, accounting for the Asian/ Pacific Isalnder/ Hawaiian/ non-hispanic population, 22 questionnaire screening for traumatic events, and the age group was 18 years and older. The study was further designed to look at the likelihood of developing PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) by race and gender. Furthermore, the research studied the likelihood that different races and genders sought medical treatment for PTSD.  The race ethnic differences study by Roberts, A.L. et al. shows a different disparity of traumatic event exposure of White and Black people being statistically similar to each other but significantly higher than hispanic and asian communities in America. The research doesn’t support our findings of having no relationship of traumatic exposure, but demonstrates a different aspect on where the statistical disparity of traumatic exposure may be present between race and gender. Roberts, A. L., Gilman, S. E., Breslau, J., Breslau, N., & Koenen, K. C. (2011). Race/ethnic differences in exposure to traumatic events, development of post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment-seeking for post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States. Psychological medicine, 41(1), 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291710000401 1 short paragraph describing the limitations of these findings Questionnaire limited. Some traumatic events may have been overlooked because they were not asked.  Some individuals may have declined to answer because they didn’t want to recall or explain/provide info for “when?” - possible fear of reprisal from responses.  No data for other racial/ethnic groups (Native Americans, Asians, etc) Group member contribution statement: 1 paragraph explaining what each group member contributed to the project and product submitted. At least one sentence per group member.  Tory picked the question for the group assignment and he identified the independent variables and dependent variables. Torey did research to find studies similar to the one we worked with here, and provided information on their findings. Madeleine ran SPSS and collected the data for every step, assisted in the interpretation of the findings, and wrote the introduction discussing our variables and the recoding of them. John and Sue helped with the descriptions of the findings of the T-test and ANOVA. We filled out the race/ethnicity difference (variables) tables together. Klara and Lily helped with the limitation of these findings. Step 9: Submit your work as one document in Word or PDF form (no “Pages”) as a group via Canvas.  There should only be one submission per group.  Step 10: Individually provide a review of each group member’s contribution using the provided form on Canvas. Each group member will complete and submit their assessment individually.  Considerations for interpreting your findings:  Differences in health or other outcomes by specific demographics (e.g., race/ethnicity, parental education, age, gender) should not be interpreted to mean that there is anything inherently different about people by demographic factors. Rather, people in different social positions or with different social identities (e.g., male vs. female; Black vs. white vs. Latinx) may have different conditions in their social and physical environments as well as different access to opportunities to be healthy. Be sure to keep this in mind when you interpret your results. Thus, you should focus on the implications of the results for health promotion or health equity, rather than trying to identify a “cause” or specific reasons for what you found. You would need to leverage theory (at a minimum) and ideally longitudinal data to be able to make any concrete statements about why you see what you see in the data. Since we are not asking you to bring in theory or look at changes over time, please do not discuss “causes” of what you find! 

Module 5: Overview: A National Literature
Summary
Module 5 surveys surveys representative texts and writers of the Post-Revolutionary period.
Objectives

Demonstrate critical reading, thinking, and writing skills by analyzing texts and writers from the Post-Revolutionary period;
Identify content, structure, and style in literary texts;
Use literary terminology to analyze works of literature;
Define and provide examples of the literary characteristics of works by American authors from the post-Revolutionary period;
Define and identify the basic characteristics of American Romantic literature
Discuss some recurring themes of American literature.

Readings
Complete the following

Introduction, pp 9-24;Study Sheet 7-1.docx 

Study Sheet 8-1.docx
Washington Irving, pp 25-7:
“Rip van Winkle,” pp 29-41;
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” pp 41-62

“Thanatopsis,” William Cullen Bryant, p 118+
Poems, Lydia Sigourney, pp 106-7:

“Death of an Infant,” p 108;
“To the First Slave Ship,” p 109;
“Indian Names,” p 110;
“Fallen Forests,” p 114

Poems, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, pp 571-2:

“A Psalm of Life,” p 573;
“My Lost Youth,” p 580

John Greenleaf Whittier, p 583-4; “Snow Bound: A Winter Idyll,” pp 587-9
Edgar Allan Poe, pp 604-8:

“The Fall of the House of Usher,” pp 629-42
“Sonnet – To Science,” p 608;
“The Raven,” p 613-5;
“Annabel Lee,” p 619

NOTE: Readings that begin with *** are longer works, and will take more time to complete. Students should plan their reading schedules accordingly!
Assignments
Please complete all of these assignments before the conclusion of Module 5:

Complete all readings
Discussion #5: A National Literature
Challenge Task #5
Writing Assignment #5 
Part 1
A National Literature
Module 5: Discussion #5:    Directions Before beginning your second discussion thread, Review the Discussion Board Expectations in the Syllabus under Course Grading.(1) In this discussion, there are a number of Discussion Prompts listed below. You must respond to TWO of them.

Make your initial post before the Module is halfway over. (As always, please consult the course Calendar where the instructor will list specific due dates.)
Return before the Module closes and respond to at least two classmates’ posts, preferably on the same topics you chose. Continue the conversation with your fellow students.
Students are expected to read what other students have posted.
Students may reply to, or expand upon, points made by other students in the thread.
(2) To earn points:

All posts should average about two paragraphs minimum.  
All posts MUST be significant and substantial contributions that demonstrate your mastery of the readings. If you are not earning full points for discussions, then be sure to review the Instructor comments and the grading rubric.
Remember: a Literature class IS Reading and Discussion…there are no “right” answers to these questions!
GENERAL NOTE: remember…
Discussions are informal, personal responses based on your own reading of a text
Do not “research”websites or repeat the editor’s comments or copy/paste from any outside source: use your own brain
A Literature class IS Reading and Discussion…there are no “right” answers to these questions! 
Discussion #5 Prompts
Discussion Question #1
American Romanticism is the “American” version of European RomanticismAs a Literary style, it includes all of the theoretical elements of European Romanticism, but it differs in some important ways. Review the study sheet on Romanticism and then think about these differences (listed below) we can see in American Romanticism:
Setting: American Romantic literature is set directly in the vast American landscape, and WILD Nature is a looming force just beyond the edges of every story; often Nature itself becomes a “character” in the story, and it almost always presents a level of challenge on its own.
Characters: it is populated with American characters, and the stereotypes and recognizable figures of American folk history and regional culture; reflects a diverse immigrant heritage
Stories: These stories focus on everyday situations common to American Experience and again reflect regional themes
Poems: generally reflect the style and form of European lyric and epic poetry, but with American tropes and symbols
Language: It employs an increasingly “American” English that is very influenced by Journalistic style, but many American works at this time mimic the old-fashioned, “formal” English of the educated and aristocratic English
Idealizes and “romanticizes” Native American culture and literary figures: In European Romance, the symbol of the Romantic ideal is the “innocent child.” In American Romance, the symbol is  the “Noble Savage,” the “natural man” who is closer to Nature than is “modern man,” and is therefore more “natural” and more “spiritual” than is corrupted “western man.”
The Hero is not divinely chosen, and is usually a “reluctant”: in traditional Romance stories, the hero is from the aristocratic class and has, in some way, been divinely chosen; he is superior to other men by birth. In American Romance, the hero is an average man who has risen from his own merit, and he does not actually want to be a hero. Rather, he is forced to act heroically by circumstance or duty.
It reflects regional characteristics: Different storytelling traditions and styles evolve in different areas of the new nation because this was the age before instantaneous communication, and ethnic groups also tended to bunch together, which helped to create “local” traditions reflecting European roots.

New England writers are centered in Massachusetts (called “The Concord Group,” The Transcendentalists)
Northeast writers (The Fireside Poets)
Southern Writers are centered in Richmond
New York Writers (known as the The Knickerbocker Group)
Western Writers (centered first around Chicago, then further west)

Review the study sheet on Romanticism, and read the entry in the glossary. Then, think about the readings. What elements of American Romanticism can you discern in the readings?Here’s a question to explore and reply to…Select one work that you really liked in this Unit and go through: first briefly summarize the work, and then explain the Romantic elements you see. What did you like about the work? After thinking about it, do you believe that any of these works of literature are a NEW kind of literature? Any that reflect the NEW spirit of American society? Are there any works that you think may be new kinds of literature (for the time)? Which?Discussion Question #2
Five Really Important Poets of the 1800sThis Unit we read five really important poets of the 1800’s, all of whom were very influential before the Civil war.Lydia Sigourney is little known today, but in her day she was the most popular woman poet in America. She writes, like Longfellow and Whittier, in the Romantic tradition of poetry, and we can easily see these elements in her poems. In addition, Sigourney continues the “tradition” of contemplative, personal poetry by women in American literary history.Easily the most popular poet of the first part of the 19th century, Longfellow is not very popular today for a number of reasons. One is that his work is not very politically correct by many modern academic standards: his subjects, his attitudes, and his assumptions are not generally shared by many modern thinkers and readers. Another reason for his unpopularity is that his work sometimes is accused of becoming overly sentimental and simplistic, again by modern standards. In reality then, his work is not popular simply because reader’s tastes have changed; readers today don’t value many of the elements that caused his popularity in his day. Still, any survey of American literary history would be incomplete without looking at Longfellow.Similarly, Whittier is also one of the important and popular writers of the early 1800’s who is almost unknown in the modern day, again because of the changing literary tastes of America. However, as the selection in this Unit shows, his interest were very profoundly American and domestic, and his relation of everyday experience gives modern readers a sense of what life was like 200 years ago. Most American readers know Poe and have read his poems, particularly “The Raven,” before. This poem consistently ranks as one of the “American Classics,” but Poe is probably more popular today for his stories. Poe writes traditional “lyric” poems which are most common among the Romantic writers.Finally, there’s Bryant, who is not very well known today at all. But he is not only an important poet of his day, he was also an important classical scholar, and also the leading literary critic of the day. He is an important leaders in the “Young America” movement. In his essays about Literature and Democracy, he argues the need to establish a “new” American literary tradition, one that is separate from the European tradition. He inspired writers and artists (like Whitman) to attempt this feat. Here are some questions to explore and reply to…
Review the study sheet on Romanticism, and read the entry in the Glossary. What elements of Romantic literary tradition can you spot in works by these writers?
Romantic writers view Nature differently than did earlier writers and thinkers. In Romantic thinking, Nature is a source of goodness and purity, and represent innocence. Nature, and that which is “natural” is “better” than that which is “man-made”. Thus, Romantic writers also tended to “idealize” primitive societies, and because they were “closer to nature”. Where can we see these ideas in the poems by these writers? can you find examples?
A person could argue that, in many ways, Sigourney is the most “modern” of all the writers we have looked at so far. In what ways might this claim be true? In which ways would it not hold up?
Discuss how the poem “My Lost Youth,” can be seen as either an honest expression of longing and human emotion or as an overly sentimental and simplistic. Which way do you think about this poem?
Discuss how the poem “A Psalm of Life,” can be viewed as a truthful expression of the writers belief or as a trite repetition of shallow homilies. What do you think of the poem? 
What about the poem, “A Winter Idyll”? What is an “idyll”? In what was does the poem reflect a nostalgic, sentimental, or Romantic view of American life? Explain why
Compare Sigourney’s poetry to that of Bradstreet: what similarities can you notice between them, such as topic or style? In what ways are they different? 
Discussion Question #3
Fiction: Poe and IrvingWashington Irving is often called the first “internationally famous” American writer. American writers of this period lacked copyright protections, so they preferred to be published in England, where copyright law was enforced. So it was not uncommon for American writers to go abroad as minor figures, only to return from Europe famous: it happened to both Irving and Longfellow, and Poe is much more famous in Europe than he is in America.Irving writes humorous stories that poked fun at the conventions of his American society, often employing regional stereotypes to do so. But he also writes within the European tradition of the Folk Tale, and in many ways we can see that his stories take the traditional folk tales and set them in the familiar surroundings of America, but then he changes things around a bit. For instance, one traditional element of the folk tale is that it teaches a moral lesson to the reader (who is usually a child). Irving’s stories don’t quite follow this model, and he is often thought to “complicate the moral lesson” that usually concludes the Tale. That is, the story doesn’t end up “teaching” the lesson you thought it was going to when you started reading it, and maybe it doesn’t even teach ANY lesson at all. What moral lesson, after all, does Rip van Winkle teach, if the story ends where it begins, and nothing has really changed at all?In doing this, Irving stories made his readers laugh and he was very popular because of it, and he wrote regularly for the many new “magazines” and literary journals that were published in the 1800’s. Irving was also part of a “modern” literary and artistic community, the first in US history, known as “The Knickerbockers.” They lived in and around New York City which then, like today, was the center of social and literary society.Poe is arguably the most influential writer in America before the Civil War in the modern day; that is, he is more important to us today, than he was to readers then. He writes squarely within the Romantic tradition of literature, but does so with an innovation and invention that extends into the modern day. Among other things, Poe is credited (by some) to have invented the science fiction story and the detective or mystery story. In addition, his “horror” and “suspense” stories remain at the core of “Gothic” literature. It is tempting to suggest that his work constitutes a NEW American literature because he invented new genres; however, the question readers need to consider is whether he invented a NEW kind of literature, or whether he innovated the European tradition with new variations of the old kind of story, like Irving?Ironically, of all the American writers of this period, Poe is the most “European.” Careful readers will note that his stories tend to be set in Europe, employ European Romantic tropes and conventions, and are populated with European characters and subjects. He writes GOTHIC ROMANCES. “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a good example of exactly these points. After he died, the French people erected a memorial for him in America, but Americans did not, which kinda says it all.Here are some questions to explore and reply to …
After reading and thinking about Irving and Poe’s stories as examples of American fiction then, do you think either of these writers have successfully created a “New” kind of literature? One that reflects the spirit and Nature of Democracy itself? Explain…
Review the elements of GOTHIC Romance in the Glossary and the study sheet: show these elements in “Fall of the House of Usher.”
Which of these stories did you like the best? Why?

A National Literature

PART 2
Module 5: Challenge Task #5
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Directions
From any of the readings in Module 5, show an example of a Romantic LITERARY convention, trope, or symbol. First review the Glossary and these study sheets on Romanticism:

Neoclassicism vs Romanticism.docx
Romanticism.docx