Improving students’ use of argumentation is front and center in the increasing emphasis on scientific practice in K-12 Science and STEM programs. We explore the construct validity of scenario-based assessments of claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) and the structure of the CER construct with respect to a learning progression framework. We also seek to understand how middle school students progress. Establishing the purpose of an argument is a competency that a majority of middle school students meet, whereas quantitative reasoning is the most difficult, and the Rasch model indicates that the competencies form a unidimensional hierarchy of skills. We also find no evidence of differential item functioning between different scenarios, suggesting

In this paper a new structure for the AVR of the power system exciter is proposed and designed using digital-based LQR. With two weighting matrices R and Q,  this method produces an optimal regulator that is used to generate the feedback control law. These matrices are called state and control weighting matrices and are used to balance between the relative importance of the input and the states in the cost function that is being optimized. A sample power system composed of single machine connected to an infinite- bus bar (SMIB) with both a conventional and a proposed Digital AVR (DAVR) is simulated. Evaluation results show that the DAVR damps well the oscillations of the terminal voltage and presents a faster respo

Background: MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a global health problem. Many people are looking for new ways to combat MRSA, for example by using bacteriophages (phages). It has been extremely challenging to isolate a sufficient quantity of lytic anti-MRSA phages. Therefore, new techniques for separating, refining, and reworking anti-MRSA phages were sought in this study.

Methods: Of 437 S. aureus isolates, nine clinical MRSA isolates were obtained from three hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq and two ATCC MRSA strains were used to separate wild anti-MRS

This study addresses the issue of academic writing in English by comparing pragmatic argumentation in the writing of 40 graduate students studying at Iraqi universities (SSIU) with the writing of 40 graduate students studying at American universities (SSAU). In these 80 theses, six selected aspects of academic writing were analyzed: (a) paragraph structure, (b) length and construction of sentences, (c) organization of information in sentences, (d) vocabulary, (e) topic sentences, and (f) discourse markers. This study seeks to go beyond the traditional and often onedimensional analysis of pragmatics of argumentation in English academic writing to distinguish and describe different aspects of academic writing and their results when used by EF

Background: Survey of the occlusion in population groups usually include in their objections the academic assessment of occlusal feature, the planning resources for public health treatment programmers, the comparison of different population and the screening of groups for orthodontic treatment. Likewise a thorough investigation of the occurrence of malocclusions among school–students would be of major importance in the planning of orthodontic treatment in the public dental health services. For this purpose it is necessary to have detailed information on the prevalence of individual malocclusion among boys and girls at different ages distributed regionally, and moreover, an analysis of the need for orthodontic treatment in the different sc

Background: The purposes of this study were to determine the photogrammetric soft tissue facial profile measurements for Iraqi adults sample with class I normal occlusion using Standardized photographic techniques and to verify the existence of possible gender differences. Materials and methods: Eighty Iraqi adult subjects (40 males and 40 females) with an age ranged between 18-25 years having class I normal occlusion were chosen for this study. Each individual was subjected to clinical examination and digital standardized right side photographic records were taken in the natural head position which is mirror position which the patient looking straight into his eyes into the mirror mounted on the stand. The photographs were analyzed using A

Teaching through the system of personal learning, known as (Clare's plan) is amongst the most prominent plans which depend on self-education, as it received worldwide recognition. The plan lets the learner achieve learning by depending on himself after being familiar with the educational goals given to him, then he starts to solve the exercises and the drills accompanying the unit. After that, he checks his achievement by answering the self-evaluation tests. This method offers more opportunities for personal interaction than do the traditional systems, and individual leaning is a methodical expression aims at taking care of the learner and making him the locus of the processes of teaching and learning.

Aims of the study

The present study attempts to find out the effect of some fish preservatives in the laboratory, such as alcohol and dilute formalin, on some biological characteristics related to the body measurements of those fish preserved in these materials. The fish used in this study were the local Planiliza abu. The processes of expansion and contraction of the bodies of fish preserved in diluted formalin solution at a concentration of 10% and diluted ethyl alcohol solution at a concentration of 70%. As that the standard length of the specimens of this study, which are separately preserved in formalin 10% and alcohol 70%, in a completely isolated are fluctuating in change. Constant shrinkage in head length in both diluted formalin and alcohol.

The media of all kinds have the task of introducing, expressing and objectively representing the cultures of different societies in various types and forms of press and media. The precept of media pluralism is the basis for freedom of expression & the cornerstone of its realization. Therefore, it is linked to the establishment of several conditions and elements in order to establish it as a principle and practice. Issues of cultural diversity in media and cultural pluralism are one of the most important elements and indicators. So, this paper aims to shed light on the concept of media pluralism and related concepts within the framework of cultural diversity and multicultural indicators. Thus, highlighting the feature