IQ Tests Are Appropriate as a Part of a Job Interview Essay example --

William Stern in the 1912 took the mental age of an individual, divided it by the chronological age and obtained the ratio, which he called an intelligence quotient. Intelligence quotient (IQ) is a score used to express the relative intelligence of a person. In the modern society with high competition in different areas intelligence tests are widely used. IQ tests starting to appear in job interviews as a part of the application process as well. This is still a controversial issue about whether IQ tests should be included in the employability process, but due to the increasing rivalry for job placements worldwide, IQ tests are one of the options to be brought up. IQ tests are standardised tests, which signifies that the tasks appearing in the examination are the same for all participants, the conditions, given instructions and amount of time for completion are equal for each applicant. Standardised tests help prevent stereotypical errors, for example, there is no preconception related to ethnic or cultural background, age or appearance differences. Although it is argued that there are noticeable differences between genders’ performance on various tasks, it is widely acknowledged disparity, particularly in mental rotation of three-dimensional objects tasks (MRT). (Linn, 1985) Males tend to perform slightly better than women, although females tend to score to a greater degree at verbal skills, for instance linguistic reasoning. IQ tests are administered properly and being evaluated using means and standard deviations - normal distribution measures – which carries no effect on the performance of different genders. IQ tests are meas ured in a standard manner which allows to evaluate every individual retaining their anonymity and rely o... ...Mills, C. (1997). Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities: A Review of the Issues. Kaufman J.C., Plucker J.A. (2011). Intelligence and Creativity. The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence. Cambridge University Press; Cambridge. Linn, M. C., & Petersen, A. C. (1985). Emergence and Characterization of Gender Differences in Spatial Abilities: A Meta-Analysis. Child Development, 56, 1479–1498. Roid, G.H. (2003). Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition: Technical manual. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing. Sattler, J. M. (1992). Assessment of Children (3rd edition). San Diego, CA: Author. Wechsler, David (1939). The Measurement of Adult Intelligence. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Wechsler, David (1944). The Measurement of Adult intelligence (3rd edition). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Stern, William (1912). The Psychological Methods of Intelligence Testing.

Another New Horizon :: Personal Narrative Writing

Another New Horizon What did Mississippi have in common with New York, Hong Kong, Boston, Australia, Vancouver, Venezuela, Montreal, the Philippines, China, and Toronto? Nothing. Those were my exact thoughts as my parents tried to explain why we had to move once again. With a missionary as a father, our family constantly moved from country to country. When we had finally settled down in Canada, I had hoped that I would, for the first time, find some stability in my life. I listened to my parents and nodded while my heart broke for the thousandth time. Though I was only nine years old, I felt like I had already lived a lifetime of good-byes. As I stumbled up the stairs, I didn’t even remember where we were moving to; all I knew was that it was my world we were now moving from. I thought of all the friends I had already left behind, and I couldn’t even bear to think of the friends I would now have to leave. On the morning we left for Mississippi, my father picked me and my brother up from our beds and gently laid us down on the back seat of our small car. He never woke us up, knowing I would cry all the way to the airport. I thought about my best friend, Tim, as we waited to board the plane. I had promised him I would never forget him. But my greatest fear every time we moved was that I would forget. I was afraid of losing mymemories—the only things I could keep with me no matter where I went. I feared that if I just looked away for a second, I would lose my most precious possessions. I wanted never to lose the memory of Tim’s face whenever he laughed at my jokes or the feeling of invincibility when I finally made my Australian school’s soccer team or even the boring French songs we sang in our Canadian classes. I worried that once the bruises from my Kung-Fu classes had healed, perhaps all of Sensei’s teachings would just fade away. I feared most of all that I would forget who I was—that once the memories had passed, the very soul of my being would slip through my fingers. I thought that perhaps with every place I left, an irreplaceable part of me would also be left behind. The passengers began boarding the plane, and my brother and I fought only half-heartedly for the window seat.

Typical Life :: essays research papers

Typical Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye is about Holden Caulfield. Just four days before the winter vacation Holden is kicked out from Pencey prep. School. He is kicked out from school for not passing most of his classes, except English class. Being alone bored out of his mind and not know what to do. Holden decides to go to New York by train. For about 3 days, and stay in a cheep hotel. Just to relax by himself till Wednesday. While Holden was at New York Holden smokes, gets drunk, goes to bars and tries to pick up females at a bar. While he tries to get drunk at most places he needs to lie about his age, also at the same time Holden shows how immature he is by the way he is talking to the three females at the bar. Also while staying at New York, Holden talk a lot about his little sister Phoebe. Holden goes to a Broadway, to buy a record for his little sister. Holden goes to a record store to waist some time before his date with Sally. H olden was suppose to meet Sally so they can go see a play together. After the play Holden goes to an ice skating ring with Sally, but they end up sitting in side and talking. Holden starts a conversation. Asking Sally: â€Å"If she ever got fed up?† And then Holden starts to tell her how this world is such a bad place and that all the adults are getting corrupted. And that when he (Holden) will be able to stop the kids from growing up he will be able to prevent the kids innocence’s and from growing up and save the world. In other words, threw out of the book Holden talk’s about his problems and how he feels about the world. At the end of the book Holden goes to the park and watches his little sister Phoebe on the coracle. And how he wishes that he could prevent Phoebe from learning bad things that she could see on the graffiti that is drawn on the walls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that Holden Caulfield is a very unique teenager because he is a very ill person, yet at the same time he is very bright human being. Even though he is being kicked out of a lot of prep.

Quotation Integration

Quotation integration Awkward – If your writing does not include proper quotation integration then it is awkward. Smooth * The clauses before the quotation make a clear sentence when joined with the clauses from within the quotation. * If a change in pronouns in needed, then use square brackets. * Sentence: Made up of various clauses * The material before the quote is written in the literary present Ex:// In order to preserve her clientele, Rosa Huberman decides to sent Liesel out to collect the laundry from the rick customers because â€Å"Those rich people are less likely to fire [Rosa] if [Liesel’s] the one standing in front of them† (Zusak 92) Information that does not help me illustrate my point about ‘a prompt delivery’ has ben replaced by three ellipses. * Do not add â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬  at the beginning or ending of quotes. (We know there’s more to the book) * When taking extracts out of a quote, use . . . instead of †¦ (notice t he space between each â€Å". †) * Take a moment to notice the citation. There is no comma, in between author and page number. The punctuation that is necessary to the read of your paper comes after the final bracket. * Notice where two quotation marks are used, versus one, versus three. Refer to your quotation marks note.In order to convince Lisel that a prompt return from delivering the clean laundry to their clientele is imperative, â€Å"Rosa Huberman stood up, selected a wooden spoon, and healed it under Lisel’s nose. It was a necessity as far as she was concerned†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢you take the back to each place and bring it straight home . . . No going to Papa . . . No mucking around with that little Saukerl, Rudy Steiner. Straight. Home. (Zusak 92) The Whole thing * Introduce the quote and then explain its importance after wards * A colon works best for long integration * If your quotation is more tan three typed lines, then you need to offset it. Each line of the quotation should be indented and double-spaced. * Hit enter before beginning the quote and after you have to end it * When a quotation is offset, it does not require quotation marks; however, if the narrator begins to quote a character, then you should use one. * If it is a character speaking for the ENTIRE QUOTE then you do not need any quotation marks. * For offset quotation ONLY, put the text’s punctuation before them embedded citation, not afterwards. A WRONG CITATION Close to the end of the novel, Liesel moves from an avid reader to a ferocious writer and scribes an autobiography of sorts.The final line of this memoir revels that â€Å" I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right† * As you know the subject of a sentence needs to agree with the predicate. Sometimes an error in agreement happens when you attempt to join your class to your quote. * In this case, the pronoun â€Å"I† seems awkward because it does not identify wh o the â€Å"I† is; therefore, we need to change the pronoun, and will end up having to change the verb. THE RIGHT WAY Close to the end of the novel, Liesel moves from an avid reader to a ferocious writer and scribes an autobiography of sorts.The final line of this memoir revels that â€Å"[Liesel has] I have hated words and [she has] loved them, and I hope I have made them right† (Zusak 528) * You may need to change a verb from the following sentences * To make tge verb in the quotation agree with the subject before the quotation. * If you have changed the subject, such as in this case then you may need to change the verb form. * Use square brackets if you need to change verb form * If you need to change a subject and a verb that are adjacent to one another, then you can put both words within the square brackets.

Qwerty

The Effect of Extreme Dependency on Computers| Extreme Dependency on Technology Technology, good or bad? Some say it’s great, but that is said by drug users about illegal substances as well. They are essentially one in the same; once you have used them and they become part of your life, you are never the same again. Once you have researched via computer, or found your way to an unfamiliar area with a gps, doing it the old way is never as easy or as foolproof as it once was. These days, when you loose your phone or even have little reception, you worry; your pulse races, your palms sweat, and you perspire.This is not good. Something that used to make our lives easier now makes our lives harder. Most of us don’t even know how to use a map or to mail a letter anymore. The library, what’s that? If you go to a library, it’s probably to use the internet, not to read a book. The computer is a wonderful invention if you like moving fast. We can do everything a com puter can, except it takes us much longer. Wall Street is a big blue and green blur of humming computers and screens, it almost seems to have a life of its own, it’s like an urban jungle.If that system crashes, our economy falls to the ground in flames as well. Books are written in months instead of years. School becomes a mad thrash to get everything typed, created, or turned in on time. What happened to good old paper and calculators? Calculators are a hot issue in my opinion. While they are wonderful little contraptions, our dependency on calculators is worrying. When I walk through that door into the calc room, my grade rests in the hands of a small shiny piece of blue plastic dotted with smooth yellow buttons and stuffed with four triple-A batteries.Compare me to a crack addict, honestly; without my Texas instruments calculator I’m as good as dead. Gps’s are amazing little gadgets. About the size of a slice of bread, they help you find your way like a perso nal tour guide perched on your dashboard. Maps might as well be carved in stone; they’re old news. Does a map tell you where the nearest taco bell is? Does it recalculate when you miss a turn? Unfortunately, no — Gps’s are a godsend for the directionally challenged. The subtle, warm feeling of accomplishment you get when you find your way around with a crumpled up paper map is likely gone for good, it’s a shame.Survival of the fittest, I guess. But when you run out of batteries, or your gps breaks; good luck finding your way. They are as addicting as anything else humankind has created. As I was browsing for a topic for my illustrative essay, something funny happened. I clicked my merry little way to Google. And within minutes, I had a topic, quite ironically, about dependency on computers. My initial thought on what to write about did not come about by careful thought and planning, it came about through Google and my horrid dependency on computers.Depend ency on computers is unavoidable, unless you are Amish or a member of a tribe deep within the jungle. Computers have allowed us the monumental achievement of space travel, the wonder of deep sea submersibles, and the deadliness of heat seeking missiles. No doubt, great achievements not possible without computers. But for everyday activities like finding your way, doing mental math, or writing a paper, computers are a shortcut, they make life easier. We need to learn to do things with and without a computer. For example, I know many people who cannot do mental math to save their lives.At this point, technology is really part of us. Instead of having that knowledge of simple math to rely on, we build upon the base that calculators provide instead. More advanced math is not possible without that technology, though honestly we should be able to do it either way. Through this it’s much easier to screw things up; once you have become used to listening to music anywhere, anytime, th rough your ipod, it’s a downer to not have music. If your ipod breaks, it’s almost like quitting smoking. You MUST buy a new one, you can’t just stop listening.Cell phones are an utmost convenience. Nary a child or senior citizen lacks one, and they do everything from email to texting to taking pictures. How long until they come equipped with electric toothbrushes? If you’ve ever been in an accident or had car trouble, that cell phone is your lifeline, and there is no alternative. You cannot mail someone; and pay phones are nearly nonexistent. Without your phone, you get the jitters, you feel unsafe, and out of it. It happens to me on those days where I forget and leave it at home – I know 95% of the population is the same way.So obviously technology had done much good. Our quality of living has gone up substantially. But at the same time being perched up her in this greatly advanced society, on top of stacks of microchips and USB ports, it’ s a lot easier to lose our footing and tumble back to earth. At some point, the infrastructure will crumble; everything needs an overhaul sooner or later. We would live in much more stable times if it were not for computers. On the same note, we would live in a much slower, less equipped world. Is his a good trade off? It depends on your outlook and opinion. There is no doubt technology can crash and burn, and there is no doubt that technology has simplified out lives. Hopefully we can stabilize it before something drastic happens and we are left moving at 1889 speed. Thus technology has made it a whole lot easier to do most things – and much easier to mess them up – a double-edged sword| Computer addiction  is a mental illness which causes the excessive use of  computers  to the extent that it interferes with daily life.Excessive use may explain problems in social interaction, mood, personality, work ethic, relationships, thought processes, or  sleep deprivati on. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not include a diagnosis for such a disease. The term ? computer addiction? originated long before the Internet. Some people develop bad habits in their computer use that cause them significant problems in their lives. The types of behavior and negative consequences are similar to those of known addictive disorders.Contents  Ã‚  [hide]   * 1  Effects * 2  Origin of the term * 3  History * 4  See also * 5  References| ————————————————- [edit]Effects Excessive computer use may result in, or occur with: * Lack of social interaction. * Using the computer for pleasure, gratification, or relief from stress. * Feeling irritable and out of control or depressed when not using it. * Spending increasing amounts of time and money on hardware, software, magazines, and computer-related activities. Neglecting work, school, or family obligations. * Lying about the amount of time spent on computer activities. * Risking loss of career goals, educational objectives, and personal relationships. * Failing at repeated efforts to control computer use. * Never getting off the computer. A cause for many of the above-mentioned effects may be that computer games do not stimulate the release of neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of satisfaction and relaxation, such as oxytocin and endorphin, in the same way that real world activities do.

Personality Assessment Instruments Essay

Personality Assessment instruments are comprised of theories and techniques to measure an individual’s personality traits. The traditional psychoanalytical theories provide a framework for understanding negative behavior as well as concepts that predict future behavioral outcomes. Because of the possibility of predictive personality traits, career counselors and organizations have used personality assessment instruments to screen possible employers for qualification. In addition, personality assessment instrument have also been used to detect disordered personalities or other unresolved issues that cause negative behavior patterns in an individual. In this paper I will discuss three Personality Assessment Instruments widely used in measuring an individual’s personality; Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, Rorschach Inkblot Test and self help books. I will discuss the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility of these personality assessments in also examine the strengths and weaknesses of why some work and some do not. The strength and weaknesses of each personality assessment instrument is key in understanding which instrument is â€Å"appropriate† to use. Myer-Briggs Type Indicator Largely based on Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality, The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was created by Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myer, during WWII to evaluate personality types to know where to place women entering the industrial workforce. The MBTI would assess women for jobs they were best qualified for. Seeing how successful the MBTI was in placing women in the workforce, today it is still used as an assessment instrument by career counselors and organizations for team building (McCaulley, 2000). The MBTI is a self-report, forced-choice questionnaire. The letters represent the respective personality types which have 16 unique possible outcomes. The test has about 100 questions with only two choices to pick from. MBTI divides an individual’s personality into four areas (McCaulley, 2000); 1. Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) . Sensing (S) or intuition (N) 3. Thinking (T) or feeling (F) 4. Judging (J) or perceiving (P) This scale is an important factor in determining the dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior behaviors of the individual (McCaulley, 2000). Each individual is measured by the four-letter type formula. Each group of letters reveals the dominant function of the individual and followed by the auxiliary. Each of the 16 combination of letters explains the person’s personality and what area they best function in. Rorschach Inkblot Test Hermann Rorschach, Swiss psychiatrist, created ill-defined designs on paper using ink. After much trial and error, Rorschach settled on 10 inkblot cards used to show to patients and illicit a response. It was determined that different patients in a particular psychiatric group gave different responses. The test was created to understand the mind of an individual. During the assessment, the patient is shown a card and is expected to explain the thoughts that come to mind when analyzing the card (Cervone, 2010). The test-giver waits to see the type of response that comes from the patient. And the question of how the patient responds or perceives the inkblot determines the type of personality the patient may have. If the patient’s response matches the inkblot structure’s intended meaning, then the patient’s thoughts are geared towards their reality. If the patient’s response does not correspond with the inkblot then the patient is perceived to have a dysfunctional personality. Self-Help Books Widely popular, Self-help books are a great way for a person to understand psychological disorders and possible treatments. There are a variety of books written by scholars and psychologist who have done extensive work in their area of expertise. Many people who are skeptical about going to therapy choose self-help books as a way to self-administer treatment (Redding et. al, 2008). The problem people face when relying on these books for help is that there is no discussion to make sure that the person understands what they are reading. Also, the books cannot assess the person to see if they can help the person like the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot do. There is no way to measure if the specific book can help the person. Personality Assessments: from Theory to Practice In this next section I will examine the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility. Throughout my research I have discovered that some critics have argued that each of these personality assessment instruments have weaknesses that do not support what it claims to produce. Others critics have shown the strengths’ in these widely used personality assessment to be applied in various cultures that have shown consistent scoring. Validity One of the most widely used personality assessment instruments is self-help books. They are easily accessible by most people seeking to resolve psychological issues. However, it is difficult to say if what the writer proposes to be a solution works effectively for the reader (Redding et. al. , 2008). The problem with the validity of self-help books is that not all are written by professional psychologist. Often people are faced with serious psychological disorders that they wish to resolve on their own as opposed to therapy (Redding et. l, 2008). Another issue with self-help books is that they do not test people to see if they have applied the information coming from the book to the area in their life where they face challenges nor can it pinpoint the exact disorder a person is dealing with. I would have to say that the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator holds the most validity out of the three personality assessment instruments and is the most favored. The MBTI has been tested and based on the 16 different possible personality types most people have fallen under one of the combinations. The MBTI follows the theory of personality traits by Carl Jung. Jung’s theory distinguishes two dichotomous pairs of cognitive behavior: extraversion and introversion (McCaulley, 2008). The MBTI has been shown to be successful in determining an individual’s personality that fits a specific career or in organizing groups for team building. On the other hand, when a person has been assessed using the Rorschach inkblot test, disordered personality can be revealed thru extensive testing. The validity of the Rorschach inkblot test as but argued that there is a bias in the testing because Hermann Rorschach’s training was in psychoanalytical theories. Another problem that arises with the Rorschach in examining its validity is the scoring of the test. Many of the scorers give a higher score to the test taker if their response matches those of previous scorers (Sendin, 2010). Comprehensiveness Self-help books focus on an areas in an individual’s life such as alcohol addictions, Attention Deficit Disorder, How to deal with a Break-Up. And while the books can be informative the theory behind the solution must be examined. Most self-help books are written in the opinion of the author writing the book. Some of these opinions may not be in accord with the reader’s background so it is difficult to say if the reader is able to comprehend what the author is conveying (Redding et. al, 2008). It also depends only what the reader is looking for. If the reader is open to alternative solutions as opposed to traditional one then the book will help but because a person is not tested on the self-help books they are reading it is hard to determine how comprehensive the book is. MBTI has 16 possible personality types that this world-wide instrument uses to address issues faced by individuals, groups and family counseling that are challenged with communication, career planning, learning and life -long development (McCaulley, 2000). When assessing an individual’s personality not only is this helpful in career counseling but also when determining why individuals or family members are having communication problems. Applicability Self-help books can be easy to understand. Some of the methods are broken down in simple steps that anyone can apply. However, if one wants to assess the type of personality that can handle a certain job the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator is more appropriate to use. This assessment instrument has been used by career counselors and employers to match individuals to specific studies or industries (McCaulley, 2008). I would not recommend using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator when assessing an individual’s personality for disorders. The Rorschach Inkblot has been a successful instrument in examining the mind of a person (Cervone, 2010). However, the Rorschach inkblot was constructed according to Hermann Rorschach’s training in psychoanalytical theory. Cultural Utility Each culture is made of its own belief system and traditions. What applies in one culture may not necessarily apply in another. Some assessments can be used in most cultures and give the same results across the board. However, not all cultures will accept the theories behind the assessment. The issues that I have noticed in researching the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test is that in applying to different cultures there has been challenges faced by psychologist. For one, psychologists have not had extensive training in cultural diversity. Nor have they had training in language. Most ethnic low income groups have had poor health service in which there has been a misdiagnosis due to language barrier (Dana, 2000). Also to consider are groups who come from another country and have different views on the mental health system. For example, in administering the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test to Russian Jews challenges are faced because of their cultural belief. Russian Jews are highly suspicious of mental health professionals and find it difficult to believe that community health agencies do not have ties to the government (Dana, 200). As a result, they deny any mental health issues. The fear that exists with Russian Jews is because of the way they saw the Soviet Government force people to commit to a mental health institute (Dana, 2000). Consequently, self help books have been successful in reaching a mass audience because books have been published in various languages. Conclusion As you can see Personality Assessment Instruments have been very useful in helping to examine an individual’s personality for career choices, in team building and examining a disorder. However, specialist have has revealed their weaknesses and show that these instruments cannot be applied in any situation without further investigation. Each personality assessment instrument is unique with it’s own characters. In order to be able to better serve the mental health industry only a particular assessment can be used for a specific analysis.

Chinese Wedding Tradition Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A wedding day is considered as the most important and memorable event in one’s life because it is their way of affirming their love and intimacy in public. At that very moment, the couple makes sure that everything is perfectly planned, from proposal to reception. This is because the groom usually wants to offer the best to his bride. A wedding is also considered among many nations as a very sensitive event because all aspects of the wedding shall conform to their beliefs and traditions. The date and place of the wedding are also given considerable significance. Moreover, the wedding rites are meticulously carried out because everything used symbolizes something especially among Chinese.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chinese tradition, the wedding is purposely to continue their clan and to strengthen the relationship of the two families. It is in the best interest of the parents and so they exert a great deal effort of finding good match for their son. The matching is made very carefully through rituals to ensure the absence of bad omens. Furthermore, a traditional Chinese wedding is interestingly coupled with complicated beliefs to ensure luck, joy, and happiness for the couple. Before the Wedding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The proposal in Chinese wedding is not made by the boy, instead, his parents find a girl that matches him. When the match has been found, the proposal and expression of the match is done through a â€Å"go- between† who would present a gift to the girl’s parents. If the proposal is received, the go- between will get the girl’s birth date and birth hour to be recorded in a formal document which will be placed in the altar of the boy’s family for three days (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). If within three days, no inauspicious omen occurred like trouble between the two families, the information is given to an astrological expert for confirmation of the match (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). When a favorable horoscope is found, the girl’s family will also do the same ritual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The next process is the bethrodal where both parents exchange presents as a form of their intentions. During the bethodal, the parents would extensively bargain for the amount of money and goods as a gift to the girl’s family. Usually, the bethodal gifts includes, tea, dragon and phoenix bridal cakes, pairs of male and female poultry, wine, tobacco, and others (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). The cake received by the bride is shared to family friends and relatives as a sign of the wedding announcement and invitation. In exchange, the girl’s family would offer foods and clothing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the same day, the wedding date is set. It is important among Chinese that the wedding date is a lucky day. The date is chosen according to the lunar calendar when the moon and the stars are properly aligned with the guidance of an astrologist (983Weddings.com). Moreover, it has been a practice that the couple marry when the hands of the clocks are moving up instead of down because it is their belief that their married life would begin in an upswing manner (983Weddings.com).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before the wedding day, the bride is required to stay in seclusion together with her closest friends where she would be rendered a lamentation for her separation from her parents (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). Another preparation made is the installation of the new bridal bed by married men or women having many children. The night before the wedding day, the groom is required to sleep on the bed with an innocent young child to invite fertility. Wedding Day   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the very day of wedding, the bride takes a bath in water filled with pomelo and other varieties of grape fruit to cleanse her of evil influences (Chinese Weddings by the Knot). Her hair is combed by a married woman four times and each stroke symbolizes good luck, fertility, longevity, and happiness, respectively (Helium). Her hair is styled in a bun at the top of her head like that of a married woman. Moreover, her hair dress, made of either red silk veil or curtain of tassle or beads, is hanged from her Phoenix crown so that her face will be covered (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). The brides wear a simple yet elegant red wedding dress and red shoes (Helium). The presence of a â€Å"good- luck woman† is also required during the bride’s preparation (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). After all the preparations, the bride bows to her parents and to the ancestral table then waits for the bridal procession (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the groom wears a long gown, a red silk sash with a silk ball on his shoulder together with red shoes, (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). As he kneels before the altar, his father places the cap, which is garnished with cypress leaves, on his head (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). Before the groom goes on a bridal procession, he is required to kneel before the tablets of Heaven and Earth and his ancestors then to his parents and relatives (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Noticeably, the color used for wedding dress, invitations, and envelopes is red. For the Chinese, red stands for luck, joy, happiness, and courage. On the red wedding invitations and decorations, the symbol of double happiness is placed on them to represent a wish of happiness to the newly wed (Fong & Chuang, 2003, p.138).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the preparation, the groom leads the bridal procession to pick up his bride. The procession is accompanied by the noise of firecrackers, loud gongs and drums (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). The groom is also accompanied by a child to symbolize his future sons (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The wedding ceremony itself is simpler than the preparation. The couple is led to the altar to pray to the Heaven and Earth, to family ancestors, and to the Kitchen god, Tsao- Chun (Hudson Valley Weddings). Afterwards, a tea with lotus seeds is offered by the couple to the grooms parents (Chinese Historical and Cultural Project). The marriage ceremony is completed when the couple bows at each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The wedding feast is prepared by the bride’s family separate from that of the groom’s family. On each feasts, the men sits separately from women. Then bride and the groom are presented with the two goblets of honey and wine tied together with red ribbon (Kingma, 2003, p. 166). They partake in these two drinks to represent that they have come together in marriage in love and in courage. After the Wedding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the day after the wedding, the bride is required to wake up at dawn to honor their ancestors and bow before the groom’s relatives as she receives gifts from them. That is the only day when the bride is formally introduced to the grooms family and relatives. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It can be considered that the trditional Chinese wedding is the most complicated and meticulous yet most elegant wedding there is. It can also be said that since the wedding has the longest preparation, the parents of both partners may plan for it while the future couple are still young. Moreover, the wedding ceremony itself is given utmost importance as it is enriched by beliefs to ensure good things for the couple and for their family. Works Cited â€Å"Chinese Wedding Traditions.† 2008. Chinese Historical and Cultural Project. 4 June 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . â€Å"A Guide to Chinese Wedding Customs.† 2008. Helium. 4 June 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . â€Å"Chinese Wedding Traditions.† 2008. Hudson Valley Weddings. 4 June 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . â€Å"Chinese Wedding Traditions- Marriage Customs.† 983 Weddings.com. 4 June 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . Fong, Mary & Chuang, Rueyling. Communicating Ethnic and Cultural Identity. Rowman &   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Littlefield, 2003. Kingma, Daphne R. Weddings from the Heart: Contemporary & Traditional Ceremonies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   for an Unforgettable Wedding. Red Wheel, 2003. â€Å"Wedding Style: How to Make Your Wedding Unique.† 2008. Chinese Weddings by the Knot. 4 June 2008 .