What Does it Mean to Be an Occupational Therapist

Learn how real students navigate their way through the graduate school admissions process and grad school itself with our What is Graduate School Really Like? series. Meet Shannen, an occupational therapist Shannen, thank you for sharing your story with us! Can you start by telling us about yourself and how we can learn more about what you do? Shannen: Hi, thank you for reaching out to me; I am always grateful and delighted to share tidbits of my story and to share the profession of occupational therapy with others so that the question â€Å"What is OT?† will occur less and less. You can find me on my blog Shannen Marie OT or on Instagram  where I post consistently about my experiences in healthcare as an occupational therapist as well as a wife of a resident physician (my husband starts his Internal Medicine residency in July 2019 with plans of pursuing a Hematology/Oncology fellowship afterwards!). What made you decide to pursue a career as an occupational therapist? Was there a particular person or event that inspired you to choose this path? Shannen: A combination of different events ultimately led to me leaning toward pursuing occupational therapy as my career field. Here are two examples of many that facilitated my passion and enabled me to narrow down some of my alternate career interests. As a young child I thought that I wanted to be both a pediatrician and a princess, and later considered being an orthodontist; as an adolescent, due in part to my hyperactivity and eagerness to be involved in multiple sports, I also considered a career in athletic training or physical therapy. All of these career interests developed out of my consistent passion and interest for people, health, fitness, and overall wellness, and concurrently, in combination with my personal positive experiences as a patient/client within those aforementioned fields. However, for me something was always missing the mark. I learned that I did not want to go nor did I feel compelled to pursue medical school (save that for my husband to do his – almost – doctor duties), nor did I want to go to dental school with additional schooling for orthodontics. As an athlete throughout childhood and a Varsity four sport year-round athlete throughout high school (cross country, cheerleading, soccer, tra ck) as well as a collegiate runner, it just made sense for me to pursue athletic training or physical therapy, right? Not quite, but these career avenues definitely ignited my first interest in patientcare. One of my best friends decided that she wanted to be an occupational therapist one day, so naturally I wanted to be one, too (she later changed her mind). Her explanation of OT intrigued me which jumpstarted my beginning experiences of shadowing occupational therapists in many different settings. Through those brief glimpses of raw, genuine moments between the therapist and patient during my initial shadowing hours, I realized that this was the field that the Lord had planned for me. What difficulties did you encounter during the application process? How did you overcome them? Shannen: At the time, there was a program for advanced undergraduates to apply during their third (junior) year of undergrad to start their first year of OT graduate-level curriculum during their fourth (senior) year of undergrad. My difficulty stemmed from toying with the idea of if I would even be able to adequately balance the demands of graduate school with playing a collegiate sport (races, meets, travels, need for sleep, appropriate nutrition†¦). Thankfully, I met with my coach and team who offered support and encouragement; with their positive remarks in mind, I just went for it and did not think twice. Spoiler alert: I got in with the support of my family and friends; somehow through my teammates’ graces and a coach who was willing to allow me to practice sometimes at alternate times of day, I successfully balanced the two demands. Where did you go to OT school, and when did you graduate? Shannen: I attended the University of South Alabama for both undergrad and Occupational Therapy graduate school (2.5 year/7 consecutive semester Master’s program). I graduated from OT school in December 2016 and began my first OT job in January 2017. I completed the advanced undergrad/graduate school curriculum in 5.5 years. What surprised you most about the program you attended? Shannen: I think I was most surprised about the amount of time I would need to allocate to studying and applying the information outside of the classroom. I was thankful to have had prior knowledge of the environment/context of campus since I went there for undergrad. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of exposure I received during clinical fieldworks in a variety of different occupational therapy settings (spanning from OT in hospitals to in schools to outpatient orthopedics to feeding clinics to in the home†¦). What is the process for graduates of OT programs to become licensed? Are there boards? Is it necessary to pursue licensure in each state separately? Shannen: To obtain an occupational therapy license in the United States, one must graduate from an accredited OT educational program, complete and pass clinical fieldwork requirements, apply for and pass the NBCOT Certification Exam (formally known as the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy), and apply for a license and pay a fee for each state in which one desires to practice. How did you find the job market in your field after graduation? Did OTs seem to be in demand, and if so in what practice settings? Shannen: I thankfully did not have any difficulty in securing a job prior to graduating from OT school. I would advise current students to look into completing at least one of their Level 2 fieldworks (12 week full-time clinical rotations) in the geographical area they presume they may want their first job to be in. My former clinical fieldwork instructor played an immense role in me achieving the full-time position at a relatively new acute inpatient rehab unit around the area where I completed my final student rotation. I chose and wanted to work there due to it being within a hospital setting as well as due to there being multiple occupational therapists (as well as other healthcare clinicians) available to help me transition from my occupational role as student to clinician. What inspired you to choose to practice in a hospital/rehab setting? Shannen: I thrive in an environment that facilitates interaction with many people. In the hospital setting, specifically in acute inpatient rehab setting, I have the unique opportunity to really get to know my patients and their families since I see them 5x/week for 60-90 minute duration treatment sessions for typically 2-3 weeks. I like the bustle of the hospital setting because I get to interact, collaborate with, and learn from a multitude of different healthcare practitioners. Do you work exclusively with a geriatric population? Which demographic groups benefit from OT? Shannen: The short answer is no, but the longer answer is that typically yes I do usually work with the geriatric population. I work strictly with adults and primarily work with patients 65 and older; however, I have had a handful of patients that are in their 20s as well as many individuals in their 30s to 50s. How is practicing OT in a rural setting different from practicing in a more urban environment? Shannen: I work in the acute inpatient rehab unit within a small hospital in a rural area that is just outside of a major college town. As you may have guessed, when you work in a rural setting, sometimes there may be less resources; however, there are lots of ways to overcome this by being diligent, responsive, and adaptable. I wrote an entire blog post for Covalent Careers dedicated specifically to this setting and the role OT plays in it; you can find it here. Patients in this setting come from a multitude of backgrounds, upbringings, and medical histories. Patients in this setting are usually moderately to severely impaired functionally (which can include physical, cognitive, and emotional limitations or barriers) as well as may be medically compromised. They may have been admitted to acute inpatient rehab after an acute care hospitalization of which they did not get quite strong or independent enough to safely return home. On the other hand, patients can be admitted to this setting from home due to a functional and medical decline. The goal of discharge is to maximize functional independence and quality of life in an effort to return home, whether that consists of living alone in the home again, at a family member’s home, or in assisted living. Patients are admitted for a variety of reasons tha t often include multiple comorbidities (diabetes and HTN probably being the most common) and diagnoses that may include neurological (such as CVAs, TBIs, Guillain Barre, Multiple Sclerosis†¦), cardiopulmonary (s/p CABG, cardiac arrest†¦), cognitive (dementias†¦), and orthopedic (proximal humerus fx, hip fx, bilateral knee replacements†¦) conditions. Due in part to living in the South which is considered the Stroke Belt, probably the largest percentage of my caseload at any given time is within the neurological standpoint – specifically CVAs and TIAs. How does the field of OT differ from PT or from recreational therapy? Is there any overlap? Shannen: I get this question all the time and to be honest I have several different answers because I usually turn the question back around to whoever asks me to begin with. For example, take this time and close your eyes and prepare yourself for your life to be changed. Now picture yourself performing your typical morning routine whatever that may be. Perhaps you are like me and you get ready mindlessly, quickly pulling on your scrubs while simultaneously starting your coffee and haphazardly gathering your lunch to take to work. You quickly kiss your spouse goodbye and head out the door with your work lunch in hand and breakfast in the other to eat on the go in your car. You are driving in your car to work and you feel numbness and tingling in your hands and face. You try pulling over and you realize something is wrong. Your car gets hit from behind. You wake up and an unfamiliar man in a white coat explains that you had a mini stroke that led you to pull over to the side of the road before being hit from behind. You are thankfully okay but now have a broken femur and are weak on one side of the body. OT is different than PT because OT will ask you about your roles as a spouse, as a parent, and as a person who has things they like to do, and will work with you to help you not only participate in them in the current state you are in through compensatory strategies or environmental modifications, but also will work with you to regain those motor and processing skills required to reengage in those tasks. Physical therapy is wonderful, needed, and complementary to occupational therapy. The physical therapist will help you improve in your pain management, motor control, and sensation, and slowly with the PT’s guidance, you find yourself moving better again, making daily progress from tolerating sitting up with support to without support to eventually standing and walking with a little help. The occupational therapist will be there to help you in your most vulnerable and meaningful moments – the moments when you progress to transferring to the bedside commode rather than the dreaded bedpan†¦the first time you shower since your accident†¦the moment where you pick up your child again using an alternate method that both compensates for decreased unilateral strength as well as utilizes appropriate body mechanics†¦the session where you can remember and legibly sign your name and fill out a check from memory again†¦ Occupational therapy enables individuals across the lifespan from neonate to the eldest of all to live life in the most meaningful of ways by focusing treatment on the therapeutic use of life’s occupations (activities that are necessary or important to function as a human). It is an evidence-based, health and wellness profession that views the person as greatly influenced by their environment and the tasks that a person chooses to participate in. OT practitioners believe in promoting health and preventing – or helping others live better with – illness or disability. PT will help you walk again, but OT will help you put on your dancing shoes and dance with you!! As a family with both spouses working in patient care, has your husbands career path influenced your own work experience? Shannen: My husband is an incoming medical intern (graduates from medical school in May 2019; begins his internal medicine residency in July 2019); therefore, his career has not quite influenced mine because his career is just beginning. But, I will say that my husband’s work ethic and compassionate nature definitely inspire me; he actually completed a fourth year of med school month-long clinical rotation in physiatry at the unit I work at which was quite a cool experience because we were covering the same patients. I think it is very beneficial in my opinion to have a spouse who also is in healthcare because it provides an atmosphere of understanding that the other has probably had a series of high highs (patient successes) and low lows (patient deaths, difficulty in patient care circumstances, poor outcomes, etc.). What is ABCsofOT? Why did you start the page and who is your target audience? Shannen: #ABCsofOT is an Advocacy OT Alphabet Challenge that I created to promote awareness and understanding of the profession during the month of April which in the United States is Occupational Therapy Month. It was inspired by the many healthcare practitioners and students that I work with or have worked with that do not know or know very little about the magnitude of occupational therapy across a breadth of patient settings. One of my goals in the future years is to target more physicians, current medical students, and aspiring premed students in an effort to expand their awareness of the different strengths occupational therapy can provide to their patients (so that more referrals are made which would therefore increase services to patients, groups, and communities who can benefit). I started the challenge last year (2018), so this is year two (2019) in which I encouraged occupational therapy practitioners (OTs and OT assistants) as well as current and/or aspiring students to help me â€Å"create an OT alphabet.† Each day of the month there is an assigned letter. The objective is for each person to choose a word that begins with that letter and describe through a caption or picture how it references occupational therapy. I have been reposting many of the posts on my IG stories. If you look up the hashtag you will see that it has became an international campaign of which I am grateful and excited for years to come. Do you have questions for Shannen? Questions for us? Do you want to be featured in our next What is Graduate School Really Like?  post? Know someone else who you’d love to see featured? Are there questions you’d like us to ask our students in this series?  LET US KNOW! You can learn more about Shannen by following her on Instagram. Or check out her blog, Shannen Marie OT. Are you setting out on your own grad school journey? We can help you reach the finish line! Check out our  Graduate School Admissions Consulting Services  to team up with an admissions expert who will help you join the ranks of thousands of Accepted clients who get accepted to their dream schools. For 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to top master’s and PhD programs. Our team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, PhDs, and professional writers who have guided our clients to acceptance at top programs worldwide including Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Cambridge, Oxford, McGill, HKUST, and many more.   Want an admissions expert  to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose, a free guide †¢ What is Graduate School Really Like, a blog series †¢ Focus on Fit, a podcast episode

The Two Methods to Improve Your Critical Thinking and Writing Skills

The Two Methods to Improve Your Critical Thinking and Writing SkillsIn a great exposition, each passage comprises of one great contention. Each sentence of factious exposition can be assembled in coherent arrangement. Math, intelligent groupings, and sensible laws give legitimate premises to the contention. The contention is developed dependent on consistent laws that are intended to help the real statement.An article can likewise have enthusiastic substance. The peruser, while perusing the paper, won't be keen on belligerence and the article isn't about the argumentation. The article is most intriguing when the peruser is keen on the perspectives on the writer.There are two techniques to improve your basic reasoning and composing abilities. One of them is introduced in the second article of this arrangement. The other strategy can be learned by following the counsel in the article, Self-Awareness. The primary technique is to distinguish your shortcomings, and fix them. We as a whole have feeble focuses. That is the reason we need to maintain a strategic distance from inside criticism.Weaknesses are a programmed boundary to our prosperity. In the event that we can distinguish the shortcomings, we can compensate for them. On the off chance that we begin dealing with our shortcomings, our profitability increments. Composing and basic reasoning can't be cultivated on the off chance that we don't distinguish our weaknesses.The second strategy to improve your composition and basic believing is to make sense of your very own targets. Nobody else comprehends what you are focusing on. You should make up your own abstract individual objectives to put your assessments, stories, and encounters in your writing.Writing and basic reasoning are made for one another. Set aside some effort to figure out how to perceive your shortcomings, and make sense of your very own goals. You will be flabbergasted at the outcomes that you will accomplish!

Why Do You Need Term Paper Writer Reviews?

<h1>Why Do You Need Term Paper Writer Reviews?</h1><p>You've seen the a wide range of research project author surveys on the web. On the off chance that you are experiencing difficulty choosing how to manage your next research paper, here are a few things to consider. With regards to composing, there are such a large number of choices and sites, thus numerous assessments, all accessible online.</p><p></p><p>What is your paper? Is it an undertaking for school, an instructional exercise on the science or craftsmanship? Is it accurate to say that you are simply attempting to construct a proposal for your own instruction? Or then again are you simply composing a research paper for your own interest?</p><p></p><p>Most online research paper essayist surveys will disclose to you that composing a research paper, or any sort of paper so far as that is concerned, can be hard to the unenlightened. Before, research projects were f airly difficult to compose and a normal understudy may be confounded by a portion of the terms utilized in the structure of the composing task. Today, due to a great deal of new innovation, these issues are to a lesser extent an issue, and you can expect better composition for any paper you decide to write.</p><p></p><p>The best alternative for you with regards to making a research project, or some other paper so far as that is concerned, is a top notch research project author. An accomplished author will have the option to see the shortcomings in your exposition before it even hits the paper. These research paper author audits can assist you with making a superior exposition for your needs.</p><p></p><p>One of the best headways in article composing programming is that they give language structure check includes that are additionally accessible through standard word preparing programming. At the point when you enter catchphrases into a Word archive, your composing programming will take a gander at the spelling of those words and decide whether there are blunders in your work. On the off chance that you're composing a proposition on a specific point, at that point you ought to utilize an article composing program intended for the subject. An individual proclamation is one of the most widely recognized reasons that individuals use research paper composing programming. A portion of the better research paper essayist surveys additionally notice that the best organizations utilize numerous different sorts of programming to support them, including on the web word references and equivalents. These are anything but difficult to use too, and can spare you a great deal of time. It's never past the point where it is possible to exploit free online administrations as well.</p><p></p><p>Writing a research paper can be tedious. That is the reason it is imperative to pick an organization that has broad p reparing and will assist you with a paper. Any respectable organization will have an immense information on everything identified with research project composing and will have the information on picking the best programming for their clients. Keep in mind, you're not the only one with regards to writing.</p><p></p><p>Make sure you exploit these terms paper essayist surveys. Looking through online will assist you with comparing value focuses, sorts of programming, composing style, the apparatuses they use, and even the organization's accessibility. When you get your hands on one of these sites, you'll realize you've discovered the best research paper composing instrument for your needs.</p>

Examples For Research Papers For Electrical Engineering

<h1>Examples For Research Papers For Electrical Engineering</h1><p>A theory explanation is the principal bit of an exploration paper. It fills in as the reason for the remainder of the paper.</p><p></p><p>There are numerous sources that layout genuine models for proposal explanations. They incorporate a blend of online material and insightful assets as scholarly papers composed by educators at the school or college. These sites are regularly easy to understand, so even somebody with a fair information on English can undoubtedly begin. Furthermore, huge numbers of these sites offer a free preliminary form of their administrations before the full form costs anything.</p><p></p><p>Example models for inquire about papers for electrical building ought to likewise incorporate the significant segments of the theory. The sentence starts with an explanation that gives the topic to the paper. This could be something like, 'Our p ostulation articulation will set up the primary concern of the paper.'</p><p></p><p>In expansion to setting up the topic, it should likewise state specialized terms that must be comprehended by the peruser. These can be characterized in at least one sentences. Some of the time two sentences are utilized to give more information.</p><p></p><p>If this announcement doesn't give the peruser the vital data, at that point it should be rehashed. This need can be given by two proclamations that recurrent the equivalent information.</p><p></p><p>An model likewise needs to give some down to earth application data that the author is giving. This should be possible by giving a model utilizing a particular subject important to the reader.</p><p></p><p>A idea isn't sufficient. It is important to demonstrate the legitimacy of the ideas to the peruser. The most ideal approach to do this is to clarify wha t they mean in a reasonable and elegantly composed manner.</p><p></p><p>These models for look into papers for electrical building ought to likewise incorporate references that show the connection between these ideas and the peruser. References ought to likewise give supporting information that can bolster these claims.</p>

Essay Writing Test Sample - Learn to Use the Essay Writing Test Sample Effectively

Essay Writing Test Sample - Learn to Use the Essay Writing Test Sample EffectivelyThe essay writing test sample is available for you to use. It is designed by most of the professors as an example or guide for their students. It will help you get a better idea as to how to structure and format your essay. It is also a very useful tool that will help you understand how you can structure your essay and what you should include in it.You have the option to use the essay writing test sample either online or offline. In case you are using the online version, it would be advisable to use the templates created by the test taker as this will help you complete your assignment with ease. However, the online template will not give you the same quality and perfection that are offered by the course. The course will give you all the necessary tools, but it will not be easy to get the right solution from the course. If you want to get the best out of the course, then you need to make sure that you fo llow all the instructions provided in the course properly.Another option you have is to create your own test and take it through the testing procedure. Though you can go for the test, you cannot be sure that the material will not get mixed up with other questions in the next test and hence it is important to use the original essay writing test sample.You will find many courses online that have these test sheets available for you to download. However, many of them are not accurate and you might end up with wrong answers. If you do not use the same test sheet for all your assignments, then you will find it very difficult to prepare for your future exams. It will also be hard to identify your weak points and improve on them in the future.Many students want to submit their exam paper on time, but their teachers always tell them that they need to revise it, otherwise, they will get a lower mark. Thetime to revise the essay is after you are done with the main material, but when your teach er says this, it can make you feel like you are wasting your time. Therefore, you should be prepared with the essay writing test sample before you submit your paper.There are many times when you find that the essay or the dissertation that you submitted has some grammatical mistakes. You may feel the need to revamp it or rework it and you can choose from the many different essay writing samples. You should not be afraid to rewrite the entire essay, as it is something that is very important for your professional life.You should also remember that the test will only contain questions and not answers. There will be no answer required. Hence, the test does not have any point scoring mechanism or anything that makes the test harder. All you need to do is answer the questions that are presented to you in a proper manner.Once you have answered the test, you will find that the writing test was nothing but an easy way to pass the writing test. However, this will be a lot easier if you know h ow to use the essay writing test sample. Make sure that you study hard and revise your papers in the best possible manner so that you will be able to get the results you want.

Essay DBQ, Catholic Christian Reformed - 4 Essay Sample

Essay DBQ, Catholic Christian Reformed - 4 Essay SampleThe DBQ, a Christian Reformed essay sample and Essay Selection Kit consists of 4 general parts: introduction, essays for the theme, response essays, and summary. The short essays are simple and concise.A brief introduction to the project is important to begin with ethical issues in the essay, what is expected from the reader, and how the focus of the essay changes with each part. The essays are not longer than two pages. The introduction is also about opening and closing statements that should contain a focus on the topic of the essay.One obvious contribution of this sample is the logical structure. The structure of the Essay Selections is developed through the introduction, short essays on the theme, response essays, and summary. Most essays are five to seven sentences long, but some essays are ten or more. The basic format is to list one topic followed by the key ideas in the essay. The essay begins with a preface or concluding statement.These Essay DBQ Catholic Christian Reformed essay samples are not difficult to follow. It is always easy to follow the logical structure of the Essay DBQ, Catholic Christian Reformed essay samples, the order of the topics is arranged in a logical order and will guide the reader through the whole essay. The Essay DBQ, Catholic Christian Reformed essay samples also contains a list of the topics that will be covered in the whole assignment, which will help the student prepare the assigned topic and the necessary outline.The next section is on the religious standpoint. This section also addresses issues such as: what is the Christian view on abortion? Do all Christians believe in the sanctity of life? How do the different denominations differ?After this the Essay DBQ, Catholic Christian Reformed essay samples also address: What is the Christian viewpoint on Heaven? Is hell a real place? Is Jesus the only way to God?The authors of these books are theologians who were trained a nd are recognized in their field. The assignments they offer are generally revised versions of their completed PhD Dissertations.A graduate of a PhD in Theology with a focus on Christian Ethics is a hard grader, but the Essay DBQ Catholic Christian Reformed essay samples are still well worth taking a shot on. They will not be stiff nor too difficult, and they will address the Christian viewpoint well.

Towards A Philosophy Of Learning And Teaching Essay

TEPS370 Professional Studies Assignment 1: Towards a Philosophy of Learning and Teaching How do you go about learning (something new)? Learning is the ability to obtain new information, strengthen current knowledge, explore values, and acquire skills that benefit everyday life. Learning is continuous; it is not restricted to any specific time, nor place, religion nor culture. Every living thing has the opportunity to learn. Reflecting on my secondary schooling, my teachers used various styles of learning to enable students to understand new ideas and grasp concepts. The learning styles that I preferred and found the most successful were dependent on the subject area. The subject areas that I excelled in used a combination of the four main learning styles that include visual, audio/auditory, read/write, and kinaesthetic. Most commonly, Performing Arts subjects implemented all four learning styles. In another subject area, studying the German language, I experienced difficulty preparing for NCEA exams as the teacher preferred to use the ‘read/write’ learning style exclusively. This teaching approach left limited resources for students to explore ways of learning outside of the classroom and away from textbooks. I completed my Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Music and Theatre at Victoria University of Wellington. Both of these Performing Arts courses emphasised the use of all four of the different learning styles. For example, in theatre I was taught a simple processShow MoreRelatedEducation: The Expert Theory Essay1082 Words   |  5 PagesParamount to my teaching philosophy is building strong relationships with students. By illustrating that I care for their needs and desires, I hope to become approachable and produce a sense of belonging. 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Production of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites free essay sample

The growing interest in the past to produce green materials that can reduce the problem involving waste materials by non-fibrous materials led to the development of natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) also known as â€Å"water lily† is an aquatic plant which is found floating freely in the surface of fresh waters. Its rate of proliferation under certain circumstances is extremely rapid and cause infestations over large areas of water leading to a variety of problems. Hence, water hyacinth can be obtained without any additional cost. Water hyacinth is considered the most productive plant on earth as it yields more than 200 tons of dry matter per hectare per year under normal conditions. On water containing high concentrations of sewage, it yields up to 657 tons of dry matter per hectare. Water hyacinth fiber, the subject of the present study, is a waste product and found to be a potential for reinforcement in plastics. We will write a custom essay sample on Production of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Recently, a lot of researches produced fiber reinforced materials. Reinforcements with polyethylene, polypropylene and other thermoplastic polymers are mixed to produce efficient composites. Natural fibers including wood, kenaf, coir, pineapple, rice starch and etc. are used to combine with the polymers. Addition of fibers in the materials will affect the mechanical, thermal and water absorbent properties. Although, many researchers experimented with different types of organic materials, there have been a few studies on water hyacinth and its fibers. A fiber based biocomposite material contains polymers reinforced with natural fiber using natural fibers in biocomposites has various advantages, among which are: a) the material made from natural fibers will make it partially biodegradable; b) some fiber-based composites is somewhat expensive to make; c) natural fiber, in this research water hyacinth, is currently disposed and just decompose if not used. Likewise, Table 1. 1 shows some advantages of commercial composites as well as its disadvantages resulted from the study conducted by Peter (2002). Table 1. 1: List of Advantages and Disadvantages of Comm. Composites. (Peter, 2002) ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Longer life (no corrosion ),better fatigue life Matrix Weakness Reduced weight Difficult to attach Reduced manufacturing costs Non-destructive testing tedious Increased/Decreased thermal or electrical Transverse properties may be weak Conductivity One good application of fiber reinforced thermoplastic is possible for ceiling tiles. Ceiling tiles are lightweight, inexpensive and attractive and can be used in a variety of ways: crafts, photo backdrops, sound control, wall decor and more. The researchers will be utilized water hyacinth fibers as thermoplastic composites for ceiling tiles. Commercial Ceiling Insulation System 1. 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This study aimed to produce reinforced thermoplastic ceiling tiles using water hyacinth (Eicchorniacrassipes) fiber by compression molding. Specifically it aimed to: 1. Produce fiber reinforced thermoplastic treated and untreated with coupling agent from fibers of water hyacinth (Eicchorniacrassipes). 1. 1 0% (control) 1. 2 10% fiber mix 1. 3 20% fiber mix 1. 4 30% fiber mix 2. Determine the physical and mechanical properties of the fiber reinforced thermoplastic ceiling tiles treated and untreated with coupling agent. Tensile strength 2. 2 Water absorption 2. 3 Flame Retardancy 3. Identify the product with the best physical and mechanical properties will be compared to thecommercially available plywood. 1. 3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Here in the Philippines, particularly in Laguna de Bay, water hyacinth is considered a nuisance. â€Å"These plants now cover some 20% of the lake’s surface area,† said Edgardo Manda, general manager of Laguna Lake Development Authority. He added that such proliferation threatens survival of aquatic species there since these plants block sunlight’s penetration into the water. This research can help in reducing propagation of water hyacinth by utilizing these plants’ fibers in the production of a new product that may be used as a substitutefor the commercial ceiling insulation materials. This study is beneficial to the individuals who produce thermoplastic ceiling tiles, which has a good tensile strength and to set further development of thermoplastic composites. Lastly, the study aimed to benefit future researchers as to do further study and to utilize effective reinforcement of fibers to produce thermoplastic ceiling tiles. 1. This study focused on the synthesis of fiber reinforced plastic from water hyacinth (Eicchorniacrassipes) and to determine the effects of coupling agent, acetic anhydride, to the tiles. The size of the desired sample will be 7. 5† x7. 5† x 0. 5mm. The study also focused on the physical properties, particularly the tensile strength, flexural strength, water absorption test, and flame retardancy. The scope included compounding of water hyacinth fiber and polypropylene using two-roll mill machine, and molding by compression molding machine only. Therefore, the study did not cover the biodegradability, other methods of molding, the orientation of the fibers mixed with the matrix and the production cost of the thermoplastic ceiling tiles as the financial and the time span of the study suggests. The product was compared to plywood. 1. 5 DEFINITION OF TERMS Brominated flame retardants these accounts for 21% by weight (32% by value) of all flame retardants worldwide and are suitable for many types of plastic. Ceiling tiles- a horizontal surface that forms the top part or roof inside a room. Composites – pertains to materials made with two or  more constituents with observable difference in physical and chemical properties Flame Retardant Flame retardants are chemicals which are added to many materials to increase their fire safety. For example, many plastics are highly flammable and therefore their fire resistance is increased by adding flame retardants in order to reduce the risk of fire. Flexural Test – test for the maximum stress in the outermost fiber. This is calculated at the surface of the specimen on the convex or tension side. Matrix – a material in which the reinforcement material is embedded. Tensile Strength a measure of the ability of a material to withstand a longitudinal stress, expressed as the greatest stress that the material can stand without breaking Thermoplastic – is a type of plastic that becomes liquid when heated and turn into glass-like material when frozen. Water Absorption The amount of water absorbed by a composite material (water hyacinth fiber reinforced plastic) when immersed in water for a stipulated period of time. Water Hyacinth – is an aquatic plant found in the surface of the fresh water. CHAPTER 2 Conceptual Framework/ Plastics have been one of the most highly valued materials mainly because of their extraordinary versatility and low cost. Figure 2. 1. Classification of Bioplastics Adopted from Handbook of Bioplastics and BiocompositesEnginnering Application, (Pilla, 2011) Bioplastic and plastic can be produced with three possible sources as shown in Figure 2. 1. First, it came from the most common source the petroleum, then, from thestarchy material and lastly, from the cellulosic material. Today, plastic derived from petroleum products are widely used. Many studies already conducted application of product containing starch turn into plastic. Sriroth et. al. (2000) made plastic from cassava starch and other researchers conducted experiments to produce plastic with another different starch containing products. The natural fibre extracted from different sources has shown promising results as reinforcement to thermoplastics. When isolated into nano scale, these fibres have values of tensile strength and modulus comparable to glass fibre. Natural fibres are lightweight material, with properties of high specific modulus, non-abrasive in the processing equipments, renewable, biodegradable and  recyclable that allows them to compete against other man-made materials like fossil materials and fibreglass. The rapid growth of natural fibre composites is related to economic, technological, social and environmental issues. (Souza et. al. 2010) 2. 2 CELLULOSE FIBERS In the study conducted by Sullivan (1996), cellulose derived from plants are investigated and found the possible pre-treatments and explained the parts of the fiber obtained. The structure is defined and how it acts as potential use for advance in plastic technology. Cellulose fibers are found to have their thermal stability with noticeable degradation occurring as the melt processing temperature approaches 200oC. This excludes some manufacturing processes and limits the type of thermoplastic that can be used as matrix material like polypropylene, polystyrene and polyethylene. Typical chemical composition of a water hyacinth material is listed on Table 2. 1. It clearly shows that on a dry basis, water hyacinth contains greater percentage of hemicellulose in it, next is the cellulose and the least content is the lignin. Table 2. 1. Chemical Composition of Water Hyacinth (Poddar et. al. , 1991) Component Wt % Moisture Cellulose 85-95 Organic matter (dry basis) 18-31 Hemicelluloses 18-43 Lignin 7-26 Ash (dry basis) 15-26 2. 3 ALKALI TREATMENT ON CELLULOSE Alkali treatment on cellulose is a chemical method which can change the constituents of fibers. The alkali treatment causes swelling, leading to an increase in internal surface area, a decrease in the degree of polymerization, a decrease in crystallinity, separation of structural linkages between lignin and carbohydrates, and disruption of the lignin structure. The primary functions of the matrix are to transfer stresses between the reinforcing fibers (hold fibers together) and protect the fibers from mechanical and/or environmental damages. A basic requirement for a matrix material is that its strain at break must be larger than the fibers it is holding. Typically, the matrix has a considerably lower density, stiffness (modulus), and strength than those of the reinforcing fiber material, but the combination of the two main constituents (matrix and fiber) produces  high strength and stiffness, while still possessing a relatively low density. Most matrices are made of resins for their wide variation in properties and relatively low cost. Common resin materials include epoxy, phenolic, polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, and vinyl ester. Among these resin materials, polyesters are the most widely used. Epoxies, which have higher adhesion and less shrinkage than polyesters, come in second for their higher costs 2. 5 COUPLING AGENT A coupling agent improves the bond between filter and resin. A coupling agent for glass fibers is called a coupling finish. This term is not to be confused with coupling size, which is a lubricant that facilitates operations like winding. (Elias, 2003) Fiber to matrix adhesion plays a very important role in the reinforcement of composites with short fibers. To have composites with excellent mechanical properties, the load must be transferred effectively from the matrix to fibers. Although mechanisms of stress transfer are not clear, it has been postulated that it takes place through shearing interface. A lot of studies have been conducted on various composite materials either to improve the efficiency of the interface in transferring stress or to understand the mechanism involved. According to Elias (2003), there are two types of coupling agents: Non-reactive and reactive coupling agents. Non-reactive coupling agents such absorb on the surface of the fillers. They establish physical bonds (hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole and/or van der Waals interactions between the agent and the resin molecules. On the other hand, glass fibers and several mineral fillers such as clays, mica, kaolin, and aluminum trihydroxide (ATH) are treated with reactive coupling agents, mainly silicon derivatives. Coupling agents typically have fairly low molecular weight chemicals with chemical end groups (functionality) for chemical reaction to both an inorganic particle surface (normally a particle, of nanometric or micron size, or a fibre) with one of the end groups and to a polymer molecule with the other end. They may be also used to bond polymers onto metallic surfaces. (Nelson,2010) Esterification is the chemical process for making esters, which are compounds of the chemical structure R-COOR, where R and R are either alkyl or aryl groups. The most common method for preparing esters is to heat a carboxylic acid, R-CO-OH, with an alcohol, R-OH, while removing the water that is formed. A mineral acid catalyst is usually needed to make the reaction occur at a useful rate. Esters can also be formed by various other reactions. These include the reaction of an alcohol with an acid chloride (R-CO-Cl) or an anhydride (R-CO-O-COR). Early studies into the chemical mechanism of esterification, concluded that the ester product (R-CO-OR) is the union of the acyl group (R-C=O-) from the acid, RCO-OH, with the alkoxide group (RO-) from the alcohol, R-OH rather than other possible combinations. (Loudon, G. Mark. OrganicChemistry. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. ) 2. 7 COMPOSITES There are several types of composites, the polymer matrix composite, metal mix composite, ceramic matrix composite and carbon-carbon matrix composite. Before, cellulosic fillers became a potential to replace non-fibrous fillers as the application of thermoplastic materials became popular. But then, lack of good surface adhesion of substances and poor resistance to moisture absorption made the reinforced composites unappealing. Various methods have been done to increase the adhesion of the materials used for reinforced composites like isocyanate, acrylation, latex coating, acetylation, peroxide, permanganate, silane and alkali treatment as coupling agent have been carried out to improve the properties of the thermoplastic composite. The manufacture of fiber-reinforced composites has multi-step process which includes the extraction of the fiber from the plant, chemical treatment to reduce it to its fibrous form and reduced its size and combined with synthetic polymer material. Techniques are then used to mold the final product. Even though plastics are thought of a common problem, still, it is believed that this new advance should suggest the chance for reduced environmental issues, reduced energy consumption, light weight, insulation and reduced dependence on petroleum and wood based products. Polymer can be divided into two groups according to their thermal processing behaviour, thermoset and thermoplastic. Thermoplastic composites are composites that use thermoplastic polymer as a matrix. These plastics can be melt processed by a variety of method including extrusion and molding, like polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyreneand polyvinyl chloride. A thermoplastic polymer is a long chain polymer that can be either amorphous in structure or semi-crystalline. These polymers are long chain, medium to high molecular weight materials, whose general properties are those of toughness, resistance to chemical attack and recyclability. Thermoplastic polymers used in thermoplastic composites can be divided into two classes, high temperature thermoplastics and the engineering thermoplastics. The classification is based on the maximum service temperature of the polymers, which in turn is based on the Glass Transition (Tg) temperature. This is the temperature at which the amorphous portion of the polymer changes from a glassy to a rubbery phase on heating. Thermoset polymers may not usefully carry mechanic loads above Tg, but semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymers may carry load above Tg, as only the amorphous phase of the polymer has become rubbery. The crystalline portion of the polymer remains solid until the melt temperature, Tm. 2. 9 POLYPROPYLENE 2. 9. 1 Properties of Polypropylene Polypropylene has a linear structure and its monomer (or the basic structural unit that binds together to form the chain) is represented by the formula of CnH2n, where n is the number of atoms. Its cost of production is not very high. It can be obtained from propylene gas with the help of titanium chloride as a catalyst. Some of the essential properties of polypropylene are as follows: Weight Polypropylene is a lightweight material. Tensile strength Its tensile strength is quite high. It shows strong resistance towards stress and cracking. Shape Polypropylene is crystalline in nature and possesses a regular geometrical shape. Insulation It acts as an excellent insulator. That means, polypropylene prevents flow of electricity through it. Moisture Absorption Polypropylene does not get damaged by water exposure because its moisture absorption is very low. Melting Point Melting point of polypropylene is 160 °C. Therefore, unlike other polymers like polyethylene, it is capable of being operational at a very high temperature. Corrosion This polymer remains unaffected when it comes in contact with chemicals such as alkaline substances, acids, de-greasing agents, electrolytic attacks, etc. However, its resistance towards aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents and ultraviolet radiation is not very strong. Other useful properties: Basically, it is a non-toxic substance. It does not get stained very easily. It can be easily fabricated. It can retain its stiffness and flexibility intact even at very high temperatures. Figure 2. 2: Structure of Polypropylene 2. 10 TENSILE TESTING Tensile test is a measurement of the ability of a material to withstand forces that tend to pull it apart and to what extent the material stretches before breaking. The stiffness of a material which represented by tensile modulus can be determined from stress-strain diagram. 2. 11 FLEXURAL STRENGTH Flexural strength is the maximum stress in the outer specimen at the moment of break. When the homogeneous elastic material is tested with three-point system, the maximum stress occurs at the midpoint. This stress can be evaluated for any point on the load deflection curve using equation (2. The absorbed moisture affects the fibre/matrix interface and hence the mechanical and physical properties of the composites. The reduced effect of moisture absorption on the mechanical properties has been attributed to the improved fibre/matrix bonding which reduce the moisture-caused fibre-matrix debonding. The molar absorption of water by the composites at the given interval time Q was calculated from (Springer, 1981): Where W1 is the weight of the dry sample and W2 is the weight of wet sample. 2. 13 FLAME RETARDANT Flame retardant are substances that can be chemically inserted into the polymer molecule or be physically blended in polymers after polymerization to suppress, reduce, delay or modify the propagation of a flame through a plastic material. Antimony Trioxide as flame retardant Antimony Trioxide is used mainly in fire retardant formulations for plastics, rubbers, textiles, paper and paints. Further, Antimony Trioxide can be used as an additive in glass and ceramic products and as a catalyst in the chemical industry. Occupational exposure may occur during mining, processing and smelting of antimony ores, in glass and ceramics production, and during the manufacture and use of products containing antimony trioxide. Antimony trioxide and pentoxide do not react as flame-retardants directly. Applications include: for wide range of plastics, rubbers, paper and textiles, catalyst in PET production, activator in glass industry, flocculant in titanium dioxide production, paints and adhesives industries, pigments and ceramic frites. According to Yepez (2005) the most commonly used for testing flammability is Match Flame Test. This requires small scale fire tests. Specimen must be dry and exposed to flame from a common wood kitchen-type match. During the exposure, flaming shall not spread over the complete length of the sample or in excess of 4 inches from the bottom of the sample. There shall not be more than two seconds after flame. Material that break and drip flaming particles shall be rejected if the materials continue to burn after they reach the floor. 2. 15 Antimony Trioxide as Fire Retardant This is a synergistic flame retardant which is always used with either brominated flame retardants, chlorinated flame retardants or chlorinated polymers such as PVC. It is very effective at fairly low concentrations so that the amounts of brominated flame retardant used can be halved. Typically about 3% antimony oxide can replace about 10% of brominated flame retardant. CHAPTER 3 Review of Related Literature 3. 1. Reinforcement of Cellulose fibers Reinforcement of cellulose fibers in composite materials started since grass and straw were used as reinforcement in mud bricks. The use of reinforcement in the past is widely used in automotive industry. The sources of fibrous material according to the part of the plant are classified as: 1. Leaf Fibers – the fibers run lengthwise through the leaves of most monocotyledonous plants including sisal, abaca and the like. 2. Bast Fibers – the fibers come from the inner bark of the stems of dicotyledenous plants including hemf, kenaf, jute and flax 3. Grass or reeds – the fibrous part is found in the stems of monocotyledonous plants which includes bamboo and sugar cone. 3. 2 Modifications Modifications can be made in order to produce quality plastic. There are examples of reduced energy demand by applying pre-treatments before mechanical treatments and successfully isolated cellulose materials (Henrikkson et. al. , 2007; Paakko et. al, 2007) Nakagaito and Yano (2008), modified nanocellulose fibers by NaOH treatment, which resulted in superior performance of the fibers and a further improvement in the toughness and elongation. Most cellulose and microcellulose is obtained from forestry products as forests are large and in some countries an important resource. On the other hand, agricultural fibers also offer cellulose and recent studies have shown that fruit-based agricultural fibers can be used to obtain this kind of material. Habibi, et. al. (2009), extracted cellulose from pear fruits while Zuluaga et. al. (2009), obtained nano-fibers from banana. There are many ways on how to produce cellulose material. Pohleret. al. (2010) characterized the different outcomes with different chemical pre-treatment and methods and evaluated each. Modification includes the physical combination of two polymerand the combination of the non-polymetric material. Usually the characteristics of composites include comprise high strength, high modulus, low density and excellent resistance to fatigue, creep rupture, corrosion and wear. Polypropylene is commonly used as matrix of composite as it has low processing temperature (below 230o) which will not degrade the fiber. Polypropylene is one of the successful commodity synthetic polymers. It is commonly used because of its low density (0. 905 g/cm3), high crystallinity, stiffness and toughness. (Supri 2009) In the presence of a coupling agent, the water uptake was reduced as better interfacial bonding was proven. 3. 3 Alkaline pre-treatment Alkaline pre-treatment disrupts the lignin structure and helps to separate the structural linkages between lignin and carbohydrates. (Dufresne et. al. , 1997; Wang and Sain, 2007) Alkaline pre-treatment should be controlled to avoid undesirable cellulose degradation and to ensure that hydrolysis occurs only at the fiber surface (Bhatnagar and Sain, 2005; Wang and Sain, 2007) so that intact nanofibers can be obtained. Table 3. 1 List of some coupling agent studied for cellulosic materials and plasticsystems. Chtourou, et. al. 1992, Gatenholm, et. al, Anhydride 1992, 1993. Rozman et. al, 1994. Maldas andKokta, 1989, 1990, 1991. Epoxides Rowelle et. al. 1982 Silane Beshay et. al. , 1985; Raj et. al 1989,1990. Nelson J. K (2010) also gave emphasis to the significance of a coupling agent. The importance of a coupling agent to the surface of a particle is that it sets the stage for the quality and properties of the interface region involving the polymer matrix resumes its normal properties. Another importance of coupling agent, though not-always-stated, is to prevent interactions with, and interference from, the presence of water. Pre-treatments of natural fibers in fiber-reinforced composites repeatedly show improvement in tensile properties upon different modifications owing to the increased fiber-matrix adhesion. 3. 4 Cellulose Composites A composite is defined as a material that combines two or more distinct constituents or phases, where one or more discontinuous phases (reinforcements) are dispersed in another continuous phase (matrix) in order to obtain tailor-made characteristics and properties. (Mussig, 2010) Development of composites based on cellulosic material is rather new but rapidly evolving area. Polymer composites are a polymer matrix composite in which the fillers are less than 100 nm in at least one dimension. When the fillers or reinforcements are celluloses, the resulting composites are referred as cellulose composites or cellulose composites. (Schadler, et. al. , 2007) In 2001, Sarkar et. al. , made a study on the effects of alkali treatment on jute fibers which made alkali treatment as a potential to produce competent composite material. It is found that there was an improvement in the crystallinity in the jute fibers by an observable increase in modulus. Also, the percent breaking strain was reduced. (ICME 2011) It is concluded that the Young’s modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength of the water hyacinth-polypropylene composites increases as fiber loading increases. It is also found that all of the properties were better for treated water hyacinth-polypropylene composites than with raw water hyacinth-polypropylene composites. The tensile strength of the composites decreased with an increase of the water hyacinth fiber loading. But, the 15wt% treated water hyacinth fibers reinforced polypropylene composite revealed better tensile properties than equivalent raw water hyacinth-polypropylene composites. The water hyacinth fibers which were treated increased interfacial bonding between the matrix and fibers. Thermoplastics Based on book of Biron (2007), polymer composites are made from polymer matrix, thermoset or thermoplastics. Hybrids combine plastics or composites such as metal, wood and other source. The composite properties depend on the matrix used, the reinforcement material and how the adhesion effectively occurred between the fiber and the matrix based on different techniques that may be done in order to produce effective composites. The matrix ensured the cohesion, distribution and lessens the impacts and stresses to protect the product. Thermoplastics reinforced from polypropylene are found to have many applications like countertops, coatings and etc. as it exhibits high corrosion resistance, abrasion and impact resistance. Some of the studied systems, involving cellulosic material and thermoplastic matrices are listed below: Table 3. 2. List of some cellulosic material/ thermoplastic system studied System Studied