Printers, Performance and Inks - Making Sense of Your Printing Needs

Printers are hard working machines, and they're usually pretty reliable. The performance problems often relate to maintenance, materials, and using the right inks. It's worth your while to spend some time researching what your printer needs for best performance, and checking out the ink cartridge and toner situation.

Printers and print jobs- Matching your printer to your work

The type of jobs your printer needs to do define the type of model that you need. Most people have multi function printers, which are also scanners, copiers and faxes.

If you run your own business, your printer will be doing a lot of work of all kinds, which means you need a high performance, name brand model. These printers are used for everything, all the time.

For example:

A professional freelance graphic artist requires a printer which:

Has high resolution scanner
Has high quality printing capacity
Makes good colour photo quality copies
Can do a lot of hard copy
Works with advanced graphics software
Can work with various types of media

The type of printer required will be an upmarket, heavy duty model, either laser or inkjet. It needs to work with the advanced graphic software, and be a good, durable machine.

Printer performance issues

Most people have had mixed experiences with home printers, some being very good printers, and others being pretty hopeless, particularly the cheap brands and the notorious "plastic printers" which seem to have very short product lives and break down regularly.

It's worth investing in a name brand printer, because these printers are much better designed. Even if you don't really need a top of the range printer, the good quality printers are reliable, low maintenance, and produce far better prints. They're also not very expensive these days, and you can save a lot of frustration, as well as money, by getting a good printer.

Printer inks and performance

Printer inks are made based on printer design, product testing, printer calibration for colour performance. Printers don't actually use a lot of ink on a print. The differences in colour levels are created by using more of one colour on successive prints, because of the printer calibration, which uses tone and colour mixes to produce colours. If your picture contains a lot of green, the printer will use more blue and yellow, for example.

Because printers themselves differ a lot in design, ink usage will also vary, because the calibrations are different. This is particularly so with newer printers, which are more efficient, and use "half tone" colour mixes, which are more accurate. These printers use their inks more efficiently.

If you do a lot of printing, and want to save on ink, bulk discount cartridges and ink cartridge refills are the way to go. You can get very good deals on ink from online suppliers, and sometimes you don't even have to pay for shipping. A good printer and good deals on your ink will give you great performance, all the time.

Cartridgemate.com.au offers a wide range of inkjet printer cartridges and laser toner supplies at seriously discounted prices. You can save up to 70% on inflated retail shop prices. For more information or to view our products, visit Ink Cartridges

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The Necessity of Making Science Project Blueprints

In starting a science project, a student must think of a new concept or idea to make things easier and systematic and that's why it's important to make Science Project Blueprints. The idea may be making a new product beneficial to the environment or discovering knowledge. Upon formation of an idea, the student can start setting objectives and do research work.

Blueprints of science projects are simply drafts or proposal of the student's concept and ideas. This is very important in starting with a Science project because it will guide students. The project proposal is still subject for approval so students need to submit it. If the concept on the draft is good, teachers return the approved blueprints to students. This will formally start the project implementation.

The beginning pages of the blueprint generally contain the project title, objectives, and scientific question. Introduction to the study is also made and placed on the draft. From these items, the rest of the study follows. One will also be able to find the different methods used in the project implementation.

To be able to write all the contents in the proposal, research is done. Students do tremendous effort in reading books, encyclopedias, science magazines, etc. All the things written on the project proposal must be based on facts. Every theory must have scientific explanation behind it to make the project valid. Otherwise, the project will be useless and it may not be approved for passing.

Along with gathering information from books, data gathering is also done. Date gathering may be done inside the school or outside communities. Data gathering is very specific and so one must be careful in doing it. Later on, the data obtained will be itemized when doing the statistics.

Upon completion of the project, the blueprint with added data is again submitted. This time, teachers will check if the project is valid and useful. If a project is found to be relevant and useful, it will be kept. Later on during Science fair, it will be displayed and judges will check it. If it's found to be the best project among all, the participant will be awarded. The project will have the chance to join the regional, national and international science competitions.

Preparing Science Project Blueprints is very important. It serves as the format of how the project is implemented. It also proves the validity of a Science project because it contains complete information.

Do you want to know more tips about simple science projects? Click Here Now to know all about science project blueprints and more. Don't delay. Check it out today!

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Fun Homeschool Science Activity Making Homemade Slime and Silly Putty

In the homeschool science projects that I teach, I call this "The Science of Slime." You will experience the same slimy feeling that you experience while holding a fish or a squid. Eeks!

Here are some fun homeschool science activities that you can do at home.

Bouncy Gunk

Take half a cup of water and mix a teaspoonful of Borax (found at the laundry section of your grocery store) in it. Stir the mixture vigorously with a popsicle stick. Alternatively, you can put the mixture in a glass jar with a lid and shake, shake, shake. Once the borax dissolves, add some more till it no longer dissolves. Take another cup and mix glue and water in equal proportions.

Now add a globule of this glue mixture to the borax mixture. Stir with the popsicle stick and empty the contents on the palm of your hand. Roll the mixture on your hands till it gets drier and becomes bouncy. Now let it roll onto your table and see it bounce. Pick it up and squeeze it and watch it slither through your fingers.

You can add some food coloring of your choice while preparing the slime for added effect. Involve your friends in your homeschool science activities. Place the slime in the hand of another friend who does not know what you are holding. YUCK!

Starchy Goop

Take a paper cup and add a tablespoon of liquid starch (found at the laundry section of your grocery store) to it. Add a globule of glue mixture (same as the above) to it and stir with a popsicle stick. Empty the contents on the palm of your hand and roll it from hand to hand until it gets drier. What is the difference between this and the Bouncy Gunk?

Corny Glop

Take a cup of cornstarch in a bowl. Slowly add cold water and begin mixing with your fingers. If it is too runny, mix another cup of cornstarch and mix gently with your fingers. It must not be too dry and not too wet. Now you can do different things with it. Take in on the palm of your hand and squeeze it. Cut it with a pair of scissors. Pat it with a ladle. Throw it up in the air and see how it behaves before you catch it. Have fun!

When you are not playing with your homemade slime, you can place it in a plastic zip-lock bag. Slime collects dust and dirt, and therefore remember to discard the slime when it gets dirty.

In today's homeschool science activity, you have learned about substances called polymers. Jelly, rubber bands and gum are all different types of polymers. Some polymers act as solids and we can hold them in our hands. At the same time they take the shape of the containers they are placed in, thus behaving as liquids do. Polymers that are harder are also used in parts of cell phones, spectacles and other household articles.

Do some research and find out various things made up of polymers. Learn about the molecular structure of polymers.

For your free "Homeschool Parent's Guide to Teaching Science", filled with great science experiments and activities, visit the link below.

A great free resource for really cool science experiments and activities is the Homeschool Science Experiment Guide.

Another good homeschool resource for science ideas, experiments and activities, is the homeschool science blog (just click on the Blog link). Definitely worth bookmarking.

Have Fun!

About the Author
Aurora Lipper has been teaching science to kids for over 10 years. She is also a mechanical engineer, university instructor, pilot, astronomer, a real live rocket scientist (You should see the lab in her basement!) and a mom. She has inspired thousands of kids with the fun and magic of science.

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Science Fair Projects - Making a Winning Science Project Step 1b - The Scientific Method Part 1

If you are getting ready to prepare your very own science experiment for the science fair, it's time to make sure you know everything you need to about the scientific method. The scientific method provides a basic structure that you will use when conducting your experiment. It describes the background of the experiment, the process that you will use during your research, and the steps you will take in order to come up with a conclusion to your project. Plus - During the science fair, you'll have to show the judges that you have followed the scientific method and that you understand what each step means.

No matter what type of scientific research you are conducting for your science project, you will have to use five scientific steps. Cool fact: these scientific steps are also the steps that professional scientists use when they conduct their experiments - including scientists at NASA that build space ships! Here they are:

Research
Problem
Hypothesis
Project Experimentation
Project Conclusion

Now, here's what you need to know about each of these steps in order to create a really cool science project: Research During this step, you are deciding what experiment you want to conduct by researching different things that interest you. Research means that you get more information that might help to plan your experiment. There are many ways to get information during research. For example, you can use your own experiences, you can look information up in a book, or you can use an experiment that you may have already done in class as a starting point. I got the idea for one of my science fair projects while eating dinner one night. I realized that I could taste salty foods in one part of my mouth and sweet foods in another. I asked my dad why this happened and he said that different taste buds taste different foods and are located in different parts of the mouth. We looked online for information about where the taste buds were exactly and compared the pictures online with our own tongues in the mirror. That year, my project was about finding out where taste buds are in the mouth for everyday foods, like milk and bread, and vegetables. From that example, you can see that I started with a question that I had through simple observation. My dad and I researched the answer to my question together using books and by looking at our tongues in the mirror. Heads up: When you do your research for your own scientific experiment, make sure that you are doing the research on your own. I might have used my dad to help answer my question at first, but I used library books, experiments, and interviews (I called my doctor) in order to do my project on my own. Problem The problem part of the scientific method provides the whole purpose for the research and experiments. The problem is usually an open-ended question that you need to solve through the experiment. An open-ended question is one that cannot be answered in one or two words, such as, "Are there taste buds in the mouth." In my particular case, my problem was that I wanted to find out where taste buds were for different foods. So my open-ended question was "Where are specific taste buds for common foods?"

Expect to be surprised when writing your question. When I came up with my problem, I realized that I couldn't limit the answer to what I thought I'd learn. For example, I knew that my tongue had taste buds, but my dad had also mentioned that taste buds can occur in other parts of my mouth. That's why my question didn't say, "Where on the tongue are specific taste buds for common foods?"

Make sure you can answer your question through experimentation. Your experiment should help you to come to a conclusion about your initial problem.

Hypothesis A hypothesis is my favorite part of the scientific method because it is a statement about what you think will happen. You write the hypothesis after you have already done some of your research, but before you perform your experiment. Your experiment will prove whether your hypothesis is right or wrong. Here's an example of the hypothesis I used in my experiment: "I believe that different parts of the mouth respond to different tastes. I base this hypothesis on:

The front of the tongue tastes sugar, but the sides do not.
The sides of the tongue taste salt, but the front does not.

Here are some tips to help you with your hypothesis.

When creating your hypothesis, it is okay to state why you think your experiment will have a particular conclusion. Remember: you have already observed through research that different parts of the tongue taste different things.
As you go through your experiment, you might discover that you were wrong in your hypothesis. If this happens, congratulations! You've experienced something that professional scientists experience everyday...and that's why you're doing the experiment after all! Don't go back and change your hypothesis, though. It's expected (and absolutely fine) to discover that your hypothesis was wrong (sometimes the science fair judges like to see that, too!)
It might also help to write the hypothesis down so that you remember what it is. Write it down before you start the experiment, just in case the experiment turns out differently than you thought it would.

Now you're ready to do your experiment. To learn how to do this cool next step, you'll want to read part 2 of this article. Visit this link to finish learning how to do an great science fair project. Or if you are really serious about doing an awesome project, just download your free copy of "Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects" from the link below right now.

A great resource for science project ideas, as well as how to do them, is the science project blog. Definitely worth bookmarking.

Be sure to look for my other articles on science projects. Now go get going!

About the Author Aurora Lipper has been teaching science to kids for over 10 years. She is also a mechanical engineer, university instructor, pilot, astronomer and a real live rocket scientist (You should see the lab in her basement!) She has inspired thousands of kids with the fun and magic of science.

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Making Science the New Gym Class

Ask any middle or high school student their favorite class in school, and 9 out of 10 will say gym. Or lunch. Or some may branch out and say history. But how many students would actually say science? Maybe 2-5 in an entire school? And these are probably the students who were pushed by their parents or some external source to do so and were born to end up in science-related fields. So how do we appeal to the other 400 students to at least consider science for their future? The easy answer: liven science class up!

So why is science class so boring? The easy answer would be to point to standardized testing and high school curriculum that put pressure on teachers to develop classes that emphasize facts and laws. But science isn't about about facts and laws. In fact, most science "laws" that have been developed over the past several centuries have since been altered or even proved incorrect altogether. Do you think any high school students would know this? And why shouldn't they?

So how can we make kids actually like science? We all know that telling them that science is cool will only make the problem worse. Maybe we should tell them we hate science ourselves, and their rebellion will push them towards science? Well, probably not. But, one feasible way would be to teach not just the theories and facts, but instead put them in historical context. Think about it - how were all of the discoveries that we take for granted actually made? How did Copernicus decide that the sun, not the Earth, is actually at the center of our universe? Was he the only person who thought this way? And what was the response to his theories? Was he widely accepted right away, or did his contemporaries consider him to be crazy? Putting scientific discoveries in an historical context adds a new dimension to the straight facts and laws we are all taught, and allows for students to put a face to these faceless names of science. Putting a face to famous scientists is just one way to liven up science education in our schools.

An even better way of getting science to stick with high school students is to teach it in the way it is actually practiced. Science is the ultimate exploratory class, and should taught as such. Sure, it is important to know the facts before we can further science along, but why can't students explore science in the way it was learned. Teachers should be setting up their students to make scientific discoveries on their own through innovative experiments. Why not setup Millikan's famous oil drop experiment to discover what electric charge is instead of learning the formula for it? Well, maybe setting up a uniform electric field might be a bit difficult for cash-strapped public schools, but the idea is the same. Setting up a creative and exploratory environment for science class can only lead to more interest in the subject.

For the United States to maintain its place among the superpowers in education, our educational system needs to adapt. This can only be achieved by the current scientific community reaching out to younger, impressionable students that represent the future of scientific research in this country. I myself am a PhD student in biomedical engineering at the University of Minnesota, and have been tutoring middle school and high school students for the past 5 years. My favorite part of helping these students is not reiterating the same boring facts they can read for themselves in books; it is instead in relating my current work (or that of my academic peers) to what they are learning and explaining how scientific discoveries are made.

With this in mind, I have started a tutoring company in the Minneapolis metro area called Collegiate Tutors ( http://www.collegiate-tutors.com ) that matches young students with current PhD students to act as tutors and scientific mentors to them. It is my hope with this company that we can play a small role in developing the next generation of scientific researchers.

And hopefully we'll raise the number of students who love science to double digits.

"Improving the way science is taught, one student at a time"

Craig Markovitz
President and CEO
Collegiate Tutors
http://www.collegiate-tutors.com

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Tips For Making Science Fun For Homeschoolers

For reasons that vary, children usually have difficulty enjoying and understanding many of the concepts that make up a science curriculum. From the elementary grades all the way to high school, traditional teachers have always found it difficult to make learning science fun - and they've got equipment to spare.

Homeschool students do not often have access to the supplies and equipment that usually make up a traditional public and private science classroom, which makes learning science that much more difficult to do. Still, homeschool teachers who are trying to teach science do not need fancy equipment to make science fun for their kids to learn. With a little creativity, and a lot of patience, parents can make teaching and learning science more fun than a trip to the dentist.

o Give the textbook a break - There is no better way to make science boring than to resort to a traditional form of textbook instruction. Textbooks certainly have their place in the science curriculum, but they should never be a homeschooler's sole method of delivering instruction. Textbooks can be dry, and often outdated. An effective science teacher is usually able to go through the book and pull out both the important, and the interesting information for students to learn.

o Use hands-on activities - Science more than any other academic area easily lends itself to the use of hands-on activities. This alone is one of the best ways to make science fun. From dissecting a squid in order to help children learn about oceanic organisms, to making slime in order to help students understand polymers, hands-on activities are the best way to make science tangible and enjoyable.

o Explore museums - Building on the idea of making science interactive, parents can help make science concepts more tangible by taking children to local science museums. Many displays at these museums are interactive, especially those involving the physical sciences. In addition, many of these museums also offer special programs and demonstrations that can easily be used by parents to supplement their homeschool science curriculum.

o Use technology - Today's homeschooler has a nearly infinite supply of technology that can be used to supplement a science curriculum. The net has websites that cover all areas of science, and many that are dedicated to specific areas. One of the most popular science-based websites, both for traditional and homeschooled children, is BrainPop. At BrainPop, children can access hundreds of mini movies that teach specific science concepts. After watching the movies, children are asked to answer a series of questions in the form of a quiz. Each movie and quiz is also accompanied by a relevant activity that children can use to supplement or clarify the specific science concept that was just taught.

As difficult as science can be to teach, nothing and no one says it has to be boring. By incorporating interactive activities and assessments, together with a little technology and a few trips to local museums, parents can make sure that their kids will enjoy learning science as much as they will enjoy teaching it.

To learn more about a quality, distance learning homeschool program please visit Laurel Springs School. Laurel Springs School is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience based on your child's learning style.

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Science Education - Making Science Fun

Every school in America is required to teach science. This is because science and scientific learning is a fundamental part of our existence. Most everything that we encounter on a day-to-day basis is, in some way, related to science. Even when we are sleeping, science is there to explain why we need to sleep and what takes place while we are sleeping. Because of this, science education is essential to life as we know it. Of course there will be many people who are happy to go through life without knowing how a bird can fly. Even given this fact, there will always be something that they will need to know and understand that is grounded in science. Even if it is something as simple as 'fire is hot' or 'getting punched hurts. Science is there to explain these simple things too.

A good foundation in science through science education is required for all children, but the way that this education takes place is not strictly defined. With that said, many schools will take to science experiments using hands-on science products and supplies. This is an excellent way for students to 'see' the science around them. Often times learning from a book can be tedious and will cause students to become uninterested in the subject matter. A science experiment, however, is interactive and forces the students to take part in science learning. These projects don't have to be complicated and will usually result in a much higher level of learning retention.

There are a few reasons why children better retain knowledge gained through scientific experimentation. One is it allows you to appeal to those children who are visual learners. These students are the ones who need pictures or demonstrations to remember things. Words just don't stick in their minds as well, but when they can see a science demonstration or visualize an experiment, they can comprehend and retain the subject matter with much better success. Many students tend to thrive in science because it offers the visual aspect that many other subject matters do not.

Another reason that knowledge gained through science experimentation is retained longer by students is because they are actively engaged. They can't simply skim through the experiment, they have to make sure that they are doing things correctly, and the only way to ensure that is by understanding what is going on. It forces students to understand the science behind what they are doing, and if they don't, often times the experiment won't turn out right.

Finally, hands-on science experimentation gives the student a sense of accomplishment. It is a reward of sorts, to have the experiment turn out correctly. That reassurance and sense of achievement at the end of each experiment will cause them to want to do more. It will also give them more confidence in what they are doing and possibly cause them to take up more science projects on their own. They will already be comfortable with the process they need to follow and will merely need their own ideas and theories to start their own projects. Even their own small science projects will increase their knowledge of how the world around them works and functions.

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