Discourse Analysis Essay

Discourse analysis (DA), or discourse studies, is a general term for a number of approaches to analyzing written, vocal, or sign language use or any significant semiotic event. The objects of discourse analysis — discourse, writing, conversation, communicative event, etc. — are variously defined in terms of coherent sequences of sentences, propositions, speech acts or turns-at-talk. Contrary to much of traditional linguistics, discourse analysts not only study language use ‘beyond the sentence boundary’, but also prefer to analyze ‘naturally occurring’ language use, and not invented examples. Text linguistics is related. The essential difference between discourse analysis and text linguistics is that it aims at revealing socio-psychological characteristics of a person/persons rather than text structure.[1] Discourse analysis has been taken up in a variety of social science disciplines, including linguistics, sociology, anthropology, social work, cognitive psychology, social psychology, international relations, human geography, communication studies, and translation studies, each of which is subject to its own assumptions, dimensions of analysis, and methodologies. Topics of interest Topics of discourse analysis include: * The various levels or dimensions of discourse, such as sounds (intonation, etc.), gestures, syntax, the lexicon, style, rhetoric, meanings, speech acts, moves, strategies, turnsand other aspects of interaction * Genres of discourse (various types of discourse in politics, the media, education, science, business, etc.) * The relations between discourse and the emergence of syntactic structure * The relations between text (discourse) and context * The relations between discourse and power * The relations between discourse and interaction * The relations between discourse and cognition and memory Discourse Analysis Deborah Tannen Discourse analysis is sometimes defined as the analysis of language ‘beyond the sentence’. This contrasts with types of analysis more typical of modern linguistics, which are chiefly concerned with the study of grammar: the study of smaller bits of language, such as sounds (phonetics and phonology), parts of words (morphology), meaning (semantics), and the order of words in sentences (syntax). Discourse analysts study larger chunks of language as they flow together. Some discourse analysts consider the larger discourse context in order to understand how it affects the meaning of the sentence. For example, Charles Fillmore points out that two sentences taken together as a single discourse can have meanings different from each one taken separately. To illustrate, he asks you to imagine two independent signs at a swimming pool: â€Å"Please use the toilet, not the pool,† says one. The other announces, â€Å"Pool for members only.† If you regard each sign independently, they seem quite reasonable. But taking them together as a single discourse makes you go back and revise your interpretation of the first sentence after you’ve read the second. Discourse and Frames ‘Reframing’ is a way to talk about going back and re-interpreting the meaning of the first sentence. Frame analysis is a type of discourse analysis that asks, What activity are speakers engaged in when they say this? What do they think they are doing by talking in this way at this time? Consider how hard it is to make sense of what you are hearing or reading if you don’t know who’s talking or what the general topic is. When you read a newspaper, you need to know whether you are reading a news story, an editorial, or an advertisement in order to properly interpret the text you are reading. Years ago, when Orson Welles’ radio play â€Å"The War of the Worlds† was broadcast, some listeners who tuned in late panicked, thinking they were hearing the actual end of the world. They mistook the frame for news instead of drama. Turn-taking Conversation is an enterprise in which one person speaks, and another listens. Discourse analysts who study conversation note that speakers have systems for determining when one person’s turn is over and the next person’s turn begins. This exchange of turns or ‘floors’ is signaled by such linguistic means as intonation, pausing, and phrasing. Some people await a clear pause before beginning to speak, but others assume that ‘winding down’ is an invitation to someone else to take the floor. When speakers have different assumptions about how turn exchanges are signaled, they may inadvertently interrupt or feel interrupted. On the other hand, speakers also frequently take the floor even though they know the other speaker has not invited them to do so. Listenership too may be signaled in different ways. Some people expect frequent nodding as well as listener feedback such as ‘mhm’, ‘uhuh’, and ‘yeah’. Less of this than you expect can create the impression that someone is not listening; more than you expect can give the impression that you are being rushed along. For some, eye contact is expected nearly continually; for others, it should only be intermittent. The type of listener response you get can change how you speak: If someone seems uninterested or uncomprehending (whether or not they truly are), you may slow down, repeat, or overexplain, giving the impression you are ‘talking down.’ Frederick Erickson has shown that this can occur in conversations between black and white speakers, because of different habits with regard to showing listenership. Discourse Markers ‘Discourse markers’ is the term linguists give to the little words like ‘well’, ‘oh’, ‘but’, and ‘and’ that break our speech up into parts and show the relation between parts. ‘Oh’ prepares the hearer for a surprising or just-remembered item, and ‘but’ indicates that sentence to follow is in opposition to the one before. However, these markers don’t necessarily mean what the dictionary says they mean. Some people use ‘and’ just to start a new thought, and some people put ‘but’ at the end of their sentences, as a way of trailing off gently. Realizing that these words can function as discourse markers is important to prevent the frustration that can be experienced if you expect every word to have its dictionary meaning every time it’s used. Speech Acts Speech act analysis asks not what form the utterance takes but what it does. Saying â€Å"I now pronounce you man and wife† enacts a marriage. Studying speech acts such as complimenting allows discourse analysts to ask what counts as a compliment, who gives compliments to whom, and what other function they can serve. For example, linguists have observed that women are more likely both to give compliments and to get them. There are also cultural differences; in India, politeness requires that if someone compliments one of your possessions, you should offer to give the item as a gift, so complimenting can be a way of asking for things. An Indian woman who had just met her son’s American wife was shocked to hear her new daughter-in-law praise her beautiful saris. She commented, â€Å"What kind of girl did he marry? She wants everything!† By comparing how people in different cultures use language, discourse analysts hope to make a contribution to improving cross-cult ural understanding. How to do a discourse analysis The first point to note is that in order to do a discourse analysis you need to have read a handful yourself first. By reading published articles that use the method, you will have a better understanding of (1) how to do an analysis and (2) some of the theoretical orientations that you will need to know to do your own analysis. Having identified a theory and a chosen item (text or recorded conversation) to analyse, you need to transcribe it in one of the accepted/published ways. The transcript must always appear in the appendices. There are many different forms of discourse analysis, so here we will focus on thematic analysis as an example. What is thematic analysis? Thematic analysis is about trying to identify meaningful categories or themes in a body of data. By looking at the text, the researcher asks whether a number of recurring themes can be abstracted about what is being said. For example, on one level you might find an inconsistency, an attempt to assign blame, an attempt to cite others to support one’s views, a regular interruption of other people, an attempt to make one’s account of some event sound more authentic, and so on. On another level, you might idenitify a regulalry occurring attribution of blame or the repeated reference to some specific cause of an event. The reference might take slightly different forms but refers to the same cause. An example might be football fans blaming various aspects of a player’s motivation for the failure of their team (e.g., â€Å"he gets so much money, doesn’t need to try†, â€Å"he looked as though he wasn’t bothered†, â€Å"he didn’t want the ball†, and so on). In the results section of the report, the themes abstracted are collated and reported on. In doing so, it is usual to cite from the transcription examples of the points you are trying to make. A summary of the findings can be offered but also a critique of the author’s own interpretations – this refers to the concept of ‘reflexivity’, that the author’s is only one interpretation of the text.

Qantas Dispute

Qantas dispute heads to umpire, more pain possible Kelly Burke, Matthew O'Sullivan, Jessica Wright November 22, 2011 [pic] Alan Joyce†¦ â€Å"the winners out of this are our customers†. Photo: Dallas Kilponen THE Qantas dispute will drag into next year and there is a threat of further legal action, with negotiations between the three unions and the airline collapsing within hours of the mandated deadline. Despite a push by the Transport Workers Union to extend the 21-day negotiation period, yesterday afternoon airline management walked away from talks with its ground crew, including baggage handlers and catering staff, less than an hour after doing the same with its long-haul pilots. Late in the afternoon, Qantas and the third union locked in dispute, the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, agreed to call it quits and hand the remaining unresolved issues – the use of contractors and hiring staff from outside Australia – over to the industrial relations umpire. The process of binding arbitration under Fair Work Australia is expected to take months as the umpire gathers evidence and calls for expert witnesses and written submissions. Although unlikely, disruptions to the holiday plans of thousands of Qantas passengers cannot be ruled out, with the TWU to decide on Thursday whether it will mount a legal challenge to Fair Work's order on October 31 to terminate industrial action. The union has said it will seek a stay if it decides to challenge, which would allow its members to resume work stoppages over the Christmas and New Year period. The pilots' union has already begun legal action against Fair Work's decision with the first directions hearing in the Federal Court set down for December 1. But industrial law experts are skeptical about the likely success of the TWU and pilots' legal challenges. Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, from the Sydney Law School, said it was highly unlikely the Federal Court would grant the TWU a stay, which would allow its members to take legal strike action. ‘The [union's case] would have to successfully argue that Fair Work acted contrary to the law, that they misconstrued their powers †¦ and that will be very hard to do,† he said. The Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, said there was a lack of goodwill and respect from all sides and the government's position on union moves to take legal action was iron clad. †We don't support people taking legal action. We have an umpire and the umpire should be allowed to make their decision. We're confident the courts would uphold that,† he said. The Workplace Relations Minister, Chris Evans, warned that further industrial action by any party would be unlawful. The federal secretary of the TWU, Tony Sheldon, said Qantas had decided to drag its employees through the courts rather than agree to an extension of the conciliation period, where the issue of job security, including the number of contractors Qantas wanted to use, were the sticking points. †Qantas has not displayed good faith in these negotiations. The TWU wanted a sprint to the finish but Qantas just hopped on the treadmill. It looked like they were moving but they weren't going anywhere. † The vice-president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, Richard Woodward, said negotiations had ended after the two sides failed to agree over the terms for efficiency gains of up to 20 per cent in areas such as pilot rostering. †Management obviously believes that a decision achieved through arbitration is preferable,† he said. â€Å"It is a pity that Qantas as an airline will have to be subjected to this long, drawn-out process when a negotiated outcome was possible. ‘ Qantas's chief executive, Alan Joyce, conceded that binding arbitration could take months but said it would eventually lead to agreements that could last as long as four years. He dismissed claims from the pilots' union that Qantas never intended to reach an agreement during the 21 days. †Passengers can now travel with confidence. The winners out of this are our customers. The winners out of this are em ployees and our shareholders. They have certainty,† he said. http://www. smh. com. au/business/qantas-dispute-heads-to-umpire-more-pain-possible-20111122-1nrgj. tml Overview This article is a well-publicized national dispute between Qantas and it’s employees about; pay, job security, and working conditions. The Qantas employee’s involved in this dispute are; pilots, baggage handlers, engineers and the catering department. Analysis This industrial dispute between Qantas and its employees has been dragging on for quite some time now, and I would have to agree with some of the comments made in the article by the Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, when he said, â€Å"there was a lack of goodwill and respect from all sides†. I agree with those comments made by the Transport Minister, because there appears to have been very minimal progress made during the bargaining process, prior to Fair Work Australia’s (FWA) intervention. Now that the dispute is going to arbitration it will be extremely interesting to see how the term bargaining in good faith will be justified and measured. I believe the term bargaining in good faith to be quite open to disagreement, and it will be rather difficult to prove that any particular party was not acting in good faith. On the FWA website there is a description for good faith bargaining which explains that; the good faith bargaining requirements that a bargaining representative for a proposed enterprise agreement must meet: †¢ attending, and participating in, meetings at reasonable times †¢ disclosing relevant information (other than confidential or commercially sensitive information) in a timely manner †¢ responding to proposals made by other bargaining representatives for the agreement in a timely manner †¢ giving genuine consideration to the proposals of other bargaining representatives for the agreement, and giving reasons for the bargaining representative's responses to those proposals †¢ refraining from capricious or unfair conduct that undermines freedom of association or collective bargaining †¢ recognising and bargaining with the other bargaining representatives for the agreement. The good faith bargaining requirements do not require a bargaining representative to: †¢ make concessions during bargaining for the agreement †¢ reach agreement on the terms that are to be included in the agreement†. (http://www. fwa. gov. au/index. cfm? pagename=agreementsdeterminations#good) I believe that globalization may have played a part in the lack of good faith bargaining in this EBA dispute, because the major sticking point in this dispute is job security for the employees, and Qantas can’t guarante e this whilst pursuing its organizational strategic objectives. Part of Qantas’s long-term strategic plan is to increasingly use contractual part time employees within Australia, as well as establishing some offshore workforces to fulfill roles such as engineering. Therefore, I think that Qantas had always intended to eventually use FWA to intervene and assist in settling this dispute. I can completely empathize with the employee’s desires to ensure job security into the future, but I can also understand the strategic organizational needs of Qantas management. Some people would argue that globalization is just a convenient management excuse for cost cutting, but there are definitely global pressures in today’s economic environment that make issues such as this extremely delicate to strike a balance. Left-wing critics, however argue that the demon of globalization is just a convenient management excuse for cost-cutting and anti-union behavior designed to decollectivize the workplace and promote market forces. The real problems for Australia’s competitiveness, according to such critics, are not in unproductive workplaces, but in the boardrooms of banks, large corporations and other centers of financial power†. (Stone. R – pg. 541, 2008) Conclusion It is hard to know whether there was good faith bargaining displayed from both Qantas management and the unions during these negotiations, and that is some thing that the FWA tribunal will decide on. However, I do believe that if there were more consultation, honesty and eventually trust built between both parties, there would have been more progress made before the FWA intervention. I would have also recommended that both parties begin these negotiations by deciding which issues that they agree on going forward, and then start trying to negotiate the more difficult issues. By doing this both parties will slowly build some small amounts of trust, which helps to facilitate more consultation. References Book Stone. J Raymond -Human Resource Management 6th Edition, 2008. John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. Milton, QLD 4064 Online http://www. smh. com. au/business/qantas-dispute-heads-to-umpire-more-pain-possible-20111122-1nrgj. html http://www. fwa. gov. au/index. cfm? pagename=agreementsdeterminations#good

Analysis Of Multiple Theories Of Human Evolution History Essay

Analysis Of Multiple Theories Of Human Evolution History Essay The study of evolution in and of itself can be controversial to some. However, within the scientific community it is regarded as the broadly accepted idea that every living thing is derived from what came before and the tiny gradual mutations that arose through millions of years. To that end, there is much debate on certain aspects of particular mutations. Specifically, the debate surrounding the circumstances of human evolution can certainly be seen as contentious. Notwithstanding those who disavow evolution in its entirety, within the scientific community itself, there are several different schools of thought. More notably, the differing theories challenge each other with regard to when homo sapiens first appeared. But while each idea of human progression may differ, they are each rooted in strong empirical, but still limited, evidence. In scientific terms, before establishing how homo sapiens have come to be, we must first examine where they have come from. According to Cynthia S tokes Brown, author of Big History, â€Å"Five to 7 million years ago some mutation occurred in an ape ancestor and survived, and from that single mutation other single mutations kept occurring in the branch called hominids, the bipedal apesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦These genetic changes took place repeatedly in the same place-eastern Africa.† All major scientific theories regarding human evolution begin with this accepted premise, as Brown states, â€Å"For at least 3 million years human development occurred only in Africa; hominids did not live anywhere else, although apes lived in Europe and Asia as well.† There is an important point to be made in saying that although apes lived in other continents, human development took place exclusively in eastern Africa. One must acknowledge the distinct characteristics of Africa that fostered bipedal evolution in the first place. Eastern Africa, with its abundance of animals and plant life, is significant because of how it became conduciv e to and instrumental in helping shape human evolution. Brown writes, Eastern Africa is tropical; our lack of hairiness indicates that we evolved from tropical animals. To become humans, tropical apes came down from trees to live on grasslands; we are creatures of grasslands, not forests. The geography that could mold human development is found in the Great Rift Valley of eastern Africa. This helps one to understand the origin of homo sapiens and what conditions helped bipeds thrive sometime between 1 and 1.8 million years ago. Additionally, in deriving all of this information one realizes the arduous work involved in documenting and compiling evidence that dates back millions of years. One can recognize the power of human thought and reason, a result of evolution itself. It is in the migration out of Africa where a sometimes contentious debate arises in the scientific community. The distinction is made just after the presence of homo erectus. Whereas one theory describes homo sapie ns in direct lineage to the groups of homo erectus which migrated out of the Great Rift Valley region, known as the Multiregional theory, the more widely accepted thought is described as the Noah’s Ark Theory. The inference made by that name is that we were all in the same boat, Africa, and then migrated out about 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, some million years after the first homo erectus left Africa. Essentially it boils down to the question of whether or not those who left Africa evolved along with those who remained into homo sapiens or that those who left died off as a different species entirely.

Gender and Sexuality Terms Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gender and Sexuality Terms - Assignment Example ription of sexuality and the behaviors aligned with included;- asexuality which was referred to as the lack of interest to anyone of either gender or lack of sexual interest or activity. This further gave rise to a more detailed explanation with the terms heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual taking the new role in describing the new traits. There has been intensified research that has been aimed at explaining the relationship between Sociological, psychological and biological aspects that lead to the above behaviors. Whereas heterosexual is the attraction to the opposite gender, homosexual refers to attraction to the same gender and bisexual the sexual attraction to both males and females. The research and detailed analysis of the biological aspects has given rise to new terms in the field. The newest are demisexual and pansexual and they are discussed as they relate to gender and sexuality. Pansexual is the new term that is used to refer to individuals who are attracted to individuals of both genders. It is used alternatively with the term polysexual. Katz stated that ‘the new terms are used to explain the upcoming behaviors in the gender and sexuality field and to try and establish the relationship between the aspects that lead to the hotly debated trends like homosexuality’ (23). Whereas many scientists claim that there is no link between biology and the behaviors that one usually exhibit, research has shown a significant correlation between the two and they are almost totally convinced that there is a relationship between the two. This is happening as more queer and LGBT people are seeking to have acceptance in the society which is proving somehow rigid to the new trends and behaviors. On the other hand demisexuals are persons who are only attracted to a person sexually after they become deeply emotionally or romantically connected. This should not be confused with the deliberate abstaining from sexual approaches. Demisexuals have been explained as those

Early literacy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early literacy - Article Example 2), and the top of these other things is an orderly household. b. In-depth critical analysis Whalen has discussed a report in support of his arguments and tried to convey to the reader why he thinks that an orderly house assists in the development of early reading skills in young children. She mentions a study by researchers at Columbia University’s Teachers College and Ohio State University, which says that parents can help their children to read by doing much more than just providing them with books. They can provide them with a well-managed and orderly household in order to assist them in reading. This research was done on 455 kindergarten and first-grade twins. It was concluded that â€Å"mothers who are above-average readers are also those who are more likely to keep a tidy home and to implement daily household routines†, and these mothers are better teachers for their children. The subject matter of the article very well goes with the title the author has suggeste d and has good scholastic importance. The problem can be well understood by an average reader and the research is not limited to the author’s own aptitudes and ideas. However, the author has not been able to provide enough evidence to support his claim and has only discussed one study. The article lacks proof and sound arguments and the reader is not convinced as to how an orderly home can help a child in developing reading skills. It would have been better if Whalen had discussed multiple researches to back up her claim. It is only the last paragraph that is convincing enough for the reader because it discusses the important role of book reading in the development of reading skills. 2. Review of the Literature/ Comparison with other Researches We cannot deny the significance of an orderly home in the early literacy skills. We are just arguing that Whalen did not provide much evidence. To back up the article’s argument, we compared it with some other writings provided by profound scholars. Lee and Croninger (1994) assert in their writing that â€Å"variations in the home environments of poor and middle-income children affect their literacy development, which leads to substantial differences in reading ability and behavior† (p.286). Now, this research more clearly describes what the main causes of inequity of home environments of children are and how their literacy gets affected by the disorderliness of their homes. Other researchers like Morrow and Weinstein, and Rasinski and Fredericks (as cited in U.S. Department of Education, 2011) affirm that a literate home environment is vital if the aim of the parents is to enable their children develop literacy skills. A literate home environment is a complement of the school. According to the article, a literate home environment does not mean that the parents should be able to read and write in English; instead, it means that they must be able to provide their children with a lot of reading materi al and a good study location inside the house. This article supports Whalen’s arguments in his last paragraph, that parents must support their children’s reading abilities through provision of books, anywhere and anytime. Connor (2007) conducted a study regarding the influence of school and home environments upon the literacy skills of children, and states in his research that, â€Å"Home learning environments and parenting, along with preschool opportunities in the community, have been shown to directly relate to children’

Solo Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Solo Project - Research Paper Example Diving into the market environment and making uninformed decisions may result in adverse effect on a business entity. In this regard, every marketing decision made should be based on some reliable information obtained from research exercises. Marketing is the most dynamic aspect of business characterized by rapid changes of operating forces in the field. In this case, research processes should be performed regularly to ensure acquisition of reliable and updated information. Just like any other research project, marketing research adopts the ideal scientific research procedures. These procedures include problem definition, formulation of hypotheses, and adoption of research methodology, data collection, data analysis and finally data interpretation. Conformity to all these steps ensures objectivity and reliability of the research results (Kolb, 2008). In this context, I am required to develop a practical plan on the appropriate steps of conducting a marketing research for setting wine price. Before developing a plan, we will evaluate the nature of the research project conducted by another party within the same pricing concept of marketing. This evaluative process entails appraising the research elements used in formulating the conclusion based on the research hypothesis (Kolb, 2008). The question of the research might be structured as follows; Does price level influences wine sales? Based on this question, a research will be conducted by formulating the appropriate hypotheses that provides some prepositions concerning the effect of price on the sales of wine. The null hypothesis that will be rejected in the research article states that the taste of wine determines its sales in the market. The actual hypothesis to be approved upon completion of the research states that the public perceives that higher priced wine are of higher quality than low priced wine. Based on the research article, the hypotheses contain two

1950s- & American Indian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1950s- & American Indian - Essay Example With the desire to live in the quaint came the inevitable impact on the inner urban facets of American life. Also an era which saw more women at home, rather than the present in which it has become quite commonplace for numerous American households to be comprised of two working adults, rather than 50 years ago when it was undoubtedly the role of the male to be the breadwinner and his wife would be responsible for the maintenance of the home and hearth. With the law in place of separation of church and state, there have been many who look back at the era of the 50s and the presence of spiritual and religious discussion that seemed to occur more freely then than what it does now. Two clear signs of such open discussion involve the addition of â€Å"under god† to the pledge of allegiance, as well as the addition of â€Å"in god we trust† to the American currency. Two strong examples of how deeply rooted religion was at the time for many and the need felt to keep it close to the vest as it came to national practices. Central themes for many that lived in the time were the importance of family, the value of a strong economy and what it would mean for providing a strong way of life, as well as maintaining a strong connection to god and the principles set forth from religious teachings. In the end, for many people, the 1950s were a time in which many felt there was great prosperity and great hope. Television was used in suc h a manner to portray a human landscape of the strong male role model, the supportive role of the female and also the role of the children to be pleasantly precocious but well mannered. It can be asserted that a great many people essentially felt their was great promise to be had and considerable prosperity for all. Just as other minorities that wished to exert their rights, the American Indians set forth with a plan of obtaining recognized rights and liberties from the national level. The 1950s would be a decade

System analysis and design (model your life) Article

System analysis and design (model your life) - Article Example Another aspect of human life is the social pillar. Every living human being is part of society and in so need to participate in the agreed upon ways of interaction within the niche that they live within. One should have a valuable network of friends, family, and acquaintances from a wide range of life system. Being social is a very significant pillar in a well-designed life model. The third aspect of life and another important need of a well-modeled life is a cultural pillar. Culture is the way a group or a society perceive or view certain things (International Society for Quality of Life Studies, 2006). One need to be part of a cultural group as it helps shape their lives and provide guidelines to a wholesome life. The cultural pillar includes and not limited to such examples as spiritual, law, governance and other systems that give people purpose and help develop principles. The fourth pillar and the last one in this paper is the knowledge pillar. In order for people to live wholesome life individuals, need to be informed on a wide span of the system they live in. Having information creates knowledge and processed knowledge leads to wisdom, which is very significant (International Society for Quality of Life Studies, 2006). People should not have too much of one pillar and very little of the others. Being very social with very little knowledge is not a very good model of

Personal statment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal statment - Essay Example I have seen enough problems since my growing up years such as poverty, sicknesses, abuse, divorce, teenage pregnancies, addiction and related unfortunate events. I strongly believe that solutions exist in creative ways even in the direst situations and that I can be a part of this solution. I am most willing to take on leadership and set preliminary actions even in a very small way to contribute to the betterment of the neighbourhood I live in. I have been very interested to be involved in small projects that help individuals or groups that enables them to face crisis and get back to their abilities to take on their responsibilities in their families and function normally. I have always been an encourager to my friends and it has been almost â€Å"automatic† to me to offer them anything that I have that can be beneficial in improving their situation or achieving their goals. It is most vivid to my memory just about five years ago when one of our neighbour’s child, of 10 years old at that time, had been diagnosed of leukemia which resulted to his single mother having depression, also because she didn’t have enough financial support and resources to provide for her child. When I knew about this situation, I knew exactly what to do. I was moved with compassion and burning desire to help this single-parent family albeit I was very young at that time. I did several inquiries in Red Cross and other non-gover nment organisations that I know of, about what help can be delivered in this family. Eventually, through the cooperation of my parents, relatives and other friends in the neighbourhood, we were able to run fund raising activities by selling hand-painted crafts that bear the signature of the child with leukaemia. We were able to raise about 1000 pounds for the whole 6-month duration of our fund-raising. This provided a big sustenance to some of their needs. And the mother recovered from her depression, as we encouraged her to be active in the fund-raising that we

African American In The 1920s Essay Example for Free

African American In The 1920s Essay The 1920s were a time of struggle, pride, fear, and creativity for African Americans. Following WWI, blacks fought for the conditions and rights that they were given while fighting in Europe. They fought through countless riots and murders to push for equality. They migrated across the country to escape the horrid conditions of the South. They created an entirely new cultural movement that spread like wild fire. African Americans of the 1920s created a momentous movement of political and cultural dominance that would eventually lead to their freedom. The Post World War I era was a difficult, yet prideful time for African Americans. While African Americans were fighting abroad, they were treated as equals to whites in Europe. Due to American generals refusing to command blacks, African Americans fought side by side with black and white French soldiers under French command. In addition, there were a few all black regiments, the most well known being the 369th Colored Infantry (p. 8). Upon returning home in November of 1918, African Americans faced â€Å"contradictory feelings of hope and frustration† (p. 7). They expected to be praised and rewarded for their sacrifices made during the war; however, they were met with nearly the opposite. This new mood among the African Americans became Flowers 1 known as the â€Å"New Negro. † Coined by black journalists, this term described the new attitude of post-war blacks and their will to fight against the white oppression. Unfortunately, the American public treated them the same as before the war. African American soldiers were in shock from the striking contrast of black social conditions between America and Europe. While the whites were praised for their sacrifices, the blacks were not. In one case, however, on February 7, 1919, a few thousand black soldiers marched through Manhattan, and were praised by both blacks and whites alike; however, most white Americans didn’t feel the same as those in New York. With blacks having a strong hope for equality, and whites having a strong fear of this equality, America was set up for some of the best and worst events of the 1920s. The â€Å"Red Summer†, coined by James Weldon Johnson, was a summer of hate crimes, violence, and even murder. On several occasions, both blacks and whites ended up injuring and killing one another. African Americans began to assert their new hope of equality. The first instance of this new attitude occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, when sailors killed a black civilian. A large fight broke out and several people, both blacks and whites, were killed. Riots began to appear throughout America. The worst riot broke out in Chicago and lasted five days. It all began when an African American swimmer drifted into waters between segregated beaches. A white man threw a rock at him and the black man ended up drowning. White police officers did nothing to arrest the white man. As the news spread, gang related violence quickly began to spread throughout neighborhoods. As tensions grew stronger, the violent crimes Flowers 2 became worse. Eventually, a mass riot broke out. Policemen fired upon several black men, and several thousand men became involved. In the end, 23 blacks and 15 whites were killed, and many more were injured. Unfortunately, the majority of the media downplayed these riots to try and keep everyone else under control, but The Crisis, the primary newspaper for the NAACP, published nearly every event, both good and bad. Over the summer, many other instances of violence occurred, leading to the Great Migration (p. 7-15) The lives of African Americans significantly changed during the 1920s. A large contributor to these changes was the mass migration of African Americans to the North and West known as the Great Migration. African Americans despised the Jim Crow laws, and tried everything in their power to either change or escape them. Many blacks living in the South gained much economic success after migrating to the North. Not only did the blacks want to migrate to the North for economic and civil gains, but they also wanted to escape the worsening conditions in the South caused by the Boll Weevil plague that ruined the cotton industry (p. 23-24). Upon arriving in the North, blacks began to build up their community. They built their own churches, which were significantly different from white churches. Their churches became a part of their lives, and became their community. The YMCA and the YWCA also began during this time period, promoting community as well. Western black immigrants came primarily from places like Jamaica, and were fairly new to the oppression of the whites in America. Because of this, they were not as afraid to start up new things. Flowers 3 On the political side of events, the NAACP was on the rise. By 1919, the NAACP had become the leading organization for black civil rights. Led by W. E. B. Du Bois, the NAACP constantly challenged â€Å"segregation and political equality. † (p. 57) A major success of this organization was the push for the Dyer Antilynching Bill. Even though the bill was never successfully passed, it brought lynching to the attention of the public, and eventually reduced the number of lynchings significantly (p. 60-63). While African Americans fought to make conditions better for themselves, some conditions remained poor. Some blacks began purchasing homes in â€Å"white† neighborhoods, but were faced with violence, especially from the rising Ku Klux Klan; therefore, ending the housing segregation quickly gained importance (p. 66-68). The white schools were far superior, due to the much higher wages and funding provided. In Southern states, studies showed that white teachers were paid nearly four times as much as black teachers, and the black school sizes and facilities were vastly inferior (p. 68). A third problem was the constant fight against the judicial system. On several occasions, blacks were wrongly accused of crimes, even when there was little to no evidence to prove anything at all. For example, two black men in Kentucky ended up in court for raping a white woman on â€Å"the flimsiest of evidence. † Even though no one identified the men, the all white jury spent just fifteen minutes to find them guilty, and the men were sentenced to death (p. 68). Aside from the political issues, African Americans in the North began a mass movement of cultural expansion, including literature, music, and art. This Flowers 4 movement became known as the Harlem Renaissance. The precursor to this movement was the Marcus Garvey movement. Garvey pushed for blacks to â€Å"reject the white society and build a separate life. † (p. 77) He believed that blacks should never conform to white society. He also led the somewhat unsuccessful â€Å"Back to Africa† movement, which was an attempt to have all blacks leave the country and live in Liberia instead. Following the Marcus Garvey movement was the well-known Harlem Renaissance. Even though renaissance is in the name, this movement was more of a birth than a rebirth. It all began during the Great Migration. As thousands of African Americans migrated to the North, many ended up settling in Harlem. This three square mile area became the largest concentration of black people in the world. Following the war, many writers celebrated this new life in the North, and praised the better conditions of the North in their writing. Many hoped that this mass outpouring of literature would â€Å"break down the walls of prejudice. † (p. 80) The most popular of these writers was the African American poet, Langston Hughes. Today, much of his work is considered classic literature. In addition to the mass influx of African American literature, jazz music was on the rise (p. 83-86) Jazz became a symbol of African Americans and the Harlem Renaissance. This product of music pulled concepts from â€Å"African rhythms, blues chord progressions, church spirituals, European melodies, and American marching band instrumentation. † (p. 86) Probably the most well known musician from this era was the trumpeter, Louis Armstrong. Even though jazz originated in New Orleans, it quickly spread to the East coast and eventually to Harlem. The Flowers 5 literature produced in Harlem was by far more successful than jazz, but there was certainly no shortage of jazz in Harlem. Both the jazz and literary greats became idols to many African Americans. They created a wave of inspiration in the black community that quickly spread throughout certain areas of America. The African American community fought through violence, held their pride, and created an entire cultural movement. Through the idea of the â€Å"New Negro† to the eventual Harlem Renaissance, African Americans became stronger and bolder in fighting against whites. Through the NAACP, African Americans gained a stronger stance in politics than ever before. Through riots, beatings, and even deaths, African Americans fought to be treated equally to whites, and paved the way for their eventual freedom and equality.

Effect of Word Combinations on Accuracy and Response Time

Effect of Word Combinations on Accuracy and Response Time Christina M Karibian Abstract Throughout our daily lives, we tend to display many behaviors that are considered automatic. The Stroop effect has been replicated numerous times to help study the phenomenon of automatic behaviors, since John Ridley Stroops original findings. The goal of this experiment was to study the reaction time and accuracy on congruent and incongruent word combinations. The congruent words were of colors spelt out, that were displayed in that same color (e.g., the word green was written in the color green). The incongruent words were of colors spelt out, that were not displayed in the same color (e.g., the word green was written in red. During this experiment, 19 undergraduate male and female college students (average age of 22.5 years old) participated as part of a classroom requirement. Each participant was given an instruction sheet which directed them to perform a Stroop task on a computer to measure their reaction time and accuracy for the congruent and incongruent words. Based on the re sults, the participants had a significantly faster reaction time with the congruent words than the incongruent words. However, their accuracy of recognizing congruent words had no significant difference than incongruent words. Therefore, these results can relate to Stroops original research. It can be said that the learned automatic behavior of reading the different word combinations, does not interfere with the task at hand, but does interfere with the response time. Title During our everyday lives, we display many behaviors that cognitive psychologists considered to be automatic. An automatic behavior is a type of skill that does not need direct interaction to perform the task at hand. Some good examples of these types of behaviors are reading and writing. Cognitive psychologists like to study the properties of these automatic behaviors by creating situations where an automized response will conflict with the researchers desired behavior. This type of situation can be studied by the Stroop effect. The Stroop effect was an experiment originally conducted by John Ridley Stroop in 1935. During this experiment, Stroop studied the relationship between the interference and reaction time of a task. This phenomenon that Stroop studied has been used in various ways since his original experiment to measure and assess many different cognitive abilities in human beings. After Stroop conducted his study, he wrote an article to explain his findings. In that article, he talked about two experiments which he conducted to study this phenomenon. He believed that the reaction time between the response and the stimulus would increase when the word and the color of the word itself were not the same. He also believed that the reaction time would decrease when the color of the word and the actual word were the same (Stroop, 1992). During the first experiment, Stroop used 70 undergraduate college students as his participants; the second experiment consisted of 100 college students. When compared to just reading the word written, Stroop found that it took the students a longer time to complete the task of saying the correct color that the word was written in, instead of reading the actual word (Stroop, 1992). Ben A. Parris, Dinkar Sharma, and Brendan Weekes are a group of researchers that conducted a study based off of Stroops findings. They wanted to test how interference, relating to the Stroop effect, would occur when only specific letters in the word were colored. The goal of their experiments was to be able to identify if interference would be larger when the colored letter in the word was in the OVP (optimal viewing position- position where word recognition is the shortest). There were 48 college students used for the first experiment and 20 college students for the second. The results of this experiment was that the Stroop effect was seen when the colored letter was to the left of the middle of the word. When the colored letter was in the middle of the word, there was a great reduction in the interference. Yet, in both these experiments, the only time interference was at its greatest was when the colored letter was at the OVP (Parris, et al, 2007). Talia Konkle and Aude Oliva conducted a study similar to the Stroop task, to test whether or not a persons previous familiarity with the size of an object in the real-word was accessed automatically. Three experiments were conducted overall to study this, they used 34 participants in the first, 19 in the second, and 17 in the third. They visually presented two objects that were familiar to their participants in different sizes on a screen. The congruent conditions were two images of objects on the screen reflecting real-world sizes (e.g., a grape and a horse, the horse being the bigger image). The incongruent conditions were two images of objects on the screen that did not reflect the real-world sizes. In the end, the reaction time for the incongruent conditions were found to be longer than the congruent conditions, which was expected. In the third experiment the participants were taught which colored blocks would represented large or small objects. Then the images of those colored b locks were shown on a screen, with similar congruent and incongruent conditions, as far as sizing, as the other experiments. These participants did not display any Stroop effect during this experiment (Konkle and Oliva, 2012). The current experiment was done to measure the response time and accuracy of word combinations on undergraduate college students at Queens College. This experiment was done to test if the reaction time for the congruent condition would be significantly faster than the reaction time for the incongruent condition. It was also believed that the accuracy for the congruent condition will be significantly more accurate than the incongruent condition. Method Participants The participants in this experiment consisted of 19 undergraduate college students at a four year school; there were 15 females and four males. The mean average age for these participants was 22.5 years old, with a standard deviation of 3.2 years old. All of the participants were familiar with using a computer, keyboard, internet, and a mouse. They were not compensated for their time because it was a required class experiment. The participants all had normal to corrected vision and had normal color vision. They also had fine motor skills within normal limits. Apparatus (Materials/Stimuli) The materials that were used during this experiment was a Dell desktop personal computer with internet access, running on Microsoft Windows to perform the Stroop test on. A mouse was used to navigate around the computer, as well as a keyboard to enter the responses for the test. There was a flat desk which the computer was on and a chair for the participant to sit in while taking the test. Each participant received an instructions sheet telling them step by step what needed to be done by them during the experiment. Experimental Design This experiment was a within-subjects design. The manipulated variable was the color that the congruent and incongruent words were displayed in. There were two measured variables for this experiment. One being the reaction time for both congruent and incongruent words, which was measured in milliseconds. The other was the accuracy of the response for both the congruent and incongruent words, which had a scale of accuracy was 0.00-1.00. Procedure This experiment started off with the participants all sitting in desks in a classroom, where an instruction sheet was handed out to them. The sheet was explained to them and then the experiment had begun. Each participant took turns going into smaller separate rooms where a single computer was. They were to work alone during this experiment. The only thing that needed to be brought into this room was a pen or pencil, their instruction sheet, and a results sheet to record their data. The instruction sheet directed the participant to open up the internet and go to the website, http://psych.hanover.edu/JavaTest/CLE/Cognition/Cognition.html. After being brought to this website, the instructions told the participant to select Stroop Experiment, which then explained what was being measured. The sheet explained that they will be comparing the reaction time, in milliseconds, between two conditions, congruent words and incongruent words. It also described what congruent and incongruent words were as such: congruent words (color and word the same) and incongruent (color and word different). The instructions then told the participant to scroll down and click on begin experiment. The next set directions on the instruction sheet were to fix the settings once the internet loaded the main black screen. The first trial settings were to be changed by clicking on the correct items listed on the sheet. They were to be changed to the following; condition = congruent words, colors used = red, green, blue, and yellow, respond to color, do not limit stroop time, number of words in condition = 25, font size = 20, location of word = in the center. After fixing all these settings, the instructions then directed the participant to press the space bar to start. It also stated in the instructions to watch for the word which would appear in the center of the screen and to use the keyboard to respond. The words that appeared in the middle of the screen were colors spelt out, that were displayed in that same color (e.g., the word green was written in the color green). These were the congruent word combinations. Therefore, the instruction sheet explained to use the response keys for those words to the color of font they are for; r for red, y for yellow, b for blue, and g for green. After completing the trial for congruent words, the participants reaction time, and accuracy results were shown on the screen. The instructions directed the participant to record their reaction time and accuracy in milliseconds. After recording their data, the instructions then directed them to close the window back to the main black Stroop Experiment screen and conduct the second trial for incongruent words. Everything else stayed the same as far as settings go. Then the instructions directed the participant to select done at the bottom of the screen to start the second trial. It also reminded them that in this condition, the words and the colors were different and to respond to the color they saw, instead of the word they were reading. Once this trial was over, the instructions directed the participants to record their reaction time and accuracy. After completing both parts of this experiment, the participant closed out the internet and left the separate computer room for the next participant. Each participant was told to write their results on the same sheet of paper. This sheet was sectioned off into four separate columns so that the results could be organized under congruent and incongruent reaction time and accuracy. Then a within subjects t-test was conducted at an alpha level of 0.05. Results The mean reaction time to recognize the congruent condition was 931.80 milliseconds with a standard deviation of 261.31 milliseconds. The incongruent conditions mean reaction time is 1204.86 milliseconds. The mean accuracy for the congruent condition was 0.99 with a standard deviation of 0.01. The mean accuracy for the incongruent condition was 0.93 with a standard deviation of 0.14. The congruent condition had a significantly faster reaction time than the incongruent condition. The t-test with 18 degrees of freedom is equal to a t-value of 4.42, which is greater than the critical value of 2.88. T(18) = 4.42 > 2.88, p Discussion It was originally predicted that the reaction time for the congruent condition would be significantly faster than the reaction time for the incongruent condition. It was also believed that the accuracy for the congruent condition would be significantly more accurate than the incongruent condition. This was predicted because reading is something that we do every day of our lives. Therefore, the behavior of reading comes automatically to us without us having to really think about the task. In relation to this experiment, reading the word and seeing it displayed in the same color, made it easier for the participants to be accurate in their reaction, as well as be swift about it. Whereas, when the participants were asked to respond to the color, and not to the word they were naturally inclined to read, it took longer for them to respond, but did not seem to effect the level of accuracy. What was done in this experiment relates to Stroops original experiment. This is because he believed the reaction time between his participants response time was going to increase when the word and the color of the word itself were not the same (Stroop, 1992). Which is also what was believed to be true in this experiment, and was found to be true. Stroop also believed that the reaction time would decrease when the color of the word and the actual word were the same. Which is what this experiment showed to be true as well. The results between the two experiments, even though they are about 80 years apart from each other, have very similar findings. They are also similar because both experiments used undergraduate college students as their participants. Using similar participants can help create more control and reliability of an experiment. In the study conducted by Parris, Sharma, and Weekes, they wanted to test how interference occurred when only a specific letter of the word was colored, instead of the whole thing. Their goal was to identify a larger interference when the colored letter was in the OVP. Since they tested this theory by moving the colored letter in the word in different directions, the results showed that the Stroop effect was indeed seen. It was seen when the colored letter was to the left of the middle of the word. It was also seen when the colored letter was in the middle of the word, but there was a significant reduction in the interference. Yet, in both of their experiments, the interference was at its greatest when the colored letter was at the OVP (Parris, Sharma Weekes, 2007). This relates to the present experiment because it shows that the most interference was when the OVP was the colored letter; making the participant react slower in order to accurately state the color, instead of the word written. The participants and results from this study are similar to the those from the present experiment. Both used college students, and both found interference in relation to our automatic behavior. In Konkle and Olivas study, they conducted a similar Stroop task as well. They wanted to see their participants reaction time and accuracy when identifying the size of an object in the real-word. They visually showed their conditions to their participants, like the other experiments talked about. Since their findings showed that the reaction time for their incongruent conditions was longer than their congruent conditions, it also shows signs of interference (Konkle and Oliva, 2012). They too used college students and had findings similar to all the other experiments, which again, could show that using similar participants for similar studies can be beneficial. There were a couple procedures that could have been improved throughout this experiment to create more control, internal validity, and reliability. Some participants know how to type on a keyboard without looking at the keys, whereas there are other who dont. This causes a threat to the reaction time, as well as accuracy. Some people might have taken longer responding because they needed to look down at the keys. It can pose a threat to accuracy because someone might have pressed the wrong key by not looking when they were not that familiar with the keyboard, as other may be. What could have been done in order to try and make this as equal for each participant as possible, was to have them still use the computer monitor, but only have four buttons on the desk for them to use to respond. If this was how the experiment was conducted, the settings on the computer would need to be fixed prior to the experiment. This too could have caused less control during the experiment. Some people ma y have entered the wrong setting in the beginning and did not realize it. Since it was found in this experiment that the reaction time for the congruent words was significantly faster than the incongruent words, it can be connected to a persons response time during other activities. For example, if all of a sudden the colors to the traffic lights were changed, and we were taught what the new colors represented, most people would have a slower reaction time responding to the action the lights now incur. These findings show how our well-learned automatic behaviors can be inhibited when it naturally wants to occur, if our brain is working against it. References Konkle, T., Olivia, A. (2012). A familiar-size Stroop effect: Real-Word size is an automatic property of object representation. Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception and Performance, 38(3), 561-569. Parris, B. A., Sharma, D., Weekes, B. (2007). An optimal viewing position effect in the Stroop task when only one letter is the color carrier. Experimental Psychology, 54(4), 273-280. Stroop, J. (1992). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 121(1) 15-2. Table 1 Summary of The Effect of Various Word Combinations on Accuracy and Response Time Note. This table provides the average reaction time in milliseconds, as well as the standard deviations for the congruent and incongruent words. This table also provides the average accuracy and standard deviations for the congruent and incongruent words. These results were calculated from the separate results collected from each participant. A within subjects t-test was conducted at an alpha level of 0.05. Figure 1. This figure shows the average reaction time in milliseconds relating to the congruent and incongruent words. It shows that the average reaction time for congruent words was 931.80ms. It is also shown that the average reaction time for incongruent words was 1204.86ms. Displayed on this graph shows how incongruent words had a longer reaction time than congruent words. Figure 2. This figure shows the average accuracy relating to the congruent and incongruent words. It shows that the average accuracy for congruent words was 0.99. It is also shown that the average reaction time for incongruent words was 0.93. Displayed on this graph shows how congruent words had an average closer accuracy than incongruent words.

Can We Say NO To Recycling Essay -- science

Can We Say "NO" To Recycling Lately the earth’s capacity to tolerate exploitation and absorb solid wastes disposal has diminished, due to excess trashing. People dispose lots of stuff, and simply do not care. Therefore scientists found out a way to reuse things and that process was called "recycling". This new approach seemed quite successful at the beginning, until its true identity appeared. Recycling first started as man’s best friend, people were intrigued by this new phenomena. What could be better than using things that were already used. Recycling has been very useful especially that man is constantly consuming, burning up, wearing out, replacing and disposing at an alarming rate.(Durning 1992). However, unfortunately recycling has proven that it is quite costly. Although recycling of wastes material solves the problem of garbage disposal at landfills, and saves resources, it does nevertheless entail large hidden costs in collecting, sorting and manufacturing; therefore, it is necessary for the go vernment to overcome such problems of recycling to be worth while and for manufacturers and consumers to consume less. Recycling has proven its efficiency in solving the problem of garbage disposal at landfills1. By the accumulation of garbage throughout the years, space available for garbage has largely diminished. In the states for example almost 67% of their waste stream ends up in landfills.(Scott 25). This has in fact increased the price of disposal. As Kimball stated "tipping fees" at landfills, is so often prohibitive(3), and some cannot find landfills to dump their garbage. It can cost up to $158 to pick a ton of garbage and dispose it.(Consumer Reports 1994). Beside, these landfills pollute their surroundings area with lots of hazardous materials and contaminate underground water. To discover the contamination of the underground water it would be 12 yeas after the poisons-benzene; formaldehyde; mercury; and BCEE- have actually contaminated the land, and had sunk 24 feet into the ground contaminating about 50 million gallons of underground water.(Dahir 94). Besides these lands could be used i n more useful ways such as building schools, hospitals, or simply turning them into large green areas to purify the air. This problem is practically acute in Egypt, since we do find even in central areas of the city, piles of garbage disposal very near to... ... washed and used several times." (Scott 25). As we can see the benefits are over-estimated, and the costs are under-estimated. What we should do is not only look for an alternative but also look for other ways to improve recycling. The natural resources will not last for ever, eventually everything comes to an end and the end is very near to our natural resources. What is of greater importance is to find alternatives to such resources if they actually become extinct. Recycling is backed by most of the general public, for its ideas of saving the environment, energy, and virgin material. But it is not that good or that efficient it still costs money and is not that safe. "Recycling does not necessarily provide for safer or more environmentally sound disposal than landfilling or incinerators. The recycling process itself generates enormous amounts of hazardous wastes."(Schaumburg 32). In addition it will decrease and maybe solve the problem of the ever increasing pollution. Imagine that every time som! eone throws a piece of paper in the garbage is similar to a person cutting a leaf off a tree. This is what happens when one does so, so recycling was the way to solve such a problem.

Body Image Essay example -- Psychology

Laurie was a size fourteen at age eleven and weighed one-hundred fifty-five pounds. She went through elementary school being the kid that everyone called fat and never felt love from any of her peers. Even a counselor at her after-school YMCA program made an example of her to the other children. The teacher told all the children that she used to be as big as Laurie. Putting aside all the criticism from her fellow peers and teachers she found the courage and strength to lose weight. She began doing sit-ups and eating â€Å"healthier†. In all reality, she was eating less and less every day. She went from a size fourteen to a nine and then from a nine to a five. This all happened to her between summer and Christmas. By the following summer Laurie was a size double zero. During the following school year, she was called to the nurse’s office to be weighed and the scale read ninety-seven pounds. Laurie had become anorexic from the mentally abusing childhood she experienced f rom her peers. Every culture has a â€Å"perfect body image† that everyone compares their own bodies to. Girls especially have the mental thinking that they have to live up to the models on TV and magazines. In the United States the skinnier the girls, the more perfect their image is perceived. The â€Å"perfect body image† has an intriguing background, health and psychological problems, and currently few solutions. Background The history of having an â€Å"ideal body† type goes all the way back to the colonial times. Jennifer L. Derenne and Eugene V. Beresin have researched the â€Å"ideal body† from the colonial times up until now. During the colonial times, women were valued who were fertile, physically strong, and able women. This was because women during this time helped tend to t... ... (Ed.), Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z (Vol. 1, pp. 69-71). New York: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com Drugs (Illegal). (2006). In J. Merriman & J. Winter (Eds.), Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction (Vol. 2, pp. 886-891). Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Retrieved from http://go.galgroup.com Franco, K.N., Alishahie, M., & Bronson, D. L. (2004). Body Image. In S. Loue & M. Sajatovic (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Women’s Health (pp.110-112). New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com Gleason, W. (2006). Leisure. In J. Gabler-Hover & R. Sattelmeyer (Eds.), American History Through Literature 1820-1870 (Vol. 2, pp. 639-644). Detriot: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com http://www.eating.ucdavis.edu/speaking/told/anorexia/a42laurie.html

things fall apart and the spirit world :: essays research papers

When turmoil comes about, many have merely one attribute to rely on to help them overcome certain disasters: their faith. The characters of Things Fall Apart are no exception. The people of Umuofia call upon representatives of the spirit world as a means of hospitality. They rely on their religion to settle resolutions with other tribes and to answer questions. They depend on the spirit world also to take care of punishments and in addition play a significant role on new born babies. Unfortunately, the strong reliance with the spirit world collapse when the White Christians invade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is clearly seen just how important the spirit world is to the people of Umuofia. The kola nut is used as a social ritual of hospitality among the tribe. Representing vivacity, the nut is used as a welcoming snack. The kola nut is passed back and forth between the guest and the owner of the hut until one does the honor of finally cracking the nut. The people of Umuofia believe these actions will please their gods. They believe that â€Å"He who brings kola brings life.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The people of Umuofia depend on the spirit world to help them with troubles or problems. When a nearby village has killed an Umuofian woman, they turn to their gods to see what is fit as punishment. The gods order that the village do penance for their sins towards their people. Mbaino offer a boy and a young virgin as payment. Another example of when members of the clan call upon the representatives of the spirit world is when consulting with Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and Caves. Asking for her help is a common part ritual of their religion. Villagers come to the oracle when they have questions of their future or hardship and get answers through its priestess.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many beliefs follow the religion that the people of Umuofia practice. The people rely on the spirit world to provide punishments when sacred laws of their religion are broken. Okonkwo is forced to make sacrifices to the earth goddess when he violates the Week of Peace. Twins are thought to bring bad luck for parents, therefore are left to die in the Evil Forest to please the gods. Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s daughter is forced to find the stone that is linked to the spirit world. The people rely on this because it is thought that the spirit of an evil child re-enters its mothers womb, as punishment they are mutilated, but if the stone is found, then the cycle of dieing babies cease.

Human Development: Older Adulthood Essay

In considering the life experience of an older person, it is essential to know about the developmental stages of human beings. Erikson’s theories of development give a good general overview of the various developmental challenges and breakthroughs which people have throughout their lives, from conception until natural death. Older adulthood is a time when people are confronted with having a sense of generativity or feeling a sense of despair. The older adult who is accomplished and is able to look back on life knowing that one devoted oneself to good causes has generally a good feeling of generativity, while the older person who has a sense of failure in regard to one’s life endeavors, shame in regard to not having contributed enough, is often left despairing. At this point in life, in the later years of a person’s development, it is just as common to find people who are satisfied with their lifelong contribution as it is to find people who are dissatisfied with what they have for others. In speaking with Margie, it is clear that she is not sure if she has done the best for her children, because she is alone in an assisted living community without many visiting relatives. Margie is an 82 year old woman who lives in an urban assisted living apartment building. Although she has met some friends in the community and enjoys the indoor garden and parakeets as well as the weekly Catholic Mass celebrated by a local priest, she is saddened by the lack of visitors she receives. A small woman with dark grey and black hair and hunched shoulders, Margie moves around the building slowly and with a seemingly idle or nondirected stride. She pauses often to look around the room, as if searching for something. She says that out of her five children, only two of them come to visit regularly, and that is about once a month. I ask her if she feels deserted or ignored, and she says yes. In considering her relationships with her children, she often wonders if she was too inattentive with them, if she didn’t care about them the right way. I understand that she thinks that if she had formed better relationships with her children, then they would be closer to her now. I can sense this painful feeling sharply in her presence, and I cannot do or say anything to counter her feeling. Perhaps she’s right. I allow Margie to talk about her family members, her husband, siblings, and especially her children. She takes photographs from her room and points to her grandchildren, lovely people, I say. In asking Margie how she feels being an older person, she says that it’s ok. She doesn’t feel as good as she used to feel. She’s tired. I get the sense that there is an overarching umbrella of depression which covers her and follows her everywhere. I ask Margie if there’s anything society should change about how it deal with older people, and she says that society shouldn’t forget about them. She has the sense that her children have forgotten her, and she wonders if the mothering care she provided for them as children wasn’t enough to keep them devoted to her needs as she ages. At one point, tears roll down Margie’s face. â€Å"What can I do, an old lady, to make my children love me more? I just don’t know. † In speaking with Margie, I have to wonder if it’s truly her fault. Could it be the fault of her children? Did they change, get swept up in capitalism, forget their duty to care for their older parents? She’s too upset to ask her these questions. I ask her if she’s like to take a stroll through the garden together, and we do. Older aged people need as much or even more care as any other individuals. It makes sense for the younger generation to remember the needs of their parents and older relatives, to help them and to provide them with care. However, it is also important for people in general to recognize that if they want their children to be around for them in their later years, then parents and need to form strong relationships with their children, honorable and respectful relationships which can carry them throughout the span of time. Generativity in later years is marked by security in personal relationships. The successful and happy older individuals are the one who are now reaping the benefits of what they have planted. As Margie says, â€Å"The birds all stick together in that one tree, and they’re happy. †

Speech-Language Pathologists

School Speech-Language Pathologists Hayley K. Mason Ball State University School Speech-Language Psychologists Speech-language pathologists began their impact in schools in 1910 in the Chicago public school systems. These programs commenced due to educators acknowledging how speech and hearing problems affected performance in the classroom. Today, 55% of all speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work in the school systems, 95. 5% of those being females (Plante & Beeson, 2008). They are required to perform a vast array of important tasks.They determine, diagnose, treat, and assist in preventing disorders related to speech, communication, language, and fluency. According to a study done by Plante and Beeson (2008), their caseloads may accommodate multiple handicapped children or those with distinguishing speech and language hindrances. Their work is in-depth and very meticulous. School speech-language pathologists administer distinctive diagnostic tests to help recognize the particul ar area of complications a child encounters. The child may face problems with stuttering, fluency, swallowing, articulation of words, or many other serious cases.Once the impairment of a student is recognized, they write an individualized education plan (IEP). This is comprised of a set of simple goals and objectives for each of their students throughout the duration of the school year. They may work with the students individually, in a small group, or with an entire classroom to accomplish these goals (Plante & Beeson, 2008). Each school day has a fixed number of allotted time slots for a school SLP. It must be filled with activities mandated by the state, federal laws, or local education problems and procedures (â€Å"Executive summary: A,† 2003).If needed, they may work with other professionals to help treat children. Classroom teachers can aid in sharing with the speech-language pathologist what the child’s struggles with in the classroom. Audiologists and scho ol speech-language pathologists work side-by-side in many cases determining the problems and best treatment fort he child. Occupational therapists, physical therapists, child psychologists, and special education teachers also work together to evaluate a student. Joint evaluation of a child speeds up the process and allows for a diagnosis and treatment methods to be put in place sooner.It is also a benefit because all of these professionals have experience working with this particular population (Plante & Beeson, 2008). Caseloads, not to be confused with workloads, are typically defined as the number of students with IEPs that school SLPs serve directly and/or indirectly. However, in some school districts it might also include those students whom do not have identified disabilities but still receive assistance (â€Å"Executive summary: A,† 2003). By ASHA’s recommendation, the maximum caseload for a school SLP should be no more than 40 students.However, the results f rom the study completed by Katz, Maag, Fallon, Blenkarn, and Smith (2010) suggest that it is typical for a caseload to fluctuate between 45 and 59 students. Too many caseloads can put too much added pressure on a school SLP, causing them to become less satisfied with their job. Job satisfaction is characterized as an attitudinal variable estimating the degree to which employees are pleased by their jobs and the miscellaneous aspects of their jobs (Edgar & Rosa-Lugo, 2007). Speech-language pathologists exceeding 40 caseloads expressed significantly less satisfaction with their career choice.They felt pressured by lack of time in completing assessments compared to those with fewer caseloads (Katz, Maag, Fallon, Blenkarn & Smith, 2010). Most employees’ voice that having reliable coworkers, enough time to get work done, and a friendly supervisor all contribute to higher job satisfaction. This in turn correlates to their likelihood to remain in the profession (Katz et al, 2010). Those who have been in the profession for a greater number of years have a higher job satisfaction than those who are just starting out.Although, they are often unsatisfied with their opportunity for promotion or advancement in the field, fellow coworkers, pay and pay rises, and their primary supervisor (Edgar & Rosa-Lugo, 2007). Despite some downfalls, school speech-language pathology is a fast growing career. Numerous states across the United States have undergone a significant net gain in population. Immigration levels are on the rise in states such as New York, Florida, Minnesota, California, and Texas. Thus, increasing the number of speech-language pathologists needed in school districts (Edgar & Rosa-Lugo, 2007). There will be a larger demand for speech-language athologists that specialize with certain age groups, especially school-age children. Currently, there are approximately 54,120 speech-language pathologists working in private and public school systems. B y 2020, that number is expected to increase by more than 12,000 employed school speech-language pathologists (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). There are countless benefits that are enticing more people into the field. Mothers (and sometimes fathers) of school-age children enjoy that their working hours are very similar to their children’s schedules. They can work full-time and still get their child off the school bus everyday.Majority of school SLPs (93%) only work 9-10 months out of the year, allowing them to have the summers off to spend with their families but still be paid on an annual basis (Brook, 2012). Generous benefit packages are usually offered, including health, dental, and vision insurance programs and maternity leave. Furthermore, the salary of a school speech-language pathologist also definitely has its advantages. Salary fluctuates depending on years of experience, geographic location, and type of school system. According to the results of a study done by Brook (2012), the median earning of a school speech-language pathologist was around $58,000.Those who work in the Northeast region have a higher median income those who work in alternative regions of the country, especially the South and Midwest. By working in a suburban or metropolitan area, school SLPs are likely to make about $10,000 more than those working in rural areas. Secondary and elementary school speech-language pathologists generally have a higher income than those who work with in preschools. Those with 28 years of experience or more made up to $25,000 more than those first starting out in the profession (Brook, 2012). A range fluctuating between 88% and 94% of school SLPs were paid on an annual basis. .

Smokey Joes Cafe and Away

The concept of journey exceeds beyond physically traveling, as the traveller encompasses an emotional and intellectual journey along the way. These journeys are a process in which the traveller grows and changes in response to extending themselves out of their comfort zones and overcoming the struggle with themselves, each other and with nature. The play ‘Away’, composed by Michael Gow through the use of dramatic techniques and the novel ‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe through language techniques have both demonstrated how physical Journeys impacts on the travellers inner growth. Away’, set in the late 1960’s reflects the Australian events and situations at that time. These shape the attitudes and behaviour of the characters Gow uses, it strengthens Australia’s historical context for the audience. There is a cyclical structure Nature is a symbolic theme that sharpens ‘Away’ physical setting. Gow significantly sets the play over the Chris tmas holidays, portraying three ordinary yet contrasting families that are eventually drawn together by the power of nature. This time of year symbolises the birth of Christ that contradicts the imminent death of Tom.His approaching imminent death of Tom. Tom’s approaching death heals the characters, as they become linked to the natural cycle, we are born to die. â€Å"Give me your hands if we be friends, and Robin shall restore Amends. ‘ ( Act 1, Sc 1) This signifies the beginning journey of reconciliation and acceptance through use of intertextuality. Gow has made cross reference with Shakespeare. Tom’s role as Puck, infiltrated from a ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’, encapsulates his significance in the overall play.Puck’s power to restore and heal alludes and soaks into Tom’s character as his awareness of both life and death become the base of power for a catalyst change in others. Tom’s ability to transform Coral and inspi re his parents is expressed through the play within a play. ‘Stranger on the shore† Tom’s deep sense of his own mortality is life giving to others, he expresses impending death and his capacity to care for other’s lifts coral from her darkness. â€Å"I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking. symbolis for Corals renewal in her emotional journey, while Repetition of walking reinforces she is back to reality The plant â€Å"Coral† symbolizes a lifeless skeleton that is fragile and easy to break, just like the character in â€Å"Away†. Coral undergoes a vast transformation through the physical journey, from being repressed because of her son’s death to finally accepting that he is gone. Coral – her emotional recovery is profound. She symbolically and emotionally ‘returns from the dead’. She has been away from herself since the death of her son and has been unable to deal in the real world effectively.T he physical journey she undertakes to the beach is a metaphor for her emotional journey to recovery of self and ability to ‘walk’ in the world of the living. Physical setting – Earth; place of respite and rest Beach allows for cleansing, harmony Water: through both sea and storm, emphasises idea of change as its dark and has unknown depths, yet can also be life giving. Air evokes destruction through Bonfire: Ancient symbol of life. Its warmth draws those characters, who have been renewed, it confirms the redemption they have achieved.And the insight enveloped around each character portraying their inner growth.. Similarly in ‘Smokey Joe’s cafe, Bryce has used historical information on the Vietnam war to create his characters and setting to enable a more appealing and indulgent recite for the reader. Courtenay has used the power of nature throughout the Vietnam veteran’s journey, fathomed most in the Vietnam jungle. The jungles landscape became secondary growth with, bamboo everywhere, all of it tangled and dense and hard to see or move through. â€Å"The bloody jungle was the enemy as much as the Viet Cong (pg. ) Thommo says this highlighting the soldier’s physical journey that overcame the difficult obstacles and level of areas they were subjected to. Nature’s demolition lead to the motive of Agent Orange, a main issue manufactured for Vietnams â€Å"(pg. 7) . They sprayed it in our tents, in our weapon pits, in our kitchens and mess halls and in our latrines. It would be on our plates we ate off and the cups we drank off. † Courtenay introduces Thommo fand the soldiers to recount,- flashbacks†¦ The start of the physical journey â€Å"That’s what it was; a big hole with hills called Yama’s surrounding it, filled with water that might as well have been shit.It felt like shit. Tasted like shit and smelled like shit, when you fell into it, it stuck to you like shit sticks to a blan ket. † (pg 70) Preparation for the jungle (Still in Australia) highlights the beginning of change, and growth the soldiers will experience†¦ The use of repetition, simile, colloquialism, introducing†¦ â€Å"Crackle-pop-crackle-pop-pop-pop† â€Å"Putta putta putta putta† (Page 3) Onomatopoeia has been used to echo the firing of an AK47, and the ‘dust off blades of an emerging helicopter picking up the wounded’.The sounds give a sense of battle while Thommo describes it from a nightmare that is recounted from the past events of Long Tan; it establishes the hardship Thommo goes through, finding it difficult to settle back into society. All of these paragraphs Don’t link or refer back to question It didn’t help that Australia treated them like a bunch of mercenaries guilty of war crimes. â€Å"You killed children! †(Pg43) Angela, a local says this to Spags showing her disapproval and resentment for him.It establishes the ho stility and non-acceptance society felt towards the soldiers, their lack of understanding, going by the distorted media, regarded them not as heroes, but pure murderers. Societies attitude towards the war created diversity between the vets and the community â€Å"It seems the real heroes were the nice little boys and girls who marched in the Anti- Vietnam rallies chanting slogans, waving the Viet Cong flag and passing a joint around while the cops looked on. † (Pg. 10). This shows Thommo and the soldiers are filled with fury and irritation for the people and Government.

Internet Based Home Control System Essay

We viewed development as a process of change and a continuous learning.. Technological and institutional change or capabilities are at the heart of this process. Technology is much more than an ingredient in development strategies; it is a conditioning element of their viability. As technology rapidly changes, it sets the condition that generates development opportunities. Development becomes one of the learning that benefit from such changing opportunities. While learning is within a single technological revolution, a new technological revolution would constitute major discontinuities and shifts in the direction of change, providing new opportunities for learning and catching up. Technology is at the heart of the innovative process, and it has become a tool for amplifying brainpower. It further brings about changes within and among institutions and accelerates the rate of innovation. Steve Ballmer[1], CEO of Microsoft’s Corporation stressed that the number one benefit of technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do, letting people be creative and productive Thus, through new technology, a little creativity, and a lot of thinking, we have begun to produce home appliances control system that makes anything possible for the people especially elderly and handicapped to live by themselves and meet their potentials. The recent drive in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry toward new wireless communication devices and systems and their utilization in addressing a wide variety of real-world problems have resulted in several new areas of active research and wireless home automation being one such hot topic. Home appliances control system designates an emerging practice of increased automation of household appliances and fixtures in residential dwellings, particularly through electronic means. This allows impracticable, overly expensive or simply not possible things in recent past decades to be implemented. Home Automation Technology is a relatively new field and the home automation products available currently in the market are expensive, and not everybody can afford these devices. However, looking at the increasing popularity of home automation, most manufacturing companies are trying to develop products that will be affordable to the middle class customers. Hence, the proponents through this study design and develop a system of controlling home appliances remotely via the Internet. With this project, a user can control his home appliances across country away from home. Background of the Study Home appliances and lighting are major source of electricity consumption. Commercial public sector buildings and residential houses account for 95% of the electricity used for home appliances. There are common problems that home owners encountered in relation with home appliances system. One of this is due to some negligence like leaving the lights ON that result to having greater power consumption. This additional power consumption that can be wasted varies directly to our electric bills. Another problem is that those busy home owners who arrive at home late at night; they want to have immediate access to turn on the lights to have preventive measures against robbery and crimes.[2] For effective management and protection of homes, operational monitoring of home appliances conditions is a necessary tool. Fixed control system contributes significantly in monitoring the entire home appliances network. The past decade has seen significant advancement in the field of consumer electronics. Various â€Å"intelligent† appliances such as cellular phones, air-conditioners, home security devices, home theaters, etc. are set to realize the concept of a smart home. They have given rise to a personal area network in home environment, where all these appliances can be interconnected and monitored using a single controller. Busy families and individuals with physical limitation represent an attractive market for home automation and networking. Thus, a unifying solution started with the emergence of the first home automation product known as the Model 1503 which was introduced in 1988 and was meant for fire and burglar protection, home lighting and appliance control.[3] Moreover, a technology called X-10 was developed by Jeff Denenholz,[4] which allows your computer and your appliances to communicate over the existing power lines in your home. Among the many possibilities that this technology provides is the possibility for a fully automated and responsive home. One of the basic systems on the market is made by iControl and is easy to install and expandable. The system uses the 802.11 wireless protocol to transmit signals from the various devices to a control box which is connected to the internet. Some of the devices the company offers specifically for elderly care include: cameras, window/door sensors, motion sensors, water sensors, freeze sensors, panic pendants/wristwatches, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, lamp modules, and thermostats. All of the devices are connected wirelessly to the control box which then allows the devices to be monitored and controlled using the company’s website. The system is perfect for the elderly because it is easy to use and it allows family members to monitor the house to ensure that their relative is safe, it is portable and can easily be installed in an existing home. Another key project is ongoing at The University of Florida. They have built a 500 square foot smart house that is designed assist and to provide medical care to users. The house implements devices including a microwave that recognizes entrees and automatically determines how long to cook them and devices to track the individuals location within the home. The house also uses devices to detect water on the floor and a camera that allows the person to view who is at the door and let them in using a cell phone. The smart house at the University of Florida relies on a centralized computer network to deliver electronically coordinated assistance. However, the aforementioned projects pose problems on the implementation of such systems. The major drawbacks of these systems are that it requires the use of several costly technologies to operate. The concept of a smart home requires a user to have internet access available as well as router to install the control box. Thus, the introduction of home automation in the 1970’s failed to improve the lifestyle of users because determining the economic benefits of home automation technologies is difficult. The cost of implementing smart home technology must be justified by the effects brought about by their installation. There is a need for home automation technologies to be cost-effective and easy to install and flexible with many network infrastructures and appliances. Therefore, the study Microcontroller-based Home Appliances Control System via Internet aims at developing a module for home appliance and control system combining embedded system and web technology. The goal of this project is to design a system that communicates with the web in controlling the user’s home.. This approach will provide an easy way to operate and is cost effective approach to benefit the elderly and those with disabilities to function as normal as possible. Statement of the Problem The main problem of this study is to design and develop a prototype of a microcontroller-based home appliances control system using the internet that will demonstrate power automation of home appliances. The proposed system is web-based in nature which will replace physical control and provide automation with regard to the home appliances.

Estimating the Damping in a Single Degree of Freedom System Lab Report - 1

Estimating the Damping in a Single Degree of Freedom System - Lab Report Example There are a number of sources for damping and in this experiment; we are required to determine their overall effect. The excitation of the system will be provided by a shaker driving the opposite end of the beam from the attached weight. Two different methods will be used to estimate the damping: half-power bandwidth measurement in the frequency domain and a logarithmic decrement in the time-domain. a) Set up the system to use an accelerometer to measure the vibration of the beam near the attached weight while applying a computer-generated forcing signal via the shaker attached to the opposite end of the beam. c) Observe the resonant peak corresponding to mass-on-a-spring type motion, and compare it to what you would expect based on a simple calculation using the mass of the attached weight and the static stiï ¬â‚¬ness of the beam. When a mechanical system is displaced from its position at equilibrium and then released, the restoring force returns it to equilibrium position. This kind of movement is referred to as free vibration. Free vibration results arise from the initial impact energy that keeps changing consistently from potential energy to kinetic energy forms. In a state of free vibration, the mechanical system is said to be vibrating at its natural frequency. However, due to some various causes, dissipation of the mechanical energy occurs during vibration and this effect is referred to as damping. In theory, an un-damped freely vibrating system continues to vibrate after it has started. In this experiment, we shall investigate the effect of damping and the level of damping in the mechanical system. Vibration can basically be classified in a number of ways including: b. Un-damped and damped vibration: In un-damped vibrations, no energy is lost or dissipated as a result of friction during the oscillatory motion. If any energy is lost, the