Psy 535

Multicultural research methodologies are one of the newest research fields to be implemented in recent decades. Traditional research methodology has been established for centuries, and has a very orthodox view of things like norms, measurement instruments, sampling, and observation. Multicultural researchers quickly found out that applying these same factors to their own research was inappropriate; the field of multicultural research demanded a different perspective if any sort of useful and accurate findings were ever going to be issued. Two areas where there is great difference between multicultural research and traditional research are measurement instruments and norms. In these two areas it is easy to demonstrate how traditional research has a much easier time being performed with the standard and well established concepts involving measurement instruments and norms. However, when a multicultural researcher attempts to answer a question or reinforce a hypothesis he or she will quickly find out that they must perform their research in a way that is very different from those in the traditional field. Measurement instruments are an excellent place to begin looking at the way multicultural and traditional research methodologies contrast. As the world becomes increasingly globalized and corporations begin to operate in many different countries encompassing different and diverse cultures, there is a clear need for accurate multicultural research on a myriad of topics. Even simple surveys like product satisfaction are more difficult for a multicultural researcher. Various countries and populaces simply have different viewpoints and this can cause entire research designs to have to be suited to specific nations, or even specific populations within those nations. For example, traditional researchers have found that it can be extremely difficult to get individuals in Latin America to participate in one of traditional researchers move time honored measurement devices; the focus group. (Morrow, 231) In contrast, many American citizens are quite receptive to the idea of participating in a focus group, a well-established fact known to most multicultural as well as traditional researchers. Those who are educated in multicultural research methods understand that Latin Americans have a very different point of view when it comes to how they value their time. For the average Latin American the idea of participating in a focus group is a waste of time that could be better spent doing almost anything else. The list of research measurement instruments that must be altered depending on the culture being sampled is almost endless. Mail surveys, another common tactic employed by traditional researchers to gauge opinion on a host of different topics have been found to be very inefficient with Americans and many Westerners in general. (Morrow, 256) Multicultural researchers have found that, through careful studies, other cultures are much more receptive to mail surveys. The Japanese, for instance, are much more likely to complete and return a survey mailed to them in comparison to the average American household who would likely discard the survey as â€Å"junk mail†. Morrow, 257) This is not to suggest that either culture is wrong for their treatment of this particular research instrument; rather, it simply highlights that people thousands of miles apart have vastly different cultural experiences that will shape their views on the importance of everything, including whether or not a mail survey is worth their time. An informed multicultural researcher would be wise to employ the mail survey when he or she is doing their work in Japan, just like a researcher working in the United States would achieve much better results by utilizing focus groups. Traditional researchers might very well plod ahead and send out thousands of mail surveys to Americans, knowing that they will receive a small percentage back. However, if these researchers were to pay closer attention to the cultural aspect of the research, they would be able to conduct their inquiries in a more efficient way, both in terms of money spent and answers received. A second area that holds great potential as a way to compare and contrast multicultural and traditional research methodologies is norms. Traditional researchers usually work with a well-established set of norms that rarely fluctuates. Gottfried, 117) Multicultural researchers operate in a much different environment. For those looking to perform a study or experiment that focuses on the impact of culture, they must pay very close attention to the individuals who they are surveying and how the norms for those people can be very different from the norms of others sampled. An example of this would be a multicultur al researcher attempting to study the public’s view of single-payer healthcare, as many liberals have suggested is a good idea for implementation in the United States. A researcher could ask a series of targeted questions to a group of Americans, but without considering their cultural leanings, the research would be inherently flawed. A fourth generation American of European descent will have rather â€Å"mainstream† views of the topic, which will contrast greatly with a first generation Canadian immigrant. (Gottfried, 112) The cultural norms for each of these groups will be very different, which will end up in them answering the question differently or, even if they answer the same, for different reasons. A traditional researcher would not pay very much attention to this issue, and would likely state that an American is an American, and that with a large enough sample size they would arrive at the correct diagnosis of the public’s point of view regarding the topic. Those who are involved with multicultural research know that by passing over the deep cultural divides that exist between most American citizens, the research would be virtually worthless. In conclusion, multicultural research and traditional research have much in common, but differ on some very important points. Two of these points are the relevance of norms and measurement instruments. Multicultural researchers will work much harder to get a better understanding of their respondent’s culture before asking questions and conducting other research. This ensures that the reasons behind their answers are known, which equal a more comprehensive research design. Measurement tools and their impact differ between the two research methods as well. Multicultural researchers pay close attention to the culture they are sampling, and employ research instruments that are the most likely to garner results. Traditional researchers are much more likely to use a blunt research tool, and use it over and over again until they achieve the necessary amount of responses. Both research methodologies have their place, and both will continue to benefit from the others perspective. Works Cited Morrow, Susan L. (2001) â€Å"Qualitative research methods for multicultural counseling: Handbook of multicultural counseling† Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications Gottfried, Paul Edward. (2002) â€Å"Multiculturalism and the Politics of Guilt: Toward a Secular Theocracy,† University of Missouri

Relations of Television Viewing and Reading Essay

A lot of studies concerning television viewing impacts on students’ academic performance have been made, but there are still questions related to this that are needed to be answered. To bring more clarifications in this aspect, Marco Ennemoser and Wolfgang Scheider conducted the study entitled â€Å"Relations of Television Viewing and Reading: Findings From a 4-Year Longitudinal Study†. As stated in the article, the study aims to determine the long-term effects of television viewing on the development of children’s reading competencies. After conducting scientific processes and methods among German children, the researchers were able to conclude that television viewing has a negative effect on students’ reading skills. The article was generally informative and reliable. There were some technical errors in the writing procedure, but the study itself was a success. Summary On the first part of the article, the researchers discussed four inhibition hypotheses which plausibly explain how television viewing may hinder one’s reading development. These inhibition hypotheses are: 1. Displacement hypothesis – reading time may be displaced by television watching. 2. Passivity hypothesis – low mental effort in television watching may anchor reduced effort in reading and writing. 3. Concentration Deterioration hypothesis – television’s rapid changes in context and pacing may cause children’s inability to concentrate on a task. 4. Reading Depreciation hypothesis – Students’ motivation in investing energy in learning may diminish due to pleasant experiences with television. After discussing these hypotheses, the researchers enlighten up the positive side by referring to facilitation hypothesis. This hypothesis views television as a facilitator to one’s reading development. Then, other factors affecting children’s intellectual ability such as IQ and SES were discussed. Methodological problems among previous studies explaining relationship between television watching and academic achievement were given attention. The researchers analyzed the flaws in their methodologies in order to create a better methodological design for their own study. The study was conducted for 4 years among 2 age cohorts of German children. Cohort 1 is composed of kindergarten students, while cohort 2 is composed second grade students. Their families also collaborated with the researchers to keep records of their viewing time and the genre of the programs they were viewing. Tests were given to measure their reading speed and reading comprehension. Data gathered from the 4-year study were analyzed. Results showed that TV genre affected the students’ reading achievement. Educational programs had positive effects on their reading achievement. On the other hand, entertainment programs were negatively correlated with reading comprehension. The results also showed that viewing type/duartion (light, medium, and heavy) is related to their reading progress over time. Light and medium viewers have faster reading progress compared to the heavy viewers. Critique In the research paper of Marco Ennemoser and Wolfgang Scheider, hypotheses concerning the effects of television viewing on reading achievement were discussed. This is actually a good start. Putting up background information about possible results of the study would create a better understanding on readers’ perspective. This gave them the opportunity to relate studies’ results to formulated hy However, the hypotheses reviewed by the researchers seem to be lacking. On a studyconducted by Mary Antonette De Ocampo of Univeristy of the Philippines – Diliman, 2 more theories behind child’s television viewing werecited. The first one is the information processing theory which, according to her thesis paper, says that â€Å"learners are viewed as active seekers and processors of information† (De Ocampo, 2007). The other one is the short-term gratification theory which, also according to her thesis paper, says that â€Å"television programming promotes short attention spans and quick fix magical answers that are non-conducive to high levels of school success†(De Ocampo, 2007). Results shown by Marco Ennemoser and Wolfgang Scheider’s study reflect these two hypotheses cited in De Ocampo’s study. If these were included in their study, then these two hypotheses would be enlightened and there would be more contribution to the body knowledge of television viewing. Methods were expounded all throughout the paper but not in a concise manner. There were cases wherein concepts related to methods were discussed more than once. It would be more convenient to readers if methodological processes were summed up into one section. Through this, it would be easier to locate the overall procedure conducted in the study. Materials, equipment, and procedure were also not explained well in the article. According to Kastenset. al. , method section of a scientific paper must include description of materials, procedure, and theory (www. ldeo. columbia. edu, nd. ). Descriptions are needed so that readers would be able to understand the context meaning of certain words included in the paper. For example, the study did not describe what general audience entertainment programs are and how they differ from educational programs. There was a gray line between those two. There are educational programs which could be entertainment programs, too. There is a need for clarifications of descriptions. This very crucial in the conduction of study because the parents, who will record the TV programs genre watched by their children, must be informed well so that they would be able to classify the genre of certain TV programs. Yes, the researchers listed the title of educational programs in their study, but how about the audience entertainment programs? Also, descriptions are important in this for future reference.

Take home exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Take home exam - Assignment Example The attitude of the customers also gets influenced by the promotional activities carried out by the company such as advertisement. Irrespective of the nature of the customers, it is the duty of the marketers to properly understand the needs of the customers. In doing so the marketers would be able to develop goods or services which would meet the need of the customers a lot more precisely than the competitors, The main problem is that the consumer decision making process is a complex on and understanding the mindset of the consumers correctly is quite difficult. The customers do not actually make purchases without thinking carefully about the needs. Wherever there is a presence of the choice, decisions are also usually involved and these decisions are most of the times influenced by changing motives. The organization that can understand why customers make decisions such as who buys the products; how they buy; where they buy; why they buy; would have more chances to become successful. The philosophy that guides all the marketing activities is the core concept of marketing. The idea that an organization should look to try to satisfy the needs of the customers through coordinated activities that allows the marketers to achieve the marketing objectives; The marketing concept states that a business should first understand the needs of the customers and then develop the products accordingly. ... To implement the marketing concept a company must have good information regarding the needs and demands of the customers to develop a customer oriented strategy (Pride and Ferrel 4). As far the topic of forcing the customers to buy products that the customer may not is concerned; it can be said that the core concept of marketing actually puts the customers at the very beginning of the marketing process. Before developing any products the marketers usually go for a market research to understand the need and demand of the customers and then only the products as per the needs of the customers are developed. Any great innovation including the launch of the smart phones is actually a result of the understanding the customer demand through he market research. Addition of mp3 players of cameras are actually augmentation. The core product of a cell phone remains to be the on the go telecommunication facility provided by the phone. But features such as cameras or mps players actually were lov ed by the customers. Hence the marketers realized that the customers are actually looking for total package in a cell phone and hence the marketers such as Apple and Samsung decided to launch smart phones. The same principles can be applied in case of automobile manufactures also, in the initial days, very few automobile manufacturers used to provide financing and hence the customers had to look for other means to go for financing. But now all most all the companies provide the facility of car financing. This again shows the importance of understanding the customer demand. To conclude things it can be said that the marketers do not force the

Scientology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientology - Essay Example A religious person does not blame God for his failures he faced in life. However, whatever he does should not be a show off and he shall not be a hypocrite. (a). A spiritual man looks upward. It means his earnest desire to be one with God. He spent most of his time in prayers. The worldly matters such as wealth, conveniences etc never bother their spiritual life. His ultimate hope is in God. (b). Secondly, a spiritual man looks inward. He is always aware of what he does. He is a good judge of himself. If there is something that destroys his spiritual life, he is ready to do away with whatsoever important it is in his personal life. (c) Finally, a spiritual man looks outward. It means he is willing to impart the goodness that God has bestowed on him to others. He is ready to forgive his trespassers as he knows God forgives his trespasses. He is not worried about his own happiness and life but finds bliss in making the men around him happy. Religion has got both social and psychological functions. As the part of social function, it ensures social control and reduces conflict. Every religion sets a standard for behavior that is expected to be followed by the believers. Secondly, religions avoid social conflict by reducing tension and frustrations. As Ferraro and Andreatta (2009) point out, religion controls the animosity of people and makes them compassionate and charitable through various religious experiences; and when it comes to psychological functions, religion provides mental peace to the believers by consoling them during the time of crisis and helplessness (pp. 354-355). From the religious leaders, one gets emotional support and peace. It encourages him to face the problems with a renewed punch. We cannot understand religion by setting aside its functions. Religion becomes an integral part of the society only through its functions. So, it is impossible to thoroughly understand a religion merely from

Can Compatibilism be Defended Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Can Compatibilism be Defended - Essay Example However, the reality may not necessarily lie in line with the compatibilist’s line of argument. Most philosophers before this point have attempted to deal with compatibilism using their own customised definitions of free will and determinism. For example, Peter van Inwagen uses his own definitions (Van Inwagen & Zimmerman, 1998) while Narverson accepts them and bends them during his subsequent reply. (Naverson, 1977) Similarly the definitions of Robert Kane, Strawson, and Campbell will differ largely with those of older philosophers such as Humes. (Kane, 1996) (Campbell, 1957) (Bok, 1998) Most of these definitions have only intensified the problem rather than solving it in any form. If the classical definitions of free will and determinism are used, the issue of compatibilism can be solved with much greater ease. I will attempt to define compatibilism using simple definitions of free will and determinism and will then proceed to exposing weaknesses in the compatibilist line of argument. The compatibilist is simply a proponent of the idea that free will and determinism are compatible ideas. This implies that both lines of argument can be conceded to without being logically inconsistent. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2009) In order to create an association between free will and determinism, certain very â€Å"hard to digest† definitions have been provided. ... It is not as if this simple definition is not comprehensive enough. Consider for example a very common scenario. I cannot coerce a person to commit any actions against his free will such as I cannot do anything in my power right now to say move your hand unless you wish to move your hand. You will only move your hand when you feel obliged to do so for whatever your free will demands of you. The general view includes coercive behaviour such as rape, imprisonment and the like to define free will which I believe is not totally justified. A person being raped may be coerced to perform under threat but that is merely usurpation of their free will. Such a person always has the choice of fighting back no matter what the outcome. This choice to fight back is again a constitution of free will. In a sense, human free will is like a skill one can master. Certain people have far more control over their actions because they allow their free will to do so. On the other hand most people have little control over their actions especially when they are emotionally charged such as when angry, excited or in pain because they choose not to control their behaviour in these scenarios. Just as human beings possess different characteristics, it cannot be expected of them to possess the same degrees of free will too. Doing so would serve as a major error in dealing with human free will. Hence as per the libertarian’s views, human free will allows each of us to do as we want to do, when we want to do and how we want to do. Others would argue that man is not free to do as he pleases in society and hence society controls or determines man’s free will. However, there is little to support their argument that falls on itself paradoxically.

Nationald Gallery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nationald Gallery - Essay Example The works blend with the design and architecture of The New Art Gallery enhancing the visitor's experience of the works by showing them in new and interesting ways and making connections between old and new art. However, local artistic styles were not lost completely and they make up an essential element of the mature English Romanesque style. In religious painting, this is characterized by the use of abstracted or distorted figures, which are fully coloured and delineated by solid outlines. Frederick Antal (1962) The area above the door itself provides the artist with a large semicircular field called the tympanum within which to carve both decorative and narrative subjects, which are supplemented by ornament applied to the door jambs, arches, and capitals. These carvings are often highly imaginative and amusing blending in some religious and secular imagery within one small area. Compositions are generally formal and patterned, while physical space is indicated by rectangular background panels. Exaggerated facial expressions and gestures portray religious drama scenes. Numerous illuminated manuscripts made for the new monasteries, seemingly indicate an essential element of the Norman establishment. Azzopardi (2001) The most unique collection includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs, video and installations from artists and public and private collections in Britain and abroad. Major works are included by Francis Bacon, Per Barclay, Cecil Beaton, Bruce of LA; this exhibition highlights the artist's preoccupations with urban and natural landscapes and with human perception and interaction. Encompassing large-scale video and sound installation, photography, drawing and film, it gives a first UK staging to a number of newly-completed works. Office Architects, the exhibition includes a wealth of historical and contemporary drawings alongside models, collage, computer modelling and extracts from films. While many of these ideas were intended to enthuse and convince clients about real architectural schemes, some were private fantasies, exploring how the world might have looked today had the tastes of our predecessors been different. The collection of art includes works by Robert Adam, Archigram, Sir Charles Barry, Etienne-Louis Boullee, Sir William Chambers, Foster & Partners, Future Systems, Erno Goldfinger, Eric Mendelsohn, John Nash, Softroom, Paolo Soleri and Tecton. This art includes work painted of a dramatic floor-ceiling projection recreating the artist's ascent up a thirty-five metre deep Antarctic crevasse - together with a recent commission, Sky Drawing (Night, Day), which focuses on the movement of air traffic over Birmingham. Until recently the society has been developing collaboration with Vivid, Birmingham and includes work commissioned by Vivid with the support of the Henry Moore Foundation. Infected by Gina Czarnecki and Iona Kewney is a haunting video installation about the nature of the physical body in the context of future technological possibilities, seen through dance and digitally manipulated imagery. Men in the Wall by Liz Aggiss and Billy Cowie are a four screen, 3-dimensional stereoscopic installation. Each life-size 3D 'frame' is inhabited by a man whose world is tightly choreographed and scripted. Viewers can experience the men's shared, framed lives

Personal values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal values - Essay Example In this regard, what matters is the level of satisfaction a person gets from my services (Black, 2013). The most ethical behavior must prevail in case of any dilemma. One of the most challenging situation is the bias and complexities that arise from some patients and their families. For example, families may require that I do not tell the patient about his or her condition accurately. However, I am bound by the professional code of conduct to explain to the patient. As such, there arises a conflict. From the discussion above, utilitarianism is the theoretical framework that describe my ethical behavior. I endeavor to make sure that my patients get the best services from me. The most ethical decision must enhance the care and hence utility received by patients. For example, I believe it is ethical to administer anesthetic or painkillers to patients with extreme pain regardless of the whether such action is allowed, as long it does not interfere with

Human Resource Managment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Managment - Research Paper Example HRM plays a significant role in recruiting new employees. They interview the applicants, train the successful applicants, and give them the rules and regulations of the organization. The paper will use the example of Starbucks. The management of this corporation demands a number of personal characteristics from an individual aspiring to be a barista (Bussing-Burks, 2009). Some of these features include friendliness, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, and many more others. HRM theories state that, in the recruitment process, a person should demonstrate skills and attributes necessary for the role they are applying for (Malik, 2014). A study by Sims stated that successful recruitments should be a aligned to strategic objectives of the firm (Sims, 2007). Starbucks has built a winning team. According to HRM theories, stated in a study by Malik, when indiduals come together in a group they experience various stages of team development (Malik, 2014). In other words, when new employees join an organization, they experience evolutionary processes. The methods allow them to understand and appreciate their fellow workers’ strengths and skills. In the end, they will utilize these skills to the best advantage of the whole team. Starbucks business model demands different skills for various parts of operations. Studies indicate that Starbucks demonstrate the power of teamwork, which maximizes output and quality of output (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst 2012). Job analysis involves collecting of information about a job. It begins with the job description and then job specification. The recording of data of job description and specification is done separately for references. Job analysis involves collecting and recording job information, checking the job information for accuracy, writing job description based on the information, using information to determine the skills, abilities, and knowledge

Importance Of Proteins And Minerals For Human Research Paper

Importance Of Proteins And Minerals For Human - Research Paper Example Magnesium is one of the major minerals without which one’s moods may be affected. Magnesium enhances proper functioning of alimentary, osteoarticular, cardiovascular and the endocrine systems which in turn affects one's moods. It has a great impact on biochemistry functions in the brain, as well as, the fluidity of the neural membrane. Therefore, deficiency in magnesium may lead to depression, hallucinations, nervous fits, tremors, hyperexcitability, insomnia, and seizures. It is also essential in the management of certain emotional problems and mental disorders (Serefko and Szopa, 2013). Additionally, consuming magnesium aids in reducing and managing some diseases such as asthma, migraine, alcoholism, renal calcium stones, arrhythmias, heart diseases and premenstrual tension syndrome. This is because magnesium helps increases serotonin levels in the brain that affects moods. Depletion of magnesium in the body, allows the sodium and calcium ions to get into the postsynaptic ne uron and exit potassium ions. The increase in the influx of calcium ions leads to the production of poisonous reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide radicals. In extreme cases, neuronal death and neuronal swelling could also occur. Moreover, deficiency in magnesium ions coupled with excess calcium ions causes brain cell dysfunction. This leads to behavioral and mood disorders including depression. However, change in moods, including depression and paresthesia resolves immediately after the administration of magnesium (Serefko and Szopa, 2013). The second most important mineral in maintaining one's moods is omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids are the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are found in various plant and marine life. People with depressive disorders are likely to have mood swings in case omega-3 is absent in their diet. Dietary changes in the intake of fatty acids are believed to have numerous pathological consequences.

Understanding the Strength of Poetry Essay Example for Free

Understanding the Strength of Poetry Essay Poetry celebrates the senses, and sharpens the mind. These attributes make the genre a favorite among readers who like their literary adventures short; in as few as four brilliantly written lines, a poem reader emerges enlightened, his senses heightened by the verses. Such an experience is rendered by impeccable poets like Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes. These two very different poets give us two very different poetic experiences, two very different voices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Dickinson’s strength as a poet lies in her ambiguity.    Most of her verses need at least a second reading, because her poetic style makes her poems unconventional readings. The use of dashes and capitalizations make the verses require attentive focus and intellectual understanding straightaway; they are not easy to read, compared to conventionally-written poems. Nevertheless, this writing style does not diminish the brilliance in the text; it instead enhances it. One example is the poem entitled, â€Å"Much Madness is divinest sense.†    The first two lines alone require a pause from the reader so he could go on and read the rest of the lines to be able to get the message of the poem. Another striking attribute of Dickinson’s poetry is her preference for death as a topic or as a symbol, at least based on the selection supplied for this paper.   The surprising thing about is that although the poems are largely about tragedy, madness and death, the verses do not have a melancholic feel about them. Dickinson seems to cushion the readers from feeling melancholia through her brilliant symbolism and her presentation of detailed evocations of the subject. For instance, in the poem entitled â€Å"After great pain, a formal feeling comes,† Dickinson likens sadness to death, the use of the words ‘tomb’ (line 2), ‘wooden’ (line 6) and stone (line 9) all pertain to, or connote death (please cite the page number of your resource here).   The poem describes the numb emotional state of a person, that space we go through after grieving and before moving on. The literary device used may be grim, but it is most appropriate. The poem succeeds because it effectively communicates the message. Emily Dickinson’s verses are a good read. Her ambiguity however, is what the reader likes and at the same time, dislikes about her. This is the attribute that makes her verses intriguing, the attribute that draws, magnetizes the reader to leaf through the pages; but it could also make the reader frustrated in trying to decode what Dickinson really meant. Despite this, the strength in Dickinson’s poetry is undeniable. She is one poet whose place in literature will always be secure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Langston Hughes is in an entirely different position, compared to Dickinson. Most of his verses reverberate with racial and cultural themes, so that a reader needs to know his background to thoroughly enjoy his poems. Nevertheless, most of his poems in the selection provided for this paper have universal themes, so that the verses may be understood and interpreted as they are, without the cultural context. â€Å"Dream Deferred†, for instance talks about the figurative outcome of dreams, of plans, withheld. It causes a deep a resentment that could corrupt the soul; Hughes writes that the dream may, â€Å"fester like a sore/and then run† (lines 3-4), or â€Å"stink like rotten meat† (line 6) signifying a dreamer’s inadequacy to cope with his failure (please cite the page number here). Thus, the reader needs no cultural briefer to understand this poem and to fully relate with its themes. His poem, â€Å"Same in Blues† and â€Å"Mother to Son† also express universal themes.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Same in Blues† is the illustration of dreams deferred, a humorous portrayal of goals not reached, dreams not fulfilled. â€Å"Mother to Son,† meanwhile, is a touching poem about a mother sharing her life experiences to her son, so that he may be able to handle life better. The language however, is unmistakably African-American. His other poems in the selection, however, weigh heavily on his African-American race and its sentiments. In the poems, â€Å"The Negro speaks of Rivers,† and â€Å"I, Too† Hughes gives a voice to the African-American people, asserting their clamor for an equal position in society and dignifying their identity as a people (please cite page number here). The strength of Langston Hughes as a poet lies in the strong voicing of his African-American convictions. He is an important figure in literature precisely because of his strong sense of racial pride. However, his poems appeal not only to the specific group of his race, but to everyone. His verses have the quality of boosting one’s pride in one’s identity and culture, certainly a universal theme every person can relate to.   Ã‚  What is most likeable in the poetry of Langston Hughes is its motivational effect for racial pride. Its verses seem to leap out from the pages and arouse the reader into asserting his racial and cultural identity. The attribute that may make the reader dislike Hughes’ verses is the fact that his poems are hinged on racial and cultural contexts. The reader who has no familiarity with the African-American culture may not feel the African-American sentiment. The reader must read up on African-American history first before thoroughly enjoying the Hughes poetic experience. Nonetheless, Langston Hughes is considered a premier poet, a true artistic hero among his people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The vicarious experiences offered by both brilliant poets, Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes, affirm the strength of poetry to awaken the reader’s intellect and emotions.

Unethical Practices And Conflicts Of Interest In The Pharmaceutical Industry

Unethical Practices And Conflicts Of Interest In The Pharmaceutical Industry As Healthcare Reform develops and shape regulations within the healthcare industry, unethical practices and conflicts of interest in the pharmaceutical industry affirm the need for transparency and improved traditions. Conflict of interest from a legal standpoint is a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust. (Merriam-Websters Dictionary of Law, 2010) From a business perspective, conflict of interest is defined as a situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the persons self-interest and professional-interest or personal-interest. (BusinessDictionary.com) With the number of physicians operating private practices in the United States, the clinical drug trial kickbacks have become common practice and the ravenous patterns have been explicitly revealed. The frequency of such behaviors and exposure of financial gain are enough to further strengthen the necessity for health care reform. Each unscrupulous circumstance that is exposed brings about further insight to the widespread unethical conduct of the pharmaceutical industry. There is an abundance of scenarios and examples depicting behaviors as well as emergent methods to circumvent such conflicts of interest. Additionally, laws and processes are in place to further develop and establish parameters around acceptable and unacceptable practices for both pharmaceutical manufacturers and physicians alike. With the objective to deter, eliminate and expose conflicts of interest, various projects, acts and charitable trusts have been developed and comprised of committees of citizens, organizat ions, and donors who vigorously advocate patient safety through improved changes in the manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs. So how does conflict of interest play a role in clinical drug trials? When discussing conflict of interest as it relates to clinical drug trials the scenario is usually one in which a researcher has a monetary rapport and research money, with the company that manufacturers the drug being studied. There is nothing fundamentally erroneous with these types of conflicts of interest, they are practically everywhere within drug trials because most of the trials are financed by the drug companies that produce the drugs being studied. In an article written by John H. Montgomery related to the examination of conflicts of interest, research was done by Dr. Roy H. Perlis on the outcome of drug trials and the relationship that the author or industry has to that outcome. Research shows that 397 trials were reviewed and of those, 162 random trials yielded positive results that were funded by the manufacturer of the drug being studied. These results give indication that conflict of interest is common and associated to the outcome of the trials. This is just one of many examples of how common conflicts of interest arise in the healthcare industry. Another study conducted looked at randomized controlled trials of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) between 1987 and 1990 (Bodenheimer). This study found that relatively all of the trials in the three-year span were sponsored by the drug producer. The research also discovered that the drug being compared to the manufactured drug was equivalent in efficiency and in s ome cases was even better than the manufactured drug in every trial. The study also reported that the manufacturer-associated drug was safer than the comparison drug in 86% of the trials (Bodenheimer). Remember, these trials were funded by the drug companies sponsoring the trials. How can conflicts of interest be avoided? First, when a patient is registered in a drug trial, full disclosure of any financial relationships with the drug manufacturer should be given. This builds trust with the patient and also fulfills the patients right to know this information so they can make the decision as to whether or not they want to participate in the study. Second, disclosure statements should be offered to the participant and ought to be clear and simple; this will often entice the patient to ask questions. Finally, research planners should be sufficiently familiar with any conflicts of interest with the investigator or the institution so that patients questions can be answered appropriately and correctly. Disclosure may not always be what most patients are looking for but the aforementioned suggestions could help satisfy the patient and trust the research process. The investigator cannot be the only responsible party though patients must also do their homework before t hey participate in a clinical trial. The issue of whether or not conflict of interest is unacceptable when drug companies perform their own clinical drug trials is becoming an increasingly hot topic in the industry today. In an article written in BMJ magazine by Goldacre this topic is discussed. Goldacre talks about the NSAIDs study mentioned above and how impossible the results of that trial were. He notes that an organized evaluation found 30 studies that investigated whether or not industry support is connected with results that are beneficial for the sponsor. The result: studies sponsored by drug companies were more than four times as likely to have outcomes favoring the funder, compared with studies with other sponsors (Goldacre). How can this partiality be allowed to take place? Perhaps it is the way the trials are planned. For instance, in some studies the opponent drug is given at an insufficient amount which raises the side effects of the drug. This in turn makes the supporters drug look more appealing. Another known issue is that there is no standard for communicating results of drug trials. The industry has the ability to print whatever they would like to report. More often than not, the negative results from clinical drug trials remain unavailable. The most alarming concern about the clinical drug trial process is that data is not only used once, in some cases data was published within the results of 14 other trials. It is inevitable that issues like this will exist in the industry when there is no formal standard by which clinical drug trials must adhere to. Though there is no standard set the FDA has published guidelines that the industry must follow regarding financial disclosure in drug trials. The FDA Guidance for Industry on Financial Disclosure by Clinical Investigators requires that anyone submitting an application to market a drug, product or device disclose any financial relationship or compensation received by all investigators involved in the trial being set up. The FDA specifies requirements about what information is required to be reported and lists actions that the agency will take if these requirements are not followed. The FDA should not be the only one addressing conflicts of interest in clinical drug trials though. Physicians should be attentive when participating in the trials or when treating a patient that is currently or is eligible to participate in one. Physicians participating in drug trials or enlisting patients for trials should be aware of the following guidelines: Physicians should only consent to participate in trials that are within their range of capability and practice and they should be appropriately trained in performing research. Physicians should be knowledgeable of ethics and should only participate in trials that they are convinced have been evaluated by a review board, the participants in the study are not at risk of being harmed, and that government policies are followed during the course of the study. If a physician is treating patients that are enrolled in a study or are eligible to participate in a study, they will need to make sure the patient understands that they treat them under both pretenses but as both physician and investigator. Physicians should make certain that procedure include stipulations that will support the participants health care should difficulty arise as a result of the trial. The nature and source of funding and financial incentives offered to the investigators must be disclosed to a potential participant as part of the informed consent process (Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Conduct of Clinical Trials). The physician should make certain that there is no impediment in the publication of the results of the study by the sponsor of the trial. Conflict of interest is a growing concern in the health care industry today. The issues are reported on the news and in publications more and more frequently. Bringing attention to the matter and raising awareness will aid in the development and improvement of ethics in clinical drug trials. An example of one of the reformation objectives would be eliminating the behavior of a physician who treats a patient suffering from dementia and later bills Medicare; however, this same physician does not report the adverse impact on the patient, because the physician has been promised adequate compensation for evading details and touting benefits of the drug. The patient filed a malpractice suit against the physician. The attorney during discovery learned that the plaintiff was enrolled in a study and did not meet the criteria to be included in the study. It was also discovered that the medical assistant did not have any experience or training in coordinating studies and were paid a fee for each person enrolled. The study was not in compliance or conducted in conjunction with the FDA statutes and regulations. The IRB which once approved the Protocol and Informed Consent halted the study eight months earlier. An additional $5,000 per month was paid to the physician for consulting se rvices. These same payments were paid to the physician under the Clinical Trial Agreement creating a duplication of services. Medicare was billed by the physician as well for the same items and services which including the drug that for formally paid out by the sponsor in which the physician has previously been reimbursed. The Plaintiff signed the informed consent alone without any counseling even though the sponsor knew the subject was diagnosed as suffering from dementia. Dr. Joseph L. Biederman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the chief of pediatric psychopharmacology at Harvards Massachusetts General Hospital poses a prime situation of drug payments going to physicians. Children as young as two years old are now being diagnosed with having bipolar disorder thanks largely to Dr. Biederman. Many of the children were treated with combinations of powerful drugs known as cocktails that were never approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA must approve any children below the age of ten for any purpose in a drug study trial. Physicians may legally use only drugs that have been previously approved for a particular purpose or diagnosis, for any other purpose there must be upheld published scientific evidence before administering drugs. That was not the case for Biederman. His studies advocated the drugs that treated childhood bipolar disorder and was summarized by an article in The New York Times. Biederman was paid $1. 6 million in consulting and speaking fees from 2000 and 2007 including drugs that he advocated for childhood bipolar disorder. Similar amounts were paid two of his colleagues. The president of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the chairman of its physician organization apologized and express sympathy to its beneficiaries after the conflicts of interest were revealed. Chair of Stanfords psychiatry department and president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association Dr. Alan F. Schatzberg is another example of drug payments to physicians. Schatzberg controlled and co-founded Corcept Therapeutics in which he owned more than $6 million worth of stock. The company tested the drug Mifepristone, otherwise known as RU-486 the abortion drug as well as the drug used for the treatment of psychotic depression. Schatzberg, principal investigator on a National Institute of Mental Health grant that included research coauthored three papers on the subject of mifepriston. Schatzberg was later replaced as principal investigator to avoid a conflict of interest of misunderstanding. The most shocking case of drug payments to physician is that of Dr. Charles B. Nemeroff. Nemeroff, chair of Emory Universitys department of psychiatry along with Schatzberg, both served as coeditors of the influential Textbook of Psychopharmacology. Nemeroff served as principal investigator of the National Institute of Mental Health grant that was worth $3.95 million over five years. Emory University received $1.35 million which was used as overhead to study several drugs administered by GlaxoSmithKline. Emory University had to comply with government regulators along with the university to disclose income received from GlaxoSmithKline. Emory had to report any payments over $10,000 per year per the National Institutes of Health. This was done to ensure and eliminate the conflict of interest. Emory University compared records with GlaxoSmithKline and Nemeroff failed to disclose approximately $500,000 of speaking and consulting fees promoting the companys drugs. Emory conducted its own investigation in June 2004 and multiple violations of policies were founded on behalf Nemeroff. Nemeroff responded by issuing a memorandum at Emory stating he has been in compliance however GlaxoSmithKline reported paying Nemeroff a salary of $171,031. Nemeroff reported only $9,999 to Emory. He under reported by one dollar in which $10,000 is the threshold for reporting per the National Institutes of  Health. As a result of Health Care Reform which was passed in 2010 and initiated by President Barack Obamas administration, the Pew Prescription Project is an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust promoting consumer safety through health care reform in the approval of manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs. These initiatives will encourage or force evidence-based prescribing. The Pew Prescription Project conducts nonpartisan research through rigorous federal oversight in relation to drug safety. The purpose is to better illuminate problems and potential solutions in the area of prescription drugs. The Pew Prescription Act current goal includes the passage of the Physicians Payments Sunshine Act and the Independence Drug Education and Outreach Act. This includes improvements to current federal laws and regulations while improving FDA oversights and drug manufacturing. The advancement of evidence-based prescribing practices and ensuring clinical safety of drugs for children is another goal. The Physician Payments Sunshine Act has been passed within the current health care reform legislation. The provisions require drug and device companies to publicly report any gifts and payments that are made to doctors. The information must be posted on their web sites and reported to the US Department of Human Services. Companies can be fined starting at $10,000 up to $100,000. Many of the provisions must be fully operational starting in 2013. The government believes patients deserve and have the right to know if their doctors are receiving money from drug companies. Congress has added much needed transparency to the financial relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians.   The reporting requirements in the health care legislation will better protect patients and will help restore trust in our health care system. This new legislation will enhance the safety of consumers by increasing transparency while in no way restricting business or limiting innovation. (Jewett) Though pharmaceutical marketing strategies has taken a new enlightened turn in the world of advertising, previous tactics of physicians actually promoting through accompanying pharmaceutical sales representatives has resulted in essential stimulated scrutiny. Less face-to-face interaction between pharmaceutical sales representatives and physicians is underway to aid in eliminating the engagement as well as the hint of unethical proposals and initiatives. Rewarding physicians with branded-name gifts, meals, apparel, etc., did in fact strengthen the marketing concept and played a significant impact on the positive profitability of many pharmaceutical companies. However, the proof is in the patient. Other marketing techniques have included persuasive testimonials from respected physicians claiming to have realized improvements in their patients prognoses. Further marketing techniques consist of published promotional reporting from trusted colleagues where the tracking of physicians like s and dislikes are captured and substantiate biographical purchasing data. Prescribing under the influence is a term used as a result of the drug reps intoxicating the physicians, residents and interns with breakfast, lunch, pens, and other pharmaceutical logo branded apparel, etc. The general idea is for the pharmaceutical sales representatives to be granted another opportunity to educate physicians about the targeted drugs, which is part of substantiating marketing strategies. The pharmaceutical reps take advantage of the physicians empty stomachs with an offer of free lunch or breakfast and prey on their wandering eyes with the fancy pens, notebooks, calendars and other items that coerce physicians to agree to their objectives in increasing sales. However, when a physician is questioned about the effectiveness of this type of marketing they often respond, It doesnt influence me at all. Theyre not going to buy my soul with a laser pointer. (Morreim) Many studies support that this kind of advertising has proven vital to the steady increase in pharmaceutical sales. So, perhaps physicians need to reexamine just how much they are persuaded by the irresistible allure of free fresh baked cookies or the tiny thin tubes that hold inks that we all know as a pen. Often a doctor is not going to prescribe medication that they barely know anything about; its the responsibility of the drug representative to educate the physicians on the name of the drug and drug facts so that they can then feel comfortable prescribing it to their patients. Drug representatives have basically been buying physicians time with whatever little inexpensive knick knack and kick-back it may take to get the name of the drug into the physicians brain and onto his prescription pad. Whats even worse is that most physicians will not give the drug representatives the time of day without some type of bribe or induction that is surprisingly not considered a kickback (in ter ms of legalities). A letter in the Journal of American Medical Association attests to just how intoxicating the advertising of the drug reps can be. The story describes a patient who came into the emergency room for an insect bite. The patient was originally seen by an intern who wanted to prescribe an inexpensive antibiotic, however the decision to prescribe the inexpensive antibiotic was overruled due to the fact that another resident recommended prescribing an new antibiotic that cost $183 per day. This incident was investigated by the attending physician who supervised the house officers and found out that this particular intern had recently wined and dined the day before by a drug rep from the manufacturer of the new expensive antibiotic prescribed. This type of behavior validates the enormous impact that marketing has on gifts of persuasion. In a story posted in the New York Times magazine, titled Dr. Drug Rep. a well respected physician Dr. Joseph Carlat shares his experience in being solicited by Wyeth Pharmaceutical Company to be a spokesperson for their drug Effexor XR, which is used for treating depression. They made him an enticing offer, and told him that all he would have to do is speak with his fellow colleagues about the features and benefits of the drug. Wyeth would provide all the information and materials that he needed to educate the other physicians about the drug and in return Dr. Carlat would be paid $500 for a one-hour training session or $750 if he had to drive for an hour. Dr. Carlat thought this would be easy enough. He was reputable; he had a busy private psychiatry practice specializing in psychopharmacology. He was quite familiar with drug Effexor and had read different studies pertaining to its effectiveness. The drug Effexor was being promoted by Wyeth as a dual reuptake inhibitor meaning that it increased both serotonin and norepinephrine, another neurotransmitter. The theory promoted by Wyeth was that two neurotransmitters were better than one, and that Effexor was more powerful and effective than S.S.R.I.s. (Carlat) Because he had already prescribed Effexor to several patients and it seemed to work, Dr. Carlat did not feel like there was anything unethical about him talking to other doctors about the drug. Dr. Carlat subsequently attended a full, expense paid physicians conference in Boston. When he began socializing at the conference there were other physicians functioning as spokespersons for other drugs and pharmaceutical companies. One physician that stood out was Dr. Michael Thase, the researcher who single-handedly put Effexor on the map. Thase presented evidence from clinical trials of Effexor being more effective than any other antidepressant. He rebutted criticisms of him being a paid consultant of Wyeth quite convincingly which was important. He explained to the attendees that he had requested and received complete information, both advantagess and disadvantages of the research data and not just the advantages. This was a significant point, because companies sometimes withhold negative data from publication in medical journals. For example, in 2004, GlaxoSmithKline was sued by Eliot Spitzer, who was then the New York attorney general, for suppressing relevant data that hinted Paxil caused suicidal thoughts in children. The company settled the case and agreed to make clinical-trial results public. (Carlat) Was I swallowing the message whole? Certainly not. I knew that this was hardly impartial medical education, and that we were being fed a marketing line. But when you are treated like the anointed, wined and dined in Manhattan and placed among the leaders of the field, you inevitably put some of your critical faculties on hold. I was truly impressed with Effexors remission numbers, and like any physician, I was hopeful that something new and different had been introduced to my quiver of therapeutic options. At the end of the last lecture, we were all handed envelopes as we left the conference room. Inside were checks for $750. It was time to enjoy ourselves in the city. (Carlat) However, after a year of pharmaceutical detailing Dr. Carlat became disturbed concerning feedback that Effexor caused hypertensions in a small but significant percentage of patients. For that reason, amongst other ethical reasons, Carlat decided to sever ties with Wyeth. Looking back on the year he spent speaking for Wyeth, he asked himself, Did I contribute to faulty medical decision making? Did my advice lead doctors to make inappropriate drug choices, and did their patients suffer needlessly? He admitted that there was a huge financial incentive for physicians to partner with pharmaceutical companies. (Carlat) Although he still allows drug reps to visit his office because it helps him stay abreast of the growing trends, he keeps the visits short and does not accept their offers and invitations. Who says this type of marketing isnt effective? Do other physicians really think they are invincible from the powers of persuasion? How many doctors actually engage in this type of marketing for drug companies? What role do ethics play in the decision to speak or not to speak on behalf of the insurance company? The truth is that previously many physicians engaged in this type of pharmaceutical detailing. While the median physician salary of 140,000 annually may be representative of a good salary, the additional $30,000 in supplemental income is quite alluring. In addition, to the monetary earnings earning respect based on reputation is important among colleagues. At least 25% of U.S. doctors are still receiving drug money for lecturing to physicians or assisting drug companies in other ways. Many physicians engage in this type of career appendage and perhaps go in with the purest of intentions; nonetheless, ethics are being violated when the physicians are not relaying accurate and appropriate information about the new medications that they are pushing, and much of the information that they are giving is provided to them from the pharmaceutical companies. PhRMA, Pharmaceutical Research and Medical Practices of America are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that pharmaceutical marketing organizations practice with the highest ethical standards. In January 2009, the voluntary PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals took effect and its focus was developed to keep representatives from drug companies and healthcare professionals centered on patient care. It is committed to making sure that drug representatives are provided with the most current, accurate, and reliable information to assist in their decision making on drug selection. Amongst its changes, prohibits distribution of no-educational items (Such as pens, mugs and other reminder objects typically adorned with a company or product logo). It prohibits company sales representatives from providing restaurant meals to healthcare professionals, but allows them to provide occasional meals in healthcare professionals offices in conjunction with informational presentation s. The Code also reaffirms and strengthens previous statements that companies should not provide any entertainment or recreational benefits to healthcare professionals. It includes new provisions that require companies to ensure that their representatives are sufficiently trained about applicable laws, regulations, and industry codes and practice. Companies are also asked to periodically access whether or not the representatives are abiding by the codes. (PhRMA) CEOs and Compliance Officers will have a process in place patterned after the Sarbanes Oxley compliance, other changes to the code reflects PhRMas support of transparency in relation to healthcare professionals. There is necessary education offered to interested parties regarding marketing techniques and physicians outlooks on pharmaceutical products, diagnoses and expected and proven outcomes. Since Pharmaceutical products must be marketed differently than other healtcare industry products for sale and there are distinct diversions for implementing successful marketing. The potential user or patient, must be granted a prescription from the prescribing physician. Proper use of the pharmaceutical is key which provides favorable or unfavorable outcomes. Within the public health sector, determinations on accessible drugs may very well be taken based on politics, which undoubtedly broadens the scope of advertising and marketing strategies in this field, replacing advertising by appealing via petitions through lobbyism. Various marketing schemes play into different levels of interests such as financial, scientific gain or even personal. Academic conferences and medical journals provide varying me diums for exposure. Ethical pharmaceutical trials developed arguments depends on knowledge, outcomes and concrete unbiased facts. This type of knowledge requires transparency, a level of transparency being sought after throughout the healthcare industry as a whole. The pharmaceutical industry requires skilled marketing experts to ensure that all aspects of reaching targeted audiences effectively are exceeded, not just met. Those regulations developed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and nofreelunch.org, which are not law, were developed to promote transparency. A doctor as a pharmaceutical representative shares his personal story about lecturing on a particular drug. There are ethical guidelines developed specifically for the healthcare industry that includes the pharmaceutical industry. AdvaMeds Code of Ethics, in particular, is a model for appropriate ethical behaviors within the healthcare industry that outlines specific recommendations for the drug industry. AdvaMed addres ses parameters covering educational grants, modest meals and hospitality, faculty expenses, and advertisements. In presenting the issues of unethical behaviors, it is imperative to understand the prevalence based on historical and current behaviors in society and the ever-evolving methods developed to discourage physician kickbacks in the pharmaceutical industry. Though AdvaMeds Code of Ethics regulations do not mandate their guidelines be adhered to, health care organizations are strongly urged to utilize and enforce their codes can assist in eliminating and curtailing unethical behaviors that lead to lawsuits that actually develop in to Case Studies. As long as viable codes of ethics are followed, fear of transparency can be removed. Acceptably ethical behaviors will indeed help aid in the inevitable reformation efforts that this nation continues to experience.

Essay --

During the slavery period, Muslims were distinct in how they were dressed, even though there were restrictions to how slaves dressed. They did not wear as the western people did because physical appearance was dictated by their religious distinctiveness. Although their dress code was handed over by their holders, they still tried to maintain their traditional way of dressing. The 19th century drawings realized in Brazil showed Islamic headgear display: men with turbans or skull caps, women with veils, and others wore fabric that covered their heads as well as the shoulders in a Muslim fashion way. The importance of dress was also observed during the Bahia Muslim revolt in the year 1835. An eyewitness is recorded to have seen African groups with white skullcaps and smocks over the pants they were wearing. Another testified to have seen African groups with swords and white tunics. This dressing indicated their mission to be sacred and holy. They believed that they would go to heaven if they died in battle, and white was the symbolic color. Muslims recreated the exact accessories and clothes they had before they were deported. Their dressing was very different from their European fashion. Other slave did not attempt to preserve their traditional and distinct accessories and attire. This shows that Muslim of African descent symbol of faith was of a great importance. It showed their acculturation rejection and depiction of accomplishments in their religion. They sought to retain their dress code to be their recognition sign among them. Another challenge that proved to be a difficult task to the Muslim community, was the naming system provided by their holders. Names were giv... ...ns and them was religion and not their skin color. The culture of those who enslaved them did not appeal to them and may have made them despair. Muslims expressed views that were rooted to their religions on the conduct of Christians and Jews. These African Muslims experienced Christians at their worst times. They saw the Americans as Christians and not as whites as they did not have a class or race consciousness. Christians claimed that African Muslims were superior to the other slaves. They were taken to be superior as they were capable of writing and reading Arabic, which they owed to the influence of the Arabs. This superiority was perceived to be of foreign blood and not their genes. There is evidence showing that, African Muslims used their social and cultural background as a means of survival, and a way to cope with the new environment in America.

Life and Death Essay -- essays research papers

What is this Book trying to teach us concerning the topic?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book is trying to teach us, the readers, that there are five main stages that help us cope with a death of someone close or somebody that is going to die.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first stage that is mentioned in the book is Denial. Ross tells of how a person just does not want to be with anyone but himself or herself because they don’t know why God is choosing them to die at that present time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second stage Ms. Ross talks about is Denial. This stage is where the dieing patient just won’t admit to themselves or others that it is their time to go and meet their fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third stage is Anger. This is when the dieing patient just hates everyone around them and doesn’t want to be bothered about the topic of their death. They just want to be alone with no outside contact. The fourth stage is Bargaining. Ms. Ross states that the dieing patient asks God as well telling their family and friends that he or she wants to spend just a little more time on Earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last and final stage that Ms. Ross talks about is Acceptance. This stage tops off the whole process of dieing because once you reach this stage, you know that you did all you can do on Earth and you have told your family and friends everything you wanted to tell them before you die.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With these five stages, I learned that you can fully complete the process of death because they can help to live a happy, richer, and fuller life. What were the most powerful feelings you had in reading this book, and how did the book affect you personally?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most powerful feelings that I read in the book appealed to me in a very important way because they showed me how to cope with the death of a family member. One feeling was that I had was in the Special Forms of Communication chapter. This chapter talked about how to cope with a dieing person who was no longer able to communicate verbally. This is a very powerful message to me because my grandfather who past away just over a year ago this past September had two strokes and was not able to communicate verbally. Ms. Ross talked about how you need to use hand signals and to say things to th... ... for a person that deals with the life and death profession because it gives the professional a bigger edge on what is going on with the person who is experiencing a death or tragedy. How does Jesus’ teachings concerning death differ from the author’s views?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesus’ teachings concerning death differ from those of Kubler-Ross’ because Jesus taught his people that you should accept death no matter how it comes to you because no matter what, God will love you because he is calling you to your real home, Heaven because he feels that you are ready to experience eternal life after your physical death. Jesus also taught us that God holds your fate in his hands and he is the only one that knows when your time is up and ready to meet your destiny with him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These teachings differ from the author’s views because the author teaches us that there are five stages of death and that everyone of us go through them before we die. Ross’ views reflect her opinions because she studied her work for a very long time before she could prove her opinions and therefore her opinions differ vastly from those of Jesus Christ, the Lord our God.

Type :: essays research papers

We are well accustomed to the written word as a primary method of communication in our culture. Its primary elements, the characters of the modern alphabet, were once quite literal symbols of everyday objects which were gradually abstracted to the letters of the alphabet. While cave paintings, dating as far back as 20,000 B.C. are the first evidence of recorded pictures, true written communication is thought to have been developed some 17,000 years later by the Summerians, around 3500 B.C. They are known to have recorded stories and preserved records using simple drawings of everyday objects, called pictograms. As civilizations become more advanced, they experienced the need to communicate more complex concepts. Around 3100 B.C., Egyptian hieroglyphics incorporated symbols representing thoughts or ideas, called ideograms, allowing for the expression of more abstract concepts than the more literal pictograms. A symbol for an ox could mean food, for example, or the symbol of a setting sun combined with the symbol for a man could communicate old age or death. By 1600 B.C., the Phoenicians had developed symbols for spoken sounds, called phonograms. For example, their symbol for ox, which they called aleph, was used to represent the spoken sound â€Å"A† and beth, their symbol for house, represented the sound â€Å"B†. In addition to sounds, phonograms could also represent words. Today, our own alphabet contains many such phonograms: % for percent, ? for question, and $ for dollars. It is the Phoenicians who are generally credited with developing the first true alphabet— a set of symbols representing spoken sounds, that could be combined to represent spoken language. They traded with many cultures, spreading their alphabet throughout the Western world. Around 1,000 B.C., the Phoenician alphabet was adapted by the Greeks, who developed the art of handwriting in several styles. The word â€Å"alphabet† comes from the first two Greek letters alpha and beta. Several hundred years later, the Romans used the Greek alphabet as the basis for the uppercase alphabet that we know today. They refined the art of handwriting, fashioning several distinctive styles of lettering which they used for different purposes. They scribed a rigid, formal script for important manuscripts and official documents and a quicker, more informal style for letters and routine types of writing. By A.D. 100, the Romans had developed a fast growing book industry and, as Roman handwriting continued to evolve, lower case letters and rough forms of punctuation were gradually added.

Charity Essay

Charity is supposed to be a selfless act done by people who expect nothing in return for their help except for the feeling of having helped someone in need. Charity has changed from an act of nobility or kindness to a way of looking good in front of other people or to receive some type of material reward or to receive some type of tax reduction as done by big companies who prefer †Donating† $100,000 and then save $300,000 in tax reductions for helping out a such noble cause.Charity should be what it used to be a SELFLESS cause period, not just a â€Å"win-win situation† in which both parties â€Å"benefit† from it, it should be done because you want to do it out of the kindness of your heart not because it will get you a C- on the class you’re failing or, because you want to look good in front of someone, it should be done because you want to help the people in need. For example my five year old cousin Jerry, at his age you would expect him to blow al l of his money on games, toys or other things kids like, but no he doesn’t.He saves up all his allowance for months at the time and then one he feels he has an amount that seems big enough to help someone he will goes online to see what charities convince him to donate his money on them, so far he has donated over fifth teen hundred dollars to over ten different charities that vary from animals in danger of extinction to research for AIDS and even Cancer, and he started doing it all by himself, not because someone expected it from him, not because he wanted to look good in front of other people he did it because he wanted to make help people in need, people who don’t have as much as we do, people who have had the â€Å"bitter side of life† as my little cousin would say.One time he went on and went asking door by door all over town until he had knocked on every single door in his town (with his moms supervision of course) and gathered up a good nine hundred dolla rs he could donate to a research on way to prevent miscarriages, and in my opinion more people should be like my cousin and walk that extra mile to help people without the need to receive a â€Å"reward† in order to do what he feels is right. Charity should be a selfless act, and not this sempiternal cycle in which people expect a reward for everything they do.

Relationships with Children Essay

Unit aim This unit provides the knowledge and understanding which underpins effective communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Unit introduction Successful relationships have a positive effect on learning and behaviour. Being listened to and responded to by trusting adults encourages active engagement by children and young people and supports the development of curiosity, creativity and resilience, which are key characteristics of effective learning. Adults who demonstrate mutual respect, collaboration and negotiation are positive role models who have a significant impact on the behaviour of children and young people. Integral to building and maintaining positive relationships are effective communication skills. It is also essential for those working in support roles in schools to know the  legislation and policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information. This unit provides the essential knowledge and understanding required for working in support roles in schools. Learners will examine the principles of building positive relationships with children, young people and adults. This includes considering reasons why effective communication is important and the effect of social, professional and cultural contexts on communication. Communication difficulties are examined and learners find out how to adapt communication to meet individual needs including how to deal with disagreements with children, young people and adults are studied. The legislation, policies and procedures relating to confidentiality are examined and why children, young people and adults need reassurance about confidentiality are studied. Learners will also consider situations where confidentiality must be breached. This unit applies to all support staff roles in schools and is particularly suitable for those preparing for working in schools and those new to working in schools, including parent-helpers and other volunteers. Learning outcomes and assessment criteria In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria determine the standard required to achieve the unit. On completion of this unit a learner should: Understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults How communication supports positive relationships: benefits eg shows respect for individual, values diversity, builds trust, demonstrates genuine interest, respects privacy, encourages autonomy, supports learning, enables effective teamwork, enables negotiation, reinforces self-esteem Principles of relationship building: ways to build relationships eg recognise the uniqueness of everyone as an individual, honesty, dependability, integrity, confidentiality; importance of relationships for learning; know role and responsibilities, how own role relates to colleagues; respect the skills and expertise of others; contribution to effective teamwork; follow organisations expectations and procedures for good working relationships; communicate effectively eg keep colleagues informed, use agreed lines of communication, maintain confidentiality; know own role in relation to parents; differences between professional and personal relationships; contribute to Every Child Matters Outcomes Effect of social, professional and cultural contexts on relationships and communication: eg power relationships, cultural expectations, social differences, prejudice, pre-conception, stereotyping Understand how to communicate with children, young people and adults Skills for communication: verbal skills eg form and tone of expression, questioning, confirming, reflecting; clarifying meaning, encouraging contributions from others, offer choices; non-verbal skills and behaviour eg eye contact, facial expressions, body movement, posture, gesture, muscle tension, touch, proximity, orientation, facial expressions, gestures, active listening; importance of contact and cultural differences in interpretation of non-verbal communications; empathy eg responding to emotional state Adapting communication: ways eg language appropriate, meaning/message, concentrate on one issue at a time, do not give mixed messages, match words to body language, open questions, active listening, encourage discussion and debate; contexts eg hearing difficulties, children with English as an additional Language (EAL), promote thinking and talking in first languages to support understanding, group EAL learners who share the same home language Differences: context eg communication formal, informal, form of address; type of communication eg verbal, language, non-verbal, orientation, confidentiality Adapting communication: use of clear speech and plain  language; different needs eg EAL, hearing difficulty, visual impairment; adaptations eg translator/ interpreter, quiet room, hearing loop, signing, Braille  Managing disagreements: behaviours eg keep calm, encourage individuals to articulate their point of view, find common ground, negotiate a compromise, win-win solutions, support children and young people to deal with disagreements, follow school policy and procedures for behaviour and reporting, restorative justice Understand legislation, policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information, including data protection Legislation, policies and procedures: range eg for home country, human rights eg Human Rights Act 1998, Human Rights Act 2004, for safeguarding children eg Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, relating to freedom of information eg Data Protection Act, Every Child Matters, policies and procedures in own organisation Reassuring about confidentiality: aspects eg information shared on need to know basis, human right for privacy, protecting information when using social networking sites, buying online, using a mobile phone, procedure in own organisation, whistle-blowing Essential guidance for tutors Delivery This unit should be delivered through a combination of tutor input and active learning experiences. DVDs and case studies will give learners opportunities to link theory to practice. Role play enables learners to develop and practise their interpersonal and communication skills. Discussions, peer observations and peer assessment support assessment for learning and contribute to an understanding of the skills required for effective practice. Learners should also be encouraged to demonstrate an awareness of the importance of communication skills in addressing issues of equality, diversity, and the rights and responsibilities of children and young people. At this level the focus needs to be on understanding the significance of positive relationships in relation to the wellbeing and learning of children and young people and exploring how effective communication enables this. The Emphasis needs to be on understanding the behaviour and communication skills required to develop and maintain positive relationships with children, young people and adults and to provide positive role models. Learners should be introduced to why effective communication is important for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with children, young people and adults. How positive relationships enhance self-esteem and encourage learning could be explored through relevant research. The impact of social, professional and cultural contexts on relationships and communication should also be explored. It is essential that learners understand the communication skills needed to establish and maintain relationships. Learners need to explore ways to meet the communication needs of individuals by adapting communication for different ages and stages of development and for different contexts. Learners should be introduced to the current national legislation for confidentiality and data protection which can be accessed from relevant  government department websites. They should have the opportunity to look at a range of school policies and procedures for confidentiality and data protection and consider how these may impact on working practices. It is essential that learners know the situations when confidentiality must be breached to safeguard children and young people. Learners should be encouraged to share their experience of working in schools through employment, as a parent-helper or work experience. Assessment This is a knowledge-based unit. Evidence from workplace performance is not required. Suggested assessment activities Assessment will be through tasks, projects and other activities completed individually to meet the assessment criteria. Learners should draw on any relevant practical experience of working in schools but will not be assessed directly on workplace performance. For learning outcomes 1 and 2, learners could research and produce a guidance document to use for the induction of new support workers in school to help them understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children and, young people and adults and the skills they need to communicate effectively. Case studies may be used to support explanations. The document needs to include why effective communication is important for developing relationships, the principles of relationship building, explanations of how social, professional and cultural contexts impact on relationships and communications, clarification of the skills required for effective communication, how to adapt communication to meet the needs of  individuals and in different contexts and how to manage disagreements with children, young people and adults, explaining reasons for responses. For learning outcome 3, learners could produce a reference document for all school staff giving details about confidentiality and data protection to include legislation relating to confidentiality and data protection, school procedures for confidentiality and data protection, reasons why it is important to reassure children, young people and adults about confidentiality and why confidentiality may need to be breached. Essential resources Learners will need access to legislation for the relevant home nation and examples of school policies and procedures for confidentiality and data protection. Indicative resource materials Textbooks Bentham S – A Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Child Development and Psychology in the Classroom (Routledge, 2003) ISBN 9780415311083 Blake S, Bird J & Gerlach S – Promoting Emotional and Social Development in Schools: A Practical Guide (Sage Publications, 2007) ISBN 9781412907316 Burnham L – S/NVQ Level 2 Teaching Assistant’s Handbook: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, 2nd Edition (Heinemann, 2008) ISBN 9780435449308 Burnham L – Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Primary) (Heinemann, 2010) ISBN 9780435032043 Burnham L – Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Secondary) (Heinemann, 2010) ISBN 9780435032050 Dunhill A, Elliott B & Shaw A– Effective Communication and Engagement with Children and Young People, their Families and Carers (Creating Integrated Services) (Learning Matters, 2009) ISBN 9781844452651 Foley P & Leverett S – Connecting with Children: Developing Working Relationships (The Policy Press, 2008) ISBN 9781847420589 Kamen T – Teaching Assistant’s Handbook: NVQ and SVQ Levels 2 & 3, 2nd Edition (Hodder Education, 2008) ISBN 9780340959381 Riley P – Attachment Theory and the Teacher-student Relationship (Routledge, 2010) ISBN 9780415562621 Journals Times Education Supplement (TES) 42 BA029026 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 Award/Certificate/Diploma specialist qualifications in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (QCF) – Issue 2 – June 2011  © Edexcel Limited 2011 Websites www.education.gov.uk/ Department for Education www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/ Yourrightsandresponsibilities Directgov www.nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ earlyyears The National Strategies www.tda.gov.uk The Training and Development Agency for Schools www.teachers.tv Teachers TV www.teachernet.gov.uk Teachernet BA029026 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 Award/Certificate/Diploma specialist qualifications in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (QCF) – Issue 2 – June 2011  © Edexcel Limited 2011

Related Diversification Is a More Successful Strategy Essay

(exploitation of know-how, more efficient use of available resources and capacities). In addition, companies may also explore diversification Just to get a valuable comparison between this strategy and expansion. Types of diversifications Moving away from the core competency is termed as diversification. Diversification involves directions of development which take the organisation away from its present markets and its present products at the same time. Diversification is of two types: (i) Related diversification: Related diversification is development beyond the present roduct and market, but still within the broad confines of the ‘industry (i. e. value chain) in which a company operates. For example, an automobile manufacturer may engage in production of passenger vehicles and light trucks. (ii)Unrelated diversification: Unrelated diversification is where the organisation moves beyond the confines of its current industry. For example ,a food processing firm manufacturing leather footwear as well. The different types of diversification strategies The strategies of diversification can include internal development of new products or arkets, acquisition of a firm, alliance with a complementary company, licensing of new technologies, and distributing or importing a products line manufactured by another firm. Generally, the final strategy involves a combination of these options. This combination is determined in function of available opportunities and consistency with the objectives and the resources of the company. There are three types of diversification: concentric, horizontal and conglomerate: (1) Concentric diversification The company adds new products or services which have technological or commercial ynergies with current products and which will appeal to new customer groups. The objective is therefore to benefit from synergy effects due to the complementarities of activities, and thus to expand the firm’s market by attracting new groups of buyers. Concentric diversification does not lead the company into a completely new world as it operates in familiar territory in one of the two major fields (technology or marketing). Therefore that kind of diversification makes the task easier, although not necessarily successful. (2)Horizontal diversification The company adds new products or services that are technologically or commercially nrelated to current products, but which may appeal to current customers. In a competitive environment, this form of diversification is desirable if the present customers are loyal to the current products and if the new products have a good quality and are well promoted and priced. Moreover, the new products are marketed to the same economic environment as the existing products, which may lead to rigidity and instability. In other words, this strategy tends to increase the firm’s dependence on certain market segments. (3) Conglomerate diversification (or lateral diversification) The company markets new roducts or services that have no technological or commercial synergies with current products, but which may appeal to new groups of customers. The conglomerate diversification has very little relationship with the firm’s current business. Therefore, the main reasons of adopting such a strategy are first to improve the profitability and the flexibility of the company, and second to get a better reception in capital markets as the company gets bigger. Even if this strategy is very risky, it could also, if successful, provide increased growth and profitability. Risks in diversification Diversification is the riskiest of the four strategies presented in the Ansoff matrix and requires the most careful investigation. Going into an unknown market with an unfamiliar product offering means a lack of experience in the new skills and techniques required.

Braving paths towards learner authonomy

Article Braving paths towards learner autonomy: make the most of your FEEL lessons! Lenore Gauchely Queerer Hartmann Autonomy is understood by many as the ability to take charge of one's own learning (HOLE, 1981). According to this definition, the autonomous learner is the one who is able to take control of and be responsible for his/her learning. This includes decommissioning: when, what, and how to learn as well as how, when, and by whom to be assessed.Developing this ability is not only a matter of personality, but also a tater of the sort of education and upbringing one has had. Working with autonomy in language teaching entails dealing with a number of constraints: pre-determined syllabus, students used to teacher- centered modes of teaching that value grades to the detriment of their learning, homework done because of marks, different levels of motivation, different learning styles, as well as different degrees of autonomy.Furthermore, the difficulties one may encounter in meas uring these degrees of autonomy must be oaken into account: students may feel like' being more autonomous on a given day rather than on another due to reasons which may not always be identifiable. Nevertheless, it is part of a teacher's Job to expose students to a variety of ways of becoming (more) autonomous, to help them discover how they learn best and how they can cope with situations which may be inevitable yet not to their liking. What sort of autonomy can be developed in FEEL classrooms?This question can only be answered if we go beyond the lassoer settings. Learning is part of life and those who are ready to learn in all situations will certainly always be one step ahead. Some students have an innate capacity for learning; some need stimulus and/or guidance to get started. Students should be aware of what they can do for their own learning, and how they can do it. The teacher's main concern is how to do that. Our responsibility towards students is so enormous that becoming a ware of this fact is of great importance. Helping Braving paths towards learner authonomy Article Braving paths towards learner autonomy: make the most of your FEEL lessons! Lenore Gauchely Queries Hartmann Autonomy is understood by many as the ability to take charge of one's own learning (HOLE, 1981). According to this definition, the autonomous learner is the one who is able to take control of and be responsible for his/her learning. This includes decommissioning: when, what, and how to learn as well as how, when, and by whom to be assessed.Developing this ability is not only a matter of personality, but also a tater of the sort of education and upbringing one has had. Working with autonomy in language teaching entails dealing with a number of constraints: pre-determined syllabus, students used to teacher- centered modes of teaching that value grades to the detriment of their learning, homework done because of marks, different levels of motivation, different learning styles, as well as different degrees of autonomy.Furthermore, the difficulties one may encounter in meas uring these degrees of autonomy must be oaken into account: students may feel like' being more autonomous on a given day rather than on another due to reasons which may not always be identifiable. Nevertheless, it is part of a teacher's Job to expose students to a variety of ways of becoming (more) autonomous, to help them discover how they learn best and how they can cope with situations which may be inevitable yet not to their liking. What sort of autonomy can be developed in FEEL classrooms?This question can only be answered if we go beyond the lassoer settings. Learning is part of life and those who are ready to learn in all situations will certainly always be one step ahead. Some students have an innate capacity for learning; some need stimulus and/or guidance to get started. Students should be aware of what they can do for their own learning, and how they can do it. The teacher's main concern is how to do that. Our responsibility towards students is so enormous that becoming a ware of this fact is of great importance.

Social Work Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Instructional Planning and Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Instructional Planning and Strategies - Essay Example This type of strategy helps the students to learn more effectively by communicating with each other and do their work with a little fun with their friends. In group assignments students take active participation in the tasks that has been assigned to them. This strategy also encourages the students to teach other students of their group who are little weaker in their studies. (Goleman, D. 1998) Another type of strategy that is been commonly practiced is Collaborative Strategy. This is a type of strategy which is used for broader groups or large groups. This strategy is used for the interactions of larger groups to communicate with each other. In classroom environment this type of strategy is not suitable because in classes the group formation is smaller. This strategy is useful for making school communities, discussion group of faculty and students of school and other broader groups which have much complicated issues to discuss with each other. (Goleman, D. 1998) The Strategy that I have chosen to implement in the classroom is Co-Operative Instructional Strategy. The reason why I chosen the Co-operative strategy rather than collaborative strategy is that it encourages the student to achieve their tasks more efficiently and effectively because this strategy helps the students to achieve the common goals that have been given by the instructor. ... Students in groups also know that there success depends upon team work and every one has to try his/her best to achieve the desired result. It also provides students to learn with more well defined frame work from which they learn from each other in a group. (Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 1998) The importance of Co-operative Strategy is becoming very fruitful now days. Many teachers are applying this strategy in classrooms to make students feel comfortable and enjoy their studies. Implementing this strategy also improve the self-esteem of students; students who have disabilities for learning also accept this type of learning style and their attitude towards the school eventually becomes good. (Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 1998) CIRCUMSTANCES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGY There are certain conditions that have to be followed for successive results while implementing Co-Operative Strategy. When applying this strategy the teachers must do careful planning and well preparation before going in classrooms. They have to brainstorm their minds that how they will implement the strategy and what would be alternatives regarding this approach if the implementation goes wrong. They should plan and prepare that how they will interact with their students in class and how will they make the environment of classroom more interactive Another condition is the proper formation of groups because if groups are not formed properly then the results of the strategy will not be appropriate. The instructor has to form groups in such a way that every one in the group feels good about their group members and every group has one or two members that are more intelligent then others so that they can teach the group members as well.