Thursday, October 31, 2019

Pop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pop Culture - Essay Example It is rightly said that a person learns and tries to adopt what he is exposed to. Taking an example of Movies which are mostly filled with violence and/or vulgarity, they have the most detrimental effects on an innocent mind. Many movies present disturbing behaviors and abnormal happening which distort the usual thinking pattern of a human mind, especially youth which are much more receptive to new things around them. Movies and TV programs, these days, present unusual and unique ways of committing crime, heroes doing impossible things, and movie characters surpassing the limits of normal behaviors and still standing successful. These things compel minds to believe that weird things stand out and are socially acceptable. Proponents of such programs say that these programs and movies are present with rating but who can stop youth from watching such programs when their parents sleep or at some friends place gathering for a combined study. The way of dressing is the reflection of oneâ⠂¬â„¢s culture. A major change in life style in this regard has been noticed recently. Youth idealize their heroes who are a pop star, a movie character, or a sports entertainment personality and try to follow him in everything walk of their lives. And these things then come up with strange sights of youth dressing up themselves in most unusual and absurd ways. And this is not only limited to their it also affects their styling like the way they do their hairs, their walks and the kind of language they use in their daily lives.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Transformational and Shared Instructional Leadership Assignment

Transformational and Shared Instructional Leadership - Assignment Example A total of 24 schools have been nationally chosen to participate in the research. Of these 24 schools, 8 schools offer elementary education, 8 offer middle school education and another 8 offer the high school education. In an attempt to keep accordance with the data that is largely structured in a multilevel fashion, the researchers have resorted to use the Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) as the primary technique for analysis. As a result of the study, the researchers have concluded that the transformational leadership is a compulsory element for the instructional leadership, though it is insufficient. In order to improve the quality of teaching and education of a school and make the students show good performance and achieve higher grades, it is imperative that the two leadership conceptions, i.e. the shared instructional and the transformational leadership exist simultaneously and mutually integrate into the leadership. Their coexistence has a substantial impact of the overall p erformance of the school, the personnel associated with it and the students. â€Å"A Review of Transformational School Leadership Research 1996-2005† (Leithwood and Jantzi, 2005). Theoretical Synthesis: Transformational leadership has conventionally remained a subject of universal debate particularly with reference to its application in schools. Various studies have been done in the past to study the impact of transformational leadership on the environment of studies. However, the number of studies that have conventionally attempted to investigate the moderators and antecedents of the transformational style of leadership ion schools is very low. This particular research conducted an in-depth analysis of 32 such researches and empirical studies that have been conducted in the past from 1996 to 2005 in order to understand the nature of transformational leadership in schools, the different variables which regulate the effects of the transformational leadership on the students in an educational setup as well as the antecedents of this type of leadership. As a result of the study, researchers have reached the conclusion that the transformational leadership has obvious effects on the achievement of students in their studies and their involvement in the various activities of school, though the effect is largely indirect in nature. There is a whole range of variables that influence the impact of the transformational leadership on the performance of students which include but are not limited to the culture of the school, the commitment of mentors with their job as well as the level of satisfaction they maintain with the job of teaching. â€Å"Transformational Leadership: Industrial, Military, and Educational Impact† (Bass, 1998). Theoretical Synthesis: Leadership theory has long been focusing on the transactional exchange between the followers and a leader until the transformational-transactional form of leadership surfaced to reflect good leadership prac tices. In this research, a total of 11 questions which affect the application of the new paradigm of transformational-transactional leadership have been put forth. The 11 questions are discussed in separate chapters. Various aspects of the transformational-transactional leadership have been comprehensively discussed in this research which include its contribution to the commitment of followers, its role in relieving the stress of followers, effect of

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Challenges to Chinas State Capacity

Challenges to Chinas State Capacity Conor Shand Identify and describe two major and distinct challenges to state capacity faced by a country over the last decade. How has the state responded and with what success? State-building and development is a long standing component of international politics, dating back several centuries. Ever since the concept of the â€Å"modern nation state† came to fruition, governments have sought to attain and maintain stability within their boundaries, aiming to maximise the capacity of the state. However, each state with alternate institutions, environments and economies will face a variety of challenges to their respective state capacity. China, despite being one of the most significant economic and military powers in the state-system, still faces challenges in optimising its state capacity. As it is formally regarded as a second-world developing country, China still faces numerous challenges to its state capacity despite its relatively high status. Among these challenges, two in particular emerge as the foremost barriers to the maximisation of China’s state capacity; environmental issues unemployment. As China is amongst the most notable pollu tants in the contemporary state-system, with a heavily industrialised nation, its government has worked to counter detrimental environmental effects with varied success over the last decade. Likewise, in the case of unemployment, while China is one of the most powerful economies in the world, it still bears significant unemployment issues due to a number of factors, which the government has tried to address – again, with some results. Ultimately, these two issues have notably compromised China’s state capacity, and the Chinese government has responded with some degree of success to these two particular challenges. In order to identify how it is that these two issues hamper state capacity, it is important to first identify what exactly state capacity is. Neil A. Englehart uses the relatively broad definition of state capacity in stating that state capacity â€Å"refers to the willingness and capability of the state apparatus to carry out government policy.† (Englehart, 2009, p. 166) This definition is particularly effective, as there are many existing definitions of state capacity which contradict each other, due to state capacity being a concept of perception and interpretation. This is because â€Å"state capacity† as a concept aggregates a number of ideas, including military and economic strength, centralization, bureaucratic and administrative ability. (Hanson Sigman, 2013, pp. 1-3) Different governments within different states would prioritise alternate areas in order to ensure a maximised state capacity depending on what that particular government regards as important. For example, in New Zealand, there is a relatively minimal prioritization of military power, with 1% of gross domestic product spent on military costs annually. China on the other hand spends 2.1% of its GDP on military costs, hence it could be argued that China has a greater state capacity than New Zealand. (World Bank, 2014) However, as each state has a requirement for alternative prioritizations respective to their unique circumstances, it is impossible to measure a state’s capacity beyond the government’s ability to exert its policies on the state’s populace. (Kocher, 2010, p. 143) One of the most significant barriers which China has faced in maximising its state capacity over the last decade lies in environmental deterioration. Over an extended period of economic reform, which began in the late 1970’s, China has become massively industrialised, with a consistently used maxim of â€Å"first development, then environment† actively used in the 1980-90’s. (Economy, 2011, pp. 18-19) This method of reform led to China becoming one of the most industrially profitable contemporary states, with a current estimate of 45.3% of its GDP being derived from the industrial sector. (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013) While the GDP boom born out of this industrialisation can in some ways be seen as positive, it has also caused significant detriment to the environment and quantity of resources consumed in China. Air and water pollution as well as energy efficiency and deforestation have caused numerous environmental complications, with one study finding the existence of a â€Å"long-run cointegration relationship between per capita emissions of three pollutants (waste gas, waste water, and solid wastes) and per capita GDP.† (Zhang, 2009, p. 2707) The inverse relationship between China’s economic growth and environmental wellbeing created a complex challenge to China’s state capacity in that it made it difficult for the Chinese government to execute policy favouring one option without causing adverse effect to the other. In the last decade the Chinese government has sought to significantly reform the area of environmental law, with the aim of balancing out the quantity of attention given to environmental issues. A notable example of the government’s attempts to resolve the pollution/growth standoff can be seen in the 2002 Cleaner Production Promotion Law, which was introducedin the interest of advocating â€Å"cleaner production, increasing the utilization ratio of resources, reducing and preventing pollutant-generating, protecting and improving the environment, protecting human health, and promoting the sustainable development of the economy and society.† (gov.cn, 2002, p. Article 1) This law amongst others emerged in the 21st century as the Chinese government sought to bring its industrial sector into line with its environmental goals, so as to give the Chinese government a greater ability to exert its state capacity over environmental issues. This significant industrial reforms has b een accompanied by other significant ones in the last decade. The Chinese government sought to resolve the issue of air pollution created by its heavily coal-fuelled industrial sector, with a series of policies set to restrain air pollution in the future. (Zhao, Lei, Lei, Cao , 2008, pp. 8442-8444) In addition to this, the government has also addressed excessive levels of energy consumption, enabling policies which would reduce carbon dioxide emissions whilst maintaining economic development by increasing energy efficiency. (Polenske Lin, 1993, pp. 249-251) While there were some significant attempts at reform, such as the aforementioned policy changes, it is still evident that China has not been able to exert the necessary quantity of state capacity so as to reduce environmental degradation. In the words of Han Shi and Lei Zhangâ€Å"the relatively comprehensive environmental regulatory framework established since the late 1970s had failed to prevent the overall deterioration of environmental quality†. (Shi Zhang, 2006, p. 277) One reason for this failure lies in the fact that while the central government formally introduced the policies, local governments regulated these policies, meaning that many reforms were loosely enforced so as to avoid significant economic detriment. (Blanchard Stanway, 2014) This in turn reflects the lack of state capacity at the disposal of the central government, due to its inability to wholly implement its policies. In addition to this, some point at the lack of punitive measures employed to reduce pollution as a sign that the government is unwilling or unable to exert its desired policies, however ultimately it can be concluded that the Chinese government seems to lack the capacity on the whole to significantly curb environmental degradation. A second unique issue which China has faced in the last decade is that of unemployment, which has increased – most significantly as a result of China’s period of economic reform – from 6.1% to 11% over a 6 year period. (Giles Park, 2005, pp. 149-150 ) Previously a system of social welfare existed wherein the majority of China’s population were guaranteed incomes of some form. However this system was abandoned in the 1990’s, which led to significant increases in income inequality and unemployment in China. (Leung, 1994, p. 341) The economic reform meant that the state would become free of many previously financially draining public sector institutions, however at the same time it in turn proved a challenge as to whether China had the state capacity to either support those who were newly unemployed, or whether it could create replacement jobs for them. In the last decade the Chinese government sought to lessen the impact of this economic reform, and introducing a series of aids and safeguards in order to ensure that those who found themselves unemployed would have a â€Å"soft landing†, as the government once again faced the dilemma of prioritizing unemployment a previously secondary issue – over economic growth, the primary goal. (Angang Xin, 2006, p. 45) These aids and safeguards included concepts such as unemployment insurance, the implementation of labour contract law and other forms of welfare to ensure that people would have some form of financial support. However the drafting and successful introduction of these policies was significantly hampered by a relatively weak level of state capacity. Jane Duckett and Athar Hussein outline three primary reasons as to why the Chinese state lacked the capacity to adequately address this unemployment. The initial reason that was raised lay in the fact that the state lack ed the ability to adequately survey the nation as the degree and nature of the unemployment. Secondly, the state lacked the ability and infrastructure to enforce the participation of the people in any unemployment scheme. Thirdly, the state lacked the infrastructure to ensure that non-central government bodies holistically employed the scheme. (Duckett Athar, 2008, pp. 211-213) While there have been some moves towards reducing this unemployment, the constraints on the central government’s ability to implement its policies serve as evidence that China has a distinct inability to exert its state capacity with near-maximum effectiveness. The first, and most notable challenge which the capacity the Chinese state faced was that of environmental degradation, which additionally served to test as to whether the central government could successfully balance economic growth with environmental maintenance. While the government did implement many policies, they were only effective to a certain degree, as the lack of a wholly efficient centralized state power meant that many of the policies were not executed to the extent which had been intended by the central government. This issue again rose when the lesser-recognised issue of unemployment in China was countered by the government, as while the central government did introduce some economic reforms in order to support those who became unemployed, infrastructural issues in local governments weakened the effectiveness the Chinese government’s response, hence preventing the Chinese government from wholly exerting its full state capacity. Bibliography Angang, H., Xin, S. (2006). Urban Unemployment in China A Background Analysis. In G. Lee, M. Garner, Unemployment in China: Economy, Human Resources and Labour Markets (pp. 36-62). Routledge. Blanchard, B., Stanway, D. (2014, March 4). China to declare war on pollution, premier says. Retrieved from reuters.com: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/05/us-china-parliament-pollution-idUSBREA2405W20140305 Central Intelligence Agency. (2013, August 22). The CIA World Factbook 2013. Retrieved from Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/download/download-2013/index.html Duckett, J., Athar, H. (2008). Tackling unemployment in China: state capacity and governance issues. The Pacific Review Volume 21, Issue 2, 211-229. Economy, E. C. (2011). The river runs black: the environmental challenge to Chinas future. Cornell University Press. Englehart, N. A. (2009). State Capacity, State Failure, and Human Rights . Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 46, No. 2 (March), 163-180. Giles, J., Park, A. (2005). What is Chinas true unemployment rate? China Economic Review Volume 16, Issue 2, 149–170. gov.cn. (2002, June 29). Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Promotion of Cleaner Production (Order of the President No.72). Retrieved from gov.cn: http://english.gov.cn/laws/2005-10/08/content_75059.htm Hanson, J., Sigman, R. (2013, May 1). Leviathans Latent Dimensions: Measuring State Capacity for Comparative Political Research. APSA 2011 Annual Meeting Paper. Kocher, M. A. (2010). State Capacity as a Conceptual Variable. Yale Journal of International Affairs 5 Yale J. Intl Aff Issue 2 Summer, 137-146. Leung, J. C. (1994). Dismantling the ‘Iron Rice Bowl’: Welfare Reforms in the Peoples Republic of China. Journal of Social Policy / Volume 23 / Issue 03 /, 341-361. Polenske, K., Lin, X. (1993). Conserving energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in China. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics Volume 4, Issue 2, December, 249–265. Shi, H., Zhang, L. (2006). Chinas environmental governance of rapid industrialisation. Environmental Politics Vol. 15, No. 2,, 271-292. World Bank. (2014, July 22). Data Military expenditure (% of GDP). Retrieved from worldbank.org: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS Zhang, X.-P. (2009). Energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth in China. Ecological Economics Volume 68, Issue 10, 2706–2712. Zhao, Y., Lei, Lei, Y., Cao , P. (2008). Primary air pollutant emissions of coal-fired power plants in China: Current status and future prediction. Atmospheric Environment Volume 42, Issue 36 November, 8442–8452.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Going Beyond the Pale with William Trevor Essay -- Essays Papers

Going Beyond the Pale with William Trevor In William Trevor’s short story ‘Beyond the Pale’, the reader is presented with a text that seethes with the angst of a writer whose country’s Colonial past has been gnawing on his bones. Although there is nothing unusual in this (especially in Irish writing), Trevor manages to fumble the ball in the course of his didactic strategy and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: what should have been a successful indictment of British Colonial Rule in Ireland becomes nothing more than the grumbling of an intelligent writer who cannot negotiate his patriotic feelings. The story is presented as a first-person narrative by one of four English holidaymakers who regularly visit a small hotel, Glencorn Lodge, in County Antrim (see the Map of Ireland). All the details the narrator, Milly, supplies the reader with in the introductory paragraphs indicates a lack of Irishness in the whole make-up of this group’s holiday: Glencorn Lodge is a Georgian building, the driveway of which is lined with rhododendrons (a non-indigenous species of plant); the couple who run Glencorn Lodge - the slyly named Malseeds - are English; the garden has figs, the greenhouse has apricots and peaches - and the greenhouse is presided over by ‘old Mr Saxton, another aptronymous character. Essentially the reader is given a picture not of Ireland, but of the remnants of Imperial supremacy. So far, so good. Trevor is in control, and he has created a good backdrop for his tale. Where does it all go wrong? Quite simply, Milly, the narrator is not up to the task of telling the story Trevor wishes to unfold: for subtlety she is fine, but it is when events become more action-oriented that Milly fails to prove herself the correct storytelling device for this narrative. As the story progresses, we learn much of the four characters’ past, both together and apart - Milly is ideal as a teller of the more dubious or purely speculative elements of a character’s past. Further details indicate a lack of Irishness in this ritualized holiday along the way - for example, Strafe, one of the male characters, drinks ‘whisky’ rather than ‘whiskey’, the former indicating Scotch, the latter indicating an Irish or American distillation. In the midst of their holiday world, it is noticed that an intrusion has occurred: a red-haired man, ‘uncouth-looking’, has appeared, ... ...ard because, essentially, he is trying too hard to make the reader feel sympathy not for the English conscience (Cynthia), but for Ireland itself. Having a an admission of guilt (albeit on behalf of a nation) from one English conscience described by an English consciousness that is consumed by its obliviousness towards any reason for feeling guilt (both at a personal and national level) is an ambitious idea - one which Trevor should have pulled off. The urge to preach (which can only be regarded as some attempt to justify guilt that Cynthia feels, and, by extension, Britain should feel) should have been stifled, completely repressed. The subtle detailing of the early part of the narrative displays Trevor’s ability to deftly sketch the particulars of a scene without descending to caricature, and to embed his agenda while doing so. The loss of subtlety in the final pages (and Cynthia’s monologue does cover a number of pages) is actually a loss for the reader, because whether a reader of this story is British, Irish or otherwise, one can only leave the tale wondering who Trevor had in mind when he wrote it, and who ultimately would gain in the way he obviously intends for the reader.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

International Law Case Brief Essay

Facts: George Christian Hanna (23 years old) is a stateless person trying to find a country for refuge. In 1954 the United Nations addressed the problem of â€Å"stateless† persons to solve the problem when one seeks refuge within a country; however, Canada is not a signatory. Spending most of his life as a ship-bound passenger, Hanna does not have a homeland. Hanna applied for refuge from The â€Å"Gudveig† a Norwegian motor-ship in which he was treated as a â€Å"stowaway† and imprisoned for more than 16 months. During these 16 months aboard the ship, Hanna made at least three trips to Canada. Hanna found himself in Canada looking for immigration status after being released by the act of habeus corpus. Immigration was not given and an order of deportation was handed down. The order was appealed on the basis that the order is defective, incomplete, and impossible to interpretation or enforcement and beyond the authority of the immigration officer. Issue: Is the deportation order made by the immigration officer (acting as a special inquiry officer) legal and made within the means of his power? Decision: The deportation order would force Hanna to be imprisoned aboard The â€Å"Gudveig† for an indeterminate amount of time. The circumstances that this deportation order created are not acceptable and the order was found to be illegal and Hanna was to be released from detention. Reasoning: The deportation order included four directives. Directive No. 2 thru No. 4 was discredited by the court and No. 1 was the only directive considered and it went as follows: that Hanna be deported to the place whence he came to Canada. The court found that this meant many different things and that it was not possible to find where Hanna came from before he stepped into Canada. The fact remains that Hanna is a â€Å"stateless person† and there is no mutual agreement on where he is actually from. The court was not  satisfied with the affidavit of the immigration officer which fixed his birthplace as Djibouti in French Somaliland. Also the court was not satisfied with the Norwegian lawyers claims that he is an Egyptian who was born in Alexandria. Other interpretations such as the port in which this journey began in Eritrea and the port which Hanna came to Canada from in Beirut, Lebanon did not satisfy the court because even is the Lebanese authorities agreed Hanna stowed away from their port, they country is quite foreign to him. The court noted that it had referenced other authorities cited by counsel where deportation orders were made without all the facts being present. None of those orders though were comparable to the Hanna case, because this deportation order was not to deport to a country but back into detention aboard a ship. The immigration officer delegated to the owners of The â€Å"Gudveig† the responsibility for interpreting the deportation order, which brings the court to believe that he himself (immigration officer) does not know what the order means. This fact alone is enough for the court to reason that the order is illegal. The judgment was found in the favour of Hanna because the deportation order was impossible to interpret and enforce.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Journey for Truth: The Life of Sojourner Essay

The contribution of the life, philosophy, and activism of Sojourner Truth was that she was effective in preaching to the community as a freedom fighter, abolitionist, and feminist. Representing many classes of people in Antebellum United States, she was able to illuminate for others the hardships and desires of black people, the poor and oppressed, and women. As slaves, blacks had no personal freedom. They had no rights to themselves or their families, were whipped and tortured, experienced segregation and denial of citizenship, were denied salaries, and, women especially, endured the devastating agony of having their babies and children stripped from them and sold off to other arrogant and inhumane slave masters. In an effort to encourage radical change in her time, Truth took up the risky cause of making speeches against the strong forces of evil and in support of the righteous values of freedom and respect. Liberating herself and other people was not limited by class, racial, economic, or gender lines, rather she held the torch of freedom as a beacon for all oppressed people to follow, calling for empowerment of the weak, tolerance for differences, and protection for all people (Waxman, 2007). Truth was born into slavery in the late 1790s, in a more rural area outside of the bustling New York City. At the age of nine, Truth, then named Isabella, was sold by the slave master away from her parents and one remaining sibling to another New York slave owner. For nearly thirty years, she experienced a life of extremely difficult conditions, being repeatedly sexually abused and physically assaulted, and some of her children were forcibly taken from her and sold into bondage. Luckily, after the New York Emancipation Act of 1827, Truth was freed along with other former slaves of this Northeastern region, and in 1843, Truth was inspired to assume her new name and began a mission of journeying across the country as an itinerant preacher, supporting the efforts of abolitionists and feminists in the North, becoming actively involved in breaking down the slave system and pressing for the rights of all subjugated people (Mullings, 2005). Truth’s most famous speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851 is a wonderful demonstration of the strength of her ideals and the power of her words. In an excerpt from Brah and Phoenix’s 2004 article, Truth is quoted as having preached: That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody helps me any best place. And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm. I have plowed, I have planted, and I have gathered into barns. And no man could head me. And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much, and eat as much as any man–when I could get it–and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne children and seen most of them sold into slavery, and when I cried out with a mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me. And ain’t I a woman? (p. 77) Her sharply painful and moving words, rich with truth and experience, sent tides of strength and power through the country’s movement for all levels of freedom in regard to all kinds of people. In countering tyranny with liberty, and violence with peace, Truth became an emblem of the almost suffocated soul which was able to rise up, speak out, and lend valuable energy and motivation to the essential activism of her time. In defending her womanhood, her personhood, her right to full citizenship and social inclusion, Truth demanded respect during a time when evil was easily cast down the noses of the dishonorable elite. Standing firm in her beliefs and finding power in the spirituality of goodness, Truth was able to meet eyes with her oppressors and effectively shake the foundations of a flawed system.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Battling Cancer essays

Battling Cancer essays During a shower one-day, you notice a lump that was not otherwise there. The next day you see a doctor. The lump you have identified is diagnosed as cancer. Now you need to figure out what to do. There is no absolute cure for cancer, but there are different ways to treat it. Doctors use according methods like radiation, chemotherapy or drugs to treat various types of cancer. Another way of treating cancer is with alternative forms of medicine by using acupuncture and natural herbal remedies. These treatments are more often used in cases that can not be treated very or at all. However, when using the combination of the two treatment techniques, one can receive the full benefit of all available options. The medical profession is beginning to acknowledge and accept this idea of allowing alternative medicines in conjunction with traditional medicines to ease suffering as well as prolonging the lives of cancer patients. In order to make a decision on treatment for cancer, one must understand what cancer is and the current treatments used. Cancer starts when a cell ceases to function properly, mutates, and begins to multiply rapidly. A cancer cell has an abnormal chromosome which sends the wrong message to the other parts of the cell, which causes the cell to grow rapidly as it multiplies. These multiplied cells can form a lump called a malignant tumor, attack organs and organelles such as bone and bone marrow, or destroy tissue in areas like the lungs. All of these cases are referred to as cancer. Cancer knows no boundaries and plays no favorites; it can be found among people of all races and ages, both rich and poor, black and white, male or female. Cancer is a very serious disease many people live with. On average, about 1.2 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Cancer is not a contagious dis ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Cultural Event Report Essay Example

Cultural Event Report Essay Example Cultural Event Report Paper Cultural Event Report Paper Cultural Event Report Name: Course: Date: Cultural Event Report The Smithsonian American Art Museum was located in Washington DC. As it was close enough, I decided to take a visit and see what it had to offer. The day of the visit was on 5th December. In my opinion, I felt that by studying the art quietly on my own was the best way to gain an understanding of the assignment. At the entrance of the museum, I was greeted by a friendly woman at the front desk who also handed me a map of the museum and a pamphlet. The museum was very clean and large. On realizing this, I felt confident that I would get the two pieces of art that interested me enough to note. Inside the museum, I noticed that it had been designed according to the broad variety of American art. Some of the significant artists that stood out from where I was standing included Thomas Moran, Winslow Homer and Edmonia Lewis. The hallway was designed at the center of the museum where it branched into the different rooms. The two main public areas held most of their artwork: the Lunder Conservation Center and the Luce Foundation Center for American Art. Of the two, the Luce Foundation Center for American Art was more prominent as it presented all the art in glass cases. Some of the artwork included sculptures, paintings on screens and crafts (Fitzgerald, 2008). The Lunder Conservation Center on the other hand had behind-the-scenes expositions of preservation work. The center was designed in a way that displayed the conservation staff doing the work in recreating and preserving artwork. At the museum, one of the artworks that impressed me the most was the Renwick Gallery. The Renwick Gallery concentrates on the American craft and the decorations from the 19th to the 21st century. The gallery lies in the national Historic Landmark building that was originally the Corcoran gallery of Art. The history of the gallery described that it was first built in 1874 but was later relocated to another site. Efforts by Secretary of the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley and President Lyndon B. Johnson made sure that the building was turned over to the Smithsonian administration. The Ghost Clock and the Game Fish were the most spectacular aspects. After finishing with the Renwick Gallery, I walked around the outer compound and had a few snacks before finally ending up at the American Art main building that had several paintings on display. The Smithsonian American Art Museum contains a lot of history on America and other countries that shaped the continent. Her I learnt that the museum doubles up as an exhibition center where over 14 galas have been organized that focus on America culture and history. The famous â€Å"Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow† exhibition was hosted at the same museum in 2011. The museum has also embraced technology to improve the provision of relevant information to the customers that come. They have online tours that I browsed through courtesy of the free wireless internet at the site. I also noted that the Major Rafael Soriano paintings were very pricey and uniquely painted in a life-like manner (Slowik, 2006). I realized that the museum was a vital source of history for America based on several observations. First, the museum is home to many artists of the Renaissance and post- Renaissance eras that helped shape the economic and political dimensions. Artists such as Karen LaMonte and Albert Ryder have produced extraordinary works that reflect global cultures as well as the experiences by Americans. The influence of modernism on the artistic expressions within America has been great and diverse in nature. Modernism applies the past artistic works to create new works. It began in the 20th century when artists started to reflect on the effects and events of the two world wars that were later followed by the Industrial Revolution. English poets for instance started focusing on the uprising Christianity within America when writing their pieces. My visit of the Smithsonian American Art Museum ended with me joining part of our guided tour of the rest of the facilities. References Fitzgerald, O. P., Smithsonian American Art Museum. (2008). Studio furniture of the Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum. East Petersburg: Fox Chapel Pub. Slowik, T. J. Smithsonian American Art Museum., (2006). America’s art, Smithsonian American Art Museum. New York: Abrams.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Is a Good ACT Aspire Score for a Sophomore

What Is a Good ACT Aspire Score for a Sophomore SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Being in 10th grade is a little like walking over a bridge. You're crossing from the less consequential testing of early high school to the world of high-stakes tests, like the SAT andthe ACT – tests that can affect your future. One of the ways you get from one side of this metaphorical divide to the other is by getting the chance to practice. For example, some students take the PSAT, which is meant to be a precursor to the SATthat they will take in their junior or senior year. Others take the ACT Aspire, a national achievement test that assesses how well students from 3rd to 10th grade are measuring up toCommon Core standards. The format, structure, and scoring of the ACT Aspire are all very different from the ACT. But, because it is designed by the same organization that creates the ACT, it can feel like a precursor to the real thing. So what’s a good score on the ACT Aspire for a sophomore? In this article, I’ll talk about different ways to think about what makes a good score, and how to tell where you rank based on the score you got. I’ll also discuss whether your 10th grade ACT Aspire score means for your future ACT score. How is the ACT Aspire Test Scored? Since the ACT Aspire is given in elementary, middle, and high schools, it stands to reason that scoring is a little different depending on your class year. I’ll talk specifically about how the test is scored for the 8th-10th graders who take it. ACT Aspire scores for each subject (English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing) currently fall between 400 and 460. When you take this test in high school, here's what you’ll get in your score report: Your 5 individual section scores. These are your scores for each subject section of the test. A composite score. This is an unweighted average of your English, Mathematics, Reading and Science sections scores. Note that this composite score doesn't include your ACT Aspire Writing section, which is only scored individually. Several different kinds of reports about your progress. These include humanities and STEM composite scores, as well as a reading ability prognosis. If you'd like to see an example, the ACT publishes a sample of what your report will look like. The report may also include reports about the PSI pressure of your various organs. It's not really vital information, but you can't accuse them of not being thorough. What’s a Good Sophomore Score on ACT Aspire? My assumption is that sophomore year, you’re curious about what a good score is for 2 reasons. First, you’re concerned abouthow you stack up against your peers. And second, you’re wondering how you’ll do when you take the ACT for real junior year. Luckily, ACT provides a pretty thorough data for the one year that this test has been administered. This makes comparing yourself to your peers and finding any academic areas where you are lagging behind very easy. However, this data also shows that the ACT Aspire is not necessarily a great prediction model for your future ACT scores. Now, let’s examine in detail what your ACT Aspire score can show you. Comparing Yourself to the Baseline One of the goals of the ACT Aspire is to give you, your teachers, and your parents a sense of whether you are as prepared for college as you should be at this point in high school. To answer this question, you can compare your ACT Aspire score to your scores from previous years, to make sure you are consistently getting higher scores in each subject. ACT Aspire also provides minimum benchmarks scores for each test section. Each benchmark is the lowest score you need to get to demonstrate that you are on the right track in terms of your on-grade-level learning. Here is a table that shows the ACT Aspire benchmark scores for each subject for the year 2015 for grades 8-10. This table shows that, for example, if you get at least 432 on the ACT Aspire Science section as a sophomore, you’re considered to be on track to have a high probability of future success in first-year college courses. On the other hand, if your score is below the 10th grade numbers on any of the test sections, then this means that you may need outside help to catch up in these academic areas. The important thing is to just keep growingevery year. (Image:Steven Depolo/Flickr) Comparing Yourself to Your Peers Another goal of national tests like the ACT Aspire is to examine how everyone who is taking the test at the same time compares to each other. Since ACT Aspire publishes data about how students taking the test scored, we can go through the data to see how you can tell where you stand when compared to your peers. Using Your Composite Score for Peer Comparisons The composite score that you receive from ACT is a very quick snapshot of how you did on the test. This average of your individual subject scores can give you fast information about how you did relative to your peers overall. One way to evaluate your composite score is to use this table of the composite scores for 9th and 10th graders in the past year: Grade Min 25% Rank 50% Rank 75% Rank 90% Rank 95% Rank Max 9 408 414 418 423 430 435 438 10 409 415 419 426 433 438 440 This table shows rangeof students'scores. The "Min" and "Max" columns show the lowest and highest composite scores. The percentile columns showthe score you'd need to reachthe given percentile, i.e. the score at which you'd be scoringhigher than that percent of other students. In other words, for 10th grade, the lowest composite score anyone got was 409. 25% of students scored below 415. This means that if your score was 415, you did better than 25% of the studentstaking the test. Likewise, 95% of students got below a 438. This means that if your composite score was 438 or higher, you fall into the top 5% of test takers (since you did better than 95% of everyone taking the test). So what do we learn from this table? If your composite score was 419, you would fall into the middle scoring range, the 50th percentile. This means that 50% of 10th graders did worse, and 49% did better, so everyone who scored 419 falls right in the middle. What does this mean for calculating a good ACT Aspire score for a sophomore? Let’s assume that a good score is roughly at or above the 75th percentile, in other words, scoring higher than 75% of your peers. In that case, a good composite score for the ACT Aspire for sophomores is 426 or higher. Many people climb, but not everyone can reach the top. Using Your Individual Test Sectionsfor Peer Comparisons The composite score is a useful way to eyeball your status. But to figure out where you’re strong and where you're weak academically, you need to look at the scores you got on individual test sections. This much more zoomed-in approach will give you a better clue about the subjects you are learning well and the ones you need to work on more. Now, I’ll go through each ACT Aspire test subject individually to see what a good score on it would be. ACT Aspire English Percentile Rankings Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank 400 1 415 9 430 47 445 92 401 1 416 10 431 50 446 94 402 1 417 12 432 53 447 95 403 1 418 14 433 57 448 96 404 1 419 16 434 60 449 98 405 1 420 19 435 63 450 98 406 1 421 21 436 67 451 99 407 1 422 22 437 70 452 99 408 2 423 25 438 72 453 99 409 2 424 28 439 75 454 99 410 3 425 31 440 79 455 99 411 4 426 33 441 81 456 100 412 5 427 37 442 84 413 6 428 40 443 87 414 7 429 43 444 90 You can see that you don’t need to get all the questions right in order to fall into the top 1% of students. Although the exact number will change slightly from year to year, on this version of the ACT Aspire any sophomore who got 451 or above did better than 99% of the other test takers on the English section. The benchmark English section score of 428 would put you in the 40th percentile, which would mean you scored better than 40% of your peers. If we hang on to our assumption that a good score is around the 75th percentile, we can see that a score of 439 is what you need to reach that ranking. ACT Aspire Reading Percentile Rankings Score % Rank Score %Rank Score % Rank Score %Rank 400 1 411 10 422 47 433 92 401 1 412 13 423 51 434 95 402 1 413 14 424 52 435 98 403 1 414 17 425 57 436 98 404 1 415 21 426 62 437 99 405 1 416 24 427 66 438 99 406 1 417 28 428 72 439 99 407 2 418 31 429 77 440 99 408 3 419 35 430 82 441 99 409 4 420 39 431 83 442 100 410 6 421 43 432 87 You can see a similar thing about the Reading section results – quite a few of the top scores would put you in the top 1% of people taking the test. Also, notice how big a difference in the percentile rankings just one point makes. If you earned 424, you scored better than 52% of other sophomores, but if you got 425, you jump 5 percentage points to end up doing better than 57%. The Reading benchmark that ACT determined is 428, in the72nd percentile of test takers, which would also be a good score on this part of the test. ACT Aspire Math Percentile Rankings Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank 400 1 416 15 432 72 448 99 401 1 417 19 433 75 449 99 402 1 418 23 434 79 450 99 403 1 419 26 435 82 451 99 404 1 420 30 436 85 452 99 405 1 421 32 437 87 453 99 406 1 422 36 438 89 454 99 407 1 423 40 439 91 455 99 408 1 424 44 440 93 456 99 409 2 425 48 441 95 457 100 410 2 426 51 442 97 458 100 411 4 427 54 443 98 459 100 412 6 428 58 444 99 460 100 413 6 429 61 445 99 414 9 430 65 446 99 415 12 431 68 447 99 The math section has a huge spread of scores that fall into the top percentile – anyone who scored above 445 did better than 99% of their peers. The ACT Aspire benchmark for this section is 432, or the 72nd percentile. Meanwhile, a good score in the 75th percentile is 433. ACT Aspire Science Percentile Rankings Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank 400 1 413 7 426 50 439 94 401 1 414 9 427 53 440 95 402 1 415 14 428 57 441 97 403 1 416 15 429 61 442 98 404 1 417 19 430 66 443 99 405 1 418 21 431 69 444 99 406 1 419 25 432 73 445 99 407 1 420 29 433 76 446 99 408 2 421 34 434 79 447 99 409 2 422 38 435 83 448 99 410 4 423 39 436 86 449 100 411 4 424 42 437 88 412 6 425 46 438 91 The benchmark for ACT Aspire Science is 432, and this is basically the same as the good score we’ve been discussing, since it falls into the 73rd percentile of test takers. ACT Aspire Writing Percentile Rankings Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank Score % Rank 408 1 419 20 430 66 441 98 409 1 420 24 431 66 442 99 410 4 421 24 432 81 443 99 411 4 422 27 433 81 444 99 412 6 423 27 434 90 445 99 413 6 424 37 435 90 446 99 414 7 425 37 436 92 447 99 415 7 426 55 437 92 448 100 416 10 427 55 438 94 417 10 428 61 439 94 418 20 429 61 440 98 You can immediately see how differently the Writing section is scored from this table. First of all, the lowest score on this section isn’t 400 like it is for all the other sections, but 408. Also, pairs of scores get the same percentile ranking, so for example, both 410 and 411 correlate to doing better than 4% of other sophomores. Here, the benchmark score from ACT is 428, or better than 61% of everyone taking the test at the same time. Meanwhile, a good 10th grade score on Writing is somewhere between 430 and 433, which falls between the 66th and 81st percentiles. Predicting Future Success Now that you’ve seen how your score compares to the scores of all the 10th-graders who took the ACT Aspire last year, you’re probably itching to figure out whether your score on ACT Aspire means anything for the real ACT that you’ll take in your junior year. The truth is thatACT Aspire is not a particularly great predictor of your future accomplishments, though it does give you a very general sense of what you can hope to achieve. But this is fantastic news! It means that the ACT Aspire really does what it’s supposed to do – it shows you where you are now and where you need to improve. And the other great news is that dramatic improvement is clearly possible because as a sophomore, you have 1 or even 2 years in which to do it! Ok, but will the next one tell me my future ACT score? The Relationship Between ACT Aspire and ACT Scores ACT published data on 50 10th grade students – their scores oneach ACT Aspire section, and their scores on theactual ACT when they took it in 11th grade. The problem is that this data is just an unwieldy Excel spreadsheet (you can check it out here:Demonstrating the Student Growth Percentile model for grade 10 ACT Aspire to grade 11 ACT) I used the data to create some scatterplot graphs to show the whatstudents got on each ACT Aspire section and what they ended up getting on the same ACT section. The way each graph works is this: Each blue diamond point stands for one student Ifyou trace straight down from each point, you can see what that student got on ACT Aspire (in this case the Math section) If you trace straight left, you can see what that same student got when taking the ACT for real So what this graph is showing us that in general as scores from ACT Aspire Math increase (x-axis), the scores on ACT Math also tend to get somewhat higher as a group (y-axis). In other words, the swarm of diamonds goes slightly upward as we go from left to right. On a case-by-case basis, we can see that there is significant room to grow, no matter where in the score range students fall. For example, the 3 students who got432 on ACT Aspire Math (our good, 72nd percentilescore), ranged in ACT scores from 16 (approximately in the bottom 25%) to 26 (approximately in the top 15%). In the graph of English scores, we can see that your ACT Aspire score is by no means destiny. For example, look at all the students who ended up with goodACT English scores in the mid-20s. Their ACT Aspire scores ranged from 425 (below benchmark) to 447 (well above the good 75% score of 439). This same general trend of higher ACT Aspire scores leading to higher ACT scores continues when we look at the scatterplot graph for the Reading section. But the relationship is not exact. For example, the two highest scorers on the Aspire Reading section were not the top ACT scorers. Similarly, the person who scored lowest on the ACT did not get the bottom score on the Aspire. The Science section of ACT Aspire probably shows a slightly weaker correlation between high 10th grade ACT Aspire scores and subsequent high 11th grade ACT scores. Incidentally, if you’ve been following along with the visual data presentation in this article’s tables, charts, and graphs, then you’re actually getting in somegood practice for both the ACT Aspire Science section and the real ACT Science section as well! Now that you’ve seen how scatterplot graphs that show correlations look, you can be just as befuddled as I am by what happened to these 50 students on the writing section of these 2 tests. This kind of data may be a part of the reason why ACT Aspire Writing is not factored into the composite score that you get when you take the test in high school. What Does This Mean for What'sa Good Score? I think the best way to think about your scores if you’re worried about what they will eventually for the real ACT is this. First, make sure you’re scoring at least at the 10th grade benchmarks. That’s a pretty good indicator that you’re on trackwith your learning. If you’re below benchmark on any of the sections, that is a warning sign that you need help in that subject, not just to do better on ACT Aspire test but to succeed in your school year as well. Next, compareyour ACT Aspire section scores to each other. Are you scoring in the same percentile range on all 5 subjects? If there is a section (or several) that you are scoring significantly worse in, even if you’re still meeting the benchmark in that area, then this is the time to get extra help with this subject. Talk to your parents and teachers about what resources to improve your learning there are at your school, or maybe even outside of it. Should You Study for the ACT Aspire? For any test to accurately assess what you know and how well you understand when and where to apply that knowledge, the test can't simplythrow you off by its format, question style, or by the way it's administered. So in order for the ACT Aspire to actually measure how you are doing in school, it’s a great idea for you to familiarize yourself with how the test looks and feels.To that end, you should definitely read ourdetailed breakdown of what the ACT Aspire is like and the kinds of questions you’ll face on it. You should also get a sense of what taking the ACT Aspire will be like from their sample questions and computer test simulator. Go to theACT Aspire exemplar page, where you’ll find a link to the simulator and login information for all test sections and grade levels. However, other than getting a general sense of what you will see on test today, I would argue that it goes against the purpose and the benefits of ACT Aspire to study specifically for it. For one thing, this isn’t like the PSAT – no scholarships or awards are resting on the score you get.Also, the point of the test is to see whether you are where you should be in your learning. Spending a lot of effort studying for this test would easily createresults that are meaningless as an indicator of whether you have academic weaknesses that need to be worked on. Finally, there’s the matter of the rest of your class, and the rest of your grade in your school. The ACT Aspire isn’t just a diagnostic test for individual students. It’s also supposed to measure how each classroom is doing as a whole. Imagine, for example, that the ACT Aspire results come back and every single kid in your class bombed the Science section. This is no longer something that an individual student is having trouble with. Instead, this kind of result tells your teacher and school administrators that they really need to beef up how your curriculum addresses science education. And a better grounding in the foundations of science in turn will benefit you down the road when you learn how to do college-level work. Honestly, if you are really very worried about your future testing results, I think you should justtake a practice ACT instead. It’ll more accurately show you how you’d score if you took the ACT now. The one time napping is a better way to prepare for a test thanstudying. The Bottom Line The ACT Aspire tests the same 5 sections as the ACT, but is structured, formatted, and scored very differently. You’ll get scores for each of the sections individually, as well as a composite score that averages English, Reading, Math, and Science. If you aren’t meeting ACT score benchmarks, that’s a serious indicator that you need extra academic help. A good 10th grade ACT Aspire score is one that puts you in the upper 25% of your peers, and is different depending on each ACT Aspire test section. Even if you got a good 10th grade ACT Aspire score, this doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of predicting your real ACT score.ACT Aspire is not very good at predicting the ACT because its real purpose is to show you subject areas where you need extra help. There is no need to study for the ACT Aspire, though it would be a good idea to get familiar with the test format by checking out somesample questions. What’s Next? Thinking of jumping into the ACT world early? We have some guidance on whether you should start preparing for the ACT as a 10th grader andwhat a good sophomore ACT score would look like. Thinking about taking the PSAT as a 10th grader as well? Check out our discussion onwhat is a good PSAT score for a sophomore. Planning the rest of your high school academics? Read our articles aboutwhy it’s important to create a rigorous course load for yourself andwhether AP classes are really worth taking. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Black Plague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Black Plague - Essay Example The result was a change in the way that most focused on the urban development, specifically with a different perspective toward construction and use of materials. In the novel, â€Å"A Journal of the Plague Year,† by Daniel Defoe, there are references to how individuals began to think after the plague. The reference wasn’t only toward the outcomes and tragedies associated with the plague, but instead led to the beliefs that those who didn’t have the lower social status and misled construction also weren’t subjected to the outcome of the plague. This line of thinking is seen throughout the book, as well as the belief that the plague was a sign to restructure into the modern urban development. The way in which most began to think about the Black Plague after it had been stopped from overtaking Europe was based on preventative measures that wouldn’t allow another disease to take over the land. The objective became the need to find ways and means to cha nge society, specifically which would safeguard individuals from being weakened and dying from the plague. According to Huppert, there was an understanding that the society needed to change so it didn’t exceed the resources that were available. When the plague began to decrease in 1700, there was also a change in how many farmed and lived. This included smaller plots of lands, a focus on not having as large of populations in one place and living within confines that didn’t use as many natural resources.... There are references to the market that is in the city, specifically which is a sign of the plentiful ness of the country. There are references to several coming to town with large amounts and supplies of different items which could be used for those that were going to the market. However, during and after the plague, this began to change with constrained resources that could be monitored and widely used for those that were in need of food or other farm items. â€Å"Without interruption [they] came up to that market known still by the name of Bear – Key, where they supplied the City plentifully with Corn, when Land Carriage began to fail, and when the people began to be sick coming from many places in the country† (Defoe, 252: 1817). This shows the transition which was made between using the extra resources and the response to the plague from what happened to those who took advantage of the excess resources. Another concept which appears in Huppert’s recounts of the Black Plague and from the book is the rebuilding of both urban and rural society. The Black Plague was known to wipe out almost one-third of the population and led cities to have to rebuild for years. This led to several years of trying to restructure the way that the cities should function while being cautious about another plague coming into the cities. The changes were based first on several experiencing life outside of the past constraints from politics and the agendas that were associated with peasants. Many of the peasants began to look for freedom, emancipation and ways to rebuild society in a way where they weren’t considered as slave labor for higher society. The main ideal was to get land without permission from land owners, buy and sell heritages and to work with the bourgeoisie and land

Friday, October 18, 2019

Eingemauert walled in (Germany's inner border) Essay

Eingemauert walled in (Germany's inner border) - Essay Example The city of Berlin became a strange sort of island within the Eastern portion. One half of the city continued with western capitalist shops and businesses, while the other half developed under the more repressive communist regime. Citizens and visitors could not cross over from one side to the other without extensive border checks, and most Berlin families were suddenly divided by this physical barrier. Many East Germans tried to break through the alarmed fences, which were guarded by troops in watch towers. More than a hundred people were killed in these attempts, because the guards operated a shoot-to-kill policy. The ugly wall, with its defensive mines and barbed wire became known as â€Å"the death strip.† The purpose of this wall was to keep East Germans inside the communist area and to prevent them from escaping to the wealthier and freer society in the West. In 1989 the wall was finally destroyed, when communism failed, and ever since then Germany has been reunited. The wall survives today only in a few symbolic places as a reminder of the recent

Letter to a future student Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter to a future student - Assignment Example This was an exciting time to take this course because many of our discussions were about the state of the economy today. The global economic crisis is a very relevant study in macroeconomics. My experience in working on the integrated project was challenging. I had a difficult time communicating exactly what I wanted to say at times. I studied a major international corporation (McDonalds) for my project. I learned how macroeconomic conditions influence the decisions a big corporation has to make. I also clearly could see that large, multinational corporations are major players in a macroeconomic sense once they are firmly established in some nations. If you want to succeed in this class, the best thing you can do is to learn the vocabulary and keep good notes on the different macroeconomic theories. Learn all you can about Keynes and use this as a reference point for comparing the other theories. If you can keep the theories and vocabulary words sorted out, you are going to be successful in this

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Perform an analysis of data Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Perform an analysis of data - Research Paper Example From the results, high GRE scores and GPA affect positively the probability of being admitted into graduate school while having been into a high class undergraduate program has no effect on the probability of being admitted into graduate school. The probabilities of admission increase with increase in GRE scores and GPA. The objective of this research study was to evaluate the effect of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, Grade Point Average (GPA) and undergraduate program (whether from high class or low class) enrolled on the probability of being admitted (admitted and not admitted) into graduate school. Admission to graduate schools and colleges in the US depends on GRE scores and GPA among many other considerations. Student personal statements, referees and transcripts also form an important part of considerations during admission. According to Richmond (2006), high GPA and GRE does not mean high probability of admissions but shows how the student is likely to perform as a student and mostly many colleges allow a GPA of 2.5 as the minimum. However, according Barnes (2004), the consideration of GPA and GRE scores depends on the course one is applied for. For example, applying for a medical course one has to have very good scores in science and mathematics. Quantitative research technique was used in this research work as sought to determine the relationship between the dependent variable (admission) and the independent variables (GRE, GPA and undergraduate program). The use of this methodology is evident through the use of structured data collection tool where the 4 aspects are strictly recorded for each participant. According to Godin, G. (1993), the relationship between dependent variable sand independent variables can only be shown through the use of quantitative research approach. Secondary data is used in this research study and is available from http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/dae/logit.dta. This data if of 400 participants collected

Summarizing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Summarizing - Article Example Dave firmly opines that the effect of tariffs and quota are same on consumers that they have to spend higher. Dave says that money simply changes hands. At times, government prefers voluntary quotas in which a foreign nation on its own agrees for its exports to a fixed number. It helps the US because then they need not pass any legislation to enforce any quota on the foreign nations. Importers get scarce licenses to import the goods and in turn make huge profits. Whether tariffs, quotas or voluntary quotas are imposed, finally, the price to consumers goes up. It is estimated that impact of such voluntary quota restriction to import cars from Japan is almost $400 per car. Overall, consumers paid an extra $4 billion because free imports were not allowed. Tariffs, quotas restrict innovation in the domestic industry. Tariffs and quota provide cushioning to the domestic industry as they can sell goods at higher prices. Whenever the government resorts to a voluntary quota kind of system, f oreign manufacturers establish manufacturing facilities in the US itself. This way, American jobs are created but products are certainly expensive compared to imports due to high labor costs involved. In tariff, or quota system, producers spend more time lobbying with the government to maintain or increase those restrictions so that they are safeguarded. Manufacturers become less innovative when free trade is not allowed and consumers do not get novelty and better products, processes or systems. Nations differ in available resources such as skilled or unskilled laborers, land, technology, metals, minerals, or energy resources and accordingly, they differ in their ability to produce goods at the most competitive prices. Technologically advanced country such as US can produce Boeing planes, high tech ammunitions or other high tech products and can earn much higher. The point is that the US has absolute advantage in agriculture production due to huge land stock; does that mean that the US should put all its resources on agriculture? Certainly, the answer is negative. The fact is that not all nations can produce all goods. Each nation’s comparative advantage in producing a specific good differs significantly. As discussed in the article, the US does not have comparative advantage in producing television sets due to higher labor costs compared to Japan. The discussion is all about tariffs and quota; their drawbacks and how it hampers free trade internationally. Free trade benefits consumers because best quality products are available at the most economical prices. Consumer satisfaction is at its top if free trade is allowed to take place. That also enhances disposable income of the consumers (due to savings realized while purchasing imported goods) diverting the money for buying other goods. This eventually boosts economy of the nation. The biggest argument that is put forward in favor of tariffs and quota is for protecting employment within the country. For example, the US cannot produce garments and other textile apparels at the cost that countries such as China or India can produce due to high involvement of laborers in its production processes. If the US imposes tariffs or quota on these countries for importing textiles then that means that, the US textile industries and laborers are protected at the cost of US consumers. In such a situation, increased spending on textiles and garments by consumers will result into

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Conflict management system design (resolution system design) Research Paper

Conflict management system design (resolution system design) - Research Paper Example Following this, many agencies have developed approaches and models of effective complaint handling system. The stage approach provides a conflict resolution system in stages. It brings together what the customer wants and what the organisation or agency needs. That is, the interests of the organisation and the rights of the customers. However, it gives first preference to the organisation’s interests and focuses on the fulfilment of its objectives in a smooth manner. The first stage in the approach is, frontline complaint handling where the staff resolves the complaint where possible, at first contact with the customer. The members of staff then log the complaint details for later analysis. The second stage is the internal review or investigation. This is where a more senior staff or designated complaint officer reviews the complaints and resolves them informally. He then investigates the unresolved complaints with the interest of the organisation at heart. The last stage is the independent review where the unresolved complaints are referred externally. Alternate dispute resolutions are tried, for example, mediation. Complaints may also be referred to external agency or the complainant is informed of a legal procedure or another legal remedy (NSW Ombudsman, 2010). All this is done in favour of the organization’s interests. This model provides the guidelines for developing and implementing the consumer complaints management initiatives, emphasizing the interest of the organisation but still taking into account the rights of the customers. It involves eight steps that help in managing and resolving the complaints for the better performance and realisation of the agency’s objectives. The first step involves defining the problem and gathering information. Finding common ground on the problems being addressed is essential to moving ahead with solutions. All the people and organisations involved are

Summarizing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Summarizing - Article Example Dave firmly opines that the effect of tariffs and quota are same on consumers that they have to spend higher. Dave says that money simply changes hands. At times, government prefers voluntary quotas in which a foreign nation on its own agrees for its exports to a fixed number. It helps the US because then they need not pass any legislation to enforce any quota on the foreign nations. Importers get scarce licenses to import the goods and in turn make huge profits. Whether tariffs, quotas or voluntary quotas are imposed, finally, the price to consumers goes up. It is estimated that impact of such voluntary quota restriction to import cars from Japan is almost $400 per car. Overall, consumers paid an extra $4 billion because free imports were not allowed. Tariffs, quotas restrict innovation in the domestic industry. Tariffs and quota provide cushioning to the domestic industry as they can sell goods at higher prices. Whenever the government resorts to a voluntary quota kind of system, f oreign manufacturers establish manufacturing facilities in the US itself. This way, American jobs are created but products are certainly expensive compared to imports due to high labor costs involved. In tariff, or quota system, producers spend more time lobbying with the government to maintain or increase those restrictions so that they are safeguarded. Manufacturers become less innovative when free trade is not allowed and consumers do not get novelty and better products, processes or systems. Nations differ in available resources such as skilled or unskilled laborers, land, technology, metals, minerals, or energy resources and accordingly, they differ in their ability to produce goods at the most competitive prices. Technologically advanced country such as US can produce Boeing planes, high tech ammunitions or other high tech products and can earn much higher. The point is that the US has absolute advantage in agriculture production due to huge land stock; does that mean that the US should put all its resources on agriculture? Certainly, the answer is negative. The fact is that not all nations can produce all goods. Each nation’s comparative advantage in producing a specific good differs significantly. As discussed in the article, the US does not have comparative advantage in producing television sets due to higher labor costs compared to Japan. The discussion is all about tariffs and quota; their drawbacks and how it hampers free trade internationally. Free trade benefits consumers because best quality products are available at the most economical prices. Consumer satisfaction is at its top if free trade is allowed to take place. That also enhances disposable income of the consumers (due to savings realized while purchasing imported goods) diverting the money for buying other goods. This eventually boosts economy of the nation. The biggest argument that is put forward in favor of tariffs and quota is for protecting employment within the country. For example, the US cannot produce garments and other textile apparels at the cost that countries such as China or India can produce due to high involvement of laborers in its production processes. If the US imposes tariffs or quota on these countries for importing textiles then that means that, the US textile industries and laborers are protected at the cost of US consumers. In such a situation, increased spending on textiles and garments by consumers will result into

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Theory and Evidence-Based Practice of Nursing Essay Example for Free

Theory and Evidence-Based Practice of Nursing Essay Introduction Evidence-based nursing is acknowledged as an approach to nursing care that guides to enhance patient outcomes. Qouting McEwen (2002) Kelly L. Penz and Sandra L. Bassenski pointed out that in nursing practice, formalities, remote, unsystematic clinical experiences and ungrounded opinions, and traditions as the basis of practice should be de-emphasized by incorporating into clinical practice evidence-based approach to nursing care. In explaining what evidence-based approach means, Penz and Bassendowski cited Estabrook’s (1998) explanation that evidence-based nursing â€Å"is a discipline in which nurses make clinical decisions using current best research evidence, which is then blended with approved policies and clinical guidelines, clinical expertise and judgment, and patient preferences† (Penz Bassendowski 2006, p 250). In other words, evidence-based nursing practice is more than just a research; it is more than a theory or practice. However, evidence-based practice of nursing is currently subject of debate among nursing scholars and educators. Gail J. Mitchell (1999) contends that the concept of evidence-based practice â€Å"is not only a barren possibility but also obstructs nursing process, human care, and professional accountability† (Mitchell 1999, p. 271). Mitchell argued that the usefulness of the evidence has been â€Å"wrongfully cast in the context of legitimizing nursing as a profession instead of describing evidence as one possible resource for supporting client’s decision making† (Mitchell, p. 271). The Relationship between Theory and Evidenced-Based Nursing Practice In nursing practice, theory is a pattern of knowing, Jacqueline Fawcett noted that theory comes from Greek word theoria, â€Å"To see† which means to reveal phenomena that is previously hidden from our awareness and attention. Deborah Upton (1999) pointed out that theory, practice, and research identify the science of nursing. Upton emphasized that theories embrace nursing as a science, which, in the case of evidence- based practice, the basic tenet is on sound information anchored on research findings and scientific development. Fawcett pointed out that theories constitute much of the knowledge of a discipline and theory and experiences are the lenses through which we conduct inquiry. The outcome of the inquiry comprises the evidence that finds out the adequacy of the theory. In nursing practice, theory guided practice means the traditional scientific approach to clinical care while in evidence-based practice a nurse can decide on the relevance of the evidence for the patient care. According to Penz and Baseendowski evidence-based practice fills the gap between theory, research, and practice. It means that theory alone or evidence alone is insufficient basis of clinical care, but combining the two make a useful clinical approach that has potential â€Å"to improve patient care in all clinical practice setting† (Penz Bassendowski p. 251). The relationship therefore of theory and evidence-based nursing practice is that evidence-based practice absorbed theories and incorporating it including research, patient’s preferences, and other approved guidelines of the clinical practice. Penz and Bassendowski noted the study of Alligood and Tomey (2002) suggesting that theoretical knowledge when blended into the practice of nursing, results to enhanced professional autonomy. Alligood and Tomey pointed out that when nursing theory is used to direct clinical opinion and decision making , nurses can comprehend what they do and why, and they are capable to explain this to other health professional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further explanation of the relationship between theory and evidence-based practice can be established in the meaning and purpose of theory it self. Lynn Rew pointed out that it is theory that framed or determined what really count as evidence. Based on the premise that â€Å"theory is the reason for and the value of the evidence,† Rew provided a framework based on three factors: Components, Purpose, and Outcomes, which depicts ideal relationship between theory and evidence-based nursing practice. Rew pointed out that the components of theory are concepts and statement, while practice, is phenomena of concern and problems to be solved. The Purpose of theory is to organize ideas, while Practice delimits ideas, the Outcomes are theory construction framework for practice, and policies while in practice, evidence-based practice, generalizable programs, and interventions. She explained that concepts of theory reflect the phenomena of concern in a practice discipline, while the definition and purpose are abstractions of the practical problems to be solved in the practice arena. The outcomes of theory construction guides practice and policy development. Thus theory is highly related to evidence-based practice by virtue of determining the evidence. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite of the different emphasis of theory based nursing and evidence-based nursing practice, the aim of both camps is to advance the clinical care of the nursing practice for the benefit of the patient. However, the conflict of emphasis threatened to abolished the long established processes of clinical care in favor of evidence based nursing practice which are not really completely proven very successful in clinical treatment. Tracing therefore the relationship between theory and evidence-based nursing practice helps not only to understand what the conflict was all about but also it gives proper understanding of the nursing practice particularly the evidence-based nursing. Whether theory guided practice or evidence-based nursing practice, what is important is that the nursing practice should be understandable to nurses and to the patient.    Reference Fawcett, J.; Watson, J.; Neuman, B.; Walker, P.; Fitzpatrick, J. (2001) On Nursing Theories and Evicence. USA: Sigma Theta Tau International. http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nrsg750/articles/nursing_theories.pdf Mitchell, G. J. Evidence-Based Practice: Critique and Alternative View. Penz, K. L. Bassendowski, S. L. ( 2006)Evidence-Based Nursing in Clinical Practice: Implications for Nurse Educators. Canada. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Vol.37, No. 6 (November/December) http://www.orthonurse.org/portals/0/EBP%20Clinical%20Practice.pdf Rew, L (2005) Adolescent Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Theory, Research. United States of America: SAGE Publication Upton, D. J., (1999) How Can We Achieved Evidence-based Practice if we a Theory- Practice Gap in Nursing Today? Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 29 (3) England: Blackwell Science Ltd.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Media Influences Our Beliefs and Attitudes

Media Influences Our Beliefs and Attitudes Time changed eras changed generation changed channels of communication changed but the way of receiving the information was same through out. Which is that one thing which has not changed? What is it, which we seek in television, radio, newspaper and now the Internet? The answer to all these questions is media and information. For information we only and only rely on media. We live in a mediated world we accept it or not but we are surrounded by media. Media has a kind of an image in the mind of an individual. This is because the communication is presented in a way that the mass audience likes it. Which can be explained by the hypodermic needle theory which media as a direct, immediate and a powerful effect on its audience. What are Media effects? Different researchers had a different viewpoint what they had to say about Media effects but there was no as such definition according to McQuil(1983) there are effects from the media ,though what precisely these effects are and the means by which they can be identified and measured has been the subject of extensive debate (p.175), (Lasswell 1948,emphasis in original ) Who Says What to whom in which channel and to what effect ? , Katz describe the history of communication theory which is swinging between active and passive audience between minimal and powerful effects(1980) Mc Guire noted several of the most commonly mentioned intended media effects which were listed as (a) the effect of advertising on purchasing (b) the effect of political campaigns on voting (b) the effect of public service announcements on personal behavior and social improvement (d) the effect of propaganda on ideology (e) the effects of media ritual on social control and the most commonly ones (f) the effect of media violence on aggressive behavior (g) the effect of erotic and sexual m aterial on attitudes and objectionable behavior(1986, cited in Elisabith M Perse ,p.1). Media impacts many facets of our daily lives and even contribute to our scene of personnel identity how we dress for work, sometimes the route we take for work, what we plan to do this weekend our general feeling of wellbeing or insecurity, the focus of the world beyond immediate experiences and our concerns about the issue of the day all are influenced by what we see in media news Maxwell McCobs and Sheldon Gilbert (1986). As it is not easy to accept in the same way it is not easy to argue as well that media has influence not only on an individual but also on the society, which we live in. What do mass communication actually do to us, both individually and collectively [society]? Lowery and DeFleur (1995 Quoted in Brian ONeil p.320) The study of media influence is important so that we can increase the understanding of the role media plays in shaping our lives, views and personal identity. It is because the media are central to our everyday lives that we must study them à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as social and cultural as well and the political dimensions of the modern world Roger Silverstone (1999). The essay is going to include first the introduction, what are media effects? Secondly a brief history about media effects from the time of World War 1 till date, thirdly different ways in which media affects an individual with relevant effect theories, Scholarly research and examples of the same. Lastly to conclude with my viewpoint and the just of the scholars arguments. HISTORY Going back into the history there were three phases in which the effect tradition could be described how over the period of time medias relation with its audience changed with its changing effects. The first phase, called as powerful media started from World War 1 until the late 1930 was the time when media was known to have powerful effects on its audience it could change habits, opinions and viewpoints of the people. Which were mostly in the hands of the controllers Bauer and Bauer (1960 cited in Denis McQuail p.458). Then second phase which was called Testing media power now this phase was the time to put theoretical knowledge to test that was what people thought in phase one was that actually happening did media has its effect. A well stated example of this in the early 1930s research literature by the series of Payne fund studies in the United States Blumer,Blumer and Hauser,Petroson and Thurstone (1933). The main focus was children and young people how films as media influenced them? This era of media research last until the 1960s. The concentration was mainly on the films and the other types of media how they can be used for brainwashing and informing. Some of the examples of this are campaign, which was designed for the United Nations to improve on their public support Star and Hughes (1950 cited in Denis McQuail p.458). Investigating the capabilities of democratic election campaigns Lazarsfeld et al. (1944) and Berelson et al. (1954). As the time passed away the nature of research changed as there were new accepts which should be taken in account earlier the researchers saw the effects according to the social and psychological characters then later it went on to the intervening effects and lastly why people were listening to media, the purpose The end of this era was marked by the illusion which resulted in the this kind of media effect research (e.g. Berelson, 1959)(Denis McQuail). Klapper says that limited and minimum effects in the fear of brainwashing were seen to be over hyped and to form a opinion was a complex social process in which media played an integral part but not the complete role (1960). The third phase that was called Return of powerful media started in 1960 which started from the year 1960, which marks the return of the powerful media which is still there till today dealing with the effects and issue of media violence, functions of media in socialization diffusion and formation of ideology (McQuail 1983,p.178) Media had no effects or negligible effects this was the conclusion which was written in the text books which was challenged by researches who thought this was a made up story there were many evidences which could prove that media have social impact and could be used for exercising social and political power (for example, Lang and Lang, 1981;McGuire, 1973;McLeod et al., 1991) The evidence available by the end of 1950s,even when balanced against one of the negative findings, gives no justification for an overall verdict of media importance (1981:659)according to them the no effect imagination was not because of one factor but was a combination of different factors . The most highlighted one was short-term effect like the election tenor. One of the major reasons that contributed to unwillingness to accept minimal effects was the arrival of television in 1950s and 1960s as this was the new medium, which seems more powerful as it had visuals. The third phase was still looking for the potential effects according to the new concepts. The investigations that were done before relied on the model that the more exposure to media had more effects. Change in media power with change in time As we read in the history different phases of media power and how the power of media changes with the change in time. The main reason for the argument in the effects from the time of powerful -limited more powerful model is that the world was changing all this while Carey (1988 quoted in Denis Mc Quil , 2005,p.462). We cannot deny the fact that media are influential. There are many examples to explain this statement like impingement of communism in Europe or to international conflicts such as Gulf and Balkan wars of the 1990s and the Afghanistan and the Iraq wars that followed 9/11 (Denis McQuail 2005,p.463). It is only through media that people do know about such historic events as the time has changed probably people are more dependent on the media when information is concerned (Ball-Rokeach and DE Fleur, 1976;Ball-Rokeach, 1985; 1998,cited in Denis Mcquil 2005 p.463). When we look at television there is a huge difference in content and as a social experience from the 1950s to 19 80s (this was the time when first research took place) till now where the television experience has changed again. This clearly states that media is not constant it changes with time. The different models of media effects: (Perse, 2001:51) Direct: it is quite self-explanatory the effect is immediate, constant and observable its a short term effect which emphasis on change where media content is silent, awakening and truth. Conditional: It depends from person to person reinforcing of change in the thought process towards awareness and knowledge, emotional influence and behavioral it can be short term and long-term effect. Cumulative: it based one exposer to many thing not one in particular it is either cognitive or emotional in very few cases it is behavioral. It has a long lasting effect. The media content is accordant, re occurring and across channels. Cognitive transactional: the effect is immediate and short term it is based on a small exposure it s cognitive and effective; behavioral effects are possible. There are different theories, which explain and talk about the effects what sort of effects every theory looks into the media effects on its own prospective Short Term Effects: In the earlier times when we look into media research, the model, which strikes the mind, was simple stimulus response model that means media provided the agent and the response to it was change in opinion or something like this. This approach was not was not accepted. People dont react to anything immediately and if they do then media is not the only reason behind it , there are many other reason as well . Sometimes this approach was also know as the hypodermic needle /bullet effect this was basically as if some people were injected with some media information and they reply to it accordingly Graeme burton(2002). One of the famous example which is stated by the theorist for this theory is in the year 1939 the War Of The Worlds by H.G.Wells the broadcast of this science fiction created a panic amongst the people and this was purely the effect of the broadcast. On the contrary it is said that the circumstance in which the broadcast was herd this would not be sufficient to explain the affect of strong feeling or the judgment that was passed by an individual Brian ONeil (2011). The argument, which was given, was that psychological personality traits like self-conviction, religious beliefs and self-expectance these were the traits, which made an individual to believe what they were listening to Cantril(1940 ,cited in Brian ONeil,2011,p.324) . To add to this according to another theorist this incident was just being exaggerate Heyer(2005 cited in Brian ONeil,2011,p.324). On the contrary it is said that there is no such proof, which can Cleary demonstrate that media violence leads to violent behavior. If we look into the example of September 2000 where a 15-year-old boy from Florida was accused his abuse of his 8-year-old sister. He said he got this idea from seeing Jerry Springer Show when looked into the mater the statement made was false he was lying the show was totally blameless. Graeme Burton (2010) Two -step flow theory: The theory states that media influences us in two different phase. The first phase comprises individuals who pay lot of attention to media and it message and receive information from them the second phase comprises of opinion leaders, members of peer group family, friends people on whom we rely the most. We listen to what they want to say and not the media. If media influenced them then we would be influence indirectly Graeme Burton (2002). One of the important part of the work is to see how active or passive we are as receivers of the communication Elihu Katz and Lazarsfeld (1955). Unlike the hypodermic needle theory this theory lacked on media effects it emphasis more on human agencies lowery and DeFleur . Uses and gratification theory: What do people do to the media(katz2006, p.xviii) The uses and gratification theory says that the audience is active. The theory explains that the audience consumes media to gratify or satisfy their own needs for information, entertainment, knowledge, personal identity and social definition Graeme burton(2002). Media message cannot influence a person who does not have any use of those messages consumed Katz (1959). Example: There were several examples, which state that there are some, or the other needs of an individual which are fulfilled by consuming media. Radio quiz programs and its listeners Satisfaction of watching a soap opera which need or gratification was obtained? (Herzog1940, 1944 quoted in Chris Newbolt, 1995,p.121) and why does one read newspaper? Was it for information, entertainment or to while away the time which need was fulfilled? (Berelson, 1949). All these experiments were done to state consumption of different kinds of media gave what kind of satisfaction or which need of the audience. Effects can be of different kinds/types and vary from person to person. Few of them are listed below: Attitude change: Media has the power of changing peoples way of thinking or looking at the world. This means they change the attitude towards a person or issues Graeme Burton (2002). Media is highly effective in creating attitudes on newly arisen or newly evoked issues(Joseph Klapper) Moral/Panic: Media have the effect of anxiety, fear, and anger about issues. Issues can be anything. These reactions are joint actions experienced by a group Denis Mc Quail (2005). Personal Response/Emotional Response: These reactions are basically unplanned and depend from individual to individual, taking an example of an anti aging cream people ignore the fact that the product is not appropriate because the skin cannot generate cells at a certain point in age (Graeme burton2002; Denis Mc Quail 2005). Some of the major issues on which media effects/influence research has been done are stated below: Children and Media: When a child is concerned it automatically becomes a special case when we talk about influence as it is assumes to be vulnerable. The impact of television on children Can lead to Violence One of the major concerns what parents have is impact of television violence on their children. The concern is that television has portrayals of violence throughout and children are affected by these portrayals more easily because they are at growing age they dont have the understanding. As this is not only the case with kids but similar reasons are given for adult violence as well John P.Murray(1993). There were many researchs done which concluded that media violence can lead to short term changes like attitude and behavior changes (bandura, D.Ross, S.Ross, 1961;berkowitz, 1962). Example: Murder of James Burgler in 1993 this was the influence of violence video over 2 school boys David Buckingham (2001) Another great research bobo doll experiment which concluded that children exposed to violent model were more likely to act aggressively than those who were not exposed to such situation Albert Bandura (1961). According to Ferguson this research was not related to child aggression but this research was motivated to please the adults (2010) Contrary to this research it is said that some children to whom television effect will not be good in a certain condition and some children to whom in some other condition the television effect would be good or to other kids in the same condition television effect will be different (Schramm;Lyle and Parker 1961,p.13). There have been many researchers, which stated the positive influence Friedrich, and Stein that viewing Master Roger did not have any impact on their behavior where as it widen their knowledge. A very strange result was noticed the children who watched Minster roger seemed to be more helpful they were likely to play more cooperatively with their peers. (1975 cited in Jerome Johnston James S.Ettema p.144). Affect education What or rather I should say who is it we blame if the child is not getting good marks? There are only 2 people who we tend to blame for our childrens performance one the school in which he/she studies or the teachers. So the blame game is totally on the school. But wait lets think on it once again is it really the teachers to be blamed? Teachers are doing the same job which they use to do 10-12 years ago something is there, which is different? What is that something? The answer is Television. The current estimate states that a child spends twice the time in watching television than in the classroom studying. It is very surprising to see that it is 22,000 hours of television is consumed before a child passes his/her high school Don Oldenburg (1992). Heavy viewing of television by kids show lower information, lower knowledge, lower concentration lower reading ability it lead to aggressive behavior as compared to the kids watching less television (Jerome L. Singer, n.d). On the contrary it was said that studies found out that there was no as such evidence which proved that watching television had negative effects like lower concentration and less reading ability and things like that (Neumanns, 1991 cited David Gauntlett in 2005). The Recent statistics In the year 2008 there was survey done Dr. Tanya Byron where the question was about the effects. Result of the survey was that 83% of the parents thought that watching TV was entertaining followed by education 58% and relaxation 53% and only 4 % said it was dangerous. Parents also felt that there child had gained an expended imagination 63% and increase in vocabulary and over two fifth said that their child had developed 28% said that it was used as a kind of activity. So this shows the television effects were positive according to the parents. There was no kind of violence seen or a negative effect was observed (2008 p.8). There has been no perfect evidence which proves that media is the only cause of violence. But it can be said that media can lead to change in attitude and responses towards violence. This kind of a response could be because of 2 reason first media and the real life experiences. Media and the society As we know media plays an integral role in our lives. This media is the only medium of so many debates discussions like does television has any effects on our children? Does advertising influence us as consumers? Last but lot the least is violence because of media? A long list of question which because all this is a part of the society which we live in David Croteau and William Hoynes(2003). Thinking about the impact of media on the society is exhibited in the conventional history by the abound view of media being powerful and quite much effective on the powerless and passive audience which can be described by the Hypodermic Needle Model also called the Magic Bullet, it assumed that the media were so powerful that they could inject their messages as the name suggests hypodermic needle the needle is injected. The advertising messages were targeted as magic bullets. (Dennis and wartella1996, p.169) Katz and lazars Feld (1955) says, The image of the mass communication process entertained by the researchers had been one of the atomistic mass of millions of readers, listeners and movie goers prepared to receive the message; secondlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ every message was conceived of as a direct and powerful stimulus to action which will elicit immediate response Campaign and Advertising Campaign is basically used to affect the behavior of the public for their health of their safety. Campaign can be classified in two parts one is political campaign as the name suggests its agenda is politics (election, voting) and the other is public service campaign, which is in favor of public beneficial for them like (campaign on family planning, smoking and issues like aids). Campaigns reach to large amount of public there were a lot many researches done, which showed that there was a change in knowledge and attitude but no change was shown on the behavior David Gauntlett(2005). Political Campaign: These could always be traced back at the time of election as earlier said there were many research done to see weather political campaign has any effect on the voting patters of an individual. The two major studies which were done in this field first study was people choice 1940 elections of Ohio and the main reason behind these research was to find out that do people vote because of some influence? This research took place in 1932 just before the television came in as a medium of communication and radio was the medium at present. The result was that 8 % were actually converted 53% voted because of their own beliefs and understanding 14% were influenced to vote and lastly 25% had minimal effect, which was next to nothing. The findings of the research was that a) people are influence by peer group or opinion leaders people who they rely on trust like friends, family etc. b) There was not the same effect on every1 that is everyone responded to media in their own way c) it was not the campaign through which people got the information but through people Paul Lazerfield, Bernard Berelson Hazel Gandet(). The second one was called Unseeing eye 1972 elections between George MC Govern and Richard Nixon. The result was similar to the first one political campaigns had less effect on the people Thomas.E Pattreson Robert D.Mc.Clure() On the contrary Mc Combs and Shaw whose research was also into political communication and voting behavior and the research was done on US presidential election in 1968 where the research was on how newspaper, journalists and editors play a vital role in making the audience perceive political reality in their own way. The research ended with a conclusion, which was quite different from the earlier research that was the information which was given to the public didnt only make them aware about the issue of the political campaign but also made them think that this issue was important and will effect us only. So here the political campaign seemed to be quite effective (1972). Public service campaigns: these campaigns were basically for the wellbeing of an individuals who made the society. There were many research which were done on this criteria like did people reduced smoking or stopped smoking after seeing the PSA which talks about increased cancer risk due to smoking. One of the projects was called North krelia project a program whose main aim was to reduce heart diseases in Finland. There were 1.75 US billion dollars spent on this campaign and the result of this was that smoking declined amongst men by 34% and rate on women smoking went up slightly (Puska et al., 1985 cited in DAVID GAUNTLETT (2005). Another example is increasing population level the problems of developing countries social marketing approach was introduced, promotion of contraceptive pills and condoms Atkin Meichke(1989) .In Bangladesh the sales of condom graph saw a unbelievable rise in 1976 -10 million to 82 million in 1983 and India saw an increase of almost 400% and by 1984 these had almost doubled again to 200 million per year DAVID GAUNTLETT (2005).The research ended by saying that media is just an helper to influence where the messages are reinforced by verbal communication. We have seen that it created a positive sign in most of the experiments but still it cannot be correctly judged that campaign has any effect or not. Advertising Advertise which means to draw attention. Advertisement addresses us as shoppers or consumers rather than Citizens. The prime focus is that we are the potential buyers Lewis et al (2005).It is quite difficult to access the effect of advertising on an individual and society because advertising does not make an individual do something which one would not like to do , it just tries to change our behavior. Advertising can make product A look better than product B but if observed would be no difference as such and thus it influences our purchasing decision DAVID GAUNTLETT(2005). It is not just advertising which makes a person go and buy a product in the market gone are the days when people use to understand advertisements are ficious created by advertisers to sell their product now days consumers are exposed to advertisements day in day out the only factor which makes them but the product is top of mind recall that is by repetitiveness of the advertisement Rachel Eyre(2002). Another researcher says that advertisement is not only the factor for buying a product there is other factors like packaging and distribution which influences buying decision Schudson (1933). Where on the contrary leiss et al. (2005) says there could be many reasons why advertisements may not work. Example: 1980 coffee consumption feel at the time when expenditure on coffee advertisement was rising. 1985 coke fiasco when the audience did not accept the new taste Graeme Burton(2011). As said by all the researchers advertising does influence us but it is not the whole sole influencer behind our buying.