The 3rd part of the Tyler Model concerns Organization Research Paper

The 3rd part of the Tyler Model concerns Organization - Research Paper Example Attaining a given objective needs a proper sequence of events before getting to the milestone and every part or section has particulars which need to be achieved. The Maryland school curriculum has a disciplinary literacy framework that cuts across the different disciplines within. The core issue of having a good framework is to ensure that students achieve world class education. The framework provides a direction to educators on what they need to do to facilitate the various units and lessons. Maryland is not a one party school and involves many stakeholders who must all comply with the core standard to ensure high performance within the institution. There are different grades within Maryland and students should know and be able to perform in the different disciplines. On this let’s look at the social study, science and technical subjects grades 6-12 on the standards applied by Maryland school. The core framework is to prepare students ahead as they enter into college of what challenges lie ahead, thus preparing them for excellence. It is essential for students to understand their literacy development isn’t achieved in a day but rather discipline and a sense of responsibility must be instilled. There is the division for instructions that provide essential skills to students. A framework for obtaining, analyzing, evaluating rich data and presenting credible conclusions in argumentations and explanations encourages research in the institution. Career preparation is important to students and there is a framework for defining literacy expectations for every student required for graduation.It is good to note that based on various units the organization may be differ a little bit but the core standard framework is similar to the whole school so as to ensure standard evaluation across all levels. Teachers in Maryland are encouraged to form daily instructions on their particular subjects in each day;

Population of the country Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Population of the country - Research Paper Example This paper explores reasons for that. Before the start of the industrial revolution, the CBR and CDR in Canada were both high. The high rate of births can be attributed to the fact that more children went into the work of farming whereas families needed a greater number of children to be able to sustain because of the high rate of deaths. The high death rate can be attributed to the fact that the health and safety conditions of the society were not good. People suffered from different kinds of diseases and lacked hygiene. However, there was a stability in the high CBR and CDR which played a role in slow growth of the population. The CDR did increase dramatically with occasional epidemics for some years. The drop in the CDR in Canada around the mid-18th century is explained by improvement that occurred in the areas of medicine and sanitation. Despite the decline of the CDR, the CBR continued to remain high because of tradition as well as practice. As a result of the declined CDR but sustained CBR, population growth in Canada skyrocketed. Over the passage of time, children in the families became an extra cause of expenditure and were not in the position to help the family run the finances. As a result of that, the CBR in Canada started to decline in the 20th century with the use of advances in the birth control. By the 20th century, the condition of health and safety and the medical facilities for people in Canada were much better than what they were before the start of the industrial revolution. People used the newly found methods of birth control effective in reducing the rate of birth. Although there still occurred rapid growth of population in the 20th century in Canada yet the g rowth of population began to happen at a slower pace. The CBR and CDR both leveled off in the late 20th century at a low rate in Canada. Much of the growth in population

Statutory Requirements for Childcare

Statutory Requirements for Childcare MARY MCALLISTER The Early Years Statutory Framework is mandatory for all early years providers, who LEGAL force by an order made under section 39(1)(a) of the Childcare Act 2006. The safeguarding and welfare requirements are given LEGAL force by regulations make under the section 39(1)(b) of the Childcare Act 2006. Ofsted has regard to the Early Years foundation Stage (EYFS) in carrying out inspections and reports on the quality and standards of provision. The EYFS statutory framework recognises that; ‘children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring from them.’ The framework also outlines what all providers must do to safeguard children, ensure the suitability of adults who have contact with children, promote good health; manage behaviour and maintain records. Good. The statutory Framework requirements promoting the safeguarding and welfare of children were written to ensure the protection and safety from harm of every child within the Early Years Setting. Some Child Protection As part of the statutory requirements, providers must have and be able to implement a policy and procedures to safeguard children in line with the guidelines and procedures of the relevant Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB). The Framework clearly outlines the responsibility of the provider with respect to identifying and responding to the signs of possible abuse and neglect and the provision of staff training to recognise this. Suitable People The statutory framework also states that; ‘Providers must ensure that people looking after children are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles.’ Providers need to ensure that they have effective systems in place to vet anyone coming into regular contact with the children within the setting are suitable to do so. It is the responsibility of the childcare provider to obtain enhanced criminal records disclosure and barred list checks for every person aged 16 and over who; works directly with children; who lives on the premises where the childcare is being provided and/or works on the premises where the childcare is provided. The provider must keep records of all practitioners’ checks and qualifications and be able to produce this during an Ofsted inspection. Staff Qualifications, training, support and skills Staff training is recognised as being an essential part of providing high quality care. Providers need to ensure that staff is made aware of their roles and responsibilities. Their training should include; evacuation procedures, safeguarding , child protection and the policies and procedures regarding reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect and health and safety issues. The provider must also ensure that staffs have the relevant qualifications to work with children and that staff:child ratios are adhered to. At least one member of staff with a paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises at all times. Good. Health The framework outlines that policy and procedures should be in place to respond to children who are ill or infectious and the necessary steps to be taken to prevent spread of infection to other children. Administration of medicine should only occur where it has been prescribed for that child and with the parent’s written consent. Food and drink Any areas used for the preparation of food must be adequately equipped to provide healthy meals, snacks and drinks. These areas must be clean and suitable sterilisation equipment available for the preparation of food and mild for babies. Those responsible for the preparation of food and food handling must receive the appropriate up to date training. Cases of food poisoning involving two or more children on the premises must be reported to Ofsted. Failure to do so is an offence. Early years providers and practitioners have a primary responsibility for the safety of the children in their care. There are a number of legal and regulatory requirements that help protect children (and adults) in any setting; some of which have already been discussed. When considering how best to keep children safe within the setting it is important that the practitioner is familiar with the following legislation as it pertains to their particular area if practice. Managing behaviour The statutory framework states that, ‘Providers must have and implement a behaviour management policy and procedures. A named practitioner should be responsible for behaviour management, and have the necessary skills to advise other staff on behaviour issues.’ Corporal punishment should NEVER be used as a form of discipline and if used would constitute an offence. There are many ways of dealing with the various types of behaviour that can arise within an early years setting and the recommended approach is one that is child-centred and non punitive. Educational psychologist B.F. Skinner suggested that most humans and animals learn through exploring the environment and then drawing conclusions bases on the consequences of their behaviour. Skinner goes on to suggest that positive reinforcers are likely to make people repeat a behaviour in order to get something they desire. In the case of young children this could be praise, a sticker or merit award, adult attention etc. Th is, skinner believed was the most positive and effective way of encouraging new learning behaviours. Child-centred approaches to behaviour focus on the underlying causes to prevent unwelcome behaviours and can be very effective, whereas simply managing or containing behaviour may not result in longer term improvement. Good point and link to Skinners theory. While the environment in which children are cared for must be stimulating, they must also be safe. Young children have little sense of danger and so require constant adult supervision, where they are given the freedom to explore, discover and develop unhindered. Risk assessment is an important part of health and safety procedures, and the idea is to evaluate possible risks during activities and in the environment and then to consider how best to minimise them. Having a policy and procedures in place is essential as there is not only a moral duty to keep children safe, but also a legal one. The statutory framework outlines the following areas to be considered: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 This act places overall responsibility for health and safety with the employer but also on the employees, so everyone in a setting has some responsibility for the health and safety of everyone who is there. In the context of an early years setting as it pertains to the safety of the children the act covers the following: Buildings should be well maintained and designed with the safety of the users in mind, The general environment should be clean and safe. Equipment must be safely used and stored. Working practice must promote the health and safety of children. Articles and substances should be stored and used safely Adequate welfare facilities should be available Appropriate information, training and supervision should be made for the health and safety of employees. Certain injuries, diseases and occurrences should be reported to the Health and safety Executive. First Aid facilities should be provided. Employees should take care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their actions. Employees should cooperate with their employer on health and safety. Product marking: Toys and products used within the early years setting should be tested by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and carry a kite mark as proof that they have been independently tested and conform to the relevant standards. They may also carry a CE mark which indicates that the product meets the European legal requirements; however this is not a safety or quality mark. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health COSHH Regulations 2002 covers substances which can cause ill-health and the legislation lays down a step by step approach to the precautions that need to be put in place to prevent injury or illness from dangerous substances. These substances must have particular labels on them, which show the substances are dangerous and need to be kept in special containers and carefully stored. The importance of this cannot be over emphasised as children can easily ingest such substances causing considerable harm. Every person working with children is responsible for their safety. It is important that the environment children are working and playing in is regularly checked, before and during activities. The following points should be considered: Buildings and maintenance Doors opening into entrances and exits from the building must NOT be capable of being opened by young children. Emergency exits must be clear and easy to open from the inside. Floors should not have any loose rugs or pieces of carpet. Low-level glass should be safety glass of covered with a guard. Electrical sockets should be covered. Cleanliness of the general environment There should be a high standard of cleanliness throughout the building. Spillages should be immediately cleaned. Toilet areas should be regularly cleaned and checked. Food preparation areas All staff dealing with food should have a food hygiene certificate. All regulations relating to food storage should be in place. Safe storage and use of equipment Cupboards at ‘child-level’ should not contain cleaning items, knives, tools or any other potentially dangerous items. Toys with very small parts should be kept away from children under three years old. Heaters and radiators should be covered and not a risk to children. Outdoor areas Outdoor slides, swings etc. Should be safe and have impact absorbing matting provided. Young children should not be able to open gates. Sandpits should be kept covered when not in use. As a general rule equipment should be regularly checked for wear and tear, such as fraying ropes and rusty joints. Check equipment before use to ensure that it is clean and dry especially slides and steps. Children should have enough space to play and move freely without bumping into each other or objects. Appropriate adult-child ratios should be maintained and supervising adults should be able to see all the children. Good. Swings and rope ladders should be used by only one child at a time and other children discouraged from getting too close in case they are hurt by a swing or rope. First aid provision Young children invariably have accidents and injure themselves and at such times can become frightened and upset. It is the responsibility of the practitioner to know what to do in an emergency and to carry out the appropriate first aid calmly and confidently. In accordance with the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and the statutory requirements of the EYFS the early years provider must ensure that there is at least one member of staff with a current paediatric first aid certificate present at all times on the premises and that there is a well stocked up to date first aid kit available. There must be policies and procedures in place to deal with and record all accidents and their treatment as well as current phone numbers to contact parents or a designated adult in the event of a child requiring emergency treatment. In the event of serious injury or death the provider must comply with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Premises The framework states that, ‘The premises and equipment must be organised in a way that meets the needs of the children.’ The indoor space requirements are: Children under two years: 3.5m ² per child. Two year olds: 2.5m ² per child Children aged three to five years 2.3m ² per child. The provider must also ensure the following: Facilities and equipment and access to the premises are suitable as far is reasonably possible accessible to children with disabilities. That there is access to outdoor activities. Provision of a quiet area for children who wish to relax or sleep. Adequate toilet and hand washing facilities. Child care settings should have secure entrance doors that sound an alarm or require buzzer activation to alert staff to anyone coming into the premises. It is important to check that other adults coming in are allowed to be there and that they sign in and out; not only for security purposes but also in case of fire or accident on the premises. It is also important to ascertain from parents those adults who will have responsibility for collecting their child at the end of the day. There should be procedures in place for parents to inform the setting if a different adult is to collect a child at the end of the day. However the practitioner should never be afraid of challenging someone they are not familiar with. It is also important to take care when people are leaving the setting that no other children are nearby and able to slip out the door unnoticed. References: [1] Statutory Framework for the Early Years foundation Stage. (March 2012). Department of Education.  https:// www.educataion.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublications/Page1/DFE-00023-2012 [2] COSHH assessment: identifying hazard and assessing risk.  Available online at:  www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/assessment.htm. [3] Tassani, Penny; Bulman, Kath; Beith, Kate (2005) Children’s Care, Learning and Development (2nd edition), Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-435-44851-6 [4] The Health and Safety at work Act 1974  Available online at: www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm [5] RIDDOR  Available online at: www.hse.gov.uk/guidance/index.htm [6] B.F. Skinner – Operant Conditioning  www.simplepsychology.org/operant-conditioning.htm

John Stuart Mills On Liberty Essays -- essays research papers

John Stuart Mill's On Liberty Imagine going through life not questioning anything that anyone tells you. Anything that is said to be true you would just agree with and not question the statement for yourself. Imagine how blindly you would go through life not finding anything out for yourself. A good example of this is something that just happened to me today. I have always been told that the population of the United States is 240 million and I have been told that for the longest time, even recently within the last month. I was always under this assumption and never questioned it. In my sociology class, my teacher told me that it is now 260 million and has been for quite some time. I took it upon myself to look up the census information on the Internet and found out that indeed, the population is 260 million. Without ever questioning the â€Å"truth† about the population, I never would have obtained the real truth. John Stuart Mill illustrates this point in his book, On Liberty and I will discuss how he mak es these certain points.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mill claims that we may not interfere with a person’s liberty unless her or his acting freely will bring harm to others. In addition, he claims that the root cause for most of our errors in action and thought is â€Å"the fatal tendency of mankind to leave off thinking about a thing when it is no longer doubtful.† This statement is part of Mill’s initial argument promoting total freedom of both thought and discussion. The statem...

Data-collection in Qualitative Research Essay

This Chapter is about methods and techniques in data-collection during a qualitative research. We mentioned earlier that qualitative research is eclectic. That is, the choice of techniques is dependent on the needs of the research. Although this should be true for almost all social research, it is particularly so with qualitative research in that the appropriate method or techniques is often identified and adopted during the research. Qualitative research is also multi-modal. The researcher may adopt a variety of research techniques, or a combination of such, as long as they are justified by the needs. The discussion below is therefore not to identify a set of techniques unique to qualitative research, but rather, to introduce the methods and techniques most commonly used in qualitative research, and the issues related to such use. We shall introduce the methods and techniques in three broad categories: observations, interviews and study of documents. These are also the basic methods used in cultural anthropology (Bernard, 1988:62). Indeed, the discussions about qualitative research in education can be viewed as a particular case in cultural anthropology. Observations Observation usually means the researcher’s act to find out what people do (Bernard, 1988:62). It is different from other methods in that data occur not necessarily in response to the researcher’s stimulus. Observation may be obtrusive or unobtrusive. A researcher may simply sit in the corner of a school playground and observe how students behave during breaks. He may also stand by the school gate and observe how students behave at the school gate. Such cases of observation may be seen as unobtrusive. In other cases, the researchers may not apply any stimuli, but their presence per se may have some influence on the scene. The most common example in this category is classroom observation. Although the researcher may just sit quietly at the corner of a classroom, the presence of the researcher may  change the classroom climate. It is, nonetheless, still observation. Observation is a basic technique used in almost all qualitative research. Even if other methods or techniques are used, the researcher remains the most essential â€Å"sensor† or â€Å"instrument† and hence observation always counts (McCracken, 1988:18-20). For example, when interviewing is used, a qualitative researcher also takes into account the tonic or facial expressions of the informant, because they help interpret the verbal responses. Such expressions are only sensed by observation. If the interview is done in the field, then the surroundings of the interview site also provide meaningful data for the research. The surroundings can only be depicted through observation. Hence observation is indispensable in almost all occasions of qualitative research. However, the term observation may sometimes go beyond what is seen. It also pertains to what is heard, and even sometimes what is smelled. Case 4.1 provides one of such examples. Case 4.1: Classroom Observation Scheme In the IIEP project on basic education, Leung designed for the Chinese research a scheme for classroom observation. Classroom was taken as one of the environmental factors affecting students’ learning. The scheme was designed after Leung stayed in local schools for two days. The scheme did not confine itself to the performance of the teacher, although that was a part. The figure on the next page shows one of the six sections of the scheme. Different writers have different ways of classifying observations. Without running into juggling of definitions, we shall briefly introduce observations as participant observations and non-participant observations. More detailed classification of observations can be found in Bernard (1988), Goetz and LeCompte (1984) and Patton (1990). Participant Observation Participant observation is perhaps the most typical of qualitative research.  Some authors even use participant observation as a synonym for ethnographic research. Different writers may have slightly different definitions of participant observation. The following description by Fetterman is perhaps the most agreeable to most researchers. Participant observation is immersion in a culture. Ideally, the ethnographer lives and works in the community for six months to a year or more, learning the language and seeing patterns of behaviour over time. Long-term residence helps the researcher internalize the basic beliefs, fears, hopes and expectations of the people under study. (1989:45) Immersion of the participant can either be continuous or noncontinuous. The three classical cases we quoted in Chapter 1 all include participation in the continuous mode. Li’s study of classroom sociology (Cases 3.8 and 3.9) involved one year’s continuous residence. In the second and third year she went to the school three days a week. She combined continuous with noncontinuous participant observations. Fetterman used noncontinuous participation when he was doing qualitative evaluation of educational programmes. Case 4.2: Noncontinuous Visits In two ethnographic studies, of dropouts and of gifted children, Fetterman visited the programmes for only a few weeks every couple of months over a three-year period. The visits were intensive. They included classroom observation, informal interviews, occasional substitute teaching,interaction with community members, and the use of various other research techniques, including long-distance phone-calls, dinner with students’ families, and time spent hanging out in the hallways and parking lot with students cutting classes. (Fetterman, 1989:46-7) II. Environment of the classroom 1. The classroom is on the _____ floor of the school building. 2. The classroom is near ( ) residential area ( ) factories ( ) road(s) ( ) field ( ) marketplace ( ) others _______________________________________ 3. The number of windows which provide lighting and ventilation to the classroom: ( ) satisfies the required standard ( ) is below the required standard 4. The main artificial lighting facility in the classroom is: ( ) florescent tubes total no.__________________ ( ) light bulbs total no.__________________ 5. Condition of lighting during the lesson : ( ) bright ( ) dim ( ) dark 6. Ventilation in the classroom: ( ) well ventilated ( ) stuffy ( ) suffocating 7. Quality of air in the classroom: ( ) refreshing ( ) a bit smelly ( ) stingy 8. Environments for listening: ( ) very quiet ( ) occasional noise ( ) noisy 9. Classroom’s floor structure: ( ) concrete ( ) log ( ) mud ( ) carpet 10. Classroom’s floor condition: ( ) clean ( ) some litter ( ) full of rubbish 11. Classroom’s wall conditions: ( ) smooth & clean ( ) some stains ( ) dirty & damaged 12. Classroom’s area: _____________m2; area/person: _____ m2. 13. Space use in classroom: ( ) looks spatial ( ) fairly crowded ( ) very crowded 14. Furniture and other article arrangements in the classroom: ( ) orderly and tidy ( ) messy 1Figure 1 Classroom Observation Scheme (Designed by Leung Yat-ming) Whyte’s experience in the Italian slum (Case 2) is perhaps the nearest to ideal in participant observation. He stayed in the community for two years. He experienced the life of a member of the Italian slum. In Whyte’s case, native membership allows the researcher the highest level of participant observation. Most researchers are denied such an opportunity, often because of constraints in time and resources, as we have discussed at length in Chapter 3. Under all sorts of constraints, at best the researcher â€Å"lives as much as possible with and in the same manner as the individuals under investigation† (Goetz and LeCompte, 1984: 109). In these circumstances, the researchers may not claim that they was doing ethnography, but it is legitimate to apply ethnographic approach and techniques to the study (Fetterman, 1989:47). Participant observation in its broad sense therefore tolerates different lengths of time and different degrees of depth. There is a full range of possible modes of participant observation, what Wolcott calls â€Å"ethnographer sans[1] ethnography† (Wolcott, 1984: 177). The most frequent case in education is that a researcher may stay in a school and become a teacher in that school. The researcher identity may or may not be disguised. The researcher may then, as a participant, observe teachers’ behaviours in teaching, in meetings, in conversations, and so forth. Sometimes, the researcher is readily a member of the community (say, a school) and may still carry out research as a participant observer. However, in this case, the researcher should be aware of his/her knowledge of the community and should be cautious that such knowledge would not lead to preoccupations about the school under research. In cases where the researchers have successfully gained membership (as Whyte did in the Italian  slum), the distinction between a native member and the researcher-as-participant begins to blur. This insider-outsider dialectics will be further discussed later. Nonparticipant Observation Strictly speaking, nonparticipant observation involves merely watching what is happening and recording events on the spot. In the qualitative orientation, because of the non-intervention principle, strict nonparticipant observation should involve no interaction between the observer and the observed. Goetz and LeCompte assert that in the strict sense â€Å"nonparticipant observation exists only where interactions are viewed through hidden camera and recorder or through one-way mirror† (1984: 143). Dabbs (1982:41), for example, used hidden camera in Atlanta at a plaza in Georgia State University, and studied an informal group that frequently gathered during the morning break. There are examples of using hidden video-cameras in school toilets to study drug problem among students, or to use unnoticed audio recording device to study student interactions. The use of audio or video recording device often invites concern in ethnical considerations. Such problems are similar to those arising in using one-way mirrors in interviews or psychological experiments. Such cases are rare in policy-related research. Another case of nonparticipant observation with ethical problem is disguised observation, or covert observation. A typical example is Humphrey’s (1975) study on homosexual activities. He did not participate in such activities, but offered to act as â€Å"watch queen†, warning his informants when someone approached the toilet. Another famous example is Van Maanen’s covert study of police. He became practically a police recruit. Over more than a decade, he â€Å"slipped in and out† of the police in various research roles (Van Maanen, 1982). Covert observations are again rare in research which is related to educational decision-making. Hidden camera or recorder and covert observation occur only exceptionally.  Most author would accept the watching of audience behaviour during a basketball game (Fetterman, 1989:47) or the watching of pedestrian behaviour over a street as acceptable examples of nonparticipant observations. Interaction between the researcher and the social community under study is often unavoidable. We have again discussed this at length in Chapter 3 under the notion of researcher intervention. If we perceive the problem of intervention as a matter of degrees, then the distinction between participant observation and nonparticipant observation begins to blur. The general principle across the board is that the researchers should minimize their interactions with the informants and focus attention unobtrusively on the stream of events (Goetz and LeCompte, 1984:143). Wolcott’s study of school principal (Case 3) was perhaps the most intensive type of nonparticipant observation that one could find in the realm of education. (He also used other supplementary methods as mentioned in Case 3). He did live with the school for two years, but he did not participate as a school principal which was his subject of study. He saw his role as one of â€Å"participant-as-observer† (Wolcott, 1984:7). So was Li’s study (Case 3.8) of classroom sociology in her first year. She did stay with the school as a teacher but she never became a student which was her subject of study. The following two years of her study, however, was not nonparticipant observation because she applied experimental measures. During the UNICEF research in Liaoning, the basic method I used was interviewing and not nonparticipant observation, but I did have, at times, nonparticipant observation when debates occurred between the local planners and the provincial planners (Case 3.7), or when planners chat among themselves about their past experience in the field. The most frequently employed nonparticipant observation which is relevant to educational decision-making is perhaps observation at meetings. Typically, the researcher attends a meeting as an observer. The researcher tries to be as unobtrusive as possible and records everything that happens during the meeting. When Wolcott did his study on the school principal, he was present at all meetings unless he was told otherwise (Wolcott, 1984:4). The following was my experience of a non-participant observation in China. Case 4.3: A Validation Seminar I realized during the UNICEF research in Liaoning (Case 4) that one essential step in the planning for basic education in China was validation. When drafting of an education plan was complete, the draft plan had to undergo scrutiny in what is known as a validation seminar. In essence, all those related to the plan, including leaders at all levels, representatives of all relevant government departments, experts from all areas – are invited to discuss. Relevant documents are sent to the participants well in advance. They are then asked to comment on the plan during the validation exercise. Only â€Å"validated† plans are submitted to relevant machinery for legislation. The validation seminar for Liaoning was unfortunately held before the UNICEF research. I got an opportunity, however, a year after in 1988, when the Shanghai educational plan was to undergo validation. The host of the meeting agreed to send me an invitation. I attended the meeting in the name of an â€Å"external expert†, although I made clear to the host that my major task was not to contribute. They agreed. During the meeting, I was able to observe the roles of the various â€Å"actors† during the meeting. I was also able to talk to individual participants during tea breaks and meals to understand their background and their general views about educational planning. I was able to do a number of things over the two-day meeting: (a) to classify the over 40 participants into technocrats, bureaucrats, policy-makers and academics; (b) to understand the different extents in which the participants contributed to the modification of the plan; (c) the disparity in capacity among participants in terms of information and expertise; (d) the inter-relations between the different categories of actors and (e) the function of the validation exercise. In the end, I concluded that val idation was a way of legitimation, which employed both technical (expert judgement) and political (participation) means to increase the acceptability of the plan before it went for legal endorsement. The political aspect came to me as a surprise. It indicated a change in the notion of rationality among Chinese planners and policy-makers. Interviewing Interviewing is widely used in qualitative research. Compared with observation, it is more economical in time, but may achieve less in understanding the culture. The economy in time, however, makes ethnographic interviewing almost the most widely used technique in policy-related research. Interviewing is trying to understand what people think through their speech. There are different types of interviews, often classified by the degrees of control over the interview. Along this line, we shall briefly introduce three types of interviewing: informal interviewing, unstructured interviewing, semi-structured interviewing, and formally structured interviewing. We shall also briefly introduce key-informant interviewing and focus groups which are specific types of ethnographic interviewing. Qualitative research of course has no monopoly over interviewing. Interviewing is also frequently used in research of other traditions. The difference between ethnographic interviewing and interviewing in other traditions lies mainly in two areas: the interviewer-interviewee relationship and the aims of interviews. Ethnographic interviewees, or informants, are teachers rather than subjects to the researcher, they are leaders rather than followers in the interview. The major aim of the interview should not be seeking responses to specific questions, but initiating the informant to unfold data. Readers may find more detailed discussions about ethnographic interviewing in Spradley (1979) who provides perhaps the most insightful account of the subject. In-depth discussions about ethnographic interviewing can also be found in Bernard (1988), Patton (1990), Fetterman (1989) and Powney and Watts (1987). Informal Interviewing Informal interviewing entails no control. It is usually conversations that the researcher recall after staying in the field. It is different from  Ã¢â‚¬Å"observation† in that it is interactive. That is, the informant speaks to the researcher. By its own nature, informal interviewing is the most â€Å"ethnographic† in the sense that it is not responding to any formal question. It is part of the self-unfolding process.

Apush Dbq American Revolution

Though some may try to argue that the American Revolution was not a real revolution since the upper class was not displaced, it was in fact a revolution because it transferred power from an entrenched British monarchy into the hands of local state legislatures. The American Revolution was representative of a great change which occurred in the way that in Britain, parliament viewed Americans as a small cluster of people who could be taxed without representation, to where in America the government was able to see how each individual could contribute to the economy, government, and the overall well-being of America.This idea came about from the increasingly more harsh and authoritarian taxes that were being placed on the colonies, without representation, from British monarchy. In reaction to the Tea Act, one of the taxes placed on imported goods to America, the New York Sons of Liberty wrote several resolutions to protest against it.These resolutions were signed by all different social classes, which signifies a change in society, because while in Britain only the wealthy and educated were permitted to participate in governmental choices, a very broad spectrum of society was able to be an active participant in how they wanted their government to be run. Although the lower class was not necessarily in congress, their ideas were able to represented by the people that they elected to express their ideas.Some who wish to argue the idea that the American Revolution was not a full revolution may bring into light the women of the revolution, and how there was not a huge change for them. Even though their was not an extremely significant change for them, American women were given a multitude of rights that were not given to women in Britain at the time. The women of America were able to go out to war with the men to protect them, and at times even take their place when a man was wounded and could not fulfill his duties on the battlefield.Additionally, they were often left in charge of the business and upholding of the household when their husbands went out to war. In summation, American women played many roles that were not typical of them in that time period; showing a revolutionary new way of thinking that involved women. After the surrender at Yorktown, a cartoon by James Gillray was made as a warning to the British that since they were able to defeat the British once, they could do it again should they try to overtake America and their freedoms again.While this act in itself was not a revolution, it was representative of the revolutionary ideas in the works of the United States of America. The American Revolution was the transference of power from a monarchial government to that of a representative democracy that was able to reflect the ideas and desires of all free white men of America; indicating that it was in actuality a revolution and not an expeditious rebellion.

8 Tips for Students Starting College

8 Tips for Students Starting College With so many options available for college students, knowing how to make wise choices becomes critical for success. These eight tips can help set you up for a strong first-year experience. 1. Goto Class This is number one for a reason. College is an amazing experience, but you cant stay if you fail your courses. Missing class is one of the worst things you can do. Remember: your goal is to graduate. How are you going to do that if you cant even make it to class regularly?​ 2. Participate in Events Early on- Especially During Orientation Lets be honest: not all events aimed at first-year students are super exciting. Tours of the library and silly-sounding mixers may not be your thing. But they connect you to the campus, help you meet people, and prepare you for academic success. So roll your eyes if you must, but go.​ 3. Don't Go Home Every Weekend This can be especially tempting if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend at home or if you live close to your school. But going home every weekend prevents you from connecting with other students, getting comfortable with your campus, and making it your new home.​ 4. Take Risks Do things that are outside of your comfort zone. Never been to a program that explored a certain religion? Never tried a kind of food thats available in the cafeteria? Never introduced yourself to someone from a certain country? Step outside of your comfort zone and take some risks. You went to college to learn new stuff, right?​ 5. Sign Up for a Class You Know Nothing About Just because youre pre-med doesnt mean you cant take a course in astronomy. Expand your horizons and take a subject you never even considered.​ 6. Learn How to Say "No" This may be one of the most challenging skills to learn when youre first in school. But saying yes to everything that sounds fun, interesting, and exciting will lead you to trouble. Your academics will suffer, your time management will be horrible, and youll burn yourself out.​ 7. Ask for Help BeforeIt's Too Late Colleges are generally pretty good places; no one there wants to see you do poorly. If youre struggling in a class, ask your professor for help or go to a tutoring center. If youre having a hard time adjusting, talk to someone in the counseling center. Fixing a smaller problem is almost always easier than fixing a big one.​ 8. Stay on Top of Your Finances and Financial Aid It can be easy to forget that appointment with the Financial Aid Office or that deadline by which you had to submit a simple form. If you let your finances slip, however, you can quickly find yourself in a lot of trouble. Make sure youre sticking with ​your budget throughout the semester and that you always know the status of your financial aid package.

Carters Paper

Carters Paper Carters Paper Carter Luedtke Mr. Bakker English 9 7 May 2013 Fighting: Not Always the Answer We all love to have fights, but sometimes it isn’t the answer especially when there are lives at stake. Romeo and Juliet shows a lot of examples of fighting that don’t end in very good terms. The fighting between the two families had a big effect because of course they lost several lives that could have been avoided. There are also many examples of this kind of conflict now a days with gangs all around the globe. The two families are basically a gang in a fantasy world so they could relate to the unnecessary fighting. Romeo and Juliet is relevant today because it shows fighting isn’t always the answer. In the story, all of the fighting between the two families was obviously a feud that happened in the past. The two families were probably once good friends, but something happened and they somehow couldn't let the past go. The fighting between the Capulets and Montagues lost 5 lives. Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Montagues Wife, and Pari s were all victims in this pointless fighting. a religious man Friar Laurence even said, â€Å"But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love.(2.3.9),† which basically means that even he thinks that the fighting is not the answer and they should be united. If they never had a feud in the first place, Romeo and Juliet didn't have to hide their love for eachother. Fighting in the story was in fact solved by the deaths, but the deaths are still more extraordinary than the feud. The Prince even told the two families about their actions and how the life of their relatives are more important. The Prince said, â€Å"Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague!See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.And I for winking at your discords too Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punished.† (5.3.291). The famili es even got punished for their actions which is very much like todays system with gangs and other types of family clans. Gangs now a days are more than likely to get punished for whatever they do that is troublesome. Like in Romeo and Juliet you could argue that the families are the cause of death of Romeo, Juliet. Paris, Montagues Wife, and Benvolio. When you get thrown in jail for fighting, is the

A Critical Review Of Che Guevaras The Motorcycle Diaries

A Critical Review Of Che Guevara's The Motorcycle Diaries â€Å"The Motorcycle Diaries† is a story of an eight thousand mile trip that begins from Argentina to Peru. The trip involves two people; Ernesto Guevara and his friend, Alberto Granado, whom they travel together using a motorcycle as they pass through different countries with different landscapes. The young men are on a duty to explore the different parts of the world they had never visited before. The quest of the adventurers in the movie is to see the things they had only read from books about the continent on which they live, more so the physical landscapes of different regions. The Change in Physical Landscapes The physical landscapes change as Ernesto and Alberto travel from Argentina to Chile, and to Peru. The two travel through five different countries starting with Argentina. They pass through the mountains, for example, the Andes where they had to endure very low temperatures. Initially, they travelled through a landscape where the sun shined, and the land was quite warm before they reached Chile, a land full of snow. Ernesto and Alberto also travelled through the Pampas; very large and fertile pieces of land. While in Peru, the two went through the Lowlands and the Tropical rainforest. While in Columbia, they came across part of the Andes Mountain. The terrain in Columbia was also mountainous as in Chile. There was no difference for Alberto and Ernesto in Venezuela, which was the last country they travelled through. The country also had a lot of mountains, with the climate being the tropical type. The change in physical landscapes during the journey involving Alberto and Ernesto is evident when their motorcycle turns over a number of times during the trip. In different occasions, the motorcycle skids out from under the two and even land into a ditch. The mountainous terrain and the lowlands could have been the cause of the turning of the motorcycle. Cultural Differences Encountered by Ernesto and Alberto While travelling, Alberto and Ernesto encounter cultural differences as they travel through the region. Firstly, the two come to the realization that the official language spoken by the people in the area they are going through is Spanish. Even the Indians in Chile speak Spanish. Besides, Alberto and Ernesto encounter a culture where strangers are warmly welcomed without fear. For instance, In Chile, the Mesties and the Indians are both very social, and they are willing to make available foodstuff, clothes, and a sleeping place to the strangers. It is in the culture of the people of Chile to wear Chamants; a type of clothing that look like ponchos with lots of colors. In Peru, they encounter a group of people who still practice the ancient cultures. The people in an old city called Machu Pichu, for instance believe in the preservation of cultures. Alberto and Ernesto realize that the city is still very old fashioned, and far behind a lot of things. In Columbia, the two notice that it is in the culture of the nation to practice Roman-Catholic faith. In Venezuela, there are different types of religions including the Indian religion and Christianity. The Change of Mind for Alberto and Ernesto In the movie, Ernesto and Alberto seem to come from an economically stable community that does not value the lives of others who are poor. As they travel, they are surprised by the poverty levels in most of the countries. They also get amazed by the social nature of the inhabitants of the countries they travel through. They notice the alarming difference between the rich and the poor, a situation that does not seem to be in existence in their home country. Alberto and Ernesto encounters a type of life that makes them change their minds about the world. It is during their journey that they realize that there are people who are very poor and engage in different religions. The different landscapes they go through also make them change their views on the physical nature of the world. The two adventurers notice that the people who have almost nothing possess the virtue of sharing whatever little they possess. Alberto and Ernesto learn to care about others and through that, they change their social and economic aspects. The change in mind is evident when Ernesto, under the name Che Guevara, would later go on to become a world-renowned communist revolutionary. He played a vital role in Cuba in 1959 during the communist revolution. Geographical Imagination of Latin America The film reinstated my geographical imagination of Latin America given that some of the regions visited by Alberto and Ernesto have the natural resources I ever imagined. The two adventurers visited Chuquicamata Copper mine that I did not have a clear idea of its Location. It is apparently Chile’s source of wealth. My imagination of the varied terrain in Latin America was proved to be true by Alberto and Ernesto, who travelled through mountainous terrains and lowlands in the region. In conclusion, the film is an incredible drama that hopefully is a lesson to viewers. The experience Alberto and Ernesto go through changes their lives, and more lives may be changed by the film, as it happened to Ernesto; an iconic communist revolutionary.

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Psychology - Essay Example From among the known brain functions, this paper chooses to discuss memory and how it can be improved through the reading of newspapers. Unlike the other sources of news and information that are used at intervals, newspaper reading is a daily activity and thus expected to work better in enhancing memory, which some psychologists say can be done through frequent repetition (Anderson, 1976). Three distinct types of memory are set in the psychology literature: sensory, short-term and long-term memory. Memory is considered sensory when people see more than they can actually report (Baddeley, 2000), suggesting that information is received through the senses and emotions rather than through the brain. Consequently, it involves a memory span of only a few hundred milliseconds and a capacity of only about 12 items (Anderson, 1976). As such, this type of memory degrades quickly. There is a similar limitation in capacity for short-term memory although the duration extends up to a minute. As for long-term memory, it can store much larger quantities of information for prolonged periods of time, sometimes even for a whole life span. This type of memory can either be declarative or procedural, which differ in the way the mind processes information. It is declarative when, like sensory memory, information is received based on sensations, emotions and personal associations regarding time or place, while it is procedural when memory functions well because of repetition (Snowden, 2001). Whatever the types of memory people are prone to, many studies show that memory functions can be improved through rehearsal and repetition. This means that people with sensory and short-term memory can store information for long-term purposes if they receive it repeatedly and they are forced to retrieve the information for daily use (Baddeley, 2000). Not all psychologists share this view,

Business Opportunities in Brunei Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Opportunities in Brunei - Essay Example Brunei is a members of ASEAN, United Nations Organization and the Organization of Islamic Conference. In spite of great political changes, Brunei is still a sultanate headed by Hassanal Bolkiah. The official language is Malay but business companies and organization understand English and Chinese. The currency of the country is Brunei dollar (Brunei. Brunei Country Reports 2008). The uniqueness of Brunei business culture is that it is influenced by Hinduism and Islam. Similar to other Asian coulters, Brunei culture has no clearly defined division between religion, philosophy and business. Faith and philosophy are lived every day as a way of life. To understand the Brunei businessmen, for example in the context of business leadership, it is important to understand the principles by which they live and to what extent the teachings of their philosophers are still applicable today (Brunei. The World Factbook 2008). They are extremely good at exploiting opportunities and at deal-making; they are masters of financial, in particular cash, management; in short, they are a result of a long series of opportunistic tactical moves. They are persistent, enduring and may survive in business for a long time by simply accumulating slim short-term gains. Historically, one characteristic of the Brunei business leaders is that their power rests on high flexibility, adaptabilit y and political pragmatism.

IP3 performance aprasals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IP3 performance aprasals - Essay Example  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 3. Coaching Skill Coaching Skill for problem solving, training, developing, and improving performance of employees  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 4. Delegation and Supervisory Skill Delegation and Supervisory Skill signifies the responsibilities of subordinates; recognizes the abilities and skills of employees and assigns task accordingly; counsels and guides the employees in any situation and encourages them to perform effectively in an independent manner  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 5. Planning and Scheduling Skill Planning and Scheduling Skill requires systematical distribution of task among the employees and making available utilization of resources; planning the entire task before allocation and creating proper time schedule  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Low  Bad Comments: 2.0 Justification The five specific skills have been mentioned with respect to the front-line supervisor. These skills are significantly required by the supervisors for effective functioning in the workplace. The performance grading form has been prepared by considering the skills and responsibilities of supervisor. The main purpose of rating is to provide feedback to the supervisors regarding their performance so that they can be motivated and can improve their performance standard. The rating scale from 1 to 9 has been considered which ranges from excellent to bad. The individual performance standard can be appraised from this rating scale. As there was no performance appraisal technique in the organization, thus the employees were less motivated and had no positive attitude towards the work. The leadership skill is essential for a supervisor as it relates to the direction of the employees and to lead them in proper way so that they can achieve the goals of the organ ization. Thus, for this skill, 20% weight has been assigned. The planning and scheduling is also an important skill of supervisor. The supervisor is required to plan the entire task of the employees and make proper time schedule for each employee. The skill has been provided weight of 20% based on its importance. The communication skill is a significant factor for the supervisors but this skill is not as important as compared to other skills. The skill enables a supervisor to make good interpersonal communication so that the employees can understand the problems that arise in workplace and can provide effective solution against it (Blair, n.d.). A front-line supervisor needs excellent coaching skill in order to train the employees, develop their inner competencies, resolve their dilemma and help them to improve the performance. The coaching skill is provided 20% weightage because this skill is extremely significant for supervisor. Proper coaching to the employees will help them to e nhance their skills and can also help them to resolve all the dilemmas that may possibly take place in their life related to critical situations of workplace. This skill also improves the efficiency of supervisor for regular training and guiding to the

Going Hi-tech at DrugDiv Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Going Hi-tech at DrugDiv - Essay Example The employees underwent intensive computer training for at least three days.Management was pleased with their efforts of what seemed like upgrading their division with technological advances. On the other hand, the sales representatives were disgruntled with the additional work of logging into technology and being less efficient due to their adjustment to the new tasks at hand. Glitches were also experienced with regards to the database, thereby losing prospective clients. They find themselves spending so much time learning to make their computers work, taking the time they need to do their real job which was sales. On top of that, they felt they were â€Å"ball-chained† to their supervisors who were able to reach them anytime through their computers and mobile phones, demanding reports more often than before. The sales reps were finding out for themselves that the introduction of technology in their jobs was more of a hassle than a help. Management-side stuck to their guns refusing to see systems failure. Instead, they attributed the data errors in the database as human failure to encode data correctly. This caused more conflict and division among the management and sales force. Meanwhile, the company was not doing very well in terms of service to customers and therefore, projected profits were low. The case study was concluded with management’s lack of commitment to involve the sales force. Grievances of the sales reps regarding heavy workload and increased control over their activities remained issues that management did not deal with. The prevailing organizational problems seen in the case study was a violation of a â€Å"psychological contract†, breakdown in communication in the introduction of technology in the sales work, ineffective transfer of knowledge of the benefits of technology use.

Understanding Health Disparities in Populations Assignment

Understanding Health Disparities in Populations - Assignment Example Lack of patients to offer services can result to losses in several aspects such as drug that might expire or the huge wages and bills without a return. The results show that Motivational Interviewing is the major coaching method used in healthcare centers. Therefore, the staff providing care services to the society needs a cultural background of the local community in order to deliver effective services that favor the wellness and goodness of the patient. In relation to cognitive theory outlined in the question, the healthcare providers need to change their tactics of service delivery depending to the target clients. The theory is used in the study when the cultural competency occur, especially during the recognition of illness and healthy of a patient by their cultural heritage contexts. In this case, the nurses need to adopt interpersonal and academic skills to increase their appreciation and understanding the patients from a cultural diverse community. The most effective strategy to make the health behavioral change is through training of both the patients and service providers. Training empowers both health practitioners and the patients to increase their knowledge of service delivery and develop adaptive mechanisms in cultural dynamics that benefits the minority

IP3 performance aprasals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IP3 performance aprasals - Essay Example  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 3. Coaching Skill Coaching Skill for problem solving, training, developing, and improving performance of employees  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 4. Delegation and Supervisory Skill Delegation and Supervisory Skill signifies the responsibilities of subordinates; recognizes the abilities and skills of employees and assigns task accordingly; counsels and guides the employees in any situation and encourages them to perform effectively in an independent manner  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Bad  Low Comments: 5. Planning and Scheduling Skill Planning and Scheduling Skill requires systematical distribution of task among the employees and making available utilization of resources; planning the entire task before allocation and creating proper time schedule  Excellent  High  Good  Fair  Average  Mediocre  Poor  Low  Bad Comments: 2.0 Justification The five specific skills have been mentioned with respect to the front-line supervisor. These skills are significantly required by the supervisors for effective functioning in the workplace. The performance grading form has been prepared by considering the skills and responsibilities of supervisor. The main purpose of rating is to provide feedback to the supervisors regarding their performance so that they can be motivated and can improve their performance standard. The rating scale from 1 to 9 has been considered which ranges from excellent to bad. The individual performance standard can be appraised from this rating scale. As there was no performance appraisal technique in the organization, thus the employees were less motivated and had no positive attitude towards the work. The leadership skill is essential for a supervisor as it relates to the direction of the employees and to lead them in proper way so that they can achieve the goals of the organ ization. Thus, for this skill, 20% weight has been assigned. The planning and scheduling is also an important skill of supervisor. The supervisor is required to plan the entire task of the employees and make proper time schedule for each employee. The skill has been provided weight of 20% based on its importance. The communication skill is a significant factor for the supervisors but this skill is not as important as compared to other skills. The skill enables a supervisor to make good interpersonal communication so that the employees can understand the problems that arise in workplace and can provide effective solution against it (Blair, n.d.). A front-line supervisor needs excellent coaching skill in order to train the employees, develop their inner competencies, resolve their dilemma and help them to improve the performance. The coaching skill is provided 20% weightage because this skill is extremely significant for supervisor. Proper coaching to the employees will help them to e nhance their skills and can also help them to resolve all the dilemmas that may possibly take place in their life related to critical situations of workplace. This skill also improves the efficiency of supervisor for regular training and guiding to the

Understanding Health Disparities in Populations Assignment

Understanding Health Disparities in Populations - Assignment Example Lack of patients to offer services can result to losses in several aspects such as drug that might expire or the huge wages and bills without a return. The results show that Motivational Interviewing is the major coaching method used in healthcare centers. Therefore, the staff providing care services to the society needs a cultural background of the local community in order to deliver effective services that favor the wellness and goodness of the patient. In relation to cognitive theory outlined in the question, the healthcare providers need to change their tactics of service delivery depending to the target clients. The theory is used in the study when the cultural competency occur, especially during the recognition of illness and healthy of a patient by their cultural heritage contexts. In this case, the nurses need to adopt interpersonal and academic skills to increase their appreciation and understanding the patients from a cultural diverse community. The most effective strategy to make the health behavioral change is through training of both the patients and service providers. Training empowers both health practitioners and the patients to increase their knowledge of service delivery and develop adaptive mechanisms in cultural dynamics that benefits the minority

Strategies for counter terrorism in United States Essay Example for Free

Strategies for counter terrorism in United States Essay Strategies for counter-terrorism in United States Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   September 9/11 is a day that many people will never forget. It’s a day that’s the world’s peace was on the line. The attack on the world’s trade center proved that terrorism is a real threat in the world. That day I watched TV in shock watching people crying and wailing in pain. Many souls perished in the attack and others were maimed seriously. Counter-terrorism is an action taken to prevent the activities of political groups who use violence to try to achieve their aims. To come up with an effective counter-terrorist strategy, state government need the aim terrorists ‘ interest and goal in their state and what they aim to achieve in their mission. This analysis entails how terrorism occurs and the strategies that America has taken to counter it and challenges of each strategy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The word terrorism originates from the word terrero which is in Latin, meaning fear. Usually terrorists are taken as Middle Eastern men who are motivated by their beliefs to harm innocent people. Unfortunately this vice is diverse, found everywhere in the world and used for any imaginable goal. Mostly terrorists are religiously or politically motivated. There are those homegrown and international. For the homegrown they organize and do it in their country (Cindy C Combs, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The word terrorism brings fear into many people while others misunderstand it. Terrorists are usually ideologically motivated whereby they use violence towards civilians so as to create fear and panic hoping to change policies or laws in a given country. There various practices used by terrorists to propagate their activities. One way terrorists is to create civil disorder. This can vary from legal protestation to illegal intimidation to the government. Various countries condone different dissent levels whereas in other peaceful assembly this is taken as terrorism. For sure destructive terrorism forms are religious, political, and quasi political. The political terrorist performs the terrorism hopping to change policies, normally in reference to profession, color or creed. The quasi political terrorism is one whereby terrorist’s tactics are used for personal gain. Finally religious terrorism looks at proliferating a person’s belief in the expense of others (Cindy C Combs, 2003). A firm stand should be taken against terrorism since it is very cruel and unjust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Terrorism goes in and around diplomatic process with a purpose of disrupting safety and peace so as to achieve a goal. For many terrorists, a mission successful is considered when thousands of helpless, children and women lie as corpses in the streets. What many terrorist do is to set as small bomb maybe in a building which results in killing say, forty people and later detonate a larger bomb when crowd of people, policemen and medics gather to witness the outcome.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Terrorists attacks have taken place like hundred times in America and the exact figures are not clear since distinction between political violence and the domestic one is blurred. From the year 1999, there have been over fifty terror attacks which are separate, on domestic soil. According to the FBI’s NCTC records, there were over eleven thousand five hundred terror acts in the entire world by the year 2011. These attacks occurred in seventy two countries and led to approximately fifty thousand casualties of which thirteen thousand two hundred of the fifty thousand casualties suffered extreme trauma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each American government agency concerned with counterterrorism, has a purpose in the war against terror. The mission of Federal Bureau of Investigation is to counteract terrorist cells and operatives in United States and to aid in dismantling terrorists networks globally. In United States, numerous agencies including State Department, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency are mandated to counter terrorism. The main objective of the National Counter-terrorism Center is to orchestrate and integrate the formidable abilities of the American government devoted to defeating the threat of international terrorism and reducing the terror to Unites States interests at home and overseas (Jim S., 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Counter terrorism strategy was paramount in the US national security even before the September 9/11 attacks. This is depicted whereby from the year 1958 to the year 1999, over forty legal acts dealing with war reinforcement against terrorism in a ranging degree were adopted. This acts brought about empowering of the state authority and also the agencies of law enforcement to detect and also repress the terrorism act in United States and overseas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most of the states use varied goals and sub-goals that dictate their counterterrorism policies. These vary depending on the state’s economic and political situation. Some of these goals include; preventing the attack, getting rid of terrorists and motivation and minimizing casualties and damages should the terrorist attack occur (Michael B. Kraft, Edward M., 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Over the decade, United States has had high level of involvement in counter-terrorism actions. The time of struggle during which it fought against terrorism can be divided into two phases: this is after and before the occurrence of the 11th Sep, 2001. Phase one of counterterrorism is in relation to 1980s to 1990s. In this phase there were clear distinguished tendencies such as: use of military forces and new technologies. They used of military forces to fight international terrorist especially bombing their bases and their agencies. One of these operations was held during autumn-inter the year 2001 in Afghanistan. According to Bush G.W, they joined hands with the afghan people to overthrow the Taliban regime— the defenders of the al-Qaida network- and supported a new democratic government to rise in its place. In the field of information technology, there has been a defense by the United States: the data system and the supervisory c ontrol that are applied in the oil and gas industries, pharmaceutical. In the water supply system, and in chemicals are very vulnerable since the implementation of the information technology. The attack of computers by viruses will have to play a vital role in military. Moreover, united States plan a major role in helping train new agents for counterterrorism in other countries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Phase two started since autumn the year 2001. Thousands of people from eighty eight countries died as a result of 11th September attack. This attack led to the realization of the vulnerability of any country in the hands of terrorist. These have led to expansion of anti-terrorism cooperation in many countries. According to Paul Pillar, CRI agent who is working on Middle East countries and south Asia,’ the campaign against terrorism must be as diverse as terrorism itself’. He gave the difference among the following various counterterrorism measures; (1) The diplomacy which recognizes no borders among states, (2) the combination of many measures that complement one another, (3) blocking financial support to terrorists groups or even their sponsoring states. They would also try to track their cash flows though very difficult, (4) use of a considerably weak military force. Terroristic bases are normally not large targets and ther efore easy to destroy unlike the military bases which presents a large stationary, (5) intelligence activity is the most crucial tool to deal with terrorism. The challenge with this tool is that most of the terrorists’ data is fragmented, pregnant with meanings and usually highly questionable, (6) they would also combine different measures which complement each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the America’s main strategies of combating terrorism is diplomatic actions and economic sanctions against countries that tend to back-up terrorism activities. The best example of this is the United Nations mandating and leading international sanctions against West African country—Libya due to the role it played in backing up terrorists who were involved in the bombing of Pan Am 103 in the year 1988.this was the first action that the entire world community took against terrorism. The United States sternly led this action with nations now being aware that US would discipline nations that support terrorism (Spindlove, C. E., 2007)..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second strategy which included objectives and policies such strengthening coalitions to beat global terrorism was initiated in the year 2002.the main objective of this strategy is to compel other nations’ government to indentify and destroy terrorist organizations. For instance, when President George Bush was planning war on Iraq, he encouraged Americans to use the full influence they have and work hand in hand with allies and friends to ensure that all actions of terrorists are illegal so that terrorism is perceived as unacceptable behavior that no reputable government can support. This strategy depicts America as using a policy of global coercion but at the time of this strategy, America was waging a war on Iraq. One of the main challenges of this strategy is that it used weapons of mass destructions and the fear of terrorism to help gain back-up for the war using a policy of ‘’your nation is either with us or aga inst us.’’ (Spindlove, C. E., 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The former U.S.A president said that the United States can no longer rely on deterrence to keep the terrorists at bay or defensive measure to thwart them at the last moment. The fight must be taken to the enemy, to keep them on the run. In order to succeed, America need the support and concert action of friends and allies (Bush G.W., 2010, p.8). Conquered with the president, â€Å"in this task of eradication, â€Å"deterrence† is a mere tactic†¦..to succeed in the long run, however ,the united state must address root causes or a next generation of terrorists will emerge. â€Å"They promised to make better the performance of making of decision, action and also for centralized decisions. They also said that the actions would be decided by those who can understand the political, military and also economic boundaries. They are the central authorities. Broad-front strategy, though seen as unwise and wasteful is what united state s hould conduct. As they have been dealing with issues of terrorists organizations, such as al Qaeda, the U.S.SA as realized that the head or the heat of the beast is never single. This means that the center of gravity to look at when attacking may not be there. Bush G.W. has outlined the main objects in the plan of fighting terrorism in United States. He said that the fight entails use of military force including other national power instruments to kill or catch the terrorists, refuse to give them safe haven, or power over any nation. Block them from getting access to WMD, and obstruct their means of support. This plan is also targeted on continuation of political reforms to guard peaceful Muslims in the whole world in their faith. He also said that responsible Islamic leaders should dissociate from an ideology that alters and exploits the Islam for ends that are destructive and rapes a proud religion. (Bush G.W., 2010, p.23).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The main counterterrorism plans are based on pre-emption, prevention, consequence management and defense. America is pursuing preemptive and proactive strategies to combat terrorism. The American security strategy is that of protection of its citizens and assets as it sees deterring and defeating terrorists as the ground for this defense. One of the main challenges of these policies is that they have internal conflict within themselves. On one hand, they seek to promote free and open societies globally while on the other hand, they seek to fight tyranny and terrorists. These strategies contradict each other as America is seen as promoting free and open societies while it benefits itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   US usually attach much importance to getting from friendly countries rights to use their territory and tools for the USA armed forces, together with making the improved operating basis in dangerous and regions that are unstable. Today American troops are all over in one hundred and thirty countries of the world, in regards to Heritage Foundation. Most of these troops are majored in Arabic countries, together with Iraq base, Qatar, Kuwait and also in UAE (Spindlove, C. E., 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion terrorism is a danger to world’s peace and stability. No groups of people should kill innocent people in the name of religion politics or ethnicity. Instead people from all religions, political or ethnic background should co-exist together and embrace peace. Unfortunately the terrorists consider a mission successful when hundreds of innocent souls lie in pools of blood. World leaders should unite their people and encourage them to shun away from terrorism and other related violence. The America’s counterterrorist policy is based on prevention; deterrence, pre-emption and limiting consequences if the act cannot be prevented. It also uses coercion as a strategy to help to strengthen coalitions for its strategies. America feels that exclusive of strong alliances and support from its friends and allies, terrorism will continue to grow and at one point, be a danger to its people and assets. References   Bush, George W. (2010).  Decision Points. Crown Publishers. pp.  399–400. Palestinian extremists, many affiliated with the terrorist group Hamas, launched a wave of terrorist attacks against innocent civilians in IsraelMy views [on Israel and Hamas] came into sharper focus after 9/11. Cindy C Combs (2003), Terrorism in the Twenty First Century, (3rd Edition, New Jersey: Pearsons Educ. Inc.) Jim Saxton. (2001). Patterns of Global Terrorism and Threats to the U.S:Hearing before the Special Oversight Panel on Terrorism. Washington D.C: Diane Publishing Co. Michael B. Kraft, Edward Marks.(2012) . U.S Government Counterterrorism: A Guide to Who Does What. New York:CRC press. Paul R. Pillar.(2003). Terrorism and U.S Foreign Policy: Washington, D.C: R.R. Donnelley and Sons Harrisonburg, Virginia Spindlove, C. E. (2007). Terrorism Today. The Past, The Players, The Future. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Source document

Chronic Urinary Tract Infections Treatment Case Nursing Essay

Chronic Urinary Tract Infections Treatment Case Nursing Essay RP, a 72-year-old Caucasian female, was brought to the emergency room (E.R) from Hillcrest Adult Foster Care via ambulance. Preadmission report to F-300 stated that she came to E.R confused, lethargic and weak, complaining of acute pain upon urination. She also urinated small amounts ( Upon arrival to F-300 RPs labs revealed significantly lowered thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH), a lowered red blood cell (RBC) count, along with decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit (HH). Her white blood (WBC) count was elevated, as expected with a urinary tract infection (UTI). Primary Diagnosis and Priority Secondary diagnosis The primary medical diagnosis was chronic urinary tract infections, with a secondary diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Patient History RP has a history of chronic UTIs, hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease (stage III), and chronic anemia. She has several admissions the past few months related mainly to UTIs and dehydration. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY/ETILOGY OF THE PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS AND PRIORITY SECONDARY DIAGNOSIS UTIs are the results of infection, mainly from bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. This leads to a condition referred to as cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). Most common of the UTIs are from infection known as infectious cystitis. A bacterium, the most common cause of infectious cystitis, is from the external urethra, this spreads inwards to the bladder (distal to proximal). Once a bacterium migrates to the bladder and starts the process of growing, it can migrate to other parts of the body (Ignatavicius Workman, 2006). UTIs present with symptoms that include frequency, urgency, retention, burning, foul odor, and incontinence. According to Wikipedia, four stages must be met in order for bacteria to grow. These include an infectious agent, one that must be able to grow, multiply and enter the body. Once we have the agent, the bacteria must find a portal of entry, (how it enters the body). Once in the body it needs an adequate reservoir, a place where organisms can thrive and multiply and the susceptibility of host, how bacteria affects the body after entry. Determents include age, overall health and other co-morbidities of the host and the susceptibility to pathogens. Most UTIs first grow in the perineal area due to irritation; in RPs case this may have been caused by lack of personal hygiene due to being overly fatigued, brought on by her hypothyroidism. Minton (2009) stated, Thyroid is the most important hormone in the body. Because it stimulates the production of cellular energy, production of all other hormones will be negatively impacted when thyroid hormone levels are less than optimal. Every aspect of health is affected by low thyroid function. Hypothyroidism is signaled by fatigue and loss of energy. According to textbook, hypothyroidism is the result of decreased metabolism from low levels of thyroid hormones (THs). Low levels of THs may be a result of several different reasons: thyroid cells may fail to produce sufficient amounts, or the cells themselves are damaged. The patient may not be ingesting enough of the substances needed to make THs, especially iodide and tyrosine. Low levels of THs affect most tissue and organs causing decreased cellular energy. The patient could become confused, lethargic, and have slowing of intellectual functions. ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL IMPACT OF RELEVANT MEDICAL HISTORY ON THE PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS AND PRIORITY SECONDARY DIAGNOSIS RP has a history of chronic UTIs that has caused numerous admits to the hospital over the last few months. UTIs that are left untreated may and can cause damage to the kidneys and start the process of renal failure. Chronic infection of the kidneys causes scar tissue, which decreases the function of the renal system. With renal failure, the body cannot rid itself of certain toxins that may contribute to UTIs. Chronic UTIs may lead to chronic pyelonephritis, repeated upper tract infection of bacteria that migrates from the bladder superior (toward the kidney) to the kidneys. RPs diagnosis of chronic renal failure may be heightened by the chronic UTIs. Hypothyroidism and anemia, that cause fatigue and loss of energy, will discourage you from providing adequate hygiene. This encourages bacterial growth, which may start the chain of events leading up to a UTI. RP resides at an extended care facility that may not have adequate staff to assure that she receives the necessary amounts of iodide and tyrosine needed stimulate TH production. She is also very confused which would decrease her understanding of the importance of proper nutritional intake. MEDICAL MANAGEMENT: CHRONIC URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS And Hypothyroidism A urine sample must be obtained either by a clean catch method or if client unable, by straight catheter method. A catheter method was used on RP, due to her confusion and retention. Urinalysis testing for leukocyte esterase (n=negative) and nitrate (n=none), along with a WBC (n= 0-4) are specifically for diagnosis of a UTIs (Mosbys 2006). Normal urine should appear clear with a yellow tint present (Mosbys 2006). A noticeable smell should not be present in uninfected urine; RPs urine had a pungent odor noted. RPs leukocyte esterase was 3+ and her nitrate was positive. WBCs were to numerous to count. These results determined that RP did have a UTI. Blood work was noted that RPs thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was 0.05 (n=2-10). This confirmed the diagnosis of hypothyroidism. NURSING MANAGEMENT: URINARY TRACT INFECTION Recommended textbook intervention is to monitor for signs of UTIs. This includes, but not limited to: frequency, urgency, dysuria, incontinence, pyuria. In some older adults the only sign may be an increase in mental confusion or frequent, unexplained falls. RP was on Q-4 hour vital sign assessment, paying close attention to any increase in temperature and/or heart rate. The patient remained afebrile throughout admission. Heart rate remained between 80-90 beats per minute. Respiratory rate remained between 16-20 breaths per minute. Due to her confusion, bed alarms and padded side rails were used. She had a high fall risk assessment; therefore fall risk precautions were implemented upon admission. She was placed on strict intake and output (IO), and her fluids were monitored. She was instructed to drink required amount of fluid per day (1500ml). Staff member offered bedside commode every two hours to encouraging voiding. She and family members were informed as to the importance of RP to remain dry. This will limit the environmental factors needed for bacterial growth. RN (preceptor) communicated with adult foster care on the needs of the client after discharge. Lab results were also monitored closely for any change that would indicate worsening infection. PHARMACOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT: URINARY TRACT INFECTION AND HYPOTHYROIDISM Textbook recommends medications that treat bacteria and the promotion of client comfort. Cure is dependent on the antibiotic level achieved in the urine. Long-term antibiotic therapy is recommended for chronic UTIs (Ignatavicius Workman, 2006). RP received, via intravenous therapy (IV), Azactam (antibiotic) per Dr. order, to treat her infection. Paroxetine mesylate (antianxiety agent, antidepressant) 30 mg by mouth daily, used to decrease anxiety. Also given Levothyroxine (hormone) as a thyroid supplement. PROVIDER AND MANAGER ROLE: NURSING CARE PLAN Priority Nursing Diagnosis P Impaired urinary elimination R Incontinence due to urinary tract infection C Acute lower tract pain 7/10 upon urination, Priority Patient Goal The patient will be able to state absence of pain or excessive urination by discharge AEB: Pain upon urination 0/10, Decreased urge to void, Empting bladder completely Three Priority Nursing Interventions The nurse will monitor patient for incomplete emptying of bladder by using bladder scan post void. The nurse will encourage patient to drink water at each meal. The nurse will instruct patient on the signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Evaluation of Progress toward Patient Goal The patient was able to recite some signs of UTIs to nurse. She recognized pain on urination and foul odor as signs of an infection. The patient was reluctant to drink water at any one time. She continued to have incontinent periods, but this was less frequent on day of discharge. The patient partially met the goals put forth for her. PROVIDER AND MANAGER ROLE Member of the discipline and the Role of the Multi-Disciplinary Team As a member of the discipline I was inclined to have verbal interactions with the ER staff before RP had arrived to F-300. Consulted with housekeeping to assure the RPs room was cleaned and ready for admission. Ward clerk assured that tests were ordered. Dietician was consulted to help with nutritional needs. Discharged planner made transportation arrangement to return patient to long care facility. Social worker discussed local community resources of support with the family. Provider of Care Role As provider of care for this patient, I kept this patient cleaned and dry when incontinent. I utilized the fall risk precautions to provided safety. Implemented steps to encourage patient to accept and understand a bladder training routine. Monitored patient labs and reported abnormal results to the doctor. Manager of Care Role As manager of care I evaluated the client for her fall risk and implemented fall risk precautions. Delegated the placement of bed alarms and tabs to the LPN assigned to us. My preceptor and I discussed the possible ways to teach client prevention of developing UTIs. Collaborated with nursing home staff on ways to improve clients care at extended care facility. Growth in the Manager of Care Role In completing these tasks I was able to see the complete picture of the patient. I was educated on the disease process and the effect other co-morbidities had on providing an environment that encourages an infection. In caring for RP I was able to developed and strengthen my delegating skills, learning to rely on others and not solely on myself.

Bilbo Baggins, a True Hero Essay -- Literary Analysis, J.R.R Tolkien

Bilbo Baggins, a True Hero â€Å"I wish I could be a hero!† Many adults in today’s society hear small children wishing they could become heroes. Children wish to be more like heroes for the reason that heroes are the type of people who risk their lives to help others. Throughout history, children have had a positive connotation with the word â€Å"hero.† The heroes many small children talk about are the fictional ones who protect cities from villains: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and others. However, these are not the only types of heroes in today’s world. Firefighters and policemen are also considered heroes because they save the lives of those in danger. Many adults consider their inspirations to be heroes, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Michelle Obama. Heroes do not always have to be real; for instance, they can also be literary characters such as Atticus Finch, Jonas, and Odysseus. Heroes, fictional or not, only have one purpose, to help people in need. These motivating people are in the rare category of people who willingly spend their whole lives helping people achieve their dreams. Heroes are the people who unselfishly help people live their lives in a peaceful manner. Many children wish they could become heroes, such as Bilbo Baggins. In The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien explores how Bilbo Baggins matures and ultimately becomes a hero. A hero, as stated before, selflessly thinks about others’ well beings before his or her own. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who was enlisted to help the dwarves retrieve Thorin’s family treasure, does the same thing when he decides to take matters into his own hands, and end the fight between Thorin, the lake men, and the woodelves. Bilbo decides to give the Arkenstone, a p... ...s. Bilbo is the one that gives the precious Arkenstone to Bard to help stop a war from starting. If it was not for Bilbo’s courage, Thorin would still be fighting for the Arkenstone and might have also been hurt. Bilbo also helps the dwarves by being a good leader and helping them find a way out of Smaug’s lair. Without Bilbo, the dwarves would not have the audacity to try finding a way out of Smaug’s cave. Bilbo, like a real hero, always makes sure that he finishes the task he sets out to do. Without Bilbo, the dwarves would not be able to finish all the tasks that they want to finish. Bilbo is also the reason why the dwarves are still alive. Bilbo saves the dwarves from many different disasters. The disasters range from the spiders to Smaug. Through good or bad, Bilbo has been able to show the characteristics that a real hero should be able to show.

The scarlet letter :: essays research papers

Torment Of Misfortune The guilt, hypocrisy, and vengeance revealed in The Scarlet Letter. In an age of sexual repression and conservatism, there is never room for public show of relationships. Emotions and affection are kept hidden from the public eye. With such limitations there is always an urge to break from what is considered proper. From this, lies and deceit are born to cover our mistakes. Hester Prynne stands helpless on a scaffold with her illegitimate daughter Pearl, wearing a blazoned scarlet â€Å"A†, making known she is an adulterer. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale stands silent within the on looking crowd as his lover and daughter are to be persecuted. In the far corner, stands Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband quietly embittered at his wife’s infidelities. A soiled and twisted love triangle connects these three individuals as Hester’s persecution draws near. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses these individuals to exemplify guilt, hypocrisy and vengeance through secrecy and sin in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne pities the life of her daughter Pearl, labeled a child of sin and a product of adultery. Pearl is in essence a real representation of the scarlet letter that she bears. Hester’s own doing lays out the fate of her child. "†¦[Hester's] impassioned state had been the medium through which were transmitted to the unborn infant the rays of its moral life; and, however white and clear originally, they had taken the deep stains of crimson and gold, the fiery lustre, the black shadow, and the untempered light of the intervening substance. Above all, the warfare of Hester's spirit, at that epoch, was perpetuated in Pearl." Hester has the power to make things right and announce the identity of Pearl’s father Arthur Dimmesdale, however she holds back for fear of ruining her partners reputation and esteem. Hester holds commitment to both Pearl and Dimmesdale, she endures the sting of guilt through her silence. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a supposed â€Å"man of god† takes silence along with Hester. He is guilty of his sins but more so guilty of being a walking hypocrisy in his congregation. To rectify his wrongs, he preaches of god and refraining from sin. However he continues to hide his relationship with Hester and denies his illegitimate daughter the privilege of his name. His commitments to the church are a conflict with his feelings of sinfulness and his need to confess. He yearns to confess but fears the negative outcomes. In his subconscious he wishes to tell all his sins, but results in his strong participation in church.

Affirmative Action: Preferential Treatment Essay

During the college process, students are advised in multiple ways on how to properly present themselves to draw the appeal of colleges. Whether it is by highlighting their awards, accomplishments or talents, students are constantly working on improving their resume. They were told that with good grades, extracurricular activities, and heart-warming essays that they would find success in being admitted into a prestigious university. However, there are various other factors that determine whether one is accepted or denied. An important and often scrutinized factor is the use of affirmative action in admissions. While affirmative action should not hold the weight it does in admissions currently, it seems that people are unaware of the other preferential treatments given to certain students. Afï ¬ rmative action in favor of underrepresented minorities has been a controversial topic debated and scrutinized by scholars, the media, and the public for many years. Two other preferential admissions programs have been less controversial but in widespread use; one involving giving an admissions boost to applicants with athletic skills and the other one to children of alumni, commonly known as â€Å"legacies†. As these various categories suggest, entry into selective institutions of higher education has never been decided purely on academic criteria—before or after minority afï ¬ rmative action came into effect. As the term â€Å"affirmative action† encompasses the ideal that institutions promote diversity and growth by including historically excluded groups in their admissions, legacy admissions and athletic admissions are considered â€Å"affirmative†. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) They do originate from very different motivations, but they bring non-academic criteria that impact the admissions process. Therefore, by attaching the label â€Å"afï ¬ rmative action† to legacy and athletic admissions, it is deliberately underscoring the fact that minorities are not the only social group to benefit from such a policy. Supporters of affirmative action claim that minority students, generally speaking, start out at a disadvantage in their college or job application process. They usually come from lower income families and, in turn, have fewer opportunities than those who go to private school. Some inner city youths had grown up in environments filled with crime, violence, and discouragement. Genuine, hard-working minority students are every bit as capable as white students, but because of these disadvantages, they may not have the same paper qualifications. Affirmative action evens the playing field a bit. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) Nonetheless, it was designed to end discrimination and unfair treatment of employees/students based on color, but it in effect does the opposite. Whites who work harder and/or are more qualified can be passed over strictly because they are white. Contrary to many stereotypes, many minorities fall into the middle or upper class, and many whites live in poverty. (Fletcher) Unfortunately, the way things are set up now, a poverty-stricken white student who uses discipline and hard work to become the best he can be can be passed over by a rich minority student who doesn’t put in much effort at all. Supporters also claim that some stereotypes may never be broken without affirmative action. For decades blacks were considered less capable than whites. It took affirmative action to give blacks the opportunity to show they are every bit as capable. However, if you were to ask Colin Powell, Barack Obama, or Oprah Winfrey how they got to where they today, I doubt they would respond with affirmative action. (Fletcher) It sets the idea that a minority cannot achieve full potential without the help of affirmative action and undermines their own abilities. Another claim supporters of affirmative use is that it draws people to places they would never have gone elsewise, bringing under-privileged students to Ivy League institution. But if a student is admitted on a lower basis, he will have less incentive to do well or have the inability to keep up with the work. Why work for that 4.0 GPA when he got in with sub-par grades? In this way, affirmative action is likened to students who are given a boost for being â€Å"legacies†, having a parent(s) attend the school previously. A survey conducted by H. M. Breland found that afï ¬ rmative action for children of alumni is practiced widely at both public and private institutions (Howell and Turner 325-351). A later survey conducted by Daniel Golden (2003) revealed that 23 percent of freshmen enrolled at Notre Dame were the children of alumni, with corresponding ï ¬ gures of 14 percent at Penn, 13 percent at Harvard, 11 percent at Princeton, and 11 percent at the University of Virgini a (Howell and Turner 325-351). These numbers seem to be relatively modest; however, they belie the relatively small amount of applicants legacies hold. When documenting the number of applicants, it is easily seen that children of alumni benefit from greater admissions rates. According to studies by William G. Bowen and Derek Bok (1998), legacies had a two to one admissions advantage over non-legacies. Likewise, Cameron Howell and Sarah E. Turner (2004) document a similar advantage at the University of Virginia, where only 32 percent of regular applicants were admitted compared with 57 percent of alumni children. As a result, the freshman class of 2002 was 7 percent legacy, compared with 3 percent African American, even though the state is 20 percent black. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) The unfairness that follows legacy admissions is what many feel towards affirmative action as well. By giving blacks/Hispanics an obvious advantage in the admissions process, it breeds resentment and underestimation of them. In the same way legacies are generalized as â€Å"dumb rich kids†, recipients of affirmative action are seen as undeserving. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) It seems to say that they wouldn’t have been able to be admitted into the school elsewise, thus increasing the pressure put onto these students. The consequences translate to students being unable to handle the workload. By turning away highly qualified Asian/white students in favor of less qualified black/Hispanic students, it is not fair for either race. According to Dr. Richard Sander, Professor of Law at UCLA, blacks are two and a half times more likely than whites not to graduate and are four times more likely to fail the bar exam on the first try. (Fletcher) To fulfill their thirst for diversity, colleges often recruit students from below the median. As a result, they are ill equipped to handle the pressures of such a rigorous school and have a smaller chance of graduating. It is not to say that affirmative action is not needed. A homogenous population would make for an unproductive and unmoving student body. Diversity is needed for growth and experiences that differ. In this way, you can see the clear advantage of affirmative action over legacy admissions. Despite affirmative action being flawed, the advantage is at least given to, who is supposed to be, the disadvantaged party. Legacy admissions should have no place in the college admissions world. It is giving an advantage to students who are probably are not in great need of it if their parents attended a prestigious university Supporters of legacy admissions claim that donations from alumni contribute to building renovations and technological upgrades, as well as supporting financial aid programs for many financially disadvantaged students. (Golden) Legacy students are also thought to better understand the sense of tradition of the university and embody the values that the university has traditiona lly supported. That sounds good, but how true is it? Three elite schools that are big on legacy preferences – Harvard, Princeton, and Yale – rank near the bottom when it comes to the percentage of students from poorer families they have, according to Professor Jerome Karabel in his book The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. (Steinberg) Good students from poor families are often deprived of admission because of the legacy tradition — they are less frequently helped by the additional funds that the legacy tradition brings to the school. Contrary to what legacy defenders argue, it is doubtful that dropping legacy preferences has any significant impact on donations to a university. Texas A&M and the University of Georgia are among the large universities that have abandoned legacy preferences and neither has suffered a detectable decline in support. (Howell and Turner 325-351) In addition, Massey and Mooney found that, â€Å"In schools with a stronger commitment to legacy admissions, the children of alumni were more likely to drop out. Ironically, the only evidence we find of a skills mismatch is for the children of alumni. The greater the gap between a legacy student’s SAT and the institutional average SAT, the lower the grades he or she earned, though the effect size was modest. (99-117) They compared the number of hours studied per week, the â€Å"psychological performance burden† reported by students, grades earned by students through the end of their sophomore year, and the likelihood of students dropping out of school by spring of their junior year. The study concluded that legacies who were given a greater admissions bonus earned lower grades once admitted, a fact which surprised many, including some admissions officials. (99-117) However, although affirmative action and legacy treatment are both found to be large non-academic factors in the college admissions process, athletic skill is one often overlooked and not discussed. It is common knowledge that the number of students who excel in both academics and athletics is too small for schools to fill spots with only student athletes who meet usual admissions standards. Athletes were shown to have had a 48% better chance of admission than regular students with similar academic achievements in high school and similar standardized test score in studies done during 1999. In comparison, â€Å"legacies,† bore only a 25% better chance of admission and minorities stood only an 18% better chance of admission. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) The simplest method to view the different standards used for recruited athletes is to acknowledge the statistics of Division I athletes in â€Å"high profile† sports, such as football and basketball at public universities. These students have SAT scores that average almost 250 points than their non-athletic counterparts. While not as extreme, athletes participating in other sports such as golf, tennis, and swimming average about 100 points less than regular students on standardized test scores. (Dolinsky) The way that a majority of these student athletes gain admissions is through â€Å"special admit† programs designed by the school to accept a group of applicants who do not meet the standard criteria. From 2003 to 2006, more than half of the â€Å"special admits† scholarship athletes at San Diego State University had lower standardized test scores and high school GPAs than other admitted students. In the San Diego State admissions process, students with insufficient credentials may be accepted based on other factors such as socioeconomic background, local residency, and other special talents. However, between fall 2003 and spring 2006, of the 248 â€Å"special admit† students admitted by San Diego State, only 105 were given admission intentionally. The rest of the students granted admission had been the result of various processing errors and of those 105 that were given intentional admission, they were all athletes. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) If there is one thing that is clear, it is that the preferential treatment given to athletes in the admissions process does have its consequences. One potential consequence of admitting student athletes with academic credentials below their peers is the risk of academic underperformance by these athletes. (Dolinsky) Similar to those shown with students of affirmative action, statistics are clear in showcasing that athletes are underperforming once they arrive on college campuses. Recently, as more athletes got into schools through advantages in the admissions process, their collegiate GPAs began to suffer, with a majority of athletes placing in the bottom quarter of their classes. In contrast, only 9% of athletes finish in the top third of their class. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) To further exhibit the correlation between preferential treatment in the admissions process and academic underperformance, a study shows that student athletes generally choose so-called â€Å"easy† majors—such as social sciences—rather than the â€Å"harder† majors such as math, science, and engineering. One argument for explaining academic underperformance, other than the fact that athletes arrive at college with noticeably lower academic credentials, is that student athletes face the rigors and responsibilities of playing a sport, practicing, and trying to divide time between athletics and academics. However, this argument may have little merit as statistics show that an analogous group to student athletes—students who participate in several extracurricular activities—do not underperform at the level of student athletes. (Dolinsky) Although this analogy may not account for different types of students who are athletes as compared to those students who are heavily involved on campus, the comparison tends to show that the time that athletes spend with their respective sports does not prove, in itself, to be a clear reason for academic underperformance. Additionally student athletes already receive a multitude of benefits not given to normal students. Often times, they are given priority registration, extra tutoring, and even separate housing. With the benefit of these extra luxuries, athletes should be able to properly their manage their time to balance academics and their sport. It is not difficult to see the correlation between underperformance at the high school level and underperformance at the college level. Nor is it difficult to see the correlation between the admission of athletes having below-average test scores and high school GPAs and underperformance at the college level. Perhaps this is an unfair stereotype, but there is a reason that this stereotype exists and there is evidence to back it up. What is the price that is paid? One example is Dexter Manley, former professional football player for the Washington Redskins. Manley testified in front of the United States Senate that he could not read, despite being admitted and staying at Oklahoma State University for four years. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) By admitting students who are not qualified to handle the workload of an undergraduate institution, the ones that are hurt the most are some of the ones who â€Å"benefit.† Through each of these policies, certain students are given a â€Å"pull† in the college admissions office over other students. In comparison, these three programs are very similar in how they offer students an advantage in the system. Each program requires that you fulfill a certain requirement, which is the basis for their policy. They are all affirmative action policies that factor in something non-academic into your rejection or acceptance. With racial affirmative action being the most controversial and widely discussed, it has seemed that the other two have slipped underneath the radar. All three contribute to a discrepancy in the student body that will continue to grow unless awareness is created. Although in a perfect world, students wouldn’t have to worry about such factors, we live in a society where the slightest differences can make or break you. Whatever the effects of afï ¬ rmative action in raising or lowering the odds of academic success, the students should be aware and know exactly what they are going to get themselves into. Works Cited Dolinsky, Anna. â€Å"Affirmative Action for Athletes? Jan 12, 2001.† The Yale Herald. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Espenshade, Thomas J., Chung, Chang Y. and Walling, Joan L., Admission Preferences for Minority Students, Athletes, and Legacies at Elite Universities. Social Science Quarterly, No. 85 (2004): 1422–1446. Ferris, Eric, Finster, Mark and McDonald, David. â€Å"Academic Fit of Student-Athletes: An Analysis of Ncaa Division I-A Graduation Rates.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 6 (Sep., 2004): pp. 555-575. Fletcher, Michael A. â€Å"Washingtonpost.com: Affirmative Action Special Report.† Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. The Washington Post, 18 June 1998. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Golden, Daniel. â€Å"The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition.† CLassroomEdition.com. The Wall Street Journal, Apr. 2003. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Howell, Cameron. and Turner, Sarah E. â€Å"Legacies in Black and White: The Racial Composition of the Legacy Pool.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 4 (Jun., 2004): pp. 325-351 Massey, Douglas S., and Mooney, Margarita. â€Å"The Effects of America’s Three Affirmative Action Programs on Academic Performance.† Social Problems Vol. 54. No. 1 (February 2007): pp. 99-117 Steinberg, Jacques. â€Å"‘Affirmative Action for the Rich’ – NYTimes.com.† College Admissions Advice – The Choice Blog – NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. .