Dominican Republic Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Dominican Republic Sports - Essay Example Based on the recognized significance of the study of sports in a nation, a certain view of the nation can be achieved. Such objective is aimed to be achieved in the study to recognize and gain a substantial knowledge on the characteristics of countries in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic is the main focus of the study, along with the famous sports in the country and the significance of the said activities in the history and the culture of the country as well. The Dominican Republic is one of the island countries found in the Caribbean region. Due to the geographical characteristic of the said country, it is famous for water activities and sports. To be able to determine and recognize the main characteristic of the nation and the people there are different factors that can be considered. Included in these factors are the sports that can be considered as famous in the country (Brown 1999) Sports are recognized as one of the facets that can describe a nation due to the fact that it can be related to the different aspects of the society. These factors that are considered essential are the physical aspects such as the geography, the people and the history of the country. Sports can be considered wrapped up in every stage of the nation's history, is related to the geographic characteristics of the country and even the attitudes and customs of the people (Mccomb 2004). The Dominican Republic is composed of a variety of sports. This can be attributed to the fact that the country is also reach in the different forms of geographical forms ranging form the highlands towards the different form of water bodies. The sports that are famous in this island country can also be related to the locations such as the land and the water sports (Brown 1999). Sports Played in the Dominican Republic Being accepted as one of the main categories in the determination of the characteristics of the nation, the sports being played by the nation can be identified along with arts and culture. The Dominican Republic can be described as one of the nations in the Caribbean that can attract visitors on the basis of the different attractions. One of these attractions is relation to the sports in the country (Ministry of Tourism 2006). The particular Caribbean nation is known due to the variety of sports that can be played in its territory. These types of sports can be categorized on the basis of the location where the particular sports can be played. These sports played in the Dominican Republic can either be water or land sports. A. Water Sports Water sports are played in the Dominican Republic such as windsurfing and jet skiing due to the combined scenery and the fact that the island is wrapped around with water bodies. Sailing and boat tours can also be added to the list of the water sports available in the country. Other sea sports and recreations can also be considered such as scuba diving and deep sea fishing (Ministry of Tourism 2006). 1. Snorkeling and Deep Sea Diving The said sports can be considered as one of the most famous sports in the country being an island. Ecotourism is one of the weapons that can attract tourist in the country. There are many sites that are known for

Improving Child Observation Journals

Improving Child Observation Journals Master of Education: Reading and Literacy Abstract The purpose of this study is to describe the effect that providing journal and case study paper examples, more time to observe in the child care center and the use of different teaching methods will have on the improvement of observation journals and case study papers. This action research involved Child Development classes at Deerfield High School during the fall 2008 school year. Students struggle with completing weekly observations and case studies. This paper will share the findings of research that was done to assist students. If students have a better understanding of the observations and case studies, are provided with examples and are given more time to observe, the desired outcome is that their observation journals and case study papers will improve. Introduction Background of Problem I am a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois. Deerfield is a northern suburb of Chicago and the high school has approximately 1,800 students. I have been teaching at Deerfield High School for four years. While I have been at this high school, I have taught Child Development Preschool Lab, Consumer Economics, Freshman Advisory and Contemporary Living. Family and Consumer Science classes were formerly referred to as Home Economics which involved becoming a knowledgeable homemaker. In Child Development classes, proper parenting techniques were emphasized. Now that Home Economics has evolved into Family and Consumer Sciences, there is an emphasis on preparing students to become well-informed parents as well as preparing them to become educated professionals who may work with children in their careers and their personal lives. Last year I taught two sections of Child Development Preschool Lab, which is the focus of my action research project. My first period class had 11 female 10th-12th grade students and my second period class had 14 female 10th-12th grade students. Every week in Child Development Preschool Lab, my high school students, referred to as the high school friends, plan and teach lessons to two to five year old children in the on-site child care center, Deer Park Teaching and Learning Center (DPTLC). The students also observe these preschoolers, referred to as Deer Park friends, every week while they are in the child care center. The students typically really enjoy the class; however, they struggle the most with observing the children and creating their observation journals and semester case study papers. Through the use of their journal entries, the high school friends analyze and evaluate one specific Deer Park friend’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development and write a case study paper to determine how a specific child is developing for their age. As a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, I believe it is essential for high school students to be able to communicate what they observe or see through detailed written form. Specifically, in Child Development Preschool Lab, this information should later be used to make conclusions about how a preschool aged child is developing physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Providing students with life long observation, analytical and written communication skills to be used in their future will benefit the student learner. Rationale for my Research The focus of this research study will be helping my students improve their observation journals and case study papers during first semester. Observing, journaling and the semester case study paper are what students struggle with the most all year in this class. It causes frustration and anxiety for the high school students and me. I often find myself wondering how I can make this a more pleasant learning experience for everyone involved (high school friends, Deer Park friends and me.) In each observation journal, the high school friends are required to record six different observations every week. Each observation should include a factual description of what they see, an educated opinion of how the child is developing, and an assessment of the child’s developmental rate for their age. The students go into the DPTLC on-site child care center to observe children ages two to five years old. After approximately one month of observing a variety of Deer Park friends, high school friends are assigned a specific child to observe for the remainder of the semester. Students are given 20-25 minutes of class time every week to observe in the child care center to collect their observations. The journal entries collected over the semester are used to assess one Deer Park friend’s developmental rate in the four areas of development. The journal entries act as evidence to support how the high school friend rates the Deer Park friend’s development in the case study paper. Observing and journaling are taught in two class periods. I spend about 40 minutes initially teaching this assignment the first time. I spend approximately 20 minutes reviewing it the second time a few days later. Observing and journaling are taught during a lecture while students take notes. I provide one or two examples of journal entries on the board and we discuss this as a class. Chapter notes, developmental milestone handouts and the textbook appendix are shown to students as a resource to use when they are assessing how the Deer Park friend is developing for their age. Feedback is provided to students on their observation journal entry assignments on a bi-weekly basis. I provide comments on their journals and return them to the students within two days of them turning them in. I will occasionally have a one-on-one meeting with students who really struggle with the assignment. The evidence that supports students struggle with observing, journaling and writing their case study papers includes my observation that students are confused and frustrated with this assignment year after year, low scores on journal assignments, students not completing journal assignments and students struggling with the semester case study paper. Intervention Planned to Implement Through my experiences teaching observing and journaling in Child Development Preschool Lab for the past four years, I believe that students struggle with observation journals and their case study papers because they are not given enough time in the child care center to collect sufficient observations. This causes students to feel rushed which increases frustration and anxiety. Additionally, more time should be spent and different teaching methods should be used when teaching observing, journaling and the case study paper. Finally, student work may improve if excellent examples of observation journals and case study papers were given to students. Focus Statement The purpose of this study is to describe the effect that providing journal and case study paper examples, more time to observe in the child care center and the use of different teaching methods will have on the improvement of observation journals and case study papers. Research Questions Therefore, my research question is: What are the benefits of providing Child Development Preschool Lab high school students with journal and case study paper examples, more time to observe in the child care center and the use of different teaching methods among students to improve observation journals and case study papers in Child Development Preschool Lab during the fall semester? The questions that I will be exploring include: How will giving more time to observe in the child care center impact the high school students journals and case study papers? What teaching methods should I use to teach observing and journaling? Will spending more time on teaching observing and journaling improve student work? How will providing excellent examples of observation journals and case study papers impact student work? Will student anxiety and frustration levels decrease if more observation time is given? Key Terms High School Friends High school students in the Child Development class who work with the preschoolers in the child care center. Child Development Preschool Lab An Applied Arts course that incorporates Child Development curriculum along with a practical lab experience where high school students work with preschoolers in a child care center. Deer Park Friends Twoto five year old preschool children that attend the Deerfield High School on sitechild care center. Case Study Papers The Child Development Preschool Lab first semester final project where students analyze one preschooler’s rate of development for their age. Observation Journals Weekly observations that high school students make about the preschoolers when they are in the child care center interacting with the children. Deer Park Teaching and Learning Center (DPTLC) The name of the Deerfield High School on site child care center where two to five year olds come for child care. Four Areas of Development Intellectual, social, emotional, physical are the four areas in which children develop. Literature Review Students learn in many ways and it is essential that educators meet different student needs by implementing a variety of teaching strategies. Sometimes this involves class discussions, providing examples to guide students, modeling a concept, or encouraging students to learn through hands-on learning experiences. Many high school teachers have said that students respond well when they are motivated to learn and when they are actively engaged in the lesson. Benefits of Observing Preschoolers Observing preschoolers is essential for students who are working with young children. The information that is learned through seeing what a young child can do first hand is critical in helping a high school student assess how a child is developing. These observations also act as a credible source to support their evaluation of the preschooler’s developmental rate and provide specific examples to the parents in the high school student’s case study paper. Through observation, teachers are able to gather valuable information about the preschoolers that may help them in planning and preparing developmentally appropriate lessons (Barbakoff Yo, 2002). Barbakoff Yo suggest that teachers use a running record or a checklist to record their observations of a child. Providing teachers with adequate time to collect and record observations of the preschoolers interacting with one another is â€Å"time and energy well spent† (Barbakoff Yo, 22). Perhaps allowing students to spend more time observing the children in the child care center will increase their understanding of how children develop. This may lead to more creative lesson plans and more thorough journals and case study papers. Teaching Methods and Student Motivation Research has also shown that several teaching methods have been proven to be more effective than others when motivating students to learn. Lam Law (2007) examined the relationship between how the use of teaching writing strategies and motivating students affects student writing performance. Students should be challenged and need to understand the importance of the writing assignment they are expected to complete (Lam Law). According to Lam Law, the writing assignment must be related to something they can connect with in their past, present or future. Student writing also improves when students are curious about the topic they are writing about and when they are provided with feedback (Lam Law). Lam Law support the idea that when students are motivated and understand â€Å"why† they are completing an assignment they are more likely to grasp the idea being taught and are more successful. Writing Strategies: A Four Step Process Collins Collins (1996) have identified a four step process that educators find useful when teaching students to write. These writing strategies include; â€Å"identifying a strategy to teach, introducing the strategy by modeling it, allowing students to use it and helping students work toward independent mastery through repetition and practice† (Collins Collins). Although modeling and practicing new concepts is beneficial, some students are not able to grasp the content being taught through this strategy (Collins Collins). Collins Collins have found that some students learn best through the use of concrete visual examples. When teaching students a new idea, educators may find it useful to consider what excites and motivates students to learn and what teaching methods address all student needs. Providing Examples to Students Providing students with excellent examples to guide them in their work is a teaching strategy that has been found to be useful for students. In the article, â€Å"Students’ Perceptions of Teaching and Learning: The Influence of Students’ Approaches to Learning and Teachers’ Approaches to Teaching, a ninth grade student who was interviewed said,† â€Å"the best way of learning is definitely hands on, trying it yourself, I think that is a very good way. And seeing examples of what you’re doing† (Campbell, Smith, Boulton-Lewis, Brownlee, Burnett Carrington, 2001). Additionally, Day Elksnin (1994) discovered that the concept being taught should be described, modeled, discussed (talked through aloud) and practiced by the students. Students may be involved in this process from the very beginning by asking them what they struggle with most and what they think may help (Day Elksnin). Providing feedback to the students is also effective when students are struggling (Day Elksnin). Day Elksnin’s research supports the idea that presenting students with examples and models of previous work will assist them in the understanding of the assignment which will lead to improved grades. How Students Learn Best Many students have been interviewed and surveyed on how they learn best. They have become a valuable resource when evaluating how different teaching strategies impact their feelings while they are in the class and their success rate on assignments. Campbell, Smith, Boulton-Lewis, Brownlee, Burnett Carrington (2001) found that when interviewed, both students who have a deep approach to learning and students who have a surface approach to learning, felt that when being exposed to new concepts, they learned more when they were in a caring, supportive environment and when they were actively engaged in the lessons being taught. However, when the class was teacher focused and when students were lectured to, both types of students became surface learners and were not as engaged (Campbell et al.). Their perceptions of the class were negative compared to the hands-on, active classes that built the students self-esteem (Campbell et al.). This can be related to students’ anxiety and frustration levels when learning. If students feel they are in a supportive, caring environment that provides hands-on learning experiences, they will approach learning in a deeper way. Child Development students experience hands-on learning on a weekly basis when they are in the child care center teaching and observing the preschool children. As educators, it is vital that we consider the different needs of our students when teaching a new concept. Our students may be some of our best resources when evaluating the teaching methods we use. Teachers should consider the methods used to teach the lesson, the time period given to teach the new concept, and the amount of frustration or excitement the teaching strategy or assignment brings to students. Data Collection Methodology In this study, which focuses on describing the effect that providing journal and case study paper examples, more time to observe in the child care center and the use of different teaching methods will have on the improvement of observation journals and case study papers, I will primarily be using qualitative data. The form of qualitative research method I plan to use is ethnography. Ethnography is fitting to my research due to the fact that I will be observing my students when they are working in there every day surroundings (Glanz, 2003). I also found ethnography to be appropriate for my research because I will use observations as a main source of my data collection (Glanz, 2003). The research method I am using is not a case study because I am collecting data that I will interpret and focus on a group rather than an individual (Glanz, 2003). The research questions that guide my data collection are: How will giving more time to observe in the child care center impact the high school students’ journals and case study papers? What teaching methods should I use to teach observing and journaling? Will spending more time on teaching observing and journaling improve student work? How will providing excellent examples of observation journals and case study papers impact student work? Will student anxiety and frustration levels decrease if more observation time is given? (See Appendix A) When collecting my data, I am interested in comparing my perceptions of what students struggle with when observing, journaling and writing their case study papers to the students’ perceptions of what they struggle with when observing, journaling and writing their case study papers. The data will be collected during the first semester of the 2008-2009 school year. The data I will collect will primarily be qualitative which will include my own observations, colleague interviews and collection of student work. I value how my students are feeling about the projects assigned in my class so I will ask for input from the students as well. This data will be provided through a student focus group and student surveys at the beginning and end of the semester. All of the data collected will assist me in answering the questions I am exploring in this action research project. Colleague Interviews There are three teaching professionals I interviewed before the high school students began observing in the child care center. The Deer Park Teaching and Learning child care center Director, another Child Development teacher and an English teacher were asked for input on my topic. When interviewing the child care center Director (See Appendix B) and the Child Development teacher (See Appendix C), I investigated the time spent on teaching journaling and observing and the teaching methods they felt were beneficial to the students. I also wanted to understand their perceptions on how they feel providing students with example journals and case study papers impacts the students understanding of the assignment. Through these interviews, a qualitative research method, I was able to understand the teachers’ views on providing students with more time in the child care center to observe. When interviewing the English teacher (See Appendix D), I focused on strategies used by this teacher to improve students writing. It was also beneficial to find out what students in English class struggle with most when they are writing and what the teacher does to address these struggles. I am hoping to apply this information to my class to assist my students when they are writing their case study papers. I asked both the English teacher and the Child Development teacher what type of presentation methods students struggle with and what type of presentation methods get students excited about learning. Student Focus Group At the beginning of the semester, I will hold a class discussion regarding the amount of time given to observe in the child care center (See Appendix E). During this class focus group, a qualitative research method, I intend to also get feedback from the students regarding their views on how providing example observation journals will impact their understanding of the observation journal writing process. What I have found in the past is that students have a pretty good gage on what they need to be successful so asking students what their needs are at the beginning of the semester is important. Student Survey – Questionnaire Two surveys (See Appendix F) were created to request information from students in the two Child Development classes I teach. The intentions of the surveys, a qualitative research method, were to ask the students for their input to address the following questions: How will providing more time for you to observe in the child care center impact your observation journals and case study papers? What teaching methods do you benefit from most when learning about observing, journaling and writing your case study papers? Will spending more time on teaching observing and journaling improve your journals and papers? How will providing excellent examples of observation journals and case study papers impact affect your understanding of the assignment and your work? Will your anxiety and frustration levels decrease if more observation time in given? The questionnaire will be implemented at the beginning of the semester, before they observe, and at the end of the semester, after their papers are wr itten, to gain a better understanding of the students’ viewpoint on this assignment. Collecting Artifacts Another qualitative research method I plan to use is to sporadically collect the students’ observation journal entries throughout the entire semester. My intention is to analyze the improvement of the students’ work as the semester goes along. I will collect the journals after the first time they observe when more time is given in the child care center, more time is spent on teaching observing and journaling and examples are provided to the students. I will compare this to the observations I have made in regards to student work from previous years. Collecting these artifacts throughout the semester will allow me to evaluate the students’ understanding of observing and journaling as they progress through the semester. It will also provide me the opportunity to give the students feedback so the students will feel guided in this process. At the end of the semester, I will collect the final case study papers and the scores on the journals and papers, which is a quantitative data collection method. This will allow me to analyze student progress throughout the semester. The case study papers will also provide me with an idea of each student’s overall understanding of observing and how they are able to relate the information they have gathered through their observations to how a child is developing. Observation and Field Notes While students are using the example observation journals to guide their own journal writing, I will observe and note, qualitatively, the ease at which students do this. I will also note how often the students refer to their examples as the semester progresses. Throughout the semester, during the first ten minutes of class and the last ten minutes of class, I will observe and make notes on the students’ frustration levels related to observing. The beginning and end of class is a time when students talk to each other about a variety of things they are dealing with at the time. This will be an ideal time for me to step back and listen to their discussions between one another in regards to observing, journaling and writing their papers. Timeline for Collecting Data: Time of Year Data Collection Source Data Collection Source Data Collection Source Data Collection Source Before Semester Begins 3 Colleague Interviews Beginning of Semester Student Focus Groups Collect Artifacts – Observations Journals Scores Student Survey – Questionnaire Observation Field Notes Middle of Semester Collect Artifacts – Observations Journals Scores Observation Field Notes End of Semester Collect Artifacts – Observations Journals Scores Student Survey – Questionnaire Observation Field Notes Data Analysis Qualitative Data During my data collection I will obtain data through colleague interviews, student focus groups, student surveys, observations, and artifacts. After my data is collected I will organize the data (Glanz, 2003). In order to organize my data I will read and reread the data to allow myself the ability to distinguish any patterns that are important (Glanz, 2003). Themes that I am prepared to find through my data collection is that students will benefit from examples that are provided. After analyzing my observations, students surveys, and student focus group notes I predict I will find students will be relieved to have examples of the paper. I find that with provided examples students enjoyment of the project will be much more positive. To analyze my data I will group student in three categories: students that view examples as helpful, students that view examples as no help, and students that view examples as hurting their understanding. I will collect my data and then put each student in one of the three categories in which they fit. After I collect data I will need to code the data and find any themes or patterns that arise (Mills, 2007). Quantitative Data The quantitative data that I am collecting in my research is the student’s case study paper scores. I will use the scores to compare if student did better this year than from previous years. I will compare student’s papers to papers from the past two years. I will need to also review students overall scores throughout the year to be sure that the students did better because of the examples provided and my teaching methods but not because of the student’s natural ability. Call for Action and Predictions Affected Population The findings of this study will provide valuable information to high school teachers who have students who struggle with or are frustrated by the writing process. English teachers typically are responsible for teaching students the writing process and allowing them to practice that skill in their class. However, writing may be reinforced in all subject areas. The more practice students have with writing, the more likely they will be successful, especially if they are motivated and are writing about something they can connect with or enjoy. Both types of students, students who struggle with writing and those who do not, may benefit from the research found in this study. I predict that providing examples to students and modeling writing strategies, will allow students to gain a better understanding of the observation journal and case study paper assignments. If students are able to visually see clear examples of what is expected in their writing, they are more likely to succeed and become less frustrated. Specifically, the students who will benefit from this study the most are my current students and future students because I will alter my teaching methods to include examples of previous student work. My colleague’s, Susan Johnson, students will also benefit if she decides to implement similar strategies when teaching observing and journaling. Importance of ResearchOnce this data is collected and analyzed, it will provide me with the information I need to make changes to the way I teach observing and journaling. At this time, students are very frustrated with observing and writing their papers and I believe the data that I will collect may provide some insight into â€Å"what† specifically students are struggling with and â€Å"why† they have such a hard time with these assignments. I believe if I can find what is frustrating to students I can help students focus on the importance of the project rather than the difficulty. The data will also allow me to ask other educational professionals and students their opinions on this issue so I can gain multiple perspectives. Hopefully, this will allow me to implement change in my teaching methods, the assignment and the students learning experience. Hypothesis and Future Outcomes Although I have not collected any data at this time, I expect student frustration levels to decrease and the quality of student work to increase if students are provided more time in the child care center to observe. I anticipate students would not feel as rushed and may be able to gather more thorough descriptions of what they see if they could spend the entire period in the center rather than half of the period. More time in the center may also provide students with an enhanced learning experience because they might be more likely to interact with the preschoolers and become more engaged in what they are observing. Student’s engagement in observing may motivate them while they are completing their observation journals and writing their case study papers because they will have more experiences with the children to refer to. I foresee the students’ understanding of observing and journaling to improve if more time was spent on teaching these concepts and if a variety of engaging teaching methods were used. It can be frustrating for students when they are not given enough time to learn a new concept. Allowing students time to practice and discuss examples of observing in groups, partners and individually before going into the child care center, will enable students to become more comfortable with the observation process. Many students get excited about learning new ideas when they are learning through hands on experiences and working with other students. When I am teaching observing and journaling, I will try to provide students more opportunities to do this before expecting them to go into the child care center to observe on their own. I feel this will help motivate students about the observation and case study project.Finally, I anticipate that providing students with examples of observation journals and case study papers will assist them in their understanding of the assignment.

Racism Today :: Racism Argumentative Race Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racism is one of the world’s major issues today. Many people are not aware of how much racism still exists in our schools workforces, and anywhere else where social lives are occurring. It is obvious that racism is bad as it was many decades ago but it sure has not gone away. Racism very much exists and it is about time that people need to start thinking about the instigations and solutions to this matter. Many people believe that it depends on if a person was brought into the world as a racist or not but that is not the case at all. In fact, an individual cannot be born a racist but only learn to become one as they grow from child to adulthood. Basic causes, mainstream, institutions, government, anti racism groups, and even some hidden events in Canada’s past are a few of the possible instigations and solutions to racism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin with, frustration is a very common cause of racism. If one is having some sort of a social problem, they tend to get very angry with people who are not even concerned with their situation. For instance, when a person is having a tough time economically, they find it easy to blame immigrants for taking away their jobs or creating fewer opportunities (Abanes 1992,12-15). This type of an analysis is very easy to make but when one makes this assumption, it usually leads to hate towards any minority group. The psychological factor is also common disturbance that is found as the root of racism. People with tough childhood may sometimes produce anger and hate towards others (Hayes 1995, 4-5). This kind of person is inclined to dominate others as these qualities attract to racism because of the way racism divides the world into superior and inferior. In these types of situations, one can only picture of what might go through the heads of such individuals. However , in some cases aggravation is only created by the mental thought. Change is a particular device that people cannot handle at all times. People are more comfortable around the recognizable and they find it hard to adapt to a culture that they are not familiar being with. Since 1987, Chinese have been settling in Vancouver, as the suburb of Richmond went from one in twenty to one in three of its residents being Chinese, in two decades. This rapid change was not acceptable for many people who moved out for that very reason so they can live in a â€Å"white town† again (Rupet 1996,13-15).

The health issues of obesity which is defined as an eating disorder and an associated serious health concern

With in this assignment I will discuss the health issues of obesity which is defined as an eating disorder and an associated serious health concern that is defined by excess weight Colditz & Dietz, (1999) I will also discuss the holist issues that may impact on an individual healthy lifestyle. I will identify one government policy that has been put in place to help alleviate the problem of obesity, and explore the nurse's role in relation to the policy. Using relevant evidence such as literature reviews and researched articles I will support my findings, and conclude by giving an overall summary of the main point of this essay. BMI is widely used to define obesity (WHO, 1998). And is calculated as BMI = Weight (kg)/Height2 (m). A person that is obesity has a larger amount of extra body fat and is more prone to the risks of serious health problems such as Heart disease, stroke, High blood pressure and Diabetes. (Cynthia Haines 2005). Obesity can be hereditary, but only develops from overeating, irregular meals and having a lack of daily physical activity Arne Astrup (2005) The Holism impact involves looking at every aspect of a person's life and wellbeing and trying to understand the reasons why they have developed theses holistic issues. This may involve there physical, physiological, social and spiritual impacts of there lifes. Kolcabu,R. ,1997 defines holism as the belief that a whole person can consist of these compartments and suggest that these compartments are intimately connected with a persons physical body. The psychological impact of obesity may consist of low self-image and lack of confidence, social stigma, reduced mobility and a poorer quality of life, obese children and adolescents face stigmatisation and discrimination in many areas of their lives. It has been assumed that their psychological well-being will be compromised both as a direct consequence of this social adversity, and indirectly through negative ‘reflected self-appraisal'. Wardle J. (2005) The holist social impact on obesity can result from an underlying pathological condition, e. . hypothyroidism which is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone, the current trends lie with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary habits, which are particularly seen in the lower socio-economic groups. (National statistics 2001) Research has also suggested that the main problem is the continual reduction in the amount of exercise people take and argued that many overweight children have overweig ht parent which is often a matter of a family's lifestyle. Dr Rob Hicks 2006). The spiritual issues of obesity may involve the lack of meaning and purpose of how they perceives there out look on life, It has been suggested that psychological classes and therapies sessions may provide individuals the opportunity to develop some insight into there old patterns of life and develop healthier skills which can in turn help and deal with there issues of obesity that can then increase there likelihood of restoring a healthier life style. Physical activity are also a major aspect on a person's life in the relation of body composition, it is suggested that weight gain is associated with periods of a lack of activity and argue that by increasing physical activity body fat can be reduced. Behnke, A. , (1974). The Royal College of GPs (2004) have stated that exercise needs to be made more affordable and accessible to people living in the UK as the Lack of physical activity is found to be the most significant factor to the contribution to childhood obesity and is contributed to inactivity's, such as watching television or sitting playing computer games. Ref I suggest that the over all spectrum of society must work to together to tackle the effects of obesity and may involves marketing less fast food outlets and giving people on low incomes free gym membership, I suggest with theses alteration in place the financial and health impacts on obesity would decrease considerably as according to The Health Select Committee has estimated that the costs of obesity is around i3. – i3. 7 billion per year and suggest if there were less obese people in this country 15,000 fewer people would develop conditions such as coronary heart disease, 34,000 fewer people would developing type 2 diabetes, and 99,000 fewer people would develop high blood pressure. (Department of health 2007) However measures have already been put in place to try and tackle theses health implication. The new NICE guidelines (2006) a government policy have clinical guideline on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children and covers how G. P's and hospitals asses whether people are overweight or obese as well as ways of helping people lose weight and stay healthy. However it is still considered that peolel in our socieit can sometimes find it very difficult talk about their weight issues as There is still a lot of stigma and shame connected to obesity Professor Thomas (2004) I suggest that the nurse role explored in this government policy is to help individuals try accept there obesity as a condition, establish family history and there views around there condition of obesity and consider some of the possible health reasons why weight loss is considered necessary for them, this may include changing there eating patterns and increasing levels of physical activities. NICE 2006) other Interventions may include encouraging the increase of fresh fruit and vegetables (five portions a day) a Government recommendation (Department of health2003). Confectionery firms have also been told to shelve some of their king size chocolate bars in a bid to tackle obesity however Z Linnell, Bucks, UK argues that It isn't the size of the chocolate bar that is to bla me for obesity but the frequency in which people eat it. The Department However there are May barriers that may discourage healthy eating such as cultural barriers ethnic minority populations wear them view obesity as a more positive with neutral value Kumanyika, s. K 1994. Other barriers may include the lack of knowledge, attitudes, motivation and skills that involve the buying, preparing and eating health foods. . of Health said the NHS already allowed GPs to refer patients to gyms for a subsidised membership I conclude that this may suggest that all the holistic issues of an individual can be an important aspect for long-term weight and body fat regulation and Good health and effective learning go hand in hand as a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. and agreement with the that by taking the ‘Small Changes of obesity such as promoting physical activity across the board can make Big Difference to people's long-term health (Caroline Flint 2006)

Motor Learning and Coaching Notes Essay

The study of relativity permanent changes in motor skills and capabilities that come with practice or experience. This includes: †¢Investigating how elite athletes become experts †¢Studying the best way for a teacher or coach to structure a practice environment for maximal potential †¢Methods of practicing motor skills oHow often oHow long oGroup size oEquipment What is a Skill? A complex movement or sequence of movements, which are smooth and coordinated. These movements don’t require conscious thought and have predetermined results. A learned skill is one that can be repeated. A performance may be a fluke and is only performed once. Motor Skill: physical skills that require body movement and rely on motor control Classification of a Skill: Based on: Where- the environment of the skill Closed: †¢predictable, constant environment †¢Work at own pace- internally paced †¢Replication/ repetition of same skill †¢Examples: swimming in a pool, archery, shooting Open: †¢Changing environment †¢Pace dependant on other people/ factors Detecting stimuli Deciding Processing Acting Responding appropriately Evaluating Feedback Cues †¢A stimulus perception †¢In learning used to obtain information to perform and improve †¢Used in the demonstration and explaination of a skill by a coach †¢Can be both internal and external †¢Sight, hearing, and propreoceptive cues are most used

Motherhood is the completion of a womans life

Motherhood is the completion of a womans life Introduction Even from a tender age, every girls dream is to be blessed with children when she grows up, and to be a loving mother to her children. Having children is therefore highly treasured by women if the timing is right.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motherhood is the completion of a woman’s life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It, however, goes without saying that women are considered to have passed their prime after they become mothers, and they are automatically alienated from a number of puerile social activities, and affairs of the youth (1). This has led made women dread motherhood to the extent that a myriad of them are unwilling to become mothers after they accidentally become pregnant. Since a woman can become a mother even at teenage, there is need for a change in the stereotypical ideas held by people that motherhood is the completion of a woman’s life. Women should thus be given a c hance to live their life to the fullest regardless of whether they are mothers or not. This will lead to more self discovery and self advancement in young mothers, and it is likely to reduce a number of vices. Reasons why this statement is false The statement â€Å"motherhood is the completion of a woman’s life† is false from a number of perspectives. For example, consider the word â€Å"life† in this statement to mean the socio-economic and intellectual advancement of an individual. In this particular perspective, the statement is false because a woman can substantially advance her socio-economic status as well as her intellectual status even after becoming a mother (2). Thus motherhood is not the completion of a woman’s socio-economic and intellectual advancement. This mentality is an archaic way of viewing life, and thus it can be dismissed as a mere stereotype since it is baseless and thus it has no meaningful justification. 1. Grantly, Read. Childbir th Without Fear. London. Pollinger Limited. 2006. 2. Boulton, Georgina. On Being a Mother: a study of women with pre-school children. 2003. New York, Tavistock Publications.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The sad part of it is that some societies embrace this stereotype, and thus a myriad of women have been forced to make wrong decisions for fear of becoming mothers. The truth is that having children (being a mother) should come with a feeling of accomplishment even if the timing is imperfect. This is evidenced by the bliss that motherhood brings to the lives of women who plan their lives well (3). A woman who bears children without a good plan for the same should also view the children as a blessing and live each day with the pride of accomplishment. This will ensure that the vices associated with unplanned pregnancies are reduced, and that people become more respons ible regarding their sexual behaviour. The following paragraph takes a look at the impacts that the societies that uphold this stereotype has had on women, and what can be done to improve the status quo. Repercussions of this stereotype The stereotype that motherhood is, kind of, the completion of a woman’s life has had numerous repercussions on the contemporary society. In order to understand the extent to which this notion has affected the society, it is important to bear in mind that there is no woman who likes being associated with old age, and no woman likes being old-fashioned.The main negative effects of this stereotype have been evident in young women. For most young women, pregnancy is some kind of a nightmare that should at one time end before delivery. Most young women, therefore, fear the responsibility and status that comes with being a mother and they end up procuring abortions whenever they get pregnant (4). This stereotype has also 3. Finer, Lawrence. 2003. â €Å"Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives†. 2003. 4. Shockney, Heather. â€Å"How Becoming a Mother Has Changed My Life†. 2007. made some women neglect their children in terms of breast feeding, and it has also increased cases of surrogate motherhood. From a moral point of view, this is a very serious repercussion since it can be speculated that with a respectable status being attributed to motherhood, many young girl will be proud to deliver children when they accidentally get pregnant.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Motherhood is the completion of a woman’s life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion As evidenced in the discussion above, the stereotypical idea that women complete their life when they become mothers is ungrounded. This misconception has led young women to be involved in many unethical activities in a bid to preserve their youthfulnes s. As stated above, many young women who accidentally become pregnant are forced to abort their pregnancies for fear of the disgrace that comes with being a young mother. These occurrences are very unfortunate especially considering the fact that some of these young girls may be willing to keep their pregnancies. From this discussion, it is apparent that the idea of viewing motherhood as the completion of a woman’s life has more or less had purely negative effects on women, and the society at large. Such baseless stereotypes should be strictly discouraged at all costs to prevent them from becoming part of the society. Bibliography Boulton, Georgina. On Being a Mother: a study of women with pre-school children. 2003. New York, Tavistock Publications. Finer, Lawrence. 2003. â€Å"Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives†. 2003. Web. Grantly, Read. Childbirth Without Fear. London. Pollinger Limited. 2006. Shockney, Heather. â€Å"How B ecoming a Mother Has Changed My Life†. 2007. Web.

The Great Gatsby Essay

The Great Gatsby Essay F .Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is a story of a group of "friends" who live on two separate islands in Long Island, New York. The main characters are, Nick Carraway who is also the narrator, Jay Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson. The story takes place in the 1920's in Long Island, New York as well as New York City. It is said to be "an exclusive literary group of fictional masterworks forming the American literary collection, which define... the American myth of identity and experience." It is also said by Professor Daniel S .Burt that this is a novel that is based on a "series of lies." The Great Gatsby is both a great American piece of literature and a series of detailed lies. The American experience is about the "American Dream." Which is how you are perceived by your peers, therefore you can achieve the American experience while stringing together a group of lies.The Great Gatsby (1926 film)F Scott Fitzgerald does this while telling a story of a group of people whose live were so involved with one another that it put them all against each other driving them to do some very outrageous things.Jay Gatsby or James Gatz as he used to be known is a prime example of someone in the novel who is "living the American dream" although he is living a lie. On page 69 he says to Nick "I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west-all dead now.....educated at Oxford because all of my ancestors have been educated there. It is a family tradition." Although when Gatsby was asked later by Nick on page 70 where in the mid-west he was from Gatsby replied "San Francisco." This is one instance in the novel where Gatsby, who...

Successful Self-Pub Authors and Their First Books

Successful Self-Pub Authors and Their First Books 4 Successful Self-Published Authors Their Surprising Beginnings So what do a Martian, a BDSM obsessed CEO, a Harvard professor suffering from Alzheimer’s, and a subterranean city have in common?If you guessed that they’re all characters from originally self-published books, you’d be... correct.Today, these titles and characters are famous worldwide, and their authors are some of the most successful in the world. Their backstories are worth re-visiting, as these authors all come from a range of backgrounds. In fact, the only thing they share is a desire to write- and the decision to self-publish. After achieving so much success through the self-publishing model, is it any wonder that Howey is now a champion of all indie authors? "Self-publishing is the future," Howey wrote in an op-ed for Salon, "And it's great for writers.†Were any of these stories new to you? Share your favorite self-published author’s backstory in the comments below! Surprise us.

HEART DIESAES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HEART DIESAES - Essay Example Types of heart diseases Coronary heart disease is a condition in which the coronary blood vessels increasingly become unable to supply sufficient blood and oxygen due to a blockage caused by plague deposits (Gregson 2001, p.16); eventually, this results in a reduced supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. In addition to that, the Coronary heart disease results in intense chest pains, angina, and could eventually trigger a heart attack or devastating injury to the heart muscle. In this regard, common symptoms for coronary heart diseases include angina, pressure on the chest and other places such as arms, neck, back and jaws, in addition to a fatalistic shortness of breath (Chenzbraun 2010, p.9). Well-determined risk factors for the Coronary heart disease include cigarette smoking, hypertension, alcoholism, diabetes, and obesity, in addition to family history, stress, lack of adequate exercise, and hyperlipidemia. The treatments for Coronary heart disease include lifestyle changes suc h as smoking and alcohol cessation, medications such as statins, nitroglycerin, and aspirin, which lowers risk of recurrence (Pampel and Pauley 2004, p.57); in addition, other treatments available are surgical operations such as the coronary artery bypass or heart transplant and non-surgical operations such as the coronary angioplasty using stents. Angina pectoris is a warning sign for heart attack; also known as angina, it is a medical term for the chest pain that follows insufficient supply of blood to the heart. There are different types of angina, with different intervals of pain ranging from just a few seconds to several minutes, and each one of them has different causes and risk factors as well. For instance, stable angina presents with chest discomfort and allied symptoms triggered by some activity such as running but minimal or non-existent at rest or with medication, while unstable angina is very severe and occurs with minimal exertion, with a crescendo pattern, Micro-vascu lar angina presents with chest pains too, but unlike the other two, its causes are unknown. Common symptoms of angina pectoris include chest discomfort, a sort of pressure or heaviness sensation, in addition to referred pains in such areas as the upper central abdomen section, including the back, neck, jaws, or shoulders; some people may also present with autonomic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and pallor. Major risk factors for angina pectoris include cigarette smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and an inactive lifestyle, in addition to family history of premature heart disease; the most common treatment for angina is nitro-glycerine, a potent vasodilator that supplies more oxygen to the heart muscle. Congestive heart failure denotes the condition whereby the heart becomes unable to supply a sufficient amount of blood to the rest of the body due to fatty plaques (Caldwell 2007, p.6), resulting in a reduced oxygen supply to the body tissues. Symptoms for heart failure include shor tness of breath, a swelling of the legs, and intolerance of exertion or exercise, while common causes of the condition include coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, in addition to all other conditions that overwork the heart such as hypertension, valve, kidney and thyroid diseases, and diabetes.

Wind Tunnel Measurement on a Aeroplane Model Lab Report

Wind Tunnel Measurement on a Aeroplane Model - Lab Report Example The range of the movement for the configuration will range between -20 to +100 at 10 intervals. These angles must be relative to the fuselage datum. The main function of the tail plane of an aircraft is to provide a sufficient amount of pitching moment while the aircraft is in flight and to control the aircraft in the longitudinal plane (Pankhurst & Holder, 1985). In order to achieve very efficient performance, the design of the airplane must take into consideration three important factors including; the geometrical relationship existing between the tail plane and the wing body of the aircraft, the performance of the tail plane and the structural components of the airplane (Irving, 2010). This experiment is conducted due to the need to monitor and determine the performance of an aircraft and its variation at the different stages of its movement. The results obtained will help to determine the best configuration for airplanes in order to improve their performance. The model of the airplane is mounted on an accurately and remotely operated 3 component mechanical balance. The incidence of the plane can be varied and the lift, drag and pitching moment be measured by means of weigh beams. The weigh beams usually have locks which should always be engaged when any adjustments are made to the model and also when the experiment is concluded. The balance is automatically locked when the stop button of the tunnel is pressed. Operation of the balance needs practice; the operator of the airplane must be accustomed to its natural frequencies. The forces that are acting on the plane model are lift, drag and the moment of the pitch. The airspeed can be deduced from the difference between the static pressures of the airstream at the point of entry and exit from the contractive of the tunnel. The pressure difference is usually equal to the dynamic head in the tunnel

Week 2 discussion replies Set number 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 2 discussion replies Set number 2 - Essay Example This would make them earn a decent penalty after they died. Indeed the belief in immortality caused most of the Egyptians artefacts. After death, bodies of the dead had to be preserved properly to prepare them for the next life. For instance, canopic jars would protect the head parts of the dead. Other internal parts of the body would be removes and be preserved, as well. The rest of the body would be wrapped with reed coffins, to dry quickly and then buried in wooden tombs. Additionally, belief in life after death made Egyptians make a book of death with a series of songs, pictures, texts made in papyrus, to accompany the dead. This book represents some of the Egyptians artefacts that made the trip to the other world easier. Besides Egyptians optimism because of civilisation they acquired through the work of their creative hands, they domesticated some animals as early as 8000 BC. This happened in the practice of religious activities as animals were used to characterize certain events. For instance, presence of a specific animal or lack of it would have specific interpretations. The different interpretations would cover the difference between life and death, wealth or poverty, and peace or war to the entire nation. This symbolism of animals caused the ancient Egyptians to include them to maintain various religious themes. This is how some animals like cows started living in the same compound with men adding to their produce. Some artefacts like stone roofed subterranean chambers housed domesticated animals like cows slaughtered to appease Egyptian gods. Egyptians had many reasons to smile about, which made them hopeful. The history of Egypt occurred in a series of stable kingdoms. After the Roman Empire, Egyptians adopted the Nile River valley project that hastened their civilisation. Farming produce from the fertile lands gave them money to spend in the country, and some to provide for other projects.

Single Tuned Harmonic Filter Design Research Paper

Single Tuned Harmonic Filter Design - Research Paper Example Therefre, the filter re ued t ntrl hrmni in the netwrk. T deign uh filter, it i neery t: Minimiztin f ttl t f the filter (bjetive funtin) ubjet t ertin vlue f filter rmeter (ntrint) i the bigget hllenge fr filter deign. n timiztin re n be defined mximiztin (r minimiztin) f n bjetive funtin, f(x), ubjet t me ntrint f the rblem, g(x). Thee ntrint define the feible regin, i.e. regin tht ntin ible lutin f the rblem. The bjetive funtin i t minimize the ttl t f the filter n be frmulted : where F i the ttl filter t; R the filter reitne; X the fundmentl frequeny itive retne; XL the fundmentl frequeny indutive retne; Q the qulity ftr; X0 the rennt retne; min nd mx: dente the minimum nd the mximum limit, reetively. The ue f nventinl L tehnique i ulr, ne my ue due t the imliity f ytem mdeling nd bjetive. The qulity ftr determine hw hrly the filter i tuned t the trget hrmni rder. The dmittne f high Q filter dr ff quikly t frequenie bve nd belw it trget vlue. The timl Q fr ingle tuned filter led t hve the lwet hrmni vltge ditrtin. where ; ; ; U the inrementl t f the itr nd it i equl t 170103LE/MVR; UL the inrementl t f the retr nd it i equl t 170103LE/MVR; n the hrmni number; K=ntnt=0.4KW/MVR ; If the fundmentl urrent mnent; Ih the hrmni urrent mnent; U i ntnt, nd it i equl t : The fuzzy liner rgrmming tehnique i ued t minimize the bjetive funtin in Eq. (1) nd tify the filter rmeter (ntrint). ... The imedne f ingle tuned filter (Z) n be exreed : (7) t the trget hrmni rder, the filter retne i: (8) nd (9) where h i the trget hrmni rder. The ttl filter t bjetive funtin f filter deign f Eq. (1) n be exreed : (10) =K1R+K2X+K3XL where ; ; ; U the inrementl t f the itr nd it i equl t 170103LE/MVR; UL the inrementl t f the retr nd it i equl t 170103LE/MVR; n the hrmni number; K=ntnt=0.4KW/MVR ; If the fundmentl urrent mnent; Ih the hrmni urrent mnent; U i ntnt, nd it i equl t : (11) U=8760vFuUu where Fu i the Filter utiliztin ftr whih i equl t 1.0 nd Uu i the t f wer l/KWH whih i equl t 0.2 L.E. (12) nd N i the filter life=15 yer; I i the interet rte=0.05. 3.2. FD uing fuzzy liner rgrmming (FL) timiztin tehnique The fuzzy liner rgrmming tehnique i ued t minimize the bjetive funtin in Eq. (1) nd tify the filter rmeter (ntrint). The differene between L nd FL tehnique i tht the vlue nd ertr uing the nventinl L re ri vlue, while, the vlue nd/r ertr f the FL re Fuzzified hrteriti, uing FL tehnique. 3.2.1. Fuzzy mdeling f ntrint The red tringulr fuzzy mdeling fr the filter reitne i hwn in Fig. 1. It i een tht, memberhi funtin fr the reitne i equl t 1 igned t Rmed, eh mnent f filter i rereented by tw liner ntrint: the lwer limit nd the uer limit. The lwer limit memberhi fr the reitne f the filter i deribed fllw: (13) nd the uer reitne limit memberhi i: (14) imilrly, the red tringulr fuzzy mdeling fr the itive retne i hwn in Fig. 2. The lwer limit memberhi fr the itive retne f the filter i deribed fllw: (15) nd the uer itive retne limit memberhi i: (16) imilrly, the red tringulr fuzzy mdeling fr the indutive retne i hwn in Fig. 3. The lwer limit memberhi fr the indutive retne f the filter i deribed

Tirstrup BioMechanics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tirstrup BioMechanics - Assignment Example Therefore procuring assets in a developed market like USA will certainly give an edge to the company. While considering the Private placement debt option the company must not be unduly bothered about gaining explicit visibility in the public markets, because that is not going to have a big impact on the fortunes of the company as its products are not for the common consumer, which can be bought off the shelf for daily use. For the business clients what matters the most is the quality and creditability. Business clients like to be dealt with directly and not through the public media. As for inviting proposals and ideas form financial institutions and giving them a vague promise if 'future business' doesn't make much of a sense if it is not form a well established company with strong credentials in the target market. It appears that the company has a ready cash of US$ 30 million, while another US$ 163 million is within easy reach provided Julie can present a formidable and convincing proposal before the Tirstrup's Board. Issuing commercial paper has some amount of uncertainty around it and sounds to be a costly proposition. The company will have to work hard for A1/P1 rating with a payment for back-up line and there are also the risks like re-pricing and re-funding.

Events that change Nations - P4-db Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Events that change Nations - P4-db - Essay Example The lack of conflict and the breakdown of national economies that came in the aftermath of the First World War, forced nations to repair the damage and this is why economic science flourished. As a result, several economic models, theories and principles were introduced. I would cite two important developments that have contributed significantly to the course of modern history: the Keynesian economic tradition; and, the emergence of postwar globalization. The events in 1920s and 1930s such as the high postwar inflation rates, the instability of stock prices, unemployment, tariff dynamics, and so forth occupied John Maynard Keynes and shaped his economic ideas. Keynes was involved in the major events of his time and would be pivotal in the development of modern economic thought afterwards. According to Alan Meltzer (1988), today, if one looks back and examine Keynes works, he or she would be struck by the labored arguments and definitions that are very much applicable today. (p. 18) In reading his works, for instance, we are able to see how Keynes predicted problems, failures, and impending disasters including the possible solutions for governments. The realizations of Keynes’ predictions influenced the modern economic thought and, certainly, his reputation so much so that governments used his ideas to guide their economic policies today. One could see this in the recent policies of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Pr esident Barack Obama in their strategies to rescue their respective economies from current global financial crisis. The second important development during the 1920s and the 1930s was the emergence of globalization. During this period, traces of globalization started to emerge as countries started the initiatives to enforce tariff truce as well as agreement that would regulate quotas and other restrictions. When the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934 or Tasca 1934 was enacted by several European

Tirstrup BioMechanics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tirstrup BioMechanics - Assignment Example Therefore procuring assets in a developed market like USA will certainly give an edge to the company. While considering the Private placement debt option the company must not be unduly bothered about gaining explicit visibility in the public markets, because that is not going to have a big impact on the fortunes of the company as its products are not for the common consumer, which can be bought off the shelf for daily use. For the business clients what matters the most is the quality and creditability. Business clients like to be dealt with directly and not through the public media. As for inviting proposals and ideas form financial institutions and giving them a vague promise if 'future business' doesn't make much of a sense if it is not form a well established company with strong credentials in the target market. It appears that the company has a ready cash of US$ 30 million, while another US$ 163 million is within easy reach provided Julie can present a formidable and convincing proposal before the Tirstrup's Board. Issuing commercial paper has some amount of uncertainty around it and sounds to be a costly proposition. The company will have to work hard for A1/P1 rating with a payment for back-up line and there are also the risks like re-pricing and re-funding.

American government shutdown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American government shutdown - Essay Example In the event that the gap of funding stays for a long time, the law requires that some government officials be laid off so as to address the emergency activities and services. During the government fund strain, the projects which are funded by law other than things like the social security are bound to be affected. All the activities that rely on the annual appropriation funds get affected with the decline of the congress to approve the funding of such annual appropriation (United States, 1999). The shutdown may not affect all the segments of the government. However, sometimes it may affect all the government operations depending on what the congress has turned down. For instance, during the time of Carter and Ford’s administration, there were gaps of funding that caused six partial shutdowns that affected only the departments of education, welfare, and labor. This was effective for around 18 days and what was causing the controversy was the federation abortion funding. During the administration of Reagan, there was some nominal shutdown. This was so especially when funding measures were under discussion to take care of government plans and priorities. During the administration of Bush, there was also a shutdown which lasted for a weekend and was resolved later on a Monday morning. During the Clinton administration, there was a shutdown that lasted for between 5 to 21 days due to the United States’ budget deficit. This was the most severe shutdown in the history of America. The massive congressional gain of the conservative was the reason and the cause of this historic shutdown. In 2013, there was yet another government shutdown which was created by a minor conflict of interest. This was caused by the dispute between the proponents and opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which is famously known as the Obamacare. The republicans did this purposefully in the house of senate as well as in the house of representatives to delay the

Influences on Consumer Behavior for Mobile Phone Choice

Influences on Consumer Behavior for Mobile Phone Choice INTRODUCTION With the passage of time, advents in technology have given new meanings to almost everything around us. Every preconceived notion and idea has been forced to go through a metamorphosis to keep in line with the growing pace of change. This tidal wave of change has surely altered communication drastically. The new advances have led to addition of many new forms which came about as a revolution. The communicative revolution that concerns us is actually the third wave, according to which information can now be transmitted through electronic signals and controlled waves present in the air around us. A mobile phone is an electronic device which is used in two way communication. To make use of a mobile phone, connection to a cellular network is required which is an interconnection of base stations through which signals are transmitted, hence the mobile uses those signals to forge and maintain connection. A user using a mobile phone can make or receive telephone calls to and from other cellular networks and also fixed line phones worldwide. Each mobile phone holds a subscription with a cellular network which then connects it to a mobile network operator and thus lets communication to flow freely. Mobile phones are not used for calls only, especially modern mobile phones. They offer a wide variety of communicative services such as: text messaging sending and receiving emails voicemails accessible through voicemail inbox access to internet MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) interactive games connectivity through Bluetooth and/or USB, infrared music player camera GPS (Global Positioning System) With the influx of countless models of mobiles in the UK market, with minor or significant differences in features, generally they are categorized into two groups. We have feature phones, which are normally characterized as low end mobile phones having less functions, whereas at the other extreme we have Smartphone which are high end phones with sophisticated, computing capabilities. Hence the focus of this report is to discuss a Market Research Study with the aim of providing readers with a comprehensive insight into the factors that influence the consumer behavior when it comes to choosing mobile phones, particularly for UK market. Once the factors have been determined, this report will further shed light on the market research objectives as well as the main purpose and procedure for this proposed market research study. In addition to the aforementioned topics in this report you will also find ample information regarding how to conduct a qualitative and quantitative market research study explaining the finer points in detail. Also a proposed reporting research schedule and timing, fees and credentials will be a part of this report. The reports prime focus will be on the consumer influences because it is these factors that aid the consumer in making a rational choice when given several alternatives to choose from. The consumer would first have to have a need or a problem for the satisfaction of which a product would be required. In this case we have the purchase of a mobile phone. Hence factors influencing consumer behavior in choosing a mobile phone from the different brands will be considered. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES As the main research objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence consumer behavior at the time of choosing a mobile phone brand; hence, the primary research objectives are stated below which have been further subdivided into sub objectives to illustrate the point further. Primary objectives are: Demographic factors Psychographic factors Behavioral factors Following are the sub objectives providing explanation for each of the research studys objectives: Demographic factors: are those factors influencing consumer behavior which are the consumers factors comprising of age, gender, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality. Demographic factors are important as consumers belonging to similar demographics have alike buying patterns. Based on the research study result, researchers would know what brands are favored by the male or female consumers, also depending on the income and occupation which brands would be the choice for consumers. Psychographic factors: comprise of factors that are based on consumers social class, lifestyle and personality traits. A point to be noted is that same demographics may have very different preferences when it comes to psychographic structures. Some brands are chosen over others if they are better at portraying an image which truly reflects the consumers psychographics. Behavioral factors: are specifically related to the buyers habits and their attitudes towards different brands. Basically it comprises of components that tell about the consumers knowledge, attitudes and responses to a product. If the marketer has ample knowledge about these behavioral variables then it makes the research very informative. PURPOSE AND PROCEDURE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN The prime focus of this proposed marketing research method and design is to be able to identify the significant factors that play an important role in influencing consumer behaviour in respect to choosing between different mobile brands, specifically in the UK market. In order to be able to collect genuine and authentic data this research design will incorporate both primary and secondary research study. Elements of the said primary research study will be utilised in the form of both qualitative and quantitative research. The purpose being the determination of various factors that play a key role in influencing consumer behaviour in relation to choosing mobile phone brands. The factors under discussion will be from the broad categories of demographics, psychographics and behavioural. Furthermore, to complement the marketing research study results, a literature review relating to the importance of proper knowledge regarding different consumer influences, consumers preferences and choices, prices and availability of different features such as camera, games, Wi-Fi, and also the notion of brand loyalty. In addition to it, evaluation methods explaining how best to gauge consumer responses will also be augmented in the study. As told earlier, secondary research will be also be implemented, its aim would be to augment information about the patterns of consumer behaviour in the past and also the changes that have taken place recently. All of this information gained will then be considered and used in forming the main purpose and objectives of the proposed research study. For the designing of a questionnaire judging the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the research study, the following questions will be a part of it. The questions are: Which mobile phone brand are you currently using? Would you buy the same brand when buying a new phone in the future? Which mobile phone brand would have been your next choice? How much are you willing to pay for a mobile phone of your choice? What are your preferences in choosing a mobile phone? What features are the most important in a mobile phone? What features are the least important in a mobile phone? In your opinion, which brand is the UK market leader in mobile phones? RATIONALE BEHIND THE QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN Initially there is a need to recognize what is the kind of relationship shared between the variables and hypothesis. The two broad categories of such relationships are cause and effect relationship and non cause effect relationship. The one under consideration belongs to the former group as we have identified different factors as cause, bringing about effect in the form of consumer behaviour when opting for a certain mobile phone brand. It is widely believed that quantitative research methods which are based on scientific mode of study are the most effective in delivering a credible research hypothesis. Though there are other methods too, but they do have their shortcomings as well. If a pure statistical quantitative research method is implemented the results would not be comprehensive enough. They would only depict the general evaluation of the research and not the finer details that went into forming this conclusion. Another method for that matter is pure observational approach; again this mode is not favourable as it is primarily based on the researchers supposition of the hypothesis. Therefore this approach is greatly endangered by distortion of the final conclusion and lacks credibility as a result of it. Phenomenological method is another approach that can be taken as it asks the researchers to better understand the idea or hypothesis in relation to all its aspects and then form an evaluation based on the experiences felt by the person under its influence. In the end to sum up, its best suggested that statistical method be used for quantitative purpose and qualitative approach be taken to research the factors. As this combination of methods incorporates both the pros and cons of the respective approaches so it will, in most probability, helpful in delivering a credible and unbiased evaluation at the end of the research study. ABOUT THE PROPOSED RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN The questionnaire was formulated for the key purpose of identifying the different factors that influence consumer behaviour when choosing between different mobile phone brands in the UK market. Therefore each question was designed with the aim of extracting some information that would be insightful in understanding the complex buying behaviour of the consumers. Question 1 will find out which brand is most used by the consumers. If there are a major proportion of the participants choosing a particular brand that would mean that brand may be the market leader. Questions 2 and 3 will assess whether they wish to change the phone. If they do then what is the reason behind it, if a shortcoming in the current brand is recognized then the marketer can capitalize on it and add this feature in its own product if feasible. Question 4 will judge the brand loyalty in the participants as part of the behavioural factors influencing consumer behaviour. Whereas, question 5 will aim to find out what the customers next favoured option is in mobile phone brands. This would give an idea as to which brand has the potential of becoming the market leader. Question 6 will evaluate what is the technological literacy in the participants so that a need for introduction of complex technology can be considered. While question 7 will review what are the activities that the users mostly indulge in when using their phones. This will also be helpful in finding out what areas can be improved as are mostly used by the consumers. Question 8 will aim to discover the power friends have on consumer preferences as part of the psychographic factors. Generally it is believed that family, friends and peer pressure play a vital role in this area, this question will be finding out whether there is any truth to this notion or not. Question 9s purpose is to obtain information regarding how much consumers are willing to spend on the purchase of a mobile phone. Price is in relation to income which is a component of demographic factors. Also if a trend in low spending is observed then this would mean that there is a need for lowering the prices. Question 10 will ask the participants to make a choice between two of the most coveted mobile phone features. In addition to the usual ones features available, preference for camera and Wi-Fi will be asked for. Question 11 is in extension to the earlier asked question, asking what are the features that they most want in their mobile phones. It is expected that the answers will greatly depend on the age of the participants. Question 12, the last question, will actually provide additional information about the consumers assessment of the available brands. This will also show which brand the consumers think is the market leader, the response to this question will be interesting as it may be in contrast to what the marketers expectations are. IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC QUESTIONING, INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND EVALUATION In order to be certain that the questions prepared are honest and not misleading, it is necessary that the questions being asked as part of the research are credible. If not then the results may be deceptive. For this purpose it is also necessary that strategic questioning is such that asks questions that are actually informative and insightful, helping in forming strategies. Therefore it of the utmost importance that the questionnaire designed should be clear in stating what its purpose is. The understanding of the responses should be such which would be able to serve its purpose of finding out the factors most influencing consumer behaviour in choosing mobile phone brands, particularly for the UK market. The researcher should incorporate all such plausible and relevant questions that will be helpful in achieving this aim. While conducting an interview, researchers are at an advantage of extracting much more out of the respondent than from a questionnaire. It is because of the nature of the method that gives the freedom to the researcher to pay attention to the gestures and body language of the participant in addition to obtaining a response. When evaluating and getting ready to present the data, the researcher should not forget what the purpose has been all along. Also a general code of conduct and ethics should not be breached at any stage of the research as that would deem the study false. PROPOSED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND REPORTING As the research has to kept bias free so it is important that the respondents are chosen at random from the targeted segment. The researcher should thus aim to distribute the questionnaires to people who can be counted on for providing the best possible response. For our study, prime focus would be UK residents. It will be this collected data which will be analysed and evaluated. Since our study encompasses the whole UK market, so the researcher will aim to get 100 survey questionnaires by the residents of four main countries of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Each participant will be at complete liberty to refuse to participate in this survey, only after their consent would they be given a questionnaire to fill. Correct purpose of the study will be explained to them. After all the data has been collected, it will then be analyzed and interpreted with the use of computing aids in order to be certain about the veracity of the study. These results will be compiled as a report in addition to study results, recommendations and conclusions. For the meeting this report will be presented along with a PowerPoint presentation. PROPOSED RESEARCH SCHEDULE AND TIMING This research will be conducted within an expected time duration of 7 weeks. In the initial weeks, the market research proposal will be composed. This step will involve the preliminary identification of factors influencing consumer behaviour namely, demographic, psychographic and behavioural factors, which will then be taken as the basis for the whole study. Literature review will be a key component for this area as this will evaluate what needs to be researched. It will be during this literature review that the factors will be further sub divided into smaller facets to cover every aspect of consumer behaviour. During the 3rd week, quantitative and qualitative research study questionnaire will be designed. For this purpose first the merits and demerits of each form of study will have to be taken into consideration. Then after the questionnaires are prepared, they will be distributed to the targeted segment of the population based on country wise division for UK market. It will be during the 4th and 5th week that the questionnaires will be filled and collected. Two week time is being allotted as the questionnaires will be divided over a large area so shipping to and forth will have to be accounted for. In the 6th week the researcher will have to get down to the task of the evaluating the results. For this a systematic procedure of first entering the data into computing software and then retrieving the end result will be initiated. Computers are being used of this purpose to guarantee no or very insignificant discrepancies. Once the results are obtained they will be included in the study for the experts review and analysis. As told earlier, informal interviews will also be conducted so that gain even better insight into the workings of consumer influences. These responses along with formal interview data collected will be also be added into the survey. At the completion of all these steps, final evaluation will be carried out. This evaluation will incorporate elements from all the parts of the whole research proposal study, the purpose for this detailed study will be to avoid all forms of prejudice that might have seeped into the study at any step of the process. In the final 7th week, after the study is completed, final review will take place. COST FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS AND BREAKDOWN As the participants selected belong to four different countries therefore questionnaire filling will in itself be a long process. Mostly it takes a couple of days for the questionnaires to be filled but as the participants are over an extended area so for that we have projected a longer time duration. During all this time various expenses will be incurred which have to be accounted from. Apart from the obvious transportation and telecommunications costs which are a part of every research schedule, other expenses are also to be considered. These other expenses can be listed under sundry expenses, comprising of paper and printing cost, food expenses. Also the volunteers will be given allowances for the services being offered.

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Facebook Revenue Sources Essay

Facebook Revenues Up to $700 Million in 2009, On Track Towards $1.1 Billion in 2010 Facebook is tight-lipped about its revenue numbers, which is typical of private companies. The most it has said publicly is that it became â€Å"free cash-flow positive† as of last September. At the time, we estimated it was set to bring in around $550 million for the year in revenues based on previous reports that we and others had heard, and from our own calculations. But how did the year actually end? Somewhat higher. And sources estimate the company could make between $1 billion and $1.1 billion in total revenue this year. It ended 2008 making between $280 million and $300 million, according to many reports. The company’s revenues likely reached between $600 million and $700 million for 2009, according to a variety of industry sources we spoke with. The estimates match what we heard in September, which was that $550 million was looking too low – 2009 was clearly a big year for the company in terms of building its business, as we’ve been covering. The company has been roughly doubling its revenues every year — 2007 came in at $150 million. We expect that trend to continue for the foreseeable future, making Facebook a multi-billion dollar company within the next few years. The question is becoming how Facebook can hit the inflection point where its revenues increase much more quickly. Of course, it is not commenting on this story, except to provide the following statement: Facebook is a private company, and we do not publicly disclose our financial results. We understand there is a great deal of interest and curiosity in our past and potential financial performance. However, external attempts to forecast revenue are fundamentally speculative and should be treated as such. We’re focused on building our business to be successful over the long-term. 2009 Revenue How did Facebook make money last year? By growing multiple revenue sources, mostly around advertising. Here’s the revenue we estimate for each component, followed by our analysis. Note that the 2009 run-rate numbers in the table circulated went around the financial community last summer, and were publicly reported by investor-blogger Fred Wilson and Business Insider. We’ll get into the 2010 projections further down. Want more updates from Inside Facebook on Facebook revenues? Sign up here to be notified of future reports. Brand Advertising: Facebook’s internal sales force made a big push here throughout the year, building on past efforts. It made very public entreaties to advertisers with many millions in budgets, like its big presentation to Madison Avenue last year. There, it also announced a deal where Nielsen started providing better advertising data to help firms track campaign results. Facebook also continued to upgrade Pages and its home page advertising units, testing out a range of new features like engagement sampling ads. Meanwhile, the site grew to more than 350 million monthly active users at the end of 2009 from 150 million or so at the beginning of the year — that’s a lot of new eyeballs for advertisers to try to reach. Out of those users, around 100 million were in the US and another 100 million were in Europe: These two markets are where brand advertising br ings in the most money. Brand ads revenue also expanded for a couple more reasons we’ll get into below. Between what we’ve heard from sources and our estimates, we think this category increased considerably over the course of the year, from the $125 million rumor in July to roughly $225 million by the end of the year. The bigger question is if major advertisers are starting to spend more than â€Å"experimental† budgets on Facebook, and according to sources this just started to happen over the course of last year. Microsoft Advertising: Revenue in this area is not clear. Microsoft has been running banner advertising on Facebook for years, one of the perks of its which it started doing when it made a strategic investment in the company. But the two ended the international component a year early, on January 1 of 2010, instead of the same time next year. While that obviously won’t impact Facebook’s 2009 revenue, we also hear that it already took over a sizable portion of Micr osoft’s ad inventory during 2009. Meanwhile, sources familiar with the matter suggest that the July rumor about Microsoft $150 million number is half wrong, in the sense that it is gross revenue, including Microsoft’s cut. So Facebook’s would have been significantly less — the exact percentage it would get is not known, as revenue sharing terms have never been disclosed for the deal. Virtual Goods: This number is especially confusing, in part because Facebook accounts for branded virtual goods as part of brand advertising. Virtual goods revenue source, in terms of Facebook’s accounting practice, only means direct  Credits sales. The result is that the revenue source is significantly lower than what many have expected, coming in potentially as low as $10 million, according to sources familiar with the matter. While the Facebook gift shop has appeared to be popular with users, Credits has otherwise been in testing mode throughout the year. The use of the virtual currency in third-party applications has been minimal, and that only started changing in December. Most industry sources have estimated revenue for virtual goods at around $75 million for the year, which has roughly corresponded with the July rumors and followed from previous estimates for gift store revenue. Certainly, Facebook’s accounting method — which we don’t have many details on — alters some part of that estimate. But outside rumors and estimates have been bullish because social games and other applications brought in hundreds of millions to developers on the Facebook platform last year. At $10 million a year, the gift shop would be bringing in $25,000 a day, which seems extremely low considering the size of the Facebook audience. But, Facebook has promoted virtual gifts pretty lightly over the past couple of years. Performance Advertising: As the biggest success so far in terms of monetization, we believe performance advertising grew by roughly $150 million above the July rumors, and for a few reasons. FarmVille, Zynga’s hit farming game, saw sharp traffic growth after launching in June, partly because the company aggressively advertised on Facebook. Other social gaming companies followed suit. Social games accounted for a substantial minority of all spending on performance advertising, according to sources — between a third and half, some say. However, other types of performance-focused advertisers, including direct marketers and local businesses, also increased their spending, from what many in the industry have said. Growth was especially strong growth in international markets, in part because companies like Techlightenment, TBG London, Tradimax and 77 Agency began using Facebook’s advertising API to sell ads in bulk. These companies are based in Europe, and used Facebook’s precise ad-targeting features to reach users across the fast-growing region’s diversity of nationalities and languages. However, Facebook has rolled out its advertising API program more slowly than we’ve been expecting in general. 2010 Revenue Estimates Overall, we expect many of the same advertising trends to continue. Brand and  self-serve advertising should increase — but so will virtual goods revenue. A wide variety of sources we spoke to expect Facebook to pass $1 billion in revenue this year, possibly reaching $1.1 billion. This is significant growth, but likely still the start of the hockey stick. Here’s a quick look at what’s happening now. Note that these estimates are very rough, and based on our understanding of the market and conversations with sources — we don’t have enough data on Facebook’s traffic to model each revenue stream. Brand Advertising: Facebook is continuing to invest in its sales team here, opening new offices in the US and abroad, and cutting deals with regional advertising agencies in other parts of the world. Its traffic appears to still be growing — although how much is a big question for the year. The result is that ad inventory and the value to big b rands will likely continue to increase, potentially to $350 million, we believe. We don’t think big brands will switch major offline or portal budgets to Facebook en masse this year, but we’ll see more money coming over, with the big budgets likely to follow later. Microsoft Advertising: It’s hard to see Facebook maintaining much Microsoft advertising, because it can now monetize better on its own. It may maintain a token amount in some markets. Microsoft won’t mind about losing Facebook here, because it already has a big strategic investment in the company that will only get more valuable as Facebook builds its own business. And, Microsoft has other deals, like Bing within Facebook, and search ads to go along with the search engine. Virtual Goods: More than ever, Facebook is making Credits a more relevant part of its developer platform. We’ve been covering in detail as the company has recently gotten most big developers using the virtual currency as an option; it has also gotten one, CrowdStar, using Credits exclusively. One way it has done this is by giving games that use Credits prominence within the Facebook interface, appearing in the â€Å"suggested† window of its Games Dashboard, for example. We’ve also been hearing rumors — for months — about Facebook making Credits the mandatory, exclusive virtual currency in applications. It’s not clear that this will happen, and everything we’ve heard coming out of the company suggests no big decisions have been made yet. In fact, our understanding is that Facebook will continue to try to focus on advertising this year. Still, we expect Facebook to start to figure out how to tap into the virtual goods business in a big way. It takes 30% of Credits revenue, so  any developers it funnels through Credits will make it money. Performance Advertising: Social games need to advertise now more than ever to reach Facebook users, due to new inhibitions on viral growth, and more competitors. They’re going to be spending more on Facebook than they have been. So will many other types of performance advertising. Some, from our understanding, have figured out ways of getting a good return on their advertising investment, making additional advertising a way for them to make more money. Facebook’s ongoing efforts to build features for the Ads API, the development of third-party tools providers, and interest from more advertisers should bring this category continue to grow well, past half a billion and possibly towards $600 million. Conclusion: Look for the Most Revenue Growth After 2010 While many people have questioned Facebook’s ability to make money, it is innovating in multiple areas, in ways that we believe will work for the long-term. Brand and performance advertising benefit from being targeted on users’ real-life data, from appearing in Facebook’s engagement-rich environment, and from reaching its hundreds of millions of users. The company will, in our view, gradually chip away at brand advertising spending on other big web sites, including Yahoo and MySpace. The optimistic case for Facebook, in terms of its brand advertising revenue, is that it will get most of this advertising and bring it alone up into the billions range, eventually. Performance should also continue to expand. We expect social gaming as well as a wide variety of performance advertisers and local businesses to help the company make more money here for many years to come. This ecosystem could mature to look something like search engine marketing. Google’s AdWords and other contextual ads appear to be better than Facebook in terms of reaching users looking to buy things; some industries are struggling to make money on Facebook, including travel and insurance companies, from what we hear. We’re not prepared to make an estimate for how big this revenue source might become in future years, except to say that it looks the most promising out of any. Beyond 2010, Credits could potentially expand beyond Facebook apps. Facebook intends to have it be a virtual currency on the site for now, but many have speculated it could turn Credits into a web-wide virtual currency, and integrate it with Connect so other web  sites could include it as a payment option. That is possible — it’s an idea that’s been floating around for years. Some have also speculated that Facebook is going to get deeper into the payments business, instead of partnering with other payment service providers who currently manage Credit purchases. But in order to do payments itself, it would have to build out a PayPal-sized backend to support this. Right now, it uses PayPal, mobile payments from Zong, and direct payments via credit cards, instead. All in all, Facebook’s future looks good, in terms of its ability to continue growing revenues. We’ll of course keep tracking everything closely.