Research, Statistics, and Psychology

Without research methods and processes, an unimaginable amount of information would be lost to the world. Though research topics and researcher personalities vary greatly, universal truths or basics of research stand the test of time. In this paper, I examine the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology by explaining several important parts of research. I define research and the scientific method. I compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data. I also define statistics and describe their role in research.Diverse fields of study use research through the scientific method, primary data, secondary data, and statistics. Professionals use research to investigate topics, discover, and interpret facts. Research is also performed to revise theories. Psychological theories are consistently revisited. One psychologist will create the base of a school of thought, but later psychologists will expand and update the original work. The scientific method i s used in research and is considered necessary for scientific investigation. The scientific method is a series of steps.Researchers identify a problem or area of interest, research to gather information, make hypothesis, empirically test hypothesis with experiments, make changes to hypothesis or tests if necessary, draw a conclusion, and write findings. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Many empirical sciences, especially the social sciences, use mathematical tools borrowed from probability theory and statistics, together with such outgrowths of these as decision theory, game theory, utility theory, and operations research† (scientific method).Psychologists and researchers from other fields can use different types of data. Primary and secondary data are used in research and experiments. Primary data is data collected from first hand experience. A psychologist who observes animal or human behavior is collecting primary data. Secondary data is collected f rom the past, other people, or publications. According to â€Å"Publish Your Articles† (2012), â€Å"It refers to the statistical material which is not originated by the investigator himself but obtained from someone else's records† (secondary data).Psychologists cannot ethically recreate situations of child abuse to learn about psychological dynamics, related stress, and immediate reactions, so referral to past research may be necessary. Primary and secondary data types pose advantages and disadvantages to researchers. Primary data can be more credible, believable, telling, and will better fit the needs of a study. However, primary data requires funding, time, and participants. Secondary data can save time and expenses, and some research will not provide the opportunity to collect primary data.A wealth of secondary data is available, but it can be painstaking to find sufficiently accurate secondary data to use. It can also be difficult for researchers to find secondar y data that precisely fits the desired area of focus. The role of statistics in research is to access and organize research data throughout various fields of study. The summation that statistics provide paints an understandable picture of data. Psychological statistics may tell the percentage of a population that experiences seasonal depression, or what type of childhood environment influences a psychological disorder, like schizophrenia.According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"It is important for researchers and also consumers of research to understand statistics so that they can be informed, evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information, and make appropriate decisions† (The role of statistics in research). Researchers must navigate through many different types of variables and levels of measurement in research. Levels of measurement, including rank-order, nominal, and equal-interval measure variables. Tables and graphs may be used to illustrate data, but statistics help researchers draw reliable conclusions.To research is to investigate, whether researching a new topic, or testing an established theory. The scientific method is an integral part of any research. Respected researchers follow the steps of the scientific method. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses† (scientific method). Primary or secondary data can be used in research.Primary data is data obtained directly from the researcher. Secondary data is collected from secondary sources like articles, books, and previous experiments. Each type of data has its advantages and disadvantages, and the researcher must choose a data type. According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"Statistics is the science of collecting, analyz ing and making inference from data. Statistics is a particularly useful branch of mathematics that is not only studied theoretically by advanced mathematicians but one that is used by researchers in many fields† (The role of statistics in research).The aspects of research reviewed are universal, despite the topic of research. However, research and statistics are undeniably valuable and influential. Human civilization should respect the process and endeavor of research because the word would be extremely different without research. For example, psychological medications and technology would not exist, and the human mind might be considered a hopeless mystery. Research, Statistics, and Psychology Without research methods and processes, an unimaginable amount of information would be lost to the world. Though research topics and researcher personalities vary greatly, universal truths or basics of research stand the test of time. In this paper, I examine the role of research and statistics in the field of psychology by explaining several important parts of research. I define research and the scientific method. I compare and contrast the characteristics of primary and secondary data. I also define statistics and describe their role in research.Diverse fields of study use research through the scientific method, primary data, secondary data, and statistics. Professionals use research to investigate topics, discover, and interpret facts. Research is also performed to revise theories. Psychological theories are consistently revisited. One psychologist will create the base of a school of thought, but later psychologists will expand and update the original work. The scientific method i s used in research and is considered necessary for scientific investigation. The scientific method is a series of steps.Researchers identify a problem or area of interest, research to gather information, make hypothesis, empirically test hypothesis with experiments, make changes to hypothesis or tests if necessary, draw a conclusion, and write findings. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Many empirical sciences, especially the social sciences, use mathematical tools borrowed from probability theory and statistics, together with such outgrowths of these as decision theory, game theory, utility theory, and operations research† (scientific method).Psychologists and researchers from other fields can use different types of data. Primary and secondary data are used in research and experiments. Primary data is data collected from first hand experience. A psychologist who observes animal or human behavior is collecting primary data. Secondary data is collected f rom the past, other people, or publications. According to â€Å"Publish Your Articles† (2012), â€Å"It refers to the statistical material which is not originated by the investigator himself but obtained from someone else's records† (secondary data).Psychologists cannot ethically recreate situations of child abuse to learn about psychological dynamics, related stress, and immediate reactions, so referral to past research may be necessary. Primary and secondary data types pose advantages and disadvantages to researchers. Primary data can be more credible, believable, telling, and will better fit the needs of a study. However, primary data requires funding, time, and participants. Secondary data can save time and expenses, and some research will not provide the opportunity to collect primary data.A wealth of secondary data is available, but it can be painstaking to find sufficiently accurate secondary data to use. It can also be difficult for researchers to find secondar y data that precisely fits the desired area of focus. The role of statistics in research is to access and organize research data throughout various fields of study. The summation that statistics provide paints an understandable picture of data. Psychological statistics may tell the percentage of a population that experiences seasonal depression, or what type of childhood environment influences a psychological disorder, like schizophrenia.According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"It is important for researchers and also consumers of research to understand statistics so that they can be informed, evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information, and make appropriate decisions† (The role of statistics in research). Researchers must navigate through many different types of variables and levels of measurement in research. Levels of measurement, including rank-order, nominal, and equal-interval measure variables. Tables and graphs may be used to illustrate data, but statistics help researchers draw reliable conclusions.To research is to investigate, whether researching a new topic, or testing an established theory. The scientific method is an integral part of any research. Respected researchers follow the steps of the scientific method. According to â€Å"Merriam-Webster† (2014), â€Å"Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses† (scientific method). Primary or secondary data can be used in research.Primary data is data obtained directly from the researcher. Secondary data is collected from secondary sources like articles, books, and previous experiments. Each type of data has its advantages and disadvantages, and the researcher must choose a data type. According to â€Å"Bcps. org† (2010), â€Å"Statistics is the science of collecting, analyz ing and making inference from data. Statistics is a particularly useful branch of mathematics that is not only studied theoretically by advanced mathematicians but one that is used by researchers in many fields† (The role of statistics in research).The aspects of research reviewed are universal, despite the topic of research. However, research and statistics are undeniably valuable and influential. Human civilization should respect the process and endeavor of research because the word would be extremely different without research. For example, psychological medications and technology would not exist, and the human mind might be considered a hopeless mystery.

Play Therapy Essay

Sometimes children go through difficult passages in their lives. It therefore becomes prudent to provide them with effective ways of helping them ease through these passages. Infact, children are good teachers and they know what they want and what is right for them (Kottman, 1993). All they need is just space to do it. Play therefore becomes very important in releasing these pent-up emotions, feelings of anxiety, fear disappointment, aggression and insecurity (Chethik, Morton. 2000). This brings us to the issue of play therapy. What is play therapy? Play therapy refers to a method of psychotherapy with children in which a child’s fantasies and symbolic meanings of his/her play are used as a medium for understanding and communication with him/her (Landreth, 2002). Through this method, the child is helped to control his/her emotions, thoughts, wishes and needs using games, toys and mediums such as clay, drawings and paint. By doing so, the child is helped to understand the muddled feelings and upsetting events that he/she has not had a chance or skill to sort out properly. Thus through this symbolic representation, the child gains a sense of control over events that in reality, seem uncontrollable. Unlike in adult therapy where one has to explain what is troubling him, children use play to communicate at their own level and pace without any feeling of interrogation or threat using toys as their words and play as their language (Landreth, 2002). Rationale for play therapy In play therapy, the symbolic of function play is vital in providing children with a means of expressing their inner world. This use of play therapy is rooted on a development understanding of children. According to Piaget (1962), children at the pre-operational stage (2-7 yrs) are acquiring language in which symbols represent mental objects. A child’s play in this stage becomes increasingly imaginary and fantasy-driven. The child is internally improving his/her understanding and knowledge but lacks the external ability to communicate this enhanced way of processing within the world. Play thus becomes the medium through which the child communicates this internal awareness of self to others. Piaget further asserts that during the concrete operational state (8-11 yrs) the child grows in his/her personal ability to reason logically and organize thoughts coherently. He/she is unable to express certain complicated emotions such as resentment or guilt due to the need for abstract thought to understand them. Play then helps the child bridge the gap between concrete experience and abstract thought. Landreth (2002) identifies basic principles necessary in play therapy. These include that children’s natural language is play, that they have an inherent tendency towards growth and maturity and lastly, and are themselves capable of positive self-direction since they posses the capacity to act responsibly. Play is a natural language from which children express themselves (Landreth, 2002). And as stated earlier, developmentally, it bridges the gap between concrete experience and abstract thought. Children gain a sense of control through play and also learn coping skills (Chethik, Morton. 2000). At times, children also receive other types of treatment. Children for instance that are unable to control their attention impulses, have a tendency to react violently, or experience severe anxiety would be included in play therapy. The therapy addresses the child’s psychological symptoms (Chethik, Morton. 2000). The child will also receive play therapy to alleviate low self-esteem feelings, excessive worry, incompetence and helplessness (Chethik, Morton. 000). In play therapy, toys are viewed as the child’s words and play as the child’s language – a language of activity. Play is then to children what psychotherapy is to adults. The use of toys enables the child to transfer his anxieties, fears, fantasies from his own feelings and guilt to objects rather then people. Through this process, the safety of children from their own feelings is guaranteed because it enables them to distance themselves from those traumatic experiences. By acting out a frightening experience symbolically through play, or reversing the outcome in play activity, the child moves towards an inner resolution and then he/she is able to cope with or adjust to problems (Axline, 1989). Through the play processes, the child is allowed to consider new possibilities not possible in reality thus greatly expanding the expression of self (Bratton. Et al. 2005). Also, within the safety of the play therapy experience, the child explores the unfamiliar and develops a knowing that is both experiential – feelings and cognitive. In a nutshell, the unfamiliar becomes familiar and the child expresses outwardly what takes place inwardly. Therefore, a major function of play in play therapy is the changing of what may be unmanageable in real life to a manageable situation via symbolic representation, through which the child is provided with opportunities for learning to cope (Axline, 1989). The process of play therapy The initial focus of therapy is in building a relationship between a child and the therapist. This relationship is what provides dynamic growth and healing for the child. It is therefore a very important tool because a child will readily express himself every time he/she feels respected and accepted. According to Landreth (1991), there are principles that should provide guidelines for establishment of a therapeutic relationship. Some of the guidelines include that the therapist is genuinely interested in the child. Also, the therapist experiences unqualified acceptance of the child and does not wish that the child were different in some way. He further creates a feeling of safety and permissiveness in the relationship so the child feels free to explore and express himself/herself totally. Landreth further asserts that the therapist should always be sensitive to the child’s feelings and gently reflect those feelings in a manner that encourages the child to develop self-understanding (Landreth, 2002). Additionally, the therapist should deeply believe in the child’s capacity to act responsibly and respect the child’s ability to solve personal problems and give him the opportunity to do so. He should also trust the child’s inner direction and to lead in all areas of relationship and avoid directing the child’s play. This therapist should appreciate the gradual nature of the therapeutic process in a slow manner, and finally he should establish only the therapeutic limits that help the child accept personal and appropriate responsibility. The primary objective of the process is not only to solve the problem but to help in the growth of the child. The therapist primarily meets with the child alone and arranges time to meet with parents separately or with the child depending with the situation. The structure of the sessions should be consistently maintained to provide a feeling of stability and safety for the child. In the session, the therapist uses specific techniques to assess how a child experiences his/her world and how he/she communicates and reacts to events and people in his/her own world. The child is led to become aware of what he/she is feeling and opportunities are given to express these feelings. Awareness is thus a very important aspect in play therapy because without it, change is not possible (Chethik, Morton. 2000). Throughout the therapy, the child is empowered and supported to learn more about who he/she thinks she/he is, to talk about things that are frightening or painful, to be self supportive as well as to experiment new behavior (Bratton. Et al. 2005). Since the child’s world is a world of action and activity, the therapy provides the therapist with an opportunity to enter the child’s world. The child lives out the past experience and related moments at the moment of play. Without the presence of play materials, the therapist could only talk with the child about aggressive behavior exhibited in the recent past. In play therapy however, whatever reason for referral, the therapist has the opportunity to experience and actively deal with that problem immediately. By so doing, the child plays out feelings by banging them to the surface, getting them out in the open, facing them and either abandoning them or learning to control them. Toys and materials Since toys and materials are part of this communicative process for children, careful attention must be given to their appropriate selection. The rule here is selection rather than accumulation. Please note that random assortment of acquired toys and materials often appear like junk rooms and they therefore doom the therapy process to failure. They should then be carefully selected for the contribution they make to accomplish the play objective and the extent to which they are consistent with the play therapy rationale. Some general guidelines to consider are that the tools should be durable and should communicate a message of â€Å"be yourself in playing† rather than â€Å"be careful. † They should provide children with a variety in choice of medium of expression. (Eliana, G. 1994). However, they need not be elaborate and above all they should not be complex. Remember that the first toys to be used were sticks. The tools should be age appropriately manageable so that the child will not be frustrated in his efforts to express himself/herself. No toy should require the child to seek the therapist’s help to manipulate. Landreth (1991) asserts that the toys and materials should facilitate establishment of a positive relationship with the child, testing of limits, exploration of real-life experiences, development of positive image, self-undertaking, expression of a wide range of feelings and opportunity to redirect behaviors unacceptable to others. These toys can be grouped into three basic classes viz; real-life toys such as a doll, a small cardboard box with rooms indicated by tape strips or felt pen markers, doll house furniture, pacifier and a small car. Secondly, there are those acting out or aggressive release toys such as handcuffs, toy guns, dart gun and toy soldiers, aggressive puppets, rubber knife and punching bags. Finally, there are toys for creative expression and emotional release such as crayons, newsprints, blue scissors, hand puppets, plain mask, and also sand trays. Setting limits in Play Therapy This is a very crucial part of this process. The structure of the therapeutic limits is what helps to make the experience a real life relationship (Eliana, G. 994). Limits in play therapy have advantages both practically and therapeutically since they preserve the therapeutic relationship; facilitate the child’s opportunities to learn self responsibility and self control. Provide the child with emotional security and physical safety and thus enabling the child to explore and express his/her inner emotional dimensions that perhaps have remained hidden in his/her other relationships (Axline, 1989). Boundaries are necessary here to provide predictability and thus the children are not allowed to do anything they want to do. The play therapy relationship has minimum limits (Eliana, G. 1994). Exploration is encouraged, messiness accepted and persistence is the guiding principle. Play therapy is a learning experience and thus limits are not set until they are needed. The limits are worded in such a way that the child is allowed to bring himself under control. Research and Results Play therapy is an approach based on well thought out, philosophically conceived, developmentally based and research supported approach to assisting children cope with and overcome the problems they experience in life (Bratton. Et al. 2005). It has therefore been demonstrated to be effective in a variety of children’s problems including, but not limited to, abuse and neglect, aggression and acting out, autism, fear and anxiety, grief, hospitalization, learning disabilities, chronic illnesses, withdrawn children and burn victims. In the case studies reported by Landreth, the views that play therapy requires a long-term commitment is totally unfounded. Conclusion Play therapy can thus help a child to become aware of his feelings and how those feelings manifest into his/ her behavior (Bratton. Et al. 2005). He/she learns to become better at regulating emotions and expressing them in constructive ways. This combination of skills may help a child to become more assertive, self confident and to have self respect and respect for others. He/she then get this assurance that he/she will be understood and accepted.

Code Noir

Le Code Noir (The Black Code) The Code Noir was a decree passed by King Louis XIV of France in 1685 and ended in 1848. It had a great impact on the sugar industry and trade involving French colonies and territories. The Code Noir contains 60 articles each with its own right and specification. The Code contained rights on slavery, restriction of the freedom of black people, banishment of Judaism, rejecting African cultures and that Catholicism should be the only religion of the colonies. Background The document was encouraged by a favorite minister in the King’s court, Jean Baptiste-Colbert.However, the document remained unfinished due to the minister’s death. Nonetheless, his son succeeded him in completing the source. It was modified and accepted by Louis XIV but rejected by the government. Nevertheless the King’s successor, Louis XV appointed the Code and authorized the law to be passed in the West Indies. The code was considered as a very racial document due t o discrimination of colour and culture. By banning the African traditions, the Mauritian arts such as â€Å"Sega† were created. Layout and PerspectiveThe arrangement of the article is based upon 60 laws. The first decree consisted of Jews being banned from every French region, due to the belief of Jews being the enemy of Christianity. The second law passed was that there should be no other religion other than Catholicism and every resident should be baptized. The documentations continue with the rules of race and eventually come to a point of slavery. The context of this contains the restrictions of black people and slaves. The last article on the document declares laws on taxes and fees.The original script was printed in French and translated into English. The script’s sixty articles are based upon life and death, purchase, religion and treatment of slaves by their lords. The slaves had little benefit from the code namely: * being clothed and fed, * to not work during Sundays and religious holidays * should be baptized in Catholicism * Should be educated in the religion. However the detriments of the verdict were greater, stating that slaves were prohibited from owning any property and had no legal capability.It also oversaw their marriages, deaths, religious traditions, punishments and the extent they had to go to for their freedom. The Code Noir in Mauritius The Code Noir in Mauritius was supposed to act as a justification to the slaves but ended being a Bible claiming the rights of lords over slaves. The punishments were very severe and brutal even abnormal. If a runaway slave was found, his/her ear would be cut off and for the second time they do something wrong, a thigh was chopped off.But the third penalty was the most ruthless of all; they would be stabbed with a hot iron mark on their body namely the Fleur de Lys. The treatments of slaves were that of dogs. Their masters did not give a care if something bad happened to them. Their nutrit ion was limited and therefore the slaves themselves had to cultivate their own food in secret. However, not all masters were like that to their slaves. Some did care for their workers and gave them a proper living by gifting them appropriate clothing and food. AbolishmentSlavery was abolished in France in 1794 and a few decades following that, the Code Noir was also eradicated in 1848. The Code Noir had remained intact for 163 years. Although slavery was obliterated in 1834, the Code Noir stayed for 14 years and then stopped. The slaves who will continue to work would not be referred to as slaves but as apprentices. The Code Noir only had two goals that was: – To give slave owners rights to their slaves – To boost the morality of the slaves Although the Code Noir was not always obeyed and followed, it remained a very important aspect to French Colonies.Legacy Even if the code was removed, the phase of this period was adopted into many books and documentaries. A few of these books have been published in Mauritius specifically, â€Å"Gorges† by Alexandre Dumas. The Code Noir remains a legacy of the French Revolution in Mauritius; nonetheless it depicts the suffering and torture of slaves while working. It also reflects the pain of Mauritius’ ancestors and toilers. The Code Noir serves as an example to our people and a dedication to all those who gave their time and effort into making this island what it is today.

The financial insecurities of commercial banks Essay

The financial insecurities of commercial banks - Essay Example A different article gives solution on how to curb the federal deposit insurance corporation losses on failed commercial banks. According to him, the FDIC losses can be reduced if the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Act of 1991 would be amended to allow FDIC authorities calculate the insured and uninsured depositors amounts for each deposited with several accounts in the same bank. The process of calculation will be done on a daily basis at the end of any banking day. This would be done by banks with at least two million deposit accounts. He suggests that within a large bank, this process will help a lot to allow insured depositors right to use their deposits within one business day of failure. Uninsured depositors are advised to share in the insolvency bank losses at the end of the blanking period. He suggests that this solution will apply to almost 37 banks as at the year 2014. The FDCI has tried to make the prompt corrective action initiative more determinable to secure the F DCI losses on the failing banks. The FDIC has used the test known as â€Å"least cost resolution† to protect uninsured depositors against any loss from their deposit accounts even in the failing banks. This article suggests that the entire franchise bank deposit insurance and the uninsured deposits be sold to one or more banks if this test would be successful to protect the uninsured depositors. This test aims at reducing the FDIC loss in a failed bank, by completely protecting the uninsured depositors against any financial loss.

Global Challenges Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Global Challenges - Research Paper Example Migrants into urban centers believe that there are many job opportunities in the urban centers hence necessitating the need for migration into towns to look for jobs (UN-Habitat, 2008). Secondly, there is a rapid increase in the demand for housing, basic infrastructure and social services. Infrastructures in this case include, water, electricity and sewerage systems. The rapid population increases in slums have resulted to a hindrance in delivering the services in those areas (Sexton, 1979; Levy, 2011). Thirdly, cities are faced with scarcity of food and world energy. The scarcity of food is because of the declining weather conditions affected by the climatic changes in the world. For instance, deforestation in many third world countries have caused decreased levels of rainfall which most farmers rely on for farming in order to supply the cities with food (Levy, 2011). In the near future, the US will face challenges that are different from other countries. Such challenges include how to address the problems resulting declining population growth and aging population, which have resulted to shrinking cities and deterioration in buildings and infrastructure (Levy, 2011). The second challenge will be how to address problems of urban sprawl and preservation of inner city heritage buildings. This arises from the growing demands of housing and facilities due to an emerging wealthy class and from international investors (UN-Habitat,

What makes a difference in bereavement and grief Research Paper

What makes a difference in bereavement and grief - Research Paper Example C. A. Corr and D. A. Corr (2012, p. 244) identify five critical variables that influence experiences of bereavement and grief, namely: nature of the prior attachment or the perceived value, the way in which the loss occurred, coping strategies, developmental situation of the bereaved person, and the nature of the support that is available to the bereaved person after the loss. Of the five principles stated, the author believed that the nature of the prior attachment or the perceived value, the way in which the loss occurred, and the coping strategies appear to make a difference in the ways in which bereavement and grief are experienced. First, prior attachments refer to the relationship one has built with the person who has died. The depth of that relationship cannot be appreciated unless that person has gone or died. Another way to look at this is the perceived value of the relationship; that is, the more important a person to the bereaving individual, the greater is the expression of grief. For instance, if someone who died belongs to a member of our family, it will represent a loss that will need to be mourned as I have attachment to the person involved and he/she is also important or of value to me. In addition, relationships are multidimensional and may also affect difficultly grieving and bereavement if it is associated with the loss of the person w ho inflicted abuse or violence. The second principle which appeared to make a difference in the ways in which bereavement and grief are experienced is the way in which the loss takes place and the circumstances of the bereaved person. From my perspective, grieving becomes difficult and loss is hard to accept if the person died in a tragic and traumatic way (e.g., suicide, violence, and natural disasters). Time also matters in the grieving and bereavement process. It would be harder to accept a sudden and an unexpected death than a foreseen one like in the case of terminal cancer patients. Similarly,

Discuss a few instances of Symbolism in Gilman's Story Essay

Discuss a few instances of Symbolism in Gilman's Story - Essay Example The wallpaper in the room in which the narrator is staying is covered in yellow wallpaper, a color that she detests. This could symbolize that the author has a deep dislike for this ‘disease’ in the society of her era characterized by the oppression of the fairer sex by a patriarchal society. Her hatred for the wallpaper, its color and design is actually a hatred for how men in that era treated women because to the author, the yellow wallpaper with its â€Å"hideous color† and â€Å"torturing pattern† symbolizes exactly that. The windows in her room are another symbol, symbolizing opportunity and that the narrator keeps sitting in her room and looking through them symbolizes a desire to make use of that opportunity and acquire much wanted freedom from the current oppression they face, freedom for women to be recognized as equals to their male counterparts. Another instance is of the woman stuck inside the wallpaper that the author sees creeping around, this woman is actually a representation of the author/narrator herself. It shows us how the author perceives herself and her current role in life. She feels trapped much like the woman inside the wallpaper and she feels that she has to ‘creep’ around like the woman in the wallpaper because she wants her actions to go unnoticed by her husband. Another instance of symbolism in this story is when she talks about the pattern of the yellow wallpaper which initially doesn’t make any sense to her. The author says â€Å"I never saw a worse paper in my life,† (Gilman, Charlotte) which means that she dislikes the structure of dominance and restriction that the men had created over women in that era by refusing them status equal to that of men and by treating them like silly â€Å"little girls†. The pattern of the yellow wallpaper signifies the complex structures in her life that have bound her in her current subordinate role. The pattern sometimes feels like bars to her and she feels like she’s stuck behind them and trying to escape. There is also the issue of how her husband and brother treat the issue of her illness. They regard it as if it were but a silly whim and ignore any input from the author/narrator herself. This symbolizes how in the 1800s men thought that women were inferior to them and thus so were their opinions. The women were thus largely ignored and their thoughts and views given no real notice or importance. The author believes that some mentally stimulating activity would actually help her come out of her depression, but her husband and brother give her opinion no real thought and on the contrary forced her to undergo the ‘rest cure’ whereby she was to be confined to one room and allowed no activity that would mentally stimulate her. This in itself is another symbolism, where the author shows us through the dynamics of her relationship with her husband and his attitude towards her illness an opinions h ow he (he here stands for all the men in that era) has ‘confined’ her according to his will and it doesn’t really matter whether she concurs to his ways or not. What she thinks is of no consequence because she, as a female is inferior to her husband and thus her husband â€Å"must know better†. Not allowing her any activity also symbolizes that the men restricted women’

Qualitative research critique on nurse attrition Paper

Qualitative critique on nurse attrition - Research Paper Example With these statistics and proof in mind, the factors that cause these are necessary to be identified in order to prevent the shift which sooner or later will be problematic (MacKusick & Minick, 2010). Physical exhaustion was bound to take place. Having to recommend someone else may also provide psychological risks because the subject may not have wanted any contact with former employees and the interview questions were many and too demanding. The researchers of this research article are both PhD holders and associate professors who teach nursing in renowned universities. MacKusick is from Clayton State University while Minick is from Georgia State University. The participants in this study were briefed about the purpose of the study and before they signed the consent forms to agree they were guaranteed anonymity. They were informed that it was voluntary and hence could leave anytime they wanted to. The best protection was that the participants used pseudonym during the interview and this guaranteed to protect them. The purpose of this research article was to find out the factors that influence the RN’s decisions to leave the field of clinical practice. The article however ends up not directly finding these reasons but having to seek their perceptions and then deduce from there the factors. No directly related information about the perception of RN’s was found and therefore the literature review search had to take a longer route to find most of the information about RN’s and clinical practice and this was in the psychological and sociological databases. The conclusion therefore is that there is missing gap of knowledge in this area of RN’s and their perceptions about clinical practice. The research question was â€Å"what is the experience of RNs who leave clinical nursing?† It is not concise because the information to be collected through this question will not be in line with the purpose of the study and hence more concise

Successful Employee-Volunteer Programs and Its Benefits Assignment

Successful Employee-Volunteer Programs and Its Benefits - Assignment Example Therefore, for an EVP to be considered effective it must have the following features: First of all, it must have a plan. Effective EPVs have clear and attainable goals with specific strategies, focused efforts to achieve them. This can be achieved through an annual retreat of all EVP members to deliberate on an annual plan that will include goals, strategies and priority programs. Initial planning allows members to create backup plans in case the main strategies falter; this reduces time wasting that may occur when a program is hurriedly rushed into without prior planning and a problem occurs, where the members have to deliberate, look for funding, set up new strategies and designate duties to members. Secondly, the programs must have some level of measurement. This is to ascertain whether they have been accomplishing their plans in the past or not. The measurement should also include the effects of the programs on communities they are imposed on. Are they bringing joy to the people? Or their effects are not felt by the people. For instance, if it is proven that less volunteer hours is the main culprit behind poor results, then the company can create incentives to encourage employees to participate more on volunteer work, such as higher monetary rates for extra hours. An effective EVP must also embrace the design of the company. Since the volunteers are from the company, the way they are perceived by the public will mirror back to the company. It is therefore imperative that the workers portray the company well in terms of behavior and physical appearance. They should adorn new and improved gear with the company’s logo and positive and encouraging messages. Socially adept individuals should be the ones interacting with the people and working concurrently with them. Their quieter and less social peers should concentrate in areas with less social experiences. The volunteering should be a happy

Data Collection Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Data Collection Plan - Assignment Example Tied to this are problems with regard to effective teaching methods, and strategies to support Arabic learning. The basic methodology entails a comparison of my own teaching strategies and styles for my Arabic language class and those of another teacher in another class. The end goal is partly to be able to understand what motivates students to learn Arabic, the psychology that drives them to pursue Arabic language learning intently. The basic question I want to answer is as follows: What strategies are best for teaching Arabic to my students, and how do my strategies align with the motivations of my students to learn the language to advance themselves? To the question of the useful types of data, my answer is that data from my own classes, and the comparison with the data from the other class I have chosen, including learning outcomes and motivations as gathered from the students, ought to provide me with the right kind of information to answer the pressing questions of my research. To the question of the types of data already available, my answer is that data from previous studies, extensively tabulated, are already available to me, in the form of secondary research materials. To the question of the types of data I need to generate, the answer will be data on learning outcomes and similar data as from previous studies. ... n Qualitative Inputs Effectiveness of strategies for learning Arabic x x x x Student Motivations for Learning Arabic x x x x Areas for Improvement in Teaching and Learning Styles X x x x Fit of Teaching Strategies to Student Aspirations and Motivations for Learning Arabic x x x x III. Narrative Connecting Matrix to Starting Point My matrix details the fundamental aims of my action research, and those aims are noteworthy as far as I am concerned for their being open-ended and lending themselves to being answered in a broad sense. I think there ought to be a strong link between the teaching strategies and the motivations and inclinations of students for learning the Arabic language. Taking off from the interesting answer that I got from a student, where the student sees Arabic as a road to material prosperity, it is clear to me that some of the strategies ought to focus on being able to give the students a functional understanding and mastery of the Arabic language. This functional app roach lends itself to being measured via the learning outcomes of the students, and the learning outcomes of the students in the other class. The comparison ought to yield interesting insights into what works and what does not work as far as teaching styles is concerned. Also, as far as learning outcomes are concerned, it is not enough that the students pass the tests to measure learning, but that the tests should be measuring the right kinds of language competencies. In this regard, it is important that my class and the other class should agree on some baseline language course contents that should be similar for both classes. Both should focus on functional learning, and the teaching of Arabic that has real-world applications, such as in being able to transact business and being able to

The role of using first language (L1) and translation in young Essay - 2

The role of using first language (L1) and translation in young learners’ classes - Essay Example ys: firstly, by means of a small-scale survey of EFL teachers, using a questionnaire; secondly, through on-line interviews with three former teachers; and, finally, by means of classroom observations in three classes. The data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The teachers expressed a range of views, reflecting the diverse views in the research literature. However, most of the participants responding to the questionnaire indicated that they felt that English should be the main language of the classroom. At the same time, these participants and all others (the former teachers and the teachers in the classes observed) acknowledged that occasional use of Arabic (or, where relevant, other first languages), for particular purposes was appropriate. The purposes they cited were: explaining particular vocabulary items or phrases; clarifying classroom procedures (e.g. for particular tasks or activities); giving instructions and making sure that the instructions wer e understood; and, maintaining classroom discipline. These views appear to be guiding classroom practice in the three classes that I observed. The teachers were using the students’ first languages for these purposes. In my concluding chapter, I recommend that, in initial teacher education in Oman, more attention should be given to these communicative functions of translation and first language use, while emphasising the importance of using as much English as possible in EFL teaching in the early years. The most appropriate way to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is a source of primary scholarly debate. Recently, more attention has been given to the use of translation and the native language (L1) in communicative English Language Teaching (ELT). Most of the theories inform us that young childrens language development is influenced by many factors, including using their first language to explain concepts and express abstract reasoning.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay Example for Free

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the definition of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and what causes it, the symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and the treatments for Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder. Thesis: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a common psychiatric illness that can affect people’s daily lives. Introduction Do you constantly check to see if you turned the stove off? Do you have to wash your hands a certain amount of times before you feel like their clean? Do you constantly repeat things, or keep things such as bears, bottles, or paper? We all double check sometimes, but when you feel the need to check things repeatedly, and if you don’t you feel a sense of anxiety, this could be a sign that you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. I can discuss this topic with you because I work with people who have this disorder, and I have done my research by reading books and researching the web. Today I’m going to inform you about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder also known as OCD. OCD is a common psychiatric illness that can affect people’s daily lives. Now I’m going to tell you what OCD is and what causes it, the symptoms of OCD, and the treatment for OCD. I. First, let’s discuss what OCD is and what causes it? A. According to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation OCD is an anxiety disorder, and is characterized by unwanted thoughts which are obsessions, repetitive behaviors which are compulsions, and rituals to satisfy obsession. People with OCD are plagued by recurring and distressing thoughts, fears, or images they cannot control. 1. According to the National Institute of Mental Health OCD affects about 2. 2 Million American Adults. 2. OCD affects men, women, and children, as well as people of all races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds 3. One-third adults with OCD develop symptoms as children. Unlike adults, however, children with OCD may not realize that their obsessions and compulsions are excessive. B. Experts do not know the exact cause of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Research suggests that there may be a problem with the way one part of the brain sends information to another part. Not having enough of a brain chemical called serotonin. 1. OCD is caused by chemical and brain dysfunction, Genetics, Infection, Depression, and Life. 2. OCD can cause severe anxiety in those affected and involves both obsessions and compulsions in everyday life. Now that we know what OCD is and what causes it, let’s discuss the symptoms of OCD. II. The Symptoms of OCD A. People with OCD have many different symptoms. †¢According to the ADAA, Anxiety and Depression Association of America OCD symptoms are divided into Obsessions (unwanted intrusive thoughts) †¢Constant, irrational worry about dirt, germs, or contamination. . According to the book â€Å"Freedom from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder† contamination is the most common form of OCD. †¢Excessive concern with order, arrangement, or symmetry. †¢Feeling responsible for the safety of others. Compulsions (ritualistic behaviors and routines to ease anxiety or distress) †¢Cleaning- Repeatedly washing hands, or bathing. †¢Checking- Checking to see if the stove is off, or if the door is locked. †¢Hoarding- According to the book â€Å"Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding† is the one element of OCD that is largely known, is Difficulty throwing things away such as rubber bands, bottle caps, or magazines because you feel that you will need it later, or need it â€Å"just in case† †¢Repeating- Inability to stop repeating a name, phrase, or activity. Now that we know what OCD is, and the symptoms of OCD, let’s discuss the treatments for OCD. III. What are treatments for OCD? A. Psychotherapy 1. Teaches a person different days of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations that help him/her feel less anxious or fearful without having obsessive thoughts on acting compulsively. B. Medication 1. Doctors may prescribe medication to help treat OCD. The most commonly prescribed medications for OCD are anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants. 1. Anti-anxiety meds are powerful and many begin working right away. 2. Anti-depressants are used to treat depression, but they are also helpful for OCD probably more so than anti-anxiety meds.

Recent developments in policies in care

Recent developments in policies in care There are a number of recent developments in policies relating to care, however, I am going to focus on just one of these policies which is the National Health Service And Community Care Act 1990. Community care has no single meaning, broadly, it means helping people who need care and support to live with dignity and as much independence as possible in the community. The community is hard to define, it most often means ordinary homes, but for some people, it includes special forms of housing, residential or nursing homes. Community care involves provision which is largely pensions, benefits, income, transport, housing, the opportunity to work, policies for essential services such as fuel, telephone, recreation, education and leisure. Community care is part of our lives. It is the web of care and support provided for frail, people have sick, dependent people both by their families or others members of the community and by public or other services. This means helping some people remain in their homes or creating homelike places appropriate support. Community care means a preference for home life over institutional care. It means helping people to be integrated with their local community, rather than being separate from it, in a long stay hospital, where people do live with others in what are called communal settings or group homes. There is a general reference for smaller homes close to where people have always lived. New arrangements are being introduced for publicly provided social services. These are often referred to as the community care changes. They were first described in 1989 Government document called Caring for people, the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 made the necessary legal changes. Firstly, When looking at the history behind the NHS and community Care Act 1990, In 1948 the new National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities inherited 500 old workhouses that catered for, or warehoused a mixture of elderly people, some of whom were incapable of looking after themselves, some of whom needed medical or nursing care, and some of whom simply had nowhere else to go. The NHS, wanted to get rid of its embarrassing institutions, which contained hundreds of people confined to large wards with no privacy and receiving no significant medical treatment (Townsend 1962). The Nuffield Foundation issued a report from a committee chaired by seebohm Rowntree in 1947 on the circumstances of old people living in these homes, in smaller residential accommodation and at home. It recommended the development of small units, of no more than thirty five people, sited in the community. Central Government issued guidance to local authorities encouraging them to develop such smaller residential homes, though its own expenditure restrictions made this difficult to achieve until the 1960s when closure of the remaining workhouses became a major policy goal and local authorities began to build up services that supported elderly people in their homes, such as home helps and meals on wheels. In NHS terminology these alternatives to long stay care in the old hospitals and workhouses came to be called community care. The same approach can be seen in the next social group to be considered for community care, which was the mentally ill. The Royal Commission on the Law relating to mental illness and mental deficiency in 1957 saw a decline in the number of people needing long-term compulsory detention in hospitals. Many were there and their civil liberties denied merely because no alternatives were available. The preparation for the closure of large long stay hospitals for the mentally ill began in the early 1960s but it progressed very slowly at first. It was the scandals that hit the long stay institutions for the mentally handicapped in the late 1960s and early 1970s that began a large programme of hospital closure for that group too. (Martin 1984). The term community care came to be applied to those facilities that were developed to replace long-stay hospital care. The expectation was that local authorities would take on the role of proving such alternative care. In the 1980s, the emphasis changed again. In their very early statement of policy priorities for the elderly, growing older, the new conservative government emphasised the importance not of care in the community but of care by the community (Department of Health and Social Security 1981). This essentially meant care by the family and support by neighbours and local voluntary groups, not the local authority. Community care has been a concern to shift the responsibility for care from one agency to another, from the NHS to local authorities, from local authorities to families. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 was introduced for a number of reasons, it introduced new procedures for arranging and paying for state funded social care. The government stated that they aim to make the best use of public money to make sure that the services which are provided by local and health authorities meet their needs. They encouraged authorities to set priorities to decide how they will spend money if there is not enough to provide for everyones needs. They also ensure that local authorities check on the quality of care which is being provided through inspection units, complaints procedures, care management, setting of service specifications and monitoring contracts for care and they aimed to encourage local authorities to use other organisations to provide services, not just to provide themselves. The Audit Commission 1986 carried out a report called making a Reality of Community Care, which was a highly cogent and critical document. It discussed the fragmented nature of the so-called spectrum of care that was supposed to be available, from hospital to domiciliary care. It pointed out that many agencies were involved and that many people were either getting the wrong kind of care or not getting care at all. It criticised funding arrangements that gave more central government support to hospital care than to local authorities, which were providing an alternative. What was new was the exposure of what was happening to the social security funding of residential care. The Audit Commission documented the rise in spending and argued that the government was being wholly inconsistent. It was telling local authorities that it wanted old people to stay at home for as long as possible because that was the most cost-effective and desirable thing to do, but at the same time it was pushing large sums of public money into expensive residential and nursing home care. Sir Roy Griffiths, Mrs Thatchers trusted advisor on the NHS, had already reported to her on the management of the NHS. He was called into service again. He established the Griffiths report in 1984 to review the way in which public funds are used to support community care policy and to advise the secretary of state on options which would improve the use of these funds. (Department of Health and Social Security 1988). His essential job was to sort the money problem. In his report he recommended that public finance for people, who require either residential home care or non-acute nursing home care, whether that is provided by the public sector or by private or voluntary organisations, should be provided in the same way. Public finance should only be provided following separate assessments of the financial means of the applicant and of the need of care. The assessments should be managed through social services authorities. Local authority social services departments were responsible for the funding of support and organisation in the community, which commenced when the establishment of the NHS and Community Care 1990 was made. The blurring of the boundaries involving health and social care came into effect at the same time as the development of this Act was made. Recent debates are concerned with equality in community care over the allocation of public resources involving various client groups, income groups, localities and generations. Local authority services departments were in charge of funding and organising care and support in the community, this was carried out by the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 to allow individuals who are affected by disability or ageing to live independently as possible. Both the idea of responsibility and community care and for its organisation has been especially hard to identify. For example, in 1981 a study by the Department of Health and Social Security distinguished the inconsistent understanding of community care by health and social services authorities. For the NHS, community care typically referred to care offered outside the health service, for example, residential care from local authorities. Residential care was referred mainly by social services departments. The central department of social security was handed the main responsibility for funding from means testing to local service departments. Providing and planning care and assessing peoples needs was the local authoritys responsibility. This included domiciliary care as well as the allowance of money for places in residential and nursing homes. The Act included key objectives, which were, three different types of services available for people at their homes such as respite, day and domiciliary services which includes occupational therapy, bathing services, home care and home help, various types of daytime care outside a persons home is associated with day services. Examples of day services are lunch clubs, day hospitals and day centres. Another key objective is respite care enables people who are being cared for and carers to get a break from another. Respite services include day centre attendance, family placement schemes, sitting services and also respite care provided in nursing and residential homes. Another objective from the Act was service for carers, when an individuals needs assessment is being prepared, carers need to be considered. Another key objective was that a referral on behalf of a patient to social services can be made by any individual as well as any person who is a member of the primary health care team. Also, anyone who appears to need a community care service must be carried out by the local authorities. A written care plan should be then set out by the local authority which should address who, when and what will be achieved by providing services, to deal with issues with services there should be a contact point and if any circumstances change, there should be information on how the individual can ask for an evaluation of the services. Another objective is that GPs are expected to deliver helpful information on health to assist social services in the care assessment. There are a number of adult client groups that benefited from these objectives. The children Act 1989 introduced many changes relevant to provision for children and their protection, adult client groups include elderly people, people with physical disabilities, mental health problems, drug and alcohol problems, people with HIV or AIDS, homeless people and people who are terminally ill. However, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 have been criticisms. There is a tension between the idea of user-led assessment and the targeting of resources on people. Some social services departments are worried that the assessment process will raise expectations which cannot be met. It is possible that some assessments will not reflect peoples actual needs, but only the needs they are allowed to express in line with those the authority feels able to meet. Such a system would suppress only understandings of the true level of need, unless the unmet needs are carefully recorded and fed back into the system. Also the community care reforms are rooted in the idea that people should have choice about how their care needs are met. Assessment should be user-led, but gives the ultimate responsibility for defining need and working out how or if it will be met to the local authority through the assessor or care manager The Act has been also criticised for using the term vulnerable adults. They are defined as at risk of abuse. They are those meeting the criteria of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, or being in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness and being unable to take care of themselves or to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation. The term vulnerability is being used in this Act to stress the differences between people in terms of their ability to protect themselves. However, these differences are not fixed and a disability perspective would argue that casting disabled or older people, or people with health problems, as vulnerable is a form of infantilization and further perpetuates their less than full adult status. They can be seen as helpless or dependent and unable to manage the risks of ordinary living. Examples of this are: people with learning disabilities may be over-protected by those who fear they will be exploi ted, in particular, sexually. Another criticism of the Act is that Lewis and Glennerster (1996) have suggested that NHS officers regarded the 1990 Act as good grounds for getting rid of their long-term care responsibilities as soon as possible. Some health authorities stopped providing any continuing care beds at all (Richards 1996). Eventually, these developments forced the department of health publicly to accept that the 1990 Act had led to a reduction in the responsibility of hospitals for long term care, not withstanding its earlier claims to the contrary. On a 1994 report by the Health Service Commissioner into the case of a seriously brain damaged patient, for whom the local health authority had refused to accept responsibility, The Commissioner found that, in refusing to spend resources on patients of this type, the health authority was failing to fulfil its duties. (Health Service Commissioner 1994). Another criticism of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 are that even though the reforms have stressed the significance of carers (primarily other family members), however, some of the individuals that need care do not have families and of the individuals who do have families do not have carers. Also the basic difference in individuals family situation is not directly addressed by the current policy. The community care reforms, which were preceded by the white paper, found that the government distinguishes that demographic movements will have repercussions for the potential availability of carers. However, it failed to explore what these repercussions might be; the reforms also persist to place the relatives at the middle of the care system. Another criticism is that there also may be no interpreting service to help people whose first language is not English, or who is death, People may not want their financial means to be assessed, disablement benefits have to be put towards servic es offered, when there is already difficulty making ends meet. In conclusion the community care involves provision which is largely pensions, benefits, income, transport, housing, the opportunity to work, policies for essential services such as fuel, telephone, recreation, education and leisure. Community care is part of our lives. The NHS and Community Care Act included key objectives, which were, three different types of services available for people at their homes such as respite, day and domiciliary services which includes occupational therapy. Criticisms of the policy include casting disabled or older people, or people with health problems, as vulnerable is a form of infantilization and further perpetuates their less than full adult status. (2599 words)

Negative Effects Of Fertilisers On Our Environment

Negative Effects Of Fertilisers On Our Environment The scope of this report is to examine the negative effects of fertilisers on our environment. It will primarily focus on the Nitrogen Fertilisers, there effects and solutions to combat those effects. Synthetic N fertilisers are one of the biggest cause for eutrophcation. When excess fertiliser runs off to the water, it can causes algal blooms, fish kills etc. Excessive nitrogen in the drinking water also has negative effects on humans. The production and application process is one of the contributing factos to the Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) as well. The report touches on the other two primary elements in fertilisers, phosphate and potassium, however, we will not go into detail discussions. Fertiliser run-offs, mostly nitrogen, is a matter of great concern in Queensland where the run offs from adjacent sugar cane and cattle farms are polluting the water in the Great Barrier Reef. It is a great threat to the ecosystem of the Reef and measures needs to be considered to reduce this pollution and also ways to rehabilitate and conserve the ecosystem of the Reef. Resultantly, in this report we discuss how an excise policy can help reduce these negative effects of N fertiliser. We look into ways of promoting organic fertilisers and hydroponics with the help of the excise, also keeping in mind that the internalisation of the external cost should be one of the major underlying policy issues. We look into financial rebates and assistance that may be available to farmers opting to use organic fertilisers and switch to hydroponics. Part of the excise revenue should be earmarked for these purposes. We consider regulations that should be introduced to compliment and magnify the effects of the excise. The N-Replacement is a program where the soil is tested and the application of N is confined to only the amount that is required. In the fullness of time, all farmers should have to participate in such programs. Lastly, we examine the benefits and negative effects of the proposed excise on the manufacturers, farmers and consumers. We will also look at any administrative and compliance issues that may arise with the introduction of the new excise. The role of the proposed excise in helping us meet our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol is also examined. Introduction This report is about the effects that fertilizers have on our environment. While the use of synthetic fertilizers has ensured an enormous boom in the agricultural sector, it has had its negative effects on the environment as well. The effects are directly related to issues like global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, and much more. The three major elements of synthetic fertiliser are nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. The damages that fertilisers have on the environment can be divided into three broad categories; natural resources (water, soil and air), wildlife and ecosystem and human health. Nitrogen fertilisers have the worse effect on the environment with phosphate following closely. This report will primarily focus on Nitrogen (N) fertilisers. It is beyond the scope of this report to discuss all the elements in fertilisers and discuss their effects. This is because different elements have different environmental effects and to a varying degree. They all have different use i n the agriculture industry as well. However, once the excise model for the N nitrogen is established, a similar model can be used to impose excise on all the other fertilisers. Nitrogen Fertilisers When applied to the to soil to nourish farming land, nitrate, a compound of nitrogen, can wash off the agriculture fields by means of rain or irrigation and can leach into the surface or ground water. Ground water is one of the sources of drinking water and excess nitrate in the drinking water can potentially cause cancer, respiratory distress in humans. In surface water, extra nitrogen may cause eutrophication, process of nutrient over enrichment. This is the primary cause of depletion in the oxygen level in coastal water. Coastal waters that receive an inflow from polluted rivers are the most affected. Eutrophcation is one of the biggest causes for coastal fish kill; it is also responsible for the harmful algal blooms and imbalance in the coastal ecosystems. In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is highly affected by diffuse pollutants. Most of it comes from nitrogen fertilizers used in cropping and grazing lands in relatively small areas of the adjacent catchments. According to a research conducted by the CSIRO on the Great Barrier Reef, experts found that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Export of nitrogen and phosphorus is high and increased hillslope erosion rates have resulted in increased nutrient and sediment loads reaching and influencing inner shelf reef and benthic ecosystems. These pollutants are generated from diffuse sources and evidence from other geographical locations suggests that by the time their widespread effects are identified, the reef systems will be irreversibly damaged. Lastly, some of the nitrogen from the soil and water enters the atmosphere as nitric oxide and the green house gas nitrous oxide. This has a wide range of negative consequences, starting from acid rain to subtle shifts in dominant species and ecosystem function in forests and grassland ecosystems. Phosphate Fertilisers Phosphate is right behind nitrogen when it comes to negative effects to the environment. Fluoride has been and is the worse environmental liability that the phosphate fertiliser industry has passed on to the environment. Despite new advanced air pollution control technology which is resulting in less and less fluoride escaping into the atmosphere, the impact of fluoride emissions is still being felt. Amongst other things, the fluoride in the air has the potential to cause a number of disorders in livestock, The actual production process of phosphate is also harmful to the environment and humans equally. Potassium Fertiliser Potassium have not directly been related to any environmental pollution, even though it does have minor affect such as magnesium deficiency in crops and soil in the case of excessive application As can be seen, the use of chemical fertilisers is very harmful to the environment. In attempting to protect the Great Barrier Reef, the State Government and the Commonwealth has initiated programs like the Reef Plan, the N Replacement project. However, these government initiatives have been criticised by a many environmental agencies such as the World Wlidlife Fund (WWF) as being slow to achieve any real results. Government initiatives can only be effective when there is a drive from the general population to support those initiatives. The use of fertilisers in farming is essential to farmers as their profitability depends on the yield of the crops, which is predominantly the result of fertilisers. It is an essential resource to the farmers. In such a situation, the introduction of excise on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and other chemicals used to maximise crop yield, can be one of the tools to discourage the use of such fertilisers and at the same time promote and the use of more environment friendly, non-chemical fertilisers and other farming alternatives. Regulation of the Fertiliser industry using excise Excise tax can be used as one of the tools for the government to influence the agriculture industry and influence the level of demand for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. By imposing excise, we create an artificial price differential between the synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and its organic counterpart. This has the effect of farmers being more mindful about over application of the N fertiliser and using it sparingly. In case of blended fertilisers, where all three elements are present, the nitrogen component will be excisable. This is turn will promote the production of fertiliser that have a low synthetic N fertiliser content.. Apart from trying to promote consumption of low nitrogen content fertilizers, excise can also promote higher consumption of organic fertilisers. This can be done similar to the fuel excise system in Australia, where excise is imposed on both organic and synthetic fertilizers, however, a full rebate may be available to the users of the organic fertilisers, making the effective rate of excise for organic fertiliser zero. In the fullness of time, when all fertilisers are included in the excise system, i.e. nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, differential excise rates may be introduced, where they all have different excise rate depend on the degree of severity of effects each of them on the environment. The idea is that, if an all purpose fertiliser is high in nitrogen than it will have a higher price tag (nitrogen is the most harmful element of the three) as opposed to an alternative blend that is high in potassium; the higher the content of the most harmful chemical (N), the higher the price of the end product. There is an alternative to introducing fertilisers to the excise system. The government can promote and take active steps to make the agricultural industry consider hydroponic controlled environment agriculture. The principle advantage of hydroponics compared to tradition farming is the isolation of crops from the soil. As there is no soil involved there is no chance of drainage or problems associated with leeching of nitrogen to the ground or surface water. The fertilisers that are not used up by the plants are caught and reused. Excise rates and underlying reasons In setting the excise rate, we need to be mindful of the underlying policy objectives. The objectives are: For the agriculture industry to use fertilisers that are less harmful to the environment. To the use of alternative organic fertilisers To promote hydroponics, an alternative method of farming. Internalise the external cost that the fertiliser industry imposes on the environment The external cost should be the main element that we should try to internalise via the introduction of the excise tax. Charging consumers or producers for external costs, which should induce them to reduce their activities to the socially optimal level, is known as the Pigouvian prescription. This rule states that efficient consumption or production can be achieved through the tax system by imposing an excise on the activity equal to the marginal cost of the damage caused to other people. In trying to internalise the external cost of fertilizer pollution, many governments around the world are considering some form of environment tax. In China, a study was undertaken on the external cost and optimum use of nitrogen fertiliser on the paddy field system of the Dongting Lake are. The research showed that the nitrogen fertiliser application in the region well exceeded the required levels. Such that, an environmental tax was suggested on the excess use of nitrogen fertiliser. In Australia, there is not much information available on the external cost of the agriculture industry. However, figures from other country gives us an idea of the external cost imposed by the industry. A US study estimates the externalised costs of agricultural production (in natural resources, wildlife, biodiversity and human health) to be between $5.7 and $16.9 billion annually is a broad estimate, it is not Australian-specific, nor restricted specifically to agriculture, but it does highlight the need to understand the environmental impacts of agriculture better in the Australian context. In Europe, the estimated external cost of nitrogen fertiliser is about 0.3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/kg N, bearing in mind that the market price is of the fertiliser is about 0.5 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/kg N. This effectively means, that if the whole amount was internalised then the price of N fertilisers would rise by about 60%. For the purpose of this report we will use the European figures as, mentioned earlier, there is not much Australian specific data available on the external cost of fertilisers. Now 60% excise on N fertiliser may seem like a staggering figure, however, when this excise is placed is conjunction with other regulation and policies the net effective excise will drop considerably. These issues will be discussed in the next section. Specific vs Ad valorem rate The next issue in the rate setting process is to determine if this rate is going to be specific or ad valorem. The choice between the options depends on the underlying policy, i.e. to raise revenue, discourage consumption, improvement of quality etc. Ad valorem tax creates a price differential between similar excisable good base on quality where the high-quality products are dearer than the low-quality products. This is a good tax mechanism if revenue maximisation is the underlying policy objective. However, if the main focus is to reduce harmful levels of consumption of any product, then specific tax is more appropriate. Specific or volumetric taxation is based upon the number of units sold, irrespective of their value and recognises that the potential for harm falls equally upon consumers or the community irrespective of the price of the item. Coming back to the topic in hand, specific tax is the appropriate rate to use as we are really interested on the internalising the external cost of N fertiliser on the basis of $/kg N. If the tax is imposed on the value or the cost of production of the fertilisers, it will not properly reflect the negative effects that the application of N fertiliser has on our environment. Taxation vs Regulation It is argued that taxation by itself will not always achieve the desired or complete results. Tax can influence the consumption pattern of consumers to a certain extent but regulations are needed to back up the tax. High taxes on tobacco and drink reduce average and usually also excessive consumption. But a tobacco tax cannot deal in a cost effective way with the effects of passive smoking; (inflexible) bans on smoking in public places are necessary to deal with this externality. Similarly, the alcohol excise is an inadequate instrument to restrain people from getting behind the wheel of their car after they have had a drink. Drink-driving breath tests are better targeted to deal with this situation. . Regulations can be in many forms, it can be requirements imposed on the end users, i.e., farmers or it can be regulations on the fertiliser manufacturers. In Germany, farmers are required to calculate and report annual nutrient balances in the soil in order to demonstrate that they have not over or under applied fertilisers. Imposing regulations on the manufacturers may not be of much use apart from quality control. The regulations should focus on the farmers instead, with science based approaches to soil testing, promoting good agricultural practice and optimal use of nitrogen. This approach is in line with the new nitrogen management method N Replacement and in time this along with any other similar programs should be made mandatory. Apart from being environmentally beneficial it is also beneficial to farmers as under this method they will need to purchase and apply only the amount of soil that is required by the soil, resulting in cost savings for the farmers. Another method of regulation, could be the issue of tradeable permits. However, under this system the costs associated is rather uncertain, compared to the excise system. A system of tradable permits guarantees the envisaged quantitative reduction in pollution but at an uncertain cost, while an environmental duty has an uncertain impact on the quantity of emissions but fixes the marginal cost of emission controls for polluters. Price elasticity and excise Fertilisers are a vital part of the agricultural industry. There is a very strong connection between application of fertilisers and crop yield and profitability. Therefore, it will not be wrong to conclude that the demand for fertilisers within the agricultural industry is inelastic. Having said that a 60% excise on N fertiliser is going to affect the farmers the most. Because of the elasticity of demand, the economic incidence of the tax will fall on the farmers, where the fertiliser manufacturers will be able to pass on most of the tax burden to the farmers in form of higher prices. Therefore, it is important to come up with relief policies for the farmers as well, bearing in mind that we are also trying to promote the use of organic fertilisers and hydroponics method of productions at a large scale. This will be discussed in more details in the next section. Exemptions/exception for the excise system and why There should be exceptions, where the tax incidence for the farmers should be nil. Exemptions should be available to farmers in the form of a rebate. As one of the policy issue is to promote the use of organic fertilisers. Farmers should be entitled to a full or partial rebate depending on if the fertilisers are solely organic or substantially organic. Organic fertilisers are largely derived from plan plants or animals. Substantially organic fertilisers are product where some synthetic fertilisers have been added to boost the nutrient content of the fertiliser. A rebate should also be available for farmers who pre dominantly practices or are in the process of adopting hydroponics method of production. There are two reasons behind this exemption. First of all, the nitrogen used in hydroponics has no effect on the environment. The plants are grown in a controlled environment, usually in a greenhouse, therefore, there are no emissions, run offs or leeching. This effectively means there are no external costs associated with the application of nitrogen fertilizer under this system. Secondly, the biggest drawback of converting to hydroponics from the traditional method of agriculture is the high capital set up costs associated. Since we are trying to encourage more and more farmers to consider hydroponics, it only makes sense to provide some sort of relief to them in the form of ongoing rebate to compensate for the high set up costs. Lastly, a partial rebate should also be available to farmers who are participating in recommended programs such as the N- Replacement program. The N-Replacement program has the potential of reducing nitrogen inputs by almost one third. The government can only have this rebate available till the program is fully tested and made mandatory. Till then farmers should be rewarded for voluntary participation in the program. Positive and negative effects from this new excise Positive effects Lower demand for synthetic N fertiliser The introduction of the excise on the nitrogen fertiliser will lower the demand for it. As discussed earlier, because of the low price elasticity of demand, the fertiliser manufacturers will be able to pass on most of the tax burden to the farmers in the form of higher price. Higher prices will mean that farmers will now be more mindful when it comes to the application of the fertiliser. More and more farmers will be forced to practice good farming methods, only applying the amount that is required in order to save on cost of fertilisers. Less emission, leaching as a result As farmers starts to pay more attention to the wastage level and apply the optimal amount of nitrogen required to replenish the soil, there is less leeching and emission. Influx of excise revenue One of the unavoidable effects of imposing excise duty is the inflow of revenue. The revenue that comes in from this particular excise should be hypothecated. It should be used to finance projects that will aid in cutting down the use of N fertiliser application. Some of the funds should also be earmarked for providing assistance to farmers switching to hydroponics. Helps the government to meet other policy issue As the application rate of the N fertilisers reduce, it helps the government meet other environmental related policies, such as Australias commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. This will be discussed in more details in the next setion. Negative effects Higher cost of production for the farmers, which may be passed on consumers As discussed earlier, the imposition of excise will mean that the farmer will pay a higher price to purchase the fertilisers. Even if optimal applications of N fertiliser methods are implemented, there would still be an increase in the cost of production for the farmers. This in turn would mean that the increased cost of production for the farmers will be passed on to the final consumers in form of higher prices for fresh fruit, vegetable etc. Loss of revenue for the fertiliser manufacturers There will a significant loss of revenue for the fertilizer manufacturers, as they are the one who are actually liable for the excise payable. They will pass on the bulk of the tax to the agriculture industry, however, they will still loose out of a significant amount of profit. How will this new excise interact with Australias commitment under the Kyoto Protocol Under the Kyoto Protocol, Australia is committed to reduce its greenhouse emissions to 108 percent of the level we were in 1990. This target has to be achieved by 2012 (2008 -2012 is known as the first commitment period). According to a report on climate change, in 2008 the emissions for the agriculture sector are projected to be 77 Mt CO2 of emission over the Kyoto period. This is a 4% decrease on the 1990 level. Most of the decrease is, however, attributable to the drought. Therefore, introduction of this new excise will ensure that there is a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Apart from gas emission after the application of the N fertiliser, it also emits greenhouse gas during the production process. The production of fertilisers demands much energy and generates considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Kongshaug (1998) estimates that fertiliser production consumes approximately 1.2% of the worlds energy and is responsible for approximately 1.2% of the total GHG emissions. Therefore, when demand falls as a result of the new excise and regulations, the supply will eventually fall as well, with reduced production of synthetic N fertiliser. This, again, will result in reduced level of GHG emissions. Impact of the new excise on; Consumers The excise will mean that the price of end products that are heavily dependant on the N fertiliser will increase. When excise is imposed on a commodity, even though the legal incidence lies with the producers, the ultimate tax burden falls on the end users of the finished product by means of higher price. Therefore, we need to be mindful of that while imposing the excise. Business The excise will not affect businesses much. Businesses or in this case, the retail shops are just middle men. Any part of the tax that they do pay in form of higher wholesale prices, they simply pass it on to the consumers. Government revenues At first glance, it can be said that government revenue will also increase with this proposed excise. However, if we are to put the revenue aside, hypothecate the funds for the sole purpose of funding programs and assisting farmers in adopting more sustainable methods of farming, then in essence it will not be wrong to say that the government revenue stays the same. There is not extra gain as such from the revenue perspective to the government. Revenue generated from these policies could have an outcome on the effect of these policies, depending on how it is used. If revenues from a tax are added to the general treasury store then the wellbeing of those affected by the tax is negatively affected as modelled, but if the funds are ring-fenced for a relevant purpose such as assisting the fertilizer industry or farmers, then the welfare of those actors is not diminished by as much. Administration costs There should not be any extra cost related to the administration of the new excise. Currently the Australian Taxation office is responsible for the administration of all excisable and excise equivalent goods. The ATO is already well equipped to deal with excise tax. Moreover, under the self assessment regime where businesses calculate there own excise liabilities, the incremental change on administration cost should be minimal. The taxing point should be fixed as the fertilisers are leaving the factory for delivery to wholesalers and/ or the domestic market. This will further ensure ease of administration of the excise tax. Compliance activities The compliance activities on behalf of the businesses should be fairly straightforward as well. Under the self assessment system, businesses keep records and fill out their own excise return. Another section maybe introduced to the excise return, where farmers are eligible for a rebate. However, it should all be part of the prevailing excise return system that we currently have. Recommendation After examining the effects of synthetic fertilisers on our environment, especially the N fertiliser, it is recommended that the excise tax of 60% at a specific rate should be imposed. It is true that the imposition of the tax may have a large impact on the fertiliser manufacturers and farmers. However, that is the initial impact. Along with the excise, we should also provide rebates for the farmers, who act in accordance with out other policy objective. Farmers who look at alternative organic fertilisers should be entitled to a rebate as negative effects from organic fertilisers are minimal compared to its synthetic counterpart. Further rebates should be available to farmers switching to hydroponics, as the nitrogen content in the nutrient solution has no effect on the environment. Lastly, assistance should be available to farmers who make voluntary participation in good farming practices i.e. take part in practices like the N-Replacement program. Along with these financial laws, we should also implement some non financial regulations, which will ensure a superior result. Here, the goal is not make sure that the farmers are not applying excessive amount of synthetic N fertilisers to the soil and at the same time moving towards organic fertiliser. The tax will bring about that inclination in the farmers, they will want to apply the optimal amount of synthetic nitrogen in order to save cost on fertilisers and also look into cheaper alternatives which are more environmentally friendly. However, in the fullness of time, we need to introduce regulations, specially the one similar to Germany where the farmers needs to annually record and report the nutrient content of their farming land to the authorities. In the long run we should also make a N- Replacement plan mandatory, after it has been fully tested by CSIRO. We should also ear mark, some of the revenue from this new excise to help fund the programs and any similar programs. The new proposed excise policy combined with the proposed regulations is a little step towards Australia meet its commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. It is true the tax might hurt manufacturers, farmers and consumers, financially. However, we need to ensure that the external costs caused by the production and application of the fertiliser are being met, so that it reflects on the price. It is the responsible thing to do, to pay the price for the harm that the industry is causing the environment. It is a trade off we have to make to ensure a better world for the next generation. In order to stop global warming, bring balance back to our ecosystem, protect the Great Barrier Reef, it is a small price to pay.

A Farewell To Arms Essay -- essays research papers

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway is based largely on Hemingway's own personal experiences. The main character of the book, Frederic Henry experiences many of the same situations that Hemingway experienced. Some of these experiences are exactly the same, while some are less similar, and some events have a completely different outcome. A Farewell to Arms is the book of Frederic Henry, an American driving an ambulance for the Italian Army during World War I. The book takes us through Frederic's experiences in war and his love affair with Catherine Barkley, an American nurse in Italy. The book starts in the northern mountains of Italy at the beginning of World War I. Rinaldi, Frederic's roommate, takes him to visit a nurse he has taken a liking to. Catherine Barkley, the nurse Rinaldi speaks of, is instantly attracted to Frederic and likewise. At the front, Frederic is wounded in the legs and taken to an aid station and then to an army hospital. He is then transferred to an American hospital in Milan where he meets up with Catherine again. Their love flourishes. They spend their nights together in Frederic's hospital bed and their days going to restaurants, horse races and taking carriage rides. Frederic returns to the war after his recovery. The war is going badly in Italy. The German troops forced a full-scale retreat. Soon after Frederic's return, he deserts the war in a daring escape. Frederic leaves and meets a pregnant Catherine in Stresa. The two go over to Switzerland where they spend an peaceful time waiting for the birth of their baby. Catherine has a long and difficult labor. Their baby is delivered dead. Catherine dies soon after from "one hemorrhage after another." After Catherine dies, Frederic leaves and walks back to his hotel. A Farewell to Arms is a story of love and pain and of loyalty and desertion set in the tragic time of war. There are many similarities in the experiences of Ernest Hemingway and his character Frederic Henry in A Farewell to Arms. Hemingway and Henry were both involved in World War I, in a medical capacity, but neither of them were regular army personnel. Like Hemingway, Henry was shot in his right knee during a battle. Both men were Americans but were ambulan... ...ed, social responsibility, and social concern." Henry, like Hemingway, leads a private life as a detached, isolated individual. He socializes with the officers, talks with the priest and visits the officer's brothel, but maintains only superficial relationships. The only relationship that means anything to him is Catherine, which is Hemingway's Agnes, both of which are isolated relationships. Johnson says about Hemingway, "He will solve the problem of dealing with the world by taking refuge in individualism and isolated personal relationships and sensations" (Gellens 112-113). Happiness comes for Hemingway and Henry only when they are in these relationships, away from the pressures of society and their lives. Ernest Hemingway once gave some advice to his fellow writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. If something in life hurts you, you should use it in your writing. In writing a Farewell to Arms, Hemingway followed his own advice. In many ways, Frederic Henry was a psychological parallel to Hemingway. The painful experiences of his own life, which were consciously and unconsciously placed in this novel, helped make it a major literary achievement.

Developing an Appropriate Response to Child Abuse Essay -- Child Abuse

Child abuse is one of the fastest growing social problems in the United States. A social problem is, â€Å"a condition that a significant number of people believe to be a problem. A condition in which there is a sizable difference between the ideals of a society and its actual achievements† (Coleman et al. 2006:2). However, society has changed the way it views the issue, and is working towards finding a solution to this awful problem. Child abuse encompasses four main areas: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse is considered a sociological phenomenon because it is a learned behavior. Learning the social patterns as to why people abuse will give a better understanding to its reasons, and also the development of society in the way that it views children. 3.6 million children were victims of abuse in the year 2006. Sixty four percent were victims of neglect, sixteen percent suffered from physical abuse, and eight percent were sexually ab used. Also in 2006, 1,530 children died as a result of abuse; an average of four children everyday (Child Welfare Information Gateway 2008). A study was done by David G. Gil, author of Violence Against Children: Physical Child Abuse in the United States and Journal of Marriage and Family, conducted a study about the types of child that was abused. His findings indicated that children of all ages are abused. He also found that abused children are more likely to come from single-parent homes or from large families. Income, occupation, and education are all factors that indicate the higher rates of abuse. Most children in his sample were abused by their mothers, and fewer than half the abused children in his sample were living with their biological father... ...lcohol abuse problems, children are often the most vulnerable. Briere (1992) talks about society’s responsibility to take care of its future, and using the feminist, functionalist, and conflict theory perspectives, it is our responsibility to change the way in which children are taken care of. The treatment of childhood maltreatment effects is still in its infancy, however. It is likely that the next decade will bring with it a burgeoning of treatment techniques and approaches relevant to child abuse. As this field develops, so too grows the opportunity for clinicians to provide increasingly more effective services to abuse survivors. To the extent that child abuse trauma underlies a significant proportion of modern mental health problems, these developments are likely to have substantial implications for mental health practice in the years to come. (P.163)