Merchant of Venice - Apperance vs Reality - 1967 Words

Jasdeep Bains Mrs. Valdez ENG2D1-05 Wednesday May 28, 2008 Appearance Vs Reality in Merchant Of Venice This theme of Appearance Vs. Reality is used throughout the play to mislead and confuse so things may not always be what they seem. Shakespeare uses deception to enhance the unfolding drama and involve his audience more fully in the play – the audience are party to deceptions which the characters themselves are unaware of. Prejudice was common and the word â€Å"Jew† applied to hardhearted unscrupulous moneylenders. An Elizabethan audience would have been happy to see a Jew, Spaniard or a Moor deceived and Shakespeare clearly tried to give his audience what it wanted. In contrast, many, particularly ladies, would have admired the strong and†¦show more content†¦This is a racist comment; she wants all people of his race to choose the wrong casket. In the original group of suitors mentioned at the start of the play was, amongst others, a German whom Portia stereotyped. â€Å"When he is worst he is little better than a beast†. In Shakespeare’s time the suitors would have been recognized as national stereotypes. Although not clearly specified in the play, we are under the impression that Portia again is pleasant to the suitors’ faces but mocks them behind their backs – a cruel and deliberate deception. Finally Portia deceives the Prince of Arragon too. In his pre sence she describes him as a â€Å"noble prince† but again this is only a deception as in his absence she comments on all the men who have visited as being â€Å"deliberate fools†. Bassanio deceives Portia into thinking he is rich. This is quite an important deception as it is linked directly to the main deception of the loan from Shylock. Bassanio needs money so he can borrow a ship and sail to Portia to ask if she will marry him. He also needs money to buy expensive gifts, again to deceive Portia. Bassanio brings â€Å"Gifts of rich value† and, although he is in debt, arrives as Portia’s suitor as if a rich man. After successfully saving Antonio from Shylock, Portia (still disguised) requests Bassanio’s ring that she has given him as a token of loyalty, â€Å"And for your love I’ll take this

Essay about Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 1760 Words

I. Introduction A. What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? B. Living with Generalized Anxiety Disorder II. Symptoms of GAD A. Mental B. Physical III. Who gets GAD? A. Risk Factors B. U.S. Statistics on GAD C. When does GAD start? D. Co-morbidities IV. Treatments for GAD A. Medications B. Therapy C. Self-Help V. Conclusion A. The future of GAD B. Living life with less anxiety C. Final thoughts Anxiety happens to everyone, at some point in time. In fact, a little anxiety can actually be good for you. It can help you respond appropriately to danger, and it can motivate you to excel at work and home. (www.mayoclinic.com) However, when anxiety becomes so strong that it affects your daily†¦show more content†¦(www.nmha.org) GAD affects approximately 6.8 million Americans, or about 3.1% of the population, between the ages of 18 and 54. (www.helpguide.org) Women are affected almost twice the number of times as men. Sadly, almost 2/3 of all people with a severe mental illness never receive treatment. (www.mentalhealth.com) The cost of treating patients with anxiety disorders (including GAD) are astronomical. According to The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders, a study commissioned by the ADAA and based on data gathered by the association and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, anxiety disorders cost the U.S. more than $42 billion a year, almost one third of the $148 billion total mental health bill for the U.S. More than $22.84 billion of those costs are associated with the repeated use of healthcare services, as those with anxiety disorders seek relief for symptoms that mimic physical illnesses. People with an anxiety disorder are three-to-five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers. (www.anxietycentre.com) GAD usually has a slow onset and can begin at any age, although the greatest risk is between childhood and middle age. The median age for the onset of GAD is 31. (www.nimh.nih.gov) GAD is a serious mental illness that may affect all facets of ones life. However, there are treatments available for GAD. TheShow MoreRelatedGeneralized Anxiety Disorder771 Words   |  3 Pagescountry are affected, it is estimated that â€Å"5% - 6% of teens ages 13-18 are affected by this troubling disorder, not including the teens that receive no treatment,â €  (â€Å"Generalized†). Youth that receive no treatment could be considered are under privileged. Meaning that they do not have the resources or are very limited to resources that could help them get the proper treatment for their disorder. Many of those adolescents are children that come from low income families, single family homes, or fosterRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder Essay1602 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Case Analysis: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Bryan Wood Abnormal Psychology Professor Powell April 14, 2015 Bryan Wood Mr. Powell PSY 322 April 14, 2015 Case Analysis: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) â€Å"During a panic attack, the first thing you want to do is get out of the situation that is causing it. However, since most professors find it disrespectful to leave during class, I had to sit for an hour and half in this agonizing state†¦It was as if I had terminal cancerRead MoreUsing Generalized Anxiety Disorder?1180 Words   |  5 Pagessmall example of what someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder may go through on a daily business every moment during their day. The topics that are going to be covered in this paper are what is GAD and what are the signs and symptoms, how does GAD affect the ability to perform normal activities of daily living, and an overall summary with my assigned individual at SDC for his Intensive Learning Project. What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder â€Å"Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessiveRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder Is A Mental Disorder That1410 Words   |  6 PagesGeneralized anxiety disorder is a mental disorder that affects approximately four to five percent of the general population. This disorder can be illustrated by excessive anxiety and worry that lasts a minimum of six months and deals with various events or activities. People who struggle with this disorder have difficulties controlling their worry; this worry can permeate into every action or thought which leads to increased anxiety. Moreover, people with generalized anxiety disorder exhibit at leastRead MoreQuestions On Generalized Anxiety Disorder1151 Words   |  5 PagesRunning Head: GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER 1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Chinelo Onyekere Delaware County Community College Abnormal Psychology 210 Professor Doran August 8, 2015 GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER 2 Presenting Problems Joe Steven, is reported a continuous and extensive worry about his family responsibilities. TheRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder ( Gad )1782 Words   |  8 PagesGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental disorder marked by extreme anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation) over a period of at least 6 months. It is accompanied by at least three of these six somatic or psychological symptoms: feeling on edge, fatigue, problems with concentration, feeling irritable, physical tension, and problems with sleep. Allgulander2012 GAD pervasive cogn dysfunction w/focus on threat and risk tow indiv/family Tension worry muscle pain sleep dist irritability PsychRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder1142 Words   |  5 PagesGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a disorder of shared self-reported symptoms. It goes with tension, uncontrollable worrying, sometimes muscle pain, trouble sleeping, and irritability that all together impair work ability, relations, and leisure activities. It is a common condition and there are psychological and pharmacological treatment options are available for anxiety disorders but not all patients respond to the same treatment as others. Finding a good treatment can take many months or sometimesRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder ( Gad ) Essay2397 Words   |  10 PagesReview Generalized Anxiety Disorder Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a disorder in which an individual may feel persistent, excessive, and worry about everyday things that may not even happen. Individuals with this disorder may feel worry, excessive anxiety, and have thoughts of the worst even when there is no need for concern. A person experiencing GAD may expect a disaster. They may worry about their finances, money, health, family, work, or any issue that may come to mind. This disorder mayRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder ( Gad )999 Words   |  4 PagesGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is one of the most diagnosed mental disorders today, and can often be closely linked to concurrent symptoms or disorders including physiological, behavioral, other anxiety disorders, depression and substance abuse. (Merino, Senra Ferreiro, 2016) (Cacioppo Fregberg, 2013, p. 688). GAD most notably produces symptoms of excessive worry and anxiety related to non-specific risks, which often leads to functional decline both socially and professionally (Roberge etRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder2902 Words   |  12 PagesGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about everyday things that is disproportionate to the actual source of worry. This excessive worry often interferes with daily functioning, as individuals suffering GAD typically anticipate disaster, and are overly concerned about everyday matters such as health issues, money, death, family problems, friend problems, relationship problems or work difficulties.[1]

Research Methods in Social Science

Question: Discuss about the Research Methods in Social Science. Answer: Introduction: Ability to listen is an important attribute of conducting a qualitative research as it helps to acquire more knowledge and understanding about the research. It also helps the participants to recount their individual experience to the maximum possible extent without any interruption (Yin 2015). It also helps to build up the rapport of the researcher with the participants that facilitates the research process. For example, good listening skills during a personal interview with a manager of the organization upon which the research is being conducted can influence the manager to tell about his personal experience with the organization. Qualitative research is messier than purely scientific research because it has plenty of choices and the researcher negotiates actively between multiple methods, multiple theories and multiple paradigms for creating meaningful research. It allows the researchers to conduct research activity in parallel to other activities as it offers the variety, flexibility and opportunities for experimentation in multiple social contexts (Bhattacherjee 2012). Qualitative research has to deal with the humanity issues along which needs more consideration of ethical issues making it messier than pure scientific research. For example, while conducting qualitative research, the researcher need to undergo a set of analytic strategies which includes other activities besides research activities. Managing the field team is done by surveying the individual team members and average their individual scores for creating composite scores for the team variables like conflict and cohesion on the level of the team (Trochim and Donnelly 2001). Based on the scores, tasks are divided within the team in such a way every team member get adequate task based on their eligibility. Research tasks are prioritized by placing the most important tasks on the top of the list structured for the research and the least important tasks on the later part of the schedule, thereby conducting a systematic research. 1. Observes the everyday activities and ordinary events as they occur naturally along with the unusual occurrences. 2. Involvement with the people who are studied and experiences personally the daily social life processes in the field settings. 3. Acquires the viewpoint of the insider with the maintenance of the analytical perspectives while focusing on the specific aspects of settings and usage of theoretical sampling. 4. Usage of the social skills and techniques according to the situation along with the critical thinking skills 5. Data production in the form of written notes, pictures, maps or diagrams with detailed descriptions (Neuman 2006). Presentation of self-affects the work of a field researcher as they ask sensitive questions to the respondents. They feel reluctant to answer those sensitive questions like questions about alcohol or drug abuse, sexual behavior or mental health problems as answering them may threaten their self-estimation and this affects the work of the field researcher. The personal skills of the field researcher, which are reflected in the research work, can also affect the participants and their participation in the research. For example, the behavioral skills can affect the knowledge sharing of a participant which ultimately affects the quality of research. The attitude of strangeness is the process of making the tacit culture visible. It is a technique of field research in which the researchers mentally adjusts themselves to see the field events as an outsider. The researchers tend to adopt this technique in the familiar surroundings as intimate acquaintance with the familiar culture can create blindness. The benefits are that it facilitates discovery of self and cultural elements become easily visible. For example, the researcher always has an expectation from the participants like the expectation of a gift giver to hear thanks for the nice gift.' It influences the researcher to reconsider the own social world. Participant observation tells about the vote canvasser networks that are underpinned by the dyadic relationships that are on a long-term basis, both horizontal and hierarchical between the voters, vote-canvassers and the candidate (Chattharakul 2011). All these factors continue to be the crucial factors for winning elections. Participant observation methodology helps to gain a close and intimate familiarity with the participants that is very important for collecting efficient data in qualitative research. The participant observation in the article provided by Chattharakul (2011) documented the way by which the candidates can draw up a map of an election campaign to identify the voters for maximizing their vote-canvassing strategy. Participant observation allowed the researcher to understand the vote canvassing networks as it offered the researcher to have a close-up study of the underlying mechanisms of a campaign of Thai election. The researcher documented the process by which the candidates draw up the map of election campaign after identification of the voters for enhancing their strategy of vote canvassing. The participate observation helped the researcher to find out the influence of money, political factions and corrupt local politicians upon rural voters. From participant observation, it has been also understood that the middle-class voters are familiarized with alternative policies. Swell Sculpture Festival is celebrated in Queensland in Australia and the managers of the festival implement the concept of participant observation as the strategy for audience development for managing and understanding the expectations of the audiences. This technique of participant observation helps to illustrate the understanding of the behaviors of the visitors with their artwork interaction. Through the help of participant observation methodology, the researcher can understand the behavioral features of participants and the important skills of interaction. The participant observation helped in getting structured information about the organization or the event upon which the research is being done. Political ethnography helps to understand the role of politics in everyday life as it focuses on the relationship of everyday life with politics. Some of the mundane aspects of life are rooted in the nation or state politics and ethnography demonstrates the deep roots of politics of a country imbues the subjects with particular practices and discourses. For example, in the article provided by Goffman (2009), the researcher was able to draw implications related to the prior treatments of poor and policing and the area of improvement regarding broader sociological questions of punishment along with the surveillance in the modern era. The limitation of using only ethnography as the basis to develop public policy is its relation with reliability. The replication of the ethnographic research carried out on public policy in the natural setting is not reproducible. In addition, controlling the external variables for the development of public policies is not possible because of longer duration of observation (Goffman 2009). Ethnographers include their personal experience for pursuing questions and reviewing data, it can lead to biases in directing the inquiry and analysis. In addition, this method relies upon presentation of critical incidents which is difficult for hypothesis testing. The author wants to manage the ethical aspect of surveillance and punishment in the modern era as with the increase in imprisonment, the daily life of the Black communities is affected. The poor treatment of the poor and the public policing is the ethical issue the author wants to manage for their betterment. I would, as an ethical manager, laid down the ethical guidelines for abiding the law so that they can avoid the punishment. The author attempted to provide implications for viewing the punishment and imprisonment related matters as major sociological questions which are needed to be solved for improved status of black people. Becker argues that should there be values or not among the sociologists while undertaking the studies to analyze the problems. It has been a point of a dilemma for the sociologists that Becker puts forward whether to stay neutral or exhibit a deep commitment while conducting the studies. Staying neutral is value free and commitment involves a value position that the author argues about which side to take. On considering a situation when researches are carried out especially in the sectors of schools, asylums, hospitals, etc., sociologists consider that their work is biased. In such situations, the conflict exists in the hierarchy but has not turned into openly political (Becker 1966). I agree with the main contention of Becker regarding taking of sides as per our political and personal commitments as it will use our technical and theoretical resources for avoiding the distortions that may be introduced into our work. It will also help to carefully limit the conclusion and recognition of the hierarchical credibility. But at the same time "The hierarchy of credibility" is one such feature of our society whose existence cannot be denied. Sometimes even if there is disagreement in terms of the decision or any other work, we cannot deny the decision of the one at the top position. Basic assumptions of traditional interviews are opinion democratization, respondent-researcher duality and respondents as knowledge vessels. Human beings are expected to share common experiences and the roles of the respondent and the researcher are formalized. All the researches that are being conducted are depended on certain assumptions that constitute valid method. These assumptions shape the process of interview and the practice of the sociologists and therefore have a greater contribution towards the validity of the research. For example, certain qualitative researchers based on their philosophical perspectives reject or accept the framework of "validity" that differs from the quantitative research according to sociology. Structured interviews are mainly concerned with the respondent-researcher duality whereas unstructured interviews are lesser stringent regarding the interviewing assumptions and in-depth interviews are built on the concept that delving into the deeper self of the respondent delivers more of the authentic information (Marsiglio 2013). Structured interview can be conducted for the simple gathering of information and when the participant gets deviated from the original question asked. Unstructured interview can be conducted for an informal communication and questions in such cases are open-ended, flexible and can thus be adapted for modification if required. In-depth interviews are conducted for the important matters requiring serious discussions. In the process of active interviewing, the interview is considered as a social event or occasion and the respondents along with the researchers create the social reality based on interactions. In this process of interview, the respondents are expected to take on many active roles. The unit of analysis in this type of interview is not focused on the individual and it is how the interaction shapes the expression and story of the respondent. The main characteristics of an active interview are a structured plan, a quick interviewer, spontaneous respondent and a descriptive topic to be discussed on. In comparison with the traditional approach of interview, active interview allows constructing a bridge to the ongoing interactive contingencies in respect to the interview process. Field research interview is the process of collection of primary data in either the original form or available otherwise using the methods of direct observation, postal surveys, telephone and face to face interviewing whereas survey research interview involves collecting information from the individuals on a specific topic by the methods of questionnaires, interviews and surveys. Field interviews are open-ended and is intended for the collection of the individual experience whereas friendly conversations are informal without any collection of formal information. A field interview involves collecting, conserving and also disseminating the data in order to reach a conclusion. Whereas, a friendly conversation is an informal act that is held between a small group of individual without a purpose. Ethical dilemmas occur as the field researchers get personally involved with the social lives of the respondents. These occur mostly when the researchers are in the field and have lesser time for making moral decisions without consulting others. These situations occur unexpectedly in the process of interacting and observing in the field. The most significant ethical dilemmas of a field interview involve the involvement of a researcher into the personal and social lives of an individual. Although there exist questions on the moral status of such interviews, in certain field survey activities can only be evaluated by studying covertly (Liamputtong 2009). The validity and utility of the information that is obtained by interviewing the elites are dependent on the research design of the analyst. Poorly structured and prepared interviews yield poor information and shift the focus of the interview. Therefore, it is important to be thoroughly prepared when undertaking interviews with the elites. In order to conduct such interviews, it is very important to have a conceptual mapping. An elite individual values time and thus it is very important o conduct the interview with a good knowledge to manage the formal conversation within a specific duration. For example, a study revealed that it took around fifteen to twenty calls to arrange an interview of political elites in Russia. (Beamer 2002). Elite interviews tap into the political constructs, as they are difficult to examine otherwise. They are important as they involve the belief of the political actors. Conceiving the representations by the legislators, extending the institutional co-operation and bipartisan within the state government, coalition building, party leadership and the influence and power of the executives are all answered by the elite interviews. Moreover, the study of such interview reflects on the process-tracing studies, new historical changes of policy ratification or its execution. The elite interviews n also help in the form of a pre-test to aid an individual to distinguish the process that needs to be analyzed in future. Developed procedures of sampling enhance the study validity and reliability and ensure that captures the entire range of interviews. It allows the researcher to gather rich information funds while conserving the resources. In terms of a multiple sampling comparabilities of samples can be done and also information of representative elites from every state can be obtained. Moreover, it reduces the chance of generating biased sample. This also provides an opportunity to get a wide range of view of the elite respondents. Therefore, for carrying out the elite interviews, sampling is an essential factor in its single and multiple states. The chapter on Paula and Kelly provides an in-depth analysis of the political view of the young mothers of Australia. From the interviews, it can be said that both Paula and Kelly have sufficient awareness of politics and Paula had a strong awareness of the complex political affairs of decision making, when compared to Kelly. Both these women viewed politics as a mean for the wellbeing of their children but there viewpoints were different (Brett and Moran 2006). Therefore, it can be well said that both of them were politically aware. Using direct quotations for the presentation of the findings can be attributed to the fact that it clearly reflects the speech and though of the historical figures in the discussion. In this chapter, the views of both the young mothers were quoted to express their opinion regarding the political awareness of the Australian young mothers and the critique by the author has been kept in contrast to support or justify the comments. Direct quotes have also helped to connect the ideas of the young mothers with the authors ideas to produce an argument. There is an intersection of politics, class and nation and that has been specifically exemplified both in the case study and the book. From the case study, it can be found that the young mothers were politically aware, although with different views, and they were concerned about the well-being of their children as the future citizens of the nation with respect to the class of people they belong to. The book discussed the various political ideologies based on the social dimensions of the ordinary people of Australia, belonging to different classes that intersected all the three parameters (Brett and Moran 2006). Qualitative research is the ideal choice for presentation of the detailed account of the excerpts over quantitative as quantitative studies concentrate more on the analysis and measurement of the target concepts and often misses the contextual details. For this kind of studies, individual interpretation of the opinions and events is essential that is possible only with qualitative analysis. The excerpts were rich in the views of the common Australians from their perspectives and data collection would not have been possible with data collection tools, as it is done in quantitative research. Therefore, the researcher for conducting the research aptly selected qualitative research. Cyr analyzed from the past ten years that focus groups are currently under-utilized as data collection method and this can be found from the fact that relatively less number of articles over the past ten years have included the focus groups. The presentation and content of the focus group data also vary significantly. This can be seen from the fact that few of the articles carefully specified the type and number of participants whereas others have missed it. For example, it has been observed that most of the researchers mostly on individual focus group although more information can be obtained from the interactive and individual pool. Focus groups aim to generate the conversations that help to uncover the opinions of the individuals regarding an issue. The group consensus also is revealed in cases where they are found as the issues at hand (Cyr 2015). The data collection potential rises from the range of perspectives and experiences for the focused conversations that are uncovered. One of the most significant uses of the focus group is learning of the socially marginalized pool and understanding of society dynamics. Moreover, it has been reported that the focus group is presently used in the practice of arrangement or gathering of a manageable set of conversations which gets uncovered during the study. 1. An individual unit of analysis is essential for triangulating the other methods and the focus groups play an important role to elicit and survey the multiple reactions to a question and the group dynamic is not important in this form of analysis. The norms of an individual unit analysis suggest that the scientifically identified findings are the most precious if and when applied to all types of individuals. The research articles do not rely exclusively on the focus groups for making their arguments and the focus groups here do not represent the general population. 2. The group unit of analysis is efficient as a pretest for assessment of the measurement validity. Here, the focus groups inform the researchers of the existing consensus for the interesting phenomenon. In this process of analysis, the researchers are confronted with the desirability bias for the methods of data collection that includes surveys and interviews. Every group unit of analysis entails a confined population which must be outlined in the study design procedure of operationalization. Although the group unit of analysis might be operationalized as mean of individual scores, they are of interest to the researchers. 3. Sometimes interactions amid social beings are considered to be a unit of analysis in study. Interactive unit of analysis is appropriate for the exploration studies and exploits the comparative advantage of the focus groups regarding their social setting and dynamics. They rarely confirm the expectations that are derived from the previous theory and data and are oriented to derive new hypothesis. For example, research where books, jokes, wars, laws, etc. are involved in the interactions. Focus groups offer to provide several advantages to the feminist research that includes addressing the ethical concerns demonstrating the ability of the researcher in the process of data collection. It also helps to provide interactive and high quality data and offers a route for studying an individual in context to the social world. Historical studies reveal that the individualistic investigation methods have always dominated the feminist research and psychology. The feminist qualitative research thus can be strengthened through the construction and expansion of interviews conducted on feminist group. The focus group data should be differentiated from the data collected from the in-depth qualitative interviews as it is a distinctive form of analysis and allows observing the interactions taking place between the group members. The strength of the opinion of an individual is analyzed by the focus group that is not possible by the in-depth analysis and therefore, they should be differentiated. Moreover, in-depth qualitative interview needs to be more structured and interactive, whereas the focus group data collection method involves more statistical analysis. Focus group aids the concern of co-construction of reality as it helps to build the understanding of the social world rather than atomistic individualism of individual interviewing (Wilkinson 1998). They focus on the social context influences and the self-relational aspects and give a clear understanding of the reality of the situation. Individual interviews are differentiated from the focus groups on the basis that focus groups provide a better understanding of the individual along with his environment in the context of realities. Focus group simulates more real world response than individual interview. The focus group helps in understanding the commonalities and differences within a segment, whereas an in-depth qualitative interview is very narrow or specific. Running a focus group takes the research into the unexpected and new directions and help the researchers to get engaged in the interaction that is argumentative and complementary. Argumentative includes the parameters of disagreement, challenging and questioning whereas complimentary includes the parameters of sharing of common experiences. Data collection process includes the similarities and differences of the group participants. It is a cost-effective technique where contradictory views can be challenged, and new ideas can be formed. The final result is that running a focus group helps to build a cognitive structure of research after eliminating unwanted ideas and takes the research into a new direction (Kitzinger 2003). Interactions are fundamental in a focus group as it leads to an interventionist style, helps to continue the debate, which would have otherwise ended, challenging the casual reality of the people and encouraging them further to discuss the inconsistencies between their own thinking and participants (Kitzinger 1994). Interaction in focus group allows comparison of views and evaluating the threat present in research. Proper interaction between focus groups allows researcher the time to frame their research in a correct way based on shared perception of ideas. Therefore, interaction plays a significant role in building up the communication process between the participants (Kitzinger 2003). Differences between participants are important when undertaking the research of focus group, as the research participants in a group are never homogeneous entirely. Kitzinger states that there might be unanimous agreement to some views or disagreement with certain ideas. The group dynamics in focus the group may sometimes deviate people from taking about the central theme of research. It does not always mean that it is an inhibitive group as many a time they have helped break the ice and speak about taboo topics. This causes the facilitator to explore the opinion differences and encourage the participants for theorizing the existence of diversity for their viewpoints (Kitzinger 2003). Qualitative methods include specific demands for actively engaging the researcher. Reflexivity is not only individual's interview. It is represented by the entire research approach that begins with a good understanding of self-perception in the research procedure with a clear research conclusion. In the qualitative research methods, the researcher has to think critically beyond the results got from the data analysis thus reflexivity is very important for qualitative research (Walter 2006). It is important because it acknowledges that the researcher has analyzed the data collected during the research. Coding is an essential part of qualitative data analysis. It can be defined as the process by which the collected data are being organized for data analysis during research. While coding, the segments of data are marked with descriptive words, symbols or category names. The purpose of coding data during a research work is to categorize data according to the type or nature of the data collected (Walter 2006). It is done for making the data analysis process easy. After coding the data, similar data under a particular category can be treated in a similar way which would reduce the risk of misinterpretation of data. While dealing with data, transcripts and coding for analysis of the collected data during qualitative research, some specific concepts or ideas would be found assisting in the explanation or interpretation of data, these concepts are known as themes. Codes are given to each data and based on the codes similar data are categories and from similar data having the same code, a theme generates (Walter 2006). The primary analytical procedures identified by Kitzinger include organizing the data, researching the data, developing categories and themes, coding the data, giving interpretation through analytic memos, finding alternative information and writing the report for presentation. Each phase involves reducing redundant data to maintain the purpose of work and guides the researcher to manage information competently. Interpretation is the most crucial process as it imparts meaning to raw data and transforms it into valuable findings. Finally, the data may be presented in different formats by balancing description and analysis. Researchers may take different approaches in reporting and delivering the content accurately (Stevenson 2016). Coding of data is enabled long-term storage of the data by compressing it and is profitable to the researcher especially in the later stages of analysis when he requires the information. Codes like an abbreviation, dots, numbers, highlighting passages, etc. helps in generating categories and themes which facilitate analysis. The constant comparison and coding of data are necessary to achieve theoretical saturation and refinement of the data. The assembling of code helps in organizing themes and linking each of them coherently. It minimizes the chance of error in research work and increases the credibility of data (Stevenson 2016). Ways of writing a report include Presentation of data through interviews where participant response guides the report. Linking of descriptive data and practices to theories. Trying to build a theory with data collected from various institutions and drawing theoretical consideration. Storylining, where the relationships and categories are utilized to clarify the findings in the form of a story. Concept mapping includes representation by a graph, by using graphical software programs. I think presenting data by linking theory with practice is an ideal method as it helps in analyzing practices and views which are complementary to relevant theories (Stevenson 2016). The Silvermans assessment of qualitative research data identifies the aesthetic aspects of qualitative research. He feels that contemporary cultural responses hamper understanding of researchers, and he finds a modern culture of qualitative research to be inaccurate. He uses the word bullshit' to describe some qualitative methods because, in recent research, aesthetic values of research are ignored. He analyzed that researcher pays more attention to theory but not how to apply it. Secondly, the focus is on the perception of the participant but not on the origin of the particular idea. Modern research is also at the risk of leaving standard methods and relying on creating methods (Li 2014). Silverman regard experience as particularly important because it facilitates the application of qualitative research. The role of qualitative research is often ignored in real life, so experience helps in being aware of stereotyped views. This kind of experience helps in the practical application of research in society. He stresses that experience helps in knowing the standards of qualitative research. It facilitates understanding the needs of the responsive audience as well as the maintaining credibility of research. Therefore, experience promotes proper mobilization and dissemination of research findings. It helps in knowing the strength and weakness of qualitative research (Li 2014). The anti-bullshit agenda was triggered by Silverman's critical diagnosis of the modern culture of qualitative research as bullshit'. The anti-bullshit agenda by Silverman is an approach to outline certain criteria, which a social researcher should try to abide by. It includes factors such as clarity, economy, reason, beauty, and truth. This agenda enables the researchers to keep certain criteria in mind while presenting data. Silverman is commending this agenda because he feels that in current qualitative research, researchers ignore the aesthetic value of qualitative research. His main aim is to form research idea with precise reasoning so that research report is presented in aesthetically pleasing style and language (Li 2014). The most challenging aspect according to me was the coding of research data, as I was thoroughly confused the topics I should code and the number of codes I should include in my analysis of interview transcript. Things can get haphazardly arranged if codes are not assembled in a logical and systematic manner. So, I was very cautious during the coding process and tried not to make my presentations go wrong in any way. However watching the video of a qualitative analysis of interview data helped me much in understanding the procedure for coding of research data. The best part of analyzing interview transcript was reading the different interview articles. It was a learning experience for me and allowed me to review and understand the various aspects of an interview. It also eased the collection of required data, since it facilitated access to the necessary information by looking up the text rather than listening to an audio or video repetitively (YouTube, 2016). Secondly, collecting information from different journal articles expanded my knowledge about the research topic. It helped me in developing my analytical skills as I focused on identifying new information from journal articles or recognizing any discrepancy or ideas that have not yet been explored. The main themes incorporated by me include Adaptation - This includes updating rulebook changing schedules and new routines. Seeking information - This encompasses reading journals, attending meetings and talking to co-workers Problem Solving - which includes identifying and quick fixing of problems. Presentation of research- I learned many methods of presenting and reporting my findings. It will help me in the future to present data according to situations of work. Knowing the importance of focus group- The work on focus group helped me realize the importance of interaction in getting new ideas and cross-comparison of opinions. References Beamer, G., 2002. Elite interviews and state politics research.State Politics Policy Quarterly,2(1), pp.86-96. Becker, H.S., 1966. Whose side are we on.Soc. Probs.,14, p.239. Bhattacherjee, A., 2012. Social science research: principles, methods, and practices. Brett, J. and Moran, A., 2006. Ordinary People's Politics: Australians talk about life, politics and the future of their country. Chattharakul, A., 2011. Thai electoral campaigning: Vote-canvassing networks and hybrid voting.Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs,29(4), pp.67-95. Cyr, J., 2015. The pitfalls and promise of focus groups as a data collection method.Sociological Methods Research, p.0049124115570065. Goffman, A., 2009. On the run: Wanted men in a Philadelphia ghetto.American Sociological Review,74(3), pp.339-357. Kitzinger, J., 1994. The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interaction between research participants.Sociology of health illness,16(1), pp.103-121. Kitzinger, J., 2003. The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interaction between research participants.Interviewing,1(1), p.347. Li, L., 2014. The Unremarkable Things Matter: A Book Review of David Silverman's A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research.The Qualitative Report,19(9), pp.1-4. Liamputtong, P., 2009. The in-depth interviewing method.Qualitative research methods, pp.42-63. Marsiglio, W., 2013. Conducting qualitative in-depth interviews. Neuman, W.L., 2006. Field research.Social Research Methods-Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, pp.378-414. Stevenson, C.N., 2016. Analyzing Qualitative Data: Visualizing Lived Experiences.Mixed Methods Research for Improved Scientific Study, p.123. Trochim, W.M. and Donnelly, J.P., 2001. Research methods knowledge base. Walter, M., 2006. Social research methods. South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press. Wilkinson, S., 1998, February. Focus groups in feminist research: Power, interaction, and the co-construction of meaning. InWomen's studies international forum(Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 111-125). Pergamon. Yin, R.K., 2015.Qualitative research from start to finish. Guilford Publications. YouTube. (2016).Qualitative analysis of interview data: A step-by-step guide. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRL4PF2u9XA [Accessed 9 Jul. 2016

Kimberly clark case study free essay sample

Why are major company, like Kimberly-Clark, moving toward relationships in which the supplier managers inventory levels at the retailer? 2. When should Kimberly-Clark handles its logistic needs in-house, and when should external source be used? 3. What other types of business partnerships that Kimberly-Clark can be used to improve supply chain performance? 4. Can pressure such as in the Kimberly-Clark case be used to Kimberly-Clark’s advantage? Traditionally, the retailer handles the replenishment process, and the supplier has no clear information on the demand side or advance warning about out-of-stock situation. As a result, the supplier tends to maintain a certain level of safety stocks as a buffer in order to facilitate sales and the customer would also keep some safety stocks in case of none-supply that causes long supply chain and lacks of flexibility. Through supplier managed inventory programs, suppliers get to know the actual supply and demand and thus can deploy better logistic plans to response the fluctuating market situation. We will write a custom essay sample on Kimberly clark case study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Cross Media Optimization Study (XMOS) The XMOS study answers the question â€Å"What is the optimal media mix to achieve marketing  goals? † Marketers and advertising agencies can now begin to understand which advertising vehicles, at what frequency, optimally support campaign objectives. Using a research methodology endorsed by the Advertising Research Foundation and recognized by ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research), the XMOS study measures online advertising alongside offline advertising to determine the optimal mix and weight of each medium. The Campaign Kimberly-Clark introduced the Kleenex Soft Pack with television, print, and online. Advertising. The objective of the campaign: build awareness and drive trial. The target: previously hard-to-reach consumers. The Challenge Kimberly-Clark wanted to measure the ability of online advertising to reach segments of their target market that their television and print ads just were not covering. How They Did It The company allocated 75% of its overall advertising dollars to television, 23% to print, and 2% to online. Then they analyzed each medium’s effectiveness in boosting aided brand awareness, brand image, purchase intent. And bundled trial intent. What They Found Online complements offline advertising and delivers the 42% of the audience that is only lightly reached or not reached at all by television. The synergy of magazine and online advertising was the most effective combination for reaching this audience and boosting major key metrics including aided brand awareness, brand image, bundled trail intent and purchase intent. As an integral part of the overall media mix: †¢ Online advertising could potentially deliver 26% of the targ

Time on Your Hands

Time on Your Hands Time on Your Hands Time on Your Hands By Maeve Maddox For me, January is a time for thinking about time. The month is named for Janus, the Roman god depicted as having two faces. The double visage represents the power to see into the past and the future. Because of this attribute, Janus was the patron of beginnings. Our word time has been in the language since Old English times. It occurs in numerous idioms such as time of day, time-travel, time-keeper, time-limit, about time, and to have a good time. Before any of our British readers object to that last one as a vile Americanism, according to the OED, to have a good time ( = a time of enjoyment) was common in Eng. from c 1520 to c 1688; it was app. retained in America, whence readopted in Britain in 19th c. Another word for time, Greek khronos, has also been put to good use in English in the form of the word elements chron and chrono. Here are just a few, some more useful than others. anachronism: the erroneous reference of an event, circumstance, or custom to a wrong date. For example, Shakespeare’s plays contain numerous anachronisms. In Julius Caesar, set in Roman times, a character counts the chimes of a mechanical clock. References to clothing often indicate that Shakespeare’s actors performed in contemporary Elizabethan garb, no matter what the historical setting of the play. If you want to get really picky, here are some words to narrow down the type of anachronism you mean: parachronism: an error in chronology, esp. the placing of an event later than its real date. Metachronism has the same meaning. prochronism: an error in chronology that places an event earlier in time than its true date. The next three words are used in the study of linguistics. achronic lasting through time, or during the existing period. In linguistics the term means â€Å"pertaining to or designating a method of linguistic study concerned with the historical development of a language; historical, as opposed to descriptive or synchronic.† panchronic: designating or relating to a linguistic structure or theory that may be applied to all languages at all stages of their development. synchronic: pertaining to or designating a method of linguistic study concerned with the state of a language at one time, past or present; descriptive, as opposed to historical or diachronic. Then we have chronic lasting a long time, long-continued, lingering; said of diseases chronicle: a detailed and continuous register of events in order of time. It can also be used as a verb, to chronicle. chronobiology: the scientific study of temporal or periodic phenomena in biology. This is the word that set me off on this theme. I encountered it in a New York Times story: Dr Michael Smolensky, an expert in chronobiology (the study of the bodys natural rhythms and cycles) at the University of Texas at Houston, says that people who live in countries that are cold in winter eat more than they do in warmer seasons: â€Å"Adults typically consume 6 to 7 per cent more calories in the winter.† chronological: arranged according to time dendrochronology: the science of arranging events in the order of time by the comparative study of the annual growth rings in (ancient) timber. isochron: a line (imaginary or on a map) connecting points at which some chosen time interval has the same value. Planning a complex novel might lead a writer to make a chart with isochrons. monochronic: relating to or dating from a single period of time. pseudochronism: Obs. rare a false dating; an error in date. synchronicity: Carl Jung used this word to name the phenomenon of events which coincide in time and appear meaningfully related but have no discoverable causal connection. synchronize: To cause to be, or represent as, synchronous; to assign the same date to; to bring together events, etc. belonging to the same time. I’ll always associate this word with old movies. The plan requires each member of a group to perform separate actions at the same moment. Before initiating the plan, the leader of the good guys gives the command, â€Å"Synchronize your watches!† Some more ‘time† expressions in English: Time, Gentlemen, Please More â€Å"chron† words Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive InterjectionsAt Your Disposal20 Ways to Cry

Wernickes Area in the Brain

Wernicke's Area in the Brain The function of a part of the human brain known as Wernickes area is to enable us to comprehend written and spoken language. It is located posterior to the primary auditory complex in the left temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain where information processing of all kinds takes place. Wernickes area  is connected to another brain region involved in language processing known as Brocas area. Located in the lower portion of the left frontal lobe, Brocas area controls motor functions involved with speech production. Together, these two brain areas help us to speak as well as to interpret, process, and understand spoken and written language. Discovery German neurologist Carl Wernicke is credited with discovering the function of this brain region in 1873. He did so while observing individuals with damage to the posterior temporal lobe of the brain. He noticed that one of his stroke patients, while able speak and hear, was not able to comprehend what was being said to him. Nor could he understand written words. After the man died, Wernicke studied his brain and discovered a lesion in the rear parietal/temporal region of the left hemisphere of the patients brain, located close to the auditory region. He concluded that this section had to be responsible for language comprehension. Function Wernickes Area of the brain is responsible for multiple functions. According to various studies, including the 2016 publication The Role of Wernicke’s Area in Language Comprehension by Alfredo Ardila, Byron Bernal, and Monica Rosselli, these functions seem to contribute to language understanding by allowing us to interpret the meaning of individual words and using them in their proper context. Wernicke's Aphasia A condition called Wernickes aphasia, or fluent aphasia, in which patients with damage to their temporal lobe region have difficulty comprehending language and communicating ideas, bolsters the thesis that Wernickes area primarily governs word comprehension. While they are able to speak words and form sentences that are grammatically correct, these patients cannot form sentences that make sense. They may include unrelated words or words that have no meaning in their sentences. These individuals lose the ability to connect words with their appropriate meanings. They are often unaware that what they are saying does not make sense. Processing the symbols that we call words, encoding their meanings into our brains, and then using them in context is what forms the very basis of language comprehension. A Three-Part Process Speech and language processing are complex functions that involve several parts of the cerebral cortex. Wernickes area, Brocas area, and the angular gyrus are three regions vital to language processing and speech. Wernickes area is connected to Brocas area by a group of nerve fiber bundles called the arcuate fascilicus. While Wernickes area helps us to understand language, Brocas area helps us to accurately communicate our ideas to others through speech. The angular gyrus, located in the parietal lobe, is a region of the brain that helps us to utilize different types of sensory information to comprehend language. Sources: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Aphasia. NIH Pub. No. 97-4257. Updated June 1, 2016. Retrieved from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/aphasia.National Aphasia Foundation. (n.d.). Wernickes aphasia. Retrieved from aphasia.org/aphasia-resources/wernickes-aphasia/

Values and Ethos of Learning Communities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Values and Ethos of Learning Communities - Essay Example The role of leaders is to create learning community culture in which understandings achieved during the course of practice, nurtured and not forgotten. Educational leadership should encourage students and inspire their interest to learning and self-improvement. Different leadership strategies mentioned above should not be used in isolation. The role of educational leadership is to maintain the community and support the core purpose of increasing the ability of all students and preparing students for the future. Leaders must remember that their words and stance on issues impact others in both large and small ways (Sergiovanni 2000). The main educational leadership strategies include blending leadership strategy, institutional leaders, instructional leadership and transformational leadership, facilitative leadership, visionary, ethical and direct leadership (Educational Leadership& Management, n.d.). Direct leadership is what leaders do when they work directly to enhance teacher learning. Substitutes for leadership are the structures, pathways, and norms leaders build that allow, encourage, and enhance teacher learning. In K-12 public education, the choice of leadership strategy depends upon the extent to which it matches the nature of the task, the complexity of the community setting, and the standards of quality expected. Many learning communities choose instructional and transformational leadership which help educators to meet changing learning environment and community's policies. Where task complexity is simple, direct supervision involving telling students what to do, watching them do it, and making correc tions as needed might be an appropriate choice. But as complexity increases, strategies closer to mutual adjustment make more sense. These learning communities rely on purposing and shared values, standardizing knowledge and skills, and mutual adjustment as control strategies if they want to be successful (Educational Leadership, n.d.). Facilitative, visionary and ethical leadership allows educators to form and correct basic moral values and preferences of diverse student audience. Using these strategies, educators become more sophisticated in their ability to develop capacity for teaching and leading in schools creating effective learning communities based on trust and respect. The task of facilitative leadership is to encourage the involvement of students at all educational levels. Visionary leadership is aimed to create a certain vision of culture and values shared by a particular community. This is one of the most important strategies which help educators to prepare students for various roles in their respective communities. Critics argue that ethical leadership "should have and be willing to act on a definite sense of ethical standards" (Educational Leadership& Management, n.d.). K-12 community leaders should create an effective environment and control that students are well served, and that teachers are suppor ted in their efforts in behalf of students. A leader's role is to engage teachers in determining and articulating a vision of excellence for all students. Communication in K-12 public education should include conversation about school issues and the needs of children with meetings to analyze data and plan